In the area hedged by Central, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst sits Sydney's Hollywood Quarter, the locale home to some of our faves: Paramount House, NOMAD, Butter and NEL (at a glance). And while Vivid Sydney is here, the micro-precinct is rolling out a lineup of events to warm up your winter. If you only have time to head to one venue, Hotel Hollywood is a primo choice. From Friday, May 26 till Saturday, June 17, a whole range of musos will be bringing live performances and art to the Foster Street corner spot adding energy to an already loved venue. Commissioned by the Hollywood Quarter's curators Arts-Matter, multidisciplinary First Nations artist Jazz Money (pictured below) is illuminating their words across the walls of the classic pub, which has a rich feminist history. In a nod to this past and to the key themes in Money's creative practices, the words 'Light Beyond Horizon' will shine in neon until Saturday, June 17. The Hollywood was one of the rare safe spaces for women to drink in the 70s, and these three words reflect this: "There is always a light beyond the horizon that motivates us forwards," Money shares. [caption id="attachment_902806" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Hay[/caption] The fun isn't saved for the weekends here — there's live music at 8pm every night from Wednesday through Saturday, and entry's free. On Wednesday, June 7, a tag-team poetry performance will kick off, seeing Tug Dumbly and Benito Di Fonzo perform the best examples of their wit and lyricism. On Thursday, June 8, Illya Szwec's Irie Man will bring their 70s Jamaican blues and rock. And, on Saturday, June 10, local Sydney indie artist Chelsea Silva takes to the stage. There's plenty more, all delivering the makings of a groovy night out, so pick a date, grab your pals and head to the Hollywood Quarter this June. Hollywood Quarter's Hotel Hollywood will be hosting live music and poetry throughout Vivid Sydney 2023. For more information and to plan your trip, head to the website. Top images: James Schulz (first two).
In the area surrounded by Central, Darlinghurst and Surry Hills sits Sydney's Hollywood Quarter, the locale home to some of our faves: Paramount House, Butter, Hotel Hollywood and Pellegrino 2000, at a glance. And while Vivid Sydney is here, there's a staggering lineup of events to warm up your winter. So, if you're overwhelmed by the vast number of light-powered events, listen up: Sydney's Hollywood Quarter has all you need for a brilliant time. From Friday, May 26 till Saturday, June 17, a whole range of arty installations (curated by Arts-Matter), culinary pop-ups and live music performances will be taking over the micro-precinct — here are six of the best.
Rydges North Sydney has reopened its doors after an extensive refurbishment, unveiling a contemporary retreat designed for both business and leisure. Tucked down McLaren Street, the hotel promises quiet nights away from the hustle and bustle, but at only 50 metres from the Victoria Cross Metro station, you'll only be minutes away from Sydney Harbour and Circular Quay on the other side of the bridge — not to mention all the attractions around North Sydney. The transformation spans all 168 rooms and suites, including the new two-bedroom family rooms, which now feature bunk beds— a rare feature in hotels — as well as one-bedroom king suites (some with balcony) and a penthouse suite with stunning views across Sydney Harbour. Each room has been refreshed with neutral tones and a colour scheme inspired by local flora and the Australian landscape, with oodles of natural light and thoughtful additions like wireless charging next to the beds, creating a modern, tranquil atmosphere for guests. Rydges North Sydney now boasts North Sydney's largest conference and event space, with five newly designed meeting rooms. Spanning 399 square metres, the rooms are equipped with the latest audiovisual technology, making them ideal for corporate events, conferences, weddings and more. Guests can also enjoy the new Wattle Bar and Kitchen, which offers modern Australian dining, a fitness studio and secure underground parking—perfect for those who wish to travel by car but don't want to pay city parking fees. With its thoughtful design and prime location, Rydges North Sydney provides a stylish, comfortable base for exploring the city.
Opened in 2015, the six-hectare, harbourside park is one of the newest public spaces built in Sydney's CBD. It was constructed on the land of a former container terminal, built to mimic the shape of the shoreline as it would have existed before colonisation. And the park is named for the leader of the Cammeraygal people, Barangaroo. When you're visiting Barangaroo, it's likely you're here to walk or cycle along the promenade, Wulugul Walk, which snakes around the harbour with distinctive sandstone blocks that you can climb over and sit on. There's also a large, elevated grassy area called Stargazer Lawn, which is where you can lay out a picnic blanket and watch the harbour boats sail by. And underneath that grassy lawn there's an expansive events space called The Cutaway, which houses markets, public art exhibitions and photoshoots, depending on the events calendar. It's one of the few city parks where you're permitted to bring booze for your picnic. You can also purchase food and drink from nearby restaurants, bars and shops in Barangaroo. You don't need to book a spot in advance, however, if you are looking to invite more than 50 people you need to enquire with Barangaroo Reserve's Events team. Note, there's limited shade in the park and no barbecues. However, there are drinking fountains and public toilets, plus parking. Image: Destination NSW.
The Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble arrives at the Opera House with four Australian premiere works. The company, which generally tours, teaches and contributes to community in its New York stomping ground, aims to make modern dance and music accessible to all (note: a dance development program for people living with Parkinson's coincides with this tour). The company’s founder and namesake, Mark Morris, is known for joyful and witty works that attempt to shake up the dance world. A conductor and opera director (as well as dancer/choreographer), Morris makes dance works that have an intrinsic union with music. The company rehearses and performs with its own collective of musicians, so that music is one part of an evolving conversation between sound and movement, never an afterthought. The work of Mark Morris Dance Group is so invigorating, it prompted Fergus Linehan, former Sydney Festival director to remark, “Anyone who is interested in music, dance and art generally in the 20th and 21st century must see this work.”
As the source of those bright green hotdog buns and pancake stacks dominating your Instagram feed, entrepreneur Sarah Holloway knows a few things about how to spot (and start) a food trend. In 2014, she went from corporate lawyer to professional foodie when she started her own business, tea company Matcha Maiden, and then expanded it to vegetarian cafe Matcha Mylkbar (purveyor of said buns and stacks). A big part of her life (which she documents as @spoonful_of_sarah) involves swotting up on Melbourne's best food, drink and wellbeing offerings, so if total nourishment is what you aspire to on your upcoming visit to the city, she's an ideal guide. In partnership with Pullman Hotels and Resorts, we're helping you explore more on your next holiday and make sure you get those experiences that the area's most switched-on residents wouldn't want their visitors to miss. In Melbourne, we've called in Sarah, whose favourite spots range from Burnley's happiness-promoting Serotonin Eatery to Windsor's degustation-sporting Morris Jones. A stay in one of Pullman's two locations in Melbourne — Albert Park or On the Park in East Melbourne — will not only put you in the thick of all this action, it will let you rest and digest in five-star luxury at the end of the day. Read on for Sarah's top Melbourne food hot spots in her own words, and check out the rest of our Explore More content series to hone your itinerary for some of Australia's best holiday destinations. BREAKFAST AT MATCHA MYLKBAR My (completely non-biased, of course) Melbourne favourite is Matcha Mylkbar. It has everything I love in one spot (by no coincidence). Breakfast outings are my favourite way to start the day, food innovation and creativity are my great passions and healthy living is my philosophy. Our menu unites clean eating with satiation and excitement — plus it's a stone's throw from the beautiful beach in St Kilda. The "vegan egg" is a must-try! It's made from coconut, sweet potato and turmeric, but the texture and protein content is almost like the real thing. BRUNCH AT SEROTONIN EATERY Happiness + cafe go together in my world, so eating at a "happiness cafe" speaks to my heart. Serotonin Eatery has beautiful, colourful, nourishing bowls, served in a happiness-promoting environment complete with swings, tucked away in leafy Burnley. Don't miss the Positive Pancakes! Dehydrated organic bananas are ground into banana flour to make the pancakes, which are topped with banana nice-cream, coconut yoghurt and berries. ELIXIRS AT GREENE STREET JUICE I visit this stunning elixir bar filled with soul-replenishing goodness most days. Greene Street Juice's flagship "elixir bar" has the best juices in town, as well as smoothies, broths, tonics and even crystals. If you make one stop for your wellbeing from inside to out, make it here. The New Yorker smoothie — a twist on banana — is my favourite, but their concoctions range from alkaline activated charcoal and lemon water (Gotham City) to an energising carrot and beetroot juice with burdock root extract (The Bronx). MINDFUL MORNINGS AT GREENFIELDS This beautiful new venue on Albert Park Lake mainly caters to events, but it also hosts a monthly "Mindful Morning" with meditation, yoga, tunes and a delicious healthy breakfast from their eatery. A truly nourishing experience for mind, body and soul! Greenfields focuses on which local, raw, organic and fermented ingredients, and if you miss the Mindful Morning, you can grab a la carte eats from Wednesday to Sunday instead. BITES OF ALL SIZES AT LBSS Literally the place where you can get a bite that's little, big, sweet or salty, LBSS (Little Big Sugar Salt) in Abbotsford is another favourite for breakfast or lunch with something to suit every palate. The seasonally changing Plate of Health is my favourite for something healthy, filling and delicious. The cafe is also known for offering "Eggs with Friends" — a spread of breakfast dishes for sharing selected by the chef. LUNCH AT URBAN PROJUICE Tucked away in a converted terrace house, Urban Projuice is the home of health. Run by a beautiful family who glow with vitality, the menu here is absolutely delicious, with lots of takeaway options too. I love to grab a snack then go for a walk around Albert Park Lake nearby. The Smoothie Bowls here include a Snickers-inspired option with cacao powder, natural peanut butter, banana, soy milk, dates and fresh seasonal fruit and nuts. QUICK CUPPA AT MAGIC ON FERRARS Not far away from Urban Projuice is the Melburnian coffee lover's best-kept secret, Magic on Ferrars. It's known for its amazing St Ali coffees and very cosy setting (its few seats are almost always occupied), but it also does a mean breakfast and a solid matcha latte using Matcha Maiden. I love popping by for meetings. AFTERNOON DELIGHTS AT PANA CHOCOLATE Even though I don't have a sweet tooth, there is nothing quite like a dessert experience at Pana Chocolate. Perfect for a guilt-free afternoon snack indulgence, the store on Church Street in Richmond not only stocks the range of Pana's beautiful organic, raw vegan chocolates but also offers a range of delectable dessert creations. I can't go past the cookie dough caramel slice, which features layers of crunchy activated buckwheat, chocolate cheesecake and cashew nuts, and is sweetened with agave and coconut nectar. DEGUSTATION DINNERS AT MORRIS JONES Morris Jones on Chapel Street, Windsor is one of our favourites for a night out. Head chef Matthew Butcher brings a wealth of experience and culinary flair to the degustation menu, which always keeps us entertained and infinitely satisfied. His Nitro Violet Crumble dessert is next level! It combines the flavours of violet ice cream, chocolate soil and frozen honeycomb, and the plating is finished at the table from a pot of liquid nitrogen. SEAFOOD SENSATIONS AT NOBU Our first foodie tradition ever was date night at Nobu, and eight years later, nothing has changed. This Melbourne outpost of the famous New York Japanese restaurant has been open at the Crowne since 2007, and overlooks the Yarra River. The miso cod keeps us coming back every time, along with some of the most exquisitely prepared seafood around town. Plus, don't miss the green tea dessert bento box! Explore more with Pullman. Book your next hotel stay with Pullman and enjoy a great breakfast for just $1.
Rather than a wasted day of woe, Sundays are meant for nourishment. For homecooked meals, meaningful chats and creative beverages. Over the weekend, Concrete Playground and Secret Garden — keen weekenders and lovers of good food, new friends and general tomfoolery — teamed up to create the ultimate Sunday fortress of fun: Cubby House. Taking over the stunning Strickland House, the very first instalment of Cubby House saw a temporary haven created purely for punters to reclaim the weekend. We feasted on braised Mirrool Creek lamb and fire baked whole cauliflower salad from Raven's Eye, had one too many Bloody Marys from the Golden Age bar, marvelled at Tracey Spicer talking sex robots, listened to Omar Musa school us on Rendra, tackled the heavier parts of the news with Tom Tilley and the Guardian journos, had our shoes polished, learnt how to do a cryptic crossword, played croquet on the lawn, and had our socks harmonised off by All Our Exes Live in Texas. Here's to reclaiming Sundays! Images: Samantha Hawker and Andy Fraser.
The Sydney Opera House is introducing an exciting addition to its myriad of renowned experiences. Joining one of Sydney's best restaurants in Bennelong, as well as the newly renovated Concert Hall, Opera Bar, House Canteen, the Utzon Room and a range of other tours, theatres and bars at the iconic harbourside venue, will be Midden by Mark Olive. Led by its namesake chef, this new restaurant will bring seasonal menus showcasing native ingredients to the space currently occupied by Portside. Midden by Mark Olive will open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, plus high tea on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from Tuesday, July 4 in the Sydney Opera House's Western Foyer. A proud Bundjalung man, Olive will pull from thousands of years of First Nations cooking to create the produce-driven Midden menu. Shell middens are areas defined by large collections of shells discarded from local residents eating crabs, oysters and other shellfish. Tubowgule, the traditional name for the area the Sydney Opera House now resides on, was once a midden of oysters pulled fresh from the neighbouring harbour. "Middens were vibrant communal spaces with food at their core," says Olive. "Opening a restaurant at the Sydney Opera House on Tubowgule, Gadigal country is a dream come true. I could not be prouder to follow in the pioneering footsteps of leading Indigenous Australians like Rhoda Roberts, Justine Saunders and Stephen Page, who have brought incredible First Nations storytelling to this place over the past 50 years." Expect to start your meal with Sydney rock oysters in a bush tomato and wattle-seed vinaigrette, and damper bread infused with native herbs and partnered with whipped eucalyptus butter. Other snacks and starters available at Midden include native thyme hummus; smoked kangaroo salad; lemon myrtle and pepperberry-cured salmon; and an Indigenous Australian platter featuring highlights from the grazing menu alongside regional cheeses, tandoori crocodile, marinated artichoke and Tasmanian mountain pepper leaf flatbread. If you're still hungry after making your way through your entrées, there are heftier mains on offer including smoked blue gum barramundi, black olive pappardelle, braised wallaby shanks served with sweet potato rosti, and seared pork belly infused with the flavours of river mint and bush honey. "The land on which the Opera House stands was a gathering place for ceremony and culture for thousands of years before the building itself was ever conceived, and I hope the menu we've created will give guests a real taste of that millennia-old history and maybe even inspire some to cook with our vibrant native ingredients at home too," Olive continued. Reservations for the new waterfront restaurant are open now. Midden by Mark Olive will open at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday, July 4. It will be open 11.30am–2.30pm and 5–8.30pm Monday–Sunday, and will run high tea on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Catching up for a drink on a rooftop bar is a tried and true Sydney tradition, and if you're on the hunt for a spot to enjoy some sky-high sips on Sussex Street, look no further than Above 319. The colourful inner-city watering hole is brought to life by an abundance of greenery, a bright neon sign and a rooftop pool, all setting the stage for a drinks menu of classic sips. Located on level 14 of the Vibe Hotel, this Darling Harbour destination leans into bright floral vibrancy with pink and orange branding and a fresh, crowd-pleasing selection of cocktails. Cucumber and rose petal G&Ts, passionfruit and vanilla mojitos, salted caramel espresso martinis and raspberry bellinis all grace the drinks list. If you've arrived with a group, opt for one of the shared jugs — the Volcano Punch combines spiced rum, peach liqueur, a heap of fruit and ginger beer, while the Smokin' Sangria is made with malbec wine, vodka, orange liqueur, pressed pineapple, orange juice and ginger beer. Located right by Darling Square and Haymarket, it's a lovely stopover to head before or after a hearty meal at one of Chinatown's top eateries. What more could you want from a Friday than a post-work drink up above the Sydney CBD followed by a trip to Spicy Joint or Porkfat?
About 40 minutes into the train ride from the city to Hornsby is the sleepy suburb of Turramurra, and across the platform, you'll spy the bright lights (and just as bright crowds) of Kipling's Garage Bar. If this isn't your stop, think again, you're looking at one of the best bars on the North Shore and the busiest spot between Gordon and Hornsby. The name speaks to the vision of the owners (who are locals of 20 years) but also the history of the site. The 'Kipling' is a tribute to well-known author Rudyard Kipling, who once said, "A man can never have too much red wine or too many books". The 'garage' refers to the fact that the site was once a mechanic garage, which also inspired the industrial-chic aesthetic of the interior. Now it's a classy wine and tapas bar, servicing stomachs instead of engines. There is no one theme to the menu, with interchanging lunch and dinner menus to suit all tastes and portion preferences. Lunch goers can enjoy hearty meals like classic fish and chips ($30) or a decadent mushroom spaghettini ($30). In contrast, dinner guests can enjoy a tapas-style menu of share plates featuring baked gnocchi ($15), salt-and-pepper calamari ($15) and three-cheese zucchini flowers ($16). The wine list is a local legend, but there are also plenty of beer choices, cocktails, mocktails and non-alcoholic picks to suit the dish in front of you. You'll find Kipling's Garage Bar at 2 Eastern Road, Turramurra, about a 60-second walk from the train station. It's open seven days a week, and walk-ins are available, but reservations are recommended – though unavailable for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays.
Not that you need one, but you've now got a fresh excuse to bring your pup along on that next holiday or staycation. Already pet-friendly hotel group Ovolo is upping the ante this September, with a slew of extra goodies in store for its four-legged guests. In honour of International Dog Day (August 26), Ovolo is beefing up its usual V.I.Pooch packages for stays between Thursday, September 1–Friday, September 30, at all of its Aussie hotels. It's teamed up with pet treat subscription service Waggly Club to offer furry travellers additional goody packs, filled with edible treats and toys to really get that tail wagging. Waggly's signature boxes are usually packed with a range of all-natural, Australian-made dog snacks, plus a chew treat, and a new toy or two for the collection. The popular V.I.Pooch package already includes a comfy dog bed for premium holiday snoozing, a special food and drink mat to help keep in-room mess to a minimum, and access to Ovolo's expert team of doggy support staff. The offer has been a hit since the hotel group introduced it back in 2020, helping to kick off a new wave of dog-friendly luxury hotel experiences here in Australia. The elevated V.I.Pooch package is available this September at Ovolo hotels nationwide — you'll find them in Melbourne (Laneways and Ovolo South Yarra), Sydney (The Woolstore 1888 and Woolloomooloo), Brisbane (The Valley and The Inchcolm) and Canberra (Nishi). [caption id="attachment_867004" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ovolo South Yarra[/caption] The V.I.Pooch x Waggly Club package is available at all Aussie Ovolo hotels throughout September, clocking in at $80 per pet. Has your pooch got the travel bug? Check out these other great dog-friendly stays.
Whether you're puffed out from tackling City2Surf or just seeking a different kind of cool down on a Sunday morning, Gelato Messina has teamed up with New Balance and the Unofficial Run Club for a one-day takeover in Bondi. This post-run recovery is sweeter than usual, featuring 2000 free scoops of gelato in two limited-edition flavours inspired by New Balance's high-performance footwear. Specifically, that'd be on-trend colourways of the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5. With the same dedication as a world-class athlete, Messina's ice cream chefs have created a pair of winning flavours just for the occasion. You've got creamy choc malt gelato swirled with nougat gelato or the earthy notes of matcha gelato combined with swirls of dulce de leche. Scooping from 10am on Sunday, August 10, don't wait to make tracks to Gelato Messina Bondi. With these exercise-inspired flavours available on a first-come, first-served basis, plan a pitstop on the way home after the main event or treat it as motivation to embark on a mid-morning power walk.
At the merging of physical space, storytelling and cultural identity, there's the formation of a songline, or a pathway of knowledge. This wide-reaching concept is a pillar in the way First Nations people share knowledge and maintain connection to the land and each other. In the Dreamtime narrative of the Seven Sisters, ancestral women forged these tracks across deep red deserts as they fled a relentless pursuer. Visitors to Museum of Sydney right now are invited to walk among an immersive interactive exhibition centred around this key component of Indigenous Australians' worldview at Walking Through a Songline. [caption id="attachment_854767" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Horan for Sydney Living Museums[/caption] Running until Sunday, July 17, this creatively charged exhibition will allow you to explore these cultural foundations and stories via vivid beams of light and surreal sounds, while paintings swirl around you as knowledge is imparted and the stories of Australia's ancestors are shared in a fascinating new way. The exhibition is open daily and entry is free, so there's every excuse to take yourself on a cultural excursion. The event is on now, so grab tickets online to avoid missing the chance to immerse yourself in the deep beauty and cultural significance of songlines. Head to the website to plan your visit. And when you get there, use the hashtag #WalkingSongline to stay social. Top images: James Horan for Sydney Living Museums
Cherry blossom season in Japan is the stuff of dreams. From late March to early April, the air begins to warm, the cities transform into dreamy pink landscapes, and wherever you look, you'll feel like you've stepped right into a Studio Ghibli film. If you've ever dreamed of strolling under a canopy of cherry blossoms, Japan in cherry blossom season is a must. But with them only lasting a fleeting couple of weeks, making the most of your trip is all about good timing, great spots, and knowing what to do beyond just taking a few pretty photos. We've done the legwork and have found some ideas of how to do it right, from the best viewing locations to the ultimate cherry blossom-themed experiences, plus the perfect stays and special deals to top it all off. [caption id="attachment_997052" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Mauro Repossini via Getty Images[/caption] Hanami Viewing at Ueno Park One of Tokyo's most famous hanami (flower viewing) spots, Ueno Park is the heavyweight champion of cherry blossom season. With over 1,000 trees lining its wide paths, it's where locals and travellers alike gather to lay down their picnic blankets, crack open some sake and soak in the beauty of the season. If you're travelling with the family, it's got plenty of space for the kids to run around, with food stalls and even Ueno Zoo to keep everyone fed and entertained. For an overnight stay close to the action, MIMARU Tokyo Ueno East is just around the corner, offering modern apartment-style accommodation that's ideal for groups and families to unwind after a day of cherry blossom sightseeing. [caption id="attachment_997548" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] MIMARU SUITES Tokyo Asakusa[/caption] Cherry Blossom Scenery on Sumida River Prefer your blossoms with a view in the backdrop? The Sumida River is where you'll want to start exploring. Running right through the heart of Tokyo, it's lined with pink cherry blossom trees that contrast beautifully against the Tokyo skyline. Spend your day taking a leisurely riverside walk, hop on an hourly departing water bus, or take the scenic route back to your hotel to see the trees at night. Just minutes away, MIMARU SUITES Tokyo Asakusa puts you right in the thick of the riverside action, with spacious rooms and a prime location to explore the best of Tokyo's cherry blossoms. [caption id="attachment_997053" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Robert Holmes via Getty Images[/caption] Cherry Blossom Keepsakes From Tokyo Disney If you're travelling with kids (or just love a touch of nostalgia) then Tokyo Disney's cherry blossom experience is an ideal way to experience the serenity, but not compromise on excitement. Each year, Disney also releases a special cherry blossom-themed collection that makes the perfect keepsake for your trip. Think pastel pink plush toys of all your favourite Disney characters, merch, accessories and collectible figurines. [caption id="attachment_997055" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Flavia Morchetti via Getty Images[/caption] Cherry Blossom-Themed Treats at Various Visiting Japan in spring means one thing: cherry blossom everything. Our advice? Lean into it fully. Start your morning with a blossom-infused latte at MOSCA by Ginger Garden, grab some cherry blossom mochi from Muji, and if you're feeling indulgent, treat yourself to the stunning floral dessert collection at Haute Couture Cafe. Sweet, pink, and Instagram gold. Immersive Cherry Blossom Art at TeamLab Planets For something that feels straight out of a dream, check out TeamLab Planets and their popular 'Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers' exhibit. You'll find yourself completely immersed in a surreal world of cherry blossoms, creating the ultimate immersive hanami experience, one that you can't find anywhere else in the country. [caption id="attachment_997058" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Showkaku Sano via Getty Images[/caption] Explore Cherry Blossom-Coated Landscapes Around Tokyo If you're up for a little adventure beyond Tokyo, Mount Yoshino is the perfect change of pace. Home to over 30,000 cherry trees covering the slopes in every shade of pink, it's one of Japan's most breathtaking destinations year-round, but especially during the blossom season. Pair it with a day trip to Nara Park via a 90-minute express train ride from Mount Yoshino, where you can stroll among freely roaming deer under the trees. After a day of exploring, head back to MIMARU SUITES Kyoto Shijo. Smack bang in central Kyoto, it's a comfy base with easy rail access to both Nara Park (about an hour) and Mount Yoshino (around 90 minutes). Plus, you're within walking distance of Gion's many shopping and dining options. Where to Stay to Support Your Trip Cherry Blossom season is busy, and finding the right place to stay makes all the difference. Designed with families and groups in mind, MIMARU offers apartment-style stays with the space you need to relax after a long day of exploring. Tokyo's cherry trees typically bloom from late March to early April, but if you miss the peak, don't stress. MIMARU staff all speak English and are on hand to recommend alternative sightseeing spots so you can still get your fill of springtime magic no matter the month. Visit the APARTMENT HOTEL MIMARU website for more information and book your stay using the code mimaru_cp for an extra 5% off your stay. *Reservation period: Until May 31, 2025 *For stay period: until December 31, 2025 *Applicable to reservations for 2-6 nights *Pokémon rooms are excluded *Discounts other than the MIMARU Member Program discount will not be applied. By Jacque Kennedy
With its exposed brick walls, pendant lighting and leather furnishings, Mr Burrows' fit-out better resembles a bar than a salon. And so does its upstairs 'relaxation station', complete with cheese boards and wine for patrons, plus spritzes on Saturdays. Lounge in large leather slingbacks while getting your hair washed and massaged, then settle in with one of the expert stylists. It offers cuts for both men (from $74) and women (from $115), along with a range of experimental colouring and gradient dyes. Mr Burrows also works with Sustainable Salons, which helps to minimise the salon's footprint. [caption id="attachment_779932" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Penélope Cruz didn't score an Oscar this year for Parallel Mothers. Her husband Javier Bardem didn't win one for Being the Ricardos, either. And, just a couple of years ago, Antonio Banderas also didn't nab a shiny Academy Award for Pain and Glory — but the three acclaimed actors are all winners at the 2022 Spanish Film Festival. The annual cinema showcase spotlights not just Spanish but also Latin American cinema, and it's back for another Aussie tour throughout April and May — hitting up Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Byron Bay. On the bill: 34 movies that hail from both regions, or tie into them in one way or another, including several with Cruz, Bardem and or Banderas at their centre. Kickstarting this year's Spanish Film Festival with the Cruz- and Banderas-starring Official Competition must've been the easiest programming choice in the fest's history. A filmmaking satire, it casts Cruz as a famous director entrusted to bring a Nobel Prize-winning novel about sibling rivalry to the screen, and enlists Banderas as a Hollywood heartthrob. Throw all of that together and it's clearly film festival catnip, as the movie's berths at overseas fests such as Venice, Toronto and San Sebastián have already shown — and it'll enjoy its Australia premiere as the Spanish Film Festival's opening night pick. The aforementioned — and sublime — Parallel Mothers is also on the lineup after releasing in Aussie cinemas earlier this year, if you missed it then. And, so are two Cruz-Bardem collaborations: Jamón Jamón, the pair's first film together, which marks its 30th anniversary in 2022, and 2017's Loving Pablo, which sees Bardem play Pablo Escobar. Of course, the Spanish Film Festival spans plenty of movies that don't star Spanish cinema's best-known acting names, too — with 2022 Goya-winning political drama Maixabel, fellow Goya-recipient Mediterráneo: The Law of the Sea, psychological horror flick The House of Snails, road-movie comedy Carpoolers, and the coming-of-age-focused Once Upon a Time in Euskadi also on the program. Or, there's Girlfriends, about childhood pals reuniting; dramatic thriller The Daughter, which hones in on a pregnant teen; mother-daughter drama Ama; the Himalayas-set Beyond the Summit; and The Cover, about a pop star impersonator. From the Cine Latino strand, ten films hail from the likes of Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic — including rom-com The Big Love Picture, thriller Immersion, the footballer-centric 9 and Goya-winner (yes, another one) Forgotten We'll Be. Plus, the lineup also includes Language Lessons, which is directed by and starring Natalie Morales (The Little Things), and also features Mark Duplass (Bombshell) — with the pair navigating an online setup to play a Spanish teacher and her student. And, there's sessions of the Spanish-language version of Disney's Encanto as well. SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: April 19–May 15: Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney April 20–May 15: Palace Electric, Canberra April 21–May 15: The Astor Theatre, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Palace Balwyn and Pentridge Cinema, Melbourne April 27–May 18: Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Adelaide April 27–May 18: Palace Raine Square Cinemas, Luna Leederville and Luna on SX., Perth April 28–May 18: Palace Barracks and Palace James Street, Brisbane April 29–May 15: Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay The Spanish Film Festival tours Australia from Tuesday, April 19–Wednesday, May 18. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the festival's website.
Across from the Seymour Centre and hidden just out of view from the hustle of Cleveland Street is a real quacker of a pub. Yeah, you'd be a goose not to duck into The Duck Inn Pub & Kitchen — and everyone would be crying fowl if these avian puns continued, so here is where they'll end. Situated on Rose Street in Chippendale, The Duck Inn's a pub with a distinctly un-pub-like feel. You'll find no pokie machines, no punters fixated on the dogs on TV. Instead, it looks and feels more like going to a friend's place that you're a little bit jealous of, with cosy couches and reading lamps, a cardboard deer head on the wall and a bunch of well-worn books and board games (Uno tournaments every quarter, trivia every Monday). Despite its shiny new interior, The Duck's still a pub where being a pub matters the most — the pub grub. The Classic Oz Beef Burger with shoestring fries ($18) is an updated classic that was our highlight of the menu. The fish pie topped with mashed potato (also $18) ties in well with winter nights. If you're still feeling chilly after eating, the buttered rum ($10 mug) goes down a warm, buttery, cinnamon-y treat. It's hard to deny the warmth and homely comfort of The Duck. Between the whitewashed walls and leafy beer garden, it's the perfect watering hole for friends, family or first dates. The perfect Duck sitting? Sunday afternoon drinks that turn into dinner with a side of Jenga.
What better way to embrace the warmer weather — and 2020's slow return to normality — than with some good old-fashioned outdoor moviegoing? This spring, Sweethearts Rooftop has brought back its al fresco cinematic experience with another killer lineup of cult hits. Taking place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7.30pm, the rooftop bar of Potts Point Hotel will break out the projector to show a range of classics from across the decades. Think Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood; comedies Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Crazy Stupid Love and Pitch Perfect; and the first three Harry Potter movies. You can also watch Blow, Donnie Brasco and Snatch. The best part: it's all free, so you won't spend a cent to catch a flick. That's your openair movie-viewing sorted until the first week of December. You will, of course, need your wallet for whatever you'd like to eat and drink while you're watching. Top image: James Ambrose.
There is a clear marking of time in Penrith — BHSD (Before High Street Depot) and AHSD (After High Street Depot). When these guys set up shop it was a sign Penrith had reached maturity. Operated by husband-and-wife team Tim and Noreen Bryan, who met while working at Matt Moran's Aria, High Street Depot was the cafe we'd all been waiting for and desperately needed, serving up perfected classics like eggs benny and smashed avo, made a little more adult with a sprinkle of nuts and creamy feta. The food is as consistent as the service, which is excellent, and you'll never be disappointed with your Single Origin coffee.
Snow Eggs, passionfruit puddle pies, Buddha's Delights... these dishes have all made marks on Australia's culinary landscape. And they were all created — or brought long-lasting fame — on MasterChef Australia. Last month, the reality cooking show, which aims to unearth the nation's best home chefs, launched its tenth season. Yep, it really has been a whole decade since Julie Goodwin and Poh Ling Yeow went head-to-head in the final episode of Season One. To celebrate the anniversary, we've partnered with MasterChef Australia to take a look at its impact on our national foodie scene. Here are five chefs who, since appearing on the show, have continued to shape how we cook, what we eat and where we source our food. Even if you're not a devotee of the show, chances are, you've fallen under their influence one way or another, somewhere along the way. ANDY ALLEN When 24-year-old electrician Andy Allen won MasterChef Australia Season Four in 2012, he became the youngest-ever champion. Unlike the other chefs on this list, he didn't grow up with a particular culinary tradition. "I like to explore each and every cuisine, from all corners of the globe," he said. "I'm learning new things every day and want to share those things with the people who dig food as much as me." To that end, Allen's brought tonnes of adventures into Aussie kitchens. His recipes are all about experimenting with simple combinations of fresh ingredients. Think beer- and maple-glazed pork belly or roast cauliflower with pickled grapes. He's big on foraging, too, so natives appear in recipes such as salt and pepperberry abalone, crisp-skinned butterfish with quandong jam and chilli mud crab with green mango, coconut and herb salad. These two passions combine in Allen's TV show, Andy and Ben Eat Australia, which sees him and his mate Ben Milbourne (who also starred on MasterChef Australia) go off the beaten track on all sorts of food-related escapades. Meanwhile, in Sydney, Allen helps run Three Blue Ducks Rosebery, the second incarnation of the eponymous Bronte original. [caption id="attachment_673952" align="alignnone" width="1920"] adamliaw[/caption] ADAM LIAW Adam Liaw's 2010 victory over runner-up Callum Hann at the end of MasterChef Australia Season Two attracted more viewers than any other non-sporting event in Australian television history. Since then, the Malaysian-born lawyer-turned-celeb chef hasn't stopped. Each of his five cookbooks is devoted to an aspect of Asian cooking. Asian After Wok (2013) teaches you how to whip up fresh, authentic Asian dishes at home, even when you've only 20 minutes to spare, while The Zen Kitchen (2016) combines Japanese recipes with zen philosophies, hoping to bring better health and more tranquility to the Australian kitchen table. Meanwhile, through his TV show Destination Flavour, Liaw, along with co-hosts Renee Lim and Lily Serna, has transported us to the deepest culinary corners of Japan, Singapore, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. With him as our guide, we've travelled down Singapore's satay street, found out how to butcher a crocodile in the Northern Territory and joined the indigenous Sami people of far northern Norway on a reindeer-herding expedition. In all his spare time (what spare time?), Liaw represents Australia at UNICEF as our National Ambassador for Nutrition. [caption id="attachment_673947" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @pohlingyeow[/caption] POH LING YEOW We got to know Poh Ling Yeow, another Malaysian-born celeb chef, at the same time we did Julie Goodwin. The two battled it out for the inaugural MasterChef title in 2009, with Yeow coming in as runner-up, by a teeny-tiny margin. The defeat in no way held her back, and today Yeow is responsible, not only for making Buddha's Delight famous, but also for thousands of us creating edible gardens — the subject of her much-followed reality TV show Poh & Co. It carries us into the daily life of Yeow, her husband Jono Bennett and their two dogs, as they go about transforming the backyard of their Adelaide home into a veggie patch. Before that, you might've caught her in Poh's Kitchen, where she demonstrated how to make Malaysian pineapple tarts, cakes and epic sushi platters, among many other decadent dishes. One particularly influential episode encouraged us to re-think the traditional Christmas table, as Yeow teamed up with a bunch of international chef mates to create a multicultural feast. If you're keen to catch up with her in real life, then get yourself along to Adelaide Central Market, where she runs Jamface, a cafe peddling home-style sangas and pastries, all made from scratch. Every Friday evening, you can sit down to a six-course extravaganza. [caption id="attachment_673946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @justineschofield[/caption] JUSTINE SCHOFIELD MasterChef Season One gave us more than its fair share of killer chefs. As well as Julie Goodwin and Poh Ling Yeow, there's Justine Schofield. Her main claim to fame is her TV show Everyday Gourmet which, since launching in April 2011, has aired more than 600 episodes and is still going strong. Schofield's chief legacy has been bringing the art of gourmet cooking into Australian homes, in a way that's accessible and down-to-earth. Many, many ingredients that once alienated us with their hard-to-pronounce names and obscure origins have – since travelling through her kitchen – become household names. Among the hundreds of recipes in Schofield's portfolio are beetroot and walnut tart tatins with goat's cheese, fudgey flourless chocolate cake and ricotta and ham omelettes. One of her tricks is keeping things simple: by substituting just one or two ordinary ingredient with slightly fancy ones, you can create a whole new dish. What's more, she proves that going gourmet can be done while staying healthy and meeting unusual dietary requirements, with nutritionists joining her on various episodes to collaborate on recipes. [caption id="attachment_673950" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @_juliegoodwin[/caption] JULIE GOODWIN MasterChef Australia started with Julie Goodwin, when, in 2009, she became our first ever champion. Almost immediately, passionfruit puddle pies and lemon diva cupcakes – two of her most memorable MasterChef creations – appeared on tables across Australia. But that was just the beginning. In 2010, on a mission to get folks back into their kitchens, the Central Coast-based chef starred in TV show Home Cooked! With Julie Goodwin. Visiting the homes of various celebs — including cricketer Steve Waugh, radio host Amanda Keller and actor Gyton Grantley — she shared her cooking tips and tricks. At the same time, Goodwin launched her first cookbook Our Family Table a collection of recipes covering everything from lazy Sunday morning brekkies to camping cook-ups, including several passed down through Goodwin's family over generations. These days, should you happen to fancy a trip to Gosford, you can meet the original MasterChef in-the-flesh at Julie's Place, where she hosts workshops, masterclasses and special events, such as high teas and long lunches. Catch the latest season of MasterChef Australia from Sunday to Thursday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten.
Located in the former Flying Fish site at the end of Jones Bay Wharf, and headed up by Executive Chef Danny Russo, Sala delivers fresh takes on Italian classics and plenty of seafood in a 160-seat space. "We wanted to call on nostalgic Italian flavours and give them a modern flair to offer a sophisticated yet playful experience to diners," Russo says. Renowned hospitality duo Kerrie and Con Dedes of the Dedes Waterfront Group round out the team. Through the use of a far-reaching ingredients list, the group has created an impressive menu centred around new versions of Italian standards. For example, a simple Italian dish such as risoni has been transformed into crispy finger-food starters paired with caviar and parmesan ($30 for two pieces). Other Sala highlights include hiramasa kingfish with green tomato, stracciatella and pickled cucumber ($34); Russo's signature squid ink tortellini with crab meat in a lemon and caper sauce ($45); and a rotating dessert menu featuring interesting and innovative end-of-meal treats. Head Sommelier Rocco Pezzullo has curated a predominantly Italian wine list that's sure to pair well with your tortellini, and Bar Manager Behzad Vaziri's cocktail spans Italian classics (there's a full range of negronis) and signature mixes. These unique Sala creations are all inspired by the sea, featuring the likes of the Oyster Shell Martini ($26) made with Never Never Oyster Shell Gin, and the Mediterranean Side ($25) which combines mastica, limoncello, egg white and basil. As for the fit-out, that's been handled by The General Store. The design agency's Chief Strategy Officer Danny Lattouf says: "We set out to create the most authentically Sydney dining experience, with the welcoming Greek heritage of the Dedes Group and the Dedes family, the Italian culinary mastery from the Russolini Group and Danny himself, and then the heritage of this stunning harbour and the building itself."
It's almost impossible to recognise Regent Place these days. What even was it before? The area was like antimatter, a nowhere place behind Event Cinemas George Street that if looked at directly would cause your eyes to blur and mind to slip until you came to in line for onion rings at a fast food place across the road. And now? Now it's like a cool offshoot of Chinatown. Level one is a neon-bright Tokyo mirage, while in the basement is the jumble of Senyai Thai, a Misschu hut and AstroTurfed cocktail bar Assembly. One ever-packed Regent Place destination is izakaya joint Yebisu, where you can mix and match a pre-movie feed or settle in for a long, congenial night of grazing on Japanese share plates and sake. Wood tones splashed with street art by Ash Johnston act as a trendy cloak from the city beyond. It's a gargantuan menu; with more than 100 dishes, the focus is on dizzying quantity rather than A-class quality, and that's fine when your meal is as fun and reliable as this. It's perfect for a party, really, as all tastes are accounted for, whether you fancy regional rarities such as dried skate fin ($8.80) and vinaigrette tuna skin ($10.80), dependables of the sushi or yakitori variety or just giving up on the world and going for fried mixed cheese ($14.80). Adding some spontaneity to your ordering is the iPad menu system, which is so often derided as a novelty but simply works for tapas-style dining. It means you genuinely can order course by course if you want to, and there's no awkward sitting around trying to get the waitstaff's attention. Yebisu could even take this further, letting diners access more information about a dish with a tap — though it's possible the information overload would be crippling. For us, it's a journey guided by gut from deep-fried to fresh and back again. The tom yum goong roll ($15.80/8 pieces) is one of those dishes you're likely to crave after leaving, though it's a hugely unsubtle hit of tempura prawn, lemongrass rice and salt. The cooling mix sashimi entree ($15.80/9 pieces) is welcome right about now, although some of the fish was not at its most tender on this occasion. We get through a small range of good yakitori, available by the skewer, but the best grilled meat is actually from the entree menu: Angus beef tataki ($16.80), seared ever so cleanly around the edges, butter-soft in the middle and topped with an abundance of crunchy, thin spring onion rounds. Sake and shochu are a specialty at Yebisu, and as well as ordering off the iPad, you'll also be visited by an attendant with sake trolley and plenty of recommendations to share. Each sake is served ceremoniously, with designated cups for each type and a cheer of 'Kanpai!' There's cold, sweet sake for beginners, but a warm Urakusami is a brusque step up. Accompany it with some takoyaki octopus balls ($7.80) — fried, doughy, croquette-ish fare on sticks is a comforting chaser at any bar.
The extraordinary creativity of Chinese artists over the centuries is set to be celebrated next month, with the launch of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Art: Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipei at the Art Gallery of NSW. This blockbuster exhibition, which is launching at the peak of Sydney's Lunar New Year celebrations on Saturday, February 2, marks the first time that Taipei's National Palace Museum has displayed works in the Southern Hemisphere. Showcasing 87 masterworks across painting, ceramics, illustration, bronzes, calligraphy, jade and wood carvings, the exhibition explores the ancient Chinese concept of tian ren he yi — a philosophical principle based on the relationship between nature, humans and the cosmos. These incredible objects date from as far back as 5000 years ago (the Neolithic period) right up to the 19th century and, for the most part, are drawn from the Imperial collections of the Qing dynasty. Don't leave without seeing one of the most popular of the National Palace Museum's treasures: the 'meat-shaped stone'. It's exactly what it sounds like — a stone carved from jasper that closely (so closely it'll make you feel oddly hungry) resembles a piece of tender, juicy braised pork belly sitting in a decorative gold dish. As always, the gallery will host a number of special events alongside this exhibition including traditional Chinese calligraphy demonstrations, a film series and live music (inspired by Chinese poetry) from singer-songwriter Sophie Koh. Head down on Wednesday, February 6 for a special Lunar New Year-inspired Art After Hours and Saturday, February 9 for a free traditional Chinese tea ceremony. Plus, we've got our hands on some passes for you and a mate to see the exhibition for free. Enter with your details below. [competition]708984[/competition] Images: Qing dynasty 1644–1911, Shen Yuan, 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival'; Qing dynasty 1644-1911, 'Meat shaped stone', National Palace Museum; Ming dynasty 1368–1644, 'Portrait of the Hongzhi Emperor', National Palace Museum; Qing dynasty 1644–1911 'In celebration of the Amitabha Buddha' (detail) National Palace Museum; Ming dynasty 1368–1644, Qiu Ying, 'Fuxi', National Palace Museum.
If your "new year, new you" thinking has already started as 2024 approaches, you might be justifying your end-of-year excesses during the festive season by making a health kick one of your New Year's resolutions. IKEA wants to assist. Sure, walking around its stores is already a workout, but the Swedish retailer is going a step further by releasing its first-ever fitness range — on Monday, January 1, 2024, of course. So, gyms aren't for you, but you'd like to get active and you need some equipment to help? The DAJLIEN collection features exercise mats, ring dumbbells, step-up boards and more. Indeed, the whole aim of the range is making working out accessible for wherever suits you to get sweaty — and making it a part of your everyday routine. The collection's moniker is the Swedish word for daily, in case you need a reminder that fitness should be more than a now-and-then thing. IKEA designed the limited-edition range by exploring how folks workout at home, even doing visits in New York, Chicago, London and Shanghai. Factoring into the end products: issues surrounding space, time, motivation and exercise gear not fitting in with home decor. Some items also double as storage, and others are meant to be both practical and stylish. When the collection drops in-store and online, prices will span from $6–149, with hand towels the cheapest items and a bench with storage that can also work as a coffee table the most expensive. You can also pick up belt bags, massage balls, bath ponchos, air purifiers, slippers, blankets, trolleys and valet stands, with the range's colour scheme including dark and light green, yellow and white — plus bamboo. If some of the above items don't sound like they'll help you when you're actually exercising, that's because the recovery process and just stress relief in general are also covered by the DAJLIEN collection. "Not everyone feels safe or comfortable going to a gym, and at home we often deal with small space and time constraints. DAJLIEN was born from the desire to find smart solutions that address these limitations, and help people create a convenient and motivating place for exercise," explained IKEA Designer Sarah Fager. "We wanted to create smart, beautiful products to inspire and redefine training as a fun, easy and natural everyday activity." "DAJLIEN is all about supporting movement and helping people live more active lives at home. We have designed a collection that helps bridge the gap between home and active life, that recognises that training can take many shapes and forms — and that you don't need a lot of space to do a simple workout,"added fellow IKEA Designer Akanksha Deo. IKEA's DAJLIEN collection goes on sale across Australia, in stores and online, from Monday, January 1, 2024 — until stocks last. Head to the IKEA website for further details.
Haymarket hole-in-the-wall Mr Chen Beef Noodle is serving up steaming hot bowls of Lanzhou-style, hand-stretched noodles and Shanghai-style dumplings on the daily. Apart from the signature beef noodle — which comes topped with sliced radish, green garlic and coriander — you can choose from a heap of other versions, too. One is topped with pickled cabbage, another is filled with pork and chicken wontons and a third is served with slow-cooked beef brisket and fresh chilli. They arrive with your choice of five freshly made noodle types, which range from extra thin to super thick biang biang-style. Mr Chen sells plenty of well-trodden Chinese dishes, too — including numerous varieties of fried rice and heaps of stir-fried veggies, plus mapo tofu, sweet and sour pork and kung pao chicken.
Even with all the specialty bars in town, Champagne has not yet had its chance in the spotlight. Does it have the dedicated Sydney fan base to carry the show? Or will we get confused drinking it with no nuptials to toast or New Year to welcome? All questions will be answered with the opening of the Champagne Room, coming to The Winery's upper floor in late September. Visitors will be able to enjoy city skyline views while sipping on their flute of Perrier-Jouet's Belle Epoque 2006, which will only be available by the glass in Sydney at this venue (and which would ordinarily set you back a cool $200 a bottle). A bevy of other choices from luxury Champagne producers will also be available, alongside cocktails and Australian and international wines. "Surry Hills nightlife is about to house one of the most exciting new bars in Sydney," says Paul Schulte, creative director of the Keystone Group. "We've created a seeming synthesis of comfort and a unique escape for Sydney's champagne lovers." Inside, the bar will be fitted with private booths with 'Champagne bells' which light up whenever you need your drink refilled, forgoing the torturous process of always trying to catch the waiter's eye. While the Champagne Room will come with The Winery's usual food options, on the weekends visitors are invited to splurge on a seafood brunch, including freshly shucked oysters, Harvey Bay scallops and Cloudy Bay prawns. Bless my poor wallet. The Champagne Room will be open every evening 5pm until late and from 11am on weekends.
This September, Carriageworks will once again become the beating heart of Sydney's design scene when The Big Design Market returns for three days of artistry, flavour and discovery. Running from Friday, September 19–Sunday, September 21, the event brings together an inspiring roster of 230 independent designers, alongside a curated selection of food and drink experiences. The market is renowned for its breadth and quality, with stalls spanning ceramics, jewellery, homewares, slow fashion, stationery and innovative lifestyle products. This year, expect bold new arrivals such as Indigenous label KingKing Creative, whose striking apparel fuses storytelling with design. Keep an eye out for sculptural ceramics from Ignem Terrae, and Sophie Anna's sustainable jewellery. They'll sit alongside returning favourites like Arcadia Scott, Ant Haus and Marlo Woodwork. Aside from endless creative designs, delicious food gets equal billing at The Big Design Market. Melbourne favourites Ugo Bar and Wonder Pies are joining Sydney icons, including Lucio Pizzeria, Shortstop Donuts and Brooklyn Boy Bagels. Plus, punters can sip boutique wines, small-batch spirits and artisanal non-alcoholic brews as they explore the stalls. This year's guest artist, Emma Morgan, will create a large-scale botanical installation that transforms the Carriageworks space, while a dedicated kids' zone invites younger visitors to pause and play. And for those who love a treasure hunt, Deluxe Show Bags are offering $25 bundles valued at over $155 and are only available on Friday. Entry to The Big Design Market is $8 (and free for under-12s), which can be purchased via the website. Images: Blake Walshe.
Only a three minute drive from Avoca Beach is an old corner store housing specialty coffee cafe, Like Minds. It's evident, once stepping inside, however, that Like Minds is so much more than just a place to drink coffee. It's also an art gallery, creative hub, design venue and market garden — a community space to be used and enjoyed. Opened by local couple James Rolph and Melissa Morgan, the cafe has a focus on sustainability with a "zero waste" food policy. Local produce is also used where possible and herbs are picked every morning from the on-site garden. But, back to what we're all (most likely) here for: coffee. Like Minds' brews are made on beans by Sydney's Fat Poppy Specialty Coffee and come cold, hot, black, white, iced and spiced. Yep, if you're feeling adventurous, you might decide to order the chipotle mocha, made with a double shot of espresso, smoked chilli and dark chocolate.
It's hard to know what to expect from a place called Dirty Red. Thankfully, the words 'coffee' and 'brunch' emblazoned on the venue's baby blue terrace exterior provide some clues. Named after Glebe's Dirty Reds football club (one of the foundation clubs for the Australian Rugby League in 1908), this cheerful cafe has quickly established itself as a go-to for Glebe locals since opening in mid 2018. With ample seating, including a bright and airy interior and a leafy courtyard, Dirty Red is the type of place you'll want to stay all day. And, in fact, you almost can now as the venue transforms into a cosy wine bar on Friday and Saturday nights, too. Here, plates and snacks like black garlic dip and burrata with peach, romesco and basil are served alongside a tight selection of mostly Aussie wines, Young Henrys brews and spritzes. Now, back to the main affair: brunch. The extensive, produce-packed menu turns cafe classics up a notch — think eggs and soldiers served with halloumi fries or eggs benedict served on jalapeño and cheddar cornbread. Plus, it has what CP reader @ally_brown88 calls "the best brekkie roll in Sydney". To pair with your meal is coffee by Mecca, including a nitro cold brew, plus fresh juices and shakes made using gelato from nearby Little Red Gelato. And if you're looking to level-up your brunch session, the cafe also serves booze during the day. This includes a stellar selection of cocktails, like the Brekkie Martini and the Dirty Red Mary. Plus, it does $10 espresso martinis between 2–4pm.
Legendary Sydney actor and the famously gravelly voice behind Banjo Patterson's The Man from Snowy River, Jack Thompson, has been announced as the Creative Ambassador for 2014 New Year's Eve in Sydney. Born and raised on the Northern Beaches, Thompson's career meandered from classic Australian films like Sunday Too Far Away, The Man From Snowy River and Breaker Morant (for which he nabbed Cannes and AFI awards) to Star Wars and recent Baz Lurhman escapades The Great Gatsby and Australia. A member of the Order of Australia for accomplishments in film, Thompson's made over 100 movies and television shows, as well as plays and poetry recordings over the past 45 years. Now he's looking at an entirely different type of script. "It is such an honour to be able to represent my home town — one of the world’s truly great cities — as the Creative Ambassador of 2014 Sydney New Year’s Eve," said Thompson, whose love for a good yarn lead him to pick this year's theme. Putting his age ol' fireside storytelling skills to a multi-million dollar budget, Thompson has picked the theme 'Inspire' for the fireworks extravaganza — hoping to implement a series of stories about our fine city in the midst of midnight pashes and Passion Pop-fuelled D&Ms. "Sydney is filled with stories that inspire, from the ancient engravings of the Gadigal people in the sandstone of the headlands to the unique architecture of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge," says Thompson. "As we prepare to celebrate the year that’s passed and look to the future at what lies ahead, I encourage Sydneysiders and visitors alike to join with us and share their own inspirational stories of Sydney." Thompson joins a solid lineup of previous high-profile Australian creatives to take on the role of Creative Ambassador for Sydney New Years Eve. Mental As Anything and Mambo legend Reg Mombassa took on last year, pop monarch Kylie Minogue oversaw 2012 and overwhelmingly influential designer Marc Newson had the top job in 2011. Reaching 1.6 million people on Sydney Harbour alone (as well as a cheeky billion worldwide), NYE generates an estimated $156 million to Sydney's economy. Yikes. All that money doesn't go in fat cat pockets though, Thompson's NYE will team up with official 2014 Sydney New Year’s Eve charity partner, Engineers Without Borders Australia. Total legend. For more information and to plan where your grab-the-nearest-person-midnight-pash will go down, visit sydneynewyearseve.com. On another note, Thompson was the first nude male centrefold in Cleo magazine in 1972, but we're unlikely to revisit this raunchy page turner on NYE:
For the past 11 years, wife and husband duo Sam and Michael Kern have been dishing up decadent breakfasts and sumptuous lunches from Parc cafe in Randwick. Now, it's time for the local mainstay to turn over a new leaf. On Friday, Parc reopened its doors as Tucker, with a renewed focus on wholesome eats and more options for foodies on the go. "Over the last three or four years, takeaway has grown incredibly," says Sam. "So we've changed the style of service to suit that." Rather than going for a complete renovation, the Kerns have instead rejuvenated, extending on what they've already found so successful. "We do heaps and heaps of takeaway salads and meals," Sam says. "We've got a big fridge in the front of the cafe, but we've found that we can't keep up with production." Cue the installation of a new production kitchen that'll keep their signature salads stocked constantly in the shop, ready to service everyone from long-staying brunchers to tradies swinging through between jobs. The menu has tightened, too, with a whole slew of new burger and sandwich options making an appearance at lunch time. "We do really great sandwiches," Sam says of the cafe's staple. "We've still got all our salads that we change seasonally." After more than a decade as a leader in the cafe scene in the Eastern Suburbs, and with the possibility of expansion on the horizon, Sam says that the longevity they've enjoyed is due to sticking to what they do and doing it well. "We're not a cafe that tries to follow trends," she says. Instead, Tucker will follow the same rules that have made Parc so successful, those being dishing out good, clean, wholesome food with an emphasis on quality over quantity — and that sounds like good tucker to us. Images: Steven Woodburn.
Hiding away in Crows Nest is Ryo's, a little slice of Tokyo serving ramen as it should be — packed with flavour and in a huge, deep bowl that you'll struggle to make it all the way through. As soon as you step inside the orange ramen house, you'll feel as if you're in Japan. With butcher's paper decorated with kanji adorning the walls and with good luck cats scattered everywhere you turn, it makes your meal feel much more authentic when it arrives. There are a number of pork and chicken broths to choose from, but there is no going past their famous number 8 — ramen in spicy hot flavoured chicken soup with roast pork, egg and shallots. To make it even better, add extra garlic and you'll go away with your lips on fire and your belly full of satisfaction. Just make sure that you leave as soon as you're finished, else you'll feel the ire of those queuing outside.
Campos Coffee: it's a brand we've all come to love and know. And this is where the story started. This hole-in-the-wall spot just off buzzing King Street is easily recognisable — the building swathed in the brand's trademark green. Coffee is undeniably the main affair here, with a simple lineup of pastries on offer to accompany your brew. Swing by to sample from its extensive range of blends and single origin roasts.
Mark + Vinny's Spaghetti and Spritz Bar opened this April, and, as promised, it's turning out some seriously radioactive-looking pastas. These colourful creations are brought to you by restaurateur Mark Filippelli (co-owner of Melbourne's Matcha Mylkbar) and his best mate Vince Pizzinga, who are offering Sydneysiders sustainable, ethical and vegan fare, some of which looks like it came from another planet. Set in an intimate space along a quiet strip of Waterloo Street, the restaurant sits between the stalwart cafe Orto Trading Co. and the Light Rail construction. This means the block is completely dead on a Tuesday night — apart from the bustling Mark + Vinny's, that is. For its first week it was an impressive sight — every table was taken within the first hour and the space was filled with excited chatter. Although the restaurant fits barely more than ten tables inside, the servers move around seamlessly and the friendly service adds to the lively vibe. Maybe it was just the spritzes talking, but people really seemed to be indulgently enjoying themselves. With a menu of 20 spritzes on offer, it's hard not to feel the urge to try a few, though the sheer size of the menu is overwhelming and we found it best to ask the server for suggestions — round after round. Filippelli and Pizzinga both have their own namesake spritzes and, of the many we tried on the night, they did prove to be some of the best. The Vince comes with theatrically scorched, Frangelico-soaked hazelnuts, along with blood orange and wattle cola — a combination that is reminiscent of a classic Venetian spritz but taken to the next level. The Mark better resembles a tropical cocktail, made with white rum, watermelon and sparkling coconut water, then garnished with a whole lychee and served in a coconut shell to boot. The drinks do take a bit to come out, but you can hardly blame the bartender considering the number of ingredients and tiny space with which they have to operate. Despite the wait, the drinks were beautifully executed every time. The nearly-a-bar vibe almost had us fooled, but in truth it's not really a place to come just for drinks — though the outdoor patio seating begs for an aperitivo hour in warmer weather. Food-wise, we came for the main drawcard: the neon blue spirulina pasta. On the menu, it takes the form of a blue swimmer crab tagliatelle, topped with cured fish roe and crunchy breadcrumbs. We were surprised how well it worked, with the blue colouring complementing the oceanic ingredients. The pasta itself had a nice bite to it, and, apart from the neon aspect, tasted like any freshly-made pasta ought to. The modern spins are accompanied by some hearty classics, like the maccarruni calabrese, a recipe from Pizzinga's nonna that is made with beef rib ragu, which is slow-cooked the traditional Calabrian way. The long and chewy pasta is miles away from the macaroni you've had as a kid and is likely the best on the menu. In terms of the vegan carbonara, we can finally confirm that the vegan egg really does ooze like real yolk and adds the creaminess needed; the house-cured mushroom is a pretty convincing pancetta replacement, too, though the texture of the activated charcoal bucatini needs some work. The duo has smartly recruited head chef Adrian Jankuloski (Icebergs, The Dolphin Hotel). You'll find his personal touches in the entrees, like the burnt eggplant dip served with charred Italian flatbread and a whole red chilli from Jankuloski's backyard; or the zucchini flowers stuffed with smoked almond curd instead of cheese, served over a nutty red capsicum sauce. Overall, the menu is thoughtfully done and certainly sets the restaurant apart, though we have a feeling its the traditional over the unusual dishes that will keep customers coming back.
If seeing a flick at an Alamo Drafthouse cinema across the US, or at Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn, has always been on your film-watching to-do list, you'll soon be able to enjoy a similar experience without the overseas trip. Australia is set to welcome the homegrown FoMo Cinemas, which takes its cues from those two cult-favourite American names in the movie theatre business, has a December opening locked in and will set up shop at East Brunswick Village in Melbourne. When the Angelika Film Centre launched in Brisbane earlier in 2023, it brought a New York-born American arthouse cinema chain to Australia. Now, when FoMo Cinemas starts welcoming in patrons, it'll take its cues from US picture palaces, too. The concept: seeing films, of course, but making in-theatre eats as much as a drawcard. So, you'll watch blockbusters and retro titles, and you'll have a meal from a specialty menu brought to you. Barry Peak and Natalie Miller AO are behind FoMo Cinemas, with both boasting Carlton's Cinema Nova on their resumes. With this new independent venture, combining film and food is firmly the focus — and not just via popcorn and choc tops. Think of it as dinner and a movie all in one place, as the flick plays, in a cinema that's devoted to the concept. A chef will design the menu, with dishes made onsite and able to be ordered on-demand to be brought directly to your seat. Also a highlight: a 20-minute pre-show presentation. Alamo Drafthouse is particularly known for the latter, as specifically curated to suit its movies — and featuring clips sourced far and wide. Exactly what bites and sips will be available hasn't been revealed, and neither has the exact opening date or the on-screen lineup, but the latter will show latest releases, classics and curated picks. Cost-wise, movie tickets will be standard prices, the venue's website advises. When it starts its projectors whirring in East Brunswick Village, which is also newly opened itself, FoMo Cinemas is aiming to be a cinema experience rather than just another place to see a film. Melburnians, you'll have a new movie-worshipping spot to head to. Tourists from elsewhere, you'll have another entry on your next Melbourne itinerary. The Victorian capital will gain not one but two new cinemas in December, with Palace's latest Melbourne cinema in Moonee Ponds also launching the same month. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FoMo Cinemas (@fomocinemas) Find FoMo Cinemas at East Brunswick Village, 133 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick from December 2023 — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced.
From web searches and browsers to email and document storage, Google has its fingers in plenty of different online pies. Many of its services have become such a part of our daily lives that we no longer give them much thought, but every now and then the company has fun with one of its platforms — bringing Pac-Man, Mario Kart and Where's Waldo? to Google Maps, for example. For the company's latest entertaining attempt to direct everyone towards one of its specific sites, it's playing with another retro title, combing Snake with Google Maps. And, no, you don't need a Nokia 3310 to play it. This time, though, instead of an 8-bit snake, you're driving a train around one of six cities, and picking up passengers, landmarks and local dishes for points. And Sydney is one of the cities you can play in. Driving one of its famed yellow trains, you'll pick up bathers from Bondi and the northern beaches, the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and pavlovas — while trying not to crash into the train's 'tail' or the perimeter (Gladys wouldn't be too happy if you crashed one of her trains, guys). Elsewhere, you can drive trains in Cairo, São Paulo, Tokyo, London, San Francisco or the 'World' — where you'll find landmarks and dishes from all six cities. While it's been launched as an 'April Fool's Joke', it's a game that you can actually play right now, and, supposedly, until the end of the week. To play it in the Google Maps, head to the menu and click on 'Play Snake' under 'Offline Maps'. If you don't have the app, you can head to Google Map's standalone Snake site on your mobile or desktop, too. Head to the Google Maps app or the Google Maps Snake website to start playing.
Eating takeaway fish and chips from Bondi's Best on the grassy knoll of North Bondi is one of the best things you can do in Sydney — hands down. Fish and chips make winter taste like summer and summer taste like some kind of Coke ad for summer that's too good to be an actual thing that you get to live through. But the real magic here is the view back to one of the most postcard-perfect views in Sydney. North Bondi's little grassy knoll at the end of the beach has become a bit of a local go-to for picnics, solid book-reading sessions and all-round social get-togethers. Over the last few years, the local police have become a bit ancy with the whole drinking in public thing, so watch the BYO. Locals bring sound systems, cook up barbecues and parade their tiny dogs on the promenade. The perfect spot for long summery Sunday afternoons — if you can get a spot. By Rima Sabina Aouf with Shannon Connellan. Image: J Bar.
Japan has a knack for turning something simple into an elite experience and its snack game is no exception. Whether you've experienced the joys of a Tokyo konbini (convenience store) for yourself or you've only seen the hauls all over social media, the sheer volume of unique and delicious treats can be mind-boggling. So, in partnership with Suntory -196, we've hand-picked our ultimate favourites — from a satisfying savoury bite to the sweet candies to stash in your desk drawer — and found the top spots around Australia to get your hands on them. Happy snacking. [caption id="attachment_820994" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sandoitchi, Leigh Griffiths[/caption] Sandos Grab-and-go food chains have never really taken off in Australia like they have in other parts of the world so actively seeking out a convenience store sandwich when in Tokyo can be a hard concept to grasp. But one bite of a tamago sando (Japanese egg sandwich) will smash through any preconceptions. Made with fluffy crustless milk bread (shokupan) and a rich, buttery egg filling, these decadent bites are beautiful in their simplicity and can be found in pretty much every one of the 50,000 konbini across Japan. Back in Australia, we'd recommend sticking to the dedicated cafes like Saint Dreux in Melbourne CBD which coats an egg slab with a nori (seaweed) sheet and panko breadcrumbs; Supernova, in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley, truffle-laced version served with a curry dipping sauce; or new-kid-on-the-Darlo-block Punpun in Sydney where the chefs steam the eggs into a custard-like consistency before slathering them with chive mayo. Once you've tried the cult classic, venture out to the other iterations, like the pork katsu sando or the fruit sando, stuffed with seasonal fruit and whipped cream — both are done to perfection by the legends at Sydney favourite Sandoitchi. Suntory -196 Japan may be nicknamed the Land of the Rising Sun but the major cities really come alive at night. From walking down neon-lit streets to chatting with locals at intimate vinyl bars and belting out your best rendition of 'My Heart Will Go On' at a karaoke joint, many of the iconic experiences travellers seek out in Japan happen after dark. And many of them happen with a Strong Zero in hand — the cult Japanese premixed drink, made with a blend of shochu, vodka and soda, available in 7-Elevens, Lawsons and Family Marts across the nation. When you're looking to capture a little of that Japanese spirit (both literally and figuratively) ahead of your next night out, pop to your local bottle-o to grab some Suntory -196s, brought to Australia by Suntory in honour of their number one premix in Japan. There are now three exceptional flavours to try — the zesty yet crisp OG Double Lemon; the sweet 'n' sour Double Grape and the oh-so-juicy Double Peach (Double Peach was released just last year and we can't wait to see what new stuff they've got in store for 2025). All three are made using Suntory's patented Freeze Crush Infusion Technology, which involves the flash freezing of real fruit at -196 degrees Celsius before crushing and infusing the fruits into spirits to intensify the flavour profile for double the fruity hit. Can't decide which one to go for? Opt for a variety ten-pack from all major bottle shops, including Dan Murphy's, and slowly sip your way through to find your favourite. Melonpan What happens when two classic comfort foods — bread and cookies — join forces? It creates the ultimate little snack to satisfy those 3pm sugar cravings. Featuring fluffy sweetbread covered by a crunchy cookie crust, melonpan is a slightly sturdier version of the famous Hong Kong pineapple bun and is named for its resemblance to rockmelon. Sydney's Azuki Bakery (Newtown and Wolli Creek) has gained a following for its melonpan — while you're there, grab the best-selling curry pan, a savoury doughnut filled with beef curry. In Melbourne, head to Japanese-inspired bakery and cafe Fuumi Fuumi in South Yarra for its flavoured versions (think matcha, strawberry or chocolate) straight from the oven. Brisbane's well-loved French patisserie Le Boulangerie Amour Fou, with locations in Sunnybank, Indooroopilly, Woollongabba and more, offers its own take on the treat in mocha and mango flavours. Kororo Gummy Candy File this one under 'there's nothing quite like it'. These colourful little gummies are popular across Japan as much for the affordability and novelty as they are for the actual taste — a pack will usually only set you back the equivalent of about AUD$1 and they somewhat resemble a grape, right down to the wrinkly skin that you can (but don't need to) peel off. Inside, the gummy is soft, chewy and bursting with flavour. The most popular flavours are grape, muscat (green) grape and white peach. Owing to these little gems going viral on TikTok a while ago, most Japanese grocery stores in Australia now stock these so check out Maruyu and Amami Mart in Sydney and Fuji Mart in Brisbane and Melbourne. Mochi This traditional rice cake snack comes in so many forms it could have its own article — you can get them stuffed with sweet fillings like red bean paste, fresh cream and fruit or tiny scoops of ice cream; in soup; toasted into a waffle; or transformed into a chewy doughnut. They're so popular that they're not very hard to find in Australia anymore — even the major supermarkets sell them — but quality can vary wildly. Seek out authentic, freshly made mochi at Torori Warabi Mochi in Haymarket, Sydney, in classic flavours like matcha, hojicha and Hokkaido milk. A Melbourne store is due to open later this year. In Brisbane, Sonder Dessert in Sunnybank has been the go-to for years, serving its version coated in roasted soy bean powder with a brown sugar dipping sauce. [caption id="attachment_988373" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 15cenchi[/caption] Japanese Cheesecake Many nations lay claim to having the best cheesecake. There's the New York-style version (uncooked cream cheese with a crumbled cookie base) and the bittersweet yet creamy burnt Basque-style option. But the Japanese version, a soufflé-esque concoction that is wobbly and oh-so-light, must not be overlooked. Uncle Tetsu takes the (literal) cake for bringing this masterpiece to the Aussie masses with stores in Sydney and Melbourne, and both cities now boast cult-favourite LeTAO, too. Meanwhile, Mountain River Patisserie in Runcorn has a good take on the treat for Brisbanites. If you're a ride-or-die basque cheesecake fan, make tracks to Sydney's lockdown darling, 15 cenchi, for the ultimate hybrid. Named for the '15 centimetres of happiness' it promises customers, 15cenchi offers Japanese-style basque desserts in innovative flavours like salted grapefruit and lychee or yuzu. Kit Kats Japanese Kit Kats have been the hot-ticket Japan souvenir for years. Every colleague that has ever been to Tokyo has returned to work with a stash of them. It's a small win for mandatory office days but the bad news? They almost always opt for the same flavours: matcha and strawberry. They're both delicious but it's a true shame when you learn there are over 300 flavours in the range in Japan — you could be treating your palette to a seasonal chocolate smorgasbord with flavours like wasabi, sakura, salt lychee and sweet potato. The next time you're at your local Japanese grocery store, keep an eye out and see what's available. Onigiri Considering how popular premade sushi rolls are here, it's a little surprising that onigiri hasn't had the same impact on Aussie lunchtime culture — until now. Otherwise known as Japanese rice balls, onigiri features steamed rice formed into a triangle and wrapped in a nori sheet. Just like its Japanese counterpart, 7-Eleven Australia has started stocking these portable snacks in three classic flavours: cooked spicy tuna, sweet chilli salmon and chicken teriyaki. If you want to try more unique takes, opt for one of the many hole-in-the-wall joints that have popped up recently. In Sydney, we're big fans of the one stuffed with an onsen egg at Mogu Mogu, the chashu (braised pork belly) and chilli from Parami (a collab with the iconic Chaco Ramen) and the plum kombu from Domo39. In Melbourne, West Melbourne's 279 offers traditional fillings like takana (mustard greens) or cured cod roe while Tokyo Lamington in Carlton gets a bit more experimental with the likes of miso eggplant, bacon and egg or chicken curry. Finally, Brisbane joined the trend a few months ago with the arrival of Shiro where onigiri comes packed with miso pork or salted seaweed. Babystar Crispy Ramen If Mamee Monster Noodle Snacks were a lunchbox staple for you growing up, it's time to graduate to Baby Star Ramen. This raw noodle snack has been around since the 1950s and is so well-loved it even has its own theme park, Oyatsu Town, in Tsu City, Japan. Available in flavours like tonkotsu, garlic, chicken or yakisoba, these noodle strands are salty, crunchy and incredibly moreish — don't be surprised if you finish the entire bag in just a few minutes. You can find them at most Japanese grocery stores around Australia and via JFC Online. Level up your next summer snack sesh by pairing Suntory -196 with any of these top-tier Japanese snacks. Head to Dan Murphy's to pick up a limited-edition 'Suntory -196 Variety Pack' featuring all three epic flavours: Double Lemon, Double Grape and Double Peach.
"I've never been to school, but I can read and write." Penny Penny takes a moment to chat from Limpopo, the northern South African province where he grew up. Born Giyani Kulain in 1962, the cult musician was just four years old when his father passed away; a local doctor who left behind his 25 wives and 68 children. "After that, we started to suffer a lot," Penny says. "I taught myself [literacy], because I suffered so much. In 1968, I started working on a farm, then I worked in a mine, then I went to the village and sold vegetables and then I worked in a restaurant... Everything I've done, I've done it myself." For the 52-year-old dubbed "the next Rodriguez" by Rolling Stone, this independent drive lead him to singing — except that it didn't involve so much arduous autodidacticism. "I never learned to sing," he says. "Singing just happened." In 1994, while working as a cleaner in a Johannesburg music studio, Penny approached producer Joseph Shirimani, who related the meeting in a 2013 Rolling Stone interview. "I said, 'Can you sing?'. [Penny] didn't say yes — he just sang a song for me. And that's when I heard this unusual voice and those melodies." The resulting collaboration led to the recording of the song 'Shaka Bundu'. Its infectious combination of traditional melody, Tsonga disco and contemporary dance pop sold 250,000 copies, turning the odd jobs man into a national star. "'Shaka Bundu' means 'bad guy', trouble," Penny explains. "I had a girlfriend for more than eight years. After I lost my job, she dumped me. And one of my friends, who used to come to my house, he proposed to her. That's where the song comes from, you see." He breaks off the story in favour of singing the chorus down the phone. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Blk2nsFCt8I Several subsequent albums continued to keep the fans dancing in South Africa, but (like the music of Rodriguez) didn't receive much international attention. That was until a few years ago, when a Penny Penny cassette landed on the desk of DJ and Awesome Tapes from Africa blogger Brian Shimkovitz. "It took a bit of time to track down the busy politician, humanitarian and stadium-filling musician," Shimkovitz wrote. But track him down he did, releasing 'Shaka Bundu' worldwide on November 12 last year. "People like it a lot in Africa," Penny says. "Then I find out that they like it in Australia — and that makes me happy. I've seen Australia on television; I've read about it on the news. I never believed that I would come to meet you, on that side. I think I'll kiss the soil when I land there." He's sorry though, that he won't get the chance to meet Yothu Yindi. "I heard that he passed away recently. He is one of my favourite Australian musicians. That song [he starts singing 'Treaty'] was very big in Africa. I though maybe I'd see him one day, but no." Like Yothu Yindi, Penny is an activist. In fact, in 2011 he became an African National Congress (ANC) Council Member — the first African musician to do so. "I just want to give something back to the community," he says. "Politics is fine, but my heartbeat is music." When he plays VIVID as part of Goodgod's Tin Pan Alley, he'll be bringing a ten-piece band along for the ride. "You can expect to see me dancing up there. When I see people on the dance floor — 75,000 people, 90,000 people — if more people want to come, I say let them come! I've been asking myself, 'How to introduce my style of dancing to Australia?' I want to leave the country dancing my style, with my spirit. I want to leave my mark." Penny Penny will headline Good God Small Club's Tin Pan Alley in the Joan Sutherland Theatre on Friday May 30 for Vivid LIVE. He'll be joined by Bart Willoughby of seminal indigenous band No Fixed Address, ever theatrical Royal Headache frontman Shogun flying solo, Melbourne soft rockers Montero and Sydney's indescribable Donny Benét. Head here for more details.
Bickering and bantering. Battling all over space. Blasting retro tunes. That's Guardians of the Galaxy's holy trinity, no matter where its ragtag crew happens to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, Peter Quill aka Star-Lord (Chris Pratt, The Super Mario Bros Movie) and his pals have offered the MCU something shinier than the gold-hued Adam Warlock (Will Poulter, Dopesick): a reprieve from the ever-sprawling franchise's standard self-seriousness. Friends but really family, because Vin Diesel is involved, this superhero team got gleefully goofy in their initial big-screen outing, 2017 sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and 2022's straight-to-streaming The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. They've popped up elsewhere across the comic-book film saga plying a sense of silliness, too. Welcomely, even when they're slipping into Avengers and Thor flicks, they've always felt like their own distinctive group surfing their own humorous but heartfelt wavelength, a power that isn't generally shared across Marvel's output. Arriving to close out the Guardians' standalone trilogy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 zooms into the movie series' fifth phase with a difference: it's still a quippy comedy, but it's as much a drama and a tragedy as well. Like most on-screen GotG storylines, it's also heist caper — and as plenty of caped-crusader flicks are, within the MCU or not, it's an origin story. The more that a James Gunn-written and -directed Guardians film gets cosy within the usual Marvel template, however, the more that his branch of Marvel's pop-culture behemoth embraces its own personality. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 couldn't cling tighter to its needle drops, of course, which leap to the 90s and 00s this time and hit with all the subtlety of a Zune player being thrown at the audience. It also stuffs out its duration and over-packs its plot. But, the obligatory post-credits sting aside, this farewell to part of the MCU always feels like a zippy, self-contained Guardians of the Galaxy movie — including when it's also a touching dive into Rocket's (Bradley Cooper, Nightmare Alley) history — rather than a placeholder for more and more future franchise instalments. That said, thanks to past MCU chapters, this third Guardians effort begins with Rocket feeling alone in the world, and Quill drunk and despondent. (The soundtrack: an acoustic version of Radiohead's 'Creep'.) The latter's beloved Gamora (Zoe Saldaña, Avatar: The Way of Water) is no longer the same woman he shared a galaxy-saving life with — instead, she's an alternate version who can't recall their romance — and he isn't coping. Demigod Warlock scorching his way through the Guardians' floating home of Knowhere snaps him into action, though, when their flying interloper tries to raccoon-nap Rocket. Only tracking down the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji, Peacemaker) will save the gang's gravely injured furry friend, which means a face-off with the megalomaniac inventor who made the genetically engineered critter and is militant in his quest to create a utopia. As Quill and fellow Guardians OGs Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista, Knock at the Cabin) and Groot (Diesel, Fast and Furious 9) go a-rescuing — with the icier Gamora along for the ride for a payday, plus later crew additions Mantis (Pom Klementieff, Thunder Force), Nebula (Karen Gillan, Dual), Kraglin (Sean Gunn, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel) and Cosmo the Spacedog (Maria Bakalova, Bodies Bodies Bodies) doing their bits in various ways — it's impossible not to see art imitating life in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. A universe-creating overlord who is obsessed with dominance and perfection, and also intellectual property rights, being challenged by a thick-as-thieves troupe who'd rather be happy and scrappy? Yes, this is the movie that Gunn has whipped up for his brief trip back to Marvel following a controversy-sparked visit to the DC Extended Universe to direct The Suicide Squad and TV's Peacemaker, and before getting installed as that rival realm's new co-head honcho. Just as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 doesn't ever scream "all that matters is setting up the next movies!", which is a relief after that's all Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania did, Gunn doesn't ever lay his real-life parallels on too thickly. He's busier ensuring that the Guardians' tussle with their all-controlling foe is as irreverent as it is emotional — bringing up those family bonds like Groot should be cracking a Corona, too — while pinballing between settings and setpieces. The gang's lively time on a base crafted out of organic matter is an eye-catchingly squidgy and fleshy standout; from the tactile production and costume design through to supporting parts by Gunn's The Suicide Squad star Daniela Melchior and his Slither lead Nathan Fillion, it's delightfully executed. And yet, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is at its best when it's jetting backwards to when a young Rocket was dreaming of being more than a mad scientist's test subject — of being more than the GotG version of Frankenstein's monster, that is. Spending a fair chunk of the film's hefty 150-minute running time in origin mode could've proven mere padding. Instead, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's present, it's the fight scenes that just keep coming that play that way. So does the Drax-and-Mantis double act after the movie's midway point, even with Bautista and Klementieff still firing in their comfortable comic pairing. When he's just a kit in a cage, having Rocket form a band of misfit toys with otter Lylla (Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me), walrus Teefs (Asim Chaudhry, What's Love Got to Do with It?) and rabbit Floor (Mikaela Hoover, The Suicide Squad) could've been too saccharine as well, but these unflinchingly bleak, earnest and empathetic flashbacks brim with soul and heart. The GotG flicks have always been about finding somewhere to belong and someone to belong with, after all, with this swansong thoughtfully explores how and why that need to connect is so deeply wired in through pain and trauma. A Guardians film that beams brightest when there's only one Guardian in focus — and not the 70s- and 80s-worshipping, Patrick Swayze name-dropping Quill? Perhaps that's why the trilogy is coming to an end. At their core, Rocket's Vol. 3 storyline and Quill's Vol. 2's daddy issues have more than a little in common, but shifting the GotG series' attention past the team's biggest Footloose fan is refreshing almost a decade in. (And while Pratt fits this big-name franchise better than Jurassic World, basically playing Burt Macklin: Space Protector, Cooper's excellent voice work makes him Vol. 3's MVP.) Knowing when something's time has come is a hard lesson to learn, of course. Among Gunn's many trademarks overseeing playful entries with a distinctive personality in an oft-formulaic broader saga, swinging big with difficult emotions, choices and realisations has always ranked up there with jokey patter and as anarchic a vibe as the MCU would let him get away with. Naturally, he signs off from Guardians in that exact fashion — and with a picture that relishes being its own thing, bloat, repetitive gags, well-worn dynamics, over-used music and all, over ticking franchise boxes.
Aussies are embracing the no- and low-alcohol movement. When we go out to a bar, bottle shop or even our local supermarket, we are spoiled for choice with options for non-alcoholic wines, beers, mocktails and spirits. One such offering is from premium alcohol-removed winery Edenvale Wines. It has positioned itself as an alternative range of wines for wine lovers if they've decided to go booze-free for whatever reason. We caught up with Edenvale Wines winemaker Aaron Milne to find out how the heck you even get the alcohol out of the wine, and what the future is for the no and low trend. First up, tell us about your background. How did you become involved in the wine world? I started in wine by picking up some work during the holidays working in the cellar door. About 16 or 17 years ago, I took a vintage job with Lindeman's Winery and I really enjoyed it. While I was there, I researched and jumped on a winemaking degree at Charles Sturt University. I was offered to come and work at AVL (Australian Vintage Limited) and they offered to help me with my studies. I did that and I really haven't looked back. It's been hectic! What was it about the wine industry that drew you in? It's just very different. When you're working in a factory or other production facility you do one thing every day, all the time. Whereas with wine, because it's so seasonal, we're doing a different thing at each time of the year and each wine is different and each season is different. So, although you are kind of making the same product every year, there's always something very exciting and challenging about it. So how, and why, did you end up making alcohol-removed wines? It was actually just fate. I was working at AVL and they had a division that had an alcohol-removal facility. They offered me a position to run the place. I was interested in the process, the spinning cone, evaporators, thermo flash extractors and all sorts of different pieces of equipment. Back in those days, there was some scepticism about the concept — "Who is actually going for alcohol-removed wines?" — and then suddenly it just turned around. People became really keen on it and it just grew and grew. AVL is where I met Michael Bright, he was our biggest customer and really championed the alcohol-removed wine category with Edenvale. I worked closely with him to improve and develop products and processes. When Michael asked if I wanted to join Edenvale and help them build a brand-new processing plant, I jumped at the opportunity. Can you bring me through the process of actually making alcohol-removed wines? The basic winemaking process is the same. We harvest the fruit, remove the stems and leaves and then crush the fruit to get all the juice, then add yeast and ferment it. Once fermented, it is clarified to remove impurities and put through cold and heat stabilisation to prevent spoilage. There are other potential steps like ageing in oak barrels and so on. But essentially, you get it to the bottle-ready stage and then we start the process to remove the alcohol. The standard method is with a spinning cone that uses vacuum distillation. This puts wine under a vacuum to reduce the pressure and lower the boiling point of alcohol. Before this method, winemakers would just boil the alcohol out of the wine — cooking out all of the flavours. Now we're able to remove the alcohol at quite low temperatures down around the 30–40-degree range. This first round is called the 'de aroma step' because the alcohol that is removed also includes all the aromas of the wine. We hold the alcohol and aromas to one side and pass the wine through again more slowly to get rid of the rest of the alcohol. What's left is a quite harsh, severe wine that's been concentrated as well. It's honestly undrinkable. So then we restore balance. Alcohol is very sweet. So when you remove the alcohol, you remove a lot of sweetness. We normally put in some grape juice concentrate to replace that. When it's ready, we return a small portion of that aroma that we took out back into the wine — but only a little bit at a time as there's alcohol in the aromas. We're not adding artificial flavours and trying to blend artificial or natural sorts of flavours to recreate wine. We're taking the original flavor and we're returning it to the wine. So, it's almost like you kind of deconstruct the wine and you reconstruct it again? Yes, we essentially pull it apart, get the alcohol out and then try and put it back together. And the alcohol by-product doesn't go to waste either. We sell it to distilleries for further processing and they sell that on to brandy makers. It makes for a good spirit because we use good quality grapes and wines. What's the biggest challenge you'd face when making alcohol-removed wines? It can be challenging, not just because of the flavour, but also trying to make it not look like watery juice. We also have issues with spoilage. As we've removed the alcohol, we've removed the main preservative that stops it from going bad. We have a really short time frame from when we remove the alcohol to trying to get it into a bottle nice and safe in a sealed environment because it really wants to ferment. With regular wines, you can leave it for months or longer before bottling, but we don't have that luxury with alcohol-removed wines. We need to get everything right in one go. Do you think an average wine drinker would be able to tell the difference between alcohol-removed wines and traditional wines? If you don't prime them and just pour wine at dinner and don't mention it, you might get away with it for an average wine drinker. It'll be much harder to detect that there's no alcohol in a sparkling wine than in aromatic whites. We find that sparkling wines are the easiest to make as the bubbles help to fill the palate and lift the flavour so you don't notice the missing alcohol quite so much. Then the next is probably our aromatic white like sauv blanc and riesling because they are fresh and fruity. Then more complex heavier whites like chardonnay. It gets a little bit easier to tell with reds. When we pull that aroma out, what's left is an extremely floral red berry flavour, not the expected complex notes and then there are the tannins. I was going to ask, do you lose any of that tannin structure? No, it actually comes forward really aggressively. The sweetness and mouthfeel of alcohol tend to help soften those tannins. When you take that away, the tannins become really quite harsh. That's why the alcohol-removed wines have grape juice concentrate in them to replace that alcohol sweetness and also to make those tannins a lot less harsh and more drinkable. Our GSM from Fleurieu Peninsula is a more serious de-alcoholised red that stacks up. We've done our best to dry up that wine as much as possible. How would you go about pairing Edenvale Wines? The wines pair excellently with food. You can even cook with them — there's no alcohol to cook off. I would say to pair seafood with our sem sauvignon blanc, canapes with our sparkling and for a big rich fatty steak I'd probably go with our sparkling shiraz. It might seem like an odd choice but it's got a big body and mouthfeel that would help to balance out a nice big steak. Do you see a point in the future where traditional wine is a competitor to your wines? I think right now it's different enough that people are choosing us specifically because we have no alcohol. If it gets to a stage where they're deciding whether or not they feel like alcohol and we're a good alternative, that would be a good place to be. But it's great that punters have the choice now between a mocktail, zero-alcohol beer and zero-alcohol wine. And why do you think there has been such a trend towards non-alcoholic beverages of all kinds? There's definitely an underlying trend in younger people to drink less alcohol and a growing health awareness around the consumption of alcohol. Speaking from my own point of view, if I get a hangover before a weekend when I have plans, that then makes me feel like I've wasted my entire weekend. With these wines, we retain all the good things about the drink, all the good extracts from the grape, just no alcohol. What do you think would be the future for Edenvale Wines and alcohol-removed wines in general? I think right now the focus on this side of the wine world is fantastic. There's a lot more energy in the industry. We're getting a lot more funding into research and I think we may see new developments and new technology to make the process even better. Edenvale Wines is a premium range of alcohol-removed wines that are available to purchase directly from the website or at most major supermarkets and liquor retailers.
Randwick City Council has announced that Little Bay Beach will be out of bounds from Monday, April 26, with the spot closing on weekdays for up to a fortnight. The popular location will be shut to the public to enable a site inspection to take place, with materials containing asbestos found onsite over the past nine months. The inspection will help the council better understand the location, source and extent of the asbestos. Asbestos was first discovered on the beach on Sunday, August 2, 2020. In the first week after the discovery, approximately 100 asbestos fragments were discovered, with that number growing to more than 1000 across the subsequent eight months. The continued discovery of new material containing asbestos suggests an ongoing source of contamination, potentially from nearby creek gullies containing old building material. Over the two weeks, a detailed site investigation will take place, including the collection of soil samples. Those soil samples will be analysed and tested for asbestos in a laboratory, with the outcome of the testing made available via the Randwick Council website. Since August, expert asbestos removalists have been inspecting the beach regularly to ensure it hasn't posed a risk to the general public, and signs were installed last year advising patrons not to touch any material that look like fibro sheeting. The beach will still be open to the public over weekends, with the work only taking place Monday–Friday. So, if you're keen to go snorkelling in Sydney's eastern suburbs, or to escape the hustle-and-bustle of popular nearby beaches like Coogee and Maroubra, you'll be able to on a Saturday and Sunday. While test pits will be dug during the week, the beach will be reinstated to its original condition before it reopens on weekends. The council advises that it'll endeavour to do the work will be done as quickly as possible, with the two-week time period incorporating time for possible delays due to weather or tidal movement. Little Bay Beach, located at 4R Coast Hospital Road, Little Bay, will be closed for an asbestos investigation from Monday, April 26. For further details, visit the Randwick City Council website.
This glorious spring sunshine conjures a few images in our heads: luxurious seafood feasts, walks by the water and tableaus of a certain European coastline. Well, flights to Italy are still a bit steep, but you don't need to travel around the world to get at least a few of these itches scratched — just head to Ovolo Woolloomooloo. Housed inside the heritage-listed Finger Wharf, this boutique hotel offers an appropriately la dolce vita-themed getaway well within the Sydney CBD, and the on-site eatery Bar Woolloomooloo is levelling it up with a spring-themed high tea offering: Dolce & Mare. [caption id="attachment_1029312" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ethan Smart[/caption] The name translates to sweet and sea, a nice summary of what you'll find served on the tower, which in classic high tea form is a mix of sweet and savoury. On the savoury side, there's mini lobster rolls with caviar, swordfish croquettes, a rockmelon gazpacho and caprese sliders — then for sweets, a limencello ricotta cake, mixed berry zabaglione, snowball tiramisu and of course: scones with jam and cream. [caption id="attachment_1029311" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ethan Smart[/caption] For beverages, the tea in high tea comes from Blak Brews, a First Nations-owned tea company that uses native ingredients in all its blends. For something a bit stronger, you can opt for three tea-themed cocktails or an optional add-on glass of Prosecco or Veuve. Should you choose to book a seat, the luxurious feast starts at $89 per head, available at 12, 2 and 4pm every Thursday to Saturday. For more information on Dolce & Mare or to make a booking, visit the Bar Woolloomooloo website.
Welcome to the joys of major film festivals in spring, Sydney. Getting holed up in a cinema for a week or so is usually a winter activity in the Harbour City, because that's when Sydney Film Festival takes place; however, the first-ever SXSW Down Under is arriving in 2023 with its very own celebration of peering at screens. So, for eight October days, movie lovers can wander in and out of darkened rooms while the weather is pleasant outside, not frosty — and see everything from Saltburn, the new Jacob Elordi (Euphoria)-starring thriller from Promising Young Woman director Emerald Fennell, to the freshly remastered 4K version of iconic Talking Heads concert flick Stop Making Sense. SXSW Sydney's debut Screen Festival will boast 75-plus sessions that'll get projectors a-flickering from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22. It all starts with opening night's Australian thriller The Royal Hotel from Casting JonBenet and The Assistant director Kitty Green (and starring the latter's Julia Garner), then features the world premiere of documentary Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles and everything from features starring Indonesian rappers and docos about Tokyo Uber Eats riders. Saltburn will enjoy its Australian premiere at SXSW Sydney, while Stop Making Sense will get The ICC's Darling Harbour Theatre echoing in glorious 7.1 surround sound. The venue will be home to the fest's biggest titles, which also includes opening night and The Wiggles doco; ONEFOUR: Against All Odds about the eponymous drill rap band; and Ryuichi Sakamoto|Opus, which covers the recorded concert by the late, great The Revenant composer, who passed away in March 2023. Also on the bill: supervillain parody The People's Joker, which gives the caped-crusader realm a queer coming-of-age spin; TLC documentary TLC Forever; Sleep, a Korean horror-comedy by Bong Joon-ho's former assistant; the Hugo Weaving (Love Me)-starring The Rooster, which follows a hermit and a cop who form a bond during a crisis; and a retro session of Aussie classic Lake Mungo. Or, SXSW Sydney's film fans can see Black Barbie, a Barbie flick that isn't filled affection; the Indian Australian Sahela, which tells a queer tale set in Western Sydney; Satranic Panic, a homegrown road movie and a creature feature; Milli Vanilli, another of the event's music docos; and Uproar, as starring Hunt for the Wilderpeople's Julian Dennison, Our Flag Means Death's Rhys Darby and Starstruck's Minnie Driver. Among a feast of screen content that also encompasses 40 shorts, plus 20 music videos and 13 XR projects, TV will get some love — that's why the event is called a Screen Festival, not a film fest. Standouts span Night Bloomers, a horror anthology from both Korea and Australia; Erotic Stories, another anthology that'll deliver exactly what it sounds like; and Doona!, a Korean rom-com led by Suzy Bae. Alongside indoor sessions at Darling Harbour Theatre and Palace Cinemas Central, free outdoor screenings are also on the bill at the SXSW Sydney 2023 hub in Tumbalong Park. The complete lineup there is still to come, but the program will survey the OG fest's best and brightest, starting with Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's What We Do in the Shadows — the movie, not the also-ace TV show — as well as classic anime masterpiece Ghost in the Shell and Richard Linklater's Dazed & Confused. As well as viewing movies and TV shows aplenty, the 2023 SXSW Sydney Screen Festival also features an array of speakers. Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker is one of the headliners — not just of the screen component, but of SXSW Sydney overall. Similarly getting chatting: Indigenous filmmakers Leah Purcell (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson), Kodie Bedford (Mystery Road: Origin) and Jub Clerc (Sweet As); Osher Günsberg recording an episode of his podcast Better Than Yesterday with a yet-to-be-announced special guest; and Gone Girl, The Nightingale, The Dry, Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers producer Bruna Papandrea and Binge's Executive Director Alison Hurbert-Burns. [caption id="attachment_917938" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Netflix[/caption] If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
A city break in Aotearoa New Zealand's biggest city, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, has never offered more. There's an itinerary to suit all timeframes and holiday personalities — from the city-slicker to beach-goer, the shopping-focused traveller to the foodie whose appetite leads the way. It's a city constantly evolving its offerings, with hospitality joints popping up left, right, and centre. So, we've scoped the best experiences and places to note with 100% Pure New Zealand to help you make the most of your Auckland break. Add an extra car ride out of the city or linger a little longer in the big smoke — it's over to you to indulge your whims. What we can promise is all roads lead to a memorable stay. One with world-class views, innovative foods or even dramatic black sand underfoot. [caption id="attachment_929906" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Hotel Britomart[/caption] Stay: The Hotel Britomart The Hotel Britomart pulls out every stop for a distinctly Aotearoa New Zealand stay in downtown Auckland. Exposed timbers and brick nod to the building's past life as a factory and Masonic house, while modern luxury oozes from local artisan-crafted furniture, recycled glass chandeliers and crockery. Inside the rooms, minibars are filled generously with local treats. The 99 sustainable rooms are categorised by their views. Generous windows offer direct glimpses of the Waitematā Harbour, the CBD's skyline, or the vibrant laneways. The Wairoa Suite, the largest of the five Landing Suites, offers sprawling rooftop views framed by architecturally designed wooden details. Downstairs, the all-day restaurant kingi focuses on elevated seafood, with a sommelier-curated wine library showcasing local terroirs. Tucked away in the on-site lane are a fleet of complimentary vintage bikes, ready for adventures. Stay: Mövenpick Hotel Auckland Auckland is a food-lovers paradise, and now you can stay at a hotel where food is the focus. Mövenpick Hotel Auckland's daily Chocolate Hour indulges guests with a complimentary daily buffet of truffles, cakes and fondue between 3.30–4.30pm. When it's time to break the sugar rush, on-site restaurant BODA offers panoramic harbour views, Korean-New Zealander cuisine and inventive cocktails. Or retreat to the sleek, monochromatic suites, knowing the 24-hour ice-cream sundae service means that your next sugar hit isn't far away. A central location makes Mövenpick Hotel Auckland the perfect base for urban adventures. Step out from the lobby to Auckland's main Queen Street or explore the local boutiques and eateries in the adjacent Commercial Bay. For adventures further afield, Auckland's main Britomart Train Station is on the same block to connect you to most mainland suburbs, while the main ferry terminal — the gateway to wine-mecca Waiheke Island and bird sanctuary Tiritiri Matangi — is just a few metres beyond. See: Ever-Changing Landscapes with GO Rentals As exhilarating as city life is, renting a car, even for a day, is your ticket to seeing Auckland in all its glory — and fast. After all, you're never more than 45 minutes away from a beach. Jump in a GO Rentals four-wheel-drive to venture through the bush, to wineries and eventually to the surf-ready black sand beaches of west Auckland. Closer to town, soak up all dimensions of Auckland through the skyroof of a climate-friendly GO Tesla. Cruise through the bustling beach strips of the eastern suburbs like Mission Bay and Kohimarama along Tamaki Drive. Drive up one of Auckland's many maunga (mountains) for quintessential Auckland views. Mt Eden and Mt Albert offer panoramic views, and the nearby townships are brimming with artisanal bakeries and cafes for picnic essentials. Round out your journey by offsetting emissions with CarbonClick, and you'll feel just as good as you did driving breezily behind the wheel. See: Explore the City's Seaside You can't come to Auckland without experiencing it from its most impressive vantage point: the glittering Viaduct and surrounding Hauraki Gulf. If you stay in Auckland's city centre, you'll be a short walk from Te Wero Island — a nook in the Viaduct that houses many of Auckland's bustling harbourside bars and restaurants like St Alice, Dr Rudi's and it-bistro, Soul Bar. It's an ideal spot to rug up and maximise your culinary experiences. Otherwise, the area's public transport and ample roads make it accessible from all directions. The nearby New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa runs harbour cruises on the beloved wooden boat, Breeze, for a different vantage point of the city too. [caption id="attachment_929939" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] ai_yoshi via iStock[/caption] See: Nature and Heritage Your Way at Auckland Domain Auckland's sprawling park is home to 150-year-plus trees as well as a stunning winter garden that's well worth the visit on any trip to Auckland. It's New Zealand's oldest public park, 200 acres in size and has four kilometres of walking tracks that can be used to explore the scenery and peaceful vibes above the city. It's serene surroundings can be enjoyed year-round, but if we're being honest, it's particularly magical when temperatures dip in the city. The gardens' sculpture walk takes on a new dimension when experienced with a bite in the air, with the cool metal of the sculptures in stark contrast to the grassy greens of the park. Taste: Exquisite Pacific Fusion at Metita At the newly opened Metita restaurant in SkyCity, explore the urban ritual that Aucklanders love most: indulging in new fusion cuisines. Offering contemporary Pasifika cuisine, Metita explores the intricate flavours of the many island cultures that call New Zealand home and chef Michael Meredith's Samoan roots. Dishes include inventively garnished meats, caviar and corned beef buns, and the signature oysters cooked in marrow. There's no shortage of things to do, see, drink, and eat here. Being Auckland's largest entertainment precinct, SkyCity houses 15 bars and eateries as well as the iconic Sky Tower and its 350 metre-high city views. There's also the award-winning East Day Spa (home to the nation's only marble lounger tepidarium) and two hotels. Taste: Authentically Loved Auckland Eats Aucklanders have solidified their love of eating into a collaborative list of must-try dishes: Auckland Iconic Eats. This list is updated yearly by public vote, and the quality is consistent. Favourites include the chicken parfait from Britomart's Mr Morris, succulent fish sliders from SkyCity's Depot and Gochu's pork and kimchi-stuffed milk buns. Consider it a starting point for your next sit-in menu, or treat it as a bar-crawl-like mission to tick off as many as possible and test the limits of your belt buckle. Taste: New-Wave Māori Flavours at Ada Adding to the list of cuisines that are hard to find outside of New Zealand is Ada, where Chef Kia Kanuta prepares elegant Māori comfort kai (cuisine). Rewarewa fried sourdough is topped with a bespoke mushroom grown only for Ada, paua (abalone) gets a vongole and chilli-infused twist, while snapper is battered whole and served with his iconic Marmite béchamel. Everything is harvested sustainably and served with the finesse of Chef Kanuta's French training. Ada is in The Convent Hotel, located in the trendy suburb of Grey Lynn, 15 minutes from downtown and easily accessible by bus or car. Lovers of interiors and architecture will appreciate the space's sleek transformation from a former 1922 Spanish-revival nunnery to a boutique hotel. Find your very own Aotearoa New Zealand here.
With restaurants in both Sutherland (which is taking a brief hiatus due to staff shortages) and Cronulla, Alphabet Street is where to go for an upmarket Thai meal in the Shire. Its bubblegum-pink walls also make it a bit of an Instagram fixture. Leaning more towards the upper end of the spectrum than your standard Thai establishment, this venue specialises in flavoursome small bites designed to share. The contemporary and the traditional collide in dishes such as five-spice squid with lemon dipping sauce, tapioca dumplings with sweet pork and peanut, and enticingly soft and crispy bao with fried chicken and chilli mayo. There is also a range of dumplings available including chicken dumplings with prawn and sweet corn in a plum sauce, beef dumplings with soy and chilli oil or vegan mushrooms with shiitake dressing. The bao buns include crispy fried chicken and tofu with chilli mayo. If sharing isn't your thing, or if you're in the mood for something more substantial, Alphabet Street's selection of mains is equally irresistible. Try the choo chee curry with prawns, lychees and coconuts or the crispy pork belly with plum sauce and green apple. Alternatively, the jungle curry of beef, kaffir lime leaf and pea eggplant is criminally delicious. Can't decide what to get? Let the experts make the choice for you and order one of their banquet options. There is also a limited (but thoughtful) selection of vegetarian dishes to choose from, and one vegan curry. Images: Mel Koutchavlis
Almost every coastal town of a certain size has a pub overlooking the beach. But they're not all like Shoal Bay Country Club. The much-loved local has been around since the 1930s and, after being sold to The Eastern Group in 2016, it received a much-needed $6 million facelift. The refurb was unveiled in early 2018, revealing a light and airy venue that takes full advantage of its epic vantage point of the bay and has an unmistakable Mediterranean feel — think a predominantly white and wood palette with pops of aqua blue and bright yellow. The venue opens bright and early at 6.30am with breakfast served in the downstairs cafe, Mermaids. Start with a coffee or Lean Green smoothie before diving into sweet potato and carrot fritters, buttermilk waffles or smashed avo with feta and lime. Then, from 11.30am, the kitchen and patio swing open their doors for lunch and dinner with an extensive menu of pub classics on offer, including schnitties, beer battered fish and chips and wagyu beef burger. There are plenty of options, too, from charcuterie boards and mac 'n' cheese balls to buckets of prawns and seafood platters. Oh, and there's no getting past the Napoli-style woodfired pizzas, served with kale basil pesto and fior di latte, peri peri chicken or garlic prawns. For drinks, you can enjoy cocktail jugs and a wine list largely populated by Aussie and NZ drops. Expect live music starting from 6.30pm in the courtyard on Friday and Saturday nights before DJs take over to keep the fun going into the wee hours. On Sundays, there's live music in the courtyard all afternoon, plus crab races, poker and $5 drinks from 7pm. If you're keen for all the action but not for the crawl home, Shoal Bay Country Club runs a courtesy bus covering Shoal Bay, Fingal Bay, Nelson Bay and Corlette. Alternatively, the venue is linked with the Ramada Resort, and it also has its own luxe two-level, four-bedroom penthouse.
This article is part of our series on the 17 most unique things to have come out of Japan. Check out the other 16. Australia isn't the world's wettest place. But when the rain hits, it does so torrentially – and usually in the company of wild winds. Your average $10 umbrella is of negligible defence. That’s why so many of them end up in garbage bins. In contrast, the full-body umbrella is the mother of all weather-protection gear. In fact, it’s more like a shield than a brolly. A couple of different versions have been spotted around Japan. The first consists of a regular umbrella, attached to a large plastic curtain, which means you’re walking around inside your very own portable cylinder. The second is shaped like five umbrellas stitched together, with plastic triangles filling in the gaps, creating an apparatus that looks something like a space ship. Of the two, the former is perhaps more elegant (well, as elegant as a full-body umbrella gets), but the latter is more likely to handle gale-force winds. The drawback, however, is that it takes up quite a substantial amount of space. Could be problematic during peak hour. What’s more, a Japanese designer by the name of Hiroshi Kajimoto has come up with the ‘Unbrella’. It’s an umbrella turned inside-out. The benefits are its ability to stand up independently and the fact that, when you close it, the wet sections are on the inside. Nab one at the Japanese Trend Shop for US$203.
