Following a hugely successful launch at Chadstone Shopping Centre last week, Brooki Bakehouse has just announced plans for a new pop-up. But the big question is, where will it be? The beloved Brisbane bakery, with outposts in Gold Coast, Sydney (at the airport) and Melbourne, will now bring its viral cookies to Adelaide for the first time. However, this one-off, limited-time event will only run for four days. Brooki Bakehouse was founded by Brooke Bellamy, who built an impressive social media following across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, resulting in endless queues of devotees waiting patiently to get their hands on one of Brooke's coveted baked goods. Brooki's always-evolving range of cookies includes the likes of an almond croissant cookie, and oreo cheesecake cookie, and a carrot cake cookie. From Thursday, May 28, through Sunday, May 31, Brooki Bakehouse will pop up at Westfield Marion in Oaklands Park. So, South Australians, this is your one chance to get your hands on Brooke's baked goods in person, so don't miss out. "Adelaide has been asking for Brooki for a long time — we can't wait to finally show up. Four days only — come find us at Westfield Marion." Images: Supplied. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
When I travel, I don't buy souvenirs — I bring back groceries. I find this a particularly rewarding thing to do when I spend time in a place where I don't speak the language. Food, after all, is the universal language. And a grocery store can act as a window into cultures that are different to my own. In multicultural and ethnically diverse places like Sydney, grocery stores are especially important for diaspora communities — new arrivals seeking a connection to home (like my own Greek and Cypriot grandparents). It's this connection that inspired Ketan Patel and other partners to open Indian grocery store Radhe in Harris Park in 2006. "As young migrants to Australia during that time, we were desperate to find ingredients for cooking our everyday staples and we realised this is a shared struggle for many Indian-Australians." Opening in Harris Park was no accident, either. "Harris Park is the hub for all things Indian-Australian," Patel says. "We genuinely appreciate its multiculturalism, diversity, happening nature and vibrant energy. Many of our friends mention that whenever we miss our home country, just a ride around this bustling area makes things right." In the years since Patel and his partners opened Radhe's Harris Park outpost, Australia has become home to one of the largest groups within the Indian diaspora. Our Indian-born community is in fact one the fastest-growing migrant groups in the country. Radhe has expanded in line with the population growth, with the grocer now boasting six locations throughout Sydney. It's also since cemented its position as a key pillar in the communities it serves. "Our food was not only a daily meal for us," Patel says. "It was our connection, a feeling of being truly at home and missing it was irreplaceable for many — but what we did get was quite expensive due to the lack of shops. That is how Radhe was incorporated — to make sure all Indian-Australians and everyone else can get the ingredients for cooking tasty and healthy Indian meals at home." Browsing the aisles, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the vast selection of products on offer. Indeed, the Radhe range is reflective of the diversity within India itself. "India, being a multicultural and diverse nation, has a variety of cuisines as per its different regions," Patel says. "It is important to us that we can make a variety of ingredients available to suit all cuisine types. Especially with Indian-Australians now one of Australia's biggest migrant groups, it is crucial for stores like ours to supply everything they need to build a kitchen and a home for themselves here." So, where to start? Patel highlights five items to find at Radhe that will add depth to any pantry. PANTRY ESSENTIALS TO SHOP AT AN INDIAN GROCERY STORE FROZEN GOODS "Samosas, naans and other frozen varieties are ready to eat and great for all foodies looking for a quick treat at home." Patel notes that not only are frozen items "hands-down" a favourite among Radhe staff, but a hit with customers, too. SPICES "Turmeric, cinnamon, chilli powder, the list goes on. These are a staple in every Indian household and gaining popularity in many other cuisines, too. Indian spices are undoubtedly a must-have for that perfect synchrony of taste in your dish." FRESH PRODUCE "Indian cooking liberally uses fresh coriander — in chutneys, as a seasoning, as an ingredient and more. Fresh herbs and veggies — from the common ones to the more exotic Indian vegetable varieties — are a must to prepare an excellent salad or a healthy cooked dish at home." LENTILS AND PULSES "These are the heart of Indian cuisine — think red lentil dal, yellow dal and more. They make for a filling and hearty meal." CHEESE, PLEASE "Paneer, or Indian cottage cheese, is soft, healthy and tasty. It is fabulous for a range of delicious curries, barbecuing or adding to salads." You can find Radhe Wholesale and Retail at 8/10, Harris Street East, Harris Park. For more ways to experience Harris Park, head to the website. Images: Nikki To
If you're anything like us, you've probably lost track of half the swish restaurants and moodily lit drinking dens fashion people post to Instagram (or added yet another screenshot to your own ever-growing archive). Australia's cultural elite are often among the first to reveal a cheeky new diner or quietly champion a local favourite — whether it's a hole-in-the-wall dumpling spot or a coffee order worth queuing for. So, during Sydney's most style-driven week of the year, the question naturally becomes: where exactly are tastemakers fuelling up between runways, unwinding post-show, indulging in late-night cheeseburgers, or gathering content for the social dump? Luckily, we've done the legwork. We asked the it-crowd at Australian Fashion Week to voice note or message where they dined last week, so you can save, book, and one day chicly flex your own reservation. Want more new, now? Check out our list of Sydney's newest venue openings. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Olympus • Sydney (@olympusdining) Hetty Appleton-Miles Styling Editor at Burberry London "Olympus at The Eve was so lovely, the food was so delicious — very full of flavour and it felt quite naughty. The desserts as well were insane. There was a yoghurt, olive oil and sea salt dessert that honestly, if I wasn't so full, I would have loved. It was just beautiful, very spacious. There was a big tree in the middle and it just had a really nice atmosphere. That was the highlight." [caption id="attachment_658136" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Freds[/caption] Eugene Canty Photographer "Le Foote, which is just behind the MCA, which is a little dynamite place, and then Fred's for a little home-cooked style meal. And then a cheeky Big Mac here and there just for sustenance and efficiency." [caption id="attachment_906124" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Le Foote[/caption] Breeana Smith Founder of L'IDÉE Woman "Le Foote for the best steak, Icebergs always for post-show lunch celebration on Friday, and South Dowling sandwiches when in a rush and in search of a nostalgic Aussie sandwich — thanks to Shannon at Désordre for the insider tip here." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Clarence and V (@clarenceandv) Charlotte Hicks Founder and Designer, ESSE Studios "I love Clarence and V — it's still a bit of a hidden gem, but that's what makes it feel so authentic and special to us." [caption id="attachment_910347" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pellegrino 2000[/caption] Laura May Founder of Nagnata "Taking my partner to Pellegrino 2000 post-show for a date night dinner once he arrives in town. He's Italian and absolutely loves it there, it has become one of our favourite spots in Sydney. 10 William is always a classic during Fashion Week. It's one of those places that feels very Sydney to me — great atmosphere, great wine. Friday night wines at Paski with friends is another ritual. By the end of Fashion Week everyone is ready to decompress a little, reconnect and celebrate a big week. In between shows, castings and fittings, I'm usually grabbing coffee or matcha from Alimentari. It's close to the office and has become a bit of a daily ritual while I'm in town. For lunch during the week, I love Jackie's for something fresh, nourishing and still really delicious." [caption id="attachment_673758" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Restaurant Hubert, Cole Bennetts[/caption] Gary Bigneni Designer "I'm going to be honest — in the lead-up to, and during Fashion Week — eating is not always easy because I am so busy and am eating on the run all the time. In a perfect world, it's pizza and pasta for me — but if I have to choose, it would be Restaurant Hubert. I just love the cuisine and the atmosphere." [caption id="attachment_611319" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mr Wong[/caption] Maria Thattil Model, actor, and author "If anyone's going to go anywhere to eat, there are incredible restaurants at Capella, which is amazing for a lazy girl like me to go downstairs and eat. But also I love Mr Wong, and its kung pao chicken. I've been Googling and researching that recipe for years, trying to figure out what the secret sauce is, and when I go I order two servings of dinner just to make sure I've had enough before I go back to Melbourne." View this post on Instagram A post shared by @eefsydney Sarah Noonan Freelance fashion writer and editor "For coffee between shows, EEF in Darlinghurst is a great place to perch up your laptop and pump out some stories. And then for a late-afternoon, early-evening bite, Le Foote Happy Hour between 4 and 6pm, you can get an incredible burger and fish sandwich. For dinner, Restaurant Hubert." [caption id="attachment_897259" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Palazzo Salato[/caption] Ren Kimber Co-founder of Christian Kimber and AFC Board Director "I went to Morrison's Oyster Bar and had the best time. I had some wildly good oysters, a sticky date pudding that was super light. It was caramel, almost taken to the edge rather than butterscotch. It wasn't creamy, heavy or stodgy — it was just gorgeous. I love going to Palazzo Salato — it's just pasta perfection. Everything's cooked beautifully, with the most delicate flavours from spanner crab to really simple pork cheek ragu. It's just heaven. They do a roasted artichoke heart dish that's very good. I know it's a bit obvious, but I always do Bills for breakfast." Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground Newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox. Top image: Supplied
The year feels like it's flying by, with the Easter holidays already upon us. While you might have plans for the long weekend, you could also lock in an adventure a little further away, with Scoot's latest sale helping you escape the oncoming cold months Running from Tuesday, March 31–Sunday, April 5, Gotta Scoot Tuesday is stacked with highlights. And with the price of fuel seemingly going up and up, it might just be cheaper to head to the airport rather than getting in the car anytime soon. If Thailand is calling your name, there are discount fares to help you reach your destination. Flying from Perth, Sydney and Melbourne, you can head to Phuket via Singapore for $178–$245. However, you might swap the Andaman Sea for the Gulf of Thailand, with flights to Koh Samui via Singapore departing Perth, Melbourne and Sydney for $250, $300 and $315, respectively. Here, island hopping is made easy, especially with nearby hotspots like Koh Tao. If Vietnam still needs to be checked off your travel bucket list — or if another visit is overdue — Scoot is departing from Perth for Ho Chi Minh City via Singapore for $182, from Sydney for $230 and from Melbourne for $240. Although there are hundreds more flights to explore, one last highlight is Denpasar via Singapore. Whether you're Bali-bound or headed to one of 17,000 or so other Indonesian islands, departures from Melbourne start at $245, while Sydney flights start from $250. Travel dates span various periods from April 13, 2026–March 26, 2027, with the sale ending on Sunday, April 5 at 11.59pm. Head to the website for more information. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
If you're a fevered festival-head, you'll know all about New Year's Eve favourite Beyond the Valley. At the end of 2022 an eclectic bill of musos will be taking to the stage in Barunah Plains, a region west of Melbourne, to see out the year with a dance floor heaving with good vibes. Nelly Furtado is heading up the festivities, and she'll be joined by the likes of Flight Facilities, Kaytranada, Charlotte De Witte and Lime Cordiale, too. It's set to be a big one. Now to squeeze as much fun as you can out of your festival experience, you don't just rock up without some forward thinking. To have the best time, you've got to know what you're doing — you've gotta plan. In our opinion, even the most experienced Aussie summer festival-goers could do with a few hacks. That's especially true with the influx of new tech and gadgets that work hard to see that our experiences are funner, easier and cheaper. Take, for example, inDrive, the new-to-Australia ride-sharing biz that lets you negotiate your own fares, and choose your own driver (based on star rating, pick-up time and car). Torn between surge pricing and waiting who-knows-how-long for public transport? That's not how you finish off a fest. Together with inDrive, we spoke to Taylah Hume, Beyond the Valley's Customer Experience Manager, about how to make the most out of summer festival season. BOOK YOUR RIDE BEFORE YOU GO "I cannot stress this enough — sort out your transport ahead of time! If you're going to a single-day event, make sure you've decided how you're getting home (or to kick-ons). No hitchhiking home please, and no one has time for surge pricing. Luckily there are businesses making this easier and cheaper — like inDrive, the ride-share app that lets you choose a pick-up time, a driver and your fare. You'll have no need to worry about being stung with surge pricing at the end of your night. That's a huge win for those of us on a budget — we don't need costly surprises at the end of a big festival when we're heading home. You can party as hard as you like, start and end your experience on a high with heaps of peace of mind." PACK D-FLOOR SNACKS "The best way to ensure you're not partying on an empty stomach — and crashing early — is to snack on the dance floor! I've never been as popular as when I opened a bag of chips in the middle of the dance floor on the second day of a camping festival. Don't forget to pack yourself some sweet treats, too. People are always so practical with their festival shopping and forget about the fun stuff. I bring lamingtons to every camping festival — they're perfect for summer festivals as they don't melt in the heat! You're welcome." [caption id="attachment_879657" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Beyond the Valley[/caption] ARRIVE EARLY "Always arrive early to catch the opening acts, because you'll never be disappointed — these artists are booked for a reason! And when they start getting more traction, there is no greater flex than telling your friends you were onto them months ago, duh. You'll also give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the festival's other activities — there's always more going on beyond the stages. Arrive early to get the full experience without rushing." DON'T BE AFRAID TO OVERPACK "You don't have the creature comforts of home, so a camping festival is the one time it's okay to overpack. My essentials? Face masks, a few extra pairs of socks, a portable charger, duct tape (you'd be surprised how often this comes in handy). And don't just come prepared with items, come prepared with an itinerary too. Who are your must-sees? When are they playing? And if you're still working it out, the best way to get prepared is to create a playlist ahead of the event — with both the artists you're already into and the new acts you want to check out all queued. Listening to the playlist on your way to the event is the best way to hype your crew, too!" KEEP YOUR KEYS IN A SAFE PLACE "There is nothing worse than having a big day/night/weekend — you're tired, the funs worn off — and then realising you have no idea where you left your keys. You want to be able to get home, and you want to be able to get inside once you're there. Make sure you keep them in a safe place — and make sure that safe place is not inside your tent (the tent that is currently packed up and wedged in between everyone else's belongings in the back of the car), because I guarantee you'll be getting the silent treatment the whole car ride home. If you can't tell, I learnt this one the hard way." If you're heading to a music festival this summer, or simply enjoying your city, inDrive will make sure you get to where you need to go — without any surge pricing. Head to the website for more information and to download the app. Top image: Mackenzie Sweetnam (first)
Pitmasters, grill dads and other fire-cooking enthusiasts, rock music diehards and now tattoo lovers won't want to miss Meatstock Sydney 2026 — the tenth anniversary of Australia's foremost festival celebrating all things barbecue. Taking over Sydney Showground on Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2, this two-day event is loaded with succulent flavours alongside it's biggest-ever, smokin' hot program of live music, entertainment and a collision of subcultures. If there's one thing you need for Meatstock, it's a ravenous appetite. Despite the broad range of entertainment available during the event, the art of cooking meat is still the heart and soul of the festivities. You'll be able to grab a plate or bowl of the good stuff from the likes of Phat Boyz BBQ, Firepop, Hoy Pinoy, Brazilian Flame Barbecue, Burn City Smokers, Black Ber BBQ and more. Once you've sated your inner carnivore, you can enjoy the standout live music lineup, which this year is headlined by New Zealand's reggae legends L.A.B, Australian folk pop duo The Dreggs, Wellington native RnB group Drax Project, Melbourne's soul icon Kylie Audist (both solo and with the full Bamboos crew) and more. If you want to walk away with some goodies from your Meatstock experience, the expo aspect is a must-see as well. Here, vendors will be offering products from across the worlds of barbecue gear, seasoning and sauce, country-style fashion, leather goods, knives, artisanal pantry goods and even tattoos, with The Inked Expo offering exclusive Meatstock flash sheets. And if that wasn't enough already, you can attend live events hosted by guest grillmasters from across Australia and the globe, plus competitions that cover everything from grilling and butchering to beards and tattooing. Tickets are selling fast, so get yours on the Meatstock website.
Have your weekday lunches and dinners been lacking in lustre a bit recently? Are you ready to retire the soggy sandwich, or underdressed salad, and make your meals a little more exciting? Thanks to the Rockpool Dining Group you can — without breaking the budget. A heap of the group's fancy Sydney restaurants, which are overseen by chef Neil Perry, are serving up tasty dishes — and a glass of wine or cocktail — for a mere $25 at lunch and dinner for ten days this month. Head out for a meal in the CBD between Monday, April 15 and Sunday, April 28 and you can pick from the likes of a David Blackmore wagyu burger at Rockpool Bar & Grill paired with a glass of shiraz, pizza and Chianti at Rosetta, three tacos and a margarita at Bar Patrón or a prime rib sandwich and a glass or red or white at The Cut Bar & Grill. And all of them will set you back just $25. It doesn't stop there, either. Regional Chinese fine-diner Spice Temple will be pairing one of its five bar noodle dishes — pick from spicy pork and fermented chilli belt noodles, Shanghai noodles with braised lamb and crispy chow mein with pork — with its famed Zodiac Cocktails for just $25 a pop, too. Since these 12 cocktails usually set you back at least $20, it's a pretty great deal. You can check them all out here. Not in the city? All all Saké outposts — in Manly, Double Bay and the Rocks — will be offering a $25 deal, too, serving up a selection of sashimi and nigiri with a Sapporo or glass of wine for the discounted price. To snag the deal head in to any of the below restaurants for lunch or dinner — the only catch is you'll have to sit at the bar. Bookings can be made here. ROCKPOOL DINING GROUP'S $25 BAR LUNCH LOCATIONS Rockpool Bar & Grill Spice Temple Rosetta Trattoria The Cut Bar & Grill Bar Patrón Saké The Rocks, Manly, Double Bay UPDATE: APRIL 12, 2019 — Rockpool Dining Group's $25 meals were originally only available at lunch. They're now available at lunch and dinner. The above copy has been updated to reflect this.
Tax time is about to get a whole lot easier. The 2026 federal budget has confirmed a new $1,000 instant tax deduction for working Australians, allowing eligible employees to knock $1,000 off their taxable income at tax time — without saving a single receipt. Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed the measure in his 2026–27 budget speech as part of the budget's broader tax reform package, framed as making the system "simpler for workers." According to a Treasury media release and ABC reporting, around 6.2 million workers — roughly 42 percent of taxpayers — will benefit, with an average tax saving of $205 each. The deduction covers the same broad category of expenses workers already claim — car and travel costs, tools and equipment, uniforms, work-from-home expenses, self-education and similar work-related costs. And if you already spend more than $1,000 a year on work-related stuff, the door isn't closed: you can still itemise your deductions the usual way, keeping receipts and claiming the full amount. The $1,000 instant deduction is for everyone else who would rather skip the spreadsheet. There's one catch worth flagging up front: it doesn't apply to the return you'll be lodging this winter. The instant deduction applies from the 2026-27 income year, which means workers will see the benefit when lodging their tax return in the second half of 2027. The change is subject to the passage of legislation, though the draft legislation closed for consultation on 01/05/2026 — so it's well-progressed. It's worth keeping in mind that the $1,000 figure is a deduction — not a flat refund. The actual cash back depends on your marginal tax rate, which is how Treasury arrives at the $205 average figure. For most workers, that's still a real saving, and it's likely to be welcomed by anyone who's spent the last few years scrambling to keep track of work-related receipts at tax time. The deduction is one part of a much broader tax package handed down in the 2026 federal budget, which also includes a new $250 Working Australians Tax Offset for 13.3 million workers — what Chalmers called "the biggest cost-of-living measure in this budget" — alongside the negative gearing and capital gains tax reforms also confirmed in the speech. Averaged out, the government says its full package of tax measures puts roughly $54 a week back in the average earner's pocket. Lead image: iStock Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground Newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
For an unassuming mollusc that spends its days clinging to rocks and filtering saltwater, the oyster sure has found itself in prime standing in modern fine-dining culture. The humble, briny beastie has cemented itself as a tableside snack that can be luxurious and also affordable, and it's hidden complexities are taking centre stage during an exclusive Vivid-adjacent event at Shell House this June. An official part of Vivid Sydney's culinary program, Oysters in the House will celebrate the freshest oysters that Australia has to offer across multiple levels of Shell House. 14 of the best oyster farmers in the state will be attending, including prestigious farms like Wapengo Organic Oysters, Narooma's Rutter Oysters and the Sapphire-Coast-hailing Sweetwater Oysters — all perfectly paired with wines from nine of the Hunter Valley's leading Semillon producers. Your ticket will get you access to tastings, shucking demonstrations, a limited-time themed snack menu, pop-up bars and more — and we're giving away not one, but two tickets for you to take part. Welcoming many names and talents from the East Coast Oyster trail, this roam-and-snack experience is split across two sessions on Sunday, June 7 (12 to 3pm and 3.30 to 6.30pm). You can also take your pick of three available masterclasses to join during your visit. First is a deep dive into the diversity of NSW's oysters by region, with a lineup of farmers presenting their oyster varietals alongside a complimentary glass of Semillon. Otherwise, there's a lesson in pairing presented by PJ Charteris, with three styles of Hunter Valley Semillon paired with Sydney Rock Oysters. Your third and final option? A masterclass in making a perfect oyster-accompanying martini, hosted by Archie Rose. To win two tickets to Oysters in the House, plus a masterclass of your choice, all you need to do is fill out the form below and tell us in 25 words or less: what's your perfect oyster serve? [competition]1105398[/competition]
If you've been waiting for the cold months to kick into high gear, you might have seen news about how the possible impending El Niño could lead to disappointingly warm weather. Forecasts released this week by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology confirm that, but not an El Niño yet. Here's what your winter could look like across the country. A quick refresher if you're not already familiar: El Niño is one half of a regular weather cycle that defines rainfall and ensuing weather changes on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. We've just started to climb out of its opposite, La Niña, which brings more rain and cloud cover to Australia, but El Niño sees the clouds and the ensuing moisture become scarce. It's generally triggered by rising ocean temperatures, which block that moisture from crossing the ocean. You can read more about the causes of El Niño here. Earlier this year, it was reported that we are headed for a so-called "Super El Niño". The symptoms of a Super El Niño in the Pacific Ocean haven't started yet, but forecasts for the coming months point to some very El Niño-esque rainfall (or lack thereof) across the country. The biggest impacts will be felt by farmers, and also alpine towns hoping to welcome snowsport tourists. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bureau of Meteorology (@bureauofmeteorology) For the southern states, forecasts are predicting below-average rainfall, especially from June. In the NT and the northern parts of WA and QLD, it's a different story: above-average rainfall is predicted, but the baseline is very low and easily exceeded thanks to the annual dry season. In central and northwest Australia, rain forecasts are consistent with average winter weather, which is dry year-round. The temperature is looking similarly toasty, with the chance of higher-than-average minimum and maximum temperatures averaging between 60 and 80 percent across the country. While the differences aren't dramatic, mostly a one-degree increase against the average, some regions will suffer more than others from, namely Australia's alpine townships. [caption id="attachment_750966" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tourism Snowy Mountains[/caption] Drier and warmer conditions almost universally lead to less snowfall, which can put tourists off from making the annual pilgrimage to resort towns like Perisher, Falls Creek, Mount Buller and Thredbo. But as BOM senior climatologist Caitlin Minney told the ABC, spontaneous rainfall systems like Southern Ocean cold fronts and East Coast lows can drive sudden and plentiful snowfall — so don't put the snow gear in storage yet and keep a ready eye on the forecast. It's looking quite likely that an El Niño will be officially declared in winter, which means we can expect drier conditions for as much as a year to come, including a higher-risk fire season and a greater chance of drought. Follow the Australian Bureau of Meteorology for the most up-to-date information and weather forecasts.
Bangarra Dance Theatre is getting its flowers. In July, the leading First Nations performing arts company will be presented with the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale Danze 2026. The Golden Lion is presented for a lifetime achievement in dance and is a highly coveted honour that puts Bangarra's work firmly on the global stage. It's a major cultural moment not just for Bangarra as the first company and First Nations performers to receive the award, but for First Nations storytelling in general. Bangarra (which means "to make fire" in the Wiradjuri language) sparks important conversations and social change through its storytelling and cultural works, and from May, audiences back home will have the chance to see why the dance world is paying attention. Performing Arts to Watch Bangarra Dance Theatre draws on 65, 000 years of culture and storytelling. Through contemporary dance, the performers create works of theatre, music, poetry and design that share First Nations stories. Each dancer is professionally trained and has a proud Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background. This winter, Bangarra Dance Theatre is once again sharing its powerful visual poetry with the country. Under Artistic Director Frances Rings, Sheltering is an intergenerational performance of contemporary works. Each piece offers a profound journey into the intricate bonds between people and place. Keeping Grounded is an exploration of our energetic connection to the earth and ancestral land, choreographed by Indjalandji-Dhidhanu and Alyewarre woman Glory Tuohy-Daniell. Brown Boys is a groundbreaking dance film by Gomeroi and Tongan man Daniel Mateo and Cass Mortimer Eipper that delves into the experiences of young Indigenous men, exploring identity, belonging, and cultural connection. Sheoak, choreographed by Mirning woman Frances Rings and set to music by renowned composer David Page, explores themes of resilience, connection to Country, and cultural identity. Over the course of 90 minutes, the three works engage with vital First Nations social and cultural issues and showcase the enduring connections between people, land, and spirit. Sheltering will begin its tour on Ngunnawal Country at the Canberra Theatre Centre in late May. This will then be followed by performances on Gadigal Country at the Sydney Opera House and on Wurundjeri Country at the Arts Centre Melbourne in June. Finally, from Thursday, July 9 until Saturday, July 18, Meanjin will host the final shows of Sheltering at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Through its work and performances, Bangarra Dance Theatre aims to create inspiring experiences that promote awareness and understanding of First Nations peoples and cultures. By celebrating the world's oldest storytellers, audiences can immerse themselves in First Nations experiences and identity. Earlier this year, Bangarra Dance Theatre joined forces with The Australian Ballet for Flora, a bold and powerful new dance collaboration. Bringing together 35 dancers from both companies, Flora marked the fourth time these two national powerhouses came together on stage. Opening to rave reviews, Flora took audiences on a journey through the evolution of Australian flora and traced the influence of historic and environmental events on the land and its people. It symbolised the resilience of both flora and First Nations people. From celebrating First Nations culture to progressing conversations around reconciliation, Bangarra Dance Theatre will leave you feeling connected, creatively inspired and with a deep appreciation for the country's performing arts and artists. Sheltering Tour Dates May 23–27 — Canberra Theatre Centre, Ngunnawal Country June 3–13 — Sydney Opera House, Gadigal Country June 8–27 — Arts Centre Melbourne, Wurundjeri Country July 9–18 — Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Meanjin Purchase tickets to Sheltering.
Whether Banksy is building the world's most depressing theme park, crafting a dark tourism ad for Gaza, opening a Bethlehem guesthouse with a view of the Israeli-Palestinian border or spray painting his pieces all over the globe, the artist's work tends to make a statement. That said, nothing sends a message quite like ripping your own painting to shreds. In a turn of events that the crowd at London's Sotheby's auction house definitely weren't expecting, Banksy's Girl with Balloon artwork self-destructed as the hammer fell on the winning bid. The moment that the painting had been sold on Friday, October 5 — for the hefty sum of £860,000 (AU$1.6 million) — the piece emitted a beeping noise. Then the artwork began to slide through a shredder embedded in the bottom of the frame, coming out the other side in torn pieces. In a video posted on the artist's Instagram feed and YouTube channel, Banksy is shown secretly building a shredder into a painting, with an explanation that this was done a few years ago "in case it was ever put up for auction". The clip then jumps to the scene at Sotheby's during and after the auction. Unsurprisingly, things get chaotic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiO_1XRnMt4 Sotheby's has advised that it had no knowledge of the prank before it happened. "It appears we just got Banksy-ed," Alex Branczik, head of contemporary art for Europe, told The Art Newspaper. Just what will happen to the piece now is still being determined, with suggestions that the work has gone up in value after being partly shredded. It certainly does continue Banksy's fascination with both creation and destruction, which has long been a theme at the centre of the street artist's work. Images: Olga Rozenbajgier, The Art of Banksy / Banksy.
The sofa problem, for anyone who has ever furnished a rental or a first apartment, tends to come down to a choice between something beautiful that costs as much as a small car, or something affordable that announces itself as such the moment anyone sits down. Cozey — the Montréal-founded brand that has quietly become one of the most-shared pieces of furniture on the internet — launched in Australia this week, and it is making a fairly compelling case that the choice is a false one. Founded in 2020 by Frédéric Aubé, the brand started with a single modular sofa and has since grown into a full home collection spanning living, bedroom, dining, and storage. The aesthetic lands somewhere between Scandinavian restraint and the kind of considered, directional interiors that take up a disproportionate amount of space on design accounts — deeply cushioned seats, clean architectural lines, finishes that photograph well and live better. What makes Cozey genuinely interesting, though, is how far the customisation extends. Configurations can be built out or pulled back depending on space, covers come off and go through the washing machine, edges run square or rounded depending on preference, and storage options sit neatly underneath the frame for anyone whose living room is also doing a lot of other work. The result is that two people who both buy a Cozey sofa are unlikely to end up with the same sofa — which, given how recognisable most affordable furniture tends to become, matters more than it sounds. Australia is Cozey's first market outside North America, and the timing reflects something real about how people are living here right now — renting longer, moving more often, less willing to invest in pieces that won't make the trip. All orders ship from a Sydney-based operations centre with free delivery across the country, backed by a risk-free trial and an industry-leading warranty. The full Cozey collection is available now via the website. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox. Images: Supplied.
Travel is fully digital these days. Like, when was the last time you saw someone carrying a paperback guidebook? Exactly. While Uber has been helping Australian travellers get to and from the airport for years now, the app is soon rolling out a host of new travel-focused features designed to make your trips more convenient. At the forefront of these changes is Travel Mode, available from mid-May. Imagined as a personal concierge, this update brings multiple additions to the platform. For instance, you won't get lost finding the airport exit (or correct rideshare area, looking at you Tullamarine) again — the app will now guide you to the doors so you can spend less time wandering the corridors and more exploring your destination. What's more, the app will now feature curated travel recommendations, such as local favourites and popular tourist destinations. So, whether you land somewhere new with no plan at all or unexpectedly have some time to fill, this change will help you make the most of your visit on the fly. View this post on Instagram Of course, food and dining are among many people's top priorities when they travel. With this in mind, the Uber app now lets you secure restaurant reservations via built-in OpenTable integration. Plus, Uber will also offer its own version of room service, where food and everyday essentials get delivered directly to your hotel. This substantial update comes on the heels of Uber's annual GO-GET conference, which just took place in New York. While the event revealed more forthcoming features, including Uber One International and One Search — a single search bar for booking rides or ordering delivery — the overarching message is that Uber now sees itself as an all-in-one service. "Uber is becoming an app for everything — helping people go, get, and now travel all in one place," says Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. "We're all living through a moment of real cognitive overload: too many apps, too many decisions, too much noise. At the end of the day, our job is to help people reclaim their time, spending less of it managing the logistics of life and more of it actually living." Uber's travel updates are expected to roll out from mid-May. Head to the website for more information. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox. Images: Supplied.
Head through a 1920s-style fridge door and wind down a spiral staircase in order to find Manly's most secretive bar, an underground drink den named The Cumberland. It sits below Cove Deli, a fully functional provisions store that provides antipasto and snacks for its hidden counterpart downstairs. While the novelty of the hidden speakeasy is a big drawcard for The Cumberland, the welcoming atmosphere and top-notch drinks list are what keep people coming back. You'll find more than 250 different whiskies alongside natural wines, craft beers and plenty of cocktails. The cocktail list is split into themes such as Foraged and Found, Pre-Temperance Movement Favourites and 19th-Century County Tipples. Under these headings, expect to find classics like the sazerac and French 75, alongside specialties like the dandelion espresso martini, the Wild Fennel Calling which uses locally foraged fennel, and a smoking whisky number simply called the Cumberland. For eats, antipasto boards packed with cheeses and cured meats are delivered downstairs via a vintage dumbwaiter. A second kitchen within the Cumberland serves up tapas-style snacks such as Sydney rock oysters, pork and fennel meatballs, mussels escabeche and even caviar. In the 75-seat bar, expect ornate and vintage furnishings, upcycled timber and marble bench tops. A leather banquette also wraps around the space. Upstairs, Cove Deli features a white-washed teal facade, penny tiles and a 1920s meat slicer. Images: Dan Gosse. Updated Tuesday, March 21 2023. Appears in: The Best Bars in Sydney Sydney's Best Underground Bars for 2023
A new wave of hotels offering more than just a room and a buffet breakfast has taken over Sydney in the last few years, with Paddington's Oxford House joining the ranks among Sydney's best boutique accom. The suburb's first lifestyle hotel, this beachy spot offers guests stylish accommodation, a hotel pool with DJ sets and a bar, and plenty of extras you've come to expect from a top-notch hotel — all in the centre of one of Sydney's top dining and entertainment hubs. The interior of Oxford House — or OH! as it's being branded — has been designed around ample natural light while complimenting the crisp, stylish aesthetic of Paddington with warm natural hues and rich textures. "Whilst we took design notes from the sleek lines and muted colours of Palm Springs, it was important that Oxford House effortlessly threaded into the cultural fabric of Paddington, so art and design were key," says the Principle Designer at Public Hospitality, Tom de Plater. "We collaborated with culture king, George Gorrow to showcase an incredible collection of art, paintings, photography, collage, printmaking and sculpture from artists including Lena Gustafson, Adam Turnbull and Niah McLeod throughout the property." Just some of the considered accompaniments you'll find in the rooms are custom-made bathrobes from Double Rainbouu, crockery from Marc Newson, hair care products from Grown Alchemist and speakers from Mashall. Away from the rooms, there are two hospitality spots built into the hotel. While the pool is exclusively for hotel guests, both the bar and the hotel's sleek, street-level restaurant are open for Paddington locals to come and enjoy oysters and a cocktail. Starting with the all-day dining, the hotel's street-level eatery is perfect for people-watching. In the morning, Oxford House hotel guests and public diners can start their day on rolled bircher muesli, the OH-melette with woodside goats curd, or a lavish big breakfast featuring mixed sauteed mushrooms, crispy kale, truffle oil, pecorino, poached egg and sourdough. Later in the day, the menu switches to feature fresh oysters, kingfish sashimi, house dips, grilled market fish and roasted cauliflower. There's also a sun-soaked pool bar serving up poolside drinks, grilled king prawns, classic burgers and fish sourced from the Sydney Fish Markets. Come weekends, the bar will host DJ sets and digital art shows. "This was a unique opportunity to create an accommodation first for Paddington, provide a new hospitality experience for locals, and help energise an important part of town," continues de Plater. "Given the hotel's enviable location — famed shopping, nightlife and Allianz stadium, all within walking distance and the beach and city, a short drive away - we wanted to create a space that really felt like an unexpected escape; a hotel that was as relaxed as Oxford Street is lively." Rooms range from $229–499 and are available to book now.
The Lansdowne has seen many lives since it opened in 1925, from uni pub to dive bar to near-demolition and, more recently, one of Sydney's loudest live music venues. And this year, the legendary Chippendale watering hole and band room is turning 100 — and it's throwing a month-long party to celebrate. Throughout June, the inner-city institution is marking its centenary with a packed live-music program that champions everything the venue has always stood for: loud, sweaty, unpretentious good times. Expect live gigs galore, as well as DJ sets, curated takeovers and plenty of wings and beers. [caption id="attachment_895477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alana Dimou[/caption] Across the decades, The Lansdowne has survived lockouts, developers and the ever-precarious state of Sydney nightlife. It's also been a breeding ground for artists across a range of genres — its stage has welcomed the likes of Billie Eilish, Fontaines D.C., Lime Cordiale, IDLES and Spacey Jane, among others. Now under the guidance of venue bookers Good Intent, the pub's latest chapter is all about keeping the live music heartbeat strong, with its birthday lineup as a testament to that. The lineup is a genre-diverse bill that runs from psych to punk and everything in between, with performances by the likes of Battlesnake, EGOISM, Porcelain Boy, FANGZ, Straight Arrows and a heap more. Plus, every Friday night from 11pm, the Motorik Vibe Council will host The Late Show with Motorik!, a weekly late-night electronic session that promises to keep things spinning until, well, very late. On the curated showcase front, expect sets presented by Psyched As., USFEST PRESENTS: NeX GEn, Beat Kitchen Records and more still to be announced. [caption id="attachment_903436" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alana Dimou[/caption] Of course it's not a party without food, and on that front, The Lansdowne is dishing up one kilogram of extra-hot peri-peri wings for $10 all month long. Inner West brewer Young Henrys is also joining the party, offering gifts to early upstairs gig-goers — just another reason to catch the opening acts. "The Lansdowne Hotel is as iconic, if not more so, than the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House combined, in my opinion," says Venue Booker Rick Bridgman. "The unwavering passion of venue owners, promoters, artists, managers and bookers in Eora/Sydney over the past few years has been undeniable, and we're keen to reveal a month-long celebration of programming across the musical spectrum, flowing between a range of genres and deep into the night." [caption id="attachment_757840" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Lansdowne Hotel[/caption] [caption id="attachment_903439" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alana Dimou[/caption] The Lansdowne's 100th birthday celebrations take place throughout the month of June. For the full lineup and to book tickets, head to the venue's website. Top image: Alana Dimou.
Sex stores aren't known for being particularly sexy — the neon lights, tinted windows stereotype doesn't exactly invite (or inspire) sexual freedom. But we've come a long way from perceiving adult stores and products as deviant or taboo, with today's generation finding liberation, health and empowerment in sexual wellness. Whether you're a first-time buyer, a couple wanting to experiment in the bedroom, or simply curious to explore your sexuality, Sydney has no shortage of elevated and curated sex stores to make you feel more comfortable in your skin (or at the very least, opening the door). The Pleasure Chest View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pleasure Chest Australia (@pleasurechestau) Like a fashion boutique, The Pleasure Chest leans into a more considered retail experience. The longtime city favourite has been pleasing Sydneysiders for decades, offering a treasure trove of kinky goods for all sexes and sexualities. You can purchase everything from porn to vibrators, sex toys, toy cleaners, lubricants, and even Dorcel Discreet Boxes (as it sounds, a private case to store your intimates) at this Haymarket space. And in case of erotic emergency, you can get same-day delivery or click-and-collect. Level 1/705 George St, Haymarket Max Black [caption id="attachment_1094585" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Image courtesy of Max Black[/caption] It's all about classy fun here. Max Black (not to be confused with the Two Broke Girls lead character played by Kat Dennings) opened in 2005 to make intimate and pleasure products more accessible for females, couples, and the LGBTQ+ community. The space is bright, white, and clean (no dimly lit, shabby interiors), items are curated and of high quality, and staff are warm and knowledgeable — no question is too dumb or awkward to ask. Same with budget — there's everything from luxury models housed in glass cases to affordable oils and lubes to play around with during pregnancy. Level 1/264 King St, Newtown Funtasia View this post on Instagram A post shared by FuntasiaTheAdultShop (@funtasiatheadultshop) Sourcing your intimates doesn't have to be an excursion. For those in or near West Ryde, Funtasia covers all bases with a wide-range of products at accessible price points. You'll find vibrating panties and double-ended dildos alongside erotic fiction, and massage oils. If you're a little further West, there's an outlet in Penrith, and even one in Wagga Wagga. And if you prefer shopping from the privacy of your own home, Funtasia offers same-day shipping — and two-hour Uber delivery. 1037A Victoria Rd, West Ryde The Tool Shed The name says it all. Find the right tool for your shed at this expansive Oxford Street spot, co-signed by Courtney Act. The drag diva recommends The Tool Shed's silicon-based lube for her "Courtney Act's Patented Lubing Technique." From app-controlled vibrators to glass dildos, and a well-stocked hen and bucks 'do section — you can easily pick up a few spicy items you'll wish you'd thought to buy earlier — preferably before you're already on your way to the party. Basement/191 Oxford St, Darlinghurst Lead image: Getty Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
If you've ever wanted to get dressed in the spirit of Marilyn Monroe — not the costume version, but the lace-and-confidence version — Kat the Label has just made that very easy. The Melbourne-founded lingerie brand has launched an exclusive 12-piece capsule collection in collaboration with Marilyn Monroe's official estate, timed to what would have been the icon's 100th birthday on 1 June 2026. "We were so honoured to be approached by Marilyn Monroe's estate to bring this collaboration to life," says Kat the Label founder Kate Nixon. "Marilyn embodied a kind of confidence and femininity that is completely timeless and this collection is a true celebration of her legacy." The capsule earns that description. Soft silhouettes, delicate lace and organza sit alongside playful polka dots and structured corsetry — all punctuated by strategic pops of red that nod to Marilyn's signature lip. Nothing leans into pastiche. It's the kind of collection that references an icon without cosplaying one. Among the standout pieces: the Norma Set — named for Norma Jeane, the woman behind the myth — rendered in polka dot satin with white floral lace, and the Marilyn Corset, a structured lace-up silhouette with a detail that stops you cold: embroidered along the boning is Monroe's own words, "I just want to be wonderful." That quote, more than any of the design choices, captures what Nixon and her team were reaching for. Marilyn Monroe's legacy is complicated and vast, but at its core is something quietly radical — a woman insisting on her own depth while the world tried to flatten her into a symbol. Putting those words on a corset, literally close to the body, feels like the right way to honour that. The Marilyn Monroe x Kat the Label collection is available now online at katthelabel.com and in-store at the Armadale flagship, 1096 High Street. Images: supplied
Sydney winters tend to arrive with a bit of a reputation problem. Temperatures dip, rainfall increases, group chats go quiet and suddenly everyone's default weekend plan involves cancelling at the last minute. But this time of year also happens to be ideal for getting outdoors — whether that means whale watching along the coast, heading for the snow, floating above wine country at sunrise or tearing across towering sand dunes on a quad bike. Whether you're planning a weekend road trip, ticking something off the bucket list or simply trying to make the most of the season, Adrenaline offers plenty of winter adventures across NSW that are well worth layering up for. If you've been looking for a reason to get out of the house this season, consider this it. Get Front-Row Seats to Whale Migration Season Every year, thousands of humpback whales make their way along the NSW coastline — and Sydney just happens to offer front-row seats to the spectacle. Running throughout winter, Adrenaline's whale-watching experiences range from high-speed safari cruises and relaxed breakfast sailings to intimate small-group tours and even a five-hour tall ship adventure on Sydney Harbour. Depending on the experience you choose, you could be spotting breaching whales within minutes of Circular Quay, watching pods pass Manly aboard an open-ocean safari vessel or taking in the migration further afield from Port Stephens, Jervis Bay, Merimbula or Byron Bay. However — and wherever — you do it, whale watching is one of those genuinely limited-time experiences that's worth locking in before it disappears for another year. See NSW From a Different Altitude There are scenic flights — and then there are the scenic flights that have you soaring over the Blue Mountains in a vintage warbird, touching down by seaplane for lunch in a secluded national park, or taking the doors off a helicopter above the Hunter Valley. Across Sydney and regional New South Wales, Adrenaline's scenic flight experiences range from laidback sightseeing tours to military-style helicopter missions and aerobatic adventures designed for anyone wanting a little more than a window seat. Whether you're soaring above the Newcastle coastline, banking over waterfalls near Wollongong or watching the vines spread out beneath you across Pokolbin, winter's clear skies make this one of the best times of the year to get airborne. Catch Sunrise From a Hot-Air Balloon There's a reason hot-air ballooning is on so many bucket lists. Across NSW, Adrenaline's sunrise balloon flights offer a slower, quieter kind of adventure — the kind where you're floating above rolling vineyards in the Hunter Valley, floating over Camden Valley, or drifting over Byron Bay as the coastline lights up. Depending on the experience, your morning might finish with a champagne breakfast or a relaxed homestead-style spread after landing. And with winter bringing crisp mornings and famously clear conditions, there are few better times of year to rug up and see NSW from above. Hit the Trails on a Quad Bike Adventure If your ideal winter weekend involves a little more speed and a little less sitting still, quad biking might be the move. Adrenaline's off-road experiences take riders through everything from the giant sand dunes of Port Stephens to the rugged bush trails of Glenworth Valley, with enough twists, turns and muddy stretches to justify the post-adventure pub stop afterwards. Whether you're kicking up sand on the coast or weaving through forest tracks inland, these rides strike a satisfying balance between scenic day trip and full-throttle chaos. Better yet, winter's cooler temperatures make spending an hour outdoors in full riding gear a far more appealing prospect. [caption id="attachment_1105431" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Perisher[/caption] Swap Sydney for the Slopes A proper snow trip feels surprisingly achievable when someone else handles the logistics. Adrenaline's NSW snow adventures include one-day tours to Thredbo and Perisher departing from Sydney, making it possible to swap the city for fresh alpine air and snow-covered scenery without committing to a full weekend away. Whether you're strapping on skis for the first time, chasing a quick snowboard fix or simply keen to see actual snowfall, these experiences make the most of Australia's relatively short snow season while it lasts. And yes — the early starts are considerably easier to justify once you're standing in the middle of the Snowy Mountains. Ready to head outside? Adrenaline has over 2500 experiences available to help you make the most of the season — head to the website to discover more.
Sydney's nightlife and live music scene have been doing it tough as of late; that's no secret. But Mary's Underground, one of the brightest stars in the game, which pushed through pandemics and cost-of-living crises for as long as it could, has officially announced it will call time later in the winter of 2026. Announced on Friday via a statement online, the Mary's team cited rising costs for venue operations, ongoing financial pressures for small businesses, and "the many headwinds facing the live music industry", but assured that they were "extremely proud" of the venue's achievements. That includes 150,000 tickets sold to over 1000 shows that featured over 3000 artists. [caption id="attachment_896724" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, photo by Tom Wilkinson[/caption] Mary's Underground has occupied the space formerly known as 'The Basement' since 2019, which has previously welcomed the likes of Prince and BB King. When the takeover was announced, Mary's co-owner Jake Smyth said "The Basement had such a history that tied food and music together," and Mary's Underground continued that identity for the space, pairing "sleazy burgers" (as Smyth and his business partner Kenny Graham call them) with a CBD music venue that welcomed everything from hip hop to ratty punk acts and pulsing electronic sets. In their statement, Smyth and Graham thanked the artists, organisers and staff who made the live music program possible and tipped their hat to small music venues around Australia that are doing it similarly tough, saying "you will always have our respect and support." [caption id="attachment_813897" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Mary's[/caption] They also gave a special mention to the Mary's Underground staff, thanking them for their enthusiasm and dedication, whether they were working on "a busy CBD lunch service or a hard techno party until 5am". Smyth and Graham also confirmed Mary's Underground will finish its winter program before closing, and reiterated that they'll continue to support music and the arts at Liberty Hall, their venue in Moore Park. Closing their statement, they wrote "Thanks for the good times, and please KEEP SUPPORTING LIVE MUSIC!! All art needs [to be] nurtured and an opportunity to be celebrated. Life would be very boring without it." Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox. Images: Mary's
Need some perspective? Grab your hiking boots. There's no better way to get yourself out of your head (and your altitude) than a good old mountain climb. Australia's ranges might not have the height and ruggedness of the Himalayas, but they do have snow gums, wildflowers, seemingly infinite space and wallabies. Autumn is a great season for conquering a peak or two. Depending on where you live, you can knock them out on a day trip, conquer one on a weekend away or plan a whole holiday around a climb. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. [caption id="attachment_750964" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Snowy Mountains[/caption] MOUNT KOSCIUSZKO, NSW Start at the top. Mighty Mount Kosciuszko is the highest peak in Australia. You'll find its towering 2228 metres in the Kosciuszko National Park, around 500 kilometres southwest of Sydney. The most popular route follows the Old Summit Road for 18 kilometres, beginning at Charlotte's Pass. For a longer adventure, take the Main Range Walk, a 22-kilometre loop that takes in several impossibly blue glacial lakes. Either way, you'll find yourself surrounded by spectacular wilderness — and you'll end your journey looking down on Australia. [caption id="attachment_688566" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trevor King/Destination NSW[/caption] MOUNT GOWER ON LORD HOWE ISLAND, NSW Perched 875 metres above the Tasman Sea on Lord Howe Island, the Mount Gower summit walk isn't just a mountain climb — it's a serious adrenalin rush. You'll need a guide in order to tackle this 14-kilometre trail through the island's most inaccessible — and most beautiful — terrain, where you can expect to meet endangered creatures and unusual plants. The peak is covered in a seemingly enchanted forest, filled with mosses and ferns, soundtracked by the sounds of waves crashing nearly a kilometre below. Lord Howe Island is just under two hours' flight east of Sydney and is one of Australia's best islands for a holiday. [caption id="attachment_690974" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Charles Hill/Tourism Tasmania[/caption] CRADLE MOUNTAIN, TASMANIA From a distance, Cradle Mountain, which is perched on the shores of Dove Lake, looks like a challenge fit for Frodo Baggins. And it pretty much is. The 13-kilometre circuit includes quite a bit of rock scrambling and boulder hopping among ancient rainforest, rushing streams and wild creatures. Get to the summit and your efforts will be well rewarded with absolutely magical vistas of Cradle Mountain-Lake Saint Clair National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Finish off your holiday with a food-centric road trip or continue hiking along the iconic Overland Track, a 65-kilometre, six-day adventure. [caption id="attachment_690956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Rains/Tourism WA[/caption] BURRINGURRAH (MOUNT AUGUSTUS), WESTERN AUSTRALIA Burringurrah (also known as Mount Augustus) isn't just a mountain, but an island too. Like Uluru, it's an inselberg — that is, an island mountain, a single rock formation that rises dramatically from surrounding plains. But you can climb it. The tough 12-kilometre return trail spends most of its time among native shrubs and flowers, including wattle, cassias and figworts, and the views are panoramic. As the day passes, you'll notice the changing light bringing various colours out of the landscape. If this walk sounds too difficult, there are plenty of shorter trails to choose from. However, you can only climb during the day, as the Wajarri community — Burringurrah's traditional custodians — request that no one climb the inselberg after dark. [caption id="attachment_690946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] World Expeditions/Tourism Australia[/caption] MOUNT SONDER, NORTHERN TERRITORY There are two ways to master Mount Sonder: as the finale of the 223-kilometre Larapinta Trail, or as a day trip. Its rich red peak, at 1380 metres, is the highest point in the West MacDonnell Ranges and the fourth highest mountain in the Northern Territory. The trail is a steady climb, leading eventually to high slopes dotted with round-leafed mallee and native pines. Keep your eyes down for grey-headed honeyeaters and desert mice and up for wedge-tailed eagles and peregrine falcons. [caption id="attachment_724172" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Blackburn courtesy of Visit Victoria[/caption] MOUNT DUWUL (WILLIAM), VICTORIA Another peak that's good for newbie mountain goats is Mount Duwul, also called Mount William. At 1167 metres, it's the highest peak in the Grampians, which lie around 270 kilometres northwest of Melbourne. You can drive much of the way to the base, so the walk is just 45 minutes. For minimum effort, the rewards are major: the summit affords mind blowing views of the Grampians' many plateaus, rocks formations and swathes of wilderness. [caption id="attachment_690954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rawnsley Park Station/South Australia Tourism Commission[/caption] RAWNSLEY BLUFF, SOUTH AUSTRALIA There are numerous peaks to conquer in the Flinders Ranges, a mountain range 200 kilometres north of Adelaide. St Mary's Peak is the highest, but since the Adnyamathanha People have requested that walkers keep away from the summit, considerate hikers have been pursuing other possibilities. One of these is Rawnsley Bluff. The 11-kilometre return trail immerses you in a spectacular arid landscape, dotted with wildflowers, roos and emus. At the top, prepare for breathtaking panoramas of Wilpena Pound (Ikara), the Elder Range and the Flinders Ranges. [caption id="attachment_614775" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tamyka Bell/Flickr[/caption] MOUNT BOGONG, VICTORIA Mount Bogong, at 1986 metres high, is the highest mountain in Victoria. It's in the Alpine National Park, around four hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. The one of the more challenging routes is the Staircase Spur: a steep, 16-kilometre climb to the summit. You'll pass through a forest of peppermint gums before reaching Bivouac Hut, which marks the halfway point. Beyond, snow gums line the way, opening onto a rocky ridge and then Bogong's summit: an open plateau that affords 360-degree views of the High Country. If you're looking for a cosy campsite, head to Cleve Cole Hut. [caption id="attachment_690972" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Gray/Wikimedia Commons[/caption] DIDTHUL (PIGEON HOUSE MOUNTAIN), NSW If you're keen to climb, but don't have the skills and fitness of a pro mountaineer, make tracks to Didthul (Pigeon House Mountain), which lies around four hours south of Sydney in the Budawang National Park. Unlike many of the other peaks on this list, it's a relatively easy trail. The five-kilometre return walk is clearly marked and ends in awe-inspiring views of wilderness plus coast: on a good day, you'll see as far north as Jervis Bay and as far south as Bermagui. [caption id="attachment_690952" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Australia[/caption] MOUNT BARNEY, QUEENSLAND Twenty-four million years ago, the Focal Peak Shield Volcano erupted leaving behind a collection of craggy peaks, including Mount Barney, which, at 1359 metres, is the second highest mountain in South East Queensland. You'll find it within the Scenic Rim, a land of ancient rainforest, rugged scenery and little villages in the Gold Coast Hinterland. Fair warning: the trail is challenging and tricky to navigate at times, so you'll want some bush walking experience under your belt. Should you make it to the top, you'll be rewarded with uninterrupted views of nearby volcanic peaks Mount Maroon, Mount Ernest and Mount Lindesay. Top image: Cradle Mountain by Jason Charles Hill/Tourism Tasmania.
The battle between the Blues and the Maroons is kicking off again this month for the 2026 State of Origin. On Wednesday, May 27, the New South Wales and Queensland NRL teams will go face-to-face at Accor Stadium in Sydney. While there's nothing like seeing the State of Origin in person, the next best thing isn't streaming it from your couch. Whether you're backing the Blues or bleeding Maroon, these Sydney pubs are showing the game and dialling things up with big screens and cold pints. Each of these pubs is also listed on the pub+ app. It's free to sign up, there are over 350 participating pubs, and you earn points on every purchase, which then turns into rewards and prizes for you and your mates to enjoy. Download the pub+ app and get more from your local this footy season. Here's where to lock in your spot for kickoff ahead of Game One. Harlequin Inn If you're after a classic pub setup with zero fuss and maximum game-day energy, Harlequin Inn in Pyrmont delivers. The dedicated sports bar, the Edinburgh Room, offers big screens and pool tables, while the bistro and beer garden can serve a solid pub feed and cold drinks. Located on the ground floor, the Lounge also offers four TVs so you can get a front row seat to the action of the NRL. Crows Nest Hotel A North Shore staple, the Crows Nest Hotel knows how to host a big sporting night. With multiple viewing zones and plenty of space to settle in, it's a reliable pick if you're wrangling a group. The rooftop bar will be streaming the game live, so you can soak up the NRL energy with a beer in hand and a view. New Brighton Hotel For those who like their footy with a side of sea breeze, the New Brighton Hotel is hard to beat. Set just off Manly Beach, the venue spans four levels of dining, bars and live sport, making it an easy choice for a full night out. When the game is on, you'll be able to catch every moment in the Corso Bar, where big screens, cold pints and a lively crowd bring serious State of Origin energy. North Wollongong Hotel If you're in Wollongong when game one kicks off, head to the North Wollongong Hotel. The pub is spacious yet full of atmosphere, making it a great pick if you want the buzz of a live showdown without being shoulder-to-shoulder all night. If you plan on grabbing a bite ahead of kick-off, The Bistro offers affordable pub fare. With three bars and an outdoor beer garden, you can catch the game from all angles. The Ettamogah Don't want to trek into the city? The Ettamogah in Kellyville Ridge is a family-friendly hotel with multiple dining areas, including an undercover courtyard and children's play centre, making it the perfect destination for a night of sport with the family. Enjoy dinner, including wood-fired pizzas, from the bistro, all while catching the blood-pumping game on the big screen. Download the pub+ app, and get more from your local this footy season. Image Credit: Supplied
On the hottest, coldest and wettest days of the year, Sydney's climate-controlled and cosy cinemas beckon more than ever, particularly the charming independent and boutique options — screening the best new releases alongside indie, arthouse and classic films in atmospheric spaces packed with cinematic character. Unfortunately, cinemas are facing tough times. With rising ticket and snack prices, theatres no longer draw the same crowds as they used to, and over the years, the city has lost some of its loveliest screens to financial struggles and renovations. That's why it's more important than ever that we support the amazing venues that remain. Here we present our pick of Sydney's best boutique cinemas, from the velvet-upholstered art deco kind to the sleek and modern, and all are set to please any ardent cinephile or those just looking for an easy date option. Whatever you're keen on, Sydney's boutique and independent cinemas are some of the best around and well worth checking out. Before you book a ticket, have a look at what's screening in theatres this month. [caption id="attachment_1064143" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Douglas Lance Gibson[/caption] Golden Age Cinema and Bar Golden Age Cinema and Bar, loved as one of Sydney's most charming contemporary theatres, actually comes with over 80 years of history. The space was originally opened in 1940 as the Sydney HQ of Paramount Pictures, welcoming everyone from theatre executives and critics to military personnel on shore leave right up until the 1970s. In 2013, it reopened in its current form, with a fit-out still reminiscent of those old days, heroing primarily underground cinema from its Surry Hills address. There's no Hollywood blockbusters here; the program is exclusively of the indie, arthouse and international variety organised in screenings, themed film series and special one–off events. There's also live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays, and film trivia every Tuesday. Address: 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills [caption id="attachment_1064144" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace[/caption] Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace A touch of old Hollywood glamour on Military Road, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace is an icon of Sydney's lower North Shore. The building dates way back to 1935, when it was originally opened as the Cremorne Orpheum Theatre, up until 1979, falling by the wayside until a restoration and rechristening to its current identity in 1987. The Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace also features independent film programming, offering regular arthouse and international screenings alongside select major studio screenings. There's also regular special events, concert screenings, film festivals, in-conversation events and something of an obsession with Tommy Wiseau's legendary disaster of a film, The Room, which holds a regular place in the programming. Address: 380 Military Rd, Cremorne Ritz Cinemas Another icon of Sydney's Art Deco history, the Ritz was opened in 1937, and despite several expansions over the decades, it's still family-owned, independently operated and undergoing updates to keep up with new openings. Major renovations overhauled the ground floor and auditoriums in 2023, and plans for a new rooftop cinema space are in the works. On the screenings front, the Ritz offers films big and small in the regular program, alongside special themed programs, advance screenings and a regular offering of select films new and old screened in 35mm and 70mm, a real treat for any cinephile. Address: 45 St Paul's St, Randwick Dendy Newtown Possibly the best arthouse cinema in the Inner-West, the Dendy lies at the heart of the King Street hub and is popular with the night-owl crowd. With an impeccable selection of current release arthouse cinema and major releases, the Dendy is also in easy browsing distance of King Street's near-bottomless selection of bars, boutiques and restaurants — ideal pregaming before the big screen. Dendy also has a stacked lineup of special offers. Daily discounts for members, seniors, students and all customers, film festivals, retrospectives, interactive screenings, 35mm screenings and more. Address: 261-263 King St, Newtown Roseville Cinemas Located on Sydney's North Shore, Roseville Cinemas was originally planned to be a town hall, until it became a theatre in 1919, underwent art deco renovations in the 1930s and then came into the ownership of Hans van Pixteren in the 70s, whose family still owns the cinema today. Roseville Cinemas is one of the few surviving boutique cinemas in Sydney's suburbs, and has maintained a loyal community in its spot on the Pacific Highway. You've probably driven past it at some point, thanks to that prime address. Roseville Cinema screens a limited range of independent films, live theatre recordings and the occasional blockbuster, ideal for an easy, quality night on the north shore. Address: 112 Pacific Hwy, Roseville [caption id="attachment_738784" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Trent Van der Jagt[/caption] Govinda's Restaurant and Cinema Govinda's is a bit of an odd one, yet a true Sydney institution. It's actually a vegetarian restaurant in Darlinghurst, which, thanks to its cosy movie room, is at once a boutique cinema and a quiet space dedicated to yoga, chanting and 'uplifting the consciousness'. Open every day but Monday, a proper evening at Govinda's is a culinary as well as cinematic experience. At $32 for dinner and a movie, it's one of the most whimsical and cost-effective date options on offer. The Bohemia-inspired movie room is upstairs, and patrons are invited to kick off their shoes and recline on floor cushions, couches or tub chairs. There are generally three films to choose from each night, all at different times, and they generally cover the current release art house range pretty solidly. Address: 112 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst [caption id="attachment_1095305" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Domain Theatre audience, photo © Art Gallery New South Wales, Christopher Snee[/caption] Sydney Cinémathèque An art house cinema in an extremely literal sense, this boutique cinema space is inside the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and puts a special emphasis on rarer programming. The 339-seat cinema is a space for cinephiles to be among their own, where every Wednesday and weekend you'll find a mix of contemporary and classic films. Organised around themes and film festivals, this is one of the best cinemas in Sydney to catch gritty international films, locally made icons, 35mm retrospectives and special guest sessions, many of which are even free entry, but bookings are always recommended. Address: Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000 Palace Moore Park Palace Cinemas One of Australia's endearing boutique chains (not words that are typically paired together, but hear us out), Palace Cinemas owns and operates three theatres across Sydney (formerly four, including until this February the Chauvel), and an additional 22 interstate. That's Palace Central Cinema inside the Central Park Mall, Palace Norton Street Cinema in Leichardt, Palace Moore Park Cinema in the Entertainment Quarter — all of which offer regular discounts throughout the week, matinees and themed screenings and more. Address: 99 Norton St, Leichardt; Central Park Mall, Chippendale; 122 Lang Rd, Moore Park [caption id="attachment_1064155" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Event Cinemas[/caption] Event Cinemas Boutique Now, Event Cinemas, that's not what you can typically call boutique. But, in 2019, the nationwide cinema chain opened a new level of theatregoing — a step up from the already luxe Gold Class — Boutique. Available at only two Event Cinemas locations in Sydney, with George Street hosting the bookish Library and velvet-decked Paparazzi themed theatres with order-to-your-seat food and drink menus, while Campbelltown hosts a Parlour Lane-themed theatre that includes popcorn with every ticket. Address: 505/525 George St, Sydney, and 200 Gilchrist Dr, Campbelltown [caption id="attachment_981883" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Pat Stevenson[/caption] Westpac OpenAir One of Sydney's seasonal boutique cinemas — Westpac OpenAir may very well be the most beautiful cinema in the country. Set out on Mrs Macquarie's Point, the backdrop of the Sydney skyline and harbour would be enough to elevate any old outdoor screen, but the 350-metre screen adds a premium feel that no blow-up screen could recreate. Add that to its version of a snack bar: three on-site eateries with menus made by top Sydney chefs, and that makes Westpac OpenAir a summer must-see for Sydney cinephiles. Address: Mrs Macquarie's Point, Sydney Barangaroo Mov' In Bed Another notable entry on the Sydney summer calendar of open-air cinemas, Barangaroo Mov' In Bed mixes luxury with comfort in a very at-home movie night-styke experience…only outdoors. The setting? An artificial beach in the shadow of The Crown, with a 15-metre 4K screen playing hit new films for an audience lying comfortably on king and queen beds. Said comfy attendees listen in via noise-cancelling headphones and can snack on popcorn and beverages, and even order local takeaway that can be delivered to you by a butler. Address: Harbour Park, Barangaroo Now that you know where to find your nearest boutique theatre, decide what to watch their with our monthly theatrical guide. Lead image: Gavin John Photography/Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Images: supplied
One of Australia's leading art galleries has announced its next major exhibition, Avatar: Forms of Vishnu, which will be the largest collection of South and Southeast Asian art shown at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) in over 20 years. The focus? The Hindu god Vishnu, as depicted through centuries of different works taken from different times, places and mediums that reimagine the central mythological figure and the stories surrounding him. In Hindu tradition, Vishnu is a central figure, responsible for preserving order, peace and justice throughout the universe. Over the last 1500 years, Vishnu has been represented in at least ten forms, or avatars, which he takes when descending from the heavens into the mortal world. Often combining human and animal forms, including fish, tortoise, boar, lion and horse, all of his avatars share a common goal in ending disorder and restoring harmony. [caption id="attachment_1095275" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cambodia, Battambang, Tuol Baset, Pre-Angkor period (c100–800) 'Lintel depicting Vishnu reclining on the serpent Ananta Shesha (Anantashayin) and the birth of Brahma' mid 600s, sandstone, 63 × 158 × 28 cm, Battambang Provincial Museum, transferred from National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, photo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Art Resource, NY[/caption] In Avatar: Forms of Vishnu, AGNSW has gathered over 200 works to tell the story of the deity, combining historical and contemporary works of paintings, sculptures, textiles and photography. The featured works have been borrowed and commissioned from artists and museums in Cambodia, India, Germany and England, many of which have never been seen in Australia before. Some of the most exclusive historical works include paintings that illustrate ancient Indian literary epics from 1594 AD, a sixth-century Cambodian statue and a recently restored seventh-century sculpture of a horse-headed Vishnu avatar. Among the works commissioned for the exhibition are twin paintings depicting the Churning of the Ocean of Milk creation legend by Desmon Lazaro, and an intricate lace installation by New Delhi-based artist Sumakshi Singh that depicts Narasimha, a man-lion Vishnu avatar. [caption id="attachment_1095274" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] East India/Nepal 'Figure of Vishnu in the lotus' 1100s, bronze, 13 × 20 (diam) cm, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, presented by Mrs Hoey, photo © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford[/caption] On the exhibition's subject material, AGNSW's Senior Curator of Asian Art, Melanie Eastburn said, "Across South and Southeast Asia, tales of Vishnu's avatars have inspired contemplation and devotion, as well as entertainment. Vishnu's avatars are responsive, dynamic and shaped by the cultures and communities that embrace them – whether in centuries past or today." Avatar: Forms of Vishnu will run at AGNSW from Saturday, June 20, until October 2026. Tickets are on sale now via the Art Gallery website. Top image: Mahesh of Chamba, India active c1730–75 'Varāha avatar' c1750–75, folio from a 'Dashāvatara' series, opaque watercolour on paper, 16.3 × 24.1 cm, Museum Rietberg, Zurich, purchased with funds from Balthasar and Nanni Reinhart
The Queen Victoria Building has hosted no shortage of marquee retail since it opened in 1898 — but it has rarely turned over three full levels to a single tenant, let alone one that traffics in GORE-TEX. From today, Friday 22 May, Arc'teryx is doing exactly that. The Canadian label's QVB flagship is now officially the largest Arc'teryx store in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first Arc'teryx Alpha Store in Australia. The Alpha Store is a global concept rather than a square-metres flex. It's built to bring the brand's full expression — product, innovation, community, and education — under one roof, and this iteration leans hard into the QVB's bones. Coast Mountains-meets-Romanesque might sound like a stretch, but the fit-out has been designed in dialogue with the building's heritage architecture, threading natural materials, technical detailing, and expansive spatial design across all three levels. Inside, expect the most extensive Arc'teryx range in the country: trail running, hiking, climbing, snow sports, and everyday technical apparel, alongside footwear, accessories, and packs. The flagship also houses Australia's largest dedicated retail space for Veilance, Arc'teryx's quieter, urban-leaning sister line built around minimalist design and refined construction. Sustainability gets its own room. The ReBIRD™ Service Centre is the in-store arm of Arc'teryx's circularity platform, offering technical washing and reproofing for GORE-TEX® and down, repairs for wear and tear, and one-on-one product care assessments. The idea is that a well-built shell should keep performing well past its first owner — a stance with a little more bite when it's parked inside a CBD mall. "What's exciting about the growth of Arc'teryx is that it has come from a genuine connection to the brand DNA — technical innovation, craftsmanship, design integrity and mountain culture," says Bianca Bernardi, Arc'teryx ANZ Country Director. "This store is our most complete expression of that philosophy in Australia to date." The opening weekend leans hard on the brand's cult community. Every in-store purchase between Friday 22 and Sunday 24 May enters guests into a draw for more than 800 Arc'teryx products — over $50,000 worth of gear, including the Alpha SV (the brand's pinnacle alpine shell), the iconic Beta Jacket, Veilance apparel, and exclusive pieces that aren't sold to the public. A few lucky shoppers will also have a shot at winning back their entire purchase. Arc'teryx QVB Flagship opens at 9am on Friday 22 May 2026 inside the Queen Victoria Building, 455 George Street, Sydney. Head to the Arc'teryx website for more information.
Angelica, Sydney's newest Mexican restaurant, has swung open its doors. The new, vibrant spot showcases modern Mexican cuisine and playful cocktails from an owner with plenty of experience. The new spot is founded by Jeff Lee from Baja Cantina, a popular Mexican joint with several locations around Sydney. Lee intends to bring the same bold flavours, bustling atmosphere, and genuine hospitality to his latest venture. "We're thrilled to finally open Angelica and introduce our take on contemporary Mexican dining to The Hills. From the menu and cocktails to the atmosphere and hospitality, every detail has been carefully considered. We wanted to create a venue that feels lively, welcoming, and full of energy, and we're excited to share that experience with the local community," says Lee. A considered menu features familiar flavours with a signature twist: think duck mole, Barbacoa slow-cooked short rib and wagyu tacos, torres de mariscos (a layered seafood dish) and birria tacos. Of course, there is a healthy selection of tequilas, along with classic and signature margaritas. The new restaurant can be found in Norwest Quarter, one of Sydney's fastest-growing lifestyle precincts, located within the zero-carbon residential and retail destination. Conveniently, its positined just two minutes away from Norwest Metro Station, meaning you can sample plenty of the curated cocktails without having to worry about who will be the designated driver. Images: Trent van der Jagt Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
If you know your Alessi’s from your Starck’s, then you must be attending Brisbane Indesign, and if you’re attending Brisbane Indesign, then surely you will be talking the talk and schmoozing the greats at the Brisbane Indesign after party. Held at the uber shmick Oh Hello!, design lovers will be getting together and letting their hair down after a big two days at Brisbane’s ultimate design event. Originally know as The Monastery Night Club, Fortitude Valley’s reining nightclub for the past 10 years, the venue has since been transformed into a creative hotspot. Designed by two of Brisbane’s most talented creative’s, interior designer Alexa Nice and artist/ founder/ owner of Australian street wear label Grand Scheme’s Jimmy Bligs, Oh Hello! has been fit out with milk crate seats, vintage cushions, wall projections, LED lanterns and hand painted walls. It’s not just the design aesthetic that draws in the people, but the amazing array of signature cocktails on offer served in old-fashioned jam jars. All in all, Oh Hello! is sure to be the perfect spot to knock back some killer cocktails, mingle with like-minded creatives and soak up some excellent aesthetics. Registered guests gain free entry, so make your way to Fortitude Valley at 7pm.
This September sees one historic Sydney hotel transformed into a multi-faceted gallery space, when it plays host to the next edition of contemporary art fair, Spring 1883. From Wednesday, September 11, to Saturday, September 14, 26 acclaimed art galleries from across Australia, New Zealand and the USA will descend on the Establishment Hotel to deliver an intimate art experience. Far from your average art fair, Spring 1883 will showcase an array of surprising installations and shows, incorporated throughout the hotel's rooms, penthouse suites and even its gymnasium. As you wander the site, you'll stumble upon a curation of various works from the likes of Sydney's Cement Fondu, Melbourne's John Street Studios, {Suite} and Mercy Pictures out of New Zealand and New York-based Dutton gallery. Brisbane's The Renshaws will make its Spring 1883 debut with a solo exhibition by Michael Georgetti, while Sydney's own artist-run space Fires will curate the Project Room: a group show by five Aussie artists taking over the Establishment's gym. Spring 1883 runs from Thursday and Saturday midday–7pm, and Friday midday–8pm. Image two: Fires, 'The Sundowner' (2019). Photo by Uri Auerbach
2018 is nearly upon us, so it's time for a revamp. Freshen up your aesthetic for the new year with bedding, kitchen and bathroom textiles from IN BED. The online store is hosting a Christmas pop-up from December 14 to 24, so you'll have ten whole days to snatch up some goods and manifest your dream life through décor. Homewares from Tara Burke, Anglepoise, Wingnut + Co and more will be available. If you fancy a drink, be it alcohol or coffee, IN BED will also be hosting a series of events during the pop up — including Christmas drinks on December 14 from 4pm to get thing started, and complimentary coffee on December 16, with gingerbread treats. The pop-up runs 10am to 4pm daily and will stay open until 7pm on Thursday, giving you plenty of time to pick up some linens and homeware for Christmas
ARIA-winning artist and bighearted Sydney legend Sarah Blasko will play an intimate gig at Giant Dwarf in Redfern on World Refugee Day, Friday 20 June. With all ticket sales going straight to the Refugee Council of Australia, Blasko's fundraiser is a direct response to the federal government's funding cuts to the RCOA, announced as an addition to the recent budget. After the release of her stunning fourth album I Awake to critical high-fivery in 2012, Blasko is breaking out of creative hibernation to play for a cause. "I'm emerging from what I'll affectionately call my 'fifth album writing cave' to play this special show at Giant Dwarf (the latest venture from the Chaser team) during Refugee Week. I'm an ambassador this year and The Refugee Council need financial support now more than ever to continue their positive work within refugee communities in Australia," said Blasko. "They are also an important force in lifting the veil on our country's treatment of asylum seekers. So, come watch me sing for the night and you'll be supporting them. I promise at least one new song and special guests." After a whopping 33 years of operating, the RCOA found more than half a million dollars of funding cut from their budget — after Immigration Minister Scott Morrison found his portfolio was funding the organisation. "It seems extraordinary that our organisation — which has been doing this work through thick and thin for 33 years — has been singled out for this treatment," Paul Power, chief executive of the RCOA told ABC radio. "This in many ways illustrates the state of the relationship between the non-government sector — particularly organisations working on asylum issues — and the government at the moment." This isn't the first time Blasko has used her fame for a good cause. Last year, the multi ARIA-winning artist teamed up with eBay to open a temporary online store in support of charity organisation Bowel Cancer Australia (after losing her mother to bowel cancer 14 years ago). All proceeds from her personally donated auctioned clothing, books, homewares, vinyl and bric-a-brac went directly to the organisation. Blasko will be joined onstage with some special yet-to-be-announced guests, alongside her solid session buddies. Tickets are available from Giant Dwarf's website. https://youtube.com/watch?v=IyzF4dRpqow
Insta-worthy eats and drinks are one thing, but a world-class food scene isn't built on the edible stuff alone. There's also a stack of gorgeous design work behind the most memorable hospitality venues and it's this very aspect that's celebrated at the annual Eat Drink Design Awards. As Australia and New Zealand's only hospitality design awards program, the Eat Drink Design Awards recognise hospo design gems across both countries, from restaurants, bars, and cafes, through to temporary spaces. While the 2017 award winners won't be chosen by the jury until November, the shortlist was revealed today and, as expected, it's packed full of all those cafes, bars, and restaurants your inner style nerd has been drooling over this past year or so. Local nominees for Best Bar Design include ACME&Co's Merivale project Charlie Parker's, George Livissianis' work on The Dolphin Hotel and SJB + TRD for The Buena. The CBD's Edition Roasters is among the projects shortlisted for Best Cafe Design, while the likes of Fred's, 12-Micron, Cairo Takeaway, Mode at the Four Seasons, Jade Temple and Long Chim are being considered for the Best Restaurant Design gong. Other categories being selected include Best Installation Design, Best Identity Design, and Best Retail Design. The winners will be announced on Tuesday, November 14 in Melbourne. For the full list of nominees, visit their website. Jump over to The Eat Drink Design Awards website to see the full lineup of nominees.
The history of cinema is haunted by oh-so-many movies about oh-so-many ghost-riddled abodes, and the often-troubled and bereaved folks dwelling within them. The first clever move The Night House makes is recognising it's floating into busy spectral waters, then ensuring its tension stems from its living, breathing protagonist as much as the frights and fears she's forced to face. The film's second stellar step: casting Rebecca Hall (Godzilla vs Kong) as that central figure. An always-welcome addition to anything she's in — see also: Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, Christine and Tales From the Loop in just the past few years — she plays her tormented part here with brooding sorrow, reluctant vulnerability and a sharp, smart edge. She knows that grappling with loss involves being jolted in many different directions, and being subjected to bumps and jumps of the emotional kind, and that it's never easy to surrender to. Indeed, many of The Night House's surprises come from Hall as Beth, a schoolteacher whose life has been turned upside down by her husband Owen's (Evan Jonigkeit, The Empty Man) unexpected suicide. Clearly normally a no-nonsense type whether she's guiding pupils, dealing with their parents or navigating her personal life, she probes and questions everything that comes her way. As a result, her reactions — including just to herself — are constantly complex, thorny and compelling. Since Owen's passing — using a gun she didn't know he had, and tainting a rowboat usually tethered to the lake house he built for them himself — Beth has cycled through the familiar stages of mourning. When she returns to work to her colleagues' astonishment, including her close friend Claire's (Sarah Goldberg, Barry), she's blunt with the oblivious mother of one of her students. At drinks, she also shocks her co-workers by discussing Owen's suicide note, admitting her home now seems different and obsessing over how much she really knew her husband. That last written missive ties back into one of Beth's past traumas, and her own dealings with the end that awaits us all. When she's alone at night, she's not sure that she can trust what she sees and hears, or tell whether she's awake or dreaming. Filling her time by sorting through Owen's things, she's also unsure what to make of the eerie sketches and books about the occult that sit among his possessions. And, she's thrown even further askew when she finds photos of brunette women that could be her doppelgängers; plans for a home just like hers, but mirrored; and a cascade of tidbits that cast her memories of her marriage into disarray. Also among The Night House's savvy moves: understanding that grief really does change everything. Not only has Beth's life lost one of its brightest lights, but everything Owen once illuminated now keeps being cloaked in shadows he's not there to extinguish. She can't ask him about what she's uncovering, or feeling, or what it's digging up inside. She can't rely upon him, either, or keep trusting what she thought she'd already learned about him during their marriage. And, as being touched by death tends to evoke, she's spiralling down an a well of existential malaise. All ghost and haunted house movies are about confronting mortality, as are a long list of horror staples — zombies, vampires, serial killers, monsters and the like — and The Night House has a strong sense of terror about the the fact that life doesn't extended forever. Director David Bruckner (The Ritual) and screenwriting duo Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski (Super Dark Times) infuse their film with foreboding, with Beth's demons, and also with a heightened state of anxiety. Cultivating an unsettling atmosphere via creepy sights, just as unnerving sounds and music cues, and Hall's showcase performance, they fill 108 minutes with the unease that lingers in us all, but that we spend the majority of our days burying deep inside. That horror craftsmanship — the bristling, needling score by Ben Lovett (The Wolf of Snow Hollow); the exactingly timed sonic assaults that litter the sound design; the sinuous and disorienting cinematography by Elisha Christian (Max Richter's Sleep) — is expertly calibrated. The Night House is a movie made with horror style as well as smarts, and it's meticulously engineered to coax the desired response out of its audience. Looking for what's not there, and also what loiters when in spaces defined by their emptiness, is one of the movie's visual charms. Bruckner enjoys teasing, too, knowing that viewers will always want more time studying Hall's face and winding through Beth's labyrinthine home, and yet never falling too in love with one or the other. And, while there's never any guessing who the camera and the film adore, he populates The Night House with well-weighted portrayals all over. There are no cartoonish bit-parts and supporting performances, with Vondie Curtis-Hall (Harriet) bringing concern and sincerity as Beth's neighbour, Stacy Martin (Vox Lux) giving a source of mystery flesh and blood, and Goldberg as nuanced as Barry fans will recognise. So many of his choices are nicely judged; however, when it comes to The Night House's plot twists, Bruckner is less careful about becoming prey to indulgence. Even though they're grounded in relatable, palpable sentiments, stirrings and musings, some of the movie's developments feel muddled, and also threaten to undercut the fine-tuned work going on elsewhere. Some of the repeated nightmarish symbols get splashed across the screen one or two too many times as well, although a love of all things hellishness is next leading Bruckner, Collins and Piotrowski to remaking Hellraiser. Here, when The Night House ruminates over psychological, existential and atmospheric horrors, it's as gripping as Hall always is. When it's less focused on being haunted by absence, and by death, it's a sillier, less shrewd and involving movie. While set in a house by a lake, it never stoops to Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock sending each other love letters, thankfully — but it also steps back from being as bleak at the last minute as it needed to be.
Russia’s nomination to the 2014 Foreign Language Oscar race is every bit as slow and imposing as its title would suggest. Ostensibly named for the enormous blue whales whose bones scatter the shoreline of the small coastal town of Pribrezhny, the name Leviathan more readily refers to the unfeeling, unyielding behemoth of the Russian bureaucracy that devours everything in its path. Acclaimed director Andrey Zvyagintsev does a masterful job capturing the misery of life under such a corrupt and broken system. Of course, whether that’s something you actually want to watch is a different question entirely. Don’t get us wrong: there’s plenty to appreciate about Zvyagintsev’s latest feature. Chief among them would be the raw, brutish performance of Aleksey Serebryakov. A mainstay of the Russian screen industry, Serebryakov plays Kolya, a quick-tempered auto mechanic who runs afoul of Pribrezhny’s mayor (played by Roman Madyanov), who wants to seize the valuable headland currently occupied by Kolya’s house. In order to fight back, Kolya calls on Dimitriy (Vladimir Vdovichenkov), a friend from his days in the army and now a high-powered lawyer in Moscow. Through Kolya’s struggle, Zvyagintsev presents viewers with a scathing critique of contemporary Russian society — a grim, vodka-soaked landscape of dodgy politicians with little concern for the citizens who put them in office. It’s compelling for a time, in a depressing sort of way, watching the poor, emasculated Kolya gain inches only to be set back miles. Those hoping that the prevalence of religious imagery might signal a David and Goliath ending are likely to leave the cinema disappointed. The hopelessness of Kolya's situation is reflected in the work of cinematographer Mikhail Krichman, who favours wide lenses, static camera work and a colour palette overpowered by greys. Unfortunately, as Leviathan plods past the two hour mark, you too may begin to feel overpowered. For all his insight, Zvyagintsev isn’t trading in a particularly nuanced brand of bleakness, his message driven home with all the dull, repetitive pounding of a sledgehammer, or waves crashing endlessly on the shore. Leviathan is arduous by design. But that’s little conciliation when you’re struggling to sit through it.
Any good 'twist movie' carries with it two inescapable truths: joy to behold, bitch to review. The best to which a critic can aspire is circumspection bordering on indifference, tempered like a card shark sitting on an unbeatable hand. That task becomes even more formidable when the twist itself provides the basis for the entire plot. In those cases, as it is with Steven Soderbergh's latest (and supposedly last) film Side Effects, even just stating what the film's about in the broadest possible terms discloses more than can ever be justified. Ultimately, there's little more that can be said beyond "This film is great and you really ought to see it." And yet, sufficient as that review might be, in this instance Side Effects' name and tagline — "One pill can change your life" — helpfully offer at least a permissible insight into the movie's umbrella theme: prescription drugs. Its main character Emily (Rooney Mara) flits back and forth from one antidepressant to the next like they were competing brands of cereal, forever in search of that consequence-free panacea to her daily "poisonous fog bank rolling in". Her well-intentioned psychiatrist (Jude Law) dutifully doles out each prescription, just as eager to cure her melancholy yet also candidly advocating certain medications over others in exchange for those companies' generous consultancy fees. However, just as Side Effects appears to be establishing itself as the fictionalised version of similarly themed documentaries like Generation RX and Prescription for Disaster, it takes such a sudden and monumental shift that the audience audibly gasped in our screening. From that moment on, Soderbergh (who also filmed and edited the movie under pseudonyms) has you questioning and requestioning everything you see and hear, grasping for clarity, and staving off paranoia like the very characters before you. If indeed this is to be his swan song, then we can take solace in knowing he's left us with another gripping, intelligent, and complex psychological thriller befitting both his status as an auteur and his extraordinary back catalogue of films.
The natural wine scene is no stranger to a great party, although those festivities were in pretty short supply last year. But this winter, it's all kicking off again with a bang, as new natural wine shindig Huge Moves takes over the legendary Icebergs Dining Room and Bar. Join in the fun on Monday, June 14 — which is a public holiday — as Joel Amos (Drnks) and renowned sommelier James Hird (co-founder of Rootstock) host this huge tasting party dedicated to celebrating top-notch natural vino from around Australia and beyond. Across two sessions (11am–2pm and 3.30–6.30pm), attendees will have the chance to sample an expansive curation of wine from the likes of Little Reddie, Giorgio De Maria and Momento Mori, all while chatting to some of the industry's leading producers, growers and importers. Then, over in the Icebergs Bar, the fun continues into the night — with DJs and plenty more opportunities to mingle with the experts. There'll be plenty of snacks available from the Icebergs kitchen, which you can match to drops from the day's exclusive wine rotation, starring top festival picks. And if you really fall in love with something, you'll find a pop-up bottle shop from Drnks slinging a range of bottles to go. Tickets cost $65.
Surry Hills restaurant Nomad has just as much street cred for its wine as it does for its next-level Middle Eastern cuisine. As well as having an extensive wine list and an in-house cellar door, the restaurant also has a monthly wine delivery service. And now its adding another notch to its vinous belt, launching its very own wine school. Kicking off on Saturday, July 21, the restaurant will run a series of monthly classes, diving deep into all things wine, hosted upstairs at neighbouring China Heights Gallery. Sessions, which will run for 5.5 hours one Saturday a month, will be capped at 20 students and led by Nomad's Director of Wine Simon Howland. They'll cover everything from wine tasting 101 to an exploration of how climate and geography can impact the final product, with a focus on Australian wines. The classes will also involve some actual wine tasting (naturally) with participants getting to sample around 12 wines throughout each class. And, there'll be food — a seasonal lunch and an afternoon cheese feast will both be provided courtesy of the Nomad kitchen. Those wanting to take a slightly smaller bite out of Howland's wine knowledge can opt instead for one of the monthly weeknight masterclasses, which'll clock in at a tidy 90 minutes. Each of these relaxed sessions will hone in on a particular theme — think, What is Natural Wine? and Festive Wines — presented via a guided tasting of six wines, with cheese and charcuterie. Nomad's Saturday Wine School classes cost $250 a session and Weekday Masterclasses are $150 each. To book into a class, email simon@nomadwine.com.au. NOMAD WINE SCHOOL SCHEDULE SATURDAY WINE SCHOOL Saturday, July 21 Saturday, August 18 Saturday, September 1 Saturday, October 6 Saturday, November 3 WEEKDAY EVENING MASTERCLASSES Tuesday, July 24: Nomad Winter Wines Tuesday, August 14: What is Natural Wine? Monday, September 3: Nomad Spring Selection Tuesday, October 9: Winemaker or Vineyard, Who Really Makes the Wine? Tuesday, November 26: Nomad Festive Wines
Jaan Tallinn, founding programmer of Kazaa and engineer of Skype, knows technology well. It's because of this that Tallinn knows exactly how rapidly it's expanding. Soon, technology won't just be tablets and smartphones and little luxuries for consumers; Tallinn argues that this explosive growth in technology has replaced human evolution in the way that it will shape our world — the intelligence stairway. At some point, technological developments will be self-sustaining — that is, that they will no longer require the input of humanity — and this can lead to a Skynet-esque situation. There are two solutions to this. The first is not really a solution; it's more clinging to the hope that the self-spawning robots will follow Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. The second is much more practical, and involves a mass coordination of technological development to limit the growth of artificial intelligence to prevent this. Think about it: this is a real threat. It's a little bit cool, but mostly frightening.
Several of Sydney's villages are getting on the Good Food Month bandwagon with their own events, from Paddo's William Street Festival to Newtown's Good Food Fair. The good folks of Potts Point are inviting you to join them for a small bar hop. You'll spend the evening roaming from one bar to another, sampling signature cocktails, fine wines and craft beers, matched with tasting plates. The first hop is sold out already, but tix are still going for the second. Your adventure will include stops at Jangling Jacks, where the drinks are named after legendary locals, speakeasy-inspired Parson's in leafy Kellett Street and and Waterman's Lobster Co. where the lobster rolls are named according to US states. Tickets cost $95 and include a drink and a snack at each of the three venues.
Throw on the best gown your local op shop has in stock, because Heaps Gay and Vivid Sydney are throwing a fancy schmancy party. Taking over Sydney Town Hall on the Queen's Birthday long weekend, the inaugural Heaps Gay Qweens Ball has been billed by its organisers as "the experience of a lifetime". There'll be music by the likes of Electric Fields, Yo Mafia, Handsome and Imbi the Girl, as well as art, burlesque, drag shows, an homage to the Sydney leather scene and a whole lot more. Oh, and did we mention the whole thing is sponsored by Young Henrys and 42 Below? Needless to say, there'll be libations aplenty, as the party kicks on well into the night.
Swords, sandals, speeches and spectacle: in a Ridley Scott-directed epic, all are to be expected. It comes as no surprise that Exodus: Gods and Kings has each in abundance. Men fight, moral dialogue dominates, and 3D computer-generated imagery delivers everything from palaces and now-fallen monuments to parted seas and giant waves. What might come as a surprise is that Scott’s latest round of swinging steel fares better than it perhaps should. The veteran helmer’s vision of the tale from the Old Testament Book of Exodus falls between his lauded Gladiator and less applauded Kingdom of Heaven. Repetition reigns in an over-extended, blood-soaked effort, but so does a strong sense of character and contemplation. For those unfamiliar with biblical narratives, the story of Moses swaps between sides in one of the greatest tussles in Judaism. In Egypt circa 1300 BC, a punishing regime saw the empire’s 400,000 Hebrew inhabitants worked to death as slaves — a system that had been in place for over 400 years. Moses (Christian Bale) grew up alongside Pharaoh-in-waiting Rhamses (Joel Edgerton), unaware of his true heritage. Upon discovering he belongs to the people his friend so willingly exploits, he is exiled, but remains unwavering in his quest for change. So far, so standard — at least where film depictions of the oft-covered pseudo-sibling-rivalry circumstances are involved. Indeed, standard is an apt description for a feature that goes through the motions in relaying its well-documented plot points. Moses and Rhamses argue. God sets Moses on a mission. Plagues — a river of blood, frogs, locusts and more — try to convince Rhamses of the right decision. Bale’s involvement, as culturally questionable as his and other casting may be, provides a stirring central performance and a strong protagonist. In channelling the conflict at the heart of the story, he broodingly expresses the impact of Moses’s many battles — with himself, his origins, his identity, and the notion of faith. In an effort that muses at length about these issues, he offers an eloquent manifestation of the inherent struggle. The film suffers whenever he isn’t on screen, though such instances are rare. Elsewhere, the rest of the cast doesn’t fare as well, more as a result of a script tinkered with by four writers than anything else. With eyeliner aplenty, Edgerton simmers with corruption and confusion, and Ben Mendelsohn hams it up (in an unlikely Animal Kingdom reunion). Ben Kingsley is quiet but convincing as a symbol of the oppressed, but many other big names — Aaron Paul and Sigourney Weaver, most notably — are given little to do. The less said about the squandering of talented actresses such as Golshifteh Farahani and Hiam Abbass, the better. Thankfully, among the clumsiness and the bulging roster of familiar faces, Exodus: Gods and Kings finds the midway point between the overblown and unnecessary, and the interesting and epic. Come for the biblical action, stay for the powerful lead performance, and witness an average but still engaging take on a famous tale.
Usually when you head to a food truck gathering, only the folks doing the cooking stay inside their vehicles. But nothing is all that usual at the moment, so the Bella Vista Hotel has launched a Food Truck Drive-Thru — where attendees head along and pick up plenty of delicious dishes from meals-on-wheels kitchens, all while remaining inside their cars. Running every Thursday–Sunday evening until Sunday, June 28, this foodie event features ten food vendors, with the likes of Fire and Brimstone BBQ, Burger Head, Pizza-ology and Cluckn Chicken slinging their wares. All you need to do is drive up, add your car to the line and scan a QR code to order. Then, your food will be brought to you, ready for you to take home. Unlike food truck gatherings before the COVID-19 pandemic, you can't hang around at this one — you'll just need to grab your food and head off, with no onsite eating permitted. But, you will be able to collect everything from pizza, burgers and chook pieces to gozleme, cakes and cannoli. There'll also be shake-and-serve cocktails on offer, plus long neck beers. Just remember to bring your card, as all transactions are cashless. The Bella Vista Hotel Food Truck Drive-Thru runs every Thursday–Sunday until Sunday, June 28 — open Thursdays–Saturdays from 5–9pm and Sundays from 5–8pm.
Known as 'The Man Who Shot the Seventies', Mick Rock is the photographer behind some of rock's most iconic images, embodying rock 'n' roll by more than just name. Beginning his career in 1972 as the official photographer of David Bowie, Rock was the man who chronicled the rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust. Throughout the seventies, he continued to photograph some of music's most influential stars, creating album covers for Lou Reed's Transformer, Syd Barret's The Madcap Laughs, Iggy and the Stooges' Raw Power, Queen's Queen II and the Ramones' End of the Century. Rock also shot and produced several music videos, including 'Life on Mars', 'Space Oddity' and 'Jean Genie'. His work captures the spirit and defines some of the most groundbreaking bands in music history. Recently Rock has worked with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Johnny Marr, the Chemical Brothers and Kate Moss, and his retrospectives on Glam Rock and the psychedelic-era have been acclaimed worldwide. This month Blender Gallery is presenting Mick Rock - EXPOSED!, a retrospective of Rock's work across the past four decades. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cYMCLz5PQVw
At first, Mike Mills' semi-autobiographical new indie flick, Beginners, seems like just another kooky romantic comedy featuring a lot of bad timing and translation gags. Think Amelie, except with Ewan McGregor in the main role and a gay subtext. But this time the comedy has a bittersweet edge; a recurrent note of sadness which reminds you that no one ever gets an unlimited amount of days, months or years in which to sort out the vagaries of their relationships. As a wise Jack Russell terrier, whose telepathic pronouncements punctuate the storyline, is at pains to point out to Oliver, the protagonist, it is never too late to find a sense of joie de vivre – and to doggedly hang onto it. In 2003, when the film begins, Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is sorting through the possessions of his father Hal (Christopher Plummer), who has just died of cancer. Oliver is a habitually dejected graphic designer with a talent for self-sabotage in relationships; he has a tendency to explain himself through self-consciously twee statements like, "My personality was created by someone else and all I got was this stupid t-shirt." In voiceover, Oliver reveals that after a forty-five year marriage his hitherto 'straight' father had come high-kicking out of the closet and enjoyed a lively liberated five years in the Southern Californian gay scene. Mills grafts a conventional love story onto Oliver's tricky journey of grief and self-realisation when he meets the lovely French actress Anna (Mélanie Laurent), at a costume party. Oliver and Anna embark on a whimsical but wary relationship, complete with tears, laughter, sharp-worded recriminations – and random roller-skating through the rococo halls of a ritzy Los Angeles hotel. Oliver's memories of his father and the perfunctory kisses that peppered his parents passionless marriage, inform his hesitant approach to Anna; through flashbacks, writer-director Mills' explores the effect of the profound social changes of the past fifty years on people's sense of 'right' and 'wrong'. Beginners is visually stunning and the storyline, while sentimental, is seldom sappy. Olivers' self-destructive nature inevitably leads him to spurn Anna when she gets too close, but the idea that you can leave someone without going anywhere is intriguing, intelligent and powerfully realised by the consummate cast. https://youtube.com/watch?v=KplqiAHYnHo
First, they realised that folks liked to strut their stuff on the dance floor in their own way — free from judging eyes, glaring sources of illumination, restrictive outfits and the need to learn specific steps. So it should come as no surprise that No Lights No Lycra have hit the jackpot with their next idea. Now, knowing that there's more to the season of roses and chocolates than the usual romantic gestures, they're throwing an anti-Valentine's Day dance party. Taking over the Paddington Uniting Church Hall from 7.30pm on February 14, Feelin' Myself — The Anti V-Day Party is a space for everyone to come together and show their love through movement. Just what kind of affection you're expressing and celebrating as you listen to a mix of breakup and better-off-alone tunes, well, that's up to you. If you're attached, you can both hit the floor and avoid all of the usual Valentine's Day cliches — sure, you'll have to nab a ticket in advance, but there's no fancy outfits, worrying about a restaurant booking, trying to snag the best picnic spot or the like. If you're solo, you can groove with your gang or bust a move alone, free from the usual romance overload.
Beat the winter chill down by the water at a new pop-up chalet and whisky bar right on the harbour. Open until September 30 at Pier One Sydney Harbour, the Chivas Lodge on the Pier boasts all the comforts of an alpine lodge, from the opulent Chivas Regal Whisky cocktails and matched winter dishes right down to the roaring open fire. Get your skis on, stat. Tapping into the stores of the iconic Scottish distillery, libations at the lodge will include Chivas Regal served five ways, either neat or on the rocks served with homemade chocolate infused with orange and coriander, as well as six custom-made cocktails. These concoctions include the Nuts & Curd (Chivas Regal 12, lemon curd, fennel, honey syrup and Frangelico) and the Aged Bobby Burns (Chivas, Bénédictine and vermouth). The lodge will also play host to a number of regular and one-off events. Thursdays will feature complimentary tasting plates to go along with the liquid refreshments, while Fridays will welcome live saxophone performances and DJ sets along with three minute angel massages. Chivas ambassador Rachel MacDonald will host whisky masterclasses on select dates, while chef Joel Bickford will serve up a special whisky degustation dinner on the evening of September 15.
All it takes is the sight of a figure standing by a riverbank for Embrace of the Serpent to lure viewers in. The man, Karamakate (Nilbio Torres), isn't the only point of focus in the film's opening frames – in fact, the entirety of his dense, foliage-filled surroundings attract just as much attention, as does the stunning black-and-white photography that surveys every leaf and branch. It's his patient stance amidst such a thriving natural environment, however, that dares viewers to unearth more about him, the place he calls home, and the manner in which their stories intertwine. As a young shaman in the Amazon in 1909, Karamakate greets a canoe paddled by two men with caution. The local guide Manduca (Miguel Dionisio Ramos) doesn't worry him, but Theo (Jan Bijvoet), the German explorer with him, gives him pause. The outsider is ill, and only Karamakate knows how to locate the rare flower that could heal him, though it's a task that'll take the trio into the dangerous depths of the jungle. Later, as an older man in the 1940s, Karamakate (now played by Antonio Bolivar Salvado Yangiama) assists an American named Evans (Brionne Davis) on a similar voyage. Images of a slithering snake demonstrate the literal meaning of the movie's title, though writer-director Ciro Guerra and his co-scribe Jacques Toulemonde Vidal have the powerful squeeze of another predator on their minds. As the duo fashion a poetic road movie (or river movie, to be more precise) inspired by the diaries of real-life explorers Theodor Koch-Grünberg and Richard Evans Schultes, they ponder the impact of colonialism upon the traditional culture. Though their tone is peaceful and their images pristine, their condemnation of Western interference is clear. It's fitting that Embrace of the Serpent flits between past and present, since it also finds contrasts in a plethora of other pairs. As audiences watch Karamakate assist his two different companions, they don't just witness a film that compares the old and the new. They also traverse a blend of history and myth, broach the gap between the physical and the philosophical, dissect the clash between nature and technology, and discover what happens when the dreamlike and the devastating collide. It takes not just skill but artistry to craft a feature that's so loaded with potency and beauty. Every frame here leaves an impression, while still allowing viewers to soak everything in at an unhurried pace. Thanks to the visually wondrous efforts of cinematographer David Gallego, watching Embrace of the Serpent proves an experience that values just that. And while Guerra's underlying statement is never hidden, it's never shouted, either. Indeed, this is a film of waiting and uncovering something special. Sharing Karamakate's initial patience is recommended — and will be rewarded by one of the most distinctive movies in recent years.
Pull on your seamed stockings and pin your victory rolls in place — Sydney's Fifties Fair is set to descend upon Rose Seidler House in Wahroonga for its 21st year running. On Sunday, August 21, the iconic house and its gardens will be transported back to their heyday, with a carefully-curated selection of stalls selling authentic '50s fashion, furniture, kitchenalia and knick knacks, as well as a hair styling and a best-dressed competition. There'll also be a vintage car display for those who know their Fleetwood Cadillacs from their Jags and a killer music lineup headlined by The Hi-Boys to keep you dancing all arvo-long. When all that dancing makes you hungry, tuck into some deliciousness from Porteño and Daisy's Milkbar, then wander through (and marvel at) the house in all its mid-century architectural glory, complete with original furniture and fixtures. To help you get there, there'll also be a free vintage shuttle running between the house and Turramurra Station. Plus, if you book your tickets early (before August 7), you'll go into the draw to win four nights at the incredible mid-century home, Bel-Air, in Berry on the South Coast. It's a bona-fide '50s dream.
Thirteen years ago, an orange-and-white clownfish swam away from his home and into our hearts. He wasn't alone, with his anxious father Marlin (Albert Brooks) just as endearing, and forgetful blue tang Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) an ideal comic offsider. Charting a child's adventurous first steps in the world and a parent's fear of the dangers that might come, their tale was always bound to strike a chord. Pixar know it as one of their biggest hits; you know it as Finding Nemo. If that film coined a catchphrase, it'd have to be "just keep swimming," which was Dory's favourite piece of advice. It is far from surprising that the line pops up again in the sequel to the animated feature, or that returning writer-director Andrew Stanton and co. have taken it to heart. Indeed, Finding Dory is the movie equivalent of paddling along and letting the current sweep you forward. Cheerfully content to ride in its predecessor's slipstream, it just keeps swimming, with the film's irrepressibly upbeat nature ensuring it stays bubbly and buoyant. Nemo (Hayden Rolence) going astray again would've been a stretch, so this time, it's Dory who wanders beyond the patch of ocean the central trio calls home. In fact, it turns out that she's done so before — not that she can really recall. When Dory starts getting flashbacks of her loving mother and father (Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy), she decides to follow her memories. Marlin and Nemo join her epic swim to the Marine Life Institute in California, where Dory believes her parents might be waiting. A crafty octopus (Ed O'Neill), near-sighted whale shark (Kaitlin Olsen) and some sun-loving sea lions (Idris Elba and Dominic West) pop up along the way. Still, Finding Dory belongs to its key trio. In fact, the strengths of the film spring from spending more time in their company — particularly Dory, who might be a bit absent-minded, but is never treated like a joke. Time and again, Pixar films find the right blend between emotional insight and character-driven comedy, and both are on display here. Brought to life by energetic voice work, bright CGI visuals and well-placed, action-packed interludes, the movie thoughtfully fleshes out the makeshift family at its centre. Of course, while Finding Dory represents the animation studio at its kind-hearted best, it also demonstrates their increasing fondness for rehashing old stories. There's much about this follow-up that feels a little too familiar. Returning to bathe in warm, well-known waters can certainly be fun, but for all its easy comforts and nostalgic pleasures, it's not quite as vibrant the second time around.
