A Sydney icon standing tall above Bondi Beach, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar is one of this city's most renowned restaurants. Maurice Terzini's beachfront Italian fine diner is celebrating 20 years in 2022, and to help the team go out with a bang, it's taking a short break for a facelift. The eastern suburbs venue will be hibernating for winter in order to give the team time to do some refreshments. Terzini and co. have enlisted the help of Rome-based architect Lazzarini Pickering to put his spin on the upgraded venue. Pickering has worked on incredible buildings across the globe, including now-closed local hospitality spots Neild Avenue and Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons, and Icebergs once-idealised Bali beach club. Icebergs Dining Room and Bar plans to reopen in September following the refurbishment. You can check out the full details in the Instagram post below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Icebergs Dining Room and Bar (@icebergsdiningroomandbar) Icebergs Dining Room and Bar is located at 1 Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach. This week will be the team's final week of service before closing for winter.
Summer lineups just keep kicking bigger and bigger goals. The Sydney Opera House has announced their full summer lineup for contemporary music program Music at the House, with Sinead O'Connor, Caribou, Mogwai, Flying Lotus, Rodrigo Y Gabriela and more joining already announced big guns Damon Albarn, Violent Femmes, Max Richter and the Wordless Orchestra, Asgeir, Ben Frost and Tim Heckler and Fat Freddy's Drop. Running December to April, the 20-show-strong summer program is overrun with applaudably huge names. The legendary Sinead O’Connor will make her second Sydney appearance in 30 years with a retrospective set (ahead of her March 2016 memoir release), original 'Buffalo Stance' boundary-breaker Neneh Cherry makes her Australian debut and Britain's instrumental heavyweights Mogwai make their return to Australian shores. Crisp-as-blazes, London-based Canadian Caribou will surf a wave of hype surrounding his recent album Our Love, while Warp's Flying Lotus makes a triumphant return to the Concert Hall (where FlyLo sold the whole damn thing out last year). A tribute to the Twin Peaks mastermind, 'In Dreams: David Lynch Revisited' will see Australia’s Mick Harvey (ex-Bad Seeds) and Sophia Brous (Brous), New York City-based Cibo Matto and Irish-chanteuse Camille O’Sullivan will venture through Lynch's versions of the likes of Roy Orbison, David Bowie and Chris Isaak, as well as his work with Angelo Baladamenti. Swedish vocal powerhouse Lykke Li is set to make her Opera House debut, while fellow Swedes Little Dragon take over the Concert Hall — a fierce upgrade in space from their wildly raved about Oxford Art Factory show this year. Acoustic Brit Award winner Ben Howard is set to take things down a mellow notch, but if you're feeling the need to stomp a few floors, Grammy Award-winning flamenco legends The Gipsy Kings celebrate 25 years since their self-titled breakthrough album, and furiously talented guitar-duelling duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela return to Australia after a way-too-long absence. Music at the House is quickly becoming one of Sydney's most anticipated lineup reveals, with this year's performances including the recently-toured Rodriguez, the return visit of Vivid LIVE favourite Nils Frahm, Grizzly Bear, Bonobo, Boy and Bear, The National, The Jezabels and more — with performances from Max Richter and the Wordless Orchestra, Damon Albarn and Violent Femmes still to come before the end of the year. MUSIC AT THE HOUSE 2015 SUMMER PROGRAM (December 2014 — April 2015): Tickets go on sale to the general public at 9am, Monday 10 November. MAX RICHTER & THE WORDLESS ORCHESTRA (AUSTRALIAN DEBUT, SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Sunday 23 November TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $49 DAMON ALBARN (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Monday 15 & Tuesday 16 December, 2014 TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $79 VIOLENT FEMMES (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Monday 29 December, 2014 TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $59 ASGEIR (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Wednesday 7 January, 2015 TIME: 6.30pm & 9pm (SOLD OUT) VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $49 BEN FROST & TIM HECKER (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Sunday 11 January, 2015 TIME: 9.30pm VENUE: Joan Sutherland Theatre TICKET PRICE: From $39 FAT FREDDY’S DROP (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Monday 26 January,2015 TIME: 9pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $59 LYKKE LI DATE: Monday 2 February, 2015 TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $59 CARIBOU DATE: Tuesday 3 February, 2015 TIME: 7pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $49 FLYING LOTUS DATE: Tuesday 3 February, 2015 TIME: 10.30pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $54 LITTLE DRAGON DATE: Thursday 5 February, 2015 TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $49 MOGWAI (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Monday 2 March, 2015 TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $59 NENEH CHERRY WITH ROCKETNUMBERNINE+ (UK) (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Wednesday 11 March, 2015 TIME: 9pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $59 IN DREAMS: DAVID LYNCH REVISITED (FEATURING MICK HARVEY, SOPHIA BROUS, CIBO MATTO, CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN + MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED) (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE ) DATE: Saturday 14 March, 2015 TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $59 SINEAD O'CONNOR (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Thursday 19 March, 2015 TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $79 BEN HOWARD DATE: Sunday 29 March, 2015 TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $59 THE GIPSY KINGS featuring NICOLAS REYES & TONINO BALIARDO (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Tuesday 7 & Wednesday 8 April 2015 TIME: 9pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $99 RODRIGO Y GABRIELA (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Thursday 9 April, 2015 TIME: 9.30pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $79 ANGELIQUE KIDJO + MAVIS STAPLES (SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE) DATE: Sunday 12 April, 2015 T TIME: 8pm VENUE: Concert Hall TICKET PRICE: From $79 Tickets go on sale to the general public at 9am, Monday 10 November. Visit sydneyoperahouse.com/music for further information and tickets.
Last month, we announced the bittersweet news that Potts Point's two-hatted Gastro Park is set to close its doors and and will be replaced with a new venture by the restaurant's executive chef and owner Grant King. Now, King has given us an inside look into his next project — just one week after Gastro Park closes on May 20, Antipodean Restaurant and Bar will take its place. As the name suggests, the restaurant will focus on all things Australian and New Zealand, using produce from local artisans, farmers, wineries, breweries and distilleries (to name a few), in an effort to truly bring it all back home. "I've been at Gastro Park six years and I thought it was time to get away gastronomy," says King. "When people hear 'gastro', they expect everything to be 'chef-ified' and I want to make Antipodean just more simple." The native New Zealander is committed to making 99 percent of the restaurant antipodean, right down to the dishes and water glasses, which will come from Byron-based Made of Australia. "I'm going out of my way to find small producers, which sounds cliche — but everyone says this and doesn't really go for it," says King. He has even been able to find a producer making aged vinegar, as well as one in South Australia who makes Spanish-style ham. The restaurant will take on a more casual vibe and be revamped as an accessible, neighbourhood restaurant. The expensive tasting menu will be replaced with simpler share plates with only two or three items per dish. King reckons the price point will be halved to $60-80 per person as oppose to the $140-170 of the Gastro Park tasting menus. "Everything will still be handmade and delicious, but there will be much less of a focus on 'designed' dishes." He's currently working with 100 dishes in mind, which will be paired down to around a 25-dish menu that will be completely dictated by the ingredients available — think New Zealand flounder, baked whole with preserved orange, or mussels from South Australia. The fit-out will also be altered to feel more intimate and casual, creating alcoves, wall divides and indoor trees to add more warmth and separation to the existing open space. "I want the venue to show that we're proud of our local produce and that it isn't inferior to the rest of the world," says King. Antipodean Restaurant and Bar will open at 5-9 Roslyn Street, Potts Point at the end of May. It will be open seven nights a week for dinner from 5pm, as well as lunch on Fridays and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am. For more information and an opening date, keep checking back here or visit antipodeanrestaurantandbar.com. Image: Kimberley Low.
Right when unsuspecting dairy fanatics were gearing up for their Easter Sunday pig-out, Newtown's Gelato Blue went 100 percent vegan. Yep, on Easter Saturday, the inner west favourite kissed all animal products goodbye, thereby becoming Sydney's first-ever plant-based gelateria. Gelato Blue launched the switch with an evening party and managed it with the help of the ubiquitous coconut, whose milk is now providing the basis for their creamier scoops. According to the gelateria's Facebook page, concern about environmental destruction was a major motivation. "Animal agriculture is one of today's leading causes of global warming," states a post published on March 25. "Our gelato continues to taste amazing with a smaller global footprint." In an interview with Good Food, manager Fotini Platis also pointed out that increasing local demand for vegan ice cream played a role. "We wanted to create a product that anyone can enjoy," she said. "Our family lives and works in the inner west. We've had this business for the last seven years, and only started becoming aware what plant-based eating was because of our community." She said the store's inability to cater to vegan customers had made her feel "just as bad as we would have if we were inviting them into our house and there was no suitable food." If you're worried about Gelato Blue's tasty, tasty flavours kicking the bucket or lacking lustre, don't. The day after the change, the store put any potential fears to rest with the announcement of an epic new carrot cake gelato, made with lemon frosting, maple syrup, walnuts and chunks of Rhubarb Bakes' carrot cake. Gelato Blue is just of many eateries to have gone vegan (or opened as entirely vegan) during the past year or two. In Newtown alone, the gelateria joins Gigi's Pizzeria, Superfood Sushi and Bliss 'n' Chips. Meanwhile, in the east, Potts Point's Yellow started serving a 100 percent vegetarian dinner menu in February. Image: Vegan sundae, Gelato Blue.
Free champagne, free cocktails, free cupcakes and free personal styling are all on the agenda for Fashion Saturday. Taking over Sydney on Saturday, September 12, the extravaganza promises to transform the city into a fashionista’s haven for a day, with more than 90 fashion-inspired happenings planned. It’s in Paddington that you’ll score free bubbles while checking out Argenton Designs’ latest additions to their collections of hand-finished jewellery. Venture down the road to Darlinghurst’s boutique hair salon Sas and Lou to get yourself styled in flowers and braids a la Frida Kahlo, polaroid-ed and entered in the Best Face of the Day comp. By that point, you’re bound to be hungry, so pop over to Potts Point’s Manta Restaurant for a four-course gourmet lunch with matched beverages for $69 or to Surry Hills’ Sparkle Cupcakery for a free cupcake. Not all the action is in the east, however. Get to St. Frock, Pyrmont, for a 20% discount storewide, plus (more!) free wine and a complimentary styling session. Meanwhile, over in Newtown, Buttons Great and Small’s expert team will be showing visitors how to upcycle long-loved items of clothing into refreshed, revamped fashion pieces. Reckon you might need a rest after all that? Sink into a chair at the Golden Age Cinema, where Fashion Saturday will be celebrated with a screening of new release Women He’s Undressed, which tells the glamorous story of Australian costume designer Orry-Kelly, who worked on Hollywood classics like Some Like it Hot and Casablanca. Check out the other 80+ Fashion Saturday events at the event website.
If you've ever taken a shortcut through the back streets of Chippendale, you may have been struck by the sheer number of galleries and creative businesses which abound in this unassuming little corner of Sydney. Wedged between Central Station, Redfern and Broadway, with a post-industrial landscape of redeveloped factories and warehouses, laneways and neat little workers' cottages, the suburb has been flourishing of late. With its less salubrious past now thankfully left behind, it has become a thriving hub of creativity, innovation and sustainability, and the area, which is steeped in history, is experiencing something of a resurgence. On the evening of Saturday, September 22, this little vibrant quarter will be shining bright when the inaugural BEAMS Arts Festival takes place. Hosted by Chippendale Creative Precinct, over 250 locally based creative types will be filling Balfour Street and surrounds with art, media and light installations, performance and music. Take a jaunt through the streets and see what inspiring delights you stumble upon. Then stop for a beverage and share your experiences with new friends at the communal dining table, the fare being provided by local eateries. Who knows, you might even get to rub shoulders with a few of the area's more famous inhabitants, such as the gardening god himself, Costa Georgiadis. Georgiadis is also a champion of the Chippendale plan, a project to encourage sustainability and community spirit. Or you could bump into the makers of The Gruen Transfer, whose production company, Zapruder's Other Films, is based here. The programme also boasts some unusual musical delights. For instance, two of the bands featured, Thorough Bass and Auberne, bring a unique modern twist to baroque music and instruments. In addition to the exhibits and performances, there will also be workshops and talks for those looking for something more hands on. Amongst the activities on offer, kids can help create a mural imagining Chippendale's future or learn how to take care of plants with Georgiadis. For adults, there will be artist talks at many of the local galleries. The BEAMS Arts Festival is a great chance to celebrate, experience and become part of this diverse and burgeoning community. Image: Colour Splash Study (2009) by Steph Quirk.
Finding a moment or statement from The Princess to sum up The Princess is easy. Unlike the powerful documentary's subject in almost all aspects of her life from meeting the future King of England onwards, viewers have the luxury of choice. Working solely with archival materials, writer/director Ed Perkins (Tell Me Who I Am) doesn't lack in chances to demonstrate how distressing it was to be Diana, Princess of Wales — and the fact that his film can even exist also underscores that point. While both The Crown and Spencer have dramatised Diana's struggles with applauded results, The Princess tells the same tale as it was incessantly chronicled in the media between 1981–1997. The portrait that emanates from this collage of news footage, tabloid snaps and TV clips borders on dystopian. It's certainly disturbing. What kind tormented world gives rise to this type of treatment just because someone is famous? The one we all live in, sadly. Perkins begins The Princess with shaky visuals from late in August 1997, in Paris, when Diana and Dodi Fayed were fleeing the paparazzi on what would be the pair's last evening. The random voice behind the camera is excited at the crowds and commotion, not knowing how fatefully the night would end. That's telling, haunting and unsettling, and so is the clip that immediately follows. The filmmaker jumps back to 1981, to a then 19-year-old Diana being accosted as she steps into the street. Reporters demand answers on whether an engagement will be announced, as though extracting private details from a teenager because she's dating Prince Charles is a right. The Princess continues in the same fashion, with editors Jinx Godfrey (Chernobyl) and Daniel Lapira (The Boat) stitching together example after example of a woman forced to be a commodity and expected to be a spectacle, all to be devoured and consumed. Listing comparable moments within The Princess' riveting frames is easy; they snowball relentlessly into an avalanche. Indeed, after the film shows Charles and Diana's betrothal news and how it's received by the press and public, the media scrutiny directed Diana's way becomes the subject of a TV conversation. "I think it's going to be much easier. I think we're going to see a change in the attitude of the press. I think that now she's publicly one of the royal family, all this telephoto lens business will stop," a talking head from four decades back asserts — and it isn't merely the benefit of hindsight that makes that claim sound deeply preposterous. Later, Perkins features a soundbite from a paparazzo, which proves equally foolish, not to mention a cop-out. "All we do is take pictures. The decision to buy the pictures is taken by the picture editors of the world, and they buy the pictures so their readers can see them. So at the end of the day, the buck stops with the readers," the photographer contends. The Princess isn't here to simplistically and squarely blame the public, but it does let the material it assembles — and the fact that there's so much of it, and that nothing here is new or astonishing even for a second because it's already been seen before — speak for itself. What a story that all unfurls, and how, including pondering the line between mass fascination and being complicit. Perkins eschews contemporary interviews and any other method of providing recent context, and also makes plain what everyone watching already knows: that escaping Diana has been impossible for more than 40 years now, during her life and after her death a quarter-century ago as well, but it was always worse by several orders of magnitude for Diana herself. The expressions that flicker across her face over the years, evolving from shy and awkward to determined and anguished, don't just speak volumes but downright scream. In the audio samples overlaid on paparazzi shots and ceaseless news coverage, that's dissected, too, and rarely with kindness for the woman herself. Being sympathetic to royalty isn't a prerequisite for feeling perturbed by The Princess. Being a fan of The Crown or believing that Kristen Stewart deserved an Oscar for Spencer — which she did — isn't either. All that's required is empathy for anyone whose existence is stripped of choice, who is made to perform a certain role no matter what, who's saddled with onerous tasks that dismantle their agency and identity, and who gets torn to pieces whether they comply or rebel. That's a key reason why Diana's plight keeps resonating and always will. It's also why 'the People's Princess' label continues to echo. The latter was coined to describe her popularity and that feverish obsession, but it cannily cuts to the core of a heartbreaking truth: Diana attained a supposed fairytale but discovered that nothing in life is a dream, a realisation that couldn't be more relatable and universal. As well-established as the details are, the minutiae still spills out as The Princess progresses: the coupling primarily to provide an heir to the throne, the unsurprising distance in Diana and Charles' marriage, the persistent presence of Camilla Parker Bowles, several layers of envy, the 'Dianagate' tapes and the nation-stopping interviews all included (electricity surges during her 1995 tell-all chat with Martin Bashir, thanks to kettles boiling across Britain, are noted). Ignoring how the media kept shaping Diana's narrative would mean shutting your eyes and blocking your ears, even if the score by The Crown's Martin Phipps didn't maximise the tension. Ignoring the parallels rippling through the royal camp today, in the way that Meghan Markle has been treated by the media, is similarly out of the question. It isn't by accident that Perkins lingers on a young Prince Harry at his mother's funeral to wrap the movie up, after all. The Princess' approach isn't new, either. It's effective, though. And, as the same style proved in recent Australian docos The Final Quarter and Strong Female Lead — films that used archival footage to explore how perceptions are manufactured by the press as well — it's nothing short of damning about media practices and the audience hunger they think they're satisfying. Those two features explored how AFL star Adam Goodes was regarded in the twilight of his career, and how the fourth estate surveyed Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard while she was in the nation's top job. They dived into the self-fuelling cycle that stems from predatory coverage and the public's responses, one feeding the other and vice versa. Sound familiar? Watching both alongside The Princess would make for grim and harrowing viewing — essential viewing, too, particularly in a world that shows so few signs of changing.
Sydney's much-anticipated, billion-dollar Metro North West launched in late May to much excitement. But now, on Monday, July 29, the 36-kilometre railway line has caused some peak hour commuter chaos with a "communications system issue" halting all trains between Chatswood and Tallawong. Services in both directions on the line stopped for almost one hour, with replacement buses organised. At time of publication, 11.20am, the Metro was running again at a reduced frequency with buses supplementing some services. https://twitter.com/SydneyMetro/status/1155646538766417920 Transport for NSW is advising commuters to allow for plenty of extra time, listen to announcements at the stations and check information displays. Some commuters have taken to Twitter to report wait times of up to an hour and huge lines for the replacement buses. https://twitter.com/isabelanneok/status/1155632036364767232 The Metro North West — which promises turn-up-and-go services every four minutes (in each direction) during peak times — is just one part of the government's overall Sydney Metro project, which will, along with Metro City and Metro Southwest, see a new railway linking Rouse Hill to Chatswood, travelling under the Sydney Harbour to the city, then down to Bankstown. Sydney Metro West will link the city to Parramatta. Running on all lines will be the new driverless trains. At this point; however, the final stages of the billion-dollar project — Metro Southwest and West, specifically — are not expected to be completed until 2024. For the latest updates on the Metro North West, head to the Transport for NSW's official website and Sydney Metro Twitter account.
Celebrating ten years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005, Laneway Festival returns with one of its biggest lineups yet. Kicking off in Singapore on Saturday, January 24 in The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay, Laneway will run through seven dates (including Sydney's Sydney College of the Arts on February 1 and Melbourne's Footscray Community Arts Centre and River's Edge on February 7) finishing up at its new home in Fremantle's Esplanade Reserve and West End on Sunday, February 8. But if you can't make it to the whole festival, sideshows are your go-to. On sale from Wednesday 5 November, sideshows for Banks's Heavenly Sounds show, Benjamin Booker, Highasakite, Lykke Li, Mac DeMarco, Raury and Sohn are now in pre-sale phase. Here's all the details for your 2014 Laneway sideshow ticket sales: BANKS — HEAVENLY SOUNDS Start: Wednesday 5th November (12PM AEDT) End: Thursday 6th November (12PM AEDT) SYDNEY PRE-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 7TH NOVEMBER (9AM AEDT) Tuesday 3rd February St. Stephen’s Uniting Church, Sydney BENJAMIN BOOKER Start: Wednesday 5th November (12PM, local time) End: Thursday 6th November (12PM, local time, or until pre-sale allocation is exhausted) SYDNEY PRE-SALE | MELBOURNE PRE-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 7TH NOVEMBER (9AM LOCAL TIME) Monday 2nd February Newtown Social Club, Sydney Thursday 5th February Northcote Social Club, Melbourne HIGHASAKITE Start: Wednesday 5th November (12PM, local time) End: Thursday 6th November (12PM, local time, or until pre-sale allocation is exhausted) Password: TREATMENT SYDNEY PRE-SALE | MELBOURNE PRE-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 7TH NOVEMBER (9AM LOCAL TIME) Tuesday 27th January Metro Theatre, Sydney Wednesday 4th February Corner Hotel, Melbourne JUNGLE Starts: Wednesday 5th November (9AM AEDT) Ends: Thursday 6th November (8AM AEDT) SYDNEY PRE-SALE | MELBOURNE PRE-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY 6TH NOVEMBER (9AM AEDT) Thursday 29th January Metro Theatre, Sydney Wednesday 4th February 170 Russell St, Melbourne LYKKE LI LANEWAY FESTIVAL PRE-SALE DETAILS Start: Wednesday 5th November (12PM, local time) End: Thursday 6th November (12PM, local time, or until pre-sale allocation is exhausted) Password: GUNSHOT MELBOURNE PRE-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 7TH NOVEMBER (9AM LOCAL TIME) Thursday 29 January Forum Theatre, Melbourne MAC DEMARCO Start: Wednesday 5th November (12PM, local time) End: Thursday 6th November (12PM, local time, or until pre-sale allocation is exhausted) Password: SALAD SYDNEY PRE-SALE | MELBOURNE PRE-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 7TH NOVEMBER (9AM LOCAL TIME) Friday 30th January Metro Theatre, Sydney Wednesday 4th February The Hi Fi, Melbourne RAURY Start: Wednesday 5th November (12PM, local time) End: Thursday 6th November (12PM, local time, or until pre-sale allocation is exhausted) Password: INDIGO SYDNEY PRE-SALE | MELBOURNE PRE-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 7TH NOVEMBER (9AM LOCAL TIME) Monday 2nd February Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Tuesday 3rd February Howler, Melbourne SOHN FRONTIER PRE-SALE DETAILS Starts: Wednesday 5th November (12PM AEDT) Ends: Thursday 6th November (12PM AEDT) For exclusive Frontier pre-sale info visit frontiertouring.com GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY 10TH NOVEMBER (10AM LOCAL TIME) Thursday 29th January Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Friday 30th January The Corner Hotel, Melbourne Find the whole lineup and more info over here.
A new restaurant has opened on Carrington Street from award-winning Turkish chef Somer Sivrioğlu (Efendy) with a push towards vegetarian and plant-based cuisine. Maydanoz is a new 100-seat venue from Sivrioğlu and his business partner Tarik Köni that takes inspiration from the Turkish coast and its veggie-loving meze bars. The menu at the expansive venue is predominantly vegetarian and plant-based, with a smattering of meat dishes found on the menu. "So often, people equate Turkish cuisine to kebab or lamb, but in fact, the meat is often secondary to the incredible array of vegetable-driven dishes available in Turkish cuisine, particularly in the West," Sivrioğlu said. Sivrioğlu and Köni have created a series of distinct menus, based on dishes cooked in olive oil zeytinyagli style. If you are heading to Maydanoz for dinner, you'll be greeted with an extensive a la carte menu with highlights like smoked eggplant salad; beetroot, rhubarb and aged feta sandwiches; honey, sesame and rosemary haloumi kebabs; and carrot hummus. A smattering of meat options are also on the menu, including Murray Cod collar with brussel sprouts and sheep's head wedding soup. If you want to sample your way through the menu, you can opt for the feast menu for $88pp. This includes aforementioned highlights like the hummus, sandwiches and haloumi kebabs, alongside cacik, chilbir on toast, imam bayildi and Tencere-style chicken. This fun doesn't stop at the feast menu. The restaurant has just added an express lunch deal, which offers an array of signature dishes and a glass of wine for $49pp. Featuring stone-baked bread with Pepe Saya butter, hummus and Murray cod collar kebab to name just a few of the dishes, the deal is available from midday until 3pm and is ideal for work catch-ups with your colleagues. Plus, head to Maydanoz between 4–6pm and you will receive a complimentary stone-baked bread and dips to snack on, as well as $12 cocktails and $7 hour beers, wines and spirits. Cocktails on offer include the Spice Market Negroni which adds seven spices gin, ginger, star anise and rhubarb liqueur to a usual negroni recipe; or opt for the Turkish coffee and date martini. Maydanoz marks Sivrioğlu and Köni's first of two new venues. Keep your eyes out for their next venture Tombik, which is set to arrive in Barangaroo in the near future. Maydanoz is open at Shop 1, 50 Carrington Street, Sydney for lunch and dinner Monday–Sunday. Images: Steven Woodburn
Monopole's ongoing series an Evening With continues with its third installation this Tuesday, June 7. In collaboration with Sydney wine favourite P&V Mike Bennie, the evening will champion the small Jura region in France. As one would expect with Bennie heading up the evening's proceedings, wine is central to the event. So central in fact, that there are nearly double the number of paired wines compared to dishes. Guests will enjoy a six-course Jura region-inspired menu with shared dishes, paired with 11 matched wines. On the menu, duck and pork neck terrine paired with dijon mustard and cornichon; river trout, nettle butter and pickled onions; and a pear tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream.
It's oft said that New Year's Eve is the most over-hyped night of the year. But, it doesn't have to be this year — Sydney, you've got a brand new NYE party to attend. From the folks behind Hot Dub Wine Machine and Alison Wonderland's Warehouse Project, NYE in the Park is set to make its bangin' debut this December 31, taking over the lush expanse of Victoria Park for an evening of (actually good) eats, fireworks, Champagne, dancing and no let-downs — it'll be a night you'll actually want to remember. Headlining the inaugural event is Canadian electro and techo maestro, Tiga. You'll remember dancing to his tracks like 'You Gonna Want Me' and 'Far From Home' (he's also behind the monster hit 'Bugatti') back in the 2000s. Also ringing in the New Year is Jurassic 5 legend Chali 2NA, and DJ Krafty Kuts, who'll take us back to the golden era of hip hop in a joint set. Other highlights include Belgian-based dance icons 2MANYDJS, powerful pop artist Vera Blue, disco kings Total Giovanni, and, the evening's host, Hot Tub Time Machine. He'll be counting down the crowd to midnight, before playing one of his signature party sets, sending revellers dancing through the decades on a two-hour journey from the '50s to today. The festival runs for a marathon 10 hours, so you'll need some sustenance. Luckily, there'll be plenty of that. Your cuisine choices range from American barbecue to Greek street food and Japanese snacks. If you're inclined to listen to us, we suggest starting with a crab slider and a spiked milkshake, moving on to a beef brisket burger and fries, then grabbing a Champagne and making your way to the dancefloor for the midnight toast and fireworks show. Let's hope the rest of 2018 is as good as the last night of 2017.
It’s time to brush up on your espanol and start memorising the lyrics to early '00s reggaeton because The Norfolk are holding their Puerto Rico Day Party on Sunday, June 8. The Norfolk corner of Surry Hills will turn into a mini San Juan, where you can forget about the realities of Sydney’s winter and drink $5 copal tinnies, $10 pina coladas and bloody ricos and $15 gasolinas until your heart is content. Celebrating all the great archipelago has to offer (but mainly rum-based cocktails), The Norfolk are slowing down on the schnitties and are instead offering $10 tostone nachos and $30 worth of Puerto Rican pig tacos to share with friends. And if bloated bellies from recent seafood festivities upstairs at House of Crabs have put you off 305 Cleveland Street for a little while, remember that it’s probably nothing a taco or five can’t fix.
If seasonal change has left you in a dizzy headspin of new colours and fabrics and prints and jackets — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is coming back to Sydney for four days this April. But this time round, it's teaming up with pre-loved designer fashion retailer The Frock Exchange to offer new and pre-worn pieces from local and international labels. Shop 1000 lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from a heap of designers — both well-known and emerging. Names you'll see on the racks include Kenzo, Marni, Phillip Lim, Romance Was Born, Anna Quan and more. With pieces starting at just $50, this is one way to up your count of designer threads while leaving your bank balance sitting pretty, too. Prices this low tend to inspire a certain level of ruthlessness in all of us, though, so practise that grabbing reflex in advance. This is every shopper for themselves. The Frock Exchange x Big Fashion Sale will be open 9am–7pm Thursday, 9am–6pm Friday and 9am–5pm on Saturday.
When it comes to exposing the work of switched on, up-and-coming young writers, literary journal Seizure is a welcome repeat offender. Their latest, music-themed issue is out on December 6, and to launch it, Seizure is putting on a double-punch evening of sound and words. The line-up is acoustic, with Edward Deer, Cogel, Jess Chalker and Piers Twomey as well as Benny Davis (aka the Human Jukebox) from Axis of Awesome and more to be announced. The journal is eclectic: this time, it features stories from Simon Tedeschi talking with Frenzal Rhomb, Benny Davis (Axis of Awesome), Alice Rebekah Fraser (comedian, ex-lawyer), and an online mixtape curated by Edward Deer. And the location is 107 Projects, one of the more recent DIY artists' spaces to pop up in Sydney. Entry includes a copy of the mag.
'Based on true events' has been the theme for 2013, and why the hell not? Stranger than fiction and all that. Pick any genre and you'll find an example: Action - Gangster Squad; Comedy - Pain & Gain; Thriller - Captain Phillips; Horror - The Conjuring. None, however, are as adept at circling the carcass of history and picking away at the choice bits like Drama. Even just to look at the 'now showing' or 'coming soon' listings is to see: The Wolf of Wall Street, 12 Years a Slave, Dallas Buyer's Club, Philomena, Fruitvale Station and The Railway Man — all in some way grounded in real-world events. The question is how grounded, and that's why the opening to David O. Russell's new film American Hustle is so refreshing. "Some of this actually happened," it declares, acknowledging in those five simple words that — yes — liberties have been taken for your amusement, but also — yes — some of this stuff actually happened. That stuff is the infamous 'Abscam' sting of the late 1970s, during which the FBI engaged two prolific con artists — Sydney Prosser and Irving Rosenfeld — to ensnare a number of high-ranking US politicians on corruption charges. Sporting elaborate combovers, fake accents and plunging necklines, Prosser (Amy Adams) and Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) were a retro Bonnie and Clyde pairing who used smooth words instead of Tommy guns to fleece desperate men of their savings. Eventually caught by the FBI, they avoided jail time by agreeing to work alongside the ambitious agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), and atop their list of targets was a New Jersey mayor named Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner). What began as a simple enough sting, however, soon ballooned out of control as hubris, greed and jealousy picked away at the already threadbare alliance and placed both the operation and their lives in jeopardy. O. Russell is undeniably an actors' director, and like just his previous films (The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook), American Hustle is built around its strong performances and crackling dialogue. Bale, Adams, Cooper and Renner are all at their best here; however, it's Jennifer Lawrence as Rosenfeld's wife, Rosalyn, who steals the show. Part seductress, part clown, she moves seamlessly between the two extremes with such ease and speed that each can appear multiple times in a single scene. Keep an eye out, too, for an uncredited cameo by Robert De Niro as a mafia heavyweight in easily the most gripping of the film's 138 minutes. Yes, it is long, and it definitely drags at times; however, it's also immensely funny and beautifully captures the flashy/trashy excess of the '70s — most notably in Adams' countless revealing dresses — for which none will receive any 'best supporting role' nods vis-a-vis her perilously positioned breasts. Yet even they have their place, establishing the complexity of a character who freely exposes all to the world save for the truth of who she really is. That's American Hustle, too: a layered and captivating film where you're never quite sure who to believe or which stuff actually happened. https://youtube.com/watch?v=NqgjPRNRDSY
Keen to pair trivia with a touch of trouble? Well, now you can. Intimate Kent Street venue Since I Left You is hosting a series of storytelling and trivia nights themed around crime history. Bring along your best accomplices — or crime history buffs — to form your equivalent of an Oceans Eleven crew that'll dominate a trivia match. The night will take place in the CBD spot's fairy light-lit outdoor terrace, and you'll score a beer, wine or spirit of your choice upon entering before being tested on an array of historically unlawful acts spanning local, national and international crimes. But first, you'll be led through an immersive storytelling session by Sydney crime historian and storyteller Max Burns-McRuvie. Following story time, you can put your new-found knowledge to the test with a round of trivia which you can pair with a sip from the bar's signature cocktail list. For its June edition, you'll delve into a slice of local history when discovering the strangest ways to get arrested by Sydney police — so you may want to brush up on this niche bit of knowledge ahead of the event.
After one (very long) year without a permanent place to call home, Surry Hills favourite Nomad is finally set to reopen its Foster Street doors on Tuesday, October 20. A devastating fire back in September 2019 forced Owners Rebecca and Al Yazbek to shut up shop and temporarily open Nomad Up The Road, before a global pandemic threw another spanner in the works. Now, the restaurant will relaunch in its OG digs with a larger kitchen, more seating and a brand new deli to boot. Thanks to extensive renovations, the open kitchen is back in action, with the addition of wraparound counter seating — allowing 30 diners to sit up-close and watch the chefs in action. The venue's signature woodfired oven is back, too, as is a double-sized charcoal grill. That oven will once again be the focus of Executive Chef Jacqui Challinor's menu, which will include plenty of new additions for patrons to try. But the fan-favourite dishes will return as well, like the smoked ocean trout basturma, date-glazed wagyu tongue and the olive oil ice cream sandwiches (topped with sesame, pistachio and honeycomb). Zucchini flowers with truffle honey and a kingfish ceviche are also on the docket. [caption id="attachment_783321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Petrina Tinslay[/caption] Alongside the reopening is the launch of the brand new Nomad Deli, which will stocked with takeaway items and smallgoods. Expect an extensive selection of house-cured meats, plus Nomad dips and preserves — including duck mortadella, freshly made haloumi and the brand's famed cannellini bean hummus. For bakers, there will be chocolate fudge brownie batter and cookie dough on offer, too. Nomad's cellar has also expanded, with more back vintages available than ever before. The list will continue to focus on small Australian producers and will be available for both takeaway and home delivery (in addition to dine-in). Otherwise, expect the same Nomad vibes you know and love. The team has even restored the restaurant's original chairs and tables, while adding some new touches like plush green banquettes. The venue now has room for 200 all up, but is limited to 110 under the current COVID-19 restrictions. And it's sure to be as popular as ever, so we highly recommend booking ahead. Also on the horizon for the Nomad crew is the opening of its first Melbourne outpost, which has been pushed back to early 2021. Keep an eye on this space for the latest updates. Find Nomad at 16 Foster Street, Surry Hills from Tuesday, October 20. Images: Petrina Tinslay
Catching all the brilliant sights that Vivid’s offering up this year can be thirsty work. So, to keep you refreshed, Finely Tuned (creators of SOH’s Garden Bar by the Corner House) have transformed Martin Place into an illuminated culinary maze that’s part fairyland, part sci-fi cityscape. It’s built of industrial water tanks, made pretty with the help of pixel-mapped LED lights. A previous collaboration with German architects Modulorbeat provided the inspiration. “We wanted to create a giant sprawling space, filled with lights and places to stop and enjoy the ambiance of Vivid Sydney,” said creative director Joe Crossley. “The industrial water tanks were the perfect medium to build this zone, fusing food stalls and industrial elements together to create a unique light show.." Every evening from 5.30pm, an array of Sydney’s favourite street food providers will be onsite — including Eat Art Truck, Agape Organic, Poklol, Jafe Jaffles, Woofys, Cantina Mobil, Bite Size Delights and Gelato Messina — and, for drinks of the alcoholic variety, Bondi’s Panama House. Check out our other favourite dining spots with Vivid views.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Jameson Irish Whiskey. Four hot live music acts will appear at Jameson St Patrick's Live, to be held at Ivy, this Sunday, March 16. Here's the lowdown on the line-up. Furnace and The Fundamentals: 3.30pm-4.15pm Furnace and The Fundamentals play other people's songs, but referring to them as a 'covers band' is an understatement. They take a huge repertoire from both the present (cue The Black Keys, Adele, Grouplove and Foster the People) and the past (think The Beatles, Queen and Chuck Berry) and play it with huge energy. Thundamentals: 4.45pm-5.45pm Even though their name makes them sound like a version of Furnace's band for lisp-sufferers, they're actually one of the nation's most happening hip hop acts. Hailing from the misty Blue Mountains, they've been spending plenty of time under the spotlight of late and are set to tour new album, So We Can Remember, in May. Hot Dub Time Machine: 6.15pm-7.45pm For 90 minutes, Sydney DJ Tom Loud carries the crowd on an irresistible dance party that is, in short, a history of chart-topping hits from the '60s to now. Every tune is played in chronological order, mixed on live turntables and made larger than life via big screen video. Yolanda Be Cool: 8pm-9pm Aussie band Yolanda Be Cool made it big on the international circuit with hit 'We No Speak Americano'. The past year has seen performances at Tomorrowland and Burning Man, plus a new remix of 'All That She Wants'. Please enjoy Jameson responsibly.
The Central Coast's truly underrated, sustainable and naturally stunning festival Mountain Sounds is set to return for another year. Heading back to the pretty, pretty spot of Mount Penang Parklands in Kariong, Mountain Sounds has locked in Saturday, February 21 for its 2015 instalment. And the just-announced lineup is some seriously applaudable biznatch. Headlined by Splendour in the Grass favourite and Castlemaine local D.D Dumbo, simmering Adelaide newbie and airwaves-dominator Tkay Maidza, loud-as-blazes Brisbane dudes DZ Deathrays, Danny Harley-steered, electronic project The Kite String Tangle, L D R U and Yahtzel's beat-dropping team-up Carmada and perpetually holidaying outfit The Griswolds, the festival lineup also sees the likes of Jinja Safari's whimsical Pepa Knight, ever party-starting crew Northeast Party House, Soundcloud whiz kids SAFIA, croony newbie Daniel Lee Kendall and offensively talented young'un East among others. MOUNTAIN SOUNDS 2015 LINEUP: (alphabetical order) Carmada Daniel Lee Kendall D.D Dumbo DZ Deathrays East The Griswolds Hatch The Jungle Giants Kilter The Kite String Tangle Luke Million Northeast Party House Pepa Knight SAFIA Tkay Maidza Tropical Zombie PLUS Coda Harper Lemond Ratlife DJs Stephane 1993 Sydney Social DJs Zavier Last year's festival saw Midnight Juggernauts, Ball Park Music, Emma Louise, Sticky Fingers, Jinja Safari, LDRU, and Cosmo's Midnight among others (including a farewell to Snakadaktal). Local strummers should get their demos ready too, as a state-wide competition is set to be launched in the coming weeks to give one live band and one electronic act the chance to play alongside Australia's hyped up artists. Giving a high five to the environment once more, the locally-founded Mountain Sounds is again set to take great care in minimising the environmental impact and carbon footprint of the festival. There'll also be silent discos and campsite parties curated by the team, who all grew up on the Central Coast. With tickets on sale now and sitting around 80 beans, this is an end-of-summer festival worth the measly dosh for. Mountain Sounds Festival is on Saturday, February 21 at Mount Penang Parklands, Kariong, NSW. Tickets and more info available over here. Image: Voena.
Once a year, Monster Fest treats cinemagoers to a weird and wonderful film festival filled with genre and cult movies — but that's obviously not often enough. So, behold Monster Fest Weekender, aka the fest that the Monster team hosts midyear when it's not rolling out the full shindig. Hitting Sydney's Event Cinemas George Street from Friday, July 14–Sunday, July 16, this three-day affair has an added focus in 2023. Get ready to peer out of blue and red lenses, because every movie on the lineup is showing in 3D. No, none of them are Avatar. Yes, they're all horror flicks. As well as being the first time Monster Fest has focused on giving every title it's screening an extra dimension, it's also the first time that the event has solely programmed classics. The fun starts with a tenth-anniversary session of Texas Chainsaw 3D, which is playing Aussie cinemas for the first time. After that Amityville 3D celebrates its 40th anniversary, while the Vincent Price-starring House of Wax — the first colour 3D film from a major studio — notches up 70 years. Monster Fest Weekender's 3D lineup also includes Andy Warhol's Flesh for Frankenstein 3D, remake My Bloody Valentine 3D and direct-to-video 1984 effort Silent Madness 3D — the latter of which is similarly making its big-screen Australian debut.
I wonder how long you have to live in Brooklyn to say you're a Brooklyn band? Yeasayer, TV On The Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Dragons Of Zynth, Animal Collective, The National, Grizzly Bear. Hmmm. I do wonder. There's no way that all of the individuals in all of these groups could be from Brooklyn. But it is definitely the place to make music these days. Mummy I want to be in a Brooklyn band! White Rabbits are one of these bands, but at least in their bio they admit that they are from Missouri straight away. They play rhythm heavy, piano soaked alternative pop/rock â€" somewhere in between Cold War Kids (less earnest and Christian like) and Spoon (more attitude, less tongue in cheek), and in fact have been accused of being Spoon's protégé and didn't help this by enlisting Spoon's Britt Daniel to produce their second album It's Frightening. I even overheard a conversation the other day in a cafe, "they sound so much like Spoon, but they are better looking". Their music is full of little bits that you can clap or sing along to, intricate and fun rhythms, tambourine shakes, snare rolls, errant backup vocals ahhhing. And Singer Stephen Patterson even sounds like Spoon's Britt Daniel, with a similar aggressive yet lazy vocal style â€" think John Lennon on Instant Karma. They apparently are amazing live, and just watching the video for Percussion Gun makes you want to go watch the 6 piece. So forget everything I said about Spoon, you should fork out and go catch their Falls Festival sideshow at the OAF. https://youtube.com/watch?v=IClBpch9vmM
On November 24-25, the Sydney Opera House forecourt will transform into an outdoor stage for Dance Rites 2018. Now in its fourth year, this epic event is a First Nations dance competition starring more than 300 performers from all over the country. And it's free. Dance Rites was once part of the Opera House's Homeground Festival, but is now a stand-alone event. In addition to watching the heats from 3pm each day, and the finals on Sunday evening, catch an array of established dancers in action. Just some of the acts on the program include 2017 Dance Rites champs Kulgoodah Dancers, 2017 Wildcard Winners ALLKUMO Malpa Paman Dancers, professional troupe Muggera Dancers and, all the way from New Zealand, collective Te Rua Mauri. Check out, too, musical performances from electro poppers Electric Fieldson Saturday night and Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Sumner on Sunday. The Dance Rites 2018 winner, which is judged on three dances and decided upon by an expert panel of Juanita Duncan, Libby Collins, Matthew Doyle and Waangenga Blanco — will score a whopping $20,000, too. Images: Daniel Boud and Jacqui Cornforth.
Fans of Muji's minimalist homewares and consumer goods will be glad to know that the Japanese megastore isn't done with Sydney yet. With recent news of the newly opened Muji hotels in Japan and China, we were starting to feel a bit like their neglected middle child. But, according to a blog post, the north shore will get its very own MUJI outpost in March. A sister store to The Galeries on George Street, the newbie will be Australia's first multi-level Muji, and the place will be big, covering a whopping 884 square metres at Westfield Chatswood. You can expect it to be stocking all the usual homeware goods, along with men's, women's and children's apparel and accessories, skincare products, stationery, back-to-school/work necessities and travel goods. Their simple designs are also eco‐friendly with minimal packaging, so you really can't go wrong here. The store will open on Wednesday, March 21 with a range of special offers and even a Muji exhibition. We're personally down on bended knees, wishing and hoping that this store will be selling those flat-pack homes and tiny pre-fab huts that we've been waiting so very long for. Muji Chatswood will open on March 21, 2018. Keep an eye on Muji's Facebook and Instagram for updates. Updated: February 27, 2018. Image: Muji/Facebook.
As we all know, no Christmas season is complete without a solid few hours spent devouring a stack of classic festive flicks. And this year, you can upgrade from that living room couch to a comfy outdoor cinema, thanks to QVB's new festive Cine-mas series. Transforming the centre's secret terrace into an intimate theatre from December 5 to 7, this mini movie fest will screen three of the best-loved Christmas films of all time. Making the cut are Will Ferrell-starring comedy Elf, animated adventure flick The Polar Express and that timeless Macaulay Culkin number, Home Alone. Each night, there'll be a family-friendly session at 6.30pm, followed by a screening for adults at 9pm. Tickets start from $35 for adults, but if you fancy making a night of it, you can splash out an extra $25 to add on dessert from La Belle Miette and your choice of bubbly, wine or beer from the Reign Champagne Parlour & Bar. Drop an extra $75, and you'll get a two-course pre- or post-movie feed at QVB's Esquire Drink + Dine on top of all that.
Bars and restaurants across the world are coming up with creative ways to implement social distancing. Some are trying out giant teddy bears, some mannequins and some plastic shields, but right here in Australia, one beer company has come up with a novel solution: robots. Dutch beer brand Heineken together with engineering students from Sydney University have opened a pop-up bar in Darlinghurst that's staffed by two robot arms named Heidi and Ken. The arms will crack you a cold one and send it over via a conveyor belt. Only one person is allowed in the bar at a time, so it's a completely human contact-free experience. The beer it's serving is free, too, but it's also alcohol-free — which is great if you're doing Dry July, not so much if you were hoping to get boozed without spending a dime. If you are doing Dry July, we've rounded up some of our favourite booze-free beverages over here. Running from Wednesday, July 15 to Saturday, July 18, the Heineken Zer0.0 Contact Bar coincides with the (relatively recent) launch of the beer brand's alcohol-free beer: Heineken 0.0. It's said to have a fruity flavour with malty notes, but to find out for yourself, head over to the robot bar. Heineken Zer0.0 Contact Bar is open from 11am–6pm daily.
The Canadian electro-pop group Austra caused a sensation at the 2012 Laneway Festival, with their exhilarating fusion of riveting vocals and electronic synth. That performance was just from their debut album, and since then they've added two new members and dropped a fantastic follow-up album. 2013's Olympia is the perfect combination of indie rock and new wave. Katie Stelmanis, the main songwriter, rings a bell of Florence Welch and London Grammar's Hannah Reid with her operatic voice. Her songwriting talents have shone as well in this second album, which is a beautiful collection of lyrically personal tracks. But perhaps its been her ability to expand the band's range of sounds — which encompasses many dimensions of trance, electro and pop — yet stay true to feeling of their first album that have made Austra so successful. They've recently had a crazy touring schedule, sharing the stage with big-timers such as The xx, Grimes and The Gossip. This summer, Austra will be returning to The Standard alongside their Perth Festival appearance.
What happens when you take a huge name in Australia's music scene, add 40 more musical talents, then combine them all for two big gigs? In 2023, you get Red Bull Symphonic with Genesis Owusu and the Sydney and Brisbane Symphony Orchestras. The popular series pairs impressive local talents with an orchestral backing, after first debuting in 2022 in the Sunshine State with Goodna rapper Lisi and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, it's expanding its shows to New South Wales, too — and making Ghanaian Australian artist Owusu the star. "If you've seen me perform live, you know I love the drama. Bringing out the grandeur in every element," said Owusu, announcing the gigs. "What's grander and more theatrical than a punk-funk-rap enigma backed by a 40-piece orchestra? We getting real thespian out here." The 2023 Red Bull Symphonic tour will kick off in Brisbane, at the River City's Fortitude Music Hall on Friday, March 3, with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra in support. Sydneysiders get their turn on Thursday, March 23 at the Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall, with — naturally — the Sydney Symphony Orchestra on hand to assist. Owusu will also be collaborating with Australian composer and arranger Alex Turley (Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, Omega Ensemble, Electric Fields, NGAIIRE), in two shows that promise to combine two different arts worlds — and give his own punk-electronic tracks a new interpretation that even his most ardent fans haven't experienced. The multi award-winning performer gets orchestral after a massive couple of years that've seen him win triple j's Album of the Year in 2021 for his debut record Smiling with No Teeth; nab four ARIAs including Album of the Year, Best Hip Hop Release, Best Independent Release and Best Cover Art for the same release; and score 2022 ARIA noms for Best Music Video and Best Independent Release for single 'GTFO'. And yes, it's an excellent time to enjoy classical orchestras in new ways, courtesy of other events like Ministry of Sound Classical and Synthony, plus film-and-music screenings for flicks as diverse as Black Panther, Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope, Frozen, The Princess Bride, Home Alone, Toy Story and more. Wondering what's in store at Red Bull Symphonic? Check out footage from 2022's event below: RED BULL SYMPHONIC WITH GENESIS OWUSU: Friday, March 3: Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra Thursday, March 23: Sydney Opera House, Sydney, with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Red Bull Symphonic with Genesis Owusu takes place in March 2023, with tickets onsale now via the Sydney Opera House for Sydney and Ticketmaster for Brisbane. Top image: Bart Celestino.
Cinco de Mayo is nearly upon us — and Coogee Bay Hotel is celebrating in a big way. Mexican Madness will take over the venue's seaside garden across Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5. Expect Mexican-inspired everything — from the vibe and entertainment to the food and drinks. The space will transport punters from the Coogee coastline to the beaches of Mexico with a fully immersive fit-out, a three-piece mariachi band and a full menu of Mexican eats and drinks from the kitchen — think tacos and nachos paired with Lexington Hill margaritas, ice-cold Coronas and other themed cocktails. A full lineup of live entertainment will be on throughout the weekend, too. But it's not always enough just to feel like you've been to Mexico for the day. That's why the hotel is also running a competition for an all-inclusive, seven day trip to Mexico for two. Simply purchase one bucket of Corona or two Lexington Hill margaritas at Coogee Bay Hotel to be in the running. The deal will also be running at the adjoining Liquor Barn until May 31. You'll score one entry if you purchase two Lexington Hill cocktails or a Corona six-pack to take away — or three entries with a case. Mexican Madness will take place across May 4–5, from noon until sundown each day. For more information, head to the website. Images: Kai Leishman and Karina Lee.
If all goes to plan, this could be one of our last Friday nights in lockdown. And how better to send it off than with a big ol' living room boogie? Fittingly enough, this Friday, October 23, also marks the final event in Melbourne Fringe Festival's lockdown program, starring a celebratory edition of fan-favourite, Mr McClelland's Finishing School. Broadcasting to a screen and speaker system near you from 9pm, the virtual dance party will see DJ Andrew McClelland working his usual magic, guiding you all through a foot-stomping, groove-inducing mix of indie, pop, soul and rock tunes. Live and loud from his own lounge room, mind you. Clear out the coffee table, put the breakables somewhere safe and get ready to sweat out your lockdown frustrations to hard-hitting songs from across the decades. Best of all, it's an affordable night spent cutting shapes. You'll pay $5 if you're flying solo, $10 for a household ticket, or $15 if you're joining in from some other magical place where IRL partying is still allowed.
Liberating creativity from rational thought just as the colour field painters sought to destroy illusion, Matthew Allen’s forthcoming exhibition Where You Go I Go Too, offers a place of refuge at Sullivan+Strumpf Gallery. It is a painterly antidote to an increasingly detached and complex world. In this exhibition, Allen celebrates the beauty of raw materiality and its formal qualities, stating: “I deem a work valid when there is an interplay between the tactility of surface and the depth of light, colour and space.” In this way, he is engaging with the gravitational flow of paint and the immersive experience generated by the aesthetic flatness of the canvas. Allen's practice draws largely from the history of 20th century abstract expressionism and the theoretical domain of colour psychology. He aims to spark an epiphanic experience in the viewer, akin to the intentions of the melancholic colour-field pioneer Mark Rothko. He also seek to imbue his painting with a sense of mystic elusiveness, mediating between things verifiable and things unreachable. Where You Go I Go Too invites the viewer to partake in an unearthing of truth, igniting the spirituality of painting as a physical action and paint as material substance.
Director Godfrey Reggio and composer Philip Glass have joined forces with filmmaker Jon Kane to create a "cinematic time capsule for the 21st century". Visitors is a haunting black-and-white film that explores humanity's relationship with technology, and the potential dangers such a relationship could bring. The wordless film will be shown in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House, accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra playing Glass's musical score live. The film comes to Sydney after its premiere at this year's Toronto Film Festival. Its release coincides with the 30th anniversary of Glass and Reggio's first collaboration — the phenomenal Koyaanisqatsi, the first of the Qatsi Trilogy. Visitors is a rare and wonderful opportunity to see this special mode of filmmaking at its best, with the score performed live in an unbeatable venue. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-DieLfWWf0w
You may recognise Nongshim ramyun's iconic packaging from various trips to your local grocery store or as your go-to budget meal when you're strapped for cash but in need of a flavour-filled feed. Well, the Korean Ramyun brand is teaming up with Morgan McGlone (founder of Belles Hot Chicken and one of the brains behind one of our favourite Sudney bars, Bar Copains) for a delicious pop-up. Aptly named Shin's Table, the temporary eating spot will celebrate the launch of Nongshim's latest product range and eco-friendly change to paper packaging. Shin's Table, kicking off on Friday, November 24 and remaining open until Sunday, December 3, will be dishing up a menu of Asian-inspired dishes, specially curated by chef McGlone. Head over to 137 Oxford Street on Friday from 5pm and you'll be met with a tight selection of noodle dishes for $16. Heat things up with the chilli chicken ramyun paired with napa cabbage, tofu and chicken thigh pieces, or opt for the vego-friendly cheesy stir fry ramyun — starring the Shin Stir Fry with cheese — topped with kimchi, spam and nori. For smaller dishes — or sides, depending on your stomach's capacity — take your pick from kimchi-, pickled chilli- and cheese-loaded tater tots for $10, Korean fried chicken (KFC) wings for $15 and chips with a cheesy pork bolognese and tomato sauce at $9. Plus, each week offers up an additional elevated ramen dish available for $24. For the first week, you'll be able to grab a seafood-centric ramen containing the familiar OG Shin Red noodles, squid, crab and fish cakes. For week two, the limited-edition ramen will feature tender wagyu beef, a cured egg yolk and shiitake mushroom with Shin Black noodles. And to top things off, there are limited-time cocktails from an old fashioned with a Korean twist to bubbly mimosa seltzers and a ginger lima soda highball. Once you've eaten to your heart's content, swing by the prize wheel on your way out and you'll score some free merch ranging from chopsticks and noodle packets to beach towels and bottles. Each day's opening hours will vary, with some days opening from lunchtime to dinner and others opening for a special dinner service. For its opening day, Friday, November 24, Shin's Table will be open from 5pm to 9pm. The weekend following the launch will open for a lunch and dinner service from 12pm to 10pm on Saturday, November 25, and from 12pm to 7pm on Sunday, November 26. The pop-up's second week will run from Thursday, November 30, to Sunday, December 3. Thursday's pop-up will run from 5:30pm to 9pm, Friday will be open from 5pm to 10pm and the Saturday and Sunday hours will remain the same as the previous weekend — so there will be plenty of time to swing by and secure an enticing meal. Head over to Nongshim Australia's Instagram page for upcoming event updates.
Looking for an extravagant WorldPride experience filled with iconic hallmarks of Sydney and plenty of main character energy? Merivale and Absolut have teamed up to deliver exactly that with Bert's Pride Plane. With the southern hemisphere's first-ever WorldPride in full swing, you can now book a luxurious four-hour aerial adventure that includes unbeatable views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, top-notch food and an essential dose of drag. Available for $699 per person until Sunday, March 5, the experience starts in Rose Bay where you'll enjoy a welcome cocktail with your hilarious host, Sydney drag queen Jackie Daniels. From there you'll board a seaplane decked out in rainbow hues, which will take you along Sydney's famous coastline, past the city skyline and Circular Quay, and all the way up to the Northern Beaches. Once you've arrived up north, you'll feel just like James Bond as you take a boat to shore, disembarking at The Newport. Venture through the beer garden and you'll be shown to your seat at the pub's luxury brasserie Bert's where you'll be treated to a four-course lunch. The bespoke set menu is overflowing with lavish exuberance. You'll start with oysters, and warm brioche fingers topped with salmon and fennel pollen. The starters will keep rolling with anchovies soaking in lemon thyme oil and paired with fried bread, as well as steak tartare. You'll move onto the garlicky taglioni served with a lobster tail before you have to make the unbearable decision between a Brooklyn Valley grass-fed 800-gram rib-eye on the bone or a whole fish covered in caviar and champagne. Yes, you are reading that right. Rounding out the meal is your choice of dessert, with a frozen peach and sheep yoghurt slice with toasted marshmallow offered alongside a dark chocolate tart paired with malt ice cream. Following your meal, you'll hop back on the plane for more sky-high views across Sydney before being dropped back in Rose Bay. Limited spots are on offer, with bookings available via the Sydney Seaplane website. [caption id="attachment_890315" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] The Bert's Pride Plane experience is available for bookings until Sunday, March 5.
The internationally renowned Ritz-Carlton hotel brand hasn't had an offering in Sydney for a decade, with its Circular Quay property shutting to make way for the Sir Stamford and the second inner-city site famously relaunching as the Intercontinental Sydney Double Bay. But now, the luxury name is set to make a triumphant return, thanks to an ambitious $500 million development project proposed by a full-pocketed trio: The Star, local developer Far East Consortium and Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook. To be built within The Star Sydney's existing Pyrmont casino complex, the soaring 61-storey hotel and residential tower would boast around 200 apartments and 220 hotel rooms. Designed to appeal to the booming number of international visitors hitting Aussie shores each year — a figure that's expected reach to 15 million within the next decade — the build could be a huge win for the city's tourism industries. The work of renowned architects FJMT, the design will feature a Sky Lobby, a rooftop terrace, three pools and two gyms, as well as 15 new food and beverage offerings, including a new high-end restaurant, that will be spread across the resort and casino complex. After consultation with locals, the proposal also incorporates plans for the new Pyrmont Neighbourhood Centre — a five-level precinct complete with reading room, function space, social enterprise cafe and rooftop terrace. The plans are currently with the NSW Department of Planning and have yet to be approved. We'll update with more information as soon as it's released. Image: FJMT, subjet to all approvals
Tarantino fans, it's the moment you've all been waiting for — and it just might be even better than the world-famous Jackrabbit Slim's twist contest. In a three-month movie tribute, the Randwick Ritz is showing its love for the filmmaker responsible for making everyone think twice about Madonna's 'Like A Virgin', Royales with cheese, getting sword-wielding vengeance and getting caught in Minnie's Haberdashery during a snowstorm. With more enthusiasm than the man-in-question's fondness for rapid-fire dialogue, retro soundtracks and paying homage to every film he's ever seen, the We Love Tarantino film series will train the Randwick cinema's projector on some of QT's finest on selected dates between Friday, April 12 and Sunday, July 14. Each session will feature a flick helmed by Tarantino, with Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, both volumes of Kill Bill, the Grindhouse double, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight all on the agenda. Breaking out your best yellow jumpsuit, bathrobe, Hawaiian shirt, daggy tee and shorts combo, or flight attendant's uniform is heartily recommended. And if you want to dance to 'Stuck in the Middle with You' or 'Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon' in the foyer, we're guessing that no one will stop you. Days and times vary, although the films are screening in order of their release, and show two sessions of each per week — either on 35mm, 2K or 70mm. And the timing really couldn't be better, with Tarantino's next flick, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, due out in Australia in August.
Incongruous fact: Massive Attack were once heavily supported by Neneh Cherry. But that Robert Del Naja and Andrew Vowles returned the favour and worked on Raw Like Sushi is not too surprising. After all, the Bristol-based pair started out as producers and went on to influence artists from Mos Def to Madlib to Madonna (?), not to mention defining an entire genre. Now, the legendary trip hop duo is coming to Australia for the first time since 2003. Their fifth official album has generated muddled reviews, and the Guardian noted that they still sound as "listless" as ever, but fans of anything they made pre-2000 will know that this is, in fact, a great thing. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y5I7apl4s-0
This year the CBD isn’t the only place where you can indulge in seasonal shenanigans. On December 13 and 14, twelve of the city’s villages will get their Christmas spirit on, with free drinks, free food, roving performers, in-store events, seriously discounted gifts and visits from Santa. More than 200 retail outlets are getting on the sleigh. If you’re in Surry Hills, Redfern or Newtown, you’d best prepare yourself for free beverages, sweet treats and some epic bargains. Those who venture into fun wallpaper shop Wall Candy or unique collective space O’Connell St Merchants will be treated to complimentary sparkling wine, while Special Lights will be handing out Christmas goodie bags to the first ten visitors each day. If that’s not refreshment enough, try two-for-one fish and chips at the Crown Street Fish Shop, free coffee and $4.99 French cider tastings at A Touch of France, and Flour and Stone goodies at Yoshi Jones’ Storio. In addition, loads of stores are selling stock at reduced prices and/or handing out presents with a minimum spend. Old-fashioned bicycle restorers Stallion Bikes will reward every $100 with a gift, quirky curators Starnam are taking 30 percent off everything, Artsite Gallery is running a prize draw, Cream on King and Cream on Crown will give you a free pair of new sunnies for every $50 you spend on upcycled and vintage clothing, and Stacks of Wax is inviting you to make your own candle. There’s also a villages-wide Instagram comp going on, which might see you jetting off to some long dreamt-of destination. Simply take a shot of your favourite shop window and tag it #sydxmas #bestwindow, for a chance to win a $2,000 QANTAS travel voucher. The business responsible for the most-tagged window will score $5,000 worth of adventures with Red Balloon. Both prizes are courtesy of American Express. And these are just the tip of the iceberg. Find out more about the City of Sydney’s Christmas in the Villages at their website.
Smash Palace looks at Chinese contemporary artist’s reactions to the shocks of “new China.” All of the shiny newness of Communist China is presented as having smashed the customs, culture, habits and ideas of old China, replacing it with anxiety, greed, corruption and ever taller skyscrapers. As per usual, White Rabbit Gallery has presented a slick exhibition in a range of media to which it is impossible to not have an emotional reaction. The overall impression of Smash Palace is a tactile one. There’s Zhou Jie’s CBD (2011) a fragile porcelain city covered in bizarre tentacles and bumps sitting on a bed of rice. It is just asking to be touched and smashed into tiny pieces. Looking over this work from the far wall is Madeln (Xu Zhen’s) Under Heaven 20121018 (2012) which has been made from incredibly thick dollops of oil paint, squeezed from an icing bag. The paint has been applied so thickly that it will take years for it to dry. When viewed up close, the viewer has an almost irresistable urge to touch the icing-sugar-like dollops, or even lick them from the surface of the canvas. Cheng Dapeng’s Wonderful City (2011-12) compares urbanisation to “speeding". "It’s dangerous for everyone, drivers and pedestrians” (Dapeng), yet it is also the vehicle from which he earns his living. It draws the viewer in to gaze and want to touch the resin 3D prints of animals, plants and human city mutants. Even Zhang Tingqun’s line works are inspired by cracked china bowls, hinting at the fragility of life in contemporary China. This fragility is a theme that unites many of the works in the exhibition, and is picked up again and again to varying degrees. Jin Shi recreates the tiny cupboard-like living space of a city dweller. This work has a caustrophic effect, leaving the viewer with a strange desire to walk into the filthy, minuscule room, purely to see if it is possible for them to fit inside it. The comic book like animations of Adventures in Mount Yu 1. (2010) and Adventures in Mount Yu 5 (2011) are described by the artist Tu Pei-Shih as “colourful but fake plastic sweets, pretty to look at, but if you eat them they make you sick.” The viewer almost wants to grab these assemblages on screen to rearrange them into a happier story. One that would be far more suited to the bird sounds and astroturf underfoot in the viewing room. Unfortunately the rape and murder of children — as well as the land —cannot simply be rearranged so that it does not exist. Smash Palace is an exhibition that cannot leave the viewer untouched. The full force of a country that is beginning to show its cracks is presented by White Rabbit Gallery in a carefully curated show. The physical effect of the exhibition alone will leave you wanting to reach out and gently touch — or, perhaps, smash — the works on show. White Rabbit opens Thursday-Sunday 10am-6pm. Image: Cheng Dapeng, Wonderful City (2011).
If you can't make it to New Orleans for this year's Bourbon Street Mardi Gras, take a ferry to Cockatoo Island instead. On March 8 and 9, the Island Bar will transform into the famous French Quarter to host a mini-version of 'The Greatest Free Show on Earth'. Jester-hatted street performers, vivacious blues singers and jazzy marching bands will take over the bar for two days. New Orleans-style fare, including soft shell crab Po' boys, gumbo, spicy Cajun chicken wings and banana crepes with vanilla cream cheese and pecans will be on the menu. There'll even be cocktail-making classes, where you can learn to mix a mint julep like a master. Not sure what to wear? The good news is that you'll have some help. Arriving guests will be greeted with the Mardi Gras-style masks and bright beads that are part of the New Orleans tradition. The festival will run from 12:30 till late each day. To get there, catch a ferry from Circular Quay or book a water taxi.
According to The Guardian, Thumpers "make spiritual feelgood music for people who don't necessarily want to go to church". In January last year, the London-based indie-electro-pop duo made the UK media institution's prestigious 'new band of the week' page. Since then, they've released their debut studio album, Galore, in both the US and the UK via independent Seattle label Sub Pop Records. That's the very same legendary platform responsible for first bringing Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney to your ears. Now, in between major UK festivals Blissfields (July 4) and Secret Garden Party (July 24-27), they're going to make a lightning-quick trip our way for just a couple of gigs — one at Sydney's Newtown Social Club on July 10 and the other at Melbourne's Northcote Social Club on July 11. After that, they're off to the US for an exhaustive tour that'll carry them clapping into September. And just in case you're wondering, the name has nothing to do with Bambi.
Bondi and Tamarama's popular beach volleyball areas are currently under review, following concerns raised by some members of the Waverley Council community. Following complaints surrounding the location of the volleyball courts and compliance with Waverley Council's rules of play, the council is reaching out to the community for feedback on the future of the courts. Both Bondi and Tamarama beach currently have designated areas for community games of beach volleyball. Under the current guidelines for volleyball on the eastern suburbs beaches, players must bring their own equipment including temporary nets in order to play free, non-commercial games. Bookings cannot be taken for games and soft volleyballs must be used. Bondi Beach has three spaces designated for the use of beach volleyball towards the south end of the beach, while four nets are permitted at Tamarama Beach. Waverley Council are currently running an online survey for local community members and beachgoers to provide feedback on the beach volleyball rules of play across the two beaches. The survey asks responders if they are supportive of the volleyball courts and requests feedback on elements such as the number of courts and their interactions with other beachgoers. Those looking to have their say can head to the Waverley Council's website and complete the survey up until Monday, May 17. [caption id="attachment_811275" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Alpha[/caption] "We are now reaching out to our community as we are keen to hear if people think the rules of play for volleyball on Bondi and Tamarama beaches are adequate, if players are complying with the rules and if the number and location of beach volleyball courts is sufficient or if it needs to change," a Waverley Council spokesperson said. While the council are not looking to ban beach volleyball as a result of the review, Mayor of Waverley Paula Masselos said the potential outcome of the feedback process was still unknown. "It is inappropriate to speculate on the potential outcomes of the consultation when the consultation hasn't been completed yet and a report is yet to come to Council," Masselos said. Bondi and Tamarama Beach's volleyball courts are currently under review. In order to have your say, head to the Waverley Council website.
Melbourne-based artist John Aslanidis has created an eye- and ear-bending series of works, miraculously merging line, colour and sound to send you spiralling through a warpy psychedelic matrix of infinities. Hosted by Gallery 9 as part of Art Month, Sonic Network no. 13 comprises 14 paintings spread over five rooms and is accompanied by a responsive and generative sound composition by his Berlin-based collaborator Brian May. Like walking from the bright outdoors into a dark room, it takes a while for your ears to adjust to May's omnipresent sound. It's hard to tell where it's coming from (an old Mac computer audio interface software hooked up to a subwoofer and some serious speakers in room 3). It feels like it's coming from everywhere. It feels like it's coming from inside your own head. Then you realise you are in your own head and your thoughts are a series of concentric circles like little planets riding on slinky orbits. In real life, the paintings do something that their internet photograph counterparts don't achieve. They move. The circles push against each other, throbbing alive, like atoms under a microscope, forcing your eye muscles to relax. Because there is no perspective — each circle is equally flat and overlaps to the point where you can't tell where one begins and the next ends — there is no focus point. What makes it even cooler is that these visual circular patterns are actually a secret language that corresponds to the patterns of sound you're listening to. The artists took a mathematical approach to achieve this effect: May used the structural elements within the paintings, the circular forms and colour, to represent the tonal language — a series of sine waves generated through an audio interface. The result is symbiotic. The paintings look like the music and the music sounds like the paintings, so it feels like you're looking at sound and listening to colour. An entire room is dedicated to the largest work in the series, Sonic Network no. 13 and generates the most engulfing experience. If you stand in front of it long enough, you'll probably have a spiritual epiphany.
We’ve all heard that old adage “what’s been said, can’t be unsaid”, most of us having experienced that feeling of dread about the night before at one time or another. When the booze is flowing freely, tongues tend to get looser as inhibitions slide away, but the damage cannot always easily be undone. This is the theme of Thirty Three, the latest play from Ray Cathode Tube , written by Michael Booth and Alistair Powning, on at TAP Gallery in Darlinghurst. In a terrace house in trendy Newtown, the beautiful Saskia is welcoming her friends to a low-key dinner in celebration of her 33rd birthday. However, the unexpected arrival of her estranged brother, Josh, throws a spanner in the works and things take a turn for the debaucherous. Suddenly what should have been a civilised evening is careening off in an entirely different direction, as the guests become increasingly intoxicated, and it’s not just alcohol being consumed. The volatile recipe for disaster is finished off with a couple heading for divorce, an uninvited narcissistic cokehead and a lesbian flower child. Underlying tensions and secrets are all revealed, but will they be able to pick up the pieces in the morning?
This article is sponsored by our partner, lululemon. Not only is yoga everywhere right now, so is that most stylish of yogi clothiers, lululemon athletica. Now the group who taught us that sports gear could also be fashionable is getting us psyched for the relaunch of their freshly renovated and revamped Bondi Junction store with a weekend of celebrations and festivities dubbed Shift Your Perspective. In the spirit of healthy living, the weekend will be kicked off at 5.30-6.15am on Saturday, June 1, at Icebergs for the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk, accompanied by the spine-tingling sounds of a local opera singer. Upon arrival at Bronte, revellers will keep the blood flowing and the heart pumping with some Chai tea and a 45-minute yoga session timed to coincide with the sunrise. The whole event is complimentary and includes a healthy serving of live music and eatable freebies, so there's no excuse for not donning your favourite yoga pants and getting involved. Of course, if early mornings aren't exactly your bag, head into Bondi's new Lululemon Athletica when it opens its doors on Friday, May 31, or check in on Saturday, June 1, when you can say g'day to the awesome Kid Kenobi as he performs in-store. Visit the new lululemon athletica at L04, Shop 4015, Westfield Shopping Centre, 500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction.
Since 2006, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) has been running initiatives in Greater Western Sydney to inject art into communities and businesses across the region of Sydney, all as part of C3West. This year's project is Being Together: Parramatta Yearbook, a large-scale photography installation that has popped up in Centenary Square until Monday, October 3. The exhibition sees the people, communities and stories of Parramatta surveyed through the portraiture photography of Cherine Fahd. Located on Dharug Country, Sydney's second city plays home to a rich and diverse kaleidoscope of residents and workers, with the area currently experiencing unprecedented urban development while also maintaining its place as an important cultural and culinary hub. The project captures hundreds of people, from Parramatta mainstays and local families through to unsung heroes of the area and passersby. Fahd's subjects were photographed through pop-up portrait studios set up between November 2021–July 2022 in bustling Parramatta locations including construction sites, Centenary Square and CommBank Stadium. Throughout the photos, you'll also find interactions between Fahd and the sitters, imparting a sense of authenticity and intimacy to the shots. "The Yearbook is a record of a people and a place at a particular time. The time is COVID-19, the place is the City of Parramatta," Fahd said. "While people stirred within the city of Parramatta's numerous construction projects, with new buildings emerging and not so old ones dissolving, local people came willing to talk and pose against the backdrop of scaffolds, cranes and abseiling window cleaners. Parramatta Yearbook shows you the moments leading up to, during and after a portrait is made. An assortment of cut-up images, bright colours and kindergarten shapes reveal the outtakes and minutiae." The exhibition is free to view in Centenary Square, and there will be a range of free events taking place during its two-month run. An opening ceremony will take place from 11am–12pm on Saturday, August 13. On Saturday, September 17, a Parramatta Yearbook photo walk will leave from Centenary Square at 3pm, taking participants on a tour of the suburb — registration is essential for this event with spaces on the walk limited. And, at 11am on on Saturday, October 1, a physical iteration of the yearbook will be unveiled with limited free copies available to take home. Images: Cherine Fahd, Being Together: Parramatta Yearbook(2021–2022), produced and presented by C3West on behalf of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in partnership with Parramatta Artists' Studios, an initiative of the City of Parramatta. Photo courtesy and © the artist.
North-west Sydney is often deprived of the wonders from gelato experts, Gelato Messina. Outside of the Church Street store in Parramatta, the area has limited access to the Sydney favourite and its neverending list of unique flavours. Luckily, hills district stalwart the Bella Vista Hotel is brightening everyone's lockdown with a pop-up Gelato Messina store in its car park. The neighbourhood pub has been running a range of exciting COVID-safe events throughout Sydney's extended lockdown including drive-thru food trucks and a pop-up Canadian Club bar. Now they're bringing all the wonders of Messina to the drive-thru. Head to the hotel 12–9pm Thursdays–Saturdays or 12–4pm Sundays and you'll find a revolving selection of some of Messina's best-selling flavours as well as its famed bake-at-home cookie pies. Both the fairy bread and OG choc-chip pies are on offer and each come with a one-litre tub of vanilla ice cream. If you opt for just a tub of gelato, the 500-millilitre tub will set you back $15.50. The pop-up is locked in for at least the next few weeks as lockdown continues. You can keep up to date with everything the Bella Vista Hotel has going on via Instagram.
