Secret Garden Festival have finally announced their 2017 lineup for the already sold out event, and the headliners include The Jezabels, Oliver Tank and Donny Benet & Friends. With dreamy vibes and heaps of glitter-doused fun, this extravagant forest party will be delivering 48 hours of fancy dress and incredible music. The festival — held on the weekend of February 24-25 just outside of Sydney — promises to be the biggest celebration yet with music, performances, adventures and, for the first time ever, a real-life actual legal wedding taking place on the main stage. On the Friday night, a rave-themed dress-up party will be the inaugural event, with 14 different forest dance floors and a heap of immersive pop-up worlds to choose from with tunes blasting from every corner. If running amok through enchanted mazes is not so much your thing (who are you?) then get ready for dance classes, glitter makeovers, a kissing booth, the Secret Garden Olympics. But you're here for the lineup. See below. SECRET GARDEN FESTIVAL 2017 LINEUP Alex Lahey Annie Bass (DJ Set) The Australian Queen Tribute Show B Wise Bad Deep DJs Bec Sandridge Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of a Tony Hawk Pro Skater Band Body Type The Cactus Channel Captain Franco Donny Benet Gretta Ray Japanese Wallpaper The Jezabels Le Fruit Levins MOSSY Mowgli May Oliver Tank Party Dozen Rackett The Ruminaters Set Mo (Classic House Set) SPOD Total Giovanni Urthboy Youngsta CPT (ZA) Secret Garden Festival will take place at Brownlow Hill Farm just outside of Sydney on February 24-15. Tickets are all sold out, but you can find more info at secretgarden.com.au.
You may have noticed there’s that Parramatta has a cool subcontinental culture thing going on. For the last few years it’s handing over the streets for a few days to its rich South Asian heritage during Parramasala. Festival favourites the Bombay Royale return for opening night Bollywood Block Party alongside MC Kamahl, drummers Naadro, live light shows and the highly-edible Masala Markets. During the festival Ansuya Nathan’s Long Live the King ties Elvis to comedy and migration, while Indian Ink mixes the Taj Mahal in with corner stores in Krishnan’s Diary. Former local girl Susheela Raman returns from London to bring her high-speed, hybrid rhythms to the Sydney stage and South Asian Film in Focus runs the cinematic gamut from documentary to romance. All through the weekend the outdoor stage in Town Hall Square brings a pretty much non-stop program of entertainment in the from of comedy, film and music. Run your eyes over the full schedule here.
Combining tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice, a classic margarita isn't all that complicated. But, this beloved cocktail can also be rather versatile. If you've grabbed a meal and a drink at El Camino Cantina, you've probably tasted one or several non-traditional varieties. And if you head by the lively Tex-Mex chain's Sydney venues in The Rocks, Manly Wharf, Entertainment Quarter and Westfield Miranda between Tuesday, March 2–Sunday, May 30, you'll be able to sip a few beloved types. After running a Hottest 100 Rita poll — and receiving more than 3000 votes — El Camino has announced exactly which varieties Aussies love. Prepare to drink your way through mango, watermelon, passionfruit and grape Nerds flavours over the next three months. All four are available cadillac-style, which means they come with a float of Grand Marnier. You'll pay $20 for a 15-ounce drink and $24. Prefer El Camino's signature strawberry margarita? It also remains on the menu. At The Rocks only, an extra four flavours are on offer as well. So, we hope you like lychee and fruit tingle ritas, and sour apple and calypso crush versions, too. Images: Michael Gribbin.
Yulli's Brews' markets have proved a raging hit since they kicked off last year. In March, however, it's doing something different, with the vegan Alexandria taproom set to host eco-friendly markets from 1–6pm on Sunday, March 29. Expect a similarly diverse lineup of tasty eats, artisanal booze and live entertainment as the usual version — only this time, all the stalls will be focusing on sustainable wares. On offer: eco kitchenware, natural beauty products, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, organic and chemical-free seedlings, and bulk whole foods. For the latter, don't forget to bring your own containers. Big Bite Eco, Lovebyt, NueBar, Refillery, Wormticklers Nursery and The Source Bulk Foods are among the folks selling their goods. Plus, there'll even be a pre-loved clothes swap. As always, doggos are welcome.
If January 26 finds you looking for a thoughtful way to reflect on the impact of the arrival of the First Fleet and Australia's colonisation on its First Nations people, you should join the folks from Sydney Festival the evening prior. For the fourth year running, the festival will be running a vigil at Barangaroo Reserve from dusk on Monday, January 25 through to dawn on Tuesday, January 26. There will be contemporary ceremony, song and fire from First Nations artists, as well as performances and reflections from members of the Indigenous Australian community throughout the night. You can drop by at any time or stay all night — if you're in it for the long haul, make sure you bring warm clothes. Feel free to take some mates with you, but the event is also a good opportunity to meet new people and have conversations around the anniversary and what it means for all Australians. The Vigil is free, but you must register your interest before attending in order to aid with COVID safety. You can register over here. Images: Victor Frankowski
A dip in Walsh Bay itself might not seem all that appealing, but some summertime splashing in a harbourside pool sure does. So tomorrow — just in time for the balmy days to come — harbourside hotel Pier One is launching a pop-up called The Pool, featuring an actual plunge pool out on its private pontoon. Promising a luxe poolside experience for hotel guests and visitors alike, the space has been kitted out with lush foliage, umbrellas, deck chairs and pool toys to complement an upscale food and drink offering. In between dips, punters can enjoy classic Aussie-style barbecue dishes from on-site smokehouse The Kerrigan, like spiced calamari rings and fried chook wings. Pier One's Sydney Harbour Bar will be slinging a summery array of signature cocktails, while local DJs will grace the decks, bumping up the party vibe. It's all on offer Fridays through Sundays from noon till sunset throughout summer, and open daily from 3pm between December 26 and January 1. Access to The Pool will cost you $30, including a towel, use of the pool toys and an alcoholic beverage. It's for adults only and they don't take bookings, so you'll want to get in early to nab a primo poolside spot. If you've got a spare $499, you can also get on board The Pool's huge New Year's Eve party, taking advantage of that prime, harbourside fireworks-viewing real estate. Find The Pool at Pier One Sydney Harbour, 11 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay. For more info, visit pieronesydneyharbour.com.au.
The once industrial suburb of Waterloo is set to receive a new five-building Japanese development, to impress design-lovers and foodies alike, with the launch of the ambitious Mastery by Crown Group. The development is a collaboration between acclaimed Tokyo-based architect Kengo Kuma and Japanese-born local architect Koichi Takada (Ippudo, East Village Marketplace, Arc by Crown), and is unlike anything the suburb's seen before. Once complete, it'll boast 384 luxury apartments, resort-style amenities (like an infinity rooftop pool, mini-cinema and full gym) and its own food and retail precincts. Kuma's lush, timber-clad 'stacked forest' design graces the main building's exterior, while striking interiors come courtesy of Takada. Other buildings in the precinct will feature work by Koichi Takada Architects and renowned local firm Silvester Fuller. [caption id="attachment_697212" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A render of the development's rooftop pool.[/caption] But more than just a showcase of some pretty impressive design talents, Mastery will also play host to its own Japanese-centric dining precinct, created under guidance from Japan's tourism board. The lineup's yet to be confirmed, though we're told to expect a diverse spread of culinary goodness — think, buzzy izakayas, upscale tea houses steeped in tradition, sushi trains, ramen joints and modern fine-diners alike. Crown Group has a proven knack for creating vibrant food and retail precincts to accompany their residential offerings, as seen at Parramatta's V by Crown Group, home to flashy new 26th-floor bar Nick and Nora's, and the soon-to-be-completed Arc by Crown Group in Sydney's CBD. Mastery by Crown Group is slated for completion by 2021. You'll find it at 48 O'Dea Avenue, Waterloo. Renders courtesy of Crown Group.
“Can you play 'Drunk in Love'?” is the question that keeps hounding 23-year-old Cole Carter (Zac Efron) when he DJs at nightclubs and parties. Sometimes he says no, and sometimes he finds a way to politely sidestep the request, but he's never really pleased about being asked. That obvious unhappiness stems from his main aim — not just to make it big doing what he loves but to do so with authenticity. Pressing play on the hot song of the moment isn't what he's into. Instead, Cole believes that he can have an impact on more than people's feet, and that all he needs is a laptop, some talent and one new track that resonates on the dance floor to see his dreams become a reality. With his fellow San Fernando Valley-dwelling friends Mason (Jonny Weston), Ollie (Shiloh Fernandez) and Squirrel (Alex Shaffer), he promotes parties, scrounges for gigs and tries to do just that. Working for a shady real estate mogul (Jon Bernthal) helps him make cash to keep afloat. Becoming friends with one of his idols, James (Wes Bentley), also assists in moving him in the right direction; however, falling for James's assistant and girlfriend, Sophie (Emily Ratajkowski), doesn't. Every generation — or every couple of years, really — a film comes along that makes an effort to reflect the teenage and twenty-something lifestyles of the day, touch upon their hopes and aspirations, and wrap it all into a heavily stylised, soundtrack-focused party movie. Prominently featuring the 2006 Justice vs Simian song that gives the feature its title, We Are Your Friends is the latest formulaic attempt, though it is founded upon good intentions. Mia Hansen-Love’s similarly themed Eden from earlier this year aside, a film about the electronic dance music scene might seem an unlikely candidate to provide a soul-searching look at forging a creative career and remaining true to yourself in the process, but that's what Catfish TV series co-host and cameraman turned first-time feature writer/director Max Joseph, with co-scribe Meaghan Oppenheimer, endeavour to do. Cole's struggle to find his sound and his way feels genuine, even if everything around it — distancing himself from his mates, the romantic subplot, a crisis of conscience and the incursion of tragedy — feels much too calculated and convenient in following the typical coming-of-age format. Efron, still toiling valiantly to parlay his High School Musical fame into meaty film roles, also comes across as earnest in an effort that is sleek and superficial otherwise. The underrated actor might always look the stereotypical part, complete with headphones hanging around his neck and the requisite shirtless scene, but he's the force that makes the story matter without ever really seeming like he's trying to. Alas, he is stranded in an overly flashy music video aesthetic that grates against any real sentiments the film attempts to conjure — large text on screen, an overuse of slow motion and ample shots of pretty young things included. Indeed, the disconnect between the film's emotion and its method of delivery just can't be shaken, nor can its template, even if the pulsating beat tries to offer a distraction.
For many of us, ‘fashion sale’ evokes uninviting images of messy bins and racks overflowing with last season’s rejects. Fortunately for us bargain-hunting fashion fanatics, The Big Fashion Sale is back this week. Break open your piggy banks and head to BJB Studios, where you’ll find precious pieces from top Aussie fashion and jewellery collections, up to 80 percent off. Plump up your wardrobe with treasures from Konstantina Mittas, Arnsdorf, Marnie Skillings, Ellery, Dress Up, Nathan Smith, Rittenhouse, Maise, Elke Kramer, Shakuhachi, Shona Joy, Toby Jones Jewellery and many more. Some of Sydney’s most fashionable creatives will also be selling cherished items from their own collections of vintage. Sugary treats included, and you can register online for access to the VIP preview the night before the doors open.
As a prodigy of sorts, with his work One and Three Chairs in 1965, Kosuth began a career of questioning the nature of art. He and his peers (the conceptual artists) championed not the formalist aesthetics and craftsmanship of the previous decades, but the notion that the idea behind a work was to be revered. Throughout Europe and North America, Kosuth’s work has served in a series of retrospectives; now, in his first solo show in Australia (may I say, a few decades late), Kosuth will occupy both Anna Schwartz’s gallery space and the cavernous halls of CarriageWorks. The works exhibited serve as a dialogue between the evolutionary theories of Charles Darwin and the survival-of-the fittest perversion of those theories by Friedrich Nietzsche. Darwin’s tree-of-life sketch’s logical conclusion is found in Nietzsche’s famous adage, “creating — as selecting and finishing the selected”. Despite your knowledge of Kosuth, Darwin, or Nietzsche, the cold white neon lights against the pale grey gallery walls will strike you; these are enlightenment thoughts, real light bulb moments.
Patrick Wolf doesn't bite. Hard. When he does, you'll find it very hard to bring yourself away from the multi-talented muso, especially when at one of his shows gig you'll get more glitter, spandex and garishly glam costumes than at a Britney concert. In Sydney to play music from his latest album, The Bachelor, the British Wolf and his Bowie-esque stylings are matched by an etheral voice and plenty of originality to inspire you to more lupine behaviour.
Iggy Pop has been hitting the stage — mostly topless — for nigh on 50 years, both as the frontman of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Stooges and as a solo artist. Now, the 'Godfather of Punk' is heading back to Australia in April, 2019. As well as his debut performance at the Sydney Opera House, Iggy Pop will be performing at Melbourne's Festival Hall and at Byron Bay's Bluesfest — where he'll take to the stage alongside the likes of Paul Kelly, Hozier, Jack Johnson and Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals. Iggy Pop may be almost 72 (his birthday on the night of the Melbourne show), but his shows aren't getting any less raucous. And the legendary singer only two years ago released his 17th solo album, Post Pop Depression. If you are, in any way, doubting his virility, please watch this video of Iggy performing 'The Passenger' at London's Royal Albert Hall in 2016. Yep, still shirtless. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9srgtTTVwk IGGY POP 2019 DATES Sydney — Sydney Opera House, April 15 and 17 Byron Bay — Bluesfest, April 19 Melbourne — Festival Hall, April 21 Bluesfest tickets are on sale now. Melbourne and Sydney pre-sale tickets will be released at 12pm on Wednesday, December 12, with general sale following at 12pm on Friday, December 14. Sydney Opera House shows can be purchased here and Melbourne shows through the Bluesfest Touring website. Image: Ross Halfin.
It has been over 80 years since The Threepenny Opera premiered in Berlin, and as the murderous deviant Macheath — or Mack the Knife as he's known on the streets — might drawl, it's been staged in a lot of dives since. Now it's carving up a new season at the cavernous Sydney Theatre, where Mack's 19th-century underworld has been updated to Cabramatta, Chippendale and the Cross. The production opens with a spotlit noose slowly rising out of view, making it clear from the start that the amoral antihero will wind up in the gallows. But Mack will sing before he swings, and ricochet wildly between the whorehouse and the jailhouse. It's not such a bad life for a good-time gangster in a world where thugs, whores, beggars, ladies and lawmakers are all motivated by the same carnal needs and primal instincts. Michael Kantor's adaptation of The Threepenny Opera works so well because he plays on our 21st-century tendency to glamorise criminals and clamour compulsively over shows like Underbelly and The Sopranos. Written by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill in 1928 and nominally set in Dickensian London, it's the story of how Mack the Knife challenges the supremacy of the perfidious Peachum, the Beggar King, and his empire of arrant exploitation when he woos Peachum's prized daughter, Polly. The pugilistic cast of thieves, whores and pimps proceed to either screw or screw over Mack — or both — during the gangster's downward spiral of doomed hedonism. The play is equal parts political satire, social parody and poetic balladry. Mack's charisma is rooted in his roguery, and Kantor links his gutter glory to the glamorised villainy of celebrity criminals today. His production takes place within a giant boxing ring, complete with preening ring-girl, boxing bell and song placards which put into practice the Brechtian principle that every scene must be a play onto itself. Kantor slits open Sydney's well-documented history of corruption and vice with specific references to Sydney's seedier suburbs that are guaranteed to make any harboursider squirm. Peppering his production with references to real-life public figures and present-day political scandals does seem like a cheap, almost tabloid, trick at times, but for the most part Kantor succeeds impressively in re-setting this sordid story. Mack’s society, like today's, has been constructed by excess, lust and hyper-consumption; the consequences of our social pretensions are served up on a blood-reddened stage. The play's blackly savage ballads dramatise the shameful but undeniable appeal of Mack, the bourgeois bogeyman whose rampant narcissism reflects our own. The primary purpose of Brecht's theatre of alienation was to achieve political change through social satire and dramatic exposure of corruption, and The Threepenny Opera resonates powerfully at a time when corruption and vice is still rife. It's cutting-edge theatre — in every sense.
Dubbed an “Australian To Kill a Mockingbird†by The Monthly and a “deeply thoughtful, remarkably funny and playful … gloriously Australian book,†at Readings Monthly, it seems Craig Silvey’s Jasper Jones has not only filled the boots leftover from his lauded debut Rhubarb (2004), he’s upgraded to a brand new shiny pair.Hailing from the black swan state, in Jasper Jones it’s the outsider - the one unlike the others - who gets a look in, whether that be a ‘half-caste’ (Jasper Jones) or a thinker (the daydreaming protagonist, Charlie Bucktin). A coming-of-age novel in more ways than one, this is definitely a young Australian writer to watch, either in person at one of Ashfield Library’s Authors’ Talks, or right here. Otherwise, buy the book at all good bookstores, and judge that Harper Lee comparison for yourself.
Located inside an old brewery, Vine Providore is the perfect antidote to commercial bottle shops that populate the inner west nowadays. The stock is especially hand-selected sourcing labels from across the nation's and the worlds' best wine regions. All budgets are catered for — from just a few gold coins to big-spender status. Staff are knowledgeable and passionate, keen to guide customers to the perfect pairing. They are also apt at hunting down rare and hard-to-find labels. If you're all about discovering new drops, Vine holds regular beer and wine tastings on Friday and Saturday nights featuring some new and lesser-known favourites. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
It isn't called the big screen for nothing — and, when you head to the pictures, that's typically what you spend a couple of hours peering at. But you won't just be staring at a giant rectangle at Wonderdome, Sydney's new pop-up cinema experience. In a blend of film, music and art that takes its cues from planetariums, you'll be sat in a dome watching movies that've been specifically designed to take up the whole 360-degree space that's towering above you. When Wonderdome hits Entertainment Quarter between Saturday, December 4–Sunday, January 30, it'll offer Australia's largest-ever 360-degree projection cinema. The structure itself is a geodesic steel dome that spans 21 metres in diameter, and is filled with multiple projectors, as well as a 7.2 surround sound system. To watch, you'll recline on throne-style beanbags and stare up at the movie. Given that the projection sprawls all around you, it's been likened to virtual reality — but without the goggles. The 22-film lineup includes the dazzling Coral Rekindling Venus, which sees Emmy Award-wining Australian filmmaker Lynette Wallworth focus on fluorescent coral reefs, bioluminescent sea creatures and rare marine life; National Geographic's David Attenborough-narrated Flying Monsters, about flying dinosaurs; the climate-focused Dynamic Earth, which benefits from Liam Neeson's vocal work; and Carriberrie, which focuses on Indigenous Australian dance and song. Fulldome cinema is also known for its psychedelic and eye-popping visual displays, which is where Samskara, from artist Android Jones, comes in — plus Labyrinth, which is filled with squares, streets, passages, corridors and rooms; and Luminokaya, which lets you explore Cambodian temple complex Angkor Wat. Snacks-wise, you'll be able to grab something to eat and drink either before or after each Wonderdome session, with the menu including jaffles, chips, slushies, chocolates and ice creams. Plus, there'll be a gin bar, as well as a lineup of craft beers. Wonderdome's Entertainment Quarter season will also accept New South Wales' Dine & Discover vouchers, if you have some left — or you're eager to get your hands on more when two extra vouchers become available for NSW residents over the age of 18 sometime this summer. Tickets go on sale from 11am AEST on Wednesday, November 17 via the Wonderdome website.
Paddington's charming new South Dowling Street trattoria Zafferano has a lot of history. It originally opened as a café last year, before relaunching as a spot for afternoon drinks, long weekend lunches and hearty Sicilian dinners — but its history stretches far beyond that. The venue acts as a spiritual sibling and tribute to Trattoria Francu U' Piscaturi, a seafood restaurant that Head Chef Simone Crivello's father has been operating out of Capo Zafferano in Sicily since the 1970s. Crivello and his partner Isobel Galloway bring this long connection to Sicilian cuisine to the bustling Paddington street, offering diners a laidback slice of the Mediterranean within the hustle and bustle of Sydney's inner-city. "South Dowling Street has no shortage of iconic brunch and lunch options, from South Dowling Sandwiches to Bootsdarling and the Organic Bread Bar," said Crivello. "Bella and I spend a lot of time talking to our diners, the one thing we kept hearing was how desperately the street needed a Trattoria, for lingering afternoon drinks, turned cheerful evenings with friends and food." Crivello and Galloway have compiled a purposefully reserved menu based around Sicilian wine, staples from Capo Zadderano, fresh produce and minimal waste. The sfincione — Sicily's version of a pizza — emerges from the oven thick and fluffy, the pasta is topped with a mountain of parmesan and the risotto marinara is packed with mussels, clams, cuttlefish, prawns and crab. The latter is a recipe passed down from Francesco, Crivello's father, and has been on the menu at Trattoria Francu U' Piscaturi for 50 years. The final touch of Sicily is the fit-out, styled by ex-fashion designer Stephen Galloway, Isobel's father. The restaurant features a forest green and marble design, adorned with clay Testa di Moro heads, a signature of Sicily. And, on the walls, you'll find photos from Trattoria Francu U' Piscaturi and from the town's best fishing spots. Zafferano Trattoria Mediterranea is located at 354 South Dowling Street, Paddington. It's open 5–10pm Wednesday–Friday and midday–10pm Saturday–Sunday.
Whether you're looking for something to eat or drink after a hectic day at the office, you're keen on doing a spot of after-work browsing and buying, you might want to mosey along to Mosman's OctoberFeast Night Market. Running from 4.30–9pm on Thursday, October 24 and taking place at Mosman Square and Village Green, it's the latest night market put on by Mosman Council — who also host similar events at Easter, Christmas and in the middle of winter. On the agenda: international cuisine, spanning Nepalese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Turkish and Dutch fare; a licensed area serving up tipples; plus stalls selling artisan wares. Tastings will be on offer — or you can grab a bite and a drink, then shop for clothes, jewellery, homewares and other handcrafted goods, all while listening to live tunes and wandering through a fairy-lit space. Entry is free, with the market forming part of the biennial Festival of Mosman, which runs from October 18–27.
When Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi invited the world to experience the vampire sharehouse mockumentary genre, one of the best comedies of the decade wasn't the only result. Every film seems to spawn sequels, remakes, spinoffs and the like these days, but no one's complaining about spending more time in the What We Do in the Shadows universe. A follow-up, We're Wolves, is in the works, focusing on the undead bloodsuckers' Rhys Darby-led lycanthrope enemies. And television spinoff Wellington Paranormal, following the movie's cops (Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary) as they keep investigating the supernatural, debuted its first season last year and has a second season in the works. Add a US TV remake of the original flick to the pile as well, but withhold any "do we really need a remake?" judgement. First revealed by Waititi in 2017, given a pilot order earlier in 2018 and now set to air a ten-episode first season in the US this March, the American version has been written by Clement and directed by Waititi, The Hollywood Reporter notes — and sees a documentary crew follow three vampire flatmates living in New York City, according to Variety. The series stars Toast of London's Matt Berry, Four Lions' Kayvan Novak, British stand-up comedian Natasia Demetriou and The Magicians' Harvey Guillen. It's unknown whether Clement and Waititi will reprise their on-screen roles in a guest capacity, but Australian viewers will get to see the series — according to ads aired frequently during Foxtel's Golden Globes broadcast this week, the show is headed to the pay TV network's Fox Showcase channel at a yet-to-be-revealed date. Two very brief teasers were released late in 2018, and another has just dropped — and while it's still very short, it does give viewers a look at the whole main gang: https://twitter.com/theshadowsfx/status/1083072161051541504 With What We Do in the Shadows actually starting its life as a short back in 2005, the concept of flatting members of the undead arguing about bloody dishes has taken quite the journey since those early beginnings. If any idea was going to come back in multiple guises, it's this one. Of course, so have Clement and Waititi. Clement's latest Flight of the Conchords TV special aired late last year, while Waititi two post-Thor: Ragnarok flicks in the works — a stop-motion animated effort called Bubbles, about Michael Jackson's chimp, and another by the name of Jojo Rabbit, set during World War II and starring Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell. Via The Hollywood Reporter / Variety. Image: Kane Skennar.
Kryptonite gives exactly what it promises: an insight into Australia-China relations through the lens of an Aussie-guy-meets-Chinese-girl love story spanning 25 years. The new Australian play, by Sue Smith, creates a universe with population two. Lian and Dylan (craftfully brought to life by Ursula Mills and Tim Walter) begin the play as two nameless, suit-wearing figures. Yet, after 90 minutes’ time travel through their turbulent history — their triumphs and tragedies — we are heavily invested in their intersecting lives and cultures. The plot zooms back and forth in time, unravelling cultural complexities between Lian and Dylan and the larger relationship they stand for: China and Australia. The jump between eras in Australian history, politics and fashion is fun. Walter endears Dylan to us, in board shorts and thongs in a university tutorial in 1989. He is free-spirited, loveable, with aspirations of activism (hindered only by his own white privilege). He inevitably has to exchange his university soapbox for the all-consuming bureaucracy and doublespeak of politics, compromising his freedom and family along the way. Mills conveys Lian’s situation as an impoverished international student who still has unshakeable personal and national pride. Her hilarious one-liners are successful due to her obliviousness while being (mis)interpreted. The audience sometimes laughs at her pronunciation, sometimes her mindset, but is equally entranced by poetic revelations like “these clouds are the souls of seven billion ancestors”. Lian as ‘other’ permits entry into Chinese cultural values, which for many Westerners (like Dylan) are “a total mystery”. We can see some way past the stereotype of a diligent student with no social life to realise she “thinks like her country” and wants desperately to achieve success. At the same time, she is being emotionally torn apart by the increasing brutality of the totalitarian regime back home. Excepting one slightly clunky sex sequence, this two-hander is captivating and well-directed by Geordie Brookman. The set is a marvel: vertical panels first appear as thin walls of shale but later become sandstone or crumpled paper, depending on Nicholas Rayment’s lighting. It’s wonderful to behold the set’s constant expansion and contraction, from stadiums to cockpits. Kryptonite is a modern, multicultural Australian story. We all move away from our ideals with age, ambition and complacence, but in the case of Lian and Dylan, that drift comes with very compelling consequences.
Summer arvos call for cocktail-sipping in the open air, and one of the best tipples to enjoy al fresco-style is the Aperol spritz. The drink whisks you away to the Italian coastline and makes any sunny day just that little bit brighter. Merivale knows this all too well so it's launched Aperol Afternoons, a decadent deal that's available at some of its best outdoor venues across the sunny season. From 4–6pm each day, your group can relax and enjoy Aperol spritzes — and if three of you order this delicious tipple, you'll only pay for two. Paying for a round is sounding a little more appealing now, right? To take advantage of this special sundowner offer, head to the lush Coogee Pavilion Rooftop until Wednesday, February 6. After that, Aperol Afternoons will be making stops at The Newport's expansive beachside deck from Friday, February 8—Friday, March 6 and the Ivy Pool Club's sky-high oasis from Friday, March 8–Sunday, March 31. For more information on the deal and venues, visit the Merivale website.
Josh Niland has had a busy few years. He opened his new Fish Butchery takeaway eatery in Waterloo, and announced that he will be taking over The Grand National Hotel while moving his signature restaurant Saint Peter into the space. Plus, he was named in the world's top 100 best chefs, won the James Beard Book of the Year Award and was listed among the world's 50 best next-generation hospitality leaders. If all this wasn't enough, he's still got time to do adventurous pop-ups around Sydney. His latest is a collaboration with Scotch whisky brand Talisker. Across two days in October, Niland will be heading up a culinary pop-up at a picturesque view-heavy North Head boathouse that is being erected at the Q Station in Manly. The Taste of Talisker series will take two forms across the two days — and the first will see Niland pull together a three-course meal paired with selections of whisky from 5.30pm on Friday, October 21. [caption id="attachment_870812" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Talisker and Saint Peter pop-up.[/caption] On this exclusive menu, you'll find four must-try dishes for any seafood enthusiast. Things will kick off with salt and vinegar garfish bathing in its own oil with Kamut sourdough for dipping and yoghurt-cultured butter. Form there, you'll be served coal-fried calamari cut into thin pasta-like pieces and paired with yellowfin tuna salami and a chilli oil — all combining to create a seafood dish reminiscent of a next-level spag bol. The headline dish is whole butterflied King George whiting complimented with a finger lime and tapioca sauce that will burst in your mouth. Tickets for the dinner will set you back $202 per person and are limited. The next day, on Saturday, October 22, there will be a $100 guided whisky tasting experience at the pop-up, accompanied by a range of paired bar snacks from Saint Peter. The lineup of bites hasn't been announced yet, but they're sure to feature Niland's signature brand of sustainable seafood delights. "I wanted to capture the wild spirit of the sea paired with key aromas of Talisker — smoke, spice and a sense of sea salt spray in the morning after a storm," said Niland. "Years of maturation made by the sea has lent a full flavour to this bold dram and this menu celebrates Talisker's rich flavours while honouring the sea in a sustainable and ethical way." [caption id="attachment_870810" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Talisker and Saint Peter pop-up.[/caption]
Since their inception/germination/formulation in the misty, magical, musician-spawning Blue Mountains but four winters ago, Sister Jane have recorded all of their music on vintage equipment in the home studio of guitarist and producer Liam Judson (Belles Will Ring, Lovetones, Cloud Control). And so it goes — from vintage equipment to a vintage medium, to your very vintage tastes — this psychedelic, blues-inspired five piece is launching a limited edition 7-inch vinyl this Friday night at Ruby Rabbit. Not afraid to make full use of both sides, it includes not one but TWO new singles from this high energy, underground powerhouse of rock and roll.Had enough adjectives yet? I didn't think so. They have also been described by some dudes as having a "smooth, distinctive sound" and "windy guitar and hectic organ riffs". Seriously, can you think of a better way to congratulate yourself for surviving Friday the thirteenth than getting your hands on some classic vinyl and rocking out completely to hectic rock and roll organ riffs? I didn't think so.Sister Jane will be supported by The Messengers, a Melbourne outfit who will surround you with their glowing Melbourne-aura and make you feel good.
We often speak about “getting older and wiser†but are less likely to seek out the wealth of knowledge from our elders. So in celebration of the City of Sydney’s Older & Wiser Week, filmmaker Simon Dikkenberg is giving us the chance to do just that with his 30-minute documentary The Last Hundred Yards.Premiering 5:30pm this Friday in a free public screening on the green between the Turanga and Matavai housing commission towers in Waterloo, Dikkenberg is encouraging his audience to interact with his documentary’s setting. Drawing on the experiences of four Elders from the inner Western suburbs, this documentary seeks to display the dignity and determination of our older Australians, as well as their thoughts on imparting their wisdom. Exhibiting in conjunction with the screening is a series of portraits of the documentary’s elders by photographer Toby Burrows.The Last Hundred Yards: Promo from simon dikkenberg on Vimeo.
The imminent opening of the new Sydney Metro line has been hogging the public infrastructure spotlight of late, but there is another Sydney transport project also nearing completion that deserves to be on your radar. While the City and Southwest Metro line will connect Chatswood north of the harbour with Sydenham in the south, the new L4 Light Rail line will offer easier access between Westmead and Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD in the city's west. Since December 2023, testing has been taking place on the new light rail route to ensure all 16 stops on the 12-kilometre line and the systems that serve them are in good working order. Much like the tests currently being conducted on the Metro extension, the L4's final phase of assessments, which commenced on July 8, has been putting operators through their paces, with simulations of emergencies and unexpected disruptions to make sure no situation, no matter how challenging, is beyond the capabilities of light rail staff. A date for the start of public services is yet to be announced. "L4 will deliver more convenient and connected journeys for tens of thousands of people every day. This will make it easier for people to move between work, home, and key areas like the Westmead Health Precinct, Parramatta CBD and CommBank Stadium," NSW Premier Chris Minns said. "The people of Western Sydney deserve this kind of public transport — and these final tests mean it's looking like all systems go for the L4 in the coming months." The opening of the L4 line is just one of a number of transport initiatives being delivered in and around Parramatta that will make Western Sydney more connected. A second light rail line with 14 new stops connecting Ermington with Olympic Park via Parramatta was granted funding in the state's 2024/25 budget and the Western Sydney extension of the Metro is scheduled to reach completion by 2032. These infrastructure works are closely aligned with Parramatta's 25-year rejuvenation pathway. The Parramatta 2050 vision aims to transform Sydney's western CBD into a world-class cultural, educational and creative hub by the middle of the century. Job creation initiatives, investment in cultural institutions like Riverside Theatres and the soon-to-open Powerhouse Parramatta, support for live music and hospitality venues to revitalise the 24-hour economy, and the construction of a major new indoor arena where festivals, sporting events and marquee happenings can be staged are all part of the draft plans. The creation of a new university campus at Westmead will also better position Parramatta as a drawcard for international and domestic students. One of the more ambitious undertakings outlined in the Parramatta 2050 plans will establish five distinct zones around the city, each serving a different purpose. These will include a Health and Innovation District in Westmead and North Parramatta; a Headquarters District in the CBD as a hub for international investment and business; a Model City District around Camellia and Rosehill modelling green infrastructure and regenerative approaches to urban living; a Future Jobs District in Silverwater as a pathfinding enterprise for emergent industries; and a Celebration District at Sydney Olympic Park where major public events are held. Find more details about the new L4 Light Rail route on the Transport for NSW website. Images: Transport for NSW
Sydney's Bondiwood film festival started with a conversation, a hypothetical and a realisation. Could you make a movie just using folks from Bondi? If so, who would be involved? Also, what do their filmographies look like? When coming up with a list of people and pictures proved easy, this cinema celebration was born, putting the results of a friendly chat up on the big screen at Bondi Pavilion. From Thursday, September 26–Sunday, September 29, 2024, Bondiwood is getting the projectors whirring to showcase flicks with ties to this famous patch of the Harbour City. Some are internationally beloved, such as Chopper, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Bran Nue Dae. One, slasher film Cut, stars Kylie Minogue. And with Tanna, audiences can see the first Australian movie to be nominated for Best International Feature (then called Best Foreign-Language Film) at the Oscars. Also on the lineup: the Joel Edgerton (Dark Matter)-starring Wish You Were Here, the Ryan Kwanten (The Portrait)-led Red Hill, an event digging int Mad Max's origins with a video introduction from George Miller, 1982's Going Down in the closing-night slot, a Q&A with filmmakers Kieran Darcy-Smith (Wish You Were Here's director) and Nash Edgerton (Gringo) about making the leap from shorts to features, a showcase of surf films and more. Festivalgoers will hear from talents involved with the flicks on the program at every session — and other talks include filmmaking 101, guerilla shooting and key legals if you're going to make a movie, helping the next batch of Bondiwood names on their path.
Another show from Mike Parr will be unveiled in June at Anna Schwartz Gallery. This batch of mixed media works on canvas will stir up something that has been repressed. The title ‘Deep North’ has been intentionally left open, but Parr hopes to inspire thinking about Australia’s relationship — or arrangement — with Nauru and Manus Island. Does our political consciousness end at our borders? Does compassion carry across international waters? Parr has been making art for over 40 years now and is still experimenting with new forms of aesthetic and political engagement. He co-created Australia’s first ARI in the 1970s, pioneered performance art in Sydney and has an extensive list of international accolades.
No one celebrates their birthday just once in any given year, especially if you're hitting a big milestone. Where's the fun in that? Yes, that proves true of cinemas as well, including the Ritz in Randwick — which is marking 85 years of screening movies, movies and even more movies with not one but two huge retrospective programs. The first, called 85 Films in 85 Days, is already underway — and, as the name makes plain, it's showing a different film from each of the venue's 85 years on each and every day until mid-October. That's a hefty effort, but the cinema's Australia on Celluloid program has it beat, at least in terms of duration. [caption id="attachment_622123" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberly Low[/caption] Again, that title is descriptive. In this retro showcase — which runs from Saturday, July 30, 2022–Monday, July 24, 2023 — the Randwick picture palace is diving back into Aussie movie history, and also screening each and every flick on its list in glorious 35mm. So, you're getting a blast from the past in two ways: in what you're watching and via how it's being shown. The program is filled with gems, unsurprisingly, kicking off with 1978's Newsfront — which is set in the 1940s, and follows two Cinetone newsreel company employees (Bill Hunter and Chris Haywood) covering news stories in the days before TV. Also on the list: the original Storm Boy, Aussie war dramas such as Gallipoli and Breaker Morant, and everything from They're a Weird Mob and The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith through to Love Serenade and The Last Days of Chez Nous, plus Jedda, Shame, Don's Party, The Man From Hong Kong and The Coca-Cola Kid as well. Almost every genre is covered — and if it's an Aussie film released between the 50s and the 90s, odds are it'll flicker across the Ritz's screens at some point during this lineup. Among the many highlights, expect to see plenty of Aussie stars in their early days — including Bryan Brown in 1980's Stir, Noni Hazelhurst and Michael Caton in 1982's Monkey Grip, Colin Friels in 1986's Malcolm, Ben Mendelsohn and Claudia Karvan in 1990's The Big Steal, and Hugo Weaving and Russell Crowe in Proof the same year. Sessions run on Saturday afternoons weekly, with encores on Monday evenings. The Ritz's Australia on Celluloid program runs from Saturday, July 30, 2022–Monday, July 24, 2023. For more information or to book tickets, head to the cinema's website.
Art and design market The Finders Keepers is returning for its pre-Christmas iteration, bringing shoppers the latest and greatest from its stellar lineup of Australia's most creative makers. The Eora edition is hitting Moore Park for the second weekend in December, taking over Hordern Pavilion from Friday, December 8–Sunday, December 10. Joining the creatively charged stalls is a tasty range of food and beverage offerings — all the makings of a prime day to get out, have a chat with artists and support the local creative industry. At the core of Finders Keepers is a focus on helping you discover and connect with the next wave of independent and emerging artisans. So, you can expect to find everything from jewellery, fashion and ceramics to leather goods and body products. Pick up colourful picnic rugs from Peek Neek, add to your summer headwear with Declan Byrne's Fry Baby hats, elevate your home cooking with Ziggy's Wild Foods and nab some adorable ceramics from Shelby Sherritt. While you shop you can also snack on food from Yulli's, Brooklyn Boy Bagels, Agape Organics, Emmys Gozleme, Sonoma Bakery and Merry Pops. Plus, there will be free coffee from Allpress Espresso, DJs soundtracking the weekend and a bar, so that you can browse with a drink in your hand. Images: Samee Lapham.
There's a new mistress commanding King Street and she's serving up hearty southern fare that'll warm the deep south of your soul. Step off Missenden Road in Newtown and be transported to a pseudo-Louisiana where Miss Peaches and her Soul Food Kitchen are waiting. The spacious brick bar has old-school Southern charm with plenty of comfy booths, a balcony overlooking the hustle and bustle of King Street below, plus a blues-infused vinyl collection to get any feet dancing. The menu is the antithesis of all diets and not for the faint of heart. Think cornbread sliders filled with deep-fried mac and cheese, chicken or beef short rib (3 for $18), crispy tater tots with maple bacon ketchup ($8) or flaky crawfish pies ($12). The blackened fish ($15) is spiced up nice and jerky and a real standout of the menu. If you're in need for a full feed, however, get a big ol' bowl of okra jambalaya ($16), a traditional Southern spiced rice and vegie dish. Win dinner for you and a friend at Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen — we have one $100 voucher to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
There's a crumbling, dinky old pub on Parramatta Road that you've probably driven past a hundred times. It's not on a corner, it's not particularly flash, and it's wedged between Ray's Outdoors and Istanbul on Broadway. But, as of midday today, Thursday, November 10, it's going to be Camperdown residents' new go-to local — the lord mayor of Chippendale's The Lord Gladstone has revamped one of the suburb's legitimately hidden gems: The Hampshire. Playing partner pub to the Lord Gladstone, the Lady Hampshire (get it?) is the latest project from prolific Sydney publican Paddy Coughlan. Co-founder and ex-CEO of the Riversdale Group (The Vic on the Park, The Marly, Kinselas) and now founder of boutique Sydney pub company Bourke Street (The Glad), Paddy specialises in taking an underperforming pub and giving it new life, rather than building a brand newie. This time, it's Camperdown's long lost Hampshire, which has sat quietly closed for two years on Parramatta Road. "I knew this pub was here, because I'd driven past it a hundred times and always wondered why it was closed," Paddy told us back in September. "I could see what was happening in Camperdown — to me Camperdown feels like Newtown now, whereas when I was growing up, Camperdown was a bit of a No Man's Land — it was like a thoroughfare to get to the city." Paddy tracked down the Hampshire's owner and snapped the pub up. The biggest win? No one, especially the public, had looked at the pub for years. "Often times, ironically, it's easier to take a really bad pub or a pub that's closed because you don't have that worry about protecting any existing trade. You can really just go in with a clean slate," he says. "When you take over a pub that's trading, you know, there's a certain amount of customers that you want to remain customers. You end up trying to please everyone and you can't." Design-wise, the Hampshire has undergone the same treatment as many of Paddy's pubs. "We just strip everything back and then try and find any features that are worth keeping." Bourke Street's a fan of the classic front bar and has kept the Hampshire's initial room as is, and the second room in the pub, which features two old fireplaces, will see Paddy bring some local street art to the space (and running the Glad and the Vic, he knows a Sydney street artist or two). "As all my mates are fucking sick of me talking about, I'm a big lover of graffiti and street art because I grew up with it." Out back, the Hampshire boasts a great openair beer garden, with a big screen primed for AFL grand finals and Rabbitohs matches — something pubs like The Vic have become known for. Alongside a custom smoker for smoked meats on the weekends, Paddy plans to lower the shed roof to create a hanging kitchen garden. Food-wise, the Hampshire will follow the lead of its predecessors, with classic pub grub done bloody well. Paddy's looking at featuring the Gladstone's signature schnitties and burgers on the menu — we suggested doing a Lady Burger a la Lord Burger, and we're claiming it if it ends up on the menu, Paddy. They'll go heavier on the tacos than the Gladstone, who feature three on the menu — Hampshire will feature possibly ten. But how will the Hampshire stand out in a renaissance of pub grub? "My theory on that, and I say this to all our managers, is you can go to most pubs in Sydney who have a pub-style menu, if you just read the menu they all read exactly the same — they've all got a schnitzel, a burger, a steak, a couple of other things right? But it's how it's cooked is the difference." His main piece of pub grub advice? "Beware the heart-shaped schnitzel... No two schnitties should look the same." Music lovers will be stoked to hear the Hampshire focus on live music, — Paddy's thinking Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. Hopefully neighbours don't treat the Hampshire the same way they treated the Annandale Hotel, right up Parramatta Road. Importantly, Camperdown's outside the lockout zone, something that can't be ignored when you're opening a new pub in Sydney with a focus on live music. "Sydney's in a weird time at the moment, socially, I think, you know, this whole lockout thing, with the State Government that we have," he says. "I really think we'll be looking back in ten years time and go, "Jesus, what the fuck was going on then? How did we let this government change the city culturally? I think it's a shame. But I think as a city we'll regenerate ourselves." "I think there is so much unintended consequence from it, which happens when a decision's made in a kneejerk way, without being thought through ... But I think that makes it more important for venues to support art and support music, to give creative people an outlet, give them spaces to use, give them places to come and perform and just to hang out late at night." The Lady Hampshire will open at noon on Thursday, November 10 at 91 Parramatta Road, Camperdown. For more info, visit their Facebook page. Images: Steven Woodburn.
If you want to add some cuddles to your morning workout routine, make tracks to Centennial Park tomorrow morning for Pups and Pilates. BYO doggo (or cosy up to someone else's) and enjoy a 45-minute pilates class that is sure to start your day off with a big dose of endorphins. The class is hosted by PatchPets, a new social app that allows you to connect with other dog owners and lovers, and acts as a directory of all the dog services, venues and happenings around town. The sessions will run at 8am, 9am, 10am and 11am on Thursday, November 7. The class is free with an Eventbrite bookings and there are still spots left in each — so take your pick and nab a spot while you can.
If there's one job that Carriageworks is supremely good at, it's providing the dream setting for humongous artworks. So, it comes as no surprise that legendary Torres Strait Islander artist Ken Thaiday Snr has deemed the Darlington space suitable for housing his biggest installation in Sydney. Ever. And he'll be unveiling it, as well as launching a new series of accompanying dance works, on October 3. The hotly-anticipated creation is inspired by the landscape Thaiday calls home, as well as by the significance of family, faith and culture. Combining installation, kinetic sculpture and dance, the work provides a meeting place for the traditional and the contemporary. At its heart is an intricate sculpture, which is a monumental tribute to the Dhari — a type of headdress only worn in the Torres Strait. You'll be able to visit Thaiday's installation between October 3 and November 23. If you'd like to know more about it, head along to his artist talk, to be held on October 4.
Local Sydney footballers should start ringing around for their best Ronaldos; Nike is calling for teams of four to compete in a pop-up tournament through May. In temporary hubs set up throughout Sydney, Nike is harnessing the simmering World Cup buzz with a free football tournament dubbed Nike ‘Winner Stays’ Sydney, complete with live music and the chance to nab a spot in the final at Australian Technology Park in May. It's set up as a four-on-four throwdown and teams can register to take on fellow soccer-crazy Sydneysiders in various pop-up locations around Sydney. The Nike-sponsored tournament is open to all team types — mixed, female or male — and players just have to be 16 years and up to play. Players will have to front their mad skills at the Winners Stays qualifiers, to be staged around the city from May 2–17. You’ll be able to try out new Nike boots and make your own digital team badge, however Arsenaly/Hogwartsy a design you see fit. Based on your classic playground format, the matches will see a winner-stays setup wherein two teams of four battle it out until one team scores. If you let a goal in, your team loses a player, then next to score wins the game. The victors then roam around the field and take on the next team, and the bloodbath continues on a bunch of other courts. From the three qualifying tournaments — held in Ultimo, Homebush West and Caringbah (Central, West and South) — seven teams each will be picked to play at the final on May 24 at Australian Technology Park. This isn’t the first time Nike have erected a pop-up event in Sydney. The sneaker heavyweights collaborated with Boffswana, The Locals and Razor/US to create Nike’s first pop up store, Nine+, in Sydney for two weeks during the 2012 London Olympics. The store featured touch screen window displays and video installations throughout the space, again channeling the buzz of a globally watched event. Qualifiers: Central: May 2 – Ultimo Commuity Centre Rooftop @ 5pm Western: May 11 – Paddy’s Market, Homebush West @ 2pm Southern: May 17 – 5 Football Centre, Caringbah @ 5pm Registration is now open here throughout April.
2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, and what does that mean for us lay people? Besides a lot of unapologetic star-gazing, it means enjoying exhibitions like Beyond visibility: light and dust at UTS Gallery. Brought to you by astronomer/photographer David Malin, and artist Felicity Spear, this show features their work and that of Arnhem Land artist, Gulumbu Yunupingu. Malin’s impressive photographs show a side of the natural world untouchable but for technology; their exactness contrasts with the imagined mappings of constellations in Spear’s mural-sized paintings and the proliferation of stars in Yunupingu’s larrakitj (hollow funeral poles). Beyond visibility reminds us we’re all tiny, and we're all looking at the same sky. Image: David Malin, The Corona Australis reflection nebula, 2008, ink jet print. Courtesy of Anglos-Australian Observatory and David Malin images.
There is a growing trend in Australian music. I will call it the rising of the thinking-person's-singer-songwriter. Catchy, I know. I'm talking Blasko, Washington, Paul Dempsey's solo stuff, Holly Throsby, and then some bands like The Panics, Oh Mercy etc. Artists that aren't afraid to write soft rock, or smart folk with slick, yet quirky production. Whitley is one of these characters. People that know his tunes will attest to the fact that the 22 year old Melburnian is a great writer and an affable and charismatic performer. He debuted with 2007's Submarine — a lovely, introspective acoustic based album. He has made a great move and expanded his sonic approach on his new album Go Forth Find Mammoth, incorporating some electronic elements and diverse but simple instrumentation. The record is always pushing the melodies and arrangements, with lyrics right at the front. A great performer with some thicker, slightly more 'rocked up' songs, Whitley is sure to put on a great show at the OAF, which still retains some intimacy for a decent sized venue. The Brunettes and Deep Sea Arcade open.
The Chauvel’s Cinematheque may be the closest thing we’ll ever come to an ideal world. Germany and France border the USA harmoniously. Black, white and colour receive equal treatment. Comedy follows horror; romance follows tragedy. November starts off with seminal zombie film Night of the Living Dead (Nov 2), followed by a bit of drama and a lot of moral confusion in Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Chinese Roulette (Nov 9). A German country home is the perfect setting for total manipulation of six adults at the hands of disabled, doll-obsessed teenager Angela (Andrew Schober). Yes, dark. However, Angela's ability to trick those around her begins to seem more like a necessary evil as the power structures between the guests shift, and the line between destructive and self-destructive becomes all the more blurred.Like any good universe, Cinematheque is diverse and ever-changing so be sure to check the program regularly for updates.Previously at Cinematheque:October in the curated utopia means an Andy Warhol triple (trust the man to do it in threes not twos). First up is1976’s Lonesome Cowboys, a parody of the Western genre, starring Joe Dallesandro and Viva Superstar. This Warhol-produced, Paul Morrissey-directed film is all transvestite sheriffs and suicide pacts, but if you don’t mind a bit of onscreen rape before dinner time (what?) then it’s all smooth sailing in Warhol’s West. Following that is a double-header of 1963’s The Kiss and 1965’s My Hustler. The Kiss was originally made as a series of shorts, and without spoiling the plot line we will say that if the title doesn’t appeal to you then the film itself definitely won’t. My Hustler is a little more high-concept and captures, in intimate detail, the psychological nuances of the seduction of a call-boy by an older man.What with the Doppelganger Festival also going on down the road, you’ll probably be all Andy-d out by at this point, so take the edge off with The Tin Drum. Based on Gunter Grass’s novel, which is recognized as a key work in German literature after WWII, the 1979 film follows young Oskar, living in the Free City of Danzig in 1925. Appalled by the behaviour of the adults around him, he decides to never grow up – opting instead to witness history from the perspective of a child.Image: Chinese Roulette
Stripping off and posing for the camera proved to be an intimate and contemplative moment for the models photographed by Emma Thomson in her series I want something special. When staring down the barrel of the truth-gun (the camera), naval-gazing musings are what sprang forth. Whether single men, young girls, couples or a friendly looking fellow named Ray, everyone admitted to wanting the same thing out of life: something special. Thomson’s portraits are joined by the work of three other artists at MOP Projects from Thursday November 5. Tom Polo will take over Gallery 1 with his wry commentary on the hyper competitiveness of contemporary culture in the painting series The 2009 B.E.S.T Contemporary Art Prize For Painting. Jai McKenzie will display her findings on the relationship between photomedia technology and light, space and time in her video work The Machine Stops. And last but not least, Harriet Body will collapse performance, video and painting in her work Mix Media. Image: Emma Thomson, Ray, 2009, Lambda print, 92cm x 73 cm
Darlingurst's newest bar is a paean to Johnny Fontane: crooner, film star and godson of Vito Corleone (better known as The Godfather). It's also Sydney's first home of the Chicagoan deep-dish pizza. "It's not quite a pie and not quite a pizza," says Thomas Derricott (founder, Catmosphere), who co-owns Johnny Fontane's with Andy Curtis (owner, The Bear Bar). "The ingredients of a pizza are crammed, upside-down, into a pie dish." For example, The Capone — an old-school recipe — is pizza crust layered over mozzarella cheese, meatballs, herbs and sauce. Head chef Cy Gwynne (ex-Longrain) has also come up with three versions of his own, including The Lucchese, with pesto-marinated chicken, and The Gambino, with marinated field mushroom, for veggos. Plus, there's a bunch of traditional Italian fare, such as arancini, pasta and antipasto. Meanwhile, Curtis's drinks list specialises in signature cocktails based on Italian spirits. Nonna's Lemon Pie is made up of Absolut Citron Vodka, crème de cacao white, vanilla and lemon syrups, shaken with lemon juice and egg white, while The Flamingo is amaretto, white chocolate liqueur, Massenez fraise, strawberry puree and crème freche, topped with grated Milky Bar. Also expect some creative takes on classics, such as a Negroni with tequila and lime. Don't turn up at Johnny Fontane's expecting to find all sorts of Godfather paraphernalia, though. This isn't a themed bar, but a re-imagining of the kind of shady joint that the 1940s Mafioso would've chosen as their hangout, splashed with hints of The Rat Pack and the Swing Era. The design was the work of Belinda Cendron, aka The Sourceress, who's styled for the Baxter Inn, Shady Pines and The Winery. "She has a kind of mad genius vibe about her," says Derricott. "She was great to work with." There are four distinct spaces. In The Rat Pack-inspired main bar, look out for CDs in place of coasters and a wooden horse's head in honour of that infamous bed scene. Walk through to the courtyard and "you're travelling back in time to Fontane's Sicilian heritage," Derricott says. "It's a garden, with vines, citrus trees and a terracotta palette." Upstairs is a gangster lounge, with dark, sleek furniture and mug shots of Mafia leaders, as well as a deck dedicated to cigar-smoking. "It's inspired by pre-revolutionary Cuba, with bright yellow walls and flowers," Derricott says. "On one side, there's a view of the city skyline and, on the other, a quintessential Darlinghurst alley way. The glamour of the city is contrasted with a gritty depiction of what it's like behind-the-scenes." Drop by in the early evening and you'll be drinking to mellow swing and Italian jazz. Come darkness, the soundtrack picks up pace, with lively swing, mixed with hip-hop from Jurassic Five, A Tribe Called Quest, Biggie Smalls and the like. Keep a look out for live gigs, too. Find Johnny Fontane's at 77 Stanley St, Darlinghurst. It's open Tuesday-Thursday, 4pm-midnight and Friday-Saturday, midday-midnight. Food is served until 11pm. For more information, visit their website.
Once upon a time there lived a man named Joe who was beloved Shire-wide for his milkshakes and hot dogs, served with a smile to hungry surfers fresh from the waters of Cronulla. Sadly Joe passed away, but his memory now lives on thanks to the team behind the Hamptons-style beachside bar and eatery Old Joe’s. You can still get a hot dog and milkshake, of course, but the former is much bigger and the latter 100 percent boozier. From the outside this place looks like everything it tries to be. Brought to life by Sydney-based interior designer Sibella Court, Old Joe’s is colourful and playful, and the huge space inside has been worked well. The main dining/dancing area is large, complete with table tennis, high tables, low tables, games machines for the kiddies (and drunk big kiddies) and a big bar right across the back. To your right (or right in front of you if you enter via the outside/smoking area), you’ll find a light and bright lounge area with nods to its namesake, like cute vintage sign reproductions and candy-striped awnings. Unfortunately, while it may look the part, for a Saturday afternoon it was practically deserted and the people-fuel needed to fire a bustling atmosphere was running on empty. Slightly surprising, as the location is killer and the aforementioned alcoholic milkshakes are decent. In fact, the cocktail menu is good in general. If you’re hankering for dairy, the Joe-J-Fox of vodka (interchangeable with bourbon), banana liqueur, chocolate liqueur, Milo, caramel, regular fruity banana and milk is as tasty as it sounds. But if you like your cocktails sans cow, the Breakfast with Nonna is fresh; sharp; filled with gin, Aperol, maraschino, pink grapefruit, a squeeze of lime; and served in its own dark-glass, apothecary-style bottle. On the food front, it seems the menu has gone through a few transformations since opening, beginning as a one-page American-style selection of dishes ideal pre-binge drinking. It now has a few more modern Australian dishes, most likely to appeal to a wider audience. The Mexican plate to share was generous and the burger was big, juicy and actually really quite delicious. The hot dog, Old Joe’s signature dish, while very large, was just a Frankfurter in a bun, smothered in mustard: a great belly filler but nothing special. As a dining destination, you’ll find somewhere better than Old Joe’s; however, as a beachside bar this place is actually a pretty cool addition to Cronulla’s nightlife. If its Facebook pics are anything to go by, Old Joe’s is already attracting a big crowd come the weekend and if you’re in the area, you should probably go.
It's time to start building your Sydney WorldPride 2023 itinerary — and here's the perfect way to break up back-to-back nights of partying. Co-presented by Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, this huge exhibition is taking over the Art Gallery of NSW and its new extension with a jam-packed lineup of art, performances, film, and more. Queer Art After Hours will take place on Wednesday, February 22 from 5pm-10pm, with a focus on celebrating the queer artistic practice in all forms. Wander through the gallery and experience gorgeous creations from the likes of Bhenji Ra, Dennis Golding, Sione Tuivailaia Monū and Sidney McMahon. The stellar program also features live performances from artists-in-residence Blu Jay, Brian Fuata and Leo Teao. Tunes will be pumping with DJ sets from Baschoe, DJ Gemma and VJ Vaxxx — to name a few — alongside pop-up bars and a considerable amount of dining options. Some of the artists, performers and creatives taking part in the programming for Sydney WorldPride 2023 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. From left to right: Garden Reflexxx (Jennie Atherton and Andj Shannon), Al Joel, Leo Tsao, Sidney McMahon, Brian Fuata, Blu Jay, Sione Tuívailala Monū, Xuela, Kilimi Aketi Foketi, Joy Ng, Dennis Golding / © Art Gallery of NSW/ Photograph: Lexi Laphor. Looking for a touch of mystique? You're in the correct place. Mini tarot readings from Imbi will also be on the cards (no pun intended). Or you can pick between a Venus or Persephone reading by Angela Dix. Alternatively, if you're after an experience more physical than metaphysical, indulge your creative streak with a DIY nail salon, then make friendship bracelets in the jewellery workshop and have your portrait taken by Dorcas Tang 邓佳颖. You can also do a gallery tour led by a curator and immerse yourself fully within highlights of the exhibition and opt to check out the LGBTQIA+ Youth Space, which returns in full swing thanks to the Art Gallery's Youth Collective. And to top it all off, this event is free and requires no bookings. It'll be a night you won't want to miss.
While Messina's main jam is crafting supremely scoffable varieties of gelato, the brand's love of food extends far beyond the freezer — as it has proven through a series of pop-ups dubbed Messina Eats. Before the pandemic, the cult gelateria would team up with a savoury-focused culinary hero every couple of months, then throw a big ol' food party in the carpark at its Rosebery headquarters to celebrate the collaboration. After a year that's been lacking in many things, Messina Eats is finally making a comeback on Friday, April 16 and Saturday, April 17. For those two days, Messina is again teaming up with Melbourne Filipino barbecue masters Hoy Pinoy to create a meaty menu as mouthwatering as the gelato it will be served alongside. Hoy Pinoy's skewers are always a big hit at the Night Noodle Markets, so the team will be grilling some of those (both chicken and pork belly), along with Filipino spring rolls, vegan fries topped with charcoal grilled adobo eggplant, cups of grilled corn kernels with coconut and chilli, and steamed fried rice with green papaya pickle. On Friday, you'll be able to tuck into rolled lechón belly charcoal roast (pork belly rolled with adobo marinade, then roasted over charcoal and served with rice), too, while on Saturday your tastebuds can be tempted by the full lechón (lemongrass and pandan-filled whole pig roasted over charcoal). For dessert, Messina will be whipping up milo milo — which riffs on shaved milk ice dish halo halo, and combines layers of malt flan, choc-malt crumble, Jersey milk gelato, choc-malt ice and choc malt powder. To drink, there'll be a combination of sweetened coconut milk and pandan jellies, plus lemongrass iced tea. The whole thing will go down over Friday and Saturday in the carpark at Messina's Rosebery HQ. It'll be open from noon for lunch and dinner until sold out.
Serving cold hard drinks to all-comers since 1884, the Marrickville Tavern has undergone a sporting glow-up that embraces the community's immense history. Reimagined from top to bottom with recognisable iconography, the new fit-out leans heavily on local pride. If you know a thing or two about boxing, it won't take long to notice a full-scale mural celebrating Marrickville born-and-bred boxing royalty, Jeff Fenech. Nicknamed the 'Marrickville Mauler', Fenech was so thrilled with the piece created by artists Lara Allport and Miguel Gonzalez that he showed up to adorn it with his signature. Tracing his journey from local amateur to international champion, the mural is a fitting tribute to one of Marrickville's favourite sons. Meanwhile, the sports memorabilia goes further with an IBF World Championship belt signed by Kostya Tszyu, the 'Thunder From Down Under', hanging from the wall. Besides these accolades, the Marrickville Tavern has revamped the place with a full-size pool table beneath state-of-the-art LED screens with Bose sound systems and subwoofers. There are 10 screens spread throughout the venue, so expect loud sports round-the-clock. Of note, the venue champions female sports, with these matches displayed on the main screen whenever live. The menu has also been given a spruce up. For $16 throughout the week, guests can score a hearty pie like pepper steak or red wine lamb shank with a pint. Every Monday to Friday from 4-6pm brings $7 beer and house wines to get you ready for the big game, while Fridays and Saturdays from 9-11pm champion $15 post-match margs and negronis. For something a little fancier, a curated cocktail line-up features espresso martinis, an old fashioned and MT palomas. The Marrickville Tavern is open Monday–Saturday from 10am-4am and Sunday from 10am-10pm at 296 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville. Head to the website for more information. Images: Jessica Nash and Steven Woodburn.
School holidays signal reprieve from maths and spelling lists. A time when the heart-sinking feeling induced by ringing bells bringing playtime to a stop is put on hold for a few joyful weeks, replaced with days exclusively jam-packed with fun. At least for the kids. Although a break in the school-run routine is sure to be welcomed by any parent or caregiver, all those hours usually headlined by a teacher now have to be filled. Maybe you can't take work off, maybe you need a child-free day or maybe you just want to find an activity your mini will be sure to have a ball at — or in this case, throw a ball at. Sydney Olympic Park is playing host to a spectacular lineup of sporty activities for the winter school holidays. From Saturday, July 2 to Sunday, July 17, your school-aged children can run, kick, bounce and more at sporty sessions at the Quaycentre, Aquatic Centre and Archery Centre. Want to keep it watery? There's something for both the squad champions and the splash-and-players. The Swimming Intensive Program will see aquatic confidence and safety skyrocket, while the All-Day Holiday Recreational Program delivers just that: recreation, all day. And if your kids can swim 25m without assistance, they can skill up at a water polo or diving clinic. Over at the Archery Centre, there are bows and arrows for kids aged seven and up. For a rundown on all the basics — and a few thrilling shots — there's Young Archers; and for those slightly more experienced — and parents and grandparents, too — there's Sharp Shooters. Or, if lessons in any way, shape or form are being avoided, there's the opportunity to pick a team and go to battle on the outdoor field at a Laser Tag session. Can't decide? Sign up to two activities for a discounted combo session. Your child's NBA obsessed? Fill the basketball-shaped hole the NBA finals left in their heart with a MyHoops one- or two-day program run by NBL champion and former professional basketballer Bruce Bolden and his team. Paige Hadley, Australian Diamond and Sydney Swifts netballer, will have young sights set on becoming quick-footed WAs or deftly defensive GKs over the afternoon Captain's Class session. Meanwhile, Hot Shots keeps it up top with a full-day table tennis program. Indecisiveness rearing its head? Nab your kid a spot at the All-Day Multi Sports Camp. Any child between five and 12 can be dropped off at 8am for a rotating roster of activities, like gymnastics, soccer and basketball. Dedicated soccer and tennis programs — plus much more — join this offering, so whether your child is ultra competitive, a full-blown sports fanatic or simply likes to have a go, there's a fun-filled holiday program with their name on it at Sydney Olympic Park. Bookings are now open for the winter school holidays program at Sydney Olympic Park. Head to the website to check out the full lineup of activities and book your child a spot.
The MCA's Anna Davis has curated this survey exhibition of leading Australian artist Jenny Watson, which features works from the 1970s up to the present day ranging from her early realist drawings and paintings to several series of works on fabric. Evidencing Watson's naive, unaffected style, The Fabric of Fantasy showcases her special ability to blend autobiography and psychology with imagination, wit and deadpan delivery to explore her dreams and desires. Based in Brisbane but an avid traveller, Watson often incorporates textiles purloined during her adventures into the surface for several of her paintings — which could be anything from sequins to horsehair to magazines. Influenced by punk and the feminist movement, a significant part of Watson's work involves self-portraits or alter egos — think longhaired Alice in Wonderland-like figures in dresses, ballerinas, rock guitarists, plus the odd horse or cat — and often uses hand painted text alongside distilled imagery to bring to life an unusual interior world. Whether you're a fan or not, don't miss this chance to see over four decades of work from a truly fascinating conceptual painter. Image: Jenny Watson, 'The Pretty Face of Domesticity' (2014).
Located a stone's throw from Newtown and just down the road from the Vic on the Park, The Factory Theatre is one of Sydney's often under-appreciated live music establishments. The multi-space venue offers up stages of all different sizes for musicians and comics. Every Sunday, it takes full advantage of its openair courtyard with a series of free gigs titled Free-kin Weekends. For the month of February, The Factory has announced a program of four live music day parties featuring an array of local talents spanning a slew of genres. Kicking things off on Sunday, February 6 is a triple-header of fresh faces in the Sydney indie rock and pop scene staring Georgia June, Salarymen and Green Screen — the latter of which features members of the bands The Buoys and Baby Beef. Other exciting acts you'll find on the February lineup include punk rockers Crocodylus and Dick Dudley, reggae rockers Rum Jungle and the soothing sounds of Wollongong favourite Stevan. While audience members won't be able to sing or dance during February due to current NSW restrictions, you'll still be able to catch some live music, sample craft brews from the venues bar and grab a bite to eat at one of the courtyard's food trucks.
The quiet, leafy north shore suburb of Wahroonga has always been attractive, with its verdant, tree-lined streets and blossoming parks — but now it's even more appealing. The Butcher's Block is a sleek cafe that's serving the community an impressive breakfast and lunch six days a week. Formerly a butcher's shop for more than 70 years, its customers are now getting their wagyu beef on a brioche bun and flocking from all directions in order to get it. The team behind this popular noshery is father and son duo George and Anthony Karnasiotis. Together they've done a fine job in recreating the pre-existing business, albeit making it a smart and chic eatery this time. Black-and-white tiles line the walls right throughout the long space, opening up to the light-filled shaded terrace out the back, and meat hooks, knives and sharpeners are suspended from the wooden beams above — salutations to its history. Waiters' aprons are the classic blue-and-white stripes, and an original butcher's knife is wedged into the bathroom door to act as a handle (don't fret, it's wedged in quite well). In keeping with this butcher theme, the menu lends itself to good, hearty fare. The All Press coffee packs a punch (from $3) and a ruby sipper serendipiTea is a warming brew ($4.50). Young hearts will love the milkshake menu: suck down a snickers bar ($8) that's been whipped into a sweet, milky oblivion. Hungry breakfast patrons will either eye off the 'feel good' bircher ($12) or go all out for a butcher's feed, complete with black pudding, spicy sausage and bacon ($22). Brasserie bread is good but steps up a notch in our books once you spread it with Pepe Saya butter and jam ($6). Lunch time is when the place really heats up; despite it seating 80, expect to wait for a table if you've arrived on the weekend. Albeit the staff are deeply rueful for the inconvenience and kindly set up your cutlery and napkins after you've ordered — preparation perhaps for those who've ordered the wagyu beef burger ($20). The sizeable mountain oozes with smoky BBQ sauce— praise to the serviette. Same goes for the pumpkin risotto ($25) — wipe that truffle oil and Persian feta from your chin please. Salad lovers will rejoice: a zesty lemon dressing jazzes up a quinoa salad of pumpkin and tomato ($17) and the Butcher's chicken Caesar salad is utter egg yolk porn ($17). Our pick of the sandwiches ($10) is the smoked salmon and cream cheese — not your average high tea version, that's for sure. Don't forget to order a side of chunky chips ($8), crispy and golden — just how they're meant to be. If you've come either side of a mealtime, spoil yourself with the dark chocolate mousse with orange brulee ($9.90): a chocoholic's melting point. It might be further afield than your local favourite, but The Butcher's Block is worth a place at the top of your list — the mousse cake alone is worth the trip. Just make sure your companions are in a good mood. What with all those knives hanging about, it could get nasty. Is that why the staff were so friendly?
Winter is coming, as Game of Thrones has been telling us for years — and if the idea hasn't quite sunk in, the show's latest trailer is here to help. After announcing that the series would return in April for its final season with a very brief clip, HBO has dropped another short teaser. Expect snow and dragons, obviously. While we're still hanging out for a proper trailer, the latest sneak peek features the series' Dragonstone table map, aka a painted depiction of Westeros. Sadly, there's no footage from the new season — but there is enough icy intrigue to whet fans' appetites. After leaving everyone hanging for the entirety of 2018, Game of Thrones' eighth and final season will hit the small screen in April 2019, nearly two years after season seven premiered in July 2017. The US network hasn't announced an exact premiere date as yet, but even knowing which month to look forward to is good news. If you're eager to get your fix of the series' staples — that is, battles, bloodshed, betrayal, bare chests, family bickering, Jon Snow knowing nothing (including about his long-lost aunt) and plenty of dragons — then you can almost start counting down the days. Of course, we all know that this isn't really the end of the world created by author George RR Martin — and no, we're not talking about the now seven-year wait for his next book in the literary franchise, The Winds of Winter. A prequel TV series to Game of Thrones is in the works, set thousands of years before the events we've all be watching since 2011, with Naomi Watts set to star. Come next year, you'll also be able to tour original GoT filming locations in Northern Ireland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NspqGM0DbbQ Game of Thrones season eight will arrive on HBO in April, 2019.
