If Shakespeare were alive today, what would he be doing? According to the Q Brothers, the creators of Funk It Up About Nothin', with his love of rhythm, rhyme and wordplay, he'd be a hip hop MC. And of all his works, perhaps Much Ado…, already riddled with ribaldry is the most fitting for some funking up. In this production from Chicago Shakespeare Company, Don Pedro and his boys Claudio and Benedick have just returned victorious from their latest hip hop battle, and love is in the air. With a cast of six plus a DJ on the decks, the performers rap their way through this hilarious and high-tempo adaptation. The performances on the single-set stage are buzzing with energy, and with several quick costume changes required, the cast aren't afraid to camp it up or milk a slapstick moment. Claudio's rejection of Hero at the altar and the entrance of Sheriff Dingleberry were particular highlights. Staying largely true to Shakespeare's plot, the lines have been transformed into a rap just over an hour long, complete with smut, innuendo, and parody — just the way the bard would have wanted it. The production is drawing quite a varied audience: young and old, theatre and hip hop fans alike and all of them leave smiling, which is no mean feat. After all, when was the last time you actually laughed at a Shakespearian comedy? https://youtube.com/watch?v=yB3_OLaA56w
Brokenwood Wines has been a staple in the Hunter Valley for nearly four decades, and its cellar door has just undergone its first revamp since the modest building's construction way back in 1975 — and the redevelopment is a big one, worth a whopping $8 million. Opening this Saturday, December 8, the massive new digs span 1400 square-metres. Sydney-based architecture and design firm Villa + Villa are responsible for the striking timber structure, which took one year to complete and is now one of the largest cellar doors in the region. It's expected to accommodate over 250,000 guests per year. So what have they done with all this space? Well, apart from the circular tasting pods and two private tasting rooms, there are also two distinct restaurants, a large outdoor terrace and a lounge. Plus a wine museum that overlooks the Brokenwood barrel hall and will host tastings, blending masterclasses and one-off events. Chefs Andrew and Janet Wright are at the helm in both kitchens. The first, Cru Bar + Pantry, is the venue's casual offering. It's located in the lounge and is open for breakfast and lunch daily. Expect moreish snacks like homemade pies, cheese and charcuterie platters, toasties and woodfired pizza to accompany bottles of Brokenwood — alongside a self-service, by-the-glass dispenser that will pour some of the winery's rarest drops. The second dining option is the The Wood Restaurant, a 90-seat modern Australian offering that'll open for lunch daily and for dinner on Friday and Saturday. The menu is centred around fresh seafood. Starters like shucked oysters, sashimi, caviar and salt cod fritters sit alongside larger menu items like spanner crab linguini and market fish with clams, salumi, capers and anchovy butter. Located in Pokolbin, a two-hour drive from Sydney, the fancy new cellar door is worthy stop-off during a weekend getaway in region. For more wineries to hit up while you're there, check out our guide to cycling and drinking your way around the Hunter. Find Brokenwood Wines' cellar door at 401-427 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin, from Saturday, December 8. Images: Chris Elfes
With just a few weeks left of winter, you might have thought you'd survived the worst of it. But nope, the Bureau of Meteorology has announced a severe weather warning across Australia's southeast, saying the region looks set to cop the strongest weather system it's seen all season over the next few days. That means blustery winds, pouring rain and some very low temperatures, so you'd best start plotting a weekend of Netflix and couch time. SEVERE WEATHER UPDATE: strongest weather system this winter for SE Australia, with possible sleet/snow on #NSW #Qld border. Video current at 12 pm AEST, 7 August 2019. Check warnings at https://t.co/0iBm75CO79 & follow advice from emergency services pic.twitter.com/0rzydto2yC — Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) August 7, 2019 A severe weather warning for Victoria reveals the state's due for some damaging winds, with gusts of between 90 and 100 kilometres per hour developing across western regions today and moving into eastern parts by tonight. NSW is forecast to cop the same wild, windy conditions from this afternoon, with plenty of showers across the southern inland parts spreading further up the coast to Sydney tonight. https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1159081331378262016 A series of cold fronts are set to hit most of NSW through until Sunday, so you can expect blustery conditions for your weekend, with possible thunderstorms to match. Sydney's expected to dip to lows of 11 degrees tomorrow and to 8 degrees across the weekend, though that wind chill factor will make it feel a whole lot frostier. (It may be a little chilly at the City2Surf start line.) It's good news for snow bunnies, however, with solid snowfalls forecast for Thredbo and Perisher. https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1158583525051969537 Down south, Melbourne's in for even chillier conditions, with a temperature top of just 13 degrees today, 11 degrees on Friday and Saturday, and 12 degrees to round out the weekend. Rain is pretty much a given across all four days and there's a strong chance of thunderstorms. Alpine regions even look set to score blizzards tonight and again Friday morning, including snow fields Hotham, Falls Creek and Mt Buller. Between 50 centimetres–one metre of fresh snow is forecast to dump across those slopes. But even if you're not hitting the mountain, you could still see some of the white stuff — there's potential snow forecast for low lying areas across Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. Top image: Thredbo
Skip the airfares, hefty ticket spends and get-to-the-front crowd panic, you can stream Chicago's Lollapalooza festival right from your own snuggly warm bed. Thanks to the legends over at Red Bull TV, you'll be able to stream the entire three days worth of live shenanigans from their exclusive channel. Chicago's historic Grant Park will play host to some pretty big ol' must-streams this weekend. With the recently Splendour-victorious OutKast headlining alongside Lorde, Arctic Monkeys, Foster the People, CHVRCHES, Interpol, Childish Gambino, Calvin Harris, Kings of Leon, Glen Hansard, Chromeo, The 1975, Jenny Lewis, Courtney Barnett and a severe bucketload more (over 100 woah-inducing names) on the lineup, that's the best excuse for staying home and cleaning your house to tunes we've ever heard. With three channels of ridiculously solid programming over five stages, you'll be the worst remote pest ever (but warranted). There's over 200 hours of exclusive content as well as the sets, so you can duck backstage for some Lolla tomfoolery, artist interviews, unique POV angles and festival highlight throwbacks. It's a new era for Lolla. Since Perry Farrell started the whole thing in 1991, they've regularly rivaled Coachella for lineup steeze and have now extended to Lollapalooza Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. Now they're teaming up with Red Bull TV to take Lolla global, we're pretty stoked to feel all included in the 'palooza festivities (and we don't even have to buy a token inappropriate headdress to get involved). The livestream will kick off at 5am AEST tomorrow morning until 1pm AEST on Monday. Red Bull TV is accessible via the web at www.redbull.tv and its Android and iOS applications, as a pre-installed channel on Apple TV, and as a free, downloadable app on Samsung Smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, Kindle Fire, Xbox 360, Chromecast, and iOS and Android devices.
John Doyle (aka Roy Slaven) may never top the artistic triumph that was his co-coverage with HG Nelson of the Sydney Olympics men’s gymnastics, but that doesn’t mean his second play, Vere, isn’t a good runner-up. The memorable terms ‘battered sav’, ‘hello boys’ and ‘crazy date’ have made the world a happier place. With Vere, Doyle has made the world a wiser place. It’s a sensible, heartfelt contribution to the necessary discussion of how to die well. Vere is a world apart from the tender testes of Russian gymnasts. It follows the mental decline of eminent physicist Vere (Paul Blackwell), after he learns he has a rapidly progressing form of dementia. You can almost smell the mustiness of boffins at their toil in the excellently drab office created by Pip Runciman. Vere celebrates the last day of semester with his physics colleagues as well as the lecherous vice chancellor, Ralph (Geoff Morrell), and an admiring, nubile female student, Gina (Matilda Bailey). He hands out advice, gifts and wine as he comes to terms with the prospect that he may not be able to travel to the Cern hadron collider to see if his beloved Higgs Boson, or ‘God’ particle, indeed exists. The second act sees the same cast take on mirror characters from the first act, as we travel to the family home of Vere’s son, Scott (Yalin Ozucelik), whose own son Michael (Matthew Gregan) has decided to marry into a family of religious buffoons. Rebecca Massey makes a particularly fantastic idiot as the wife of a minister. The double casting works well to show Vere’s slipping faculties and the cast takes the opportunity to show off some impressive transformations, each of them embodying very different characters in the two halves. For a play that cherishes rational humanism, sound designer Steve Francis’ treatment of Delibes’ Flower Duet is positively sentimental. The significance the duet holds as Vere’s late wife’s favourite song is diminished by the version’s closeness to pan-pipes and air freshener commercials. Similarly, Runciman’s multiple doors opening as a metaphor for mental clarity is a bit much. Doyle’s comedy is interspersed with intellectual tangents, which are mostly at home within the action, though the befuddled-man-of-the-cloth-versus-awe-inspired-scientist construct is not particularly sophisticated. Sarah Goodes has struck a good balance between comedy and intellectual argument with her direction. The father-son relationship played out so well by Blackman and Ozucelik is the ultimate defence of humanism and the reason the play has an impact. A fine man faces the void in the care of his son who loves and understands him; there’s no afterlife, just the deep respect they have for each other’s minds. It’s pretty great. Image by Matt Nettheim.
When cinemas are running as normal, getting a glimpse of the other side of the world is as easy as stepping into a darkened theatre. While lockdowns have impacted picture palaces around the country, and Australia's huge lineup of film festivals have moved online, that experience has shifted into our lounge rooms. The latest virtual film fest to make the leap to digital: the Czech and Slovak Film Festival of Australia. In 2021, it's streaming a five-movie lineup via ACMI's online Cinema 3 platform — and it won't just evoke your travel yearnings for Central Europe, but for Antarctica as well. That look at frostier climes comes courtesy of the stunning Frem, with director and cinematographer Viera Čákanyová peering out over its icy expanse in a film that blends reality and fiction. No, you won't find sights this striking elsewhere on your normal streaming queue. Or, you can also watch book-to-screen adaptation Gump and its tale of canine companions; documentary Athanor: The Alchemical Furnace about acclaimed Czech filmmaker Jan Švankmajer; and 70s classics The Ear and Pacho, The Thief of Hybe. Top image: Hypermarket Film
The Sydney Portugal Community Club in Marrickville is set to host their second annual Festival de Sardinha and it's sounding undeniably tasty. Don't worry, you don't have to be as obsessed with sardines as we are to think so. Despite the name, sardines aren't the only item on the menu on February 4, though you can grab yourself a big ole plate of Portuguese-style sardinhas, served with roasted veggies, bread and salad for $15. Other savoury specialties include half a Portuguese chicken with chips and salad for $15 and a bifana (popular pork steak sandwich) and chips for just ten bucks. Alongside an array of Portuguese desserts, market favourite Dos Churros will also host a stand, turning out their Spanish-style treats, deep-fried to order and served with the classic dipping sauces. The drinks offering will go with the country theme as well, and will include Super Bock and passionfruit mojitos on tap, along with three flavours of Sumol (a Portuguese soft drink). To add to the festivities, local band Pop Orchestra will be rocking an unusual combo of tunes. The kids area sounds genuinely fun as well, with $10 giving youngsters all-day access to giant snakes and ladders, a giant velcro dart board, double-play basketball shootout, roaming farm animals, face paint and a jumping castle. Unfortunately 'kidults' are only allowed access while accompanying a child — so, if don't have any, this would be the ideal time to borrow your niece or nephew for the day. Limited parking is available for members only, but the venue is easily accessible from Sydenham Station. With 1500 in attendance last year, it's best to get in at noon to secure yourself the tastiest bites.
The inner west certainly has no shortage of breweries, but, in our opinion, you can't have too much of a good thing in one place. So, beer lovers will be happy to know that they'll soon be able to add another stop to their Marrickville brewery crawl, when Philter finally opens the doors to its very own brewbar along Sydenham Road come July. First launched back in 2017, the gypsy brewery has become well-recognised for its retro tinnie branding and sessionable styles. It's led by one of Australia's first female brewers (and former Young Henrys head brewer) Samara Füss — who is, fittingly, a bit of a legend in the local beer scene — and Marrickville neighbours and beer lovers Michael Neil and Stefan Constantoulas. Set in an old yoghurt factory opposite Wicks Park, the location is very well placed — it's just down the block from Batch and close walking distance to Sauce, Wildflower, Grifter and Willie The Boatman. Yeah, it has turned into one massive brewery crawl indeed. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBAgzy9Dtfh/ While the brewery and taproom are still a few weeks off, Philter has gifted craft beer fans with an early present in the form of a bottle shop. Opening in the new Marrickville site, it's selling cartons, four- and six-packs, squealers and growlers of the brand's signature brews, including its fan-favourite XPA, red ale, lager, IPA and seasonal stout. Punters can also expect heaps more limited and seasonal releases from the brand going forward, with a 25-hectolitre brewery pumping out more Philter than ever before. The Philter bottle shop is now open at 92–98 Sydenham Road, Marrickville. It's open from 3–7pm Friday, 12–6pm Saturday and 12–4pm Sunday. We'll let you know when the taproom and brewery open.
The warm weather can be such a tease. As soon as the season changes and ushers in day after day of blue skies and warm breezes, we start dreaming of swapping real life with beach days and road trips out of town. The reality may be a little different (thanks to work, uni or general life commitments) but, thankfully, Sydney is brimming with ways to soak up every last drop of springtime fun. To mark the commencement of its Spring Carnival, we've teamed up with Australian Turf Club to bring you five top-notch ways to celebrate the season this week. SNAG A BARGAIN AT THIS DESIGNER SALE When? Thursday, September 19 A new season doesn't always need to call for an entire wardrobe overhaul — but a few new pieces for all those fabulous spring events you've got coming up can't hurt, right? Especially when you're getting them for such a bargain. Across four days this week, Paddington Town Hall will be filled with thousands of luxury fashion items with whopping discounts of up to 80 percent off. We're talking designers like Romance Was Born, Isabel Marant and Alexander McQueen. With the opportunity to grab coveted labels for (relatively) low prices, you can expect this to get a little chaotic — we hope your reflexes are sharp. EAT AND DRINK YOUR WAY AROUND THIS HARBOURSIDE FESTIVAL When? Friday, September 20 Next Friday marks the kick-off of the annual Pyrmont Festival. For the second consecutive year, inner-city area's bars and restaurants will team up with winemakers and producers from regional NSW town Orange for a series of degustations and one-off events. Throughout the festival, you'll be able to sample drops from across the Orange wine region from Porter's Liquor Pyrmont daily and at local cafe Call Me Harris' sunset bar on Fridays from 5pm. Meanwhile, TAP Gallery will be open from 2pm each day to showcase works from local artists. Also be sure to make tracks down to Pirrama Park next weekend for the two-day festival for your chance to sample delightful regional produce and meet the makers. HEAD TO THE OPENING DAY OF THE EVEREST CARNIVAL When? Saturday, September 21 With arrival of spring, so too comes the commencement of Sydney's racing carnival season. And the Colgate Optic White Stakes Day will be kicking off the 2019 Everest Carnival in a big way. Head to Royal Randwick this Saturday, September 21 for a day of food, fashion and off-track entertainment. It will also see the launch of the Pony Palms, a new Palm Springs-inspired area featuring palm trees, a pool, private cabanas, cocktails and a roster of live performances. This weekend will include a DJ set by Set Mo, featuring Woodes, plus sets by Yolanda Be Cool and Sarah Roberts. EXPERIENCE NATURES INDOORS AT THIS NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION When? Any day Sometimes mother nature doesn't get the memo that winter is over. So, if the temperature gauge takes a bit of a dip this week, you can experience nature at the Powerhouse Museum's Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition. Until October 20, the museum is showcasing more than 100 captivating scenes of nature from across Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea. You'll be able to get eye to eye with crested-horn sharks, short-beaked echidnas and flying foxes — all while staying dry and warm. ENJOY A RECOVERY SUNDAY SESSION AT THE FERNERY When? Sunday, September 22 If your big week of spring activities have left you feeling a little weary, make tracks to The Fernery in Mosman for a laidback afternoon of eating, drinking and activities. To ring in the warmer weather, the greenhouse-inspired rooftop bar is hosting a series of retro-French events. You can pair a French rosé or champagne with a decadent loaded croissant filled with oozy brie and truffle or sweet chocolate cookie crumble. While you tuck into these OTT treats, you can play a few rounds of pétanque and watch the sunset. Everest Carnival runs from 21 September to 2 November at Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick. For more information, head this way. Top Image: Felipe Neves.
As filmgoers, it would seem that we have a unique fascination with anthropomorphised machines. From WALL-E to Blade Runner to Spike Jonze’s recent Her, movies are full of artificially intelligent creations who have captured the imagination of audiences, and in doing so blurred the line of what it truly means to be human. The most recent robot to achieve sentience on screen is the title character in Chappie, the latest film from writer-director Neill Blomkamp. A member of Johannesburg’s robotic police force, Chappie (voiced and motion captured by Sharlto Copley) is earmarked for decommission after being damaged during a drug raid. Instead, his designer Deon Wilson (Dev Patel) decides to use him as a guinea pig for a radical new form of AI, one that more closely resembles human consciousness. But Deon’s success is soured after Chappie is stolen by a group of gangsters (South African rap group Die Antwoord playing fictionalised versions of themselves), who plan on using the impressionable robot to execute a heist. Three films into his career, Blomkamp has proven himself as a storyteller with a lot on his mind. His hit debut District 9 used an outlandish sci-fi premise as an allegory for racial prejudice and discrimination, while his big-budget follow-up Elysium touched on notions of immigration and class divide. In Chappie his ideas get even bigger, hitting everything from police militarisation to the nature of consciousness, loss of faith and even alternate modes of parenting. If anything, Blomkamp maybe tackles too much, packing his movie with a litany of different concepts at the expense of covering any of them in depth. There’s an argument to be made for quality over quantity, yet it’s hard to fault the director for his ambition. Nor can you ignore the amount of food for thought the film provides — brains being an increasingly rare commodity in Hollywood blockbusters, after all. And to its credit, Chappie succeeds as more than just a think piece. Possessing the innocence and excitability of a child, Chappie makes for a wonderful protagonist, with Copley’s mo-cap and vocal performance comparable to the work of Andy Serkis. As Chappie slowly matures, viewers will find themselves caught up in his emotional journey; particularly moving is the dynamic between Chappie and his surrogate mother Yolandi, who helps the robot attune his moral compass. Chappie does unfortunately suffer from one major flaw, and it comes in the form of its villain. Sporting his natural accent in one of the most poorly written parts of his career, Hugh Jackman plays the brutish Vincent Moore, a former soldier who plans on sabotaging Deon’s police robots — including Chappie — so that the force might invest in his more heavily armoured, remotely piloted drones. Even if you can ignore his cringeworthy Australian slang and unintentionally hilarious Steve Irwin-style khakis, Moore’s motivations remain excruciatingly one-dimensional. His only purpose is to manufacture conflict, and he basically derails the movie whenever he appears on screen. Luckily, Chappie is always there to get the story back on track. And perhaps it’s only fitting that, in a story about artificial humanity, the most emotionally intricate character isn’t a human at all.
Lucas's Abela's Pinball Pianola is part of a group show at Firstdraft. It's an artwork that is what it says it’s about - no theoretical nods to Deleuze or artspeak catchwords like ‘trans-territorial’ in the description. Lucas Abela (with Keg de Souza and Kris Hades) has grafted what he calls a “Frankenstein” monster: an upright piano, gutted and repurposed as a pinball machine (check it out in this video). You pull the plunger and let a pinball loose into the guts of the instrument. The pianola’s keys are hooked up to flippers: play the keys and the pinball bounces up from the flippers to strike the instrument’s strings, creating haphazard, live sound art. A dashboard allows you to tinker with the machine’s output - more noise, less fuzz, higher pitch. It’s a certifiably bonkers piece of interactive art with a strong sense of creative freedom and childlike zeal. Abela is uber-creative, there are millions of visual and audio ideas going on and the complexity of the engineering is pretty impressive. The work goes beyond being a mere experiment in manufactured weirdness. With Pinball Pianola, Abela has crafted a machine that lets the audience play and create collectively, on the fly and in the moment. It’s all about music and art as accidental results of play, and forcing strangers to interact with each other in what’s often a sterile gallery environment. Play is an underrated quality in contemporary art, and Abela has created something really engaging and quite awe-inspiring - an intelligent crowdpleaser. There’s also a second creation - a pentagram-shaped pinball game for five players called “Balls for Cthulhu”. The walls are fashioned from guitar necks with the fret boards exposed to be struck by the pinballs, and audience members can sign up for when the game will be available to play during the course of the show. Multiple visits recommended. At launch, Balls for Cthulhu still had some technical issues and was expected to be operational for December 4.
The Sydney Fringe Festival has been feeding us drips and drabs of their massive 2017 program since back in May and have now finally announced the full lineup — over 300 productions worth, presented from September 1 through 30. The month-long cultural festival brings theatre, music and dance together with visual art, film and comedy, not to mention cabaret, spoken-word and even circus performances. The 42 partner venues span inner Sydney, with this year's opening weekend extravaganza taking the form of an enormous 'masqueerade' from the Heaps Gay team. It will take over the brand new festival hub at Sydney Park, rocking over two nights on September 2 and 3. The 7000 square-metre warehouse space will go on to house multiple performance and exhibition spaces, with shows that include immersive light, art and theatrical experiences, musical performances, installations and even a 200-seat vegan feast by the Alfie's Kitchen team. Chippendale's Kensington Street will take on the official launch party, with shops, bars, restaurants and footpaths alive with music curated by Sydney-based songstress Ngaiire. With a focus on new art and activations, over 50 percent of the productions are world premieres, including Silent Theatre — this immersive production invites participants to the Urban Newtown Hotel, where they will voyeuristically observe from the streets below, watching through hotel windows and listening to the story of four playwrights through headphones. Other highlights include a Wig Exhibition by hairdresser Shaun McGrath, a world first GIF-iti exhibition from UK artist INSA and Cirque Africa — a sellout circus show featuring 38 performers from six African countries, all backed by a live African band. Yup, it's going to be one massive month around town so grab tickets now and clear your schedule. Head to the Sydney Fringe website for the full 2017 festival program.
Is it that time again already? The Sydney Underground Film Festival is back, bigger and better than ever. If you thought Harmony Korine couldn't out-do Julien Donkey Boy and Gummo, you were wrong; Trash Humpers is here to rock your socks. It seems this American filmmaker is living up to the reputation forged for him by Werner Herzog. Gaspar Noe has also returned to the big screen, with his effort Enter The Void, after a seven year absence since Irreversible, and Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas present the life of the now-deceased comedian Bill Hicks, in American: The Bill Hicks Story. Notably, this film made a great impression at SXSW. Congratulations to whoever in the organisation of this event managed to schedule 89 films over a 54-hour period. Kudos, friend. Kudos. The three evenings of cinema commence with a screening of Un Chien Andalou, a film that many will recognise from the Pixies song 'Debaser'. The product of a partnership between Luis Brunel and Salvador Dali, the film's opening sequence is perhaps what made it famous. What will make this screening particularly interesting however, is the fact that Jay Katz and Miss Death have composed a live score to accompany the film. Get on down to the Factory Theatre, and help bring these films out of the underground. Image: Trash Humpers https://youtube.com/watch?v=BVbTEVfLksU
The great thing about casting impersonators in a film is that you get twenty actors for the price of two. Directed by Michael Winterbottom, The Trip features comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon (24 Hour Party People, A Cock and Bull Story) starring alongside themselves as: Al Pacino, Michael Caine, Ian McKellan, Woody Allen, Richard Burton, all the James Bonds and a score of other celebrities whilst embarking upon a restaurant tour of northern England's finest eateries. The premise is charmingly simple: when Coogan's girlfriend suddenly backs out on their planned romantic getaway, he's forced to enlist the help of his old friend Brydon to avoid dining at the six restaurants alone. Since neither of them are particularly 'foodies', however (at one point Coogan describes his tomato soup as “tomato-y”), the trip quickly develops into a rollicking showdown of competing impersonations and improvised philosophising on love, fame and why old people are always cranky. Shot in and around England’s picturesque Lake District, The Trip offers up some of the most genuine laugh out loud moments of any film produced in the past five years, as well as some surprisingly tender scenes given its mockumentary style. Coogan and Brydon are perfectly matched as the leads, with their constant bickering and passive one-upmanship providing an almost unceasing series of sparking one-liners that you’ll want to write down and use on your own friends later.
As you might've heard, Misfits — Redfern's bar for mavericks and oddballs — is turning two this September. To celebrate, we're giving away a private dinner for you and nine mates. Yep, that's a pretty serious party. Whether you want to plan a birthday celebration of your own or just want to get the crew together, if you win this, you won't have to pay a dime. Go beyond the bar's secret bookcase and enter a 70s-style lounge room — this is where it will all go down. Dubbed 'Out of Bounds', this space is a private dining room, which you'll have all to yourselves, meaning you can wine and dine to your hearts' content (and get a little silly). It's also where Locals in the Lounge's free gigs take place, so you bet it'll be a good time in there. For two decadent hours, you'll be sipping on bottomless cocktail jugs, while tucking into a feast of share plates. Think delicious dishes such as crispy squid with jerk spice, burnt lime and aioli, followed by grilled flank steak with hand cut chips, caramelised onion butter and jus, plus spiced cauliflower with labne and pistachio puree, among many other delights. If you have any dietary requirements, you'll just have to let Misfits know 48 hours before your booking. If you win, you'll be able to have your private dinner any night between Monday and Thursday, until February 2020. Just head here to book. [competition]739163[/competition]
With design conference Semi Permanent set to hit Carriageworks later this month, the two entities are joining forces to present La Rosa Social Club. The space is the brainchild of LA-based filmmaker, curator and cultural icon Aaron Rose who's headed for Sydney following pop-ups in Berlin and at the LA Art Book Fair. The multifaceted project is part-exhibition hall, part-bar and part-performance space, and it will pop up at Carriageworks' Elston Room from Wednesday, May 24 to Thursday, June 1. La Rosa Social Club will serve as a gathering place for international creatives, serving up live performances and art exhibitions alongside food by Sammy's Burger Bar and a selection of local wine, beer, sangria and, most importantly, Negronis from Bondi's Corner House. Everything in the space is sourced from recycled material or thrift and vintage stores, then customised by Rose and his crew of artists — including the floral ceiling installation by Holly Hipwell, handpainted cushions by Madeline Simms and a suspended mural by Natalie Krim. The drinks menu, wine bottles and limited edition cocktail napkins will also be created by the group of artists. The pop-up will start with a launch party on the Wednesday and a private event for Semi Permanent ticket holders on the Thursday. Entry is free, but you should RSVP here ahead of time to ensure you get in. La Rosa Social Club will run from May 24–27 and on May 31 and June 1, from 5–10.30pm. For more information, visit the website.
If you're working from home during the COVID-19 crisis you've probably noticed that your productivity has gone through the roof. You're smashing through that to-do list in the time you'd usually spend on the bus, and live-streaming your bootcamp session after pens-down, but have you also noticed you're generally taking fewer breaks from 'the office' in the middle part of your day? A two-year study showed that when employees work from home, staff tend to take shorter breaks. Perhaps the WFH lifestyle you imagined — eating salads in the sunshine, reading more books at lunch, and having a less stressful transition into dinnertime — hasn't materialised in the way you'd hoped? Just because you're cutting out the travel time doesn't necessarily mean you have more time to prep healthy, appetising meals come 6pm. [caption id="attachment_766420" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oodee's ten-minute meal packages[/caption] Oodee is a meal delivery service that brings you washed, cut and portioned ingredients for nutritious feeds that can be cooked in ten minutes. You don't even need a stocked pantry — every element of the cooking process has been taken care of, and you're sent easy-to-follow recipe cards for each meal. Instead of worrying over which can of soup to crack open next, you could be heating up a couple of plates of crispy salmon with soba noodles, chicken schnitzel with mash and gravy, barbecue chicken pizza, or thai green curry with jasmine rice — all before you sink into another episode of Tiger King on Netflix. Oodee's main focus is providing healthy, accessible meals to help you spend less time shopping and cooking. It works with local farmers to source RSPCA-approved chicken and Meat Standards Australia suppliers for other proteins, and it delivers daily so you don't have to go hungry when you've been typing till midnight and forgot to feed yourself between stimulants and Skype calls. [caption id="attachment_766461" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chicken schnitzel[/caption] Sydneysiders can order their meals by 11:59pm each night and you'll still receive free next-day delivery. The minimum order is three meal packs, and dishes like tofu stir fry with hokkien noodles work out at only $5 per serve. And if you are heading out to work right now, deliveries are dropped off between 4–8pm each evening in a chilled and insulated box so your meals will remain at the right temperature ready for when you get home. Find out more about Oodee's food delivery service and take advantage of its free next-day delivery offer while you can.
There's no doubt about it, it's cold. Sydney's wild weather has settled in — we've seen snow in the Blue Mountains, rain spitting down in the city and the Manly ferry line stopped due to severe swells in Sydney Harbour, plus destructive winds and damaging surf along a large portion of the NSW coast. Luckily, Japanese casual apparel retailer UNIQLO has got some super snug clothing to keep you warm throughout the chilly season. What's more, on Friday, June 14, UNIQLO is giving away free HEATTECH wear to make sure you're cosy to the core. Essentially thermals, the HEATTECH innerwear comes in three levels of warmth — warm, extra warm and ultra warm — in the form of singlets, shirts, turtle necks, pants, long johns and even leg warmers and socks. So, whatever this winter holds in store, UNIQLO will help you stay nice and toasty. Get down to Martin Place between 7am–7pm and find the large UNIQLO HEATTECH shirt installation to nab yourself some free winter wear. The process is pretty simple: at the OTT shirt installation, you'll get a thermal Polaroid taken, which will have a unique code on it. Then, take your code to the UNIQLO MidCity store on Pitt Street to redeem your free HEATTECH swag. To check out the full HEATTECH range, head to UNIQLO's website.
When was the last time you scrolled through someone else's social media feed, ogled their happy snaps, envied their existence and felt bad about your own life choices? However honestly you choose to answer that question, we know you know the feeling. You've been there and done that, and probably more than once. What we'll assume you haven't done is move across the country to stalk your Insta girl crush, and then changed your entire identity in order to become their BFF. In a nutshell, that's the story of Ingrid Goes West, a caustic yet relatable comedy that blends a portrait of today's #nofilter world with some Black Mirror-style social satire. It's a film that's all-too-aware that measuring self-worth through likes, follows and shares has become the norm, and is well and truly committed to probing and satirising that fact. If, like most of us, you live large parts of your life online, then you're likely to find this darkly comic tale insightful, amusing and unnerving — not to mention a little close to home. When we first meet Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza), she's trawling through a woman's wedding posts while driving to the reception. She wasn't invited, she's furious and the fact that she's only really an Instagram acquaintance of the bride doesn't matter to her one bit. A meltdown, a short stint in a psychiatric hospital and a modest inheritance later, and Ingrid finds herself alone, cashed up and looking for a new pal. Enter LA influencer Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen), who Ingrid spies in a magazine and reaches out to online, eventually abducting her dog in order to spark a connection. Remaking herself in her new bestie's image, Ingrid's efforts initially pay off. Soon she's having dinner with Taylor and her artist husband Ezra (Wyatt Russell), going to parties with the duo, enjoying girls-only road trips to Joshua Tree and filling her own social media feed with proof of her glamorous new life. But then Taylor's snarky, smarmy brother (Billy Magnussen) shows up, and quickly sees through Ingrid's Single White Female-esque obsession. In their first feature film, writer-director Matt Spicer and co-scribe David Branson Smith find plenty of material to work with, both in Ingrid's delusional deception and her inevitable unravelling. In the process, they contemplate and skewer a culture that enables her behaviour with the tap of a screen, and then judges, denigrates and condemns with the press of a few more buttons. It might all seem quite obvious to anyone with a smartphone, but that doesn't make it any less humorous, perceptive or effective. Spicer also deserves credit for finding the right stars for the job, particularly his leading lady. With her expressive eyes working overtime, Plaza flits between sincere, ironic, vulnerable and vapid in an instant, all while making viewers understand Ingrid when they might otherwise just feel derision or pity. Olsen, meanwhile, nails her role as a bohemian social media star, so much so that you'll think you're actually following her on Instagram yourself. Of course, that's the point: the most astute and accurate parodies are often only a step or two away from the real thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n83Za_7AiyY
Museums of History NSW has announced this year's annual art installation: Murmurations. Murmurations brings together the perspectives of First Nations peoples from Australia and the Pacific to explore the history of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hyde Park Barracks. The digital art installation was created by acclaimed First Nations artist Tony Albert and Sāmoan–Australian artist Angela Tiatia with Lille Madden, Alina Olivares-Panucci and Corin Ileto. It offers viewers an opportunity to engage with the history and culture of Australia and the wider Pacific region. Rich cultural narratives are woven into the work, delving into the complex history of Hyde Park Barracks and its significance in shaping our understanding of migration and identity. Experience this thought-provoking installation on view daily in the Hyde Park Barracks courtyard from 10am–5pm until Sunday, June 4, completely free of charge. In addition to the artwork, there is a specially curated program of talks, workshops and performances that deepen understanding of the artwork and site including the Community Cultural Festival on Sunday, 28 May — the full program can be found on the Museums of History NSW website. Throughout May until June 4, visitors can create their own love token — handmade coins crafted by convicts which they gave to their loved ones before they were transported to begin their sentence — and engage in First Nations weaving traditions at the Weaving a Connection to Culture drop-in weaving workshop. The Murmurations art installation is on view daily at the Hyde Park Barracks courtyard from 10am–5pm until Sunday, June 4. Entry is free. Image credit: 1. Murmurations (still) by Tony Albert and Angela Tiatia, with Lille Madden, Alina Olivares-Panucci and Corin Ileto, 2023. Commissioned by MHNSW. 2. Photo Joshua Morris for MHNSW.
Meet Smokey LaBeef and Exercise Mike, two dapper gentlemen who were drawn together by their ridiculous names and shared misfortune at having been born in the wrong decade. Rather that spend the rest of their lives pining away for those earlier days of neater heir styles and better dance moves, they recently discovered a time travel device to transport their bodies to the decades their souls inhabit, and they call it Jingle Jangle. With the sweetest tunes from the 1920s - 1960s, this is your monthly dose of rock n roll, swing, jive, soul, R&B, exotica, garage, psych, beat and 50's/60's pop oddities - not to mention all the magicians, puppet shows, sideshow events, projected vintage cinema and civilized confabulation you could ever need to leave the 21st century far far behind.
In Beauty, Francois is self-contained, unhappily married, white, middle-aged. He's from another world — that of Apartheid South Africa — and has utterly failed to adjust to the post-Apartheid landscape where the privileges he was born with mean less. He quietly and unapologetically throws around racist and homophobic slander across the dinner table. But as the reality of Francois' identity is slowly revealed, we come to understand that he is the object of his own loathing: he's not just a closet racist, but a closet gay man. His unravelling begins when he meets Christian (Charlie Keegan), who is distinctly new-world South African: young, handsome, successful, loved, and genuinely charismatic. He is the symbol of everything that is unavailable to Francois (played subtly and menacingly by Deon Lotz). Beauty is not about politics per se, but it is deeply political: it delves into how matters of sexuality and race manifest in individuals. The last film that did this successfully was the Iranian A Separation, and so director Oliver Hermanus has a tough job cut out for him. As a drama, Beauty never achieves the devastating tension of A Separation, but as a character study of someone who is both shaped and impounded by his culture, it is quite effective. The film is not just about the tragic figure of Francois but about all people who fear the world as it turns and changes around them. Likewise, Beauty is not so much about desire and obsession, as some have reported, but repression and unrealised longing. The point is not semantic when discussing the complexities of internalised homophobia. Clearly the film is ambitious in scope, but it refuses to answer the many questions it throws at the audience so violently and distressingly about the nature of fear, sexuality, race, and social change. It is one thing to examine the plight of a self-hating gay man, but Hermanus risks overly humanising Francois' descent into inexcusable brutality. The director was a press photographer in his former life, and his fondness for very still, slowly edited shots often brings the pace of the film to a standstill, undermining his ability to gradually build suspense. Despite its shortcomings, its braveness was rewarded with the Queer Palm at Cannes Film Festival. Beauty frustrates and disturbs in equal measures. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8nkOSe9fBqs
Since first unleashing its festival fun back in 2014, Lost Paradise has become an end-of-year staple. But, just two weeks out from its 2019 event, the Glenworth Valley festival has had to cancel because of NSW's catastrophic bushfires. So far this fire season, bushfires have destroyed 724 homes and burnt 2.7 million hectares across the state. One of the most destructive blazes is the "mega-fire" in the Wollemi National Park — currently more than 344,000 hectares in size, but being controlled — which is right next to Lost Paradise's home. With hot and dry conditions predicted for the rest of summer, and some saying the worst is yet to come, the festival has made the decision to cancel the festival. A Lost Paradise spokesperson said the decision had been made after "extensive consultation with the Rural Fire Service, emergency personnel and other key stakeholders". "Our beautiful home in Sydney's Central Coast is facing intense and unpredictable fire conditions that are sadly expected to deteriorate," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We simply cannot put anyone's life at risk." While the festival considered possible options to relocate the festival, none of them had been possible within the short timeframe. https://www.facebook.com/LostParadiseAU/posts/2894075944005965?__xts__[0]=68.ARDWIgXxyu_kO0u_3EPyZmOec25Z9zu-r4p0qY89Ey2UdSMK5CcAsK2hWr91fGeoaxhRNYCHzrZ6tJ0kXk1CLIGCg9PdcPGoHlAFzMwsMPADX_1mVDn9WQure7jlgKxJcH65_XRotMUw3NaNg7wkclTDYbBNHt8QA7BWDCS6gw3M9-QBfuZNnfT0Fhzt4zB-lL2NYpzgCMhNyIr4DnzSULYDnvLP1CL6USP7aycyibx3_LvBTzfJm2j53mtMQ5kVGf37hgbajjOLWo4y86YShm3hM6EWFTzkIJthe3uZviBBQPSixeKzk8WFwX_ydy-kyZ9JhbGqKED4yrp4e4CYEA&__tn__=-R Lost Paradise was set to run from December 28–January 1, with Rüfüs Du Sol, Hilltop Hoods, Honey Dijon, The Jungle Giants and The Veronicas some of the artists scheduled to perform across the four stages. Talks, workshops and multiple types of yoga had all been locked in as part of the fest's Shambhala Fields program, too. Everyone with a ticket will be eligible for a refund, with individual ticketing providers set to provide details surrounding the refund process in the coming details. Top image: Boaz Nothham
Remember how one of the best things about being a kid was finding weird stuff like leftover food and your grandma’s spare teeth, and bringing it to school for show and tell? Well that sort of exercise can also be one of the best things about being a culturally discerning adult. If you still possess interesting ideas and an inquisitive mind, get down to Trampoline and put forth your discoveries — be they abstract, tangible or dental — to an audience that is up for cross-disciplinary discussion. Trampoline Day is a self-organising event that aims to address things that are appealing across a range of disciplines, with past topics ranging from intergenerational learning to wine tasting, 3D printers and, incidentally, the 1000-year-old human. Nothing is locked in on Trampoline and nothing is given priority, with the only requirement being that each session is 20 minutes long and focuses on sharing something that the presenter finds amazing. It also takes place out the back of the Oxford Street Design Store, so if you’re stuck for ideas you can pick up something fascinating for less than $20 on your way in. Image courtesy of Julia Hughan.
Got some extra coin you're keen to throw in the direction of the Australian art scene? Firstly, good on you. Secondly, you may as well get something (other than warm fuzzies) in return. As part of Art Month Sydney, the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) is organising The Sandpit, a big ticket ceramics workshop/fundraiser hosted by celebrated young artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran. Recognised for his unsettling sculptures that explore themes of gender, sexuality, politics and religion, the Sri-Lankan born, Sydney-based artist — who won the 2015 Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award — will lead a small hands-on class in the Ceramics Lab at UNSW Art + Design. There are just 15 spots available, so when we say small, we mean small. Tickets are on a first come, first serve basis, so make sure you get in quick. Of course at $560 a head, entry to The Sandpit isn't cheap. But you can at least rest assured that the money will be put to good use, with $450 of every ticket going to support NAVA's advocacy for the visual arts. Plus you get a free lunch... and who doesn't like a free lunch?
When it comes to prime spring drinking turf, Chiswick's sprawling green lawn is up there with the best. And you can bet it's set to get a solid workout this summer, as the Woollahra restaurant sets up a pop-up bar for outdoor drinks throughout February. Join in the al fresco fun from 5.30–7.30pm each Wednesday in February and make the most of those balmy pre-sunset temperatures with some hard-earned hump day knock-offs. The pop-up Bombay Sapphire bar will be slinging a selection of ice-cold gin cocktails, including a G&T ($10), a Passionfruit Collins ($14), and a Summer Twist with gin, peach bitters and mint ($12). There'll also be 4 Pines pale ales ($10) and house-made orange coconut soda ($5) — if gin isn't your thing. And, to cap it off, there'll be live acoustic tunes setting the mood, games of bocce, plus some free canapés making the rounds.
Mindfulness practice — achieving the mental state of focusing on the present moment — is gaining popularity as people attempt to regulate their stressful lives. People have turned to everything from meditation to colouring books to achieve mindfulness, but perhaps few people would think of doing a triathlon to achieve inner peace. Take three activities that promote mindfulness — specifically running, yoga and meditation — and you've got yourself a 'mindful triathlon'. Wanderlust 108 has been running these triathlon festivals since 2014, and the standard day has a few main components. First, there's the five kilometre run, although the site reassures you that you can walk instead of running — or even "prance, skip, stroll or strut" — as long as you reach the finish line. After that, theres 75 minutes of yoga accompanied by a DJ set, and finally 25 minutes of meditation to round out the whole-group activities. Once the structured section of the day has wrapped up, participants can also head to activities such as aerial yoga, acroyoga and hooping, or to lunch. Returning to Sydney on Saturday, October 26, it's part exercise, part dance party, part fest — and 100-percent focused on helping attendees feel great inside and out. Also on the agenda: workshops and markets, with the latter helping you take your new blissed-out state home with you afterwards.
This November, 32 of Australia's best chefs are set to converge on Barangaroo for the first-ever Taste of Sydney Collective. Run by IMG, the same crew who run the popular Taste Tuesdays series, this four-day food paradise will immerse you in a cornucopia of collaborations, experimentations and exclusive deliciousness. Taste Festivals happen all across the globe and are always a big drawcard for the best in the business to come down and cook up a storm — and Sydney's inaugural event will be no different. The lineup of Aussie chefs, handpicked by a team featuring the mighty Mark Best (ex-Marque and Pei Modern), includes LA-based Louis Tikaram (E.P. & L.P.) and London-based chef Skye Gyngell (Spring), as well as Sydney-based Clayton Wells (Automata), Mat Lindsay (Ester), Nelly Robinson (nel.) and Ben Sears and Eun Hee An (Paper Bird). It's safe to say we're pretty excited — and if you're a food lover, you should be too. To celebrate the occasion, we've got our hands on some top-notch food prizes to give away, like passes to Taste of Sydney Collective and free dinners at some of Sydney's top restaurants across the next year. To enter, see below. [competition]690205[/competition] Top image: Steven Woodburn.
Over the past five years, there's been an explosion in the number of brewing companies moving out of back sheds and into more permanent venues — and offering food and entertainment on site in the process. Heading up this trend is Cake Wines, Young Henrys and 4 Pines Brewing Company, who recently announced they would be opening up not one, but three new venues around Sydney in the next 12 months. Now, Endeavour Vintage Beer Co. is jumping on the bandwagon. Australia's dedicated vintage beer company is opening their own tap room venue in November, with not only a brewery but a bar and restaurant coming to their new space in The Rocks. Ben Carroll and Hamish Watts from Applejack Hospitality — aka the folks behind Della Hyde and The Botanist — will be joining up with the Endeavour team, so you know you can expect something impressive. "Having looked at sites in other metro areas of Sydney, this one came on the radar last year and sits really nicely with the direction we wanted to head," says Carroll. The announcement comes off the back of the NSW Government pledging $200 million to give Circular Quay a facelift. The Rocks will receive $15 million of this, which has seen a number of new retail and dining outlets join the area hoping to help make it more attractive to locals. Endeavour's setup will include eight taps on site, which will all pour brews selected in conjunction with the kitchen, ensuring the food and drinks offerings always complement each other. In terms of food, Carroll says, "we are left of centre when it comes to typical brew house fare. Keeping in sync with the beer side we will be using seasonal fresh produce, and will be working closely with the head brewer to create a great synergy between the beers and food. We will be offering a range of smoked produce from the land and sea, which will be served feast-style and accompanied with vibrant salads and house-made sauces. All done with the typical Applejack flair." We can't wait to see just what that means for the Endeavour space. And, according to the Endeavour Tap Rooms Sydney's Facebook page, more exciting developments are still to come. Find Endeavour Tap Rooms at 39-43 Argyle St, The Rocks from November. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for more information.
In 1997, Christmas changed. With a single episode of Seinfeld, the world became privy to a new form of holiday celebration that eschewed other traditions and denominations. Instead of a tree, an unadorned pole gets pride of place. Rather than share happy stories, everyone gathered airs their grievances. And, instead of settling down on the couch after a hearty meal, attendees compete in feats of strength. Okay, so maybe you still enjoy tinsel, turkey and street cricket with your family on December 25. Even so, The Glenmore is making sure you can have some Festivus fun as well. The pub's shindig takes place on the official Festivus date of Monday, December 23. The Glenmore's rooftop will have live music going from 3pm. In keeping with tradition, there'll be a grievances wall — so you can air yours and be infuriated by everyone else's — and a "these pretzels are making me thirsty" cocktail special (a salted caramel espresso martini). Not so Seinfeld are the $12 Aperol spritzes. Don't forget to dress up, too — there will be Festivus prizes. Image: Steven Woodburn
The newest, latest show at Roslyn Oxley9 sees Isaac Julien’s film, Ten Thousand Waves repackaged, from filmic to photographic form. The film, which is being shown (for the first time world-wide) at Cockatoo Island as part of the Biennale was inspired by the Morecambe Bay Tragedy of 2004, in which over 20 Chinese cockle-pickers died. Investigations revealed that all of the workers who drowned were illegal immigrants. The ground revealed in this work by Julien is fertile, especially in Australia. Ours is a country which has not fully come to terms with the multitude of cultures living within its borders and, more significantly, the motivations behind many emigrants’ desire to abandon their nation of origin. This show holds a number of resonances for me; I remember seeing Julien’s film Derek at the Sydney Film Festival two years ago. The director’s sense of narrative was commendable, but what stuck in my mind was his clinical stylisation and, once again, this is the highlight of the series. The other point of resonance resides in the fact that a few years ago, I spent four months living in Guangxi, the province where much of Julien’s film is set. His ability to capture exotic landscapes and interiors I recognise, in a Western visual format, is profound. These images effectively trace the movement of people and the transitioning state of the Chinese populace. A lot of my friends have been discussing sideshows of late: the benefits and drawbacks of these smaller, more intimate performances in comparison to the larger music festivals they may accompany. It seems that in the context of art, and especially Isaac Julien’s multidisciplinary practice, this show at Roslyn Oxley9 is the art-world answer to the 'sideshow'. In this case, Julien’s photographic series is the sideshow to his nine-channel video installation being shown at the Biennale. Neither is better nor more valid than the other, but together a deeper understanding and appreciation of the overall achievement and scope of the work can be reached.
Film fans — pack your picnics, pillows and insect repellent, and prepare to spend your summer evenings watching the big screen under the stars. From December 1, Moonlight Cinema returns for another season of great viewing, great weather (hopefully) and great food. Yep — here, all three go hand-in-hand. Kicking off in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide at the very start of the month, then heading to Perth from December 2 and Brisbane from December 7, the first part of this year's program — covering December and January — features 21 advanced screenings of movies yet to hit cinemas, 25 new releases and a heap of old favourites. The February and March lineup will be revealed early next year, but rest assured, there's something for all tastes on the current bill. If you're after an early glimpse at an exciting upcoming flick, then Guillermo del Toro's gorgeous monster romance The Shape of Water, the Greta Gerwig-directed Lady Bird and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the latest movie by In Bruges filmmaker Martin McDonagh, should all do nicely. Those who'd like to catch an openair session of efforts already screening in cinemas can pick from the likes of Justice League, Murder on the Orient Express, Detroit, Thor: Ragnarok, The Mountain Between Us and Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (once it's released on December 14). And, if you've got the urge for something retro, make a date with Love Actually, Dirty Dancing, The Breakfast Club or Back to the Future. Also featured are sneak peeks of everything from Pitch Perfect 3, to new Pixar animation Coco, to Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg's The Post. Or, if you're a fan of Australian cinema, check out Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce reuniting post-Neighbours for Swinging Safari; the absolutely stunning new outback western Sweet Country; and what sounds like an Aussie-as comedy, The BBQ. Pairing your movie choice with something to eat and drink is all part of the fun, so BYO supplies (although bringing your own booze isn't allowed in Brisbane) or grab something tasty onsite. MOONLIGHT CINEMA 2017-18 DATES: Sydney: December 1 – April 1 (Belvedere Amphitheatre in Centennial Park) Melbourne: December 1 – April 1 (Central Lawn at Royal Botanic Gardens) Brisbane: December 7 – March 4 (New Farm Park at Brisbane Powerhouse) Adelaide: December 1 – February 18 (Botanic Park) Perth: December 2 – April 1 (Kings Park and Botanic Garden) Moonlight Cinema's 2017-18 season starts screening around the country from December 1. For more information and to buy tickets, visit moonlight.com.au.
A very ordinary couple buys a house with a pond. Despite the couple's attempts, they can't keep the tadpoles in the pond alive. And, yes, the pond is a metaphor. At Addison Road Community Centre in Marrickville, you'll find a small community theatre that battles with the sound of aircraft flying overhead. The aptly named Flight Path Theatre is where you'll find a short run of 60-minute play The Pond, starring Oliver Burton and Rosemary Ghazi. It's a full length development of an award-winning short play of the same name by writer Con Nats. What resonated with audiences in the shorter version is likely going to land with the same emotive punch in this version — it deals with issues of miscarriage, mental health and the stop/start of building a relationship. Though the story starts equally weighted across both his and her anxieties, hopes and dreams, the trauma of multiple pregnancy losses seems to cut the audience off from her journey and instead focuses on the experience through his attention on the pond. And, considering the heaviness of the topics, it's quite a lighthearted production. There's plenty of relief in moments of dance and (slightly hammed up) sex scenes. And, as the actors are working with minimal set or prop design, you're drawn into the rhythm of their relationship as it gradually bends and snaps over time. If you're unable to make it to the theatre in person, The Pond will also be available as an audio recording. The so-called 'In Spirit' tickets are available for $10 from Sunday, October 11.
With the government encouraging social distancing, and enforcing mandatory 14-day self-isolation periods for everyone arriving from overseas, in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19, plenty of us are staring down the barrel of a whole lot of time spent at home. By now, you're probably all stocked up on toilet paper, are armed with a banging Netflix queue and have sussed out all the best delivery options for decent food and booze. But, alongside the streaming services and board games, you're also going to need a pretty solid collection of reading material to keep you entertained. And luckily, some local bookstores are more than happy to help. If you're keen to support the little, local guys, there's a bunch of indie book retailers that are now offering free delivery services, to hook isolated readers up with some much-needed literature. In Melbourne, long-running North Carlton spot The Little Bookroom has kicked off free same-day delivery for its online orders, servicing Carlton, Fitzroy and a heap of surrounding suburbs. Sibling store Neighbourhood Books in Northcote is following suit, though with an even bigger delivery area. And if you're cooped up at home over on the westside, Yarraville's Sun Bookshop has you covered. It's offering free same-day book delivery (for online orders placed before 2pm) to readers in Kingsville, Seddon and Yarraville, and next-day delivery for those in Spotswood and Newport. They'll drop your book order in the letter box or at your front door, and shoot a text message to let you know it's arrived. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9n100rAhcz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Meanwhile, Sydneysiders can get books delivered for free by the likes of Avalon Beach's Bookoccino (if you live between Narrabeen and Palm Beach) and Glebe's Gleebooks, which has launched free book delivery across the inner west and City of Sydney council areas, and Australia-wide for orders over $50. Newtown favourite Better Read Than Dead has cast the net even wider, offering free shipping across the whole of Australia for the foreseeable future. And up in Brisbane, Wynnum cafe-bookstore Little Gnome is doing daily delivery runs of books, brownies and even coffee, from 8–10am this week (check its Instagram for updates and details on how to order), while Avid Reader Bookshop is swinging free delivery for select inner-city suburbs, and Australia-wide if your order's over $50.
December, 2005. Two cars circle the beachside Sydney suburb of Cronulla, each filled with hotheaded locals looking for a fight. In one vehicle, the aggressive Jason (Damon Herriman) and his Ned Kelly-worshipping pal Ditch (Justin Rosniak) take the well-meaning but not-so-bright Shit Stick (Alexander England) and his kind-hearted Down Syndrome cousin Evan (Chris Bunton) in search of folks of Middle Eastern descent to bash. In the other, Hassim (Lincoln Younes) tears himself away from his studies to scour the streets for his missing brother – though his pals Nick (Rahel Romahn) and D-Mac (Fayssal Bazzi) and his devout uncle Ibrahim (Michael Denkha) are all keen to cause some physical damage to the area's ocker residents along the way. It's a scenario inspired by reality, in a film filled with harsh truths. If you're feeling a little awkward or even confronted by a comic take on the Cronulla race riots, that's okay. You're supposed to be. Like British terrorism satire Four Lions before it, Down Under addresses a subject everyone is aware of but no one wants to talk about, in perhaps the only way that it can. Feeling like you shouldn't be laughing at what you're seeing is part of the point. Thinking about why you're laughing is as well. Accordingly, the plot of Down Under offers a peek at the ugly side of Australian life. Conflict, discrimination and violence is inescapable in this film, as is the sense of discomfort by those watching. In his polished, purposefully provocative return to feature filmmaking after 2003's Ned, writer-director Abe Forsythe revels in the controversial nature of a situation that no one in the country can claim is unrealistic. After all, we all saw the scenes that made the news just over a decade ago; in fact, that's the footage Down Under begins with. As the two groups spend a day and a night driving around searching for weapons and arguing amongst themselves, the film manages to find the delicate balance between making a statement and making you laugh. Gags that stress the similarities between both sides provide many of the film's funniest and most astute moments, while Forsythe's clearly committed cast ensures that the characters never feel like mere caricatures – even when they're spouting idiotic, bigoted crap. Ultimately, Down Under isn't simply attempting to get viewers cackling about an uncomfortable topic. Forsythe is primarily trying to highlight the nation's deep-seeded intolerance, as well as the pointlessness of spewing hate based on cultural differences. It's little wonder that the film that results isn't just a comedy, but a tragedy as well. And given the current political and media landscape, this movie and its message really couldn't be more timely.
Drop everything. Nothing is as important as this Game of Thrones-themed wine tasting. Are you still, still recovering from The Red Viper versus The Mountain? Are you feeling a little nostalgic for the days when Tyrion could lay around boozing on vino? Perhaps you should be drinking your sorrows away with some like-minded Thrones fanatics. Confused? We’ll lay it down for you. Game of Rhones is a wine-tasting event touring that's been touring Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne since 2014. Now it's expanding the empire to Sydney and Auckland, stopping by our fair city on Sunday, June 21 at Carriageworks. Featuring over 40 producers and 100 wines, it's a one-day, all-out trial by combat to determine the best offering of the grape varieties from the Rhone Valley in France — Shiraz, Grenache, and Viognier among others. There'll also be local wines, ciders and beers from every corner of Kings Landing/Australia/New Zealand all of which have been confirmed to contain no poison and you, the humble commoner, will be entrusted to pick the victor. But this isn't just a run-of-the-mill wine tasting set-up. To keep that theme solid, the Rhone Bar is where you can taste wines from ‘Beyond the Wall’ (ie: the Rhone Valley). Then, you can sign up for a blindfolded tasting in the 'torture chamber' (a highlight of previous Game of Rhones events). Suffice to say, after a few of these Rhone Valley wines, we'd probably confess to a secret or two. Of course, it wouldn't be Thrones-worthy if there weren't a few extra kickers. To accompany your wine, there will be a selection of feast-able treats available such as suckling pig and venison pie — if you’re a vego or a vegan, you've probably already guessed this is a highly meaty affair — and there's also the option to come in costume. In previous Rhone events, it appears that patrons have either gone all out, or rocked up in jeans. Obviously we suggest the former, because quite frankly it would be amazing to see a hoard of drunken Daenarys' walking the streets of Auckland. Game of Rhones is coming to Sydney on Sunday, June 21 from 1-6pm at Blacksmiths Workshop, Carriageworks. Your $50 ticket includes a special take-home Riedel Ouverture Magnum wine glass and all tastings from 1pm-6pm, however food prices are not included. For more information see the Game of Rhones website.
Everybody, try to remain calm. The celebration of everybody's favourite sweet, the Festival of Chocolate, is back. Want to see demonstrations by some of pastry's most respected faces? The Callebaut Test Kitchen will be showing off the talents of Adriano Zumbo and Anna Polyviou, among others. The Chocolatier's Quarters will be home to a Zumbo chocolate showpiece and the stage for award-winning chocolatier Jodie Van De Velden to create a chocolate sculpture over the two-day festival. There will also be a pop-up Garden Bar and Arnott's Tim Tam Temptation Tent (try saying that five times quickly), where you'll be able to enjoy one of Australia's favourite treats. Not convinced by chocolate alone? How about the chance to win a $20,000 two carat chocolate-inspired diamond ring? Then you can be reminded of chocolate every time you look at your hands, and live happily ever after.
As part of the flurry of new streaming services competing for our eyeballs, FanForce TV joined the online viewing fold during the COVID-19 pandemic — with the pay-per-view platform not only screening movies, but pairing them with virtual Q&A sessions as well. Now, between Thursday, May 27–Monday, May 31 it's also hosting an online film fest: its third Virtual Indigenous Film Festival. The returning event coincides with National Reconciliation Week, and will showcase five films: High Ground, After the Apology, The Skin of Others, The Xrossing and Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra. That means you can watch your way through an array of Aussie movies focused on Indigenous stories, spanning both dramas and documentaries — and exploring race relations in the process. Sessions will also feature guest speakers, with just who'll be chatting yet to be revealed. And, viewers can tune in on a film-by-film basis, or buy an all-access pass to tune into everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3REMs9I9Tg Top image: High Ground.
Possibly Sydney's most loved winter cocktail, the negroni is set for its centennial this June. To celebrate, CBD institution The Morrison Bar & Oyster Room has teamed up with Campari to throw a month-long party dedicated to the bitter and boozy classic. Known for its $1.50 oyster hour between 6-7pm every Wednesday, The Morrison is often bustling with Sydney's well-heeled business crowd. Over Negroni Month, the bar will have a five-strong negroni list. Apart from the classic ($20), there'll be a blood orange version ($20), a sour negroni ($17) with lemon and pineapple, a peach fizz variety ($18) and even one served with a raw oyster on top ($30). You'll be sipping for a good cause too — $1 of every negroni sold will be donated to Australian food rescue charity, OzHarvest. If you want to get even more into the spirit (pun intended), grab tickets for a two-hour Negroni masterclass at The Morrison on Tuesday, July 23 at 6.30pm. Led by Campari expert Tristram Fini, the class will cover the art of the negroni, where you will learn how to master three different recipes (including the Americano). Of course, you'll get to enjoy the fruits of your labour, with each negroni cocktail paired with some Italian antipasti. The evening will cost you $44 all up. Running from Monday, June 24–Wednesday, July 24, The Morrison's Negroni Month will keep you warm with some good ol' firewater this winter. For more information and to nab tickets, head here.
Lovers of outdoor sculpture, you no longer have to wait till October for your waterfront fix. That's because the good folks at Sculpture by the Sea have teamed up with the Barangaroo Delivery Authority for an epic new annual exhibition, Sculpture at Barangaroo. Launching on Saturday, August 6, the inaugural event will feature 14 spectacular outdoor works, created by 15 Australian artists. Eight of the pieces are brand new, while the other six are existent, but have been handpicked for their suitability to the site. Throughout the 16-day display, the exhibiting artists will give free talks on-site and there'll be opportunities for audience participation. Established and emerging artists are represented, including Sean Cordeiro and Claire Healy, Marley Dawson, Lucy Humphrey, Ron Robertson-Swann OAM, Margarita Sampson, Sangeeta Sandrasegar, Yasmin Smith, Marcus Tatton, Ken Unsworth, Sally Kiddal, Lyndsay Urquhart, Emily Nichol and Tereasa Trevor, and Auntie Deidre Martin. The exhibition will show until Sunday, August 21, closing with a massive free day party to celebrate Barangaroo Reserve's first anniversary. "We are very excited to be presenting Sculpture at Barangaroo, which will showcase once more the amazing public space the NSW Government has created at Barangaroo," said Craig van der Laan, CEO of the Barangaroo Delivery Authority. "Works to be exhibited by the extraordinary team of assembled artists will highlight the textures of Barangaroo's spectacular sandstone and gardens, drawing on our commitment to sustainability and the significance of Aboriginal history and culture in this special place."
Usually, when winter rolls around, Bondi becomes a hub of Ferris wheel rides, art shows, live music, history walks and fringe events for the annual Winter Magic and Bondi Feast events. In 2020, because of COVID-19, those events were combined to create a mega-festival of art, food and soaring through the sky dubbed Bondi Festival. This year, Bondi Festival is back with a full suite of exciting pop-ups and activations throughout the beachside suburb. Setting up once more will be Bondi Vista, a Ferris wheel that'll send you soaring 22 metres above the sand. From Friday, July 1 through until Sunday July 17, you can go for a spin and feast your eyes on 360-degree views. On one side, you'll be gazing at wild waves, endless horizon and open sky. On the other, look out for glimpses of the city skyline. If you prefer to spin in circles on the ground, you can do just that at an ice-skating rink. And, walking tours and events for families will also be on the bill. Between rides on both circular attractions, you can check out an extravaganza of comedy and theatre, with shows popping up throughout the suburb. There will be a comedy and theatre mash-up from Randa Sayed and a comedic theatre seance from magician Harry Milas in a hidden Bondi location. Artist Joel Bray will also be transforming the Bondi Bowlo for a pub trivia night blended with contemporary dance, and award-winning performer Bron Batten will be presenting a theatre piece based on modern romance called Onstage Dating. "Playful, immersive and tailor-made, this year's program takes over Bondi for three weeks of art and playful audience experiences," Bondi Festival Director Rachel Chant said. "Go ice-skating by the beach or commune with the dead in a mysterious location, date an artist live on stage or take in a panoramic view of the coastline on the Bondi Vista Ferris Wheel." Bondi Festival will run from Friday, July 1–Sunday July 17. Head to the festival's website to view all the details and the full program.
Can a taxi driver change the world? Should we be able to inspect our future lovers before investing in them, in much the same way we do our cars? What would happen, were a long-repressed and rather unpleasant memory to have a sudden reawakening in your brain? These are just a sprinkling of the stories to be brought to the big screen at this year's Tropfest. In responding to the 2013 signature item, 'Change', the 16 finalists found themselves thinking about death, addiction, immigration, growing old and love, amongst other preoccupations. Short-film fanatics heading to new venue Centennial Park on December 8 for the world's biggest short film festival can expect an eclectic mix of documentaries, mockumentaries, comedies, thrillers and dramas. "We are thrilled by the strength, creativity and originality of the films submitted," said Tropfest founder and director John Polson. "The ideas, influences and filmmaking approaches are never the same — and that's been no different this time around." Gates open at 11am, with the films commencing at 8pm. The Trop Jnr screening and musical guests Lenka, Busby Marou, Illy and Tina Arena will fill the intervening hours of picnicking. Look for food and drink offerings from Miss Peaches, Lo-Fi, Johnny Wong’s Dumpling Bar and The Vic in Enmore.
Sydneysiders, your love of day parties is about to get massively rewarded. Eamon Harkin and Justin Carter, the DJ duo behind New York's Mister Saturday Night parties and record label, are bringing their famed daytime dance party to our city. Mister Sunday is all about good vibes, cool people and, most importantly, solid tunes. It will all go down starting at 1pm on Sunday, February 25, when they'll set up a four-point sound system at a secret outdoor location in the inner city. This is only the second time the party has left New York City in ten years — with the last time being London back in 2015 — so we can count ourselves very, very lucky. It's hard not to wonder if the Aussie party animal reputation, and our appreciation of great music, has something to do with it. They'll be rocking the day just like they do back in Brooklyn, with a little help from local partners Astral People and beloved winemakers Cake Wines, along with eats by Eat Art Truck — so you can expect the bar to be well stocked and the food to be top-notch. Apart from the dance floor, where Eamon and Justin will run the DJ booth, there will be plenty of space to relax with drink in hand. Tickets are on sale now and go for $45 a pop. Before you rock up, make sure you go through the twelve house rules — which include no cameras, phones or smoking on the dance floor and no song requests/distracting the DJs at work. Basically, they're in place to make sure everyone has a good time, respects one another and is really there to dance, not just to Instagram other people dancing.
While you should always be aiming to make your mum feel like your number one lady, fast-approaching is the one day of the year when you must pull out all stops for the lady who made you. This year, Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel is paying a grand homage to the women without whom we wouldn't be here, with both a decadent brunch, and a lunchtime feast on Mother's Day. Brunch ($55 per person) kicks off with sparkling on arrival, and a seasonal spread of fruit and yoghurt to start. After that, delights on offer include baked turkish eggs, a crab and leek frittata and the slightly more lavish ricotta hotcakes with toffee banana, whipped maple syrup butter and hazelnuts. If your mum has decided she deserves a sleep in (which she does), there's a three-course lunch option for $80 that kicks off with a glass of sparkling rosé. A decadent seafood tasting plate to start is followed by roasted picanha (sirloin) beef, crispy pork belly, hot smoked king salmon and a delicate tiramisu for dessert. As we were all so often reminded when we were young, every day is Kid's Day, so when Sunday, May 14 rolls around, treat your ma to a seaside meal to let her know she's the best there could possibly be. Bookings are essential — make sure you call Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel to reserve a spot.
Big Day Out is out for 2015. After yesterday's news of AJ Maddah's handover to Austin-based company C3 Presents (owners of Lollapalooza festival), this morning Fairfax Media announced a statement from the new owners. "C3 Presents is proud to own Big Day Out, one of the most iconic and established festival brands in the world. While we intend to bring back the festival in future years, we can confirm there will not be a Big Day Out in 2015," said the statement. "We love working on BDO and are excited about the future." After the huge announcement by Music Feeds yesterday, C3 now own 100 percent of the beloved Australian festival. Running through Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Gold Coast and Auckland, BDO is now entire US owned — promoter AJ Maddah was yesterday revealed to have sold off his half stake to C3. Maddah is yet to make his own announcement, instead looking to triple j's Hack this afternoon for an outlet. Looks like there's a gap in the market for a new around-Australia Day festival, with Field Day's popularity sure to boost in Sydney. If C3 own Lollapalooza, maybe we're in for an Australian edition. Via Music Feeds and SMH. Image by Peer Group.
Still rubbing their eyes from a two-month-long European tour, Sydney post-rock outfit, sleepmakeswaves, are hoping to wake up their Aussie fans with a national tour. In celebration of their second album, Love of Cartography, the lyricless four-piece will bring their heavy riffage and delay pedals to nine different cities over this July and August with support from Breaking Orbit and Teal. After two years touring across the globe and supporting the likes of Karnivool, Dead Letter Circus and 65daysofstatic, sleepmakeswaves thought it was time to channel their new experiences into a new album. The humble lads turned to Pozible and their dedicated fan base to raise some funds (which they did) and then dutifully thanked them for their support, despite their self-confessed "weirdness and lack of vocals". Ahhh-dorable. The first taste of sleepmakeswaves’ newest music in two years — 'Something Like Avalanches' — was premiered on triple j last month and you’ll be able to hear more of their epic instrumental tunes when Love of Cartography is released in Australia on 4 July. Gives you just enough time to practice their lyrics— oh wait.
When it comes to prime spring drinking turf, Chiswick's sprawling green lawn is up there with the best. And you can bet it's set to get a solid workout this spring, as the Woollahra restaurant sets up a pop-up bar for outdoor drinks throughout October. Join in the al fresco fun from 5.30–7.30pm each Thursday in October and make the most of those balmy pre-sunset temperatures with some hard-earned mid-week knock-offs. The pop-up Chandon bar will be pouring glasses of sparkling rosé and cocktails like the Garden Rosé, made with strawberry, lime, rose and, of course, rosé. And, to cap it off, there'll be live acoustic tunes setting the mood, games of bocce and lawn bowls, plus some free canapés making the rounds. Rosé on the Lawn runs from 5.30–7.30pm.
After opening five Queensland locations in the past two years and announcing plans to launch one in Melbourne this summer, Taco Bell has finally unveiled plans to open not one, but two stores in NSW. While details are scarce for now, the Tex-Mex giant has revealed it's opening stores in Blacktown and Newcastle in late spring. The US chain has been teasing the interstate openings on its Facebook page, with lots of locals hoping for a Sydney store. Their prayers have finally been answered. https://www.facebook.com/tacobellaus/photos/a.1461510760603853/2421549971266589/?type=3&theater Menu-wise, the usual Taco Bell range will be on offer, complete with burritos, quesadillas, nachos and, of course, tacos. For those dining in, frozen margaritas and a range of craft beers will also be available. Taco Bell's Australian arm currently includes stores in Annerley, Cleveland, North Lakes, Robina and Southport, but with promises of more than 50 across the country, we can expect a few more to open in Sydney in the upcoming months and years. This is, however, Taco Bell's third attempted foray into the Australian market. The chain tried to launch here in 1981 (and was then taken to court by Sydney store Taco Bell's Casa) and again in 1997 — but both attempts were unsuccessful and the brand withdrew. Taco Bell is slated to open in Blacktown and Newcastle this spring. We'll let you know when more info drops. Top image: Taco Bell Annerley
There’s something very telling about what happens when you type ‘Point Break’ into Google. The first result is the Wiki for Kathryn Bigelow’s iconic action crime thriller starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, whereas the second one is ‘Point Break (2015 Film)’. The order alone says much about its place in the filmic world order, but the name is the real giveaway: Point Break...2015 Film. Yes it’s still technically Point Break, but of the Degrassi: The Next Generation variety — related, yet unworthy of the original title. This remake, starring nobody, is slated for release on December 25 and is hence the most unwanted Christmas present since that clay ashtray your nephew Declan made. It’s one thing to re-do a film that didn’t get it right the first time — or even several times round (*cough* The HULK) — but when you stray so heavily into ‘unnecessary remake’, you come perilously close to not just making a bad movie, but somehow tarnishing the original too. Consider, then, 2008’s Man on Wire. This outstanding documentary by James Marsh won all manner of accolades for its gripping, diligent and wildly entertaining retelling of Philippe Petit’s astounding high-wire walk between the two towers of the World Trade Centre in 1974. Combining interviews, real-life footage and the occasional re-enactment, it captures every bit of the energy, ebullience and foolishness that defines both Petit and his iconic feat. It is, in short, an outstanding film and a definitive account, making it almost inevitable then that Hollywood should promptly designate it prime material for a retelling. So it is that we have The Walk, perhaps tellingly presented by Google as 'The Walk (2015 Film)’ despite there being no predecessor of the same name. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the bulk of the movie is presented as a something of a comedic, carefree caper with almost clowning levels of performance and dialogue. In the lead, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is at once excellent and terrible. His spoken French and Fred Astaire-esque lightness sparkle, but his to-camera narration and ‘English with zee accent’ scenes are cringeworthy, bordering on parody. With the jazzy soundtrack, nifty editing and whacky cast of accomplices, the majority of the film seems almost desperate to let you know it’s having fun, oftentimes more than you, and it’s not until we first arrive at the Towers that the seriousness sinks in. Thankfully, too, that's when The Walk undergoes a swift and marked transformation, and where its use of 3D finds a welcome home. 3D cinema has, to date, been almost exclusively an unnecessary gimmick and unwelcome expense, but that’s not to say it doesn’t have its place. When employed correctly it can be a powerful storytelling device, drawing the viewer deeper into a moment and sharing the experience with you rather than just showing it. As Petit finally arrives in New York and beholds the Towers for the first time, the sensation is deeply unsettling — a sort of vertigo from the ground up — and you absolutely participate in his sudden fear and uncertainty. The sensation then compounds exponentially as he travels to the top and peers down over the edge, at which point you’ll be hard pressed not to tightly grip the arms of your chair. As such, it is ‘the walk’ within The Walk where the film is at its best, and the exhilaration of experiencing the moment from Petit’s perspective almost exonerates all that precedes it.
