If school camp flying fox left you scarred for life, it's time to jump on a Taronga-bound ferry and start the healing process. Strung high above the ground in the zoo's wild bush lands is Wild Ropes, an adrenalin-pumping rope course. You'll climb, swing and soar from one challenge to the next, tiptoeing across bridges, scuttling through tunnels, scrambling up aerial rock walls and hanging out on a hoverboard. In between extraordinary feats, keep an eye out for koalas, kangaroos, emus and wallabies down below. And, when you're pausing to get your breath — and calm — back, check out the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House from whole new, dizzying angles. All in all, there are four courses to conquer: two for scaredy cats and two for madmen. Once you've dominated the lot, you'll have smashed at least 40 obstacles. Not bad for a day at the zoo. If you've got little ones (or you've been asked to babysit your nieces and nephews over the holidays), you can now bring them with you. The adventure park has just launched two children's courses, which are appropriate for rugrats as young as three. To celebrate the launch of the new, mini courses — and just in time for the holidays — we're giving away a discount for all Monday to Friday bookings until December 16. Just use the code 'wildcp' at checkout to receive 20% off. (For the code to be valid, you'll need to make adult and junior bookings separately and only book up to four tickets.) Wild Ropes is open between 9.45am and 3.45pm, seven days a week, 364 days a year. Tickets start at $37 for adults and $20 for children, and we recommend booking online in advance. Things can get busy.
The actual Olympics might have been postponed, but we've found a much cuter display of sportsmanship to fill the void this July. Namely, footage of four adorable guide-dogs-to-be participating in their very own paw-lympics. Yep, that's a thing and we're here for it. The folks at Seeing Eye Dogs have teamed up The Petbarn Foundation to host the inaugural Puppy Games, streaming on a device near you this Thursday, July 23. The event will see young trainee guide dogs Yaris, Meadows, Unique and Norris tackle a series of skill-testing challenges, with their every move captured on camera. Watch the pups hurtle through a time trial, take on a 'food bowl challenge' and battle it out for glory in the 'dogstacle distraction course'. The project aims to support fundraising efforts for the annual Seeing Eye Dogs Appeal, but also promises a much-needed boost of dopamine and general happy feels all round. Viewers can donate to the cause by hitting the link when they register to view The Puppy Games here. The appeal is shooting for a goal of $500,000 to help cover the costs of breeding, training and caring for at least ten Seeing Eye Dogs. Can't make Thursday's viewing? Fear not, the full event will be up on YouTube to rewatch any time you need a mood boost.
When it comes to the world of action movies we’re now living in the year 9AB (After Bourne) – a dark and gritty reality characterised by nebulous morality, sympathetic villains and brooding heroes who’ll punch you in the face if you ever call them a hero. Championed by the likes of Paul Greengrass they’re films driven by complex plots and sweeping character arcs where the occasional shaky action sequence almost feels like a reluctant concession made by the director. Without a doubt they’ve helped revitalise a genre that had come perilously close to ridicule in the wake of such abominations as Die Another Day, however for all their positives the one thing they collectively lack is that indispensable sense of fun. That’s where Tom Cruise comes in. Say what you like about the man’s personal life, he rarely fails to deliver when it comes to movies and his latest offering is no exception. It’s almost paradoxically an old-school action flick filled with ultra-modern, hi-tech wizardry and the most refreshing part of all is how it refuses to take itself too seriously. The first clue comes with its choice of director, Brad Bird, whose previous works included Disney/Pixar’s exceptional The Incredibles, Ratatouille and even a few episodes of the Simpsons. Then there’s Simon Pegg reprising his role as the awkward but well-intentioned techy ‘Benji’; a fan favourite whose promotion to fulltime field agent provides the film with a constant stream of laughs. Lastly there’s Cruise himself: actor, producer, smiler — he does it all in Ghost Protocol and always with the kind of unbridled enthusiasm you’d expect reserved for a person appearing in their first ever film. As the fourth instalment in the now 16 year-old Mission Impossible franchise, Ghost Protocol doesn’t stray too far from the familiar. When a mission in Moscow is sabotaged and the Kremlin’s nuclear launch codes are stolen, super spy Ethan Hunt and his team once again find themselves disavowed by the US Government and forced to save the world on their own (a plot device used in all but one of the four films). Filmed in Russia, India and Dubai the stunts are spectacular, the action is thrilling and the technology is as mesmerising as it is terrifyingly believable. Ghost Protocol is a slick, exciting and terrifically entertaining movie that unashamedly pushes plausibility to the very extreme without straying into farce. Cruise and his team have served up a classic action movie here, not in the least because it is so damned fun to watch.
Ikea may have been the brand on everybody's lips when they recently blessed Sydneysiders with a new store in Tempe, but the Swedish design giants are turning more heads with their latest advertising stunt in France. Ikea have built a whole apartment inside Auber subway station in Paris. Sitting at just 54 square metres, it is currently housing five people, who are staying there from January 9 to 15. The aim of the campaign is to show people how to use space effectively in their own homes with Ikea furnishings. With windows for communters to peer inside, they get a first-hand look at the inhabitants eating, sleeping and lounging away in the space, all with the help of Ikea's premium products. Apart from feeling sorry for the five people trying to sleep right next to the constant arrival and departure of passengers and trains, this is a great advertising stunt that fuses private and public spaces to spark customers' creativity within their own homes. Check out the apartment's construction and some of the reactions below. https://youtube.com/watch?v=oMEi9vzWdug
Now that Sydney has reopened and Christmas almost here, you're probably keen to make a splash. Yes, watching fish, turtles and plenty of other marine creatures literally splash about definitely counts. And that's exactly what's on offer at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, all thanks to its luxe underwater festive dining experience. Available up until Wednesday, December 22, Sea Life's private dining packages will serve you up a three-course meal — and two hours of drinks — while you escape into an underwater world. You can choose from one of two locations, too, so prepare to pick between the Heart of the Reef, the venue's 360° glass tunnel that's filled with hundreds of fish, sharks and turtles; or Turtle Beach, which comes with a floor-to-ceiling viewing window into the Oceanarium. You'll tuck into grazing platters stacked with smoked salmon, marinated olives, bread and dips to start with, then move onto mains that include marmalade and nut-crusted glazed double-smoked ham, plus turkey breast with pancetta and sage stuffing — as served with steamed green beans, roast potatoes, and pumpkin. Desserts span steamed Christmas pudding with brandy custard and Christmas pavlova with mango, strawberries, passionfruit and shaved chocolate. And, beverage wise, there's sparkling, red and white wines, and beer. You'll also get after-hours access to the aquarium but, unsurprisingly, the whole experience doesn't come cheap. You'll be paying $225 per person, with a minimum of ten people required — so this is a treat yo'self kind of Christmas under the sea experience.
The time has come. Nintendo's highly anticipated new mobile Mario Kart game has raced onto smartphones everywhere, giving fans what they've always wanted: the ability to play the iconic title anywhere and everywhere, and zoom around tracks inspired by real-life locations. Yep, Mario Kart Tour ticks both boxes. Released yesterday — Wednesday, September 25 — on both iOS and Android, the game is a big deal for Nintendo, marking Mario Kart's first foray into the mobile realm. For the past 27 years, if you wanted to hop in a red-coloured kart, pretend you're the company's famous character and hurl shells at your competitors (all virtually, of course), you had to have a Nintendo console or handheld device — such as a Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Game Cube, DS, Wii, 3DS, Wii U or Switch. While Luigi, Bowser, Peach and the gang reappear in the game as they've always done, the fresh courses are also a huge achievement. Say goodbye Rainbow Road — Mario Kart Tour features tracks in Paris, Tokyo, New York and more. You can drive past Tokyo Tower, rush beside the Arc de Triomphe and zoom along Broadway, among other spots. The global tours will change every fortnight, too, so you can look forward to more locations. And, on select courses, some beloved Mario Kart characters can navigate their own special variations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgJO3000GXU Free to play (with in-app purchases), you use your finger to steer, drift and sling items. Otherwise, it's basically business as usual. Cycle through different karts and drivers, hit the accelerator and get ready to collect coins and unleash oh-so-many banana peels. Mario Kart Tour is now available for free on iOS and Android via the Mario Kart Tour website.
Discover a dazzling rotating showcase of works from Australia's top video and sound artists at this free exhibition by Enigma in its immersive black box space on The Thirsty Mile — Sydney Festival's pop-up precinct. Expect an unforgettable melding of music, noise, colour and creativity via installations conceived by John Gillies, Philip Samartzis, Martin Walch, Sean Williams, and Max Lyandvert. In January 2025, Oren Ambarchi's Black will open, followed by Angelica Mesiti's Prepared Piano for Movers (Haussman). Mesiti's installation features two removalists lifting a grand piano up six flights of stairs, drawing inspiration from a 19th-century painting of three young men scraping floors. The exhibition offers a compelling blend of media, including sound, video, and visual art, transformed within an innovative space.
For the second year in a row, movie buffs will need to get their Melbourne International Film Festival fix purely from their couches. After the 2020 fest jumped online due to the pandemic, the 2021 event was meant to go ahead as a hybrid of both in-cinema and digital sessions. But then not one but two lockdowns hit, venue restrictions were put in place when the city wasn't under stay-at-home conditions, and the COVID-19 situation in Melbourne in general has kept complicating plans, leading MIFF organisers to scrap its in-cinema screenings. Initially, in-person sessions were set to span the festival's first week or so, before the event closed up online; however, just days before this year's MIFF kicked off on Thursday, August 5, the fest flipped that order and expanded its virtual component. It was due to then add in-person sessions from Thursday, August 12, but that'll no longer be happening. "MIFF's heart was in a return to cinemas this year, and this is a goal that we have pursued with determination to this point," said Artistic Director Al Cossar. "It is with deep sadness and profound frustration that we must take the step of cancelling our Melbourne cinema-based screenings for 2021." This year's MIFF was designed to be able to adapt to changing conditions, given that it was always likely that the pandemic would continue to impact the festival's plans — and so it is well-positioned for the move online. "Despite the duress of this moment, we are proud that elements of our program can still continue," said Cossar. "Through our XR platform, global audiences anywhere can continue their season of MIFF's exciting range of immersive experiences; and, centrally, through MIFF Play we can continue to deliver the very best Australian and international films to audiences not just in Melbourne but right around the country, at a time that it's most needed." Via MIFF Play, the festival is screening more than 90 features, with its catalogue of titles growing in recent days. Exisiting highlights include college-set rom-com Freshman Year, Spanish influencer satire La Verónica, New Zealand thriller Coming Home in the Dark and Norwegian comedy Ninjababy, while the Mads Mikkelsen-starring Riders of Justice and psycho-thriller music mockumentary The Nowhere Inn — featuring Carrie Brownstein and St Vincent — sit among the just-added newcomers. More films are set to become available on Saturday, August 14, too, such as documentary Hopper/Welles, which sees Dennis Hopper and Orson Welles meet and chat back in 1970; Night of the Kings, a prison thriller set on the outskirts of Abidjan; and Stray, a doco about the 100,000-plus stray dogs that rove freely around Istanbul. And, other titles will drop later in the fest, like Australian drama Little Tornadoes, which is co-written by The Slap's Christos Tsiolkas; Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror, a documentary exploring the folk horror genre; and closing night's Language Lessons, which takes place via video calls. MIFF's digital platform is available Australia-wide, ensuring that cinephiles around the country — including those in lockdown elsewhere, like in Greater Sydney — can enjoy its lineup as well. That facet of the online program proved popular last year, unsurprisingly, with 2020's virtual festival resulting in MIFF's biggest fest yet, audience-wise. The 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival runs via MIFF's online platform MIFF Play until Sunday, August 22. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
In great news for art-lovers everywhere: A brand new arts and culture centre dedicated to hands-on experiences will open at the Sydney Opera House early next year. This purpose-built space will mark the Opera House's first new dedicated programming venue to open in over two decades. The Centre for Creativity is set to open to the public on Tuesday, January 4 with an exciting variety of contemporary programming. The centre is a former office space that has been converted to facilitate immersive creative experiences including performances, workshops and installation. It will also create opportunities for the iconic harbourside venue to broaden the range of art and performance events on its calendar. Highlights of the Centre for Creativity's initial program include interactive House Warming exhibition from multi-disciplinary artist Rosie Deacon which will feature a forest of her joyous and colourful recycled sculptures and artworks; a workshop from western Sydney hip-hop crew CanYouAfro?; a workshop lead by Barkindtji, Yorta Yorta and Dhudaroah artist Tegan Mursock that teaches participants the fundamentals of Aboriginal weaving and wall-hanging; a vogueing class lead by Sydney's Street University. [caption id="attachment_833964" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rosie Deacon by Daniel Boud[/caption] Elsewhere in the lineup, there are design and architecture workshops, meditation sessions, a First Nations Design Day and a series of family-friendly and all ages activations including free monthly drawing tours of the Sydney Opera House. "The year-round program in the Centre takes inspiration from the three major life forces that course through the Opera House and all it does — the powerful First Nations history of Tubowgule, the magic and science of the building, and the extraordinary art and artists from our stages and community," says Opera House Director of Programming Fiona Winning. The centre is one of the final projects in the Sydney Opera House's Decade of Renewal. The $275 million ten-year transformation and refurbishment of the Sydney landmark was funded by the NSW Government and included works to the Opera House's Concert Hall, preservation to its Grand Organ and the introduction of new experiences within the building. Tickets to the inaugural Centre for Creativity go on sale on Friday, November 26 at 9am. First cab off the rank, Rosie Deacon's House Warming is free and open to all-ages, meaning everyone can come explore the new space for free from opening day. [caption id="attachment_833961" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] The Sydney Opera House's Centre for Creativity will open to the public on Tuesday, January 4. Explore the full inaugural program at the Sydney Opera House website. Top images: Prudence Upton and Daniel Boud
Ever wondered what the world would look like if it was run by hipsters? My guess is that tapered mustard chinos would be a mandatory addition to all wardrobes, while fixie bikes would become the sole method of transportation. One blog has put a creative twist on this idea by offering up hipster reworkings of corporate logos. Hipster Branding, a Tumblr that is 'holding up a mirror to the artsy community', presents viewers with a multitude of logos that would look right at home in the upmarket inner-west of Sydney. Colonel Sanders becomes a member of the cultured demographic with Buddy Holly glasses and ironic facial hair, while Mercedes-Benz gets a throwback makeover that's oh-so-retro. Like it or not, hipsters are here in force and inevitably going to take over the world. Soon enough, the logos featured on this blog will become reality as we're overrun by our cigarette-rolling, scarf-wearing, chin-stroking companions. https://youtube.com/watch?v=HR4n6OVoyYQ [Via PSFK]
YouTube videos of pampered cats royally messing up are hilarious. Hell, even Drunk Girls of Melbourne Cup had its moments. But using Instagram to make fun of people who are homeless, mentally ill, drug-dependent, disabled, elderly, impoverished and otherwise marginalised? Not funny. Recently established Instagram account @themurdermall has clocked up almost 2000 followers by taking photographs of Surry Hills and Redfern residents in visibly less-than-privileged circumstances, such as sleeping on cardboard boxes, nodding off on benches or walking around in states of dishabille. The whole thing hinges around the Surry Hills Shopping Village on the corner of Baptist and Cleveland Streets, locally known as 'The Murder Mall' or 'The Methadone Mall' due to its reputation as a destination for 'questionable characters'. It's a legit shopping centre though, housing the Surry Hills Post Office, the only fishmonger in the area, Coles and a pharmacist. The moniker was kind of cute and affectionate, but @themurdermall Instagram account isn't cute. This is crossing a line. Laughing over other people's misfortune when they're completely unaware of it? You classy bunch. The account catches unfortunate residents unawares, with submissions encouraged. There's an image of a sleeping man on the pavement using a wine box as a pillow with the hashtag #Saturdaze. Nice. Bet this made you feel on top of the world. Then they whipped out their phones to snap a man in Coles who had soiled himself and added the caption "Getting wet over Coke specials." Sneaking up behind this poor guy must have made you feel great. Getting wet over Coke specials. @cocacola #tailgang #Devon #commando #swampland #summer #murdermall A photo posted by Murder Mall (@themurdermall) on Jan 16, 2015 at 6:40pm PST Nice work with the ironic racism too. Summer of breaststroke ???? @zaccanellis #swimming #dardy #olympics #fountain #of #yothu #murdermall A photo posted by Murder Mall (@themurdermall) on Jan 12, 2015 at 11:38pm PST We're not sure who's behind the account, but it seems like a fair bet to say it's someone (or several someones) from the area's newer, richer demographic, often called DINKs (dual income, no kids) or just plain hipsters. Of course, within this demographic there's only a small chunk of these neo-plutocratic, Vice circa '95-imitating clowns who think poor people have no dignity. Most of the community plays nicely. Surry Hills has a significant homeless population, with established services like the Wesley Mission's Edward Eagar Lodge providing nightly accommodation for up to 76 homeless people a night, aged between 18 and 80. The Lodge also provides services and programs to reconnect homeless people (or those at risk of becoming homeless) with the community, programs which rely on the support and cooperation of the more privileged local residents to make the transition smooth and friendly. These Sydneysiders don't have a snug, warm, comfy place to sleep, so they're forced to make do with whatever they can find during the day. Drug and alcohol rehabilitation is also a focus in the area, with facilities like The Langton Centre aiming to address the spectrum of health and social problems for people who use or are dependent upon alcohol and/or other drugs, including providing methadone treatment. It's likely the marginalised people you're taunting have no idea you're throwing shade at them, which probably makes you feel pretty damn powerful, huh? Let's get things straight: If you are one of the 'minds' behind this Instagram, you are the problem. A good city to live in has neighbourhoods that are diverse, with room for people from many income brackets and some affordable housing preserved in even its affluent neighbourhoods. A good city to live in has residents that support each other, not kick them when they're down. If you found yourself at rock bottom and some jokey joke-maker decided to snap you and plaster your face on the internet to All The Likes, would you feel like joining that community? Hell no. Does this infinite facepalm run afoul of Instagram's terms of use? Maybe, maybe not. Although Instagram prohibits "hateful" content (and bullying of specific individuals), parent company Facebook limits hate speech to attacks based on the specific categories "race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or medical condition" (ie, The Murder Mall's focus on the underclass might be too general. Their hate is, relatively speaking, inclusive) and also exempts speech that's "humorous" (see how much we're laughing?). So while reporting the account to Instagram's a good move, an even better one might be to fight their free speech with your own, and leave your takedown as a comment. Think before you 'gram. This isn't funny. I'm blue abidi abadi #smurf #related #touchoffrost #blueberry #latte #murdermall A photo posted by Murder Mall (@themurdermall) on Feb 9, 2015 at 3:17pm PST UPDATE 4/3/15: The Instagram account @themurdermall has now been taken down as of March 3. The account was set to 'private' yesterday and then removed from Instagram last night. Whether the owners removed it themselves, or the account was removed by Instagram remains to be seen. By Shannon Connellan and Rima Sabina Aouf.
Every year, when spring hits Toowoomba, the regional city becomes the brightest place in southeast Queensland. Blooms blossom, greenery sprouts and flora reaches towards the sun — that's right, it's Carnival of Flowers time. Running from Friday, September 20 to Sunday, September 29, the annual event showcases all of the gorgeous florets, growths and gardens around town — usually including everything from park tours to ikebana displays to specific shows for orchids, bonsai, clivia and bromelaids each year. Outdoor dwellers can also expect daily live music in bloom-filled parks, while pub and dinner walks are also on the agenda. In total, more than 1100 hectares of public parks and private gardens will be on display in 2019. And, they'll boast more than 180,000 blossoming bulbs and seedlings. The event also kicks off with a three-day food and wine festival across September 20–22, and features an illuminated night garden between September 26–28, so there's no bad time to visit — and you might want to make the trek more than once. Indeed, when it comes to scenic spring sights, there's no prettier place to be. And, given it takes less than two hours to head up the mountain from Brisbane, it's perfect for a weekend day trip. Make a playlist, take a picnic and there's your Saturday or Sunday sorted. Image: Tourism and Events Queensland
If you're the kind of person who goes out for dinner but never quite knows what to order, Hoost in Surry Hills could be the restaurant of you (and your fed-up dining companions) have been waiting for. Now open on Fitzroy Street, this European-style eatery, named after the Danish word for 'harvest' takes the decision out of your hands by only serving one main dish each night. Unveiling a new menu at the beginning of each week, owner and chef Samantha Pok hopes to provide diners with a different experience every time they visit, crafting food that draws upon fresh seasonal produce. "As there is only one main dish on offer a night, I am able to fully focus on the quality of the food served," says Pok. "I will also be marrying lots of Asian flavours and ingredients with others into the upcoming dishes, keeping everything quite simple while still aiming to deliver flavours and textures with a punch." Some of the dishes that Pok has conjured up so far include pork belly with leek confit, oyster mushrooms and lemon and black pepper shortbread crumbs, some sticky lamb ribs with charred pomegranate molasses and Spanish onion, and black garlic stuffed chicken breast with pickled strawberry and chamomile tea butter sauce. Sticky lamb ribs w/ pomegranate molasses burnt Spanish onions, and green salad. A photo posted by Hoost (@hoostrestaurant) on Feb 20, 2016 at 1:05am PST In addition to the mains, the menu will feature a number of different entrees and desserts. Start your meal with harissa roasted bone marrow on toast, and finish it with milk pudding and a fizzy strawberry-rolled doughnut topped with sour cherry compote. Hoost is located at 98 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills. Their opening hours are 6-10pm Tuesday to Saturday. For more information, including their latest menu, check them out on Instagram or visit hoost.restaurant.
Whether your fridge-shaped DVD box set is looking a little worse for wear, or you've spent too much time streaming the series in your spare time, we could all use a little more Seinfeld in our lives — and one Australian indie game developer is hoping to help. If Jacob Janerka's side project comes to fruition, playing a game about nothing could be as simple as pointing and clicking your way around your computer screen. Janerka's Seinfeld game has been mooted for the past couple of years; however the Perth-based fan released an updated compilation of potential artwork just before Christmas. Familiar characters, settings and scenes all get the pixelated treatment, including Jerry greeting Newman and the potential to play as the Soup Nazi. Here's hoping that Elaine's distinctive dancing style is next. https://twitter.com/ParadigmGame/status/942847812059906049 Before Seinfeld lovers start getting excited about wandering around a parking garage, enjoying Festivus or shouting "yada, yada, yada" — or seeing anything else from the series' 180-episode run make the leap onto your computer screen — Janerka has been waiting until he has a decent premise before progressing further. Or, in other words, he wants to ensure that it isn't really about nothing. In the interim, he has had his hands full with the indie adventure game Paradigm, which takes players through a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by the titular mutant and a genetically engineered sloth that vomits candy. https://twitter.com/ParadigmGame/status/946449916800393216 Via IGN. Image: Jacob Janerka.
An upcoming exhibition will show us if necessity really is the mother of invention, when it comes to art. Japanese artist Tomokazu Matsuyama will board a Sydney-bound plane in Tokyo, with a fully charged but unplugged Toshiba Portégé Z20T in his hand. His mission? To create an entire exhibition using only the notebook before its battery runs out. That’s 17 hours, exactly. You’ll be able to judge the success of Matsuyama’s experiment for yourself on June 24 and 25, when the fruits of his labour go on show at the Quayside Room of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. The free exhibition, titled Made in 17 Hours, will open at 7pm each evening. Even though there’s no charge, it is ticketed, so you'll need to book a spot via Eventbrite. Limited food and drinks will be served. Tomokazu Matsuyama was born in Tokyo in 1976 but now lives in New York City. He has exhibited all over the world, from San Francisco’s Gallery Wendi Norris to Luxembourg’s Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery to Australia’s Lesley Kehoe Galleries.
Whether it's the glitz and glamour of the world's most beautiful people telling each other just how beautiful they are or the inevitable glut of wink-wink, nudge-nudge jokes from this year's host, Seth MacFarlane, the Academy Awards ceremony is testament to the vanity and vacancy of Hollywood. But given the level of offence he seems to have caused in some quarters, it seems like MacFarlane will be giving even Oscar-naysayers a reason to watch the carnage. Most notably, he said this: "I read [Best Picture nominee] Amour was co-produced in Austria and Germany, right? The last time Austria got together and co-produced something it was Hitler, but this is much better." He also told the Best Supporting Actress nominees, "Congratulations, you five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein", and finalists for the Best Adapted Screenplay that they'd "basically copied stuff from Microsoft Word and pasted it into Final Draft". A few casual insults were, too, thrown at co-host Emma Stone, who surely matches MacFarlane in humour but outdoes him in subtlety. Almost entirely despite itself, the Oscars remains an entrancing and addictive viewing experience. And, as such, I'm willing to excuse the hordes of actors-cum-models parading their Gucci undergarments and thanking their parakeets to find out who history will remember as the greatest performers, filmmakers, artists and writers of 2012. The net is already abuzz with the extended diatribes of bloggers and punters who can't believe the Academy have snubbed Ben Affleck for his crowd-pleasing direction in Argo or how a movie as consistently wry and touching as Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom could miss out on just about everything. Yet what the nominations, and for that matter the long list of snubs and surprises, show is that 2012 was a rip snorter of a year for motion pictures. Whether it was the shocking wartime reality depicted in Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, the overwrought yet utterly breathtaking beauty of Les Miserables or this year's best picture dark horse, Beasts of the Southern Wild, 2012 has been a monumental year in cinema. While it is far from a two-horse race, the frontrunners to take home a chest full of Oscar gold appear to be Stephen Spielberg's epic biopic Lincoln and the 3D magic of Ang Lee's Life of Pi, which snagged 12 and 11 nominations respectively. For the complete list of nominees for the 85th Academy Awards in feature films, click here.
It's not exactly news that a beer and a barbecue represent one of the holiest unions known to man. But having a cold one in-hand while rotating the snags in the other isn't the extent of the pairing. It goes a whole lot further than that, my friend. We've already explored the beautiful possibilities of battering, stewing and baking with beer and made one killer beer, bacon and cheddar dip — and now, we're spiking our marinades. Yep, this summer we'll be making beer marinades for our barbecued meats. After all, the ultimate way to make your food more beery is to soak it in beer (come on, we know you've thought about it before). Not only does beer add a depth of flavour to your cooking, it also contains enzymes that break down the fibres in your meat, giving it that sweet, sweet melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Willing to give it a go? We've collected four of the best beer-based marinades for you to try at the next barbecue you're hosting, collated by the crew at James Squire. [caption id="attachment_555155" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dollar Photo Club[/caption] CHICKEN: GARLIC BEER MARINADE This little beauty from The Slow Roasted Italian is relatively quick and easy to whip up — but its true value comes from how long you leave it to marinate. While even half an hour will get you a decent flavour, if you can manage to wait a whole day like the recipe recommends, your tastebuds will reap the rewards when it comes to dinner time. Try pairing this one with a James Squire Swindler Ale; the light fruity aroma pairs well with lean meats like this, as the delicate flavours of each don’t overpower each other. [caption id="attachment_555157" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dollar Photo Club[/caption] BEEF: BEER AND BROWN SUGAR MARINADE This recipe from Yummly is 100% guaranteed to get your mouth a little watery. With a mixture of sugar, teriyaki, salt and pepper, the marinade is sweet and salty with the added caramel of a dark beer. It's easy as anything to whip up, and will take your average barbecue steak to the next level. [caption id="attachment_555156" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dollar Photo Club[/caption] SALMON: BEER AND LIME MARINADE If you really want to impress your mates, you can’t go past this beer and lime salmon from Food.com. Using the usual salmon marinade suspects — lime, soy sauce, ginger and garlic —this one steps it up a notch with the addition of your favourite beer. Chuck it on the barbie like it's a shrimp, cook for ten minutes and reap the rewards when you tuck in. These recipes were originally published by James Squire. Head to the James Squire website for more recipes.
Hankering for a Sunday full of standout baked goods, warm mugs of batch brew and Sydney's best secondhand cook books? Want to round it out with a pét-nat mimosa? You have great taste (and are oddly specific), but luckily, the Sydney-based creative studio Buffet has you covered. This Sunday, April 2, the lofty DRNKS space in Alexandria will be hosting The Cookbook Market by Buffet. From 11am until 3pm, the booze store is being transformed into a book shop, complete with the weekend staples of fresh-outta-the-oven carby creations from Good Ways Deli and cups from the experts at Mecca Coffee. The DRNKS team will have refreshing sips on offer, and Buffet's vibrant range of food-leaning prints and merch from your fave dining destinations will be on-hand, too. The best bit? It's all in support of charity. [caption id="attachment_877249" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] Literacy for Life Foundation is the Aboriginal-led charity that supports adults in First Nations communities with low literacy levels — and is making a mission of ending Aboriginal illiteracy Down Under. As an editorial business, this is a cause close to our hearts. So on Sunday, this is where you'll find us. Got a book you don't bake from enough? Committed all your fave dishes to memory? Up until Saturday, April 1, DRNKS will be stockpiling your good quality cookbooks at its 72/20-28 Maddox Street, Alexandria space. So dig through your shelves, donate and then go restock with a new (old) book to cook from on Sunday. Images: Dexter Kim (first); Nikki To (second, third).
You could celebrate International Tea Day (Sunday, May 21) the obvious way, by downing a nice hot cuppa. Or, you could sate your sweet tooth instead and mark the occasion with a tea-inspired treat. Or hey, why not double down and do both at once? This year, the innovative dessert masters at Tokyo Lamington are teaming up with iconic tea brand Lipton to deliver a limited-edition collaboration that's sweet as can be. From Friday, May 19–Friday, May 26, it's serving up a specialty (or special-TEA) lamington creation inspired by the go-to hot drink that is Lipton's Quality Black Tea. The new dessert features a base of black tea sponge, with boba-spiked tea custard and a biscuit crumb to finish. If that sounds like something you'd like to get your mitts on, simply head into Tokyo Lamington's Newtown store and nab a limited-edition pack for $15. Each one contains one of the Lipton-inspired treats, as well as an OG signature lamington and 15 Lipton tea bags — so you can really make a great afternoon of it. If you're quick, you can also nab a complimentary pack — head to the Lipton X Tokyo Lamington pop-up in Broadway Shopping Centre from Friday, May 19–Sunday, May 21, where they'll be giving them away on the house to 20 customers per day along with free cups of tea.
If you've felt yourself slipping into the lockdown lull — stepping out in socks and sandals a bit more or settling on toast for dinner — you can now pretend you're the socialite you were pre-lockdown with this living room high tea. Sheraton Grand is looking to bring some decadence into your home with three elegant gourmet boxes full of tasty sweet and savoury snacks. Choose between the high tea, indulgence or cheese and charcuterie boxes for your at-home celebration with your partner or housemates. Among the featured finger treats in the $69 high tea box for two are tomato mushroom arancini with truffle aioli; Moreton Bay bug quiches; and matcha, mango and yuzu slices. No tea would be complete without scones, so you can expect a mix of tradition and fruit scones in your high tea box, complete with clotted cream and jam. If you don't have as much of a sweet tooth, you can order the $79 cheese and charcuterie box which features an assortment of cured meats, cheese, pickles, dried fruit and dips. Or if you're looking to treat your whole share house, the $125 indulgence box will satisfy up to four people with its mix of cheeses, meats, veggies and sweets. Orders can be collected or delivered between 11am–3pm Friday–Sunday from Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park. Delivery is organised through Uber's Package Delivery via the Uber app. To ensure your order is ready that weekend, make sure you order before 5pm on Wednesday.
Take what you know about brunch, and throw it out the window. Unless you went to Goros's last party brunch, in which case you know exactly what we're talking about. On Sunday, October 12, the Japanese-themed spot is celebrating its fourth birthday. The usual late-night playground is bringing the party forward a few hours and throwing a one-day-only extravaganza of bottomless drinks, Japanese feasts, karaoke and arcade games. For $75, you'll be set for all the food, booze and entertainment you could want. You'll be tucking into a bunch of tasty treats — think dumplings, buns, baos, sushi, sashimi, karaage (both chicken and cauliflower varieties) and charcoal-grilled yakitori. Plus, you'll also get some sides and salad to top it all off. And, to keep you well soused throughout, you'll be sipping on endless tipples, with 90 minutes of all-you-can-drink bevvies, including house wine and Goros Pale Ale. More of a cocktail consumer? You can also choose from five Dewar Japanese-inspired whisky highball cocktails as part of Dewar's Highball Month, too. After having your fill, take things to the next level with karaoke and arcade game tokens, so you can challenge your mates to Bishi Bashi, Time Crisis, Street Fighter, pool and air hockey. And keeping the good times kicking, DJ King Lee will also be spinning throwback bangers in the afternoon. Doors open at midday, for a food and drink kick off time of 12.30pm. To book your spot — which we suggest you do quickly — head here.
Most of us have our favourite neighbourhood drinking den, it's easy to get lost when searching for the best bars in Sydney's CBD. It can be unfamiliar territory for those of us who don't head into the city centre regularly. And even if you do work in the area, you're unlikely to have explored all the bars hidden down laneways, in basements or on rooftops. To help you find the best bar in Sydney's CBD, we've compiled this list that includes all kinds of boozers. Whether you're after experimental cocktails in hotel bars or laidback bevs in unpretentious surroundings, we've got you sorted right here. Recommended Reads: The Best Bars in Sydney The Best Wine Bars in Sydney The Best Pubs in Sydney The Best Restaurants in Sydney's CBD
Do you enjoy a glass of wine with your dinner but find the mark-up a little hard to swallow? Perhaps you've been saving a special bottle in your cellar (okay, laundry)? Or maybe you just have an appetite for good value. Either way, who doesn't love a bit of bring-your-own? Here are Sydney's best restaurants to come armed with a bottle. [caption id="attachment_659126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] LA FAVOLA, NEWTOWN Whether you like to play it safe with spaghetti or go crazy with casarecce, you'll find all your favourite pastas — and BYO — at new Italian diner La Favola. Located on upper King Street in Newtown, La Favola has taken over the space previously occupied by stoner-food cafe D'Munchies. Unlike your traditional flag-bearing trattorias, there are no red-checked tablecloths or baskets of breadsticks. Instead, La Favola has opted for a clean and contemporary fit-out with a simple menu: six pastas and six sauces that patrons can mix and match as they please. It's so simple that it doesn't even have a booze menu, so you're free to BYO wine. We suggest grabbing a pet-nat from P&V down the road. BYO wine. CHAT THAI, HAYMARKET Chat Thai is one of Sydney's worst kept secrets. Join the inevitable queue for sizzling satays, coconut curries and zesty salads, which hail from the steamy streets of Bangkok. With 26 syrupy and sticky sweets on the menu, there's no excuse for skipping desserts. We recommend the flash-fried dough sticks smothered in pandan custard ($6.90) and the young coconut ice-cream with sticky rice, candied palm seeds and roasted peanuts ($6.90). All five Chat Thai branches are BYO, as well as their offshoots Boon Cafe, Assamm and Samosorn. BYO wine only — corkage $3 per person. TWO CHAPS, MARRICKVILLE Strolling through Marrickville, passers-by may take time to ponder the potential of what could be behind the heavy roller doors lining the quiet streets. But in the garage at 122 Chapel Street lies Two Chaps, a small cafe run primarily by two guys. While it operates as a cafe during the day, on Thursday and Friday nights the eatery stays open for their much loved vegetarian dinner. You can do the set menu for $55 a head or order a la carte — corkage is $4 per person, but if you go the set menu it's free. BYO wine — corkage $4 or free with set menu. [caption id="attachment_661400" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida.[/caption] IL BARETTO, SURRY HILLS There was a time when Italian eateries punctuated much of the dining options around Sydney inner-east suburbs. Only a few notable mentions remain, with many replaced over time by the diverse offering we enjoy today. Serving up nonna's favourites since 1999, Il Baretto is in no hurry to go anywhere. A few things come at a premium at this Italian restaurant. Space, for starters. With a densely packed dining area and handwritten menus, the restaurant has a very rustic, authentic feel. The next premium is the food. The menu has no big surprises for an Italian spot, but everything is produced perfectly. If you're with a group, at least one of you should go for the signature main dish — pappardelle with duck ragu — but there are plenty of other traditional options including porcini mushroom risotto and homemade gnocchi with pesto. One thing that doesn't come at a premium? The price. Pasta mains average out at $20. And it's of course BYO. BYO wine — corkage $3 per person. GOLDEN LOTUS, NEWTOWN Fresh, nutritious food is the game at Golden Lotus, cementing it as one of the best vegan venues in the inner-west. David Nguyen's Vietnamese eatery promises the authentic flavours of Saigon without any animal products. Beyond tofu, there is a few soy meat options available across the menu of family recipes. The stir fries, dumplings and noodle soups are all fragrant and filling. And it's BYO — which is something everyone can get on board with, vegan or not vegan. DIN TAI FUNG, CBD Welcome to dumpling heaven. Taipei-based global chain Din Tai Fung is famous for their silky-skinned and hot-bellied xiao long bao ($10.80) as well as their shao mai parcels ($10.80) and colourful dumpling gems ($15.80). Din Tai Fung pride themselves on their strict quality control, with each disc of pastry measuring exactly 6cm, with an acceptable total weight of 4.8 – 5.2 grams. Beer and dumplings have been friends since time immemorial, so lucky it's only $2.50 per BYO bottle. BYO wine and beer — corkage $10 per wine bottle, $2.50 per beer bottle. MAMAK, HAYMARKET Serving exceptional Malaysian hawker food, Mamak is famous for its feather-light, flaky roti canai, which is theatrically folded and flipped out front to the delight of onlookers. Use your roti to mop up tangy fish curry with okra ($17) and spicy samba tiger prawns ($19), or wrap it around charcoal satay ($9) and Malaysian-style fried chicken ($14). You can even order sweet roti ($8) filled with sliced banana or pandan and coconut, topped with ice-cream. Try a clean-finishing craft brew like James Squire Fifty Lashes, which will complement the fiery, feisty flavours. BYO wine and beer — corkage $2 per person. KEPOS STREET KITCHEN, REDFERN We're not advocating a bottle of burgundy with breakfast (well, maybe on a weekend) but there's nothing stopping you from making a toast with your toast at this all-day cafe. Kepos Street Kitchen is a charming corner cafe in Redfern that boasts a Middle Eastern-inspired menu. Here you can feast upon Tel Aviv falafel with green tahini ($14) and duck bastilla cigars, nuts, cinnamon, kharoub molasses ($16), and who can honestly say no to salted caramel churros ($15)? BYO wine only — corkage $8 per person. THE SULTAN'S TABLE, ENMORE This Turkish delight in Enmore serves mezze fit for a king. Come for the delicious suckling lamb ($20), sizzling adana kebab grilled over charcoal ($14) and authentic wood-fired pide. Start the meal with an assortment of dips in a rainbow of flavours ($22), which includes parsley, jajik (garlic), chilli, beetroot, carrot, spinach, humous and baba ganoush, accompanied by a slab of oven-baked Turkish bread. Finish with a strong, aromatic Turkish coffee and a syrupy baklava ($3) or head next door for arguably the world's best gelato at Cow and Moon. BYO wine and beer — free corkage! NEW SHANGHAI, CHATSWOOD New Shanghai's pan-fried pork buns have attained a certain level of notoriety in Sydney. These puffy dumplings with lovely burnished bottoms are served alongside Shanghai classics including braised garlic eggplant ($15.80), drunken chicken ($8.80) and shallot pancake ($6.80), which make a good match for a bottle of crisp, dry white. The dark woods, deep reds and warm lighting will have you back in 1930s Shanghai, while at the front window, dumplings are handmade with mesmerising precision and speed. BYO wine only — corkage $3 per person. [caption id="attachment_578146" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bodhi Liggett[/caption] HELLO AUNTIE, MARRICKVILLE If you're a Marrickville local, you might know Auntie. She has a small shopfront on Illawarra Road and, should you come across it, it's well worth heading inside to say hello. Prime time to do this is on Wednesday nights when the restaurant adopts a BYO wine policy. Head here for a cheap mid-week eat to try their pho dac biet ($15.50): a large bowl filled to the brim with house-made wagyu meatballs, thinly-sliced black Angus beef, braised brisket, a torched beef short rib and rice noodles swimming in broth. Do it. BYO wine Wednesday nights only — $3 corkage per person. CHIOSCO BY ORMEGGIO, MOSMAN Located side-by-side on a Mosman jetty, Chiosco is mere metres from the water's edge, with spectacular 300-degree views of luxury yachts and sparkling sea. While parent restaurant Ormeggio is a fine-dining affair, Chiosco (which is Italian for 'kiosk') has adopted a casual approach, serving Italian street food and takeaway with a 'barefoot and BYO' ethos. With cheaper prices and executive chef Alessandro Pavoni at the helm, it's a good excuse to go a little overboard. Bring a bottle of champagne or a six-pack of golden ales with you. BYO wine only — $12 corkage per bottle. TETSUYA'S, CBD This stalwart of Sydney's luxury dining scene marries the Japanese philosophy of natural, seasonal flavours with French culinary expertise. The ten-course degustation has been updated with new offerings, including the grilled shio koji toothfish with pea and green garlic; however, the one dish that never changes is the impeccable confit of petuna ocean trout, which is renowned the world over. Not exactly the most budget-conscious evening out, but with matching wines rounding out at $110 per person, you may save yourself a few extra dollars. BYO wine only — corkage $30 for the first bottle, $45 each bottle after. [caption id="attachment_659262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida.[/caption] CHACO BAR, DARLINGHURST Yakitori and BYO — is there really anything else we need to say? How about ramen? Yep, all three of these very great concepts come together at Darlinghurst's Chaco Bar. If you could eat things on sticks all day (and couldn't we all), you might want to bring your own bottle of wine. The corkage is steep at $15 per bottle, but it's worth it for this ramen (which is only served on Monday nights and for lunch Wednesday to Saturday). BYO wine only — $15 corkage per bottle. By Erina Starkey and the Concrete Playground team.
Before the year is out, Bondi Beach will have a brand new pub. And the folks behind it are no strangers; at the helm is Maurice Terzini, king of the Icebergs and Surry Hills' Dolphin Hotel, in this latest venture after just launching his own gin. But, unlike his other projects, the Bondi Beach Public Bar (BBPB) won't have a dedicated dining room. Instead, the venue is going for a casual, old-school feel, inspired by Aussie pub culture of the '70s and '80s, when rock reigned supreme and the likes of AC/DC and Midnight Oil dominated the charts. As a soundtrack, expect a steady stream of rowdy tunes, reeling from rock and roll to surf rock to proto-punk. The drinks list, taken care of by wine director James Hird, also has its origins in the '70s and '80s — but with some modern polishing. Forget anything remotely post-mixed and keep a look out for Terzini signatures, including the Negroni Spritz and the No. 8. New creations will include the Harvey Wallbanger and the White Russian, with the latter landing in your hand in a can. As you might've guessed, there'll be an Italian bent to the food offerings, with dashes of Australiana. Leading the feast are a flat, crispy Romanesque pizza; the Double Patty Bondi Matty burger; Bella's Fried Chicken, which is an homage to Belle's Hot Chicken chef Morgan McGlone; and gelato-based sweet hits created by Jaclyn Koludrovic, who is responsible for The Icebergs' desserts. According to Terzini, the design brief, as implemented by designer George Livissianis, went like this: "I told him to think [American fashion designer] Rick Owens goes to Palm Springs via Bondi". Get ready a raw, punk-influenced interior, featuring loads of concrete. BPPB will open in late December, seven days a week, at 203/180 Campbell Parade, Bondi. Keep an eye on the pub's website and Facebook page for further details.
If you've tried cycling around London, you'll understand why residents are celebrating Mayor Boris Johnson's intention to spend nearly 1 billion pounds on the city's bicycle routes. Double decker buses, cramped alleyways and teetering lorries have made for a 21st-century population explosion in spaces that Dickens described as crowded 150 years ago. The plan's backbone is a 24-kilometre (or 15-mile, as the Poms would say) bicycle highway, which will enable Londoners to cycle from west to east, in a lane (mostly) separated from motorised vehicles. This "bike Crossrail" will be the longest cycle path of its kind to be found in any European city. The aim is to decrease pressure on roads and public transport, improve air quality and increase faith that two wheels can be better than four. In the words of the ever-eloquent Johnson, "I want to de-Lycrafy cycling ... [to] give people the confidence to get in the saddle." Apart from the Crossrail, the vision includes a Central London Grid, which will create links in frenetic areas like the West End and the City; a series of 'Quietways', which are extended, signposted, suburban routes that guide cyclists along tranquil side streets; and a host of semi-segregated and fully segregated lanes. The Dutch commitment to the cultivation of a healthy cycling culture will be emulated through the development of what are being dubbed 'Little Hollands' in a minimum of one, and perhaps as many as three, boroughs. If these cyclist-friendly areas are a success, expansion throughout Outer London is likely. Furthermore, the Safer Intersection Review is about to receive a 500 percent increase in funding, from 19 million to 100 million, which means that some of London's most chaotic junctions — including Elephant and Castle, Blackfriars and Vauxhall — will be treated to improvements. Eight police will be employed to deal exclusively with accidents involving cyclists and heavy goods vehicles. At an April 2012 hustings concerned with cycling and road safety, Johnson lost support from some members of the cycling community after describing "stereotypical cyclists" as those who "charge around in lycra", "jump lights" and consider themselves "morally superior". His new plan is likely to go a long way in healing the damage done. London cycling image by Felix O and Ottawa cycling image by John Talbot.
It has only been a few months since the seventh season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine hit screens — which means you've either eagerly caught every second, or you've got some catch-up binging to do. Either way, if you've been watching and rewatching the hit sitcom since it first premiered back in 2013, then you also have something else to pop in your calendar: Isolation Trivia's upcoming B99-themed online quiz evening. How long did Charles Boyle spend dreaming of Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago's wedding? What did Rosa Diaz do before she was a cop? Who keeps swooping in and taking the Nine-Nine crew's cases? Which one is Scully and which is Hitchcock? And which one of the latter duo has a twin? If you can answer all of the above — and name Captain Holt's dog, Terry's kids, Gina's dance troupe and Jake's favourite movie — then you're set for this virtual trivia night. Live-streaming from 6.30pm on Sunday, September 6 this online trivia contest is completely devoted to the show that was cancelled and then resurrected in the space of 36 hours, then was renewed for an eighth season before its seventh one even aired, and features more Die Hard references than you'd think possible in one sitcom. We'd keep asking Brooklyn Nine-Nine questions and dropping tidbits, but we'll save some for the big night. If you're as keen to take part as Terry is about a tub of yoghurt, you just need to head to the Isolation Trivia Facebook page and clear out your Sunday night. That'll be your time to shine (and that can also be the title of your sex tape if you'd like). Isolation Trivia's 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' edition takes place from 6.30pm on Sunday, September 6. Images: SBS
Raise a glass to the holidays with hospo stalwart Esca Group. Known for helming popular Sydney venues AALIA, Nour, Lilymu, Henrietta and newcomer Ito, Esca is celebrating all things bubbly with a series of special events across its venues until March 2024. [caption id="attachment_925183" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jiwon Kim[/caption] Kick things off on Tuesday, November 7, with a pastel-themed, three-course feast at AALIA. From 12pm, guests will be welcomed with a glass of Perrier-Jouët champagne before being treated to Executive Chef Paul Farag's Middle Eastern creations. Start with tuna nayyeh with finger lime, Moreton bay bug hawawshi (stuffed pita), buttery khorasan bread, smoked buffalo labneh with beetroot molasses and spiced eggplant and tomato. Next up is a wagyu short rib with okra and sumac, served alongside heirloom carrots with labneh, followed by a decadent chocolate dessert. Dress to impress as there will be prizes on the day. Spots cost $200 per person and can be booked via the website. [caption id="attachment_925184" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jiwon Kim[/caption] If you can't attend the first lunch — or if you loved it and want a repeat — nab a seat at the G.H. Mumm RSRV lunch at AALIA on Tuesday, December 5. Champagne ambassador Emeline Troger will guide you through each glass of wine while you enjoy a five-course menu in a private dining room. Add even more sparkle to your gathering this festive season with G.H. Mumm champagne at select Esca restaurants from Wednesday, November 1 to Sunday, December 31. Dine on the signature banquet menu for lunch or dinner with a group of seven or more at AALIA, Nour, Lilymu or Ito, and you'll get a complimentary glass of sparkling upon arrival. Bookings are required as the offer does not apply to walk-ins. And if that's not enough, keep an eye out for a special event and panel for International Women's Day next March. Book your spot and find out more at the Esca Group website. Top image: Jiwon Kim, Christopher Pearce
2019 represents one giant milestone for humanity's space exploits, marking half a century since astronauts first walked on the moon. That's just one of the achievements that the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, aka NASA, is known for — and it's just one of the events that'll feature in a new exhibition chronicling the organisation's jaunts beyond the earth's surface, which heads to Australia this year NASA – A Human Adventure will display at the Queensland Museum in not only its first trip to our shores, but its only Aussie season. It's set to be huge in a number of ways. The exclusive showcase will bring more than 250 historically significant items to Brisbane, and it'll run for a whopping seven months. It'll also be the largest exhibition ever hosted by the newly refurbished South Bank spot, taking over two levels. Gracing QM's walls and halls between March 15 and October 9, NASA – A Human Adventure will feature everything from objects that actually have flown through space, to high-fidelity models, to both small-size and full-scale replicas. Think real rocket engines, space food, space suits, lunar cameras and moon boots, plus miniature versions of NASA's Space Shuttle, Lunar Rover, and Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space crafts. Touching on the Soviet contribution to space travel as well, it'll also display a replica of the robotic lunar rover Lunokhod. Australia is the latest stop in the exhibition's tour, which aims to showcase the story of space travel, as well as the history of rocket science and space flight. It comes to Brisbane after previously venturing to Milan, Singapore, Taipei, Seoul, Bangkok, Tokyo, Istanbul, Madrid, Utrecht, and both Stockholm and Norrkoping in Sweden. NASA – A Human Adventure displays at the Queensland Museum, corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets, South Brisbane from March 15 to October 9, 2019, with tickets on sale now.
In the past few weeks, a bunch of restrictions have come into place in a bid to contain COVID-19 in Australia. Bans of non-essential events of 500 people or larger became events of 100 people, restaurants, cafes and bars across the country have shut and all international and interstate travel has been indefinitely banned. Most recently, new restrictions on social distancing and two-person limits on public gatherings were introduced on Monday, March 30. While restrictions differ state-to-state, federal and state governments have said that Australians should only be leaving their homes for four key reasons: shopping for food and other essential supplies; for medical care or compassionate reasons; to exercise, in-line with the new two-person limit; and for work or education if you cannot work or learn remotely. Those who don't comply with these new social distancing and public gathering rules risk hefty penalties, too, with on-the-spot fines of $1652 in Victoria, $1000 in NSW (with maximum penalties of $11,000 and six months in jail) and $1334.50 in Queensland for individuals. And a heap of people across Australia have already been slapped with fines since these rules were introduced. In Queensland on the weekend, Saturday, April 5, police fined 58 people at a 150-car rally at a warehouse in Rochedale and five men were arrested for travelling to Palm Island, which is a designated remote community that can not be visited for non-essential reasons. Queensland Police also said they were disappointed with the number of people loitering at lookout points in parks and visiting large shopping centres for non-essential needs and would be increasing their presence at these locations. "If you are sitting at a lookout, having coffee in a park, loitering in a shopping centre outside the parameters of the directions, you may be fined," Acting Chief Superintendent Mel Adams of Logan Police District said. "Public safety comes first and we urged people to stay at home." [caption id="attachment_750943" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Victoria Police issued 108 fines on Sunday, April 6, alone. While exact details of the fines have not been released, one 17-year-old L-plater was pulled over and fined $1652 while on a driving lesson with their mother, as driving lessons are deemed non-essential in Victoria. In NSW, however, driving lessons are allowed — with either an instructor or a family member — as they fall under 'education'. Last week, a Fitzroy restaurant was also fined almost $10,000 for operating, with the ABC reporting there were six staff working and customers eating and drinking on the premises. Eighteen on-the-spot fines were handed out in NSW on Sunday: one man was charged for ignoring "beach closed" signs at Bondi Beach — he also ignored directions from the police to move on and coughed at an officer; and a women was fined for accompanying a food delivery driver. While the driver was working, the women "was only there because she said she was bored being at home", according the NSW Police. Since the laws were introduced, other Sydneysiders who have been charged include two people in a vehicle who did not have "a reasonable excuse not to be at home", a man who had left his home in order to visit his drug dealer and a man who had ignored two warnings and was found a third time on a Market Street bench eating a kebab. Restrictions are changing every day, you can read more about the state-specific public gathering and social distancing laws in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
As any Sydney seafood aficionado should know by now, The Morrison has a constant focus on the not-so-humble oyster. But in August, when the month-long Oyster Festival takes over, that focus turns into an overwhelming obsession. From Monday, August 1 through to Wednesday, August 31, the Sydney bar will become a shucking shrine to the freshest oysters around, which will be delivered daily. One of the major drawcards is Oyster Hour. Between 6pm and 7pm every single day, you'll be able to eat as many oysters as you can handle at just $1 a pop. Throughout the month, Head Chef Sean Connolly will be conjuring up his favourite oyster dishes, from carpetbag steak and chowder to chicken fried oyster tacos and pork schnitzel oyster mayo sammies. Plus, there'll be special bevs — like oyster shooters, paired cocktails and Champagne (of course) — as well as masterclasses aplenty for those really looking to further their oyster knowledge. Swing by on Tuesday, August 9 for a whisky and oyster masterclass with MasterChef alumni Sean Baxter, or make sure you're at the bar on Tuesday, August 23 to learn how to best pair Champagne with oysters from certified Master of Wine Ned Goodwin. What's the ideal number of times to chew an oyster? Brush up on your knowledge of the mollusc with our Bluffer's Guide to Oysters.
A day of sun, surf and sand shouldn't break the bank, and holidaying in Vietnam is the best way to ensure that remains the case in 2018. As they did last year as well, three of the Asian country's beaches have topped Travelbird's annual Beach Price Index, which ranked 327 beaches from over 70 nations based on their affordability. Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An was dubbed the least expensive place to take a dip for the second year running, with hitting the waves costing AU$20.20 (or €13.44). City Beach in Nha Trang (AU$22,83) and Long Beach in Phu Quoc (AU$25.29) took out the next two spots, with beaches in India (Benaulim Beach, Palolem Beach, Mandrem Beach, Cavelossim Beach, Agonda Beach and Radhanagar Beach) and Egypt (El Gouna, Sunken City and Marsa Nayzak) rounding out the top 12. Germany and Mexico are the only other countries to make the top 20, courtesy of Hamburg's Falkensteiner Ufer and Oaxaca's Zipolite. Travelbird bases their rankings on the cost of five beach essentials: sunscreen (SPF30, 200ml), water (500ml), beer (an average between domestic beer prices, and the cost of Heineken, Budweiser, Becks, Guinness and Fosters at local prices), ice cream (pre-packaged and branded), lunch (for one person, including a meal, drink and dessert) and any applicable facility fees (entrance, lounger, chair, hammock, umbrella). If just more than an Aussie lobster sounds cheap for all of that, then spending more than AU$123 will sound mighty hefty, with New Caledonia's Anse Vata in Noumea nearing that mark at the other end of the scale. Don't go thinking that Australia's abundance of coastline means the country fares much better in the cheap beach stakes, however. Even the least expensive — The Basin on Rottnest Island — hits the $61.37 mark. In fact, all Aussie beaches rank in the 150 costliest spots to sunbathe and splash around, with Manly Beach in Sydney the ninth costliest at $97.86, and Perth's Cottesloe Beach taking 12th spot at $95.15. Others on the list include Blinky Beach on Lorde Howe Island, Bondi in Sydney, Cottesloe Beach in Western Australia, Mindil Beach in Darwin, and 75 Mile Beach, Whitehaven Beach and Palm Cove in Queensland. As for New Zealand spots to sunbathe and splash around, four make the poll. Over in New Zealand, Piha in Auckland is the most affordable, followed by Orewa, Karekare then Hahei in Waikato. Image: Prashant Ram
The Gold Coast isn't known for its subtlety. Forget things like schoolies, bikini-wearing metre maids and theme parks — when you're a city that boasts a coastline that big, you're going to flaunt it. And why not? Perhaps that's the thinking behind the new beach club slated for The Spit. Seems playing host to Australia's first six-star hotel wasn't enough attention for the Gold Coast. Open to the public, measuring 6000 square metres in size and catering for up to 3000 people, the beach club features pretty much everything you're imagining a huge new hangout space by the water should: a rooftop lounge, nightclub, restaurants, cafes, VIP cabanas, gardens and lawns for a dash of greenery, and an outdoor pool and beach area, of course, and hosting DJs and live performances is part of the plan. The beach club will form part of a proposed new development, which has been given the rather bland moniker of the Gold Coast Integrated Resort. The project aims to give the Goldie "a new global waterfront destination and world-class coastal icon" — complete with five buildings ranging from 20 to 45 storeys in height, multiple hotels, a casino, eateries, shops, apartments and a waterfront piazza with walkways, gardens, parks, amphitheatres and an outdoor cinema, all taking over the space between Sea World and the Gold Coast Fisherman's Co-operative. Don't go making travel plans just yet, though, with construction not expected to start until after the 2018 Commonwealth Games. And don't expect such a big change to such a well-trodden area to happen quietly. With the Gold Coast Broadwater — or large shallow estuary — quite a natural feature, plenty of other proposals have been mooted for The Spit and have been met with considerable outcries. For more information, visit the Gold Coast Integrated Resort website. Via Brisbane Development / Gold Coast Bulletin. Images: Gold Coast Integrated Resort.
Mindfulness practice — achieving the mental state of focusing on the present moment — is gaining popularity as people attempt to regulate their stressful lives. People have turned to everything from meditation to colouring books to achieve mindfulness, but perhaps few people would think of doing a triathlon to achieve inner peace. Take three activities that promote mindfulness — specifically running, yoga and meditation — and you've got yourself a 'mindful triathlon'. Wanderlust 108 has been running these triathlon festivals since 2014, and the standard day has a few main components. First, there's the five kilometre run, although the site reassures you that you can walk instead of running — or even "prance, skip, stroll or strut" — as long as you reach the finish line. After that, theres 75 minutes of yoga accompanied by a DJ set, and finally 25 minutes of meditation to round out the whole-group activities. Once the structured section of the day has wrapped up, participants can also head to activities such as aerial yoga, acroyoga and hooping, or to lunch. Returning to Sydney on Saturday, October 26, it's part exercise, part dance party, part fest — and 100-percent focused on helping attendees feel great inside and out. Also on the agenda: workshops and markets, with the latter helping you take your new blissed-out state home with you afterwards.
Lebanese-style charcoal chook in Sydney has long been synonymous with El Jannah. Yes, there's northern Sydney chain Chargrill Charlie's, but its sauces — Greek Island, Portuguese Piri Piri and Thai Fresh Herbs — are notably missing toum. Frango has firm Portuguese roots and Red Rooster is, well, Red Rooster. Today, though, another player has flown into the proverbial coop. Henrietta is the new restaurant by Nour's Ibby Moubadder and Jorge Farah specialising in Middle Eastern charcoal chook — and it's not too dissimilar to its Crown Street sibling. Both restaurants celebrate traditional Lebanese cooking techniques, but aren't afraid to stray from the straight and narrow. Nour's falafel comes in crumpet form and its halva is served alongside pumpkin cheesecake. Henrietta's baba ghanoush gets an umami hit from miso, its beef brisket is served atop tacos with zhug (a Yemeni hot sauce) and its chicken tawouk comes, not as a kebab, but inside spring rolls. But the newcomer's focus is not the rule-breaking sides, it's the charcoal chook. Henrietta's take comes with a glistening layer of smoky, spicy sauce, the requisite char and juicy flesh. It comes with the requisite garlic toum, too, as well as zingy pickles and Lebanese bread. It's suggested sumac chicken salt-covered chips are ordered, too, and rolled using that bread — together with the chicken, toum, chilli sauce and pickles — to create a DIY chicken sandwich. Just how you do this is illustrated in easy-to-follow steps on the menu. Sound like too much work? You can order one, pre-rolled, for $14. Alongside the charcoal chook, you'll find three Lebanese-ish desserts — chocolate mouse with rose, baklava sundaes and rice pudding with halva — as well as seven fun cocktails. A slushie machine is pumping out frozen takes on a Pornstar Martini, while a bartender shakes the likes of spicy passionfruit margaritas and hibiscus sours. Walking a fine line between casual-night-out-with-the-crew and date-night, the 65-seater restaurant has been designed by creative agency DS17 and is filled with neon signs of 'Henrietta', concrete walls and terrazzo bars. While dining out is allowed in NSW — and has been since mid-May — some Sydneysiders are still dining in. Henrietta is catering for both with its takeaway window selling its charcoal chooks for $18 a pop. Henrietta is now open at Shop 1, 500 Crown Street, Surry Hills. It's open from 11.30am–late daily.
You know those friends who are so madly into each other, it's obvious to everyone they should be a couple? And they just shrug it off and continue on their merry way, probably share-housing together and watching late-night movies together and working on a creative project together, too, just for good measure? That's Jake (Travis Kesek) and Elise (Nicole Dimitriadis) in Body Language, and since we've all had friends like them (or been them), it's easy for audiences to get hooked on this new play from writer Luke Holmes. Jake and Elise seem to be at the centre of a web of people trying to negotiate relationships with a member of the opposite sex — relationships whose true natures cannot be read from the surface. Elise's friend Sarah (Charlie Hanson) is an awkward, garrulous type flattered to be invited to sit for a painting by artist Karl (David Ross). Nick (William Koutsoukis), a bit of an oaf, is mandated to see psychologist Sam (Brendan Layton) after an incident with an ex, whom he's still obsessing over. Small world, though; both shrink and patient are currently seeing the same sex worker (Morgan Powell), and she'll be an asset to the nicer guy of the pair. Body Language is the first work to be produced by new independent theatre company Brave New Word, who stand out for having a clear mission statement and methodology from the get-go. The group, all graduates from the Australian Academy of Dramatic Art, take a new script they like and put it through three weeks of workshopping with the cast and creatives, during which anything can change. With the script finalised, the last weeks are spent rehearsing under the guidance of the director (for this show, Sepy Baghaei). It's an approach that borrows from existing script development programs, allowing some newer, greener theatre makers to benefit from taking part in a collaborative process with their peers. Body Language has a unique charm which could well be a result of this. The scenes between Jake and Elise, in particular, are so natural, so warm and funny, they seem like the kind of thing that can only result from the actors bringing a lot of themselves to the roles. It's a little reminiscent of the Before Sunrise movies that way. Dancers Lillian Jean Shaddick and Paul Musumeci add some physical-theatre palate cleanser in between scenes, and although it's not as integrated with the rest of the play as it could be, it's great to see non-naturalism getting some love. The fledgling company could afford to take even more risks next time — some moments, especially as the characters' paths reached resolution, were a bit predictable, possibly the result of writing by committee. But overall, this is a sparky, entertaining show. It will be a lucky writer whose work is zeroed in on by Brave New Word next.
Every Martin Scorsese movie is worth waiting for, but Killers of the Flower Moon has been decades in the making. The nonfiction book that the acclaimed director's latest film adapts details events in the 1920s, in Osage County in Oklahoma, where members of the Osage Nation became wealthy through oil, then targets for white interlopers. And the feature that's bringing this true tale to the screen? It finally unites Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in one of Scorsese's full-length flicks, after the filmmaker has spent decades working with both separately. Marty. De Niro. Leo. Yes, enough said. That's the basic maths behind Scorsese's first film since 2019's The Irishman, which premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in May, will hit cinemas Down Under in October and then heads to Apple TV+ after that. De Niro and DiCaprio have been in so many of the legendary director's movies that it's rare for any of his titles to not include one or the other. The former's run gave viewers gangster masterpieces such as Mean Streets, Goodfellas and Casino; also spans the iconic Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The King of Comedy; and covers musical New York, New York and thriller remake Cape Fear, too — and, of course The Irishman. The latter began leading Scorsese's films in the early 2000s, kicking off with Gangs of New York, then starring in The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island and The Wolf of Wall Street. That's a helluva resume for both actors, and for their favourite helmer. Enter Killers of the Flower Moon — which is actually the second time that De Niro and DiCaprio have joined forces for Scorsese, after they played themselves in the director's 2015 comedy short The Audition. The actors have a past on-screen beyond that thanks to the non-Marty helmed This Boy's Life in 1993, back when DiCaprio was still a teen. That's the Scorsese–De Niro–DiCaprio history. Its main talents aside, Killers of the Flower Moon has looking backwards on its mind as well. As seen in the initial teaser in May and just-dropped full trailer now, the film jumps into a series of real-life of murders. DiCaprio (Don't Look Up) and Certain Women standout Lily Gladstone play Ernest Burkhart and Mollie Kyle, a couple that gets caught up in the investigations surrounding the mounting killings. The deaths start when oil turns the Osage Nation into some of the richest folks on the planet, and quickly, which attracts the wrong kind of notice — attention fuelled by greed and envy, and resulting in manipulation, extortion and homicide. Killers of the Flower Moon surveys that story through Burkhart, Kyle and their romance. Scorsese also co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Roth (Dune, and an Oscar-winner for Forest Gump), adapting David Gann's 2017 non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. And, as well as De Niro (Amsterdam), the movie co-stars Jesse Plemons (Love & Death), John Lithgow (Sharper) and newly minted Best Actor Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser (The Whale). Check out the full trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon below: Killers of the Flower Moon releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 19, and will then stream via Apple TV+ at a later date — we'll update you with streaming details when they're announced.
Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel has undergone more than a few changes over its enduring history, with the property dating back to 1886, when it was known as the Palace Hotel. Now this luxe harbourside destination is ready to enter its next era, as it's set to undertake a $3-million renovation of its much-loved top and mid decks. Set to launch in October 2025, Sydney-based interior design and spatial research studio Etic Design is leading the refresh. Bringing a little Hamptons elegance to Watsons Bay, expect a brand-new destination for weddings, celebrations and standout social moments. And for those who love the hotel's boutique accommodation and waterfront dining, like the legendary Beach Club and the upstairs Sunset Room, all will remain open throughout the renovation. "We wanted every detail to blend the relaxed spirit of Sydney's coastal living with the elevated sophistication of the Hamptons," says Etic Design Director, Emilie Delalande. "The result is a space that feels fresh, refined, and grounded in its waterfront setting." Drawing inspiration from the bay's natural palette, the new space will feature sun-bleached timbers, crisp whites, layered textures and subtle nautical touches. Meanwhile, expect high-end organic materials, custom detailing and generous open spaces to make the most of the hotel's stunning location, while bringing guests closer to the landscape. For regulars, the finished renovation will still feel like home, just with a renewed blend of luxury and comfort. "Designing the Hamptons-style renovation for Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel was a collaborative and creative journey," explains Delalande. "We want every design element to reflect a refined yet relaxed atmosphere — one that seamlessly blends timeless Hamptons elegance with the laid-back spirit of Sydney's beachside living." While the waterfront setting might not be so warm in winter, the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel still makes for an enticing visit. The cosy Sunset Room's soothing fireplace makes it an ideal spot to soak up the views as you dine on a host of fresh winter specials, like a seaside Sunday roast decked out with all the trimmings. Midweek visits are also getting a boost, with Monday fish pie specials, Tuesday pizza and pinot sessions, and Wednesday burger and beer combos elevating your next waterfront feed. Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel's top deck and mid deck are expected to reopen in October 2025. Head to the website for more information.
Over the past 47 years, in this very galaxy, how much Star Wars merchandise has been collected? Not even a Jedi could probably give a definitive number. When it makes its Australian premiere, The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition won't answer that question either, but it will give fans of the space-opera franchise a glimpse at a hefty range of Star Wars memorabilia — one of the planet's largest private collections of replicas, in fact. The force is strong here, and so is love for everything in the George Lucas-created big- and small-screen saga. Soaring into Melbourne from Saturday, November 23, 2024, and then set to tour the country afterwards — with dates for its other stops not yet announced — The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition features Star Wars starships, lightsabers, droids, creatures and even battles. An entire section is about the dark side, with Sith obviously starring heavily, while another is called The Jedi Temple. Some pieces are life-sized. Others are detailed models. Either way, Star Wars will surround attendees everywhere they look. This isn't an official showcase, however, with only private works featured. The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition finally heads Down Under after past stops in New York and Los Angeles in the US, and also London, Madrid and Paris in Europe. After Melbourne, where it'll display at The District Docklands, it's also set to show in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth. The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition is one of two Star Wars-related celebrations with an upcoming date with Australia. The other: Lego Star Wars: The Exhibition, which is a world-first showcase of Lego models based on the franchise. It'll arrive in 2025, making its global premiere. The two showcases aren't linked in any way, other than adoring Star Wars. The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition hails from the same crew that've also celebrated Banksy and NBA Down Under, and have a Wes Anderson tribute about to hit Melbourne. The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition opens at The District Docklands, Level 1, corner Star Crescent and Studio Lane, Docklands, Melbourne on Saturday, November 23, 2024, with tickets on sale from 6pm AEST on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. After that, it'll head to Brisbane, Sydney and Perth, with dates yet to be announced. Head to the exhibition's website for more details.
Anyone who's been outside in the last few weeks will have noticed that Sydney's been unseasonably warm. On Sunday it hit 22 degrees and last night the low was just 14 — in the sun you don't even need a light jacket. Although this undeniably adds to our ever-present anxiety about global warming, it's hard to deny it: this winter has been delightful. And you probably won't have to raid your house for your beanie anytime soon — well, not this week, anyway. Meteorologists have predicted that this winter weekend could be one of the warmest on record. According to Weatherzone, the temp is expected to hit 22 degrees on Saturday, July 29 before rising to 25 degrees on Sunday, July 30. The highest temperature on record for July is 25.9 degrees (back in 1990), so this weekend looks set to come pretty close, if not match it. It's going to be warmer still in northwestern NSW, with Bourke set to hit 28 degrees. This is a bit of contrast to this time last year, when it got so cold it snowed in parts of Canberra and Melbourne. If you've got the weekend off, make the most of it — visit a secluded beach, do a coastal walk or do bevs at a beachside pub.
Over the past five years, there's been an explosion in the number of brewing companies moving out of back sheds and into more permanent venues — and offering food and entertainment on site in the process. Heading up this trend is Cake Wines, Young Henrys and 4 Pines Brewing Company, who recently announced they would be opening up not one, but three new venues around Sydney in the next 12 months. Now, Endeavour Vintage Beer Co. is jumping on the bandwagon. Australia's dedicated vintage beer company is opening their own tap room venue in November, with not only a brewery but a bar and restaurant coming to their new space in The Rocks. Ben Carroll and Hamish Watts from Applejack Hospitality — aka the folks behind Della Hyde and The Botanist — will be joining up with the Endeavour team, so you know you can expect something impressive. "Having looked at sites in other metro areas of Sydney, this one came on the radar last year and sits really nicely with the direction we wanted to head," says Carroll. The announcement comes off the back of the NSW Government pledging $200 million to give Circular Quay a facelift. The Rocks will receive $15 million of this, which has seen a number of new retail and dining outlets join the area hoping to help make it more attractive to locals. Endeavour's setup will include eight taps on site, which will all pour brews selected in conjunction with the kitchen, ensuring the food and drinks offerings always complement each other. In terms of food, Carroll says, "we are left of centre when it comes to typical brew house fare. Keeping in sync with the beer side we will be using seasonal fresh produce, and will be working closely with the head brewer to create a great synergy between the beers and food. We will be offering a range of smoked produce from the land and sea, which will be served feast-style and accompanied with vibrant salads and house-made sauces. All done with the typical Applejack flair." We can't wait to see just what that means for the Endeavour space. And, according to the Endeavour Tap Rooms Sydney's Facebook page, more exciting developments are still to come. Find Endeavour Tap Rooms at 39-43 Argyle St, The Rocks from November. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for more information.
Downton Abbey has always been the TV equivalent of a cup of tea: warm, soothing, a tad sugary, but reliably serving up an escape from everyday woes. Airing for six seasons from 2010–15, the 1920s-set British TV series was a hit for many reasons, letting audiences get lost in the soapy intrigue of a lavish Yorkshire mansion chief among them. That, and watching Maggie Smith sling barbs, make quips, and put anyone in their place, a skill that the veteran actor wields oh-so-well. It's been nearly four years between sips, but both the show and its beloved octogenarian are back. They're on the big screen this time around, however this is the epitome of a television movie. It's filled with everyone's favourite characters, hits all of the familiar marks, overflows with slim subplots that get wrapped up before the end credits, and leaves viewers feeling happy and cosy. With the film taking place in 1927, more than a year has passed for Downton Abbey's inhabitants, but it's business as usual at the titular manor. That's until royal news arrives, with King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James) planning to stop by for a visit. Naturally, excitement abounds among the aristocratic Crawley family and their loyal staff. It's the latter that have to weather the most obstacles, though. Dreaming of attending to Their Majesties, they soon discover that the Crown will be bringing their own servants with them. That's not the Downton Abbey way, of course, and the house's maids, butlers, cooks, footmen and the like won't give up their chance to shine for the kingdom without a fight. There's plenty of story to go around, and plenty of people to navigate the regal antics. Patriarch Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) isn't too fussed, and nor is his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), although that's largely because their daughter, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), takes charge. His mother Violet (Smith) is spoiling to confront her cousin Maud (Imelda Staunton), who's also the Queen's lady-in-waiting, about an inheritance. Among the upstairs residents, Tom Branson (Allen Leech) gets the most interesting narrative arc — an ex-chauffeur who married into the family, and an Irish Republican, it's suspected that he may cause trouble during the royal stay. Downstairs, retired butler Carson (Jim Carter) has been asked back for the occasion, much to his replacement Barrow's (Rob James-Collier) dismay. Kitchen maid Daisy (Sophie McShera) isn't quite ready to plan her wedding to footman Andy (Michael C. Fox), and Mary's maid Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) is on the trail of a thief. The list goes on, with more than 25 characters receiving substantial screen-time. Penned by Julian Fellowes, like all 52 episodes of the TV show, Downton Abbey takes the more-is-more approach. This cinematic last hurrah is packed with as much as it possibly can manage, which is great news for existing fans, but comes across as rushed for newcomers. No one gets too much attention, no storyline feels particularly important and there's little in the way of tension. The blueprint of each subplot gleams as obviously as the mansion's lavish surfaces, too, even when the movie keeps jumping from one minor drama to the next. Rather than telling a rousing new tale in a fleshed-out fashion, Fellowes and director Michael Engler are more concerned with letting Downton diehards spend a bit of extra time with the well-to-do crew and their kindly subordinates. The pair do just that, however that doesn't mean uninitiated viewers aren't catered for. Nearly two decades after winning a screenwriting Oscar for Gosford Park, actor-turned-writer Fellowes has become the fount of all knowledge regarding English upstairs-downstairs shenanigans — and even when he's keeping things light and slight, the results are enjoyable to watch. As well as possessing an ear for the rhythm of everyday banter among posh and ordinary folks alike, he understands the class clashes between them, plus the similarities that draw them together. He also knows and conveys a crucial fact: that the dynamic between the upper echelons and the help isn't as consigned to the past as it may seem. Downton Abbey is a historical fantasy where scant little changes, but there's a reason that the period program struck such a chord over the last decade. As the political landscape becomes more and more fractured around the globe, the series recognises society's divisions while leaning into comfort, safety and stability in a gentle and unchallenging manner. Comfort, at least visually, might just be an understatement. There isn't much to rationalise Downton Abbey's release in theatres instead of on TV (other than the likely box office windfall, that is), but the lavish costuming and grand set design look a treat on the silver screen. Indeed, other than Smith doing what the program has always tasked her with doing best, the film's imagery is the star of the show. While the rest of the cast perform exactly as they're asked — as is to be expected nine years after the series first premiered — this isn't an actor-driven affair. Really, it's a big hug goodbye in movie form, offering up a huge embrace to eager aficionados and giving a pleasant-enough squeeze to everyone else. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbV8LpEzYgQ
Buying a plant is a bit like getting a pet — except, at times, even more difficult. You see a fancy-looking fern in the plant store and think, whoa, this would look great on the kitchen bench. So you take it home and try your best, really, to take care of it, and dream that one day it might love you back (hopefully). But then disaster happens; you see a few brown leaves and it looks a little wilted. What do you do? Truth is, some plants can be pretty needy, and some just don't flourish in certain environments. It can be really hard to figure out what your plants require and where they grow best, so we spoke to Georgina Reid, founder and editor of online magazine The Planthunter. She's given her seasoned advice that'll help you keep those plant babies alive, organised by the different parts of your home. THE SUNNY, NORTH-FACING, INDOOR SPACE This is your well-sunned living room or kitchen with a nice big window. There's a lot that can grow here due to the amount of sunshine pouring in. Many succulents will work well in this space; look to hen and chicks (Echeveria spp.), jade plant (Crassula spp.) and even mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis spp.). Aesthetically, the fiddle-leaf fig looks snazzy in a well-lit, white room (although apparently a little cliché in the plant community), and so does peperomia with its thick, slightly succulent leaves. Just be aware if this space doesn't get that direct afternoon sun — this may be good for you in the middle of summer, but not so much for any cacti or herbs. These guys need a big dose of sun so this spot may be a bit depriving. THE SUNNY, BACKDOOR COURTYARD Conveniently located at the other end of your house, the courtyard is most likely at ground level so there's a good chance you can plant directly in the soil and keep things in pots. As a result, consider this spot the all-rounder. It's an ideal location for succulents, flowers, vegetables and herbs. Oregano, rosemary and thyme are quite easy to grow, and the great thing about them is that they're perennial — they'll live for more than one year (unlike basil, coriander and parsley who live fast and die young). Many veggies need roughly four to six hours of sun each day, making a sunny courtyard an ideal space for them to thrive. And if you're not after edibles, Reid recommends checking out the spaghetti-like hanging fronds of the mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis spp.) which provide an eye-catching, refreshingly sculptural addition to a shadier outdoor space. THE OFTEN HUMID, STEAMY BATHROOM Plants might do a great job of freshening up the bathroom, but the steam from your shower is enough to drown a large number of genera — FYI, that's the plural of genus— so Reid suggests looking for tropical climate plants. Ferns are great here as they love that moisture. The Boston fern is a great bathroom addition visually. They're also pretty tough and grow very tall. Maidenhair fern is also a popular bathroom addition, but be warned: this one may be for the greenest of thumbs. According to Reid, the Maidenhair can be quite temperamental if not provided with near-perfect growing conditions. THE LOW-LIT STUDY OR BEDROOM Our bedrooms and studies aren't reliably bright, so the desk cactus doesn't like this part of the house, regardless of how cute it looks next to that lamp. Reid recommends you swap it for a big leafy plant or fern instead. She suggests looking for rainforest plants: "They've evolved with large, glossy leaves to grab as much light as possible." Although not applicable to all plants, many of these have 'drip tips'. You can identify these by the point at the end of the leaf that water spills off. Some of Reid's favourites include the hoya, a beautifully sculpted climbing plant with incredible flowers, and Devil's Ivy — the name comes from the fact that it's near impossible to kill this guy. Also, the Fruit Salad plant (also known as monstera) doesn't really need a whole lot of sun and grows really well in dim light. THE HOT, WEST-FACING BALCONY The west-facing balcony might be the hottest part of your place, after the oven. In summer, the afternoon sun will roast this area, making it scorched and dry. So, it's best to put those plants that require a lot less moisture out here. Cacti love this setting: if at all, they require very little watering — they thrive in the desert, after all. Herbs are great too and so are veggies: they all need a good showering of sun. Succulents will grow well in the heat, too. Reid recommends plants from the aloe genus, particularly picatilis or Fan Aloe. Like other succulents, it's the perfect plant to survive a heatwave as all the moisture is stored within its leaves. So how much water do succulents need? You'll notice when they need more moisture; they'll be trying to draw water from itself and will look a little withered. "It's best to give your plants a good soaking every week or two, rather than a trickle every day," says Reid. You can tell if they need a water by sticking a finger into the soil. If there's moisture, it's probably fine. There's no need to drown the poor thing. All in all, getting your plants to thrive can be tricky and often needs more than one go. But if it doesn't work out, try again. "Plants die," says Reid, "that's just how it is." Plant Life Balance is a new initiative designed to get Australians excited and confident about styling their homes with plants while promoting the healthy benefits plants bring. The initiative also delivers an Australian-first, virtual greening app. The Plant Life Balance app, asks Aussies to rate their space, then improve their health score by choosing a look for their room or outdoor area, grabbing a plant list and hitting the nursery. Download the app here.
In 1997, Christmas changed. With a single episode of Seinfeld, the world became privy to a new form of holiday celebration that eschewed other traditions and denominations. Instead of a tree, an unadorned pole gets pride of place. Rather than share happy stories, everyone gathered airs their grievances. And, instead of settling down on the couch after a hearty meal, attendees compete in feats of strength. Okay, so maybe you still enjoy tinsel, turkey and street cricket with your family on December 25. Even so, The Glenmore is making sure you can have some Festivus fun as well. The pub's shindig takes place on the official Festivus date of Monday, December 23. The Glenmore's rooftop will have live music going from 3pm. In keeping with tradition, there'll be a grievances wall — so you can air yours and be infuriated by everyone else's — and a "these pretzels are making me thirsty" cocktail special (a salted caramel espresso martini). Not so Seinfeld are the $12 Aperol spritzes. Don't forget to dress up, too — there will be Festivus prizes. Image: Steven Woodburn
When the term 'kidulting' gets thrown around, it usually means one thing: taking a pastime that you enjoyed when you were a child and adding alcohol. It's why we have boozy mini golf bars, cocktail-slinging arcades and beer-serving bowling alleys, all aimed at adults. And at the latter in May, you can also add free gigs — and free brews and ten-pin, too — to the equation. Your destination: Strike Bowling, which is bringing back its Live on the Lanes concert series. The shows first took place in 2018, returned in 2019, but were then put on hold during the pandemic — and this time, they're going on the on the road. Live on the Lanes will hit up Strike QV in Melbourne, QV Wintergarden in Brisbane and Wintergarden King Street Wharf Sydney across Wednesday, May 11–Friday, May 13. But before you going marking your calendar, this is the kind of show you need to win tickets to. Entries open between 9am Thursday, April 7–11.59pm Wednesday, May 4 via the Strike Bowling website. If you nab a freebie, you really will get everything covered — the music, the beer and your time hurtling balls down the lane. Touch Sensitive will taking care of the tunes, hopping up on stages in each city that'll be set up on top of the alley. And those free lagers will come courtesy of Byron Bay Brewery — which is obviously something to say cheers to. LIVE ON THE LANES 2022: Wednesday, May 11 — Strike QV, Melbourne Thursday, May 12 — Strike Wintergarden, Brisbane Friday, May 13 — Strike King Street Wharf, Sydney Live on the Lanes tours Australia's east coast between Wednesday, May 11–Friday, May 13. For more information, or to enter to win tickets between 9am Thursday, April 7–11.59pm Wednesday, May 4, head to the Strike Bowling website.
In 2020, businesses around Australia have needed to think on their feet and adapt. Restaurants have introduced new takeaway menus, cocktail delivery systems and set up sandwich shops in the front of their business, all to adjust to the new realities of the hospitality industry. Now a much-loved Sydney food truck is turning back to more traditional dining options and opening a diner. Known for serving American and Mexican dishes from its eatery on wheels, Nighthawk has launched a brick-and-mortar restaurant to complement its impressive fleet of food trucks. The new diner has set up shop on Botany Road in Alexandria, and is serving lunch and dinner for both dine-in and takeaway customers from Wednesday through till Saturday. Nighthawk is hoping to adopt the American diner culture, but with a uniquely Sydney spin. The diner has unveiled a new daytime menu designed around locally sourced and seasonal ingredients — combining the food truck classics that Sydney has come to love with lunch items. You'll find Philly cheesesteak and eggplant parmigiana sandwiches side-by-side with green salads, jackfruit reubens and smoked salmon bagels. Accompanying the food is an all-star selection of local Australian beverages. Freshly brewed Mecca coffee, kombucha sourced from Melbourne's Monceau Kombucha and tinnies sent directly from The Grifter Brewing Co in Marrickville are all available. Nighthawk food trucks will still be out and about, including by offering catering throughout Sydney. The food trucks will remain available for events and office functions; however, not everyone has space for fully functioning mobile restaurant. So, now you can have the Nighthawk Ribwich and a kombucha delivered directly to your office or engagement party. Nighthawk Diner is located at 4/662 Botany Road, Alexandria. It is open Wednesday–Saturday from 12pm–2.30am and 5pm–9pm.
King Street Wharf houses a string of restaurants overlooking the water, but unlike most waterfront dining in this town, eating there won't wind your bank balance back to 'insufficient funds' territory. Beginning on March 18, and set to last for three months until June 13, the precinct has begun an unprecedented lunchtime program, offering $10, $15 and $20 meals from the likes of Kobe Jones, Bungalow 8, La Cita, Cargo Bar and The Malaya. In an era where most lunch breaks don't last longer than half an hour, it's all too often that you wind up with a stale bento box or a wilting hamburger from a non-specific fast-food chain beginning with the letter 'M'. King Street Wharf, in all their wisdom, has turned all of that on its head, with their lunch program explicitly designed for frantic office workers. "Workers are busier than ever often with less than the traditional standard one-hour lunch break," explains Melinda Poile, King Street Wharf’s property manager. "We are catering to these people with special menus enabling service to be even faster. Some King Street Wharf venues are also offering takeaway for the first-time, a great way to sample a range of the menus." Over the next few months, you can head down to the waterfront and grab a wagyu steak sandwich from Wharf Teppanyaki, a somen and tofu salad from Kobe Jones or a king prawn and fennel risotto from Vessel Italian & Bar, all for under $15, and not have to spend a single minute in the soul-crushing confines of a CBD food court. And you'll be back at work well before your boss can justifiably yell at you for being a lazy sod. King Street Wharf is one of those areas of Sydney you may have overlooked. Nestled on the eastern shore of Darling Harbour, the former maritime district sometimes seems to slip the mind somewhere between Walsh Bay and Chinatown. But with the revitalisation of Pyrmont and the imminent transformation of Barangaroo from industrial wasteland into a gussied-up wonderland from which we can gaze in awe at the harbour (with or without a casino), King Street Wharf is becoming an increasingly central part of Sydney's CBD and one well worth checking out. Particularly at lunch time. Check out our pick of the best $10 lunch options here, and the best $20 options here.
The good ol' Marly has bid farewell to its upstairs neighbour Miss Peaches and is about to welcome something much quirkier in her place. The Newtown boozer's first floor space will soon be home to the weird and wonderful Cuckoo — a kooky bar inspired by Germany's alpine resorts. Venture on up and you'll feel a bit like Alice tumbling into the rabbit hole. Brought to life by hospitality group Solotel with help from International Worldwide (the creatives behind the recently renovated George Hotel, The Duke, The Old Fitz) and Monster Children, Cuckoo is filled with knick-knacks, a lounge room bar pulled straight from your opa's house and constant sounds from the collection of cuckoo clocks adorning the walls. It even has a bouldering wall, so you can really pretend you're climbing up Zugspitze. The quirkiness is also embraced wholeheartedly by the drinks list, which boasts plenty of house-infused schnapps, alongside crafty concoctions like the cardamom, sour apple and ginger-laced Apfelschorle cocktail. Meanwhile, taps are pouring Germanic-style beers from local breweries like Batch and Wayward — try yours in a stein or in the glass shoey the team's calling Das Boot. [caption id="attachment_745121" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Das Boot[/caption] Sticking with the theme, Cuckoo's food offering is filled with German classics like schnitzel, sausage and spätzle, though, thanks to a dedicated, fully-stocked condiment station, the house-made pretzels might just steal the show. Cuckoo officially opens to the public on Friday, October 18, with a rollicking launch party from 6pm. You can RSVP over here. Cuckoo will open above The Marlborough Hotel, 145 King Street, Newtown, on Friday, October 18.
Celebrating its 45th year, the Australian Heritage Festival NSW offers a sprawling events program delving into natural, historic and Indigenous heritage. Spanning 150 free and ticketed events, the chock-a-block calendar is designed for all ages, interests, regions and budgets, so finding a nearby happening that piques your curiosity is a breeze. This edition of the festival centres on the theme, 'Unearthed', where lesser-known histories and stories are brought into the light. Meanwhile, largely overlooked knowledge empowers visitors with the information to become future custodians of culture and tradition. Best of all, there are numerous ways to get involved, from art exhibitions and ceremonies to food experiences, live performances and tours of historical sights. Running from World Heritage Day on Friday, April 18 to Sunday, May 18, the Australian Heritage Festival is the country's largest community-driven celebration of heritage. Keep an eye out for the forthcoming NSW program and head along to learn about your corner of the state and all the tales and landmarks that make it so special.
