Would you like some creepy with your coffee? David Lynch takes advertising to dark places with this disturbing film promoting his signature coffee line. I'm curious as to exactly what David Lynch Signature Cup would taste like. Obviously it would depend on whether you choose the espresso blend, house roast or decaf. My intuition tells me Lynch likes his coffee strong, dark and somewhat syrupy – much like his genius mind. All the blends are all organic and fairly traded, as we learn from a bizarre dialogue between Lynch and the decapitated Barbie doll head he cradles in his hand. [Via Lost At E-Minor]
Have you ever found yourself in a charming, low-lit restaurant on a Saturday night only to have the ambience destroyed by violent flashes from the table next to you? Perhaps it's happened right in front of you — a date who just had to halt conversation to whip out his iPhone and 'gram both your meals before you could deign to touch it. It's just as bad on the other end too. There's no way his followers at home want to see some poorly framed gourmet blob as they sit down to their own mildly depressing mac and cheese for one. Well, now we have an excuse to send all these terrible snappers on a nice long trip away. In a world first, new London pop-up restaurant Picture House will be letting diners pay for their bill via photos of their food on Instagram. Like a sanctuary for the universally hated, notorious amateur food photographers can snap to their heart's content at this cursed hellhole and get a free two-course meal at the end of it. Unfortunately for patrons and their respective Instagram followers, Picture House is in fact a marketing stunt by frozen food giants, Bird's Eye. Accordingly, the food that will be flooding everyone's newsfeeds will consist of fancy fish fingers and a beige assortment of things that once resembled chickens. Dimly Lit Meals for One should expect a huge influx of submissions in the next week. All in all, the industry is pretty divided on the issue of novice foodie photographers. A restaurant in Cape Town has recently allowed patrons to use the newly-developed #dinnercam in their dining room — a futuristic casing for your meal (pictured above) that creates perfect lighting conditions allowing optimum food wankery. But other establishments like David Chang's Momofuku Ko are outright banning the practice. Still, according to an incredibly impartial survey taken by Bird's Eye, nine percent of Britons can't even go a single day without photographing their meals. Of course, I'm being a little rough. The odd food pic is okay. Of course it is. All I ask is that the food on display should be truly extraordinary. A croque-en-bouche three metres tall? 'Gram that baby. Pasta which the chef has painstakingly arranged into a portrait of your face? That's DP material. But a plate of frocked up chicken dippers with the obligatory hashtag #BirdsEyeInspirations? No thanks. Via London Evening Standard.
When the first-ever SXSW Sydney took place in 2023, we were there as history was made. We didn't just check out the talks, gigs, films, TV shows and games on offer — Concrete Playground was part of the conference programming, which is called Session Select. When we took to the stage, we did so to dive into youth, information and the digital age. In 2024, we're keen to do it all over again. At the end of 2023, after the inaugural SXSW Sydney proved a success, the Australian event confirmed that it'd be back in 2024. This year's dates: Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20. Earlier in April, SXSW Sydney also revealed that Session Select candidates are currently vying for your love, because that's how this part of the program is chosen — and we'd like your help. SXSW's Down Under leg lets the community get behind the microphone at Session Select. More than that, it allows you to choose what makes it into this portion of the fest's lineup. All you need to do is vote, which is now open for 2024 until Monday, April 22. We've submitted two sessions for consideration in 2024 — here's what we're planning, both of which you can vote for via the SXSW website. [caption id="attachment_920349" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brittany Hallberg[/caption] Appetite for Distraction: Youth, Information and the Digital Age in 2024 Call it a comeback. Call it a sequel. Either way, we're not done with this topic yet. Backing up our 2023 SXSW Sydney session, we'll host a discussion on how young people are consuming news and information in online spaces. This panel will bring together industry-leading communicators to discuss where Gen Z and young millennials are getting their news from, what's grabbing their attention, the importance of online communities and where the future of journalism and information-based content is headed. Vote for the Appetite for Distraction: Youth, Information and the Digital Age in 2024 panel online. [caption id="attachment_920350" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brittany Hallberg[/caption] New Rituals: The State of Socialising and Hospitality How is going out changing? How are consumer expectations changing? How is the hospitality industry changing to meet those demands? What trends are we seeing and how are hospitality businesses, food and beverage businesses adapting to meet them? In this panel, we'll share five minutes of insights and consumer trends from ongoing annual research into socialising, events and going out, which will be conducted in August 2024 for the second year in a row. Then, a panel of experts will discuss some of the key themes and trends, talking about their experience within their businesses, and how they are changing their products and services to meet changing consumer expectations. Vote for the New Rituals: The State of Socialising and Hospitality panel online. If you're be interested in attending our panels, please visit the voting pages for New Rituals: The State of Socialising and Hospitality and Appetite for Distraction: Youth, Information and the Digital Age in 2024 to show your support. Voting closes on Monday, April 22, 2024. SXSW Sydney 2024 will take place from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20. Top image: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney.
Back in 2021, Four Pillars and QT Hotels and Resorts joined forces to celebrate one of life's small joys. Whether you're spending a night far from home or you're staycationing in your own neck of the woods, enjoying a drink at the hotel bar is always a highlight after check-in. There's just something about being able to duck downstairs for a cocktail — or dropping in on your way back up to your room, too — that screams vacation, so the gin distillers and the hotel chain created the perfect tipple for the occasion. For folks looking for a new reason to ditch your own bed for an evening — or simply fond of sipping drinks in hotel bars and pretending you're on holidays — Ordered Chaos Gin was that beverage. It featured coconut milk, raw almonds and bamboo leaves as part of its flavour profile, and it was only available at QT Hotels' bars, plus to order by the bottle for your own gin shrine. And, at the time, it was a once-off — until now. Meet Gilded Chaos Gin, sibling to 2021's drop, and the newest limited-edition tipple trying to tempt you out of the house. Once more, Four Pillars and QT have collaborated on a new gin with an inventive array of flavours. This time, expect to taste wild fennel, sage and vetiver. Clearly, this isn't the type of tipple even the most dedicated gin fans are used to knocking back. The sage will hit your nose, while you'll also taste macadamia and cardamom — and get a burst of citrus thanks to lemon leaves. "A couple of trials and taste tests with sage, vetiver and wild fennel led us to our new Gilded Chaos Gin, a fantastic blend that hits all the right notes," explains Four Pillars co-founder Cameron Mackenzie. Again, you'll only find Gilded Chaos Gin being poured at QT Hotels' bars, where it'll be served in two kinds of cocktails: the Gilded Chaos Luxe Martini, which also features lemon peel, extra-virgin olive oil and anise-flavoured spirit pastis; and the Gilded Gibson, which uses Cocchi Vermouth di Torino Dry, plus kaffir lime leaf that's been nitro-flashed with cocktail onion brine. The places to hit up: QT Sydney, QT Melbourne, QT Canberra, QT Newcastle, QT Gold Coast, QT Perth, QT Auckland, QT Wellington and QT Queenstown. And if your gin collection needs a new addition, Gilded Chaos Gin will set you back $110 a bottle, but only while stocks last. Four Pillars x QT Hotels Gilded Chaos Gin is available at the hotel chain's bars, and to buy by the bottle via the brand's website.
When a drought-stricken farming community is shocked by a murder-suicide, Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk is forced to return home for the first time in 20 years — for the funerals, and to investigate. That's the premise of Australian crime novel The Dry, which first hit bookshelves back in 2016, marked the debut novel from author Jane Harper, and was named the British Book Awards' Crime and Thriller Book of the Year and the Barry Awards' Best First Mystery amongst a heap of other accolades. Come New Year's Day 2021, it'll also be the plot of the new Aussie movie of the same name. Australian cinema loves crime flicks, as everything from Two Hands, Animal Kingdom and Snowtown to Mystery Road and Goldstone attests (and Money Movers, Heatwave, Shame and Son of a Gun, too). Accordingly, it should come as little surprise that the big-screen version of The Dry stems from two people with a history in the genre. Director Robert Connolly was the producer of one of the best local crime movies ever made, 1998's unnerving The Boys, while Eric Bana was famously the star of the similarly excellent Chopper. In The Dry, Bana plays the aforementioned Falk, who looks far from happy when he receives a note about his childhood friend Luke — with the latter alleged to have shot his wife and child before killing himself. Falk's homecoming opens up old secrets, including involving his old pal. In a town filled with rage after years of struggle against the titular conditions, Falk soon begins to suspect that a previous death might be linked to the current case, too. As well as Bana, The Dry features plenty of familiar faces, as the just-dropped first trailer shows. They include Animal Kingdom star James Frecheville, Glitch's Genevieve O'Reilly, Fargo's Keir O'Donnell, Mission: Impossible II's John Polson, The Dressmaker's Julia Blake, Occupation's Bruce Spence, 1%'s Matt Nable and Top End Wedding's Miranda Tapsell. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X7KkP68RZE&feature=youtu.be The Dry releases in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on January 1, 2021.
It's beginning to feel like a tale as old as time: every now and then, The Grounds of Alexandria celebrates Disney in a big way — and unleashes the outdoor setup to prove it. In the past, it's paid tribute to The Nutcracker, Mary Poppins Returns, Aladdin, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Frozen II and Cinderella, all by fashioning up the kind of makeover that could've easily stepped out of one of the Mouse House's beloved flicks. Until Sunday, January 30, another dose of Disney magic is on the cards at the popular venue — this time, to mark the 30th anniversary of Beauty and the Beast. Yes, The Grounds of Alexandria wants you to be its guest, to wander through decked-out laneways that nod to the iconic movie and to just generally feel like you're in a fairytale. Head by to mosey beneath curtained arches, step through bookcases, roam past blooming roses and spy oh-so-many teapots and teacups (none of the latter talk, though). Reservations are available for both the cafe and the potting shed, and you can feast on two special treats. As well as 'Belle of the Ball', a mini sponge cake made with vanilla buttercream, passionfruit curd, and pineapple and mango compote, you can sip a passionfruit, coconut water and lemon-flavoured drink called 'The Enchanted Rose'.
Almost three decades ago, in a movie that's still as beloved now as it was then — and keeps throwing new franchise instalments at the big screen, too — Richard Attenborough uttered four iconic words. "Welcome to Jurassic Park," the actor said in-character as the dinosaur-filled theme park's owner John Hammond. That phrase has been repeated countless times since, and will always be linked to the Attenborough name. Of course, Richard Attenborough isn't the only famous figure in his family. The now-late actor and filmmaker's younger brother happens to be none other than David Attenborough — and now he's showing dinosaurs some love, too. No, you won't find him in the new Jurassic World flick; however, he will be lending his voice to a five-part natural history series about the prehistoric creatures right before Jurassic World Dominion reaches cinemas. If you'd listen to David Attenborough narrate anything and you're always fascinated by dinos — and yes, both of those apply to pretty much everyone — then Apple TV+'s Prehistoric Planet will be a must-see. With a name that falls in line with the broadcaster, biologist and natural historian's past shows The Living Planet, State of the Planet, The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet II, Our Planet, Seven Worlds, One Planet, A Perfect Planet and Green Planet (as well as Planet Earth and Planet Earth II, plus documentary David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet), it'll look backwards at what the earth was like 66 million years ago. Obviously, CGI will feature heavily, but combined with wildlife filmmaking and paleontology learnings. Accordingly, get ready to discover little-known and surprising facts of dinosaur life, step through the environments of Cretaceous times, see how the Tyrannosaurus rex parented, and explore the ancient creatures of both the sea and sky. That's what Prehistoric Planet will cover across five episodes, which'll drop daily on Apple TV+ across Monday, May 23–Friday, May 27. While David Attenborough's voice is always music to anyone's ears, Hans Zimmer will be adding rousing score to the show — fresh from winning his latest Oscar for Dune. And if you're wondering about the photorealistic imagery that's bringing dinosaurs to life, filmmaker Jon Favreau is one of the Prehistoric Planet's executive producers, and the effects company behind his versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King is doing the CGI honours. Check out Prehistoric Planet's first teaser trailer and a sneak peek video below: Prehistoric Planet will hit Apple TV+ across Monday, May 23–Friday, May 27, with a new episode available to stream each day.
A film about memories, Aftersun is impossible to forget. Floating across the screen like it's sweeping in from a dream, it's too raw, too personal, too deeply felt and too tactile. Within its frames, 11-year-old Sophie (debutant Frankie Corio) enjoys a sunny late-90s getaway to Turkey with her father Calum (Paul Mescal, The Lost Daughter), cementing recollections that'll linger decades afterwards. In telling this "emotionally autobiographical" tale, as she's called it, Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells crafts a movie that's rich, resonant and haunting from its very first moments to its equally stunning and beautiful finale. Since the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, Aftersun certainly hasn't been forgotten by the film world. Nearing a year later, it's still the talk of the industry — deservedly so. The list of accolades and nominations to its name keeps growing almost daily. A Cannes Critics' Week Jury Prize, five Independent Spirit nods, a Gotham Award, seven British Independent Film Awards and nine more nominations, the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: they're among the movie's ever-expanding list of gongs. So too is the Directors Guild of America's coveted prize for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film. And, of course, there's Mescal's Academy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor, a feat that the Normal People star achieved in just his third big-screen role. Making her feature directorial debut after shorts Tuesday, Laps and Blue Christmas, Wells didn't contemplate anything that'd follow simply making Aftersun. "With shorts, it most often ends at its premiere. You're so fortunate to have gotten to the point where you're showing the film with an audience at a festival that that is the end of the road, really," she tells Concrete Playground. "I had naively not thought about what came after making the film. I thought about the response only really in the narrative sense, about how legible the film was in its themes and its characters, and its intentions," she advises. "It's been really special. I don't think you set out to make films to get that type of award recognition, but it's been really nice to see the work recognised, and the work of my collaborators recognised." Special truly is the word for Aftersun, and for everything that it brings to the screen. It applies to the so-intimate-you-could-be-there look and feel, the heartwrenching use of a coming-of-age tale to ponder loss and depression, the meticulously specific yet also timeless use of 90s minutiae — songs like 'Macarena', 'Losing My Religion' and 'Tubthumping', plus Catatonia's 'Road Rage', All Saints' 'Never Ever' and Blur's 'Tender' as well — and Corio and Mescal's sublime performances. With the film now in cinemas Down Under, and still buzzing around the international awards circuit, too, we spoke to Wells about her journey with Aftersun — including what it's like to direct Paul Mescal to an Oscar nomination, and finding her perfect cast to begin with. ON CASTING PAUL MESCAL — AND WATCHING EVERYTHING HE WAS IN FIRST "We focused our attention first on casting Sophie, because we knew she would very likely be a discovery, somebody who'd never acted before, and that it would take time — which it did, it took about six months. And towards the end of that process, we started to consider Calum in earnest, and Paul's name came up. Obviously, I'd seen him in Normal People. It was about a year after that had premiered during the early days of the pandemic, and I watched everything that I could get my hands on. I was drawn, I think, just to his warmth and capacity for vulnerability, and his openness and playfulness and charm. You know, I was watching interviews, really anything and everything. There was like an Instagram video of him singing Sia, and reading a children's book — everything. I don't think I've said that to him. Then we had the opportunity to meet and to talk. There was a period where he wasn't available, so we had to dispel the idea, but it came back around because our dates had moved. Then we had the chance to meet, and we just had a really great conversation and connected. He was so thoughtful in the way that he spoke about the script and the character. It's always a leap of faith at every step of the process, from the second the script leaves your inbox, to bring on collaborators, particularly for a project like this. It was so long in the making, in the writing, and so personal in so many ways, and casting is a really big leap of faith — it's when things start to become concrete in a certain way. It was a leap of faith really well taken, and I feel really proud to stand beside those two when we present the film to people, when we're at awards together. It was a really good experience, and they connected in such a profound and unexpected way. I don't think anybody foresaw the relationship that they would build to be as real in some way as it was." ON HEARING THE OSCARS NEWS AFTER SUCH A COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCE "I can tell you what it felt in the moment that it happened, because I was on the phone with a couple of my producers. Paul rang the moment that it happened, and we both just jumped up and down around our respective apartments, yelling and swearing — and then took this moment just to appreciate the absurdity of the moment, and also the experience that we had together, which really was like a creative partnership and collaboration." There was a lot of trust that we placed in each other, I think. It really worked both ways. He put a lot of trust in me that I was creating meaning out of sequences of images, and things that may not be shot the way he'd imagined they'd shot — great stretches of dialogue shot while he was 50 feet away, sitting on a float out at sea for pivotal scenes in the film. He really trusted that I knew what I was doing in crafting this and building it, and allowing the feeling to shine through. I trusted him to just bring so much empathy to that character and to find meanings in unexpected places, and warmth in unexpected places. It was just a really special collaboration, and it feels like an amazing accomplishment on everyone's part in the film. And his performance being recognised, you know, it's such a small team. There weren't a lot of us. It was a really intimate film, and it's just very exciting and really, really nice." ON FINDING FRANKIE CORIO TO PLAY SOPHIE "We worked with [casting director] Lucy Pardee, who has worked with [Fish Tank and American Honey director] Andrea Arnold and [Birth and Under the Skin filmmaker] Jonathan Glazer, and has this amazing reputation for discovering new talent. She was my guide through that process, really. We had almost 800 submissions. These kids would submit various videos, and ideally we allowed them the space to grow with the process and become more comfortable in front of their camera at home. So, when we got into the casting room in-person — we met 16 of them — it felt like a natural step, a natural point of evolution in the process, even though that was still a new experience for them and for me too, really. That's where Frankie really stood out. That's where she was able to sit in front of the camera and become somebody different, and respond to direction, I suppose. And conjure emotional states that weren't what she was feeling in the moment, and then just shake them off when the exercise was over and cartwheel out the room. She was really, really, special and funny and never let me off easy in the best possible way. She's amazing to be around. She has so much energy." ON BRINGING 90S SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES TO THE SCREEN "It was all about specificity in detail. The colours were just right. The length of the sleeves were just right, and that was down to our costume designer. The size of the tiles were just right or, if they weren't, we knew and we made a choice. There was just so much attention to detail in every department, and yet Greg [Gregory Oke, Aftersun's cinematographer] and I spoke about this, because we didn't want to excessively draw attention to detail. I think music is the most significant signifier of the period in the film. I played into a little bit, and enjoyed playing into a little bit. At the same time, I didn't want to always choose mega hits, because if I did I couldn't pay attention to the scene at hand. I wanted to choose things that were pop, and that felt real to the location, and also draw from slightly older tracks, too, because it's not only songs from 1997–8 that you would be hearing in 1997–8. We wanted it to feel really present and rich, and vibrant. 'Present' was our overriding adjective for the feel of the film, even though it was set in the past. We used our own holiday photographs as the basis of the look, the turquoise blues and the magenta skins and the rich blacks, quite saturated. We literally just handed holiday photographs to my colourist. I had been on one holiday to Turkey as a kid, and the photographs for that were the basis for the look for the film, and the types of tones that we went for. The Souvenir, Joanna Hogg's film, the first one had come out when we made the film. The second came out devastatingly in post. That was definitely a cue for how to portray a period that just felt very lived in and authentic, and never drawing attention to itself where it didn't need to, but just serving the story and the feel of the film." Aftersun is now screening in Australia and New Zealand cinemas. Read our full review. Images: Sarah Makharine.
A lot of people like fan fiction. A lot of people write fan fiction. Typically speaking, I'd say a lot of fan fiction is almost definitely porn. What if Bella and Edward got together in the first book? What did Buffy and Angel really get up to that night? And, most importantly, what if regency era laws allowed Mr Darcy and Elizabeth to more, ahem, publicly display their affections than a simple chaste kiss at the end of the novel? If you were at all curious as to how Jane Austen might write porn, then best you have a look at Steven Dawson's Jane Austen's Guide to Pornography. Imagine what happens when Jane, readying for her swan song, meets 21st Century pornographic playwright Brett as he struggles to write his best work, and that's what you'll get. Combined with another of Dawson's work, Gorgeous Bastard, the whimsical tale of three gay men at a straight man's wedding, and you've got yourself a rollicking good night at the theatre. Both productions are being held in conjunction with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras- just a small snippet of the cornucopia of events that will be held during the annual festival.
When the Australian Open returns for 2023 with two jam-packed weeks of Grand Slam tennis action, it'll also be serving up a few aces for local music-lovers. Especially as part of the inaugural AO Finals Festival, which is set to treat punters to a program of live acts across the event's final three days, heating up Kia Arena from Friday, January 27–Sunday, January 29. The music fest is dishing up a ripper lineup for its debut run, too, featuring the likes of Vanessa Amorosi, Flight Facilities and Benee. Which doesn't come as too much of a surprise, given it's been curated with help from the respected music-heads at Untitled Group — the brains behind Pitch Music & Arts, For The Love, Grapevine Gathering and more. [caption id="attachment_789706" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Benee[/caption] The festival is kicking off with a bang, its first day coinciding with global LGBTQI+ event The Grand Slam, presented by Ralph Lauren. Legendary singer-songwriter and 'Absolutely Everybody' star Amorosi will help launch the musical offerings, joined by pop darling Montaigne and Melbourne-based DJ Bertie. Chasing that on January 28 (also the AO women's finals day) you'll catch New Zealand singer-songwriter Benee, renowned Gamilaraay artist Thelma Plum and party-starting six-piece Winston Surfshirt, along with dance favourite CC:DISCO! And wrapping things up on AO men's finals day you'll have electro duo Flight Facilities, backed by brother-and-sister act Lastlings, Sydney's Willo and emerging Melbourne star Forest Claudette. [caption id="attachment_842049" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flight Facilities[/caption] The gigs will take place in Melbourne's Park Kia Arena, with tickets at $34 for each day. If you're already heading courtside during the AO, you'll just need to drop $5 to upgrade your existing ground pass or Rod Laver Arena stadium ticket to include entry to the AO Finals Festival on any given day. As always, there'll be scores of food and drink pop-ups scattered throughout Melbourne Park, as well as big screens showing all the on-court action. [caption id="attachment_872292" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thelma Plum, by Georgia Wallace[/caption] The AO Finals Festival hits Kia Arena, Olympic Boulevard, Melbourne, from January 27–January 29. Tickets are $34 for each day session, available online.
Our Flag Means Death might be no more, after the pirate rom-com was cancelled after two seasons, but getting giggling at Rhys Darby is still on the agenda. The New Zealand comedian has hardly been away from the screen for more than 15 years, ever since Flight of the Conchords became one of HBO's best-ever sitcoms, so he's been inspiring laughs for years. For the first time in nearly a decade, however, he's returning to the stand-up stage — and he's just locked in an Australian tour. At the beginning of each year, Aussies enjoy a chuckle when comedy festival season sweeps the nation's east coast. Darby is on the Brisbane Comedy Festival and Sydney Comedy Festival lineups, and will also play Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Hobart and Newcastle. In fact, he's making nine stops around the country throughout April 2025. [caption id="attachment_915747" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Our Flag Means Death, Nicola Dove[/caption] "I'm so excited to return to the stage, a bit older, a bit wiser but mostly a bit sillier than ever before!" said Darby, announcing the tour, which kicks off from Tuesday, April 8–Sunday, April 13 at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre and ends on Wednesday, April 30 at the Princess Theatre in Brisbane. Fans can expect gags about AI, robots, dads wearing tight jeans and more — and the mix of absurdity and insights that have always marked Darby's brand of comedy. [caption id="attachment_980410" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gage Skidmore via Flickr[/caption] Between calling band meetings on Flight of the Conchords and finding love while swashbuckling on Our Flag Means Death, his career has spanned everything from The X-Files, A Series of Unfortunate Events and Wellington Paranormal to Sweet Tooth, SpongeBob SquarePants and Monsters at Work on the small screen. On the big screen, Darby has also been a frequent presence, thanks to The Boat That Rocked, What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Jumanji: The Next Level, Uproar, Next Goal Wins and plenty more. Rhys Darby The Legend Returns 2025 Tour Dates Tuesday, April 8–Sunday, April 13 — Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne Tuesday, April 15 — Norwood Concert Hall, Adelaide Thursday, April 17 — Odeon Theatre, Hobart Saturday, April 19 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra Tuesday, April 22 — Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle Wednesday, April 23 — Anita's Theatre, Thirroul Thursday, April 24 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Sunday, April 27 — Regal Theatre, Perth Wednesday, April 30 — Princess Theatre, Brisbane Rhys Darby is touring Australia in April 2025, with pre-sale tickets from 10am on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 and general tickets on sale from 10am on Friday, November 22, 2024. Head to the tour website for more details.
Feeling flush? For the first time ever, cashed-up travellers can now book out an entire hotel through Airbnb, for the tidy sum of $15,000. That hotel being the newly opened Little Albion Guest House — a luxurious 35-room operation in the heart of Surry Hills. Launching officially this week, the one-of-a-kind guest house is out to shake-up the luxury travel game, pitched as a fusion of hotel and home. The idea here is to team the comfort of a hotel, with the familiarity and laidback nature of an Airbnb stay. It's the first hotel in the world that can be booked out in its entirety via the app. If you don't have the expendable cash to book out the whole thing, you can also rent out individual rooms in the hotel, which start at around $150 per night. The Little Albion Guest House is the work of boutique accommodation group 8Hotels and talented designer Connie Alessi, and it has designer interiors, a covetable art collection, a rooftop garden complete with an outdoor shower and panoramic city views, and an honour-system bar, where guests can help themselves to high-end nibbles and drinks. There'll also be a team of hosts — headed by Surry Hills local Wendy Morris — on hand at all hours to help out with everything from charging cables to local gym recommendations. It's the latest boutique hotel to join Surry Hills' ever-growing collection, which also includes the newly open Paramount House Hotel. Find Little Albion Guest House at 21 Little Albion Street, Surry Hills
Perth, our most westerly neighbour, has long been celebrated for its natural beauty — the sea, sand and endless sunshine. But, hey, there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking. Over the past few years, Perth has switched gears and turned into a vibrant, cultural hub with the personality to back up its good looks. Now it's an ideal destination for a long weekend getaway. So you don't miss out on all that Perth has to offer, we've teamed up with the folks at QT Perth to bring you ten top-notch things to eat, see and do while visiting this magical city. The urban-chic boutique hotel is situated within the heart of Perth and boasts luxe amenities — like something called a 'signature QT Dream Bed', retro-glam black and gold furnishings, a minibar full of surprises and even complimentary pilates classes — all perfect for those explorers who relish the finer things. And what's more, this summer, you can stay at the swish hotel for free. QT Perth is giving away an epic trip to WA, which includes three nights' accommodation for two, plus flights, VIP passes to the Ice Cream Factory Summer Festival and $200 to spend at the festival bar. So, pack your bags; it's time to get acquainted with the new Perth. TUCK INTO PASTRIES AT MARY STREET BAKERY, HIGHGATE Baked goods mecca Mary Street Bakery sits just a 20-minute stroll from QT Perth. With four outposts around the city, the bakery has become a firm favourite among locals and visitors alike. Those with a proclivity for savoury can tuck into slow-cooked eggs with buttery toast ($13) or kimchi pancakes with beef brisket ($22), while the sweet tooths can enjoy some next-level treats, like pandan pannacotta with puffed rice, lime gel, almonds and mango ($16) or perfectly baked escargot ($5) — the pastries, not the snails. Wash it all down with a single origin cold brew or an organic cold-pressed green juice if you want to pretend you're healthy after that hefty dose of sugar. PERUSE THE GOODS AT FREMANTLE MARKETS, FREMANTLE Just 30 minutes from Perth's CBD, you'll find the uber trendy suburb of Fremantle. Renowned for its burgeoning art and music scene, Freo's streets are abuzz with creativity. Arguably the best way to get a glimpse of this vibrant culture is to hit up the Fremantle Markets. Running for over than 100 years, the markets have everything from Aboriginal art and Aussie opals to fresh fruit and coffee beans. There's even a shop which solely sells Barnesy t-shirts, because everybody loves Barnesy. The markets also have a regular busker schedule, so you can shop to the sweet sounds of Perth's up-and-coming musicians. GO GAMING AT PALACE ARCADE, CBD Arcade bars have been popping up all over the Eastern Seaboard — and now the neon-lit trend has spread to the west. Last September, Perth's first arcade bar opened its doors to the delight of all the kidults in WA. Boasting more than 100 machines from the 70s, 80s and 90s, Palace Arcade is a great place to go if you want to play like a kid for the day. There's nothing quite like getting a good dose of nostalgia along with your beer (or Cheat Mode cocktail). Should hunger strike, Mack Daddy's New York Pizza is available whole and by the slice. The best part? It's only a short, seven-minute stroll — or waddle depending on the pizza slices consumed — back to the hotel. CATCH A FLICK IN THE CLOUDS, NORTHBRIDGE As if openair cinemas weren't cool enough — this one's on a rooftop, six levels above the city and with panoramic views of Perth. Rooftop Movies is open now until March 30, 2019, with a program that places new films, like Bohemian Rhapsody, alongside old gems à la The Parent Trap and Romeo + Juliet. They've even dusted off 90s classic Home Alone just in time for Christmas. Grab yourself a Pimm's cup from the bar, settle into your comfy beanbag and watch as a babyfaced Macaulay Culkin physically and emotionally destroys two grown men. Oh, and even if the movie blows, you've got that skyline. [caption id="attachment_701027" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Adam Selwood.[/caption] TOUR THE LITTLE CREATURES BREWERY, FREMANTLE It'd be remiss to visit the West Coast and not have a pint of Little Creatures. The beer was born when a group of mates started brewing in a huge shed (and former crocodile farm) on the water's edge in Freo. Doesn't get more Aussie than that. Touted as the 'Grandfather of Perth's craft breweries', Little Creatures has been slinging beers since 2000 and operates like a well-oiled machine. To gain insight into the inner workings, jump on a brewery tour with a resident 'hop head' and learn about the brewing process, as well as the Little Creatures story. Tours run daily at 12, 1, 2 and 3pm, and cost $20 per person — that includes a guided tasting of the full range of beers. SNEAK INTO SNEAKY TONY'S, NORTHBRIDGE This elusive little speakeasy can only be accessed with a secret password, 'open sesame' style, which immediately makes you feel as though you're in some kind of prohibition-era gang. The bar's dim lights and moody aesthetic further adds to this 1920s underworld vibe; it's at once thrilling and mysterious. Ready yourself for a throng of punchy cocktails that make use of the bar's colossal rum collection. We suggest ordering the Sour Power, a refreshing blend of Cuban rum and watermelon, or the apple pie mojito. Just make sure to check Sneaky Tony's Facebook page to find out the magic word each Friday and Saturday night. Bottoms up, bootleggers. CATCH A FERRY AND HANG WITH THE QUOKKAS, ROTTNEST ISLAND Just look at that little guy, do we really need to convince you? Jump on a ferry to Rottnest Island and see the world's largest population of quokkas. There are thousands of them and, best of all, they're not camera shy. (Get ready for some seriously cute quokka selfies — these guys even smile for you.) Beyond the little brown floofs, 'Rotto' is a pristine, natural wonderland that's ripe for exploration. Go for a surf at one of the stunning white-sand beaches or explore the island by foot via one of the scenic hikes. Once you're tuckered out, catch the ferry back to the QT, enjoy a relaxing rain shower and spend the night curled up watching complimentary in-room movies. GET YOUR AUSSIE MODERN ART FIX AT PICA, CBD WA has a spate of great galleries — big and small — but to see some truly progressive work, head to the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts. Housed in a picturesque heritage building, smack bang in the middle of town, PICA has become a focal point for those keen to experience the very best Australian contemporary art. The program extends beyond visual arts to also incorporate performing and hybrid arts. Since it's free entry and only an eight-minute walk from QT Perth, it's a prime no-fuss activity to tackle when you need some downtime. ROTISSERIE CHICKEN AT TINY'S, CBD Perth's food and wine scene has gone into overdrive, with a spate of new venues bursting onto the city streets. And one of the best newcomers has to be Tiny's. Headed up by hospo heavyweights Paul Aron and Michael Forde — the brains behind Mary Street Bakery, Greenhouse, El Publico and Ace Pizza — the multifaceted venue features a restaurant, specialty bottle shop and bar. So, Tiny's is actually rather big. Head along for dinner and opt for the banquet ($54 per person) to sample some top-notch rotisserie meats. The chook, which takes two days to prepare and cook, is served with nduja bread sauce and potatoes roasted in chicken drippings — and it's by far the standout. Oh, and if you enter and win the QT Perth competition, you'll also get a free dinner at Tiny's. GO FOR A LATE-NIGHT BOOGIE AT LUCY'S LOVE SHACK, CBD The folks behind Jack Rabbit Slims opened this venue last September, and it's already won the hearts of Perth's late-night revellers. Lucy's is a bona fide party spot, with a generous daily happy hour, late-night pizza, live music and karaoke. The drinks menu is packed with a whole heap of beer, a few decent wines and a collection of reasonably priced cocktails (from $13). There's even Lucy's take on a Long Island iced tea available on tap. Did we mention it's only a one-minute walk from your home base? Partying has never been so easy. Spend your weekend exploring some of the very best things around Perth, and when you need a place to recoup, find your home away from home at QT Perth. Even better, enter the competition and win a trip to the city and a stay at the hotel for zero dollars. Plus, you'll get access to the most summery of events — the Ice Cream Factory Summer Festival.
Nerding out over denim is something only connoisseurs of wine or coffee could really understand. Region, preparation, final style; jeans aren't just flaps of fabric you squeeze into every day. But we don't all mull so deeply over selvedge, chain stitching and five point pockets — leaving that instead to a man called Denham. Originally founded six years ago in Holland by a jeanmaker called Jason Denham (his actual name, what even), fashion label Denham has expanded to the UK, further into Europe, the US and now Australia (despite only having a core team of half a dozen creatives). Having opened just a few months ago on George Street in collaboration with Hilton Seskin (owner of Topshop and Glue), Denham is carving a niche for serious and not-so-invested denim fans in Australia. The country's only Denham store has found a snuggly Sydney home in The Rocks, boasting a sweet, sweet heritage listing. Denham's new space wears floorboards from 1844, square-paned windows and bare piping to hold up the wares. They're also burning the same incense you'll find in the Amsterdam store, slightly like Subway's olfactory technique but significantly more classy. Denham are masters of The Little Things — more points in your pockets so your hand fits better; treating jeans as if they were already one, two, three years old; making waistlines appear lower than they actually are so you stay classy without nerding out. Using high quality Japanese denim, getting fabric effects through Italian laundries and making hardcore American-style work jeans, Denham seem to take the best bits out of every denim-crazy country and blend it with their own Dutch savvy. Denham even make their own sake — one of Denham's head dudes is a seventh generation sake-maker. While you can't buy it in-store in Sydney yet (dastardly licensing laws), we can keep fingers crossed that our city's love for the stuff will find a way to will it over. But while there's a wide range of jackets, shirts, trenchcoats and hats to pair with your brand new slacks, with a name like Denham it's all about getting psyched on a new set of slacks. Denham denim specialist Kyl Jones knows his denim. Having worked for years for Glue (through which Denham was first distributed), Jones found his preferred Denham poison and pushed it all the way to its own Rocks store. Jones took us through a fitting with Denham's stretchy monkeymakers, quashing any former fears with jeans fittings. Going for a struggle-street-worthy skinny jeans fitting might dredge up the same kind of horrifying shivers as bikini shopping — tiny, tiny garments that expose every bulge. But it doesn't have to be this way — the Denham team are genuinely and refreshingly honest about what looks good on you, how it should fit and actually give you a bucketload of geeky denim tips you'll pass on to patient buds later. Seriously, ask questions. Shorties like myself can get their long denim legs trimmed and altered in store; Denham rock two vintage sewing machines that took a specialist to seek out (and boy, are they expensive to fix). One rocks a hardcore chain stitch (the stitch super denim fans look for), the other a thinner stitch better suited to stretch jeans. While there's more of a male range instore, lady denim enthusiasts need not go wanting — anything you don't see on the shelves can be easily snavelled online. So if you're one to psych out over selvedge or you're just sick of looking super bulgy in Kmart skinnies, get your jeanless butts to Denham. Denham can be found at 77 1/2 George Street, The Rocks; (02) 8252 9702; www.denhamthejeanmaker.com
The City of Sydney has voted unanimously to waive fees on outdoor dining for businesses until the end of June 2025. The inner-city council has poured a mountain of support into helping encourage al fresco dining and events in the wake of the pandemic, with $5.7 million worth of funding set aside for the project last year and a series of street parties popping up across The City of Sydney over the last 12 months. The extension of this initiative sees the fee waiver for outdoor dining permits continue for an additional two years, a review of the permit system and an investigation into areas that can be permanently extended into the road for increased outdoor dining. The two-year waving of permit fees will cost the council approximately $4 million in foregone revenue. "Waiving outdoor dining fees was one of the first things we did when the pandemic hit Sydney," said City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "We did this to make it easier for restaurants, bars, and cafes to operate while encouraging physical distancing. People have really embraced it, with participating businesses telling us they've taken on extra staff and seen increased patronage — a crucial aid to staying afloat in these difficult times." Moore cites a March survey that showed 91 percent of businesses participating in the outdoor dining program saw the initiative as crucial to the business and 39 percent had experienced a significant increase in turnover since the introduction of outdoor dining. Moore continues: "Having brunch with friends, a wine after work or grabbing a quick bite and watching the world go by are some of the best moments of urban life. Being able to shop, dine or drink on our footpaths and roadways makes it easier for us to enjoy those things and support local businesses in a COVID-safe way." Continuing this push for outdoor dining and events, a huge series of al fresco feasts are set to take over George Street next month. Titled Open for Lunch, the takeover of the bustling CBD area will see the likes of Merivale, YCK Laneways and Porteno's Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz hosting pop-ups throughout George Street. The City of Sydney has voted unanimously to waive fees on outdoor dining permits until the end of June 2025. Images: City of Sydney
You know those little steamed buns that you get at yum cha? You'll get to know them a whole lot better at Bao Town, a pop-up collaboration between two bao-obsessed ladies who want to share their love for this soft outside and tasty inside street food. Traditionally an Asian street food, baozi, or simply bao (pronounced 'bow'), are growing increasingly popular here in Sydney and so what better way to explore the fun even more than with Bao Town? Once a month, for three months, Bao Town will serve two savoury and one sweet bao with new flavours being introduced at each pop up, along with Vietnamese coffee. Scrumptious fillings that you can expect to try include beef bo kho, yellow chicken curry, miso eggplant and coconutty pork belly (a definite favourite so far). Sweet tooths will drop their jaws at lemon polenta and gooey molten chocolate — the latter certainly requiring napkins. The collaboration comes from Theresa Nguyen and Vella Nero, who are joining forces to bring us this beloved street food, with plans to eventually operate as a stand-alone space and catering company. A graphic designer by profession, Australian-Vietnamese Theresa is a freelance food stylist and the words behind food blog The Gook. Since she was old enough to pronounce 'bao', Theresa has had a love of good food. When she noticed a shift in the Sydney eating scene — a move to simple cuisine, with one dish done well — she saw the opportunity to operate her own Bao joint, and we're chuffed she followed through with her idea. So pop on down to Bao Town for the launch on Sunday October 12 and grab some tasty bao. And at only $3.50 a pop or 3 for $10, why wouldn't you be keen to celebrate the love of the hot fluffy goodness and warming happiness that is bao? Bao Town is on Saturday, October 12, November 2 and December 7 from 10am to 5pm at Vella Nero, 259 Clarence Street, Sydney. You can follow Bao Town on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Viticulture specialists are always experimenting with new ways to develop fresh and exciting flavours of wine, producing sharper tastes and more expensive blends, and creating the perfect amount of tannins for that lovely bitter aftertaste. Another way in which wine inspires competition is in the race to develop the most lavish and novel wine cellar designs. Hotels and homes alike are installing increasingly glitzy wine cellars, whether taller, brighter, larger, or simply fancier than any other. Take a look at seven of the most impressive and outlandish wine cellars from around the world. Radisson Blu Hotel, Zurich At 16m high, this exotic wine cellar is the highest of its kind in the world. And the only way (well the most entertaining and novel way) to retrieve these bottles from the shelves to the customers? With acrobatic barmaids, called Flying Angels, who zip up and down the tower using a winch, of course. This enormous structure was designed by US-based Jeremy Thom Productions, weighs a massive 27.5 tons, and cost around 4 million Swiss Francs to construct. Modern Pacific Heights, San Francisco Tucked away inside a quiet set of charming townhouses on the streets of San Francisco lies a wine cellar not usually found in your everyday basement. The idea of the space is to provide a mix between a house and an art gallery, with rather unorthodox and innovative features. On top of a hidden, underground car lift, one of the key features of the townhouse is an expansive wine cellar constructed from lucite and stainless steel, giving the impression of an endless cellar — and therefore an endless supply of wine. Multimillion-Dollar Estate, Tennessee For owner of Beckwith Interiors Jamie Beckwith, having a seven-bedroom, six-and-a-half bathroom, 12,398-square-foot mansion was simply not lavish enough. It was, of course, missing an LED-lit wine cellar complete with individual wine holders and a transparent ceiling. The lights can change to any colour, adding a retro vibe to Beckwith's many parties, and the arches within the cellar perfectly match the gothic style of the rest of the estate. Spiral Cellars, UK The modern craze for storing your wine, which focuses on ease of access, low expenses, and decor integration, is installing a spiral cellar in the kitchen of your own home. First developed in 1977, the spiral cellar system is a proven success when it comes to storing the old vino, and design firm Spiral Cellar has taken this acknowledged method and modernised it. Matching the furniture or flooring of your home, these wine cellars can be easily and cheaply installed in any room of the home with a trap door which when closed seamlessly blends with the rest of the room. Yet when open, it leads to a spiral staircase descending into a huge array of your favourite wines, which thanks to the pipes and advanced ventilation system, will be fresh and the perfect temperature. Carlton-Ritz Hotel, Shanghai Named the world's best hotel in 2011 by Conde Nast Traveler, this glamourous and appropriately ritzy Chinese hotel prides itself on grandiose designs and furnishings and a particularly high-end dining scene. One of the centrepieces in this department is naturally the wine, which then requires an equally opulent area in which to store it. In its signature Cantonese restaurant, all 10 dining rooms contain their own private wine cellar, each as impressive as the next. World's Largest Wine Bottle 480L, Switzerland The small inn located in eastern Switzerland Gasthaus zum Gupf is home to the world's most incredible, record-breaking bottle of wine. Holding 480L of sweet world-class quality wine and with a height of 240cm and weight of 630kg, it is no mean feat. Just as exciting as this bottle of wine is the cellar in which it is placed, playing host to 25,000 other bottles, making up 2100 varieties of wine. The tactic of utilising the ceiling to store these many, and rather large, bottles of wine also makes this innovative cellar stand out amongst others. Biggest Wine Cellars in the World, Moldova Renowned for its flourishing wine industry and hugely popular annual wine festival, Moldova is the must-see place for all those wine connoisseurs out there. In the city of Milestii Mici, you can also find the world's biggest wine cellars, as recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records. You'll find almost any blend, colour, or taste of wine your palette could desire within the many walls of their underground cellars.
For about 18 months now, the City of Sydney has been promising an epic public art program for Green Square. Well, it wasn't a hollow proposal — we can now give you the lowdown on some of the details. For a start, the precinct's futuristic, architect-designed library will be scoring two brand new works by Aussies, selected from 90+ submissions. The first is Cloud Nation by Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro. These two geniuses have tracked down a vintage Beechcraft Travel Air plane and will be suspending it mid-air. But, before it leaves their trusty hands, they'll be covering its exterior with a teeny-tiny miniature world. Think a recreation of Laputa Island from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. You'll be able to look from a distance or get up close, thanks to onsite binoculars. "As well as promoting the library space as a place of imagination and knowledge, the idea behind a floating island that is an airplane also draws inspiration from the wave of immigrants that came to Australia in the latter half of the 20th century," say artists Claire and Sean. "This cultural exchange was, and still is, made possible by the use of air travel. Cloud Nation takes that idea of the inner homeland that people carry inside themselves and turns it into a fantastic vision." At the same time, Sydney's Michael Thomas Hill and Indigo Hanlee (Lightwell) will be installing their High Water, in the library's external public plaza. It's a mammoth-sized LED display of local weather patterns and tidal information, fed by live data. An interface will help you to understand what you're seeing. So, you'll be able to stand in Green Square and decide whether or not a harbourside picnic is a good idea without going anywhere. "Turning what is accessible but often intangible data into moving water colours, this artwork becomes its own visual language for our changing environment," says Michael and Indigo. On top of the library, the 278-hectare Green Square development includes a creative hub, an aquatic and childcare centre, and more than 15 new parks and open spaces. The artworks will be ready for your perusal in early 2018.
The weird and wonderful combine in Patricia Piccinini's new exhibition at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). Extending across a range of mediums from sculpture to photography, Piccinini presents an augmented vision of reality through an amalgam of science, nature and fiction. Curious Affection features over 70 immersive artworks, and it's the first time GOMA has exhibited the work of a contemporary Australian artist on such a large scale. It features a variety of new commissions and old works in Piccinini's unmistakable hyperreal style, including 'The Field', an installation of more than 3000 flower sculptures. Accompanying the exhibition is a superb film program at GOMA's Australian Cinematheque, which run from science fiction through to horror classics. The gallery is also staying open late every Friday night from June 8 to July 6 with a program of live music and talks. Images: Installation view, 'Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection' at GOMA (2018), shot by Natasha Harth.
Anna Polyviou, Adriano Zumbo, Gelato Messina, LuxBite, Black Star, N2, Andy Bowdy, Savour School and Cacao. You've seen their sweets all over Instagram. You've probably gone looking for those sweets. Now you need look no further than Sweet Street. In its second year, Sweet Street is a dessert festival designed to showcase some of Australia's leading pastry chefs and give you a serious sugar high. Three rooms of the Shangri-La Sydney will be converted into a Willy Wonka's factory-level wonderland. There will be awesome giveaways, and in the spirit of street: graffiti artists, DJs and break dancers. If you need a backbeat to your food daze, DJ Mafia will be on hand to provide some tunes. Entry includes eight tokens to start your #SweetStreet adventures. For one night only, you'll get to enter your the Candy Land of your childhood dreams, and you'll be the one to decide when you've had too much sugar. (Hint: never) Photo by Eddie Hart.
After viral leaks of award-winning author Adam Mansbach's new children's book for parents, Go the Fuck to Sleep, created huge hype in recent weeks, the book was finally released today. The book comes with an audiobook version that is narrated by none other than Samuel L. Jackson, and is illustrated with sweet and innocent images by artist Ricardo Cortes. A New Zealand Christian lobby group Family First is already calling for the book to be banned, writing letters to New Zealand's Booksellers Association asking that it not be distributed to retailers. The group is concerned about the effect that the offensive language and negative message could have on aggressive and dysfunctional parents. One verse from the book reads "All the kids from daycare are in dreamland. The froggie has made its last leap. Hell no you can't go to the bathroom, you know where you can go? The fuck to sleep." Most people however, have found the book hilarious, including legendary film director Werner Herzog who also plans to release a recording of the book. Film rights have now also been optioned by Fox and Canongate has already bought the UK title. The book is currently at the top of the Amazon best seller list. You can listen to a sample of the Samuel L. Jackson recording here.
Ice cream fiends don't need any extra excuse to tuck into their favourite frosty treat, especially when the weather is warming up — but if you can lick your way through a scoop or two and help a great cause, your dessert just might taste extra sweet. That's what's on the menu at Ben & Jerry's, which has launched a new flavour in solidarity with Torres Strait Islanders battling the climate crisis. And, for one day only, it's giving out free ice creams for supporting climate change action, too. The brand isn't shy about making products that make a statement. When it wanted to call for action on the same topic in 2018, it stuck to its strengths, releasing a new ice cream flavour to draw attention to the subject. When it wanted to specifically target the Australian Government's support for fossil fuels in 2020, it did the same as well. And, back in 2021, it released a choc-chip cookie dough beer to support renewable energy. So, new limited-edition non-dairy flavour 'This Is Our Whirled' joins a lengthy history, but also hit shelves in collaboration with Our Islands Our Home. That campaign is spearheaded by the Traditional Owners of the Torres Strait, and is urging the Australian Federal Government to take stronger action on climate change. In September this year, as part of the push, eight Torres Strait Islanders won a ruling from the United Nations Human Rights Committee — which stated that the Australian Government had violated Torres Strait Islanders' human rights by failing to act on global warming. The ice cream itself is a vegan dessert made with sunflower butter — and we hope you like chocolate, because it's filled with chocolate chip cookies, chocolate sandwich cookies and chocolate cookie swirls. You'll find the tubs at Woolworths, Metcash and Ben & Jerry's scoop stores Australia-wide, including for free at the latter from 5–9pm on Friday, October 14. To nab a pint of 'This Is Our Whirled' ice cream without paying a cent, you will need to sign Ben & Jerry's petition calling on stronger climate action and climate justice for Torres Strait Islanders. You can do so online via the Ben & Jerry's website, then you'll need to take a screenshot to prove it — and show that at your nearest scoop shop to score your free tub. There's a limit of one per customer, and the giveaway will only run while stocks last during the four-hour window. Still, anyone who nabs a freebie will be gain a pint with artwork from Torres Strait Islander and art activist Dylan Mooney, which is designed to celebrate Torres Strait Islanders' resilience. If you're buying a pint some other time instead, a portion of profits from every sale of the flavour are going to Our Islands Our Home to support its ongoing climate justice efforts. Ben & Jerry's has scoop stores at Newtown, Bondi Beach, Manly and Hoyts Broadway in Sydney; Flinders Lane, St Kilda, at Hoyts at Melbourne Central, Docklands, Highpoint and Chadstone in Melbourne; and South Bank and Hoyts Sunnybank in Brisbane. Ben & Jerry's 'This Is Our Whirled' ice cream is available at Woolworths, Metcash and Ben & Jerry's scoop stores Australia-wide. The chain is giving away free tubs at its scoop stores from 5–9pm on Friday, October 14. For more information, head to the Ben & Jerry's website.
Sydney's big stage revamps are set to continue, after the Theatre Royal's big makeover and Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall transformation — and this time, the Harbour City is gaining a brand-new spot for shows within a beloved venue. Sydney Lyric Theatre has always boasted a rear-stage space; however, it was solely set aside for changing sets if it was hosting multiple operas. Now, that part of the theatre is going to become its own place to get entertained. Foundation Theatres, which owns and runs both Sydney Lyric Theatre and the Capitol Theatre, has lodged a development application for the refurbishment. The works at Sydney Lyric join the company's already-approved plans to also add to Pyrmont's cultural scene with a 1550-seat Broadway-style theatre and a 1000-seat space for live performances. And, the rear-space makeover will be completed first, targeting a late 2024 opening ready for a huge summer of 2024–25 filled with more shows. Sydney Lyric's new addition will be focused on intimate setups, seating 360 people — including on a rear balcony with 80 seats — and catering to 630 standing folks. Patrons will enter through the same venue foyers, but the new theatre will have its own backstage facilities, including dressing rooms, and be operated as a self-contained site. Whatever graces the space when it launches, the venue's lineup will do so behind the main stage. Sydney Lyric's design kept large-scale repertory opera firmly in mind, aka performing multiple productions a week — hence the need for a rear stage to store a second set. But, despite that aim, the venue hasn't ever been used for opera repertory productions. So, the rear stage is just used for loading main-stage shows at the moment. "This additional venue to Sydney's theatre ecosystem will provide a new performance space of a size that is in critical demand in Sydney, particularly for emerging works and performers seeking to showcase performances to Sydney audiences," said Foundation Theatres CEO Graeme Kearns. "We're looking forward to programming the new venue with contemporary music, drama, cabaret and comedy that will work nicely in Pyrmont's thriving entertainment precinct with the other theatres we have planned for the area." The new theatre also earned support from arts industry figures such as producer John Frost and Sydney Festival Director Olivia Ansell. "Sydney's theatre scene can only benefit from commercial theatre offerings of this size and capability," noted Frost, whose shows include Wicked — which is currently playing Sydney Lyric — plus Chicago, The Rocky Horror Show and Grease. "Finding versatile theatres that can accommodate a broad range of artistic works, in a variety of presentation modes can often be a challenge in Sydney. Presenters and artists across the country will warmly welcome this intimate theatre space to Sydney," added Ansell. Sydney Lyric Theatre's rear-stage revamp is set to open in the fourth quarter of 2024 at 55 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont — for more information, head to the Foundation Theatres website.
Nope, not a how-to for casual meth enthusiasts, the Breaking Bad cookbook is finally on shelves. Filled with 'sugar high' TV show-inspired recipes by a certain Walter Wheat (heh) and prompting "let's cook" hurrahs worldwide, now you can be the one who bakes. Several sites have leaked certain recipes from the book, Baking Bad (out November 6), featuring Walter White specialities like 'Blue Meth Crunch' (sans phenyl-2-propanone) to adorable little underpanted gingerbread men dubbed 'Mr White’s Tighty Whitey Bites' — reminiscent of Season One's epic opening scene — and a disturbingly cute nod to Jesse's gruesome, body-and-roof-dissolving bathtub: 'Jesse’s Jell-O Acid Tub'. Here's a taste of what Walter Wheat has cooked up in the RV: Meth Crunchies Jesse’s Jell-O Acid Tub Mr White’s Tighty Whitey Bites Recurring Pink Bear Bites Walt’s Buried Barrel Dessert Fring Pops Tortuga Tart And of course: Blue Meth Crunch "Let's cook." INGREDIENTS 118ml water 177ml light corn syrup 14oz/350g granulated sugar 2 tsp (10ml) peppermint extract Blue gel food colouring You will need a sugar thermometer. Do not use chili powder. It’s for amateurs DOSAGE 5 people DIRECTIONS 1. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, or use a heatproof glass tray. Spray with non-stick baking spray. 2. Find yourself a decent accomplice. Underachieving ex-students are a good choice, though psychologically fragile. 3. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup and sugar. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then turn up the heat to bring to a boil. Stop stirring and insert the thermometer and use a pastry brush dipped in water to wet the sides of the pan (this will prevent crystals forming). 4. Cook the mixture until the temperature reaches 285F/140C. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and take out the thermometer. Let the mixture stand until all the bubbles have stopped forming on the surface. 5. At some point you’re going to need a distributor. But don’t worry about that now. 6. Add a few drops of peppermint flavouring and enough blue colour to give the correct ‘Blue Meth’ hue. 7. Quickly pour the mixture onto the baking tray, lifting the tray from side to side to spread the mix. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly smooth or has holes in it. Let the candy cool to room temperature. 8 Once the candy has cooled, use a hammer to break it up. Put into little plastic baggies or serve as is, whichever your clients prefer. Baking Bad by Walter Wheat is being published by Orion on 6 November 2014 in hardback (also available as an eBook). Via Telegraph UK and Buzzfeed. Images: 'Baking Bad' by Walter Wheat, Orion Books.
The global pandemic has turned things upside down, but one thing that hasn't changed much is Aussies' love for local, small-batch gin. And, now that the warm weather has arrived, it's well and truly G&T time. For those wanting to become true gin aficionados, though, you'll have to look beyond mixing the stuff with Schweppes. Enter Archie Rose's Virtual Experiences, which is bringing the distillery to your living room. The Sydney-based distillery makes some of the best gin in the country, so expect these online, booze-fuelled adventures to level up your next at-home happy hour. First up, you can partake in a virtual gin and whisky tasting ($80), with a flight of five Archie Rose spirits, as well as some tonic and a tasting mat, all delivered to your door. Or, you can go for its cocktail sessions, where you'll be shaking up two tasty gin-based cocktails. The at-home pack that comes with recipe cards and a prep sheet for $85 and you can tune into a live-stream class, too. There's also the blend-your-own gin workshop for $119, which includes everything you'll need to make your own signature gin, plus delivery and a 45-minute live-stream masterclass with an Archie Rose expert. You can select the infusions that match your gin style and choose from flavours like native river mint or juniper, cassia bark and coriander seed. Archie Rose You can also book in private classes for large groups and parties, just send them an email. If you'd rather skip the work and get straight to sipping, the Aussie spirits label is delivering its four bottled cocktails, too, from its twist on the negroni and espresso martini to its specialty concoctions the Tall Poppy and the Golden Gimlet. Check out Archie Rose's Virtual Experiences program and order yourself some top-notch gin over here.
New financial year, new excuse to book a holiday? It's as good a reason as any. It isn't just airlines that want us to be making getaway plans all of the time — we all want to be in that camp, too, because who doesn't constantly want to be thinking about, preparing for and locking in vacations? Via Virgin Australia, here comes your latest chance to give your suitcases a workout. The Aussie carrier is beginning July 2024 with a week-long sale that's starting prices cheap — at $49 — and slinging over one million fares. This round of specials covers both domestic and international trips, so you're covered whether you want to hit up Tokyo, Bali, Fiji, Vanuatu or Queenstown, or also Hamilton Island, Byron Bay, Cairns, Hobart, Darwin, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and more. By now, everyone knows that the Sydney–Byron Bay route always has the lowest cost, which is $49 one-way this time around. From there, other discounts include Melbourne–Launceston from $59, Sydney to either the Sunshine or Gold coasts from $69, Melbourne–Hobart from $75, Brisbane–Proserpine (aka The Whitsundays) from $75, Melbourne–Adelaide from $79, Sydney–Hamilton Island from $115, either Melbourne or Brisbane to Uluru from $119, and Sydney–Perth from $215. For those eager to travel further afield, cheap international flights span a heap of return legs, such as Melbourne–Queenstown from $405, Gold Coast–Denpasar from $449, Sydney–Nadi from $499, Brisbane–Port Vila from $565, Brisbane–Apia from $609 and Cairns–Haneda from $679. This sale kicks off on Monday, July 1, running until midnight AEST on Monday, July 8 unless sold out earlier. And the cheap fares, which cover both directions between each point in the discounted route, start with Virgin's Economy Lite option. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, these deals cover periods between Tuesday, July 30, 2024–Tuesday, June 3, 2025, with all dates varying per route. Inclusions also differ depending on your ticket and, as usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick if you're keen to spend some, part or even most of the next year anywhere but home. Virgin's 'I can't go without a holiday this year' sale runs until midnight AEST on Monday, July 8, 2024 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Stationery and craft lovers, we have found your mecca. If the beautifully dressed front window (bunting guaranteed) doesn't grab you, the walls of hilarious, handmade cards, tags and rolls of washi tape most certainly will. The second room (!) displays rows of blank cards, boxes of rubber stamps and a collection of notebooks that would make Hemmingway spit his martini. With all the pretty paper and all the pretty stationery, Paper 2 also makes for the perfect place to get lost in if you're waiting for a table at its busy neighbour, Four Ate Five. But it's definitely worth a trip all on its own.
If Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar get teamed up again on-screen after Drop, don't be surprised. In a film set in a swanky sky-high Chicago restaurant, the two make a dream first-date pair. The importance of that shrewd casting move shouldn't be underestimated, because this thriller relies on its stars perfecting a number of complex tasks that are crucial to the feature's vibe. Viewers should feel the sparks between them, even when things get awkward. They need to want to like them as a couple, too. A layer of suspicion also has to float over Sklenar's Henry — but when Fahy's Violet is told by anonymous airdrops to kill him or there'll be grave consequences, no one should hope for that to happen. Directed by the Happy Death Day franchise and Freaky's Christopher Landon, Drop turns the initial in-person encounter been two people who've been connecting online into a fight for survival, and a puzzle. Inspired by IRL unrecognised messages coming producer Cameron Fuller (The Astronaut) and executive producer Sam Lerner's (The Goldbergs) ways on a holiday, the flick boasts a "what would you do?" scenario as well. In actuality, no one was told to get homicidal, of course, but that's what awaits Violet in a largely one-setting mystery where almost everybody is a suspect, tech surveillance and safety are also in focus, and the relatable fears that bubble up about the difference between how we present ourselves online and reality also drive the narrative. Landon's aim: to make a film with a modern Hitchcock feel that also takes inspiration from 90s thrillers, both things that audiences don't see every day in cinemas of late. That mix, that mission, that mood that Landon was looking for — and achieves — stood out to both The Bold Type, The White Lotus and The Perfect Couple's Fahy and 1923 and It Ends with Us' Sklenar. "It had a very clear point of view, which is part of what I found so attractive about the idea of it. I think it really knew what it wanted to do and knew what it was," Fahy tells Concrete Playground. Adds Sklenar: "it's a decisive film". Drop's villain is equally resolute: if Violet doesn't do what she's told or informs anyone about the instructions that she's being sent, this nightmare will impact her young son (debutant Jacob Robinson) and sister (Violett Beane, Death and Other Details). She can see on her home security cameras that someone has already broken into her house while she's out, waiting to harm her loved ones, all as she's attempting to be charismatic with Henry and uncover who is behind her hellish ordeal. Landon is purposeful himself, especially about plunging viewers into an immersive setup. The same applied with his cast and crew: to help those on the filmmaking journey with him, the production built a fully functioning restaurant to shoot in, right down to a real chef creating the menu. [caption id="attachment_1000353" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.[/caption] Do real-life awkward date moments — including the highly relatable type when unease simmers, even if just to you, because small things have gone wrong but they feel huge inside your head — assist when that's what you're enlisted to navigate? "We've all had those kinds of experiences," Fahy advises. "Definitely," chimes in Sklenar, noting that he "can't do mouth noises". The duo riff about it. "Like chewing and stuff," says Fahy. "That would be a thing for me," stresses Sklenar. "Makes you twitch. I get that. Noted," responds Fahy again. As the two bounce back and forth while speaking with us, they're in the same bantering mode that Violent and Henry are early in the movie, and charmingly, before the picture's date is saddled with life-and-death stakes. Drop places Fahy in another twisty mystery, as The White Lotus and The Perfect Couple both have in the last few years. With survivors of abuse also factoring into the storyline, as was the case in It Ends with Us, Sklenar is similarly in familiar territory. Symmetry also echoes in the two talents' paths to here, after starting out as actors at around the same time — onstage in the late 00s for Fahy, and in 2011 film Cornered for Sklenar — then working their way through the likes of One Life to Live, Political Animals, Miss Sloane, Mapplethorpe, Vice and Emily the Criminal between them to their recent respective TV successes. Amid jokes from the pair about their parallels, plus also potential other genres that Drop could've taken its thriller-slash-relationship drama into, we chatted with Fahy and Sklenar about the latest standout addition to their resumes. How pivotal it was for the movie to be as invested in the date as in the unnerving airdrops, shooting in the film's very own restaurant, Violet's survival story, approaching the picture as a long play: they all came up as well. On How Crucial It Is That the Film Is Invested in the Date, and in the Relationship at Its Centre, as Much as Its Horror-Thriller Setup Brandon: "It was important." Meghann: "I think it's part of what totally is so fun about the movie, because it has a romantic component to it, it is sort of a date movie, but it is also kind of a thriller. You get both. It's very much a hybrid." Brandon: "There was a sci-fi element early on, but we took that out — we just thought it was too genre-bending." Meghann: "But I think ultimately the story is about this relationship, and these two people who really are connecting in a way that is important and new for both of them. And it would be a great date if she didn't have to kill him." Brandon: "Yeah, it would be." Meghann: "It would be great." Brandon: "And in the end, it ends up being a good thing, I think. I think that it's not all bad." Meghann: "Nope." On Shooting in a Fully Functioning Restaurant That Was Created Just for the Film, Right Down to a Real Chef Whipping Up the Menu Meghann: "It was hugely helpful. I mean, you're in the environment, and it's so real that there's not even a big weird movie light in your face. It's just the lighting on the table and in the ceiling, so you really genuinely walk onto that set and you think 'I'm in a restaurant right now'. Which is incredible. It was very realistic." Brandon: "Yeah, it was." On Fahy's Task Digging Into Violet's Survival Story, and What It Takes to for Her to Keep Enduring Meghann: "I think that the way that we meet Violet is so violent and disturbing, and it has so much to do with her journey as a woman after that — and how she interacts with him, and why she's so nervous to go on the date in the first place. And so it's hugely informative, and was something that Chris and I talked about a lot, because it was so important that we honour her journey into moving on and having a healthy relationship — and being happy and feeling brave, and getting outside of herself and trusting herself. And I think that's what feels so good about this film, is the audience really gets to see her kind of become her own superhero. And it's just so wonderful to see that happen." On How Sklenar Approached Portraying Someone That Viewers Have to Remain on Edge with and Suspicious of, But Also Still Want to Like Brandon: "I think that there's a small degree of being aware of the plot and where it's moving, and trying to mislead the audience consciously in a certain way — and how you look at somebody or how you speak a line, or maybe a moment that you do that isn't scripted necessarily to misdirect the audience. And other than that, I think that it's on the page, mostly. And then, in just finding a rhythm with Meghann, and doing these scenes — it's essentially one giant scene, because it's in real time as soon as we get to the restaurant. So it's one 70-something-page scene." Meghann: "Yeah." Brandon: "And I prepared it like that. I memorised it like a play. And then you just show up and do it, and it just requires a great deal of presence and being present, as it is really like an acting exercise. And just being as present as you possibly can be." Meghann: "I don't think he gives himself enough credit for how interesting he made that character and how many tiny, nuanced things he layered into Henry, but it was really impressive." On Whether Fahy's Run of Twisty Mysteries, Including The White Lotus and The Perfect Couple, Is an Active Choice or How Great Parts Have Come Her Way Meghann: "I guess it's a little bit of both, to be honest with you. It is a genre that I really enjoy myself when I'm watching stuff, and it's super fun to make. So yeah, I think it's kind of — it was never consciously something I was chasing. I think it's just how things worked out. But yeah, there's definitely a mixture of both of those things for sure." On Fahy and Sklenar's Similar Journeys to Drop, After Starting Acting Around the Same Time and Enjoying Recent Small-Screen Successes (Including in 1923 for Sklenar) Brandon: "I guess we kind of do have paralleled situations. Same age. Kind of hitting it at the same time." Meghann: "Same hair." Brandon: "Same hair? Yeah, both Irish. I think that it's cool. I mean, I wouldn't have it any other way." Meghann:"Yeah, me either." Brandon: "I think there's something, there's a certain appreciation you have for the journey when you're not, I think, in your early 20s and you reach a certain level of success, and you've sort of worked at it for a really long time and tried to improve yourself personally along the way — because I'm a firm believer that the external is just a reflection of the internal. And neither of us would be sitting here at this table had we not grown as human beings outside of this crazy thing we decided to do with our lives. So that's imperative. And I think they're one and the same, and it's just a testament to keeping at it." [caption id="attachment_1000366" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex J. Berliner/ABImages[/caption] Meghann: "Yeah, taking it as it comes." Brandon: "And trying to do the best you can." Meghann: "Yeah, day by day. 100 percent. I completely agree." Drop opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
Whether you're in Singapore for the first time or are lucky enough to have visited before, there's always more to do, see and experience around the Lion City. Rather than just stop in and marvel at iconic attractions, discover local stories and learn something new the next time you're in the city, with a guided tour by local experts. In partnership with Singapore Tourism, we've pulled together some fascinating tours — many of which are free — where you can get access to insider knowledge to uncover a new side to Singapore. Singapore Walking Tours Kick off your Singapore trip with a walking tour to get your lay of the land. There are several tour operators around the city, but Monster Day Tours is one of the few that offers free daily walking tours through different neighbourhoods. Over two-and-a-half hours, you'll be guided through the historic areas of Chinatown, Kampong Gelam or Little India. If you're more interested in the contemporary side of Singapore, there's also tours of Marina Bay and the Singapore City. You can try your luck joining in on the day, but priority is given to those who have booked a spot in advance. [caption id="attachment_976861" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marklin Ang[/caption] Gardens by the Bay With 1.5 million plants from across the globe spread across over 100 hectares, you could visit the Gardens by the Bay many times over and still not have seen it all. That's why the Gardens offers a series of free sustainability and nature tours around the massive park. Every Saturday and Sunday between 8.30–11.30am, you can learn about topics such as water conservation and sustainable design practices, biodiversity and ecosystems, the sensory features of plants, and the impact of carbon on our climate as a guide takes you through parts of the park. Although it's free to join, you'll have to reserve a spot ahead of time to ensure you don't miss out. Mandai Wildlife Reserve Make some new furry friends when you get a close-up look at local wildlife on a behind-the-scenes tour. Mandai Wildlife Reserve consists of Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Bird Paradise and Night Safari, and each park offers a range of exciting experiences. Explore Asia's first river-themed animal park with a personal guide or embark on a nighttime adventure through the world's first nocturnal wildlife park. At the Singapore Zoo, you can jump aboard a private buggy for a tour of the orangutans, tigers, KidsWorld and Wild Africa, before you get to meet a giant tortoise and participate in feeding the giraffes. Be sure to add on a backstage experience when you book your ticket. Brass Lion Distillery Brass Lion Distillery is a gin distillery known for its flagship Singapore Dry Gin, along with atypical gins that incorporate local flavours and aromatics, such as osmanthus oolong, butterfly pea and jasmine. For an in-depth experience, book in for the 50-minute distillery tour. Not only will a guide take you through the history of the brand and its production process, but you'll also be treated to a welcome drink and tasting flight of three gins in the upstairs Tasting Room. For a bespoke souvenir, choose your own botanicals and make your own gin to take home at the Brass Lion Gin School. National Gallery Singapore Let's be honest — it can sometimes be a struggle to fully comprehend or appreciate complex works of art. Give the artists the admiration they deserve and delve into major works by Singapore, Southeast Asian and international artists with docent-led tours at the National Gallery of Singapore. There are free tours ranging from deep dives into specific exhibitions and artists to a highlight tour of the whole gallery or building tours of City Hall and the former Supreme Court. Some of these tours require admission passes and you can register for a spot once you're at the National Gallery. Peranakan Museum Explore a significant part of Singapore's history and culture at the Peranakan Museum. 'Peranakan' is derived from the Malay word meaning 'local descendants', and the museum showcases the origins of Peranakan culture in Southeast Asia, as well as contemporary expressions of the culture. Peruse historical artefacts alongside textiles, furnishings and ceramics. The museum also offers free guided tours every day, and you can register on the day once you've paid for admission to the museum. Book your Singapore holiday now with Flight Centre.
It was only a matter of time before doggo-obssessed Sydney got a multifaceted venue entirely dedicated to our furry friends. Originally from South Yarra in Melbourne, Hachi's second boutique pet store opened in Sydney in August 2020. Show your pooch a good time by visiting this Darling Square space. Start with a little pampering at the grooming salon, then pick a new outfit for them from the retail shop. Next up, you get their brand new look immortalised with some glamour shots at the photo studio. Then, because they've been a very good boy (or girl), treat them to a pupcake at the cafe.
Watch this breathtaking piece of filmmaking and you'll never take a marble column for granted again. Armed with his camera, Albanian video artist Adrian Paci set out to follow a slab of marble — starting with its extraction from the earth, through its journey over vast oceans, to its chiselling, by the hands of an extraordinarily dedicated group of Chinese labourers. Touching on themes of dislocation, exploitation and globalisation (without sledgehammering them), Paci employs an epic, transcendent approach, creating a work that's beautiful and devastating at the same time. The Column was a smash hit at the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale. Before that, it exhibited in Paris, as part of Paci's Lives in Transit exhibition at the Jeu de Paume, and in Milan at PAC.
It's well and truly that time of year, people. Christmas is officially just over a month away, so it's about time you put your hands on the wishlists of your loved ones — and get ready to shop market-style. Pack your wallet and some sunscreen because Cambridge Markets is hosting al fresco shopping events all over town. To narrow it down for you, here are our picks of the lot. If you live in the Sutherland Shire, the Cronulla Christmas Market should be top of your list. On Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19, expect 150 festive stalls down by the sea in Don Lucas Reserve, Cronulla. City dwellers, workers, and shoppers should (once it's time to clock off) head to the Martin Place Christmas Markets begin from Friday, November 24, through to Sunday, November 26, then run from 11am to 8pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in December until Saturday, December 23. If you enjoy a trip to the Entertainment Quarter, ensure your day is festive by going on Sunday, December 3, for the Ultimate Christmas Market EQ. This 150-stall event will bring only the best in artisanal produce, all primed to add to your Christmas cart. And, if you live north of the Bridge, head to Mona Vale's Winnererremy Bay for the Pittwater Christmas Market on Saturday, December 16. Cambridge Markets will be popping up over Sydney between now and Christmas, with every market except Martin Place running from 10am to 4pm on their respective days. For more information on any of the markets, head to the Cambridge Markets website.
Sydney's back in lockdown. This time the Greater Sydney region will be restricted to their houses for at least the next two weeks. As a result, bars, cafes and restaurants are required to shut their doors to dine-in customers — so they're adapting by beefing up their takeaway options, launching new delivery meals and even creating boozy care packages. That means that you can put down that fifth can of Aldi tuna and pick up the phone, knowing you'll be doing a local business a solid while also getting to eating a tasty, fancy, succulent meal. Here, we'll keep you updated on all the restaurant-quality eats you can order takeaway, or have delivered to your doorstep. [caption id="attachment_697657" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bella Brutta by Kitti Smallbone[/caption] TAKEOUT ONLY Al Aseel (Penrith, Castle Hill, Greenacre and Castle Hill) Lebanese eatery Al Aseel is offering Feed the Family meal deals and a special $25 lunch feast across all its stores during lockdown. Th epickup inly deal features shish tawook, laham and kafta mishwi, grilled Lebanese bread, garlic dip, hot chips, salad and a drink. Arthur (Surry Hills) The fine-diner has launched Arthur To-Go, with different meals available each night. The meal comes with a dessert and include the likes of pork and mushroom lasagne with truffle bechamel or black Angus beef short rib tacos. Avi's Kantini (Newtown) The Bank's new Middle Eastern-inspired eatery is launching a new takeaway service with housemade dips, fried kofta and sesame fried chicken pita. The King Street eats are available 5–9pm Wednesday–Friday and midday–9pm Saturday and Sunday. Bar Suze (Surry Hills) Surry Hill's newest spot for a tipple of wine or next-level bar snack, Bar Suze, has transformed into a fish and chip shop over lockdown. On the takeaway menu you'll find beer battered flathead, fried halloumi, crumbed sardines and a crispy fish sandwich. Browse the menu here and call or text 0431 180 389 to preorder. Bella Brutta (Newtown) The inner west spot is now serving up all its pizza, cured meats, tiramisu and coffee via takeaway. To sweeten the deal, its offering specials takeaway specials including two pizzas and four cans of Grifter for $60. Check out the menu and order online over here. Bella Vista Hotel (Bella Vista) This north-west Sydney Hotel is going all out to help out during lockdown. Not only is it offering cocktails and woodfire pizza for pickup daily, it's also launching a drive-thru warehouse with a bunch of food and drink goodies and running a two-day drive-thru food truck festival on Friday, July 2 and Saturday, July 3 with burgers, Greek street food, waffles and chips on a stick. Bibo Wine Bar (Double Bay) The Double Bay bar is now a two-person snack box featuring smoked mackerel pate, mushroom rissois, meats and cheese for $60, as well as a range of mains and desserts takeaway. Pick up only — full menu and details on how to order over here. Bistrot 916 (Potts Point) The French bistro is improving lockdown with the Burger 916. Swing by Potts Point from 4pm each day to grab one, however be quick as the burger is limited to 50 per day. Pre-orders are available by calling 916 766 67. Catalina (Rose Bay) Catalina has brought back its popular at-home seafood boxes, family feasts and cocktails. To order a lobster box, lamb rack or signature Catalina cocktail from home, contact the venue on 9371 0555. Calita, Carbon, Taqiza and Sonora (Bondi and Potts Point) These four Mexican restaurants are all offering the same wild taco and margarita special throughout lockdown. Across all four venues you can order the fiesta for two, four or a bottomless fiesta. Each comes with guac, corn, tacos, quesadillas and between 500m millilitres and five litres of margarita. Chiswick (Woolahra) This Woolahra favourite is offering a selection of its winter menu for takeaway. While the experience isn't the same as sitting in Chiswick's sun-soaked and greenery-filled dining room, you can still make the most of the garden herb roasted chicken or the slow-roasted lamb shoulder with pumpkin and mint from home. Dear Sainte Eloise (Potts Point) This Potts Point wine bar is reinventing itself as a bottle shop and takeaway restaurant with a special lockdown menu available 12–8pm daily. Browse the menu which includes an angus beef burger with blue cheese and truffle, black pepper fried chicken and a whole bunch of discounts of wines. DOC (Surry Hills) Surry Hills' newest kid on the block, DOC is offering its full menu for takeaway 5–9pm, Tuesday–Saturday. You can view the menu and order online. [caption id="attachment_810487" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Avi's Kantini[/caption] The Foxtrot Inn (Crows Nest) This Crows Nest cocktail bar is pouring craft beer growlers for $24–30, offering 30 percent off beer and wine, and serving up a takeaway food menu featuring $8 jaffles packed with bolognese or chicken curry. Find all the details on Instagram. Good Fella Coffee (Bella Vista) This north-west Sydney cafe is still serving its best-in-the-west coffee and bagels as well as takeaway Grifter for any craft beer lovers out west. North Bondi Nami (Bondi) North Bondi Fish has transformed into this Japanese pop-up bar and restaurant for winter. During lockdown its offering takeaway including a lockdown pack that includes two bowls of ramen, prawn gyoza and a half-litre bottled cocktail for $88. Suss the menu out here. Nomad (Surry Hills) Surry Hills favourite Nomad is brining fine dining into your home with a series of at-home banquets for two. Think black truffle and three-cheese croquettes or veal meatballs with wood-roasted tomato. Each day there are limited banquets so it's best to preorder. Pub Life Kitchen (Ultimo) After closing down in 2017, Pub Life Kitchen returned this year and it brought its iconic burgers back with it. There's a full menu of favourites available for pickup from the bottom of The Lord Wolseley Hotel. To preorder, call 0467 644 434. Public House Petersham (Petersham) The sunny neighbourhood pub is turning into a pop-up bottle shop for the duration of lockdown, with natty wines, craft beers and bottled cocktails. The pizza oven will also continue to fire and you can pick up a fresh pie. Want the whole lot? You can score two pizzas and a natural wine for $65 or a five-serving bottled cocktail for $85. View the menu and order online. Sample Coffee (St Peters) Whether you're just after your caffeine fix or looking for some brunch, the specialty coffee roaster's St Peters spot is doing takeaway coffee, beans, coffee making gear and food. Totti's (Bondi) Never fear, you can still cave to your Totti's cravings during lockdown as the always-popular Bondi spot is offering its full menu including its famous woodfire bread takeaway. Ume Burger (Barangaroo) Japanese burger joint Ume Burger has shifted to takeaway only from 11.30am–2.30pm on weekdays, so you can enjoy the signature Ume burger or a fish or chicken katsu burger with a side of lotus root chips from the comfort of your couch. Where's Nick (Marrickville) This inner west wine bar may be temporarily closed, but Where's Nick's new bottle shop at 234 Marrickville Rd is open seven days a week. You head in store or order online. Yulli's Brews (Alexandria) Vegan brewery Yulli's Brews is taking online orders for pick-up from its Alexandria warehouse so you can get a carton of Amanda mandarin IPA ($64), sixteen-pack of Dolly Aldrin watermelon and mint Berliner Weisse($64) or a Bloody Mary kit ($25) to help you through lockdown. [caption id="attachment_748494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shwarmama by Kitti Gould[/caption] TAKEAWAY AND DELIVERY Belly Bao (Newtown) King Street's bao haven is running delivery through UberEats and DoorDash, and is offering $5 beers and 40 percent off bottle of wine with all pickup orders. BL Burgers (Darlinghurst and Parramatta) As well as continuing its outrageous weekly specials (and full menu), the team behind the legendary Blame Canada burger is offering its burgers for takeaway and delivery via Deliveroo from both its Darlinghurst and Parramatta stores. Butter (Surry Hills, Chatswood and Parramatta) Butter is cooking up all of its sandwiches, burgers and fan-favourite fried chicken and is continuing its Butter Ramen Club throughout the lockdown. You can order them for pick up or delivery online. Chatkazz (Harris Park and Bella Vista) The vegetarian Indian street food's western Sydney outposts are both offering their full menu for pickup or delivery via UberEats, DoorDash and Deliveroo. Cook and Archies (Surry Hills) This long-running Surry Hills cafe has made its entire menu, including cakes, breakfast wraps, burgers, salads and bowls available for pickup via Hey You or Hungry Hungry, or takeaway on UberEats. Crumpets by Merna and Pepe Saya (online) A visit to Carriageworks Farmers Markets is not complete without a steaming crumpet slathered in butter — and now you can keep up the weekly tradition at home. Pepe Saya and Crumpets by Merna are both offering their entire range 20 percent off when you use the code SYDNEY20, including breakfast boxes featuring buttermilk crumpets, Pepe Saya salted butter, passionfruit curd and creme fraiche. The Duke of Enmore (Enmore) The Duke of Enmore's new food and drink menu is available for pickup or delivery, including the eggplant katsu sandwich, pickleback shots and a range of meal deals to enjoy at home. Also, being the legends they are, The Duke team is offering free meals and drinks to hospitality workers out-of-work due to the lockdown. El Jannah (various locations) The cult Lebanese-style charcoal chicken chain is slinging its full menu including its legendary garlic sauce for takeaway, delivery via several outlets and drive-thru at its Smithfield store. Emma's Snack Bar (Enmore) This much-loved Enmore eatery has made the majority of its menu available for takeaway, including $26 snack boxes — filled with meat or falafel, salad, garlic potatoes and bread — and a bunch of sides. You can also order via UberEats or Deliveroo. Esteban (Sydney) Esteban has launched an at-home menu with a selection of five hearty set menus, as well as a range of bottle cocktails. Think Byron Bay pork belly, grilled carrot, smoked kipfler potatoes and a sweet potato tart all for $65. Fabbrica (Sydney) The pasta and produce shop from the team behind Ragazzi is offering sandwiches and lasagne as well as handmade pasta packs, pasta sauces and high-end pantry items takeaway, on UberEats or with free delivery on orders over $50. Find all the details here. Glebe Point Diner (Glebe) This longstanding local is currently offering a takeaway with 50 percent off house wine. Owner and chef Alex Kearns is also offering a home delivery service. The menu will change daily but includes the choice of three mains ($20), two sides ($12) and a soup ($12). Find more info here. Harvey's Hot Sandwiches (Parramatta) The Parramatta sub experts are offering their full range of sandwiches from pastrami to hot meatball for pickup and delivery via UberEats and Menulog. Henrietta Charcoal Chicken (Surry Hills) This Surry Hills spot is serving up all your charcoal chicken needs for pick up in-store or delivery via UberEats. Treat yourself to burgers, wraps, falafel or roast chook and corn for a family roast without the clean up. [caption id="attachment_694683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rara by Luisa Brimble[/caption] Johnny Bird (Crows Nest) Lower north shore favourite Johnny Bird is available for pickup or deliver via Deliveroo, UberEats or DoorDash. Browse the menu and order online. Madame and Yves (Clovelly) When you're mostly living on pantry staples, a treat is more than deserved — and you can't go past this Clovelly patisserie's insane creations. You can order everything from savoury pies and bread to eclairs and chocolate-dipped croissants online or takeaway in-store. Nakano Darling (CBD) Nakano Darling is available for takeaway and delivery via UberEats and DoorDash including $15 chicken karaage, gyoza or wagyu shingureni bento boxes or take home frozen gyoza and reheatable karaage (both $15 for 15 pieces). The CBD spot is also running a small lockdown bottleshop with beers and yuzu highballs. Nutie (Balmain and Surry Hills) If you've burned through all your supermarket snacks already and need a quick sugar fix, Nutie is now delivering its gluten-free and vegan doughnuts, cakes, cookies (fresh or frozen) and muffins straight to your door with delivery options across Sydney. Plus, both stores are also still open for takeaway, and are baking up an array of limited-time Christmas in July goodies. Maiz (Newtown) Maiz is serving up its full menu of Mexican Street Food 11am–3pm and 5–8pm for takeaway and delivery via UberEats and Doordash during Sydney's lockdown. Those that pick up their order can also treat themselves to a section of Mexican beers, wines and boozy aguas frescas. Rara (Redfern and Randwick) and Lonely Mouth (Newtown) This super-popular ramen joint has just started delivery from its two stores and its Newtown sibling, so you can slurp the piping hot tonkotsu with black garlic and chilli or vegan shio ramen from the comfort of your living room. Rara Chan South Eveleigh is closed for the time being, but Eveleigh dwellers can head to the Redfern store to satisfy any cravings. You can place and order for pick-up here for Rara and here for Lonely Mouth, or delivery via UberEats. Saint Peter (Paddington) Oxford Street's seafood-focused diner is open with a limited takeaway menu including tarts and natural wine, and is cooking a dish a day available to pre-order via fishbutchery.com.au. A bunch of this weeks meals are already sold out so jump online quick if you want to secure one. Keep an eye on Instagram to see what dishes are announced next. Shaffa (Surry Hills) Surry Hill's latest Middle Eastern eatery is launching takeaway and delivery so inner city dwellers can enjoy its pitas from home. You can check out the menu and all the details at Shaffa's Instagram. Shwarmama (Surry Hills) The shawarma spot is doing all its sabich, kebabs, snack packs and beer available for pick up and delivery on UberEats and Deliveroo. Sonoma (multiple) You may have learnt how to bake sourdough last lockdown, but this time around its fair enough you just want to pick some up. Sonoma has you covered on that front. The artisanal bakery is offering both click and collect pickup and takeaway across every store. Timbah (Glebe) This neighbourhood bar has launched a lockdown takeaway menu available for pickup or drive thru. To order, ring the shop on 02 9571 7005. Head to Instagram to see the full menu, including caramalised charcoal pork skewers, pad kee mao and kaeng phet green curry with apple eggplant. [caption id="attachment_817101" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maiz by Debbie Gallulo[/caption] Have you come across one we've missed? Let us know at hello@concreteplayground.com Top image: Chiswick
Fried chicken lovers: start drooling. KFC is set to unveil a brand new burger inspired by the flavours in Peking duck, but there's a catch: the only place you can get your hands on it will be at their new music festival on Cockatoo Island. The Colonel will throw the music festival in the iconic Sydney Harbour spot with an all-star local lineup on Sunday, March 13, and yes, all tickets include free KFC Peking Cluk burgers. You lucky ducks. The Peking Cluk burger has been created in collaboration with local TikTok sensation Dimsimlim and is made from Original Recipe fried chicken coated in a hoisin glaze sauce with a healthy topping of dry spring onions, cucumber and cabbage slaw. As for the headliners at the festival — it's Peking Duk, of course. The rowdy DJ duo are stepping up to help the Colonel as KFC's official burger spokespeople, and will be performing at the festival alongside beloved Yolngu rapper Baker Boy and Sydney favourite Thandi Phoenix. Attendees will be treated to Peking Duk's brand-new live show that they created over the last two years. The show has only been seen a few times at the likes of Field Day and features big party energy, remixes of previous material and plenty of synthesisers. "We've been in the bunker making the live set totally different, totally unique. It's going to be fun and it's going to be an experience that nobody's had before," Peking Duk's Reuben Styles told Concrete Playground. Adam Hyde of the duo put it more succinctly: "Get clucked, go cluck yourself, cluck off and have a clucking great time on Cockatoo Island with the boys." [caption id="attachment_753774" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cockatoo Island[/caption] Cockatoo Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has hosted iconic musicians including The Wailers, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Skrillex and Lorde. "We've never done Cockatoo Island and that's such an iconic spot for gigs. So many epic artists have come through and done shows there," said Styles. "We didn't expect our first time playing there to be a KFC collab, but god damn it's going to be so fun." The festival will mark one of very few gigs the pair have been able to play since the start of the pandemic. "Anytime a gig goes ahead now it feels like a huge relief that we actually get to put on a party and play a set for people," Styles continued. "It's so hard to pump people up about a gig when you know there's such a high chance it won't go ahead. Doing more intimate shows like the KFC one is so great for the interim because you can say, 'Hey, here's a show, it's going to go ahead, let's all get excited.'" Style and Hyde, alongside festival buddy Thandi Phoenix and a heap of Aussie musicians took a stand last month against the NSW Government's restrictions on live music and religious gatherings. The group of musicians labelled themselves Thrillsong after it was revealed that Hillsong hosted a large youth event with many similarities to a music festival during a time when festivals were unable to go ahead. "I think it was a great thing," Styles proclaims about Hillsong's gathering. "It shined a light on how stupid the government's rules were to allow religious events to go down but no any other form of musical events." If you want to catch Peking Duk's new set and get your hands on the Peking Cluk burger, tickets to KFC's Cockatoo Island music festival are available via Moshtix now for $50, but be quick as they're sure to be snatched up quickly. There's no word yet whether the Peking Cluk burger will be on offer more widely in KFC stores. [caption id="attachment_636228" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Baker Boy by Bec Taylor.[/caption] KFC's Cockatoo Island music festival will be on Sunday, March 13 featuring Peking Duk, Bakery Boy, Thandi Phoenix and plenty of burgers. Tickets are on sale now. Top image: Peking Duk at Sunset Piazza, DNSW
The Rose of Australia's new upstairs restaurant, Howard's Cantina and Cocktail Bar, is a mature older brother to the pub below. The vibe is still casual and laidback, but it's hitting all the right restaurant notes with table service, a refined menu and a creative cocktail list to boot. The two-page cocktail menu focuses on classics with a twist and does so with style — especially with their Negroni ($18), which is garnished with Grand Marnier-soaked applewood chips and comes out still smoking. The espresso martini ($18) is one of the best we've had, and though the whisky sour topped with a Barossa Shiraz float ($18) isn't quite our thing, we can definitely see the appeal. The menu is designed around sharing and has some high concept dishes that are equally well conceived and executed by Tassie-born head chef Chris Bell. He boasts an impressive resume, having trained at Cafe Sydney, then under Andrew McConnell in Melbourne, as well as crossing paths with Attica's Ben Shewry and the team from Hobart's Frankin. This is no simple pub fare, and the black garlic-cured cobia ($16) is a clear example of Bell's creativity. The dish plays on earthy flavours — as opposed to the traditional salty and citrusy route you'd expect with raw fish — by layering components of beetroot, celery, potato and karkalla (a native edible succulent). Bell puts this type of inventive spin on most of his dishes, including the smoked pumpkin wedge, poached in buttermilk byproduct from their in-house smoked butter and topped with whipped garlic and soy sauce-roasted pumpkin seeds ($12). While wedged veg can be a lazy chef move, this is anything but — the pumpkin takes on a meaty quality and the dish is thoughtfully executed while minimising food waste. The cauliflower is similarly treated but presented in a completely different light; it's served with crispy anchovies, peanuts, apple purée and bright pink pickled turnips that brings through Bell's Southeast Asian and Lebanese influences. But he doesn't get away with just seasoning well — as head chef, he builds flavours that complement and balance each other. If there was ever a time to share, its with the whey-braised lamb shoulder ($60), which comes out on the bone but falls right off — no knife needed. The whey is the byproduct from their house-made cheese and yoghurt — another sustainable nod — and it's succulent, fatty and far too good to waste even one bite. The desserts are a playful treat, particularly with the Watermelon Challenge, a combination of cured watermelon, coconut tamarind purée and fresh honeycomb topped with bacon-like dehydrated watermelon and basil ($12). The Margaret and David is a deconstructed movie snack, combining the flavours of Maltesers and buttered popcorn topped with cola sorbet ($15). If you want it all — and you do — the share menu is only $55 per person. We'd highly recommend grabbing three mates and making a night of it.
Much of 2020 so far has been all about staying indoors — and you want those interiors to look as great as possible. Art and design lovers, that's where the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art's regular design market comes in. And, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, this one is going virtual. Browse, buy and then prepare to get cosy — or stay that way. You'll be buying things for your home as you sit inside your home. Find jewellery, ceramics, textiles, homewares and more at the 17-day-long maker market, which will feature plenty of creative folks selling their wares online when it runs Friday, May 15–Sunday, May 31. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_i5LbDAJYz/ The QAGOMA Store website will be hosting the virtual design market, and all purchases will be shipped to your door. And while GOMA will likely host another design market once the silly season rolls around — as previously has every year — if you feel like getting your gift shopping out of the way now, it'll make you feel like Christmas has come early.
Following the world-altering whirlwind that was 2020, award-winning Eau-de-Vie closed down, promising to return in the near future. While it's taken a little longer than expected, the sleek cocktail bar that was once 13th on the World's 50 Best Bars list has officially reopened to the public in Sydney's CBD. The Speakeasy Group (Mjølner, Nick & Nora's) and its directors Sven Almenning and Greg Sanderson have revived Eau-de-Vie at the Brookfield Place development inside the Beneficial House site at 285 George Street. It will be joined by its lavish new sibling venue The Sanderson on Thursday, May 25, an equally flashy restaurant with a focus on steak, Australian seafood and wine. "Eau-de-Vie is like our first child, we just have so much love for it! We looked long and hard to secure the new location, but the wait will be worth it," says Sanderson. "We really do see Beneficial House becoming a destination that our guests can spend an entire evening within. Aperitif cocktails at Eau-de-Vie, upstairs to The Sanderson for an amazing dinner, and then back downstairs for a whisky nightcap." All of the class of the original Eau-de-Vie is on show at the new opening with moody lighting, a smooth jazz soundtrack, the signature Whisky Room and private whisky lockers within the building's basement. The cocktails are built to impress, starting with the Hall of Fame section of the menu featuring Almenning's signature Smoley Rob Roy which combines two types of whisky, Diplomatico Mantuan rum, sweet vermouth and orange bitters before being served under a cloud of smoke. There's also a tangy take on the Moscow mule made with yuzu curd and your choice of rare aged spirit, Eau-de-Vie's famous old fashioned served hot or ice cold, and the Espresso Zabaione which reinvents the espresso martini with cold drip coffee, maple syrup, saffron and vanilla mouse and a touch of liquid nitrogen. All of this is on just page one of the ten pages of cocktails on the menu. A considered list of snacks, both raw (oysters, tuna tartare) and cooked (lamb croquettes, wagyu beef cheek pastry) are available at Eau-de-Vie, but if you find yourself hungry, you should head upstairs to The Sanderson. The restaurant will both aesthetically and conceptually complement Eau-de-Vie, centring its menu around Australian produce from the land and sea. The menu is kept simple, only just spreading to a second page, but there are plenty of options available, from Fraser Island spanner crab salad and heirloom zucchini served with cashew labneh to a selection of six different steaks headlined by a 700-gram MBS4 sirloin on the bone. "The Sanderson will bring together the many elements of 'celebration' that we ourselves love to enjoy with our friends and family," says Sanderson. The Speakeasy Group joins the likes of Shell House, Romeo's, Edition Coffee, Gojima, NeNe Chicken and PappaRich in Brookfield Place. Eau-de-Vie is now open 4pm–2am Tuesday–Saturday at 285 George Street, Sydney. The Sanderson will join it on Thursday, May 25, opening midday–late Tuesday–Saturday.
It's almost that time again, Sydneysiders: time for movies to compete with Mrs Macquaries Point's stunning view of Sydney Harbour. Every summer, the scenic spot's vista over the water, city, Opera House and Harbour Bridge gets a 350-square-metre screen showing the latest and greatest flicks — and Westpac Openair Cinema has just revealed its complete 2024 program. Film lovers already knew that Sofia Coppola's Priscilla will open the outdoor picture palace's big summer return, and that Ferrari, Next Goal Wins and Poor Things are among the movies on Westpac Openair Cinema's lineup as well. They all have company, including the also previously unveiled Barbie and Amelie. Big-name titles abound, whether you're keen to see the Sydney premiere of The Dry sequel Force of Nature: The Dry 2 or can't wait for the new Mean Girls musical — or just think that Saltburn would look spectacular in the venue's surroundings. Running from Wednesday, January 10—Tuesday, February 20, Westpac Openair Cinema will also show May December, which stars Natalie Portman- (Thor: Love and Thunder) and Julianne Moore (Sharper); scandal-fuelled comedy Wicked Little Letters, as led by The Lost Daughter costars Olivia Colman (Heartstopper) and Jessie Buckley (Women Talking); and Nicolas Cage (Renfield) in Dream Scenario, where the inimitable actor plays an ordinary man who starts haunting the world's slumbers. Or, you can look forward to theatre and the screen combining via National Theatre Live: Dear England, featuring Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid's Tale) — plus sublime Japan-set Oscar contender Perfect Days from iconic German filmmaker Wim Wenders (Submergence). Other highlights span wrestling drama The Iron Claw, with Zac Efron (The Greatest Beer Run Ever), Jeremy Allen White (Fingernails) and Harris Dickinson (A Murder at the End of the World) leading the cast; Paul Mescal (Foe) and Andrew Scott (His Dark Materials) getting swooning in All of Us Strangers; the new version of The Color Purple; the George Clooney-directed The Boys in the Boat; and war veteran tale The Great Escaper, which could be Michael Caine's (Best Sellers) last performance. Or, there's Bradley Cooper (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) both starring in and directing Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro, Ridley Scott (House of Gucci) reteaming with Joaquin Phoenix (Beau Is Afraid) for Napoleon, and Paul Giamatti (Billions)-led and Alexander Payne (Downsizing)-helmed comedy The Holdovers. The list goes on, complete with the already-released Past Lives, Oppenheimer, Dumb Money and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One also set to screen. Among the classic picks, Pretty Woman and The Notebook will also score a whirl. As for the snacks — because Westpac Openair Cinema is also about the dining experiences — you'll be nabbing a bite at Summer House Dining, Chandon Garden and Mike & Friends at The Point. As happens every year, tickets are likely to go quickly when they go on sale on Monday, December 11. Across the summer of 2018–19, more than 40,000 tickets sold within the first two days of pre-sale, for instance — so put it in your diary ASAP. Westpac Openair 2024 runs from Wednesday, January 10—Tuesday, February 20, with Westpac pre sales from 9am AEDT on Monday, December 4 till 5pm AEDT on Wednesday, December 6, then general tickets on sale from 9am AEDT on Monday, December 11 — head to the cinema's website for further details. Images: Fiora Sacco, Chris Grundy, Andrew Maccoll and Nikki To.
Next time you head up to the Kings Cross Hotel's rooftop, you'll find something a little different to normal. The sixth-level space has transformed into Tupu's Tiki Rooftop Rumshack complete with flaming cocktails and poke bowls for two months. Running from Friday, October 16 till Saturday, November 28, the island-inspired space provides Sydneysiders with an inner city island getaway as we head into the warmer seasons. To drink, you'll find mai tais ($20), pandan coladas ($19), tonka old fashioneds ($22) and a smoking cocktail titled Tūtū Pele ($35), which is made with passion fruit sorbet and can be shared. You can pair these with the likes of salmon ($22) and vegan ($19) poke bowls, and traditional bar goodies like chicken drumsticks ($16) made with Bacardi spiced rum and pork cubano sandwiches ($20). DJs will also be spinning vinyls on weekends. The pop-up comes at time when the City of Sydney is pushing to rebuild Kings Cross's nightlife, which was dealt a hefty blow by the lockout laws. Tiki bars, however, are not without controversy. The concept has been often scrutinised in the past for leaning on cultural appropriation and colonial nostalgia. Critics of the tiki bar have labelled it exploitative and offensive as it reduces the Tiki, a deity in many Pacific Islander communities, to a kitschy drinking vessel. Tupu's Tiki is open 5pm–12am Thursday, 5pm–1am Friday–Saturday and 12pm–12am Sunday.
UPDATE, November 25, 2022: The Northman is available to stream via Binge, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Satanic goats don't talk in The Northman. Heartthrobs don't masturbate while fondling mermaid figurines, either. Still, within ten minutes, pre-teen Viking prince Amleth (Oscar Novak, The Batman), his glory-seeking warrior father King Aurvandil War-Raven (Ethan Hawke, Moon Knight) and jester-meets-shaman Heimir (Willem Dafoe, Nightmare Alley) descend into a fire-lit cave to take hallucinogens, growl, grunt, bark like wolves and fart like it's a god-given superpower. If viewers didn't know who's behind this bold, brutal, brilliant, and blood- and guts-strewn Scandinavian opus before then, there's no doubt from this trippy scene onwards: after The Witch and The Lighthouse, writer/director Robert Eggers' touch, approach and style have become that distinctive just three remarkable features into his helming career. As he first demonstrated with his potent pilgrim horror movie, then doubled down on with his mesmerising oceanside nightmare, Eggers crafts chaotic celluloid dreams about faith- and sanity-stretching dances with madness and mania. He makes features so striking that they're haunting, rippling with the devotedly realistic and the hypnotically occult in tandem. Eggers' work isn't merely meticulously tense and atmospheric; it proves blisteringly visceral to the point of feeling inescapably tangible. Indeed, his steadfast commitment to authenticity spirits the whole concept of immersive filmmaking high into movie Valhalla. See: the vivid period-appropriate detail in The Northman's Nordic villages, which'd only be more evocative if they'd time-travelled in from the ninth and tenth centuries. Sense: the entrancing swirl that springs from all of the above, complete with Eggers' unfailing idiosyncrasies. Experience: the sublime tussle with myth, fantasy and folklore that results, as it has in each of his features, to both plunge into and interrogate his history-set reveries. In this untamed and laid-bare portrait of the past, something is rotten in the state of Iceland — as it was in Denmark via William Shakespeare, and in the Pride Lands of Africa in both versions of The Lion King. Writing The Northman's screenplay with poet, novelist and Björk collaborator Sjón (Lamb), Eggers takes his cues not from Hamlet, however, but from the Old Norse legend of Amleth that inspired the iconic tragedy. The narrative still involves a son anointed to be the future king, a tragedy that shatters his regal family, and a dastardly uncle who gets murderous to seize the throne and his brother's wife, of course. And, it keeps following its protagonist as he wages a determined odyssey of feral revenge against the man who reshaped his fate so ruthlessly. "I will avenge you, father. I will save you, mother. I will kill you, Fjölnir." That's Amleth's vow as a boy on a north Atlantic island in 895 when he witnesses the latter's (Claes Bang, Locked Down) treachery. He flees after hearing his uncle bay for his head, too, and seeing him carry off Queen Gudrún (Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos) as a spoil of his victory. Two decades later, Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård, Succession) is a hulking, wolfskin-clad Viking berserker, living life flinging whatever weaponry he can find while viciously pillaging through the lands of the Rus. But amid the bloodlust, gore and piling-up body count, the intense marauder is thrust back onto his vengeance-seeking path. A Slavic seeress (Björk, in her first film role since 2005) whispers stark truths about his current savagery and lapsed mission against Fjölnir, reigniting his yearning for that promised slaughter — and the single-minded behemoth learns that his uncle is now sheep-farming in Iceland, having lost the kingdom in another coup. A line from Hamlet comes to mind: "now could I drink hot blood". By the time Amleth brands himself to pass as a prisoner of war, slips onto a slave ship and ensures he's among the new captives at Fjölnir's ranch, he's already literally done just that. But his thirst for honouring his father, rescuing his mother and slaying his uncle remains unquenched, and he soon has help from and the heart of fellow servant Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy, who scored her big break with The Witch alongside Eggers). How that quest eventuates won't surprise anyone familiar with the Bard, but The Northman still astonishes again and again. As only visionary filmmakers can, Eggers refuses to take any expected turn or make a single predictable move even while playing with a plot that's long spilled its thrills across popular culture, and while slashing into a genre — Viking epics — that's rarely far from screens. High among The Northman's joys and wonders, both large and small, sits its cast — with Skarsgård fulfilling a decade-plus journey from playing True Blood vampire Eric Northman to both starring in and producing this, which he's been trying to bring to fruition for just as long. His muscular power and presence as the epitome of rage and revenge is pulsating, not to mention physically commanding, and buying Amleth as the lacerating spirit of both a wolf and a bear is one of the easiest things about the film. His Big Little Lies co-star Kidman also turns in a ferocious performance, and the pair's evolution from that TV hit's husband-and-wife dynamic to this flick's unhinged mother-and-son duo drips with the requisite Oedipal creepiness. Elsewhere, Bang does brooding villainy like he's born to it, as he showed in Dracula; 22 years after playing Hamlet himself, Hawke delivers a 20-minute supporting-player masterclass; and the inimitable Taylor-Joy ensures that no one else could ever be pictured in her pivotal part. Plus, that Eggers finds small roles for The Witch's Kate Dickie and Ralph Ineson doesn't go unnoticed. A ravaging rampage of a film — a movie beating with unshakeable fury, as metal a Viking saga that's ever likely to be made, and equally thunderous and off-kilter — Eggers' best feature yet wouldn't be what it is without its weight and spectacle, though. It's a picture of brusque poetry in its dialogue, its curt lines laden with importance but never trite (Amleth's stated juggling act to find "kindness for my kin and hate for my enemies" included). It's a work of elemental potency in its sweepingly shot imagery, with cinematographer Jarin Blaschke (a veteran of all three of the director's films) painting with light, the stunning landscapes, and the wind, rain, snow, mud, fire and ash that lurks upon it. That's true in the head-splitting game of Knattleikr that makes just one primal centrepiece, the climactic naked volcano sword fight and the many supernatural-laced sights in-between. And, it all contributes to a breathtaking cinematic onslaught that savvily turns hellishness into movie heaven — all without shying away from the costs and sacrifices of Amleth's crusade; serving up a simplistic revenge fantasy; or excusing, glorifying or downplaying the relentless violence that informs every moment.
As edge-of-the-city launching pads go, Penrith is one of the greats. The gateway between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, the area has been steadily growing for years now to stand apart from its larger neighbours with an offering of its own. Part of that new offering is luxury, in the form of one of the fanciest hotels either side of the Nepean. Pullman Sydney Penrith, sitting in the heart of the action and a literal stone's throw from the Penrith Panthers League's Club, is Penrith's first five-star hotel and a stay that's both aesthetically pleasing and very comfortable. The former is thanks to architecture and design studio Turner and landscape architecture firm Oculus. The building exterior and its grounds are designed to pay homage to the local environment, with the swirls and curves of the building and its reflective panels meant to invoke the Nepean River itself. Meanwhile, more than 75 trees and over 8000 plants in the garden and landscaped spaces are primarily native, and all maintained with sustainable watering practices. Interiors follow suit — a sandstone wall in the lobby acts as a backdrop for commissioned artworks, while each floor features Australian landscape works by Archibald Prize-winning artist John Olsen AO OBE. The hotel is home to over 150 keys, ranging from 28-square-metre rooms to 38-square-metre suites. In all of them, expect Hunter Lab skincare amenities, a Nespresso coffee machine, locally sourced minibar treats, a library of over 1000 free and on-demand movies, and a hotel specialty: a sleep therapy menu. Via the in-room tablet, you can order everything from face and eye masks to aromatherapy pillow sprays and teas to help you ease into a blissful night's sleep. There's also an extensive pillow menu, as well as pre-programmed selections of background sounds, colours and room lighting settings to help you drift off in peace or wake up right. Rooms are also stocked with glass water bottles, and they're yours to keep throughout your stay — keep an eye out for the water refill stations throughout the property, since the hotel's sustainability commitment means you'll find no single-use plastics on site. One of the hotel's main attractions is the food and drink offering. Lobby bar Tori is ideal for a quick coffee or cocktail to start or finish your day, with regular live music in the evening against the view of the mountains. Upstairs, Marcel is a modern European restaurant that offers a refined (but relaxing) atmosphere with a menu that celebrates and showcases the area's produce. The adjacent open wine cellar, where you can browse for a bottle and chat with sommeliers, is worthy of a pitstop. The hotel also boasts a state-of-the-art wellness centre developed in partnership with the Penrith Panthers' high performance team and designed to suit the needs of both professional athletes and casual gym-goers, and the adjoining Western Sydney Conference Centre can host large-scale events with its 1000-seat capacity. You're also steps from anything within the Panthers Entertainment Precinct and a mere 30-minute drive into the stunning Blue Mountains.
Located five hours down the coast from Sydney, Mystery Bay Campground is set directly along a stunning stretch of ocean, and your pup is invited to share every bit of it with you. It's definitely a more rustic campsite, though firewood is available onsite. But it's a chance to truly unplug and unwind with your best mate. Go for a swim or a surf in turquoise waters, then explore the region's rocky coves together. On the way in, don't forget to stop off at Narooma, where you can grab provisions. Image: Mystery Bay Beach by Sol Ramana-Clark via Destination NSW
Following two successful stores in Marrickville and Mount Druitt, Slim's Quality Burgers has arrived in the Sydney CBD with a new helping of affordable burgers and real ice cream thickshakes. Now open on Level 5 of Westfield Sydney, the third outpost for the burger chain comes just six months after it first launched at Marrickville Metro. Slim's is the creation of three ex-Betty's Burgers staff members. Like Betty's, the focus is on classic-style burgs rather than OTT numbers with the Shake Shack-style aesthetic swapped out for a 50s and 60s diner-style set-up. There's also a greater focus on affordability with a cheeseburger starting at just $6.50. The chain is all about a lean menu of options made with simple but quality ingredients. Burger-wise, customers can choose between original, cheeseburger, deluxe cheeseburger and 'the works' burgs all made with angus beef, plus five different chicken varieties — including a crispy fried or grilled chook — and a veggie option using a plant-based patty. "In the vast Australian burger market, we too often see venues that are built on gimmicks and fads," Slim's Director Nik Rollison said. "Whether it's the cheesiest burger or doughnut buns, we think Aussies have come full circle and want something that is simple, affordable and made from only the highest quality ingredients." Sides focus on fries either with sea salt, loaded with cheese and grilled onion, or featuring maple-smoked bacon. As for those sundaes, they come in hot fudge, salted caramel and strawberry flavours. And to wash it all down, there are spiders — because plonking a scoop of ice cream in some soft drink never gets old — or chocolate, vanilla and strawberry thickshakes. With CBD lunch options increasingly rising in price, the simple but high-quality approach to burgers is sure to be appealing to inner-city office workers. Slim's Quality Burgers new CBD outpost is located at Level 5, Westfield Sydney, corner of Pitt Street and Market Street, Sydney. It's open 11am–7pm Sunday–Wednesday and 11am–8pm Thursday–Saturday.
If you're looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life but want to switch it up from your usual beachside getaway, head to one of Australia's most stunning patches of river country and reconnect with nature — the Murray Region. Boasting picturesque landscapes, serene waterways and abundant wildlife, it's an ideal destination for some rejuvenation. Journey through some of the most beautiful spots in the state — exploring stunning gardens and reserves, cruising along the river, or simply relaxing in some seriously serene surroundings. Together with Destination NSW, we've compiled this guide to ensure you get the absolute most out of your stay. It's time to hit the road and explore our beautiful river country. CIRCA 1928 DAY SPA AND HOTEL Looking for some small-town charm to kickstart your weekend rejuvenation? Albury is the ideal regional hub for you — managing to perfectly balance the old school and trendy. The best example of this is the CIRCA 1928 Art Hotel, sitting pretty in the centre of town. What's more, you and a date (or mate) can enjoy a night here while saving some pennies. At this spot, you'll be greeted with luxe eclectic interiors, considered design features and a night-cap delivered straight to your door — plus in-suite brekkie and 20% off at the renowned onsite spa. Combining Indonesian techniques with Australian-made botanical products, the treatments here will have you blissed out in moments. [caption id="attachment_893890" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] MURRAY RIVER CANOE TRAILS If you're looking for a bit more adventure, why not cruise down the flowing Murray River on a scenic canoe trail? There are four trails to pick from in the neighbouring Murray Valley National Park and Barmah National Park. All have easy water access and offer something special for every paddler. Go for a quick 30-minute trip from Barmah Lakes to Rices Bridge; or, opt for a lengthier 3.5-hour canoe from Picnic Point to Barmah Lakes, stopping for a picnic on the way at the scenic Swifts Creek campground. [caption id="attachment_893966" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wendy McDonald[/caption] MURRAY DARLING SCENIC FLIGHT Get a new perspective and fly high above the Southern Murray Darling Basin for a truly unforgettable experience. Soar above Yanga National Park and the vibrant Gayini wetlands or gaze in awe over the swirling hues of the desert meeting the water with Murray Darling Scenic Flights. Embrace the stunning vistas of the River Country, including red gum forests and ancient desert lakes. You'll also catch a glimpse of the glowing colours of nearby Lake Tyrrell. Flights depart from Swan Hill, Echuca, Deniliquin and Kerang airports. [caption id="attachment_894063" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] STAY ON THE EMMYLOU PADDLESTEAMER Three nights atop the river on a delightful slice of local history — that's what you'll get if you book this all-inclusive trip for two. Immersed in the riverscape, you'll be relaxing as you float on the Emmylou. Check in to your air-conditioned queen suite when you board your vessel and get ready to cruise down the Murray in the charming paddlesteamer. Sip wine and beers and savour regionally inspired meals prepared by your onboard chef. Enjoy all this, plus barbecues under the stars, stop-offs at riverside wineries and late-night campfires while you listen to the local Aussie wildlife. [caption id="attachment_894605" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Albury Wodonga[/caption] ALBURY BOTANIC GARDENS If you want a healthy dose of serenity and history, be sure to visit the Albury Botanic Gardens during your Murray explorations. Established in 1877, the gardens have been a highlight of the charming regional town for well over a century. Here, you're free to take a self-guided stroll along the Heritage Walk, picking up some of the local history. Or, simply get lost in the grounds, immersing yourself in more than 1000 plant species — and even an extremely rare rainforest collection. [caption id="attachment_894067" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] MUNGO WALK THE WALLS OF CHINA TOUR Embrace the natural landscape and rich cultural heritage of Mungo National Park with an expert First Nations guide. Explore the ancient lakebeds and the spot where some of modern humanity's oldest remains were found, before embarking on the Walls of China Tour, which will take you on a journey back in time through the ancient sites that hold over 40,000 years of Aboriginal history. There is much to learn from this immensely significant area's Traditional Owners. Over two hours, you'll hear of the secrets of the expansive Willandra Lakes region, with plenty of time to photograph the Mars-like landscape — which formed naturally with the movement of wind and water. You can only visit the awe-inspiring Walls of China via a guided tour. [caption id="attachment_893892" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] STAY ON THE RIVER OF ISLANDS HOUSEBOAT If you prefer to rejuvenate with absolute alone time, opt for a stay on the River of Islands, a drive-yourself houseboat that'll have you exploring the gorgeous Murray River at your own pace. The boat sleeps seven people across three bedrooms, with a shady deck for lazing around and a rooftop (boat-top?) hammock for enjoying the afternoon sun. Located between Mulwala and Corowa, the simply stunning River of Islands docks at the perfect spot to explore the river's wildlife and sweeping gums. Relax and recharge by soaking in your vista on a sunset swim, kayaking around your floating home, or by dropping a line. Or simply sit back and enjoy the view. [caption id="attachment_894060" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] WAGIRRA TRAIL AND YINDYAMARRA SCULPTURE WALK Along the Murray River pathway, in West Albury, you'll find a unique cultural experience. The Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is a peaceful and scenic route through soaring red gums and First Nations art pieces. The walk is along the Wagirra Trail, a 15-kilometre return journey with plenty of picturesque spots to take a picnic break and really soak up the scenery. Between Kremur Street and the Wonga Wetlands, the trail tells a series of First Nations stories with 15 sculptures made by contemporary Aboriginal artists. There's plenty of info along the way, so you'll be learning about the artistic processes and fascinating local Indigenous history while you wander. [caption id="attachment_894607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Murray River Council[/caption] MOAMA BOTANIC GARDENS Located in the charming riverside sister towns of Moama and Echuca, you will find the beautiful Moama Botanic Gardens. A peaceful stroll through these gardens is the ideal spot for a rejuvenating hit of nature. While you're soaking up our natural world, wander through Indigenous plantings, learning of our beautifully unique arid and semi-arid Australian landscapes. After your explorations, sit back and relax in a shady spot — and don't forget a loaded picnic basket. Check out where to stock up on local supplies using our food guide to the region. For more ways to enjoy the Murray region, check out our food and drink guide or history and culture guide. To start planning your rejuvenating trip to the Murray region with the exclusive packages curated by CP's editors, head to the website. Top images: Destination NSW (first, Lake Mulwala; third, Emmylou Paddlesteamer; fourth, Wagirra Trail and Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk); Visit Albury Wodonga (second and fifth, Albury Botanic Gardens).
If there's ever been a reason to jump out of bed early on a Saturday morning (or stay up until daybreak after a big night out), it's seeing cosmic history made before your very eyes. The longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century delivered just that when it put on its sky-high show from 3.14am AEST — with the partial eclipse starting at 4.24am, the total eclipse at 5.30am and maximum eclipse occurring at 6.21am. For anyone that missed the event — and the news in the lead-up — this lengthy event lasted 103 minutes in the total eclipse phase, a duration that won't be seen again until the 2100s. It was also the last total lunar eclipse of any length that is visible from Australia again until May 2021. And, thanks to sunlight that was filtered and refracted by the earth's atmosphere, the moon also turned a blood-red share as well. So, in addition to spying a total lunar eclipse and a full moon, sky-gazers also saw a blood moon as well. Last but by no means least, Mars was also seen twinkling in the sky right next to the moon, with the planet at its closest position to earth in 15 years. As always, social media is packed full of stellar photo from those who saw and snapped the astronomical event — so whether you saw it with your own eyes or blissfully slept through it, here are some of the best shots of the lunar eclipse from around the planet. https://www.instagram.com/p/Blv7VuFHds_/?taken-by=seathebreezee https://www.instagram.com/p/Blv6W6klmLn/?taken-by=bodrumlayasa https://www.instagram.com/p/BlwBF0PHUUk/?taken-by=dorpell https://www.instagram.com/p/BlwBAQRlHpR/?taken-by=imikov https://www.instagram.com/p/BlwFT2cntgc/?tagged=lunareclipse2018 https://www.instagram.com/p/Blv4yWnBsC7/?taken-by=daves_snippets https://www.instagram.com/p/Blv2RLhnqqB/?taken-by=evrensongun https://www.instagram.com/p/BlwEgD1H6jO/?taken-by=matthias.hangst https://www.instagram.com/p/BlwHTeTn207/?taken-by=mel_weber_photography https://www.instagram.com/p/BlwFhjXH5K1/?taken-by=milkyway_scientists
It's easy to just appreciate Sydney for its beautiful beaches and sunshine — when La Niña isn't cramping our usual style. But, as we kiss some of our precious sunlight goodbye and welcome in the cooler months, there is still a lot to be excited about. For example, our thriving after-dark scene. This autumn, there is no excuse to stay at home when there is a plethora of music, art, entertainment, delicious food and drinks to discover. Autumn is the perfect time to spruce up your after-work ritual or create a truly memorable weekend. Here are our top picks to curb those daylight savings blues and make autumn in Sydney something special. [caption id="attachment_779831" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] HEAD TO GOLDEN AGE CINEMA AND BAR FOR COCKTAILS AND A MOVIE Step into the gorgeous Paramount House in Surry Hills, an original 1940s art deco building where you will find Golden Age. Enjoy old Hollywood charm by grabbing a cocktail at the David Lynch-inspired bar before the movie begins. While you admire the lush interiors, we suggest cosying up with a Maple and Pecan cocktail and a three-cheese toastie. Then, grab your Gelato Messina choc-top and head to your flick. Golden Age Cinema has everything you want to see and then some — from new releases to retrospectives and cult favourites. Check out Pedro Almodóvar's latest masterpiece, Parallel Mothers or snag tickets to a special screening of Baz Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet on Saturday, April 30. EXPLORE A HISTORICAL SYDNEY MONUMENT AFTER DARK Taking place on Thursday, April 28, at the world-heritage listed Hyde Park Barracks is After Dark. This one-night-only event will allow you to explore Sydney's long history of artisans and artists and see how traditional crafts are being recreated using contemporary methods. There'll be demonstrations in Indigenous weaving techniques, glass blowing and blacksmithing, plus live tattooing, banjo making and intimate musical performances. FBi Radio has put together an exciting lineup of live acts including local DJs, dream pop duo Royel Otis and two-piece indie band Bridge Dog. Enjoy the music around a fire with food from The Nighthawk Diner and drinks from Archie Rose. Get tickets for $30 per person over here. CATCH SYDNEY'S TOP STAND-UP COMIC TALENT AT THE COMEDY STORE Sometimes the only remedy to a tough day at work is to laugh it off (with a stiff drink in hand). Give your TV a night off and catch some live stand-up that'll leave you in stitches. The Comedy Store, located in the Entertainment Quarter, has been showcasing Sydney's freshest talent every week since 1981. It's range of upcoming shows and events, which you can check out here, covers everything from live podcast recordings to performances by some of Australia's funniest people, including Dilruk Jayasinha and Tom Cashman. Not sure where to start? Catch the Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase to see a lineup of Sydney's most hilarious and exciting emerging acts. The showcase will be running from Thursday, April 28 until Saturday, May 23. You can get tickets now ranging from $30–45 which include a well-deserved drink. [caption id="attachment_672373" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stockade Brewing Co, Leticia Almeida[/caption] COMPLETE A MINI PUB CRAWL OF MARRICKVILLE'S MICROBREWERIES Marrickville is home to some of the city's best craft breweries with plenty of experimental drops to sip. Start your night off at the beloved The Grifter Brewing Co where you can try an exciting range of beers — the Serpents Kiss watermelon pilsner is a crowd fave — and snack on Mexican treats from Ricos Tacos. A short walk will take you to Sauce Brewing Co for a refreshing peach berliner weisse in the spacious beer garden. Feeling adventurous? Give the Flat White, a creamy milkshake-style IPA, a go. Then head to Stockade Brew Co and sip some of its small-batch beers. Got more in the tank? Have a read of our DIY brewery walking tour for more suggestions. Or, check out the newly opened Bob Hawke Beer and Leisure Centre, the 1980s-style spot with a pool room and Chinese-Australian bistro Lucky Prawn. [caption id="attachment_686088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Midnight Special, Tamara Dean[/caption] OR, TRY A BAR HOP ALONG ENMORE ROAD If craft beer isn't your thing, then explore Newtown's thriving nightlife scene instead. Enmore Road has everything you need for the ultimate night on the town. Listen to live music at neighbourhood bar, The Midnight Special. Soak in the moody and tropical vibes of Jacoby's with a rum cocktail or some natty wine. If you're after a good pub feed with a lively atmosphere, The Duke of Enmore is your next stop. Then, end the night feeling ultra-cool sipping whisky in the sleek and sexy Cottonmouth Records — record store by day and dive bar by night. FLEX YOUR ARTISTIC MUSCLE WITH A NUDE LIFE DRAWING CLASS Want to get those creative juices flowing? Switch up your routine with a life drawing session. The historic Art House Hotel hosts life drawing workshops every Monday from 5pm in The Graffiti Lounge. Don't worry if you aren't a pro, this event welcomes all skill levels. Plus, you can always grab a couple of drinks if you need to calm your nerves. Or, for a more punk-rock experience, check out Nudenight at SthSthKingSt every Wednesday and Thursday night from 7–9pm, and Sundays from 2–4pm for $25. Beginners are always welcome, but if you need a bit of guidance, then it's recommended to join on a Wednesday. GET YOUR GROOVE ON AT A RETRO-STYLE DANCE CLASS If you aren't exactly feeling inspired at the gym, why not try a dance class to get the body moving and have some wholesome fun? Dig out the lycra leotard and cosy leg warmers hiding in your wardrobe, then head along to one of Retrosweat's classes around Sydney. This 80s aerobic-style workout is a fan favourite, where you can dance to some classic beats and get your heart pumping. If you're a little more serious about mastering your dance skills, have a look at Sydney Dance Company's adult introductory short courses. You can spend a weeknight learning ballet, hip hop, contemporary dance and more. Or check out Dancing Under the Influence's studios in Newtown, which has a range of night classes and courses on its timetable, covering latin fusion, afro, reggaeton, street jazz and more. [caption id="attachment_676980" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kopper Finch[/caption] MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT THE CBD HAS TO OFFER While heading straight home after a day in the office is tempting, we promise if you stick around the CBD you won't regret it. Start by heading to the Ivy Precinct for 5pm drinks at Bar Topa. Here, you'll find a charming hole-in-the-wall serving delicious tapas and $9 cocktails. Or, if you are a mezcal fan (who isn't?), head to Cantina OK!, a micro-bar hidden down a laneway with the best margaritas in town. After working up an appetite, a plate of life-changing pasta at Ragazzi is a must, best enjoyed with a bottle of delicious natural wine. Then, you can dance the night away to live music at the iconic Frankie's, or enjoy the fresh air and ambience in the Since I Left You courtyard. TEST YOUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE AT TRIVIA Get your smartest pals together and book a table at The Noble Hops in Redfern for trivia, which kicks off at 7pm every Tuesday. You and your crew can battle your way to snagging serious prizes and bar tabs while sipping on seasonal craft brews from the curated menu. Plus, once hunger strikes you can order from pizzeria La Coppola across the road. Your Sicilian-style woodfired pizza will be delivered right to your table — so, even if you bomb out on the trivia questions, you're still a winner. POP BY MAYBE SAMMY FOR A HAPPY HOUR TIPPLE (OR TWO) If you're feeling a little classy, head to Sydney's top cocktail bar Maybe Sammy to take advantage of its very appealing happy hour special. Located in The Rocks, this glamorous 1950-inspired spot offers an award-winning selection of cocktails — some of which you can sample for just $7 during happy hour from 4.30–5.30pm, Wednesday to Saturday. If you happen to swing by on a Friday then, after you quench your thirst, take a quick stroll to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Every Friday night, the museum stays open late to help you welcome the weekend with exhibitions, performances, live music and drinks. Catch live tunes with harbour views at Sounds on the Terrace or see some exciting works from the 23rd Biennale of Sydney. For more information on Sydney Living Museum's After Dark event and to purchase tickets, visit the website.
Usually we only have bad news to report on the topic of Sydney's public transport fares — either they're going up, getting stricter or cracking down on loopholes. But, this time, it's some positive news: today, the NSW Government announced that it will reduce the weekly travel cap on your Opal card by $13.20. The cap change was buried in the 2019–20 Budget Papers, which were released by the recently re-elected Berejiklian Government today. At the moment, if you have an adult Opal card, it maxes out at $63.20 within any calendar week — but, when the changes come into effect from June 24, 2019, it will be capped when you hit $50. The cap will come into play no matter what mode of transport you take, but probably won't impact you if you have a shorter commute (that is, less than 20 kilometres on train, bus or light rail). But if you already hit the current cap in a week — say, you catch the train from Cronulla to the city each day — you'll save the $13.20 straight-up. It's also good news if you don't currently reach the cap — for example, if you catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Balmain to and from work every weekday, you'll stand to save at least $10 a week. Which is pretty substantial when you consider that could potentially see you save over $500 a year — or at least have the freedom to spend that cash on funner places than Central Station. The Opal weekly cap will change to $50 from Monday, June 24, 2019. Find more info here. UPDATE: JUNE 20, 2019 — This article initially reported that the weekly would cap would come into effect from July 1, 2019, but Transport for NSW has since brought that forward a week. It will now start from June 24, 2019. The article has been updated to reflect this.
Whether you're a total baller who lives and breathes hip hop, or the fair weather type to throw your hands up in irritation each time triple j features another hip hop take on Like a Version; it's hard to deny Australia’s hip hop culture has gained almighty momentum in recent years. Whether you're digging on homegrown heroes or American gems, hip hop culture is growing rapidly in Sydney; a rare combination of creativity, expression and individuality. But where can self-professed hip hop heads find likeminded fiends, solid beats and All The Beers? United by a passion for the craft, love of the hip hop community vibe, or perhaps just a need to get turnt up come weekend; we've come up with the five best ways to celebrate hip hop in Sydney. Halfway Crooks at Phoenix Bar The most bangin' of Sydney hip hop parties, Halfway Crooks is the rap throwdown for party people. Originating in 2009 within the depths of Sydney's dingy Phoenix Bar, the Crooks have since expanded to include packed-out nights at Goodgod Small Club, boat parties, their own radio show and a spot on the bill for Vivid LIVE 2014. Each monthly party at Phoenix welcomes a new crop of local and international artists, with resident DJs and Halfway Crooks founders Elston, Levins and Captain Franco taking to the decks between each set. Expect copious amounts of sweat, gratuitous grinding and new rap handraisers alongside forgotten East/West coast classics. First Saturday of the month at Phoenix Bar, 34 Oxford Street Sydney. $10 entry. Check the Crooks' website for upcoming parties, but if you can't wait until the next throwdown tune into their gem-filled radio show on FBi Click. One Day Sundays at The Vic on the Park Australian hip hop has come a long way in recent years, making an international name for itself and moving away from the stereotypical idea that hip hop is all 'bitches', 'hoes' and affluent whiners venting about their so-called problems. This new era of Australian hip hop has solid roots in Sydney's inner west, home to many of the country's biggest acts and One Day Sundays — the hugely popular, monthly block party at Enmore's Vic on the Park. The last Sunday of every month sees hip hop collective One Day Crew (made up of Horrorshow, Spit Syndicate, Joyride and Jackie Onassis) take over the decks for a chilled afternoon of beats, basketball and live graffiti. ODS kicks off at 1pm and runs until you're coming up with excuses for a Monday sickie. Last Sunday of every month; The Vic Hotel , 2 Addison Road, Enmore. Free entry. Speech Therapy at Work-Shop Australia's premier spoken word hip hop event, Speech Therapy is designed by rappers, for rappers. Curated by Sydney rap establishment The Tongue, Speech Therapy is a night of spoken word, rap and poetry, with some of the country's finest lyrical talents sharing their craft over past months. Snuggled within the walls of Redfern's Work-Shop, audiences are treated to intimate, slam-style performances; previous guests among the likes of P Smurf (Daily Meds, Big Village), Urthboy (Elefant Traks, The Herd) the charismatic Ellesquire (Loose Change) and Horrorshow's unmatchable MC Solo. Seating space at Work-Shop is strictly limited, so buy up early and get amongst some of the best in local hip hop talent — raw and unplugged. Work-Shop is located at 80 George Street, Redfern. Check Speech Therapy's Facebook page for upcoming events. Joyride and Friends at Lo-Fi If you’re trawling for Sydney’s hip hop scene, chances are you’ll come across Joyride. One of Sydney’s most celebrated hip hop DJs, Joyride is best known for being part of the One Day Crew (cranking One Day Sundays at The Vic, deets up above), DJing with Spit Syndicate for an age and collaborating with Horrorshow, Hermitude, Drapht, Illy and pretty much every Australian hip hop name you could muster. Cranking beats and cheap eats every Thursday at Darlinghurst’s Lo-Fi, Joyride invites his buds to team up for one of Sydney’s best weeknight escapades. With $5 Young Henry’s, an $8 cocktail dubbed Romance Potion and $10 duck pancakes, this is a solid Thursday night option for both hip hop fans and General Good Time lovers alike. Every Thursday from 6pm at Lo-Fi, 383 Bourke Street Darlinghurst. Free entry. Hustler Fridays at Hustle & Flow Hustle & Flow is Redfern's answer to all things hip hop. Cranking everything from Tweet to Aloe Blacc to Ice Cube, this is a venue with a strong concept, committed crew, welcoming space and (most importantly) an excellent soundtrack. Most impressive is the almost scholastic commitment to theme — cocktails are all named after hip hop classics, with Thug Passion ($11), and Hurricane ($15) notable mentions. Beers include South Sydney brews Green Star Lager and Cinnamon Girl Spiced Ale (both $10); you can share an actual litre of Sol with friends ($16) or down a 'poor man's Mimosa', the Brass Monkey ($7). Every Friday the Dream Soundz crew crank tunes from 7pm for Hustler Fridays, hosted by MC Shaba. Hustle & Flow's calendar also marks toastworthy dates in hip hop, so watch out for drink deals on Biggie's birthday. Every Friday from 7pm at Hustle & Flow, 3/105 Regent Street, Redfern. Free entry. Words by Mairead Armstrong and Shannon Connellan.
This contemporary art exhibition explores water as both life-sustaining and as a metaphor for the human experience. Inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson's poem Water, the exhibition reflects water's emotional and intellectual depths — its ability to summon empathy, heartbreak, pleasure and destruction. It also examines how water imparts and enshrines various forms of knowledge, from the historical, cultural and poetic to the political and aesthetic. Featuring artists who work across diverse media and cultural narratives, The Water Understands delves into the metaphorical significance of that most abundant of liquids. Offering a multifaceted exploration of its impact on human life, knowledge, and creativity, this show invites reflection on how water shapes our understanding of the world. [caption id="attachment_984939" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Angela Tiatia, 'Narcissus'[/caption] Top image: Tamara Dean, Turbulance
Birds chirp, rainbows form and the sun shines a little brighter when the Sydney Dog Lovers Show comes around. And it's returning for a sixth year of pats, licks and parades on the weekend of Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4. This year, it;ll take place at the Sydney Showgrounds — and yes, the dedicated puppy cuddle zone is returning. The Sydney Dog Lovers Show will see thousands of dedicated pooch fans celebrating the noble four-legged monarch of human companionship. There'll be dozens of furry friends available for adoption from dozens rescue groups across NSW in the adoption zone, where you can learn up on what's actually involved with the process. Plus, DockDogs is back, featuring a competitive long jump and high jump for talented dogs who want to flop into a pool of water. Dogs, amiright? But hold up — you came here to cuddle pooches. We're getting there. Punters can make their way to the Pat-a-Pooch zone to cuddle up to a wide range of Australia's most loveable and popular breeds from puppy to adult dogs — we're talking uppity dachshunds to fluffball samoyeds. This has undeniably been the main attraction of previous year's events, and gives kitten cafes a run for their money. There's plenty more happening over the two days of furry friended fun. Not sure which type of pooch is perfect for you? Sign up for a Perfect Match session where you'll be paired with your ultimate dog breed. Already found your tail-waggin' soulmate? Get some expert tips on training, behaviour, first-aid and nutrition in seminars by some of Australia's big name vets. Tickets are $35. Everything is free (including cuddles) once you have purchased your ticket, except food and drink.
