UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 — Due to public gathering restrictions related to COVID-19, Surry Hills Library is temporarily closed for general access. However, you can reserve books online and collect via a contactless service between 11am–3pm, Monday to Friday. Surry Hills Library has quite a few things going for it. First: the collection, of course. Surry Hills Library has a huge selection of books, magazines, DVDs and CDs, with a special focus on fashion and design and LGBTQI titles. Second: the events. Owing to its broader role as a community centre, the library has a constant roster of workshops from cooking to coding. Its Late Night Library series — a program that includes evening debates, film screenings and readings of the more risque persuasion — has had popular growth over the years, inspiring a number of spin-offs. Third: the design. Whether architecture is your bag or not, the building is undoubtedly impressive. Following its construction in 2009, the site has won a slew of design awards particularly in relation to sustainability. The iconic timber panelling controls internal lighting, while the glass atrium draws in outside air to be filtered, cooled and distributed throughout the building. It makes for a welcoming space for many tasks: studying, reading, relaxing. Image: Leticia Almeida.
Baked Patisserie is one for the south Sydney folks. Nestled in the industrial area of Kirrawee, this family-run business is the type of cake shop every Sydney suburb wishes it had. Baked Patisserie was an early adopter of the 'cronut' craze. It occasionally sells them, including a lamington version for patriotic sugar fiends. Filled doughnuts are also on offer, and they are everything you want in a sweet treat: pillowy-soft dough with a creamy filling (in classic flavours like cookies 'n' cream, Nutella and vanilla bean custard) and covered in sugar. Bring on the sugar high and immediate crash. Baked Patisserie makes cakes to order, too, so next time your four-year-old nephew wants a Hulk-themed cake for his birthday, you know who to call.
Originally a travelling pop-up store, the high-end boutique Desordre has now firmly planted its designer heels into a lovely spot in Darlinghurst's fashion hub. Although small in size, the store is full of both up-and-coming and well established Australian and international designers. Its rails are filled with eye-catching jackets, elaborate dresses, shoes and accessories, so you can kit yourself out in its cool style from head to toe. On the lookout for a particular label? You'll find the likes of Dion Lee, Hellessy, Poster Girl and Nagnata here. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Recently opening the Sydney Film Festival to great buzz, 20,000 Days on Earth is a documentary that's fiction. It imagines the 20,000th day on earth of singer and raconteur Nick Cave, and it's a day that includes him talking to his shrink, recording an album, helping archivists make sense of his historical record, lunching with his pals, driving Kylie Minogue around Brighton, and playing at the Sydney Opera House. A pretty great day, by any standards. Instead of clarity and chronology, what you get is a fragmented sense of biography that you have to put together yourself, or let wash over you as a series of impressions, sensations and enraptured moments. Artists-turned-directors Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard have basically conjured a new format here, made sweeter by the flair and flamboyance Cave brings. 20,000 Days on Earth is in cinemas on August 21, and thanks to Madman Entertainment, we have ten double in-season passes to give away in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=a8vy-DO-I5E
From its picturesque spot at the foot of the Snowy Mountains, Three Blue Ducks Nimbo is getting ready to take diners on a paddock-to-plate journey through the many delicious regions of Italy this winter. This June, the acclaimed regional restaurant will launch Regioni d'Italia – Chef Frankie's Italian Food Tour, a monthly long lunch series that celebrates the diversity of the nation's culinary traditions. The first lunch takes place on Saturday, June 28, and they'll be happening until the end of October. At $69 per person, each edition includes a snack and three share-style courses, with each menu showcasing flavours from specific Italian regions. Wines will celebrate the best of both worlds, with each lunch featuring a specially curated wine list highlighting Australian producers of Italian varietals. [caption id="attachment_1008914" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cut Above Productions[/caption] The series begins with an ode to Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the alpine-meets-Adriatic region where Head Chef Frankie Mauro grew up. His deeply personal menu will feature dishes inspired by his family heritage and anchored with bold mountain flavours. Highlights include slow-cooked pork sausage with pickled turnip — which Mauro name-checks as "one of my favourite things in the world to eat" — house-made pumpkin gnocchi with cultured butter and sage, and gubana, a traditional northern Italian fruit-and-nut cake soaked in rum. "Friuli, where I'm from, has food that's rich, bold and shaped by the mountains," says Mauro. "My dad's side of the family were farmers, so we were raised around hunting, butchering, and curing meat. These dishes carry memories for me, and it's special to be able to share that with guests." The regional road trip won't stop at Friuli. Future events will spotlight the food of Emilia-Romagna, Trentino-Alto Adige, Tuscany and more, allowing diners to explore some of Italy's lesser-known culinary landscapes. "This series is a chance for me to show that Italian food is about so much more than pizza and pasta," says Mauro (pictured below). "Each region has its own identity, its own ingredients, its own soul." Three Blue Ducks Nimbo is located within Nimbo Fork Lodge, a boutique hotel near Tumut and a scenic four-hour drive from Sydney. The riverside property boasts luxe farmhouse-style cottages and suites, perfect for anyone wanting to turn their Italian dining journey into a full weekend escape. Regioni d'Italia – Chef Frankie's Italian Food Tour will take place on the last Saturday of each month from June to October 2025. The series takes place at Three Blue Ducks at Nimbo Fork Lodge, 330 Nimbo Road, Killimicat. For more information, head to the venue's website.
Tents at the ready: when 2023 ends and 2024 begins, there are few better ways to spend it than dancing and camping at southeast Queensland's Woodford Folk Festival. This isn't just a fest. It's a pop-up Moreton Bay village filled with live music, arts and culture. And it's returning for another year with a heap of well-known Australian — and Brisbane — names. Throwing back to the late 90s and early 00s, Regurgitator, Custard and Resin Dogs will all take to the Woodford stage between Wednesday, December 27, 2023–Monday, January 1, 2024 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. Also hailing from Brissie, along with plenty of the festival's attendees each year: Kate Miller-Heidke. Woodford 2023–24's roster of talent includes Ben Lee, Gretta Ray, Isaiah Firebrace and Kasey Chambers as well, on a list that spans more than 400 acts and 1834 shows. So, across the fest's 27 performance spaces, there'll be no shortage of things for the expected 120,000 people attending to see at Woodfordia's 500-acre parklands space (which now boasts a lake) — whether they're among the 25,000 folks who can stay onsite or just hitting up the event for the day. Accordingly, whoever piques your interest, or even if you're just keen on a Woodford experience — for the first time, tenth or 36th, because that's how many fests the event has notched up now — prepare to catch a heap of bands, wander between arts performances and get a little muddy, all around 90 minutes north of Brisbane. As always, the fest's lineup also features circus, cabaret, yoga, dance, comedy, spoken word, poetry, comedy, films, workshops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Keen to have a chat while your clothes was at The Blak Laundry? Learn to weave baskets with Kris Martin? Get giggling to talents curated by Sandeep Totlani? Hit up the Queer Ball's third year? They're some of the other standouts. Tickets are already on sale, with more highlights from the 2023–24 lineup below — and you can check out the full list of acts and activities on the Woodford website. WOODFORD 2023–24 LINEUP HIGHLIGHTS: Regurgitator Custard Resin Dogs Ben Lee Kate Miller-Heidke Isaiah Firebrace Kasey Chambers Mo'Ju Gretta Ra Odette Yirrmal A.Girl AFRO DIZZI ACT Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham The East Pointers Haiku Hands Leah Flanagan Borroloola Cultural Songwomen featuring Dr Shellie Morris AO Bumpy FourPlay String Quartet Yirinda Charlie Needs Braces Mitch King DancingWater ALPHAMAMA Jack Davies & the Bush Chooks Charm of Finches Dougie Maclean Assynt Ryan Young Hannah Rarity Dallahan Lisa O'Neill Andy Irvine Making Movies Rizo Božo Vrečo The 2023–24 Woodford Folk Festival runs from Wednesday, December 27, 2023–Monday, January 1, 2024 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. For more information, head to woodfordfolkfestival.com Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
Fully functioning gents’ barber shop and warehouse style bar, named (wait for it) The Barber Shop, is bringing old school back to Sydney CBD this Thursday, and every Thursday thereafter, with the Barber Shop Sessions: a mixture of close shaves, cocktails and live jazz. Opened last year by ex-Merivale head honcho and award-winning mixologist Mike Enright, this seriously nifty bar is a literally hidden gem on York Street offering a bright, white front of house where you can relish in the aforementioned professional services before sliding back a stainless steel door to reveal a dimly lit playground housing 30+ gins (including one on tap), a brooding atmosphere and now live house-acid jazz fronted by talented vocalist Wallace Gollan. Get in early and book yourself a cut with the barber and you’ll receive a complimentary cocktail and shoe shine. Talk about cool.
Adam Long knows how to print. It's just that the things he prints don't stop at the second dimension. Adam is one third of the Sydney laser-cutting print-shop the Beehive, and as part of the Oxford Street Design Store's ongoing push to educate you about interesting things, the second instalment of their A Guide to... series brings you A Guide to... Lasercutting and 3D Printing. As well as deftly burning images and shapes onto two-dimensional things — evident in their Panda-loving Kickstarter project — the Beehive is also au-fait with the methodology of piling on more layers to print objects out into a third dimension. Adam's short, sharp explanation of the joys of printing along the third axis should leave you hungry for a future that seems to be coming quicker than planned. RSVP via the Facebook event. https://youtube.com/watch?v=5jTxJ1fBKbQ
It's a decades-old inner-west tradition: watching the Newtown Jets' home footy game from up on the hill at Henson Park, that is. But things have been dialled up a few notches over the years with the introduction of The Beer, Footy & Food Festival. After a two-year pandemic-related hiatus — and then multiple weather-related postponements — the beloved festival finally returned in 2022. And, the Jets and The Music and Booze Co even backed it up this year, introducing Welcome Day in collaboration with Heaps Gay, a day of footy, cocktails, food and music where everyone is welcome. The Beer, Footy & Food Festival is still returning, however, on Saturday, July 22. A good time for footy lovers, foodies and everyone in between, the event is set to dish up a huge afternoon of family-friendly fun. As well as the match-up between the beloved Newtown Jets and the Sea Eagles, you can expect a celebration of another Inner West triumph: craft beer. Keep that thirst in check with drops from 34 different brewers, including Grifter, Philter, Wayward, Curly Lewis, Freshwater Brewing Co, Batch, Yulli's Brews, Young Henrys, Hawke's, Frenchies, Better Beer and a heap more. The festival always serves up a top-notch selection of food vendors as well, with Inner West favourites like Baba's Place, Pepito's and Happy As Larry all appearing in the past. Plus, this year Heaps Normal and The Great Club are putting on a music-filled after-party in Marrickville. Sydney bands Mac the Knife, Jet City Sports Club and Mannequin Radio will all be performing at The Great Club, located just a few hundred metres from Henson Park. If you're heading down, make sure you pack your footy so you can take part in the post-match kick-around on the hallowed turf of Henson Park. Images: Tom Wilkinson.
The Chau Chak Wing Museum is all about bringing the past and present together. Not only does its collection range from ancient artefacts to contemporary art, but the exhibits themselves use advanced technology to bring historical stories to life. The museum's latest free exhibit is no exception, featuring an array of cultural objects presented alongside a stirring soundscape. On now, Tidal Kin: Stories from the Pacific explores an unfamiliar segment of history. The exhibit shares the stories of eight Pacific Islander visitors who arrived in Sydney during the 18th and 19th centuries against the backdrop of an evolving port city. From the arrival of Tahitian navigator Tupaia and the HMB Endeavour in 1770 to the introduction of the White Australia Policy in 1901, the period was rife with bustling commerce, tumultuous power struggles and changing policies. Learn about their journey through a special visual and auditory experience — explore objects like a ceremonial yam bag, conch trumpet or decorated cloth while immersed in audio recorded by the Pacific Islanders' descendants in their native language. Tidal Kin: Stories from the Pacific is on now. Get more details at the Chau Chak Wing Museum's website. All images: David James
No weekend away is complete without securing a dreamy spot to sleep. Book yourself a bed at the Little National Hotel Sydney to guarantee the luxury you seek is at your fingertips. Every one of the 230 rooms comes with a comfy king-sized bed pushed up against the window so you can stare out over Sydney's laneways. The rooms may be compact but they are filled with everything you need from super-king-sized beds and free movies to T2 Tea and fluffy robes. Plus, there are Nespresso machines, APPELLES products and free wifi. The Little National is centrally located in Sydney's CBD — it's just steps from Wynard Station and within easy walking distance of some of the city's best restaurants and bars in the YCK Laneways and Barangaroo precincts. If you want to stay in, there is a first-rate rooftop bar and lounge where you can while away an evening in front of the large open fireplace with a delicious cocktail in hand or you can order food from one of a nearby restaurant which hotel staff will deliver right to your room. The library offers unlimited wifi, USB and power ports and a printer, so you can have the most stylish working space in the city. There's also a state-of-the-art gym with free weights and exercise machines available for guests.
With all the time we're staring at our laptop screens and flicking through the TV, I think we can safely conclude that we live in a data driven age. One artist who has been continuously pushing the limits when it comes to questioning our existence in this 'whelm' of information has been Ryoji Ikeda. After the audio-visual assault of his last Carriageworks show, test pattern [no. 5], Ikeda makes his grand return to Australian shores with his new head-spinning work, superposition. superposition is an all-encompassing performance stretching across the barriers of sound, language, physical phenomena, mathematics and human behaviour. Inspired by the mechanics of quantum theory, Ikeda breaks down reality into electronic data. Glitched-samples of bleeps spliced with footage of real-time content feeds are displayed in synchronisation over a wall of video screens, while live performers feature as the 'operator' of the installation. If test pattern [no. 5] was anything to go by, Ikeda's superposition will be just as hypnotic: a telling reminder of technology's evolution to become a ubiquitous part of our lives. Image: Ryoji Ikeda, superposition (Kazuo Fukunaga, courtesy the artist and Kyoto Experiment). https://youtube.com/watch?v=0ivkmVDg4D0
Why would two young fine-dining chefs pack in their juliennes and quenelles for a pork bun on wheels? Perhaps looking around them at well-loved institutions such as Bilson’s, Montpellier Public House (formerly Balzac), Assiette and Manly Pavilion closing their doors, a more humble van seems positively sensible. Stuart Magill of Testsuya’s and Brenton Balicki of Quay certainly bring some posh credentials to their Eat Art Truck, but the food is frippery free - tasty, simple and lush. The truck features a back panel of changing street art, with Phibs as the inaugural artist. If street art makes you feel slightly odd (like you’ve somehow woken up in East Brunswick in a pair of burgundy chinos…) then stay around the front of the truck and focus on the delicious food, friendly staff and the shiny Electrolux induction kitchen. Because Sydney belongs to a rule-loving nation, the truck is restricted to specific trading locations including Queen’s Square, Customs House forecourt and Pitt Street Mall. So no, you may not have them pull up outside your house on a Saturday morning to tend to your hangover. If it were an option, however, you’d definitely be placing a bulk order for five smoky pulled pork buns with mustard cabbage ($12) followed promptly by equal quantities of the BBQ beef bun and hot sauce ($12). If in a slightly more civilised mood, you might opt for the delicate annindofu (almond curd) with toasted coconut and pineapple ($6). Fantasies aside, you’d be hard pressed to find food this good and fast in any bricks and mortar establishment in Sydney. They’re ambitiously aiming for a five minute turn around for each order – that’s up there with McDonald’s speed, minus the double coronary. Make the effort, get off the couch and get yourself some.
An essential part of the Bondi lifestyle is eating well and healthily. The Health Emporium, on Bondi Road, is one of the most long-loved grocery stores in the area. It has just about every type of organic product, from locally grown fruit and veg to a make-up line and vitamin dispensary. This grocer-cafe hybrid stacks its shelves with hard to get health-foods and uber-natural ingredients, including a 'make-your-own nut butter' area and a bookshelf filled with organic cookbooks for you to peruse over a coffee or super smoothie by the window.
"Don't you dare ruin my childhood!" Such is the inevitable complaint from nostalgic movie fans whenever a beloved film from yesteryear is tapped by studios for a remake. Setting aside what kind of fragile childhood you must have had for a movie to be capable of destroying it, the sentiment is at least a sincere one: please be respectful. Like a thoughtless cover song robbing an original of all its heart and meaning (here's looking at you, Madonna's 'American Pie'), the arbitrary remaking, rebooting and reimagining of successful pop-culture properties threatens to expend a great deal of fan goodwill. Paul Feig's Ghostbusters was the last film to attract this level of ire, though that was as much to do with sexism as anything else (and proved doubly misguided since the female cast ended up being the best thing about it). Then came the Jumanji announcement and, again, childhoods were imperilled the world over. The beloved Robin Williams vehicle from 1995 (itself an adaptation from a book) was a critical meh at the time, but made bucketloads of cash. More importantly, however, its status as a cult classic grew with each passing day – so much so that the remake's star, Dwayne Johnson, recognised the risk early on and did his best to allay people's fears. "We wanted to do something that was respectful of the work of Robin Williams as well as creating something fresh," he insisted. So was he true to his word? Well, yes and no. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle certainly isn't fresh, in that it's largely just an appropriation of Tron coupled up with body-swap stories like Freaky Friday and 3rd Rock from the Sun. Nor does it really address the legacy of Robin Williams, since his character scarcely rates a mention, and the story itself in no way resembles the original. But is it a good film? Absolutely. Updating itself, quite literally, for more modern times, the film sees the original Jumanji board game transform into a mid-90s video game cartridge and promptly suck a hapless teenager into its hidden universe. Fast-forward 20 years and, in a clear nod to The Breakfast Club, the game is discovered in a storeroom by four motley teens during high-school detention. Sure enough they too – the nerd, the jock, the princess and the loner girl – find themselves pulled into Jumanji's perilous jungle. But there's a twist: they're now in the bodies of the game character they chose. So it is that the nerd becomes the muscle-bound Dr Smolder Bravestone (Johnson), the jock becomes pint-sized zoologist Moose Finbar (Kevin Hart), the loner becomes uber-babe and biologist Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan) and – most amusingly – the princess becomes the portly, middle-aged cartographer Shelly Oberon (Jack Black). From there the film becomes a non-stop action-adventure romp, one in which its stars engage in a retro video game quest to return a glowing green jewel to its rightful home. The laughs are frequent, coming mostly from the body-swap setup, but also from the tongue-in-cheek references to 90s point and click games – like having non-playable characters only speak a limited number of lines that repeat themselves if you fail to progress in time. Each of the main cast members plays impressively against type, with Black in particular soaring in his part as the vacuous it-girl. Together they make an entirely likeable crew, lending the narrative a nice emotional undercurrent even as a "be true to yourself" message is jammed clumsily down our throats. Funny, breezy and full of memorable performances, nervous film buffs can rest easy. Your childhood is going to be just fine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QKg5SZ_35I
The iconic Nobbys Headland boasts 360-degree views of Newcastle and the surrounding coast, offering the area's furthest views over the Pacific. The lighthouse grounds are only open Sundays from 10am till 4pm, but it's the perfect place not only for whale watching but also to catch a view of dolphins and seals. Watching so many majestic sea creatures migrate at once is truly a sight to behold. The simultaneous city and sea lookouts also allow for a unique viewing experience — so be sure to remember your binoculars for this one. Image: Destination NSW
It's worrying the way we deride films aimed at an older audiences as simply being a Best Exotic Marigold Hotel facsimile designed to snare seniors, given how we largely ignore the fact that the majority of mainstream cinema over the past 30 years has been made for 12-year-old boys. Philomena, with its poster depicting a smiling Judi Dench alongside a stoic Steve Coogan, will no doubt be dismissively lumped in with this crowd. It is, however, a million miles away from the likes of Best Exotic (which, for the record, was actually rather good). Based on a true story, Philomena follows ex-political spin doctor Martin Sixsmith (Coogan), who, in an attempt to revive his journalism career, chases the "human interest story" of Philomena (Dench) an elderly woman searching for her long-lost son. In flashbacks, we see the younger Philomena (Sophie Kennedy Clark) as she becomes pregnant out of wedlock, and is forcibly kept in servitude by nuns, who then sell her son to a wealthy couple. As the pair investigates, the truth behind the forced adoption becomes all the more shocking. Coogan, who not only portrays Sixsmith but also co-wrote the screenplay, strikes a perfect tone with such sensitive material. The revelations are powerful and honest without being gut-wrenching; the comedy is welcome and consistent without being inappropriate. It's a remarkable juggling act, directed beautifully by Stephen Frears, who atones for recent disasters Lay the Favorite and Tamara Drewe. Coogan's sardonic Northern charm makes Sixsmith a compelling lead, and his relationship with Dench's Philomena is wonderfully developed. It's Dench who is the real standout here. At this point in her career, she could easily get away with sleepwalking through roles, relying on her undeniable presence to carry her performances. But as in 2006's Notes on a Scandal, she creates a character unrecognisable from her previous roles. Philomena is pleasant, vague, forceful and compellingly well-rounded. Dench's energy and attention to detail elevates this film to something even more remarkable. The depiction of the Catholic structure both past and present is one of the most fascinating elements of Philomena. It's caused controversy, with many accusing the film of being anti-Catholic. To make such an accusation, however, fundamentally misses the point, and excuses the crimes committed in the name of the church. The film does not shy away from Philomena's piety or Sixsmith's atheism, and argues strongly in favour of both. Sixsmith is deeply compassionate without religion, whilst Philomena embodies the ideals of Christianity that the Church and its representatives so often and so demonstrably forget. Disinterested in a sanitised "I'm okay, you're okay" message, the film manages to extol the best elements of both atheism and Christianity whilst unrelentingly and unapologetically shining a light on the darker side of organised religion. It is truly impressive stuff. Be not fooled by the marketing materials, which make the film look like an aged-up version of The Trip with Judi Dench in place of Rob Brydon. (Although, thinking about it, that would be brilliant.) Philomena is a terrifically made, entertaining work that stands head and shoulders above many of the films being forced upon us this Christmas. See it. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rD8f9kn7D2U
"I find that it takes a while for people to return to themselves after the film." For anyone who's seen The Stranger, writer/director Thomas M Wright's observations might sound like an understatement. For those who haven't yet watched the actor-turned-filmmaker's second feature behind the lens, after 2018's Adam Cullen biopic Acute Misfortune, it may come across the same way. In Australia in particular, the fact that the Joel Edgerton- (Thirteen Lives) and Sean Harris (Spencer)-starring crime-thriller is based on the 2003 abduction and murder of Queensland schoolboy Daniel Morcombe has garnered attention. The Stranger takes its cues from that monstrous real-life case, adapting Kate Kyriacou's non-fiction book The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe's Killer; however, it doesn't recreate the crime. It also doesn't depict the victim, or refer to him by name. Everyone has been fictionalised, and there's no violence in the film. Instead, it tracks the enormous police effort to capture a culprit using a criminal gang as a ruse, in what's known as the 'Mr Big' technique. Edgerton plays the incognito cop tasked with befriending the suspect, while Harris is relentlessly perturbing in the latter part. It was Edgerton, also The Stranger's producer, who optioned Kyriacou's text, saw Acute Misfortune and proposed the feature to Wright. The director was initially reluctant, but sticking to the above stipulations was the only way that he could approach the picture, and was willing to. "Those decisions about a complete unwillingness to represent any violence, to represent the victim, to represent those that cared for them — and to centre the film on a fictionalised version of a police operation like the one used in that particular case — those aren't thin acknowledgements," Wright explains. "They're deeply layered considerations that've been placed at the centre of the entire film." In every second, The Stranger feels as carefully and meticulously constructed as Wright's framework suggests — and, by design, dictates. It also feels not just tense but tough, as it should given the story it's interrogating. Debuting at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, the feature received a seven-minute standing ovation. Now, it plays Aussie cinemas from October 6 before reaching audiences globally via Netflix on October 19. "It's an undeniably different experience," Wright notes of watching The Stranger at home versus on the big screen. "It's an intensely discomforting and very powerful film to invite into your home. For the two hours that the film lasts, I think it will take people into a completely different mindset, into a different psychological realm," he continues, while chatting us through making a movie that's both unshakeably potent and personal. ON WORKING OUT THE BEST APPROACH TO A HORRIFIC REAL-LIFE CASE "Kate Kyriacou's book The Sting, which Joel had optioned, is a non-fiction work of investigative journalism about that specific case. It goes into personal details about the victim, those affected, the other suspects — and I felt that I had no right to represent the victim, that any attempt to represent them would only diminish them and all of their infinite possibilities, and that I couldn't presume to know anything about what that family and those who cared for him went through. So early on, the initial terms for me were: there'll be no representation of the victim of any sort, there'll be no representation of the people who cared for them, there'll be no violence whatsoever in this film. There's an unconscionable way of making this film. There's a morally unforgivable way of making this film. It would not be difficult to create tension in a film about the physical vulnerability of a child, and I wasn't interested to use that space, which is sacred to those real people, for the ease of making a film. So I began to think about these strangers, and that stranger of the title could refer to the perpetrator and that archetypal fear of the stranger in our society — but actually we are a society of strangers. It could also refer to the victim, to their family. Or, to that central figure and all those undercover operatives in the film whose real names we never learn. Or, to all those nameless people, the detectives and searchers at the end of the film who provide resolution for those strangers for them, that family and the victims who've they've never met. It clearly became to me this idea of connection as a society, and of empathy, as the gravity that is going to bind film together. At the time that I was writing it, I live in the inner north in Melbourne, it's where I grew up, it's where my family lives, and there were a whole series of murders of women by strangers, by people they've never met. And it shook the entire foundation of the society — and every state and territory has their own version of these cases that totally shift our perception of safety and of the social contract. They make it feel like a lie or something weak, and it had such an effect on the community down there. It was an outpouring of empathy. And these are just the cases also that have created headlines and achieved large police commitments, and where there has been public recognition. There are so many people out there, and so many crimes that take place, where there is none of that. We still have a woman a week dying of incidences of domestic violence in Australia, and many of those victims go unacknowledged. Of course, I'm not setting out to make a public service announcement in this film, but there are individuals who have to be the first person there, and who give years of their lives, and their mental and physical health, to trying to resolve those incidences of violence." ON FINDING PERSONAL REASONS TO MAKE THE FILM "When we began work on the film, I told everybody that I worked with that I wanted them to find their own reason for making this film — and I wanted them to find a personal reason to make this film. I do think it was a very personal film for all of us who worked on it. Joel said the other day that it was the quietest set he has ever worked on. It was a very tense set because of the seriousness of the material that we're dealing with, and the moral responsibility we felt, and the focus it required of us. For me, it absorbed every waking and dreaming moment of my life for three years, and I felt a tremendous moral responsibility to get it right and make something that we could all stand behind — and that didn't let any of my collaborators down. I'm not talking about the Academy Award-winning producers. I'm talking about the sound recordist and production designer and assistant editors, and everyone with whom you make a film. And also because of the presence my son in the film, because I wrote it for my son to portray Joel's son in the film. In the process of filming, Joel found out that he was going to be a father. That made it intensely personal and emotional for him also, and I watched it change him and shift his entire being. Both Joel and Sean were transformed by the process of making this film. Sean's wife actually saw the film after we'd finished and said that there was nothing of him left in that character, that he was completely absent. She didn't recognise him, and I think she found that really overwhelming and very powerful. I can attest to that as the person that was there beside them the entire time — this was a tense, difficult film to make that just took those central cast, and I include here Jada Alberts in particular, into a place where they really weren't their selves anymore." ON MAKING THE FILM PERSONAL FOR AUDIENCES "Cinema has always been a collective experience, and when films really work, we're simultaneously aware that they're a shared experience but they're also deeply personal. This film, for people who respond to it — obviously not for everybody — gets itself into a very personal place. I think it does that by making itself physical and physically felt. That's why breath was such a key part of the film to me. I wanted to begin with something that made an audience active, even in the most subtle, underlying way, because every part of the film asks that the audience be active in that physical, subjective experience of what Mark [Joel Edgerton's character] is going through. You're trying to tune people to the frequency of the film, to the psyche of the people working on this kind of case. There's a hyper-alertness. It's a film partly about trauma more generally — a film about the fact that those of us who reach adulthood, we come into the world and at some point in time we become aware of the darkness and the unknowable things within it. We have to find a way to be able to reconcile that and continue to move forward and find meaning, because the thing about violence is that it threatens to strip things of their meaning. It renders things meaningless. So you're dealing with a hyper-alert psychology. It's certainly something that we were actively trying to encourage in the audience. When you set out to make a film, you are trying to show people something they haven't seen before, to get them to feel something they haven't seen before — and, to relate to the film in a different way while understanding it's part of an impossibly deep lineage of stories, and these kinds of modalities of storytelling that are well-established now in cinema." ON AUSTRALIA'S OBSESSION WITH CRIME STORIES — AND STANDING OUT "Even though the film is part of a strong lineage of Australian crime cinema, I just think it sits outside a lot of that work in its intentions. A lot of these kind of films are more realist depictions of people, and head toward a kind of final emphatic act of violence, which often takes place off-screen. That's certainly the case in Snowtown. It's the case in Nitram. It's the case in a film like The Boys. Even though the reason for The Stranger is violence, it's not its subject… It begins in the aftermath of that violence. It's an attempt to make meaning and to reconcile the after-effects of violence on individuals and by extension on society. I think there's a reason that that this genre and these ideas are so prevalent in Australian thinking. It's certainly not limited to Australian film. When you look at our most prominent authors — Richard Flanagan, Chloe Hooper, Helen Garner, Tim Winton, Patrick White — this is a subject that has been grappled with. And in our visual art, and in our music. We return to it over and over again. I think that has to do with an unreconciled relationship to violence in this country, a landscape that has been marked by violence, and that we know that. We can intuit it, but for the main, we don't have a way to unpack that — and it remains there, unresolved." The Stranger releases in Australian cinemas on October 6, then streams via Netflix from October 19. Read our full review.
Bubbly 25-year-old Louella Mathews isn't exactly your stereotypical sommelier. The self-confessed wine nerd worked her way up through waitressing gigs at Orange's Lolli Redini and Racine restaurants before landing a coveted role in the elite team of sommeliers at Neil Perry's Rockpool. Concrete Playground caught up with Mathews to find out just how a person ends up getting to play with wine for a living, and what it takes to become that rare authority, the Master Sommelier. Being a sommelier seems like one of those fantasy jobs that people dream about but nobody expects could actually happen. Like being an astronaut. Or Beyonce. Tell us a bit about how you got here. I grew up in Orange refusing to eat anything but macaroni and cheese, so it was a bit ironic that I landed up working in hospitality. I started out as a food runner and eventually wound up managing a great restaurant in Orange called Racine, where there was no sommelier so I got to work on the wine list. Orange is a really tiny wine area, so a lot of the restaurants carry the same wines. I really wanted to do something more unique and had a lot of fun trying to track down interesting bottles that our customers mightn't yet have come across. But then customers would ask me questions I couldn't answer, or winemakers would talk to me in terms I didn't understand, and I realised I needed some actual training in order to do it properly. I enrolled myself in the Wine Spirits and Education Trust (WSET) program at Ryde TAFE and sent my resume to every three-hatted restaurant in Sydney. I started at Rockpool on George as a section waiter and when an opportunity came up to work as a sommelier, I jumped at it. You work in a field that has traditionally been quite male-dominated. Have you ever experienced reluctance from diners to accept the advice of a young female sommelier? I'm the only female sommelier at Rockpool and people often assume I'm a waitress. I'll go to a table to ask if they need help with the wine list and they'll say "yeah, sure, but could I please speak to the sommelier?" On the whole, though, I think that the element of surprise actually works to my advantage; it lets me be more casual and approachable. I guess I'm a bit less intimidating than your stereotypical sommelier and that can make people feel more comfortable asking me questions about the wine. Once, though, I did feel annoyed when a customer asked if I found that my female palate impaired my work as a sommelier. Right. Those girly hormones interfering with your tastebuds and all. Exactly. To be fair, I guess it's scientifically possible that men and women have different palates, I don't know. In any case, I'm guided less by my own taste and more by the customer, the reason they've chosen to dine with us, what they're eating, and their price range, and I use all of those elements to work out what wine they'll really enjoy rather than necessarily giving them what I would enjoy, which is what a lot of other sommeliers would do. On the topic of palate, were you born with yours or did you develop it through training? Oh, it's definitely something you develop over time. I'm really sceptical about this idea that you have to be born with a super-palate in order to do this job. At the beginning, whether you admit it or not, you'll start out thinking "this honestly just smells like wine". And then it's "okay, this smells like Riesling". And gradually you learn to expand on that — if it's a Riesling, you know to expect lemon citrus, you know there will be something floral there; I can always reliably say there's white acacia, for example, in a Riesling. As you become more experienced you can pick up all sorts of characteristics in the wine, but to begin with it's more about learning the vocabulary and knowing what to expect in any given varietal. What do you think lies ahead for you, career-wise? My ultimate goal is to be a Master Sommelier. There are only two hundred in the world. There have been three in Australia: Michael Engelmann from Rockpool Bar & Grill who just moved to New York, Franck Moreau from the Merivale Group and Sebastian Crowther from the China Group. So no women. You might be the first. That's the dream. What will you have to do to get there? There are four levels of exams. In May next year I'll do level two, then I'll fly to New York or London to complete level three which is the Advanced Sommelier course, and then level four is the Master Sommelier level. It's very self-driven learning. You spend a year studying and tasting wine and then you have a three-day exam where you blind taste six wines and you're expected to identify exactly what they are, including the vintage. There's also a written exam and a service component where you serve wine to a panel of judges and they throw a barrage of questions at you and you have to impress them with what you know. Are there any particular places you'd like to work along the way? I'd love to work at Quay, which was the first three-hatted restaurant I ever experienced, and Eleven Madison Park in New York. Honestly, if I could get a job at Eleven Madison Park just polishing cutlery, I would be happy. There's been an explosion in celebrity chefs over the past few years. Are we about to enter the age of the celebrity sommelier? I hope so. I'd love to be a celebrity sommelier. There's something really sexy about wine, so I think it would work quite well. Maybe I'll be the Nigella Lawson of wine. And finally, for the punters at home, what wine should we all be drinking right now? If I could only drink one wine for the rest of my life it would be an Austrian Grüner Veltliner. It's like Riesling, which I love, but it's got texture to it and much more depth. You get herbs, flowers, fruit and texture; it's the complete package.
For most creative types, the dream is to create whatever one wants, whenever one wants and somehow make a living out of it. In reality, though, a professional creative career often involves some form of compromise — be that financial (i.e. I'll make the art I want to make and earn money some other way) or artistic (i.e I'll live off my art, but I accept that, every now and again, I'll have to accept commissions). This is true of architecture as of any other field. So, a bunch of high-flying designers are getting together at the Golden Age Cinema to discuss the matter. They include Domenic Alvaro (director, Woods Bagot's global studio), Kelvin Ho (founder, Akin Creative) and Isabelle Toland and Amelia Holliday (founders, Aileen Sage Architects — recent brains behind The Pool at Venice Biennale's Australian Exhibition). Their chats will cover balancing commercial demands with the drive to innovate, the characteristics of Australia's design identity and its impact internationally, the meaning of success and the latest changes in visual languages. The event is presented by The Office Space and is part of Sydney Architecture Festival.
This month the City of Parramatta is hosting Moon Markets to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (also known as the Mooncake Festival), an annual calendar holiday celebrated in many Asian countries. Head to Epping on Sunday, November 13 from 5 pm to 9 pm, to witness the transformation of the suburb's Town Centre into a bustling open-air hawker's market, complete with live lion dancers, food stall pop-ups and drool-worthy drinks. With Sydney street-food faves Firepop serving their signature sticky sizzling skewers, Yummy Time Dumpling delivering on the pork bun front and Tebu Sugarcane Juice on hand to keep you hydrated (alongside a few emerging vendors such as Churros La Flamenca, Egyptian Grillers and Natas & Co Portuguese tarts added to the mix) the traditional harvest festival will be a celebration of culture, cuisine and the kind of colourful #moonmarketmagic moments just begging to be captured for the 'gram. Keen to kick off your celebrations early? Pop into Epping Town Centre and check out the The Langston Weekender, which starts at 9 am on the same day. Moon Markets will take place from 5pm on Sunday, November 13. For more information, visit the website.
When Ana Lily Amirpour made her spectacular feature filmmaking debut in 2014, and made one of the best movies of that year in the process, she did so with a flick with a killer title: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. That moniker also summed up the picture's plot perfectly, even if the Persian-language horror western vampire film couldn't be easily categorised. Take note of that seven-word name, and that genre-bending approach. When Amirpour next made wrote and directed The Bad Batch, the 2016 dystopian cannibal romance started with a woman meandering solo, albeit in the Texan desert in daylight, and also heartily embraced a throw-it-all-in philosophy. Now arrives her third stint behind the lens, the hyper-saturated, gleefully sleazy, New Orleans-set blend of superheroes, scams and strippers that is Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon — which, yes, features a female protagonist (Jeon Jong-seo, Burning) strolling unescorted again, back under the cover of darkness this time. Mona initially walks out of a home instead of towards one, however. And Amirpour isn't really repeating herself; rather, she has a penchant for stories about the exploited fighting back. Here, Mona has been stuck in an institution for "mentally insane adolescents" for at least a decade — longer than its receptionist (Rosha Washington, Interview with the Vampire) can remember — and breaks out during the titular lunar event after gruesomely tussling with an uncaring nurse (Lauren Bowles, How to Get Away with Murder). The Big Easy's nocturnal chaos then awaits, and Bourbon Street's specifically, as does instantly intrigued drug dealer Fuzz (Ed Skrein, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) and a determined but decent cop (Craig Robinson, Killing It). With opportunistic pole-dancer Bonnie Belle (Kate Hudson, Music), Mona thinks she finds an ally. With her new pal's kind-hearted latchkey kid Charlie (Evan Whitten, Words on Bathroom Walls), she finds a genuine friend as well. Amirpour's movies sport a kinetic feel that's as natural to them as breathing is to watching audiences. Her love of movement shines through as brightly as moonlight, too — and Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon is another glowing example. Directed with style and boldness to spare, this is a garish, on-the-go, howling-at-the-sky kind of southern Gothic horror flick, purposefully and strikingly so. Slinking along with it is inescapable, whether Mona is unleashing her supernatural skills, navigating the French Quarter's hustle-and-bustle nighttime vibe, or wholesomely dreaming of a safer future. First, though, Mona has to break out of the bayou-adjacent facility she's been forced to call home, which happens in a grim, revenge-seeking, attention-grabbing fashion. The aforementioned nurse usually spits insults the straightjacketed, catatonic Korean detainee's way, including while clipping her toenails. Then the inmate snaps back into focus — maybe the moon that's stirred her? — and uses her gifts to wreak havoc. Without touching the nurse, or anyone else she imposes her will upon throughout the movie, Mona can take control of their bodies. There's no flesh-swapping (another spin on Freaky Friday, this isn't); here, via voodoo-esque physical manipulation, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon's main figure waves her hands or nods her head, then whoever's in her gaze does as she directs. That's a skill that comes in handy once she's out on her lonesome, meandering the city barefoot with threats lurking. It's also a talent that Bonnie observes during a fast-food store car park catfight, with Mona saving her bacon. Deciding that those telekinetic capabilities can be put to cunning, canny and profitable use — look out, strip-club patrons — Bonnie is swiftly offering up her companionship, and her home, although the metal-loving Charlie warns their new houseguest to be wary. Even if obvious nods to Alice in Wonderland weren't baked into the production design, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon would play like a fairy tale (a sweaty, seedy, go-where-the-night-takes-you fairy tale, but a type of fairy tale nonetheless). Its namesake wanders through an otherworldly realm, gets caught in perilous situations, learns lessons and benefits from something akin to magic — aka those just-awakened powers — to mosey forward. Thanks to the movie's moral code, she only deploys her paranormal prowess on folks who deserve it, or uses it to save herself, when the decision to bust out the mind control is hers alone. At its core, the film can be that straightforward. That said, it also stems from a director with a history with deceptive simplicity. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night was about exactly what its title describes, after all, and yet it was also filled with oh-so-much more. Starting with easy-to-spot scaffolding, then building a glisteningly distinctive, eagerly detailed flick that couldn't have been crafted by anyone else: that's one of Amirpour's own super skills. Plenty of that pivotal talent comes through visually here, with gloriously atmospheric and neon-soaked help from Hereditary and Midsommar cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski. Indeed, anyone who thinks that style can't also be substance, can't sweep viewers into a film's mood and can't anchor everyone watching in a character's headspace, should be motivated to rethink their position. Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon's manic dance through New Orleans after dark is that immersive — and that means something. As thrust across the screen with scuzzy yet giddy flair, and set to a mesmerising soundtrack as well, this spirited picture proves as keen as can be to skip along with people, survivors all of them, that society usually casts aside. Speaking of casts: Jeon's magnetic performance is worth erecting an entire movie around, so Amirpour has. Quietly spoken but infinitely expressive in every look and move — and brimming with mystique — the film's lead is hypnotic; understanding why Charlie and Fuzz are so drawn to Mona isn't hard for a second. Young Whitten helps give Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon its sweetness, and a loveable odd-couple buddy-flick centre. Robinson is unsurprisingly effective and engaging as a cop with compassion, and also part of an immensely amusing chase scene. And opposite almost anyone other than Jeon, the mesh singlet-wearing Hudson would steal the show, revelling in getting trashy but remaining savvy. She takes a dauntless swing and it pays off; so does Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon on both counts.
Ever found yourself mid-Netflix binge with no plans for dinner? Maybe you've skipped your weekly grocery shop and are scurrying the pantry for a thrown-together meal more appetising than canned tuna and rice? If you're already cosy in your PJs, then dragging yourself to the shops is off the cards and the possibility of ordering takeaway grows more likely with every minute. If you're a Sydneysider, we're betting one of your go-to orders is Asian food. After all, in a city that's bursting with multiculturalism, you're never that far away from an A-grade pad thai, a steaming bowl of laksa or a perfectly crisp batch of pork and chive dumplings. Whether you're in the mood for a piping hot noodle soup or super crispy fried chicken, your dinner is guaranteed to impress from the comfort of your couch with these Asian food deliveries.
The Australian sun ripens up some tasty talent and Carriageworks is serving it up in bulk in 2016. Premiering in April and running for three nights (April 20-23), Lake Disappointment is a distinctive new work by four of Australia's most exciting independent artists, collaborating for the first time on this exclusive project. Although the title doesn't quite flag it, Lake Disappointment is a comedy. This new Sydney play also explores a relatively unexplored topic: the oddly narcissistic life of a body double. Directed by Malthouse Theatre's exciting new Director in Residence, Janice Muller, with sound design by the always brilliant James Brown, Lake Disappointment comes from playwrights Luke Mullins (who also plays the lead) and Lachlan Philpott. The pair have written the story loosely around the life of Heath Ledger's body double (what an excellent job title) as a way to investigate themes of self and identity. The narrative itself is also intriguing: a famous movie star and his close friend (and body double) have to get through one more arthouse film shoot (for a film called, you guessed it, Lake Disappointment) before moving onto Hollywood blockbusters. When the body double arrives on set early, something about the location and content of the film seems off, and the arrival of the star keeps being postponed. Mystery, lols and primo Aussie talent all rolled into one? Yes, please and thank you.
Previously hidden in a backyard sprinkled with fairy lights, Parramatta pizzeria Fratelli Pulcinella has expanded into a new location on Church Street. While you may not be sneaking around the side of a house to get your hands on the saucy rounds, you'll still find the same quality Italian food at Fratelli Pulcinella 2.0. Head into 399 Church Street, and you'll find two firing pizza ovens (one for classic bases and one for gluten-free slices) amid a spacious multi-storey dining room accented with brightly coloured chairs and Italian quotes emblazoned across the wall. If part of the charm at the original Parramatta location was the al fresco dining, never fear — the new space has plenty of tables out back in the courtyard. Food-wise the team has kept things consistent, with the addition of pizza fritta and panuozzo to the menu. Classic Italian combos form the basis of the pizza options: margherita (regular or the extra-cheesy buffalo variety), prosciutto and parmesan, capricciosa and napoletana. But, the rotating menu is known to dish up some unexpected flavours as well. Indulge in a combo of speck, provolone, buffalo cheese, rocket, truffle oil and balsamic glaze. Or opt for the double-layered Amore Tossico, which features fior di latte mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, house-made Italian sausage, tomato, ham, caramelised onions, buffalo cheese, fried speck and basil. Bellissimo. If you're looking for a comforting Italian feast in the west (or on your way to a game at CommBank Stadium), Fratelli Pulcinella is here to hit the spot — now with room for everyone. Updated Monday, December 18, 2023.
Meet the Makers is soon set to return to NSW for its second iteration, and the event organisers have now released the full program of events that will get you face to face with artisans, foragers, farmers and creatives, and the crafts they dedicate themselves to. Running on weekends from Saturday, September 6–Sunday, September 28, there's a full program of 35 events to pick from. From food and drink to arts and crafts, you're spoiled for choice. Things kick off at Barn on the Ridge, where ten local makers will host a long lunch on the opening Saturday. The menu will include canapes, mains, a decadent dessert bar, wine tastings, live music and an appearance by a resident artist from 12.30–3.30pm. From there, you'll find the likes of a walking tour and wine tasting or a signature wine blending workshop at Cupitt's Estate, morning bushwalks guided by a local forager, local beverage showcases by the pool at Bannisters, and afternoon tea tours of the historic Airlie House. Other unmissable entries include an exhibition launch at Our Gallery Milton, a four-course dinner collaboration between Dangerous Ales and the Milton Hotel, a still life ceramics workshop, candle crafting at Black Wolf Candles, and a croissant masterclass with chef Alex Pautonnier. When the program nears its end, don't miss the fire feast at Milk Haus, with live music and openair fire cooking over a four-course banquet, or the South Coast Craft Beer Festival, pouring refreshing tastes of local brews at the Milton Showground — both on Saturday, September 27. "Meet the Makers is so much more than a food festival. It's an invitation to connect with the people who shape the South Coast's culinary and creative identity. It's about stories, skills, flavours, and the shared joy of creating something beautiful, whether that's a loaf of sourdough, a hand-thrown ceramic mug, or enjoying a perfect countryside long lunch with friends," said Milk Haus co-owner and chef Nat Taylor. Tickets are on sale for the entire program, and some events have already sold out, so don't wait too long to secure yours on the Meet the Makers website.
Finding greatness in Bong Joon-ho's Parasite isn't difficult. The perceptive class-clash and eat-the-rich story, the array of pitch-perfect performances, the acclaimed director's stunning mastery of tone, the insightful and revealing production design: they're all examples in this Oscar- and Cannes-winning South Korean masterpiece. Another instance comes courtesy of composer Jung Jae-il's score, which soundtracks the film with tunes both disquieting and baroque. It's no wonder that accolades came Jung's way, too, including from his homeland's Grand Bell Awards. Hearing Jung's contribution echoing as Parasite screens is the best way to appreciate it, of course — and watching him perform it live in Australia with Orchestra Victoria will dial what's already a spectacular experience up a few notches. For the first time, the composer is heading Down Under, all thanks to 2025's Melbourne International Film Festival. The event's commitment to honouring the art of screen composition via screenings that pair live tunes and movies is continuing, and two Parasite in Concert sessions are set to be among this year's fest highlights. At 2pm and 8pm on Saturday, August 23 at Hamer Hall in the Victorian capital, Jung is taking to the keys. He's also conducting Orchestra Victoria as he plays. Seeing Parasite on a big screen is already a treat, no matter how many times you've watched it before; however, giving the picture the concert treatment is something extra special. Jung isn't just known for Parasite. If you've felt the tension emanating from Squid Game's score, then you've also appreciated the composer's efforts. Prior to Parasite, Jung collaborated with Bong on Okja, then did so again afterwards on this year's Mickey 17. The tunes in Hirokazu Kore-eda's Broker hail from him as well, as does the score for MIFF 2025 title Twinless.
Back for its second run, the Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize is here to add some sun to the cooler months. Part of the larger Creative Open festival, the prize is taking over three of the beaches' key arts spaces: Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Curl Curl Creative Space and Mona Vale Pop-Up Gallery. As the event title suggests, all works are focused on our natural environment. Specifically — and importantly, given the current climate emergency — how the artistic world interprets, responds to and advocates for our planet. [caption id="attachment_859921" align="alignnone" width="1918"] Jo Mellor, 'Care in the Era of Solastalgia'[/caption] The works come from the minds of 212 contemporary artists and designers — hailing from all over the country — and span ceramics, sculpture, film, painting, wearable designs and photography, as well as collaboration across mediums. Their intent? Igniting inspiration and sparking change for a better world. This year, there are nine categories for the brilliant lineup of judges to pick a winner in, as well as a People's Choice Award (so don't forget to cast your vote when you visit). [caption id="attachment_859920" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chad Ajamian, 'Road to Recovery — Hawkesbury River Flood in Infrared'[/caption] If you're searching for a healthy serving of culture, but don't want to venture far from the sand, head to Manly, Curly or Mona to explore the exhibition (then, if you're game, take an icy dip at one of the many pristine beaches nearby). The Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize is on display across Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Curl Curl Creative Space and Mona Vale Pop-Up Gallery from Friday, August 5 till Sunday, August 28. The free exhibition is open from 10am–5pm, Tuesday–Sunday. Top image: Martina Clarke, 'Autotanks'.
UPDATE, December 17, 2022: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery screened in cinemas from Wednesday, November 23–Tuesday, November 29, then streams via Netflix from Friday, December 23. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery opens with a puzzle box inside a puzzle box. The former is a wooden cube delivered out of the blue, the latter the followup to 2019 murder-mystery hit Knives Out, and both are as tightly, meticulously, cleverly and cannily orchestrated as each other. The physical version has siblings, all sent to summon a motley crew of characters to the same place, as these types of flicks need to boast. The film clearly has its own brethren, and slots in beside its predecessor as one of the genre's gleaming standouts. More Knives Out movies will follow as well, which the two so far deserve to keep spawning as long as writer/director Rian Johnson (Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi) and Benoit Blanc-playing star Daniel Craig (No Time to Die) will make them. Long may they keep the franchise's key detective and audience alike sleuthing. Long may they have everyone revelling in every twist, trick and revelation, as the breezy blast that is Glass Onion itself starts with. What do Connecticut Governor and US Senate candidate Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision), model-slash-designer-slash-entrepreneur Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon), scientist Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr, The Many Saints of Newark) and gun-toting, YouTube-posting men's rights activist Duke Cody (Dave Bautista, Thor: Love and Thunder) all have in common when this smart and savvy sequel kicks off? They each receive those literal puzzle boxes, of course, and they visibly enjoy their time working out what they're about. The cartons are the key to their getaway to Greece — their invites, in fact — and also perfectly emblematic of this entire feature. It's noteworthy that this quartet carefully but playfully piece together clues to unveil the contents inside, aka Glass Onion's exact modus operandi. That said, it's also significant that a fifth recipient of these elaborate squares simply decides to smash their way inside with a hammer. As Brick and Looper also showed, Johnson knows when to attentively dole out exactly what he needs to; however, he also knows when to let everything spill out. Claire, Birdie, Lionel and Duke share something else: they're all considered "disruptors" by tech mogul Miles Bron (Edward Norton, The French Dispatch), form part of his inner circle and get together annually for one-percenter vacations on his dime. He's behind their unexpected packages and their latest lavish getaway, which takes them not only to a picturesque private island, but also to a sprawling mansion decked out with a glimmering dome he actually calls a glass onion. Also in attendance is Miles' former business partner Andi Brand (Janelle Monáe, Antebellum), with whom nothing ended well, which gives the trip a skin of tension. And, there's the cravat-wearing Blanc, who couldn't be a better addition to the guest list — Miles has corralled this distinctive cohort for a weekend-long whodunnit party, after all. Blanc doesn't quote Sherlock Holmes and proclaim "the game is afoot" in Glass Onion, as he did the first time around, but it is. Several are. Miles wants his visitors to solve his own faux murder, but soon there's a real death slicing into what's meant to be a fun jaunt. Everyone is a suspect, because that's how this setup works. The Southern-drawled Blanc's presence proves mighty handy, swiftly segueing into "world's greatest detective" mode. No one needs him to glean the murder-mystery fundamentals, though. As told with an initially more linear narrative, little is what it seems on this swanky, intricately crafted vacation, including among the mostly high-achieving but secretly spatting group. And yes, as the bickering and backstabbing gets bloody — and the fast-paced story keeps unfurling — everyone has a motive. The Knives Out films can be enjoyed as pure on-screen rounds of Cluedo of the most entertaining kind, and as self-aware, affectionate and intelligent detective puzzles in the Agatha Christie mould. With their sharpness, mischievousness and effervescence, they easily show up the author's most recent page-to-screen adaptations, aka the clunky latest Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. Johnson also has the keenest of eyes for ensuring that every inch of every frame and every detail in every set entices and teases, with impressive help from his now six-time cinematographer Steve Yedlin, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power production designer Rick Heinrichs and returning costumer Jenny Eagan. His whodunnit flicks get viewers gleefully playing along, lapping up surprises and thrills. And yet at the same time, they have audiences happily sitting back for the ride as both Johnson and the never-more-delightful Craig do their best. Everyone's doing stellar work in Glass Onion, especially the killer cast. This is the latest of many, many starry crews with a murderer in their midst —see also: fellow 2022 releases Bodies Bodies Bodies and See How They Run — and it's superbly compiled, including Jessica Henwick (The Gray Man) as Birdie's exasperated assistant, Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks) as Duke's girlfriend and a heap of genre-adoring cameos. As a sweep-you-long feature, the film serves up the sheer pleasure of watching its actors play their parts with such aplomb, and also benefits from fleshing out its characters before there's a body count. There needs to be such meat on this movie's bones, and more than merely one-note pawns on its board, because getting biting and blistering — and also being timely and topical — is another of the series' ongoing highlights. A more-cash-than-sense billionaire making a mess? The entitled, privileged set doing anything for money, and to uphold their status and lifestyles? Yes, the Knives Out franchise is eating the rich again, this time on a The White Lotus-esque holiday. Accusations zip around Glass Onion with frequency, potency and a sting, but no one can accuse Johnson of just repeating himself. As an early reference to Bach's 'Fugue in G minor' nods at, this is an onion of a flick that stacks its layers atop each other to create something new, and shines in a different way with each one. Also, where plenty of sequels to successful pictures rinse and repeat, this instead builds a fresh game out of similar but never identical pieces. A case in point: the decision to set the movie in May 2020, when the pandemic is all that most people were thinking about, and lockdown life was far, far removed from international travel, pool dips and cocktails with a view. That choice brings more sight gags, like Birdie's pointless mesh mask, but more importantly it lets the film dice up its targets with more force. They're squabbling and slaying in luxury while everyone else was staring at their own four walls for months on end, and doesn't this new gem cut them up for it.
It's Halloween, 1968, in the fictional town of Mill Valley. With an opening montage reminiscent of many a movie, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark shows viewers just what that means. Locals prepare to celebrate the spookiest day of the year, with decorations littering the town. Pumpkins are a common sight, naturally. Horror-obsessed aspiring writer Stella (Zoe Margaret Colletti) and her fellow teen outcast pals, Auggie (Gabriel Rush) and Chuck (Austin Zajur) are getting ready to go trick-or-treating, too; however it's the bully they're afraid of that initially proves pivotal. At his family farm, Tommy (Austin Abrams) and his offsiders attack a scarecrow. Under the autumn sky, surrounded by towering crops stretching far and wide, they smash and bash the figure mercilessly. Each blow knocks the straw man around, but it doesn't fight back. It can't — it's inanimate. But that doesn't mean that there won't be repercussions. Based on the 80s and 90s children's book series of the same name, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark doesn't trade in a 'what goes around, comes around' mentality — although Tommy isn't destined for a hero's journey. Rather, director André Øvredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe) and his screenwriters (The Lego Ninjago Movie's Dan Hageman and Kevin Hageman, plus Oscar-winning The Shape of Water filmmaker Guillermo del Toro) explore the idea that pain is part of a cycle. Whether you're inflicting, receiving or helping to relieve it, trauma isn't a one-way event or a one-off occurrence. In the film's intermittent narration, Stella explains this in a different way, more befitting the movie's literary origins: "Stories hurt. Stories heal". After a trip to a supposedly haunted local house leaves Stella in possession of a spooky collection of stories, her words start ringing true. Decades earlier, the book belonged to Sarah Bellows, who was brutalised by her wealthy family, locked in the basement and — as the legend goes — lured in kids with eerie tales, then killed them. Stella doesn't necessarily believe the myths, until fresh tales begin writing themselves into the dusty tome in a bloody scrawl. Each new story mentions someone that Stella knows, such as Tommy, Auggie, Chuck and the mysterious drifter, Ramon (Michael Garza), that she meets at a drive-in screening of Night of the Living Dead. As foretold on the page, scarecrows soon seek revenge, monsters shuffle through creepy asylums and stews come seasoned with body parts, among other unnerving incidents. Tasked with adapting short stories, the filmmakers find an effective solution to what could've been the movie's big struggle: moulding standalone tales into a cohesive whole. Working through a selection of the printed collection's chapters, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark still feels episodic. Indeed, each segment could work on its own as a short film. That said, this isn't a cobbled-together anthology linked by loose connective tissue (or, if they've sprung to mind, a Stranger Things or IT rip-off). Delving deep into what each spooky tale means to Stella and her friends, Øvredal gives his framing narrative as much weight as the movie's individual parts. These stories reflect events, emotions, fears and worries in the characters' lives, and tie into the picture's setting and time period. The Vietnam War rages on, Richard Nixon is about to be elected to America's highest office and racism makes its presence known — and, via all of the above, a generation just coming of age begins to realise that horror really exists. When it comes to the tangible frights — the bumps, jumps, creaks and the like — Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark also finds an apt approach. As he demonstrated in both The Autopsy of Jane Doe and Troll Hunter, Øvredal knows that less is often more. When needed, though, he's not afraid to throw severed heads around, unleash a stream of spiders or watch dissembled limbs combine into a demon. He's not averse to pushing his fresh-faced cast to their limits, either, or deploying Breaking Bad's Dean Norris (as Stella's dad) as the fount of all gravitas. But, whether in subtle or overt mode, the film always sticks to its point, showing how frightful sights, and the underlying forces and troubles they represent, can manifest in many forms. Still, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark does tussle with one tricky spot. While vastly darker than Goosebumps, this is an adolescent-friendly affair, sparking an all-too-generic ending and sequel setup. When it takes the easy route in wrapping things up, the movie is at its worst. Thankfully for horror buffs of all ages, that's doesn't spoil the preceding fun. For most of its running time, this is a suitably creepy and thoughtful film, taking familiar parts, twisting them in unnerving ways, and layering its stories with both scares and meaning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYPRyBN3Kz8
"We all deserve better". "Change never comes easy." "Blessed be the squad." If the latter quote didn't already give it away, they're all lines that are uttered in the first trailer for the fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale. And, as usually proves the case with the show's dialogue, they all feel like they could be said today, in reality, in everyday life. Using a deeply dystopian scenario to reflect the modern world has always been one of the acclaimed, award-winning series' strengths. It was true of Margaret Atwood's 1985 book that started it all, too. So, with the TV adaptation of the acclaimed novel now reaching its fourth season, it's no wonder that it's continuing what it has always done best — and that the first glimpse of the new season feels even more timely at present. First, some bad news, though: due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Handmaid's Tale won't return to our screens in 2020. Instead, viewers will have to wait until a yet-to-be-revealed date in 2021 to find out what happens next in Gilead (no, not the masterplanned Sydney community with the same name), and what the future has in store for the show's protagonist, June (Elisabeth Moss) after season three's cliffhanger ending. The good news, of course, is that this tale of rebellion and revolution isn't anywhere near done yet. Toppling a totalitarian society that's taken over the former United States, tearing down its oppression of women under the guise of 'traditional values', and fighting for freedom and equality doesn't happen quickly, after all. The first sneak peek of the ten-episode fourth season doesn't reveal too much; however fans should prepare for not just an uprising, but a war — and for the return of Bradley Whitford's Commander Joseph Lawrence and Ann Dowd's Aunt Lydia, too. Check out the teaser trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WLqBUi4r6o The fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale will hit screens sometime in 2021 — we'll update you with further details when they're announced.
Yarra Valley winery Helen & Joey Estate has just leapt into the world of dining and accommodation by setting up Re'em within its vast 200-acre property. The new Victorian site has been designed to take full advantage of the estate's rolling vineyard and ornamental lake, with the dining rooms and each of the 16 boutique rooms boasting views across the winery and surrounding region. In the 80-seat restaurant, guests can cosy up in booths by floor-to-ceiling windows or head to the shaded terrace to sample an impressive selection of contemporary Chinese dishes, each of which have been designed to match well with the estate's new-world wines. The menu honours owners Helen and Joey's Chinese heritage, but they've given culinary consultant Mark Ebbels (ex-The Fat Duck, Bacchanalia, TarraWarra Estate) and Head Chef Abe Yang (ex-TarraWarra Estate and Levantine Hill) plenty of room to leave their own mark on Re'em. This collaboration has resulted in plenty of raw dishes like the Sichuan beef tartare, plus dry-aged Buxton trout covered in a vibrant ginger, soy and star anise sauce. Hot dishes from the kitchen's woodfired grill also make an appearance alongside fried veggie dumplings, Hainanese chicken and crispy eggplant slathered in a capsicum doubanjiang (fermented bean paste and chilli sauce). The food offerings champion both traditional and contemporary Chinese cooking techniques while heroing seasonal Aussie produce. The team has also relocated its cellar door to the new site, where guests can sip their way through Helen & Joey Estate's new and aged drops — yet again boasting views across the winery. They've even set up a private wine-tasting room downstairs, so patrons can have a more intimate drinking experience surrounded by oak barrels and custom-made artworks. Stay at these two drinking and dining spots to catch the sunset over the vineyard, or sneak away to one of the boutique hotel rooms to stick around till sunrise the next day. Each of the 16 rooms has been designed to take advantage of the natural landscape — either through the floor-to-ceiling windows or balconies and patios. King beds, deep standalone baths, sleek kitchenettes and olive oil bath products add some luxury touches to the experience as well. Find Re'em Yarra Valley at Helen & Joey Estate, 12-14 Spring Lane, Gruyere, open every day of the week. For more information, head to the venue's website.
Is Black Mirror a sci-fi flight of fancy or a realistic window into the future? Does it take humanity's increasing reliance upon technology to the fictional extreme, or predict what's about to happen? Whichever train of thought you subscribe to, if you're a fan of the Charlie Brooker-created series, you've probably jumped at every possible chance to immerse yourself in the television series. First, there was the interactive Black Mirror exhibition that popped up in London. Then came a super bleak board game. Now there's a retro-style video game as well. Hot on the heels of the program's just-released choose-your-own-adventure movie, Bandersnatch, comes your chance to mash buttons while diving into Black Mirror's twisted realm. The video game is called Nohzdyve, and it's seen in the series' new flick. It's one of the hit titles created by Colin Ritman (Will Poulter), the programmer that Bandersnatch's 19-year-old protagonist Stefan (Fionn Whitehead) first idolises, then buddies up to. The two become colleagues at games development company Tuckersoft when Stefan tries to turn his own dream game into a reality. Avid Black Mirror fans will have spotted that Nohzdyve is a reference to the first episode of the show's third season, Nosedive, aka the Bryce Dallas Howard-starring tale about a world where social media controls life's ups and downs. It's also the episode that was turned into the aforementioned board game — and, clearly, it's one of the series' instalments with the most glaring real-world parallels. In Bandersnatch, the Nohzdyve video game was made in the 80s, which means that social media obviously doesn't rate a mention. Instead, the game involves falling through the sky while collecting eyeballs and avoiding buildings. If you're keen to play it, Nohzdyve can be downloaded from the Tuckersoft website; however there is a catch. It will only run on a downloadable emulator that recreates the ZX Spectrum home computer system from 1982 (aka a British equivalent to the Commodore 64). Still, if you've already worked your way through Bandersnatch's interactive story — deciding what path Stefan's tale takes, picking between branching narrative arcs, and looping back again and again to find all of the endings — you can trade one type of Black Mirror game for another.
If there's one thing the entertainment industry loves at the moment, it's turning movies into something else. Musicals and television shows, to be exact. Following in the footsteps of La La Land, Amelie and a wealth of others, The Devil Wears Prada is the latest film making the leap to another medium. Yes, the fashion-focused workplace drama is headed to the the stage in musical form. Showing just how terrifying your boss has to be to make you not just scream, but sing, the film-to-theatre adaptation will take its cues from the 2003 novel the movie was based on, as well as the 2006 flick starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. And, it'll come with songs from a famous source, with Elton John signing on to compose the production's music. If this sounds partly familiar, that's because taking The Devil Wears Prada to the stage has been mooted since 2015, but without any specific details. John will join forces with playwright and screenwriter Paul Rudnick (Sister Act, Addams Family Values) to bring the tale of aspiring journalist Andy Sachs, her haughty, haute couture magazine editor Miranda Priestley to singing-and-dancing life. No word yet on casting, or when the musical will become the kind of hot ticket that a million girls would kill for. Via Deadline.
It's just as unmistakably Italian, but Matteo Downtown, the sister venue to Matteo Double Bay, is worlds away from its laidback coastal counterpart. For this second joint project, owners Adam Abrams, Orazio D'Elia and Eddie Levy have taken their cues from the Italy's buzzing urban destinations of Milan and Rome, in contrast to the relaxed coastal vibes of its Double Bay sister. The CBD spot is a dynamic, all-day operation, that cruises from early morning espressos to late-night negronis. Sydney design firm Acme & Co has shaped the Bond Street space to suit, complete with an intimate dining room, bustling open kitchen, sophisticated bar area and roomy al fresco terrace, primed for people-watching. Head Chef D'Elia is tapping into both his southern Italian roots and his journeys across the north, to deliver a menu that's steeped in tradition, yet executed with modern flair. In the morning, from 7am weekdays, you'll find pasticceria and panino for the fly-by crowd, alongside a full breakfast offering of creations like Italian-style shakshuka (called uovo in purgatorio) and cacio e pepe scrambled eggs. From 11am through 11pm, you can nab something off the express menu, or head over to the dedicated mozzarella and antipasti bar, stocked daily with fresh cheese and house-cured meats. If you prefer to linger, head to the dining room, and do so over dishes like squid ink fregola, and lamb backstrap with Jerusalem artichokes. D'Elia's much-loved pizzas will also be available — in the dining room and at the bar — with guests having 16 to choose from, including the Siciliana, topped with eggplant and ricotta, and the Capasanta with scallops, pumpkin purée and black olive crumble. In true Italian style, Matteo Downtown celebrates aperitivo hour wholeheartedly — from 4–6pm weekdays, drop by to team your after-work spritz or wine with a selection of complimentary snacks from the kitchen. The bar offering itself boasts a hefty Italian contingent, with a carefully curated range of craft beers, spirits and small-batch liqueurs sourced from the homeland. As well as a negroni list, the drinks menu features a spritz selection that changes with the seasons — kicking off with the Downtown Spritz: Aperol, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit bitters and homemade cucumber soda — house wines are on tap and a broad-ranging, 300-strong collection of bottled wines, which make a masterpiece of the dining room's back wall. Find Matteo Downtown at 20 Bond Street, Sydney. It's open 7am–midnight, Mon–Fri and 5pm–midnight, Sat.
Fresh off the heels of opening homely Redfern bar and Italian eatery Arms Length last June, Rebecca O'Shea (ex-Rockpool Dining Group) and chef Jeffrey Sue have claimed another corner of two bustling Sydney streets with their new Darlinghurst venue. Situated on the corner of Crown and Stanley Street, Bar Nina follows in Arms Length's footsteps with a menu full of Italian-inspired dishes set alongside a classic cocktail list and craft brews. O'Shea and Sue have enlisted the help of Head Chef Luke Davenport in crafting the Bar Nina menu. Formerly of the two Michelin star English restaurant The Ledbury, Davenport is bringing his expertise to Sydney with a menu full of pasta and plentiful share plates. Diners can select from a range of pasta Davenport hand creates every day — from fettuccine with slow-cooked duck ragu bianco, to a mussel and lardo spaghetti. Groups looking to sample the menu will find plenty to share, including Sydney rock oysters or pork and veal terrine and mostarda served on sourdough. If you venture away from the share plates and pasta, you'll find heartier meals like a vegan caponata paired with king oyster mushroom and pearl barley, or a whole baby snapper. The drinks list centres around an extensive cocktail menu containing tried-and-true classics alongside a few of Bar Nina's own creations. Keeping with the southern European theme, you'll find a Mediterranean G&T made with Cinzano 1757 and Four Pillars olive leaf gin, or the summery electric blue La Nina, featuring two types of rum, orgeat, lime and blue curacao. Cocktails are $17–19, but those that head down between 4–6pm each day can score an affordable selection of happy hour drinks including $7 Pirate Life tap beer, $10 margaritas and $10 Aperol spritzes. The fun doesn't stop at happy hour though, with bottomless brunch on offer every Saturday and Sunday. The boozy brunch can be booked between 11am–3pm on weekends and for $79 comes with two hours of drinks alongside a set selection of highlights from the Bar Nina menu. Truly a jack-of-all-trades, Bar Nina is open from 8am each morning, serving The Little Marionette coffee to CBD workers and early risers looking for their caffeine fix. Pastries are also on offer each morning for commuters to snack on before the full menu becomes available from midday on weekdays and 11am on weekends. Bar Nina is open at 85a Stanley Street, Darlinghurst, 8am-midnight, Monday–Sunday.
The COVID-19 situation in Australia is changing every day, with the federal government first implementing a ban on non-essential events with more than 500 people and then mandating that everyone arriving from overseas self-isolate for 14 days. In response to the first restriction, events and venues around the country are cancelling and postponing their 2020 plans. This is having devastating impacts on the local hospitality, arts and music industries, with I Lost My Gig Australia reporting that, as of midday on Monday, March 16, 20,000 events have been cancelled, which has impacted 190,000 Australians and equated to $47 million in lost income. And those numbers are continuing to climb. While going out might not be at the top of your to-do list right now, you can continue to support these industries and businesses by buying from artists who've had their shows cancelled, ordering gift cards and merch from venues that are struggling or just booking in a dinner for that birthday a few months away. To keep you abreast of what's been cancelled, postponed and suspended, here's our live list, updated as it happens. [caption id="attachment_710789" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sydney Royal Easter Show.[/caption] SYDNEY All ANZAC Day commemoration services across NSW (April 25): cancelled All City of Sydney aquatic and fitness centres: closed until at least April 3 All non-essential indoor venues, including casinos, gyms, cinemas, places of worship, clubs, pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes (can offer takeaway and delivery only): temporarily closed Alliance Francaise Film Festival (March 10–April 8): postponed from March 19 Art Gallery of NSW: temporarily closed Biennale of Sydney: cancelled Bluesfest (April 9–14): cancelled Carriageworks: temporarily closed (Saturday farmers markets will proceed) Comedy Steps Up for Bushfire Relief (March 16): cancelled Download Festival (March 21): cancelled Festival of Dangerous Ideas (April 3–5): cancelled Handa Opera (March 27–April 26): cancelled Happy Place (until May 3): postponed Momo Fest (April 18): postponed No Coal Zone (March 14): postponed Opera Australia's Carmen, Atilla and Great Opera Hits: cancelled until March 28 Palace Cinemas: all locations closed from March 19 Royal Easter Show (April 3–14): cancelled So Pop 2020 (April 25): cancelled Spanish Film Festival (April–May): postponed until August, with new dates TBC Splendour in the Grass (July 24–26): postponed until October 23–25 Sydney Film Festival (June 3–14): cancelled Sydney Writers' Festival (April 27–May 3): cancelled Sydney Opera House: all performances cancelled until June 17 Taronga Zoo: temporarily closed The Other Air Fair (March 20–23): postponed Vivid Sydney (May 22–June 13): cancelled [caption id="attachment_710610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ability Fest by Alex Drewniak[/caption] MELBOURNE Ability Fest (April 4): cancelled All ANZAC Day Commemorative services across Victoria (April 25): public cannot attend All City of Melbourne libraries, recreation centres and cultural and arts centres: temporarily closed All non-essential indoor venues, including casinos, gyms, cinemas, places of worship, clubs, pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes (can offer takeaway and delivery only): temporarily closed Alliance Francaise Film Festival (March 11–April 8): postponed from March 19 Arts Centre Melbourne: closed until April 13 Cirque du Soleil Kurios: suspended until further notice Download Festival (March 21): cancelled Fromage a Trois (March 22): cancelled Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: suspended until April 12 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (March 19–29): postponed until spring Melbourne International Comedy Festival (March 25–April 19): cancelled Melbourne Queer Film Festival (March 12–23): postponed Melbourne Museum: closed until further notice Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: postponed until April 13 (but it is live-streaming select shows) Momo Fest (April 4–5): postponed National Gallery of Victoria: closed until April 13 Open Weekend (March 21–22): cancelled Palace Cinemas: all locations closed from March 19 So Pop 2020 (May 1): cancelled Spanish Film Festival (April–May): postponed until August, with new dates TBC State Library Victoria: closed until further notice Sweetstock (March 28–29): cancelled The Other Art Fair (May 21–24): postponed Wine Machine (March 28): postponed until October 31 World Tour Bushfire Relief (March 13): cancelled Wall to Wall Festival (April 3–5): postponed [caption id="attachment_764598" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Westpac OpenAir[/caption] BRISBANE All non-essential indoor venues, including casinos, gyms, cinemas, places of worship, clubs, pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes (can offer takeaway and delivery only): closed All ANZAC Day commemoration services across Qld (April 25): cancelled Alliance Francaise Film Festival (March 18–April 14): postponed The Big Pineapple Music Festival (May 30): postponed until early October — new date TBC Boho Luxe Market (April 17–19): postponed until September 25–27 Brisbane Comedy Festival: cancelled from March 16 onwards Brisbane Gin Festival (April 4): postponed until September 19 Brisbane Night Market (weekly on Fridays): closed until further notice, with all events cancelled Buddha Birthday Festival (May 1–3): cancelled Burgers and Beers (March 21+27): cancelled Cat Cuddle Twilight Market (March 27): postponed — new date TBC Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (March 18–April 19): cancelled Curiocity Brisbane (March 20–April 5): cancelled The Drop Festival Coolangatta (March 28): cancelled Eat Street Northshore: closed until further notice Fish Lane Festival (May 9): postponed until September 5 The Foundry: closed until further notice, with all events cancelled Gigs & Picnics (March 28, April 25, May 30): monthly events postponed until June 27 Gold Coast Film Festival (April 15–26): cancelled Greener Pastures (May 3): cancelled Green Jam Sessions (weekly on Fridays): all sessions cancelled until at least April 30 HOTA, Home of the Arts: closed until March 31 James St Up Late (March 26): cancelled Momo Fest (April 12): postponed — new date TBC Mould: A Cheese Festival (March 20–21): postponed — new date TBC Mov'In Bed Cinema (March 27–May 17): postponed until the last quarter of 2020 — new dates TBC Netherworld: closed from Wednesday, March 18 until at least the end of March, with all events cancelled Noosa Eat & Drink Festival (May 14–17): cancelled Not On Your Rider (March 26 and April 30): cancelled, with events likely to restart in October Palace Cinemas: all locations closed from March 19 The Planting Festival (May 1–3): cancelled The Plant Market (March 29): postponed — new date TBC Puppies and Pints (April 5): cancelled Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art: both galleries remain open, including GOMA's Australian Cinemathque, but all public programs, events and tours have been cancelled Queensland Performing Arts Centre: all theatres closed until at least April 30 Queensland Symphony Orchestra: all performances cancelled until April 30 Stones Corner Festival (May 3): cancelled Water Up Late (March 20–21): cancelled So Pop 2020 (April 24): cancelled Spanish Film Festival (April–May): postponed until August, with new dates TBC Westpac OpenAir (April 5–26): postponed — new date TBC World Science Festival Brisbane (March 25–29): cancelled The Village Markets Stones Corner (March 27): cancelled for March, with a decision about future markets due by March 27 Young Henrys Rock N Roll Circus (March 19): postponed — new date TBC To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Vivid
Tenth Muse has made a name for itself as the go-to specialty food store on Percival Rd, Stanmore. It dedicates itself to supplying quality ingredients and harder-to-find foods that inspire home cooking and entertaining. Just like any good specialty food shop, Tenth Muse offers an extensive range of pantry staples along with international cheeses, locals meats and other gourmet refrigerated provisions. On its website, Tenth Muse also has a large array of recipes and articles, as well as an online shop with a section of products stocked in its brick-and-mortar shop.
Whether you dread that early morning alarm or jump out of bed excited for each day, chances are you need (and deserve) a break — because everyone does every now and again. We understand annual leave is precious and it can be easy to fall into the trap of packing your itinerary full of non-stop adventures. But there's no shame in the relaxation game if that's what you're really craving. So we've gone on a hunt for the top experiences around New South Wales that'll leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated — from quick (but effective) outdoor yoga classes to multi-day rainforest retreats.
Set sail for summer with sunshine, spritzes and Sydney Harbour views aboard one of the city's most luxe superyachts. The Jackson is kicking off the sunny season with a series of glamorous events that'll have you feeling like you've stepped into an episode of The White Lotus (minus the drama). From October to April, hop aboard the three-level yacht for chef-crafted bites, live music and bountiful tipples as you cruise around the harbour. Starting off the series is the Chandon Harbour Long Lunch, which returns by popular demand for another year on select Saturdays until December. Guests will be greeted with canapés such as fresh oysters and Thai citrus-marinated prawns before choosing a main from the roasted pork belly, Barramundi or spice-roasted cauliflower, accompanied by sweet potato fries with truffle aioli and an orange and fennel salad. To top it all off, there's a gelato cart on deck and — the clincher — free-flowing Chandon Garden Spritz and Chandon NV Sparkling Brut for the three-hour sail. Tickets start from $175, with options to add on a pickup or upgrade to a VIP experience. If you miss out or just can't get enough, there are plenty of events to see you through to 2025, kick off the silly season with a four-hour Melbourne Cup cruise or a Christmas-themed event in November and December. Both events include unlimited Chandon bubbly, a three-course menu by chef Nelly Robinson and live tunes. From January–March, it's all about champagne and oysters for Veuve Clicquot in the Sun. Guests will be treated to a glass of Veuve Clicquot on arrival before enjoying canapés, an oyster bar and a gelato cart for three hours. Tickets start from $145, or you can close out the summer with a bang in a premium window booth with a magnum of Veuve Clicquot with the VIP upgrade. Find out more and book your tickets now at The Jackson's website.
Raw, rotten and loud — hardly the vocabulary you'd typically expect a chef to use when describing their new menu. Then again, the irreverent cuisine at this newcomer to Newcastle's booming dining scene is anything but typical. Head Chef Alannah Miceli, formerly of the now-closed Newcastle bistro Subo, has developed a nose-to-tail, root-to-leaf concept that spotlights the calibre of local produce while limiting waste. "In the Hunter Region we have access to beautiful local produce that needs to be championed," Miceli explains. "Our concept of raw, rotten and loud allows us to really consider the ingredients and to explore how to maximise them." Fresh and foraged produce can be found in its purest state, served raw, but also pickled and cured—embracing the idea of the "rotten". The colour and flavour of this interplay of fresh and fermented foods are where the volume gets turned up, producing "loud" plates that diners won't soon forget. Meat is used sparingly on Closed's menu and even then, dishes favour obscure and underrated cuts that don't often make it to restaurant kitchens. Seafood has a more prominent presence but the greater focus is on seasonable vegetables, used in striking and surprising ways. Think market fish infused with gin and zesty yuzu, finished with zippy hits of pickled chilli and native succulents. The drinks offering also embraces the same sustainable ethos as the food, with a wine list sourced from boutique suppliers heroing minimal intervention, organic and biodynamic drops. Every mix on the innovative signature cocktail list involves some degree of pickling, fermenting or smoking. The menu is headlined by one of NSW's strongest legal drinks, The Cure — a sweet and sour mingle starring Poor Toms strawberry gin, lillet rose, rhubi mistelle, strawberry shrubb, lemon and rhubarb bitters. Spread over two levels, with a colourful and quirky dining space on the ground floor and a cocktail lounge with large outdoor terrace above, the interiors by Patternshop channel a punky yet polished tone, with plush, tactile fabrics, period accents and exposed wood contrasted with industrial fixtures. A palette of vermillion, olive and black are carried into a striking pop art wall mural by local artist Jordan Lucky that proudly proclaims: "Made in Newcastle". In recent years, major investment in Newcastle's hospitality and tourism industries has transformed NSW's second city from a historic port town into a bone fide dining destination on the doorstep of the Hunter. Hot on the heels of Hunter Street, which has undergone a renaissance since the opening of the light rail line in 2019 and the QT Newcastle in 2022, Closed represents the first phase of an $8-million development of the Beaumont Street strip. Future planned additions to the Islington Village development include an artisan bakery, a gelato store, restaurants and shop-top apartments. Find Closed at 17 Beaumont Street, Islington, Newcastle, open Wednesday–Friday, 4–10pm and Saturday–Sunday, midday–10pm. Head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Chad Konik
Ground-level drinks are so passé these days. While a majority of Sydney's bars remain firmly on the street level, Sydneysiders can't get enough of moving their catch-ups either up into the sky or down below the ground with the swath of fantastic rooftop and underground bars opening throughout the city. With new Clarence Street venue Ginny's Canoe Club, the Old Mate's Place team has seemingly cornered both markets, offering both sky-high and subterranean drinks at the same address. Ginny's Canoe Club will just be around for a limited time in the former site of Spawn Point on Clarence Street, as the Old Mate's Place team prepares for the next reincarnation of this space. After experiencing delays on the big plans for the building's basement, the team has created a pop-up venue that brings the energy of Old Mate's downstairs, filling the space with accommodating staff and a playful assortment of knick knacks and antiques. The menu is built around tacos, cocktails and wine. Chef Joey Astorga (ex-Cho Cho San and Smalls Deli) has helped pull together the selection of share plates, snacks and late-night eats. If you do arrive taco-ready, there are four flavours on offer — jerk mushroom, eggplant, squid and a fancy take on fish fingers. Accompanying the tacos are oysters with pineapple hot sauce, crab sandwiches, mussel tostadas, zucchini flower quesadillas and Albacore tuna with avocado and nori. There's also an after-hours menu that's only available from 10pm — helping to combat Sydney's severe lack of late-night restaurants. Here you'll find highlights from the pre-10pm menu like the tostadas and quesadillas alongside oysters, chips with dip and olives. The team has worked to pull together a refined wine list that compliments the food, and enlisted the help of RE's Evan Stroeve who's concocted an assortment of flavoursome cocktails. And, as for the name, it's derived from Old Mate's Place crew member Corky's mum. Director and Owner Dre Walters tells Concrete Playground that "she is so hospitable and fun that we wanted to name it after her, and the canoe club didn't have as good a ring to it as when you put Ginny in front of it." Ginny's Canoe Club is located at the basement level of 199 Clarence Street, Sydney. It's open 5pm–1am Wednesday–Sunday. Images: Chris Pearce
Cycleworld, in Concord, is a premium bike shop, stocking a wide range of brands including Shogun, Giant, Avanti, Bianchi, Giant, Mongoose and GT. The shop has a full service workshop attached, so if you're in the market for renewing your current bike rather than going for a complete changeover, the team at Cycleworld will be able to help you pimp your ride. If you're here for a new helmet, its range of Bell and Liv helmets come in under $100. You'll also find headlights, bottle cages, panniers and locks. Keep an eye on the store's Instagram page for helpful tips on making annual licensing more affordable for cycle racing, or for dream bike build inspiration.
Back in August last year, we lost a treasured jewel in the Kings Cross nightclub crown when Hugos called last drinks for the final time, with owner Dave Evans claiming that Sydney's lockout laws had made operating a nightclub impossible in the precinct. But according to The Daily Telegraph, that jewel has been found, polished, and ready to make a stunning re-entry to Sydney's bar scene in February next year. Eric Jury, owner and operator of Double Bay's Casablanca, has paid money to bring Hugo's back to life, albeit with a few minor changes to the club-slash-bar-pizza joint Sydney night owls knew and loved. Jury — who told The Tele he believes that the lockout laws have actually made the Bayswater Road area a nicer place — will be reopening Hugos as a pop-up bar initially, in order to dip his toe into the bathtub that is post-lockout Kings Cross. The plan will then be to open again as a permanent fixture next August, depending on how much business is drummed up in the probationary period. With Casablanca shutting down next year to make way for continued residential development in Double Bay, Jury is looking to bring back the Hugos vibe of drinking, dancing and generally enjoying your life whilst adhering to a strict dress code — a vision that is likely to induce a mild, elation-induced panic attack in Sydneysiders who love dressing up to get down. Although Jury's version of Hugo's might not be exactly how it's remembered by past patrons, it's a rare occasion that we get to report on a bar that's actually reopening (rather than closing) in Kings Cross.
If you are nuts for nuts or go gaga for grains, then you should definitely check out one of the Source Bulk Foods stores. These specialised bulk food stores, located in Balmain and Willoughby, stock over 400 food products including flour, honey and delicious snacks in enormous quantities. What's more, shopping for seeds has never been more fun! Bring in your own containers or jars and fill them with as much or as little of each product as your seed-loving heart desires. It's like going to the candy bar at the movies. But healthy. And way more affordable.
Razor sharp in wit and dress, the Barry Award-nominated Rhys Nicholson has made a name for himself as one of the country's funniest stand-up comics. His show at last year's Sydney Comedy Festival was an absolute highlight, tackling everything from sex to mental health in a manner that was both relatable and utterly hilarious. His follow-up is titled Seminal, and shapes up as one of the must-see sets of the fest.
Residents of Parramatta, it's time to add some more greenery to your house, apartment or backyard. For one morning only, the city council is giving away thousands of plants — so if you live in the Local Government Area, you can head by and collect up to four per person. Both trees and shrubs will be on offer during Free Plant Day, all as part of a plan to make the city greener and more liveable. Over the past five years, the City of Parramatta has planted more than 500,000 trees, native shrubs and ground covers around the area, in fact. To nab your new green babies, head on down to the nursery in Cowells Lane Reserve, near the corner of Cowells Lane and Monroe Street in Ermington, between 8.30am–12.30pm on Saturday, March 6. As well as perusing the freebies, you can chat to clued-up staff and choose which ones to adopt. You will need to bring proof of residency with you, so don't leave home without something that lists your address.
A harshly lit, harshly generic hotel room is visible behind drawn, translucent curtains. The scene is at once concealed and on display as the young Claudio and his betrothed Julietta commit the fornication that will later have him condemned to death. We feel like we shouldn't really be watching, but that doesn't stop us. A hand-held camcorder films their every move, with the footage transmitted live on external screens, offering us something we don't usually get at the theatre — extreme close-ups. While the odd purist has accused Benedict Andrews of disrespecting classic texts in the name of sensation, the director's genius actually lies in his ability to locate exactly what it is in a Shakespeare play that will speak most directly to us today. In Measure for Measure, the Duke of Vienna hands over his power and becomes an unseen spectator in his own city. Disguises are built, costumes are swapped and alibis are forged in the elaborate tale of power, desire, law, surveillance and sex that unfolds. In Andrews' hands, the multiple layers of watching and being watched build slowly on each other in wonderfully intricate ways. At times, the actors look directly down the lens of the ever-present camera, a convention borrowed from pornography that makes evident their awareness of our gaze. When someone looks into the bathroom mirror, they are projected on the screens and we see them seeing themselves, while on a broader level, what we are really looking at here is a reflection of ourselves. With design by Belvoir's soon-to-be artistic director Ralph Myers, all the beautifully choreographed action takes place in the single claustrophobic hotel room atop a revolving stage. The performances are consistently intense and raw, with highlights from Robert Menzies as the unyielding Duke and Robin McLeavy as the pious nun Isabella, whose motivations remain ambiguous. The role of the hilariously petulant dimwit Lucio seems to have been created for Toby Schmitz, or he for it. Colin Moody as the nihilistic inmate Barnadine also does a brilliantly furious drunken tantrum while the Birthday Party blares as invasively loud as it is supposed to. Certainly one of Shakespeare's strangest, Measure for Measure has been classified by scholars as a 'problem play'. The theatrical and moral challenges it poses are confronted head on in this highly charged production where nothing escapes scrutiny, not even us. While Duke Vincentio retreats to invisible voyeurism to gain a sense of the corruption and hypocrisy going on around him, like all good theatre this production confirms that illusion and make-believe can be necessary in revealing the way things really are. Robin McLeavy and Arky Michael. Photo by Heidrun Lohr. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rzwaAGjDt_4
The Latin motto of the University of Sydney is pretty stark about the size of the chip on its shoulder. “Sidere mens eadem mutato.” Meaning, roughly, “the same minds under a new set of stars”. That is, "we’re as good as all those other European universities". Sydney Moderns charts a similar path through the history of Sydney artists who returned from early 20th century jaunts in Europe with the influence of the big, overseas art movements of the day, like Cubism or Impressionism. These artists applied new techniques under Sydney University’s different stars. And the results make for an interesting take on Sydney in the early 20th century. There are some obvious European connections, both modern and less so. Jesse Traill’s Piranesi-like etchings of the Harbour Bridge under construction are especially breathtaking in Sydney Bridge IV — the ants’ progress, Antonio Dattilo-Rubbo’s Pea gathering (Kurrajong Heights) seems to obviously owe quite a lot to Millet’s the Gleaners and Frank Hinder’s Aircraft shadow from searchlight also shows the bombastic influence of the motion-loving Futurists. It's an important exhibition, full of masterful art that gives you windows into a Sydney of the 20s and 30s. But it also leans heavily on the Art Gallery of NSW’s own collections, almost to the point where you feel like “Grace Cossington Smith and Friends” might have given you a better idea of what the exhibition has to offer. There’s nothing wrong with this in itself. Grace Cossington Smith was a powerful artist, with a sharp eye and a profound grasp of human detail, but, at $15 a ticket, she’s also a regular you can ordinarily see on display for free in the Gallery collection. Only the sheer size of this exhibition eventually overwhelms this sudden sense of Art Gallery paywall. For a show about the inter-war years and the influence of European painters, Sydney Moderns lacks a lot of information about the decade and influences its painters were working in. There are no photos of the European paintings whose influence was meant to be so keenly in this artwork (not even the constantly-mentioned Cezanne, so loved by Roland Wakelin) and there’s no photos of the actual places depicted, either. The fact that the majority of the art is by women is no small thing though, in this period barely past first-wave feminism. And it’s great art. Margaret Preston’s Implement Blue picks out charged, Art Deco greys and blues, Roy de Maistre’s experimentations with the idea of "harmonies of colour" (mapping colours to a piano keyboard and combining them into “harmonious” combinations) makes for some surprisingly strong abstract composition in Arrested phrase from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in red major, Thea Proctor produces electric aristocrats of leisure and the Grosvenor School’s linocuts own sharp colours, lines and a pretty sharply clear inflience from Japan (as well as Claude Flight). This really is an all star show. Most rooms are dominated by powerful art, from a period where Sydney was coming to terms with a changing world and changing artistic landscape. It’s just hard to escape feeling, especially in its opening room of Harbour Bridge art, that a lot of this is something we’ve seen before. Image: The bridge in curve by Grace Cossington Smith. National Gallery of Victoria. © Estate of Grace Cossington Smith.
There’s nothing like waiting for a train at Central after a long day at work and having the bustle of swiftly-moving suits unexpectedly interrupted by the captivating vocals of Sydney singer/songwriter John Vella (or at least we assume this is true), but take away the surprise factor and it’s still pretty cool. Thanks to the legends at Logitech UE this sort of thing will be happening all over town from Thursday 29 November to Friday 21 December. Rounding up some of our most talented emerging acts to materialise in different public places, it’s a great way to see music that’s free, good and doesn’t require you to dig around for any print-out barcodes. Included in the lineup are sprawling six-piece Winter People, vocalist Ashley Macedo and guitarist Mark Chivas, the aforementioned John Vella and blues man Ed Worland. See the cheat sheet below. Thursday 29 November: Winter People at Westfield Pitt Street Mall (6.30 – 7.10pm) Friday 7 December: Ashley Moacedo and Mark Chivas at The Grounds Alexandria (12 – 2pm) Thursday 13 December: John Vella at Central Station (1 - 4pm) Friday 14 December: Ed Worland at Belmore Park (three 20-minute sets between 4pm and 6pm)
