During winter, it's mighty tempting to rid your after-work agenda of anything that involves leaving your blanket fort. But this season, we're on a mission to make sure you make the most of the bonus nighttime hours, so we've teamed up with Samsung Galaxy S9 to bring you the After Dark Guide — a series dedicated to the best things to eat, see and do in Sydney when the sun goes down. To celebrate this partnership, we hosted the ultimate winter rooftop party and invited a bunch of you along to join in on the after-dark fun. The nighttime shindig at Sweethearts Rooftop featured an epic spread from The Platter Project and signature concoctions by the Sweethearts team. Throughout the night, DJ Nathan Zammit of the Recess duo provided tunes that made the dancefloor too irresistible to ignore. The fairy light-lined Sweethearts, with its skyline view, put the Samsung Galaxy S9's Super Low Light Camera to the test. Cole Bennetts (photographer for the Samsung x Concrete Playground campaign) was on-deck to share his knowledge on all things photography, helping our party-goers capture these epic moments for the chance to win their own Samsung Galaxy S9 and a restaurant voucher. All the evening antics were photographed by our guests, as seen in this gallery. Feeling inspired to get out and about this season? Check out our guide of the best things to do this winter after dark.
Dinner parties always seem like a good idea. But just thinking about the shopping, setting up, cooking and cleaning can be enough to drive you to drink, often at a pricey bar. Never fear, there are some easy tricks to hosting a cracker of a meal that is easy on the wallet and won’t test your sanity. As spring beckons urging us to act on our festive impulses, many of us will brave it. Let us present to you our tips for the time poor and culinary challenged in our bluffer’s guide to hosting the perfect dinner party. Setting Up Alfresco dining is always preferable. As George Michael will tell you, people just have more fun outside. And don’t worry if your backyard is wearing the wounds of less classy occasions. Do a quick sweep-up (no need to be too fussy) and fill the place with random objects, fairy lights and lots of candles – I like to stick them in old booze bottles. Imperfections, somehow, become charming in dim lighting. Light a fire. Cover the table in something black - it’s forgiving - and pour all the wine into carafes. It is an undeniable fact that wine tastes more expensive when poured from a carafe. Vases or glass containers of any description will work also. Once setup, get the tunes going. It’s important that your playlist is tailored to accompany the swim of lady alcohol through your guests. Regardless of your preferred genre, there is a formula I’ve found never fails. Start with something new, slowly move into some cult classics, finally, if the mood is right, get a little bit tragic. Entrée Save the unnecessary effort, and washing up, that comes with preparing individual dishes and simply throw a nice platter together. The key is to know where to pick up some good grub for picking. Thankfully the city is teeming with amazing delis. I swung by two of my favourites, Gourmet Grocer in Balmain and Delicado in McMahons point. The former a trusty fort of some of Sydney's best cheese and the latter my go to for all things authentic Spanish produce. Throw everything straight on the platter, no little dishes. And you need some bread. This is not the time for Wonder White, though. Sonoma bake some of Sydney's finest loaves and have shops spotted all over town. They also do some delicious spelt and kamut options, too. Rip it up and serve straight on the board with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic for dipping. Discarded jar lids come in handy. Set it beside the table and let the guests graze casually. Main course I opted for a vegetarian risotto. It’s cheap, easy and will keep your vegetarians and gluten haters at bay (you can hold out on the cheese if need be, but it seems lactose intolerance has become a bit passé). Any old Google recipe will do, just toss through your favourite bits and pieces and be sure to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Throw together a simple salad. Rocket, pear, walnut and parmesan is my go-to. The nightcap As the evening curtails, it is nice to introduce a new beverage. Boil some cheap plonk with oranges, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla (or whatever condiments you’ve got!) and voila! Mulled wine. I like to throw some rhubarb in also. And maybe a splash of port if it’s on hand. Whether the night evolves into a political debate or a living room dance-off, you’ve certainly set your guests up for a good one. Sit back, relax and bask in the host’s glory.
As Aussies gear up for a postal vote on same-sex marriage, the latest show of support for marriage equality is an especially vocal one, with some of the country's best-loved musical acts banding together for a one-off concert at Sydney's Enmore Theatre. On Tuesday, September 12, Unity will see a diverse bunch of Australian artists taking the stage in a push for equality and to demonstrate their support for the LGBTI+ community, all while throwing down some serious tunes. The Jezebels (who are currently in the middle of a week-long residency at The Lansdowne) will treat audiences to three new acoustic arrangements of their music, and rock-pop outfit Killing Heidi is set to drop by for a mini set. There'll also be intimate solos from the likes of Holly Throsby, Sarah Blasko, Jack Colwell and Andy Bull, as well as a performance from Frenzal Rhomb's Jay and Lindsay. The best part? They're all performing for free, so that 100 percent of the ticket sales head straight to Australian Marriage Equality to fund their continued coordination of the national Equality Campaign. Tickets are are $70 — buy yours to support the Equality Campaign's efforts and enjoy some great Aussie music.
Boy & Bear, the lovechild of Triple J Unearthed and Australia’s indie folk scene, will be showcasing their debut album Moonfire on their Remembering The Mexican Tour this month. Full of the uplifting choral harmonies and lyrical ballad-style rock exemplified on popular singles ‘Rabbit Song’ and ‘The Feeding Line’, the tour will be rolling into Sydney's State Theatre on the 29th and 30th May. Their debut album is named after a $2 DVD they watched on the road touring: A 1970's trucking saga also titled Moonfire. Although their cinematic taste is questionable, Boy & Bear’s music ability scores high: The boys have secured five ARIA awards and have entered Triple J’s hottest 100 three times, with single ‘Feeding Line’ reaching the top five. These Sydney-born-and-bred boys now look forward to a mammoth 25-date tour, dropping into every corner of the country from Adelaide to Albury, Brisbane to Bunbury and Cairns to Canberra. They will be supported by Tin Sparrow (Matt Corby’s support act for his recent Sydney stint at Oxford Art Factory) and Jungle Giants.
Stay tuned. More info on its way.
After the riots in London, people at the top are talking about life in the suburbs as though noticing them for the first time. Campbelltown Arts Centre was already putting together an exhibition on the theme of the outer city by the time angry feet hit the streets in Tottenham. The exhibition, 1.85 Million - Art Peripheries, looks at the same outer metropolises, but seems to ask instead What happens, when it seems quiet in the suburbs? The show is curated by Monster Childrener Joseph Allen Shea, who's also involved with another Gallery A.S. show attuned its surroundings, Motion / Pictures. Gary Trinh's Local Tourist tours everyday scenes: a hodge podge of trees with bald pates split for power lines, a storm drain canal, a red shopping trolley camouflaged against a red wall and an abandoned playground overgrown in greenery. Paul B Davis has hacked a series of 8-bit Nintendos. Projected from one, Mario stands in the centre of a black static field, lonely and unplayed. Across the darkened room, sky blue suburban rooftops scroll by, taxing the processor of the antique game box. Mohamed Bourouissa offers a series of photographs taken around Paris' banlieues, or outskirt ghettos. They show typical but staged scenes: a black man is held down in his home in his underwear by police, the police are fully clothed; two men glare at each other, in the background one of their friends snaps a photo with his phone. New Zealander Amanda Maxwell has painted wall-hugging pink vinyl squares that tell determined stories of lost and rejected loves plucked from her diary. 2011 Sydney Film Festival star, Miranda July offers two video works that radiate long days at home with the video recorder, Getting Stronger Every Day and Atlanta. The exhibition takes its name from the size of Western Sydney's growing population. And where riots and their denunciation bleed anger and confrontation, this 1.85 million know another side of suburbia — a world of no one watching, and long, long afternoons. Image by Gary Trinh.
Not only home to one of Sydney’s best weekly markets and the craft beer aficionados of The Little Guy and Mr Falcon's, Glebe showcases its eclectic bohemian culture on an annual basis at the beloved Glebe Street Fair. An unusual mix of belly dancers, bagpipers and stilted figures toting festively-dressed poodles, Sydney’s oldest street fair promises three stages of live music accompanied by buskers, street performers, and the Latin Dance Australia parade this year. The fair's entertainment will be paired with equally internationally-focused food options, like Hawaiian-style sushi, Mexican churros and German bangers. With 100 local businesses involved and over 200 stalls to choose from, all you'll need at this fair trade and homemade event is an empty stomach and your dancing shoes. Stalls for vintage eyewear, Turkish towels and terrifying t-shirts will stand alongside henna tattoo artists and glass blowers — you'll find something to blow your pocket money on.
Presenting the latest in cutting-edge new Australian writing, Batch Festival will hit Sydney this month for a second year. Griffin Theatre Company's exciting series offers audiences a chance to see some of Australia's most innovative emerging talent in action across two weeks of quirky, crazy and category-bending shows. Following on from the inaugural festival's success, the 2019 lineup features a fresh batch (see what we did there?) of storytellers, poets, comedic artists and non-traditional performances that'll be undoubtedly entertaining and provocative throughout. The showcase will run from Friday, April 26 to Saturday, May 11 at Kings Cross' SBW Stables Theatre. Some of the highlights include Tales of an Afronaut by Melbourne-based poet wāni Le Frère, which presents untold stories within the black/African diaspora through spoken word; the world premiere of James Elazzi's Lady Tabouli, a sharp commentary on queerness and culture; and the award-winning Lou Wall's Drag Race, which welcomes a brash evening by comedy superstar Lou Wall and Australia's most outrageous non-binary troupe Drag Royalty. There'll be multiple performances showing each day, so we recommend teeing up a couple that pique your interest and making a night of it. Meanwhile, local brewery Batch Brewing Company's craft drops will be available to enjoy between shows. Tickets to Batch Festival shows start at $20. For the full festival calendar and to book your tickets to this genre-defying showcase of Aussie theatre, head to the website.
Whether you went for work, leisure or something in-between, if you're a Sydneysider who recently travelled to Brisbane, you were probably happy to venture further than your own city. But, with the Queensland capital currently experiencing its second three-day lockdown for 2021, the New South Wales Government now requires anyone who has been in the Greater Brisbane area since Saturday, March 20 to also abide by the same conditions. Yes, you should be feeling a bit of deja vu. Exactly the same thing happened when Brisbane went into its first three-day lockdown for 2021 back in January. NSW isn't closing its border to Queensland, or to the Greater Brisbane area — but it has put a new isolation requirement in place for anyone in NSW who has been to Greater Brisbane, which includes the Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands local government areas, since the above date. As announced in a NSW Health public health alert released late on Monday, March 29, if you fall into that category, you're required to isolate under the same conditions that'd be in place if you were still in Greater Brisbane. The rules are the same as during NSW's March 2020 lockdown, which means that you're only allowed to leave the house for four reasons. So, you can only head out for work or education if you can't do that at home, for essential shopping, for exercise in your local area, and for health care or to provide support for a vulnerable person. Greater Brisbane's lockdown came into effect at 5pm yesterday, Monday, March 29, and runs through until 5pm on Thursday, April 1. The one exception to NSW's new requirement: if you just transited through Brisbane Airport. If that's the only time you spent in Greater Brisbane since Saturday, March 20, you don't have to abide by the Brisbane lockdown. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1376416282526949383 With domestic border rules changing over the past few days — including a new flurry of tightened requirements yesterday, once Greater Brisbane's second lockdown was announced — NSW Health is also advising people in the state against non-essential travel to the Greater Brisbane area at present. NSW has also issued a separate health alert regarding venues in Byron Bay, with two of Brisbane's current COVID-19 cases visiting the area between Friday, March 26–Sunday, March 28. As always, Sydneysiders are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that have been visited by positive coronavirus cases — and, if you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, to get tested immediately and self-isolate. You can also have a look at the venue alerts over at this new interactive map. And, even if you haven't been to a highlighted venue but you have even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms, you're asked to get tested as well. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
The Shins have announced two tour dates in Sydney and Melbourne for July 2012. The Portland-based band will be performing at Splendour In the Grass, plus they’ll be headlining a gig at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on July 25. Currently touring the US to celebrate the release of their fourth album Port of Morrow, The Shins will be supported by special guests Husky when they play at the Hordern, as well as at Festival Hall in Melbourne on July 23. Tickets go on sale here at 11am on Monday, April 30.
In Australia we are presented with images of Afghanistan almost daily. They’re usually images created with the intent to shock, giving only an outsider’s perspective on the country’s bleak dusty skylines and abject poverty. It’s no wonder, then, that the most striking images we see of war-torn places are ones of friendship, vitality and unguarded honesty. This is what we’re presented with in Kabul Kids, the result of a photography project undertaken by Sydney-based freelance photographer Palwesh Yusuf. In 2009 Yusuf enlisted a group of six orphan children aged between nine and 18 in a series of photography workshops, before handing them a camera with which to document their lives. What we get is an eye-opening, insiders’ glimpse into Kabul that is optimistic in its rawness. The photographs taken range from intimate, family album-like shots from the orphanage to captivating street scenes captured outside. With creativity as the only agenda being served, we see banana peddlers taking the time to enjoy a laugh rather than conforming to media-bred illusions of the hostile male. Artworks will be available for sale during the course of the exhibition, with all proceeds to be donated to Hope House Orphanage. The exhibition will open at China Heights gallery from Novmeber 18 - 20 and continue at ICE from November 25 - December 1.
It's a series about the squabbling children of a global media baron who, after their father's health takes an unexpected turn, start trying to position themselves as next in line to the empire. It's obviously set among the one percent, in lives of luxury and privilege that most folks will never know, too. But the idea that depiction doesn't equal endorsement is as rich in Succession as its always-bickering characters. Created by Peep Show's Jesse Armstrong — someone who knows more than a thing or two about black comedy — this Emmy, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Writers Guild and Directors Guild Award-winner is savagely witty, darkly biting and often laugh-out-loud funny about its chosen milieu. Succession also has one of the best casts currently on TV, and its stars keep picking up accolades and nominations that demonstrate just that. Brian Cox is as formidable as ever as family patriarch Logan Roy, but he's matched at every moment by Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin and Australian actor Sarah Snook as three of the four Roy children.
Attention flower children and psychedelic rockers: prepare to lose your minds. Perth-based rockers Pond are coming to Sydney to deliver you a night of hallucinogenic head banging. The group (who claim to have been ‘born under a mulberry tree in Danglish’) is part of the Western Australian rock scene home to the likes of Tame Impala, The Silents, and These Ship Wreks. Garnering attention from Stereogum and The New York Times, Pond shined on the stages at South by Southwest in 2012 with their tunes from Beard, Wives, Denim. Their fifth studio album, Hobo Rocket, was released at the end of the past winter, and ready to be performed live on their Australian tour this summer. Hear (and see) for yourself what the hype is all about; it’s sure to be a mind-numbing experience.
After the wild success of 2014's NYE PROM, Goodgod is back with an even shinier and more ecstatic take on New Year's Eve. The Small Club's twin princes — DJ Levins and Shantan Wantan Ichiban — have put together the soundtrack, inviting a bunch of their favourite rap and R&B artists along for the ride. Spend the last few hours of 2014 with Nacho Pop (aka Lord of the Dance), Leon Smith (King of the Bing) and the Laprats, as well as a handpicked selection of yet-to-be-announced special guests. Taking over both rooms, Goodgod's NYE will see Sydney's inner city party haven taken to the utmost heights of jiggy magnificence. The front bar is where you'll find old school R&B-inspired bumpin' and grindin', while the Danceteria will be reserved for the latest and greatest in rap hits. You're asked to dress according to the official code: "Shine bright like a diamond. Visions of ecstasy. Flashy whites. Shiny silver. Rich gold." Fine cigars and premium champagne will be handed out for best costumes and jiggiest dancers. And one deserving couple will win the much-coveted title of Mr and Mrs Jiggy Ball Queen 2014.
If you only get stranded on one island this year, be sure to make it this one. After the colossal success of their inaugural endeavour, Wine Island is returning to Sydney Harbour this November for another long weekend of fun, food and sweet, sweet wine. For those who missed out last time, Wine Island is more or less what it sounds like, in that it's an island where you drink a lot of wine. More specifically, it's a three day mini festival on Clark Island in Sydney Harbour, where you can spend your time knocking back glass after glass while feasting on mouth-watering cuisine. There's also be a range of activities to enjoy; last year we partook in cooking classes and treasure hunts. Yes, treasure hunts. No wonder we dubbed it the Best New Event of 2015. Wine Island 2016 is set to run from Friday, November 11 to Sunday, November 13, and they've just released some new deets about the festivities. A new addition will be the King Valley Prosecco Road, which will celebrate the Italian sparkling varietal from Victoria over Italian snacks and a game or two of bocce. Also new on the lineup will be Dessert Island, where you can sample some of Sydney's best sweets matched with dessert wines. You certainly won't go hungry, either. Noms will be provided by the much-anticipated Barangaroo vermouth bar Banksii that's set to open next month, along with Chur Burger, Oysters Unplugged and the Hunter Valley Cheese Factory. Tickets will go on sale to members (you can sign up here) on Monday, August 29 and to the general public on Thursday, September 1. General admission tickets ($95) include vintage ferry transport to and from the island with a glass of sparking on board, five wine tastings, masterclasses and your own wine glass. For the real fancypantses, the VIP package ($190) gives you all that plus a meal voucher, licence to sip away to your heart's content with unlimited tastings (not a challenge), and access to the Friday sessions. So get your finger hovering over that 'buy' button — tickets sold out in less than two hours last time. By Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal.
If you're starting to feel like a new season hasn't truly started until Finders Keepers has come to town, you're not alone. The ever-expanding art and design market has been bringing us face-to-face with some of the country's most quirky and creative designers for over a decade now — and it's set to do it all over again when it returns later this month. The focus remains, as ever, on helping you discover and connect with the next wave of independent and emerging artisans. Expect to find debut collections from the likes of reclaimed timber furniture designer Common Wood and Graffiti Ore, which repurposes graffiti paint into vibrant accessories. Newtown-based The Social Outfit will also make its first market appearance — the conscious fashion label provides employment opportunities to refugees and migrants and reduces textile waste by using leftover fabrics from high-end designers. With the festive season fast approaching, the markets are also a great opportunity to get in the Christmas spirit. You can pick up a wreath, made with native Australian foliage, from Blume Flower School (or even sign up for a workshop if you're feeling particularly creative) and find plenty of left-of-centre gifts including Home by Harlequin ceramics, Peggy and Finn's quirky mens accessories and 'instant gardens' from The Little Veggie Patch Co. As usual, there'll be live music and other entertainment scattered across the weekend to keep the good vibes going. And you're covered when the inevitable shopping-induced hunger strikes, with Shortstop Coffee & Donuts, Mr Bao and Miss Lilly's Kitchen among the food vendors setting up shop. Tickets are $5, available at the door and valid for the entire weekend. So, if you can't stop thinking about that one thing you didn't buy, you can make a return visit. Start creating your shopping list now and head to the Finders Keepers directory to see the full scope of vendors. Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Sydney will run from November 30–December 2 at 12pm–9pm on Friday, 10am–7pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday. Images: Samee Lapham.
Is art a spectator sport? Well, performance art points to yes. So does video art. So, in a slightly different way, do those openings that are kind of like the running of the bulls in Pamplona would be if everyone kept talking about some night they had hung out with the bull. And then there are events like this, where you see an artwork come together in front of you, from concept to completion. Street art seems to be particularly strong on this — possibly because of all the working quickly so as not to get caught by the cops — and off the back of the Secret Wars final we get the second Project 5 event. Curated by aMBUSH gallery, Project 5 has lined up Brooklyn-based Brisbane boy Anthony Lister, stencil and paste-up artist of Melbourne laneway fame Meggs, Sydney portraitist and Oh Really!? gallery co-founder Ears and music industry illustration mainstays webuyyourkids, to make pieces in an improvised open-to-the-public studio over the weekend. Hooray for community engagement, right? Speaking of which, the pieces that come out of the weekend's work are to be auctioned on October 14, with all profits going to Information and Cultural Exchange, a group supporting and promoting visual arts by young people in Western Sydney. Image: Meggs
It's that time of the year when all the big production companies tantalise us with their upcoming seasons and we start saving our pennies so we can catch them all. The Sydney Theatre Company has revealed a powerhouse lineup for their 2017 season — and let's just say you might want to invest in a piggy bank because your theatre budget is about to increase threefold. The program is incredibly diverse and we're so stoked to see a long list of women both on stage and behind the scenes. Of the fifteen shows played across four venues, some of the highlights include: Black is the New White. The latest from Indigenous actor and writer Nakkiah Lui. Directed by Paige Rattray, it will follow the story of the Gibson family siblings as they try to make their mark on the world and make their parents proud. However, it's all disrupted when one of them brings an unexpected boyfriend to dinner. Three Sisters. An adaptation of Anton Chekhov original by Andrew Upton. The play follows the story of the orphaned Prozorov sisters as they try to make it to Moscow and freedom. Muriel's Wedding: The Musical. Yes, you read right. Your favourite film of the '90s is back and on-stage. Kate Miller-Heidke and Kier Nuttall are on the tunes, adapting old ABBA classics as the story follows a new age Muriel (with a Twitter account and all) as she negotiates her way through having everything she's ever wanted. The Bleeding Tree. A co-production by STC and the Griffith Theatre Company, this play has already won a raft of awards and promises elements of suspense, comedy and a little bit of murder all thrown together while telling the tale of women fighting back against spousal abuse. For the full 2017 program and to buy tickets, head to sydneytheatre.com.au.
With paedophilia now the throwaway punchline of every joke involving Catholic priests, Alex Gibney's Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God is a sobering reminder of the personal impacts of child sex abuse within an interminably sacrosanct organisation. Gibney has a way with scandal, having previously explored the USA's policy on torture in Taxi to the Dark Side and big business cover-ups in Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. His assured, forthright documentary style is at its best in Mea Maxima Culpa, following both personal accounts of victims and the much larger problem at work. Much of the film's focus rests on a group of vulnerable young boys under the care of Father Lawrence Murphy at a school for the deaf in Milwaukee in the '60s. Deliberately using their disability and disconnectedness from their families, Murphy regularly molested the boys in secrecy. One victim describes Murphy as a "ravenous wolf", often singling out children whose parents could not sign, thus minimising any chance of speaking out. It would take decades before they were able to. Father Murphy, who died in 1998 defended his actions with the sickening reasoning of nobly taking their sins upon himself to disrupt their "rampant homosexuality". Though eventually removed from the school, Murphy was largely protected by the church, which prompts the film to investigate this as not a distressing one-off incident, but as a widespread, hushed-up problem. According to Vatican correspondent Marco Politi, the first documentation dates back 1700 years ago, although the state refuses to make their archives public. Interviews with victims, lawyers, progressive clergymen and journalists mixed with archival footage supports Gibney's thesis of a conspiratorial protection offered by the Vatican — to the perpetrators, rather than the victims. The lucidity and openness of the subjects are only slightly let down by a few unnecessary re-enactments early on in the film. The defiant interviews with the men who have dedicated their adult lives to take their uncomfortable truths not just to their local archdiocese but all the way to the Vatican is what will stay with you. Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God is an incredibly gripping report of a papacy that remains largely above the law. With the recent election of Pope Francis, it couldn't have come at a better time. https://youtube.com/watch?v=lLZDLp7lx28
Seven and a half years ago Twitter did not exist. If you put a hashtag before anything you wrote it most certainly would not trend; in fact, it would probably result in less people caring about what you thought. Fast forward to 2013 and social media depends on the little symbol — Twitter, Instagram and Facebook collate your literary masterpieces into easy-to-source conversation. Well, Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon have had enough. The hilarious duo took to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to perform a skit where they converse in hashtags. It sounds like two children playing an incredibly stupid and annoying game. Then you remember that this is an exaggeration of how we actually talk these days and realise you should probably spend less time on social media. Particularly enjoyable and satirical is how quickly and coherently Fallon goes from talking about Barney the Dinosaur (#purpleisthenewblack) to Everybody Loves Raymond (#deborah). The final straw, though, is when they hashtag each new line and sound from Missy Elliott's 'Work It', which prompts an intervention from Roots drummer Questlove. Whilst this is #superfunny, after watching it, I challenge you to try and avoid using a hashtag for the next 24 hours #youcandoit #savemekeifersutherland #heistheactorin24. via Gizmodo.
Potts Point's new French restaurant Bistrot 916 has been offering up fun and exciting new takeaway options throughout lockdown. It started with the Burger 916, a limited-edition burger which sold out daily. In the last couple of weeks, the team have taken things up a notch with the neighbourhood bistro launching a full takeaway menu that spans from caviar service to cheeseburgers and hash browns. You have two choices when ordering takeaway from Bistrot 916: browse the takeaway menu and swing past its Challis Ave home to pick up your food, or choose from the more extravagant options available on Providoor. Here you can order two-person steak, duck and vegetarian banquets ($120-180). The more reserved duck banquet comes with duck frites, chicken liver parfait, lumache a l'escargot (tomato-braised snails), Valrhona chocolate mousse, plus salad, bread and butter. Not excessive enough? The steak banquet swaps the duck for steak and adds a set of 12 oysters. Each banquet can be ordered alongside an at-home beverage pairing experience that includes four glasses of wine designed to complement the meal. If you're not looking for such a luxe and bank-blowing meal, you can order a set of two next-level cheeseburgers made with Rangers Valley beef patties and topped with Bistrot 916 burger sauce, hash browns and soft drinks for the still-pricey but more reasonable $69. Or, if you're looking to get just a little fancy, order yourself 12 oysters with mignonette, lemon, lime and ginger gelee for $48. Wine and cocktails are available for purchase on their own if you want to pair your cheeseburger with a negroni. Images: Steven Woodburn
Sydney's ride-sharing game is about to get a whole lot more competitive, as Estonian company Taxify launches its own rival service, rolling out across the city from 10am today. The fast-growing company announced in October plans to kick-start an Aussie roll-out before the end of the year, having already launched in about 30 other countries worldwide. Now boasting the title of Europe's largest ride-sharing platform, Taxify is all set to hit the streets of Sydney this morning, with plans for a Melbourne launch just weeks away. How do they plan on luring you away from Uber, you ask? Well, to celebrate its arrival in Sydney, Taxify is offering 50 percent off all rides for at least this first month of operation, promising to save you plenty of coin across this party season. Even after the launch period, Uber faces some pretty stiff competition, with Taxify insisting its regular prices will be at least 5 percent cheaper than that of its main rival. While many competitors are charging 20-30 percent commission, Taxify works on a commission of just 15 percent, which is sure to be a drawcard for drivers. It claims over 4000 Sydney drivers have already registered with the platform. "Drivers can expect to earn more when driving with Taxify, and riders can expect to save money at the same time," Australia Country Manager for Taxify Samuel Raciti said. "Our focus as a company has always been providing our drivers with higher revenue-per-ride, as we're firm in our belief that happy drivers means happy riders." The Taxify app is available now on iOS and Android. Jump on board from 10am today, Tuesday, December 12.
As an Academy Award winner for Once and frontman to The Frames, Glen Hansard sure has his fingers in 1 billion pies — one of those pies being the Sydney Opera House. It was only a year ago that Hansard sold out shows at the iconic Concert Hall with The Frames, but the Irish-born muso is back to do it all again. He'll be back Monday, March 17, and Thursday, March 20, with Lisa O'Neill. The tour follows Hansard's 2013 solo debut, Rhythm & Repose, while the release of O'Neill's second album, Same Cloth or Not, will coincide with the performances. https://youtube.com/watch?v=k8mtXwtapX4
Having said au revoir to the French Film Festival, it's now time to slip over the border into Spain. Returning to Palace Cinemas around the country, this year's Spanish Film Festival will once again showcase some of the biggest and most critically acclaimed Spanish and Latin American films from the past 12 months. How's that for a cinematic siesta? The festival — which will feature at Leichhardt's Palace Norton Street and Paddington's Palace Verona — begins with the highest grossing film at last year's Spanish box office: rom-com sequel Spanish Affair 2. Other comic standouts include espionage spoof Spy Time, madcap ensemble My Big Night, and dark domestic comedy Happy 140. Of course, not everything on the program is quite so light and breezy. Critically acclaimed drama Much Ado About Nothing confronts legal and political corruption in modern day Chile, while Ma Ma stars Penelope Cruz in one of her most nuanced roles to date, as a put-upon single mother diagnosed with breast cancer.
Head chef at Copenhagen's illustrious Noma, named the best restaurant in the world three years in a row, the extravagantly talented Redzepi is one of the most inventive food makers on the planet, infusing his visually striking creations with a real sense of playfulness and wonder. The menu at his impossible-to-get-into restaurant has included crawling ants, edible flowerpots and live shrimp in a jar of ice. At this event he discusses his work and pre-launches his new book A Work in Progress: Notes on Food, Cooking and Creativity, which combines recipes, photos and an extensive journal of a year at the pinnacle of the food world. There's also a dinner with Redzepi, which promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience. Check out the rest of our top ten picks of Good Food Month here.
For many, January is a time to put everything else on pause to avidly embrace the tennis — that's watching, talking about and obsessing over the Australian Open. If you can't be right in the thick of it in Melbourne, the next best thing to do is to round up the crew to watch it on a big screen outdoors, while cracking open a few cold ones. Throw in a couple of pre- and post-game swims and you've got yourself a quintessential Aussie summer. Making all of this possible is Coogee Bay Hotel, as the beachside pub is bringing the Australian Open to Sydney shores. From Monday, January 20 till Sunday, February 2, the garden and sports bars will be screening the tennis live and loud so you don't miss a minute. As you watch, you can sip an Aperol spritz or enjoy a pint of Stella Artois from one of the pop-ups in the garden or inside bars. And should you get hungry, you can nab a burger and schooey special for $25. Between sets, challenge your mates to a spot of ping pong and enter one of the giveaways, with hats, fans and sunnies all up for grabs. To check out match times and to RSVP, head here.
Almost everyone holds a fond childhood memory of them. Whether you’re a Miss Piggy or a Kermit, Jim Henson’s much-loved Muppets are an institution in many households. And in many countries around the world. Except now they’re all grown up, and coming to Sydney for six special shows. Direct from adults-only seasons in Edinburgh, Toronto and New York comes Puppet Up! Uncensored, a fascinating combination of puppetry and improvisation, and an experience that is sure to paint your childhood friends in a whole new light. With over 60 different puppets (old faves, plus a whole crop of new characters), the recreation of classic Henson/Frank Oz sequences and commentary from Patrick Bristow (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Puppet Up! Uncensored promises to be an interesting improv experiment. That said, reviews have been mixed, with some complaining that the show's formula of audience-prompted skits (almost always crude) proves a lack of direction and storyline. Whatever your take, prepare for a night of nostalgia and blatant inappropriateness
Five years in the making, the Art Gallery of NSW's latest addition is finally set to open. The Sydney Modern Project will turn the Harbour City institution into a two-building art museum, almost double AGNSW's space in the process, and has cost $344 million to bring to fruition. It's launching in December, and the gallery is unsurprisingly celebrating in a massive way. How do you mark a huge development like this? With a nine-day party, naturally. Originally announced in 2017, officially given a green light in 2018 and revealing its first commissioned artworks in March 2022, the Sydney Modern will start welcoming art lovers in with a hefty free program of events in and around the venue. It's a significant lineup, running from Saturday, December 3–Sunday, December 11 and spanning everything from art and music to talks and performances — Ellie Goulding, Meg Mac, Electric Fields, a Reko Rennie drone show and all. UK pop star Goulding will headline a free concert at The Domain on Saturday, December 10, as supported by Meg Mac and Electric Fields. Called Art for All, the show will see the Grammy-winner play opposite AGNSW and is a one-night-only affair, with free tickets available now. Spanning the whole length of the celebrations is Art Up, which will see Kamilaroi artist Reko Rennie unleash a stunning sight. He's creating a massive drone show that'll hover over Woolloomooloo Bay every evening, with 400 drones used to animate artworks in the sky over AGNSW and Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. There'll also be a soundtrack to go with it. Conversation series Art Exchange will similarly span the nine days, bringing together artists, creatives and thought leaders from across the globe. Their overall topic: art and culture today, and its current ideas, innovations and struggles. Attendees will be able to hear from Reko Rennie and fellow artists Lisa Reihana, Howie Tsui and Adrián Villar Rojas — and Beatrice Galilee, co-founder and executive director of The World Around at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Also on the bill: Suhanya Raffel, director of M+ in Hong Kong; chefs Adam Liaw, Christine Manfield, Matt Moran and Clayton Wells; human rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson; and comedian Steven Oliver. [caption id="attachment_876751" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sia Duff[/caption] The workshop lineup will see artists from Milingimbi Art and Culture centre in northeast Arnhem Land lead the charge, conducting a weaving session that responds to some of Sydney Modern Project's artworks. In the new building's first gallery, the Yiribana Gallery, a series of naturally dyed woven artworks will be on display as part of a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art — which the workshop will tie into. And, the performance roster includes, GABAN by Wiradjuri Nation interdisciplinary artist Brook Andrew; RITUAL from actor, filmmaker and martial artist Maria Tran; and disability-led choreographic work Animate Loading by Riana Head-Toussaint. [caption id="attachment_876752" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Laura Fiorio[/caption] Funded by $244 million from the NSW Government and $100 million raised by private donations, the Sydney Modern Project sprawls across 7830 square metres, as designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architects SANAA (with Australia's Architectus as the executive architect). Set to be light, airy and open to its surroundings, it'll feature that aforementioned dedicated gallery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art at entrance level. Venture downstairs, however, and Sydney Modern Project will also be home to a huge underground art space that'll be used for special commissions and performances, and happens to be repurposed from a decommissioned World War II naval oil tank. And, the project also includes a new public art garden. [caption id="attachment_847597" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sydney Modern Project render as produced by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA. © Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2021.[/caption] The Sydney Modern Project will open its doors on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney. For more information about the project, including the open celebrations from Saturday, December 3–Sunday, December 11, head to the gallery's website.
It's a truth universally acknowledged that every household has a list of dinner dishes that run on a regular rotation. Some menus may be more adventurous or diverse than others, but, Italian heritage or not, spaghetti bolognese is a staple on a lot of them. And while nobody makes it as good as nonna, it's still a dish that you occasionally opt for in a restaurant — it's a dependable classic of cheesy, meaty, carb-y goodness that reminds you of your childhood. Big Poppa's is banking on that nostalgia and turning Mondays into spaghetti bolognese night. Like many others, owner Lewis Jaffrey remembers spag bol dinners being the highlight of his week growing up, and believes that people haven't lost touch with old favourites. And, despite recent claims that Sydneysiders' fickle tastes are causing restaurants to drop it off their menus, Jaffrey says there's a high demand for the classic dish. "My best mates have been begging me to put it on the menu since we opened 18 months ago," says Jaffrey. "People have an emotional connection to it". Starting from Monday, 19 February, Big Poppa's will be churning out $23 bowls of bolognese every Monday — made with its much-loved house-made pasta. "We figured out recently that we have made over two tonnes of handmade pasta since we opened," Jaffrey says. The homestyle sauce is courtesy of chef Cam Smith, and it's a mix of pork and veal mince with a vegetable ragu. If you're thinking "that sounds pretty simple", Jaffrey insists Smith's sauce is pretty special. "Whenever he makes it for staff dinner, the entire team turns up — even if they weren't working." We think Nonna may have some competition. You can reserve your spot at Spaghetti Bolognese Mondays by making a reservation through the website, or just rock up at 6pm and order a bowl before it sells out.
For proof that Australia's cocktail game is world-class, look no further than the calibre of the international mixology stars lining up to play on our turf. In 2015, it was New York's famous speakeasy Please Don't Tell, taking over the bar at Fitzroy's acclaimed cocktail haunt The Black Pearl. Then Sydney Bar Week 2016 saw The Everleigh in Melbourne and Sydney's Henrietta Supper Club each play host to pop-ups by Asia's best bar, 28 Hongkong Street. Now it's time for one of the world's most famous hotel bars to make its way Down Under. The American Bar, which is located at London's Savoy Hotel, will take over Darlinghurst's own cocktail gem Eau de Vie from October 18–19. As England's longest surviving cocktail bar, The American Bar has quite the pedigree — in the last year alone, it's scooped the title of Best Bar in Europe at the World's 50 Best Bars awards and seen its team voted Best International Bar Team by Tales of the Cocktail. Backed by the creators of local coffee liqueur Mr Black (who are behind the Espresso Martini Festival in Sydney and Melbourne), this Aussie adventure gives The American Bar the opportunity to showcase some of its own caffeinated mixology magic. At the helm will be senior bartender and World Coffee In Good Spirits champion Martin Hudak, as he treats local audiences to American Bar signatures like the Green Park, the Black Diamond and the Hanky Panky. It's not a ticketed event, so you'll have to be there when the doors open at 6pm each night for the best chance of scoring a seat.
In 1963, Ersnt Fischer wrote that art isn't a luxury or a privilege, it's an essential part of human life, and Artbank reckons he was right. Run by the federal government, Artbank supports local Australian artists by buying their works and leasing them out to companies, individuals and public spaces all around Australia, and in 72 countries across the globe. Currently, they hold about 10,000 works. That's a whole lot of art, and they need somewhere they can show it off. On Saturday, November 19, Artbank is hosting their annual Artbank Social Club, giving the general public a chance to check out the works that have been so lovingly and carefully curated. Held at Artbank HQ in Waterloo, the event will be a smorgasbord of local artists, food, drink, and entertainment, and will also see the launch of the inaugural Artbank Flea Market, where punters can buy works, watch live performances and mingle with the creators while getting amongst the 5000 original works in the Artbank collection store. Rather than your typical garage sale vibe, think the Grand Bazaar. If that wasn't enough, you can soothe your intellectual exertion with a drink at the gold coin donation bar in the pumping, pop-up garden party. You can check out our six picks of the day here.
If you went on a road trip this summer and didn’t include anything by Brooklyn four-piece The Men on your playlist you didn’t do it right, but luckily summer’s not over and you’ve got a chance to make amends on the 30th. The relentless scuzz-punk guitars and thumping anthem-like vocals take their cues from around three decades of straight-up American rock, but The Men aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel: They’re just giving it a spin at breakneck speed. Disfigured vocals, distorted guitars and thundering drums are ballsy and abrasive, but when it hits you all at once the effect is more like a friendly clip around the ears than a punch in the face. This is most evident on 2012’s Open Your Heart, a varying yet on-point bunch of rambling crowd-pleasers that are made for hot days and good company — and sure to go down a treat at Laneway. If you won’t make it to the festival, hear them in the sweaty Danceteria at Goodgod then blast them out of your windows until summer vacates the premises.
It has seen plenty in its almost two centuries of life, but The Royal Richmond Hotel has just enjoyed one of its biggest shake-ups yet. Located in the heart of Richmond, at the foot of the Blue Mountains in the Hawkesbury region, the 170-year-old pub has unveiled an extensive makeover at the hands of new Peter Wynne and Karen Anderson (Martin Place Bar). A major revamp has transformed the long-standing boozer, giving it a new bistro complete with an open kitchen and light-filled atrium-style dining room — and a dapper cocktail lounge and refurbished sports bar. The spaces give a firm nod to eras past, thanks to original Oregon timber beams, walls of recycled brick, generous tables crafted from reclaimed timber and plenty of historic photos. Headed up by General Manager Todd Garratt (Fish Butchery, Wine Library, Balcon by Tapavino), the bistro offering champions local Hawkesbury produce and ingredients wherever possible, while also delivering a strong focus on an in-house program of charcuterie and dry-aged meats. On the menu, you'll find a lineup of classic pizzas and share snacks — think: twice-cooked chicken wings and a country-style pork terrine — alongside pasta dishes like a braised lamb bolognese pappardelle. There are burgers, a share-friendly rotisserie lamb shoulder and dry-aged steaks aplenty. House-made pork snags are teamed with mash and a cider gravy, while a hero dish of cauliflower is cooked on the rotisserie and finished with almonds, currants and a red pepper sauce. With its tartan carpet, double fireplaces and premium spirits lineup, the new cocktail lounge is set to become a favourite winter haunt. And the new-look front bar proves a cosy spot to enjoy pints and some big-screen footy action, matched to the likes of a ploughman's platter, potato skins or a serve of the kitchen's cheeseburger spring rolls. There's more to come, too, with The Royal Richmond's second stage of renovations set to deliver a roomy, all-weather beer garden that'll play host to a program of music and other live entertainment. That's on track to be completed some time next year. Find The Royal Richmond Hotel at 163 Windsor Street, Richmond. It's open 10am–3am Monday to Saturday, and 10am–12am Sunday.
If you've heard all the fuss about The Dolar Shop, you'll be happy to know the Chinese/Macanese hot pot empire has finally made it to our shores. With 53 global restaurants under its belt, the group has just opened its Aussie flagship venue within Market City's new 1909 Dining Precinct. Joining fellow newcomers Chongqing noodle hot-spot Mr Meng and DIY Korean barbecue joint Kogi, the 200-seat eatery is serving up an authentic taste of Macanese fare. For the uninitiated, that's a bold blend of Portuguese and Cantonese cuisines. It's a venue primed for big share feasts, with the menu filled with options for customising your ideal hot pot banquet. Once you've selected the various elements, a pot of stock arrives at your table, to then simmer on the hot plate while you cook your chosen ingredients. Base broth varieties run from a light chicken consommé, to the gutsy Szchuan 'hot & spicy' number, both to be teamed with various cuts of premium meats, fresh seafood and vegetables. You'll find top-quality wagyu, fresh noodles, signature dumplings and just about every type of mushroom you've ever heard of. And the seafood offering is huge, with options like Tasmanian red lobster, blue swimmer crab, live prawns and local greenlip abalone making for some pretty pimped-out seafood hot pots. Before you start cooking, hit the dedicated sauce bar to get creative with the condiments, or let the menu guide you towards one of the suggested sauce pairings. The space itself is elegant, decked out with a healthy dose of marble and metallics, and there's even a trio of sleek private dining rooms for those who want to take their hot pot experience to the next level. Find The Dolar Shop at Level 3 Market City Shopping Centre, 9-13 Hay Street, Haymarket. Image Credit: Anna Kucera
Perhaps Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and Cream once got together for a big love-in jam, and Tame Impala were there like baby grasshoppers learning their craft from these musical masters. The Perth tio's debut self-titled EP, released last year, featured the track Desire Be Desire Go as well as Half Full Glass Of Wine which boasts a tripped up, psychedelic video brimming with frenzies of colour, animation and activity. Now the boys are fresh from a monolithic shed in Indidup – located an hour from the Margaret River – where they have been recording material for their debut album. In the meantime, they’ve offered us a teaser with Sundown Syndrome available on iTunes and collectable 7†vinyl, which also comes complete with a remix of the title track by the Canyons, and an interesting b-side where the trio reinterpret the Blue Boy’s 90s hit, Remember Me. Sydney singer-songwriter, Jonathan Boulet will be support at their Manning Bar show, playing tracks from his debut album including alt. radio favourite, A Community Service Announcement. Tame Impala will also play at Albury-Wodonga’s iconic Ettamogah pub as part of the inaugural all-ages Indie Music Festival, sharing a bill with Cog, British India and others. Let the sunshine in but remember to avoid the brown acid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfcHq0hhFWg
Thanks to the huge array of streaming services available at the mere press of a button, as well as the seemingly non-stop array of new movies hitting them each and every month, it's easy to forget that films don't always last forever. The very medium of 35mm film itself doesn't, in fact — it deteriorates, which is why restored and remastered versions of old classics, and shiny 4K digital transfers, are such a big deal in cinephile circles. Here's a movie that won't ever grace a DVD, a streaming queue or even get digitised, however: The Afterlight by Fear Itself and Beyond Clueless filmmaker Charlie Shackleton. It's 100-percent designed to only screen on 35mm, and only exists as one single print. And, that means that it degrades every time it's shown, and will one day fade away to the point it can no longer be played. Accordingly, getting to see The Afterlight isn't an ordinary trip to the cinema. It's a rare one-off and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's also what's on offer at AGNSW, for free, for one afternoon only from 2pm on Saturday, August 20. Arriving in Brisbane fresh from playing MIFF, the film will screen just once, with Shackleton in attendance for an in-conversation session afterwards. And if you're wondering what The Afterlight is actually about, it's a cinematic collage featuring clips of actors who are now dead but will always live on on celluloid — although not on this strip of celluloid once it disappears.
Nashville-style hot chicken favourite Belles Hot Chicken is giving away 100 free boozy slushies from 4pm on Friday, October 22. Head down to the chicken specialist's Barangaroo venue and you can score yourself one of two flavours of alcoholic slushy. The two options on offer are the Agave Maria which mixes rosé, agave and lime, topped with Belles' original seasoning to give it a punchy spice, and the Whiskey Babylon, a twist on the classic frozen coke, spruced up with a touch of Ned's whiskey as well as Australian bitters and plum kombucha. The slushies are designed to be a fun summer drink, as well as a perfect companion to a spicy piece of hot chook. If you're not quick enough to be within the first 100 patrons, you can still enjoy a slushy for its regular price of $14 at the Barangaroo store, plus at Belles' Tramsheds outpost the following week.
The school holidays are upon us once again, which means parents, guardians and eager aunts, uncles and pals are likely on the lookout for ways to entertain the kids in your life. Sometimes the best approach is to leverage the expertise of blue card-wielding professionals, keeping the activity calendar full and the kids away from their screens. Over the next two weeks, Sydney Olympic Park is hosting a huge lineup of activities encouraging kids to get active — whether they're looking to work on their existing skills or learn new ones under the guidance of some of Sydney's best coaches and professional athletes. Read on to find out more about the venue's stacked school holiday program. FOR SPORTY KIDS If you're dealing with a kid who loves to keep active, make a beeline to the Quaycentre. Over the next two weeks it has a jam-packed sports program for kids of any experience level. Reckon your kid has what it takes to become a football superstar (or just looking for something to kick)? Book them a spot in the two-day Wanderers in the Park, where seasoned coaches will help participants develop their football skills with a focus on technique and game knowledge. They'll also get their own Western Sydney Wanderers training jersey to take home so they can look the part as they keep practicing their skills. On the indoor courts, Australian Diamonds star and NSW Swifts co-captain Paige Hadley will be running a session for budding netballers of all skill levels. Over on the basketball court, NBL legend Bruce Bolden will put budding ballers through their paces on a two-day workshop for beginners and advanced players through skill development, drills and mini-games. Meanwhile, professional coaches from Volleyball NSW will lead a fun and educational day for boys and girls aged between 8–14. The afternoon-long program will see little diggers develop their individual skills as well as their team skills via gameplay. Got a kid who wants to try their hand at a bit of everything? Book them a spot in the all-day multi-sports camp where they can have a go at table tennis, soccer, basketball, netball, gymnastics and more, all under the one roof. FOR WATER BABIES Sydney Olympic Park is home to one of the city's premier aquatic centres which is offering up a bunch of activities for kids who can't get enough of the pool. If they're a natural in the water, book them in for a water polo clinic. Over this 90-minute session, instructors will guide participants through a range of drills like water polo swimming, jumping and defending. They'll also learn the rules through some game-time with their newly acquired skills. For the kid with no fear, the Aquatic Centre will also host diving workshops these school holidays. These regular sessions will give participants the chance to learn the fundamentals of acrobatics, stretching, safe diving and more from an experienced coach, as they take the plunge off the centre's world-class diving tower. FOR CURIOUS KIDS Are the children in your life always outsmarting you? Sydney Olympic Park also has a range of activities to please even the most strategic of kids these school holidays. The Young Archers sessions are tailor-made for kids aged 7–9. The hour-long sessions cover the basics of the bow-and-arrow sport under the watchful eyes of skilled instructors, and include practice rounds and gameplay. Sounds like something the whole family can get involved in? Kids, parents, grandparents and everyone in between can sign up to the all-ages Sharp Shooters session, which'll be a surefire way to add some friendly family rivalry to the school holidays. For kids looking to get a little more active, Sydney Olympic Park is home to an excellent outdoor laser tag battlefield. Kids can join forces with their mates and duck and weave behind blockade bunkers and walls as they try to outsmart the opposition with laser tag weapons and props. These fully supervised sessions have different challenges and games to keep participants entertained throughout. If your little one is looking to have fun and learn new skills in a non-competitive environment, sign them up to a circus arts or flying trapeze workshop. At these immersive classes held on the expansive outdoor grounds of Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, kids will get to try their hand at activities including juggling, pyramids, low aerials, hula hooping and tight-wire. They'll also get to test their above-ground skills on the flying trapeze. Sydney Olympic Park has a jam-packed program of fun activities for kids to take part in these school holidays, from circus arts to creative writing and more. For the full lineup and to book, head to the website.
Back in August, Webjet gave Australian travellers a mighty great reason to book a holiday in the Northern Territory: super-discounted flights to Uluru and Alice Springs starting at $15. Fancy hitting up Darwin instead, or using it as a base to explore the rest of the Red Centre? Now the booking site is doing a flight sale on fares to the NT's capital city, with prices from $19 one-way. For less than a lobster, you can indeed fly from Adelaide to Darwin — and fares obviously vary depending on your departure city. They're still cheap from much of the east coast, though, including starting at $20 from Brisbane, $35 from Sydney and $56 from Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_868754" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism NT, Helen Orr[/caption] The whole sale includes $150 off one-way trips, which is where those budget-friendly prices come from. From some cities, the end cost isn't quite as cheap, however — costing $122 from Hobart, $159 from Perth and $169 from Darwin. Still, if you're the kind of person who picks their getaway spots based on travel bargains, then this might be the sign you were looking for. You've got until 11.59pm AEST on Thursday, September 15 to book, or until sold out. Booking ASAP is recommended, because some fares might be snapped up earlier. [caption id="attachment_868753" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism NT, Backyard Bandits[/caption] The sale covers trips to Darwin for travel between September 2022 — yes, this month — through to March 2023. Fancy a spring jaunt to the middle of the country? Making summer plans to help cope with the last of the winter chill? Know that you'll be craving an early-autumn break next year? They're all options. One key caveat: the discounted prices are available for inbound flights only, so you won't receive the same discount to come home. Webjet's Darwin sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Thursday, September 15, or earlier if sold out. First top image: Tiwi Island Retreat, Tourism NT.
Like many events, Vivid Live had its 2020 edition axed due to the pandemic. But you'll find a pretty sweet consolation prize among the Sydney Opera House's digital program — a stream of Amon Tobin's audiovisual spectacular ISAM, hitting screens this Friday, August 14. The Brazilian-born producer's immersive show wowed audiences the first time around for Vivid Live 2012 and now it's headed to a device near you, available on demand from this week. Revisit the ever-innovative artist's stand-out performance, featuring a multi-sensory fusion of technology and electronic art. Performing within a 25-foot, three-tonne cubic installation he built himself, Tobin moves in and out of focus behind a constantly shifting multidimensional screen. The artist's high-voltage soundtrack of sonic explosions and rippling waves is backed by striking visuals playing out a mesmerising story of colour and light draped across the whole scene. The streamed performance is just one show featured in the Sydney Opera House's digital season, From Our House to Yours. To check out the rest of the performances, keep an eye on the SOH website. [caption id="attachment_773326" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton Lund[/caption] Top image: Prudence Upton
If you're looking for more things to do while you're stuck at home that's not online puzzles and another cooking lesson, you're in luck. The Australian Ballet is one of the latest cultural institutions around Australia and the world to launch an online platform. The company's 2020 digital season features high-quality footage of full-length performances for you to watch at home — and it's free. Each performance is available to watch for a two-week run. The program kicked off with David McAllister's The Sleeping Beauty, set to Tchaikovsky's famed score, then Cinderella, followed by Romeo & Juliet. On offer from now until Thursday, August 6, you can watch Spartacus, inspired by the 1951 novel by Howard Fast. In all, you can expect dazzling footwork and an overall vivid spectacle on your screens until August 3. To watch, head here. On the digital platform, you'll also find behind-the-curtain content, talks and panel discussions, and a video about the company's collaboration with Nursewatch: a series of ballet workshops for seniors. For those wanting to put on their dancing shoes, there are mini-dance lessons where you can learn how to plié, jump and do a graceful port de bras, plus free at-home sample sessions for beginner, intermediate and pro dancers. The At Home With Studio classes are about 30–40 minutes long and all designed to be done in your home with a makeshift ballet barre (a kitchen bench or table should do the job). Top image: Spartacus and Sleeping Beauty Updated August 3, 2020.
So, I guess it's been a while since Myspace taught us HTML and horrible dancing babies set the standard for viral videos. Today, Facebook turns ten years old, and with this milestone they bring us one of the most sophisticated (and downright pretty) social media apps to date. With a clean, image-based design and multipurpose usability, the recently launched Facebook Paper may well be the future of the gargantuan Zuckerberg empire. The differences between the current Facebook app and Facebook Paper (not to be confused with the existing beautiful notebook app Paper) are enormous. There's no trademark blue colouring, the feed is horizontal and self-refreshing, and through a dynamic design you have access to not only your friends' updates and photos, but separate sections of your choosing. These include subjects like news and current events, the latest in art and design, and a section of trending online comedy tactfully titled 'LOL'. Though this is a welcome change for many lovers of news and design out there, the app is by no means mandatory — a clever move to avoid people kicking up a fuss like the great Timeline debacle of 2011. However, that's not all Facebook is giving us for their birthday. In a showing of enforced sentimentality, they've created a personalised video (A Look Back) for each user. Featuring your oldest photos and most popular status updates, the video plays for just over a minute with a strange and uplifting musical track that makes you feel like you're the female lead of a romantic comedy finding her feet in the Big Apple. For many, this feels a little amiss as no one feels all that nostalgic about their drunk teenage photos or sarcastic status updates about Girls quite yet. All in all, like the platform itself, Facebook's birthday is a mixed bag. They've given us a little to cringe about from the past, and a lot to look forward to in the future. Facebook Paper is available for iOS devices in the Apple App Store. It is currently only available in the US but, as always, there are ways to get in early.
Staring contest? Hard. Marathons? Difficult. Being Tilda Swinton in a gallery? Effortless, apparently. Some things just seem naturally difficult. Some things seem like they would take a decent chunk of hard work. And some just feel like they belong another world of people with finer muscle control. To the latter belongs the latest effort of artist Frances Barrett. Her ambition is revolutionary, literally. Over the course of 12 hours she plans to make a glacier-speed revolution of Sydney Guild in the Twelve Hour Revolution. Simple? Yes. But given Barrett’s pedigree as a founder of local performance art star the Brown Council, you’d have to expect her slow turn around the art space will be worth some patient examination. Frances' performance runs from 8am — 8pm. Celebratory, closing drinks cover the final two, agonising hours from 6-8pm.
The Macquarie Credit Union DREAM Festival is set to take over Dubbo's streets for an evening of lights, lanterns and food on Saturday, October 21. The festival's mascot, a life-size rhino in lantern form, will proceed down Talbragra street to reach Victoria Park where entertainment, light shows and food stalls will be waiting. The night focuses around the Lantern Parade, which will progress through the Dubbo city centre from sundown. The entire town will be aglow with lanterns of all shapes, sizes and designs, with lantern-making workshops being held during the weeks leading up to the festival. Local novices will be able to show off their creations during the parade alongside senior art students and visiting professional artists. The procession is in participation with the annual fundraising walk for Light the Night, a Leukaemia foundation. The parade will finish at the park where the Twilight Markets will be in full swing, hosting vendors from nearby cafes, restaurants and bars. Local musicians will keep the party going in the lead up to the third annual Laser Show — a crowd-favourite featuring lights, lasers and music by Oracle Liquid.
We're always looking for an excuse to indulge and an international celebration for everyone's favourite sweet seems as good a reason as any. This Saturday, July 7 is World Chocolate Day, and, as you would expect, Australia's oldest family-owned bean-to-bar chocolate maker, Haigh's Chocolates, is ready to celebrate the good stuff. Haigh's Chocolates certainly knows a thing or two about delicious artisan choc, seeing how it's been crafting chocolate from raw cocoa beans since 1915. The Adelaidean chocolate purveyors now offer more than 250 different specialist varieties produced at its SA-based factory. This Saturday, Haigh's will be offering free delivery on online purchases for purchases over $25. And, if you visit a Haigh's store, staff will be handing out free chocolate frogs. And to treat you, our lovely readers, even further, Haigh's has given us $200 for one of you to spend at any Haigh's Chocolates store or online. Enter below, and you could turn World Chocolate Day into World Chocolate Month with your winnings. Once you've entered, make sure you also save this Haigh's chocolate fondant recipe to try with your winning haul. INGREDIENTS: 150 grams Haigh's 70 percent dark chocolate pastilles, roughly chopped 150 grams unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing, cut into cubes 200 grams light brown sugar 4 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup (75 grams) plain flour, sifted Cocoa powder, to dust DIRECTIONS: Pre-heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Grease the inside of six dariole moulds or ramekins. Place butter and chocolate together in a medium mixing bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Add sugar, stirring to combine and remove from heat. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, yolk and vanilla together, stirring until combined. Add to the chocolate mixture, stirring until well combined. Sift the flour over the chocolate mixture, stirring until well combined. Divide mixture between prepared dariole moulds, making sure each mould is no more than 2/3 full. Place dariole moulds in preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes or until tops are set and coming away from the moulds. Remove from oven and allow to stand for one minute. To serve, use a small spatula to very gently ease the fondant away from the edge of the mould. Carefully invert each mould onto small serving plates and dust with cocoa powder. Serve with a dollop of jersey cream and fresh raspberries. Note: filled dariole moulds can be chilled ahead and baked just before serving. [competition]675143[/competition]
My yoga studio has a basketball court below it. During a calming session of yoga, it is not uncommon to hear the piercing screech of a whistle, frequent cheering and the intermittent shrieks of "great shot Mike!". One time, I kid you not, there was a marching band procession going down, and the instructor had to calmly try and talk over the incessant drumming. Quite un-zen. Flow After Dark Silent Disco Yoga seeks to give yoga enthusiasts the exact opposite experience. How exactly does one silent disco yoga? Quite easily with the introduction of wireless headphones. These bad boys give participants a one-on-one with instructor, Flow Athletic co-founder Kate Kendall, while simultaneously pumping out beats from Sydney DJ James Mack. Also, they're neon. Their latest 90-minute Vinyasa yoga session — their last for 2016 — will celebrate not only yoga, but Halloween. Held on Thursday, October 27, the pre-Halloween yogi get together will have a range of pop-ups, including a make-up station to get you themed for the holiday. It's probably your best (possibly only) chance to show off your best warrior pose while simultaneously jiving to some seriously smooth music. Silently.
UPDATE: Friday, August 6 2021 — In light of Greater Sydney's current COVID-19 situation, Vivid Sydney has been cancelled for 2021 and plans to return next winter instead. For more information, visit the event's website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. Now in its twelfth year, Vivid Sydney has undeniably become one of the biggest cultural events in the country and, from August 6–28, the blockbuster festival will once again transform the harbour city. Make the most of the last weeks of winter by exploring the epic program of luminous light, live tunes and thought-provoking talks. There's so much to do and see this year, that you're going to have to get organised so as to not miss out on any of the action. To help you create your shortlist, we've teamed up with Vivid Sydney to round up eight picks that'll make you think, dance and gaze in wonder — and get you falling in love with the harbour city all over again.
It's safe to say 2021 has been a pretty big year. Despite its challenges, we're still think there are plenty of things to celebrate this festive season — getting through the trials of the year being at the top of the list. Feel like getting into the festive spirit? We've done some digging with our mates at Broadway Sydney to figure out where you can go to find festive fun in the inner city this holiday season. Whether you want to get crafty, see some live music or find extra special gifts at a local market, we've found something to fill your end-of-year activities with holiday magic. GET A PHOTO WITH SANTA AND YOUR FAVOURITE FOUR-LEGGED FRIEND This festive season, treat yourself to a magical day of gift shopping at Broadway Sydney. It's going all out this year with a 'Merry Christmas and a Half' — meaning everything from decorations to gift wrapping stations are bigger and more exciting than ever. Get a photo with Santa and your pet before getting your presents wrapped at the gift wrapping station, with a gold-coin donation going to Addison Roadd Community Organisation. You can also win one of eight gift boxes valued at over $500 each and the extended trading hours will make it easier you get everything you need for the holidays. [caption id="attachment_819359" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sky Castle by ENESS. Photography: Zhu Rui[/caption] SEE LIVE MUSIC AND LIGHT INSTALLATIONS AT DARLING HARBOUR Darling Harbour is getting into the spirit this year with the whole area transforming into a Christmas wonderland. Expect giant floating baubles on Cockle Bay, Christmas-themed pedal boats, competitions, and a building-sized bauble at the Convention Centre. Spend an evening taking in the light installations and finish up at Tumbalong Park where you can enjoy live music, entertainment and food stalls. [caption id="attachment_706138" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Rocks Markets[/caption] GO CHRISTMAS SHOPPING ALONG COBBLESTONE STREETS Head down to The Rocks this month and lap up the glittering Christmas trees, fairy light installations, live music and Christmas markets. The usual markets will be transformed into a gifting haven with local creatives selling one-of-a-kind artisan works. There will also be festive movies, drag legends, Santa snaps and a stunning Moët & Chandon Christmas tree. GET CRAFTY AT THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN After an immersive arts and crafts experience with a side of entertainment this festive season? Check out Dreaming of a Green Christmas at the Royal Botanical Garden. Elfis and Elvin the Elves will be putting on a show at 11am on Monday, December 20 as they try to make sure Christmas happens as they battle the harsh Aussie environment. Get into the festive spirit by visiting Santa's Studio Christmas craft workshop after the show to make your own nature-themed Christmas craft and decorations. SEE THE CITY SPARKLE IN FESTIVE LIGHTS There's something special about walking through Sydney's city centre in the weeks leading up to Christmas. It emulates a happy nostalgia that's hard to replicate, with mammoth light decorations and towering Christmas trees taking over Martin Place. This year there'll also be street parties with roaming entertainers, a roller skating bauble, pop-up stages, arts and crafts workshops, choirs, light installations and more. SEE A CHRISTMAS FILM AT A LANEWAY CINEMA One of the most exciting parts of the lead-up to Christmas is putting on your favourite Christmas movies. This year you can take that feeling to the next level by heading to the Laneway Cinema at The Rocks to watch a classic Christmas flick on the big screen from a comfy bean bag under the stars. Is there a limit to the amount of times you can watch Love Actually or The Holiday without it getting old? We don't think so. DANCE AT A GINGERBREAD HOUSE PARTY The Sydney Christmas Fair is back with a huge lineup of Christmassy entertainment at Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter. Running across three weekends in December, you and the fam have plenty of opportunities to enjoy this outdoor and COVID-safe event. Hop on crowd-favourite rides like a giant water slide, a classic carousel and the dodgem cars, or join the interactive elf workshops where kids can write letters to Santa, make Christmas cards and stuff stockings. And, if your little one loves to dance, head to the gingerbread house party for a big ol' boogie. Ready to get in the festive spirit? Head to Broadway Sydney to celebrate a Christmas and a Half this festive season.
