Fred's in Paddington is a venue that offers us three unique experiences wrapped up into one wholesome night of farm-to-table fun amid a genuinely lovely setting. Entering on street level you're greeted by an industrial-meets-vintage cocktail bar with marble aplenty. The dining room is slick and cosy. The setting emulates the warmth at the heart of a charming country homestead — oversized kitchen islands and freestanding Tuscan grills do away with a traditional restaurant set-up where a custom-made hearth emits a soft glow while the kitchen calmly moves between pans and plates. Originally conceived by superstar Head Chef Danielle Alvarez (who honed her skills at Napa Valley's famed The French Laundry) the focus for the menu has always been about sustainable produce from the people who farm it served by an enthusiastic team passionate about elevating your dining experience. Alvarez may have moved on, but the sentiment toward food and service remains in tact at Fred's. Examining the lunch and dinner menu the best approach is getting on board with your co-diners and filling the table with a spread of food, feasting rather than neatly settling for three courses each. You'll find simple starters such as fougasse with butter and olive oil and refreshing smaller plates like beef tartare with black pepper, anchovies and buckwheat crackers, or the rather special cucumber with poached lobster and crème fraiche. Then there's hearty wood oven dishes and bigger protein-forward items off the grill including a woodfired bass grouper, the Milly Hill lamb or the rib eye steak executed at a very high level. Tipples-wise, the full wine list should satisfy any palate with its 26 pages of options; there's also a strong beer and cider selection and enough spirits to drown a European oligarch. When it comes to cocktails, the signature offering is stellar, but we recommend saving your cocktail drinking for the jazz-inspired hidey hole Charlie Parker's in the basement under Fred's. You should definitely make a stop down here, but it's up top where you'll really enjoy the show. Images: Byron Martin for PADDO(Collective)
Built in 1921, the heritage listed hotel has had many of its features restored to their original state over the past decade or so, including fireplaces, the bars themselves and the almighty rooftop space. Overseen by the heritage council, the Glenmore now has a swanky Ladies Pamper Parlour, a lounge area on the first floor where the hotel rooms used to be, along with a new cocktail bar and collection of rooms with juliette balconies, plush carpets, retro posters and a pool table. And while this is all very grand, one of the best parts of The Glenmore has to be the rooftop terrace. The views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House can be seen clearer from this area. The retractable roof is a great addition, along with the rustic style wooden benches and red industrial chairs. [caption id="attachment_761766" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Sit up here or in the dining room, munching on shared plates — think oysters, grilled octopus, polenta chips and prawn toast — alongside some burgers and larger plates including a great chicken parmie. For cocktails in the lounge area, the Santi Muerto — tequila, limoncello, watermelon juice and a dash of bitter lemon soda — is perfect for lazy hot summer nights. Alternatively, there's a compact list of wines, beers and Dom Perignon for special occasions. Like many popular pubs in Sydney, The Glenmore has refined its offerings without losing its old world charm. It remains a solid addition to the Rocks' dining and watering hole scene. [caption id="attachment_850853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] Appears in: The Best Pubs in Sydney The Best Rooftop Bars in Sydney
Ascending the steps and passing through the glass front of Gaden House feels like stepping into another era — one of big, confident dining rooms where the service is crisp, the wine list deep and the food unapologetically generous. Gran Torino is Neil and Samantha Perry's contemporary ode to that golden age, pairing old-world glamour with classic Italian flavours and signature Perry precision across two floors of Double Bay's modernist marvel. The menu, developed by Perry with Executive Chef Richard Purdue (who previously ran Perry's Rosetta) and Head Chef Ervin Mumajesi (who's come over from Margaret), champions seasonality and quality, spotlighting some of the country's most respected producers. It takes its cues from the traditional Italian emphasis on fresh, market-driven ingredients, with antipasti like Mishima bresaola with reggiano and extra virgin olive oil, Burraduc Farm buffalo mozzarella with artichoke caponata and a fritto misto di mare piled with Spencer Gulf king prawns, squid, scallops and coral trout. [caption id="attachment_1017640" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yusuke Oba[/caption] Handmade pastas might include agnolotti del plin filled with veal and guinea fowl luxuriating in sage butter and a classic tagliatelle alla bolognese, while mains range from single-line-caught fish and Wollemi duck alla cacciatora to dry-aged CopperTree Farms steaks served with an array of condiments. Desserts — like a textbook tiramisu, classic cassata and vanilla cream and raspberry conserva-filled bomboloni — channel the same confident simplicity. The food is matched with a deep, globetrotting wine program. Alongside a strong showing from Italian and Australian makers, there are bottles from Europe, South Africa and the Americas, plus a champagne list that spans both established houses and emerging makers. Gran Torino's dining spaces, brought to life by longtime Perry collaborators Collette Dinnigan and Earl Carter, feature more than 50 photographs — including many black-and-white images from the 1950s and 60s — lining the dark wood walls and playing nicely against the space's chrome accents. It's a space made for long lunches and lingering dinners, whether in the 130-seat main dining room or on the 30-seat al fresco terrace overlooking Bay Street. [caption id="attachment_1017636" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yusuke Oba[/caption] Top images: Yusuke Oba.
First things first: don't come to Claret Club if you're in the mood for a cocktail. "Sydney has so many fantastic cocktail venues — we're happy to leave those to the experts," says Bridget Raffal (pictured below), co-owner of the intimate Darlinghurst newcomer. "Wine is what we love, and that's where we choose to put our energy." The other half of that 'we' is Raffal's business and life partner, Harry Hunter. Both are excellently credentialled: Hunter is a former sommelier at Rockpool, Bentley Group and Dinner by Heston, while fellow somm Raffal is herself an alum of Sixpenny and co-owner of Marrickville wine bar Where's Nick. Together, they've opened a deliberately wine-first bar and restaurant in Darlinghurst, doing away with gatekeeping — and, yes, cocktails — while putting great bottles and approachability front and centre. [caption id="attachment_1065648" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Isabella Wild[/caption] Claret Club occupies a two-storey terrace on Stanley Street, with a walk-in wine bar downstairs and a European-inspired dining room upstairs. Wine is the undisputed star of the show, with a rotating selection of 30 drops available by the glass, and a by-the-bottle list set to expand to around 800 labels over time. Many of the bottles are pulled directly from Raffal and Hunter's personal cellar — expect everything from benchmark Bordeaux and Burgundy Grands Crus to standout Australian expressions from regions like the Yarra Valley, Coonawarra and Margaret River. While the name nods to historically exclusive members-only wine societies, this is very much a modern, inclusive take. "We're excited to open up our personal collections," says Raffal. "A lot of sommeliers keep secret 'reserve' lists for those in the know, where guests are deemed worthy of ordering certain bottles, but that's just not our style." At Claret Club, if a wine is in its drinking window, it'll be on the list for anyone to enjoy. Upstairs, Head Chef Andy Buchanan (The Dry Dock) oversees a wine-friendly menu inspired by classic European bistros and unfussy, flavour-first cooking. The à la carte selection includes pig's head croquettes with salsa verde, gnocco fritto with anchovy and sage, market fish with sauce vierge and roast duck with summer cherries and bitter leaves. There's also a $100 Carte Blanche option, where the kitchen matches five courses to guests' wine selection. Cocktails, meanwhile, are conspicuously absent. There's a tight selection of aperitifs, digestifs and select spirits, but nothing shaken or mixed, ensuring the focus remains on what's in the glass. For Raffal, that focus is both practical and philosophical: "Can you imagine missing out on a conversation about a truly beautiful bottle of wine because you were stuck behind the bar making cocktails? Nightmare material!" Images: Isabella Wild.
After serving up slices at festivals and events in Queensland, and and building a cult following through standout pop-ups at Marrickville's Grifter Brewing Co and The Dolphin Hotel, Sydney duo The Pizza Bros have opened their first permanent location inside a beloved Inner West pub. You'll now find the Bros' beloved leopard-spotted rounds on the rooftop of the historic Erskineville stalwart The Imperial. A bustling LGBTQIA+ nightlife hub famous for its appearance in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Imperial was recently taken over by Universal Hotels, the hospitality team behind Newtown Hotel, Universal, Oxford Hotel and Civic Hotel. While not much has changed so far since the acquisition, the arrival of The Pizza Bros marks the first shift in offerings since the changing of hands. "The Pizza Bros are not just pizza makers; they're a cultural phenomenon," said CEO of Universal Hotels Harris Kospetas. "The Imperial Hotel has always been a place where innovation meets tradition, and we're excited to infuse fresh energy into this beloved space. We have some exciting changes in the works that will undoubtedly resonate with the community." Anyone who's visited the pop-up at Grifter will know the duo specialise in perfectly chewy woodfired pizza reminiscent of other Sydney favourites like Bella Brutta and Gigis — both of which the Bros previously worked at. The menu across the pop-up and this new kitchen focuses on combining Italian staples with quality local produce. Take the Waterworld, which pairs a house-made fermented chilli sauce with fior di latte, Faros Seafood garlic prawns and pancetta. There's also a luxe take on a meatlovers featuring LP's salami cotto and Whole Beast Butchery salsicce — and The Mago Picasso, which keeps it simple with fior di latte, pomodoro sugo, confit garlic and basil. But, what would good toppings be worth without a great canvas? The Pizza Bros give special focus to their in-house dough, using several fermentation processes to create each base. The result is both tasty and aesthetically pleasing — so pleasing that it's racked up hundreds of thousands of views across TikTok and Instagram. The Imperial is walk-in friendly, but if you want to make a booking for the rooftop, you can at the pub's website. The Imperial is located at 35 Erskineville Road, Erksineville. You'll find The Pizza Bros on the rooftop Wednesday–Sunday.
Need some perspective? Grab your hiking boots. There's no better way to get yourself out of your head (and your altitude) than a good old mountain climb. Australia's ranges might not have the height and ruggedness of the Himalayas, but they do have snow gums, wildflowers, seemingly infinite space and wallabies. Autumn is a great season for conquering a peak or two. Depending on where you live, you can knock them out on a day trip, conquer one on a weekend away or plan a whole holiday around a climb. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. [caption id="attachment_750964" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Snowy Mountains[/caption] MOUNT KOSCIUSZKO, NSW Start at the top. Mighty Mount Kosciuszko is the highest peak in Australia. You'll find its towering 2228 metres in the Kosciuszko National Park, around 500 kilometres southwest of Sydney. The most popular route follows the Old Summit Road for 18 kilometres, beginning at Charlotte's Pass. For a longer adventure, take the Main Range Walk, a 22-kilometre loop that takes in several impossibly blue glacial lakes. Either way, you'll find yourself surrounded by spectacular wilderness — and you'll end your journey looking down on Australia. [caption id="attachment_688566" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trevor King/Destination NSW[/caption] MOUNT GOWER ON LORD HOWE ISLAND, NSW Perched 875 metres above the Tasman Sea on Lord Howe Island, the Mount Gower summit walk isn't just a mountain climb — it's a serious adrenalin rush. You'll need a guide in order to tackle this 14-kilometre trail through the island's most inaccessible — and most beautiful — terrain, where you can expect to meet endangered creatures and unusual plants. The peak is covered in a seemingly enchanted forest, filled with mosses and ferns, soundtracked by the sounds of waves crashing nearly a kilometre below. Lord Howe Island is just under two hours' flight east of Sydney and is one of Australia's best islands for a holiday. [caption id="attachment_690974" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Charles Hill/Tourism Tasmania[/caption] CRADLE MOUNTAIN, TASMANIA From a distance, Cradle Mountain, which is perched on the shores of Dove Lake, looks like a challenge fit for Frodo Baggins. And it pretty much is. The 13-kilometre circuit includes quite a bit of rock scrambling and boulder hopping among ancient rainforest, rushing streams and wild creatures. Get to the summit and your efforts will be well rewarded with absolutely magical vistas of Cradle Mountain-Lake Saint Clair National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Finish off your holiday with a food-centric road trip or continue hiking along the iconic Overland Track, a 65-kilometre, six-day adventure. [caption id="attachment_690956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Rains/Tourism WA[/caption] BURRINGURRAH (MOUNT AUGUSTUS), WESTERN AUSTRALIA Burringurrah (also known as Mount Augustus) isn't just a mountain, but an island too. Like Uluru, it's an inselberg — that is, an island mountain, a single rock formation that rises dramatically from surrounding plains. But you can climb it. The tough 12-kilometre return trail spends most of its time among native shrubs and flowers, including wattle, cassias and figworts, and the views are panoramic. As the day passes, you'll notice the changing light bringing various colours out of the landscape. If this walk sounds too difficult, there are plenty of shorter trails to choose from. However, you can only climb during the day, as the Wajarri community — Burringurrah's traditional custodians — request that no one climb the inselberg after dark. [caption id="attachment_690946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] World Expeditions/Tourism Australia[/caption] MOUNT SONDER, NORTHERN TERRITORY There are two ways to master Mount Sonder: as the finale of the 223-kilometre Larapinta Trail, or as a day trip. Its rich red peak, at 1380 metres, is the highest point in the West MacDonnell Ranges and the fourth highest mountain in the Northern Territory. The trail is a steady climb, leading eventually to high slopes dotted with round-leafed mallee and native pines. Keep your eyes down for grey-headed honeyeaters and desert mice and up for wedge-tailed eagles and peregrine falcons. [caption id="attachment_724172" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Blackburn courtesy of Visit Victoria[/caption] MOUNT DUWUL (WILLIAM), VICTORIA Another peak that's good for newbie mountain goats is Mount Duwul, also called Mount William. At 1167 metres, it's the highest peak in the Grampians, which lie around 270 kilometres northwest of Melbourne. You can drive much of the way to the base, so the walk is just 45 minutes. For minimum effort, the rewards are major: the summit affords mind blowing views of the Grampians' many plateaus, rocks formations and swathes of wilderness. [caption id="attachment_690954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rawnsley Park Station/South Australia Tourism Commission[/caption] RAWNSLEY BLUFF, SOUTH AUSTRALIA There are numerous peaks to conquer in the Flinders Ranges, a mountain range 200 kilometres north of Adelaide. St Mary's Peak is the highest, but since the Adnyamathanha People have requested that walkers keep away from the summit, considerate hikers have been pursuing other possibilities. One of these is Rawnsley Bluff. The 11-kilometre return trail immerses you in a spectacular arid landscape, dotted with wildflowers, roos and emus. At the top, prepare for breathtaking panoramas of Wilpena Pound (Ikara), the Elder Range and the Flinders Ranges. [caption id="attachment_614775" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tamyka Bell/Flickr[/caption] MOUNT BOGONG, VICTORIA Mount Bogong, at 1986 metres high, is the highest mountain in Victoria. It's in the Alpine National Park, around four hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. The one of the more challenging routes is the Staircase Spur: a steep, 16-kilometre climb to the summit. You'll pass through a forest of peppermint gums before reaching Bivouac Hut, which marks the halfway point. Beyond, snow gums line the way, opening onto a rocky ridge and then Bogong's summit: an open plateau that affords 360-degree views of the High Country. If you're looking for a cosy campsite, head to Cleve Cole Hut. [caption id="attachment_690972" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Gray/Wikimedia Commons[/caption] DIDTHUL (PIGEON HOUSE MOUNTAIN), NSW If you're keen to climb, but don't have the skills and fitness of a pro mountaineer, make tracks to Didthul (Pigeon House Mountain), which lies around four hours south of Sydney in the Budawang National Park. Unlike many of the other peaks on this list, it's a relatively easy trail. The five-kilometre return walk is clearly marked and ends in awe-inspiring views of wilderness plus coast: on a good day, you'll see as far north as Jervis Bay and as far south as Bermagui. [caption id="attachment_690952" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Australia[/caption] MOUNT BARNEY, QUEENSLAND Twenty-four million years ago, the Focal Peak Shield Volcano erupted leaving behind a collection of craggy peaks, including Mount Barney, which, at 1359 metres, is the second highest mountain in South East Queensland. You'll find it within the Scenic Rim, a land of ancient rainforest, rugged scenery and little villages in the Gold Coast Hinterland. Fair warning: the trail is challenging and tricky to navigate at times, so you'll want some bush walking experience under your belt. Should you make it to the top, you'll be rewarded with uninterrupted views of nearby volcanic peaks Mount Maroon, Mount Ernest and Mount Lindesay. Top image: Cradle Mountain by Jason Charles Hill/Tourism Tasmania.
When London's The Palomar opened in Soho in 2014, it was an instant hit. Spotlighting the flavours of Southern Europe, North Africa and the Levant with energy and warmth, it quickly cemented itself as one of the city's must-visit dining rooms, having held a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand every year since. Now, more than a decade on, Studio Paskin — the London hospo group behind The Palomar and Michelin-starred Evelyn's Table — has chosen Sydney as the site of the brand's first international outpost. And local diners have every reason to be excited. Set within the former Grand Pacific Blue Room — the 90s it-nightclub now reborn as part of the 25hours Hotel The Olympia — the Sydney iteration of The Palomar carries the DNA of its London predecessor while feeling distinctly its own. Culinary direction is led by Mitch Orr, whose playful yet refined approach has shaped some of Sydney's most influential dining rooms, including Kiln and Acme. Alongside Head Chef Luke Davenport — who began his career at The Palomar London before stints at Noma, The Ledbury and, most recently, helming the kitchen at Potts Point's Franca Brasserie — Orr has crafted a considered, produce-driven menu that riffs on the London original while putting Australian growers and ingredients front and centre. That means dishes like grilled Abrolhos Island scallop with zhoug butter, butterflied line-caught blue mackerel with chermoula and Westholme wagyu tartare with amba and celeriac. A woodfired grill drives much of the menu, giving plates an earthy, smoky edge while also laying the groundwork for a cleverly restrained approach — grilled southern calamari is lifted with preserved lemon, whole flounder is finished with ras el hanout butter and flame-licked CopperTree Farm ribeye arrives with a punchy burnt chilli salsa. For dessert, the pistachio ice cream baklava sandwich, a favourite on the London menu, has all the makings of a future Sydney classic. The wine program echoes the restaurant's global reach and local focus. Georgian, Turkish and Lebanese bottlings share the stage with standout Australian producers, while a tight edit of sparkling and skin-contact drops highlights Mediterranean and New World varietals. Design-wise, the 110-seat space mirrors The Palomar London's intimate, timeless charm. Heritage bricks from the original site are offset with rich navy leathers, timber flooring and marble mosaic tile inlays, themselves nods to the London venue. The pink quartzite-topped kitchen bar, a signature of The Palomar experience, is a focal point here, too, inviting diners to watch the kitchen in full flight while soaking up the energy of one of Sydney's most anticipated openings of the year.
With slouchy off-shoulder tops ruling the streets, Drake's Views enjoying an unexpected chart renaissance, and a King Kylie cameo, it feels like we've stepped into the rose-tinted days of 2016 lately. As friends and celebrities alike flood the feed with decade-old throwbacks, look out for flower crowns and American Apparel tennis skirts. Pinkish Rio de Janeiro-esque overlays on grainy iPhone 7 selfies. Zara Larson's Lush Life. Safe to say, the millennials are nostalgic. Amid the never-ending summer vibes, the cult TWOOBS platforms emerged. Founded in Byron Bay by sisters Jess and Stef Dadon, the brand recently marked its 10th birthday with a nostalgic post revisiting its earlier days. A 2016 snap aptly captures the founders decked out in neoprene Triangl bikinis and early prototypes of the now-signature OG sandals. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TWOOBS (@twoobs) The Dadon sisters were part of the primordial wave of fashion bloggers who turned their outfit posts into full-time careers. Howtwolive (it's still up!) began in 2012 as a daily outfit diary documenting their shared wardrobe while one of them spent six months in Paris. They became known for their playful, slightly absurd style — think doll heads, wacky prints, and out-there sunglasses — and, above all, a devotion to platforms. "We hated heels. We hated being uncomfortable," Stef shares. "That was where the seeds for TWOOBS were planted. We were known as platform wearers." The Dadon sisters built a following the old-fashioned way: first on their blog, and then on Instagram six months later. The early posts were, as Jess puts it, "taken in very lo-fi ways that would not fly on Instagram today". A stark contrast to today's collective urge to log off, she shares that people were hungrier for content in the early 2010s — her lunch breaks were spent scrolling through iconic blogs like the Olsens Anonymous. While an Instagram following translates to cash today, influencer marketing wasn't as lucrative back then. In fact, it didn't exist. For the sisters' first big break, they were flown out to Sydney to style and model in a campaign for a major brand. Their earnings? $250 in total, plus $150 worth of clothing. In 2025, that's the rough cost of an Instagram story from a microinfluencer. "It was a very different era, and we were definitely doing it for the love of it rather than the money," Stef says. "We saw how people started to get paid for their work, which was awesome... but back then it was much more organic and fun and freeing. Everybody was just doing it as a side hustle because they loved fashion." At the height of the absurdly chunky shoe (Jeffery Campbell's Litas set the tone), Stef recalls the OG sandal being likened to orthopedic shoes. Its adjustable velcro straps and sensible flat soles exuded a utilitarian streak once reserved for the outdoors, if anywhere. It certainly stood out at New York Fashion Week in February 2016, where the Dadon sisters debuted the sandals with bikini-clad models braving the -4 degrees weather. The OG still toed the line, though — a triple-stack version was regrettably recalled when a customer almost broke an ankle in them. A decade later, the OG and its taller sister, the OG+, are performing better than before. "People still call them ugly to this day, but it's kind of like, you want ugly shoes now," Stef quips. Lately, the sisters are partial to the BFF, a chic summer thong born out of "looking at people's feet" at airports. "We noticed men, particularly, wearing these daggy flip flops a few years ago. I remember discussing that on the right person with the right outfit, they could actually be pretty cool," Jess laughs. Eight chic colour variations also amping up the summer appeal; Jess's pick is a playful red tone called Spaghetti Sauce, while Stef defaults to classic black. The BFF is constructed to feel as weightless as possible — the toe post was only perfected on the seventh try — and its cloud-like soles star carbon-soaking sugarcane and bouncy natural rubber. All TWOOBS feature 100% recycled materials — one of the sustainable initiatives introduced to the brand after the founders witnessed the volume of waste in the fashion. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TWOOBS (@twoobs) Subcultures began protesting fast fashion – a term coined by The New York Times in the '90s — as early as the 1970s, but the trend cycle was unstoppable. For decades, sustainability remained the niche domain of anti-sweatshop activists and environmental campaigners, while mainstream shoppers chased bargains bucked by supply chains that could turn runway looks into $20 tops at breakneck speed. "I think price was really what was driving the customer so heavily," Jess says. "It wasn't for another few years until the conversation started to become really environmentally-focused." Like many, TWOOBS initially introduced a cruelty-free ('vegan' was the buzzy shorthand) ethos before moving on to greener pastures. From zero-waste packaging to recyclable materials, she and Stef have inched forward until they realised that a 'sustainable fashion brand' doesn't exist. But a sustainble-r one does. TWOOBS' Byron Bay location is fitted out exclusively through Takesies Backsies — a fun recycling program where old TWOOBS are exchanged for a cash voucher, and broken down to produce office supplies — and the project saved approximately 150 kilograms of plastic from landfill. Today, the store accepts non-TWOOBS shoes too. As cozzie livs strikes again, Jess and Stef are observing an unsettling Temu and SHEIN resurgence. Consumer focus has shifted yet again and TWOOBS has repackaged itself, but that doesn't mean that sustainable-r practices go out the window. "If we can convince everyone to buy our shoes because they're so comfy and so cool, then we're convincing people to buy better for the planet." Find out more about TWOOBS story and shop the collection online. Images: supplied
If keeping your eyes glued to a screen comes as naturally to you as breathing, then awards season brings plenty of news that you already know. You watched the best movies and TV shows of the past year, and now they're winning awards. Sometimes there's surprises. Sometimes everything that everyone expects to nab a shiny trophy does. Sometimes something deserving misses out, or wasn't even nominated. That comes with the territory, including at the Golden Globes, which usually kicks off the year in gleaming pop-culture accolades — and did again in 2024. Hearing everything that you already know in the opening monologue, though? That's something that no one wants. Were you aware that Oppenheimer is long? That Saltburn includes nudity? That Robert De Niro is an icon? So went the first few jokes from this year's host Jo Koy, amid mentioning that he "got the gig ten days ago" — which isn't too far off the mark. Thankfully, while the ceremony's hosting fell flat, as did Jared Leto's gags about himself while co-presenting the first awards with Angela Bassett, the gongs weren't short on highlights. You just had to look to the award recipients and presenters for the gold. So, let's remember the 2024 Golden Globes for Australia's Margot Robbie, Sarah Snook and Elizabeth Debicki all emerging victorious; Lily Gladstone's historic win and unforgettable speech; and Anatomy of a Fall winning Best Screenplay, a category that rarely goes to films in languages other than English. Succession's Matthew Macfadyen dubbing Tom Wambsgans a "human grease stain", then Kieran Culkin winning over Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong; Ayo Edibiri's excitement, including while thanking her managers' and agents' assistants for answering her emails, when she won for The Bear; Kevin Costner reciting America Ferrara's Barbie monologue; The Boy and the Heron getting the nod for Best Animation: they're all standout moments as well. Also worth sitting through this year's first night of nights for all things film and television: Emma Stone ribbing Australia's Poor Things screenwriter Tony McNamara about her attempts to do an Aussie accent, Christopher Nolan calling Cillian Murphy his partner-in-crime for 20 years and Murphy's just-as-touching acceptance speech. Your questions from here? What'll happen when Oppenheimer and Barbie face off at the Oscars, which doesn't separate dramas from musicals and comedies? Will the TV winners be mirrored when the delayed 2023 Emmys hand out its trophies later in January? How many more shades of pink can Margot Robbie don? And if your biggest query now is "who else won?", here's the full list of winners and nominations — and you can also check out our picks for the eight best winners you can watch right now. GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES AND WINNERS: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Anatomy of a Fall Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer — WINNER Past Lives The Zone of Interest BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Annette Bening, Nyad Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon — WINNER Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Greta Lee, Past Lives Carey Mulligan, Maestro Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Bradley Cooper, Maestro Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon Colman Domingo, Rustin Barry Keoghan, Saltburn Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer — WINNER Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Air American Fiction Barbie The Holdovers May December Poor Things — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings Natalie Portman, May December Alma Pöysti, Fallen Leaves Margot Robbie, Barbie Emma Stone, Poor Things — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction Joaquin Phoenix, Beau Is Afraid Matt Damon, Air Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers — WINNER Timothée Chalamet, Wonka BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED The Boy and the Heron — WINNER Elemental Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Super Mario Bros Movie Suzume Wish BEST MOTION PICTURE — NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE Anatomy of a Fall — WINNER Fallen Leaves Io Capitano Past Lives Society of the Snow The Zone of Interest BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers — WINNER Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Jodie Foster, Nyad Julianne Moore, May December Rosamund Pike, Saltburn BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Charles Melton, May December Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer — WINNER Ryan Gosling, Barbie Willem Dafoe, Poor Things BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE Bradley Cooper, Maestro Greta Gerwig, Barbie Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer — WINNER Martin Scorsese, Killers of The Flower Moon Celine Song, Past Lives BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE Anatomy of a Fall — WINNER Barbie Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer Past Lives Poor Things BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE The Boy and the Heron Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer —WINNER Poor Things Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Zone of Interest BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE Bruce Springsteen, 'Addicted to Romance', She Came to Me Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa and Caroline Ailin, 'Dance the Night', Barbie Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, 'I'm Just Ken', Barbie Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond and John Spiker, 'Peaches', The Super Mario Bros Movie Lenny Kravitz, 'Road to Freedom', Rustin Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, 'What Was I Made For?', Barbie — WINNER CINEMATIC AND BOX OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT Barbie — WINNER Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 John Wick: Chapter 4 Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Oppenheimer Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Super Mario Bros. Movie Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA 1923 The Crown The Diplomat The Last of Us The Morning Show Succession — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us Emma Stone, The Curse Helen Mirren, 1923 Imelda Staunton, The Crown Keri Russell, The Diplomat Sarah Snook, Succession — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Brian Cox, Succession Kieran Culkin, Succession — WINNER Gary Oldman, Slow Horses Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us Jeremy Strong, Succession Dominic West, The Crown BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Ted Lasso Abbott Elementary The Bear — WINNER Barry Only Murders in the Building Jury Duty BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri, The Bear — WINNER Elle Fanning, The Great Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Bill Hader, Barry Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Jason Segel, Shrinking Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso Jeremy Allen White, The Bear — WINNER BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION All the Light We Cannot See Beef — WINNER Daisy Jones & The Six Fargo Fellow Travellers Lessons in Chemistry BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Ali Wong, Beef — WINNER Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death Juno Temple, Fargo Rachel Weisz, Dead Ringers Riley Keough, Daisy Jones & the Six BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION David Oyelowo, Lawmen: Bass Reeves Jon Hamm, Fargo Matt Bomer, Fellow Travellers Sam Claflin, Daisy Jones & the Six Steven Yeun, Beef — WINNER Woody Harrelson, White House Plumbers BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION Abby Elliott, The Bear Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown — WINNER Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso J. Smith-Cameron, Succession Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION Alan Ruck, Succession Alexander Skarsgård, Succession Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear James Marsden, Jury Duty Matthew Macfadyen, Succession — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE IN STANDUP COMEDY ON TELEVISION Ricky Gervais: Armageddon — WINNER Trevor Noah: Where Was I Chris Rock: Selective Outrage Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer The 2024 Golden Globes were announced on Monday, January 8, Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
Las Palmas has landed, and it's bringing the sun-soaked, free-spirited and vibrant energy of the Mexican coastline to Manly's West Esplanade. The garden bar and taqueria, just steps away from Manly Wharf and accessible via a 15-minute ferry from the CBD, is set to become a go-to destination for tasty tacos, many margaritas, live music and good vibes. This opening marks the next phase of The Boathouse Group's waterfront evolution in Manly, following the success of Manly Pavilion and The Espy. With Las Palmas, the group continues to establish the West Esplanade as one of Sydney's most exciting and up-and-coming precincts for food and entertainment. Executive Chef Victor Uriegas has created a menu, inspired by Baja Sur, Jalisco, Guerrero and Oaxaca, designed for laid-back communal dining. Start fresh with snapper ceviche with jalapeño and coconut, and tuna tostadas with avocado and salsa macha, and snack on guacamole and grilled corn while you contemplate what to order next. With tacos central to the menu, it's imperative you try a few: perhaps sample the prawn with chipotle crema, the beer-battered cauliflower with Mexican slaw and pico de gallo, and the beef short rib version with dark beer salsa and chipotle mayo. With a few servings of slow-cooked pork nachos, a grilled tuna Caesar salad and a couple of King Prawns with chipotle herb butter for the table, you'll be set for the night. "Las Palmas celebrates the flavours, energy and warmth of coastal Mexico. It's fun, approachable, and designed for connection, the kind of place you can drop in for tacos and stay long after sunset," says Uriegas. Drinks are certainly no afterthought at the new open-air venue, which sits beneath a canopy of palms, decked out in handcrafted materials including cane, clay and thatch, with tiled tables and textured banquettes. Developed with Pernod Ricard, the bar showcases premium tequilas and mezcals. "At Pernod Ricard, we're always looking to collaborate with partners who share our commitment to craftsmanship and great experiences. We're excited to be working on a bespoke collaboration of our super premium Tequila — Código 1530 x Las Palmas Rosa Reposado, distilled and bottled in Mexico. More than something to sip, it's a signature spirit designed to become part of the Las Palmas story itself." The team behind the new venture want Las Palmas to become the go-to destination for everything from a quick after-work drink to a long leisurely weekend lunch, to a celebratory gathering or boozy dinner. And with offers like $5 Taco Wednesdays, a happy hour with $12 drinks, and signature margarita flights, you'll be hard-pressed not to check it out. Images: Supplied. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Hate to see food going to waste? Saving your favourite treats from the bin and scoring a great deal in the process is now easier than ever, as Too Good to Go launches in Queensland. Following successful launches in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, the world's largest marketplace for surplus food connects local businesses with customers, allowing for excess stock to go where it belongs — in someone's mouth. With the app having helped over 600,000 users save more than 400,000 meals, food-conscious consumers in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Goldy and beyond are invited to explore what cheap goodies await in their area. While the app only launched in Australia in August 2024, it has already grown to include over 1,300 partners, with more than a few names you know and love using the app daily to offer 'Surprise Bags' filled with assorted goods. "Expanding our footprint to include Queensland is an important step in our goal to help halve Australia's food waste by 2030," says Joost Rietveld, Too Good to Go Australia Country Director. "Queenslanders are known for appreciating fresh food, and we are eager to empower Brisbane and greater Queensland locals to take meaningful action and contribute to a more sustainable future." Eateries like Bakers Delight, Muffin Break, Jamaica Blue, Sushi Sushi and Roll'd are all active on the platform, with delicious food available at a significantly reduced price. While most people are aware that food waste is an issue, the scale of the problem might spark surprise. Each year, 7.6 million tonnes of food is discarded, with over two-thirds still edible. As food loss and waste account for around 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the issue is a seismic one. Forming a neat part of the solution, Too Good to Go's model is win-win-win. Food businesses can recover costs on food that would otherwise be wasted, app users snag great food for an even better price, and the process has a tangible impact on greenhouse gas emissions. With more than 100 million users across 19 countries, the app's expansion in Australia highlights how locals are keen to do their bit. "We have seen an incredible response from Australians so far, with more than half a million people joining our community to save food from going to waste," says Rietveld. "There has never been a better time for food businesses to start saving food with Too Good To Go instead of seeing the food they have created with pride and joy ending up in the bin." Too Good to Go is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. Head to the website for more information.
The owners of Celsius Coffee Co. could have easily rested on their pylon laurels, given that they sit atop a ferry terminal just opposite Sydney Harbour, but the food here is as Instagrammable as the rustic wood-and-window structure it's served in. The cafe is doing inventive things with breakfast's biggest love — eggs — with twists across the menu like chilli-buttered eggs, house-made balsamic glazed eggs, or eggs served with a Japanese yuzu hollandaise.
Daryl Braithwaite-style horse riding on the beach, sandboarding at breakneck speed down enormous dunes and boating alongside breaching whales — you can pack this all into one weekend. Port Stephens is only a 2.5-hour drive north of Sydney, yet feels like some exotic, faraway, nature adventurer's dreamscape. The bay, its entrance marked by spectacular Tomaree Head, is twice the size of Sydney Harbour. There are 26 beaches, plus numerous waterfront villages, where restaurant menus boast just-caught fish, local oysters and Hunter Valley wines. Here's your guide to an easy weekend away from Sydney. [caption id="attachment_774063" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Little Beach Boathouse, Destination NSW[/caption] EAT AND DRINK The quintessential Port Stephens feed is a long lunch at Little Beach Boathouse, overlooking Little Beach, Nelson Bay. Watch local pelicans glide and soar as you tuck into oysters with wild pepperberry vinaigrette and squid ink spaghetti loaded with seafood. Another option is Sandpipers Restaurant, which you'll find in town. Here, the kitchen whips up all kinds of seafood wonders, like prawn hot pot with Turkish bread, seafood chowder and crab and parmesan arancini. For the ultimate sunset drink setting, make tracks to The Point Restaurant, Soldiers Point. You'll be tempted to stay on for dinner, which — yep, you guessed it — involves a lot more fresh local seafood. Get around the epic sharing platter chock full of oysters, prawns, crabs, bugs, mussels, scallops, squid, market fish, chips and sauces. You can even add lobster to the feast, if you're feeling fancy. Not a big fan of seafood? Head to Shoal Bay Country Club, which is lauded for its Neapolitan-style woodfired pizzas. [caption id="attachment_774062" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Little Nel, Destination NSW[/caption] Come breakfast, hit Little Nel Cafe. This local favourite has a cosy indoor space and a sunny outdoor terrace. Start with a coffee — it has nitro cold brew on tap — while you peruse the extensive brekkie menu that's packed with dishes made with local ingredients. Try the Medowie garlic mushies with whipped fetta, Morpeth red kale and chimichurri, or the Wagon Wheel Waffles, loaded with vanilla bean ice cream, strawberry gel and house-made marshmallow. Meanwhile, for a dash of history and an old-school Devonshire tea with panoramic views, swing by the Inner Light Tea Rooms. On nearly every drinks list you meet on your weekend away, you'll notice craft beers by Murray's. Opened in 2006, this quirky brewery has won much love in Port Stephens and further afield. Staples like Whale Ale and Middle Man Golden Ale have well and truly displaced mainstream beers, and, nearly every week, a new, left-of-field drop emerges. Past hits have included passionfruit wheat beer, Easter egg beer and pumpkin ale. Drop into Murray's HQ for tastings, lunch and a brewery tour held from Wednesday to Friday at 2.30pm. [caption id="attachment_774068" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] DO Every local you meet will ask if you've topped Tomaree Head Summit yet. The 45-minute walk is steep, but rewards you with epic views, taking in local islands and seemingly endless coastline. Next up, it's time to brave the water. Port Stephens is undeniably one of the best places to spot whales on Australia's east coast between May and November. So, if you're visiting during the peak period, jump aboard a cruise with eco-warriors Imagine. Its fast cat Envision holds just 22 people, so it feels more like a private adventure than a touristy experience. In between chasing breaching humpbacks, sneaking up on a fur seal colony and finding dolphins, the skipper will take you close to Cabbage Tree Island, one of the only nesting sites in the world for the threatened species of seabird, Gould's petrel. Go at sunset if you can — the views on the return journey are magical. You can also whale watch from the shore in Port Stephens — check the Destination Port Stephens website for the best vantage points. [caption id="attachment_774065" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] On the surf side of Port Stephens' southern peninsula at Birubi Beach, Anna Bay, some hair-raising escapades are to be had. Been hankering for a horse ride ever since you read Black Beauty? Book a beach adventure with Sahara Trails. If you're a beginner (or full of nerves — or both), your guide will stick to a casual stroll. Alternatively, try some trotting or even a canter through the surf. Behind the beach is Stockton Sand Dunes — the biggest dunes in the entire Southern Hemisphere. Meet the crew from Sand Dune Safaris in the car park, strap yourself into a 4WD and, as soon as the surf is out of sight, you'll feel as though you're exploring some remote desert. Sandboarding involves sitting or standing on a plastic board and sliding down super steep slopes — it's guaranteed to be the most fun you've had since you threw yourself down a grassy hillside as a kid. Extend your safari with a 25-minute drive over the sand to Tin City, which you might recognise from Mad Max (1979). This 11-shack village, which started in the early 20th century and expanded during the Great Depression, is off-the-grid. We're talking no power, no water and no sewage. [caption id="attachment_731892" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Anchorage[/caption] STAY Anchorage Port Stephens is as waterfront as it gets. Many suites come with their own north-facing balcony or terrace, giving you dreamy views of the bay, foregrounded by the Anchorage Marina and backdropped by Corrie Island. The spacious interiors take inspiration from The Hamptons — think crisp, white linen and pale timber furnishings, splashed with blues and oranges. There's a variety of rooms on offer, from one- and two-bedroom loft suites to self-contained villas. This luxe resort also boasts a pool, day spa and two onsite restaurants, making it a true escape from your day-to-day. If you'd rather opt for a cheaper spot (that still has absolute beachfront views), then check out Ingenia Holidays One Mile Beach. There are a series of small cabins located right off One Mile Beach — each coming with a kitchenette, private verandahs and ensuite bathroom. It has all the homey essentials to let you explore Port Stephens on a budget. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Destination NSW
If you like coffee and love beer, allow me to introduce you to nitro cold brew, a sparkling, nitrogen-charged coffee with the foamy head of a beer. It's going to be your coffee of choice come summer, and to get it, you'll need to visit Mecca's latest temple of coffee, in Alexandria. Located in an industrial warehouse, Mecca is perhaps the most impressive fit-out yet by designers Smith and Carmody, who are also responsible for styling much-loved cafes Excelsior Jones, Brickfields and Cornersmith. Inside, there's also an art-deco tiled floor and a striking wrought iron railing which wraps around the concourse and extends up to the mezzanine. Several large vases display a tangle of branches which look sculptural and brilliant; to hell with flowers. Even the minimalist chairs will have you tilting them this way and that, admiring them and speculating on the cost. Mecca serves a wholesome menu of bowls, rolls, plates and salads that brim with fresh, colourful ingredients. Sydney has been binging on American barbecue and burgers for far too long, and I, for one, want to fit into my jeans again. Mecca takes an ordinary bacon and egg roll and upcycles it to a pasture-raised ham off-the-bone and fried egg roll with choko and onion jam and dill mayonnaise ($12). If you usually order muesli at a cafe, try their elegant coconut black rice with house-cultured buttermilk, amaranth (a nutritious grain), yoghurt, seasonal fruits, pistachios and mint ($14). It simply radiates good health. The menu is all-day, so go ahead and order the brisket ($18) first thing. It's so tender it melts apart when you approach it with a spoon. Accompanied by crispy smashed kifler potatoes, sauerkraut which has been lacto-fermented in-house and a lemony white bean puree ($18), it is a clever balance of creamy, crunchy and briny. Welcome to hipster heaven. What stands out on every dish are the high-quality ingredients. The table butter is homemade, fruits and vegetables are seasonal, plus all the meat and eggs are ethically sourced from Feather and Bone. You'll pick up on the difference straight away. We know Mecca can do great coffee as we've been drinking it for ten years at their Circular Quay, CBD and Pyrmont branches. At the Alexandria store, they use their Darkhorse blend, which is roasted out back and brewed out front for a fresh, creamy taste with hints of chocolate, peach and wine ($4). Now that's what a coffee is supposed to taste like. Nitro cold brew ($6) is poured straight from the tap, which must be a nice change for the baristas, and they also serve a selection of teas and natural sodas.
Award season might run across global events and involve dozens of prestigious awards from Critics' Choice to Golden Globes and BAFTAs, and AACTAs, but it's hard to deny that it all comes to a head with the annual Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars. For Hollywood, it's the night of nights, where a year of films comes to its conclusion in a celebration of the greatest filmmakers, actors and creatives in the game. Whether it's a love for filmmaking, a need to stay in the loop or if you're just looking for some inspiration on what's worth your time — these awards steer film opinions for years to come, and many a to-be-watched list for cinephiles around the world. Now that this year's winners are rolling down the red carpet, we've done the legwork for you, tracking down where you can find the best picture, best actor and actress, best score, and more. Here's where to watch this year's Oscar winners in Australia, whether they're streaming now, available on demand or still playing in cinemas. One Battle After Another — HBO Max The other main contender for the best film of 2025 is Paul Thomas Anderson's (There Will Be Blood) One Battle After Another, a timely film that follows ex-revolutionary Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio), who has to call on his former brothers and sisters in arms to rescue his daughter (Chase Infiniti) from a slimy, antisemitic army colonel (Sean Penn). Watch it now on HBO Max. Nominations: Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound. Winner: Best Casting, Best Supporting Actor (Sean Penn), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Director, Best Picture. Sinners — HBO Max The latest film by Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) is the most Oscar-nominated movie in history. Sinners follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) who return to their home of Clarksdale, Mississippi, with the hopes of opening a juke joint, but things quickly get bloody when a vampire (Jack O'Connell) arrives intending to claim the community for himself. Watch it now on HBO Max. Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Score, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Sound. Winner: Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan) Frankenstein — Netflix A lifelong filmmaking dream for director Guillermo Del Toro (The Shape of Water), this take on the classic novel stars Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein opposite Jacob Elordi as Frankenstein's Monster — telling the story of Frankenstein's childhood all the way to the Monster's relentless, vengeful pursuit of him across the world. Watch it now on Netflix. Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Sound. Winner: Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design KPop Demon Hunters — Netflix Netflix's biggest original animated film ever needs no introduction, thanks to its millions of fans, earworm original songs and wildly entertaining premise about Korean pop stars who moonlight as demon hunters. Watch it on Netflix now. Nominations: Best Original Song, Best Animated Feature Film. Winner: Best Original Song, Best Animated Feature Film Sentimental Value — Available on VOD and Digital Family and parenting are at the heart of this moving film from Joachim Trier (The Worst Person in the World), in which Stellan Skarsgård stars as a filmmaker who comes back into the life of his estranged daughter to offer her a leading role in his new film. Audiences worldwide advise bringing tissues. Rent or buy it on a digital storefront of your choice. Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best International Feature Film, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing. Winner: Best International Feature Film. Hamnet — Available on VOD and Digital Speaking of tissues, the other major tearjerker of 2025 also earned eight Oscar nominations. Chloé Zhao's Hamnet adapts the Maggie O'Farrell book of the same name, exploring the relationship between Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), their challenges as parents, and the devastating grief they share after an unthinkable tragedy. Rent or buy it on a digital storefront of your choice. Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Casting. Winner: Best Actress (Jessie Buckley). F1 The Movie — Apple TV Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinki's F1 stars Brad Pitt as nomadic driver Sonny Hayes, who gets approached by an old rival, now the owner of a low-ranking Formula One team, to become his new driver alongside a younger rival co-driver Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). Watch it now on Apple TV. Nominations: Best Picture, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Film Editing. Winner: Best Sound. Avatar: Fire and Ash — In cinemas The third film in James Cameron's groundbreaking Avatar series sees the Sully family face a new threat in the form of a hostile Na'vi tribe that allies with the destructive RDA. Watch it in cinemas now. Nominations: Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects. Winner: Best Visual Effects. Mr Nobody Against Putin — DocPlay During the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, a Russian schoolteacher goes underground to record the extreme propaganda that Russian students are being presented. Watch it on DocPlay now. Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Film. Winner: Best Documentary Feature Film. Weapons — HBO Max A teacher in a small town becomes the centre of a spine-tingling mystery when 27 children from her classroom go missing in the middle of the night. Watch it now on HBO Max. Nominations: Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Winner: Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Amy Madigan). Keen to keep expanding your cinematic horizons? Check our guide for what movies we're going to be watching this month.
A 275-square-metre hotel suite is bigger than the average new Australian home — and Australia builds larger-than-average new homes — let alone a standard apartment. Splash some cash to stay on the Gold Coast from 2026 onwards, and that massive space could be yours for a night or several. Its home: the Glitter Strip's just-announced new Ritz-Carlton hotel, which will join a $480-million waterfront development at Mariner's Cove in Main Beach. If that expansive — and clearly pricey — suite won't fit your budget, the swanky spot will feature 149 other rooms, plus a range of eating, drinking and hangout options. Expect to still treat yo'self cost-wise, however. A signature restaurant will serve bites to eat, as will a cafe, while there'll be three bars: a lobby lounge, a destination bar and a poolside bar. Speaking of swims, the Gold Coast's Ritz-Carlton will boast an outdoor rooftop pool, too, so just think of the views while you're taking a dip. Boasting the signature Ritz-Carlton Spa for pampering sessions, too, plus a 512-square-metre ballroom for functions and parties, the Mariner's Cove site will mark the hotel chain's third in Australian when it opens. At present, it operates in Perth, and will also open an outpost in Melbourne in 2023. Next stop from there: the Goldie. While the Sunshine State tourist spot doesn't lack in hotels near the ocean, the Ritz-Carlton's waterfront location is still set to be a huge drawcard — alongside the luxury the brand is known for. Given the spot, it'll also be in close vicinity to a heap of waterfront restaurants and bars, the Broadwater and beaches. "Once opened, the resort expects to set a new benchmark for luxury on Australia's Gold Coast with the property's enviable waterfront location," said Richard Crawford, Vice President of Hotel Development, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific at Marriott International, which owns the Ritz-Carlton. It's a booming time for big-name hotels either heading to or spreading through Australia, with The Langham launching on the Gold Coast earlier in 2022, Ace Hotels launching its first Down Under site this year and The Waldorf Astoria on its way to Sydney in 2025. You can never have too many staycation/vacation options, though. The Ritz-Carlton is set to open in 2026 in Mariner's Cove, 60–70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach. We'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
In a city where French restaurants often lean into theatrics and maximalism, Bouillon L'Entrecôte takes a more understated approach. Taking its cues from the bouillon restaurants that were all the rage in fin-de-siècle France — essentially large mess halls serving high-quality food at affordable prices — the Circular Quay venue opened in Quay Quarter Lanes in 2022 with a focus on classic dishes done incredibly well. It's since become a fixture in Sydney's French dining landscape — so much so, in fact, that in 2026 it unveiled an expanded, new-look ground-floor dining area, complete with a breezy al fresco area, increasing its capacity from 80 to 110 seats. Downstairs now features a richly layered fitout of merlot-hued leather banquettes, crisp white tablecloths, herringbone floors and softly textured curtains, while classic bistro chairs and cafe-style tables lining Loftus Street invite you to settle in and watch the world go by. Head upstairs and the building opens into an expansive dining room with a grander feel. Luxurious detailing and large dining tables are complemented by art and photographs sprawled across the wall — headlined by a huge portrait of legendary French chef Paul Bocuse. When it comes to the food, the options are varied without feeling overwhelming. Kick things off with a starter and a kir royale from the 'How To Be a Good French' section of the drinks list. Highlights from the hors d'oeuvre menu include foie gras-stuffed cured duck breast finished with cherry coulis; seared scallops served with foie gras mousse, onion jam, and truffle oil; and an ultra-cheesy twice-baked soufflé. The house specialty is the 200-gram sirloin steak, served with French fries, a walnut green salad and the kitchen's closely-guarded secret sauce — a recipe that neither co-owners Vincent Ventura and Johan Giausseran, nor the chefs, will give up, no matter how hard you might prod. Those looking to elevate their meal can share the 850-gram T-bone or the hefty 1.6-kilogram wagyu tomahawk. Arrive before 5pm to try the L'Entrecôte Mitraillette: grilled wagyu steak, fries and secret sauce tucked into an A.P. Bakery baguette. Daily specials round out the offer, ranging from overnight beef bourguignon to free-range chicken stew and the catch of the day. If you can squeeze in desserts, the third act is difficult to resist. The centrepiece is the thrice-baked caramelised upside-down apple tart — only six are made each day — while other standouts include the vanilla crème brûlée and caramelised pineapple flambéed tableside and served with coconut ice cream. To drink, a considerable back bar anchors a cocktail program spanning French classics and beyond, while a predominantly French wine list offers a generous selection by the glass — or carafe, bien sûr. Appears in: The Best Restaurants in Sydney Where to Find the Best Steak in Sydney
The best steaks in Sydney aren't only found at luxe steakhouses. French bistros cook up a mean steak frites, Argentinian grills know exactly how to treat all kinds of cuts before throwing them on the flames and there are some ripping pubs serving up affordable steaks that rival many a fine diner in the city. When you want to try the best steak in Sydney, you should expect to pay handsomely for it. The best of the best source only the most exceptional (and most expensive) cuts of meat from around Australia and abroad. Top-grade wagyu makes it onto a few Sydney steak menus, perfectly marbled and cooked with love. Pair it all with the right wine for an elevated experience (brilliant sommeliers abound at these steak spots, too) — but whatever you do, don't ask for your meat well done. Recommended reads: The Best Mexican Restaurants in Sydney The Best French Restaurants in Sydney The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney The 50 Best Bars in Sydney — Ranked
Oxford Street's legacy as a go-to street for Australian designer boutiques and independent stores may have seen a few changes in the recent decade, but it's still a shopping destination for many Sydneysiders, weekend after weekend, for its range of intimate shops, art galleries and bookstores. Life is extra sweet when you combine that experience with dipping in and out of charming cafes to keep you caffeinated as you shop. Whether you're eyeing up a new dress or looking for new plant pots for your home, the streets of Paddington (and its fringes) are the place to spend a leisurely afternoon browsing. With so much ground to cover, it can be tough to know where to start. With a little help from American Express, we've compiled a list of places sure to meet your shopping needs — and you can shop small here with your Amex Card.
Where would we be without the portmanteau? The world may not miss Brangelina, but we would certainly be far worse off without glamping. Camping's not for everyone. Some of us have every intention of immersing ourselves in nature, breathing the sea air and setting up a temporary home away from home for the weekend. But the thought of camp stretchers, unidentifiable crawly things and eating tinned peaches can dampen a jolly holiday pretty damn quickly. Glamping effortlessly fuses the fun of camping with the glamorous creature comforts of hotel stays, like a refrigerator stocked with champers or the aesthetic refinement of looking like a giant book. Check out the best places to go glamping in NSW (within a few hours' drive of Sydney). All the hard work is done for you at each of these sites. Recommended reads: The Best Glamping Sites in Australia The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Beach Camping Sites in NSW The Best Luxury Stays Near Sydney [caption id="attachment_852431" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] SIERRA ESCAPE, MUDGEE Sierra Escape — the luxe glamping retreat in Mudgee — is located 260 kilometres northwest of Sydney. The 280-acre property boasts spectacular views and is home to wildlife, including kangaroos, deer and various native birds. So yeah, basically, it's paradise. The Carinya tent — if you can even call something this opulent a tent — includes floor-to-ceiling windows, large indoor and outdoor freestanding bathtubs and a firepit area. It's insulated for all seasons, and there's even a deck out front where you can kick back and watch the sunset from one of the best places to go glamping in NSW. PAPERBARK CAMP, JERVIS BAY One word: ridiculous. Paperbark Camp is the ultimate in fine camping, located just a three-hour drive south of Sydney. Think food, wine and paradisiac natural surrounds with the pristine waters of Jervis Bay at your toes. The idea for this glamping site near Sydney was initially conceived during a trip to Africa — sitting elevated on timber decks and lit by a soft solar-powered glow, these intimate luxury safari-style tents boast wrap-around verandahs for an immersive bush experience without the creepy-crawlies. The food is fresh and local, including fish caught in the bay, mushrooms from Mittagong and wines predominantly from New South Wales vineyards. Paperbark's tents feature queen or king beds, tea-making facilities and en suite bathrooms — including some with free-standing baths. It's no wonder why it also made our list of the best glamping sites in Australia. TANJA LAGOON CAMP Stay in a safari tent, minus the lions. Instead, you'll find kangaroos, koalas and sooty owls surrounding you. This super-secluded parcel of private land in the middle of a lagoon-tipped national park is a real haven, with only four tents on the property. Tanja Lagoon's tents aren't the kind that are going to packed up any time soon; each comes with an ensuite bathroom, handcrafted queen-size bed, sofa/daybed, writing desk, kitchen, barbecue and, if you go the deluxe option, a bathtub to fit two. The NSW glamping tents sit on their own expansive decks made of locally sourced timber, most of it milled nearby, since Tanja Lagoon Camp is an eco-orientated operation. If reading on your daybed isn't activity enough, there's canoeing, swimming, mountain biking, wine tasting and gallery-going to be done. [caption id="attachment_852400" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] BUBBLETENT, CAPERTREE Overlooking the scenic Capertree Valley 200 kilometres northwest of Sydney, these low-impact campsites provide a secluded night under the stars with all the comforts of a luxury NSW glamping experience. The clear walls of the bubbletent provide you with uninterrupted views of the night's sky and the expansive Capertree Valley canyon from your bed while protecting you from the elements or any of the area's critters. These off-grid glamping sites near Sydney look over the world's second biggest canyon and one of Australia's best bird-watching areas. Each bubbletent is fitted out with everything you need for a relaxing weekend away including electric blankets, a fire pit, a cheese board and a telescope for marvelling at your surroundings. All you need to bring is yourself, your dinner and your favourite bottle of vino to sip at sunset. ROAR AND SNORE, TARONGA ZOO If waking up to the call of an elephant is not your 5am cup of tea, you better sit out on Roar and Snore at Taronga Zoo. Otherwise? It's an unmissable Sydney experience if you don't have the cash for an actual Sahara night safari. Snuggled on the Mosman headland, the Taronga Zoo safari tents — super comfortable and fully set up — are perched atop the country's most famous zoo (with the stunning Sydney Harbour views the giraffes enjoy daily). A buffet dinner and a personal night tour by a zookeeper make this one helluva NSW glamping experience with a difference. Just don't get too close to the snakes before bedtime unless you enjoy python-filled dreams. MARRAMARRA LODGE, HAWKESBURY RIVER This ultra-luxe glamping site near Sydney is set within the picturesque Marramarra National Park, right on the Hawkesbury River. Arrive in style, by boat from Mooney Mooney or Brooklyn, before setting yourselves up in one of the large open-plan safari tents. Each of the Marramarra Lodge tents boasts a king-sized bed, large riverstone-clad bathroom, aircon, all your linen and towels, a fully stocked mini bar, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. You can even get room service delivered. But the best feature has got to be the private timber deck that offers up uninterrupted views across this stunning spot that's just an hour out of Sydney. COCKATOO ISLAND Crisp white linen. Happening island bar. Antipasto and woodfired pizzas. Need we say more? Sleep in splendour under the industrial cranes of Cockatoo Island in a stunning waterfront location smack bang in the middle of Sydney Harbour. it is easily one of the best glamping sites in Sydney. Creature comforts roam free on the island — a large camping kitchen, multiple BBQ areas, your own fridge, microwave and a boiling water system. While you can bring along your own tent if you're a seasoned camper, the glamping packages can include a pre-erected Safari Bow tent, two camping beds with mattresses, all bedding, towels, sun lounges, an esky and a lantern. Just bring your BBQ tongs, cutlery, plates and excessive sunset snacks. MAYFIELD GARDEN, OBERON Oberon's Mayfield Garden boasts a luxurious eco-friendly camping retreat in one of the world's largest privately-owned cool climate gardens. Located three hours west of Sydney's CBD, this NSW glamping spot is seriously impressive, overflowing with acres of vibrant flowers and towering trees. In the gardens, you'll find expansive green spaces filled with bridges, paths, sculptures, stonework and vibrant flora, an English-inspired maze, a croquet court, a family chapel, interactive games and rowboats to take out on the lake. The Mayfield Restaurant offers a seasonal modern Australian menu based around produce grown on sight. Campers will be treated to a complimentary dinner at the restaurant, plus breakfast delivered to their tent, and can add a lavish sunrise or sunset picnic to their experience. Top images: Sierra Escape courtesy of Destination NSW and Cameron D'Arcy
Friends, it's time to pay fealty to the king of all food groups: pizza — that divine fusion of carbs, cheese and yummy toppings that's impossible not to love and will rarely let you down. In Sydney, pizza comes in many forms, from mammoth New York-style slices to authentically blistered Neapolitan pies. Here is our pick of the very best pizzerias the Harbour City has to offer. Image: 170 Grammi, Trent van der Jagt Recommended reads: The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney The Mexican Restaurants in Sydney The Best Steak in Sydney The Best Burgers in Sydney
If you missed the news in August last year, Applejack Hospitality officially took over the reins of Opera Bar and its neighbouring House Canteen, following 24 years in the steady hands of Matt Moran and his Solotel hospitality group. Now, revitalisation works are about to begin on Applejack's newest venues, offering a little insight into the new operator's long-term vision for the popular harbourside spot. From Monday, March 9, House Canteen will close while undergoing a significant refresh. Expected to reopen in June 2026 with a rebrand, regulars can look forward to an elevated dining experience and improved guest amenities, breathing new life into the all-day hawker-style diner. As these works take place, Opera Bar will keep on keeping on next door, complete with its standard menus and a pop-up cafe for morning coffee. Once House Canteen is back up and running, it will be time for Opera Bar to get a facelift as renovation work commences. Likewise, the upgrade will bring an improved dining experience, headlined by a new kitchen, bar and more indoor seating. With the works taking place over winter, those who love to soak up the million-dollar views with a cocktail in hand can look forward to a summer reopening. While there are several improvements on the way, one upgrade not to overlook is the electrification of both venues' kitchens. Bringing each in line with the Opera House's sustainability and decarbonisation commitments, this follows last year's electrification of the Green Room Café and Commercial Kitchen, helping to reduce the venue's overall reliance on fossil fuels. Following a competitive public tender process completed in mid-2025, Applejack secured a ten-year agreement to run Opera Bar and House Canteen. And it didn't waste any time bringing a new edge to both, offering locally driven menus, a refreshed music program and operational upgrades designed to make the visitor experience as special as the scenery. Applejack is no stranger to running bustling venues, with the hospitality group now holding 13 in total. Spanning restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes, some of the group's most popular include Bopp & Tone, Forresster's, June's Shoppe, Taphouse and RAFI URBNSURF. With renovation work on Opera Bar and House Canteen about to begin, more details about the venues' updated look and feel will be announced as the refresh progresses. House Canteen will close on Monday, March 9, with an expected June 2026 reopening date. Meanwhile, Opera Bar will close over winter and is scheduled to relaunch in time for summer 2026. Head to the website for more information.
Even if plans for a globe-trotting overseas holiday aren't in the cards for you this year, there's an easy fix for your travel blues, and it's located just three hours south of Sydney in the picturesque South Coast region of Shoalhaven. With white sandy beaches and a breezy pace of life, this coastal stretch makes for a dream getaway destination, whenever you need a timeout from big city living. And it's brimming with beautiful stays located by the water, befitting your next, much-deserved break. We've done the hard work for you and rounded up 12 of the most blissful coastal escapes you can book in Shoalhaven. Choose a winner, pack that swimsuit and get set for a hard-earned beachside getaway. Recommended reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in NSW The Best Tiny Houses You Can Book Around NSW The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Places to Stay in the Blue Mountains Bayview Magnificent, Mollymook Beach This cheery coastal getaway boasts its own backyard pool and space for the whole gang. Plus, a top-notch deck, overlooking North Mollymook Beach. From $270 a night, sleeps 12. Escape at Shady Acres, Narrawallee Soak up the serenity at this self-contained coastal retreat, featuring thoughtful modern touches, private sunny backyard and a primo location close to Narrawallee Beach. From $446 a night, sleeps eight. Drop In, Bendalong Break from reality with a stay at this gorgeously updated 50s beach cottage, rocking a suite of luxurious features, plus firepit and outdoor tub. From $392 a night, sleeps two. Banniester Head Cottage, Mollymook Beach A breezy modern cottage, boasting absolute ocean frontage. Unwind in style, with luxe furnishings, epic views and an in-ground pool overlooking the water. From $750 a night, sleeps four. Atra, Callala Beach This is the kind of stunning beachfront home you'll never want to leave. Enjoy luxurious, group-friendly spaces, dedicated media room and private beach access. From $1553 a night, sleeps 12. Barefoot, Callala Beach A luxe, modern riff on the classic beach house, with open-plan living spaces spilling right out onto private lawn and sandy shoreline. From $900 a night, sleeps four. Izba, Callala Bay Revel in your own Mediterranean-inspired paradise right on Callala Bay. This one's a lofty pad with dreamy outlook, luxury features and absolute water frontage. From $867 a night, sleeps nine. Gorgeous Beachside Cottage, Vincentia With its stylish fit-out and peaceful setting amongst sandy shoreline and natural bushland, this beachside bungalow makes for an idyllic couples' coast escape. From $229 a night, sleeps two. Cloud Nine Luxury Villa, Vincentia This architectural stunner boasts an incredible outlook over Jervis Bay, with luxurious interiors to match. Expect high-end features and a stunning deck for soaking up those views. From $690 a night, sleeps six. The River Retreat, Sussex Inlet A pet-friendly holiday paradise, set right on the river's edge. This one's got a breezy indoor-outdoor set-up with sunny waterfront lawn and its own private jetty. From $632 a night, sleeps six. The Old Bottleshop, Currarong If you're after irresistible ocean views, direct beach access and a bright, modern pad to unwind in, this is it. Pool table and roomy verandahs, included. From $814 a night, sleeps eight. Prince Edward Escape, Culburra Beach Metres from the sand, with newly renovated interiors, an enviable outdoor set-up and a separate studio apartment, this chic coastal cottage is a summer holiday dream. From $665 a night, sleeps eight. Top image: Atra 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.
This pristine expanse of beaches, national parks and picturesque villages on the New South Wales Central Coast make for one excellent trip, whether you're just driving up from Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne. On top of all the nature, there's a growing foodie scene, driven by down-to-earth experts wanting to do their thing without the burden of city rent prices. Ever sipped on a Six String brew? You've already begun your acquaintance with the Central Coast's creations. Now it's time to go deeper with a visit to Patonga, Pearl Beach and Killcare — and, lucky for you, we've partnered with Destination NSW to uncover some the area's dining gems, top-notch activities and luxe waterside accommodation, too. Please stay up to date with the latest NSW Government health advice regarding COVID-19. [caption id="attachment_697582" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Boathouse Hotel Patonga[/caption] EAT In the teeny-tiny, 200-person settlement of Patonga is where you'll find seafood feasts at The Boathouse Hotel Patonga. Nab a spot in its sunny courtyard or inside the restaurant's luxury yacht-like interior, either way you'll have expansive water views. The seafood platter of tiger prawns, oysters, baked scallops, battered fish and salt and pepper squid is a must. Otherwise, you can opt for the likes of burgers, steak, pasta, pizza and a bunch of share-style plates. If you'd rather take your feed even closer to the water, you can grab fish and chips from the takeaway shop next door. For your next meal, make your way to Pearl Beach. It's the first town east of Patonga — a swathe of national park cuts between the two — with Pearl facing Broken Bay. For a fine diner, head to the aptly named Pearls on the Beach, headed up by chef Scott Fox and his partner Melissa for the past 20 years. Housed in a beach cottage just a few steps from the sand, the restaurant is clean and uncluttered, with pastel colours and white tablecloths. The menu is seasonal, but you can expect dishes like marlin carpaccio served with a burnt shallot, jalapeño and coriander salsa, blood orange marmalade and cashew cream; carrot katsu topped with gochujang ketchup, wasabi mayo, wakame oil and pickled shitake; and pomegranate-glazed quail served with beetroot labneh and pickled radicchio. If you're after something more casual, drop into Pearl Beach General Store and Cafe for hearty, healthy breakfasts and laidback lunches. Travelling north from Pearl Beach, the national park withdraws west to make room for the bigger, more connected towns of Umina, Ettalong and Woy Woy. Located on the redeveloped Ettalong Beach foreshore, The BOX on the Water is one of the go-to spots around. The sleek building capitalises on its absolute waterfront position, with floor-to-ceiling windows that disappear during warm weather. Here, you'll find an assortment of share-style plates, with an emphasis on seafood — think chilli garlic prawns, lemon zest-dusted baby squid, barramundi with a side of coastal greens and seafood paella. Now, we're going to jump across Brisbane Water to Killcare, one of the southernmost villages on the Bouddi Peninsula. It's here that boutique hotel Bells at Killcare stretches across 8.5 acres of gardens, housing its rebooted restaurant Wild Flower Bar & Dining. Famed chef Sean Connolly is behind the menu, which makes as much use of the 500-square-metre kitchen garden as possible. Tuck into whole-grilled fish, rigatoni with king prawns, eggplant moussaka, seafood bouillabaisse or Berkshire pork chop with salsa verde. Or, go for the $120 chef's tasting menu, with the option to add paired wines, too. Drive over the hill and you're back beside still water in Hardys Bay. Here you'll find fun-loving Southeast Asian eatery The Lucky Bee, located right on the water, as well as The Fat Goose Bakery, Deli and Cafe, which dishes up a mean bacon and egg roll, plus pastries and other breakfast fare. [caption id="attachment_789513" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Distillery Botanica, Destination NSW[/caption] DRINK Your first port of call for a drink should be the award-winning Distillery Botanica in Erina for an afternoon G&T. The stunning garden distillery is from Philip Moore who just so happens to be the man behind Mr Black cold drip coffee liqueur — which you can sample and purchase here, too. The distillery's gins are made using botanicals grown in the garden, including murraya, jasmine, orange blossom and coriander. You can either stop in for a gin tasting, or head to the on-site Bar Botanica for a gin-based drink. If you need a pick-me-up after you imbibe, it also does a great cup of joe. Or, you can grab an ice cream from the Mr Goaty gelato bar, also located within the gardens. Just down the road, old mates Chris Benson and Adam Klasterka have been revolutionising the Central Coast's craft beer scene with their Six String Brewing Company. According to the guys, when they first started back in 2012, people on the Central Coast only wanted to drink Carlton Dry. And that wasn't the only challenge — the duo grappled with three years worth of red tape before setting up for good at the current site. Fast forward to 2020 and their brewery and taproom is buzzing almost anytime of day. Plus, the venue's small kitchen is whipping up southern US-style snacks like buffalo wings, nachos, brisket and burgers. On weekends, live music is a nice addition to the good brews and grub. If you're after a refreshing spritz or bottle of minimum-intervention vino, Young Barons in Woy Woy is sure to satisfy. And, while you're sipping away, it'd be remiss not to try some of its freshly made pasta. [caption id="attachment_790154" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bouddi National Park, Destination NSW[/caption] DO Between all that feasting and carousing, you might want to consider doing some moving. If you're keen to give surfing a crack, then book a lesson with the Central Coast Surf Academy at one of NSW's top surfing beaches, Umina. While dragging your board through the whitewash, instructor Peter Hayes will give plenty of tips for novices and intermediate surfers alike. On land, there are walks and bike rides aplenty. For the best trails in Bouddi National Park, visit our guide over here. Meanwhile, Ettalong's shared path gives you 7.5-kilometres of waterfront bike riding, walking or running. Or, if you don't mind sharing the road with traffic (and tackling a few hills), the epic, 14-kilometre Putt Putt to Putty ride carries you from Wagstaffe's Mulhall Street Wharf all the way to Ettalong Wharf. Alternatively, should your ultimate weekender mean laying horizontal and doing absolutely nothing, check into the Central Coast Day Spa at Bells. Don a bathrobe and sip on complimentary tea before being led into a candle-lit room. There's a range of spa treatments available, but we recommend you book in for the signature Kodo massage, which comes with Australian essential oils and a smoking ceremony. It's inspired by Indigenous techniques and based on rhythms aimed at balancing the body and the mind, too. If you can muster enough energy for a post-massage wander in Killcare, the handful of shops are worth exploring. Among them are the Central Coast's only Aboriginal art gallery, Bouddi Gallery. Most of the paintings, jewellery, carvings, ceramics, weaving and glassware you see come from non-profit, Aboriginal-owned art centres in the Kimberley, Central and Western deserts, Tiwi Islands and Arnhem Land. [caption id="attachment_789509" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bells at Killcare, Destination NSW[/caption] STAY If you want to kick back in quiet, Patonga is your best bet — and you'll want to check into the aforementioned The Boathouse Hotel Patonga. After a massive revamp, the hotel's accommodation now includes three one-to-three bedroom apartments, each with waterfront balcony views. The trio of rooms sit on the structure's upper level, and also feature separate living and dining areas, marble bathrooms, and either a kitchenette or kitchen. Unsurprisingly, each room is coastal-themed, complete with timber and terrazzo flooring, nautical-inspired fabrics, handmade shell mirrors, and rope and cane pieces. And, should you need to swim immediately, Patonga Beach is across the road. Be warned, though, a night here will set you back a cool $550–1200. Pearl Beach is pretty relaxed, too. Protected by the National Trust, it's reached its maximum capacity, at 600 dwellings. So, while other parts of the Central Coast battle with sprawl, this village, with its sheltered beach and ocean pool, is sitting pretty. Plus, it offers a heap of quaint accommodation options, including this secluded retreat, nestled among the trees and perched just a quick hop from Pearl Beach and a contemporary six-person beach cottage rocking a bright and elegant coastal style, with a primo outdoor entertaining area and a pool to yourself. Or, you could stay right above the water at the luxurious two-level Seabreeze apartment, offering breathtaking panoramic views. If you want to be able to access more northern parts of the coast — and their dining and drinking gems — Killcare is where you want to be. As already mentioned, Bells at Killcare is a bit of an institution and is definitely worth staying at if you have a spare $504 (minimum) lying around. Inspired by the chic designs of The Hamptons, Bells offers a range of accommodation options, from king suits to villas and one- and two-bedroom cottages. Whichever you choose, expect it to be decked out with Ralph Lauren-style furnishings, swish bathrooms and luxe linens. If you'd rather be a bit closer to the beach, both The Nest and Beachviews sleep up to eight people and offer sweeping ocean views. Now that interstate border restrictions have started to ease, start planning a trip to this stunning stretch of NSW coastline. For more details, visit Destination NSW's website. Top image: Pearl Beach, Destination NSW 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.
Endings have always been a part of Succession. Since it premiered in 2018, the bulk of the HBO drama's feuding figures have been waiting for a big farewell. The reason is right there in the title, because for any of the Roy clan's adult children to scale the family company's greatest heights and remain there — be it initial heir apparent Kendall (Jeremy Strong, Armageddon Time), his inappropriate photo-sending brother Roman (Kieran Culkin, No Sudden Move), their political-fixer sister Siobhan (Sarah Snook, Pieces of a Woman), or eldest sibling and now-presidential candidate Connor (Alan Ruck, The Dropout) — their father Logan's (Brian Cox, Remember Me) tenure must wrap up. He's stubborn, though. He's proud, too, of what he's achieved and the power it's brought. Whenever Logan has seemed nearly ready to leave the business behind, he's held on. And if he's challenged or threatened, as three seasons of the Emmy-winning series have done again and again, he shows no signs of ever letting go. Succession has always been waiting for Logan's last stint at global media outfit Waystar RoyCo, but it's never been about finales quite the way it is in its fourth season, which starts streaming from Monday, March 27 Down Under (including via Foxtel, Binge and Foxtel On Demand in Australia, and on Neon in New Zealand). This time, there's a ticking clock not just for the show's characters, but for the stellar series itself. In late February, in an interview with The New Yorker a month out from season four's premiere, Succession's creator and showrunner Jesse Armstrong advised that this is its last go-around. Nothing can last forever, not even widely acclaimed hit shows that are a rarity in today's TV climate: genuine appointment-viewing. So, this one is going out at the height of its greatness — yes, its final batch of episodes begins out that strongly — which is how Logan should've always wanted to as well. That Succession won't be tearing into its ultra-rich squabblers again after these ten episodes casts a shadow over the new season, unsurprisingly. That said, given that it commences with the Roys as fractured as ever in the aftermath of 2021's season three — with Kendall, Roma and Shiv all estranged from and actively working against their dad, who has badged them "rats" with his usual venom — there's a higher sense of tension, greater stakes and a firmer feeling of finality anyway. This bickering brood has split, backstabbed, betrayed, undermined and reunited many times before. They've overcome health scares, accidental killings, high-strung weddings, legal troubles, hostile attempted takeovers, dark scandals, political scrutiny and more. Armstrong and his writing team could've kept the cycle going, but there's an unshakeable sense of hurt to this round of tussles that feels like the last the Roys can endure. In season three, Waystar went from trying to buy streaming service GoJo to entertaining a buyout from it — and from its tech visionary Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård, The Northman) — instead. And, as Kendall, Roman and Shiv kept trying to lock in their futures, Logan found a way to cut them out that couldn't have cut deeper. Accordingly, when season four kicks off with Logan's birthday just as season one did, a party that he's characteristically miserable at, only Connor shows up among his kids. The other three are busy trying to secure financing for The Hundred, the new media venture they're pitching as "Substack meets Masterclass meets The Economist meets The New Yorker". What they really want to do, of course, is stick it to their old man above all else. Money, which the Roys have much more of than most, aren't afraid to splash about and are always chasing, sure can't buy a reprieve from good old-fashioned pettiness. That's always been a glaring truth at the heart of the series, just like its fantasy equivalent Game of Thrones, because boasting immense control and hefty fortunes can't make anyone a decent person. No one watches this takedown of unfettered power, wealth and entitlement for hugs and smiles, but for Shakespearean dramedy and tragedy that rips brutally and ravenously into the one-percent. However it concludes and whoever thinks they've won — make no mistake, Succession is always a battle — no one is likely to be living happily ever after, or even managing to be content enough with where things wind up. Still, Roman will probably be smirking, Shiv shooting a steely glare and Kendall wearing the intense gaze that never wholly masks his inner sadness. They all sport exactly those expressions to begin season four, all while building their plans to simultaneously cement their next step and topple Logan. As sycophantic grins beam noxiously around his birthday, he's as caustic as ever even in just his eyes — more so with Shiv's husband Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen, Operation Mincemeat) playing middleman in a crucial deal, and when cousin Greg's (Nicholas Braun, Zola) love life taints the festivities. Yes, the more that things change in Succession, the more that they stay the same, including with general counsel Gerri (J Smith-Cameron, Fleishman Is in Trouble), CFO Karl (David Rasche, Swallow) and vice-chair Frank (Peter Friedman, She Said) hovering around while looking like they'd rather be anywhere else. Family malaise is a dime a dozen on TV, and workplace struggles as well. Succession is so sharp and scathing — so devastatingly well-cast and delicious with its incisive insults, too — that it's in a stratosphere of its own. With this compelling ensemble and the cracking dialogue they're gifted, the show's directors could just point cameras at the former in glass-walled rooms as they spout the latter and the series would gleam from every angle. That isn't how the handsomely staged and executed effort fills its episodes, but both its actors and writers remain at the top of their games. Indeed, watching Succession in such savage vintage form in everything from Strong's concentration to Culkin's way with witty slights, plus Braun's cluelessness and episode-one helmer Mark Mylod's (The Menu) tonal mastery, viewers will never want it to end. There'll be much to miss when the show severs its final ties at the end of May, glorious episode titles included (the fourth season's opener is aptly called 'The Munsters'). It's going out how it's always gone on, though — without losing its bite, or its taste for blisteringly dark, pointed and funny family-feud chaos. Logan is pondering farewells again, too. Succession hasn't lost its ability to astonish, and its fearsome white-haired patriarch waxing lyrical about whether death is just an abyss over a diner dinner with his chief security guard is one such delight. There'll certainly be a chasm left in the show's wake but, like its most formidable figure won't stop doing, audiences will just have to make the most of it while it's here. Check out the full trailer for Succession season four below: Succession season four starts streaming from Monday, March 27 Down Under, including via Foxtel, Binge and Foxtel On Demand in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Check out our review of season three. Images: Claudette Barius, Macall B Polay / HBO.
When the new Sydney Fish Market opens its doors on the Blackwattle Bay foreshore later this year, it'll do more than just serve up fresh seafood. The $836-million development will also honour the site's deep and layered past, from its role as a gathering and fishing place for First Nations peoples to its more recent industrial history as a working harbour. A series of five permanent public artworks has just been announced for the site, each celebrating the cultural and historical significance of the area. The first three — collectively named Saltwater People Stories — pay tribute to local Aboriginal fishing traditions and the enduring presence of First Nations people in and around Blackwattle Bay. The trio includes The Nawi: a sculptural homage to traditional Aboriginal fishing canoes by Bidjigal elder Uncle Steven Russell. It'll be joined by Birrang Narrami (Star Net): a woven net sculpture by renowned Wiradjuri, Yuin and Gadigal artist and master weaver Nadeena Dixon that pays homage to ancestral fishing practices. Buruberong and Wumali (Dharug) creative Leanne Tobin is the mind behind The Call of Ngura (Country), which evokes the Dreamtime journey of the great Creator Gurangady in a series of eel-like forms. Each piece has been cast in bronze at Manly's North Head Foundry, and will be installed onsite later this year. "As a First Nations artist, I'm excited to see our culture represented and visibly acknowledged as part of the new Sydney Fish Market," says Tobin. "These installations allow us a way to share our cultural stories and highlight our deep and ancient connection to this land while also creating a shared experience that reflects our heritage for all to enjoy." There'll be two more installations along the eastern promenade that add a playful and contemporary layer to the precinct's cultural program. Coal Loader Palm Grove by Mike Hewson, a New Zealand–born artist known for site-specific interventions, celebrates the site's more recent industrial history via a contemporary reimagining of the Blackwattle Bay coal loader, built back in 1926. It will sit among a grove of endemic palms — known as Daranggara to the local Dharug and Gadigal peoples — which once lined the inner shores of Sydney Harbour. Later this year, an interactive water play area for families will also be unveiled on the Market's eastern promenade. While the installations will be permanent fixtures, there's also a wider arts and cultural program in the works, curated by Placemaking NSW. It's expected to kick off from 2026, when the public domain around the market will come alive with performances by local musicians and dancers — perfect for those who prefer their fish and chips with a side of entertainment. For more information on the new Sydney Fish Market, head to the venue's website.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations, giving you inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we take you to fabulous Fiji for a special stay at Castaway Island. We love this place so much that we teamed up with the resort to offer an exclusive five-night travel deal — including a complimentary bottle of wine and a fruit platter on arrival, free use of snorkelling equipment and selected water activities and a guided sunset kayaking tour and island walk. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? It may share the same name as the fictional survival drama starring Tom Hanks but, coconuts aside, guests at Castaway Island will experience an entirely different version of island life thanks to everything on offer at this decidedly indulgent escape. Castaway Island Fiji blends the charm of traditional Fijian bure (bungalows) with contemporary comforts to deliver luxurious relaxation to those who travel there. THE ROOMS Nestled amongst either the lush tropical gardens or at the water's edge, Castaway Island's Fijian-style thatched bungalows offer spectacular blue-to-green views to start the day, regardless of which suite you stay in. Rooms range in size from simple two-sleepers ideal for a romantic rendezvous to super-sized group spaces perfect for getaways with a crew of friends or the whole family. Each stay offers airy vaulted ceilings lined with individually designed hand-painted 'Tapa' cloths, an outdoor patio, those incredible vistas, and daily house keeping. They're also air-conditioned, in case being lulled to sleep by warm island breeze isn't your thing. FOOD AND DRINK Castaway Island offers travellers an excellent introduction to South Pacific cuisine, especially those who book this Concrete Trips package. As well as a complimentary tropical fruit platter on arrival, guests can spoil themselves with the a la carte selections at Water's Edge Restaurant (including the chargrilled wild caught fish of the day), or Polynesian-inspired snacks like Crispy Ura Salad with prawns and fruity cocktails at Nuku Maru Pool Bar & Grill, or fine Fijian-Asian fusion served to you at tables on the beach under the stars at Restaurant 1808. Ready to DIY? Enrol in one of Castaway Island Fijian Village cultural programs, which includes a Fijian culinary workshop so you can finesse your own cooking skills. THE LOCAL AREA You can spend most of your days diving into bright blue waters and walking along the sandy white beaches of Castaway Island. But, should you be looking for something more, the resort's all-ages all-interests program is packed with alternatives that allow you to take advantage of the natural landscape and discover the local area. Popular activities range from sunrise yoga to sunset snorkelling, kayaking to coconut-weaving classes, beach volleyball to traditional bracelet making. THE EXTRAS One of the best ways to experience the Fijian concept of Bula (a greeting wishing the person good health and a good life) is to accept an invitation to Castaway Island's weekly management meeting. An exclusive offer included in our Live the Luxe Castaway Life deal. Okay, given that you'll actually enjoy free cocktails and staff Meke (Fijian Dance) performances, it's probably more accurate to refer to it as a party. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
Baker Bleu Double Bay is under new management, if you can call it that, as the Melbourne-born bakery's partnership with renowned Chef Neil Perry and his wife Sam has come to an end. Now, Baker Bleu founders and directors Mike and Mia Russell will take over full ownership of the location. Launched in 2022, Neil had previously described Baker Bleu's output as the "best bread in Australia," becoming part of a joint venture to lead the bakery's expansion beyond Melbourne. Yet Neil and Sam will now renew focus on their neighbouring hub of restaurants — Margaret, Gran Torino and Next Door. "Sam and I are very proud of the role we've played in Baker Bleu's growth and in making the Double Bay store the success it is today. As Mike and Mia look to expand and take the business in a new direction, we've decided to part ways and focus on our restaurants in Double Bay," said Neil Perry. "We are grateful to Neil for bringing us to Sydney in 2022," adds Mike. "During this time, we created something truly magical with Neil and Sam, and we feel privileged to continue to be in the neighbourhood alongside their world-class restaurants." With all other Baker Bleu locations owned by Mike and Mia Russell — Caulfield North, Cremorne and Hawksburn — the Double Bay location now joins the fold, as well as any future stores. That also includes the soon-to-launch South Yarra location, arriving in late September. Situated in a prime position opposite the Royal Botanic Gardens, this takeaway-only outpost has moved into the former home of Baker D Chirico. Open daily, visitors can expect the full Baker Bleu range, from sourdough breads to hand-rolled bagels, alongside Market Lane coffee and pantry staples like cultured butter and small-batch jams. Baker Bleu Double Bay is open daily from 7.30am–3pm at 2 Guilfoyle Ave, Double Bay. Head to the website for more information.
As far as next-level design goes, the humble bowling alley has quite the tendency to err on the side of OTT. They either take us back in time to the '50s, milkshakes and the halcyon days when bowling was literally the most fun you could have, or they blast us forward in time to a super luxurious, neon space rave. Sometimes they let you play in an underwater grotto. Wherever they take us, bowling alleys are always an adventure. They're the perfect setting for novelty dates or big group outings because they allow everyone, from graceful sports stars to kidults who need bumper bars, to look cute in bowling shoes. We're getting into the Lebowski-loved art that is bowling this winter (even if we have to use bumpers), so we thought we'd take a little desk trip to some of the most unique bowling alleys around the world. If you've a hankering to drink, bowl and party closer to home, check out your local bowling alley's seasonal deals (like these clangers Kingpin are offering right now). It might just be one of the best date ideas under $50 this city's ever seen. [caption id="attachment_578915" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Flickr.[/caption] WHITE HOUSE BOWLING ALLEY, WASHINGTON The President of the United States may spend his days running the country but you know he spends his nights obliterating pins in his swagged out bowling alleys. That's right, plural. There are two bowling alleys in the White House and one is, naturally, decorated in blue and red (patriotism never sleeps). You can access the bowling alley during your overnight stay at the White House (which will set you back a surprisingly doable US$400 a night). ALL STAR LANES, LONDON Now, All Star Lanes may be a franchised restaurant/bar/bowling alley, but they really turn up the charm. Their Brick Lane location in London is dripping in old-school glam, the Holgate iteration takes it back to retro middle America in the '70s while the Bayswater venue is, rather inexplicably, retro-Western. All the venues include break-away dining and bar areas with a killer menu. Come for the bowling, stay for the grilled cheese (with a stacked shake on the side to make your retro experience more authentic and belt-loosening). UNCLE BUCK'S FISH BOWL AND GRILL, TACOMA Uncle Buck's Fish Bowl and Grill, a family restaurant in Tacoma, may boast one of the weirdest bowling alleys in the world. The whole venue is styled in an under-the-sea theme (because, y'know, they serve seafood) but they've reeeally pushed the boat out (yeah we did) on this concept. Nowhere is this more acute, or disturbing, than in the 16-lane bowling alley. The room shimmers like it truly is underwater and large colourful fish hang from the wavy ceiling. Your bowling balls are spat back to you from the terrifying maws of crocodiles, sharks and octopus. In summary: it's amazing, tacky and we want to go to there. BROOKLYN BOWL, NEW YORK Rolling Stone called it "One of the most incredible places on earth" and we can kinda see why. One of New York's best loved establishments any night of the week, Brooklyn Bowl in New York is a hybrid rock 'n' roll music venue and bowling alley. The alley is decked out with Chesterfield lounges and boasts a menu by the world famous fried chicken institution, Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken. And on the other side of the venue, the stage has hosted bands like Gun N Roses, Elvis Costello and the Roots and frequently throw rockin' tribute and DJ nights. Also, it's co-owned by André 3000. So, we're in. PINEWOOD SOCIAL, NASHVILLE The Pinewood Social bowling alley is a retro, yet minimalist, bowling alley in Nashville and it might be the cutest place on earth. It's not like most bowling alleys with its high ceiling, exposed trusses and complete lack of neon lights, the complex also includes a café, dining area, bar, lounge and outdoor area with bocce ball court and a pool — all gloriously retro without crossing into tacky territory. You'll also find a mural alongside the lanes made up of specially printed cans. We'll call it, Pinewood Social may be the hippest place in America. SPLITSVILLE, TAMPA Splitsville is not just a place you temporarily populate after being dumped in primary school. It's also a retro-fantastic bowling alley and funtorium in Tampa, Florida, that looks like it's remained exactly the same since its conception in the '70s. In fact Splitsville has had an upgrade (they serve sushi now!) but despite this, it's still a pretty retro joint. You'll be able to see it from a mile away if you look for the two-storey pin (purportedly the largest in the world) on the front door. THE SPARE ROOM You might not think squeaking across a polished wooden floor hurling hefty balls about as a classy activity, but at The Spare Room it can be. Rich mahogany wood finishes, chandeliers and arched windows pair nicely with the bar's ridiculous, but classic, cocktail list. They've complemented their highly resplendent cocktail bowling facilities with other sophisticated pursuits like chess, dominoes, old school bingo, a wooden Connect Four set and an amazing, old school menu. XLANES LA If you're after an integrated, flashy bowling experience, XLanes in Downtown Los Angeles might be just what you need. It's a big (we mean big) bowling alley with 16 lanes and all the flashing neon lights you could ever dream of. But its real value is in the extras, like the full bar, massive gaming arcade (hello Fruit Ninja, we meet again), darts, karaoke and pool and billiards room. It's like a hedonistic adult playground of excess and bowling. Take our money. THE BROADMOOR, COLORADO The Broadmoor in Colorado is a bonkers holiday destination for the insanely wealthy. It's really damn decadent. It's so fancy the bowling alley doesn't even look like a bowling alley — it's decked out in leather couches, chandeliers, gold gilt and affluent smuggery. You will not be ordering a margarita slushie here or entering your name as ASS on in the scoreboard, no. Instead you can partake of adult shaved ice topped with locally made liqueurs and parmesan white-truffle popcorn (seriously, these are things they serve). You might have to sell a kidney to get onto their six lanes or stay the night in their digs, but you can guarantee you'll have the swankiest bowl of your life. SILVER DOLLAR SALOON, MONTANA If you've found another bar in this crazy world of ours boasting stools that are saddles, please let us know. As well as being a rootin' tootin' bar, the Silver Dollar Saloon also boasts a Western-themed, four-lane bowling alley. This kitted-out saloon also features a billiards table, a private theatre, shuffleboard table and darts. It's part of the Rock Creek Ranch in Montana and while a night there will set you back a minimum of US$800, it does include all alcohol and unlimited bowling time so you might just break even. Inspired? If all this reading about bowling has given you a hankering to knock down some pins, let's get you a lane. Kingpin is doing unlimited bowling and laser tag for a cheeky $30pp from 7pm till close. That's quite simply one of the best affordable (and actually fun) date ideas we've seen in this fine city of ours.
Eleven years ago, Taika Waititi was a writer for hire, working on an adaptation of a beloved New Zealand book. Today, he's about to leap into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the director of the forthcoming Thor: Ragnarok. Progressing from the former to the latter hasn't been easy; however as Waititi's career has continually proven, he likes to stray off the beaten path. Indeed, before he embraces the superhero realm, he's bringing a dose of adventurous anarchy to cinema screens courtesy of his fourth feature, Hunt for the Wilderpeople. After exploring unconventional family dynamics with Eagle vs Shark, Boy and What We Do in the Shadows, Waititi ponders similar territory again. But this time, he's telling the tale of city kid Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), his cranky foster uncle Hec (Sam Neill), and their attempts to escape an over-enthusiastic child services officer (Rachel House) by trampling through the New Zealand wilderness. And, he's actually returning to that project he started scripting more than a decade ago. Expect plenty of humour and heart, Terminator references, a dog named Tupac and Rhys Darby as an eccentric conspiracy theorist — all in a movie that has "synthesizers and a score from the '80s, and car chases and flipped police cars and all that stupid stuff," as Waititi puts it. There's a reason Hunt for the Wilderpeople has become New Zealand's biggest homegrown box office success of all time (knocking the filmmaker's own Boy off the top spot, actually). With the film's Australian release under way, we spoke with Waititi about great buddy comedies, getting annoyed at New Zealand's landscape and not being able to connect with bank robbers, and about the movie of the moment, of course. ON WHAT ATTRACTED HIM TO THE WILDERPEOPLE "I think it was just that I loved the idea of this character being on the run, sort of like Thelma and Louise or The Fugitive or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. All those kind of buddy flicks that, even films like Up, have two mismatched characters who are thrown together and stuck together. It's always been a winning combination in cinema. Paper Moon, 48 Hours, the list goes on. So I love that style and I thought it'd be a cool thing to see." ON WORKING WITH NEW ZEALAND'S UNPREDICTABLE WILDERNESS "We were shooting on locations, and we didn't really have much of an idea where we were going to shoot things, and what the weather was going to be like. We ended up in a whole lot of really remote places in New Zealand. At one of them ... we had a huge dump of snow. We had to kind of regroup that morning as the snow was falling on us, and we were like an hour from the main road, we had just driven deep inland. It was too expensive and it would lose the whole day moving everyone out of there. So we just basically decided to shoot and to set a part of the film in the snow. And that's when we got that cool 780-degree shot that turns around and around — we shot that, and spent a few hours shooting that ... While we were doing that, I was trying to figure out what we were going to do for the rest of the day. Now the film has this whole breadth of seasonal change through it. And it makes it even more epic, the fact that it has snow and it spans months and months." ON CELEBRATING THE FILM'S NEW ZEALAND HERITAGE "I'm very proud of where I come from, and I think [New Zealand's] a very beautiful place. Sometimes we take it for granted, how beautiful the land is. I think we get pissed off with it. It's like 'god you can't look anywhere without seeing some beautiful landscape'. And you forget that no one in the world has seen stuff like that. I think that's it's not often nowadays that we make films that celebrate what New Zealand looks like or like, the culture, the people, and how crazy we are. I wanted to do that. I wanted to use so much of that in there. So many parts of the film are inspired by '80s New Zealand films and Australian films. We used to make so many car chase films with people trying to drive from one end of the country to the other, and we stopped doing all that stuff. I think we started taking ourselves too seriously, and I don't do that." ON MAKING FILMS ABOUT UNCONVENTIONAL FAMILIES "Well, my family is crazy. I'm from a very crazy family — but I actually think every family is crazy. I think every single person has some insane part to their family. Every family, there's a criminal somewhere in there, there's a crazy person, there's someone who has just found religion, there's someone who's just left religion, there's someone who's been divorced, there's someone who has just fallen in love. Families are just really messed up, and they're a macro representation of earth, really. All parts of humanity all crammed into a couple of households. And it is the one thing I've found that everyone relates to the most: family dynamics. I don't relate to bank robbers. I've seen a lot of those films, and I get really bored. I don't care about the stakes, and I don't care about what they're trying to do, and I don't care about bank robbery, so I lose interest. But if you set it around a bank robber who's trying to get together with his ex-wife, at least there's something to hold on to there." ON JUMPING FROM INDIE FILMS TO DIRECTING MARVEL'S FORTHCOMING THOR MOVIE "There's not a huge difference really, to be honest. There's just a little bit more time, and you get a few more opportunities to do things that, in the normal indie world, you'd have to find cheaper ways of doing or you'd just have to have a character talk about rather than actually showing something blow up. So parts of your imagination, you actually get to shoot — and that's quite cool. It also could be dangerous to give people that much freedom, creatively. But it is very similar to the indie world in terms of it is still a bunch of people wanting to make a really good story and to make a good film." Hunt for the Wilderpeople opens in Australian cinemas on May 26.
Known for its pristine white sand beaches, Jervis Bay is a well-known escape for Sydneysiders come summertime — and yet during off-peak seasons parts of its 20 kilometres of shoreline will be completely deserted. If you're heading from Sydney, prepare for a three-hour drive south before you hit a vast oceanic bay fringed by national parks. Jervis Bay is one of the deepest bays in Australia, and all its underwater creatures live in a protected marine park. Whether you're paddling, snorkelling or lazing on the beach, you're bound to meet dolphins, rays, weedy sea dragons, Port Jackson sharks, fish and, from late autumn, whales, too. [caption id="attachment_770529" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gunyah by Hutchings Camps Pty Ltd[/caption] EAT AND DRINK Before you travel to Jervis Bay, make a reservation at Gunyah at Paperbark Camp, which you'll find just east of Huskisson in the pint-sized village of Woollamia on the banks of Currambene Creek. Designed by Sydney-based architects Nettleton Tribe, this warmly lit, timber-filled restaurant feels like a treehouse for grown-ups. It's built on stilts and positioned just under the canopy — perfect for spotting possums and stars. Paperbark Camp is also one of the best glamping sites in Australia, so consider spending the night. For lunch, drop into Hyams Beach Cafe and General Store, where you'll not only meet the bay's cutest dog, Albert, but you'll also find a delicious midday meal. Owners Sue and Chris Alison, who run the cafe with their daughter Phoebe, grow much of the produce on their farm. Order a burger and you'll be rewarded with a stack of lamb (or chicken), salad and vegetables, lathered in house-made sauce and framed in soft turkish bread. Hanging out for a late afternoon tipple? The Huskisson Hotel, right on the water, is the spot for it. The pub's got a massive, well-shaded deck and floor-to-ceiling windows, so the views are panoramic. Or, for craft brews at a dog- and family-friendly beer garden, head to Jervis Bay Brewing Co. The brewery is open Wednesday to Sunday for when you want to sample pale ales and XPAs with food truck snacks, or swing by to take a growler home for a barbecue on the deck. [caption id="attachment_770531" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hyams Beach by Tourism Australia[/caption] DO For the big picture, grab your hat and start with a 90-minute dolphin cruise that takes travellers into the middle of Jervis Bay — searching for its 100 resident bottlenose dolphins, and when you return you'll have a good idea of just how epic the bay's proportions are. Jervis Bay's still, clear, safe waters are an excellent place to paddleboard. Book a lesson with Jervis Bay Stand Up Paddle and, after learning the basics, you'll take a mini-tour, watching out for eagle rays and blue gropers diving beneath your board. To go further afield, take a half-day or full-day tour with Sea Kayak Jervis Bay. You'll learn paddling techniques, trivia-comp-winning facts about the bay and, between paddling sessions, you'll stop for coffee, cake, fruit and a dip at a stunning beach. If you're feeling intrepid, venture away from the shoreline to Bowen Island. It's illegal to disembark, but there's stacks to see from your boat, including fairy penguins — approximately 5000 breeding pairs live there. For a gentle stroll, take the White Sands Walk and Scribbly Gum Track — a 2.5-kilometre loop, taking in Hyams, Greenfields and Seamans Beaches. Make sure you check the National Parks website for any alerts before you venture out. In Booderee National Park, which stretches across Jervis Bay's southern headland, head to Cape St George Lighthouse for dizzying cliffs, diving sea eagles and tragic sailors' tales. Go to Green Patch for more white sand, possums, kangaroos and camping. And, for surf, make tracks to Cave Beach or Steamers Beach, both outside the bay. [caption id="attachment_770505" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hyams Beach Seaside Cottages[/caption] STAY For proximity to restaurants and shops, stay in Huskisson. And Hukisson Hotel, located right by the water is one of our favourite places to stay by Jervis Bay. Alternatively, the Huskisson Holiday Motel Cabins is great for those who don't want to be right in the town centre. And if it's bushland and bird songs are more your jam, head to Hyams Beach. Back in the 1920s, a bunch of fishermen built a group of pocket-sized dwellings there, just 60 metres from the water. Now, they've been transformed into the Hyams Beach Seaside Cottages. Painted dusky pink, baby blue and canary yellow, each one has a little porch and ocean views, plus polished wooden floors and an ultra-comfortable, queen-sized bed inside. Travelling with mates? JB Beach Houses gives you a choice of six holiday homes. You'll find the properties metres from the beach and right on the edge of the national park. At Scarborough, you're greeted by a spacious deck overlooking Hyams Beach — a dreamy place to watch birds, read and do absolutely nothing. There's space for up to eight sleepers and it has direct beach access for when you fancy a cheeky midnight dip. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Jervis Bay by Hutchings Camps via Tourism Australia
Australia's summer staples aren't just about what you pack — they're about what actually makes the day easier. Think: SPF you'll reapply without complaint, shade that stays put in the wind, drinkware that keeps things properly cold, and gear that earns its spot in the boot week after week. This edit rounds up the Aussie summer essentials we'd buy for 2025–26 — from beach-day hardware to sun-smart beauty and the little upgrades that make long lunches and long weekends run smoother. Planning what to pour sand-side? Explore our edit of the best new drinks from Australian producers. SPF 50+ Lip to Cheek, Outside Beauty & Skincare This is the "SPF is non-negotiable" product you'll actually want to wear: a mineral SPF 50-plus balm that works as both lip colour and a sheer cheek tint. It's powered by zinc oxide for 100 percent mineral protection, plus cocoa butter and vitamin E for a soft, hydrated finish — and crucially, it doesn't taste like sunscreen. Shop now. Dusk Beach Recliner, Sunwedge Built for beach people by beach people, Sunwedge's padded recliner is designed to keep you comfy without the awkward elbows-in-the-sand setup. It seats two, includes a handy storage pocket, and folds down into a shoulder-strap bag for easy hauling from car to shoreline. Shop now. Rambler Cocktail Shaker, YETI Take the bar wherever you've landed with a leak-resistant shaker that's made to travel. The double-wall vacuum insulation keeps cocktails cold from first pour to last, while the easy-press lid and 1oz twist cap make it a genuinely practical upgrade (and yes — it's dishwasher safe). Shop now. MINIROLL Portable Bluetooth Speaker, Ultimate Ears Small speaker, big energy: the MINIROLL is compact but delivers punchy bass and crisp sound, with up to 12 hours of playtime. It's also IP67 waterproof and dustproof (pool, beach, shower — all good), and has a strap so you can clip it to your bag and go. Shop now. Women's Voya Infinity Sandals, Teva These are the "walk-all-day" sandals that still look good with a dress — thanks to Teva's stretchy infinity lace upper and leather trims. Underfoot, the Mush™ topsole cushions and moulds to your foot, with a lightweight EVA outsole that won't weigh you down. Shop now. The Banks Sunglasses (Dark Chocolate), Luv Lou An oversized aviator frame that reads classic, not costume — with slim temples and Luv Lou's signature gold hardware on each side. Finished in a dark chocolate frame with brown tint CR39 lenses, they're the kind of pair you'll wear daily from beach walks to long lunches. Shop now. Men's UNEEK Sneaker, KEEN KEEN's cult UNEEK design uses a two-cord construction that adapts to your foot for a flexible, secure fit — breathable like a sandal, but wearable like a sneaker. Add a supportive metatomical footbed, natural odour control and a grippy rubber outsole, and you've got an easy summer shoe that can handle movement. Shop now. St Tropez Sarong, Monday Swimwear A chic, versatile wrap that turns swimmers into an outfit in about ten seconds. Made from Monday's supple crinkle linen with a semi-sheer finish and raw edge, it's designed to be styled multiple ways — just don't hang it (the brand recommends reshaping and drying flat). Shop now. CoolCabana 5, CoolCabanas For anyone who's watched a beach umbrella take off down the sand: this is your fix. The CoolCabana 5 offers UPF 50-plus protection with 5.8 square metres of shade, sets up in around two minutes, and uses sand pockets (16 kilograms total) for stability without blocking your ocean view. Shop now. UV Hair Protectant Mist, Naked Sundays SPF for your hair is the move — especially if you're in and out of salt water all summer. Naked Sundays' lightweight leave-in conditioning mist is designed to act like an "invisible screen", with Kakadu plum and argan oil for added shine and strengthening, plus a formula that's vegan, transparent and non-greasy. Shop now. Manly Swim Shorts, ORTC A mid-length, quick-drying pair made from 100 percent recycled polyester, with an elastic waistband and drawstring for an easy fit. They're lightweight, lined with internal fine mesh briefs, and finished with pockets (including a rear button-up) for practical beach-to-bar wear. Shop now. FreeSip Water Bottle, Owala This is the bottle that solved the "straw or wide-mouth?" debate — it does both, with a patented FreeSip spout that lets you sip upright or swig when you tilt it back. It's triple-layer insulated to keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours, and the carry loop doubles as a lock so it stays leak-proof in your bag. Shop now. All Day Julienne Mini Cooler, Stanley Equal parts lunch bag and mini cooler, this "doctor's bag" style design pops open wide for easy packing, then zips shut to keep everything cold for up to 12 hours. Made from 100 percent recycled polyester with a shoulder strap option and front zip pocket, it's built for picnic dates, beach snacks and road trips. Shop now. Beau Australian Cotton Beach Towel, Country Road Plush, thick and designed for proper lounging, this towel is made from 100 percent Australian cotton with a high velour pile on one side and absorbent terry on the reverse. It's generously sized (95 by 175 centimetres), which means it works just as well poolside as it does on the sand. Shop now. Ryan Shirt, ELCE at Stylerunner A crisp cotton shirt with a relaxed fit that's made for throwing over swimmers, denim or shorts — and still looking pulled-together. The vertical stripe print, exaggerated cuffs and sharp collar give it that "effortless but intentional" summer tailoring energy. Shop now. Luxe Lie-On Lounger, SUNNYLiFE The float for people who hate flimsy floats: oversized, comfortable, and designed to work on water or on the lawn. It features a removable outdoor-ready fabric cover over a durable inflatable core, with easy inflation/deflation — basically, the closest thing to a daybed you can take into the pool. Shop now. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence our recommendations, but they may earn us a small commission. For more information, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
If you've noticed a bit of a chill in the air these last few days, in the rare respites from the humidity at least, you know that the colder months of the year are slowly starting to creep up. In Sydney, that means less beach crowds and more pub fireplaces a'roaring, but it also means the massive, luminous festivities of Vivid Sydney are returning — and this year the festival is quite literally seizing the day. While the night is where Vivid really shines, slowly illuminating the rooftops, walls, alleyways, plazas and parks of Sydney with all the colours of the rainbow, 2026 marks a bold new venture: events held before sundown. That's right, this year Vivid Sydney is going to run a selection of installations, talks and food experiences in the daylight hours. [caption id="attachment_1081401" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] The full 23-day program is weighty, and divided into the four pillars of Vivid Light, Vivid Music, Vivid Minds and Vivid Food, with 80 percent of the festival available completely for free — especially the Vivid Light Walk, an unbroken six-and-a-half kilometre route boasting 43 installations and projections. This year, Vivid Light is led by two landmark installations. Molecule of Light is Vivid 2026's tallest installation at 23 metres, a laser and sound installation from British artist Chris Levine that fuses single‑frequency beams, geometric light patterns and a solfeggio soundscape inspired by ancient healing frequencies. Then there's Obstacle, one of the longest works in Vivid's history — a 45-metre high‑resolution LED corridor of colour and movement on Wulugul Walk. [caption id="attachment_1081399" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] 'As Water Falls' by Studio Iregular[/caption] French artist Yann Nguema will light up the sails of the Opera House with Opera Mund, while Sāmoan‑Australian artist Angela Tiatia projects Vaiola, a reflection on the life and power of water, onto the Museum of Contemporary Art. And the night sky down in Cockle Bay will be lit up by the nightly laser show, returning for its 16th year with four shows every hour. Vivid Minds is inviting filmmakers Sean Baker (Anora) and Chloé Zhao (Hamnet), music commentator Zane Lowe, Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz and bestselling author Roxane Gay for conversations on creative practice and cultural shifts. There'll also be rapid-fire keynotes in Midweek Minds, weekly talks on contemporary creativity featuring architects, designers, creatives and filmmakers. [caption id="attachment_1081398" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] 'Continuum' by Ilumaphonium[/caption] Vivid Food is going to deliver a whole table worth of flavour, with the likes of a regional shared table-style dinner series from Yotam Ottolenghi with guests Mindy Woods with Danielle Alvarez at the Sydney Opera House, Ben Devlin with Lennox Hastie at Firedoor, and Christine Manfield with Sander Nooij at Yellow. Vivid Fire Kitchen is also turning the heat back on in a new home at Barangaroo Reserve — featuring chef talent like Mark Best, Luke Mangan, Sharon Salloum and Annita Potter, and an expanded list of culinary personalities such as Julia Goodwin, Adriano Zumbo, Declan Cleary and Karima Hazim. And finally, Vivid Music, even just the tip of this particular iceberg is setting the stage for music from every genre you could imagine. The free live music series, Tumbalong Nights, alone has booked artists of Nigerian Afrobeat, Chinese rap, Japanese rap, Australian alt-rock and even opera. Over at City Recital Hall, you'll find British multi-disciplinary artist Kae Tempest, Palestinian-French performer Saint Levant and EDM producer Daniel Avery. Metro Theatre is hosting UK R&B singer Clara La San, and Oxford Art Factory has booked headline shows from RUBII and Chanel Beads. The 2026 festival is also the organisational debut of Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO, who said this year's program represents a bold new horizon for the event. "For 2026 we are expanding our program into new artforms including aerial performance, daytime public art, theatre and dance. These join our vast Vivid Minds, Light, Music and Food offerings to now make your Vivid Sydney one of the great comprehensive arts festivals of the world." "This year we invite you to go beyond your previous expectations of Vivid Sydney into a bold new festival designed to surprise, delight, challenge, entertain, and fill you with joy," Sheehy adds. "Whether you encounter Vivid Sydney as a happy observer, an eager participant, or someone keen to engage with one of our dozens of interactive opportunities, we can promise you a festival of a lifetime." Vivid Sydney will take place across the city from Friday, May 22 to Saturday, June 13. For more information, visit the website. Images: supplied. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Despite what Melburnians might say, Sydney has culture. Heaps of it. But being a culture vulture in our city ain't always cheap — especially when it comes to stage performances. With so many top-notch theatre productions coming to Sydney shores this year, it's hard to imagine how our wallets will handle them all. And while discount ticket outlets like Lasttix and Today Tix are useful, they don't necessarily get you regular access to a wide range of productions. Lucky for us, Sydney's top theatre companies offer highly discounted tickets throughout the year. From independent and experimental productions right up to the latest Broadway hits, you can get in on the cheap. Here's how. [caption id="attachment_798378" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Home, I'm Darling by Rene Vaile[/caption] $49 TICKETS FROM SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY Sydney Theatre Company doesn't just offer discounted tickets to one-off performances. If you're under 30, you can nab cheap seats to performances on Monday–Friday and Saturday matinees, with tickets priced at just $49. If you've passed the 30 mark, you can still catch every show for $49 by attending on preview nights (the first three nights the performance opens). And 2021 is an especially good time to take advantage of these deals. Coming up in March and April is the Olivier Award-winning play Home, I'm Darling and Appropriate by Pulitzer Prize nominee Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. [caption id="attachment_720225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton[/caption] $20 TICKETS AT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE Sydney's best known (and most attractive) theatre venue also offers some seriously enticing discounts. For starters, you can score $20 front-row-seats to the opera by signing up to the Opera Australia ballot. It's free to enter and offers a nice surprise in your inbox when you're selected. And it's never been a better time to sign up — this year, the Opera House is putting on two must-see shows: Tosca and Bluebeard's Castle. For Opera House shows other than, well, the opera, all you have to do is head to the venue's website at noon each day to nab $21 tickets. This new deal is available through the end of March, giving you the chance to catch Rent, Circa's Peepshow and The Choir of Man. It's first in, best dressed, but you can grab four in one transaction and there are no booking fees at all. [caption id="attachment_781075" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A Room of One's Own by Brett Boardman[/caption] 30 AND UNDER DISCOUNTS AT BELVOIR STREET THEATRE At Belvoir Street Theatre, the team is offering discounts to heaps of shows for those 30 and under. The discounted prices are available for previews, weekday matinees, Tuesday through Friday evenings and even Saturday matinees. The price ranges from $46–61, with full details over here. Student discounts are also available from $33, and preview tickets are on offer for one and all, starting from $51. Coming up in 2021 is the new play Stop Girl (which won the Blake-Beckett Trust Award) and the final dates for Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own. For those experiencing tough times, the theatre also offers unwaged performances. Each season, Belvoir releases a program of free-of-charge matinee performances to the Upstairs productions. You can claim tickets to these performances by presenting an eligible Pensioner, Health Care or Veterans' Affairs Card. The full schedule of unwaged performances can be viewed here. [caption id="attachment_798377" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Orange Thrower by Brett Boardman[/caption] $40 AND UNDER TICKETS AT DARLINGHURST'S GRIFFIN THEATRE COMPANY Darlinghurst's Griffin Theatre Company gives Sydneysiders the chance to see some of the most cutting edge emerging talent that Sydney's theatre scene has to offer — and you can often do so on the cheap. Heaps of its performances are priced at just $40, including the upcoming Jali and Is There Something Wrong With That Lady? If you're under 35, you can nab $38 tickets to the pricier shows like Prima Facie and Green Park. Or go for a subscription and grab a two-to-five play pass for $70–$170 (under 35s) or preview passes starting at $96 for two plays. You'll want to make sure you catch Orange Thrower, which is only available with a subscription. $20 TICKETS AT NEWTOWN'S NEW THEATRE The New Theatre in Newtown is a favourite for emerging art, and it's also committed to keeping theatre as accessible as possible. Tickets to its upcoming performances Beautiful Thing and Glengarry Glen Ross are set at just $35 full price, with the previews costing just $20 and all Thursday showings — dubbed Thrifty Thursdays — set at $22. A yearly membership costs just $30, too — this gets you $22 tickets to all shows, plus heaps of other benefits. For the full 2021 upcoming season and for tickets, head here. [caption id="attachment_789711" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton by Joan Marcus via Destination NSW[/caption] FREE MEMBERSHIP TO CAPITOL AND SYDNEY LYRIC THEATRES Partner venues Capitol Theatre in Haymarket and the Sydney Lyric Theatre in Pyrmont both offer a membership program, and it's absolutely free to sign up. It's one of the best ways to see this year's blockbuster Broadway hits on the cheap. With it, you'll get members only pre-sale, access to the best seats in the house and special offers aplenty. At Sydney Lyric Theatre, you finally catch the highly anticipated arrival of Hamilton in mid-March. Over at Capitol, the hit Tony Award-winning musical Come From Away will take the stage from June. You can sign up for membership over here. [caption id="attachment_728891" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Catto[/caption] $27 CABARET NIGHTS AT DARLINGHURST THEATRE COMPANY Darlinghurst Theatre Company is changing things up this year by focusing on cabaret and jazz club vibes for the start of 2021. Stop by each week for Thirsty Thursdays, where you can enjoy cabaret and musical theatre performances for just $27. A different performer will take the stage each week, with cast members from Merry Widow, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Kinky Boots all on the docket recently. Grab a bottle of wine and enjoy drinks and dinner alongside the show tunes — with audience members encouraged to get involved, too. For everything that's happening at the theatre this year, head to the venue's website. [caption id="attachment_798329" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Apologists[/caption] $40 AND UNDER TICKETS AT THE OLD 505 THEATRE The Old 505 Theatre in Newtown may be a small operation, but it turns out some of the most impressive emerging theatre productions in the city. Tucked away on Eliza Street (just off King), the theatre offers a chance to see local indie productions without breaking the bank. This season, the tickets max out at $40 and all tickets include a $10 bar tab or a complimentary drink. You still have a few days left to catch The Cope Street Parade for just $30. Otherwise, February is packed with musical performances, with tickets starting from just $25. For the full program and all ticket details, head over here. $38 TICKETS AT ENSEMBLE THEATRE IN KIRRIBILLI Founded in 1958 and set on Sydney Harbour, Kirribilli's Ensemble Theatre is the longest continuously run professional theatre group in Australia. And it's committed to providing top-notch productions to young audiences for affordable prices. With its 30 and under program, tickets start at just $38 for previews and $43 for all other performances. The theatre company offers heaps of must-see shows, too. Coming up in 2021 are the world premieres of new Australian productions Kenny and Outdated, as well as the modern Australian thriller Honour. Top image: Hamilton by Destination NSW
When it comes to the development of Sydney's beachside suburbs, Cronulla has admittedly taken a bit of a backseat. But it's slowly making up for lost time. And a driving force behind this are Harry and Mario Kapoulas. The brothers, whose Greek-inspired cafe and deli HAM is somewhat of an institution for Shire residents, are keeping the wheels turning with their newest venture Rushi. The pair joined forces with another longtime Cronulla establishment, Chain Reaction Bicycles, to launch this small eatery inside the store earlier this year. While this type of hybrid may not be an altogether fresh idea for Sydney (see: Rising Sun Workshop, Deus Ex Machina), it is for Cronulla. For the new cafe, the Kapoulas duo brought in friend Lucy Brenton, from Paddington institution Jackie's. And with her, Brenton brought chef Derek McMullan, sous chef Yopi Tjandra and a collective passion for Japanese cuisine. The cafe's Japanese influence starts with the branding — "rushi" is the Japanese translation of "Lucy" and the logo, which kind of looks like a smiling emoji, is one of the Japanese characters from the name. You'll see the 'smile' straight away when you enter the cafe — it's on the floor tiles at the door — and it's a good sign of what to expect service-wise, too. Nestled into the front corner of the bike store, the cafe is compact, with the open kitchen and counter on one-side and a wall of jarred spices on the other. The approach to seating, we think, is to put them wherever there is space — including under the stairs that lead to an office above. The size of the kitchen calls for a succinct menu, but all the major Aussie brunch favourites are present, albeit with a Japanese twist. A standout is the egg yariman roll (we'll let you do that translation yourselves). It's a decadent combo of parmesan scrambled eggs, avocado, bacon and Sriracha mayo served on a soft milk bun. The ricotta hotcakes and Forbidden Rice — warm sticky black coconut rice pudding with seasonal fruit —are good choices for sweet tooths. For lunch, expect a tataki salmon poke-style salad, a yuzu steak sandwich and an almost-permanent special, the Phomen: a pho-ramen hybrid. The coffee is a custom blend from local roasters White Horse Coffee, but, if you're tempted to experiment, the range of 'alternative lattes' is fairly appetising — with raspberry cocoa, charcoal and mint slice options. In this new spot, the Kapoulas duo and Brenton have together created a beachside eatery that stands out from the rest — for more than one reason. And they're about to do it all again — the team is working on a new 'concept chicken shop', named CC Babcoq, which will join Salts Meats Cheese in Cronulla's new development The Banc in November. Stay tuned for details.
The rooftop at The Royal Hotel in Paddington has long been a favourite among pub-goers and Paddo locals for about as long as cold beer's been coming out of taps. After a decent trek up a few flights of stairs, juggling coldies, you're rewarded with an outstanding view of the city, the bays and the harbour — an impressive setting to watch the dusk wash over Sydney. You can't eat up here, so you'll have to head downstairs to one of the pubs other large spaces — perhaps the main bar or the verandah bar where you can eat on the wrap-around balcony. The menu features traditional pub food at a decent price with a regular board of specials. Either way, get in there early, because the rooftop isn't big, and it fills up quickly for summer sun downs. Appears in: The Best Rooftop Bars in Sydney
The best Indian restaurants in Sydney come in many forms. You've got local neighbourhood diners with BYO licenses and super-friendly staff who know their regulars all too well. Then there are the more up-market and contemporary Indian diners that aim to reinvent the cuisine, playing with classic recipes to create new and exciting dishes. A handful of the best Indian restaurants in Sydney are also totally vegetarian or, at the very least, have a huge selection of plant-based options. These are the kinds of Sydney eateries where everyone can find something on the menu — be it the simple butter chicken with a pile of garlic naan on the side or a lesser-known regional dish that's packed with spice and flavour. Here is our pick of the best Indian fare in the Harbour City. Recommended reads: The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney The Best French Restaurants in Sydney The Best Japanese Restaurants in Sydney The Best Mexican Restaurants in Sydney
How better to temporarily break free from the everyday routine than by heading on a holiday escape somewhere worlds apart from your normal life? Imagine swapping life in the city for a few nights soaking up some spectacular coastline or enveloping yourself in lush rainforest. Well, if it's a unique getaway you're after, you'll find a smorgasbord of unconventional Airbnb stays dotted all across Australia. A Newport cabin floating on the water, a converted vintage bus nestled in the Tamar Valley and even a historic French provincial castle tower in Rutherglen are all options at your fingertips. Whether you're planning that ideal vacation, or still in the dreaming stages, here are ten of Australia's best Airbnb stays. Recommended reads: The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Australia The Best Glamping Sites in Australia The Best Islands to Visit in Australia The Best Beaches in Australia [caption id="attachment_774843" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] The Bus Hideaway, Tasmania This vintage bus has been retired from the roads, but it's living a pretty happy life reborn as a cosy getaway for two, moored on a remote farm in peaceful Tamar Valley bushland. It's an eco-friendly hideaway, crafted from lots of upcycled materials, heated by a cosy wood fire and stocked with organic, locally sourced goodies — right through to the luxurious linens on the comfy king-size bed. This little gem is kitted out with a full modern kitchen, proper gas-fuelled shower and a composting loo that won't have you feeling like you're roughing it too hard. And with zero wi-fi, it's the perfect excuse to unplug and unwind — the book collection, DVD player and acres of Tassie wilderness are sure to keep you happily entertained. From $220 a night, sleeps two. [caption id="attachment_774846" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] Dinky Di's Dugout, South Australia Ever wanted to indulge your inner earthworm with a subterranean stay? Best put Coober Pedy on your holiday radar. The South Australian town is famed both for its opal mining and its underground dwellings, built to withstand the area's scorching temperatures. And you can call one of these 'dugouts' home for a few nights — namely this two-bedroom, two-bathroom number that's carved into the earth just north of the town centre. It's got all the trimmings you'll need for a comfy cave getaway, with full kitchen, laundry and an outdoor barbecue area. This underground beauty even comes with a healthy dose of natural light, thanks to the windows set right across its front. From $185 a night, sleeps seven. The Salty Dog, New South Wales This floating cabin on the sea takes 'waterfront property' to a whole new level. Featured in countless Australian travel guides and even International publications, its easy to see why this boathouse is filed under unconventional. Found in Newport, this tiny home on the ocean features a combined kitchen and dining area as well as a cozy loft bedroom. Windows are a-plenty for splendid views of the marina, and emphasising that boat-on-the-water feeling. During your stay, make sure to stop by the beach - only a 20-minute walk from the cabin - or Newport's local businesses. And yes, they give you a boat so you can leave. From $635 a night. Sleeps two. [caption id="attachment_774851" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] The Shed at Broger's End, New South Wales Occupying a quaint patch of green between the Kangaroo River and Brogers Creek in NSW's southern highlands, this former machinery shed has been given new life as a rustic country escape. And it's got unplugged group getaway written all over it. The low-footprint, sun-powered home features lots of recycled materials, boasting a sprawling but cosy living area with vintage furniture pieces throughout. And you'll find no shortage of nifty extras to help elevate your downtime here — think, woodfired pizza oven, firepit, expansive herb garden, onsite chooks laying fresh eggs for brekkie and even an outdoor bath for soaking under the stars. Hit the river for activities, or go wildlife-spotting on one of the many kilometres of nearby walking trails. From $550 a night, sleeps seven. [caption id="attachment_774853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] The Tower at Mount Ophir Estate, Victoria If you've ever fantasised about living it up in a fairytale castle, you can quit dreaming and lock in a stay at this 115-year-old French provincial-style tower, located at Mount Ophir Estate in the heart of Rutherglen winemaking country. As far as couples' escapes go, this one comes with a fairly exxy price tag — though it also boasts three separate levels, some truly gorgeous interiors, a library, and a lavish top-floor bedroom suite with 360-degree views. Breakfast is included with your stay — we get the feeling it'll be top-shelf — plus you've got access to the property's bikes whenever you're in the mood for some exploring. And of course, don't forget all those wineries right on the doorstep. From $518 a night, sleeps two. [caption id="attachment_774854" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Airbnb[/caption] Alikra Eco-Glamping Retreat, Victoria Tucked away among scenic Dandenong Ranges forest, this straw-bale yurt is the ultimate antidote to all that big city craziness, with space to sleep two nature-seekers and a unique design that keeps things comfy all year round. Hang out in the wilderness of this 40-acre property, revelling in nature, getting acquainted with the farm animals or just clocking in some off-grid time in this beautifully appointed former artist's studio. There's a firepit, a rustic outdoor kitchen and a light-filled bedroom stacked with soft furnishings collected from all across the country. Hiking trails abound in this pocket of Melbourne, though you'll also find a healthy stock of books and board games for cosy days spent lounging at base camp. From $295 a night, sleeps two. [caption id="attachment_774856" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] The Little Red Barn, Queensland Secure your own little patch of leafy, Noosa Hinterland wilderness with a stay in this cheerfully restored red timber barnhouse. With space to sleep seven, it's working a stylish old-meets-new fit-out, where timber floors and soaring vaulted ceilings complement plush white linens and contemporary bathroom features. Depending on the weather, you can snuggle up by the living room's fireplace, take a soak in the old-school claw-foot bath out on the deck, or unwind with a dip in the concrete water tank swimming pool overlooking the rolling green hills. Put this one on the list for your next group getaway — it's got a big, open living area, plus roomy wrap-around verandahs for those outdoor hangs. From $450 a night, sleeps seven. The Beach Dome, Queensland This quirky beachside dome has a look that's as cheery as its tropical Far North Queensland surrounds, nestled among palm trees just metres from the sands of Cairns' Trinity Beach. The self-contained, two-bedroom bubble is like a cool, coastal oasis, decked out in plenty of bright whites and upbeat pastel tones. Though it's compact, it's got space for four guests (plus an extra, if you use the rollout bed), a modern kitchen and bathroom, and even a cute front porch primed for afternoon wines overlooking the ocean. In addition to four other domes, the property's also home to its own pool, just in case you want to shake things up between beach sessions. From $130 a night, sleeps four. [caption id="attachment_786395" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arabella on Airbnb by Love Space Photography[/caption] Arabella, New South Wales Settled on a 140-acre property that looks straight out of a fairytale, this tiny home is for nature lovers and off-the-grid fanatics. And when we say off the grid, we mean it. No internet, reception, two kilometres off the main road and water from the natural spring nearby. This dwelling is an eco-experience in every sense of the term. However, as unconventional as the time home is on its own, the stand-alone one-way glass shower truly takes the cake. Soak in nature while soaking in the tub with 360 views of the gardens around the entirely-glass structure. While you're having your inevitable picnic in sprawling outdoors, be sure to try to spot the wild alpacas, kangaroos, and echidnas. From $445 a night, sleeps three. Stargazing Bubble 'Etoile', Victoria Sleep among the stars from the comfort of the indoors in this award-winning accommodation. Set atop the mountains overlooking the rolling hills and ocean below, this out-of-the-box retreat is made to bring stargazing to the next level, providing panoramic views of the night sky as well as a telescope and pair of binoculars. When you're not staring at the stars, the outdoor patio comes with deck chairs and a mini barbecue to use after a day of exploring. The interior of the bubble features a four-post queen bed with wrap-around privacy curtains, a lounge area, kitchenette, and a bluetooth speaker. Bubble acoustics are out of this world! A connecting bubble for the bathroom has all the amenities for a comfortable stay, and don't forget to look up in the shower to see a mini stargazing roof. From $795 a night, sleeps two. Images: courtesy of Airbnb. 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.
For Trishia Mariano, hosting has never been about perfection. It's about intention — how a space feels, how people connect, and the quiet power of gathering around a thoughtfully set table. The founder of Mesa Collections didn't come to tableware through design school or a formal interiors background. In fact, by day she works as a growth analyst, immersed in data and numbers. But during the long, isolating months of COVID lockdowns — as she approached her 30s and found herself craving connection — Trishia returned to something far more instinctive: cooking for others, inviting people in, and creating a sense of belonging through food. "I was bored, honestly," she says, laughing. "But more than that, I really missed community." @trishiamariano join my dinner party or our group chat? https://mesacollections.com.au/pages/eatwithus #sydney #dinnerwithstrangers #sydneydinnerwithstrangers #hosting ♬ original sound - Ally Rendall That longing led her to an experiment she called Dinner With Strangers: intimate supper clubs hosted in her Sydney apartment, where guests — often complete strangers — gathered around a shared table. What began with eight people quickly grew to dinners of 20, with Trishia collaborating with chefs and culinary creatives to bring each night to life. Some evenings were curated and structured; others were deliberately casual. One dinner ended with guests presenting their own work or interests to the group — terrifying, she admits, but transformative. "It wasn't really about the aesthetics," she says. "It was about creating an atmosphere where people felt comfortable enough to open up." Those dinners — now well documented on TikTok — didn't just shape Mesa Collection as a brand. They helped Trishia articulate what hosting meant to her, and why it felt so deeply personal. @trishiamarianoPart 4 | Launching a new product Photoshoot and all the preps behind it. Honestly, this was the tiring part but SO worth it. Doing this all with my FT job was brutal. I slept at 2am and woke up at 6am to start the day. I ended up hiring a super lovely shoot assistant very last minute and honestly that's one of the best decisions I've made in building this business. Networking is a big learning for me in this journey. The opportunities it opens for you are sometimes so surprising. See you in part 5!♬ sweet nothing sped up - kacey ✧.* Raised in a Filipino household where someone was always cooking and the door was always open, hosting was never framed as an event — it was simply how life happened. That cultural instinct runs through Mesa Collections today, from the ruffled edges of its linens to the emphasis on pieces that feel lived-in rather than precious. "Food and hosting are so intrinsic to my heritage," she explains. "When I design for Mesa, I always go back to that — my grandma sewing, the textures she used, the colours she put on the table." Designing a Table That Feels Like an Invitation When Trishia designs a tablescape — whether for a Mesa shoot or one of her own dinners — she starts long before guests arrive. Ideally, the table is set the day before. Not for Instagram, but for intention. "It makes people feel expected," she says. "Like you've been waiting for them." Her process is methodical but intuitive. She often follows a loose 60–30–10 rule: 60 percent of the table anchored in a primary colour or texture (often a linen tablecloth), 30 percent in a complementary tone, and 10 percent reserved for contrast — silver cutlery, ceramic plates or an unexpected pop of colour. Layering matters. A tablecloth first, then placemats if the surface needs grounding. Plates and cutlery come next, with centrepieces added last, once the mood is already set. She prefers to see the table "breathe" before placing anything in the middle. And despite the rise of elaborate, overflowing tables online, Trishia is firm on one thing: restraint. "A centrepiece should be a conversation starter, not an obstacle," she says. "You still need space for food and for people to move." Some of her favourite centrepieces have been deeply personal — framed childhood photos at her own birthday dinner, or bowls of seasonal produce instead of florals. Fruit and vegetables, she notes, have become a defining tablescape trend, adding texture, colour and a sense of abundance without feeling wasteful. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mesa collections (@mesa.collections) What's Worth Investing In — And What to Thrift Mesa Collections was built with longevity in mind, and Trishia is clear about where to invest versus where to experiment. If there's one category she believes is worth spending on, it's cutlery. Good silverware, she says, lasts forever — and often becomes the kind of object that's passed down. "Cutlery is used every day. It's tactile. It's something you'll have for decades." Linens, too, are worth choosing carefully. Mesa's ruffled tablecloths and placemats are designed to age well — crinkling gracefully rather than demanding constant upkeep. Trend-led elements, on the other hand, are better thrifted: mismatched ceramics, vintage plates, heirloom serving spoons, candleholders collected slowly over time. "It's about mix and match," she says. "That's where personality comes in." That philosophy extends to how Mesa operates as a business. Many of its pieces are available to rent as well as buy — allowing customers to try before committing, and reinforcing the idea that tablescaping should be accessible, not intimidating. The Art of The Perfect Host For Trishia, a good host isn't defined by what's on the table — but by how people feel when they leave. "The goal is that they want to come back," she says simply. That means removing pressure wherever possible. Not cooking everything yourself. Letting people contribute. Choosing comfort over formality. The most memorable dinner she's ever hosted? The very first Dinner With Strangers — a potluck. "Everyone shared why they made what they made," she recalls. "It took the focus off me and made it about everyone else." It's a lesson she's carried into Mesa Collections: hosting as an act of care rather than performance. Beautiful objects can elevate a moment, but they're never the point. "Sometimes what people remember most is a conversation that happened out of nowhere," she says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mesa collections (@mesa.collections) Building a Brand Around Gathering Today, Mesa Collections exists not just as a product line but as a growing community — with Trishia hosting founder dinners, summer lunches and collaborative events that blur the line between brand and lived experience. A recent lunch at Northcote wine bar Samuel Pepys saw Mesa linens transform the courtyard into something relaxed, layered and distinctly hers. "I didn't create Mesa just to sell things," she says. "I really love the community that's forming around it." In many ways, Mesa is a continuation of those early dinners — a way to give others the tools to host with confidence, warmth and a sense of self. Not perfect tables, but meaningful ones. Because, as Trishia has learned, the table is rarely just a table. It's where people arrive as strangers — and often leave as something more. Explore Mesa Collections products via the website, and find out more about the next Founders Dinners via Trishia's TikTok. Images: Supplied
Adapting The Narrow Road to the Deep North was always going to require a dream cast and crew. More than that, any attempt to bring Richard Flanagan's acclaimed 2013 novel to the screen was always set to demand a roster of creatives dedicated to doing the book justice, and to honouring the very real history that the work of fiction draws upon. The author didn't spin a true tale on his pages; however, much is shared with reality. Flanagan's text is steeped in the experience of Australian POWs during World War II, specifically those forced to work on the Burma Railway by the Japanese military. IRL, his own father was one of them. A cream-of-the-crop lineup is the aim for every screen project, of course, whether it's destined to grace cinemas or television. Streaming via Prime Video from Friday, April 18, 2025, The Narrow Road to the Deep North's talents should make other TV shows envious, Australian and international alike. For the first time in his career, filmmaker Justin Kurzel plies his skills on the small screen. For the five-part miniseries, he adapts a Booker Prize-winning novel again, as he did with True History of the Kelly Gang. Kurzel collaborates with screenwriter Shaun Grant once more, and unpacks complicated Aussie history again in the process as well, as the pair previously navigated with their take on Ned Kelly, plus Snowtown beforehand and Nitram afterwards. Standing before the lens for the duo: Jacob Elordi (Oh, Canada) on a rare return Down Under, Odessa Young (My First Film) falling into the same category, plus everyone from Irish great and Belfast Oscar-nominee Ciarán Hinds, as well as Japan's Shô Kasamatsu (Tokyo Vice), through to the Aussie likes of Olivia DeJonge (Elvis), Thomas Weatherall (Heartbreak High), Simon Baker (Boy Swallows Universe), Heather Mitchell (Love Me) and Essie Davis (One Day). In one of only five Australian texts to ever claim the prestigious literary award — Thomas Keneally's Schindler's Ark, DBC Pierre's Vernon God Little, and Peter Carey's aforementioned True History of the Kelly Gang and Oscar and Lucinda are the others — Flanagan charts the path of Dorrigo Evans. Before the Second World War, he has a future in medicine calling. Afterwards, he carves out a career as a respected surgeon. The Narrow Road to the Deep North jumps between the two, as well as his ordeal while being held captive as a prisoner of war. Elordi plays the younger Dorrigo in the series' 40s-era sequences. Hinds steps into the character's shoes in its 80s-set segments. The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a character study, as well as an exploration of multiple sides of war. It delves into culture clashes, interrogates heroism and steadfastly stresses the importance of remembering horrors gone by so that they aren't repeated. It's as much a love story, and a portrait of a long-lasting marriage, though — and yet those two aren't quite one and the same. As a young man, Dorrigo's future is also tied to Ella (DeJonge), whose family have ties back to drafting the Australian constitution. Decades later (played by Mitchell), she remains by his side. But before shipping out, before his medical prowess is needed in Syria, before being transported like cattle through Thailand to the jungle and before the compulsory strenuous labour that will claim the life of some of his friends, Dorrigo spends a summer embarking upon a secret affair with Amy Mulvaney (Young), the wife of his uncle Keith (Baker). It's this romance that he thinks of as he endures war's cruelties, and that also stays with him long afterwards. Casting Elordi and Young as the youthful Dorrigo and Amy are the best choices that The Narrow Road to the Deep North's guiding forces could've made for the two roles. For both actors, it also brought them home. Since 2018's Swinging Safari marked Elordi's first film, he's largely been busy overseas, meaning that Australian projects have been rarities his your resume. With Young, since The Daughter and Looking for Grace each made a splash in 2015, the same has also proven true. On the path from there to The Narrow Road to the Deep North, the pair have amassed an array of credits: The Kissing Booth trilogy, The Mortuary Collection, Deep Water, The Sweet East, Saltburn and Priscilla among them for Elordi; Sweet Virginia, A Million Little Pieces, Shirley, The Stand, Mothering Sunday, The Staircase (with DeJonge), Manodrome and more for Young. They also each have Sam Levinson projects to their name; as the world knows, Elordi is one of Euphoria's stars, while Young led the film Assassination Nation. "There couldn't be a better opportunity to come home," Elordi tells Concrete Playground about The Narrow Road to the Deep North. In fact, he responded so strongly to Flanagan's novel when Kurzel sent it his way that he started advising his family that the book was the key to understanding him, a statement that "I kind of regret saying", he also notes now. The Macbeth and Assassin's Creed filmmaker's involvement was crucial for him, too, as "an enormous fan of his work for my whole conscious movie life". [caption id="attachment_1000037" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Denholm/Getty Images for Prime Video[/caption] That's similarly the case for Young, who reteams with Kurzel for the second time in two years, after featuring alongside Jude Law (Skeleton Crew) and Nicholas Hoult (Nosferatu) in the director's excellent 2024 crime-thriller The Order. "I would do anything that he asked me to do. I would love to work with him for the rest of my life, because I believe that he makes me a better performer," she shares. In our chat with Elordi and Young, we also dug into why Elordi felt such a powerful connection to The Narrow Road to the Deep North, and how infrequent that reaction is for him; Kurzel's penchant for difficult stories; and how Elordi and Young built chemistry together, as characters that Flanagan has compared to stars exploding in galaxies in real time. Covered as well: Elordi and his co-stars' commitment to authenticity in the POW scenes, and the sense of responsibility to the real-life men who worked on the Burma Railway that came with it — and what the two make of their respective journeys from starting out at home to overseas success, then coming back for a series they're clearly both proud of. On Why The Narrow Road to the Deep North Was the Right Project to Bring Both Elordi and Young Home After Their International Successes Jacob: "For me, it was Justin Kurzel. I've been an enormous fan of his work for my whole conscious movie life. So it was just the opportunity to be able to work with him." Odessa: "Yeah, me too. Sorry to copy." Jacob: "No, no, no. But of course, then you double down when it's Richard Flanagan's text. It's just there couldn't be a better opportunity to come home and try to make some cinema." On Elordi's Strong Reaction to the Novel, So Much So That He Told Family Members That the Book Was the Key to Understanding Him Jacob: "I kind of regret saying that now, because if you read the book, like it doesn't remind me of myself at all." Odessa: "You've changed." Jacob: "I think there's so many parts, there so many bits of him that are so inherently Australian, that it reminded me so much of a lot of the men in my life and the people that I know, and things like that. But it is a rare thing — but I feel like those things always happen for a reason. The right thing does find you at the right time, and you read it at a moment in time when it speaks to you. And that's always such a great treat." On Young Working with Justin Kurzel on Two Projects in a Row, with The Narrow Road to the Deep North Following The Order Odessa: "I think sometimes you just meet directors who make you a better actor, and he's one of them. I feel like I got a really lovely introduction to him working on The Order, because for me it was a low-pressure environment. I kind of got to be a bit of the relief from the very, very difficult story. He likes difficult stories, does Justin. And it was lovely. We just got to know each other under really low-pressure circumstances. And I just really, really love the way he works. It feels very natural to me. I would do anything that he asked me to do. I would love to work with him for the rest of my life, because I believe that he makes me a better performer." On the Importance of the Series Being Many Things, Including a Love Story, a Character Study, a Look at Multiple Sides of War, an Interrogation of Heroism and a Reminder Not to Forget Past Horrors Jacob: "I think that's what makes for great cinema, is all of those human elements and the minutiae in those moments. I think all of them compounded, especially in a piece about memory — it is what cinema is about. It's a whole life compressed and contained and examined and looked at and explored. And I think having them all is what makes it such a complete piece." On Building the Type of Chemistry That Author Richard Flanagan Compared to Stars Exploding in Galaxies in Real Time Odessa: "I think we just both probably sensed in each other quite early on in the rehearsal process that we were both ready to just put it all there. And, I don't know, we were just going to take it seriously. We're going to give as much as we could. Sorry, I'm using like sports terminology. Leave it all on the field." Jacob: "Full credit to the other side." Odessa: "Yeah, everyone was a great player today. No, but I think we got very lucky. I think we have just a natural understanding and trust in each other. You never know if that's going to work out that way, but it did." Jacob: "Yeah." Odessa: "And I think that for me — I won't speak for you, but I do sense this in you — there's no point in doing it if you're not doing it fully." Jacob: "Yeah." Odessa: "And I think we're both that kind of actor." Jacob: "Which is really just — it's either casting from Justin or just some profound luck." On Committing to Authenticity in the Series' Prisoner-of-War Scenes, and the Sense of Responsibility to the Real-Life Men Who Went Through It That Comes with It Jacob: "It would probably be the most-important thing. We're talking about real men, and we're talking about Richard Flanagan, the writer's, father — and Shaun Grant's grandfather. These are real people and the history, it's still there. And the trauma of it lives on generationally. So it's not about entertainment. It's not about shooting guns and making some great spectacle. It's about telling the truth and immortalising something as best that you can." On What Elordi and Young Make of the Journeys That They've Each Taken Since Their Early Australian Breakthrough Roles Odessa: "It's hard to characterise it. I think it's actually helpful not to think about it, and not to try to maybe intellectualise — at least for me — why I've chosen the things that I have. I think so much of the course of a career happens on instinct, and some of it's also dumb luck. But I feel incredibly proud and incredibly lucky, and I guess I haven't done so bad if I'm here celebrating this." Jacob: "It's an immense amount of luck — and I would say probably shared with a deep love for movies. And if you love movies and you love cinema, it's not so deliberate but you seek out the things that hopefully move you and mean something to you in that moment." The Narrow Road to the Deep North will stream via Prime Video from Friday, April 18, 2025. Images: Prime Video.
UPDATE: MAY 25, 2020 — The Grounds of Alexandria is great, but have you ever wished you could have a space all to yourself? No lining up for hours, no waiting for a table, no jostling for a primo spot under the fairy lights, just you and your nearest and dearest dining and wining. Well, for a limited time, you and nine of your mates can hire out The Arbour, The Bakery or The Lock-In for a night. For $195 a head, you'll get a three-course meal and unlimited drinks from 6pm on Friday or Saturday. This will book out fast, so email events@thegrounds.com.au if you're keen. There are plenty of reasons why (what feels like) half the city chooses to take their midday meal at the Grounds of Alexandria. Aside from checking out the weekend markets and beautiful sprawling gardens, or paying a visit to Harry Trotter and his barnyard buddies, the food you'll be served is pretty darn delicious. The most coveted tables are those in The Cafe where you can order the signature granola, health bowls, pasta and sandwiches made on house-baked bread. If you'd rather eat outdoors, opt for The Garden kiosk, which serves woodfired pizzas, burgers and salads. Or, head to The Potting Shed for bistro fare, from scotch fillet slathered with café de Paris butter to the whole grilled snapper in a ginger dashi broth.
When you think 'art forms of bracing contemporary relevance', you don't often think 'opera'. These days, we tend to see opera as an indulgent anachronism — and that's if we see it at all. The Live Performance Australia 2013 Report tells us there were only 340,000 opera attendances in Australia that year, down another 20% from already dwindling numbers. And yet, there's a group of inventive young Sydney artists stubbornly sticking with opera, and getting a lot of attention doing it. Sydney Chamber Opera began in 2010 with a production of Dostoyevsky's Notes from the Underground. In 2013, they presented one hour of a woman singing Holocaust poetry with her back to us. In 2014 they mashed up chamber music with electronics in the service of a Russian poet. Their work is always surprising, complex and, though they might turn their backs on flouncy period costumes, visually seductive. Now they're back for Fly Away Peter, a new adaptation of David Malouf's classic Australian novel of war and birdwatching. We asked SCO's Pierce Wilcox, 25, who wrote the show's libretto, why he thinks there's so much life in opera yet. What is a libretto? All the words in an opera, including everything that gets sung, and things like ‘Scene One’ that probably shouldn’t get sung, and suggestive stage directions that you will never ever read but might get represented by some very good acting or a clarinet doing something clarinets don’t normally do. What makes a good one? Elegance and economy: communicating the maximum amount of ideas, drama and character in the minimum number of syllables. In opera, it can take an awfully long time to sing one word, so you better make sure it’s a word that will set your audience’s minds afire. Like ‘incendiary’, or ‘blood-fear’, or ‘atavism’. One of those is in our opera! You have to come to find out which! And space. Leaving gaps for other collaborators to enter into the work. It’s knowing when not to write, and trusting that this moment can be communicated by someone else’s art. What attracts you, as a young theatre maker, to what often seems like an archaic art? Opera should be the best art. Richard Wagner (the Ring Cycle guy) thought it could be the gesamtkunstwerk, the ‘total artwork’, which we might today refer to as ‘ALL OF THE THINGS’. Because it has all the other arts in it: poetry and drama and music and acting and design and lighting and staging. Unfortunately most of the time it’s not that perfect balance of all artistic forms. A lot of operas skew the scale to create music that’s beautiful to listen to, but wedded to idiotic plots, offensive characterisations and a design aesthetic meant to dazzle you so you don’t notice that the singers are just standing in the centre of the stage and shouting at you. (There’s even a phrase for this: ‘park and bark’.) It doesn’t have to be that way. Opera is music drama. Music is the way to take your audience beyond the quotidian. To reach for what lies beyond mere flesh. If you want to experience a drama that believes that the world is vaster and stranger than we can capture in words, if you want to go to the heights of heartfelt beauty and the depths of otherworldly horror, if you want to grasp – even for a moment – at some hint of transcendence, and I do, and I think we all do, then go to the opera. What else inspires you creatively? Poetry in translation. Smart-dumb video games. Classical tragedy. Feminism. Indie comic books. My Dad’s trans-Pacific sailing adventures. Satire, real Swiftian satire that’s straight-faced and white-hot with anger at the systemic failure that surrounds us. People and their capacity for empathy. The limits of that empathy. Trying to break those limits. The search for new words, and through them, new ways of thinking. What drew you to Fly Away Peter? The opportunity to climb inside the vision of a great Australian whose novels I grew up with, somehow wrestle his way of seeing the world into a drama for the stage, and make something that’s weird and massive and new. A new 21st-century opera! That is ridiculous. Nobody does that. I think we convinced ourselves we can’t, that it’s something that Europeans or Americans do. SCO has always defied those limits. It’s a rare joy to be around artists like that. Sydney Chamber Opera is a young company all around. Is chamber opera inherently more experimental and progressive, or is it just the route the company has chosen to take? Chamber opera is as young as we are, at least compared to big daddy opera. It only really came into being in the 1940s when Benjamin Britten started writing operas that could be toured around the UK. It’s a form that’s designed for smaller ensembles and smaller spaces, meaning it liberates you from having to fill the vast stage of a traditional opera house with a grand, often ludicrous spectacle, and allows you to play around artistically without worrying about filling the thousand seats of those opera houses. Apparently there’s a bit of Anzac fatigue going around, with TV specials attracting low ratings. Why should the war weary come to see SCO’s Fly Away Peter? I understand the feeling: you’re not going learn more about war or humans by seeing even more ruggedly handsome actors with perfectly crafted prop rifles and slouch hats. The final shot of Gallipoli exists; the beach scene in Saving Private Ryan exists. We’re not trying to do those again. The scale of this thing, its utter remove from everything people like you and I experience in our daily life, is impossible. The mind recoils. So we made our war an alien nightmare, where time fractures and one man’s vision spills out beyond the fighting to encompass the entirety of the 20th century. And it’s not an Anzac story, not really. It’s a story of nature and humans as tiny passionate specks within it. Of life, and death, and the place you go after. I think it will be beautiful. Fly Away Peter is on at Carriageworks until May 9.
Unlike Dorian Gray, surely Sarah Snook doesn't have a portrait in her attic that withers as she succeeds. The Australian Succession star might want to make some room on her mantle, though, or wherever she keeps her trophies. After winning a 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for the London version of Sydney Theatre Company's The Picture of Dorian Gray, she has now picked up a Tony nomination for the production's current Broadway season. Snook is in contention for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role of a Play — and she's the only actor from The Picture of Dorian Gray to earn recognition because she's the show's sole cast member. Thanks to collecting five other nominations, for Best Direction of a Play (Kip Williams), Best Scenic Design of a Play (Marg Horwell and David Bergman), Best Costume Design of a Play (Marg Horwell again), Best Lighting Design of a Play (Nick Schlieper) and Best Sound Design of a Play (Clemence Williams), the production is now the most-nominated solo show in Tony history. "I couldn't be prouder of our incredible production and all of the individuals who have created it and bring it to life. Sarah Snook's nomination for her absolutely extraordinary performance is so very well-deserved, as are the nominations for our entire Australian creative team," said producer Michael Cassel. "The response to this production, be it in Australia, the West End and now Broadway is testament to the creativity, talent and sheer vision of all those involved and is wonderful recognition of Sydney Theatre Company and Kip Williams who took the bold risk of originating such a visionary and daring piece of theatre, right here in Sydney". Whether Snook will be adding to her Olivier Award, plus her Emmy, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards for Succession, as well as her multiple AACTA Awards (including in 2025 for Memoir of a Snail), will be revealed on Monday, June 9, 2025, Australian time. Before The Picture of Dorian Gray gave Snook her Broadway debut playing all 26 of the play's parts, it was a smash in Australia with Eryn Jean Norvill (Love Me) in the lead. When it made the leap to the UK starring Snook, it became the talk of West End. It's also been picked up by Cate Blanchett's (Disclaimer) production company Dirty Films to get the film treatment. Not only does the show feature just one performer playing every single character but, to make that happen, it uses video to help. It's the work of writer/director Kip Williams, it's groundbreaking, and it's been understandably earning audiences raves and winning accolades. On the page, The Picture of Dorian Gray is also exceptional, as well as astute and unnerving, as it follows the selling of its namesake's soul in order to keep indulging every corporeal whim, urge and desire. There's a reason that it just keeps getting adapted for the screen and in theatres, after all. But there's never been a version like Sydney Theatre Company's, which the Tonys now clearly appreciate. Check out the trailer for the Broadway season of The Picture of Dorian Gray below: The 78th Tony Awards are taking place on Monday, June 9 Australian time — head to the accolades' website for more details. The Picture of Dorian Gray has been playing Broadway in New York since March 2025 — for more information and to join the waitlist for tickets, head to the play's website. Images: Marc Brenner.
Opening the Tamarama Rocksurfers 2014 season is The Pride, which describes itself as "David Attenborough meets The Mighty Boosh" and sounds like a good night out for anyone who likes a bit of surrealist theatre. The award-winning play from Perth's Side Pony Productions is written by director Zoe Pepper collaboratively with cast members Adriane Daff, Brendan Ewing and Russell Leonard. The plot, from what we can gather, revolves around a family drama in the life of three lions. One of them, Bruce, is trying to take care of his family and do some renovations (who knew lions were into home improvement?) while feeling threatened by the presence of James, an attractive, potentially more virile neighbour. Yep, sounds a little strange, but it won the ArtsHub People's Choice Award in 2012 and was apparently a smash at last year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. So maybe head along and check out what a few talented folks from the west coast can do. The Pride runs from March 18 to April 5 at the Bondi Pavilion, and thanks to the Tamarama Rock Surfers, we have three double passes to the March 19 preview to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1zbvgR2H5Y0
It's been 25 years since the first episode, but people are still obsessed with Grand Designs. Sure, the futuristic and downright ridiculous homes are captivating. Yet many of us are tuning in to see how the insanely optimistic budgets, disappearing timelines and inevitable pregnancy announcement resolve themselves. Through it all, host Kevin McCloud is on hand to deliver a supportive quip or dire prophecy. Now you can hear McCloud's infectious energy in person with his old mate and self-confessed architecture nerd, Tim Ross, as the pair tour the country for Live in Interesting Places. On the back of a new podcast series, Tim and Kev's Big Design Adventure, they'll regale audiences with tales of modernist marvels, utopian visions and design-fuelled banter. And, as the name suggests, McCloud and Ross will come together in five architecturally significant venues throughout Australia. [caption id="attachment_1050527" align="alignnone" width="1920"] St George's Performing Arts Centre. Credit: Scott Burrows.[/caption] Presented across multiple dates from Thursday, February 5–Sunday, February 15, 2026, the tour kicks off in Perth at the University of Western Australia's Octagon Theatre. Onwards to Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra, audiences will gather in Brutalist theatres, heritage-listed churches and much-loved public buildings, from St George's Performing Arts Centre to the Lindfield Learning Village, fascinated by the duo's big design ideas. Several years in the making — the pair haven't appeared together since two sold-out Sydney Opera House shows in 2019 — get insight from these great thinkers and perhaps reconsider that intricate building project you had in mind. "These shows are going to be entertaining and edifying," says Kevin. "And full of surprises — you won't believe where our nerdy curiosity will take you," adds Tim. [caption id="attachment_1050526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lindfield Learning Village. Credit: Alex Mayes.[/caption]
For many, pyjamas are defined by what they're not: not quite stylish enough to leave the house in but not quite ratty enough to toss out. After a bout of burnout, Sheet Society founder Hayley Worley took a six-month hiatus — it caused her to reconsider the practice of rest. Then, she started thinking about a wardrobe to match. "Things really fell into place when I started to really understand the power of rest. That whole girl boss culture totally consumed me," Hayley shares. "Rest synthesises everything that is going on in your world. It showed me that pausing is actually where a lot of the magic comes from. I want people to take ownership of this rest time and dress for that occasion." When it comes to sleep, Hayley is something of an expert: Sheet Society has been releasing chic bedding in natural fabrics for nearly a decade. That fabric-forward sensibility — paired with the designer's fashion production know-how from stints at Ted Baker and Tiger Mist — shines at Resting, her loungewear label that debuted last month. Hayley initially imagined a resort-ready take on sleepwear that wouldn't look out of place on The White Lotus. Set in a different ultra-luxury destination every season, the TV show is known for its elegant holiday wardrobe: think floaty designer dresses, printed silk shirts and linen pants. "We were going to lean into [the sort of] resting you do on a holiday," Haley says. "You spend a lot of money on swimwear and beachwear for a holiday, but you spend a lot of time in your pyjamas." Ideas were flying — palm prints and hotel merch were on the vision board — but the first drop was pared back to focus on Resting's three signature fabrics. Years of experimenting and engineering fabrics for a good night's sleep at Sheet Society had laid the groundwork for Resting. "We've got so much rigour around product testing because people wash their sheets so much. The fabrics and function are 100 per cent in our wheelhouse," she says. For example, breathability is a non-negotiable for sleep: it allows the body to regulate temperature overnight, which is why heat-trapping polyesters and other synthetic materials are ruled out. While the material science draws directly from Sheet Society's bestselling sheets, thoughtful adjustments were made for movement and comfort. Eden sheets were reworked with a lighter cotton, and elastane was added to the Miller Jersey to allow for stretch. It took almost three years to refine the bedding fabrics for wear and to "put the icing on the cake" with the design choices, Hayley says. Each of the three signature fabrics serves a different style across the 30-piece collection. A classic blue pinstriped combo is crafted from lightweight woven cotton that lends a tailored look, while the cloudknit jersey tanks, tees, and boxer shorts (watch out for the adorable polka dot print) lean into activewear territory. The most luxe-feeling pieces, like a chocolate-brown slip dress and a smart shirt-and-shorts set, are made of a patented bamboo lyocell. Stunning drape aside, the fabric mimics a soft yet weighty satin, minus the staticky feel. A well-curated outfit can be telling of a person's mood, their personality, and even the company they keep. That's the beauty of personal style — and Hayley sees Resting as a way to bring that same self-expression into the home. Dress up Hayley's favourite Resting piece — a cherry-red jersey mini dress with cosy long sleeves called the Marnie — and it wouldn't look out of place at a wine bar. "I think there's a big trend at the moment, which is pyjama dressing. [You can wear] your pyjamas at night, but then also putting a heel on or building some necklaces and getting out of the home with that intimate dressing," she says. "It's so fun. It just feels like, fuck yeah, I'm doing this for me. You're not making yourself uncomfortable, you're not squeezing yourself into a tight dress." You can shop the Resting collection via Sheet Society now — available online or in-store. Images: Supplied
It's been touch and go for so many arts and culture festivals in the last 12 months, so having a citywide summer festival this year is a highlight in and of itself. Sydney Festival kicks off from January 6–26 with a packed program of local theatre productions, live music, extraordinary circus and physical theatre shows, as well as a run of outdoor events at Barangaroo Headland. There are more than 140 events to choose from, so we've partnered with Sydney Festival to bring you ten standout events to see first — from raucous musicals to redefined poetic rituals and deep dives into groundbreaking news stories. Snap up your tickets before it's too late.
