It turns out you can loosen that grip on your wallet and breathe a little easier — Sydney has abandoned its position in the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) list of the world's top ten most expensive cities. As reported by the Age, in 2019's Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, our Harbour City fell from its 2018 standing of tenth place, in the most expensive cities index, to 16th. Melbourne, meanwhile, dropped eight spots down to 22nd position from 2018's number 14 ranking. For the first time, three international cities have shared the not-so-enviable top position, with Singapore, Hong Kong and Paris all clocking in scores of 107. The rankings are determined by price comparisons across more than 150 products and services, with the EIU looking at things like food, transport, utilities, clothing and rent in all the major cities. https://twitter.com/TheEIU/status/1107929944267603968 There are now no Aussie names in the top ten, with Brisbane, our third most expensive city, at number 41. In fact, Adelaide (which shuffled 21 spots down to 51st position) and Perth (now in 64th place, having dropped 18) are among the index's top 10 biggest downward movers, along with cities like Wellington and Istanbul. According to the EIU Global Chief Economist Simon Baptist, much of Sydney and Melbourne's drops were thanks to the weaker Australian dollar, with currency fluctuations having a hefty impact across the board worldwide. New York, Los Angeles, Osaka all increased this year, re-entering the top ten and knocking out Sydney. Via: theage.com.au
If you've wandered through Surry Hills or the CBD recently, you've probably seen quite a few passenger-less trams zooming around. And you've probably been wondering, like us, if they'll be taking passengers anytime soon. The answer is yes: next week. It's been a heck of a long time coming, but after multiple delays, you'll finally be able to board a tram on Sydney's new light rail from Saturday, December 14. Finally. Finally. And you'll be able to do so for free, too. Trips on the L2 Randwick-Circular Quay line won't cost a cent during the opening weekend. Time to make the most of your tax dollars. https://www.facebook.com/SydneyLightRailProject/photos/a.1175128939280346/2838116559648234/?type=3&theater To summarise the saga that is the CBD and South East Light Rail project: it was first announced back in 2012, construction began in 2015 and, since then, it's faced legal stouches, cost blowouts (to almost $3 billion) and delays galore, due to everything from awry overhead wires and a discovery of thousands of Indigenous artefacts. It was initially meant to be completed in early 2019, but that was pushed out to March 2020. Now, Transport for NSW has announced the first commuter services will be up and running by December 14. Just in time for all that Christmas shopping and economy boosting, of course. The project's completion also tidily coincides with the scrapping of the lockout laws in the CBD on January 14, 2020. Cynics will say it's more than a coincidence. After kicking off on 11am on Saturday, December 14, trams will run daily between 5am–1am. It'll also be a turn-up-and-go service with trams running every 4–8 minutes between Circular Quay and Central, and 8–12 minutes between Central and Randwick between 7am–7pm on week days (what's considered "peak" times). It'll be just one of the lines, the L2 line from Circular Quay to Randwick, that'll be up and running, however, with the L3 Kingsford to Circular Quay stretch expected to open in March 2020. It's not the first time trams have run through Sydney's CBD — just the first time in almost 60 years, with the old tram tracks ripped up back in 1961. Commuter services on the L2 Randwick Line (Randwick–Circular Quay) of the CBD and South East Light Rail will start on Saturday, December 14, 2019.
Is it your turn to plan date night or the next weekend adventure, and you're coming up short? Let us help. The Blue Mountains is great for a wintry escape — it's relatively close to Sydney, which means you get away without completely draining your annual leave balance, and it's chock-full of adventures — be it of the food or recreational kind. So, we want to help you trade the rush of the city for a breath of (very) fresh air with a winter weekend escape to the Blue Mountains — including the opportunity to explore the depths of an ancient rainforest. Alongside a voucher to spend on the Airbnb property of your choice, you'll score two adult Scenic World passes, so expect plenty of marvelling at the wonders of nature to ensue. There, you'll swap phone scrolling and swiping for panoramic views of the wilderness, waterfalls and the notable Three Sisters on the Scenic Skyway. You'll also get to ride the world's steepest train, the Scenic Railway. Then, after being immersed in the Jurassic-era temperate rainforest of the Jamison Valley Floor, you can feed your culture and food appetite with some of the Blue Mountains neighbourhood gems. We're talking a squiz at Platform Gallery, Australia's first dedicated feminist art gallery, a caffeine hit from Sorensen's Glasshouse and Garden, sipping some local drops at Dryridge Estate's cellar door and a bite or two of eclectic street food from around the world at 8Things. Enter your details below for a chance to win. [competition]723631[/competition]
The crew at Beyond Cinema have a knack for turning bedtime stories and big-screen flicks into immersive, larger-than-life adventures. Just look at last year's Great Gatsby-inspired party, which took over a glam northern Sydney mansion, or the more recent Harry Potter-themed potions classes, which were so popular the season had to be extended. Well now, it's the much-loved tale of Alice in Wonderland that gets the Beyond Cinema treatment, by way of an all-new immersive pop-up experience inspired by the nonsensical Mad Hatter. Descending on a secret Surry Hills location in the not-too-distant future, The Alice Bar invites punters to dive through the looking glass and into a fantasy world. Expect things to get curiouser and curiouser across your 90-minute visit, whether you're creating your own liquid concoctions under the guidance of The Mad Hatter, settling in for an indulgent tea party, or getting raucous with the likes of the March Hare and the Cheshire Cat. [caption id="attachment_740466" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Wizard's Cauldron[/caption] As always, Beyond Cinema is keeping most of the details scarce until closer to the date, though they're already old hands at bringing Alice In Wonderland to life. The team's earlier Mad Hatter's Tea Party events have proved a hit in both Sydney and Melbourne over the past couple of years. Beyond Cinema's The Alice Bar event will take place at a yet-to-be-revealed Surry Hills location in February, 2020. You can sign up for more details here.
As much as we love catching a movie under the stars, outdoors cinemas are usually more of a summer activity. After all, it's sort of hard to focus on the story when your extremities are going numb. Enter Hot Tub Cinema Sydney. Coming to a secret rooftop location in the second week of July, this novelty nickelodeon works exactly the way you think it does: you and your mates strip down to your togs and enjoy a flick from the comfort of a bubbling tub. Melbourne has already dabbled with the concept, with retro films and cocktails aplenty. The organisers of Hot Tub Cinema Sydney are yet to reveal which four films will feature on the program, although shame on them if they don't include Jaws or, failing that, Splash. Spots will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, although you can sign up for pre-release tickets. For more information and to stay in the loop about Hot Tub Cinema Sydney, visit their website.
Make sure you get your proper Sunday morning sleep in, because today you'll be dominating one, or many of the 13 bouldering courses at Nomad, a new bouldering gym that's popped up in Annandale. Home to the largest bouldering arch in the Southern Hemisphere, Nomad has 980 square metres of wall surface for you to climb all over. The somewhat terrifying difference between bouldering and normal rock climbing is that you'll be doing this activity without a harness. After you've finished working up a sweat, wind down with an arvo session at Wayward Brewing just around the corner. Check out who may be dishing out eats this weekend, cosy up on the vintage couches surrounded by friendly people and enjoy some Sunday live music from 4pm to 7pm.
If you've been using every birthday, wedding and office party as an excuse to jump online and order box upon box of Bakedown Cakery's sesame-raspberry chocolate bark, blood orange flavour bombs and white chocolate skulls, then we'd like to introduce you to your new home. Today, Bakedown opened a flagship on the Lower North Shore, where you can buy their creative sweet hits anytime you get a craving. You'll find the shop, which doubles as a chocolate studio, in the TWT Creative Precinct in St Leonards. Paint splashes, neon signs and sparkles make it hard to miss. If you're in any doubt, look out for the cabinet packed with bite-sized chocolates, the block-o-chocs in flavours such as passionfruit-sesame and matcha, and the face bark, printed with customers' faces, so you can eat not just your hat but your head as well. "We wanted to develop a store that delighted the senses and gave our customers the 'kid in a candy-store' experience, with stunning products that really catch the eye, but also have sophisticated flavour profiles," said Jen Lo, Founder and Creative Director, Bakedown Cakery. More often than not, you'll find Jen herself there, in chocolate-making and cake-decorating action. After all, there are always pralines that need filling, cupcakes that need icing and new flavour combinations to dream up. One of the secrets of Bakedown's success is never staying still for long. "Our in-cabinet chocolate range is on constant rotation, using different products and seasonal ingredients," said Jen. "One day you may bite into a mandarin, yuzu and dark chocolate bonbon; the next, a summer-inspired infusion of blood peach and white chocolate; and the next some homemade, heartwarming fudge." Find Bakedown Cakery at 62 Atchison St, St Leonards.
The Rocks is a big Sydney drawcard for both tourists and locals alike. The area's colonial history, evident in the iconic cobbled laneways and heritage pubs, gets most of the attention. But unmistakably interwoven into these storied streets is the culture and history of the earlier land custodians. The Rocks Dreaming Aboriginal Heritage tour allows you to take a step into the rich history and culture of Indigenous Australia. Owned and operated by Dunghutti-Jerrinjah elder Margret Campbell, this 90-minute tour takes visitors through The Rocks while providing commentary on Aboriginal Dreamtime and customs. It will lead to a deeper appreciation of the area and of how indigenous culture still thrives today. Tours depart daily at 10.30am.
Hosting a series of events and workshops throughout the month of September, The Wardrobe pop-up at Castle Towers will see industry leaders showing you tips and tricks on how to up your style game. Kicking off on Wednesday, August 23, events cover off a wide range of skills and interests, from fashion photography and illustration to cosmetic design to how to add some statement pieces to your wardrobe. While stylists will offer insight into the latest trends, professional makeup artists will hold 20-minute consultations on the benefits of natural cosmetics, properly matching your foundation to your skin tone and how to care for your skin during the warmer months. Instagram influencers will host sessions on flat-lay photography, The Lip Lab will teach you how to blend your very own shade of lipstick and Birdsall Leather will be on hand every day to monogram and personalise your leather pieces. With all these workshops on, we've happened to secure a double pass to Cult of Scent's DIY fragrance workshop to giveaway. At the workshop, you'll be able to craft and bottle your very own scent, tailored to you. What's more, we also have a $100 gift card to Castle Towers to give you as well, which you can redeem at any shop in the centre, including Aesop, David Jones, T2 and General Pants Co. Sound like your cup o' tea? Enter your details below for a chance to win. [competition]633489[/competition]
Music festival The Plot returns to Parramatta Park this November, and the all-Aussie lineup of artists it's bringing with it is better than ever. From the same minds behind Groovin' The Moo, The Plot's always been big champion of emerging local talent and, dropping its first artist announcement today, the festival looks set to continue its strong support of our up-and-comers. On Saturday, November 18, the festival will ring in its fourth year with the likes of electronic duo Saatsuma, Melbourne three-piece Cable Ties, Splendour and Meredith faves Confidence Man, Brisbane's Hollow Cove and triple j Unearthed finds, Northeast Party House. They'll be joined by more established favourites like Bec Sandridge, Brisbane songstress Airling and the ARIA-nominated sleepmakeswaves, with about 30 more names to come. And, if you've attended The Plot before, you'll know to expect plenty of other treats alongside their fresh selection of live local tunes. This year's festival promises to showcase some of the greater west's best, across a diverse array of food, drink, craft and clothing stalls. Just who'll be making an appearance will be revealed in the coming weeks. In the meantime, here's the first batch of acts announced for The Plot 2017. THE PLOT 2017 LINEUP Airling Alex The Astronaut Alice Ivy Bec Sandridge Cable Ties Confidence Man Dean Lewis Dear Seattle Haiku Hands Hollow Coves Jess Locke Kuren Kyle Lionheart Lastlings Maddy Jane Manu Crooks Ninajirachi Northeast Party House Nyxen (Live) Ruby Fields Saatsuma Skegss Sleepmakeswaves The Teskey Brothers Tigertown The Plot will take place on Saturday, November 18, at Parramatta Park. Grab tickets from August 24 over at theplot.co Images: Jess Gleeson.
Known for its impressive cocktail list, eclectic interiors and nondescript entry, Freda's in Chippendale is a favourite among the suburb's locals and visitors alike. In a new addition to the family, homemade pizzas will be gracing the kitchen every night in the form of Moon Pizza. Drawing inspiration from the famed slices of New York City and Puglia in Italy's south, Moon Pizza puts a modern spin on the traditional favourites, with seasonal combinations rolling out every week. Highlights include the Melenzane (eggplant and ricotta), Not So Napoli (confit garlic, olives, fried capers) and Patate (potato, truffled ricotta, rosemary). Prices start from $10. In more news, the venue has introduced a natural wine list, with a selection of whites, reds, oranges and roses chosen by sommelier Andrew Ainsworth (Paddington's 10 William Street bar). To welcome Moon Pizza to the joint, Freda's is hosting a Moon Launch bash with The Good Boys performing live on August 16, with DJ Salami, Patch Free and Casually Ciara on the decks. Moon Pizza launches on August 16. Find Freda's at 107-109 Regent Street, Chippendale.
Regular balloons might be considered a choking hazard, but the ones you'll find floating around at The Galeries next week are anything but — these ones are 100 percent edible and don't taste like rubber at all. Instead, the balloons come in a range of much more appealing fruity flavours like coconut, raspberry, passionfruit and orange. The whimsical desserts have been created by Sydney's legendary pastry artists Black Star exclusively for the retail precinct's SpringVention celebrations, which run from September 7-10. The floating treats will be on offer for free from midday each day, from the ground floor's pop-up Edible Balloon Bar. SpringVention is an initiative that sees CBD shopping precinct ring in the new season with a range of events. Across the four days, there'll be food specials, live music and special installations by acclaimed Sydney artist Dina Broadhurst. While you're there, take it as an opportunity to check out The Grounds of the City. SpringVention runs from Thursday, September 7, until Sunday, September 10, taking over The Galeries, at 500 George Street, Sydney. Get your hands on those free edible balloons from midday each day, at the Edible Balloon Bar on the ground floor.
If you've been lusting after this Twisties burger and you live in Sydney's northwest, do we have some news for you. Burger Head, the Penrith-based burger joint responsible for the monstrous creation and some all-round top burgs, is about to pop up in Beaumont Hills. The team hasn't released its opening date quite yet — keep an eye on the Facebook page for those — but we do know the temporary eatery will be showing up within a matter of days and hanging about for about three months. So you can consider your burger needs for spring more or less taken care of. The same trio who run the Penrith eatery — that's Tim Rosenstrauss (previously of the now-closed Master), Richard Borg (ex-Momofuku) and Joshua DeLuca (ex-Quay) — will be overseeing the Beaumont Hills incarnation. They've has a busy 2017, after opening in January, they've also made appearances at Burgapalooza and the Sydney Royal Easter Show. On the menu you'll find all the tasty morsels that've had Penrith salivating, from the cheeseburger (Angus beef patty, onion, pickles, cheese, Burgerhead sauce, mustard mayo) to the Clucker (buttermilk fried chicken thigh, pickled onion, mayo) and — needless to say — the Twisties burger. Burger Head will pop up at Shop 7, 70 The Parkway, Beaumont Hills within the next week. For opening details, keep an eye on their Facebook page.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Sydney is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours in Sydney. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable cultural activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, dine in a private gallery, sketch overlooking the harbour and explore the biggest second-hand bookshop in Australia. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Chippendale's warehouse-chic bar and nightclub Freda's is unveiling its newest food offering. Less than five months after opening its New York/Italian–inspired slice spot at the bar, Moon Pizza has announced it's throwing in the towel off to pursue other things. So, who will provide the food after a sweaty round of dancing? The bar's new food collaborator is called Cheesy Grin and it sounds like it will be a more than adequate replacement. It has previously popped-up at Grifter Brewing Co. and The Midnight Special, but will take up an extended residency at the Chippendale favourite starting on January 31. Chef Wesley Jones is at the helm and will serve up a well-rounded snack menu divided into four sections: ocean, landscape, sweet and salumi. And it has a strong selection of toasties. The 'ocean' section is inspired by Jones's upbringing on the south coast. Expect oysters — el natural or topped with nasturtium granita — and kingfish crudo, while under 'landscape' you'll find leafy green salads with herbs, flowers and veggies. The 'salumi' will include smaller nibbles, such as candied walnuts, beet pickles, stracciatella, roasted blood plum with lardo and a hearty meat plate. You can also choose to leave the deciding to Jones with the sample plate ($25). If you're hanging out for dessert, he'll also be whipping up deconstructed strawberry and white ganache doughnuts and a crumble flavoured with Grifter's pale ale, ginger ice cream and ganache. While the main menu will end at 10pm, Cheesy Grin will also be serving toasties right up until closing (which is 2am on Fridays and Saturdays), so you can cure that carb craving at 1am without hunting down a kebab store. The toasties will come on four different bread types — pretzel, brioche, sourdough and semi-sourdough — with a choice of fillings like sopressa and cured egg yolk, four cheeses, and snow peas and mint. If, on the opposite side of the evening, you're there early, you'll be able to order one of the few bowls of pasta available each night. At the moment Cheesy Grin's extended residency doesn't have a set end date, but we suggest you don't delay heading in to check it out. Cheesy Grin will open at Freda's on Wednesday, January 31. Head to the website for more details and the full menu.
Forget about spending this Saturday cleaning. The creative powers that be didn't come up with daffodils, blue skies and the like so you could stay indoors burdened by brooms and brushes. Instead, take full advantage of your precious weekend with a cheeky day trip to the Blue Mountains. Catch the train to Leura, a quaint little village that feels worlds away from the bustle of the metropolis. Sweet tooths will want to make a beeline for The Candy Store, an iconic lolly paradise in the Leura Mall Arcade. Expect speciality treats, old-school delights from your grandparents' childhood and international confectionary. Once you've had your fill of sweet treats, have a poke around the many shops, where you'll find unique fashion, antiques and other delights. Wrap up the day in Katoomba, with dinner at Scenic World's EATS270, where you'll get uninterrupted views over Jamison and the Three Sisters, with a killer Angus beef burger.
'Tis the season for many things, though at one particular pop-up Christmas market, the festivities are entirely, deliciously gin-related. Held at famed gin bar The Barber Shop and hosted by Sydney's own gin expert The Ginstress (aka Elly Baxter), the inaugural Christmas Gin Market is a one-stop pressie shop, with a very distinct flavour. Taking over the space for three hours on both December 7 and 14, expect a careful curation of gin-themed delights — products from top local distilleries, Treat Dreams' handcrafted gin-filled chocolates, gin-based marmalade from Four Pillars and gin-scented grooming products from the folks at Enright's Original Gin. You'll also be able to get your hands on the soundtrack from hit Sydney Festival show, Mother's Ruin: A Cabaret About Gin, and there'll be meet-and-greet opportunities with some of your favourite Aussie distillers. Browse top-notch gifts for your gin-thusiast mates, while sipping gin cocktails crafted by the Barber Shop team and you'll find yourself very much tapping into the Christmas spirit. The Christmas Gin Market runs from 6-9pm on Thursday, December 7 and Thursday, December 14. Find it at The Barber Shop, 89 York St, Sydney.
Lovers of art, music, live performance, quirky ideas and wild experiments, you have a brand new, rather roomy home. It's called Cement Fondu and you'll find it in a beautiful, 270-square-metre space in a leafy street in Paddo. Here, directors Megan Monte and Josephine Skinner are ready to surprise you, make you laugh and get you thinking. Drawing upon their two decades in the arts between them, they're planning out-of-the-box exhibitions, one-off performances and lively conversations. And that's just in the main gallery. There's also an Art Store, which will host artist takeovers, and The Project Space, to be dedicated to workshops, residencies and emerging artists. The frivolity will kick off on Saturday 10 March, with the opening of Cement Fondu's first exhibition, Suburbia. Between 6pm and 8pm, there'll be three live happenings: a cooking demo-storytelling show with Indian diva Radha La Bia (aka Shahmen Suku), a Miss Philippines-inspired Aerobics Oz performance by Caroline Garcia and The White Drummer, starring Tina Havelock Stevens (2017 Fisher's Ghost Award Winner). Open to the public from Thursday 15 March till Sunday 29 April, Suburbia will feature works by more than 15 local and international artists and collectives, spanning across art, music, cinema and performance, and exploring the concept of "looking beyond our own backyard". Expect paintings by Tangentyere artists Nerine Tilmouth, Louise Daniels and Elizabeth Nampitjinya; tapestries by Melbourne-based Paul Yore; audio works from the Sweatshop Western Sydney Literacy Movement; and stacks more. Meanwhile, Rosie Deacon, who's currently in residence at Parramatta Artist Studios, will take over the Art Store with her animal-inspired sculptures, jewellery and installations. And, in The Project Space, she'll be collaborating on a public workshop with a trio of artists from Studio A; look out for details. Find Cement Fondu is at 36 Gosbell Street, Paddington from March 10, or visit their website for further details. Image: Radha La Bia-Shahmen Suku, The Divine Game, 2017. Performance installation. Image credit: Tim da Rin.
In April, we farewelled Merivale's American-themed Manly eatery Papi Chulo. Now, in its place, we're set to welcome the hospitality group's second Queen Chow when it opens next week. Papi Chulo shut up shop on April 29, and the East Esplanade space has since undergone a small refurbishment. Group tables are now topped with lazy susans, tanks filled with live seafood great guests at the door and deep greens and dark timbers echo the hues of Queen Chow's sister restaurant in Newtown. What has remained, is the restaurant's stunning view out across the sparkling Sydney Harbour. In the kitchen, executive chef Patrick Friesen and dumpling master Eric Koh use Australian ingredients to recreate dishes served up at neighbourhood Chinese restaurants. Oysters — served from an impressive zinc-clad oyster bar — come topped with finger lime, Australian pipis are wok-fried with XO, and Moreton Bay bugs are doused in butter and black pepper. You'll also found Chinese-Australian staples such as sticky honey prawns, Mongolian lamb and deep-fried ice cream. Koh's famed dumplings are also a highlight of the menu, with a lineup of steamed or fried scallop and prawn siu mai, pork xiao long bao, prawn har gau and more. Alongside the food menu, Merivale's group sommelier Frank Moreau has pulled together another impressive wine list, with over 200 wines from across Australia and the world. Queen Chow's reopening is part of Manly Wharf's $9 million dollar makeover, and the restaurant will soon by joined by Rockpool Dining Group's Fratelli Fresh and Sake Restaurants, which are set to open later this year on the Wharf's second storey. Find Queen Chow Manly at Manly Wharf, 22-23 East Esplanade, Manly from Monday, July 9.
With another month of summer to go, Bondi Road's much-loved Latin American eatery has moved beachside. You'll find Panama House's new quarters in The Pacific, overlooking the sea, foregrounded by Campbell Parade. Making the most of the view is a stunning glass balcony, dotted with wooden benches and bright, summery cushions. Inside, there's seating for 120 on leather banquettes and comfy chairs surrounding ironbark tables, as well as a marble kitchen. Local Jason Grant took care of the design. In the kitchen, head chef Sean Kiely is busy with an all-day menu. Brunch, served until 4pm — for those days when you can't quite drag yourself from the beach — features the gumbo omelette (stuffed with prawns and chorizo and served on habanero corn bread with black beans and salsa verde), as well as the jalapeño rosti, made up of layers of guacamole, spinach, smoked mushrooms and a poached egg. Come evening, the dishes are more about sharing. Go for chargrilled, Western Australian octopus with chorizo esquites and salsa verde or Jamaican jerk spatchcock with edamame beans, black beans, rocket, charred corn and chimichurri. You shouldn't have too much trouble finding a match on the wine list, which includes 50 drops, all sourced from Australia and South America. As far as cocktails go, there's a bunch of jazzed-up classics, including the famous PH margarita. Panama House is now open at 180 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach. It's open Monday to Saturday, 8am–11pm, and Sunday, 8am–10pm. For more info, visit panamahouse.com.au. Images: Richard Mortimer.
Been itching to experience Bowral's acclaimed fine diner Biota, but aren't so keen on making the two-hour trek down south? Well, come June, you can sample the goods without putting in the kilometres, because chef and owner James Viles will bring Biota to the big smoke for a four-week residency in Chippendale. Taking over the former Silvereye space within The Old Clare Hotel from June 11 to July 7, it'll be a 'fun and casual' dining experience, built around Viles' trademark commitment to cracking local ingredients. The specially designed five-course menu is inspired by some of the Biota team's favourite places and produce, Australia's finest imagined in dishes like a whole salt and pepper mud crab with wild greens from Far North Queensland. As for the beverage pairing, there'll be signature cocktails made with all-Aussie spirits and a tight but interesting crop of domestic wines, curated by the restaurant's star sommelier Ben Shephard. There's even a beer crafted exclusively for the residency, that's made — believe it or not — from weeds. Expect a few more surprises, too, with a handful of special guests scheduled to make cameo appearances throughout the month. In May, Viles is hitting Far North Queensland for a cooking and camping trip with chef mates like David Moyle (Longsong), Aaron Turner (Igni) and Lennox Hastie (Firedoor) — word is, some of that crew will be swinging by the Chippendale kitchen, adding their own one-night-only dishes to the Biota menu. And if, after that, you're keen to head down to Bowral to check out where it all comes from, book in for one of Biota's 'gather and cook' adventures, where you'll go foraging in the Southern Highlands before eating your finds over a campfire feast. Biota Chippendale will run from June 11 until July 7 on level two of The Old Clare Hotel, Chippendale. It will be open for dinner Wednesday and Thursday, and for lunch and dinner Friday and Saturday. The five-course menu clocks in at $110 per person, with matched beverages for an extra $68 per person. Bookings can be made here.
Ah the Sydney property market. Just when you think it can't get any more depressing, along comes a story to drive home the fact that no, you'll probably never own your own home. Hell, from the looks of things, most of us will struggle to ever even own our own parking spot, after a 15 square metre space in Potts Point sold for close to 200 grand. According to Domain, the car space under the apartment building at 6 Challis Avenue was the subject of an intense bidding war between three parties, with the final bill coming in at $190,000. Laing Real Estate Agent Anthony Birdsall told the publication that parking spots in the area are "pretty scarce – most are attached to apartments." That may be true, but still… come on! For the record though, this isn't even the most expensive car space in Potts Point. In 2015 a spot in a private parking facility sold for $264,000. Must be nice having that kind of money. Must be reaaaal nice. Image: Flickr.
In case you hadn't noticed, Sydney is big. Really getting to know the ins and outs of an area are near impossible unless you live in it. Enter Culture Scouts. Culture Scouts is all about providing local walking tours with an edge. This tour won't cover the guide book favourites; it's a curated cultural hit-list of the best arty spots in the area, from the cool, creative cats who know best. The Inner West tour focuses specifically on the art meccas of Enmore and Newtown. The guides, who are all creative professionals, will help you dive into the artistic underbelly of the neighbourhoods, showcasing the best street art, murals and graffiti. They will steer you towards the best foodie haunts and vintage stores plus you'll get to meet some of the area's most colourful residents. You will feel like a local in no time.
It’s time to fire up your barbecues and perfect your spice rub recipe, because Sydney is about to host their first ever Barbecue Festival. The one-day event — which debuted in Melbourne last year — will feature free classes and demonstrations, more barbecued meat than you can poke a skewer at, live entertainment and, of course, the great barbecue cook-off. The cook-off is sanctioned by the too-legit-to-quit Kansas City Barbeque Society, and the winner will go on to compete at the world championships in the U.S., as well receive as a sweet cash prize and — most importantly — unrivalled barbecue glory. We spoke to festival director Matt Vitale about the festival, the different styles of American barbecue, and got all the pro tips on how to barbecue like a boss. MEET THE EXPERT: MATT VITALE Matt had always been an avid backyard barbecue cook, and a few years ago he decided to try his luck at the big time by entering a barbecue competition for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Matt teamed up with his wife and they won — sending them to the World Championships of barbecuing, held at the Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. "It was an amazing experience, and unexpected," he says. "I met a bunch of great people from the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), which is the largest organisation of barbecue enthusiasts in the world, and the organising body for this sport — it is a sport in the States.” The KCBS wanted to sanction a contest to Australia, and with Matt's assistance the first Yaks Barbecue Festival was brought to Melbourne. Now, it's Sydney’s turn to get a juicy slice of the action. THE FOUR TYPES OF AMERICAN BARBECUE According to Matt, there are four different regional styles of barbecue in the U.S. Texas barbecue is mostly beef-focussed; the rubs are a lot simpler, mostly salt and pepper, with not much sauce that is usually served on the side. In Memphis, they generally favour a dry rub on their ribs, and again sauce is usually on the side. North and South Carolina have more of a focus on pork where the sauce is more vinegary with a bit of chili thrown in for good measure. But it's Kansas City, Matt says, that takes the best elements from all of the regions. "They're really well known for their beef brisket and burnt ends, which are these cubes of meat taken from the point end of the brisket. They’re also known for their ribs with rich, tomato, sticky sauce, which I think a lot of people really associate American barbecue with. That’s what Kansas City barbecue is really famous for.” [caption id="attachment_555155" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dollar Photo Club[/caption] HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT BBQ CHOOK Kansas-style barbecue may be well known for their trademark tomato-based sauce, but sometimes it's worth knowing how to perfect the basics before you go slathering on a sticky sauce left, right and centre. One never-fail barbecue recipe that Matt is happy to divulge is his cherrywood-smoked chicken. "Smoked chicken is an achievable dish to do," he says. "A lot of these things you need to cook for a long period of time, but chicken you can get done in a couple of hours." So how do we recreate this magic for ourselves? First, grab a split chicken from a good butcher or poultry and game supplier, as getting it split makes it easier to cook. You're going to need a smoker for this recipe — a very worthy investment if you're serious about your meat. Fire it up to a bit over 100 degrees celsius, and put some wood chunks in there. Matt recommends cherrywood because it's easily available in Australia. Cook the chook for about an hour and a half breast-side down, then turn it over, baste it with olive oil, and leave it for another 30 minutes. Unlike beef brisket, which can take 10-12 hours, this takes a little over two hours and you're ready to eat. Matt recommends pairing this with fresh vegetables cooked over charcoal, such as charred corn, sliced eggplant and asparagus, as they get nice and caramelised. Drink of choice? Beer, of course — either a Fat Yak or a Lazy Yak goes perfectly with any barbecue. PRO TIPS FOR BBQ NOOBS While a lot of Australians love to consume barbecued goods, not all of us are as talented at making it as we are eating it. Matt recommends starting with a solid fuel BBQ to get the most out of your meat. "Gas BBQs are great, but there's so much more that you can do on a solid fuel BBQ. Cooking with wood and charcoal, you'll always get a better result.” Another piece of advice Matt leaves us with is to not be afraid to just give it a go: “sometimes you’ll get it right, other times you’ll get it wrong, but the more you practice, the more you'll get it right." The Yaks Sydney Barbecue Festival is happening this Saturday, January 30 at The Domain, Sydney. For more information, check out the event. Top image: Dollar Photo Club
The heritage-listed Capitol Theatre has been around since 1928 and continues to host some of the best musical and theatrical productions in Sydney. The gorgeous interior will take you back to another time. Meanwhile, the theatre pulls in all of the modern Broadway favourites, including Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock: The Musical, which ran in early 2020. Coming up is the Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical Come from Away, which will take the stage in 2021. The venue also offers a free membership program, which offers members pre-sale tickets, access to the best seats in the house and special offers aplenty. It's one of the best ways to see this year's blockbuster Broadway hits on the cheap.
If you haven't heard about Down Under yet, you will soon. No, we're not talking about the Men at Work song that you now have stuck in your head. Instead, we mean the new Aussie film that shines a spotlight on the state of race relations across the nation by turning the 2005 Cronulla riots into a black comedy. Yes, really. In actor-turned-filmmaker Abe Forsythe's second feature, two groups of Sydneysiders drive around their beloved beachside suburb after the bulk of the battle takes place, each trying to protect their patch of turf. In one car, Jason (Damon Herriman), Ditch (Justin Rosniak), Shit Stick (Alexander England) and Evan (Chris Bunton) search for people to beat up. In another, Hassim (Lincoln Younes) looks for his missing brother with his pals Nick (Rahel Romahn) and D-Mac (Fayssal Bazzi), and his uncle Ibrahim (Michael Denkha). If you're feeling a little awkward about the above the description, that's okay — in fact, pointing out the pointlessness of prejudice in all its forms is a big part of the point of the movie. As funny as it is thought provoking, Down Under premiered at the Sydney Film Festival to considerable acclaim, and now heads to the Melbourne International Film Festival before releasing in Aussie cinemas on August 11. [competition]581868[/competition]
One of the biggest sacrifices that inner-city renting can present is not being able to have a pooch pal for a roommate. For anyone who is a dog person (but, let's be honest, who isn't?), this can be quite the adjustment to make. So, any exposure to a four-legged friend conjures serious levels of excitement that are usually only reserved for when you see the waiter bringing your food at a restaurant. As one of several off-leash dog parks in the inner city, Harmony Park in Surry Hills is a mecca for recreational dog-watching. There is something quite cathartic about sitting and watching those silly mutts expend all of their energy on a few rounds of catch. Watch a little puppy get virtually bowled over by a giant hound, to then promptly get up, shake it off and go again. Go gaga as a short-legged pooch attempts to get airborne to catch a frisbee, casually missing by over a metre. And accept all the snuggles and wet, sloppy kisses you can get, until the owner thinks you're a weirdo. It will fill that pet-shaped hole in your heart — temporarily, at least.
Vivid Sydney is really cranking it up this year. Last month they announced a truly epic program of lights, music, ideas and live events, which, in one heck of a slam dunk, included none other than Björk (BJÖRK!). As part of Carriageworks' contemporary program, she'll launch a huge virtual reality project dubbed BJÖRK DIGITAL — a collaboration with some of the world's best filmmakers and programmers. And to celebrate the opening, Björk herself will travel to Sydney to curate a one-off music event at Carriageworks, where she'll DJ with special guests. In a response that absolutely everybody expected, the opening night event sold out quick sticks. While that leaves the 12 people who actually got tickets pretty smug and happy, it leaves the rest of us sad and confused as to how we'll live a life where Björk doesn't make an appearance. Luckily, Carriageworks have today announced that they'll be adding a second BJÖRK DIGITAL party, to be held the night following the opening on Saturday, June 4. The event itself cost $110 a tickie, and will include access to the BJÖRK DIGITAL exhibition, DJ sets by special guests and a DJ set by Björk herself. As well as the two big parties, the exhibition will run from June 4-18. It will include a downright must-experience program of her extensive video, multimedia and virtual reality works. Tickets for the BJÖRK DIGITAL Party #2 go on sale this Friday, April 8 at 9am. To snap some up, visit the Carriageworks website. By Shannon Connellan and Lauren Vadnjal.
Prepare to add another activity to that growing list of summer must-dos: Merivale and Summer Bright have just announced a slew of A+ Sunday afternoon shows at two prime waterside venues. And the best part? They're all free. Yep, all 16 of 'em. Returning for a second year, the Sunday Sundown sessions will be held over 16 Sundays from November 27 to February 26. They'll once again be going down from midday at the Coogee Pavilion rooftop and The Newport, which are both top-notch places to watch the sunset, in our humble opinion. Kicking off with a performance by Aussie hip hop artist Tuka, the Pavilion will go on to host Remi, Yolanda Be Cool and Sampology, among others. Up the coast at Newport, Client Liaison will kick things off on December 4 and will be followed by Montaigne, Ngaiire Triple J Unearthed acts Middle Kids and Jack River. Jarryd James will help welcome in 2017 playing New Year's Day, and The Bamboos will help celebrate Australia Day. But here's the full lineup. SUNDAY SUNDOWN 2016-17 LINEUP COOGEE ROOFTOP 27 NOVEMBER: TUKA + BAD EZZY 11 DECEMBER: BASENJI + SWINDAIL 1 JANUARY: ACT TBA + RUNNING TOUCH 8 JANUARY: YOLANDA BE COOL + GENERIK 22 JANUARY: NINA LAS VEGAS + DOM DOLLA 26 JANUARY: LUKE MILLION + DRO CAREY 5 FEBRUARY: SAMPOLOGY + NOAH SLEE 19 FEBRUARY: REMI + KUREN THE NEWPORT 4 DECEMBER: CLIENT LIASION + CONFIDENCE MAN 18 DECEMBER: MONTAIGNE + HEIN COOPER 1 JANUARY: JARRYD JAMES + CLEOPOLD 15 JANUARY: MIDDLE KIDS + JACK RIVER 26 JANUARY: THE BAMBOOS + ACT TBA 29 JANUARY: ACT TBA + SABLE 12 FEBRUARY: NGAIIRE + ALL OUR EXES LIVE IN TEXAS 26 FEBRUARY: SKUNKHOUR + SONS OF THE EAST Sunday Sunday will run every Sunday from midday at Coogee Pavilion and The Newport from November 27 – February 26. For more info, visit merivale.com.au/sundaysundown. Image: Bodhi Liggett.
Have you been painstakingly catching Pokemon all over town, but undeniably disappointed you can't bloody well eat the damn things? Get that bib on. Sydney's Hashtag Burgers are cranking out Pokemon-inspired burgers from their Down-N-Out burger CBD pop-up for the next two weeks. And they're pretty well adorable. The crew will be be releasing a limited number every day for the next two weeks from their In-N-Out-inspired pop-up inside the Sir John Young Hotel on the corner of Liverpool Street and George Street. Each burger has been dreamt up by chef Seb (ex-Thirsty Bird and Mr Crackles) and corresponds to the different type of Pokemon it looks like. And because Pokemon are random little critters, you're not allowed to choose which Pokeburg you'll receive — it's completely by chance. Go catch 'em all from today until September 3. Hashtag Burgers' Down N' Out pop-up can be found at the Sir John Young Hotel on the corner of Liverpool Street and George Street, Sydney CBD.
When it comes to rooftop bars, Parramatta hasn't exactly had its fair share of the sky-high pie — but this year, that's all set to change. After announcing their plans to open the bar in June last year, Australian developers Crown Group have today confirmed they are putting the final touches on their new hotel, Skye Hotel Suites at Parramatta's 28-storey V by Crown complex. And that also means that the new bar — which will be Parramatta's highest by far — is getting towards completion point too. Dubbed Nick & Nora's, the bar comes from none other than the Speakeasy Group, the team behind stalwart cocktail bar Eau de Vie and the due-to-open-soon Mjolnir. Though not technically on the building's top storey, located on level 26, the openair terrace bar will apparently afford 270-degree views of Sydney's skyline, the harbour and the Blue Mountains. Apart from that, details on the bar's menu are still scant — but judging from their other venues, expect some serious cocktails. The rest of the hotel will feature 72 luxe hotel suites, some flashy facilities — which include a swish pool that's only open to residents and guests — and a retail precinct that will include an outpost of Neil Perry's popular Burger Project. The rest of the building's design is the work of Allen Jack + Cottier and Koichi Takada Architects and — if it's anything to go by, Nick & Nora's is set to rival even the best of Sydney's current rooftop bars. The hotel is set to open in May, with the bar to open soon after. Nick & Nora's is set to open later this year on level 26 of V by Crown at 45 Macquarie Street, Parramatta. Stay tuned for more details on this one.
The Head On Photo Festival brings a collection of four photographers across the three main galleries at Gaffa. In Gallery One, The Alien in Our Midst combines the work of real-life partners Belinda Allen and Christopher Lawrie. Lawrie's section combines a selection from his History of Salt — From Weavers to Wapstraws is a volume of family history caked in salt and the Insular Australia series has folio pages slowly and similarly ossifying — while The Land of Dreams series shows portraits of recent migrants juxtaposed with the skeletal ruins of bush houses. Their faces are by turns circumspect, calm, sad, cautious and confident. Allen's History Tree lets a stunning series of trees push out from the pages of maps and rough reference books, laid out over poster size grids. For The alien in our midst … series of twinned photos, she takes a similar approach to Lawrie's Land of Dreams, mixing immigrant youths literally draped in printed images of the outback, with other landscapes behind. The results are mixed: The alien in our midst (Lake Eyre) shows a sky of seagulls flattened into a broken, sandy lakebed but some of the others don't lose their three-dimensional subjects enough against the flat landscape behind. Gallery Two shows Christian Pearson's Conversations with the Land. Not all of his photo montages work, but those that do are fantastic. In We're all red in the middle, spots of rounded watermelons sit tessellated in boxes, green dots adrift on a broad, dusty red land, while The wind has been cuts together rusted shades of desert like a Pantone deck from nature: red, then milky, then bone-yellow sand. In Gallery Three, Clare Weeks' Outside In has dead animals sitting against wallpaper, nonchalant as a collection of pensioners' china cups. Almost all of the animals have their heads out of frame, as though even in death they're trying to escape this domestic scrutiny. A curl of claws and paws suggests movement that's no longer on the cards, and only a crested pigeon stares back, dead and indignant. Images We're all red in the middle and The wind has been by Christian Pearson.
"Written and directed by" is a significant phrase in Hollywood. In an industry notorious for taking a screenwriter's story and completely bastardising it during production, directors like Christopher Nolan, Woody Allen and the brothers Wachowski and Cohen have all demonstrated the virtues of controlling a film's production from its very inception right through to its, well… Inception. In essence, the words "written and directed by" offer audiences the greatest guarantee that the film they're about to see is the closest thing to the film the director actually set out to make. Which begs the question: why did Boaz Yakin set out to make this movie? Safe, starring England's best whispering frown — Jason Statham — is a violent action flick written and directed by Yakin; however, 'written' might be a touch generous. Statham has more hair than this film has plot, and with lines like "I’ve been in restaurants all night but all I've been served is lead", the dialogue is equally sparse. As an action film, Safe operates squarely within the boundaries of its genre's logic. The Chinese bad guys are Chinese, so they all know martial arts. The Russian bad guys are Russian, so they all laugh while killing people and sound exactly like Boris Badenov from Rocky and Bullwinkle. Last but not least, the cops and politicians are all so corrupt, the only person who can stop them is a good cop who's not a cop any more. Throw in a young Chinese maths prodigy (Catherine Chan) whose memory is abused by the Triads as an untraceable ledger for their illegal activities and you've got all the ingredients you'll need. All the ingredients, that is, to bake yourself a pie. A pie made of lead. A death pie.
You know you're in for a night of good theatre when you're greeted with an opening scene of two people screaming and chasing each other round the set. It's the perfect opening for a play which depicts the gradual deterioration of a relationship as unspoken truths are brought to the surface. Steph (Julia Grace) is angry at Greg (Andrew Hnery) because she's found out through a friend that Greg has said something not too flattering about her face. Her reaction and his insubstantial defence of his actions cause her to leave. Gradually we're introduced to the other friends on the scene — Carly (Lucy Maunder), Steph's friend, and Kent (Stephen James King), Greg's colleague and supposed best bud — and we discover that it's not just Greg and Steph that are feeling lost in their lives and relationships. Written by Neil LaBute, known for his recurring commentary on beauty and its all-too-powerful effect on the world, this is the Australian premiere of Reasons to Be Pretty, and director James Beach has done a bang-up job. The American accents are initially jarring, as they tend to be on stage, but everyone maintains a solid American drawl, especially King, who's brutish gum-chewing and distinctive eye-blinking epitomises the stereotypical American slob. While the first act gets bogged down in the singular issue of who said what and what it meant, the second goes on to flesh out the characters into fully formed beings with whom, by the end of the play, the audience is emotionally attached. Every new revelation serves the purpose of highlighting who the bad guys really are, quite different from whom you assume at the beginning of the play. Henry, who plays Greg and co-produced this show, is a restrained but immoveable force delivering LaBute's biting one-liners with ease, while Grace's Steph, who chews up the scenery while she gradually tears it down in the first act, comes back with a powerful restraint in the second. Maunder's Carly, while she has the least inflammatory of roles, is revealed as a quiet force by the end. Whether you're familiar with LaBute's work or are interested in a simple evening of modern theatre, there are plenty of reasons to check out Reasons to be Pretty.
If one tried to chart Michael Winterbottom's films by genre, a labyrinthine map would emerge. From comedic road movie The Trip to notoriously, violently graphic The Killer Inside Me; postmodern comedy A Cock and Bull Story; meditative, quiet Genova; and absorbing war films A Mighty Heart and Welcome to Sarajevo, Winterbottom is defined by his chameleon-like ability to consistently, effortlessly shift. Loosely adapted from Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Trishna is set in contemporary India rather than late 19th-century England. If you're turned off the movie because you haven't read the book, I have one piece of advice: shelve that notion. I know only the basic plot line of Tess, and yet I was won over from the beginning. Trishna is a rich film in its own right. Starring the inimitably beautiful Freida Pinto as the titular character, the film chronicles her growing relationship with a young, wealthy British transplant in India to look after his father's hotels. Prefacing his responsibilities with a jaunt through the country with his friends from home, he meets Trishna, a poor, hardworking Indian girl living with her family on the desert fringes of Osian, an ancient town in Rajasthan. The romance develops slowly but commences with a sweeping gesture — Jay organises Trishna a job at his father's hotel in the hills around Jaipur. Her defection from the desert to the city is representative of emerging social migratory trends in the country. Indeed, the social and economic backdrop of India was ripe with adaptive potential for Winterbottom. As he has said, "Hardy was describing a similar moment in English life. A moment when, in the nineteenth century, the conservative rural communities were being transformed by the agricultural and industrial revolutions, when fewer and fewer people were being employed on the land, so people moved to the local towns or cities." The young couple's emerging relationship is fraught with external pressures and untimely occurrences. Soon, their idyllic romance, set against the backdrop of Mumbai after Jay defects from his designated role in Jaipur for business opportunities, begins to falter. Drawn back into the familial duties he so hates after his father has a stroke, the two move to another hotel where they resume their previous roles of owner and maid, but this time with devastating consequences. Shot beautifully and devoid of Bollywood kitsch, this is one to watch. https://youtube.com/watch?v=gdFiV9yDHG4
Director Netta Yashchin's stage adaptation of George Orwell’s 1945 novella Animal Farm at the Australian Theatre for Young People is dedicated to the Jewish-Arabic director and peace activist Juliano Mer-Khamis. He was murdered just over a year ago in Jenin in the West Bank, close to the Freedom Theatre he ran for young people. Hearing about his production of Animal Farm inspired Yashchin to create her own production of the story, which she says is "extremely relevant today". Staging Animal Farm in Palestine has an immediate weight and relevance. Sydney's Walsh Bay doesn't have quite the same effect. Nevertheless Animal Farm is a cracker of a story and it is hard not to find it interesting wherever you are. Orwell's illustration of post-revolution reversion to the same oppression as that of the overthrown powers is a great piece to stage at the moment. Australian Labor party leadership squabbles don't qualify as a revolution, but the hypocrisy and deceit displayed by our politicians is right there in Animal Farm. More pertinent perhaps is Egypt's post-revolutionary presidential race, which has turned into a farce because of the string of disqualifications based on pedantic nationality rules. The production is highly physical while at the same time retaining much of Orwell's excellent writing as narration delivered directly to the audience. Dymphna Carew's choreography and Tom Ringberg's fight direction give the piece a physically vibrant edge that keeps the story alive. The pigs' transformation into authoritarian masters trying to walk on two legs is a particularly striking moment. The performances are generally compelling, with a strong sense of ensemble for this large cast of 18. Michael Brindley presents a delightfully eccentric characterisation of the messianic raven, Moses, with his utopian belief in Sugarcandy Mountain. Stephanie King playing the Cat has some consummate acrobatic skills on the silks, which at times distracts from the action (because she's so good). The performers seem to be enjoying themselves, which is always a pleasure to watch. If your copy of Animal Farm has been gathering dust since high school, this is an excellent opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the classic.
The Rocks has proved an unexpectedly difficult area to rejuvenate. Home to winding laneways, heel-cracking cobblestones, quaint colonial haunts, and shady histories, it should be the atmospheric epicentre of cultural life in this city. We've been waiting for the day it is. But so far, despite notable inroads by such initiatives as the Pop-Up Project and the MCA's Lights on Later, The Rocks has had a hard time shaking off its tourist-saturated image. Now the most promising sign of change yet has come with the new weekly event Village Bizarre. Happening on Friday evenings throughout November and December, it puts contortionists, comedians, music-makers, open dance classes, games, barbers' chairs, and curios at the end of every alley and under each rickety awning. You'll meet such characters as convict butcher George Cribb, underwater knitters Mrs Polly Mer and Mrs Ester, and melancholic cabaret artist Tia Juana. There are also some more sustained, very intriguing site-specific performances, including the Melbourne and Adelaide Fringe Festival hit Ute Uber Kool Ja, in which you venture into the Holiday Inn room of an ageing rock star (you'll need to book tickets for the privilege), and Blind Date, a blindfolded one-on-one tour of The Rocks that's tailored specially to you. And don't forget to download the mp3 before you head out if you want to experience Crowds Above You. To keep you hopping from oddity to exotica, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority-presented event features three pop-up bars — the Enchanted Forest Bar, the Canopy Bar, and best of all, the White Rabbit Bar, which, in an Eyes Wide Shut meets leporine vibe, requires you to don a rabbit mask before entry. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nHIDspGbLrM
Engaging, topical, entertaining and (mostly) free. The Woollahra Festival is held over four days in November, bringing together a diverse programme of shows, talks and community events to celebrate world music and visual arts, as well as provoking intelligent discussion on contemporary ideas and global issues. For a small event that’s produced entirely by local residents, there’s a heck of a line-up; from Tai Chi and belly dancing to debating foreign policy, local architecture and iconic literature. Plus it’s family-friendly too: this year’s festival has a ‘magic’ theme for the kids, including illusionists, acrobatics, dance, hula hooping and pretty pooches. Now in its third year, some of the festival’s most popular events – like Dinner on the Village Green (a three-course dinner at $150 per person, as part of the closing event on Sunday 18 November) – will be sure to sell out quickly. But there are plenty of free and $10 events, including talks from well-known writers, journalists, architects, politicians, chefs and more – as well as free gigs from an impressive list of world musicians.
Join Cake Wines and their 'uncomplicated' approach to wine as they launch their second pop-up bar in the disused Cleveland St Theatre. Cake will host a number of events beginning at 6pm on Thursday night with the brand's Archi Bottle Prize awards. A live FBi Radio broadcast will be held on Friday night, and the bar will also be open from midday to midnight on Saturday as a part of the Surry Hills Festival in Prince Albert Park. As you sit and enjoy the Archi-Bottle Prize you can sip on your choice of Shiraz, Rosé, Chardonnay, Lucky Duck cider or Little Creatures Beer and chow down on gourmet food from Jafe Jaffles. For every bottle of Cake Wine purchased, 25 cents of the sale goes back to FBi and 4ZZZ Radio stations. And thanks to Cake, two Concrete Playgrounders will win a bottle of Pinot, redeemable at the bar. To go in the running just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Jack Kerouac’s seminal novel on the Beat Generation of the 1950s was once labelled ‘the unfilmable story’, so for director Walter Salles simply getting it on screen was a feat worthy of credit. Salles obviously has a thing for classic road stories, too, having previously helmed the critically acclaimed Motorcycle Diaries (2004). And while On The Road isn’t quite as polished, it nonetheless delivers a tantalising blend of sex, drugs, friendship and disillusioned yearning. On The Road tells the story of Sal Paradise, an aspiring young writer based on Kerouac’s own early experiences after he arrived in New York and struggled to discover a unique ‘voice’. Sal meets Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund from Tron) and is immediately drawn to the handsome and charming ex-con’s carefree lifestyle. Together with Sal’s young wife Marylou (Kristen Stewart), they embark on a road trip across America, criss-crossing from state to state by any means possible, including stolen cars. Kerouac’s appealing but rambling prose works better in its written form, but Salles has done an admirable job in translating its freedom, frenzy and spirit to the big screen. The cast (which also boasts Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams, Steven Buscemi and Viggo Mortensen) puts in a collection of fine performances, most notably Hedlund’s charismatic turn as Sal, and the glorious cinematography taunts you to kick the car into gear and explore your own horizon. The team behind the much-anticipated event Downtown Drive-In has announced Carriageworks in Sydney’s Eveleigh, just three kilometres from the Sydney CBD, as the location for its three-night season, which will run from November 29 to December 1, 2012. A seldom-used section of the 120-year-old heritage listed building will form the perfect backdrop for the Back Roads USA season of films. The films to be screened include On The Road, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Vanishing Point. Downtown Drive-In will also feature a custom menu with individual items designed by The Dip, Sydney’s favourite American-style diner, playfully paying tribute to the films and shared Americana settings and atmosphere. Major sponsor Audi will supply a range of luxury cars for the ultimate drive-in experience. The cars will also feature razor-sharp sound from audio partner Bang & Olufsen. Entry into Downtown Drive-In will cost $50 for vehicles of up to four people. Walk-in deck chair seating is also available near the screen, at $25 per person. For more information on the film schedule, drive-in experience and participating partners, visit www.downtowndrive.in
This little piggy went to market (crack of a knuckle), This little piggy stayed at home (that goes crunch under teeth), This little piggy had roast beef (with the rip of tendons), This little piggy had none (and a scream in vain). And this little piggy... (rivulets of blood drain from a grinning mouth). The lights go out. Kip Williams' Fallout, written by Maree Freeman, is replete with gore and psychologically disturbing human interaction contained in a disoriented and anchorless location. Intensity skyrockets as three teenagers — Alpha (Lizzie Schebesta), Bravo (Gabriel Fancourt), and Charlie (Amanda McGregor) — head full-throttle on a mission to "get better" by striking out violently at the fourth character, Delta (Michele Durman). By focusing on anger and physical expression of such emotions on her as a human punch-bag, they suppress any form of human emotion, in particular, empathy and sadness. This hideous denial of humanity seems to be well appreciated by the thousands of faceless aliens peering down through a central shaft of light above the stage. The teenagers believe that their abhorrent behaviour might well afford them escape from this underground dirt-box. When they are not roaming in a constant daze of boredom — skipping ropes, drawing animals in the soil, dreaming of the sky, and reciting nonsensical riddles — they are plotting to win the appreciation of the aliens and be granted exit. Fancourt and McGregor each perform chilling monologues for their captive audience with verisimilitude. As comic relief, McGregor exudes an infectious raw energy as she immerses herself in the character of a trapped and confused young girl, full of naive hope and premature sexuality. Pitted against this, Durman carries herself with cool calm and a natural self-possession, while Schebesta is the ultimate harsh alpha female who pulls all the puppet strings. The sharp swings between the banal and the shocking are punctuated by powerful spells of darkness, like chapters in a book. You can feel time passing them by; their youth, their memories, their pasts — all drifting away from them like clouds in the sky. What they'll do to try to escape will break some hearts or cause others to faint from the sheer violence.
The sixth annual Hola Mexico Film Festival opens on Thursday, October 25, at Event Cinemas on George Street, with nearly 20 films being shown over a one-and-a-half-week period. Showcasing real Mexico and its way of life, the festival invites you to say goodbye to cliches and hola to the land of the Aztecs, as it should be. Here are five that beckon us. 1. Mariachi Gringo Directed by Tom Gustafson and starring Martha Higareda, Mariachi Gringo sees a young man, stifled by his small-town life, run away to Mexico to be a mariachi singer. This feature, the opening night film for this year’s festival, explores the reality of following your dreams across geographical and cultural borders, depicting the beauty of Mexico and its folklore. 2. De Panzazo (Barely Passing) Barely Passing is a harsh look at the gritty truth of the Mexican school system. Directed by Juan Carlos Rulfo and Carlos Loret De Mola, it tells the stories of real students and what the country's future will hold if things don't change. 3. Felix: Autoficciones de un traficante (Felix: Self-Fictions of a Smuggler) Felix is a home-movie actor and human trafficker. In Felix: Self-Fictions of a Smuggler, he exposes the world around him through his own eyes and reveals the cogs of a very real machine. 4. La brujula la lleva el muerto (The Compass Is Carried by the Dead Man) Arturo Pons' The Compass Is Carried by the Dead Man sees Chencho, a 13-year old boy, goes to Chicago, following the death of his mother, to search for his older brother. On his journey he meets a man who dies right after letting him hitch a ride on his wagon. Following north on the compass held in rigor-mortic grip, he begins a surreal passage, with no real direction, and meets peculiar characters on the way. 5. Cristiada (For Greater Glory) With For Greater Glory Dean Wright asks, what price would you pay for glory? Starring Eva Longoria and Andy Garcia, this exhilarating action epic sees a passionate group of men and women risk everything for family, faith, and the future of their country during the 1920s' Cristero war, the daring people's revolt that rocked 20th-century North America. Image from Mariachi Gringo.
For those of you who find the idea of going on safari to see some artists in their natural habitat (as opposed to art gallery captivity), 107 Projects is putting on Open 107. To celebrate the opening of their new venue in Redfern, they're opening their doors to let the public have a stickybeak around. Once you're there, you'll see more cutting-edge art than you can poke a stick at. Just mind that you don't poke the artists (they don't like that kind of thing). You'll be free to wander around artists' open studios and get yourself covered in paint during workshops if you're so inclined. For others who prefer to just watch and listen while keeping their hands clean, there are poetry readings, a preview of Gareth Davies and Charlie Garber's show Masterclass, live music by Nick Casey and some BBQ action. On the day, you can also check out (yep, you guessed it) even more art with an exhibition curated by Michelle McCosker (also to be part of Art and About) that looks at modernism: Why White? Phew, so much art.
First came the Art Gallery of New South Wales' Art After Hours series. Then the City of Sydney's Late Night Library evenings, and the cavalcade of gourmet all-hours food trucks. Now it seems Sydney has a new witching hour institution. The MCA's response to the city's craving for grown-up late nights is ARTBAR, a slate of talks, installations, screenings and one-off performances programmed by guest curators on the last Friday of the month. The all-you-can-eat combo of drinks, DJs, live art and harbour views has proved a winning one: the nights continue to sell out. All these civilised small bars and intelligently curated nights are worlds away from the smokey, brawling pubs and tepid 7-Eleven meat pies of the old city's nightlife. Perhaps Sydney really is growing up. ARTBAR's guest this month is muscular and meditative video artist Shaun Gladwell. Gladwell, soon to feature at the Art Gallery of NSW, has been poached for a night to occupy one night at the MCA. Expect film, music and words as this official war artist and landscape-lover takes over your Friday evening.
It's time to get your Higgs boson on and fire up your Curiosity at the Ultimo Science Festival. Presented in association with the Powerhouse Museum, the University of Technology Sydney, ABC and Ultimo Tafe, the festival is taking place along Harris Street over 11 days and is just brimming with scientific delights. And scientific delights, it turns out, are delicious. Do you fancy yourself a bit of a Heston Blumenthal and dream of using molecular gastronomy to create the perfect chocolate souffle? Now you can! Are you an artist or scientist looking to see what happens when you meld your disciplines? You have a soiree for the occasion. Have you always wondered what it would be like to float in space or wanted to have your photo taken with a famous scientist? These activities are on offer, alongside more serious and educational ones. The huge program of exhibitions, shows, lectures, and hands-on activities has something for everyone, from the budding quantum physicist and aspiring astronaut to the merely curious, and many are free. Be you neophyte or professional, big kid or little kid, a world of science is waiting to be explored.
There is a high chance you've already heard of Chet Faker, along with his soulful, trip-hop offerings and his mega-babin' beard. The Melbourne-based artist started making waves online with his cover of Blackstreet's 'No Diggity', which spread across the blogosphere like wildfire, making him an internet superstar in a very short period of time. One EP later — Thinking in Textures — and he's already toured around globally, including stellar sets at Austin's SXSW, the UK's Great Escape Festival and our very own Splendour in the Grass. Indulge in what will surely be a night of swooning, grooving and singing to the soulful sounds of Chet Faker and his band, as he digs deep to deliver some of the most heart-melting tunes and stories of love. https://youtube.com/watch?v=P9r7KJJYkYY
Sometimes I crave the film equivalent of a McHappy Meal: something mindless, comforting, and wrongly tasty. Other times I want a kick in the tear ducts, a savage one. Rarely do I encounter a film that strikes just the right balance between these two poles, that is at once intelligent and entertaining. Bernie is this kind of rare cinematic treat. The film is inspired by a piece in the 1998 Texas Monthly by crime reporter Skip Hollandsworth, which starts, "Marjorie Nugent was the richest widow in an eccentric town full of rich widows. Bernie Tiede was an assistant funeral home director who became her companion. When she disappeared, nobody seemed alarmed. When he confessed to killing her, nobody seemed outraged." Bernie (Jack Black) is queasily sweet, universally adored by his community, and the only person who can bear the manipulative Marjorie (Shirley MacLaine), who comes to control every minute of his life. Although the reward for his endurance is monetary (he becomes the sole inheritor of her oil and banking fortune), nobody doubts his intentions. There's something improbable, but also childlike, about his generosity and his inability to say no to people. Black curbs his most irritating tendencies to give an endearing, convincing, and ultimately confounding performance. The actor is undeniably a strange little man, and he channels his eccentricities perfectly into what the townspeople of Carthage, Texas, describe as Bernie's "tutti frutti" mannerisms (they suspect he might be a "little light in the loafers"). The morality and motivations of Bernie's actions and his relationship with Marjorie is spectacularly grey, and the film reminds us of how few characters in cinema walk the entire spectrum of moral inconsistency. I was surprised at how fondly I came to feel for this curious character. MacLaine is typically solid as scowling, witchy Marjorie — it's the kind of role she's spent decades perfecting. Matthew McConaughey, who cannot be better described than as "a dude who spent most of his career Owenwilsoning his shirtless way through life", has recently embarked on a mission to prove he is A Serious Actor with roles in The Lincoln Lawyer, Killer Joe, and Steven Soderbergh's Magic Mike. Here he's the cluey district attorney, hell-bent on prosecuting Bernie. It's not quite enough to shed the horrific rom-com traumas of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but he shows a deft comic timing we haven't seen before. Director Richard Linklater has dabbled in documentary with Fast Food Nation, and perhaps that's why Bernie posseses the authenticity of a doco. It's difficult to track the overarching themes of Linklater's disparate films, but Bernie goes beyond the small world of Carthage to comment on the extremes of human behaviour. His masterstroke is to cast the gossipy Carthage townspeople as the film's narrators. No Hollywood creations could ever be as entertaining, disturbing, or delightful as these chicken-fried-bacon Southerners who are eternally, sweetly, and stubbornly devoted to Bernie. Bernie is an affectionate ode to the oddity of small-town America. This is a place where obscene oil wealth, diners where "you kill it, we cook it", rabid evangelism, and shooting armadillos in the backyard are all markers of a strange, salty standard of normality. Bernie never condescends to its subjects or its audience. It's absurd, but never ludicrous. And although Bernie's crime is revealed early on, we're kept in a state of enthralled disbelief until the bitter end, and that surely is the sign of a master filmmaker. https://youtube.com/watch?v=v7fPgD3EO-E
The Festivalists have seen a cracker few years with their boutique festivals increasing in number, from the long-running Young at Heart and Access All Areas to the recent Jurassic Lounge and Sydney Film Festival Hub events. Now in its seventh edition, Possible Worlds is one of the foundational projects for the Festivalists, and you can feel the passion in artistic director Matt Ravier's selection for this festival's seven days. Take for example the bookend choice for opening and closing nights. Starbuck, directed by Ken Scott, is a comedy that follows an inept kidult who after years of irresponsibility is facing a lawsuit that'll unmask his identity as the father of 533 IVF children. At the opposite end of the calendar and the spectrum is War Witch, directed by Kim Nguyen and winner of Best Film and Best Actress at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. This heavy drama is the confession of a 14-year-old girl to her unborn baby, detailing her actions as a member of a child militia in an unnamed sub-Saharan country. Two very different films, and yet both are borne from two individuals coming to grips with the question of legacy and responsibility to a future generation. It is not only amongst the films that such strands are drawn. Inspired perhaps by their live performance events, the Festivalists are also pairing select films up with live experiences for punters. A night out to see Indie Game: The Movie will leave you wanting to play and design games for the rest of your life — what better way to start, then, than with the chance to play games at the venue right after the film? Similarly, prepare to dress in disco fetish for the spoof comedy Roller Town, and limber up to dance it off in the glamorous musical Leave It on the Floor. Created with intelligence and love, and balancing an internationally aware program with a lot of fun ideas, this seventh Possible Worlds is set to be a very special week. Definitely try to see more than one film. Concrete Playground has three double passes to the Possible Worlds Closing Night Gala. To win, just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=BKXEh_kfPCY Films are screening at Dendy Opera Quays, Dendy Newtown and St Stephen's Church Hall, Newtown. Please see specific film listings for their venue. Image from Leave It on the Floor.
Event curators The Festivalists have a plan, it seems, to take over Sydney's nightlife. They've just pulled off an excellent bar and daily program of free events at this year's Sydney Film Festival. Their Jurassic Lounge was one of the breakout hits of the 2011 after-hours scene, and it's returning for two more seasons this year. Here's the formula: every Tuesday night, the Australian Museum is swamped with a thousand punters partaking in drinks, live music, games, and performance. The intelligently curated programs combine off-kilter stuff like slam poetry, alternative stand-up comedy, DJs from FBi Radio, palm reading, and storytelling from emerging writers. The new season line-up promises previews from the Sydney Underground Film Festival, a special queer culture night, a nerdy cosplay evening, and a sneak peek at the Sydney Fringe Festival. Jurassic Lounge is also jumping on the "diners, drive-ins and dives" bandwagon by offering a new Americana menu of hotdogs and sliders. With the expanded format, the door charge no longer includes a free drink, although it does still cover entry to the museum's Deep Oceans exhibition. When it works, Jurassic Lounge is a trip to the other side. And at its worst, it's a very trendy singles night for over-educated under-30s frolicking amidst a Gondwanaland of dinosaur skeletons, fossils, and native maritime animals. Either way, it's pretty fun.
With shows in Melbourne and Brisbane as well, round two of the Eight Miles High mini festival, a celebration of psychedelic, 60s, surf, shoegaze and garage pop, will hit Goodgod June 15th with sets from Witch Hats, Sister Jane, Grand Atlantic, Bloods, Buried Feather and Atom Bombs. Known for ferocious and engaging live shows, Witch Hats play a fusion of alternative rock, classic rock and post-punk. Described as The Pixies meets The Doors, Sister Jane blend sixties blues and seventies psychedelic rock to make their own distinctive sound. Grand Atlantic changed a bit when they released their third album, Constellations. Previously classed as power pop they moved to a deeper, darker sound. Bloods of Sydney are a frantic mess of punked-up pop. Compared to Black Angels and Dead Meadow, Buried Feather released their new single 'In The Sun' just last month. Show openers Atom Bombs are known as Syndey’s kings of surf guitar, with rolling drums and plenty of reverb.
