You can take the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade away from Oxford Street and it's still a fabulous LGBTQIA+ celebration, as the 2021 and 2022 events at the Sydney Cricket Ground showed. But there's nothing like experiencing the parade as it takes over its usual home — which it'll do again, finally, in 2023. The move to the SCG for the past two years was caused by the obvious: the pandemic, restrictions around it and distancing precautions. Last year, when it was announced that the 2022 parade would make the move again, Mardi Gras organisers said they were working towards taking to the streets as normal in 2023, which'll mark the parade's 45th anniversary. Block out your diaries now, because that's set to happen on Saturday, February 25. The theme: gather, dream, amplify. Even better — that planned return to Oxford Street will also fall under Sydney WorldPride, with the WorldPride festival being held in the Southern Hemisphere for the first time ever. Sydney WorldPride will span 17 days and 300-plus LGBTQIA+ festivities, with more than 500,000 people expected to participate. On the just-dropped initial bill, as well as the Mardi Gras parade: a huge opening concert hosted by Courtney Act and Casey Donovan, pride villages set up in sections of Crown Street and Riley Street, a giant weekend-long street party on Oxford Street, a Bondi beach party that'll turn the iconic sandy stretch into a club for 12,000 people, and a Blak & Deadly First Nations gala concert. Plus, there'll be a dance party in The Domain for 10,000, which is being dubbed as the biggest LGBQTIA+ outdoor dance party in Australia; a pride march, sending 50,000 people across the Sydney Harbour Bridge; and huge queer show Rainbow Republic, again at The Domain, this time with six hours of live music, DJs and performances spanning both international and local acts. The Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference is also on the bill, as is a six-night First Nations gathering space at Carriageworks — and Ultra Violet, an inclusive LGBTQIA+ women's party at Town Hall. And, the list just keeps going. The Sissy Ball is on the program, too, and so is a Mardi Gras laneway shindig. Mardi Gras Fair Day and the Paradiso Pool Party will return, and there's a whole WorldPride sports lineup — covering eight days where you can either take part or spectate. More events are still to be announced, and local and major headliners as well, so watch this space. The 2023 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade will take place on Oxford Street on Saturday, February 25, 2023. For more information, head to the Mardi Gras website. Sydney WorldPride will run from February 17–March 5, 2023. For more information, or for general ticket sales from 9am AEST on Friday, July 15 — or pre-sales from 9am on Monday, July 11 — head to the event's website. Images: Jeffrey Feng Photography.
South Eveleigh continues its transformation from industrial kinda-suburb to legitimate food and culture precinct with the latest addition to its burgeoning culinary lineup: The Grounds South Eveleigh. The Grounds is set to expand its Instagram-friendly brunching empire of OG site The Grounds of Alexandria and its CBD sibling with a cavernous Old Hollywood-style events space and coffee roastery bound for the former Australian Technology Park site in 2022. The events space will likely be catnip for inner-city wedding planners with high ceilings and industrial chandeliers, catering for parties between 180 and 350 guests. The Grounds' South Eveleigh outpost will also include a haven for the coffee-curious with a major new roastery where behind-the-scenes tours and workshops will be on the cards, along with all your bean needs. No word yet on whether The Grounds' celebrity pig, Kevin Bacon, will be trotting out of retirement for the official ribbon cutting. To be continued... The venue won't open until 2022 but you can already make booking enquiries at The Grounds website. All images are renders only.
Located right next to the sands of Narrabeen beach, Cabana Beach Kiosk takes beachfront dining to a whole new level serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner — and uninterrupted ocean views. For breakfast, choose the Italian eggs with feta, cherry tomatoes, avocado and rocket pesto or try the Californian burrito loaded with hash browns, eggs and salsa. On the lunch and dinner menu you'll find smaller sized share plates including bruschetta and mushroom and truffle arancini, as well as larger beachside favourites like tacos, crunchy fish and chips and buckets of fresh prawns. If you stop by on Thursdays to you can nab a burger and beer for $20. As a fully licensed venue, it's available to host and cater your next seaside event including weddings, birthdays, corporate occasions and more. Images: Mel Koutchavlis
First there was Bondi Hardware. Then there was The Botanist in Kirribilli. And now Applejack Hospitality have expanded their near-water empire to SoCal. It's time to slip into something a little more comfortable. Grab those large dark sunnies, your best dressed-up beach chic and head on over to the growing bar area of Neutral Bay. Sit back and allow Cali to introduce herself. This is for the good-looking North Shore crowd who have been calling out for more stylish drinking venues. And it's not just for booze. There are great things to munch on; in fact, you could call it a dinner venue just as much as a drinking den. The space use to be a 'gentlemen's karaoke bar' (although how much singing went on is questionable), which might explain the long staircase as you ascend into the bar. Once at the top you're greeted with a palette of bright yellows, including the large Cerveza Pacifico Claro sign in the courtyard area, pink flamingos, white timber, sky blue cushions and a stack of plants. The bar area with its large 'bar' sign (so there's no mistaking it for anything else?), old crates acting as shelves for the booze, adds a slightly different aesthetic to the mix, and the tunes, well, they're perfect for chilling out to. Then there's the staff. There's something about a bearded barman that just screams knowledgeable about liquor. Especially when paired with a Hawaiian shirt. There are three options for jugs of cocktails at $35 each, including the Caliente Punch — Ketel One Vodka, elderflower and pomegranate liquors, strawberries, lime, orange and ginger beer. They're very drinkable, though don't look for high alcohol content return on your investment. The Salted Caramel Espresso Martini ($16) could do with a dash more of salted caramel to the mix, but is a great espresso martini if that's what you're after. Other cocktails are classics with a twist like the Momma's Moonshine ($17) or the Muscle Beach Mai Tai ($18). To eat there's a MexiCali-inspired share plate scenario, with a focus on fresh flavours and seafood. The pulled pork, black bean, rosemary and grilled eggplant quesadillas ($20), served with cheese and salsa on flour tortillas, are the pick to go with a drink — perfectly crispy on the outside, yet soft and squishy on the inside. There's also the usual suspects like chilli dogs and pintxos, as well as a raw section including the likes of kingfish tiradito ($19). But you just can't go past the value-for-mulla tacos, even if they're a little bit drippy on the sauce side of things. You get three large ones for $20 — choose from Baja fish, shredded beef and Sriracha chicken. From the share section of the menu, the seared salmon with zucchini, coriander and walnuts ($20) is also worth trying out. A table inside is perfect for a hot date (there's no way anyone at any other table will be able to hear your conversation), or there's outside for large groups. The half-covered courtyard is great for warm-weather weekends, and if you squint really hard you could be mistaken for thinking you're in California. One of the best parts? The 2am licence, which means ol' Maisy's down the road has some competition. Okay, not really. SoCal wins hands down. Here's hoping more inspired venues spring up around the area. The younger locals are clearly dying for it — based on how packed it was. Yes, my booking for an outside table on my birthday was messed up, but it was rectified a few hours later. Hopefully any small issues like this are just teething issues. Get your white-toothed smile ready and pair with a laidback attitude for some serious drinking and chowing down in the sun.
Days spent down the coast aren't complete without a thirst-quenching brew by the beach. If you're heading to stunning Jervis Bay, you're in luck, because there's a local brewery making tasty craft beer year-round. After a day of swimming and baking in the sun, be sure to stop in to Jervis Bay Brewing Co. Park up in the dog- and family-friendly beer garden to sample pale ales and XPAs while tucking into food truck snacks. Or you can swing by to take a growler home for a barbecue on the deck. The brewery doesn't take bookings and is open every day.
There's something utterly mesmerising about watching a person soar through water — it's no wonder swimming is one of the most-watched sports at the Olympics. Seeing a human being take on one of the earth's most powerful elements is transfixing. It also feels pretty great, too, when you're the one cutting through The Big Blue, cool water on your skin, that feeling of buoyancy and lightness. But, not all of us are natural born swimmers. Some of us need a little help to find our feet (or fins) in the big blue wet thing. So we've partnered with the folks at Gage Roads Brewing Co, in celebration of the refreshing and aptly named Single Fin summer ale, and found five ways you can upskill in the water this summer. Yep, you'll be the next Dawn Fraiser or Ian Thorpe in no time. Hey, we like to aim high. BUST A MOVE AT SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING You know those schools of glittering silver fish that dart around the water, left then right, completely in unison? Well, you can channel their precision and become a part of your own school at a synchronised swimming class. Sure, it might sound a little retro or remind you of Mike Myers hairy chest in the opening scene of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me — but water ballet, as it was formerly known, will teach you all about coordination and grace in the water. You can register with the Sydney Emeralds Synchro Club to attend a free trial at Burwood, North Sydney or Cook and Phillip Pool. Each session runs for 1.5–2.5 hours and starts with a 30-minute on-land warm up. Groovy, baby. LEARN TO SURF IN MANLY We're pretty sure everyone who saw Point Break wanted to learn to surf (or steal Patrick Swayze's hairdo). And, really, if you live in Sydney, you have no excuse. We've got beaches, surf schools and mostly perfect sunny weather — that's all you need. Make this summer the year that you learn to hang-ten like a pro. Better yet, do it with a group of mates. Manly Surf School runs adult group sessions for $70 per surf lesson and you can do as many or as few as you like. Just make sure after you successfully ride a wave in that you properly celebrate with a coupla Single Fins. MASTER EVERY SWIMMING STROKE Perhaps you've spent your swimming life getting by on some sort of doggy paddle-breaststroke hybrid that isn't particularly graceful or effective. We get it, not everyone is a natural-born fish. But this summer, it might be time to master the four basic strokes: butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle. Different Strokes Swimming offers adult swim classes — in groups of five or less, so everyone gets attention — all across Sydney, from Prince Alfred Park to Drummoyne Swimming Centre. The first lesson is free; you'll just need to bring along goggles, a swimming cap, sunscreen and water (for drinking, they'll provide the swimming H2O). When you finally nail the tricky butterfly, treat yourself to a cold one. BECOME A CERTIFIED SCUBADIVER Since the summer of '69, Pro Dive has been teaching Sydneysiders how to scuba dive. Head along to one of the weekend courses ($299 for 2.5 days: one evening plus Saturday and Sunday) and get certified to dive anywhere in the world, while you check out Sydney's budding marine life. All equipment is provided — you just need your togs and a towel — you'll take four ocean training dives and receive access to e-learning, pool training, a log book and international certification. Pick between two aquatic wonderlands, Coogee or Manly, to see the Sydney which resides beneath the waves. Once you've finished the course, grab a couple of Single Fins to celebrate. LEARN TO PLAY UNDERWATER RUGBY Okay, this is definitely one for those who can handle themselves underwater and are seeking a challenge. Underwater rugby is a fast-paced, exhilarating sport which is as difficult as it sounds, but extremely rewarding. Designed to keep you fit and fierce, each game tests your swimming skills and coordination, your grit and determination. The rules are relatively straightforward — one ball, two goals, two teams try and score — but the whole being underwater thing definitely makes things more difficult. UNSW runs mixed training sessions every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. The first session is free, all you need to bring is your swimmers and a towel. Grab a brew after the match, trust us, you'll need it. Make your next summertime fling a Single Fin. The light-bodied ale is packed with plenty of hoppy flavour to keep you smiling all season.
Sure, a good date idea never goes a miss. And we've got you covered from excellent date restaurants to date ideas that are more than just dinner and a movie. But what about those dates for when you want to spend some time with the other most important person in your life: your best mate. Friend dates are the perfect way to revel in that special kind of love shared between you and your ride-or-die bestie. How often do you get to celebrate the Thelma to your Louise? The Abbi to your Ilana or Miranda to your Carrie? Not often enough, we'd say. There's plenty of time for romance — weddings, engagements, anniversaries, next week — so, this week, we think you should spend date night honouring your best mate. And to help you plan the perfect friend date, we've partnered with the folks at Jacob's Creek to bring you five BYO spots to blow your bestie's socks off. No need to go ham; just pick up a bottle of the winery's award-winning Le Petit Rosé and head to one of these Sydney eateries for a great meal and great chats with an even greater friend. IL BARETTO, SURRY HILLS Let's face it; the only thing potentially better than love and friendship is carbs. Head to Bourke Street stalwart Il Baretto, and you can enjoy endless carbs in the form of homemade pasta — some of the best in Sydney — as well as hard-to-top Italian classics, like antipasto, carpaccio and tiramisu. Be sure to try the signature pappardelle with duck ragu. It's rich, sumptuous and pairs perfectly with the crisp and refreshing Le Petit Rosé which you can bring along for a small $2 corkage fee. Once you're both suitably stuffed, make tracks to Messina and finish the evening with a stroll through Surry Hills, gelato in hand. SPICE ALLEY, CHIPPENDALE For a hot and spicy date, quite literally, take your bestie to Spice Alley in Chippendale. The bright and lively alleyway boasts a ton of top-notch Asian culinary delights: from authentic Singapore-style dishes to Hong Kong comfort food and traditional Thai street eats. Whatever Asian fare you're craving, you'll find it here. And not only will you be spoiled for choice, but you'll also be spoiled with no corkage fee. So, enjoy that pink drink, sans exorbitant markup. Keen for a post-dinner treat? Take a stroll to nearby Koi Dessert Bar for an almost-too-pretty-to-eat dessert. CHINESE NOODLE RESTAURANT, HAYMARKET You know it, we know it — it's hard to beat a dumpling feed at 'grapes on the roof' (AKA Chinese Noodle Restaurant). Plus, if you guys first met in uni (perhaps while studying at UTS or Sydney Uni) heading to this classic spot will surely strike up memories of the good ol' days. Reminisce over these tasty doughy parcels, which are handmade from scratch and clock in at a ridiculously cheap $8.80 for 12. Situated smack-bang in the middle of Haymarket, the no-frills dumpling house is the perfect place to hit up with a mate and eat till you pop. The best part? Corkage is free. So get set for one helluva cheap and cheerful night out with your bestie. EAT FUH, MARRICKVILLE Marrickville is renowned for its stellar Vietnamese food. The streets are packed with pork roll shops, fruit and veg markets and, of course, pho hotspots. A good stop to get a noodle soup with your BYO rosé is Eat Fuh. Here, the bowl comes packed full of herbs and the broth pulls no punches when it comes to flavour. Order a soup for you and your mate — extra meatballs are a must — then start your slurping routine: one sip of rosé, one scoop of pho, repeat. If you've got room, take a walk to Gelato Franco and cap off the night with a cooler, different kind of scoop. BYO PICNIC Of course, you can avoid the date night palaver entirely and instead pack yourselves a picnic to enjoy at one of Sydney's BYO-friendly lookouts. Sunset, vino, good chat and charcuterie is a pretty winning combination. Given the warmer weather, we suggest packing your togs so you can have a dip with your bestie beforehand. Our pick of the bunch has to be Parsley Bay. Tucked away in Vaucluse, the quaint park has incredible views, calm (shark-free) waters and a lush bushwalk if you're feeling sprightly. But, really, you could picnic in your own backyard — as long as you've got your buddy and a bottle of something special, you're all set. Call your bestie, grab a bottle of Jacob's Creek Le Petit Rosé and make plans for mate date night this week.
It's time to say alright, alright, alright to a film festival like no other, and to four days of odd, offbeat, unusual, unnerving and electrifying flicks. Every year for 13 years now, the Sydney Underground Film Festival has unleashed its eclectic movie choices upon the city. It's back to do the same again in 2019, with a lineup that starts with Matthew McConaughey as a perpetually high poet, features everything from hyper-violence in Tokyo to cinema-obsessed documentaries, and ends with snowstorm-set horror. If your kind of festival involves watching McConaughey amble around Florida like he's in a documentary, catching the latest film from Spring Breakers' Harmony Korine and doing so at a special smell-o-vision screening — the cinema will match its scent to the movie — then mosey on over to opening night's The Beach Bum on Thursday, September 12. It's a roving, neon-hued, star-studded trip, with Zac Efron, Snoop Dogg and Isla Fisher also among the cast, and it's certain to set the mood for a weird, wonderful and wild SUFF. Across the rest of the festival — which runs until Sunday, September 14 at The Factory Theatre, Marrickville — Sydney cinephiles can see Henry Rollins turn gangster in Dreamland, fall for the chaos of Takashi Miike's First Love, witness stop-motion animation get eerie in The Wolf House and see Oscar-winner Olivia Colman step into cult-like church territory in Them That Follow. The list goes on, including on the documentary front, where you can prepare to tap your toes to films about rock 'n' roll magazine Creem, London label Trojan Records and alternative rock in general, then explore the work of filmmakers William Friedkin and Uwe Boll, as well as the ups and downs of rom-coms. Elsewhere, Jesse Eisenberg takes down toxic masculinity in the hilarious, must-see satire The Art of Self-Defense, while Memory — The Origins of Alien is unmissable if you're fond of Ridley Scott's seminal 1979 space horror classic. Shorts and workshops are also on the bill, before SUFF eventually comes to an end with mind-bender The Lodge.
Two things to say up front. Firstly, Drive is the coolest film of 2011. Backed by an ultra cool soundtrack (think Bladerunner meets TRON), it's the story of a cool guy (Ryan Gosling) who wears cool clothes, says cool things and — perhaps most importantly — drives cars (which are, in general, cool). Secondly, you must not watch the trailers. None of them. Without exception they reveal every single plot point for the entire movie. Whoever produced them should be dragged out back and made to watch The Last Airbender on repeat. They're basically what the trailer for The Sixth Sense would've been had it opened with the kid declaring: "I see dead people. Oh and Bruce, while we're on the subject…" That's not to say Drive is a 'twist movie', but its suspense rests heavily on the periodic revelations and plot turns that throw the ever-in-control protagonist into an increasingly out of control predicament. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn whose previous films include Valhalla Rising and Bronson, Drive is an ode to the classic loner-hero movies of Eastwood and McQueen, coupled with the desolate crime tales of Michael Mann and Scorcese, then rounded out with some ultra-stylised Tarantino violence. In short: it's a genre film where the genre is constantly changing. Drive is part chase movie, except that the most exciting example is the opening scene in which Gosling's character deftly evades the police with guile and subtelty rather than speed and aggression. It's also part romance, except that the love interest, played with beguiling tenderness by Carey Mulligan, is already married and mother to a young boy. The performances are fantastic across the board, with Gosling and Mulligan in particular achieving an extraordinary chemistry despite having very few lines of dialogue between them. Strong supporting roles are also provided by Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman and Albert Brooks, with Brooks almost certainly enjoying the lion's share of witty one-liners throughout. As the film throws to the final credits the repeated lyric of 'real human being and a real hero' offers an interesting perspective on the story that's preceded it. Drive is heavily stylised but it somehow remains altogether personal and even relatable. It's a very human story about very real people. Whether Gosling's character is also a 'hero' or not, though, depends on your understanding of the term. There's no doubting his courage and selflessness, but his methods are far removed from the kind of stoic acts you'd tell your grandchildren as bedtime stories. The result is a somewhat emotionally ambiguous transformation from sympathetic nice guy to violent avenger that might seem out of place were it not just so impossibly, impossibly cool. https://youtube.com/watch?v=eAc23x2JJG0
As the end of the year ramps up, the thought of spending your precious free time in the kitchen isn't so appealing. Fortunately, DoorDash is helping out as we close in on the silly season, launching one of its biggest giveaways ever. Running from Wednesday, November 26–Saturday, November 29, you can make more space in your calendar with 60,000 free items up for grabs. Kicking off at 4pm AEST daily, 15,000 burgers, burritos, pizzas and meal deals are available on consecutive days. While the complete list of included restaurants won't be revealed under the promo launches, just know that much-loved local and national brands like Guzman Y Gomez, Betty's Burgers and Grill'd are getting in on the action. Open to both new and existing DoorDash customers via the app, service and delivery fees still apply to orders. However, this time- and money-saving deal is sure to give you the fuel to brave the shops or adorn your lawn with festive decorations.
If you've been missing Mr Wong's special fried rice, Totti's puffy woodfired bread and Bert's duck liver pâté, we have some good news. While you currently can't go and dine at these restaurants, they can come to you, thanks to Merivale at Home. The Sydney hospitality giant has launched a new delivery service, which is bringing signature meals from its most popular restaurants right to your dining table. Launching on Monday, April 6, Merivale at Home features a weekly rotating lineup of menus from the group's restaurants, each costing $70–95 for two. Week one includes Mr Wong's king prawn wontons, kung pao chicken, steamed barramundi and fried rice for ($95); Bert's brioche rolls, duck liver pâté, prime rib, crushed potatoes and butter lettuce salad (for $95); and a vegetarian menu from Paddington's Fred's with whole roasted cauliflower, jewelled rice with sultanas, chopped tomato salad and chocolate mousse (for $80). There's also a pizza-heavy menu from Vinnie's — with prosciutto, mortadella, burrata, salad and two pizzas — for $70, and a selection of pasta, cheeses and meats from Totti's in Bondi for ($90), which is continuing to offer its own pick-up takeaway service every night from 5–10pm and lunches on weekdays, including Good Friday. All the meals arrive "nearly ready to eat", so you just need to add the finishing touches, which is doable by a cooking novice, supposedly, and doesn't require the skills of Dan Hong (Mr Wong) or Danielle Alvarez (Fred's). [caption id="attachment_766987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fred's at Home[/caption] For special occasions — a date night with your housemate, say, Easter or just that you made it to Wednesday — you can also add on a drinks pack ($40–115) of wines and cocktails selected by Merivale Master Sommelier Franck Moreau and Group Bars Manager Sam Egerton to pair with each menu. Wines, cocktails and beers are available to purchase separately, too. If you prefer to do your own cooking, Merivale at Home also offers produce boxes ($60–100) from some of its suppliers. So, you can get fruit and veg from Parisi, restaurant-quality meats from Haverick, and mussels and snapper from Poulous Bros — without having to make tracks to a supermarket. Each box comes with recipe idea from Alvarez, too. Merivale temporarily closed all of its restaurant and bars in late March, in response to the government's ordered close of non-essential indoor venues, while it worked out "how to best operate under the government's new takeaway and home delivery guidelines". Since then, it has launched Pick Up at Totti's and, now, Merivale at Home. To find out more and order from Merivale at Home, head to the website. Orders must be submitted by midnight Monday, April 6 to arrive on Thursday, April 9. Top images: Mr Wong, Bert's, Vinnie's and Totti's.
What was formerly humble CBD boozer The Bristol Arms Hotel is now unrecognisable following a no-expense-spared renovation that has transformed the 126-year-old corner pub into a five-level, six-venue nightlife hotspot. On the ground floor, a smart yet laidback bar and brewery still caters to the casual pub crowd while a state-of-the-art sports bar one floor down, with massive screens ensuring there isn't a duff seat in the house, offers the perfect spot to watch a match. Also on the ground floor is Ela Ela, a refined Greek diner from ex-Alpha chef Peter Conistis, who has conceived dining options for every space in The Bristol. Calypso, a classy nightclub complete with 200 disco balls, a next-gen sound system and cutting-edge soundproofing to keep the doof-doofs from invading other floors, takes over the first level. Above this is Midtown, an opulent cocktail lounge and jazz bar with one of the most luxurious fitouts of any new venue to open in Sydney this year. Finally, the jewel in The Bristol's crown is The Rooftop, a sunny, Mediterranean-styled bar with a menu of Greek street eats, three leafy al fresco terraces and a pretty pastel interior that wouldn't look out of place on the shores of Saint Tropez.
Calling all poorly dressed werewolves and bad fake blood jobs: it's your turn to step into the sun. This Halloween, Lost Disco is heading to the Greenwood Hotel's courtyard to deliver you an 11-hour, techno-house dance marathon. If you've attended a Lost Disco shindig before, you'll know what to expect: high production values, cutting-edge programming and a crowd that doesn't let anything stand in the way of a damn good time. And, given that it's Halloween, you can anticipate some surprises too. Topping the lineup is London's Mr. G, in live format, closely followed by Venezuelan-born, Barcelona-living Fur Coat. Then there's Australia's own dirty house and techno guru, DJ HMC (Late Nite Tuff Guy), all the way from Adelaide. Another 22 names round out the program, including Alan Thomas, B_A, Gabby, U-Khan and Mark Craven.
There's something rather cool about being ahead of the curve when it comes to cinema, watching the latest and greatest flicks unfold on the silver screen well before anyone else. Well, at Flickerfest Short Film Festival you can do just that. Yep, break out the popcorn, the internationally acclaimed festival is back at Bondi Pavilion from Friday, January 10 to Sunday, January 19, and there's a swag of world premieres on the bill. This year, the folks at Flickerfest received a record 3500 entries from more than 100 countries around the world, making the 2020 program a real doozy. More than 200 handpicked creative and inspiring shorts will screen throughout the ten-day festival celebrating some of the world's most talented filmmakers. The program is divided into categories, so you can catch all the flicks in the genres that interest you most — like comedy, romance, LGBTQI+ and documentary — or be sure you're seeing the very best Australian and International talent in one go. The selected films are vying for various Academy-accredited awards, including Best International Film, Best Animation and Best Australian Film. Head to Flickerfest's opening and closing night galas where you'll find some of the films' starring talent, plus plenty of food, drinks and entertainment at the festival bar overlooking Bondi Beach. There'll also be an award ceremony, a screening of some of the winning flicks and an after party. After the ten-day festival is done and dusted, the top flicks will hit the road, stopping off at more than 50 destinations across Australia, for an annual tour between January and May. To sweeten the deal, we've teamed up with Flickerfest to give away ten double passes. If you're keen to catch a flick for free, enter your details below. [competition]752674[/competition] To see the full Flickerfest 2020 program and grab tickets, head to the website.
If you've ever been stuck with the job of throwing away perfectly good food at the end of a hospitality shift, it probably won't shock you that Australian retailers are turfing over three million tonnes of food each year. Or that 80 percent of it is being chucked out simply because it wasn't sold. Thankfully, folks across the country are tackling the issue of unnecessary food waste head-on, with groups like OzHarvest and SecondBite built around the concept of redistributing unused food to the needy. And now, you can help fight the issue and save money on grub simultaneously, thanks to a new locally born app called Y Waste. Currently operating in Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, the app helps you locate businesses in your area that have surplus food to offload at the end of the day. You can then purchase it at a discounted price, paying via your smartphone and picking it up from the venue at the allocated time. Depending on which city you're searching in, you might find sandwiches and salads from the local cafe, unsold pastries from that nearby bakery, or even freshly made pizzas, all going cheap. The only restriction is that you have to take what's left — so if you're a picky eater or have dietary restrictions, this may not be for you. Sydney's offering includes Newtown's The Pie Tin, which is serving up a box of unsold pies for $2.90, Sol Coffee Bar in Campsie, serving up a mix of sandwiches and salads for $4, and Neutral Bay's Tonic Lane, which has mixed bags of cold and hot dishes going for $5. In Melbourne, you'll find venues like Coburg's Falafel House, serving up two falafels for $7, and Richmond's Fruscolino Pizza, with a large pizza going for only $9.90, in the lineup. In Brisbane, you can snag $5 pizzas at South Brisbane's Presto Pizza and $2.75 breads, sandwiches and muffins from 3Js Cafe in Woody Point. Now you can nab a budget-friendly feed and feel good about your efforts. The Y Waste app is available to for iOS and Android. Image: The Pie Tin, Newtown
Mix Mix Co is a Sydney food truck serving up highly photogenic Filipino desserts to the Sydney masses. Kim and Andy Ambrose — two Filipino chefs who moved to Australia back in 2013 — launched their "fiesta"-themed dessert trailer back in September 2019. Since then, it has rolled through food festivals like Parramatta Lanes, the Cake Bake Sweets Show and Parklands Food Fest. The trailer specialises in Filipino halo halo (which means 'mix mix' in Tagalog) — a popular shaved-ice dessert that's layered with sweetened beans, coconut strips and jellies, then topped with ice cream and a drizzle of evaporated milk. But, Mix Mix Co is also inspired by other Asian desserts and uses boba and jellies across its range of sweets, too. As well as conyelos (shaved ice desserts like halo halo) and palamig (shaved ice drinks), Mix Mix Co is plating up treats inspired by beloved Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee, such as its mango peach pie. This hand-held pie can act as a base for your ube soft serve, which is made from a brightly-coloured purple yam often used in Filipino desserts. As well as halo halo, conyelos come in flavours like mango and corn — although these change seasonally. For drinks, expect refreshing summertime options like coconut and pandan slushies, iced coffee milk teas and ube taho: a purple yam-flavoured silken tofu dessert topped with sago pearls. As the entire menu is seasonal, new items will be added in the coming months for winter, too. Mix Mix Co can regularly be found swirling its Instagrammable treats on Thursdays at Parramatta's Centenary Square and at Parklea Markets on weekends. Check out Mix Mix Co's monthly schedule on Instagram before tracking it down.
When Four Brave Women launched in Summer Hill in April, the restaurant opened with a simple but important aim. As well as serving up delicious food to inner west residents, it provides refugee women and families with the experience, skills and funds to launch their own businesses. Run by not-for-profit organisation The Trading Circle, the eatery offers eight-week placements to its budding chefs, who take on the responsibility of running the place during their tenure — including designing the menu, which changes with each new group. But two months taking care of buffet-style lunch and dinner offerings isn't always enough, so Four Brave Women also started longer barista placements to cover its breakfast service and coffee cart. Next, the outfit is opening a pop-up international bakery and catering company, in another continuation of its core mission. Located next door to Four Brave Women's existing spot in Lackey Street, it'll be overseen by refugee and migrant women who have already been working in the organisation's program. Zara from Iran, and Yulia and Iana from Ukraine and Russia will head up the bakery and work among the catering chefs. Officially launching on Monday, October 8, the bakery will open from 7am—3pm Monday to Saturday, boasting an array of sweet and savoury treats. Like the restaurant, its menu will be feature culinary favourites inspired by the heritage of its cooks. Zara is known for her bespoke cakes and Persian biscuits, while Iana and Yulia will bake specialties such as Ukrainian ricotta donuts, vegan pirozhki (a savoury Eastern European stuffed pastry) and medovik (a Russian layered honey cake). The bakery's temporary lease runs until December 31 — and as well as a wood-fired oven and a large commercial kitchen, it also features an extended outdoor courtyard next to the original Four Brave Women restaurant. For those eager to follow up their baked snack with a coffee or meal, the adjacent eatery will be focusing on dishes from Iraq, Kuwait and Turkey for the next eight weeks, under the guidance of Iraqi sisters Matheel and Vivian. Find Four Brave Women at 26 Lackey Street, Summer Hill. The neighbouring bakery opens on Monday, October 8, operating from 7am—3pm Monday to Saturday.
Stay tuned. More info coming soon.
2025 is going to be the year when Australia gets to see Oasis live again. And, after already announcing two Down Under shows on their reunion tour now that Liam and Noel Gallagher are happy to take to the stage together once more, the Manchester-born band has doubled their upcoming Aussie gigs. They're still only playing two cities, however, doing a couple of shows apiece in Sydney and Melbourne. Next year marks 20 years since Oasis last toured Australia, but that's where the lengthy gap between the band's Down Under shows is ending. There's comeback tours and then there's Britain's most-famous feuding siblings reuniting to bring one of the country's iconic groups back together live — aka the biggest story in music touring of 2024 since Liam and Noel announced in August that they were reforming the band, and also burying the hatchet. [caption id="attachment_975202" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Simon Emmett[/caption] Initially, Oasis locked in a run of shows in the UK and Ireland. Since then, they've been expanding their tour dates, also confirming visits to Canada and the US. From London, Manchester and Dublin to Toronto, Los Angeles and Mexico City, the entire tour so far is sold out. That's the story, morning glory — and expect Australian tickets to get snapped up swiftly for Oasis' four announced concerts. The Aussie tour starts on Halloween 2025 at Marvel Stadium in the Victorian capital, and now will also return to the same venue on Saturday, November 1. It's Sydney's turn in the Harbour City a week later, at Accor Stadium across Friday, November 7–Saturday, November 8 . [caption id="attachment_975205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oasis Knebworth 1996, Photo by Roberta Parkin/Redferns[/caption] Oasis broke up in 2009, four years after their last Australian tour, and following seven albums from 1994's Definitely Maybe through to 2008's Dig Your Soul — and after drawing massive crowds to their live gigs along the way (see: documentary Oasis Knebworth 1996). If you're feeling supersonic about the group's reunion, you can likely expect to hear that track, plus everything from 'Live Forever', 'Cigarettes & Alcohol', 'Morning Glory' and 'Some Might Say' through to 'Wonderwall', 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Champagne Supernova' when they hit Australia. Oasis Live '25 Australian Dates Friday, October 31–Saturday, November 1 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Friday, November 7–Saturday, November 8 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Oasis are touring Australia in October and November 2025, with Melbourne tickets on sale from 10am AEDT and Sydney tickets from 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, October 15. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Batiste Safont via Wikimedia Commons.
In 2020, early in the pandemic, the New South Wales Government released an interactive heat map showing the number of COVID-19 cases by postcode. It has been continuing to update it every day throughout the pandemic, handily. Also on offer on the NSW Government website, and also just as useful: a map that shows case locations in each area. The first of the two statewide maps delves into the total and active cases in each postcode, as well as the number of people tested and the area's total population. Thanks to colour coding — with areas designated specific hues depending on how many cases they have or how many tests have been completed — it's easy to see which parts of the state are considered hotspots. Crucially, for active cases, the postcodes are based on the location of a person's usual residence, not where they were when they contracted the virus — so, not all hotspots are immediately obvious. Not all of the cases linked to a cluster will live in the one area, for instance. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said at a press conference in May 2020 that highlighting these higher COVID-19 case areas will "give a good picture to people who might live in a hotspot to make sure they're extra cautious and come forward and get tested." Sydneysiders with even mild cold and flu symptoms are encouraged to come forward and get tested. The second map focuses on COVID-19 case locations — so, places that've been identified as exposure sites. It's similar to the popular COVID-19 Near Me website that does the same thing, but includes the number of cases that've been linked to each venue. Also listed: addresses, times and dates of relevance, and the actions you need to take if you've been to any of these locations. You can also click through from the postcode map to the case locations map, and then through to the list of exposure sites. So, you have multiple ways to find out where COVID-19 cases have been identified — and which suburbs have both exposure sites linked to the coronavirus and residents with the illness. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW and have a look at the COVID-19 maps, head to the NSW Government website. Images: The NSW Government COVID-19 maps as of Thursday, July 8.
Arisun's CBD eatery has long been a late-night favourite for big, rowdy groups sharing their signature beer towers and Korean fried chicken sets. In 2018, it expanded to Cabramatta. It may not stay open as late, but it offers the same extensive menu. You'd be remiss to overlook the fried favourite, which is really perfected by the house-made sauces on offer — including spicy garlic, shallots and wasabi, sweet, sour and spicy options. Choose from boneless or bone in (all $32) and make sure to keep the beer flowing. There's just something special about tucking into a big bowl of fried chicken with a cold beer, and Arisun has perfected this.
Nursing homes can be haunted places, filled with cobwebbed memories and inhabitants perched between worlds here and gone. They are also places of joy, of old tales retold and new friends made in the closing autumn years. Multidisciplined company, Theatre Kantanka, have spent the past year interviewing nursing home residents in order to reveal the secrets of the aged care world. Comprising a palette of backgrounds and artforms, the creative team behind Missing the Bus to David Jones brings new light to this part of our community, resulting in a production that visits a small part of the immense variety to be found in the elderly human condition.To win one of two double passes to Missing The Bus To David Jones, email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with the name of the play in the subject line.Photo by Joanne Saad
Suffocating repression and blind religious fervour underscore an atmosphere of stomach-clenching dread, in the much-hyped arthouse horror flick that took last year's Sundance Film Festival by storm. The disquieting debut of writer-director Robert Eggers, The Witch unfolds on the very edge of civilisation, where puritanical devotion inevitably gives rise to the very evil it so desperately fears. The Witch isn't a horror film in the way that modern viewers may expect, with Eggers mostly steering clear of graphic violence and sudden scares. Yet while the film's gnawing brand of terror may not be particularly immediate, its lingering effects are also far less easily dispelled. The film takes place in New England in the early days of pilgrim settlement, and concerns the unfortunate affairs of a family of colonists who find themselves exiled from their community for an unspecified religious offence. Travelling into the wilderness, they establish a farm on the edge of an ominous forest, only for further misfortune to befall them when newborn baby Samuel mysteriously disappears. As winter creeps closer and hope stretches thin, suspicion is cast upon eldest daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), who the rest of the family fear may have made a sex pact with the devil. On a production level, The Witch is immaculate. Close attention to period detail – from the threadbare costumes and setting to the carefully researched era-specific dialogue – lends the narrative an authenticity that in turn makes its supernatural elements feel uncomfortably real. A muted colour palette, dominated by greys, off-whites and faded greens, seems to drive home just how grim the family's situation has become, while leaving little doubt in our minds that evil lurks just around the corner. Combine that with a nerve-jangling orchestral score, and it's clear Eggers wishes to unsettle you from the moment the film begins, and leave you feeling that way for many hours after the house lights come up. He's aided in that eerie ambition by the fine work of his cast. As the family patriarch William, Ralph Ineson embodies the world-weariness and internal conflict of a man who believes it's his duty to provide for his family, but whose pride prevents him from seeing that he is leading them to ruin. As his wife Katherine, Kate Dickie captures the calcified intensity of a woman from whom all pity has been driven. So hard has been her life that even her religious conviction is rooted in bitterness. But it is to 19-year-old Taylor-Joy that all eyes will be drawn, her pale, striking features and compelling performance speaking to the true source of the film's terrifying power. For while Eggers makes it clear that there is indeed a witch lurking in the shadows of the woods, her supernatural powers are far less frightening than the threats – both real and imagined – that lie within the four walls of the farmhouse. The true terror of The Witch is that our family might turn against us, for reasons that are entirely beyond our control. The mere fact that Thomasin is a young woman is enough to make her the subject of suspicion, as Eggers explores in no uncertain terms society's ongoing fear of female sexuality. Tellingly, the film's mesmerising final few moments depict exactly what such a society fears most: a woman unchecked by repression, with full control of her body, finally embracing her dark, seductive powers to the ruin of the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQXmlf3Sefg
Bingo. Rave. Two ends of the spectrum of fine holiday fun finally came together in Australia a couple of years back. If haven't made it along yet, Bongo's Bingo is a games night like you've never seen before. Part club, part rave, and, of course, part bingo night, this unlikely fusion event has been wildly popular in the UK since 2015. It's hardly surprising that taking the show on the road — that is, launching Bongo's Bingo Australia — went well. And now, it's hardly surprising that is's coming back for yet another round either. [caption id="attachment_638028" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Dinosaur Designs.[/caption] Patrons can expect all of the debauchery of the original British version of Bongo's Bingo, including rave intervals, dancing on tables and a loose kind of bingo that you definitely never played with your nan (well, maybe you have). The victorious players can win everything from big cash prizes to a Hills Hoist, with a range of some absolutely ridiculous surprises on offer. Bongo's Bingo heads to Luna Park's Big Top Sydney on Saturday, February 22.
Rydges North Sydney has reopened its doors after an extensive refurbishment, unveiling a contemporary retreat designed for both business and leisure. Tucked down McLaren Street, the hotel promises quiet nights away from the hustle and bustle, but at only 50 metres from the Victoria Cross Metro station, you'll only be minutes away from Sydney Harbour and Circular Quay on the other side of the bridge — not to mention all the attractions around North Sydney. The transformation spans all 168 rooms and suites, including the new two-bedroom family rooms, which now feature bunk beds— a rare feature in hotels — as well as one-bedroom king suites (some with balcony) and a penthouse suite with stunning views across Sydney Harbour. Each room has been refreshed with neutral tones and a colour scheme inspired by local flora and the Australian landscape, with oodles of natural light and thoughtful additions like wireless charging next to the beds, creating a modern, tranquil atmosphere for guests. Rydges North Sydney now boasts North Sydney's largest conference and event space, with five newly designed meeting rooms. Spanning 399 square metres, the rooms are equipped with the latest audiovisual technology, making them ideal for corporate events, conferences, weddings and more. Guests can also enjoy the new Wattle Bar and Kitchen, which offers modern Australian dining, a fitness studio and secure underground parking—perfect for those who wish to travel by car but don't want to pay city parking fees. With its thoughtful design and prime location, Rydges North Sydney provides a stylish, comfortable base for exploring the city.
The Royal Botanic Garden will soon be home to a major new work by Aboriginal artist Judy Watson, which will grace the Tarpeian Precinct Lawn overlooking Bennelong Point. Just a couple of weeks after the Sydney Opera House unveiled a new series of First Nations artworks as part of its nightly Badu Gili light show, Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Governor David Hurley have announced plans for Watson's piece, bara. Honouring the the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — specifically the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation — the six-metre-tall piece is inspired by and named after the crescent-shaped fish hooks historically crafted and used by Gadigal women. With its curves and shimmering finish, the sculpture is also reminiscent of gleaming seashells, the harbour's natural coves and those iconic Opera House sails. Watson's striking piece is the fourth addition to the Eora Journey, a seven-part public art program created alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel, aimed at cementing First Peoples stories within Sydney's contemporary landscape. "Our community has made clear that they wanted meaningful recognition of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories in the public domain," the Lord Mayor said in a press release. "The artwork's prominent position overlooking Sydney Harbour reflects the cultural significance of this site and the deep connection of Gadigal people to Country." bara is slated to be completed by mid-2020.
Opened in 2015, the six-hectare, harbourside park is one of the newest public spaces built in Sydney's CBD. It was constructed on the land of a former container terminal, built to mimic the shape of the shoreline as it would have existed before colonisation. And the park is named for the leader of the Cammeraygal people, Barangaroo. When you're visiting Barangaroo, it's likely you're here to walk or cycle along the promenade, Wulugul Walk, which snakes around the harbour with distinctive sandstone blocks that you can climb over and sit on. There's also a large, elevated grassy area called Stargazer Lawn, which is where you can lay out a picnic blanket and watch the harbour boats sail by. And underneath that grassy lawn there's an expansive events space called The Cutaway, which houses markets, public art exhibitions and photoshoots, depending on the events calendar. It's one of the few city parks where you're permitted to bring booze for your picnic. You can also purchase food and drink from nearby restaurants, bars and shops in Barangaroo. You don't need to book a spot in advance, however, if you are looking to invite more than 50 people you need to enquire with Barangaroo Reserve's Events team. Note, there's limited shade in the park and no barbecues. However, there are drinking fountains and public toilets, plus parking. Image: Destination NSW.
At the tail-end of a year that's seen an unprecedented amount of hotels open across the country, one of Sydney's older establishments has scored a good-as-new refurbishment. Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, previously known as Sheraton on the Park, has undergone a mammoth $50 million refurbishment. As well as joining the brand's prestigious 'grand' series, the hotel has scored some modern new features after 25 years of operation. Catapulting it to luxury status, the five-star hotel on Elizabeth Street has had all 17 of its event spaces refurbished, as well as the 558 rooms transformed into more refined and deluxe residential experiences — think walk-in-robes, private floor access and complimentary cocktails. This doesn't come cheap, however — rooms start at around $270 a night and suites surpass the $1k mark. The hotel doesn't run shy of lavish experiences. Guests — or just anyone wishing to be spoilt for a few hours — can make a beeline for the Health Club for a massage, body or skincare treatment. And those after some fun in the sun (without having to hike it to Bondi) can escape to the rooftop pool or jacuzzi. The exclusive Sheraton Club Lounge on level 21 — reserved only for guests staying in Grand Executive suites — is another drawcard for cashed-up travellers. It's decked out with stylish furnishings and has uninterrupted views from the outdoor terrace, right across St Mary's Cathedral and out to Sydney Harbour. The hotel has its fair sharing of dining options, too. Choose from a seafood buffet at the hotel's restaurant Feast, high tea at the Gallery, or light eats and a cocktail from the Conservatory Bar, which was refurbed late last year. This latest renovation will help the Sheraton compete with newer hotels, like the Sofitel in Darling Harbour and the futuristic new Skye Suites. It could be a good excuse to lower your carbon footprint and be a tourist in our own city this summer — or at least drop in for a drink and peek inside. The Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park is now open at 161 Elizabeth Street, Sydney.
While kids may get excited about Santa coming down chimneys, Rudolph's red nose and magical gift-making elves, that doesn't mean Christmas has to be devoid of charm for us kidults. Head down to Moore Park this holiday season (kids in tow or not) and you'll find a Christmas-themed family-friendly extravaganza. Taking over the Entertainment Quarter for the first two weekends of December, the Sydney Christmas Fair will provide all the festive fun you could ask for. If you're keen to get a dose of adrenaline, tear your way around the dodgem cars, hop on a carousel and soar through the sky on the Wave Swinger. Or, check out the vast amount of Carnival-style games, then cool off by racing down a giant water slide. There'll also be a gingerbread house party, dress up competitions, creative workshops, photo ops with Santa and an outdoor cinema screening Christmas classics, naturally. There is a global pandemic to be mindful of, so expect extra hygiene facilities and social distancing measures to be in place during your visit. Pre-booking tickets is encouraged and you can do so over here. Sydney Christmas Fair is running from December 4–6 and December 11–13. It is open 5–7pm on Friday, 10am–9pm Saturday and 10am–4pm on Sunday.
Australians have an appetite for international cinema, with major cities across the country regularly hosting events like the Japanese Film Festival, which returns to theatres nationwide this October and November. Whether you're a film fest regular, more of a blockbuster-familiar audience member or are simply looking to expand your cultural worldview, you'll be able to catch the best of Japanese film and filmmakers on a big screen near you. "We're excited to bring a program that speaks to the breadth of Japanese cinema today," said Manisay Oudomvilay, Festival Programmer. "From historical sagas to intimate family portraits, contemporary thrillers to beloved manga brought to life, these films capture both the richness of tradition and the restless innovation of Japanese filmmakers." Leading this year's JFF program is Kokuhō, an Academy Awards-submitted title starring three of Japan's best acting talents — Ryо̄ Yoshizawa, Ryūsei Yokohama and Ken Watanabe — in a five-decade story of friendship and rivalry between two boys making a name for themselves in traditional kabuki theatre. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6-ZPGwmKk[/embed] This year's festival also features three titles from acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa. There's the sound-centric horror film Chime, an online resale-inspired thriller titled Cloud and a French-language remake of Kurosawa's Serpent's Path. Also featuring on the lineup are literary and pop culture adaptations. There's 6 Lying University Students, a story of a corporate recruitment test-turned psychological thriller, Petals and Memories, which adapts the prize-winning short stories of Minato Shukawa, and 366 Days, adapting the song of the same name by HY about two students trying to make careers in Tokyo's music and translation scenes. There's also the terrorist negotiation thriller Showtime 7, two unlikely allies teaming up to take down swindlers in Angry Squad: The Civil Servant and the Seven Swindlers, the surreal animated flick The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store, a contemporary post-COVID story in Sunset Sunrise, samurai drama Bushido, manga-adapting Cells at Work! and a retrospective series of Japanese films from the 1930s at various venues around the country. [caption id="attachment_1033101" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store[/caption] JFF 2025 is taking place in theatres and venues across Sydney from Wednesday, November 12 to Monday, December 1. Get the full program or tickets on the website. Top images: 'Cloud', 'Kokuhō'
Sometimes, you just need to get away from it all. And what better way to do that, than by escaping to your own private luxury villa, floating offshore from Sydney's famed Palm Beach? Lilypad, the northern beaches' lavish floating accommodation is reopening from February to the public, following a series of upgrades and refurbishments. The villa, which first opened in 2019, has been fitted out with a whole new design that pulls from Spanish and Mediterranean coastal villas. The spot has also scored some exciting new additions, including a completely solar-powered, on-board sauna. The new design is a pretty vast change from the previous look of the floating home, according to owner and designer Chuck Anderson. "We've made better use of the space to create a whole new feeling when onboard and I know returning guests, along with new guests will absolutely love it," Anderson says. The floating paradise has been built with respect for its natural environment, running entirely off solar power. And, it's been cleverly engineered to remain stable, while still embracing the natural movements and rhythms of the water below. After all, a bout of seasickness doesn't exactly scream 'luxury'. Inside you'll find all the comforts of a luxe home-stay from a full modern kitchen and king bedroom, to a wine cellar with access to a collection of Las Vino and Veuve Clicquot wines. The living space opens onto a deck on which you can sit and look out over the surrounding ocean while you eat or with a drink in hand. Topping off your time at the Lilypad is added resort-style luxuries like included meals with a private chef on request, champagne on arrival, a private boat for use to and from the villa, paddle boards and access to onboard massages. Bookings are available for one to five nights stay, with accommodation packages starting at $1800. Bookings are now open for Lilypad from February 2022 via the accommodation's website.
With The Lansdowne's live music room set to close down next month to make space for more hostel rooms, any chance to visit the iconic venue should be relished. One of the final gigs scheduled for the hallowed stage is local pop singer-songwriter Thandi Phoenix who will be performing at the Chippendale venue on Saturday, March 26, as part of Great Southern Nights. Phoenix has carved out her name as one of Australia's top dance pop exports through her powerhouse vocals and collaborations with the likes of Rudimental and Sigma. Last year, she blessed us with 'Overdrive', a huge club-ready track produced by Sydney dance legend Paul Mac, accompanied by a video that will have you raring to hit the dance floor. In support are the equally talented Rissa performing her spellbinding blends of pop and neo-soul, and local DJ Nes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dk20ks5NFY Great Southern Nights is facilitating a heap of gigs across Sydney and regional NSW, ranging from icons like Jimmy Barnes in western Sydney or Archie Roach performing in Wagga Wagga, through to smaller acts like hyped young R&B singer Liyah Knight headlining a night of local music and DJs at Zetland's 107 Projects. You can find the full program at the Great Southern Nights website. Top image: Tim Carrafa
The Lord Gladstone has been sold. But locals and lovers of the Chippendale stalwart can rest assured that it won't be changing — too much. Owner Paddy Coughlan has sold the business to his long-time business partner Benny Johnson and the bar's second-in-command Mitchell Crum. While The Forresters owner George Kazzi has bought the physical building, Johnson and Crum now own the Lord Gladstone name. Which means, according to Johnson, "you now have the two head guys at Lord Gladstone actually running the business". The duo isn't planning to veer too far from the pub's relaxed, good-times-for-all ethos, just expand on it. "I've been there since inception and nothing will dramatically change." says Johnson. "We just plan on activating all the spaces a lot more often." They include the upstairs art gallery Goodspace, which will host more regular events and intimate live music gigs going forward. Expect hip hop and punk garage acts to take to the stage in the upcoming months. First off the bat is an after party for Indigenous Australian rapper Briggs this Thursday, May 30, from 11pm, after his Vivid show at the Sydney Opera House. There are also plans to amp up the venue's party vibes, with Johnson currently in talks with local promoters. A full lineup is slated for June — though, exact party details are being kept under wraps for now. Crum will also bring his experience from the Oxford Art Factory and Redfern Surf Club into the mix, aiming to turn The Gladdy into more of a late-night destination. [caption id="attachment_723825" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Goodspace Gallery[/caption] In the kitchen, Head Chef Joseph Luamanu (The Carter, Pub Life Kitchen) will be turning out a menu inspired by the American South. While it's still being finalised, and won't be rolled out until early June, expect the likes of sriracha and maple-glazed chicken wings, chorizo and prawn jambalaya and a vegan roasted cauliflower in coconut curry. Existing pub classics like the cheeseburger and schnitty won't be going anywhere, either. As far as drinks go, the Gladdy will continue to cater to a wide ranging crowd. "We're a pretty traditional-style pub in that sense," says Johnson. "We're not trying to specifically target natural wine or craft beer drinkers." Johnson has been working closely with the Gladstone's former owner Coughlan for the past four years, with the duo also opening The Lady Hampshire (which Coughlan sold last year) and the Botany View Hotel together. Coughlan will now focus on his remaining pub — which earned an impressive revamp in 2017 — and his alcoholic lemonade business, Frank Strongs. As for the Gladstone, it will (mostly) be business as usual. "We want locals to know that The Gladdy is in good hands and it will continue to kick on with the same vibe," says Johnson. "Just expect a breath of fresh air from the guys who have been here from the start." Find The Lord Gladstone at 115 Regent Street, Chippendale. It's open from 11am–11pm Monday–Tuesday, 11am–midnight Wednesday, 11am–3am Thursday–Saturday and midday–10pm Sunday. Keep an eye on its Facebook page for upcoming events. Images: Chris Loutfy.
The famed works of artists like Monet, Renoir and Pissarro are set to make their way down under, with the Art Gallery of South Australia announcing it'll host a major French Impressionism exhibition curated by Paris' Musée d'Orsay. Featuring over 65 world-celebrated Impressionist works from the French museum's collection, Colours of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay will grace the gallery's Elder Wing from March 29 to July 29, 2018. Exploring the use of colour throughout the Impressionist movement, the exhibition is set to serve up a pretty sensational visual feast. Expect the luminous tones of Monet's La Pie (The Magpie), the rich blues and greens of Cézanne's French countryside imagery and the moody hues of Manet's Spanish-influenced pieces, alongside scores of other innovative nineteenth century masterpieces. With many of the works having never before travelled to the southern hemisphere, Colours of Impressionism is a huge coup for the Aussie art world, with director Nick Mitzevich calling it "the most important exhibition ever to be shown at the Art Gallery of South Australia." As the state's Premier and Arts Minister Jay Weatherill notes, "the works of artists such as Monet and Cézanne, for example, are so well regarded that this exhibition is bound to be very popular among Australians who would welcome the chance to see such an extensive display of Impressionist works in their own backyard." Colours of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay will exhibit at the Art Gallery of South Australia from Thursday, March 29 to Sunday, July 29, 2018. For more information, visit the gallery website. Image: Claude Monet, The Water Lilies Pond, pink harmony, 1900, oil on canvas, 90 x 100 cm, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France, ©photo Musée d'Orsay / rmn
In the long line of the immersive experiences, perhaps the most original is the classic murder mystery. If you were a big fan of Cluedo as a kid, you know how this one goes — a group of shady characters find themselves grouped together under suspicious circumstances, and that's when the ultimate crime is committed. The Australian National Maritime Museum invites guests to solve the crime at its one-night Murder at the Museum event, held on Friday, April 27. The experience will take you through the many rooms of the museum, giving guests a rare behind-the-scenes look at surveillance, interrogation, evidence and forensic rooms. Your group will be tasked with finding the murderer before it's too late. Since it's not a competition without prizes, there will be plenty of those in store, too — and they sound to be pretty legit winnings from the likes of Sydney By Sail and Alliance Française. Tickets are $65 for adults or $60 for students and groups of ten or more — a great excuse to get a big group of your friends together. The tickets include a drink on arrival, too, and you can nab 'em here.
Maleficent has a perception problem. Traditionally blamed for Sleeping Beauty's snoozing state, the evil fairy gained an on-screen backstory in 2014, which softened out her edges (but not her razor-sharp cheekbones, naturally). That leaves inevitable sequel Maleficent: Mistress of Evil in a tricky predicament. The movie's title dials up the character's supposedly unsociable ways; however, if Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) is now happily playing godmother to Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning), how nefarious can she really be? And if she's facing off against a seemingly kindly queen (Michelle Pfeiffer) who actually wants to start a genocidal war against all magical folk, well, she's hardly the most wicked creature in this film. You could say that Disney just chose the wrong name for this follow-up, but the movie's moniker is symptomatic of its generally muddled state of affairs. It's easy to see why this sequel exists — the first film made a quarter-billion dollars at the box office, and Jolie's casting as Maleficent is a dark fairytale dream — yet that doesn't explain why such little thought appears to have gone into it otherwise. Perhaps the powers-that-be assumed that audiences just want Maleficent to be somewhat evil, so they'll overlook the fact that the last flick (and the beginning of this one) establishes otherwise. Or, perhaps it was a case of trying to use the same formula by giving it the slightest of twists. Where Maleficent proved that its eponymous antiheroine wasn't really bad because she has a soft spot for Aurora, Mistress of Evil does the same by saying "hey, someone else is worse!" That someone, Pfeiffer's Queen Ingrith, comes into Maleficent's life when Aurora accepts Prince Phillip's (Harris Dickinson) marriage proposal. While Maleficent is wary at first, she's heatedly flapping her wings with disapproval after an awkward meet-the-in-laws dinner, where she's accused of working her wicked magic on King John (Robert Lindsay). Although Aurora is left distraught and confused, original screenwriter Linda Woolverton and newcomers Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue (TV's Transparent) ensure that viewers don't feel the same, spelling out exactly who's responsible for the sinister turn of events. After a run-in with a colony of fellow dark fairies (led by a wasted Chiwetel Ejiofor), the scene is set for Maleficent to do her worst against Ingrith — for the absolute best possible reasons. With its feuding royals, controversial nuptials and ill-motivated blonde queen, Mistress of Evil takes a leaf or several out of Game of Thrones' book — all while tasking its antagonist with trying to wipe out an entire race. Throwing homicidal xenophobia into the mix is designed to reflect today's times, rebuke toxic political structures and promote a message of harmony, but it's both bluntly and clumsily handled. This is a family-friendly flick, after all, so Disney doesn't seem to want to delve too deeply into such tricky terrain. It's still happy to use holocaust parallels to up the dramatic stakes, though. Under the direction of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' co-helmer Joachim Rønning, the movie's visuals also prove dull and lumbering, unless you like overblown CGI onslaughts. Of course, Mistress of Evil isn't the first big fantasy blockbuster that's forgone subtlety and ramped up its battle scenes, but it never escapes attention that the film didn't need to turn out this way. Jolie is once again a commanding delight as Maleficent, a role she relishes even if it barely stretches her Oscar-winning acting skills. Pfeiffer is equally as mesmerising as her increasingly deranged adversary — and, as she did the first time around, Fanning wears innocence well. After fleshing out its titular figure's tragic past in the initial movie, this sequel could've just let its three main talents go head-to-head. Indeed, Mistress of Evil is at its strongest when Jolie and Pfeiffer are trading withering barbs and glares, or when Jolie and Fanning are exploring their characters' complex mother-daughter dynamic. Cast-wise, it helps that they're in fine company, with Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton and Juno Temple returning as pithy pixies devoted to Aurora, and Sam Riley popping up again as Maleficent's shape-shifting offsider; however the film's three main ladies steal the show when they're just talking to each other. But, then the screensaver-like special effects start screaming for attention. The movie's swooping cinematography keeps repetitively flying over forests and castles, too. And, especially from its mid-point, Rønning repeatedly hits audiences over the head with the film's clunky themes. Instead of enchanting, it all just makes for average-at-best fairytale drama. Mistress of Evil is hardly cursed, but it won't send anyone leaping from their slumber. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU9zRfcTI-k
If you've ever wondered how variety can be the spice of life if simplicity is the ultimate in sophistication, it will do you good to head along to Sagra, one of Darlinghurst's most talked about Italian restaurants tucked inside a cute corner terrace on Stanley and Riley Street. With a juicy reputation in and around the eastern suburbs for unpretentious, humble Italian like Nonna used to make, on a menu that changes daily, you’ll soon understand how tasty this so-called paradox can be. Literally translating to 'festival' (of the small town variety), Sagra is owned and operated by head chef Nigel Ward (Lucio’s, Sean’s Panaroma and Trullo in London), and it’s safe to say the main attraction here, apart from the thoroughly inviting home-like and sparse-yet-still-cosy interior, is his philosophy of seasonally inspired food without the frills. Throw in traditional and cheeky Italian service with a genuine appreciation of the dishes in-hand, as well as knowledge of wines back home from The Boot, and you’ve got yourself plenty of reasons to nab a space at one of the 11 or 12 tables scattered inside. Luckily, you can book. When in Rome we began with a Negroni ($15) as we munched on the complimentary house-made bread and plump Sicilian green olives. Then one of the few long-term dishes made its way to our mouths: garlic soup (if, like on our visit, this isn’t displayed on the menu, definitely ask). Made from pureed Aussie cloves and olive oil, pepper, bread and cheese, this friendly little bowl packs a punch without any aftermath, smacking fellow diners in the face via your breath and their nostrils. The visible menu is divided between antipasti, primi (pasta) and secondi (main courses usually in the form of one meat and one fish). Skipping the antipasti in favour of the aforementioned favourite, we moved onto the pappardelle ($17) mingled with mascarpone, rocket and 'nduja (spreadable, spicy pork sausage) and some seriously good malfatti in sage butter (blob-like pasta balls literally meaning “badly formed”). Both dishes were perfectly proportioned, leaving plenty of room for the pork ($31), gemfish ($29) and rosemary potatoes ($7) that followed. The pig was tender and accompanied well with cabbage and verjuice salsa, while the thick white fish kept its natural flavour alongside cauliflower and heirloom carrots. Wine-wise our waiter helped us out with a powerful bottle of Italian Nebbiolo from the Piedmont region (also not on the menu). As we say here in Oz: too easy. At the end of the night and a little time poor, in search of something sweet we sadly had to substitute the house-made ice cream with a shot of thoroughly satisfying house-made lemoncello. But to be honest, after a couple of hours eating, drinking and generally being as merry as those fabulous Italians themselves, we’re not ashamed to admit “in search of something sweet” actually meant finding any excuse not to leave. Hey, simple variety. We love it.
When it comes to our long-lasting love affair with coffee, we all know this city prefers boutique fabulous over, say, evil green and white corporate giants intent on, if nothing else, killing tastebuds. Piccolo Me, however, a 100 percent Australian venture launched by brothers Roy and Charlie Hachem that aims to bring back some much needed "soul" to the chain industry, is pulling out some pretty quirky stops to help attract a crowd. And so far so good: it looks like those stops are bringing in the go. We decided to head along to Piccolo Me's Bridge Street store in the CBD (you can also find a fix on Castlereagh, as well as Macquarie Uni and Norwest Business Park by the way). The setup here is good, with a decent street-fronted waiting area complete with large counter, warehouse-inspired stalls and Connect Four if you're in between meetings and need to give the old feet and brain a rest. Otherwise you can pop round to the dining area, illuminated by some pretty nifty, diagonal bare bulb lighting, which features a cute plant wall with a multitude of green sprouts homed in self-branded black and yellow cups. As dining goes, there's nothing really that special on the menu – think all the usual carb and filling-based quick and tasty hunger killers. However, in these guys' defence, all said bread-based goods are sourced from The Bread and Butter Project (where 100 percent of profits go towards helping in-need communities), and more importantly, you don't really come here to eat. You come here to drink. On that front, another of Piccolo Me's philosophies focuses on local industry and sustainability, so your caffeine, in the form of organic Fairtrade beans only, is chosen from local roasters (a cup of Joe comes in at $3.50 for a regular and just $2 for a piccolo between the hours of 3pm and 4pm). But then there's the Nerdtella Bomb of Nutella, Nerds and milk; an evolution of Piccolo Me's initial Nutella mocha or hot chocolate that, as well as combining the Hachem brother's love of sweet treats, is so pop culture-tastic it received international attention from Huffpost Taste. Yes, it's very sweet and totally worth it if you need to binge on something ridiculous, but sadly no, it's not that amazing. You can certainly taste the tang of the nerds combined with the smooth, chocolately Nutella, but once the speckled brown nugget melts off its stirring stick, it clumps at the bottom. This is fine if you're sitting in, but on the go is not such a hot look. The gravitational behaviour of melted breakfast spread and lollies aside, however, we have to admit the team at Piccolo Me have done a fantastic job with their marketing. All you need to do is wander around the CBD circa 3pm and it won't take you long to see some busy businesswoman throwing back a black and yellow $2 afternoon saviour. And, if we're to believe all this soul and sustainability stuff too, then what else can we say? Piccolo Me, piccolo you.
Hot on the heels of Babylon opening its doors last week is Westfield Sydney's second sprawling rooftop venue. Duck & Rice is a 500-seat contemporary Cantonese restaurant with 1920s Shanghai vibes. Opening its doors yesterday, Wednesday, June 26, it boasts an expansive outdoor terrace, Asian-inspired cocktails and dim sum aplenty. The 400-square-metre venue spans multiple spaces including a restaurant, 200-seat bar and the aforementioned terrace. Head chef Kago Fong is plating up fresh seafood, dim sum and whole roast duck with plum sauce. Dishes you might find on the main menu include drunken pork knuckle, five spice beef shin with chilli vinaigrette and whole barramundi with pine nuts. For dim sum, there are pork and crab siu mai, saltwater duck and wild mushroom dumplings and scallop wontons with chilli. Get it all in the assorted dim sum basket or try one of the banquet menus ($50–88) for the full experience. [caption id="attachment_728587" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] The bar offers its own reduced menu until midnight daily, too. It includes the likes of buns stuffed with slow-cooked pork, crispy chicken wings slathered in kung pao sauce and XO fried rice topped with duck. The bar is, of course, also stirring and shaking Cantonese-inspired cocktails, courtesy of bar manager Luke Nicola (Mr Wong, Mercado). There's the Guns 'n' Roses (rum and spiced vermouth with strawberry and black rose tea) and the Spice Trade Punch #5 (star anise-infused cognac and Campari mixed with yuzu and pineapple). Plus, an old fashioned that uses black sesame-spiked rum and activated charcoal, and a spicy G&T with sichuan pepper gin. Absinthe and Chinese baijiu flights also make the cut, as do a whopping 28 wines by the glass and another 100 by the bottle — you can thank sommelier Simon Howland (Nomad, Catalina) for that bit. For those attempting Dry July, Chinese teas, house lychee and elderflower sodas and high-end mocktails are also up for grabs. [caption id="attachment_728584" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] The fit-out is the work of Brisbane-based architect firm Hogg & Lamb, and the design fuses traditional Chinese art with the art deco stylings of 1920s Hong Kong and Shanghai. Expect a glowing, glass-fringed bar top, Brazilian teak flooring, blue and gold wallpaper and tabletops made from oak and emerald marble. There's also marble tiling and a dedicated lantern room on the terrace —it features 250 handmade Chinese iron lanterns. Duck & Rice is the third Sydney venue for Mantle Group Hospitality, which also opened Babylon last week, as well as James Squires' restaurant and microbrewery, The Squire's Landing, in Circular Quay last year. Duck & Rice is now open at Level 7, Westfield Pitt Street, Sydney. Opening hours are 11am–midnight daily. Images: Steven Woodburn.
London's iconic Ministry of Sound Club is bringing its beats down under with the launch of a brand new EDM night in the Sydney CBD. Lighting up ivy on George Street each and every Saturday night, Ministry of Sound Club Australia will feature four rooms of music, a state of the art sound system, and a carefully crafted lineup of killer acts. They're calling it a "new era of clubbing in Australia", and at the risk of over-hyping it, they might just be right. MOS' Australian excursion will kick off with a bang, with an opening night set by Peking Duk. They'll be joined in the ivy Courtyard by local favourites Kinder, while US house legend Sandy Rivera, aka Kings of Tomorrow, takes over the Pool Club. "Ministry of Sound in London is a world-renowned venue and has been the destination for lovers of dance music for over 25 years," said Ministry of Sound Australia CEO Tim McGee. "We are now going to bring that same experience and ethos to Sydney...Ministry of Sound Club will be the ultimate destination for true lovers of dance music." For more information about Ministry of Sound Clubs Australia visit www.ministryofsoundclub.com.au. Image: Nathan Doran Photography
In the film festival space, it's one of 2020 big trends: forgoing a physical event this year and hosting online screenings instead. It's also a move that comes with an added benefit, opening up local events to a broader national audience. Sydney Film Festival has already done all of the above, and the Melbourne International Film Festival will do so come August —and, in the middle, it's Revelation Perth International Film Festival's turn. Without investing in a plane ticket and taking a trip across the country, east coast dwellers don't normally get to enjoy the west coast festival's distinctive lineup and vibe; however, thanks to its new Couched Online Film Festival, that's changing this year. Running virtually until Sunday, July 19, Couched is jam-packed with the types of titles that always make Revelation, in its in-person guise, stand out — aka the types of movies that don't often pop up elsewhere. Featuring more than 25 features, documentaries and shorts collections, the online fest's program is streaming on demand, on a pay-per-view basis, so you can pick and choose what you'd like to catch. You can also nab a pass and watch your way through everything. On the bill: Willem Dafoe grappling with existence at a the snowy bar in the out-there (and divisive at Berlinale) Siberia, the VHS-shot 80s-set throwback comedy VHYes, and magical-realist adventure Precarious. If you like films about films, look out for documentaries about Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, Czech filmmaker Milos Forman and the camp status held by 1985 horror sequel Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. Or you can watch a housewife step into making her own erotic movies in Aussie doco Morgana, explore the wild true tale of Cold Case Hammarskjöld, revel in the sounds of The Rise of the Synths, check out a few new local features and work your way through a four-film 'Black Voices that Matter' retrospective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCYAjkwZcd0 And, if you like what Couched serves up and you're eager for a WA holiday (and the border situation around the country changes in the next few months), Revelation is actually still planning to run as normal later in the year, from December 2–13. Couched Online Film Festival runs until Sunday, July 19, with films available to view online.
You may affiliate the industrial suburb of Rosebery with oversized storage warehouses and designer outlet stores; however, the area is becoming quite the dining precinct, abuzz with delicious eateries. And now that our favourite bakery/cafe Black Star Pastry has set up shop in the neighbourhood, it makes the detour through these concrete 'burbs even more worth it. Set in the Cannery alongside Kitchen By Mike, the cafe is sticking to the streamlined theme of Rosebery; exposed raw brick matched with high ceilings enhance the spacious warehouse feel. The sleek interior makes for a sophisticated space — a stark contrast to the cosy Newtown parent. But it also seems that eclectic vibe we know and love about Black Star is somewhat amiss here. The staff are slightly detached and not as engaged as those behind the counter in Australia Street. Nonetheless, there are some fluencies that we recognise, from the chalkboard menu to the DIY toast station, the Little Marionette coffee and trendy tattooed staff — even the little black description cards with silver handwriting in front of the treats are the same. Perhaps Christopher Thé and his team are at odds over what to do with all this excess room? We doubt it. The location may have changed, but the heavenly treats remain and we're loyal to the core. More space just means that we diners now have ample elbow room to throw our arms around in ecstasy over the incredible strawberry watermelon cake ($7.50). Our fellow patrons needn't fear anymore that their orange cake with Persian fig ($4.50 piece) or chocolate eclair ($5.20) will meet its fate with the floor. Elbows can stretch out here — jump for delicious joy all you like. Whereas the Newtown store is driven by cakes, here it's more about lunch and bread, courtesy of the woodfired oven. It's getting put to good use by roasting chicken for the pita pockets ($10) and daily salads (from $5); they've even experimented with beetroot bread. The goat's cheese and roast tomato sandwich ($10) is lacking a real punch, however — maybe they're attempting to lay the focus on how great the sourdough is. Take home a loaf for only $8. But who comes to Black Star for a sandwich anyway? Lest we forget what we really love about Black Star: the signature flaky pastries such as the boozy almond knot ($4.80); quiches like the mushroom and feta that have that well-balanced eggy wobble ($6.50); and the pies ($8) that give you a good excuse to never make your own. As always, the lamb shank and red wine pie ($8) is a hot-seller. Best be quick. And butter me up and call me a cake, there's nothing like the sweet favourites: bread and butter pudding ($6.80) with dreamy Anglaise, the wonderfully rich chocolate hazelnut torte ($6.80), the coconut covered lemon myrtle chiffon cake ($4.80 piece) that is so ridiculously light and spongy it feels like you're eating velvet, and a zen garden ($7.50) — a pistachio, lemon and white chocolate layered cake is a Zen garden, in your gob. To wash down all the glorious sweet and savoury delights, the house-brewed iced tea ($4) or cold drip coffees ($4) are ideal accompaniments. Need we say more? Despite the the Rosebery branch being somewhat stark in comparison to the familiar Black Star that we have fallen head over heels with, don't let that deter you. The famed patisserie is still knocking us over with its exquisiteness. So warm your arms up in anticipation for that elbow-extending frenzied delight.
UPDATE, October 7, 2021: Due to lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne in 2021, Pinot Palooza has postponed its 2021 event until 2022. This article has been updated to reflect that change. Master sommelier Madeline Triffon describes pinot noir as 'sex in a glass'. Winemaker Randy Ullom calls it 'the ultimate nirvana'. Broadway wannabe Titus Andromedon loved it so much he compares it to 'caviar, Myanmar, mid-size car' (see below). No wonder the good folk at Revel — who've also brought Malbec Day and Mould our way — are coming back to town with Pinot Palooza, an epic travelling wine festival celebrating all things peeeno noir. For just two days, Sydney wine connoisseurs will have the chance to sample more than 100 drops, direct from Australia and New Zealand's best producers. Whether you're a newbie who wants to start with something light and inviting, or a pinot pro ready for the biggest, most complex mouthful on the menu, there'll be an abundance of selections at either end — and plenty along the spectrum, too. If, at any point, you need to take a pause in your tasting adventures, you'll be catered for. Pinot Palooza will hit Carriageworks on Friday, June 17 (from 4.30–8.30pm) and Saturday, June 18 (from 11am–3pm and 4–8pm). Tickets are $65, and include all tastings and a take-home wine glass. https://youtu.be/A6yttOfIvOw
Gang, pronounced 'gung', is a creative network of artists from Sydney and Java. Taking their name from a variety of references — mostly the vernacular of both countries, such as the word for 'laneway' in Indonesian and closer to home 'gung-ho' (as in, gung-ho about Java!) — Gang are a fluid, free-loving group of artists doing their thing. They get together, they manage festivals, they talk and they rig. What was that? Yes, they rig. The newest incarnation of Gang includes their commercial enterprise: rigging for the arts industry. It is an interesting aside — an arts collaborative attempting to seek financial sustainability through the provision of services — perhaps not so gung-ho hippy after all. Unfortunately, this element of their team sits rather uncomfortably as it inhabits such a large presence throughout the exhibition at Gaffa. With a screen dedicated to stills of their rigging work, as well as business cards strewn throughout the galleries, we end up feeling like the whole exercise is just that — a marketing exercise. I don't wish to be totally dismissive of this decision as I was thoroughly impressed to find artists stretching the limits of that age-old struggle of how-to-make-a-living, but I don't necessarily want to have it stare me down amongst the glare of the white walls of a gallery. And yes, I am well aware of the stupidity of the above tirade because what is an exhibition but a marketing exercise for the artist? And secondly, of course the artist and art in general is totally dependent on the capitalist market. Oh, money. Us artists generally don’t like to talk about it, just count it in our bedrooms at night. In the dark. Anyway, if you haven't been down to the towering four-storey 19th century police station that is the product of the hard work of the ambitious crew at Gaffa, then make time during your lunch break today. With a wonderful street-side cafe, a fresh location for the in-house jewellery store and The Arcade Project shops opening to new vendors, it is just the right time to catch a glimpse of the vision that can be achieved when artists sit down to dream.
One of the most prominent events of its kind outside of China, the Golden Koala Film Festival is back for another year. With engagements in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, this annual festival will once again showcase a selection of critically acclaimed Chinese movies — including multiple Australian premieres. A black comedy about a reformed gangster who decides to open a kindergarten, Uncle Victory won the Grand Jury Prize at last year's Shanghai Film Festival. Other standouts include Tsang Tsui Shan's multigenerational documentary Flowing Stories and the critically acclaimed drama Blue Sky Bones (shot by award-winning Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle). All films in the program will compete for the prestigious Golden Koala Award, which is bestowed by a jury of Australian filmmakers. Best of all, because the festival is designed to promote Chinese cinema, all the screenings are absolutely free.
MOP is a good gallery - one of the best artist-run space's in Sydney in my opinion. Evidence of this can be seen in the artists that exhibit here, but it might also be due to the fact that the standardized curatorial hand does not press too heavily on the exhibitions themselves (after all, curators don't make art, artists do). To this end, established and emerging artists often exhibit together without it being a 'strategy' or 'generational connector', mediums do not have to match and each artist is often working from a different history or set of concerns. A good example of this diversity can be spotted in the upcoming lineup: Jai McKenzie, Gary Carsley and Kate Williams. McKenzie re-visits underachieving 20th Century utopian propositions in a new installation Used Future, Carsley expands on his very own brand of cosplay-inspired iconography in Display Sweet, and Williams presents her fractured sculptures that directly address our perception of space and self in Twisted Logic. It's certainly a varied group, but if there are links to locate here you'll be able to think through them yourself. This is art served straight up. Image: Jai McKenzie
There's always something going on in Sydney's nightlife labyrinth, YCK Laneways. This September, the buzzing venues around York, Clarence and Kent streets are painting the town negroni red. To mark Negroni Week's 13th global celebration, the CBD precinct is teaming up with Italian aperitif, Campari, to bring Sydneysiders a month-long negroni festival. Across the month, participating venues throughout YCK Laneways will be slinging three creative spins on the world's best-selling classic cocktail, including a signature negroni, a non-alc take, and the bartender's choice. Wondering which bar to head to first? At PS40, they're known for unexpected cocktail concoctions that include their own house-made sodas. Around the corner at Since I Left You, hang out under the fairy lights in the bar's atmospheric courtyard, while soaking up live music on the Garden Stage. Or at Jolene's, you can enjoy a Nashville-style take on a bar, with live country and western gigs throughout the week. While you're exploring the bars and sipping your way through each cocktail variation, you'll also stumble across live jazz music, roving performers, a a chance to win prizes with every negroni purchase. Plus, the laneways will be lit up with Lightstream, a new public lighting artwork that transforms the area into an immersive playgrounds. It all leads up to the official Negroni Week — running Monday, September 22 to Sunday, September 28 — which raises proceeds for Campari's charity partner, the Slow Food Negroni Week Fund. This fund supports a range of scholarships, awards and grants, so you'll know every sip goes towards something greater. We've all seen the Italian aperitif on cocktail menus. But did you know the negroni — made with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari, stirred over ice and served with an orange slice — dates back to 1919? The cocktail was named after Count Camillo Negroni, who asked a bartender to strengthen his Americano by swapping soda water for gin. Over a century later, the negroni remains a global favourite, loved for its bitter, sweet and botanical flavours. So, if you're going to raise a glass this spring, make sure it's red — because there's no Negroni without Campari. YCK Laneways' Negroni Month runs throughout September 2025 at Burrow Bar, Cash Only Diner, Esteban, Kahii Kissaten, Button Bar, Kuro, Next Door, Papa Gedes, Roast Republic, Since I Left You, Stitch Bar, The Barber Shop, The Duke of Clarence, Vinabar, Jolene's, Little National Hotel, PS40, Uncle Ming's. Head to the website for venue maps and drink menus. Please remember to drinkwise.
In the Bram Stoker vampire novel that's inspired almost all other vampire novels, Dracula is undead. In popular culture since and forever, the fictional Transylvanian bloodsucker will never die. Regardless of his fate on the page back in 1897, the most-portrayed character in horror movies ever keeps baring his fangs on-screen, rising again and again like the sun that this creature of the night can never bask in. 2023 brings two new Dracula films, which isn't overly notable, but this crop of Stoker-influenced flicks doesn't simply retell the usual 126-year-old tale. Leaning into comedy and action, Renfield sunk its teeth in by giving the vampire's long-suffering familiar some love. Now the dread-dripping Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter hones in on one chapter of the book that started it all, detailing the captain's log from the neck-munching fiend's journey to London via ship. In print, this stint of seafaring isn't Dracula's main focus. In adaptations upon adaptations over the past century, sometimes it isn't even included — or, if it does pop up, it's often a montage or a passing mention. The watery trip glistens with horror-movie potential, however, boasting a specific setting, a captive group, and an ominous force stalking and slaying. Slasher films, haunted-house fare, Jaws, Alien: they've all fed on such scenarios. Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter has spent decades in various stages of development, cycling through a feast of various talents, but bringing this Dracula chapter to the screen was always a sound idea. While the end result doesn't star Noomi Rappace (You Won't Be Alone), Ben Kingsley (Daliland), Jude Law (Peter Pan & Wendy) or Viggo Mortensen (Thirteen Lives) as previously floated, and isn't directed by Robert Schwentke (The Captain, Allegiant), Marcus Nispel (Conan the Barbarian, Friday the 13th) or Neil Marshall (The Lair, Hellboy), a solid concept with eerie, moody and gory potential remains at its core. Leading instead: Corey Hawkins (In the Heights) as physician Clemens, Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale) as stowaway Anna and Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) as Captain Eliot. The former hops onto the latter's ship in Eastern Europe, where a promised job falls through due to his race, forcing a pivot onto the Demeter's crew to return to England. Clemens isn't the only new boarding, with the vessel also welcoming 50 unmarked crates from the Carpathian Mountains. Given that the film is named Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter Down Under — elsewhere, it's known as just The Last Voyage of the Demeter — there's no surprises about what's among the cargo. So, as initially told in Dracula's seventh chapter, in the epistolary format of letters, journals and clippings that Stoker's tome deployed across the entire novel, the key contents of those mysterious wooden chests soon begins offing fellow seafarers. As it relishes gothic-horror chills and, later, gruesome blood spills, there's a full-circle air to the latest film by Trollhunter, The Autopsy of Jane Doe and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark director André Øvredal. Of course Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter feels like Alien but Dracula, or Halloween with the nape-chomping Count — all visions of slaughter at sea owe his acclaimed text's 'The Dailygraph' segment a debt, and all slasher flicks owe Stoker's book as a whole. Bragi F Schut (Escape Room) and Zak Olkewicz's (Bullet Train) screenplay isn't quaking about those similarities. It isn't afraid of unfurling a narrative with zero tension about its outcome, either, because Dracula's time in London is already that well-covered. Indeed, after commencing with the end that's so deeply established, the bulk of the movie arrives as flashbacks, as lifted from Eliot's log, of the infernal odyssey that eventuates whenever "a man, tall and thin, and ghastly pale" — aka a Nosferatu-esque Dracula (Javier Botet, His House) — awakes from coffin. Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter's script is an invitation to its filmmaker, then: take this setup, with its familiar situation, famous monster and foregone conclusion, and make it an old-school frightfest through atmosphere, execution and investment in characters. Øvredal largely obliges. Exactly what the audience knows will happen does — regardless of how intimate you are with the source material, or past Drac outings, or not — but this isn't a mere water-treading viewing experience in the Norwegian director's hands. How creepily and compellingly this story is splashed across the screen is as crucial as the plot details. So is the film's willingness to let its antagonist terrify, plus its eagerness to flesh out its pivotal humans. Enlisting Botet, who was also a menacing presence in Mama, Crimson Peak, IT, Insidious: The Last Key and Slender Man, helps. In avoiding relegating Clemens, Anna, Eliot, his grandson Toby (Woody Norman, C'mon C'mon) and first mate Wojchek (David Dastmalchian, Oppenheimer) to just prey and pawns, the rest of the cast also assists. The ins and outs of Schut and Olkewicz's script see the science-minded Clemens set sail, clash with the Demeter's crew over their faith in myth and superstition — they're also not fussed about his attire or smooth hands — then try to hunt down the creature that's leaving a red-streaked body count. The film's narrative also chronicles Anna's shock appearance mid-voyage, as well as a cat-and-mouse game as the living endeavour to stop the undead. Øvredal's committed direction, plus discerning cinematography (by Mortal's Roman Osin and The Ice Road's Tom Stern), production design (Edward Thomas, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions) and composing (Bear McCreary, Foundation), showers that doomed journey with unease. As the helmer's filmography already attests, he knows the horror genre's basics inside out. And, he's equally aware that textured performances leave a mark, whether Hawkins is conveying why believing in the rational is so important to Clemens, or Franciosi is expressing pain and perseverance, or Cunningham embodying down-with-the-ship dutifulness. As it charts its carnage-filled cruise, Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter isn't an origin story but an in-between story. "In-between" sums up the picture overall, too. It lingers in the middle of Hammer flicks and Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula. It is gleefully keen on bloodshed, but also frequently refined in look and feel. Øvredal's feature is enthusiastic about staking its own claim; however, as too much does lately, it goes to great efforts to spark a follow-up — and attempt to resurrect Universal's monster movies after 2014's Dracula Untold and 2017's The Mummy failed. (Consider Renfield and Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter's swift-in-succession releases the studio giving itself two new tastes.) This trip with ol' Drac never sinks, yet it also doesn't truly soar. For the bloodsucker himself over this particular journey, that's a welcome outcome. For viewers witnessing a literary masterpiece given a different big-screen spin after its packed history, it's enough to bite into.
Birds chirp, rainbows form and the sun shines a little brighter when the Sydney Dog Lovers Show comes around. And in 2021, it's returning for another year of pats, licks and parades on the weekend of Saturday, August 7–Sunday, August 8. Once again, it'll take place at the Sydney Showgrounds — and yes, the dedicated puppy cuddle zone is returning. The Sydney Dog Lovers Show will see thousands of dedicated pooch fans celebrating the noble four-legged monarch of human companionship. There'll be dozens of furry friends available for adoption from dozens rescue groups across NSW in the adoption zone, where you can learn up on what's actually involved with the process. Plus, DockDogs will be back, featuring a competitive long jump and high jump for talented dogs who want to flop into a pool of water. Dogs, amiright? But hold up — you came here to cuddle pooches. We're getting there. Punters can make their way to the Pat-a-Pooch zone to cuddle up to a wide range of Australia's most loveable and popular breeds from puppy to adult dogs — we're talking uppity dachshunds to fluffball samoyeds. This has undeniably been the main attraction of previous year's events, and gives kitten cafes a run for their money. There's plenty more happening over the two days of furry friended fun. Not sure which type of pooch is perfect for you? Sign up for a Pawfect Match session where you'll be paired with your ultimate dog breed. Already found your tail-waggin' soulmate? Get some expert tips on training, behaviour, first-aid and nutrition in seminars by some of Australia's big name vets.
