To celebrate International Margarita Day (yes, apparently that's a thing), the Norfolk is bringing back the World's Hottest Nacho Challenge. From 7pm on Sunday, contestants will gather in the beer garden to test their tastebuds by downing nachos made from a chilli known in chilli circles simply as 'Scorpion'. This is the stuff used to make crowd-controlling grenades, so we're pretty sure those nachos are going to be pretty spicy. The rules are simple, first person to eat the nachos wins. Contestants will munch to the soundtrack of Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire while everyone else will no doubt be taking advantage of the $10 margaritas (all ten flavours!) and the $20 jugs of Rio Bravo margaritas. For those crazy enough to give it a go, there's no (monetary) cost to enter and the winner takes home a trophy, bottle of tequila, pub voucher and presumably a scorched oesophagus. For everyone else, pull up a stool, grab some margarita popcorn and watch the crazies do their thing because this is going to be one hilarious (and hot) night out.
Featuring some of Golden Age Cinema's favourite "classics, cults, creepies and cheapies", Hollywood Nights is that perfect date idea you've been waiting to spring on your secret crush. Combining our favourite boutique cinema experience with the fried and fabulous food of the Nighthawk Diner — as well as live music, drinks and the pure joy of sitting in the great outdoors — your night is sure to be one to remember. You could even call it a classic. On as part of new arts festival Spectrum Now, Hollywood Nights is held at garden hub Spectrum Playground in the Domain. The films programmed are a journey through time — both in when they were made and when they were set (which explains some of the double dates you see listed below). The series kicks off in the '50s with musical classic Singin' in the Rain, quickly followed by the 1955 American drama, Rebel Without a Cause. Week two features some favourites from the '80s and '90s — with everything from Back to the Future to Picnic at Hanging Rock, Ghostbusters and Hairspray — before heading into the 'future' with 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Nighthawk team have matched their menus to the movies. It's your chance to feel at one with the cinematic world of your choosing. Here's the full program: Wed 11 March – Singin’ in the Rain (1952/1927) G, 8pm Thurs 12 March – The Philadelphia Story (1940) PG, 8pm Fri 13 March – Rebel Without a Cause (1955) M, 8pm Sat 14 March – Back to the Future (1985/1955) PG, 8pm Sun 15 March – Breathless / À bout de souffle (1960) PG, 8pm Mon 16 March – Hairspray (1988/1962) PG, 8pm Tues 17 March – Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) PG, 8pm Wed 18 March – Ghostbusters (1984) PG, 8pm Thurs 19 March – Labyrinth (1986) G, 8pm Fri 20 March – Reality Bites (1994) M, 8pm Sat 21 March – The Big Lebowski (1998) MA15+, 8pm Sun 22 March – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968/2001) G, 8pm
On the first Friday of every month, the Redfern Community Centre will fill with live music, dance, independent artists, designers, jewellery makers and food trucks for the Redfern Night Markets. Held between 4.30pm and 9.30pm, they're dedicated to giving Redfern's creatives a place to showcase their work. And it's fair to say they're more than just markets — they're a mini-festival. Browse the philately inspired postage stamp jewellery of Postcards from Aloysius, the women-orientated boxing gear of Ruff Stuff, the artworks and printed totes of local Aboriginal artist Sharon Smith, and plenty more. April 10's music program is all about slinky funk, soul and reggae, with live performances from The Roots Odyssey (UK Sound System), who'll play three sets at 4.30pm, 7.10pm and 8.45pm. If you have something to sell, visit the Redfern Night Markets website to apply for a stall. Alternatively, you can get involved as a volunteer. The April market will be held on the second Friday, April 10, rather than Good Friday.
Take a deep breath and smell the sexual tension at Freda's Love Tunnel. Featuring Simon Caldwell with Turpin, Easy Access and Wild Sunset, Freda's Love Tunnel is sure to get everyone in the mood for a night full of shenanigans. With Valentine's Day activities include Spin the Bottle, Strip Twister, love song dedications and more to be announced, Freda's have got you covered if you've left booking that favourite restaurant too late. The venue is set to be decked out in all things romantic (think candles, velvet and roses as well as a grand entrance to the Love Tunnel), so this should be a Valentine you won't forget. Ignore the 'three-day call' rule and get in contact with Alex Turpin, Aaron Zanbaka or Michael Carr ASAP if you have a Love Song Dedication you would like to make.
At the end of each season, Sydney label enthusiasts are often rewarded with a sample sale where loyal fans of the brand can pick up pieces from the previous collections for far below the retail price. Now Ellery is hosting one of these occasions at which people tear through racks of garments hoping for something in their size. Whatever you get your hands on, expect it to be over 50% off. Kym Ellery has become one of the most important names in the Australian fashion landscape over recent years. Since launching her brand Ellery in a friend's art gallery in Surry Hills in 2007, she has secured a following both within Australia and overseas. Friday 8am - 8pm, Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday 10am - 3pm
Attend classes, join in storytelling events and get the low-down from some of the best writers around, all without leaving the comfort of your couch. Streaming live from February 11, this year’s Digital Writers' Festival will feature more than 30 online events hosted by a bevy of talented writers from all across Australia and the world. Now in its second year, the 2015 festival will cover a huge array of topics, from coding to video game writing and data journalism to freedom of speech and good sex writing. The Twenty Minute Cities program will let you interact with emerging writers from places like Dublin, Iowa City and Reykjavik, while a special event on White Night will see a group of desperate publishers scrambling to complete a magazine before dawn. Speakers include Lisa Dempster (Melbourne Writers’ Festival), Adam Brereton (Guardian Australia), Paul Verhoeven (ABC3’s Steam Punks) and Michelle Law (Shit Asian Mothers Say). So, whether you’re an aspiring journo, a wannabe novelist or just looking for tips on how to spice up your erotic fan-fiction, visit the DWF website and check out what’s on offer. We Twitter-interviewed festival director Connor Tomas O'Brien about the first DWF in 2014. Read it here.
If traditional photographic depictions of women frustrate and annoy you, get yourself down to the Art Gallery of New South Wales between April 25 and July 5. To mark the 40 years that have passed since International Women’s Year (1975), the gallery has dragged some powerful photographs out of storage for a special exhibition. Taken of women, by women, they’re united by their rebellion against mainstream imagery and their dark, funny, distinctive takes on femaleness. Titled Loud!, the show features works by four artists: two international and two Australian. Yvonne Todd, from New Zealand, draws on the conventions of glamorous studio portraits to create exaggerated, surreal impressions of femininity, complete with wigs, costumes, heavy make-up, acrylic nails and awkward poses. Meanwhile, Japanese photographer Miwa Yanagi places female subjects in fictional contexts, playing with past and future, and youth and age. On home soil, Anne Zahalka portrays famous actresses as wax replicas, implying that the media’s obsession with air-brushed perfection projects ‘ideals’ that are not only impossible but also rather dull. And finally, there’s a series by Rosemary Laing, titled A Dozen Useless Actions for Grieving Blondes, which turns on its head the notion of the happy-go-lucky blonde bombshell. Image: Miwa Yanagi Yuka 2000, from the series My grandmothers.
You answer a knock at the door, thinking you’ll find a familiar face only to be met with an impromptu party. Sure, that doesn’t sound too bad — but when your expected visitor is a teenager you met in a train station the day before, arriving with his hustler friends in tow, it doesn’t sound too good, either. This is where mild-mannered, middle-aged Daniel (Olivier Rabourdin) finds himself in Eastern Boys — and where cinema finds one of its most striking scenes in years. Shy-looking Ukrainian immigrant Marek (Kirill Emelyanov) arrives at Daniel’s apartment after accepting money for sex, his pals barging in, stealing stuff and trashing the place. Unravelling against an electronic soundtrack, it’s a sight that’s both unsettling and unforgettable. The movie takes its time in showing every detail of the home invasion, not only forcing Daniel to linger, but making the audience do the same. Prepare to feel stunned and awkward. Prepare to keep watching, too, and not just taking in the visuals and following the storyline. Eastern Boys is a film of observation, making you look close and then closer, and then even closer again. You’d best be scrutinising everything you can see, from the long shots of Paris's crowded Gare du Nord and the dialogue-free glances that fill the feature’s first frames. The movie demands that you gaze from afar while trying to delve beneath the surface, which is also what it offers in its complicated character studies. Never going where anyone might predict, this isn’t a tale about trouble and revenge, but a film that’s part love story, part thriller — and neither of those sticks with convention or worries about leaps in logic. Chapters signal shifts in the story, involving Daniel, Marek and Boss (Daniil Vorobyov), the volatile but charming Russian leader of the pack, as well. Power, survival, identity, affection and belonging are all wrapped up in a movie equally personal and topical. It manages to combine the attempts of men trying to carve out a different life however they can with a broader contemplation of class and immigration, and it does so with moments of horror, hope and heartbreak. Anyone familiar with French TV series The Returned will know the kind of style writer/director/editor Robin Campillo’s favours in only his second effort as a filmmaker: slow-moving, atmospheric, precise and always showing rather than telling. Here, it’s an ideal fit for a narrative that doesn’t try to justify what is going on but instead wants viewers to witness the actions, reactions, interactions and transactions that make up its reality and draw their own conclusions. Kudos also must go to his excellent cast for their naturalistic performances, specifically veteran Rabourdin and relative newcomers Emelyanov and Vorobyov. Making a movie feel intense, involving and intimate at the same time isn’t easy, but they ensure we’re always watching. Not that you have a choice — with a tale this simultaneously tense and tender, just try to look away.
Tuesday nights are Luk nights for the next ten weeks, as celebrated chef Chui Lee Luk undertakes a guest chef spot at Surry Hills' Italian eatery Berta. For the next couple of months, Luk will host a series of unique 'sagra' nights at Andrew Cibej's laneway establishment, a Berta tradition of delving into the Italian way of celebrating a single ingredient or method of cooking. Former owner and chef of Woollhara's long-loved Claude's and now-closed Surry Hills joint Chow Bar & Eating House, Luk is a big pull for Berta — the sister of fellow Italian-focused Sydney joints 121BC and Vini. Luk's newly-devised menu will see four courses not usually seen on the Berta menu, dishes that explore individual ingredients and preparation methods — from baccala (dried and salted cod) to goat, edible weeds to rabbit — in her signature Luk way. So what can you expect from Luk? The beloved Sydney-based chef is known for fusing different cultural cuisines and playing with age-old techniques, so don't expect straight-up Italian cooking. New menu adventures include beef short rib agrodolce (spices, honey and molasses), and raw kingfish, chillies, bottarga, colotura, and desserts including mariposa plum rice pudding, and sweet potato chocolate flan. Luk's 'sagra' nights are every Tuesday at Berta from February 10 through March 31. It's $55 per person for four courses. Pick your week from these delicious focus points: 10 February Baccala 17 February Goat 24 February Beans and other legumes 3 March Rice 10 March Potatoes 17 March Edible weeds 24 March Rabbit 31 March Lamb For more information and bookings head to www.berta.com.au or call (02) 9264 6133
Australia may be out of the World Cup, but that doesn't mean you need to be. Futbol gives way to foosball over at The Rocks between now and September 20. As part of a live art installation titled Arena Calcetto (which means 'arena for little football'), six 10m-high towers will each encase a publicly accessible foosball table. Created by non-profit Sydney collective Archrival, the work is the result of collaboration between more than 100 designers from ten countries around the world. Every member of every foosball team is a unique, custom-made creation, while the wooden towers are inspired by Venetian sailing boats. Originally made for the Australian Pavilion at the 13th Venice International Architecture Biennale, the work had a stint at Paddington's Reservoir Gardens during last year's Art & About. But with the World Cup on, this seems like the installation's true time to shine. “With its laneways and historic buildings, The Rocks is a great setting for Arena Calcetto's extraordinary timber towers and their hidden foosball tables,” Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority CEO Catherine Gallagher said. "This fantastic installation will transform observers into contestants as they discover the custom-made tables hidden within the sculptures." See more images of the elaborately carved little players and imposing frames of Arena Calcetto here.
Whether it's casting grande dames in candy-coloured shades or conveying feminine fashion without a single fussy bow, Karen Walker is a designer we pretty much all love to love. And love to pretend is Australian. Actually, she's from New Zealand, and has many an opinion on how that's shaped her creative life. Here she's in conversation with her work and life partner — advertising guru Mikhail Gherman — so it should be a more comfortable, free-flowing on-stage Q&A than most. Come back to the Vivid Ideas Exchange at 9pm weeknights for more intriguing 'In Conversation' pairings. This event is one of our top ten picks of Vivid Ideas. Check out the other nine.
Sitting in the dark, immersed in pictures, reading a story into the way they link. That's essentially what you do when you go to the cinema, and it's also what you do when playing with the plastic device known as the View-Master. The dinky red private viewers have apparently been littering toyboxes since 1939. Now Portland's Vladimir has hijacked the classic toy for art purposes, crafting a narrative you experience click by click. Her Vladmaster Viewmaster Experience — a highlight among the cinematic tangents of the Sydney Film Festival Hub — contains a reel designed, photographed and hand-assembled by the artist. She also turns the usually private View-Master encounter into a public one. Here, you sit down with a 100 similarly adventurous nostalgics and click through together, following the cues from the soundtrack. The event was recently a hit at Melbourne's White Night, where it showed at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. The SFF Hub is not only returning for a third time but expanding its presence at the Town Hall to encompass the Treasury Room upstairs. As well as the View-Masters, this year it's decked out with designer furniture showcasing the legacy of the Eameses, a TITLE pop-up shop, Gelato Messina cart, vintage photo booth and the festival's discount ticket booth. Also featured are talks Altman on Altman (with son Robert Altman) and Eames on Eames (with grandson Eames Demetrios), film trivia, a film critics death match and Hugh Hamilton's Rosebud exhibition of film star portraits.
A charming portrait of two lonely hearts who connect across a city of more than 20 million people, Ritesh Batra's debut feature feels worlds away from a stereotypical Indian melodrama. As a matter fact, were it not for the setting, the language and the mouth-watering shots of local cuisine, you might very well mistake it for Nora Ephron's You've Got Mail. The epistolary romance is hardly a new genre; Ephron's film was itself a modernised remake of the classic Hollywood rom-com The Shop Around the Corner. But Batra infuses The Lunchbox with a distinctively Indian flavour, through his clever incorporation of Mumbai's famously efficient dabbawallas — hard-working couriers who transport freshly cooked lunches to offices all around the city. It's through a one-in-a-million mix-up that curmudgeonly accountant Saajan (Irrfan Khan) receives a meal cooked by neglected housewife Ila (Nimrat Kaur). The lunch was meant for her husband, but Saajan proves a far more grateful diner. So the next day Ila sends a note to accompany the food, thanking her mystery costumer for his appreciation. He replies, and slowly they begin a correspondence, bonding over mutual feelings of loneliness and personal regret. Documentary-style footage chronicles the daily journey of the lunchbox, from doorstep to bicycle, railway platform to high-rise. Every delivery brings the two battered souls closer together, while the food — and the cooking process — takes on a quality that's almost sensual. Batra demonstrates beautiful restraint in his slow, steady development of Saajan and Ila's relationship, an unacknowledged romance in which we soon grow heavily invested. The poignancy of the blossoming love story is balanced by other, platonic relationships. As Saajan counts down the days towards his retirement, he's forced to help train his eager young replacement (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). But what starts as a chore soon evolves into a begrudging sort of friendship. Their odd-couple bond is mirrored by the one between Ila and her neighbour, who shouts recipe and relationship advice through the window of the apartment above. Fundamentally, The Lunchbox is a film about unlikely human connections, and the unexpected happiness they can bring. Endearing characters give substance to the formulaic plot and make Batra's debut feature a satisfying cinematic meal. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Qdn6nVJHyfM
Despite recently launching an all-day breakfast menu and ice cream sandwiches, we still think fries are the best thing about Lord of the Fries. And this Saturday, July 13, the vegan fast food joint is giving away free serves of 'em. Free. Fries. The chain is choosing this day to give them away because it's (supposedly) International French Fry Day. While we're not a big fan of 'food days', we are big fans of free food. So, to snag free fries on the day, just head down to any one of the LOTF stores around the nation between 1 and 2pm and you'll be gifted a bucket of deliciousness with a classic sauce of your choice thrown in, too. You don't even have to purchase any vego nuggets to redeem them. If you're in Sydney — which we'll assume you are, reading this post — you can either head along to one of the CBD stores (on Lee or George Street), to the Newtown spot or to the chain's outpost in Parramatta Westfield. Lord of the Fries is giving away free fries from 1–2pm on Saturday, July 13 at all of its NSW stores.
If you're not familiar with the work of Australian artist Shaun Gladwell, that's about to change. The MCA is currently showcasing an expansive survey of his 20-year career, which you can see any day of the week. Or, if you're more of a night owl, you can head down on a Wednesday night for the ultimate night at the gallery. The artist is known for his video work, and connectedness to the body and movement through images of surfers, skaters and dancers. This survey offers a great viewing platform to look back at the last two decades of Australia and its expanding reach to the rest of the world. It also reflects a time of technological change as we become more and more reliant on the digital. As such, the exhibition includes newly commissioned augmented and virtual reality works, as well as earlier tech-based works, including renowned video Storm Sequence (2000) set at Bondi Beach. The title of the exhibition, Pacific Undertow, comes from a critical video to the show that embodies Gladwell's movement through location, his obsessions with colonial and art histories, as well as forms of everyday urban performance and mortality. UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 — The MCA has partnered up with LG and is giving away an after-dark night at the gallery followed by your own private movie night on Sydney Harbour. If you're the lucky winner, you and three mates will be put up in a hotel, with breakfast included, plus $1000 spending money. You'll gain access to MCA after hours, including a private tour of Pacific Undertow. After, you'll be led to your own private movie night inside a pop-up dome-like structure, with stunning views across the harbour. You'll also have plenty of movie snacks and drinks on hand while you watch your favourite movies on a massive LG TV. Best of all? They're giving away a brand new LG TV (LG 88" 8K OLED TV worth $59,999), too, so you can continue binge-watching all those movies in the comfort of your own home. To be in the running for this jam-packed prize, head here.
If, when weekends roll around, you look for any excuse to don a nice outfit, sip fine wine and eat delicious food, listen up — Saké Restaurant & Bar Manly is celebrating its first birthday with a very fancy champagne lunch. On Sunday, November 24, the Japanese restaurant is serving up a special 12-dish feast with two hours of endless rosé-themed cocktails, wines and tap beers. To start, you'll receive a glass of Veuve Clicquot (of course) and canapés, which you can enjoy while soaking up the stunning Luchetti Krelle-designed space inside and panoramic ocean views of Manly Cove outside. Then, you'll sit down for the aforementioned 12-dish shared feast by Head Chef Shoji Toru. Salmon sashimi with lotus chips, beef tartare, seared scallops, Japanese-style chicken wings and kingfish with yuzu and jalapeño are all on the Sunday lunch menu. As are bao filled with pork katsu, a crunchy soba noodle salad and wagyu patties topped with cheese. You'll need to wear your fanciest stretchy pants for this. You can pair all this with two hours of never-ending cocktails, wine and beer, too. So, maybe, restock your Berocca supply for Monday. All of this will set you back $139 a head. If you can't make it to the lunch, though, you can still by heading to Saké Manly's bar for $15 cocktails and $99 bottles of Veuve — available all day. To book your table at this birthday lunch, call (02) 8099 7076 or email reservations@sakerestaurant.com.au.
It's not like we need much more of an excuse than a couple of balmy, sun-drenched days to get out there and enjoy Sydney summer. But if you could use a little extra push, Merivale has it sorted. The hospitality heavyweight — behind venues like The Newport, Felix and Totti's — has launched a new initiative, called This Is Sydney, encouraging locals to head out and enjoy an extra tasty program of discos, free gigs and half-price food. Half-price food? Yep. Merivale is offering a sweet 50-percent-off all bar snacks in all its CBD bars — from now until the end of summer. You can grab those half-price bites between 11pm and 12am from Tuesday to Saturday at eight venues: Little Felix, Palmer & Co, Bar Topa, Pool Club, Charlie Parker's, Establishment Main Bar, El Loco at Slip Inn and Palings (not on Saturdays for this last one, though). Once Bar Totti's and Jimmy's Falafel launch, you'll be about to find cheap late-night bites there, too. Some of the discounted snacks you can dig into include $8 three-cheese toasties at Palmer & Co, $5 patatas bravas and $2.50 gildas skewers at Bar Topa, and $6 sweet potato hummas and $9 burrata at Charlie Parker's. Images: Bar Topa by Nikki To
On November 23-24, the Sydney Opera House forecourt will transform into an outdoor stage for Dance Rites. Now in its fifth year, this epic event is a First Nations dance competition starring more than 300 performers from all over the country. And it's free. Held on Gadigal land at a meeting place formerly known as Tubowgule, Dance Rites was once part of the Opera House's Homeground Festival, but is now a stand-alone event. While watching the heats from 3pm each day, and the finals on Sunday evening, you'll see some of the best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dancers in action. Just some of the acts on the program include 2018 Dance Rites champs Nunukul Yuggera; The Narli Ensemble, performing a cross-cultural celebration of the Kimberley; Ngemba, Muruwari and Filipino rapper Rhyan Clapman; and OKA — an international collective that combines dance, electro, reggae and jazz. Pop-up food, drink and market stalls will cover the forecourt, too. You can read more about the lineup and the history of the event here. Dance Rites runs from 3.30–10pm on Saturday and 3.30–8.30pm on Sunday, with doors opening at 2.30pm. Images: Anna Kucera
Matteo Downtown will bring negroni week's namesake cocktail back to its Italian roots. To start, the CBD restaurant is slinging some seriously unusual takes on negroni, including the signature Double Negroni, which combines two cocktails in one. It's a white negroni (that's gin, French vermouth and Cocchi Americano), topped with a negroni-injected ice sphere that slowly melts into cocktail round two. The menu also features a parmesan version — it's washed with Sicilian green olives and the rim is garnished with a parmesan crust and basil dust. All of the negronisare $15 during the venue's weekday aperitivo hour from 4–6pm, and will be served with free Italian-style bar snacks, created by head chef Chef Orazio. The entire negroni menu is available from June 3–28, with proceeds going toward the Fondazione Telethon, an Italian charity that aids children with a rare-immunodeficiency called ADA-SCID.
Keen to escape the cold weather in a cinema, but your wallet doesn't want to play ball? Call Dendy's latest special a case of great timing, then. For the weekend spanning Friday, June 14 to Monday, June 17, its Newtown cinema is offering up discount tickets that'll solve your problem — as long as you purchase tickets to one of three flicks, you'll only pay $6. The three flicks you have to choose from are: Keanu Reeves' latest action-packed assassin thriller, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum; the director of That Sugar Film's hopeful new climate change doco 2040; and Brightburn, a subversive and sinister take on Superman. You can score the cheap tickets in person at the cinema or online (although the latter will cost you an extra $1.50 booking fee). The deal is valid for all sessions of all three films across all four days.
If you associate classical music with opera houses and black tie, then it's time to enter a brave new world. Surry Hills' underground bar Soultrap is bringing violins, violas and cellos into the bar. And you're welcome to wear jeans and drink cocktails. Spearheaded by pianist Evan Streater, The Chamber Project is a new gig series aiming to get you to experience classical music in a fun, relaxed environment. You'll hear some of Australia's best musicians, many of whom work regularly with Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. But, rather than watching them from the discomfort and distance of a concert hall's nosebleed section, you'll be up-close. The next Chamber Project —titled Four. Three. Two — is happening at 6pm on Thursday, June 6, then again on the Queen's Birthday public holiday, Monday, June 10 from 3.30pm. Featured on the program is a quartet of two violins, a viola and a cello, set to play Haydn's String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76 No. 2, 'Fifths' and Philip Glass' String Quartet No. 3, 'Mishima'. These larger works will be interwoven with arrangements of Nordic folk tunes. Between each 20-to-30-minute piece will be a break so you can grab another drink and soak in what you've just heard. Several types of tickets are available. Opt to sit up close at a table and you can be treated to charcuterie and cheese boards. Meanwhile, holders of standing tickets will score a gourmet toastie and/or cocktail. The Chamber Project will take place on Thursday, June 6 from 6pm and Monday, June 10 from 3.30pm. To purchase tickets, head this way.
The shortest day of the year is swiftly approaching, and Camperdown's Pocket City Farms is celebrating the winter solstice with a full day of free workshops, tours and events. The urban farm will open its gates to the inner west masses on June 22 from 11am–8pm, with produce markets, crop swaps and one big ol' community feast all on the docket. From 11am–4pm the produce stalls will be open, selling fruit, veg and herbs harvested from the PCF farm, along with produce from nearby organic farmers and locally made preserves and honey. For those growing their own produce at home, you can participate in the community crop swap from 1.30–3pm, with both homegrown and homemade items on offer. There will also be heaps of by-donation workshops on during the day, including farm tours, seed raising, sauerkraut making and paper lantern crafting. To finish off the day, a pot luck dinner will commence at 6pm — bring a dish, each cake, meet your neighbours and celebrate the solstice. For a full lineup of events on the day, head to the PCF website. Images: Luisa Brimble
Between Thursday, June 13 and Tuesday, June 18, Palace Cinemas is giving movie buffs an extra gift. It's not just the gift of great flicks — that is, its daily bread and butter — but the gift of cheap great flicks. Head to one of the chain's four Sydney locations — Paddington's Palace Verona or Chauvel Cinema, Chippendale's Palace Central and Leichhardt's Palace Norton St — across the week in question, and any film at any time will only cost you $7.50, plus an online booking fee of $1.50. Want to see Rocketman with your friends on a Saturday night? It'll cost you $9 in total. Keen to laugh your way through last year's Lavazza Italian Film Festival favourite, My Big Gay Italian Wedding, after work one afternoon? Still $9 all up. After another excuse to stare at Chris Hemsworth on the big screen? Go see Men In Black: International for (yup, you guessed it) $9. We'd keep naming movies, but you get the picture. Booking in advance is highly recommended, given how much everyone loves going to the flicks for cheap, so you will want to nab your tickets online here and pay the fee. With the cold well and truly here, seek refuge in any Palace across Sydney and see some of the hottest movies showing on the big screen this season. Image: Palace Central
With those mornings getting fresher by the day, you're probably after a little extra motivation to hit the pavement for your pre-breakfast jog. And the inaugural Western Sydney Parklands Trail Run might be just what you need to set your sights on. The brand new event hits the sprawling grounds of Western Sydney Parklands on Saturday, June 22, with distances to suit novices and running fiends alike. Start training for the 35 kilometre, 19 or 11 race, or sign up for the friendlier 4 kilometre Family Fun Run. Affectionately known as 'Sydney's Biggest Backyard', the 5000-hectare bushland site has tracks and trails to suit all degrees of running skill — plus, plenty of breathtaking views for when you need a distraction from your burning lungs. Put away the kilometres as you run between picturesque markers like Moonrise Lookout, Sugarloaf Ridge, The Dairy, and Plough and Harrow.
Stroll through the doors of The Green Park Hotel on Thursdays after 5pm and you'll find yourself in a juniper paradise. A defining part of the neighbourhood since 1893, the Darlinghurst pub has partnered up with Hendrick's Gin to kick off a weekly ode to the spirit dubbed 'Gin in the Park'. The Green Park's drink menu already boasts a large portion of G&Ts and retro cocktails ($18) but now, on Thursdays, you can expect $10 G&Ts and old-school picnic hampers with a side of 'lawn' games. If you've hung out at The Green Park before, you might be wondering what lawn we're talking about. Think small. The pool table will be adapted into the perfect place to challenge friends to a game of Jenga, ring toss or skittles, while you slosh down a G&T garnished with a cucumber slice. Plus, once a month, Gin in the Park will get a dose of extra flavour. Grab a bar stool and hear from experts about the art of craft gin, watch live performances and take part in immersive gin activities. Over the next three months, that activity is in the form of a 'sensory meditative martini experience'. We're not exactly sure what that involves either — but we're told blindfolds and silent disco headphones are involved. The Sensory Gin Experience is free to attend and will take place on April 18, May 16 and June 6. To register, visit The Green Park Hotel's website.
For its latest special event, Restaurant Hubert is whisking patrons off to Italy — or, given everyone will still stay nestled in Sydney, doing the next best thing. A collaboration with Giorgio De Maria, Magnums & Movies will screen an Italian cinema classic, accompanied by plenty of wine (in magnums, of course) plus the restaurant's interpretation of Italian theatre and film snacks. And, it'll all take place in Hubert's 120-seat Theatre Royale, to really ramp up the film-meets-dinner vibe. To assist, celebrated Roman winemaker Gianmarco Antonuzzi from Le Coste will be on hand to chat all things wine. He'll be picking the tipples as well. As well as drinking Italian wine, and eating Italian fare, you'll also be watching the award-winning Italian film La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty), which picked up both the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2014. Tickets don't come cheap, at $150 per head — but it's the kind of decadent evening out you don't get to enjoy every day. Images: Daniel Boud.
How long has Charles Boyle been dreaming of Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago's wedding? What did Rosa Diaz do before she was a cop? Who keeps swooping in and taking the Nine-Nine crew's cases? Which one is Scully and which is Hitchcock? If you can answer all of the above — and name Captain Holt's dog, Terry's twins, Gina's dance troupe and Jake's favourite movie — then you're set for the Ess's latest trivia night. Yes, it's all about the hit cop sitcom we all know and love. You know, the one that was cancelled and then resurrected in the space of 36 hours. We'd keep asking Brooklyn Nine-Nine questions and dropping tidbits, but we'll save some for the big night. Ess, if you haven't heard of it already, is the sparkly new(ish) rooftop bar atop Macquarie Park's Governor Hotel. With its neat cocktail list, Japanese robata grill and themed trivia, we're liking it already. The big night in question is free (huzzah) with a heap of prizes up for grabs. The main event will kick off at 7pm on Wednesday, March 27. Book a table — through the website or by calling (02) 9287 1418 — for you and your mates and it may be your night to shine (and that can be the title of your sex tape if you'd like).
If seasonal change has left you in a dizzy headspin of new colours and fabrics and prints and jackets — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is coming back to Sydney for four days this March. The name pretty much says it all. This thing is big. You'll find thousands of lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from over 50 cult Australian and international designers, both well-known and emerging, including Opening Ceremony, Isabel Marant, Alexander Wang, Phillip Lim, Lanvin, Karla Spetic, Romance Was Born and more. With discounts of up to 80 percent off, this is one way to up your count of designer while leaving your bank balance sitting pretty too. Prices this low tend to inspire a certain level of ruthlessness in all of us, though, so practise that grabbing reflex in advance. This is every shopper for themselves. The Big Fashion Sale will be open 9am–8pm Thursday, 9am–6pm Friday and Saturday, and 10am–5pm Sunday.
Japan meets Mexico in a delicious culinary clash, when contemporary Woollahra izakaya Izy and all-vegan eatery Bad Hombres team up for a two-night 'tacoyaki' pop-up. Happening at Queen Street's Izy Izakaya on Wednesday, February 27 and Wednesday, March 6, and helmed by chefs Jack New (Icebergs, Sokyo) and Toby Wilson (Bad Hombres, Ghostboy Cantina, Duke of Enmore), this is one affordable, tasty and boozy affair you'll want to reserve a spot at ASAP. Clocking in at just $50 per person, the menu takes the form of an eight-course shared feast, filled with plenty of bold flavours. You'll catch dishes like DIY spiced confit duck carnitas, smoked eel teamed with salsa verde, a reworking of Bad Hombres' famed cauliflower dish and, for dessert, a rice pudding with candied cherry blossom. In keeping with Bad Hombres' plant-based ethos, there'll be an all-vegan version of the menu on offer, too, while the bar gets into the spirit with bargain booze like $5 Jamaican draught beer, $3 vanilla-infused tequilas, and a cracking assortment of margaritas (including a yuzu version). To reserve your spot at the one-off dinner, you'll need to message Izy Izakaya on Instagram. A word of warning: this was initially a one-off event, but it proved so popular that Izy and Bad Hombres announced a second date. Expect it to book out quickly. Updated March 2.
It might sound like some bleak apocalyptic scenario, but Hill End's arts, culture and heritage festival The End is anything but. The annual fiesta takes over the historic regional town from April 12 to 14, located just under four hours' drive out of Sydney, but well worth the weekend road trip. You'll catch a diverse program of tunes for free, with the legendary Golden Age stage playing host to a lineup of blues, country and folk acts. Enjoy them while sampling top-notch beers, wines and ciders from the surrounding regions of Mudgee, Bathurst and Orange. Stacks of local food and produce will also be there for you to enjoy, too. Those keen to turn back the clock can try their hand at some traditional trades, with workshops in basket weaving, leather belt making, poetry, tin-type photography and more. Or, explore the town's past, with an eerie ghost tour or hands-on gold-panning experience. Each evening will kick off with a sunset lantern parade through the village, while a jam-packed after-dark program features the likes of a roving theatre production, a square dance and a music-filled opening night gala. Make a weekend of it and stay on site in one of two campsites — you can bring your own tent, or book one stocked with all the trimmings for a comfy outdoor getaway.
The savoury branch of Sydney's cult-favourite gelateria is at it again. Next up on the Messina Eats world tour is the brand's first Italian collab. This time around, it's teaming up with longstanding Brisbane Italian spot Beccofino, which is popping up in Sydney for the first time on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6. Beccofino head chef Cordell Khoury has been specialising in woodfired pizza for more than 14 years. He also happened to attend chef school with Messina's own head chef Donato Toce (previously at A Tavola), and the duo is looking forward to getting back in the kitchen together after 15 years apart. As usual, the party will go down in the carpark of Messina's Rosebery headquarters, which will, this time, be modelled after 'Nonna's place', complete with red chequered tablecloths. Expect woodfired margherita and cacciatorini salami pizza, handmade pasta — including garlicky mushroom gnocchi and pappardelle in confit duck ragu — and fried calamari. For dessert, always a highlight at a Messina-run event, there'll be tiramisu made with whipped mascarpone and espresso-soaked savoiardi. The pop-up will run from noon until late each day and entry is free, so you can just rock up and chow down.
Fancy yourself a bit of a gin freak? Reckon your blood could be more G&T than plasma? This one-off aperitivo evening is for you. South Australia's Never Never Distilling Co just took home World's Best Classic Gin at the 2019 World Gin Awards, and it's packing up its award-winning bottles and popping up in Bondi for one evening this March. Taking over the recently opened Rosenbaum & Fuller on Wednesday, March 6, Never Never will be serving up three cocktails — each made with one of its gins — alongside a tasting of its coveted Southern Strength Gin. The aforementioned, world-topping gin, according to World Gin Awards officials, tastes like pine leaves and resin, with hints of thyme, cinnamon and tree bark. It also goes for $75 a bottle, so this evening may be a good way to try before you buy. Tickets to the event will set you back $59 and include three Never Never cocktails as well as snacks by Rosenbaum & Fuller — and a chance to chat everything gin with Never Never Brand Director Sean Baxter. Evening Aperitivo will run from 6–8pm. You can book your spot by emailing hello@rosenbaumandfuller.com.
Sydney's beloved Hungarian pop-up is back again, this time taking on the kitchen of Waterloo's plant-based favourite Paperbark. Ételek head chef Adam Wolfers will join Paperbark's Joey Astorga for just one night on Saturday, March 16 from 6–11pm. Ételek's latest installment follows several successful pop-ups at The Gretz, Bar Brosé and, most recently, in Potts Point. This time around, the purely vegan collab menu will span eight courses, and focus on the native ingredients and seasonal produce that Paperbark is known for. While the dishes have not been revealed, we suspect Wolfers' signature parsnip schnitzel and lángos (Hungarian fried bread) will make the cut. To pair with the eats, guests can purchase minimal intervention wines from the Paperbark list, which will include a few special drops from Ételek sommelier Marc Dempsey (Cornersmith Marrickville). Tickets will cost $95 a pop and seating is limited, so get booking while you still can. Images: Hellene Algie and Trent van der Jagt.
Get set for a day of tunes and poolside fun at this brand new Mardi Gras event at the Ivy Pool Club. Kick back in your comfiest kaftan, muumuu or most stylish poolside fashion, sip on some retro cocktails and enjoy tunes from New Zealand comedy music duo Topp Twins and various DJs. Plus, you can enjoy the sunset while watching the debut of water ballet troupe the Fabulous Drowning Flamingos. Not to mention that there'll be prizes for Best Kaftan, Best Cabana Lounging Ensemble and Most Outrageous Summer Accessory up for grabs. Tickets start from $52.20, and you can jump in from 4pm till late. And if you're feeling peckish you can get stuck into an Italian two-course dinner for an extra $15, with two seatings running at 6pm and 8pm.
Get your fill of the best vegan food in town at the Vegan Day Out. Come March 9and 10, The Cruelty Free Shop is putting together another walking tour of vegan cafes, restaurants and retailers, many of which will be offering discounts, deals and free samples to anyone who stops by. For Saturday and Sunday, socially conscious eaters can stop by The Cruelty Free Shop on Glebe Point Road, and grab a map outlining their route. From there, it's all about making your way to to plant-based delights aplenty — and making a day (or two) of it. Whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool vegan or just curious to give it a go, you'll find a whole world of retailers catering to animal-free eating, offering meal deals, two-for-ones, coffee, wine tastings and savings on vegan groceries. The Cruelty Free Shop will also be running its own tastings throughout the day, as well as offering discounts on some of its 3000+ products. The Vegan Day Out runs from 9am–5pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday.
As the sun sets over Bondi Beach on a Sunday evening, the jazz is just getting started at Mamasan. This Japanese eatery — which has a sibling in Surry Hills — hosts free Sundown Sessions from 5pm. Take a seat at the bar or in a cosy booth, and make the weekend last as long as possible. Behind the music programme is double bassist Jonathan Zwartz, who won the 2018 ARIA for Best Jazz Album with Animarum. Every week, he invites a bunch of Sydney's top-notch musicians to join him for a couple of sets of jazz, blues and groove. Designed for sharing, the menu offers tapas, sashimi, maki and mains. Start with steamed dumplings, followed by tuna maki with tenkatsu, coriander and onion or duck pancakes with red miso sauce. There's also a handpicked selection of sake, wine and craft beer, as well as signature cocktails. On a warm evening, try a Lychee Sau Wau (a refreshing concoction of Ketal 1 Vodka, sake, lychees, fresh mint and yuzu) or a Jade Margarita (tequila, Grande Marnier, fresh mint and pineapple).
Fans of Brett Whiteley, and those eager to know more about the treasured Australian artist, should make a beeline for the Art Gallery of NSW after work on Wednesday, February 13. As part of the Brett Whiteley: Drawing is Everything exhibition, the gallery is hosting a free celebrity talk with Whiteley's muse and former partner Wendy Whiteley (yes, the same Wendy Whiteley who designed Lavender Bay's stunning Wendy's Secret Garden). The exhibition's curator Anne Ryan and author Lou Klepac will lead the conversation with Whiteley. Expect intimate insights into Brett Whiteley's life, inspiration and works — with a special focus on the pivotal role that the medium of drawing played throughout the decades of the celebrated artist's practice. Following the talk, you can meet Whiteley and Klepac and pick up a signed copy of the latter's book on the subject. Then, you're free to take in the rest of that evening's Art After Hours lineup. You might fancy a guided tour of the Masters of Modern Art from the Hermitage exhibition — or you can simply kick back with a drink and soak up a live performance by jazz musician Frances Madden. Celebrity Talk: Wendy Whiteley will take place in the Entrance Court at 6.30pm on Wednesday, February 13. This talk is free and no booking is required. For more information, visit the Art Gallery of NSW's website.
Making a powerhouse acting debut, Zain Al Rafeea carries the entire weight of Capharnaüm on his slender shoulders. Playing a young Lebanese boy also named Zain, the untrained talent puts in a raw, soulful performance that nearly bursts off of the screen, all while capturing a truth that is rarely uttered. With a weary expression where an impish smile should be, he conveys the toll of simply existing, a burden that nobody initially asks for. Indeed, when Zain is introduced in court, suing his parents for bringing him into a life of relentless hardship, Al Rafeea's exasperated face alone sells the character's existential angst. While Zain's unconventional lawsuit provides Capharnaüm's entry point, writer-director Nadine Labaki (Where Do We Go Now?) is quick to explore the basis for the 12-year-old's legal challenge. In his dismal Beirut home environment, his parents (Kawthar Al Haddad and Fadi Kamel Youssef) make him work to support the family, his baby sibling is kept in chains, and he witnesses his beloved younger sister (Cedra Izam) sold into marriage for a few chickens. More than that, his birth was never registered, so he can't get the necessary identifying paperwork to attend school or to even prove that he exists. Running away, he's soon caught in another difficult domestic situation — taken in by kindly Ethiopian immigrant Rahil (Yordanos Shiferaw), he cares for her infant son (Boluwatife Treasure Bankole) while she works, but is left stranded when she suddenly doesn't return. Scripting the film with four co-writers, Labaki puts the despairing yet resourceful Zain through even further misery — the type that'd be badged 'poverty porn' if it wasn't drawn from reality and told with such empathy. Those traits prove Capharnaüm's main strengths, aside from the highly sensitive work by the movie's non-professional actors. Much of the cast, including the mesmerising Al Rafeea and captivating toddler Bankole, have lived lives that hew much too close to the events seen on screen, while Labaki's commitment to bringing their plights to light shines through in her narrative. Ranging beyond the feel-good charm of Slumdog Millionaire and the tender reunion of Lion, Capharnaüm actively wants viewers not just to engage with its bleak story, but with the truth behind it. From crumbling shanties to overcrowded juvenile jails, this is a fictional tale wrought from the toughest type of real-life pain, and it's designed to feel that way from start to finish. The key word there is feel. Labaki wants audiences to be moved by her gritty, warts-and-all portrait — and given everything that Zain experiences, that's exactly what happens. Alas, although the actor-turned-filmmaker clearly recognises the potency of her material, she doesn't seem to trust it to get the job done alone. Every stylistic decision, from the lingering camerawork to the button-pushing score (by her husband and producer Khaled Mouzanar) to the lurching narrative structure, is calculated to poke and prod viewers. Every choice cajoles those watching not just to react with sympathy, but to respond harder and deeper, eventually to the point of overkill. There's a difference between stressing the point in an earnest and affecting way, wallowing gracefully to truly communicate the enormity of a character's struggle, and hitting people over the head. Bluntly bludgeon someone for long enough, and they might just stop feeling anything. As a result, even with a Cannes jury prize and an Academy Award nomination to its name, Carpharnaüm can't overcome its obvious contradictions. It knows that it's spinning a worthy tale, but isn't confident that anyone will care about the gruelling minutiae without applying force. It possesses two of the most authentic, endearing child performances committed to celluloid in recent times — on par with its thematic sibling, The Florida Project — and yet packages their naturalistic work with overtly manipulative storytelling. It argues that unthinkingly birthing kids into a downtrodden life is a heinous crime, while also championing a boy whose engaging persona and enduring resilience was forged through weathering immense difficulties. Although it's impossible to ignore these clashes, when Al Rafeea lights up the screen, he'll make you wish otherwise. Stirring but never self-assured enough to be subtle, Capharnaüm is a heartbreaking movie that stops well short of being a heartbreaking masterpiece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBecbs52Fpo
Before 2020 hit, you probably didn't realise just how much you enjoyed sipping drinks while standing. Those were the days. Yes, 'vertical consumption' — as the practice has been dubbed — is one of the ordinary, everyday parts of life that fell by the wayside over the past year, with knocking back brews and cocktails while upright off the cards under COVID-19 restrictions. Until now, that is. In the latest eased rules that came into effect on Wednesday, March 17, Sydneysiders are once again able to stand and drink. And, the Merivale hospitality group thinks that this change is well worth celebrating. Until Sunday, March 21, you can head to select venues — including Ivy Pool Club, The Newport, El Loco Excelsior, The Paddington and Coogee Pavilion's rooftop and ground floor — and nab $7 pints and $12 margaritas. The specials are available all day, so you can enjoy a cheap lunchtime beverage or an after-work brew, or settle in for a long weekend afternoon. Other venues taking part include Allawah Hotel, Angel Hotel, Establishment Bar, Royal George, The Collaroy, The Grand, The Tennyson, Vic on the Park and York 75. You can also go to the ground floor of Hotel CBD and Queens Hotel Enmore, and to The Royal Bondi's front bar.
Do jungle vibes while shopping for greenery sounds like your perfect outing? Do you still need to buy your mum something for Mother's Day? Head along to the Jungle Collective's indoor plant sale on Saturday, May 8–Sunday, May 9, and you can tick both boxes. It's the latest greenery-filled Sydney market from the Melbourne nursery, which stocks all kinds of weird and wonderful species. Yes, it is trucking its way up north again for another venture — and this sale is a 100-percent in-person affair. Whether you're after a hanging pot plant, some palms for the garden or a giant Bird of Paradise, chances are you'll find it here. Does your mother have a reputation for killing cacti or overwatering ferns? Don't worry — there'll be horticulturalists on site on the night to give you advice and chat through any questions you might have. Get inspired by greenery aplenty and learn to incorporate plants into your home and living spaces, all while browsing and soaking up some tunes. Jungle Collective wants you to bring your mother along, too — and if you do, you'll both get $5 off your purchase once you spend at least $20. Best get in quick, though. These markets are always popular, with more than 170 different species usually on offer. Due to expected demand, the sale will be held in 30-minute sessions across both days, and attendees will need to register for free tickets in advance.
Good food and drinks, moseying far and wide, learning new skills, hanging out with your nearest and dearest: that's what exceptional weekends are all about. And, if you're looking for something to do on Saturday, March 13, the brand new Fermenta festival also ticks all of the above boxes. It's dedicated to fermented foods, as the name points out, and it's taking place in Rylstone and Kandos in the Mudgee region, around a three-and-a-half-hour drive out of Sydney. Yes, you'll be heading out of town for this one-day affair, and either satisfying your stomach or adding to your knowledge — or both — while you're there. The big highlight is the twilight picnic, which'll see you sit by the Cudgegong River at the Rylstone Showground and tuck into gourmet hampers filled with produce and wine from the area. For your $85–150 ticket (depending on whether you want a hamper for one or two people), you'll also listen to live tunes. That's how Fermenta will finish up for the day. Beforehand, though, there are plenty of other parts of the program, so you can pick and choose what you'd like to do (and pay accordingly). At the Globe Hotel, the Globe Beer Festival will be in full swing. Or, depending on your area of interest, you can book into a workshop — including sessions on kombucha, honey ginger beer, sourdough crumpets, sauerkraut, pickling and preserving, and chocolate fermentation.
Ever wondered what would happen if all the lights went out? No, we're not talking about boogeymen, babadooks and blood-sucking bats — we're older than that. But, transport yourself back to your teenage years and no doubt you got up to a bit of mischief. Like throwing a massive party with all your mates in a park, for example. At least that's what playwright Alexander Lee-Rekers would do in such strange circumstances. Lee-Rekers' play Lights in the Park won the Australian Theatre for Young People's (ATYP) Foundation Commission back in 2018 and now it's making its way to a western Sydney stage. The debut production, directed by Lucy Clements, will feature a youthful cast, with all actors aged between 14–17. There's the disgraced schoolgirl viral video star looking to maker her social comeback, two young entrepreneurs selling torches for a profit and, of course, those getting up to some innocent fun. Lights in the Park delves into the heart of what it means to be a teenager — from coming into your own skin to your first experiences of grief and rifts in friendships. Showing at Penrith's Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, it's suitable for audiences above the age of 14 — just don't blame us if your adolescent theatregoer-in-tow gets any party ideas. 'Lights in the Park' is an ATYP co-production with Q Theatre. It is showing from April 20–24. Head here for tickets.
To celebrate its 75th anniversary, The National Trust (NSW) is hosting a bunch of free open days at its properties across New South Wales. This includes Earth and Sky at Old Government House on Sunday, April 18. Set within 200 acres of Burramatta Darug land, this stunning heritage-listed building will be bustling with family-friendly fun. When you arrive, you'll see an Aboriginal sand painting being created by First Nations artist Walangari Karntawarra. Next, head inside and upstairs to discover a new science exhibition, Enquiring Minds, coupled with complementary activities to help deepen your scientific learning experience. Once you've toured the historical house and its collections, head outside for lawn games, which include bowls and a giant Lego set. Then, grab yourself a spot on the picnic rugs to enjoy the music as you usher in the late afternoon with a glass of complimentary wine served at 2pm. If you get hungry, the on-site restaurant Lachlan's will have you covered with its a la carte menu and high tea, too. Earth and Sky at Old Government House will run from 10am–4pm on Sunday, April 18. The event is free to attend but booking is essential. To register, head over here.
Maybe you loved her when she was riding BMX bikes with her curls trailing in the wind. Perhaps you know every word to every song she sings in Moulin Rouge!. Or, you could've enjoyed her villainous turn in Paddington. Whichever category fits, if you're a fan of Nicole Kidman then you'll want to make your way to the Ritz Cinema's latest retrospective. The Australian actor is in the spotlight weekly from Wednesday, April 7–Saturday, June 26, with 13 of her movies hitting the big screen. Other highlights include Dead Calm and its sailing trip gone wrong, To Die For's icy tale of an aspiring TV presenter, the bumps and jumps of haunted house movie The Others, the page-to-screen dramas of The Portrait of a Lady and Kidman's phenomenal performance in Eyes Wide Shut. You'll be sampling some standout works from a number of great directors, too, given that the aforementioned films include movies by Baz Luhrmann, Gus Van Sant, Jane Campion and Stanley Kubrick. The Hours, Dogville, The Stepford Wives, Birth and Margot at the Wedding round out the program — and yes, looks back at iconic pictures in themed lineups has been helping to fill Sydney's big screens while the new release slate has been forced to adapt to the pandemic. Each movie screens at 7pm on a Wednesday night, except Paddington — which is on at the family-friendly time of 11am on a Saturday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSS47StLOhk
Already known for its bottomless vegan pizza and pasta feasts, Italian restaurant chain Salt Meats Cheese is upping its cruelty-free food game across a new food series. Called Soul Meets Cheers, the event consists of two parts: a five-course vegan banquet and a vegan cooking class. At the former, you'll tuck into en entirely plant-based menu, which'll feature vegan versions of Italian classics. Think pizzetta with butternut pumpkin and mozzarella, tagliatelle with Swiss brown mushrooms and porcini jus, and apple and ginger cake with coconut yogurt, almond crumble and a big tuft of fairy floss. The vegan dinner takes place on Tuesday, August 4 at SMC's Circular Quay, Cronulla, Drummoyne and Dee Why venues, with bookings from 5pm — and your $49 ticket also includes a glass of wine upon arrival. At the latter, which is being held on Saturday, August 8 at Circular Quay, you'll learn how to make your own SMC-style vegan dishes at home. In this year of lockdowns, isolation and quarantine, that's a particularly handy skill. If you're keen, tickets cost $89. Salt Meats Cheese's Soul Meets Cheers Vegan Series five-course banquet takes place from 5pm on Tuesday, August 4 at SMC's Circular Quay, Cronulla, Drummoyne and Dee Why, with the cooking class held on Saturday, August 8 at Circular Quay — and bookings are essential.
Sydney is in much need of a good laugh at the moment. It's been a tough few months so getting a giggle is important. Thankfully, with the city coming back to life again, we've been able to catch up with mates and enjoy life outside our own four walls for a while. Now, injecting more joy into our nightlife is a series of live stand-up sessions — hosted in a glamorous underground disco den. Taking place every Wednesday from July 8, the live comedy nights are a collaboration between CBD bar Prince of York and Kings Cross comedy club Happy Endings. Each week, the comedians will take the stage in the Prince's nightclub Pamela's, which has pink velvet banquettes, terrazzo tables and cocktail punchbowls named after music royalty such as the Bobby Womack and the Diana Ross. So, not only will the event have you in stitches, but you'll be sipping some next-level booze as well. While the comedians will remain a surprise until the night, we do know that it'll be homegrown talent. Kicking off at 7.30pm, each set will run for about two hours, although you won't need to race out once the curtains close. Entry costs $15, with only 25 tickets available for launch night due to current COVID-19 restrictions. Best be quick. [caption id="attachment_737670" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prince of York[/caption] Images: Kimberley Low
Yes, 2020 has felt like the longest year ever. But October and November are almost here, which means that it's almost Halloween and Dias de los Muertos time. So, at El Camino Cantina's Sydney locations, it's marking the occasion with a Day of the Dead and Halloween Fiesta. From Tuesday, October 20–Saturday, November 7, El Camino's The Rocks, Manly, Miranda and Entertainment Quarter eateries will be getting in the celebratory mood in a number of ways. The tastiest: a two-hour food and drink package, which'll see you eat your way through tortilla chips and salsa, buffalo wings with blue cheese mayo and guacamole, chargrilled chicken fajitas, and churros with chocolate and caramel sauce. Costing $89 per person, it also includes margaritas both frozen and on the rocks, plus house beer and wine, and soft drinks. And, you'll get a gift bag, too. If you're more interested in inventive margarita flavours, a heap of new varieties will be on offer — in 15-ounce glasses for $20 and in 24-ounce glasses for $24. Sip your way through Devil Chilli (watermelon, chilli and chilli salt), Walking Dead (passionfruit), Ghost Drop (blueberry) and Poison Apple (sour apple) types at all stores, or grab a tasting paddle of four for $30. At The Rocks, there'll also be six other kinds on offer: Skittle Bomb, Mad Scientist (grape), Sour Strap (strawberry), Snake Bite (raspberry), Whizz Fizz (orange) and Potion of Love (lychee). Also, depending on the day of the week, there'll be something else on the bill as well — new taco flavours on Tuesdays, super-spicy buffalo wings with limited-edition habanero and teriyaki sauces on Wednesdays, and $20 fajita and marg combos on Thursdays, for instance. On Saturdays at The Rocks, DJs will also spin tunes — including on Saturday, October 31, when you're encouraged to dress up, obviously. [caption id="attachment_784643" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Michael Gribbin[/caption] El Camino Cantina's Day of the Dead and Halloween Fiesta takes place from Tuesday, October 20–Saturday, November 7 at its The Rocks, Manly, Miranda and Entertainment Quarter stores. Images: Michael Gribbin.
Fancy cruising around on a glass-walled boat, partying over three levels, and pairing a killer view with a beach club vibe and plenty of beverages? Then you'll want to book a berth on Sydney's returning floating bar and party venue, Glass Island. After first sailing through Sydney Harbour earlier in the year, it's returning from September for a series of spring and summer cruises — and it's your latest excuse to live it up on the water. If the concept sounds familiar, that's because Seadeck has been doing the same thing for the past couple of years. In fact, Glass Island is actually the brainchild of one of that luxe vessel's creators. This time around, hospitality entrepreneur Scott Robertson has paired up with his frequent design collaborator Alex Zabotto-Bentley, aiming to mastermind "the most iconic hospitality location afloat in Australia". The resulting boat certainly stands out — surrounding out the ship with glass will do that, of course. Those gleaming, glistening panels are found on Glass Island's middle deck. In a space inspired by Miami pool clubs and beach front hotel lobbies, patrons will also find a seven-metre-long bar covered in mint-hued tiles, raw timber flooring, and a heap of lounges and other seating. The windows slide open, too, so you can enjoy the breeze. Upstairs, Zabotto-Bentley nods to Mediterranean beach clubs. Think dark orange, red and white colours, lounges you can sink into, VIP seating and crimson-toned umbrellas. There's one other big highlight up here as well: the 360-degree views. When the new Glass Island season kicks off with cruises at 1pm on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, obviously things will be little bit different, with the venue adapting to COVID-19 requirements. You can only book a table — for two, four, six or ten — and, when you're onboard, you'll only be able to consume alcohol while you're sitting at your table. Food and drink ordering will be contactless, and you won't even need to leave your table to order. As for what you'll be eating and sipping, expect cheeseburgers on potato buns, cheeseburger spring rolls, roasted beef brisket rolls and freshly shucked oysters, plus ten types of new signature cocktails. Neither your food nor drinks are included in your entry price. Glass Island will start floating around Sydney from Saturday, September 19 , setting off from King Street, Wharf 9, Darling Harbour, with tickets starting at $34.51. For more information — or to buy tickets to its current season — visit the venue's website. Images: Glass Island.
Usually, when Jungle Collective hosts one of its huge sales in Sydney, it fills a St Peters warehouse with indoor plants — and jungle vibes. But on Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, it's going virtual with its weird and wonderful pieces of greenery instead. Whether you're after a hanging pot plant, some palms for the garden or a giant Bird of Paradise, chances are you'll find it here. You'll just be doing your shopping online via the Jungle Collective website rather than heading in-store. Generally, more than 170 different species tend to be on offer in-person — so here's hoping that hefty range makes the virtual jump. While this is a 100-percent online event, tickets work in a similar way as Jungle Collective's physical sales. Due to expected demand, it'll be held in multiple sessions — with your ticket specifying when you'll need to hop online and start buying. Virtual shoppers will need to register for free tickets in advance from midday on Monday, October 12. As for deliveries, your plants will make their way to you over the following week from Sunday, October 24, with more details given when you make your purchase. Delivery costs $15–40 depending on your area, with orders within 25 kilometres driving distance nabbing free delivery if you spend $150 — and everyone living further away getting $15 off. You can also pick up your plants from Marrickville from 1–5pm on Tuesday, October 27.
A good pair of boots is an investment. If you're adding some to your wardrobe, it's worth making sure you get the right ones. But, sadly, if you find yourself a pair that you can wear day and night, eventually even the best boots get a little worse for wear. Until Sunday, October 25, RM Williams has a solution — for everyone who has worn out their old boots, wants and/or needs a new pair, but hasn't gotten around to it just yet. Head by one of the brand's stores, bring your old boots with you and you'll be able to trade them in as part of its Well Worn Trade special, scoring a discount on some new RMs. In particularly great news for everyone who has a different brand of boots, you can trade in leather boots of any brand. That'll nab you $100 off some brand new RMs — or, if you do have some old RMs to trade, you'll receive $150 off your next pair. The trade-in is only available in-store, unless you're in Victoria — where you'll be asked to email in some details and images first, before posting the boots in. And if you're wondering what'll happen to all those old shoes, all traded RMs will be sent back to the brand's workshop to be restored and replenished, while boots of all other brands will be donated to the World's Biggest Garage Sale.
