First, Greece announced that it would restart its tourism industry by allowing residents from a selection of other countries — including Australia and New Zealand — to visit. Now, the entire European Union is set to follow suit. If dreaming about a far-flung getaway has been getting you through COVID-19 lockdowns over the past three months, that means you're one step closer to making overseas holiday plans. As announced on Tuesday, June 30, European time, the Council of the EU has adopted a recommendation to start slowly easing travel restrictions — specifically, to reopen its borders to non-essential travel into Europe. In the first stage, the Council supports reopening to tourists from 14 nations, spanning not only folks from Australia and New Zealand, but those from Algeria, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay. It also recommends including a 15th country, China, but only subject to China also agreeing to a reciprocal arrangement to let EU residents visit, too. The Council's decision — and its selection of countries — is based on three criteria, focusing on the epidemiological situation in each nation. They include new COVID-19 case numbers either close to or below the EU average, as seen over the 14 days up until June 15, and measured per 100,000 inhabitants; a stable or decreasing trend of new cases compared to the prior 14 days; and the country's overall response to the pandemic, such as testing, surveillance, contact tracing, containment, treatment and reporting. The EU's list will be reviewed and potentially updated every two weeks. New places may possibly added, and existing countries on the list could be removed if their COVID-19 situation worsens. [caption id="attachment_648685" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Nice, France.[/caption] A recommendation from the Council to allow tourists from the aforementioned nations is only the first step, however. All 27 member states of the EU — Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden — must implement the recommendation individually, so don't go packing your bags just yet. Of course, Australians and New Zealanders still can't leave their respective countries anyway — but you can add Europe to your holiday list when local travel restrictions are lifted. In Australia, a travel ban is still in place, with Aussies unable to depart the nation unless they seek an exemption from Home Affairs. Indeed, the government doesn't expect international travel to and from Australia to resume until next year, and Qantas doesn't anticipate putting on overseas flights until at least mid-2021 either. And in New Zealand, the government still currently advises that all New Zealanders do not travel overseas at present. For further details about the European Union's eased tourism recommendation, visit the Council of the EU's website.
Last Monday, teenager Thomas Kelly died following a random attack in Kings Cross, and it was tragic and affecting. Not a day has passed since without the 'problem' of Kings Cross making the headlines. We've now entered a state of moral panic, where the Kings Cross of public fantasy is a grotesque inflation of the Kings Cross of reality. The reality is that Kings Cross is not a pretty place, it has plenty of problems to face in terms of both safety and urban development, and most of us would rather face torture than its main drag on a Friday or Saturday night. Ultimately, the biggest challenge for the Cross might be one of community. As gentrification continues apace, it needs the inputs and interventions of a community of locals who care about each other, the area's history, and its future, and compared to the inner-city suburbs around it, Kings Cross is divided. As an alternative hangout to big bars, small bars and cultural centres aren't the whole solution, but they're an important part of the solution, and certainly our favourite one. These are the places shaping the culture of the Cross right now in a very positive direction. 1. Barrio Chino It's on Bayswater Road, so Barrio Chino can still get a bit chaotic on Friday and Saturday nights, but the place is basically the last bastion of level-headed fun on that strip. The taqueria and tequileria serves elegant Mexican food, switching out the humble burrito with tuna and avocado tostada and the tequila shots with a cucumber, agave and jalapeno chilli salt margarita. Barrio Chino really notched up its Sydney scene points back in January, when it hosted a pop-up outlet for American cult fast food chain In-N-Out Burger. It may have been the first time Kings Cross has seen an entrance queue in the daylight hours. 2. FBi Social FBi Social brings a steady stream of navel-gazers to the centre of what you'd expect to be a nightclub strip that's hostile to them. Run by radio heroes FBi, the second level of the Kings Cross Hotel hosts great indie music Thursday through Saturday nights as well as special art, performance, and film events with a cosy feel when opportunity arises. 3. Griffin Theatre Company Griffin is the long-time resident theatre company at the SBW Stables on Nimrod Street, and it has its offices in a neighbouring terrace. Given its location, it probably could attribute its address as Darlinghurst, but Griffin chooses to identify as a Kings Cross-based company. They program an array of new Australian writing, but its always particularly exciting and constructive when they produce works that respond to the immediate environment of the Cross, such as the experience-seeking teens of Silent Disco, the studio-apartment-situated This Year's Ashes, and the site-specific sprawl of short works held in various Kings Cross locations Lovely Ugly. 4. Wilbur's Place Wilbur's Place seems determined to convince passersby that it's in a cute, sweet suburb and that its shabby alley is Puddleduck Lane. And it kind of works. Its communal tables sit on the footpath, demanding sun and peace come out to meet them. It's a neighbourhood restaurant that conjures a neighbourhood, and its heartwarming fare is both reasonably priced (less than $20 for even the fancy mains) and available to takeaway. Another treasure from the Bourke Street Bakery team. 5. Alaska Projects Alaska Projects brings to the commercial club precinct a touch of the underground — the literal underground. Situated a few floors down in a car park, the artist-run initiative transforms the disused and haunting place with petite exhibitions that inspire. Recently, these have included Siouxzi Mernagh's stairwell to the subconscious and Samuel Hodge's banal-made-moody everyday moments. The space opens on Thursday and Friday nights and weekend afternoons and was nominated for a SMAC Award in its very first year (2011). 6. Gastro Park Every neighbourhood needs a fancy restaurant you can stare in the windows of and aspire to eat in one day, right? Gastro Park serves that purpose particularly well with its inimitably playful approach to food. Their recent themed feasts extended a hand to the strongest community around — Game of Thrones fans — with their tasty interpretations of eyeballs, arrows, ravens' feet, dragons' eggs and liquid gold.
In the face of the increasing cynicism and self-self-self-referentialness of art, thank god for the Italians. They still like romance in their films the way they insist on full fat milk in their coffee. Now in its 14th season, the Italian FIlm Festival promises to return "like the lingering embrace of a cherished lover". Twenty-seven films will deliver stories in which uncontrolled passions run high. Highlights include A Five Star Life (Viaggio Sola), the tale of a jetsetting hotel critic who knows her five stars from her four but whose analytical faculties let her down when it comes to her own life; A Perfect Family (Una famiglia perfetta), a comedy about a rich but lonely man who 'rents' a family for Christmas and even writes a script for each member; and Ali Blue Eyes, a Romeo and Juliet-esque drama driven by a taboo love affair and a stabbing. Both opening and closing nights will feature films that'll make you want to go to Rome: Paolo Sorrentino's The Great Beauty, starring Toni Servillo as a renowned journalist and ladies man who once dreamed of becoming a novelist, and Fellini's 1972 classic Roma. Young European star Clara Ponsot will be making guest appearances in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane, presenting her new film, Cosimo and Nicole. The Lavazza Italian Film Festival is on during October in Sydney (9 October to 3 November), Melbourne (2-27 October) and Brisbane (3-22 October). Thanks to the Italian Film Festival, we have ten double passes to give away in each city (valid for two complimentary tickets to one festival session of choice). To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. Image: The Great Beauty
If this skyscraper designed to house an entire Chinese city is anything to go by, our urban way of life could imminently leave the horizontal plane far behind. Cue edible green walls, a logical and aesthetically pleasing source of nomz. Check one out at the 16th Sydney Design festival this August, when the Powerhouse Museum Cafe hosts Edible Walls, an installation which will hopefully inspire many imitators. City farming is a worthy and growing trend. It's surprising the number of munchable fruit, flower, vegetable and herb varieties that can flourish while on the climb. Edible Walls is not only a space-saving and socially responsible design enterprise but a beautiful and stylish one, not unlike when your dad piles pasta skyward in the centre of your plate in an adorable attempt to be master chef. Could we see edible walls spring up as a common sight in cafes and homes across Sydney, as nature is increasingly integrated into city life? We reckon we will, and attending Sydney Design is a great way to get educated so you can mastermind your own high-rise harvest. This year Sydney Design's 75+ events seek to answer the question, 'Can clever design save the world?' Duh. This very interrogative will be debated by a panel of designers and business bigwigs facilitated by Nell Schofield. But there's plenty of other festival festures to excite the aspiring design maverick. The Australian International Design Awards gather wacky gadgetry and ingenious innovations, while a Powerhouse retrospective exhibition celebrates the influential work of US designer and furniture innovator George Nelson. It definitely doesn't stop there. Architects Eko Prawoto and David Sheppard will present keynote addresses on the topic of urban reconstruction and recovery from earthquake damage. Healthabitat's Paul Pholeros and Heleana Genaus illuminate the links between health and manmade environments. Among the festival's other exhibitions, tours, talks, workshops and just plain fun stuff: Stringram marries string design to Instagram, native biodiversity enjoys full reign in Parramatta's Vorsprugarten, and jewellery becomes artfully and deliberately biodegradable in Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes. Then there's Workshopped13, the 3x3x3 Design Challenge, Translocated Making, and more initiatives that could just save the world. Sydney Design runs citywide, 3-18 August, 2013.
Winter is coming and like Game of Thrones' Nights Watch, Sydney's cultural scene is doing all it can to avoid its inhabitants being consumed by the cold. Vivid has come and gone in a flash of (many mesmeric) lights and now the city is welcoming the newest addition to its chill-fighting arsenal — the Light My Fire Festival. The ivy-sponsored season will run until August 31 and the highlight will be the evening of July 10, when Palings Kitchen & Bar will showcase the culinary magnificence of a host of ivy's best food and drink establishments. Guests can delight in gastronomic treats from Felix, Uccello, Ash St Cellar as well as Palings itself before washing it all down with a mulled wine, cider, cocktail or expert-selected red or white. If that wasn't tempting enough, you can even meet your favourite ivy chefs and tell them how delicious your feast was. The Light My Fire Festival also features a range of other events, including the wine-fuelled Around the World with Eighty Reds, as well as a host of restaurant deals to keep your taste buds warm. The Light My Fire Festival will be at Palings Kitchen & Bar on July 10 and we have two double passes valued at $80 to give away, courtesy of ivy. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Australia's most popular short film festival wants to test your filmmaking abilities in an even tighter time frame for a new competition. #Tropvine asks you to use the Vine app and create a film that's six seconds long, the maximum running time for a Vine video. #Tropvine invites entrants all over the world to submit a Vine that includes this year’s Tropfest signature item: 'mirror'. Like Tropfest, anyone can enter, no experience necessary — you just need to be creative with a smartphone. It's as close to an even playing field as you'll find, since the likelihood of anyone getting major grant funding for their Vine seems slim. That said, a contingent of very clever filmmakers have already built impressive oeuvres on the platform, so expect a fierce competition. To enter, just tweet your Vine using the competition hashtags #tropvine and #mirror and tag @Tropfest. You’ll also need to follow Tropfest on Twitter so they can contact you if your film is shortlisted. Once it’s live, it’s up to you to share it with the world, bug your friends and get as much support as possible. The 20 most popular Vines, as voted by the public, will be judged by the Tropfest Jury of industry leading lights, who'll choose the overall winner. So what’s in it for you, other than being a master short storyteller? All eligible entries will go in the running to win a VIP trip to Tropfest Australia 2014. This includes Qantas flights for you and a friend to Sydney, luxury accommodation at QT Sydney, VIP tickets to Tropfest Australia, Nikon camera gear and lunch with Twitter Australia.
The combination of historic architecture, stunning views, great watering holes and a variety of shops means The Rocks has long been one of Sydney's most popular destinations. In fact, over 15 million people visit this part of the CBD every single year — and 2022 at The Rocks promises to be better than ever. There are a range of events to kick off the year in style, giving you all sorts of ways to experience one of Sydney's most fascinating precincts. We've hand-picked a sweet half-dozen to get you started. HAVE ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST WITH MESSINA'S ALL-DAY BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS Perhaps the only issue with gelato is that apparently it's not deemed an appropriate breakfast food. However, for five days only at the start of January, Gelato Messina is doing its best to change all that, with a special breakfast-themed selection available at First Fleet Park. There are four flavours to choose from, including Cinnie French Toast (French toast, cinnamon butter, milk gelato and vanilla cheesecake glaze) and Breakfast in Canberra (milk gelato with milk jam and Milo). There'll also be live music and outdoor furniture so you can soak in the atmosphere of an incredible Messina experience. Find out more about Messina's all-day breakfast ice-cream here. [caption id="attachment_838508" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] KICK OFF THE WEEKEND AT A SWEET SUMMER STREET PARTY Every Friday night in January, The Rocks will be hosting a sweet summer street party. Star guest Anna Polyviou, one of Australia's most celebrated pastry chefs, has created an exclusive flavour of cookie dough for the occasion and will also be hosting cookie-making workshops every week. If that's not enough, there will be a range of stalls where you can pick up quality fare from the likes of Salt Meats Cheese, where you can pick up hand-stretched pizza and antipasto boards, and Butter, which has teamed up with Ramblin Rascal to shake up a selection of exclusive Hennessy and Belvedere cocktails. Dancers and drummers from Junkyard Beats plus guest DJs (including sets from Polyviou herself) will ensure the energy levels stay high as you party your summer away. Find out more about the Sweet Summer Street Party here. [caption id="attachment_838510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] BROWSE ARTISANAL WARES AND GOURMET TREATS AT THE ROCKS MARKETS Openair markets at The Rocks are a bona fide Sydney institution — and there's not much that's better than wandering some of the city's most picturesque and historic streets on a summer's day. Every Saturday and Sunday throughout January (except January 1 and 2), the streets of The Rocks will be abuzz with artisans selling their wares, more snack choices than you could ever wish for and an excellent range of entertainment options. You can curate your own day and never run out of things to see and do – perhaps start your day with a free outdoor yoga class before you browse hand-crafted jewellery and snack on a creamy pastel de nata. Or maybe watch glassblowing, buy a freshly squeezed juice and then take in some live music. With so much on offer, every visit to the markets this summer is guaranteed to be different. Find out more about The Rocks Markets here. [caption id="attachment_838511" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] CATCH A CLASSIC FLICK UNDER THE STARS — FOR FREE Outdoor cinema has been one of the entertainment success stories in Sydney over the past few years, with an evening under the stars chilling on a beanbag watching the big screen proving a popular pastime. Friday nights in January at Atherden Street in The Rocks will give you another chance to jump on the outdoor cinema train — and the best part is that these screenings are completely free. You already know there are plenty of great food options in and around The Rocks, meaning you can pay a visit to the likes of Caminetto to pick up a hot pizza and cheeky drink before settling in for a classic movie. Find out more about Laneway Cinemas here. [caption id="attachment_838512" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] EAT YOUR WAY AROUND THE WORLD AT AN ALL-DAY STREET PARTY While overseas travel may be off the cards for a little while yet, the next best thing is taking your tastebuds around the world. On January 26, The Rocks will be hosting an all-day international food fair, offering everything from Middle Eastern classics by Tayim to The Orient's Nepalese-inspired nosh. There's also roving entertainment, street games and even chill-out zones if you need a break from the crowds. Once you're re-energised, you'll want to head to the stage for a great selection of free live music. It's a line-up specifically chosen to keep the party going, including Old School Funk Band and traditional street-style brass collective Hot Potato Band. Find out more about the all-day fest here. CATCH A FREE LIVE GIG BY A TOP AUSSIE ACT We've all missed festivals and live music over the past two years, and this January there are a series of gigs taking place in First Fleet Park featuring some of the biggest names in Australian music. From riotous girl gang Haiku Hands to the lyrical dexterity of Kwame (pictured above) and high-energy sister act CLEWS, there's a headliner for all tastes, each supported by a cast of exciting up-and-coming acts. A pop-up bar, barbecues, loaded hot dogs, falafels and ice-cold drinks are available to keep you fuelled, and – best of all – entry to the event is completely free. Find out more — and check out the full lineup — here. For more info on what to discover at The Rocks this summer, head to the website.
Sifting through eBay on the hunt for that perfect vintage gem can often leave you with a sense of mothball-infused disappointment. Sympathetic to the plight of the online-shopping fashionista, Rie Yano and Jie Zheng co-founded Material Wrld, an online pop-up store which allows you to shop your favourite tastemakers' closets. Participating tastemakers (fashion bloggers, stylists, and the like) have been rounded up, and their wardrobes curated. When the site launches, these pieces will be available for sale, creating the opportunity for special finds with personal stories behind each. The pop-up store is open through April 4; check it out today and get a sneak-peek of what is in store for the site's upcoming launch. Although currently only available to US customers, Material Wrld is set to go global soon. So browse away, and know that these covetable closets will soon be yours for the taking. [Via PSFK]
He's an accountant. But he's also a hitman. But he's also a high-functioning autistic. But he's also a martial arts expert. And a marksman. Oh, and he's an art lover. He has a Renoir, but he prefers the Pollack. Man, it would've been a fun room to be in when they pitched The Accountant. And yet, the pitch worked, with the film they ended up making turning out like the lovechild of A Beautiful Mind and Jason Bourne. If that sounds somewhat genre bending, it is. There's even a bunch of quirky comedy in there to really mix things up. Ultimately, the premise of The Accountant, by director Gavin O'Connor (Warrior), is as out there as it sounds: Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a genius mathematician whose autism saw his mother abandon the family during his childhood, and his military father apply psy-ops (psychological operations) training to inure both Christian and his brother to the world of hardship that awaited them as adults. 20 years later and all grown up, Christian now operates as an accountant to the international worst of the worst: mafia, drug cartels and gun runners, oh my! The Treasury wants to know who he is, while a cutting-edge robotics company wants his services to track down missing millions from its accounts. Wild as they sound, the opening stages of this movie actually hold up pretty well. Affleck plays Wolff very much like his recent portrayal of Bruce Wayne: hulking, detached and extremely socially awkward. There are the clichéd maths montages featuring blinking-eyed number crunching and frenzied writing on walls, but on the whole his depiction of a misunderstood neurological conditions is impressively understated. But the film takes a sudden turn for the worse about an hour in. Its determination to throw in plot twist after plot twist results in some excruciating exposition-heavy scenes. The violence, meanwhile, is extreme and comic-booky (think John Wick with a tick), and the characters' lives all end up being far more intertwined than necessary. The supporting cast is strong, featuring the likes of Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor and Jon Bernthal. Sadly, none are given the kind of material needed to properly showcase their talents. The result is a film adrift, floating from one genre to the next without ever properly settling. It has some touching (and much needed) language about 'different, not worse' when it comes to non-neurotypicals, but the constant limb-cracking and blood-smattering that surround it means the message is fast muddled and forgotten. One suspects the film itself may suffer a similar and disappointing fate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBfsgcswlYQ
Just because The Boys loves satirising pop culture's superhero obsession, that doesn't mean that it can't spark its own franchise. So, when the series quickly proved a hit, of course a whole Vought Cinematic Universe started springing up around it. First came the animated The Boys Presents: Diabolical. Then, Gen V arrived to take on the 'We Gotta Go Now' storyline. Get ready for more of the latter — because Prime Video has just renewed it for a second season. Gen V's freshman outing debuted back in September and won't wrap up until November; however, the streaming platform behind it has already re-enrolled. "We couldn't be happier to make a second season of Gen V. These are characters and stories we've grown to love, and we are thrilled to know people feel the same! The writers are already working on the new season — sophomore year is gonna be wild, with all the twists, heart, satire and exploding genitalia you've come to expect from the show," said showrunner Michele Fazekas (Agent Carter) and executive producer Eric Kripke (The Boys) about the second season. There's no return date for Gen V as yet, just as The Boys' fourth season doesn't yet have a release date either. But when the former does get a second spin, it'll dive back into the chaos at Godolkin University, the college for superheroes that's meant to help prepare the best of the best for caped-crusader life — until exploding classmates, creepy secret facilities and untrustworthy professors complicate matters. Season one spends time with the blood-bending Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), who knows that attending God U is a pivotal opportunity. After a traumatic experience when her powers kicked in, this is her chance to completely change her life — and achieve her dream of becoming the first Black woman in The Seven. Then, nothing turns out as planned. Also, things on campus (and underneath it) get shady, fast. Also starring in season one: Lizze Broadway (Based on a True Story) as Marie's roomate Emma Meyer, who can change her size; Patrick Schwarzenegger (The Staircase) as Luke 'Golden Boy' Riordan, the school's literally hot number one-ranked pupil; Maddie Phillips (Teenage Bounty Hunters) as his persuasive girlfriend Cate Dunlap; Chance Perdomo (also Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as the magnetic Andre Anderson; and London Thor (Never Have I Ever) and Derek Luh (Shining Vale) as the gender-shifting Jordan Li. Check out the trailer for Gen V's first season below: Gen V streams via Prime Video, with a release date for season two not yet announced. Read our review of season one.
Marcus Haney was 22 when he first started sneaking into music festivals. Four years later, he is a highly sought after music photographer on tour with the likes of Mumford & Sons and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Haney's documentary No Cameras Allowed captures his journey from broke uni student to working with his favourite bands. While your first reaction might be to tsk tsk a sneaky freeloader, it's hard to stay mad at someone with a genuine passion for live music. Gaining access to some of the world's largest music festivals — including Glastonbury, Coachella and Bonnaroo — was not merely a matter of jumping the fence; Haney had to get creative. "We've done everything. Everything from jumping fences to fake wristbands to posing as security to posing as artists to posing as press to running through truck entrances to going underneath fences," Haney says in an interview with Noisey. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bPRstX6iiLE A film student, Haney wanted to capture live performances by his favourite artists, and often snuck into the photographers' pit and even on stage with some of the acts. Being a broke uni student was essentially the reasoning behind Haney not paying for tickets, and to date he has snuck into over 50 music events, including crashing the Grammys. He even made a short film about his experience, Connaroo: How Broke Kids Do Bonnaroo, which miraculously found its way into the hands of Mumford & Sons. They saw it, loved it, and asked him to come on tour with them. Haney now had to chose between completing his final exams for university, or going on tour with one of his favourite bands. You can guess which option he chose. No Cameras Allowed has just had its first screenings in LA, with no plans for a wider release as yet. The film includes unbelievable footage from Haney's experiences and a fantastic soundtrack with the likes of the Naked and Famous, Lykke Li, Jay-Z, Phoenix and many others. While we certainly encourage that you support live music by buying a ticket to events (as this doco show, most artists barely see a cent of record sales), this is undoubtedly an impressive tale of a young man's pursuit of happiness. Via Noisey. Photos Via Marcus Haney.
Of all the things you're encouraged to do throughout the month of November (grow a moustache, write a novel, help those stuck in purgatory get into heaven, etc), getting out and experiencing some new playwriting is by far the least painful. For which we have NovemberISM to thank. NovemberISM, quite apart from being the theory that November exists, is a month-long festival being put on by Sydney writing collective ISM and run out of the Old 505 Theatre. It gives playwrights a chance to tweak their work through production and audiences a chance to see the latest accolade-scooping plays at their freshest. Two new studio productions settle into the space for half the month each, while extra forums, workshops, readings and gatherings happen alongside them. First up is One for the Ugly Girls, the new work from Tahli Corin (The Arcade at Money Shots and 2009 winner of the Philip Parsons Young Playwright's Award). It's one also for the artists and the grievers, as it follows the plights of a painter who tries to commit his dead wife's memory to canvas and the model who comes to pose for him but is not all he expected. From mid-month you can catch Kit Brookman's Heaven, a bittersweet comedy in which a boy dealing with his first experiences of death dabbles with the occult, trying to get answers from those already in the great beyond. Both of these plays were once recipients of Playwriting Australia's Kicking Down the Doors initiative. There's also I'm Not Sure I'm an Adult Yet, the result of locking seven writers in a room under the eye of Craig Ilott (Smoke and Mirrors) and getting them to think about contemporary adulthood; Applespiel's Awful Literature Is Still Literature I Guess; and plenty more.
What's better than hosting a big arts festival in one location? Spreading the love across two different cities on consecutive weekends. That's the format that worked for Mona Foma, the Museum of Old and New Art's (MONA) key summer event, when it was last held in 2021 — so that's exactly what'll happen again in 2022. Come January, arts and music fans will be able to soak in the fest's eclectic sights and sounds in two places: in Hobart and in Launceston. Although Mona Foma was originally held in Hobart, where MONA is located, the event made the move to Launceston in 2019. So there's plenty of reasons behind splitting its program between both Tasmanian cities. Launceston will be up first, from Friday, January 21–Sunday, January 23, with Hobart getting the nod the next week from Friday, January 28–Sunday, January 30. Just what'll be on the bill hasn't been announced as yet, and won't be until Friday, December 3 — but you can start marking your calendars now anyway. Tasmania is also reopening its borders to double-jabbed visitors from Wednesday, December 15, which is great news if you now know what you'd like to do — and which huge arts fest you'd like to hit up — this summer. The border reopening applies to double-vaxxed travellers from both interstate and overseas, too, which could have some influence on Mona Foma's lineup. [caption id="attachment_784489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Flaming Lips, Mona, Hobart, Mona Foma 2016. Photo Credit: MONA/Rémi Chauvin. Image Courtesy Mona, Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] "Delivering a festival in two cities in January 2021 felt like nothing less than a miracle," said Mona Foma curator Brian Ritchie. "Come January 2022 we'll do it again and promise another festive burst of euphoria and unforgettable moments." In terms of what's in store, Ritchie advised that the MONA team "is working on strange new venues, indefatigable creativity, cultivation of powerful talent and the unpredictable." Mona Foma will take place from January 21–23, 2022 in Launceston, and from January 28–39, 2022 in Hobart. We'll update you when the full program is announced on Friday, December 3 — but head to the festival website in the interim for further details. Top image: Faux Mo, Mona Foma 2021. Mona/Remi Chauvin. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona, Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your text trip. In this instalment, we take you to Queensland's very own Mount Cotton, where Sanctuary by Sirromet have set up a series of accommodations right by their own vineyard. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Stay at a rural winery in your own glamping 'tent' surrounded by Australian wildlife. You'll spend your days exploring the area with a full glass of wine in hand. THE ROOMS Sanctuary by Sirromet has a few accommodation options – with the tented pavilions being some of their best. Each of the pavilions looks over the large lagoon surrounded in gum trees, with wild wallabies roaming its banks. It's a proper Australiana paradise. The rooms are all open plan, where the bedroom and lounge lead onto a private deck. Grab a few bottles from the winery and really relax up here. Bathrooms are also more hotel than tent with proper tiled walls and modern plumbing that is nothing like the campsite drop toilets you might have encountered on previous adventures. You won't be roughing it here. You're connected to nature (helped with large windows on all sides of the pavilion) without losing any of your creature comforts. FOOD AND DRINK You're also spoilt for choice when it comes to food and drink options. First off, you're on a winery – so you'll have to do a cheeky wine tasting or two. And be sure to add a behind-the-scenes tour to see how the Sirromet Winery team creates their award-winning Granite Belt wines. There are also three separate restaurants at Sanctuary by Sirromet. The Cellar Door is your casual light lunch spot and Lurleen's opens for special events (weddings and big birthday bashes). Thirdly, the Tuscan Terrace restaurant is something altogether flashier. Spend a long afternoon on the 75-metre timber deck or under the shade of the fig trees, eating great Italian dishes paired with emerging Italian wines as the Moreton Bay sea breeze rushes through the property. But that ain't all. These guys even make up special picnic hampers for those wanting to find their own hidden paradise on the grounds — we highly recommend the lavender-covered paddock . Just watch out for the wallabies! THE LOCAL AREA When staying here, you'll feel as if you're in the middle of nowhere – but you're actually not far from Brisbane. Either head into Brisbane to experience everything this northern Australian city has to offer or run away to even more remote parts of the area. Take a chopper or ferry over to Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island, the second and third largest sand islands in the world – where you can even feed wild dolphins. The stunning beaches, snorkelling spots and native wildlife all make these destinations two of Australia's best islands to visit. Don't miss them while you're in the region. [caption id="attachment_869501" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Australia[/caption] THE EXTRAS This winery offers over 10 different wine tasting experiences. Just pick your fave and let the wine experts do the rest. You can take an in-depth tour and learn a little about their wine making process or just spend the whole day trying different varieties of local and imported wines, while snacking on cheese and charcuterie boards. You can even schedule your trip around one of their live music events. They host a series of large and small gigs on their grounds throughout the year. If you are super keen to get away and ready to book a winery getaway now, we have worked with Sanctuary by Sirromet to create the ultimate glamping experience (including a few nights stay, sunset dinner and bottles on bottles of complimentary wine). Feeling inspired to book a getaway unlike anything else out there? Only through Concrete Playground Trips, our new travel booking platform, can you now purchase holidays specially curated by our writers and editors. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips at destinations all over the world.
First he brought the entirety of his Berkshire restaurant The Fat Duck to Melbourne for a residency, in which seats went for $525 each (plus wine). Then it was Dinner by Heston, which, while not as exorbitant, still costs a pretty penny (a starter of savoury porridge goes for $36). But now, in UK celeb chef Heston Blumenthal's latest Melbourne project, he'll be opening a series of one-night-only pop-up restaurants for a considerably affordable price — that is, $0. Yes, free. As in, no money will be changing hands, and no credit card details are required. The Hidden Heston pop-ups are part of MasterChef machine's Heston Week — and while they will no doubt involve nervous contestants fumbling over intricate and ridiculous dishes, they'll nonetheless be extremely exclusive events. So be prepared to earn yourself a place at the table. There will be four pop-ups in total, each running for one service only in a "top-secret" location in Melbourne that will only be announced before the doors open. Punters will have to keep an eye on MasterChef's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts for clues, and enter online to receive an invitation. According to MasterChef, each restaurant will offer a "completely different dining experience", and the lucky winners will get "an experience they will remember forever". So, fingers at the ready — this is your chance to get a slice of the meat fruit pie without forking out a whole month's rent. The Hidden Heston pop-ups will be coming to Melbourne in March. For more info, keep checking the MasterChef Facebook page.
While Bondi is synonymous with sand and sunshine, it's also home to a throng of excellent independent shops, restaurants and creative spaces. When you're ready to explore the neighbourhood beyond the beach, these spots are waiting to deck you out with handmade jewellery, feed you an excellent meal, decorate your home and so much more. With some help from American Express, we've selected a bunch of venues you should make a beeline to when you're next in Bondi. From a jewellery mecca and a culinary institution to a colourful flower shop and an excellent bottle shop, these places will help you find what you're looking for, no matter the occasion.
This cocktail is a better antidote to your winter woes than you may think. In the spirit of Bacardi Rum Month, Sydney’s best bartenders are finding the warmer side to this tropical drink. At 150 years old, Bacardi lays claim to rum as we know it, with the modern production process developed by originator Don Facundo. His legacy transformed rum from the pirates’ pastime to the favourite speciality drink of the elite. Bacardi remains family owned and operated, and with Rum Month, they aim to inspire top bartenders to add their own twist on tradition. June 10 is International Pina Colada Day, and although the cocktail may remind you of summer days gone by, these bars are taking the opportunity to bring you their winter spin on the Puerto Rican classic. EARL'S JUKE JOINT In the true spirit of a New Orleans bar, Earl’s is home to great music, a chill crowd and fun-loving bartenders mixing up a great cocktail list. Owner Wijesena (ex-Shady Pines) is bringing the piña colada back to its simple roots; the original was not envisioned as the rich concoction of creamed coconut we think of today, but rather made with fresh coconut water and pineapple juice. The Old San Juan cocktail, using Bacardi Carta Blanca, coconut-infused tequila, pineapple drinking vinegar and freshly squeezed lime, is a contemporary take on the Puerto Rican original. 407 King Street, Newtown GRANDMA'S Your home away from home has perhaps the most unusual spin on this popularised cocktail: the Peanut Butter Colada, made with Bacardi Oro (Gold) and all of the modern ingredients, except for a nice spoonful of crunchy peanut butter mixed in. It may sound strange, but the creaminess and saltiness perfectly complement the cocktail, which is actually a top seller. This type of reinvention is exactly the reason Bacardi promotes Rum Month, and is clearly a drink your granny approves of too. 275 Clarence Street, Sydney CBD HELLO SAILOR The nautical decor will make you wish you were sailing on your imaginary yacht this winter, and what better drink to reminisce with than this summertime classic. Created specifically for Rum Month and with the warmth of Bacardi 8-year in mind, Hello Sailor’s Black Tea and Gingerbread Piña Colada ($17) is a cold weather variation on their beloved traditional. The drink may look like summer, but it packs all of the wintery flavours to heat you up. 96 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst HINKY DINKS With the mantra “cocktails first, questions later”, and a firm belief that “there is a cocktail for everyone and for every occasion”, it is clear Hinky Dinks takes its drinks seriously. The 1950s-style bar's celebratory drink for Bacardi Rum Month is the fun Asante Sana Squash Banana, bartender Sam Barnett’s funky twist. Bacardi Oro’s toasted almond and sweet banana notes inspired this cocktail, a combination of Chartreuse, pineapple and coconut. Bold like Bacardi Oro itself, and crisp like the piña colada is intended to be, this drink is sure to be a crowd pleaser. 185 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst Top image: Dollar Photo Club.
It's time to get schwifty, Rick and Morty fans — again. Last year, everyone's favourite interdimensional adventurers finally returned for their fourth season, with a certain eccentric scientist and his anxious grandson causing plenty of chaos throughout the multiverse across five characteristically anarchic episodes. To the delight of R&M fans everywhere, however, there's more where that came from. In fact, 2019's batch of episodes only covered half of the animated sitcom's fourth season — and the second set of five episodes is heading to the small screen this year. It'll start airing week-to-week in the US from early May, and hopefully Netflix Down Under will follow suit shortly afterwards. Of course, even if Australian and New Zealand viewers have to wait a few extra weeks, it'll be a much shorter delay than the gap between the show's third season in 2017 and its fourth in 2019. In the just-dropped trailer for the new episodes, Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith (both voiced by show co-creator Justin Roiland) are still doing what they do best: not just aping a concept straight out of Back to the Future (aka a lab coat-wearing old man, his teenage sidekick, and their time- and space-jumping antics), but wreaking havoc in as many universes as they can stumble across. Also back are Morty's mother Beth (Sarah Chalke), father Jerry (Chris Parnell) and sister Summer (Spencer Grammer). Watch the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPDqQDTnJKE As always, the new episodes will rejoin the smartest Rick and Morty-est Morty in the universe — and, behind the scenes, feature the smart comic writing of Roiland and Community's Dan Harmon. And, while five new episodes mightn't seem like much, there's still even more to come, with the show renewed for a huge 70 episodes by US network Adult Swim in 2018 (which is more than double the 31 that the comedy aired before season four started). If you're more excited about new R&M than Mr Meeseeks and Mr Poopybutthole are about just being themselves, then there's more good news, with Adult Swim also dropping a five-minute-long online mini-episode to tide fans over until the next full episodes hit. Prepare to meet Rick WTM-72 and Shogun Morty in Samurai & Shogun. Wubba lubba dub dub indeed. Check out Samurai & Shogun below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=BSF5yoD-vC4&feature=emb_logo The final five episodes of Rick and Morty's fourth season will start airing weekly from May 3 in the US. Down Under, the show airs on Netflix — and we'll update you with a release date for the new episodes when one is announced.
They're the masters of immersive thrills, such as smash-hit shipping container installations Seance, Coma and Flight. But, as we learned last year, not even the folks at Realscape Productions are immune to the realities of pandemic life. When they were locked down with the rest of Melbourne the first time around, they put their nerve-jangling real-life projects on hiatus — and teamed up with UK creators Darkfield on three brand-new audio experiences that fans could enjoy from the comfort of home. With Melbourne currently experiencing a case of stay-at-home deja vu, Realscape and Darkfield are bringing their trio of audio shows back — just for the duration of the current lockdown. Sick of looking at the TV and checking the exposure sites list? Already had your two hours of exercise for the day? Now you've got something else to put on your to-do list: getting creeped out just by listening. You can also nab a ticket if you're located elsewhere around the country. While Double, Visitors and Eternal are all designed to be delivered remotely, they're also geared to be every bit as eerie and unsettling as their IRL predecessors. With Double, for instance, you'll be plunged into an immersive experience that's meant to perplex the senses — this time, with the use of a 360-degree binaural sound that's played through your own headphones. Inspired by the Capgras delusion, a condition which sees a sufferer convinced that a loved one has been replaced by an imposter (sometimes an evil-intentioned one), it requires a two-person set-up, with players seated across a table from each other. The pair of you will then tune into a special 20-minute broadcast, at the exact time as hundreds of other players across the country. And there's just one rule to follow: everyone has to be who they say they are. Visitors uses the same sound setup, and is also designed for two people to listen to at once. It starts with another two folks as well: a dead couple who invite themselves into the your home. They're eager to escape their current state, even if only temporarily. "We didn't know where else to go," they'll tell you — and then you'll each hear two different sides of the story. Only Eternal is designed to be heard on your lonesome. It's inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula, aka one of the best horror novels ever written (and certainly the best vampire novel), and you're meant to play it while you're alone in bed. Originally commissioned by Ireland's Bram Stoker Festival, the 20-minute-long experience explores the allure of living forever — and will get you pondering what you'd willingly do to avoid death. The uneasiness everyone feels when they hear something go bump in the night also plays a part, because that's just the kind of sensation the production aims to conjure up. At the time of writing, all three productions will be available to listen to until Thursday, June 3 — with lockdown currently set to end at 11.59pm that evening. And, if you want to make a night of it, you can get access to the trio with one $40 ticket. Double, Visitors and Eternal are available to listen to until Thursday, June 3. For more information and to buy tickets, head to the Darkfield website. Images: Alex Purcell
'Have I got a story for you?' The uttering of this simple question is simultaneously charged with boundless potential, designed to pique interest and loaded with promise. Will the tale be hilarious, harrowing or just plain entertaining? This year, the Sydney Writers' Festival (the local wordsmith's answer to Glastonbury) has put grandiose, pompous conceptions of what truly great literature means aside to focus on the simple joy that can only be brought forth by a cracking yarn, plain and simple. Whether you're a book club aficionado who knows her Shakespeare from her Tolstoy or just a fan of The Breakfast Club, the dynamic program of events, released today, has something to make you lean in with anticipation. "Stories lie at the heart of our lives. We need them to understand ourselves, to understand others and to make sense of the world around us. In 2013 we look at the breadth of storytelling from Australia and around the world," explains Jemma Birrel, who debuts in her role as artistic director this year. Reckon you've heard it all before? Let the festival's astonishing stable of prominent orators, including Molly Ringwald, Naomi Wolf, William Dalrymple, Robert Green, Ruby Wax, Anita Desai, Archie Roach, Edward Rutherford, Hannah Kent, James Wood, Joe Rospars, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Kate Atkinson, Kate Mosse, Michael Sanders and Gillian Meares prove you wrong. These voices of our generation (minus Hannah Horvac of Girls, der) will wax lyrical on everything from the Future of Activism, to What Money Can't Buy and the question on everyone's, um, lips — I'm a Feminist, Can I Vajazzle? In a new addition to this year's program, a series of live storytelling events will see the likes of Claudia Karvan, Brendan Cowell, Jacqueline McKenzie and William McInnes hold court. Topics include personal passions and obsessions as told in 15-minute increments, true stories with the literally loco theme Lost the Plot and the sharing of specially written love letters by authors to their other halves in People of Letters. Gather round children, the Sydney Writers' Festival has a story for you. Images via Sydney Writers' Festival.
If you’ve been feeling like a helpless bystander in the global food crisis, you can now take action — simply by, well, doing a wee. Problem is, it’ll only count if you do it in Amsterdam — and in public. A Netherlands’ utilities company by the name of Waternet has set up a bunch of pee-collecting urinals in the Dutch capital. Their plan is to send the fluid to a recovery plant, where the all-important phosphorus will be filtered out and transformed into struvite fertiliser. From there, it’ll be transported to farms and flower gardens. Fertiliser without phosphorous is kind of like coffee without caffeine — lacking the crucial kick. Even though phosphorus is, in and of itself, a renewable resource, modern agricultural access to it depends largely on phosphate rock reserves. Given that they’ve taken millions of years to form, they’re very much finite. But the good news is that, according to several studies, one individual’s urine delivers sufficient nutrients to grow food for themselves, as well as meet 50-100 percent of the dietary needs of another person. In that sense, Waternet is merely tapping into the biological processes that have kept us alive for thousands of years. And we thought our pop-up pissoirs were the hottest tourist attraction since the Opera House. Via Springwise.
Carjakkr will see a bunch of electronic artists perform from cars, to people in cars, in a parking lot. Sounds like a scene from an '80s film, right? Wrong. Carjakkr is taking place on Sunday, February 16, 2014, thanks to artist-run Alaska Projects. So far, Horse Macgyver, Chris Petro, Short Future and Holden Hands have joined the bill, with readings from Jack Mannix. And with the help of a Kickstarter appeal, Brisbane performer X in O is also hoping to join Carjakkr (for which you can donate here). The drive-in event will take place at Alaska Projects on Elizabeth Bay Road, Kings Cross. All you'll need to BYO is your car and some shrapnel for the parking spot.
February 2018 marks four years since the lockout laws hit Sydney's entertainment precinct. In that time, venues have shut up shop (like Hugos Lounge, which directly attributed the lockout laws to its closure), others have closed and reopened under new ownership (The Flinders and The Lansdowne, among them) and Kings Cross, once the nightlife hub of the city, has turned into a ghost town after midnight. Moreover, tens of thousands of people have rallied in opposition to the laws. Regardless, the NSW Government has given no indication that it will make any huge changes to them. The only consolation has been a half-hour extension of trading hours for businesses hosting live events. Sure, it's better than nothing — but it hasn't been enough to restore Sydney's nightlife to what it once was. That's why entrepreneur Paul G Roberts, founder of Fashion Industry Broadcast and Style Planet TV, decided to make a documentary titled After the Lockouts. When Roberts, who previously ran Melbourne night club Checkpoint Charlie, first moved to Sydney in the late 1990s, the nightlife was, in his words, "amazing". "You were spoilt for choice," he says. "You could go out from sunset to sunrise, seeing bands, going to clubs, going to cool bars...it's really not the same anymore." But, rather than mourn and complain, he wanted to get to do more research on the matter. So, with a camera crew in tow, he spent most of 2017 researching, studying media representations, speaking to venue owners and travelling to cities around the world, to find out how they manage busy nighttime economies without lockouts. "I wanted to cut through the spin and get down to the facts, the evidence," he says. After the Lockouts gains authority with interviews with some of Sydney's leading nightlife figures, including Keep Sydney Open's hardworking Tyson Koh, Mark Gerber (Oxford Art Factory), Maurice Terzini (Icebergs Dining Room), councillor Jess Scully and Dave Evans, former owner of Hugos Lounge, which closed down in mid-2015 due to revenue loss following the lockouts. There's also a tour of Amsterdam with night mayor Mirik Milan, who, since 2014, has overseen the city's nocturnal happenings. The documentary doesn't seem to include any interviews with any NSW Government spokespeople. Through the doco, Roberts also poses alternative solutions to the laws — that is, strategies for reversing the laws and renewing the city's vibrant all-night scene. "I'm very confident that anyone who sits through the whole film will walk out with a new perspective," says Roberts. "There are so many people doing a Herculean job to fight the lockout laws...but there needs to be a united voice. There needs to be an ongoing campaign to put pressure on the government. The film is just the first part of a multi-pointed campaign." After the Lockouts will premiere at a private gala screening tonight, February 1. The plan is to then roll it out across cinemas and the Internet. For more info, visit afterthelockouts.com. Image: After the Lockouts.
When Meryl Streep joined the cast of Only Murders in the Building, whether she'd prove a hit in the murder-mystery comedy was hardly a puzzle to solve. Indeed, the acclaimed actor slipped right into the show's third season like she'd always been there. And, she's coming back in season four to do it all again. Only Murders in the Building was renewed for its fourth season back in late 2023, and now casting details are being revealed. Yes, Selena Gomez (The Dead Don't Die) is back as Mabel Mora, as are Martin Short (Schmigadoon!) as Oliver Putnam and Steve Martin (It's Complicated) as Charles-Haden Savage. As just announced, so is Streep (Don't Look Up), while Saturday Night Live great Molly Shannon is also joining the series as well. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Streep and Shannon will have recurring roles in the new season, which will start with its main trio enjoying a trip to Los Angeles. But they're not leaving The Arconia, the show's main setting, behind. There's already been a fourth murder there at the end of last batch of episodes, giving the crew something to investigate after 2021's season one (aka one of the best new shows of that year), 2022's season two (aka one of the best returning shows of that year, too) and 2023's season three (again, one of that year's best returning efforts). The series started with three residents of the same New York apartment building crossing paths after a murder in their building — hence the title — then bonding over true-crime podcasts. Next, they did what everyone that's jumped on that bandwagon knows they would if they were ever in the same situation, starting their own audio series that's also called Only Murders in the Building. That's how season one kicked off — and continued, proving a warm, funny, smart and savvy series at every step along the way. In the show's second season, another death needed looking into. That time, it was someone the main trio were all known not to be that fond of, so suspicions kept pointing in their direction. Indeed, every season, another death has given aspiring artist Mabel, Broadway producer Oliver and actor Charles-Haden another case to dive into. In season three, that involved discovering who caused actor Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem) to shuffle off this mortal coil at the opening night of Oliver's latest show. Streep plays Loretta Durkin, another thespian, who scored her big theatre break in the same production in season three — and became a love interest for Oliver. Shannon (The Other Two) will play an LA businesswoman who gets drawn into season four's mystery, Variety reports. There's no sneak peek at season four as yet, but you can check out the full trailer for Only Murders in the Building season three below: Only Murders in the Building streams Down Under via Star on Disney+. Read our reviews of season one, season two and season three. Images: Hulu. Via The Hollywood Reporter / Variety.
Road trips are an idealised summertime activity. If you do it right, you come away with good friends and esoteric stories which will never be understood properly by people who weren't there. But it's equally possible for road trips to turn hellish and monotonous. That's not what you want - that's not what anybody wants. So Concrete Playground has compiled a list of tips to help you on your way and make sure you have the kind of road trip which will remind you of the wind and sunshine in your hair, shared memories and in-jokes. Some of it might seem like common sense, but common sense can sometimes be what first deserts you when somebody suggests driving ten hours across the country to go to a music festival or a particularly nice beach. 1. WheelsSo this seems a superfluous point, but if you're going to go on a road trip you need a car, and if you don't have one then you've got yourself a problem. Once you've got the car, make sure it's one that everybody knows how to drive. Nobody likes being the only manual driver in a car full of stricken automatic-only drivers. You should also do all the practical things like get the oil, tyres and water checked before you leave, and make sure you've got back-ups in case of emergency, especially if you're trying to look like you know your stuff about cars. Bigger cars are better for road trips, especially if you've got friends with ample hips or ridiculously long legs. And for the love of God make sure the car has air con. Otherwise everybody is going to be sweaty, sunburnt and have a mouth full of insects every time you drive through a field. 2. A Worthwhile DestinationJumping in a car and heading nowhere might sound very Kerouac-esque for an hour or so, but in the end you're going to want to be heading somewhere. Holiday houses and camping grounds are all good, although there's a high likelihood a music festival might be your destination this summer. If that's the case, be patient and anticipate that you will have to wait in a queue for six hours on a backed up country road and be forced to pee in the bushes in direct view of many headlights. However, the best destination of all is a beach, one of the pristine and near unpopulated ones which grace our fair coast. 3. MapsGetting lost is not half the fun. The person who claims this needs to be ejected immediately from the vehicle. You probably have a GPS, but bear in mind that the GPS is not infallible. Let me present you with an example: on a road trip last year, we in the car got bored with the standard GPS and, just outside the Gold Coast, switched our guide to a New Zealander named Paul. All was going well until Paul started sabotaging our trip with his crafty non-instructions and we ended up taking a two hour detour through peak-hour Brisbane. Paul was not our friend after that and shameful slurs against New Zealand ensued. In these situations you need a map. A map in this instance is defined as a proper map you purchase from anywhere good maps are sold, not a scrawled set of lines copied from Google Maps your barely literate friend drew on the back of phone bill. 4. CrewBe wise and consider precisely which of your friends and loved ones you're going to enjoy being in a cramped confined space with for potentially several days. There's nothing more tedious and depressing than realising you can't stand the people you're friends with. It's also a good idea to make sure there's not going to be anybody overly-familiar with their sense of personal space, particularly if they have personal hygiene issues. Once you've got that down, make sure that there's not going to be any major conflict before you start, because there's nothing more awkward than finding yourself on a road trip with a couple who have recently broken up and still have unresolved issues. Solve all those problems, and you're cool. 5. ConversationOnce you've exhausted your witty high school stories, politics, childhood traumas and the ever-fascinating subject of who's having sex with whom, complex philosophical questions are always a good bet. Questions such as 'which of your legs could you do without' and 'would you rather punch Kyle Sandilands or Miranda Devine in the face' are good starting points. For those who are not on driving duty and decide the time has come to pilfer beers from the esky, be aware that the designated driver will soberly wish for your death if you do anything crazy-drunk like throw up, sing repetitively for more than ten minutes or attempt to give a ride to a stranger with no shoes. 6. MoneyMoney is a general necessity in all areas of life, but when we say 'money' here we mean the multi-coloured pieces of paper marked with numbers the ATM is wont to dispense. This is crucial because ATMs can be scarce on the ground in the bush, and on a road trip sharing is of the utmost importance. Assign the most organised member of your group the job of keeping an account of how much petrol and food everybody is paying for, and bear in mind that if you haven't chipped in for all the Tim Tams then you do not deserve to eat all the Tim Tams and then subsequently complain about a sore stomach. 7. SnacksIt's a given that everyone is obliged to bring a lot of sugar on a road trip. Minties, Snakes and all things that once delighted you in children's birthday party bags are right and necessary when on the road. Hop chips with tomato sauce sold by old ladies with facial hair in country towns are also awesome. Eating options on the highway tend to be a choice between Maccas or Maccas, so if that's going to bother you, pre-make some delicious healthy things which won't spill too badly and stop every hour or so to picnic. Otherwise, it's uncanny how the shops saying 'Best Pies in Grafton' actually do sell the best pies in Grafton. Moreover, if you're going a long distance you're going to be in dire need of caffeine. Somebody could be really organised and bring instant coffee, a saucepan, a makeshift stove and water, or you could just take a thermos. 8. MusicIf you've got one of those whatsits that plug your iPod into the car's stereo system, you're sweet. If you don't have one of those, however, you're going to want a couple of good mixtapes, or, more accurately, mix CDs. The person in charge of making mixtapes should keep in mind what everyone else will like, what is easiest to sing along to, and attempt not to impress others with their obscure tastes because it never works out as well as you'd hope. Sixties pop songs, eighties power ballads and nineties rap should all be considered in the choice of music. Most importantly, don't make too many tapes. Fifteen hours worth of music is just tiring. You want to have songs that are going to remind you of the trip for years to come, an underlying theme for your future reminiscing, if you will. Anything more and you may as well just put the radio on. 9. Ridiculous ApparelQuestionable fashion choices are a mandatory on the road. Nothing makes you feel more alive than climbing out of the car at a truckstop wearing something outrageously fluoro and swaggering inside to get yourself a rainbow Paddlepop. Furthermore, there is no more appropriate occasion for a man to sport short shorts. Stupid sunglasses and hats are fun, but bear in mind they might enrage Mick Taylor-types on the roads. And remember that while no shoes are alright in the car, you don't want anything on the floors of country rest stops and bathrooms touching your bare skin. 10. SunscreeenOften overlooked when in the relative shelter of a moving car, sunscreen is necessary for anybody with an arm in close proximity to a window. You don't want to get sunburnt, and unevenly sunburnt at that, while sitting in the car. More to the point, nothing will ruin your holiday more than being so sunburnt you have to wear shapeless kaftans with long sleeves and not being able to sleep at night because it hurts so bad.
Film lovers, you'll be off to see the witches, the powerful witches of Oz, when Wicked soars from the page and the stage to the screen in 2024. The famous and beloved theatre musical adapts a book that takes inspiration from The Wizard of Oz, and has been a show-going favourite for more than two decades thanks to composer Stephen Schwartz and playwright Winnie Holzman. Now, it's heading to cinemas as a two-part movie. The first instalment, aka Wicked: Part One, arrives in November with Ariana Grande (Don't Look Up) as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo (Pinocchio) as Elphaba — and with director Jon M Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians) behind the lens. Grande dons pink and Erivo sports the requisite green in the debut trailer for the movie, which arrived amid the annual Super Bowl sneak-peek frenzy (see also: Deadpool & Wolverine). Haven't caught the stage show on its current Australian run, including in Sydney since 2023 and in Melbourne from March 2024? Defy gravity in your local picture palace before the year is out instead. In the first trailer for the film, Glinda tells Elphaba "don't be afraid". "I'm not afraid," is the fellow witch's response. "It's the Wizard who should be afraid of me." Wicked follows the Land of Oz's witches, with telling their untold tale the musical's whole angle. On the stage, the show has notched up more awards than you can fit in a hefty cauldron over the years. That includes three Tonys from ten nominations, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and six Drama Desk Awards. Joining Grande and Erivo in bringing Wicked to the cinemas is quite the who's who-style cast. Michelle Yeoh (A Haunting in Venice), Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), Ethan Slater (The Marvellous Mrs Maisel) and Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) also feature. And who else could play the Wizard of Oz but Jeff Goldblum (Asteroid City)? As for when Wicked: Part Two will also get flickering, it's due in November 2025. Check out the first trailer for Wicked: Part One below: Wicked: Part One releases in cinemas Down Under on November 28, 2024.
In early December 2020, NSW began to return to a state of relative normality with dance floors returning to venues and gatherings of 50 people allowed in households with outdoor areas. That was until the northern beaches COVID-19 cluster saw the state return to lockdowns and strict restrictions. As the state begins to leave the fallout from that cluster and daily case numbers remain low, many Sydneysiders may be wondering when restrictions will begin to be eased. On Tuesday, January 19, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian gave the city hope, stating if case number remained low the state would be able to return "as close to pre-Avalon conditions as possible next week". The Premier has now added a caveat to this promise, adding that restrictions will not be eased before Tuesday, January 26's public holiday. Talking to Jim Wilson on 2GB, Berejiklian expressed concerns that Tuesday's public holiday could act as a "super-seeding" event if restrictions were eased beforehand. Despite these concerns, Premier Berejiklian remained confident that the rolling back on restrictions could be announced "late next week". NSW recorded no locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, January 21, marking the states fourth day in a row without a local acquired case. While case numbers are currently low, NSW Health continues to urge Sydney residents to be tested if they show even the mildest of symptoms. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1352044112883531776 Currently, Greater Sydney has strict limits on gatherings, with just five visitors allowed in homes and public outdoor gatherings capped at 30. If you are looking for something to do on Tuesday, January 26, consider attending Sydney Festival's The Vigil, a COVID-safe overnight reflection on the impact of colonisation on Australia's First Nations people. The event will feature talks and performances from First Nations artists and community members and will run from dusk on Monday, January 25 through to dawn on Tuesday. The event is free, but registration is essential. For more information about COVID-19 in NSW and current restrictions, head to NSW Health.
Witnessing the candid demise of Sandy Sonnenberg is painful; the once wide-eyed, nervous yet poetic Jew boy from Princeton has turned slobbering, self-hating squatter in a Paris warehouse. Sandy has been driven thus not by anyone but himself. Echoing Harvey Milk themes of the marginalisation and shame surrounding homosexuality in America in the 1960s, Jon Robin Baitz's The Paris Letter brings this anxiety back to life in full colour, despite the austere chocolate-box set and thin-spread cast of five over nine roles. Young Sandy (Caleb Alloway) attempts to suppress his true identity by seeking pop-psychiatric help from Dr Schiffler (Nicholas Papademetriou), who tells him he needs to change the way he thinks about the pleasure-pain factor and this will solve all his problems. Ironically, mature-age Sandy is played by the same actor, Nicholas Papademetriou, a rather telling casting choice. We are guided in this romp through the auspices of time by the silver fox narrator, Anton (Peter Cousens), clad in a kitsch suit with a matching peach shirt and socks and a rose in his pocket, who delivers sad truths with a smile and glittering eyes. He then resigns to side stage in order to observe the action between young Anton and Bert (Damian Sommerlad), who both parade their sculpted bodies, embrace violently and masterfully exchange punchy Brooklyn chitchat with young Sandy's wife (Susie Lindeman). But while The Paris Letter is a dialogue about gay pride, it is also about prioritising love over fear. It says that real love, whether it was shared all your life or only between November 1962 to February 1963, should be dealt with honestly because it has the potential to affect your life's trajectory. Even how it concludes itself.
UPDATE: February 1, 2022 — Theatre Royal Sydney is currently running a two-for-one offer on platinum or gold tickets for selected performances of Girl From the North Country. Check terms and conditions below for details. Following multiple sell-out seasons since debuting in London in 2017, Girl From the North Country has become one of the most critically acclaimed productions of our generation. Making its Australian premiere at the 2022 Sydney Festival, and kicking off from Wednesday, January 5 at the recently unveiled new Theatre Royal, Girl From the North Country takes place in a guesthouse in the US state of Minnesota in 1934. The story revolves around owner Nick, who is deeply in debt; his wife Elizabeth, whose mind is fraying; and their pregnant daughter Marianne — as well as a bible-slinging preacher and a boxer endeavouring to make a comeback. For Bob Dylan fans, the name of this musical will be familiar. It's the title of one of the legendary folk singer's 1963 songs — a tune that features in this musical, naturally. Indeed, the entire show uses Dylan's tracks, including everything from 'Like a Rolling Stone' and 'Hurricane' to 'Slow Train' and 'I Want You', all weaved throughout a story of American life during the Great Depression. The debut Aussie season will star Lisa McCune (The King and I, South Pacific), Zahra Newman (The Book of Mormon, Wentworth), Terence Crawford (Escape From Pretoria, 1984) and Helen Dallimore (Wicked, Legally Blonde). Terms and Conditions: Offer subject to availability. Available for selected performances up to and including Sunday, February 13, 2022. Limit of two tickets per transaction. Transaction fees apply.
Mean Girls is returning to the big screen — this time with songs and dancing joining the high school-set story about cliques, popularity and the general chaos of being a teenager. In the works since 2020, the new Mean Girls film doesn't just remake the OG 2004 movie two decades later, but adapts the stage musical based on that movie. So, yes, this tale about the Plastics, a burn book and new student Cady Heron went from being a flick to treading the boards, and is now charting the opposite course. When it leapt from the screen to the stage in 2018, Mean Girls not only found a second life in the theatre, but did so with tunes and fancy footwork. Unsurprisingly, the production was a hit. With the musical's book written by Tina Fey (Mr Mayor), just like the original feature — and its songs composed by her husband Jeff Richmond (Girls5eva), with lyrics by Tony-nominee Nell Benjamin (The Sea Beast) — this favourite struck just as much of a chord with audiences when set to music. Now, expect that experience in cinemas. Given that the all-singing, all-dancing show's tracks have highly appropriate names such as 'Meet the Plastics', 'World Burn' and 'Someone Gets Hurt', winning over audiences was to be expected. Also easy to predict: the musical's jump back to movies from Broadway, with the end result arriving Down Under on Thursday, January 11, and just dropping its first trailer. The film is releasing on a Thursday, but you'll still want to wear pink. And, as with the Lindsay Lohan (Falling for Christmas) and Rachel McAdams (Dave)-starring film from 20 years ago, as well as the stage musical that followed, audiences will be basking in Fey's talents. Again, she wrote the initial feature's screenplay, and now does the same on this second effort. She also produces with Saturday Night Live's Lorne Michaels. In the directors' chairs: Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez (Quarter Life Poetry: Poems for the Young, Broke & Hangry). As seen in the debut sneak peek — which is light on songs, admittedly — the story remains the same, obviously. So, the film still charts Cady's rough adjustment to American high-school life after spending the bulk of her childhood living in Africa, plus her time spent with the resident popular group, aka the Plastics. Australian actor Angourie Rice (Spider-Man: No Way Home) plays Cady this time around, while The Sex Lives of College Girls' Reneé Rapp reprises her role as Regina George from the stage version. Also featuring: Bebe Wood (Love, Victor) as Gretchen and Avantika (also The Sex Lives of College Girls) as Karen, plus Christopher Briney (The Summer I Turned Pretty) as Aaron Samuels, Auli'i Cravalho (The Power) as Janis and screen debutant Jaquel Spivey as Damian — as well as Jon Hamm (Good Omens), Jenna Fischer (Splitting Up Together), Busy Philipps (Girls5eva), Ashley Park (Only Murders in the Building), Tim Meadows (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) and Fey herself among the adults. Check out the so fetch trailer for Mean Girls below: Mean Girls releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, January 11. Images: Jojo Whilden/Paramount © 2023 Paramount Pictures.
After a few wines, fun can get messy. Without any alcohol at all, life always is. Since arriving on Netflix in 2019, grief-fuelled black comedy Dead to Me has always understood this. Just as crucially, it has always appreciated how the chaos that being alive brings is far easier to handle with a true friend by your side. Its key pair: Christina Applegate (Bad Moms 2) and Linda Cardellini (Hawkeye) as Jen Harding and Judy Hale, who started the show as strangers linked by tragedy, and by lies about exactly how deep that connection goes. With Dead to Me finishing with the just-dropped season three, the duo ends the series having changed each other in ways that neither could've initially imagined. Hit and runs, murders, duplicitous connections, secret twins, police investigations, shallow graves, money laundering, incriminating surveillance footage, big coverups: these aren't regular occurrences for most of us. But dealing with life, love, death, loss and disappointment is, and struggling to know how you want to spend your days — and who to spend them with. To navigate all of this, the only-on-TV and the everyday alike, Dead to Me bundles its leads together to help them cope. Sometimes, that involves big glasses of vino. Too often perhaps, leaning on a stereotype. Still, the fact that Jen and Judy need each other, and are better because they know each other, remains as heartfelt as Dead to Me's pile of twists proves tumultuous. When Dead to Me began with heavy A Simple Favour vibes, it was with Laguna Beach real-estate agent Jen left widowed with two kids (Condor's Sam McCarthy and IT: Chapter Two's Luke Roessler), and furious about it, after her husband Ted was killed in an accident. Aged-care nurse Judy comes into her orbit at her grief support group, telling a tale about similarly mourning after the death of her fiancé Steve Wood (James Marsden, Sonic the Hedgehog 2); however, her story is just a ruse to get close to Jen. The chalk-and-cheese women still find comfort in each other's company, with the free-spirited Judy countering Jen's acerbic, acidic, angry demeanour. Then, the revelations start flowing — and the more that their friendship is tested, the more the pair gravitate towards each other. When Dead to Me's ten-episode first season came to an end, it was with secrets being exposed and a growing body count. In season two, which dropped another ten episodes in 2020, Jen and Judy worked through the fallout, and the reality of having Steve's kinder, cornier twin brother Ben (also Marsden) around. This is a show about cycles and circles, so when its second outing finished, it was with another hit and run, this time with Jen and Judy as its victims. That's where season three's ten episodes pick up, with the two women in hospital weathering yet another aftermath to a significant event with yet another round of life-changing consequences. Hanging out with Jen and Judy as they endure several soap operas worth of turmoil — and just as many big life events, complete with romances, kids and health woes — has been one of Dead to Me's drawcards from the get-go. Creator and writer Liz Feldman (2 Broke Girls) perfected the show's lead casting, so much so that even simply putting Applegate and Cardellini together with a bottle of wine has always sparked compelling, touching, insightful and hilarious moments. That's hardly surprising given both actors' prior resumes, and their screen presence. In her first lead TV role since 2011–12 sitcom Up All Night, Married with Children and Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead alum Applegate plays world-weary and just weary with relatable force, while ex-Freaks and Geeks, Scooby Doo, Mad Men and Bloodline star Cardellini knows how to give the positive-thinking Judy both weight and heart. Applegate and Cardellini have deserved their past Emmy nominations — two for the former, one for the latter — and they're each as adept at balancing Dead to Me's dark comedy and rampant dramas in season three. There's a greater sense of what the bond between the show's protagonists truly means this time, though, befitting its final go-around. As even more hardship, heartbreak and law enforcement officers are thrown at its central pair, the series also sees them lean on each other as a constant when little else earns that description. That said, because everything changes including our dearest relationships, it contemplates what Jen and Judy can always draw on from each other even if they're not perennially side by side. Finding solace in complicated bonds, the strength to confront life's challenges, and the savviness to know when to appreciate the small wins and big delights: that's Dead to Me season three's arc. It's the series' in general, and was long before it was announced that it would finish after a third and final run. In fact, that's why all the trauma and twists have worked, reflecting the truth that anything and everything can happen to us all every day, so all that we can do is work out how to soldier on. Of course, now that Dead to Me is bringing its odd-couple tale to a conclusion — a fitting one, that keeps recognising the gifts, shocks, joys and sorrows that greet everyone — farewells and heightened feelings frequently go hand in hand. Accordingly, unexpected diagnoses, meddling cops (returnees Diana Maria Riva, Kajillionaire, and Brandon Scott, Goliath), sleuthing federal agents (series newcomer Garrett Dillahunt, Where the Crawdads Sing), old flames (Natalie Morales, The Little Things) and frustrating neighbours (Suzy Nakamura, Avenue 5) all pop up. So do creepy rooms filled with twin dolls, plus outlaw names: Bitch Cassidy and Judy Five Fingers (who chooses which is obvious). Yes, Dead to Me goes all in on as many more plot swings as it can fit in as it rides off into the sunset. In the process, the show's swansong evokes as many emotions as it can, too. Amid the twists and laughs in tandem, however — and all the murders, mysteries and other doses of mayhem along the way — this show has always been able to make its feelings stick, just like its against-the-odds core friendship. Check out the full trailer for Dead to Me's third season below: Dead to Me's third season is available to stream via Netflix. Images: Saeed Adyani / Netflix.
Decades of sci-fi speculation seems set to come true: in 2022, the world will welcome its first luxury space hotel. Claims like this aren't new, but the Aurora Station is determined to make holidaying in space a reality — for a sky-high price, unsurprisingly. In development by US-based company Orion Span, the fully modular space station will be capable of hosting six people at a time, including four guests and two crew members. Operating as a luxe place to stay, it'll feature everything a short-term astronaut could want, such as zero gravity, views of the northern and southern aurora, the ability to participate in space research experiments and a virtual reality holodeck. As souvenirs, visitors can even help grow their own food and take it home with them. Plus, because no hotel can get by without it, guests will be able to access high-speed wifi while they soar more than 300 kilometres above the earth and orbit the planet every 90 minutes. Enjoying all of the above — which means spying an average of 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours — will set eager space cadets back a cool US$9.5 million for a 12-day trip. That price tag hasn't stopped plenty of flush folks putting down a US$80,000 deposit to sign up, with the first four months of reservations selling out within 72 hours of being announced. That's hefty cost for a company with a stated mission — "to build and sustain human communities in space accessible to all" — but soaring into space isn't cheap, so perhaps the accessible part is more of a long-term quest. The company's founder and CEO, Frank Bunger, says that Aurora Station will bring "travellers into space quicker and at a lower price point than ever seen before." Wannabe astronauts will also undergo a three-month training program, which has been condensed from the usual 24-month timeframe, although surely preparing to go into space isn't something anyone would want to rush. Future plans for Aurora Station include zero gravity research, space manufacturing — and, if an interstellar vacation doesn't sound futuristic enough, space condos. "Our architecture is such that we can easily add capacity, enabling us to grow with market demand like a city growing skyward on earth," explains Bunger. "We will later sell dedicated modules as the world's first condominiums in space. Future Aurora owners can live in, visit, or sublease their space condo." For more information, visit the Orion Span website.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is what would happen if Fall Out Boy decided to put on a musical exploring populism, the formation of the Democratic Party and the forced removal of Native Americans. It might seem odd to present an emo rock opera exploring American themes to Australian audiences, but it draws many parallels with modern-day Australia, particularly when considering forced resettlement and the current refugee debate in this country. The show ultimately explores whether the radical behaviour of America's seventh president, Andrew Jackson, caused chaos or brought order to a troubled nation. As soon as you enter the theatre it is clear that they have adopted the anarchic view. The space is draped with caution tape, sabotaged presidential paintings and tampered American paraphernalia, and the cast are drinking for all to see. This anti-Jackson vision advocated is then cemented upon introduction to the punk-rock President, who is overtly racist from the outset and egotistical until the end. Having said that, it is refreshing to not have to like everyone on stage. Jackson (Peter Meredith) is rarely amiable after the first five minutes as an anarchic president of petulance caught up in the disillusionment of his own legend, and this is testimony to Meredith's energy. However, his emotions are dropped and at times never felt at all, which leaves us slightly uninvested in his transformative character arc. Someone who is extremely likeable, though, is Martin Van Buren (Jay James-Moody), who steals the show with his measured movements, one-liners and perfect timing. The musical numbers are tight, with the show opener 'Populism' very polished, as is 'Ten Little Indians', which is accompanied by very clever finger choreography. However, whenever the brilliant band raised their volume, the singers became difficult to comprehend and it appeared to not be a technical issue; they just sang quieter when equipped with microphones than when not. It was a shame as the singing was truly excellent and the audible parts of the numbers were great — "I'm going to fill you with my popularjizzm" resides in the memory. Throughout the show, though, and for hours afterwards I could not help but ponder on just how good this show could have been were it staged in a theatre with a slightly bigger stage than The Factory Floor. Whilst there were elements created by the smaller space that certainly added to the appeal — the intimate four-piece band were a sonic delight — there were a few too many detractions resulting from the cramped conditions. Dance numbers were cute but mostly underwhelming due to the limited stage space and the rollercoaster rotation of performance vignettes distracted the audience as cast passed the crowd's peripheries to enter. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is a breath of fresh air to Australian musical theatre as it is exciting to see the genre alive in smaller Sydney venues where you don't have to pay $100 to enter. But whilst there are bloody bloody good elements to the show, it doesn’t manage to hit the heights that it promises in many moments. Image by Michael Francis.
When you lick a scoop of gelato, do you take a moment to let the flavour settle onto your tastebuds? Do you stop to contemplate the creaminess, try to pick out all of the different ingredients and, in the process, ponder how it feels on your tongue? Perhaps you spend too long thinking not only about how your dessert tastes, but how it smells. Or, maybe you're obsessed with how it looks, because a good ice cream is a truly glorious sight. If we've just described your usual thought processes every time you step inside a gelato joint, then you might want to throw your name in the ring for this Gelatissimo gig. As the dessert chain first did back in 2019, it has put out a call for a dream job — but only for a single four-hour shift. For one morning — from 9am–1pm on the morning of Tuesday, May 10, to be exact — the dessert chain will pay one ice cream-loving person $500 to taste-test its newest gelato flavours. That's it, that's the gig. Go on, try to find a more delicious way to spend four hours. Over the past few years, Gelatissimo has been responsible for frosé sorbet, ginger beer gelato and even a gelato for dogs, so you won't be licking your way through plain ol' vanilla or the usual mint choc-chip combination (not that there's anything wrong with those two stone-cold classics). Other special varieties that it has come up with in the past include Weet-Bix, fairy bread, hot cross bun, cinnamon scroll and chocolate fudge, Biscoff, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey's Kisses, gingerbread cookie dough, Caramilk and bubble tea. Yes, you should be getting a sugar rush just thinking about it. Just what flavours the lucky taste-tester will be munching on hasn't yet been revealed, but whoever gets the gig will play a crucial part in evaluating them. As well as being mouth-wateringly appetising, this is serious business, requiring the utmost focus on the task at hand. That means first assessing the gelato's appearance, then enjoying a couple of scoops to get a feel for the flavour and texture. Then, after cleansing your palate with water, you'll do it all over again (and then again). If you're keen, as most people with tastebuds will be, just head to the Gelatissimo website to explain why you're the ideal candidate for the job. While the competition is open nationally, the winner will be required to get themselves to Gelatissimo's Sydney office in Rydalmere on Tuesday, May 10. If that still suits you, you have until midnight AEST on Friday, April 22 to enter. And, if you need any extra incentive, you'll also get to fill your freezer with gelato for your troubles. For more information, or to apply for the Gelatissimo gelato-tasting gig, visit the dessert chain's website.
When you're Tasmanian brewery Moo Brew — which, if you didn't know, is owned by enterprising MONA mastermind David Walsh — you don't simply launch your new line of beer cans the same way everyone else does. Instead, you enlist the team at production company FINCH to help design and build the world's first Russian roulette-style beer can vending machine to showcase those shiny new tins. And so Moo Brew's latest creation was born, which is set to make its public debut at The Newtown Hotel this Thursday, September 21. The unique idea comes courtesy of Moo Brew's head brewer, Dave Macgill. "We have six core beer styles, so thought we'd invent a vending machine that encouraged you to try a different one each time," he explains. "Basically, you pull the handle and the machine decides which one you get." Of course, it wouldn't be a game of roulette without a bit of risk and so, after tapping your card and pulling the machine's lever, there's a one-in-seven chance you'll lose out and score a tinny that's not Moo Brew. After its time in Sydney, Moo Brew Roulette will venture south for a stint at Melbourne's Garden State Hotel during Melbourne Festival, before heading back home to Hobart for the brewery's 12th birthday and eventually settling in at MONA from mid-November.
If you feel like the general cost of living is on an endless journey upwards, well, you'd be right on the money (or lack thereof). In news that's surprising to pretty much no one, Sydney and Melbourne have again outdone themselves, both trumping their earlier positions on an index of the world's most expensive cities. The list, which is one of many that index cost of living, is put together by the world's biggest price aggregation website Numbeo. This year sees Sydney shoot to number 32, soaring past last year's ranking of 41, and Melbourne also surged ahead, moving from last year's 77th position to become the world's 64th most expensive city in 2018. The Gold Coast was the least expensive local city in the index, ranking at 180. To create the Cost of Living Index, Numbeo looked at a range of factors, surrounding things like food, lifestyle, housing, salaries and taxation. Hamilton in Bermuda topped the list, followed closely by five different Swiss cities. In the breakdown, Sydney's hefty rental prices were named the 16th highest in the world, with a one-bedroom city apartment averaging $2619 a month. If that makes you cringe, spare a thought for London (ranked 10th on the rent index) where the same sort of pad costs $2876 a month, or the top-ranking city of San Francisco, where you'd be forking out $4113. Meanwhile, Hobart was named Australia's most expensive city for dining out and 26th in the world, with a two-person feed at a mid-range restaurant averaging about $100. In this lineup, Perth ranked 46, while Melbourne and Sydney clocked in at numbers 79 and 80 respectively. When it comes to the average cost of a new set of wheels, Sydney ranked 188th in the world, with Perth edging in at number 202. Canberrans have it better than any other Aussie city in this department, taking out 226th ranking. To check out the full list, visit numbeo.com.
Get your dancing shoes and party outfits ready — Taqiza is throwing a massive two-day fiesta to celebrate its second anniversary. Make tracks to the vibrant Mexican restaurant at Bondi Beach across Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 and tacos, tequila and all the live music your hips can boogie to will be waiting. Line your stomach and spoil your taste buds with special Al Pastor birthday tacos made with pulled pork and pineapple — you can nab three for a cheeky tenner. Then, jump on board the free Mezcal tasting train, conducted by Vanguard's agave expert Kass Hill. From 3–6pm each day, Hill will guide you through tastings of rare varieties of Del Maguey Mezcal and Derrumbes Mezcal. If those leave you wanting more agave goodness, Taqiza will also be serving mezcal flights for $20 between 12–9pm on both days, featuring tasting shots of wild agave, tobala, arroqueño and madrecuixe. Plus, Taqiza will be slinging half-priced margaritas made with the boutique tequila Ocho over the entire fiesta. Round it all off with a good ol' jive as Colombian-born, Sydney-based DJ Señor Bolivar hits the decks on Saturday from 6.30–9.30pm, while Andro Martinez and Buddy Siolo from Gang of Brothers take the music reins on Sunday evening. Taqiza's Second Anniversary Fiesta is free to attend, but bookings are strongly recommended. To nab a spot, visit the website.
Maybe you were a big fan of Moon Park. Maybe you've been in for brunch. Maybe its shrimp-brined fried chicken gave you life on more than a few occasions. Whatever the reason you frequent Paper Bird, your days for popping in for tasty Korean-Japanese-Chinese snacks and wine are (very sadly) numbered. After opening in the Potts Point spot a bit over two years ago, its owners today announced that it will close its door forever on the first weekend of August. In an Instagram post this morning, the team confirmed that Paper Bird's last day of service will be Saturday, August 3. It has not given a specific reason for the closure. View this post on Instagram Sad but true, our last service will be Saturday August the 3rd. It's been a pleasure serving you all for the last 2 years and we're hoping you can make it in for a last visit in our remaining weeks. We'll be bringing back some old favourites from both Paper Bird and Moon Park, come in and say bye... A post shared by Paper Bird (@paperbirdpottspoint) on Jun 23, 2019 at 6:58pm PDT Fans of the Paper Bird team will be feeling a sense of déjà vu — its previous restaurant Moon Park closed its doors in 2016. Luckily, it looks set to bring back some favourites from both the Paper Bird and Moon Park menus during its final weeks of service. Best make a booking now and cross your fingers for some of that fried chicken. The restaurant was initially opened in July 2017 by Ned Brooks, Ben Sears and Eun Hee An as an all-day diner. Since then, it had dropped down to dinner service only with lunch on weekends. The closure of Paper Bird is, sadly, not an isolated incident. Newtown fine diner Oscillate Wildly recently announced it will close its doors soon, as will Billy Kwong. On top of that, Sydney favourites Longrain and Acme are both in their last week of service. Paper Bird will continue trading at 46A MacLeay Street, Potts Point until Saturday, August 3. Make a booking here. Image: Katje Ford.
Calling all rom-com fans, Notting Hill aficionados and Rose Matafeo devotees — aka everyone who discovered marvellous new series Starstruck in 2021, fell head over heels for its firmly 21st-century take on dating a famous actor and has probably binged it more than once in the past eight months. Because February is stereotypically a time for all things romantic, the HBO sitcom is making a return, and it's just dropped its first trailer. Last year saw plenty of great new TV shows hit screens and streaming queues, and Starstruck was one of the best of them — which, given Matafeo's talent and the show's deep-seated love for its chosen genre, really didn't come as a surprise. The premise: a 28-year-old New Zealander in London who splits her time between working in a cinema and nannying, Jessie (Matafeo, Baby Done) isn't expecting much when her best friend and roommate Kate (Emma Sidi, Pls Like) drags her out to a bar on New Year's Eve. And, for most of the evening, her lack of enthusiasm proves astute. But then she meets Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral), ends up back at his sprawling flat and realises the next morning that he's one of the world's biggest movie stars. From featuring Matafeo enjoying a morning-after stride of pride to the sounds of 90s hit 'Return of the Mack' to swirling through the chaos of being in the orbit of someone so famous (and just general twentysomething life and dating mayhem as well), Starstruck's first season was smart, sidesplittingly funny and all-round charming — and the trailer for its second season sets it up to continue the trend. After its initial six episodes ended with a nod to The Graduate (yes, this show knows its rom-com history), the new batch of chapters is poised to dive into the reality of Jessie and Tom's efforts to make a real go of it. In other words, get ready for the story after the point where big-screen romantic comedies usually end — which doesn't look like it's going to go smoothly for the show's protagonist. Jessie has never just been a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her, and that still appears the case in Starstruck's sneak peek at its second season. Also a part of season two: Minnie Driver, after the About a Boy star first popped up in season one as Tom's agent, and also Russell Tovey (Years and Years). And, behind the scenes, Matafeo and fellow comedians Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson are still on scripting duties. Starstruck's new episodes will hit ABC iView in Australia from 9pm on Wednesday, February 16 — with an airdate via TVNZ in New Zealand yet to be confirmed, but hopefully arriving sooner rather than later. Check out the trailer for Starstruck's second season below: Starstruck's second season will be available to stream in Australia via ABC iView from 9pm on Wednesday, February 16 — and we'll update you with a New Zealand airdate via NZTV as soon as we have one. Read our full review of Starstruck's first season.
When was the last time you went out dancing? Not just jostling around the pub with your mates to the biggest hits of the 80s, 90s and now while wishing that your shoes weren't stuck to the floor – we mean hectic, throw you hands in the air, holy shit did that just happen it's 3am type dancing. If you can happily say that you go out dancing all the time, then that's good. That's very good. If you can't say that, get yourself to the Kings Cross Hotel on September 24th. Tickets for Delorean Disco are $10 ($15 on the door) and it's a party well worth attending. The Delorean Disco promises to take you on a dance floor journey like no other. Dipping in through the decades you'll kick off your exploration of the musical eras and visit genres like the rhythm, soul and rock & roll of the 60s before cascading into all things shiny and good that happened in the 2000s. Think about how much hassle you'll save by combining four genres into one club (there's four levels). You don't have to round up your mates and find new spots – you can just stay here all night. Each floor will play a different array of classic music. Dive: 60s psych-out and with rock, soul and R&B. Ground: House party anthems from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Balcony: Yacht rock, mum rock, dad rock and CEO Rock with Sweetie, Body Type DJs and Adam Lewis. Club: Hip hop and classic club stompers from the 90s and 2000s, courtesy of Andy Garvey and FlexMami. Get yourself to Kings Cross Hotel – it's going to be a banger of a dance party.
The status of Queensland's borders has changed multiple times in 2020, and whether they're open to other states or not has attracted ample public and political attention over the past few months. At present, the Sunshine State has closed off access to anyone who has been in Victoria, New South Wales or the Australian Capital Territory in the past 14 days — and, as revealed today, Monday, August 17, that is unlikely to change anytime soon. When the last border restrictions were announced on August 5, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk noted that they'd be reviewed at the end of the month. In her latest press conference, however, she said that the state's borders won't reopen until New South Wales and Victoria no longer have any COVID-19 cases that were acquired by community transmission. "We do not have any intentions of opening any borders whilst there is community transmission active in Victoria and in New South Wales," the Premier advised. "I think we're going to continue to see restrictions in Victoria up until around Christmas time. That's very unfortunate for people living down there, but it's a serious situation. You only have to look at what's happening around the world — and we don't want to see that happen here." The Premier also explained that, in good news for Queenslanders, "there has been no evidence of community transmission in Queensland now for 28 days". That's particularly significant given that the past month has seen several health alerts issued regarding areas of Brisbane that have been visited by a number of people with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. https://www.facebook.com/annastaciamp/videos/690694074852757/?__xts__[0]=68.ARBbc0v17o2dQyWT_ig-HRbWPgWa0drYvvm9Dmb83aVr9h1jP8-dKx6gLMWWNwhn8fUDjnAs8_3Cr4nVZCu27aKMq-po6yPw26D4I8gZIeqztFg_HdgrXPsOk7RhLS9g-Mcd-62BTfbD2E6BprnJVCSnhHuIjr0vXP1T2VSdxu-OyqXxBogearGuoOvC16jxpt8eZIhD6yC32KaE3NqZUjxBtA1RnVUO91dizZ80dW8wQkPK5cgBQqrt3aazyXYBm5A5HxKn0KcxgwHTiSqbb0dVpkYAhCy85GNRFZHDWe1acp-ovxYj_fDhGo268LAT_v2xQ_86-8AXXOK6mEtCEXBk0qqpnjW6iDI&__tn__=-R In case you're not 100-percent up-to-date with Queensland's border situation — or you need a refresher — the state is completely shut to folks in Victoria, NSW and the ACT, which have been declared hotspots by Queensland's Chief Health Officer. That means that all visitors from all three states and territories will be denied entry to Queensland, except for rare exemptions and returning Queenslanders. If you fall into those categories, you'll have to fork out for a 14-day stretch of mandatory hotel quarantine. As the Premier has previously advised, exemptions are limited, including for compassionate reasons. During the shutdown, the aim is to only allow folks who live in border communities and essential workers such as truck drivers to cross. Anyone who fits that description will need to obtain a pass, with those who reside in the area requiring proof of address and photo identification to do so. Queensland's borders are currently closed to everyone in Victoria, NSW and the ACT, unless they are a returning resident or are entering for one a few essential reasons. For more information, head to the Queensland Government website.
If you're searching for something a wee bit different to do on a Thursday night that's not your regular old takeaway and TV binge, consider harking back to decades gone and trumpets blown and getting a bit of jazz into you at The Swinging Cat. Every Thursday for the next three months the jazz club is hosting A Night With The Nail, presented by Drambuie. The event will feature a signature cocktail, The Rusty Nail. It's whisky and Drambuie liqueur with a lemon twist, steeped in 1960s history and drunk by the Rat Pack era in New York. Whack on that winged eyeliner and tight man pants and go listen to something that isn't the Stranger Things opening theme. To set the scene further and help out with flashbacks to Rat Pack era times, Herb Armstrong — that's Louis Armstrong's grandson — will be the opening night act. The venue will also resemble a 1960s New York, prohibition style bar. A Night With The Nail starts at 6.30pm on September 8 and runs every Thursday for three months.
Ever wanted to experience an American 1950s nightclub? For three nights only, Little Egypt's Speakeasy at Camelot Lounge's Django Bar might just be the closest you'll get to the real thing. Inspired by a real character from the era, exotic dancer Little Egypt, Little Egypt's Speakeasy is a "rhythm and blues burlesque concert drama" and tells the story of Little Egypt and her gang as they try to save their beloved Phoenix club from redevelopment. The show's predecessor, Little Egypt's Burlesque featured at Sydney Festival in the Spiegeltent in 2012 and then had a follow up run at The Basement the year after. And with a cast covering '50s classics from Fats Domino, Big Mama Thornton, Ray Charles and The Coasters, as well as some original compositions, you know you're in good hands. For burlesque with a side of soul, look no further.
Like a stack of Melbourne's large cultural institutions, the National Gallery of Victoria has temporarily shut its doors to the public in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19. But, you can now feast on some of the NGV's art offerings from afar, thanks to its newly-launched virtual programming. A series of online galleries, virtual exhibition tours and eBooks are now free to access via the NGV's website and social media channels. And if you're having a crack at the whole social distancing thing, or stuck in self-isolation, that's a serious boredom-busting win. Over on the new NGV Channel, punters will find a growing haul of virtual content to explore. Right now, you can join a free, curator-led tour of Collecting Comme and the NGV's Indigenous art collection Marking Time. From Saturday, March 21, you'll be able to digitally explore around KAWS: Companionship In The Age Of Loneliness and then, from Saturday, March 28, Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines. [caption id="attachment_742493" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaws, What Party (2019) photo by Tom Ross[/caption] On the NGV app, there are also guided tours of NGV International and NGV Australia artworks, narrated by curators, artists and special guests. Thanks to a lengthy digitisation project, much of the 75,000-strong NGV Collection is also online for your viewing pleasure, so you can take a peek at the likes of the Spirit of Herbarium couture dress by Maria Grazia Chiuri for Christian Dior, or Katsushika Hokusai's 1830 piece The great wave off Kanagawa. It's easy to search by artist or artwork name, and even boasts a few pieces that aren't usually accessible. Those craving some new reading material can dig even deeper with a bunch of new eBooks and curatorial essays available free online, exploring exhibitions like Collecting Comme and Japanese Modernism. In a first, the almost 60-year-long back catalogue of Art Journal of the National Gallery of Victoria is also yours to browse at your own pace online. And don't forget, there's a whole lot more going on over on the NGV's socials and under the hashtag #NGVEveryDay, with regular insight videos and mini talks from the curators. Top image: Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines, NGV. Photo by Tom Ross.
This year, grab the fam' or a group of mates and enjoy rockin' around Darling Harbour with a plethora of free activities including Saturday fireworks, the much-loved Christmas festival and guaranteed good vibes, as well as paid pedal boat rides. From Monday, November 18, 2024, through to Wednesday, December 25, 2025, Darling Harbour will come alive. And in true Christmas spirit – the best bit is that it's mostly free. Christmas Festival A Darling Harbour fan favourite, the Christmas Festival will take place from Saturday, December 14 – Sunday, December 15 in Tumbalong Park. You can expect live performances from Samantha Jade, Anthony Callea and, of course, Santa. There will also be kids performers, including The Beanies, The Quokkas and Jayden Rodrigues' Dance Party, as well as a choir singalong to all your favourite Christmas tunes. Christmas on the Water Head down to Darling Harbour's picturesque foreshore, where the festivities will kick off with a quintessentially Aussie arrival from Santa Claus himself on Friday, December 6, on a jet ski. Stick around and check out the towering, sparkling floating Christmas tree at Cockle Bay, or watch the Christmas firework displays over Cockle Bay on December 7, 14 and 21 at 9pm. However, the thing we're most looking forward to has to be the pedal boats, which will be running from Saturday, Novemeber 30 2024 until Monday, 27 January 2025. Perfect for a cloudless Sydney summer day, enjoy the harbour's scenic views from the water with friends and family. Christmas-themed Entertainment The festive season is the ultimate time to get out and about with friends and family, and the International Convention Centre Sydney has got the perfect thing for you to do, hosting a range of live orchestra performances that will bring everyone's most cherished holiday films to life. Yes, you will be able to witness The Holiday in Concert on Saturday, December 14, or, if you're more of the Love Actually type, head down on Saturday, December 21 to get your fix. Plus, at Darling Quarter, you will find large-scale vertical garden boxes dressed in red bows from Saturday, November 16 – Thursday, December 26. Not only are they pretty cool to look at, but they make the perfect backdrop for an insta. The Harbour Village The Darling Quarter Village Green will be the place to be from Saturday, December 21 – Sunday, December 22. You will find Christmas Storytime with children's entertainers Emily Who and Nyssa and the Outback Band. The Harbour Village also offers Santa's Workshop, a free crafting station where kids can create their own paper wreaths with a unique native floral twist. Families can also enjoy a playful break with life-size lawn games like Connect Four and Wreath Ring Toss, because there's nothing like a bit of friendly competition. Santa Fun Run It's that time of year again when all of the Santas in Sydney come together for one epic run on Saturday, November 30. In support of Vision Australia, the run kicks off at 8 am at Metcalfe Park in Darling Harbour. Plus, you don't have to dress up to be part of the fun—anyone is welcome. It's all about helping raise funds for Carols by Candlelight and its Life Ready children's fundraising program. Food and Drinks Just to top it all off, in the true spirit of indulgence, you can count on Darling Harbour's many restaurants, cafes and bars to give you the energy you need to check everything out that Darling Harbour has to offer. You will find something for every craving, whether you're longing for Asian-inspired flavours at Darling Square, al fresco dining at Darling Quarter or an Italian feast at Fratelli Fresh. Visit the Darling Harbour website to find out more. Images: Anna Kucera, supplied.
If you've been dreaming of a trip to Western Australia, this November could well be the time. For ten delicious days, Western Australia Gourmet Escape presented by Westpac, an extraordinary festival of food and wine, will take over three of the state's most popular regions: Perth, Swan Valley and Margaret River. The epic program is filled with more than 50 opportunities to dine with some of the best culinary rockstars from around the world, including the head chef of the newly crowned best restaurant in the world and the legendary David Chang (of worldwide Momofuku fame). But, what's more — you'll get to do it in some of the most picturesque locations in the country. You could find yourself cruising on a catamaran, feasting on foraged delights in a lakeside cabin or hanging out at a beach barbecue. There are plenty of exciting happenings to look forward to — here are six that should definitely be on your radar. GOURMET FEAST IN THE VALLEY WITH MARCO PIERRE WHITE UK celebrity chef Marco Pierre White described the 2015 WA Gourmet Escape as "life-changing" and "the greatest food event on earth". So, he's back for another round. Find him at Gourmet Feast in the Valley, taking place across Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10 in the idyllic grounds of Sandalford Wines. It's promising an extravaganza of local produce, culinary experiences, masterclasses, live music and theatre — in the form of the Feast Fire Pit, presented by Australian Good Meat. White will be joined by grill masters from around the globe, including Austin-based Aussie Jess Pryles (author of Hardcore Carnivore), to sear, sizzle and smoke locally sourced cuts over open flames. Also on the agenda are a number of workshops hosted by local makers and a jam-packed lineup of live music from The Rubens, Fergus James, Andrew Levins and more. Gourmet Feast in Valley will run from 11am–6pm on Saturday, November 9 and 11am–4pm on Sunday, November 10. Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased here. OCEAN DREAM WITH MARK BEST If you ever ate at Sydney's Marque or Pei Modern, then you're familiar with the explosive creations of chef Mark Best. These days, he spends his time travelling, promoting Australia's food scene to the world, speaking at chefs' congresses and working with hotels. But, at Western Australia Gourmet Escape, you can dine on his masterful cooking while cruising around Geographe Bay — just north of Margaret River — on a 26-metre luxe catamaran called Ocean Dream. In between gazing at crystal clear waters, you'll be feasting on Best's exceptional cooking matched with top-notch local wines. Sail the Seas will run daily from 12pm between Friday, November 15 and Sunday, November 17. Tickets cost $270 and can be purchased here. INTO THE NEW AFRICA Travelling all the way from South Africa for the festival will be Kobus van der Merwe, head chef at South Africa's Wolfgat — which was named World's Best Restaurant 2019 at the inaugural World Restaurant Awards. He and Paul Iskov of Australian pop-up restaurant Fervor will host Into the New Africa, an eight-course dinner based on foraged ingredients and exploring modern South African cuisine. Set in Fermoy Estate's private lakeside cabana, this is going to be a cosy affair — and tickets are likely to sell out super fast. Into the New Africa will take place on Friday, November 15 from 6.30–11pm. Tickets cost $320 and can be purchased here. WESTPAC GOURMET BEACH BBQ This popular shindig brings together killer chefs, great produce, fine wines, live music and stunning water views for three giddy days. Among 2019's special guests is Momofuku legend David Chang, who will be bringing a taste of the worldwide empire to the beach. Meanwhile, hosting a lazy Sunday session will be Monty Koludrovic, from Bondi's legendary Icebergs Dining Room and Bar. And, representing the home team will be WA chefs Kenny McHardy (Manuka Woodfire Kitchen), Scott Bridger (Bib & Tucker) and Brenton Pyke (Market Eating House), who'll swap their wood ovens for an open-air kitchen. Westpac Gourmet Beach BBQ will run from Friday, November 15–Sunday, November 17. Tickets start at $235 and can be purchased here. SAFARI CLUB COOKOUT Safari Club Cookout isn't just a feast – it's an adventure. For a start, you'll have to find the venue — a hidden paradise deep within Leeuwin Estate, surrounded by towering jarrah and marri trees. The cookout will bring to this spot three days of delights inspired by the cuisine of Australia, Thailand and India. But, rather than sticking to your seat, you'll be invited to wander, as you graze on canapés, watch cooking stations in action, sip on Leeuwin Estate wines and soak up live performances. Chefs to look out for include Garima Arora of Bangkok's Gaa, Prateek Sadhu of Mumbai's Masque and Matt Stone of Yarra Valley's Oakridge Wines. Safari Club Cookout will take place across two daily sessions — 12pm and 6.00pm — from Friday, November 15 to Sunday, November 17. Tickets cost $180 and can be purchased here. Tickets to Western Australia Gourmet Escape presented by Westpac go on sale at 9am on Thursday, July 18. More information can be found here and, to check out the full program, head to the website.
Love heading to a scenic spot to dance to live tunes? Adore sipping wine, too? Music and vino festival Grapevine Gathering understands. That pairing is this annual event's entire setup, with the fest bringing a heap of bands to vineyards around Australia each year. And for 2023, it has just locked in its October dates and venues. If you live in Queensland or South Australia, get ready to experience Grapevine Gathering on your home turf for a second time. After debuting in both states in 2022, the festival will return to Sirromet Wines at Mount Cotton and Serafino Wines in McLaren Vale. On a five-state tour, the rest of fest will also once again hit up Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Its destinations: Sandalford Wines in Swan Valley, Rochford Estate in the Yarra Valley and Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley, respectively. Victoria will play host to the first gig of the tour on Saturday, October 7, with Grapevine Gathering then pinballing up to Queensland on Sunday, October 8. The next weekend, it heads west on Saturday, October 14, then does NSW on Saturday, October 21 and SA on Sunday, October 22. At the moment, it's too early for the event's lineup, so watch this space. 2022's fests featured The Kooks, Peking Duk, The Veronicas, Ball Park Music, Confidence Man, Jack River and more. Before that, Two Door Cinema Club, Flight Facilities, The Wombats and Tkay Maidza have also graced Grapevine Gathering's stages. Naturally, sipping wine is a huge part of the attraction. As always, attendees will have access to a heap of vino given the fest's locations, as well as an array of yet-to-be-announced food options. GRAPEVINE GATHERING 2023 DATES: Saturday, October 7 — Rochford Estate, Victoria Sunday, October 8 — Sirromet Wines, Queensland Saturday, October 14 — Sandalford Wines, Western Australia Saturday, October 21 — Hope Estate, New South Wales Sunday, October 22 — Serafino Wines, South Australia Grapevine Gathering will tour Australia in October 2023. The lineup hasn't been announced yet, but we'll update you when it is. In the interim, you can head to the festival's website to register for further details when it hits. Images: Jordan Munns / Jess Gleeson.
You wouldn't usually think of crochet as an extreme sport. Then again, you wouldn't think of it as a solid metaphor explaining the other-dimensional structure of complex, non-Cartesian hyperbolic plane geometry, either. But it does that too. The Sydney Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project has been making crochet cool for years, showing off its cerebellum-like mathematical knit-wear at the Powerhouse and the Carriageworks. Now a local cider-maker has gotten in on the action, sponsoring an evening of World Extreme Crochet Championships taking place at Lo Fi's Darlinghurst digs. While drinks are served to the crowd, entrants in the championship will loop eye-catching wools over their hooks for to gratify your granny-chic aesthetic at what are, for crochet, breakneck speeds. While there may not be the same level of risk to life and limb offered by other extreme sports — neither the illegality of base-jumping, nor the threat of the plumber's crack that comes with bungee — getting out old-fashioned beanie-making skills live on stage, in front of an audience of strangers hungry for entertainment, does take its own particular style of courage. Image by Rhiannon Hart.
Remember show and tell in primary school? The Maker Faire is a bit like a grown-up version of that, except it’s less about Disneyland vacation photos and more about science experiments and arts and crafts. Founded by the US-based Make magazine, the Maker movement is all about celebrating the DIY ethic, resourcefulness, innovation and imagination, and it’s coming to Australia in the form of the Mini Maker Faire. The first Australian event was held at the Powerhouse Museum in 2013, and it will return this year. The first Maker Faire was held eight years ago in San Mateo, California. Since then, the Maker movement has spread all over the world, with events in Detroit, New York, Newcastle (UK), Rome and Tokyo, and over 200,000 attendees worldwide. Whether you’re a scientist, artist or foodie, there’ll be something for you.
