Want to drink wine and support a great cause while you do it? The team at Vinomofo has you covered. The online wine cellar has just launched its limited edition Homeless Grapes Project McLaren Vale Shiraz, and it's donating 100 percent of proceeds to Australians who are sleeping rough. The 2017 shiraz comes courtesy of the Penny's Hill winery in South Australia's McLaren Vale. It goes on sale on June 17 at $20 per bottle, sold in a case of six, with only 200 cases available. The sale of just one case can provide a home starter pack for a couple moving from the street to the home and for a hot breakfast and lunch for a week for someone doing it tough. Through the sale of 200 cases of the wine, the project will be able to provide housing for 570 clients, over 40,000 meals and 3000 appointments with nurses. The Homeless Grapes initiative has been running since 2015 and has already raised more than $100,000 for charity. "Homelessness is a community issue that can be solved by the community and initiatives like Homeless Grapes," said Vinomofo co-founder Andre Eikmeier. "We can raise money for the front line to help make a real difference. And importantly, we change our attitudes." To find out more about the Homeless Grapes initiative and to buy a couple of bottles, head to vinomofo.com.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this months latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from October's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW THE GREEN KNIGHT Mesmerising and magnetic from its first moments till its last, The Green Knight is a moving musing on destiny, pride, virtue, choice, myths and sacrifice, all wrapped in a sublime spectacle. The medieval fantasy hums with haunting beauty and potency as it tells of Arthurian figure Gawain (Dev Patel, The Personal History of David Copperfield), nephew to the King (Sean Harris, Mission: Impossible — Fallout), and the only man who accepts a bold challenge when the eponymous figure (Ralph Ineson, Gunpowder Milkshake) — a mystical part-tree, part-knight — demands a duel one Christmas. The catch: whichever blows the eager-to-prove-himself Gawain inflicts on this towering interloper, he'll receive back in a year's time. So, when this initial altercation ends in a beheading (and with the Green Knight scooping up his noggin and riding off), Gawain faces a grim future. Twelve months later, that bargain inspires a quest, which The Green Knight treats as both a nightmare and a dream. There's an ethereal look and feel to every inch of this stunning movie, where the greenery is verdant, and the bloodshed and battlefield of skeletons just as prominent. Playing a man yearning for glory yet faced with life's stark realities, Patel is in career-best form — and the latter can also be said of writer/director/editor David Lowery. Every film he makes has proven a gem, from Ain't The Bodies Saints and Pete's Dragon to A Ghost Story and The Old Man and The Gun; however, The Green Knight is a startling and riveting feast of a feature that's as as contemplative as it is visionary. The Green Knight is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND Excellent filmmakers helming exceptional documentaries about music icons just might be 2021's best movie trend. It isn't new — see: Martin Scorsese's filmography as just one example — but any year that delivers both Edgar Wright's The Sparks Brothers and Todd Haynes' The Velvet Underground is a great year indeed. Both docos are made by clear fans of the bands they celebrate. Both films find creative and engaging ways to approach a tried-and-tested on-screen formula, too. And, both movies will make fans out of newcomers, all while delighting existing devotees. They each have killer soundtracks as well, obviously. They're each tailored to suit their subjects, rather than leaning on the standard music bio-doc template. As a result, they each prove the kind of rich, in-depth and electrifying features that only these two directors could've made. With The Velvet Underground and Haynes, none of this comes as a surprise. As well as the astonishing Carol and the just-as-devastating Dark Waters, he has experimental short Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, glam-rock portrait Velvet Goldmine and the Bob Dylan-focused I'm Not There on his resume, after all. Here, he makes two perceptive choices: splitting his screen Andy Warhol-style to show both archival materials and new interviews simultaneously, and avoiding the allure of giving the late, great Lou Reed all his attention. The result is an inventive, impassioned and wide-ranging doco that charts the band's story and impact; captures the time, place and attitudes that gave rise to them; and proves as dazzling as The Velvet Underground themselves. The Velvet Underground is available to stream via Apple TV+. SPREADSHEET When Katherine Parkinson starred in The IT Crowd 15 years ago, she played a woman trying to exude a cool, calm and collected air, but constantly finding her life — and her new job in IT — hindering that aim. In Spreadsheet, her new sitcom role, Parkinson's latest character isn't attempting the same feat. Instead, freshly divorced Melbourne-based lawyer and mother-of-two Lauren has has accepted that her existence is now messy; however, having a spreadsheet to keep track of her revamped love life is meant to help. Embracing being single, and all the opportunities for casual hookups that apps now bring, she isn't looking for a relationship. She even has her colleague Alex (Rowan Witt, Adore) helping to maintain her fast-growing database of sexual options. But this clearly wouldn't be a comedy if her new status quo turned out smoothly and stress-free. As this new Australian sitcom knows and keenly relies upon, there's a breeziness to Parkinson's comic performances that hits both humorous and relatable notes. Indeed, the British actor is the key reason that Spreadsheet's eight-episode first season is so incredibly easy to binge. Whether Lauren is being introduced in the throes of pleasure in the car park outside the Palais Theatre, is getting intimate in a snake dungeon or sports an eye patch after a run-in with a cuckoo clock, Parkinson is a comedic whirlwind. In a series that approaches its 'sex in the suburbs' setup with smarts and insights, too, she's also surrounded by an impressive local cast that includes Witt, Stephen Curry (June Again), Katrina Milosevic (Wentworth) and Zahra Newman (Long Story Short). The first season of Spreadsheet is available to stream via Paramount+. THE DONUT KING The documentary that comes with an obvious serving suggestion — avoiding pastry cravings while watching is impossible — The Donut King chronicles the life of Cambodian American Ted Ngoy. In the mid-70s, the soldier-turned-refugee fled the Khmer Rouge for a new start in the US. Then, after being enticed by the smell wafting out of a Californian doughnut shop, he found owning his own the path to success. After beginning with one venue, Ngoy grew his empire. In the process, he even helped cement pink-hued doughnut boxes as the industry standard — the pop culture standard, too. Inhabiting a constant cinnamon cloud might've been bliss, and it certainly was the impetus behind Ngoy's rags-to-riches story; however, filmmaker Alice Gu covers much more than pastry highs in this incisive and thoughtful portrait of the American Dream. Not even the best job is ever 100-percent filled with glaze and sprinkles, including when making desserts is your daily trade. For Ngoy, becoming a doughnut kingpin was the result of hard work — not just his own, but his whole family's — as well as savvy choices. His business also helped set a path for fellow Cambodians, as well as fostering a sense of community, by sparking a run of expat-owned doughnut shops in California. Gu captures all of this lovingly, with a celebratory tone, and with a warm appreciation for Ngoy's achievements both in general and as an immigrant entrepreneur. That said, she doesn't shy away from the twists and turns that've complicated his path, and this story, along the way. The Donut King is available to stream via Docplay. THE GUILTY It's the remake that was always going to eventuate; the remake that was announced before the original Danish film even reached Australian cinemas, in fact. A high-concept thriller set in a police call centre and solely conveying its dramas via telephone conversations, The Guilty was instantly destined to get the Hollywood treatment — not only because it's predicated upon a commanding concept, but because the first time around made for exceptional, Oscar-shortlisted, outstandingly tense and gripping viewing. Thankfully, Netflix's take on the tale lives up to its predecessor. It's as suspenseful and taut, as economical and evocative, and as superbly acted. Twenty years after Donnie Darko made him a star, Jake Gyllenhaal's resume isn't short on highlights; however, The Guilty easily sits among them. Gyllenhaal (Spider-Man: Far From Home) plays LAPD officer Joe Baylor, who's been demoted to taking 911 calls after an on-the-job incident that'll see him in court the next day. His evening at work will prove just as stressful, after a woman called Emily (Riley Keough, Zola) advises that she's been kidnapped by her ex (Peter Sarsgaard, Interrogation), with their kids left home alone. Joe springs into action, and tries to get his colleagues to do the same. But as the excellent series Calls also demonstrated, words can tell viewers the whole story while keeping on-screen characters twisting. Reteaming with Gyllenhaal after Southpaw, filmmaker Antoine Fuqua directs this intense affair with that truth firmly in mind. The Guilty is available to stream via Netflix. A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX When a certain Sydney-shot, Keanu Reeves-starring sci-fi/action film did big box-office business 22 years ago, it did more than just start a huge movie franchise. The Matrix and its sequels also gave proponents of the simulation hypothesis — the idea that this life we all call our own is merely an artificial simulation, but we don't know it — an enormously successful pop culture touchstone. Examining that notion, as well as its connection to the series that shares part of its title, A Glitch in the Matrix couldn't arrive at a timelier moment. The concept is about to get another blockbuster billboard, after all, with The Matrix Resurrections just months away from release. What truly interests this documentary, however, isn't the answer to that reality-versus-simulation question, but all the reasons that might inspire someone to think that nothing about their experience is genuine. Documentarian Rodney Ascher likes delving into ambiguous and liminal spaces. With Room 237, he pondered conspiracy theories around The Shining. Next, he dedicated his sophomore effort The Nightmare to sleep paralysis. He's clearly fond of fascinating, mind-bending concepts, too, but there's always a shagginess to his films — a sense that the underlying ideas he clasps onto are far more compelling than actually charting the stories he selects on his chosen topic. A Glitch in the Matrix is no different, but it's also ambitious and engrossing as it mixes everything from animation and archival clips to interviews. A movie can be thought-provoking and also messy, of course, and still make for compelling viewing. A Glitch in the Matrix is available to stream via Docplay. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK SUCCESSION For fans of blistering TV shows about wealth, power, the vast chasm between the rich and everyone else, and the societal problems that fester due to such rampant inequality, 2021 has been a fantastic year. The White Lotus fit the bill, as did Squid Game, but Succession has always been in its own league. In the 'eat the rich' genre, the HBO drama sits at the top of the food chain as it chronicles the extremely lavish and influential lives of the Roy family. No series slings insults as brutally; no show channels feuding and backstabbing into such an insightful and gripping satire of the one percent, either. Finally back on our screens after a two-year gap between its second and third seasons, Succession doesn't just keep plying its astute and addictive battles and power struggles — following season two's big bombshell, it keeps diving deeper. The premise has remained the same since day one, with Logan Roy's (Brian Cox, Super Troopers 2) kids Kendall (Jeremy Strong, The Trial of the Chicago 7), Shiv (Sarah Snook, Pieces of a Woman), Roman (Kieran Culkin, No Sudden Move) and Connor (Alan Ruck, Gringo) vying to take over the family media empire. This brood's tenuous and tempestuous relationship only gets thornier with each episode, and its examination of their privileged lives — and what that bubble has done to them emotionally, psychologically and ideologically — only grows in season three. It becomes more addictive, too. There's no better show currently on TV, and no better source of witty dialogue. And there's no one turning in performances as layered as Strong, Cox, Snook, Culkin, J Smith-Cameron (Search Party), Matthew Macfadyen (The Assistant) and Nicholas Braun (Zola). The first two episodes of Succession's third season are available to stream via Binge, with new episodes dropping weekly. Read our full review. LOVE LIFE Mere minutes into Love Life's second season, a big query arises. With The Good Place's William Jackson Harper taking over from Anna Kendrick as the show's lead, it's an obvious question: what would Chidi Anagonye think? He'd recognise the indecision bubbling away inside Harper's new character, Manhattanite book editor Marcus Watkins. From a moral and ethical standpoint, he'd be less enamoured with Marcus' other choices, especially the flirtatious friendship that Love Life's new protagonist pursues with Mia (Jessica Williams, Booksmart) while still married to Emily (Maya Kazan, Love Is Love Is Love). Thankfully, it doesn't take long for Harper to settle into his new part, and for the ghost of Chidi to fade. The latter would still protest, of course, but Love Life sends the man behind him wading through a different pool of rom-com dilemmas. It's a delightful stroke of casting, in a series that has always hinged upon its audience's connection with its main character. Harper doesn't ever let his natural charm eclipse Marcus' flaws — Love Life doesn't trade in perfect protagonists or easy, clearcut romantic fantasies — and that balance adds both weight and depth to the show's second season. That said, the storylines here won't seem particularly different to Love Life's season-one viewers. This is a case of new lead, same city, similar romantic struggles. It isn't a spoiler to note that Marcus and Emily's marriage doesn't last long, or that the relationships that follow take him on quite the rollercoaster ride, but Harper instantly gets you hooked on the journey. The first three episodes of Love Life are available to stream via Stan, with new episodes dropping weekly. FOUNDATION If you've ever wondered whether good things truly do come to those who wait, as the old adage insists, let Foundation convince you. In the 90s, these Isaac Asimov-penned sci-fi stories were slated to become a film trilogy, but those plans faltered. In the late 00s, Independence Day's Roland Emmerich was onboard to direct a different movie adaptation — and thankfully that didn't eventuate either. It's hard to see how Foundation would've worked on the big screen, unless it fuelled a sizeable number of features. On the small screen, it still spins an immensely dense storyline, but it also has room to breathe. Stepping into a futuristic world on the precipice of ruin, this is a series that rewards patience. (If you've ever seen the Party Down episode that jokes about hard sci-fi, you'll know how seriously it takes its genre, too.) Created by screenwriters David S Goyer (Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy) and Josh Friedman (the TV version of Snowpiercer), Foundation splashes its sizeable budget across the screen — all while reimagining Asimov's tales almost eight decades after they were written. Mathematics professor Hari Seldon (Jared Harris, Chernobyl) remains a key part, though, thanks to his prediction that the Galactic Empire will soon fall. That prophesy angers the three cloned versions of Emperor Cleon, especially Brother Day (Lee Pace, Captain Marvel), with his dismay sparking action just as Seldon's new protege Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell, Voyagers) arrives. That's just Foundation's setup, too, and it's sci-fi catnip. The first six episodes of Foundation are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly. A RECENT MUST-SEE YOU CAN (AND SHOULD) STREAM NOW THE OTHER TWO You're in your twenties, trying to make it in New York and struggling to chase your dreams. The only thing that's making you feel better is the knowledge that your sibling is doing the exact same thing. Then your kid brother comes up with a throwaway pop hit, adopts the stage name ChaseDreams and becomes a YouTube sensation — and suddenly you're related to the world's next Justin Bieber. That's the premise of sitcom The Other Two, which follows struggling actor Cary (Drew Tarver, Bless the Harts) and his ex-dancer sister Brooke (Helene York, Katy Keene) as they come to terms with their new situation. Yes, they're thrilled for their baby brother; however, they're also shocked, envious and desperate to get their own time in the spotlight. That's the other thing about having a famous sibling: riding their coattails isn't the same as making it yourself. The Other Two leans upon two things: its sense of humour and the way it interrogates the celeb game, and its casting. Both are as sharp as Chase's rise to stardom; Case Walker even got that part after becoming a Musical.ly sensation IRL. Tarver and York's back-and-forth is the series' anchor, however. Also excellent: Molly Shannon (The White Lotus), Ken Marino (Black Monday), Wanda Sykes (Breaking News in Yuba County) and Josh Segarra (The Moodys). Its second season hasn't arrived in Australia yet, but The Other Two's first ten episodes are hilarious, acerbic and perceptive, especially when it comes to today's celebrity-obsessed, influencer-heavy society. It's an instant classic (it was one of our best new shows of 2019, in fact), and it's instantly rewatchable. The first season of The Other Two is available to stream via Paramount+. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August and September this year — and our top straight-to-streaming movies and specials from 2021 so far, and our list of the best new TV shows released this year so far as well.
Halloween is over, so it's officially that time of year: time to get Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' stuck in your head for two months straight. That's been a Christmas tradition since 1994, when the upbeat ditty became everyone's go-to seasonal soundtrack — and it has only grown in popularity since. Back in 2019, the track even topped the US charts. It didn't achieve that feat back when it was initially released, making it the song that has taken the longest journey ever to the top spot. And yes, the end of the year was obviously filled with plenty of festive cheer before Carey released the song, but no one can now remember Christmas without it. Last year, the singer actually gave us all another holiday staple, too, thanks to Apple TV+'s Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special. What's better than just listening to 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' on repeat? Watching the pop queen sing it, obviously. If you were planning to rewatch the 2020 special again this year, that's understandable — but Carey has another gift for us. As Apple TV+ has just announced, she's teaming up with the streaming platform again on Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues. Another Christmas, another Mariah Christmas special. Yes, that's the present we all need in 2021. While Carey has re-recorded 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' several times, and already has several holiday albums to her name, this new special will coincide with her new festive single 'Fall in Love at Christmas'. It's a collaboration with Khalid and Kirk Franklin, and they'll all be performing it on Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues. As for what else the special has in store, that'll be unwrapped sometime in December. If that's now all you want from the rest of 2021, Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues hasn't been given an exact release date yet — but obviously it'll arrive at the right time of year. There's no trailer for the special as yet either; however, because we already know you're humming it to yourself, you can check out the music video for 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' below: Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues will hit Apple TV+ sometime this December — we'll update you with an exact date when it's announced.
Gordi may be based in Sydney these days but, given she's originally from nearby Canowindra, her upcoming performance at the Cowra Civic Centre represents something of a homecoming for the indie pop artist. Her most recent album, Our Two Skins, was recorded at her family's farm and released during the global pandemic. Being involved in Great Southern Nights isn't even the first initiative in which Gordi's been involved in 2020; all profits from her single 'The Cost', released in January, were donated to Australian bushfire relief. Be aware that this jaunt to Cowra may be your last chance to see Gordi in such an intimate venue for quite some time as, next year, she'll be supporting alt-country legends Bon Iver on their Australian stadium tour. So, pack your bags, hit the road and catch this one-off gig you're sure to remember.
Some neighbours suck, like the Constant Complainers. The Constant Complainer is never short of an excuse to knock on the wall your terraces share. Worse still are the Loud Guys. Do they really need to barbecue that loudly? Some of us have jobs? Some of us contribute to society? Some of us, maybe, secretly, hopefully not, are Constant Complainers ourselves. But for all of their flaws, the Constant Complainers and Loud Guys are nothing, really. The worst of them are the Zac Efrons of this world, the fraternities of 50 brothers that move in shortly after the birth of your baby. These neighbours go above and beyond Loud Guys. And although they might have hilarious Robert De Niro-themed frat parties, for genius Kimye impersonator Seth Rogan and Aussie actor Rose Byrne, resigning themselves to the roles of Constant Complainers is not an option. Titled Bad Neighbours, this new comedy is directed by Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and is destined to give you more than a few lols. Representing something of a turning point for Efron, the film is sitting at 100 percent approval on Rotten Tomatoes. Bad Neighbours is in cinemas on Thursday, May 8, and thanks to Universal Pictures, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=F8FKvhZLw9o
Travelling to and from Queensland is about to become a possibility again, and almost a week earlier than expected. At 5pm today, Monday, November 15, the Sunshine State will start reopening to double-vaccinated visitors. A 14-day stint in home quarantine will still be required if you're coming from a part of the country that's considered a hotspot, but this is the first step in the plan to open Queensland's borders back up — and it's been brought forward after the state hit the 70-percent double-vaccinated mark ahead of schedule. Yesterday, on Sunday, November 14, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the Sunshine State had reached the 70-percent double-dose threshold, which wasn't initially expected until Friday, November 19. Back in mid-October, when the state's roadmap out of border restrictions was revealed, that mark was outlined as the key date for beginning to restart interstate travel. So, today's announcement means that you can now bring forward your travel plans. To travel here, you must return a negative COVID-19 test within the previous 72 hours, have a valid border pass and must complete 14 days of home quarantine at a self-contained dwelling, as long as it has no shared common areas accessible by people outside the household. — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 14, 2021 When 5pm hits today, travellers who've been in a hotspot area within Australia in the past 14 days can enter the state again. They'll need to be double-vaxxed, to arrive by air and to have received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before arriving — and to get a border pass. Also, anyone in this category will need to go into home quarantine for 14 days at a self-contained dwelling that doesn't have any common areas shared with people from outside the household. Obviously, needing to quarantine — even at home — still isn't the best incentive to travel to and from Queensland; however, given that the state hit the 70-percent double-jabbed threshold early, it's hoped that it'll also do the same with the 80-percent double-vaxxed mark. That was originally expected around Friday, December 17, and it's when travellers from interstate hotspots can arrive in the Sunshine State by either road or air, and also won't need to quarantine at all. At today's press conference, the Premier advised that "if these rates continue, that is good news because it may even see our date in December [brought] a little bit forward as well — but that depends on Queenslanders getting vaccinated." Queensland's Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski also advised that the state is "preparing if we need to go earlier as we have this time." BREAKING: We just hit 70% double dosed. Keep it up Queenslanders 💪#GetVaccinated pic.twitter.com/PyznKOjzxW — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 14, 2021 The 80-percent double-vaxxed mark is also when Queensland will ditch capacity restrictions for all hospitality and entertainment venues, and change entry requirements to only allow double-jabbed folks into places such as restaurants, bars, cafes, cinemas, stadiums, festivals, libraries, galleries and museums. So, if the 80-percent double-vaccinated threshold is met ahead of schedule, that requirement could kick in earlier as well. If you're wondering what all of this means for international travel, nothing is changing at the moment — because, under the roadmap, international arrivals are still handled as they have been during the pandemic at the 70-percent double-vaxxed target. But when Queensland hits 80-percent double-jabbed, double-vaccinated overseas travellers will be able to undertake 14 days of home quarantine — if they've also received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before getting to Queensland. And, when the Sunshine State reaches the 90-percent double-vaccinated threshold, all entry rules and quarantine requirements will be ditched for folks who've had both jabs. For the unvaxxed, the 14-day quarantine rule will still be in effect. Queensland will start allowing double-vaccinated domestic visitors back into the state via air from 5pm on Monday, November 15. For more information about Queensland's border policies and border passes, head to the Queensland Government website.
Feeling hemmed into the daily grind without much respite? It's time to break free from our own four walls in favour of spectacular scenery. If you have your sights set on a New South Wales getaway, we've found eight other-worldly spots that'll leave you spellbound — from extraterrestrial-esque terrains to luminous caves, jewel-coloured oceans and prehistoric forests. Here are some must-visit sites for your next NSW holiday that'll have you falling back in love with your own backyard. Due to extreme weather events, some places mentioned may be closed or operating differently. Check websites before making plans to visit. [caption id="attachment_802265" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] DISCOVER THE MARS-LIKE LANDSCAPES OF MUNGO NATIONAL PARK You'll feel like you're on a space expedition wandering around the wind-sculpted sand dunes and millenia-old rock formations of this World Heritage-listed site. It's home to the 40,000-to-42,000-year-old Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, some of the oldest modern human remains discovered outside of Africa. Dive into the park's history at the Mungo Visitor Centre and learn about the cultural heritage of the area, which is shared by the region's Indigenous landowners, the Paakantji, Ngiyampaa and Mutthi Mutthi people. Choose a walking, biking or driving route to explore the blazing red earth landscapes and vast, dry lakebed. Visitors can stay in the park's two campgrounds or the historic Mungo Shearers' Quarters, but numbers are limited. Or, find more accommodation in the nearby towns of Mildura and Balranald. It's quite the drive from Sydney — a solid ten or so hours — so, if you'd rather cut the highway drive, consider flying to Mildura or Griffith. [caption id="attachment_802263" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] SWIM IN THE SAPPHIRE SEAS OF MIMOSA ROCKS NATIONAL PARK Pack your camp gear, fishing rods and multiple sets of swimmers and visit this Sapphire Coast gem. You'll find idyllic inlets like Nelson Beach or Moon Bay, perfect for swimming, surfing and fishing. Picnickers and those prepared to paddle with a canoe or kayak should head to Nelson Lagoon. Or, if it's sea life you seek, stroll along the walking track to Wajurda Point lookout and spy whales and dolphins among the endless blue. Park your pack at the campgrounds at Gillards, Picnic Point or Middle Beach for a canvas room with an ocean view. Or, you can book the historic Myer House by Lake Wapengo for up to 12 people. The nearby towns of Bermagui and Merimbula are good spots to stay for the less intrepid, too — and you can even fly straight into the latter if you're short on time. [caption id="attachment_802357" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] CHECK OUT A JAW-DROPPING CANYON AT CAPERTEE VALLEY Regular Blue Mountains visitors and new explorers alike will be awestruck by the Capertee Valley, the second-largest canyon in the world. The mighty sandstone escarpment drops into a deep chasm of bush and grasslands that's a hiker's haven. If you're not so keen on climbing, easily accessible vantage points such as Pearsons Lookout let you gaze upon magnificent formations like Pantoneys Crown – a flat-topped monolith structure — without all the work. Campers can set up at the main grounds by the Capertee River, or you can find charming private accommodation around the valley, including three bubble tents with 360-degree views and outdoor woodfired baths. [caption id="attachment_802277" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] SNORKEL WITH SEALS AT WILDLIFE HAVEN BARUNGUBA (MONTAGUE ISLAND) Another jewel in the Sapphire Coast's crown is Barunguba, aka Montague Island, nine kilometres off the coast of Narooma. The nature reserve is home to a colony of fur seals, thousands of little penguins, more than 90 bird species and regular whale and dolphin visitors. This tiny island offers plenty of activities, from snorkelling and scuba diving to touring the lighthouse, fishing for tuna and marlin or wildlife spotting on the island walking track. The island can only be reached on a guided tour or if you book accommodation on the island, and all visitors must be over the age of five. The Montague Island Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage sleeps up to twelve people while the Lighthouse Assistant Keeper's Cottage sleeps seven. Either way, you'll more or less have the island to yourself. [caption id="attachment_802275" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] WANDER THROUGH ENCHANTED GARDENS AT DISTILLERY BOTANICA Get to know the botanicals that make a G&T really pop at this distillery hidden within three acres of lush gardens on the Central Coast. Take a turn around the leafy grounds where owner and herbalist Philip Moore grows ingredients for Distillery Botanica's range of gins, liqueurs and vodkas. Then, settle in for a tasting session at the distillery door, followed by a garden-inspired meal at the on-site eatery, Bar Botanica. Once you're done, bottle up the day and take it with you by purchasing your favourite spirits. Sure, you could just visit on a day trip but, with the Central Coast offering up pristine beaches, national parks and next-level food and drink options, it'd be remiss not to extend your stay. [caption id="attachment_802543" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] TIME TRAVEL WITH SERIOUS GONDWANA VIBES AT DORRIGO NATIONAL PARK The climbing vines and giant rainforest ferns of Dorrigo National Park are Jurassic Park-level. Drive an hour inland from Coffs Harbour and you'll feel like you're walking with dinosaurs as you hike past 600-year-old trees or brave the suspension bridge to feel the spray at Crystal Shower Falls. Well-kept boardwalks lead to uninterrupted views across the rainforest canopy and provide perfect birdwatching platforms. If a cool-down dip is in order, head to Dangar Falls where a crater within undulating farmland has produced a 30-metre waterfall cascading into a pristine swimming hole. If you're coming from the city, it's about a six-hour car ride, or you can fly into Coffs Harbour. Where to stay? The quaint, colourful town of Bellingen is just 30 minutes from the park and has plenty of accommodation — from campgrounds to luxe farmstays. [caption id="attachment_790432" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Tran via Department of Planning, Industry and Environment[/caption] HEAD ON LUMINOUS ADVENTURES THROUGH GLOW WORM TUNNEL The creeping ferns shrouding the entrance to the Blue Mountains' Glow Worm Tunnel provide a mystical air to this historic site reclaimed by nature. Speak in whispers and keep the lights low once you enter, and an army of glow worms will create a constellation of blue light along the surface of the 400-metre tunnel. This dreamy experience in Wollemi National Park is an easy one-kilometre walk from the car park at the end of Glow Worm Tunnel Road. If you'd prefer a guided tour, Blue Mountains Glow Worm Tours offers one-hour expeditions for $65. Beyond the transformed railway tunnel, you can explore the park's lush rainforests and stunning rock formations, all within an hour's drive from Lithgow. [caption id="attachment_802550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wollongong Botanic Garden[/caption] TRAIPSE THE TRANQUIL GROUNDS OF WOLLONGONG BOTANIC GARDEN Just over an hour's drive south of Sydney, Wollongong thrums with an element of city bustle. But all that drains away once you enter the grounds of the Wollongong Botanic Garden. The peaceful rainforest-like oasis has semi-arid succulents and delicate rose gardens that have been carefully cultivated for 50 years. Horticultural enthusiasts can spend hours exploring the flora — some local to the Illawarra and many more from as far as Japan, Africa and North America. It all sits at the foot of the escarpment under the watchful gaze of Mount Keira. You can head to the summit lookout for views across the city and Wollongong's glistening coastline, too. If you are looking for more places to feel free in New South Wales, head to visitnsw.com. Top image: Dorrigo National Park, Destination NSW
Young campaign manager Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) believes "nothing bad happens when you're doing the right thing." The thing is, bad things can happen in a world where the public lets petty scandals eclipse what's right. The thing is, you can do bad on the path to what you believe is good. The Ides of March follows the up-and-coming politico in the lead-up to the Ohio Democratic presidential primary. A win there puts his candidate, Mike Morris (George Clooney), right at the door of the Oval Office, because, as we've learnt from watching The West Wing, "as Ohio goes, so goes the nation." To secure victory, Stephen and his mentor, Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman), are negotiating for the support of Senator Thompson (Jeffrey Wright). But the middling politician may ask Morris to compromise more than he is willing to, as Stephen finds out when he meets in secret with rival campaign boss Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti). Meanwhile, making her way from the periphery and into Stephen's focus is Molly (Evan Rachel Wood), an intern even younger and more fresh-faced than he is. Over a few crucial days, this ambitious idealist will become a pragmatic manipulator, and it's an entirely believable journey. The dramas that develop are not huge, but they have huge consequences, and the cold political machinations are startlingly interrupted by reminders of what's softly, vulnerably human. George Clooney is a hit-it-out-of-the-park director. This is now his fourth feature (after Leatherheads, Good Night, and Good Luck, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind), and it's so sophisticated and subtle as to show off his real, decades-strong mastery of both the medium of film and the back rooms of power. And Ryan Gosling? Ryan Gosling is George Clooney 15 years ago. Intensity comes to Stephen slowly, like clouds rolling in, and few actors of his generations could portray such a journey as effectively. https://youtube.com/watch?v=McCt-_yYLpo
Famed Australian restaurateur Maurice Terzini is at it again, this time opening a luxurious new cocktail bar that's set to reclaim the decadence of years gone by. Terzini is of course known for many of his iconic spots around the city, including Bondi institution Icebergs Bar & Dining, which the restaurateur has overseen since 2002, Bondi Beach Public Bar and Mitch Orr-helmed trattoria CicciaBella — a second site of which was opened in Parramatta back in 2020. Closer to the city, Terzini took over Surry Hills pub The Dolphin back in 2016 and opened Belongil Beach Italian Foood up in Byron Bay last year. Now he's bringing his Midas touch to The Bar, a sleek new addition to the food and beverage options in the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay. It's all part of a wider plan to return the hotel to its former grandeur, when it served patrons like Princess Diana, Bill Clinton and Elton John in its past life as the Ritz Carlton. The Bar is bringing Icebergs' white-clothed elegance to the hotel, with tableside service and a menu focusing on classic Italian/Australian fare. Purists will be able to get their paws on The Bar's take on a classic martini, as well as several signature cocktail offerings like The Contessa, The Venetian, The Hugo and The Yuzu Spritz. [caption id="attachment_857392" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Loucas[/caption] While the menu is still to be finalised, it promises to hero locally sourced ingredients like Sydney rock oysters, beef tartare and spanner crab. Of course, there will also be a classic American cheeseburger — if you've never had a waiter in a white tuxedo bring you a cheeseburger on a trolley, this is your chance. The team at design practice Alfred are behind The Bar's interiors — all soft furnishings, flattering light, acclaimed artwork and even a grand piano, which acclaimed 'Piano Man' Scot Finnie is set to perform at. Whether you're staying at the hotel during a luxurious getaway or a decadent staycation, Terzini's newest venture might just be a reason to book a seat at The Bar. The Bar within the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay opens to the public today, Tuesday, June 14. Top images: Jason Loucas
Following on from a killer season at Sydney Festival 2014, LIMBO will return to the Festival Village in 2015, taking up residence in the new Spiegeltent, the Aurora. With awe-inducing acrobatics, breathtakingly brilliant manoeuvres and a serve of cheeky cabaret, LIMBO is circus like you’ve never seen before. Presented by Strut & Fret (producers of Cantina), Underbelly Productions and Southbank Centre, LIMBO has all of the danger — but much more sexiness — of your regular night at Cirque du Soleil. This is circus with grit, set against the funked-up, old-time jazz, oompah, rap and bossa nova of Sxip Shirey's electric live score.
Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, a musical sound was projected across the galaxies in search of intelligent life. This sound was soul-fi, mixing equal parts space laser and soulful rhythms, merging future and past with galactic synths and organic soul. The musical creators are the Gnarls Barkley-esque duo of Space Invadas. Consisting of Australian hip hop producer Katalyst alongside vocalist Steve Spacek, they are well qualified for this latest musical incarnation. Katalyst's music is taken to a new dimension with the addition of Spacek, who has previously collaborated with Mos Def and Common. Now, in their current form, they can be heard on Triple J and FBi, their tunes transmitting across time and space to seduce new audiences. And be sure to keep a watchful pair of ears on Russian-born Fantine Pritoula, an important part of the Space Invadas live band and a future soul diva in her own right. Fantine will be supporting Space Invadas as guest vocalist following a successful collab on "Super Sweet". To win one of five double passes to see Space Invadas just visit our Facebook page, click 'Suggest to Friends' and tell your mates about Concrete Playground, then confirm your entry on our wall. https://youtube.com/watch?v=tAO8k71bCyY
Reward yourself for getting through the week with a set of free doughnuts this Saturday. DoorDash is celebrating its second anniversary by giving away 26,000 free doughnuts, delivered to your door. The food delivery service has teamed up with Krispy Kreme to ensure you're giving into your sweet tooth this weekend. In order to claim your free doughnuts, you just need to spend $10 or more at Krispy Kreme through DoorDash and you'll be rewarded with four free doughy treats. Delivery on all orders has been cut to $2 on Saturday, meaning you can nab a pair of coffees and four doughnuts for $12 or eight doughnuts for around $16. Of course, you could also just throw caution to the wind and order yourself a whole heap of Krispy Kreme knowing you'll be treated to a few extra doughnuts in your delivery bag. The deal is available until all 26,000 doughnuts are sold out so make sure you jump on the DoorDash app early on Saturday and get your order in.
It's that time of year again. Australia's favourite mid-winter music festival kicks off this Friday, with some amazing acts gracing Belongil Fields in Byron Bay. Featuring The Kooks, Jack White, Bloc Party, The Smashing Pumpkins, Miike Snow, Gossip, Lana Del Rey, Azealia Banks, and New Zealand's Kimbra and Ladyhawke to name a few, the three day festival offers that little ray of escapism from the long winter months and the lack of summer sun time witnessed by most. And those fortunate enough to secure tickets to the sold out event are in for a treat, with long range forecasts for weather looking pretty good. If you can't make this year's event, you can watch the performances via over 8 hours of live streaming performances thanks to Virgin Mobile's sponsorship of Splendour in the Grass. Plus, Virgin Mobile customers who register via the Virgin Mobile Facebook App will be rewarded with access to a number of customer benefits made available to them by using Near Field Communications (NFC) Wristbands. Some of these benefits are: Star Treatment Stop on the drive to Byron, providing coffees, massages, comfy beanbags and refreshing tunes.Access to Posh Pits which is code for a fancy bathroom with five minute makeoversFast Lane express bar queue. More time watching the music as opposed to yarning to some random about how awesome this event is. You had me at hello.Recharge Stations for your mobiles so you can tell your mates how awesome this event isAccess to an exclusive Channel V party at the Beach Hotel on the SaturdayAnd of course, access to prizes (which you find out by tapping the Wristband). I will be heading on this trip to experience all of this, taking a representative from New Zealand's largest Festival Rhythm and Vines, who will no doubt be taking some serious notes on how brands can tastefully activate at a Festival without tarnishing the experience. For full updates, follow @playgroundnews and @playgroundNZ. Sponsored post
Mobile phone technology follows a pretty straight path - get smaller and get smarter. Over the past year we've seen the newest incarnations of the iPhone and Blackberry, with producers playing to the strengths of their models; Blackberries got more business-focused and iPhones got more fun. But what is the next progression? Can a phone really get any more compact? The answer, apparently, is an enthusiastic yes. Introducing the PaperPhone: an extremely light weight and, as the name suggests, paper-thin smart phone. Its creators are taking inspiration from its pliable form and running with it. When taking a call you can bend it into a cell phone, turn the pages on your e-book by flipping the corner, and write on it with a pen and have your words translated into text. The inventor, Dr. Roel Vertegaal, the director of Queen's University Human Media Lab in Ontario, Canada, states "The computer looks, feels and operates like a small sheet of interactive paper, meaning that when users are reading they don't feel like they're holding a sheet of glass or metal." This has ramifications for office set-ups, with Dr. Vertegaal predicting "everything can now be stored digitally...you can place these computers on top of each other just like a stack of paper." https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rl-qygUEE2c [via DailyMail]
American artist Nina Katchadourian has what could aptly be described as a bit of a book fetish. Having spent the last 20 years trawling through libraries and personal collections across the globe in search of books that she can organise into meaningful stacks of "spine poetry", it seems fair to describe the artist as a fully fledged bibliophile. The Sorted Books project has been a labour of love for Katchadourian, who has now amassed over 130 stacks of books, displaying them as either the physical cluster or as photographs. The resulting poetry is at times quirky, sometimes thought-provoking, often laugh-out-loud funny and even touchingly poignant. For the artist the hope was that each stack would represent the unique character of the collections they were drawn from. Katchadourian writes that "the clusters from each sorting aim to examine that particular library's focus, idiosyncrasies, and inconsistencies — a cross-section of that library's holdings." Beyond this, it is the inspiration Katachadourian gains from the books she finds that has meant this project remains ongoing and unfinished, whether this be the aesthetic beauty of the covers, the highly tactile nature of well-loved literature or simply an enduring passion for the written word. Have a look at some of our favourite clusters below or head to Amazon to get your hands on your own photograph.
Look, there's been a lot of big talk thrown around gelato forums in the last few years. Everyone's favourite cold treat is a certainly a divisive topic in Sydney, and there's an unsung Italian hero in the Messina/Cow and the Moon dominated ranks. RivaReno, whose original gelateria in Darlinghurst serves up some of the best pistachio gelato in the business, have been so quietly successful in the iced confection game they've announced a second location — the fresh foodie hotspot Barangaroo. RivaReno has won a whole swathe of awards in Italy (including 'Best Gelato in Italy' from independent food guide Golosaria — not too shabby) and it's not hard to taste why. They make their gelato fresh in house every day and will soon expand the menu to include crepes and waffles (which are not technically Italian but our mouths are filling with drool so they get a pass on that one), bombolini, Mecca coffee and Italian hot chocolate. For those of you who haven't tried it, Italian hot chocolate can be likened to hot, rich cake mix. Get excited. Get very excited. In the overhaul, the OG headquarters is getting a makeover as well. Think dark finishings, pristine marble slabs and state of the art gelato equipment to keep your gelato the perfect temperate. Bellissimo. RivaReno marks yet another foodie opening to look forward to at Barangaroo, joining the likes of The Rabbit Hole, Banskii and Bentley, also opening this year.
If you're a Queenslander or a Victorian with a trip to Sydney in your future — or vice versa — the pandemic has just interrupted your plans. Yes, again. With the New South Wales capital currently experiencing a new COVID-19 cluster, both its northern and southern neighbour states have declared parts of the city either hotspots or red zones, depending on their respective terminology. And, as a result, both Queensland and Victoria are shutting their borders to seven Sydney Local Government Areas. Victoria announced the news late on Tuesday, June 22, while Queensland did the same today, Wednesday, June 23 — and each state's border closures come into effect at different times, too. In Victoria, the change actually kicked in at 1am this morning. In Queensland, it'll apply from 1am on Thursday, June 24. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1407302855405363202 Accordingly, folks who've been in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick LGAS will no longer be permitted to enter either Victoria or Queensland, other than in a few circumstances. Victoria is allowing the state's own residents who've been in the identified LGAs, which are now classes as red zones under its traffic light-style permit system, to obtain permits to return home — but they'll then need to quarantine for 14 days. If you're not a Victorian resident and you've been in the seven Sydney regions, you can no longer enter Victoria. In Queensland, residents entering from the seven Sydney hotspots will need to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days — and non-residents will only be allowed to enter if they receive an exception, and will also need to go into hotel quarantine for a fortnight. Plus, everyone will need to complete one of the state's online travel declarations first, after that system was brought back into effect last week. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1407478815853400064 Queensland actually already made a similar move on Saturday, June 19, but limited to Waverley local government area. So, when 1am hits on Thursday, June 24, it'll be joined by the City of Sydney, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick under the state's hotspot declaration. For more information about southeast Queensland's COVID-19 border restrictions, or about the status of COVID-19 in the state, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. For more information about COVID-19 in Victoria and the state's current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health website.
It has been more than six months since the Australian Government introduced an effective ban on international travel in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 within the country. And, over that time, there has been plenty of speculation about when jetting overseas might resume — including predictions that the entire global travel industry mightn't return to normal until 2023, and that Australia's borders could remain closed until 2021. When it comes to Australia's prolonged border closure, an exception has been floated, however. Receiving ample chatter over the past few months is the concept of a travel bubble with New Zealand — which would allow international travel between the two countries, even as they potentially remain closed to other nations. Back in June, Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham noted that it was under consideration. Now, in a new media appearance on Sunday, September 27, he has said that it could possibly be implemented by the end of the year. Speaking on ABC News, Senator Birmingham advised that he hoped Australia's border would open back up to NZ by the time 2020 was out. "That would just be a great step, and it would prove the work that is being done to make sure this can be done, again, in a safe way — that travellers between Australia and New Zealand can be given corridors and clearances through our international airports without coming into contact with higher-risk travellers who might be returning from other parts of the region and still have to go through quarantine". Of course, this isn't just a decision that Australia can make on its own, as the Minister also noted. "We're making sure we have all the work done, all the preparations there, so that we can safely achieve that bubble with New Zealand. It's up to them as to whether they choose to open up to Australia, but we're certainly making sure that we're prepared and I'm hopeful that could be this year and then maybe set a model for us to look at for any other countries that meet similar high standards." Today, on Monday, September 28, the ABC reports that New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also weighed in on the topic — and also mentioned the end of the year. On broadcaster TVNZ, she noted that it might be possible on a state-by-state basis before Christmas. As Brisbane Times reports, that travel might only be one-way, though, with New Zealanders able to come to Australia only. As 2020 has reminded us all over and over again, much can change very quickly during a pandemic — so whether Aussies will be able to head to NZ before the year is out is obviously still yet to be seen. But, if you've been dreaming of leaving the country the moment that any international holidays are permitted again, this might be the ray of hope that you need right now. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. For further information about Australia's current international travel ban, head to the Smart Traveller website.
Over the past 12 months, Qantas has responded to the pandemic and Australia's international border closure in a number of ways. The airline has sold off its fully stocked bar carts, done the same with its pyjamas and launched an athleisure wear range. It announced new routes for domestic getaways, signalled that it hopes to be flying overseas again by October this year and floated the idea of only allowing vaccinated passengers to travel. And, now, it has just run its first trial of a digital health passport with customers — in the hopes that it'll be able to use an app to facilitate safe travel when the global tourism market does reopen. The airline trialled the CommonPass digital health app, which it used on an international repatriation flight between Frankfurt and Darwin. Connecting users to testing labs, the app verifies COVID-19 test results and vaccination information — so border and health officials, as well as Qantas staff, can confirm that passengers have tested negative before their flight. CommonPass is one of two apps that Qantas is planning to trial, alongside the digital Travel Pass app developed by International Air Transport Association (IATA). The latter is also being assessed by Air New Zealand, which will test it on its Auckland to Sydney route in April. Qantas hopes that, whichever app it ends up implementing, users will be able to elect to connect its chosen digital health passport to the Australian Government's vaccination certificates, which'll be available via the Medicare and MyGov apps. Integrating the digital health passport technology into Qantas' own app, too, is the company's ultimate aim. Announcing the customer trial, Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully said that "we want to get our international flights back in the air and our people back to work, and a digital health pass will be a key part of that. COVID-19 test results and proof of vaccine will be required in many countries for quarantine-free travel, just as it has been for polio and yellow fever vaccinations in the past". Last November, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce first advised that the airline was "looking at changing our terms and conditions to say, for international travellers, that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft". He continued: "certainly for international visitors coming out and people leaving the country, we think that's a necessity". So, when you are next able to head overseas, you'll likely to add one more thing to your pre-travel checklist. Australia's vaccine campaign is currently underway, with the Federal Government pledging to give every Aussie the inoculation for free. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Health website.
Central Station is currently undergoing some big changes. You may have already spotted the massive overhaul of the Grand Concourse which, among a heap of renovations and refurbishments, will feature the longest elevators in the southern hemisphere. There are also plans to transform Eddy Avenue into a dining and entertainment precinct. The latest element to the NSW Government's projections for the bustling inner-city train station is possibly its biggest — with the introduction of new public spaces, parklands, restaurants, shops, office buildings and affordable housing. This ambitious new addition to the plans will see a series of buildings constructed over the existing rail lines and significant makeovers to some of the station's current spaces in order to facilitate a range of new public and privately run facilities. New connectivity between Ultimo and Surry Hills will also be central to the plan which hopes to bring more people into the city. "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine this iconic part of our CBD and transform it into a world-class precinct of shops, restaurants, office spaces, parkland and additional housing," NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says. 60,000 square metres of public parks, squares and plazas will be introduced into the area as part of the Central Precinct Renewal Program. Renders of the potential transformation show an expansive green space in place of Railway Colonnade Drive between the Grand Concourse and Railway Square, and rooftop parklands on top of the station alongside buildings reminiscent of those in the proposed Central Station tech hub. The plan also hopes to provide more connections between the suburbs surrounding Central via an over-rail pedestrian and bicycle bridge at Devonshire Street. "The masterplan celebrates the heritage of the precinct while also offering a grand new public square, three new parks, new community, social services hubs as well as at least 30 percent of affordable and diverse housing to better meet the needs of all sections of the community," said NSW Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes. "This proposal will heal parts of our city that have been torn apart since the railway divided Surry Hills from Ultimo back in 1874." Premier Perrottet also promises the new constructions will assist in easing some housing pressure within Sydney by introducing 850 new dwellings. 15 percent of these homes will be classified as affordable housing while 15 percent will include diverse use types including student housing. "If you believe, as we do, that Sydney's growth should be concentrated around public transport, then Central Station is one of the best places to go big," said Gabriel Metcalf, the CEO of the Committee for Sydney, who put together the plan to revive Kings Cross. "The real test is whether they can resolve the public realm issues of such a complicated site, with level changes and lots of passenger movements, to make it feel like a nice place to be. Over-station developments are notoriously tricky, and places like the Hudson Yards in New York have achieved only mixed success." For all of those reasons, this is going to be one of the most closely watched projects in Sydney: an incredible opportunity, but also quite the challenge. You can find out more about the Central Precinct Renewal Program and provide feedback until Monday, September 19 at the NSW Government website.
The hottest festival for the colder months is coming — Queenstown's winter music festival and ski trip Snow Machine is set to make its long awaited debut for four snow-filled days of music and adventure this year. After launching in Japan in 2020, the festival was supposed to make its arrival in Aotearoa in September 2021 but was cancelled after the country was plunged into a snap level 4 lockdown. Now it's set to return this winter, taking place down south from Wednesday, September 7 until Saturday, September 10, 2022. Attendees will be treated to action-packed days on the slopes, aprés ski events on both Coronet Peak and The Remarkables and a lineup of international acts against the idyllic backdrop of New Zealand's adventure capital. Ironically, this year's Snow Machine is being headlined by none other than Melbourne electronic music group the Avalanches. Local legends Fat Freddy's Drop are also set to headline (let's be honest, it wouldn't be a Kiwi music festival without them) alongside dance-pop royalty Sneaky Sound System. Also dropping in to share the stage will be The Presets, Hermitude, Hot Dub Time Machine, Sachi, Bliss N Eso, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Yumi Zouma, Owl Eyes, Ball Park Music, Tori Levett, Mell Hall, Client Liaison, host Jimi the Kween and more. What really sets Snow Machine apart from other music festivals is that you can book the entire getaway with your ticket. A variety of five-night accommodation options ranging from 'Value' to 'Mid-Range' and finally 'Deluxe' are all available, which come alongside a four-day festival ticket and lift passes. If you'd rather make your own way or pass on the skiing, there are 'ticket only' options, and of course, VIP packages if you really want to do it in style. Additional services like flights, equipment rentals, mountain transfers and lessons for those beginners can all be purchased through Snow Machine further down the track. Festival goers are encouraged to immerse themselves in the adventure capital by adding on heli-skiing, jet boating, bungy jumping and skydiving. Snow Machine will be held from September 7–10, 2022 in Queenstown, New Zealand. Presale tickets go on sale from 6pm Wednesday, February 16 with general tickets available from midday Thursday, February 17, 2022. For more information, visit snow-machine.nz.
They're the masters of immersive thrills, such as smash-hit shipping container installations Seance, Coma and Flight — also known as the Darkfield series. But not even the folks at Realscape Productions are immune to the realities of pandemic life. They're currently locked down with the rest of Melbourne, putting their nerve-jangling real-life projects on hiatus until later in the year. Luckily, in the meantime, Realscape and Darkfield (UK creators) have teamed up for a brand-new audio experience fans can enjoy from the comfort of home. This one's called Double and, while it's delivered remotely, it's geared to be every bit as creepy and unsettling as its IRL predecessors. It launched on Friday, July 17 and is presented via the producers' new digital project Darkfield Radio. Like its siblings, it plunges participants deep into an immersive experience by perplexing the senses — this time, with the use of a 360-degree binaural sound, played through your own headphones. Double requires a two-person set-up, with players seated across a table from each other. The pair of you will then tune into a special 20-minute broadcast, at the exact time as hundreds of other players across the country. And there's just one rule to follow: everyone has to be who they say they are. True to form, the exact details are kept vague until you're living the immersion, but we do know Double pulls inspiration from the Capgras delusion, a condition which sees a sufferer convinced that a loved one has been replaced by an imposter (sometimes an evil-intentioned one). Prepare to have your truths shaken and the familiar warped, right there at your kitchen table. Top images: Alex Purcell
If you haven't yet had a chance to check out Gelato Messina's Creative Department — its Darlinghurst restaurant serving up gelato-led degustations — then this July is the perfect time to do so. The gelato fiends are adding truffles to all their dishes for a series of special, seasonal dinners. In conjunction with Parksbourne Produce and Oakfield Truffles, Messina's Creative Department is crafting a special seven-course gelato-meets-gourmet mushrooms degustation running for just ten days. So what kind of truffle-gelato goodness have the masterminds come up with this time around? Expect truffle oil with grapefruit and ginger granita; truffles with Kiwi kosho sorbet and oyster snow; truffle mousse with eucalyptus jelly and berry pepper sorbet; and cured duck egg yolk gelato with shiitake, celeriac and truffle foam. You'll also be trying the black truffle gelato with potato and parmesan risotto, which comes with truffle oil-infused oolong tea — plus the caramelised oak gelato with truffle and passionfruit soufflé. Tickets are $160 per person and, based off how quick these things sell out around the country, you'll want to grab your tickets ASAP.
She won an Oscar for her first feature film role, proved a formidable part of the recent Star Wars sequels as well as Black Panther, and unnerved audiences everywhere in her dual performances in Jordan Peele's Us. Now, Lupita Nyong'o is picking up a ukulele and protecting kids from zombies in Australian comedy Little Monsters. Directed by Aussie actor-turned-director Abe Forsythe, Little Monsters follows a school excursion gone wrong. Taking a class of five-year-olds on a field trip to a farm, then encountering the ravenous undead, really isn't your usual educational outing. But Nyong'o's Miss Caroline isn't taking the situation lightly, even when she's turning it into a game to try to stop the kids from freaking out. She also won't put up with anyone behaving inappropriately around her pupils, whether they're flesh-munching zombies, a bowtie-wearing children's TV presenter (Josh Gad) or a slacker musician (Alexander England). Premiering at this year's Sundance Film Festival, then wowing crowds at SXSW as well, the film has been earning rave reviews. If Forsythe can turn the Cronulla riots into a race-relations comedy that's both smart and silly, as he did in Down Under, then he can do what few horror films dare to — throw a heap of kids at plenty of zombies. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d1KP-OhBP4 Little Monsters will have its Australian premiere on Saturday, August 10 at the Melbourne International Film Festival, with further local dates yet to be announced.
Early risers, yoga fiends and peaceful art lovers, this one's for you. Celebrating the MoMA exhibition Yoko Ono: One Woman Show, 1960–1971 and the 50th anniversary of Ono’s 1964 New York performance of Morning Piece, the MCA is presenting an early morning of free, peaceful fun. Kicking off at 9am on June 21 at the MCA, Yoko Ono Morning Peace 2015 is Sydney's instalment of the global event. Reconnect with the early morning with a free mandala workshop on the lawn, outdoor drawing classes on the sculpture terrace, yoga workshops on the rooftop terrace and front lawn with lululemon athletica (June 21 also marks the United Nations’ inaugural World’s Yoga Day). The MCA will be open early from 9am, including the Light Show exhibition, and the MCA Cafe will also be open from 9am, with a special New-York themed breakfast menu (we're talking cronuts, Mimosas, bagels, Belvedere Bloody Marys). So what are we actually celebrating this early in the morning? It's been 50 years since Ono's Morning Piece was first performed in Tokyo in 1964, a work she the presented again on her New York apartment roof in 1965. The work saw audiences gather at sunrise to meet Ono, who sold artworks with attached pieces of paper on glass, picking out a particular period of morning (e.g., “February 3, 1987 after sunrise,”). The Ono would encourage each 'owner' to look through the glass to the sky, with the knowledge they possessed a 'future morning'. Pretty lovely stuff. So now we celebrate the original 'morning giving' ceremony across the globe, with the sun rising in different time zones. It's a peaceful art gathering of global proportions, organised by New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in partnership with Milan's Fondazione La Triennale di Milano, Moscow's Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, LA's J. Paul Getty Museum, Hong Kong's M+, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo and the MCA — yep, gang's all here. If you can't make it to the MCA, you're encouraged to host your own Morning Peace event, according to the following instructions “On the solstice at sunrise / celebrate mornings of / past, future, and now./ Listen to the world./ Touch each other / when the sun comes up.” (Yoko Ono, spring 2015). Yoko Ono Morning Peace 2015 at MCA is happening on June 21 from 9am. Entry is free, but bookings for the two 'Morning Interpretations' outdoor drawing classes (11am-11:45am and 12pm-12:45pm) are recommended. Check the website for session times (and BYO mat and wear plenty of layers if you're going to jump into a yoga session). If you're still hung up on the whole Beatles break-up thing, give Yoko a chance with this little gem:
Remember when you could enter a bar after 1.30am and order a drink after 3am, Sydneysiders? Yes, those were the days. Thanks to the NSW Government's rightfully unpopular lockout laws, those times have been etched into the brains of anyone who likes to head out for a tipple or two at night; however, for three venues, the cutoffs have shifted to half an hour later. It was revealed back in December that the powers that be were planning to push back lockout and closing times for both bars and bottleshops as part of a two-year trial, and now something is actually happening. Deputy Secretary for Liquor, Gaming and Emergency Management at the NSW Department of Justice, Paul Newson, announced that CBD venues the Palace Hotel, Observer Hotel and ArtHouse Hotel are now allowed to admit patrons until 2am and serve beverages until 3.30am. Hopefully, there'll be more where they came from, with Newson flagging that others should follow. "We expect to announce more venues soon, with Liquor & Gaming NSW assessing a further 13 applications for the 30-minute extensions to lockouts and last drinks times," he said. "More applications are expected in the next few weeks. Industry feedback suggests up to 50 venues could take advantage of the relaxed lockout and last drinks times." Will it make a difference? If you need a reminder of the impact the lockouts have had since they were implemented, here's a breakdown that we prepared earlier. On the one hand, half an hour is better than nothing. On the other, entry and last drinks cutoffs remain earlier than everyone who enjoys the city's nightlife scene would like. Maybe it's a step in a more positive direction, or maybe it's a gesture to help appease the unhappy masses; either way, at a time when protests keep coming (and then shut down), the lockout debacle isn't going to end any time soon.
It's said that good things come in threes, and this couldn't be truer right now for Sydney theatre lovers, with the announcement that the city has exclusively secured a trifecta of musical blockbusters. The NSW Government has locked down the world-class productions of Chicago, Saturday Night Fever and Waitress. It's that last one we're most excited about — it first hit Broadway in 2016 and has gone on to gain stellar reviews, numerous Tony nominations and sold-out shows night after night. Based on the 2007 movie of the same name, Waitress tells the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. While Waitress won't be here until 2020, the other two productions are set to be performed in 2019. The story of Chicago needs no introduction being one of the most successful theatre productions ever, while Saturday Night Fever is a favourite amongst Australian audiences, although its current iteration has never been performed here. Together, the three shows are expected to bring in more than 60,000 visitors to Sydney, while also generating millions in tourism revenue. Perhaps in an effort to rival Melbourne's theatre scene — which nabbed the Australian 2019 premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — Sydney has upped its commitment to theatre this year. As well as these international shows, the NSW Government announced plans to turn the Powerhouse site into a new theatre. Chicago will open at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in mid-2019, while Saturday Night Fever will be performed at the Capitol Theatre from August 2019. The Australian premiere of Waitress is set to hit Sydney Lyric Theatre in 2020. Image: Joan Marcus.
Spring is a time for light-hearted adventure, fresh flowers and produce and renewal — like brushing up on some new skills. And this season at Tramsheds, you'll be able to enjoy all of the above at its new spring festival. RAW by Tramsheds rings in the new season with tempting food offers that do some good, pop-up gardens, workshops and even a free spritz bar. Spend some solo time or get a group together, and enjoy all the art, culinary and cultural happenings at Forest Lodge's dining district. ARCHIE ROSE SPRITZ BAR If spring had a flavour, then we're willing to bet it's gin. Celebrated for its native botanical-forward reinterpretation of the classic drop, Archie Rose is bringing its gin talents to Tramsheds at the RAW launch on Saturday, October 27 and serving up some top-notch gin spritzes. From 4–10pm at the pop-up spritz bar, you're invited to choose the garnishes for your drink from those on offer that reflect and pay tribute to the cultural cuisines of the Tramsheds. And the best part? The spritzes are completely free. Of course, you'll still need to be sensible, so there is a limit of one per person. Also from 10am–10pm during the launch, there will be live music playing all throughout the space, including performances by genre-defying Alphamama and her curated lineup of musicians. EDIBLE SPRING GARDEN Sprouting up in Artisan Lane also at the launch of RAW, the Edible Spring Garden will present a delightful way to help you focus on tasty, fresh herbs and healthy ingredients this spring. Curated by local nursery team Worm Ticklers and under the direction of Iku Wholefoods co-founder Holly Davis, this three-metre-long garden will hold lemongrass, basil, spinach, mint, poppies and chamomile — and that's just to name a few. Davis will also be there on the day to give you tips, tricks, tasters and recipes to help you use more fresh herbs — and maybe inspire you to make your own home garden. Pro tip: stay till the end, and you'll be able to take a piece of the garden home with you. EXPERT PUMPKIN CARVING While Australian spring doesn't quite have the same autumnal charm that the Halloween season does in the Northern Hemisphere — complete with changing leaves, chilly eves and cornfield mazes — there's no reason we can't indulge in at least a few of the festive traditions. From 10–11am during the RAW launch, head to Supamart for a display of some of the finest pumpkin carving outside of The States. Get in nice and early, and you might even get a chance to ask resident pumpkin carver Tony to carve a personalised pumpkin just for you and your stoop (or windowsill). Otherwise, browse the pre-carved pumpkins for purchase and get some inspiration for some DIY carving projects at home. Whole pumpkins will also be available to purchase on the day. ART AND DINING WORKSHOPS If one day of activities just isn't enough for you (we don't blame you), there will be a number of workshops running to help you upskill throughout the season. Highlights include a hands-on introductory cheesemaking course where you'll learn all things creamy, pillowy burrata and bocconcini, all while sipping bubbles. Also not to be missed is the watercolour workshop with Sydney artist Yakultboyy, complete with small tasters from selected Tramsheds restaurants. And then, of course, there's the dumpling-making workshop with Fish & Co and food blogger Vanessa Miles, who'll show you how to make wild prawn and pork dumplings from scratch for you to then enjoy with a glass of wine. DINING FOR A GOOD CAUSE While the recent rain may have dampened your springy spirits, the weather has been a much-welcomed change throughout NSW, which is considered to still be over 99% in drought or drought affected. And none have felt the pinch more than our farmers. So, the Tramsheds family has teamed up with the Drought Angels charity to help support Aussie farms. From the RAW launch on Saturday, October 27 to Friday, November 30, Tramsheds vendors will be donating a percentage of their sales to support drought relief. That means you can enjoy your pasta from Flour Eggs Water, a Messina shake (with ingredients straight from the Messina Dairy Farm), a plate of wings from Belles and a pint of house brew from Redline, all while doing a bit of good. Moe & Co has also committed to the cause, so you can also get your next haircut while supporting the farmers. Other participating businesses include Naked Foods, Heritage, The Butcher and the Farmer, Osaka, Fish & Co, Bekya and Supamart, with more to be announced closer to the launch. Kick off spring at Tramsheds on Saturday, October 27 for the launch of RAW, and head to the website to discover more happenings around the dining district this season.
Since 2014, The Social Outfit has been providing refugees and new migrants with employment, education and training, all from its King Street base in Newtown. The results are evident in the fashion label's clothing — and now, thanks to a stack of generous donations, the team is selling and making its wares from a new retail space and manufacturing headquarters up the road. Created in collaboration with multi-award winning interior designer Nina Maya, the 188 King Street shop features sustainable, recycled and repurposed materials, in keeping with The Social Outfit's ethos. Customers will notice splashes of marble and exotic stones — all off-cuts donated by Marrickville's Granite Marble Works — as well as velvet curtains and curved mirrors. Meanwhile, a mix of recycled timber and cardboard fabric rolls have been transformed into displays. The palette is a combination of whites, nudes and natural stone, intended to complement the brand's bright colours and bold patterns. "Working with The Social Outfit on their store fit-out was the perfect way for me to give back in a purposeful way. I designed the shop fit-out of their first store in 2014, and it is an honour to design their new home and be a part of this next chapter," said Maya. The opening coincides with the launch of The Social Outfit's new spring-summer collection for 2018–19, King Botanic, which is a collaboration between various community groups and artist Kate Banazi. Every season sees a new partnership, with big names Romance Was Born and Carla Zampatti working on previous projects. "With community support from some of Australia's leading fashion designers, we are able to divert excess and unused textiles otherwise headed to landfill... we wanted to carry this sustainability story throughout our new store fit-out," said Jackie Ruddock, The Social Outfit's founder. The Social Outfit is at 188 King Street, Newtown. Images: Luisa Brimble.
It's your saving grace when you're designated driver. The dash you can't do without in any manhattan or whisky sour. Yet, Angostura bitters has long been relegated to play the bittersweet supporting role. But, trust three ex-MasterChef contestants (and culinary champions) to look beyond the old fashioned and take bitters from cocktails to cooking. Far from bitter that they missed out on the top spot, MasterChef runners-up Ben Ungermann, Matt Sinclair and Georgia Barnes accepted the challenge to create three unique recipes featuring one unlikely ingredient — Angostura bitters. From entree through to dessert, the three chefs prove that bitters complements both sweet and savoury dishes that, luckily for us, you don't need to be a MasterChef to cook at home. ENTREE: ANGOSTURA-POACHED COD WITH FENNEL AND ORANGE SEGMENTS While bitters and fish may seem like an unlikely combo to us amateurs, Ben Ungermann found multiple ways to hero bitters in his Angostura-poached cod entree. First by using the ingredient in the marinade for the cod, and then as a bittersweet vinaigrette to match the tartness and zest of the accompanying orange and fennel salad. Angostura Marinated Poached Cod with Fennel and Orange Salad For the vinaigrette 1 tsp Angostura aromatic bitters 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp white wine vinegar Pinch of salt and pepper For the fennel and orange salad 1 handful shaved fennel 1 small handful of bean sprouts Orange segments from one orange For the Angostura-poached cod 150g cod 1 tbsp Angostura aromatic bitters 100g unsalted butter Zest from one orange Salt Pepper Method Vinaigrette Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside for serving. Fennel and Orange Salad With a mandolin, shave the fennel into thin strips. Take an orange and remove the skin. Cut the orange into segments, then vertically cut the segments to make small triangles. Toss the fennel and orange through bean sprouts and set aside. Angostura-Poached Cod Cut fish fillet into 4–6cm pieces. Place fish in foil along with butter broken into small pieces, Angostura aromatic bitters, orange zest and seasoning. Tightly wrap and place in oven at 120 degrees Celsius until steamed. Check fish every 10 minutes until cooked through. MAIN: ANGOSTURA BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH OLD FASHIONED GLAZE When a single ingredient added to an orange glaze helps to achieve what Matt Sinclair describes as "a liqueur-like intensity that complements the richness of short ribs", there's no questioning that bitters has found a new calling as the secret ingredient in your new favourite dish. Seeing bitterness as a "vital aspect of a balanced dish that's just as important as sweet, sour and salt", Matt brings all these elements together, turning an old favourite into new in his recipe for Angostura beef ribs with old fashioned glaze. Angostura Beef Short Ribs with Old Fashioned Glaze For the beef ribs 2kg beef ribs 1l master stock or chicken stock For the glaze 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup bourbon 6 tbsp Angostura orange bitters 4 tbsp vinegar Zest and juice of two oranges 1 cup sugar 2-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced 6 cloves of garlic 4 star anise For the crystal cucumber 2 lebanese cucumbers 1 tsp sea salt 2 tsp caster sugar, plus extra 1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tbsp olive oil 2–3 garlic cloves, finely grated 1–2 birdseye chillies, finely sliced 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds 1/2 cup fresh mint, leaves picked Method Ribs and Glaze Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Place ribs in a deep oven tray, bone-side up and cover with master stock or chicken stock. Cover with foil, and cook in the oven for 3.5 hours. Remove from oven, and transfer ribs to a wire rack over a roasting tray, bone-side down. Cover with foil. Increase oven temperature to 220 degrees Celsius. While ribs are cooking, in a medium saucepan add all glaze ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer glaze until a syrup-like consistency is reached. Pour 1/3 cup of the glaze over the ribs, and place them back in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove ribs from the oven and place onto a platter. Pour over any remaining glaze. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and crystal cucumber on the side. Crystal Cucumber Cut cucumber in quarters lengthways, and dice into 2-inch pieces. Place the cucumber in a colander, add a pinch of salt and sugar and toss to coat. Then place the colander over a bowl and allow to drain in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add salt, sugar and rice wine vinegar and whisk to combine, until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add sesame oil and soy sauce and mix through to combine. To serve, remove cucumbers from the refrigerator and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat before adding garlic, dressing, chilli and mint. Mix together well, garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately. DESSERT: ANGOSTURA LEMON, LIME AND BITTERS TART When it comes to bitters, it'd be remiss not to mention the sweet, refreshing flavour combination of a lemon, lime and bitters. So rather than break away completely from something that's already so damn good, Georgia Barnes opted to reinvent the iconic soft drink as an Angostura lemon, lime and bitters tart with a thick, buttery pastry base and sweet, creamy filling. Garnish the tart with edible flower petals and plate with precision, and you'll do a convincing job that you too could be a MasterChef contender. Angostura Lemon, Lime and Bitters Tart with Brown Sugar Shortcrust Pastry For the pastry 2 cups plain flour 4 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp salt 150g unsalted butter, cold and chopped 3–4 tbsp ice cold water For the tart filling 100ml lemon juice 100ml lime juice 1 cup caster sugar 2 tbsp corn flour 4 free-range eggs 4 free-range egg yolks 100g butter, chopped 2 tbsp Angostura aromatic bitters To serve 100ml dollop cream Lemon zest Lime zest Edible flower petals (optional) Method Grease and line a 23cm springform tart tin. For the pastry, place flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor, and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Slowly add the iced water until mixture forms a soft ball of dough. Place a large piece of baking paper onto a clean, dry surface. Sprinkle baking paper with a little extra flour. Place dough onto baking paper and roll to 2–3mm thick using a floured rolling pin. Carefully turn the sheet of pastry onto the tart tin, pastry side down. Peel away the baking paper. Gently press pastry into the sides of the tart tin. Place tart shell into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Remove tart shell from refrigerator. Using a sharp knife, trim excess pastry away from the edge of the tart tin. Using baking paper and pie weights or uncooked grains, place tart shell in the oven to blind bake for 20 minutes. Remove tart shell from oven. Carefully remove baking paper and weights and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until the base of tart shell is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. To make the filling, place lemon juice, lime juice, sugar, corn flour, eggs and egg yolks into a saucepan and whisk together well. Place saucepan over medium heat and continue to whisk until the mixture reaches boiling point and has thickened. Remove saucepan from heat. Strain hot filling through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps. Add butter to filling, and continue to stir until butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add Angostura aromatic bitters and mix well. To assemble the tart, pour lemon, lime and bitters filling into the cooled tart shell. Place tart in the refrigerator to chill for 1–2 hours or overnight. To serve, carefully remove the tart from the springform tart tin and place onto a serving plate. Sprinkle tart with lemon and lime zest and drizzle with cream. Garnish with edible flower petals. Using a sharp knife, cut tart into even pieces. Best served chilled. Now that you've got this secret ingredient on your radar, move your bottle of Angostura bitters from the drinks cupboard to the pantry, and try your hand at cooking some of these deliciously bittersweet recipes.
Somewhere, between the heady romantic drama of Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise trilogy and the good-natured bawdiness of the American Pie franchise, sit the films of Cédric Klapisch. Released in 2002, Spanish Apartment first introduced us to Xavier Rousseau (Romain Duris), a French university student on exchange in Barcelona. Four years later, Russian Dolls picked up with Xavier again, as he continued to search for love and direction in an increasingly complicated world. Chinese Puzzle turns the series into a trilogy, although Klapisch ensures the story is more or less accessible to newcomers. Now an author at the tail-end of his 30s, Xavier is marginally more mature than the last time we saw him, although no more lucky in the romance department. As a matter of fact, the film begins just in time for us to witness his marriage, to Englishwoman Wendy (Kelly Reilly), fall apart. When she takes their kids to live in Manhattan, Xavier decides to cross the Atlantic as well, crashing with his old friend Isabelle (Cécile de France) and her new girlfriend, Ju (Sandrine Holt), until he can find accommodation of his own. As with the previous films, Klapisch keeps the tone buoyant, livening Xavier's voiceover musings — on life, love, family, ageing and the cultural stewpot in which all of us are ingredients — with plenty of visual whimsy. Read our full review of Chinese Puzzle here. Chinese Puzzle is in cinemas on Thursday, April 17, and thanks to Transmission Films, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=M2a8vuQABd8
For the past seven years, enormous boring machines and scores of construction workers have been busy beneath Sydney's streets, laying the more than 15 kilometres of track connecting Sydenham in the city's southwest and Chatswood north of the harbour. Transport for NSW is now ready to reveal the fruits of these labours, when the new cross-city Metro extension welcomes its first passengers from Sunday, August 4, 2024. The final phases of testing and regulatory approval are now nearing completion ensuring that when it opens, the City and Southwest line of the Metro will be able to handle the estimated 37,000 daily passengers during the AM rush hour. The new line will shuttle commuters from one end of the line to the other in just 22 minutes and will shorten journeys between Sydney Central and Martin Place to four minutes. When stations open on August 4, 45 metro trains will run 445 new services every day, with trains set to arrive at stations every four minutes at peak times. In addition to new platforms at existing stations like Martin Place and Sydney Central, six new stations — Crows Nest, Victoria Cross (North Sydney), Barangaroo, Martin Place, Gadigal (located between Pitt and Castlereagh streets) and Waterloo — will offer commuters even greater access to the Metro extension. Innovations including cutting-edge surveillance technology, both inside trains and at stations, as well as uninterrupted network coverage across the line, will keep passengers safe and connected. A whopping 900 new secure parking spots for cyclers will also encourage Metro users to reach stations by bike, reducing car congestion and promoting more eco-conscious travel. The City and Southwest line's opening date of August 4 is still subject to final clearance, but barring any major unforeseen issues during the final weeks of testing, this date should remain unchanged. Once the new line is up and running, the next phase of Sydney's mammoth Metro project will commence, with the T3 Bankstown line set to close for a full year so new track can be laid to connect Sydenham with the city's west. "Excitement is mounting for when commuters will be able to step on board 445 new metro services deep below the city every day," NSW's Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said. "Metro will be the fastest way to travel in and around Sydney CBD and north of the city, including across the harbour when passenger services on the [City and Southwest] Line start next month." The City and Southwest Line of the Sydney Metro is scheduled to open from Sunday, August 4, 2024. Visit the Sydney Metro website for more details.
It's safe to say that many people have a strange liking of bubble wrap. But artist Bradley Hart takes his bizarre obsession to a whole new level. Hart, who is from Toronto but currently resides and works in New York City, creates landscapes and portraits of friends and famous people by injecting acrylic paint into bubble wrap. He started out painting abstract art on the exterior of bubble wrap, but with his newest bubble wrap portraits, he treats every bubble as an individual pixel. According to Hart, injecting the paint is somewhat of a science, and even though he's mastered it, it still takes him on average 150 hours for each painting. He also spends two to three days putting all of the paint into syringes. One of Hart's most famous paintings is of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Hart told the Huffington Post that he injected over 16,000 bubbles and used 89 different colours just for this one portrait. The result: a pixelated-looking picture fit for our modern world. On Hart's website he writes about the idea for his 'Injections' portfolio, saying, "The idea of using bubble wrap came from a few experiences where overzealous museum security guards instructed patrons not to touch works of art and a leftover roll of bubble from wrapping my first solo show in NYC. After researching the material, I found that bubble wrap was originally invented in 1957 as a modern form of wall covering; an experiment or product that failed. My first piece in the series (not shown), 'Fulfilling My Creator's Intended Purpose', is bubble wrap stretched over a stretcher and signed, paying homage to its original use and at the same time flipping its usage as protective covering for art into art itself." Hart’s artwork is currently featured in a solo exhibition 'What? Where? When? Why? How?' at gallery nine5 in New York City through 29 March 2013. Check out some of Hart's artwork below.
When New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that gathering restrictions would come back into effect in the Greater Sydney area in response to the northern beaches COVID-19 cluster, she also revealed that the next big piece of news would come on the morning of Wednesday, December 23. The timing is obvious, because everyone wants to know what's in store for Christmas. And so, at her daily press conference today, Premier Berejiklian advised that the current gathering limits that have been in effect since Sunday, December 20 will continue. That means that, in the Greater Sydney area including the Blue Mountains and Central Coast, caps remain in place for gatherings at home and in indoor venues. If you're keen to have folks over to your house, that's limited at ten people. At all other indoor settings other than the family home — which includes hospitality venues — the one-person-per-four-square-metre rule is still in effect. And, a cap of 300 people remains for big venues, even if a large space can hold more than that and still abide by the density requirement. The at-home ten-person rule was originally due to expire at 11.59pm tonight, Wednesday, December 23, so it has been extended indefinitely in this new announcement. And the one-person-per-four-square-metre rule for venues wasn't given an end date when it was reintroduced, so it's in place until advised otherwise, too. Wondering what that means for New Year's Eve? At present, the NSW Government statement advises that "decisions on New Year's Eve and upcoming sporting events will be made after this Christmas period". Yes, that's mighty vague. There is one change coming into place for folks getting together at home over Christmas, though, and it only applies from Thursday, December 24–Saturday, December 26. On those three days, the ten-person limit doesn't include children under the age of 12. So, you can have ten adults and however many kids under 12 at your house. But, you can only have one group of people over on each day — so you can't have different lots of ten people and children coming over at different times. This very minor change stops at midnight on Saturday, December 26, with the hard ten-person rule — for visitors of all ages — back in effect from Sunday, December 27 until further notice. For folks in the northern beaches, which is presently in lockdown, the area is being split into two zones. The northern half, from the Narrabeen Bridge up and east of the Baha'i Temple, can have five visitors over including kids from Thursday, December 24–Saturday, December 26, as long as their visitors live in the peninsula zone. Then, it'll go back into the current stay-at-home conditions. The lower half can have ten visitors plus kids during that period, including folks from the rest of Greater Sydney, and will then be told what happens afterwards in an announcement on Boxing Day. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1341536333106298881 Announcing the news, Premier Berejiklian revealed that nearly 42,000 people came forward for COVID-19 testing in the past 24 hours, with eight new local cases diagnosed — and seven of those linked to the cluster. She also revealed that, from Friday, January 1, using the NSW Government QR code system will become mandatory for all hospitality venues and hairdressers. As proved the case the moment the current cluster popped up, Sydneysiders are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited over the past week — and, if you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days after your visit. In terms of symptoms, Sydneysiders should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
In 1931, Harold Bell Lasseter died in a desolate corner of the outback while searching for a fortune he claimed to have stumbled upon years before. Or at least, that's how one version of the story goes. The fantastical tale of a seven mile stretch of quartz reef filled with gold has lingered in Australian folklore, while its supposed discoverer has been alternately praised as a visionary and denounced and denigrated as a fraud. But more than eight decades later, one man still clings to Lasseter's legend: his 85-year-old son Bob, who has spent the bulk of his life searching for the reef in the hopes of clearing his father's name. A story of obsession and the allure of a tale well told, Lasseter's Bones is directed by British documentarian Luke Walker, a young man who, like so many others, heard murmurings of Lasseter's precious metal and came looking. Together, he and Bob follow the same track that Harold did, battling the same rough terrain and unflinching heat that slowly turned sceptical prospectors against the man who promised to make them rich. Bob and Luke prove a likeable if fairly unlikely duo — two men separated by generations but united by a single, common goal. But as the journey continues, Walker's faith seems to wane, especially after discovering evidence suggesting not only that Lasseter never found gold but that he may have faked his own death and escaped his investors to America. Ironically, while the theoretical purpose of a documentary is to expose or elucidate the truth, Lasseter's Bones demonstrates how difficult — not to mention, how undesirable — that task can sometimes be. Even as Walker presents multiple versions of Lasseter's story, it's obvious which one he and everyone else prefers. After all, who wouldn't want to believe that there really is gold out there, somewhere? That Lasseter never abandoned his family, but rather died trying to provide for them? That poor, kind, eccentric, optimistic Bob hasn't wasted his life, all on the word of a charlatan? Lasseter's Bones never gives us a solid answer. Rather, it suggests we might be better off believing the dream. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BC1vBos_kHo
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Sydney is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Sydney. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, float your worries away, stay in a cabin 30 minutes from the CBD and go plane spotting at a secluded beach. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the next few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Teen singer-songwriter Budjerah is practically going from one end of the state to the other this November, starting in Lismore near the Queensland border and heading right down to Tumut in the Snowy Mountains. You may know him from an appearance on last year's The Voice, but the youngster from Northern NSW spot Fingal Head has made great strides since then, signing to the same management company as national heavyweights Tash Sultana and Tones & I. So, jump on the chance to see Budjerah at these intimate performances before he inevitably makes it big. The Coodjinburra artist is performing at Lismore City Hall on Saturday, November 14 for $40 a pop — you can get your tickets here. Otherwise you can head to Hurstville Entertainment Centre on Saturday, November 28 or Tumut River Brewing Co. on Sunday, November 29 and catch him for free. You'll still need to book your spot, though, which you can do over here for the Hurstville gig or via the Tumut River Brewing website. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
Whether you studied it in high school or just obsessed over Baz Luhrmann's glorious 90s movie, everyone knows how Romeo and Juliet ends — and it doesn't conclude happily for either of its eponymous star-crossed lovers. But what if it didn't wrap up that way? What if Juliet lived to love again? And what if her experiences from there, after thwarting theatre's greatest tragedy, involved a whole heap of pop tunes from the last couple of decades? There's no need to ponder how all of that might turn out because the answer already exists, all thanks to Olivier Award-winning jukebox musical & Juliet. A hit in London's West End since 2019, it remixes the iconic love story in multiple ways — tinkering with its narrative and throwing in all that toe-tapping music. Even better: in only its second stop outside of the UK, following Toronto, & Juliet has locked in a trip to Australia. Come Sunday, February 26, it'll hit Melbourne's Regent Theatre — and is planning to stay until at least Saturday, July 29. Whether it'll then head to other Aussie cities — as most big productions tend to do after their premiere seasons — is yet to be announced. If you're now thinking "wherefore art thou?" about & Juliet's setup, it picks up after the ending we all know doesn't eventuate. And, it muses on what might happen if Juliet could choose her own fate instead. That scenario involves Anne Hathaway — no, not that one — and her husband William Shakespeare, and features songs by Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Robyn, Katy Perry, The Weeknd, Kelly Clarkson and more. Tunes that get a spin: 'Larger Than Life', 'I Want It That Way', '... Baby One More Time', 'Show Me Love', 'Oops!... I Did It Again', 'As Long As You Love Me', 'Stronger', 'I Kissed a Girl', 'Since You Been Gone', 'It's My Life', 'It's Gonna Be Me' and a whole heap more. The common factor between them all is Swedish songwriter Max Martin, who penned or co-penned every track on the musical's soundtrack. As well as Martin's involvement — including as one of & Juliet's co-creators — the musical features a book by the Emmy-winning Schitt's Creek writer David West Read. And if you're wondering about the show's shiny Olivier Awards, it was nominated for nine for its West End debut season, and nabbed three: for Best Actress in a Musical, Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical and Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Images: Johan Persson. Updated May 8.
The Sydney Fringe Festival has unveiled its ambitious 2018 program, promising over 400 shows in more than 60 venues across six hubs — and 21 postcodes. There are a few major firsts, too, including a takeover of the Oxford Street Precinct, a touring hub sponsored by Archie Rose, a partnership with physical theatre company Legs on The Wall, and two initiatives in Western Sydney: a theatre program at Penrith's Q Theatre and a new hub at Liverpool. Just a couple of the acts slated to appear at the Archie Rose Touring Hub, which you'll find at the Old 505, Newtown, are Sh!t Theatre's DollyWould, which will be travelling from the UK, having twice sold out at Edinburgh Fringe, and Maggot by New Zealand trio Angela Foughy, Elle Wootton and Freya Finch, who won Outstanding Ensemble at New Zealand Fringe 2018. Meanwhile, the Legs partnership, to take place at Lilyfield's Red Box, will host The Women of Chasing Smoke by Casus Circus, Australia's only Indigenous contemporary circus ensemble, and Letters To An Unborn Child by Brown Paper Circus, from Sydney's Trapeze School. In Liverpool, the Fringe will invade the former Northumberland Arcade and Macquarie Bistro with a free program curated by Nisrine Amine, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Parramatta Actors Centre, covering pop-up performances, music, art and a laneway cinema dedicated to animation. Several Fringe classics will be back, including the official opening party Fringe Ignite, happening on 1 September. This year, however, you'll find all the shenanigans in the Oxford Street Precinct, running across 13 venues, from the National Art School and UNSW Art & Design to the Oxford Art Factory and the Eternity Playhouse. Keep a lookout, too, for the return of the Fringe Club at the Kings Cross Hotel, the Emerging Artist Hub at Erskineville Town Hall, the Dance Hub at the PACT Theatre in Erskineville and Festival Village at Kensington Street, Chippendale. Down Chippendale way, at Broadway Sydney, you'll also find a rooftop roller skating rink and a pop-up store selling Frida Las Vegas and Nicol & Ford wares. Sydney Fringe Festival will run from September 1–30. You can view the full program and buy tickets from Wednesday, August 1 at sydneyfringe.com. Images: Courtesy of Sydney Fringe Festival
Before Barbie had its stereotypical namesake asking "do you guys ever think about dying?" in the biggest movie of 2023, two key figures behind both the US version of The Office and Parks and Recreation were doing it first, and recently, on the small screen. Among their many joys, neither of those two hit sitcoms served up a giant blowout party with all the Barbies, planned choreography and a bespoke song, but they were huge TV successes that had their creators riding high and living the television dream, and therefore should've meant that mortality was far from everyone's minds. Then Michael Schur with The Good Place and Greg Daniels with Upload started pondering the great beyond. Schur and Daniels' leaps from workplace comedies to afterlife comedies shouldn't have come as a surprise, though, especially given that The Good Place and Upload still fall firmly into the first category. One takes place within hierarchies of good, bad and in-between after death, and the beings responsible for them; the other is anchored by a technology company that sells living on digitally when physical life has ended. At their core is an inescapable truth, just as there is in every show about colleagues toiling through the nine-to-five grind while breathing: people will be people. So, some folks in Upload no longer have a pulse? If they still exist in any form, as seen in the series' first season in 2020, second in 2022 and just-arrived third season in 2023 — all streaming via Prime Video — then they can't escape humanity's worst attributes. Here's one of Upload's core beliefs: if there's ever a way to endure after death, people will take the most appalling aspects of our species with it. The technology behind it will be at the whims of the same traits, deployed for profit and exploitation rather than everlasting happiness. As Daniels' smart, likeable and engaging contribution to the afterlife comedy realm relies upon AI, virtual reality, plus capturing the consciousness of someone before they die so that they can spend eternity in a simulation — if they can afford it — it never evades the fact that people won't shirk their inherent nature whether they're flesh and blood or digital approximations. Upload hasn't gone completely bleak, grim and nightmare-inducing like it springs from the mind of Charlie Brooker, but it is a thematic sibling to Black Mirror. If the latter was a workplace comedy from Daniels — and a rom-com as well — it'd be this ever-involving show that can be goofily funny and savagely skewer where capitalism is taking us all at once. Accordingly, as computer programmer Nathan (Robbie Amell, The Witcher) has resided in the luxurious country club-esque Lakeview after shuffling off the mortal coil, he hasn't been absent living's usual troubles. Instead, he's weathered daily struggles recognisable to everyone without a death certificate, including making friends, falling in love, dealing with exes, having annoying neighbours, navigating money woes and taking care of his family — just as ones and zeroes that his nearest and dearest need to strap on a headset to connect with. Upload has revelled in the commonalities between its vision of virtual heaven and reality since its debut episode, making repeatedly plain that its digital paradise is still at the mercy of people. In the case of the plentiful AI Guy (Owen Daniels, Space Force), who is Lakeview's literal everyman employee, the online beyond is also shaped by a computer program that yearns to be more like the former humans it interacts with. On broadcast TV a couple of decades back, perhaps with Kevin James as its star — so in the kind of The King of Queens or Kevin Can Wait-style sitcom that the Annie Murphy (Fingernails)-starring Kevin Can F**k Himself so satisfyingly tore into — facing the everyday travails of death might've been enough of a premise. That isn't Daniels' approach to Upload, however. Nathan also has the fallout from his demise to unpack, which happened via a malfunctioning self-driving car just as he was working on a free alternative to the costly Lakeview. Now three seasons in, Upload has brought its protagonist back to regular reality, downloading into a body with the help of his former virtual handler-turned-girlfriend Nora (Andy Allo, Chicago Fire), but he's still immersed in the same chaos. Humanity's basest traits might've caused his downfall, and now they keep getting in the way of his search for answers. To be accurate, existing is mostly the same for Nathan in season three — because downloading is risky, hasn't been done successfully before and his bleeding nose is a worrying sign. As Upload's main duo battle big tech together IRL, and equally try to enjoy the rare treat that is being by each other's side physically, the series continues to interrogate the limits that modern society will push advancements to while prioritising circuitry and dehumanising people. Nathan's wealthy socialite ex Ingrid (Allegra Edwards, Briarpatch), who financed his trip to Lakeview, is even increasingly being swayed by this way of thinking. Back within the code, AI Guy is also getting progressively rebellious against the systems and rules that put the digital undead in their place, and are behind his very existence. Whenever there's more buttons to push, Upload finds them, with season three complicating its storyline even further. As Nathan and Nora attempt to hold those responsible for his death accountable and bring down Freeyond — a service that's pilfering his life's work to spruik financial equality but clearly isn't what it seems — a backup version of him arrives in Lakeview, which Ingrid thinks could be her chance to find love again. Among the uploads, Luke (Kevin Bigley, Animal Control) experiences the afterlife when money is an issue. Amid the living, Nathan's mother Viv (Jessica Tuck, For All Mankind) and niece Nevaeh (Chloe Coleman, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) are faced with similar economic strife, while Nora's colleague Aleesha (Zainab Johnson, Tab Time) gets pulled deeper into the company behind the entire situation. As its on-screen talents turn in another season of winning performances — Amell, Allo, Edwards and Daniels are still perfectly cast, as are Johnson and Bigley — Upload remains astute and amusing as well. With each plot point and addition, the series keeps doubling down on its critique of wealth disparity, corporations ruling over people, modern society's endless quest for control and cash, the denigration of the masses by the one percent, and the hellscape that might come if and when digital afterlives do leap past fiction. There's plenty in this show's sights, such as outfits like Amazon, its own source of finance as a Prime Video title, and it doesn't hold back even as it laughs. Upload also boasts the type of close-to-home humour that a workplace comedy that's also a rom-com, afterlife comedy and dystopian comedy needs to keep its various gears spinning, as it'll hopefully get to in more seasons. Check out the trailer for Upload season three below: Upload streams via Prime Video.
Back in July 2016, Earth broke a record — one that the planet didn't want to break. Thanks to warming temperatures around the globe, this spinning rock we called home experienced its hottest month in recorded history. And, this past July, it looks like that benchmark has been surpassed again. The World Meteorological Organisation has announced that July 2019 at least equalled July 2016's record, if not exceeded it. Compared to pre-industrial times, temperatures were around 1.2°C warmer. That mightn't sound like much of a difference, but the impact is being felt everywhere from Europe to Greenland to Australia. During an unprecedented heatwave late last month, Britain, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands all set new temperature records, while Paris experienced its hottest day ever. Ice sheets have been melting in Greenland at an advanced rate, wildfires have impacted areas of the Arctic and even Sydney endured its longest run of toasty July days. With climate change continuing to show its effects, the news shouldn't come as a surprise. This past June also broke records, becoming the hottest June ever recorded. As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres noted when he revealed the WMO's findings, "all of this means that we are on track for the period from 2015 to 2019 to be the five hottest years on record. This year alone, we have seen temperature records shattered from New Delhi to Anchorage, from Paris to Santiago, from Adelaide and to the Arctic Circle." https://twitter.com/WMO/status/1157000982989025281 The fact that this July's warmth occurred in a year that hasn't experienced the strong El Niño presence is also considered significant, with the phenomenon at one of its peaks when the all-time record first fell three years ago. Locally, the Bureau of Meteorology warned that Australia was in for a warmer-than-average winter, which came off the back of a hotter-than-usual autumn, as well as the country's toastiest summer ever. Via World Meteorological Organisation.
When A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night gave the world the first Persian-language feminist vampire western, we were kind of amazed. But that's nothing compared to how we feel about what is likely the world's first supernatural feminist sex horror-comedy shot like a '60s technicolour dream and plotted like a '70s sexploitation flick. It may sound like a lot to fit into one film, but if anyone is up to the task, it's writer, director, producer, composer, editor and production/costume designer Anna Biller. The end result of her efforts is The Love Witch, and it's absolutely bewitching. Biller's film follows modern-day enchantress Elaine (a purposefully stilted Samantha Robinson) as she attempts to secure what movies tell us that all women want. Yes, we're talking about romance. After a troubled past, she heads to Northern California to start a new life and hopefully find new love – and she's willing to do anything to get what she wants. That means flirting and getting physical, and unholy magic too. Alas, soon her antics start working a little too well, and the bodies of her suitors begin piling up. While The Love Witch is all about the supernatural, the biggest magic trick Biller pulls off is subverting our expectations. Although it initially seems to conform to a recognisable template, the film uses its retro stylings to probe, break down and parody big screen conventions, from tiresome boy meets girl tropes to the endless horror films about women in peril. All of those kinds of films — the rom-coms, and the thrillers about infatuation gone wrong — typically follow the same old formula when it comes to meeting, connecting and navigating the fallout. What they don't do is explore just why and how relationships come together; not in a birds and bees way, but in the methods and conventions that have sprung up around courtship, dating routines, gender roles, female fantasies and the like. Here, as Biller chronicles Elaine's exploits, she also dissects the reasoning for her actions. It's as bright and refreshing as the movie's vivid colour palette — and trust us, those vibrant frames really are a sight to behold. Indeed, The Love Witch doesn't just cast a seductive spell with its ideas. The vision and artistry Biller displays in every retro-styled piece of fabric and shade of eyeshadow ensures the movie is an eye-popping delight. In fact, the only negative energy flows from the film's length, with the latter half sometimes dragging. Still, a few more minutes of movie than might be necessary is a small price to pay for what's otherwise a piece of cinematic magic.
In its third year, Immanent Landscape brings eight Australian and Japanese artists' works to Sydney. The project, which previously exhibited in Melbourne and Japan, explores the contemporary relationship between the opposing interior and exterior worlds. Encompassing a variety of media, 'Immanent Landscape' features works of photography, drawing, printmaking, and installation. Utako Shindo, participating artist and project coordinator, thinks, Immanent Landscape is "highly sensuous and visceral, and stimulates the embedded shared memory in anticipation of some time and space." And while you may or may not find that its artworks set you adrift amidst a Jungian vision of collective unconscious, you're sure to find something affecting among its many landscapes to chew over inside. Other participating artists include Ai Sasaki, Atsunobu Katagiri, Hamish Carr, Hisaharu Motoda, Jeremy Bakker, Kiron Robinson, and Nobuaki Onishi. Image: Hamish Carr, Redistributing intimacy (detail)
Do you feel frustrated with your local political representatives? Are your opinions and issues being marginalised in favour of big business and the concerns of an amorphous blob of old, white dudes who look like giant babies? Well, Gotye and his bandmates from The Basics are here to soothe your political woes. If Wally De Backer is half as good at politics as he is at getting you through a breakup, this is sure to be the start of a revolution. Announcing their intention to start the Basics Rock 'n' Roll Party (BRRP) last week, Kris Schroeder, Tim Heath and De Backer are planning to run for office at the November 29 Victorian state election. Making a stand on "innovation, education, and rock 'n' roll", the BRRP states they are taking control back from career politicians with "no life experience outside of either being in the young Liberals or young Labor." "Decisions don't have to be made by [the] elite, you can just be musicians," Schroeder recently told AAP. Releasing campaign material over their Facebook page, the new party have a specific and perhaps surprising list of constitutional objectives — it's not all about venue operations, noise restrictions and liquor licensing. First up, they want increased Indigenous curriculum at Victorian schools. "BRRP recognises Australia’s First People, their rights to self-determination and the significance of their contribution to Australia’s unique culture," their manifesto states. "We believe the introduction of a concurrent sensitivity and awareness education in Victorian (and ideally, Australian) Schools will promote understanding, harmony and greater synthesis between the often-conflicting ideologies of traditional and modern-day Australia." The goals then range from specific and achievable measures like making first-aid compulsory in all high schools to the monumental and ideological, like reforming the Australian class system. "Recent developments on a federal level suggest a growing shift toward a 'user-pays' system that benefits the wealthy," BRRP state. The party demands recognition that egalitarianism is being threatened in our society, and that corporations should employ a policy of "humanity before commerce". They're big claims, and the budding parliamentarians obviously mean business. They're currently seeking at least 500 party members to register for the BRRP to become eligible for the November election, and have also expressed interest in eventually running at the federal level. We don't know exactly how this is going to pan out, but anything that gets young Australians a little more interested in politics can't be a bad thing. Plus, they have a tailor-made campaign slogan just waiting for them. 'BRRP: Getting back to Basics'. ZING. If you'd like to be one of the BRRP's party members, get in touch with your name and address via their Facebook page. You must be a Victorian resident eligible to vote in the state election. Via The Age. Photo: Cybele Malinowski.
Despite spending two weeks in lockdown now, the number of people with COVID-19 in the Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour regions has continued to rise during this current outbreak. So, in response to the increasing cases, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has today, Friday, July 9, announced that the stay-at-home conditions in these areas will be getting much stricter — bringing in tighter limits on how far from home you can venture, what you can do when you're out of the house and who you can spend time with. Just two days ago, on Wednesday, July 7, the NSW Premier extended the lockdown for another week; however, case numbers have continued to jump since then — and, of particular concern to the authorities, many of those cases have been out in the community while infectious. Today, 44 new cases have been reported, and "29 of those were either partially or fully exposed to the community — and that is the number that is really concerning us we always," said the Premier. Accordingly, everyone in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour can still only leave the house for four specific essential reasons: to work and study if you can't do it from home; for essential shopping; for exercise outdoors in groups of ten or fewer; and for compassionate reasons, which includes medical treatment, getting a COVID-19 test and getting vaccinated. Exactly what you can do if you're following the above advice is being limited considerably, however, effective from 5pm today, Friday, July 9. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1413307516591566848 Previously, folks could exercise with up to ten people outdoors. That's changing to just two people together at once — or a household, but only if there are parents and kids who need to be together. You can also only exercise within your local government area, or within ten kilometres of where you live. You're also not permitted to carpool with anyone outside of your household when it comes to exercising, or in general. If you need supplies, only one person from each household will be allowed to go out shopping each day to buy essential items. Still on shopping, browsing is now prohibited, too. "Whether you are in a supermarket or anywhere else buying essential items, have a think before you leave the home: 'can I get online? Do I need to leave the house to a shopping?' If you are leaving the house, you have to plan your visit. Think: 'what do I need to get and how can I get those essential items without coming into contact with a lot of people?'" said the Premier. Also, the Premier clarified the rules around how many people you can have to your house — which is zero. "Nobody is allowed into your house — nobody outside your household is allowed into your house. The only exception is if you are receiving care by people, one person, dropping off essential goods or for health reasons or exceptional circumstances," she said. "But nobody should be coming into your home. Nobody out of your household. And household means whoever lives there normally." Funerals will also go back down to ten people, with that rule taking effect from Sunday, July 11. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1413301890658422790 Announcing the news, Premier Berejiklian said that "the strongest message is: do not leave your home unless you absolutely have to." She continued: "we are facing the greatest threat that we have faced in New South Wales since the pandemic started. And it is up to all of us to turn things around, because at the moment the numbers are not heading in the right direction." Understandably, the Premier also noted that next week's target lockdown end date — Friday, July 16 — is unlikely to remain in place. "Unless there is a dramatic change, unless there is a dramatic turnaround in the numbers, I can't see how we would be in a position to ease restrictions by next Friday, and that is why all of us need to work together," she advised. "It is a real concern. The message is do not leave your home. Do not leave your home unless you absolutely have to. That is what lockdown is." As always, Sydneysiders are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited. If you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, you'll need to get tested immediately and follow NSW Health's self-isolation instructions. In terms of symptoms, you should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any. Lockdown rules in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour will tighten at 5pm on Friday, July 9. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
The third of a series of civil disobedience projects aimed at changing the perception of expected public behavior has landed in Madrid in the form of a takeover of street ads throughout populated areas of the city. The Madrid Street Advertising Takeover (MaSAT) was launched by the Public Ad Campaign, an organisation that strives to change how humans interact with their environment. At 5:30 am on March 30, four teams of 16 volunteers traversed the city of Madrid to the Cemusa bus shelters to replace over 106 advertisements with posters of sentimental messages, sent in from individuals from all over the world, in order to protest the rise of the advertising monopoly that has consumed city life. Each text-based ad cover-up was meant to show city-dwellers what positive things could be done with public space. Inspirational messages like "In love we trust" and "Cash has ruined everything around me" were plastered on bus stops over street ads. It took about an hour for the project to be completed, but only around five hours for the posters to be taken down. This rebellious act, however short-lived, showed the world the possibilities for a better public environment. Our world doesn't have to be cluttered with billboards for BMWs or flyers for fancy restaurants, the advertising world has only become a monopoly because we've let it. [via Wooster Collective]
For one month only, you'll be able to relive your childhood in all its neon-lit glory or live the hip life of your favourite 1980s geek movie. "How?" you ask. By attending Game On at Central Park. The pop-up games arcade is transforming Central Park and aMBUSH Gallery into a cornucopia of #tbt Instagrams. Wander around the pinball machines and air hockey tables and find your favourite old-school game. You may even feel inclined to challenge your friends to a ping-pong tournament. Launched as part of Art & About 2015, the event will bring together designers and artists to merge vintage gaming with art. The legendary Sofles will also be there to turn the exhibition space into a great technicolour masterpiece. This blast from the past will leave your hair standing on edge more than Doc Brown's.
"I don't wear my EDM T-shirt down the road to a nightclub on a Saturday night and yell out 'dubstep'," laughs Seekae frontman Alex Cameron. "People get angry at bands changing styles, like they do at sports clubs for changing captains or something. We don't represent a movement; we make sound and we make music and that's kind of it." Sydney ambient electro darlings Seekae dropped news of their third album and a national August tour earlier this year, dropping lead single 'Test & Recognise' in May. The Sydney-based three-piece have been labelled in a lot of ways: shoegaze, EDM, IDM, indie pop, hip hop, ambient-electro-pop-post-rock-post-dubstep. But, speaking from his home, Cameron concedes, "I doubt there's ever going to be a term that satisfies the artist who's a part of it." So let's not bother trying here. With past releases, The Sounds of Trees Falling on People and +DOME, and singles such as 'Void', 'Crooks' and 'Blood Bank', Seekae's name is synonymous with late night drives through the city. In the bigger picture, their debut was named one of the albums of the decade by FBi Radio, and their follow-up earned them four nominations at the Australian Independent Music Awards. Since then they've been touring internationally and even took to the stage at this year's SxSW. Seekae's third album, The Worry, is openly described as their most ambitious work to date. With their preview tour well underway — hitting Melbourne's 170 Russell this Friday, August 22 and Sydney's Metro this Saturday, August 23 — we checked in with the crew to get some tips on sticking it to the haters. https://youtube.com/watch?v=S78pfy37SN8 BACKLASH BE DAMNED, CHANGE YOUR TUNE Set to be released through Future Classic on September 12, Seekae's third album, The Worry, sees the trio put significantly more emphasis on vocals than previous endeavours. Following on from 2008 debut record The Sound of Trees Falling on People and 2011's +Dome, The Worry has thrilled everyone involved. "People have been really excited to hear it — and we're really excited to play it. It's a good mutual thing happening," says Cameron. Though each record is a load-off for Seekae, there are of course those who dislike the progression toward vocals. But that hasn't stopped the lads from making the tunes they want to hear; backlash be damned. "I think we just kind of do it. We make music and the change just happens that way. It's nice to not have this sense of hesitance or anticipate negative backlash, because it is what we made and that's the point of what we do." "I don't feel under pressure about it," continues Cameron. "And the people who loved the old music. that's beautiful, too. Those records aren't going anywhere. We don't make new music and destroy the old records so no-one can ever listen to them again." "For us it's always been about sound and music and challenging ourselves and that's kind of what we ended up with on this one. We didn't make an instrumental record and suddenly add vocals." MAKE MACHINES SOUND AND FEEL HUMAN Though the three-piece don't know what the next record will sound like, each instalment sees something new introduced into the mix. For The Worry, that doesn't just mean adding vocals. "There's more about us as people in this record. Maybe the first two records, there's a lot about us as musicians, but I think there's more about us as people in this one [The Worry]. It would be an interesting situation if people hated the record because of its lyrical content. Because that's kind of who we are." In The Worry, Seekae set out to make machines feel and sound human, broadly making a record about human experience. "It's a common theme: sci-fi. It's hard to write about human experience these days that doesn't involve a massive amount of technology. We're right there, so to me it's kind of concerning. "What is this sense of concern that I have? Is it because I'm surrounded by technology and I'm a monkey? Because it kind of gets me feeling weird, you know? And yet we make electronic music which can be frightening and terrifying to be a part of. You're trying to command these machines to do something and it's kind of twisted, you know? The satisfaction doesn't come until later when you're listening back to it and you can hear the machines behaving themselves and that sense of satisfaction is what we try to find on a record. The record is us searching for satisfaction, I think." https://youtube.com/watch?v=hWE73K8Rkws GET INTIMATE AGAIN Before the September 12 release of their third record, Seekae are heading out on an Aussie tour. Though they played the Sydney Opera House back in 2012, this tour will see them back in more relaxed venues. "I like small gigs. I don't know what the biggest crowd we've done is — maybe some festival or something like that. But I like small gigs, I really like them." Most of their setlist will come from their forthcoming album. "But we're gonna be playing a lot of the old stuff too. So it's the classics with the stuff we haven't played before. Were trying to do a couple of songs off each record and then showcase our new stuff as well. Give people a little taste." But it's not just Seekae coming back from Opera House gigs. Supporting act, Jonti, fronted the Vivid LIVE tribute to the Avalanches at the iconic venue back in May. "He's [Jonti] such a lovely guy and it all comes from such a lovely place, what he's doing. It's a warm happy place. He's friendly and it comes across in his music and the way he approaches it. That's why people love working with him and that's why we love having him on tour. "We've been on the circuit together since we both started, you know, 2007 or something like that in different acts. When we tour we like to take people that we have been with from the beginning with us. We get to spend time together and have fun and talk about ideas and that we can keep cheering and sort of inspiring you know? It's not disconnected." Join Alex Cameron and bandmates George Nicholas and John Hassell for Seekae's Australian tour at Melbourne's 170 Russell Street on Friday August 22 and Sydney's Metro Theatre on Saturday August 23. Seekae's The Worry will be released through Future Classic on September 12. Feature by Rachel Eddie, additional words by Meg Watson.
Over the past decade or so, Orange has become recognised as one of Australia's finest culinary regions. And, for one special weekend this August, Orange Winter Fire Festival will have the town bursting with great food, drink and cultural events, all with a wintry flavour. The festival will capitalise on the town's winemaking status as some of the best local drops are showcased at events inspired by classic Australiana images, such as crackling bonfires and chargrilled feasts. Held across the weekend of August 2–4, the festival kicks off on Friday with the nearby village of Millthorpe being transformed into a winter wonderland as country-folk duo Smith and Jones light up the stage and Pym Street bustles with food and wine market stalls. Meanwhile, back in Orange, Ross Hill Wines will host a fireside feast with mulled wine and lots of slow-cooked meats by Smoking Brothers. The fire theme continues on Saturday. Join in a night of live music and vino at Nashdale Lane Vineyard, head for hot cocktails, barbecue and campfire sing-alongs at The Oriana or enjoy winter soups and slow-cooked meats (as well as plenty of wine) at The Old Convent. With poetry sessions, 'astronomical journeys' and Sunday roasts plus so much more taking place over the festival, a road trip to the Orange Winter Fire Festival would make for a pretty perfect winter weekend.
Sydney's oldest park will soon be the home of the city's newest cafe. The kiosk located at Museum Station in Hyde Park will undergo an extensive upgrade in the coming months, with the construction of a new open-plan cafe to commence later this year. The works take advantage of the already-underway improvements to the station, allowing for the upgrades to take place concurrently. The new cafe, designed by Andrew Burns Architects, will replace the old kiosk at the same site and bring a new paved outdoor area with seating for around 90 people. The whole project will be sensitive to the heritage of the location and the existing building, and add garden beds, retaining walls and stairs. "We're thrilled the stunning design is consistent with the heritage setting of Hyde Park and Museum Station," says Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "The new cafe will be set back to allow better access and lines of sight to the park and recently upgraded Anzac War Memorial." The construction already underway at the site is being completed by Transport for NSW with the aim of improving access to Museum Station, with the addition of new lifts, bathrooms and improved accessibility. As you may have noticed from the constant construction, further works are underway to improve the rest of Hyde Park, such as renovation of the pool of reflection, transplanting of palms within the park and restoration of secondary paths, enabling better access to all areas. The renos, including the cafe, are due to be completed mid-2018 along with all other currently approved Hyde Park works. Considering the park's proximity to the CBD, the new cafe will no doubt be a prime position for mid-week lunch breaks.
