There is something to be said in this modern age for a bookstore that is filled with customers at all times of the year, not just at peak present-buying periods. Independent bookstore Better Read Than Dead is one such store. The shop, which has been in Newtown since 1996, is one of the most revered literary lands in Sydney and arguably a strong factor in why the city's literary community is thriving. The seemingly never-ending walls of books seem like a positive challenge to explore rather than a daunting one. The shelves are lined with little place-cards that highlight staff recommendations; the fact that there are so many glowing reviews indicates the quality of titles that are stocked. It regularly hosts literary events from book launches to high tea with authors. Soon to come are literary tours where book-lovers will take expertly-guided tours in key literary gems around the world, from Paris to America's Deep South, retracing famous authors footsteps and immersing themselves into the local culture. Image: James Horan
Following a Golden Globe haul earlier this year, Donald Glover's series Atlanta has landed an Australian premiere. Heading to the newly minted SBS Viceland channel on Tuesday, February 28 at 9.30pm, the award-winning series will be shown in double episodes weekly. Even better, the entire series will be available on SBS On Demand from the same date. Created, co-written, and produced by Glover, also known as artist Childish Gambino, Atlanta follows the life of Princeton dropout Earn Marks (Glover) and his cousin Alfred 'Paper Boi' Miles (Brian Tyree Henry). The series sees Earn supporting his two-year-old daughter and managing his rapper cousin trying his luck at breaking into the music industry. The series took out two Golden Globes in January, with Glover landing Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, and Atlanta taking out Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Atlanta is one series we think you should catch up on after the Golden Globes. Read the whole list here.
While Chinese art might conjure up images from centuries past for a lot of us, the White Rabbit collection maintains a focus on contemporary Chinese art created during this century. The collection rotates throughout the year, consistently bringing in new explorations into modern art in China. Beyond the art, White Rabbit also runs its own teahouse, serving up specialities in all types of Chinese tea. The warming teas sit alongside a selection of snacks, including a plate of handmade dumplings. A trip to the White Rabbit immerses you in contemporary and traditional Chinese culture, all without the cost of a plane ticket.
You did it. You survived another Sydney winter. You made it through the dreary, grey season and we're not even going to judge you for how many nights you spent under a doona, indulging in goodies from the snack aisle and binging Fleabag. And one of the wonderful things about living in this part of the world is poking your head out as spring arrives and jumping on the road for an adventure before the weather gets altogether too hot. With flowers blossoming in Bowral, food markets hitting regional hubs and festival season just around the corner, there's no better time to get out there. Together with MG — in celebration of its new limited-edition MG3S hatchback — we've come up with six activities that will get you out of Sydney and enjoying the spring sunshine in style.
UPDATE, Friday, December 8: Leave the World Behind screens in cinemas from Thursday, November 23 and streams via Netflix from Friday, December 8. Call it the one with Julia Roberts playing the mother of a Friends-obsessed 13-year-old girl who hasn't clocked that someone closely resembling her mum pops up in the sitcom's second season. Call it writer/director Sam Esmail still ruing humanity's technological reliance and seeing only dystopian outcomes after Mr Robot became such a small-screen success. Call Leave the World Behind an effectively unnerving psychological thriller about a mysterious communications blackout striking while one New York family holidays at another's palatial Long Island vacation home, too. Down Under, badging it the horror version of Australia's November 2023 Optus outage also fits — just with a home-invasion angle that can be read two ways; Hitchcockian suspense, sharp writing and baked-in bleakness; Barack and Michelle Obama as executive producers; and Roberts (Ticket to Paradise) starring alongside Ethan Hawke (Reservation Dogs), Mahershala Ali (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), Myha'la Herrold (Dumb Money) and Kevin Bacon (The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special). In her second chaotic getaway in two successive movies, Roberts plays Amanda Sandford, an advertising executive who prides herself on being able to read people and situations. But her professor husband Clay (Hawke) is surprised to awaken one morning to news that their brood is going away for a few days, thanks to a humanity-escaping misanthropic urge and a last-minute online booking. He and the couple's kids — the older Archie (Charlie Evans, Everything's Gonna Be Okay) and younger Rose (Farrah Mackenzie, United States of Al) — aren't complaining about the break, though. Then problems after eerie problems occur. First, an oil tanker runs ashore on the beach. Next comes the late-night knock at the door from their holiday home's owner GH Scott (Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Herrold), who've driven in all dressed up from a night at the symphony. In a movie that isn't afraid of M Night Shyamalan-esque setups on its route to potential societal collapse, a power, phone and internet outage follows, plus oddly behaving wildlife and disquieting developments from above. Paranoia is Esmail's on-screen wheelhouse as much as distrusting the gadgets and connectivity that've become foundations of 21st-century life, so him bringing Rumaan Alam's 2020 novel to the screen is hardly a shock. Cultivating tension is also key among the film and TV director, writer and producer's skills, with Leave the World Behind providing another superb avenue for him to demonstrate that talent. With Mr Robot and this, which is only his second feature as a filmmaker (after 2014's Comet), Esmail has proven fond of filtering life's stresses, reliances and fears through harrowing but grounded-enough situations. Leave the World Behind's circumstances coming true doesn't feel like a fiction-only jump, and nor do the reactions from Amanda, her loved ones and the strangers that they encounter. If existence as we currently know it concludes, falters or is disrupted significantly, perhaps it'll be more mundane than instantly cataclysmic, Esmail keeps positing. Scene by scene, Leave the World Behind tears into the vacation idyll early. The trip to the beach under beaming sunlight becomes a disaster movie when Rose spots the ship heading straight for the shore, as grippingly handled by Esmail, his regular Mr Robot cinematographer Tod Campbell and editor Lisa Lassek (Dead Ringers). The distress that lingers in that incident's aftermath only multiplies when the Scotts show up — not thanks to their presence, but due to Amanda's Karen-style reaction. When there's no way of accessing the outside world, the kids try to swim away the unease while the adults argue, yet the disquieting vibe just keeps building. As the tanker moment illustrates, Leave the World Behind doesn't shy away from hefty instances of prospective end-of-the-world mayhem, with more springing; however, blockbuster spectacle isn't this feature's core focus. Indeed, this isn't just a film about responding to another apocalyptic scenario, of which screens big and small can't get enough (see: Shyamalan's Knock at the Cabin, plus The Creator, Biosphere and The Last of Us are a mere few fellow 2023 examples). Leave the World Behind is also steeped in today's attitudes as well as its accoutrements; that Alam's book is a pandemic-era release is fitting. So, the entitlement and prejudice that Amanda sports when financial planner GH and twentysomething Ruth arrive speaks volumes. The division and doubt between Amanda and Ruth across generational and racial lines do as well. The same applies to the panic when no manner of devices can deliver the news, a number of supremely self-serving decisions, and one helluva dark but glorious gag that stops anyone from hightailing it out of there and never looking back. As the Sandfords and the Scotts alike — and survivalist Danny (Bacon) as well — contemplate what's behind their chilling change of affairs, surveying everything from cyberterrorism to nuclear troubles, that humanity might be its worst enemy echoes loud and clear. Esmail and Roberts have teamed up before on TV series Homecoming, which he created and directed, and also when the former executive produced the latter-starring Gaslit. Enlisting America's sweetheart in an against-type part that gets her playing suspicious, privileged, contemptuous and prickly guides out a compelling performance, and one of her best in years; Roberts turns in an invested portrayal, and is also among the movie's producers. An always-magnetic two-time Oscar-winner (for Moonlight and Green Book), Ali renders GH as open, trusting and reasonable where Amanda is not, with some of the film's top sequences stemming from the pair sharing the frame. Hawke nails his affable part, and Herrold her no-nonsense role. It isn't just how its characters handle their plight, for better and for worse, that makes Leave the World Behind resonate with emotional truth, but the fleshed-out performances that are always centre stage. On the list of things that Esmail and his film don't shirk, humour and paying homage to Hitchcock also rank highly. The idea that the crashing of society mightn't stop a TV fan from wanting to see how their favourite show ends is both an astute commentary on the dominance of pop culture and deeply funny, while nods to The Birds and North by Northwest are well-handled tributes. Making Friends the series that Rose is obsessed with is all the more affecting after Matthew Perry's recent passing, but it's "I'll be there for you" refrain was always pitch-perfect for this tale. As America and the globe keep being factionalised, doomsday possibilities continue to loom and conspiracy theories about almost everything abound, what and who will be there for you? Call that one of the trains of thought that this ambitious, playful, savvy and cutting picture serves up.
Write a list of all the gifts you need to buy and take it to this shop. Step inside this Paddington treasure trove of knick-knacks and odd items and you're guaranteed to find something irreverent, joyful or unusual for your loved ones. Novelty gifts? Tick. Bath and body set? Yep. Opus has it all. And when you don't know where to start, there's a handy online gift guide to sort your well-groomed dad and your tech-savvy mum. It's a primo place to go when you have absolutely no idea what to get — maybe it's a book on how to be a boss bitch, new candles for the friend with new digs, or drinking games for that Kris Kringle. Make it your first stop and give yourself a giggle at the humorous cards section. [caption id="attachment_798513" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Calling all history buffs: now is an excellent time to plan a long weekend in Canberra, with an incredible exhibition celebrating the might of the Roman Empire arriving at the National Museum of Australia (NMA) on Friday, September 21. Rome: City and Empire is a collaborative exhibition with the British Museum and makes the NMA only the second institution to host it worldwide — and the only museum that will do so in Australia. The exhibition showcases over 200 jaw-dropping objects, including marble sculptures, illustrations, geometric jewellery, gold medallions and burial chests — many of which have never toured internationally, let alone reached the Southern Hemisphere. This is once-in-a-lifetime stuff. Whether you're a history aficionado who smashes all the ancient Rome questions at trivia or a total novice, the exhibition offers an opportunity to step back in time to experience what daily life was like in one of the most sophisticated, culturally diverse and creative civilisations the world has ever known. You'll leave with an insight into just how Rome became such a mighty empire — one whose aesthetics, ingenuity and approach to design continue to influence us today. Rome: City and Empire will run from Friday, September 21, 2018 to Sunday, February 3, 2019. Tickets can be purchased via the NMA's website. Images: Fragment of a diadem, Naukratis, Egypt, 67–98 CE, gold; Roman Republican coin for Julius Caesar minted in Rome, Italy, 44 BCE, silver; Mosaic panel, Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum), Turkey, 4th century CE ©Trustees of the British Museum
During the COVID-19 lockdown, many Australians have turned to home baking for comfort. Scroll through your Instagram feed and you're sure to see an overexcited jar of sourdough starter, a misshapen loaf or a #squishvid. Head on over to your local supermarket, though, and you're likely to find empty shelves where the flour once sat. This isn't just the scenario in Australia, either. According to Miller Magazine, flour demand has doubled in the UK and French supermarket sales have tripled, and in an episode of Samin Nosrat's new podcast Home Cooking a desperate Angelean asks how to make their wife white cake without the hard-to-find white flour (hint: you can't). But, if you're keen to begin your own baking adventures, not all hope is lost. You might actually find the elusive powder hiding at your local restaurant or cafe. As restaurants have been forced to adapt during the closure of non-essential indoor venues, many have pivoted to providing their local communities with grocery essentials and produce boxes. And one of the essential products they're selling is — you guessed it — flour. [caption id="attachment_768410" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Emma Joyce[/caption] Many Sydney cafes, including Marrickville's Cherry Moon, Brickfields in Chippendale, St Peters' Sample Coffee and Surry Hills' Reuben Hills and Single O, now have flour on their shelves, available to pick up or (in some cases) deliver. If you're looking for the gluten-free version, Waverley's Wholegreen Bakery has you covered. Two pubs, The Tudor Hotel and The Royal Hotel, are now convenience stores, stocking toilet paper, hand sanitiser and, yes, flour. Some restaurants are also selling produce boxes, including Fratelli Fresh, which are filled with a heap of pantry staples. In Melbourne, non-profit cafe Sibling has its own online store with baking ingredients, including flour and yeast, while St Kilda East's Grosvenor Hotel and Lamaro's Hotel in South Melbourne both have their own a bottle-o and shop. Ted's Grocer — formerly all-day diner Theodore's — also has produce boxes and essentials. If you've already jumped on the baking trend and are looking at other quarantine cooking projects to start, we're rounded up six fun, tasty and time-consuming recipes you can try out here. If and when you do decide to head out to get groceries, remember to follow the Australian Government Department of Health's social distancing guidelines. Top image: Cherry Moon by Kitti Gould
In case you haven't heard, some pretty big names in the art world are calling the Art Gallery of NSW home at the moment. The Masters of Modern Art from the Hermitage exhibition features over 65 works from the late 19th- and early 20th-century's most revered artists, drawn extensively from St Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum. This is a rare opportunity for Sydneysiders to come face-to-face with iconic paintings from the likes of Monet, Cézanne, Matisse and Picasso — works which have come to define a revolutionary point in art history. To celebrate this blockbuster exhibition, the Art Gallery of NSW's much-loved restaurant Chiswick at the Gallery is hosting a suitably artistic dining package. For $82 per person, you'll dine on a delicious two-course meal with a glass of wine or 4 Pines beer before setting off to explore the exhibition. Dishes are prepared by head chef Tim Brindley and stay true to the restaurant's 'garden-to-plate' philosophy — with ingredients even thrown in from the garden outside. Choose from seared snapper with capers, witlof and asparagus or grilled spatchcock served with zucchini and flowers for your main, and then, for dessert, there's strawberry, coconut and lemon balm or Valrhona flourless chocolate cake with cherry liquor and cherry sorbet. The Chiswick team has designed a series of artist-inspired cocktails to add to your meal ($20 each), too. There's the Monet, with vodka, strawberry-rose syrup and citrus, the Picasso, with bourbon, sherry, mandarin syrup and bitters, and the Cézanne, with gin, apple liqueur, citrus and bitters. It's food (and drink) meets art and, in our opinion, the tastiest way to experience one of the Art Gallery of NSW's landmark exhibitions. The dining series is available at Chiswick at the Gallery throughout the duration of Masters of Modern Art from the Hermitage exhibition. It's available for lunch daily and for dinner on Wednesday nights until Sunday, March 3. The menu price also includes entry into the exhibition. To make a reservation, head to the restaurant's website. Images: Rachel Kara.
Backyard cricket, barbecues and water sports are all Aussie summer clichés for a reason: they're good, wholesome fun. Another one? Outdoor cinemas. And we're here to tell you the very good news that North Sydney's version of this al fresco activity is returning for another season. Sunset Cinema is once again taking over North Sydney Oval from January 15–March 20. Whether you're planning a cosy date night or easy family outing under the stars, this year's extensive program has something for everyone. The nostalgic lineup ranges from 80s cult films like Dirty Dancing to Studio Ghibli favourite Spirited Away and a whole heap of Oscar nominees, including Knives Out, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and 1917. There are also sing-along screenings of Bohemian Rhapsody and Greatest Showman, and a Valentine's Day 10 Things I Hate About You special. BYO picnics are encouraged, but if you want to enjoy a sparkling or brew throughout the film, the on-site bar will be serving a range of wines, beer and cider. Didn't pack enough snacks? There'll be food trucks and plenty of the requisite movie treats like chips, chocolates, lollies and bottomless popcorn. Yep, buy a box and you can get free (endless) refills. Tickets start at $20 for adults, with a premium $45 lawn lounge package on offer, too — it includes entry, a prime-viewing bean bag reserved on the lawn, a beverage of your choice and a box of popcorn.
The Sydney Tweed Ride is back, ready to add some sartorial elegance to bikes lanes across the city. As the title suggests, cyclists are implored to ditch the leaving-little-to-the-imagination lycra and dress in their finest tweed for a serendipitous cycle around Sydney. For one June Sunday, dapper will reclaim the lanes as pedlars wheel out the tweed and the odd penny-farthing in celebration of simpler fashion times. Gents, there will be no better opportunity to sport a handlebar than whilst gripping your handlebars so dress up ol' sports. If your wardrobe isn't replete with tweed then do not fret, you can still partake, just dress warm and be ready to say "jolly good show chaps and chapesses" at select intervals. The event is part of a growing global movement of tweed rides, and runs, that has proven very popular in both England and America and after a brief hiatus in 2012, the popular annual event is ready to peddle again. So if you feel like dropping the cleats for pleats, registration (which is compulsory, as is a helmet) begins on the day at 8am at Town Hall. Tally ho! UPDATE 2: The Tweed Ride has been postponed a second time, to a future date to be determined. More details here. Image courtesy of Garry Knight
This William Street boutique has been serving well-dressed women in Sydney for the best part of two decades. Owners Nicola Lie and Juliet Kember started out with their eyes on the fashion and style of Belgium for inspiration, but time has evolved the store's range into a collection of local and overseas brands including Issey Miyake, Dries van Noten and Comme des Garçon. The overall style here is loose fitting, laidback and structural, created from premium fabrics and designed to outlast high street trends. It can be a fairly intimidating boutique to approach, so take a look at the collection online for an idea of what's likely to be in stock — or keep an eye out for Poepke's biannual archives sale for the best bargains. [caption id="attachment_779551" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] If you're browsing William Street's upmarket stores, drop by to check out the Maison Balzac glassware, Mondo Mondo jewellery and sleepwear by Deiji Studios, which you'll also find in store. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
When he's not playing the hero — anti- or otherwise —, Vin Diesel is quite the fan of Dungeons & Dragons. It's worth keeping that tidbit in mind as The Last Witch Hunter unravels, because that's where the film finds its basis. Cory Goodman, one of the movie's three writers, reportedly bonded with Diesel over their shared fondness for the fantasy role-playing game, then wrote a script based upon the actor's witch hunter D&D character. Goodman's love letter to his leading man's favourite pastime has since been filtered through two other scribes (Dracula Untold's Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless), as well as Sahara and The Crazies director Breck Eisner. But that doesn't stop it from feeling like the indulgent exercise that it is. And while no one is decrying Diesel for wanting to do something on film other than driving fast cars furiously and exchanging lingering glances with The Rock, he's not asked to do much here other than look serious amid some supernatural special effects. As the movie's moniker gives away, Diesel's Kaulder is the final fighter of the bewitching folk who live among humanity, and has been for eight centuries. After he vanquished the Witch Queen in the 13th century, he was cursed with immortality, meaning years of trying to rid the world of the evil and enchanting. As his offsider (Michael Caine) prepares to retire and let a newcomer (Elijah Wood) take his place, a fresh source of wicked sorcery strikes. With his past the key to his present predicament, Kaulder must call upon bar-owning good witch Chloe (Rose Leslie) to help him plunge into his own memories and track down his new foe. That The Last Witch Hunter comes across as Batman-esque isn't just a byproduct of Caine playing a butler-like priest. When a moody, brooding warrior stalks the city streets slaying enemies, motivated by personal losses and a blistering sense of righteousness, it's not hard to find similarities between the two. Alas, the comparison doesn't bode well for the derivative film currently on screens, particularly when there's not much more of a plot to tie it to. Diesel tries his best to make his scowling charm cover up the lack of narrative excitement, but though his efforts are noted, they're not the magic fix the movie needs. Still, other than slick-enough visuals and a few fun touches (a ravenous monster for a prison and a tree bewitched to appear to grow gummy bears, for example), he remains the best element of the surprisingly action-sparse film. He might stand around more than you'd think he should, but you have to admire his dedication to the messiness that surrounds him. Audiences might not be engaged in the occult antics that pad out the film's running time, nor the plodding dialogue that does the same, but at least Diesel is committed — and considerably more so than his seemingly bored co-stars, as doesn't escape attention. Unfortunately, as the later two Riddick films proved, his enthusiasm isn't enough to brighten up the blandness he willingly and affectionately wades into when he's not behind the wheel of a high-octane franchise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsuG2JUgs_8
Quiet achievers Little Dragon are a bit of an elusive bunch. Despite jamming together for nearly two decades, the Swedish quartet only gained a serious fan-base following their breakout hit 'Twice' in 2009. But these high school pals-turned-internationally touring chart-toppers are proof that sometimes the best things take time. Making their way around Australia for a string of Laneway Festival appearances, Little Dragon have squeezed in a couple of sneaky sideshows for those not festivaling. Channeling their signature blend of genre-bending beats, their latest fourth studio album Nabuma Rubberband sees a smooth set of dance tracks with strong electro-pop and R&B tendencies. Previous collaborations with the likes of the Gorillaz, SBTRKT and Big Boi have seen these guys go from virtual unknowns to a globally recognised act. With captivating vocals courtesy of Yukimi Nagano guaranteed to get audiences grooving, these performances won't disappoint.
Fancy grabbing a drink and hitting a hole-in-one at the same time? How about working your way around two different nine-hole mini-golf courses in a venue that was once a church? If you answered yes to either of these questions and you're in Brisbane, you're in luck. Thanks to Holey Moley Golf Club, come September 29 you can do all of the above. Taking over the Fortitude Valley site that has hosted many a bar, club, gig and dance party in recent years — and many a religious ceremony before that — Holey Moley aims to get eager punters exclaiming its name several times over. That's an understandable reaction given that the leisure entertainment complex will include mini-golf, a cocktail bar and an all-round hangout hub rolled into one. Those keen on teeing off will be pleased to know that each of the 18 holes will have their own theme, with the venue hinting that a mashup of Alice in Wonderland, iconic surfing culture, puppeteers, arguably the best retro video game ever, Nirvana, Snoop Dog, Pharrell Williams and Chubby Checker, Game of Thrones and more is on the cards. And anyone eager to sample the space's other treats can look forward to cocktails such as the Tee Quila Mocking Birdie, Teeyonce Holes, Long Island Iced Tee and G & Tee, plus a food truck menu. If it all sounds like one of the most novel ideas for a new inner-city hotspot you've heard in some time, that's because it is — but hey, people probably thought that when Strike Bowling combined knocking down pins and knocking back beverages. In fact, the folks behind Holey Moley would know a thing or two about that, because they also started Strike. We can only assume that a frisbee-themed nightclub is going to be their next venture. Holey Moley Golf Club opens on September 29 at 25 Warner Street, Fortitude Valley. For more information, keep an eye on their website and Facebook page.
Trump. Inequality. Charlottesville. North Korea. Taylor Swift's 'Look What You Made Me Do'. It's been a, er, testing year thus far. And if it weren't for our ability to talk about it — whether it's desperately debating asylum seeker policy in a pub corner, scrolling through Twitter for solidarity or listening to a critical analysis of covfefe on the way to work — we would probably all be hiding under makeshift bomb shelters in our kitchens by now. But when do we stop talking (and talking) about the state of the world and actually start doing something? That's what the Sydney Opera House set out to address this weekend at ANTIDOTE, a new festival that has replaced the Festival of Dangerous Ideas on their program with the intention of inspiring action. The inaugural ANTIDOTE, which ran over two days, featured a range of speakers, artists and activists whose subject matter moved, for the most part, past the visceral into the practical. They showed us that action isn't always seen through protest — that it can come through satire, by lifting yourself up with 20,000 balloons or just moaning really loudly until someone listens. While it's hard to say if the audiences at ANTIDOTE will put any of their newfound learnings into practice — except perhaps those who are bound by contract from immersive theatre game The Money — here's five things we took away from the festival. It's up to you to crawl out from your bunker and put them into action. [caption id="attachment_635687" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton / Sydney Opera House[/caption] IT'S ACTUALLY DIFFICULT TO SATIRISE DONALD TRUMP — THE ONION America's finest news source has been satirising US politics, everyday life and the power ranking of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen since 1988. They've found ways to cover presidents like George W. Bush ('Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over') and Barack Obama ('Black Guy Asks Nation for Change') — and so, with the election of Trump last year, you'd think it would have made The Onion's job a total cakewalk. Not so. According to managing editor Marnie Shure, video director Katy Yeiser, and senior writer Dan McGraw, who appeared in conversation with The Chaser's Craig Reucassel, Trump's absurd behaviour is inherently hard to satirise because readers often can't tell the difference between satire and reality. Unlike other government figures who usually say one thing but mean another, Trump just says what he means — and there's very little you can do with that. Although they seem to have managed just fine. [caption id="attachment_635686" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton / Sydney Opera House[/caption] PEOPLE WANT TO HELP THE HOMELESS BUT DON'T KNOW HOW — THE MONEY This was no more apparent than at Kaleider's performance of The Money. Held in the Utzon Room — with its views that dissolve into the harbour water — the concept is this: a select number of 'players' sit around the table and decide what to do with a wad of cash. They can put it towards anything legal they can unanimously agree on, but they can't donate it to charity or split it with each other. A group of 'silent witnesses' also present; they don't have a say unless they slap some money on the table, in which case they are then embedded into the decision-making process. At a session on Sunday, discussion quickly turned to acts of non-direct charity. With only $500 on the table — unlike the jackpotted $6000 that went to the YES campaign the night before — the participants wanted to find a way to use the money that would actually make a difference in someone's life. Homelessness — unlike organisations in which members had a vested interest in — was a neutral cause that no one could find a suitable opposition to. But the main question was how. Without giving directly to a charity that would help people without a home, the players decided (after much discussion and disagreement) to put the money on a gift card, that would then be donated to a non-profit to, hopefully, provide food and goods to those who need it. [caption id="attachment_635684" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton / Sydney Opera House[/caption] SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SAY THE WORDS TO REALISE PEOPLE WERE WAITING TO SAY THE SAME THING — EVE ENSLER When Eve Ensler started first performed The Vagina Monologues in a Greenwich Village cafe in 1996, the word 'vagina' was rarely spoken out loud. Nowadays it's much less taboo. And while the playwright and activist thought her play would be redundant by now (if only), the ongoing response and shift of how society views women and their bodies is still a prime example of how art has the power to transform thinking and urge people to act. Ensler took to the stage in what can only be described as a fierce powerful takedown of the "predator-in-chief", the Australian Government's policy on asylum seekers and violence against women and girls. She urged the audience to speak out, refuse to be silenced, stop looking away and say the words that everyone's thinking — because that's how they get introduced into the conversation. She then proceeded to perform a monologue that ended in all-in audience moaning. [caption id="attachment_635721" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida[/caption] TURNS OUT, HELIUM BALLOONS CAN LIFT A HUMAN — CHEROPHOBIA If you've ever watched Up, then the elation of artist Noëmi Lakmaier taking flight by way of helium balloons would not have been lost on you. Especially after the uncertainty and shared suspense of the coming-and-going audience members that visited over the nine-hour work. While her actual lift-off wasn't as dramatic as Carl and Russell's, it did offer a source of contemplation on happiness and fear for those who'd stuck around. Plus, the Concert Hall filled with 20,000 balloons was a pretty lovely sight to see. [caption id="attachment_635685" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton / Sydney Opera House[/caption] WE NEED TO DISMANTLE DOMINANT IDEOLOGIES — RENI EDDO-LODGE Reni Eddo-Lodge refuses to explain race to white people — which is fair enough, really. But after a blog post titled 'Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race' blew up in 2014, Eddo-Lodge has become a prominent journalist and blogger on the topic of, well, just that, having recently released a book of the same name. In her conversation with Benjamin Law she spoke about whiteness as an implicit but ever-present power structure that upholds the dominant ideologies that suit white people. So how do we break the cycle of dominance? Question them. Read up on indigenous history, campaign to change the date of Australia Day — don't accept the structural systems of society just because that's the way they are. Also, read her book. Top image: Letícia Almeida.
Forget those boring corporate teamwork exercises involving straws, raw eggs or paper planes. A far better way to get the team working in harmony is by trapping them in a locked room with an increasingly tense hypothetical scenario and making them problem-solve their way out. Escape rooms have never been more popular and have a strong focus on successful collaboration, so they're basically professional development disguised as fun (which will make the boss happy). Social Escape in Alexandria has four different escape rooms, each with a unique theme and premise, from a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery to a bank heist with a diamond-filled vault.
It's safe to say that Australia's COVID-19 vaccination rollout hasn't been all smooth sailing. Nor has it come without its (unfair) share of highly divided opinions. But, we can all agree that getting back to a world where we're all able to do the things we love would be very nice, indeed. For many, the arts industry is one of the biggest things we've sorely been missing in the last 18 months, and it's also one of the sectors that has been hit the hardest by the pandemic. This was the catalyst for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's compelling new ad campaign aimed at overcoming vaccine hesitancy in Australia. The Performance of a Lifetime was created with the help of a diverse cast of local artists and arts organisations in order to encourage audiences to get on board and get vaccinated when they're eligible. Its message? The sooner people play their part and get their jab — aka the performance of a lifetime — the sooner we can all get back to doing what we love. Best of all, it ditches any alarmist chat in favour of clear, straightforward messaging and a hopeful outlook. Musical comedy trio Tripod, who appeared in the ad, summarised the sentiment nicely in a media statement: "The sooner everyone mucks in and gets the jab, the sooner the arts community can get back to what we do best — providing a focal point for communities to gather, so we can all share our joy at being alive on this big, stupid planet." The two-minute-long ad features a rollcall of other familiar faces from Melbourne's music, theatre, dance and performance communities, including iconic entertainer Rhonda Burchmore OAM, composer and soprano Deborah Cheetham AO, and actress Virginia Gay. You'll also spy appearances from members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Theatre Company, The Australian Ballet and national Indigenous opera company Short Black Opera. As comedian and songwriter Tim Minchin said in a statement, "Get vaccinated Aussies…as soon as you possibly can. Let's show this fucking bug the door." You can check out the full 'Performance of a Lifetime' ad video here on YouTube.
Neutral Bay has a new laneway bar and it focuses on one of the best food pairings in existence — wine and cheese. The Cheese and Wine Co started out as a beloved Instagram account and online wine store and has now opened its first venue, showcasing Australian drops and artisanal cheeses. The casual bar sits on Grosvenor Lane, just around the corner from the institution that is The Oaks. Focusing on homegrown wines and cheeses from around the country, the new bar will include a few international names on the list as well. The wine list will rotate every three months on a seasonal basis and be limited to 50 wines maximum, with the list currently at 33 different drops. It spans from easy-to-drink vino to wines geared for a more complex palate, so both novice oenophiles and budding sommelier types can feel at home here. If you find a wine you really like, you'll eventually be able to take it home with you — all of the wines will make their way onto the online shop once they're rotated off the bar list. On the cheese side of things, the bar has 13 different types to choose from at the moment, with specialties like deep fried camembert and baked brie also making the menu. And like the wine, this list will change regularly as well. Cheese boards are served as share platters alongside charcuterie, salumi and other antipasti, so eating with your hands is encouraged. If you're looking for a taste of the lot, check out the monthly cheese and wine nights, where winemakers and cheesemongers will be invited to show off their stuff. The Cheese and Wine Co is now open at 1 Grosvenor Lane, Neutral Bay. Opening hours are Tuesday through Wednesday from 4pm to 9pm and Thursday through Saturday from 4pm to midnight.
The What We Do in the Shadows franchise shows no signs of dying, with the American TV comedy spinoff from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's hilarious movie still going strong. But one part of this saga did say goodbye, with fellow television sitcom Wellington Paranormal running for four seasons between 2018–2022. Been missing its comic take on Cops? It's now living on with a companion podcast. Back before Wellington Paranormal initially arrived, Waititi described it as "Mulder and Scully but in a country where nothing happens". With the brand-new podcast — which is called The Wellington Paranormal Podcast — the actors behind those fictional New Zealand police officers are chatting through the show. So, get ready to spend time with Karen O'Leary (Red, White & Brass) and Mike Minogue (My Life Is Murder), who played officers Karen O'Leary and Mike Minogue, as they dive into the making of the hit series. On TV, O'Leary and Minogue were Wellington's trusty paranormal investigators, with help from the always-eager Sergeant Maaka (Maaka Pohatu, Our Flag Means Death) and Officer Parker (Tom Sainsbury, Loop Track). That meant not only trying to keep the city safe from not only vampires and werewolves, but also from ghosts, aliens and more, in a show that was equally funny and silly — and never afraid to enlist familiar faces. As podcast hosts, O'Leary and Minogue will also be bringing in guests, including Pohatu and Sainsbury. Other actors will also feature, plus writers and directors, with exactly who else will be popping up left as a surprise. Listeners can tune into the end results from Thursday, November 23, with new episodes available weekly, via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps. Definitely present from the get-go: O'Leary and Minogue's familiar banter. "Karen and I are excited to be bringing this podcast to our fans all around the world. They'll both be thrilled," said Minogue about The Wellington Paranormal Podcast. "We're looking forward to dissecting each episode as well as talking to both the people who created the show, and celebrity fans who, correctly, think Wellington Paranormal is the greatest thing to ever appear on screen." The Wellington Paranormal Podcast starts streaming from Thursday, November 23, with new episodes available weekly, via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps.
Have you woken up on New Year's Eve Eve and realised your plans for ringing in 2014 are fuzzy at best, nonexistent at worst? It's not too late for you, friend. Here are our pickings of the best things on — all with room remaining for you. Harbour Fireworks The Sydney Harbour fireworks are iconic, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is iconic, and this year’s creative ambassador Reg Mombassa (or the ‘Mombassador’) is iconic. Okay, it's safe to say that the annual event will once again be, um, iconic. The Sydney Harbour foreshore is visited by 1.6 million visitors each NYE, this year themed 'Shine'. Sure, nobody likes a crowd, but if you can't beat them, join them. So make like a sardine and head to Embarkation Park, Arthur McElhone Reserve, Mrs Macquarie Park or one of many less congested suburban parks (do we need to draw you a map?) to catch a glimpse of the fireworks. They set off at 9pm for the youngsters and then again at midnight. Price: free. 9pm and midnight. NYE On The Harbour If it's firework views you’re after with the chance of a good boogie (join the queue, pal), the King St Wharf’s Cargo Bar a better destination at NYE than at any other time of year. Art vs Science, Van She, Gold Fields and DJ sets from Alison Wonderland and Bag Raiders will bring in 2014 with cheer — and with no screaming children in sight. The event sells out year after year, so nab your tickets and BYO flippers in order to get down. Tickets range from $89-$180 per person. The event starts at 7pm. 18+. Image from Cargo Bar's NYE 2011 party NYE Festival at Wet'n'Wild Update (31 Dec): Wet'n'Wild have cancelled their NYE event at the last minute due to "a major technical production issue". The plan is to reschedule for Australia Day. Northern Hemisphere residents will lament their white Christmas when they see what we’ve got going on Down Under. While they’re putting on their earmuffs, we’ll be sipping a cold cider down a water slide in style to 'We No Speak Americano.' You heard me. Sydney’s newly opened Wet'n'Wild theme park is throwing an NYE party away from the harbourside crowds. So put your hands in the air from a water slide, or dance to Will Sparks, Yolanda Be Cool, Uberjackd, Faydee, Gtronic, Haezer and more on Australia’s largest artificial beach. Dayum. Tickets cost $110-$200 per person. 7pm till late. Image via Wet'n'Wild Sydney Animal House Toga Party at The Vanguard If paying $500 to live like a sardine just ain't your thang (we feel you), try out The Vanguard this New Year's. Because the resident movie buffs are chucking an Animal House-themed do, togas and all. To keep us and our garlands entertained, The Vanguard have curated an all-star soul band that includes Mojo Juju, Jeremy Davidson of The Snowdroppers and three of the guys from Gay Paris. Tickets $63.80. 7pm till late. Image via University of Wisconsin Archives. NYE Party at the House This event hasn't sold out because it's a near-obscene $599pp. But you've got to admit, it's the ultimate. Combine New Year's with the 40th birthday of the country's most iconic landmark and you've got a massive banger on your hands. Located in the heart of the NYE action, this waterside resort-lounge setting on the western boardwalk of the upper concourse of Sydney Opera House is the perfect backdrop to celebrate. Partygoers will have a front row seat to the illustrious Sydney Harbour fireworks as well as to this year’s most extravagant light show, designed by artist and musician Reg Mombassa. Entertainment will be provided with live music from 14-time ARIA–nominated Sneaky Sound System, all-girl DJ duo The Faders and DJ RobKAY. Also, be sure to come hungry, because celebrity chef Matt Moran is putting together a special menu just for the event. As SSS' Connie Mitchell says, "Opera House – check. New Year’s Eve – check. Fireworks – big check. Banging new party outfit – definite check! Killer set? You bet.” Sounds like quite the bash. Third release tickets are $599.95 per person and include food and select cocktails. 7pm-1.30am. 18+. End of Year Party at The Bar at the End of the Wharf This event isn't only a verbal mouthful. For those of you who enjoy stuffing your faces on your day off, this NYE party is a feast of delicacies by the talented team from Fresh Catering. There will be heaps of canapes and champagne on hand when you need a break from all the dancing. Oh yes, there will be lots of dancing, with live entertainment from The Kundalini Experience (DJ Marc 'Kundalini' + live sax & percussion). On top of all of this, you'll have a unique view of the Sydney Harbour fireworks display, from nearly under the bridge. Get ready for a spectacle of the senses. Tickets are priced at $195 per person. The party kicks off at 7pm. 18+ Image via Fresh Catering The Goodgod NYE Prom Don't feel the need to see the fireworks? Sequester yourself underground in one of our favourite Sydney dives, Goodgod. They've got an NYE prom scheduled that addresses two great eras of high school dances — the 1980s and early 2000s — channelled by DJs Levins, Shantan, Joyride, Ariane and Mike Who. In the front bar, it's 1988 Homecoming Prom, and in the danceteria out the back you'll find the Jiggy 2001 Year 10 Formal. Remember the occasion by getting your yearbook photo taken in the photo booth. Tickets $20; from 10pm. By Madeline Milani, Rachel Eddie and Rima Sabina Aouf.
Downtown Drive-In has released tickets to two extra screenings today, adding cult films Raising Arizona and Stand By Me to its popular program. And lucky for you, we have five double passes to giveaway so you can experience it first hand. Boasting an outrageously talented cast of young actors, including River Phoenix, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland and John Cusack, few films have captured the magic or intransigence of youth better than Rob Reiner's nostalgic coming-of-age drama Stand By Me. Adapted from Stephen King's autobiographical novella The Body, Stand By Me takes place in the summer of 1959 in a small, out of the way town in Oregon. With a full weekend at their disposal, four young boys embark on an adventure through the back roads of their community in search of a dead body rumoured to be hidden in the nearby swamp. It's a sort of 'road movie on foot', complete with significant rites of passage, ridiculous childhood hijinks and, occasionally, some deeply tender moments. Richard Dreyfuss features as the film's narrator, reminiscing from the perspective of one of the boys now in his middle age. "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12," he observes at one point. "Jesus, does anyone?" – and therein lies the heart of Stand By Me. Each of the four boys carries with him the shame of some social stigma, be it abusive parents, physical deformity or simple obesity, yet as a group they're confident and unassailable, loved unconditionally by each other in a way not found back home or by the township. Filmed almost thirty years ago, Stand By Me remains a poignant, moving and uplifting testimony to the capacity for friendship and the joy of childhood adventure. Concrete Playground has five double passes to giveaway to see Stand By Me at Downtown Drive-In on December 1 at 9.30pm. To enter, just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
New York City could soon be home to the world's longest skyscraper. No, not the tallest. The longest. An ultra-skinny, two-legged skyscraper that curves at its peak before returning back to earth, the fittingly named Big Bend would stretch 4,000 feet (1.22 kilometres) end to end, making quite a unique addition to Manhattan's already iconic skyline. The proposed luxury apartment block was designed by local studio Oiio. "The story of The Big Bend follows a recent trend that has appeared in New York City: the emergence of myriad tall and slender residential skyscrapers," explains the studio on its website. "But what if we substituted height with length? What if our buildings were long instead of tall? If we manage to bend our structure instead of bending the zoning rules of New York we would be able to create one of the most prestigious buildings in Manhattan." It's unclear exactly how narrow The Big Bend would be. According to The Telegraph, it would feature a lift that can travel both vertically and horizontally around the building's entire length. The proposed site for the super-long skyscraper lies around West 57th Street, just south of Central Park. Home to numerous luxury apartment complexes and high-rises, the area is sometimes referred to as Billionaire's Row. The Big Bend doesn't actually have planning permission as of yet. But you have to admit, it'd be a hell of a sight.
Far from a paparazzi, photographer Robert Rosen was considered an "astute observer" of celebrities in Australia in the 1970s–90s. He spent decades documenting parties, concerts, fashion events and nightclubs across London, Europe and Australia. Through his networks, he was able to capture intimate portraits of the rich and famous, many of which have appeared in local and international publications throughout the past 40 years. His spontaneous photographs capture the likes of David Bowie, Andy Warhol, Cate Blanchett, Bob Hawke, Paul McCartney, Boy George and Dame Edna Everage — to name a few. And from August, you'll be able to see Rosen's social photography on full display in Robert Rosen: Glitterati, premiering at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Image: Paul & Linda McCartney, Abbey Rd Studios, London, 1982. Photograph: Robert Rosen
Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation has been taken over. Hanging from scaffolding is an enormous cardboard structure, a slum created by husband-and-wife team Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan. The sheer scale of this installation is staggering. From the ceiling to the floor, the shantytown takes over the gallery with hundreds of tiny, modular cardboard elements tacked on and expanding like tumours. The houses expand in every direction and dimension into a floating, horizonless, living city. This is an abstracted version of a real place: a nomadic, seafaring indigenous people called the Badjao live in the Phillipines. A documentary tells us the Badjaos live in houses on stilts so their beds stay dry. The people and their houses are in a constant state of flux: Alfredo and Isabel are in fact from the Phillipines and have since moved to Australia. Their identity swims in a no-man's-land between the two countries. Peeking out from cardboard windows are videos of Badjao children rapping and drumming (busking is their main source of income, and their sound recalls early M.I.A.). The concept is carried out to it’s maximum potential: miniature bamboo skewer ladders connect tiny apartments, there are tiny Badjao drums scattered around the place, and even the hooks that hold the headphones are made from tape and card. Audience members, especially kids, are provided with the means to create their own little cardboard structures which they take home or give to the gallery attendants to add on to the installation. The artists' choice of second-hand cardboard as their main material is genius. It recalls the Depression-era ghettoes where vagrants made their makeshift homes. It's also metaphor for the slum's invisible inhabitants: the Badjao people have been discarded by the rest of society and relegated to the fringe between the land and the sea. The Aquizilans have visually distilled the essence of the migrant experience and ideas about refuge, displacement and poverty. Though it comes from a place of personal experience, In-Habit can't help but be deeply political. Ducking and weaving to explore the massive shantytown, I realised how rare it is for artists to actually transform an entire gallery. The Aquilizans have morphed a cold, white cube into an entire new world that is exciting and treacherous and fun to navigate. Many contemporary art projects employ the idea of “community engagement” as a token afterthought, a measure of lip service, when in reality, they just continue to relate to the same art-going minority. In-Habit is not like that. Though the project is in part aimed at children, it’s not for kids as such: it’s for everyone, and it shows that art at its most excellent can engage anyone, regardless of their art-world knowledge and familiarity. Image: detail from In-Habit by Alfredo & Isabel Aquilizan.
There's no denying that Bondi is loaded with excellent lunch spots. But being spoilt for choice can make selecting the ideal dining destination difficult. Don't get it twisted, we know this is a good problem to have — we're simply firm believers that finding the best lunch spot truly depends on who you're sharing your meal with. Whether you've got a mate from interstate you want to impress with quintessential views of Bondi Beach or you're after a venue that will cater for a group of your best mates with ease, we've found a spot that'll tick all your lunch box requirements. Read on to find out where we take our favourite humans for a foolproof feast by the beach.
Since 2011, DJ Tom Loud's travelling dance party Hot Dub Time Machine has ripped up stages the world over, offering a rolling crossfade of the last six decades of pop-music. And two years ago he launched Wine Machine, a series of al fresco get-togethers on some of the country's most-loved wine regions. The Wine Machine events were a success and the tour will this year head to a new winery, Roche Estate in the Hunter Valley, on Saturday, March 23. The boutique event will run from early afternoon through to after dark, and feature a hand-picked smorgasbord of Australian talent, including The Presets, Hayden James and Confidence Man. This will all lead into one of Hot Dub's signature sets, which will see audiences dancing their way from 1954 to today, as the DJ mixes best-known song from each year. Backing up the tunes, expect a tasty lineup of eats, Single Fin Summer Ale and, of course, some sensational vino from these Australian wine regions. Safe to say, it's probably the rowdiest event these wineries will host all year. And we're giving you a chance to go for free. We've got two general admission passes for you and a mate to give away. Enter your details below for a chance to win. [competition]711746[/competition]
In 2016, Bar No 5 opened in a repurposed Alexandria warehouse with a clear vision: keeping things local. The long unused building has its roots as a gemstone processing facility and the owners — siblings Sarina, Sarah, Stephen and Sime Jackson — maintained that warehouse fitout and worn-out character. The bar focused not only on seasonality and sourcing local ingredients, but also enacting a closed-loop policy — think foraging, beekeeping, solar panels and a composting worm farm to boot. And, to really solidify its position as a neighbourhood champion, it had an alcove dog area with leash hooks and a gas fire for winter. Four years on, a few things have changed. It's now No 5 Restaurant and Bar and, though much of the aforementioned features remain true, there is a much bigger emphasis on the food offering. With Head Chef Emry Jones at the helm, the kitchen now serves up a tight a la carte menu of share-style dishes, ranging from snacks to larger plates. It changes seasonally but an emphasis on simple, balanced flavours is the through-line. Right now, Japanese influences are evident in the likes of scorched kingfish with lemon emulsion and shiso, cauliflower with truffle yuzu dressing and wagyu with romano beans, burnt soy and peanuts. Set menus are available for $65 per person or $40 for weekend lunch bookings. Drinks-wise, you can expect a decent sake and umeshu offering, plus cocktails, wine and locally brewed craft beers from Yulli's Brews and One Drop. The best day to drop by is Sunday afternoon, when it has live music from 3–5pm. Or keep an eye on its social channels for themed lunches and dinners. Images: TJ Edwards, 1oh1 Media 1
Fans of all things vintage will probably want to start saving up their pennies for March 29, when Paddington markets will be transformed into a vintage playground for a day. Over 150 vendors will be tempting market browsers with vintage accessories, clothing, bric-a-brac and more. Local favourites Reuze Vintage will be selling their carefully selected goods and Red Threads boutique will be returning with their recycled clothing and collectibles sourced from all over Australia. You’ll find everything from vintage Chanel shoes to telescopes to diver’s helmets (you never know when they'll come in handy) to Aztec rugs. It’s the kind of market you could spend hours perusing. We recommend taking regular breaks for refreshment (especially if you’re dragging around an unwilling friend who doesn’t quite share your passion for vintage). You’ll be able to take respite at the usual food stalls and there’ll be live music too. Tip: Serious vintage shoppers know the best stuff goes first, so get there at 10am sharp.
One-metre long wood-fired pizza should be all the explanation you need as to why you should visit Via Napoli. But then there are also the ever-friendly, enthusiastic servers (most of whom are Italian), the delicious ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers, the flashy, gold-tiled pizza ovens and meatballs drenched in ragu. But back to that one-metre pizza — the veritable edible promenade enables you to select three different pizza types — think classic Diavola with fior di latte, hot salami and olives or the Chiara with burrata, prosciutto and truffle oil — before it's baked in the roaring hot woodfired oven. It'll land on your table with a molten centre and blackened, blistered bready edges. Of course, pizza tastes even better when you have a good wine to go with it — and, thankfully, you can BYO here with a $10 corkage fee.
Whether or not you've ever splashed in its wave-filled waters or taken a selfie around its edge, where the pool borders the ocean — or even if you've simply seen images of it everywhere, including sometimes featuring Margot Robbie in Barbie mode — feeling the urge to plunge into Bondi Icebergs is a side effect of watching Ian Darling's The Pool. The yearning to take a dip in your nearest body of water also strikes. Equally radiating from the screen as the Sydney landmark receives a cinematic tribute: the sensation that just by viewing the latest documentary from the filmmaker behind The Final Quarter and Paul Kelly — Stories of Me, you've enjoyed the next best thing to hopping in. Everyone knows Bondi Icebergs, thanks to about as many photographs as there are grains of sand on Bondi Beach, or perhaps more. It's the most-snapped pool in the world, in fact, The Pool notes. Darling's film explores its allure beyond its scenic aesthetic, even if the movie is stunningly gorgeous to look at (how could it not be?) and perfectly set to a 60s-inspired soundtrack. This is a doco about community, and about why one has formed around the haven of blue at the southern end of Bondi Beach that's been welcoming in swimmers for almost a century. Some come to Icebergs to relax. Others come to train and compete. Some head along with friends and/or family. Others arrive solo, knowing that their fellow swimmers are their friends and family. Some do indeed fill their Instagram feeds with photos, and The Pool sees them. But the film spends its time largely observing the immense cross-section of folks who frequent Bondi Icebergs, from daily devotees to casual weekenders, newcomers to veterans, young to old, and lifeguards and swimming coaches to baristas as well, as they congregate, revel in the spectacular tidal pool's gifts no matter the weather and discover a place to belong in the process. That's how Darling overcame what might've been a challenge for other filmmakers: diving beneath the surface of a place that is so instantly recognisable, and for good reason. It's also how he's made a movie that is meditative to watch, mirroring what many of its interviewees say about the body of water. And, it's why The Pool has been getting the love flowing from audiences around the country — not just in Sydney, where it fittingly world-premiered at the 2024 Sydney Film Festival; which "was actually quite emotional, because three of the key characters had died in only the month or two beforehand, and this was the first time that a lot of the audience had seen them again," Darling tells Concrete Playground; not only among swimmers as well. "We've been doing a lot of the film festivals, and so just meeting people all over — after launching at Sydney Film Festival, we went over to CinefestOZ in Margaret River, and then Byron, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide Film Festival. Then we've been doing a few pre-cinema release screenings up at Noosa when the triathlon was on, and Brisbane and Gold Coast," the director notes when we chat in the lead up to the film's release nationwide. "What I'm especially pleased about is that we weren't sure whether it was such a Sydney-centric film that it wasn't going to speak to other audiences, but it it's been wonderful seeing that there are so many common themes in it that it's speaking to people not only all across Australia, but to swimmers and non-swimmers. Which I was surprised about. Coming out of COVID, people are still hurting and yearning for a community, and really putting a greater value on any community they're a part of. And so it's had a much more emotional response than we than we expected." "I was especially pleased at the screening over at the Orpheum, where a number of people came up — and a couple of ladies who were very emotional said 'we don't swim, but we're part of a book club. And we feel that you've spoken the same language in terms of what we do in our book club. And we value it even more, it's about community and it's about a shared language'," Darling continues. "I was asking them exactly what they mean. She said 'well, we talk about a book and we could see here people were just talking about swimming'. And the penny dropped, and it made me realise that's so much about what we look for in a community — whether it's a film festival where we're all talking the same language, or a book club, or even at a pool. It never ceases to amaze me how long people can talk about swimming. But it is a shared language, and everyone comes from all different walks of life and they have this common link." Where inspiration strikes as a filmmaker, the 'I need to make a movie about this' moment with Bondi Icebergs, his own first experience with the pool, choosing interviewees, finding the doco's ebb and flow, the importance of community, what Bondi Icebergs both says about and means to Sydney: we also spoke with Darling about all of the above. On Darling's First Bondi Icebergs Moment "I came up from Melbourne in the early 90s, and my wife and I were swimming in the middle of winter at the beach, and suddenly realised how many people were swimming — and coming from Melbourne, I'd never swim in winter. And I was thinking 'how long does this happen?'. I saw this building down the end — and I wasn't familiar with the Icebergs. And I always was intrigued by it. I actually thought that it was more of a private club. Actually, for the whole of that decade, I never went to it. When someone told me that it was a public pool in the early 2000s, I remember walking in and it just blew me away. I suddenly actually did feel like I was in a 60s film, and it was one of the most-beautiful places and pools I'd ever swum in. There are so many pools I've swum in and I don't have any recall, but I remember walking in and just feeling like I was in this time warp, and it was a very positive experience." On When the 'I Need to Make a Film About This' Moment Came with The Pool "I think it was post-lockdown, and I think when we have something taken away from us — we're social creatures and we all realised that that we do need a sense of community. Also having come out of The Final Quarter and The Department on child protection, I wanted to give myself permission to actually make a happy film and a feel-good film, and a film where people could just meditate and contemplate their own life. I was sitting down at Icebergs with a friend of mine, Marg Simpson-Lee, who's a swimmer. And I was saying 'I'm really looking for something which is a connected story about a community that is uplifting'. And she said 'well, what about here?'. And so it was right under my nose. The more I thought about it, I thought 'actually, it is going to give me a platform to tell these stories about community and connection'. So it was as simple as that. I wasn't sure what it meant. And it took us a while to get a sense of how to make it and why we, in the end, decided to make the pool the central character, and let all the other characters, almost like 30 sets of arms and legs, give us context of to what was in there. But I think I was ready myself as well — I think we often wear the hair shirt as documentary filmmakers, and I had to give myself permission to say 'actually, it's okay to make a film where we just actually sit back and think and observe and hopefully feel happy at the end of it'. So that was the the intent." On Digging Into What Makes the Most-Photographed Pool in the World Special Beyond Its Aesthetics "It's a good question, because I think with the notion of it being the most-photographed pool in the world, with that comes all the connotations of Instagram and body image, and all of that. And we almost wanted the film to be the antithesis of that. One of the things we weren't sure of was how people would feel when we were down there with cameras, because people are perhaps at their most vulnerable when they're just in their swimmers. And we were very aware and respectful of it. So we had signs up everywhere, and we made sure, our producers went around, that anyone who didn't want to be in the film could come and tell us, and we'd make sure that they weren't and absolutely honour that. On the first morning, about three people came up and I thought 'wow, this is going to be challenging over the course of the year'. And then over the the whole year, I think only one or two other people came up and said that they didn't want to be in it. So we gained the trust, but it also made me realise that the people down there were actually very comfortable in their own skin, and all different body shapes and all different, all different types. I think that is very different from the notion of it being the most-photographed pool in the world. It was a very grounded experience, and the pool jumps out as something very beautiful — but I think whenever we were there on weekends, we'd see people doing selfies and everything, and we wanted to reflect that in the film but also highlight that it wasn't the story we were telling." On the Process of Choosing Interviewees From the Bondi Icebergs Community "On the website, we did 100 full-length interviews — because we never wanted to make the film about the history of the club, but we thought 'well, let's grab a time capsule of history and get the full stories'. And from that, we got a lot of clues. It was almost like an audition. A lot of the characters jumped out, and the stories. We didn't want to make it a character-based film. We said 'let's make the pool the central character, but let's define them by themes'. So what we saw was the characters were around things like friendship and routine — there are a couple of friends that get there at 13 minutes to seven every morning, and that's a very important thing about commitment. And then there are stories around mental health and physical sickness and endurance, and volunteering and perseverance and fear. A number of the characters were fearful of the water and learning to swim. So it was more 'how do we represent all those themes?' rather than characters. And so the two went sort of hand in hand. We had so many people that unfortunately we couldn't fit in, more because they told the same story rather than not having a great story. And I think that was the thing, as I was saying before, very few people didn't want to be in it but we I think we upset a number of people who desperately wanted to be in it but didn't make the final cut." On the Film's Crew Swimming at Bondi Icebergs Themselves for 99 Days of the 100 Day-Shoot "I think it was an important part. So the only day we didn't swim was the one when the huge storms were there. And I think people at the start of any film are wary when these outsiders come in, and we just we started very gently, but right from the start, we got in. And we started in May when the water was getting really cold. I think that helped with the locals, when they saw that we were prepared to get in the cold water and that we actually swam ourselves, and that we could speak the same language. I've never really asked them, but I know we were always observed — and I think just in a quiet sort of way that that enabled us to get even closer to everyone. But also, I thought if we're making a film at a place like this, if we don't actually get in and enjoy ourselves — because when we were at the homeless shelter, that was a three-year film shoot and that was all hours of the night. And when we were there at three o'clock in the morning, I was thinking 'hmm, we're certainly earning our stripes as documentary filmmakers here'. So unashamedly, we thought if we're doing a fun film, let's enjoy it." On Making a Meditative Film to Match the Mindset That Bondi Icebergs Can Inspire "I think we had two intents. One, sometimes we'd jump into a scene of a storm or the word of the coach and everything — it's quite bracing when you jump in the cold water. But also, the meditative nature we thought was really important. I think we've forgotten sometimes just to sit when we're on top of a mountain, just to look out and not look at our phone. And I thought it's really important for us just to have a feeling of what it's like just to sit and look at the waves, and that it's actually okay to sort of — bored is not the word I'd want to use in a film, but it's actually okay to do nothing. So we have an unusually long opening-credit sequence, but we wanted to play the whole of the Cream song 'I Feel Free' and just get people into the rhythm. Sometimes, I certainly know at the theatre when I'm there, sometimes I go 'wow, ten minutes has gone and I haven't been concentrating'. It can take us a while to get into it, so we thought let's just try and set up the rhythm of the film so that audiences give themselves permission just to sit and get into that meditative state. It felt like it was in sync with the intent of when you're swimming, because we wanted to make it immersive. But also I think sometimes it is good to let audiences — and a number of them have said during those meditative sort of scenes, the swimming or a storm or the purple tumble turns scene, that that's where they're actually thinking about their own place in a community. Or they're yearning for it. And so people have been doing a lot of self-reflection during the film as well, and that's really pleasing, because that was the intent as well." On What Darling Learned About the Importance of Community From Making The Pool "I think it really is that sense that we all need to be a part of a community and we all need to find people that share a common language — and, as I say, it means we can talk for hours about swimming or films or whatever. That, as a community, we deeply have this yearning to connect. And when it's taken away from us, we really miss it. If we haven't got it, we're yearning for it. It's such an important part of — at a pool, our physical health, but I think the most important thing is around our mental health. And as time goes on, we've got to ensure that cinemas remain open as a shared experience and that pools remain open. So many pools are closing, and we're going to do a bit of a campaign to try to get every mayor and council to come to watch the film, and actually see the importance that a local pool has on a community. As I say, so much of it is just around that connection, a meeting point, the importance of being with others. And I think that was very much the intent of the film, just to show how we do have to keep working hard at creating these gathering points, because the health of the community is very much dependent on them." On What Bondi Icebergs Means to Sydney — and Says About It "It says 'look at me', which is one of the things that, coming from Melbourne, where there are different seasons and everything, Sydney seems to have one season and it's sort of saying 'look at me' — which can be positive, but also I can be cynical about it. So that's on the surface, but I think it also says 'have a look below the surface and you'll find something that's far more profound and grounded — and if you are looking for a community, you'll find people with a common language there;. At the outset, it's a shining beacon and a tourist destination. The amount of times we've heard people go 'oh, I've had that swim. It's been on my bucket list'. People like to go to Bondi Beach. They'd like to go to the Opera House. In Queensland they love to go to the Gold Coast or the Barrier Reef. As a destination for Australians, but also as tourists, I think it's very much an important part of — unashamedly Australia has a strong beach culture, and I think it reflects that as a piece of beach history." On Where Inspiration Strikes for a Filmmaker with Documentaries About Everything From Bondi Icebergs, Adam Goodes and Paul Kelly to Capitalism and the Welfare of Homeless Youth on His Resume "Because I've had so many films that have fallen over, answering this way, typically the films that have fallen over are ones where I haven't had a strong-enough contact or connection with the subject matter. I'm a pretty slow filmmaker, most of the film shoots have been at least a year, and we take a long time in the edit suite. And I think to go on that long journey, I have to have a real interest in it. So with this one, The Pool, swimming's my main physical activity. I'm not a member of Icebergs, but I like cold-water swimming, so that gave me clues. With Adam Goodes, I'm a huge AFL fan and I go out every week — and we were thinking before he retired, actually, because he was one of my favourite all-time footballers, of making a film on him in his twilight years. So it ended up being a very different one, but having been so aware of it and been in the crowds when he was being booed, and being there when he was celebrated, suddenly he retired and I thought 'wow, are we going to' — I was just confused — 'are we going to let history be rewritten?'. So it took a few years but it just never left me, I think because I'd had such an intimate relationship with watching him as a player. I hadn't met him at all until we spoke about the film, but he was certainly present. [caption id="attachment_715066" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 29th September 2012, The Age Sport, Picture by Wayne Taylor[/caption] And then with Paul Kelly, I grew up in Melbourne — and in the 80s, just the Melbourne band scene was just extraordinary, and Paul Kelly spoke to me like no other sort of musician had. And again, I hadn't met him until we sought his approval, but he was my favourite musician — which can be dangerous, making films about your hero, as such. Then with the homeless, I'd spent a lot of time volunteering at this homeless shelter in Sydney and really got to know a number of the street kids, and just saw that homelessness was totally off the agenda, and felt it was really important to bring it back and try and put it into every home. We got a lot of philanthropic funding to present a report to the government. It's those sort of things, where I've had a connection and felt that I was in a place to be able to tell a story." The Pool opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, November 7, 2024.
If you're in the quaint and historic aviation town of Tocumwal, and you prefer trains to planes, the Tocumwal Railway Heritage Museum presents fascinating photos and railway memorabilia dating back to 1908. Open by appointment only, the museum is within the railway station and presents original photos, a working model train and original furnishings. Image: John, Flickr
It's hard to beat a burger for low-key indulgence — and what better filling to go for than crispy, crunchy and juicy fried chicken? Whether you prefer Southern-style, Korean or karaage, there's something about the decadent beauty of the fried chicken burger that immediately satisfies cravings. Scouring countless pubs, bars and burger joints, we laboured night and day to determine our favourites — okay, we just ate lots of burgers. Then we compiled a killer list of some of Sydney's best spots to hit up for the ultimate fried chicken burger experience.
Looking for something to occupy the final hours of your weekend and ward off those Sunday scaries? Everyone's favourite name-changing Chippendale pub The Lord Gladstone is serving up the ultimate end-of-week party with eight hours of quality music, eats and drinks. Evening Records and The Gladdy have come together to compile a lineup of top-quality local musicians to fill your Sunday with tunes. Accompanying the live music will be a pop-up bar from natty wine specialists P&V and a food truck from Sparky's Jerk BBQ. The four bands gracing the pub's two stages will be synth-heavy indie outfit A.D.K.O.B, country balladeer Lady Lyon, as well as Christian Values and Magic Nic. Joe Liffy will also be on hand covering DJ duties for the day. Doors open at 2pm and entry is free with beer specials from The Gladdy's good friends over at Young Henrys throughout the day.
Around 9000 cattle are still run at the historic Goonoo Goonoo Station, just 25 minutes south of Tamworth. But in recent years, this gem has become best known for its boutique accommodation and award-winning on-site dining offering, Glasshouse Restaurant. The buildings that once made up the station village (many dating back as far as the 1840s) have been expertly restored in a massive project, which has delivered a spectacular event destination and unique holiday spot. Of the nine transformed heritage buildings, The Homestead is the largest. It sleeps up to ten guests and includes a private pool, billiard room and epic views of the undulating landscape from every sitting room and sunchair. What to do when you're not reclining or dining at the station? Visit local landmarks like the Big Guitar, the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame or the Tamworth Regional Gallery. And if boot-scootin' is your group's jam, line up your trip with the next Tamworth Country Music Festival (January 13–22, 2023). Top images: Destination NSW
Pitting Will Smith against himself, Gemini Man is designed to boggle the mind. Viewers are supposed to stare at the big screen in awe as the former Fresh Prince not only plays a supremely skilled 51-year-old assassin, but — through the wonders of seamless de-ageing CGI — also plays his 23-year-old clone. We're also meant to marvel at the 3D visuals that surround the two Smiths as they go head-to-head, with the movie shot on digital in 4K resolution at 120 frames per second. Technical jargon aside, that means Gemini Man is super-crisp thanks to its vastly increased number of pixels, and it boasts five times the usual images each second, with the camera picking up five times the visible detail as a result. Sadly, while Ang Lee loves to keep pushing the filmmaking boundaries, especially in a technical sense, he completely misses his target with Gemini Man. It doesn't come close to eliciting the same wonder that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's astonishing martial arts choreography inspired, or the dropped jaws sparked by his immersive adaptation of Life of Pi either. Instead, in Lee's second successive attempt to make a watchable high frame-rate flick (after 2016's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk), this espionage thriller has the bland appearance of a TV soap opera. At its worst, it resembles absolutely anything screening on television with the motion-smoothing settings left on (aka the default viewing mode on modern screens that Tom Cruise famously asked viewers to switch off when watching Mission: Impossible - Fallout at home). Stacks of cash have been splashed on the most advanced special effects available — techniques that are being hailed as the future of cinema — but the end product really couldn't look cheaper or uglier. In a movie that basically only exists to showcase its apparently cutting-edge hyper-realistic imagery, Gemini Man's visual blah factor has an enormous impact. Lee clearly hopes his high-tech frames will patch over the generic narrative, but they actually emphasise the film's routine flavour. Penned by David Benioff (Game of Thrones), Billy Ray (Overlord) and Darren Lemke (Shazam!), this by-the-numbers affair follows seasoned government-sanctioned sharp-shooter Henry Brogan (Smith) as he packs it all in after a tricky assignment. As soon as he trades in his weapons for retirement, he's tracked down by his youthful doppelgänger (also Smith). A rogue intelligence agency head honcho (Clive Owen) is behind it all; however, as we probably don't need to point out, he isn't the toughest adversary that Brogan must face. Throw in Mary Elizabeth Winstead as another agent caught up in the chaos, plus Benedict Wong as a kindly pilot helping Brogan hop around the globe, and Gemini Man sits somewhere between every Bourne flick and every 90s action movie involving duplicity and double-crossing. Plot-wise, it truly is that standard; no-budget straight-to-VHS stinkers have demonstrated more narrative ingenuity. A boilerplate story told well can still keep viewers engrossed, though, especially in this genre (see: the excellent John Wick films), but that's not the case here. While cheesy, inane dialogue that spells out every twist is unfortunate enough, the fact that Gemini Man looks like someone has simply used their iPhone to film two Will Smiths who happen to be standing in front of them is grating, disconcerting and distracting. That it also looks like it could be a sequel to Tommy Wiseau's The Room — well, that comparison obviously says plenty. It's one thing to feel like you could reach out and touch whichever Smith you prefer (the elder Smith deserves that honour, with the actor more comfortable acting his age than chasing his younger glory days). It's another to get bombarded with so much visual data that nothing stands out, including Smith and his digital recreation. In the pursuit of hyper-clarity, Gemini Man lacks anything that resembles movie magic — and while that means there's no blurring or chaotic editing in the film's chase and fight scenes, which are both staged and shot with fluidity, it's all just dull rather than spectacular. You won't sit there wondering "how did they do that?", but rather "why did they do that?". And if you're not getting jiggy with Gemini Man's imagery, then you're not getting jiggy with this empty experiment in stretching the limits of cinema to a place that no one really wants it to go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykm0wWnzFY8
One pair of Aussie pastry chefs are on a mission to make the humble lamington famous. Well, famous outside of Australian borders — just how Iranian-born jalebi and Italian cannoli are now found the world over. To do this, Min Chai and Eddie Stewart, founders of Australia's N2 Extreme Gelato, have launched Tokyo Lamington. While the duo initially focused on piquing the interest of overseas tastebuds — selling the lamingtons in Singapore and Tokyo — the chefs have now brought the international brand Down Under. After popping-up in Koko Black stores in Sydney and Melbourne for one day in June, Toyko Lamington opened its flagship Australian store in Market City today, Tuesday, September 22. The dessert brand doesn't just make traditional takes on the quintessentially Aussie chocolate- and coconut-covered cake. Instead, the sponge gets an international makeover with iterations in pandan, ube, lemon myrtle, black sesame, matcha and milk tea. [caption id="attachment_774463" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] The Sydney outpost of Toyko Lamington will serve some Aussie-as flavours, too, such as fairy bread with popcorn butter and Ferrero Rocher — plus the OG chocolate and coconut version, of course. Each lamington costs $7 a pop and can also be ordered online (for pickup only). The shop's fit-out is loud with black walls and brightly coloured geometrical shapes, timber furniture and hanging greenery. The open space has a few booths and table seating, but will function mainly as a takeaway joint — selling nothing but lamingtons and a few canned drinks. Tokyo Lamington is now open at Level 3 Market City, 9 Hay Street, Haymarket. Opening hours are 11am–11pm daily.
When we caught up with Whole Larder Love author Rohan Anderson, we became immediate fans. We love that not only does he talk green, he gets right in on the action. So the prospect of spending an afternoon in his company, discussing his often unconventional philosophies and picking up some tips for living off the land has us excited. Anderson will be making an exclusive Sydney appearance at Stories from the Cellar, organised by Sydney Living Museums and Wildwon Projects and to be held at Elizabeth Bay House on Sunday, February 23. Leading a journey into the dwelling's secret cellars, he'll be explaining how he went from part-time graphic designer to full-time gardener, forager, hunter and "family cook" in rural Victoria. Plus, there'll be demonstrations of some of his finer skills, like skinning rabbits and preparing game. Several Sydney food experts are also lending their expertise on the day. Turophiles will love artisan cheesemaker Kristen Allan, who'll be showing how to make labna, ricotta and assorted dairy delights from scratch. If you're partial to a dose of Italian seasonal goodness at Berta, you won't want to miss an opportunity to meet head chef O Tama Carey, who'll be conjuring up quick pickles and chatting about raising pigs for charcuterie. For fans of Fish Place, head smoker Steve de Launay will be engaging with all things sustainable and aquatic. Working up an appetite just reading about it? The good news is that the five-hour session will involve not only watching and preparing food but trying it out too. There'll be various samplings, as well as a long, lingering supper, created by Dan the Man Cooking and sponsored by Salumi, with drinks provided by Murray's Craft Brewing Co and live music from harpist and composer extraordinaire Jake Meadows of the Myall High Club.
Public art is an intrinsic part of a vibrant and engaged modern society, but by its very nature, it can't last forever. It's a constantly moving and changing force but lives on in the memories of the members of society that it seeks to bring together. Kaldor Public Art Projects has been dedicated to creating these memories for Australians for nearly 50 years, and it'll soon be celebrating this milestone of all the indelible, groundbreaking public art that it's brought to Australian shores. As a part of the Making Art Public anniversary exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW in September, Kaldor Public Art Projects wants to hear your stories about how you connected with its exhibitions — because you are part of the story of public art, after all. Whether you lunched under Jeff Koons' Puppy, counted rice with Marina Abramović or your parents told you about their memories of Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapping a Sydney coastline, your memories, stories and photos help public art live forever. Here are just some of the incredible public artworks New South Wales has seen over the last half-decade, thanks to Kaldor Public Art Projects. [caption id="attachment_726660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaldor Public Art Project 1, Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Wrapped Coast — One Million Square Feet. Taken by art education lecturer Ellen Waugh in 1969.[/caption] CHRISTO AND JEANNE-CLAUDE: WRAPPED COAST, 1969 Back in '69, the controversial Wrapped Coast project from Christo and Jeanne-Claude was the single largest artwork ever made. It saw two-and-a-half kilometres of coast and rocky cliffs of Little Bay, Sydney wrapped in fabric and orange rope which billowed and rippled in the wind. It was so enormous — larger than Mount Rushmore in the US — that you could not see it all from one vantage point, so visitors walked for an hour to see the work in its entirety. Christo and Jeanne-Claude became famous for their large-scale environmental artworks, or 'temporary monuments', with Wrapped Coast being their first. The people who were lucky enough to see the work in 1969 say it was incredible that artists of this calibre chose Australia for the project: "We were so keen to leave Australia behind, go to Europe and see the world and yet here was a world famous artist doing something extraordinary on our doorstep," said Rhiannon Bowman, in her submission to the Living Archive. [caption id="attachment_726662" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaldor Public Art Project 5, Charlotte Moorman and Nam June Paik. Charlotte Moorman performs Sky Kiss, a composition by Jim McWilliams, above the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, April 11, 1976. Photo: Kerry Dundas.[/caption] CHARLOTTE MOORMAN AND NAM JUNE PAIK, 1976 Avant-garde video and performance art pioneers Nam June Paik and cellist Charlotte Moorman very much shocked Australia in 1976 with over 40 provocative performances taking place across Sydney and Adelaide. The 'father of video art' and 'Jeanne d'Arc of new music', the artists fused music, sculpture, performance and video into one-of-a-kind amalgamations, which were likely emblazoned in the minds of anyone who witnessed them. One performance saw a naked Moorman playing a cello made of ice till it was completely melted by the surrounding radiators and spotlights. Another saw her perform on Easter smothered in 13 kilograms of chocolate, while another saw her playing Up, Up and Away by Jimmy Webb while suspended by helium balloons drifting above the Sydney Opera House forecourt. How could one forget a sight like that? [caption id="attachment_699271" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaldor Public Art Project 10, Jeff Koons: Puppy. Museum of Contemporary Art forecourt, December 12, 1995 to March 17, 1996. Photo: Eric Sierins.[/caption] JEFF KOONS: PUPPY, 1995 Chances are you've seen photos of Jeff Koons' Puppy artwork which now sits outside the Guggenheim in Bilbao — but did you know it was created outside of Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art in '95? Kaldor Public Art Projects was the group to make that happen. Standing 12.4 metres high facing the picturesque harbour, Puppy was created as a symbol of love and happiness, based on a wooden sculpture of a west highland white terrier from Koons' 1991 Made in Heaven series. Puppy was far bigger than the original, however, containing 55 tonnes of soil and covered in 60,000 blooming flowers. People from all over Australia have fond memories of visiting Circular Quay to see Sydney's very own Koons, with one Sydneysider submitting to the Living Archive saying they "ate lunch under Puppy every day". [caption id="attachment_726658" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaldor Public Art Project 30, Marina Abramović: In Residence. Pier 2/3 Walsh Bay, June 24–July 5, 2015. Photo: Pedro Greig.[/caption] MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ: IN RESIDENCE, 2015 Many speak of the transformative experience that was being a part of Marina Abramović's In Residence. The celebrated performance artist referred to her 2015 installation as a 'brain spa', in which members of the public were conducted through the 'Abramović Method', like Lady Gaga famously experienced at the Marina Abramović Institute in New York. Visitors would be tucked into camp beds by strangers after staring deeply into the eyes of other attendees for an undefined amount of time. You could finish your immersion in the artist's method by slowly walking 'a millimetre a minute' back to the exit, or by counting single grains of rice for as long as you chose. Those who stayed for hours had successfully experienced the Abramović Method, but in a world filled with time limits and a constant to-do list of tasks that need completing, the undefined parameters of time and movement in In Residence challenged many who participated. [caption id="attachment_719762" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaldor Public Art Project 34, Asad Raza: Absorption. The Clothing Store, Carriageworks; 2019. Photo: Pedro Greig.[/caption] ASAD RAZA: ABSORPTION, 2019 The most recent work brought to Australia by Kaldor Public Art Projects was a pretty dirty one — literally. Absorption by New York-based artist Asad Raza was all about breaking and making new ground. If you visited the exhibition at Carriageworks, your initial response might have been "… hang on, this is just a room filled with dirt". And in a way, that is exactly what the project was. 300 tonnes of soil and other organic materials were gathered from all over New South Wales and carefully tended to by a team of cultivators to create a new hyper-rich type of soil: a 'neosoil' entirely from New South Wales. Aside from the soil itself, Absorption provided a spotlight on how fundamental soil is in all of our lives. It also encouraged visitors to take some of the soil home, so the project could forever live on across the state. Kaldor Public Art Projects is celebrating 50 years of bringing beautiful, groundbreaking and important public art to Australian shores with a commemorative exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW. Making Art Public will run from Saturday, September 7, 2019 to Sunday, February 16, 2020. Submit your memories of public art from over the years to Kaldor Public Art Projects' Living Archive here.
The beloved Halal Snack Pack is an unrivalled treat. HSP's have spawned nationwide appreciation groups in pursuit of the city's best pile of meat and chips — and now, Enmore Turkish mainstay Stanbuli is throwing its hat in the ring for the best inner west HSP. The new menu item sees a small mountain of Stanbuli's tender marinated chicken on a pile of golden-brown chicken-salted chips, topped with the 'Holy Trinity' of sauces: chilli, garlic and barbecue. If you're vegetarian, never fear, the Enmore Road favourite is also serving up a new vego offering that will satisfy any craving for sauce-heavy potato. The kumpir is a street-style baked potato overflowing with butter, yoghurt cream, pickled cabbage, corn and sauce, and has been added to the menu alongside the chicken snack pack. Both menu items are part of Stanbuli's new $38 per person takeaway banquet menu. The affordable lockdown feast is available on Friday and Saturday from 5pm–7.30pm and comes with the likes of bread, hummus, fried vegetable salad, the loaded kumpir and lamb and potato kofte or braised peas. From there, you can add on the HSP as well as pickled octopus salad, or sumac and honey glazed ribs, depending on how extravagant a meal you have in mind. The banquet can be ordered via Bopple, just leave 45mins for the Stanbuli team to prepare before you swing by to pick up your dinner. Stanbuli is located at 135 Enmore Road, Enmore. It's open from 5pm Friday and Saturday. To pre order during the week, contact Stanbuli at enquiries@stanbuli.com.au.
In Joel Edgerton's second film as director and sixth as a screenwriter, the actor-turned-filmmaker also takes a role in front of the camera, as the head therapist at a Christian facility. Sporting a trim moustache and a prim-and-proper look that'd make Ned Flanders proud, Boy Erased's Victor Sykes claims to be able to make teens pray the gay away and embrace heterosexuality. The counsellor expresses little sympathy for his charges. He may also have personal experience with his field of interest, but belittling the kids in his care — and forcing them to unearth family skeletons to apportion blame for their sexuality — is his technique. Sykes is the unmistakable villain of the piece, and rarely more than one-note. And yet, the film he's in thankfully doesn't share the same overall obviousness. Gay conversion should be condemned. It's a horrific and inhumane practice that's somehow still part of life in the US as well as Australia. Worlds away from his filmmaking debut The Gift, Edgerton may paint his character in the most glaring of terms (and do a fine enough job doing so), but Boy Erased itself is much more evenhanded. In the second movie about the subject this year after The Miseducation of Cameron Post, the film directs its quiet but palpable anger towards those humiliating and persecuting queer teenagers in a misguided attempt to turn them straight. For anyone that seeks such services, it offers empathy. In a story about a college kid sent away by his preacher father and dutiful mother, that distinction is important. Based on Garrard Conley's memoir, just with the names changed, Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) is the well-rounded son of Arkansas pastor Marshall (Russell Crowe) and his wife Nancy (Nicole Kidman). Soon, he's also an unhappy attendee at the Love In Action therapy centre. After a horrific incident at school forces him to come out, his Baptist parents — and his dad, specifically — deem conversion the only option. Just what Jared and his fellow participants (including singer Troye Sivan and filmmaker Xavier Dolan) endure will threaten both his sense of self and his relationships. Edgerton may write, direct and act in Boy Erased, but one of his biggest achievements stems from how he treats the film's main characters. This is a sensitive, earnest, sombre and understated movie that's shot in neutral tones, and wants to explore what motivates folks like the Eamons. Rather than judge them, it tries to understand these people who clearly love their son yet still send him to a conversion camp. With Jared, the film doesn't shy away from the impact of his experience, the conflict it causes or the difficulties of being a gay teen in general. He's hurt and uncertain, and also defiant and determined. He wants his parents' love, but not the emotional torture he's put through with their approval. Eventually, he also wants to stop self-censoring his identity to please others. Of course, these characters aren't just creations on a page, jumping from Conley's recollection to Edgerton's dramatic script. Edgerton's other big coup with Boy Erased is evident in the portrayals that he nurtures out of his core trio of actors. Crowe grapples with the intersection of Marshall's faith and being a good father, while Kidman helps convey the punishing patriarchal constraints of religion, with both playing their parts in a textured and thoughtful manner. And as he proved in Manchester by the Sea and Lady Bird as well, the supremely talented Hedges excels at internalised performances. Indeed, his work here encapsulates Boy Erased at its best. If Edgerton's own near-cartoonish part represents the movie at its most blatant and furious, then Hedges embodies the complex emotions that swell in almost every scene. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBZQ5F5T51I
Last year, when New South Wales went into lockdown, plenty of folks wanted a furry, four-legged friend by their sides. The RSPCA understood that yearning for a new adorable pet and, to find permanent homes for pups, cats, bunnies and guinea pigs surrendered into its care, it launched a completely online adoption process. Kicking off in April 2020, it helped 2655 animals get adopted across the state. Now that the Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour regions have been in lockdown again for three weeks so far, and will remain under stay-at-home conditions for at least another fortnight, RSPCA NSW is bringing back its online adoptions. It's also calling out to the community again to help look after its many animals during this tough period. So, if you've been thinking about adding a pet to your fam (and have considered it thoroughly), now might just be the time. At the Sydney, Blue Mountains and Illawarra shelters and care centres, the RSPCA's 'Adopt from Home' system is now back up and running. The entire adoption process is conducted over the phone or video call and, once approved, your new pet is transported to your house for a (socially distanced) meet-and-greet. Rest assured, too, that the usual procedures and standards still apply, so every animal will end up in a happy new forever home. To welcome in a new family member, you must fill out the online form, and then the RSPCA NSW will be in touch to arrange a time for the process to take place via phone or video call. You will need to live within a 45-minute drive of the shelter that you're adopting from, too, and you'll have to pay an extra $55 for the at-home adoption, on top of the usual fee. If you're thinking about adopting, you can check out all the good boys, kittens, bunnies and birds looking for new homes in NSW. For details about adopting animals, head to the RSPCA NSW website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
Roman Polanski's story is an extraordinary one. His life has been marked by tragedies, victories, and traumas of filmic proportions, from his survival of Nazi occupation in his native Poland to the cult murder of his pregnant movie star wife Sharon Tate and his Oscar win for The Pianist in 2003. Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir is an extended conversation between the auteur and his longtime friend Andrew Braunsberg, who produced several Polanski films. The interview took place while Polanski was under house arrest in Switzerland in 2010, following his second trial for drugging and raping a thirteen-year-old girl in 1977. The production itself is pretty undergraduate — shoddy sound, unimaginative camerawork, and cheap iMovie-style effects. It turns out the director, Laurent Bouzereau, makes his living producing 'making of' documentaries for movies like Jaws and Back to the Future, and he's clearly riding on Polanski's incredible story. Polanski, who trained as an actor, is a gifted storyteller and his earlier hardships in the Krakow ghetto during World War II are truly amazing. His retelling is cut with footage from The Pianist to show how his formative experiences manifested in his movies, and this is where the film is strongest. But the biggest problem, and one which I can't overlook, is the treatment of Polanski's 1977 crime. The word 'rape' is never mentioned. Instead, the filmmakers focus on corruption in the justice system and offer an argument that goes along the lines of 'well, hasn't Roman been punished enough already?' It's a blatantly dishonest approach considering the enormity of the crime and Polanski's guilty plea. That Braunsberg, the key interviewer, is a close confidant and associate of Polanski's means that there is no veil of anything close to objectivity or distance, which is especially troubling given the film's already creepy mandate of setting the record straight, of advocating for a convicted rapist. There's no doubt Polanski is a major artist, and his fans will probably get a lot out of his recollections of his childhood and early career, but don't expect any keen insights or rigorous attention to the ethics of documentary-making. Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir is a personal exercise in public atonement. Quite frankly, I left the cinema feeling infected.
Get ready rock fans, for the Arctic Monkeys will be returning to Australia and New Zealand next year. The British band will embark on their biggest down under tour to date this autumn for their latest album, AM. The album, which was released this past September, is the band's fifth consecutive number 1 in the UK and also debuted at the top spot in the ARIA Albums Chart. So, Aussie and Kiwi fans, get stoked because you'll soon have the chance to hear their awesome collection of new jams, including chart toppers such as 'R U Mine?' and 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?' Original fans needn't worry, because the Monkeys never forget to pay tribute to their old school favourites. You'll probably still get your chance to belt out 'Fluorescent Adolescent's, "Oh the boy's a slag / The best you ever had / The best you ever had." Arctic Monkeys 2014 Tour Dates: Auckland: May 2, Vector Arena Wellington: TSB Arena Sydney: May 6, Entertainment Centre Brisbane: May, Entertainment Centre Melbourne: May 9, Rod Laver Arena Adelaide: May 10, AEC Theatre Perth: May 13, Perth Arena Tickets go on sale December 11 https://youtube.com/watch?v=6366dxFf-Os
By this stage, most of us have come to terms with the fact that jetting off to USA or Europe is a seriously long slog, made worse by unavoidable (sometimes long, always painful) stopovers. But that European or American trip could soon become a whole lot more bearable, with Qantas not only working towards launching direct flights between the east coast and both London and New York by 2022, but beginning to run trial journeys this year. In October, November and December, the airline will pilot three ultra long-haul research flights, using new Boeing 787-9s. The aircraft will simulate two routes that are at the heart of Qantas' proposed new non-stop plan, which is called Project Sunrise, flying from New York and London to Sydney. That New York trip will mark the first world's first flight by a commercial airline direct from the Big Apple to Sydney, while the London jaunt will be the second time such a journey has been made. The last time the latter happened was back in 1989, when Qantas made the trek on a Boeing 747-400 with just 23 people on board. Don't go packing your bags, though — the aim is to gather data about inflight passenger and crew health and wellbeing, with only around 40 people making the trip. They'll be comprised of crew and Qantas employees, and they'll be fitted with wearable technology devices to monitor their monitor sleep patterns, food and beverage consumption, physical movement and use of the entertainment system during the flights. The results will then be assessed by scientists and medical experts from the Charles Perkins Centre. Pilots will also take part, working with Monash University researchers to record their melatonin levels before, during and after the flights, as well as their brain wave patterns and alertness — to help ascertain the best work and rest pattern when they're commanding those long-haul services. While spending nearly a day on one single plane is better than jumping on and off different vessels multiple times, it's not without its physical, mental and emotional toll — as anyone who has made the trip with Qantas from Perth to London knows, which is what makes this testing so important. Announcing the trial, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce explained that, "for customers, the key will be minimising jet lag and creating an environment where they are looking forward to a restful, enjoyable flight. For crew, it's about using scientific research to determine the best opportunities to promote alertness when they are on duty and maximise rest during their down time." Back in 2017, Qantas first revealed that it was exploring non-stop routes from Sydney — routes that would eclipse those direct flights between Perth and London, which launched in March 2018. Since then, the airline has been pursuing the idea enthusiastically, putting out a call for aircraft that can handle the trip and widening their plan to include departures to and from Brisbane as well. In numbers, the planes will need to be able to handle more than 19 hours in the air (around 20 hours and 20 minutes between Sydney and London, and 18-hours and seven minutes from Sydney to New York). The airline has done its homework, analysing a decade's worth of wind and weather data to confirm the lengthy routes are actually possible. Now it just needs the aircraft, with Airbus and Boeing both pitching vessels (A350 and 777X) that are capable of doing the job. Qantas is expected to announce their decision, including whether the whole project will progress to making commercial flights, by the end of December 2019. Right now, the world's longest direct flight clocks in at over 19 hours, with Singapore Airlines flying 15,322-kilometres along its Singapore-to-New York route. Previously, the journey from Doha and Auckland earned that honour, taking around 18 hours to travel 14,529 kilometres.
Remember when your mum told you that it's what's on the inside that counts? At the Australian Interior Design Awards, that's definitely the case. Returning for 2021, the country's premier interior design gongs reward excellence in hospitality, installation, residential, workplace, retail and public design, as well as residential decoration — and it has just revealed its lengthy (and obviously eye-catching) 2021 shortlist. A word of warning for those who like their interiors swish, plush, luxurious and stylish all round: you're going to want to live in or visit all of the places vying for this year's awards. Thankfully, with plenty of bars and restaurants in the running, the latter is definitely possible. In Sydney, in the hospitality field, the likes of Harbord Hotel, Ciccia Bella, Sydney Tower and Atomic Beer Project are among the spots vying for glory. Well, for a shiny prize and plenty of recognition to go with their shiny interiors, to be exact. Melbourne's Farmer's Daughters, Poodle Bar and Bistro, First Love Coffee, Hero at ACMI, Byrdi, Citizen Snack Bar and Next Hotel also rank among the places in the running, while Brisbane's Industry Beans and Ping Pong Thai Restaurant also made the cut. In South Australia, Never Never Distillery and Hotel Indigo join the places in contention. [caption id="attachment_803565" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] First Love, Rebecca Newman[/caption] The list goes on — both for bars, cafes, restaurants and hotels, with 33 places in contention in total, and throughout the awards' other categories. A whopping 190 places have made it through to this stage across all fields, which means that there is no shortage of strikingly deigned new, revamped and refurbished places demanding your attention around around the country. After the event went virtual in 2020 — handing out its gongs via a virtual broadcast — this year's winners will be announced in-person at a dinner the Hyatt Regency Sydney on Friday, September 3. For the full Australian Interior Design Awards 2021 shortlist, head to the AIDA website. Top image: Sydney Tower, Robert Walsh.
If you haven't already heard, a blockbuster exhibition by Australian Chinese artist Lindy Lee has landed at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Titled Lindy Lee: Moon in a Dew Drop, the free retrospective is running till the end of summer and features over 70 works, including Lee's early photocopy works to whole-room installations and newly commissioned sculptures. Now, the MCA and its major exhibition partner Telstra have announced a bunch of events running alongside the exhibition for those wanting to learn more about the celebrated artist's life, practice and Buddhist beliefs. First up, you can join in a guided mindfulness session alongside the artist, taught by meditation teacher Patrick Kearney. Happening on Saturday, January 16, the one-hour session takes place by Lee's sculpture 'Secret World of a Starlight Ember' in the MCA's forecourt, right by the harbour. Although it's free to attend, you'll need to get in quick and get your name on the waitlist for when tickets are released. Otherwise, the Museum is running more meditation sessions, dubbed 'The art of mindfulness', which will take place inside the exhibition walls. The intimate sessions ($76–90) will run from 8.15–10am on Saturday, November 21 and Saturday, November 28 for a maximum of 18 people — the first session has already sold out, but you can book here for the latter. There are also a bunch of tours happening, both online and IRL, from kid-friendly walk-throughs to Auslan tours. You can check out dates and times here. Plus, you can catch an immersive 180-degree video of Lee's studio as part of the exhibition. And, if that's not enough art-fuelled fun for your calendar, the MCA's popular Sundown Sketch classes have moved online, which you can join in from 6pm on Wednesday, November 4 and Wednesday, December 2 for $20–25. [caption id="attachment_787817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lindy Lee, 'Secret World of a Starlight Ember' (2020), installation view, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney. Photograph: Anna Kucera[/caption] The MCA is running public program events in conjunction with its exhibition 'Lindy Lee: Moon in a Dew Drop'. You can check out the full program — and book tickets — via the MCA website. Top images: Lindy Lee in 'Birth and Death' (2003), installation view, Campbelltown Art Centre, 2007, image courtesy the artist. Photograph: Robert Scott-Mitchel; and Lindy Lee, 'Listening to the Moon' (2018), installation view, 'Lindy Lee: Moon in a Dew Drop', Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, image courtesy the artist and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney. Photographs: Anna Kucera.
Twenty-five years ago, a TV sitcom about six New Yorkers made audiences a promise: that it'd be there for us. And, as well as making stars out of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer, the hit series has done just that. Sure, Friends wrapped up its ten-season run in 2004, but the show has lived on — on streaming platforms, by sending an orange couch around Australia and by screening anniversary marathons in cinemas. In news that was bound to happen someday — no pop culture entity truly comes to an end in these reboot, remake, revival and spinoff-heavy times — it looks like Friends is going to live on in a much more literal sense, too. The Hollywood Reporter reveals that a deal is in the works to bring back the show for a reunion special on HBO's new streaming platform HBO Max. Naturally, if it happens, all of the gang will be involved. Almost certainly set to be called 'The One with a Reunion', the special will be unscripted — which means that Aniston and company aren't likely to actually step back into Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe and Ross's shoes; rather, they'll chat about their experiences on the show. Still, they'll all be on-screen at the same time celebrating the series that so many folks love, which is probably enough for fans. And, really, who knows what could spring from there. We're purely speculating, but if other big 90s sitcoms like Will & Grace, Mad About You and apparently Frasier can make a proper comeback, then surely everyone's favourite Central Perk regulars can as well. Friends creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman are also slated to join the reunion special, if it comes to fruition. If you're wondering when it could happen, THR notes that it'll largely depend on the relevant parties' schedules — although HBO Max is due to launch in the US in May 2020, so perhaps it'll be sooner rather than later. For folks Down Under, there doesn't seem to be a current plan to bring the streaming platform to our shores. Instead, the company appears to be continuing to focus on its existing arrangements with local channels and streamers for the time being. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
International Women's Day (IWD) is all about celebrating the social, cultural, economic and political achievements of women all around the world — and about furthering the movement for the rights of all women and non-binary identifying folks. This year's theme is #EachforEqual, calling for all to take action towards equality and raise awareness to help forge a gender equal world. And it's a good opportunity to thank and uplift all the badass womxn in your life. In Sydney, there are a bunch of events marking the day, so no matter what your interests — politics, art, beer — you'll be able to find something to get around. Here are just a couple of ways to spend this IWD on Sunday, March 8.
In multiple different web-slinging franchises across multiple decades, everyone's favourite friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man has been on quite the on-screen journey. He's been played by different actors, faced a whole heap of different foes, and spun his way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, too — and in Spider-Man: No Way Home, all this chaos is set to converge. The third Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland (Chaos Walking) in the role, Spider-Man: No Way Home already teased plenty of multiverse madness in its first teaser trailer. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog) plays a pivotal part this time around, too, ahead of the character's own dedicated next flick — Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — which is set to arrive in 2022. But the just-dropped new Spidey sneak peek shows just how far the movie is willing to go when it comes to all those other Spider-Man films that've reached screens over the years. No, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield don't show up, but some of the villains they fought make an appearance. Get ready to get reacquainted with Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin from 2002's Spider-Man, as well as Alfred Molina's Otto Octavius from 2004's Spider-Man 2 and Thomas Haden Church's Sandman from 2007's Spider-Man 3. Also re-emerging: Rhys Ifans' the Lizard from 2012' The Amazing Spider-Man and Jamie Foxx's Electro from 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2. If you're wondering how this all works, it stems from the big reveal at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, where Peter Parker's secret identity was unveiled to the world. No Way Home picks up with Parker struggling to deal with the fact that everyone now knows who he is, and that he can't now just be an ordinary high schooler when he's not acting the hero. So, he asks Doctor Strange to spin a time- and space-twisting spell, which tears a whole in the world and sparks all of this multiverse mayhem. So far, there's still no sight of Maguire or Garfield — but that could be the kind of surprise that's being saved for cinemas. And, whether the film gets playful as the phenomenal animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is obviously still yet to be seen. No Way Home will feature a heap of other familiar faces, including Zendaya (Space Jam: A New Legacy), Marisa Tomei (The King of Staten Island) and Jacob Batalon (Let It Snow). Behind the lens, Jon Watts returns after previously helming both Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home as well. In a nice piece of symmetry, when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness does hit cinemas next year, it'll be directed by Sam Raimi — who also directed the Maguire-starring Spider-Man movies in 2002, 2003 and 2007. Check out the full No Way Home trailer below: Spider-Man: No Way Home opens in Australian cinemas on December 16. Images: ©2021 CTMG. All Rights Reserved. MARVEL and all related character names: © & ™ 2021 MARVEL.
