Across 2021's cooler months, locations around Australia will transform into winter wonderlands, celebrating the chilly season in all of its frosty glory. From May through until September, The Winter Village is returning after its debut run in Melbourne two years back — and this time it's dropping by several other cities as well. Modelled on your typically picturesque European winter market — and giving Aussies a taste of a winter experience that we don't really have otherwise — The Winter Village comes complete with an ice rink, an igloo village, daily snow showers, and a food and drink lineup. Think of it as your quaint wintery escape in the very heart of Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Parramatta. Melbourne is the pop-up's first stop again, with The Winter Village bringing its frosty fun to Skyline Terrace at Federation Square (aka the top of the carpark) from Thursday, May 13–Sunday, August 29. But this event is actually running concurrently around the nation, rather than making its other destinations wait their turn. So, it'll set up at Torrens Parade Ground in Adelaide from Friday, May 14–Sunday, September 5; at Northshore's Riverfront event site in Brisbane from Thursday, June 3–Sunday, August 29; and at Northbridge's Ice Cream Factory in Perth from Friday, May 28–Sunday, September 19. A Parramatta stopover is also listed on The Winter Village's website, although no dates or locations have been provided as yet. So Sydneysiders had best cross their fingers that the event will make its way to the city. Attendees will be able to dust off their skates and hit the ice, and hire a private igloo where you can wine and dine in cosy solace — either with up to five people in a smaller space, or in a six-metre-wide igloo that can cater for 14. Folks spending their time in The Winter Village's igloos will feast on grazing plates of chips, dips, mini pretzels, cured meats, fried chicken bites, mac 'n' cheese croquettes and more, drink their choice of wine or beer, and tuck into a chocolate ice cream sandwich for dessert. That's the $49 package, with the $69 option including espresso martini-flavoured chocolate fudge dipping sauce, berries, brownies, marshmallows, cookies and your choice of an Aperol spritz, espresso martini, wine or beer. Or, get festive over brunch instead — which includes a 45-minute skate session and a meal afterwards for $35. There'll also be pop-up bars and outdoor seating throughout the village, should you be keen on heading along without spending time in an igloo. The latest venture from hospitality group Australian Venue Co, the frozen oasis will be open daily and free to enter. That said, ice skating, igloo hire and a couple of winter warming beverages will come at a cost. The Winter Village will head to Skyline Terrace at Federation Square in Melbourne from Thursday, May 13–Sunday, August 29; Torrens Parade Ground in Adelaide from Friday, May 14–Sunday, September 5; Northshore's Riverfront event site in Brisbane from Thursday, June 3–Sunday, August 29; and Northbridge's Ice Cream Factory in Perth from Friday, May 28–Sunday, September 19 — and with details of its Parramatta visit still to be revealed. Head to the event's website to book igloos and skating sessions. Top images: Mazloum J.
Brad Pitt almost unrecognisable as Henry Spencer from Eraserhead. Ryan Gosling as The Invisible Man. Viola Davis as Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. If this has you intrigued, you're going to love the video exhibition that the New York Times Magazine has put together, directed by Alex Prager. In part an homage to the greatest villains from film and a showcase of some of the most talented actors we see on our screens today, each vignette is a carefully crafted moment exploring the darker side of these wicked characters. No actor speaks in the vignettes, but repetitive, spine-tingling music plays, reflected in the sinister, depraved look in each character's eyes. The camera creeps up Kirsten Dunst's body as she holds a green apple close to her lips; Glenn Close is a mysterious, almost ghostly version of Theda Bara, the silent film star. If you're a budding movie director, this could well serve as inspiration for your next horror short... See the exhibition, A Touch of Evil, here and the mood board that inspired it.
If your office crew is a creative lot who would appreciate a more mellow bonding experience, roll up your sleeves and get your collective palms working a great hunk of clay. Auart's new Petersham digs offers group classes for up to eight people, from one-time sessions for total novices to package classes for enthusiasts. There are few experiences that are more meditative than throwing clay on the pottery wheel and few things more hilarious than the collapsed gobs resulting from a first-time attempt on the wheel. Do yourself and your colleagues a favour and mark this in the calendar. Images: Age of Innocence Studio
The atmosphere of a writer's den, insanely long opening hours, fun and flavoursome food, a drinks menu that will keep even the most inspired drinker guessing, and not even the slightest degree of pretension. In short, Hemingway's must be one of the best spots in town right now. And it's perhaps not where you would expect it to be. A far cry from the back lanes of Darlinghurst or even the fame of King Street, this bar is firmly situated on Manly's main strip, right across from the beach. Despite this, it's about as dissimilar from a tourist trap as you can imagine. For a start, the prices. The house cocktails are $15 and the suggested mixers, almost good enough to be cocktails themselves, are a mere $10. Hemingway's Cup is the ten to one favourite cocktail, spotted in the hands of almost every lady in the place. It's gentle mix of Hendrick's gin, rose and apple tea, sugar, and spice, served in a tea cup and saucer with slices of cucumber alongside. While it's very good, my pick would be the Miffy: house-infused vanilla rum, Falernum, orange, lemon and egg white whisked into a cloud-like dream. On a summer's day, the Creaming Soda might be more your style, with vodka, crème de cassis, home-made lemonade, wild berry foam and a paper cocktail umbrella. As far as mixer ideas go, Aperol and Fanta isn't a bad choice, and neither is Rum, Spicy Bitters and Ginger Beer. Both pack a flavoursome punch. Click here for full review and details
Summer's around the corner and so is the 12th Annual Bondi Film Festival this Saturday, November 24 at the Bondi Pavillion. The festival has announced its panel of judges, which is jam packed with talented directors and performers, including Noni Hazlehurst, Christiaan Van Vuuren, Jessica Tovey, Kristy Best, Dr. Ruth Harley and Andrew McFarlane. The festival screens 100% Australian content and has attracted over 3,000 entries over the past 12 years. The festival has reached cult status amongst indie filmmakers and fans as it shines the spotlight on local and up-and-coming creatives. Fourteen festival finalists will go head to head for a prize pool valued at over $10,000 including a return flight to North America. Doors open for the matinee session at 2pm and screenings begins at 3pm. Concrete Playground has five double passes to give away to the matinee session of the Bondi Short Film Festival. To go in the running, just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Vivid Sydney is gearing up for its tenth anniversary and it has one epic lineup. At Carriageworks alone, an artistic program of music, screen, creative thinking and visual art will take over from May 24. And it's being headlined by Grammy Award-winning artist St. Vincent, who will take the house down with a live performance on June 17. St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark) has been rocking the music game for over a decade now, with breakout hits from 2007's 'The Apocalypse Song' to 2017's 'Los Ageless'. The indie-pop luminary is oft referred to as the "female Bowie". For those who aren't already huge fans, we suggest putting her fifth album, Masseduction, on repeat now. The meta-pop album, which is both strange and moving, was released to critical acclaim in 2017, cracking the top 10 on the Billboard 200. This year marks Carriageworks' fifth Vivid program, which also includes design forum Semi Permanent, Clipped Music Video Festival and electronic and dance event Curve Ball. In 2017 London's electronic duo Goldfrapp headlined, preceded by Bjork in 2016, who took over the precinct with a huge virtual reality project. Needless to say, the multi-arts centre is known for putting on ambitious programs, and this year is slated to be another big one. Images: Nedda Afsari
What's charm got to do with it? In What's Love Got to Do with It?, plenty. A rom-com with absolutely nothing to do with Tina Turner, the song that instantly springs to mind or the 1993 biopic about the singer's life, this British affair from the producers of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, the Bridget Jones films and Love Actually — and the more-recent Yesterday and Cyrano, too — thrives on the charisma of its leads. It has to. Lily James (Pam & Tommy) and Shazad Latif (Profile) are nicely cast, but they're also all-so-crucially required to help patch over the movie's flagrant formula. Indeed, as penned by journalist-turned-producer-turned-screenwriting first-timer Jemima Khan, and helmed by Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, What's Love Got to Do with It? interrogates its own premise in its template-like nature. Is it better to stick to a tried-and-tested route or let surprises reign? In the way it's made and the tale it tells, at least, this flick repeatedly advocates for the former. For documentarian Zoe (James) and oncologist Kazim (Latif), childhood pals, neighbours and each other's first kiss, What's Love Got to Do with It?'s big battle isn't about romantic comedies, of course. And, it certainly isn't about whether the latest entry in the genre should paint by numbers or dare to diverge from the trusty path. But the same conflict underscores Zoe and Kaz's differing approaches to love and marriage, as Zoe is shocked to discover at Kaz's brother Farooq's (Mim Shaikh, Doctors) wedding. That's where the man she's known her whole life announces he's getting hitched, even though he hasn't met someone. Happy to skip the chaos of dating, not fussed with casual hookups, and buoyed by his parents Aisha (Shabana Azmi, Halo) and Zahid's (Jeff Mirza, Eternals) success with arranged nuptials, he's putting his trust in assisted marriage to find someone to share his life with. What's Zoe got to do with Kaz's decision, other than being a friend by his side? There's the glaring answer and then there's how Khan's script keeps her central pair in each other's orbit other than just as mates. As Zoe gets knocked back for funding for her next project, she doesn't blink before suggesting examining assisted marriages in Britain instead. (My Big Fat Arranged Marriage is her producers' dream title.) Kaz is understandably reluctant, but soon Zoe's camera is capturing everything, including the parade of events that her mother Cath (Emma Thompson, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical) chats, drinks and dances her way through. Making a doco out of Kaz's quest to tie the knot can't help Zoe avoid her mum's stereotypical pestering about her own romantic prospects, however, complete with setting her up with family vet James (Oliver Chris, Emma). Due to rom-com logic, convention and expectation, there's a dose of My Best Friend's Wedding to What's Love Got to Do with It?, although Zoe doesn't ever try to sabotage Kaz's big day. There's also more than a dash of When Harry Met Sally… to Kapur's first feature in over a decade and a half (other than a segment of New York, I Love You) as Zoe and Kaz constantly discuss their varying ideas about relationships. And, to zero astonishment as well, there's pure and simple obviousness at work. Almost any rom-com focused on these two characters, enlisting these two actors, and benefiting from James and Latif's easy chemistry — and their innate likeability in both parts, especially Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown's Latif — is going to do exactly what the audience not only wants, but what What's Love Got to Do with It?'s genre has primed them for. Accordingly, the real questions at the heart of What's Love Got to Do with It? aren't whether Kaz's assisted-marriage plan will succeed, or if this is a sensible way to meet one's other half in these always-swiping times. A culture clash comes with the setup, with Kaz's choice hailing from his Pakistani heritage, but diving into what that tradition means for better and for worse is a mere subplot. Rather, the film asks the most straightforward query it or any romantic comedy can or ever does. The specifics vary from flick to flick, but it's the same predicament. Here, it plays out like this: how will employing Muslim matchmaker Mo (Asim Chaudhry, The Sandman), video chatting with law student Maymouna (Sajal Aly, Ishq e laa) and following what happens from there — right through to three days of colourful ceremonies in Lahore, which Zoe records and the excited Cath wouldn't miss for the world — obstruct and complicate Zoe and Kaz's unspoken but plain-as-day feelings for each other? Inevitability drips through every moment of this sunnily shot and cosily staged movie as a result, but thankfully doesn't breed contempt. Again, that's thanks to James, Latif, their engaging performances and their comfortable rapport as What's Love Got to Do with It? embraces being exactly the type of fluffily predictable romantic comedy it is. That said, Khan and Kapur do take risks, but their film ends up worse for it. Although it's an eagerly knowing touch to have a former on-screen Cinderella play a woman who frames her love life as revised fairy tales, those narrated montages — popping up intermittently and told as bedtime stories to children, but echoing over Zoe's bad dates and morning-after regrets — flounder and feel like filler. What's Love Got to Do with It? doesn't judge Zoe's romantic exploits, nor should it, just as it avoids the same with Kaz — but, while it's accepting of amorous mess and assisted marriage alike, it isn't always certain in its tone or thoughtful with its supporting characters. Thompson's role proves an inescapable example, as much of a treasure as the great English actor is (see: her phenomenal work in 2022's Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, plus too many other past parts to count). Instead of exuberant, free-spirited, or even a gleefully silly example of an older generation broadening their world, Cath comes off as one-note and cartoonish. A white woman whose personality is defined by her fixation on another culture was likely to, sadly, in a movie that's fine with skewing broad and affable over shooting for sparks.
I had virtually given up on Hollywood-template rom-coms, as in the past few years they seem, at best, generic with occasional glimpses of humour and originality and, at worse, a vomit-inducing nightmare of indie love songs and corny romance. Like Crazy is a refreshing take on the genre. The story is simple: Anna (Felicity Jones) comes to LA for a semester and falls for Jacob (Anton Yelchin), but when her student visa runs out, she is romantic/stupid and decides to stay for the summer. This means Anna isn't allowed back into America once she does leave for London, and they are sentenced to make their love last long-distance. The film follows their relationship over a number of years, which is apparent through job changes and new partners but is a little clumsily done with montage and flashbacks, so be advised to take their sudden changes in sentiment with a grain of salt. It does get a little whiny and slow in patches, and it is a shame that the sideline relationships they both have don't get explored, as it seems director Drake Doremus does not want to distract from what he sees as the purity of Anna and Jacob's love, which is almost a character in itself. The thing I liked about Like Crazy was its authenticity. All the frustration, pain and awkward long-distance phone calls were subtle and very much relatable. Jacob wasn't a dashing heartthrob (although Anna was undeniably adorable) and it was a pleasant change not to get caught up with hating them for being too good-looking. As they're both creative (Anna is a writer and Jacob designs and makes furniture), their romantic gestures are sweet and fairly unique, as is the Paul Simon soundtrack running through it instead of the usual top-10 indie hits at the time of the film being made. The story is a very simple one of whether you can overcome the adversity of falling in love with someone whose situation makes it impossible. Having been in a similar situation myself, I appreciated the honesty of the movie but imagined that a lot of other people would find it a little dull and lacking in humour. I'm grateful, however, that the tween market has something to watch that is of quality whilst still being light-hearted. https://youtube.com/watch?v=hTUvX_pYNBM
Clear your calendar. Check your annual leave balance. Dust off your biggest suitcase. In the space of less than 24 hours, not one but two dream vacation spots have added themselves back to everyone's must-visit lists — and, even better, to our can-visit lists. First came Japan, which'll drop its travel restrictions on individual international tourists in mid-October. Also announcing a big change to its border requirements: Hong Kong. The Special Administrative Region's Chief Executive John Lee advised on Friday, September 23 that it'll ditch compulsory hotel quarantine for incoming travellers from Monday, September 26. Yes, in a matter of days you'll be able to jet over to the popular getaway destination and enter without spending a stint holed up in a hotel first. The quarantine requirement will lift "for inbound persons from overseas places or Taiwan" after "analysing scientific data and striking a balance among factors such as transmission risks", the Hong Kong Government said in a statement. "The Government's goal is to minimise the inconvenience faced by inbound travellers due to quarantine requirements and allow room for Hong Kong to connect with the world as far as possible, while being able to contain the epidemic development." Also changing: testing requirements, with travellers no longer needing to provide a negative PCR test to enter Hong Kong from Monday, September 26, too. Rather, you'll have to show a negative COVID-19 result from a rapid antigen test, which needs to be taken within the 24 hours prior to getting on your flight. There are a few other caveats. A period of "medical surveillance" lasting three days applies, which requires self-monitoring from wherever you're staying in Hong Kong. And, during that period, travellers can't enter bars or restaurants — places considered "high-risk premises involving mask-off or group activities" — but they can use public transport, and shop in supermarkets and markets. You'll also need to undertake daily RATs for a week, and take a PCR test upon arrival — and on days two, four and six of your stay. Currently looking for your passport? Making big summer plans? Plotting out your bucket-list 2023 trip? That's understandable. Hong Kong's compulsory quarantine requirement will lift on Monday, September 26. For further information about travelling to Hong Kong, visit the Hong Kong Government's website.
We all have a family story to tell, but we can't all tell it like Sarah Polley. The actor known for such films as Dawn of the Dead and Splice and director of quietly acclaimed features Take This Waltz and Away From Her has turned her hand to documentary with Stories We Tell, and it's been demanding attention from festival audiences around the world. Unfortunately, it's one of those films that it's best to know as little of as possible when you go in, so this is going to be a short article. Suffice to say, Polley's primary interest is her mother, Diane Polley, an actress and extrovert who relished the escape from home life that came with roles on the stage. She died in 1990, when Sarah was 11, leaving behind a web of secrets that lay hidden for many years — until her daughter grew up and started to pull at the threads. Polley has a great cast of characters in her life to work with (every member of her family is interviewed), but the magic of this movie is ultimately in her storytelling. It's wittily edited, warm and makes some rather uncanny use of Super 8. The result is probably the most enthralling and entertaining family memoir around. Stories We Tell is in cinemas on September 26. Thanks to Palace Films, we have ten double advance screening passes to give away, valid from September 13-22. 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.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odM92ap8_c0 GODZILLA VS KONG Given that neither of Godzilla vs Kong's towering titans are truly terrors, and therefore neither should really emerge victorious over the other, getting them to face off seems pointless. "They're both big, so they can't get along" is the simplistic concept. This isn't a new train of thought, or new to the American-made Monsterverse that's been nudging the beasts closer together for seven years. Thankfully, in the hands of You're Next and The Guest director Adam Wingard, Godzilla vs Kong has as much in common with its superior Japanese predecessors as it does with 2019's terrible Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The follow-up to 2017's Kong: Skull Island, too, this new battle of the behemoths doesn't remake the duo's first screen showdown in 1962's King Kong vs Godzilla. And, sadly, it hasn't ditched the current Hollywood flicks' love of unexciting human characters. But it crucially recognises that watching its titular creatures go claw-to-paw should be entertaining. It should be a spectacle, in fact. The film also realises that if you're not going to make a movie about this pair with much in the way of substance, then you should go all out on the action and fantasy fronts. In other words, Godzilla vs Kong feels like the product of a filmmaker who loves the Japanese Godzilla flicks and Kong's maiden appearance, knows he can't do them justice thematically, but is determined to get what he can right. Wingard is still saddled with a flimsy script with a tin ear for dialogue by screenwriters Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok) and Max Borenstein (Kong: Skull Island), but his massive monster melees are a delight. Also welcome: Godzilla vs Kong's eagerness to lean into its genre. When it surrenders to its pixels, and to a tale that involves a journey to the centre of the earth, subterranean asteroids, altercations with giant flying lizards and an underground tunnel from Florida to Hong Kong, it's equal parts loopy and fun. That trip to the planet's interior is guided by Kong. Now kept in a dome that simulates the jungle, the jumbo primate is under the watch of researcher Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall, Tales from the Loop), and bonds with Jia (newcomer Kaylee Hottle), the orphan also in the doctor's care. But, after Godzilla surfaces for the first time in three years to attack tech corporation Apex's Miami base, CEO Walter Simmons (Demián Bichir, Chaos Walking) enlists geologist Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård, The Stand) on a mission. Testing the latter's hollow earth theory, they plan to track down an energy source that could be linked to both Zilly and Kong's existence — if Kong will lead them there. In a plot inclusion that'd do Scooby Doo proud, teenager Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown, returning from King of the Monsters) and her classmate Josh Valentine (Julian Dennison, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) are certain that Apex is up to no good and — with podcaster Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry, Superintelligence) — start meddling. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yJ4r7ON974 THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF Asked why he broke into Oslo's Gallery Nobel in 2015 and stole two large oil paintings in broad daylight, Karl-Bertil Nordland gives perhaps the most honest answer anyone could: "because they were beautiful". He isn't responding to the police or providing an excuse during his court appearance, but speaking to Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova, who wanted answers about the theft of her work. Captured on camera, the pilfering of Kysilkova's Swan Song and Chloe & Emma initially appeared to be a professional job. As the two pieces were removed from their frames in such an exacting manner, it was presumed that experts were behind the crime. But Nordland and his accomplice didn't plan their brazen heist, or have a background in purloining art. Thanks to the effect of illicit substances, Nordland can't even remember much about it, let alone recall what happened to the stolen works that Kysilkova desperately wants back. That said, as the thief tells the painter when she first talks with him, he does know that he walked past Gallery Nobel often. He's aware that he saw her photorealistic pieces — the first of a dead swan lying in reeds, the second of two girls sat side by side on a couch — many times, too. And, he's candid about the fact that he marvelled at and was moved by the two canvases long before he absconded with them. As a result, he doesn't seem surprised that his life led him to that juncture, and to snatching Kysilkova's creations. A victim confronts a perpetrator: that's The Painter and the Thief's five-word summary, and it's 100-percent accurate. But such a brief description can't convey how fascinating, thoughtful, moving and astonishing this documentary is as it unfurls a tale so layered and wild that it can only be true — a story that stretches far beyond what anyone could feasibly anticipate of such an altercation and its aftermath, in fact. Nordland was arrested and charged for his crime, with Kysilkova initially making contact with him at his trial. From there, the skilled carpenter and heavily tattooed addict unexpectedly gained a friend in the woman whose works he took. Kysilkova first asked to paint Nordland as part of her attempts to understand him, and he then became her muse. As all relationships do, especially ones forged under such unusual circumstances, their connection evolved, adapted and changed from there. As Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree (Magnus) pointed a camera in their direction for three years, the duo weathered their own ups, downs, twists and turns, as did their friendship. If Nordland's reply to Kysilkova feels disarmingly frank and unguarded, that's because it is. The same tone remains throughout The Painter and the Thief's entire duration. Absent the usual tropes and stylistic markers that true-crime documentaries are known for, the film eschews the standard mix of talking heads, re-enactments and explanatory narration in favour of truly observing and stepping inside its subjects' unique bond. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCw90xLvYPw THE LAST VERMEER Dutch artists Johannes Vermeer and Han van Meegeren picked up their brushes more than two centuries apart. Mention the latter, though, and you need to mention the former. Just why that's the case makes for a fascinating tale, as The Last Vermeer tells — one filled with twists, subterfuge, investigations, a trial and post-World War II efforts to punish anyone who conspired with the Nazis. Directed by producer turned first-time helmer Dan Friedkin (All the Money in the World, The Mule), and adapted from Jonathan Lopez's 2008 book The Man Who Made Vermeers, The Last Vermeer relays the Hollywood version of the story, of course. Big speeches and massaged details consequently abound. Attention-grabbing performances jump across this cinematic canvas, too, with Guy Pearce (Bloodshot) resembling Geoffrey Rush as van Meegeren and Claes Bang (Dracula) adding his third recent art-centric feature to his resume after The Square and The Burnt Orange Heresy. There's enough here to keep viewers interested, as there should be given the real-life basis, cast and handsome staging, but this is the type of film that's nicer to look at than to dive into. Its subject: art forgery, a topic that leaves an imprint beyond the movie's narrative. The Last Vermeer doesn't steal from elsewhere, but it also sinks into a well-populated list of other dramas about art and the war (see also: The Monuments Men and Woman in Gold ) far too easily and generically than a feature about this specific tale should. Bang plays Dutch Jewish officer Captain Joseph Piller, who is tasked with hunting down artworks illegally sold to the Nazis during the war and bringing everyone responsible to justice. That leads him to Christ and the Adulteress, a piece credited to Vermeer but found after his death — and to van Meegeren, the man who is suspected of selling it to key Nazi figure Hermann Göring in the world's biggest art sale at the time. Turning on the rakish charisma even when he's being interrogated by Piller and his offsider (Roland Møller, The Commuter), van Meegeren denies the accusation. Piller isn't convinced, but then police detective Alex De Klerks (August Diehl, A Hidden Life) tries to take over the case. Soon, van Meegeren has been secreted away, is painting while in hiding and, when eventually charged and brought to court, offers an astonishing theory. Also arising in The Last Vermeer: an exploration of the costs of and sacrifices involved in surviving wartime, although Friedkin and screenwriters John Orloff (Anonymous), Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (The Expanse) happily stick to the surface as they do elsewhere. As a mystery, the film suitably zigs and zags. As a courtroom drama, it boasts stirring moments. But, as well as wasting Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread) in a thankless part, The Last Vermeer is never more than passable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GjskJIRyRA GOLDEN VOICES The year is 1990, the USSR has collapsed, and Victor (Vladimir Friedman, The Operative) and Raya Frenkel (Mariya Belkina, Into the Night) are among the hordes of Russia's Jewish citizens that decide to move to Israel in search of a fresh start. But relocating costs them their prolific and busy careers as dubbing artists, with the married pair spending the decades prior recording Russian dialogue tracks for every type of film imaginable — to the point of becoming minor celebrities, including among Israel's ex-pat community once they emigrate. For Victor, the lack of work in the same field is crushing. He delivers pamphlets instead, determined to finance their new life, but yearns to get behind a microphone. Willing to try a gig that puts her voice to use in a different way, Raya takes a job at an erotic phone line, although she tells Victor that she's selling perfume from a call centre. Films about relationships disrupted by sizeable changes and duos forced out of their comfort zones aren't rare. Nor are movies about late-in-life shifts and new developments, and the impact on seemingly solid nuptials. And yet, as directed, written and edited by Evgeny Ruman (The Damned), and co-scripted and shot by Ziv Berkovich (A Simple Wedding), the warm and engaging Golden Voices finds its own niche again and again. There's a thoughtfulness to Golden Voices that underscores almost every choice, including in the film's narrative. Features that wear their overwhelming affection for cinema on their sleeves aren't uncommon either (filmmakers love the medium they work with, obviously, and like to show it). Still, Victor's passion for the big screen and its wonders is steeped in his inability to explore the world physically under Soviet rule, with movies opening a door that he couldn't otherwise pass through. Similarly, the unexpected freedom that Raya finds in her new job is anchored by the same truth. Being able to genuinely be herself behind a veil of anonymity is a new experience, which she relishes, as she does the attention sent her way by a doting customer. These characters are truly approaching their lives afresh — sometimes by choice, sometimes not so — and Ruman and Berkovich find multiple ways to convey this in their screenplay. Also helping: the film's lived-in sense of Israel's expat Soviet Jewish community, Berkovich's eye for composition, the visual period detail and the nuanced yet potent performances by Friedman and Belkina. A sense of neatness can creep into Golden Voices at times, but never encroaches upon the work of its likeable and expressive leads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVBKyLqsS5k PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY Before a single Peter Rabbit movie had hopped into cinemas, the Paddington films got there first — and twice. The English franchise about everyone's favourite marmalade-eating bear has left big paw prints for its bunny-focused counterpart to follow in, too, but neither 2018's Peter Rabbit nor its new sequel Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway comes remotely close to filling them. While impressive photorealistic CGI brings the jacket-wearing Peter and his also partially clothed fellow animals to life, and such special effects wizardry blends seamlessly with the live-action settings and cast members as well, this series is cartoonish and anarchic from its first moments. Anyone who grew up reading Beatrix Potter's books, which date back nearly 120 years, will notice the distinct, stark and unwelcome change of tone. The farmland setting and all those cute rabbits look just as they should, but this is a family-friendly franchise that turned sticking a carrot down a man's pants into one of its big gags the first time around. Accordingly, expecting anything gentle and measured in The Runaway — and anything other than more of the same, just laced with some snarky commentary that acknowledges the criticisms directed the initial movie's way — is as foolish as most of Peter's chaotic adventures. Once again voiced by James Corden — as the all-knowing computer in Superintelligence was last year as well — Peter thinks of himself as a plucky rebel. After his long-time human surrogate mother Bea (Rose Byrne, Irresistible) marries his former nemesis Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson, Run), he tries not to cause trouble around the farm, but it seems that he's always seen in that light no matter what he does. As Bea's books about Peter, his sisters Flopsy (Margot Robbie, Dreamland), Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki, Tenet) and Cottontail (Aimee Horne, Psychotown), and cousin Benjamin (Colin Moody, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries) attract the attention of a big-city publisher (David Oyelowo, Chaos Walking), Peter gets fed up with his bad reputation. And when he crosses paths with town-dwelling bunny Barnabus (Lennie James, Fear of the Walking Dead), he thinks he's found someone who likes him as he is. From here, returning director and co-writer Will Gluck (Annie) unleashes a heist film that's also a musing on identity, and both elements feel not just broad, messy and distractingly energetic, but also routine. Byrne, Gleeson and Oyelowo bring what they can to their flesh-and-blood roles; however, the overall movie is as about as charming as rabbit droppings. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; and March 4, March 11 and March 18. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit and Saint Maud.
In Circular Quay for Vivid? Switch your brain on while you're at it. Sydney Opera House's forum for new ideas and open discussion, Homegrown Talks, focuses on First Nations this weekend — timely considering the event falls on the anniversary of the 1967 national referendum. Held at the Opera House Playhouse on May 27, the talks will follow two distinct sessions. The first, titled 'Unfinished Paperwork: Recognition and Sovereignty', is a political discussion on the 1967 national referendum, which gave constitutional status to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Panelists include Maori activist Tame Iti, 2015 NAIDOC Person of the Year Rosalie Kunoth-Monks OAM and Secretary of the Aboriginal Provisional Government Michael Mansell. The second session is held immediately following, titled 'Open for Business: Diverse Economies in First Nations Communities' and looking at the public focus on the mining economy, despite the diverse businesses that exist within First Nations. The panel will include seven-time ARIA awarded songwriter David Bridie and Manus Island musician John Faunt, along with scholarly activists Marcia Langton AM and Amelia Telford. The talks are sure to be hard hitters and mind-openers, worth every penny.
During the Point Break remake, a gang of adrenaline junkies contemplate their next fix. Staring up at a mountain they're about to base jump from, they discuss their limits — or "the point where you break". Dialogue isn't exactly this movie's strong point. Yes, the film expands its remit and titular reference beyond the realm of surfing that was so integral to its 1991 predecessor. No, it's not a smart move. The latest Point Break is as lacklustre as everything that comes out of its characters' mouths, despite its best efforts to distract audiences with scenes of spectacle. In broad terms, the story remains roughly the same: a freshly minted FBI agent tracks a gang of thieves whose crimes are tied to their thrill-seeking antics. Cue an undercover operation that tests the cops-versus-robbers divide, as Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey) is seduced by the swagger of ringleader Bodhi (Édgar Ramírez). This time, Bodhi and his cronies don't just surf and skydive, but snowboard, glide and free-climb too. Seeking spiritual fulfillment, they're attempting to complete the holy grail of death-defying endeavours, known as the Ozaki Eight. Their accompanying heists are designed to give back what they're taking in the process, redistributing the wealth to the poverty-stricken, Robin Hood-style. As a standalone feature, it all makes for the kind of slick film that leans heavily on what's being seen rather than what's being said. When the expositional or faux-philosophical chatter gets grating, up pops a daredevil act; when the script can't quite find a way to move forward, or anything for its characters to do, the same trick is deployed. It's the "look over there!" approach to filmmaking, and while it provides some striking sights, their purpose as filler is never in doubt. With the central bromance weak and the law-and-order side of things formulaic, Point Break becomes little more than a fast-paced, choppily edited mash-up of extreme sports videos and any template police procedural you can think of. Moreover, as a remake of a beloved, breezy '90s action classic, the film fares even worse. In reimagining the Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze, about stoner surfers trying to finance their endless summer, director-cinematographer Ericson Core (Invincible) and writer Kurt Wimmer (Total Recall) clearly think that bigger is better — and that's where their thinking stops. Core has actually toyed with this kind of material before, lensing the car-oriented riff that is The Fast and The Furious. But where that flick spawned a successful franchise, this rehash just peddles in tedium. Sure, he ramps up the stakes, stunts, locations and backstory, adds the requisite updates and throws in a few overt winks and nods (including one that Hot Fuzz did better). But he also strips the feature of its fun, thrills, humour and personality in the process. Indeed, never has there been a movie in greater need of Reeves saying "whoa", Swayze's oozing charm, or Gary Busey being Gary Busey than this choppy dip into been-there, done-that territory. Among the next gen performers, only Ramírez stands out. Aussie actor Bracey plays his role not just blankly but blandly, Ray Winstone phones in his turn as a London-based officer, and Teresa Palmer's love interest appears to exist purely to give someone female a speaking part. To say that this version of Point Break is a wipeout might be a cliché, but it's also the dull reality — and the film doesn't try to inspire anything more than that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsSGbIujmPo
Earlier this year, we were flocking to Neil Perry’s new less-than-$10 Burger Project, to find out how the many-hatted chef fares when it comes to feeding the people. And now, the exotic-yet-bargain-priced burger is taking on yet another incarnation with the opening of Burger Liquor Lobster. The chief drawcard is its seafood menu: lobster rolls, prawn rolls, crab burgers and popcorn lobster, all for $15 a piece. Popping up for the summer in both Paddington’s The London Hotel and Manly Wharf Hotel, the eatery and bar takes the space previously occupied by Chur. The affordable prices don't mean there's any skimping on the ingredients front. The lobster is of the salt and pepper variety, accompanied with lemon aioli, chives, red onion and lettuce, while the crab is crispy soft shell, spiced up with chilli Singapore sauce and cooled down by Asian slaw. As far as burgers go, they're all $10 and come in five editions: beef, chicken, pulled pork, lamb and vege. These traditional-sounding flavours are each delivered with a twist. The chicken, for example, is dressed up with mint, shallot, slaw, chilli and lime mayo, while the vege is comprised of chickpea and lentil fritter, beetroot yoghurt, kale and corn relish. Plus, if you're carb-conscious or GF, you can opt to have your mini-feast wrapped in lettuce rather than a bun, or order it as a salad. That'll leave you a few extra calories to spend on the cocktail list. It's all about fresh, summery concoctions, such as Lychee Passionpit (vodka, lychee, passionfruit sorbet, sparkling wine), My Tini Wini (gin, lemon juice, lavender syrup, watermelon, raspberries, crème de peche), and Rock Lobster (Bulldog Gin, St Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, pineapple juice, yellow Chartreuse, orange blossom marmalade). They're all priced at $16. Both venues have taken on a playful, nautical fit-out. You’ll notice it most at The London, where glass buoys, ropes and crab pots are all part of the décor. Burger Liquor Lobster opens on Tuesday, November 11, at Manly Wharf Hotel, ((02) 9977 1266; East Esplanade, Manly) and upstairs at The London Hotel ((02) 9331 3200; 85 Underwood Street, Paddington). Opening hours are midday till late, seven days a week.
In case you haven't noticed, a small food fad has hit cafes and pubs around town. The Reuben sandwich has arrived and you should be excited. For those of you that enjoy a meat-free, gluten-free, bread-free, fun-free sandwich, this probably isn't the thing for you. The humble Reuben first came into being from one of two stories. It was either invented by a one Reuben Kulakofsky, a Lithuanian-born grocer from Omaha, Nebraska, or Arnold Reuben, the German owner of the once famous, now defunct Reuben's Delicatessen in New York City. Either or, I'm not fussed. I'm just happy it exists. The sandwich itself is a delicious hot pile of corned beef, Swiss cheese with Russian or Thousand Island Dressing and sauerkraut served between grilled or plain slices of rye bread. My first and best Reuben was from one of the best places to get it: Katz's Deli, New York, made famous for this scene in When Harry Met Sally. (Note Billy Crystal is actually eating a Reuben) Delicious, huh? Here's what it should look like and, to me, is a 10/10: We've decided to road test some of the places in Sydney who are peddling their version of this rad sanga. MONTY'S It's funny; looks can be deceiving. I think I sort of experienced the sandwich shop equivalent of She's All That. Monty's is a nondescript cafe situated across the road from Eastgate Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction. They do a nice array of mixed sandwiches. One even has prawns in it. Prawns! What am I, The Queen? Ha! (Wipes a laughter tear from eye.) They're made with thick-cut bread, crusty baguette or toasted panini baked in-house daily. The happily enthusiastic waiter advised I go for white bread. They do no rye (lose points). The bread is buoyant, baby. Biting into it, I close my eyes and see myself using it as a flotation device in a world where the ocean is made of hot, hot gravy. There's a lot of finely sliced corn beef, which would be great if I wanted cold slices to pack my little lunch with. Lose points. Nice slaw and correct cheese. What? Mayo instead of Russian dressing! That's....Lose points. The pickles are nice but they're little baby things that little babies would eat with their little baby gums. Lose points. Look, it's a very nice-looking and great tasting sambo, but it's kinda like buying a Kia instead of a Porsche. It's safe, reliable, has plenty of soft cushions, airbags, meat and slaw; however, it just hasn't got the vroom that a Porsche can give. I want a Porsche and I want it NOW! The coffee's great and the place has that fresh-made bread smell which, speaking of cars, would be an awesome scented car tree smell. Price: $9.50. Rating: 7.5/10. 52 Spring St, Bondi Junction RUBY & RACHEL Set in the Bondi Markets, Ruby & Rachel make two great takes on the Reuben. Firstly, the Reuben with freshly cooked corned wagyu beef, and secondly, the Rachel, using Pastrami instead of the beef. There's also a vego option, but I slapped the owner in the face and ordered my Reuben rather than write down the deets. My first Reuben in NY, which is my benchmark, had both pastrami and corned beef on it, and I will ask for that next time. Their corned beef was great, though maybe a tad too salty — or was that the sauerkraut? Mine needed more dressing. The rye was toasted and a tad too crunchy. First-world problems aside, this is a great sandwich. Price: $10 plus you can go market browsing afterwards and buy macarons. Rating: 8/10. Bondi Markets REUBEN HILLS So this is the 'Reuben' from Reuben Hills in Surry Hills. It's their 'almost a Reuben' Reuben — good disclaimer. Now, as a sandwich this is damn tasty — hell, I'd give it an 8/10 for taste — but it ain't a Reuben yo! (No idea why I've gone all Jesse from Breaking Bad...) It's the Milli Vanilli of Reubens. This showed up, and the real Reuben is somewhere else, sunning itself on a yacht in the Caribbean living off its album royalties. The meat is succulent, warm awesomeness but it's wagyu beef, not corned beef. The pickled vegetable and mayo combo works, but these aren't the droids I am looking for. The bread is topnotch, but the thing is the size of two sliders, and for $16 I left bereft and hungry. Sorry folks, but to rate it as a Reuben, I give it 6/10. By the way, their coffee is great and staff are super cool. 61 Albion St, Surry Hills SLOANE'S Sloane's Cafe apparently used to be an institution on Oxford Street, serving shoppers and locals alike for over 20 years. In hindsight, I shouldn't have ordered. For one good reason: They couldn't spell Reuben correctly on the blackboard. I now have a new rule: If you can't spell it, I won't eat it. They also had us sitting next to the kitchen bin, which was being poorly camouflaged by a framed picture of a giraffe licking its baby giraffe on top of its head. Thick crusty rye cut the roof of my mouth up so much I could've entered it as an extra in a slasher flick. The meat was apparently corned beef, but didn't taste it. The slaw was homemade and sweet, not sour and savoury. Sweet I tells ya. And there was too much cheese and dressing, a molten flow of melted mess dripping down my hands. It was almost a dressing sandwich. I feel confused and dirty like I did at the end of The Crying Game. Service is slow. The coffee is weak. Meh. Price: $12. Rating: 4/10. 312 Oxford St, Paddington REUBEN & MOORE Reuben & Moore is set on the fifth floor of the CBD Westfield. You may look like you're on a shopping montage as you hike up the escalators, but it's worth it. These guys don't mess around. The meat is there hanging on hooks, cooking. The salad and pickles splayed out before you in a long, glass case. You're there for this sandwich. Awesome. The guy cutting the rye is reprimanded on how thick the bread should be cut. Very cool. But wait, no Russian dressing? Only mustard? There's Russian salad on the Rachel? But..... I don't care. I'm drunk on meat with my horns in the air! This beast is long, like a delicious, meaty boat. The rye is superb, so soft and untoasted, like an angel's bosom. (NB: angel's bosom ain't good toasted.) The crunchy pickle is also long and sliced lengthways in the sambo. Although the meat stack pales in comparison to NY, it's still warm, although for some reason (and I don't like to throw this word around very often) not moist enough. That's where the dressing would be much appreciated, my little rock pig. Good use of slaw and cheese. I'm taking half off for no dressing, half off for not enough flesh and half off for price. Best yet! Price: $14.50. Rating: 8.5/10. Rock! Westfield CBD T's Book Cafe Apparently once owned by a contestant on Masterchef, T's is a library cafe combining two of my fave things: eating and walking away from library cafes. It was pre-made and wrapped — alarm bells. Cold meat, no pickle, grated cheese (apparently Swiss), spindly slaw and the Russian dressing was solid like buttery custard. Plus the bread was soy and quinoa. Run for the hills! They must have some pretty good books. Price:$9.5. Rating: 0/10 136-138 Avoca St, Randwick The Forresters I remember, back in the day, when Forresters did $5 steaks at lunch. Way back when things like the wheel were being invented. How things have changed. This Reuben was stingy on the beef (one cold slice that looked like it had been pulled straight out of a packet) but had a nice slaw, sauce and pickle combo going. Boring, grilled bread gone cold and also cold chips. This meal reminded me of an overpriced room service dish you'd order hungover when staying in an interstate hotel. Yes, you stuff those solid, cold fries into your face in an attempt to soak up all the regret from the night before, but invariably you always feel empty and alone afterwards. I ate this at 1pm sans hangover and sans satisfaction. Apparently they do a great burger though. Price: $10. Rating: 5/10 336 Riley St, Surry Hills FELIX Felix is nestled in Ash Street laneway, across from the elevators that lead you up in to Ivy. It has that elegant French bistro style down pat. Somebody told me, so this must be fact, that they modelled it on Balthazar in New York. It certainly does have the same vibe. I had heard some good things about this Reuben and mon dieu it truly is tres bien. Served in between some slightly toasted, thickly cut dark rye are nice hunks of warm corned beef. Mmm boeuf. The sauerkraut and swiss cheese are spot on and the pickle is large, sliced in half and served on the side. Everything is as it should be except for one small, tiny, faible thing. It has slightly seeded mustard which after a few bites cleared my sinuses better than any hard-hitting nasal spray ever could. Personally, I feel you need the Thousand Island dressing to counter the saltiness of the beef and the sourness of the sauerkraut. They all work perfectly together. Yes, the rye was dark, but I was willing to let it slide as it wasn't too overpowering in flavour as some can be. is it wasn't for the mustard, this would've been, 'ow you say, the creme de la creme of Reubens. Bit pricey, too. Price: $18. Rating: 8/10 2 Ash St, Sydney
Anything can be festive with the right theming, and that includes doughnuts. Accordingly, it should come as zero surprise that Krispy Kreme will soon release a line of Christmas goods, aka doughnuts iced in red, green and white. What you might not be expecting, however, is the new range of doughnut-inspired Christmas biscuits for dogs that it has just dropped first. You know the thinking behind this new canine snack: anything humans can eat, dogs think they can munch on as well. Of course, as every responsible pet parent knows, that isn't the case. But this festive season, that's where Krispy Kreme's latest limited-edition range of 'doggie doughnuts' comes in. The company has dipped their paws in this territory before, back in 2021. This time, the round dog bikkies are all about the jolliest part of the year. Even better: they're decked out exactly as the Christmas range of doughnuts for humans will be when they arrive, so you and your pupper can go all matchy matchy with your snacks. Krispy Kreme's new dog treats sure do look like the real thing anyway, and once again hail from a collaboration with Coolum-based pet treats business Huds and Toke. They come in four packs for $10.95, with each biscuit featuring different decorating — so there's a Christmas tree-inspired bikkie, one that's meant to look like a Christmas pudding, another that's inspired by Santa's belly (including a blet) and a white, sprinkle-topped number simply dubbed 'festive ring'. The biscuits aren't made from doughnuts or chocolate, of course; instead, they use a hard-baked cookie base that uses peanut butter, carob and other canine-friendly ingredients. The bikkies are also meant to be good for chewing and for teeth cleaning — so they'll get your four-legged friend's tail wagging and help take care of their dental health. And yes, a big caveat: they are just for pets. So, just like how Fido or Rover can't have your doughnut, you can't have their version either. Find them now at Krispy Kreme stores around the country, including via drive-thru and click-and-collect. Krispy Kreme's Christmas doggie doughnuts are now available from the chain's stores — including via drive-thru and click-and-collect for a limited time.
Work on Central Station's massive facelift is set to kick off immediately, with the NSW Government this week announcing Laing O'Rourke's been given the $955 million contract for the job. And what a job it is. Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance says it's the biggest revamp Sydney's busiest train station has seen in decades, claiming that it will "transform the daily commute for Sydneysiders forever". While the station's currently used by around 270,000 commuters daily, that number's expected to hit 450,00 over the next 20 years. The huge operation will see new Sydney Metro platforms constructed beneath the current platforms 13 and 14, as well as the installation of a new 19-metre underground thoroughfare they're calling Central Walk. This will run from Chalmers Street, but unlike the existing one, it will more efficiently connect existing rail platforms to light rail and bus services, and the new Metro platforms. For the first time, commuters will also be able to move between platforms 12 and 23 via escalators. The Central Station construction is expected to wrap up by 2022, before more work continues on the Sydney Metro City and Southwest project. Last November, The Sydney Morning Herald leaked documents from Transport for NSW that estimated the project would cost a whopping $3 billion. All up, the NSW Government plans to build new stations at Central, Victoria Cross, Waterloo, Martin Place, Crows Nest, Pitt Street and Barangaroo as part of the $20 billion project.
Gone are the days when gin was simply a clear spirit that tasted good with tonic. It still is, but it now comes in so many varieties that you could dedicate an entire liquor cabinet just to juniper-based beverages. Shiraz gin, chardonnay barrel-aged gin, spiced Christmas gin, pink gin made from cherries and raspberries, green ant gin and even non-alcoholic gin — they're just some of the recent types tempting your tastebuds. And if most of the above sound great for an Australian summer, then consider Bass and Flinders' truffle-infused gin your new winter go-to. Returning for 2018, the limited-edition truffle gin blends fresh Australian Black Perigord truffles — sourced from Red Hill farms, where possible — with a vapour-infused mix of juniper, angelica root and calamus root. Like all of the distillery's tipples, it also uses Bass and Flinders' grape-based eau de vie spirit, which creates a particularly smooth texture. "It is a standalone gin that's wonderful neat, or alongside creamy sauces and strong cheeses," says head distiller Holly Klintworth — or, you could opt to make your own truffle martini. Whichever way you'd like to drink it, the truffle gin is available from Friday, July 13 from Bass and Flinders' cellar door in Victoria's Red Hill, as well as via the distiller's website. If you happen to be in the vicinity of the former on Saturday, July 14, you can also take part in a truffle hunt, which includes truffle gin tastings plus cocktails with cheese platters.
It's time for another menu change at CBD cocktail haunt PS40 — and this one will transport you to ten of the world's best festivals. The PS40 Festivus cocktail menu, as it's been named, will launch for a limited time this Saturday, June 29, and we reckon that's your weekend drink plans sorted. There are ten new cocktails all up, each named for one of the team's favourite festivals. And, as usual for PS40, they sound next-level. We're particularly eager to try the Day of the Dead, a creamy mezcal concoction with mole, Chartreuse, maraschino and a whole egg. As well as the drink named for Tasmania's winter solstice fest Dark Mofo — this one is a carbonated mulled wine with cardamom, mountain pepperberry and sandalwood. Others on the list include Nevada Desert's Burning Man (gin and Seedlip Garden with smoked pea), Germany's Oktoberfest (white rum and raspberry bier mixed with cured strawberry, lime and egg white) and Japan's Cherry Blossom Festival (rum, vermouth, beetroot and orange bitters). [caption id="attachment_728682" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wes Nel[/caption] Alternatively, you can grab your American friends and take a seat at the Thanksgiving dinner table by sipping on this rye whiskey cocktail that's been combined with sweet potato, sage and egg white. If you're a food-lover, the Into the Wild might be your go-to — it's inspired by a food festival run by Argentinian chef Francis Mallmann and Krug Champagne and combines macadamia-washed vodka and verjus with salt-baked pineapple and basil. In true festive fashion, the venue has also been dolled up with pops of colour and heaps of new lightly themed posters — including the cocktail menu, which will now be printed on A0 sized paper and become a feature of the bar design going forward. While there are no exact dates for how long these newbies will be available, the cocktail menu at PS40 changes every two-to-four months and these won't make a comeback, so grab 'em while you can. Find PS40 at Skittle Lane, Sydney. The PS40 Festivus cocktail menu launches on Saturday, June 29. Images: Wes Nel
Updated Tuesday, May 23: Longshore will open on Thursday, June 15 and will offer four different dining options: a la carte, a lunch tasting menu ($100), a standard tasting menu ($150) and a ten-course snacks flight ($80). Bookings are now available exclusively through OpenTable. When Jarrod Walsh and Dorothy Lee announced they'd be stepping away from beloved Enmore Road venue Hartsyard last year, they teased big things in the pipeline, thanks to plans to oversee the food and drink offerings at The Old Clare Hotel. The announcement coincided with the closing of longstanding hatted Sydney restaurant Automata, which operated out of the space next to the hotel bar for seven years — a spot that Walsh and Lee are now making their own. The dynamic hospitality duo have taken over the Chippendale digs from Clayton Wells and the crew, announcing a new 100-seat seafood-heavy restaurant and bar called Longshore. The multi-space venue will accommodate a variety of patrons, with outdoor seats on offer for light snacks over drinks, an upstairs bar for events and snack flights, and a welcoming ground-floor dining room where you can really lose a few hours. "We're honoured to be taking over a much-loved Sydney dining room and opening the suburb's first wine bar and restaurant," says Walsh. "Our menu utilises the whole of Australia's coastline, and is inspired by both our childhoods and our travels around the world. I grew up on the coast in Port Macquarie fishing, camping and exploring, and all these things I learnt as a child, such as how to catch a fish and prepare it, play a huge part in the menu." There are a couple of different ways to approach the menu at Longshore. Alongside the a la carte selection, the experimental ten-snack tasting flight will take you on a journey between hot and cold mouthfuls — and there's a five-course set menu for diners who want to sample the team's favourite dishes from the menu. [caption id="attachment_860564" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Automata, Nikki To[/caption] On the opening lineup, you can expect unique creations like a glazed abalone crumpet with guanciale and sansho pepper, steamed sand whiting with XO pipi butter, and grilled Australian wagyu accompanied by a bone marrow sauce and smoked fat. Longshore will be open four days a week, with lunch on Fridays and Saturdays. It'll launch in June, but the restaurant's exact opening date hasn't been announced just yet, so make sure to keep an eye on its Instagram for the latest updates. Plus, if you're still on the hunt for top-notch food on Enmore Road, Walsh and Lee have passed the baton of their old Hartsyard space onto Neville Dsouza, who has opened the sleek produce-driven eatery Irene's. The Hartsyard pair are still involved with the new restaurant, which serves up hearty dishes inspired by home cooking such as tamarind-glazed chicken and garlic cream grilled prawns. Jarrod Walsh and Dorothy Lee's Longshore is coming to 5 Kensington Street, Chippendale in June. It will be open for lunch Friday and Saturday, and dinner Monday and Thursday–Saturday — we'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced. Images: Jason Loucas.
New York's Museum of Modern Art isn't the only major international gallery to bring its wares to our shores this year, with an exhibition from London's Tate Britain gallery heading to Australia from December. Entitled Love & Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate and displaying from December 14, 2018 until April 28, 2019, it'll bring more than 40 of the Tate's beloved works to the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, in an exhibition that'll focus on the artistic movement that started in 1848. Iconic pieces such as John Everett Millais' Ophelia and John William Waterhouse's The Lady of Shalott will be making the journey as part of the showcase. Part ode to early Renaissance efforts, part protest against the prevailing creative traditions of the mid-19th century, pre-Raphaelite art was sparked by a group of rebellious artists eager to create something different to the art of the time — and their preferred style, featuring detailed, colourful compositions painted in thin layers with small brushes, certainly managed that. In addition to the pieces from the Tate, the exhibition will also feature an additional 40 works loaned from other British and Australian collections. Each will help highlight the themes of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, examine the different styles adopted by the various artists adhering to its principles, stress the importance of draughtsmanship and emphasise the movement's fondness for collaboration. "This exhibition includes some of the most loved and visited paintings at Tate — some of which have never before been seen in Australia," said NGA director Nick Mitzevich. Love & Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate will be the NGA's major summer exhibition, although it's not the gallery's only new addition come the end of the year, with Yayoi Kusama's pumpkin-filled infinity room The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens set to join its permanent collection in December. Images: John Everett Millais, Ophelia 1851-2. Oil paint on canvas. Tate collection presented by Sir Henry Tate 1894. © Tate. / John William Waterhouse, The Lady of Shalott 1888. Oil on canvas. Tate. © Tate.
This month, Woolloomooloo's 100 percent vegan Alibi Bar and Kitchen is adding a boozy vegan shake offering to its Dirty Greens bar menu. That means you'll be able to tuck into plant-based versions of American diner favourites, complete with an OTT milkshake made with Gelatissimo vegan gelato. Available from Saturday, March 7, to Saturday, April 4, the For Goodness Shake range features three different boozy shakes, starting with the Pot of Gold — caramel mud cake gelato is mixed up with Irish whiskey, almond milk and vanilla, and topped with vegan whipped cream, cranberry shortbread, toasted hazelnuts, honeycomb and a peanut protein ball. Chocolate lovers might go for the Triple Threat, starring triple choc gelato, macadamia milk, hazelnut liqueur, Amaretto and vodka, with hazelnut spread, waffle cone, toasted marshmallow and a vegan 'Snickers' stacked up on top. For something a little fruity, the Tropicolada is coconut cherry choc gelato, ten-year-old Caribbean rum, falernum syrup, tropical purée and lime zest and is complete with Persian fairy floss, rainbow sprinkles and a ginger and macadamia cookie. These specialty cocktails come in at $20 a pop, or make it a combo with a burger for $29 — the deal comes with either the Alibi Burger (an Alt. Meat Co patty in a potato bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles and aioli) or the Chick'n Waffle Burger with slaw, pickles and a house-made smoky hot sauce. Elsewhere on the Dirty Greens menu, you'll find mac 'n' cheese bites, cheeseburger spring rolls, hot dogs made with Alt. Meat Co sausages, 'pepperoni' pizza and more. The Dirty Greens bar menu and the 'For Goodness Shake' range is available from 4–11pm every Tuesday to Sunday.
Minimalist Aussie clothing designer Assembly Label is currently hosting a massive online charity sale so you can upgrade your wardrobe with linen pants and a comfy woollen knit tee— and help Aussies doing it tough. With both men's and women's wear on offer, you'll find both cosy outfits for those chilly La Niña days such as denim, jumpers and jackets, plus swimwear, dresses and shorts ready for when the next summer heat wave hits. Best of all, you can nab it all at up to 50 percent off. There's a whole range of summer essentials available for cheap on the site. You could be sporting this cord drawn black dress, for example, at your next beachside brunch or sunny summer picnic for $60 down from $100. As part of the sale, Assembly Label has a choose-what-you-pay initiative raising money for the Curing Homesickness, an organisation that helps kids get home from hospital sooner. When you buy a sale item, you can choose to pay an extra $5, $10 or $15, with that amount then matched by Assembly Label and donated to Curing Homesickness. So, you can grab some new threads and feel good about it too.
Sydney, you just can't get enough chicken. On Monday, we reported on the transformation of lower north shore eatery Johnny Lobster into Johnny Bird. Now, we bring you further poultry-related tidings. At the end of March, Enmore neighbourhood bar The Gretz will be shutting up shop, then reopening in late April as Wish Bone, a casual eatery devoted to fried chicken, under the same owners, U.S.-born chef Gregory Llewellyn and Naomi Hart. It's not any old cooked chook you'll be feasting on, but an old favourite — Llewellyn's mighty version, which attracted hungry hordes to Hartsyard, before it revamped and swapped to a veggie-driven menu in January this year. "Change is in the air," says Llewellyn. "I've wanted to focus on something singular for a while." Expect a tight, short menu, with fried chicken as centrepiece. Llewellyn is still finalising the details, but also mentions po' boys, poutine and, for sides, fermented pickles and stewed beans have been floated as possibilities. Although the feel will be casual, service will be attentive and focused. "There's no bar," says Hart. "So, the guest experience will be overseen entirely by one server, who'll greet you, seat you, water you, take your order." You can count on speed, too. Llewellyn adds, "People are there to eat and they're thirsty, so why make them wait?" The design, which is a work-in-progress, will reflect this ethos. "We used the words elegant and efficient," Naomi says. "We want to maintain the style and service we're known for." When Wish Bone opens in late April, the duo will hit the ground running, offering dinner seven nights a week, before adding lunches down the track. The Gretz is located at 125 Enmore Road, Enmore and will remain open until the end of March. It will then reopen at Wish Bone shortly after. We'll keep you updated on an opening date. In the meantime, you can get more info at thegretz.com.au.
Guys, we did it. We helped art happen in the face of corporate suckiness. You may remember how last month Lego refused to fulfil Chinese artist and political commentator Ai Weiwei's order for bulk bricks on the grounds that they “cannot approve the use of Legos for political works”. This bizarre and freedom of speech denying move — one that should shock nobody who’s ever stood barefoot on a tiny plastic brick — came just two months before Weiwei's huge blockbuster summer exhibition at Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria, Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei, which will kick off on December 11. When news broke of Lego's tyrannical response, it wasn’t long before the good people of the internet were offering up their own Legos for Weiwei’s use instead. So what did Weiwei do? He announced that he would be collecting donated Lego in different cities to create the exhibition anyway. A collection point was set up in in the NGV sculpture garden in Melbourne as a repository for the Lego blocks. Donors were encouraged to bring in their Lego blocks and drop them through the sunroof of a car parked in the garden. And it worked. In the wee hours of this morning, Weiwei started posting images of his new artworks to Instagram. The portraits are of activists who fight for human rights and free speech, and so far include privacy activist Edward Snowden and the Republic of The Gambia's opposition treasurer, Amadou Sanneh. A photo posted by Ai Weiwei (@aiww) on Nov 19, 2015 at 8:11am PST A photo posted by Ai Weiwei (@aiww) on Nov 19, 2015 at 8:26am PST A photo posted by Ai Weiwei (@aiww) on Nov 19, 2015 at 8:11am PST We love you Weiwei. Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei comes to the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne from December 11 to April 24, in collaboration with The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh. For info and tickets, head to the NGV website. Words: Imogen Baker and Lauren Vadnjal
From the CBD to the west, Sydney Festival will take over the city yet again this January, with over 130 art, music, theatre, comedy and cultural events happening across three weeks, between Wednesday, January 6 and Tuesday, January 26. Get your calendar ready, it's going to be a busy 21 days. Things will look a little different from previous years, with all 2021 events adhering to COVID-19 safety guidelines, including capacity limits and social-distancing regulations. The festival, however, is a big step for the city's culture and nightlife, marking a slow return to normality. 2021 will be the festival's last year under the helm of Artistic Director Wesley Enoch, with Olivia Ansell taking over in 2022. Due to border closures, Enoch has had to craft an Australian-only program, calling on the best established and up-and-coming talent the country has to offer. [caption id="attachment_789697" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The Rise and Fall of Saint George' by Peter Rubie[/caption] Highlights of the newly announced program include a pop-up stage at Barangaroo; the telling of Evonne Goolagong's life story, which will see Sydney Town Hall transformed into a tennis court; an installation of large floating bees around Vaucluse House called Hive Mind; an homage to musical legend George Michael starring Paul Mac; and the return of the festival's Blak Out program, promoting and uplifting First Nations voices and storytelling throughout the festival. The Barangaroo pop-up titled The Headland, will see a 32-metre-wide stage, larger than both the Capitol and Sydney Lyric, constructed in front of Sydney Harbour. The stage will operate over 16 nights, playing host to performers and musicians such as the Bangarra Dance Company, Sydney Symphony and Paul Mac, all for just $25 a ticket. Taking to smaller stages across the city, including The Lansdowne, Factory Theatre and Tokyo Sing Song, will be a whole bunch of Australian favourites including Christine Anu, Urthboy, E^ST, Alice Ivy and Emily Wurramara. [caption id="attachment_789696" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Hive Mind'[/caption] Alongside the giant bees taking residence in Vaucluse, visual art will consume the city, with exhibitions at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Museum of Contemporary Art and outside Customs House, Circular Quay, where a new large-scale immersive experience from audio-visual artist Matthias Schack-Arnott will be set up for the public to interact with. The festival will also see the return of long-running favourites, such as Parramatta Park's Sydney Symphony Under the Stars and Barangaroo's The Vigil on Australia Day eve. Sydney Festival 2021 runs from January 6–26 at venues across the city. For further details and to buy tickets, visit the Sydney Festival website. Tickets are on sale now. Top image: The Headland stage and 'Sydney Symphony Under the Stars' by Victor Frankowski
It isn't every day that wandering through Federation Square involves walking past — or through — a whopping 3000 kilograms of clothing waste. Thanks to an eye-catching, awareness-raising, three-day-only pop-up, however, Melburnians can currently do just that. Until Thursday, April 28, a hefty pile of discarded fashion is sitting in the middle of the Victorian capital, all to draw attention to how many threads are thrown away by Australians. The sustainability focused installation is a collaboration between Kathmandu and zero-waste advocate Joost Bakker, and it'll instantly teach you something — because the 3000 kilograms of discarded clothing that's pivotal to the piece only represents the amount of textiles disposed of by Aussies in a mere five-minute window. That's how much that gets thrown away every five minutes, in fact, with Kathmandu and Bakker's team-up designed to make that stark truth hit home. "The thing that shocked me the most — I just thought I'd use 500 kilos of clothing, but then I got 200 kilos of clothing in just one day," Bakker tells Concrete Playground. "I just went 'oh my god'. There's just this huge volume. I just couldn't quite comprehend the volume, and the weight. And then when you see these piles of clothing, or you see factories full, or you see it in landfill — the energy, the water, the labour, everything that's gone into creating that, and it's just thrown into landfill, it's crazy." The 3000 kilograms of clothes that Bakker has amassed for this project — with the help of clothing recycling centre Upparel — is used in a tunnel structure that visitors to Fed Square can mosey through. Still, it's hard not to feel the the scale of it. Again, that's completely by design. "My core belief is that people are aware, they'll do something about it," says Bakker. "Even if it's just one person who walks through that structure and gets inspired and comes up with a solution — that's what's so exciting. Globally, so many people are putting their energy into finding solutions that, over the next ten years, it'll be a thing of the past. I have no doubt that clothing waste will not exist very quickly because we're all putting our energy into it and trying to find solutions. Humans are amazing at finding solutions when we put our energy and efforts into it, and that's what's happening now. That's really what this installation is all about," he continues. The reason for the collab with Kathmandu: the company asked, and gave Bakker free rein to come up with his own way to highlight the fashion-waste problem. "I thought it was quite inspiring that a brand wanted to actually highlight this, and so I got quite excited," he notes. "I wanted to really come up with a way that you could actually immerse yourself in a volume [of textiles]. If you have a pile of clothing, it's very difficult to get a sense of how much that is," Bakker tells CP. "So I wanted to create a structure where you were really in it and immersed in it. And I'm based in Monbulk, I'm surrounded by flower farmers, and I was able to access plastics that are used for greenhouses — these are all offcuts, and we've put lots of layers of offcut plastic to create that structure that allows you to see the enormous waste that's generated." Kathmandu is also launching a new 100-percent biodegradable BioDown puffer jacket, which Melburnians will see hanging through the installation. It's made from materials — outer, inner, down, zips, threads, tags and all — that are treated with a special additive that helps accelerate biodegradation, but only in a landfill environment. The jackets will hit stores from Thursday, April 28. Bakker notes that it's moves like these that'll help see textile waste eliminated — an issue that's only been around for half a century or so anyway — and unwanted fashion items reused and recycled instead. "My belief is that waste is just a human thing. Waste is something that pretty much is only a fifty-year thing, it's a very short space of time that we've generated a waste industry. Even if you go back 60, 70 years, everything was a resource, so we didn't have things like landfills and waste dumps," he explains. "I view waste as something beautiful. It's amazing how many people have commented 'the structure is actually really beautiful, but it's filled with waste, it's filled with something that we discard, something that we don't put any value on'. All my work has been about turning that around," Bakker continues. "In nature, there's no waste. You don't walk around a forest and go 'oh my god, I'm surrounded by all this rubbish'. It's only a human thing, because everything becomes something else again. I think the sooner that as a society we embrace that idea, we can completely design waste out of everything. It can happen really quickly, and I think it will happen really quickly, because we are all aware now." Kathmandu's fashion-waste installation is on display at Federation Square, Flinders Street, Melbourne, from Tuesday, April 26–Thursday, April 28.
Bondi Junction locals, your lunch game is about to level up. Pappa Flock (home of everyone's favourite juicy, crispy, crunchy chicken tenders and the cult-status Flock Box) will open its doors on Friday, May 16. Born in Parramatta and known across Sydney for its American-style fried chicken, signature sauces and lemonade freshly squeezed in-house daily, this proudly Australian chicken shop is now bringing the flavour to the eastern suburbs. To celebrate the new opening, Concrete Playground readers can score an exclusive offer: a full Pappa Flock Box for just $7.90 (normally $17.90) for two weeks only (Monday, May 19– Sunday, June 1). That's three juicy, crispy, crunchy chicken tenders (classic or spicy), seasoned chips, buttery toast, a regular drink and a side of Pappa Flock's signature sauce. Whether you're already a die-hard Flocker or just curious about the buzz, we've got expert tips to help you hack your next box like an absolute pro. From DIY sandwiches to secret sauce mixes, here's how to get the most out of your Pappa Flock Boxes. Build Your Own Chicken Sandwich If you want to crank up your Pappa Flock Box experience, get the O.G Box with slaw and an extra tendie. Take the buttery toast, add a couple of delicious chicken tenders, some hot chips, pile on the slaw and drizzle it with Pappa Flock's signature sauce. Boom. You've just built your own fried chicken sandwich. It's crunchy, creamy, tangy and rich all at once. Expert tip: Ask for a second slice of toast to make it a complete sandwich. Add Spicy Mango Habanero to Your Lemonade This one's a bit rogue, but very refreshing. Grab a cup of freshly squeezed, in-house lemonade and stir in a little mango habanero sauce. It's spicy-sweet, citrusy and addictive. Expert tip: Just add salt to the cup rim for a spicy mocktail margarita. Mix Your Own Signature Sauce Pappa Flock's signature sauce is a standalone treat, but mixing it with other sauces is where the real flavour customisation begins. For a super saucy experience, try a half-and-half blend with the Spicy Mango Habanero for something slightly sweet and hot, or throw it into your coleslaw for a creamy twist. Expert tip: go to the counter and ask for their secret Jumbo Sauce (aka the Cup of Sauce). Make It Into a Chip Butty If you know, you know. The humble chip butty is a carb-on-carb classic. Originating in England, it's essentially a sandwich filled with chips. For Pappa Flock's version, grab your toast and load it up with seasoned chips and a lashing of signature sauce. It's the kind of snack you didn't realise you needed until you take your first bite. Expert tip: for more of a flavour boost, add creamy Ranch — or for heat lovers, add Spicy Mango Habanero. You'll find the new Pappa Flock Bondi Junction store inside Westfield (opposite McDonald's, near the Bronte Rd entrance) from Friday, May 16 – just follow the scent of chicken tenders. To claim your $7.90 Pappa Flock Box, head to the Pappa Flock Bondi Junction store between Monday, May 19, and Sunday, June 1 and mention Concrete Playground when ordering. That's three juicy, crispy crunchy chicken tenders (classic or spicy), seasoned chips, buttery toast, a regular drink and Pappa Flock's signature sauce all for under a tenner. Pappa Flock is open at Westfield Bondi Junction from Friday, May 16, with other stores in Parramatta, Westfield Miranda, French's Forest, Casula, Westfield Eastgardens, Macquarie Centre Food Court and Rouse Hill. Follow along on Instagram or TikTok for more Sydney locations, menu tips, offers and updates. Pappa Flock Bondi Junction opens Friday, May 16 at 12pm. The Bondi exclusive $7.90 Flock Box offer (normally $17.90) is available in-store for a limited time from Monday, May 19 to Sunday, June 1, 2025. Delivery excluded. +$1.50 for Lemonade upgrade. Mention 'Concrete Playground' to redeem. Maximum of two boxes per customer. While stock lasts. By Jacque Kennedy
As far as blockbuster citywide exhibitions go in Australia, there's none quite as ambitious as the Biennale of Sydney. Celebrating its 21st edition with brand new artistic director Mami Kataoka (chief curator of Tokyo's Mori Art Museum), the Biennale is bringing out the big guns next year. With controversial Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei at the top, the lineup for the 2018 Biennale has dropped. Running from Friday, March 16 until Monday, June 11, the Biennale will see around 70 artists exhibiting around Sydney over 12 weeks — with 21 announced in the first release today. Weiwei will make his triumphant return to Australia following his wildly successful Melbourne double-bill exhibition with Andy Warhol last year. If you remember, he had quite the public falling-out with Lego so expect anything and everything from his Biennale involvement. Weiwei joins the likes of French multimedia artist Laurent Grasso, sculptural artist Haegue Yang, Australian contemporary artist Brook Andrew and Finnish video artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila, among significantly impressive others. While the Biennale's exhibition title won't be announced until July, artistic director Kataoka says this year they've done away with a specific theme or concept. Instead, they're focusing on perspectives from a broad range of artists from around the world. "Next year's Biennale will explore multiple viewpoints in search of a state of equilibrium," she said. "Rather than focusing on a specific concept or theme, the exhibition will suggest multi-layered perspectives of the world and its histories simultaneously." Kataoka says the Biennale experience will be "a journey; a walk through microcosms of the world today based on the stratum of history, human knowledge, emotions, desires and beliefs". A little vague, but we're still psyched. FIRST BIENNALE OF SYDNEY 2018 LINEUP: Eija-Liisa Ahtila Ai Weiwei Brook Andrew Oliver Beer Anya Gallaccio Laurent Grasso N.S. Harsha Mit Jai Inn Kate Newby Noguchi Rika Nguyen Trinh Thi Ciara Phillips Koji Ryui Semiconductor Yasmin Smith George Tjungurrayi Nicole Wong Wong Hoy Cheong Yukinori Yanagi Haegue Yang Jun Yang The 21st Biennale of Sydney will run from Friday March 16, until Monday June 11, 2018. We'll keep you posted on the whole artist lineup and exhibition program. Images: Ai Weiwei and Mit Jai Inn.
Is Sydney Film Festival in its body-horror era? In 2024, the Harbour City's annual citywide celebration of cinema closed with The Substance, after it had wowed Cannes but before it was an Oscar-winner. The very next movie that the event is screening, aka 2025's just-announced opening-night picture, also falls into the genre. Together stars Alison Brie (Apples Never Fall) and Dave Franco (Love Lies Bleeding), had this year's Sundance buzzing and marks the feature directorial debut of Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks (The Wizards of Aus). The Aussie film will kick off one of the country's major yearly odes to movies on Wednesday, June 4 — and will do so with a flick about a couple moving to the country, then finding more than just the relaxing quiet life they're seeking awaiting. Brie and Franco play Millie and Tim. After their big shift, she feels more at home than he does, ramping up their codependent relationship on his side. Then, as the teaser trailer featuring staring animals, unexpected strands of hair, a cave and declarations of love starts to show, things get strange. Also co-starring Australian actor Damon Herriman (How to Make Gravy), Together has a date with SFF almost two months in advance of its Aussie and US cinema release date at the end of July. In Sydney, it leads a lineup that's drop its full program on Wednesday, May 7, but already includes a Jafar Panahi retrospective, Justin Kurzel (The Narrow Road to the Deep North)-directed documentary Ellis Park, and everything from homegrown animation Lesbian Space Princess to Barry Keoghan's (Bird) new Irish thriller Bring Them Down. "We are thrilled to open the 2025 Festival with Together, a fiercely original work that showcases the creative ambition of a new voice in Australian cinema," said Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley, announcing 2025's opening flick. "Michael Shanks has crafted a bold and inventive debut that shifts seamlessly between tones, anchored by fully committed performances from Alison Brie and Dave Franco." Added Shanks: "having Together open Sydney Film Festival is a huge honour. Despite our US leads, this is an Australian film through and through, and I'm so proud to showcase what amazing crew and cast we have in our local industry." "I got altitude sickness in Utah when the film premiered in Sundance, and thankfully that's far less likely to happen when it premieres in Sydney." Check out the teaser trailer for Together below: Sydney Film Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at cinemas across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information and tickets — and check back here for the full lineup on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
Sydney hospo favourite Odd Culture Group (Odd Culture, The Duke of Enmore) is throwing a free street party to raise money for its historic Woolloomooloo theatre. So if you want to spend a Sunday soaking in rays with live music, theatre previews and a top-notch food and drink lineup — all for a good cause — you're in luck. Located within one of our favourite pubs in Sydney, The Old Fitz Theatre has been a vital space for Sydney's arts scene for over two decades now. To celebrate the exciting things the theatre has in store and to ensure the space continues to thrive for another 20+ years, A Streetparty Named Fitz (good name) will take over Dowling Street out the front of The Old Fitz from midday until 7pm on Sunday, February 11. [caption id="attachment_937223" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Old Fitz Theatre, Sydney Fringe Festival[/caption] On the day, you can expect a pair of performances from the theatre for a preview of its upcoming season, plus a live set from red Wiggle Murray Cook's band The Soul Movers, DJ Aunty Jonny on the decks, and roaming performers popping up throughout the crowd. Odd Culture Group Executive Chef James MacDonald has created a summer barbecue menu inspired by the cuisine of New Orleans (the setting of A Streetcar Named Desire). There will be jambalaya, smoked meats and veggies, smoked cheeseburgers and loaded fries. The Mapo Bus will also be on deck for all your gelato desires. Some high-profile friends have been called on to assist with the day's drinks: a pop-up bar will feature slushies and spritzes created by Matt Whiley (Re), Evan Stroeve (The Waratah) and Eduardo Conde (El Primo Sanchez), as well as margarita seltzers and Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz gin and tonics. A very good time for a very good cause. What's not to love?
There are few pleasures more simple or satisfying in this life than a great meal with great company. It's with that fact in mind that we again find comedians Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan bouncing from one tantalising meal to the next in the third installment of Michael Winterbottom's gastro-comedy series The Trip. Beginning in 2010, the original Trip was a 'best of' that drew from Winterbottom's six-part series for the BBC in which Brydon and Coogan travelled the UK's Lake District 'reviewing' restaurants for their respective publishers. It featured a threadbare fictional storyline that served only to place these two astoundingly witty and sardonic impressionists opposite one another – verbal sparring partners forever determined to fell the other with a devastating barb. The result was a delightful laugh-out-loud comedy that never once threatened to veer towards the gross-out or foul-mouthed gags so common in contemporary Hollywood comedies. The first film's success spawned a sequel, The Trip to Italy, four years later. Now we're greeted with the third course in The Trip to Spain. It's all very much business as usual, with close-ups of mouth-watering food porn breaking up the otherwise largely static shots of Coogan and Brydon facing off against one another, backed by breathtaking scenery and captivating architecture. There's a little history thrown in throughout the film, as well as the occasional food review, but at its heart The Trip to Spain knows where the gold lies and it rarely strays far from the path. Some of you may already be familiar with the common personality quiz question that asks what two people you'd most like to have over for a dinner party. If nothing else, you'd be hard pressed to find a better return on investment than Brydon and Coogan, given how effortlessly the two become 20. Many of the same impersonations from the first two movies return here, including Al Pacino, Michael Caine and Roger Moore. But it's the new entries – David Bowie, Mick Jagger and Sir Anthony Hopkins – that earn the biggest laughs. That these impressions are so often inspired by real life encounters or precious personal moments with their subjects gives what might otherwise feel like a tired parlour trick a critical grounding in tenderness – especially in the case of the Bowie exchange. If there's a complaint to be made this time round, it's that the fictional storyline brings the film to a close on a note that's both abrupt and rather bizarre. The likelihood of another follow-up seems assured given the left-field cliffhanger, but it's so at odds with the class and character of the series that one almost wishes the fictional narrative could be dispensed with entirely. Either that, or shift away from the episodic format of television and become an out-and-out film series. We'll just have to wait and see. For now, at least, we've got some more sumptuous comedy to enjoy, along with course after course of delicious food to match. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTvy8ab1NSo
New year, new murder in the building — in the fictional Arconia in New York, that is. That's what's in store for fans of Only Murders in the Building, the true-crime comedy that proved one of 2021's surprises and delights. Knowing they're onto a good thing, Hulu in the US quickly renewed the hit series, and now it's coming back in June with another killing to solve. If you missed the first season in 2021, it takes a great idea and turns it into an amusing murder-mystery gem. If you've ever listened to a true-crime podcast, decided that you'd make a great Serial host yourself and started wondering how you'd ever follow in Sarah Koenig's footsteps, then Only Murders in the Building is definitely the series for you. The show focuses three New Yorkers who basically follow that same process. Here, actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), theatre producer Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and the much-younger Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) are all obsessed with a podcast hosted by the fictional Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva). They find themselves unexpectedly bonding over it, in fact. And, when someone turns up dead in their building, they decide that they can sleuth their way through the case by getting talking themselves. [caption id="attachment_824354" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu[/caption] That's how the first season panned out. Think Knives Out, but a sitcom and also a little goofier. Now, as the just-dropped first trailer for the show's second season shows, Charles-Haden, Oliver and Mabel are weathering the fallout from the last batch of episodes — namely, season one's big finale — and they have another murder to investigate (and another podcast season to chat about it on, obviously). Complicating their efforts this time around are a trio of factors: their public implication in the death in question; the fact that there's now a competing podcast about them and this new murder; the suspicions of their neighbours, who think they're guilty. Exactly how that'll play out won't be known until Tuesday, June 28, when Only Murders in the Building returns — but, whatever happens, both Cara Delevingne and Amy Schumer will be involved, with the pair joining the cast as guest stars. Check out the trailer for Only Murders in the Building season two below: Only Murders in the Building's second season will start streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+ on Tuesday, June 28. Read our full review of the show's first season. Images: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
The suburbs are twinkling. Yes, it's that time again: the merriest time of the year. If December to you means luminous festive decorations — November as well, or basically the second that Halloween is over — then simply driving through your neighbourhood can be jolly enjoyable. Wherever you look, there just might be a glowing set of Christmas lights sharing its seasonal merriment and brightening up the suburban streets. Of course, these lit-up displays really shouldn't cause such a fuss. They pop up everywhere every year, after all, and we're all well and truly aware of how electricity works. But glowing bulbs are just so hard to resist when it's the happiest portion of the calendar. Keen to scope out the best and brightest seasonal-themed houses and yards? An Australian website called Christmas Lights Search is likely to pique your interest, especially given that it has been updated for 2024. [caption id="attachment_882324" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Donaldytong via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Christmas Lights Search is as nifty and handy as its name suggests, covering festive displays all around the country. To locate all the spots that you should head to, it's as easy as entering your postcode or suburb — or those of places nearby — and letting the site deliver the relevant options. Plus, it also rates the lights displays, if you want to either go big or stay home. It's constantly being updated as well, so, like the best combos of glowing trees, sparkling bulbs and oversized Santas, you might want to check it out more than once. When you pick an individual address listed on the site, you'll be greeted with some key information, too. The level of detail varies per listing, but expect to potentially peruse photos, the ideal hours to swing by, a date range and a description of what's on offer. All that's left is to get searching, plot out where you'll be heading every night between now and Christmas Eve, and get ready to see oh-so-many reindeer, candy canes and snowmen. Putting up your own Christmas lights for the neighbourhood to see? Spotted something in your travels that you think everyone else would like to check out? You can add both to Christmas Lights Search as well. [caption id="attachment_882325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] To find festive displays near you, head to the Christmas Lights Search website.
Lately, the works of the Dutch masters are receiving some fabulously intense, borderline-OCD flattery from a man who takes the art of imitation to the next level. Creative genius and 17th-century portrait subject stalker Michael Mapes gathers very specific objects and uses them to form intriguing, almost sculptural 21st-century replicas of famous portraits. Look closely at one of Mapes' pixelated images of a face originally painted by Rembrandt or Nicolaes Eliasz Pickenoy, and you'll be rewarded with unexpected findings. The larger picture is composed of all manner of objects, from fragments of human hair to makeup samples, glass vials, gelatin capsules, costume jewellery, contemporary photographs and more. The variety of materials and attention to detail is quite astounding. But this is no random assemblage. Building on a 'pseudo-scientific method' developed for earlier works, after choosing a high-resolution scan of a painting from the archives of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, Mapes researches the life of his subject to get a sense of their character. This will inform the eclectica that will make up the physical recreation, and the end result is akin to an entomological display of insect specimens, with many tiny items pinned to a plain backdrop for inspection. It's much like viewing a collection of preserved butterflies, raising an implicit question about how we scrutinise historical artwork, people and visual culture in general. Broader meanings are also embedded in the compositional material of the image — for example, we might ask, how is a gelatin capsule relevant to this character? — making these portraits into extreme meta-portraits. Three artworks from the series will be shown in Montana at Yellowstone Art Museum starting this March, in an exhibition of innovative forms of portraiture entitled Face to Face. See more of the artist's works at
They call it Tina — The Tina Turner Musical, oh Tina — The Tina Turner Musical — and, while it finally arrived in Australia in May, it now has more dates around the nation. After premiering in London back in 2018, this stage ode to the music icon that's had Aussies dancing to 'Nutbush City Limits' for decades will tour Down Under, following up its current first local stint in Sydney with seasons in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne. No, it isn't taking to the stage in a church house, gin house, school house or outhouse — or on highway number 19, either. But Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will obviously have Crown Theatre, Festival Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Princess Theatre enjoying Turner's greatest hits in one massive show. The list of musical numbers includes 'Nutbush City Limits', naturally, as well as everything from 'River Deep, Mountain High' and 'Proud Mary' through to 'Private Dancer' and 'What's Love Got to Do with It?'. Tina — The Tina Turner Musical has made its trip Down Under courtesy of TEG DAINTY, Stage Entertainment and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner herself before her passing in May this year. Announcing the show's stint on our shores back in 2022, the singer said that "Australia has always shared abundant love with me, going back to my early concerts in the late 70s through the uplifting partnership with the National Rugby League. It is very special for me that we will be reunited." "The joy, passion and message of resilience in my musical is so important now as ever. Thank you from the bottom my heart for welcoming me with open arms once again," Turner continued. The singer didn't mention her appearance in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, but she is indeed part of the beloved Mad Max franchise, too. In Australia, The Lion King, We Will Rock You, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Ragtime and Moulin Rouge! The Musical star Ruva Ngwenya plays Tina, with In the Heights, Fame: The Musical and fellow Moulin Rouge! The Musical alumni Tim Omaji as Ike Turner. Penned by Tony Award-nominee and Pulitzer Prize-winner Katori Hall, plus Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, and directed by fellow Tony-nominee Phyllida Lloyd, Tina — The Tina Turner Musical clearly has quite the story to tell. The show steps through Turner's life and fame, including growing up in Nutbush, Tennessee, the hard work that led to her career, all of those aforementioned hits, her 12 Grammy Awards, her volatile time with Ike and her huge solo success. If you're a fan, Turner herself summed it up — yes, it's simply the best. "I first heard about the possibility of a stage musical portraying Tina's life eight years ago and I immediately reached out to Tali Pelman at Stage Entertainment. At that point there was no script and no book; however, I was hooked on the idea of it," said TEG DAINTY CEO Paul Dainty about Tina — The Tina Turner Musical. "We have been on that journey ever since, and here we are today announcing the Australian tour! Australians love this theatrical masterpiece which tells the story of Tina's life, of empowerment and success, and is ultimately the best music industry comeback story of all time." TINA — THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL AUSTRALIAN DATES: Now until Sunday, December 31, 2023 — Theatre Royal, Sydney From Tuesday, February 27, 2024 — Crown Theatre, Perth From Wednesday, April 24, 2024 — Festival Theatre, Adelaide From Sunday, July 2, 2024 — Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane From Tuesday, September 24, 2024 — Princess Theatre, Melbourne Tina — The Tina Turner Musical is currently playing in Sydney, and will tour the rest of Australia in 2024. For more information and tickets, head to the musical's website. Images: Daniel Boud.
This article is part of our series on the 17 most unique things to have come out of Japan. Check out the other 16. A brilliant brewer in Hokkaido has created an actual blue beer. We’re not talking brown beer with a blueish tint only visible with binoculars. But bluer-than-blueberries kind of blue. The shade comes from two sources: local flowers and seaweed. Plus, for good measure, there’s a casual dash of water from melted icebergs, off the Sea of Okhotsk. Chinese yam has been added to create the beer's head — according to the beer’s page on Firebox.com, it “resembles floating ice”. "To sip this beautiful blue brew is to immerse yourself in the wild and colourful flavours of the frozen Abashiri coastline," the page states. The brewery behind this innovation is Abashiri. It made headlines back in 2007 with the creation of BILK. As the name suggests, it’s a combination of beer and milk, which is low in malt and tastes quite fruity. BILK was invented when a bunch of nearby dairy farms ended up with too much milk and were planning on throwing it all out. After the son of a local bottle shop manager heard this, he approached the folks at Abashiri, suggesting that they consider using the milk in the brewing process. Abashiri Blue Beer has been around for a few years, but only became available outside of Japan last year.
The family-owned Portuguese institution has made it seven full years around the sun — and to celebrate, Tuga Pastries is throwing a huge block party at both of its pastry-slinging outposts. On Sunday, May 26, you can hit up either the Clovelly or Alexandria locale for top-quality Portuguese pastries paired with hot-off-the-grill barbecue. Not only will the joint's coveted sweet treats, like its famous pastel de natas, coconut brioche and almond tart, be on offer, but you'll also be able to sink your teeth into limited-edition specials made specially for its birthday celebrations. As part of its Portuguese showcase, the crowd-pleasing venues will be dishing up traditional patas de veado (a sponge and custard dish shaped like a deer hoof), decadent russos (vanilla custard sandwiched between two thin layers of puff pastry), malasadas (a Portuguese take on donut balls and loukoumades), and duchesses (an eclair with a sweet egg custard and whipped cream filling). This one-day celebration is perfect for the family — there'll be a petting zoo, face-painting station for the kids (or grown-ups embracing their inner child) and DJs spinning live tunes. You're also welcome to bring your beloved pooch along to join the party.
It's not every artist who'd revisit their Year Two saxophone skills on their debut album. But Melbourne's Chet Faker (aka Nick Murphy) isn't afraid of giving anything a whirl for the sake of sound. Following the release of his debut EP Thinking In Textures via Downtown Records in 2012, Murphy gained international high-fives and 'Breakthrough Artist of the Year' at the Australian Independent Records Awards, made an EP with Flume, toured with Bonobo, played at South by South West and scored a Super Bowl ad with his breakthrough cover of Blackstreet's 'No Diggity'. After settling into his own snuggly studio space in North Melbourne, Murphy painstakingly tweaked, experimented and self-produced his debut album Built On Glass, released Friday. An eclectic and unpredictable mix of electronic soul ballads, deep house journeys and hip hop beats, Murphy's love of experimentation and letting sound breathe makes Built On Glass one of the year's most overwhelmingly confident debut releases. Heartbreakingly honest lyrics, minimalist electronic groovery and Murphy's unmistakably soulful vocals make for serious repeat button action. Kicking off a huge worldwide tour in April, Chet Faker will hit venues in UK cities like Dublin, Manchester and Bristol before popping over to European hubs like Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Then it's over to the US and Canada for a gargantuan string of dates before heading home for his national Australian headliner tour through major cities and regional centres like Geelong, Port Macquarie and Wollongong. Supporting for all national tour dates is New Zealand dream pop trio Yumi Zouma, whose four-track EP The Brae saw the Christchurch locals gain quite the following on Soundcloud. In the wake of the tour's long-awaited announcement, we had a chat to the 25-year-old Melburnian about his upcoming worldwide debut album tour, his Melbourne performance jinx, jogging on tour and a genuine disdain for pigeonholes. When was the last time you played an Australian show? Three weeks ago. I play heaps here, everyone thinks I don't. They're like, "Really? Come back to Australia and support your home." It's like, I play here a lot. People are like, "Why didn't you come to New Zealand?" I was there four weeks ago! "Hopefully one day you'll come to Ireland." It's like dude, I'll be there in a week. Just relax! So Built On Glass is out, your first LP, congrats! You played everything you hear on the album, excepting one guitar solo. What made you want to play all every last instrument on your new album? Well, because I knew what I wanted to be played. And I'm not rich so I can't just like, pay Nile Rodgers to lay down a track for me. It's just a really personal record. Music just means a shitload to me. I'm usually writing music at the same time I'm recording it... just trying a bunch of stuff. If I want a guitar part, I'm going to play it because I'm there. So it makes sense to play it myself rather than have someone in and it might not work. Did you learn saxophone just for the record? No. Well, maybe sort of. I played sax from prep to grade two. But I hadn't played until last year and I picked it up and could still make a noise out of it. That blew me away. I had no idea that I could still play saxophone. I assumed I couldn't play it, I couldn't remember what notes they were. I picked it up and because I'd learnt 'Tequila' — that was the last song I'd played — I was like bam-bam ban-am-bam ban-a-nam and I was like "What the FUCK?". It was insane! Because there's other stuff as a kid I can't remember how to do, you know? Like cartwheels... Cartwheels, totally yeah. I used to be a really good drawer when I was a kid but I'm not that good at it any more. I used to be able to do a really good cat. Actually I still remember how to do it — it looks like Bubsy, which was a game on Super Nintendo. That's funny, I haven't thought about that in a long time. With your first EP you were kind of sleeping in the same space that you were recording. But this time you had your own space to record Built On Glass? Yeah, I rented a space in North Melbourne in the old meat market. It's an old cooling locker, so it's heritage-listed. It's through Arts House Victoria, so it's really cheap rent, it's cool... We have so much space and I just don't use it. I filled it with stuff and ended up putting myself in the smallest room. I rarely stand up when I'm recording music, most of the time I'm sitting on a chair. I can't remember the last time I stood up to record vocals. I lean into the microphone and I sit in front of the computer. I'll take, sing it, listen back and do it again until I get it right. Well, your voice has a lot of oomph and power behind it, which you usually need to stand up to reach. Well, on this record anyway. The EP was lighter I think, more breathy because I was in my garage. It had a tin roof and in the garage next door to me we had a neighbour. I would usually record late at night and I couldn't sing loud. Whereas on this record, because I have my own soundproof space, I could be there any hour of the night and play as loud as I want and not piss anyone off. So all the vocal tracks are like, full chest voice. I literally couldn't have done this album in the old garage because I couldn't sing that loud. https://youtube.com/watch?v=aP_-P_BS6KY Stylistically Built On Glass is very different, each song is quite unique even though they've got your unifying vocal. Some are hip hop influenced, some are ballads, some are almost house music. How do you find inspiration for each style? I've had this thing, like, all my life: I hate being put in a pigeonhole. More than anything, for some reason. I don't know why it annoys me so much. As soon as you label something you limit it. And I don't want to be limited. An album is usually very definitive, you know? That's the big thing, about making a 'statement' right? So my statement was I wanted to show almost every type of music that I like, because then if I did something like the slow, whatever people call it, "RnB crooner" — it makes me cringe when I hear that, it's gross — style, then I'd limit it. Because if I bring out another record that's like '1998', which I like just as much, people would go, "What the fuck is this?" So it was really important to me that I show the full breadth of all the things I like. Sounds like a good way to go for a debut album. Well that's the idea. Built On Glass as well, the whole "built" thing comes from like, building a career, building a future on a foundation stone of glass, which is fragile, it's honest, it's transparent — this is what I'm into, you know? And it was annoying me that people thought I only did soulful, slowed down tunes. There's even some house moments in there. Yeah, well 'Cigarettes and Loneliness" is 135BPM. That is not soul music. It's hard to pick a track off your debut album, but do you have a particular song you're especially proud of? 'Cigarettes and Loneliness' I think. I mean, they all have their own reason I like them. 'Gold' is the first song I ever played bass on and it's just one note the whole time. I didn't know how to play the bass, so I bought a bass. What I wanted to do was a descending bassline but I couldn't play that properly. But then 'Release Your Problems', which is the first track, I played the bass on that. First bassline I ever really wrote. '1998': house track — I always wanted to put out a house track. 'Cigarettes and Loneliness' is the longest song I've ever done, it's the most honest song I've ever done. The chorus has no drums, it's just two guitar parts and vocals. The song's like eight minutes long and it's 135BPM which is just super fast. You couldn't even play that in a DJ set, it'd freak people out. It's been two years since your first EP Thinking in Textures came out, since then you've won awards, worked with Flume, supported big names, had your song in a Super Bowl ad... Yeah, I always forget about that until people bring it up. That's like the least real thing that's ever happened to me. That's like, really? Was I really in a Super Bowl ad? It's like the childhood memories that you're not really sure if you made it up or it actually happened. https://youtube.com/watch?v=vUsxibgWMs4 You've been touring on and off for about two years, what's one of the most memorable performances you've done? Well, there's different ones for different reasons — there's good ones and then there's like, bad ones. Touring with Bonobo was awesome. I've got mad respect for him. He just texted me the other day, he was like, "What are you doing? You wanna go get a drink?" For a second I had to be like, that's fuckin' Bonobo texting me. That was pretty weird, I had to pinch myself. That tour was cool, I think this tour in June's also going to be heaps of fun. And you toured with Flume as well. Toured with Flume, yeah that was good. Ah... it was alright. They were just like, munted kids who weren't listening. But actually it was fun playing with Flume, because I'd get up and sing with him, that was shitloads of fun. So I crowdsurfed — and you don't crowdsurf to my music. I never had. So that was a lot of fun, stagediving. Did they bring you back to the stage? Yeah, I mean sometimes you get taken away. Here's a lesson for anyone who's going to stagedive: take off any jewellery or hats, people literally rip stuff off you. And I got like, mouth raped at one of those shows on that Flume tour. I don't know if it was a boy or a girl, someone just grabbed my head upside down and did like a Spiderman tongue dash. I was like, woah. By the time I looked, I was somewhere else. It was kind of funny though, but it was an all ages show so its just a bit like... yeeech. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6vopR3ys8Kw If you could tour with anyone in the world, who would it be? Bonobo was pretty up there. Music style-wise, I feel like it's pretty similar. I always looked up to him, awesome crew and band, they really inspired me. Like, some people just aren't as… Just because you love someone's music doesn't mean you like them personally and that was a big lesson for me. And most people won't know that. You know, most people who like my music will assume that them and I would get along perfectly but I'm certain there are people I wouldn't get along with. It's like the same with anyone. So I've met lots of people, I mean, Bonobo, he's as nice as his music is, he's a gentleman. But there's other people I've met that I really liked, I was like, you... are... you are a dickhead. So you've got this rather epic tour coming up, how do you prepare and keep healthy on tour? Are there any tricks? Totally, you have to look after yourself. I do. I actually don't know how some people party on tour all the time. It's not sustainable, like, you just get totally bummed out. Some people can do it though. Some people just figure out this like, route in their brain to not come down from partying. They just party forever. Like DJs, those dudes kill it. I don't know, I couldn't do that. Do you get actual sleep on tour? No. Well, yes if I try and sleep and eat well, but that's not really an option either. It's this weird balance because some people just think you're difficult if you're like "I need celery and gluten free food backstage." They're like, "Geez, this guy's a douchebag." But if you're having a hot dog every night for three months, you start to feel really crappy about yourself. But running is good, I try and go for a run every morning. It's just habit, which is easy to do on tour because it's easier to create new habits in a new environment than one that has existing habits. Do you write on tour? You were saying you write and record at the same time. I can't. I'm trying to at the moment; I'm trying to get a little studio built up. But I really like having a space, but that's not really an option any more when you're touring so much. So I'm getting this little case made up with like, a microphone and a laptop. Harley's so good at it, Flume, he's always working on a track. I can do it, it's just like a habit. I'm trying to start doing that more. It's going to be cool for you to play in Melbourne and show off your debut album to home. Yeah, totally and I don't think I've ever played a good show in my home town. I keep fucking it up. I mean it's my friends there, that's why. I played a bunch of festivals — I mean I think as far as my friends are concerned I suck live, because I keep messing it up for my friends in Melbourne — like, at Laneway I played a bad show, I messed up Meredith and Golden Plains. I had technical problems — I had a broken foot. It's like I'm jinxed in my home town but this tour will be fine, sooner or later I'll do it. Tour Dates: Tickets on sale Tuesday 22 April 9AM local time Thu 12 June – The Wool Exchange, Geelong $35 +BF. Tickets from Oztix. Friday 13 June – Forum Theatre, Melbourne $35 +BF. Tickets from The Forum Box Office, Ticketmaster. Thu 19 June – Astor Theatre, Perth $35 +BF. Tickets from Astor Box Office. Sat 21 June – The Tivoli, Brisbane $35 +BF. Tickets from Ticketmaster. Sun 22 June – Lake Kawana Community Centre, Sunshine Coast $35 +BF. Tickets from Box Office. Tue 24 June – Glasshouse Theatre, Port Macquarie $35 +BF. Tickets from the Glasshouse Box Office. Wed 25 June – Civic Theatre, Newcastle $35 +BF. Tickets from Box Office and Ticketek. Fri 27 June – Enmore Theatre, Sydney $35 +BF Tickets from Enmore Theatre Box Office and Ticketek Sat 28 June – Anita's Theatre, Wollongong $35 +BF. Tickets from Ticketmaster. Thu 3 July – HQ, Adelaide $35 +BF. Tickets from Moshtix and Oztix. Sat 5 July - The Odean, Hobart $40 +BF. Tickets from Ticketmaster and Ruffcut Records.
Born out of a desire to bring old-school hospitality back to the eastern suburbs, Café Bellagio is a well-liked local which has recently expanded to offer dinner with a touch of French and Spanish influence. Located in the old Albion Cycles store, it's a neat, laidback space with banquets, cushions and plenty of greenery. You can start with a selection of cheeses or a charcuterie plate ($28), which includes slices of salami, aged wagyu and piquant Cinghiale sausage as well as house-pickled vegetables and a moreish chicken liver pate. The slices of bread are airy (from their sister cafe Nelson Road Tuckshop), and the salty smoked butter is ideal. The menu starts with smaller options, like the trio of flavour-packed salt cod croquettes ($15); the flakes of pickled chilli and shaved mojama, a Spanish salt-cured tuna, really takes the dish up a level. Also good is the charred cumin cauliflower ($18), which comes resting on a thick bed of paprika and tomato puree, with tahini buttermilk crisscrossed over them. The European influence continues into the larger share plates, which include confit duck ($22). The meat is tender and paired with elements of sweetness in the heirloom carrots and poached plum, as well as crunch in the form of black barley. Another, braised oxtail ($24), is rich and hearty and prettily plated, with swirls of crisp parsley, a dollop of parsnip puree and a drizzle of coffee jus. You'll also want to hang around for dessert, which once again adds another unusual ingredient — here, finger lime — to great effect. A sprinkling of the zesty pearls add a taste of native tucker to a deconstructed rhubarb cheesecake ($13) with crunchy notes of ginger and butterscotch. There are also a couple of cocktails on offer, including an old fashioned made with Maker's Mark, raw sugar and orange bitters. The wine list is mostly Australian with the odd Spanish or French glass. You can't go wrong with a light 2015 Foster e Rocco Sangiovese ($11) or a zesty clos Clare Riesling ($13). With a cosy feel and some welcome touches of Mediterranean flair, Café Bellagio has skilfully expanded from friendly local café to superior neighbourhood bistro.
Ever since Freddie Mercury teamed up with Brian May and company back in the 70s, Queen has never been out of fashion. And, thanks to Bohemian Rhapsody and the band's current members touring Down Under, the UK group has been grabbing plenty of attention again in recent years. You could call it a kind of magic. You could say that their songs must go on. Either way, if you're happy to let the British band keep rocking you, then you'll want to catch London's Queen by Candlelight when it debuts in Australia. While Queen tribute nights aren't rare — and neither are ones lit by flickering flames — this is the OG West End production, which features a live rock band and a cast of singers from London busting out the group's famous tracks. Been feeling a crazy little thing called love for Freddie and his bandmates? Then you'll clearly be in the right spot, with Queen by Candlelight playing Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth in February. If your approach to the group's music is "I want it all!", that's what you'll hear. For one night per city, the event will break free so that Queen lovers can celebrate with their fellow champions. The aim: to make you feel like you're hearing the real thing, in venues glowing with candles. In the UK, the gigs — which feature more than 20 Queen tracks — have proven sellouts. Also part of the same tour are Meatloaf by Candlelight shows, busting out the late singer's tunes — if you'd do anything for that. They'll feature the same kind of setup, but with Australia's Simon Gordon, who hits the stage after playing Strat in the Meatloaf-inspired musical Bat Out of Hell on West End and internationally. In all cities, the Queen shows play one night and the Meatloaf gigs run either one or two evenings later. QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT AND MEATLOAF BY CANDLELIGHT 2023 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Wednesday, February 1 (Queen) and Thursday, February 2 (Meatloaf) — Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane Sunday, February 5 (Queen) and Monday, February 6 (Meatloaf) — Darling Harbour Theatre, Sydney Wednesday, February 8 (Queen) and Thursday, February 9 (Meatloaf) — Royal Theatre, Canberra Monday, February 13 (Queen) and Wednesday, February 15 (Meatloaf) — Melbourne Town Hall and Melbourne Palais, Melbourne Friday, February 17 (Queen) and Saturday, February 18 (Meatloaf) — Festival Theatre, Adelaide Tuesday, February 21 (Queen) and Thursday, February 23 (Meatloaf) — Perth Concert Hall, Perth The Queen and Meatloaf by Candlelight shows are touring Australia in February 2023. For more information and tickets, head to the tour's website.
Whether you're an old pro at visiting in Tasmania, a trip down south has always been on your to-do list or you're simply exploring your summer getaway options, the Apple Isle is about to welcome a lavish new spot that's tailor-made for Tassie holidays. Set to open in December, The Tasman marks the first Australian outpost for Marriott International's Luxury Collection hotels brand — so this is definitely a treat yo'self type of place to stay. Perched between Hobart's Salamanca Place and Parliament Square — complete with views out over the Sullivan's Cove waterfront — The Tasman will feature 152 rooms. Whichever one you're booked into, it won't be the same as any others on the property, because celebrating the character of the site is one of the hotel's main aims. Given that The Tasman features an original 1840s heritage building, a 1940s art deco building and a new glass-heavy pavilion, it's easy to see why that's such a focus. Some rooms nod in the heritage direction, others embrace art deco — and guests will enjoy original artworks by local creatives, island baths and fireplaces across the property. And, when you're not using the hotel as a base to explore the city, including not only Sullivan's Cove but also Salamanca Market and St David's Park, you can also pop into the onsite restaurant and bar. At Peppina, chef Massimo Mele will be serving up a Tassie take on Italian dishes, and pairing it with old-world hospitality. At Mary Mary, you'll sip cocktails by Proof & Company's Charlie Ainsbury — after finding the bar perched deep within The Tasman's sandstone walls. Price-wise, rooms start at around $400 per night. That said, you can expect to pay around $5000 a night for the Aurora Suite — the hotel's one-bedroom presidential suite, which comes with water views and its own rooftop terrace. The Tasman opens at 12 Murray Street, Hobart, in December 2021 — with bookings currently available from Tuesday, December 21 onwards. For further information, head to the hotel's website.
If you've looked at a television lately or headed in search of the golden arches to get a feed, then you've probably already realised that 2021 marks 50 years since McDonald's first started serving burgs in Australia. To celebrate, the fast food chain has been splashing advertisements all around the place, and whipping up specials — including 50-cent cheeseburgers and new McFlurrys so far. Up next: Macca's PJs. Obviously, you'll be lovin' them. Teaming up with Peter Alexander, McDonald's has launched a collection of sleepwear that features burgers, fries, golden arches, the chain's red and yellow colour scheme, and its famous figures such as Ronald, Grimace, Birdie and the Hamburglar. Do people wearing burger-covered pyjamas dream of Big Macs? That's the question you can now put to the test. You can clearly expect a big dose of nostalgia as well and, thanks to Ronald and company's presence, to have a fierce hankering for happy meals. Given that McDonald's opened here in the 70s, there's a huge retro feel to the entire range. If, while wearing them, you wake up and start watching cartoons, that's understandable. Ten different items are available now at Peter Alexander stores and via the sleepwear brand's website until stocks last — including PJ pants and sweaters for men and women, and four different matching sets for the latter. Prices start at $69.95 for kids, and span up to $129.95 for long-sleeved women's flannelette pyjamas covered in Macca's well-known characters. The McDonald's x Peter Alexander sleepwear collection is on sale now via Peter Alexander stores and the sleepwear brand's website.
Following successful monthly editions, Ryde Wharf Market is doubling down this month — literally — with a fortnightly iteration. On the second and fourth Sunday of every month, the Parramatta River foreshore of Anderson Park in Meadowbank will come to life with market stalls showcasing a range of Sydney's favourite homegrown creatives and makers. Get fuelled with a coffee from Barista's Lab and a deliciously dense bagel from Brooklyn Boy Bagels before you browse over 70 stalls featuring fresh fruit and veggies, flowers, gourmet produce, pantry items and locally designed homewares, apparel and gifts. There'll also be plenty of hot food options from paella to gozleme and dumplings, as well as activities for little ones, including a fishing game, arts and crafts and a jumping castle. Not only is it a picturesque spot to while away a Sunday morning, but it's easy to get to, too. Anderson Park is accessible by ferry, train or bus, with ample parking within a short stroll. Ryde Wharf Market takes place at Anderson Park, Meadowbank, from 9am–2pm on the second and fourth Sunday of every month. For more info, head to the website.
Sydneysiders can now sip some of the world's best cocktails from 22 stories up thanks to the opening of a new cocktail bar inside the A by Adina Hotel. Dean & Nancy on 22 is the latest opening from the team behind Maybe Sammy, Sydney's award-winning cocktail bar previously named one of the top 50 bars in the world. The new Hunter Street spot plays on the idea of a hotel bar. Inventive cocktails in line with the theme include the Rolling A Double cocktail, combining Havana 3, pineapple shrub coconut water and rhum agricole, with a pair of dice. Roll a double on the dice and you'll receive a free champagne upgrade. Equally as unexpected is the coffee champagne, containing champagne, Mr Black, vodka and peach wine, as well as a house-made vanilla and coffee hand cream on the side. "Apply the cream to your hands and every time you sip the cocktail, you'll be treated to a waft of the scent," Dean & Nancy co-founder and Creative Director Andrea Gualdi says. "After we take the glass away the essence will remain and every time you use the cream, we hope you'll remember your time at Dean & Nancy and smile." Inside the hotel, a curved brass staircase leads you up to the venue where patrons are greeted by a panoramic view of the Sydney cityscape and a decadent 1950s-style hotel bar designed by architect George Livissianis. Livissianis has previously designed the likes of Chin Chin Sydney, The Dolphin Hotel and Maybe Sammy's other recent CBD venture, Sammy Junior. The 120-seat space is full of gold-veined marble tables accompanied by subdued black leather chairs. Each seat offers up show-stopping city views, so no-one has to cop the dud spot. As with both Maybe Sammy and Sammy Junior, snacking is encouraged at Dean & Nancy. In fact, on the menu created by Executive Chef Jane Strode (Bistrode, Rockpool, Langton's), you'll find a special selection of mini combos if you're looking for a light drink and bite to eat. Combine the mini martini with oyster nan jim, or mini adonis with rhubarb cheesecake. Larger meals are on hand, however, including a prawn risotto made with Meredith goats cheese and harissa made in-house. Dean & Nancy on 22 is located at Level 22, 2 Hunter Street, Sydney, 2000. It's open 4.30-midnight, Wednesday–Saturday. Bookings are available online, however bar stools are not reserved so walk-ins are available. Images: Steven Woodburn
Name a season — there are only four, so it isn't hard — and, in Australia, it's likely that the weather will be hotter than average. The nation experiences toastier than usual summers, warmer than normal autumns and hotter than average winters every year, or so it seems. And, in news that will come as zero surprise, winter 2021 is expected to continue the trend. That's according to the Bureau of Meteorology, which releases an updated climate outlook every week — something that, with winter so close to arriving, is definitely worth a look. Much of the country is in for both warmer and wetter conditions than normal over the coming months, although exactly how that'll affect you obviously depends on where you live. If you reside in Australia's northern tropics, along New South Wales' coast, in southeastern Australia in general and in southwest of Western Australia, expect toastier winter temperatures this year, with a more than 80-percent chance that that'll be the case between June and August. Folks pretty much everywhere else except central Australia can also expect above average winter days, with a 60-percent likelihood. Nights in particular are also expected to be warmer over the same period, covering most of the country — with only parts of western WA expected to experience average or cooler conditions. To give an idea of exactly what that all means, the average daily maximum temperature for June sits at around 17 in Sydney, 14.1 degrees in Melbourne, 20.9 in Brisbane, 19.5 in Perth and 15.8 in Adelaide. In July, it's around 16.4 in Sydney, 13.5 degrees in Melbourne, 20.4 in Brisbane, 18.5 in Perth and 15 in Adelaide. And, come August, the figures usually come in at 17.9 in Sydney, 15 degrees in Melbourne, 21.8 in Brisbane, 19.1 in Perth and 16.1 in Adelaide. In good news for farmers, plenty of the nation east looks set for more rain, too. That's predicted to be the case in inland areas especially, with a 60-percent possibility. Along much the east coast, it could go either way — and in northern Queensland, which enters its dry season at this time of year, there's less than a 40-percent chance of more rain than usual. If you're wondering how BOM comes up with its models for the next few months, it draws upon the physics of our atmosphere, oceans, ice and land surface, as well a heap of observations — from satellites, as well as on land and sea. And, it also incorporates the effects of the climate change, with Australia's temperatures rising by around 1.44 degrees between 1910–2019. For more information about forecast weather conditions between this winter, keep an eye on the Bureau of Meteorology's climate outlook.
We could all use a bit of a mood boost and if there's one surefire way to up those dopamine levels, it's a weekend spent lazing by the harbour, soaking up a taste of that luxe waterfront lifestyle. A holiday from reality, featuring sunshine, water vistas and maybe even a private pool. Well, dotted all around Sydney, you'll find chic harbourside retreats and beachfront villas you can call your own for a couple of nights, offering exclusive addresses and hard-to-match views. We've done the hard work for you and rounded up Sydney's most exclusive harbourside stays you can book right now. Choose a favourite, pack those bags and get ready to live your best-ever holiday life. Stylish Apartment, Pyrmont Taste the high life with a stay at this next-level apartment, kitted out with luxury features and boasting sweeping harbour views. From $1410 a night, sleeps six. Cloudbreak, Mosman This sprawling hillside home makes for one luxurious group getaway, complete with smart styling, an infinity pool and absolute water frontage. From $385 a night, sleeps two. The Boathouse, Kurraba Point Set right on the shoreline of Kurraba Point, this roomy retreat features both a sunny waterfront lawn and a boat shed-turned-entertaining space. From $1833 a night, sleeps six. Harbour Hideaway, Clontarf A bright, breezy coastal escape for two, set right on the shores of Clontarf. Enjoy barbecues on the spacious balcony, overlooking the beach. From $499 a night, sleeps two. Camp Cove Tropical Retreat, Watsons Bay Your own tropical oasis, set just metres from Camp Cove Beach, featuring modern styling, a pool and leafy private garden. From $300 a night, sleeps three. Postcard View, Kirribilli A spectacular apartment on the water edge with direct view of the iconic Opera house and Sydney Harbour Bridge. With ideal views and luxe furnishings, this is the perfect stay for immersing yourself in the Harbour city. From $491 a night, sleeps four. Manly Beach Views, Manly Centrally located with a two minute walk from Manly Beach and Corso shopping strip, you'll have easy access to everything Manly has to offer - stunning views included. From $260 a night, sleeps two. Luxury Yacht Overnight Stay, Rose Bay Indulge yourself in a night of romance on board your own private French built Beneteau yacht moored in Rose Bay. On the waterfront with the Harbour Bridge and Opera House in the background, it will be a stay to remember. From $517 a night, sleeps two. Balmoral Beach Beauty, Mosman This stunning absolute beachfront apartment offers magnificent views of Middle Harbour and Balmoral Beach. From $330 a night, sleeps two. Magnificent Waterfront Living, Double Bay Step into your own peaceful harbourside sanctuary complete with it's own private ten metre marina berth, when you stay in this chic Double Bay apartment. From $1008 a night, sleeps five. 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. Images: courtesy of Airbnb
If you, like us, spent most of last year ordering take out and binge watching Ted Lasso in your undies, there's a good chance your adrenal glands are in need of a proper work out. And, with the warmer weather slowly fading, there's no better time to line up a holiday in the tropics to stretch out your summer. One place that's filled with truly incredible activities for the thrill-seekers among us is Tropical North Queensland. From hiking through World Heritage-listed rainforest to abseiling down flowing waterfalls and camping on tropical islands, there's something for every type of adventure lover in this spectacular natural playground. So, if you're keen for a holiday that's adventure-filled, and want to support operators who are committed to sustainable tourism practices, hit this list of unmissable things to do in the region to ensure your extended summer is a slam dunk. [caption id="attachment_828484" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland.[/caption] ABSEIL DOWN WATERFALLS WITH CAIRNS CANYONING If Cairns Canyoning existed in 1994, we're convinced that TLC would have actually sung: "do go chasing waterfalls". With the help of expert guides, here you'll have the truly thrilling opportunity to abseil down waterfalls, hurl yourself from towering boulders into crystal-clear water and zipline through World Heritage-listed rainforest all in one trip. You can choose between the half-day adventures through Behana Gorge or Crystal Cascades or, if you're feeling a little more hardcore, sign up for the full-day Spillway Canyon trip. [caption id="attachment_829726" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raging Thunder[/caption] GET WET AND WILD ON A WHITE WATER RAFTING TRIP Imagine sitting on the edge of an inflatable raft as you float down a river through a spectacular gorge surrounded by World Heritage-listed rainforest. Sounds pretty incredible, right? Now, picture taking that same boat down steep ravines and raging rapids and you've got the wet and wild adventure that is white water rafting. In Tropical North Queensland, you can choose to conquer a number of courses on the region's world-class rafting rivers. For a full day of adventure filled with thrills and spills on 45 rapids, book a trip on the Tully River with eco-certified rafting company Raging Thunder. Or, if you'd prefer to, quite literally, test the waters on a shorter course, try the half-day trip on The Barron River. [caption id="attachment_829728" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH AT AUSTRALIA'S ONLY BUNGEE JUMP If you consider yourself a bit of an adrenaline junkie, then visiting SkyPark is a must on your trip to Tropical North Queensland. Not only is it the one place in Australia where you can bungee, but you'll get to do so while being cradled by lush tropical rainforest. Located 15 kilometres north of Cairns, here you can leap from the 50-metre bungee that teeters over a stunning natural lagoon. Or, strap into the giant swing to reach speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour in just three seconds with up to two mates side by side. If you're not quite ready to take the bungee plunge, try the 140-metre-high walk-the-plank obstacle instead. Whether you're a seasoned jumper or are ready to take your very first leap, the 16 different styles on the jump menu will accomodate for all levels of thrill seeking and ensure you experience a rush like never before. [caption id="attachment_829729" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] SAIL OVER TREETOPS IN AN OPEN-AIR GONDOLA If you want to get up close and personal with the oldest continually surviving rainforest in the world, make tracks to the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway located 15 minutes north of Cairns. Aboard the cableway, you'll glide over the pristine jungle canopies between Smithfield and Kuranda, soaking in panoramic views of the rainforest and beyond before ending your trip near the banks of the heaving Barron River. You can also opt for the open-air Canopy Glider to sail top-down over the treetops with the expert guidance of a Skyrail Ranger or upgrade to the diamond view to experience a gondola with a glass floor. To maximise your adventure, combine your treetop adventure with the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway to see the sights from a different perspective on your round trip. Plus, if you want to help maintain the tropical rainforest, you can donate to the Skyrail Rainforest Foundation which distributes funds to research and education projects that help protect and conserve this natural wonder. [caption id="attachment_828482" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] PUT YOUR STAND UP PADDLEBOARDING SKILLS TO THE TEST ON THE MOSSMAN RIVER Feel like you're pretty familiar with stand-up paddleboarding by now? Well, if you've managed to tackle the task atop local lakes and seas, it might be time to level up your balancing bravado with a paddleboarding trip on the Mossman River. The team at Wind Swell will take you on a three-hour trip upstream to soak in the sights and sounds of the buzzing tropical rainforest. Along the way, you'll learn about the local habitat, have a chance to try out some paddleboard yoga, taste exotic flavours of local tropical fruit and cool off in the freshwater swimming hole before floating back to base. And, if that's not enough adventure, check out the company's other tours in wing surfing, kite surfing, wakeboarding and more. [caption id="attachment_828487" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GO KAYAKING WITH TURTLES IN PALM COVE Ever wanted to set off kayaking from balmy tropical beaches lined with palm trees? Well, at picturesque Palm Cove, approximately 25 minutes drive north of Cairns, you can. The Kayak Turtle Tour, run by Pacific Water Sports, is an unmissable half-day ocean adventure in Tropical North Queensland. Departing at 7am, you'll kayak across The Coral Sea to nearby Double Island and Haycock Island to spot green and hawksbill turtles basking in the coral reefs below. Then, you'll paddle further afield to sight rays and shovelnosed guitarfish (sometimes called shovelnose sharks) before making your way back to the shore at Palm Cove. [caption id="attachment_828491" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] FLOAT ABOVE THE HILLS IN A HOT AIR BALLOON To experience a truly exceptional adventure, sometimes you have to sacrifice a little sleep to make it happen. And, after returning from a trip with Hot Air Balloon, you'll be more than glad you got out of bed before the sun to see it rise over the magical Atherton Tablelands. Departing from Cairns's northern beaches and Port Douglas, this tour will take you approximately one hour west to Mareeba for your ballooning take off. Once afloat, you'll experience the soft colours of dawn as you glide high over the Atherton Tablelands, soaking in panoramic views of the region. You'll arrive back in Cairns between 9-9.30am, just in time for breakfast at one of the city's excellent cafes. [caption id="attachment_828494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] SEE A SMILE FROM A CROCODILE AT HARTLEY'S CROCODILE ADVENTURES If you've ever wondered what it would be like to have a close encounter with a real-life dinosaur, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures is about as close as you can get. Located between Cairns and Port Douglas at Wangetti, this eco-certified tourism operator has plenty of thrilling crocodile action that'll get your heart racing. For $43, your park pass includes a cruise with crocs at the on-site lagoon, access to the daily wildlife presentations such as crocodile feedings, snake shows and the nail-biting crocodile attack show. Plus, if one dinosaur-like creature isn't enough, you can also check out the cassowary feeding. Or, if you want keep things cuddly, make sure you stop by the koala talk. [caption id="attachment_828495" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GET OFF THE MAINLAND WITH CAMPING AT DUNK ISLAND Camping on a tropical island might seem like it's reserved for films and fantasies. But, in Tropical North Queensland, you can make it your reality at Dunk Island in the Family Islands National Park. Drive two hours south of Cairns to the idyllic coastal town of Mission Beach. Then, take a ten-minute ride across the glittering Coral Sea with Mission Beach Charters to Dunk Island where you can pitch a tent at one of only eight sites on the island. The campground comes with all the essentials — picnic tables, barbecue facilities, hot showers, drinking water and a loo — but, you'll need to take everything else with you. Pack snorkelling gear to catch the marine life in action at Muggy Muggy Beach, a good pair of walking shoes to complete the 11-kilometre Island Circuit hike, and plenty of food to refuel and enjoy on the sands of this tropical paradise. [caption id="attachment_828496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] HIKE THROUGH RAINFOREST TO THE SPECTACULAR NANDROYA FALLS If you consider yourself a bit of a hiking fanatic, taking the 6.6-kilometre trek through the spectacular Wooroonooran National Park to Nandroya Falls is essential while in Tropical North Queensland. Not only will you get to walk through the incredible Wet Tropics World Heritage-listed rainforest, you'll get to wash off under a thriving waterfall, too. Start from the Henrietta Creek campground where you'll venture 700 metres into the rainforest to the start of the circuit fork. Take the right-hand track to take in smaller waterfalls, rock pools and rapid streams before reaching the immense Nandroya Falls. Cool off with a swim and enjoy a picnic lunch by the falls before completing the circuit and heading back to camp. Ready to book your tropical escape? For more information and to discover more about a holiday in Tropical North Queensland, visit the website. Image: Nandroya Falls, Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Josh and Julie Niland have had a busy few years. From opening a new Fish Butchery takeaway eatery in Waterloo, announcing they would be taking over The Grand National Hotel and moving Saint Peter into the space, and Josh being named in the world's top 100 best chefs, you'd be hard-pressed to find a busier hospitality couple in this country right now. Not satisfied with all of this, the world-renowned sustainable seafood duo have just announced a new restaurant Peterman, that's coming to Sydney's North Shore in 2023. Set to swing open its doors on Chandos Street in St Leonards in February, Petermen will be a 60-seat restaurant and bar. The name is a nod to the Saint Peter ecosystem. The original Niland restaurant — one of Concrete Playground's 15 best Sydney restaurants — is named after the patron saint and former fisherman Saint Peter. This holy seafood enthusiast was then the inspiration behind fellow fishers being called Petermen in the 1400s. [caption id="attachment_826817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saint Peter[/caption] As with all Niland establishments, the menu will champion boundary-pushing and sustainability-focused growers and producers. While the menu hasn't been finalised yet, it will continue the trend of Saint Peter, Fish Butchery and Charcoal Fish, skewing heavily towards seafood partnered with fresh Australian vegetables. This will mark Josh and Julie Niland's first venture west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, bringing the duo's collection of Sydney outposts to five. It's also now been revealed that their revamp of the Grand National Hotel — set to be called Saint Peter Hotel — is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2023. The Nilands are hoping to open reservations for Petermen at the beginning of next year. We'll be sure to update you with more information on both Petermen and Saint Peter Hotel when it's announced. If you're looking for an excuse to try Josh Niland's utterly inventive and flavoursome seafood creations, the chef is hosting a four-course whisky-paired feast at Saint Peter in December in collaboration with Talisker. [caption id="attachment_826359" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Niland, Charcoal Fish[/caption] Petermen will open at 66 Chandos Street, St Leonards in February 2023 — we'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced. Top image: Rob Palmer.
Two decades ago, Bill Nighy won two BAFTAs in the same year for vastly dissimilar roles: for playing a rock 'n' roll singer belting out a cheesy Christmas tune in Love Actually, and also for his turn as a journalist investigating a political scandal in gripping miniseries State of Play. The beloved British actor has achieved plenty more across his career, including collecting an eclectic resume that spans an uncredited turn in Black Books, a pivotal part in Shaun of the Dead, and everything from Underworld and Pride to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (plus stepping into David Bowie's shoes in the TV version of The Man Who Fell to Earth). Somehow, though, Nighy made it all the way into his 70s before receiving a single Oscar nomination. He didn't emerge victorious at 2023's ceremony for Living, but his recognition for this textured drama isn't just a case of the Academy rewarding a stellar career — it's thoroughly earned by one of the veteran talent's best performances yet. Nighy comes to this sensitive portrayal of a dutiful company man facing life-changing news with history; so too does the feature itself. Set in London in 1953, it's an adaptation several times over — of iconic Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's 1952 film Ikiru, and of Leo Tolstoy's 1886 novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich, which the former also takes inspiration from. That's quite the lineage for Living to live up to, but Nighy and director Oliver Hermanus (Moffie) are up to the task. The movie's second Oscar-nominee, Nobel Prize-winning screenwriter Kazuo Ishiguro, unsurprisingly is as well. Also the author of The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go, he's at home penning layered stories with a deep focus on complicated characters not being completely true to themselves. When those two novels were turned into impressive pictures, Ishiguro didn't script their screenplays, but he writes his way through Living's literary and cinematic pedigree like he was born to. A man of no more words than he has to utter — of no more of anything, including life's pleasures, frivolities, distractions and detours, in fact — Williams (Nighy, Emma.) is a born bureaucrat. Or, that's how he has always appeared to his staff in the Public Works Department in London County Hall, where he's been doing the same job day, week, month and year in and out. He's quiet and stoic as he pushes paper daily, overseeing a department that's newly welcoming in Peter Wakeling (Alex Sharp, The Trial of the Chicago 7). It's through this fresh face's eyes that Living's audience first spies its central figure, adopting his and the wider team's perspective of Williams as a compliant and wooden functionary: a view that the film and its sudden diagnosis then challenges, as Williams does of himself. As Ikiru was as well, and as The Death of Ivan Ilyich's name made so apparent, this is a tale of a man dying — and, while confronting that fact, finally living. In Hermanus and Ishiguro's hands, sticking close to Kurosawa and his collaborators before them, this story gets part of its spark from a simple request by local parents for a playground. Before learning that he has terminal cancer, Williams behaves as he always has, with the women making their plea sent from department to department while he does only as much as he must. Afterwards, grappling with how to capitalise upon the time he has left, he wonders how to leave even the smallest mark on the world. Living isn't about a big, impulsive response to one of the worst developments that anyone can ever be saddled with during their time on this mortal coil, except that it is in Williams' own way; when your reaction to hearing that you have mere months left to live is "quite", any break from routine is radical. This isn't a cancer weepie, not for a second. It also isn't an illness-focused film where someone's health struggles come second to the feelings and changes experienced by those around them. Williams' colleagues notice his absence when he stops showing up to the office, of course. One, the young Margaret Harris (Aimee Lou Wood, Sex Education), accompanies him on unexpected away-from-work outings and advises that she'd nicknamed him 'Mr Zombie'. Living is about those instances — the fancy lunches that Williams treats himself to, the nights out drinking with new pals (Tom Burke, The Wonder) he never would've contemplated before, the flouting of his lifelong monotonous routine, and the efforts to go above and beyond that he's now willing to take — rather than about an ailing man's family and acquaintances facing loss. Indeed, given that Williams doesn't want to interrupt his son (Barney Fishwick, Call the Midwife) and daughter-in-law (Patsy Ferran, Mothering Sunday) with his condition, Living is firmly invested in someone navigating their swansong on their own terms. At the heart of this ruminative film, and Williams' post-diagnosis behaviour, sits one of the most fundamental existential questions there is. Knowing that death is looming so soon and so swiftly, what can possibly provide comfort? That's a query we all face daily, most of us just on a longer timeline — context that makes Williams' way of coping both resonant and highly relatable. Life is filling each moment with anything but reminders that our here and now is fleeting, albeit not in such a conscious and concerted manner. Living's boxed-in imagery, constrained within Academy-ratio frames and gifted a handsome, period-appropriate but almost-wistful sheen by Hermanus' Moffie and Beauty cinematographer Jamie Ramsay (also the director of photography on See How They Run), helps visually express a crucial feeling: of being anchored within a set amount of space and discovering how to make the most of it. When Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, Yojimbo and Ran great Kurosawa stepped through this terrain, he did so with one of his frequent players: Takashi Shimura. There's a particular sense of potency in telling this tale with a familiar figure, as Nighy also is, hammering home how truly universal this plight is no matter the specifics. Nighy's performance toys with what viewers have come to know and expect from him, however. He's in reserved rather than twinkling and instantly charming mode — still, muted and melancholy, too — a facade for his character that says oh-so-much about the dedicated life that Williams has weathered, the solace he's found in it, his handling of his current situation and also the film's post-World War II setting. Conveying the difference between being and relishing so effortlessly and also so heartbreakingly, Nighy is a marvel, and one that the movie around him lives for.
