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
Dancing is back! Since NSW hit 80 percent double-dose vaccinations, dancefloors have been permitted to reopen across Sydney for the first time in months. To celebrate, Public House Petersham is throwing a series of car park parties every Saturday between October 30 and December 4. Each week a series of the city's finest live bands and DJs will grace the stage with party-ready tunes. The lineup has been curated with the help of agency UNDR CTRL and features live sets from the likes of Lazywax and Kesmar, FBi Radio regulars Marty Doyle, Eddy Diamond, Honey Point, and Carolina Gasolina, plus Adi Toohey, Tyson Koh and Chase Zera. As you may have clued on from the name, the parties will be hosted out in the venue's carpark. Entry is free and it's first come best dressed to get a spot in the carpark, however bookings for the indoor area and beer garden are available via the pub's website. SATURDAY CARPARK PARTIES Saturday, October 30 — Lazywax (live), Adi Toohey, Trent Rackus Saturday, November 6 — Chase Zera (DJ Set), Discoloro, Eddy Diamond Saturday, November 13 — KESMAR (live), Honey Point, Tyson Koh Saturday, November 20 — Cities of Gold ft. The Original Roman, Santamaria Brothers, Clashé Saturday, November 27 — HAUS OF WANTON ft. Shantan Wantan Ichiban, Carolina Gasolina, Sørensen, Boosie Saturday, December 4 — Marty Doyle (Dusty Fingers), Jimmy Sing, Ariane, Marcus King
If there's one sure-fire way to beat off dating nerves, it's to keep your hands busy. To that end, the Conscious Dating Co., which hosts interesting, down-to-earth events for singles, is running a gnocchi-making workshop. In between learning how to make fresh pasta, you'll be drinking wine and meeting new people. One of the most nerve-wrecking aspects of dating can be thinking of something to say. Fear not. The organisers will provide you with one-on-one introductions, as well as conversation cards and activities, to keep interactions flowing. Last, but certainly not least, your gnocchi will be transformed into a delicious meal, which you'll get to share with your newfound acquaintances. And, if you do happen to meet someone you fancy, you won't have to be the one to let them know. The Conscious Dating crew will do the work for you, by getting you to write down names at the end of the night, then, later on, notifying you of any matches. The gnocchi date night will be held on July 25 and 26, with the former being for heterosexuals and the latter for those looking for a same-sex lover.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions, there are restrictions on where and how far you can travel. When leaving your house, please ensure you wear a mask and social distance. For up-to-date information on Public Health Orders and restrictions in Greater Sydney visit the NSW Health website. Marrickville bagel speciality store Brooklyn Boy Bagels is making sure Sydneysiders aren't missing out on its fresh crispy bagels with a series of pop-ups at different cafes across the city. The inner west favourite has taken a hit due to the lockdown with wholesale sales down by nearly 50 per cent. "We lost thirty-thousand dollars in just two weeks," New York-bred founder Michael Shafran says. So, in order to get more bagels into hands, Brooklyn Boy is collaborating with some Sydney cafes for special one-off pop-ups across various locations. On Friday, July 16, Brooklyn Boy will appear at St Ives' Stanley Street Cafe, the first time the bagels have popped up in a north shore location. Then on Saturday, July 17 the bagels move to Surry Hills eatery Tokyo Bird, where Shafran is concocting once-off product collaborations with Tokyo Bird owners Jason and Tina Ang. "I'm thinking about making a tobiko cream cheese, where the flying fish roe – you know, the kind that you normally use on sushi and sushi dons – brings a kind of smoked salmon quality, but with a texture that's like popping candy," Shafran says. Each pop-up will run with COVID-safe precautions currently in place at all cafes, and bagels will only be available for takeaway. More locations are also set to be announced, plus a new outdoor storefront has been set up in front of Brooklyn Boy's Marrickville bakery. The 'Home Away From Home' store is open at 19 Carrington Road, Marrickville, seven days a week. If you aren't comfortable leaving the home or don't live close to one of the pop-up's, you can also have Brooklyn Boy bagels delivered to your home. Orders over $50 are available for next-day delivery to the inner west, north shore, lower northern beaches, City of Sydney and eastern suburbs for $6.50–9.95 depending on your area. [caption id="attachment_716408" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brooklyn Boy Bagels[/caption]
Margarita fans, Tio's Cerveceria has great news for you: its brand-new menu is dedicated to the refreshing cocktail, starring classic renditions alongside some enticing newcomers. From huge fishbowl-style 'ritas to spicy margs spanning five levels of heat, this menu is well-worth checking out. The newest item kicking things off at the Foster Street bar is a massive $69 margarita housed in an oversized glass to share between four. Whether you're getting the party started or are simply in the mood for a drink that is affordable and shareable — at only $17.25 per serve — this mega marg will tick all of those boxes. For the spice fiends, swing by to try Tio's revamped take on a spicy marg, which is available in five levels of spice — if you dare to test your limits. Take your pick from levels one through five, with the first level hailing closer to the classic and the fifth being specially curated for only the biggest daredevils. Be warned — the final boss level of spice is not for the faint of heart, so you may want to pair it with a glass of milk or some of the joint's famed hot popcorn. Speaking of its popular free bags of popcorn, the new drinks list also stars a sip — aptly called 'Popcorn' — with popcorn-washed tequila, paprika and the outpost's in-house popcorn seasoning, as well as a vibrant newbie called 'Bluest', which takes inspiration from nostalgic blue Pop Tops and Zombie Chews. You'll also still be able to order familiar Tommy's and mezcal margaritas from the menu, alongside the weekly frozen and fruity 'rita specials. You'll find Tio's Cerveceria at 4/14 Foster Street in Surry Hills. Swing by from 5pm–12am Tuesday–Thursday, 4pm–12am Friday and 5pm–12am Saturday to try its exciting new menu. Image credit: Dexter Kim
There'll be bamboo baskets piled high with steaming dumplings, bowls of soy-covered noodles waiting to be slurped, and Hong Kong/Australian break dance collaborations care of Compartmentalized at the Chinese New Year Markets in Belmore Park. There's live entertainment on the main market stage with a film screenings, martial arts performances and a wee bit of demonstration cooking. Want to belt out a tune? Battle it out at the karaoke competition, and if you're the crowd's favourite, you might end up taking home a swag of prizes. The official festival launch kicks off Friday night with an evening of fireworks to scare last year's baddies away. Want more Chinese New Year events? Check out our top ten picks of the festivities.
With Moonlight winning last year's best picture Oscar, Call Me By Your Name topping many a 2017 best-of list, and the likes of God's Own Country, Battle of the Sexes and Professor Marston and the Wonder Women also gracing movie screens, it has been a stellar 12 months for queer cinema. For Sydneysiders, that's only going to continue come February, with the long-running Mardi Gras Film Festival back for its 25th year. To mark the milestone, the film-focused sidebar to Sydney's massive LGBTIQ celebration will screen 55 features and 69 short films across 71 sessions, including more than 60 Australian premieres and two world premieres. It's a lineup bookended with star power, opening with Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan playing a bickering couple in Ideal Home forced to take in their grandson, and closing with Freak Show's tale of a a precocious teen starting a new school, featuring The End of the F***ing World's Alex Lawther, Bette Midler, Laverne Cox and Abigail Breslin. From award winners to international standouts to revisiting old favourites, that's not all that's on the bill, however. Running from February 15 to March 1 at Event Cinemas George Street and Golden Age Cinema, plus a selection of other venues in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory throughout March and April, MGFF's other highlights range the world premiere of Aussie documentary Black Divaz, about the inaugural Miss First Nation pageant; to Filipino transgender beauty queen drama Die Beautiful, an award-winner across Asia over the past year; to French AIDS-focused effort BPM, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes last year. Or, audiences can catch homegrown body-swap movie Pulse, intimate Sundance hit Beach Rats, biographical documentary McKellen: Playing the Part, 'punk chick flick' Team Hurricane and Hollywood coming-of-age film Love, Simon, which screens before it hits general cinemas. In addition, the 2018 festival will host a session on the top 25 queer films of all time, speed dating evenings and filmmaking workshops at its festival bar at Event Cinemas, because every good fest is about more than just watching movies. And, because looking back is as much a part of a festival as looking forward, MGFF will rustle up a few current and old favourites courtesy of sessions of classics Desert Hearts and Young Soul Rebels, and more recent titles such as Zootopia and Call Me By Your Name. Mardi Gras Film Festival 2017 runs from February 15 to March 1 at Event Cinemas George Street and Golden Age Cinema and Bar, before touring to other NSW and ACT venues throughout March and April. For more information, visit their website.
For ten weeks Object Gallery is flinging open it's doors and heading into the Surry Hills springtime sunshine with a sequence of 14 collaborative showings with artists, designers, filmmakers and ... cyclists? Not so much exhibitions as events and community interventions, there'll be a ride-on dinner in local, shared and sustainable style, tours of tucked-away studio spaces, a special Kino screening in the gallery, plus Sydney's first PARK(ing) day — a group takeover of concrete spaces with picnicking and inflatable furniture. There are crafting sessions too — which you can help out with a show by donating a pencil — and the specially-designed, cutely-titled Stereotyped, which explores the interaction of sound and typography, for your more take-home urges. The website is very very pretty too, so no excuses for not keeping up with what's going on: take these little windows of opportunity to watch ideas and projects blossom in the balmy months.
Sydney welcomes a new farm fresh market to its inner city area with the launch of the Erskineville Farmers Market — which goes by the mantra 'shop local, eat local, buy local'. It'll take over the front grounds of Erskineville Public School, starting on December 1 and proceeding every Saturday from 9am to 2pm. With a focus on sustainability and environmentalism, the market will be a plastic-free zone, with only keep cups allowed, too. For opening day, Boomerang Bags will be selling reusable grocery bags — which you can snag for a gold coin donation. Artisan food makers and high-quality produce will, of course, be front-and-centre. Expect stalls from Pocket City Farm, Brickfields Bakery, Kristen Allen Cheese, T Totaler and Tonicka Kombucha, plus hot food stalls like vegan Vietnamese from Redfern's Nourishing Corner, toasties from Mister Toast and vegan crepes from Frothin Crepes, to name just a few. Each week will also feature local musicians, DIY workshops and talks on sustainability. After December 22, the market will take a break for two weeks, then resume weekly trading from January 12.
We all have a family story to tell, but we can't all tell it like Sarah Polley. The actor known for such films as Dawn of the Dead and Splice and director of quietly acclaimed features Take This Waltz and Away From Her has turned her hand to documentary with Stories We Tell, and it's been demanding attention from festival audiences around the world. Unfortunately, it's one of those films that it's best to know as little of as possible when you go in, so there's going to be little in the way of synopsis here. Suffice to say, Polley's primary interest is her mother, Diane Polley, a casting agent, thwarted actress and extrovert who relished the escape from home life that came with roles on the stage. She died in 1990, when Sarah was 11, leaving behind a web of secrets that lay hidden for many years — until her daughter grew up and started to pull at the threads. How a film with such an ostensibly narrow focus can be so compelling to so many viewers is one of those wonders of cinema. It just is. Polley has a great cast of characters in her life to work with (every member of her family is interviewed, at length), but the magic of this movie is ultimately in her storytelling. The film is wittily edited, warm and sensitive to all parties. It has a lightness of touch as might be expected of a distant observer, but all the unguarded reflection that comes from being intimate with her subject. There's a lot of technique to it. Polley reminds us of her own directorial presence constantly: Her father Michael is also the narrator, and we see her barking commands at him in the audio booth. The grainy '80s Super 8 footage that runs throughout cannot be trusted. The nature of 'truth' is being examined, and not just because it suits postmodern obsessions — in this case, it matters to people's lives. And yet (thankfully) these intellectual enquiries don't crowd out the human drama. The result is simply the most enthralling, idiosyncratic and entertaining family memoir around. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ytq4VZ2Nyxg
How would you like to be in movies? Well, too bad. Chances are you're probably not talented, beautiful or well-connected enough. But you can always pretend. Thanks to Bams and Ted, whose pop-ups specialise in furnishing you with film-inspired fashion, you can pretend in style. They will be taking over World Bar for one night only and setting it up for a party to celebrate the style of indie-filmmaker Wes Anderson. Inspired by the films Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, and The Darjeeling Limited, the bar will be dressed as a Wes Anderson set, with entertainment in the form of Portuguese Bowie covers by Dave Rodriguez, soundtrack-inspired music from FBi's Alex Pye and burlesque performances by Diesel Darling. So get frocked up as your favourite Tenenbaum, Rushmore alumnus, or member of team Zissou and join them on Wes-day night. Goodies are up for grabs for the best-dressed.
Life might be a bittersweet symphony, as The Verve told us all back in 1997, but right now is a pretty great time to be a fan of a hugely influential late-90s teen flick that helped immortalise that very track. The movie in question is Cruel Intentions, of course, and it's about to hit the stage in Sydney. And yes, the musical's soundtrack is filled hits from the era, including 'Bittersweet Symphony', obviously. Indeed, if that song and Placebo's 'Every You Every Me' get you thinking about Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair, then you're clearly a fan of the film. And if you were a 90s or 00s teen who watched and rewatched the 1999 classic over and over again — soaking in all those dangerous liaisons, the scheming that went with them, Joshua Jackson's blonde locks and Gellar in a decidedly non-Buffy role — then you'll probably be first in line to see Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical. The movie-to-theatre production has been unleashing its teen tumult and throwback soundtrack in America since 2015, and now it's finally heading to our shores. Its Sydney leg will kick off on Thursday, June 30 at the State Theatre, and run through till Sunday, July 10. Because it's a jukebox musical, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is also filled with a heap other tunes from that late 90s, early 00s era; think: *NYSNC's 'Bye Bye Bye', Britney Spears' 'Sometimes', No Doubt's 'Just A Girl', Jewel's 'Foolish Games', Christina Aguilera's 'Genie In A Bottle' and Sixpence None the Richer's 'Kiss Me', for starters. If you've seen the movie — the original, not the direct-to-video 2001 and 2004 sequels, one of which starred a very young Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) taking over Gellar's role — then you'll know the story. Based on 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, which was also been adapted in the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, Cruel Intentions follows step-siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Manipulating each other's love lives is their main hobby, a pastime that levels up a few notches when Kathryn places a bet on whether Sebastian can sleep with Annette Hargrove, the headmaster's daughter at their exclusive prep school.
On years ending in four in even-numbered decades, we watch new Mean Girls films. So goes the 21st century so far, as the hit 2004 teen comedy about high-school hierarchies returns to the big screen in 2024 as a musical, after breaking out the singing and dancing onstage first. Just like donning pink every Wednesday because Regina George (Reneé Rapp, The Sex Lives of College Girls) demands it, there's a dutifulness about the repeat Mean Girls. Tina Fey, writing the script for the third time — basing her first on Rosalind Wiseman's 2002 non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes — seems to fear the consequences for breaking the rules, too. Cue a Mean Girls movie musical that truly plays out as those four words lead viewers to expect: largely the same down to most lines and jokes, just with songs. Anyone looking at the longer running time in advance and chalking up the jump from 97 to 112 minutes to the tunes is 100-percent spot on. The latest Mean Girls also resembles protagonist Cady Heron (Angourie Rice, The Last Thing He Told Me): eager to fit into its new surroundings after being perfectly happy and comfortable elsewhere. That causes some awkwardness, sometimes trying to break the mould, but largely assimilating. Penning her first film script since the OG Mean Girls was her very first, 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Mr Mayor creator Fey revises details and gags that were always going to need revising. Social media, the internet and mobile phones are all worked in, necessarily so, as is sex positivity. Mean Girls 2024 is primarily dedicated to making Mean Girls 2024 happen, though; here as well, it's exactly as those three words have audiences anticipating. Scrap the songs and choreography (other than the Winter Talent Show performances, of course), and directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez (Quarter Life Poetry: Poems for the Young, Broke & Hangry) would've just remade the first film two decades later. There's a message in the Means Girls cycle, as the initial movie closed with. No matter how many obnoxious and angsty young women learn to cope with their ire and embrace kindness, more will follow the same journey, then more again. Accordingly, Mean Girls could easily be restaged every generation with nothing but era-appropriate changes and the tale would still ring true, as proves the case with its second cinema telling — plus the musical angle. That's a testament to the strength of and insights in Fey's foundational screenplay. It's also a sad truth about human nature. But like Gretchen Wieners (Bebe Wood, Love, Victor) yearning for a life and acceptance that doesn't involve everything that Regina decrees, viewers can be forgiven for wanting more from each Mean Girls iteration. While this is a winking, nudging, self-referential take that's forcefully trying to get playful with its devotion to its source material, Regina herself might call it an obsession. Once more, Cady swaps the savannahs of Africa for Evanston, Illinois, then homeschooling for North Shore High School, entering a savage teenage jungle in the process. With talented artist Janis (Auli'i Cravalho, the voice of Moana) and the "almost too gay to function" Damian (Jaquel Spivey, a 2022 Tony-nominee for A Strange Loop) to steer her, she joins the world of cliquery, where the Plastics — Regina, plus Gretchen and fellow entourage member Karen Shetty (Avantika, also The Sex Lives of College Girls) — rule the school. Befriending the in-crowd is meant to be a social experiment. Cady's mum (Jenna Fischer, Splitting Up Together) is a zoologist, after all. But after Cady gets a maths class-sparked crush on Regina's ex Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney, The Summer I Turned Pretty), the newcomer's stint at the popular lunch table morphs into a vengeance mission. Opening with the Cravalho- and Spivey-sung 'A Cautionary Tale' — Janis and Damien are viewers' guides, too — the Mean Girls movie musical uses songs in place of the original's voiceover, and to plumb the characters' emotional and psychological depths. Composer Jeff Richmond (Girls5eva) and lyricist Nell Benjamin (The Sea Beast, and another Tony-nominee) rework their tunes from the stage production that debuted in 2018, then was locked in for a film adaptation in 2020, with additions and exclusions; rarely are they the most memorable parts of the movie. Collaborating with YouTube-famous choreographer Kyle Hanagami (Red, White & Royal Blue), Jayne and Perez opt for a more-is-more vibe; however, the musical numbers ape the overall feature in miniature. Some aspects shine, such as the pure energy of the plan-setting 'Revenge Party' and the sincerity in Gretchen's 'What's Wrong with Me?'. Others are catchy but perfunctory, like the Rice-crooned 'Stupid with Love', plus Cravalho and Spivey again with 'Apex Predator'. Karen's ditty 'Sexy' is an entertaining social-media riff. And whenever Rapp sings, she's electric, but better than the material. Rapp was always destined to be one of the new Mean Girls' highlights. She's been here before, stepping into Regina's shoes again after wearing them on Broadway (Only Murders in the Building's Ashley Park also returns from the theatre after originating the role of Gretchen, but as a teacher). In a film so infrequently willing to switch up anything substantial, Rapp's interpretation of Regina is one of its biggest alterations: where Rachel McAdams (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret) was icily piercing, the IRL pop singer is fiendishly ferocious. That fits today's times where the entire online realm is a burn book, making nastiness virtually the status quo, and it's never one-note. Among her co-stars, Rice, Cravalho, Spivey, Wood and Avantika all ensure that no one is desperately pining for Lindsay Lohan (Falling for Christmas), Lizzy Caplan (Fatal Attraction), Daniel Franzese (Not So Straight in Silver Lake), Lacey Chabert (A Merry Scottish Christmas) and Amanda Seyfried (The Crowded Room) as their characters instead — with Cravalho making the second-biggest impression, and screaming for more non-voicework parts. Fey returning as Ms Norbury, Tim Meadows (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) similarly back as Principal Duvall, Busy Phillips (also Girls5eva) taking over from Amy Poehler (Moxie) as Regina's mother: they're all grool touches. It almost wouldn't be a Fey comedy without Jon Hamm (Fargo) popping up, although he's given little to do — but scrapping Coach Carr's sex scandals was among the essential updatings. Mean Girls has always known that striving to conform is a clunky task, though it didn't need to live it. While this isn't the first movie to become a stage musical and then return to film also as a musical (see: Little Shop of Horrors, The Producers, Hairspray and Everybody's Talking About Jamie) and won't be the last (the new The Color Purple will follow it into cinemas Down Under, for example), it's firmly an example of being too committed to doing what's expected to have enough of its own fun.
A love of Woody Allen courses through Fading Gigolo, his influence evident in his inclusion amongst the film's cast but his distinctive footprint also felt in its themes and moods. Though John Turturro is the feature's guiding force as its lead actor, writer and director, the inspiration he has taken from his co-star is obvious. His fifth effort as a filmmaker offers a light homage to the type of easy and breezy New York comedies Allen is synonymous with. To saddle Turturro's protagonist with the waning prostitute descriptor of the film's title is to overstate his enthusiasm for his new-found line of work; for Fioravante — also known by his gigolo pseudonym of Virgil Howard — making money making love is a reluctant sideline to his floristry job. His friend, failed bookseller Murray (Allen), convinces him to test out the world's oldest profession with dermatologist Dr Parker (Sharon Stone). Positive reports from their first satisfied customer motivate Murray to start actively scouring for other clients, including Hasidic widow Avigal (Vanessa Paradis). The relaxed attitude that marks Fioravante's take-it-or-leave-it approach to benefiting from his bedroom skills also flavours the entire film. It's a movie that saunters with fondness rather than marches with purpose. Affection is its primary motivation — for its New York setting, for eclectic characters that careen through eccentric circumstances, for the brand of emotional sweetness and slapstick silliness too rarely offered with any intelligence, and for the continual mysteries of life and love. If it all seems familiar in that warm and witty way of Allen's directorial efforts, that's because it is, especially with the auteur in the thick of the amiable ensemble antics. In his best acting role in many years (and in a part obviously written for him), he relishes the expected affable neuroses of his accepted screen presence. And yet, his biggest feat and the feature's biggest surprise is his double act with Turturro. Where Allen provides the anticipated patter, Turturro is an engaging, alluring enigma. He sells the facade of Fioravante's sexual appeal and sensitive outlook but leaves audiences ever intrigued and always wanting more. The duo fit in perfectly in the caper-like creation that Fading Gigolo becomes, as do their well-cast supporting players; however, the hijinks-laden atmosphere stems as much from a persistent jazz score and a storyline that sees Murray tailed by a jealous neighbourhood watch cop (Liev Schreiber) and Fioravante pursued for a menage a trois with Dr Parker and her friend Selima (Sofia Vergara). Following such comic paths proves purposely frivolous and recognisable but also pointedly earnest. With a slightness of touch, Turturro whips his Allen-esque meanderings into a modest but melodious tapestry of offbeat observations and off-kilter charm. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_pdlbI4TuGY
If you're a fan of Smoke and Mirrors and La Clique (and its act of bathtub acrobatics, in particular), then you'll love Soap. Co-directed by Markus Pabst, of La Clique's bathtub, and Maximilian Rambaek, it lets loose a company of acrobats, dancers, jugglers and contortionists from Berlin's Circle of Eleven to transform the generally private and uninspiring bathroom domain into one of wonder, daring, cheekiness and sublimity. On a stage glimmering with droplets and shrouded in steam sit a series of bathtubs at staggered heights. The performers use these solid, utilitarian frames as props every which way as well as calling on a parade of aerial silks, straps, trapeze, hoops, bouncy balls and a requisite rubber ducky. It's all done to the backing of the best mixtape anyone will ever make you, in which languorous French chanteuses abut angsty prog metal and Gnarls Barkley gives way to Sia and the Doors. As the acts roll with the music, the show entirely avoids the expected pitfall of repetition, and when the tubs finally fill with water, it only gets more thrilling. The spectacle in this kind of show is agile, purpose-built bodies absorbed in feats of aesthetic athletics. Soap takes the edge off the sexiness with plenty of humour, and an opera singer surveying the scene from atop the highest tub brings glamour and gravitas. All of the performers show incredible skill, and most have charisma in bucketloads. Performances as varied as a sweet foot-puppet romance and a pensive trapeze dance that sweeps over lightly flooded floors each evoke their own poignancy. It's the best 70 minutes you'll spend on your toilette.
A TikTok sensation and a hit in the UK's dessert aisles, mochi ice cream brand Little Moons has arrived in Australia. Each of these little bundles of sweetness is a bite-sized ball of creamy gelato wrapped in mochi dough. Little Moons was created by brother and sister duo Howard and Vivien, who brought the skills they'd learnt from their parents who ran an Asian bakery in England to create these sweet treats. At first, the mochi and gelato balls were only available at restaurants, finding their way onto the menus of renowned London restaurants like Nobu and Sushi Samba. In 2015, they made the jump to UK supermarkets and are now sold in over 20 countries. The brand has initially launched in Australia with two flavours available in Woolworths — Belgian Chocolate and Hazelnut, and Vegan Tropical Passionfruit and Mango — with a Honey Roasted Pistachio variety on its way. If you want to try before you buy, you'll have the perfect chance to nab some free Little Moons in Sydney's east this week. To celebrate the launch, you can sample these viral desserts at Bondi Beach on Friday, October 7. From 10am there will be a Little Moons ice cream van posted up in front of the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club. The van will be giving beachgoers the chance to try these mochi ice cream balls until 4pm, or until they are all out. For up-to-date info on the giveaway, head to Little Moon's Instagram account.
It has finally happened again, Sydneysiders. The city's projectors remained silent, its theatres bare and the smell of popcorn faded during the city's almost four-month-long lockdown; however, Sydney's picture palaces are now back in business. When stay-at-home restrictions are in place, no one is ever short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over over the last year or so, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent more time than usual in the past 18 months glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that. And, after checking out the best new movies that you could only see on the big screen when picture palaces reopened, we've now rounded up, watched and reviewed the new movies that have just arrived in theatres this week. LAMB Just over a decade ago, Noomi Rapace was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, too. After starring in the first film adaptations of Steig Larsson's best-selling Millennium books, the Swedish actor then brought her penchant for simmering ferocity to Alien prequel Prometheus, and to movies as varied as erotic thriller Passion, crime drama The Drop and Australian-shot thriller Angel of Mine. But Lamb might be her best role yet, and best performance. A picture that puts her silent film era-esque features to stunning use, it stares into the soul of a woman not just yearning for her own modest slice of happiness, but willing to do whatever it takes to get it. It also places Rapace opposite a flock of sheep, and has her cradle a baby that straddles both species; however, this Icelandic blend of folk-horror thrills, relationship dramas and even deadpan comedy is as human as it is ovine. At first, Lamb is all animal. Something rumbles in the movie's misty, mountainside farm setting, spooking the horses. In the sheep barn, where cinematographer Eli Arenson (Hospitality) swaps arresting landscape for a ewe's-eye view, the mood is tense and restless as well. Making his feature debut, filmmaker Valdimar Jóhannsson doesn't overplay his hand early. As entrancing as the movie's visuals prove in all their disquieting stillness, he keeps the film cautious about what's scaring the livestock. But Lamb's expert sound design offers a masterclass in evoking unease from its very first noise, and makes it plain that all that eeriness, anxiety and dripping distress has an unnerving — and tangible — source. The farm belongs to Rapace's Maria and her partner Ingvar (Hilmir Snær Guðnason, A White, White Day), who've thrown themselves into its routines after losing a child. They're a couple that let their taciturn faces do the talking, including with each other, but neither hides their delight when one ewe gives birth to a hybrid they name Ada. Doting and beaming, they take the sheep-child into their home as their own. Its woolly mother stands staring and baa-ing outside their kitchen window, but they're both content in and fiercely protective of their newfound domestic happiness. When Ingvar's ex-pop star brother Pétur (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) arrives unexpectedly, they don't even dream of hiding their new family idyll — even as he's initially shocked and hardly approving. Enticing, surreal and starkly unsettling all at once, Lamb also benefits from exceptional animal performances — it won the Cannes Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize for Palm Dog, the prestigious event's awards for best canine acting — and its own savvy. It nabbed Un Certain Regard Prize of Originality at Cannes as well, but the movie's shrewdness isn't limited to its standout concept. Each patient shot that roves over the hillside, peeks through the fog, and soaks in the strain and pressure is just as astute. Each rustle, huff and jangle in the film's soundscape proves the same. Every aesthetic decision paints Lamb in unease and uncertainty, in fact, and lets its lingering gaze towards the steely Rapace, affecting Guðnason and their four-legged co-stars unleash an intense and absurdist pastoral symphony of dread and hope, bleakness and sweetness, and terror and love. Read our full review. THE ALPINIST Standing atop Yosemite National Park's El Capitan after scaling it alone and without ropes, harnesses or any other safety equipment, Alex Honnold cut a surprisingly subdued figure. As the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo captured, he was obviously ecstatic, but he isn't the type to leap and scream with excitement. So, he smiled blissfully. He also advised the cameras that he was "so delighted". In the opening moments of new doco The Alpinist, however, he is effusive — as enthusiastic as the no-nonsense climbing superstar gets, that is. In a historical clip, he's asked who he's excited about in his very specific extreme sports world. His answer: "this kid Marc-André Leclerc." Zipping from the Canadian Rockies to Patagonia, with ample craggy pitstops in-between, The Alpinist tells Leclerc's tale, explaining why someone of Honnold's fame and acclaim sings his praises. Using the Free Solo subject as an entry point is a smart choice by filmmakers Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen — industry veterans themselves, with 2014's Valley Uprising on their shared resume and 2017's The Dawn Wall on Mortimer's — but their climber of focus here would demand attention even without the high-profile endorsement. Indeed, dizzying early shots of him in action almost say all that's needed about his approach to great heights, and his near-preternatural skill in the field. Scaling hard, immovable rock faces is one thing, but Leclerc is seen here clambering up alpine surfaces, conquering glistening yet precarious sheets of ice and snow. Any shot that features the Canadian twenty-something mountaineering is nothing short of breathtaking. Describing it as 'clambering up' does him a disservice, actually, and downplays The Alpinist's stunning footage as well. Leclerc is just that graceful and intuitive as he reaches higher, seemingly always knowing exactly where to place his hands, feet and axe, all while heading upwards in frighteningly dangerous situations. As Mortimer notes, narrating the documentary and almost-indulgently inserting himself into the story, alpine free soloing is another level of climbing. No shortage of talking-head interviewees also stress this reality. Protective equipment is still absent, but all that ice and snow could melt or fall at any second. In fact, the routes that the obsessive Leclerc finds in his climbs will no longer exist again, and mightn't just moments after he's made his ascent. Simply charting Leclerc's impressive feats could've been The Alpinist sole remit; Mortimer and Rosen certainly wanted that and, again, the film's hypnotic, vertigo-inducing imagery is just that extraordinary. Some shots peer at the mountains in all their towering glory, letting viewers spot the tiny speck moving amid their majesty in their own time, before zooming in to get a closer look at Leclerc. Other nerve-shattering scenes intimately capture every careful choice, every movement of his limbs and every decision about what to hold on to, inescapably aware that these are sheer life-or-death moments. But The Alpinist isn't the movie its makers initially dreamed of, because Leclerc isn't Honnold or The Dawn Wall's Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson. While affable when posed in front of the camera, he's also silently begrudging, because he'd visibly rather just be doing what he loves in total anonymity instead of talking about it, having it filmed and earning the world's eyes. Read our full review. PERFUMES Add Perfumes to the lengthy list of odd-couple comedies that bring folks with opposing personalities together, and suddenly, all so that they can learn life lessons, face much-needed realisations and ultimately live better futures. This French feature also hinges upon an only-in-the-movies setup, after a professional "nose" — someone with enhanced olfactory receptors who plies their talents in the fragrance trade — strikes up an unlikely connection with the struggling father that starts working as her chauffeur so that he can eventually win shared custody of his tween daughter. The key here: sincerity. There's sweetness in writer/director Grégory Magne's (L'air de rien) film, and whimsy, too, but this tale about two lost souls unexpectedly finding commonalities in each other never plays up its quirks. Instead, as penned with heart, helmed with patience, and performed with soul by stars Grégory Montel (Call My Agent!) and Emmanuelle Devos (Violette) as well, Perfumes is like smelling a familiar yet still enticing, comforting and surprising scent. Just as fragrance designer Anne Walberg (Devos) builds aromas out of recognisable ingredients while striving to create something that stands out, this charming movie blends its array of easy-to-spot elements into a pleasingly distinctive cinematic treat. In the latest French-made or -adjacent feature to include a custody battle of late (see also: Custody and My Zoe), all that Guillaume Favre (Montel) wants is to convince a judge that he can spend every other week with his daughter Léa (Zélie Rixhon, The Ideal Palace). To do so, he needs to radiate stability, something that he starts seeking through his driving job. When he's assigned to ferry Anne between assignments, he's far from impressed by her aloof demeanour or unusual demands. Helping her change the sheets at her hotel isn't in his job description, he notes. But he's also intrigued by her work, which currently involves recreating the specific odour of a cave, masking an unpleasant smell that's infected a leather brand's handbags, and trying to counteract the stench being pumped out by a rural factory — new gigs she's pushed into by her money-motivated agent (Pauline Moulène, Boomerang) after starting out concocting designer perfumes. Magne's film isn't about narrative surprises, but about emotions. It's also about spending time with two nicely fleshed-out characters who find friendship blossoming despite their initial misapprehensions, and bring out the best in each other as a result. Perfumes wouldn't work if it didn't unfurl with gentle but genuine warmth, if it didn't value attention to detail so highly, and if it didn't have both Devos and Montel as its anchors; however, thankfully they're all a part of this elegant Gallic effort. EIFFEL Speculating on the past, and on the creation of one of the planet's most famous monuments, Eiffel asks a question: why did Gustave Eiffel build the tower that shares his name? That mightn't be the usual query that runs through people's minds as they stare up at the iconic structure; however, competing to win the right to construct it for the Exposition Universelle of 1889 in Paris represented a significant change of opinion for the engineer, after he'd initially turned down the concept when it was suggested to him by his employees. The result of that about-face has left its mark on history, France and the travel itineraries of everyone who has enjoyed a Gallic holiday ever since. Although he'd already achieved fame and acclaim due to his help building the Statue of Liberty, his eponymous tower is the reason the world know's Eiffel's name now, too. Writer/director Martin Bourboulon (Daddy or Mommy) and his co-scribes Thomas Bidegain (The Sisters Brothers), Martin Brossollet (Détectives), Natalie Carter (Thérèse Desqueyroux) and Caroline Bongrand (Parlez-moi d'amour) posit a reason, and the fact that their film is a romantic drama spells out everything it needs to. Here, Eiffel (Romain Duris, All the Money in the World) decides to assemble the A-shaped mass of wrought-iron lattice because of the woman, Adrienne Bourgès (Emma Mackey, Sex Education), he was set to marry when he was younger, lost touch with after their nuptials were called off, and then sees again just as the Exposition Universelle project is under discussion. The idea driving Eiffel is simplistic and sentimental, given that it's a film about a man erecting something unmistakably and plainly phallic for love. A biopic, this definitely isn't. But it's to Bourboulon, Duris and Mackey's credit that everything here flickers with enough feeling, even though a behind-the-scenes look at how the Eiffel Tower was built between 1886–89 — including the actual mechanics of assembling its pieces, and also the complex reaction in France at the time — could've easily fuelled an entire movie without a romance layered on top. (Charting someone simply achieving a great feat, such as constructing what was the tallest structure in the world at the time, and what remains one of the most well-known landmarks there is, would've also proven suitably rousing without the extra tugging at heartstrings.) Turning history into amorous fiction is the path this feature has chosen, however, and Bourboulon wraps it up in handsome period staging and a passionate tone. There's also a soapiness to Eiffel, too, filled as it is with yearning looks, secret trysts and will they, won't they twists. But if it wasn't for Duris, Mackey and their convincing performances — Duris' reliably ability to convey inner conflict with charm, particularly — the film would lean further in that direction. Marrying the origin story of an iconic tower with a grand love story still makes for an awkward and overly melodramatic fit, though. WAITING FOR ANYA Great intentions and great films don't always go hand in hand, with Waiting for Anya the latest example. The World War II-set drama treads a path that everything from Lore and The Book Thief to Jojo Rabbit and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit already have, exploring the conflict's impact upon young hearts and minds — and jumping, as those four other movies did, from the page to the screen. It contrasts the efforts of a French boy in Vichy France with those of Jewish children trying to stay alive, the former aiding the latter in his small village in the Pyrenees. It's a feature made with the utmost earnestness and sincerity, expectedly given the scenario. And yet, it also makes every obvious and easy choice, diluting any potential emotional impact by happily wallowing in Second World War-themed movie-of-the-week territory. As adapted by writer/director Ben Cookson (Almost Married) and screenwriter Toby Torlesse (My Dad's Christmas Date) from a book by War Horse author Michael Morpurgo, Waiting for Anya doesn't waste any time in demonstrating its overt approach. In an early scene, shepherd Jo (Noah Schnapp, Stranger Things) tends to his flock when a bear comes a-lumbering. Soon, the Nazis will do the same. The bear couldn't be more heavy-handed a metaphor, especially in a movie that begins with Jewish man Benjamin (Frederick Schmidt, The Alienist) escaping the train to a concentration camp and secreting away his daughter Anya (debutant Dolma Raisson). In a movie that confronts the Holocaust from the outset, and also provides on-screen text explaining the historical situation, that initial animal attack can only play as needlessly blunt. Jo and Benjamin meet because of that bear, however. And when the teen follows the stranger afterwards, he learns his story. Staying with his mother-in-law (Anjelica Huston, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum), Benjamin is now doing exactly what the movie's moniker explains, all as other kids make their way to the same farm as a stopover before crossing the mountains to safety in Spain. Jo pledges to help, initially fetching food from the village, and hiding his actions from his mother (Elsa Zylberstein, Selfie) and grandfather (Jean Reno, Da 5 Bloods). But then the Germans arrive, making the situation far more precarious — even if one officer (Thomas Kretschmann, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) shows uncharacteristic kindness towards Jo. Yes, Waiting for Anya includes a friendly Nazi among its cliches, which is just one of its many poor decisions. Every character is so thinly written, they could fall over if a bear even looked their way or a stiff mountain breeze swelled up. The cast, all putting in passable performances at best, can't improve the material's sore lack of depth — or its inescapably clumsy dialogue. The choice to speak in accented English proves clunky as well, unsurprisingly, making the film feel like a relic from the 70s or 80s. And although the setting should look gorgeous and scenic, visually the sappy and overstated feature resembles one of the many fictional titles that pop up in other movies and TV shows, typically as parodies (aka the flicks listed on website Nestflix). If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas, check out our rundown of new films released in Sydney cinemas when they reopened on October 11. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of movies currently screening, such as In the Heights, Black Widow, Nine Days, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Old, Jungle Cruise, The Suicide Squad, Free Guy, Respect, The Night House, Candyman, Annette, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Pig, The Killing of Two Lovers, Nitram and A Fire Inside.
This time last year, the Brisbane Street Art Festival was in full swing, with creative folks brightening up the Queensland capital with their artistic work. While the fest ranks among the many, many events changing their plans in 2020, you can still watch street art come to life before your eyes this weekend — via a two-day live stream. Teaming up with Brisbane art space Superordinary, BSAF is unleashing 19 artists on the building. Naturally, they'll be painting up a storm. Every inch of the space will be transformed, and everyone can see it happen. That doesn't just cover street art-loving Brisbanites, either, because online streams are handy that way. The weekend-long event runs across Saturday, May 16–Sunday, May 17, with the action streamed via Twitch. As well as oh-so-much painting, there's also interviews, Q&As and roving performances — all while social distancing. https://www.facebook.com/BrisbaneStreetArt/photos/a.10150176402908346/10158102825878346/?type=3&theater Top image: Gus Eagleton.
We're almost halfway through the 2017 season of Twilight at Taronga, but there's still a chance to grab some tickets and head along. The after-hours live music series that boasts perhaps the best view of Sydney Harbour (as well as lots of adorable animals) has proven it's got some real cred when it comes to hosting outdoor gigs in the past few years. There are still tickets available for the Kurt Vile show on Friday March 3, but we've got two double pass to give away. Picnic-bringing is encouraged at Twilight at Taronga. If you don't win, pre-order an incredibly delicious hamper when you buy your ticket online. They're filled with Australian produce, cheese, crackers and other delights. We tasted them, they're extremely generous and genuinely great. There's also a bar on-site and some general nosh available from the canteen. All proceeds from Twilight at Taronga go back into the zoo's ongoing conservation work, including support of the first global community action tool, Wildlife Witness, which helps fight against illegal wildlife trade. PLUS, your ticket includes free entry to the zoo on the same day and return public transport. That's a big deal. View the full Twilight at Taronga line up here and get your tickets to Kurt Vile and other shows here. [competition]610707[/competition]
I'm sorry, Splendour who? In the wake of the whirlwind wow that pervaded this year's uber-festival, Stereosonic is striking and strutting out, as Australia's annual electronic music festival amps up for its fourth summer beatfest. With a solid techno-heavy lineup with more day-glo and Berocca fizz than Gary Numan's walkman, this year's rollcall wowed enough to sell out 1st and 2nd releases on the first day of sales with a generously stretched 3rd cache now available for latecomers. This year's Sydney run has nothing but love for punters, with promoters moving the festivities to Sydney Showground's Main Arena, just for kicks. Onelove and Hardware assure that the shift is sure to minimise sound issues, mobilise transport, schmick up facilities, supply snoozy parkland, give artists some onstage room to move and keep things raging until (just before) midnight. The major drawcard this summer is Dutch headliner and trance bravado Tiësto, sauntering onto an Australian festival stage for the first time since 2005. The coy worldwide uber-clubmaster is joined across 2 main stages by the diamond-studded specs of quirky Scottish nu-disco kingCalvin Harris, cropped blonde electropop beats of Swedish sirenRobyn, deck wizardry of Barbadosian baron Carl Cox and Jamaican-me-crazy reggae fusion from Diplo/Switch project Major Lazer. With the additional likes of Sebastian Ingrosso, Benny Benassi, Infected Mushroom. Wiley and Afrojack amongst a solid local and international mixbag of DJs, electronic artists and progressive collaborators, this festival of sonic wonderment is, to be blunt, gloriously bangin'. Hands up.
Last September, John Malkovich took time off from being John Malkovich to be Everyone Else for a change. Shot by Sandro Miller in Los Angeles, the highly publicised series of photographs dubbed Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich recreated some of the most iconic portraits in recent history — from John and Yoko to Che Guevara, Dorothea Lange's Migrant Woman to Andres Serrano's Piss Christ. And now the series is coming to Sydney as part of this year's Head On Photo Festival (running May 1 - 31), showing at Darlinghurst's Black Eye Gallery from April 28 - May 5. Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich is just the tip of the iceberg for Head On. The photography festival will showcase works from local and international photographers in over 50 featured exhibitions across Sydney, running from May 1–31. There's some pretty diverse exhibitions at the new Head On Festival Hub at Sydney Lower Town Hall. There's Georges Pacheco’s exhibition, Amalthée, which takes cues from Italian and Dutch renaissance painting to look at the universal and timeless act of breastfeeding. There's also Sydney-based photographer Nic Bezzina's show Cam Girls, which consists of screen grabs from 'Cam Girl' websites — where women enact instructed sexual fantasies via webcam. There are retrospectives aplenty this year too. Internationally acclaimed photographer Emmanuel Angelicas has a retrospective detailing his 45 years of documenting Marrickville's often overlooked residents, and portrait photographer to the stars George Fetting will also delve into years of shooting the likes of Buzz Aldrin, Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrmann, Spike Milligan, Lee Lin Chin, Marcel Marceau, Barry Humphries, Ralph Fiennes, Billy Idol and many more.
For your next Netflix binge, the streaming platform isn't simply suggesting its latest must-see series — it's also telling you what you should be eating. Crack out the tortillas, start marinating some meat and whip up a bit of guacamole, because it's taco time. No mere mortal can sit down to watch a show about this Mexican dish without devouring a whole plate of them, after all. Called Las Crónicas del Taco in Spanish and Taco Chronicles in English, the new series fittingly stems from Netflix's Latin American division. Also unsurprisingly, the show is an ode a meal that's beloved not only in its country of origin, but the world over. Expect to learn more about the versatile tortilla, including its immense cultural significance. And expect to start craving the many different varieties of tacos, too, such as pastor, carnitas, canasta, asada, barbacoa and guisados. Ample gushing about the dish is part of the package — this is a show made for taco lovers, by taco lovers — as is a feast of taco visuals. As any fan of food-focused documentaries already knows oh-so-well, viewing this multi-part effort on an empty stomach is not recommended. Taco Chronicles does boast Javier Cabral among its behind-the-scenes team, with the culinary writer acting as an associate producer and 'taco scout'. The series' English-language trailer is only available on Netflix itself, but if you can speak Spanish — or fancy looking at a whole heap of tacos anyway — Netflix Latin America's unsubtitled clip is below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2qist_IxZI The first season of Taco Chronicles is now streaming on Netflix. Updated: August 12, 2019.
Before summer's out, western Sydney will have a new rooftop bar, complete with pool, sun lounges, cabanas and panoramas of 300 acres of greenery. It's called The Chiltern and you'll find it atop the five-star William Inglis Hotel in Warwick Farm, which is set to open in January 2018. In between taking dips and gazing out at the views, there'll be cocktails and light bites. Should you work up an appetite, head downstairs to the Newmarket Room, a paddock-to-plate restaurant headed by chef Samuel Bull (The Stables, North Bondi Italian). The menu is yet to be released, but he's promising a mix of "rural soul" and "refined elegance". If you have any whisky-swilling mates, you'll probably notice them heading straight for the mezzanine level, where the 1867 Lounge will be serving up high-end spirits, Champagne, fancy cocktails and boutique wines. The $140 million hotel precinct is named after the founder of William Inglis and Sons, one of Australia's best-known thoroughbred companies, and has been funded through thoroughbred horse sales. It's located across from the Warwick Farm racecourse. Anyone who happens to have too good a time in the whisky bar will be able to sleep over in one of 144 uniquely-designed rooms. The hotel is an MGallery by Sofitel, so you can expect decadence galore, including über-comfy beds, luxe bathrooms, picture windows, racing memorabilia, a state-of-the-art 24-hour gym and a posh day spa. The William Inglis Hotel is set to open at 155 Governor Macquarie Drive, Warwick Farm in January 2018. For more information or to book in advance, visit williaminglis.com.au.
Park yourself directly under the sails of the Sydney Opera House for this New Year's Eve experience. With traffic to Circular Quay restricted in 2020, you'll have exclusive access to the highly sought-after view of the Harbour Bridge from the Opera House when midnight strikes. Sip champagne on arrival and at midnight as you leave the last 12 months behind you. Throughout the night, you'll be served a five-course meal with wine pairings. Two dining options are available if you choose to spend New Year's Eve at Bennelong. Reservations at the Main Dining Room are currently available for $1690, while spots at the Cured & Cultured Counter are going for the slightly cheaper $1450 a head. The exact menu has not been unveiled just yet, but you can expect signature dishes from Exec Chef Peter Gilmore and hopefully that eight-texture chocolate cake. [caption id="attachment_721572" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brett Stevens[/caption] Top image: Nikki To
Every year, Japan comes to Australia — or, as far as movies are concerned, it does the next best thing. Since starting with three free film screenings back in 1997, the Japanese Film Festival has kept bringing the nation's many cinematic delights down under. And of course they're going to do so again for their 20th birthday. Travelling around the country with a hefty lineup of movies so new, many are coming straight from the Tokyo International Film Festival this month, JFF embraces the vast array of big screen treats its filmmakers have to offer. Sometimes, that means a poignant drama about a family banding together as a typhoon bears down. Sometimes, live-action adaptations of popular manga series are part of the equation. In fact, the 2016 lineup has both — check them out when they screen at Event Cinemas George Street and the Art Gallery of NSW's cinema from November 17-27.
March isn't the only time to celebrate Ireland in Australia. If you're a movie lover who adores the country's talents, landscapes and cinema output, the Irish Film Festival is just as exciting. In 2023 in Sydney, the fest returns for four days across Thursday, October 5–Sunday, October 8 with its reliably impressive program — this time taking over Dendy Newtown. Every film festival is made better when Olivia Colman is involved — and at IFF, the Empire of Light and Heartstopper star is popping up in Joyride, which is penned by Bad Sisters' scribe Ailbhe Keogan. The movie tells of a 12-year-old who flees a difficult home situation in a stolen taxi, only to find a woman passed out in the backseat with a baby. Another massive highlight from the 16-title national program: the Oscar- and BAFTA-winning short An Irish Goodbye, which follows a a young man with Down's Syndrome and his brother when they discover their recently deceased mother's bucket list. Also among the fest's must-sees is opening film Lakelands, which dives into rural sport, masculinity and isolation. Or, there's It Is in Us All, which earned Special Jury Recognition for Extraordinary Cinematic Vision at SXSW; Róise & Frank, about a widow who believes that her late husband's spirit has returned via a stray dog; and North Circular, a music documentary that celebrates Dublin's North Circular Road. Documentary Lyra pays tribute journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot during rioting in Derry, with the film arriving four years since her death and 25 years since of Northern Ireland's Good Friday peace agreement. IFF will also include an online component to this year's fest, as it has been doing since the pandemic hit. If you're keen to watch Lakelands, It Is in Us All and Róise & Frank from home — and more — get streaming from Thursday, October 5–Sunday, November 5.
UPDATE — MAY 8, 2019: Palace Cinemas has extended the Moro Spanish Film Festival to Sunday, May 12, with additional screenings of the festival's most popular films. When Australia's annual Spanish Film Festival returns this year, it'll offer cinephiles a two-for-one affair. Fancy seeing the latest and greatest movies from the European country? Keen to watch fresh flicks from Spanish-speaking Latin America too? They're both on the lineup. While Latin American cinema has received its own dedicated Aussie fest over the past three years, in 2019 the Cine Latino Film Festival will form part of the Moro Spanish Film Festival. In short: this year's April–May fest presents the best of both worlds across a 32-title program. It all gets started on Tuesday, April 16, with the Aussie premiere of applauded and acclaimed Spanish comedy Champions, which picked up this year's Goya award for best film, as well as the best new actor prize for star Jesús Vidal. The feel-good flick follows an amateur Spanish basketball team comprised of players with mental disabilities and an arrogant coach who's sentenced to community service to help them bounce their way to glory. At the other end of the event is a bona fide classic: Pedro Almodóvar's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, the 1988 black comedy is one of the movies that first helped bring Antonio Banderas to fame. Other program highlights include action-packed bank robbery drama 70 Big Ones and comedy Super Crazy, which focuses on a woman who suddenly can't stop speaking her mind. If you've ever wanted to know all there is to know about olive oil, there's also a documentary on the topic: Virgin & Extra: Jaén, The Land of the Olive Oil. And from the Cine Latino contingent, Argentinian title Rojo delves into corruption before the country's mid-70s coup, while Tremors explores a Guatemalan family's secrets. Across its full slate, the Spanish Film Festival also showcases 11 titles by female filmmakers, ranging from established talents to up-and-comers. Watch out for romance Carmen & Lola, which has proven a hit on the queer circuit; star-studded comedy-thriller Crime Wave, which stars Maribel Verdú, Javier Cámara and Luis Tosar; and the 1982-set The Good Girls, which follows the wives of wealthy Mexican men. The Moro Spanish Film Festival will screen at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from April 16 to May 8. For more information and to book tickets, visit the website.
Discerning Sydney snackers have scored a new best friend in White Label Supper Club — a delivery service that lets you indulge in restaurant-quality cheese and charcuterie boards all without leaving the comfort of your couch. From the savvy minds behind hit venues Dead Ringer and Bulletin Place, the service launched last week, offering to hook you up with upscale nibbles delivered right to your door. There's been no skimping on quality here, with the menu stocked with the same goodies you'll spy in the country's three hat restaurants. There's a global array of cheese in generous 75g serves, plus a swag of charcuterie options, house-made condiments and artisan desserts. You can pick and mix your favourite products, or opt for one of the expertly curated selection boxes. It's all sliced and packed to order, ready to impress at that picnic date, office snack session or living room supper club. As an added bonus, the delivery time means any cheese feast will arrive in your hands pre-rested and at the perfect eating temperature. Right now, White Label Supper Club is being delivered through UberEats, Wednesdays to Saturdays from 4pm. Alternatively, you can pick up your order from the Bulletin Place headquarters at Level 1, 10-14 Bulletin Place, Circular Quay.
Newtown's much-loved Young Henrys has its fingers in a lot of proverbial pies, but its next collab features some literal ones. The brewers have joined forces with Harry's Cafe de Wheels to create a limited-edition beef and beer pie for the masses — and they're giving a heap of them away for free. Head along to the Young Henrys' brewery from noon on Sunday, July 21 and you can grab a complimentary brew and pie combo. The bar will be slinging free pies and tinnies (out of a classic Harry's trailer) to the first 100 punters through the door. The pie will be made using Aussie topside beef that's been braised in Motorcycle Oil — Young Henrys' seasonal hoppy porter that has made its comeback for the third year in a row. If you miss out on the freebie, the pies will be also be available for purchase at all Harry's stores from July 22–September 30, priced at $7.50 each.
The masters of contemporary Italian fare behind Ormeggio at The Spit are at it again, choosing Sydney's northern beaches for their new 49-seat venture, Sotto Sopra. After launching on February 9, the Newport trattoria sees acclaimed Ormeggio partners, Alessandro Pavoni, Victor Moya, and Bill Drakopoulos, joined by Roman-born chef Mattia Rossi, who's fresh from a stint heading up the kitchen at Chiosco. While the team has hinted at a more relaxed vibe this time around, fans of Ormeggio will know to expect a healthy dose of creative flair and a few well-executed surprises, regardless. Sotto Sopro is Italian for 'upside-down', and proves a fitting name given the menu, which sees traditional Italian flavours enjoy some clever, rather unexpected treatments. Taking pride of place in the kitchen is an imported woodfire oven, where dishes like cacciucco pie and slow-cooked, Roman-style porchetta will channel the cooking that Pavoni grew up with back in Italy, albeit crafted on top Aussie produce. Both a 16-seat, custom-made, communal feasting table and two share menu options ($69 & $79 per person) are bound to get a solid workout, heralding many a long, lazy lunch to come. Think mouth-watering stuzzichini, broccoli and honey bug orecchiette, and house-made tiramisu, alongside an affordable line-up of Italian wine varietals. Find Sotto Sopra at The Palms G04/316-324 Barrenjoey Road, Newport. For more information, visit their website and Facebook page.
You may soon be donning a guernsey instead of a hat to head to Royal Randwick Racecourse, with news that the eastern suburbs horse racing ground could soon be home to a purpose-built AFL field. The potential new field is the result of a just-signed partnership between the Australian Turf Club (owners of four horse racing courses across Sydney) and the Australian Football League, which would also see the two collaborate on membership deals and events. As reported by the SMH, the new oval is slated for completion by 2019, with the field being built in the middle of the racecourse, a barren area often used for parking. It was also reported that the oval's construction would not impact on the course's racing schedule. The ATC announced that the new oval would host Sydney Swans and Greater Western Sydney games, and would also be the new pre-season training ground for the Swans, whose previous training ground has been impacted by the (never-ending) light trail project. The team's old training venue in Moore Park has been restricted by the encroaching light rail construction, with management announcing in January that it was on the look out for a new ground and facilities. If it goes ahead, the new Randwick Racecourse AFL field would also take pressure off the SCG later this year when Moore Park's Allianz Stadium is knocked down and rebuilt. The partnership also opens up future possibilities with other AFL clubs — ATC's Rosehill Gardens venue, for example, is close to the training ground of Sydney's newer AFL team, Greater Western Sydney.
On the 25th November, 1987, ten artists came together for a group exhibition in Meagher Street, Chippendale, called “Boomalli Au Go Go”. This is where the story of “Ripple Effect”, curated by Keith Munro, starts: with the formation of what is not just one of Australia’s most enduring artists’ collective, but one of the country’s most important spaces and groups of Aboriginal artists. It’s a story that’s still unfolding. Since that first exhibition, the artists - Bronwyn Bancroft, Euphemia Bostock, Brenda L Croft, Fiona Foley, Fern Martins, Arone Raymond Meeks, Tracey Moffatt, Avril Quaill, Michael Riley and Jeffrey Samuels - have forged their own careers and joined the Australian art canon. Boomalli itself - as a space and a cooperative of like-minded artists - has evolved and endured across locations, hauled itself out of debt and dodged bureaucratic red tape. It’s a space that is amorphous as it is influential. Although much of the large state galleries' collections have, until recently, focussed on Western Desert art as the principal example of Indigenous art, “Ripple Effect” takes us to the limit of the diversity of the media, themes and disciplines Aboriginal artists are working in. Munro says his curatorial directive was to voice “an interesting conversation between the beginning of Boomalli’s history and the present. In the last twenty-five years, the artists have branched out to explore new media and scale, and become bold and confident” in their respective fields. And so, “Ripple Effect” sweeps across painting, photography and works on paper; installation, moving image and print media. Moffat’s spliced, diced video clippish Others sits alongside Bancroft’s Galaxy Gateways, an abstract painting that allows the eyes to slide and wander. Foley’s photo etching and collage photography, Survival, faces Bostock’s more traditional, expressive cotton screen print, Possum Skin. Across from a wall of Boomalli’s early exhibition posters is a collection of ephemera - notes, archives and photographs that document Boomalli’s rich living history. Together, it all makes sense. “All those threads are part of this journey of Boomalli - the genesis of the space and the practices of the ten founding members,” says Munro. Despite, or because, of this diversity, Boomalli has provided a common place for the common narratives of the ten artists. All told, the exhibition is startlingly contemporary. “Ripple Effect” is not just a 25th anniversary retrospective, but a demonstration of how Aboriginal artists are intervening into the art world, bringing the weight of their traditions into a contemporary framework. The show looks outward rather than backward, balancing country, culture and lore with dynamism, regeneration and innovation. “Ripple Effect” is a new part of the living history of a community, its people and events, and the exchanges and dialogues that it has sparked, a history that cannot be contained in the artworks themselves. Image by Fernanda Martins, Avril Quaill and Jeffrey Samuels, from original 1987 Boomalli Exhibition, Boomalli Au Go Go.
With six years and seven Melbourne venues under its belt, it was only a matter of time before Melbourne's fun-loving Mexican restaurant chain Fonda made its way north. Owners David Youl and Tim McDonald knew their format would make an excellent fit for Sydney's dining culture, but it's taken a solid few years of searching to find the perfect spot to pull it off. Finally, the latest addition to the Fonda family — the first outside of Melbourne — is ready for Sydney's tostada lovers to descend. If you've been to a Fonda in Melbourne, you'll know that Fonda does casual, affordable Mexican food in bustling bright spaces. But they're mixing things up for their Sydney debut. Not only is this newcomer breaking the mould with a rejigged cocktail list, an overhauled food offering and the introduction of table service, it's setting the blueprint for a roll-out of changes across all of its sibling stores. Welcome to Fonda 2.0. Fresh from West Hollywood's E.P. & L.P., L.A. chef Mark Tagnipez is heading up the kitchen, armed with a new-format menu of signature tacos, vibrant salads, poke bowls and tostadas. These are house-made six-inch tortillas that are toasted, loaded with lively toppings like kingfish ceviche and then theatrically broken into pieces by waitstaff. Most exciting though, are the new taco sharing boards, designed to bring the fiesta to your table. They feature pull-apart meats like slow-cooked pork and braised beef short rib, along with fresh-pressed wheat tortillas and an array of fresh fillings, ready for guests to dig in and customise their own tacos. The Sydney venue also marks Fonda's first foray into desserts and a crafty lineup of signature cocktails, including the Tea With Freda: a blend of triple sec, lavender syrup and Earl Grey tea-infused gin. Fonda Mexican is now open at 85 Hall Street, Bondi. For more info, visit fondamexican.com.au. Image: Fonda Bondi, by Leticia Almeida.
