You can throw out your gym routine. On the lower north shore, keeping fit doesn't have to be a chore. If you don't want to spend a cent, there's a massive array of outdoor spaces — from national parks to beaches — where you can walk, run, cycle or paddle. With a few bucks to splash around, you can get moving in places like North Sydney's harbourside olympic pool, or Taronga Zoo's famous Tarzan course. In partnership with luxury Australian property development company Aqualand and its new Blue at Lavender Bay development, here are the top ten ways to train, tone and transform yourself on the lower north shore. [caption id="attachment_617827" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NSW National Parks[/caption] BRADLEY HEAD TO CHOWDER BAY WALK If you don't mind cracking harbour views with your workout, then set off on the Bradley Head to Chowder Bay Walk. This beauty starts at Taronga Zoo and follows the shoreline for four kilometres, winding up at Chowder Bay, where you can celebrate with a dip in a harbour pool or a glass of wine at East Coast Lounge. Along the way, don't be surprised to find yourself sharing the path with Eastern water dragons. To extend your adventure carry on to the Spit Bridge, or if you're going the other way, the Harbour Bridge. NORTH SYDNEY OLYMPIC POOL For anyone who's struggled with the monotony of the black line, the North Sydney Olympic Pool provides an antidote. Keep motivated by rewarding yourself at the end of each lap — you couldn't get a better perspective on the mighty Harbour Bridge. What's more, Luna Park is just next door, so you can wrap up your session with a ferris wheel ride. Go hard enough at your training and you might add to the 86 records set at the pool since it opened in 1936. Along with the pool, there's a gym, sauna and spa. [caption id="attachment_617801" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @hkogekar[/caption] CYCLE LANE COVE NATIONAL PARK With its trails, steep concreted drops and sealed sections, the Lane Cove National Park has cycling options for everyone. If you're after something mid-range, go for the Pennant Hills West Fire Trail, a three-kilometre journey through gum trees. There's plenty of easy rolling, as well as a scattering of hilly bits. To turn the ride into a loop, return along the Comenarra Parkway. Lane Cove National Park gives you 372 hectares of bush, waterways and fresh air. On top of the cycle paths, there are loads of walks and picnic areas. [caption id="attachment_617742" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Just Run Lah[/caption] HARBOUR BRIDGE RUN Knock over your workout and your sightseeing in one go with this run. It's a ten-kilometre circuit that connects both sides of the Harbour via the Bridge, taking in McMahons Point, Lavender Bay, Luna Park and Observatory Hill along the way. You'll hug the coast most of the time and get cracking views of the Harbour, the Sydney Opera House and Circular Quay. With all that beauty around you, you won't even know you're getting fit. Once a year, in September, expect to share the path with thousands of others when the Sydney Running Festival hits town. NORTH SYDNEY YOGA When the weather turns — or if you prefer to get flexible when there's a roof over your head — there's North Sydney Yoga. The focus is Ashtanga Vinyasa and the school is one of the oldest in Sydney. It's been running since 1985, with Angelika Knoerzer in charge since 1987. A bunch of classes are available, for everyone from school kids and beginners, to yoga junkies. If you've never done Ashtanga Yoga before, an excellent place to start is the Essentials Intensive course. You'll go to class twice a week and learn all the basics. North Sydney Yoga is at 144 Blues Point Rd, McMahons Point — not far from the water for a post-class stroll. LANE COVE BOWLING CLUB Combine your workout with mates and a couple of beers at Lane Cove Bowling Club, founded in 1952. Barefoot bowls are a steal at ten dollars per person — including gear and tips from the club's handy onsite experts. On Sunday, the social games kick off from midday. Should you work up an appetite, pop into the bistro. PILATES INTERNATIONAL Pilates International isn't limited to the North Shore, of course, but it's an excellent choice for a workout because the standard of teaching is so high. Since opening in 2000, the organisation has pretty much stuck to teachers with at least a decade's experience. The North Shore studio is in Pymble and you can count on shiny floors, lots of light and air, splashes of greenery and top-notch gear. There are classes of all types and sizes, from one-on-ones and duet lessons to sessions dedicated to the Pilates mat and pregnancy. [caption id="attachment_617810" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anton Leddin[/caption] KAYAKING BALMORAL Balmoral and surrounds offer some of the most beautiful paddling scenery you'll find on Sydney Harbour. If you're serious about building up some strength and endurance, then join Sydney Kayaks on their Group Fitness sessions. There are mixed classes, high intensity triathlon classes that include running and swimming, and sessions that combine paddling and yoga. If you prefer to take things at a slower pace, then all you have to do is hire a kayak and set off on an adventure of your own making. After conquering Balmoral, check out these sparkling spots. TARONGA ZOO ROPES COURSE Since opening in April 2016, Taronga Zoo's Wild Ropes has been inundated with would-be Tarzans. It's difficult to think of a more fun way to tone up. All in all, there are 40 obstacles, including bridges, tunnels, aerial rock walls and a hover board. While you're proving your mettle, soak up new perspectives of the water, Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and expect to meet koalas, kangaroos, emus and wallabies. The obstacles are divided into four courses, so you can start off easy and work your way up to the scary, challenging stuff. It's a good idea to book ahead online. Surround yourself with everything the lower north shore has to offer at Aqualand's Blue at Lavender Bay development. The best restaurants, cafes, bars and activities are all on your doorstep.
As governments around the world continue to drag their feet resettling refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict — and the country is bombarded with airstrikes and chemical weapon attacks — it falls once more to the non-political professions to show the government where the hands go on the humanitarian clock. This time, it's hospitality's turn. On June 18, UNICEF Australia will once again partner with some of the country's best chefs for a charity dinner celebrating Syria's strong culinary traditions. The dinner is part of month-long nationwide fundraising campaign called #CookForSyria, with money raised going to UNICEF Australia's Syria Crisis Appeal for Children. Three Blue Ducks in Rosebery will host the posse of gastronomers as they prepare a banquet comprising their signature dishes with a Syrian flourishes. Saint Peter's Julie and Josh Niland will serve up a smoked eel and beetroot jam doughnut with moutabbal (smoked eggplant dip), Palisa Anderson from Chat Thai will prepare pork sausages with nahm prik chilli relish and Kylie Kwong will serve up her famed saltbush cakes, prepared on the night with Syrian spices. Tickets are a steep $280 per person — but, remember, it's going to a good cause — and include canapés, cocktails on arrival and a shared Syrian-inspired feast and wines. It may seem on the surface like you're paying for the food, but 20 professional chefs jammed into a single kitchen also suggests a night of great theatre. Momofuku Seiobo's Paul Carmichael, Firedoor's Lennox Hastie and Africola's Duncan Welgemoed will be in the fray, with Monty Koludrovic (Icebergs, Bondi Beach Public Bar) and Andy Bowdy (Saga) contending for next use of the colander with equal ferocity. While the top guns will have their turn on June 18, UNICEF Australia is encouraging anyone with passing knowledge of an oven to contribute, too. Restaurants and cafes can produce a limited edition Syrian versions of favourite dish, donating $5 from each one sold to the charity. For those who deal in culinary delight on a slightly smaller scale, bake sales are your recommended course. While you're waiting for the oven to pre-heat, you can read more and register here. To reserve your spot at the one-off dinner, make a reservation via the Three Blue Ducks website. Images: Nikki To
Prepare yourself for a night of whimsy, wonder and a weird, scaly, hermaphroditic fish man named Old Gregg. Noel Fielding, the androgynous co-lead of the surreal British comedy series The Mighty Boosh, is bringing his live show, An Evening with Noel Fielding, to a capital city near you. Combining stand-up comedy with animation and original music, as well as special appearances from some of Fielding's most beloved and baffling characters, including Fantasy Man and The Moon, the April 2015 show marks Fielding's first time in Australia since his sold-out tour in 2012. This time he'll also be joined by his younger brother Michael, best known for his recurring role on The Mighty Boosh as Naboo the Enigma, an alien shaman from the planet Xooberon. Fielding previously played the part of Richmond in The IT Crowd, appeared as a team captain on the music comedy panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and helped create the comedy sketch program Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy. He is also a member of the band Loose Tapestries along with Kasabian guitarist Sergio Pizzorno, whose music will be featured in the tour. This is one of our top picks of the Sydney Comedy Festival. Check out our full top ten.
Grief can take any number of forms. Yet the same isn't necessarily true of funerals. While coming together with friends and family is a vital part of celebrating a lost loved one, the trappings that surround this process – the hearse, the funeral home, the traditional overpriced coffin – can often seem a little impersonal. It's for this reason that The House has us so intrigued. Co-founded by Kylee Stevens, Morna Seres and Christian Wills, all of whom share a background in design and the arts, this new Sydney-based funeral service is offering an alternative to the industry standard, allowing for a truly personal celebration of a person's life. "We service memory artistically through curated reflection, music, light, sound, performance, food and ritual held within our exclusive venues," reads a mission statement on the company website. "Whether it is a large affair, or a simple gathering of friends and family, The House provides the opportunity to say goodbye in a compelling, cultural and modern manner." "Our way of working with clients doesn't really exist in the industry," Stevens told Concrete Playground. "I believe there's space for tradition, particularly in a moment of grief...but if someone doesn't want something traditional, what are their options?" While The House has only been operating since the tail end of March, Stevens sees a world of "infinite possibilities." Their first service, for example, was held in a gallery, and featured a room full of suspended images and incorporated poetry written by the deceased. Friends and family were also invited to be involved in the planning and installation stages, which in turn became another way for them to process their grief. "I think each family will be quite different, said Stevens. "Some will want to come forward and work [with us], and some won't. It's our role to navigate that." Despite their ambitious and personalised approach, the cost of a funeral at The House is in line with industry standards. "We talk about substituting costs within the traditional framework," explains Stevens. "You can spend $3500 to $6500 on a coffin. Making a more ecologically friendly, better designed choice, you can go as low as $550. So you can substitute out existing cost structures that a traditional model offers, and replace them with things that are more memorable." For more information about The House, visit their website at www.thehouse.global.
If you, like us, plan your holidays entirely around food, you're in luck. We've teamed up with Zantac and we're giving away three mini holidays in Melbourne, Hobart and the Barossa Valley in South Australia. You'll wine, dine, sleep and adventure in luxe surroundings until you simply no longer can — how does that sound? Choose Melbourne and you and a guest will spend two nights at QT Melbourne in the CBD, have lunch and attend a coffee cupping course at Collingwood's famous specialty coffee house Proud Mary, and have dinner (and dessert) at Andrew McConnell's pan-Asian restaurant Supernormal on Flinders Lane. In the Barossa, you'll stay at The Louise (an incredible hotel that's side-by-side with a vineyard), head to St Hugo for a wine tasting and delicious winery lunch, then wind up at Fino at Seppeltsfield for dinner. Head to Hobart, and you'll stay at the Henry Jones Art Hotel, visit Bruny Island for a day of food, sightseeing and lighthouses thanks to Experience Oz and then feast on a South American-style dinner at Frank. Each prize includes return flights from any Australian capital city, two nights of accommodation and two foodie experiences (lunch and dinner). All you need to do is tell us your details and where you want to go — Hobart, Melbourne or the Barossa. It breaks our heart to tell you that you can only pick one destination, and you can only enter this competition once, so think long and hard about where you really want to go. If you're available to go on your adventure between Friday, July 28 and Sunday, September 10, head here to enter. To find out more about Zantac and how it tames heartburn fast, head to the website.
In a year that saw Sydney's cultural ecosystem and the legislative shackling of certain elements of it become a more polarising subject than ever before, the city's most innovative, forward-thinking residents have made outstanding lemonade. Some get up earlier than most, Sydney's cafe crowd, who continue to cultivate compelling coffee breaks and brunches for locals, building neighbourhood haunts from pop-up to permanency, championing local producers and turning old bowling clubs into urban farms. At Concrete Playground we encourage exploration and showcase innovation in our city every day, so we thought it fitting to reward those most talented whippersnappers pushing Sydney to be a better, braver city. And so, these six new cafes, opened in 2016, have been nominated for Best New Cafe in Concrete Playground's Best of 2016 Awards. Vote for your favourite.
Between work, family and maintaining an impeccable (but relatable) online presence, life can sometimes get away from us. We tend to romanticise going interstate, going overseas or heading out to the country for a weekend without looking closer to home for new experiences. But the city you call home might surprise you if you let it. We've partnered with Grey Goose, one of the most luxurious brands of vodka you can get, to bring you the best luxury experiences in your city. Sydney is a melting pot of cultures and we're blessed with world class restaurants on every corner. These foodie experiences might cost a small fortune, but, when you think about it, they're cheaper than a weekend away — and they're the best (and most delicious) way to discover the luxury in this fine city of ours. Here are ten to try, and our pick of a cocktail to wash it down with. THE SIX-COURSE CHEF'S MENU AT THE BRIDGE ROOM Where better to start than 2016's Restaurant of the Year? Boasting three chef's hats and ranked 84th on the World's Best Restaurants list, The Bridge Room in Sydney's CBD is the perfect example of luxury in your city. With a constantly evolving menu drawing upon Asian and European flavours, Head Chef Ross Lusted famously prepares many of his dishes over binchotan charcoal, slow-smoked in the Japanese robata style. With a single course starting at $60, The Bridge Room is unashamedly for discerning food lovers. The servings are impressively generous and the quality of the finished product more than justifies the expense. Go all out with the six-course chef's menu for $160. Try this cocktail: The Bridge Room's Espresso Martini made with vanilla-infused vodka. THE NINE-COURSE TASTING MENU AT SEPIA Another of Sydney's three-hatted restaurants, Sepia is the creative collaboration between Sydney chef Martin Benn and renowned seafood wholesaler George Costi. Japanese cuisine lies at the heart of Sepia's contemporary menu, offering both five- and nine-course tasting options that are constantly evolving — though if you're going all out, you've got to do the latter (it rings up at $215 per person). At the moment the menu includes a charcoal-grilled David Blackmore wagyu and their famous chocolate forest dessert. The extensive wine list has been compiled by award winning sommelier Rodney Setter, and boasts over 24 domestic and international wines by the glass. This is one of those restaurants where the presentation of meals is as close to an art form as food can be — and were it not for the impossible tastes they promise, the act of even just touching one of these dishes feels like it should be explicitly forbidden. Try this cocktail: A dry martini stirred with Grey Goose Vodka. THE EIGHT-COURSE TASTING MENU AT QUAY An obvious entry given its membership in the Sydney restaurant elite and its continual appearance on the World's Best Restaurants list. Described as Sydney's 'fine dining citadel' with its glass facade and peerless harbour views, Quay even lets you know in advance if your booking will clash with a cruise ship arrival to detract from your scenic experience. But however magnificent the view, the real spectacle remains is on the plate, where chef Peter Gilmore's exquisite, seasonal and impeccably presented dishes offer a mix of playful textures and robust flavours. If you're going, go the whole hog — the eight-course tasting menu is $235 a head. Of course, Quay's famous Snow Egg dessert is an irresistible closer upon every visit. Try this cocktail: A palate-cleansing Gimlet mixed with vodka, lime juice and simple syrup. THE TEN-COURSE DEGUSTATION AT TETSUYA'S Degustation. The word is synonymous with Tetsuya's. Nestled into its refurbished heritage site and built around a secluded Zen garden in the heart of Kent Street, Tetsuya Wakuda's storied restaurant is an undisputed Sydney institution. The world famous ten-course degustation costs $230 per person, and the wine accompaniment (which is absolutely recommended) is an additional $110. Tetsuya's has perhaps one of the finest wine collections in Australia — as well as some of the most experienced sommeliers in the entire country — ensuring your wining and dining experience is the real deal. It's the ultimate indulgence. Try this cocktail: A fresh Citronic mixed with vodka, tonic and lemon juice. THREE COURSES AT BENNELONG Dinner at the Sydney Opera House overlooking the harbour has to be the epitome of luxury in Sydney. And at Peter Gilmore's reimagined Bennelong — which opened back up early last year — retains all that was great about the beloved Opera House restaurant while offering immediately tangible improvements where they most count. It feels warmer, more intimate and definitely more inviting, while the menu has become far more informal and approachable, cooking with the very best of Australian stock. The three-course menu ($125 per person) is literally the only way to go in the main restaurant, but you can take a seat at the Cured and Cultured bar for pre-show nibbles. Whatever you go for, you can't go past Gilmore's outrageously excellent pavlova — its meringue shell magically replicates the iconic sails of the Opera House that surrounds it. Try this cocktail: A Mint Julep made with mint, sugar, lemon, soda and vodka. A THREE-COURSE MEAL AT ELEVEN BRIDGE Another Bridge, another stellar performer, with Neil Perry's Eleven Bridge reasserting itself as the iconic Rockpool restaurant reborn. Eleven Bridge's dark interiors and smoke-themed decor means it still feels like its old self, yet still somehow... different. Most notable is the doing away of the degustation menu, along with a shift to gueridon service for a number of its dishes where your meals are carved, plated and presented right there by your side. Perry famously prides himself over his use of Australia's most sustainable and superior produce, which Executive Chef Phil Wood then transforms into an elegant and tantalising menu that's accompanied by an award-winning list of over 1200 wines. Order the roasted blue spanner crab or splash out on a seriously luxe cut of steak. Try this cocktail: Eleven Bridge's Blood Orange Americano — made with blood orange, Campari, sweet vermouth and vodka. THE DEGUSTATION AT LUMI Lumi is Italian for 'small lights', and, tru to that theme, LuMi Bar and Dining creates a delightfully intimate (and well lit) atmosphere. Led by Head Chef Federico Zanellato and his wife and sommelier Michela, LuMi combines Italian heritage with Asian flavours to offer a casual yet refined dining experience where the simplicity of the European decor is in stark opposition to the complexity of the cuisine it houses. On the food front, LuMi's degustation ($115) is an eight-course through snapper ceviche and prawn tagliatelle. Lumi might mean 'small lights' in Italian, but in English it's the word for enormous flavour and outstanding service. Try this cocktail: A Dry Martini stirred with Grey Goose Vodka, Vermouth, orange bitters and lemon zest. THE DINNER TASTING MENU AT ARIA Currently closed for an extensive $5 million overhaul, Sydney's fine dining sect is eagerly anticipating the November re-opening of Matt Moran's widely lauded Aria in Circular Quay. It's another of Sydney's fine dining experiences with million dollar views; Aria's unrivalled position means the Opera House and Harbour Bridge appear magnificently just beyond its famous floor-to-ceiling windows. You almost feel the urge to reach out and touch. But a restaurant's view is nothing without a menu to complement it — and Aria's is bloody delightful. With 17 years of first class, award-winning experience behind it, what Aria lacks in comparison to the experimentation of its contemporaries, it effortlessly makes up for in assured quality and excellence of service. Unerring confidence, too, can and should be placed on the sommelier's hand-holding as they escort you through Matt Dunne's impeccable wine list. Go for the tasting menu at dinner and you'll be treated to seven courses matched with seven wines. Try this cocktail: Aria's Passionfruit Martini — vodka, peach liqueur, fresh passionfruit and lemon juice. THE TASTING MENU AT LUCIO'S Lucio Galletto of Paddington's much loved Lucio's Italian Restaurant — a consistent two-hat recipient and favourite of both locals and visitors alike since 1983 — is known to have said: "Food and art is, for me, like the air that I breathe". True to that statement, art adorns the walls of this gorgeous little authentic Italian eatery, which is situated on a quiet, leafy street of Paddington, and service is world class. Diners at Lucio's aren't just shown to their table, they're greeted with the warmth of an old friend returning from a long stint abroad, and the same conviviality follows you for the remainder of your evening. The generous mains are expensive, but the fresh handmade pasta is so good, we just wanna throw money at them. Lucio's signature dish — the tagliolini alla granola — is as fine as Italian food can be; a firm base of green noodles comes speckled with with blue swimmer crab and dressed with a surprisingly zesty tomato sauce. You can order a la carte, but if you want decision taken our of your hands, go for the tasting menu. In an age of experimentation and stark simplicity, Lucio's is one of those rare and delightful throwbacks to real old-fashioned, feel-good fine dining. Try this cocktail: A classic Old Fashioned, made with vodka, brown sugar, bitters and an orange twist. THE 16-COURSE TASTING MENU AT MOMOFUKU SEIOBO Change has swept through Momofuku Seiõbo recently, and it has been for the good — for the great, even. Because while the famous pork buns are no more (we know, we know), that which remains and that which has arrived in their place is more than enough to celebrate. The recently installed Executive Chef Paul Carmichael brings his Barbadian heritage to the fore with a pronounced shift on the menu from Asian influences towards a broader type of Australian fusion, and the 16-course sample menu ($185pp) is by far the best way to journey through it (along with wine or non-alcoholic drink pairing, of course). With cool music and countertop seating an ongoing feature, the vibe is still far more relaxed here than that of many of its contemporaries. Do it. Cocktail to try: Keep it simple. Grab a Grey Goose Vodka on the rocks.
Watching the sun go down over Manly Beach is pretty special. They make postcards about that kind of stuff. And while it's certainly a lovely thing to do when you find yourself in the Northern Beaches, we recommend you stray away from the beachfront and make your way to Pittwater Road for a sundown of a different kind — a sushi sunset. At Sunset Sabi, food is done in a Japanese izakaya style, but it sure ain't traditional. Ingredients like chilli crunch, roasted peppers, whipped tofu and garlic all make their way into sushi rolls and other bite-sized morsels. It's more of an LA take on Japanese food, if anything — not that that's a bad thing. It just means you get those bold, unabashed flavour clashes alongside fancy cocktails, high bar seating and a wall display of illuminated Japanese advertisements. Instead of being garish, these kitschy cultural tokens give the bar a good glow. The signage is interestingly (if not coincidentally) a little reminiscent of Melbourne's Supernormal. Try fried potato with whipped karasumi and salmon roe for something unlike anything you've had before, or look towards the traditional dishes like gyoza and edamame. The raw stuff keeps it interesting — think Sydney rock oysters with a cucumber shallot vinaigrette, a sashimi plate with 12 pieces of mixed sashimi and a nigiri plate with salmon aburi, tuna negi and kingfish salsa criolla. Sunset Sabi knows exactly what it's doing when it comes to serving up top-notch Japanese eats — there's absolutely no doubt about that.
One of Sydney's hidden rooftop gems has reopened atop the recently revamped East Village Hotel. After much anticipation, the folks at Goodtime Hospitality Group revealed two of three newly revamped sections of the much-adored, 100-year-old drinking spot in late October — we've seen the Public Bar and Athletic Club, a slick, minimalist wine bar and a vintage-inspired sports bar, respectively. And now, the third and final space, Terrace, is open. We've been waiting to see what design team Alexander & Co.(Busby, The Village Inn, Surly's, Daniel San) do with this 100-square-metre rooftop space — it's got one heck of a CBD skyline view. Climb four flights of stairs and you'll find high bar tables, lower lounge-like seating, handcut terrazzo slabs, plenty of plants and a retractable roof. It's the perfect spot for lazy weekend cocktails, with general manager Lee Potter Cavanagh and bar manager Reece Griffiths putting together a Terrace-only menu. There's 'seasonal mimosa' on the bill, with interchanging fruit juices, a 'teetotallers' menu for non-drinkers, and 'holiday' cocktails each month with recipes from their overseas buddies. Plus, for the strong-stomached, there's a 'Squidmark Sour', with Bulleit rye whiskey, Tempus Fugit gran classico bitters, crème de cacao, cherry, grapefruit, shichimi togarashi and squid ink— yep, squid ink. Food-wise, the Terrace is offering up something a little more casual than its lower counterparts, where head chef Graham Johns (Quay) and executive chef Tom Kime (Ceru, Fish & Co.) are reimagining classic counter meals. Upstairs though, executive chef Tom Kime has crafted a summery, casual menu of grilled meats, salads and snack — think gazpacho soup with marinated blue swimmer crab and basil ($21), escabeche of seared fish with saffron and pickled vegetables ($24), and rare grilled veal with anchovy and herb mayonnaise, caper berries and fried anchovies ($24). Head downstairs to find out more about the East Village's other unique levels. Find the East Village at 234 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst. Terrace is open this week on Wednesday and Thursday from 6–10pm, Friday – Sunday: 11am – 10pm. Then, from Monday 21 November, open 11am–10pm, seven days a week.
Everyone's starting to look for a ticket out of the city — whether that be for a couple of nights, or for a well-deserved extended break. If enjoying scenic nature sights in comfort sounds like your idea of bliss, you're in luck: Flash Camp has just announced it'll be hosting another pop-up glamping site within Shoalhaven's Coolendel private reserve. It's Flash Camp's third stint on the site, after enjoying the location's charms twice in 2017. This time, it's sticking around not only through the Christmas and New Year period, but until Monday, June 10 (the Queen's Birthday long weekend). If you can't make the 2.5-hour drive down the South Coast from Sydney (or thirty minutes from Nowra) this year, start planning next year's Easter vacation or sneaky weekender. The remote location is an easy trip to achieve a true bush experience — well, kind of. As to be expected, the tents look quite luxe. The bell-shaped, premium 'Flash Tents' come with a king-sized mattress, covered in plush bedding and perched on timber pallets. The tents also feature solar lighting, table and chairs, Biology toiletries, a hand-woven Armadillo & Co rug and individual campfire braziers. Guests also have access to the existing Coolendel amenities, including hot showers and barbecue facilities, as well as a communal Flash Camp tent with seating, fairy lights and a campfire. This year, for the first time, Flash Camp has opened up a second camp just for group bookings — with six bell tents decked out with all the luxuries — so if you're looking for ideas for that upcoming milestone birthday, this might be a good option. The glamping site is located within Coolendel's 52 hectares of bushland along the Shoalhaven River. Nature lovers will be keen on this secluded grassy park, which is an ideal location for spotting wombats, goannas, wallabies and native birds. Apart from nature watching and bushwalking, guests can also try a spot of canoeing, biking and fishing. Rates start from $179 per couple, per night, depending on day of the week and holidays. Rates for the new group-specific site start at $1440 for 12 people, which is $120 a head. Food is not provided, though, so campers should make sure to pack the esky full for the duration of the trip. Flash Camp Glamping will pop up at Coolendel from Friday, August 31, until Monday, June 16, 2019. To book, visit the Flash Camp website. For more glamping options, check out our list for the ten best glamping spots near Sydney. By Marissa Ciampi and Sarah Ward.
Prancing through fields laced with the charm of provincial France? Casual summer weekendery. The ever-popular So Frenchy So Chic in the Park is waltzing back to Sydney for its fourth year running — although it will be moving over to the Glebe waterfront at Bicentennial Park for 2017. If you haven't been before, expect an entire afternoon of French-inspired niceties — think gourmet picnic hampers, tortes and terrines, offensively good wine, furious outdoor chess, casual gypsy beats. So Frenchy hinges around a solid lineup of eclectic artists you may be yet to meet. There's '60s French pop-American art rock hybrid outfit The Limiñanas (think Serge Gainsbourg meets The Velvet Underground), Parisian funk-folk poet and musician Bertrand Berlin, and Nouvelle Vague, who are no strangers to the So Frenchy setup. Last, but in no way, shape or form least, there's six-piece ex-busker band Deluxe — they will be belting out their unique blend of pop, hip-hop, funk, soul and big band elements to get everyone up off their picnic rugs and dancing the blazes out of that lawn. If you're not the most organised of picnickers, So Frenchy is putting on the works again with their beloved picnic boxes and cheese plates from Simmone Logue. Filled with buttery pastry quiches, salad jardinière and goose egg meringue, the picnic boxes are one to preorder if you don't want to miss out. But So Frenchy won't let you go hungry; there'll be a huge banquet of seafood, crepes, macarons and ice cream available on the day. And of course, there'll be plenty of Laurent Perrier Champagne, French beer, Provence rosé, Bordeaux reds and whites, and special cocktails at the SFSC vintage caravan. Don your best floral-headband-and-sundress-combo and gear up for un merveilleux après-midi.
Sydney will become another star in British chef Jason Atherton's culinary constellation; Kensington Street Social opens today in The Old Clare Hotel. Yep, just when you thought Chippendale's snazziest destination couldn't fit in another eatery, the hotel has managed to loosen its belt for one, final mouthful. The Social is the third venue to open at The Old Clare, and keeps the esteemed company of degustation extraordinaire Automata and Silvereye's deluxe open-plan kitchen. Of the three, it's the biggest (with 120 seats) and the most casual. An all-day menu invites diners to eat any way they like, whether they're after a snack and a matching cocktail or a mega, multi-course feast with premium wines. Atherton, who has a Michelin star to his name, is acting as culinary director, with Rob Daniels (ex-Maze London) taking on the role of executive chef. Between them, they've come up with an ever-changing array of share plates, influenced by British and Mediterranean flavours and to the availability of quality produce. Samples on the opening menu include 'English breakfast tea and toast' (read: wild mushroom tea served in a teapot with relish and bone marrow toast), sea urchin risotto with Moreton Bay bug tail, and Zokoko alto beni chocolate soufflé with macadamia ice cream. Meanwhile turophiles (aka cheese piggies) will be over the moon. Atherton is promising a stack of tasty, cheese-focused morsels, such as Holy Goat La Luna goats' cheese, served with pickled fennel, bitter orange jam and cress. And breakfast will keep health-nuts happy, with dishes like organic seed and grain oatmeal porridge with pineapple, chilli and mint, and a lightly smoked flathead baked omelette with bacon and spring onion. Drinks have been planned by the man taking care of them everywhere else in The Old Clare, Matt Fairhurst, who’s been working with Atherton for years at City Social, London. He's been busying imagining, mixing and testing signature cocktails for every venue in the hotel. Kensington Street Social-ers can prepare themselves for the Fruit Looped Cereal Killer (vodka, Fruit Loop milk, apricot and Aperol served in a milk carton) and the Kahuna Colada (pineapple rum and Batch Brewing's coconut brown ale), which is already served in The Clare Bar. "I'm so excited to be opening my first restaurant in Sydney," says Atherton. "I'm all about sourcing the best produce, and here the ingredients are just incredible – Australian black truffles, the seafood – so I'm looking forward to using them to reinterpret a few of the signature dishes from my London restaurants." "I’ve had many Australian chefs in my brigade over the years, including my executive chef Rob and pastry chef Adrian Crabb, so it seemed like a natural step to come to Sydney and get the team back together." Shanghai's Neri & Hu came up with restaurant's design and Matt Darwon made it happen. It's a split-level affair with a feel that's contemporary, while still acknowledging the building's history as the long-time home of Carlton United Brewery. Kensington Street Social is open The Old Clare Hotel from Wednesday, January 13. For more information, head to their website. Image: KSC.
File this one under news that probably won't happen, but damn would it be cool if it did: Italian architect Piero Lissoni has won a competition to design New York City's new aquarium, and it's easy to see why. The proposed 'Aquatrium' would be situated at Long Island City's Anable Basin, and would consist of two circular elements submerged in the East River. Picture the underwater lair of a '70s era James Bond villain, and you probably won't be too far off the mark. The plans feature an open-air basin sitting just below water level, boasting eight clear 'biomes' that would house aquatic creatures from the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Southern oceans along with the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Red and Tasman seas. An iceberg in the centre would represent the poles, while at night the space would be covered by a sliding domed roof, transforming it into a planetarium (casually). You can't accuse this guy of having a lack of imagination. "Having the water level define the starting point of the project, the site is excavated to become a spacious and innovative water basin," Lissoni's team told Dezeen. "The main idea is to generate an environment whereby visitors feel that they themselves are entering the water to discover the beauty of the marine life on display." Sadly, the design competition isn't anything official, so don't expect to be walking through Lissoni's futuristic aqua-dome any time soon. But feel free to stare longingly at the pretty pictures. Via Dezeen.
Your complexion is looking a little pale, you haven't had a home-cooked meal in 12 days, and sitting in a cinema seat or rushing between theatres have become your preferred states of being. Yep, you've just made it through the 2016 Sydney Film Festival, feasting on a selection of the 250-plus movies that festival director Nashen Moodley and his hardworking team delivered straight to your eyeballs. You've seen some great stuff — and, because going to a film fest is about expanding your cinematic horizons, you've no doubt seen some strange and unexpected efforts too. So have our critics Sarah Ward and Tom Clift, who've whittled down their massive viewing lists to these ten standouts — the best, weirdest and most surprising films of this year's SFF. BEST: AQUARIUS When developers want to tear down the beachside apartment block Clara (Sonia Braga) has called home for several decades, the determined 65-year-old retired music critic won't budge. Yes, Kleber Mendonça Filho's second feature sounds a little like a Brazilian version of The Castle, however as it observes the social reality of his country today, delves into the preconceptions of ageing and understands the importance of places in shaping lives, it becomes much more than that. Braga is enthralling at the centre of a fight even her character's kids think she should give up, and a pumping soundtrack boasting everything from local flavour to several Queen songs helps set a vibrant mood. And don't just take our word for it, Aquarius was crowned the winner of this year's $63,000 Sydney Film Festival prize. - SW THE HANDMAIDEN Dripping with sex, Park Chan-wook's adaptation of Sarah Water's novel Fingersmith is a pulpy, stylish delight. Transplanting the story from Victorian Era England to 1930s Korea, the film follows a maid out to steal her mistress's fortune, only for the pair to end up falling in love. Of course there's a lot more to it than that, with the director of Stoker and Oldboy taking viewers on a ride that is both ludicrous and utterly compelling. Aesthetically speaking, every single frame feels perfectly considered, while the twisting narrative will keep you guessing until the end. - TC THE DEVIL'S CANDY Heavy metal and horror films might go hand in hand, but don't go dismissing Sean Byrne's addition to the fold as yet another brooding effort with growl-heavy music. In fact, the character-driven second feature from the Aussie filmmaker doesn't just litter its soundtrack with the likes of Metallica and Slayer (and even local heroes Spiderbait) — it seethes with the same tension, darkness and all-round unsettling tone. Set in Texas, and following a family's move to a dream house with a nightmarish past, The Devil's Candy echoes The Shining and even offers a flipside to Byrne's own previous film The Loved Ones. Refreshingly avoiding spelling everything out, it also features a strong emotional arc, striking visuals, and a standout performance from Ethan Embry, who proves worlds away from his appearances in '90s fare such as Empire Records and Can't Hardly Wait. - SW PERSONAL SHOPPER The new quasi horror from director Olivier Assayas was booed at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and in some respects it's easy to see why. Personal Shopper tells the story of a young American medium (Kristen Stewart) working in Paris as a personal shopper when she begins receiving strange text messages from someone who may or may not be a ghost. On the one hand, the film's plot is obviously fairly silly. On the other, Stewart gives a fantastic performance, and as a crafter of tension Assayas can't be beat. If you enjoyed the director's previous effort with Clouds of Sils Maria then be sure to give Personal Shopper a try. - TC THE COMMUNE After so convincingly adapting Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd last year, Danish director Thomas Vinterberg returns to his Dogme '95 roots with the '70s-set The Commune. In fact, as the writer/director charts a life-changing decision to embrace communal living, he also draws upon his own childhood experiences in a similar situation. It all starts when newsreader Anna (Berlin Film Festival best actress winner Trine Dyrholm) and her partner Erik (Ulrich Thomsen) decide to open the home they've just moved into with their teenage daughter to others, recruiting friends and strangers for everything from nude swims to arguments over who drank all the beer. Drama ensues, of course, but so does an astute contemplation of trying to find one's place in the world. - SW MAGGIE'S PLAN The latest indie diversion starring the irrepressible Greta Gerwig, Maggie's Plan doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel. But what it sets out to do, it does to near perfection, with writer-director Rebecca Miller taking full advantage of her star, along with a fantastic supporting cast that includes Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore, Mia Rudolph and Bill Hader. The story of an extra-marital affair gone wrong and the attempts of the unflappable Maggie (Gerwig) to put things back together, Maggie's Plan is funny from start to finish, and does a great job of bringing dimension to its catalogue of flawed characters. - TC WEIRDEST: RED CHRISTMAS Dubbed Australia's only Yuletide-set horror-comedy, Red Christmas also earns another 'Aussie first' honour. As well as combining laughs, screams and a festive theme, the amusing slasher-thriller throws an unexpected topic into the mix: the abortion debate. After setting the scene with an attack on a clinic, the film jumps forward twenty years to what is certain to be a Christmas to remember, complete with a feuding family, a sinister stranger and unearthed secrets from the past. Double the Fist actor/director turned debut feature helmer Craig Anderson doesn't always hit the marks he's aiming for, but with E.T. star Dee Wallace along for the ride, he certainly gives his distinctive brand of seasonal, blood-splashed mayhem a spirited try. - SW LO AND BEHOLD: REVERIES OF THE CONNECTED WORLD The latest documentary from German director Werner Herzog — whose work includes such strange, fascinating films of Grizzly Man, Fitzcarraldo and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans – Lo and Behold chronicles the past, present and future history of the internet, from its birth at the University of California to its applications in creating colonies on Mars. Jumping from one topic to the other with little connective tissue, in the hands of any other filmmaker the doc would probably be a failure. But frankly I'd be happy with a film about Herzog reading the phonebook. Listening to him asking baffled computer technicians such existentially loaded questions as "does the internet dream of itself?" proves both hysterically funny and weirdly profound. - TC MOST SURPRISING: SWISS ARMY MAN If you've glanced at a film-related website or social media feed since this year's Sundance Film Festival, you would've heard of Swiss Army Man. Labelled 'the farting corpse movie', it does indeed star Daniel Radcliffe as a flatulent cadaver with multiple purposes, who helps the stranded and suicidal Hank (Paul Dano) cope with his isolation and find his way back to civilisation. There's a hint of Weekend at Bernie's in this absurd comedy, but there's also a touching — and utterly disarming — amount of sweetness. The feature film debut of the directing duo known as DANIELS (Daniel Scheinert and Dan Kwan), the end result is as odd as it sounds, and yet also proves an endearing collection of existential musings. - SW DOWN UNDER Abe Forsythe's Down Under could have easily been a disaster. Instead, it's kind of brilliant. A black comedy set during the immediate aftermath of the Cronulla riots, the film tracks two carloads of men — one group of Arabic descent, the other Anglo — as they patrol the beachside suburb looking for trouble. The film is laugh out loud funny, with Forsythe never missing an opportunity to call out both sides for their extreme ignorance and stupidity. It's a brilliant satire that's sure to ruffle a few feathers when it hits cinemas in August. - TC By Sarah Ward and Tom Clift.
It's telling that Knight of Cups features many a dive into a pool, seaside stroll and wave crashing against the beach. The latest movie from The Tree of Life and To the Wonder's Terrence Malick is awash in recognisable elements and seems as familiar as water. It's also as malleable as the wet substance that covers the bulk of the earth and comprises most of the human body — and as invigorating. Of course, places and people are the film's primary concerns, particularly Los Angeles and a screenwriter by the name of Rick (Christian Bale). In the city known for the emptiness beneath its allure — indeed, David Lynch (in Inland Empire) and David Cronenberg (in Maps to the Stars) have already plumbed its depths — he's a man plunged into a crisis, making a mess of his successful life as he searches for meaning. Rick drifts through his days, unhappy with his choices but uncertain about how to change them. His problems are many, and not just linked to his failed marriage to Nancy (Cate Blanchett), or spate of flings (with Imogen Poots, Freida Pinto, Teresa Palmer, Natalie Portman and Isabel Lucas) afterwards. Tragedy haunts his family, straining his relationships with his brother (Wes Bentley) and father (Brian Dennehy). Though his career is beginning to take off, thrusting him into a glamorous world, it lacks fulfilment past the glitz and partying. As a result, Rick is both wading and paddling feverishly, and so is the film. Malick uses him not just as a protagonist, but as a buoy in a feature that lurches restlessly from place to place and person to person. Sometimes the movie stalks him as he floats through apartments and buildings, around sets and shindigs, and on walks over rugged terrain and by the ocean. Sometimes it adopts his perspective as it dashes around in fragments of his existence. That means that often, when you dip your toes in the feature, you get what you're expecting: a commonly told tale of mid-life malaise, Malick's roaming visuals and whispered layers of philosophical narration, and a focus on contemplation among them. Just as frequently, though, you get a burst that takes you by surprise: in dropping out of one tarot card-named chapter and into the next, in the symphony of classical music sounds and sun-dappled sights, and in the movie's dissection of hedonism, for example. Even when the surface appears still, something is always bubbling up below. Consider Knight of Cups, then, an ideal balance between relaxing and refreshing, and meditative and stimulating. Of course, with Malick at the helm, the film's reflective questioning becomes a gliding kaleidoscope of wide-angle images strikingly shot by Oscar-winning Gravity and Birdman cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, and a montage-heavy mood piece as much as a movie. Conversation rarely lasts beyond a single line, and the all-star cast — which includes brief appearances by everyone from Antonio Banderas to Jason Clarke and Nick Offerman to Fabio — exist more than they perform. And yet, as Knight of Cups ebbs and flows over the course of its fluid 118 minutes, there's no mistaking its emotional and sensory impact. Plus, if you're going to jump in a seemingly familiar body of water filled with hypnotic experiences and hidden depths, you want Malick as your guide. With him in charge, you haven't really swum there and splashed through this before.
When singer George Michael passed away aged only 53 in 2016, Sydney DJs and producers Paul Mac and Jonny Seymour commissioned a mural of Michael outside their home in Newtown. It became a site of cultural importance to Sydney's LGBTQIA+ community, and it was devastatingly destroyed by vandals soon after the result of the marriage equality vote was announced. Now, Mac has teamed up with playwright Lachlan Philpott to create a musical experience as a fitting tribute to Saint George, while also serving as both a celebration of queer culture and a defiant reminder that freedom is always worth fighting for. Tickets for this show are at capacity, however, you can join the waitlist by clicking through to 'buy tickets'. [caption id="attachment_795408" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sarah Walker[/caption] Image: Peter Rubie.
The Hills' Wolfe & Co. took the sleepy semi-rural suburb of Dural by storm when it opened on Old Northern Road last year. Locals quickly got all over the daytime cafe — probably because they'd normally have to drive 30 minutes to find something similar — but they soon they started requesting a place to spend their nights. So earlier this year owners Che Vogel and Caroline Neill Ryan doubled down and bought another space across the road. And with the same swish attitude to food and design, they've opened the doors to their newest outfit: Cod's Gift. The restaurant specialises in seafood, with a focus on sustainable produce from the Hawkesbury River region, after the pair found that there were no seafood restaurants in The Hills. With contrasted, Nordic-style furniture in turquoise, granite, brass and steel blue — all designed by Neill Ryan — it's a huge difference from the drab strip mall in which the restaurant is located. The duo were aiming to create a beautiful-yet-casual space for all. Luxe, but approachable. David Koorey is executive chef for both Dural kitchens. His background is mainly UK restaurants and this influence can be seen in some of the menu's Japanese-fusion dishes. All are visually appealing, with sprinklings of microherbs and edible flowers (all greens are from a small, local grower within walking distance of the restaurant). There are three kinds of oysters (the Hawkesbury River's famous export) and fish dishes push the boundaries of normal ingredient combinations. The John Dory comes with carrots, cumin, smoked peas and liquorice, and then there's the snapper with sage crumb, preserved lemon butter, lilliput capers and shaved fennel. For vegetarians, the eggplant dish with chard, burrata, torn pasta, sugo and olive dust proves vegetarians are not an afterthought. Pair this with a cocktail or a wine from France, Italy or, much closer to home, the Hunter Valley. Cod's Gift is now open at shop 4–6, 3 Ward Place, Dural. For more info, visit codsgift.com.au.
Hendrick's, the Scottish gin distillers who would have you believe their product is harvested fresh from a Monty Python animation, are embarking on a 'horticultural quest' to make Australia their new veg patch. No longer content to raid Mr. McGregor's garden, the liquidologists and drinkticians at Hendrick's are teaming up with the University of Sydney to create the first truly Australian-grown species of cucumber. Despite the presence of a horticulture professor in their fellowship, Hendrick's are asking the public to head to Facebook and vote on soil ingredients that will produce the most distinctly Australian crop. Day One is a choice between kangaroo and emu poop. There's every reason to believe Day Ten will see Barnesy or Farnesy forced to stand waist-deep in fertiliser for six weeks. Planting begins on October 4 and the harvest will take place in mid-November, with a subsequent soiree for attendees to sample the cucumber from down under. To further celebrate the efforts of their botanical pioneers, Hendrick's are giving a Concrete Playgrounder and ten friends the chance to win a sumptuously provisioned cocktail masterclass valued at $3000. Enter below, and remember, you need to vote for your chosen ingredient on the Hendrick's Gin Facebook page to be eligible to win. [competition]589976[/competition]
Home to much of the festival's music, two Spiegeltents will be anchoring the expanding Festival Village, one of the real successes of last year and a true hub for hanging out in. Also within it will be a huge-scale art work from Ireland's answer to Banksy, street artist Maser. The maze-like, colour-splashed, two-storey-high installation, called Higher Ground, is said to be "a dream come true for those who always wished they could step inside a painting", and will be the focus of everyone's Instagramming this festival (which for the first time in two years, is Rubber Duck-less). Maser will be the artist-in-residence at the Village, though as he operates in anonymity, we don't expect to see too much of him. Read our interview with Maser and find out why he's happy for you to eat a sandwich in his art. Higher Ground is one of our top ten picks of the Sydney Festival. Check out our other favourite events over here.
Deliciously messy Caribbean nosh is moseying over to Potts Point, as Surry Hills restaurant Jonkanoo prepares to open a pop-up canteen this Saturday. According to Good Food, Jonkanoo will pop-up in an existing gourmet catering business called Sides and Main on Orwell Street in Potts Point. Jonkanoo owner and chef Damion Brown told GF the kitchen was vacant on weekends, so the crew are scurrying in there for two days of playtime. It's right near new Potts Point resident Waterman's Lobster Co., which opened its lobster roll-lovin' doors last week. So what can you expect to gobble down over the weekend? Apparently it's going to be pretty basic, the goodies Jonkanoo has perfected over the years. Of course, there'll be jerk — jerk pork and jerk chicken — alongside two coleslaws, sweet potato and specials. Find the Jonkanoo pop-up at 7/5-15 Orwell St, Potts Point this Saturday, June 20. Via Good Food.
In a year that saw Sydney's cultural ecosystem and the legislative shackling of certain elements of it become a more polarising subject than ever before, the city's most innovative, forward-thinking residents have made outstanding lemonade. More inventive, forward-thinking and experimental than ever, Sydney restaurants have defied traditional fine dining, adding in-house cinemas, recreating provincial French manors, and redefining nose-to-tail. At Concrete Playground we encourage exploration and showcase innovation in our city every day, so we thought it fitting to reward those most talented whippersnappers pushing Sydney to be a better, braver city. And so, these six new restaurants, opened in 2016, have been nominated for Best New Restaurant in Concrete Playground's Best of 2016 Awards. Vote for your favourite.
The future of one of Sydney's most beloved green spaces has finally been secured. After a concerted effort by local campaigners, the NSW government has agreed to lease the patch of harbourfront land known as Wendy's Secret Garden to the North Sydney Council on a 30-year renewable lease, confirming its position as a public garden for future generations. "Wendy has poured her blood, sweat and tears into the garden," said Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance at the announcement on Friday. "She, along with the people of Sydney, deserve certainty that it will be here for years to come. Our announcement today ends the question mark over the garden’s future." The widow and muse of celebrated artist Brett Whiteley, for the last two decades Wendy Whiteley has tended to the government-owned land behind her Lavender Bay home, transforming it from an unofficial rubbish dump into a beautiful leafy oasis. Brett's ashes are buried in the garden, as are those of their daughter, actress Arkie Whiteley. The history of the garden was recently recorded in the book Wendy Whiteley and the Secret Garden, whose author Janet Hawley helped lead the push to ensure the space remained open for public enjoyment. "People wrongly assume the council or the government pays for Wendy’s Secret Garden and wrongly assume it is permanent and secure," said Hawley last month. "But Wendy has paid for everything, and, alongside her four gardeners, done all the work from day one." "I can't quite grasp it yet. It's still a bit unreal," the 74-year-old Whiteley told reporters in the wake of yesterday's announcement. "It will become a collaboration now, instead of there being the slightly worrying feeling that somebody could arrive with a bulldozer one day, or a chainsaw or something, and it would all be gone overnight." Via The Guardian.
As many films do, The Space Between begins with a series of influential events that shake up an otherwise stagnant life. When his stint in New York came to an unplanned end through a family tragedy, Marco (Flavio Parenti) returned to his home town of Udine in Northern Italy, gave up on his dream of being a chef and carved out a routine existence — and just as he has somewhat accepted his fate, more hardship strikes. But at the same time, he meets Olivia (Maeve Dermody), an Australian in the country wading through her own family and career matters. A connection forms as the two try to find their path forward. The film's narrative isn't just an interesting story worth spending 98 minutes watching — it's also somewhat based on reality. In fact, The Space Between is partially inspired by the day that Melbourne-based writer-director Ruth Borgobello met her husband Davide Giusto (who also serves as one of movie's producers), and the bond they forged as he coped with his real-life grief. In turning the tale into a film (her first feature, no less), Borgobello has not only transported parts of her life to the big screen, but has also crafted the first-ever Australian-Italian co-production in the process. While the former feat has personal significance, the latter is no lesser of an achievement; indeed, a filmmaking treaty between the two countries was signed back in 1993. Just how did Borgobello draw from such intimate experiences? And how did she manage to make history with her debut feature? With The Space Between currently touring Australia as part of the Italian Film Festival, we chatted with the filmmaker about finding inspiration in Italy, working through trauma and turning an aspect of your life into a feature film. ON LETTING REALITY INSPIRE THE NARRATIVE "I met my husband the day he lost someone very important to him unexpectedly. We'd sort of already had this plan to spend a couple of weeks together, because he's a good friend of my cousin in Italy, and he was planning to come to Australia, and he had his visa ready. And so, in spite of this loss and grief he was going through, we spent a couple of weeks together, and I guess that always stayed with me as a very transformational moment for both of us. We were in our early 20s, so it kind of throws everything into question and makes you think very carefully about the life path that you want to choose when something like that happens. You tend to think you're quite invincible when you're that age, I think. Years later I kind of was developing another project focused more on a migration story of my family and my father, but I guess just spending time in Italy and thinking about that moment, I was sort of quite inspired and pushed to do something a bit more personal as my first film. And talking about contemporary Italy within that as well. So, it was inspired by that moment — but the actual characters and the journey that they go on is very fictional, and very, much more connected to Italy today than back in that time." ON DRAWING FROM EXPERIENCED GRIEF AND TRAUMA "When I set out to write this script, I was sort of basing it on my husband's experience of losing someone close to him — and I had never lost someone, especially not a close friend in the way that he had. So I tried to get inside his head, I guess, and his grieving process. And then also working with my co-writer who had lost his father when he was quite young, so he had gone through that. But then, strangely, in the journey of writing it — and it was something that really kind of terrified me when it happened — my best friend actually was in an accident, a very unexpected accident, and was in a coma for a few weeks hovering between life and death. Luckily now she's fine, she's got through it, but I guess it strangely sort of brought me very close to that experience, which can be quite challenging because when it happens to you — you don't know if you can actually go there to bring it into the script. But, I tried to write during that period just to tune into the emotion of it all. I guess with the grief, I think the lesson that came for us that was very powerful — it was that he left...but then someone else arrived in that moment that would be very important and play a similar role, I guess, in Davide, my husband's, life. Just that sort of interesting thing that someone leaves and someone else arrives, and I guess to trust in life sometimes that it will bring you support in those kind of moments, and then opportunity to maybe grow and evolve." ON MAKING THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN-ITALIAN CO-PRODUCTION "It's just enormous, and I think it's not just sort of all the relationships and paperwork and trying to make the two governments sort of work — or their rules — really work together. Also, then you've got to translate everything and every time it changes you've got to re-translate it. So it is an enormous amount of work. I guess, at the end of the day, it's just kind of willingness and determination to make it work. And we sort of sensed that if we could make it work, then there would be a lot of positivity that would come out of that — obviously for the film, but also creating future possibilities between the two countries. So it's worth it. When you know you're going to make history, it's worth it to persevere. And we had a lot of willingness from Italy and the Italian government too, that really supported us in wanting to make it work, so that helps." ON SETTING HER FILM IN ITALY — AND FINDING THE RIGHT LOCATIONS "We spent years of research looking at locations that are not the typical tourist locations. They're not the places you could open a book and find out where they are — they're all sort of quite hidden and you have to know people who know people. So it took a lot to find those places that would really serve the psychology and the narrative of Marco's journey, and with Olivia. So I spent time myself there in Italy, living for periods of six months or so, just to also really get to know the people and the place. And trying to perceive the current climate of today, and what's going on, and the relationship between the environment and this sort of crisis as well, which I always found quite contradictory because there's so much beauty and inspiration in what's been created in the past, but it feels very stagnant in the present. So it was about sort of being able to marry those two together." ON HER TIES WITH ITALY "I've got two projects that I'm working on, and both are connected with Italy again. One of them is also sort of connected to climate change, and I really want to do a sort of original creative story around that, kind of featuring nature as a main character — and it's positive, not fear-driven. So that's something that I'm heavily researching at the moment. And then another film, perhaps with Italy dealing with refugees and what's happening at the moment in Europe with that crisis, through quite a courageous character who goes out on a limb to help the refugees. So sort of inspired by a true story that we've come across. I think we've learnt so much, so it will make the next one easier. I'm sure it will always be challenging, but it feels like there's a clear path now." The Space Between is currently screening at the Italian Film Festival, which tours Australia until October 19. Check out our top five picks of the festival.
City-dwelling foodies, Mike McEnearney has plans for the CBD. After saying farewell to his celebrated eatery Kitchen by Mike, the beloved Sydney chef has been pretty damn busy, announced last month as the new creative director for Carriageworks Farmers Markets. But next year, he's got a more city-centric project on the books, a 100-seater restaurant called No.1 Bent Street — by Mike. Set to open in early 2016 on the Bent Street side of retail/food centre, The Wintergarden, the new eatery will be a natural evolution of the wildly popular Kitchen by Mike canteen, with a more formal set-up. Open for lunch and dinner six days a week, McEnearney's new restaurant will see a daily-changing menu filled with the chef's love for simple but generous food, using seasonal, local and housemade ingredients. "I'm so pleased to be opening in the city," says McEnearney. "The food in the CBD just gets better and better and we are looking forward to being part of that. Ours will be a small, daily-changing menu and the focus will be on the produce much as it was at Kitchen by Mike. Although the setting may be more formal, I hope it will feel familiar to those who have come to love Kitchen by Mike. No.1 Bent Street will not be modeled on the canteen style everyone is used to at Kitchen By Mike but the principles and spirit behind the food will remain the same." Meanwhile, McEnearney and his team are looking for new locations for their long-loved Rosebery canteen, Kitchen by Mike, so stay tuned for more details on this. No.1 Bent Street — by Mike will open at The Wintergarden, Sydney CBD in 2016.
Crucial to doing brunch properly is not having to think about time. After all, it's its occupation of the not-breakfast, not-lunch never-never land that makes it so deliciously languid. You can't be early. You can't be late. And it's impossible to stay too long. Practically, though, Sydney brunches, especially when combined with views, can't always offer such temporal escapism. Too many people want in on them. Until now, that is. This summer, the Watsons Bay Hotel is bringing an all-you-can-eat buffet brunch our way. For hours on end, you'll be able to indulge while soaking up waterfront views and recovering from whatever shindiggery you've been up to the evening before. Whipped up by executive chef John Pye, the menu is no ordinary buffet production but features the likes of house-made granola trifles layered with summer berries and vanilla yoghurt; hand-carved, glazed Kurobuta ham and cranberry sauce sliders; Belgian waffles with crispy American-style bacon and maple syrup; and banana flapjack pancakes with salted caramel sauce and Chantilly cream. For drinks, a bespoke Bloody Mary bar will have you covered, and there's also the option of bubbles, fresh mimosas and home-made watermelon lemonade. $75 will buy four beverage coupons and as much food as you can avail yourself of. Upgrade to $100 to include a four-hour house drinks pack. The Bay Brunch will be happening on the summer public holidays of Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Australia Day. RSVP is essential — give the Watsons Bay Hotel a call on (02) 9337 5444.
Outdoor escape artists We Are Explorers are leading nine adventurers on a two-day Wilderness Photography Escape for the weekend of May 6 through 7. Participants will meet in the Blue Mountains, where adventure photographer Jake Anderson will lead them on a ten-kilometre hike, through a waterfall and wild-swimming holes, before arriving at a secluded, 'secret' campsite — specifically positioned for sunset and sunrise shoots. After a campfire feast, Anderson will host an astro-photography session with the hopes of capturing the milky way, among other celestial bodies. This excursion combines a camping and photography workshop, teaching adventurers the core skills necessary to embark on your own adventure and capture it like a pro. Ticket holders will learn the basic fundamentals of photography, including shutter speed and aperture, composition and framing, long exposure and social media growth hacks, to name a few. On top of this, you'll also learn camping skills like basic navigation, where to pitch a tent safely, water filtration techniques, fire starting and overall camping hacks. Each ticket includes all of the above, as well as all food and snacks for the duration of the weekend. Image: We Are Explorers.
If you love surrounding yourself completely in Zara, you'll now be able to extend the Zara-love to your bedroom. Zara Home has opened its first Australian store at Melbourne's Highpoint Shopping Centre, with a flagship store set to open in Sydney in just a few months. The home decor arm of the Zara-owning Inditex Group, the Australian stores is home to Zara's gorgeous printed bedding lines, table and bath linens, decorative furniture (we're talking seriously cute lamps and rugs), tablewear worth investing in, cutlery and ornamental items, all based on seasonal fashion trends — so you might be able to match your handbag to your bedspread for an undeniably strong look. The brand new 310-sqm Melbourne store embodies the Zara brand in interior design — think elegant chestnut wood and marble floors, neutral paints and mother-of-pearl details, not to forget that epic gold logo. Coinciding with international Zara Home stores (now operating in 60 countries with 437 stores), the Australian stores will unveil two collections per year, with new items delivered every week. Along with the slick furnishings and oaky utensils you'll be visualising in your rich mahogany-smelling apartments, you can pick up the Zara loungewear/pyjama line and bath and body collection instore. With 13 Zara stores currently operating across Australia, it's safe to say we're pretty dedicated Zarans. The stores mark some of the first international brand openings this year, following hugely hyped openings H&M and Uniqlo last year. Zara Home opens in Melbourne's Highpoint Shopping Centre on February 12, head for 120 - 200 Rosamond Road, Maribyrnong. Sydney flagship date still to be confirmed.
Until last year, Nick Murphy was better known by his stage name, Chet Faker. Since dropping the moniker, Murphy has reinvented his ARIA-winning style, opting for a sharply produced cacophony of low tempo piano and his signature understated vocals, juxtaposed with upbeat synth melodies. After testing the waters with a live band at Laneway Festival, Murphy is making things a little more intimate for his Vivid Sydney show. Murphy is taking on theatre in the round for this Vivid performance, premiering new tracks performance in 360 degrees. It's a triumphant return for Murphy, who played to 12,000 people over two sold-out nights in the Opera House forecourt as Chet Faker in 2015.
Lower north shore residents won't have to head into the city for Sydney's latest opening. Brand new, modern Scandinavian-style, Mediterranean-menued bar and restaurant The Public has opened its doors in Cammeray. Joining the local foodie strip of Miller Street in the space where Belgian Beer Cafe sat for 15 years, The Public is a big, breezy, modern space made for long lazy brunches and intimate catch-ups alike. Think marine-grade plywood, aquas, blues, whites, and 3D installation art. The brainchild of North shore brothers James and Will Christopher, The Public is nothing short of a labour of love. Not their first time at the Sydney hospitality rodeo, this new bar marks the third venue for the Christopher brothers, following their long-loved local cafe The Laneway and their Spanish tapas joint Ms Miller (right next door). They've also launched start-ups, cheffed here and there, and Will feeds the entire team at the celebrated Secret Garden Festival every year — production team meals you have to taste to believe. Seriously. Next level. Aiming to give Cammeray a foodie identity of its own and steal some limelight from burgeoning eastern suburbs like Double Bay or western hubs like Marrickville, the Christopher brothers teamed up with business manager and superyacht seller (actual thing) Damian Barrow to swing the spotlight to the lower north shore. Alright, alright, now we know who's behind the joint, what can we expect to chow down on? The Christopher brothers have brought over Ms Miller head chef James Featherstone to create pub classic-meets-Euro-style dishes for The Public. Think Greek and Mediterranean food with house-made olive butter, taramasalata and hummus, with family-style platters of lamb kleftiko and barbecued chicken. Then there's the burgers, like this double beef, double bacon, double cheese wagyu beef burger: With all this hummus and barbecued chicken afoot, we're going to need some bevs here. Drinks-wise, you can expect an Australian, New Zealand, Italian and French-focused wine list, and ten beers on tap including Young Henry’s, Two Birds, Rocks Brewing, Endeavour and Mountain Goat. The Public's set to become a Cammeray staple if it plays its cards right. And with monthly markets and beer and wine events planned for the future, it looks like this by-locals-for-locals newbie holds all the aces. Find The Public at 429 Miller Street, Cammeray.
Longstanding Bondi favourite Da Orazio has reopened in its original home, complete with a new accompanying bar, Orazietto, joining it next door. That's the news since March 2022, and comes with hallmarks of the original venue — including its red door and a heap of fan-favourite dishes — alongside inventive new additions to the venue's array of Italian eats. In 2023, Da Orazio was even awarded a chef's hat by the Good Food Guide. "In Italian we say, 'il primo amore non si scorda mai', which means the first love you never forget," says the restaurant's renowned owner and head chef Orazio D'Elia. "Da Orazio was my firstborn, my first love, so to be able to bring the venue back to life means so much to me and my team. I can't wait for all our Da Orazio friends to return, and welcome new friends." Inside, the 90-seat restaurant has undergone a makeover, sporting a fresh new look, but classic dishes like rotisserie porchetta with focaccia and antipasti share plates haven't changed. Alongside these mainstays a fancy new pizza menu is among the new additions. The restaurant uses a new contemporary pizza dough recipe for the bases that they promise make the bases "lighter and more digestible". Next door, Orazietto seats up to 40 people and doesn't take reservations. The atmosphere is more casual and you can swing by for a quick drink, but all the food from Da Orazio is still on offer. Da Orazio Appears in: The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney for 2023
We'll take a gin and tonic, sans the sugary soda, please. A brand new Sydney cocktail bar can help you out, using all-natural, locally-made soda and ditching the usual crap. PS40 will open in Sydney's CBD in April as the newest bar concept by the creators of PS Soda, an all-natural soda line. PS Soda and its upcoming bar are the brainchild of an all-star, internationally-renowned crew. From Sydney hospitality goalkickers Thor Bergquist (ex-Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC) and Der Raum) and Michael Chiem (ex-Sokyo, Bulletin Place and the Star's Black by Ezard) to creative director Livia Lima (ex-Maud), this team knows what they're doing. PS40 will focus around the trio's new soft drink line, an unusual approach stemming from Bergquist and Chiem's gastronomic backgrounds — think core flavours like wattle cola, bush tonic and smoked lemonade. All PS Soda will be made and bottled in-house and used for the line of signature cocktails available at PS40. We're most excited to try the 'Batanga!', which combines the Wattle Cola with green coffee bean infused tequila. All PS sodas are of the preservative-free kind, which are not words you generally associate with soda pop. The ingredients themselves are sourced from local, native produce and made with community input at that; Archie Rose Distillery helped to develop the tonic that would complement their gin and LP's Quality Meats' Luke Powell helped create the lemonade. The local love doesn't stop there, with the wine list curated by Lo-Fi Wines and taps from Sydney brewers Wayward and Young Henry's. Yep, it's an all-Sydney affair at PS40. The space is promised to hold true to its warehouse interior with large open windows, concrete walls and high ceilings, designed with a modern and bright fitout. If you're keen to try PS Soda before the bar opens, you can find the sodas behind the bar at Bennelong, The Old Clare Hotel, Firedoor and Archie Rose. PS40 will open in early April at 40 King Street, Sydney. Open Monday – Saturday, 4pm - midnight (closed Sundays).
The balmy season's about to kick off on a ridiculously blissful foot, with Tame Impala announcing a huge national tour this morning, hitting some of Australia's biggest outdoor venues this November. Following one widely celebrated comeback set at this year's Splendour in the Grass, Perth's favourite psychedelic outfit are doing an epic tour through Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and back to their Perth hometown. Tame brain and frontman Kevin Parker will be teaming up with Dom Simper, Cam Avery, Jay Watson and Julien Barbagello to bring the insanely successful new album Currents to venues like the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Melbourne's epic Sidney Myer Music Bowl and the Brisbane Riverstage. Such big outdoor shows deserve one heck of a support, and you'll get it in Mini Mansions (Queens of the Stone Age bass player Michael Shuman's side project). Tame Impala will also be joined by Fremantle's seven-piece hip hop outfit Koi Child for the Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth shows. TAME IMPALA 2015 NATIONAL TOUR DATES: Saturday, November 7 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Tuesday, November 10 — Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney Wednesday, November 11 — Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney Saturday, November 14 — Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth Wednesday. November 18 — Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Saturday. November 21 — Riverstage, Brisbane Tickets on sale Monday 31 August, 9am local time, from tameimpala.com. Image: Matt Sav.
Chuck Close is lauded as a photorealist painter, but he is much more than that. In fact, he rejects the term “realist”, even when painting delicate wrinkles and wisps of hair. As described by consulting curator Glenn Barkley, he is a magician bent on revealing his tricks. Close, who always wanted to be a magician, couldn’t resist breaking this cardinal rule of illusion. In this way, many of the 'finished' works in this huge solo show at the MCA are accompanied by a number of process works. Like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, this exhibition maps the gradual blossoming of Close's impossibly intricate portraits. Describing his artistic beginnings as crawling out from under abstract expressionism, Close took up portraiture at a time when it was notoriously untrendy. Unlike the spontaneous brushstrokes of his contemporaries, he took a more methodical tack. With an insatiable capacity for new materials and new techniques, he radicalises what has traditionally been a conservative art form. Many of his works are the product of intense manual labour and are mathematically precise. One reason Close goes to these lengths is because he suffers from face blindness, or prosopagnosia. By repeating the same portrait again and again, he is drumming his subjects into his long-term memory. Of the various techniques used, Close rescues some from obscurity, such as the Jacquard Loom (those whopping tapestries), a 19th-century punch-card system used to weave complex patterns. In other works, he uses a felt hand stamp to patch together his portraits and moulds paper pulp into the contours of a face. And then there’s the classic Japanese form of woodblock printing, or ukiyo-e, which he uses to create warbling layers of colour. Emma is a striking example of this; a work which captures the luminosity of infancy. Of course, the grid is one of the key foundations of Close’s practice. Using a horizontal or diamond axis, these individual squares guide the steady unfolding his work. This comes back to the fraught idea of realism — it is an illusion from afar and abstract up close. Some of his more recent portraits, such as those of the artist Zhang Huan, are composed of watercolour gradients. But it is a loose grid, as if Close is allowing his painting to breathe. There are specks of raw canvas that shine through at the corners of each square like little diluted rainbows. Of the thematic triad that holds this exhibition together, 'process' is perhaps the most fascinating. It seems the strength of the big picture is in seeing the tiny pieces which constitute it. The formal inventiveness of Chuck Close really does take time to be appreciated. Not only is this exhibition a comprehensive survey of a truly unique artist, it is also a whirlwind education in printmaking and colour theory. Attend more than once.
Feeling uninspired? Stuck on date ideas? Want free booze? Or even, do you like art? We’ve put together a hot list of exhibitions for you to check out this August, a month tending towards the neon-coloured, psychedelic and futuristic. These aesthetic escapades will take you from Sydney’s smallest to most well-known galleries.
The best thing on the menu at Bar Luca has long been their mouth-watering burgers. You know it. We know it. And, evidently, so do they. Because this week they opened BL Burgers, the no-frills Bar Luca takeaway spinoff you've been waiting for. The team at Oxford Street's brand new BL Burgers serve the same selection of burgers as they do at Bar Luca. That includes the Blame Canada, a mountainous concoction of a wagyu beef patty, maple-glazed streaky bacon, American cheddar, poutine and maple aioli that was recently named the best burger in Sydney by The Fatties Burger Appreciation Society. Other creations include a chicken karaage number with wasabi aioli, pickled veggies, coriander and coral lettuce, and a vegetarian option made with chickpea, sweet potato and spiced yoghurt, as well as a weekly special. Extras and sides include fried chicken, a fried cheese patty and shoestring fries with aioli. A photo posted by B L Burgers (@blburgers) on Mar 8, 2016 at 3:33am PST Primarily a takeout joint, seating in the space is minimal, with narrow benches along two walls. One wall features the menu, while the other boasts an enormous, burger-inspired mural by local artist Brent Smith. Find BL Burgers at 1/151 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. For more information visit blburgers.com.au or follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Image: Bar Luca.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales will be staying open after dark until the end of January, maximising access to its summer blockbuster, Pop to Popism. Swing by before 10pm on Wednesdays and 9pm on Thursday to Saturday for the opportunity to not only take in the exhibition — a survey of pop art to which we gave a big thumb's up — but also the Pop shop and Pop twister. Dinner at Chiswick at the Gallery kicks your night up a fancy notch, and there’s even a special event combining the culinary inventiveness of Matt Moran with a talk from exhibition curator, Wayne Tunnicliffe. After all, these balmy summer nights are for cramming in as much culture as you can. The gallery's regular Wednesday late-night event, Art After Hours, is going retro for the occasion, with a series of colourful parties organised around different decades' subcultural rivalries and soundtracked by suitably nostalgic live music. Wednesday, January 21, is all about the era of water beds and lava lamps: the '70s. Alongside the rise of Punk and Disco, look back on the progressive changes ushered in by Gough Whitlam. And on January 28, the spotlight will be turned towards the '80s with its stage-stealing New Romantics and Yuppies. The heyday of pop music and outrageous fashion, nothing screamed look-at-me like the '80s. Reminiscing on this loud and proud decade, Romance Was Born designer Luke Sales will be speaking about the influences that have filtered into his creative process. It was also the era that launched slick art stars like Jeff Koons, who is still going strong, and conceptual photographer Cindy Sherman. Rock up with shoulder pads and big hair to be in the running for best dressed.
One-and-a-half kilograms of paper are making their way to Australia from studio in Suffolk, England, via sea. “It’s a whole shipping container’s worth,” laughs Mira Calix, the artist behind the ream. To be transformed into an enormous, ethereal maze, the cargo will form the basis of her new work, Inside There Falls, premiering at Sydney Festival 2015. Spoken word, original classical music and dance will combine in an immersive experience. The project began life about three years ago, as a result of a chance email from a stranger, who sent her a piece of writing. “I started reading it and responding positively. It really resonated,” she says. Or, as she puts it in her artist statement, “The text had taken hold of me. A stream of consciousness I found so enigmatic and elusive, creating feeling before reason. I felt compelled to take that avalanche of words off the page and let them breathe in a new form ... The writer had handed me the shoots and left me to grow my own forest.” A year or so later, with the initial concept in mind, Mira came to Sydney, where other elements fell into place: seeing Carriageworks and meeting Sydney Dance Company artistic director Rafael Bonachela. “When I saw [Carriageworks] it was like love at first sight. My little heart said, ‘This is perfect.’ It has character, but it isn’t dominating, and, physically, it’s such an exciting space, if you’re thinking big ... We don’t have places like this in England. Space is at a premium. In London, anything on this kind of scale would be turned into chichi apartments very quickly.” As for Rafael, Mira was already a fan. “He used to run a dance company on South Bank in London,” she says. “I gave him my construct and my narrative and he’s interpreting it. I like to work this way, sparking ideas, so that even among us, the work is becoming different versions of itself.” In keeping with Inside There Falls’ spontaneous, temporal nature, the dancing, despite being choreographed, won’t be scheduled. So whether or not audiences catch a fleeting figure among the paper will depend on chance. In the meantime, they’ll be kept busy with an open invitation to touch the installation at their will. “I want people to physically interact,” Mira explains. “There’s a bit of ritual and participation element to this work. You step into the story through a big blue room, which is like an overture or a prologue, so you start off as a blank page. Then you step into a white room, where the paper starts off very dense, but opens out. At the same time, you are surrounded by the story – the text [narrated by actor Hayley Atwell] and the music are moving around you ... Everything to me is the story, including you." Some artists are driven by their chosen medium, which they commit to for life. Mira, on the other hand, is driven by ideas. Combining music, sound and art, she draws on whichever materials are best suited to the story she has to tell. “I shift materials a lot,” she says. “Philosophically, to me, they’re all materials and it’s all composition. I see it all as one thing.” In 2009, a 100-strong choir played an integral role in her installation, My Secret Heart, which won the Royal Philharmonic Society Award. And, in 2012, a monolithic stone sculpture featured in her interactive piece, nothing is set in stone, which appeared at the London 2012 Olympic Festival. “You know what’s really strange about Singapore?” Mira Calix leans in, as though she’s telling me a secret. “Even though it’s tropical – even though it’s steaming hot – there are no insects. Isn’t that the weirdest thing?” “Last time I was there,” she continues. “I did a performance with an orchestra, where I put insects inside boxes, and mic-ed them. That was interesting.” Inside Their Falls is one of our top ten picks of the Sydney Festival. Check out our other favourite events over here.
If you're one to buy a whole new wardrobe every season, we can't change you. But what if you bought sustainably, invested in eco-friendly fabrics, or bought second-hand? What if... you repaired your jean crotch hole instead of buying a new exxy pair? Sustainable fashion is something Sydney folk trio Little May feel pretty damn passionate about, and seeing as though they're about to kick off a national tour at Sydney's Metro Theatre, we thought we'd hand over the reins to multi-instrumentalist and eco-boss Annie Hamilton and let her school you on their favourite places to buy sustainable fashion. Handing over to Annie. Hello! I've just finished a year of buying-no-new-clothes in an effort to be more sustainable and to force myself to put more thought into the things that I buy and what impact they have on other humans, the environment and my own body. I studied textile design at uni and have always been interested in sustainable and ethical fashion, so I put together a list of a few Australian/NZ brands that are doing pretty awesome things in the world of sustainable fashion. In the wake of Fashion Revolution Week, it seems that more and more people are starting to question where and how their clothes were made, which can only be a good thing in the world of mass-produced, trend-driven fast fashion. Everyone has their own personal values and you should think about what yours are and try to reflect those in your purchases. But for a start, you can look for organic natural fibres, buy either locally-made or fair-trade, and look for traceability throughout the supply chain. And of course, buy clothing that is made to last, that won't fall apart or go out of fashion after a couple of wears. NUDIE JEANS CO In terms of sustainable clothing brands, Nudie ticks a lot of boxes. Nudie clothing is organic, traceable and made to last. Check out their website and you can find out exactly where the organic cotton for their jeans was grown in Turkey, or where the organic, fair trade cotton used in their shirts was grown in India. Information regarding their entire supply chain is available to the public, all the way down to the origins of their buttons, zippers and care labels. My favourite thing about Nudie is that they offer free lifetime repairs of their garments from their Paddington store, so if your much-loved jeans start to come apart at the seams, they will patch them right up for you. VEGE THREADS You can't make a list of sustainable designers without including Vege Threads. Every piece in the Vege Threads range is organic and locally made, utilising organic vegetable-based dyes. They have also collaborated with BB Shoes to create hand-made vegetable-tanned kangaroo leather sandals. They're based in Adelaide, mainly stocked online, but also available in Sydney at Newtown's You, The Earth and Me. HER SWIM It seems weird to be talking about swimwear when it is technically almost winter, but considering the fact that we're enjoying sunny, 26-degree days in Sydney, it seems evident that this summer may never actually end. This Sydney-based swimwear label uses 100 percent recycled post-consumer polyester and nylon to create simple, clean and minimal swimwear designs. NICO Nico is a Brisbane-based basics and underwear label with a huge focus on ethical and sustainable production and materials. With a minimal aesthetic, their pieces are all made of organic cotton, bamboo or modal, because who wants to be wearing chemicals-laden synthetics near your hoo-ha? Not me. KOWTOW Kowtow is a NZ based label that is truly committed to traceability and sustainability in their production. They use 100 percent fair trade organic cotton grown in India, with the entire production chain explored in the 'Seed To Garment' documentary on their website. Kowtow has several Sydney stockists (including the Somedays store in Surry Hills, which also stocks organic and ethical BaseRange underwear/basics). YOUR LOCAL VINNIES After all, nothing is more sustainable than buying second-hand (especially when that money is going back into charity). Go find yourself a bargain. [caption id="attachment_571217" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Celeste Tesoriero, Winter 2016 for Fashion Revolution Week.[/caption] WELLMADECLOTHES.COM A pretty awesome resource for buying ethically and sustainably. Full stop. SWEDISH STOCKINGS They're not Australian, but they make stockings out of 100 percent recycled plastics, and will offer you a discount if you send them your old/ripped stockings to recycle. GOOD ON YOU An Australian app that rates the sustainability of different brands to help shoppers make informed choices. Now you're all dolled up in eco-friendly threads thanks to Annie, go see Little May. Here's where: LITTLE MAY 2016 AUSTRALIA TOUR DATES Thursday, May 5 — Wollongong Uni Bar, Wollongong Friday, May 6 — Metro Theatre, Sydney Saturday, May 7 — Small Ballroom, Newcastle Thursday, May 12 — ANU Bar, Canberra Friday, May 13 — Max Watts, Melbourne Saturday, May 14 — Waratah Hotel, Hobart Friday, May 20 — Adelaide Uni Bar, Adelaide Saturday, May 21 — Amplifier Bar, Perth Friday, May 27 — Solbar, Sunshine Coast Saturday, May 28 — The Zoo, Brisbane Sunday, May 29 — Studio 56 @ Miami Marketta, Gold Coast Tickets on sale now from littlemaymusic.com/tour.
15,000 white shells and 20,000 square metres of the beautiful, springtime setting of the Royal Botanic Gardens form the basis of this year's Kaldor Public Art Project. Its 32nd incarnation and the first to be created by an Indigenous artist, the piece is an installation by Wiradjuri/Kamilaroi artist Jonathan Jones, interpreting the footprint of the Garden Palace. Constructed in 1879, the building was destroyed by a fire three years later, taking with it thousands of Indigenous objects, which had been collected by colonisers. Titled barrangal dyara (skin and bones), the work is a whopping 250 metres by 150 metres. For Jones, it is a "response to the immense loss felt throughout Australia due to the destruction of these culturally significant items" and "represents an effort to commence a healing process and a celebration of the world's oldest living culture despite this traumatic event." At the installation's centre sits a meadow of native kangaroo grass, contrasting with the Royal Botanic Garden's European-inspired formality. As you wander through, you will hear soundscapes in eight Indigenous languages, which were put together in collaboration with southeastern communities. Keep an eye and ear out for presentations of Indigenous language, performances, talks, special events and workshops, which are happening daily. barrangal dyara (skin and bones) opens to the public on Saturday, September 17 for 17 days, closing on October 3, 2016. Entry is free and you can visit anytime during the Garden's opening hours, which are currently 9am and 5.30pm.
Heading to Byron Bay this July to flail around to The Cure, be obliterated by sound of The Avalanches and burl the words to The Strokes? You can't do all that without a little pre-game with your mates, preferably at a stunning beach house right on the ocean, with some of Australia's best upcoming artists playing sets just for you. Luckily for you, Concrete Playground has teamed up with Sonos to throw one heck of a beach party — and you could be on the guest list. We're putting on an intimate pre-festival gathering at one of Byron Bay's most iconic locations. It's called Beach Break (because you need one, we need one, everyone needs one). You could be joining mates CP and Sonos for a big ol' warm-up on Saturday, July 23, to be held at a secret location which only the guest list will know. You'll be kicking back at our Byron beach house with a cocktail, catching sets from Australia's one-to-watch artists Kllo and Banoffee, and listening to Sonos-curated party playlists. Register your interest and we could be seeing you at our pretty little beach house. ENTER HERE. This event is independently presented by Concrete Playground and Sonos, and is not associated with Splendour in the Grass or Secret Sounds.
Sydney lost a stalwart of the Kings Cross nightclub scene when Hugos closed its doors back in 2015. But the site of former venue is slowly being brought back to life. First, the team from Double Bay's now-closed Casablanca announced they were opening a Miami-inspired lounge bar in the Bayswater Road space, and now two of Sydney's young-gun restaurateurs have revealed they'll be launching a 'concept' Mexican restaurant in the same dwelling. Fei Jai and Barrio Cellar's owners Nicole Galloway and Peter Lew have revealed grand plans for their new space — which, by coincidence, is just across the road from their former venue, Barrio Chino. Their next project, a restaurant revolving around authentic, Mexican seafood and vegetable dishes, will occupy the long-vacant premises. Reese Griffiths, founder of The Agave Cartel, has come on board to oversee the agave-heavy drinks list, and talent from Mexico City will soon be confirmed as head of kitchen. The menu will be a bit more refined than that of Barrio Cellar's, and will include authentic Latin American delights with a strong regional focus, such as ceviche, aguachile, charcoal whole fish and tostadas. There'll also be a tortilla dish with tlayuda (a traditional black bean puree) charcoal meats from Oaxaca in Mexico's south that pays homage to the building's former pizza-making resident. "Mexican is a very special culture and cuisine so we wanted to create a menu that celebrates the rich traditions and flavours, while treating it with a contemporary hand. Simple food that's seriously flavourful and visual," says Galloway. Chula's interior is styled with the Mexican countryside in mind. With tones that channel countryside and beach, along with vintage cabinets, linen, tiled murals and an agave garden, you'll feel like you're in a Mexican country cantina. The new restaurant's name, Chula, has a double meaning. In Mexican slang, it's both 'pretty' and 'hot', and both the restaurant's stunning interior and picante menu can be described using this one word. "Kings Cross is our home, we raise our children here, we've had four businesses in the area," Galloway says. "King Cross has gone through an enormous amount of change over the last few years, and the idea of it coming back to life with new residential projects, bars, eateries and retail is an incredibly exciting prospect." There's currently no confirmed open date for Chula, but if you're looking to get back into the Hugos space, Flamingo Lounge is set to open at the end of the month. Chula will be located at 33 Bayswater Road, Sydney. An opening date will be released further down the track. We'll keep you updated.
Balmain's historic Town Hall Hotel has reopened to the public, after being snapped up by the Balmain Pub Group and given a refurb across both levels — with a new outdoor 'Treehouse' space. "We wanted to completely change it from what it was," said Warren Livingstone, who co-owns the pub with Nick Wills. "We wanted to make it a bright, sunny open venue, which would be attractive during the day as well as night, and we wanted to have a completely different vibe to every pub in Balmain." On ground level, you'll notice the much-loved island bar hasn't gone anywhere. If you're looking to catch a match, settle in front of one of the big screens. And, there's a pool table, too. Head upstairs for a cosy fireplace and quiet chats in the balcony Treehouse area. It's been revamped, with input from designer Will Dangar, so you can expect bright colours, cane furniture and dashes of greenery. Plans are in the works for a rooftop bar, overlooking the city. Meanwhile, Balmain Pub Group's executive chef and former AHA Chef of the Year Brad Sloane has come up with a brand new menu. Sliding in somewhere between classic pub fare and the high-end, dishes include seared tuna salad with green beans and chick peas, naked burgers, lamb cutlets and fish tacos. "[Brad] has been an institution in the Balmain area for years, from when the Riverview Hotel was part of the group," Warren said. "The menu is light and clean, with an emphasis on fresh fish, salads and shared plates." Find Balmain's Town Hall Hotel at 366 Darling Street, Balmain.
If you had to choose one drink that captures the essence of Sydney, what would it be? How about a handcrafted gin, made using a selection of botanicals picked from our own Royal Botanic Garden? Well, that's exactly what the folks at award-winning Distillery Botanica Gin have created with their just-released limited-edition Rather Royal Gin. In developing this one-off creation, master distiller Phillip Moore teamed up with the Botanic Garden's director of horticulture, Jimmy Turner, to pick out the most gin-worthy botanical haul this verdant, 220-year-old site had to offer. Botanicals from all over the Garden have leant their unique flavour qualities to the spirit, including mandarin leaf, lemon verbena, lovage, chamomile, and even Pope John Paul roses. An age-old technique called enfleurage was used to cold-extract the various perfumes and refine the gin to its final product — effectively, a trek through the Botanic Garden, in boozy liquid form. What's more, Rather Royal Gin will have you drinking for an excellent cause, with sale proceeds earmarked for the Garden's many conservation programs; from seed collection and banking, to research, training, and awareness. Plus, the bartenders are Bulletin Place are offering up a special limited edition cocktail using the gin. Just 1000 bottles of Rather Royal Gin have been crafted, so if you're keen to snap one up, you'd best get in quick. They're priced at $129 and are available from selected stockists, Distillery Botanica Gin's website, and over the bar at The Botanic Garden Restaurant.
First, the bad news. The Hi-Fi, as patrons in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane currently know and love, is no more. The saga that started with the company behind all three locations going into administration back in February will see the familiar name disappear. But the good news? You don't need to mourn the loss of another music venue. Boasting new owners as well as new management, the Hi-Fi is changing its name. Fans of live bands and casually excellent nights out can now head to Max Watt's. The new moniker comes from Max Watt's Operating Pty Ltd, the knight in shining armour that swooped in to stop the three music-scene mainstays from permanently closing their doors. In a new business model, bookings for future gigs and all online marketing activities will be handled by The Venue Collective. The experienced team already manages the music lineups for Melbourne's the Corner, 170 Russell, Northcote Social Club, and Shebeen, Sydney's Newtown Social Club and Brisbane's Woolly Mammoth. It might take some time to get used to calling the Hi-Fi something different, but it's a better outcome than looked likely just over a month ago. Rebranding will take place on site over the next few weeks, and in terms of shows, it's business as usual. Now, music lovers can breathe a sigh of relief. Via The Music.
First, there was Laurel and Hardy. Then, there was Abbott and Costello. And now, there’s Morrow and Keneally. That’s Julian Morrow and Kristina Keneally. Yep, they’re now a showbiz duo. The Chaser comedian and the former NSW premier are hitting the stage to present a new live event at Redfern's Giant Dwarf. Titled Photo Opp — Snapshots of a Public Life, it takes a look at the lives and careers of Australian politicians, as focalised through photographs brought by the pollie — or sent in by you. The first session, happening on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm, will feature special guest Tony Windsor, former state and federal MP. He was an independent in not one but two hung parliaments, so you can expect some insight into both the Liberal State Government, as led by Nick Greiner, and the Federal Labor Government under Julia Gillard. "Photo Opp will be like a slide night for politics junkies," said Keneally and Morrow in a media statement. "We’re looking forward to taking a trip down political memory lane with significant political figures like Tony Windsor. Photo Opp will provide a thought-provoking and fun look at the role of image and perception in public life, for better and worse. And we’'ll find out what was really going on behind the scenes in some famous political moments captured in photographs." Photo Opp – Snapshots of a Public Life kicks off on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm at Giant Dwarf, 199 Cleveland Street, Redfern. Anyone can submit photos of Photo Opp guests via email to photo.opp@giantdwarf.com.au. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen, BRW.
Visiting Sydney's rugged Blue Mountains region is always worth the two-hour drive from the city. There are hundreds of things to do — from bushwalks, to abseils, to waterfalls, to standing around and generally admiring the view. There's also the option to do all of that in one go — with a Blue Mountains canyoning adventure. The description on this RedBalloon adventure says you don't have to be a professional adventurer (no abseiling or canyoning experience is required). But requirements are being able to walk up steep steps for 20 minutes and swim for 25 metres, which we discovered makes it a full on adventure that even the more experienced in the group will enjoy. Dedicate one day out of your weekend to abseiling off cliffs over massive valleys, jumping over rocks in freezing water, canyoning, and swimming in waterfalls. The day starts with some beginner abseiling over the Megalong Valley (see below). Later, you'll go rock jumping through caves, and eventually abseil a 30 metre waterfall. Read this and find out what you're really in for. THE MORNING Arrive at The School of Mountaineering at 8:45am. There are two instructors per group of ten, so you're sure to get individual attention throughout the day. In the Megalong Valley you'll start off with a couple of practice runs abseiling off a cliff. The shortest is five metres, and the longest is thirty metres — they vary in difficulty and overlook the massive valley below, so if you're not too terrified you should look down and enjoy the view. You're only abseiling a minuscule portion of the distance to the ground, but you'll feel the height in your gut. These smaller trips are 'practices' because they're intended to get you ready for the tough abseil of the 30 metre Empress Falls at the end of the day. THE AFTERNOON The next part of the adventure is a twenty-minute hike down a mountain. Enjoy this trip down, because soon you'll be going the other way and you'll feel every step. Once you reach the creek at the base, change into a wet-suit and pop your clothes into a dry bag – make sure you close it properly, the water you're about to jump into is cold. Very cold. Your instructors will mention how cold the water is several times, but there is no way to properly oversell this point. You'll get used to the temperature pretty quickly, but you'll definitely want your clothes nice and warm when you're out. Your group will be instructed how to trek through the canyon you're in, which can be a dangerous activity if your head isn't screwed on straight. There are four water jumps through the canyon, at varying difficulty and at a maximum height of 5 metres. The safest option is the 'Grandma' jump, but once you get confident you can go for the more extreme 'Keanu Reeves' and 'Mission Impossible' styles. Take a breather and look up among the oasis of the temperate rainforest within this sandstone gorge. The peaceful air is unparalleled and makes it easier to forget the cold. The only way out the canyon is to abseil the Empress Waterfall. This is why the adventure is not for onlookers or the faint of heart – once you commit to the canyon, you're in it. THE WATERFALL Harnessed in, you go over the ledge of the waterfall and immediately duck into its cave. This rope is heavy duty and it's the most important time to remember your abseiling training because the waterfall crashing over your head is a major distraction (even though it's beautiful). At the end of the rock, take a final leap and land in the waters of Jamison Valley. Savour your success – a few minutes later you'll be heading back up those steep steps. Change out of your wet-suit and get going while the adrenaline is still kicking in. Book your Blue Mountains canyoning adventure (or gift it to someone else) at RedBalloon. Images: Marissa Ciampi and RedBalloon.
Remember the good ol' days, when ten bucks could buy a decent feed at a pub, any time of day, any day of the week? Well, regular budget meals might be a thing of the past. But, that doesn't mean it's impossible to get some bang for your buck. It's a matter of knowing where to go and when. Heaps of Sydney's pubs still put on high-quality fare for low-end prices, but most of them only do it on particular days. So, we thought we'd do you a favour and scope out the best deals. Here's your every-day-of-the-week guide to the city's finest cheap pub grub — from 50 cent wings to $1 dumplings to $9.90 chicken schnitties. Round up your pennies and get stuck in. You're so welcome. [caption id="attachment_555139" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Dove & Olive.[/caption] MONDAY Only one day into the working week, but not ready to face those grimy, grimy dishes? Let the good folk at Surry Hills's Dove & Olive take care of the dirty work for you and focus on savouring the results. $9.90 will buy you a decent-sized, tasty schnitty with fries and salad. In fact, their $9.90 specials are available all week, till Thursday, so it's worth having a peek at what's happening on other days. Meanwhile, among the lush greenery of the airy Woollahra Hotel, swap 15 bucks for a generous steak with mushroom, peppercorn or parsley butter sauce. If you're northward or have a little more time for dinner, grab a friend and catch a ferry to Manly, where you can soak in ocean views while tucking into two for one meals in the Hotel Steyne's Seaside Bistro. [caption id="attachment_555126" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: The Clock.[/caption] TUESDAY Sometimes, there's no better place in town to relax after — or during — a long day than on The Clock Hotel's shady verandah in Surry Hills. Take a mate with you on a Tuesday and you'll score two meals for the price of one, anytime between 12pm and 3pm, and between 5pm and 10pm. If you're lunching, treat your coworker buds to a cheeky James Squire One Fifty Lashes — goes down a treat. If you're in the mood for a quick side-trip Mexico, head to The Norfolk on Cleveland Street for soft shell tacos. At 3 bucks a go with five flavours to choose from, they're a steal. Or, for a swim with your meal, pack your togs and escape to The Narrabeen Sands for 'Tight-Ass Tuesdays', when all mains worth up to $28 go out the door for $15 each. [caption id="attachment_555128" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: The Morrison.[/caption] WEDNESDAY Celebrate hump day by swinging into Paddo for $1 wings among the exposed brickwork, tiled walls and leather benches of the elegantly revamped The Village Inn. That's right, with any schooner purchase, you'll score as many chicken flying bits as you can handle — all for $1 each. On the other hand, if you're thinking about seafood, head into the city for $1 oysters at The Morrison. You get one hour from 6pm to do like the Walrus from Alice in Wonderland. For a more substantial feast, there's a treat to be had at Cronulla's newly refurbished Northies in the form of a beef burger and schooner of James Squire pilsner for $15. [caption id="attachment_555129" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Bridgeview Hotel.[/caption] THURSDAY At North Shore institution Willoughby's Bridgeview Hotel, a burger and matching beer cost just 20 bucks, with seasonal specials to boot. Be sure to check out the district views from the rooftop. If, however, you're on the south side of the harbour, the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel will trade you 15 bucks for a half-rack of BBQ pork ribs between 5pm and 9pm. Or, at Newtown's Coopers Hotel, join the lively local crowd for a two-for-one gastropub meal and maybe a James Squire Swindler Summer Ale or two. Only one day till the weekend, right? You can get through Friday with your eyes shut. [caption id="attachment_555137" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel.[/caption] FRIDAY Dive straight into the weekend with harbour views and a $15 pizza or pasta at the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel. Or, to squeeze in a mini Spanish vacation before you go paint the town red, wander down to the Clovelly Hotel, where, for $23, you'll be rewarded with a hearty paella and sangria. The Spanish theme continues in Balmain at The Riverview Hotel, with $5 tapas on the go between 5pm and 7pm. Options at this gastropub sound like they're worth a lot more than a fiver. They include mushroom polenta chips with gorgonzola, spiced squid with harissa aiolo and cajun chicken tulips with pomegranate molasses and chilli. [caption id="attachment_555131" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Strawberry Hills Hotel.[/caption] SATURDAY Come the weekend proper, it's hard to beat a visit to the Strawberry Hills Hotel. The long-standing king of cheap pub grub in Sydney, the Hills offers $12.50 pub classics, not only on Saturdays, but all week long. Recover from the night before and get strength for the one coming with serious protein hit: rump steak, chicken schnitzel, fish and chips and salt and peppered squid are all on the menu. A similar deal is happening over at The Shakespeare, self-described "home of the $12.50 meal". For that very price tag, the legendary pub will sort you out with fish and chips, spinach and ricotta rigatoni, chicken schnitzel, rump steak (add $5 to make it surf and turf) or spicy vege nachos. Otherwise, jump over to the cosy, rustic Stoned Crow in Crow's Nest and settle down to a pizza for $8.90. [caption id="attachment_554935" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Bald Faced Stag.[/caption] SUNDAY Many a languid Sunday afternoon has been spent at Leichhardt's Bald Faced Stag in the company of what could be the bargain of the millennium: chicken wings for 50c. But, then again, one dollar dumplings at the Marrickville Ritz Hotel put up some stiff competition — they start serving them at 11.30am and don't stop till 9pm. If you're a stickler for tradition and Sunday means only one thing to you: roast, then Irish Pub PJ O'Brien's, in the city, is your friend. For $15, you get a choice of beef, lamb or chicken, along with creamy mash, seasonal veggies and gravy. Top image: The Norfolk.
He took home this year's best director Oscar thanks to his enchanting monster romance, and now he's in the spotlight at the Spanish Film Festival. That'd be The Shape of Water's Guillermo del Toro, with the fest celebrating his 2006 Academy Award-winner Pan's Labyrinth as its closing night selection. Of course, on its tour of Australia between April 17 and May 16, the country's long-running celebration of Spanish-language filmmaking has plenty of other delights amongst its 25-film program. Marking its 21st year in 2018, that includes opening night's The Tribe, a street-dancing musical comedy inspired by real-life Spain's Got Talent winners, plus No Filter, this year's Spanish box office smash about a woman who can't stop speaking her mind. Other high-profile highlights range from screenings of Pixar's gorgeous Coco, in case you missed it in cinemas late last year; to a who's who of Spanish talent in historical epic Gold; to Loving Pablo, which features Javier Bardem as Pablo Escobar and Penélope Cruz as the journalist who falls for him. Fans of both actors can also catch them in Jamón Jamón — which, released back in 1992, was actually Cruz's first film. It plays as part of a four-feature retrospective dedicated to filmmaker Bigas Luna, alongside his fellow hits Golden Balls and The Tit and The Moon. A documentary compiled from the late director's video diaries, Bigas x Bigas, will enjoy its Australian premiere to round out the program strand. Plus, in the kind of curation that every film festival could benefit from, the Spanish Film Festival will also showcase the work of emerging Spanish female directors. While Summer 1993 actually played at last year's fest as well, the charming delight is getting another spin, with Málaga Film Festival hit Julia Is, Spanish Civil War-focused The Bastard's Fig Tree and the Goya-nominated The Open Door also on the bill. In addition, Melburnians get an extra pick thanks to doco Singled [Out], which was partially shot in Australia by the Melbourne-based Mariona Guiu and Barcelona-based Ariadna Relea. The Spanish Film Festival tours Australia from April 17, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from April 17 to May 6; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Brighton Bay, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from April 19 to May 6, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from April 26 to May 13. For more information, visit the festival website.
