As one of three Sydney outposts, this Glebe eatery upholds the Soul Burger vision in opposition of big agriculture, owner and founder Amit Tewari is keen to shake up the Aussie food culture and help inspire a shift towards plant-based eating. And it looks like he's firmly on the right track, given that Soul Burger's is the kind of menu that both carnivores and vegans are beating down the door for. Think maximum feasting, for minimal artery clogging, with plant-based beef, snags and fish, egg-free sauces, and lighter, vegan cheese stealing the spotlight. The Glebe store rocks all the same treats as the original, including those addictive sweet potato fries, coconut shakes and the ever-popular Sumo burger, which teams plant-based beef and spicy sausage with roasted peppers, mushroom, cheese, salad, herbed mayo and tomato relish.
It's always a good time at the Sydney Cricket Ground. And with the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season in full swing — and the Sydney Swans in flying form — we've got the perfect excuse for one lucky footy fan to head to an upcoming Friday night blockbuster. We've teamed up with the Sydney Swans to give away a double pass to the Swans' round 11 clash on Friday, May 27, against the Richmond Tigers. It promises to be an enthralling encounter, with the Swans one of the form teams of the competition this year and the once-mighty Tigers always a tricky match-up for any team. [caption id="attachment_852471" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Phil Hillyard[/caption] In addition to prime seating, you'll also score a $250 food and drink voucher to spend at The Pavilion before the game. The Merivale-operated venue is one of a number of dining outlets the hospo giant runs at the stadium as its exclusive hospitality partner and features a range of brasserie-inspired plates that are a world away from typical stadium food — think Sydney rock oysters, poached chicken and farro salad, and steak frites. There's also a handy wine menu featuring mostly Australian drops, with selections available by the glass and the bottle. So whether you're a Swans superfan or you haven't watched the footy since Buddy kicked his 1000th goal a few weeks ago, this is one prize you won't want to miss. And if you want to keep the good times going after the game, check out one of these excellent watering holes within walking distance from the SCG. [competition]852222[/competition]
HTRK (Hate Rock Trio to the knowing) occupies a space in the mind not immediately apparent. Muted vocals mist through cold steel beats and oscillating synths in a slow seduction, swaying its hips in silhouette. Their sound slinks its way around the back of your neck and forces you to stare into its hardened darkness. Visceral, intoxicating and ultimately moving, Jonnine Standish and Nigel Yang create a stark, billowing world blinking with tragic romance. Now the Melbourne-via-London duo makes their sojourn back to Australia in celebration of their latest album, Work (Work, Work) Expect their sombre tones to envelop you as sly glances are exchanged across the room - a night of opening itself to chance meetings, spontaneous moves and endless possibilities. They’ll be joined by the soulful glitch of Lost Animal, and guttural roving troubadour Kirin J. Callinan.
If your ideal holiday is being poolside, cocktail in hand, in sunny Palm Springs, then get ready to book yourself in for a vacay in Albury. Yep, a retro-style Palm Springs-inspired resort is set to open in the regional town that straddles the NSW and Victorian border, making it the perfect pitstop on your next road trip. Sure, it might not be the same desert oasis in California, but it'll save you a whopping airfare. And, considering international travel is expected to be off the cards until at least 2021, you can go on your well-deserved getaway a whole lot sooner, too. Albury's old Astor Hotel Motel is currently undergoing a massive multimillion-dollar revamp, which is slated for completion by September; however, the first stage is set to reopen as early as July. The pub and motel was bought by hotelier Peter Griffiths back in 2019, with the major renovations happening at a time when domestic travel is more sought after than ever. Pitted to be a huge project for the town — and region — the renovated Astor is sure to bolster tourism, whether for a stop-in visit or as the destination itself. Designed by leading Melbourne design firm Technē, the development will see the 1960s building transformed into a resort with pastel hues, leafy decor and plenty of old-school Hollywood cues. The Astor will retain key structures from the OG building, but expect far more than just a lick of paint from the reno. It'll house 45 rooms, a bar, a restaurant, an airy beer garden and multiple function spaces. Located equidistant from Sydney and Melbourne, Albury is home to the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA), the award-winning Library Museum, landscaped lawns at the Botanic Gardens and weekly farmers markets. You'll also find Taco Bill — a Tex-Mex chain that's been around since the 60s — which will help add to the southern Cali vibes. The town sits right on the Murray River and is a short drive from Falls Creek Ski Resort, too. In short, there's plenty to do if you're looking to do more than just pass through. The Astor Hotel Motel's multimillion renovation is slated for completion in September, 2020, with the first stage set to reopen from July.
Next time you're looking for a healthy lunchtime meal near Circular Quay, you'll be able to head to the MCA. Its in-house cafe, which has a lovely outdoor terrace overlooking the harbour, has just launched a new vegetarian menu in collaboration with Sydney cafe and picklery Cornersmith. In great news for CBD pickle lovers, it means that you'll be able to get your daily dose of the cafe's salty and briny vegetables (in toasties, salads and bibimbaps) without heading out to Annandale or Marrickville. The Cornersmith menu, which launched on Friday, March 1, is available from 10am–4pm every day — and till 9pm on Wednesdays (when the gallery stays open late). Its launch corresponds with the gallery's new exhibition, Janet Laurence: After Nature, which explores the environmental challenges facing the world today — from coral bleaching to deforestation — through living sculpture, photography and video. It's only fitting, then, that Cornersmith's ethos is also focused on the environment. The cafe and cooking school advocates low-waste and uses minimal meat and produce that is sourced locally and sustainably. And it's making damn tasty fare — and it's super affordable, too. Everything on the new MCA Cafe is under $20 — from the kimchi and cheddar toastie with coriander slaw ($12) to the a brown rice bibimbap with kimchi ($16) and poached egg roll with red cabbage, chilli and pickles ($10). Meat-eaters will be happy to know that they can add leg ham ($2) to the latter if they please, while vegans will find solace in the Vegan Surprise Plate ($16), which comes complete with vegan cheese. Like the MCA's new exhibition, the Cornersmith menu is around for a good time, not a long time. So if you'd like to get your city dose of Cornersmith eats, you'll need to head along before Monday, June 10, 2019. The regular MCA Cafe menu will also be available during this time. The MCA Cafe's new Cornersmith menu is available from 10am–4pm Thursday to Tuesday, and 10am–9pm on Wednesday. It's available until June 10, 2019. The MCA's Janet Lauren: After Nature exhibition is also showing at the MCA until June 10. Images: Anna Kucera.
There's no shortage of ways to celebrate Halloween, whether scary movies, eerie art, a trick-or-treating stint, playing with Lego or themed mini golf is your thing. Here's a particularly tasty one: getting dressed up in costume and scoring a free Krispy Kreme doughnut. The chain is known for giving away its round treats, including handing out 100,000 of them each National Doughnut Day. For Tuesday, October 31, it isn't locking in an exact number of doughnuts that'll be on offer — but it will give one to everyone who turns up to a Krispy Kreme store dressed for the occasion. If that isn't an excuse to don your spookiest outfit, then what is? To snag yourself a signature glazed freebie, head to your closest Krispy Kreme store in Australia or New Zealand on Tuesday, October 31 while wearing a Halloween-appropriate costume. You'll receive one original glazed doughnut per person, and you don't have to buy anything else to nab the treat without paying a cent. That gives everyone a heap of places to flock to: 38 in Australia and six in New Zealand. Sydneysiders able to hit up 17 stores stretching from Penrith to the CBD, Victorians can visit nine locations from Chadstone to Collins Street, and Queenslanders given eight different doughnut shops to pick from (with the most central in Albert Street in the CBD). Residents of Perth can make a date with one of four Krispy Kreme locations. In Aotearoa, all options are in Auckland — including at Newmarket, Chancery Square and the domestic airport terminal. Of course, Krispy Kreme is hoping that you will be possessed by the Halloween vibe while you're in-store — or beforehand — and treat yourself to something from its themed range. On offer until Tuesday, October 31: four different varieties. If you opt for the Spiderweb, you'll get an OG doughnut that's been dipped in chocolate ganache and topped with white truffle. The Jack O'Lantern takes a shell doughnut, packs it with choc crème, then dips it in orange-coloured truffle — what else? — before giving it an eyes and mouth via sugar fondant. The Ghost goes with a white truffle dip, plus white choc flakes and candy for eyes. And the Graveyard fills a shell doughnut with strawberry filling, covers the outside with green truffle, then uses sour gummy worms and ground chocolate crumb as soil. Krispy Kreme's Halloween giveaway takes place in-store on Tuesday, October 31. The chain's Halloween range is available until the same date. To find your closest shop and check its opening hours, head to the Krispy Kreme website.
When the newly engaged Lauren (Miranda Tapsell, The Surfer) and Ned (Gwilym Lee, SAS Rogue Heroes) made a whirlwind visit to Darwin in 2019 film Top End Wedding, it was to get married. Six years later, the two key characters from the hit rom-com are heading back to the Northern Territory capital. Meet Top End Bub, which is extending the world of the flick by picking up again with its central couple — this time with an added child, and by unfurling the next chapter in the pair's tale via a streaming series. Tapsell not only starred in Top End Wedding but co-wrote the script. With Top End Bub, she's in both roles again — and also co-created and executive produced the series with fellow returnee Joshua Tyler (100% Wolf: Legend of the Moonstone). Their new story: sending Lauren and Ned to the NT again, away from their settled life in Adelaide, to become the guardians of their orphaned niece Taya (debutant Gladys-May Kelly). First confirmed in 2024, Top End Bub is set to span eight episodes — and you'll be watching it soon. The series hits Prime Video from Friday, September 12, 2025. Ursula Yovich (Troppo), Huw Higginson (Ladies in Black), Shari Sebbens (The Moogai), Elaine Crombie (Invisible Boys), Rob Collins (Austin) and Tracy Mann (Home and Away) are also making the leap from Top End Wedding to its new spinoff, while Brooke Satchwell (Triple Oh!), Guy Simon (The Secrets She Keeps) and Clarence Ryan (Territory) are among its fresh additions. "Words can't describe how excited I am to bring Lauren, Ned and the Top End back to your screens. We all love a happy ending, but what happens after happily ever after? We can't wait for you to find out!" said Tapsell back when Top End Bub was initially announced. "It's been fun to dive back into the world of Top End Wedding, a world that means so much to us and to our audience. A romantic setting full of funny characters who face heartbreaking challenges in heartwarming ways. I am thrilled to be collaborating with such an incredible team," added Tyler. There's no sneak peek at Top End Bub yet, but you can watch the trailer for Top End Wedding below: Top End Bub will stream via Prime Video from Friday, September 12, 2025. Images: John Platt / Prime Video.
When it comes to international rivalries, it doesn't get much bigger than Australia and England. But before the Rugby League World cup kicks off next month and the first ball is pitched in the 2023 Ashes series, sport fans can satisfy their search for entertaining, adrenaline-pumping clashes by grabbing tickets to see the the Origin Australian Diamonds in the upcoming test series against the England Vitality Roses. So, whether you're a netball novice or you're happiest watching a zippy wing attack passing expertly to a flash of a centre, being courtside at a Diamonds game will get you right up close to this energy, with the crowd's cheers feeding the drilled-down plays being executed with quick feet, intense stares and powerful throws. The upcoming England Series is kicking off at Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Wednesday, October 26. The one-off competition will be the first time Aussie netball stars have the home-ground advantage over the Brits — and the last chance to catch the Diamonds live this year. After match one, the athletes will make their way to Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, October 30 and then head north to Brisbane Entertainment Centre for what could be a nail-biter of a decider on Thursday, November 3. Following their Quad Series win in January and a gold medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games — which, excitingly, was the 1000th Australian gold medal in Commonwealth history — the Origin Australian Diamonds are sure to come out confidently. However, the exceptional talents that make up the Roses will be keen to prove they're no dainty English flowers (and will be looking for redemption after the Aussies knocked them out of gold-medal contention in the aforementioned Commonwealth Games). Our hot tip? Bookend your wing-attack-watching experience with an extended stay at your destination city. Transforming your sporty spectating into a sneaky little vacay (where you can hit the best of Brissie, Newy or the Harbour City) is sure to leave you feeling like a winner, too — whichever team you support. The Origin Australian Diamonds take on the Vitality Roses on Wednesday, October 26; Sunday, October 30; and Thursday, November 3. Be quick to nab your tickets, the series is set to sell out.
Solar power. Who needs it? Well, we do — and pretty desperately. To generate it though, we need those pesky black solar panels to be fitted to people's roofs and properties and anywhere we can find a space for them. This can be a little hard without overtaking natural environments and farmland. But France have found thousands of kilometres of space perfect for solar panels — their roads. This idea of paving roads with solar panels was first floated by Scott and Julie Brusaw, when they launched a crowdfunding campaign to pave American parking lots with the things in 2014. But this project is a little more legit. Proposed by French transport infrastructure company Colas and France's National Institute for Solar Energy, it's been given the go-ahead by France's Agency of Environment and Energy Management. And if all goes to plan, they're promising to bring solar power to 1000-kilometres of roads in the country over the next five years. Named the Wattway system, the 7mm photovoltaic road surface would be stuck on top of existing road surfaces. Both its thinness and ease of application to existing roads make it the best proposal yet — and seeing as roads are only occupied by vehicles only 10% of the time, they'll be soaking up a lot of sunlight too. Claiming they are "paving the way to tomorrow's energy" (nice one, guys), Colas say that a one-kilometre stretch of Wattway panels would be able to provide the electricity to power public lighting in a city of 5000 inhabitants. According to Global Construction Review, tests on the solar roadway panels will begin this year. Let's hope the French trial is successful, and makes its way over here. As anyone who's stood barefoot on asphalt on a hot day knows, that stuff stores a lethal amount of heat. Via Tree Hugger.
When I hear the words, "a tale of a boy and his horse", my thoughts stray to the heartfelt moments of The NeverEnding Story where Atreyu bids farewell to poor Artax in the Swamp of Sadness. In Atreyu's screams and Artax's wild eyes, my childhood self felt a shiver of understanding about the bond between humans and animals. There are definitely a few of these damp-eye moments in the National Theatre of Great Britain's production of War Horse, but they are overshadowed by what this show is really about: fantastic puppetry and some tight choreography. Based on Michael Morpurgo's 1982 novel of the same name, War Horse was adapted for the stage by British playwright Nick Stafford and directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris way back in 2007. Opening shortly before the start of the First World War, War Horse is the love story of a Devonshire lad, Albert (Cody Fern), and a young foal, Joey, who, once it's come of age, is sold into service for the British Army. Seeing the injustice in this, our boy hero fights against age restrictions and cartwheels to Calais to save Joey, at which point his youthful bravado is tear-gassed into the harsh reality of early modern warfare. The play proved to be such a tremendous success that it relocated to the West End, then to Broadway and has now manifested in the antipodes at the Lyric Theatre. War Horse owes its longevity to South Africa's Handspring Puppet Company, which has created a stable of horses, some soon-to-die cavalry, crows, swallows and a very animated goose. Though surrounded by puppeteers and, in parts, constructed out of obviously mechanical pieces, these puppets realistically breath and quickly pop out as the most genuine players in the show. Apparently Morpurgo was surprised to hear that his novel was being adapted for the stage. This is with good reason — the length that a novel has with which to enter the lives of its many characters is far longer than the 135 minutes allowed by a theatre audience's patience. The result is that War Horse limps through several overly sentimental, surface-level episodes that were probably very satisfying on the page. A twee relationship between a German deserter and a rural French family is particularly shallow. It is in the archetypal that War Horse's narrative works, in the dramatic sequences of puppets and choreographed soldiers clashing on field of cruel warfare. A strong creative team featuring set and costume designer Rae Smith, sound designers Christopher Shutt and John Owens, lighting designer Karen Spann and choreographer Toby Sedgwick produce several powerful moments on the Lyric stage, with a doomed cavalry charge and Joey's gallop for freedom amongst tanks and barbed wire especially moving. War Horse has marked thousands of audiences by now, and it is certainly worth watching as a celebration of theatre craftsmanship. However, it would excel with a tighter script and less reliance on puppets to sell the story. https://youtube.com/watch?v=9a9-zLDqx5g
On the water, near the water and from the water: that's one of the ways to look at the 2024 Sydney Festival lineup, which has just been announced in all of its 150-plus-event glory. When the Harbour City welcomes back its annual arts fest in January, the event will make the absolute most of its setting. So, cue a version of Puccini's opera Il Tabarro onboard the Carpentaria lightship in the harbour, a waterside Walsh Bay Arts Precinct takeover and a towering giant octopus sculpture that you can get closer to via a kayak tour. As proves the case every year, the festival's program will and does go on. In her third year at the helm, Artistic Director Olivia Ansell has compiled a hefty selection of things to see, do and experience — and if you're a fan of getting a snapshot via the numbers, the figures are impressive. Running for 24 days from Friday, January 5–Sunday, January 28, Sydney Festival 2024 will feature more than 1000 artists in bringing its showcase to audiences. Among the events, there'll be 26 world premieres, 29 Australian exclusives and 43 free activities. If seeing Il Tabarro performed on a boat piques your interest, you can catch the free one-act production at the Australian National Maritime Museum without spending a cent — but you do need to book. Or, you can watch from home via the livestream. Keen on hanging out at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct? That part of the program is called The Thirsty Mile. On offer there: theatre and art, cabaret and dance, bars and speakeasies, and also a late-night club Moonshine Bar. This is where you'll marvel at a 46-metre-long installation Hi-Vis, a sculpture by Michael Shaw; enjoy a cabaret tribute to Kate Bush; and watch a Swedish dance double from GöteborgsOperans Danskompani — and that's just for starters. Also joining the bill: dance event SPIN, which is both interactive and guided; sunrise yoga sessions; and art exhibition Talking Posters: Garage Graphix 1981–1998. [caption id="attachment_923479" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sarah-Louise Young Onstage, Claudio Raschella Photography[/caption] A eight-legged sea creature scurries onto the program thanks to Te Wheke-a-Muturangi: The Adversary by Māori artist Lisa Reihana, which'll make its home in Watermans Cove in Barangaroo — well, once the octopus has been assembled from 1000-plus pieces — to explore the tale of the discovery of Aotearoa New Zealand. Another huge highlight is Summerground a new three-day Tumbalong Park music fest with a lineup that includes King Stingray, Electric Fields, Cimafunk, Queen Omega, The Brand New Heavies, Dem Mob, Beckah Amani, The Teskey Brothers, Full Flower Moon Band and more. Hopping between genres will be a big feature, spanning everything from alt pop and R&B to soul and reggae, all across the first weekend of the broader festival. Sydney Festival's Blak Out program is similarly worth hitting up the event for alone. ILBIJERRI Theatre Company's world-premiere production Big Name, No Blankets will pay tribute to the Warumpi Band; dance performance Mutiara will also make its debut, as set among Broome's early pearling industry; Anita Heiss adapts her own novel Tiddas for the stage; and GURR ERA OP will feature four Torres Strait Islander women who were born on the mainland explore the impact of the rising sea. Other standouts on the full lineup include Courtney Barnett playing a two-part performance at City Recital Hall; Night Songs at Coney Island, which will feature choral tunes at Luna Park; and Encantado, which will tell First Nations tales from Brazil thanks to Lia Rodrigues' choreographer, 11 dances and 140 bright blankets, and heads to Sydney Opera House. Also, Arka Kinari will be hitting the harbour with its music production that's powered by the sun and moved by the wind, and Kate Miller-Heidke's new musical-comedy Bananaland will make its Sydney debut, [caption id="attachment_919319" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Darren Thomas[/caption] Elsewhere, Dinosaur World Live will continue Australia's fascination with the ancient creatures (see also: Jurassic World: The Exhibition, for example); annual favourite Sydney Symphony Under the Stars: Pictures in the Sky returns to Parramatta Park; theatre production Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World riffs on murder-mystery podcasts; Orpheus & Eurydice gets reimagined in contemporary times by Opera Australia; and the Art Gallery of New South Wales' Louise Bourgeois: Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day?, Kandinsky and Tacita Dean exhibitions all link in. And, also on the music roster: everyone from sitarist Anoushka Shankar and Irish folk singer Lisa O'Neill to Joe Camilleri and Deborah Conway paying tribute to Elvis Presley, plus a feast of tunes at the ACO Neilson. [caption id="attachment_923482" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sammi Landweer[/caption] Yes, 2024 is set for a busy start. "Get ready for a blockbuster summer that speaks to the heart and soul of Sydney — the best harbour city in the world," said Ansell. "With an explosive music program and the biggest to date, 2024 also offers spellbinding theatre, exquisite dance, electrifying circus and immersive experiences that lift Sydney's underbelly — see you in January at The Thirsty Mile," [caption id="attachment_923487" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lennart Sjoberg[/caption] [caption id="attachment_923488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moritz Kustner[/caption] Sydney Festival 2024 runs from Friday, January 5–Sunday, January 28 at venues across the city. For further details and to buy tickets from 12pm on Thursday, October 26, visit the Sydney Festival website. Top image: Mark Tantrum.
The unthinkable happens. Disaster hits, society collapses and the bulk of the world's population becomes shuffling, brain-munching members of the undead. Yes, a zombie apocalypse is in full swing — but how long does it last? In The Walking Dead's case, the answer is 11 seasons. Ten have already aired since 2010, and the show's final go-around will arrive in 2021. Whether you're well acquainted with its dystopian world, or you've somehow missed this TV horror classic, that means there's already 146 episodes to sink your teeth into. The story, as adapted from the comic book series of the same name, will sound familiar. But you don't squeeze over a decade's worth of life out of the concept without delivering some drastic twists and turns — and plenty of gore, too. The premise: awakening from a coma, sheriff's deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) learns that the zombie-free life he previously knew has well and truly disappeared. His first aim is to find his wife and son, but that's not the most straightforward feat when you're surrounded by walkers.
As mobile phones have evolved over the past three decades, every stage has had its charms. In the late 90s, Nokia's came with the wonder that is Snake. In the early 00s, devices got tiny. Since Apple released the iPhone in 2007, we all hate buttons. Then there are flip phones, which date back to the 80s, were hugely popular in the first wave of affordable handsets and offer something unique — the thrill that comes with slamming one shut. Thanks to Samsung, it seems that sensation will no longer be the domain of fond memories and 90s-set cinema, with the technology giant adapting the concept to the smartphone era. While clamshell handsets have never completely gone away, they don't tend to go hand-in-hand with touch screens. Samsung is solving that problem by making their new model foldable in the centre instead of flipping from the top, according to reports by CNBC. Speaking with the network, IT and mobile communications division CEO DJ Koh said the company would unveil its new phone later this year, with more details about size, cost and the device's release date likely to be announced at the Samsung Developer Conference in November. The handset is expected to use a single screen that's capable of being folded in the middle, and not two separate screens that are hinged together. Users will be able to use the phone both when it's folded and unfolded, although it'll have more functionality when it's in the latter state. Koh also pointed out that the foldable device won't just be a tablet in a more compact form. In short, it's set to serve up something a bit fancier than your old Motorola RAZR — and if it sounds familiar, that's because it's not the first time that Samsung have played around with the idea. The company released a concept video in 2014, showcasing its flexible OLED display and featuring a device that never came to fruition. Samsung also have competition in the foldable phone space, with Huawei reportedly also working on its own version that might make it to market first — although it's apparently targeting a 2019 release date. Via CNBC / The Verge.
Your dreams of ditching the slow peak-hour crawl for a quick flight through the skies could soon become a reality, as Uber reveals it's seriously considering Melbourne as a trial city for its world-first Uber aircraft. Having already flagged the USA's Dallas and Los Angeles as launch cities for its new flying service, dubbed the Elevate project, the ride share company now has Melbourne in its sights for a third location, largely thanks to its booming population. According to 7News, Uber executives have arrived Down Under to discuss opportunities with the government and to explore how a place like Melbourne could handle a flying ride share system, with passengers catching aircraft instead of cars. Uber's Head of Aviation Eric Allison told 7News that with rapidly growing populations in Sydney and Melbourne, "We see that there is a clear need for this type of service." Earlier this year, the company showed off new plans for its groundbreaking foray into air travel, at the Uber Elevate Summit. Based on these latest designs, the system would operate using electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs), with helipad-style takeoff and landing 'Skyports' located on high rooftops at key points around the city. Passengers would be able to tee up a flight using the Uber app, then be driven to a nearby launch pad. "The button press will orchestrate you a car to get to the sky port and then to take you away from the sky port to get you to your final destination," Allison explained to 7News. In an example of how fast Uber Air trips could be, Uber has said that an average 55-minute trip to Melbourne Airport could be cut down to just 5 minutes. And in excellent news for your bank account, the flights would apparently cost no more than an Uber X. Here's a look at how it will work: https://youtu.be/JuWOUEFB_IQ If Melbourne's given the green light as Uber's third test city, we could see trial flights begin as early as 2020, with regular services kicking off by 2023. While this all sounds a bit too good to be true, we do hope we'll be Jetsons-ing around the city for pittance soon. Via au.news.yahoo.com Images: Uber and Humphreys & Partners Architects, Gannett Fleming, Corgan and Pickard Chilton.
Stellar LGBTQIA+ celebrations, the Sunshine State capital and sparkling spring weather: that's the Melt Festival formula every year, including in 2025. Brisbane's annual ode to "queer joy, protest and pride", as Melt Executive Producer Emmie Paranthoiene dubs it, is taking over the River City between Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. On the lineup: 18 days packing more than 60 venues with hundreds of performances and events. Getting excited about 2025's Melt Festival has been easy for a few months now. First, the Brisbane LGBTQIA+ fest announced that Broadway icon Bernadette Peters was making the River City her only Australian stop just for the event. Then, it also confirmed that the River Pride Parade would float its boats for another year. After that came news of 1000 Voices, uniting singers from queer and pride choirs en masse. Next came its initial big program drop. Now the full bill has been unveiled — one that Paranthoiene describes as "celebrating the full spectrum of LGBTQIA+ voices, from bold new talent to iconic artists who continue to break boundaries with this diverse program. Melt is a love letter to our community and everyone's invited to the party." Think: pageants, parades, musical theatre, comedy, choral installation, burlesque, visual arts, theatre, films such as Lesbian Space Princess and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and plenty more. The fringe-style celebration of queer arts and culture fills Brisbane Powerhouse, and also spreads further across the city. Sugar by Tomáš Kantor is one new highlight, with the cabaret taking cues from Pretty Woman and boasting tunes from Chappell Roan, who has been on the Melt lineup herself in the past. Or, catch the return of BRIEFS with Jealousss, plus the Briefs Bus doing guided tours that explore Brisbane's queer history. Comedian Urzila Carlson is on the program, too, as is actor and activist Zoe Terakes (Ironheart, The Office, Talk to Me) doing an in-conversation session. 2025 newcomer Melting Pot is giving Brisbane Powerhouse a pop-up venue each week, featuring the likes of QUIVR DJs, Miss First Nation heats and queer line dancing — plus Melt artists putting on showcases and other surprises. Theatrical performance Rhythmology digs into factory resets as a theme, while daytime disco Play Date is designed for families. [caption id="attachment_1017773" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Atmosphere Photography[/caption] Reuben Kaye, the full Miss First Nation drag contest, a queer wrestle party, Femme Follies Burlesque: they're all on the lineup from past announcements. Kaye is heading to the fest to give his cabaret show enGORGEd, which'll feature Camerata — Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, its Sunshine State premiere. Shining the spotlight on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drag queens, Miss First Nation is also making a date with Brisbane for the first time, bringing the finale to the city after putting on state heats around the nation in the lead-up. The Tivoli is your go-to for Melt's high-energy queer wrestle-party, while Femme Follies Burlesque will bring its sapphic moves to The Wickham. Or, you can catch The Lucky Country, a new musical about what it means to be Australian — and the myths and contradictions that come with it — in 2025. Malacañang Made Us and Whitefella Yella Tree are also treading the boards, the first about the Filipino Australian experience and the second telling a love story. There's also a queer boat party on floating venue Oasis; the return of Queer PowerPoint; and a drag Scream Queen shindig with Naomi Smalls and Yvie Oddly, plus Drag Race UK's Kyran Thrax. Or, check out a heap of instruments and performers suspended by rope to pay tribute to Brisbane's punk history, Gerwyn Davies' series of portraits in collaboration with Open Doors Youth Service's trans and gender-diverse young people, and Instagram imagery given a new life in Micah Rustichelli's Demon Rhythm. [caption id="attachment_1007544" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claudio Raschella[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007548" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Kelly[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007545" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007547" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gregory Lorenzutti[/caption] Melt Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. Head to the festival website for more details. River Pride Parade images: brizzypix.
More totes, less plastic: that's been the motto of supermarkets and state governments around the country over the past few years, as plastic shopping carriers have been phased out by stores and the authorities alike. But if you're the kind of shopper who always leaves their own bags at home, you might've simply swapped the thin, single-use plastic variety for their thicker, reusable counterparts. Now, Woolworths and Big W are ditching those nationally as well. Announced to celebrate World Environment Day on Sunday, June 5, the two chains will phase out all of its remaining plastic shopping bags — which includes 15-cent versions at Woolies, and both 15-cent and 45-cent versions at Big W. The move also covers bags not only in stores, but for online orders as well. Exactly when they'll stop being available depends on the brand, with Woolies gradually making the move over the next year, and Big W committing to scrapping them completely by the end of June 2023. Those two timelines are very similar, though — so, by July 2023, you won't be buying reusable plastic bags if you've forgotten your own totes. Woolies will still keep its recycled paper carriers on offer, however, saving you from lugging out your purchases in your arms if you gone shopping without bags. And, Big W is introducing additional bag options alongside its existing printed totes and other fabric bags. Western Australian Woolies stores have already made the switch, since back in March. South Australia and Northern Territory will follow from September 2022, with other states doing the same afterwards — with exact dates for New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT yet to be announced. Yes, that means that your shopping will help do the environment a solid — although, there'll still be plastic bags available for fruit and vegetables, but the supermarket is exploring more sustainable options for those as well. Woolworths will start phasing out reusable plastic bags over the next year, while Big W will ditch them by the end of June 2023. For further information, head to the Woolworths and Big W websites.
At the beginning of each year, many of us vow to be more health-conscious and eco-friendly, but life gets in the way and it's often too tempting to pick up additive-laden, mass-produced snacks without thinking about the consequences. Ever since the industrial age, convenience has been put above the environment. Not to mention the popularisation of quick 'n' easy foods in the 40s and 50s, with the likes of McDonald's, Spam and TV dinners. But now, with increasing awareness of how our diets impact the planet, it's time to shake up our snack habits for the better. That's why we've teamed up with the folks at Glad and its Glad to be Green range to come up with some oh-so-convenient — and sustainable — snack hacks, so you can better look after yourself and the planet. [caption id="attachment_742407" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] BUY IN BULK When you're at the supermarket, it's all too easy to just buy what you feel like eating that evening. But, this is a surefire way to spend half your life trudging the aisles looking for inspiration. If you plan out what you need for the week, you only need to make one trip rather than several (which, you know, is also good for the environment), and you'll also reduce waste by planning a schedule that makes optimal use of your food. Even better, head on over to an environmentally conscious, waste-free outlet, such as The Source Bulk Foods stores across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, to get the exact volume of pantry staples you need. MEAL PREP LIKE A PRO This one might not seem like a timesaver when you're doing it, but we guarantee you it is — and you'll be thankful that you took the time for days afterward. Cooking multiple portions of food doesn't necessarily mean it takes more time than preparing for just one dish. It also means you will have midweek meals prepped and ready for a quick reheat on those busy days when time seems to get away from you. Also, some dishes can taste better a couple of days later — think curries, stews and soups — so it's a win-win. And, for any baking you're doing, be sure to make the switch to Glad's compostable baking paper. It's certified home compostable, and it even breaks down in a worm farm. PALM OFF PALM OIL Due to its versatility and the relatively low cost of its production, palm oil's use skyrocketed in the 20th century. However, such a quick expansion has been at a huge environmental cost, with native forests in the tropics bulldozed and burned to make way for new plantations. The knock-on effect is huge, with everything from loss of animal habitats to the warming of the atmosphere and the violation of indigenous land rights all attributed to palm oil's so-called popularity. It's an ingredient found in plenty of ready-made food, so, if you care about the environment, you may want to rethink that choccy bar. Thankfully, it's quick and simple to make your own planet-savvy, palm oil-free bites. Think bliss balls, granola bars, savoury muffins, veggie chips — you name it, there are plenty of recipes out there. And, think of the bragging rights when you bring your own homemade snacks to work. SAY HELLO TO SMOOTHIES We've all been down to our local cafe and bought our favourite smoothie or juice without giving a second thought to how easily we can make them at home. Not only do we usually spend too much money on store-bought smoothies, but we're letting all those browning apples, wilted kale bunches and slightly bruised avos go to waste. Instead, save your pennies and throw in any bruised and browned fruit and veg in a blender. Smoothies and juices take no time at all to make, and you'll have a tasty, healthy and filling snack (or brekkie). And, if you're really keen, you can pre-chop your fruit and veg, pop them in Glad's plant-based sandwich bags and throw them in the freezer for those mornings when you hit snooze too many times. TRY OUT ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCES Australia is a country concerned about over-farming and the environmental impact of agriculture — according to Animals Australia, about 12.1 percent of us are now eating a fully or mostly vegetarian diet, which is up from less than ten percent in 2012. So, if you want to steer clear of the industry while still getting your protein fix, there are plenty of alternatives — from lentil patties and vegetarian sausages to bush tucker. And you can incorporate this ethos into your morning flat white, too. All alternative milks are better for the planet than dairy, with oat milk widely considered the best of the bunch from an environmental impact standpoint. SOUPER SUNDAYS Weekends are great — we get to sink into the sofa, catch up with friends and get to tick off some of the fun things on our to-do lists. But, Sundays always roll around too quickly, with Monday looming ever-closer. Didn't make it to the shops or local farmers market this weekend? We get it, sometimes living your best life gets in the way of chores. But, you probably do still have some food in your fridge and cupboard that needs to be used, and you need lunch for the week. This is where soup is your friend. Get your biggest pot, put all your veg in, add water, stock, herbs, spices and whatever else you fancy and, bingo, you've got a cheap, waste-free meal. Plus, Glad to be Green's, plant-based bags — which are made with 50 percent sugarcane (a renewable resource) and have a smaller carbon footprint — are great for when you want to split your soup into portions and freeze for later. Not only that, but they also have a handy space to date and name the contents to avoid any mix-ups (and potential sore tummies). Go green and visit the Glad website for more tips and tricks.
Here at Concrete Playground, we thrive on bringing you the very best of Sydney's cultural happenings. So much so, we decided to get in on the action. To celebrate the start of summer — and the good times that come with it — we're throwing a one-day festival of music, food, drink and sun. On Saturday, November 16, we're taking over a luxe beachside location for a massive summer party, marking the beginning of many balmy nights ahead. Best of all? It's all going down by one of Sydney's most picturesque beaches: Manly. We've partnered up with BATI & RATU by RUM Co of Fiji, too, who'll be bringing a touch of Fijian paradise to our Aussie shores. So, expect plenty of sea breeze, lush decorations, dance-worthy live tunes and, naturally, lots and lots of rum. And, seeing as rum is the drink of pirates, mavericks and seafarers alike, we've decided to keep this summer shindig a bit of a secret. So, while there'll be no 'X marks the spot' business, we're keeping everything under wraps for now. We will, though, be giving away double passes to the party — head this way to be in the running. So, buckle up, beachgoers, because this party will be bringing summer vibes in spades.
The first thing that strikes you about South Solitary is its visual splendor. Gorgeous cinematography and unshowy period production and costume design effortlessly draw the audience into Meredith's (Miranda Otto) rather extraordinary predicament. It's 1927 and she's a woman of a certain age, romantically marooned by the impact of the Great War and now literally cast aside onto a craggy rock in the middle of the ocean. With only her cantankerous lighthouse keeper uncle (Barry Otto) and a cuddly lamb for company, the pair receives a frosty welcome from both the weather and the lighthouse's overlooked caretakers, including shell-shocked veteran Flint (Marton Csokas). South Solitary marks ten years between films for the Camera d'Or winning writer-director Shirley Barrett (Love Serenade). One has to wonder how much a decade of solitude played upon the mind of a filmmaker once lauded at Cannes, however, much like her plucky protagonist, Barrett's writing betrays no bitterness; instead reveling in a knowing humour that is beautifully embodied by Otto. Also, for a film steeped in metaphor and symbolism (lighthouses, beacons, ships passing in the night, to name a few), Barrett's light touch is to her credit, if only she had also thought to trim the film from its lengthy 120mins. Audiences expecting a sweeping romantic drama between Meredith's bubbly spinster and Flint's tortured soul will be disappointed by Barrett's restraint. And yet what lurks behind the whirling winds and the stoic characters is a warm-hearted film that also happens to be as pretty as a picture. Visit the Official Site to view the film's trailer.
The spirit of cabaret is alive and well in Sydney, with one of the world's most-celebrated chanteuses lighting up Sydney Spiegeltent for two months. Her particular mix of debauchery, dark humour and biting social commentary make this one of 2024's must-see shows. German kabarett superstar Bernie Dieter — described as "an electrifying cross between Lady Gaga, Marlene Dietrich and Frank-N-Furter in sequins" — is bringing her infamous gin-soaked haus band and her troupe of bombastic bohemians to the Harbour City from Wednesday, May 29–Sunday, July 28. Gather your fellow deviants for this one. [caption id="attachment_841679" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Johannes Reinhart[/caption] The show encapsulates the spirit of the notorious kabarett clubs of Weimar Germany, and features a vibrant lineup of international talent. The billing includes the dangerous art of hair hanging (we're getting split ends just from the mere mention of this one), flame breathers, gender bending aerial performances and plenty of strip teasing and pole dancing. The colourful show celebrates freedom and diversity in all its forms — Dieter herself describes it as "the ultimate party at the end of the world".
You've got to admire the French love of cinema. It’s like a national sport, and their support for local fare is something that sorely needs translating to these shores. So it’s really no surprise that the Alliance Française is serving up another enviable cinematic celebration for its 22nd year. For the big draw cards in 2011, you can’t go past the festival’s Opening Night film Potiche. Directed by national treasure François Ozon (Eight Women) and starring Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu in a crowd pleasing comedy about a forgotten housewife forced to step up and run her husband’s company. Crowds will also flock to see Olivier Assayas’ (Summer Hours) critically acclaimed Carlos (Carlos, Le Chacal), which chronicles the twenty-year career of international terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez (played by Edgar Ramirez). Originally released as a five-and-a-half hour miniseries, this edited theatrical version may lack the exhaustive detail of its television counterpart, but the chance to see this masterpiece on the big screen should not be missed. Similarly sought after is Xavier Beauvois’ Of Gods and Men (Des hommes et des dieux), Marion Cotillard in Little White Lies (Les Petits mouchoirs), the equally delightful Audrey Tautou in Beautiful Lies (De vrais mensonges) and Francophile Kristin Scott Thomas in Love Crime (Crime d’Amour). For some lesser known film recommendations, festival goers should keep an eye out for Clotide Hesme’s beautifully calibrated performance as a newly paroled young mother in Angèle and Tony. Hesme is coming to Australia to attend a series of Q&A screenings, one of which should definitely be on your to-do list. So too should a session of actor/director Mathieu Amalric’s (The Diving Bell and The Butterfly) superb portrait of burlesque in On Tour (Tournée). If boys on tour are more your thing then check out the gorgeous selection on offer in Christopher Thompson’s rocking debut Bus Palladium. This film might include every wannabe rock band cliché in the playbook, but it does it with oh so much style and a scorching soundtrack. Another cracking debut comes in the form of Géraldine Nakache and Hervé Mimran’s witty love letter to best friends in All That Glitters (Tout ce qui brille). Nakache also co-stars as one half of a BFF-duo who come unstuck when their fervent attempts at Parisian social mobility prove polarising. A second fractious friendship is brought to the screen in the François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard documentary Two in the Wave (Deux de la vague), surely a must see for all cinephiles. Documentary fans might also want to check out Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud’s spellbinding Océans, which ventures into the deep blue to cast an eye over the extent of human impact, as well as simply to swim with the fishes. As with years gone by, audiences are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to the French Film Festival. May these suggestions help you on your way to finding something new to love about French cinema. Bon voyage! *The French Film Festival is screening at the Palace Verona, Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema and Cremorne Orpheum.
While those clever kids at Apple may one day run out of ideas, that doesn't look like it's happening anytime soon. The world's first trillion dollar company is clearly putting all that money to good use, unveiling its latest iPhone creations in California overnight. As always, it has upped the ante, dropping three new phones with a stack of bells and whistles that render your old iPhone X instantly uncool. As well as producing its biggest iPhone screen yet, Apple's ramped up the facial ID tech, unveiled an all-new Liquid Retina display and even engineered a fancy-pants dual camera system. Here are eight details about the new iPhone XS (pronounced 'ten ess') in dot point form that you can use for prime water cooler convo at work today. IT HAS THE LARGEST DISPLAY OF ANY IPHONE, EVER While the iPhone XS' screen clocks in at a pretty healthy 5.8 inches, the XS Max takes the cake with a 6.5-inch display — the biggest ever on an iPhone model. Basically, it makes your iPhone 8 look tiny by comparison. Team that with the highest pixel density of any Apple device and colour density to rival all other brands, and you've got yourself some pretty good on-phone video viewing. THERE'S A SWAG OF NEW COLOURS TO CHOOSE FROM That's right, folks — things are getting extra colourful in Apple town. Alongside the usual black and white, the XR (more on what this is later) is also available in bright blue, yellow, red and coral. The iPhone XS and XS Max keep things a little tamer, in space grey, silver and Apple's first plain gold-hued edition. IT'S SERIOUSLY TOUGH , WITH THE MOST DURABLE GLASS EVER DEVELOPED FOR A SMARTPHONE If broken phone screens are the bane of your existence, then the new iPhone XR was pretty much made for you. Boasting the most durable front glass display ever seen in any smartphone, it's precision-fitted, water-resistant up to one metre for 30 minutes, and laughs in the face of those coffee spills. IT HAS PORTRAIT MODE ON THE BACK AND FRONT CAMERAS Get ready to take your selfie game to a whole new level, with the iPhone XS' super high-tech dual camera system. This beauty has portrait mode on both the back camera and the front true-depth camera, with both enabling facial detection and landmarking. What's more, new technology means you can now adjust your snap's depth of field after the photo's taken. FACE ID IS HEAPS FASTER Now that we've all gotten used to the idea of unlocking our phones with only our eyeballs, Apple's honed its original Face ID technology, apparently making it faster and easier to use. A swag of new tech has made it even more secure, too, while advanced machine learning means it's smart enough to recognise changes to your appearance. IT TAKES LONGER TO DIE In excellent news for those fed up with lugging a charger everywhere they go, the iPhone XS Max is kitted out with iPhone's biggest battery ever, offering up to 90 minutes more battery life than any other phone you've had. IT'S REALLY REALLY PRICEY While the points above all sound great, they do, the whiz-bang new XS is gonna set you back a few dollaroos — 1629 dollaroos to be exact. Well, that's the starting price. The cool $1629 will get you a phone with 64GB, but f you want 512GB, you'll need to drop $2199. [caption id="attachment_688269" align="alignnone" width="1920"] iPhone XR[/caption] BUT APPLE HAS ALSO RELEASED A NEW AND CHEAPER OPTION It's called the iPhone XR, and in terms of size, it's in between the X and XS, but it's cheaper — $1229 — because it has a single rear camera, an aluminium frame and LCD screen. As mentioned above, it's also available in a heap more colours: white, black, blue, yellow, coral and red. If you this one, though, you'll need to wait a tad longer — it won't be available until October 26. The iPhone XS will be available from September 21, and keen beans can pre-order from September 14 here.
As plant-based eating has become increasingly normalised (just ask these top chefs), it can be difficult to begin when it comes to incorporating more plant-based meals into the home. This probably shouldn't be all that surprising — with so much to work with, rather than just the standard protein and three veg many of us grew up with, there really is a whole world of delicious, nutritious and, yes, even indulgent ingredients that can easily be transformed into meals that are as good for you as they are for the planet. To make things a little easier for you, we've teamed up with Vegkit to showcase seven easy-to-make plant-based dishes that'll please even the pickiest of eaters, from entrée right through to dessert. HERBED MUSHROOM AND LENTIL SAUSAGE ROLLS Whether it's a playful entrée or a game-night staple, sausage rolls are always a no-brainer when you've got guests over. This plant-based version is an umami-laden treat, packed with mushrooms, lentils and a host of fragrant herbs and spices. They're a cinch to make, too — especially when you let a food processor do the heavy lifting — but also make it look like you've gone to more effort than you probably have. That's what we call a win-win, folks. ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CRANBERRY AND ALMOND SALAD Take the humble brussels sprout from supporting player to headline act with this delicious salad. This hearty dish is just as good as part of a lazy weekend spread as it is to elevate a quick weeknight dinner, thanks to its minimal prep time and abbreviated list of ingredients (most of which you probably already have on hand). Less definitely means more in this case, though, with well-balanced flavours that seriously pack a punch. One more reason to add this dish to the rotation: with the cooler months approaching, brussels sprouts are back in season. TOMATO FILO TART WITH PESTO This golden, flaky tart looks more difficult to make than it is — and when it looks this good, that's really saying something. We reckon this all-rounder would go down well at any time of the day, whether it's for a plant-based brunch or an easy weeknight dinner. You can use any tomatoes you like, and the recipe also calls for a homemade pesto, so it's a great fridge-clearer that you can graze on all day. EASY CHEESY CAULIFLOWER BAKE The clue is in the name with this one, folks (maybe not the 'cheesy' bit though, to be fair) — it's an easy-as, warming AF bake that we think could become a new weeknight favourite. Think of this like mac and cheese's sophisticated sibling, with florets of cauliflower topped with a creamy (in consistency only, we assure you) garlicky cashew mix and crunchy golden breadcrumbs. Your favourite comfort dish just got a wholesome upgrade. MUSHROOM AND LEEK PIE Pie time to upgrade your baking game? Start here. This very doable — and very smashable — plant-based pie is comfort food at its finest, with a golden filo ceiling giving way to a luxuriously gooey mushroom and leek filling that's lifted with onions, garlic and a hum of cracked pepper. You can also add a whack of protein by adding cubed tofu (smoked tofu works particularly well here) to the white sauce when you stir the veggies through it. APPLE BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE What looks like a pie, smells like a pie, even tastes like a pie, but is a whole lot easier to make than a pie? This fragrant, colourful beauty. Just ten minutes' prep and 15 minutes of oven time is all you need to serve up this rustic, indulgent apple blueberry crumble. While the cinnamon-laced fruit is an umami-packed delight, the real highlight here is the homemade crumble, a buttery, toasty mix of oats, wholewheat flour, maple syrup and coconut oil. Top with a generous scoop of vegan ice cream or thick vanilla-flavoured coconut yoghurt to take this dessert to the next level. MANGO, LIME AND COCONUT SWIRL POPSICLES The only difficult thing about making these summer-ready mango, lime and coconut swirl popsicles will be waiting for them to set. These sticks feature all your favourite summer flavours, and are the perfect treat at any time of the day — and surely one of these would count as one of your five-a-day, right? The recipe for these bad boys calls for just four ingredients, but we'd suggest a cheeky fifth if you're making them for grown-ups: a splash of rum. Piña colada popsicles, anyone? To discover even more plant-based dining and recipe inspiration, head to the VegKit website, or check out MasterChef Australia's Simon Toohey's three favourite plant-based breakfasts to get your day started. Don't feel like cooking tonight? Try our picks of the best date spots with plant-based menus in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
First came the Art Gallery of New South Wales' Art After Hours series. Then the City of Sydney's Late Night Library evenings, and the cavalcade of gourmet all-hours food trucks. Now it seems Sydney has a new witching hour institution. The MCA's response to the city's craving for grown-up late nights is ARTBAR, a slate of talks, installations, screenings and one-off performances programmed by guest curators on the last Friday of the month. The all-you-can-eat combo of drinks, DJs, live art and harbour views has proved a winning one: the nights continue to sell out. All these civilised small bars and intelligently curated nights are worlds away from the smokey, brawling pubs and tepid 7-Eleven meat pies of the old city's nightlife. Perhaps Sydney really is growing up. ARTBAR's guest curator this month is artist Daniel Boyd. His night, titled the Up in Smoke Tour, will be a musical and informative journey into the age of enlightenment. It includes video works, a performance from the Crayons, a Dreamtime Ink Australia tattoo parlour, and a panel discussion with the humdrum title 'When I die bury me inside the Gucci store, I don’t want to end up in a museum'.
Phone or tablet? If that's a question that you've ever asked yourself, Samsung now has the answer. This week, the company unveiled the prototype for its new foldable smartphone, confirming one of the biggest rumours in the technology game. At the Samsung Developer Conference in San Francisco on November 7–8, the company revealed a device that's clearly still in development, but combines the best of both worlds when it comes to regular-sized touchscreen phones and their larger siblings, aka tablets. The handset boasts a new interface and display that enables it to both function as the former and fold out to become the latter — for those times when you just need a bigger screen, we guess. The interface is called One UI and is designed for one-handed use, anchoring the most relevant information to the bottom of the screen. As for the Infinity Flex Display, as well as being able to fold in the middle, it will also move whatever you're looking at from its smaller size to its larger size as you unfold the phone. In what might be one of the biggest drawcards, it'll support simultaneous app use when the larger display is used, thanks to functionality Samsung has dubbed Multi Active Window. Yes, this means that you can have three things open and active at the same time. Design-wise, the device uses one single screen that is foldable down the centre like a book, instead of flipping from the top like the clamshell handsets that have long defined the way we all think about flip phones. Other details are scarce — this was Samsung's first real teaser that the new foldable format is definitely in the works, rather than an actual product launch. It's not the first time that the company has mentioned the device. Speaking with CNBC earlier in the year, IT and mobile communications division CEO DJ Koh noted that more details would be revealed at SDC — although clearly we'll all have to keep waiting for in-depth specifications, and even information such as a name, release date and price. Contrary to how the device might seem at present, Koh also noted that it won't just be a tablet in a more compact form. Images: Samsung.
Sydney Fringe Festival's tenth anniversary program promises over 342 shows (including 120 world premieres) across 21 postcodes. Running from September 1–30, the festival includes a few major firsts, too, such as a precinct in The Rocks, five immersive hubs spread across the city, a comedy on a vintage bus and an Archie Rose Cabaret Club. There are also a whole heap of immersive and interactive events going down this year, including an eerie theatre show inspired by Wolf Creek, intimate long-table dinners and talks, a Kevin Bacon-themed flashmob and a night of eats, drinks and music that'll transport you to Babylon There's a lot of ground to cover, but these events should help get you started.
Mark Ronson's newly released memoir Night People: How to Be a DJ in '90s New York City is officially being adapted into a feature film. As first reported by Variety, the Grammy- and Oscar-winning producer's story of New York nightlife will be brought to the big screen by Plan B, the production company co-founded by Brad Pitt. The studio has been behind acclaimed projects including Moonlight, F1 and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, as well as Netflix's Emmy-winning series Adolescence. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Ronson said the deal only came together a fortnight ago after Plan B co-president Jeremy Kleiner reached out. "He just loved the book," Ronson explained. "He was like, 'I think this could be a great film.' And for me, I'm kind of a modest guy. It's my life. I was just so happy to be finished with the book. But it's a brilliant era, and they make such brilliant films. I'm so excited to see what they want to do with it." The exact direction of the movie is still up in the air — whether it will follow a biopic-style arc or take looser inspiration from Ronson's stories. "I actually don't think they've even decided yet, so it could be whatever," he said. "I think whoever the director is, the visionary who comes into it, [they are] gonna definitely lead that as well." Ronson also revealed he'll likely have input on creative decisions — including casting. "I think so, yeah. Only if it's Timothée Chalamet will I agree on this picture," he joked. "[Plan B] make such great films and I'm just down for whatever they wanna do." Night People: How to Be a DJ in '90s New York City is out now, and you can find more details via Penguin Random House. Images: Getty
Bringing Asian-inspired cuisine to the Northern Beaches, Suki is the latest offering from Merci Group – the hospitality collective behind Dunes Palm Beach just a short drive up the coast. This latest venture is perfectly positioned in Mona Vale, ready to provide light and fresh cuisine from its easy-breezy locale. Striking the ideal balance between sophistication and accessibility, a lunch or dinner reservation here is designed to evoke the feeling of a luxury getaway. Teeming with culinary delights, the menu offers a huge range of Asian-inspired fusions, starting with raw and cold options like oysters, edamame, kingfish ceviche and tuna tartare. Then, picking from the small plates is not an easy choice, with crispy holy basil chicken, pulled pork san choy bow and chicken skewers with macadamia satay bound to work up your appetite. Largest of all, options like crispy pork belly and fish tamarind will leave you stuffed – as every good holiday feast should. The drinks menu is similarly bursting with tantalising treats, with popular Asian beers like Bintang, Tsingtao and Asahi presented alongside local craft brewers. Plus, a selection of cocktails will keep you feeling cool on a balmy summer's night. Try the Suki marg with tequila, lime and triple sec or get a little experimental with the sushi rice negroni, which sees strawberry-infused Campari mixed with soju and sweet vermouth. Suki also hasn't held back on the set menus and weekly events. The premium selection offers seven dishes for $69pp, while the chef's selection steps things up to nine dishes for $89pp. Meanwhile, the weekend brings Bottomless Saturdays ($99pp), featuring a special lunch menu ranging from edamame to duck pancakes complemented by two hours of non-stop prosecco, rosé and Bintang with a margarita on arrival. If you're keen to back things up, you can always get down for Yum Cha Sundays. You'll get a generous serving of dumplings, spring rolls, prawn toast, pulled pork san choy bow and golden fried rice alongside mango crème brûlée custard tart, all for a very reasonable $59pp. What's more, Golden Hour sessions throughout the week include food and drink specials like $3 oysters and $7 Bintangs served up from 5-6pm Wednesday-Friday and 4-6pm Saturday–Sunday. For a vacation vibe without leaving town, it doesn't get much better. Suki is open at 18 Barrenjoey Road, Mona Vale from 5pm on Wednesday–Friday and from 1pm on Saturday–Sunday. Head to the website for more information.
After giving Looking for Alibrandi and Nosferatu the page-to-screen-to-stage treatment in recent years, Malthouse Theatre has another cinema great in its sights for 2025: The Birds, which started its life as a book by Daphne du Maurier, then hit picture palaces thanks to Alfred Hitchcock. A source of ornithophobia for more than half a century, the tale is swooping into the Melbourne theatre company, but not as anyone has seen it before. A world-premiere production, it's being staged as a one-woman show — and, courtesy of headphones, it's ensuring that audiences don't miss a single fluttering wing or blood-curdling squawk. Paula Arundell, a Helpmann Award-nominee for playing Hermione in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be in the only actor onstage when The Birds flues into Malthouse's Beckett Theatre between Friday, May 16–Saturday, June 7, 2025. In an approach that brings Sydney Theatre Company's The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Dracula to mind, She's tasked with conveying the terrors of a family facing the animal world's feathered creatures turning deadly, but going far beyond Tippi Hedren's efforts in Hitchcock's 62-year-old movie given that she's the show's sole performer. "The Birds is a thriller about a family who are living through an extraordinary crisis — the day birds, as an entire species, turn on humankind. Paula is one of the country's most astonishing actors, and this will be the performance of a lifetime, and you'll be in the theatre, wearing headphones, experiencing every whisper and every swoop intimately with her," said Matthew Lutton, who directs the production after finishing his ten-year run as Malthouse Theatre's Artistic Director. If you haven't seen the classic film or read the 1952 horror story that it's based on, as penned by an author that Hitchcock adapted more than once — see also: Rebecca and Jamaica Inn — it focuses on an unexplained attack on a coastal town, plus the fight to try to survive it. Malthouse's version, hailing from playwright Louise Fox, is giving The Birds a modern spin. [caption id="attachment_995200" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shkuru Afshar via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] As for listening in, J David Franzke is responsible for the sound design and compositions — and getting theatregoers donning headsets is all about sensory immersion. At present, anyone wanting to catch the end result for this new take on The Birds will need to hit up the Melbourne season, but cross your fingers that the production will eventually take flight elsewhere around the country in the future. The Birds' world-premiere season runs from Friday, May 16–Saturday, June 7, 2025 at the Beckett Theatre, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank, Melbourne. Head to the Malthouse Theatre website for tickets and further details.
During lockdown, Tacos Muchachos transformed a Surry Hills cafe into a pop-up Mexican restaurant, serving up exciting Mexican street food dishes to anyone within five-kilometres of the shop. It proved a hit with locals — people flocked to their quesabirria tacos, takeaway margaritas and al pastor nights. Following lockdown, the cafe took back custodianship of the Surry Hills space, so Tacos Muchachos went looking for a new home. Now, they've settled on the ground level of Chippendale's new Mexican-inspired boutique accommodation, Hotel Hacienda. While the setup may be unconventional — the check-in area flows straight into the dining room and the team is cooking from the former hostel's breakfast kitchen — owner Daniel Hanssen is determined to bring the electric atmosphere of the Surry Hills pop-up to their new home. Hanssen has big plans for the venue, with the hotel's rooftop being earmarked as an openair dining space. Despite the new look, the most important thing from the pop-up has already been transferred over to Chippendale — the food. Hanssen, who quit his corporate job and trained at Bush to open his own restaurant, is joined by a seasoned head chef who brings experience spanning fast food joints through to Michelin-star restaurants across his home country in Mexico, as well as Spain, Brazil and Sydney. The menu has stayed consistent with the pop-up: nachos, consommé, street-style burritos and quesabirria tacos. These tacos are what will keep you coming back. The rich and cheesy showstopper are a must-try. And, Sydneysiders are sure to be excited by the unique flat and crispy burrito packed filled with refried beans, sautéed onions, jalapenos, cheese and your choice of fillings. An exciting rotation of weekly specials are continually popping up, with tortas and al pastor to be added to the menu soon. The Tacos Muchachos crew sourced their al pastor machine from Mexico and marinate their pork shoulder in achiote, pineapple juices and citrus. They hope to introduce more Sydneysiders to the beloved street food dish with Hanssen describing it as the perfect marriage of Australia's love for both Mexican food and kebab shops. "We love kebabs and we love Mexican food and yet nobody's kinda doing it right," he says. As for the drinks, a classic margarita or agua fresca spiked with tequila are currently on offer as well as a selection of beers and Jarrito sodas. Head in between 5–6pm and you'll be treated to a happy hour special on drinks, with more cocktails soon to be offered. Tacos Muchachos is located at 179 Cleveland Street, Redfern. It's currently open 5.30pm until late Thursday–Saturday.
The City of Sydney has announced a plan to transform laneways and unused spaces throughout the city, with new pedestrian walkways and art installations to form part of the revitalisation proposal. The plan will form part of the inner city council's post-lockdown recovery measures which include increased al fresco dining and increased pedestrian access on George Street. The council has identified ten priority projects that they'll work on over the next ten years, kicking off in 2022, which include: Barlow Street, St Laurence Lane, Curtin Place, Hamilton Street, Little Hunter Street, Randle Lane, York Lane, Wynyard Lane, Underwood Street and Dalley Street. Barlow Street, which is currently home to artwork by local artist collective Dirt Witches, will be turned into a permanent landscape installation space in the western section of the street. The current installation incorporates a micro forest made from 30 plant species including critically endangered eastern suburbs banksia scrub, as well as sugarbag stingless native bees and their hives. [caption id="attachment_796785" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dirt Witches' Barlow Street micro forest[/caption] Curtin Place, Hamilton Street and Little Hunter Street will all receive upgrades in order to create a network of laneways connecting George Street's new pedestrian-friendly public spaces and Pitt Street. Meanwhile, Randle Lane, York Lane and Wynyard Lane will all be revitalised to create better pedestrian access around Wynyard and Central Station. 26 laneways have been upgraded with bars, restaurants, retail outlets and art installations by the City of Sydney over the past 15 years. The program to transform laneways was first introduced back in 2007. Previous success stories of the council's push to upgrade these spaces include Angel Place, Ash Street and Tank Stream Way. "We're giving a new lease of life to forgotten spaces in the centre of Sydney to welcome people back into the city when it's safe to do so, and support local businesses that have been devastated by the ongoing pandemic," Lord Mayor Clover Moore said. "The need to accommodate physical distancing while encouraging a return to the city centre makes the latest steps in our laneways revitalisation program an ideal investment in our city's future." You can read more about the City of Sydney's laneway program at the council's website.
Sitting right on the harbour, the Sydney Opera House is arguably one of the most recognisable buildings in the world. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, then later Peter Hall, the Opera House today holds six performance venues. You'll find large concerts and theatre performances in the large Concert Hall, while small chamber music sessions and lectures take place in the 200-seat Utzon Room. There is more than just the world-class opera productions on stage here, to say the least. Within this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you'll also find four restaurants. There are the two al fresco spots, Opera Bar and Opera Kitchen, both serving up everything from seafood to sirloin alongside harbour views; pre-theatre diner Portside, located on the Western Boardwalk; and lauded fine diner Bennelong under the House's sails, with a menu by one of the country's most celebrated chefs, Peter Gilmore. There are also a selection of theatre bars and an on-site cafe.
It's hard to fathom Laura Marling as a mere 20-year-old. Before lending her your ears, you could be forgiven for presuming this unassuming, pretty, brunette girl to be more like Lisa Mitchell than Joni Mitchell. But when she performs, it's as if she has summoned the sorrow, regrets and desires of a woman living more towards the end of her time than so close to the beginning. While her first album Alas I Cannot Swim established this young folk songstress as a musician far beyond her years, her recent second album I Speak Because I Can is darker and more sophisticated, filled with poetic nostalgia such as 'Goodbye Old England (Covered in Snow)', 'Hope in the Air' and 'I Speak Because I Can'. Marling weaves lyrical narratives, expressing herself through fictional characters including Odysseus's Penelope and scribes of wartime love letters. Several tracks contain Mumford and Sons-style twangs and banjo riffs, which is not surprising considering she is signed to the same label as the band and girlfriend to lead-vocalist Marcus Mumford. But this is not an indie gossip column (Wait. It's not? -ed). If you managed to catch her at the Sydney Festival earlier this year, you will agree Marling's performance was rousing. Her husky voice never falters; she speaks directly to her audience through song, slicing the intensity every now and then with a dose of witty banter. Marling plays her Splendour sideshow at the Metro Theatre on August 2, joined by Melbourne quartet Boy and Bear, who joined Laura onstage during her last Aussie tour. A second show, with the Maple Trail as supports, has been added on Sunday, August 1, at the Factory Theatre. https://youtube.com/watch?v=lUi9teTRCgk
Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter is set to score a brand new pub, with the newly named Watson's taking over the much-loved former site of Irish bar PJ Gallagher's. Following a multimillion-dollar renovation, the new venue will feature a modern look with a fully renovated indoor and outdoor dining space plus a fresh lineup of pub feeds and tap beers. PJ Gallagher's was a go-to spot for pre or post-match drinks and feeds for games at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the Sydney Football Stadium, which is currently under construction. Punters heading into and coming from the Hordern Pavilion, Max Watts and the Royal Hall of Industries would also be familiar with the longstanding Irish pub. Now, Watson's promises to slot back into this role as the Entertainment Quarter's neighbourhood favourite with an enhanced dining experience. Included in the upgrades is the opening of the upper level of the pub, two al fresco decks and a courtyard bar with a four-metre screen ideal for watching sport. The deck is shrouded by three fairy light-lit Moreton Bay fig trees and will feature acoustic live music alongside all the sports action. A new tallowwood and Rivera stone top bar has been installed inside the pub which will serve a selection of 32 tap beers. On the menu at Watson's, you'll find a classic range Australian pub meals including schnitzels, fish and chips and salads, with a few inventive twists. Think buttermilk chicken tenders served with fries, gravy, corn-on-a-cob and a dinner roll, or the pub's take on a dinner party classic — the French onion cob loaf served with celery and carrots for dipping. There is also a selection of steaks and cuts of meat including a one-kilogram cut of Ranger Valley black onyx grain-fed rib eye which is served on the bone with charred lemon and red wine jus. Accompanying mains is a dessert menu with tiramisu and sticky date pudding, and a vast drinks list featuring spritzes, espresso martini on tap and cocktail carafes made with vodka, T2 rose tea, lemon juice and lemonade. Watson's is located at 1 Bent Street, Moore Park in the Entertainment Quarter. It will open following the rolling back of venue restrictions in Greater Sydney.
May the force be with your streaming queue over the next few months, with not one but two new Star Wars series heading to Disney+. Both follow the same format, too, taking a character from the films, then spinning a whole show around parts of their backstories — and slotting in either before or between the tales that viewers have already seen. The first such program, Obi-Wan Kenobi, starts streaming today, Friday, May 27. The second, Andor, just dropped its first trailer today as well. On the agenda for the latter: not only a prequel to 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but bringing espionage thrills to a galaxy far, far away. As its name makes plain, Andor focuses on its namesake — Cassian Andor, again played by Diego Luna (If Beale Street Could Talk). Star Wars fans have already seen him as a Rebel captain and intelligence agent, and also watched how his story ends, hence the show's need to jump backwards. The focus: following Andor as he discovers how he can play a part in fighting the Empire. Indeed, charting the rebellion, and how people and planets joined in, is the series' whole remit. The moody and shadowy just-dropped first sneak peek ends with telling words, after all: "that's what a reckoning sounds like". In fact, it's filled with statements like that, setting the tone for an intrigue-filled first season — which'll start streaming on Wednesday, August 31. Alongside Luna, Andor sees filmmaker Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Legacy) — who co-wrote the screenplay for Rogue One — return to the Star Wars franchise as the series' creator and showrunner. And, on-screen, Luna is joined by the Genevieve O'Reilly (The Dry) — who is also back as Mon Mothma — as well as Stellan Skarsgård (Dune), Adria Arjona (Morbius), Denise Gough (Monday) and Kyle Soller (Poldark). Oh, and a cute-looking new robot that's seen scurrying around in the trailer, although how big a part it'll play is yet to be revealed. Andor is set to span two seasons, both running for 12 episodes each and adding to Disney+'s ever-expanding array of Star Wars programming. Also on its way: the third season of The Mandalorian, which'll arrive in February 2023; and the just-announced Skeleton Crew, which'll star Jude Law and hit streaming queues sometime next year as well. Check out the first trailer for Andor below: Andor will start streaming via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 31.
Summer means sunny days, escaping to your closest body of water whenever you can, openair drinks aplenty and treating yo'self to all the tastebud-cooling ice cream you like. This summer, it also means making sure that your home also smells like sweet treats — like Bubble O'Bills, Paddle Pops, Golden Gaytimes and Splices, to be exact. Some scents will always stay with you — and for anyone who grew up eating as many rainbow Paddle Pops as they could manage whenever the weather was warm, that sweet treat's caramel-meets-vanilla aroma is 100-percent the scent of summer. Now, it can be the fragrance that wafts through your home when the weather is warm (and during every other season, too), with Dusk bringing back its range ice cream-flavoured candles. The company first launched these enticingly scented, dessert craving-sparking goods back in winter and they promptly sold out, but now's clearly an ideal time for them. In a collaboration with Streets, the two-wick candles are hitting the shelves in-store again — and online — from Thursday, November 24. Obviously, one candle is scented like rainbow Paddle Pops, the go-to gem of supermarket freezers. Yes, each one smells like vanilla bean, strawberry and caramel. Yes, you'll feel hungry. Among the candles scented like fellow classic sweet treats, the Golden Gaytime version emits the aroma of toffee, vanilla and chocolate, while the Bubble O'Bill number smells like strawberries and raspberries — not bubblegum. As for the Splice, the scent of pine lime and vanilla will be floating through your home. Each two-wick candle costs $54.99, and drops not only in time for summer, but also for Christmas. Yes, buying one/some for yourself as a gift is perfectly acceptable. Constantly being hungry for ice cream is about to become your new reality, clearly — and if you also decked out your abode with Gelato Messina candles a few years back, and Tim Tam candles as well, consider this your latest sweet-smelling must-have. Dusk's range of Paddle Pop, Golden Gaytime, Splice and Bubble O'Bill candles hit stores and online again from 9am AEST on Thursday, November 24. Head to the company's website for further information.
If you want to get your hands on a bunch of Sydney's best Mexican food all in one spot, then The Entertainment Quarter is the place to be this weekend. Sydney's tamale queen Rosa Cienfuegos, Blacktown's hot new birria taco joint Smoking Gringos, Carbon and Baja Seafood will all be on-site across Saturday, November 4–Sunday, November 5 to fill your weekend with flavour at the free Dia de los Muertos Fiesta. Joining this all-star cast of Sydney favourites will be a flash tattoo station, street art installations, Latin-American bands and lucha libre wrestling. Mexican-Australia tattoo artist Skullavera will be in command of the station showcasing designs based on Calaveras and traditional Mexican symbols. If you get thirsty throughout the day, a couple of Mexico's most iconic purveyors of beverages Patron and Jarritos will both have stands set up, offering margaritas, palomas, Mexican beers and Jarritos' popular soft drinks. Patron will also be hosting a tequila masterclass for anyone looking to expand their palate. The kids are invited to the Dia de los Muertos Fiesta too, with face painting, crafts and family-friendly games all part of the program.
Conveniently sitting on the corner of Wentworth and East Esplanade, just steps from Manly's Ferry Wharf, is the Artisan Cheese Room. Occupying a small corner shop, this delightful room is created for cheesemongers, by cheesemongers. Owners Joanna and Paul Thompson opened up the carefully curated cheese haven after successful careers elsewhere — although a career in cheese with your significant other feels like a whole different level of success. Inside you can browse over 50 cheeses sourced from across the world, as well as from just a few hours' drive away. Also available are accessories like blue-and-white crockery and handmade knives, all with a sharp focus around cheese. The shop also offers cheese celebration cakes, boards, hampers and gift boxes all prepared upon request. If you're now hankering for a cheese plate, then you might be interested in the store's Cheese Club which provides four cheeses each month along with biscuits and tasting notes (for all you cheese newcomers out there). March's featured cheeses included the Holy Goat La Luna, sourced from the rural plains just a few hours north of Melbourne, as well as L'Amuse gouda, a cheese made in northern Holland's UNESCO World Heritage Site of Beemster, which then aged for two years in Amsterdam. Cheese lovers can choose between four options — or one ($90), three ($260), six ($530) or 12 months ($1000) of cheese. Sign up online, or pop into the cheese shop — and taste a few seasonal favourites while you're there.
Adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005 novel, the film version of Never Let Me Go is equal parts science fiction and love triangle, with one pretty girl wistfully gazing after the attractive boy who falls for another and remains impervious to her waif-like charms. Starring Andrew Garfield, Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley, who both scored Academy Award nominations for their performances, the film has earned itself critical acclaim and a reputation for possibly making you cry. Beginning as a British boarding school jaunt with a period feel, you quickly learn that this is no ordinary school. Instead, it unravels that theirs is a boarding school for clones designed to become organ donors in a dystopian alternate reality where humans create people with the express purpose of killing them. We follow the three main characters through school and into adulthood, as they have to begin to come to terms with the tumultuous feelings they have for each other, while they face the haunting future that awaits them all. We have 30 double passes on offer to the film, which opens on March 31. To enter, make sure you're a subscriber to the Concrete Playground newsletter, and then shoot us an email at hello@concreteplayground.com.au for your chance to win. https://youtube.com/watch?v=EUPsKjdtQSM
Whether or not we wanted it to, the pandemic threw a stick in the hamster wheel of life. For some, it caused a permanent change to their 9-to-5s. For others, holidays and plans halted. For many, it meant stepping back and reassessing: with regular life on pause, were there any changes to make before it all starts spinning again? Career and sea changes aside, this could mean choosing to swap the screen for stargazing — or working overtime on the weekend for two days of waterfall chasing — a little more often. In the words of twins Cam and Chris Grant, maybe now's the time to live a life a little more unyoked. The Grant brothers founded Aussie startup Unyoked back in 2017 and now have 15 — soon-to-be 17 — off-grid cabins across NSW, Victoria and Queensland, including one designed by Matthew McConaughey. All properties have been placed in secret patches of wilderness, in the middle of nowhere, allowing you to well and truly escape the big smoke. Each cabin is designed to make you feel like you're part of the surrounding landscape. Think timber, oversized windows, solar power, composting toilets and a blissful lack of wi-fi. At the same time, though, simple comforts are taken care of, so you get a cosy bed, kitchen appliances, firewood, Single O coffee, cocktails made in collaboration with Archie Rose and Capital brews. With its remote cabins, Unyoked encourages Aussies to travel more, log off more and challenge the typical 9-to-5. To help you do just that, the company is giving you the chance to break free from the grind and get off-grid with two-night getaways in a remote cabin — every three months for the rest of your life. Yep, it's the offer of a lifetime. To win, Unyoked needs your help naming one of its new cabins. The company names all its locations after 'unyoked' people Chris and Cam have met on their travels. There's the Lucia, named after a woman they met in London who had quit her media gig to travel; and the Miguel, who was "floating around the jungle outside Chiang Mai" in Thailand when the twins met him. So, if you know a free-spirit who inspires you to live a little more nomadic, you just need to put their name forward. Then, if your suggested name is chosen, you'll be able to escape to any of Unyoked's cabins for two nights, four times a year, every year — and be a little bit more like your nominated unyoked mate. [caption id="attachment_774963" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maddy Tonks[/caption] To enter, see details below. [competition]774540[/competition]
Lavender Bay's newest edition, Loulou, is offering Sydneysiders a taste of everyday French life. The bistro, bakery, delicatessen-hybrid is set to become a local favourite on the lower north shore, with the team providing everything from a morning coffee and luxe crab soufflé omelettes, to a champagne lunch paired with hand-cut steak tartare. Over at the bistro, you'll find shaved veal tongue, caviar service and an impressive wine list — but Head Chef Billy Hannigan (ex-Bistro Guillaume, The Ledbury London) describes the all-day menu as "a lot lighter" than what patrons may expect. "Many of the dishes will be recognisable to those who enjoy traditional French bistros but my technique is a lot lighter. We want the menu to be approachable enough for locals to feel comfortable dining here a couple of times a week," says Hannigan. Highlights of the French-inspired menu include the melt-in-your-mouth côte de porc (pork chop) served sliced with a drizzle of charcuterie sauce (market price). There's classic steak frites with au poivre vert, as well as lighter hors d'oeuvres including an oxheart tomato salad with rhubarb vinaigrette and zucchini flowers with white anchovy. With a combination of traditional French styling and contemporary aesthetics, the dining space feels warm and luxurious — think warm timber, brass accents and mosaic marble floors. Guests can pull up a seat at the bar or slide into a cushy booth to enjoy an intimate meal with family and friends. With over 150 wines available by the bottle, sommelier Shun Eto (ex-Icebergs Dining Room & Bar, Berowra Waters Inn) ensures guests can choose from an extensive list of both Australian and French producers. Follow your nose to the boulangerie next door where you'll be enveloped in the delicious aroma of artisanal baguettes, croissants, batards and baked sweets. Head Baker Brendon Woodward (Chouquette Boulangerie, Bread Ahead Bakery London) and his team bake four times a day, seven days a week. This number of bakes in a day is almost unheard of in Australia, ensuring that if you pop by after work, the bread is as fresh as can be — just like in Paris. Over in the traiteur (delicatessen), browse through a wide selection of house-made produce and comforting home-style meals created by French-born chef and butcher Cyprien Picard (ex-Victor Churchill). From jars of pickles to charcuterie, cheese and whole rotisserie chickens, Loulou's is your perfect pre-picnic pit stop. Over in the cold section, pristine glass cabinets feature a variety of terrines, parfaits and fresh salads — there's nothing better than a summer cassoulet or chilled ratatouille in Sydney's heat. Guests can choose to bring the goodies home or enjoy them outside on the sun-soaked terrace. Our top tip? Fill a basket and take a quick stroll to Wendy's Secret Garden. It's one of Sydney's most beautiful green spaces and is only a stone's throw away. Loulou's Boulangerie and Traiteur is open from 7am–8pm, 7 days a week. The Bistro is open Mon–Thurs, 12pm–11pm; Fri & Sat, 12pm–12am; Sun, 12pm–10pm.
Oxford Arts Factory has just announced its new 2019 curators for its arts space, The Cube. Orson Heidrich and Jarryd Lynagh of Signal will be putting on monthly shows, revamping The Cube into an art space to focus more on installation, sculpture and physical art works within the bigger music venue. The first one features work by Rosie Deacon, who's shown around Australia and the UK, and recently created the installation Fashion Forest Seduction as part of this year's Mona Foma. Deacon works with sculpture and installation to "engage with the spectacle of obsession and realms of the absurd". Her technicolour immersive work plays with the surreal and the real, with layered, lush forms and references to flora and fauna remembered from a childhood in rural New South Wales. It will open with a special opening party this Wednesday, April 3 from 6pm — the first of a series of events that will open each new installation. Signal has been invited to curate the space for a year, including takeovers from other groups. Watch this space for future events. Rosie Deacon's work at The Cube will run until 20 April. Image: City of Sydney.
Let's face it, we all wished we lived in 1920s Paris. The period, referred to as the Roaring Twenties or les années folles (meaning 'crazy years' in French), was a time of decadence and excess, of glitz, glamour and creativity. Artists flourished — from Hemingway to Fitzgerald, Picasso to Matisse — taking inspiration from their mesmerising surrounds. Passion flowed through the city's veins; the streets were alive with intellectual fervour and people expressed themselves freely. Who wouldn't want to live in this grandiose world? Unfortunately, unlike Owen Wilson in Midnight in Paris, you can't just step back in time and sip Champagne with Toulouse-Lautrec. Bummer, we know. You can, however, spend the night like a true hedonistic Parisian right here in Sydney, and we've partnered with the Opera House to show you how. Our French-centric itinerary is based around Blanc de Blanc Encore, the new immersive cabaret extravaganza showing this summer at the Studios, and features extravagant activities that will transport you back to post-war Paris faster than you can say merci beaucoup. PICK UP SOMETHING SPARKLY TO WEAR The French are renowned for their effortless elegance and impossibly chic style. So, it's time to get a little fashion, cheris, and pick out your own showstopping number at Fabrique Vintage. A cut above your usual thrift shop, Fabrique imports clothes from Europe and has all kinds of très bien wares. But, tonight, you're looking for 'vintage white with a dash of sparkle' — the dress code for Blanc de Blanc Encore. Think shiny satins, glittering sequins, feather boas and endless fringe. Something fun and frivolous; part Daisy Buchanan, part Kidman's Satine in Moulin Rouge!. And, les garçons, we haven't forgotten about you — slicked-back debonair hair, a dapper suit and suspenders, and you're ready to go, old sport. ENJOY PRE-SHOW VINO AND ESCARGOT All that shopping will have you feeling famished, so head to dimly lit French diner Hubert for a pre-show tipple and bite to eat. Located in the heart of the CBD, Hubert oozes opulence with dark wood accents, splashes of red velvet and a baby grand piano setting the luxurious scene. And, while it all feel very fancy, you needn't worry about breaking the bank; the restaurant runs a daily aperitif hour (4–6pm) and serves up a whole heap of affordable dishes and drinks, including $5 glasses of wine, $10 negronis and $5 G&Ts. Grab a glass of top-notch vino, some beef tartare ($26) and roasted escargot ($26), and enjoy the high life. GET FURTHER IN THE SPIRIT AT THE BLANC DE BLANC POP-UP BAR Before you settle in for the extravaganza that is Blanc de Blanc Encore at the Opera House, take in those iconic harbour views while sipping Champagne or gin cocktails offerings (or both) at the show's Blanc Bar, popping up till Monday, February 4. Should you still be hungry after Hubert (or if you've decided to just head straight for the water), the French-inspired menu also features nibbles that pair with the beverages on offer. Think ocean trout with cucumber jelly, native lime and elderflower dressing or Sydney rock oysters with verjus vinaigrette. Plus, there'll be DJs on the decks all night long, so après show, you can head back to the bar to keep the opulent party atmosphere going. SETTLE INTO BLANC DE BLANC ENCORE Alright, les amoureux, this is what you've been waiting for: a risqué cabaret show with all the glitz and glamour of 1920s Paris. Now you're glad you bought your sparkly outfit, huh? Running till Saturday, March 9, this fully immersive cabaret extravaganza is bursting with jaw-dropping acts, including cabaret, jazz, circus tricks and comedy. Seen Moulin Rouge!? It's like that but better because you're living it. It's like an F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald party: a night you'll never forget and the closest thing to the real roaring-twenties deal. FINISH WITH A NIGHTCAP AND CRÈME BRÛLÉE After all that raucous fun, chances are you'll need a stiff drink to calm your nerves and set you up for a good slumber. Finish the night with a nightcap at nearby cocktail bar Kittyhawk — themed around the Liberation of Paris (okay, that was some 20 years later but you'll still find those French celebratory vibes you're after). Stocked with more than 900 spirits, Kittyhawk exudes indulgence. Whatever tipple tickles your fancy, you'll find it here. You'll also find a rather French-ified menu packed with the likes of steak frites ($28), croque monsieur ($17) and salade niçoise ($28). We suggest ending the night on a sweet note with a classic crème brûlée ($15) and one of the 'rum n rye' old fashioneds from the lengthy list. Grab your tickets to Blanc de Blanc Encore and start planning your roaring night on the town.
With old-fashioned signage and every surface adorned with designs, it's clear the team at Hunter and Fox approach tattooing as a fine art. With over a dozen resident artists who have solid followings (both online and off), plus regular guests, Hunter and Fox has built a strong reputation over the past few years. The studio welcomes walk-ins if you get a sudden urge to be inked, but if you're more of a planner, its website and social media is a treasure trove of inspiration. And if you need to free up some space for a new design, or get rid of ink that you regret (like your ex's name), there is also an in-house laser removal service.
Looking to give Valentine's Day a miss this year? Perhaps Galentine's Day is more your style. Get down to The Bob Hawke Beer and Leisure Centre's in-house Chinese restaurant, Lucky Prawn, to celebrate friendship with a special banquet just for the girls on February 13. [caption id="attachment_988435" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] Kicking off with crunchy prawn crackers, heart-shaped prawn toast and vegetable dumplings, this set menu ($49) soon moves to the main event; steamed fish with ginger and shallots, served with rice and steamed greens. Before the feast is over, Hong Kong-style French toast provides a suitably sweet finale for this celebration of kindred spirits. Popularised by the relentlessly optimistic Leslie Knope in the TV show Parks and Recreation, Galentine's Day has taken on a life of its own in recent years. So, follow Knope's advice and get around "ladies celebrating ladies." Top image: Jessie Ann Harris.
The days might be shorter and the nights might be longer, but our impending winter is no excuse to hibernate — especially when there are excellent dining deals to be found all over town. Joining the party is Delta Rue, the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth's elegant French-Vietnamese diner, which is warming up Monday and Tuesday nights with 50-percent off noodle and rice dishes. From Monday, May 19–Tuesday, June 24, you can score any of the rice and noodle dishes on the restaurant's à la carte menu at half price — with absolutely no catch. Prices start at $13.50, making it a perfect option for those looking for a winter warmer that's big on flavour but small on price. Jazz up your weeknight dinner with the likes of Vietnamese-style flat noodles with drunken chicken, snake bean and basil; spicy spanner crab noodles with chilli sambal; or the umami-laden fried rice loaded with pork belly and crispy chicken skin, finished in a five-spice gravy. There are a couple of creative meat-free options too, namely the wok-fried sate egg noodles with mushroom, lemongrass and Thai basil, and a veggie fried rice with gai lan, carrot and chilli crisp. Of course, half-price carbs mean that you can splurge a little more on mains, like Delta Rue's fall-apart hoisin-glazed lamb shoulder, turmeric-roasted John Dory, or roasted duck legs served with a spicy plum sauce. Finish your meal with a pick from the restaurant's impressive drinks list, which boasts a sturdy selection of French wines and champagne available by the glass, as well as classic French-inspired cocktails.
Sydney, it's officially picnic season. It's spring, yes, but also lockdown rules have eased to allow outdoor gatherings of up to five fully vaccinated adults in all parts of the city — as long as you stick within your Local Government Area, or within five kilometres from home. Until the end of October, it's also boozy picnic season, as long as you live near a few particular parks. Sipping on the grass is already allowed at Centennial Parklands, Parramatta Park, Western Sydney Parklands, and Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney and Mount Annan. Until Sunday, October 31, it's now also permitted in 18 more locations during daylight hours. New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes has announced the temporary change, advising that "Sydneysiders can now toast to the weekend with a drink at some of our favourite parks and public spaces." "Vaccinated Sydneysiders have embraced the easing of restrictions and are out picnicking in record numbers. After an incredibly tough winter, people who followed the rules and received both jabs deserve to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer," the Minister said. "We only ask that all COVID-19 rules continue to be followed, that everyone drinks responsibly, [and that everyone] disposes of all rubbish and enjoys our beautiful parks." Sydneysiders can now toast to the weekend with a drink at some of our favourite parks and public spaces to say thank you for getting vaccinated. For the full list, visit https://t.co/0r5l2A3vsY pic.twitter.com/wBbljeYOam — Rob Stokes MP (@RobStokesMP) September 24, 2021 The places you can say cheers to your mates in, as long as the sun is out? They include Bligh & Barney Reserve, Dawes Point Reserve, First Fleet Park, MCA Lawn and Hickson Rd Reserve in The Rocks; the Jill Berry Lawn / ICC Lawn and Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour; and Cadi Park, Waterfront Park and Pyrmont Bay Park in Pyrmont. Or, there's Ballarat Park and Metcalfe Park in Darling Island, and Ballast Point Park in Birchgrove — plus Bicentennial Park, Blaxland Riverside Park, Cathy Freeman Park, Newington Armory and Wentworth Common in Sydney Olympic Park. Just remember to abide by all other COVID-19 rules while you're picnicking and drinking — which includes the aforementioned five-adult cap if you're all fully vaxxed, and the distance requirement. For more information about the 18 parks where drinking alcohol is permitted during daylight hours until Sunday, October 31, read New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes' announcement. Top image: Destination NSW.
