Festival season is well and truly upon us, with the Woodford Folk Festival the latest event to announce its program. If you fancy seeing out 2018 and welcoming in 2019 while catching a heap of bands, wandering between arts performances and getting a little muddy across a grassy patch of southeast Queensland, the fest has you covered for its whopping 33rd year. Taking place at Woodfordia about 90 minutes north of Brisbane, this year's fest will be held for six days between December 27, 2018 and January 1, 2019 — with Electric Fields, Kimbra, Alex the Astronaut, The Cat Empire, Screamfeeder, Remi and Jen Cloher among its high-profile talent. In total, more than 200 acts will grace a lineup that features everything from music, art, circus and cabaret to yoga, dance and comedy, all in venues that range from a 25,000-seat amphitheatre to chilled-out hangout spots. Other highlights include spoken word, comedy and performances by everyone from Dr Karl to Vernon Ah Kee to Tripod's Steven Gates with Paul McDermott; arts, dance and meditation workshops; and a heap of circus and cabaret shows — plus, if you're bringing littlies, the event's Children's Festival within the broader fest is also returning. Or, you can enjoy a three-course bush food feast, catch The Spirit of Churaki about the Aboriginal man heralded as the Gold Coast's first surf lifesaver and see podcast Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids live. While the annual Queensland festival has weathered an uncertain future in recent years, it remains a staple of the state's end-of-year calendar — and visit will also boast 195 stalls around the grounds, turning the site into a mini-village for its duration. That includes everything from bars, cafes and restaurants, to an on-site doctor's surgery and two general stores. As always, camping is available at one of the fest's nine campgrounds, or you can nab a ticket just for the day. Either way, expect to have company, as around 130,000 people attend each year. The 2018–19 Woodford Folk Festival runs from December 27, 2018 and January 1, 2019 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. To view the program and buy tickets, head to woodfordfolkfestival.com Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
Winter 2020 might be in its final stretches, but it's sure going out with a big, icy bang. Over the next couple of days, NSW is set to shiver through some of the chilliest weather it's seen all year, as the Bureau of Meteorology warns of a 'vigorous cold front' headed to parts of the state. https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1296608543450247173 The BOM says temperatures two-to-eight degrees below average are forecast for the country's east over the weekend, with NSW and the ACT likely to shiver through the coldest day of the year on Saturday. Showers, thunderstorms, hail and a healthy dose of snow are on their way to regions across Australia's southeast corner, including much of NSW. Alpine areas look set to be hit with blizzard conditions on Friday and Saturday, with up to 100 centimetres of the white stuff expected to fall across those regions by the end of the weekend. The BOM is also forecasting cold enough temperatures for snow down to 500 metres in southern parts of the state on Saturday, and to 1000 metres up north. And it seems the ski fields have already kicked off this current cold stretch in style, with Thredbo and Perisher each recording a hefty 15 centimetres of fresh snow overnight, off the back of generous falls earlier in the week. https://www.facebook.com/PerisherResort/photos/a.205562940652/10157212847530653 If all that wasn't enough to have you pulling out the electric blankets, be warned that the wind chill factor should have things feeling even frostier. More cold fronts are set to drop wild westerly winds across most of NSW for the weekend — including Sydney — plunging daytime temperatures to well below their August average until at least Monday. The BOM forecasts this cold, windy snap should start easing towards the end of the weekend, with Sydney to enjoy maximum temperatures of 17 and 18 degrees right through next week. To stay up-to-date with weather warnings, head over to the Bureau of Meteorology website. Image: Paula R Lively via Flickr
With the world swept up in a global pandemic, the concept of 'home' and that connection to one's roots feels as prevalent as ever right now. And it's these ideas that are at the forefront of Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre's new exhibition Bittersweet. Put together by Western Sydney artist Shivanjani Lal and running until Sunday, September 27, this one features works from ten iTaukei (Indigenous Fijian) and Indo Fijian artists, as they explore their own connections to home. The broad-ranging collection shares a diverse set of stories of people living far from their homeland, reflecting on the ways in which Pacific culture has filtered into new lives in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. You'll catch a glimpse into how the artists' Fijian roots have coloured their practice, how they've held onto traditional values, and how they've fostered a connection to the food and rituals of their ancestors. [caption id="attachment_783215" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shivanjani Lal in her studio.[/caption] Artist Dulcie Stewart pays homage to the distinctive visual stylings of Fiji's market stalls and shops with a work crafted from contemporary Fijian street signage, Quishile Charan has rallied women in her family to help source natural materials for a series celebrating traditional Pacific craft techniques, and a three-part video work by Mohini Chandra reflects on what it's like to return to your homeland after everyone else has left. Meanwhile, Fijian Indian artist Lal showcases her own work, featuring instant prints made on recycled brown paper sourced from Bombay, capturing moments from her own homeland visits. Images: Bittersweet exhibition at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and 'Chhaapaa' (2020) by Shivanjani Lal.
Making a movie about the life and work of Sebastião Salgado might seem like a rather easy task. For more than 40 years, the Brazilian social documentary photographer and photojournalist has travelled the world chronicling the people and places most don't ever see — the sights well off the beaten path. He has captured and collated thoughtful, contemplative long-term studies on topics such as work, migration and the interplay between nature and humanity, as seen in both books and exhibitions around the globe. The images snapped by his camera are as detailed, delicate and sometimes devastating as any seen on film, and look just as breathtaking when projected onto a cinema screen. It is far from surprising, then, that The Salt of the Earth emphasises his output in all its glory. Blowing his pictures up big is a marvel no filmmaker could resist, not even seasoned veteran Wim Wenders (of Pina and Buena Vista Social Club fame) and his co-director Juliano Ribeiro Salgado (Sebastião's son). They understand the extraordinary power of the images they have to work with, and use them accordingly. Their film lovingly lingers on a series of carefully selected snapshots that epitomise his entire career. And yet, even when gifted with such stunning visuals as an obvious starting point — and an apt ending point, too — Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro ensure The Salt of the Earth never merely lets the photos do all of the talking. Though each picture says plenty and then some, the tales behind them aren't just interesting asides used to make the movie more than a feature-length slideshow or bulk up its running time; they're integral to the broader story. Sharing insights into specific images, Sebastião's many memories are filled with twists and turns. The intrigue continues as he speaks about how he came to his profession after starting out working in economics, and how things have panned out since. He is frank and generous in looking back at his life, never sugar-coating the details nor avoiding the difficulties. This isn't only his story, however, with the photographer's anecdotes joined by those of his wife and long-term collaborator, Lélia Wanick Salgado, and of Juliano Ribeiro, too. That's what helps make The Salt of the Earth so engaging and so effective in ranging beyond Sebastião's always-arresting output. The film gets to the heart of the interplay between the art and the artist, as well as the ripple effect throughout his family. It may seem like a son crafting a tribute to his father, yet intimacy isn't the same as sentimentality. Instead, the documentary is really a textured portrait of a man who has dedicated more than just his career to taking textured portraits.
Tired of queuing up for outdoor cinemas over in the Eastern Suburbs and only managing to secure, like, a 4x4cm patch of grass? Yeah, us too. Well, fret no longer, outdoorsy-types. Over on the other side of the bridge, North Sydney’s Starlight Cinema is returning for a full season of killer films, and the best bit is there’s grass aplenty for your picnicking pleasure as it’s staged on A SPORTING OVAL. Chillax over a stack of films we’ve fallen in love with this past year including season opener, Woody Allen’s Midnight In Paris as well as The Help, which screens the following night and stars the achingly-gorgeous Emma Stone. In late January, catch the cheesy guilty pleasure, Mamma Mia!, the even-cheesier Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 and the original cheese classic Footloose. February and March highlights include Moneyball, The Inbetweeners, We Need To Talk About Kevin and Bill Cunningham New York; all guaranteed to impress dates of the artsy variety. But what we really love is the ample parking available on site, not to mention the fancy ME Bank Star Class seating which offers prime film viewing, reserved deckchair seating, drinks wait-service and a food hamper filled with dinner and dessert. Fyi, it’ll set you back $55 per person but if you’re out to impress, it’s worth every penny. Gates open at 7pm and screening starts at sundown. That’s around 8.30pm in January and 8pm in February and early March.
Last winter, Sydney Restaurant Group announced that three of its venues would be slashing their usual prices by half for a limited time. That tasty deal was such a resounding hit with hungry Sydneysiders that the same half-price offer is now being rolled out again — and this time, six restaurants will be taking part. Until the end of August, special three-course menus will be available at 50 percent off their usual cost at Ripples Chowder Bay, Ripples Little Manly, The Fenwick in Balmain, Manta in Woolloomooloo, Noi in Petersham and Summer Salt in Cronulla. [caption id="attachment_910329" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ripples Chowder Bay[/caption] "We launched our 50 percent-off dining campaign in winter 2023 across three of our restaurants to encourage diners to enjoy the best of Sydney's winter dining scene despite current challenges," Sydney Restaurant Group Director, Daniel Drakopoulos said. "Our commitment to delivering exceptional dining experiences remains strong, and we are now offering a range of signature menus at half the regular price — providing an affordable opportunity to savour the finest winter dishes." Waterfront views are also on the menu at Ripples Chowder Bay, where diners can enjoy three courses plus a choice of sides for $59 per person, Wednesday–Sunday; and at Manta, Woolloomooloo, situated on the iconic Finger Wharf, where the same deal is available seven days a week. The Fenwick in Balmain ups the ante with uninterrupted views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which you can enjoy while you savour an indulgent three-course feast plus sides from Sunday–Thursday for $59 per person. [caption id="attachment_962685" align="alignnone" width="2000"] The Fenwick. Image: Kim Low[/caption] Beachy vibes beckon at Ripples Little Manly, which is offering a $49 three-course menu on Friday and Saturday evenings; and at Summer Salt in Cronulla, where a $59 three-course menu is available Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings. For a more laid-back meal, neighbourhood Italian Noi in Petersham is offering a $59 three-course deal across both lunch and dinner. To sweeten the deal even further, BYO with a $16 corkage fee is available at Ripples in both Chowder Bay and Little Manly; and at Summer Salt and Noi for $15. We'll drink to that. [caption id="attachment_962684" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Noi. Image: Jacqui Turk[/caption]
Blam-blam-blam! That's the sound of Belvoir, Sydney's 'other' major theatre company, lining them up and knocking them down. They've announced a 2013 season that's filled end to end with heart-starting productions, each one either a loved text, starring theatre's leading lights, directed by powerhouse Simon Stone, or some combination of the three. Perhaps the centrepiece of the season is Angels in America, Tony Kushner's seven-hour, two-part play that's an icon of the queer canon but also became the most watched TV cable movie in the US in 2003. Directed by Eamon Flack and starring, among others, Robyn Nevin, Paula Arundell, and Mitchell Butel, it will play in repertory as two separate, full-length shows, which you'll have the option to see back-to-back on Saturdays and Sundays. For durational performance fans, it's a theatre marathon to relish. Meanwhile, Simon Stone, the company's resident director (who's created The Wild Duck and Strange Interlude there already) will direct Jacqueline McKenzie and Ewen Leslie in Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Toby Schmitz, Emily Barclay, and Robyn Nevin in Shakespeare's Hamlet. He'll also be adapting August Strindberg's Miss Julie for Leticia Cáceras to direct and Brendan Cowell to star in (both of 2011's unforgettable The Dark Room), a compelling release of control after his string of successes directing his own dramatic rewrites of classics. On the funnest note, the season kicks off in the early days of January with Peter Pan, a perfect fit for this festive time of year. Under the eye of artistic director Ralph Myers, the ensemble cast will rescue the original JM Barrie text from the saccharine clutches of Disney. Also in the Upstairs Theatre will be two Australian-history-inspired new works: from Love Me Tender writer Tom Holloway, Forget Me Not (directed by Anthea Williams), a fictionalised take on the very real tragedy that befell some 7000 Forgotten Australians who endured forced child migration that separated them from their families, and a co-production with Ilbijerri, Coranderrk that pays tribute to an 1881 inquiry in which the people of Coranderrk Aboriginal Reserve campaigned for their self-determination. Downstairs, much-performed playwright Lally Katz (Neighbourhood Watch, Smashed) has written a thing she's actually not keen to hand over to actors for interpretation and will step onto the stage to deliver herself. Zaniness is guaranteed, touching humanity expected. Other new works featuring Downstairs are The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe, documentary theatre that communicates hardship, survival, and celebration, and Kit Brookman's Small and Tired, a story ripped from Greek mythology, now sitting in a bar. Belvoir again and again works with Australia's favourite theatre-makers in an environment where collaboration and conversation flow freely. The fruits of this approach can be seen in their solid plans for season 2013, which we'll be savouring piece by piece. Full information and subscription packages are available from the Belvoir website.
For one night only, Little Hay Street in Chinatown will be transformed into ‘Little Eat Street’, an Asian foodie’s paradise of delicacies from Hong Kong to Tokyo. This outdoor food fair will feature stalls from over a dozen restaurants bringing their best street food. So if you have an adventurous palate, grab a sample card and load up on yum cha, takoyaki, sushi, pho and more. The night is a part of this year’s Asia On Your Doorstep Festival, a cultural and gastronomic celebration put on by the City of Sydney. During October's Good Food Month, Sydneysiders are encouraged to discover some of the best Asian dishes and restaurants the city has to offer. By eating at one of the 70 participating restaurant across Haymarket, diners can enter to win a trip to Thailand. Every meal earns you another entry in the competition, so we won’t judge you for heading to Chinatown for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
A nautical house of horrors will descend on Potts Point this winter when Kings Cross Hotel is transformed into a hellish, immersive nightmare. Run in partnership with The Kraken black spiced rum, The Longest Nightmare of the Year will take over the venue's underground Dive Bar on Friday, June 21 for a terrifying 'celebration' of the winter solstice — aka the longest and darkest night of the year. This interactive experience will see zombie sailors, beds of terror and mythical sea monsters descend upon Kings Cross, all set to bring your nightmares to life. To get you through the many scares that await, there'll be liquid courage in the form of four rum cocktails on offer. Those include the Spiced Night Fog (boozy eggnog with orange marmalade, nutmeg and cream); The Kraken Nightmare (rum, Caribbean syrup, and Creole bitters) and the Sea Beast Terror (Campari, pineapple and lime juices with agave) There will also be a black grazing table to pick at and a gift to take home. Tickets will cost you $25 all up — which includes a selection of the aforementioned cocktails and grazing table — and are limited, so don't wait on it.
If you like conquering your weekly shop at a market, but don't like the Saturday morning crowds involved in doing so, here's an alternative. Rose Bay has scored a new farmers' market by the name of Cambridge. And, from May 9, it'll be setting up every Tuesday at Pannerong Reserve. Get there at 8am to get first dibs on local and organic produce. Otherwise, have a sleep-in and rock up at 11am for coffee or pop by for lunch — the market will stay open till 2pm. As market aficionados would know, this is not the first Cambridge Market to hit Sydney. Chain store-allergic shoppers have been visiting its Vaucluse incarnation since 2015. It's been going so well that organisers Madelienne Anderson and Rebecca Fox have decided to expand operations this year, Rose Bay being stop one.
Science blogger Elise Andrew accidentally outed herself as a woman earlier this year by dropping a link to her twitter account onto her star Facebook page I Fucking Love Science. It set off a storm of surprised commentary. This, despite the fact that she’d never really been in the closet about her identity and, as she said herself on Twitter: “Is this really 2013?” Lucky for you, though, the fact that it is 2013 means Elise is coming to Sydney for an evening at the museum with I Fucking Love Science Live!. She’s taking over the Powerhouse for one night of science, the loving of this said science and some possible barnacle penises. Not one to science communicate alone, she’ll be joined by co-host Derek Muller and a plethora of fellow science stars. There’ll be local stalwarts Dr Karl, Nobelled scientist Brian Schmidt and Nerd Niter Justine Rogers. And also imported stars, like Phil Plait — who writes Bad Astronomy — along with MinutePhysics' Henry Reich and Dr Carin Bondar of animal-prying Wild Sex. Update: I Fucking Love Science has officially sold out, but a final hundred tickets will still go on sale at 12.30pm Friday, July 5.
Much has already been made of Peter Jackson's decision to turn the relatively short novel of The Hobbit (relative to, say, anything else by Tolkien or Peter Jackson) into three, three-hour movies. The first instalment of the 'wasn't-a-trilogy-but-now-is-a-trilogy' trilogy smacked of excess — a painfully slow and padded affair that looked and felt more like an in-store demo for big-screen TVs than a sprawling epic of men and monsters. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is, in that sense, a marked improvement. For one thing, it doesn't take an hour for something to happen. Instead, after a brief yet engaging flashback to the first encounter between Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Thorin (Richard Armitage), the film explodes into life with a pursuit of the Dwarf Dozen et al, and remains — by and large — a pursuit to the end. In terms of the storyline, well, it's the same as the first film because, as you'll recall, it's still the same story. The dwarves, whose names are entirely forgettable (Boring, son of Boredom and heir to the Realm of Snore), are still on a quest to reclaim their mountain kingdom from Smaug, the gold-loving dragon. Standing between them are a ferocious pack of orcs (Windows Vista) and giant spiders (OSX). Fans of the book will be surprised to discover an Elven sub-plot has been inserted into the story, meaning fans of Orlando Bloom will be happy to discover Orlando Bloom. Jackson went even further, however, by inventing entirely new characters, most notably the she-Elf 'Tauriel', played by Evangeline Lilly. Fortunately, it's a gamble that paid off, because Tauriel's scenes are amongst the film's best, both in terms of action sequences and her quiet romantic attraction to the dwarf known as…I want to say 'Kili'? (Aidan Turner). Perhaps the biggest mystery, though, is why, in a film called The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, we see an impossibly small amount of Hobbit, and don't meet Smaug until well into the second hour. It's a giant misstep by Jackson in failing to capitalise on Freeman's outstanding performance, with the actor's every confused blink and chuffed nod of the head lighting up the screen. Similarly, Freeman's scenes with Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) are the undisputed standouts, reuniting the Sherlock duo in battles of wits and words that prove far more engaging than any of those involving swords. Languishing in his ocean of gold like a 747-sized Scrooge McDuck, Smaug is a delectably menacing villain deserving of far greater screen time, and Cumberbatch's mellifluous baritone voice is perfectly applied. This is a film with enough action to entertain and enough Tolkien to satisfy; however, it ultimately feels more 'distraction' than 'attraction'. As always, the world of Middle Earth looks exquisite on screen, ensuring Tourism New Zealand will remain in good currency for years to come, but it's also a powerful reminder that the unadulterated is almost always more compelling than CGI, and that no amount of special effects wizardry can compete with actual actors acting. https://youtube.com/watch?v=OPVWy1tFXuc
It's been a rocky few years for Jamie's Italian in Australia, having relaunched with full ownership in 2017 only to lose ownership again just one year later. Luckily, the Brisbane-based Hallmark Group took over the management of the Australian restaurants, but not without some casualties — the Canberra and Parramatta outposts (the latter of which is set to become a steakhouse) quickly closed. But now, perhaps in an attempt to help us put our faith back in the brand, Jamie's Italian in the CBD will launch a series of bottomless prosecco lunches for a very reasonable $50 per person. The one-month deal will run every Saturday from September 8 through to October 6 — and it includes a lot more than just an endless supply of sparkling wine. Each table will be served small bites to share (including those crispy polenta chips), and everyone will get a big bowl of pasta. You'll be be able to choose which one you want, too — think classics like prawn linguine and carbonara, and signatures including the truffle tagliatelle and fresh crab spaghetti. Plus, it'll all be topped off with panna cotta for dessert. If we know anything, it's that people really love Jamie's Italian. As such, these lunches are sure book out fast, so front a pineapple and book it already.
If you like your photography fun, feathered and furry, you should definitely make a beeline for contemporary photographer Gerwyn Davies' new solo show FUR at ACP this month. The Darwin-born, Brisbane-based artist is known for his playful, intoxicatingly colourful penchant for elevating the everyday to the hyper-real. Inspired by American gothic fiction, AFL and primary-coloured plastics (think a Porpoise Spit pool party meets a sugar-filled $2 store stationary binge) Davies says: "Combining photographic self-portraiture and costume making, my work is an ongoing inventory of selves that are assembled, worn and performed for the camera." FUR promises to both visually delight and to joyfully expand the possibilities of photographic self-representation. Hot tip: Davies has a residency in the Project Space Gallery February 19–23 during the build up to Mardi Gras, so if you want some fabulous, stop-traffic costume ideas (and tips on how to best make them), you're welcome to pay him a visit. Image: Gerwyn-Davies, Narcissus, 2017.
In the biggest shock extinction since Google Reader, Jurassic Lounge organisers have announced that the certainly not-obsolete event's next season will be its last. Having led the evolution of after-hours art parties in Sydney, Jurassic Lounge is now an icon of the Sydney scene we're sad to say goodbye to. That said, it's presence is felt in a helluva lot of places, including other events from The Festivalists team such as the Sydney Film Festival Hub, Possible Worlds and World Movies Secret Cinema. So goodbye isn't really goodbye. 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, dance lessons, science experiments, palm reading, and storytelling from emerging writers. For the last of its six seasons, running September 3 to November 5, Jurassic Lounge will host ten "outrageous end-of-the-world parties", culminating in the final night, the asteroid collision of fun times. Starting things off on September 3 is the Time Machine Party, a place where the Gatsby '20s and Clueless '90s are just one room apart. For the first five weeks of the season, all visitors will also be free to check out the Australian Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition with their Jurassic Lounge ticket.
Did you miss out on your annual regional getaway this winter? Do you feel like you need a little bit of the nourishing country life to get you through the next few weeks of lockdown? If that's you, and you're a gin lover to boot, we've got a lil' something that'll fill up your empty mini break cup — in more ways than one. You can experience the high country at home thanks to our pals at Glenbosch Wine Estate. Across two weeks starting September 17, you and your mates can attend an online rooibos gin tasting session with Dirk Bester from the Beechworth-based estate. The 90-minute session will include a guided tasting of four delicious gins. Plus, you'll learn how to make your own bathtub gin just like it was done in the prohibition era. To make sure you've got the right tools for the job, Glenbosch Wine Estate will send you a supply pack boasting 500ml of Glenbosch Craft Original Gin, a botanical wheel and tasting quadrant, a botanical box featuring eight botanicals, citrus and more. All you need to round up are a few household items including a cutting board, knife, glasses, tonic water, ice and tea strainer. Gin Appreciation with Glenbosch will take place at 7pm September 17, September 24 and October 1. Sound like a genius way to level up your next after-work drinks? For more information and to book, visit the website.
Entering its 19th year, Yabun Festival is held annually on January 26 at Victoria Park in Camperdown, on Gadigal Land. Yabun, which means "music to a beat" in the Gadigal language, features a wide range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent. This year, the lineup includes award-winning Gamilaraay singer Thelma Plum, Eurovision contestant and Gunditjmara pop singer Isaiah and Roger Knox, one of Australia's best-known country and western singers, among many others. If you're looking for more, the ticketed Yabun after-party kicks off across the road at the Lansdowne Hotel from 8pm. It features a heap of Koori Radio DJs who'll play through till 3am. The day will start with a Welcome To Country and smoke ceremony, and will also include performances from Indigenous dance groups from across the country and panel discussions featuring members of Sydney's Indigenous community. There will also be market stalls, storytelling and arts and crafts workshops. Yabun Festival will run from 10am–7pm. The after-party at the Lansdowne will run from 8pm–3am.
It's a yearly pattern: Halloween passes by, orange decorations are replaced with a sea of red and green, and suddenly we've all been hurtled into the throes of Christmas. To add its own taste of festive cheer, Krispy Kreme has announced that it's lighting up four of its stores with Christmas displays — and, to make the occasion even more jolly and merry, it's also giving away 4000 free doughnuts. The giveaway is running on Friday, November 29, which is when Krispy Kreme stores in Penrith in Sydney, Bulleen in Melbourne, Redbank Plains in Brisbane and Myaree in Perth will be hitting the switch on their seasonal lights. The chain calls these displays 'Krispymas', and they'll be lit up for nearly a month, shining bright until Friday, December 27. To snag yourself a signature glazed freebie (Original Glazed doughnuts are being given out), head to one of the aforementioned stores on Friday, November 29. In Brisbane and Perth, the activities start from 6.30pm, a choir will sing at 7pm, the lights turn on at 7.30pm and the free doughnuts will also be given out at 7.30pm. In Sydney and Melbourne, the fun will kick off at 7pm, carols will begin at 7.30pm, and the displays and free doughnuts will commence at 8.30pm. While 4000 doughnuts will be available nationally, that's 1000 at each of the four outlets. So, if you want to kick off your Friday night with a free sweet and doughy treat, you'll want to get in relatively early. They're on offer until close or until stocks last, whichever comes first, and there's only one available per person. Krispy Kreme's free doughnut giveaway is happening at the chain's stores in Penrith in Sydney, Bulleen in Melbourne, Redbank Plains in Brisbane and Myaree in Perth on Friday, November 29. For further information, head to the Krispy Kreme website.
First The Basics, now Tex Perkins — this legend of the Australian music scene best known for his work with The Cruel Sea is making a bid for state parliament. Though The Basics have strong feelings about education and welfare as well as local music restrictions, Perkins has one specific goal in mind. He wants to save the Palais Theatre. Since August this year, major doubts have been cast over the future of this iconic beachside venue. Despite consistently pulling big name acts including the great Bob Dylan, the Palais has been facing irreconcilable infrastructure problems. Once these impending renovations costs were estimated to be between $25-40 million, the Port Philip Council began lobbying the state government for funding. In the past month the Council has pledged $7.5 million for repairs if the state front the remainder. And, frankly, it doesn't look great. To remedy this and potentially save the regal old St Kilda venue, Perkins plans to run as an independent candidate for the seat of Albert Park. "The neglect of such an iconic performance venue, along with all the buck-passing from both sides of politics — it's just not good enough," Perkins said in a statement. "The Palais is a state-owned heritage building and there are policies for how you maintain these buildings." Though the problem of the decaying Palais hasn't made the same headlines or drawn the same amount of protest as the potential demolishment of the Palace Theatre in the CBD, support is growing quickly. I Love My Palais is gaining traction on social media, and even Mick Jagger came out in support of the campaign this week. While playing at Rod Laver Arena, Jagger urged his audience to "give generously". "I'd just like to tell you, we played at the Palais Theatre about 50 years ago," he said. This is good news for both Perkins and the Palais. Government is unlikely to affect change without significant community outrage. "The depth of voter disillusionment presents a frightening possibility," Perkins told The Age. "I might win." Via ABC and The Age. The Victorian state election will take place on November 29.
Australia might be known for sun, surf and sand, but when we bring our climate and landscape to the big screen, the results aren't always glowing. That's not a criticism of the quality of movies made by Aussie filmmakers. Rather, it's a reflection of their fondness for darker stories. For decades, the outback has been a source of menace, as seen in everything from Wake in Fright and Mad Max to Wolf Creek and The Rover. When we splash about in the water, sharks attack, as The Reef made plain. And when Australian cinema hangs out at the beach in the name of fun, the results can be raucous in an over-the-top manner, like Swinging Safari, or tinged with coming-of-age melancholy, like Puberty Blues. Ladies in Black takes place in Sydney's inner-city hustle and bustle, but it's an unmistakably summery film — and it's unmistakably hopeful. Much of its running time is spent within a fictional department store that's modelled after David Jones, however the movie captures that end-of-year feeling that is incredibly familiar to Australians. The weather heats up, Christmas and New Year's Eve beckon, and life instantly seems brighter. And while our protagonists navigate ups and downs as they go about their lives circa 1959, just before the 60s sweep in to change everything, the film's buoyant air never subsides. Fresh out of high school, budding poet Lisa (Angourie Rice) takes a job on the fifth floor of Goode's, donning a black dress and trying to do her best. It's not a career move but a stop-gap, as she attempts to convince her father (Shane Jacobson) to let her go to university. Amidst selling cocktail frocks and high-end gowns, her fellow colleagues all have their own dilemmas, all emblematic of a society that doesn't quite realise an enormous shift is around the corner. Fay Baines (Rachael Taylor) longs for a man who will treat her well, while Patty Williams (Alison McGirr) wants her existing husband to notice that she exists. As for Slovenian immigrant Magda (Julia Ormond), in-between putting up with scorn for being a refugee, taking Lisa under her wing, and helping a Hungarian friend (Ryan Corr) find a nice Aussie girl, she's working towards opening her own fashion boutique. It has taken more than two decades for writer-director Bruce Beresford (Mao's Last Dancer) and his long-term producer turned co-writer Sue Milliken to bring Ladies in Black to the screen, and their affection and determination shows. Making the leap from best-selling novel to Australian stage musical and now to the cinema, this tale of women stepping towards a new future is rendered in loving and meticulous style. Intricate production design fills every frame, bringing jam-packed trams, suburban homes and, of course, the main department store to life. Costume-wise, the dresses that feature so prominently prove a vintage fashion-lover's dream. And with the picture's sunny hues and optimistic mood as well, Sydney has rarely looked as radiant. From rising talent Rice (a veteran of The Nice Guys, The Beguiled and Spider-Man: Homecoming at the age of just 17) to the more experienced likes of Ormond, Taylor and Corr, the movie's stars are also lively and warm. Every performance in the film feels lived in, including Susie Porter as Lisa's doting stay-at-home mum and Noni Hazlehurst as a Goode's supervisor. The texture in the cast's work couldn't be more crucial — in a slightly over-padded film that keeps its narrative dramas noticeably modest, and its themes of equality and multiculturalism undeniably overt and broad, much of the minutiae comes from the characters. Indeed, the thoroughly crowd-pleasing Ladies in Black is like a gorgeous gown that way: lovely to look at from afar, but boasting extra detail when seen from a closer vantage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd7aD7F2QCg
Summer in Sydney isn't really summer without catching some live music. But there is another truth that can get in the way of living out all your gig fantasies — and that's your budget. Between Christmas presents, end-of-year catch-ups and, you know, living, the ol' wallet takes a bit of a hit at this time of year. Good news, music lovers. For the second year in a row, Merivale is hosting See Sound, a summer-long festival of free (yes, free) gigs. Even better, every venue is also serving up $8 pints and $15 jugs of beer, thanks to See Sound partner Furphy. If you're hanging around the eastern suburbs, Coogee Pavilion Rooftop is where to go for funk and disco, and you can pop by the Royal Hotel in Bondi for rock 'n' roll. Meanwhile, inner west locals (and visitors) should make tracks to the Vic on the Park in Marrickville for indie and hip hop. Read on to find out what to expect.
If there's a lack of buttermilk fried chicken burgers in your day, scoot over to Surry Hills. Sydney favourites Adam Spencer and Mark Jan van der Goot, otherwise known as Chicken and Sons, are taking over the kitchen at Surry Hills pub The White Horse. Spencer and Jan van der Goot, who've both worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in their time, have brought their delicious burgers, sides and salads to huge crowds in Leichhardt and Chatswood. They've made quite the name for themselves in the Sydney hospo game by doing their fried chicken in a smoker, combining the city's love for smoky barbecue and all things fried. But this time their chicken train is about to stop at one of Crown Street's mainstay pubs — permanently. From June 9, you'll be able to order from their widely celebrated menu at The White Horse seven days a week. Think truffled mac 'n' cheese, All The Roasted Meats, and that famous buttermilk chicken by the wing, half or whole. Of course, C&S will be cranking out their beloved burgers, from 'The Motherclucker' to the 'Royale with Cheese'. Spencer will be reviving his renowned Sunday Roast, which used to be a hit at the Local Taphouse, serving over 200 covers on a lunch. So get out your elastic-waisted pants and dropsy-disguising patterned shirt — you know the drill. Chicken and Sons take over the kitchen at The White Horse from June 9. Find 'em at 381 Crown Street, Surry Hills.
Firedoor's owner and head chef Lennox Hastie is right in his element with this one. He's assembled a weekly Sunday brunch inspired by the region of Spain that first fuelled his love for cooking with fire: Basque Country. Brunch will be served like pintxos: small snacks and finger foods from an arrangement of food platters. There'll be wood-baked eggs with chorizo, ash-baked potato tortilla, grilled peppers, jamón, roast meats, whole grilled fish, shellfish from the live tanks and wood-fired flan for dessert. You'll be able to order à la carte and from a chef's menu. Drinks, also Basque-inspired, will include grilled tomato bloody marys, breakfast martinis, txakoli (slightly sparkling, Spanish wine) and vermouth. It's highly recommended you book for this — you can do this through the website. Images: Nikki To.
We love a good rooftop bar, but the thought of heading down to a breezy outdoor venue in the middle of winter is not something that easily gets us off the couch. Thankfully, the East Village Hotel is providing us with a dream winter option, having transformed their rooftop terrace into a cosy, northern hemisphere-style winter garden. Inspired by owner Locky Paech's experience of European winter markets in Berlin and Prague, the Darlinghurst pub will be doling out hot European eats, the toastiest of heaters, snowflake-print blankets and literally thousands of fairy lights to make you forget about the grim situation around you. Assuredly, hot alcoholic drinks are involved — cognac hot toddies, warm mead and mulled wine are all on the menu. The limited-time Winter Escape menu features soul-warming delicacies such as honey-glazed ham with spiced pear chutney, bratwurst, currywurst and beef bourguignon. The decked-out rooftop will be open throughout winter — it's a pretty ideal place to thaw out with a savoury pretzel.
Off the back of two super fast-selling seasons in Parramatta, Sydney's most ambitious outdoor cinema is bringing its 150-bed (yes, bed) theatre back for the warmer weather. And this time around, it will be held closer to the CBD, at Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter. Grab a buddy you're comfortable to share a blankie with (or make a bold first date move) and book a bed between October 27 and December 10. The cinema will screen a range of films, including new movies (American Assassin, The Foreigner), horror (It, The Shining), subtitled foreign films (Goodbye Lenin, City of God), Disney classics (Cinderella, Peter Pan), Japanese anime (Naruto, My Neighbour Totoro) and some of the best releases of 2017 (Wonder Woman, Dunkirk). Mov'In Bed has planned themed and party nights too. Scorcese gets his own night with screenings of Goodfellas and Wolf of Wall Street and there's a Love is Love night — featuring Brokeback Mountain and Moonlight – and, of course, Halloween night with a horror selection. There'll be the normal cinema food bar selling beer, lollies and popcorn etc. — but we think this will probably be overshadowed by Burger Project and Fratelli Fresh bringing food directly to your bed. If you don't want to shell out for a bed, you can bring a picnic blanket and chill out on the grass. Just remember to book your spot before you rock up. Mov'In Bed runs from October 27 to December 10 at the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park. For ticketing and event information, visit movinbed.com.au.
With Monster Fest showering Melbourne with an annual showcase of horror, thrills and just a bloody good time at the cinema since 2011, non-Victorian genre buffs can be forgiven for experiencing a severe case of film festival envy. Don't worry, the Monster Fest Travelling Sideshow is the cure for that green shade you've been sporting. It's taking the best of the festival around the country; first stop: Sydney. From March 9 to 12, Event Cinemas George Street will become Monster Fest's temporary home away from home with a lineup that should excite and unnerve cinephiles in equal measure. Topping the bill is the faint-inducing Raw — and it really has made people weak at the knees, so don't say we didn't warn you. The cannibal-focused effort certainly made an impact when it opened the 2016 Melbourne festival, taking out the fest's Golden Monster award. Attendees can also catch the all-female horror anthology XX, which premieres at this year's Sundance Film Festival, delivering scares, frights, gore and more from filmmakers of the fairer sex. About time. Or, see the monochrome delights of the maternally minded The Eyes of My Mother splashed across the screen, as well as the old-school slicing and dicing of Toronto International Film Festival hit The Autopsy of Jane Doe. Rounding out the program is classic Italian horror Suspiria, plus the locally linked Skinford (which was made in Sydney) and doco Dead Hands Dig Deep (which was made by a Sydney director).
Can you think of a better way to spend a muggy, summer night than with an outdoor movie and quality food in Camperdown? From November 29 to December 20 American Express is bringing its outdoor cinema to Sydney's inner west. Movies on the big screen this season will include Murder on the Orient Express, Thor: Ragnorok, Bad Moms 2, Love Actually, Dirty Dancing and Elf. Salt Meats Cheese will be supplying the movie bites with a daily menu of gourmet food, including their truffle pecorino pasta, arancini antipasti and woodfired pizza. In addition, there will be 20 events across the installation, including live music performances, DJs, trivia and a craft area with masterclasses in knitting and macrame. Every Sunday, $3 from your ticket will go to OzHarvest to provide meals for people in need. You'll also be able to make use of the bar, serving 4 Pines beer, Giesen wines, cocktails, frosé and Aperol spritz all night long. Oh, and it's a dog-friendly space with special picnic platter for the pooch, so you don't need to leave part of your family at home. Plus if you're an Amex user you'll get 15% off tickets, plus a lounger and bites for the movie.
Spring in Sydney in 2023 might be all about the first-ever SXSW Down Under, but summer and its delights are firmly on their way. Love making the most of the warm weather? Seeing movies? Hanging out outside? Catching a film at Westpac Openair Cinema is an annual tradition, and the beloved openair picture palace has announced its 2024 dates. Mark your calendar: you'll be seeing movies from Wednesday, January 10—Tuesday, February 20, with Openair's next run spanning 40-plus nights. Checking out a silver-screen highlight with a stunning backdrop will be on the agenda at Mrs Macquaries Point as usual — with spectacular panoramic views of the city, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, in fact — but exactly what you'll be seeing harbourside hasn't yet been revealed. [caption id="attachment_700088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Westpac OpenAir Sydney[/caption] Every movie that graces the cinema's big screen has to hold its own against the gorgeous sights glittering away behind it, of course, but Openair usually has the program to match. In recent months, the team behind the beloved event has posted on social media about Barbie, Oppenheimer and Past Lives, so fingers crossed that they make the cut when the lineup is unveiled on Monday, November 27. Cross your toes as well if you'd love a Barbenheimer double. The event's array of dining experiences also hasn't been announced as yet, including whether if Kitchen by Mike will be behind the cinema's meals again. As happens every year, tickets are likely to go quickly when they go on sale on Monday, December 11. Across the summer of 2018–19, more than 40,000 tickets sold within the first two days of pre-sale, for instance — so put it in your diary ASAP. Westpac Openair 2024 runs from Wednesday, January 10—Tuesday, February 20. The program will be announced on Monday, November 27, with tickets on sale on Monday, December 11 — check back here then for further details. Top image: Andrew Maccoll.
Australian playwright Alana Valentine spent months and months interviewing Broome's gay community before writing her newest work, Ladies Day. The play set at the local Broome races, on ladies day. Among the women glammed up in fascinators and cocktail dresses is Mike. Outrageously beautiful, he's the toast of the track. All of a sudden, the champagne swelling and celebratory atmosphere are shattered when an unwarranted act of brutality takes place. Using this plot as a springboard, Valentine explores the experiences of gay people in a small, remote town. The fact that she draws on real-life interviews gives her writing a chilling depth and complexity. Darren Yap is directing Griffin's production, leading a cast made up of Matthew Backer, Wade Briggs, Lucia Mastrantone and Elan Zavelsky.
While getting together at someone's house for a bring-a-plate lunch is a Christmas tradition for many, it may not be your thing this year. Sometimes it's just too hard to cook and sometimes you want to treat yourself to a meal out. Although many restaurants shut for Christmas Day, a select few that are ready to welcome you with open arms for a well-priced holiday lunch or a lavish smorgasbord of seasonal treats. So that you're not scrambling to find somewhere to eat after realising the shops are shut, we've done the hard yards for you and collected some of Sydney's best Christmas lunches in one easy list. Share a seafood platter as you overlook the ocean or book a banquet of green lip abalone, bang bang chicken and stream pork gyoza. Get in early though as bookings are sure to fill up fast.
The countdown to summer is well and truly on. After the year that's been, we're not going to be taking for granted the fine weather and fun events that make it our favourite season of all. To help you make the most of those special summer occasions, we've teamed up with Glenmorangie to serve up six simple drink recipes. These refreshing serves are a breeze to make and all utilise the brand-new X by Glenmorangie. This single malt scotch was specially designed for mixing and is perfect for all your summery tipples, offering tasting notes of pear, vanilla, honeysuckle, orange sherbet and chocolate fudge. FOR AN EASY BREEZY BRUNCH When you're still waking up, the last thing you want to be doing is stirring and shaking up super-complicated cocktails. Keep things simple and on theme with this citrusy tipple. Ingredients 50ml X by Glenmorangie 25ml grapefruit juice 25ml orange juice 10ml agave syrup Method Fill a highball glass with crushed glass. Add X by Glenmorangie, grapefruit juice, orange juice and agave syrup. Stir and garnish with half a grapefruit wheel. FOR YOUR BACKYARD BARBECUE Backyard barbecues are for lively conversation, grilled meats and veggies and perhaps a few games (cricket, anyone?). But they're certainly not for fancy, multi-step cocktail mixing. Keep things flowing with this three-ingredient mix. Ingredients 50ml X by Glenmorangie 50ml ginger beer limes Method Fill a highball glass with crushed glass. Add X by Glenmorangie and ginger beer. Stir, squeeze three lime wedges over the drink, then use them to garnish. FOR A SPOT OF AFTERNOON TEA Marmalade? In a mixed drink? Just trust us on this. The old-school preserve provides the perfect balance of citrus and sweet. Serve it alongside an array of sweet and savoury snacks — think finger sandwiches and cupcakes — for a pleasant afternoon tea in the sunshine. Ingredients 50ml X by Glenmorangie 20ml lime juice 3 tsp marmalade Method Pour X by Glenmorangie, lime juice and marmalade into a highball glass. Add ice, stir again and garnish with an orange twist. FOR YOUR NEXT DATE NIGHT If you're trying to impress that special someone, make a big batch of this floral, fragrant mix for your next big night together — be it a cosy evening in front of the TV or a romantic sunset picnic. Ingredients 50ml X by Glenmorangie 20ml lemon juice 20ml elderflower cordial Sparkling water Method Fill a highball glass with crushed glass. Add X by Glenmorangie, lemon juice and elderflower cordial. Stir and top with sparkling water to taste. Garnish with a lemon twist. FOR A KARAOKE PARTY There's nothing like some bubbles to get the party going. Sip this crisp, refreshing serve before belting out your best impression of Whitney or Mariah. Ingredients 50ml X by Glenmorangie 20ml lime juice 50ml sparkling apple juice Method Fill a highball glass with crushed glass. Add X by Glenmorangie, lime juice and sparkling apple juice. Stir and garnish with an apple slice. FOR A POST-DINNER PARTY TIPPLE If you want to make sure your next dinner party ends on a high note, this sweet, vibrant tipple will do the trick. Ingredients 50ml X by Glenmorangie 25ml lemon juice 12.5ml blackcurrant cordial 10ml agave syrup Method Fill a highball glass with crushed glass. Add X by Glenmorangie, lemon juice and agave syrup. Stir then top with blackcurrant cordial. Garnish with lemon wheel and a blackberry. Be prepared for all your upcoming summer events by purchasing a bottle of X by Glenmorangie at Boozebud.
Every Wednesday during Art & About 2013, the bohemians at East Sydney Creative will be providing working folk with a good excuse to knock off early. Their 'Escape Early on Wednesdays' extravanganza promises to transform Darlinghurst, Paddington, East Sydney and Surry Hills into a hive of activity, where art is Queen Bee. Over 20 organisations will play host to exhibitions, installations, yarn bombing, live music and talks. At the heart of it all will be the Metro Screen Pop-Up Cinema & Bar. Designer Gui Andrade is transforming the Metro Screen Studios at Paddo Town Hall into not just a movie house but a visual and kinaesthetic experience. "The idea that I had for the pop-up cinema was 'the glitch'," Andrade told us. "It can be hard to pick up on when you're watching a film. I want to play with people's perspectives as soon as they walk into the theatre. I want to make them wonder if what they're seeing is real or illusory — if it's what they're supposed to be experiencing." Each week, a different program of short films will screen, each arranged by a different curator. On September 25, Rich Warren (former coordinator of the UK's Encounters Festival) will deliver 'Subliminal Psychosis and Paranoid Perspectives', "a trip into the twisted minds of filmmakers and the inhabitants that lurk there." October 2 will see 'The Lena Dunham Love In', a journey through "the origins of Lena's world, where characters were born, grew up and took shape on the big(gish) screen". October 9, titled 'Feed Me Weird Things', is promising "an evening of pretty things, twisted pixels and classic retro psychedelia". The final session, 'Prototype', to happen on October 16, will be curated by Craig Boreham, who's currently working on feature film Teenage Kicks. The Metro Screen Pop-Up Cinema & Bar will open between 5pm and 8pm every Wednesday during Art & About 2013 (25 September and 2, 9 and 16 October) at Paddington Town Hall, Cnr Oatley Road and Oxford Street (Oatley Road entrance, under the Chauvel Cinema). Entry is free but RSVP is essential, as numbers are strictly limited. Image: Tiny Furniture.
It was the sweet treat chain that rose faster than yeasty baked goods, then sunk like your stomach when you've eaten too much sugar. After closing down its 30 stores earlier this year during the collapse of then-owner Damien Griffith's hospitality empire, Doughnut Time is now set to return — imminently — under new owners and managers. Talk of a comeback has been happening for months, it was first announced in August 2018, but now it's actually happening, with four new Queensland stores opening before Christmas. Two stores have opened their mint green doors — in Brisbane City Myer Centre and on Grey Street in South Bank — along two on the Gold Coast And that's just for starters. Melbourne is expected to get three new stores, in Fitzroy and Hawthorn and on Degraves Street, and Sydney is expected to nab a new store or two in early 2019. With the chain now overseen by Queensland entrepreneur Peter Andros, Doughnut Time is eager to put the brand's past behind it — a situation that not only saw its previous stores shuttered without warning, but left many of its staff unpaid. "We think what happened to past employees is unacceptable," the company wrote on Facebook. Fans and sugar fiends should prepare their tastebuds for a dose of the old and the new when the fresh batch of stores start cooking up a storm. Hit flavours like the Cate Blanchett (a milk chocolate doughnut covered in Tim Tam pieces) have been teased on social media, as have new vegan, gluten free, high protein, low sugar and keto options. The stores launched with free doughnut giveaways. An interesting way to launch a company that has a past tainted by liquidation and unpaid wages, but let's hope, in this case, history doesn't repeat itself. Find Doughnut Time at the Brisbane City Myer Centre, 91 Queen Street, Brisbane City, and 186 Grey Street, South Bank. The Melbourne store are set to open soon — we'll let you know when they do. Updated: January 8, 2019.
When Dr Jane Goodall volunteered to live among chimpanzees in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park, newspaper headlines were dismissive. Nearly 60 years later, the pioneering primatologist is world-renowned for her groundbreaking research — highlighting how closely connected humans are to our closest living relatives. Having dedicated the past six decades to her ongoing study, animal welfare in general and conservation, Goodall has lived a vastly fascinating life, which she'll be chatting about when she comes to Australia in May 2019. Goodall will appear at Jane Goodall: Rewind The Future event, which heads to the ICC on Wednesday, May 8. The session will feature a 40-minute lecture by Goodall about her work, followed by a conversation between Goodall and a host for the same duration. Topics certain to get a mention include just how revolutionary her findings were at the time — and the impact they still have now — as well as her connection with the resident primates of Gombe. You can also expect Goodall to discuss her subsequent efforts to fight against threats to African chimpanzee populations, such as deforestation, illegal trade and unethical mining operations. Indeed, wildlife and environmental conservation is the main aim of the Jane Goodall Institute, which she founded in 1977. The Jane Goodall Institute Australia and Think Inc. are behind her 2019 Aussie trip.
"They don't make 'em like they used to," is the kind of lament you've probably heard your parents utter; however, when it comes to poster art, the complaint might just be true. Promoting bands, gigs, albums, shows, parties, clubs, public protests, social issues and more, a vibrant array of colourful signage filled Sydney's many public spaces back in the 70s — and now the National Art School Gallery has the exhibition to prove it. Running from Friday, August 30 through till Saturday, October 12, Paper Tigers: Posters from Sydney's Long 70s will display more than 200 pieces of printed visual culture from the era, spanning everything from music, art, film, theatre and cabaret to feminism, gay liberation and politics. Some of the posters on display were created by now-celebrated artists, including Martin Sharp, Marie McMahon, Chris O'Doherty (as Reg Mombassa), Paul Worstead and Garry Shead. Others are credited to anonymous artists and designers. Either way, they're bright, vibrant, experimental and creative. The retro showcase will particularly hone in on Darlinghurst, giving attendees a lively snapshot of what the area was like four decades ago. Think art school balls, Oxford Street's first queer clubs and Radio Birdman's residency at the Oxford Hotel — all relived in poster form. Curated by ex-Rolling Stone Editor Toby Creswell and Lesa-Belle Furhagen (who co-founded publishing company Terraplanet with Creswell), the exhibition also forms part of the new Sedition Festival, which is all about arts, politics and how they intersect in issues that are relevant today. Paper Tigers: Posters from Sydney's Long 70s launches with a party from 6–9pm on Thursday, August 29, and is then open from Monday–Saturday from 11am–5pm. Images: Cabaret Conspiracy at Maxy's (1979), Karen Hall and Ruth Walker; Get Wet, Cover print for Mental as Anything (1979), Paul Worstead; 3rd Annual Christmas is False Consciousness Eve Party (1978), Chips Mackinolty.
At times it seems baffling that in a city of 4.6 million people we’re struggling to keep our live music industry afloat. With the recent demise of the Annandale Hotel, there’s a gaping hole in Parramatta Road, once an inner west institution and home to Australia’s foremost musicians. Capped off with the new lockout laws, there’s now some gloom hanging over Sydney’s nightlife. However, beyond the parameters of the CBD entertainment precinct, fresh meat is stewing in the inner west. The Roller Den is a spanking new venue that will occupy the basement of the Imperial Hotel in Erskineville. With an emphasis on hosting local and international acts of a variety of genres, this promising space is already creating some serious buzz with its stellar launch line-up. A beacon of LGBTQI solidarity, the Imperial Hotel is an iconic local establishment, immortalised by The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert as the Erko drag hang-out, a nightspot brimming with queens and cabaret. “We’re not trying to take away from the existing identity, we’re just trying to expand it and bring other demographics in,” says the venue's booking agent Laurie Mahon from Kingdom Sounds. This initiative to broaden the existing character will encompass a potential rooftop and a slew of art events alongside the live music agenda. "The Imperial Hotel have committed to a live music project throughout the entire venue,” says Mahon. And with the next few weeks oozing with home-grown musical talent, such as Stonefield and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, there’s been a gratifying show of support. As well as national favourites, Kingdom Sounds have hauled in a spread of international acts with cult followings as well as crafting niche mini-festivals, such as the Japan Music Festival and Fiend Fest 2014. There will also be a series of indie club nights hosted by Common People, as well as a monthly hip hop night kicking off in a few short weeks. Coupled with the live music expertise of Kingdom Sounds, these types of events are testament to Newtown’s thrivingly eclectic music scene. Tucked just behind King Street, the Roller Den is anticipated to be the keystone of a colourful new nightlife hub. It's part of an effort to revive the community-driven scene that birthed The Whitlams and AC/DC. The fast-selling launch party will be headlined by boisterous blues-rockers and proud inner westies The Snowdroppers. There's also a swag of Sydney outfits, such as Born Lion and The Dead Love, giving the event a strong local thrust. There's also a sister space named The Corner Store that is creeping steadily into focus. This neighbouring room will offer a more intimate experience and nurture local bands, who will then graduate to the Roller Den as their popularity increases. All in all, there's plenty of potential crammed into to this rejuvenated Erko haunt. From gothic/darkwave pioneers through to Tokyo's vibrant underground music scene, it's certainly an early display of diversity. "We definitely won’t be pigeonholed into a hipster club or a metal club," says director of Kingdom Sounds Steve Sewell. "We listen to everything, we’re not closed minded about music." With some "very solid, international names" that are yet to be announced, this bold venue is set to make a lot of noise in the coming months.
For a long while, people have been raising issue with the lack of gender diversity in the music festival scene. Women often occupy tiny stages and small percentages of festival lineups. Up-and-coming female and LGBTIQ musicians struggle to achieve non-gendered recognition. But finally, there's a local collective taking action. Local record label Sad Grrrls Club launched their first Sydney showcase last year, and now they're doing it again at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville on Saturday, October 8 — and they've pulled together a stellar non-male lineup. The event is designed to be a safe space, free from the kind of harassment that can make festivals so draining for those that don't identify as males. The event motto is: "Be good to each other and have fun". Right on. Check out the full lineup below. SAD GRRRLS FEST 2016 LINEUP Le Pie Coda Conduct Twin Caverns Missing Children Bad Bitch Choir DJ Claire Knight (fingertips) Bow and Arrow Julia Why? Dawn Laird Egoism Astrid Zeman Jackie Brown Jr La Vif Morning TV Annaïs Paris CLEWS YON PLUME DJs Plus Acoustic Artists: Emma Dean Music (QLD) Stellar Addiction Hannah Robinson Music Ess-em Fingermae FRUIT Antonia Susan Dog Dirt
Every Friday night, you'll find Bibo Wine Bar's Head Sommelier Louella Mathews drinking wine with her regulars. COVID-19 hasn't gotten in the way of this tradition, either, with Mathews now recreating the experience for fans of the Double Bay bar via Zoom — with the help of some Bibo-like virtual backgrounds, of course. To help keep staff employed while the wine bar is closed to dine-in customers, Mathews and the Bibo team have launched Bibo at Home. Like many Sydney restaurants and bars, Bibo is currently offering takeaway and delivery meals — including an eight-course chef's menu for a very reasonable $50 — as well as wine and cocktails to go. But, Mathews has taken the at-home wine bar experience a step further and is now offering personalised wine boxes paired with one-on-one Zoom consultations. Called Sommelier's Choice, the personalised wine boxes with bonus human interaction were launched by Mathews in response to her "withdrawal from connecting with customers on the restaurant floor". Once you've connected with Mathews via Bibo, she'll set up a Zoom meeting (or phone call, or interview — "whatever they feel comfortable with") and "we'll have a chat about the weather, the current pandemic crisis and then, of course, to what wine they would enjoy". "The process is very natural and as if you were ordering wine in a restaurant", says Mathews. "I don't have one set of criteria, but a few basic questions include what they generally like to drink and how adventurous they would like to be." Once you've had a chat, Mathews will put together a box of six wines with tasting notes and food pairing suggestions, which you can either pick up from the wine bar or have delivered if you live within five kilometres from Double Bay. All of this will set you back $200 — about $33 a bottle. Much cheaper than you'd be paying if you were to drink six bottles at the wine bar itself. And you get access to one of Australia's brightest wine minds, too. Mathews, before working at Bibo, managed the wine list and 4000-bottle cellar at Sydney's Rockpool Bar & Grill, and is currently studying for the Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced (that's just one level under Master Sommelier, which is the focus of Netflix's Somm). What you'll get in your box, depends on your tastes, of course, but Mathews says it'll be like "taking a trip around the world, but without the fuss of border patrol". In the current COVID-19 crisis, travelling via your tastebuds doesn't sound like a terrible idea. It's been a month since bars, restaurants and cafes were forced to close their doors to dine-in customers as part of the government's non-essential indoor venue closure, and, while it looks like some restrictions could be relaxed in another month, one expert says hospitality venues are unlikely to be open again until September. Jobkeeper allows businesses to pay eligible employees a fortnightly wage, but does not cover some casual employees and those on a temporary worker visa. This has led to businesses looking for new ways to stay connected with customers and make money, such as delivery booze services, virtual happy hours and cooking classes. For customers looking for other ways to help their locals, Mathews suggests, as well as the obvious buying a meal or wine, to leave them a five-star review on the likes of Google, Facebook and Tripadvisor and to 'share, like and comment' on their posts on social media. "Small business can't afford — especially now — PR or marketing companies," she says. "So little things really do help and only take a second of your time." When it's all over though, get ready for a massive party at Bibo "to celebrate that we survived this mess". To order food, wine or cocktails from Bibo Wine Bar, head to the website. To find out more about the Sommelier's Choice box and set up a Zoom meeting, email louella@bibowinebar.com.au.
Just ten months ago, it was announced that Kensington Street Social — the Chippendale restaurant by celebrity chef Jason Atherton — was closing its doors and being replaced by Barzaari. Now, its eastern Mediterranean successor is following suit and shutting up shop for good on Saturday, August 31. The short-lived Chippendale restaurant is Sydney's second outpost of Barzaari, with the still-open original launching in Marrickville back in 2016. Its closure was announced today in a statement from the company, saying "owners Andrew Jordanou and Darryl Martin will place their full focus on their original Barzaari Restaurant in Marrickville". The inner city restaurant is known for its charred vegetables and slow-cooked meats (coming out of the woodfired oven), pillowy breads (perfect for wiping through dips) and all-you-can-eat falafel feasts (for just $20) — all of which you can still enjoy for another 18 days, mind you. [caption id="attachment_729972" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] Barzaari also currently looks after the food menus at The Clare and The Old Clare Rooftop bars, but when it closes A1 Canteen will take over. No new plans have been announced for the space just yet, but we'll let you know when they are. Find Barzaari Chippendale at 3 Kensington Street, Chippendale until Saturday, August 31.
A Michelin-trained chef has brought a new authentic Mexican taqueria to Pyrmont. Nativo is now open above the John St Square Rail Station, bringing tacos and Mexican street food from highly travelled and experienced chef Manuel Diaz to the waterfront suburb. Focusing mainly on takeaway — with just 14 al fresco seats available for dining — the menu at Nativo is concise, with four flavours of tacos and a range of antojitos and snacks making up the entire menu. Born in the city of Oaxaca, Diaz has worked across some of the most renowned restaurants in Mexico, as well as the Michelin-starred restaurant La Chevre d'Or in France. Since moving to Australia, he's occupied kitchens across the Milpa Collective Group's collection of Mexican favourites like Sonora and Carbon, and headed up Bar Patron as the Executive Chef. Diaz is bringing this wealth of experience to a fun and vibrant menu, with a local twist to it — the use of native Australian ingredients. Order the Cochinita Pibilfeatu and you'll find slow-cooked pulled pork paired with a saltbush morita salsa, while the guacamole has been complimented with lemon myrtle oil. "The best of Mexican gastronomy is inspired by ideas developed by the Indigenous communities and ancestors of the country," says Diaz. "I have crafted a menu that honours these flavours and traditions, and we celebrate our union with the Australian community by complimenting these recipes with native Australian ingredients to create a unique fusion that brings these roots together." Other taco varieties include a classic beef birria starring a 12-hour cooked brisket, a vegetarian fried potato and mushroom chorizo combo, and a chimichurri octopus option. Accompanying these are the aforementioned guac with corn chips, tostada takes on the pork and vegetarian tacos, and quesadilla rolls packed with your choice of protein, oaxaca cheese, guacamole, coriander and orange-chipotle salsa on pita bread. Nativo continues a boom Sydney has been experiencing around Mexican-born chefs opening standout restaurants in the city. In the last couple of years, we've seen central Mexcian cuisine arrive in Newtown courtesy of Maiz (one of Concrete Playground's 15 best Sydney restaurants) and Rosa Cienfuegos has opened her pair of beloved hole-in-the-wall eateries in Dulwich Hill and Redfern, just to name a few. Nativo is open 11am–8.30pm Tuesday–Saturday at Shop 6/45–55 Harris Street, Pyrmont.
What's better than one Will Smith? Two Will Smiths, apparently. That's how Gemini Man seems to feel, with the new sci-fi thriller starring the former Fresh Prince as an assassin with a very familiar-looking foe: a younger version of himself. It has been three years since his last big-screen flicks, aka the immensely underwhelming Suicide Squad and Collateral Beauty — so if you're a Smith fan that's been missing the actor's presence in cinemas of late, then consider Gemini Man a two-for-one catch-up deal. If you're particularly fond of the actor's Bad Boys, Men in Black and Independence Day-era heyday, then get ready for a CGI blast from the past. And if, for whatever reason, you've always wondered what today's 50-year-old Smith would look like if he was facing off against his own 20-something clone, then prepare to find out. Directed by Ang Lee, Gemini Man follows Smith's hitman Henry Brogan as he learns that his worst enemy really is himself — and also co-stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong. The film hits theatres in October, after Smith goes blue in Disney's Guy Ritchie-helmed live-action Aladdin remake. See double with the first trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGTp7YVUaxQ&feature=youtu.be Gemini Man opens in Australian cinemas on October 10.
Since 2011, DJ Tom Loud's travelling dance party Hot Dub Time Machine has ripped up stages the world over, offering a rolling crossfade of the last six decades of pop-music. Now, ready to sink his teeth into a new chapter of music-infused revelry, Loud's announced his latest project, Hot Dub Wine Machine — a series of al fresco get-togethers that'll take over four of the country's best-loved wine regions. This Australia-wide tour follows the raging success of Hot Dub Wine Machine's inaugural event, which saw over 6000 wine and music lovers flock to McLaren Vale's Serafino Winery in December last year. This time around, the scenic vistas and rolling hills of wineries Australia-wide will play host to the festivities, including the Hunter Valley's Hope Estate on Saturday, March 18. The boutique event will run from early afternoon through to after dark, and feature a hand-picked smorgasbord of Australian musical talent. This will all lead into one of Hot Dub's signature sets, which will see audiences dancing their way from 1954 to today, as the DJ mixes an iconic song from each year. Backing up the tunes, expect a careful curation of locally-sourced gourmet eats, craft beer, cocktails, and of course, some sensational vino from these iconic Australian wine regions. Safe to say, it's probably the rowdiest event these wineries will host all year. Images: Pat Stevenson.
It has been almost 50 years since Philip K. Dick pondered whether androids dream of electric sheep, and 35 years since Blade Runner brought that question to the cinema. In celebration of the long-awaited big screen sequel, Blade Runner 2049, Melbourne's Cinema Nova is throwing another query into the mix: do replicants have a hankering for themed cocktails? Eagle-eyed fans of the first film will have spotted that, yes, bioengineered beings can have a beverage. And we all know that the trackers tasked with retiring them can too. Accordingly, downing a few drinks like Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard seems like a fitting way to mark his return. When Bar 2049 pops up for a month from September 28 — a week before the new movie releases on October 5 — here's hoping there's some of his booze of choice (that is, whiskey), in Cinema Nova's two new tipples: the Nexus 9 and The Offworld. Bar 2049 won't just boast drinks to match the occasion, but will transform the existing Nova Bar & Kitchen into an immersive, eye-catching Blade Runner-like space that takes its cues from both Ridley Scott's original flick and Denis Villeneuve's forthcoming, Ryan Gosling-starring follow-up. Custom wall murals from street artist Chris Hancock of Blender Creative and video installations from filmmaker Ben Helweg will create a striking, futuristic look, while an audio soundscape will blend Vangelis' iconic score with synth pop. Other touches searing themselves into your memory include neon lighting and lasers, LCD screens, floor decals, mannequins and silver unicorns. If that doesn't cause an emotional reaction that proves you're not a robot, then a 'Tastes From The Future' food menu should. The latest example of Cinema Nova's Blade Runner love — with the theatre screening the classic movie several times over the years — Bar 2049 is open from 10am daily, licensed from midday, and serves up dinner from 5pm weeknights and midday on weekends. Find Bar 2049 at Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon Street, Carlton from September 28 to October 27. For more information, keep an eye on the cinema's website and Facebook page. Images: ©2017 Alcon Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved via Sony Pictures Releasing International.
Everyone loves digging into a bowl of hearty, cheesy, carby pasta — whether it's the middle of a drizzly winter today or the peak of summer. But sometimes, depending how fancy you go, they can set you back nigh $30. But, for one day this November, Fratelli Fresh is shunning exxy bowls and instead celebrating with a day of $10 pastas. All eight Fratelli Fresh stores — Alexandria, Bridge Street, Crows Nest, Darling Harbour, Entertainment Quarter, Macquarie Street, Walsh Bay and Westfield CBD — will be offering all pasta dishes on their menus for only a tenner. All day. Choose from crab spaghettini, classic spag bol, linguine with chilli and garlic, ricotta ravioli with burnt butter and a next-level fettuccini with duck ragù (among others). A pretty lovely deal considering some of these dishes are usually priced at up to $35 price tag. The catch is that you have to buy a drink to nab a $10 pasta. But here's a pro tip: all Fratellis run a happy hour form 4–6pm weekdays where all espresso martinis, negronis, spritzes, beer and wine are just $5. Book your spot for lunch or dinner via the website. CORRECTION: NOVEMBER 13, 2018 — The original version of this article previously did not state the the $10 pasta deal was only redeemable with a drink purchase. The above copy has been amended to reflect that it is.
If eating your way through plenty of creative and tasty desserts is your current pandemic coping strategy, Gelato Messina has been more than willing to help over the past few months. This year alone, it has released cookie pies in choc chip, red velvet, choc-hazelnut, and peanut butter and jelly varieties; 40 of its best flavours; and full tubs of Iced VoVo gelato, Messina's own take on the classic Viennetta ice cream cake and a gelato based on Italy's famed cremino dessert. Oh, and it even whipped up a batch of sticky lamington-scroll hybrids as well. For Messina's next tastebud-tempter, it's answering a question you've probably never, ever thought of asking yourself: what would gelato inspired by fashion labels Rag & Bone, Café Kitsuné, State of Escape, Paloma Wool and Patagonia taste like? Well, although this query has likely never popped into your brain before, now you can find out. Dropping across five days from Tuesday, October 20–Saturday, October 24, the new flavours are part of a collaboration with lifestyle and streetwear hub Incu, to help it celebrate its 18th birthday. A different variety will become available each day, so if you want to try the full set, you'll either need to plan multiple desserts or head by — or order delivery via Deliveroo — at the end of the week. Arriving first is the Paloma Wool-inspired 'Island Souvenir', which is based on ensaïmadas from Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, uses brioche-like pastry as the gelato's base and then layers in chocolate custard. Next, you can lick your way through Café Kitsuné's 'Tea-ramisu', a take on tiramisu with Japanese matcha gelato and coffee-soaked biscuits. Also on offer: the State of Escape-influenced 'Wanderlust', combining mango, sherbet, coconut and lime; Patagonia's dark chocolate and honey sorbet 'Save takayna', which is named to raise awareness about Tasmania's takayna/Tarkine; and the Rag & Bone-inspired 'A Piece of Cake', as made with clotted cream gelato, layers of sponge cake and swirls of strawberry jam. If you're in Melbourne, remember that you can only venture to shops within five kilometres of your house — to get essentials, including food. The Incu x Messina range of flavours will be available for a week from Tuesday, October 20, in-store and via Deliveroo, with a new flavour dropping each day. Keep an eye on the Messina website for further details.
This wild year has ended on a low note for Sydney company Hashtag Burgers, after it lost its appeal against a trademark infringement lawsuit by cult American burger chain In-N-Out. The widely publicised legal battle appears to have come to an end, with the local company failing in its bid to reverse the court decision handed down earlier this year. Back in February, Federal Court Justice Anna Katzmann ruled that Hashtag Burgers had "sailed too close to the wind" when it came to appropriating the name, menu and design of the California-based In-N-Out for their own Aussie chain Down N' Out. The locals then took to Facebook to declare there was "nothing left to do except eat away our feelings" and rename their business, though it seems they in fact went back to court, launching an appeal against the decision. After losing that appeal earlier this week, we're sure there'll now be even more feelings (and double wagyu beef patties) to devour. In place of its Down N' Out restaurants, which first launched in 2016, Hashtag Burgers now runs a Leichhardt pop-up dubbed High N' Dry, as well as its Nameless Bar located in the former digs of its original CBD flagship. Last month, in a post to Nameless Bar's Facebook page, owners Ben Kagan and Andrew "Archie" Saliba revealed they were waiting on the results of an appeal, saying "4+ YEARS OF FIGHTING and we are NOT backing down — WE are confident in a favourable OUTCOME this time around!!!" In a post yesterday, they thanked their fans, saying: "PRAY FOR US!! OUR appeal verdict is today — BOOM OR BUST it's been a WILD few years." The owners are yet to address the court's decision on social media. A CHRISTMAS CRACKER FOR ALL YOU CHEEKY CHUBSTERS 😍😍😍 🧨💣 CHICK CHICK BOOM 💣🧨 - Butter Grilled Chicken Tossed in... Posted by Nameless Bar Sydney on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 Back in its pre-lawsuit heyday, Down N' Out ran various pop-ups, in addition to its CBD store and outposts in Ryde, Castle Hill and Crows Nest. In March, Kagan told Concrete Playground: "We have always done our own thing and we are disappointed with the outcome. However we know that our fans will continue to support us regardless of what our name is. We may be down at the moment but we sure as sh#t aren't out." Hashtag Burgers' Nameless Bar and High N' Dry pop-up remain open.
Forget the fact that you might find it hard to pronounce their name, when you hear their music you’ll be doing all your talking with your feet as you groove on down to their hip swaying beats.These Colombian natives are bringing their swinging soulful tunes to Sydney for the first time, and you better start watching re-runs of So You Think You Can Dance so you can catch up on your moves. No one could stand being a wall flower when this five piece hits their groove.You can catch Aterciopelados supported by Watussi at the Metro Theatre or as part of the Darling Harbour Fiesta Festival on the October long weekend. Salsa will no longer just be a thing that to eat with corn chips.
Aunty, you’ve done it again; the Meredith Music Festival has announced both its 2014 lineup and declared this year's lucky ballot winners. But you'll have to leave your offensive headdress at home this time, there'll be none of that at Aunty's place. While the just-announced ticket ballot only affects a lucky few this morning, the finally-revealed lineup makes some big decisions for everyone thinking of heading down to the Golden Plains Shire this December. Joining the already revealed headliners, The War On Drugs, will be Californian fuzz-fuelled rocker Ty Segall, hip hop legends De La Soul, masters of ska the Skatalites, ex-Wu-Tang rapper Ghostface Killah, the unmistakable vocals of Mark Lanegan, Melbourne sweethearts Augie March, stoner rock pioneers Sleep and electronic maestro James Holden are just the tip of the iceberg. Ohio's Cloud Nothings are joining the party as well as US total legends The Lemonheads. Like last year, there'll be 500 less tickets available than previous years; so if you’re considering going this year don’t think, just do. All the good bits are staying the same: BYO alcohol and the beloved No Dickhead Policy are firmly in place. Furthermore, offensive costumes are banned. BANNED. Looking at you headdress-wearers. They're part of Aunty's banned things list: No offensive signage, slogans, clothing, costumes. Those lucky enough to be a ballot winner first time around have until 10pm Wednesday, August 20 to snap up tickets. Second round ballot will be shortly after that, so don’t give up hope just yet if you didn't get good news this morning. Anything else you need to know can be found out at their website, or you can even e-mail Aunty if need be. Meredith Music Festival Lineup (so far): THE WAR ON DRUGS TY SEGALL THE SKATALITES MARK LANEGAN DE LA SOUL AUGIE MARCH SLEEP JAMES HOLDEN LIVE CLOUD NOTHINGS THE LEMONHEADS GHOSTFACE KILLAH PHOSPHORESCENT THE BOMBAY ROYALE FACTORY FLOOR PAINTERS AND DOCKERS MIA DYSON TINY RUINS THE PUBLIC OPINION AFRO ORCHESTRA BLANK REALM MISTY NIGHTS TEETH & TONGUE VAKULA MARLON WILLIAMS DR PHIL SMITH HARD-ONS And more to be announced. The 24th annual Meredith Music Festival will be held from December 12-14. Tickets are $318.80 + $10 booking fee, which covers three days and two nights of music in the Supernatural Amphitheatre. More details here. Image: Ben Loveridge.
When you've spent close to a metric fucktonne of time writing, developing and recording the individual songs of an album, sometimes you'd like people to stop and appreciate each morsel. Ahead of the release of their highly anticipated debut album For the Company, Sydney folk trio Little May invited 11 of their favourite local artists to do just that, to create an artwork of any medium, inspired by the 11 tracks of the album. It's a highly unique way to launch an album, culminating in an exhibition dubbed #ArtForTheCompany and set to coincide with the release of the album on October 9. Running Friday, October 2, to Sunday, October 4, the exhibition will take over the newly opened Goodspace, upstairs at the Lord Gladstone Hotel in Chippendale. Music-wise, you'll be able to settle into little listening pods to hear Little May's album in full ahead of its official release date, while checking out each track's inspired artwork. Little May (or Liz Drummond, Hannah Field and Annie Hamilton) have seen visual art as integral to their band — all the artwork for the album and the band's promo material has been designed by Hamilton herself. So with aesthetics aplenty planned for the exhibition, this is a pretty perfect way for the three Sydneysiders to launch their debut effort into public ears, with all senses covered. So who are Little May's chosen artists? The exhibition will feature work from acclaimed photographers Mclean Stephenson and Prue Stent, Sydney-based muralist Mulga, fashion label Serpent & The Swan, illustrator Georgia Hill, Ears, Honey Long, Antwerpen, Emily Ellis, Furry Little Peach and Luschia Porter. Check out Luschia Porter's Little May-inspired creation is this pretty, pretty video: We’re so lucky to have the incredibly talented Luschia Porter - Illustration + Object Design amongst a bunch of our favourite local artists contributing to our #artfothecompany exhibition. Lusch visually interpreted our song ‘Cicadas’ and we can’t wait to see the finished product at Goodspace from next Friday <3 Posted by Little May on Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Melbourne's latest COVID-19 outbreak has been escalating quickly. It was only back on Monday, just two days ago, that the first cases were identified — and now the new overnight tally has already hit double digits, restrictions and an indoor mask mandate have been reimplemented in Greater Melbourne, and the list of exposure sites keeps growing. In response, New Zealand has paused quarantine-free travel from Victoria, while Australia's states are beginning to change their entry requirements. And, although, the New South Wales Government isn't fond of shutting of borders (as everyone has learned countless times during the pandemic so far), NSW Health has just issued a public health alert warning against travelling south. Released just before 4pm today, Wednesday, May 26, the alert urges Sydneysiders to postpone all non-urgent travel to the Greater Melbourne area. It hasn't implemented a travel ban, or made any movements regarding closing the border with Victoria; however, it is also recommending that NSW residents steer clear of Bendigo as well. NSW Health has also issued a number of requests that cover folks from Victoria who have already made their way to NSW — or plan to in the future. If you're currently in the state and you've been in Victoria since Wednesday, May 12, you're asked to check the Victorian Department of Health's list of exposure sites and, if you've been to one, to take the required action regarding testing and self-isolating. You're also requested to contact NSW Health ASAP. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1397429625618243586 If you're in NSW now, have been in Victoria since Wednesday, May 12, but haven't visited an exposure site, you're asked to still monitor for symptoms, get tested and then self-isolate the moment any arise. NSW Health also requests that you avoid visiting residential aged care facilities and healthcare facilities, unless you're heading to the latter to get medical attention or for compassionate reasons. And, if you've been in the Whittlesea Local Government Area in particular — which is where the current cluster has been concentrated so far — you're also requested to limit your exposure to high-risk settings in NSW, including pubs, clubs and gyms, as well as large family gatherings and really any crowded indoor setting. That applies for a fortnight since you were last in the Whittlesea Local Government Area. Travel declarations are also now in effect, too. So, anyone heading to NSW that's been in Greater Melbourne or Bendigo in the last 14 days will have to complete an online form — via the Service NSW website — stating that you haven't been to an exposure site. As always, the usual general advice regarding hygiene and social distancing applies in NSW, as it has throughout the pandemic. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. For further details about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria, check out the Victorian Department of Health website.
