You read that headline correctly: Newtown has officially scored its first self-service bar. Taking over the site formerly occupied by Lentil As Anything, Buddy's brings a brand new bar concept to life that'll put your beer-pulling skills on display. Located in the guts of King Street, the two-storey boozery is the brainchild of co-owners Jimmy Roe and Duncan McGeoch, who've kept the fit-out relatively simple with ample seating, polished brick, and a heap of natural light, as well as playful custom artwork by Newtown artist Paul Tooth. But the main event here is the beverage wall on each level which boasts a selection of 33 taps to pour from (soon to be upped to 45). This considerable drinks lineup comes from a carefully curated selection of local craft beer, natural wine, house-made cocktails and non-alcoholic options, all of which are stored in kegs. And the storage choice is purposeful. Roe and McGeoch are committed to reducing their environmental impact, ensuring that lowering waste and minimising the business's carbon footprint is top of mind and steers their business practices. Roe told Concrete Playground, "We want to offer an experience without the wastage that can be traditionally generated at hospitality venues," Roe says. The pair also acknowledge the significance of being the first venue to open in the former home of a beloved, long-time Newtown institution. "We saw it as an opportunity to take over an incredible site and build a space that continues to create long lasting memories and a connection with the community," says Roe. If you're wondering how exactly the self-serve system works (and how it isn't an RSA minefield), here's the general gist. You start by procuring a Buddy's venue card upon entrance and pre-load it with your desired amount to spend. From there, you head to the beverage wall where you grab a glass and select your booze of choice, the tap your card to activate the tap and pour to your heart's content. The system tracks volume limits and is responsible for card reactivation, so you'll be kept in check. It's not all booze, though. If you're feeling peckish, Buddy's has partnered with the local crew from Rub-A-Dub seasoning and has a snack-heavy sharing menu on offer. You'll find a bunch of beer-friendly options like nachos, flatbread Italian pizzas and Rub-A-Dub's famous chicken ribs, alongside Aussie classics like fairy bread. And if you're catering to a larger group — or just up for an insane personal challenge — opt for the one-metre long bruschetta. The top level of the venue is also exhibition-friendly and can be booked out for private functions, and DJs play tunes and bring vibe every Friday and Saturday. Buddy's Newtown is open at 391 King Street, Wednesday to Friday from 4pm to 12am and on Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 12am.
Looking to escape the city for an afternoon? This might be one of the best ways to do it. The Central Coast's newest restaurant boasts fresh flaky pastries, dishes made with local produce and a deck that lets you enjoy the two in a seriously serene bush setting. Set on the site of a former nursery on a 28-acre Mount White estate, Saddles is a project of John Singleton — known for reinventing Icebergs in the 90s — and Andrew Dickson Architects. From the outset it replicates an Australian homestead setting, particularly with the sprawling deck that sits over the property's glassy dam. These sensibilities are carried on inside by Michelle Leslie of MLD and some stunning features from local craftsman Heath Harris. He designed the brass-scalloped bar provided his master saddler artistry for the bespoke saddle bar stools — which is where the restaurant gets its name. Other components of the Saddles property include a dining area overlooking a waterfall feature, a sandstone fireplace, a piano bar and indoor Moreton Bay fig plants to green the interior. The venue is run by chef Cameron Cansdell alongside his business partner and wine Hayley, who together own Avoca's Bombini. Cameron pulls from Saddles' on-site kitchen garden, committing to a "simple and ethical" menu, featuring a reasonably priced menu of things like barbecue sand whiting and Little Hill Farm chicken with pickled cumquats. And when it comes to drinks, the list consists of exclusively Australian wine and spirits. Saddles is also a bakehouse — so even if you don't want to do a full sit-down lunch, you can stop in for breakfast or a coffee and some fresh sourdough, beef and mushroom pies, pork and fennel sausage rolls, honey cream rolls, custard tarts and lamingtons served with raspberry cream. In the future, the restaurant hopes to increase its activities for visitors to enjoy, and it plans to open a garden centre by 2018. When everything is in full swing, it'll make for the perfect Sunday activity — especially as it's only about an hour from the city. Saddles is now open daily from 8am–5pm (and until 8pm on Fridays) at 20 Ashbrookes Road, Mount White. You can book at saddlesmtwhite.com.au.
When Sydney Film Festival unveils its complete lineup in May each year, it lets Australian movie lovers know which features are on the way to the Harbour City just before the cinema-adoring world turns its eyes to Cannes. Consider the Aussie fest a cure for film FOMO, then. Plenty of the movies that are set to wow audiences in France this month will head Down Under next month. SFF always adds more such titles just before it kicks off, as late additions to the program, but 2025's roster of flicks already boasts 15 entries in the direct-from-Cannes camp. Here's a few, all playing between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15: Josh O'Connor (Challengers) and Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza) in heist-thriller mode in filmmaker Kelly Reichardt's (Showing Up) 70s-set The Mastermind; It Was Just an Accident, the latest feature from acclaimed Iranian director Jafar Panahi (No Bears), who is also the subject of one of SFF's 2025 retrospectives; and Dangerous Animals, hailing from Australian helmer Sean Byrne (The Loved Ones, The Devil's Candy) and telling a tale of a shark-obsessed serial killer on the Gold Coast. Musing on its eponymous author as only filmmaker Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) can, Orwell: 2+2=5 is also taking the Cannes-to-Sydney route. So is coming-of-age story Enzo from BPM (Beats Per Minute)'s Robin Campillo; Mirrors No 3, which sees German director Christian Petzold reteam with his Transit, Undine and Afire star Paula Beer; Nigeria's My Father's Shadow, the first-ever movie from the country to be selected to play on the Croisette; The Secret Agent, led by Wagner Moura (Dope Thief) for filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho (a Sydney Film Festival Prize-winner for Aquarius); and Vie Privée with Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country). Some of the aforementioned titles are vying for this year's SFF prize, in the competition's 17th year — where opening night's already-announced Together, a new body-horror by Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks (The Wizards of Aus) starring Alison Brie (Apples Never Fall) and Dave Franco (Love Lies Bleeding) is also in contention. A few movies that the festival announced back in April, when it started giving sneak peeks at its 2025 lineup, are equally on that category. Will DJ Ahmet, a Sundance-winner after collecting its World Cinema — Dramatic Audience Award, emerge victorious? Or will that honour go to 2025 Berlinale Grand Jury Prize-winner The Blue Trail? They're in the running, with The Narrow Road to the Deep North filmmaker Justin Kurzel, one of his recent stars in Thomas Weatherall, the latter's Heartbreak High co-star Rachel House, plus Hong Kong-based producer Winnie Tsang and Marrakech International Film Festival director Melita Toscan du Plantier all doing the judging. What features Tom Hiddleston's (Loki) newest performance as well, with The Life of Chuck directed by The Fall of the House of Usher's Mike Flanagan and based on a Stephen King novella? What also boasts Jacob Elordi (Oh, Canada), Daisy Edgar-Jones (Twisters) and Will Poulter (Warfare) in queer romance On Swift Horses, plus Richard Linklater's (Hit Man) Blue Moon with Ethan Hawke (Leave the World Behind), Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Andrew Scott (Ripley) — alongside Carey Mulligan (Spaceman) in music-fuelled comedy The Ballad of Wallis Island, the Dylan O'Brien (Saturday Night)-led Twinless and Pike River with Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets) getting its world premiere? This year's Sydney Film Festival. Which event is adding to its screening venues in 2025 in a spectacular way by showing films at Sydney Opera House, too? And which fest has 201 movies from 70 countries on its lineup, with 17 world premieres, six international premieres and 137 Australian premieres among them? The answer is still the same. How does long-term Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley characterise this year's program, the event's 72nd? "The 2025 Festival offers a bold and expansive view of cinema today, with films that confront the urgent realities of our world, while also revelling in the power of imagination and storytelling," he advises. "From astonishing Australian debuts to daring new works by global auteurs, this year's program is a celebration of creative risk, personal vision and artistic resilience. We invite audiences to explore this thrilling lineup, connect with filmmakers from around the world, and share in the transformative joy of cinema." Other 2025 highlights include Berlin's Golden Bear-winner Dreams (Sex Love); Aussie effort Death of an Undertaker, the directorial debut of actor Christian Byers (Bump), who uses an IRL Leichhardt funeral parlour as his setting; Dreams, with Jessica Chastain (Mothers' Instinct) reuniting with her Memory helmer Michel Franco; satire Kontinental '25, from Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World and Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn's Radu Jude; and What Does That Nature Say to You, the latest from South Korea's prolific Hong Sang-soo (In Our Day). Or, there's the near-future Tokyo-set Happyend, the Luca Guadagnino (Queer)-produced Nineteen, Tibetan-language anthology State of Statelessness (the first ever, in fact), Naomi Watts (Feud) and Bill Murray (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) in page-to-screen dramedy The Friend, Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar collaborator Kahlil Joseph's BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions, and Vicky Krieps (The Dead Don't Hurt) and Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things) tackling grief and possession in Went Up the Hill. Among the standouts on the festival's documentary slate, Jennifer Peedom (River) turns her focus to the quest to make the world's deepest cave dive by Thai cave rescue hero Dr Richard Harris in Deeper, 20 Days in Mariupol's Mstyslav Chernov works bodycam footage from the Ukrainian frontline into 2000 Metres to Andriivka and All I Had Was Nothingness features unused material from iconic Holocaust documentary Shoah 40 years on. Plus, Floodland is focused on Lismore, Journey Home, David Gulpilil charts the iconic actor's journey to be laid to rest, Prime Minister shines a spotlight on Jacinda Ardern and trying to open a Tokyo restaurant is at the heart of Tokito: The 540-Day Journey of a Culinary Maverick. Fans of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, take note: it's up for discussion in Chain Reactions from Alexandre O Philippe (Lynch/Oz). If you miss the video-store era, Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) understands, and has made Videoheaven about it — a film essay solely comprised from movie and TV clips. A New Leaf, The Heartbreak Kid, Mikey and Nicky and Ishtar director Elaine May earns SFF's second 2025 retrospective, while the fest's lineup of restored classics includes the Aussie likes of Muriel's Wedding, Somersault and Mullet, plus Angel's Egg from Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii. For viewers of all ages, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon is also on the program. SFF's 2025 announcements until now were already impressive, so there's not only more joining the above flicks courtesy of the full program — they already have great company. Barry Keoghan's (Bird) new Irish thriller Bring Them Down; the Australian premiere of homegrown animation Lesbian Space Princess; music documentaries One to One: John & Yoko and Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao e Rua — Two Worlds; Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door)- and Michael Shannon (The Bikeriders)-starring post-apocalyptic musical The End; intimacy coordinators getting the doco treatment; Ellis Park, about Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds collaborator, Dirty Three founder and frequent film-score composer Warren Ellis: they're on the lineup, too. So is the one-film movie marathon that is 14-hour picture Exergue — on documenta 14, which is set inside the 2017 edition of the documenta art exhibition in Germany and Greece. Audiences will watch it in four- to five-hour segments — because, if it wasn't already apparent, there's no such thing as too much time spent in a cinema at Sydney Film Festival. [caption id="attachment_1002690" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Christian Schulz/ Schrammfilm[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1002697" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Screenshot[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1002698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Greg Cotten[/caption] Sydney Film Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at cinemas across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information and tickets.
We're going back ... back to see Back to the Future, this time as a musical on the Sydney Lyric Theatre's stage. First floated 20 years ago by the big-screen trilogy's screenwriter Bob Gale, then finally premiering in 2020, the song-filled take on Marty McFly and Doc Brown's exploits has proven an award-winning success in London's West End and on Broadway. In 2025, the DeLorean is finally heading to Australia. The power of Back to the Future isn't really a curious thing. As viewers have known since 1985, the Michael J Fox (The Good Fight)-starring sci-fi/comedy is timeless delight. But as well as making film lovers weep with joy for almost four decades, the iconic movie has been making other folks sing — the casts of the Olivier Award-winning Back to the Future: The Musical, that is. Aussie audiences will get to see the results from September 2025 in the show's Down Under premiere season. Exclaiming "great Scott!" is obviously the only fitting response to this development, and to the production in general — and there's clearly plenty to get excited about. Since initially racing towards clocktowers onstage in the UK since early 2020 (around a pandemic hiatus or two, of course), Back to the Future: The Musical has picked up the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, and then was nominated for two Tony Awards in 2024. And yes, the show does indeed follow the Marty McFly and Doc Brown-led story we all know and adore, but with songs, including renditions of Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B Goode' and Huey Lewis and the News' 'The Power of Love' and 'Back in Time', naturally. Australian fans will now want to speed at 88 miles per hour towards the Harbour City, given that it is the only Aussie city where a season of Back to the Future: The Musical has been announced so far. If you won't be making a visit to the New South Wales capital by plane or DeLorean, start crossing your fingers that the production heads to other Aussie cities — or pop on your own white lab coat, start tinkering around with electronics and whip up your own time machine to try to make it happen. There's no exact date for the show's Down Under opening yet, other than sometime in September 2025, but you can now join the ticket waitlist to find out as soon as more details are announced. Also featuring music and lyrics by OG Back to the Future composer Alan Silvestri and acclaimed songwriter Glen Ballard (Jagged Little Pill the Musical), plus a book by Gale — who co-penned all three Back to the Future film scripts with filmmaker Robert Zemeckis (Here) — Back to the Future: The Musical was nominated for seven Olivier Awards. It only won the big one, but emerged victorious over heavy-hitters and fellow screen-to-stage shows Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Frozen. "I am thrilled to be bringing Back to the Future: The Musical to Australia, premiering at the Sydney Lyric in September 2025. Australian audiences are going to be blown away to see how this iconic story has been recreated for the stage," said Australian producer John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia. "To paraphrase Marty McFly, you guys are ready for this, and your kids are gonna love it (too)! If Bob Zemeckis and I time-travelled back to 1980 and told our younger selves that the script they were struggling to write would become a West End and Broadway musical now making its way to Sydney, Australia 45 years later, they'd kick us out of their office and call us crazy," added Gale. "Well, sometimes, crazy ideas give birth to great entertainment, and now Bob and I are eager to share our musical vision with Sydney audiences. This musical production has exceeded our original expectations on every level. Regardless of whether you've seen the original film, Back to the Future: The Musical, with its incredible stagecraft, will delight and enthrall you, your kids, your parents, and everyone you know!" Check out the trailer for Back to the Future: The Musical below: Back to the Future: The Musical is playing Sydney Lyric Theatre, 55 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont, Sydney from September 2025. Head to the show's Australian website to join the ticket waitlist and keep an eye out for more details. Images: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman, and Sean Ebsworth Barnes.
Greenlighting Anyone But You with Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell as its leads must've been among Hollywood's easiest decisions. One of the rom-com's stars has been everywhere from Euphoria and The White Lotus to Reality of late, plus Sharp Objects and The Handmaid's Tale before that, and has a stint in the superhero realm on Madame Web to come. The other is fresh off feeling the need for speed in Top Gun: Maverick, including getting sweaty and shirtless in the beach scene. They both drip charisma. If this was the 80s, 90s or 00s, they each would have an entire segment of their filmographies dedicated to breezy romantic comedies like this Sydney-shot film, and probably more than a few together. From here, they might achieve that feat yet — because if there's much ado about anything in Anyone But You, it's about how well its two main talents shine as a pair. Regardless of that gleaming casting, director and co-writer Will Gluck crafts his first adult-oriented flick in 12 years — since Friends with Benefits, with Annie and the two Peter Rabbit movies since — as if it's still two, three or four decades back. The gimmick-fuelled plot, the scenic setting, the swinging between stock-standard and OTT supporting characters: they're all formulaically present and accounted for in Anyone But You. Also eagerly splashed in is the picture's biggest twist, courtesy of its filmmaker and co-scribe Ilana Wolpert (a feature first-timer sporting writing and story-editing credits on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on her resume). With Easy A, Gluck took inspiration from The Scarlet Letter, giving it a modern-day remake. Now, complete with some character names to match (there's no Dogberry, though, but there is a dog), ample matchmaking gossip and lines from the play clumsily dotted around the sets for viewers to see, Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing scores the overt riffs. Always apparent as well: the fact that, even as it follows in the Bard of Avon's footsteps, Anyone But You's story constantly comes second to Sweeney and Powell's smouldering chemistry. Plus, most of its obvious jokes only land because the twosome sell them, and the whole movie. Takes on Shakespeare's 16th-century-penned, 17th-century-published rom-com have graced the big screen before. In the past 30 years, see: 1993's with Emma Thompson (What's Love Got to Do with It?) and Kenneth Branagh (A Haunting in Venice) as Beatrice and Benedick, and Branagh directing, and also 2012's with Buffyverse alums Amy Acker (The Watchful Eye) and Alexis Denisof (How I Met Your Father) for Joss Whedon (their guiding hand on Buffy and Angel). But this one is as merry as the day is long about being a playground for Sweeney and Powell first and foremost. Law student Bea (Sweeney) and finance bro Ben (Powell) meet-cute over a restroom key in a busy cafe. She's desperate to use the facilities, the staff won't let her unless she buys something, the line is morning-rush long and he claims that she's his wife to help. So begins a dreamy day of flirting, walking, talking, cooking grilled-cheese sandwiches and connecting over deep secrets like Gluck is fashioning a sped-up version of the Before trilogy, too. That heavenly first date ends badly the next morning, however. More pain is in store when Bea's sister Halle (Hadley Robinson, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) starts dating Ben's best friend Pete's (GaTa, Dave) sister Claudia (Alexandra Shipp, Barbie) months later. When an engagement is next, cue Bea and Ben's feud going international at the destination wedding in Australia, then getting a shakeup when the quarrelling duo pretend that they're together. There's kindness in this faux truce, alongside trickery and self-interest. Bea and Ben are trying stop their squabbling ruining the nuptials, yes, but they're attempting to get her parents to back off from campaigning for a reunion with her ex-fiancé Jonathan (Darren Barnet, Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story) at the same time — and to make his own past love Margaret (model-turned-acting debutant Charlee Fraser), Claudia and Pete's Australian cousin, jealous. Anyone But You's protagonists are also well-aware that the rest of the wedding party is conspiring to push them into love, subscribing to the whole "fighting means you like them" theory, and quickly tired of overhearing conversations that they're meant to about each other. Romantic-comedy logic dictates what happens next, of course, as packaged with slapstick gags, literal bathroom humour, sing-alongs, farce everywhere, as much flaunted bare flesh as an Aussie beach, and far more horniness than has been typically seen in 2010s and 2020s cinema. Every expected narrative beat is struck, then. Almost every genre cliche is hit as well. Nodding to other rom-com wedding flicks — My Best Friend's Wedding co-stars Dermot Mulroney and Rachel Griffiths play Bea's mum and dad, and the latter is also a Muriel's Wedding alum — is also heartily on the menu. So are fish-out-of-water Americans-in-Australia jokes, and being cheesily Aussie via koalas, endless shots of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House to make both Tourism Australia and Destination NSW proud, and Bryan Brown (Faraway Downs) and Joe Davidson (Neighbours) playing the stereotypical parts. The vision of Sydney that the film inhabits is not only overseas tourist bait, but a one-percenter paradise, as evidenced by the sprawling seaside home of Pete and Claudia's parents (Brown and Star Trek: Picard's Michelle Hurd) that becomes the movie's on-screen base. And yet, as Anyone But You needs and knows with gleeful self-awareness that it's going to get, Sweeney and Powell ace their performances and rapport, and couldn't be more watchable in the process. While no one has a particularly difficult job — least of all cinematographer Danny Ruhlmann (True Spirit), with the film's two stars and a sunny, picturesque locale to lens — it's their lively back and forth and game-for-anything commitment that keeps the picture afloat. For months, this was the feature that sparked headline-grabbing off-screen rumours about life imitating art. Now, it's an audition piece for a second silver-screen team up. Back in the 80s, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn did it (in Swing Shift and Overboard). The 90s had Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks (Joe vs the Volcano, Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail), plus Julia Roberts and Richard Gere (Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride), while it was Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey's (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Fool's Gold) turn in the 00s. After Anyone But You, audiences won't want anyone but Sweeney and Powell to be next.
Not many people read Australian fiction. The industry is small and in a spot of trouble, and a lot of Australians seem to have cultural cringe when it comes to the artistic output of their own country. Part of thois may be attributed to the fact that the local books we're taught in school are so serious and forbidding. But once you take a look at the books they don't teach you, you realise how rich and beautiful Australian literature really is, and you wonder why nobody let you in on it before. It's been an exciting time for local books of late. With the recent announcement of this year's Miles Franklin Award as well as the release of the Text Classics range — a collection of locally-written books at cheapskate prices — the time is right for the best of Australia's oft-forgotten cult classics to be embraced en masse. So, to help you out, Concrete Playground has picked out some of our finest local wordsmiths' efforts. Loaded by Christos Tsiolkas Tsiolkas, of The Slap infamy, published his first novel in 1995 and arguably hasn't written anything as powerful since. Set over one hedonic night in Melbourne, Loaded follows Ari, who's unemployed, misanthropic and refuses to be defined by either his Greek heritage or his emerging homosexuality. The novel's prose hums with the intensity of alcohol-soaked late nights and pill-fueled early mornings; it's the kind of novel you'll read in one sitting and be left breathless by once you're done. Loaded was also made into a brilliant film, Head On, in 1998. Available here Wake In Fright by Kenneth Cook If you ever want a reason not to go out into the outback, this is it. Wake In Fright is a horror story set in a fictionalised Broken Hill, where a pale and naive city kid, John Grant, is trapped in a hell of alcohol-fuelled violence, sexual humiliation and spiritual nightmare. Made into a film, which was restored and re-released in 2009, in 1972, Wake In Fright is a terrifying and sadly neglected classic in both its forms. Available here Praise by Andrew McGahan The ultimate novel about being young, unemployed and not caring in early '90s Brisbane, Praise pretty much defined the 'grunge lit' genre when drugs were cheap and Kurt Cobain was still loping around stages in a grotty cardigan. The novel follows Gordon Buchanan, chain-smoking asthma sufferer, his girlfriend Cynthia, a former heroin-addict with chronic eczema, and their awkward attempt to stay together. Written in a simple style and often described as 'raw' in a frustratingly ambiguous way, Praise isn't for the faint-hearted. Available here Monkey Grip by Helen Garner Published in 1977 and made into a film in 1982, Helen Garner's first novel of share houses, junkies, and irrational, anarchic desire in 1970s Melbourne has, over the years, become a counter-cultural Australian classic. Like reading somebody's journal, Monkey Grip bears a remarkable resemblance to the lives of most Australians in their twenties, with the main character Nora trying and failing to extricate herself from a messy relationship with Javo, an actor and a junkie. Monkey Grip is available as a Popular Penguin, so you only need a spare tenner to get your hands on it. Available here Candy by Luke Davies If you've heard about Candy it's likely to be the film version featuring Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish. But we're here to tell you that the book is better. While it's not like there's a dearth of novels about heroin addiction, Candy is one of the best, and just so happens to be Australian. Davies had a habit for over a decade, so he brings the reality of his experiences to a story where the horror of addiction is coupled with love, tenderness and utter confusion. Easy to read, Candy isn't always easy to deal with, because unlike other counter-cultural mavericks, Davies doesn't glamourise a story which, although beautiful, is still one of heartbreak and loss. Available here Blue Skies by Helen Hodgman Only recently re-published, Blue Skies is a bleak insight into the life of a new houswife and mother trapped in the bland hell of 1970s Tasmanian suburbia. Bored with a husband who rarely comes home, she lives for the two days a week she can escape the suburbs and lose herself in weird affairs with, amongst others, her best friend's kaftan-wearing husband. Hodgman's books were praised to the skies when they were published in the '70s, but then circumstances intervened and her writing went out of print until Text brought them back to life this year as 'lost classics.' Available here And The Ass Saw The Angel by Nick Cave Is there anything Nick Cave can't do? Alongside fronting The Bad Seeds, Grinderman and The Birthday Party, penning the screenplays for The Proposition and Lawless, and generally being one of our all-round favourite people, Cave has written two novels; one good, one less so. And The Ass Saw The Angel, published in 1989, is the good one, told from the perspective of a mute living as an outcast in a small town in the Southern US. It's a world of incest, religious fanatacism, madness, and drinking, and like anything Nick Cave, a terrible Biblical revenge will be wrought. Available here
The surge of interest in online shopping has crested over the past few years, in part due to our inability to enter physical stores but also because of the general convenience and, frankly, addictive qualities of the click-to-purchase ritual. Despite this undeniable pendulum swing toward keyboard-driven purchasing, there are still advantages to the bricks-and-mortar in-person shopping experience that make it irreplaceable. For starters and on a practical note, there's the instant gratification of taking home a new item without delay. You've seen it, touched it or tried it on for guaranteed success. Then, on a more emotional level, there's the atmosphere and ambience of in-person shopping and the experience of a physical storefront that is still, for my money, a true leisure activity until itself. And more and more, retailers are creating moments to elevate that experience further and give that personal connection more weight. Throughout the month of August, the Strand Arcade is luring shoppers to its hallowed halls with a series of activations to shine a spotlight on local design talent (The Strand is home to stores for designers Dion Lee, Sarah & Sebastian and Aje — among others) and bring that extra spark of intention to punters' window shopping. The Strand Arcade have collaborated with Susan Armstrong and Michelle Grey, the co-founders and curators of Arts-Matter (read our interview here) on a series of installations that bring together local artists with a handful of The Strand's Australian designers for "Sculpture: The Fashion Of Form" to showcase the ways in which the creative disciplines come together. [caption id="attachment_914372" align="alignnone" width="1920"] An installation by artist Christelle Scifo. Photography credit: Brendan Thorne[/caption] When it came to the approach to curating the program Michelle Grey said, "We were inspired by the longstanding history of collaborations between artists and designers, and the intersection of their respective creative fields. It was important to us that there was synergy between both the visual aesthetics of the artists and retailers, as well as a shared vision and philosophy behind their brand and creative practice." Adds Susan Armstrong: "When we paired the right artist we knew straight away — it felt like a natural fit." The works to seek out includes art displays from talented emerging artist Orson Heinrich in collaboration with Camilla & Marc, Dion Lee and acclaimed photographer Justin Ridler, sculpture artist Dion Horstmans teaming up with Jac+Jack, and more. [caption id="attachment_914374" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dion Horstmans sculptural work at Jac + Jack.[/caption] "I think customers and visitors like to engage with a space through a number of different ways, whether that's by seeing a beautiful store window, a sculpture in situ, the architecture of the space, or the product displayed in a creative way," Michelle Grey told Concrete Playground. "In our curation we wanted the art to compliment all of the above, and give people another way to engage with Sydney's exciting creative scene." Beyond the artworks and the shops themselves, throughout August The Strand will also host a Malfy Gin Cart and a Glenlivet Pop-Up Whisky Bar for teaming a tipple with your browsing. There will also be a series of Book Club and Espresso Martini evenings hosted by Jordan Turner (more info here), as well as styling showcases of the season's new collections available with renowned fashion stylists Nicole Bonython-Hines and Jessica Pecararo that can be reserved online. [caption id="attachment_914373" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Acid Flwrs installation for chocolatier Koko Black.[/caption] Photography credit: Brendan Thorne.
As Sydney continues its obsession with Omakase and fine dining — despite the cost-of-living crisis — venues like The Star's Sydney hatted Japanese Omakase restaurant Sokyo Sydney are leading the charge in offering luxe culinary experiences without busting your budget. Developed by executive chef Daniel Kwak, Sokyo is serving up a limited-edition tasting menu inspired by Haku Vodka, a craft spirit from the House of Suntory. The $100 menu offers a taste of omakase dining for a third of the price and is available Mondays to Thursdays fin July and August. Where's This Special Offer Available? The special menu is being served at Sokyo, The Star Sydney's high-class Omakase restaurant. The usual Omakase experience is $300, but this special Haku Vodka-inspired menu will get you in the door for just a third of that, and it includes a bespoke Haku martini. Sokyo's culinary offerings are spearheaded by executive chef Daniel Kwak. Daniel joined Sokyo in 2013 and has been pivotal in establishing it as one of Sydney's top Japanese restaurants. Born in Korea, he grew up immersed in the restaurant industry. After studying culinary arts and working in Fiji, he moved to Australia in 2008, plying his trade at Waqu Japanese restaurant. Daniel joined Sokyo as a Junior Sous Chef in 2013, focusing on creating perfectly balanced, umami-rich dishes and has worked up the ranks. What's on the Special Menu? The experience begins with a delicate salmon tartare featuring fresh Tasmania's Storm Bay salmon, crispy senbei (rice cracker) and a subtle heat from karashi su miso. Next on the menu is the toro crispy rice, combining rich, fatty toro and spicy tuna with the crispiness of Hokkaido rice. It's dressed with a special Haku Vodka-infused soy sauce, made especially for this menu collaboration. Following this is the panko-fried oyster, where two crispy panko-coated Pacific oysters are matched with sweet and tangy piquillo peppers. Premium caviar can be added for an additional touch of luxury. The fourth dish features wagyu kushiyaki — a luxurious combination of wagyu beef and foie gras enhanced with salted maple syrup made with Haku Vodka. The meal concludes with the Sokyo Cornetto, a mini cone filled with spiced sultana ice cream and chestnut. It's a fun novelty dessert to end the decadent culinary journey. But if you're still snacky, you can add the house-made Sokyo mochi ice cream for an additional $7. What's the Special Martini? It wouldn't be a Haku Vodka-inspired menu without an elevated vodka cocktail. The signature serve for Haku Vodka is a martini. As part of this brand collaboration, Sokyo's bartenders have created a bespoke martini that complements the special tasting menu while celebrating Haku Vodka. The result, the Hana Momo martini, is a bright and zesty number with Haku Vodka, peach liqueur, yuzu, orange bitters and garnished with aromatic dehydrated orange. The bright citrus notes of yuzushu in the accompanying Hana Momo Haku Vodka martini cuts through the richness of the wagyu and fish dishes with a clean, smooth finish that refreshes the palate. What's Haku Vodka? Haku Vodka is a Japanese craft spirit made entirely from Japanese white rice. It boasts a soft, rounded and subtly sweet flavour profile. Named 'Haku', which translates to white' and brilliant' in Japanese, this vodka exemplifies the artistry involved in creating a clear, clean-tasting spirit. Filtered through bamboo charcoal, Haku Vodka serves as the ideal foundation for Sokyo's team to explore a symphony of flavours, textures, and aromas. Haku Vodka is produced at the Osumi Distillery in Kagoshima, Kyushu, a seaside city renowned for its pristine waters and traditional craftsmanship. This region imparts a sense of natural tranquillity and purity to the vodka. The serene coastal environment of Kagoshima has also inspired our culinary story at Sokyo. How to Nab a Spot? In order to sample this delectable menu at Sokyo, you must make a reservation on the website. The menu is only available until the end of August. Each reservation includes the five dishes plus a complimentary Momo Haku Martini and will set you back $100. You can always add another round of the tasty tipples if you like for $27. The Sokyo x Haku Vodka set menu is available Mondays to Thursdays in July and August. Make your reservation on the website. Haku Vodka's signature serve is the Haku martini — a drink that showcases the craftsmanship, nuanced flavour and exceptional quality of the premium Japanese liquid. To learn more, head to the House of Suntory website. Image Credit: Jude Cohen
Marrickville's 20 Chapel – which we love for its potato wedges and many cuts of Blackmore wagyu cooked over woodfire – has now gone bottomless. Every Saturday from midday, you can book in for endless prosecco, wine and beer, while working your way through an irresistible set menu. Leading the way are the wedges. They're so good because they're brined overnight, before being parboiled, blast-chilled and deep-fried in wagyu tallow – then served with Coppertree Farm creme fraiche infused with house-made caramelised chilli. Were that the only dish on the set menu, we wouldn't be complaining. But there's way more to try, starting with a trio of seafood delights. Abrolhos Island scallops come with spicy harissa butter, while garlic prawns arrive in a pot sprinkled with white pepper and garlic chives. Then there's the delightful raw fish 'Kokoda' with sweet potato, coconut and sago. Come mains, choose between the 20 Chapel Wagyu Burger or the CopperTree Farms beef fillet with shimeji mushrooms and marsala, before rounding off with the chocolate custard and marmalade flan. All this will set you back just $95 (including an hour and 45 minutes of bottomless beverages). For an extra $30, you can be sipping seasonal cocktails as well.
Before Coriolanus Snow became President of Panem and kept having encounters with Katniss Everdeen, he was an 18-year-old Capitol resident tasked with mentoring District 12's female tribute. So tells author Suzanne Collins' 2020 The Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes on the page, as will the franchise's new film of the same name when it enters the cinematic arena in November. This jump backwards in the saga's timeline is set 64 years prior to the dystopian tales told its initial four movies, with Tom Blyth (Billy the Kid) doing his best to become a young Donald Sutherland. And the tribute he's charged with readying? Meet Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler, Shazam! Fury of the Gods). If you're wondering where the book and feature's titles come from, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes references Lucy's bold move during the reaping ceremony: singing. Yes, every movie franchise ever has to keep returning, as Harry Potter and Twilight are as well. If the Wizarding World can have young Dumbledore, The Hunger Games can have young Snow, clearly. In The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes' debut trailer earlier in 2023 and also in its just-dropped new sneak peek, Snow's backstory scores more detail. He gets the mentor gig because he hails from a family that's hit hard times in the postwar Capitol — and he's told that he's now in the business of creating "spectacles, not survivors", in a word of warning about what's expected in his new role. That comment comes from the creator of The Hunger Games himself, Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage, Cyrano), Dean of the Academy, and the reason that children from 12 of Panem's districts fight to the death every year for the entertainment of the masses. Of course, this wouldn't be a Hunger Games story if one of its tributes didn't earn hearts as well as attention. When his protege proves a hit, Snow starts to think about turning the odds in their favour. That said, viewers already know that any good he achieves here won't change the fate that's already been seen in the initial 2008–10 novels and 2012–15 movies. As well as Blyth, Zegler and Dinklage, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes features a stacked cast spanning Jason Schwartzman (Asteroid City), Viola Davis (Air), Hunter Schafer (Euphoria) and Josh Andrés Rivera (Zegler's West Side Story co-star). Francis Lawrence jumps behind the lens again, as he did with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II. Check out the latest trailer for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes below: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes releases in cinemas Down Under on November 16, 2023. Images: Murray Close.
Australian fashion house and boutique store Aje is officially branching out with a new sub-brand of activewear called Aje Athletica. Launching with a line of sportswear featuring everything from sports bras to shoes, Aje Athletica promises high-performance activewear with a focus on sustainability. 70 percent of the material used in the debut sportswear line is consciously sourced, including a 100 percent recycled material puffer jacket. The commitment to sustainable practices is clear, with consciously sourced products across the line made from a mix of recycled, organic and eco-friendly materials. "With a respect of our environment, Aje Athletica embraces sustainable practices and local expertise to deliver quality product[s] with a minimal footprint. Informing the design process with 70 percent conscious fabrications from the ground up, impacting the foundations at elemental phase – has been very fulfilling," Co-founder Edwina Forest said. Edwina Forest started Aje in 2008 with her friend Adrian Norris as a women's clothing line all about effortless style. Norris brings an artistic background from his time at Liceo Artistico Venezia, and Forest brings her knowledge of fashion publishing from her time at RUSSH magazine. Head to Aje Athletica's website to browse the range of leggings, sweatpants, tees, tanks, socks and windbreakers, all designed for both your trips to the gym and your days hanging around the house. The products are designed to fit a wide range of women, with sizes available in Australian four through 18. Aje Athletica is available as of Wednesday, May 26 throughout Australia and New Zealand online and in-store. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
On September 25, 1981, Sydneysiders got their first look at the revolving restaurants inside Sydney Tower. Exactly 39 years later, the restaurants have reopened after a $12-million renovation, with new looks, A-plus cocktails and a star cast of Sydney hospitality elite. The tower's dining precinct is split into three levels: 70s-inspired Bar 83, opulent fine-diner Infinity and casual buffet restaurant Sky Feast. Each space has a unique design by Loopcreative, pulling inspiration from the likes of space odysseys, Aussie backyard pools and bygone Kings Cross bars. Here, we'll walk you through each level. BAR 83 Part-retro, part-futuristic with circular red and white lounges, gold lights and striking mirrors, Bar 83 is officially Sydney's highest bar. Some have suggested the bar looks as if it was pulled straight from an episode of The Jetsons, but Loopcreative director Rod Faucheux says the design is a nod to the building's history and Sydney bars from the 70s and 80s, such as Baron's in the Cross. As the name suggests, it's towering above the city on level 83, with views across to the edges of the suburbs. While there's no denying the bar's main drawcard is the views, the cocktails are equally impressive. Award-winning bartender Jenna Hemsworth (Restaurant Hubert, The Baxter Inn) has stepped in as venue manager, and is stirring up outstanding cocktails including Pain Pleasure Principle (with cognac, cacao and lemon myrtle) and the Ignore All Rules (tequila, sherry, tomato and basil). Snacks don't push the boundaries too much (oysters, bread and olives, roasted nuts) but you're not here for the food — that's all happening on the levels below. That said, it'd be remiss not to order at least one of the lamb and harissa sausage rolls while you're there. INFINITY While Bar 83 is playful, Infinity is dark, moody and sophisticated, with leather banquettes, deep purple carpets and brass details. It's where you come when you're ready to do some serious eating. In the kitchen is Chef Mike Dierlinger (The Bridge Room), who is plating up five- and seven-course degustations. The menu is decidedly international, with raw swordfish paired with miso and enoki mushrooms, Shanghai-style drunken chicken served with yellow beets and brioche, and lamb belly coming with a side of Yemeni sauce called zhoug. It's not the cheapest degustation in the city — five courses come in at $115, seven at $145 — but it's far from the most expensive (eight courses will set you back $290 at Quay). And you're paying for the views, which, on this level, are 360 degrees. Like its predecessor 360 Bar and Dining, Infinity rotates. SKY FEAST The final restaurant in Sydney Tower is Sky Feast, which, according to the team, caters to a broader tourism market. Its design is a throwback to suburban Aussie backyards of the 70s and 80s with pebblecrete, breeze blocks, terracotta tiles and plenty of blonde furniture by Melbourne's Ross Didier. Food here is served buffet-style, but at the moment, because of COVID-19, it's a buffet that the staff bring to you for $80 a head (or $60 for lunch). There are more than 30 dishes on the menu, which we won't run through here, but expect plenty of seafood (oysters, mussels, baked barramundi), curries, noodles and six different desserts. If you've got a hunger that a regular dinner just won't fix, a big feed here might be just what you need. Bar 83, Infinity and Sky Feast are now open at Sydney Tower, between Pitt and Castlereagh streets, Sydney CBD. Images: Robert Walsh, @robertwphoto.
Attenzione! Once a year, Australia's cinema screens swap their usual fare for a trip to Italy. That time is almost upon us for 2024. Didn't spend your winter in Europe? Don't have a getaway to the other side of the world planned any time soon? Keen to see an Italian box-office smash without leaving the country? Haven't caught The Godfather Part II on a big screen before? Eager to check out Ralph Fiennes (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) and Stanley Tucci (Citadel) as Cardinals electing a new Pope? The Italian Film Festival has you covered. For a month between Wednesday, September 18–Wednesday, October 23, the fest will play a range of picture palaces in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Byron Bay and Ballina, Adelaide and Perth — with dates varying per city. Whichever spot you call home, a diverse lineup of Italian cinema will flicker through the projectors, led by opening night's Gloria!. If the name Gloria always gets the song of the same moniker stuck in your head, that's fitting: this movie is directed and co-written by a singer. Margherita Vicario didn't give the world the famous tune, but she is the driving force behind this feature about a maid at a refuge in Venice. Vicario is also travelling to Australia for the Italian Film Festival, attending the opening-night festivities in Sydney and Melbourne. Gloria! is just one of the fest's high-profile picks in showcase slots. The Great Beauty, Youth and The New Pope filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino's latest is playing as the festival's centrepiece film, with Parthenope following a woman in Naples with the same title as the mythical siren that the city was once named after — and co-starring Gary Oldman (Slow Horses). Then, closing out the fest is Conclave, which is where Fiennes and Tucci come in (plus Killers of the Flower Moon's John Lithgow and Spaceman's Isabella Rossellini, too) for papal thrills. The aforementioned cinema hit on Italian shores? That'd be post World War II-set melodrama There's Still Tomorrow, aka 2024's Sydney Film Festival Prize-winner. It follows a wife and mother who dreams of a different future, with actor Paola Cortellesi (Petra, Don't Stop Me Now) both starring and making her directorial debut. And Francis Ford Coppola's (Megalopolis) masterpiece The Godfather Part II is celebrating its 50th anniversary at the festival, in one of two throwback flicks. The other: Bread and Tulips, which opened the first-ever Italian Film Festival back in 2000. Other standouts include Marcello Mio, with Catherine Deneuve (The President's Wife) and Chiara Mastroianni (Monsieur Spade) playing versions of themselves in a comedy that explores the legacy of Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni, the mother-daughter pair's respective former partner and father — and also the Thom Yorke-scored, love affair-focused Trust; Commandante, which opened the 2023 Venice Film Festival; Alba Rohrwacher (La Chimera) in drama In The Mirror; and the mystery-led A Dark Story. The lineup goes on, whether you're interested in a revenge-thriller meeting a coming-of-age tale in We Were Children, Monica Bellucci (Mafia Mamma) and Vincent Cassel's (The Three Musketeers: Milady) daughter Deva Cassel starring in the page-to-screen The Beautiful Summer, laughing at actor Margherita Buy's (Ripley) directorial debut Volare or catching Beatrice Grannò from The White Lotus season two in rom-com Bad Conscience. In Sydney and Melbourne, the fest will also say ciao to documentary The Rise of Espresso — so coffee fiends, take note. Italian Film Festival 2024 Dates and Venues: Wednesday, September 18–Wednesday, October 16 — Palace Moore Park, Palace Norton St, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney Wednesday, September 18–Wednesday, October 16 — Palace Electric Cinema, Canberra Thursday, September 19–Wednesday, October 16 — Palace Barracks and Palace James Street, Brisbane Friday, September 20–Thursday, October 17 — The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema and Cinema Nova, Melbourne Thursday, September 26–Wednesday, October 16 — Palace Byron Bay and Ballina Fair Cinemas, Byron Bay and Ballina Wednesday, October 2–Tuesday, October 22 — Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Thursday, October 3–Wednesday, October 23 — Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema, Perth The 2024 Italian Film Festival tours Australia in September and October. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Following successful markets in other suburbs, Cambridge Markets is back at it again with new markets in Wentworth Point. This iteration will take place on the third Sunday of every month at Marina Square on Wentworth Place, just across the water from Ryde Wharf Market. Like its sister markets, punters can peruse 60 stalls showcasing a range of Sydney's favourite homegrown creatives and makers, with a mix of fresh fruit and veggies, flowers, gourmet produce, pantry items and locally designed homewares, apparel and gifts. There'll also be plenty of hot food options for yourself and your family. But that's not all — the intrepid marketers are hosting a twilight gourmet market on the first Fridays of warmer months, dubbed Eat Drink Nights, at the same location. This night-time epicurean escape features international cuisine, tasty beverages and fun activities for the whole family. The next Eat Drink Night will take place on Friday, March 1, followed by Friday, April 5, before the events return on Friday, September 6. Not only is it a picturesque spot to while away a Sunday morning or Friday evening, but it's easy to get to, too. Marina Square is accessible by ferry, train or bus, with ample parking within a short stroll. Wentworth Point Market takes place at Marina Square, Wentworth Place, from 9am–2pm on the third Sunday of every month. Eat Drink Nights at Wentworth Point takes place at Marina Square, Wentworth Place, from 5pm–9.30pm on the first Friday of the month. For more info, head to the website. Images: Jessica Nash Photography
For decades, feasting your way through a Sizzler buffet was a regular part of Australian life. Families headed to the all-you-can-eat chain for special occasions, teenagers went along to gorge themselves full of bottomless soft drink and soft serve (and combine the two, obviously), and absolutely everyone couldn't get enough of the brand's beloved cheese toast. But, over the past few years, Sizzler restaurants have been shutting down around the country. Soon, they'll all be gone — with Collins Foods Limited, the company that owns and runs Sizzler in Australia, announcing that it is shutting down the chain's last remaining stores. Those nine restaurants — five in Queensland, three in Western Australia and one in New South Wales — will all close by November 15. So if you're eager for one last excuse to break out your stretchiest pants and indulge in a big dose of nostalgia (and food), you'll need to head to Mermaid Beach, Loganholme, Caboolture, Maroochydore and Toowoomba in the Sunshine State, Innaloo, Kelmscott and Morley in WA, and Campbelltown in NSW to hit the salad bar a last time. Collins Foods has been scaling down Sizzlers' footprint since 2015, when it announced that the brand was "no longer considered to be core to the company's strategic growth". In the half-decade since, 19 Sizzlers have shut down around the country. With COVID-19 now affecting the hospitality industry — and, unsurprisingly, people's eagerness to eat from buffets — Collins Foods has now completely called time on its endless soup, salad, fruit, pasta and dessert (and its regular menu of meals, too; however we all know they were never the drawcard). Announcing the news in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange, Collins Foods Chief Executive Officer Drew O'Malley said that this was "not a decision we take lightly, especially for a brand as beloved as Sizzler, which has been such an important part of the Collins Foods' history". Collins Foods will continue to licence the Sizzler brand in Asia — so, when Australians are allowed to leave the country for holidays again, perhaps an overseas trip to the buffet can be in your future. In Australia, the Brisbane-based company also operates KFC and Taco Bell. Sizzler's nine remaining stores — in Mermaid Beach, Loganholme, Caboolture, Maroochydore and Toowoomba in Queensland, Innaloo, Kelmscott and Morley in WA, and Campbelltown in NSW — will all close by November 15, 2020. For more information about Sizzler, head to the chain's website. Top image: RegionalQueenslander via Wikimedia Commons.
Some of the most satisfying and thought-provoking conversations happen over a drink or two at a bar. That's before we even factor in all the fascinating tidbits gleaned during a pub trivia night. The University of Sydney's annual event Raising the Bar, proudly supported by the City of Sydney, ups the stakes on your typical after-dark D&M. Academics and alumni will deliver entertaining talks unpacking big topics ranging from AI to longevity and diversity. Gain deeper insight into the solutions being developed in real-time to pressing societal challenges, develop new perspectives on big questions, or simply enjoy having your brain tickled over a great glass of wine. Block out your diary on Thursday, April 3, as Raising the Bar will take place on one night only across 20 free sessions (going down at 6.15pm and 7:30pm) at ten inner-Sydney bars. So where to first? Get to know our picks for the evening, including what to expect from the talks and the bars where they'll be taking place. Hermann's, University of Sydney Starting on home turf, Hermann's is one of the University of Sydney's top on-campus bars where drinks are well-curated and affordable. Arrive early to make the most of the beer garden before settling in for a talk on how astronomers are bad at naming things, including a look at the latest innovations in Australian astronomy tech, and what scientists are using right now to search for life beyond Earth. Stick around for the evening's second session and get an insight into how to make workplaces more welcoming for refugees, who make up some of Australian society's newest members. Fortress Sydney, Central Park Mall Part entertainment venue and part classic bar, Fortress Sydney is a mega-venue with a capacity of 1000 people. It's a good thing, too, because the two talks taking place here promise to be some of the evening's most topical. The night kicks off with a discussion of how to grow brains in a lab and what we can learn from them, before the conversation turns to how society gaslights climate anxiety and the emotional impacts of climate change. The Harold, Forest Lodge Located a stone's throw from the University of Sydney, Forest Lodge's local gastropub The Harold is the place to go if you're interested in learning why obesity persists, why the old adage 'eat less and move more' might not quite work, as well as a better way to potentially lose weight from a professor who is also a clinical trials director. Stick around to hear about fighting Australia's leading cause of death and learn about preventing a heart attack, as well as the surprising risk factors you should know. The Barrie, Chippendale Occupying the spot where Freda's used to be, The Barrie is a pub that's a true local's favourite — and it'll set the stage for talks on two topics that are just as popular. The night starts by pondering the morality of parenthood in a world impacted by climate change, as well as offering practical tools to navigate raising kids in said world. Then, settle in for a thought-provoking talk about making your personal life more experimental, where a data-driven toolkit might help you navigate major life choices such as relationships and career moves. Explore the full Raising the Bar program to discover a talk or two that piques your interest. Or, if you simply need an excuse to visit Brix Distillers, Foundry 616, Bank Hotel, the Rose of Australia, The Toxteth or New Britannia, look no further. Don't miss out and register for your free ticket now.
Is this the Nordic design collaboration to end all Nordic design collaborations? For a new limited-edition collection that'll hit stores worldwide on Thursday, March 9, Swedish furniture retailer IKEA and Finnish design house Marimekko are joining forces. Even better: when this duo teams up, they're taking inspiration from Nordic nature, sauna culture and self-care rituals, and giving off big treat yo'self vibes. Actually, the best news of all might be that nothing in this 26-product range will cost more than $119. That price will get you a birch bench or a birch mirror, but everything from towels and shower curtains to glassware and candles is also on offer — all either featuring or inspired by Marimekko's prints, naturally. The range's name, BASTUA, gives away its focus: the term means sauna in Småland, the region in Southern Sweden where IKEA originates from. And, this gorgeous teamup marks a first for Marimekko — the first time that it has designed a set of prints exclusively for a brand collaboration. "Collaborating with Marimekko was a natural choice for IKEA as we are both committed to enabling a better everyday life at home, and with the BASTUA collection, it begins with focusing on wellness first," said Henrik Most, Creative Leader at IKEA, announcing the new range. "The collaboration encapsulates the sensations of endless summers and the simple and aesthetic beauty of Nordic nature in furniture and accessories for the home." To answer perhaps the most important question that arises every time that IKEA unveils a new collection, yes, the iconic FRAKTA bag has also been given a Marimekko makeover — as it has with rainbows and pink frills in the past. With the BASTUA collection heroing a print inspired by the large rhubarb leaves that are often found growing next to Finnish saunas, IKEA's trusty carrier will spot that image in red, green and pale blue hues. Wondering what else you'll be filling that FRAKTA with? The towels, robes and IKEA's first-ever sauna bucket obviously take the theme as seriously as possible, as do the elderflower-, rhubarb- and sweet vanilla-scented candles. Elsewhere, the range also gleans inspiration from Nordic furniture design, which is where the side table, bench, trays and glasses come in. Unsurprisingly, this is a while-stocks-last collection — so getting in fast on launch day, with items on sale in-store from 10am and online from 9pm AEDT, is highly recommended. IKEA and Marimekko's BASTUA collection will hit IKEA's shelves on Thursday, March 9 — in-store from 10am and online from 9pm AEDT.
Sydney hasn't yet lost its legislative shackles, but it's adapting and evolving around them, discovering new ways to eat, drink and have fun. You'll find fun in fairy light-lit restaurants hidden upstairs in Redfern, in sprawling new bar that distill their own rum, at immersive theatre experiences in abandoned warehouses and, even, in six-storey futuristic libraries decked out with amphitheatres and grand pianos. And the fun we're having as a city is becoming ever more inclusive. Our restaurants are catering to more dietaries and allergies, our pubs and bars continue to celebrate the LGBTQI+ community and our artworks and spaces are becoming more accessible and sustainable. And we have, in part, the following 12 venues to thank. The following restaurants, bars, cafes, pubs, spaces and events have gone above and beyond. They combine originality, innovation, creativity and sustainability to bring something a little different to our city. Something that pushes us to keep being better and braver. Something that we love — and so do you. That's why they're the winners of Concrete Playground's Best of 2018 Awards. This year, we have awarded both a reader voted People's Choice and Overall award in each of the following six categories: Best New Restaurant Best New Bar Best New Cafe Best New Pub Best New Event Best New Space So, with no further ado, the winners for 2018 are... BEST NEW EVENT OVERALL WINNER: A MIDNIGHT VISIT Imagine a fully immersive theatre experience with a choose-your-own-adventure twist and lots of macabre nods to Edgar Allan Poe, and you'll have some idea of what happened when A Midnight Visit took over an abandoned Sydney warehouse this spring. Unlike any theatre offering the city has seen before, this captivating experience was part-performance, part-playground and part-film set. And it was brought to life across 30 rooms of an eerie two-storey, 3500-square-metre Newtown warehouse. Audiences found themselves transported into a dream world that takes its cues from those notoriously macabre works of Edgar Allan Poe, as imagined by a team of local actors and a crew of innovative sound, film set and costume designers. It was a little bit David Lynch and it had some Stanley Kubrick vibes, with a spot of steam-punk thrown in for good measure. We loved it because... "I followed Cat Woman through a dark, fluffy tunnel and ended up exiting a wardrobe in Edgar Allan Poe's bedroom. I sat in a ball pit as an underworld king descended to give a monologue that saw him transform from man to demonic animal. The event was something new and rare for the city, and I hope it inspires more creative groups to fuse high-brow art with our love for immersive experiences." — Quinn Connors, partnerships editor. [caption id="attachment_672409" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jay Wennington[/caption] PEOPLE'S CHOICE: POP-UP GLOBE London's historic Globe Theatre popped up in Sydney this year — well, sort of. Pop-Up Globe is the world's first full-scale replica of the historic theatre, which was built by Shakespeare's playing company and housed his greatest works. Inside the round three-storey venue, no member of the 900-strong audience was ever be more than 15 metres from the stage, and all performances were conducted without the use of mics, just as it was in 1614. The performances weren't dusty old versions of Shakespeare, either — they were interactive, more like a party, and were welcomely weaved with Maori mythology. You loved it because... "Pop-Up Globe was such a refreshing night of theatre. The old mixed with new in a modernised Shakespeare. I laughed and reminisced about high school English." — Kathryn B. BEST NEW SPACE OVERALL WINNER: GREEN SQUARE LIBRARY Welcome to the future of libraries, where it's about more than just books. Green Square Library has upped the ante and moved beyond the standard collection of pageturners. Within the swish new space, you'll find a high-tech lab, underground reading garden, amphitheatre, music room, cafe and meeting rooms. The building is hard to miss, thanks to its six-storey glass tower, which emerges from a tree-dotted plaza. While books — and underground gardens in which to read said books — are still the central focus of the library, it also features many spaces dedicated to music. The sprawling music room has a baby grand piano, which can be hired out by Beethoven hopefuls stuck in tiny Sydney apartments, and the openair amphitheatre will play host to public gigs. We loved it because... "I've personally been waiting for far too long for libraries to get their time in the sun. It's like everyone forgot that the whole service is free. But Green Square's shiny new library might be the one to lead the charge. That's because the building isn't just a shrine to books — it's providing an accessible (and architecturally stunning) space for the public that the still-developing (and apartment-dense) suburb of Green Square is in desperate need of." — Lauren Vadnjal, editor. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: STEAM MILL LANE This burgeoning laneway located in Darling Square boasts top-notch restaurants, as well as a throng of emerging fashion and lifestyle retailers. It's ripe for exploration and offers everything, from cheap eats, to long lunches, to late-night noodle fixes. There's a chance you'll recognise more than a few vendors. Melbourne's famed burger joint 8bit, brought to you by hatted chef Shayne McCallum and Alan Sam, slings mega burgers, loaded hot dogs and over-the-top shakes via its 130-seat diner, while Belles Hot Chicken, its third Sydney outpost, doles out finger-lickin' fried chicken. Other big names include The Sandwich Shop, Edition Coffee Roasters, Marrickville Pork Roll, poke joint Fishbowl, Sichuan eatery Ricefields, modern Italian restaurant Il Bacio and bubble tea cafe Gong Cha. But it's not just food. You'll also find a few boutique retail shops, including travel and leisure store Alifehaus, streetwear brand Pict and barber Men's Culture. If that's not enough excitement, check out the permanent light installation by Adelaide-based artist Peta Kruger — the neon-lit artworks take inspiration from 'nightlife cityscapes' and illuminate the lane at night. You loved it because... "Steam Mill Lane — I love variety and this place has it all! Bringing a diversity of cuisines altogether in one convenient place!" — Catharine W. BEST NEW PUB [caption id="attachment_662282" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] OVERALL WINNER: THE IMPERIAL ERSKINEVILLE An inclusive, LGBTQI-spirited space with three layers of flamboyant fun for all has taken over Erskineville. With a $6 million renovation after a shady past, the Imperial Hotel is back and brighter than ever. This triple threat is offering nightly drag shows, a veggie-focused menu, signature cocktails in honour of iconic queens and chances to sashay the night away. If you're looking for more of the club vibe, the bottom floor of the Imperial is a space of creativity and acceptance. With DJ sets on the weekend and a bevy of colourful performances, there's never a dull moment down in the Basement. Its restaurant Priscillas offers mainly vegetarian cuisine (inclusive of vegans, and the gluten- and lactose-intolerant, of course) with a lively atmosphere. After closing for nearly three decades, the Imperial's rooftop bar is back with a plethora of art pop deco and a variety of spaces fit for any occasion. Imperial Up functions as an Italian restaurant with Andy Warhol-esque charm to match. Finally, keep your eye out for the addition of a same-sex wedding chapel sometime in 2019. We loved it because... "The revival of this inner west institution has been heartwarming to see. For better or worse, the trend of redeveloping old stalwarts isn't going away. But The Imperial is testament to the fact that it can be done well — in the right hands. Sure, it looks a little different (luxe fit-out, fancy cocktails and an elevated food offering), but it also not only honours its heritage, it wholeheartedly embraces it. All are welcome here — that's a part of Sydney nightlife that I'm on board with." — Melanie Colwell, editorial assistant. [caption id="attachment_698500" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessie Harris[/caption] PEOPLE'S CHOICE: WOOLWICH PIER HOTEL Since 1885, carousers on the north shore have been gathering at the Woolwich Pier Hotel to sink a bev or two and catch some glistening harbour views. But, after a huge reno in October 2018, the pub looks a fair bit different. The Pier, as it's known around town, has scored slick new design and a modern new menu inspired by French and Japanese cuisine. If you're a longstanding Pier drinker, you're in for a surprise. While the building has lost none of its heritage elements, the place is now a whole lot fancier. Alexander & Co, the firm responsible for venues like Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, the East Village and Stanton & Co, has looked after the interiors, giving them a Sydney seaside stamp. For those looking to lay their eyes on the water, the wraparound balcony overlooking Cockatoo Island still has plenty of room among its 70 seats. In keeping with these dramatic changes, head chef Glenn Tabudlo has launched a new menu. Lovers of the chicken pot pie — don't panic. The much-adored staple is still available, as is a bunch of The Pier's tried-and-tested classics. Even though it has some fancy new furnishings, it is still a local pub, after all. You loved it because... "Woolwich Pier Hotel is such an iconic location and they've just done a great renovation, yet it still feels like the same friendly local pub." — Hamish S. BEST NEW CAFE [caption id="attachment_668572" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida[/caption] OVERALL WINNER: MATINEE COFFEE This newcomer takes cues from NYC in a number of ways: it's open all-day, it serves booze — including neighbouring brew Grifter on tap — and it has an unabashedly bold fit-out. A jewel-toned colour palette tracks through orange tabletops, a crimson-tiled communal table, green velvet chairs and a mural on the back wall. There are references to old-school milk bars in the blue marmoleum flooring and a neon-lit menu above the coffee machine (which pumps out a custom house blend by Collective Roasting Solutions). For the most part, the kitchen has avoided fads (á la cronuts) and instead does fresh takes on well-worn cafe favourites, with some solid gluten-free and vegan options. The coffee-rubbed pork hash is flavoursome and the Persian rice kedgeree with currants, almonds and goat's cheese is a winner, particularly when hacked with hot smoked salmon. We loved it because... "We're spoiled for choice when it comes to cafes in Sydney. Trying to tick them all off is my version of sport. So the real test is finding somewhere that I want to return to again and again. Matinee's charm is its individuality: a bold design (not an Edison lightbulb or exposed brick in sight), a food and drink offering that's consistently diverse (and delicious) and great service. It's upping the game without even a hint of arrogance." — Melanie Colwell, editorial assistant. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: ROLLERS BAKEHOUSE Manly's cafe scene gained massive bragging rights this year. Bo Hinzack (of local coffee shop Showbox Coffee Brewers and Mosman's Penny Royal) and James Sideris (Butter Boy Bake) teamed up to open Rollers Bakehouse. While this is the duo's first collaboration, Sideris has been regularly supplying Hinzack's cafes with baked goods for years. Patrons can expect a mix of sweet and savoury items that changes daily. Some potentials include millennial pink croissants, stuffed bagel rolls, bacon-topped savoury danishes and a charcoal croissant called the Sushi Roll. Sausage rolls and meat pies are also on offer, including Greek-style lamb rolls with house-made tzatziki and hamburger rolls served with house burger sauce. Beans come from Sydney-based Okay Coffee, which you can sip among breeze blocks, succulents and a courtyard and appropriate 90s music. You loved it because... "Rollers Bakehouse. Never thought croissants could taste so good. Amazing atmosphere, mysterious location and great coffee." — Thomas B. BEST NEW BAR [caption id="attachment_685676" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] OVERALL WINNER: BAR TOPA Opening in late July on Palings Lane, in the Ivy's dining precinct, this pint-sized tapas bar from the Merivale team has just a handful of seats, with standing room for around 40 diners. Perching with a wine in hand and snacks to share is the way to go here, just like in Spain's tapas bars. In the kitchen, Head Chef Lauren Murdoch is heading up a two-part, snack-heavy food offering. Displayed at the counter, you'll find small bites like whipped salted cod, or sliced jamón on crisp bread, while the tapas menu features a heftier selection of dishes hot off la plancha — the Spanish-style grill. There's an innovative approach to drinks, mirroring the food menu of bite-sized snacks, with most cocktails, beer and wine served as half-pours (for only $8). Meaning punters have the chance to sample more of the menu. A range of $8 half-size cocktails includes sips like the Marques — made with Pali Cortado sherry, Campari and sweet vermouth — and the La Perla, blending Altos Reposado tequila and pear liqueur. Otherwise, match those tapas with sangria from the tap, mini $4 beer or a 100-millilitre serve from the short, snappy wine list. We loved it because... "The CBD isn't lacking great bars. You'll find them on rooftops, hidden in basements and, in the case of Bar Topa, tucked down laneways. But not many of them can boast $8 half-sized cocktails, incredibly tasty tapas and an always-buzzing vibe. But Bar Topa can. And it's exactly where you want to be after tough day at work — and after a great one." — Samantha Teague, news and features editor. [caption id="attachment_684231" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dave Wheeler[/caption] PEOPLE'S CHOICE: BRIX DISTILLERS Brix not only serves rum — it makes it on-site. And it's the first craft distillery dedicated to rum in Sydney's inner city in a long time. The venue features a fully working distillery with an Australian-made 1200-litre still, which is overseen by head distiller Shane Casey (previously at Archie Rose). As well as its own haul, Brix has a 'rum wall' with over 150 varieties from around the world, and a rum-heavy cocktail list. The grand space, which has been designed by interior design firm Amber Road, includes an intimate mezzanine barrelling room, overlooking the still, and an open kitchen with counter dining and banquette seating fitting 70 people on the ground level. It features lots of greys with copper details and wall art by local street artist Nico Nicoson. Brix isn't a restaurant, but food is still a central part of the distillery and bar. A compact menu, designed by Ivan Sanchez — who previously worked at Bodega and Porteño — features South American-inflected dishes, such as crisp tostadas topped with ceviche and pink grapefruit, pickled tongue with capers, jerk pork belly and a lineup of arepas. You loved it because... "Some people think rum is a spirit reserved for weather-beaten sailors, but it's not — it's fit for landlubbers, too. Brix is changing this opinion by bringing tasty-as rum to landlocked Surry Hill residents. And I can't get enough of it (or their arepas)." — Joe H. BEST NEW RESTAURANT [caption id="attachment_683861" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] OVERALL WINNER: LANKAN FILLING STATION Famous for her show-stopping hoppers at Carriageworks Farmers Market, O Tama Carey finally flung open the doors to her first permanent restaurant, Lankan Filling Station this year. A shrine to Sri Lankan cuisine, the new East Sydney venue is headed up by the renowned chef and curry queen (who previously worked at Berta, Bistro Moncur and Billy Kwong) who has put together a hands-on menu of hoppers, sambols and curries. Start by ordering a few hoppers, which are bowl-shaped crepes, known for their soft, spongey centre and crisp lacy trim. Next up, choose a sambol. This is the dip to your chip. Turn it into a proper banquet with a few of Carey's curries. Now all that's left to do is tear into your hopper, and start dipping, dunking and dribbling your way through the different spiced bowls. While hoppers go exceptionally well with hops, there's more to the drinks menu than just beer. If you're looking to quench the heat, try one of custom-blended Sri Lankan tea. Otherwise, there are natural, minimal intervention wines available (including sangiovese rosé on tap) as well as mead, faluda and Ceylon arrack, a Sri Lankan spirit made from fermented coconut flower sap. We love it because... "Lankan is the answer to many dining dilemmas. Need a quick lunch that's near the city? Lankan. Want to dine with a group and not spend a heap? Lankan. Been obsessed with O Tama Carey's hoppers every since you tried them at the Carriageworks Farmers Market? You'll find them at Lankan. And it's showcasing tasty Sri Lankan fare, a cuisine that's noticeable underrepresented in Sydney's dining scene." — Samantha Teague, news and features editor. [caption id="attachment_698551" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Smallbone[/caption] PEOPLE'S CHOICE: RON'S UPSTAIRS New restaurants rarely get a clean slate. But in the case of Ron's Upstairs, the surface has been left intentionally worn. The interior — mostly unchanged since the vacation of the last tenants, longstanding Thai restaurant Pron Prohm — is like stepping into a 90s takeaway joint in the suburbs. The panelled walls, parquetry floors and plastic bunches of grapes attached to the ceiling aren't things usually found hiding on an inner city high street. But even though things may not look that different on the surface, the shift has most definitely occurred. This little old restaurant now mixes house spritzes and a great savoury ouzo mojito from the fairy light-lit bar, and the food coming out of the kitchen is European. Most dishes come with some meal-making sauce — the stracciatella is topped with mint oil, a zucchini dish has a killer passata and the pipis made memorable from a highly drinkable burnt butter sauce. The real beauty of this lo-fi dining room is that windows line the street-facing side, letting in a welcome spring breeze and some great natural light. Get in before dark and the twilight mixed with the dull festive glow of the restaurant's fairy lights make Redfern look magic. You loved it because... "Ron's Upstairs stayed true to the uniqueness of the original space. It's a perfect addition to Redfern's foodie scene; respecting history while being creative and a little eccentric." — Zana R. Congratulations to all the winners. Our city is a better place with you in them. Top image: Ron's Upstairs by Kitti Smallbone.
Designed by Sydney-based architects Nettleton Tribe, this warmly lit, timber-filled restaurant feels like a treehouse for grown-ups. It's the on-site restaurant for guests staying at Paperbark Camp — a luxury glamping experience — but you don't need to be staying the night to enjoy a feast in this elevated eatery. The Gunyah, which means 'meeting place' in the local Indigenous language, is built on stilts and positioned just under the canopy — perfect for spotting possums and stars. The menu is a set, three-course affair and Sundays are paella night. It's open every day of the week during the summer months (September to May) with reduced hours in the cooler months. We suggest making a reservation before you travel to Jervis Bay as the restaurant tends to book out with accommodation guests well in advance. You'll find Paperbark Camp just east of Huskisson in the pint-sized village of Woollamia, on the banks of Currambene Creek. Image: Hutchings Camps Pty Ltd.
It's lucky that Chris Pine is so likeable in Wonder Woman 1984, or the scene where his character wanders around in the titular year and marvels slack-jawed at the advancements of the period would be unbearably cheesy. It's still cheesy, and inescapably so. He's wearing a bumbag, so it has to be. But, it's also engagingly performed. The look on his face: wonder. The A Wrinkle In Time star once again plays American pilot Steve Trevor, who was last seen in 1918 in Wonder Woman. He's now a man thrust far beyond his own time, and he has much to marvel at. But this sequence also acts as a stark reminder, sending a message to the audience about the film they're watching. No matter how much returning director Patty Jenkins and the powers-that-be behind the DC Extended Universe hope that Wonder Woman 1984's viewers share the same expression — and how much they believe that simply making a sequel to their 2017 blockbuster is enough to cause it — the movie doesn't earn much more than a resigned sigh. When it hit cinemas three years ago, the first movie about Princess Diana of Themyscira — also known as Diana Prince — stood out. Even though the DCEU started five years after the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC bested its rival by focusing on a female character in its fourth film (for Marvel, it took 21 pictures, only achieving the feat with 2019's Captain Marvel). DC didn't waste its opportunity, either. Wonder Woman isn't a mere cookie-cutter superhero flick, just focusing on a character of a different gender. It champions understanding and emotional intelligence, handles its engaging origin story with sincerity and warmth, and unfurls an adventure where both strength and vulnerability exist in tandem. It also relays a fulfilling tale; a sequel was inevitable, but the initial feature didn't just whet the audience's appetite for the next, plus all the other caped crusader films certain to follow. In other words, Wonder Woman bakes the traits that make its eponymous figure something special into its story and approach, and is all the better for it. In contrast, Wonder Woman 1984 has Diana (Gal Gadot, Justice League) tell everyone again and again that being truthful is far more important than anything else — after an opening scene set among her matriarchal society of Amazons, where she learns the lesson as a girl (Lilly Aspell, Holmes & Watson) during a high-stakes competition against older women. And, with the brightly hued film arriving after a year almost starved of franchise-related comic book tales (other than the pre-pandemic opening of Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) and the long-delayed release of The New Mutants), this sequel has also decided that more is more in the easiest of fashions. Wonder Woman 1984 doesn't spin the most complicated story, but it's so repetitive and meandering across its 151-minute running time that it's needlessly bulky, muddled and weighed down. A few notable scenes aside, its glossily shot action sequences share the same dragged-out, overblown sensation. Jumping forward almost seven decades within the Wonder Woman films' timeline, Diana has taken up an anthropologist job at the Smithsonian, and turned swinging through malls on her Lasso of Truth to fight crime into her side hustle. But then insecure archaeologist Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) starts working beside her, gets tasked with assessing a mysterious gem, and lets Donald Trump-esque infomercial salesman Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian) take the strange object home with him. It's no ordinary rock, however. It grants wishes, so Maxwell wants to take advantage of that power — and, unknowingly, both Diana and Barbara have already uttered their dreams aloud while holding the stone. These fantasies come at a cost, of course, even before Maxwell uses his to try to take over the world. Yes, in the script penned by Jenkins, Geoff Johns (Aquaman) and Dave Callaham (Zombieland: Double Tap), a magic rock drives the plot — and the aforementioned, overstressed idea that truth triumphs over all, too. Accordingly, it's no wonder (pun intended) that Wonder Woman 1984 feels padded out. And, with Steve's return, Maxwell's hunger for domination and Barbara's transformation into comic book character Cheetah all demanding attention, it's little surprise that Wonder Woman herself is rarely the main attraction. The film misses her, even though she's supposed to be its protagonist. Perhaps that's why the movie opts for spouting the same maxim over and over, instead of sharing her characteristics. It's harder to make a feature that reflects its chief figure when that ostensible point of focus is so often pushed aside. It's far easier to stick to a broad template, stretch it out and assume everyone will just be pleased that Wonder Woman is back in a movie that bears her name. Wonder Woman 1984 also shares Captain Marvel's struggle, because it's so generic that it doesn't ever do its central character justice — or do much more than deliver a paint-by-numbers tale set in a decades-ago era with a woman as its primary superhero. Perhaps serving up lacklustre, formulaic flicks about male and female caped crusaders alike is Hollywood's idea of equality? Viewers are always left wanting more here, because Gadot demands it. She's immensely charming and graceful as the warrior queen — radiating empathy and decency with an earthiness that should clash with Wonder Woman's shining armour and golden tiara, but doesn't — and navigates tightly choreographed stunts as deftly as big emotional moments. She's nicely paired with both Pine and Wiig, the latter first as a friend and later an adversary, but Gadot sparks her own wonder. Wonder Woman 1984 certainly knows how to trot out well-worn beats packaged as part-upbeat heroism, part-social satire, but it just doesn't realise where its true strengths reside often enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW2E2Fnh52w
Berndnaut Smilde has challenged preconceptions of visual art with 'Nimbus II'. In this collection of photographs, a natural entity has become synthetic, and what has always been ephemeral is now captured forever. A thematic continuation of Smilde's original 'Nimbus' (pictured below), 'Nimbus II' features a petite, fairy floss-like cloud hovering below the lofty white ceiling of Hotel MariaKapel in Hoorn, Netherlands. Smilde generates the clouds using a smoke machine, carefully monitoring the humidity of the room and using lighting to enhance the life-like essence of the storm cloud. "On the one hand I wanted to create an ominous situation. You could see the cloud as a sign of misfortune," said Smilde of 'Nimbus' in a 2010 interview with Probe online gallery. "You could also read it as an element out of the Dutch landscape paintings in a physical form in a classical museum hall. At the same time I wanted to make (for once) a very clear image, an almost cliché and cartoon-like visualisation of having bad luck." Despite the bad luck connotations of a cloud, the photos of 'Nimbus II' succeed in establishing a whimsical element as well. Smilde said that this work plays with the concept of the ephemeral and is influenced by "physical presence found within transitional space." [via Trendhunter]
Black Capital is a collection of performances, seminars and exhibitions co-presented by CarriageWorks and the Sydney Festival as a major part of the 2012 programs of both. The decorated caravans and projection works of Brook Andrew's Travelling Colony project will make their debut moving through the city on Festival First Night and then take up residence and be open to explore at CarriageWorks for the rest of the month. Another major new work featured in the program is I Am Eora, a performance work directed by Wesley Enoch in which the stories of Pemulwuy, Bennelong and Barangaroo for the basis for an exploration of Sydney's spatial identity and history through music, dance and storytelling. The Barefoot Divas, a group of singers and songwriters from Australia, NZ and Papua New Guinea, will debut Walk A Mile In My Shoes. Alongside these landmark premiere performances, which incorporate the talents of emerging art and theatre makers alongside those of established performers headlining the works, there's also an exhibition at and a symposium on Addressing Black Theatre at 181 Regent St, founding home of the National Black Theatre, a Family and Culture Day. Together, this program is a celebration of the vitality and virtuosity of contemporary Aboriginal practice and an exploration of the histories and identities of Redfern as that 'Black Capital'.
Not even Australia's balmy December temperatures can keep us from embracing the ironic ugly Christmas sweater trend. Christmas in July is here, my friends, and so too is a new line of OTT Yuletide-themed pullovers from the Colonel. Yep, KFC has just dropped its 2022 Christmas jumper range — and this time, there's a matching outfit for the furry mate in your life, too. Available to snap up from today, Friday, July 1, the limited-edition designs are primed for cheesy family photos, rocking a cheery red-and-white pattern and emblazoned with a cheeky nod to fried chicken: "Tis The Seasonings". Both the human sweaters and the pet versions come in a range of sizes, so you're sure to find a good fit no matter how hard you — or Murphy— have gone on the winter comfort food this year. What's more, there's zero shame to be felt in this daggy knitwear purchase, since all profits from the jumpers are going to support KFC's charity partners, The Black Dog Institute, ReachOut Australia and Whitelion. While Santa might not be squeezing down the chimney any time soon, KFC has also pulled together a new Festive Bangers playlist to get you in the mood. You can find it over on Spotify. And if the matchy-matchy outfits have left you and your pooch really wanting to cash in on that Christmas in July spirit, KFC's also releasing a limited-edition themed festive feast, featuring a family-sized feed that includes the new Christmas Cranberry and Christmas Mayo Stuffing dipping sauces. KFC's new Christmas in July sweaters are available to buy online, clocking in at RRP $59.95 (plus postage) for the human jumpers and RRP $34.95 (plus postage) for the pet designs.
How easily entertained we were as children — dressing up in our finest and having play-pretend tea parties with our dolls and teddies. If you need a break from being an adult — if only for an afternoon — then head to the Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney for a high tea that will far exceed the toddler tea parties of yesteryear. Throwing a Barbie High Tea in its lower Lobby Lounge, the Shangri-La will see pastry queen Anna Polyviou (Family Food Fight, MasterChef, Sweet Street cookbooks) take over with an explosion of pink. The executive pastry chef has created a full-on, Barbie-themed tea party, complete with rainbow and bubble gum desserts, decorations galore and all the childhood nostalgia you could ask for. The usual chic surrounds have been transformed into a Barbie world. There'll even be a photo wall of 'Barbie through the years' — the girl's been around a while. For $65 a pop, you'll be munching on fairy bread cake with bubble gum and fruit loops, rainbow trifles, vanilla creme and fruit salad, macarons, apple pastries, rhubarb jelly and cinnamon crumble — all tidily arranged on towers. And it wouldn't be a tea party without butter milk scones with clotted cream and strawberries, naturally. For savoury treats, expect sushi, sausage rolls, egg and lettuce wraps and roast chicken finger sandwiches. Of course, endless pots of tea are part of the deal, plus coffee for those looking for something a little stronger. Running until July 28, Barbie High Tea has three daily sittings — 11am–12.45pm, 1.15–3pm and 3.30–5.15pm — so you can pop in for a cuppa throughout the day. Just try to keep Aqua's 'Barbie Girl' out of your head while you eat your way down memory lane. Barbie High Tea will be available in the Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney's lower Lobby Lounge from July 5–28. Sittings are 11am–12.45pm, 1.15–3pm and 3.30–5.15pm every day. Bookings can be made here.
In recent years, Disney has bet heavily on a simple idea: fans of its classic animated films will flock to new live-action versions. So far that gambit has proven accurate, with Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast all doing big things at the box office — and in the coming months, Dumbo, The Lion King and Aladdin are set to join them. Everyone's favourite flying elephant hits cinemas in mere weeks, while moviegoers will be feeling the love again come mid-year; however, a certain Arabian tale will soar onto screens right in the middle. If you've ever found a magic lantern, rubbed its gleaming sides and asked a supernatural being to remake this childhood favourite, your wish is now coming true. If you pleaded for Guy Ritchie and Will Smith to be involved as well, then there's your three wishes taken care of. Yes, Ritchie, the filmmaker behind Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, the awful Robert Downey Jr-starring Sherlock Holmes movies and the very forgettable King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, is in the director and co-writer's chair for this journey to a whole new live-action world — and in good news, there's no signs of Cockney accents, rhyming slang or over-stylised action scenes in Aladdin's just-released first full trailer. As for Smith, he's stepping into the role of Genie, originally made famous by Robin Williams' energetic voice work. In other words, he's turning from a man in black to a spirit in blue. Aladdin's overall story will be familiar to anyone who has seen the 1992 movie, with an Agrabah street urchin once again trying to win over the Sultan's daughter and thwart a scheming sorcerer, with the larger-than-life Genie on hand to help. Canadian actor Mena Massoud (The 99) plays Aladdin, and Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) steps into Princess Jasmine's shoes, while Dutch star Marwan Kenzari (Murder on the Orient Express) takes on the role of Jafar. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foyufD52aog Aladdin opens in Australian cinemas on May 23, 2019. Images: (c) 2019 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
A new and unique dining experience has arrived at Martin Place from the team behind some of Sydney's most renowned restaurants. Aalia is the new flagship restaurant from Esca, the hospitality group in charge of Nour, Lilymu, Henrietta and Cuckoo Callay. The group's latest and most extravagant offering, Aalia is opening in the new dining precinct in the former MLC Centre space. The 150-seat restaurant offers to take diners on a journey through the history of Middle Eastern food. The dishes have been created by the restaurant's Executive Chef Paul Farag of Nour to demonstrate the rich culinary diversity of the area. "Through food, we're trying to showcase a beautiful region of the world which almost everyone seems to forget has a luscious coastline, flanked by oceans, rivers, and seas," Farag says. "I want this menu to reflect a lighter way of shared eating — in the same way you assume a Mediterranean restaurant is going to be bright and fresh in flavour, this is truly the same principle for Middle Eastern cuisine." Diners will be presented with a wide array of raw and mezze options to begin their meal. Oysters, king salmon, potato and lentil tart, king prawn skewers and hand-stretched haloumi are all on offer for those looking to create an abundant table of shared dishes or ease into the meal before turning to the impressive selections of seafood and meat. As for the larger dishes, think Murray cod masgouf, almond-crusted john dory, lamb neck shawarma and mb5+ dry-aged wagyu rib. There's also Persian caviar service on offer, served with malawach, shallots, labneh, and a sprinkling of chives. The indecisive among us can leave the selections up to the chefs with the $125 per person banquet menu, curated by Farag himself. Designed to share, the degustation is available for parties of four or more and features the lamb shawarma, almond John Dory and haloumi, as well as eggplant mes 'a' aha, quail skewers, a spread of Middle Eastern sides and a decadent Valrhona chocolate kataifi for dessert. "The idea behind the menu itself is to start with a few raw dishes and mezze, followed by mains and sides, with each dish crafted to represent a particular region, or specific era of Arabic culture," Farag says. Highballs, spritzes and inventive cocktails are all on offer to accompany your one-of-a-kind feast. Start off easy with a peach vermouth and hopped grapefruit spritz, or opt for something a bit more stiff like the tobacco old fashioned made with raw cacao bourbon, date molasses and orange tobacco. Aalia is located at Shop Seven and Eight, 25 Martin Place, Sydney. It's open from Tuesday, March 1 for lunch and dinner Tuesday—Friday and dinner on Saturdays. Venue images: Christopher Pearce
The 2024 Paris Olympics didn't turn out as planned for the Matildas, sadly. The next Women's Asian Cup, which Australia is hosting, isn't until 2026. You can still watch Australia's national women's soccer team in action between now and then, however, starting with four friendlies against Brazil and Chinese Taipei to close out the Tillies' 2024 games — all at home, taking the squad to Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Geelong. First up is Brazil, who'll face off against the Matildas on Thursday, November 28 at the Queensland capital's Suncorp Stadium (which was home to plenty of 2023 Women's World Cup action) and again on Sunday, December 1 at Cbus Super Stadium at Robina. After that, Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord, Mackenzie Arnold and company will take on Chinese Taipei in Victoria. AAMI Park hosts the match on Wednesday, December 4, followed by a game at Geelong's GMHBA Stadium on Saturday, December 7. If you're keen to head along, there are still select tickets left to all four matches. And if you can't make it, you can still tune in from home, or the pub. To watch, 10Play and Paramount+ are your destinations — plus Network 10 on regular TV. After Tony Gustavsson stepped down following the Olympics, the Matildas don't yet have a new permanent full-time coach. Tom Sermanni, who did the job between 1994–97 and 2005–12, is taking the reins for these four friendlies. Sam Kerr remains injured, and Mary Fowler has withdrawn from the squad for the quartet of games to put her mental and physical health first, but high-profile names are still taking to the pitch — including Catley donning the captain's armband, Ellie Carpenter as vice captain, and also everyone from Ford, Arnold, Alanna Kennedy and Kyra Cooney-Cross to Hayley Raso, Michelle Heyman and Claire Polkinghorne. After this, the Tillies will play in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup in the US, making their debut in the competition, with games against Japan on Thursday, February 20; the US on Sunday, February 23; and Colombia on Wednesday, February 26. When those matches roll around, more than a year will have passed since Kerr's knee injury — so cross your fingers that she'll be back on the pitch then. The Matildas vs Brazil and Chinese Taipei Friendlies 2024 Brazil: Thursday, November 28 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Sunday, December 1 — Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast Chinese Taipei: Wednesday, December 4 — AAMI Park, Melbourne Saturday, December 7 — GMHBA Stadium, Geelong The Matildas' friendlies against Brazil and Chinese Taipei take place between Thursday, November 28–Saturday, December 7 — and you can watch via 10, 10Play and Paramount+. Images: Tiffany Williams, Football Australia.
What makes a great avocado on toast? The answer to that question is subjective, because we all have different tastes when it comes to the breakfast and brunch staple. What makes a serving of avo on toast so spectacular that it's dubbed the best that Australia, nation of avid avo toast worship, has to offer? Avocados Australia, the industry body representing the Aussie avo industry, thinks it knows — and it has just named the country's top version, in fact. Since June, the organisation has been running the first-ever Australia's Best Avo Toast competition, aiming to find the avo on toast that'd make all other avo on toasts envious if the dish had feelings (and turned even greener with envy about better avos on toast). The winner hails from Brisbane, with Balmoral's Little Hideout Cafe getting the nod for a menu item called 'seasonal avocado'. [caption id="attachment_862831" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Little Hideout Cafe[/caption] If you're a Brisbanite keen to give it a try — if you haven't already — or you now know where you're headed for an avocado fix next time you're up north, the winning dish goes with slices of avo, rather than smashing it all up. It places them atop a toasted slice of grainy sourdough, then pairs it with roast tomato aioli, whipped feta and beetroot hummus, as well as slices of radish and a sprinkle of homemade dukkah. The cost: $16.90. No, spending that on avo on toast won't rob young Aussies of their chance to buy a house. Yes, visiting the cafe for some avo will help make a dent in Australia's current glut of avocados. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Little Hideout Cafe (@littlehideoutcafe) Little Hideout emerged victorious from a list of ten finalists, with Queensland performing strongly. Nodo in Newstead, Anouk Cafe in Paddington, Cinnamon and Co in West End and Kin and Co Cafe in Teneriffe all hail from Brissie, too, while Guyala Cafe is located in Cairns. In New South Wales, Barbetta Cucina in Paddington and Bolton Street Pantry in Newcastle made the list, while Faraday's Cage in Fitzroy was the sole Victorian finalist, and The Banksia Tree in Port Adelaide the lone South Australian venue. [caption id="attachment_862832" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Barbetta Cucina[/caption] And if you're wondering how the competition worked, it was judged by Avocados Australia, with a focus on the quality of avocados used and how they were heroed in the dish. Little Hideout's avos are supplied by Big Michael's, and grown by Simpson Farms. Little Hideout Cafe is located at 2/185 Riding Road, Balmoral, Queensland. For more information about Avocados Australia's best avo toast competition, head to the organisation's website.
This month we commemorated 11 years since the devastating events of September 11, 2001. The events of that morning were beamed on to every television and front page across the globe and those images have come to define a generation. Phrases like the "war on terror" and "suicide bomber" became part of the vernacular of the Western world and international politics, the American identity and the concept of warfare were changed forever. The images of that day were of unthinkable devastation and destruction: billows of smoke shrouding lower Manhattan, people jumping from the skyscrapers to escape the inferno of glass and metal and all of New York joined together in mourning at the death of more than 3,000 of their brothers and sisters. Yet amongst the rubble there were incredible stories of hope, of the very best of human nature, of firefighters running into the fire and of a nation binding together, steadfastly and resolutely, during its darkest hour. An image may be able to tell a thousand words, but the most iconic images, the 'where were you when' images, can tell us so much more about humanity. About its creativity, its innovation and its potential but also about its ability to love and, often more powerfully, its ability to hate. So here are ten images that have stopped the world and ten stories that have shaped the course of history. Moon Landing, 1969 Almost undoubtedly the most famous 'where were you when' moment of the 20th Century, the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon was initially just a pipe dream of President Kennedy's. When in May 1961 Kennedy proclaimed that he wanted to land a man on the Moon "before this decade is out" it was seen as being exactly the sort of political point-scoring and voter-pandering that we have come to expect from our politicians, just on a much grander scale. But on 20 July, 1969 the dream of every science fiction geek became a reality when images of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the Moon were broadcast to every television across the globe. Tiananmen Square Massacre, 1989 The story of the Tiananmen Square Massacre is one of shocking brutality, with estimates of up to 2,500 people, mainly students, being senselessly slaughtered by the Chinese military for protesting against the dictatorial and corrupt communist regime. Yet it was not images of bloodshed and brutality that captured the attention of the world, but instead a startlingly powerful photograph of resistance and hope. An unknown student, armed only with a couple of shopping bags, refused to budge when four Chinese Type 59 tanks approached Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989, the morning following the military's forcible removal of the one million protestors. The event was captured by a number of foreign journalists and photographers and distributed to newspapers across the globe, giving birth to a remarkable symbol of democracy and defiance. Migrant Mother, 1936 This is the image that gave a face to the Great Depression of the 1930s. This 32-year-old Californian widow had just sold her tent and the tires off her car in order to afford food for her seven children. This is one of many photographs captured by Dorothea Lange from her tours of rural California, which eventually helped convince the US government they were not doing enough to help field workers. While this farmworker's heartbreaking story was not dissimilar to millions of others across America, it was her story and her expression sitting somewhere between defiance and despair as she clutched her starving children that has endured as the Great Depression's most iconic image. Execution of a Viet Kong Guerilla, 1968 The Vietnam War was infamously the first televised wartime conflict and more than the rising death tally or the lack of military success, it was the images capturing the brutality of guerilla warfare that turned public opinion against the war. This Pulitzer Prize winning image depicts South Vietnam's national police chief, Nguyen Ngoc Loan, executing a Viet Kong captain in the middle of a street in Saigon. It was with this photograph that the shocking realities of modern warfare, that for so long had been shrouded in mystery, became tangible for every American. The Beginning of Life, 1965 Lennart Nilsson began taking photographs with an endoscope, an instrument that could see inside the body, as early as 1957 but it wasn't until 1965 when LIFE Magazine did a 16 page spread on his photographs that the world first saw a child inside the womb. Initially the editors of LIFE could not believe that these images were real, spending several months confirming their legitimacy before creating a worldwide sensation when they were published. Lynching, 1930 It is hard to believe but this image was not taken to condemn the barbarity of the racial hatred of the South but was in fact used as a postcard in order to promote white supremacy. The photograph was taken in Marion, Indianapolis and depicts the lynching of two black men accused of raping a white girl who were hauled from a country prison by a 10,000 man lynch mob bearing sledgehammers. Perhaps most frightening about this image is not the the men hanging from the trees but the smiling crowd of revelers who seem to be taking great joy in the horrific affair. Lynches were often seen as big community events, like a carnival or fair, and from the late 1800s to the 1960s more than 5,000 lynching cases were documented and endorsed as a legitimate means of justice. Betty Grable, 1942 Forget Marilyn Munroe and Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable was the original pin-up girl, and rather than being simply a form of cheap thrills, this iconic photograph of Grable represented the only connection that many American WWII soldiers would have with their homeland while serving overseas. With her girl-next-door charm, million-dollar legs and oodles of sex appeal Grable was the perfect antidote for the wartime depression and homesickness suffered by many soldiers. Even if she hasn't been as well remembered as some of her more voluptuous kinsmen, the enormous success of Grable's pin-up is responsible for kick-starting one of the world's most lucrative industries and every pouting, pruning model you see plastered all over your department store should pay a debt to Grable, the woman who started it all. Nagasaki Atomic Bomb, 1945 The effect that the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs dropped in August, 1945 had on the course of history is hard to overstate. The numbers alone are staggering, with more than 200,000 dying as a direct result of the blast and countless more dying as a result of the nuclear fallout. While there are countless photographs taken from WWII that capture the inhumanity of the war, this image of the mushroom cloud swirling hundreds of kilometres above Nagasaki perfectly captures the sheer enormity of this event, providing the US and USSR with a stark warning against the awesome and terrible power of nuclear weapons in their the five decade Cold War stand-off. Hindenburg Disaster, 1937 The day the Hindenburg catastrophically and spectacularly came crashing to Earth, was meant to be the day that zeppelins became the world's favourite form of air travel. The Hindenburg's parent company in German had engaged in a massive PR blitz before the voyage into Lakehurst, New Jersey such that 22 photographers, reporters and cameramen were there the day of the crash resulting in the Hindenburg being the most well-documented disaster of the early 20th Century. While rumours still circulate as to why the zeppelin ignited and turned into a deadly fireball, the crash effectively sounded the death knell for the airship business with commercial flights ceasing following the Hindenburg disaster. Dali Atomicus, 1948 While this surrealist photograph may not have stopped the world, the world did seem to stop for this photograph. It took Latvian-American artist Phillipe Halsman six hours, 28 jumps, three angry cats, a roomful of assistants and bucketloads of water to capture this genre-defining portrait and homage to Salvador Dali. One of the most famous pieces of photographic art ever captured, the work explored the idea of "suspension" as inspired by the recent scientific discovery that all matter hangs in a constant state of suspension. While the end result was as bizarre and surreal as many of Dali's mind-boggling paintings, it could have been a whole lot weirder if Halsman had stuck with his original idea which involved exploding a cat in order to capture it "in suspension". Leading image credit: 010914-N-1350W-005 New York, N.Y. (Sept. 14, 2001) -- A fire fighter emerges from the smoke and debris of the World Trade Center. The twin towers of the center were destroyed in a Sep. 11 terrorist attack. U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jim Watson. (RELEASED). From Navy.mil.
Left your Valentine's Day plans a little late? Not to worry, Opera Bar has got you covered with sweeping, romantic views overlooking Sydney Harbour. Taking only walk-ins, this playfully cheesy event is the perfect way to spend your February 14 without getting tied up in ticket sales and reservations. Hosted by two whimsical cupids, the lighthearted Day of Love affair features live tunes from the Hot Potato Band. This joyful 10-piece brass troupe will serve up their take on a host of classic love songs – expect more than a few saxophone solos. Meanwhile, there's a photo booth for snapping pics and caricature artists ready to capture your date in curious ways. [caption id="attachment_990358" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit: Ethan Smart[/caption] Throughout the evening, the cupids will roam the space, handing out flowers, love poems and postcards to unwitting couples. There'll also be a host of food and drink specials to celebrate the occasion, with the Cupid Club cocktail offering a tasty concoction of Bombay Sapphire, raspberry, lemon myrtle and egg whites. [caption id="attachment_990360" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit: Ethan Smart[/caption]
Messina fans have jaws on the floor; Sydney's Cow and Moon has been declared the world's best gelato maker at one of the world's most prestigious ice cream events. Enmore's family-run Cow and Moon trumped the globe's ice creameries and gelato masters on Sunday, seizing the blue ribbon spot at the Gelato World Tour in Italy. Taking out the top spot for their kickass almond affogato flavour dubbed 'Mandorla Affogato', Cow and Moon's Wendy and John Crowl can now call themselves the world's best gelato makers. Beating 23 international finalists (including Gelato Messina) with their prized confection, John Crown told Good Food the key is balance. "It's about trying to understand the flavour, working on the salt, sweet and sour. You have to marry the flavours so that they blend well together." After public voting and panelist judging, Italy took out the two runner up spots, with second place going to Il Cantagalli, third to Gelateria Fiore. Messina's Donato Toce and Simone Panetta must be pretty bummed having gone in salted caramel guns blazing. They nailed the Oceania round and came out in first place with their Cremino flavour — that salted caramel, joined by house made gianduia fudge, fresh meringue and crushed amaretti biscuits. Australia had a total of three reps (all from Sydney) in the finalists after the hardcore Melbourne selections last October, with Cronulla's Frangipani Gelato nabbing a special accolade for her pavlova-inspired gelato (meringue-flavoured base, meringue pieces and passionfruit puree). Cow and Moon had better get cracking on bucketloads of almond affogato, that's some prize-winning, line-forming gold right there. Via Good Food. Images: Cow and Moon.
We can't think of a much better way to launch into the sunny season than a day spent on an island, gorging on delicious food and wine. With that we say bring on Wine Island 2018, which will take over Sydney's Clark Island for an indulgent weekend of wine tasting from November 2–4. As always, the well-loved food and wine festival promises a packed lineup, starting with the glass of Italian bubbly you'll enjoy on the boatride over. The island itself is set up as the ultimate boozy adult playground, between the Pimms Garden Bar, the Gage Roads Brewing Co. Beer Garden, and Archie Rose's gin cocktail bar. There'll also be a swag of masterclasses curated by the team at Wine Selectors, covering everything from the art of music and wine matching, to a dessert session helmed by 12 Micron's Ashley Smith. Swing by the chill-out zone to pair some top-notch vino with even better views, or cruise the various wine stalls sampling a huge array of local and international drops. And, to keep you fuelled for that big day of wine appreciation, expect food options galore, from oysters and cheese platters, to buns from your mates at Chur Burger. There are three Wine Island ticket packages available, starting with the $99 'five-star experience', which includes ferry transfers, five tastings, a souvenir tumbler and a glass of bubbly. If you're feel extremely opulent you can pay $399 and experience the whole thing from a superyacht.
It’s cold out there. It’s cold out there every day. Though Australia is lucky enough to avoid a Groundhog Day style winter, there is no doubt that the cooler temperatures drive us toward comforting beverages. Before you reach for that bottle of red or heart-warming bourbon, don’t forget that your favourite summer cooler also comes with a serious dark side. When the cold lagers of summer lose their appeal, your favourite brewers turn their craft to an entirely different beast. From nutty to chocolatey and often with a creamy finish, dark beers are the perfect tonic on a wintery night. And while dark brews have been historically underappreciated in Australia’s generally mild climate, you could find yourself becoming the best of friends. Here are some tips to enjoying dark beer this winter, with help from our local brewers. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY Generally heavier and more filling, dark beers must be considered with this golden rule across the spectrum. According to the Shenanigans Brewing Company duo, “When we think winter beers, we think higher-alcohol, malt-driven beers, with a bit more residual sweetness.” The malty porters are undeniably sweet and, like rich desserts, are delicious but best in moderation. Porters and milk stouts are typically nitro beers (made with nitrogen rather than CO2), which adds to the creamy effect and further increases its similarity to a dessert. At the other side of the dark beer profile, the strong imperial stouts are high in alcohol content (many upward of 9 or 10 percent) and will knock you off your rocker if you attempt too many in one sitting. Often brewed in whisky or wine barrels, these stouts contain a more alcoholic flavour, and the barrel ageing process adds depth and complexity to the beer. With bold flavours and lingering sweetness, it's best to stick to a few to get the most enjoyment out of these brews. WINTER WINNERS: DARK BEER VS RED WINE That glass of red isn’t the only thing that will keep you warm on a winter’s night. Rich and smooth with deep fruity notes, dark beers have more in common with red wine than with lager. This is especially true of the barrel-aged stouts, which are often brewed in used sherry casks and take on a wine-like flavour. Many brewers also add spices like cinnamon, vanilla and even chilli, warming you from the inside out. The best advice we’ve received from a bartender on dark beers is to “give your beer a little cuddle” before you drink it. Dark beers should typically be served at room temperature, like a good red, to fully enjoy the taste and flavour. Also like a red, you should never drink dark beer (or any beer, for that matter) from the bottle. But before you go crazy dropping your pay cheque on glassware, many dark beers, including porters and stouts, are best served in a standard pint or oversized wine glass. Similar to its red wine rival, darks beers are something you want to savour. The 750ml bottles are perfect to share with friends. THE IMPORTANCE OF COMFORT FOOD In winter, we crave carbs, carbs, and more carbs. In turn, we need a big beer that can stand up to those heartier foods. The rich, smooth taste makes dark beer the liquid version of a Sunday roast or steamy meat pie. With any great food and drink pairing, it is important to have balance. 3 Ravens Dark Ale made with smoked malts is one of those well-paired with the savoury comfort foods of winter. Instead of going for a port with your dessert, try a porter. The James Squire Jack of Spades Porter, with heavily roasted malts, coffee notes and a sweet finish goes perfectly with dark chocolate, caramel and other rich desserts. BALANCING SUNNY DAYS AND WINTERY NIGHTS While the temperatures may drop, the Aussie east coast is no winter wonderland, so it is worth finding the right beers for day versus night. Think a beer you would want to drink next to an outdoor heater at your favourite beer garden, then one you’d want to drink while curled up on your couch under several blankets. The Batch Brewing Big Kahuna coconut brown ale is a session beer that will remind you of summer while helping you brave the chilly days. For night, try an imperial stout to get your blood flowing. This season, Modus Operandi is releasing Total Eclipse, a Russian imperial stout of 10% ABV aged in Lark Whisky barrels for six months. Once you’ve warmed up with a big brew and have your beer coat on, you won’t need that extra layer when venturing out into the cold. HANG OUT AT YOUR LOCAL BREWERIES The best way to learn more about the beers of winter is to stop by your local brewery, where they are more than happy to guide you through the many profiles of dark beer. There is no better company to keep; your local brewers are like your fairy godmothers of beer, planning months ahead of time on how to keep you warm this winter. Many breweries will also hold winter events, including food pairing dinners. This is the best time to try the full spectrum of dark beers and figure out which best suits your winter drinking needs. Top image: Dollar Photo Club.
It was back in March 2022 that the world first learned of Mrs Davis, who would star in it and which creatives were behind it. Apart from its central faith-versus-technology battle, the show's concept was kept under wraps, but the series itself was announced to the world. The key involvement of three-time GLOW Emmy-nominee Betty Gilpin, Lost and The Leftovers creator Damon Lindelof, and The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon writer and executive producer Tara Hernandez was championed, plus the fact that Black Mirror: San Junipero director Owen Harris would helm multiple episodes. Accordingly, although no one knew exactly what it was about, Mrs Davis existed months before ChatGPT was released. A puzzle-box drama that's equally a sci-fi thriller, zany comedy and action-adventure odyssey, Mrs Davis now follows ChatGPT in reaching audiences — hitting screens, including via Binge in Australia, from Friday, April 21. Don't even bother trying not to think about the artificial intelligence-driven chatbot, or pondering the growing number of programs just like it, as you're viewing this delightfully wild and gleefully ridiculous series, however. There's no point dismissing any musings that slip into your head about social media, ever-present tech, digital surveillance and the many ways that algorithms dictate our lives, either. Mrs Davis accepts that such innovations are a mere fact of life in 2023, then imagines what might happen if AI promised to solve the worlds ills and make everyone's existence better and happier. It explores how users could go a-flocking, eager to obey every instruction and even sacrifice themselves to the cause. In other words, it's about ChatGPT-like technology starting a religion in everything but name. That premise isn't particularly outlandish, and nor is speculating where artificial intelligence might lead humanity; on the page, science fiction has been theorising about playing god and creations going rogue since Mary Shelley penned Frankenstein. In those footsteps has sprung everything from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, and the Alien, The Terminator and The Matrix franchises to the TRON movies, WALL-E, Ex Machina and Her on the big screen, plus Alita: Battle Angel, After Yang, M3GAN and more. Indeed, endeavouring not to think about the latter — the unhinged horror-comedy that proved a box-office hit earlier in 2023 — is futile while watching Mrs Davis, too. It isn't just the prominence of AI that binds the pair, but the willingness to go all-in on OTT leaps, detours, and jumps in tone and genre. In fact, Mrs Davis thrusts that somersaulting to a gleefully berserk yet magnificent extreme. The titular Mrs Davis isn't actually married — not to anything but amassing users, then keeping them plugged in — and certainly isn't a person with a surname. In some countries, the AI is called mum or Madonna, such is the loving light that it's seen in by its devotees. But Simone (Gilpin, Gaslit) doesn't subscribe. A nun raised by magicians (The Dropout's Elizabeth Marvel and Scream's David Arquette), she enjoys sabbaticals from her convent to do whatever is necessary to bring down folks who practise her parents' vocation and the show's central technology alike. She also enjoys quite the literal nuptials to Jesus Christ, is divinely bestowed names to chase in her quest and has an ex-boyfriend, Wiley (Jake McDorman, Dopesick), who's a former bullrider-turned-Fight Club-style resistance leader. And, she's tasked with a mission by the algorithm itself: hunting down the Holy Grail. No summary of Mrs Davis can do its plot justice, or the rollercoaster ride it takes from the get-go. In its opening episode alone, the show throws in the Knights Templar sacking Paris for the fabled treasure to end all fabled treasures, Simone zipping about on a motorcycle in her habit, surreal diner chats between the nun and her husband Jay (Andy McQueen, Station Eleven), a car crash staged by magicians, a shipwrecked man called Schrödinger Ben Chaplin, The Dig) with a cat, Nazis, big Kill Bill vibes — well, it is about a blonde in a distinctive outfit kicking ass and seeking revenge, often while placed against western-esque backdrops — and a factory pumping out hippopotamus meat. There's more in that debut instalment, as there is in each that follows, so much so that any chapter feels as if anything can occur at any time. Battling an algorithm is firmly in Mrs Davis' circuitry, but it never seems like it was spat out by one. There's a scene approaching halfway through Mrs Davis' eight-episode run where Simone watches a screen, just as everyone streaming the series is doing. When she exclaims "what the fuck?", it isn't the first time that the show inspires that reaction. When this mind-bender isn't nodding to everything that's ever grappled with AI in pop culture, winking at Lost and obviously elbowing Indiana Jones, it's also skewering commercials, bringing Arrested Development to mind and hopping on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou's boat. It has heists and Arthurian legend, details out of Dan Brown and Robinson Crusoe, secret societies and Hands on a Hardbody-inspired endurance contests, the great Margot Martindale (Cocaine Bear) as Simone's Mother Superior and a comically exaggerated Australian (Daisy Jones & The Six's Chris Diamantopoulos, who definitely isn't an Aussie) as well — and it never stops ramping up its absurdity, its excitement to veer anywhere and everywhere all at once, and those what-the-fuck moments. Spin all of the above together and out comes infectious, addictive, must-watch-more fun — constantly surprising viewing, too, especially in these commissioned-by-algorithm times. Mrs Davies does genuinely contemplate what technology's constant advancements may mean for humankind; however, it wants to be rollicking entertainment as it does so. To that end, it helps that the show's three helmers each sport experience in twisty on-screen tales that often aren't afraid to take big steps into the unexpected. They direct a series now that's glossily made but always anarchic with its slickness, its pinballing from one out-there development to the next and its pacing, benefiting from Harris' time on The Twilight Zone and Brave New World, Alethea Jones' background on Made for Love and Dispatches From Elsewhere, and Frederick Toye being a Watchmen and Westworld alum. When Mrs Davies begins, going with the flow is the only response. Although a new burst of idiosyncratic madness is rarely far away, there's always meaning in whatever is happening, with the series examining not just AI and its influence but also parent-child bonds, plus also our species' undying need for both storytelling and something to believe in (and frequently the two at once). And, crucially, at the show's core is the always-phenomenal Gilpin. No matter how eccentric and ambitious Mrs Davies gets, she's its anchor, including while navigating everything that it catapults Simone's way. She's in excellent company — even Diamantopoulos ensures that what could've been a lazy Aussie caricature earns its comedic beats — and she has everyone on- and off-screen along for the ride with her. Check out the trailer for Mrs Davis below: Mrs Davis screens in Australia via Binge from Friday, April 21. Images: Binge/Peacock.
In 2018, The Royal Botanic Garden launched an exhibition of 25,000 creepy carnivorous plants. Now, it's trading blood-thirsty flora for thousands of colourful blooms in its latest display inside The Calyx. Dubbed InBloom, the bright and beautiful exhibition opens on Tuesday, August 11 with more than 20,000 flowers flashing hues across the spectrum and one of the largest vertical floral walls in the Southern Hemisphere. The flowers will be arranged into a living impressionistic watercolour painting stretching over 50 metres in length and over five metres tall. As well as being visually stunning, the exhibition will educate visitors on the roll colour plays in plant ecology. Plus, with so many plants in such a small space, expect an onslaught of aromas, as well as colour. InBloom will be open from 10am–4pm every day until winter hits next year (the only exceptions being Christmas Day and New Year's Eve). It's worth visiting several times — the living exhibition only continues to grow and change over time — and only costs a few dollars, with the garden just asking for a donation on entry. InBloom is open from 10am–4pm daily.
Stakes at the ready: more than three decades after Buffy the Vampire Slayer first hit the big screen, and nearing the same span since the undead-vanquishing character first made the leap to television, another TV series looks set to continue the story. Into every generation a new slayer is born, after all. And if this new small-screen effort comes to fruition, it will indeed focus on a new character — but Sarah Michelle Gellar (Dexter: Original Sin) is also set to co-star. As per both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, a sequel series to Buffy the Vampire Slayer is expected to receive a pilot order from US streamer Hulu, with Gellar in talks to reprise her performance as the Sunnydale resident who spent her nights dispensing with bloodsuckers. Narrative-wise, details from there are scarce, but a fresh face will take the spotlight, with Gellar featured in a recurring role. Behind the scenes, another big name is attached to the new Buffy: Oscar-winning Nomadland director Chloé Zhao, who is set to helm the pilot if it gets the greenlight, and also executive produce. If you're choosing not to get too excited until everything is official, however, that's understandable. Into every few years, reports of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer comeback are born, too. Back in 2018, a Buffy spinoff was in the works, for instance. Alas, like vamps and making daytime plans, nothing happened. Thanks to Audible, though, Slayers: A Buffyverse Story did continue the tale with a heap of the show's original cast, focusing on bleached-blonde vampire Spike (James Marsters, Isla Monstro). Until confirmation that Buffy really is rising again like the creatures its namesake has spent so long battling, it's time to start hoping that other cast members will return to the TV sequel. Among the show's lineup of talent during its 1997–2003 run, and spinoff Angel's span from 1999–2004: everyone from Alyson Hannigan (Office Race), David Boreanaz (SEAL Team), Michelle Trachtenberg (Gossip Girl) and Alexis Denisof (How I Met Your Father) to Charisma Carpenter (Going Home), Anthony Head (Ted Lasso), Juliet Landau (Claws), Emma Caulfield Ford (Agatha All Along) and Amber Benson (I Saw the TV Glow). If it goes ahead, the new Buffy will boast Nora Zuckerman and Lila Zuckerman (Poker Face) as writers, showrunners and executive producers, while Gellar would executive produce as well. There's obviously no trailer for the latest take on Buffy yet, but you can get a blast from the past with trailers from the OG TV series below: The new Buffy the Vampire Slayer doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you with more details when they're announced. Via Variety / The Hollywood Reporter.
UPDATE, April 19, 20201 The Invisible Man is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play and YouTube Movies. In the latest version of The Invisible Man, Universal unwraps the bandages from one of its iconic horror figures in an astute, unnerving and thrillingly contemporary fashion. But it almost didn't happen, with the studio originally pursuing completely different plans. Let's all take a moment to thank the cinema gods that Tom Cruise's stint as The Mummy didn't work out. If his time dallying with Egyptian spirits had been a success, we'd now be watching Johnny Depp as The Invisible Man instead. That's what Universal's 'dark universe' — aka the studio's modern-day remakes of its old 1930s monster movies — had in store. Then the 2017 version of The Mummy proved a flop, forcing the company to change course. Suddenly, Depp's slated film disappeared into thin air just like the imperceptible man he was supposed to play. So too did an Angelina Jolie and Javier Bardem-starring take on The Bride of Frankenstein. And that left Universal with a gap — which Australian writer/director and Saw co-creator Leigh Whannell fills grippingly and convincingly with his top-notch update of cinema's most famous see-through character. In the Upgrade filmmaker's hands, The Invisible Man has been through some significant changes since HG Wells' 1897 novel and James Whale's 1933 first film adaptation. In fact, this movie doesn't really tell the eponymous figure's story, but that of the woman terrorised by the unseen guy. After years of suffering through an abusive relationship with hotshot optics pioneer Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) works up the courage to leave him. Fleeing from his remote mansion in the middle of the night with the help of her sister (Harriet Dyer), she's petrified that he'll track her down and retaliate. But, as she hides out with a cop friend (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid), word arrives that Adrian has committed suicide — although when strange things start happening around Cecelia, she's convinced that he's still somehow messing with her. To not only make The Invisible Man today, but set it in today's world too, two areas needed to be addressed. The first is technology, recognising that turning a person invisible is far more plausible than it once was — and that being involved in someone's life without being physically present isn't just possible these days, but commonplace. The second is gender politics. Watching a man terrorise a woman sight unseen has very different connotations in the 21st century, as does the stalking and gaslighting that comes with it. Crucially, Whannell embraces the complexities of both areas in this thoroughly modern take on the tale, switching focus from villain to victim, and bolstering his narrative by pondering the underhanded capabilities of technology as well as the ongoing problem that is domestic violence. Accordingly, this slow-building version of The Invisible Man isn't an account of a scientist corrupted by his latest discovery, as seen in its predecessors. Rather, it's a portrait of a woman at the mercy of a man who'll do anything and use any means to get what he wants. The end result: psychological horror mixed with futuristic science-fiction and layered with a piercing societal statement, and it's as effective as it sounds. Of course, anyone who saw Upgrade will realise that this is the only interpretation of The Invisible Man that Whannell could've made. The Aussie filmmaker continues his fascination with body modification and tech-enabled surveillance, as well as his fondness for hyper-kinetic action, a pervasive mood of dread and tension, and a sparse, sleek look — plus his interrogation of the kind of society that, with not too many imaginative tweaks needed, we just might be headed for. Forgetting the terrible Insidious: Chapter 3, the only blip on his directorial resume to date, Whannell is swiftly establishing a reputation as a genre filmmaker with smarts, style and something to say — as well as the skill to combine all of the above into a thrilling, harrowing and engaging package. He also has canny casting instincts, with The Invisible Man as much Moss' movie as Whannell's. The Handmaid's Tale and Her Smell actor has had more than a little practice in this terrain of late — aka battling insidious enemies, navigating persecution, and devolving into distress, distrust and paranoia — and she draws upon that experience here. Indeed, watching someone face off against an unsighted foe can play as hokey or unintentionally comic, but not with Moss and her haunted yet determined stare taking centre stage. This definitely isn't the movie that Universal imagined when, high on dreams of building its own megastar-studded, monster-fuelled universe, the studio announced its now-defunct Depp-led project. That's something else to continue to thank the movie gods for — because no one needed Depp's usual daffy schtick wrapped in gauze, but cinema definitely does need Whannell's savvy, unsettling, spirited and refreshing The Invisible Man remake. Great horror movies have always reflected and responded to the times they're made in and, in the same vein as Jordan Peele's Get Out and Us, The Invisible Man helps lead the charge as the 21st century reaches its third decade. This is a socially conscious, savagely creepy, supremely clever reinterpretation of a classic scarefest that takes every part of that equation seriously. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAJyugYEiY
Everyone knows novelty-sized things are infinitely better than their regular-sized counterparts. Fishbowl margaritas! The teeny tiny toys you get in Kinder Surprise eggs! The only drawback I can think of is 'fun-sized' chocolate bars. There's nothing 'fun' about teasing me with a Mars bar half as big as it should rightfully be. Now the ever-popular novelty trade is turing its sights to the post — can our love of adorably small things save a dying industry? The World's Smallest Post Service is a project run out of California by Leafcutter Designs and its founder Lea Redmond, though Redmond herself can't really tell you why it exists. Since launching a tiny letter transcription service in 2008, Redmond has been channeling her passion for miniature things and finessing the ultimate form of correspondence. Six years and one fully-funded Kickstarter project later, the tiny stationery service has hit the big time (pun unfortunately intended). The entire package — which includes enough materials to create 24 tiny letters, six tiny packages and one 3D mailbox — is only as wide as a regular pen and features a much-needed magnifying glass. Once the kit is purchased you can scribe the cutesiest of cutesy messages to your friends, pass notes in class without ever being caught, and your life will invariably be one step closer to that of a character in a Wes Anderson film. Of course, these novelties aren't wholly impractical. The deluxe kit features translucent regular-sized envelopes so you can send your tiny mail through the real-world post. It may be a little more hassle than the regular route, but at least the person receiving the letter will know that you battled the fiddly ordeal that is tiny envelope origami and microscopic stamp hell. How romantic. The Kickstarter campaign is still in full swing despite having already reached its goal (it seems people really, really want this). Get on board now if you're keen to nab some of the pledgers' perks. Remember: Twitter may be an easier means to sending tiny messages but it's nowhere near as darn cute.
"It's just kind of odd that we live in a culture that tells us we need to be better all the time," says playwright Declan Greene. "We're living in that weird suburbia that was always satirised in the nineties as Betty Crocker and white picket fences except now we want holidays in Morocco, anal sex on tap and spray tans." As its spicy name would imply, Greene's Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography takes place in a world of squeamish vulnerability. Past the barrage of cat videos and poker tournaments, Greene tackles the world of online dating, exploring the potential to craft a fictional identity in a daunting virtual marketplace. It is this sticky junction between self-improvement and a human tendency to confabulate that is the premise of Greene's newest project. "We're always reaching for an illusion just beyond our fingertips," he says. "I'm interested in exploring that shame and guilt of not having access to that." Greene is largely known as the co-founder of Sisters Grimm (Summertime in the Garden of Eden, Little Mercy), a queer theatre company producing melodramatic genre mash-ups, brimming with tacky extravagance and hilarious antics. Whilst still delving into comedies and scrutinising the limits of theatre, his solo practice is perhaps more "sombre in tone." Brought to life by director Lee Lewis, Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography revolves around a disillusioned middle-aged couple (Andrea Gibbs and Steve Rodgers) who forge their relationship online. In navigating through the pitfalls of cyberspace and the unhappy truths of their realities, Greene aims to balance bleak humour with vulnerability, commenting "these are two people who have been very deeply conditioned to believe that they have to be much better than what they are." With this play, Greene is also interested in exploring our changing relationship with language and its different domains. "If you examine what a play is on a mechanical basis, it's live text, [which is] relevant to our lives in a way that it's never been before. For example, if you scroll back through your iPhone, you'll see a history of every bit of communication you've had with a person. You have literally a script for your relationship that goes back years." In capturing these raw threads that make up the meat of relationships, Greene is tapping into the potential of digital vernacular and reshaping it to fit into a theatrical context. Dispensing with social etiquette, this bold and intimate production aims to excavate the messiness, discomfort and humiliation of relationships as they unfold online and offline. According to Greene, this notion of uncompromising reality has been a guiding principle throughout rehearsals. "One thing Lee said a little while ago that's really stuck with me is that so often theatre is about escapism and that's what people are looking for," he says. "But for her, what's unique about this show is that we're trying to do the opposite. Instead of giving them an out, we're trying to make people focus back in on their lives." Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography plays at the Griffin Theatre Company's SBW Stables from May 2 to June 14. To book tickets, head to the Griffin website. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bPnS-KjwjQ4
Besuto is another exciting addition to Sydney's quickly expanding repertoire of omakase restaurants. For the uninitiated, omakase restaurants take the decision out of your hands, serving up multi-course set menus created daily by the head chef. What sets Besuto apart is the size — both of its venue and of its menu — boasting just 12 seats, each of which is presented with a mammoth 18-course meal. The Circular Quay spot comes from Joel Best (Bondi's Best) and Finnish celebrity chef Tomi Björck who have enlisted Hirofumi Fujita to helm the kitchen, crafting the intricate dining experience for each of the restaurant's guests. The menu combines both traditional and inventive takes on Japanese cuisine, with some dishes coming and going day-to-day while others remain consistent. [caption id="attachment_844913" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] Some elements you can expect no matter when you go: Glacier 51 toothfish marinated in miso, torowith caviar, spiced coconut and cauliflower soup and yuzu sake sorbet. Visitors can also expect sashimi and sushi curated each day based on what fish the team has chosen. "My belief is that seafood done right is one of life's great joys," Joel Best says. "Besuto offers the perfect canvas for Hiro to really get out of the box and show off his world-class artistry." Dassai Beyond and Seven Junmai Daiginjo complete the dining experience with a reserved wine list designed around the seafood-heavy menu also on offer. [caption id="attachment_886842" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Declan Blackall Photography[/caption] Hidden on the second level of the AMP Building, a few doors down from multi-storey mega venue Hinchcliff House, Besuto hosts two dinner seatings each day and a lunch seating on Fridays and Saturdays. The sleek venue boasts a tasteful dining room designed by Sydney hospitality design experts Guru Projects and centres around a large honey-hued dining table. Shoji curtains block the outside world for the restaurant's 12 diners, making each sitting feel intimate and private. Since opening in late 2021, bookings at Besuto have been filling up weeks in advance. Plan ahead and head to the restaurant's website to secure a table. [caption id="attachment_886846" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Declan Blackall Photography[/caption] Top images: Kitti Gould Appears in: The Best Japanese Restaurants in Sydney
Despite some Australian weather maps saying the contrary this week, summer is officially on our doorstep. And what better way to celebrate than with a brand new range of creamy, ice cold treats from the legends at Gelato Messina? The famed gelateria's chefs have been hard at work over the past three months, creating an all-new line of its beloved cakes, all of which are set to hit stores across the country this week. The Dr. Evil's Magic Mushroom cake, with its recognisable polka dot shell, will be the only creation to carry over from the previous range, which has been winning fans and sweetening up group celebrations since way back in 2012. This is also the first time Messina's done a near complete overhaul of its cake offering all at once. In keeping with the usual Messina vibe, the newcomers are as whimsical as they are expertly crafted, and almost too good looking to destroy. Five follow the style of the classic gelato cake, while three "trans cakes" are designed to be enjoyed either from the fridge or straight from the freezer. In the lineup, you'll find intricate delights like The Golden 8 — featuring a Ferrero Rocher-inspired ball of hazelnut gelato, mousse and fudge, encased in a smooth chocolate orb — as well as more classic designs, like the coffee-infused Tiramisu Tart. There's also a big focus on using great local produce, too. The vibrant Strawberries & Cream cake features fruit from Messina's own strawberry farm in Dural, NSW, while the cow-like How Now teams house-made dulce de leche with jersey milk-soaked sponge and vanilla cream. As with the rest of the products, each cake's infused with creamy jersey milk from Messina's own Victorian dairy farm. Keep them in mind if you find yourself in charge of desserts for any impending festive celebrations. The nine new Gelato Messina cakes start at $58 and are available online or in-store from next week.
Oxford Street has long been one of Sydney's most important cultural and creative areas. As a proud LGBTQIA+ hub, the traditional home of the Mardi Gras Parade and a bustling retail, food and drink precinct, the street stands out as a cultural touchstone of the city. Currently, Oxford Street is undergoing a transformation under a new wave of development in the area. A push by the City of Sydney to further develop the Oxford Street as a creative space, and a reignited excitement for the area following the end of the lockout laws, has seen new restaurant openings, rooftop bars and cycleways, a new hotel on the horizon and the redevelopment of multiple long-standing Oxford Street venues including the Kinselas and Courthouse Hotels and the Brighton Hotel. Alongside this wave of new developments, a new multimillion-dollar project has been proposed that would see sweeping changes to a large section of Oxford Street. Property management Toga has lodged two applications with the City of Sydney for $60 million worth of renovations of three major Oxford Street buildings. The renovations would see office and retail buildings 58–76, 82–106 and 110–122 Oxford Street all transformed into a new creative, retail and commercial precinct in the heart of Darlinghurst. [caption id="attachment_801989" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A 3D rendering of the development at 82–106 Oxford Street.[/caption] The application for 58–76 and 82–106 proposes a refurbishment of the buildings with a retail, food and drink, cultural and creative premises on the lower ground, commercial offices above, as well as laneway retail spaces off Oxford Street. The development at 110–122 would include a 75-room hotel, as well as more retail, food and drink, and cultural spaces. The refurbishment would maintain the buildings' heritage facades while expanding them with a new glass roof extension and renovating the interiors, including the installation of new lifts and a redesign of the upper level offices to create larger, open-plan office buildings. Dubbed The Darlinghurst Collection, the three sets of buildings have been leased to real estate investment company Ashe Morgan by the City of Sydney for 99 years. Ashe Morgan and Toga are working together on the development. Businesses including Big Poppa's and Ariel Books have been mainstays in the space, while new businesses like the Babekuhl Gallery have migrated to the buildings recently. Many spaces across the three blocks remain empty. In the submitted proposal, Toga characterises Oxford Street as "operating below its potential" and requiring "significant renewal to rediscover its spirit and become once again a destination for Sydney locals and interstate and international visitors". According to the application, the renovations to The Darlinghurst Collection will aim to "bring new life to the precinct". The application is currently under assessment by the City of Sydney. An application for a $60 million renovation to 58–76, 82–106 and 110–122 Oxford Street is currently under review by the City of Sydney. You can find the applications here and here. Images from the development application submitted to the City of Sydney by Toga.
Well folks, it looks like the future is here — the world's first commercially available flying car is on the market. As CNBC reports, Dutch company PAL-V unveiled its very nifty design at the Geneva International Motor Show and is already taking pre-orders from keen (and cashed-up) potential owners. What's more, it'll start delivering the goods as early as 2019, once the vehicle passes all the necessary safety certifications. According to PAL-V, the two-person car can hit 160 kilometres per hour on road and 180 kilometres per hour in the air, reaching a maximum height of 3352 metres. It takes less than ten minutes to transform the vehicle from car to aircraft, and you'll need to have both a pilot's licence and access to a small airstrip to fly it. Of course, a machine like this doesn't come cheap and you can expect to fork out a cool €499,000 (that's $792,000 Australian dollars) to own the limited edition model. A cheaper model will be available later for an expected €299,000 ($474,000), plus a reservation fee of $10,000 USD ($13,000) if you fancy pre-ordering. Handily enough, the price includes a series of lessons to help you get the most out of your new toy. Start saving now and you might just be able to afford one by the time you're too old to drive. Via CNBC.
UPDATE: June 24, 2020: Mid90s is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. The skate movie is having a moment and it's doing so in perfect style, gliding into cinemas one leisurely film at a time. After the all-girl antics of Skate Kitchen and the insightful small-town musings of Oscar-nominated documentary Minding the Gap, Mid90s is the latest picture to profess its love for the board — and to roll along casually while making a big impact. All three kickflip-filled flicks are hangout movies, spending their time with friends who are both shooting and riding the breeze. They're also coming-of-age films, following kids navigating the reality of watching their childhoods slip by. Crucially, they're all slice-of-life pictures too, because nothing conveys the sensation of ollying in and out of adolescence like feeling as though you're right there with them. Thirteen-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic) wants nothing more than to join the local skateboarding crew. It's not just the thrill of idling down Los Angeles roads that appeals to the quiet teen, but having somewhere to belong. Ray (Na-Kel Smith), Fuckshit (Olan Prenatt), Fourth Grade (Ryder McLaughlin) and Ruben (Gio Galicia) are all older, however they instantly become family — the family Stevie can escape to when his elder brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) is giving him grief and his single mum Dabney (Katherine Waterston) is sharing her stress. When the quintet aren't tearing up the streets, they're partying as if there's no tomorrow, although you can't skate through life without more than a few stumbles. As summer ticks by, Stevie and his pals bide their time at the resident Motor Avenue skate shop, cruise around empty schools and test their luck with neighbourhood girls. They mouth off to security guards, stay out past Stevie's curfew, generally avoid going home and get in scraps amongst themselves. While they're getting into trouble, they attempt to forget their troubles — and it's this to-and-fro that makes Mid90s bubble along. Watching rebellious kids trying to fix their worries by falling into other woes isn't new or novel, but it keeps popping up on screen because that's how childhood works. Making his directorial debut as well as picking up his first scriptwriting credit, Jonah Hill understands this. In his hands, Mid90s is both an affectionate teenage dream and a devastatingly real reflection of youth struggles, tussles and hardships. As a filmmaker, Hill has two tricks up his sleeve: nostalgia and naturalism. They mightn't seem to be the most obvious combination, but the pair fit together like wheels sliding onto a set of skateboard trucks. Hill mightn't have strictly lived the same existence as Stevie and the gang, but he directs this blast from the past like someone who's been there, seen it all and knows exactly how every second of his film really feels. With his square-shaped frames, he serves up images so vivid that they could be memories. With his clear-eyed view, he doesn't shy away from the grit and grease that lingers behind even the happiest moments. Hill isn't just looking back fondly at his younger days. Rather, he's trying to capture the feeling of being a shy kid entering a new world and learning what getting older actually means. To do so, he needs the painstaking detail — the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sheets, Super Nintendo consoles, and the sounds of 'Kiss From a Rose', 'Pony' and 'Wave of Mutilation' — as well as the picture's stripped-bare performances. Hedges and Waterston might be Mid90s' biggest names, other than its director, but this movie is all about Suljic (The House with a Clock in Its Walls) and his first-timer co-stars. When Hill lets the camera sit and watch Stevie try trick after trick (and endure fall after fall) on his driveway, determination and desperation written across Suljic's face, that's Mid90s' heart. When the film roves around with the group, peering on as they do little more than skate away the hours with unbridled authenticity, that's Mid90s' oh-so-relatable soul. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoPYppF_e5c
We hope the trend of hotels opening up their rooftop bars to the public is one that is long-lived indeed. The jaw-dropping vistas seen from the Intercontinental poolside bar are the same as those enjoyed by Princess Diana, George W. Bush (and his entourage of 300) and Sir Elton John, in its former life as the Ritz Carlton. Well, if it's good enough for those guys. And here's a sneaky tip – if you can't wait until sundown for a sip, they're doing Moet & Chandon brunches through the summer. Did someone say staycation?
The best Australian horror film of 2023 is getting some more skin: Talk to Me, the smash-hit feature debut by Adelaide-born twins Danny and Michael Philippou — aka YouTubers RackaRacka — is scoring a sequel. A24, which released the flick after picking it up in a Sundance Film Festival bidding war, has announced that audiences will be spending more time in this possession thriller's world. Does that news call for shaking hands with an embalmed palm? Feeling the rush while being haunted? Having your mates watch and film it? Dealing with the spooky consequences? If you're game after seeing the initial movie, yes. Variety reports that the Philippou brothers will be back behind the lens, and that Danny is writing the screenplay with Bill Hinzman after the pair penned the first flick together. And the follow-up's name? Talk 2 Me. So far, a release date for the now-franchise's second effort hasn't been announced, nor stars; however, the Philippous have long had more than just one Talk to Me film in their sights. "It's so funny — we've written such an in-depth mythology bible about the backstory of the hand, the spirits that are possessing the kids, and there's just so many seeds that we planted," Danny told Concrete Playground in a chat before the first movie's release. "Even when we're writing the first film, I was writing scenes for a second film — and me and the other writer were always discussing it and talking about it. The idea of franchising or doing a sequel is so exciting to us." Danny and Michael made their leap to the big screen after racking up a huge following with RackaRacka's viral videos, and via behind-the-scenes work on Australian films such as The Babadook. Their debut feature has proven a big box-office success, taking in US$10 million on its opening weekend in America alone, which placed it second among A24's films after Hereditary. In Australia, it has notched up over AU$1.2 million at the time of writing since its July 27 release. Starring Sophie Wilde (The Portable Door), Miranda Otto (The Clearing), Zoe Terakes (Nine Perfect Strangers), Otis Dhanji (June Again), Chris Alosio (Millie Lies Low) and Alexandra Jensen (Joe vs Carole), Talk to Me sits alongside a mighty impressive lineup of other eerie flicks in A24's catalogue — The Witch, Midsommar, In Fabric, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Beau Is Afraid, X and Pearl, to name a few. Soon, Talk 2 Me will join that list as well. Check out the trailer for Talk to Me below: Talk to Me is now screening in Australian and New Zealand cinemas. Read our review, and our interview with Danny Philippou. Via Variety.
Update Tuesday, December 7, 2021: Construction on Urbnsurf Sydney is officially underway with the surf park still on track to open to the public early next year. Originally greenlit back in 2017, Urbnsurf Sydney's massive man-made surf park is finally set to begin construction later this year. Construction on the $50 million development is expected to begin in Sydney Olympic Park in quarter three of 2021, but the 3.6-hectare lagoon from the team behind Australia's first surf park won't open until late 2022. The park will feature a diamond-shaped lagoon, pumping out waves up to two metres high, all day every day. Thanks to LED lighting illuminating the man-made waves after dark, visitors will also have the option of an evening swim. The lagoon will be capable of churning out waves every eight seconds, with surfers set to catch between ten and 12 waves per hour. When surfers are done riding waves, Urbnsurf Sydney will also feature a licensed cafe, rooftop bar, yoga studio, skate park, hot tubs and beach cabanas, plus a surf academy for those looking to take their surfing to the next level. Urbnsurf originally announced the Sydney location alongside in Brisbane and Perth venues in late 2020. After a tumultuous first year at the Melbourne location due to the global pandemic, Urbnsurf Melbourne has had a busy six months, with the opening of farm-to-table favourites Three Blue Ducks inside the park and a series of waterfront concerts featuring Flight Facilities and Mallrat earlier this year. Urbnsurf CEO Damon Tudor said he was excited to use what they had learned in Melbourne to bring a new inclusive way to surf to Sydney. "Growing up in the west and as a Sydneysider, we are blessed with a stunning coastline of surf beaches, but access to those beaches and crowding in the line-up is becoming an increasing issue." Urbnsurf Sydney is excepted to open in Sydney Olympic Park in summer 2022/23.
Its usual mission is to help optimise your lounging time, by hooking you up with comfy, affordable beds and sofas. But from this week, Aussie online furniture brand Koala wants to see you launching yourself off the couch instead, and into a heart-pumping living room sweat sesh. Yes — that same living room you've been seeing a lot of during lockdown. Koala has teamed up with Retrosweat — masters of the vintage-inspired workout — to bring you an at-home aerobics program doused in plenty of 80s Australiana, fittingly dubbed The Great Australian Workout. Best break out the leotards and leg warmers because this is the time-tripping exercise class your dance floor-deprived iso self has been waiting for. Across 12 fun, high-energy episodes, Retrosweat founder Shannon Dooley guides punters through a series of nostalgic workouts they can smash out in the comfort of their own home. With or without a healthy dose of spandex, of course. Expect plenty of old-school ocker lingo, a heap of 80s Aussie references and a fair dinkum retro workout wardrobe that promises to send you straight back to the days of Scott and Charlene's wedding, and Olivia Newton John's Physical. Clocking in at around three minutes each, the free live workout videos have just dropped over at the Koala website, so you can attack one each day or sweat your way through the whole bunch in one go. Plus, those following along on Tik Tok will have the chance to score some sweet prizes. Share a glimpse of some of your own 80s moves and blast-from-the-past workout threads, and you could win some Ken Done artwork or a Koala sofa for your efforts. Clear out that coffee table and get ready to throw down some moves. You can farewell lockdown boredom and catch The Great Australian Workout here. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
