After launching Merivale at Home last month, offering 'almost-ready' meals from Mr Wong, Fred's and Bert's, Merivale is giving Sydneysiders what they really want: food that is piping hot and ready to eat straight away. So, you can now bite into a expertly folded dim sum, crispy porchetta and giant chicken pie as soon as you walk through the door. The Merivale restaurants offering the meals — wine, beer and cocktails — to-go are Mr Wong, The Paddington and its adjoining The Chicken Shop, and Coogee Pavilion and its in-house pizza joint Vinnie's. They join Bondi's Totti's, which launched its own ready-to-eat takeaway meals back in late March. You can either pick up the meals or have them dropped (gently) on your doorstep, with Merivale offering delivery to homes within a ten-kilometre radius of the restaurants. As the delivery service is operated entirely by Merivale employees, it's a win-win — you don't have to leave the couch and people are getting some work in these tough times. What exactly can you get to eat from these popular spots? Let us tell you. Mr Wong has platters of its famed dumplings, peking duck pancakes and typhoon shelter-style crab fried rice, while The Paddington is packing up containers of giant chicken pies, roast porchetta, rotisserie chickens and family meals. Coogee Pav has its usual selection of pizza, pasta, burgers, polenta chips, Nutella calzone and much more. For both pick up and delivery, preorders are available from 12pm every day. Delivery is from 5–9pm every night, plus from 12–3pm on weekends. The news comes with the NSW Government's relaxing of restrictions, too, so you can now have two people over for a dinner party — and you don't have to cook. Merivale's new takeaway menus are now available for pick up and delivery from Mr Wong, The Paddington, Coogee Pavilion and Totti's. To check out the menus and to preorder, head here. Home delivery will be available from Wednesday, May 6.
Fists fly in Polite Society. Feet as well. When the latter aren't suspended in mid-air attempting to execute stunning kung-fu stunts, they just might be busting out their best Bollywood dance moves. Words are screamed and shouted, often between sisters Ria (Priya Kansara, Bridgerton) and Lena Khan (Ritu Arya, The Umbrella Academy), who are thick as thieves until they suddenly aren't. Schoolyard fights rumble like they've spilled straight out an action movie, which budding stuntperson Ria dreams of being in. Showdowns with Lena's future mother-in-law Raheela Shah (Nimra Bucha, Ms Marvel) could've burst from a Quentin Tarantino film. Espionage missions are undertaken by high schoolers, as are heists at a spectacular Muslim wedding in a lavish London mansion. Lena scoffs down a whole roast chicken on a public footpath like it's the only thing she's ever eaten. Ria and Lena free themselves from their angst by letting loose in their living room to The Chemical Brothers' dance-floor filler 'Free Yourself'. And being a dutiful member of her community is the absolute worst fate that could await an ass-kicking British Pakistani teenage girl. In other words, a little bit of everything happens in Polite Society, the anarchic and eye-popping debut feature from We Are Lady Parts creator Nida Manzoor. That includes nods to Jackie Chan movies and The Matrix, plus Bond-style antics and Ennio Morricone-esque music drops. Add in riffs on Get Out, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-inspired wuxia, video-game flourishes, musical dance numbers, and nudges in Jane Austen and Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan's directions. Scott Pilgrim vs the World and Kill Bill leave imprints. When it examines intergenerational pressure, so do Everything Everywhere All At Once and Turning Red. Whatever this high-energy charmer throws at the screen, it always serves the narrative. It also showcases Manzoor's lively and bold filmmaking eye. But more importantly, Polite Society is the spin-kicking whirlwind it is because that's what it feels like to be a schoolgirl training in martial arts, yearning to pack a literal punch, desperate to become anything but what society demands and tired of being dictated to — and saddled with cultural expectations but determined to propel along one's own path in general, too. At school, Ria is told that she should go into medicine. Other than her best friends Clara (Seraphina Beh, Top Boy) and Alba (Ella Bruccoleri, Call the Midwife), her classmates mock her stunt-performer ambitions. Bully Kovacs (movie debutant Shona Babayemi) even gets brawling over them. Ria's parents Fatima and Rafe (We Are Lady Parts alumni Shobu Kapoor and Jeff Mirza) advocate for a more practical life goal, not just for her but for aspiring artist Lena. And yet, Ria is certain that she's going to make stunts her career, so much so that there's only two other things she believes in as passionately. She has zero doubts that Lena is meant to be a great painter, ignoring the fact that she's just dropped out of art school. Then, when a surprise invite to the Shahs' Eid soirée sees Lena start dating Raheela's doctor son Salim (Akshay Khanna, Chloe), the most lusted-after bachelor in their family's social circle, and get engaged amid plans to move to Singapore, Ria couldn't be more convinced that the whole situation is 100-percent shady. When We Are Lady Parts hit TV screens in 2021, it did so with a clear understanding of complicated sisterly relationships. Focused on all-female, all-Muslim punk rockers, the gem introduced the titular Lady Parts with quite the track: 'Ain't No One Gonna Honour Kill My Sister But Me'. In Polite Society, the film's central sibling feud gets physical — when Ria and Lena throw down in one frenetic fray, "Khan vs Khan" is emblazoned across the frame like this is Street Fighter — and, whether they're flinging limbs or hugging it out, their clash is complex. Battling sisters is a nice shorthand for one of writer/director Manzoor's key messages, stressing that there's no such thing as just one type of Muslim woman. Ria and Lena couldn't be closer before Salim's charisma splinters their bond, but even they don't know everything that each other is, wants, hopes for or fantasies about. There's no one straightforward description for Polite Society either, with its kaleidoscope of genres, bouncing between capers, coming-of-age journey, comic tone, sibling celebration and arranged-marriage satire — and its Bend It Like Beckham-influenced narrative, swapping soccer for stunts. As it bounds through Ria's world, as well as her fears about not realising her only dream and losing Lena to a conventional existence, it manages to sprinkle in horror and science fiction. Manzoor also pays loving tribute to Ria's passion not only by staging dazzling stunts, but by having her protagonist idolise real-life stunt professional Eunice Huthart. The British ex-Gladiators star sports a resume that boasts GoldenEye, The Fifth Element, Titanic, 28 Days Later, Children of Men, Maleficent, Justice League and Eternals, as well as Star Wars, Harry Potter, Fast and Furious, Terminator, Pirates of the Caribbean and Tomb Raider titles, and Polite Society finds room to wink at many of them. Ensuring that the style of a film so utterly suits its story isn't easy, and nor is having every aspect of a movie's look and feel epitomise the statement it's making — then also doing both in a way that makes it plain that no other approach could've done the flick justice. That's a feat that Manzoor smashes, and repeatedly, with equally dynamic help from cinematographer Ashley Connor (Night Sky), editor Robbie Morrison (Starstruck), inspired sound effects and a thumping global soundtrack. The camerawork has as much of a spring in its step as Ria, as does Polite Society's happily hectic pace, vibrant use of colour and everything that echoes from the cinema speakers. All movies should be acts of immersion, but rare are the films that so deeply plunge their audience into their lead character's head and heart with everything it can, let alone so committedly, creatively, convincingly and compellingly. Rare are the on-screen finds like Kansara, too, who is as expressive and exuberant as the picture she's in. Polite Society doesn't idealise Ria at any moment — a film so devoted to shattering stereotypes and destroying any possibility of Muslim women being seen as a monoculture was never going to avoid her impulsiveness and hot-headedness — instead giving Kansara ample room to have a helluva lot of fun in her fleshed-out main part. She's playful, enterprising and heartfelt while operating at a mile-a-minute speed. She isn't afraid to make big leaps and stay spirited from the get-go, and to both unpack and lean into Ria's main-character syndrome. She's also a winning blend of pluck and spark in a roundhouse kick of a joyously entertaining flick that makes every single jab and strike matter.
With the weather warming up, we've started thinking about long summer days lazing at the beach with mates — with a delicious drink in hand, of course. And this year, selecting your go-to summer seltzer just got a whole lot easier. Meet Sunny Eddy — Australia's first gin seltzer. Hailing from the northern beaches of Sydney, this refreshing new drink comes in three delicious flavours including a cool lime and cucumber; a crisp pink apple; and zesty blood orange and grapefruit. To celebrate a summer of balmy evenings kicking back with friends, we're giving away a summer's supply of this tasty tipple to a lucky CP reader. That means you could be getting three cases of Sunny Eddy (one of each flavour) delivered to your door once a month from November till February. You'll also score a Wandering Sol picnic rug and cooler bag so you can take your Sunny Eddy supplies on outdoor summer adventures with ease. That's a prize pack valued at over $1000 — on us. All you have to do is dob in an Eddy that you know and tell us why they're the epitome of sunshine. A sunny Eddy — get it? Probably a good call to share your summer haul with that little ray of sunshine too, right? Want to have your fridge stocked with Sunny Eddy all summer long? You can. To be in the running, tell us in 25 words or less about an awesome, sunny Eddy you know and what they do that brings sunshine to your life. For more information on Sunny Eddy, or to order your own supply, visit the website. [competition]826265[/competition]
It's time to get your freak on because the spooky season is officially in full swing. To celebrate, Hordern Pavilion is hosting a massive inclusive horror party, with multiple beloved Sydney venues transforming over the weekend as part of the festivities. Whether you're after a scare, a thrill or to hit the dance floor, this two-day bash is returning to cater to everything you'd imagine for a party-filled fright night. If you want to get the party started early, Oxford House will don a new look on Friday, October 27. The venue will be rebranded as HORRORHOUSE and will be pumping tunes and festive frights all night as an immersive "concept hotel" experience. Then, on Saturday, October 28, Halloween fiends can hit up Hordern Pavilion from 6pm for the main event. The stacked lineup features performances from famed drag stars including Brooke Lynn Hytes (Canada's Drag Race), plus Kween Kong and Hannah Conda (runner-ups on RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under). There will also be makeup stations where professional artists will transform patrons with creepy makeovers — and for those who want to be fully immersed in the spirit of Halloween, there's a nightmare-fuelled Scare Zone. What exactly awaits you in the zone is a mystery, but Horrorween promises you'll come away spooked. Those in attendance will also find spaces to dance the night away with a lineup of queer international DJ talent spinning tracks — including Ben Bakson, GSP and Caca Werneck, alongside a bunch of local DJs. Finally, an Oxford Street favourite and a popular Darling Habour spot are throwing a pair of after-parties. Starting at 11pm on Saturday, October 28, Universal is giving you the opportunity to party from the pitch-black night through to the witching hour and beyond with its club night Déjàvu, rebranded as Déjàboo. Or, you can opt to hit up waterfront favourite HOME, for its Morning Gory (a spin on its Morning Glory events). Head to the Horrorween Festival website to grab your tickets for this ghoulish celebration and for further details on the citywide festivities.
Since launching four years ago, Sydney Contemporary has really made itself a major part of Sydney's arts calendar. After a great event last year, the art fair and exhibition will return to Carriageworks this week with a lineup is so jam-packed that it's bursting at the finely-designed seams. The lineup is chock-full with performances, talks and parties (including one hosted by us) that celebrate both homegrown and international art. But the main drawcard is the exhibition at Carriageworks that this year features major installations by Jean Debuffet, Ash Keating, Ronnie van Hout and none other than Patricia Piccinini. She'll take over the Elston Room with The Field, which has been developed from its time at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art. Definitely worth a walk-through. Other notable installations include Abdul Abdullah's imposing tapestry portraits, a collection of modern clay figures by the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre and Hossein Ghaemi's exploration of the psyche of cats. There's performance art, too, with Taipei-born Parisian artist River Lin cleansing people of their 'imperfections', vanishing art act Emily Parsons-Lord and sonic impulse explorer Michaela Davis. The whole thing kicks off with an opening bash tomorrow night, but we've got an early look at the exhibition. Take a peek and then head into Carriageworks to see it for yourself — the exhibition will be open from 12–5pm on Thursday, 12–8pm on Friday, and 11am–6pm on Saturday and Sunday. [caption id="attachment_688209" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Patricia Piccinini: The Field[/caption] [caption id="attachment_688205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Abdul Abdullah: Call me by my name[/caption] [caption id="attachment_688206" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre[/caption] [caption id="attachment_688207" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jean Debuffet: L'Incivil[/caption] [caption id="attachment_688203" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hossein Ghaemi: Jumbuck Pishi[/caption] Sydney Contemporary runs from September 13–16 at Carriageworks. Tickets to the exhibition are $25 — visit the event website to buy them. Images: Jacquie Manning.
Sydney went a little wild late last year when Sydney City Council announced it was seeking tenders for mobile food traders. The tenders were received, the food judged, and the 10 trucks chosen. And then we waited. But wait no more; one of the first trucks off the rank is Eat Art Truck, manned by Stuart McGill and Brenton Balicki from Tetsuya's and Quay respectively. They will be vending their wares for the first time this Wednesday, May 23, at Queen's Square from 6pm (corner of Macquarie St and St James Rd). The truck will be sporting a changeable canvas of street art, with Phibs featuring as the first artist. Grab one of their pulled pork buns or some karaage prawns before heading over to the Art Gallery of NSW for more art at their Wednesday Art After Hours series.
A modern, local riff on the hawker market concept, District 8 is Cabra-Vale Diggers' 600-seat food precinct, promising your tastebuds a trip down the Mekong River, without the flight to Southeast Asia. Here, a diverse lineup of restaurants and food stations delivers authentic flavours from across Vietnam, Thailand, China, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. You can drop in for a classic Malaysian-style seafood laksa, carb-load on some Asian baked goods or dive into a mammoth 2.8-kilogram bowl of pho for $35. Yep, you'll definitely need your stretchy pants for this one. Only available once a year, for the eatery's annual Man vs Pho competition, it's made from 750 grams of noodles, 600 grams of beef, 1050 grams of stock, 360 grams of bean sprouts and 45 grams of Thai basil. You can share it between friends and fam, but if you're well practised in the art of devouring tasty Asian fare, you've also got the chance to win big. Between July 2 and August 28, conquer the super-sized bowl solo in less than 30 minutes and you'll score a $50 District 8 voucher and a t-shirt. If you're one of the ten fastest people to finish it, you'll also qualify for the grand final of the competition, which will be help on September 5. Here the main prize is a huge $3000 travel voucher. Best bring your appetite though — this mega bowl's the equivalent to three regular-sized phos, and last year's winner finished it in 5.35 minutes.
Sydney's two-week celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride is back. Whether you're planning one big blowout at the parade or keen to check out many of the goings about town, one thing's for certain — fun has descended on Sydney. To help you get into gear, we're giving you the chance to wine and dine with two of your mates, plus catch a dazzling night of drag — all on us. Should you be one of the three lucky winners, you'll cop front row seats for you and two friends to one of Broadway Sydney's Mardi Gras shows in the week leading up to the parade (February 24–29). Take your pick from a queer-themed bingo night dubbed Bingay Bingo on Tuesday, February 25; a series of show tunes-inspired skits on Wednesday, February 26; or a drag show of epic proportions on Thursday, February 27, starring Minnie Cooper, Hannah Conda and Decoda Secret and hosted by Tora Hymen. To top things off, we're throwing in a $200 voucher to spend on a pre-show feed and cheeky round of cocktails or bottle of bubbles at one of Broadway's restaurants, including Din Tai Fung, Grill'd, Mamak's Village, Zeus Street Greek, Burger Project and more. Or, you could skip the preamble and head straight to the gig, then splash the cash on a shopping spree later. See details below to enter. [competition]761176[/competition]
It's with a seemingly devil-may-care attitude that A Bigger Splash indulges in the dreams of many, as Tilda Swinton channels her rock star-like essence into actually playing one, and Ralph Fiennes writhes, dances, swims and just generally throws about all of his charms. With Matthias Schoenaerts and Dakota Johnson, they form a smouldering quartet holidaying on an island off of the coast of Italy, eating, drinking, partying and enjoying the kind of sun-drenched, picturesque vacation most can only fantasise about. Of course, situations that appear relaxed and people who come across as carefree rarely remain that way under scrutiny. In loosely remaking the 1969 Italian-French film La Piscine for his English-language debut, director Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love) teams with writer David Kajganich (True Story) to present a picture of ostensible bliss, then breaks down its many moving parts. Swinton's singing superstar Marianne Lane is recovering from a vocal injury that has left her speaking only in whispers, with her cameraman boyfriend Paul (Schoenaerts) keeping her company. Enter Fiennes' Harry Hawkes, Marianne's ex-producer, ex-lover and whirlwind of a friend who has shared in many of her personal and professional ups and downs. His arrival is unexpected, as is the fact that he has his newly discovered adult daughter Penelope (Johnson) in tow. The movie flirts with a dark, devious tone, teasing the desire-fuelled tension that simmers between the four characters, particularly in light of Marianne and Harry's shared past, as well as the obvious attraction Penelope quickly harbours towards Paul. Still, there's little that's surprising in A Bigger Splash. The best movies manage to present insights into human behaviour that feel inevitable, relatable and still revelatory, which the movie manages at times. Yet it's equally as fond of simply luxuriating in the company of its characters, and in their lush backdrop, as it is dissecting their relationships. With cinematographer Yorick Le Saux (Clouds of Sils Maria) ensuring every image looks like it could have been lifted from a postcard or glossy magazine spread, and the main cast as ablaze as the visuals, the feature's affection for both is understandable. The combination of Swinton and Fiennes proves mesmerizing — and while the always-enigmatic former is in her element in a largely non-verbal role, it is the latter that steals the show. If ever an actor could capture the all-round force-of-nature that is Harry, it's Fiennes. That Schoenaerts and Johnson seem somewhat subdued in his shadow is more a reflection of his prominence than of their individual performances. Accordingly, A Bigger Splash is a film filled with standout, cast-fuelled moments that dare you to try to peel your eyes away: Harry letting loose to the Rolling Stones' aptly titled 'Emotional Rescue', the glimpses of Marianne's past glories, and the glances shared between Penelope and Paul chief among them. It's also a feature in which the triumphs linger, overpowering the less effective aspects, though never quite erasing them. Given the importance of music to the four main players, the end result comes to resemble an album that can't find the right balance between its smash hits and its non-single tracks, but keeps you listening over and over again regardless.
So, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. They're commonly known as 'Odd Future' or their acronym, which not only looks like some kind of ultra-new internet abbreviation but doubles as an onomatopoeic rendering of many people's reactions to their lyrics. They have a tumblr, where they release music and videos. People are freaking out about them. A loose affiliation of skaters, filmmakers and rappers they say number somewhere in the sixties, Odd Future's break into public consciousness has come about through viral spread of the music and videos they put up for free and a media frenzy that's seen everyone from Pitchfork and NME to The Village Voice and The Poetry Foundation and The New Yorker finding them irresistibly coverable. It's not a simple case of Next Big Thingness, though: odd Future are almost as likely to be called the beginning of the end. Their lyrics (Rap Genius provides a good repository of these with fan interpretations) are, um, not exactly not problematic: the rhymes of group founder Tyler the Creator (19) and the mysteriously absent Earl Sweatshirt (16 and theorised to be at a reform school in Samoa) and the rest of the Gang are remarkable for their disaffectedness. Not a verse goes by without some kind hypersexualised ultraviolence and/or aggression based on race or sexual orientation, but it doesn't seem to mean that much to them. This is cartoon stuff, like they're trying to see what images they can conjure, and they're not paying any attention to whether or not it's okay to say it — it's authenticity above all else. And whether or not it's fair (and it sure has helped them get big) Odd Future are being judged as a new generation, not on whether they're good creatively but if they're okay human beings. Image: Brook Bobbins, Village Voice
Hands up if you've ever stopped dead on a dance floor after one too many Jager bombs, and quietly pondered the hidden meaning in a badly remixed Britney Spears track and how such lyrical genius could be so grossly underrated. Not lately? Then allow yourself to be schooled in the profundity of pop by musical masters Frisky and Mannish. After pouncing onto the world stage from relative obscurity in 2008 with a mission to re-educate the world as to the plethora of possibilities hidden within such seemingly innocuous hits as Come On Eileen and Thriller the pair have performed to packed houses in New York, Berlin and Leicester Square Theatre in London. The comedy duo will be mashing up and re-working 50 years of pop with their twisted brand of contemporary cabaret at Sydney's Opera House from February. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JzLVAbInQjs
Treating yo'self to tastebud-tempting dishes is what winter is all about — and for one entire month, Salt Meats Cheese is serving up a rather appetising menu that'll do the trick. That'd be its Everyday We're Truffling — Truffle Month lineup, with truffles popping up in all kinds of dishes. Yes, that includes truffle cocktails. Before 2022, SMC only celebrated truffles for a week of the year. But, to the delight of your stomach, it expanded the deliciousness across all of July last year — and it's doing the same in 2023. Accordingly, from Saturday, July 1–Monday, July 31, the Italian chain will be adding truffles to crostini, cacio e pepe, lasagne, pizza and porchetta — so that's five Italian staples covered. And, you can add shaved truffles to any a la carte menu item for $12 as well. You'll need something to wash all of the above down with, so truffle margaritas and truffle martinis are also on offer. Or, you could opt for a non-boozy hibiscus cooler. For dessert, there's truffle cheesecake, aka your new favourite type of cheesecake. Everyday We're Truffling is taking place at all SMC venues during its month-long period, which spans Circular Quay, Drummoyne and Cronulla in Sydney, although the menu varies per venue. And if you're wondering why the Italian chain has suddenly gone truffle crazy, it's to celebrate the Australian truffle season — which is as good a reason as any.
If you've been plotting any food-and-drink-related Victorian adventures of late, you probably already have the newly revamped Continental Sorrento and its suite of new must-visit venues on your radar. But now, you've got a fresh excuse to book that visit, with the coastal precinct's luxury 108-room InterContinental Hotel opening this week. The latest Aussie offering for IHG Hotels & Resorts, the new seaside hotel occupies both a reimagined section of the existing 147-year-old limestone building and a separate newly-built wing. A collection of penthouses is also to come, to be unveiled later this year. Steered by renowned firm Woods Baggot (W Melbourne, Barlow), sophisticated interiors mirror this old-meets-new energy, with plenty of modernised nods to the art deco and Victorian elements the site's rocked in eras past. There's a refined Mediterranean edge to the aesthetic, with sweeping bay vistas and, in each of the premium options, a complimentary in-room bar heroing local craft brews, vino and spirits. Of course, facilities here lean to the fancy, including the blissful cabana-ringed guest-only pool deck, with palms, water views and a look that's plucked straight from your dream Euro beach holiday. Guests also have the Continental Sorrento's full suite of offerings on their doorstep, from the public bar, to fine diner Audrey's upstairs. Gracing the walls throughout the hotel, expect to see a standout art collection, further fusing the past and the present with a broad-ranging curation of works by Aussie artists. Keep an eye out for the reimagined snaps from vintage Mornington Peninsula beach parties, capturing those cool coastal charms through the decades. There's more luxury to come, too, with the site's Aurora Spa & Bathhouse slated to launch later this year, featuring a thermal bathhouse and wellness centre. Find the InterContinental Sorrento at 23 Constitution Hill Road, Sorrento. Rooms start from $595 per night. You can learn more and book a stay over on the website.
A new rooftop bar from a beloved Sydney brewer is set to open on Friday, October 22 in the inner west. Philter Brewing is drawing inspiration from 80s garden bars and Palm Springs with its new sun-soaked rooftop bar on top of its Marrickville brewery and taproom. Since launching a no-fuss XPA four years ago, Philter has become a mainstay in Sydney bottle shops, pubs and bars. Now, the craft beer merchant is trying its hand at facilitating summer beers and cocktails by opening this new rooftop venue, Marrickville Springs. The space is fitted out with pastel-hued tiles, white breeze blocks, a neon bin chicken and a mural from local artist Mielo. "The ibis was a given, nothing says Marrickville like a picnic pirate, but the palm trees shout out to the area, too," Philter Sales and Marketing Director Stef Constantoulas says. "We wanted Marrickville Springs to have a totally different feel to our bar and restaurant downstairs, but it's still very Philter — it's all in the retro touches," Managing Director Mick Niel says. On the rooftop you'll be able to sip Philter's range of beers both on tap and in tins, plus your choice from a reserved wine list and frozen cocktails. Enmore Road joint Jacoby's will be helping out by curating a selection of classic cocktails for the bar. While cracking a beer in the sun is the main attraction at Marrickville Springs, there will also be a selection of typical but tasty bar snacks including dinner party favourite prawn cocktails and tasting boards decked out with locally sourced cheese. The bar will be open to walk-ins, but if you're heading out with a large group you can reserve a spot at the Philter Brewing website. Marrickville Springs is located at 92–98 Sydenham Road, Marrickville. It will open on Friday, October 22.
If anyone knows how to throw a tequila festival, it's the agave experts at Sydney's Méjico — Australia's biggest tequila bar, with over 250 different varieties. And that's exactly what it's doing, throwing a celebration of things agave on Saturday, October 6. The four-hour tasting session will takeover the CBD eatery from midday, showcasing over 20 different tequila creations, many of which aren't usually available on Aussie shores. You'll have the chance to chat with some of the country's top tequila suppliers, sip many different agave spirits and maybe a cocktail or too. Ticket prices — $15 online, $25 on the door — include tequila tastings and Méjico's tasty tacos, and it'll be slinging $5 sol and $10 margaritas all day, too.
As 2014 comes to a close, its time to tackle the inevitable question, 'What on earth am I doing for New Year's Eve?'. Less than a month out, Cargo's annual NYE on the Harbour festivities are selling faster than ever. Sure, Cargo might not be your weekly go-to, but this year's NYE lineup — topped with some of Australia's best beatmakers — is a legitimately solid option for a killer night. With the likes of Hermitude, Crooked Colours, Hayden James, Yolanda Be Cool and a mystery DJ set to hit the stage, this dance party is a safe bet for the final hours of 2014. Festival favourites Hermitude, fresh off their US tour, will be headlining the night of nights with their famous hip hop electronica blend. Chuck in the hard synths from Crooked Colours' recent single 'Come Down' (scoring over 250,000 Soundcloud hits), and the up-and-coming spins of Hayden James (returning his tour across the States alongside RUFUS), NYE on the Harbour will deliver its annual dose of good vibes to bring 2015 in with a bang. Image: James Ambrose.
Joyful, wise, sad and scary. These are the words a little girl used to describe The Book of Everything to me after the show. She was nine years old, as is Thomas Klopper, the hero of Guus Kuijer's acclaimed story. I asked her what she thought of it because I found it genuinely frightening in parts and deeply distressing in others. I was forgetting that children don't come to a show with the same emotional baggage as adults; they’re less concerned with the shades of grey in characters. The Book of Everything certainly tackles some big issues, like domestic abuse, postwar faith and paternal power, but it's ultimately an uplifting story about a scared boy who learns how to be brave. Even though his father has told him (in his stern pedant's tone) that the only important books are about God, Thomas Klopper is determined to write a book about — you guessed it — everything. Into the book go his wildest hopes, fears and imaginings: tropical fish swimming in the canal, a deluge of divine frogs during summer, the son of God strolling through suburban Amsterdam. Thomas also jots down his greatest wish: to be happy when he grows up. A humungous duplicate of Thomas’s diary dominates Kim Carpenter's set, and in it are Thomas's drawings of the Klopper home, the fishy canal, the forbidding church and Mrs van Amersfoort's witch’s lair. We (literally) get the picture that what Thomas really wants is for the people around him to be happy as he turns its pages with pride and pleasure. The rest of the stage is empty save for a wooden table and some chairs, and members of the cast skilfully manage the sound effects both on and off stage. This works splendidly in scenes where Thomas’s love interest — a beautiful girl with a creaky leather leg — tries to get close to skittish Thomas with varied success. Adapted for the stage by Richard Tulloch, this production is commissioned by Kim Carpenter’s Theatre of Image and directed by Neil Armfield. Set in postwar Amsterdam in 1951, the play has a certain old-timey, quaint quality that makes Thomas’s childish fantasies all the more enchanting. That said, the sometimes confronting subject matter hints darkly at the depth of understanding that children are capable of, and the violence, though stylised, is unsettling. We see Thomas retreat, again and again, into his imaginary life as all the wrong in the world overwhelms him. Maybe though, that’s the point — and what children know but adults tend to forget is that words, books and whimsy can provide strength and solace in the pursuit of happiness.
Compton was the epicenter of West Coast hip-hop in the late 1980s and early 1990s. NWA and then Dr Dre were the gangsta kings of Californian rap, so it’s appropriate that Dre has lent his approval to the new kid on the block, Kendrick Lamar, who hails from the same suburb in Los Angeles. Dre appears on and executively produced Lamar’s second album Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, and although it’s unlikely Dre will land in Sydney any time soon, Lamar will perform a first show at the Metro on December 14 and a second at the Enmore on the 20th. A member of LA collective Black Hippy, Lamar released his first album Section 8.0 last year after the obligatory run of free mixtapes. The 24-year-old rapper has already sold out his first Sydney show, so hip-hop fans are likely to be queuing on Gumtree and round the block come December. Apparently a significant moment of Lamar’s creative life was witnessing Dre and Tupac Shakur film the video for California Love in 1995. Fast forward 17 years, and Lamar is bringing his West Coast love to Sydney. Tickets to Kenrick Lamar's second show at the Enmore go on sale Wednesday, 31 October at 9am.
If you like your music with a massive dash of old-school soul, get yo' self along to the Alabama Shakes' one and only Sydney show. The bluesing, rocking quartet got together five years ago, while they were all still in high school, and have since evolved into a seriously powerful live act, fronted by gutsy vocalist Brittany Howard. Rolling Stone journo Will Hermes describes her as the "soul-queen anti-diva, not afraid to sweat, howl, rock Rubenesque curves, shred on her turquoise Gibson SG or bust geeky dance moves". Their 2012 debut album, Boys and Girls, sold more than half a million copies and inspired a 2013 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Meanwhile, Rolling Stone named their single 'Hold On' (which has now clocked up 11 million-plus hits) 2012's Number One Song. As if all of this wasn't reason enough to get you down to the Enmore, the Shakes will be sharing the bill with street-dweller-turned-soul-star Charles Bradley, who was 62-years-old when his 2011 debut album, No Time for Dreaming, transfixed global attention.
We've got your next date night or that gift for the hard-to-buy-for special someone in your life sorted. Shell House's Dining Room is opening up its kitchen so guests can treat themselves to a new culinary experience offering an up-close glimpse at the artistry that goes into creating a top-quality meal. Seated at the kitchen pass, guests will have a front-row seat to the action of a professional kitchen as they are guided through a bespoke five-course dinner. Showcasing extraordinary Australian produce, each special menu is curated by Culinary Director Joel Bickford and Head Chef Brad Guest. To up the ante, food and beverage director Alex Kirkwood has teamed up with Head Sommelier Eduardo Fritis-Lamora to tie together both food and drink elements with a paired beverage list for each course, for only an additional $75 per person. Guests can book from Thursday, September 5 for this unique dining adventure. Priced at $165 per person, each sitting is limited to two lucky guests a night, so a reservation is a must.
Is The Internship an ad for Google? Sure. Should you care? No, not really. Well not unless you use Bing, in which case, who the hell are you anyway? Stop reading this review and go back to Friendster. Written by Jared Stern and Vince Vaughn (who also stars in, and produced, the film) it tells the story of two 40-somethings (Vaughn and Owen Wilson) who lose their jobs as salesmen and decide an internship at Google is their best chance for a new start. With the promise of employment for the top team of interns at the end of the summer, Vaughn and Wilson find themselves competing against an army of ultra-smart 21-year-olds, including those within their own team, as their age and lack of tech savviness see them quickly ostracised. Even the staff at Google are largely suspicious or dismissive of the duo, especially the work-absorbed Rose Byrne (who comes complete with Australian accent and all). Slowly but surely, however, Vaughn and Wilson begin to win over their skeptics thanks to a handful of '80s movie references and some unbridled old-school enthusiasm. It's been eight years since Vaughn and Wilson partnered up for the highly successful Wedding Crashers, and given the obvious charm of the duo it's remarkable it's taken this long to bring them back together. Both put in more subtle performances than audiences are accustomed to and the result makes for a far more enjoyable film. There's still some farce in there, and it's a tad too long, but by and large The Internship is a surprisingly old-fashioned and heartwarming comedy that invites you to indulge in barracking for the underdog.
Orange's annual culinary fest starts this week with its beloved night market kicking everything off on Friday night. Orange FOOD Week prides itself on being one of the best food festivals in Australia and maintaining strong community support, which is all reflected at this popular market focusing on locally grown and harvested produce. Run by the true blue locals of Orange, the markets exude a cosy vibe and give the area's producers and providores a chance to showcase their fresh fruit and veg, artisanal goods and award-winning wines, beers and ciders. With great eats, drinks and live music, the outdoor autumnal atmosphere in Robertson Park is exactly the setting you'd have in mind for a communal harvest dinner under the stars. Orange FOOD Week Night Market takes place in Robertson Park on Friday, April 6 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.
"You're to come away at once, out of danger. I've got a motor-car and a basket of strawberries and a bottle of Château Peyraguey — which isn't a wine you've ever tasted, so don't pretend. It's heaven with strawberries." Lord Sebastian Flyte also has loads of charm and country-house, smart London and Oxford clothes, which he wears lazily, rumpled and unselfconscious in his "epicene beauty". With the sense of both obviousness and frivolity in his dress, he makes a most wonderful subject for dress-ups — something about which bams & ted know no little amount. This peripatetic dress-up party and pop-up vintage store have been running character-themed events at spaces with character over this year, decorating the venue and visitors in period and personal styles. They are now turning their hand to Sebastian (from Evelyn Waugh's classic Brideshead Revisited) — a lovely figure of well-mannered pleasure-seeking and a sad one of escapism from the pressures of 1920s British aristocracy. This figure is draped in bespoke tweeds, "postbox-red pyjamas", pink hunting jackets and white flannels, and is more than lissom enough for these to be laid out for the ladies. The opening night party is from 6 to 9pm on June 3. Consult Locksmith or "Aloysius, that pompous old bear", for subsequent opening hours.
Screening at Sydney's Ritz Cinemas in Randwick between Thursday, February 16–Tuesday, March 7, Europa! Europa Film Festival is back for its second year, after debuting in 2022 with an impressive lineup. This time around, there's 29 movies on the bill from 24 different countries, covering everything from awards contenders to beloved masterpieces. Hailing from France, eco-thriller The Blaze will kick things off, while Europa! Europa 2023 will come to a close with the Judi Dench- and Jennifer Saunders-starring British drama Allelujah. In-between, the range of flicks includes fare from Italy, Estonia, Ukraine and Croatia, plus Georgia, Spain, Germany and Romania. The list goes on, with France particularly well-represented. Gallic cinema buffs, consider this your warm up for the upcoming Alliance Française French Film Festival. An absolute must-see, especially if you've never had the pleasure before on a big screen, is Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colours Trilogy. With Three Colours: Blue starring Juliette Binoche (The Staircase), Three Colours: Red led by Irène Jacob (The OA) and Three Colours: White focusing on Julie Delpy (the Before trilogy), this trio of masterpieces are among the most influential international films of the past three decades. Each one will show as a 4K restoration, too. Among the new titles, eight movies on Europa! Europa's bill were submitted as their country's entries for this year's Best International Feature Film Oscar. Highlights include Armenian documentary Aurora's Sunrise, which tells a 14-year-old genocide survivor's story; Safe Place from Croatia, which unfurls its story over 24 hours; and Moldova's dark comedy Carbon, about the effects of war. Or, there's Il Boemo from Czech Republic, which steps through opera composer Josef 'Il Boemo' Myslivecek's tale — and road-trip effort Orchestra from Slovenia. Elsewhere, illness drama More Than Ever stars Vicky Krieps (Bergman Island), alongside Gaspard Ulliel (Moon Knight) in his last role; La Vie En Rose director Olivier Dahan is still in biopic mode, with Simone: Woman of the Century telling French feminist icon Simone Veil's tale; Wunderschön, about five women in Germany, was the country's highest-grossing local film of the 2022 box office; and the Charlotte Gainsbourg (Sundown)-starring The Accusation heads Down Under after premiering at the Venice Film Festival.
MOP has a lot of possibilities for the thrill-seeking art enthusiast. For one thing, you can walk straight through from the Abercrombie Street entrance to a point where the gallery stops and there's a roughly 4-foot drop into a back-alley, so it's good for getaways. And sure, also, in a less shifty sense, they provide excitement by way of emerging artists and those in mid-career without commercial representation. But say you do actually want to use MOP as part of a getaway plan, the current hang would be pretty much ideal. Walk in, collect a tiny torch and duck through the black curtains into the dark of Gallery 2, where Wayde Owen's The Shape I'm In offers viewers a set of wall-mounted constructions in which heads and faces are surrounded and surmounted by wooden frames and geometric models that make cool and scary shapes when you play with the aforementioned torch. Your pursuer, already baffled, then has to deal with the confusing content and absorbingly lovely colours and compositions of Emily Portmann's Play Terrain, a series in which the artist has photographed herself acting out parts of children's games in ex-industrial spaces on Cockatoo Island. And then there's Bababa International's New Movement — and what an 'and then' it is! A project exploring the interplay between transport and the occupation of space, it's comprised of noticeboards of diagrams and drawings, of models for future constructions, of photographs, and of cakes(!), and there are going to be interactive shoe-making workshops so you can maybe make yourself some more cushioned and aerodynamic kicks for the big jump and final chase down the alley. Image: Bababa International, Problem World Publicity Image 2011
It was inevitable that Vino Paradiso, the sprawling wine and food festival, would be a hit with Sydneysiders — with our insatiable love for great local booze and outstanding food. A couple of years later, and it's still going strong, bringing great vino to The Rocks and offering a great day out for nix. Vino Paradiso's outdoor fun will run from November 18 to 19 and will feature more than 100 stalls with some of the biggest (and smallest) names in the food and beverage game. On the agenda: more than 500 different tipples, plus collaborations between Black Star Pastry and The Rocks Brewing Co, Burgers By Josh and Young Henry', and Simmone Logue and Torbreck Wine. And if you're wanting something truly special, this year's fest includes Dinner in the Sky, which is exactly what it sounds like — a meal served at a dining table suspended over Sydney Harbour. As well as getting as well-fed and boozed as possible (or until your budget runs out, with entry free but eating and drinking requiring the use of the festival's currency cards), attendees will enjoy a plethora of cultural delights with live music, interactive exhibits and installations, ambient music collaborations and visual artistry. What more could you ask for? Oh right, stunning views of the Opera House and harbour, even if you aren't dangling at lofty heights? Done. Cheers. By Imogen Baker and Sarah Ward.
Two romantic comedies are on the program for the fifth incarnation of Sydney Hills Shakespeare in the Park, presented by inventive and critically loved theatre company Sport for Jove and held at Bella Vista Farm. Adam Cook will direct Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, while Damien Ryan (Hamlet) will tackle Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac. Though written 300 years apart — the former in 1598 and the latter in 1897 — the two works have much in common. Both tell the stories of professional soldiers, who have the courage to face the frontline and yet lack the nerve to confess their love. Both explore the use of wit and pretence to conceal vulnerability and fear. Both question the implications of non-conformity. Local secondary students will also be flexing their dramatic muscles via three special performances of brand new play Exit, Pursued by a Bear, delivered through Sport for Jove's education initiative, the Second Age Project. It's a bit out of town, but the quality of Sport for Jove's productions and the lure of a canopy of stars leads to sell-out crowds each year. There's no better way to inject a bit of drama into your weekend excursions.
87. Just hold onto that number for a moment. We’ll come back to it. In the meantime, some science, for it is in the science of Concussion where this movie shines brightest. Science, and specifically statistical analysis, is not a precise art. It recognises that there will always exist the possibility of chance being the driving factor behind any set of results. Accordingly, for a theory to gain credence, it must first secure what is known as statistical significance – a minimum threshold above which results are deemed to be more than coincidence. But what if the only way for you to meet that threshold – the only way to prove to the world that you were right – was for people to die? Such was the fascinating (if also deeply disturbing) dilemma facing Nigerian-born American forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu in 2002. Omalu had been called upon to autopsy a beloved former NFL player named Mike Webster, and concluded that the cause of Webster's death was cognitive disfunction resulting from repeated and severe blows to the head – a condition Omalu ultimately named chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Put another way, Omalu theorised that playing NFL was akin to almost guaranteeing some form of brain damage. Webster’s case alone, however, was not enough to prove CTE’s existence. Omalu needed a minimum of three, and since CTE could only be established post-mortem, he had to wait for more NFL players to die in order to test it. Of the many tragedies outlined in Concussion, perhaps the most confronting is quite simply how little time Omalu had to spend waiting. Concussion, then, is to football what The Insider was to cigarettes, with the National Football League playing the role of Big Tobacco. The Outsider, in fact, would have made an equally appropriate title for this film, because if being Nigerian in America wasn’t already hard enough on Omalu, the NFL’s attempts to brand him 'the man who wants to kill football' rendered him about as un-American as could be imagined. And yet he persisted, and such is the substance of this tale. As already indicated, the science of Concussion is compelling and extraordinary, matched only by the performance of its leading man, Will Smith. Sporting a disarming smile and an impressively consistent accent, Smith puts in his best performance in years – a fine accomplishment made all the more impressive given the less-than-spectacular script he had to work with. Concussion, in its efforts to render this a one man vs the world saga, spends far too much time dealing with Omalu’s home life and not nearly enough grappling with the two biggest questions raised by his research: how much did the NFL know, and how long did they know it? For a film about the extreme, even fatal impacts in NFL, Concussion lands an unreasonably soft blow against the corporation that kept these dangers a secret from its players. Which brings us back to the number 87. That’s where the count now stands in terms of deceased former players who’ve tested positive for CTE. Even more shockingly, that’s 87 out of a total of 91 tested – a statistical return of 96%. Concussion tells merely the opening stages of a story that is still alive and well to this day. Tragically, that's more than can be said of many of the characters who’ve taken part in its telling. As such, while the film is undoubtedly confronting, it's not nearly critical enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io6hPdC41RM
Sydney will be graced with the presence of the inimitable Grace Jones, the vocal talent and dynamic diva who has been stirring up the music world since the 1970s, with hits like 'Warm Leatherette' and 'Pull up to the Bumper'. In her return to Australia this April, she's bringing her jaw-dropping Hurricane tour with her. Jones has been deemed 'amazing Grace' for her ability to effortlessly switch from her natural contralto tone to soprano, a skill that she only seems to improve upon every time she takes the stage. Her performing prowess, androgynous finesse and outrageous costumes will have you in awe. In fact, she's known for breaking tradition and pushing the limits. "I've always been a rebel," Jones wrote on her website, The World of Grace Jones. "I never do things the way they're supposed to be done. Either I go in the opposite direction or I create a new direction for myself, regardless of what the rules are or what society says." Grace Jones is an force of nature not to be reckoned with, but has a voice that shouldn't go unheard. https://youtube.com/watch?v=oTm9gDwwMZk
The month of September is starting off with a bang — Sydney Fringe Festival's massive citywide takeover has kicked off with a 400-strong event program. Among this month-long celebration of all things arts and culture, the festivities will also be taking over the bustling precinct of Sydney Place. Strap yourselves in — there is a lot on. Kicking off on Friday, September 1, Sydney Place is transforming into a live gallery called the Art Walk, where it'll host works by the likes of world-renowned artist James Gulliver Hancock, Sydney-based illustrator Lauren Webster and First Nations artist David Cragg. You'll be met with two art vending machines, from which you'll be able to take home a piece of your own (and every purchase is donated to the Women and Girls Emergency Centre); Micke Lindebergh's huge staircase installation; and a big, intriguing red button labelled 'DO NOT PRESS' — opt to ignore the instruction and you'll discover an unexpected surprise. Plus, the fest will continue to push the envelope with a theatrical, AI-led bar — the Dream Bar — where you can generate a personally-curated drink from your dream input. There's also an colourful block party hitting the precinct on Saturday, September 9 — but it's for one night only. It'll boast roaming artists like Diesel Darling and Kerrie Stanley and a pop-up from the Poof Doof Pride Patrol truck. You can also expect live drag, and theatre and cabaret performances from the likes of Porcelain Alice, Vybe, Eli Crawford and Ivy Leaguee. You'll also be able to score special promotions from select vendors at the one-night block party — including 20-percent off ToastieSmith sandos, $5 pho and bánh mì from Eat Fuh, Dopa by Devon's $10 mini dons, $5 single scoops for C9 Chocolate & Gelato's first 50 customers and free tattoos by Thirteen Feet Tattoo for the first 30 people to hit up the parlour. Alongside the array of active installations, the festival's takeover is offering up exclusive food and drink happy hours — and there's no shortage of bites and sips to choose from. Bar Besuto will be doing $5 mini steak frites with every drink purchased, Open Sesame will serve up $5 falafel plates and the Bourke and Ward pop-up bar will boast $7 drink specials to round out the selection. These weekly specials, however, will only run on Thursdays from September 14 until September 28 from 4pm–6pm.
It's safe to say Gami Chicken and Beer has secured its status as one of Australia's go-to fried chicken joints, slinging its signature, Korean-style chook from 23 locations across the country. Now, it's set to launch its third Sydney store on Market Street in the CBD. And, to celebrate, Gami is giving Sydneysiders a few very good reasons to jump on board, handing out a whopping 1000 pieces of its boneless fried chicken — for free. These fried chicken morsels — RSPCA-approved and rocking Gami's signature blend of 17 herbs and spices — will be up for grabs at midday and again 5pm, on both Thursday, October 3 and Friday, October 4 at the new location. The chain has yet to mention any restrictions, such as one piece per person, but there will only be 250 pieces available at each session — so you should head in early if you want a freebie. Once you're hooked, you're probably going to want to schedule a return visit pretty quick, to try other Gami favourites like the chicken spare ribs, the vegetarian chicken and the aptly named Potato Heaven, featuring three layers of cheesy potato goodness. Sydney-exclusive dishes will be on the menu, too, like beef bulgogi and a chicken parma. And if you can't make it down for a free piece, the Market Street store is already open for lunch and dinner daily.
The Rocks gets into Art Month with an open studio run by the National Institute for Experimental Arts (NIEA), under the umbrella of its Pop Up program. NEIA's space features the Match Box Projects' Sydney Portraits, which invites fresh contributions to their picture of the city, as well as contributions from David Langley, Grace Kingston and Bernardo Bento. Alongside Factory 49, which takes a brutalist-like approach to the raw materials of art, AMBUSH Gallery's Project Five restages prints from previous Project Five shows, before Auctioning off four new, large-scale works to benefit multicultural arts star ICE. Down and upstairs, 47 George St, the Rocks. Wednesday - Sundays in March. Factory 49's show opens Thursday March 8 at 6pm. Project Five has its launch 6pm on March 9, with painting continuing until March 11. The artists will be in conversation from 11am on March 12, and the auction starts March 22 at 6pm. Image by E.L.K. For more info on Art Month 2012, check out our Ten Best Things to See and at Art Month 2012.
This editorial is sponsored by our partner, King Street Wharf. Here is a nearly impossible thing: to find a lunch under $10 in the middle of the CBD that doesn't make your soul weep a little. Sydney is an expensive place, and a lot of the time lunch ends up being an overpriced sandwich made on stale bread or a sad looking bento box eaten hastily on a park bench. But if you head down to King Street Wharf over the next three months, until June 13, you'll find things are a little different. Home to waterfront restaurants like Kobe Jones, Cargo Bar, The Malaya and Bungalow 8, the stretch of land clutching the eastern shore of Darling Harbour has launched an unprecedented program of lunchtime specials. Designed specifically for time-strapped office workers, the restaurants of King Street Wharf are offering takeaway meals and menus priced between $10 and $20. And there's no stale bread or overpriced sushi in sight. Below, we present you with out pick of the best meals under $10 available at King Street Wharf. 1. 150-day Grain-Fed Rump from Cargo Bar A decent steak at a price that doesn't make your wallet wince is a terribly difficult thing to find in Sydney. Yet Cargo Bar is offering a 150-day grain-fed rump for a mere $10, served with salad, chips and sauce. 2. Japanese Chicken Amiyaki Burger from Wharf Teppanyaki Wharf Teppanyaki have a great selection of Japanese meals under $10, including tofu dengaku and barramundi fillet, but our pick is the chicken amiyaki burger, a Japanese-style burger served with either salad or teriyaki potatoes. 3. Panko-crumbed John Dory from Bungalow 8 Bungalow 8 is one of the few — possibly the only — places in Sydney where you can get a whole suckling pig and eat it in their waterfront beer garden. While they sadly aren't offering a whole pig for $10, you can get a fancy version of fish and chips: panko-crumbed John Dory served with salad and fries. 4. Sliced Ham, Mozzarella and Baby Spinach Sandwich from La Cita La Cita have one of the best lunchtime menus at King Street Wharf, including quesadillas for $20 and pizzas for $15. For a mere $10 you can get a sliced ham, mozzarella and baby spinach sandwich on wholemeal, homemade bread. 5. Wagyu Steak Sandwich from Wharf Teppanyaki Wagyu beef is the Tiffany's of all beef products. The cows it comes from were healthy and happy, and their meat has a delicious flavour due to the fat marbled through it. It can also be terrifically expensive. But at Wharf Teppanyaki, you can buy a wagyu steak sandwich for a mere $10, with salad or teriyaki potatoes thrown into the bargain as well.
In what could be a nice new trend for the Australian music scene, a small British invasion is taking place and the first group riding the wave is the psychedelic indie band, TOY. As part of a new live music series, Bulmers Underground, TOY are on their way to Australia to headline shows in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. The band, formed in 2010, have wasted no time over the past 3 years making a name for themselves, woth various members coming from moderately successful bands in the past. The music that TOY creates are distorted rock’n’roll concoctions that evoke the psychedelic peaks of the 70’s, but are contorted and refined so as to make the music contemporary and refreshing. TOY’s debut album sold out of its initial pressing not long after release, and have since gone on to perform with The Horrors and Primal Scream. Be sure to grab a ticket before they are all snapped up, and keep your eyes peeled for more international guests from Bulmers Underground.
You asked — and Cadbury has gone and delivered. The confectionary giant has responded to hordes of over-eager fans and brought one of its most beloved creations back onto Aussie shelves: the humble but widely worshipped Caramilk. Cadbury has confirmed that its former fan favourite, with its golden-hued concoction of caramel and white chocolate, will indeed be making a comeback, returning to local supermarkets across the country from tomorrow, Wednesday, October 2. And, if you fancy being one of the first to get your mitts on the relaunched Caramilk, you can even nab a freebie this Wednesday, October 2. Cadbury will be handing out 1000 free Caramilk blocks at Town Hall and Central stations from 7am. Understandably, there are plenty of sweet-toothed Aussies who are salivating at the prospect — not least of all, those in the Facebook groups dedicated to requesting its return — and the blocks are expected to move quickly. The first 500 sold on eBay last week in just 28 minutes, so you better get to Woolies early tomorrow. They'll be available to buy for $4.80.
New South Wales' stunning natural sights are about to get a hefty upgrade — or the paths, picnic spots and other facilities that help everyone enjoy the state's gorgeous surroundings, to be accurate. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the NSW government will commit $50 million towards revamping the walking tracks scattered throughout the state's national parks, including improvements to public barbecues, picnic areas and more. The full details will be unveiled in the NSW budget on June 19. The Sydney Harbour Scenic Walk and the city's Royal National Park are both set to benefit, which means your weekend wanders will as well. The former will gain a new three-kilometre track that'll connect Georges Heights and Middle Head, while the latter is getting elevated boardwalks along the stretch from Garie Beach to Otford, plus visitor facilities at Wattamolla, among other improvements. Parks in Port Stephens, the Tweed and Byron region, and along both the Macleay Valley Coast and the South Coast will also receive a boost — and you might want to factor the Ben Boyd National Park near Eden into your future travel plans. It's set to score a new 39-kilometre coastal walk that'll take four days to complete, with accommodation huts built along the route. Via Sydney Morning Herald. Image: Wittylama via Wikicommons.
The rapid redevelopment of the Sydney CBD shows no sign of slowing, with Lendlease's $1.6-billion Circular Quay development proposal now including a remodelling of Jacksons on George. As the three-storey venue currently stands — consisting of Magners Rooftop Cider Bar, PJ's Irish Whiskey Bar and Temple Bar — it is essentially your run-of-the-mill pub catering mainly to CBD visitors and commuters. While it has remained an after-work haunt for years, it could definitely do with an upgrade. The venue has already closed its doors in preparation for its demolition next month, which will see it undergo quite the transformation. According to new renders and plans released by Lendlease, the new "social destination" will still span three levels, including a gastropub, restaurant, and an open-air rooftop bar overlooking the planned public plaza and laneways. Designed by award-winning, Sydney-based architecture firm Stewart Hollenstein, the space will feature active edges and open frontages, all of which are designed to enhance social interaction within the venue and with the city below. The renders are certainly a huge, futuristic leap from the existing building, and we must say they do look pretty schmick. The venue's facade will be distinguished by a ceramic tile exterior that wraps around the building, with the curved form meant to resemble a boat, paying homage to the building's past life as a boat yard. The development application for the structure hasn't been approved yet though — it's currently under assessment by the Central Sydney Planning Committee. The new venue will be connected to Lendlease's Circular Quay development, which also includes a 55-storey office tower, a mixed-use podium and ground-floor retail laneways that seek to link the Sydney CBD with Circular Quay. Though other closings and redevelopments have left us feeling blue — including the sale of the iconic Sirius Building — this is a change that could add to Circular Quay.
Whether you think you can dance or know for a fact that you can't, we have got a hell of a midweek for you. Held each and every Tuesday evening at 107 Projects in Redfern, Groove Therapy is a relaxed, hour-long dance class for the aspiring street dancer in all of us. There's no pressure, no recitals and — most importantly — no mirrors. Indeed, the workshops are designed for beginner students who might feel intimidated by a more professional environment. Don't let that fool you though, because the instructors are legit, and will have you popping and locking in no time. It's perfect for those of us who dream of burning up the dance floor, but have never had the moves to back it up. Image: Kurt Davies
For three weeks in February, Sydney's streets will come alive with dance and martial arts performances in a huge cultural celebration. The Lunar Lantern Community Performance Program will see 1000 performers take to the streets from over 40 local Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese and Thai groups. The performances will happen every Friday and Saturday night beginning on Friday, January 27. They're also being split across two locations: the Westpac Lunar Lantern Hub in Martin Place and outside Customs House in Circular Quay. With so much planned, it's easy to be overwhelmed, but there are a few highlights you definitely shouldn't miss. On Friday, February 3 and Saturday, February 4, Martin Place will let loose for 'Massaoke' — a mass karaoke singalong that will also feature live music and traditional lion dance performances. Make sure you see the CNY Festival Dancers on Saturday, January 28, Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11. Their performance has been choreographed by Performance Director Virginia Ferris with input from Festival Curator Claudia Chan Shaw. At the other end of the city, there will also be more lion dances in Chinatown.
Last week, KFC offered 25 percent off its entire menu for three days. Not one to be outdone, Korean fried chicken joint Gami has just launched its own finger licken' good offering. From now until 11.59pm on Wednesday, May 20, it's offering 20 percent off all orders of $20 or more. To get your hands on its tasty fried chicken morsels — RSPCA-approved and rocking Gami's signature blend of 17 herbs and spices — you'll need to download its app (available for both Android and iOS) and enter GAMIATHOME at checkout. And it's also offering free delivery, too, from participating venues through DoorDash. With 26 stores across Australia — including 17 in Melbourne and four in Sydney — Gami has secured its status as one of Australia's go-to fried chicken joints. As well as its signature Korean-style chook, it's serving spicy seafood soup, chicken katsu burgers, kimchi pancakes, tteok bok ki and cheesy corn. Gami's 20 percent off deal is available until 11.59pm on Wednesday, May 20. Use GAMIATHOME at checkout. You can use the code five times.
The excitement of most annual holidays starts to wear off as you get older. You realise that bunny rabbits don’t generally grow taller than a couple of feet, you start having to buy more Christmas gifts than you actually receive, and spending New Years Day hung over and full of regret kinda puts a damper on the idea of new beginnings. One holiday that only gets better as you age, however, is Halloween. It’s the holiday where all you’re basically expected to do is get loose and act da fool, which is a fun thing to do regardless of your age. This is, of course, unless you’re stuck at home and have to repeatedly get up off the sofa to give away all your candy to small children. So avoid this situation and make the most of a holiday we really know very little about by doing things like dressing up, drinking something called Green Juice and engaging in various Halloween antics to the sounds of Dead China Doll, Unity Floors, Dreamtime, Anonymeye and The Fighting League. Another thing that makes Halloween so great is that you can adjust the date to something more convenient if it happens to fall on an annoying weekday, so all of these things will be going down at Dirty Shirlows on Friday. Contact the organisers via their Facebook page for location details. Image by Irargerich.
Beloved social enterprise Two Good Co has been serving up tasty breakfast and lunch options from its cafe and shop in Darlinghurst's Yirranma Place since 2022. It also sells products from ethically minded local businesses including Hunter Candles and Gelato Messina, all while raising funds to support vulnerable women by providing pathways out of crisis living. One of Two Good Co's most-popular initiatives is its Chef of the Month series, which invites a well-known chef or culinary team to create special limited-edition menu items. Kylie Kwong, Maggie Beer, Peter Gilmore, Mitch Orr and Matt Moran have all been on curating duties in the past — and in June 2024, Claire Van Vuuren, the acclaimed chef and owner of Bloodwood, is on the pots. Beyond the kitchen, Van Vuuren is also a founding Board Member of Women in Hospitality, an advocacy not-for-profit that was formed in 2016 to champion the career development of women in the largely male-dominated hospitality industry. Available until Sunday, June 30, Van Vuuren's menu features two crowd-pleasing savoury dishes and a sweet treat. The vego-friendly selection kicks off with a stacked toastie starring a hearty mushroom bolognese paired with cheese and sandwiched between two slices of crisp toast. A Lebanese-leaning lentil and rice soup is also available, finished with a drizzle of yoghurt, a slice of fresh lemon and a generous coriander garnish, and served with a warm pita bread on the side. Rounding out the offering is a balanced dessert. Indulge in a quince and almond crumble muffin — a nutty and textured bake that pairs perfectly with a morning coffee or an afternoon cuppa.
If you have ever wondered whether or not you were a 9 to 5 person, if you've ever thought about telling that gorgeous girl to stop flirting with your man, or if you've decided to break up with someone, maybe a bodyguard of some sort, but wanted to say that you will always love them, then you've channeled Dolly Parton. She is the voice of more than a generation, she is the voice of love lost and gained all over the world. She is a voice of female empowerment (yes I said it) and though I hear she has a bit of the rough voice (apparently she swears like a trooper), there is no denying the star power and incredible talent of the queen of country music. For the first time in nearly thirty years, Dolly will be heading to our southern shores, and in Sydney for one night only. Tickets go on sale June 20 — make sure you are ready to get yours because who knows when this opportunity will come up again? You may think you don't know her songs, or you may get her confused with Polly Darton from Sesame Street, but just google 'Joelene' and your world will be changed.
Ex-boxer Henry 'Razor' Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) is reluctantly lured out of retirement to settle old scores with long-time personal and professional rival Billy 'The Kid' McDonnen (Robert De Niro) in an exhibition fight. The pair must resolve a disputed match from 30 years earlier, as well as the fact that they were both in love with the same woman, Sally (Kim Basinger). The inciting concept for this film is right there on the uncanny valley-esque photoshopped poster: it's Rocky vs Raging Bull! (Colleagues assure me that others have beaten me to the Rocky and Raging Bullwinkle gags, so there's really little pleasure to be gained here.) You have to wonder what they would have done if De Niro or Stallone had said no. Although given the last decade or so of their respective careers, perhaps this wasn't a huge concern. But one need only imagine the producers turning to, say, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Al Pacino to realise that the film's sole purpose for existing is its very specific casting. Perhaps the Alan Arkin mentor role was originally offered to Kirk Douglas, whose boxer Midge Kelly feature in 1949's Champion. But like Stallone's Expendables franchise, the idea of De Niro and Stallone settling old scores in a boxing ring is an idea that would have been far more exciting about 20 years ago. In 2013, it feels like an afterthought. It's an odd compliment to give a comedy, but I'm going to do it anyway: I like that it's not all that funny. Some of the jokes work, but most fall flat. What's heartening about this is that the film is confident to go for long stretches where they don't even try for a laugh. You can easily imagine the alternate version in which it's simply wall-to-wall bad jokes, and you become thankful you're not watching that version. The ratio of drama to comedy is an odd one, as if the movie can't decide which genre it wants to plant its flag in. It shouldn't work, but sort-of does. If this feels like muted praise, it's deliberate. Grudge Match is one of those ideas that works as a passing joke rather than an actual film, and the finished product should be a gigantic car crash. But the film's brazenness is admirable — it knows why it exists, and wastes no time apologising for the fact — and it is possible to have a good time with it. Just make sure your expectations are suitably lowered first. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1bQSOBJCPQE
Nobody can resist a subtle jab at Tom Cruise, but Com Truise is known for more than just the pun. The New Yorker's been generating buzz ever since appearing on the electronic music scene four years ago. Now, Truise, aka Seth Haley, is touring Australia for the first time, taking him across Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney in a series of intimate sets. Like his name, Com Truise's music is fun and energetic, hailing back to an era of luscious '80s synth. Haley's most recent release, Wave 1, from the faultless Ghostly International label, is a trademark to his signature style — slick production which transforms the otherwise monochrome sounds of today's pop with an eclectic mix of sci-fi sounds, funk beats and drenching bass. It's music that everything feel textured, fuzzy, lo-fi and somewhat rainbow-coloured. Just go with it. Supported by Alba, UV Boi, Future Classic DJs and Yung Coconut.
In April, we farewelled Merivale's American-themed Manly eatery Papi Chulo — and now the hospitality group's second Queen Chow has taken its place. Papi Chulo shut up shop back in April, and the East Esplanade space has since undergone a small refurbishment. Group tables are now topped with lazy susans, tanks filled with live seafood greet guests at the door, and deep greens and dark timbers echo the hues of Queen Chow's sister restaurant in Newtown. With the restaurant also bringing over its signature barbecue roast duck and honey-glazed char siu pork platters, what has remained from the site's former guise is the stunning view out across the sparkling Sydney Harbour. In the kitchen, executive chef Patrick Friesen and dumpling master Eric Koh use Australian ingredients to recreate dishes served up at neighbourhood Chinese restaurants. Oysters — served from an impressive zinc-clad oyster bar — come topped with finger lime, Australian pipis are wok-fried with XO, and Moreton Bay bugs are doused in butter and black pepper. You'll also find Chinese-Australian staples such as sticky honey prawns, Mongolian lamb and deep-fried ice cream. Koh's famed dumplings are expectedly a highlight of the menu, with a lineup of steamed or fried scallop and prawn siu mai, pork xiao long bao, prawn har gau and more. Alongside the food menu, Merivale's group sommelier Frank Moreau has pulled together another impressive wine list, with over 200 wines from across Australia and the world. Queen Chow's reopening is part of Manly Wharf's $9 million dollar makeover, and the restaurant will soon by joined by Rockpool Dining Group's Fratelli Fresh and Sake Restaurants — which are set to open later this year on the Wharf's second storey. Find Queen Chow Manly at Manly Wharf, 22-23 East Esplanade, Manly.
If you're in the camp of people who've chosen avocado over a home loan, then you might as well go all out, right? Well, this autumn, there's no better way to do that than at Sydney's new eight-week avocado festival Kiss my Hass. The brainchild of restaurateur Ibby Moubadder (Cuckoo Callay, Nour, Henrietta, Lilymu), this food celebration will see Cuckoo Callay in Surry Hills pay tribute to Australia's favourite smashable green fruit with a limited-edition lineup of special avo dishes. They'll be available in store from Tuesday, April 13–Friday, June 11 — whenever the cafe's kitchen is operating. These are a far cry from your basic guac-on-toast situation, too. Expect inventive plates like the tahini avocado on Lebanese saj bread ($26), a potato and pea burger sandwiched in a vibrant avocado bun ($21), spiced avocado tostadas ($25), and buttermilk togarashi avocado chips teamed with a gochujang aioli ($14). There's even a range of avocado-infused desserts — like the avo, white chocolate and matcha mousse ($12) — plus drinks, including an avo affogato, or avogato ($6) and a punchy jalapeno tequila concoction ($16).
Winter is here and, unlike the disappointing Game of Thrones finale, the change of weather is actually a good thing. The new season brings with it that cosy jeans-and-sweater weather and crisp, invigorating air — all of which means you can spend the majority of your time cosied up next to a fireplace. While Sydney is known for its sunshine and beaches, it doesn't mean the city stops once the temperature drops. In fact, there are many activities worth getting out from under the doona for — some indoorsy, some outdoorsy. So you don't miss out on any of these winter happenings, we've partnered with Tanqueray to bring you some top activities to tackle this season. From getting snug in a cinema for Sydney Film Festival to ice skating at Bondi Beach, there's plenty to keep you entertained with, of course, a gin in hand. CELEBRATE WORLD GIN DAY What better way to kick off winter (aka gin season) than with a whole day dedicated to your favourite spirit? World Gin Day falls on Saturday, June 8 this year — the start to the Queen's birthday long weekend. So, in honour of this spirit and Australia's undying love for it, hit the streets and head to any bar in town. If you're a gin aficionado though, you'll be best perched at one of Sydney's best gin bars. Try a whole range of gins at The Barber Shop with Tanqueray London Dry, Bloomsbury, Lovage, Old Tom, Rangpur, Sevilla and Tanqueray Ten all on offer to create a top-notch G&T or martini. Or at Gin Lane, you can go for one of several Tanqueray cocktails, with old school options like the Aviation, with Tanqueray, maraschino liqueur, creme de violet and fresh-pressed citrus, or something spritzy like the Hibiscus & Rose Fizz, with rose-infused Tanqueray, hibiscus, orange, rose syrup, pressed-organic raspberry and prosecco — all served in a smoking pipe. And if you really want to celebrate, Jacoby's Tiki Bar is the place, with Neptune's Punch, a four-person cocktail containing Tanqueray, rum, cognac, orange liqueur, passionfruit, falernum, orgeat and lemon. And, seeing how it's winter, best pay the extra fiver and it'll come on fire. GO FOR A TWIRL ON BONDI'S ICE SKATING RINK Where else can you watch surfers catch waves, all while gliding across the ice? Water doesn't freeze over in Sydney in winter — except in Bondi. The suburb's beachside ice skating rink will pop up again for three weeks this year. At Bondi Winter Magic, there'll also be a 22-metre ferris wheel alongside the outdoor rink, as well as a program with an avalanche of frosty fun. After all that action on the ice, you'll probably feel like a little post-skate celebratory tipple (particularly if you managed to last the whole time without falling). Keep the water views going, and head to Bondi's famed Icebergs Dining Room and Bar with million-dollar views of the beach. Order the Classic Aperitivo, made with Tanqueray gin, Italian bitters, house-made grapefruit cordial, orange juice, basil and soda; it's a tasty way to unwind. For something more low-key, head to Bondi Beach Public Bar for a classic negroni or the Tanqueray gin 'n' juice with a twist. [caption id="attachment_721080" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize Winner: Lindy Lee by Tony Costa.[/caption] HAVE AN ARTY AFTERNOON THEN GO FOR A LATE LAVISH LUNCH With Australia's most prestigious portrait award — The Archibald — plus the Wynne and Sulman Prizes all showing at the Art Gallery of NSW, it would be remiss not to put on your winter woollies and head to the gallery. Need even more of a reason? A huge retrospective of Marcel Duchamp (the man who made art out of a urinal) is also running this winter. After getting your cultural fix, wander down to Woolloomooloo and treat yourself to a late, long lunch at Riley St Garage. The industrial, art deco restaurant has a share plate menu, with everything from oysters and a raw bar offering to heartier dishes like the crispy pork knuckle. And better yet, you'll find $2 oysters available Tuesday to Saturday for 55 minutes starting at 5pm. Make it in time for cheap oysters, and you can spend a bit more on some fine gin cocktails like the Pet Sounds with gin, rosé, plum and pet nat, or a classic G&T with Tanqueray London Dry, Sevilla or Ten complete with Fever Tree tonic. SIP PRE-SHOW COCKTAILS BEFORE SEEING SOME LOCAL EMERGING TALENT This year, Belvoir Theatre is hosting 25A — a series of low-budget (but story-rich) plays supporting emerging theatre talent. Showing in the Downstairs Theatre, the plays running over winter include The Astral Plane, an energetic comedy that's simultaneously enlightening and deeply felt, showing from June 12–29; Skyduck: A Chinese Spy Comedy from July 11–20; and Te Molimau, a futuristic story of a young woman on a sinking island in the Pacific Ocean, running from August 7–24. Tickets are priced at an extremely reasonable $25 (online or at the door), with previews costing only $20, meaning you can splurge a little beforehand. Just a short walk from Belvoir is Redfern small-bar-cum-Italian-eatery, Vasco. The bohemian bar has an extensive cocktail list, with the Heart-Shaped Box, made of Tanqueray gin, house-made kiwi shrub, citrus and orange blossom, a particular crowd favourite. Foodwise, there's some Mediterranean snacks like antipasti, meatballs served with bread and bruschetta as well as lots and lots of homemade gnocchi. [caption id="attachment_618730" align="alignnone" width="1920"] State Theatre by Lottie P via Flickr.[/caption] CATCH A SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL PREMIERE AT THE STATE THEATRE Sydney Film Festival is back and this year it's got Oscar nominees, Sundance hits and even some titles straight from Cannes. Throw in plenty of famous faces, a few more local flicks and a heap of acclaimed docos, and another busy fest will grace our city till Sunday, June 16. The full program is packed with just about every genre, with many screenings hosted at the decadent State Theatre. Book a film at the State Theatre, and afterwards, pop next door to Gowings Bar & Grill at the QT Hotel. Here you can sip the signature Perfect Bubbles cocktail with Tanqueray Ten, strawberry aperitif, lemon, rhubarb shrub and sparkling wine or order the Clover Club made with Tanqueray gin, raspberry, lemon and egg white. Celebrate the return of winter with a Tanqueray tipple in hand at home or around your city. Top image: Gin Lane.
Picture this: chill tunes, cool drinks and tasty snacks as a cruisy Saturday arvo ends with a sunset on Sydney Harbour. That's got the vibe meter maxed out on our end. And this is more than just a pretty picture — it's a little something called Cockatoo Island Sunset Sessions, which runs every Saturday evening from January 21 until April 1. If you're not familiar, the Sunset Sessions live music series (formerly known as Campfire Sessions) is a Sydney summertime fave. Each session sees a pair of up-and-coming acts perform in the twilight serenity of Cockatoo Island against the spectacular backdrop of Sydney Harbour. The 2023 series spotlights home-grown Aussie, LGBTQIA+ and First Nations talent, including Hayley Mary, Aodhan, June Jones, Carla Geneve, Ashli and Dominic Breen. It's a diverse and multi-genre lineup suited to just about any music taste. And you don't need to worry about the trip home after because you can stay the night in Cockatoo Island's waterfront campground, which caters to different group sizes and levels of luxury. The best part? You can win an overnight experience for two during the 2023 Sunset Sessions series. The prize includes a double pass to a performance of your choice and a Deluxe Camping Package for two (that's all of the camping and none of the work), valid for an overnight stay in the island's award-winning campground. Quite the summer date night, no? Enter the giveaway below: [competition]883520[/competition]
UPDATE, November 04, 2020: Good Time is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play and YouTube Movies. Robert Pattinson. New York City. One wild night. What could possibly go wrong? In Good Time's account of a petty crook trying to rustle up some cash to get his brother out of jail, the answer is plenty. The title is tongue-in-cheek, for the characters at least. For the audience, it's more of a promise. A good time is all but guaranteed as you watch Benny and Josh Safdie's grubby, energetic heist movie unfold. Gritty but vivid is an unlikely blend, and yet that's Good Time from start to finish. In the siblings' hands, the film is so grimy that you can almost feel the dirt, blood and blonde hair dye getting under your fingernails (full credit to cinematographer Sean Price Williams and his constantly roaming camera). Amplifying the sense of immediacy even further is Oneohtrix Point Never's pulsating electronic soundtrack, which proves so urgent and exhilarating in its mood and rhythm that you'll feel as riled up as the figures on screen. When a bank robbery leaves Connie (Pattinson) and his mentally challenged brother Nick (played by Benny Safdie) covered in telltale red paint from head to toe, the particularly crafty crim is quick to search for a solution. After the cops spot them and detain Nick, he's desperate and determined to rustle up the cash for his bail — sweet-talking his sometimes-girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh), staging a hospital rescue, fooling around with a teenager (Taliah Webster), trying to find some stashed acid, and tussling with an amusement park security guard (Barkhad Abdi) in the process. This eclectic series of events would be played for laughs in any other movie, but that's not Good Time's angle. Likewise, a lesser film might have wallowed in its protagonist's backstory, making him a sympathetic underdog with a thousand reasons for breaking bad. That's not what the talented Safdies are up to either. Like their last picture, the excellent heroin addict drama Heaven Knows What, the duo plunge into marginalised worlds that many of their viewers won't have experienced, and from there let their characters do the talking. The siblings' distinctive on-the-street style never fails to set the tone, or demonstrate their eye for rich texture and grungy detail. That said, the filmmakers are also aided by their high-profile star giving what might just be the finest performance of his career — and with a growing array of great non-Twilight turns on his resume, that's saying something. Armed with peroxide locks, a greasy complexion and a jittery demeanour, in Good Time Pattinson wears his character's confident, quick-thinking guise like a second skin. The charm to always get his way, the resourcefulness to constantly find a path forward, the smarts to get the best of almost everyone he encounters: thanks to this former teen heart-throb, the scheming, scamming, never-stopping Connie is magnetic, dynamic, complicated and compelling. In one of the year's best films, Pattinson is having a very good time indeed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsQBe3BlMMk
