As it turns out, there's now an upside to forking out heaps of money on road tolls, thanks to a new initiative by the NSW Government. It's expected almost 100,000 of the state's drivers will benefit from the new Toll Relief program, which offers reduced rego costs for those spending big on toll fares. If you're handing over $25 or more for tolls each week, or $1,300 over the financial year, you'll now save up to $729 when renewing your vehicle registration. To access the reduced rego, and find out how much you're eligible for, next time you're doing your rego renewal just add in your licence plate number and toll account. The rego discounts depend on the size of your car — which coincides with rego fees costing more, the heavier the car — with a full list of savings and sizes listed on the NSW Government website. As an added bonus, the government's backdating the toll spend from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018, which means you can still reap the benefits of all that money you spent last year. "So far 938 free regos have been claimed and $397,000 has been given back to drivers, with the average driver saving $423," said Minister for Finance, Services and Property Victor Dominello in statement. To find out more about the Toll Relief program and see if you're eligible, head to nsw.gov.au. Image: Flickr
Sydney's omakase options have skyrocketed in 2022, with restaurants boasting impressive and extensive Japanese set menus popping up in The Rocks, The Star's Sokyo and Chatswood. Chase Kojima, one of Sydney's most renowned Japanese chefs and the mastermind behind Sokyo's new omakase menu has also just opened Senpai Ramen, a ramen omakase experience on Sydney's north shore. The 20-seat restaurant invites visitors to experience ramen in a new way. Omakase is a Japanese dining tradition that loosely translates to 'leave it to the chef'. Senpai Ramen offers a 90-minute dining experience featuring a seven-course set menu that eases you in with entrees before building towards four signature ramen varieties. "At Senpai Ramen diners will enjoy a fun and unique experience with our tasty seven-course degustation," Kojima says. "We use the best seafood and meats, and combine them with incredible Japanese and Australian flavours for a unique and absolutely exquisite experience." The menu will set you back $65, but you can add additional courses and dishes if you fancy. Kicking things off is a mini Chirashi seafood experience featuring sashimi and Saikyo-style miso-marinated toothfish, while the main event is four varieties of ramen Kojima has crafted. The brothy bowls feature ingredients like 12-hour pork broth, spicy miso butter and rare smoked duck. Located across from Chatswood Mall with Kojima's Saikyo and Butter Chatswood nearby, Senpai is easy to spot with its eye-catching neon lights. The bright blue and purple lights continue inside where diners are immersed in a futuristic sensory experience while they sample sashimi and ramen. Spots fill up fast so it's best to jump online ASAP and book your place. Appears in: The Best Japanese Restaurants in Sydney
As Scott & Charlene’s Wedding, Melbourne expat Craig Dermody makes ebullient jangle-pop cut from the same raggedy cloth as Twerps, Witch Hats or Straight Arrows. Lump them all into one category like that and you’d think they were practicing their guitars in the same beer-strewn garage with adjoining sun-drenched backyard, except that Dermody now lives in Williamsburg. Since no one has garages or backyards in Williamsburg one assumes he works out of a bedroom, which is just as fitting when you consider his music's intimacy factor. On the track “Two Weeks” Dermody tackles the issue of physical distance. He sings about the distance across the Williamsburg bridge, and about how he gets awkward on video chat. It’s a suitable follow-up to last year’s “Epping Line”, a ruminative track about a “sad, sad day” on Melbourne’s South Morang railway line. On his return home he’ll be joined by guests and friends Songs and The Friendsters.
If you're lucky enough to score tickets to Meredith Music Festival in any year via the event's ballot, one of Australia's best fests awaits no matter the lineup. 2025's roster of acts is characteristically impressive, however. On the just-dropped bill: TV on the Radio, Atarashii Gakko! and Perfume Genius, for starters, as well as Thee Sacred Souls, Pa Salieu, HAAi, Bar Italia, Colin Hay and Mildlife. And, there's still more where the came from. Folk Bitch Trio, Saya Gray, RONA. and Omar Souleyman are on the lineup, too. So are Dames Brown, Radio Free Alice, Sam Austins RP Boo, Wax'o Paradiso, Florist and Jack J. Add in Drifting Clouds, Dr Sure's Unusual Practice, Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir, Mouseatouille, Brown Spirits and Lazy Susan on MC duties, and expect a jam-packed three days across Friday, December 5–Sunday, December 7, 2025. [caption id="attachment_1017126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sumner Dilworth[/caption] How is the fest crew describing this year's event? "One of the best places on earth to spend a weekend, the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre has been natured and nurtured and then natured again, for the singular purpose of hosting the time of your life," organisers advise. So, expect "a permanent and purpose-built underground wunderland that provides optimal conditions for rarefied reverie", as well as to get "lost in music, lost in one another, for three days and two nights of Sup'ed up saucery". 2025 marks the beloved festival's 33rd year, with this three-decade-plus tradition taking over its namesake Victorian locale to kick off summer. The first round of the ticket ballot for the three-day BYO camping festival opened in July and ended on Monday, August 11, 2025, but you still have a chance to enter. The second round is now open, and you've got until 10.33pm AEST on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 to put your name in. So, book that long weekend, go in the running for tickets, then cross your fingers that you'll be spending a trio of days at The Sup with Tunde Adebimpe and company. [caption id="attachment_1017128" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cody Critcheloe[/caption] Meredith Music Festival 2025 Lineup TV on the Radio Atarashii Gakko! Perfume Genius Thee Sacred Souls Pa Salieu HAAi Bar Italia Colin Hay Mildlife Folk Bitch Trio Saya Gray RONA. Omar Souleyman Dames Brown Radio Free Alice Sam Austins RP Boo Wax'o Paradiso Florist Jack J Drifting Clouds Dr Sure's Unusual Practice Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir Mouseatouille Brown Spirits Lazy Susan Meredith Music Festival returns to Meredith from Friday, December 5–Sunday, December 7, 2025. To put your name in the second round of the ballot to get your hands on tickets, head to the festival's website before 10.33pm AEST on Tuesday, August 19. Meredith Music Festival images: Chip Mooney, Leah Hulst, Ben Fletcher, Chelsea King and Steve Benn.
Most of the time, when bands take a break, they disappear into the land of never-to-be-heard-of-again. It's a kind of ex-rockers' purgatory, where would-have-, could-have- and should-have-beens sit around listening to early demo tapes, bemoaning the halcyon days when a record deal was forever just around the corner, and growing bitter about the fact that such-and-such became too egotistical or whatshisname retreated to the countryside to clean up his act. Not so The Basics. In their three-year hiatus, they've managed to win three Grammys (via Wally de Backer's transformation into Gotye), write a film score (Tim Heath's contribution to The Rise and Rise of Richard Latt) and catch malaria while checking out Kenya's local music scene (just one chapter in Kris Schroeder's excellent adventures). With all of that out of (or should that be in?) their system, they're ready for a reunion. So they've released new single 'So Hard For You' and will be touring nationally throughout September and October. "It's been a great challenge nutting out how to bring a large band, visuals and studio compositions together for the Gotye live shows over the last two years," Wally says. "But right now I'm looking forward to getting sweaty behind the drums and playing rock 'n' roll in these fab clubs with my brothers Kris and Tim." https://youtube.com/watch?v=bnDf9zLiUII
From high speed car chases across the post-apocalyptic outback to heartbreaking tales of love and loss, 2015 was a pretty great year for Australian cinema. Films like Mad Max and The Dressmaker hit it big at the box-office, while Holding the Man and Last Cab to Darwin had people reaching for their handkerchiefs. Throw in a couple of strong documentaries in the form of Gayby Baby and That Sugar Film, along with crowd-pleasing family fare like Oddball and Paper Planes, and it seems like local audiences are finally coming around to the idea that movies made in Australia can be every bit as good as those made overseas. Of course, in order to keep up that positive perception, the local film industry needs to keep making great films. Luckily, it looks like they're up to the challenge. We've already given you our list of our most anticipated international efforts, but now, here are the ten Australian films you need to see in 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSse2RIapEA THE DAUGHTER The debut film from theatre director Simon Stone (adapted from his own critically acclaimed stage play), The Daughter arrives in cinemas following great reviews at a number of local and international film festivals last year. A reworking of Henrik Ibsen's The Wild Duck, this nuanced family drama concerns a man, played by Paul Schneider, who returns to the small logging town where he grew up, only to uncover a secret that could tear the lives of his friends and family apart. With Geoffrey Rush, Ewen Leslie, Miranda Otto and Sam Neill, it might have the best cast of any Australian film this year. The Daughter is due in cinemas on March 17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn2vfS6bbK0 SHERPA Anyone who saw Everest might think they have an idea of what it's like to climb the world's tallest mountain. But as this eye-opening documentary from filmmaker Jennifer Peedom reveals, you only know a fraction of the story. Sherpa shows the efforts of the native mountain guides, who risk life and limb in order to get foreign visitors to the summit. Over the course of a season, tension begins to brew between the locals, the tourists and the companies that facilitate the climbs, before finally boiling over in the wake of a deadly avalanche. A powerful, troubling film — it's of the best things we caught at last year's Sydney Film Festival, and an absolute must see in 2016. Sherpa is due in cinemas on March 24. DOWN UNDER A comedy about the Cronulla race riots? It's safe to say Down Under could either be brilliant or a total disaster. Director Abe Forsythe appears to be deliberately courting controversy — not that there's anything wrong with that, per se. With racism and Islamophobia still major issues in this country, a dark comedy that tears into good old Aussie jingoism could be exactly what the doctor ordered. Of course, satire is a tricky thing — and easy to muck up. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. Down Under is due in cinemas on August 4. 2:22 Between Predestination, The Infinite Man and the recent remake of Patrick, it's been a good few years for homegrown science fiction. Continuing this trend (we hope) is Paul Currie's 2:22, an American-Australian co-production in which a man is forced to relive the same day over and over, always ending when the clock hits — you guessed it — 2.22pm. Game of Thrones actor Michiel Huisman stars alongside Australia's own Teresa Palmer. Imagine Groundhog Day remade as a psychological thriller, and you'd be roughly on the right track. 2:22 is due in cinemas in 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-98kUEnkxHM DOWNRIVER Writer-director Grant Scicluna's feature film debut was one of the most buzzed about local films at last year's Melbourne Film Festival. Reef Ireland (Puberty Blues) plays James, a young man recently released from prison after serving time for his involvement in the drowning of a small boy. Looking for redemption, James sets out to recover the boy's body, only to find himself in danger when it becomes clear that his accomplices would rather the past remain buried. Downriver looks grim and compelling in equal measure, and could well mark the emergence of a promising new Australian film talent. Downriver is due in cinemas in 2016. THE FAMILY This upcoming documentary, from director Rosie Jones, promises to pull back the curtain on Australia's most notorious cult. For three decades between the 1960s and 1990s, Anne Hamilton-Byrne led a group of devoted followers as the head of a sect known as The Family. Controlling her disciples, including a host of "adopted" children, through a mix of physical abuse and mind-altering drugs, Hamilton-Byrne convinced cult members she was the reincarnation of Jesus, before their compound was eventually raided by police. It's a story made all the more troubling for having taken place in our own backyard. The Family is due in cinemas in 2016. GOLDSTONE Actor Aaron Pedersen and filmmaker Ivan Sen are reuniting for a sequel/spin-off to their masterful outback thriller Mystery Road. Pederson returns as Indigenous detective Jay Swan, who finds himself in the eponymous town of Goldstone while investigating a missing persons case, only to find himself caught up in a web of crime and corruption. He'll be joined in front of the camera by two-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver, veteran Indigenous actors David Gulpilil and Tom E. Lewis, and Hong Kong martial arts star Cheng Pei-pei. If it's half as good as Mystery Road it'll be a contender for best film of the year. Goldstone is due in cinemas in 2016. JASPER JONES The new film from Bran Nue Dae director Rachel Perkins, Jasper Jones is an adaptation of Craig Silvey's award winning novel, described by at least one reviewer as Australia's To Kill a Mockingbird. Set in the fictional WA town of Corrigan in the mid 1960s, the film tells the story of 13-year-old Charlie Bucktin who befriends the eponymous Jasper Jones, a half-white, half-indigenous boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Toni Collette, Hugo Weaving and Dan Wyllie are set to co-star, although it's the younger cast members who will ultimately make or break the film. Jasper Jones is due in cinemas in 2016. LION Adapted from Hobart man Saroo Brierley's best-selling memoir, Lion stars Dev Patel as a young man who was adopted by an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham) as a child, who travels to India to try and track down his biological family. Rooney Mara co-stars, along with a number of high-profile Indian actors, giving this cross-cultural drama a real shot at international success. The film marks director Garth Davis' first feature film, following on from strong work on Top of the Lake. Lion is due in cinemas in 2016. NEST We've got two words for anyone who thinks Australian films are serious and boring: giant bloody spiders. Okay, so that's technically three words, but you get what we're trying to say. A Chinese-Australian co-production directed by Kimble Rendall — the same guy behind the wonderfully schlocky sharks in a supermarket movie Bait — this 3D creature feature stars Kellan Lutz, Kelsey Grammar, Shane Jacobson and Li Bingbing as a group of scientists who become lost in a labyrinth full of enormous, man-eating funnel web spiders. Leave your scaredy-cat friends at home. Nest is due in cinemas in 2016.
Fancy scoring some new Aussie-made threads at the price of your choosing — and earning some much-needed funds for an eco charity in the process? Well, for the next few days, you can, thanks to a clever new initiative by local brand Assembly Label. The Sydney-based brand is best known for its minimalist aesthetic, but now it's also hoping to help minimise ocean pollution by adding a 'choose what you pay' option to its online store between June 20 and 23. It works like this. A range of Assembly's designs (both womens and mens) are currently available at up to 50 percent off. When you go to add something to your cart, you have the option of adding on a donation — you can pay what's on the pricetag, or add on $5, $10 or $15 more. Any extra amount is then donated to the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), with each customer donation matched equally by Assembly Label. So, if you fork out an extra $15 for those linen pants, $30 will go to the charity. View this post on Instagram Beachside essentials, our Crossover Pool Slide will be included in our Choose What You Pay promotion alongside a selection of men's and women's apparel and accessories. Online tomorrow from 9am and proudly supporting @marineconservation.au A post shared by Assembly Label (@assemblylabel) on Jun 19, 2019 at 12:21am PDT AMCS is an independent charity focused on the big issues affecting the sea, from improving the sustainability of Australia's fisheries, to protecting threatened species. The extra funds raised through the 'choose what you pay' program will go towards supporting its campaign against plastic pollution in the ocean. The sale is the latest in a number of moves Assembly Label is making to reduce its environmental impact and encourage others to jump on board. It's now using 100 percent biodegradable material for its packaging, has cut down on plastic waste wherever possible, and is working towards full transparency with all of its manufacturing processes. Assembly's also aiming to become a certified B Corporation, which'll require hitting the highest standards of ethical measurement across all aspects of its business. Needless to say, if you're in need of some new basic tees or a labelled sweater, now is the time to grab them. Assembly Label's Choose What You Pay sale will run from June 20–23 through its online store.
Whether your pooch is of the pampered variety or simply has an untameable mop, the expert groomers at Pets on the Point will transform them into catwalk-ready canines. You can book your dog in for a basic wash and dry or a full groom and puppy pedicure. Pricing is dependent on your dog's size and hair type (afghan hounds will have to go in for the premium service), and all shampoo, conditioners and fragrances are natural and antibacterial. While you're there, you can restock your pup cupboard with dry and fresh dog food, splurge on new doggo accessories and bedding, and get your pal's flea, tick and worm treatments sorted.
Here at Concrete Playground, we've made no secret of our deep infatuation with this spectacular city. From Sydney's best picnic spots to her most beckoning harbourside bars, the city offers limitless hidden corners from which to appreciate and adore her. Today, we bring you ten vantage points that show off Sydney at her finest, and boast the added bonus of delectable feasts to engage your other senses while your eyes are fixed firmly on the horizon. Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, Watsons Bay With summer peeping just around the corner, it’s hard to imagine a more pleasant place to while away a Sunday afternoon than the new waterfront deck at the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel. Featuring cheeky beach club decor and creative pub food with lots of sociable sharing options, the recently refurbished beer garden is an ideal setting for a long, liquid lunch with friends. Menu favourites include DIY fish tacos with just the right hidden chilli kick ($21) and a colossal serving of fried market fish with house-made tartar and chips that are crunchy and smooth in all the right places ($24). The bar hops happily from boutique beers to Marlborough sav blancs to the finest French champagnes, ensuring a tipple for every taste. The picnic-style tables tend to be jam packed with merry beach-goers, so you'll need to wait patiently for your jug of pale ale or bucket of marinated prawns. But with a killer view that unfolds from the sandy shore over the frolicking sailboats and into the city skyline, you'll be more than content to do so. Mon - Sat 10am – midnight, Sun 10am – 10pm; 1 Military Road, Watsons Bay; (02) 9337 5444; www.watsonsbayhotel.com.au Botanic Gardens Restaurant, Royal Botanic Gardens Tucked away within the picturesque Royal Botanic Gardens, the Botanic Gardens Restaurant is a hidden sanctuary you need to know to look for, as you would never guess it could exist so close to the bustling CBD. Head chef Todd Hunt recreates the garden on the plate, with efflorescent dishes that draw inspiration from their magical surroundings. Plump seared scallops rest atop a pool of smooth celeriac puree ($22), a delicate zucchini flower salad pairs velvety goat’s cheese with rich baby beetroots ($18) and a rustic house-made spaghettini is layered with earthy Swiss mushrooms, cavolo nero, duxelle and dill ($24). Zesty spring ingredients like peeled mandarin segments, seared kiwi fruit, liquorice sorbet and candied apples make for fresh, light desserts, which are accompanied by an impressive selection of teas and aperitifs. Quiet birdsong and the trickling of a nearby stream provide the perfect soundtrack to complete this whimsical garden dining experience. Breakfast Sat - Sun 9.30am - 11.30am, Lunch Mon - Sun noon - 3pm; Mrs Macquarie’s Road, Sydney; (02) 9241 2419; www.trippaswhitegroup.com.au/our-venues/Botanic-Gardens-Restaurant/3 Altitude, Sydney CBD Altitude is no ordinary restaurant. Commanding a regal view over the historic buildings of The Rocks, the gleaming sails of the Opera House and right across the bustling Bridge to the sparkling lights of Sydney’s northern suburbs, the setting is romantic and impressive and promises an extraordinary dining experience from the moment you take your seat. Momentum builds with impeccable service and your choice from an assortment of soft house-baked rolls with creamy ricotta, sea salt and honey butter. Starters include a carefully balanced cauliflower veloute ($28), poured at the table over a garden of delicate mushrooms and chopped hazelnuts and drizzled with truffle oil. The mains feature unexpected combinations that dazzle the tastebuds, like Wagyu beef with an oxtail croquette, liquorice, potato and onion ash ($47). Desserts are multi-textured and bursting with flavour, with our pick being a deconstructed cheesecake that you need to taste to believe ($19). With an encyclopaedically knowledgeable sommelier, scrumptious little palate cleansers between courses and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the city, Altitude is special occasion dining epitomised. Mon - Sat 6.30pm - 10.30pm; Level 36, Shangri-La Hotel, 176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks; (02) 9250 6123; www.shangri-la.com/sydney/shangrila/dining/restaurants/altitude-restaurant/ Sydney Fish Market, Blackwattle Bay The largest market of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the Sydney Fish Market offers an outing and a meal in one, all set against the gorgeous backdrop of Blackwattle Bay and the twin spires of the Anzac Bridge. Wander through the various shops that make up the market and gawk at the dazzling variety of fresh fish and other sea creatures on display. When the time comes for lunch, you’ll be hard pressed to choose between the immaculate sliced sashimi, crispy fish and chips, the overflowing fisherman’s baskets and what are likely to be Sydney’s most reasonably priced lobsters. Devour your piscine feast at a picnic table by the harbour or stake out a spot on the astroturf just nearby. Either way, you’ll need to be able to hold your own against the circling seagulls; with seafood this fresh, it’s no wonder they too want a piece of the action. Sun - Mon 7am - 4pm; Pyrmont Bridge Road, Pyrmont; (02) 9004 1100; www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au Ormeggio, The Spit Don’t be fooled by the clean, simple lines of Ormeggio’s rustic wharf-end decor: this is anything but a normal dining experience. With an explosively innovative menu that harnesses creative techniques and unique combinations to reinvent Italian cuisine, you’ll be surprised and delighted by Alessandro Pavoni’s challenging, interesting take on food that is as much art as gastronomy. Begin with an intriguing wallaby battuta, Pavoni’s answer to steak tartare, peppered with pickled watermelon rind and amaranth and sprinkled with fine chorizo powder. Follow this with luscious burnt eggplant tortellini with spicy pistachio and Pyengana cheddar foam, ideally matched with a 2012 Mazzolino Pinot Nero, from Pavoni’s own home region of Lombardy. The dessert that is simply labelled as “carrot” is served with fennel seed ice cream, farro cream and vinegar caramel and will leave you scraping your plate in search of just one more morsel of its complex and enchanting flavours. Nestled into the outrageously gorgeous Spit marina and offering a range of special packages that make Pavoni’s two-hatted cuisine accessible (like two courses and a glass of wine for $49, Wednesday – Saturday), Ormeggio is an exciting offering for the curious foodie. Lunch Wed - Sun noon - 3pm, Dinner Wed - Sat 6pm - 11pm, Sun 6pm - 10pm; D’Albora Marinas, The Spit, Mosman; (02) 9969 4088; www.ormeggio.com.au Harbourside Indian, North Sydney On an unassuming street corner in North Sydney you’ll find Harbourside Indian, a treat of a night out overlooking Sydney’s sweetheart, the Harbour Bridge. The friendly staff will guide you toward the mixed entree platter, a mouth-watering assortment of aromatic chicken tikka, lamb seekh kebab and samosas ($10.90). A comprehensive array of delicious curries makes decision-making difficult; we particularly enjoyed the tangy mango chicken with mustard seeds ($18.90) and a traditional Rogan Josh, slow-cooked in Kashmiri spices and fresh coriander ($19.90). Soak it all up with one of seven types of naan, our favourite of which was the Peshwari version ($4), jam-packed with dried fruit, coconut and ground nuts. Ask for a table by the windows and while away an evening admiring the harbour and ordering round after round of the addictive pappadums with mint chutney ($2.90). Mon - Sun Lunch noon - 3pm and Dinner 5pm - 10.30pm; 5 Walker Street, North Sydney; (02) 9922 2787; www.harboursideindian.com.au Ripples, Chowder Bay From any table on the breezy waterside deck at Ripples Chowder Bay, spectacular views extend as far as the eye can see. Watsons Bay and Nielsen Park decorate one horizon, the northern headlands cradle the harbour on the other, while the foreground boasts the pretty greenery of Clifton Gardens. The food is simple, traditional and entirely delectable. Begin with a wild mushroom bruschetta with sous vide egg ($18) and continue your feast with house-made pappardelle with braised duck ragu ($28) or perfectly cooked beef tenderloins with marrow butter, potatoes, truffle cream, cherry tomatoes and jus ($32). Complete your meal with a wickedly rich flourless chocolate cake drenched in salted caramel sauce ($15) or a punchy espresso with petit fours. Seamlessly executed food, friendly service and astonishingly gorgeous surroundings make Ripples an inimitable location for a long weekend lunch. Breakfast Sat - Sun 8am - 10.30am, Lunch Mon - Sun from noon, Dinner Fri - Sat 6pm - late; Building 7, Deck C, Chowder Bay Road, Mosman; (02) 9964 9998; www.rippleschowderbay.com.au The Bathers' Pavilion Gazing out over the rim of your perfect cappuccino and across Balmoral Beach to the ocean's calm, outstretched horizon is the definition of relaxation. Add to that a breakfast spread that explodes with creativity and flavour and there are few places you'd rather spend a sunny Sunday morning than at the Bathers' Pavilion Cafe. Poached rhubarb with orange and mandarin, sheep's milk yoghurt and pistachio ($18) sets the scene for Serge Dansereau's innovative approach to the most important meal of the day. From this Middle Eastern-inspired beginning, Dansereau roams to other culinary hubs around the world: a twice cooked manchego souffle is served with sauteed Swiss brown mushrooms ($22), while Filipino-style breakfast chicken is served with rice, poached egg, shallots and chilli ($23). Wash it down with a cranberry juice laced with crushed watermelon and pineapple ($7) and you'll be set for an afternoon exploring the dramatic headlands and jumping into the waves that have been tempting you endlessly while you eat. Daily noon - 5pm and 6.30 - midnight; 4 The Esplanade, Balmoral; (02) 9969 5050; www.batherspavilion.com.au Little Manly Beach Kiosk A tiny kiosk not too far from Manly's main stretch, Little Manly Beach Kiosk is one of those secret powerhouses guaranteed to induce a 'where have you been all my life' moment upon discovery by any Sydneysider. With a handful of tables scattered through a tiny deck that seems like it must literally be in the water, the kiosk offers a spectacular vista over the bay, a sparkling sheltered swimming area, and an unbeatable place to unfold a broadsheet newspaper and enjoy an espresso and a bacon and egg roll. The staff are laidback and friendly, characterised perfectly by their opening hours policy: "We are open most days from about 9am-ish, occasionally earlier, or sometimes later, we close around 3-ish in winter and are open as late as 10-ish in daylight savings ... but lately we’ve been here just about all the time.” Arrive close to 9am-ish or expect a well-worthwhile wait for your table, and bring plenty of sunscreen because, once you’re here, you’re unlikely to be leaving gorgeous Little Manly Beach in a hurry. 42 Stuart Street, Manly; (02) 9977 7104; www.littlemanlybeach.com.au Bondi Icebergs Bar food has never been more decadent, nor a view more iconic, than what's on offer at the bar at Icebergs. Whet your appetite with a frittata of black truffle, taleggio cheese and chives ($12), creamy, thick-cut polenta chips ($14) or a plate of delicate wagyu bresaola with pickled mushrooms and truffle aioli ($17). The drinks list will satisfy you irrespective of your particular poison: an elegant, international wine list hits all the right notes, the boutique beers play hopscotch across the globe from Bangkok to Piedmont, and an impressive suite of spirits has you covered from Ardbeg to Zubrowka. The vista over the saltwater pool, through the Bondi sand and out to the sprawling Pacific is a synonym for Sydney. Not just for tourists, the Icebergs Bar is the place to take a break from the grind and fall back in love with the enchantress we call home. Tue - Sat noon - midnight; Sun noon - 10pm; Level 3/1 Notts Ave, Bondi Beach; (02) 9365 9000; icebergs.com.au
Buzzing with art galleries, al fresco coffee stops, luxe and vintage shopping and some truly stand-out dining destinations, Darlinghurst is one of those suburbs with great stuff on every corner. And, if you're someone who loves a good late-night feed, you have a plethora of spots to pick from. Whether you're in the 'hood for a date, hanging out with your mates or you've simply left a DIY dinner too late, Darlinghurst contains the solution. A warm bowl of noodles? A slice of sourdough pizza? A melt-in-your-mouth lamb ragu? How about a bottomless Italian feast? Tick, tick, tick, tick. So, without further ado, here are eight late-night restaurants in Darlinghurst that are sure to fix your after-dark hunger pangs.
Uber apparently just wants Australians to be effortlessly happy and righteously lazy, and nothing says bliss like enjoying a few cheeky brews in your underwear. If last year's introduction of UberEATS hasn't already made us lazy enough, the company has just announced that, as of today, March 23, they'll be delivering booze too, starting with Melbourne. As part of the launch, UberEATS has partnered with Carlton Draught to release their alcohol delivery service just in time for the start of AFL season tomorrow. On Friday, March 24 from 12pm, the general alcohol service kicks off, and from 5pm, Melbournian's can choose one of the nineteen $30 plus meal deals on their app and receive a free four pack of the specially brewed Carltons to enjoy with (or without) the game. After supplies run out, normal hours of alcohol service are midday to 9pm. Thirty liquor license holding restaurants across Melbourne's city and inner city suburbs are participating so far, and we're pretty confident the service will quickly spread to the rest of metropolitan Australia as well. There are a few things to note before rushing to your app — alcohol will only be delivered with a food order and only a bottle of wine or six pack of beer is permitted per order. The drivers won't deliver to intoxicated folk either, so if you answer the door looking like a hot mess you'll be denied your booze. Under 18s shouldn't be cheering either — you'll need proof of ID to accept the delivery. Obviously the service isn't meant to completely replace bottle shop runs, but is more about bringing a 'complete restaurant experience' into your home — something existing booze delivery services will need to consider. It comes well timed with the turn of the season as well, as the Melbourne winter sure doesn't promote outdoor activity. So go ahead and order from your favourite dumpling joint, pop open that delivered brew, turn on Netflix and let the pants-off binge-watching commence.
With music festivals popping up in every corner of the country with frequency, especially in these post-COVID-restrictions times, an event has to be mighty special to warrant travelling intrastate or interstate. Riverboats Music Festival is one such event, and the reason is right there in its name. A mainstay of Victoria's Echuca-Moama region that'll celebrate its 11th instalment in 2023, it usually hosts its fest on the banks of the Murray River — and includes intimate sideshows on the PS Pevensey paddlesteamer. Due to 2022's flooding of the event's usual home at Aquatic Reserve, the 2023 fest is actually moving to Echuca's Victoria Park Reserve when it returns from Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19. But the music on a riverboat part still remains, as ticketed separately. So, you can head to the region for three days of tunes as part of the broader event, spend your time on the river, or mix and match both. Heading the on-land lineup: Marlon Williams, Spiderbait, CW Stoneking & His Primitive Horn Orchestra and The Whitlams, plus The Rolling Stones Revue featuring Adalita, Phil Jamieson and Tex Perkins. That's a whole heap of big-name talent from across Australia and New Zealand right there, and it's just the beginning of the 2023 bill. Also on the roster, and playing the paddlesteamer as well, are Alice Skye, Felix Riebl, Andy Golledge, WILSN, Bones & Jones and Watty Thompson. If you go for the boat option, you'll hear their sets while cruising down the river, in the kind of fest experience you truly don't get at every event. "Echuca-Moama has gone through an incredibly challenging period over the last few weeks, and our hearts go out to all those affected by the recent floods," said Festival Director Dave Frazer, announcing the lineup. "Riverboats has been part of the Echuca-Moama community for over tehn years now, and whilst we're sad to be leaving Aquatic Reserve next year, we can't wait to put on a spectacular show at Victoria Park in a few months time," he continued. If you're keen, the last festival sold out in just six days, so nabbing tickets ASAP is recommended. RIVERBOATS MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 LINEUP: Marlon Williams Spiderbait CW Stoneking & His Primitive Horn Orchestra The Rolling Stones Revue featuring Adalita Phil Jamieson and Tex Perkins The Whitlams Felix Riebl Alice Skye Tami Neilson Thornbird Katy Steele Andy Golledge Band WILSN Bones & Jones Watty Thompson Bud Rokesky MC Brian Nankervis The 2023 Riverboats Music Festival will take place from Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19 at Echuca's Victoria Park Reserve, with tickets on sale now.
If you're a fan of caramelised white chocolate, then you're a fan of all the different types of food that've sprung up featuring Caramilk. You've sipped the cocktails. You've eaten the ice creams. You've had the dessert jaffles. If it features the famed Cadbury flavour, you've tried it. And now, you have something new to add to that list: Caramilk Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Krispy Kreme is still in the process of letting Australians catch all the Pokémon-themed doughnuts; however, it has also just dropped another new limited-edition special. Teaming up with Cadbury, the doughnut franchise has whipped up two new must-try sweet treats — and yes, they both come dipped in Caramilk. If you opt for the Caramilk Shell, you'll be munching into a full doughnut — sans that centre hole — that comes filled with crème, then covered in the coveted type of chocolate and sprinkled with Caramilk flakes. Or, if you need that gap in the middle, the Caramilk Ring takes one of Krispy Kreme's original glazed doughnuts, dips it in Caramilk, adds the Caramilk flakes and then splashes some white truffle drizzle over the top. You'll find the two Caramilk doughnuts at 7-Eleven stores only from Tuesday, September 28, but there's more than 700 spots to choose from — and they're also available via 7-Eleven Delivery where it's on offer. Krispy Kreme's Caramilk range is available from Tuesday, September 28 for $3.75 each at 7-Eleven stores and via 7-Eleven Delivery.
One of Australia's all-time great comedies, an Oscar-winner for Best Costume Design and a film that's made the leap from the screen to the stage as well, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert turns 30 in 2024. But that isn't the only reason to celebrate the movie right now. The Guy Pearce (The Clearing)-, Hugo Weaving (The Royal Hotel)- and Terence Stamp (Last Night in Soho)-starring flick is receiving a follow-up, with writer/director Stephan Elliott announcing a sequel. The filmmaker with Welcome to Woop Woop, A Few Best Men and Swinging Safari similarly on his resume has confirmed that a second Priscilla, Queen of the Desert picture is on the way — with Pearce, Weaving and Stamp all returning. They'll reprise their roles as Adam aka Felicia Jollygoodfellow, Tick aka Mitzi Del Bra and Bernadette Bassenger, respectively, with starting shooting in Australia this year the plan. Elliott, who is writing and directing again, revealed the news to Deadline. "I'm not repeating myself, we'll start the new film in Australia, but by god, we're going on one helluva journey," he advised the publication. "The original cast is on board, I've got a script that everybody likes, we're still working out deals... It's happening," he continued. Alongside stepping back into the lives of the three drag queens who drove a bus across the outback in the 1994 movie, the as-yet-unnamed sequel will introduce new characters. Elliott flagged that Weaving's Tick had a seven-year-old son in the OG film; "he's grown up now," he said. Soundtrack-wise, after the initial flick featured ABBA, Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive' and Alicia Bridges' 'I Love the Nightlife', viewers can expect "old disco classics, but we'll be moving into contemporary as well," Elliott also noted. There's no word yet of a release date, or other cast members — or where in Australia the film will take place, after the first movie journeyed from Sydney to Alice Springs via Broken Hill and Coober Pedy. But it's certainly a big time for Aussie cinema greats with links to Broken Hill scoring new instalments right now, given that the Mad Max franchise is about to drop Furiosa. There's obviously no sneak peek at the sequel to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert yet, but check out the trailer for the original movie below: There's no release date yet for sequel to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert — we'll update you when more details are announced. Via Deadline.
Adelaide songsmith Jesse Davidson has been called prodigious and a wunderkind — and those Jeff Buckley comparisons just won't shake. This June and July, Davidson's taking his minimalist acoustics and dreamy vocals on tour, his first solo effort. The tour is set to draw a considerable loyal following who'll want seriously in-grill "I saw Jesse Davidson before anyone" bragging rights. Since being a runner-up in triple j's 2012 Unearthed High competition, the 18 year old has been signed for a Warner development deal, toured with Mac DeMarco and Ball Park Music, co-headlined with Eves, been signed to booking agency Select Music, finished school and released his debut EP Ocean — making you feel really great about having a good few years on him and feeling terribly unaccomplished in comparison. Davidson will play tunes from the Ocean EP, including 'Flaws' and the buoyant 'Big Bois Gotta Eat'. If you can brave the frosty winter nights, his deep baritone — mature beyond his years — is sure to warm you up. https://youtube.com/watch?v=hR4b_JAg7KI
First, her milkshake brought all the boys to the yard. Now, a couple of Brisbane events — BIGSOUND and Sweet Relief! — are bringing Kelis to Brisbane in 2024. The thinking: why get the R&B talent to hit up one festival in the Sunshine State capital when she can take to the stage at two? Damn right, this plan is better than yours. At BIGSOUND, Kelis joins the conference lineup at the huge music event, which combines plenty of discussions with live gigs in Fortitude Valley, and returns to Brisbane from Tuesday, September 3–Friday, September 6 for its 23rd year. Then, on Saturday, September 7, Kelis will be part of Sweet Relief!'s 2024 bill. Accordingly, BIGSOUND attendees can expect to hear about her experiences in music — and maybe as a fashion icon, muse for designers, and a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef with her own Netflix several cooking specials and cookbook My Life on a Plate to her name. At Sweet Relief!, in an exclusive show, Kelis will bust out not just 'Milkshake' and 'Bossy' but more tunes from her catalogue at the fest's second year. For company at the event, which moves to Ballymore Stadium for 2024 after debuting at Northshore Brisbane in 2023, she'll be joined by The Presets, 2024 Eurovision contestants Electric Fields, Haiku Hands, Dameeeela and Juno so far, with more to be announced. 2024 marks a quarter century since Kelis' first record Kaleidoscope and also 21 years since Tasty — featuring 'Milkshake', 'Trick Me' and 'Millionaire' — became such a hit. The singer's spot on both the BIGSOUND and Sweet Relief! is the result of a partnership between BIGSOUND and QLD Music Trails, the latter of which Sweet Relief! forms part of. [caption id="attachment_959285" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The James Adams[/caption] [caption id="attachment_861894" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lachlan Douglas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_959282" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The James Adams[/caption] [caption id="attachment_851424" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lachlan Douglas[/caption] BIGSOUND 2024 will take place between Tuesday, September 3–Friday, September 6 in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. For more information, visit the event's website. Sweet Relief! 2024 will take place at Ballymore Stadium, 91 Clyde Road, Herston, on Saturday, September 7, with presales from 11am local time on Tuesday, June 4 and general sales from 11am local time on Friday, June 7 — head to the event's website for more details.
'Luxury' and 'butchers' aren't two words that often go hand in hand, but this luxury butcher — known and loved by many in Woollahra and beyond — is the epitome of this nomenclature. Established in 1876, Victor Churchill has grown from a horse-and-cart family business to a boutique institution with a cutting-edge interior design, mobile app and meat more desired than this season's must-haves from inside its Queen Street neighbours. Image: Daniel Boud / Destination NSW.
If you know anything about the golden era of Hollywood, then you'll have heard of Edith Head. Today celebrated as the single most significant costume designer in the history of cinema, she spent nearly 50 years working at Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios, dressing the stars and starlets of the era in nearly 1000 movies. She also holds the records for the most Academy Awards won by a woman (eight, by the way — no big deal). The Costume Designer exhibition at Bendigo Art gallery draws from the archives of Paramount, the Collection of Motion Picture Costume Design and private collections, collating over 70 costumes designed by Head from the 1930s to the 1960s. You'll see designs from classic films like Vertigo and Sunset Boulevard and costumes worn by iconic performers including Veronica Lake, Gloria Swanson, Olivia De Havilland, Dorothy Lamour, Jane Russell, Hedy Lamarr, Fred Astaire and Yul Brynner. Costume lovers should definitely make the trip for this rare opportunity to see these seldom-displayed designs. Image: Edith Head and Hollywood, 2017, installation view, courtesy Bendigo Art Gallery.
Back in 1988, when John Waters wrote and directed Hairspray, he couldn't have known what'd follow. The cult filmmaker's flick was a modest hit to begin with, but really became a sensation on home video in the early 90s. The film's star Ricki Lake, who made her big-screen debut playing 60s teen Tracy Turnblad, also became one of the decade's big talkshow hosts. That's a wild path for any movie to take, but Hairspray's story doesn't end there. A theatre adaptation followed in 2002, as did eight Tony Awards. Then came a new 2007 movie based on that stage musical. Yes, Hairspray has lived many lives — and in its latest, it's coming to Sydney. In its on-stage, all-singing, all-dancing guise, it'll spin the dance-loving Turnblad's tale of teen dreams and making a difference at Sydney Lyric from late summer, kicking off on Sunday, February 5, 2023. Turnblad has one specific fantasy, actually: to dance on The Corny Collins Show. And when she makes it, it changes her life — but she has more change to fight for, too. The story unfolds in 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland, where racial discrimination is an everyday part of life. So, Turnblad uses her newfound fame to advocate for a different future for everyone. Hairspray's Sydney run is a local staging of the original Broadway production, and with director Jack O'Brien (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots) guiding the show. Appearing on-stage in the new Aussie version, which comes to Sydney after premiering in Melbourne: Shane Jacobson, swapping Kenny's overalls, his numerous TV hosting gigs and appearing in seemingly every Australian movie made over the past decade for the role of Edna Turnblad, Tracy's mother (which was played by the inimitable Divine in Waters' movie, Harvey Fierstein on Broadway and John Travolta in the 2007 film). He's joined by Carmel Rodrigues as Tracy, Todd McKenney as Wilbur Turnblad, Rhonda Burchmore as the villainous Velma Von Tussle and Rob Mills as Corny Collins. Hairspray will open at the Sydney Lyric, 55 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont, from Sunday, February 5, 2023. You can join the show's ticket waitlist by heading to its website. Images: Jeff Busby.
The Darlinghurst end of Oxford Street is known for a few things, but most arguably this strip of Sydney is famous for all things queer. Fabulous drag queens tottering into Stonewall and the rainbow pedestrian behind Taylor Square. And, of course, Mardi Gras. Also in this colourful corner of Sydney, you'll find The Bookshop Darlinghurst: a specialty store dedicated to LGBTQI+ literature and film. You may well have passed this little shopfront before, with the rainbow flag or a saucy book cover catching your eye. It's been around for over 35 years and has played an integral role in Sydney's queer community and culture. The Bookshop is jam-packed, stocking everything from books to calendars, magazines and DVDs. Whether you're here for the Priscilla Queen of The Desert DVD, some erotica, a calendar or a good read — Call Me by Your Name, Holding the Man and Benjamin Law's recent Growing Up Queer in Australia, for example — this bookshop's got it all.
There's a certain magic about paints and canvas — whether it conjures nostalgic memories of pre-school afternoons or more recent artistic attempts at boozy adult art classes. For those who want to give their masterpiece another crack, head straight for Tilly's Art & Print. Stocked with oils, markers, paper, and pencils a plenty, this inner west institution is a must-see for aspiring artists. Whether you're looking to craft your own handmade cards or perhaps give that creative side-hustle a go, a wander through these aisles are bound to leave you inspired.
Whether you're battling a hangover or looking to refuel for the rest of a big weekend, Chin Chin's yum cha series is worth a spot on your activities radar. After all, what better pick-me-up than a flavour-packed dumpling feast, enjoyed with your mates by your side? Kicking off on Friday, June 5, then happening every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the foreseeable future, the series has all the makings of a weekend winner. For just $55 per person, you'll get to enjoy a 90-minute parade of Southeast Asian-inspired plates, including Chin Chin favourites like steamed mud crab dumplings with roasted chilli sauce, scallop and prawn shumai, gai lan with oyster sauce, mushroom fried rice and crisp prawn spring rolls. Of course, this being Chin Chin, you can expect plenty more good vibes in the form of cocktails, which include a four-person Don't You Want Me ($72) with umeshu, Aperol, watermelon juice and pandan syrup. Bookings are essential and can be made through the Chin Chin Sydney website. [caption id="attachment_744047" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Weekend Yum Cha runs from 11am–4pm Friday–Sunday. Food images: Steven Woodburn.
As you read this, Kiwi charity Live More Awesome are getting their hands dirty, literally, constructing the world's biggest waterslide. This 650m long monster is the length of two Sky Towers and is located just 30 minutes from Auckland, New Zealand. The aim of the event is to raise funds and increase awareness for depression, as the not-for-profit charity is all about combatting mental illness through life changes, not just drugs. D-day is set for the 23rd and 24th of February and will feature three waterslides (the others will be a more standard 60m and 80m), food, and a shady area to hang out, complete with Kiwi entertainment (courtesy of George FM). Co-founder Jim Hunt says, "The World's Biggest Waterslide is all about pushing boundaries and creating the ultimate summer event. We have some epic entertainment planned for the day and we can't wait to see the reaction on people's faces as they come down the slides, it will be a truly unique experience". According to MentalHealth.org.nz, depression in New Zealand has affected as many as 1 in 5 people within the past year alone. "We're a couple of Kiwi guys who like so many others have really suffered at hands of depression," co-founder Dan Drupsteen says. "It was really tough, but having come out the other side we decided the best way for us to keep depression at bay was to 'Live More Awesome'. We hope this amazing project will encourage others to do the same and we want people to know it's ok to ask for help." Ticket prices start at $46 and are limited to 2000 people. You can contribute to the building of the waterslide through Indiegogo. Check out their progress so far in the video below.
2021 isn't over just yet, and none of us have worked through all the new shows currently sitting in our streaming queues. Still, 2022 is already shaping up to be a huge year in television. Stranger Things will finally return, for instance, and The Crown will also unleash its new cast. Oh, and HBO will debut a little prequel to one of its biggest hits ever. Given how successful Game of Thrones proved for HBO — even after its eighth and final season caused plenty of uproar — the on-screen world inspired by George RR Martin's books was never going to simply disappear. Indeed, before GoT even finished, there was chatter about what would come next, with the network first announcing that it was considering five different prequel ideas. It then green-lit one to pilot stage, scrapped it and later decided to adapt Martin's House Targaryen-focused Fire & Blood for the small screen as a show called House of the Dragon. Next, it opted to give novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg the TV treatment, too, and to work on an animated GoT show. And, it's been reported that another three prequels are also under consideration. Of course, all of the above announcements have been happening for so long that it's easy to forget that new GoT-related fare will eventually grace the small screen — starting next year. Although an exact premiere date hasn't yet been announced, we won't merely be talking about House of the Dragon in 2022. We'll also be watching its ten-episode first season. And, thanks to the just-dropped teaser trailer for the series, we can get a glimpse of what's in store right now. HBO released a few images from the show earlier this year, but now they've gone one better. Yes, dragons are mentioned. Yes, everyone looks suitably broody. Yes, the Iron Throne shows up, because of course it does. While the trailer really is just a teaser, viewers can expect to spend more time with flame-breathing scaly creatures and the family that adores them when House of the Dragon arrives in 2022. If you thought the Targaryens were chaotic already, delving into their history — and their love of using dragons to wage wars and claim power — is certain to cement that idea. We all know what happened to the last surviving members of the family in GoT, including Daenerys and her boyfriend/nephew Jon Snow; however, House of the Dragon, like Fire & Blood, jumps back 300 years earlier. Cast- and character-wise, House of the Dragon stars Emma D'Arcy (Misbehaviour) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the first-born child of King Viserys; Matt Smith (His House) as Prince Daemon Targaryen, the King's brother; Rhys Ifans (Official Secrets) as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King; Olivia Cooke (Pixie) as Alicent Hightower, Otto's daughter; and Steve Toussaint (It's a Sin) as Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka 'The Sea Snake', a nautical adventurer from a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. These Westerosi folk will all grace a tale that harks back to Aegon I Targaryen's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms — which is what started the hefty 738-page first volume in Fire & Blood's planned two-book series — and then works through the family's history from there. Aegon I created the Iron Throne, hence the returning favourite's prominence. And you don't have to be the Three-Eyed Raven to know that this tale involves plenty of GoT's staples: fighting, battles for supremacy and bloodshed. Also set to pop up on-camera: Paddy Considine (The Third Day) as King Viserys, Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon and Sonoya Mizuno (Devs) as Mysaria, Prince Daemon's paramour. Behind the scenes, Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal are acting as the series' showrunners. Sapochnik has a hefty GoT history, winning an Emmy and a Directors Guild Award for directing 'Battle of The Bastards', helming season eight's 'The Long Night', and doing the same on four other episodes. As for Condal, he co-created and oversaw recent sci-fi series Colony, and co-wrote the screenplay for the 2018 film Rampage. Check out the first teaser trailer below: House of the Dragon is due to start airing sometime in 2022 — we'll update you with further details when they're announced. Images: Ollie Upton/HBO.
It's that time again: to wish that you're in Germany for the next month, or to do your best to pretend you are even while you're right here at home. That's the kind of response that Oktoberfest inspires, because we can't all always head over to Europe just for the annual brew-fuelled celebration. Sydneysiders can hit up The Bavarian's various locations around town between Friday, September 16–Sunday, October 9 instead, though. On the menu: parties, German-style beers, schnapps, giant pretzels, pork-heavy menus, Sunday sausage sizzles and, at some venues (York, Manly, Tuggerah, Wetherill, Macarthur, Castle Hill and Green Hills), Oompah bands providing a soundtrack. So, everything you could want and need to mark the occasion. The venues will sport all the Oktoberfest trimmings — greenery, ribbons and bright tables cloths included — and staff will be decked out in dirndls and lederhosen. Yes, you're encouraged to dress up as well. If you're most excited about the drinks, there'll be eight types of beers, plus tasting paddles to sample them all. Also, the final week of the fun — so, from Monday, October 3 onwards — has been dubbed Big Beer Week to ramp up the brews. Fancy living your best Oktoberfest life all year round afterwards? You can purchase one of The Bavarian's one-litre steins to take home with you and— for $40, which includes a beer that you'll drink onsite first. Food-wise, options start with the OktoberBoss set menu, which serves up a feast of pork knuckle, pork belly, sausages, schnitzels and sides (plus a schnapps on arrival) for groups of four-plus for $49 per person. If it's just you and one mate / your date, there's the Oktoberfest Mate set menu is for two-plus diners for the same price, spanning pretzels, pork belly, sausages, schnitzels and sides. Brews can be added to each menu for an extra $45 per person — and you can cap things off with an apple strudel for $7 a pop. Love pretzels? A special lineup of giant versions is on offer for the first few days of The Bavarian's Oktoberfest shenanigans, from Saturday, September 17–Friday, September 23 — including ones topped with bacon, filled with cheese and covered in sprinkles (no, not all at once). Or, there's a black forest doughnut pretzel. The word for that is yum. Snag fans can make a date with those sausage sizzles, which are available at Manly, Penrith and World Square on Sundays in October. There'll be six types of traditional bangers, served solo in a roll (from $10) or via a sausage wheel on a stick.
For the past 30 years, the country's professional Aussie Rules competition has called itself the Australian Football League, reflecting the growing spread of top-level teams across the nation. In 2020, it'll make good on that name in a way it never has before: by hosting the AFL grand final outside of Melbourne for the first time. Come the night of Saturday, October 24, whoever earns the right to compete in this year's decider will be doing so at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, aka the Gabba. They'll be playing in front of at least 30,000 fans, too, with the Queensland Government's successful bid for the game allowing the ground to be filled to almost three-quarter capacity. Announcing the news today, Wednesday, September 2 — and revealing that the Gabba beat out Sydney's ANZ Stadium, Perth's Optus Stadium and Adelaide Oval in South Australia — AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said that it was a difficult decision. He noted that a number of factors came into play, including the "safety and the best environment for all" and "integrity and the need for uncompromised games". And, he advised that if needed due to coronavirus social-distancing requirements, the capacity could be reduced — or, as a backup if cases surged in Brisbane, the game moved to Adelaide Oval. https://twitter.com/AFL/status/1301002487789281287 In its date and timeslot, the grand final will also buck tradition — because shifting venues isn't the only huge change in 2020. Usually, the AFL's ultimate game of the year is held on the last Saturday in September; however, due to COVID-19 shutdowns from late March–mid June, the whole season has been pushed back and compressed. When the ball bounces to kick things off that evening (with the exact time to be revealed closer to the match), the game will also become the first grand final to take place at night as well. It's all thoroughly unsurprising news given that every single AFL team has been based in Queensland for some part of the 2020 season, that the majority of the season has been played in the Sunshine State, and that hosting the big game with a crowd at its usual home — the MCG — is off the cards due to Melbourne's current coronavirus situation. That said, it really shouldn't have taken three decades for a competition that's not only named after the entire country, but changed its moniker in 1990 to reflect the fact that it was no longer just about Victoria, to host the decider in another city. The game has actually been played at venues other than the MCG before — but still in Melbourne. The first four grand finals, between 1898–1901, rotated between locations, before settling into the Melbourne Cricket Ground from 1902 onwards. During World War II, from 1942–1945, it was staged at Carlton's Princes Park and St Kilda's Junction Oval while the MCG was in use for the war effort. And, in 1991 when the ground's southern stand was under construction, it took place at Waverley Park in Mulgrave. Back when that 1991 match took place, the AFL only had four non-Victorian teams — and all four were less than a decade old or had only been based out of the state for that period. Now, eight out of 18 teams are from Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, and nine out of 18 (including Geelong) are based outside of Melbourne. So, again, it's really about time the code shared the love around when it comes to the big game. This year's move to the Gabba looks to be a once-off, though, at least for now. The MCG is still contracted to host the grand final for a significant period after this year — with its contact originally running through until 2057, and now extended until 2058 as part of the agreement to allow the game to be played elsewhere in 2020. And, if you're a Victorian who has been missing the footy this year, you will still get the usual pre-grand final public holiday even with the game being played in Brisbane, as Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed last month. The 2020 AFL Grand Final will take place at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on the evening of Saturday, October 24, with the exact kickoff time still to be announced. Details regarding ticketing released closer to the game. Top image: Your Next Kid via Wikipedia.
Cinema has a big problem — and for the first time in quite a while, it can't be summed up by the words "sequel", "reboot" or "Adam Sandler". For a long time now, convenience stores and cinema candy bars have been known for their bizarre Prohibition-era pricing of ordinary goods. Now they are being joined by a third champion of Weimar-esque inflation – the cinema ticket counter. According to Screen Australia, in 2005, the maximum price you'd pay to see a movie on the big screen was $15. In 2015, the last year for which there is recorded data, that price had exploded to $24.50. And while this hasn't reduced the number of Australians going to the flicks each year, the number of times people visit has been steadily declining since 2009. Melbourne couple Sonya Stephen and Shane Thatcher say that only around 16 per cent of available movie tickets are purchased in Australia each year. Their solution, a new app called Choovie, is an attempt to allow audiences to drive demand — and, by extension, the prices they pay at the door. "Every time we went to the cinema and there was only a few people in there, he [Thatcher] would start questioning how you could use technology to get more people to go to the cinema more often," says Stephen. "It became obvious that by using smartphone technology there could be a genuine win-win, people could see more movies and cinemas could make more money." Choovie is a push for cinemas to adopt a fluid ticket price based on the time of the screening and the popularity of the film. The app would then share this information with users and allow them to find the best deal. In other words, you'll probably still pay a mozza for the new Star Wars in mid-December and whatever the biggest flick is on Boxing Day, but when you're busting to see Tears of the Otter by that Danish guy at 11am on a Wednesday morning, Choovie will help you find a ticket that takes these things into account. Obviously, much of the app's success will rest on whether cinemas decide to play ball or not; however with Australian movie theatres currently selling less than a fifth of their available product, Stephen is confident that more bums on seats will also mean bigger profits for cinemas. "The onus is on us to prove that it works. If we can do that I can't see why everyone wouldn't come on board." Choovie goes live on 27th March in Victoria, NSW and the ACT, with staggered launches across the rest of Australia in the months following. For more information, visit their website.
This promotion of Faber Castell is amazing. Watch an entire portrait being drawn in one single, circling stroke right before your eyes. It's incredible, isn't it, the things an ordinary person can do if they just have the appropriate felt-tip pen [tongue planted firmly in cheek].
At some point in the near future, when television production returns to normal, Taika Waititi will be writing, directing and executive producing two new animated Netflix series based on Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Yep, if you were wondering what the Jojo Rabbit Oscar-winner is up to next, they're a couple of things on his slate. Right now, though, he's turning his attention to another Dahl favourite — and enlisting plenty of pals. Across ten episodes, James and the Giant Peach with Taika and Friends sees Waititi team up with a whole heap of famous talent to narrate the beloved book. If you've ever wanted to hear the Boy, What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople read to you, then here's your chance. If you've always wondered what would happen if his Thor: Ragnarok stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson and Cate Blanchett voiced James and the Giant Peach characters too, well, that's on the agenda as well. Also lending their voices: Liam Hemsworth, Jojo Rabbit's Roman Griffin Davis and Archie Yates, plus other big names such as Meryl Streep, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cara Delevingne, Mindy Kaling, Lupita Nyong'o, Billy Porter, Gordon Ramsay, Eddie Redmayne, Ryan Reynolds and Olivia Wilde. Four episodes are currently available via YouTube, with new instalments added each three times a week — at 3am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in Australia, and at 5am in New Zealand. And if you're wondering why, the aim is raise funds for COVID-19 impacted charities, especially those helping seriously ill children and medical workers in vulnerable areas of the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJNSg_oMrOQ
One room. One table. Twenty seats. And an ever-evolving set menu of modern Australian dishes. That's what you can expect from The Farmhouse. But there's much more to this beloved Rushcutters Bay restaurant. With a name like The Farmhouse, there's a risk that the restaurant will lean heavily on the kitsch. You know, lame 'Love lives here' signs and faux-distressed furniture and a real meat-and-three-veg approach to the food. This isn't the case here. The rustic farmhouse theme is certainly evident, but it has the refinement of an inner city fine diner. Co-owners Nick Gurney, Aidan Thomas and Brodie Stewart are responsible for the fit-out, which involves a single room with high wood-beamed ceilings, exposed brick walls and a single communal table. Here, 20 guests per sitting (6.00pm and 8.30pm) enjoy their five-course set menu. Said menu changes constantly — the kitchen changes half every fortnight, which means you could dine there once a month and never eat the same thing twice. As with many high end restaurants, it reads as deceptively simple: whole roasted Bannockburn chicken with cauliflower and cheddar; Spencer Gulf calamari and scallop with parnsip; Cowra lamb rump with mozart potatoes and kombu butter. Notice something else? Yep, there is a drive to sustainably source from local producers. The idea of having a meal while sitting shoulder to shoulder with strangers may not sound enticing to all (introverts), but the cosy vibes, good food and excellent wine (all Australian and French) will quickly change your mind. It's like having a dinner party with a bunch of strangers — but none of you have to lift a finger.
If you needed a new reason to make the journey to the historic fishing town of Patonga, then the recently renovated Boathouse Hotel has you covered. Located along the Hawkesbury River and Broken Bay, the spot relaunched last year with all-day dining, seaside views and a large outdoor deck overlooking the water — and now its revamped rooms are available to stay in as well. It's the first Central Coast venue for the Boathouse Group, which originated in Palm Beach back in 2008 and now boasts eight venues to its name. The stunning new interior is similar to the group's other beachside venues and resembles the inside of a luxury yacht, while the large outdoor deck offers prime seating for the warmer months. On the food front, the menu spans breakfast through dinner with a focus on quality produce and fresh fare. For brekkie, there are healthy options like the granola ($18), bircher muesli ($18) and green bowl (avocado, kale, broccoli, seed loaf and cashews, topped with a poached egg — $22), along with more decadent eats like the croissant French toast ($22) and sausage sangas with manchego, caramelised onions and chilli ($16). For lunch and dinner, classic pub grub, including parmas ($26), pork ribs ($44) and burgers ($26), sit alongside more refined fare — think snapper ceviche with cucumber and sesame ($24) or yellowfin tuna pasta with capers and herbs ($32). A takeaway shop turns out finger food like fish and chips, too. The classic cocktail list continues the beachside vibes, with a frozen watermelon margarita, cucumber cooler and pomegranate mojito all making the list at $19 a piece. Other drink specialties include a rare magnum offering and 17-strong beer list. Non-alcoholic options range from cold press juices and smoothies to tonics and kombucha. If you're eager to stay for a night or several — and willing to pay between $240–850 per night — the hotel's accommodation includes three one-to-three bedroom guest apartments, each with waterfront balcony views. The trio of rooms sit on the structure's upper level, and also feature separate living and dining areas, marble bathrooms, and either a kitchenette or kitchen. Decor-wise, they're unsurprisingly coastal-themed, complete with timber and terrazzo flooring, nautical-inspired fabrics, handmade shell mirrors, and rope and cane pieces. Located a 90-minute drive from Sydney, or 30-minute ferry trip from Palm Beach, it's the perfect spot to build a weekend getaway around. If you do, here are a few more Central Coast spots to check out while you're there. The Boathouse Hotel Patonga is now open at 6/8 Patonga Drive, Patonga. Open Monday through Tuesday from 7am–3pm and Wednesday through Sunday from 7am–9pm.
Following the success of last year's stints at Bar Brosé and The Gretz, Adam Wolfers and Marc Dempsey are back with the next instalment of their pop-up restaurant Ételek. Wolfers, who is known for his work at establishments such as Monopole and Yellow, and Dempsey, a sommelier and front-of-house powerhouse who is currently manager at Cornersmith Marrickville, will come together to showcase a blend of Hungarian, Middle Eastern, and North African cuisines. The duo will takeover the site of the now-closed Antipodean restaurant in Potts Point from July 25 to October 13. Drawing on inspiration from his own Eastern European heritage – Ételek means 'food' in Hungarian — Wolfers will bring back pop-up signatures like his meat-free parsnip schnitzel and lángos (Hungarian fried bread) and will introduce newbies like nokedli (Hungarian dumplings) with sea urchin and walnut. Wolfers also plans on returning to his Yellow roots by featuring vegetable-focused dishes that showcase "ingredients through contemporary interpretations of the dishes [he] was raised on". While Wolfers masters the food, Dempsey will provide a fitting drinks menu. The wine list is set to focus on small "producers with heart" that work with ethical practices. "There will be wine for all palates and budgets,' Dempsey assures. While the three-month pop-up won't last nearly as long as we'd like, Wolfers hopes to create the feeling of a permanent fixture with "a regularly changing menu allowing for multiple visits". Keep an eye out for one-off New York-style Sunday brunch sessions, which will feature house-made lox and bagels. Ételek will pop-up at 5–9 Roslyn Street, Potts Point from July 25 to October 13.
Vivid Sydney is about to kick off, and while you're planning which talks to see, figuring out where to catch a glimpse of the lights and checking which parties still have tickets going, you're probably figuring out a strategic drinking and dining plan too. The bulk of the light installations will again be set up around Circular Quay and The Rocks, and a market dedicated entirely to desserts will also run for three nights of the festival. Setting up shop in the Overseas Passenger Terminal for the third year running, the Milk 'n' Sugar Market will be on-hand for revellers craving something sweet for the first weekend of Vivid. Running from 6–11pm on May 24, 25 and 26, the market will be hocking award-winning gelato from Cow & the Moon, soft serve-filled watermelon, rainbow bagels, light-up doughnuts and a fairy floss ice cream Froot Loops 'burrito' (that's a thing) and more. You should probably skip dinner. As well as food, the market will also feature DJs and towering installations made from a range of desserts. Entry is free, but you'll need to get there early before it fills up. Milk 'n' Sugar will run from 6–11pm.
It's been a challenging year for Australia's hospitality scene, but things are already looking up for 2021. Especially now that we've been given an opening date for the hotly anticipated project from restaurateur Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Hawker Hall, Kisume), and Martin Benn and Vicki Wild of Sydney's now-closed three-hat fine diner Sepia. More than three years in the making, the trio's landmark collaboration Society is set to open its doors in the historic 80 Collins Street building from March. This grand, multi-faceted venue will boast 180-degree views over Collins and Exhibition streets, comprising the main Society dining room, an opulent lounge bar and a lush indoor-outdoor eatery named the Lillian Terrace, in honour of former Paris End resident Lillian Wightman. While each space is set to deliver a distinctly different offering, Benn's renowned flair for avant-garde cooking will shine throughout. The bar will be your go-to for pre-dinner drinks and snack-matched cocktail sessions alike, featuring a tight array of drinking fare to complement an elegant lineup of libations. Elsewhere, you'll be able to settle in for a luxurious meal beneath the lofty ceilings of Society, or pull up a seat on the terrace for an al fresco feed overlooking the former site of 'Luxury Lil' Wightman's legendary fashion boutique Le Louvre. [caption id="attachment_787570" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick & Nora's by Brook James[/caption] Melbourne architects Russell & George have overseen the design of the site, tasked with creating a modern twist on mid-century style, while lending an intimate feel to the spacious venue. Lucas hopes that, once complete, Society will fill a void for locals and visitors alike. "Our society, our city has been through so much this year," he said in a statement. "It is with great pride that we can finally look to opening our exciting new dining destination and add another dimension to Melbourne's already incredible restaurant scene, that has been such a big part of my life." Society will join 80 Collins Street's growing list of hospitality venues, including already open champagne bar Nick & Nora's and coffee shop Maverick, and Farmer's Daughters — a three-storey, paddock-to-plate restaurant from Pastuso chef-owner Alejandro Saravia — which is set to open next year. Society is slated to open at 80 Collins Street, Melbourne, from late March 2021.
For those of you in the audience who love a movie adaptation, there's one that should be on your roster in 2024. The Color Purple is set to make a resounding return to the silver screen, and this time, it's been reimagined as a musical. The decades-spanning tale tells an extraordinary story of love and resilience, and a woman of colour's journey to independence and the bonds of sisterhood. Before you head to a cinema to see it for yourself, here are the five things you should know about The Color Purple — which is poised to captivate a new generation of viewers. 1. THE CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT STORY WAS FIRST A PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING NOVEL Penned by American writer Alice Walker, The Color Purple made its mark as a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel when it was published in 1982. Told through letters, the narrative explores the complexities of race, gender and sexuality — themes that weren't widely written about at the time, let alone in a piece of popular fiction. The story follows the life of Celie, a Black woman in the early 20th century in Georgia in the USA's south, as she navigates oppression from society and patriarchal family structures and discovers the power of sisterhood. Merely two years after the novel was published, movie producers were knocking down Walker's door to adapt it for the big screen. This would mean the story would be brought to the attention of even more people, highlighting the struggles of women of colour. This latest version aims to bring a more hopeful and lifted atmosphere to the story. It has already been certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and smashed the US box office when it was released on Christmas Day. 2. STEVEN SPIELBERG AND OPRAH WINFREY RETURN TO BRING THE STORY TO A NEW GENERATION Alice Walker herself was highly involved in the first movie adaptation; she wrote the initial script draft and insisted on the film being produced with mostly Black talent in front of and behind the camera. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg in a departure from the blockbuster adventure and sci-fi flicks that had made him famous. It was also only the second movie that Spielberg made without his regular musical collaborator John Williams (who had composed the legendary scores for Jaws and the Indiana Jones movies), instead working alongside pop legend Quincy Jones on The Color Purple's musical score. Walker was initially sceptical, as was Spielberg, as he lacked the life experience of a person of colour in the deep south. But he did know how to make a damn good movie. The rest is cinematic history. This iteration of the story also saw the big-screen launch of Whoopi Goldberg and featured the first cinematic role for Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey has been a staunch supporter of The Color Purple and has been involved in most adaptations of the story for stage and screen. The trio of Spielberg, Quincy Jones and Oprah are all returning to breathe new life into this classic, this time as the film's producers (but keep an eye out for a brief onscreen return for one of the original film's main stars). 3. IT TELLS A POWERFUL COMING-OF-AGE TALE OF SISTERHOOD At its core, The Color Purple weaves a poignant and universally meaningful coming-of-age tale centred around the bonds of sisterhood. As Celie navigates her challenging journey, the connection she has with women in her life — her younger sister Nettie, the songstress Shug and the outspoken Sofia — becomes a source of strength, resilience and empowerment. In every adaptation of the tale, each of these women goes on their own journey. They each struggle and overcome their struggles with help from one another, help that is unasked for but gratefully received. Celie faces unfathomable hardships in her life, but through her relationships with these women, she finds her own way and, ultimately, her independence and sense of self. 4. THIS VERSION IS BASED ON THE BROADWAY STAGE MUSICAL Prepare to be swept away by soulful melodies because this adaptation is based on the acclaimed Broadway stage musical. Director Blitz Bazawule — a Ghanaian multimedia artist who was co-director of Beyonce's Black Is King and made his feature debut with the Afrofuturistic The Burial of Kojo — takes Walker's original novel and the screenplay by acclaimed playwright and WGA Award winner Marcus Gardley (I'm a Virgo), and incorporates elements from Spielberg's film adaption including an original song sung by the character Shug in the juke joint. The film's other songs woven throughout come from the hit musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2005 and won two Tony Awards for its revival in 2016. 5. YOU'VE SEEN ITS STARS BEFORE — AND YOU WILL AGAIN The ensemble cast of The Color Purple boasts a lineup of wildly talented familiar faces that have graced both stage and screen. Grammy- and American Idol-winner Fantasia Barrino is making her major motion picture debut and reprising her 2005 role from Broadway as lead character Celie. Joining her from the Broadway production is Danielle Brooks as Sofia (you'll probably recognise Brooks from her role as Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson on Orange Is the New Black). She received a Tony nomination for her portrayal. Grammy-nominee Halle Bailey joins as the younger version of Nettie, Celie's younger sister. Bailey made literal waves as Ariel in the Disney live-action retelling of The Little Mermaid. The film also stars Oscar-nominee Taraji P Henson (Hidden Figures) as songstress Shug Avery, Tony-nominee and Emmy Award-winner Colman Domingo (Euphoria, Rustin) as Celie's abusive husband Mister and the film's main antagonist, and Tony Award-nominee Corey Hawkins (The Walking Dead, Straight Outta Compton) as Sofia's husband Harpo. Finally, rounding out the central cast is Oscar- and Grammy-winning artist H.E.R. (Judas and the Black Messiah). Other notables on the roster include Oscar-nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (King Richard), the legendary Louis Gossett Jr (An Officer and a Gentleman) and Oscar-winner Jon Batiste (Soul). Book your tickets now to see The Color Purple — only in cinemas from Thursday, January 25.
Owning a pub and spending all day drinking with your mates is a dream come true for many — especially for fans of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Well, if you have $6 million lying around, your dream could become a reality. Former Glebe stalwart The Roxbury Hotel is currently on the market for a cool $5.95 million. The Roxbury has been closed for over a year now, and the building's owners are looking for someone to breathe fresh life into 180-182 St Johns Road, which does have a lot going for it. The 700-square-metre, two-level building sits on a prime corner location along Glebe Point Road and the space still contains its original bar, functioning kitchen, dining area and pokie room, with all licenses included in the deal. The price also includes the Victorian adjoining terrace house — a plus for those that wish to easily stumble home. For the more entrepreneurial types, there is also an existing DA (approved through March 2021) which allows the owner to add an additional level and build 25 studio apartments, with the ground floor remaining a retail space — or another pub. The last time The Roxbury changed hands was back in 2014 for $3.4 million. This time around, the pub has been on the market since last year and failed to sell at auction back on November 30 — we guess Merivale's Justin Hemmes missed the memo. Image: Jayphen via Flickr.
For many of us, the prospect of sitting through reams of photos from our recently-returned-from-travelling friends can be a little scary. Unless you happen to be friends with independent film maker Rick Mereki, that is. Then it is something else entirely. Mereki has created three short films taken from footage of a trip with two mates, covering 11 different countries and over 38 thousand miles in 44 days. Each film is only about a minute in duration and is based on a theme; in Move we follow as one of Mereki's friends walks through a series of stunning landscapes, in Learn we see the skills he attempts to acquire along the way (soccer, pizza making, wine tasting, weaving, guitar) and in Eat we see a smorgasboard of international delights. It's a simple idea, as the brilliant ones usually are. The themes are clear, the images strong and it is all held together by a lovely little soundtrack. Move, Learn, Eat are beautiful reminders of the joys of travelling, the fun of learning and the delight of food. They also remind you of the shortcomings of your own travel snaps.
The clocks have ticked forward, and we all know what that means: the outdoor cinema season is almost here. Movie lovers in Sydney are spoiled for choice when it comes to openair screens — and from the looks of things that doesn't appear to be changing any time soon. Following on from Moonlight Cinema's announcement of their 2016/17 program, Sunset Cinema is the latest openair picture house to make a return for the summer. Returning to North Sydney Oval, Sunset Cinema kicks off on Thursday, January 19, before running Wednesdays through Saturdays until March 18. The program skews towards more recent films including Captain Fantastic, The Magnificent Seven, Bridget Jones's Baby and The Girl on the Train, although they have squeezed one retro title in there: Dirty Dancing. They've also put together a top-notch food and beverage offering, in order to keep your stomach from grumbling during the film. They'll set up a snack bar and the site will have a fully licensed bar, serving 4 Pines craft beers and MadFish wines. For the full program, visit sunsetcinema.com.au/northsydney.
The Good Vibes line-up has become like one of those old, terry-towelling outfits you get out once a year - comfortable, fleeced with memories, and soooooo familiar. Luckily that outfit will go down a treat amongst the hundreds of thousands of partygoers (just be sure to add aviators and zinc cream) flocking to see Basement Jaxx, Armand van Helden, Gossip, Busta Rhymes (woo-haa!), Friendly Fires (we'll jump in their pool), Salt-N-Pepa (they may be pushing 50 but they can still Push It!), and some Naughty by Nature to prepare you for sweating all over other people's property. Just don't get any bindies stuck in your terry-towelling - they'll be a nightmare to get out when 2011 rolls around.
When Kendrick Lamar was announced as Spilt Milk's 2025 headliner, festivalgoers had all the right words to say courtesy of the man himself. "DAMN" and "LOVE" also apply to his latest news. Not content with taking to the stage Down Under in Ballarat, Perth, Canberra and on the Gold Coast, the acclaimed hip hop artist has also locked in two solo stadium shows on his next Australian trip, as part of his Grand National tour. After making its way around North America and Europe, Lamar's latest string of live dates is heading to Melbourne and Sydney. First up: the Victorian capital, at AAMI Park on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Then comes Allianz Stadium in the Harbour City on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. Lamar's Aussie stadium gigs kick off before his Spilt Milk dates, then slot in-between the festival's two weekend runs. The fest hits Ballarat on Saturday, December 6; Perth on Sunday, December 7; Canberra on Saturday, December 13; and the Gold Coast on Sunday, December 14. December clearly suits Lamar for a jaunt Down Under — that's when the Pulitzer Music Prize-winning musician also made the trip in 2022. Lamar is one of the most-critically acclaimed and successful hip hop artists of our generation. He currently has 22 Grammys to his name, plus an Academy Award nomination for one of his contributions to the Black Panther soundtrack. He won the 2017 Triple J Hottest 100 and, when he nabbed his Pulitzer in 2018, he also became the first ever artist to take out the prestigious award for contemporary music. GNX, his most-recent studio album, dropped in November 2024 — with his extensive catalogue also spanning 2011's Section.80, 2012's good kid, m.A.A.d city, 2015's To Pimp A Butterfly, 2017's DAMN and 2022's Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Kendrick Lamar Grand National Tour 2025 Australian Dates Wednesday, December 3 — AAMI Park, Melbourne Wednesday, December 10 — Allianz Stadium, Sydney Spilt Milk 2025 Dates Saturday, December 6 — Victoria Park, Ballarat Sunday, December 7 — Claremont Showground, Perth Saturday, December 13 — Exhibition Park, Canberra Sunday, December 14 — Gold Coast Sports Precinct, Gold Coast Kendrick Lamar is touring Australia in December 2025, with ticket presales for his Sydney gig from 9am on Thursday, June 12 and for his Melbourne gig from 11am on Thursday, June 12 — then general sales from 9am on Monday, June 16 for Sydney and 11am Monday, June 16 for Melbourne. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images.
Paddington Markets is a Sydney institution. Rain or shine, it operated every Saturday since 1973 until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Now, after a coronavirus-enforced break, it's making a comeback — so prepare to start your weekend with a spot of shopping. In the past, the event has drawn the best of Sydney's emerging designers and has been the launching pad for designers including Lisa Ho, Bracewell and Dinosaur Designs. Focusing on the new and the exciting has always been part of its aim — so you'll browse less vintage fare here than you will at other markets around Sydney. And, along with fashion and jewellery, you'll find plenty of art, flowers, plants, homewares, candles and other craft on the market menu. When it returns from 10am–4pm on Saturday, September 26, a new growers market will also be part of the weekly event — so you can nab some seasonal fruit and vegetables, as well as artisanal bread and cheese, sustainably sourced meats and seafood. If all that food makes you hungry, there's also an international food court offering a vast array of eats — from crepes and brekkie rolls to bowls of curry noodles and laksa to the classic sausage sanga and some fish and chips. And, for some eye candy, a new mural by artist Stephen Ormandy will brighten up the place. Paddington Markets returns from 10am–4pm on Saturday, September 26, and will then run weekly at the same time.
Keeping the romance alive can be difficult when your girlfriend is thousands of miles away and sometimes phonecalls, frequent visits and even video chat don't cut it. But Walter C. May has officially upped the ante on romantic gestures with this viral love letter. With his roommates, who just happen to be a band called the Daylights, May wrote a song called "I Hope This Gets To You", filmed silvery hands coming together to form faces that mouth the lyrics and unleashed it upon the Interwebs. It's already been tweeted by Katy Perry. May is hoping this video reaches his girlfriend, who's on the other side of the country at grad school, solely through the power of the viral internet, because he wants to show his lady that they "can feel close without having to be close every day." All together now: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. https://youtube.com/watch?v=EjgtxVxE14A [via Gizmodo]
There's something secretive and special about slipping into an art gallery after hours. Add a few laughs and a glass of wine, and it's pretty difficult to imagine a more seductive reason to get out of your house for the night. Running over Wednesday, July 11 and Wednesday, July 18, the Art Gallery of New South Wales' is hosting a series of late-night events as part of NAIDOC Week — a week-long celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and achievements. The highlight of the two nights, kicking off at 6.30 both weeks, is Faboriginal, an art game show run by Aboriginal writer and comedian Steven Oliver. Two teams will battle it out on topics relating to the gallery's Indigenous Australian art collection. Brush up on your trivia, as the crowd will be called out to help when the teams get stumped. A series of talks relating to NAIDOC Week's 2018 theme, 'Because of her, we can!' will also run across the two nights. The discussion will feature three prominent female Aboriginal artists, Juliette Seymour, Samantha Rich and Emily McDaniel. The late-night events are only one part of the AGNSW's NAIDOC Week celebrations, to see the full lineup, head to the website.
Here's one way to add eight movies to your must-see list in 2025: Australia's Alliance Française French Film Festival has not only unveiled its dates for the event's next tour of the country, but has also started dropping a sneak peak of its lineup. As proves the case every year, autumn Down Under will mean venturing to Paris and beyond from your cinema seat. Head along to AFFFF and you'll also be helping the fest to celebrate its 36th year. If you're in Sydney, mark Tuesday, March 4 in your diary. Melbourne's season opens the following day, then Brisbane and Canberra the day after that. Perth's turn arrives the next week, while Adelaide gets into the action the week afterwards. In all locations, the festival runs through until at least early April. Already the largest celebration of French cinema outside of France itself, AFFFF will be even bigger in 2025, hitting up 18 cities — and adding five new locations, in Darwin, Ballina, Ballarat, Warriewood and Warrawong, to its slate. Across its full run, the festival is set to host 5500-plus screenings. If you like Gallic films, that's a whole lot of sessions to say "oui" to. While the complete lineup will arrive in early February 2025, the fest has kicked off its program announcements with the Tahar Rahim (Madame Web)-starring Monsieur Aznavour, about singer-songwriter Charles Aznavour, as its opening-night pick. The movie has been doing big business in France, selling 1.8-million-plus tickets. Now, it's Australia's turn to head along. Also on the bill: the latest version of the The Count of Monte Cristo, which features Pierre Niney (The Book of Solutions) in the lead and takes AFFFF's centrepiece slot; Meet the Leroys, a road-trip dramedy that marks Charlotte Gainsbourg's (Alphonse) latest film; and Prodigies, a tale of sibling rivalry with Emily in Paris' Camille Razat. Beating Hearts, which is helmed by Gilles Lellouche (Sink or Swim) and stars Adèle Exarchopoulos (Inside Out 2) and François Civil (The Three Musketeers), played at Cannes International Film Festival 2024 — as did the music-loving My Brother's Band from The Big Hit writer/director Emmanuel Courcol. Viewers can also look forward to The Divine Sarah Bernhardt, with Sandrine Kiberlain (Meet the Barbarians) as the eponymous actor. And last — for now — but not least is All Stirred Up, a comedy focusing on a customs officer on the border between Quebec and the United States, plus her daughter's attempts to win a cooking contest. Alliance Française French Film Festival 2025 Dates Tuesday, March 4–Wednesday, April 9 — Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema, Palace Moore Park, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne, Roseville Cinemas, Warriewood, Sydney Wednesday, March 5–Wednesday, April 9 — Palace Cinema Como, The Kino, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Pentridge Cinema,The Astor Theatre, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Regent Ballarat, Melbourne Thursday, March 6–Tuesday, April 8 — Palace Cinema James Street, Palace Cinema Barracks, Brisbane, QLD: Thursday, March 6–Wednesday, April 9 — Palace Electric Cinemas, Canberra Thursday, March 13–Wednesday, April 16 — Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Luna Leedeerville, Windsor Cinema, Perth Wednesday, March 19–Wednesday, April 23 — Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Adelaide The Alliance Française French Film Festival will tour Australia in March and April 2025. For more information, visit the AFFFF website. Check back here on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 for the full program.
Today, oysters are synonymous with elite dining, but this wasn't always the case. They were once a common feed for the lowly masses, easily plucked and shucked from riverbanks and craggy shores. In Sydney, oysters have been harvested for thousands of years, long before the arrival of European settlers and longer still before the advent of fine diners and shallot mignonettes. So it's fitting that during this current moment of soaring interest rates and cost-of-living concerns, oyster happy hours are popping up all over Sydney, once again making this seafood treat accessible to all. From fancy cellar doors to come-as-you-are boozers, here are some of the best spots to find bargain bivalves in the Harbour City right now. Pier One X East 33 Oyster Deals Pier One's PIER Bar will be celebrating oysters during sunset hour with $2 oysters from 5–6pm, Mondays to Fridays. Keeping with the fresh, summer atmosphere, you'll be able to chase your oysters with new PIER Bar signature Mini Margarita Oyster Shooter Flights. For the cherry on top, the hotel will open the Oyster Hotline in homage to its namesake's aphrodisiac qualities. Overnight hotel guests will be able to order a half-dozen ($39) or a dozen ($79) oysters to be delivered to their room within thirty minutes, complete with a bottle of champagne. Bottomless Bubbles and Oysters at The Hook Kicking off on October 26, this deal delivers the ultimate opportunity to elevate your weekend plans with a cozzie-livs-defying night of bargain bivalves and free-flowing fizz. For $99 per head, punters can enjoy two hours of unlimited Chandon Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine, a dozen oysters per head plus olives and beer nuts. Those who really want to make a night of it should opt for the premium package. For $149 per head, you can up the ante with two hours of bottomless French champagne, a dozen oysters per head and a selection of top-quality cheeses, curated by the legendary Penny's Cheese Shop. Handpicked Wines Oyster Flight At Handpicked Wines' Chippendale cellar door, visitors can enjoy freshly shucked oysters paired with curated wine flights, complete with a range of regionally expressive drops, edible floral garnishes and an array of condiments. A $3 oyster special, allowing diners to explore a variety of wine and oyster combinations, is available every Sunday between 3-5 pm until the end of the year. 1$ Oysters at Bat & Ball Hotel [caption id="attachment_912285" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] After receiving a renovation and a whole new vibe courtesy of a gaggle of ten hospitality veterans, Redfern's Batt & Ball Hotel reopened to the public in late August. Aside from a magnificent schnitty, the uber-cool boozer is also offering a buck-a-shuck deal every Saturday. That's right, you can get your fill of oysters for just $1 a slurp but we suggest you get in early — at such a bargain price, they sell out quick. Oyster Happy Hour at The Rover This former Surry Hills speakeasy is far easier to find these days, and that's a very good thing. Not only is the whisky bar serving up the best burger in Australia (and the ninth best in the world), it's also offering $2 oysters every night from 4–6pm. While you might be more accustomed to washing down your slurps with a glass of bubbles, we recommend a peaty scotch as your chaser — the smoke and soil offers the perfect foil for the briny trickle of a freshly shucked oyster. Pier One Sunset Hour Today, Walsh Bay is the epicentre of Sydney's arts scene, home to Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Dance Company, Bell Shakespeare and The Australian Chamber Orchestra to name only a handful of the organisations that now call this waterfront home. Turn back time a century or so however, and it would be fisherman and dockworkers busying themselves around these wharfs, rather than dancers and actors. The historic wharf at Pier One, now one of Central Sydney's smartest hotels, was once renowned for its bounty of seafood, with crab cookers, fish mongers, and oysters shuckers trading off fresh, local delicacies for pennies. In that spirit, the hotel's weekday happy hour, running Monday–Friday, 5–6pm, is offering cheap oysters, just like the tradies of yore enjoyed, for $2 a shuck. Unlike those old-timey dock workers, however, you can wash down your oysters with $12 cocktails too.
Oh boy, get ready to feel some feelings. The latest album from singer/songwriter Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie) deals with the death of his wife and has been described as more an aural document of grief than an album. Full of devastating lyrics, it's a beautifully honest depiction of loss. Not unlike Elverum, Julie Byrne writes with tremendous introspection and insight. But the central relationship of writing is with nature and the perspective that the vastness of the world forces on an individual. With her rich, hushed voiced and finger-picked guitar, Byrne makes you feel humbled and powerful all at once. Image: Jonathan Bouknight
UPDATE, January 15, 2021: Ride Your Wave is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. In the type of scene familiar from many a film, 19-year-old Hinako (voiced by Rina Kawaei) frolics around a seaside spot with her boyfriend Minato (Ryota Katayose). In the scenic Japanese city of Chiba, the pair chat, laugh, stroll and sightsee, as plenty of couples have in similar situations. Actually, this duo does so twice. The first time plays out exactly as everyone expects but, occurring well into Ride Your Wave, the lovestruck duo's repeat romantic rendezvous comes with a twist. In the kind of image that can only really be brought to the screen via animation, Hinako isn't spending time with Minato in the flesh the second time around — instead, she's dragging around an inflatable porpoise filled with water that, when she hums the pair's favourite song, manifests her boyfriend's spirit from beyond the grave. Basically, Hinako is now dating a ghost in the guise of a blow-up aquatic mammal — a spectre that can appear in anything else that's wet, such as a glass of water and even a toilet bowl, too. It's a heartfelt yet clearly strange sight, and it's an image that filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa builds his whole sweet, sensitive and charming movie around. Already known for offbeat and distinctive animated efforts such as Night Is Short, Walk on Girl and Lu Over the Wall, the Japanese director blends his fondness for weirdness with a perceptive exploration of love and loss that belongs in the same company as huge recent global hits Your Name and Weathering with You. As brought to life, vocally, by former Japanese pop idol Kawaei and fellow local pop star Katayose (whose boy band, Generations from Exile Tribe, provides the film's pivotal — and extremely catchy — tune), Hinako and Minato's story begins much earlier. Initially, she's a surf-obsessed newcomer arriving in town to study oceanography, while he's a dutiful local firefighter. They cross paths on several occasions — she frequently hits the waves near his fire station, as he just-as-frequently notices — but they don't properly connect until Minato comes to Hinako's rescue when her apartment building is set ablaze. And, if tragedy didn't strike, perhaps they would've simply lived happily ever after. As Ride Your Wave astutely realises, though, those kinds of blissful, uncomplicated tales aren't the norm for everyone. Japan's plethora of big-screen animated gems have always received ample praise for their visual prowess; given how gorgeous and glorious everything from Studio Ghibli's greats to Yuasa's own filmic back catalogue looks, that's understandable. But movies such as Ride Your Wave don't surf their way into viewers' hearts based solely on eye-popping imagery alone. At their best, these films ripple with emotional depth and resonance — and while there's much about Ride Your Wave that threatens to veer into cheesiness at times, it remains an insightful, moving and charming example of the genre. On the surface, it might appear to be just another supernatural teen romance; however from the moment that Hinako is forced to face her future alone, this is a thoughtful, delicate and observant portrait of a woman struggling with one of the worst things that can happen. As whimsical as it might sometimes seem — and as it definitely sounds on paper — there's a rich vein of melancholy in Hinako's escapades with Minato's spirit. As she continues to hold onto him in any way she can, Yuasa and screenwriter Reiko Yoshida (A Silent Voice, Okko's Inn) show a raw and profound understanding of grief, its all-encompassing impact and the reality that, to those in mourning, absolutely everything reminds them of the person they're missing. Everyone who has lost someone has returned to places they once visited together and seen memories of happier times linger at every corner. Everyone in the same position has felt their heart skip a beat when a significant song plays, too. As well as being cute and quirky, the literal inflatable porpoise in Ride Your Wave's frames gives these common and relatable experiences a physical dimension. Don't go expecting this film to receive a live-action remake any time soon, of course, not that any animated movie ever needs one. Disney might currently be obsessed with turning its cartoon hits into flesh and blood (or photorealistic approximations), but Japan's animators are well aware that their chosen medium is far more expressive — especially when it comes to matters of the heart. There's a rhythm, flow and glow to Ride Your Wave that perfectly captures its protagonist's complicated situation, and that simply wouldn't translate to any other format. There's also the feeling that, through its seemingly fanciful narrative gimmick, Ride Your Wave tackles tough emotional terrain with unflinching, heart-swelling honesty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMB7SpEvxOI Image: ©Ride Your Wave Film Partners.
Already in 2023, the various streaming services available in Australia have delivered must-see game-to-TV adaptations like The Last of Us, blasts from the pasts multiple times over such as That '90s Show and glorious cult-comedy revivals with Party Down. From there, the list goes on. But if you've read Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe, the Netflix series based on it is likely at the top of your must-see list — and it'll hit before the year is out. The streaming platform hasn't revealed exactly when Boy Swallows Universe will arrive, but it is locked in for a 2023 release. Also, it just finished production in Brisbane. Smartly, the Brissie-set tale has been filmed in the Sunshine State capital for its jump to TV — after it also became one of 2021's stage hits in Brisbane, too. Boy Swallows Universe spins a story about a young boy, his prophetic brother and his jailbreaking best friend as they navigate the heroin-filled underworld of 80s Queensland. Netflix's adaptation was first announced in 2022, and will span eight episodes, running as a self-contained limited series. Travis Fimmel (Black Snow) stars as Lyle Orlik, while the cast also includes Simon Baker (Blaze) as Robert Bell and Phoebe Tonkin (Bloom) as Frances Bell — plus Felix Cameron (Penguin Bloom) as Eli Bell and Lee Tiger Halley (The Heights) as Gus Bell. Also set to feature: Bryan Brown (Hungry Ghosts) as Slim Halliday, Anthony LaPaglia (Nitram) as Tytus Broz, and Sophie Wilde (Eden) as Caitlyn Spies, plus Christopher James Baker (Ozark) as Ivan Kroll, HaiHa Le (Back to the Rafters) as Bich Dang and Deborah Mailman (Total Control) as Poppy Birkbeck. And, you'll see Ben O'Toole (Barons) as Teddy, Zachary Wan (Never Too Late) as Darren Dang, and Millie Donaldson and Eloise Rothfield as Shelley Huffman (aged 17 and 13, respectively). For the second time since shooting began, the streaming service has also dropped a heap of behind-the-scenes photos, if you're keen for a sneak peek before a trailer drops. Boy Swallows Universe is directed by Bharat Nalluri (The Man Who Invented Christmas), Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker) and Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket), and scripted by screenwriter John Collee (Master and Commander, Happy Feet, Hotel Mumbai). The impressive names involved extend to the show's executive producers, too, which include Troy Lum (The Water Diviner, Saving Mr Banks, Mao's Last Dancer), Andrew Mason (The Matrix, The Water Diviner), Sophie Gardiner (Howard's End, Chimerica), Kerry Roberts (Foe, Boy Erased), and Aussie actor and filmmaker Joel Edgerton (The Stranger, The Underground Railroad). On the page, Boy Swallows Universe has snagged a slew of local awards, including Book of the Year, Literary Book of the Year and Audio Book of the Year at the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards. The novel, which has sold a hefty amount of copies in Australia alone — 160,000 in 2019, when the play was announced — was also longlisted for Australia's most prestigious literature prize, the Miles Franklin Award. And, while bringing Boy Swallows Universe to the screen has been in the works for some time — with Harper Collins selling the television rights to the novel back in 2019, and Edgerton set to produce the show since then — if you've been waiting to actually lock your eyes on a Boy Swallows Universe series, 2023 is your year. Boy Swallows Universe will hit Netflix sometime in 2023. We'll update you with an exact release date when it's announced. Images: Netflix.
No trip to Japan is complete without introducing your tastebuds to the country's creative array of KitKats, which span everything from pumpkin, wasabi and sake to cough drop-flavoured versions. If you're making the visit from the end of September 2019 onwards, your chocolate-eating quest will now double as a change to enjoy a spot of origami, too — and will be much more environmentally friendly as well. Nestlé Japan has announced that it's changing the packaging on local KitKat products, swapping from plastic to paper wrappers. At first, it'll make the change with the outer packaging on share packs, with five flavours (including regular, matcha and dark matcha) affected. By September 2020, the company plans to do the same for all of its large bags, before replacing all individual wrappers in 2021. With the switch to paper, Nestlé Japan is also making the obvious connection, including origami instructions on the new packaging. Now, when you've finished with your sweet treat, you can fashion the wrapper into a crane — and again a colourful keepsake. The move comes as part of Nestlé's worldwide efforts to ensure that 100-percent of its packaging is recyclable or re-usable by 2025, a plan that it announced last year. While KitKats are sold in more than 80 countries worldwide, just when the packaging might change elsewhere — and if it'll entice chocolate fiends to turn their used wrappers into origami — is yet to be revealed. Images: Nestlé Japan.
