Regarded by many as the greatest car movie ever made, Vanishing Point is a film that embraces its minimalist simplicity and triumphs because of it. It’s 106 minutes of 100% car chase as a fugitive known simply as Kowalski (Barry Newman) guns his supercharged 1970 Dodge Challenger from Denver to San Francisco with amphetamines in his veins (appropriately ‘speed’) and police on his tail. There’s no real reason for the mad dash beyond a bet by his drug dealer that it couldn’t be done in less than 15 hours, thereby defining Kowalski as something of a counter-culture hero on a fatalistic, anti-establishment rampage. Spurring him on via the radio is blind black disc jockey ‘Super Soul’ (Cleavon Little), who declares Kowalski “the last American to whom speed means freedom of the soul”. Super Soul’s live broadcasts of the pursuit quickly turn Kowalski into a media sensation and local celebrity, framing the incident as ‘oppressed versus oppressors’ and ‘freedom versus authoritarianism’, but at its heart this remains a car and road movie – simple and true. Vanishing Point is a film with little dialogue and lots of action, but the ratio is spot on in this case. The extraordinary stunts and relentless pace don’t just look dangerous, they feel it, and the sublime cinematography and carefully considered soundtrack compliment that tenor perfectly. It’s grindhouse at its best, yelling at everybody and nobody all at once. The best thing to do is simply strap yourself in and yell along with it. The team behind the much-anticipated event Downtown Drive-In has announced Carriageworks in Sydney’s Eveleigh, just three kilometres from the Sydney CBD, as the location for its three-night season, which will run from November 29 to December 1, 2012. A seldom-used section of the 120-year-old heritage listed building will form the perfect backdrop for the Back Roads USA season of films. The films to be screened include On The Road, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Vanishing Point. Downtown Drive-In will also feature a custom menu with individual items designed by The Dip, Sydney’s favourite American-style diner, playfully paying tribute to the films and shared Americana settings and atmosphere. Major sponsor Audi will supply a range of luxury cars for the ultimate drive-in experience. The cars will also feature razor-sharp sound from audio partner Bang & Olufsen. Entry into Downtown Drive-In will cost $50 for vehicles of up to four people. Walk-in deck chair seating is also available near the screen, at $25 per person. For more information on the film schedule, drive-in experience and participating partners, visit www.downtowndrive.in
Something delightful is happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over the past three months, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ekw85OqJck THE WITCHES What's the one thing that every movie remake has in common? No matter how it turns out, the original film still exists. So, if the latest version doesn't cast a spell, you can return to the old one — revisiting it, appreciating it anew and steeping yourself in nostalgia in the process. That's worth remembering regarding the latest screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Witches, even with writer/director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Polar Express) and co-writers Kenya Barris (Black-ish, Girls Trip) and Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water's) involved. Its main achievement: reminding everyone just how great the previous screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's book from back in 1990 still is. It might be unfair to think that some remakes only eventuate because a studio executive thought it was time to wring some more cash out of a beloved story, but that's how this movie feels. It's simultaneously broader and tamer — including Anne Hathaway's (Dark Waters) over-the-top performance as the Grand High Witch, although she does appear to be enjoying herself immensely — and it radiates big pantomime energy. Indeed, there's a lack of overall magic in The Witches, either of the twisted or charming type (unless sending viewers clamouring to find wherever the original is currently streaming counts). A few things have changed in this fresh iteration. It's 1968, and the the film's unnamed young protagonist (Jahzir Bruno, The Christmas Chronicles 2) moves to Alabama to live with his grandmother (Octavia Spencer, Onward) after his parents are killed in a car accident. He's grief-stricken, but they bond over her shocking revelation: that witches exist, they're everywhere, they despise children and she has experience with them. Also, once a witch sets their sights on a kid, it never lets up. That's why, after one crosses the boy's path, grandma whisks him off to "the swankiest resort in Alabama", where she's certain they'll be safe among rich white folks. Of course, she couldn't have predicted that the group of women that have taken over the Grand Orleans Imperial Island Hotel's ballroom — the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, apparently — are all witches. Or, that the Grand High Witch is in attendance, unveiling a plan to turn every kid in the world into a rodent via a potion called 'Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse-Maker'. Much that has endeared The Witches to readers and viewers over the years remains in the latest film, but tinkering with the details and tone makes an unfortunate impact. Brimming as it is with bright colours and overdone CGI, the new version of The Witches favours gloss and shine over chills and potential nightmares. Everything here is overt to an in-your-face extreme, and also far less intricate and much more bland. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8DT_zVzxhk THE FURNACE At this point in Australia's cinema history, audiences can be forgiven for wondering if homegrown movies have unearthed and told every tale there is to be found among the vast outback. The answer: an overwhelming no, especially when Aussie filmmakers traverse the country's sunburnt and sprawling expanse to explore stories steeped in our problematic past. The Furnace is one such movie that proves the point. The first feature from writer/director Roderick MacKay, the gold rush-era western serves up a powerful interrogation of Australia as a multicultural nation — harking back to 1897, to Western Australia, and to a time when transporting freight around the country relied upon a network of cameleers trekking across the desert. The men covering great distances to move goods from one place to another hailed from India, Afghanistan and Persia, were largely of Muslim and Sikh faith, and were badged together under the label 'Ghan' by white Aussies. They were treated poorly, except by Indigenous Australians. And, they're a real but oft-forgotten part of the nation's story, so much so that The Furnace will introduce their existence to many viewers for the first time. That's just one of this vividly shot, exceptionally acted film's achievements, though. Another: posing the kinds of questions about our national identity that we should always be asking. Afghan cameleer Hanif (Ahmed Malek, Clash) didn't choose to come to Australia, or to take up this line of work. So, when he witnesses the death of his mentor at the hands of a white man, he's eager to find a way to get the cash he needs to return home. The Indigenous Yamatji Badimia people he often spends time with on his travels, including leader Coobering (Trevor Jamieson, Storm Boy) and Hanif's friend Woorak (Baykali Ganambarr, The Nightingale), suggest that he stays and joins them instead. But, after stumbling across injured thief Mal (David Wenham, Dirt Music), he's determined to use half of his new acquaintance's stolen Crown-marked gold bars to finance his escape and leave the life he hates behind. Troopers led by the fervent Sergeant Shaw (Jay Ryan, IT: Chapter Two) are swiftly on the unlikely pair's trail; however, Hanif and Mal keep traipsing towards the eponymous smelter, where Mal promises they'll be able to melt down the precious metal and remove any trace of the government's ownership. Following Hanif's journey — physically, and emotionally and spiritually as well — The Furnace is a patient film. It's a meat pie western through and through, applying the western genre's trademarks to an Australian context, and it joins The Proposition, Sweet Country and the aforementioned The Nightingale as one of the best 21st-century examples. MacKay spies the beauty and the imperfections in Australia's arid, dusty landscape, as many filmmakers have before, but he also never lets the flaws in our national character that are made plain by this chapter of history ever fall out of view. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb8ZbP6qAzE&feature=youtu.be THE MIDNIGHT SKY The Midnight Sky is George Clooney's first film role in four years (since 2016's Hail, Caesar! and Money Monster), so it's fitting that he's at his most bearded and reclusive within its frames. This sci-fi drama also joins the small but significant list of features that combine the star and space, following Solaris and Gravity — and there's something particularly alluring and absorbing about seeing Clooney get existential, as all movies that reach beyond earth's surface tend to. He clearly agrees, because he not only leads The Midnight Sky but also directs it as well. This is a big-thinking and big-feeling film, with its characters grappling with life, love and loss. It boasts aptly pensive and probing cinematography, too; however, both on-and off-screen, Clooney is the key. When the movie spends time with astronauts onboard the spaceship Aether, including the pregnant Sully (Felicity Jones, On the Basis of Sex), ship commander Adewole (David Oyelowo, Gringo), veteran pilot Mitchell (Kyle Chandler, Godzilla: King of the Monsters), and other crew members Sanchez (Demián Bichir, The Grudge) and Maya (Tiffany Boone, Hunters), it's at its most generic. Indeed, when it ventures to space, The Midnight Sky almost screams for either Clooney to head there as well, or for the feature to plummet back down to earth to join him once more. The actor/filmmaker plays workaholic research scientist Dr Augustine Lofthouse and, although The Midnight Sky rockets beyond the earth, it doesn't send its protagonist there. Instead, in 2049, after an environmental disaster has made the planet uninhabitable, he chooses to remain in the Arctic as his colleagues evacuate. He's dying anyway, and frequently hooks himself up to machines for treatment — in between downing whiskey, watching old movies, eating cereal and talking to himself. Then, interrupting his lonely decline, two things change his status quo. Firstly, a young girl (debutant Caoilinn Springall) mysteriously pops up out of nowhere, refusing to speak but obviously needing an adult's care. Secondly, Augustine realises that he'll have to trek across the oppressively icy terrain outside to connect via radio to Aether's crew, who've been on a two-year mission to ascertain whether newly discovered Jupiter moon K-23 can support life, and are now making their return unaware of what's been happening at home. The space movie genre is as busy as the sky above is vast, and The Midnight Sky proves familiar as a result, delivering plenty of elements that viewers have seen before — but this isn't merely an exercise in flinging together derivative parts. While this isn't Clooney's greatest achievement as a director in general or as an actor in a space flick, it's still an involving, engaging and poignant addition to his resume on both counts. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij8m_XQ_J2E WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS When it comes to portraying illness of either the physical or mental kind, Hollywood doesn't have the greatest track record. Case in point: this year's awful All My Life, a cancer-fuelled weepie that decided it'd rather focus on the girlfriend of its sickness-stricken character — who is based on a real-life person — than on the man fighting to survive. Accordingly, by actually directing its attention towards Adam (Charlie Plummer, Lean on Pete), a high schooler who is diagnosed with schizophrenia in his senior year, Words on Bathroom Walls immediately demonstrates a willingness to actually engage with its protagonist's predicament. The film is based on a YA novel by Julia Walton, rather than on reality, but it sees Adam as a person rather than a reason that someone else's existence increases in drama. That's a pivotal move by filmmaker Thor Freudenthal (Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters) and first-time screenwriter Nick Naveda, and one that improves their movie immensely. But Words on Bathroom Walls doesn't completely avoid cliches and tropes. Instead, it saves them for the usual teenage experiences, serving up everything from bullying classmates to first kisses, prom night antics and graduation chaos as Adam doesn't just try to cope with his condition, but with testing every treatment option there is, and also navigating the disappointments and the side effects. Adam's struggles begin in science class, where he has traumatic hallucinations, injures a friend and gets expelled. Seeing people who aren't there isn't new to him but, with the incident badged a psychotic break, his mother Beth (Molly Parker, Deadwood) devotes every waking hour to finding him the best care — when she isn't spending time with the new boyfriend, Paul (Walton Goggins, Fatman), that Adam doesn't like. For the teen himself, he's most concerned about chasing his dreams. He wants to be a chef, but he needs to get his diploma to get into his chosen culinary course. The local private school agrees to let him attend, as long as he undertakes a specific treatment plan and doesn't trouble his peers with his illness. Consequently, when he meets the studious and resourceful Maya (Taylor Russell, Waves), he keeps his condition to himself, even as a friendship and something more springs. At its core, Words on Bathroom Walls endeavours to address and break down the stigma that surrounds schizophrenia and mental illness, a feat that it perkily but thoughtfully achieves. Still, there's no missing the fact that it squeezes its empathetic intentions — and its narrative in general, and Adam's plight within it — into a well-worn teen formula. While Words on Bathroom Walls still succeeds where many other movies about health struggles fail, thanks in no small part to excellent performances all-round from Plummer, Russell, Parker and Goggins, its need to fit a template threatens to undercut its sensitive approach to its subject. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uIUUKZsEUY&feature=emb_logo ARCHENEMY Looking for a world where superheroes don't exist? Archenemy travels between two dimensions, or so the often whiskey-swilling Max Fist (Joe Manganiello, Rampage) claims, and finds the super-strong figure in both of them. That said, Fist could be a fallen fighter from another realm who is trying to stop his nemesis Cleo (Amy Seimetz, The Secrets We Keep). Or, he could be a homeless person with problem — or someone about to start waging a crusade for the forces of good after teaming up with siblings Hamster (Skylan Brooks, Empire) and Indigo (Zolee Griggs, Bit). Fist joins forces with the latter duo after Hamster starts pestering him to tell his story. The teen, who has the word 'fiction' tattooed across his face, is trying to land a photojournalism job at a clickbait-chasing website called Trendible (and to go viral doing so), and thinks that Fist could be his ticket. Their new camaraderie is reluctant on elder man's part, but he's willing to talk about his alternate-universe home world of Chromium to anyone will listen. However, complications arrive via Indigo, who works as a drug dealer for a seedy figure known only as The Manager (Glenn Howerton, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Although she's trying to earn enough money to send Hamster back to school, she's soon immersed deep in murky gangster business. One of the small joys of this low-key caped crusader affair is that writer/director Adam Egypt Mortimer (Daniel Isn't Real) and his co-screenwriter Luke Passmore (Slaughterhouse Rulez) aren't trying to tell the usual story, or to make it fit the usual boxes — as the fact that Fist's tale could go one of several ways illustrates. Also impressive, as well as visually striking: the hot pink and black animation that literally illustrates Fist's narrative back on Chromium, and nods to the page origins of the superhero genre at the same time. Still, Archenemy is a mixed bag of a movie. It's trying to serve up a thematic and narrative mixed bag on purpose, but that quest spills over to unintended areas. The film strives to add something different to an overpopulated field, for example, but swiftly brings the likes of Hancock and Super to mind. It attempts to subvert a plethora of recognisable tropes, but also leans on a swathe of them itself. It features a moody performance by Manganiello that screams for more screen time (and, yes, more movies), but tasks Howerton and Seimetz with being cartoonish in a one-note manner. As its actors demonstrate, Archenemy often seems as if it's hedging its bets, trying to offer something more grounded than the usual superhero blockbuster but also more outlandish at the same time — and, while often messily entertaining and definitely benefiting from an attention-grabbing score, it doesn't ever find the ideal balance. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22 and October 29; and November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Tenet, Les Misérables, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Translators, An American Pickle, The High Note, On the Rocks, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Antebellum, Miss Juneteenth, Savage, I Am Greta, Rebecca, Kajillionaire, Baby Done, Corpus Christi, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom and Sound of Metal. Images: The Midnight Sky, Philippe Antonello/Netflix.
British comedian Eddie Izzard once suggested humanity reaching the moon was proof that God didn't exist. "Because," Izzard says, "if you invent some creatures, put them on the blue one and they make it to the grey one, you f***ing well turn up and say well done." Well, whether it was missed by any celestial beings upstairs or not, if you're keen to commemorate all things space and reminisce about our voyage into infinity and beyond, make tracks to Sydney Festival to celebrate 50 years since the moon landing. From gravity-defying aerial performances to cosmos-themed installations, we've jotted down some of the best ways to explore the city and commemorate that time we got to "the grey one" half a century ago. And what's more, each lunar happening below is completely free.
Off the back of four fast-selling seasons, Sydney's most ambitious outdoor cinema is bringing its 150-bed (yes, bed) theatre back to Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter for the warmer weather. Grab a buddy you're comfortable to share a blankie with (or make a bold first date move) and book a bed between January 17 and March 22 next year. There will be new movies (Jojo Rabbit, Cats and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), old movies (Dirty Dancing, Pulp Fiction) and some of the biggest releases of 2019 (Knives Out, Joker, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). The Oscar-winning Best Picture Parasite is set to close out the season on March 22. This year, El Camino Cantina and Fratelli Fresh will also be bringing food directly to your bed — including pepperoni pizza, tacos and fajitas. Plus, the bar will be serving up cold beers and wines. And thanks to a new screen (good riddance inflatable screens) it'll be a much more enjoyable viewing experience, too. Tickets are $73.80 for a couple or $93.90 for a trio. If you don't want to shell out for a bed, you can grab a grass ticket for $12 — just remember to bring a picnic blanket and book your spot before you rock up. Updated: March 2, 2020
After serving up slices at festivals and events in Queensland, and and building a cult following through standout pop-ups at Marrickville's Grifter Brewing Co and The Dolphin Hotel, Sydney duo The Pizza Bros have opened their first permanent location inside a beloved Inner West pub. You'll now find the Bros' beloved leopard-spotted rounds on the rooftop of the historic Erskineville stalwart The Imperial. A bustling LGBTQIA+ nightlife hub famous for its appearance in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Imperial was recently taken over by Universal Hotels, the hospitality team behind Newtown Hotel, Universal, Oxford Hotel and Civic Hotel. While not much has changed so far since the acquisition, the arrival of The Pizza Bros marks the first shift in offerings since the changing of hands. "The Pizza Bros are not just pizza makers; they're a cultural phenomenon," said CEO of Universal Hotels Harris Kospetas. "The Imperial Hotel has always been a place where innovation meets tradition, and we're excited to infuse fresh energy into this beloved space. We have some exciting changes in the works that will undoubtedly resonate with the community." Anyone who's visited the pop-up at Grifter will know the duo specialise in perfectly chewy woodfired pizza reminiscent of other Sydney favourites like Bella Brutta and Gigis — both of which the Bros previously worked at. The menu across the pop-up and this new kitchen focuses on combining Italian staples with quality local produce. Take the Waterworld, which pairs a house-made fermented chilli sauce with fior di latte, Faros Seafood garlic prawns and pancetta. There's also a luxe take on a meatlovers featuring LP's salami cotto and Whole Beast Butchery salsicce — and The Mago Picasso, which keeps it simple with fior di latte, pomodoro sugo, confit garlic and basil. But, what would good toppings be worth without a great canvas? The Pizza Bros give special focus to their in-house dough, using several fermentation processes to create each base. The result is both tasty and aesthetically pleasing — so pleasing that it's racked up hundreds of thousands of views across TikTok and Instagram. The Imperial is walk-in friendly, but if you want to make a booking for the rooftop, you can at the pub's website. The Imperial is located at 35 Erskineville Road, Erksineville. You'll find The Pizza Bros on the rooftop Wednesday–Sunday.
When Australia has just thrown one of the world's biggest LGBTQIA+ parties, what comes next? Incorporating hits from 2023's Sydney WorldPride into 2024's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. For everyone who loved revelling on the sand at the fest's Bondi Beach Party, we come bearing excellent news: it'll be back next year for 15,000 attendees. Mardi Gras' full 2024 lineup spans 100-plus events across the Harbour City, taking place from Friday, February 16–Sunday, March 3. While 2023's iteration marked the 45th anniversary, don't go thinking that turning 46 isn't being taken just as seriously — all around the theme "our future". "For 45 years, the energy, vibrancy, and unity of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has made it a globally significant event. And each year, our commitment to bringing forth an even more fabulous celebration grows," said Sydney Mardi Gras CEO Gil Beckwith. "In 2024, we embrace our roots and look forward with eager anticipation to our future. Our mission is clear: to echo the voices of our communities, to champion progress and instigate impactful change." "Beyond the individual events, and there are many, the 2024 festival underscores our commitment to inclusivity, unity and remembrance. The 2024 festival celebrates our past, our present and most crucially, the promising future we're building. Here's to another unforgettable Sydney Mardi Gras," continued Beckwith. As well as the return of Bondi Beach Party, Mardi Gras will also give Sydney WorldPride's Ultra Violet a second run, celebrating LGBTQIA+ women in an event that takes place as day turns to night at the National Art School. Similarly huge: a one-night-only special performance of musical & Juliet, which will occur just days after the production arrives for its Sydney season. Also on the lineup: the Welcome to Country via citywide event Festival First Light; floating venue Glass Island hosting trans and gender-diverse celebration Hot Trans Summer; and Diamond Dance, which will mark Pollys Club's 60th year. Or, there's talks and ideas series Queer Futures, the Marks Park Dawn Sunrise Service of Reflection to honour 70s- and 90s-era victims of homophobic and transphobic violence, two-week fringe fest Oxtravaganza in Darlinghurst and the boozy Darlo Big Drag Brunch. Yes, the parade is back — so mark Saturday, March 2 in your diary and prepare for a big night with 200-plus floats on Oxford Street. Plus, Mardi Gras' premium parade viewing areas will feature again to help the hundreds of thousands of folks heading along get a prime view of the 12,000-plus marchers. Throw in the also-returning Mardi Gras Film Festival, Progress Pride Flag Raising, Fair Day, Paradiso Pool Party, Kaftana Pool Party, Laugh Out Proud and Sissy Ball — and Queer Art After Hours as well — and Sydney will be jam-packed with things to do and ways to celebrate, as it is during every Mardi Gras. Other highlights include a dance party at ivy Pool Club, SEA LIFE Aquarium hosting drag storytime and a queer formal, with more events still to be announced as Mardi Gras gets closer. Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2024 will run from Friday, February 16–Sunday, March 3, 2024. For more information, or for tickets, head to the event's website. Select images: Jeffrey Feng Photography, Lexy Potts
What had Amy Schumer advising that her hosting plan was "to stay present until I black out" and Troy Kotsur promising not to sign any profanity? Where did Timothée Chalamet opt not to wear a shirt, Tiffany Haddish declare that she's a superhero just for being herself, and anniversary tributes to everything from The Godfather, Pulp Fiction and Bond toWhite Men Can't Jump and Juno take place like an entertainment website had somehow come to life? That'd be the 2022 Academy Awards. Back in a March time slot, Hollywood's night of nights just handed out its gongs for this year — recognising films from last year — and plenty happened. Where did the first-ever live performance of Encanto's 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' occur, too? At the Oscars today, obviously. (We won't talk about a certain outburst that also took place, because it doesn't deserve any further oxygen.) While the ceremony always sparks conversation — great, bad or fine, the latter of which fits here apart from its violent interlude — the Academy Awards are always about celebrating top-notch movies. The body behind them made some incredibly questionable choices with its live event this year, including taking eight categories it didn't deem sexy enough out of the televised broadcast (including the one that none other than Hans Zimmer won, and understandably decided not to attend to collect), but a heap of worthy flicks still just picked up shiny trophies. As a result, CODA is now the reigning Best Picture winner, Jane Campion became just the third woman ever to win Best Director and Dune nabbed almost every technical award it could — and they're just some of this year's crop of recipients. From Drive My Car earning some Best International Feature love to Cruella's costumes getting the nod, if you're wondering what else emerged victorious, the full rundown is below. You can also check out our picks for the 11 winners you should watch right now as well — and our full lists of where most of this year's contenders are screening or streaming in both Australia and New Zealand. OSCAR NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2022 BEST MOTION PICTURE The Power of the Dog West Side Story Belfast Dune Licorice Pizza King Richard CODA — WINNER Don't Look Up Drive My Car Nightmare Alley BEST DIRECTOR Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog — WINNER Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza Steven Spielberg, West Side Story Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye — WINNER Kristen Stewart, Spencer Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Will Smith, King Richard — WINNER Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... Boom! Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Ariana DeBose, West Side Story — WINNER Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard Judi Dench, Belfast Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog Ciarán Hinds, Belfast Troy Kotsur, CODA — WINNER Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog JK Simmons, Being the Ricardos BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson Belfast, Kenneth Branagh — WINNER King Richard, Zach Baylin Don't Look Up, Adam McKay (story by McKay and David Sirota) The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal CODA, Sian Heder — WINNER Dune, Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM Drive My Car (Japan) — WINNER The Worst Person in the World (Norway) Flee (Denmark) The Hand of God (Italy) Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan) BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Encanto — WINNER Luca The Mitchells vs the Machines Flee Raya and the Last Dragon BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) — WINNER Flee Ascension Attica Writing with Fire BEST ORIGINAL SCORE The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood Dune, Hans Zimmer — WINNER Don't Look Up, Nicholas Britell Encanto, Germaine Franco Parallel Mothers, Alberto Iglesias BEST ORIGINAL SONG 'No Time to Die', No Time to Die (Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell) — WINNER 'Dos Oruguitas', Encanto (Lin-Manuel Miranda) 'Be Alive', King Richard (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson) 'Down to Joy' Belfast (Van Morrison) 'Somehow You Do', Four Good Days (Diane Warren) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Dune, Greig Fraser — WINNER The Power of the Dog, Ari Wegner The Tragedy of Macbeth, Bruno Delbonnel Nightmare Alley, Dan Laustsen West Side Story, Janusz Kaminski BEST FILM EDITING Dune, Joe Walker — WINNER The Power of the Dog, Peter Sciberras Don't Look Up, Hank Corwin King Richard, Pamela Martin Tick, Tick... Boom!, Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Dune, Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos — WINNER Nightmare Alley, Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau West Side Story, Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo The Tragedy of Macbeth, Stefan Dechant and Nancy Haigh The Power of the Dog, Grant Major and Amber Richards BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Dune, Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer — WINNER Free Guy, Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, Dan Sudick Spider-Man: No Way Home, Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver No Time to Die, Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner, Chris Corbould BEST COSTUME DESIGN Cruella, Jenny Beavan — WINNER Dune, Jacqueline West and Bob Morgan West Side Story, Paul Tazewell Nightmare Alley, Luis Sequeira Cyrano, Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh — WINNER Dune, Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr Cruella, Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon Coming 2 America, Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer House of Gucci, Goran Lundstrom, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras BEST SOUND Dune, Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett — WINNER West Side Story, Tod A Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy No Time to Die, Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor Belfast, Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri The Power of the Dog, Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Audible Lead Me Home The Queen of Basketball — WINNER Three Songs for Benazir When We Were Bullies BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM Affairs of the Art Bestia Boxballet Robin Robin The Windshield Wiper — WINNER BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Ala Kachuu — Take and Run The Dress The Long Goodbye — WINNER On My Mind Please Hold Top image: Netflix.
Sculpture by the Sea kicked off its 22nd annual exhibition today — once again taking over the two-kilometre coastline from Sydney's Bondi to Tamarama Beach with many incredible sculptural feats. This year, you'll find 107 sculptures by artists from 21 countries globally. The works will be on display from October 18 through November 4, and it's all absolutely free. This year's highlights include a collaboration with China's leading art institute, the Central Academy of Art (CAFA), showcasing the works of eight alumni, all spread throughout the vast sculpture park. If you're looking to know more about the inspiration for the sculptures on display, you can grab a bean bag and hear directly from the artists every Saturday and Sunday. But, with so many sculptures to feast your eyes on, it can be overwhelming — and you want to make sure not to overlook the best of the bunch. Here are five sculptures to keep a look out for while you take that famed Sydney walk. [caption id="attachment_694145" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Van der Jagt[/caption] COOL SHIT: DAMIEN HIRST LOOKING FOR SHARKS UK artist Cool Shit (the nom de plume of David Glass) has created a large-scale inflatable snorkeler as a parody of artist Damien Hirst — it reference's Hirst's quest for the tiger shark that made him one of the most iconic postmodern British artists of his time. Hirst caught the shark off of Queensland's Hervey Bay back in the 1990s, preserved it with formaldehyde and sold it as a sculpture in 2004 for some $12 million. Glass' work is a comment on the commercialism of Hirst's work, titled The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, which Glass feels was more a hunt for millions than for art. The inflatable sculpture is mainly air and the outer sheath is made of hundreds of hand-painted fabrics. [caption id="attachment_694147" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Van der Jagt[/caption] BARBARA LICHA: CBD Made of stainless steel bars and galvanised wire and mesh, CBD is a striking representation of the Sydney city centre, created by Polish-born Aussie artist Barbara Licha. She aims to bring attention to the structural beauty of our city and how we are connected not just to others but also to the place we live. This sculpture is full of movement and uses geometrical shapes to depict this intersection between people and place. It explores architecture as more than just a means to building houses, towns and cities but also as a form of art that connects us to our surroundings. [caption id="attachment_694175" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Charlotte Curd[/caption] MU BOYAN: HORIZON A three-metre-tall fleshy figure has really stolen the show this year as the most recognisable sculpture of the bunch. Mu Boyan's Horizon rests on the south Bondi headland at Marks Park and its towering stature is markedly contrasted by its peaceful pose. According to Boyan, the Buddha-like figure is an invitation to sit alongside it and empty your mind. A meditative force to be reckoned with, the sculpture is one-of-eight works in collaboration with Beijing's Central Academy of Fine Arts. [caption id="attachment_694174" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] PENELOPE FORLANO: COUNTERPOINTS WA artist Penelope Forlano directly responded to the Bondi coastline in her sculpture Counterpoints, creating a work that is familiar yet contrasting to the natural surrounds. She began by focusing on the dynamic flow of the waves against the Hawkesbury sandstone — which once connected Australia to Antarctica 300-million years ago. The sculpture is reminiscent of both a water droplet and stone spearhead, the latter of which is meant to connect to nearby Aboriginal engravings. It is a shape that at once fits in and stands out, echoing both the enduring and ephemeral aspects of nature. [caption id="attachment_694168" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] ALESSANDRA ROSSI: CAIRNS Referencing human-made piles of stones that have been created by cultures around the globe for centuries, Cairns uses opaque and mirrored perspex to reflect light on its surrounds. Visit it during different times of the day and you'll find yourself bathed in shimmering hues of red, pink, orange and blue. The impermanence of this light also helps convey a dichotomy between the temporary and the enduring, which is also reflected by the ocean — its ebbing waves and its surrounding solid rocks. The three pieces are by Italian artist Alessandra Rossi, who has also exhibited across Australia. Sculpture by the Sea runs until November 4. For more info, visit sculpturebythesea.com. Top image: Trent van der Jagt
Some things are just so stunning that they need to be seen multiple times, and getting to walk through Vincent van Gogh's dazzling artworks at Melbourne's multi-sensory digital art gallery The Lume is clearly one of them. So, the popular exhibition that it first opened with, and that's also toured a version around the country, will come alive again in the Victorian capital from Boxing Day 2024. Made your own Lego version of The Starry Night? Next, you can walk through the iconic painting projected large across the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Arriving a few weeks after Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius closes in early December, the timing of the experience's return means that you'll be able to pair summer's sunny days with some sunflowers. The big two will be back, of course — aka two of van Gogh's most popular works transformed into vivid new guises. Again, when you see The Starry Night, you'll actually be walking through it as it takes over an entire room. Love Sunflowers (the painting, as well as the plant)? Then get ready for the immersive Sunflower room, where golden petals stretch as far as the eye can see. A family-friendly experience, the van Gogh exhibition creates the sensation of diving right into the Dutch artist's paintings — and you definitely won't feel like you're just standing in an ordinary gallery. Attendees encounter van Gogh's world-famous works in fine detail thanks to state-of-the-art technology from the Melbourne-based Grande Exhibitions, which is behind The Lume. Think: high-definition projectors throwing 360-degree images onto four-storey-high walls in a 3000-square-metre gallery, with a classical musical score accompanying the vibrant colours, too, as presented in cinema-quality surround sound. While plenty will be familiar when the experience brightens up Melbourne again — including an immersive cafe inspired by the artist's Café Terrace at Night and an artist studio where you can learn the techniques behind his pieces — Finding Vincent in shared VR is making its global premiere, taking the idea of stepping into van Gogh's creativity up another level. "We have always embraced the fusion of art and technology to reimagine how audiences engage with masterpieces. This shared VR innovation is the latest step in that evolution, merging creativity with cutting-edge digital capability to create moments of awe that go beyond the traditional gallery visit," says Grande Experiences and The Lume Melbourne founder Bruce Peterson. Van Gogh at The Lume opens at The Lume, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 5 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne, from Thursday, December 26, 2024 — head to the venue's website for tickets and further information. Images: Morgan Sette / Miles Noel Photography / Grande Experiences.
Sydney is home to everything from top universities and startups to massive multicultural communities and art centres. But somehow its international PR is falling flat, as told by the newly released Beyond the Postcard report by the Committee for Sydney, the latest stage in the group's Sydney Global Project. Those who live in Sydney know that this city is so much more than its globally recognisable landmarks, but as this community think tank reports, Sydney's global brand has yet to expand past the same old postcard sights. Thanks to that paper-thin presentation, which falls short of representing the diversity and depth of Harbour City and its 5.5 million residents, Sydney is losing approximately $3.3 billion in potential tourism revenue and international investment each year. As the report states, "peer cities are out-competing us through more deliberate and cohesive efforts to shape global perception and reinforce their strengths across multiple audiences." [caption id="attachment_881874" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] The report blames complacency, the reliance on legacy visuals, and static branding, arguing that Sydney's ageing international brand won't compete on the global tourism stage as more and more cities around the world make their case as destinations. A key example? In 2025, over 80 percent of the top 1000 images of Sydney on Google Images featured the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House or Bondi Beach. Sydney is the third most multicultural city in the world, but its image is one of just aesthetics. The groundwork for Sydney's international renaissance has already been laid. As outlined in the report, in the last two years, Sydney has attracted over 65 percent of Australian startup funding, the most international visitors of any Australian city (3.6 million in FY25), 28 percent of Australia's total migrant population, almost half of Australia's business R&D funding and over 36 percent of Australia's international students. [caption id="attachment_813385" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] The report argues that to unlock Sydney's potential, its brand must celebrate the city's people, not just its pretty sights. Committee for Sydney Chief Executive Eamon Waterford told Sydney Morning Herald, "The people of Sydney are interesting, and really attractive to the world; they are exciting to global investors, to visitors who are looking for rich cultural experiences, to students who are wondering where they should go to university — Sydney's got it all…but we don't sell that human story." As to next steps? It's not just as simple as a visual brand overhaul, the report argues. Sydney has economic momentum, a necessary first step, but the most important thing now is cohesion: governments, industries, institutions and communities aligning on the city's shared story — closing the "perception and performance gap" by showcasing the Sydney of the 21st century. [caption id="attachment_874146" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Paddo Collective[/caption] As Waterford said, "It's about everybody recognising there are great things that Sydney has going for it, and then including them in the stories they're sharing with the world." To do so, the next stage for the Committee for Sydney is to craft a more comprehensive "brand bible" for Sydney, recruiting a myriad of locals, creatives and key figures to outline the city's diverse assets and elevate its global positioning. Read the full report by the Committee for Sydney here. Lead image: Destination NSW Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Chronicling encroaching maturity: it's the ambit of so many coming-of-age features that the idea has become its own cliche. With Boyhood, writer/director Richard Linklater takes the concept a step further — and though his method isn't unique, even to his own work courtesy of his Before trilogy, the film that results is. His portrait of growing up charts twelve years, shooting over the same period. Mason (Ellar Coltrane) is introduced staring at the sky, a six-year-old bundle of daydream-fuelled introversion and mischievous curiosity. He spars with his older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), traverses the life dictated by the choices of his mother (Patricia Arquette) and wishes for more time with his father (Ethan Hawke). The years pass, and over the movie's 165 minutes, Mason evolves from a child into a man. Most movies mark the process of becoming an adult through major milestones, but Boyhood reflects upon quieter moments. Linklater doesn't follow an overarching narrative, apart from Mason's ageing and his mother's romantic and career changes. The big developments are largely inconsequential, excised in favour of everyday ephemera. It is in the spaces between — as Mason tests boundaries and forms his own identity, whether playing in the park, camping with his dad, passing notes with a pretty girl, having his first drink or finding an affinity for photography — that the film lingers. That's the key to Boyhood — the minutiae of getting older, by virtue of avoiding the usual contrivances of impending adulthood, always feels authentic and relatable. Mason's tale isn't just his own but belongs to everyone who was once a child navigating difficulties mundane in their ordinariness but influential in their individual impact, whether recently or remembered in a wave of nostalgia. In keeping with his layered storytelling, Linklater's filmmaking is unobtrusive, stitching together the familiar with finesse — pop culture references and all. His camera is enamoured with Mason, and though divorcing the time-conscious technique from the story is impossible, every image does more than capture a character ambling towards the age of 18. The intimate and unembellished slices of a young life each visual offers appear aesthetically and narratively drawn from reality, even as the constructed nature of the film remains apparent. Coltrane, of course, is the centerpiece of Boyhood, the figure upon which everything hangs. Calling his performance naturalistic states the obvious, but his ability to convey Mason's blossoming into a smart, sensitive young adult cements the film as truly special. Linklater took a risk on an ambitious way to relate an oft-told tale, and in his newcomer lead and career-best turns from Arquette and Hawke, he succeeds. And then there's another feat that can't be overlooked — starting a film with Coldplay's 'Yellow' and still making a masterpiece. https://youtube.com/watch?v=b70esOwsOf4
We've all been there. The flirting has been successful and you've locked in a first date (score!), but the excitement about your upcoming encounter is quickly dampened by the stress of deciding where to go. And as anyone who's ever been on a first date knows, picking the right spot for that initial rendezvous ain't easy. You want somewhere with good drinks and buzzy vibes but where the getting-to-know-you chats aren't going to be drowned out by the music. And that's just the beginning of the requirements. Long story short, there's a lot to consider and, while our fair city is filled with great bars and restaurants, they're not all created equal when it comes to being solid first date material. Because first dates are nail-biting enough without the added challenge of picking a good place, we've partnered with American Express to round up seven spots that are perfect for that initial encounter. These places are all casually trendy, not too loud but also not awkwardly quiet, and with stand-out drinks and food offerings to fuel the evening. Plus, they all accept Amex so you can stock up on some extra points. Browse the list, pick a place and spend the rest of that pre-date time choosing a killer outfit and brushing up on those scintillating conversation skills. Can't wait to start travelling the world again? American Express has the card for you. Sign up for the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card and you'll score 55,000 bonus Qantas Points, plus $450 of Qantas Travel Credit and two passes to the American Express Lounge every year. And you'll earn 1.25 Qantas Points for every dollar spent. T&Cs, minimum spend and eligibility criteria apply.
The Royal Sovereign Hotel, known more affectionately as Darlo Bar, has long been the inner city lounge room of Darlinghurst locals. With a good selection of beers on tap, chips to snack on served up in wooden bowls, a pool table and a room full of kitsch, cosy lounges, it's hard to find a reason not to sit here all Sunday long. And that's only downstairs. Upstairs there's a garden playground, known also as the cocktail bar. It's a bright and beautiful open courtyard, perfect for a Gin and Tonic on a summer's day. Darlo offers happy hours six days a week, while the seventh plays host to $10 local jugs and Bloody Marys. There's a Pool Comp. downstairs on Tuesdays, while upstairs there's a free movie night from 7.30. Wednesdays feature Texas Chainsaw Trivia hosted by none other than local anti-celebrity Jay Katz, along with Miss Death and Coffin Ed. With delicious food options delivered from a selection of restaurants just around the corner, including the ultra appropriate Burger Joint, and accommodation upstairs, the best part is you never ever have to leave. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
For as long as most Brisbanites can remember, the CBD's riverside stretch has been synonymous with bland buildings and an always-busy expressway — but that's changing. Popping up amid the hustle, bustle and boring concrete is the city's newest luxury hotel, W Brisbane is bringing a touch of ultra glam to the northern bank of the river. First announced last year as part of the chain's return to Australia, and originally set to launch in March, the hotel is now open on North Quay between the Victoria and Kurilpa bridges. The five-star spot boasts a view across the water to the Queensland Museum, the State Library of Queensland and the Gallery of Modern Art. And that's just the first of many features that might entice locals to book a staycation. Others include 312 designer rooms decked out with ten-gallon drum baths and in-suite cocktail stations, an onsite spa, and a fourth-level deck that includes an eye-catching pool, an adjacent bar and a barbecue area. While the overall look of the place takes inspiration from its location, with design agency Nic Graham & Associates working to the theme of "a river dreaming", W Brisbane's other main highlight actually springs from down south. As revealed a couple of months back, the hotel is home to Queensland's first Three Blue Ducks restaurant. A 150-seat space with views over the river, it'll serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, with the kitchen overseen by chefs Mark LaBrooy, Darren Robertson and Andy Allen. On the menu: Ducks' signature dishes such as spanner crab scramble, old favourites including congee with pulled pork and hay smoked salmon kedgeree, and new additions like fermented chilli glazed chicken. Plus, as well as its hefty number of places to take a kip — including 28 suites, two extra-luxe spaces that've been dubbed "Wow Suites" and one "Extreme Wow Suite" — W Brisbane also features 1100 square metres of function space. Expect the hotel to become the city's new business go-to. And, of course, Brissie's new riverside hangout as well. Find W Brisbane at 81 North Quay, Brisbane. For more information about the hotel, or to make a reservation, visit the W Brisbane website. For further details about Three Blue Ducks, head to the restaurant's website.
Odd Culture Group's beloved theatre pub The Old Fitz is a pint-sized gem of a classic Sydney boozer, but because of its petite proportions, its al fresco dining and drinking areas are essential to its daily operations. However, despite these outdoor spaces being so important to the venue's success — and during a period when hospitality businesses across the city are struggling to cope with soaring overheads and reduced patronage — the City of Sydney has slashed The Old Fitz's outdoor licence, meaning it can now only cater to outdoor customers until 8pm. This will greatly reduce the maximum number of customers during The Old Fitz's dinner service. It also means the pub's pool room, where its outdoor furniture is usually stored overnight, will be inaccessible to punters from 8pm. In an Instagram post, Odd Culture Group CEO James Thorpe explained the sudden and unexpected circumstances behind the reduction to The Old Fitz's licence. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Old Fitzroy (@theoldfitz) "Our licence to operate in our beautiful al fresco dining area has been reduced to 8pm, despite our long-standing approval of nearly 20 years to operate until 10pm along Dowling Street. This was done without any consultation with us, in response to the complaint of a neighbouring premises. We only learnt of the existence of this complaint on Friday, and the venue has received no compliance correspondence from the council in over three years. We are saddened that the council have chosen not to work with us, or indeed even offer us procedural fairness, instead choosing to silently wind back our hours," the statement reads. Thorpe went on to reveal that in his attempts to resolve the matter, council officials indicated that the licence reduction may have been pushed through in error. "I have had several conversations with people at the council since Friday, many of whom have indicated that this decision was made in error. However, as it has managed to slip through to a determination, our only recourse is to put in an application and wait. Our last renewal took just over five weeks from submission to approval," he explained. In an attempt to put pressure on the City of Sydney to swiftly resolve the dispute, The Old Fitz has created a petition, so the venue's many loyal customers can amplify calls to have the outdoor dining licence restored. At the time of publication of this article, more than 830 signatures had been added. One prominent figure also adding their voice to this cause is Sydney Mayor Clover Moore, who took to her official Instagram account to call for a speedy resolution. "When this outcome came to my attention I asked staff to expedite a review and work productively with the Old Fitz to resolve the matter. I'm advised there were some compliance issues, hence the Council officers' initial recommendation. But I'm sure it's not beyond us all to work this out," Moore's statement reads. It goes on: "In the wake of the Covid pandemic, we wanted to do everything we could to help businesses get back on their feet while bringing communities together and that's why we waived all fees and fast-tracked road conversion applications, helping more than 700 businesses operate out in our public spaces. The Old Fitz is one location where we have even extended the footpath into the road space to make for a larger and more pleasant space." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Clover Moore AO (@clovermoore) Dozens of hospitality businesses across Greater Sydney — including Bentley Group's multiaward-winning fine diner Cirrus, iconic Paddington pub The Unicorn Hotel and Maybe Sammy Group's CBD cafe Sammy Junior — have been forced to close in recent months. Climbing produce costs, a reduction in customers due to cost-living pressures and increases to certain overheads such as insurance premiums have been cited as the primary drivers behind the unusually high rash of closures.
Father's Day is a time to treat the father figure in your life. Whether you're celebrating with your dad, the father of your kids, or a treasured paternal figure — you don't want to roll out the same grooming kit or funny socks for yet another year. Usually, you could take your dad to a nice restaurant and make his day with a tasty meal and a drink of choice, but this year, with Sydneysiders stuck inside, it's time to get a bit more inventive. We've put together a list of all the tasty treats you can order for your dad to replicate a top-notch meal out this Father's Day, because even though you can't celebrate in person, you can still put a smile on his face. FEASTS If your dad loves a big meal, there are plenty of options on hand to surprise him from fine dining to solid pub feeds. For the father that's a connoisseur of French cuisine, CBD bistro Restaurant Hubert is offering luxe at-home banquets featuring some of its most popular menu items. Spoil dad with pork terrine wrapped in pastry, roasted snails with XO butter and confit mushroom with peppercorn sauce. Josh Niland's sustainable Fish Butchery is also serving up next-level lockdown meals. For Father's Day, you can order coral trout with Café De Paris butter and chips alongside corn polenta and a salad of grilled fennel, gordal green olives, green garlic and anchovies. Be quick as they're both sure to sell out. If yum cha is a Father's Day tradition in your house, Palace Sydney isn't letting lockdown stop you from sending dad all his faves. The Sydney institution has a far-reaching menu including a huge yum cha selection available for takeaway and delivery throughout Sydney. If the dad in your life is more of a roast man, luckily, The Taphouse are continuing their famed Sunday roast every weekend during lockdown which comes with either roast beef, crispy pork skin or a vegan loaf, as well as gravy and yorkshire pudding. Beloved burger joint Pub Life Kitchen has just reopened too, offering pub classics like steaks, schnitzels and chilli prawn spaghetti, as well as, of course, burgers. You can even send your dad a DIY Pub Life burger box so that he's still the grill master this Father's Day. [caption id="attachment_823489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Renata Brak[/caption] HAMPERS Treat dad with a hamper full of all of his favourite things. Chippendale's Handpicked Wines will pair a selection of wines and cheese and send them out with same-day delivery available to anyone within 25-kilometres of Sydney's CBD. If you're looking for a meatier hamper, Polart Sydney has put together The Hunter's Feast, a collection of Polish smallgoods including veal parowki, kransky sausages, bigos, bread, mustard and chocolates. Or, if your dad likes to get a little fancy, the Sheraton Grand is delivering at-home high tea and charcuterie packages packed with tomato mushroom arancini with truffle aioli, Moreton Bay bug quiches and scones, or cured meats, cheese, pickles, dried fruit and dips. SWEETS If you come from a household of sweet tooths, Sydney's got plenty of sugary treats on-hand for Father's Day. Black Star Pastry has taken the hard work out of deciding what cake to get dad with its All Star Tasting Box featuring a selection of its best cakes. It's also just dropped a collaboration with cocktail bar PS40 with a set of cake-inspired cocktails perfect for the dad that's partial to both a sugary dessert and an old fashioned. Koko Black is also coming prepared for Father's Day with a range of chocolate-heavy gifts tailored for dads, from chocolate-covered almonds and hot cocoa plus Koko Black's own chocolatey beer. Or, for a quick takeaway drop-off treat, swing past Lukumades in Windsor or Chippendale for some tasty Greek doughnuts. COFFEE If dad's been scraping at the bottom of the same jar of instant coffee for months now, maybe it's time you help him level-up his coffee game. Plenty of local roasters have their own beans so you can get your dad a thoughtful gift while supporting small businesses. Campos is offering the Superior Father's Day Blend. The limited-time coffee is just the brand's popular Superior Blend but with a dad joke on the packet and a free stubbie holder, so we very much approve. Sydney cafes Circa Espresso, Mecca and Single O all have their own ranges of beans, grinds and pods with fast delivery on offer to Sydneysiders, and Sample Coffee has a coffee subscription service so you can ensure dad's stocked up on caffeine all year round. Plus, Mecca has a whole range of coffee gear including Aeropresses, grinders and a potable pod coffee maker with Mecca pods. BOOZE Celebrate dad with a bottle of champagne, a bottled cocktail or a nice craft brew. P&V Merchants has a huge range of natty wines, local beers and small-batch spirits. Introduce your dad to Philter's new hazy pale ale, Sigurd's red blend wine or Range Life's fizzy pet nat if he's a bit more adventurous. Even better, P&V offers same-day or next-day delivery to Sydney locals in case you've left your gift-buying until the last minute. Those looking for something slightly more orthodox can turn to Winona Wine and Annandale Cellars who both have free delivery services for Sydneysiders, or award-winning cocktail bar Maybe Sammy, which is delivering 500-millilitre bottles jasmine negroni, eucalyptus gimlet and chamomile martini. Top image: Nastia Gladushchenk
You may have noticed there’s that Parramatta has a cool subcontinental culture thing going on. For the last few years it’s handing over the streets for a few days to its rich South Asian heritage during Parramasala. Festival favourites the Bombay Royale return for opening night Bollywood Block Party alongside MC Kamahl, drummers Naadro, live light shows and the highly-edible Masala Markets. During the festival Ansuya Nathan’s Long Live the King ties Elvis to comedy and migration, while Indian Ink mixes the Taj Mahal in with corner stores in Krishnan’s Diary. Former local girl Susheela Raman returns from London to bring her high-speed, hybrid rhythms to the Sydney stage and South Asian Film in Focus runs the cinematic gamut from documentary to romance. All through the weekend the outdoor stage in Town Hall Square brings a pretty much non-stop program of entertainment in the from of comedy, film and music. Run your eyes over the full schedule here.
There aren't many spots in the city catering to both the pre-work and post-work crowd, but the newly renovated Kahii is hoping to do just that. It's extended its offering beyond speciality tea, coffee, sandwiches and pastries to a French-inspired evening wine and snack menu. The younger sibling to nearby bar and restaurant Kuro, the newly renamed Kahii Kissaten Bistro is found on Kent Street and named for the Kissaten Japanese coffeehouses in Japan. A Kissaten is traditionally a vintage-themed cafe, with a strong emphasis on coffee, socialising and small bites — something the owners are paying homage to in this decidedly sleek and modern take on the theme. This small but perfectly formed space now boasts a breakfast, lunch and evening snack menu. You can wile away the morning with a coffee, matcha and croissant — and crack into one of the famous katsu or three cheese sandos for lunch. As day transitions to night, Kahii now converts into a bistro with a largely French wine menu carefully constructed by their in-house head sommelier and a menu of small bites created by Kuro. Snacks include appellation rock oysters, confit salmon with herb tofu and seared kingfish sashimi — or for something heartier, Kuro fried chicken and wagyu steak with crispy potatoes. The owners are hoping the new chapter of Kahii provides a slick and relaxed space for punters to have a break during the day or unwind before going home. Kahii Kissaten Bistro can be found in the lobby of 364 Kent Street, and is now open from 8am to 3pm Monday to Friday, with the bistro open 5pm 'til late, Tuesday to Saturday.
Lazing on the couch. Wearing your comfiest clothes. Feeling very, very cosy. For folks trying to find something — anything — to be positive about from the past year or so, these benefits of spending so much time at home should rank highly. And, whatever the weather, they're also a recipe for blissful lounge sessions. Fancy feeling extra warm and fuzzy? Keen on some agreeable viewing options that'll not just make you feel cosy, but nostalgic too? Need a feel-good fix that only a nice animated blast from your past can rustle up? Jump into that groove you've got going on the sofa, put on your snuggest outfit and settle in to relive brighter, sunnier times — we've rounded up a whole heap of retro animated flicks that you can stream or watch on VOD right now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92a7Hj0ijLs ALMOST EVERY STUDIO GHIBLI FILM Getting spirited away, spending time with Totoro and chasing a moving castle are now as easy as clicking a few buttons whenever you feel like it. So is revelling in the heartwarming delights of one of the best animation studios there is, too. Over the past four decades, Studio Ghibli's reputation and popularity have only grown with each new film, with the Japanese outfit beloved the world over — for a very good reason. Whether you're fond of the talents of the great Hayao Miyazaki, or you've fallen hard for gorgeous animation by fellow Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, Miyazaki's son Gorō Miyazaki, and other directors Yoshifumi Kondō, Hiroyuki Morita and Hiromasa Yonebayashi, you'll find them all available to stream on Netflix. In fact, from Kiki's Delivery Service and My Neighbour Totoro to Spirited Away and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, every solely Studio Ghibli-produced animated feature except Grave of the Fireflies and the recent Earwig and the Witch is on offer, as well as made-for-TV movie Ocean Waves. Twenty-one Studio Ghibli films are available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgW6hUO2oyg FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST Mention the words Robin Williams and animation in the same sentence, and one film springs to mind. Aladdin deserves the instant recognition; however the 1992 hit was actually the second movie released that year to feature Williams' vocal stylings, after FernGully: The Last Rainforest. In the latter, he voices Batty Koda, an unstable bat who says he's been experimented on by people. He's fantastic, obviously — and he raps. But that's just one of the highlights of this environmental musical fantasy, which follows a logger, Zak (voiced by Jonathan Ward), who is shrunk down to fairy size by the winged, magical Crysta (Samantha Mathis). Christian Slater, Tim Curry, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong and Tone Loc also provide voices, and the movie's message against pollution and deforestation is a worthy one. Oh, and any Aussie 90s kid knows, the entire film is set in Australia. FernGully: The Last Rainforest is available to stream via Fetch TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZisWjdjs-gM PIXAR'S ENTIRE CATALOGUE Disney+, Disney's very own streaming platform, was always going to become the one-stop-shop for all of the entertainment behemoth's many famous brands, franchises and studios. That includes Pixar — and with the company spending the past quarter-century making lively, thoughtful, soul-lifting animated features, there are plenty of movies for fans to stream, re-stream and then stream yet again. In fact, all 25 Pixar features to-date are available on the platform, including last year's Onward and Soul, and this year's Luca as well. That means you can now spend, hours, days and weeks reliving the ups and downs of the Toy Story saga, enjoying the antics of Ratatouille's wannabe chef, being overwhelmed with emotion thanks to Inside Out and pondering the life of a dutiful robot left all alone in WALL-E. Pixar's entire feature catalogue is available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rpEUuxgmY THE LAND BEFORE TIME If The Land Before Time taught us anything, it's this: even in prehistoric times, when you're a cute baby dinosaur and your species rules the earth, life isn't just about roaring, eating and playing. For "longneck" Littlefoot (voiced by Gabriel Damon), his trek to find the Great Valley is filled with peril — but it also fuels one of the most beloved non-Disney, Pixar and Studio Ghibli animated films there is. Of course, Littlefoot's journey also involves life lessons, endearing adventures and plenty of other cute, tiny dinosaurs, all in a movie that sparked a whopping 13 direct-to-video sequels between 1994 and 2016 (as well as a TV series). It seems that a pre-Jurassic Park Steven Spielberg knew what he was talking about when he decided he wanted to produce a movie like Bambi, but with dinosaurs. Also a producer on this heartfelt flick: George Lucas. The Land Before Time is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1huZhKwhIQc A HEAP OF DREAMWORKS FLICKS When DreamWorks jumped into the animation game back in the 90s, it did so with a splash. In one year, 1998, it released both the computer-animated Antz and the traditionally animated The Prince of Egypt. Then, in 2001, it had audiences everywhere falling for a cranky, green, Mike Myers-voiced ogre in Shrek. Not every DreamWorks film has hit the mark, of course. For every franchise-starter such as Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda, there's been the less-successful likes of Shark Tale and Over the Hedge — and, more than many other animation studios, its flicks entertain actual kids far more than kidults. But if you're still keen for a DreamWorks-shaped trip down memory lane, both Netflix and Stan boast a sizeable array of the company's aforementioned movies, including everything from Bee Movie, Megamind and Monsters vs Aliens to How to Train Your Dragon and more. A variety of DreamWorks films are available to stream via Netflix and Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq2FZdvQXXg THE IRON GIANT What it means to be alive is one of humanity's oldest questions, and one of our most frequent literary and cinematic narratives as well. In The Iron Giant, a 100-foot-tall metal-eating alien robot voiced by Vin Diesel is doing the pondering, after the eponymous figure plummets from the sky and lands outside the town of Rockwell, Maine circa 1957. There, in a tale based on Ted Hughes' 1968 novel The Iron Man, he befriends a curious nine-year-old called Hogarth (voiced by Eli Marienthal), as they both try to hide from the Soviet-fearing Cold War-era US government. Marking the debut feature by director Brad Bird (The Incredibles and its sequel, Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol and Tomorrowland), the result is one of the smartest, sweetest, most ambitious and astute all-ages animated films there is — which you'd expect from a movie that uses a towering space robot to contemplate not just human nature, but our ability to defy expectation and choose who we wish to be. The Iron Giant is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMlIpQ5pbCk DISNEY'S CLASSICS For decades now, no childhood has been complete without a whole bunch of animated Disney movies. The Mouse House has been in the business of making feature-length animated flicks for 83 years — since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs first released in 1937 — and it's still going strong. Obviously, everything from Pinocchio, Bambi and Cinderella to The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood and The Rescuers are all on Disney+. More recent films, such as The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Atlantis: The Lost Empire, are too. And so is the movie that combined a cartoon mouse, eight pieces of classical music and over two hours of gorgeous animation into a masterpiece: the pioneering, imaginative and highly experimental hit Fantasia. Disney's animated films are available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v6-T52zLO0 FANTASTIC MR FOX Roald Dahl, Wes Anderson and stop-motion animation: that's a match made in cinematic heaven. Dahl wrote the acclaimed 1970 children's novel about the canny and cunning titular fox, of course, while Anderson brings it to life with a voice cast that includes George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe and Owen Wilson. While Fantastic Mr Fox is his first animated feature, the director behind Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is a natural when it comes to witty comedy paired with playfulness, ample sight gags and a whole lot of visual symmetry. As for the story, it follows Mr Fox's (Clooney) efforts to outsmart a trio of mean farmers — and it's told here with energy, personality and Anderson's usual charm. Fantastic Mr Fox is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1-0Fst-J08 WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT It's the part live-action, part animated film that's really not for kids, and it's still a delight more than three decades later. Who Framed Roger Rabbit steps back to 1947, plays with both neo-noir and comedy, and creates a world where humans and cartoons — or Toons as they're called — co-exist. A who's who of Hollywood's late-80s best and brightest were all considered for the part of private detective Eddie Valiant (Harrison Ford, Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy among them), but Bob Hoskins is pitch-perfect in the role. Also working a charm is the film's dark but funny tone, its exceptional special effects, and the reteaming of Robert Zemeckis and Christopher Lloyd after Back to the Future. Oh, and the fact that this always-entertaining PI tale is basically an oddball take on all-time classic Chinatown. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmhXPNg3DZ8 THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS More than a quarter-century ago, Tim Burton and Henry Selick served up one of the most enchanting holiday films to hit the big screen — and one that doubles as both Halloween and Christmas viewing. It's Burton's name that everyone remembers; however a pre-Coraline Selick is actually in the director's chair on The Nightmare Before Christmas, which charms with both its offbeat story and its gorgeous stop-motion animation. Burton came up with the narrative though, because Jack Skellington only could've originated from the Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands filmmaker's brain. Imaginative, original and engaging (even as it nods to Dr Seuss a few times), it still remains a treat for all ages no matter the time of year. The Nightmare Before Christmas is available to stream on Disney+.
Love a party? How about one filled with drag queens, dance-worthy tunes, copious snacks and ice-cold bevvies? Then, surely you've been to The Imperial in Erskineville? Ever since it reopened its doors, with nods to its Priscilla, Queen of the Desert glory days, it's been the inner west's go-to for flamboyant fun. And now, brightening up the bar even more, is a one-off party by Jägermeister and Aussie designer Poppy Lissiman, who is known for her avant-garde (and very fun) accessories. Celebrating the pair's recent collaboration, this shindig is going to be one colourful, glitzy and OTT evening. It's all going down on Thursday, February 13, from 6.30–11.30pm at The Imperial Basement — the pub's live performance and dance space. There'll be plenty of boogying, with DJs, including New York artist Lord Fascinator, playing a range of fabulous tracks, as well as drag queens strutting their stuff, modelling the new range of extravagant Poppy Lissiman x Jägermeister sunglasses. So expect a wild, wonderful night ahead of you, should you get your mitts on this prize. Not only will you and your crew get into the exclusive party, but you'll also get Jäger-based cocktails, plus select wines, beers and cider as part of the deal. And, to keep your stomach lined, there'll be a 'Gothic grazing board', featuring charcuterie, cheeses, spicy chicken, dips and breads. For sweets, think doughnuts, cakes and Jäger truffle balls. Best of all? You'll cop a sweet pair of Poppy Lissiman x Jägermeister sunnies. If you miss out, don't despair — we've got prizes for four runners up, too. You won't cop a new pair of shades, but you will get into the party with five of your mates, plus booze, snacks and boogie times galore. Wanna check it out? See details below to enter. [competition]757579[/competition]
Keen to get your culture kicks after dark? Want to welcome the weekend with incredible art, live DJ sets, creative workshops and front row-seats to Vivid Sydney? At the Museum of Contemporary Art, you can do all that via its MCA Late program. The best bit? It's free to enter. MCA Late will take place on Fridays throughout June, with a fresh lineup of acts popping up at the beloved cultural institution. The Sounds on the Terrace music program will take over the rooftop with an impressive lineup of musicians including Handsome, Astronafrica and Narae who'll be bringing blissful beats to the breezy sky-high stage. It's not just music that you can enjoy — there are workshops, panel discussions and live performances aplenty, too. You can catch a spoken word and musical performance by Ayeesha Ash and a dance performance by Suara Indonesia Dance Group at the venue on June 17. Want to get your hands dirty? Try a clay-based workshop led by Ebony Russell on June 24. Here, you'll use plaster casts to create 3D constructions inspired by Mason Kimber's work in the MCA Collection: Perspectives on place exhibition. Then, you can take home for firing or deconstruct them for future clay exploration. Keen to head along? Make sure you book your tickets to secure your spot. Love a thought-provoking talk? Join Amy Claire Mills, Sue Jo Wright and Eugenie Lee for an artist panel discussion on June 17 or catch an artist talk with Bonita Ely on June 24. [caption id="attachment_857046" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chela, MCA Late: Sounds on the Terrace, 21 May 2022, photograph: Joseph Mayers[/caption] While you're there, check out MCA Collection: Perspectives on place or discover something new at the visiting exhibitions. MCA Late is the ideal way for culture lovers to welcome the weekend. For more information and to check out the full program, visit the website. Top images: Emuri, MCA Late: Sounds on the Terrace, 27 May 2022, photograph: Lexi Laphor; Muggera, MCA Late, 8 April 2022, photograph: Ash Penin; Violin performance by Skye Mc Nicol, MCA Late, 2022, photograph: David Collins; The role of the artist in public life: A panel discussion presented as part of the UK/Australia Season, MCA Late, 2022, photograph: David Collins; Tactile Workshop: Working with clay led by Ebony Russell, MCA Late, 2022, photograph: Joseph Mayers; and Queer PowerPoint, MCA Late, 15 May 2022, photograph: Ash Penin.
Prepare your taste buds for a night of gastronomic adventures as Silvester's, in Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay, welcomes new Head Chef Abhijit Dey. It marks a new era at the hotel's flagship restaurant. Hailing from Kolkata, India, and having honed his culinary finesse in prestigious Auckland establishments such as Orphans Kitchen, Clooney, SO/ AUCKLAND, and The Sugar Club at Skycity, Abhi has now infused his innovative flair into Silvester's menu. Indulge in the cured meats, seafood, and succulent cuts from the butcher's block. Dive into the a la carte menu featuring freshly shucked oysters paired with gooseberry, king prawns bathed in lemon butter and chilli, and Murray cod with avocado and whey butter. To enhance your dining experience further, Silvester's presents a seasonal five-course 'chef's selection' menu that showcases Abhi's personal favourites. Picture Spencer Gulf kingfish with persimmon, lemon myrtle, and almond fraiche, or relish the flavours of dry-aged Wollemi duck accompanied by Davidson plum ketchup and beetroot. Complementing the delectable fare is a beverage list featuring over 80 Australian and New Zealand wines. But the excitement doesn't end there. Silvester's is hosting an exclusive event on Friday, July 7, where it will be partnering with NON — a non-alcoholic wine alternative — for a booze-free degustation. Chef Abhi Dey has curated a three-course menu to pair with NON's innovative beverages. Tickets cost $99 per person and include snacks, the three-course menu and four NON drinks. It takes place from 6.30–8:30pm, and tickets can be booked now. To book your spot at Silvester's special NON dinner, head to the website.
It was true when Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope hit cinema screens more than four decades ago, and it's still true now. If there's one thing everyone knows about the sci-fi world created by George Lucas, it's that it doesn't unveil its secrets quickly. All of these years later, viewers are still watching the space opera saga's twists and turns in episodic big-screen instalments (and will soon be doing so on the small screen, too). If you've been keeping an eye out for news about Disney's new dedicated Star Wars theme park zones, it's been a somewhat similar process. Of course, the force is strong with this overall idea. Yes, we've definitely got a good feeling about it as well. Soon, Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World in Florida will both boast dedicated Star Wars-themed zones, called Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. With the two set to open between the middle and the end of 2019, Disney has slowly been sharing a few more details about what fans can expect. Last year, boozy watering hole Oga's Cantina was announced. It'll be part of both spaces, bringing alcohol to the California park for the first time. Then, Star Wars aficionados learned about both Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The former will put you in the driver's seat of Han Solo's beloved ship, while the latter will see you caught in the middle of a battle between the Resistance and the First Order. Now, the company has started spilling the details on the outpost of Batuu, which is where Galaxy's Edge is set. It's a hive for smugglers and rogues (naturally), and it's where you'll be wandering around when you're not exclaiming "punch it" a whole heap, trying to become best buddies with a loveable wookiee and hopping onto a star destroyer. Specifically, visitors will be getting cosy in the Batuu village of Black Spire Outpost — and there's plenty to keep everyone occupied. If you're a hands-on type, you can construct your own R2-D2 or BB-8-style droids, which you can then take home with you. You'll also be able to build your own unique lightsaber, and take a few Jedi lessons so you know how to use it. Or, pick up Resistance or First Order supplies, or look for rare goods from a galaxy far, far away (if you haven't noticed, most of these attractions involve purchasing some merchandise or a keepsake, because of course they do). When you're not giving your Star Wars skills and your wallet a workout, you'll also be able to enjoy the finest spread that Black Spire Outpost has to offer. Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo takes the form of a multi-purpose transport shuttle docked in a hangar, and is basically an intergalactic food truck, with 'Smoked Kaadu Ribs' (aka pork ribs) and 'Ithorian Garden Loaf' (aka a plant-based meatloaf alternative) on the menu. At Ronto Roasters, spit meats will be on cooked up on a recycled podracing engine, while Kat Saka's Kettle will sell street food snacks. And then there's the Milk Stand, the go-to place for both blue and green milk. Galaxy's Edge was first made public back in 2015, will span 14 acres at each site and will prove the biggest single-themed expansion the respective parks have ever seen. The guiding concept behind both spots is to "transport guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life." And, to give this interactive experience the requisite soundtrack, it'll also feature new Star Wars music by the man behind its iconic score, aka Oscar-winning composer John Williams. More details are certain to come to light before Galaxy's Edge opens, but expect both location to tie into all ten Star Wars movies to date and to feature an array of beloved characters roaming around. Eventually, visitors to Disney World will also be able to spend a night or several in an immersive Star Wars-themed hotel as well, although construction hasn't started yet and an opening date hasn't been announced either. That said, Disney recently revealed that a visit to the hotel will involve boarding a launch pod and taking part in "a fully-immersive, multi-day Star Wars adventure aboard a luxury starship", with high-end dining and cabins that apparently have a space view all part of your stay. Via Disney Theme Parks Blog. Images: Disney Theme Parks Blog.
The inner west is a colourful place. The area has a vibrant community and is a hub for many Sydney creatives. So, it's no surprise, really, that the Inner West Council is throwing a neighbourhood arts festival this winter. After the success of EDGE GreenWay earlier this year, the council's 2019 EDGE program is celebrating local creatives once again ‚ this time in Sydenham. The suburb's creative hub is set to embrace the dark of winter with two weekends of art and performance. So, get ready to explore the area in a new and daring light. EDGE Sydenham will host a bunch of events over the weekend of August 2–4. That includes a huge opening night on Friday, August 2 with a bunch of multi-sensory exhibitions, giant light projections and street art that explore everything from a sustainable future to Sydenham's industrial history. That weekend will also feature festival highlight EDGE Creative Trails: a winding art trail across 41 galleries, studios and artist-run initiatives. Once you've had your fill of art, you can get into silent short films and live music from an improvising orchestra. There'll be a bunch of emerging artists fusing sustainable art and electronica, too. The festival's jam-packed program culminates the following Saturday, August 10 with a huge evening event at Sydenham Green. From 4–10.30pm, the skate park will be transformed into an electronic wonderland, with roller derby, food trucks and The Fire Garden that will be lit up with fire-based installations, live music and camp fires. Rounding out the festivities will be a fire-fuelled finale that will warm up the night's sky, kicking off as the sun goes down. EDGE Sydenham will take place over two weekends between Friday, August 2 and Saturday, August 10. Catch the festival's full lineup here. Image: Grant Robinson
On the page and on the screen, audiences know what's in store when Sydney-born and -based author Liane Moriarty's name is attached to a book or TV series. Domestic disharmony within comfortable communities fuels her tales, as do twisty mystery storylines. When they hit streaming, the shows based on her novels add in starry casts as well. Indeed, after Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, it might come as a shock that Nicole Kidman (Expats) is nowhere to be found in Apples Never Fall, which drops its seven episodes via Binge in Australia and TVNZ+ in New Zealand from Thursday, March 14. The Australian actor will be back in another adaptation of Moriarty's tomes, also with a three-word title, with The Last Anniversary currently in the works. Fresh from an Oscar nomination for Nyad, Annette Bening is no mere stand-in right now. Where Kidman has co-starred with Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show), Laura Dern (The Son) and Alexander Skarsgård (Mr & Mrs Smith), and also Melissa McCarthy (The Little Mermaid), Michael Shannon (The Flash) and Luke Evans (Good Grief), Bening is joined by Sam Neill (The Twelve), Alison Brie (Somebody I Used to Know) and Jake Lacy (A Friend of the Family). If Lacy's involvement brings The White Lotus to mind, he's again at home playing affluent and arrogant — but no one is on holiday in Apples Never Fall. Rather, in West Palm Beach, the tennis-obsessed Delaney family finds their well-off existence shattered when matriarch Joy (Bening) goes missing, leaving just a banged-up and blood-splattered bicycle, a strewn-about basket of apples and her mobile phone behind. Her adult children Troy (Lacy), Amy (Brie), Logan (Conor Merrigan Turner, Thai Cave Rescue) and Brooke (Essie Randles, The Speedway Murders) are worried, while husband Stan (Neill) first advises that his spouse is merely ill, a choice that does nothing to stop suspicion rocketing his way. In addition to charting the search for Joy, the Queensland-shot Apples Never Fall bounces through ample backstory. After its introductory instalment, each episode focuses on one of the family; across them all, the timeline is split into "then" and "now". It soon becomes apparent that the doting Joy and determined Stan were talented players, then established the Delaney Tennis Academy when his aspirations were cruelled by injury, and she sidelined hers to support him and have their kids. The entire quartet of offspring all pursued the sport, too, but not to the glory that the quick-tempered Stan always wanted for the Delaney name. The closest that he got was via a former pupil (Giles Matthey, Invitation to Murder) who went on to win grand slams long after Stan was his coach. Only months before Joy's disappearance, the couple retired, an adjustment that neither is taking to blissfully. Credited more than once by her children with saving them, Joy believed that she'd be able to become an even bigger presence in their lives when she had an influx of spare time. None are overly obliging. Raking in cash as a venture capitalist, and also divorcing the wife that his family all adored, Troy is busy — plus simmering with years of anger over his strained relationship with his dad. The new age-leaning Amy is struggling to ascertain where she fits in, with a string of different jobs and courses to her name as she rents a sharehouse from a guy in his 20s (Nate Mann, Masters of the Air). Logan now prefers working at a marina and doing yoga to the Delaney obsession, yet can't bring himself to skip town away from his relatives with his partner (Pooja Shah, Escape the Night). And Brooke has a post-tennis physical therapy service that's lacking clients, and is also having doubts about marrying her restaurateur fiancée (Paula Andrea Placido, The L Word: Generation Q). Another person looms large over the narrative: Savannah (Georgia Flood, Blacklight), who graces the Delaneys' doorstep fleeing from domestic abuse, or so she claims. Seeking shelter for the night swiftly turns into virtually moving in. Joy loves her company but her brood is sceptical about the newcomer's motives. As a result, what's happened to Joy isn't the sole question lingering over Apples Never Fall. Neither is why Stan is being so cagey and erratic about where she is and what he knows. Both through Savannah's easy immersion into the family, and also when the four Delaney kids only realise over lunch that their mother might've vanished — coming to that conclusion because none have heard from her, after each of them ignored her most-recent calls — it also sparks queries about this supposedly close-knit clan's seemingly perfect facade. That's also Moriarty's remit, unpacking lives that appear idyllic, only to prove a stark reality that everyone should know: that absolutely no one's is. It's also a whodunnit staple, given that nothing exposes cracks and flaws within the bonds of blood like the possibility that a murder could've occurred from within. Apples Never Fall has the right title for that train of thought, thanks to the proverb that its moniker is taken from. The show isn't pointing its fingers at Joy's children, though, but delving into the idea that how we see and interact with the world ripples downwards through families. Although obvious, the concept underscores a series where baggage and its pain are as inescapable as balls flung from an automatic machine. That Apples Never Fall's opening episode features apples literally falling demonstrates its willingness to make easy, overt and predictable choices; it isn't plot or thematic surprises that make this engaging viewing, but the performances that go with them. While showrunner Melanie Marnich (A Murder at the End of the World) frequently sticks with tropes, and with exposition-delivering dialogue as well — especially from the two detectives (Hightown's Jeanine Serralles and Sweet Tooth's Dylan Thuraisingham) on the case — the portrayals that populate the series are layered and grounding. There's nothing that astonishes among the show's character types, either; however, Apples Never Fall is well-aware that tropes and archetypes become just that because they spring from truth over and over. Accordingly, as set within a Florida-residing clan where tennis has always dictated the pace, the latest Moriarty-based page-to-screen effort fills its frames with figures who make expected moves — unshakeably so — while also examining why that's the outcome. As the Gold Coast, Brisbane's Queensland Art Gallery and more stand in for America, the minutiae is equally familiar, spanning unfulfilled dreams, weighty pressures, nagging resentments and taking people for granted, alongside envy, infidelity, and endeavouring to forge a sense of identity beyond the notion enforced by birth or marriage. From Bening in exceptional form as a woman coming to terms with everything that she's sacrificed to fit wife and mother roles, Neill also digging through haunting regrets, and Brie and Lacy in particular fleshing out parts that could've remained one-note in other hands, this cast is up to the task of cutting to the heart of this tale and its crucial relationships, and of Moriarty's recurrent fixations. The title is right: these apples never fall far from the author's template, but Apples Never Fall still makes for intriguing and quickly bingeable viewing. Check out the trailer for Apples Never Fall below: Apples Never Fall streams via Binge in Australia and TVNZ+ in New Zealand from Thursday, March 14. Images: Vince Valitutti and Jasin Boland/PEACOCK.
Halloween's just around the corner and if you're anything like us you're busy collecting classic horror films to scare your weak-willed friends and family. For those not inclined to dress up as zombies from The Walking Dead and make trouble all over the city, the scary movie marathon is naturally the go-to plan. But it wasn't always that way. Every good horror fan got their start somewhere a little more tame. And, if you were young or shameless enough in the early 1990s, that start was through the work of R.L. Stine. The legendary Goosebumps writer responsible for a ridiculous number of YA hits, R.L. Stine was a God in every primary school. In the popularity pecking order, your coolness was inevitably judged by how many of his books you had read and everyone would have a copy handy to retreat into during reading time. It was the closest thing we could get to the blood and gore our parents wouldn't let us watch on screen. But, what if all that hysteria and literary mystery never had to end? Some bona fide genius on Tumblr has solved all the problems we never knew we had — they've re-imagined our favourite horror flicks as Goosebumps books for adults (or very inappropriate reads for children). Covering classics like Friday the 13th, The Shining, Carrie and Psycho, If It Were Stine looks at all the hardcore stories through the gloriously pulpy lens of Stine. Of course, if these were available in our childhood we would have grown up with serious problems. Paranoia, sleep problems and anxiety to say the least. When I was eight, my dad let me watch The Candyman with him because I thought it was about Willy Wonka. Who knows how I would have turned out had that been avoided. But, on the plus side, these books would make bestsellers for adults. Let's bring it back; make it cool again. Copyright, be damned. Someone should launch a Kickstarter campaign to make this a reality ASAP. Via AV Club. All images via If It Were Stine.
It's not taken long for Heaps Normal to feel at home in Australian drinking culture. The Sydney-based non-alcoholic brewer only debuted six years ago, but it's quickly cemented itself as one of the most popular brands for inclusive drinking. It's also not the sort of brand to rest on its laurels, as its latest innovation of non-alc beer that's tap-compatible proves. To celebrate this new frontier, Heaps Normal is partnering with over 30 pubs across the country to pour the new brew for free this Friday, March 27. Now, a tap-compatible beer may not sound like an innovation, but it is for the non-alcoholic kind. To summarise, beer taps are kept at a frosty temperature (because nobody likes a warm beer), but the lower density and sugar content of non-alcoholic beers typically causes them to freeze in these conditions. Heaps Normal has cracked the code for its brand-new draught, utilising a preservative-free approach of naturally derived fibre and the 100 percent malt body of the beer to prevent freezing inside the lines and protect the liquid from contamination. "A lot of non-alcs are thin and watery by necessity," said Heaps Normal's co-founder and chief product officer Ben Holdstock. "We've always brewed with body and balance in mind, and it turns out that approach was the key to making draught work." The revolution comes just in time for a broader shift in Aussie drinking culture, indicated by a 2024 study that revealed non-alcoholic beer popularity had risen to 10 percent of total beer sales in Australia, and that the global non-alcoholic beer market is due to hit $43 billion USD in value by next year. "Jumping from the fridge to the tap, and really nailing the most traditional of Aussie swill formats, is symbolic of how far the non-alc category has matured and developed. For knock-offs, mid-week sessions and everything in between, it's a new normal for the bar," says Heaps Normal co-founder and CEO Andy Miller. Now, after testing the beer at select pubs in Sydney and Melbourne, Heaps Normal's National Bar Shout will get pubs and bars pouring 3500 schooners of the good stuff for free, you just need to visit a participating venue between 5 and 7pm this Friday, March 27. See the full list of participating venues in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and ACT on the Heaps Normal website. Images: supplied Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
With gathering and venue restrictions in place following Victoria's recent almost two-week lockdown, and Greater Sydney and southeast Queensland both currently in lockdown, it's currently a tricky time to host Australia's biggest film festival. The Melbourne International Film Festival kicks off on Thursday, August 5, and announced its full 2021 program back in mid-July; however, responding to the reality both in the city and nationwide at present, it's making some considerable changes to its format. In 2020, the event was forced to go digital due to the pandemic — a development that's part of this year's lineup, too, but in conjunction with physical screenings in Melbourne and Victorian cinemas. Initially, in-person sessions were set to span the festival's first week or so, before the event closed up online. Now, MIFF has announced that it's flipping that order and expanding its virtual component. Accordingly, for the full duration of the festival, MIFF will screen more than 90 features and a range of short films via its online platform MIFF Play. They'll be available to not only to Melbourne viewers, but to cinephiles Australia-wide, which'll make for handy viewing for those under stay-at-home conditions. Last year's jump to digital resulted in MIFF's biggest festival yet, audience-wise, in fact — and this year's online selection will now start the fest with 2021 Sundance hit CODA, a coming-of-age story about the daughter of adults who are deaf, which is also an English-language remake of French feature The Bélier Family. Which other movies will be added to the online lineup haven't yet been revealed, but MIFF has announced a number of new titles that'll screen in cinemas between Thursday, August 12–Sunday, August 22. That's when Melburnians will be able to see this year's Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or -winner Titane, which saw French filmmaker Julia Ducournau (Raw) become only the second female filmmaker to win the coveted prize. Also headed to MIFF straight from the prestigious fest: romantic-comedy The Worst Person in the World from director Joachim Trier (Thelma, Oslo, August 31st); JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass, a Donald Sutherland- and Whoopi Goldberg-narrated documentary from Oliver Stone; and Abdullah Mohammad Saad's Rehana Maryam Noor, the first film from Bangladesh to officially screen at Cannes. During the physical portion of the program, Leah Purcell's exceptional The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson will still take the opening night slot, just on Thursday, August 12. Due to gathering limits, MIFF will also screen the feature at a range of other venues, including The Astor Theatre, The Sun Theatre, Pentridge Cinema, Lido Cinema and CBD venues. The fest's already-announced lineup still remains in place, which means that Melburnians can also look forward to seeing Adam Driver-starring musical Annette; Memoria, which features Tilda Swinton in Cemetery of Splendour filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul's English-language debut; and Bergman Island, the Tim Roth and Mia Wasikowska-starring latest title from Mia Hansen-Løve (Things to Come). Other highlights include No Sudden Move, Steven Soderbergh's crime flick with Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro and Jon Hamm, and Pig, which sees Nicolas Cage play a truffle hunter (yes, really). The 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 5–Sunday, August 22 — screening online for the festival's entire duration, and playing at a variety of venues around Melbourne from Thursday, August 12–Sunday, August 22. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
One of Sydney's most exciting (and tastiest) times of the year is nearly upon us. Good Food Month 2019 kicks off on October 1 and, man, does the program look good. This year, the month-long celebration of all things food features dinner with legendary French chef Alain Passard, a pop-up sushi restaurant by a top Tokyo chef and an all-vegan feast at Mary's Underground, to name a very few. If you truly want to make the month special, book yourself into a staycation at the new West Hotel on Sussex Street, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. Situated in Barangaroo, this luxurious hotel has you perfectly situated to check out all of the happenings around town — and it means you won't have to go far once the inevitable food coma hits. [caption id="attachment_639920" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida[/caption] WANDER THROUGH THE NIGHT NOODLE MARKETS There is no more quintessential Good Food Month experience than a food-fuelled stroll through the Night Noodle Markets. It'll again take over Hyde Park for eight full nights from October 11–18. Expect a tasty assortment of bites from more than 40 street food stalls, along with a program of performers, live acts and DJs. This year's instalment features Thai-inspired Gelato Messina, Filipino barbecue by Hoy Pinoy, roasted pork belly and egg custard bao from Wonderbao, yakisoba fried noodles by Teppanyaki Noodles, and plenty more to be discovered. Find all the details and menus here. [caption id="attachment_736325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Little Felix by Nikki To[/caption] CHECK OUT THE NEW OPENINGS IN THE IVY PRECINCT Hospitality giant Merivale is having a big year, having announced in June that it'll open four CBD venues in the second half of 2019, all four in the group's Ivy Precinct. Already up and running is Little Felix, a 60-seat 1920s Paris-inspired cocktail bar and little sister to Ash Street's hatted bistro Felix. Expect 1.5-litre magnums of champagne, old-world cocktails and tartines aplenty. Also set to open around the corner on Angel Place is Ragazzi, a minimal-intervention wine and pasta bar from the crew behind Love, Tilly Devine. Here, a succinct menu of authentic Italian eats will be paired with 250 bottles of carefully chosen wine. [caption id="attachment_721616" align="alignnone" width="1920"] El Loco at Slip Inn[/caption] ENJOY HAPPY HOUR AT ONE OF THE CBD'S BEST BARS Another joy of a CBD staycation is how easy it is to make it to happy hour. Some of Sydney's best bars offer serious bargains during the approximate hours of 4–7pm (depending on the place). The Rook is pouring $8 London dry gins six nights per week; Since I Left You is slinging $6 tinnies, $12 cocktails and live tunes; and El Loco at Slip Inn is serving up $10 margarita slushies and $5 tacos — and has the added benefit of being just one block from West Hotel. Lucky for you, every bar on this list is within a 15-minute walk, too, so it's too easy to hit any one of them before or after your Good Food Month event. Short on time? Solander Bar, in your hotel, has its own daily happy hour, too, from 5–7pm offering spritzes for $12 and beer, wine and sparkling for just $8 a glass. [caption id="attachment_738976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Title Barangaroo[/caption] JAZZ UP YOUR HOME COOKING WITH A NEW COOKBOOK If eating all of this inspiring food makes you want to jazz up your home cooking game, it's about time to nab a new cookbook. Sydney is home to heaps of gorgeous bookshops with plenty to choose from, whether you're after celebrity chef cooking or more local talent. We recommend keeping an eye out for Josh Niland's (Saint Peter) The Whole Fish, which was just released in September. You'll find Title Barangaroo next door to West Hotel — it offers a massive collection, and you won't need to walk far in order to drop your purchases off. Other favourites include George Street's Kinokuniya, Darlinghurst's Ariel Booksellers and Paddington's Berkelouw. [caption id="attachment_739712" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kings Cross Organic Markets by Harriet Davidson[/caption] PERUSE THE WEEKLY MARKETS FOR SOME LOCAL FOOD INSPIRATION Once you've picked out a new recipe to try, it's time to hit up a few fresh food market to nab some top-notch produce and inspiration. Start nearby at The Rocks Friday Markets, which are on each week from 9am–3pm. Here, you'll find handmade, dried, baked, whipped and roasted products from local makers, along with handmade chocolates and prepared lunches to feast on. Lovers of healthy food should head to the Kings Cross Organic Market, which takes over the Fitzroy Gardens each Saturday and Sunday. And The Entertainment Quarter precinct hosts a weekly farmers market on Wednesdays, too. TAKE A PASTA OR PIZZA MAKING CLASS IN CIRCULAR QUAY Popular Italian restaurant chain Salt Meats Cheese expanded its empire into the CBD when it opened inside Circular Quay's Gateway dining precinct back in 2017. But the venue isn't just about stuffing your face with pizza and sipping cocktails on the rooftop at the group's recently opened Bar Ombre. This iteration of the SMC brand also lets you get your hands dirty and learn a few tricks-of-the-trade — hosting regular cooking classes throughout the year. Choose from a variety of workshops, including Italian bread making, calzone and pizza masterclasses and a heap of pastas courses — think handmade gnocchi, chewy tagliatelle and pesto fettuccine. For a full list of events, head here. [caption id="attachment_685674" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bar Topa by Nikki To[/caption] BRUSH UP ON YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF FAMOUS AUSSIE CHEFS Since you'll likely be spending time this month tasting the creations of some of the country's most exciting chefs, you may want to brush up on your celebrity chef knowledge. Look no further than Lee Tran Lam's podcast The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry. The lauded food writer has enviable access to many of Australia's best restaurants and chefs, including Josh Niland (Saint Peter), Jordan Toft (Bert's, Bar Topa, Coogee Pavilion) and Hugh Allen (Vue de Monde, Noma). Her podcast is also just an overall joy to listen to if you're a food lover. [caption id="attachment_693460" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Barangaroo Reserve by Destination NSW[/caption] MAKE A PICNIC AND ENJOY IT IN THE SUNSHINE Apart from all of the good food floating around town in October, the month is also sure to see the return of the warm weather. Enjoy a combination of the two by taking a picnic to the park. Barangaroo has plenty of shops worth stopping at if you're looking to create the ultimate picnic basket. Start by picking up supplies from Bel & Brio, a European-style food emporium that offers a bit of everything, from daily baked breads and freshly made paninis to cold pressed juices and an impressive wine cellar. Don't forget to swing by the local outposts of Shortstop and Bourke Street Bakery for doughnuts and pastries before finding a spot at Barangaroo Reserve. TRY ALL THE CHEESE YOU CAN HANDLE AT THIS SPECIALTY SPOT You cannot let Good Food Month pass by without trying out a few artisanal cheeses, and the CBD's GPO Cheese and Wine Room is just the place to do it. This restaurant is a fine dining cheese establishment like no other. Here, you can taste more than 100 varieties of cheese, some of which you've probably never heard of. The seasonal selection ranges from local Australian producers to options from Europe, the US and the UK. We recommend letting the in-house cheese-masters curate a platter, which you can pair with one of 200 wines — or opt for a cheese and wine flight while you're at it. [caption id="attachment_741284" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prince of York by Mitchell Ferris[/caption] DANCE OFF ALL THAT FOOD AT ONE OF THESE BARS A month's worth of food indulgence can take its toll. To keep the party going while burning off some of those extra calories, head to one of Sydney's best bars for a weekend boogie. Just a five minute walk from West Hotel is the newly opened Prince of York. This multi-level venue offers a basement dance hall with a disco ball, giant tequila punch bowls and a 2am licence — and dancing on tables is encouraged. If you're keen to go a bit further afield, head to the dancing mecca that is Oxford Street, where you're sure to have an ace time at Stonewall Hotel, Universal Sydney, Oxford Art Factory and The Cliff Dive. Good Food Month runs through October 2019. Explore all the dining experiences the city has to offer from the convenience of West Hotel Sydney, found on Sussex Street. Top image: Night Noodle Markets by Letícia Almeida.
With a veritable bible of Spanish wines and sherries, Tapavino has spruced up the CBD's traditional tapas offerings. And like the heritage warehouse that now calls owner Frank Dilernia's recent venture home, it's not going anywhere. We began with a glass of the delicious Beronia Tempranillo ($14), a rich, well balanced and big Spanish rioja, as we surveyed the place, nibbling on warm, Spanish olives with padrom pepper ($6). The powerful wooden beams holding up the first floor were impressive, echoing Sydney's industrial past and adding a powerful divide between the horizontal lines of the wine bottle back bar and chequered, chopping board table tops. Our kind waitress assisted us with the menu. She insisted we try the Pata Negra jamon from the jamon bar to our right ($24). The King of Pigs, before its timely execution, was everything a royal bite should be. Swiftly followed by the sweet special lamb ribs, braised in cider ($11) and the mashed broad bean, pea, mint and goat's curd tostado ($12). Wine time again, we opted for the Broquel, a deep Argentian Malbec ($8), and waited for round two. Hungry for more jamon, the house-cut with cauliflower and manchego cheese puffs ($14) took care of any lingering pork cravings before the steak, mushroom, sherry and grape hot pot ($15) sizzled its way to our table complete with nice, flaky pastry. The sea perch, piqullio peppers, egg, potato and sherry mayo, wrapped in paper and sporting a 20 minute wait, was also well worth it ($20). For dessert, a tasty glass of Nectar Pedro Ximenez sherry ($10) could have done the job, but with Sydney's current preoccupation with savoury sweets, we simply couldn't overlook the chocolate terrine, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt ($12). Without a doubt, Tapavino represents everything tapas stands for: eating fine food and drinking even finer wine. So whether you're in the market for one or both, you won't have to look much further.
In an Australian exclusive, Paris's famed Theatre des Bouffes du Nord will come to Sydney Festival to stage a rarely seen one-act play by Chekhov. On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco, one of the earliest plays by the Russian great, will be brought to life with exquisite 19th-century-style costumes by Christian Lacroix and the lauded French comic Michel Robin in the lead role. Performed in French with English surtitles, the play follows the monologue of an old man who begins by lecturing on the effects of smoking but quickly turns to railing against his domineering wife and wasted dreams instead. Robin's sense of comic timing is as sharp as ever and his hilarious performance will be staged with lively musical interludes of Bach, Tchaikovsky and Berio. Home to legendary artistic director Peter Brook for decades, the Theatre des Bouffes du Nord is known worldwide for its engaging and dynamic performances. On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco promises nothing less.
As lockout laws push weekend revellers further outside the CBD, Newtown's King Street has long offered an alternative to areas like Kings Cross. Drinks are served until the pub shuts and the music is… well, the music is still pretty strictly policed. But the times, they are a-changing, according to Bourke St boss and new owner of the newly revamped Botany View Hotel, Paddy Coughlan, and we should be looking to the south. South King Street, that is. The Sydney Park-end of Newtown's main drag hosts a slew of pubs that have carried the 'Keep Newtown Weird' flag for years, keeping the music loud and frequent, and punters happy with a good brew, great company, and especially live music. "I think that south end of King Street represents all that used to be good about Newtown in general, and a big part of that was live music," says Coughlan. "We need to support and foster music venues." Under his ownership, the Botany View Hotel — which has undergone a low-key revamp, including a relaunch of the dining room — hosts live music every Friday and Saturday night to keep up the area's gig scene. Reviving the old vibe, for Coughlan, means maintaining the authentic edge of a pub's pub. "I like to think people come to our pubs for the authenticity of what we're doing, not because we've overthought every piece of furniture," he said. The Botany View also aims to rehash the grub at the pub, looking to nail down a menu that the everyday punter can get behind with good quality produce and reasonably priced food. Though, with two of his other venues — The Lord Gladstone and The Lady Hampshire — serving their fair share of tacos and burgers, Coughlan has made this menu more "considered". The menu is less snacky, and leans towards knife-and-fork dining with dishes like the cauliflower tagine, a soft-shell crab spaghettini and a 'fancy' schnitzel with parsnip puree and chicken jus. They also do platters, including a vego one with zucchini fritters, haloumi, falafel and babaghanoush, and a $10 lunch menu Monday to Friday. The revival of King Street's south end is already underway, with Coughlan pointing out stalwarts like the Union Hotel and the Sydney Park Hotel, as well as the Botany View Hotel, as part of "our own little community" — although we're sad to see the Newtown Social Club gone, which has reopened as a mini golf bar. With pubs like these continuing to support live music, good feeds, and cheap beers, Coughlan is confident the "that old Newtown vibe" is on its way back. "The already strong sense of community will get stronger," he says, which is something we can all raise our lighters to. Images: Kimberley Low.
You know the drill. The weekend rolls around and you and your mates end up doing exactly the same thing as last week — or at the very least, something pretty darn close. Sure, you chums are guaranteed to have a blast no matter what you're doing, but maybe it's time to spice up those group hangs (just a tiny bit, okay?). We've found a few perfect ways to do exactly that, from a spot of puppy patting to floating in a salty tank. Book in a friend date and head out of your usual comfort zone for one of these unexpected activities to do with your mates. BORROW SOMEONE ELSE'S PUP FOR THE DAY Dog-sharing. Yep. Read it again: dog-sharing. Services that allow pooch owners to connect with other pooch owners to help with everyday care, pupsit for holidays, do walks and so on. It's a thing (thanks to Australian service Dogshare) and you and your dogless mates can 'borrow' a pup for a walkie or sleepover from time-poor dog owners in your local area. To become a borrower, you just have to create a profile on Dogshare's website, list your previous experience with dogs and flag any services you're keen to volunteer for — like walks, park playdates, overnight stays or going to the vet. Can you think of a more joyous way to spend a sunny day with your squad? Just remember — you've gotta give them back at the end. Look after dem pooches, people. Do it at: where you live via Dogshare. PLAY TUG-OF-WAR IN THE SKY If playing tug-of-war or riding a bike across a balance beam four storeys in the air sounds like your kind of thing, then read on. Sydney's newest aerial park, Skypeak Adventures is now open and, let us put it this way — it's definitely not your stock standard Sunday arvo activity. The adventure park features a series of obstacle courses and challenges, all suspended high in the sky. Think bridge walks, barrel runs, rope climbs, chasm jumps or trapeze swings, 22 metres above ground. Get you and your mates a 'Momentum' pass and you'll be taking a 15-metre freefall/leap of faith into the unknown (hopefully a net?) together, while the 'Skypeak Tree' course involves scaling a huge ancient River Red Gum. High tea, minus the scones and cakes will be available, in the form of a picnic table suspended nine metres above a void. Just make sure one of you takes a phone up for ultimate group Snapchats. Do it at: Skypeak Adventures, St Marys. [caption id="attachment_593253" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Jon Roig via Flickr[/caption] FLOAT AROUND IN A POD OF SALTY WATER You might be a few years off being able to float around with your mates in outer space, but you can enjoy the feeling of zero gravity, right here, right now. It seems like sensory deprivation tanks (yes, just like Stranger Things) popped up on just about every shopping strip overnight, offering an out-of-this world experience designed to take your relaxation levels to the max. Each tank is light-proof, sound-proof, and filled with a mix of Epsom salts and water, which takes away the sensation of gravity and leaves you floating in a temperature-controlled bubble of absolute peace. Those cortisol and adrenaline levels dip, as any external stimuli and distractions (read: all that stuff that's currently stressing you out), disappear completely. Do a simultaneous float with a mate and go grab lunch afterwards. Do it at: Forever Floating Health Spa, Paddington. CLIMB A REALLY TALL WALL Sometimes it feels like the only way to catch up with friends is over food. Brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert, second dinner, second dessert are all great options (don't get us wrong), but sometimes you feel like doing something active and building muscle rather than building up a bill. Round up the crew and get vertical with a climbing session at your local indoor wall. With most rock climbing centres boasting a wide range of routes and climbs, you can tailor a visit to suit your group's abilities, whether that involves putting Spidey to shame with your ninja skills, or simply squashing that mild fear of heights. Sessions at most indoor rock climbing centres clock in at under $20 (safety demo included) with harness and shoe hire available for a few extra bucks each. You'll need someone to spot you, so take a friend who you trust with your life in their hands. Do it at: 9 Degrees, Alexandria. [caption id="attachment_556153" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Visit St. Pete/Clearwater via Flickr[/caption] TAKE TO THE SEAS ON A STAND-UP PADDLE BOARD Make the most of that impending sunshine and those bearable water temps this summer, and gather your mates for a stand-up paddleboard group lesson. Imagine gliding across the water, catching some rays, seeing fishies — or, alternatively, laughing at your mates and belly-flopping into the water as you try to stay standing. Both sound similarly fun. A carry-over from ancient Polynesian times, stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years as a brilliant way to sharpen that balance and exercise on the high seas. Plus, the sport's a whole lot easier to master than its gnarlier cousin surfing — one lesson usually enough to have you paddling like a pro. Fish and chips on the beach post-paddle is, of course, a given. Do it at: WATSUP, Watsons Bay.
Vietnamese cuisine has rarely looked this good with the opening of Annamese in The Streets of Barangaroo. Guided by the same team behind other admired Sydney restaurants like Muum Maam and Phamish, this contemporary interpretation of Vietnamese dining fuses locally sourced ingredients with sophisticated Asian influences. Plus, the inspiring harbourside setting is guaranteed to impress. Named after 'Annam' – what Vietnam was referred to before French colonisation – the country's long and winding culinary history is immaculately presented through sustainable seafood and premium regional produce. While the flavours of Vietnam are the main focus, there are also detours into broader Asian cuisine to ensure this dining experience delivers an innovative twist on flavours that you know and love. "We want to showcase the depth and vibrancy of Vietnamese cuisine in a way that is both elegant and exciting," says executive chef Andy Pruksa, who shaped Muum Maam's distinctive Thai menu. "It's been a joy to bring together flavours and techniques from both my Thai and Vietnamese heritage to bring something truly unique to Sydney." Situated within the luxury One Sydney Harbour development, this 98-seat restaurant elegantly balances authenticity with contemporary flair. For instance, Sydney rock oysters are paired with nuoc cham haisan dressing, green chilli, lime and black caviar; Australian king prawns are wok-tossed with shrimp paste, garlic and shallot; and roasted duck and banana blossom salad is served with Vietnamese herbs, smoked chilli and roasted rice. "We have always had a passion for showcasing the beauty and vibrant flavours of Vietnamese food, and with Annamese, we have the opportunity to introduce even more complexity of flavour through playing with broader influences," says head chef Matthew Pothong. "We want guests to enjoy food that is unique and deeply satisfying." The beverage program also plays on Vietnam's cultural heritage, with a European wine selection offering a slight French slant. Alongside renowned Australian and New Zealand vintages, a cocktail menu features the same bold, aromatic flavours that have made Vietnamese cuisine such a staple around the globe. For instance, a pho-like cocktail sees Espolon tequila and dry vermouth combined with pho spices, Vietnamese herbs, lime and basil. Considering its impressive location, Annamese's design is as plush as you'd expect. Led by Loopcreative's Rod Faucheux, the interior tastefully blends modern and traditional touches to create a luxurious yet casual atmosphere. Adorning the dining room, communal bar and outdoor seating area, sophisticated green and gold tones contrast with wood and concrete detailing to add another elevated element to the restaurant. Annamese is open at 2/2 Watermans Quay, Barangaroo for lunch and dinner. Head to the website for more information and bookings. Images: Steven Woodburn
Live your Lion King dreams at Symbio Wildlife Park. While the park's 16 acres of manicured gardens on the Illawarra escarpment are home to fearsome species like cheetahs, alligators and snakes, you'll usually be set up with a fluffier (and friendlier) playdate on a behind-the-scenes experience (starting from $125 per person). Meet rare and secretive Nepalese red pandas as they descend from the trees to pluck snacks from your hands and enjoy a belly rub. Or, learn about the complicated social lives of meerkats as the inquisitive mob scurries around your feet, ready for a feed. Fulfil a childhood dream by dedicating a full day to the animal kingdom and interacting with numerous zoo inhabitants while shadowing a zookeeper. You'll get to prepare food, clean habitats, provide animal enrichment toys and learn about each unique species as you explore the park. Images: Destination NSW
This Japanese variety store is an Aussie favourite. Daiso has long been the local go-to for a real-deal Japanese shopping experience. With over ten stores in the Sydney vicinity, our pick is the Chippendale shop, located in Central Park. At the chain, you can find everything from brightly coloured cooking utensils and decorative homewares to stationery, party decorations and even bento supplies. Plus clothing, crafts and beauty products to boot. Daiso sells everything and anything you can think of — and plenty of things you've never considered, too. You could spend an entire afternoon browsing the shelves, and leave with something you didn't even know you needed.
Among the many ways to decide which wine next swirls around your glass, then across your tastebuds, Australia's Young Gun of Wine stands out. Since 2007, the awards have thrown some love at up-and-coming wine labels and winemakers across the nation, and not just because they make top-notch vino. These accolades take into account the whole story behind their tipples of choice each year — and 2024 now has its top 50. "Every year, we're seeing new ideas from the emerging talent, and they're shaping the environment that we get to enjoy. It's also not just about the products — it's the learnings that peers can take from their adventurous winemaking. It's also how they're presenting, labelling and talking about their work — how they're connecting with wine professionals and consumers," said Rory Kent, who founded YGOW, about 2024's picks. "That's why, uniquely and since day one, the wines for the Young Gun of Wine Awards are not tasted blind. These awards are as much about vision and leadership as they are about the quality of wine in the glass." 2024's top 50 spans drops from around most of Australia. Victoria is home to more spots on the list than anywhere else with 20, followed by South Australia with 17. New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory account for six wine labels and winemakers, Western Australia for four and Tasmania for three. The range also goes big on new names, which covers half of the finalists. This is the 18th year that YGOW has taken place, with the top 50 just one element. Now that Kent and his fellow 2024 judges — Jeremy Shiell from Winespeake, winemaker Meg Brodtmann, wine critic Nick Stock, Atlas Vinifera's Abby Moret and Orbis Wines' — have shared their favourites, winners of the accolades' six annual trophies will be unveiled on Tuesday, June 18. [caption id="attachment_681000" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Adam Bruzzone, South Australian Tourism Commission[/caption] The Young Gun of Wine is the overall prize, while the Winemaker's Choice is a peer-chosen gong, Best New Act goes to a first-time finalist, Danger Zone to a boundary-pushing wine product, and The Vigneron to makers who show love in tending to their land and vines. The People's Choice award is self-explanatory, and currently open for votes until Tuesday, June 18. [caption id="attachment_773167" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] Young Gun of Wine 2024 Top 50: New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory: Agitate (Andrew Ling) Aristotelis Ke Anthoula (Tony Zafirakos and Maddison Park-Neilson) Intrepidus Wines (Chrissie Smith) Linear Wines (Nathan Brown) M&J Becker Wines (Meagan and James Becker) Sabi Wabi (Peta Kotz) South Australia: Agricola (Callum Powell) Alpha Box and Dice (Sam Berketa) Cape Jaffa Wines (Giulia Fiorovic and Federico Pezzino) Curator Wine Co (Daniel Zolotarev) Guthrie (Hugh Guthrie) J & S Fielke (Jemma and Steven Fielke) Jean Bouteille Wines (Jean-Baptiste Courdesses) Kenny Wine (Andrew Kenny) Mountadam (Caitlin Brown) Parley Wine (Melissa Woods and Sarah Feehan) Poppelvej (Uffe Deichmann) Saltfleet Wines (Kyle Egel and Jonny Cook) Scanlon Wines (Harry Scanlon) Turon Wines (Turon White) Wangolina (Anita Goode) Worlds Apart Wines (Louis Schofield) XO Wine Co (Greg Clack and Kate Horstmann) Tasmania: Aunt Alice (Alice Davidson) Marco Lubiana (Marco Lubiana) Utzinger Wines (Matthias Utzinger) Victoria: Alessandro Stefani (Alessandro Stefani) Alkimi Wines (Stuart Dudine) Allevare (Lucy Kendall and Alysha Moscatt) ECK Wines (Emily Kinsman) Gum Wine (George McCullough) Honky Chateau (Chris Ryan) Jones Winery & Vineyard — J6 Wines (Benjamin Jones) Juliard Wines (Jules Morey and Bernard Morey) Little Frances (Erin Frances Pooley) Mac Forbes Wines (Hannah Maltby) Meredith Wines (Ben Luker) Mise En Place Wines (Doug Lilburne) Musical Folk (James Becker) Nomads Garden (Ben Dahlenburg) Patch Wines (Matt Talbot) Port Phillip Estate (Tim Perrin) Portsea Estate (Matt Lugg and Will Ross) Scion (Rowly Milhinch) Tillie J Wines (Tillie Johnston) Werkstatt Wine (Bridget Mac) Western Australia: Fervor (Callum Garland) Chalari Wines (Alexi Christidis) Mon Tout (Nic Bowen and Richard Burch) Vallée du Venom (Rhys and Emma Parker) For more information about Young Gun of Wine, head to the awards' website. 2024's winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 18.
Five years after they were first introduced to curb alcohol-fuelled violence, Sydney's lockout laws are finally set to be lifted in the CBD. Premier Gladys Berejiklian first announced plans to repeal the lockouts back in September, and now we finally know when this will happen: January 14, 2020. So you'll be able to party late without worrying that you'll be left out in the cold. The old lockout area stretches from Darling Harbour to Kings Cross and from The Rocks to Campbell Street in Surry Hills. The NSW Government will scrap the lockout for all venues in the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct (below). They will, however, remain in place in the Kings Cross area. The winding back of the lockout laws means a lot of big changes for venues in the above area — and not just the scrapping of the 1.30am last entry. All venues with good records will also be able to extend their last drinks from 3am to 3.30am and allow patrons to do — wait for it — shots after midnight. High-risk venues will also be able to serve cocktails and beverages in glass after midnight. Also, in a big win for house parties and those who like drinking at home, all NSW bottle shops will be able to stay open until midnight from Monday to Saturday and 11pm on Sunday. The current state-wide 10pm closing time is being scrapped. A freeze on new liquor licences for venues in the CBD and Kings Cross, which has been in place before the lockout laws back in 2009, will remain until June 2020, when it will be reviewed. This impacts large venues, and doesn't include small bars or pop-ups. You can read more about the decade-long licence freeze over here. The announcement comes as the NSW Government releases its response to September's 126-page parliamentary inquiry into the state of Sydney's nighttime economy, which considered close to 800 submissions from business owners and industry members and made 40 suggestions. The NSW Government has responded to all of them, supporting 20, supporting another 18 "in principle", completing one and partially supporting the final — which recommended the small bar licence be increased to include venues with a limit of up to 130. The government has increased it to 120. [caption id="attachment_560789" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Kimberley Low.[/caption] Keeping the current lockout laws for Kings Cross is another one of the suggestions the NSW Government has supported. The September report called it a high-density area with a "high risk" that violence could increase again if the laws are lifted. To combat the density issue, the NSW Government has agreed to consider transferring licences out of Kings Cross (when it reviews the current liquor licence freeze next year) and will work with the City of Sydney improve safety for pedestrians. The government has agreed to take a look at how these changes impact the area and review the laws within 12 months. While the CBD's nightlife and live music scene has struggled under the stifling legislation — and has seen institutions like The Basement close — the lifting of the lockout laws together with the City of Sydney's plans to introduce 24-hour trading to the CBD could mean big changes for the area. The repeal of the lockout laws would allow Sydneysiders to head into CBD bars, pubs and nightclubs after 1.30am — and those same venues to remain open after 3am — while the City of Sydney is hoping to encourage the 24-hour trading of unlicensed CBD businesses. The lockout laws will be scrapped in the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct from January 14, 2020. You can read the NSW Government's full response to the inquiry on Sydney's nighttime economy here. Image: Double Deuce Lounge by Kimberley Low.
The National Gallery of Victoria's revolving door of blockbuster exhibitions shows no sign of slowing, with an exceptional meeting of creative minds next set to grace its halls. Running from Friday, June 9–Sunday, October 8 as part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series, the NGV will play host to world-premiere exhibition Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi. This major showcase is set to feature more than 100 works by the famed French painter, seen through a fresh lens as accompanied by contemporary scenography by internationally renowned architect and designer Mahdavi. Originally slated to debut in 2020 before the pandemic did its thing, the highly anticipated exhibition has been curated in conjunction with Paris' Musée d'Orsay — home to the world's largest collection of Bonnard works. [caption id="attachment_890701" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The dining room in the country', 1913, Pierre Bonnard. Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The John R. Van Derlip Fund.[/caption] An icon of late 19th and early 20th century art, and a good mate of Henri Matisse, Bonnard is known for his colourful, textural depictions of French life, offering stylised yet subtle glimpses of intimate domestic scenes, urban backdrops and natural landscapes. Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi will showcase a hefty collection of the artist's own paintings, drawings, photographs, prints and other decorative objects, alongside works from his contemporaries — including Édouard Vuillard, Maurice Denis, Félix Vallotton and cinematic pioneers the Lumière brothers. [caption id="attachment_890702" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The window', 1925, Pierre Bonnard. Tate, London. Presented by Lord Ivor Spencer Churchill through the Contemporary Art Society, 1930.[/caption] Considered one of the world's most influential architects, multi-award-winning Mahdavi has been commissioned to help bring the historic pieces to life via her scenography, tasked with creating a setting that complements Bonnard's signature use of colour and light. "Monsieur Bonnard and I share the same passion: colour," Mahdavi explains of the exhibition. "I love his subjective perception of colour — the way he transforms the intimacy of everyday life into something sublime." Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi will include numerous pieces on loan from the Musée d'Orsay, as well as other museums and private collections in Europe, Australia and the USA. They'll be joined by significant works from the NGV's own collection, including Bonnard's 1900 painting La Sieste (Siesta). [caption id="attachment_890703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Siesta (La Sieste)', 1900, Pierre Bonnard. National Gallery of Victoria, Felton Bequest, 1949.[/caption] 'Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi' will run at the NGV International from Friday, June 9–Sunday, October 8. For more information, see the venue's website. Top image: 'Coffee', 1915, Pierre Bonnard. Tate, London. Presented by Sir Michael Sadler through the NACF, 1941.
Some people would travel a long way to visit cult West Village piano bar Marie's Crisis — well known for its mass singalongs and made extra famous when Jimmy Fallon paid a raucous, impromptu visit recently — but Sydneysiders soon won't have to. The Marie's crew are bringing the whole experience to Sydney as part of Spectrum's upcoming festival, Spectrum Now. Recreating the dive bar in QT Parlour Lane Roasters from March 19-29, Marie's Crisis are bringing their whole showtune-lovin' team all the way from NYC to gather round the piano for everything from Fiddler on the Roof to Phantom. A word to the wise — brush up on your Sondheim. Functioning as one of the best ideas for a festival bar we've heard in many moons, Marie's Crisis heads quite the festival lineup for Spectrum Now, announced this weekend. No longer just a Saturday brekkie read, Sydney Morning Herald‘s Spectrum section is about to be realised in festival form — casually directed by Rake actor, professional dreamboat and total legend Richard Roxburgh. Kicking off on March 11, Spectrum Now will be centred around the Spectrum Playground (thanks for the mad shout out guys, woo! Yeah!). For two weeks from March 11–22, the Domain will be transformed into what the team is calling a "creative pleasure garden", which sounds so overtly erotic we’re signing up on the spot. There'll be bars, outdoor sculptures and pop-up exhibitions (including the SMH Portraiture Exhibition), alongside a bunch of tasty treats and live music. And the one we're really look forward to: Golden Age Cinema is presenting Hollywood Nights — an outdoor cinema and cocktail garden that will travel through seven decades of movies, food and drinks over 12 nights, showcasing some of Golden Age's favourite "classics, cults, creepies and cheapies", with live music performances, and special menus by fellow cinephiles The Nighthawk Diner. One of the most anticipated events in the lineup, SN will see the Australian premiere of Del Kathryn Barton's short animation film of Oscar Wilde’s classic story The Nightingale and the Rose. The two-time Archibald-winning artist has collaborated with acclaimed filmmaker Brendan Fletcher (Mad Bastards) and the vocal talents of Mia Wasikowska, Geoffrey Rush and David Wenham to create her very first animation film — not to mention multi-ARIA Award winner Sarah Blasko has whipped up the score. The film saw its world premiere at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival, opening to significant snaps. Cinephiles really clean up for Spectrum Now. UK great Alan Rickman is making his way to Sydney to present a screening of A Little Chaos, ol' Ricko's directorial effort in which he plays King Louis XIV alongside Kate Winslet — whose character Sabine has a little romantic dalliance with the Sun King. Yes, there'll be post-film Q&A with the man himself. Then you can pop over to the Chauvel for the Sydney premiere of the Academy Award-nominted, Golden Globe-winning film Leviathan. If you're keen for something completely different, Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice is your go-to for SN. A site-specific, three-woman opera set through the chambers of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Shannon Murphy-directed, immersive performance stars Silvia Colloca, features the work of florist, artist and academic Dr Lisa Cooper, photo media artist Murray Fredericks and the food of Matt Moran. It'll give you plenty to talk about, and if you're keen to keep the conversation flowing check out '=The Full Spectrum series, a program of arts talks, panels and performances curated by the Spectrum team. For the creatively hungry, art and food combine for the On the Table series — Brad Dobson is taking over Redfern cafe Three Williams with installations, Opera in the Pub brings high art to the Dove and Olive and The Roxbury pubs, and Rock Surfers are stepping out of their Bondi theatre to present a pop-up production of Shabbat Dinner at the old Bel Mondo restaurant in The Rocks. And if you're wanting to continue to eat your way through the festival, check out the Quick Bites program linking you with some of Sydney's best eats. Spectrum Now runs March 11-22 Sydneywide. To check out the entire program and book yourself into Spectrum Now, head over here. Marie's Crisis image: Fogandfireflies.
There's a brand new eatery in Cronulla by the name of Blackwood Pantry. The cafe-restaurant is the domain of chef Rob Lechowicz, a local lad who's spent the last few years honing his skills in Michelin-starred establishments in London and Paris. Now he's taking everything he learnt abroad and bringing it back home. In the food department, expect an all-day menu made up of some seriously appetising dishes. The vegetarian Buddha Bowl is made with fried eggs, quinoa, kale, roasted cauliflower, picked red cabbage, toasted almonds, lemon and buttermilk dressing; while the 'Miss Piggy' consists of crispy pork belly, roasted peaches, chimichurri and goat's cheese on toasted ciabatta. You can also grab a range of gluten-free salads, including a roast beetroot number made with yellow beans, pickled onions, goat's cheese and toasted pistachio. Those of you with a sweet tooth can indulge in their daily pastry offerings, or even grab a fresh fruit paddle pop. Okay so technically that last item is on the kids menu, but we're sure they'll let you order one for yourself if you ask them nicely. Drink options include coffee, tea and a variety of fresh squeezed juices, plus a cookies and cream milkshake we can't wait to try for ourselves. If you're looking for something a little stronger, they've also got beer, wine and cocktails, as well as white sangria with peaches by the jug.
It's almost a tale as old as time: The Grounds of Alexandria giving itself a Disney-themed makeover, that is. Over the years, this Sydney spot has celebrated the Mouse House in a big way, complete with outdoor setups dedicated to The Nutcracker, Mary Poppins Returns, Aladdin, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Frozen II, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and more. So, with the entertainment company notching up a century of on-screen magic in 2023, of course The Grounds is commemorating in the appropriate fashion. Once more, the Huntley Street spot has fashioned up the kind of makeover that could've easily stepped out of one of the Mouse House's beloved flicks. This one spreads the Disney magic, because there's plenty to pay tribute to over the organisation's 100 years. On display now until the end of April 2023, Disney at The Grounds takes its cues from the Mouse House's storytelling history — and the immersive look and feel that's been a part of its work since back in 1923. For visitors, that means walking through a Sleeping Beauty-inspired castle entrance, enjoying an ode to Mickey Mouse through the ages, taking snaps next to platinum Mickey and Minnie statues, and trying to spot a heap of other characters in the lit-up, neon- and pastel-hued decorations in general. Head by to be this Disney explosion's guest, wander through the decked-out laneways, feel like you're in a fairytale and make your next brunch in The Cafe even more enchanting. Given the neon lighting, booking a date at night for dinner in The Potting Shed is also recommended This isn't the only event marking Disney's 100 years in Sydney this year, with the Beauty and the Beast musical coming to town from June, and 100th-anniversary concerts playing all of your favourite Mouse House songs with a live orchestra popping up at the Sydney Opera House in February. And, there's Disney's cruises, too, with its watery 'Magic at Sea' voyages heading Down Under for the first time ever from October, including the cruise line's debut South Pacific trips between Australia and Hawaii. Disney at The Grounds runs at The Grounds of Alexandria, Building 7A, 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria until the end of April 2023 — head to The Grounds of Alexandria's website for further details.
Most people will be familiar with celebrity chef Manu Feildel through his prime-time stint judging My Kitchen Rules. Soon, however, Sydneysiders will have the chance to flip the script, judging Feildel's skills on the pots as he returns to the kitchen to launch a new bistro in the heart of the Inner West. Bistro Red Lion by Manu will occupy the upper level of the 196-year-old Red Lion Hotel in Rozelle, which has undergone a $1.5-million top-to-bottom renovation over the past eight months. For his return to a restaurant kitchen following a four-year hiatus, Fieldel — a sixth-generation chef — is presenting a menu of rustic French bistro fare, including treasured recipes passed down through the Feildel family. For his return to a restaurant kitchen following a four-year hiatus, Feildel has collaborated with long-time friend and Laundy Hotels Group Executive Chef Jamie Gannon to deliver a concept that can appeal to a broad range of diners through "delicious, approachable food rather than aiming for the stars". "I want guests … to forget the outside world and feel as though they're dining at my home," Feildel said. Crowd-pleasing comfort foods will feature prominently, including a double-baked comté cheese soufflé designed for sharing and a country-style pâté with prune and armagnac jam, a recipe created by Feildel's father. Carnivores will be well served with hunger-busting mains such as the pork tomahawk, chargrilled and served with braised fennel and mustard sauce; confit chicken served on a bed of cannellini beans with and kale fricasée and jus gras; and, of course, steaks — here, you can carve into a butcher's cut of beef accompanied by pommes dauphine house-made sauces including peppercorn, mushroom and blue cheese. Desserts will be similarly indulgent, with a selection that includes a luxuriant chocolate mousse topped with hazelnut chantilly cream, as well as a riff on crêpes Suzette featuring flambéed canelés, the cork-shaped Bordeaux-famous pastry, served with vanilla ice cream. With almost two centuries of heritage to honour, renovating Red Lion was a necessarily sensitive process. Design collective Co:Aika was tapped to realise a fitout that has the updated finishes today's pub-goers expect, while cherishing the existing charm of this historic Rozelle institution. And first thing's first: yes, the pub's iconic taxidermied lion will remain a focal point of the ground-floor space. So too will many of the venue's original features, including the working fireplace, balustrades and sweeping staircase. Exposed sandstone walls, contemporary light fixtures and cosy booth seating will add a modern touch, but tempered with a heritage-inspired colour scheme. The 120-seat bistro on the first floor will evoke the spirit of a Parisian bistro, with a muted yet sophisticated palette of creams, egg-shell blue and taupe, counterpointed by the rich stain of the extensive wood panelling. Pops of colour from modern artworks and other objets d'art will add some playful winks that echo the restaurant's unpretentious ethos, while the restored wrap-around balcony is set to offer year-round al fresco dining overlooking Darling Street. Don't worry if French cuisine isn't your feed of choice — Red Lion's ground-floor kitchen will continue to serve pub favourites, including the hotel's ever-popular hand-crumbed schnitzel, alongside bangers and mash, pepper steak pie, and a slow-cooked beef ragu bolognese. Red Lion, including Bistro Red Lion by Manu, will open to the public from Friday, July 12, with the restaurant operating Thursday–Sunday. Red Lion's ground floor kitchen will operate daily, 10am–9pm. Images: Kitti Gould
What do perusing the inaugural SXSW Sydney conference program and scrolling through Netflix have in common? Artificial intelligence, cybernetics, tech-enhanced dating, social media's ups and downs, science fiction-esque healthcare applications, digital afterlives and interactive gaming all feature in both — and the list goes on. On the streaming platform, you'll find the above in Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror. Since starting with a squeal in 2011, the British anthology series has become pop culture's go-to place for futuristic visions dripping with unease. It ponders what might come, often with prophetic insight, and imagines how humanity's use of any given gadget or advancement will bring out our worst impulses. No one is going home from SXSW Sydney with nightmares, of course. Still, it couldn't be a better place for the creator of Black Mirror to dive into the latest in tech and future innovations. He's one of the keynote speakers at the first-ever SXSW outside of Austin, Texas since it was founded in 1987, getting chatting in an interview-style discussion about his hit series, its ideas and what fascinates him about technology. "Luckily I don't have to deliver a speech," he tells Concrete Playground after freshly arriving in Sydney. "When you say 'keynote speaker', I always get a stab of fear like an anxiety dream where you haven't done your homework, because I have not prepared a speech. So I'm just going to answer questions as off the cuff as I can." [caption id="attachment_922397" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] From the moment that Brooker was added to the SXSW Sydney lineup, joining a bill that also features Chance The Rapper celebrating 50 years of hip hop and Future Today Institute CEO Amy Webb musing on tomorrow's possibilities — plus literally hundreds of other speakers and sessions — the two seemed a dream pairing. Somehow, this is the first time that Brooker and SXSW have connected at all. "I've not been to South by Southwest in the States. I've not been there, and I've never been to Sydney before, either," he explains. "So these are two firsts for me happening concurrently, so that's very exciting, and I'm intrigued to see what it's all about." As well as Brooker's in-conversation session on Wednesday, October 18, SXSW Sydney is about everything from streaming algorithms to simulations. True crime features on the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival lineup, too — but no, even with the two clearly sharing plenty of fields of interest, the event isn't happening inside the latest and sixth season of Black Mirror that arrived this past June. [caption id="attachment_917938" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Netflix[/caption] What should get fans of Brooker's work particularly buzzing is his SXSW Sydney plans beyond regaling an audience. On the list for the former video gaming journalist, satirist, Wipe franchise host, creator of both Big Brother-but-zombies gem Dead Set and the Cunk mockumentaries, and the reason that Netflix also has choose-your-own-adventure-style interactive short Cat Burglar in its catalogue: "digging into obviously the screen side of things, and also the video games and technology side of things". Will the next season of Black Mirror find its basis in SXSW Sydney's talks upon talks? Will Sydney inspire a new Philomena Cunk instalment after this year's Cunk on Earth? And how does someone navigate a tech, innovation, ideas, music, screen and gaming conference when they gave the world a series that's become synonymous with tech anxiety? As Brooker soaked in the Harbour City's weather — "it seems like there's about ten times the amount of light here, whereas in Britain it always feels a bit like it's on eco-saving mode" — he told us about all of the above, plus marvelling at getting to talk to anyone about Black Mirror, being mistaken for being anti-technology and his dream to make a Black Mirror game. [caption id="attachment_922398" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] ON DISCUSSING BLACK MIRROR AT SXSW — AND STILL MARVELLING AT THE SHOW'S IMPACT Ask Brooker if he ever imagined that Black Mirror would bring him to SXSW's stage and he's emphatic that it didn't even cross his mind. "I didn't conceive that I would be talking to anyone about it other than myself, so I'm amazed and delighted that I can talk to anyone about the show. I wouldn't have foreseen it at all," he advises. "Our first episode, the story of that is quite divisive. Certainly way back yonder when doing the very first episodes of the very first series, at that point I thought 'wow, this is never going to…'. I just, in my head, assumed it would only ever be of interest colloquially in Britain." "It's been astonishing that the show has travelled, as they say, or it's got legs or whatever you want — global reach, whatever you call it. That is constantly startling to me." "I've come here to Sydney, so I'm on the other side of the world from where I normally am. I don't often go out of London, basically. I'm a writer, so I spend most of my time sitting typing in in West London. And so I have to occasionally check myself. I think it's weird I've flown all the way to Sydney, Australia, and I can talk to people who've heard of the show. That's quite odd — that does my head in." ON BLACK MIRROR BECOMING SHORTHAND FOR TECH ANXIETIES, DYSTOPIA AND NIGHTMARES It's inspired by The Twilight Zone. It surveys the tech landscape. It's famed for predicting everything from Prime Minister pig scandals to social currency systems. And it features a spectacular cast, with Daniel Kaluuya (Nope), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Loki), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Sarah Snook (Succession), Andrew Scott (Fleabag), Annie Murphy (Schitt's Creek), Salma Hayek (Magic Mike's Last Dance), Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Breaking Bad co-stars Aaron Paul and Jesse Plemons, and Miley Cyrus are just some of its stars. Black Mirror isn't just a series that the entire world knows about, though. It has become a term itself. That too isn't something that Brooker ever anticipated. "It is weird. It's an odd thing to have done. I remember the first time I really thought 'ohh okay, this has entered common vernacular in ways beyond the reach of the show itself'. I think it was in 2016 that somebody said, 'hey, did you see Hillary Clinton just referred to something as being a bit Black Mirror?'. And I thought 'oh my god, that's a bit Black Mirror in itself'." "So it's weird. Actually, the only aspect of that I find frustrating is when people assume I'm going to be anti-tech or that I'm some Luddite who thinks we should smash all computers up with his shoe, because I'm actually quite pro-technology. It would be the worst job if you hated technology, doing Black Mirror, because a lot of it involves thinking about product design of some gizmo or other that someone's going to use to wreck their own life. What it's showing is that it's human foibles that are the problem, not the amazing tool that is technology in and of itself." "So that's the only aspect I find frightening. That said, I love it if people are going say, 'oh, that's a bit Black Mirror' about some new Samsung fridge that comes out that sings to you every time you pour milk from it. That's all free publicity for me." ON POTENTIALLY FINDING NEW BLACK MIRROR OR PHILOMENA CUNK IDEAS AT SXSW SYDNEY Anyone who's ever watched Black Mirror is always wondering what's coming next, whether the series is dropping an interactive film such as 2019's Bandersnatch or years have passed between seasons (four from 2019's fifth season to 2023's sixth, for instance). If you've seen Cunk on Earth and its predecessors Cunk on Shakespeare, Cunk on Christmas and Cunk on Britain, the same train of thought applies. Perhaps SXSW Sydney might inspire the next chapter in both Brooker-created shows. "I was thinking we should send Cunk here, because we're always looking for nice filming locations, apart from anything else. And I know Diane [Morgan, who has played Philomena Cunk since 2013–15's Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe] hates it when it's cold. That's her main complaint — she doesn't like being anywhere cold." "Hopefully I'll go home with a head full of all sorts of things. It's interesting because, like I say, it's a new experience for me being here — and then we're also we're going to travel a bit over the next week." "I'm looking forward to digging into the video games and VR side of things that are going on the South by Southwest, partly because I used to be a video games journalist — so I'm also very interested in all of that as well." ON EXPLORING INTERACTIVE AND GAMIFIED STORYTELLING WITH BLACK MIRROR: BANDERSNATCH — AND THE DREAM OF MAKING A BLACK MIRROR GAME A series about technological possibilities, Black Mirror fills its frames with new gadgets and inventions — and new evolutions of today's tech as well. As Black Mirror: Bandersnatch showed when it had audiences pushing buttons to guide a gaming programmer through his decisions, Brooker's hit also likes tinkering with its own technology. He'd like to do more. "I'd love to do a sort of full-bore video game, as it were. With Bandersnatch, actually the original design was even more explicitly game-y than the finished thing ended up being. There were going to be achievements you could unlock, and stuff like this. And it was structured a bit more like an escape room puzzle that you had to solve," he explains. [caption id="attachment_922399" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kevin Lake[/caption] "It feels like it's a very different skill set. I think the most-impressive video games that I encounter tend to be, when they tell a story, they tell it in a way that you couldn't do in any other medium. So I'm thinking of games like Lucas Pope — he did a game called Papers, Please and a game called Return of the Obra Dinn." "Those are both fascinating and very different, but really interesting forms of storytelling. I think all scriptwriters should sit down with those games and see how they tell a story in a very deceptive way — they're puzzles, but they tell quite complex stories." "I'm in awe of that sort of thing. I don't think I probably have the skillset to be able to think that way. But I'd love to see a full a full-blown Black Mirror video game. That'd be great." Charlie Brooker in Conversation takes place at SXSW Sydney at 1pm on Wednesday, October 18 in the Pyrmont Theatre at ICC Sydney, 14 Darling Drive, Sydney. SXSW Sydney runs from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22, and SXSW Sydney Screen Festival from Sunday, October 15–Saturday, October 21. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Black Mirror streams via Netflix. Read our review of season six. Cunk on Earth also streams via Netflix. Read our review. Top image: Netflix.
If you had plans to see Childish Gambino in Australia and New Zealand in 2025, you were likely paying close attention when he announced in early October that he was cancelling the remainder of his North American tour, and also his UK and European dates. A trip Down Under was meant to follow, and wasn't scrapped at the time; however, it's officially no longer going ahead. There'll be no summertime magic after all, then, after the musician that you also know as Donald Glover first announced four Australian shows for 2025, then expanded his local dates before general ticket sales even started. For the rapper, hip hop talent and Mr & Mrs Smith actor, this was set to be his first trip to these shores since 2019. Dates at Auckland's Spark Arena in January, then at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena, Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena and RAC Arena in Perth are all now cancelled. When Gambino's shows elsewhere were scraped, he advised on social media that he'd been "to the hospital in Houston to make sure of an ailment that had become apparent" after a show in New Orleans. "After being assessed, it became clear I would not perform that night, and after more tests, I could not perform the rest of the US tour in the time asked. As of now I have surgery scheduled and need time out to heal," the statement continued. "My path to recovery is something I need to confront seriously. With that said, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the North American tour and the UK and European dates. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase." [caption id="attachment_955315" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eli Watson via Flickr.[/caption] This situation might sound familiar. When Gambino last headed this way — complete with a headline spot at Splendour in the Grass — it was after initially announcing a 2018 Australian tour, then cancelling it due to an ongoing injury. Before that, he performed at Falls Festival in 2016. Gambino mightn't have been on Aussie stages for a spell — and still won't be anytime soon — but Glover had the final two seasons of Atlanta, both in 2022, reach screens since he was last Down Under. Voice work on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, producing TV series Swarm, the aforementioned Mr & Mrs Smith: they've all joined his resume as well. He'll also be heard as Simba again in Mufasa: The Lion King, the prequel to 2019's photorealistic version of The Lion King, before 2024 is out. [caption id="attachment_955317" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eli Watson via Flickr.[/caption] Childish Gambino 'The New World' Tour 2025 Australia and New Zealand Dates Tuesday, January 28 — Spark Arena, Auckland — CANCELLED Saturday, February 1 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane — CANCELLED Tuesday, February 4–Wednesday, February 5 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney — CANCELLED Friday, February 7–Saturday, February 8 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — CANCELLED Tuesday, February 11 — RAC Arena, Perth — CANCELLED Childish Gambino is no longer touring Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2025. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas via Flickr.
Just west of Sydney CBD, across the sparkling waters of Darling Harbour, you'll find Pyrmont. It's famously the home to a number of tourist hot spots, including Sydney Fish Market, the Powerhouse Museum and The Star. But, beyond these legendary landmarks, there's a cornucopia of quirky restaurants, small bars, cafes and friendly pubs to explore. Begin your day with Egyptian bakery treats, stop for lunch in a 177-year-old pub and finish up with a degustation where Italian fare meets Japanese influences. In between eats, step into the future at the Powerhouse Museum and catch some live jazz in a New York-style club. Here are ten places in Pyrmont that you really, really shouldn't miss. Plus, for a few more hot tips, check out our video above for Terminus Hotel venue manager Luke Reimann's favourite spots around the suburb.
For residents of Brisbane, southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales, the week commencing Monday, March 3, 2025 is starting with a key piece of advice: stay safe and dry. The Bureau of Meteorology has advised that Tropical Cyclone Alfred is forecast to impact the area, including potentially making landfall near the Sunshine State capital. Wet, windy and wild weather is expected from Bundaberg down to the Gold Coast and into the Northern Rivers, complete with daily rainfall totals up to 600 millimetres — and authorities are telling residents to prepare now. As at 4am AEST, Tropical Cyclone Alfred is around 465 kilometres northeast of Brisbane and 410 kilometres east northeast of Maroochydore, but the Category 2 storm is due to head south, then west. First, on Monday it is predicted to keep travelling southeast, away from Queensland's coastline, the Bureau advised in a morning update. Come Tuesday, however, it'll shift, coming back towards the southern Queensland coast. ⚠️Issued 4:51am AEST Monday 3 March 2025⚠️ 🌀The latest track map for Tropical #CycloneAlfred is available. Regardless of the track Alfred takes, severe coastal hazards are likely for southern #Qld and north-east #NSW. Track Map & Cyclone Bulletin: https://t.co/OGEZjBtOPJ pic.twitter.com/hhckFxyQtj — Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) March 2, 2025 While updates will keep being issued, the forecast for Brisbane and the Gold Coast for Thursday, March 6 already notes "cyclone possible" on the BOM website. The Bureau presently notes that "heavy to locally intense rainfall is forecast for southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales from Wednesday as Alfred approaches the coast" — and that the regions should all be on flood watch. "We are seeing sustained winds near the centre of the cyclone of 95 kilometres an hour and wind gusts to 130 kilometres an hour," Senior Meteorologist Jonathan How also advised. "It is moving in a southeasterly direction at around 13 kilometres an hour, sort of about a running pace, moving down towards the southeast." On Sunday, March 2, Brisbane City Council issued a weather alert communicating that Alfred "will potentially produce damaging or destructive wind gusts and isolated heavy rainfall which may cause flash flooding, from late Wednesday through until the weekend", and urged Brisbanites to "make all necessary preparations for possible severe weather impacts". On the list: clearing yards and gutters, securing loose items outside and trimming tree branches. The BCC website has a guide for being prepared for an emergency that's worth bookmarking. Also on Sunday, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli held a press conference about the storm, revealing that waves in some parts of the state — in the Wide Bay area — were already hitting 14 metres due to the cyclone. He also said that an official Tropical Cyclone warning was likely in the coming days. It has been 35 years since Cyclone Nancy threatened Brisbane. Back in 2019, Cyclone Oma also sat off the coast. While the River City mightn't seem like cyclone territory, the 1893 and 1974 floods were the result of cyclonic weather systems — and the latter was caused by a slow-moving cyclone. The Bureau's Brissie forecasts predict possible showers on Monday, a shower or two on Tuesday, wind and showers on Wednesday, all with temperature maximums of 31, 30 and 28 — and with winds up to 90 kilometres an hour on Wednesday. Thursday's prediction is currently "very high chance of rain" plus "the chance of a thunderstorm" and "destructive wind gusts exceeding 130 kilometres an hour possible depending on movement and development of Tropical Cyclone Alfred". From there, wind and heavy rain is expected on Friday, then showers across the weekend. Your plans for the week obviously might change due to the weather situation. Already, the AFL has flagged that it's keeping an eye out given that the first game of the 2025 season, with premiers Brisbane facing Geelong, is scheduled to take place at the Gabba on Thursday night. The Bureau of Meteorology will continue to update its warnings and maps regularly — visit its website for further details and updates.
Here's one way to throw a spectacular party: combine exceptional art, a lineup of live tunes and DJs spinning tracks, bites to eat including dessert, plus pop-up bars slinging drinks, all in an iconic venue that isn't normally open after hours. That's the Archie Party setup. 2025 is the fourth year that the Art Gallery of New South Wales is putting on a one-night-only shindig during its Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize exhibition — and it's set to be a bustling celebration. On Friday, July 4 between 7–11pm, you can check out the winners and finalists from AGNSW's annual accolades, with tunes from Pakistani instrumental group Jaubi providing the soundtrack — and music from Gayathri Krishnan, alongside Kafi, Jhassic and Munasib from Australia-wide South Asian artist collective Kerfew on the decks, too. You have Kerfew to thank for the lineup, in fact. Learning more about being an Archies finalist from Bronte Leighton-Dore, Sassy Park and Mostafa Azimitabr is also on the agenda. Park and Azimitabr are hosting drop-in workshops as well, so you can make art as well as peer at it. OGNI, from MasterChef alumni Sarah Tiong and Rashedul Hasan, is among the venues on food duties — as are Pocket Rocketz, Miss Pearl Bar + Dining, MOD, Crafted by Matt Moran and Mapo Gelato. You'll be buying whatever you're eating and drinking on top of your $45 ticket (or $36 for members). To help you get home, a free shuttle bus is running from 9–11.30pm from the Art Gallery to Central Station. Archie Party images: Anna Kucera.
In a world of convenient but unremarkable chain bottleshops, community-centric retailers like P&V Merchants are a welcome change of pace. The Paddington outpost of this small business opened in 2017, bringing a new face to Oxford Street that is one part bottleshop and one part community bar. Unlike your average bottleshop, P&V focuses on unique and less-recognised brews and bottles from producers around Australia and the world. From unusual wines to hoppy craft beers and spiced spirits, there are no boring drinks on these shelves. There's also a fair share of tinned, jarred, pickled and preserved food to be purchased, plus bits and bobs to be used and worn. Another unique offering of P&V is that you can enjoy your purchase in-store, simply take your purchase to the back courtyard and enjoy, or skip the decision-making first and enjoy some pre-determined by-the-glass options. There are some bar snacks to be enjoyed in the courtyard, but most of the food can be found upstairs in the independently-run Porcine bistro. Keep an eye on the P&V channels, as when Porcine isn't using the space, you can expect tastings, masterclasses and more. Images: Byron Martin for PADDO(Collective)
