Real Festival is returning to Penrith for 2023 and this year's offering promises to be one of the most enticing yet. Expect live entertainment, food trucks, markets, fun workshops, family activities and a festival bar — all set in the beautiful Tench Reserve by the Nepean River. Running from Friday, September 15, to Sunday, September 17, Real is the perfect way to welcome the arrival of spring with the fam, mates, or that special someone. Plus, with the cost of living rising ever higher (sorry I refuse to pay any more than $5 for a coffee), free festivals like Real are a welcome addition to the social calendar. The festival takes full advantage of the riverside location, with kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, Nepean Belle cruises, dragon boat sessions, and even a jet-pack show over the water if you fancy a bit of second-hand adrenaline. Though do keep in mind these on-the-water activities are for the Sunday program only, so don't bother bringing your bathers on the Friday or Saturday (or do, we're not your parents). As the sun sets, enjoy the Friday and Saturday exclusive night programming. Peruse the illuminated interactive art displays, let out your inner child at the neon-lit open-air arcade, or get in on more neon action at the "Silent DisGlow" or the "Roller Rink by Busways". And once you're tuckered out, take in some of the myriad live music and performances that will run throughout the festival. Feeling crafty? Real will play host to a wide variety of workshops to suit all ages and interests, including kid's yoga, plant identification, hula hooping, weaving, instrument making, pot decorating, beaded jewellery creation, and even a whole "Circus Drop Zone" which will help you brush up on your trapeze, juggling, and unicycle skills (c'mon, you know you're rusty). And once you're done expanding your abilities, take a relaxing stroll through the eclectic range of artisan markets. And of course, we cannot gloss over the most important aspect of any festival — the food. With a haul of options courtesy of more than 20 of Sydney's best food trucks, it's a tough ask to make a pick. Though you really can't go wrong with BBQ from Big Jay's Smokehouse, a crispy onion flower from Burger Head as a side, chased with a fresh Dutch Stroopwafel from Stroopbros — a goated combination if there ever was one. Real Festival will run from 4pm–10pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 10am–3pm on the Sunday. See you there.
With winter fast approaching, we've realised (yet another) thing we're missing out on this year: those change-of-season warehouse sales where you can nab high-end designer threads and accessories at insanely discounted prices. Luckily, Bondi eyewear favourite Local Supply is taking its annual warehouse sale online this year — and offering up to 70 percent off to boot. The brand's prices are hard to beat on a regular day, but from Wednesday, May 27 until midnight on Monday, June 1, you'll be getting Local Supply goods for a serious bargain. A whopping 70 styles are up for grabs at ridiculously reduced prices — that's sunnies starting at just $24 dollarydoos. Want to see the world through rose coloured lenses during these especially difficult times? You can nab a pair of Arena PMP20s with plum coloured lenses for $26.99. Or, for those long hours sitting in front of your laptop, some blue light protective lenses for about $45 bucks. Polarised lens are also on the docket from around $60. As the name suggests, the independently owned brand is all about keeping it local — and keeping prices attainable, too. Opened in 2013, it's run by former Dior eyewear designer Petra Ekborn, so you know you're getting some seriously schmick sunnies. Plus the brand uses zero waste manufacturing techniques and the frames are BPA-free and hypoallergenic, too. Local Supply is currently offering free delivery across Australia on all orders over $100, and a flat rate of just $5 for smaller purchases. The Local Supply online warehouse sale will run from Wednesday, May 27 until midnight on Sunday, May 31, with 70 percent off select styles. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
If you're a dog person, being surrounded by wagging tails and beaming pooch faces is one of the happiest feelings in the world. Here's another: doing your part to assist animals in need. Each year — a pandemic hiatus aside — the RSPCA's Million Paws Walk combines the two, asking Sydneysiders and their puppers to go for a stroll to help raise funds for an obviously extremely worth cause. Come Sunday, May 28, this endorphin-sparking mosey returns for 2023, taking over Cathy Freeman Park within Sydney Olympic Park. Whether you're keen to dress up for the occasion — in a matching outfit to your four-legged bestie, of course — or just pop on your sneakers and usual workout attire, you can choose between a two- and four-kilometre walk from 10am. Entry costs $30 for adults and $15 for concessions, with the money raised going towards RSPCA NSW's work rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals. In addition to the exercise, you and Rover can browse a heap stalls afterwards, and enter raffles, shop for RSPCA merch, listen to live tunes and score prizes. There's also dog washing, doggy drinks and puppycinnos, and pupper photography. Can't make it to Sydney Olympic Park? Check out the full list of venues around NSW. Images: Call of the Wild Pet Photography.
While it felt like this year's cultural calendar was dominated by bottomless brunches and themed high teas (and there were a lot of them) a lot of other game-changing events were also taking place. From a full-scale replica of London's historic Globe Theatre — complete with plays — to an immersive audiovisual installation telling First Peoples' stories and a living exhibition of over 25,000 carnivorous plants, Sydney has seen a influx of events celebrating the city's cultural ecosystem and bringing people together. At Concrete Playground we encourage exploration and showcase innovation in our city every day, so we thought it fitting to reward those most talented whippersnappers pushing Sydney to be a better, braver city. And so, these six new events, taking place in 2018, were nominated for Best New Event in Concrete Playground's Best of 2018 Awards.
The CBD's Angel Place is set to gain a new wine and pasta bar, courtesy of Sydney hospo gurus Matthew Swieboda and Nathanial Hatwell (Love, Tilly Devine, Dear Sainte Éloise), Chef Scott Williams (Bacco Osteria e Espresso, MoVida) and front-of-house star Felix Colman (Dear Sainte Éloise). Ragazzi is slated to open in early August and will focus on minimal-intervention Italian wines and hand-rolled pasta. Just as Love, Tilly Devine champions Aussie drops and Dear Sainte Éloise focuses more on the French, Regazzi will do the same for Italian varieties — featuring small Italian producers and Australian wineries that use Italian grapes. The 38-seat wine bar will offer around 20 wines by-the-glass and a whopping 250 by the bottle, so there will be heaps to choose from. Alongside the natural wines, there'll be a succinct food menu that changes daily and showcases regional Italian pasta dishes. While it's not yet finalised, expect to see dishes like campanelle with goat and anchovy ragu, beef cheek and horseradish lasagna and corzetti stampati with pipis and sausage — the house-made sausage made using whichever meat is available on the day. There will also be a weekly sea urchin special. The urchin will be sourced from south Sydney, with Ragazzi receiving a fresh delivery from a local every Thursday after his morning dive. So, expect to see it on the menu from Thursday night onwards (until sold out) in dishes like sea urchin spaghetti with chilli and garlic or pasta fritta with sea urchin and butter. [caption id="attachment_730168" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Felix Colman, Scott Williams, Nathanial Hatwell and Matthew Swieboda[/caption] Williams will use Spanish cooking techniques to create his Italian bar snacks, too — a nod to his experience in the kitchens of Madrid and Barcelona. Those include pork belly and smoked scamorza croquettes, made with béchamel filling, and the antipasti offered as single-serve tapas instead of on large share plates. "We're trying to keep things a smaller and lighter so people can try more things without being completely stuffed," says Williams. Apart from all the pasta and bar snacks, there will be a few regularly changing meats, including whole goat, lamb and pig, that'll be sourced locally and broken down into a range of dishes and Milanese-style cutlets. A few simple salads — such as shaved cabbage with hazelnut and pecorino — will make the cut, too, along with daily-churned gelato for dessert. The space will take on neutral tones, with textured concrete walls, leather banquette seating and a 10-seat bar — one which we imagine will be full from day dot. Ragazzi will open in early August at Shop 3, 2–12 Angel Place, Sydney. Hours will be Monday through Friday from 11am–midnight and Saturday from 3pm–midnight.
Sydney Good Food Month presented by Citi is gearing up to turn the big 2-0 this October. To mark the occasion and honour the chefs, restaurants and dishes that have shaped the country's food scene over the past two decades, the food fiesta is hosting a series of throwback-themed lunches. And, because you've been on this journey too, we want you to join the celebration. We're giving away double passes to the two Long Lunch events which will take place in the festival's hub, the Hyde Park Palms, a retro homage to Palm Springs, California (think shaggy carpets, Parker furniture and geometric prints). The first lunch will take place on Sunday, October 7, and will focus on that bygone era that popular culture just can't seem to let go of: the 90s. This is your chance to literally feed your nostalgia as chefs Victor Liong (Lee Ho Fook) and Andy Bowdy (Saga, ex-Hartsyard) create a menu of quintessential 90s flavours. The exact menu remains a secret, but we know Bowdy is partial to the classic 90s desserts (including vanilla slice and apple turnovers), so expect some recognisable flavours from your childhood. Meanwhile, on Sunday, October 14, Melbourne pastry queen Kate Reid (Lune Croissanterie) and young gun chef Mitch Orr (Acme) will take over the Hyde Park Palms kitchen to pay tribute to the noughties. What they're whipping up remains under wraps for now, but both chefs are well-versed in these throwback flavours. Reid's world-famous croissants in classic flavours like finger bun and pecan pie create hour-long lines at her Fitzroy bakehouse, and Orr's baloney sandwich and use of Jatz in a fine-dining setting have made waves in the local culinary scene. Time travel unfortunately doesn't exist (yet) but these long lunches are the next best thing if you're craving a dose of childhood nostalgia. The events sold out quick smart so, if you're keen, decide which lunch most takes your fancy and enter below. [competition]681064[/competition]
Let's call it the sitcom effect: when you watch enough episodes of a TV comedy and suddenly get inspiration to change your life. Maybe you binged Friends and started hanging out in coffee shops more often. Perhaps you saw Parks and Recreation and became obsessed with breakfast foods, working for the parks department, whisky and tiny horses. Or, Schitt's Creek might've had you wanting to open your own motel or apothecary, or star in a horror movie about attacking crows (or just saying "eww" a lot). Whichever fits, we've all been there. Taking a few cues from upcoming sitcom Killing It mightn't be the best idea, though — unless you want to start hunting snakes. That's exactly what the series is about, because TV comedies really can be about anything. And if you're wondering why it should pique your interest beyond its concept, we're sure its off- and on-screen talent will do just that. The last time that Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici made television together, Brooklyn Nine-Nine was the end result — with Goor one of its co-creators and Del Tredici an executive producer. If that's not enticing enough, their new reptile-focused show also stars The Office's Craig Robinson (another B99 alum, too), as well as Aussie comedian Claudia O'Doherty (Love, Sarah's Channel, Our Flag Means Death). Robinson keeps his first name on-screen here, playing a man with a dream — chasing the American dream, in fact — but very little luck. Then he gets in a rideshare driven by O'Doherty's Jillian, and is quite shocked when she stops mid-trip to casually swing a hammer at a python, as you do. It's a lucrative business, she informs him in her Aussie accent, and he's soon as intrigued as you likely will be while watching the series' first trailer. Killing It isn't just about snake hunting, though. Like most shows and movies that ponder the American dream, it's also about class and capitalism. And yes, it's just the kind of series that was always likely to land in this post-Tiger King world — because the combination of critters, cash and entrepreneurship is rife with possibilities, and also has plenty to say about the US today. Stan subscribers will be able to watch the results from Friday, April 15, which is when Killing It starts streaming — arriving at the same time locally as it does in the US. Also, whatever premise it had, any series that teamed up Robinson and O'Doherty was always going to be a must-see — slaying snakes or not. Check out the trailer for Killing It below: Killing It will start streaming in Australia via Stan on Friday, April 15. Images: Skip Bolen/Peacock.
It seems that 2020 is the year of staying local, although you don't need us to tell you that. For months so far — and for months to come — we're all making the most of our own backyard. We're eating local, and supporting local businesses. We're all travelling and holidaying throughout New South Wales, too. And, whether you prefer a yeasty brew to cap off your week, a full-bodied wine with dinner or a few cocktails whenever the mood strikes, you can drink the state's finest tipples as well. We're always keen to highlight local folks doing great things, of course — and, to showcase homegrown winemakers, brewers and distillers, we've teamed up with our mates at BWS to celebrate a few of the best. Here are six must-try NSW and ACT drops that you can pick up at your nearest BWS.
Over the past week, we've been hurtled into the throes of winter. While Australia sweltered through a warmer-than-average autumn, it's now appropriately windy and rainy. The gloves and beanies are out of storage and it's time to start loading up on sweets and carbs. To help us do this, Krispy Kreme has announced it's giving away an extremely excessive number of doughnuts. How many? 100,000, to be exact. The giveaway is running in conjunction with 'World Doughnut Day', and while we're not a big fan of food 'days' we are big fans of free food. Especially free doughnuts. To snag yourself a signature glazed freebie (Original Glazed doughnuts are being given out) head to your closest store in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth. Sydneysiders have ten stores — stretching from Penrith to the CBD — to choose from, while Victorians have eight, including a Collins Street store. Queenslanders can pick from five different doughnut shops, with the most central in the CBD Myer Centre, and Perthians can head to one of three Krispy Kreme stores or some Jesters. The 100,000 doughnuts will be spread across all Aussies stores, which means there'll be about 3000 free 'uns available at each. So, you'll want to get in relatively early if you want to kick off your Friday with a free sweet and doughy treat. Most stores open around 7am and there's a limit of one glazed doughnut per person. The free doughnuts are not available at BPs or 7-Elevens. Krispy Kreme's free doughnut giveaway is happening nationwide on Friday, June 7. To find your closest store and check its opening hours, head to the Krispy Kreme website.
Bondi's Icebergs is usually known for its stunning beach views and breezy blue and white palette, but, this Halloween, it'll transform into a haunting scene from a Stanley Kubrick film for a decadent and slightly spooky dinner. Taking place on Saturday, October 31, the extravagant evening will include a seven-course meal, theatrical cocktails and an intimate performance by Sneaky Sound System. And it comes with a fairly extravagant price tag, too: $400 a head. If you've got that kind of money to drop on a fun night out — we're not currently spending any cash on overseas jaunts, after all — read on. At the dinner, you'll eat your way through the likes of coral trout tartare with green ants, David Blackmore wagyu bresaola with pig's blood crackers, squid ink spaghetti, suckling pig and truffle salad all created by Head Chef Alex Prichard. You certainly won't be leaving hungry — or thirsty for that matter. While the ticket price doesn't include drinks, a range of horror film-inspired cocktails will be on offer. Sip on a chilli-spiked watermelon drink that's served on fire, a blood red cocktail inspired by that hallway scene from The Shining and a black gin fizz. The dress code is black tie, but, as it's Halloween, a little fake blood and fangs wouldn't go astray. Bookings are essential and can be made over here. [caption id="attachment_786694" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption]
Newtown's newest Italian spot Casa Mia Osteria is doing things a little differently. The King Street spot's pizzas come on fluffy-yet-crunchy Roman-style bases. Known as pinsa, these flatbread-esque creations are a contemporary take on an ancient style of making pizza. Come Wednesday nights, the new inner west spot runs pinsa night where all pizzas on the Casa Mia menu can be paired with a glass of wine for just $20. If you're looking for an affordable and unique midweek meal, Casa Mia has you covered. While you're there you can pick up a bottle of red to accompany your dinner from the restaurant's refined hand-picked selection of Italian and Australian wines. If you want to get your hands on one, topped with four cheese and pear, mortadella and pistachios, or prosciutto and gorgonzola, you can find them on south King Street right by Sydney Park. Casa Mia is open for takeaway, or free delivery to inner west locals on order over $100. Images: Kitti Gould
Swim season is nearly upon us (finally) and the Andrew (Boy) Charlton pool is starting it off with free entry, free brekkie and free yoga. The pool will officially reopen for the 2019/20 season on Sunday, September 1 and it's giving free entry to every single person who walks through the door between 6am and 7pm that day. If you see yourself doing a lot of swimming this spring, you can also sign up for a free two-week 360 Membership, which gets you access to all City of Sydney pools and fitness centres. Now, back to the yoga. The Sydney Yoga Collective is hosting free classes at 10am and 3pm. They're limited to 30 people each, so if you're keen you should sign up here ASAP. In between laps, you'll also be able to eat free brekkie, listen to live tunes and maybe score a door prize. And, of course, the ABC pool's proximity to the Botanical Gardens and views across the harbour make it an appealing spot as it is.
Sydney loves a good collaboration. Whether it's the combination of two nostalgic chocolates, a new Enmore Road bar from a heap of hospo favourites or one-off culinary combos, it's always a delight to see two of our faves come together to make something new. Ricos Tacos and its owner Toby Wilson seems to agree, with the beloved Chippendale joint announcing a new series of collabs with three of this city's most exciting venues. Taking place every two weeks across three Tuesdays in autumn, Ricos Mates will roll out one-off menus, with a new Sydney favourite in the kitchen for each iteration. Things will kick off with a takeover from Porcine on March 28, so expect plenty of perfectly cooked pork to be injected into the Ricos menu. From there, Central Station's brand new pizzeria Pizza Oltra will be on the tools, bringing its New York-style flair over to Meagher Street on April 4. Finally, Marrickville warehouse restaurant Baba's Place will be arriving with its cult-following celebration of southwest Sydney cuisine on April 18. Ricos recently updated its opening hours, adding a dinner menu featuring crab tostadas and lemon myrtle margaritas to its already popular offerings. These collaborations take full advantage of the extended closing time. Each collab night kicks off at 5.30pm. You might be tempted to try and reserve your spot so you can make sure you get your hands on a Porcine or Baba's Place taco, but Ricos doesn't take bookings, so you'll just have to get down early. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ricos Tacos (@ricostacotruck) Top image: Nikki To
CLICK HERE FOR SET TIMES You know that feeling after you see one of your favourite bands. You clap for an encore and the band obliges but then after that it's over. You muddle about with your friends trying to "keep the vibe," trying to push through that initial moment of realising it's over before going home and falling into that trap of reminisce led by internet searches for instant keep-the-vibe gratification. Well, no fear with Playground Weekender as it goes for FOUR DAYS, and let's face it, after that last encore is done, you will be happy just to head home and wash the dirt from your feet with a smile. Let's start with the line-up. There's the cultish garage-rockers Brian Jonestown Massacre and the cultish gospel-rockers Polyphonic Spree. There's the new/old/infinity ravers Oribital, and the treadmill treaders OK GO, and Lupe Fiasco too. There's Jamie Lidell and James Lavelle, Bjorn Again and The Cribs. Also in there, local heroes Washington, Bluejuice and Pivot. See what I mean? I'm tired and not even through half the list yet. If the idea of just seeing bands for four days sounds exhausting, there's a cinema, bars, markets, food stalls and a 24 hour cafe. Saturday is for Fancy Dress which includes a catwalk show for you to show off whatever it is you decide to show off. If your chakras are a bit out of whack from all that hoofing around you can attend a yoga class or enter the Riverside Healing Zone. If you don't particularly fancy roughing it in a tent you can book in for a cabin, a nearby hotel or a caravan/campervan. If you are reading this thinking "yes, I will go to the Riverside Healing Zone," there are traditional tipis too. We have 2 x four-day (including camping) Playground Weekender festival passes to giveaway to a Concrete Playgrounder. For your chance to win, sign up for our weekly newsletter (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with 'Playground' in the heading along with a haiku on why you should win. We'll notify the winner by 6pm, Tuesday 16th February. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZhqDoWR9Jok
Returning this August to tickle the fancies of design nerds Sydney-wide is WORKSHOPPED15 — the 15th iteration of one of Australia’s longest running annual design exhibitions. Showcasing the work of emerging and established Aussie designers, this year the folk from WORKSHOPPED are calling for work that considers design in architecture, looking for designers who are reshaping, redefining and reinventing materials, techniques and forms. Expect the full shebang — complete with pendant lights, fancy fans and other assorted space enhancers — to take over the Supa Centa at Moore Park from August 6-23. (For insiders, there’s also a VIP opening night on August 5.) With over 50 designers bringing their best stuff, the WORKSHOPPED exhibition is the granddaddy of Australian design expos; it was here that Kate Stokes debuted her now-ubiquitous Coco Pendant back in 2010. All of which to say that you’ll want to be there — this is where next big design things are born.
What’s a Queen’s birthday long weekend for if not an excuse to throw a big loud party with lots of punk music where everyone sits around giving each other stick 'n’ pokes*? The Lansdowne have well and truly capitalised on that opportunity, with their long weekend mini festival God Save the Queen (which is just the smutty antidote you need to years of anachronistic colonial rule by one enormously and disproportionately wealthy and powerful stuffy English family over this country, and so many others). A ticket gets you an afternoon and evening of, among lots more, The Snowdroppers’ twangy swampy blues (with just the right amount of harmonica) and The Art’s genre-tipping hard rock. And when you inevitably find yourself wanting to ink up? (It’s that kind of music, after all.) You won’t have to go far, as King Street Tattoo will be there on the day doing flash tats for cheap. There’s no work on Monday, meaning you’ll have plenty of time to lay in bed and contemplate any regrettable and/or permanent decisions. *Disclaimer: The King Street folk are licensed professionals with proper equipment. Move along.
Prolific Japanese sludge-psychedelic noisemakers Boris are well acquainted with sounds of every type. They've released 19 albums full of them in the past 20 years — spanning from doom-laden metal to feedback-heavy acid rock — culminating in last year's release, with the you-can’t-say-they-didn’t-warn-you of a title Noise. It's a far cry from J-pop (though the trio have been known to dabble in it), but still a sound inspired by Japan. "Every street in every city is flooded with massive noise, from people talking, the constant playing of uncomfortable commercial music, so many conflicting sounds in one space," bassist/guitarist/vocalist Takeshi told the SMH. Last time Boris made it to Australia they played their 2002 cult classic record Flood in its entirety. If you manage to bag a ticket to one of their Newtown Social Club shows this month, come prepared for eardrum-popping experimental soundscapes as dense as their discography is in releases. Don't forget your earplugs. Supported by Dumbsaint + Hawkmoth.
Art and the mind — it's a collaboration that isn't always directly celebrated but it makes perfect sense when you think about it. The mind is the source of all artistic endeavours, so works of art reflecting back on this wellspring of creativity seem to offer a lovely symmetry, yes? The Brain Art Exhibition aims to showcase the work of talented young artists while simultaneously promoting brain awareness in the community. We're all interested in how our brains function in the realms of work, play, creativity and relationships and the 'Unconference' attached to this unique exhibition will include a series of explorations of these universally appealing issues. On opening night, March 3, you'll get to peruse the work of finalists in the 2011 Brain Art Awards and play voyeur as Julie Doye wields her live portraiture skills on some interesting minds ranging from a rock photographer (Tony Mott) to a psychiatrist (Amanda Wilson). Julie is a renowned painter, illustrator and installation artist with a pop/street-art sensibility and a penchant for performance art. So come enjoy a free glass of vino, check out the hot up-and-comers on the Sydney art scene, and contribute to the proliferation of brain awareness in the community. Can so many boxes really be ticked in one evening? Winners of the Brain Art Awards will be announced at the Fundraising Awards Night on Friday March 11, and you can purchase art from the exhibition during a live auction. Proceeds will contribute to the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse at RPA. Image: Julie Doye
To many, a blank piece of paper is begging to be scrawled upon. But while writers and list-makers, heck, dreamers of any type look to words and doodles to fill empty space, German artist Thomas Demand has long had others ideas. Renowned for creating large-scale sculptures out of paper and cardboard, and then photographing the end results before destroying his handiwork, Demand’s forthcoming exhibition will fascinate the masses for its understated beauty. In an image featuring a piece of crumpled notepaper, poking out from the steel bars of a street gutter, the scene’s simplicity evokes an overwhelming sense of sadness. Truly, you almost feel sorry for the paper and if you stare at it long enough, the creases begin to resemble rose petals. Another, of a coffee cup squished between the links of a fence, sparks further intrigue. It is Demand’s quiet story-telling ability that proves hypnotic. Who would’ve thought blank sheets of paper could speak in such volume? Critics might compare the whole business to something like Sam Mendes’ infamous magnet for mockery, the American Beauty plastic bag. And yes, in a similar vein, each work encourages viewers to stop and really survey their surroundings. But there is an undeniable depth to Demand’s imagination. Demand, whose works feature inside New York City’s Guggenheim and MOMA galleries, has earned plenty of praise for his genius minimalistic takes. Arguably his most famous work, Presidency, which was commissioned by The New York Times and now hangs in photo-form in Washington’s National Gallery of Art, showcases a recreation of the White House’s Oval office. Life-like like you wouldn’t believe, it serves as an unassuming conversation starter. Much like each of the works in this particular exhibition. The Dailies is open Monday to Friday 11-7, Saturdays 11-4. On April 5, 12 and 19 it opens until 9 for Parlour.
A permanent festival site in the inner city, a NSW Minister for Music, millions of dollars in funding for contemporary music and a biennial live music census are some of the suggestions put forward today to improve Sydney's wallowing music and nightlife economy. While a vote to repeal to the lockout laws sits with the NSW parliament and is set to be discussed later today, a year-long inquiry into the state of Sydney's music and arts economy has just released its findings — and it has a lot of big recommendations. But, the recommendations are just that: recommendations. For any of them to become a reality, they'll need to be accepted by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, and actually implemented. Nonetheless, the inquiry's committee found that due to the NSW Government's history of neglect, and lack of funding, for the sector, Sydney's contemporary music economy is "disintegrating". While it doesn't blame the lockout laws for this, it does acknowledge that this is the sentiment throughout the city, quoting submissions from a member of the public saying that "the introduction of the lockout laws were a 'sledgehammer' to the city's night-life" and that "since the lockout laws, not only have the number of venues dramatically decreased, there is no longer the variety of capacity for venues". Sixty recommendations were put forth by the committee, which received more than 400 submission from local businesses, artists and individuals — including Keep Sydney Open, record label Future Classic and the City of Sydney — and a large chunk of them talk directly to Sydney's contemporary music scene and nightlife economy. None of them, however, talk directly to the lockout laws. If you have time to comb through all 351 pages of the report, you can do so here. Otherwise, here are the big six recommendations: The NSW Government should match funding for contemporary music with that of the Victorian Government (which would total $35 million over the next four years). Some NSW gaming machine profits should be used to support the live music industry (which, by the way, was almost $2 billion from Dec 2017–May 2018). A live music census should be held every two years. New live music venue-specific liquor licences should be introduced. Outdated conditions for liquor licences, such as prohibiting music genres or specific musical instruments should be removed. A permanent festival site should be created in inner Sydney. It's also suggested that these changes are made relatively quickly, with the committee urging the NSW Government to complete and publish a nighttime economy master plan by no later than December this year. It ends with Committee Chair Hon. Paul Green MLC saying that to "neglect the music industry any further in New South Wales" will come at the state's "own peril". This report comes weeks after the City of Sydney released its own plan to improve the city's after-dark economy, through the introduction of 24-hour trading in the CBD, later opening hours for bars and a new cultural precinct in Alexandria. The CoS has no power over lockout laws — that's sitting with State Government — and other Liquor & Gaming NSW legislation, which is why Ms Berejiklian and her team need to submit an action plan of their own. Another potential spanner in the works is that a NSW state election is scheduled to take place in March 2019, so even if Ms Berekjiklian does accept some of these recommendations, there's no saying that newly appointed Opposition Leader Mike Daley will if voted in. Mr Daley has already come out to say he's against the winding back of the laws. We'll update you as soon as Ms Berejiklian comments on the report. Image: Frankie's by Katje Ford.
UPDATE, November 13, 2020: The Front Runner is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. A true tale of scandal on the election trail, The Front Runner is inspired by events from three decades ago. The book that it's based on — non-fiction tome All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid — was published in 2014, while columnist-turned-author Mat Bai started the ball rolling with a profile in 2003. And yet, this is a film blatantly begging to be made in the current political climate. Adultery, cover ups, a media firestorm, and debates about the ethics of news coverage and what's even newsworthy all fill the movie's frames. Sound familiar? When Gary Hart's (Hugh Jackman) private life makes the headlines, with a young woman (Sara Paxton) who isn't his wife (Vera Farmiga) seen leaving his Washington DC townhouse, the US politician's response is simple. He might be the Democratic party's leading contender for the 1988 presidential nomination, but he believes that what happens behind closed doors is nobody's business. He's the young, handsome, idealistic hotshot with a real chance of mobilising the masses — the beloved midwestern senator with real policies and real momentum. He's about as far away as you can get from sitting American president Ronald Reagan and likely Republican candidate George HW Bush, and he's certain that his professional deeds matter more to voters than his personal peccadillos. Call Hart naive, call him optimistic or call his judgement incredibly poor; when first asked about his alleged womanising ways, he even dares one Washington Post reporter (Mamoudou Athie) to follow him around. Whichever description you choose, there's one thing that you can definitely call Hart: caught in interesting times. In the thick of the 80s, JFK's rumoured affairs were old news, Bill Clinton's impeachment was still to come, and everything that Donald Trump has brought to the presidency couldn't have been dreamed up. Forced to fight for his political life as stories keep circulating and reporters keep chasing, Hart's situation proves a time capsule of sorts. Unfaithful politicians are splashed across the news with frequency today, but we no longer live in a world where a highly publicised extramarital affair (or worse) precludes someone from becoming America's commander-in-chief. Is that the right outcome or the wrong one? Without overstating the parallels between then and now, The Front Runner successfully shows just how much has changed. That said, the movie also leans heavily on Hart's chief rebuttal to his attackers — that exposing his indiscretions cheapens political discourse. Initially shot and packaged with jaunty, fast-paced flair reminiscent of Aaron Sorkin's political dramas, or of writer-director Jason Reitman's own Thank You For Smoking and Up In The Air, the film doesn't always find a comfortable position. It wants viewers to condemn the current status quo, feel for Hart, experience the deflating effect the controversy has on his loyal staffers, and realise that, without this incident, history could've been very, very different. They're not always compatible ideas, even in a movie that knows how complicated the scenario is. More than that, they're not always given the depth they need by Reitman, Bai and Jay Carson's screenplay. Never lacking in complexity is Jackman, whose performance is charismatic without being smooth and serious without being sombre. Hart isn't the greatest showman, but rather a great believer in the power of elected office — and someone who believes he should get his chance to ascend to the top job. It's the kind of layered portrayal that hasn't featured on Jackman's resume that often of late. Beyond its leading man, however, The Front Runner is well-served by its entire cast. Paxton is never simply the stereotypical other woman, and nor is Farmiga just the bland, dutiful wife. JK Simmons, alongside Paranormal Activity alum Molly Ephraim, convincingly rides the ups and downs that come with working for the senator. But, worlds away from his work in Patti Cake$ and The Get Down, it's Athie who threatens to steal the show. Playing a young journalist trying to do what's right even when he's told that it's wrong, the actor provides the film's conflicted centre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R-vFH_G0V4
It's the orchestra, Jim, but not as we know it. ACO Underground is the temporary stage name of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, which is reforming as an electro-acoustic collective for one night only. Next Sunday Australia's most talented classical musicians will be swapping the concert hall for the beer-stained stage of New York loft-style venue The Standard. With the assistance of former Midnight Oil guitarist Jim Moginie, they'll be playing a setlist more pleasantly bizarre than when Nelly and Tim McGraw teamed up in 2004. And, ranging from Radiohead's dreamy rock and Nick Drake's melancholy folk to the spellbinding Italian baroque of Vivaldi, the evening will traverse across as many decades as it will genres. Clearly this is not your average gig, so don't be thinking you can take the 7pm doors time as an invitation to rock up three hours later. Preceding the show will be a video montage installation by surf cinematographer Jon Frank, projected onto the walls and set to specially chosen audio, and that's an opening act you don't want to miss.
Food, glorious food! You can take your music festivals, writing festivals, mountain, flower and tree festivals — give me a food festival every single day of the week. Taste stands alone as the king of travelling food festivals, because not only can you taste a vast array of delicious food, it offers you the opportunity to get behind the scenes with some of Sydney's most illustrious chefs and try their more amazing creations (without the usual corresponding bill). See Manu Feildel, Tony Bilson and Peter Kuruvita create their dishes live on stage, right before you head to the Jaguar Wine Theatre to swish it down with a fine drop and learn more about what you drink. And that's not all. The Festival also includes the artisan's producers markets for the best morsels to take home, an exploration from percolator to pot with Nespresso's Journey Through Coffee, the Sensology Art of Cocktail Making courses to learn how to mix the classic drinks, and for those of you with a sweet tooth don't miss out on the De Dietrich cooking school where you'll learn how to make the finest French pastries with chef Vincent Gadan. So pick up your fork, dust off your chopsticks and prepare your buds for the Taste sensation this festival will bring.
Anyone can make a zine, right? Just cut some things and glue some stuff. How hard can it be? Well the answer is: really super very hard. Have you actually tried to cut something out and stick it onto a page? Have you? Cutting out is hard. And then pasting it down in a visually pleasing way is also really hard. And on top of that you have to choose things to cut out that are sufficiently whimsical or thought provoking or left field but trendy like beards or obscure '80s TV shows. It’s a hard task. Imagine how gluey your fingers would get. And the paper cuts? Forget about it. And then there’s the task of photocopying the lopsided mess, which opens a whole new can of Pandora’s worms. Where do I put my money again? Where do the pages come out? How do I do a double-sided copy? My advice is: leave the zines to the pros. Luckily, they’ve all agreed to assemble for your picking and/or choosing pleasure at the MCA for the third annual MCA Zine Fair. There’ll be other creative bits there too, so if zines aren’t your thing why not buy a badge or twelve? Swapping zines is also welcome! And you can catch Sydney Writers' Festival panels on Graphic Novels vs Illustrated Texts and FBi's Out of the Box with guest Tom Cho.
UPDATE, March 12, 2021: Slender Man is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Forget Slender Man's thin body, faceless head and eerie vibe. Sure, the character's unsettling appearance was designed to frighten people; however the scariest thing about the lingering internet meme is the fact that it still exists. It's been nine years since Something Awful forum user Eric Knudsen came up with the macabre figure as part of a photoshop contest to create paranormal images, and not only is it still doing the digital rounds, it's making the leap onto the big screen as well. Longevity is one thing. Flogging a nearly decade-old creepypasta — the online equivalent of telling ghost stories around a campfire — is something else entirely. In the film that shares its name, Slender Man has a knack for timing, but Slender Man the movie definitely doesn't. In fact, this flimsy horror effort doesn't have a knack for much, other than sticking to the dullest of formulas. A group of teenage girls view an unnerving video, begin to notice weird occurrences and then start disappearing. If you'd like us to wake you up when it stops sounding generic, then you're in for quite a lengthy snooze. When Massachusetts pals Katie (Annalise Basso), Chloe (Jaz Sinclair), Hallie (Julia Goldani Telles) and Wren (Joey King) get bored at a slumber party, they decide to switch from watching porn to discovering what this Slender Man character is all about. A week later, Katie goes missing during a class trip to a cemetery, and her drunken dad blames her newfound obsession with the occult. That sparks the rest of the gang into action, taking advice from a mysterious online source and trying to offer Slender Man an exchange to get their missing friend back. To their surprise (but not to the audience's), that plan doesn't pan out well. Slender Man isn't someone to be bargained with, it seems. Given that Ringu and The Ring already exist (with several sequels to both), you might expect Slender Man to reach beyond an already well-worn premise. Given that The Craft exists as well, you might expect more than just a group of goth-leaning besties trifling with ominous forces, too. Sadly, we can keep playing this game, and the outcome remains the same. The film follows terrorised, victimised girls in the same US state that's infamous for the Salem witch trials, but it draws zero modern-day parallels. And, while it stems from the pen of screenwriter David Birke — the scribe behind the vastly superior Isabelle Huppert-led rape-revenge thriller Elle — Slender Man boasts no signs of complexity either. Along with by-the-numbers performances, bland shots of spooky forests and a paper-thin message about the corruptive power of going viral, among Slender Man's many missteps is the squandering of its eponymous villain. The elongated figure is literally yesterday's news now, but the film does little more than point out that it looks creepy and thrust it at the screen for a few jump-scares. That's the kind of laziness that usually plagues direct-to-video sequels, arrogantly believing that name recognition will do half of the work, and that occasionally pointing the camera at something sinister will do the rest. In that spirit, it should come as no surprise that director Sylvain White also has derivative threequel I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer on his resume. If there's one positive aspect to Slender Man, though, it's this: thankfully, it doesn't try to capitalise upon the real-life stabbing committed in the titular entity's name. Back in 2014, two 12-year-old girls attacked one of their friends in an effort to impress the internet's favourite boogeyman, adding an extra level of discomfort to the Slender Man saga. The case was covered in 2016 documentary Beware the Slenderman, which is straightforward but still vastly more intelligent and engaging than this fictional take on the meme. Still, watching Slender Man, viewers get the feeling that the film might've once cribbed a few cues from reality, then cut them from the final version — the movie is so drab and cobbled-together that it seems like the work of filmmakers trying to salvage a bad situation. Or, that could just be the kindest way to look at this scare-free, intrigue-free mess. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jc0ez0IZ4k
UPDATE, February 1, 2021: Hail Satan? is available to stream via DocPlay, Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies and Amazon Video. Between Australia's last election, the ongoing mess over Brexit and the trashfire that is the American political landscape, conflict thrives in today's society. Perhaps satanism is the answer? Such a solution is guaranteed to polarise, especially at a time when right-wing Aussie factions are trying to excuse homophobia as an expression of religious beliefs, and when conservative US groups are using their faith as a reason to eradicate women's reproductive rights. But, as the thoroughly engaging and informative documentary Hail Satan? explains, challenging and tearing down outdated attitudes like these is The Satanic Temple's main aim. Partial to a title with punctuation, as her 2016 doco Nuts! demonstrated, filmmaker Penny Lane astutely places a question mark at the end of Hail Satan?. By the conclusion of her latest seemingly gimmick-driven movie, you can be forgiven for wondering if you actually agree with the two-word phrase — or, at least, with the people seen uttering it. Lane takes her attention-grabbing subject, sheds the demonic stereotypes and cartoonish uproar, and examines the reality of worshipping at The Satanic Temple's altar. Founded in 2013 as a headline-seeking means of calling out the legislated introduction of Christian prayer in Florida schools, the Salem-headquartered organisation agitates for true religious freedom, and takes its social activism seriously. Sure, members sometimes wear goat horns and don fetish outfits, and plenty call themselves heavy metal fans, however it's the quest to keep all churches away from matters of state that really lights their fires. Lane is never seen on-screen, but her jauntily spliced-together film shares the wry smile that must've been plastered across her face as she was making it — the grin of someone aware that she's not only unpacking a fantastic, thought-provoking area, but a topical and provocative one that makes a meaty statement about the modern world. Seen in talking-head interviews and on-the-ground footage, The Satanic Temple's co-founder and spokesman Lucien Greaves sports the same look and certainty about his cause, with an extra glint of mischief. Given his organisation's many stunts, his expression is understandable. "Performing a "pink mass" designed to turn the dead mother of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps into a lesbian — a response to the hate-mongering church's plans to picket the funerals of Boston marathon bombing victims — is just one of the Temple's high-profile exploits. The After School Satan project, an alternative to Christian-based class activities, is another. And then there's the passionate fight to counter statues of the Ten Commandments placed outside of government buildings by applying to erect satanic monuments next to them. While there's no doubting where Hail Satan?'s sympathies reside (even with its purposeful question mark), the film builds its case in a clever and witty manner. Simply showing what The Satanic Temple stands for, and insightfully exploring how it uses Satan as a subversive symbol against government-mandated theology, conveys much of the documentary's point. It doesn't escape attention that the group's outreach and protest actions, and crusade against religious doctrine triumphing over justice and intelligence would receive emphatic support if they were performed by a less divisive body. Or, that they'd likely be championed for their pursuit of equality and freedom on all grounds, too. Of course, that's one of the movie's incisive messages. If the road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions, these occultists heartily embrace both parts of that phrase. Life battling injustice with brimstone isn't all a bed of roses, which Hail Satan? doesn't overlook. As The Satanic Temple has expanded, reaching 50,000 members worldwide in its first three years, controversy and squabbles have followed. Displaying the playful tone that makes the film such an enjoyable watch, the doco doesn't avoid its counterpart's own internal turmoil either — rightfully contending that the Catholic Church's continuing and widespread sexual abuse scandal eclipses any troubles linked with contemporary satanism. That's the type of faith-based corruption and hypocrisy this anti-Christ outfit is attempting to combat. If you like that satanist brand of activism, rebellion, openness and inclusion, then Hail Satan? will sweep you over with the right kind of satanic panic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amB2Ol6wihg
If your morning caffeine hit is always over too soon, get an extension at Mr Black's second annual Grindhouse pop-up. Taking over Three Williams in Redfern this weekend, the event is an a paean to glorious, glorious coffee. Not a single item on the menu will escape coffee-cation, from the whizz-bang drinks list to the brew-infused snacks. Specialising in their celebrated cold drip liqueur, the Mr Black crew will be delivering their twist on a bunch of signature cocktails, including a Bentley's cold-drip negroni, a cold-brew martini from Melbourne's Bad Frankie, and Rockpool's Ryeball (Mr Black coffee liqueur, rye whisky, Campari, chocolate bitters). Plus, numerous classics will be revamped for coffee crazies — think gin + tonic + coffee, and a spiced ice coffee (Mr Black, Sailor Jerry's rum, milk, agave syrup). Meanwhile, Young Henrys has been working on a special, super-smooth coffee-beer. The Three Williams chefs will be whipping up a menu to keep up to speed with the beverages. Co-owner Toby Laccarino said, "We love Mr Black and jumped at the chance to turn our venue into a coffee cocktail pop-up with their crew. Our team has designed a menu pairing the food with the delicious drinks, which will, of course, feature our famous coffee roasted beef brisket sliders." Grindhouse is taking over Three Williams on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October, from 6pm to midnight both nights. Tickets are $37 (+bf) a pop, and that includes two cocktails and eats all night long.
Ukiyo — most often translated as ‘the floating world’ — refers to hedonistic Edo Japan, in particular the ‘pleasure quarters’ of Yoshiwara where brothels, chashitsu tea houses, sumo wrestling rings, geisha houses and kabuki theatres were frequented by the growing middle classes. Kitagawa Utamaro was a master ukiyo-e (woodblock prints, literally ‘pictures of the floating world’) artist in the second half of the eighteenth century, best known for his bijinga (‘images of beautiful women’). Under his prolific chisel, fashionable Edo women were depicted as sensual, self-restrained and pensive, usually in private interior settings. At the AGNSW until May, 80 original Utamaro prints are on show, including some gorgeous bijinga, as well as a selection of his animal and insect studies and a clandestine cabinet of explicit erotica prints. Coinciding with the exhibition is a symposium on Edo Japan, a lecture series, traditional printmaking demonstrations and a free ‘floating world’ film program. Get floaty. Image: Utamaro and his five women (dir: Kenji Mizoguchi 1946), screening at the AGNSW March 31 and April 4. Courtesy Shochiku and Janus Films.
Considering the abundant landscapes found throughout the Sapphire Coast, it's hardly surprising Merimbula and beyond is home to scores of world-class makers, producers, brewers, distillers and more. Celebrating the best of the best is EAT Festival – an annual three-day event kicking off on Thursday, March 6, where locals and visitors alike can experience remarkable local flavours. From the Fishpen's scenic waterside surrounds, the festival proudly showcases how cuisine from this part of the world is one of Australia's rising stars. To do so, they've brought together a host of much-loved names, like Valentina, North of Eden, Bar Monti and Umiko. Best of all, every dish is capped at $15, so visitors can feast on more for less. Meanwhile, the event also offers several one-off partner experiences to ensure you make the most of this foodie long weekend. Head to the North of Eden Gin School to learn the dark art of distillation, or master oyster shucking like a grizzled old salt at the Broadwater Shucking School. No matter what, EAT Festival makes savouring the finest regional cuisine a breeze. Images: David Rogers
Sydney artist Perran Costi has always been fascinated with the idea of worlds within worlds - his previous works include a snowstorm at FBi Turns 10, a galaxy in a suitcase and creating a new society on Cockatoo Island. But his latest exhibition, Permasabi, takes the concept to a whole new level. It might sound like a certain spicy condiment, but 'Permasabi' is actually a word Costi uses to describe the worldview that influences him. It's a blend of wabisabi, a Japanese philosophy that's all about transience and imperfection, and permaculture, a design concept focused on sustainability. The exhibition consists of three giant mirrored cubes containing a galaxy, a desert and a rainforest, seemingly infinite worlds contained in small spaces. Visitors can step into the cubes one at a time and explore each of the different worlds. The project was created by a team of artists, and took a year and a half to complete. Continuing the 'infinite worlds' theme, Costi will also be running free terrarium-making workshops in the COFA courtyard every Saturday of the exhibition.
Mounting a production of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is a brave move. Central to the plot is the eponymous shrew, Kate, and the process through which she is trained into submission by her chauvinistic husband, Petruchio. Surrounding this are the citizens of Padua, whose mercantile concerns weigh human life against gold ingots. At the very least, Sydney's theatre-going population will find this topic controversial.Director Marion Potts has thus cast the die with her production for Bell Shakespeare. Yet, in an effort to stave off a riot in the dress circle, she has populated her Padua with an all-female ensemble. Not only does this playfully invert the tradition of all-male casts, but Potts hoped that this would make it easier for audiences to look beyond the sexism of the text and engage with its deeper political satire.It seems that only half of her plan succeeded. Potts' production is entertaining, with Jeanette Cronin's Petruchio and Sandy Gore's Baptista standing out as strong comic performances. The smaller roles are all filled with funny moments and the clowning slapstick is tightly executed. The audience's reaction to even some of the darker sequences, such as Petruchio's efforts to tame Lotte St Clair's Kate, were continually punctuated with laughter.And this is where my problem rests. This production does not properly engage with an important, underlying human rights issue; characters are abused throughout this play. Seeing a woman being cruel to another woman should be just as moving as that of a man doing the same. Even the attempts to satirise merchants with too much money did not completely undermine them, because their victims were equally drawn as caricatures. For example, at the close of the play Kate's infamous speech is delivered with honesty; she lectures without irony on why a woman should be subservient to her husband. The only retort offered is by her sister, Bianca (Emily Rose Brennan). But up to and including the moment of her interjection, Bianca has done nothing but chug back glasses of champagne and act the drunken fool. The audience's response was to laugh at her slurred voice of dissent.Perhaps this says more about the audience on the night I attended, but it still makes me ask why stage a controversial play and then neuter it? Shakespeare has written plenty of other romantic comedies that are lighter in their political touch. When you do go to see this production, sit back and enjoy yourself. But afterwards, take note of what you laughed at and give thought to the people in this world for whom such dreadful conditions are anything but 400 years in the past.
Sydney, your obsession with food has really peaked in the last few years — and as a result of your devotion, all festivals worth their salt are courting favour with a killer food lineup. And this year Spectrum Now Festival have taken it even further, announcing that they’re collaborating with some of your favourite foodie haunts to create bites exclusively for the festival. The bar has been raised, y’all. Spectrum Now, just ICYMI, is series of concerts and one-day festivals held across Sydney from March 1-16. There'll be a mixture of free and ticketed shows and a tight 11-day music extravaganza held at The Domain from March 3-13, which includes a huge free opening night with Hayden James, Wave Racer and Paces, as well as gigs from The Jesus and Mary Chain, Birds of Tokyo, Missy Higgins, Something For Kate, Augie March, Hot Dub Time Machine and about a million more. But enough of that — let us tell you about the nightly food offerings. Oh, the food! Burgers (the perfect one-handed festival snack, by the way) are the star of the show, with Burgers by Josh being served up alongside the creators of the ramen burger, One Tea Lounge. Other notables include Wing Kingdom, Langos Love, Rangers Texas BBQ, Urban Pasta, Tsuru and Dainty Dumpling House. You will literally have no time to watch the shows — there’s that much to get through. Helping you wash all that down will be a Little Creatures Beer Garden with ice-cold bevs, and Hendrick's Gin will provide Messina cucumber gelato G&Ts, fortune tellers and a whole range of peculiar performances at their Emporium of Oddities. And on Friday nights the LATAM Friday Fiesta will serve up traditional South American dishes. Just remember to shake your groove thang at the free Latin dance class before you gorge. However, it’s the dessert menu that’s got us all hot under the collar. Gelato Messina have curated a Milk Bar menu full of frozen treats based on your favourite chocolate bars. The Twixed is made with milk chocolate gelato, shortcrust crunch and caramel; the Malt Tease consists of four malt gelato balls with malt crunch and chocolate shell; the Munchie — do stop us if this is becoming too much — is a Crunchie-style bar made with wildflower honey gelato and honeycomb with a chocolate shell; and, last but not least, the Rocky Roadie blends peanut gelato with raspberry puree, marshmallow and a choc-peanut shell. And for those of you who can’t be bothered with all that chewing, Gelato Messina’s three-scoop thick shakes are also available. If that weren't enough, Black Star Pastry are collaborating with N2 Gelato on a plethora of indulgent, exclusive desserts as well. Phew. So, you know, probably give up on your plans of going sugar free for the time being and just lean right on in to the cornucopia of sugary delights that await you at Spectrum Now. Spectrum Now Festival will take place from March 1-16 across Sydney, with gigs happening at The Domain from March 3-13. Here are our must-see gigs and top arts events picks. For the full program and to buy tickets, visit spectrumnow.com.au.
Neil Watkins' latest performance is a contemporary Irish story that resonates with audiences globally through an exploration of the universal themes of loneliness and hope. Oh, and it's about wanking. But this story doesn't just rely on our natural curiosity towards graphic material, as clearly it's not that difficult to hold an audience's attention for 60 minutes when you're talking about whacking off to internet porn. What makes The Year of Magical Wanking unique is its promise to be as hauntingly sad as it is hilariously charming. The leading performance artist — and former Alternative Miss Ireland — plays Maverick, a 33-year-old homosexual with a Jesus complex. A self-confessed wanker from the beginning, his monologue addresses his self-destructive struggle with foul sexual fantasies after a life of being subjected to intolerant parents, HIV and abusive sexual relationships. Performing barefoot with no mask save for a warrior-like streak of makeup beneath each eye, he's literally laid bare before the audience as he takes them on his journey towards self-acceptance. Director Phillip McMahon has a long association with The Abbey Theatre, who brought us Terminus last year, and was named a person to watch in 2012 by the Irish Times. The play itself was nominated for Best New Play and Best Performer at Dublin Fringe 2011. Presented by both Mardi Gras and daring queer Irish theatre company THISISPOPBABY, The Year of Magical Wanking will give audiences something more enduring than just a good laugh. Though there will, no doubt, be plenty of those, too.
Olympic gold medallist Matthew Mitcham isn't known for his comedic capabilities. That's not to say he doesn't have them, just that most people just tend to know him better for his skills in diving off a plank into water. But Mitcham will soon be joining a whole list of other well-known Australians and taking to the stage in the annual improv comedy event, Celebrity Theatresports. The public figures will be stepping out of their respective varied domains and putting on their comedy hats, ready to entertain in what promises to be a rollicking show. Most people can't think of much worse than having to improvise in front of an audience, but this multitalented bunch isn't just doing it on a whim — the event is in aid of Australian kids' cancer organisation CanTeen, so they all earn props for bravery and for general do-gooderness. Honorary Australian Queen of Eurovision and RocKwiz host Julia Zemiro is presiding over the evening of on-the-spot comedy games. All in all, it's kind of a done deal that you'll leave with muscles sore from chortling, as well as having helped out some needy kids.
Ah, The Soda Factory — that haven of the hot dog, mismatched vintage furnishings and grown-up ice cream floats. Continuing their tradition of livening up your weeknights with events put to soundtracks from bygone days, the next offering in their quarterly Covers for a Cause series pays homage to '60s icon and source of bouncy, poppy, toe-tapping soul, Motown Records. Previously, Covers for a Cause has honoured Amy Winehouse, Fleetwood Mac and The Beatles. Each time round, the Soda Factory chooses a different local charity and donates a gold coin to that good-doing organisation whenever you order a food or drink item. This time your dollars will be going to Youth Off The Streets, a community organisation that has been working with Sydney's homeless (or otherwise disadvantaged) young people since 1991. It's a plenty good excuse to eat and drink up, and bop along to Soda Factory regulars' interpretations of Motown classics. We do love a side of philanthropy with our Wednesday night entertainment.
Circular Quay is ushering in the Year of the Dog with the unveiling of five new lanterns in its Lunar Lanterns exhibition, which runs from February 16 through February 25. The complete artwork includes all 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac, with the free exhibition spanning from the Sydney Opera House all the way to Chinatown. The five larger-than-life new lanterns include an animated dog, designed by Chinese-Australian artist Song Ling and situated on the Opera House's western boardwalk; a massive 13-metre tall dragon that sits on the front lawn of the MCA; a resting tiger atop the Circular Quay ferry terminal; a pig lantern constructed from 1000 individual pigs, located at Cadman's Cottage in The Rocks; and two additional four-metre-tall dog lanterns that guard the entrance to Chinatown's Dixon Street Mall. Sydney's 22nd annual Chinese New Year Festival is the largest outside of Asia, with an estimated 1.4-million people expected to join the festivities from February 16 through March 4.
If you're looking for a new bottomless brunch with a view this summer, Regatta Rose Bay has you covered. The beachside restaurant is hosting its version of the morning meal, complete with free-flowing rosé, every Sunday until March 31. The brunch will take over the deck of the venue's Blue Room — which boasts views across Sydney Harbour — each Sunday for one sitting from 10am. For two hours, guests will be treated to endless pours of Rogers & Rufus rosé, along with seven dishes designed to complement the wine. Between sips, you'll sample truffle and taleggio arancini, mini smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels and ham and gruyere croissants, along with piquillo pepper and potato frittata and buffalo mozzarella bruschetta. On the sweeter side, there'll be seasonal berry-topped granola and caramel muffins, too. The brunch costs $80 per person and includes two hours of bottomless rosé and seven dishes. Reservations are essential so, to make a booking, visit the website.
New Year's Day can be a tough one. Resolutions to vaguely commit to, missed midnight pashes to mourn, dusty bear heads to nurse. There's only one real cure for the escapades of New Year's Eve: salt water, free-flowing Veuve Cliquot and one of Sydney's most ostentatious parties. The top spot for 'who dat, who dat' people-watching and jealousy-inducing Instagramming, Bondi Icebergs has announced the 2015 edition of their infamously exclusive Icebergs New Year's Day Party. Set atop one of Bondi's most postcardy venues, Icebergs' NYD pool party is the Field Day for punters who want things a little more high-heeled and beachside. For a cheeky four hundy (yep, that's a casual $400 per ticket), you can compare New Year's resolutions with Bondi's chia-lovin' party people and throw back as much Veuve, Ciroc Vodka and head chef Monty Kulodrovic-crafted canapes as your NYE regrets require. Hosted by Icebergs' Maurice Terzini and musically curated by Angus McDonald (one half of Sneaky Sound System), the lineup is still yet to be announced. Recent instalments have welcomed the first glorious day of the new year with the likes of Flight Facilities, Frankie Knuckles, Aeroplane and The Cuban Brothers, so you can bet the lineup will be infused with a colossal quota of beats and furious discussions surrounding the moment the bass is likely to drop. "The 2015 event promises to be our best yet, with our recently refreshed interior design, a belter of a line-up and a pumping sound system, the place is going to be rocking," says Terzini. "It's my favourite day of the year — we strip out all of the tables and chairs and turn what is on a normal day, one of Sydney's top restaurants, into one of the world's most energetic beach clubs." Exclusive beach parties with four-hundy price tags obviously aren't the easiest things in the world to chuck your name on the door for. Ticket registration is rather mysterious, opening at 9am on November 1 through an email submission process via NYD2015@idrb.com. VIP packages will also be available if you've got cash to drop, hit up the team at VIP2015@idrb.com. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WL1PjxEKQB8
UPDATE, Friday, November 3: Fingernails screens in select cinemas from Thursday, November 2, and streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 3. In the world of Fingernails, 'Only You' isn't just a 1982 pop song that was made famous by Yazoo, is easy to get stuck in your head, and is now heard in this film in both French and English. It's also the philosophy that the first English-language feature by Apples filmmaker Christos Nikou has subscribed its characters to as it cooks up a sci-fi take on romance. In a setup somewhat reminiscent of Elizabeth Holmes' claims to have revolutionised blood testing (see: The Dropout), Fingernails proposes an alternative present where love can be scientifically diagnosed. All that's needed: an extracted plate of keratin, aka the titular digit-protecting covering. At organisations such as The Love Institute, couples willingly have their nails pulled out — one apiece — then popped into what resembles a toaster oven to receive their all-important score. Only three results are possible, with 100 percent the ultimate in swooning, 50 percent meaning that only one of the pair is head over heels and the unwanted zero a harbinger of heartbreak. When Fingernails begins, it's been three years since teacher Anna (Jessie Buckley, Women Talking) and her partner Ryan (Jeremy Allen White, The Bear) underwent the exam, with the long-term duo earning the best possible outcome — a score that's coveted but rare. Around them, negative results have led to breakups and divorces as society's faith is placed not in hearts and souls, but in a number, a gimmick and some tech gadgetry (one of the sales pitches, though, is that finding out before getting hitched will stop failed marriages). Even folks who've obtained top marks aren't always content to stop there. Some seek to reaffirm their positive result years down the track. To boost their chances of nabbing a love certificate, other couples take courses to amplify their amorous feelings for each other. Sessions include watching Hugh Grant movies ("nobody understands love more," exclaims the cinema marquee), tracking your paramour's scent, getting breathless underwater while staring into your other half's eyes and the adrenaline rush of tandem skydiving. As their friends go the retesting route — satirising the need for certainty in affairs of the heart pumps firmly through this movie's veins — Anna hasn't been able to convince Ryan to attend The Love Institute as a client. She's soon spending her days there, however, feeding her intrigue with the whole scenario as an employee. When she takes a job counselling other pairs towards hopeful ever-after happiness, she keeps the career shift from her own significant other. Quickly, she has something else she can't tell Ryan: a blossoming bond with her colleague Amir (Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal). As the operation's head Duncan (Luke Wilson, Fired on Mars) steps her through the official details, including the fact that it is biologically impossible for one person to be in love with two people according to the testing method, Anna starts feeling sparks fly with the co-worker assigned to show her the ropes. Amir has his own girlfriend (Annie Murphy, Black Mirror), but clearly reciprocates. Haddaway's Saturday Night Live- and A Night at the Roxbury-adored 1993 tune 'What Is Love' doesn't get a spin in Fingernails, but that's the question that Nikou and co-screenwriters Stavros Raptis (returning from Apples) and Sam Steiner (a feature first-timer) probe. The Greek writer/director and his collaborators contrast fondness as a contrived series of sensations with affection as a lived-in routine and passion as a butterflies-in-the-stomach response. So, Nikou's picture sees the mechanics, the comfort and the involuntary swirl — and sees Anna torn between everything that she's told, what she's supposed to be satisfied with and the yearnings that she's not meant to be experiencing. The filmmaker also makes a flick that pairs well with fellow new release Foe, exploring what technology can and can't tell us about love, and what will always remain innate, although Fingernails is never as dystopian, nor a thriller — and trades a definite future date for an undetermined era where mobile phones are welcomely absent. When he made his full-length debut with 2020's Apples, Nikou also sought love in an offbeat place, amid a pandemic of amnesia. In the process, he dived into the Greek Weird Wave that's become synonymous with The Favourite's Yorgos Lanthimos, whose own breakout Dogtooth was nominated for the Best International Feature Oscar. Fingernails' helmer was the second assistant director on Dogtooth, in fact, and now adds a picture to his resume that follows in the wonderfully absurdist footsteps of Lanthimos' The Lobster. Both are deeply romantic movies at their core, as well as sharply shrewd and witty flicks about human nature and societal norms. Both rally against conformity and expectation, too, and make physical the pains and struggles that come with the pursuit of affection. That said, Fingernails takes a more tender approach to its scenario. Dispelling the fascination with chasing one definitive perfect match by flouting that itself, it'd also make a great double with Celine Song's Past Lives, where there's nothing simple about a heart torn in two directions. Nikou's knack for casting is no different to Lanthimos' supreme skill in the same domain; what a quietly pining duo that Buckley and Ahmed make. Never seeming at risk of demanding that "yes chef!" be yelled his way, White gets myopic about relationships rather than cooking in a canny supporting role as someone who's blissfully emotionally oblivious — but, like Anna and Amir themselves, viewers are desperate to spend more time amid the real heat. Buckley and Ahmed turn in vulnerable portrayals that sear, even when the pacing unfurling their tale and the hues splashed around them are both muted. Nikou knows how feelings can both explode and simmer, serving up each. As he did in Apples, he also provides more memorable and meaningful dancing, this time as Amir cuts loose, Anna watches on, everything is evident and nothing needs to be said. The film looks away from the actual ripping out of nails — the idea remains suitably squirm-inducing, yet is never seen in gory detail because the audience flinches at the very notion anyway — but cinematographer Marcell Rév (Euphoria, The Changeling) utterly adores peering at Buckley and Ahmed. With different stars, he demonstrated the same focus in Malcolm & Marie with similarly intimate results. The premise here might be as high-concept as plots come, but seeing the longing, loneliness, melancholy, uncertainty, desire and revelations in Fingernails' two key performances couldn't feel more real. This is a movie that tingles with emotion — in its fingertips and everywhere.
Usually when a festival dedicated to espresso martinis pops up, it takes over one place. Such boozy fests only tend to run for a day or so, or a weekend, too. But one of Australia's big hospitality chains is ditching both of those norms, because this drink needs a whole week and more than 200 pubs countrywide to truly get buzzing. Who needs sleep when there's caffeinated cocktails to sip and celebrate? The event: ALH Hotels' Espresso Martini Festival, which'll take over venues in a heap of states including New South Wales from Monday, March 13–Sunday, March 19. If you're wondering why, the reason is the same that most food- or drink-themed fests pop up. Yes, there's an occasion dedicated to the beverage in question, with World Espresso Martini Day upon us on Wednesday, March 15. For the week around the espresso martini-fuelled date, ALH Hotels will pour $14 Grey Goose espresso martinis no matter what time you drop by. Fancy a pick-me-up over lunch? After-work bevvies with your colleagues? A cruisy weekend session giving you some extra perk? They're all options — just don't expect to be tired afterwards. Among the venues taking part in NSW, Sydneysiders can hit up the Summer Hill Hotel, Kirribilli Hotel, New Brighton Hotel, The Ranch and Harlequin Inn.
UPDATE, Friday, October 27, 2023: Pain Hustlers screens in select cinemas from Thursday, October 19, and streams via Netflix from Friday, October 27. There's never been any need to be subtle about Emily Blunt's talents as an actor. A resume filled with My Summer of Love, The Devil Wears Prada, Sunshine Cleaning, Looper, Edge of Tomorrow, Sicario, Mary Poppins Returns, A Quiet Place and its sequel, plus The English on the small screen, keeps proving a helluva showcase. With those versatile roles and others — Oppenheimer and Jungle Cruise are her most-recent big screen credits — Blunt gives audiences a very particular and highly welcome present. Every part for every actor sees them play characters that are constantly adjusting to their situation, given that's just what life is all about, but watching Blunt convey that experience is quite the gift. As her filmography repeatedly demonstrates, she knows better than most how to weaponise a stare and a pause, convey uncertainty with a shift and a gesture, and use both tone and pace to dig in — and, in a long line of excellent Blunt performances, that knack is on full display in Pain Hustlers. This pharma drama's best star — Chris Evans (Ghosted), Catherine O'Hara (Elemental), Andy Garcia (Expend4bles), Brian d'Arcy James (Love & Death) and Chloe Coleman (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) all leave an imprint as well, but Blunt is the movie's knockout — steps into the shoes of Liza Drake. Relentlessly adapting is the Floridian's normality; she's a single mother to teenager Phoebe (Coleman), who has epilepsy that requires surgical treatment that Liza can't afford, and also lives in her sister's garage while stringing together cash from whichever jobs she can find. It's at one such gig as an exotic dancer, where her talent for sizing up a scenario and making the most of it is rather handy, that Pete Brenner (Evans) crosses her path. He wants more than her barside banter, proposing that she comes to work for him. If he didn't want her to genuinely take it up, he shouldn't have made the offer. Also apparent in Pain Hustlers: the latest on-screen takedown of the pharmaceutical industry and corresponding interrogation of the opioid crisis, aka one of pop culture's current topics du jour. Indeed, in only his second non-Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film since 2007 (the other: The Legend of Tarzan), director David Yates happily relies upon the fact that this realm is common ire-inducing knowledge no matter whether you've read journalist Evan Hughes' coverage of Insys Therapeutics — including 'The Pain Hustlers', a New York Times Magazine article, then The Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup, the non-fiction book that followed. First-time screenwriter Wells Tower draws upon both, but similarly knows that his fictionalisation rattles around a heavily populated domain. Stunning documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed earned an Oscar nomination, miniseries Dopesick picked up an Emmy, and both Painkiller and The Fall of the House of Usher have hit Netflix in 2023 — as will Pain Hustlers — while diving into the same subject. In reality, Insys marketed a fentanyl spray called subsys for pain management, then came under legal scrutiny for adopting a whatever-it-takes approach to encourage doctors to champion the fast-acting, strong and addictive opioid. That's the Pain Hustlers story as well, as intercut early with faux documentary-style chats with the film's characters to make it plain from the outset that there's comeuppance in store for their unscrupulous and infuriating actions. Pete is a hotshot at Zanna, a pharmaceutical startup under the guidance of widower doctor Jack Neel (Garcia) that's spruiking its own mist. In his strip-club employment pitch, Pete doesn't tell Liza that the company's days are numbered if medical professionals keep steering clear of their drug lonafen. During that chat, he also doesn't glean how determined that the ever-enterprising Liza is when she sets her mind on something. From a starting point of zero, Liza boosts lonafen's market penetration to 86 percent quickly in the rise portion of Pain Hustlers' tale. Again, viewers are well-primed that the fall will come, but this is a hustling-fuelled, capitalism-indicting, "what would you do?" type of telling. An amalgamation of a few IRL folks, Liza is the only person who finds an angle into medicine cabinets, getting lonely pain-clinic doc Lydell (James) over the line in no small part thanks to paying him attention. She's also the only character with questions about the corporate-sanctioned move into bribes, false claims, and flouting regulations in the pursuit of more and more success ("grow or die," implores Neel). Hollywood neatness lingers in her arc, as someone with an urgent need for money to help her family and sincerity in her belief that she's slinging a worthy product, while also enamoured with the upgrade from motel living to a palatial apartment, even hiring her mother (O'Hara), and proving exceptional and influential at her task. That's where Blunt, who is also one of Pain Hustlers' producers, couldn't be more crucial — selling every slippery, driven, desperate, calculating, American dream-chasing and well-meaning choice alike. In a version of this film that didn't feature Blunt, everything would suffer, including her co-stars. From Evans in Knives Out- and The Gray Man-esque skeezy terrain (so, worlds away from Captain America) to Garcia getting hopped up on greed, everyone in Pain Hustlers is at their best when they're reacting to her — and, of course, she's equally formidable whether she's in the centre of the glossily shot frame alone or flanked. Making workmanlike contributions, Yates and Tower prescribe only the expected otherwise. Apart from stressing that their movie isn't advocating pushing pills (well, sprays in this instance), their doco-leaning segments are gimmicky, even when they survey patients with horror stories. Pain Hustlers is still engaging enough, though, but it's the picture's terrifically cast lead that's compulsive to watch. When Liza, Pete and company — Jay Duplass (Industry) and Amit Shah (Happy Valley) are among Zanna's other employees — are making bank, the lonafen playbook isn't far removed from their competitors. In a film that recalls The Big Short and Martin Scorsese's work, there's a raging case of like plot, like movie as blatant as a bright-orange pill cylinder. Pain Hustlers doesn't just tread in Dopesick et al's footsteps, but in Goodfellas and The Wolf of Wall Street's as well. Liza could be a sibling to Erin Brockovich's namesake, too, with the performance to match. And, as it trades in horrific details yet never goes full horror like The Fall of the House of Usher, Succession also lingers. In one of Evans' great scenes, in fact, he takes to the stage in costume and raps the drug's praises. He's decked out like a lonafen spray, but he's firmly and gleefully in Kendall Roy territory. It's an entertaining moment, but also underscores the difference between watchable and spectacular.
Pork party. Yes, you heard right. With the explosion of everything kale across Sydney as of late, this is practically a godsend for the hungry carnivores among us. For one day, Petersham's Oxford Tavern is getting its smoke on with a strictly pork affair — no vegetarians allowed. The Oxford Tavern may just be another pub jumping aboard the American BBQ meat train (is there a single restaurant in Sydney which doesn't serve pulled pork?) but thanks to their double chamber vertical smoker — adorably dubbed Black Betty — they're bringing a little touch of authenticity to the scene. Behind the grill will be executive chef Jamie Thomas, whose cooking you've probably tasted before at the (now deceased; RIP) Carrington, Forresters, Queenies and other Drink N Dine venues. Oxford Tavern don't kid around when it comes to their protein. Some of the finger-lickin' goodness available on Saturday will be smoked pork belly, pulled pork, maple-glazed ribs, char-siu pork neck, pig tails, sausages, bacon beans and bacon mash-n-cheese. Pork party indeed.
As a reliable rule of thumb, the number of stars promoting a movie often proves inversely proportional to the numbers of stars that movie should receive in a review. It's like a Hollywood Hail Mary, a last-ditch effort by studios to dazzle audiences into thinking their film is anything other than a steaming pile of 'been there, done that'. But sometimes Hollywood surprises us. Sometimes a star-studded cast actually can manage to harmonise and shine rather than drown beneath layer upon layer of gratuitous cameo. Horrible Bosses is one such film. It is, in a word, funny. Really funny, and despite its top-heavy cast it works because everyone plays their part to perfection. Leading the way are Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day – three friends who decide their lives would be significantly better off if their respective (and repulsive) bosses were dead. Fuelled by frustration and alcohol, the trio hastily devises a plan to kill each other's tormentor under the tutelage of an ex-con whose name is as hilarious as it is unprintable (here's a clue - two words, first one: 'mother'). Played by Jamie Foxx, it's a master class in how cameos can work and a fine example of Stanislavski's 'no small parts, only small actors' mantra. Equally impressive are the three secondary leads as the eponymous 'horrible bosses'. Kevin Spacey excels as the uncaring and exploitative businessman working Bateman into the ground with no prospect for advancement; Colin Farrell is almost unrecognisable as Sudeikis' overweight, coked-up and combed-over shop manager; while Jennifer Aniston thoroughly sheds her 'girl next door' image (along with her clothes) as a nymphomaniacal dentist determined to sleep with the recently-engaged Day. They're all entirely detestable and our desire to see them knocked off is as much a credit to the actors' performances as it is to director Seth Gordon's ability to tap into the all-too-familiar feeling of loathing the people we work for. It's that same feeling of familiarity that drives the entire story home, most importantly in terms of the interplay between the three protagonists. Bateman, Day and Sudeikis clearly enjoy each other's company in real life, meaning their on-screen friendship feels instantly comfortable and sincere. They achieve the kind of chemistry every director dreams of, and whether scripted or improvised their lines offer up some of the funniest laugh out loud moments seen in cinemas this year. Horrible Bosses is definitely an adult comedy, though it thankfully manages to remain dark without being offensive, fast without feeling frantic and silly without descending into farce. https://youtube.com/watch?v=mh9cG5dzs-U
As one of Melbourne's most lauded fine diners, Attica has become quite the shapeshifter of late. Earlier this year, Ben Shewry's Ripponlea restaurant executed a classic COVID-19 pivot, launching a pop-up bakeshop in the space next door and diversifying with its first-ever take-home food offering. Last week, it was announced its post-lockdown comeback would take the form of a month-long venue pop-up called Attica In Between, hosting intimate ten-person dining experiences with a brand-new menu. Now, the team's revealed plans for the biggest shake-ups yet: a whole new Attica restaurant. Embracing fresh air and open skies, Attica Summer Camp is set to descend on the Yarra Valley from this December. At this stage, the finer details are still being plotted, though we're told to expect a casual, all-day affair, popping up for a five-month stint at dedicated site in Seville. Labelled "a significant departure from Attica", the new venture will feature a playful, informal vibe, as well as a sprawling countryside setting that nods to the rural backdrop and camping adventures of Shewry's own childhood. "It's going to be a super fun, high-energy, casual place that's been inspired by this time we've all been through," Shewry told Concrete Playground. "And wanting to just break free from that feeling, and look towards something that's more optimistic and positive." Yes, it's worlds apart from the globally renowned fine-diner concept, and the chef admits, "I never would have done this before". But with hospitality restrictions and capacity limits posing a challenge to the OG Attica, he's accepted that rolling with the punches will call for some big moves. "It's another step in saving Attica, our restaurant and our staff's livelihoods," he says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ben Shewry (@benshewry) Above all, Shewry wants Attica Summer Camp to be somewhere "playful and fun" — an out-of-town destination where people can bask in some goodness after a less than idyllic year. There'll be a feel-good lineup of simple food and drinks, with a menu full of local produce enjoyed across the site's various indoor and outdoor spaces. The wine offering looks set to feature some collaborative efforts from long-time Attica friend and renowned winemaker Mac Forbes, who Shewry says has been an integral part of the whole project. Huge covered outdoor dining pavilions are ready for whatever Melbourne's sketchy weather decides to throw down, and a vine-covered pergola sounds primed for private picnic lunches. An on-site retail store will even be slinging goodies like Attica merch, house-made produce and take-home picnic hampers, so you won't be leaving empty-handed. Rounding out the offering is what the team's calling "the best and most uplifting soundtrack that a restaurant has ever heard". After the year Melbourne's had, that all sounds like exactly what the doctor ordered. Find Attica Summer Camp at 45 Davross Court, Seville from this December. We'll share more details as they drop and you can register your interest over at the website.
Fast-expanding hospitality collective The Point Group is adding a spacious Greek restaurant and bar to its far-reaching catalogue of Sydney venues that already includes the beloved Dolphin Hotel, the multi-storey venue Shell House and the soon-to-open Fort Denison wine bar and restaurant. Topikos Dining Room and Bar will open on Campbell Parade from Thursday, April 14, offering traditional Greek spreads. "We're staying true to Greek cuisine, calling on traditional recipes, cooking techniques and flavours, combined with incredible Aussie produce we're presenting our contemporary take on classic Greek dining," says The Point Group's Culinary Director Joel Bickford. "At the heart of the menu are the essentials; an olive oil program and house made pita, a simple base to build out our menu from." The menu takes full advantage of the restaurant's seasonal produce and both the charcoal grill and woodfire ovens that you'll find in the kitchen. Meze plates are a big part of a menu that is built to encourage shared dining, with other exciting additions including souvlaki, king prawn saganaki, feta and sweet pepper filo pie and gyros made with that in-house pita. As with all of The Point Group's venues, the drinks list is a main feature and not an afterthought. "We want to create the very best quality wine and cocktail bar whilst embracing the bohemian spirit of Bondi," says restaurateur Brett Robinson. Accompanying an exciting wine list are memorable cocktails like a baklava old fashioned and Topiko's iced coffee. The expansive venue can seat over 200 people across the dining room, 100-seat bar and outdoor terrace. Open from midday to midnight, it offers a new spot in the bustling eastern suburbs suburb for a snack, a catch-up over a wine or a group feast. Robinson calls it: "The perfect social meeting point, a pre/post-lunch or dinner drink and reliable place for friends to relax or celebrate no matter what time of day or night". View this post on Instagram A post shared by @topikos__ Topikos Dining Room will be open on Thursday, April 14. You can find it at 180 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach midday to midnight seven days a week.
Online retailer of beautiful things to put on your body My Chameleon is having a warehouse sale. They stock a list of leading and emerging designers that will make the timeless-chic-loving part of your little heart sing, and with up to 70 percent off clothing, shoes and accessories, your bank account may too. Score. There's something highly satisfying about warehouse sales (despite the queues and the hell that is the communal change room). It's most likely to do with that feeling you get, emerging triumphant from the swathes of silk and similarly delicate and expensive garmentry, previously exorbitantly priced sweater in hand, and handing over a mere fraction of that exorbitant price. You feel so clever. Consumerism has such sweet joys. Don't be the fool who misses out. The sale is open from noon - 7pm on Thursday, 10am - 6pm on Friday, and 10am - 4pm on Saturday. Brands featured include Apiece Apart, Cacharel, Christopher Esber, Camilla Skovgaard, Dieppa Restrepo, Dion Lee and MM6 Maison Martin Margiela.
The Social Outfit opened the doors of their south King Street storefront a year ago. Since then, their shelves have been stocked with vibrant, ethically-made statement pieces created by people from new migrant and refugee backgrounds in Sydney. The store doubles as a sewing school and manufacturing house, so they’re able to provide education, training and employment opportunities in design, production, retail and marketing. To celebrate the big uno, and all the talent, skill and hard work of the people behind the clothes, they’re throwing a birthday bash (in fashion show form) on July 22 at Redfern Town Hall. Complete with food, drinks and good people, the show will feature new prints by Sydney designer and creative producer Eloise Rapp and the Burmese-Karen community. Tickets were available through the crowdfunding campaign for their new digital design training program, which has now has closed (sad emoji). Good news is they reached their goal (HURRAH!) so it’s likely this won’t be the last time you hear from them.
In the face of the increasing cynicism and self-self-self-referentialness of art, thank god for the Italians. They still like romance in their films the way they insist on full fat milk in their coffee. Now in its 14th season, the Italian FIlm Festival promises to return "like the lingering embrace of a cherished lover". Twenty-seven films will deliver stories in which uncontrolled passions run high. Highlights include A Five Star Life (Viaggio Sola), the tale of a jetsetting hotel critic who knows her five stars from her four but whose analytical faculties let her down when it comes to her own life; A Perfect Family (Una famiglia perfetta), a comedy about a rich but lonely man who 'rents' a family for Christmas and even writes a script for each member; and Ali Blue Eyes, a Romeo and Juliet-esque drama driven by a taboo love affair and a stabbing. Both opening and closing nights will feature films that'll make you want to go to Rome: Paolo Sorrentino's The Great Beauty, starring Toni Servillo as a renowned journalist and ladies man who once dreamed of becoming a novelist, and Fellini's 1972 classic Roma. Young European star Clara Ponsot will be making guest appearances in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane, presenting her new film, Cosimo and Nicole. Image: The Great Beauty https://youtube.com/watch?v=m2bcwSwNgOQ
The Mexican chain that brought us drone-delivered burritos is back with a new food delivery deal. Guzman y Gomez is offering $9.90 burritos and burrito bowls delivered to your door for a whole seven days. Unfortunately, not delivered by drones, though Available from today, Wednesday, April 1 through till Tuesday, April 7, the cheap eats are available from over 100 stores across Australia, including a heap in Queensland, Victoria and NSW. To find your closest, head on over to Menulog and input your address. The burritos feature a flour tortilla stuffed with rice, beans, pico de gallo, cheese and your choice of meat or veggies, such as spiced pulled pork, barramundi and slow-cooked beef. And the bowls, unsurprisingly, are pretty much the same without the tortilla. The catch is you do need to pay for a $5 delivery fee, but that's for the total order — so you could split it with your housemate or double-up and get a burrito for both lunch and dinner. To order your $9.90 burrito or burrito bowl head on over to Menulog.
