No one asked for a global lockdown, but here we are. Working from home and practising social distancing has been a successful move to flatten the curve of COVID-19, and it's all been possible because we care about the health and wellbeing of others. We also, no doubt, care about the impact we have on the natural world — and though the negative impacts of being in lockdown may take months to recover, there've been some surprising upsides. The peaks of the Himalayas are visible in some parts of India for the first time in decades thanks to the drop in pollution and New York and Los Angeles have reported lower pollution levels linked to the lack of vehicle traffic. Though these upsides are likely to be temporary, you can make some small but effective changes to your routine to help minimise our collective contribution to the ongoing climate crisis. With support from our friends at Tripod Coffee — who make certified compostable, Nespresso-compatible pods filled with fair trade, cafe-quality coffee — we've come up with a list of ways you can make positive changes while you're living your best stay-at-home lives. Read on for inspiration. [caption id="attachment_767688" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Spiske[/caption] DITCH SINGLE-USE PLASTIC IN THE KITCHEN Three years ago, KeepCup's co-founder Abigail Forsyth reported a 400 percent increase in sales of the brand's reusable coffee cups, showing that Australians are willing to adapt their daily habits for sake of the environment. Now that your reusable cup is stored away for a while, it's worth looking at your day-to-day cooking and food preparation habits to see if there's a simple swap you can make that's just as convenient but a lot less wasteful. Cling wrap is a good example. National Geographic reported that plastic wrap is difficult to recycle and made from potentially harmful materials "especially as they break down in the environment". A more environmentally friendly purchase is beeswax, which you can get online from Bee Wrappy and Eco Food Wrap — or you can learn to make it yourself. Then there are silicone covers from Byron Bay eco-store Seed & Sprout or Food Huggers, which are handy for half-used onions and citrus, and 100-percent organic cotton produce bags like these ones, which are best for containing loose veggies like green beans, carrots and brussels sprouts. Vegan dish washing blocks also claim to replace three plastic bottles' worth of washing up liquid. And, as you're eating more meals at home than ever before, investing in reusable and longer-lasting kitchen products can save you money in the long term. [caption id="attachment_767924" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sippakorn Yamkasikorn[/caption] START A WORM FARM According to Foodbank Australia, the average Australian household sends almost five kilograms of food waste to landfill each week. That's a lot of veggie peel that could be feeding a clew of worms. Instead of chucking eggshells, banana skins and unused lettuce leaves into the bin, consider collecting organic scraps and adding them to a worm farm. You can create your own worm farm with a plastic storage bin or oversized food containers — or, if you prefer, you can buy worm habitats online. Order these worms born-and-bred in Australia, and, according to chef and writer Palisa Anderson, as long as you're not overfeeding, overheating, under-watering your worms you're probably doing it right. The main things to avoid are adding too much citrus, bones or meat, and to remember to add carbon, like newspaper and empty toilet rolls (cut into small pieces), to maintain a healthy carbon-nitrogen balance for your wriggly friends. Space is rarely an issue here, so you can start a worm farm even if all you have is a balcony, and the benefits include a rich vermicompost for your soil and worm juice that's a rich fertiliser for your house plants. Find handy maintenance tips from the War on Waste team here. [caption id="attachment_768047" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cornersmith[/caption] LEARN TO PICKLE AND PRESERVE Itching for a new hobby? Instead of buying your favourite brined veggies and preserved fruits on your supermarket dash, learn to do it yourself and you'll come out of lockdown with sweet life skills as well as that beaming glow of someone with enviable gut health. Cornersmith owner Alex Elliott-Howery is the queen of pickling and preservation; she hates to see food wasted and, no matter where you live, you can learn the art of Cornersmith's distinctively flavoured pickled veggies through its online preserving courses. You'll pick up tips for bottling briny cucumbers, pickling beets and creating a jar of sweet preserved pears. There's also courses in tomato preservation in which you'll master passata and additive-free ketchup. Not your first rodeo? Find refresher recipes from the ABC, Bon Appétit and Cornersmith. More of a live, hands-on learner? Book into this fermenting and pickling class via Zoom from wholefood educator Marcea Klein or this one from Sugar-Free Home Preserving author Valerie Pearson via Work-Shop. SWITCH TO COMPOSTABLE COFFEE PODS Reaching for the coffee machine between Zoom meetings? Those with a Nespresso machine at home might be looking for a more sustainable alternative to wasteful aluminium coffee pods that can't be recycled. Australian brand Tripod Coffee produces 100-percent certified compostable coffee pods, made from plant-based bio-polymers. It has a Pod-to-Plant returns program that means you can return your used pods to be converted into fertiliser for local farmers, or you can place the entire pod and paper lid in your green council bin, if they accept organic waste. Tripod's fair trade coffee beans are roasted and ground in Australia in an air-tight environment, which means the coffee is as flavourful as any freshly ground blend. Find out more about Tripod's subscriptions and returns program, here. [caption id="attachment_767670" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Spiske[/caption] GROW YOUR OWN HERBS Step away from the plastic-wrapped basil leaves and pick up a packet of seeds, or potted plant, instead. There's never been a better time to try not to kill house-bound babies, like a luscious row of basil, coriander and parsley. Bunnings, which is practising social distancing and cashless payments across its stores as well as offering a drive and collect service, recommends starting out with coriander, chives, mint and thyme as they're easy to maintain and don't require a lot of space. Basil and flat-leaf parsley grow prolifically, so make sure you have more space and plan to use the leaves regularly. Pick up a small pot and potting soil from your local gardening centre, or order a self-watering one from Mr Kitly, and find a place with lots of sunlight. The Little Veggie Patch has lots of educational resources if you want to track growth or need to order more seed bundles and planters. And once you're all set up, you can start planning pesto and mojito nights to make your evenings at home more fragrant and flavoursome, as well as financially and environmentally friendly. Tripod Coffee produces Australian certified-compostable coffee pods. Find out more about the range and delivery options, here.
Get ready to dry your eyes and reminisce over beers and homegrown beats. FBi Social, the physical manifestation of FBi Radio, is calling it quits — but not before hosting a celebratory, last-hoorah bash on November 1. Tucked into a somewhat unlikely Kings Cross setting, this little venue that could has done pretty well for itself. After what was originally meant to be a three-month stint as a pop-up, FBi Social has been playing host to local artists for three-and-a-half years. Notable names include the Jezabels, RUFUS, Dappled Cities and Courtney Barnett, among a whole happy long cast of others. The bound-to-be-killer closing party will be a celebration of all that good stuff. Bassy, synthy venue veterans World's End Press and up-and-comers Mansionair are joining forces for the event — and then FBi DJs will be around to carry you well into the night, post-midnight goodbye feels and all. The break comes at a good time for FBi — with the launch of FBi Click and their quickly approaching jaunt to Iceland with the winners of their Northern Lights competition, it certainly seems like they'll continue to be that awesome-as-always platform for local music, arts and culture you know so well. And if you're already mourning the loss of a much-loved live music hub, don't despair; the venue will continue to function as a space for emerging local and international talent, reopening as the Bandroom under seasoned Sydney management company Solotel on Saturday, November 8. Did someone say opening party?
If you're a fan of exercising by (or in) the ocean, here's some good news for your Monday morning: Randwick City Council has reopened its beaches for exercise only from today, April 20. One month ago, the council's beaches and those in Waverley and Woollahra were closed after crowds packed out Bondi Beach despite mass-gathering rules being in place and the government encouraging social distancing. While Waverley and Woollahra's beaches — including Bondi Beach — remain closed for now, Randwick City Council is now letting locals jog, walk, swim and surf on its beaches. This includes Clovelly, Coogee and Maroubra. In a statement on the Randwick City Council website, Mayor Danny Said, "living along the coast, I know how important our beaches are to the mental and physical health of so many in the community." "The past three weeks have been difficult as we've all had to make changes and sacrifices to our daily routines." While the beaches will be open, people must follow two-person gathering restrictions and maintain 1.5 metres between each other. Mayor Said reiterated that the "beaches are not open to general use"."Activities such as sitting on the sand, sun-baking or gathering in groups will not be permitted and Council staff and police will be enforcing these restrictions", said Mayor Said. If you do any of these activities, you could be slapped with a $1000 on-the-spot fine. [caption id="attachment_767201" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bronte Beach closed by Emma Joyce[/caption] Despite Randwick reopening its beaches, Waverley Council Mayor Paula Masselos said in a statement on the weekend that "we have no intention of reopening our beaches at this time". But, the Council has revealed it's looked at reopening the water "for the sole purpose of ocean swimming and surfing". Elsewhere in Sydney, Manly and Dee Why are currently closed until at least tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21, but other northern beaches spots are open for exercise only with some lifeguard patrolling — check here for the most recent updates. Sutherland Shire beaches, which temporary closed over the Easter long weekend, are also open for exercise. All of the city's rock, ocean and regular pools are still closed. Randwick City Council's beaches have reopened for exercise only from today, Monday, April 20. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Clovelly Beach by Paros Huckstep
It's a flickering, cool and intimate feeling. Although you know the music is live with you there in the room, you can't take your eyes of the silent movie actors who seem to own any sound that accompanies them. It's surprising how many events are coming up which combine silent films with live sound. Curiousworks' March Twist is doing it, and Edwin Montgomery is scoring something similar the week after. But probably the strangest of all of them is Living Sound in Silent Light — a night of film at the Red Rattler mixing old films and new, where the evening's only rule is that any sound needs to be done live on the night. Headliners Nichol, Russel and Lenz are re-scoring the classic Cabinet of Doctor Caligari, but other acts are taking a stranger approach to stranger films. The skeleton-powered Surgical Sideshow will collaborate with some projected pictures, and Transient Atmospheric Phenomena plan to play to Dog Days — a short shot around Sydney on a custom-rigged infrared camera, and instrumented with a short-wave radio, 44-gallon drum and cello. LC Beats intends to beat-box to an animated short of his own, and Ibis Nixon will start the evening with an Alfred Hitchcock silent short.
Only one female filmmaker has ever been nominated for the Best Director Oscar twice. That woman: Jane Campion. The New Zealand talent won the coveted prize in 2022, for the phenomenal The Power of the Dog — and, while her exquisite revisionist western was the absolute best movie of 2021, it's not the only highlight on her resume. Campion's filmography is packed with must-sees, and see them you must — on the big screen at the Art Gallery of NSW at the 2023 Sydney Film Festival. The fest's retrospective for this year is Jane Campion: Her Way, a lineup that will step through the New Zealand director and screenwriter's career, and also feature Campion in-conversation with David Stratton. [caption id="attachment_847709" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kirsty Griffin/Netflix[/caption] On the bill: The Power of the Dog, because watching it via streaming is nowhere near the best way to revel in its wonders; The Piano, the 1993 Oscar-winner that nabbed Campion her first Best Director nomination; In the Cut, a tremendous erotic thriller starring Meg Ryan; and Holy Smoke, with Kate Winslet starring opposite Harvey Keitel. There's also everything from 1986's Two Friends, 1989's Sweetie and 1990's An Angel at My Table through to 1996's Nicole Kidman-starring The Portrait of a Lady, 2009's Bright Star about poet John Keats and his romance with Fanny Brawne, and Campion's short films Peel, A Girl's Own Story, Passionless Moments, After Hours and The Water Diary. SFF runs from Wednesday, June 7–Sunday, June 18, with Campion chatting with Stratton on Saturday, June 10 following a showing of the new documentary Jane Campion, The Cinema Woman. Top image: Kirsty Griffin/Netflix.
The rare and precious ability to inhale more hot dogs than anyone else in five minutes could score you both fame and fortune at The Dip this week. To celebrate its second birthday, Goodgod's canteen is hosting a hot dog eating contest with prizes including 100 bucks (think how many Chupa Chups that could buy you) as well as a punch jug and a frankly amazing commemorative T-shirt to let the world know about your special talent. Observe the mingled joy and pain on the faces of last year's spicy wing eating contest entrants. Those seeking more inspiration need look no further than one of the competitive eating world's most legendary face-offs, Kobayashi versus a giant bear. The night sounds like lots of fun for non-entrants, too, since new weekly hip hop party Dip Hop is launching at the same time and deep-fried birthday cake will be on the menu. Email do@thedip.com.au to register for the comp.
Just one day after NSW introduced a range of new eased restrictions — allowing for regional travel, 50 people in hospitality venues and the reopening of cultural institutions and beauty parlours — the Government has announced another change. From Saturday, June 13, Sydneysiders will once again be able to go to gyms, fitness centres, dance studios and tattoo and massage parlours. Class sizes will be restricted to ten people, with a maximum of 100 people per venue, and tattoo and massage parlours will be allowed to have up to ten clients at a time. Indoor pools and saunas will be able to reopen with restrictions, too, following the reopening of outdoor pools and ocean pools back on May 15. A second set of eased restrictions will be introduced from July 1, when community sports will kick off, starting for those 18 years and younger. The reopening announcement was made today, Tuesday, June 2, by Deputy Premier John Barilaro who said, "we all know that physical fitness is important to, of course, your mental fitness and that's why it's timely that we've made this announcement". NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard was also at the announcement and addressed concerns Sydneysiders may have about the delay in reopenings. "The community might say 'why can't you do everything today?'... we want to see how each of these opening up moves impact on the transmission rates. It's wise to be careful," Hazzard said. The state has had an increase in six new cases over the past 24 hours, with all of them from travellers who are currently in hotel quarantine. Hazzard once again encouraged Sydneysiders to download the COVIDSafe app and anyone with even mild symptoms to go and get tested. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Government website.
The music industry often takes itself too seriously. Funny photos of serious musicians are scarce, but hilarious. Take a took at these photos of (usually) serious musicians. We've got everything from Dallas Green (City and Colour, above) in underwear with an umbrella, Elvis Costello in a fedora hanging with Elmo, and the always intimidating post punk band Swans squatting awkwardly in a swimming pool. Even the deepest and darkest of musicians have a soft side (or at least a somewhat funny side). Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson Elvis Costello Ian Anderson John Cage Radiohead Elliott Smith Iron Maiden Jeremiah Greene and Jim Fairchild of Modest Mouse Swans Hans-Joachim Roedelius
Calling all gadget fiends, the Sydney Science Festival is back and has brought the Mini Maker Faire with it. It's like the large-scale 'Show and Tell' of our primary school memories, except this chapter goes for two days, includes robots and we don't have to sit cross-legged on the floor. Various 'Makers' will be showing their latest innvations at the Faire, and there'll be plenty of workshops where you can learn how to do crazy things like playing with robots and controlling real world objects using code. There's pretty much something for everyone here, from 3D printers to banana pianos and laser harps. Yep, LASER HARPS. The Maker Movement is a recent one, embracing innovation and invention, so you're sure to see something pretty damn cool (and possibly completely weird) on the day. Whether you're a tech head, amateur scientist or long-time tinkerer, there'll be something to pique your interest at the Faire.
If you've never really spent much time contemplating the world of T-shirts, then here's your chance. The Galeries, aMBUSH Gallery and Eddie Zammit (founder of T-world journal) have joined forces to create an event that focuses on that thing you often use to cover the top half of your body: the humble T-shirt. Yes, you've most likely got one on right now, or have a few in your dirty washing pile. What's this all about then? Well, there will be a T-shirt installation (of 200 T-shirts), an I love T's exhibition (curated by Zammit and aMBUSH Gallery, at Lane Four) and a live screenprinting of T-shirts by 6 designers, including Sydney-based Natalie Wood and Los Angeles outfit HIT+RUN themselves (you can also score one if you're lucky). For those still struggling to make the link between the words HIT+RUN and T-shirts (fair enough), you need to look at what these two southern Californian lads, Brandy Flower and Mike Crivello, used to do. The small silkscreening parties in their homes seem to have grown quite a bit since 2005. HIT+RUN runs from 6-9pm on Thursday, September 20. The Lane Four I love T's exhibition runs until November 26.
Some cocktails feature both gin and whisky. Usually, though, if you're sipping one then you're not sipping the other. That means you're either enjoying the citrus and juniper taste that comes with gin, or indulging in the malty flavour that whisky is so well-known for. Or, you can now opt for Never Never Distilling Co and Sullivans Cove's newest release. The two Australian distilleries have teamed up on a tipple they've named Jennifer, and the South Australian gin outfit and Tasmanian whisky fiends really have combined the best of both worlds. This flavoursome spirit takes its cues from Dutch Genever, which is all about blending malt wine and botanical flavours. The aim here: to make a new concoction that nods to both gin and whisky, and works in cocktails that normally feature either. Taste-wise, you can expect notes of pine fresh coriander, spicy cinnamon scroll and pepperberry. You'll smell malt, toasted cereal and warm spice scents, too and also coriander and juniper. So, it's both rich and fruity — and it's part of Never Never's limited-edition Dark Series. Jennifer also marks the first time that two trophy winners from the World Gin Awards and World Whiskies Awards have joined forces to make to hybrid spirit style, and it's also quite the rare tipple. Only one batch has been made so far, and getting your hands on some will set you back RRP$92 for a 500-millilitre bottle. "We wanted to create something that was generous in flavour and luxurious in mouthfeel that will be appreciated by enthusiasts in both camps," said Never Never Head Distiller Tim Boast. "It was a perfect candidate for a Dark Series release, which are exciting experimentations in flavour that push the boundaries of the spirit category." "Our aim is to present, in the most delicious way possible, the most authentic expression of our ingredients and people," said Sullivans Cove Distillery Manager Heather Tillot. "An innovative mindset is vital for this, and centres around perspective, approach and detail." Jennifer will be available to purchase via the Never Never Distilling Co website from Wednesday, September 15, and from Never Never's McLaren Vale Distillery Door. Images: Meghan Coles.
Would you call yourself a hepcat, doll, groover, or lover of rockabilly? Do you love playing dress-ups, recalling the poise and etiquette of a '50s 'lady' by wearing a waist cincher and poodle skirt (as you bake a cake, of course)? Or, if you're a fella, do you practice your "oh golly, oh gosh, oh gees" while wearing some incredibly high-waisted pants that your grandpa would be proud of? If you lean toward yes, it might be time to check out the annual Fifties Fare. Rose Seidler House plays host (as only the perfect open-plan party house can), and all things that involve quiffed hair, '50s-style cars to cruise in, and retro Americana food will make an appearance. The ReChords and Scotty Baker & the Pat Capocci Combo will provide the vintage tunes to make you get your swing on, and specialist market stalls will stock authentic kit that you an carry on home.
Barbecue shapes. Fried chicken. Together in a crunchy combo at last. In terrible news for aspiring dieters everyone, Arnott's has teamed up with some of the best chicken joints in the country to create a taste combination of a very different feather. For the next three weeks, hungry residents of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane can order fried foul coated in crushed Arnott's Barbecue Shapes. And before you ask, yes, they're using the original flavouring. Sydney's Juicy Lucy, Melbourne's Phat Chicks and Brisbane's Seoul Bistro have all gotten on board, with each restaurant offering their own unique take on the brief for $8–15. The whole thing is part of a promotion by Deliveroo, so you'll only be able to get the creations delivered. They'll be available via Deliveroo until Sunday October 7. No word on whether they're planning on doing a pizza shapes variant, but we'll keep our fingers crossed.
The blockbuster film is well and truly implanted in our imaginations. But what about the art shows of our time? Last year saw hundreds of thousands of Sydneysiders worship the massive installations of Anish Kapoor, the pacifist embraces of Yoko Ono (both at Museum of Contemporary Art), and the bright-light/electro space odyssey of Ryoji Ikeda at Carriageworks. 2014 is a Biennale year — the blockiest of all Australian blockbuster shows. Here we look at a further raft of shows pitched at the everyday art lover that could never be construed as lowest-common-denominator popcorn shows — they embrace the perception-warping ellipses of conceptual art, the political upheavals of new China, and the “messy machinery of human nature”. 19th Biennale of Sydney This is the big one. Artistic director Juliana Engberg’s theme, ‘You imagine what you desire’, will focus the imaginations of contemporary artists on alternative worlds and possible societies. Angelica Mesiti, Mikala Dwyer, Deborah Kelly and Zhao Zhao are among these artists, and Cockatoo Island, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and Art Gallery of New South Wales are among the locales. It’s a promising theme that can hopefully connect audiences' most pressing aspirations with the loftier question, what kind of world do we want for the future? 21 March - 9 June at various locations Sol LeWitt If 2013 was the year of performance art led by Kaldor Public Projects’ 13 Rooms, perhaps 2014 is the year of conceptual art. 2013 was also a lull year for the Art Gallery of New South Wales, but in Sol LeWitt they have a serious boon. The American artist was one of the most influential early conceptual artists (in fact, he founded the term), removing all human traces of his hand from his work and elevating the pure idea or concept above the execution and aesthetic outcome. LeWitt’s highly abstracted, geometric and optically illusive works will sit alongside his ‘scribble drawings’ and unrealised ‘concrete structures’, as well his collection of linear and colour-based works of Indigenous artists Emily Kam Ngwarray and Gloria Tamerre Petyarre. 20 February – 3 August at the AGNSW SAFARI 2014 Think of this as the anti-blockbuster art show, popping up in small galleries and venues littered across the city. The little sibling of the Biennale of Sydney has come of age, with a reputation of curating some seriously forefront emerging artists. Pitched as an artist-run fringe event to the more above-ground and institutional BoS, SAFARI has the nimble, back-street keenness to program an interesting and experimental slate of young artists from across Australia. Last SAFARI brought the work of pristine, white toilet-paper art of Rachel Park to a wider audience than ever before. This time round, keep Liam Benson’s poetically futile video works, Emma Hamilton’s unconventional Australian landscapes and Gemma Messih and Ally Bishop’s elegantly abstracted extractions from nature high on your radar. 14 March – 4 April, various locations, free Reformat10n, White Rabbit Rewind five years and imagine Sydney’s gallery scene without White Rabbit. It’s tough. This tenth exhibition of the contemporary Chinese art gallery revolves around the idea of reformation — the succession of a new wave, the establishment of fresh ideas, a complete overhaul of the old ways of doing and thinking. White Rabbit’s shows rotate different parts of the Neilson family’s private collection, which includes Ai Weiwei’s huge mound of tiny ceramic sunflower seeds, and Shi Zhiying’s oil painting of an all-consuming, horizonless, grey-scale ocean, High Seas. The gallery consistently minimises the ‘shrug factor’ — that moment upon entering a gallery, glazed-eyed, when you have no idea how to engage with the work. White Rabbit doesn’t replace the shrug factor with shock factor, it just curates some of the most adventurous contemporary artists working in China and smashing together the political and the personal, history and present, today. 6 March - 3 August 2014 at the White Rabbit Gallery ??????, MONA Details of the Museum of Old and New Art’s coming show (its current one, The Red Queen, closes April 21) are still on downlow, but in the gallery’s first few years, it’s established a reputation of bold, adventurous exhibitions that lead rather than follow art trends and appeal to those who think they don’t ‘get’ contemporary art. Owner, internet gambler and art mogul David Walsh has created a small, self-contained universe dedicated to sex and death (it’s hard to believe that such a gallery hadn’t been done before) and a great place to get lost in. The art world, and the world at large, eagerly awaits MONA’s next moves.
After what feeleth like an eternity, the hotly anticipated Globe — an exact replica of the theatre where Shakespeare's plays were performed in the 1600s — has at last popped up in the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park. The Pop-Up Globe is dedicated to presenting Shakespeare's plays truly traditionally — as fun, unpredictable, boisterous parties, where you're encouraged to laugh, cheer and take part. Wherever you sit or stand in the 900-seat theatre, you won't be more than 15 metres from the action. We're as excited as you are about this authentic Shakespearean experience, so, in partnership with the Pop-Up Globe, we've secured five double passes to Macbeth (aka 'The Scottish Play') performed by resident mixed theatre company Southhampton on Thursday, September 6. This timeless tragedy sees the mighty Macbeth fall prey to a trio of prophetic witches, become obsessed with ambition and murder his way to the top, helped in no small way by the ruthless Lady Macbeth. Enter your details below for a chance to snag a spot in the crowd. [competition]686955[/competition]
Everyone needs a hobby — and if adding to your gin shrine is how you pass the time, Four Pillars has launched yet another tipple to boost your collection. After recent collaborations with Melbourne venue Arbory Afloat and the national QT Hotels chain, the award-winning distillery has teamed up with Qantas on a celebratory drop called QF100. The reason: last year, the Australian airline turned 100, so this new gin is designed to mark that hefty milestone. And, to reflect the carrier's ties to Longreach in Queensland — where it was born, and where the Qantas Founders Outback Museum is based — QF100 is made with botanicals sourced from the central western Queensland spot. Accordingly, when you say cheers to Qantas' centenary with you next cocktail, you'll be tasting lemongrass, macadamia and lemon myrtle. The botanicals were foraged in the area under the guidance of local Indigenous elder Suzanne Thompson — and lemongrass features heavily because it was growing in the region in abundance at the time. Like Four Pillars' other collabs, this one is a limited-edition affair — and, its 700-millilitre bottle bottles have already sold out via the distillery's online store. But, Qantas is still selling it online, and serving it in new signature centenary cocktails at its lounges. You can sip the 'Longreach Fizz' at its Qantas International first lounges in Sydney and Melbourne, the Brisbane International lounge and the brand's six domestic chairman's lounges. Four Pillars and Qantas' QF100 gin has sold out via Four Pillars' online store, but it's still available to buy via Qantas for $90 for a 700-millilitre bottle.
If you're the kind of bar patron who picks their next boozy go-to based on accolades, then this week is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only have four Australia bars earned places among the World's 50 Best Bars for 2021, but the Wineslinger Awards has announced its top picks for this year's Aussie wine-sipping spots — calling out another four spots. Wineslinger isn't about vino itself, or bars in general. As the name makes plain, it's about watering holes that focus on wine. Only four awards are handed out each year, covering the best Wineslinger, Best New Haunt, the Maverick prize for venues that push the limits and the People's Choice gong. While the first three awards are voted on by more than 150 industry experts, the latter stems from vino aficionados at home. Nabbing the big prize this year: Melbourne's Embla, which marks the second year in a row that the Victorian capital took out the Wineslinger award — and the second year it did so despite a hefty stint in lockdown. Announcing Embla's win, the Young Gun of Wine team — which runs Wineslinger — said that "Embla has become a Melbourne icon in quick time, a dogma-free temple to wine that is made from the ground up, by hand and with minimal tinkering, and all paired with Dave Verheul's breathtakingly simple fire-fuelled cooking." [caption id="attachment_836612" align="alignnone" width="1920"] P&V Merchants Paddington[/caption] In the other fields, Sydney's P&V Merchants in Paddington nabbed the Best New Haunt prize. Yes, that gong is rather self-explanatory. In the Maverick category, Perth's Si Paradiso emerged victorious for being "a venue that takes its wine as seriously as it does its quest for good times". And, the People's Choice went to Good Gilbert in Adelaide, meaning that all four winners hailed from different cities. The Wineslinger Awards were created in 2018 by Rory Kent, who also founded the Young Gun of Wine Awards. Where the latter prize aims to recognise stellar up-and-comers, the former is all about excellent and innovative places where vino lovers can enjoy an ace drop. Wineslinger also releases a list of top places to drink wine across the country each year — and the 2021 list expanded from 50 to 100. It was revealed back in November, if you still need a few more places (or 96 more, because all of this year's prize-winners are on it) to add to your vino-drinking itinerary. For further details about this year's Wineslinger Award winners, visit the awards' website. Top image: Embla.
It's a nice feeling to bring a little something into the world. Feeding it, taking good care of it. A plant is just like a pet, or even a child – just half the trouble. But if you live in an apartment, there's not always the room to undertake extensive horticultural projects. If your green thumb is itching to get gardening, IDEA award-winning Simple Garden will tickle your fancy. They've created a gardening 'starter kit' with everything you need to cultivate your own piece of earth. They even throw in the earth itself – just add water and the NutriRich soil brick will be just the stuff to raise your seedlings into healthy plants. Gadgets like the Lite Stick help provide enough natural light to indoor plants, while the colourful plastic pots are specially designed to improve air flow, water circulation and nutrient absorption. Sweet and self-contained, this is one hell of a city-living solution. [Via Cool Hunting]
Each year we anticipate the arrival of December 25. Because of the day off, the promise of an afternoon spent dozing in a hammock — and the arrival of Gelato Messina's annual Christmas cake. This year, the gelato chain is bringing back its version of the quintessential Australian dessert: the trifle. Yes, The Christmas Coma, which made its debut last year, is back. But this year it'll even more decadent. The epic ice cream creation will feature layer upon layer of everything that is good about Christmas — but instead of being soggy and slightly regrettable, this one will have you licking the glass bowl. So what's in it? Well, Messina has switched out the vanilla gelato for a rich chocolate number, and will be slathering it with its house-made dulce de leche mousse. Then it will be layered with — here we go — red velvet cake, vanilla Chantilly cream, chocolate-coated biscuit crumbs, meringue, sour cherry jelly and lime gel. Plus, it'll come with some chocolate-coated nuts and Messina brandy custard to douse all over the mess. The trifle, which serves 18–20 (or less if you really commit), costs $150 and can be ordered for pickup between December 20 and 6pm on Christmas Eve. In Sydney you can pick one up from Rosebery, Darlinghurst, Bondi, Miranda, Penrith, Tramsheds and Parramatta. If you're in Melbourne, you can get one from the Fitzroy or Windsor outposts — and the South Brisbane store will be making them too. Hopefully nan won't take it personally. The Christmas Coma will be available to order from Wednesday, November 14 — you can add your name to the waitlist here.
In recent times, the mainstream media trend has been to closely follow the debate surrounding same sex marriage laws. However, what is happening in the rest of the LGBTQI community? The Walkley Media Talk features a panel of award-winning media personnel — including Monique Schafter (ABC 7.30/Hungry Beast), Sethorun Raj (Sydney Law School) and Elias Jahshan (Star Observer) — and will look at why some issues crack the mainstream while others (bullying, suicide, STIs, etc) remain on the outer. An absolute must for the media savvy and socially aware. This event is free, but bookings are essential. Want more Mardi Gras events? Check out our top ten picks of the festival.
Haunting strains of bluegrass music flow through Belgium's tear-jerking entry to last year's Academy Awards. Such mournful melodies are a fitting accompaniment to the story, about two musicians whose marriage begins to crumble after their daughter succumbs to terminal cancer. Despite the miserable subject matter, writer-director Felix Van Groeningen eschews unchecked histrionics for honest, bittersweet emotion. Actors Johan Heldenbergh and Veerle Baetens have devastating chemistry as shell-shocked parents Didier and Elise. A banjo-playing cowboy and a music-loving tattoo-artist respectively, they're a free-spirited pair brought crashing down to earth by six-year-old Maybelle's unexpected diagnosis. The best moments in the movie are undoubtedly the songs; a mix of classics and original compositions performed in key scenes by Didier, Elise and their band. In these moments in particular, Van Groeningen finds his harmony between beauty, sorrow and joy. Read our full review here. The Broken Circle Breakdown is in cinemas on Thursday, May 15, and thanks to Entertainment One, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=raaHRyBtIEo
This article is sponsored by our partner The City of Sydney. Since the 1960s, Newtown has been a haven for mavericks of all stripes — from bohemians and old-school rockers to skate punks and glam goths. In fact, they're all still there. While the melting pot has not fully escaped gentrification's whitewash in the interim, it has fiercely fought to stay in character. Irreverently genuine. Warts and all. Oh, Newtown. These days, King Street often feels like a sort of historic catwalk for Sydney's malcontent — a 3km kaleidoscope of weathered leather, tacky tartan and electric hair. And the City of Sydney have decided that it's about time you celebrated this non-uniformity. Hence, Newtown is Fashion, a three-week style extravaganza beginning on Thursday, 22 August and part of the city council's Sydney is Fashion festival. For three Thursdays in a row, the velvet merchants, DIY artisans and vintage treasure troves of Newtown will be launching a fashion blitz with free in-store champagne, next season exhibitions, interactive workshops, one-off clearance sales, jewellery-making masterclasses, and festival-only pop-ups. Each night has a different focus: 22 August is 'Mainstream, Vintage, Retro, Collectibles'; 29 August is 'Designer, Designed, DIY, Artisan'; and 5 September is 'The Wildlife of Newtown – Alternate, Burlesque, Goth, Punk, Tatts'. Dendy Newtown is even presenting a sartorial series of films every week, including Breakfast at Tiffany's, The September Issue and Bill Cunningham New York. If fashion's your 'thang', or if you're just a lover of all things Newtown, then head over to the Sydney is Fashion website to find out more. Nonconformists, unite. Image: Noddy’s on King.
Australians haven't had many chances to attend a music festival or escape the mainland in the last twelve months. Festivals around the country have been few and far between, with even approved large-scale events being called off last-minute. And, as for travel, a lot of the nation's usual island getaways have been off limits due to domestic border closures. But, if you've been longing to sing along to your favourite tunes while surrounded by your friends and to take a trip to a secluded beachside resort, a newly announced festival has you covered. Dream Machine, the new venture from the team behind Wine Machine and Snow Machine, will see music lovers travel to The Whitsundays this October for a stacked lineup of local electronic talent. Heading up the party-forward lineup is the fan-favourite combo of Flight Facilities and Hayden James — and they'll be joined by the likes of former Triple J House Party presenter KLP, Touch Sensitive, CC:Disco!, Set Mo and Yolanda Be Cool. The Jungle Giants, Confidence Man and Cosmo's Midnight are also onboard, hitting the decks for DJ sets. If the simple activity of grooving to tunes on a tropical island isn't enough motivation for you, festival-goers will also be treated to an island-hopping adventure between Daydream Island, Paradise Cove and a surprise location. Your itinerary can also include kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing and waterside cocktails, and, if you stay at Daydream Island Resort, you'll have four restaurants, three bars, a pool and a spa to enjoy as well. Dream Machine will run from Wednesday, October 6–Sunday, October 10, with festival events running for three days within that five-day, four-night period. Unsurprisingly, it isn't cheap, with packages starting from $1899 per person for a yacht stay and $2099 for a stay in the resort. The extravagant price tag will get you accommodation, breakfast each morning, ferry transport to and from the airport, and tickets to the festival (of course). DREAM MACHINE 2021 LINEUP: Flight Facilities (DJ set) Hayden James CC:Disco! Cosmo's Midnight (DJ set) Confidence Man (DJ set) Dena Amy Fleetmac Wood Generik Happiness is Wealth Jimi the Kween KLP Kristina Jaman Made in Paris Mira Mira Owl Eyes (DJ set) Poof Doof DJs Set Mo Squeef The Jungle Giants (DJ set) Touch Sensitive Wax'o Paradiso Yolanda Be Cool Dream Machine takes place from Wednesday, October 6–Sunday, October 10 in The Whitsundays. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, April 7 — visit the festival's website to sign up for pre-sale access.
Putting the spotlight on the weird and wonderful world of science each year, Sydney Science Festival brings together global and local legends in science to celebrate, analyse and challenge all aspects of the field for 13 days' worth of performances, demonstrations and workshops. Back for its third year, running from Tuesday, August 8 to Sunday, August 20, the whopping 172 registered events span venues across Sydney and delve deeper into the questions weighing on today's leading scientists. The program begins with a free launch at the Powerhouse Museum for MAASive Lates: Science on August 10. The launch showcases a taste of what's to come during the festival, where guests get to tour the museum after hours, drive a Mars rover, play with virtual reality and 'speed date' famous scientists. If that Mars rover drive and the human colonisation of the planet catches your interest, join a panel of NASA experts at the Sydney Opera House on August 17 for Life on Mars: NASA's 2020 Rover Mission — speakers include Australian astrobiologist Dr Abigail Allwood and Mars Exploration Program scientist Dr Mitch Schulte. Also on the schedule, on August 16 at the Opera House, the government's role in climate change will be debated in The Madhouse Effect: What is Stopping Action on Climate Change by an all-star international team including U.S. climatologist Michael E. Mann, psychologist Stephan Lewandowsky and advocate Anna Rose. And for a lighter look at science in our everyday life, learn how plants influence your favourite cocktails in Botany Distilled at the Botanical Gardens Restaurant on August 16, and discover how science can improve your baking skills at Science of Cake: A Hot Mess held by Alexandria's Thrive 360 on August 19. The Sydney Science Festival is part of National Science Week, which runs from August 8 to August 20. The festival is led by the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) and the Australian Museum, in partnership with Inspiring Australia.
If your normal intake of art plateaus out at a monthly round of the AGNSW and a field trip during the Biennale, March is here to turn things up a notch. The instigators of Art Month Sydney want you to see the smallest of private galleries scattered through our city and to know that you can walk in without being expected to buy anything or perform a secret society ritual of entry and sacrifice. Those already au fait with the monde de l’art will find their familiar spaces all gussied up, with local artists, workshops and galleries preening their finest plumage. To make it even easier for us to focus our energy, Art Month Sydney have designated each week on their calendar to a particular precinct: first Paddington and Woollahra; then Darlinghurst, Potts Point and Surry Hills; Waterloo; and Redfern, Chippendale and the CBD. During the precinct’s special week, you can catch free buses in between its locales and enjoy extended gallery hours on Thursday nights, winding down with spirits both creative and alcoholic at the night’s nominated bar. On top of the stellar exhibitions waiting in each gallery, Art Month Sydney will also feature a series of ‘Creative Collaborations’, where you can witness first-hand the coming together of different art forms as Romance Was Born talk to Del Kathryn Barton (art-meets-fashion), Hossein Valamanesh meets Chris Drummond (art-theatre) and Leo Robba synergises with Professor Tony Capon (art-science). Of course, the Month could not be deigned complete without a hefty serving of gallery talks and artist studio tours. Also keep an eye out for collaboratively crafted store windows (including Sass & Bide, Incu, Fairfax & Roberts and Camilla and Marc) that may transform your regular shopping trip into something extraordinary. The month will wrap up with Speed Dating for Emerging Artists, where not yet solo–exhibited artists can find their perfect gallery match. This is the first Art Month Sydney — embrace it and it might visit us again soon. Image by Tara Marynowsky.
The Sydney Fringe Festival will be transforming its own headquarters as part of the 2014 program, turning it into a three-level bar, theatre, info point and communal crafternoon gathering space. 'The Campground' at 5 Eliza Street, Newtown will serve as one of the hubs for a full month of comedy, cabaret, circus, theatre, music, art and out-of-the-ordinary events. The other hub? Well, for that you'll have to go exploring. "[Last year's hub] Emerald City was great but this year we moved to a new creative vision for the festival that we feel suits the geography and energy of Sydney better," festival director Kerri Glasscock tells us. "Instead of creating the traditional static festival garden [or] hub we wanted to create a roaming hub that moved throughout the festival, highlighting a number of different precincts and encouraging festival-goers to explore more of the city and keep it fresh." To that end, laneway hubs will take over a different part of town each weekend. We're particularly looking forward to seeing Darlinghurst's Foley Lane come over all Montemartre, with jazz and swing music, street performers and crepes, but Newtown's King Street and Sydenham's Faversham Street are also scheduled to throw multi-day bashes. Back at the more stationary Campground, each of the three levels has been given a mission and a name — 'the Tent', 'the Campfire' and 'the Annex'. Downstairs in the Tent is where to hide away to drink, view the exhibition on the walls and gather Fringe-related information, while upstairs at the Campfire is the place to tell stories, with artist talks, performances and sketching and snow globe-making workshops the order of the day. On the top floor is the Emerging Artist Annex, a 60-seat pop-up theatre for some of the festival's newcomers. "We wanted a space where the general public could come and experience art making, no matter what your skill level, be it hobby or master," says Glasscock. "So we have created mini spaces within the Campground where you can come and draw, knit or participate in a crafternoon." The four weeks of the program revolve around loose themes — Inner City in week one; Community, Ideas and Laughs in week two; family in week three; and something juicily titled 'The Final Frontier' in week four. "We wanted to engage as many practising local artists as possible and encourage as many partnerships and collaborations as possible," says Glasscock. "The festival offers a unique opportunity to try out an idea that has been brewing or work with a fellow artist you have wanted to collaborate with." Unlike some of the big fringe festivals of the world, the Sydney Fringe has always been open to anyone who wants to put on a work, which has sometimes resulted in a mixed bag of experiences for people. But Glasscock thinks they may have a solution to that, while still keeping the festival's open-access ethos. "We like to say that we don't curate the art but we curate where it goes," she says. "This is a new approach to the festival this year and has so far worked really well. It means that care has been taken to place the right content in the right venue so hopefully it is a better experience for the artists, the venues and the punters." Venues this year range from the perennial Factory Theatre to Freda's, Giant Dwarf, the Glebe Justice Centre, Rookwood Cemetery, the Record Crate and Venue 505. Opening the festival is the Ignite Launch Party on August 31, curated by Potbelleez Ilan Kidron and winding its way down Crown Street. The Fringe continues until September 30, and its full program is now available on the festival website.
Brunch is the pinnacle of a good weekend — but hosting your own brunch party can feel like a huge effort. However, gathering your friends for a tasty start to the weekend is well worth it when you get to pick out the best pastries from your favourite local bakery, purchase top-shelf booze for fancy bloody marys and spin your favourite tunes. It'll impress even the most hungover of your besties. Here to help you deliver an elevated brunch party, we've partnered with premium French vodka Grey Goose to give you five simple tips that'll turn your weekend get-together into an elegant affair. [caption id="attachment_704266" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] SET UP AN INTERACTIVE BAR Let's be real, the most important part of brunch is not the food but the drinks, and anyone who tells you otherwise obviously hasn't experienced the healing powers of a good bloody mary before noon, and that's their loss. So getting the booze portion of the morning right is a must. To turn a slow party into one with a purpose, set up an interactive bar for people to experiment with their drinks and get creative. Ensure you've stocked the best liquor — and keep it simple. Purchase a bottle of Grey Goose vodka as a premium base for a mood-lifting spritz, and, of course, the humble bloody mary. Having a French themed do? Order the limited-edition Maison La Biche bottle for a chic upgrade. PAIR YOUR FOOD AND DRINK FOR PERFECT HARMONY The symphony of food and booze is all you need for a really great brunch, so it's worth thinking about what cocktails go with which breakfast foods. For what it's worth, we reckon the classic bacon and eggs fry up with a bloody mary is always a winner, but if you really want to win at brunch, try making a Morning Mule (Grey Goose vodka, orange juice, ginger beer) with buttermilk pancakes, or a Breakfast Martini (Grey Goose vodka, orange marmalade, cointreau and lemon juice) with freshly baked pastries. And for the health-conscious, opt for a Provence Spritz (Grey Goose vodka, French rose and pink grapefruit juice), always fantastic with an açaí bowl. Experiment a little! It'll elevate the whole party, plus you get to drink while doing 'research'. [caption id="attachment_752451" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr/Creative Commons[/caption] OPT FOR AN EASY SELF-SERVE SET-UP Who amongst us isn't a little particular about our brekkie? Given it's often the first meal of the day, and one with the power to make-or-break your weekend, even the most relaxed guests can be fussy when it comes to breakfast food. So, in the spirit of diplomacy — and let's be honest, convenience — design a help-yourself table with grab plates and bowls and mountains of brunch staples (such as fresh fruit, yogurt, granola and juice) and plop them on the table. You're done with the serving part of the morning before it's even begun, plus it makes catering to dietary needs a breeze. [caption id="attachment_735735" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria/Josie Withers[/caption] SPLURGE ON THE GOOD STUFF Don't be afraid to spend a little on the best produce you can afford. Good produce means less work for you, and brunch is the most decadent meal of the day so it's worth sourcing fruit and veggies from the farmers' markets, or forking out for some really fancy orange juice from the supermarket. Be comforted by the fact that a good artisan bakery haul can save any meal and you can top it off with premium spirits for those cocktails, it makes all the difference when you're catering at home. [embed]https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1x0bE4Gh2POCIMIpzP4dot[/embed] DON'T FORGET THE TUNES A good soundtrack can elevate your brunch party from a casual affair to an all-out party for the ages. Spend a bit of time ahead of the event thinking about your playlist of laidback tunes and singalong anthems (nostalgia is a quick pick-me-up in any occasion). Hit play and, with a healthy serving of hangover-busting cocktails, your guests are sure to find themselves dancing around the living room. Special shoutout to the likes of Angus and Julia Stone for chilled vibes, Jack Johnson for a retro feel, Nina Simone if it's THAT kind of morning, San Cisco for some light-hearted fun or any of the peppy indie supergroups from the last ten years. Feeling uninspired? Check out the Brunch Playlist above. It's your party, so pick whatever you feel will turn your brunch into an arvo dance party. Upgrade your brunch by choosing premium vodka Grey Goose. Each bottle is distilled in France, and the high quality vodka has a 100-percent traceable production process, from crop to cork.
Anyone who has ever tried to organise an office Christmas party will know it's ideal to lock that thing in months in advance. By the time September rolls around and the smell of summer is on the horizon, it feels like it's too late. Trying to make a booking in actual December? You're dreaming. So, what to do when you decide late in the game that you want to get the gang together, share some eggnog and spread the Christmas cheer? Well, luckily the Merivale team has you covered with a whole bunch of restaurants offering last minute reservations for all your festival meals this December. Here are some of the best.
Oscar Wilde once said, "Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative." Well, maybe, if Wilde had been in Western Sydney last night when an epic downpour delivered more than a month's worth of rain in just one hour, he might feel differently. The rain is all we can talk about, understandably — it was one helluva storm. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Penrith was hit with 69.6mm of rain in just 60 minutes — blowing the October rainfall average of 51mm out of, well, the water. https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1052481594404065281 The severe downpour sparked flash flooding across the area. According to the ABC, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) received 63 calls for help in 24 hours across Western Sydney — one person even needed to be rescued from a car that was stuck in floodwaters on Castlereagh Street. Certainly doesn't sound like unimaginative hogwash to us, Wilde. And, it looks as though the weather will keep tongues wagging a little while longer, with thunderstorms predicted for the rest of the week. Andrew Haigh from the BoM told the ABC, rain was likely to continue in the east of the state and said people should watch for severe thunderstorm warnings. Around 20mm is expected to hit this Sunday, October 21 — we suggest braving the rain and heading to one of Sydney's fireplace-equipped pubs, there's nothing quite like sipping a dark 'n' stormy while it's quite literally dark and stormy. Unfortunately, we'll need more than a few downpours to help the 100 percent of the state that's currently in drought. So, don't complain — grab your poncho and welcome the rains.
The lineup for everyone's favourite New Year's Eve party has just landed, and it's a doozy. Way back in 1993, a tiny one-day concert was held in Lorne, a beautiful coastal town on Victoria's Great Ocean Road. Over 10,000 people showed up, far more than were expected, and a great Australian tradition was borne. In 2003 the festival (now known as Falls) celebrated hitting the big 1-0 by spreading its wings and setting up across the Bass Strait in Marion Bay; and now, to celebrate their 20th instalment, the Falls team are bringing the New Year party to Byron Bay for the first time. And they will be celebrating in style with the greatest house band in the world, The Roots, who haven't played in Australia since the Great Escape festival (RIP) in Sydney in 2007. They always bring the party, and we should thank Jimmy Fallon for lending them to us even if just for the weekend. The other headliners include festival favourites The Wombats, the always-interesting Grizzly Bear, 2013 Album of the Year contenders Vampire Weekend, R&B star Solange and The Violent Femmes. And there's an excellent contingent of local acts, too, including Hermitude, Pond, Chet Faker and Big Scary. Tickets will be allocated via a ballot, which is currently open via the Falls website. Registrations close on midday, August 26. Ballot-winners will be able to purchase up to four tickets from August 29, 9am. There will also be an allocation of tickets set aside for general sales starting on September 4, 9am. Prices will be released soon. Falls Festival first announce line-up: !! (Chk Chk Chk)AstaBig ScaryBombinoBonoboThe Cat EmpireChet FakerCrystal FightersCyril HahnFlight FacilitiesGosslingGrizzly BearHanni El KhatibHermitudeJames Vincent McmorrowLondon GrammarMGMTNeil FinnPondThe Preatures The RootsRüfüsSolangeTom Odell Vampire WeekendViolent FemmesWhite DenimThe Wombats Event dates: Lorne, Victoria (18-plus): December 28–January 1Marion Bay, TAS (all-ages): December 29-January 1Byron Bay, NSW (18-plus): December 31–Jan 3
Need yet another utterly worthy excuse to indulge this silly season? Well, we've got one — you can stay and play at one of the city's most luxe boutique hotels, West Hotel on Sussex Street, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. Located in Barangaroo, this hotel is right in the heart of Sydney — so you're always just a walk away from all the goings on about town. So, if you're in need of a little festive cheer this December, you're in luck. Should you get your mitts on this glorious prize, you and a lover (or a buddy) will be spending two nights in one of the King Waratah Premium Rooms at West Hotel. With breakfast for two and a complimentary mini bar included. It's a treat worth a cool $1,200. West Hotel is perched just a hop, skip and a jump away from the city's best cafes, bars and restaurants — think Skittle Lane, Shortstop, PS40, Banksii and Anason — and has a chic modern aesthetic, with incredibly luxe rooms. In a King Waratah room, you'll be on one of the hotel's top floors, with views over the Barangaroo skyline. You can claim your prize at any point until the end of December (subject to availability), whether you want to use it as a base for exploring the city or to stay put for an ultra-relaxed staycation. This is one prize that's sure to make your mates jealous — unless you can convince them to join you. To enter, see details below. [competition]748583[/competition]
Stop what you're doing. Get out of bed. Cancel that mid-morning meeting. Whatever it is — it can wait. Because this is happening again: In-N-Out Burger is back in Sydney for one of their late-notice pop-ups. Jimmy's Burgers posted a video announcing the pop-up this morning, confirming Darlinghurst's Li'l Darlin on Victoria Street as the temporary burger joint location for Wednesday, January 18. It's been almost bang-on a year since the LA fast food legends set up shop at Dead Ringer in Surry Hills last January, and almost two years since they whipped together a few burgers out at Parramatta Mixology Lounge, so you can bet that burger aficionados will be desperate so get their hands on one of those buns. Last time they were doling out hamburgers, regular cheeseburgers and some double cheese lovelies until they sold out, so we hope they're on the menu today as well. And cheese fries. Please say there's cheese fries. If you've been to one of In-N-Out's previous Sydney pop-ups though, you'll know those burgers sell like, well, cult-status burgers — so you'll have to get there early. Now is probably a good time. Go. The In-N-Out burger pop-up will run today at Li'l Darlin, 235 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst. Opening time TBC, but you should probably just start moving now.
After being cancelled just days out from its usual Easter slot, then postponed to October, Bluesfest has announced its new 2021 lineup. The festival's first event in more than two years will once again take over Byron Events Farm (formerly Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm) just outside Byron Bay. And, on- and off-stage, it won't be lacking in company. Leading the bill between Friday, October 1–Monday, October 4: Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly, Tash Sultana and Jimmy Barnes. They'll each headline a different night of the now four-day fest, and will be joined by a lengthy list of familiar homegrown names. Ocean Alley and Ziggy Alberts will also be taking to the stage, as will everyone from Xavier Rudd, Kate Ceberano and The Church to Barnes' Cold Chisel bandmate Ian Moss, Briggs and Kate Miller-Heidke. A number of the newly announced acts were initially due to play at the festival in April, until a COVID-19 outbreak saw NSW Health sign a public health order to cancel the event. This is the second year that Bluesfest has been forced to adapt its plans, after its 2020 fest was completely scrapped due to the pandemic. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bluesfest Byron Bay (@bluesfestbyronbay) Season tickets to the rescheduled 2021 festival will go on sale at 9am on Thursday, May 20, with one- and three-day passes set to follow at a yet-to-be-announced date. Folks with tickets for the April festival will be contacted by Moshtix with all the necessary information about the new dates, rolling your existing tickets over and getting a refund if you can no longer attend. BLUESFEST OCTOBER 2021 LINEUP: Midnight Oil Paul Kelly Tash Sultana Jimmy Barnes Ocean Alley Ziggy Alberts John Butler Xavier Rudd The Cat Empire Pete Murray Mark Seymour & The Undertow Kate Ceberano Kasey Chambers The Waifs The Church Jon Stevens Ian Moss The Living End The Angels Ross Wilson And The Peaceniks Russell Morris Troy Cassar-Daley Briggs Tex Perkins The Man In Black Hiatus Kaiyote Kate Miller-Heidke Weddings Parties Anything The Black Sorrows The Bamboos Chain Backsliders Ash Grunwald Melbourne Ska Orchestra Vika & Linda Jeff Lang Nathan Cavaleri Mick Thomas' Roving Commission Kim Churchill Henry Wagons JK-47 Garrett Kato Mama Kin Spender Dami Im Pierce Brothers Emily Wurramara The Buckleys Fiona Boyes & The Fortune Tellers Ray Beadle Pacey, King & Doley All Our Exes Live in Texas Hussy Hicks Roshani Declan Kelly Daniel Champagne Little Georgia Lambros. Round Mountain Girls The Regime Electric Lemonade Palm Valley Byron Busking Competition Bluesfest 2021 will now run from Friday, October 1–Monday, October 4 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. Season passes will go on sale at 9am on Thursday, May 20, with one- and three-day passes set to follow at a yet-to-be-announced date. For further information, head to the Bluesfest website. Top image: Andy Fraser
With a young man immersed in underworld dealings and learning life lessons along the way, there's no mistaking Son of a Gun's fondness for standard crime caper cliches. The film begins with prison hierarchies, navigates a jailbreak and daring heist, and dallies with ruthless Russian mobsters. It also traverses romance and a complicated mentor-protegee relationship, just in case its adherence to formula wasn't apparent. And yet, in wholeheartedly embracing genre basics, complete with the accompanying twists, Julius Avery's debut focuses on execution and performance over plot and story to exceed the sum of its obvious parts. That's not to say that the movie's narrative isn't engaging; however, it is in its eye for action and its finessed portrayals that Son of a Gun best impresses. Nineteen-year-old JR (Brenton Thwaites) enters his six-month stay in a maximum-security facility with a warning to keep out of trouble, though the resident bullies have other plans. Veteran inmate Brendan (Ewan McGregor) becomes his saviour, but his help has consequences: JR must return the favour upon his release. Extricating Brendan and his right-hand man (Matt Nable) from prison is the first step. Next, assisting the convicted armed robber in doing what he does best. Writer/director Avery came to fame courtesy of his 2008 short Jerrycan, a Cannes Film Festival award winner. His first feature has been eagerly awaited since, and in its bright lensing of the Western Australian landscape, moody score from Snowtown and The Babadook's Jed Kurzel, and sustaining of tension, it proves worthy of such anticipation. Avery shows a knack for set pieces and a mastery of pace and tone that keeps Son of a Gun moving, patching over its lack of surprises and extended length. From the sombre drama of its jail-set opening to the cat-and-mouse chases that follow in helicopter hijackings, car chases, boat rides and stand-offs, the filmmaker crafts a competent, compelling thriller. Otherwise, casting is the film's biggest strength, from Thwaites' second role in succession as a naive pawn awakening into a position of influence after The Giver, to A Royal Affair's Alicia Vikander as his potential love interest. Of course, it is the star power of McGregor, complementing his usual cheeky grin with a menacing glint in his eye, that rightfully commands attention. Although appearing to play against type, his charming wrongdoer isn't that far removed from his morally dubious breakout role in Trainspotting, complete with his natural accent. Indeed, McGregor's fate mirrors that of the film, never straying far from the familiar, but doing so with energy and aplomb. Son of a Gun may be another gritty Australian crime offering, but it is also an enthusiastic, expressive and engrossing example of its genre. https://youtube.com/watch?v=eTOBcelRo9M
If you're missing travel as much as we are, you're probably spending your days dreaming of faraway destinations — and binge watching every single travel show on Netflix. But, Australian intrastate borders are beginning to open, which means it's time to start planning a local getaway. And we found a way to do this that won't cost you a cent. Surf fashion brand Roxy is giving two Aussies the chance to win a free trip to absolutely any beach in the country. Maybe you could head to New South Wales' Cabarita Beach — Tourism Australia's best beach for 2020 — or The Whitsundays' Whitehaven Beach, which has been named one of the best beaches in the world (multiple times). Whether you're after white sands and sparkling blue waters, secluded spots hidden away from the hustle and bustle or legendary stretches of surf, Australia has it. You just need to choose the beach you want to visit. [caption id="attachment_785976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whitehaven Beach in The Whitsundays[/caption] To enter, head over to the competition website and describe, in 25 words or less, your all-time favourite Aussie beach, and what makes it so bloody great. You'll also have to subscribe to the Roxy mailing list, but we reckon that's a small price to pay. If you win, Roxy will organise the flights, accommodation and hire car to your chosen destination — and you'll get a $500 gift card to spend on some new beachy threads. And don't worry about COVID-19 restrictions when choosing your beach — Roxy will honour the prize until it's fully safe to travel anywhere in Australia. The competition closes on Saturday, October 31, though, so best get on it. Roxy's Request a Beach competition run until Saturday, October 31. 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.
Running fanatics, assemble — Ultra-Trail Australia is here. The out-of-town trail running event takes place over four days in May in the stunning world heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park. The main event is a 100-kilometre run (yes, you read that correctly) with an elevation gain of 4,400 metres and a lot of stairs, this one certainly isn't for the faint-hearted. Those not quite up to the 100 can take part in the 50-kilometre race, which follows the second half of the 100-kilometre route through the Kedumba Valley; the 22-kilometre event, which starts at the Queen Victoria Hospital and ends at Scenic World; or the new 11-kilometre run, starting at Leura's Fairmont Resort. If you're into something short but sweet, try your hand at the Scenic World UTA951, where you'll only have to run for 1.2 kilometres, but up the (in)famous Furber Steps. If the name wasn't a dead giveaway, the climb is a 951 winding stairs. It's all good if your legs feel like jelly at the end — your entry fee includes a ride down the Scenic Railway, the steepest incline railway in the world. Tickets for the UTA100, 50, 22 and 951 stair climb are currently on sale. Tickets for the UTA11 go on sale at 11am on Tuesday, February 26.
Since Australia started easing out of COVID-19 lockdown, the country's internal border restrictions have earned plenty of attention. With tactics to stop the spread of the coronavirus implemented at a state-by-state level, each Aussie state has navigated the situation in its own way when it comes to letting non-residents visit. Queensland's decision to keep closed to date has become a particularly frequent political talking point, for example, although every other state apart from New South Wales and Victoria also shut their borders. Slowly, however, they're beginning to open back up — with South Australia the latest to unveil its reopening plans. In a press conference held today, Friday, June 12, Premier Steven Marshall revealed that SA will allow travellers from interstate back in from Monday, July 20. "South Australia has been doing particularly well," Premier Marshall noted, not only announcing the end of border restrictions, but that the state will move into its third stage of eased COVID-19 measures earlier than expected. That phase will now kick off from Monday, June 29. That means that, when folks from other parts of the country do head to SA for a holiday from the latter half of July, they'll enter a state with some of the most relaxed coronavirus measures in the nation (based on announcements at the time of writing). Premier Marshall also advised that stage three will no longer require a specific 100-person cap on the number of people in public places, but will revert to the overall rule of one person per four square metres. [caption id="attachment_679115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Africola by SATC[/caption] That's a move that has been given the national stamp of approval, as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also revealed today. From July, Australia will allow socially distanced mass gatherings to return and won't require the previously proposed 100-person patron limit — with SA the first state to announce when that will come into effect following the day's national cabinet meeting. While receiving the tick at federal level, all states will need to implement the change separately. Regarding current quarantine requirements in SA, with anyone given permission to enter state at present required to self-isolate for 14 days, Premier Marshall said that further details are still being finalised. "We will be looking at some of the state borders with individual state borders who are doing particularly well," he noted. "We don't want to unnecessarily detain people for two weeks of isolation if they don't pose a health risk for us in South Australia." If you're now eager to start planning an SA getaway, we have suggestions — whether you're eager to hit up Adelaide, or sip and sightsee your way around the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Limestone Coast or the Clare Valley. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in South Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: d'Arenberg Cube
If you're craving to know what the world's best supper tastes like, you’d best book yourself a flight to Denmark. Restaurant magazine has announced the World’s Best 50 Restaurants for the year and Copenhagen’s Noma has reclaimed the Number One position. Having topped the list in 2010, 2011 and 2012, it fell to second in 2013. Meanwhile, second place went to El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain and third to Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. So, how did we fare? The only Australian restaurant to have made the Top 50 is Melbourne’s Attica, which fell from 21 but still came in at 32; also named the Best Restaurant in Australia for the second year in a row. The judges laud head chef Ben Shewry’s "earthly flavours and foraged ingredients", describing the Attica dining experience as "simultaneously sophisticated and deeply grounded". They’re also impressed with Shewry’s commitment to "his principles of sustainability, to his family and to the cooking craft". Meanwhile, Sydney’s Quay, headed by chef Peter Gilmore, slipped from 48 to 60. (Despite the awards being titled ‘World’s Best 50’, the top 100 are named as well). Even though just two of our homegrown restaurants made the list, Aussies chefing abroad have been making an impact. Newcastle’s Brett Graham, who heads The Ledbury, London was pleased to secure tenth place. “It’s a huge surprise,” he said. “We’ve got a great young team, actually half-full of bloody Australians as well, from all over the country.” At the same time, David Thompson’s Bangkok-based Nahm ranked 13th. He expressed that it’s not easy for Aussie restaurants. "One of the difficult things for Australian restaurants is that it’s so distant – or so far away from the circuit of judges," he said. "It’s a matter of luck in the awards ceremony; it really is." Finally, Sydney chef Tetsuya Wakuda came in at 50th with his Singapore-based restaurant Waku Ghin, improving on last year's 68th ranking. Image credit: Ben Hutchison
We can only hope that one day, likely in a far distant future, documentaries will stop doubling as horror films. That time hasn't arrived yet — and as Collective demonstrates, cinema's factual genre can chill viewers to the bone more effectively than most jump- and bump-based fare. Nominated for Best Documentary Feature and Best International Feature at the 2021 Academy Awards (only the second time that's ever happened, after last year's Honeyland), this gripping and gut-wrenching Romanian doco starts with a terrible tragedy. On October 30, 2015, a fire broke out at a metal gig in Bucharest, at a club called Colectiv. Twenty-seven people died in the blaze, and 180 people were injured as they tried to escape via the site's lone exit; however, that's just the beginning of the movie's tale. In the four months afterwards, as burn victims were treated in the country's public hospitals, 37 more passed away. When journalist Cătălin Tolontan and his team at The Sports Gazette started investigating the fire's aftermath and the mounting casualty list, they uncovered not only widespread failures throughout Romania's health system, but also engrained corruption as well. This truly is nightmare fuel; if people can't trust hospitals to act in their patients' best interest after such a sizeable disaster, one of the fundamental tenets of modern society completely collapses. Early in Collective, director, writer, cinematographer and editor Alexander Nanau (Toto and His Sisters) shows the flames, as seen from inside the club. When the blaze sparks from the show's pyrotechnics, hardcore band Goodbye to Gravity has just finished singing about corruption. "Fuck all your wicked corruption! It's been there since our inception but we couldn't see," the group's singer growls — and no, you can't make this up. It's a difficult moment to watch, but this is a film filled with unflinching sights, and with a viscerally unsettling story that demands attention. Nanau occasionally spends time with the bereaved and angry parents of victims of the fire, even bookending the documentary with one man's distress over the "communication error" that contributed to his son's death. The filmmaker charts a photo shoot with Tedy Ursuleanu, a survivor visibly scarred by her ordeal, too. And yet, taking an observational approach free from narration and interviews, and with only the scantest use of text on-screen, Collective's filmmaker lets much of what's said rustle up the majority of the movie's ghastliest inclusions. There's plenty for Nanau to cover, and to galvanise viewers in the way that Romanians have been since the Colective blaze. The club's lack of safety measures and the fact that it was permitted to run without fire exits were met by protests, which saw the nation's Prime Minister resign. Tolontan and his team enquired into a different matter, though. Their focus: the deaths after the tragedy, the hygiene standards in hospitals treating victims and exactly how the Romanian health system operates. First, they hear about diluted disinfectants — sold that way by a shady manufacturer, then watered down again onsite — that led to otherwise avoidable bacterial infections and then fatalities in burns patients while they were supposed to be receiving care. On that subject, the Gazette journalists discover bribes, profiteering, the government's awareness and its willingness to let the whole scheme proceed. Then, after a scandal erupts, Collective is given astonishing access to newly appointed Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu as he tackles the situation. A former patients' rights advocate and activist, he's rightly alarmed again and again as he learns how Romania's hospitals work from the inside, and vows to clean up the broken system. But the more he tries, the more corruption he uncovers, and the more resistance he's met with by folks within the bureaucracy who don't want anything to change. Collective is a dense, painstaking and information-heavy movie, and also a procedural one. Nanau follows the committed Tolontan and his often shocked colleagues as they chase leads, attend press conferences and receive information from whistleblowers. He captures their stakeouts, too, and their thorough conversations about the course and purpose of their investigations. And, when the film broadens its scope in its second half to shadow Voiculescu, it gives him the same treatment. Internal government discussions start to fill the screen, as do the Health Minister's speeches and meetings; when he admits to one group of survivors that "the way a state functions can crush people sometimes," it's an almost perturbingly candid moment. If almost any aspect of this tale was unfurled in a fictional feature, instead of in this tightly framed fly-on-the-wall style documentary, the audience would think that it's too much. A dramatisation is bound to happen, likely as a Spotlight-style Hollywood movie starring a well-known name, but it'll never be able to match the power of seeing and hearing these appalling real-life horrors. One particular shot — not of the fire, but of a patient in the months afterwards — is so potent that it's searing, in fact. Surprisingly given the strength of the Romanian New Wave, which has given rise to a spate of stellar fictional features — including The Death of Mr Lazarescu and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days on the subject of health care, too — Collective is the country's first to garner any Oscar nods, let alone a couple. Shiny trophies don't make a great movie, of course, but this equally rousing and harrowing documentary is worthy of breaking that ground. A chronicle of cascading scandals, it's also an ode to the type of journalism that truly speaks truth to power and doggedly works to expose the cracks in society's foundations. More than that, it's a testament to the need for public scrutiny over all forms of authority, as well as a portrait of what can happen when the few are left to oversee the many unchecked and with only their own best interests at heart. Every second, and every revelation that comes with it, only adds to Collective's traumatising status. There's hope in this film too, however, because thankfully this confronting documentary and its compelling record of those toiling against entrenched corruption exists. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5kkZAKjkiw
You'll need sturdy legs for this one; it's a steep, one-kilometre walk to Jingga Waterhole, a short trip from Campbelltown. However, the effort will be well rewarded, as you'll be picnicking alongside a freshwater rock pool, complete with waterfall — in Dharawal language, jingga is an adjective that means 'fresh' when referring to water. Several threatened species, including potoroos, have discovered the health-giving properties of this spot, so keep a lookout for them. Even though the water is fresh, drinking it isn't a great idea; be sure to carry in plenty. Also, always make sure to check for park alerts before heading out for a walk or swim. Supplied: National Parks NSW
When it comes to costumes, there are a few simple rules. Have fun. Be creative. Don't act like a twit. Unfortunately, some people still have trouble with that last one, with Native American headdresses and other culturally inappropriate garments still an all too common sight at festivals and dress-up parties alike. Thankfully, the team at Sydney's Secret Garden is here to clear up the confusion. Ahead of next weekend's festivities, they've released a short, helpful video about their costume policy, which you can check out below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ9Bhv1iJAk "Our happy place is in some elaborate costume, with a face full of glitter," festival director Clare Downes told Concrete Playground. "There are a ridiculous amount of costume ideas out there. We just want to make sure everyone feels welcome." Secret Garden takes place February 24-25, but bad luck if you don't have tickets because they're sold out.
Adapted from Ken Kesey's beast of a book, Cuckoo's Nest is the tale of Randall McMurphy, a small-time criminal admitted to a mental institution for evaluation. A scoundrel and fierce free thinker, McMurphy befriends the other 'inmates' and begins to school them in the art of revolt. With sedition beginning to waft through the corridors, McMurphy's bid for freedom is opposed by Nurse Ratched, a character who has come to represent the unflinching evil of bureaucracy. Sport for Jove have set themselves a real task with this one. Kesey's book is filled with monstrous shadows, bending time and demons struggling to maintain a human form. But its nightmarish qualities are offset by characters and friendships defined by tenderness and an aching timidity. The film adaptation of Cuckoo's Nest is infamous for being one of only three films to sweep the big five – Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay at the Academy Awards. Its Broadway run was no less daunting, with Kirk Douglas taking the role of McMurphy and Gene Wilder playing Billy. Uplifting and a kick in the guts at the same time, Cuckoo's Nest is a great reminder that, as McMurphy points out, "You're no crazier than the average asshole walkin' around on the street and that's it!" Image: Marnya Rothe.
If your Easter routine usually involves a seafood feast, you don't need to alter your plans in 2020. While heading to the shops looks a bit different in these COVID-19 times — and going out for a meal is on hold indefinitely — Betty's Burgers is serving up plenty of prawns for the occasion. Combining four juicy fried prawns, the chain's special garlic mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato, Betty's new prawn roll is available for takeaway from its restaurants spotted across Australia. If your stomach is already rumbling, you can tuck into one for $15 — or order a meal for you and your housemate and get two rolls and two serves of fries for $35. You'll need to get in quickly, though, with the prawn roll only available for a week from Thursday, April 9–Thursday, April 16. And, if it's anything like the chain's lobster roll, expect it to sell-out — fast. Known for its Shake Shack-style burgs and frozen custard desserts (called concretes), Betty's foray into prawns is also a celebration of its beachy roots. While you can now grab a Betty's burger at over 20 locations across Australia, including six Sydney outlets, four Melbourne spots, four Brisbane outposts, one Toowoomba eatery and one location in Adelaide, the company first began in Noosa, and then expanded to the Gold Coast. Over the Easter long weekend, Betty's Burgers stores are open from 11.30am–9pm daily, with the following stores temporarily closed: Coomera and Pacific Fair in Queensland, Central Station and Market Street in NSW, and The Glen and Exhibition Street in Victoria. The rest of the chain's stores are open for takeaway and most of them offer delivery via UberEats and Deliveroo. To check what options your local has, head to the Betty's Burgers' website or download the app for iOS or Google Play. Betty's Burgers' prawn roll is available at all Australian stores — except Coomera and Pacific Fair in Queensland, Central Station and Market Street in NSW, and The Glen and Exhibition Street — for takeaway for a limited time. To order, download the Betty's Burgers app for iOS or Google Play. If you choose to pick up these burgers, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
I for one am sick of the pristine, elegant, squeaky-clean image of the circus these days. Cirque du yawne if you ask me. Where did the real performers go? In the olden days skills had to be mutated at birth, never learnt. Ogling was encouraged and the grotesque was some 'thing' in a jar. Midgets and strong-men would together run wild and free. Well, I am here to proclaim "roll up, roll up!" to the Tiny Top and enjoy all that was wholesome in ye olde circus; the bearded lady has been granted one last song. To achieve this amazing fete, Legs on the Wall have pulled in the most talented directors and designers from NIDA to recapture the true spirit of the circus. The Tiny Top includes not only a 'big' top of acts, but a side alley of shows including a beat box artist, a rodeo girl, acrobatic gypsies, an electric man, a psychic and a flamenco lover, while also bringing back the value of those useless gold coins sitting in your pocket. Entry is free; wander the sideshows and just pay a token for whatever you fancy. Finally, throw down a potent elixir at the bar and never wash your eyes again, this is a show you won't want to miss.
We've seen plenty of iPhone camera extensions before but this one takes the cake. Don't go wild just yet – it's still only in concept stage – but with the optical zoom of a Leica lens combined with the functionality of the Apple iPhone, the Leica i9 is sure to take iPhoneography to new heights. This week Black Design Associates announced the Leica i9 concept, which lets you slip your iPhone 4 into a Leica camera casing. The result? A point and shoot camera with internal flash memory, a 12.1 megapixel sensor and 8x optical zoom. In developing the concept, BDA asked the question: "How do you combine a great smart phone with a great digital camera when your brands may speak to very different categories?" BDA approached the brief with the strategy of compliment without compromise, allowing the strengths of both Apple and Leica products to shine through in tandem. Sweet features of the Leica i9 include: Camera/iPhone Toggle: turns on your camera with an instant start-up time of 0.3 seconds, while simultaneously loading the Leica app on your iPhone 4 Flash and Light Meter: offers higher quality photos and videos in low-light conditions Camera Back Dock: harks back to traditional 35mm film, the back swinging open like a traditional film door to reveal the standard Apple 30-pin connector dock [Via Engadget]
If there are two things that all of Sydney can agree on, it is that this city gets very warm in summer, and that ice-cream is delicious. There is no denying the sensory excitement created by the meeting of this delicious cold snack and your mouth. Sitting atop the summit of this tantalising ice-cream mountain is everybody's cinema favourite, the choc top. After all, there's no better way to enjoy an ice cream than encasing it in chocolatey goodness. And what could make this choc top better? As a MasterCard® cardholder, you will receive a free choc top with the purchase of any full priced movie ticket at the Ritz Cinema in Randwick. Just swipe and enjoy your treat. Movie theatres are one of the last remaining habitats of this increasingly rare treat and the Ritz Cinema in Randwick is arguably the king of the choc top in Sydney. Hand-made for you by Ritz staff, the personalised touch will remind you of the pure joy the movie experience held for you as a child. With flavours changing regularly, you can keep returning to find your favourite. Once you've found it, come back for more of your favourite. This offer ends on April 22, 2014, so they have you covered for all of summer.
If you'd rather sit at home with the lights off than watch the NSW election coverage, you're in luck. This year's Earth Hour starts at 8.30pm the night of the election, providing you with some alternative civic participation if you weren't looking forward to a night of margins and reported booths. The night started here in Sydney in 2007 and has become an international event in the years since. Earth Hours are now carried out in cities around the world, like Shenyang in China and Medellin near the Colombian coast. Earth Hour is a symbolic action. Although there is carbon saved by turning things off, the point is the unmissable demonstration that a huge chunk of the world's population can do the same thing at the same time. If they can do it for Earth Hour, why not for grander environmental things? This year, the focus sits squarely after 9.30. People around the world are pledging to keep doing the little things that add up — cycling to work, recycling more, refusing plastic bags at the supermarket. You can join in with the broader environmental message, or you can just go for the spectacle. But any of these small acts could lead to bigger things. Image of Earth Hour Switch Off 2010 by Sewell / WWF.
If you thought your Halloween costume couldn't be beat, then you, my friend, have fallen for a trick — not a treat. Because these dogs will trump you. On Sunday, October 28, The Beresford will host a Halloween-themed dog shot. The Merivale establishment is teaming up with premier pup institution Dogue to put on a day of fun for both human and hound. There will be live entertainment, market stalls and prizes for the best-dressed pups, so start your outfit brainstorming now. Vampire viszlas, ghoulish golden retrievers, alien alsatians, t-rex terriers, Jack the Ripper jack russells — the creepy costume ideas are endless for man's best friend. Even if you don't have a dog to dress, you can head along and have a gander — and maybe donate to the Sydney Cats and Dogs Home, too,
Want to sing along to a live version of "Emergency Contraception Blues" or do your Shuffle dance in a public place rather than in the shower (with lots of jumping involved)? Then here's your chance, because the Bombay Bicycle Club are going to be hanging out in Australia for a little while after playing The Falls Festival and a string of American gigs. It's time to learn their lyrics, perhaps eat a curry (the band named themselves after a curry chain) and practice those Northern Londonder accents ("you riiiiiiigh?") These guys sure seem like an interesting bunch in their music clips, frolicking around London and revealing a love for moon juice, space jellyfish and antennae growing out of heads, so surely the gig will be a hit. Three of the four in the band have been playing together since they were 15, their last two albums have gone gold in the UK and Triple J seem to like them a lot too. Jack Steadman (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Jamie MacColl (guitar), Ed Nash (bass) and Suren de Saram (drums) make their music a hard one to pin down in terms of classification, but British indie folk, indie rock and twee pop all seem apt. Local act The Paper Kites are going to be supporting them, if for some reason you needed another reason to go. https://youtube.com/watch?v=MgvBmEmtF-I
If you missed out on The Jungle Collective's previous warehouse plant sales, be sure to clear the weekend of April 21 and 22. Because there's another one on its way. The Jungle Collective is a Melbourne nursery that stocks all kinds of weird and wonderful species. After holding four wildly successful Sydney markets this year, it's tracking down new plants and throwing another two-day indoor plant party. This time, it's safari themed, so wear some khaki with a hat and binoculars. If you do, you'll get a $5 discount off of your purchase. While plenty of rare plants and indoor favourites will be on offer, philodendrons will be in the spotlight. Previous sales have had everything from hanging pot plants to palms to a giant Bird of Paradise, so prepare to welcome a few into your home. Have a reputation for killing your cacti? Overwatering your ferns? Don't worry — there'll be horticulturalists on site on the night to give you advice and chat through any questions you might have. Taking place in St Peters, the sale run from 10am till 4pm on Saturday and 10am till 2pm on Sunday, with ticketed sessions. The good stuff tends to go first, so we recommend booking a morning session on the Saturday when bookings open at noon on Monday, April 16. Images: Mooikin.
