Italian fine dining is hard to come by, but Barangaroo's a'Mare at Crown Towers is offering its guests a delicious discount. For a limited time, the signature menu, usually priced at $210 per person, has been reduced down to just $105 per person, every Friday lunch service (12-3pm) until the end of October. Paying homage to Italian coasta; dining, the seafood-forward menu features eastern rock lobster paccheri pasta and Westholme wagyu rib eye steak. Accompanied by Italian classics like fresh-baked focaccia, burrata caprese, and the ever-popular crowd favourite, tiramisù, this is the perfect menu to start off your weekend in style.
Ukulele manufacturers must be pretty stoked at the resurgence of the uke, heralded by the likes of Dent May, who sings melodic and whimsical tunes in keeping with the traditions laid down by dork/genius troubadours like Jonathan Richman and Jens Lekmann. Dent was outed from obscurity by Animal Collective when they signed the Mississippi local to their Paw Tracks label. His debut The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele is a collection of super sweet, heartfelt tunes with barber shop harmonies and witty, tongue in cheek lyrics. Go check out the songsmith at Spectrum; it could be the perfect twangy soundtrack to your summer.
Vivid Ideas brings interesting speakers from Sydney and across the world to talk about how they do what they do in their creative field. Previous years have brought speakers like (now) McSweeney's Lucky Peach editor Chris Ying, author Cory Doctorow and local star, Red Rattler's Penelope Benton. One thing every year has in common (bridging the name shift from Creative Sydney to Vivid Ideas) is a dense program threaded with interesting creative speakers. To help you unpick those threads, Concrete Playground has picked out these 10 best ideas that this year's Vivid has to offer. 1. Digital City Cutting up our city creatively is one of the points of Vivid Ideas. For their two Digital City sessions they've pulled together a bunch of speakers who have atomised Sydney with their cameras and keyboards. We Blog the City pairs dissector of Sydney and the world, 52 Suburbs' Louise Hawson with the library-cataloguing, city-parsing Vanessa Berry. The Digital Layer of the City, brings together geo game-maker Richard Fox, unseen artist Warren Armstrong and Nicole Gardener, who will talk about getting a good layer of digital nous laid alongside the city's physical footprint. 2. FEEDBACK Been meaning to get down to the FBi Music Open Day? Working the next step in your musical career? Rueing the last one? FEEDBACK is a youth-aimed (read 18-25 year old) music conference aimed at connecting aspiring musicians with advice from the musical establishment. And if that seems like some creative advice that's too basic for your needs, step up to advanced lessons in the Making of … a Hit Song and hear a YouTube insiders' guide to Biebering yourself to stardom. 3. The Incredibly Short Film Festival With Twitter jumping on the micro film band-wagon and launching Vine, the short, looped motion-making of the animated GIF is having a pretty good year. The Incredibly Short Film Festival collects looping GIF films from around the world for an evening's celebration of this cyclical art. After its MCA screening, the festival moves on to the World Bar to see it all again, this time laid out in oversized projection on the buildings around World Bar. If you fancy your hand at making your own GIFs, the Apple Store will also be running courses in the build-up to the festival. 4. Evenings in the Lounge If your version of creativity runs in more of the relaxing and drink-mulling variety, Evenings in the Lounge is a (mostly) free series of evening hangouts and conversations (mostly) on the MCA balconies. The evenings cover green themes, printed chocolate, creativity at work, creative advice, passion, graffiti, a bit of mixing, co-working and some brainstorming, too. 5. Reportage Photography Festival Australia’s leading documentary photography festival, Reportage, have joined forces with Vivid Sydney this year. Developed from impromptu snapshot exchanges in a Bondi apartment, Reportage is now gaining exposure as a national and global photography event worthy of focus. In a flash, it seems, the depth of the photographers fielded at the festival has zoomed to dizzying heights. Shutterbugs such as distinguished Magnum photographer Alex Webb (USA), Contact Press co-founder David Burnett (USA) and Italian camera-king Franceso Zizola (co-founder of NOOR Agency in Amsterdam and 10B Photography in Rome) will grace Sydney with their pictorial prestige for the duration of the snapfest around Sydney from May 25 to June 13. 6. Women on Screen Sydney has been satisfyingly packed with female focuses events these last couple months. All About Women isn't long past, and a World of Women recently put women's contributions to the silver screen under the spotlight as well. Vivid takes its own look at where women stand in the film biz with Somersault-directing Cate Shortland and Buffy (the movie)-supervising Susan Cartsonis on stage at Let's Talk About the F-Word — Female Storytellers. Forward Thinking: Screen Trends also takes a closer look at women on the silver screen, this time inviting Saudi Arabia's first female filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour on stage as part of a panel discussing the change afoot in film across the world. 7. Indie Magazines: High End Content, Low End Budgets Chris Ying was a highlight of the second year of Creative Sydney, and he returns this year at Indie Magazines: High End Content, Low End Budgets to talk about how he puts together McSweeney's food magazine, Lucky Peach, on a staff of four. He's joined on stage by photo editor of the image-heavy Colors magazine, Mauro Bedoni. It was a magazine originally set up in the '90s as a Benetton-backed concern. And, while Benetton continues to fund the publication, it's gone through any number of incarnations in since then in its ongoing mission "to show the world to the world." Both men will talk about how they make publishing work around their webs of international contributors. 8. The Ten Creative Commandments There are actually 613 commandments, but most of the time the more religious among us get by remembering just ten. Vivid Idea's website, similarly, lists only eight sessions of Ten Creative Commandments. But even eight seem like plenty when your being mandated to check out changing cities, commercial collaboration, science communication, better living through design, social networking, open sourcing, government policy makers and the internet of things. In every day life, even religious people can find they need to pick and choose. So, one or eight, you're sure to find the creative direction that works for you. 9. The Heart of Redfern Redfern's getting ready to play host to another mix of light, performance and drama as the suburb gears up to film another series of Redfern Now. Around the same time that the shooting gets going, the Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance — the union that bravely mixes entertainers and journalists — throws open the doors to its Redfern digs for the Heart of Redfern. It's a night light, dance and music focused on the history of the suburb. It's a rare chance to see inside the building without joining up and an excuse for another night out around this already-these-days bustling suburb. The night is free, but you'll need to RSVP first. 10. Making of … Vivid Ideas is a festival that likes to take you behind the scenes. And the Making of… series is its strongest foray into the world behind the creative curtain. Six evenings explains the ins and outs of things we take for granted as consumers, but which complicate the head when they move from something to consume to a thing needing to be made. See behind the scenes of putting together some animation, a little song production, both mobile and blockbuster games, a bit of transformative theatre and even futuristic sensor-based performance. And then try to make it all yourself after. Reportage festival section by Nishan David. Digital City image by Warren Armstrong. Guitar image by Feliciano Guimaraes. Reportage image by David Burnett (Contact Press Images), from his work, ‘44 Days: Iran and the Remaking of the World'.
If there are two things university is good for it's an education and a free feed. Anyone familiar with campus life knows there are always an abundance of free club BBQs and cheeky union events where you can pick up free burgers and beers, but now the University of Sydney is going one step further: they're inviting anyone to come in and grab a free lunch. Here's the catch: you have to call back on some of that long lost education. Running until Saturday, November 1, Sydney Uni's Food for Thought Truck will be popping up around the city ready to dish you out an excellent feed. Focussed on the idea of leadership, the truck will be posing different topics of discussion each day. To score some food, all you have to do is engage in debate on social media with the hashtag #ithinkleadership. Some encouragement: the menu features slow-roasted pulled pork sandwiches and kale salad with chilli and pomegranate. Jumping in at the deep end, they kicked things off yesterday with the premise that 'It's time Australia's first people came first'. Today, they're following it up with an equally large topic: 'Leadership isn't a title'. The rest of the week will see debates on the ramifications of social media, whether women make better leaders and if Lady Gaga could solve the Ukraine crisis (spoiler: the answer's probably no). Of course, it being reliant on social media and all, the campaign isn't all about shared knowledge and meaningful philosophising. A good portion of those participating have been taking the piss. For instance when the university asked its followers "If you had to describe leadership in one word, what would it be?" the responses included "Leadership", "Dumbledore", and "shirtfront". Yes, yes, yes. Give those people a sandwich. #ithinkleadership is divesting from the industry that is wrecking our planet. @Sydney_Uni — Simon Copland (@SimonCopland) October 28, 2014 #ithinkleadership is being INSPIRED to support indigenous pathways into uni http://t.co/eI2NtugI7W — Kate Alexander (@kate_alexander) October 28, 2014 Free food for thought! Participate in @Sydney_Uni's #ithinkleadership conversation for a yummy feed! pic.twitter.com/Unktn18J95 — Crystal Choi (@crystalhchoi) October 28, 2014 Where you'll find the Food for Thought Truck this week: Tuesday, October 28 — The University of Sydney, 11am – 3pm Wednesday, October 29 — Parramatta Church Street Mall, 12pm – 4pm Thursday, October 30 — Wynyard Park, 11am – 3pm Friday, October 31 — Grosvenor Place, CBD, 11am – 4pm Saturday, November 1 — Bondi Farmers’ Markets, 9am – 1pm
It's said there's no such thing as a free lunch, but Shannon Martinez (Smith & Daughters, Smith & Deli) and Deliveroo are today proving the phrase wrong — in more ways than one. The legendary vegan chef and the food delivery group are teaming up to hand out hundreds of complimentary hot dogs that are both free from animal products and won't cost you a cent. Today's giveaway — going down in both Sydney and Melbourne — are happening in celebration of Martinez's new collaboration with local group The Alternative Meat Co. Together, they've designed not just any old snag-in-bun affair, but, rather, a plant-based creation dubbed the Lasagne Dog. The limited-edition dog features a plant-based sausage in a vegan bun, finished with lashings of garlic butter, a rich plant-based bolognese and vegan cheese sauce by the Alternative Dairy Co. Clocking in at $12, this beaut will be available through Deliveroo from Thursday, October 31, until Sunday, November 3. You'll find it on the app if you're located within 2.5 kilometres of Windsor in Melbourne, or 2.5 kilometres of Potts Point in Sydney. But both cities are in for a free sneak peek today, Wednesday, October 30, with the Deliveroo crew handing out a swag of Lasagne Dogs between 12–2pm at the below locations. Find free Lasagne Dogs at Melbourne's Balaclava (12–1pm) and South Yarra (1–2pm) stations or from Kings Cross Station (12–1pm) or Taylor Square (1–2pm) in Sydney.
The late BBC DJ legend John Peel famously summed up The Fall in this succinct remark: "They are always different, they are always the same." Seminal post-punk trailblazers who carved a niche out of surreality, lo-fi guitars and copious speed use, The Fall have a dedicated cult following of disgruntled blighters, punks and would-be writers. Their 28 studio albums are truly wonderful and frightening releases with their ragged guitar riffs, slangy slapback lyrics and impenitent use of hooky repetition. Mark E. Smith formed The Fall with friends after reading too much Albert Camus and dropping out of university. It's quite possible the 'E' in Mark's name stands for "eliminate" as he kicks people out of his band constantly for spurious reasons. Even during a show, he berates both band members and audience. Mark's cited The Velvet Underground, Raymond Chandler, unemployment, football, time travel and the supernatural as musical influences, and his rampant, unrepentant cynicism carries The Fall's uncompromising, raw sound. This event is surefire guaranteed to be a jauntily bilious, unforgettable experience.
You’ll laugh and you’ll cry at Tracey Moffatt’s filmic collage, Mother. It is a predictable, somewhat maudlin homage to the mother figure, and makes for a very satisfying 20 minutes of celluloid absorption. Emerging from the dark focus room at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery (with inward vows to call your own mother) you excuse yourself to one of Michael Parekowhai’s The Brothers Grimm figures for almost bumping into him. He doesn’t seem to mind; he’s unassuming and impenetrable, like all his brothers who fill the main gallery space. The three antelope figures, a buck and two doe, make an elegant and complete addition but they also seem to care little for our intrusion into their space, looking downward and beyond us. The overall feeling of Parekowhai’s Seldom is Herd is one of slick surfaces and misleading guises, with an inkling that if you spend a bit of time with them, they may just follow you home.Image: Michael Parekowhai, The Brothers Grimm, 2009, automotive paint on fibreglass, 163 x 52 x 49 cm each, courtesy the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney.
The long weekend is here. And, as Monday is a public holiday, some of your regular spots will be shut. So, if you're on the hunt for a caffeine hit, long lunch or a few more beers, we've put together an extensive list of all the bars, cafes and restaurants that'll be open on Monday, June 10. There is something for everybody on this list, too — from Chin Chin's refined Thai fare to A1 Canteen's famed muffuletta and Wayward's craft brews. And if you're looking for further inspiration on how to spend your days off, head this way for our pick of the best long weekend happenings. [caption id="attachment_645827" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chin Chin[/caption] RESTAURANTS Aria, Circular Quay: noon–2.15pm; 5.30–10.30pm Banksii, Barangaroo: noon–7.30pm Bar Patron, Circular Quay: noon–midnight Barangaroo House, Barangaroo: noon–10pm The Bavarian, CBD: 11am–10pm Belles Hot Chicken, Tramsheds: 11.30–9pm Bennelong, CBD: 5.30–9pm The Bucket List, Bondi: 11am–5pm Caffè Bartolo, Surry Hills: 8am–11pm Chin Chin, Surry Hills: 11.30am–11pm Cirrus, Barangaroo: noon–3pm; 6–11pm The Clare Bar, Chippendale: noon–late The Cut Bar & Grill, The Rocks: 5pm–late Da Orazio, Bondi: 5pm–10pm The Dolphin, Surry Hills: 11am–midnight El Camino Cantina, The Rocks: noon–midnight Fratelli Fresh, Darling Harbour: 7am–midnight Fratelli Fresh (all other locations): noon–11pm Harpoon Harry, Surry Hills: 11.30am–late Icebergs Dining Room, Bondi: noon–6pm Mary's Underground, Circular Quay: 5pm–1am Milky Lane, Bondi, Coogee, Cronulla, Parramatta: noon–10pm North Bondi Fish, North Bondi: noon–midnight The Pacific Club, Bondi: 7am–9pm The Paddo Inn, Paddington: noon–10pm Rockpool Bar & Grill, CBD: 6pm–late Rosetta, The Rocks: 5pm–late Sake Restaurant & Bar, The Rocks, Manly and Double Bay: noon–3pm, 5–11pm Spice Temple, CBD: 6pm–late Vecino, Canterbury: 6am–10pm Yellow, Potts Point: 5pm–11pm [caption id="attachment_684208" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mary's[/caption] BARS The Australian Heritage Hotel, The Rocks: 11am–midnight The Glenmore, The Rocks: 11am–midnight Handpicked Cellar Door, Chippendale: 11am–10pm The Imperial, Erskineville: 4pm–midnight The Lansdowne, Chippendale: 11pm–3am Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly: 11.30–late Mary's, Newtown and Circular Quay: noon–midnight Misfits, Redfern: 3pm–late The Royal Hotel, Paddington: 11am–10pm Sauce Brewing Co., Marrickville: noon–8pm The Toxteth, Glebe: 10am–1pm (kitchen closes at 9pm) Tudor Hotel, Redfern: 10am–midnight The Unicorn, Paddington: noon–1am Wayward Brewing Company, Camperdown: 4–8pm [caption id="attachment_625345" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Grounds of the City by Bodhi Liggett[/caption] CAFES A1 Canteen, Chippendale: 8am–3pm Bills, Bondi, Darlinghurst and Surry Hills: 8am–10pm Bourke Street Bakery, all stores except North Sydney: 8am–4pm Devon Cafe, Barangaroo, Surry Hills and North Sydney: 8am–3pm Edition Coffee Roasters, Haymarket: 9am–4pm (kitchen closes 3pm) The Grounds of Alexandria, Alexandria: cafe 7am–4pm The Grounds of the City, CBD: 7am–5pm Matinee Coffee, Marrickville: 7am–4pm (kitchen closes 3pm) Paramount Coffee Project, Surry Hills: 7am–4pm Reuben Hills, Surry Hills: 8am–3pm Three Blue Ducks, Bronte: 7am–2.30pm Top image: Matinee Coffee by Letícia Almeida.
Whether you're fresh to the electronic music scene or are currently navigating your way through it, this experience-driven event is here to help up your DJing skillset — for free. For the duration of Vivid, car brand CUPRA has teamed up with a few of Australia's hottest musical tastemakers to present a series of DJ masterclasses for those seeking to get behind the decks. CUPRA City Garage is pumping the tunes every Friday of Vivid, and if you head along you can learn how to keep them rolling. Head to Pitt Street for a 5pm start and you'll be met with experienced DJs guiding you through the art of mixing, from the use of effects to tips on transitioning between bangers. On Friday, June 9, you'll catch DJ Mell Hall live and will have the opportunity to pick the brain of Trent Rackus. And for the final instalment of the event on June 16, DJ Dave Winnel will be on the decks, with Rob Kay lined up to guide your DJing journey. These private masterclasses operate on a first-come, first-serve basis, so be sure to get there early. Or, if you prefer to be prepared, you can simply book in an allocated time prior to your visit. If you start to get peckish or need some to rehydrate after your stint on the decks, Benzin Cafe is also housed inside the City Garage, so feel free to grab a bite to eat or drink throughout your session.
It's that time of year again when Sydney is transformed into the sparkling, colourful wonderland that is Vivid. Whether you're a local or visiting from out-of-town, chances are you'll make the Vivid rounds at least once during these coming weeks. You'll need to properly fuel up before fighting your way through the crowds toward all of those sights — with over 50 large scale installations going up between Darling Harbour, Barangaroo, Circular Quay and Luna Park. We've teamed up with American Express to bring you the five best CBD eateries to hit before venturing on to see the lights. Oh, and what's more, at the below restaurants, you'll save $20 if you book via TheFork and then spend $50 or more using your American Express card. From rooftop digs and sky-high views to all the dumplings and some of Sydney's finest dining, there's plenty of places to get a pre-Vivid feed. Want to skip the preamble and dive right into all the action? Even though TheFork bookings aren't applicable at the American Express Vivid Lounge, you'll still get a sweet deal — spend $30 using your American Express card at the lounge and get $5 back. Plus, you'll be right in the thick of it all without having to elbow your way through the masses. BENNELONG What more fitting place to dine during Vivid than the Opera House? Peter Gilmore's Bennelong gets you right up close to the action with sweeping harbour views. Whether you're here for the a la carte menu or to try the Cured & Cultured share plates, you know you're getting one of Sydney's best meals here. For a truly interactive experience, grab a seat at the counter for a full view of the chefs at work, all while eating the seven-course chef's tasting menu for a reasonable $70. Afterwards, you'll be perfectly situated to make the Vivid rounds (albeit a little full). To book, head here. [caption id="attachment_591893" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Alana Dimou[/caption] LOTUS BARANGAROO Barangaroo's waterfront doesn't just offer enviable views of Vivid's Darling Harbour spectacle — it also boasts one of Sydney's best Chinese dining destinations — Lotus Barangaroo. The dumpling masters at Lotus Dining are slinging an authentic Shanghai-style menu, but with native Australian ingredients. The harbourside restaurant focuses on fresh seafood and innovative dumplings, like the spanner crab and prawn, chicken siu mai and steamed pork wontons with sesame paste and black mushrooms. Of course, for Vivid, you'll want to try nab one of the tables along the waterfront for a dumpling feast with a view. To book, head here. [caption id="attachment_688954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] O Bar and Dining[/caption] O BAR AND DINING Located 47 floors up, O Bar and Dining is the closest you'll get to seeing the Vivid lights from the sky. Set in the old Australia Post building in Australia Square, the circular bar offers 360-degree views of the city, along with a modern Australian menu and a four-page cocktail list. Executive Chef Michael Moore offers something for everyone — seafood lovers should try the two-or-three course menus, and vegans will love the dedicated plant-based menu. Sit back, relax and enjoy the panoramic views with a drink in hand. To book, head here. UNTIED BARANGAROO Barangaroo's rooftop bar Untied offers a lush rainforest vibe and expansive views over the lights at Darling Harbour. The cocktail bar has drinks to match its 'on-vacay' theme with a list of tropical and Aussie-themed cocktails that'll transport you to warmer weather with just a sip. Our favourite is the Flamin' Galah, a concoction of gin, blood orange, coconut, fresh watermelon and lime juice. Plus, there's a lengthy wine and beer list if that's more your style. The food is colourful and designed to share with dishes such as the bush pepper calamari, Jamaican jerk chicken burger, poke bowls and adobo fish burger. Most importantly, the indoor-outdoor bar gives you unobstructed Vivid and harbour views. To book, head here. MEJICO The Pitt Street stalwart that is Mejico serves up modern Mexican fare with flavours from Mexico City to the Yucatan Peninsula. On the 'market-to-table' menu, expect a raw bar with ceviche and tostadas, street eats like empanadas and patatas bravas, plus tacos and chargrilled meats to boot. For drinks, there are heaps of all-agave tequilas to choose from — over 200 bottles, to be exact. Choose from classic cocktails or tequila flights based on your preferred flavour profile. There's even a tequila wheel based on price point, intensity and flavour. After your meal, you'll be just a quick walk to Circular Quay and all the bright Vivid sights. To book, head here. AMERICAN EXPRESS VIVID LOUNGE Here, you don't even have to leave your seat in order to get in on all the Vivid action. Located on the rooftop of Cruise Bar at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, right in the heart of Circular Quay, the American Express Vivid Lounge is where you can escape the masses and still see all those spangling lights. The lounge will be set up throughout Vivid, meaning you can enjoy some of the best Vivid views with a drink in hand, including spectator-favourite the Opera House sails and the glittering harbour beyond. Don't have an American Express card? You can still get in just by registering here. Top image: Bennelong by Nikki To. When you need a break from the crowds but not the lights this Vivid season, American Express has your back. Gain access to the American Express Vivid Lounge — even if you don't yet have an American Express card. All you have to do is sign-up here.
Usually, IKEA's food game is as unmistakably Scandinavian as its hard-to-pronounce furniture names — headlined, of course, by those iconic Swedish meatballs. But come Wednesday, January 22, the retailer's Tempe store is shaking things up and taking a jaunt to the other side of the globe, dishing up a Chinese street food buffet in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Alongside a program of cultural entertainment and traditional workshops, the all-you-can-eat dinner is set to run from 5.30–7.30pm, transforming the store's restaurant space into a colourful Asian feasting hall. On the menu, you'll find classic dishes like steamed dumplings, sweet and sour pork, and sweet potatoes in a teriyaki glaze. There's both combination and vegetarian hot pot soup, hoisin slow-roasted pork shoulder, and even sweet offerings like fruit platters and mango rice pudding. [caption id="attachment_757260" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Maksym Kozlenko via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Adult tickets to the buffet feast are $29.95, though IKEA Family members can nab theirs for just $25.95. And since the store's open until 9pm each night, you could even squeeze in a spot of post-dinner flatpack shopping while you're there. Images: Maksym Kozlenko via Wikimedia Commons.
UPDATE, August 23: By popular demand, Menzies are extending their Hits series for another eight weeks. Week one of The Hits round two, from August 26–31, will star the Naples classic paccheri alla Genovese, followed by a victory lap for spaghetti vongole from September 2–7. Rigatoni alla vermouth returns September 9–14, before the Roman crowd-pleaser linguini carbonara enters the kitchen September 16–21. The second half of the series begins with the rustic gem spaghetti alla puttanesca from September 23–28, followed by a rich yet elegant pork ziti alla gricia from September 30–October 5. The final fortnight spotlights pappardelle with Italian sausage, from October 7–12 before the ever-popular risotto nero returns to close out the series from October 14–19. Back by popular demand, the refined street-level diner at Shell House, Menzies Bar and Bistro, is serving weekly revivals of its most beloved pasta dishes. From July 1, a different Italian crowd-pleaser will take the spotlight each week for eight weeks. Not only are these dishes proven favourites with Menzies' diners, but they're also a way to indulge in a fine-dining experience without breaking the bank — an all-too-important consideration in these times of tightened belts and spiralling living costs. Each pasta dish costs just $25 and diners can add a glass of wine to help wash it down for just $10 more. The series launches on Monday, July 1, with thick ribbons of pappardelle served with a rich traditional bolognese. From Monday, July 8, herby and hearty Italian sausage stars in the baked pasta dish, salsiccia conchiglioni. The classic drunken pasta recipe rigatoni alla vermouth is next up from Monday, July 15, followed by Venice's famous white clam dish, spaghetti vongole, from Monday, July 22. Closing out the first month of pasta hits on Monday, July 29, is a rustic braised pork maccheroni. Rome's cheesiest export, bucatini cacio e pepe, prepared in a wheel of pecorino romano, kicks off month two of the series on Monday, August 5, before the kitchen heads to Naples with the quintessential meatball dish, spaghetti con polpette, from Monday, August 12. To close out the eight-week celebration of Italian fare, from Monday, August 19, diners can enjoy a slight deviation from the pasta theme, with a rich and glossy risotto of squid ink and clams. This deliciously affordable offer will be available during both lunch and dinner services, Monday–Saturday. Buon appetito, Sydney.
An openly social nature, a cool audacity, an independent spirit, and a little luck seem together to have formed the base materials out of which Campbell Milligan has forged his enviable career in creative design. When, at an early point in his métier, Milligan’s habit of turning work into play saw him clearing out his desk at a major publications agency (his boss may have had trouble accepting Milligan's ability to balance his job of designing advertisements with regular collegial visits to the pub), the firm’s creative director stepped in, promptly rehiring Milligan to design not the ads, but the magazines themselves. After taking over the visual design of magazines like Slam, Surfing Life and Waves, Milligan broke loose of the agencies, and in 2002 launched (with Chris Searl) the uniquely eclectic and formidably cool Monster Children. Now in its 32nd issue, Monster Children is a long-running testament to Milligan’s talents as the creator of radical, sometimes gritty, and ever-impactful imagery and editorial design. ‘Thinking Made Visual’ is the name of the talk that Milligan will give in what will be the eleventh in a series of presentations organised by design mavens Australian INfront and Apple. Milligan will discuss his beginnings in the publishing industry, the ins-and-outs of his creative process, and his vast experience in brand identity creation, design and advertising for some of the world’s most recognised companies. Open to the public and completely free, Milligan will offer his insights in the design-oriented surrounds of the Sydney Apple shop. Design devotees: save the date.
Following the October long weekend, tolerance for ill-conceived built environments will suffer another crushing blow. Like it or lump it, architecture shapes every space we inhabit. Advocating the dictum ‘good architecture, good life’, the annual Architecture Festival takes place on World Architecture Day, Monday 5 October, in the some say ill-conceived hub of Customs House, Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House. Festival organisers have programmed a stellar line-up of events including talks, walks, a gigantic Lego play station and a narrated harbour cruise to take in the architectural prowess of Sydney’s foreshore. One of the more tempting programs on offer is the Powerhouse Museum self-guided walking tour around Pyrmont and Ultimo. Able festival goers can pick-up a recorded guide by Curator Anni Turnbull and wander the surrounding neighbourhood. The highlight of the festival will be the much anticipated tète-à -tète between Pritzker prize-winning architect Glenn Murcutt AO, novelist David Malouf and academic Julianne Schultz. This trio of exceptionally well-informed minds will vouch for the value of good architecture as vital to the betterment of humans the world over, while also dabbling in a smidge of back-catalogue style discussions around their lives and work. Anne Watson will also lead a lecture on the blight of Australia’s architectural history – the replacement of Jorn Utzon by Peter Hall as the completing architect of the Sydney Opera House.Image: Angelo Candalepas, All Saints Primary School, winner of the Sulman Award this year
One of Sydney's great pleasures is walking its streets. Glimpses of the harbour through jacarandas and palms, sandstone and bluestone, the occasional gallery, ubiquitous cafes and passers-by all combine to create a floating mood that is uniquely our city. One of our favourite routes to wander Sydney's streetscape is to and from the Foley Street Creative Spaces, a laneway full of artists and artisans. Here's how you might get there — we recommend a lazy afternoon, but you could do a condensed version on your lunch break if you work in the city, too. It's only a ten-minute stroll from Museum Station. START: MUSEUM STATION AND HYDE PARK Museum Station, one of the prettiest city circle train stations, is where we'll start. Don't forget to look up as you exit – you're brought out right into the lovely Hyde Park, the green heart of the CBD. Northeast corner of Elizabeth and Liverpool streets, Sydney [caption id="attachment_669374" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida.[/caption] COFFEE: EDITION COFFEE ROASTERS Walk along the park's south edge, and you'll hit Oxford Street. Veer off down Liverpool Street for a little more breathing space and a coffee hit. For quality brews, hit up Edition Coffee Roasters, whose sparse minimalist vibes perfectly complement its quality coffee and Nordic-Japanese menu. If you haven't had breakfast, there's the usual cafe brekkie fare but with Scandi-Nippon twist — think danish rye toast, onsen eggs and miso banana bread. 265 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst [caption id="attachment_677137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dick Watkins at Liverpool St Gallery.[/caption] VISIT: LIVERPOOL STREET GALLERY You may have noticed a concrete gallery space housed in glass on your way to Edition. Head back towards the city about 50 metres, and you'll find Liverpool Street Gallery, a well-respected commercial gallery on the Sydney art scene. The gallery's direction is steered by founder and director James Erskine as well as David Serisier of the National Art School. This is somewhere to see contemporary sculpture and painting from emerging and established artists. Keep an eye out for shows featuring Sydney-based Nick Collerson's works and his observations of the everyday. 243A Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst [caption id="attachment_659258" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida.[/caption] LUNCH: CHACO BAR What better than a bowl of ramen to fuel an afternoon of exploring Sydney's side streets. Owner and chef Keita Abe of Chaco Bar is known as a ramen boss, serving up four options Monday 5.30–10pm and Wednesday–Saturday 11.30am–2.30pm: fat soy (pork), fish salt, yuzu scallop or chilli coriander (chicken). And Chaco Bar is also known for its yakitori, servedTuesday–Saturday, 5:30–10pm. If you've ever been to Tokyo's Ginza district, you'll remember the many yakitori restaurants peppering the streets, where business folk spill out onto the pavements after dark to enjoy charcoal-grilled chicken skewers, beer and conversation. Chaco Bar, while in Darlinghurst, almost captures those vibes from Daikanyama. 238 Crown Street, Darlinghurst [caption id="attachment_679694" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katherine Griffiths[/caption] VISIT: FOLEY STREET PRECINCT Don't let Foley Street fool you. At first, it feels like another lovely, yet nondescript Darlinghurst backstreet. Tucked away from the hustle of Oxford Street, this semi-hidden laneway holds five shops filled with designer wares. City of Sydney provides five affordable work and shopfront spaces here, for Sydney makers and artists. The Foley Street precinct is about creating, displaying and sharing — whether it's a new object to take home or a workshop, talk or event to attend. Don't forget to ask if there are any community events coming up as you visit the spaces. So what sort of wares will you find along this artisanal strip? Studio Enti's delicate space delivers porcelain wares from ceramicist Naomi Taplin who looks to create "pieces that have the ability to tell a story and to enrich the tasks and the lives of the user", while Fine Fellow focuses squarely on design for men, offering fashion, accessories, grooming and homewares that embody ethical and sustainable processes, and quality local craftsmanship. Bermuda Black commits to a minimalist aesthetic through handmade leather shoes, bags and tailored garments by self-taught shoemaker and designer Marina Roorda. And finally, Spunky Bruiser adds a vibrant punch to the laneway with its bespoke, up-cycled fashions created with materials that have all been sustainably sourced from around Australia — it's here where you can even bring all those band shirts you've been collecting for the past ten years to make something new, designed and pieced together just for you. 11–21 Foley Street, Darlinghurst [caption id="attachment_648889" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida.[/caption] DRINK: SHADY PINES HAPPY HOUR FROM 4–6PM DAILY Wrap up your afternoon with happy hour at Shady Pines Saloon, because who doesn't enjoy a negroni or margarita under a stuffed deer's head, especially when it'll only set you back $10 from 4–6pm. If it's the right day of the week, and you're feeling like a session, stick around till 7pm to catch some live music. Speakeasy vibes add to the appeal, here, so keep an eye out for the sign on the door, and if you see the Concrete Playground garage door, then you know you've gone too far. Give us a wave, and we'll show you the way. 4/256 Crown Street, Darlinghurst
Here's your latest excuse to pretend that it's the late 90s and 00s: The Offspring and Simple Plan are teaming up for a heap of 2025 Australian shows. After playing an Aussie gig late in 2024 as part of Victoria's Always Live music season — their only concert on that trip, which sold out in 30 seconds — the band is returning to hit up arenas in four cities. In Sydney, they have a date with Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, May 11. It's been a quarter of a century since The Offspring earned a claim to fame that every music fan Down Under should know: topping Triple J's Hottest 100 with 'Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)', a win that still ranks as the annual countdown's most-controversial result to date. 2024 marked four decades since the band first formed in the early 80s, and more than 30 years since it came to mainstream attention with hits like 'Come Out and Play' and 'Self Esteem' — and the Californian outfit isn't done belting out its catchy brand of punk just yet. While the band released albums Let the Bad Times Roll and Supercharged in 2021 and 2024, respectively, you can still expect to hear their famous tracks — including 'Gotta Get Away', 'Why Don't You Get a Job?', 'The Kids Aren't Alright' and the song that's forever cemented in Australian radio history, obviously. Still led by frontman and guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland — the group's only remaining member from its initial 1984 lineup, so you can definitely call him the original prankster — The Offspring will have company in the form of Canada's Simple Plan. From The Offspring alone, you'll get the words "gunter glieben glauchen globen" stuck in your head for another couple of decades. Images: Daveed Benito.
In March last year, within four days of announcing its doomsday-themed lineup, Sydney Writers' Festival cancelled its 2020 event due to the pandemic. This year, the beloved annual literary showcase is back and taking inspiration from the past 12 months, with the 2021 festival skewing local around the theme 'Within Reach'. More than 400 Australian-based speakers are on this year's program, which'll run from Monday, April 26–Sunday, May 2. As new Artistic Director Michael Williams explains, "we have gathered the many diverse and exciting writers who are right here, within our reach — asking questions, raising their voices and defining this culture". And, you'll largely be seeing them in-person at 231 live events; however, in keeping in line with how we've all been living over the past year, 15 guests from the small international contingent — which spans Australians based abroad and overseas authors — will join the fest via video. On opening night, for instance, Miles Franklin winners Melissa Lucashenko (Too Much Lip) and Tara June Winch (The Yield) and debut poet Evelyn Araluen (Dropbear) will chat about their experiences, influences and hopes for the future, with Winch appearing via video from France. Fellow Aussies such as True History of the Kelly Gang author Peter Carey, The Secret Chord's Geraldine Brooks and Axios reporter Jonathan Swan — who conducted that extremely viral interview with then-US President Donald Trump in 2020 — will stream in over the week, too, as will international writers such as Judy Blume, Isabel Wilkerson, Kazuo Ishiguro and Behrouz Boochani. Other highlights include Paul Kelly chatting about the words and lyrics that've shaped his career (gravy will probably be one of them); an all-star gala featuring the likes of Brooks, Tony Birch (The White Girl), Trent Dalton (All Our Shimmering Skies), Ceridwen Dovey (Life After Truth), Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin (Kicking Goals), and Alison Lester (Magic Beach); and SWF's first Actors Poetry Gala, complete with performances and readings by Mia Wasikowska (Judy & Punch), Ewen Leslie (Operation Buffalo), Tim Minchin (Upright), Remy Hii (Crazy Rich Asians), Bryan Brown (Hungry Ghosts), Justine Clarke (Hungry Ghosts), Alex Lee (Single Asian Female) and Yael Stone (Orange Is the New Black). Or, you can watch local political commentators and thinkers such as Benjamin Law, Annabel Crabb and Nakkiah Lui debate the topic 'how good is Australia?'; head to Carriageworks for a heap of interesting pairings; attend the debutante ball for writers whose first books were impacted by COVID-19 last year; and listen to novelist and poet David Malouf close out the fest. SWF will be spreading the literary love around town, with events at Carriageworks, City Recital Hall, Sydney Town Hall, Riverside Theatres and Chatswood Concourse, and across 17 suburban and regional library networks via live broadcasts from the State Library of NSW. For folks outside the city — and state — the festival's main stage events at Carriageworks will also be broadcast to more than 40 community centres and libraries across the country. And, if you're watching your budget, 50-plus events will be free — but, also in line with the times, you'll need to book in for everything you're planning to attend. Sydney Writers' Festival runs at various venues across the city from Monday, April 26–Sunday, May 2. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 12 via www.swf.org.au. Images: Prudence Upton.
Saké Restaurant & Bar may have only just opened but that's not stopping it from throwing its hat into the ring for silly season. And the Japanese diner has quite the list of New Year's shenanigans in store for you. It's starting things off on the right foot for New Year's Eve, with a special seven-course meal ($199–219 per person). The menu kicks off with a glass of Veuve Clicquot and oysters, then continues the seafood-centric theme — think bug tail tempura, tuna tartare and sashimi. You'll get a ringside seat for the fireworks of the night, and there'll be DJs to get you in the mood for ringing in the new year. After seeing 2018 out in style, you can return for the New Year's Day event. This beach party will roll on for five hours from 12pm on Tuesday, January 1, and there's an all-inclusive food and beverage package on offer for $250 per person. With Veuve and Belvedere vodka cocktails flowing freely, this is one post-NYE party you'll want to be in fine form for. Yolanda Be Cool, Frankie Romano and Martini Club will be providing the tunes too, so make sure you get that rest in between Christmas and New Year's — you'll need it. To reserve your NYE and NYD party tickets, visit Saké's website.
If a mysterious night away from the world you currently inhabit is what you're after, it's one you'll get with Underground Cinema. Known for throwing its participants terrifyingly head first into a live immersive experience, the purveyors of immersive cinema have 40 different temporary worlds under their belts. And their latest effort is themed 'Delirium'. Hints and rumours are all you'll get before you go, with the actual film screening always kept a secret – participants are meant to figure it out as they go, taking part in the interactive experience and collating all the clues. But what we do know is that Delirium will involve stepping back in time to the 1950s, into a mystery-thriller, and — as always — being taken to a location that remains secret until just before the event. In the past, Underground Cinema has put its audiences through a zombie apocalypse (28 Days Later), a medieval court (The Princess Bride) and a WWII throwback (Casablanca). What exactly you'll be doing in the 1950s remains to be seen but if past events are anything to judge by, you'll be fully plunged into the world from the get-go. As with all its events, there'll be hot food available and a full bar, so don't worry about getting stranded and hungry. You might just need that drink, too. The night will be sinister, judging by the description: "Walk the path of the condemned. Face the hidden insanity. Strive for the unspeakable truth, because when you see a monster you must stop it." Wear some sensible shoes and you'd better keep your wits about you as best you can — looks like there'll be a fight to be fought. The cinema will run over three nights at a secret Sydney location, from May 10–12.
Turning 30 is a big occasion — for people, and for entertainment groups. And while reaching 31 doesn't normally get as much love, celebrations or parties, Ministry of Sound has never been one for sticking to expectations. Behold, its huge 31st birthday party, aka the return of Ministry of Sound: Testament — A Warehouse Experience at this year's Vivid. If cutting loose in a warehouse in The Rocks for three nights sounds is your ideal way to mark absolutely anything, this returning event is just the solution. As it did in 2021, Ministry of Sound has also found just the right way to celebrate the June long weekend, thanks to this huge multi-room event that'll have you making shapes to 90s, 00s and recent bangers. More than 70 DJs will be hitting the decks between Friday, June 10–Sunday, June 12 — and enticing you to hit the Campbell's Stores dance floor, obviously. It's a choose-your-own-adventure type of party, so fans of old-school tunes can dance to 90s house, rave, trance and garage tracks on Friday, and lovers of 00s electro and breaks can head along on Saturday. Finishing things up on the Sunday night: all the recent techno and house songs — and EDM anthems — that've been getting a spin lately. As a result, each evening will see different DJs working their magic, with big names on the bill across the entire lineup. Nik Fish vs Jumping Jack, Sugar Ray, Jade, Ming D, Abel, Lorna are among the 90s highlights, while Plump DJs, Krafty Kuts, Kid Kenobi, Bang Gang Deejays, Hoops, Midnight Juggernauts, Riot in Belgium, Kate Monroe are on the decks on Saturday night — before Anna Lunoe, Northeast Party House, Oliver Huntemann and Hydraulix head things up on Sunday. Each evening runs from 7pm–2am — and, ticket-wise, you'll need to book per night.
It has been a couple of years since The Jungle Collective first started taking over Australian warehouses and slinging plenty of plants, all thanks to its huge sales in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. These leafy excuses to fill your home with greenery always have a bit of a celebratory vibe, and they just keep coming, with the outfit's next Sydney outing happening across the weekend of Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22. Gorgeous green babies are the main attraction — and more than 170 varieties of them, too. You'll pick up everything from fiddle leafs and monsteras to giant birds of paradise and rubber trees, as well as oh-so-many ferns and hanging plants. This particular sale will be paying extra attention to calathea plants, so prepare to add them to your indoor garden. You'll also be able to shop for designer pots and get expert advice from the horticulturalists onsite. Oh, and if you dress in stripes or dots head-to-toe, you'll receive $5 off your purchase. It's all happening at Precinct 75, at 75 Mary Street, St Peters, with sessions held at 8am, 10am, 12pm and 2pm on Saturday, plus 10am and 12pm on Sunday. Entry is free, but you'll need to register for a ticket — which you can do from 12pm on Monday, March 16.
The Sydney Opera House is flicking the light switch to high beam dazzle later this month for this year's Vivid Sydney, with both its program of Vivid Live gigs and the accompanying festivities. The harbourside icon is going all out for its annual Vivid pop-up bar, this year channelling none other than its program headliners, legendary English alt-rockers The Cure. Brought to life by the minds behind Newtown bar The Midnight Special — also responsible for last year's retro-themed Goldie's Music Hall pop-up — Spellbound will see the Concert Hall's Northern Foyer reimagined as a neon-lit post-punk den of moody decadence. Expect dark leather couches and long banquet tables decked out with glowing fruit installations, sheet music and skulls, while black felt-topped pool tables entertain late-night Vivid explorers. On the menu, you'll find bites like Sydney rock oysters, broiche sliders stuffed with confit duck rillettes, and both a classic and vegetarian version of the humble croque monsieur. [caption id="attachment_721929" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The croque monsieur.[/caption] Beers will come courtesy of Sydney favourites Grifter Brewing Co and Young Henrys, while a lineup of signature cocktails includes the rose-hued Flowers of Romance. The bar will try to minimise plastic waste by offering reuseable plastic cups, which you can buy with a $2 refundable deposit. It's all enveloped with a moody soundtrack stuffed full of hits from the likes of The Damned, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Iggy Pop and New Order, as spun by local legends including Lucy Cliché, Mitch Tolman and Cristian O'Sullivan (Low Life). The Cure will play in the Concert Hall over five nights on May 24, 25, 27, 28 and 30. As the large number of unsuccessful ballot entrants will be aware, tickets were snapped up in record time — so a visit to the bar might be the closest thing to seeing them on stage. Otherwise you can watch the live stream on the Opera House's Facebook from 8pm on Thursday, May 30 or check out one of the other gigs happening at the Opera House throughout Vivid, like Sharon van Etten, Underworld, Stella Donnelly and Herbie Hancock. Spellbound will be open night from May 24 to June 3 in the Concert Hall's Northern Foyer. It will be open to the public from 6pm each night, except for the nights that The Cure is playing. On those nights, the bar will open to ticketholders from 6pm and the general public from 9.45pm. Images: Anna Kucera.
Cinco De Mayo, literally translated, means the fifth of May. It's not entirely surprising then that the Cinco De Mayo annual celebration is on May 5 each and every year (wild, we know), as a nod to the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. To coincide with the event, hospitality giant Merivale is hosting a weeklong margarita fiesta starting from Monday, May 3 until Saturday, May 8 at a range of their restaurants and bars. All margaritas will be $12 at select venues for the week, while El Loco at Slip Inn will have an extended celebration with $12 margaritas throughout all of May. There are 28 venues all up involved in this giant fiesta, from the sun-soaked Beresford Hotel, the waterfront Newport Hotel, beachfront Coogee Pavillion and updated Royal Bondi. MARGARITA WEEK VENUES Bar Topa Bar Totti's Coogee Pavilion Ground Coogee Pavilion Rooftop El Loco Excelsior El Loco Slip Inn Queen Chow Manly Queens Hotel The Royal Bondi The Vic on the Park The Collaroy The Newport The Beresford Pool Club Ms. Gs Establishment Main Bar Tank Stream Bar Jimmy's Falafel The Paddington The Royal George The Grand Hotel Hotel CBD Wynyard Hotel York 75 Work In Progress The Dog Tennyson Hotel Allawah Hotel
When it comes to art-form, life-form, or any form for that matter, the illusory juxtaposition of macro versus micro is really just a matter of perspective. In a collaborative offering of visual delights, a dozen talented artists will present their striking exploration of this theme through the medium of jewellery. From computer-aided design to hand-forged pieces, all have been crafted by certified jewellers working with a range of materials including wood, glass, diamonds, and gold. This is a multi-modal exhibition of jewellery related creative expressions featuring everything from the jewellery itself to video footage and interactive installations by musicians, street artists and stylists (for Lady Gaga no less). This is no stuffy, glass-encased, crown jewels type of exhibition, it's an exciting, fresh, edge-cutting expression of creative energy through jewellery as art. Videos of the artists giving brief insights into their creations and inspirations will also be shown, offering punters a rare glimpse into the purpose and meaning behind the pieces and works on display. The exhibition kicks off on July 6 the Art Gallery of NSW and will feature guest speakers Ben Frost, Sebastian Moody and Andrew Mathers. Cocktails and canapés from 6pm followed by introduction, documentary video and artist presentations. Image: Bridge Stehli
Located in a terrace house on Bourke Street, Home@735 allows art aficionados to get up close and personal with the exhibitions. The gallery, curated by Madeleine Preston, focuses on promoting Australian artists and supporting emerging talent. The art is displayed throughout Anthony Bautovich's terrace home creating a more intimate experience than that of a commercial gallery. Visitors can visualise how pieces could look in their own home, building a stronger appreciation for the practice of art collection. Image: Ashley Barber
If Willy Wonka were a typographer, this would be his chocolate factory. His waterfall would not be made of chocolate but of ampersands, his cups would be full of T's, not tea, and the oompa loompas would be handcrafting tildas, umlauts and interrobangs. Naturally, he would do all his shopping at the Pop Up Alphabet Co-Op. Open for a single weekend, this Surry Hills pop-up has gathered art from graphic, furniture and jewellery designers, plus craftspeople from across Australia and Asia. Everything to re-design your home will be available; including prints and knits, postcards and pillows featuring fonts both classics and new from Arial to Zeta Bold. Like the edible toadstools and chocolate stream, literally, everything around the store could be yours to own — there are even prices on the pricetags, both of which promise to be affordable. The Pop-Up launch will also be celebrating the opening of Stereotyped: Sound and Typography, an exhibition exploring how sound and type create meaning simultaneously in our lives. So find your golden ticket and have your fill of all things number, word and phrase this weekend.
Astral People's Summer Dance series is taking place once again within the sandstone walls of the National Art School. Like previous years, big names in EDM will descend upon the Darlinghurst courtyard over several weekends. Expect international and local record spinners providing the perfect backdrop to your summer Sunday. For the first one, on Sunday, November 18, Astral People has secured dance party-legend, DJ and producer Gilles Peterson to headline, along with South London jazz and garage artist Henry Wu and Sydney native Maia Bilyk, an FBi Radio regular known for her funk, soul and house tunes. On Sunday, January 20, the second iteration will take place, featuring Melbourne club scene staple CC:Disco!, Chicago DJ Jamie 3:26 and local radio host and dance floor music maker Tom Studdy. Three weeks later, the art school courtyard will once again transform for a seven-hour party when UK DJ Floating Points, who's known for his dance-meets-jazz tunes, Sydney electronic legend Adi Toohey and local duo Andy & Oscar takeover the decks. Irish electro duo Brame & Hamo, NZ dance guru Frank Booker and genre-bending DJ Lex Deluxe will round out the series, leading the final party on Sunday, March 24. These parties will all take place in a historic location, surrounded by lush gardens, electronic beats and plenty of people on the same mission: to spend a Sunday letting loose on the dance floor. The shows have sold out for the past two years, so don't delay snagging your ticket. Updated March 6, 2019.
When most folks scream, they're not powering up their life force, or ki, in battle. Most folks aren't Dragon Ball Z's Goku, however. If you're a fan of the anime, you've probably wished you were at least once or twice, and bunch of gatherings at Australian public spaces will let you scream out your non earth-saving frustrations. Yes, 'Scream like Goku' sessions are a real thing, and they're exactly what they sound like — which, we're certain will be loud. Starting in New York last week, Dragon Ball Z aficionados have been amassing around famous landmarks and letting their voices be heard. We'll let you decide whether they're endeavouring to fend off Frieza, trying to become a Super Saiyan, or just yelling their love (or all of the above). A host of other US sites are slated to follow, as well as Singapore — and Australian Dragon Ball Z fans have been quick to jump into the mix. The first local session is scheduled at 4pm tomorrow, Saturday, September 9, at none other than the Sydney Opera House — because if you're doing to scream in public, you'd better make it count. Over 3000 people have said they're attending in the Facebook event, with another 10,000 'interested'. More gatherings are planned for Sydney's Hyde Park on September 23, and Newcastle's Nobbys Beach on September 24, while Melbourne's Federation Square joins the fun on September 10 — almost 5000 people are planning to rock up to that one. Someone has started a campaign to get screamers to the Wheel of Brisbane on October 7, but so far there's not many potential attendees. Dressing up is encouraged, even if you just throw on something orange. If you're not sure how you should be screaming, let this build up some inspiration. Even if you're not a Dragon Ball Z fan, screaming at the top of your lungs with hundreds of other people is bound to be cathartic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRsjCWNXtRE Image: Leticia Almeida.
Govinda's is going all The Artist on us with its latest cinematic lineup. As part of Australia's Silent Film Festival, they're presenting two six-week programmes of restored silent classics, with each film accompanied by a musical soundtrack. Master Directors of the Silent Era, running on Tuesday nights, kicks off with Abel Gance's moving WWII saga J'accuse, though if you find it difficult to sit through 166 minutes of war film even when (a) there is dialogue and (b) you're not lapsing into a vegetarian-buffet-induced food coma, then the rest of the lineup might be more appealing. It includes film noir pioneer Fritz Lang's hauntingly beautiful tale of fantasy and gothic horror Destiny, the 1920s Soviet silent By the Law, and a film that was believed to have been lost since 1936 until a nearly complete print was unearthed in France six years ago. On Sundays get your jollies from underrated pleasures like slippery banana peels and airborne cream pies with Golden Comedy Era of Silent Cinema. Crazy stunts come courtesy of Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in Wild and Woolly, and delightfully deadpan facial expressions abound in a Buster Keaton-fest of four shorts celebrating the most recognised face of silent comedy besides Charlie Chaplin. For a more enlightening cinematic experience, escape to late 19th-century France in The Italian Straw Hat. A horse munching on someone's fancy headwear has never appeared so elegant. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ywWoeswCDc4
Their name is a play on the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers cult comic character 'Fat Freddy' and each of their album covers features some rather excellent animation, but Fat Freddy's Drop are taking the cartoon thing a big step further for Graphic 2012. As a specially commissioned collaboration with celebrated NZ street artist Otis Frizzell — son of kitsch Kiwiana expressionist Dick Frizzell — the nine times platinum genre flouters will present the worldwide premiere of their fourth album Blackbird with immersive animated visuals to complement their larger-than-life sound. An indefatigable concoction of dub, reggae, soul, jazz, blues and techno garnished with signature grooves, Fat Freddy's have sold half a million records worldwide. These two shows will be the only chance to preview Blackbird before its release next year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=eCJg63SziL4
Given that the relationship between art and alcohol probably goes back to cave paintings, it’s pretty dumb that conventional gallery spaces look at you funny when you stumble in, seeking visual enlightenment under a slight Reschs-induced daze. So thank God for places like Lo-Fi Collective, who really do make art accessible to all. The guys behind Lo-Fi have now breathed new life into the formerly unassuming Toxteth Hotel on Glebe Point Road. But instead of the draw card being $5.50 tacos, it’s a feast for the eyes presented by emerging local artists. (Okay so it’s pulled duck and chip butty sliders too, but let’s focus on the art for now.) As part of a plan to bridge the gap between Sydney’s arts education system and the art industry, the top level has been turned into five rent-free studio spaces plus a gallery called The Tate, where burgeoning young talent can be harnessed and put on show. Downstairs is where culinary innovation is cultivated, in the form of fried chicken burgers and a Coopers Pale Ale pie. The first exhibition to take place will be There Goes the Neighbourhood. This group show by friends of co-curators Marty Routledge and Christopher Loutfy includes such visual spectacles as street art by Numskull, typographic delights by Luca Lunesca and advanced galactic space monsters by six-year-old Max Treffkorn — with all works serving as invitations to reclaim ownership of the once-bohemian surburb of Glebe. New openings will take place weekly, so keep an eye on their website and try to coincide your visit with $4 sliders night.
This is a good activity to keep in mind at all times, but especially when you're feeling a little adventurous. Shake up your Monday night and drop by Ester in Chippendale for a treat. You can act like a hardcore foodie and order the "blood sausage sanga", straight up, without even looking at the menu. What you'll get is a sausage made from minced pork belly, rice, nuts and pig's blood, set on a simple piece of white bread. It's arguably a much better version of the humble sausage sandwich — delicious, rich and indulgent. If you're in the mood, and have some extra money to spend, buckle down and tuck in to Ester's set menu — ten inventive courses (dried kanagaroo and crispy saltbush is another option) for $82. Image: @ahazelton_ via Instagram.
UPDATE, Thursday, March 28, 2o24: Oppenheimer is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Cast Cillian Murphy and a filmmaker falls in love. Danny Boyle did with 28 Days Later and Sunshine, then Christopher Nolan followed with Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception and Dunkirk. There's an arresting, haunting, seeps-under-your-skin soulfulness about the Irish actor, never more so than when he was wandering solo through the empty zombie-ravaged streets in his big-screen big break, then hurtling towards the sun in an underrated sci-fi gem, both for Boyle, and now playing "the father of atomic bomb" in Nolan's epic biopic Oppenheimer. Flirting with the end of the world, or just one person's end, clearly suits Murphy. Here he is in a mind-blower as the destroyer of worlds — almost, perhaps actually — and so much of this can't-look-away three-hour stunner dwells in his expressive eyes. As J Robert Oppenheimer, those peepers see purpose and possibility. They spot quantum mechanics' promise, and the whole universe lurking within that branch of physics. They ultimately spy the consequences, too, of bringing the Manhattan Project successfully to fruition during World War II. Dr Strangelove's full title could never apply to Oppenheimer, nor to its eponymous figure; neither learn to stop worrying and love the bomb. The theoretical physicist responsible for the creation of nuclear weapons did enjoy building it in Nolan's account, Murphy's telltale eyes gleaming as Oppy watches research become reality — but then darkening as he gleans what that reality means. Directing, writing and adapting the 2005 biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin, Nolan charts the before and after. He probes the fission and fusion of the situation in intercut parts, the first in colour, the second in black and white. In the former, all paths lead to the history-changing Trinity test on July 16, 1945 in the New Mexico desert. In the latter, a mushroom cloud balloons through Oppenheimer's life as he perceives what the gadget, as it's called in its development stages, has unleashed. Pre-Los Alamos Oppenheimer is all nervy spark, whether he's excited about a Cambridge lecture by Niels Bohr (Kenneth Branagh, Death on the Nile), meeting other great minds in his field around Europe, taking his learnings home from to start the US' first quantum mechanics class, or cultivating what'll later be disparaged by a security clearance-decreeing Atomic Energy Commission panel as a far leftwing mindset. He's electric when an animated ideological chat with Communist Party member Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh, The Wonder) leads to slipping between the sheets for a tumultuous affair. When he meets botanist and biologist Kitty (Emily Blunt, The English) in the smoothest of sexual tension-dripping conversations, his inertia gets her answering "not very" when he asks if she's married. Determination mingles in, too, when Lieutenant General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon, Air) thunders into his classroom on a recruitment mission for top-secret work in a race to beat the Nazis. And, it lingers as the ball is put in motion, then keeps rolling, to construct the most fateful ball of them all. Post-Hiroshima and Nagasaki Oppenheimer is solidified in his certainty that his big bang, then the others that America's military detonated swiftly in Japan once they knew it worked, is on the wrong side of history. He's fragmented, though, by the response to his horror — including the McCarthy-esque committee mercilessly scrutinising him, his colleagues and others closet to him, while deciding whether they'll still give him access. Amid the political fallout for Oppenheimer's advocacy for scaling back afterwards, AEC commissioner Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr, Dolittle) is weaved in, also answering dissecting questions. Oppenheimer is a talky film, sound and fury echoing as heatedly in its words as when blazing light fills the screen. Both the discussions-slash-interrogations and the incendiary moment that forever altered all incendiary moments are impeccably, immaculately, thrillingly and viscerally staged. Nolan identifies chain reactions, and creates them. As he slams the movie's two parts together with his Tenet editor Jennifer Lane's exacting splicing — also letting the contrasting segments lensed so meticulously by Oscar-nominated Dunkirk cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema fling closer and bounce apart, and linking everything with Black Panther Oscar-winner Ludwig Göransson's evocative and relentless score — he crafts his most complex and complicated film yet. His subject demands it. Oppenheimer follows, digs into memory and can't sleep with what's happened. It notices what grows in darkness, shifts reality, reaches for the cosmic and hops through time, too, all in its own ways. It plays like a culmination of Nolan's work as a result — it's certainly made like exactly that — as its namesake tries "not to set the sky on fire", as Groves tells him, then attempts to kill the terrible threat of burning skies as a power-boosting military tactic. If someone told Nolan not to set the screen alight and aglow with his 12th feature in 25 years, and his second about World War II in six, he didn't listen — be it with his resonant ideas, his execution or his stars. He paints a fiery portrait of America, especially in monochrome. He unpacks the lengths that humanity will go to to gain control and garner recognition, and the grave costs. He fires moments at the screen that just keep expanding in impact, and combining like Dunkirk's onslaught from land, air and sea. An early gripping scene involving Oppenheimer as a student, an apple and cyanide is one. So is the immediate expectation to lead the cheering after the Trinity test, just as the full meaning of what's occurred dawns, in a sequence that uses dissonant sound to immersive and galvanising effect. And, piercing too is the rat-tat-tat of the interrogation dialogue. Murphy is spectacular, and has never been better as Nolan stares so intimately and contemplatively at his revealing face. How joyous it is to see Downey Jr, also never better, actually act again — his astounding, awards-destined performance is meaty, mesmerising, and something that's been sorely missed. Oppenheimer's is an explosive cast, also spanning Blunt at her steeliest; pivotal contributions by Josh Hartnett (Black Mirror), Benny Safdie (Stars at Noon) and David Krumholtz (White House Plumbers) as fellow scientists; and the influential Jason Clarke (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Macon Blair (Reservation Dogs), Dane DeHaan (The Staircase) and Alden Ehrenreich (Cocaine Bear) among the lawyers, military and political aides. Present, too, each in small but significant parts: three consecutive 2017–19 Best Actor Academy Award-winners in Manchester by the Sea's Casey Affleck, Darkest Hour's Gary Oldman and Bohemian Rhapsody's Rami Malek. Nolan deploys them all in a film that bellows, billows and blasts. Watching, and plunging into Oppenheimer's mind, isn't a passive experience.
UPDATE, May 17, 2021: Shoplifters is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play and YouTube Movies. Quantity and quality, as alike as the two words sound, have long been pitted as opposites. To be prolific is to be imperfect, or so the thinking goes, although Hirokazu Kore-eda just keeps blowing that idea out of the water. The writer-director's latest release is his eleventh since the turn of the century and, in a hefty collection of intimate, moving movies that includes Nobody Knows, Like Father, Like Son and Our Little Sister, the Palme d'Or-winning Shoplifters is one of the best. There's really no such thing as a bad Kore-eda film, even when he steps into slightly different territory, as with last year's less-acclaimed crime flick The Third Murder. But his rich and poignant new family drama is almost disarmingly affecting (and effective), showcasing the height of the Japanese filmmaker's prowess. The family that steals together, stays together in Shoplifters. Daily pilfering — and other petty crimes and grifts, as well as regular pension cheques — enable father Osamu (Lily Franky), mother Nobuyo (Sakura Andô), grandmother Hatsue (Kirin Kiki), aunt Aki (Mayu Matsuoka) and son Shota (Jyo Kairi) to survive in their tiny, overpacked cottage on the outskirts of Tokyo. On the way home one winter evening after giving their light fingers a workout, Osamu and Shota spy a slip of a girl cold and shivering on an apartment balcony, and soon young Yuri (Miyu Sasaki) is in their care too. While Osamu and Nobuyo's choice to keep the bruised and starving child could be construed as kidnapping, she's just so happy with them. In time, Yuri also proves rather skilled in the family business. 'Family drama' is a loaded way to describe Shoplifters. It's accurate — more accurate than can be conveyed without giving too much away — but the two words barely scratch the surface of Kore-eda's film. Seemingly straightforward in its narrative and themes, but thoroughly complex in the depths it reaches in both its story and sentiments, Shoplifters doesn't simply ponder one family's tough but loving existence. Rather, it contemplates exactly what makes a family. On more than one occasion, a character wonders whether blood or choice forge a stronger bond, a notion that couldn't be more important as the movie's ups and downs play out. Integral to that train of thought is Kore-eda's clear-eyed exploration of an oft-ignored aspect of Japanese society, at least on screen: the realities of life on the country's margins. As embodied by the film's central clan, the poor and the struggling aren't ignored here. They're literally stealing to get by, and they're never denigrated for it. Nor does the movie judge them for their decision to unofficially adopt someone else's child. The cast, which includes some of Japan's great acting talents, deserve a wealth of credit for building textured, layered characters that cannot be pigeonholed — people who feel like they could've walked off of the street and into Kore-eda's naturalistically shot picture. It's not just financial stress that drives Franky's patriarch, for example, but a desperation to connect that's evident every time that Shota steadfastly refuses to call him dad. And it's not just caring for one's elders that cements Kiki's grandma at the head of the family, a truth that's always apparent on the now-late actor's face. Of course, Franky, Kiki and the rest of the movie's stars have the good fortune to be performing for Kore-eda, one of the most empathetic and humanistic directors in the business both in Japan and around the world. Tissues should come with tickets to his films, not because he overtly pulls at the heartstrings, but because he peers so generously at everyone within his frames. Indeed, the kindness that he shows, and the space that he gives his characters, has a quietly overwhelming impact. Here, the filmmaker is at his best when he's cramming Shoplifters' family into their cramped villa, and observing their interactions, emotions and motivations in such close quarters. Every moment of their lives is tainted by hardship and harshness, but every moment is also a tender revelation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOOcpb48Oyo
The drive towards collaboration and connectivity is one of the biggest shifts in social and professional spheres over the last few decades. Nowhere is it seen more strongly than in the creative industries, with designers daily working side by side to reinvent the way the world looks and works. Object Gallery, the Australian Centre for Craft and Design, is hosting a season of local design talent to spread the word on how companies are shaping our lives in new, imaginative ways. Exhibitions and workshops are on offer to the public, featuring the know-how of Dinosaur Designs, DesignByThem, Cloth, Malcolm Greenwood, Oliver Smith, Mud and a score of others. Workshops take the form of industry insights, showing craft skills, through to pow-wows on how to reboot life through the senses.
Smoky Sue's – Neutral Bay's new American-style barbecue joint – is gearing up for an epic giveaway. Be one of the first 500 people to swing by at midday on Sunday, May 27, and a mighty brisket burger will be placed in your hands — for free. Every smoky creation features a toasted milk bun packed with high-marble Black Onyx brisket, slaw, pickles and sauce. The brisket boasts a 3+ score, which means it's about as melty and oozy as it gets. If you don't make the cut, then don't panic: the selfsame burgers will cost just 5 bucks each for the rest of the day. Plus, while you're waiting, you'll be able to kick back and listen to live music, courtesy of singer-songwriter Ashton Tremain from The Desert Sea, who've lately supported the likes of Ash Grunwald, Jebediah and The Fumes with their earthy riffs and powerful rhythms. While you're there (and if you have the stomach space) order a round of wings with a side of brisket beans, fries and mac 'n' cheese balls, and pair it all with a pint (or two) of Young Henrys. Or organise a return trip to check out the rest of the menu, including a gigantic beef short rib, fries loaded with cheese and pulled pork or the Big Bertha — a hefty burger stuffed with brisket, lamb and pork. Smoky Sue's giveaway will take place on the eve of International Burger Day and Brisket Day. The action launches at midday and winds down around 9pm. We're guessing there'll be queues, so roll up early, should you have your heart set on a free feast. Smoky Sue's will be slinging 500 free brisket burgers from midday on Sunday, May 27. For more information about the new barbecue joint, head to the website.
Ferris wheels, friendly lambs and fairy floss ODs — the Sydney Royal Easter Show, as you've always known and loved it, is back. But, this year, Australia's biggest ticketed event is taking its culinary side up a notch. In between rummaging through showbags, you'll be feasting at food truck parks and pop-up restaurants that'll be serving everything from refined Italian fare to Korean fried chicken and burgers. There'll also be plenty of bars to discover — including The Stables which will be swilling the signature Sydney Royal Easter Show Showstopper Australian Pale Ale. It's a far cry from the dagwood dogs and chips-on-a-stick that we remember (though they'll be there, too). To help you make the most of this food extravaganza, we're giving away a VIP package. The prize includes four general admission entry tickets to the Sydney Royal Easter Show (usually 43 bucks each), plus food and drinks galore. You'll get to enjoy a decadent Italian lunch at The Loft Restaurant and Bar ($200 value), drink 50 bucks' worth of booze at the Sydney Royal Beer and Wine Bar and finish up with decadent frozen custard treats from Taylors ($36 value). If you're not lucky enough to score the major win, hang in there for a runner-up prize — we've also got five double entry passes to the Show to give away, too. Enter your details below for a chance to win. [competition]710795[/competition]
Discover a world of Indonesian flavour that totally eclipses your basic Bali beach feed, when the Shangri-La kicks off its inaugural Taste of Indonesia food festival today. Cafe Mix will become the ultimate Indo dining destination, hosting sumptuous buffet spreads at lunch and dinner daily until the event wraps up next Saturday, August 12. They've brought in the big guns, too, with guest chefs Nur Budiono and Marjono from Jakarta's own Shangri-La flying in to work their culinary magic in the kitchen. Expect a parade of rich and vibrant plates as the pair shares a snapshot of authentic, regional fare and sends tastebuds island-hopping across their homeland. Fiery bursts of chilli and spice throughout national dishes like beef rendang, soto ayam, and gado gado are guaranteed to make you forget all about the chilly winter temperatures outside. Just be sure to leave room for the feast's final chapter, so you can get acquainted with traditional desserts like surabi (coconut milk pancakes) and onde onde (coconut-coated rice cakes). Get your 'Taste of Indonesia' at Cafe Mix, from Friday, August 4 to Saturday, August 12. The buffet lunch is on offer from 12–2.30pm for $55 per person, and the buffet dinner is available from 6–10.30pm for $85 per person.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS Somewhere in the multiverse, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is terrific. In a different realm, it's terrible. Here in our dimension, the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe teeters and twirls in the middle. The second movie to focus on surgeon-turned-sorcerer Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog), it's at its best when it embraces everything its director is known for. That said, it's also at its worst when it seems that harnessing Sam Raimi's trademarks — his visual style, bombast, comic tone and Evil Dead background, for instance — is merely another Marvel ploy. Multiverse of Madness is trippy, dark, sports a bleak sense of humour and is as close as the MCU has gotten to horror, all immensely appreciated traits in this sprawling, box office-courting, never-ending franchise. But it stands out for the wrong reasons, too, especially how brazenly it tries to appear as if it's twisting and fracturing the typical MCU template when it definitely isn't. Welcomely weirder than the average superhero flick (although not by too much), but also bluntly calculating: that's Multiverse of Madness, and that's a messy combination. It's apt given its eponymous caped crusader has always hailed from Marvel's looser, goofier and, yes, stranger side since his MCU debut in 2016's plainly titled Doctor Strange; however, it's hard to believe that such formulaic chaos was truly the plan for this follow-up. Similarly, making viewers who've long loved Raimi's work feel like their strings are so obviously being pulled, all for something that hardly takes creative risks, can't have been intentional. It's wonderful that Multiverse of Madness is clearly directed by the filmmaker who gave the world Army of Darkness and its predecessors, the Tobey Maguire-starring Spider-Man movies and Drag Me to Hell. It's fantastic that Raimi is helming his first feature since 2013's Oz the Great and Powerful, of course. But it's also deeply dispiriting to see the filmmaker's flourishes used like attention-grabbing packaging over the same familiar franchise skeleton. Multiverse mayhem also underscored Multiverse of Madness' immediate predecessor, for instance — aka 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. That's the last time that audiences saw Stephen Strange, when he reluctantly tinkered with things he shouldn't to help Peter Parker, those actions had consequences and recalling Raimi's time with Spidey came with the territory. Strange's reality-bending trickery has repercussions here as well, because Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen, Sorry for Your Loss) isn't thrilled about her fellow super-powered pal's exploits. Yes, Multiverse of Madness assumes viewers have not only watched all 27 past MCU movies, but also its small-screen offshoots — or WandaVision at least, where the enchantress that's also Scarlet Witch broke rules herself and wasn't still deemed a hero. Multiverse of Madness begins before its namesake and Wanda cross paths after their not-so-smooth moves, actually. Strange's latest escapade kicks off with monsters, moving platforms, a shimmering book, and a girl he doesn't know and yet wants to save. It's a dream, but said teen — America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez, The Babysitters Club) — is soon part of his waking life. Hailing from another dimension and possessing the ability to hop through the multiverse, she's still being chased. Interrupting Strange's brooding at his ex-girlfriend Christine's (Rachel McAdams, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) wedding, rampaging critters reappear as well, while a sinister tome called The Dark Hold also factors in. The mission: save the girl and all possible worlds, aided by Strange's old friend and now-Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong, Nine Days), and via a run-in with nemesis Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Locked Down). Read our full review. PETITE MAMAN Forget the "find someone who looks at you like…" meme. That's great advice in general, and absolutely mandatory if you've ever seen a Céline Sciamma film. No one peers at on-screen characters with as much affection, attention, emotion and empathy as the French director. Few filmmakers even come close, and most don't ever even try. That's been bewitchingly on display in her past features Water Lillies, Tomboy, Girlhood and Portrait of a Lady on Fire, any of which another helmer would kill to have on their resume. It's just as apparent in Petite Maman, her entrancing latest release, as well. Now 15 years into her directorial career, Sciamma's talent for truly seeing into hearts and minds is unshakeable, unparalleled and such a lovely wonder to watch — especially when it shines as sublimely and touchingly as it does here. In Sciamma's new delicate and exquisite masterpiece, the filmmaker follows eight-year-old Nelly (debutant Joséphine Sanz) on a trip to her mother's (Nina Meurisse, Camille) childhood home. The girl's maternal grandmother (Margot Abascal, The Sower) has died, the house needs packing up, and the trip is loaded with feelings on all sides. Her mum wades between sorrow and attending to the task. With melancholy, she pushes back against her daughter's attempts to help, too. Nelly's laidback father (Stéphane Varupenne, Monsieur Chocolat) assists as well, but with a sense of distance; going through the lifelong belongings of someone else's mother, even your spouse's, isn't the same as sifting through your own mum's items for the last time. While her parents work, the curious Nelly roves around the surrounding woods — picture-perfect and oh-so-enticing as they are — and discovers Marion (fellow newcomer Gabrielle Sanz), a girl who could be her twin. The Sanz sisters are identical twins IRL, and why they've been cast is right there in Petite Maman's name. Spelling out anything further would be saying more than is needed going in; flitting through the story's intricacies alongside Nelly is one of its many marvels. Like all kids, she's naturally inquisitive about her parents' upbringings. "You never tell me about when you were children," she complains to her dad, who counters that, actually, he and her mother do. Like all kids, she's also keenly aware of the special alchemy that comes with following in your mother and father's youthful footsteps, all just by being in the house and roaming around the woods where her mum grew up. There's nothing as immersive in helping to understand why one of the people that brought you into the world became who they are. Indeed, it's no surprise that Sciamma and her cinematographer Claire Mathon (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Spencer) shoot the film in golden and glowing autumnal hues. Nelly has questions for Marion, too, and vice versa; however, spending time in each other's company, watching the connection that springs and embracing every emotion it evokes is Sciamma's plan for the quickly thick-as-thieves pair. Explanations about what's happening are unnecessary; only the experience itself, the mood and the resonance it all holds are what matters. So, the girls do what kids do, whether amid all that ethereal greenery or inside Marion's home, decked out in vintage decor as it is, where Nelly meets her new pal's mother. The two girls play, including in a teepee-like hut made out of branches. They write and perform their own play, costumes and all. They share secrets, talk about their dreams for the future, make pancakes, bust out boardgames, and also float through their new friendship as if they're the only people who matter — in that intimate, serious and earnest way that children do with their friends. Read our full review. THE DROVER'S WIFE THE LEGEND OF MOLLY JOHNSON Leah Purcell's resume isn't short on highlights — think: Black Comedy, Wentworth and Redfern Now, plus Lantana, Somersault and Last Cab to Darwin (to name just a few projects) — but the Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri actor, director and writer clearly has a passion project. In 2016, she adapted Henry Lawson's short story The Drover's Wife for the stage. In 2019, she moved it back to the page. Now, she brings it to the big screen via The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson. Only minutes into her searing feature filmmaking debut, why Purcell keeps needing to tell this 19th century-set tale is patently apparent. In her hands, it's a story of anger, power, prejudice and revenge, and also a portrait of a history that's treated both women and Indigenous Australians abhorrently. Aussie cinema hasn't shied away from the nation's problematic past in recent times (see also: Sweet Country, The Nightingale, The Furnace and High Ground); however, this is an unforgettably potent and piercing movie. In a fiery performance that bristles with steeliness, Purcell plays the eponymous, gun-toting and heavily pregnant Molly. In the process, she gives flesh, blood and a name to a character who wasn't allowed the latter in Lawson's version. In this reimagining, Molly is a 19th-century Indigenous Australian woman left alone with her four children (and one on the way) on a remote Snowy Mountains property for lengthy stretches while her husband works — and that situation, including the reasons behind it and the ramifications from it, causes ripples that shape the course of the film. Two of the key questions that The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson asks couldn't be more obvious, but something doesn't have to be subtle to be potent and perceptive. Those queries: what impact does being marginalised twice over, as both a woman and a First Nations Australian, leave on the feature's protagonist? How has it forged her personality, shaped what she cares about and cemented what she's capable of? It's during her spouse's latest absence that the film unfurls its story, not with a snake but rather strangers trotting Molly and her children's way. New sergeant Nate Clintoff (Sam Reid, The Newsreader) and his wife Louisa (Jessica De Gouw, Operation Buffalo) decamp from England — both well-meaning, and the latter a journalist who even protests against domestic violence, but neither truly understands Molly's experience. Also darkening her door: her husband's pals (Dead Lucky's Anthony Cogin and Wakefield's Harry Greenwood), who make the male entitlement and privilege of the time brutally apparent. And, there's no shortage of other locals determined and downright eager to throw their might, morals and opinions around, be it the resident judge (Nicholas Hope, Moon Rock for Monday), the minister (Bruce Spence, The Dry) or his unwed sister (Maggie Dence, Frayed). As Purcell impresses in her stare and stance first and foremost, Molly doesn't let her guard down around anyone. The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson has the parade of supporting characters to show why, and to illustrate the attitudes its namesake has been forced to stomach silently her entire life. She sports physical markers, too; from the outset of this moody and brooding film, there's no doubting that violence is a familiar and frequent part of Molly's existence. But Aboriginal fugitive Yadaka (Rob Collins, Firebite) is one of the few figures to venture in her direction and earn more than her ferocious gaze. He's on the run from murder charges, although he states his real crime bluntly: "existing while Black". Around the Johnson property, he strikes up a warm camaraderie with Molly's eldest boy, 12-year-old Danny (newcomer Malachi Dower-Roberts) — and, in another of the script's point-blank strokes, he's soon the closest thing to an ally his wary host has ever had beyond her children. Read our full review. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on February 3, February 10, February 17 and February 24; and March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31; and April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Belfast, Here Out West, Jackass Forever, Benedetta, Drive My Car, Death on the Nile, C'mon C'mon, Flee, Uncharted, Quo Vadis, Aida?, Cyrano, Hive, Studio 666, The Batman, Blind Ambition, Bergman Island, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, The Souvenir: Part II, Dog, Anonymous Club, X, River, Nowhere Special, RRR, Morbius, The Duke and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy.
When Skyfall initially hit cinemas back in 2012, it did so in a big way. The 23rd film in the Bond franchise — and handily releasing on the 50th anniversary of the series' first movie — the flick not only became the first in the saga to make more than a billion dollars at the box office, but ranked as the second highest-grossing title of the year after The Avengers. It also picked up two Oscars, two BAFTAs, a Golden Globe, two Grammys and a wealth of critical acclaim. The response was understandable. As well as the usual espionage antics, shaken-not-stirred martinis, suits and new standout theme song — all Bond trademarks — Skyfall ranked among the long-running franchise's best films so far. And if you've been hankering to revisit it again on the silver screen, it's returning to Sydney and Melbourne with a live score. Following in the footsteps of the Star Wars and Harry Potter films, as well as Bond's own Casino Royale, Skyfall will grace the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne's Hamer Hall, with help from both the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Audiences will relive Daniel Craig's third stint as 007, as well as Javier Bardem's memorable turn as the resident villain, all while hearing the music behind the movie as they've never heard it before. For those in need of a bigger refresher on the flick, it steps into Bond's backstory as he battles Bardem's ex-MI6 operative-turned-cyberterrorist. After the disappointing Quantum of Solace, the film welcomed director Sam Mendes to the series, who would also helm Spectre. And, given its billion-dollar-plus haul, it became the biggest Bond film, box office-wise, ever released. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozgZvg3cggE Both the SSO and MSO will perform composer Thomas Newman's award-winning score — the former across two shows this November, and the latter in a duo of screenings in April 2020. Obviously, the classic theme track that's served the franchise so well for more than half a century now also features. And, for folks in Melbourne, the timing couldn't be better, with the latest Bond flick due to hit regular cinemas in early April as well. Skyfall in Concert plays the Sydney Opera House on Friday, November 22 and Saturday, November 23 in 2019, then heads to Melbourne's Hamer Hall on Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4 in 2020. Tickets for the Sydney shows go on sale on Monday, July 29, with pre-sales from Monday, July 22, with further details available via the SSO website. Tickets for Melbourne are on sale now via the MSO website.
Melbourne's bubble tea franchise Gotcha Fresh Tea is rapidly expanding. Having not only opened its fifth Melbourne store earlier this year, but adding a sixth one too and planning at least five more, the chain now has its sights set on Sydney — with plans to launch three new stores here, and soon. Its first NSW store will open on China Town's Dixon Street on Monday, May 20, with a second store at World Square launching on Friday, May 24. They'll be closely followed by a third near Broadway's UTS campus at a yet-to-be disclosed date. While no more NSW spots are confirmed just yet, take a peek at the website and you'll see that stores for Town Hall, Martin Place, Macquarie Centre, Burwood, Chatswood, Parramatta and Strathfield could also be on the cards. Gotcha stands out from the pack thanks to its teas, which are all exclusively grown and hand-picked on the Gotcha plantation in Taiwan — the country where bubble tea originated, mind you. The extensive menu goes deeper than your average bubble tea shop, too. Milk teas come in red bean, bamboo charcoal, taro and durian flavours. Fruit teas come with sliced fresh fruit, including lychee, passionfruit, cumquat and mango. They all range from $5.20–18. There are also teas available with cheese, salted egg or tiramisu foams; a range of 'healthy' collagen teas in bamboo, aloe vera and mulberry flavours; and a menu of macchiatos, lattes, health teas and smoothies to choose from. Of course, you can add pearls and jelly to any and all flavour combinations. Gotcha's expansion is no where near slowing, either, with over 15 stores slated to open in 2019. Five additional stores across Victoria are currently in the works, as well as many more around the country. Images: Gotcha Tea, Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
Last year's The Old Man and the Gun and Clint Eastwood's new film The Mule share three things in common. First, they both star Hollywood octogenarian greats Robert Redford (82) and Eastwood (88). Second, they're both based on real life stories of unlikely elderly criminals and the men who pursued them. Thirdly, they share a pronounced nostalgia for civility; a yearning for a bygone era where nothing, not even law-breaking, should come at the cost of common decency. But where Redford's film maintained a light and tender tone throughout, Eastwood's latest lacks consistency, veering from awkward cynicism to thin familial sentimentality. As a vehicle for Eastwood's first on-screen role in six years, The Mule seems perfect. Written by Nick Schenk, who previously worked alongside Eastwood on Gran Torino, the film tells the fascinating true tale of Leo Sharp (named Earl Stone here), a 90 year-old WWII veteran and award-winning horticulturalist who became a big-time drug runner for a Mexican cartel after his own business ran into financial trouble. Stone is grizzled, bitter, grumpy and a little bit racist. In short, Eastwood embodies the look and feel of the man immediately. When Stone agrees to run a package across the country, no questions asked, he reveals himself to be the perfect mule for Andy Garcia's cartel, and as his illicit load increases with each new run, so too does his reward. Accompanied throughout by cartel minders, the setup is perfect for a black comedy. But whilst there are a few terrific moments (a carpool karaoke version of 'Ain't That A Kick In The Head' being the best), too much of the film falls flat, lacking the full lighthearted touch but at the same time failing to follow the darker path it also could have taken. In supporting roles, Eastwood brings back some of his recent regulars, including Bradley Cooper and Michael Pêna as the DEA agents charged with tracking Stone down and bringing him to justice. As with The Old Man and the Gun, it takes some time to dawn on the authorities that they're pursuing a man in his 80s – which of course was precisely why the Cartel went that direction in the beginning. Eastwood has always been impressive in his embracing of ageing, even tabling Unforgiven for over a decade until he felt he was old enough to do the role justice. Here in The Mule, though, the age card offers so many tantalising possibilities for the story, yet is used far too sparingly and too easily, resorting to mostly tired tropes like technological dyslexia (wait, how do you text again?). Moreover, while Stone is a remorseful man insofar as his troubled family history goes, he shows none for his part in supporting a violent and brutal cartel (at least not until the film's final stages). The end result is a film that looks great (it's Eastwood in the chair, after all), but feels like a middle child of genre; funny but not a comedy, dark but not a thriller, on the road but not a road movie and moving but not fully a drama. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_QksSzK7sI
As a five-year-old in India in 1986, Saroo Brierley didn't expect to be whisked nearly 1,500 kilometres away from his family, and not be able to find his way back. Then, after being adopted by an Australian couple, he definitely didn't expect that he'd have a date with Google Earth as an adult, trying to locate the place that sparked so many memories. This stranger-than-fiction tale inspired a book, and now a movie too. And while a big screen adaptation of his life story might be the latest thing the real-life Saroo didn't anticipate, it's audiences that are in for the biggest surprise. If you didn't know that Lion was based on actual events, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it was simply a feel-good fantasy. First-time film director Garth Davis (TV's Top of the Lake) and writer Luke Davies (Life) recount Saroo's story faithfully, including its well-publicised ending. Yet despite the twists and turns having played out in the media, the Australian duo still manage to deliver a thoughtful, sensitive and emotional viewing experience. Yes, you'll know that tears are coming. But they'll still feel well and truly earned. Aerial shots of the Indian landscape immediately set audiences on a journey, with a charming little boy (newcomer Sunny Pawar) their guide. Tagging along as his older brother Guddu (Abhishek Bharate) seeks work to help their mother (Priyanka Bose) with the family finances, Saroo falls asleep on a train. By the time he awakens, events have been set in motion that will see him fending for himself on the streets of Calcutta, before eventually being adopted by Tasmanians Sue (Nicole Kidman) and John Brierley (David Wenham). It's two decades later, as an adult (now played by Dev Patel), that Saroo turns on his computer and begins his search for home. Sometimes, it's the simplest things that have the strongest impact: a child's warm, cheeky smile; the pain of a lost past lingering in a man's eyes; haunting visions of familiar places embedding themselves in the mind. Saroo's quest owes a lot to a certain search engine, but that's neither the most interesting thing to watch nor the most important part of the narrative. Crafting a highly personal story that conveys universal themes, Davis and Davies ensure that Lion doesn't forget this fact. Even as it balances several competing elements — the two countries Saroo calls his own throughout his life, his feelings for his two families, and the push and pull between old-fashioned human connection and the influence of modern technology — the film never loses its footing Indeed, the key to the movie is people. Or, to be specific, one person and two shining performances. Pawar and Patel each possess the naturalistic spark that keeps viewers along for the ride — one innocent and endearing, the other oozing inner conflict and yearning. As a result, Lion does exactly what it needs to make hearts soar and tears swell. It might do so in a standard fashion, but, boy does it do it well.
Not a company to stick strictly to the confines of the theatre, Urban Theatre Projects has launched a new immersive arts event that takes you on an adventure through Blacktown. Dubbed Right Here. Right Now., the unique experience is set to run from 6pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from November 1 to 17, delivering a smorgasbord of art, performance, film, music and food in the spirit of sharing contemporary Australian stories. The 'show' goes for 3.5 hours and will take you on a roving showcase of this dynamic pocket of Sydney, enjoying various local works and performances displayed across restaurants, arcades and public spaces throughout Blacktown's colourful Main Street. As part of the experience, you'll sit down to a communal feast, enjoyed side by side with a table full of strangers — or new friends, depending how you look at it — at some of the strip's best-loved eateries. Persian restaurant Dark Blue plates up a parade of Irani favourites, Abyssina Ethiopian Restaurant promises to impress with its authentic coffee ceremony, and Pameer Afghan Restaurant and Bakery delivers signature Afghani dishes against a backdrop of classic Afghani art. Tickets are $59 and include both show and dinner.
Liveworks is returning in 2023 with an amplified program dubbed 'OF THE TIME'. Carriageworks has been the home of Liveworks since its inception in 2015 and this year it's back at the expansive venue with yet another line-up of free and ticketed ground-breaking new art and performance to discover from 19–29 October. Across ten days, Liveworks will feature more than 60 artists presenting live performances, dance, visual art, installation, screen events, conversation and music by influential artists including new works by Rainbow Chan 陳雋然, Brooke Stamp, Latai Taumoepeau and Rosanna Raymond. Liveworks 2023 will include a major blast to Performance Space's past in honour of this significant anniversary. The legendary cLUB bENT, the OG queer club night that had everyone talking from '95 to '98, is making a fierce comeback. Get ready for one night of unadulterated fun, a glorious celebration of the queer community, and a showcase of talents that'll blow your mind. The original stars are teaming up with fresh faces, all ready to bring down the house in a spectacular fusion of nostalgia and new beginnings. [caption id="attachment_915736" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steve Sar, Liveworks. Credit: Joseph Meyers.[/caption] Other returning programs are reimagined for the present, such as Antistatic reborn as Antistatic Redux which features a suite of works – new and from the archives. Nighttime Righttime reimagines Nighttime with new and legendary work from iconic artists The Fondue Set, Post, Julie-Anne Long, Kaz Therese, Tei Kim Pok, Wart and Tina Havelock Stevens. Liveworks 2023 Opening Night on Thursday, October 19 is a free event that will feature a DJ set by Stereogamous as well as some nibbles and tipples. After the festivities, visitors can explore the rest of Carriageworks for the first round of Liveworks performances and installations. The full program for Liveworks will be announced in the coming weeks. The full program and artist lineup are available on the Performance Space website. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, August 31, at 12pm, AEDT. Top Image: The Bridal Lament by Rainbow Chan. Photograph by Capsule48.
The slam-dunkers in Sydney's arts, music, food and culture realms are about to get a shiny assembly award for their awesomeness — FBi Radio have announced their nominees for the 2015 SMAC Awards. Celebrating the top tier of Sydney Music Art and Culture (SMAC), the awards have been running since 2008 and have given ups to young whippersnappers like Flume, Seeake, The Preatures, Hermitude, artists Beastman and Tony Albert and more, who've obviously gone on to be bigwigs. This year, the SMACs have a new bunch of go-getters on the table, all vying for the shiny SMAC in January. Across 11 categories, Sydney artists, restaurants, bars, musicians, performers, event planners and producers have been handpicked by the FBi team and their industry mates. Public voting opens today (November 10) and runs until 5pm December 18. Winners will be announced at a schwanko ceremony on January 12, broadcast broadcast live on FBi 94.5FM — and remember, you can celebrate the history of the SMACs at the giant festival FBi are putting together for Sydney Festival on January 10. Enough chatskies, here's the nominees. FBi RADIO 2015 SMAC AWARD NOMINEES: RECORD OF THE YEAR Hermitude - Dark Night Sweet Light Little May - For The Company Sampa The Great - The Great Mixtape Royal Headache - High Tuka - Life Death Time Eternal Gang of Youths - The Positions NEXT BIG THING B Wise Gordi Sampa The Great Vallis Alps World Champion REMIX THE CITY Bankstown Live Lovebombs Motion Pictures Perfect Match Raising the Bar Sydney BEST ON STAGE The Battle of Waterloo - Sydney Theatre Company The Bleeding Tree - Griffin Theatre Nothing to Lose - Force Majeure The Wizard of Oz - Belvoir Tangi Wai - Performance Space BEST LIVE ACT – presented by Coopers Alex Cameron Flowertruck George Maple Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders Royal Headache FBi CLICK BEST PRODUCER – presented by V MoVement Alba Cassius Select Corin Moonbase Commander Wave Racer BEST MUSIC EVENT FCX: 10 Years of Future Classic House of Mince Mates Repressed Records at Vivid LIVE Volumes 2015 BEST SONG – presented by APRA AMCOS Angie - Down For The Count Shining Bird - River Mouth Gordi - Taken Blame Cosmo’s Midnight ft Kucka - Walk With Me Big White - You Know I Love You BEST ARTS PROGRAM 48HR Incident Little Baghdad Marina Ambramovic: In Residence Underbelly Arts 2015 Yellamundie BEST ARTIST – presented by the Keir Foundation Abdul Abdullah Bhenji Ra Haines and Hinterding Latai Taumpoepeau Rosie Deacon BEST EATS – presented by Cake Wines ACME Andy Bowdy Pastry Automata Dead Ringer Scout’s Honour Vote at FBi Radio's website. Image: Andy Bowdy.
Ever since Sex and the City wormed its way into our collective subconscious, brunch has been synonymous with getting boozy. And Luke Mangan of MOJO knows it. This year, Brunch of Fun is back and sweeter than ever. On Saturday, April 30, Mangan is bringing together some huge foodie names for a brunch that would even make Samantha blush, including MasterChef runner up Reynold Pernomo, Insta-famous baker Alicia Henderson and the ballers from N2 Gelato and Black Star Pastry. On the menu (for between $10-15 a pop) you'll find brunch delicacies aplenty to line your stomach such as the MOJO brekkie burger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, fried egg and kimchi mayo, and bagels with smoked salmon, zucchini fritters, a poached egg, corn, avocado and horseradish salsa. You'll be able to wash it down with temptingly priced bevs ($5 beers, $10 wines and $15 champagne cocktails). Those of you who really, really love brunch can even join Luke Mangan at an intimate, ticketed degustation beforehand (tickets are $75) featuring endless free-flowing champagne. Trade Weetbix for champers? Fabulous. And if you dig what you see at MOJO, you might want to enter Mangan's CEO search — it's like MasterChef for switched on foodie bloggers, artisan food supplies and DIY home cooks. Brunch of Fun coincides with the last day to enter.
There's something special about escaping to the country for the weekend. We're talking fresh air, a slow pace and loads of delicious local produce to sample. This year, however, it's been a bit trickier to achieve the booze and food-fuelled weekend of our dreams. So if you, like us, are craving a weekend getaway, we've got just the thing to fill the mini break-shaped hole in your heart. This spring, the high country is coming to your home thanks to our pals at Reed & Co Distillery — a family-owned gin distillery based in the Victorian Alpine region town of Bright. Across two Thursdays in September, you and your mates could experience the interactive at-home gin tasting class High Spirits with head distiller and owner of Reed & Co Distillery, Hamish Nugent. Throughout the class, Nugent will guide you through a gin tasting session, teach you how to make the perfect gin and tonic and even take you on a virtual tour of where the magic happens in the distillery. Sound like something you want to sign up to? You can. Just make sure you register at least a week before the session date so the tasting kit will get to you in time. There's nothing sadder than a gin tasting session without gin. Inside the kit you'll find five 100ml spirits, 200ml of Fever-Tree tonic water, a gorgeous garnish pack, creative recipe cards and helpful tasting notes. High Spirits by Reed & Co Distillery will kick off at 7pm on Thursday, September 9 and Thursday, September 16. To get yourself all set for a big night in sampling gin and to book, visit the website.
As the weather gets chillier, one of the nicest night time options is to settle yourself in a cosy bar with some loved ones and simply relax over a glass of wine. Since Sydney's small bar revolution began, we've seen a wave of establishments open which are perfect for the once-maligned activities of chardonnay-sipping in intimate and relaxed surrounds. Now, not only do we have some of the loveliest wine bars around, but we also have a wealth of options. We've whittled down a list of what we think are the best places to grab a glass of wine in this fine city. From the most seasoned connoisseurs to first-time wine drinkers, there is something for everybody, and the onset of winter is the perfect time to get to know all of these cosy establishments. 1. Love, Tilly Devine Address: 91 Crown St, Darlinghurst The people at Love, Tilly Devine are excited about their wine, about the future of their neighbourhood, and about their food. The bar is tucked away in a Darlinghurst alley, with open windows and exposed brick walls, cosy and endlessly welcoming. Don't come to Love, Tilly Devine if you want to get drunk. There are other places to do that. The staff are happy to help out if you feel a bit befuddled by the seemingly limitless selection (the wine list currently sits at just under 300 varieties), and suggest the perfect seasonal food to accompany your drinks. For review and details click here 2. The Wine Library Address: 18 Oxford St, Woollahra Tucked in between the boutiques at the Woollahra end of Oxford Street, The Wine Library melds a high end bar at the front with a trim courtyard in the middle and nookish intimacy out the back. At 7pm you'd be hard pressed to swing a kitten - there's a queue that snakes out the door as locals and blow-ins from across the bridge cram in for their share of prosecco and a board of prosciutto. At lunch they get it just right. There's plenty of room to breathe and time to ponder the clipboarded menu which takes a jolly tour around some of the best of Europe. All of the food is matched up impeccably with the wine list, because after all that's what The Wine Library is all about. For review and details click here 3. 10 William Street Address: 10 William St, Paddington From the people that brought Sydney Fratelli Paradiso, 10 William Street sits inside a converted storefront in the most boutique of boutique shopping strips in Paddington. Given that Paddington has declined since its hey-day back in the '90s as Sydney's groundbreaking dining and drinking scene, 10 William Street is proof that there's still life in Paddington yet, and gives you a very welcome reason to pay a visit. Stripped back and simple, 10 William Street is blessedly free of pretention - there are white walls, naked lightbulbs, a wooden counter and a big chalkboard advertising the entire wine list. While the selection of drinks is vast enough to satisfy the most seasoned connoisseurs, those who feel at a loss when it comes to swilling and sniffing bouquets will also be at home in this comfortable bar. For review and details click here 4. 121Bc Address: 4/50 Holt St, Surry Hills (enter via Gladstone St) With a focus on regional Italian flavours, 121BC's wine list changes monthly, and is complemented by the menu of fresh, seasonal food which is uniformly delicious. If you have trouble picking precisely what it is you want to drink from the prolific wine list, the staff are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and happy to help you out and explain the ins and outs of your drink like an over-zealous chemistry teacher. The long bar around which stools are clustered makes the most of the slick, narrow inner-city space, seating about twenty five people in the sultry, intimate room. The seating arrangement means 121BC works best if there's just the two of you, as you'll be seated beside one another at optimum footsy-playing distance. For review and details click here 5. Timbah Address: 375 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe For a relaxed atmosphere, a guy on the piano in the corner, and a feeling of being very sophisticated for a Sunday afternoon without having to hoof it to the Eastern Suburbs, Timbah is well worth visiting Timbah has introduced an interesting new concept. The first six people to order wine on any night choose the six bottles that will be served by the glass for that night, taking that horrible 'oh dear which wine shall I choose' feeling out of the equation. When those six run out, another lot are chosen. For review and details click here 6. Shop & Wine Bar Address: 78 Curlewis St, Bondi Beach A cafe by day, the Shop & Wine Bar transforms Cinderella-style into one of the best wine bars in town come sundown. The Shop & Wine Bar has nailed the kind of relaxed, Melbourne-esque local wine bar schtick to the ground. Catering to the people of Bondi since 2004, The Shop & Wine Bar is one of the best places to go to if you want a cool, casual place to simply chill with a glass of wine and a few close friends. The wine is the focus here, with a good but carefully curated selection hovering around the $30 mark, mostly sold by the bottle rather than by the glass. You can also get the odd sharing plate if you want something to line your stomach with. For review and details click here 7. Bentley Bar Address: 320 Crown St, Surry Hills While Bentley is an award-winning restaurant, nothing stops you from stopping in just to experience their extraordinary wine bar. With a makeover from Melbourne architect Pascale Gomes-McNabb, the space has been transformed in recent years from the seedy pub of the '90s to a chic, understated dining and drinking space. The Bentley has one of the most comprehensive wine lists in Australia, with over 600 local and overseas bottles on their ever-evolving wine list, curated by award-winning sommelier and Bentley co-owner Nick Hildebrandt. For review and details click here 8. Berkelouw Wine Bar Address: Level 1, 70 Norton St, Leichhardt Wine has to feature pretty heavily on everyone’s winter craving list, when a cosy chair and a glass of red seem to be all that can shake the winter blues. So if you want all that, and to be surrounded by the comforting smell of bound paper, Norton Street’s Berkelouw Wine Bar is your place. Not for the rollicking weekend crowds that inhabit other pubs nearby, this is more the place you could visit for an afternoon aperitif after browsing through the bookstore below. It turns out the grand piano taking pride of place in the centre of the room isn't just for show. Small ensembles, pianists and singers will croon away your troubles as you sit looking down on to busy Norton Street below. For review and details click here 9. Vini Address: 3/118 Devonshire St, Surry Hills If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Italy for the food but haven’t had the chance, Vini brings an authentic taste of regional Italy direct to Sydney. Yet Vini is not just a place for foodies. As the name suggests, wine lovers are well catered for. After a few glasses, however, you might find your memory of the meal becomes a little hazy. The intimate, cosy atmosphere of Vini makes you feel as if you're dropping into your local. With consistently good service and food that satisfies all your senses, a wait in the pub is well worthwhile. For review and details click here 10. The Passage Address: 231a Victoria St, Darlinghurst There's something a little ol' timey about The Passage. It's intimate without being cute, antique without being themed. This long, slim space - decked out with brown leather, marble tables, and crisp black and white artworks by local designers Babëkuhl - is a truly unique offering on the Sydney scene. While their tailor made cocktail menu shines in and of itself, The Passage has an enviable hand picked wine list which alone is worth the visit. Serving mostly by the bottle, their small and curated wine list is predominantly Australian and offers several biodynamic and organic options alongside the more traditional choices. For review and details click here
The seventh season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is currently dropping new episodes weekly via SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand — which means you're either eagerly catching each fresh instalment every Friday, or you've got some catch-up binging to do. Either way, if you've been watching and rewatching the hit cop sitcom since it first premiered back in 2013, then you also have something else to pop in your calendar: Isolation Trivia's upcoming B99-themed online quiz evening. How long did Charles Boyle spend dreaming of Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago's wedding? What did Rosa Diaz do before she was a cop? Who keeps swooping in and taking the Nine-Nine crew's cases? Which one is Scully and which is Hitchcock? And which one of the latter duo has a twin? If you can answer all of the above — and name Captain Holt's dog, Terry's kids, Gina's dance troupe and Jake's favourite movie — then you're set for this trivia night. And, because these fictional TV cops wouldn't want you breaking Australia's current social-distancing guidelines, it's all taking place virtually. Live-streaming from 6.30pm AEST (7.30pm AEDT) on Thursday, April 2, this online trivia contest is completely devoted to the show that was cancelled and then resurrected in the space of 36 hours, then was renewed for an eighth season before its seventh one even aired, and features more Die Hard references than you'd think possible in one sitcom. We'd keep asking Brooklyn Nine-Nine questions and dropping tidbits, but we'll save some for the big night. If you're as keen to take part as Terry is about a tub of yoghurt, you just need to head to the Isolation Trivia Facebook page, click 'get reminder' and clear out your Thursday night. That'll be your time to shine (and that can also be the title of your sex tape if you'd like). Images: SBS
