Are you looking for a chance to update your wardrobe that's a little greener, and a lot cheaper, than hitting the shops? The Clothing Exchange, created by two Australian women back in 2004, hosts regular events across three states to encourage us all to swap our good quality clothes — the ones that you're tired of but aren't too tired-looking — with other like-minded shoppers. How does it work? Each event is held in a different city venue, such as at the Surry Hills Library, which is where the next event is due to take place at 10am on Saturday, August 18. There is a $15 entry fee, and each person can bring up to six items to exchange for buttons, which are then used as currency during the event. There are rules. Items that you wish to swap must pass the quality control by the Clothing Exchange ladies on the day. And no elbowing. (Okay, we made that last one up. But the sentiment is true. This is a friendly clothes swap, not a bargain basement free-for-all.)
Thirty years, hundreds of films and thousands of minutes spent staring at the silver screen — that's what the Alliance Française French Film Festival is celebrating in 2019. Three decades since first launching in Australia, the event is marking its mammoth milestone with a particularly huge festival. And like all of the best big birthday bashes, the fest has assembled quite the on-screen guest list. When AFFFF hits Sydney's theatres from March 5 until April 10, it'll not only screen 54 movies across a month-long period, but also showcase a heap of French acting greats. Think Juliette Binoche, Audrey Tautou, Isabelle Adjani, Vincent Cassel, Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Mathieu Amalric, plus Vanessa Paradis and her daughter Lily-Rose Depp. The list goes on (obviously). With acclaimed French directors Claire Denis and Jacques Audiard each making their English-language filmmaking debuts over the last 12 months, this year's AFFFF also boasts a bit of Hollywood star power. Robert Pattinson and André Benjamin (aka André 3000) join the aforementioned Binoche in Denis' stellar dystopian space effort High Life, while Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly and Jake Gyllenhaal star in Audiard's western, The Sisters Brothers. Both titles have been gathering praise on the international festival circuit since late last year, and will hit Aussie screens for the first time at AFFFF. From opening film The Trouble with You to closing night's Kiss & Tell — both comedies — the full lineup boasts plenty of other features to get excited about. Intimate drama A Faithful Man steps into the complications of romance, with Louis Garrel both in front of and behind the camera; César award-nominee Amanda follows a twentysomething forced to bond with his niece; and doco fans can get a fashion fix with both Celebration: Yves Saint Laurent and Jean-Paul Gaultier: Freak & Chic. Elsewhere, famed director François Ozon returns with By the Grace of God, which comes our way after premiering in Berlin in February, and Olivier Assayas is back with his thoughtful latest offering, Non-Fiction. While the trio of The World Is Yours, Knife + Heart and Sorry Angel have already played on Australian screens, specifically in Melbourne last year, they're also worth looking out for — the crime caper, campy slasher and queer romance all made our best of MIFF list for a good reason. Finally, if you're keen on both old and new French talents, they're both in the spotlight in a considerable way. The former comes courtesy of a restored screening of Alain Resnais' classic 1961 effort Last Year at Marienbad, and a dedicated program strand highlights the latter, including emerging filmmakers such as Coralie Fargeat (Revenge), Cécila Rouaud (Family Photo) and Dominique Rocher (The Night Eats the World).
Science is magic. It's a study and practice that we can't live without, designed by us to make sense of the nonsensical. It's a sky full of stars, an impossible reaction of elements, a brightly coloured coral plume or the miracle of our own lives. And if that's not worth celebrating, I don't know what is. The Sydney Science Festival is almost upon us, that annual celebration from the good people at the Powerhouse Museum that treats curious humans to nine glorious days of uninterrupted science. The theme for this year is 'Trace', exploring the trace of humanity and our impact on the world. If you don't have time to explore the festival's full program, fear not, dear reader. We've gathered a must-see hit list of events across the festival, from Parramatta to Ultimo. POWERHOUSE UP LATE: SCIENCE One of the final events of the festival is an after-dark entry that brings a light-hearted and entertaining approach to science with an evening of conversations, performances, workshops, live music and a fully stocked bar. Spend your evening being educated on botany, philosophy, sonification and more. There'll also be 'The Drag Experiment', a performance exploring LGBTQIA+ talents in STEM, a drawing workshop with a leading Aussie artist, live music from DJ Mistry and drinks from beloved Marrickville brewery Grifter. Powerhouse Late: Science takes place in the Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo on Thursday, August 17 from 5.30pm to 9pm. To register and find more information, visit the website. [caption id="attachment_911455" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] FAMILY SCIENCE DAY If you've got any aspiring junior scientists in your life then bring them to Parramatta Square for this family-oriented addition to the festival program. It's built around local scientists sharing their knowledge through hands-on activities and interactive performances that spread the good word of science to younger audiences. Ranging from live experiments, storytelling, musical performances and insightful demonstrations, attendees will learn about temperature, solar power, sustainable food practices, clean water, coding, medicine, rockets, 3D printing and much more. Family Science Day will take place in Parramatta Square on Saturday, August 19 from 10am to 3pm. Visit the website for more information. 'FROM EARTH TO ORBIT' — DR MEGANNE CHRISTIAN — AUSTRALIAN ASTRONAUT This keynote conversation is between two scientific experts, one a multi-award-winning journalist and the other an astronaut reservist who will soon be one of the first Australian women to travel to Earth's orbit. The latter, Dr Meganne Christian, holds a Bachelor's and PhD from UNSW and has years of experience in the field, including a year of atmospheric research in Concordia Station, Antarctica. She is part of 17 ESA (European Space Agency) reservists chosen from over 22,000 applicants and will be talking about her career and missions to come with celebrated journalist Rae Johnson. Johnson is known for her coverage of topics around science and technology and all things geek for NITV at SBS, plus her work in television, radio and multiple podcasts. From Earth to Orbit will take place in PHIVE, Parramatta on Saturday, August 19 from 11am to 12pm. Secure your tickets here. 100 CLIMATE CONVERSATIONS This one is a bit different. 100 Climate Conversations isn't a single event, it's a podcast series that profiles scientists leading the net-zero carbon revolution. Journalist Nate Byrne will be interviewing several scientists in live recordings during the festival. Those scientists include Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, chief scientist of The Great Barrier Reef Foundation and one of the first figures to warn the world of the risks climate change poses to our reefs. Hoegh-Guldberg will be recording his conversation on Friday, August 11. Another will be with climatologist Professor Neville Nichols who used decades of experience to create a revolutionary early-warning heat wave system that has been saving lives since 2009. He'll be recording his conversation live on Friday, August 18. 100 Climate Conversations will be taking place across various sessions in the Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo. Visit the website for more information and to book tickets. 'ATMOSPHERIC MEMORY' Created by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, this multi-sensory installation is designed to immerse and educate on the wonders of our world. Lozano-Hemmer was inspired by an idea of 19th-century scientist Charles Babbage, the idea that air is a 'vast library' containing records of every word ever spoken. That idea is stretched across 18 immersive artworks that are made with cutting-edge technology from the fields of AI, robotics, 3D printing, nanotechnology and more. Those artworks include the world's first 3D-printed speech bubble, thousands of speakers playing individual field recordings, a ripple tank and a huge 360º projection chamber. It will be very cool indeed. Atmospheric Memory will run in the Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo from Saturday, August 12 to Sunday, November 5. Book your tickets here. 'PACIFIC ODYSSEY' — DR NICOLE YAMASE This keynote turns our eyes down from the stars to the depths of our ocean. This session is hosted by Dr Nicole Yamase, a leading ocean scientist who was born in the island archipelago of Micronesia. She took her heritage and ocean-going childhood and turned it into a career worthy of celebration, graduating with a PhD in Marine Biology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, specialising in the study of macroalgae and nearshore plants, now dedicating her life to the conservation of our oceans. Dr Yamase achieved new heights in 2021 by becoming the first Micronesian woman to visit Challenger Deep, the deepest point in all of Earth's oceans. She's also a community leader and part of the team behind the Madau Project — a community group that works with diasporic Micronesian youth to teach them about their rich heritage and their people's history of wayfinding across the Pacific. Pacific Odyssey will take place in the Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo on Saturday August 12 from 6pm to 7pm. Secure your tickets here. RAFAEL LOZANO-HEMMER IN CONVERSATION As mentioned, one of the biggest parts of the festival is 'Atmospheric Memory', an installation in the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo. The artist behind the installation is Mexican-born Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and he'll be joined in this keynote by Matthew Connell, Director of Curatorial, Collections and Programs at the Powerhouse Museum. They'll discuss Lozano-Hemmer's career and past works and how it intersects with the extensive collection of works owned by the Powerhouse. Lozano-Hemmer's work has been a part of over nine Biennale showcases and 75 solo exhibitions worldwide. Now he brings that experience to the Sydney Science Festival and is keen to tell us all about it. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer in Conversation will take place in the Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo on Sunday, August 13 from 3pm to 4pm. Secure your tickets here. 'COUNTRY AND SKY' — DR ALICE GORMAN AND KARLIE NOON Humans have been looking up at the sky for as long as we've existed, but what knowledge did our ancient ancestors draw from it? That's a focus of this talk between leading space archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman and First Nations Astrophysicist Karlie Noon. Their conversation will unravel the festival theme of Trace by exploring topics of space junk and preservation, the connection between astronomy and cultural heritage and the future of Aussies in space. If you have a love for history or astronomy, you should definitely keep this on your radar. Country and Sky will take place in the Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo on Monday, August 14 from 6pm to 7pm. Secure your tickets here. The Sydney Science Festival runs in various venues across Sydney from Friday, August 11 through to Sunday, August 20. Some events will run beyond those dates. For more information and to book tickets to select events, visit the website.
It's that time of the year again. Sydney's streets are about to filled with moaning and groaning as fanged and bloodied souls drag their rotting limbs through the city. Since 2009, the annual Zombie Walk has let people live out their apocalyptic fantasies, encouraging them to don their freakiest and foulest makeup and attire, all in the name of raising money for a good cause. After all that brain eating, it's only fair that zombies put in the hard yards to keep some of them intact — so what better charity to raise money for than the Brain Foundation? Funds raised by participants go towards financing Australia-wide research into neurological disorders, brain disease and brain injuries. If your Frankenstein-inspired makeup skills leave something to be desired, never fear — there will be makeup artists on-site to help you look divinely deceased. They're bound to be popular, so it's recommended to get in touch and make a booking in advance. The walk will kick off at 2pm outside St Marys Cathedral, and then continue down College and William streets.
Revel, the crew behind such epicurean hits as Pinot Palooza, Game of Rhones and Mould, is back with another standout food and wine event, this time devoted to all things Greek. After a successful debut in Melbourne last year, Oinofilia: A Celebration of the Wines of Greece will come to Sydney for the first time. As with previous Revel events, wine lovers are in for a serious treat here. Greece takes the cake as Europe's oldest wine-producing region and Oinofilia is out to do it justice, showcasing 80 different wines from every corner of the country. Visitors will have the chance to sample unique varietals like Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, Moschofilero and Agiorgitiko, and chat to producers flown in especially for the event. Being a Greek celebration, no one's about to go hungry either — Sydney's culinary lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. According to Revel founder and director Dan Sims, it's the chance for locals to get acquainted with a Greek offering that's often underrated here in Australia. "Oinofilia, from the Greek oîn, is by definition a love of wine," he says. "We all love Greek food, culture, and those islands, now it's time to celebrate Greek wine."
Bared — creators of some of the comfiest footwear in the world — are popping up in Sydney for just one week. It's called the 'Tree Change' pop-up and they’re bringing some mighty fine company with them, in the form of Byron Bay Hanging Chairs and plant installation experts Loose Leaf. If you’ve ever been to Bared’s headquarters in Armadale, Melbourne, you’ll know what we’re on about. Founded by podiatrist Anna Baird, the company sells shoes that trick your feet into thinking they’re walking on clouds. The secret is a beautifully designed foot bed, plus a bunch of other smart features. Oh, and they look mighty fine, too. Bared will be taking over Megan Morton’s The Studio in Rosebery. Baird says, “Our Tree Change is about bringing a tangible Bared footwear experience to Sydney, offering a whole new city the opportunity to enter our world … We love being able to sell our shoes around Australia via our website, but there is nothing quite like being professionally fitted into the perfect shoe, and meticulous notes are kept on every customer, allowing for a truly personalised service every time you visit.” The pop-up will run between Thursday, November 26 and Wednesday, November 2. OPENING HOURS: Thursday, November 26 — 10am-8pm Friday, November 27 — 9am-8pm Saturday, November 28 to Wednesday, December 2 — 9am-5pm
What happens when two cousins played by Kieran Culkin (Succession) and Jesse Eisenberg (Fleishman Is in Trouble) honour their grandmother and explore their family's past by heading to Poland? Eisenberg himself asked that question, then turned the answer into the Sundance-premiering and now Jewish International Film Festival-bound A Real Pain. The actor not only co-stars but writes and directs the dramedy, his second feature behind the lens — and Australian audiences can see the results when JIFF returns for 2024. This year's festival is back to finish out the year, screening in seven cities — Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and Canberra — across various dates between Sunday, October 27–Sunday, December 22. Just like its fellow major cultural film fests, such as its French, Spanish, Italian, Scandinavian and Japanese counterparts, JIFF's 2024 slate is jam-packed. Movie lovers can choose between 41 features, two TV shows and a showcase of short films, with the festival's titles hailing from 17 countries. Eisenberg and Culkin aren't the only big names on the lineup. Closing night's Berlin-set The Performance, which is adapted from an Arthur Miller short story and tells of a Jewish American tap dancer, stars Jeremy Piven (Sweetwater). The fest's centrepiece pick Between the Temples features Jason Schwartzman (Megalopolis) as a cantor and Carol Kane (Dinner with Parents) as his former elementary school music teacher. And in White Bird, which hails from a book by the author of fellow page-to-screen effort Wonder, Helen Mirren (Barbie) and Gillian Anderson (Scoop) pop up. In Sydney and Melbourne only — it's playing the Brisbane International Film Festival in the Queensland capital instead — The Brutalist is on the JIFF bill as well. It shows Down Under after winning Venice's Silver Lion-winner for Best Director for actor-turned-filmmaker Brady Corbet (The Childhood of a Leader, Vox Lux). Starring on-screen: Adrien Brody (Asteroid City), Felicity Jones (Dead Shot) and Guy Pearce (Inside), in a flick that follows architect László Toth and his wife Erzsébet to America from Europe after the Second World War. Well-known folks are also in the spotlight in documentaries Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, Diane Warren: Relentless and How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer — and acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, The Trip movies) is on the lineup via British Mandatory Palestine-set historical thriller Shoshana. Then, there's TV series Kafka, arriving a century after the death of its namesake. Highlights across the rest of the program include documentary The Commandant's Shadow, about The Zone of Interest-featured Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss' son Hans Jürgen Höss meeting with survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch; Tatami, following a female Iranian judo athlete played by Arienne Mandi (The L Word: Generation Q), with Guy Nattiv (Golda) and Zar Amir Ebrahimi (last seen on-screen in Shayda, and also co-starring here) co-directing; television's Auckland-set Kid Sister; and Aussie doco Pita with Vegemite: An Israeli Australian Story. "Our 2024 program showcases stars and change makers, offering audiences a rich tapestry of stories that explore the depth and diversity of Jewish life," explains JIFF Artistic Director Eddie Tamir. "We are excited to present films that span thousands of years of history and culture, reflecting on both the ancient traditions that have shaped our world and the contemporary challenges we face today." Jewish International Film Festival 2024 Dates and Locations Sunday, October 27–Wednesday, December 4 — Classic Cinemas (full dates), Lido Cinemas (Monday, October 28–Tuesday, December 3) and Cameo Cinemas (Saturday, November 9–Wednesday, November 13), Melbourne Monday, October 28–Thursday, December 5 — Ritz Cinemas (full dates) and Roseville Cinemas (Thursday, November 7–Wednesday, November 20), Sydney Thursday, November 7–Sunday, November 17 — New Farm Cinemas, Brisbane Thursday, November 7–Sunday, November 17 — The Piccadilly, Adelaide Thursday, November 7–Sunday, November 17 — State Cinema, Hobart Saturday, December 7–Sunday, December 8 — Dendy Cinemas, Canberra Saturday, December 14–Sunday, December 22 — Luna Leederville, Perth The 2024 Jewish International Film Festival runs from October–December. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
When a new year arrives, it's prime time for new dreams to come true, or that's what we hope when we make resolutions for the 12 months ahead. But if you're a Sydneysider with a modest cinnamon scroll-devouring fantasy — a Sydneysider who just wants to be able to head to US bakery chain Cinnabon in the Harbour City — your wish is already coming true on Saturday, January 7. Back in September, the Seattle-born brand confirmed that it was finally opening in Sydney this summer, originally aiming for a December launch. Now, those sticky scrolls are on your 2023 to-do list, with Darling Square in Haymarket your destination. Cinnabon's Sydney debut comes after the chain opened its first Australian store in Queensland in 2019, then added more stores in the Sunshine State, then made the leap to Victoria in 2021. Accordingly, Sydneysiders have been hanging for years to get their fix. When Cinnabon launches in Darling Square, the Haymarket spot will mark the initial location in a planned rollout around the state. In New South Wales, the plan is to open 15 stores — including one each in the city's east, west, north and south within three years, and also outposts in Newcastle, Wollongong, Coffs Harbour and Taree. Also, in a departure from its interstate counterparts, Sydney's first Cinnabon isn't located in a shopping centre, which will enable it to operate for longer hours. Those scroll cravings don't just tempt your tastebuds during business hours, after all. Cinnabon's Haymarket location will serve the baked goods that've built the brand such a following, plus monthly limited-edition specials. If you're keen on a coffee to wash it all down with, the chain has just announced that St Ali is its Darling Square roaster. The exact time the debut Sydney store will open will be revealed via the chain's Instagram, but getting in early is already recommended: there'll be giveaways for the shop's first few hundred customers. New to all things Cinnabon? Haven't tasted them on trips overseas or interstate? Only spotted the chain in Better Call Saul? It's famed for those scrolls, which come slathered in glaze and cream-cheese frosting — and, yes, they truly are oh-so-sticky to eat. Many people have tried to replicate them since Cinnabon first set up shop in America in 1985, too, but the brand's long-held recipe is immensely hard to copy at home. Cinnabon will open in Darling Square, Haymarket on Saturday, January 7, 2023. Keep an eye on the chain's Instagram for further details.
Move aside, mimosas — there's a new bottomless brunch in town and this one's all about the caffeinated cocktails. Spanish liqueur brand Licor 43 is dropping into Sydney and teaming up with Potts Point's Chula for a new limited-edition brunch session fuelled by free-flowing coffee concoctions. The Mexican restaurant is dishing up its Bottomless Coffee Cocktail Brunch every Saturday from February 18–March 18. For the headline act, you'll catch two different signature cocktails heroing the perfect pairing of coffee and Licor 43: the Shaken Espresso 43 and the gin-infused Uno Más 43. Meanwhile, you'll be feasting on a generous spread of dishes from the Chula kitchen, starring the likes of potato and chorizo taquitos, zesty ceviche, barbecued corn and ten-hour slow-cooked pork tacos. And for dessert: a Horchata flan paired with raspberry sorbet and a Licor 43 crumb. You've got a two-hour sitting to enjoy your feed and the free-flowing cocktails, with the whole thing clocking in at $99. Tables are available to book online.
The Sydney Design Festival will return from March 1–10, showcasing the best in Australian and international design in a whopping 138 events taking place across the city. Curated by Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS), this year's festival theme is 'accessing design' — a challenge to broaden the term's definition — and spans tours, workshops, exhibitions, panel discussions, makers markets and podcasts. The festivities will begin with Methodic Optimism, a talk by award-winning architect Ana Luisa Soares, who hails from Portugal's Fala Atelier design firm. Additional highlighted speakers include Rachel Wingfield of London studio Loop.pH, preeminent Japanese-Australian fashion designer Akira Isogawa, and blind design practitioner Duncan Meerding. Other discussions topics include cultural and social development, aged care and housing, issues of accessibility and a new age of recycling. You'll want to visit the Powerhouse Museum, if not just to check out the immersive Agora installation. Commissioned by the museum and created by architecture film Penhale and Winter, the space acts as a meeting place for those interested in design and science. As far as exhibitions go, an interactive musical installation has been created by MAAS Research Fellow Ollie Bown, and will be on display at the Australian Design Centre for the duration of the festival. Over at the Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre, a new program will explore the Tasmanian Aboriginal cultural practice of delicate shell necklaces. Plus, Golden Age Cinema will present Jiro Dreams of Sushi, the Australian Design Centre will host a makers market and a live podcast recording of In Situ Science will take place on March 6. Yes, it's a lot to sort through. Luckily MAAS has also provided these festival itineraries, which focus on certain topics of interest, such as women in design, indigenous design and shaping the future. Image: Atmeture by Loop.
Find yourself in the middle of a cross-town rivalry like no other, as the Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers square off in the next edition of the Big Bash League's Thunder Derby. With global superstars David Warner and Moises Henriques looking to lead their respective sides to victory, they'll no doubt need help from their fans to cheer them on from the sidelines. Plus, Sydney's very own dance and R&B artist Becca Hatch will be gracing the stadium with her electronica beats and intoxicatingly smooth vocals. Get your pals together and head for the grandstands on December 21, where you'll have the best seats in the house for fireworks on and off the ground.
Hodor is no longer holding the door (still raw). Returning to Sydney for MoVement Sydney, the gentle giant is appearing as his real-life self Kristian Nairn, king of the Rave of Thrones. This hours-long party, which was the first announcement in the MoVement program, is coming to the Enmore for one night only. Prepare to see the theatre as you've never seen it before — transformed into the halls of Westeros and soundtracked by deep house collected from seven kingdoms. Fancy dress is mandatory. Long before Nairn hit TV screens everywhere, he was a DJ and performance artist. Just some of the big names he's worked with include Scissor Sisters, Mylo, Calvin Harris and Alphabeat.
Every boy and every girl, spice up your life with Justine Todd and Work-Shop’s fast approaching event. The folks at Spice Deluxe wanna add some flavour to your cooking from 11am on Saturday, October 12, for Spice Up Your Life. You'll leave with a new-found spice whiz persona and perfect excuse to host a dinner-party at your place or in your mouth. For $40 you’ll: learn the history of spices; how to smell, roast, blend and taste flavour; learn why some flavours are hot but others warm or earthy; and score a BBQ lunch. Yummy. Did you know spices were the original currency? Or why people killed for them? You'll understand soon enough.
Chippendale's Old Clare Hotel is going through some ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. It's about to farewell another one of its in-house restaurants. In 2016, the boutique hotel's Silvereye restaurant closed its doors, now, on October 21, British celebrity chef Jason Atherton's Kensington Street Social will follow suit. Atherton told Fairfax that the distance between London and Sydney was too great to devote enough time to the Chippendale restaurant. The bitter moment will quickly turn sweet, however, when Marrickville's Barzaari takes over the site on October 30. Barzaari Chippendale will serve up a menu of eastern Mediterranean share plates for lunch and dinner — focusing on the cuisine of Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. The 120-seat dining room and private mezzanine will be swiftly transformed in the one-week gap between tenants thanks to award-winning architects Neri & Hu and designer Matt Darwon (Automata). Expect elements of the brand's Marrickville digs to make its way to Chippendale, including the signature sand pit coffee, market place vibes and The Four Seasons mural by Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Owners Andrew Jordanou and chef Darryl Martin (ex-Three Weeds and Quay) have teamed up with hotelier Loh Lik Peng (owner of The Old Clare's parent company Unlisted Collection) to bring the restaurant to Kensington Street. As in Marrickville, the menu will be designed around sharing and offers a range of bites, smalls and large plates, along with sides and dessert. The restaurant is named after a Cypriot market place where Jordanou's grandfather sold his produce, and the story makes its way onto the plate with a focus on seasonal veggies — think barbecued broccolini with spicy muhamarra capsicum dip, carrot juice and tomato, and woodfired green beans, mograbieh pasta and chilli. Larger plates we're keen to try include the kingfish with sunflower sprouts, falafel, broad bean and candied lemon; woodfired duck breast with globe artichoke, braised caper and black eyed peas; and lamb shoulder with whipped feta and harissa. Guests of the hotel will be lucky enough to order Barzaari for room service, too — it'll sure beat that late-night kebab. Barzaari Chippendale will open on October 30 at 3 Kensington Street, Chippendale. Opening hours are noon–3pm and 5.30pm–late, Tuesday–Saturday; and 11am–3pm Sunday. First image: Kensington Street Social
Bondi Beach conjures images of burning hot sand and bikini-clad bodies seeking solace from the sweltering Sydney heat. One does not exactly picture a festival dedicated to winter. Bondi Winter Magic Festival is that festival. Ice-skating is on offer, yes, but there are also other exciting community events going on, ranging from busking competitions to open-air art galleries. Art on the Streets invites local artists to be part of a curated open-air gallery. You can participate, watch art being made and purchase any artwork that tickles your fancy. Chalk up the Streets encourages the community to decorate Bondi's footpaths until their hearts content. Bondi Winter Magic kicks off on June 27. Festivities will be running all day, and into the night. And when you are done with all that winter appreciation, you have an array of Bondi cuisine at your doorstep, for some well-earned grub.
Twelve months ago, if you uttered the words 'doughnut day', you were probably using them in the literal sense between mouthfuls. Thanks to the chaos of 2020, however, the term now refers to a day without any new COVID-19 cases — and, when it comes to locally acquired cases, both New South Wales and Victoria have just notched up that milestone. Both states have been dealing with a rise of coronavirus numbers since before Christmas, starting in Sydney's northern beaches suburbs, and including cases in Melbourne as well. As a result, festive plans were thrown into disarray around not only both states but the entire country, as new restrictions on borders, gatherings and mask usage came into effect. So, zero new locally acquired cases in NSW and Victoria is the good news that everyone needs in 2021. Today, Thursday, January 7, NSW Health sent out its daily Tweet with yesterday's numbers and it's what we all want to see: a big fat zero. It spans the period up until 8pm on Wednesday, January 6; however, there were six new cases acquired from overseas, in hotel quarantine, during the same timeframe. In today's press conference, NSW Acting Premier John Barilaro did note that one local case has been identified today, in the northern beaches, but that'll feature in tomorrow's numbers. In total, NSW currently has 114 active cases. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1346970806476161025 The Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services also sent out its own daily Tweet, and also served up a nice round numeral. In the southern state, in the period until midnight last night, there were also zero new cases acquired from interstate or from overseas, too. That gives Victoria 38 active cases at present, with 32,767 tests conducted in the past 24 hours. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1346929086896238594 Of course, this doesn't mean the war is over in either state, or around Australia — but it is some very welcome news after a few weeks with rising numbers. To keep an eye on the situation in Sydney, you can check out an interactive map that plots places that positive COVID-19 cases have visited, which takes data from the state's venue alerts. There's also a map that shows cases by postcode. If you're in Victoria, you can head to the state's own interactive map, which displays cases by postcode or local government area. For more information about COVID-19 in NSW and current restrictions, head to NSW Health. For more information about COVID-19 in Victoria, head over to the Department of Health and Human Services website.
There's almost nothing that's bold about Haunted Mansion, but making the Disney family-friendly horror-comedy about moving on from the past is downright audacious. What the film preaches, the company behind it isn't practising — with this specific movie or in general. This flick isn't the first that's based on the Mouse House's The Haunted Mansion theme-park attraction, thanks to a 2003 Eddie Murphy (You People)-starring feature. In 2021, the entertainment behemoth also combined the Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland highlight with The Muppets in streaming special Muppets Haunted Mansion. And, no matter how Haunted Mansion circa 2023 fares at the box office, there's no doubting that the idea will get another spin down the line. Nearly everything Disney does; this is the corporation that keeps remaking its animated hits as live-action pictures (see: The Little Mermaid), revelling in sequels even decades later (see: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), and getting franchises sprawling as films and TV shows alike (see: Marvel and Star Wars). Disney also adores stretching its well-known properties across as many parts of its business as possible, sometimes taking its movies and brands into its amusement parks — Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar have all received that treatment — and, of course, repeatedly doing the reverse. Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, Tomorrowland, Tower of Terror, Mission to Mars, The Country Bears: they've all charted the path that Haunted Mansion has three times now. Accordingly, while grappling with and learning how to move forward from grief isn't an amusing topic, that letting go sits at the latest Haunted Mansion's centre is the funniest thing about the new film. The first word in the picture's moniker couldn't be more spot on — not just due to the ghosts that terrorise the titular home, but via the unnerving reality that this is another by-the-numbers entry in a long line of attempts to hero existing name recognition first, foremost and forever. When Dear White People and Bad Hair filmmaker Justin Simien begins his Haunted Mansion, it's with backstory that explains why astrophysicist Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield, Atlanta) is himself so unwilling to embrace the future. He meets Alyssa (Charity Jordan, They Cloned Tyrone), falls in love, then understandably falls apart when he's suddenly a widower — and, once he's consumed by mourning he's committed to staying that way. Then priest and exorcist Father Kent (Owen Wilson, Loki) ropes him into a gig at the movie's central abode, enlisting not just his help but the use of his specially developed camera that photographs dark matter and, ideally, spectres. The gadget was a labour of love for Alyssa, who worked as a ghost tour guide around New Orleans, a job that Ben has swapped science and the lab for after her passing. There's a difference between truly believing in the supernatural and wanting to feel connected to the person you love, however; Ben is in the second category. So, when he gets snapping to help Gracey Manor's new inhabitant Gabbie (Rosario Dawson, Ahsoka), a doctor who has just relocated with her son Travis (Chase W Dillon, The Harder They Fall), he's as sceptical as he can be and just in it for the hefty payday. Then, two things eventuate: he connects with the shy and introverted boy, who is treated like an outcast at school; and, no matter how much he tries, he can't leave the home's spirits behind. Cue a notion straight from Disney's IRL playbook: being unable to cut ties. In Ben's case, the only solution is taking the haunted mansion's eeriness seriously, discovering what's going on, and calling in psychic Harriet (Tiffany Haddish, The Afterparty) and college historian Bruce Davis (Danny DeVito, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) to also lend a hand. Haunted Mansion's unspoken motto: if you're going to make a movie based on a theme-park favourite, you might as well make a theme park-style movie. So, something chaotic pops up around every corner, be it more nods to the feature's origins, more otherworldly bumps and jumps, more famous faces or more weak attempts at laughs. There's a bigger sense of experience to an amusement-park attraction, though, rather than just something happening, then something else, then another thing and so on as occurs here. Screenwriter Katie Dippold has one of the best-written — and best overall — sitcoms of the 21st century on her resume in Parks and Recreation, and also penned 2016's smart and funny female-led Ghostbusters, and yet her current script largely sticks to the rails. While there's emotional depth to Ben's journey, as well as to his bond with Travis, Haunted Mansion is rarely eager to veer there, preferring formulaic cursed-dwelling hijinks to sincerity everywhere it can. Still, viewers should be grateful for the film's casting — especially Stanfield. The Judas and the Black Messiah Academy Award-nominee brings his roaming, restless Atlanta energy, melancholy and charm to Ben, aiding the film in conjuring up what little weight it has. It's through him, in fact, that it's possible to see the shadows of a better movie that Haunted Mansion sadly isn't. Around Stanfield, the bulk of his colleagues appear to be having enough fun with each other, including Dan Levy (Schitt's Creek) and 2023 Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween Ends). That's another of Haunted Mansion's theme park-esque strategies: filling its frames with folks who look like they're enjoying themselves, even among an onslaught of stock-standard special effects that lengthen hallways, get people disappearing through walls and the like, in the hope that the vibe will be contagious. Alas, it sorely isn't. It's easy to want to spend time with Stanfield and co: Wilson could've just skipped through time from 1999's The Haunting, but makes it work; Haddish amps up the mood whenever it's needed; and playing a figure that everyone is trying to flee perfectly suits Jared Leto (Morbius), who gets malicious as The Hatbox Ghost. A few spooks and scares hit the mark as well, but too few in an over-long-and-feels-it 123-minute movie. There's another presence lingering over Haunted Mansion, however: the ghost of genuinely excellent all-ages efforts, some with chills and others more with thrills, that are still beloved from years gone by. When this lacklustre effort is the newest entry in the field, no one is quickly moving past prior classics that still hold up wonderfully, such as Gremlins and The Goonies in the 80s; The Addams Family and Addams Family Values in the 90s; The Witches in that same decade; and the animated efforts of Coraline, ParaNorman and Frankenweenie.
If you've been pining for Cafe Paci since the Darlinghurst restaurant closed in 2015, then here's some good news. Chef Pasi Petänen will again team up with Dennis Roman, Zoltan Magyar for a second pop-up at Mecca's Alexandria roastery and cafe, where they'll be hosting 12 feasts involving wine and collaborations. Taking place over four weeks, the dinners find their inspiration in the colours of the season. Each week's menu is dedicated to a particular shade. So, in week one, look out for red ingredients, from red prawns, radicchio and red cabbage to duck, beef and paprika. In week two, yellow will take over, bringing with it saffron, ginger, honey, yellow-tail kingfish and yellow wine, among other sun-coloured delights. Then, in week three, it's white's turn, which means crab meat and calamari in savoury dishes and popcorn and white chocolate for sweet teeth. Finally, green, with its endless possibilities, will be wrapping up proceedings in week four. Think green-lipped abalone, seaweed, avocado, coriander and honeydew melon. Some specific dishes have been rumoured, including white salad, strawberries with smoked capsicum, corn with butter and cabbage with parsley and anchovies. For each offering, there'll be a matching wine available by the glass or bottle. Dennis and Zoltan put together the drinks list from a handpicked selection of local and international producers. The feasts will take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday each week, kicking off on Friday, October 12 and finishing on Sunday, November 4. Tickets are $85 for a five-course, set menu. Match the entire banquet with glasses of wine for $65 or buy drinks individually.
This year, due to Australia's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, Sydneysiders won't be heading to the now-cancelled Sydney Royal Easter Show, but they can pick up showbags from their local Woolworths. After the show's scrapping for 2020, Bensens Showbags has brought a heap of its top pop culture-themed showbags to 210 supermarkets across NSW. Whether you're after a Friends bag, a Stranger Things number or a Harry Potter one, you'll find them filling the shelves at Woollies. The supermarket chain is stocking 12 different showbags, all for $30 each. You can see the full list here. [caption id="attachment_765741" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chicane Showbags[/caption] If you'd prefer a Bertie Beetles, Wonka or Kit Kat bag, you'll also find those online at showbags.com.au, which is delivering a huge range of candy and chocolate-filled bags across Australia. We mentioned Bertie Beetles first, of course, because they've become such a show favourite — and to reflect that fact, there are ten different options available. Ordering online does take 1–3 business days, though, so if you'd like one before the weekend, you may need to swing by Woolworths. If you do, check out the the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health. Woolworths is now selling 12 showbags at 210 of its NSW supermarkets. You can check out the full list of participating stores here. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
No longer just the realms of Monica Trapaga yazz residencies and kiddie-aimed pantomimes, the Twilight at Taronga series is taking it up a huge, cred-worthy notch. Kicking off a frankly kickass lineup set to play mega concerts at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, Bright Eyes' soul-searching dreamboat Conor Oberst, twee monarchs Belle and Sebastian, the one and only Rufus Wainwright and Powderfinger's legendary nice guy Bernard Fanning are just the tip of Taronga's genuinely killer program — spanning each Friday and Saturday night from Friday, January 30 through Saturday, March 21 after hours at the zoo. Being one of Australia's most high-fiveworthy zoos, Taronga's drummed up an Australian contingent worth crossing seas for: Paul Kelly presenting Merri Soul Sessions, You Am I, Sarah Blasko, Dan Sultan, Something For Kate, Little May, Jack Ladder and the Dreamlanders, Hiatus Kaiyote and more are all confirmed to front that top notch Sydney Harbour backdrop. And Ken Done's designing the marketing collateral, because 'straya. One of the most contemporary lineups the Twilight at Taronga series has seen in its 19 years running, the feathered, furred and finned will have plenty to choose from this summer. Whether the giraffes are Conor Oberst fans or the bilbies get into some sweet Belle and Sebastian remains to be seen. And you should see the also-announced Melbourne Zoo program — they get the motherflippin' Village People. TWILIGHT AT TARONGA 2015 PROGRAM: Friday 30 January – BERNARD FANNING, supported by Little May Saturday 31 January – BELLE AND SEBASTIAN, supported by Special Guests Friday 6 January – PAUL KELLY PRESENTS THE MERRI SOUL SESSIONS featuring Clairy Browne, Kira Puru, & Vika and Linda Bull, supported by Hiatus Kaiyote Saturday 7 February - YOU AM I, supported by Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders Friday 13 February - SARAH BLASKO, supported by Luluc Saturday 14 February - ANTHONY CALLEA presents Ladies & Gentlemen, The Songs of George Michael, supported by Caterina Torres Friday 20 February - THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, supported by Caravana Sun Saturday 21 February – THE BAMBOOS, supported by Katalyst with special guests (Original beats set) Friday 27 February - BOYS IN THE BAND – 50 years of hits! Saturday 28 February - BJORN AGAIN Friday 6 March – CONOR OBERST, supported by The Felice Brothers Saturday 7 March - RUFUS WAINWRIGHT performing The Best of Rufus Wainwright, supported by Lucy Wainwright Roche Friday 13 March – DAN SULTAN, supported by Benny Walker and Pierce Brothers Saturday 14 March - JAMES MORRISON BIG BAND Friday 20 March – SOMETHING FOR KATE, supported by Jen Cloher Saturday 21 March - ROSS WILSON and Mental As Anything Tickets for Twilight at Taronga's full program go on sale 9am, Friday, October 31 over here.
Can I ask you to do something? As you read this sentence would you mind imagining the sound of 43 third generation Rajasthani musicians singing and playing the following instruments: the dholak (a double-headed hand-drum), the kartal (a wooden block and copper plate instrument literally meaning ‘rhythm of the hand’), a kamancha (an ancient violin), the sarangi (a short necked lute that resembles the sound of the human voice), the morchang (a percussive instrument held in place by the teeth of the player with the sound altered by movements of the tongue and throat), and the algoza (a collection of flutes that produces rapid swinging sound through breath and skillful finger movements). If your imagination is at all stimulated by this you will most likely enjoy The Manganiyar Seduction, an all-male ensemble of musicians who have combined their musicality acquired through a history of hereditary education (known as Gharânâ) with a spectacular and colourful stage show. While The Manganiyars would have traditionally performed for the kings of Rajasthan, director Roysten Abel has added ‘seduction’, stage cues, and a touch of Bollywood glamour to the formula, arranging the musicians in compartments (or ‘magical boxes’) that are framed by lights reminiscent of a celebrity’s bathroom mirror or that 1970s game show Hollywood Squares. The performance begins with a solo musician until the other Manganiyars are theatrically revealed. As this process continues and as each member of the group contributes to the overall sound the music gains momentum to such a point that we are thumped by a community of resonance and song. Or as the Irish Independent has exclaimed: "The effect is like that of a gospel Mass or a slow-building rave: a joyous, communal experience of the seductive power of music." And unlike an average band you might see lazily moaning about the metaphorical throws of a relationship gone wrong, the musicians from Rajasthan have a repertoire covering, well, life itself. Singing on subjects as varied as birth, marriage, weather, feasts, Sufi songs written by mystics, ballads about kings, Allah, and the origins of the Supreme Being Krishna, there really is something for everyone. Catch a free half hour preview performance at the Sydney Festival's Festival First Night on January 9.
A CBD institution, Frankie's Pizza is known for its live music, pinball machines, freshly squeezed apple juice an,d of course, its pizza menu. The much-loved pizza menu is now getting a revamp, however, with the help of Swillhouse collaborator Dan Pepperell (Restaurant Hubert, Alberto Lounge) and a trip to New York City. Pepperell and Swillhouse co-founder Anton Forte headed on a research trip to New York back in a pre-COVID February 2020 to experience the best pizza by the slice the city had to offer. The pair returned to Sydney with a swathe of new ideas for the Frankie's and have subsequently conjured up the venue's new menu. Along with a new dough recipe that includes a three-day fermentation process, Frankie's has introduced 13 new pizza toppings for you to get your mouths around. Leading the charge are new takes on classics like a three-cheese margherita, the pepperoni featuring Frankie's hot honey and a rosemary number with scamorza and garlic. On the more extravagant side of things, you'll be able to grab yourself a slice of zucchini pizza with lemon, chilli, garlic, stracciatella and mint; the Texas, which combines two different cheeses, roasted corn, red onion, jalapeños; or the Bismark with truffle salami and egg yolk. You can add on dipping sauces for $3 a pop, too, and a tin of Cuca anchovies for $6. Plus, despite the makeover, the venue's pizzas are available at an affordable $6 a slice. The venue has also expanded its already extensive beer list in conjunction with the new menu, which now stars the likes of a wasabi porter, a blood orange gose from California's Anderson Valley and Moon Dog's Coconut Cake imperial dark ale. You can find the full menu here. If you're looking for an excuse to stop and try the new range of pizza on offer, you can catch Frankie's House Band every Monday, karaoke and trivia every Tuesday, and bands every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.You can check out what's on at Frankie's at its website. Frankie's Pizza is located at 50 Hunter Street, Sydney and is open 4pm–3am Saturday–Thursday and 12pm–3am Friday. Top image: Katje Ford
Luna Park is undergoing a whopping $30 million makeover next year, which will see nine new permanent rides land at the Sydney attraction once complete. So, if you were looking to get a dose of kidult thrills this summer, you'll have to head to the fun-filled harbourfront venue before it closes in late January. As if answering your prayers, Luna Park will run a one-month Countdown Carnivale, so you can do just that. Running from December 26 till January 26, the event will let you race around on rollercoasters, bump about on dodgem cars and soar sky-high on the ferris wheel before the park's temporary closure until July. Plus, it'll be your last chance to take a spin on rides like the Power Surge, Round Up and Body Rock. And, on top of all the hair-raising rides, there'll be a Carnivale-inspired parade. Tickets cost $50, which gets you into the park and unlimited rides. The catch? You have to pre-book your spot online. Luna Park will be open daily, with sessions running from 10.30am–4pm. On Fridays and Saturdays, as well as on Monday, January 25, evening sessions will run from 5–10.30pm. Book your tickets to Luna Park's Countdown Carnivale here.
A documentary that's deeply personal for one of its directors, intensely powerful in surveying Australia's treatment of its First Peoples and crucial in celebrating perhaps the country's first-ever Aboriginal filmmaker, Ablaze makes for astonishing viewing. But while watching, two ideas jostle for attention. Both remain unspoken, yet each is unshakeable. Firstly, if the history of Australia had been different, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta man William 'Bill' Onus would be a household name. If that was the case, not only his work behind the camera, but his activism for Indigenous Aussies at a time when voting and even being included in the census wasn't permitted — plus his devotion to ensuring that white Australians were aware of the nation's colonial violence — would be as well-known as Captain Cook. That said, if history had been better still, Bill wouldn't have needed to fight so vehemently, or at all. Alas, neither of those possibilities came to a fruition. Ablaze can't change the past, but it can and does document it with a hope to influencing how the world sees and appreciates Bill's part in it. Indeed, shining the spotlight on its subject, everything his life stood for, and all that he battled for and against is firmly and proudly the feature's aim. First-time filmmaker Tiriki Onus looks back on his own grandfather, narrating his story as well — and, as aided by co-helmer Alec Morgan (Hunt Angels, Lousy Little Sixpence), the result is a movie brimming with feeling, meaning and importance. While Aussie cinema keeps reckoning with the nation's history regarding race relations, as it should and absolutely must, Ablaze is as potent and essential as everything from Sweet Country, The Nightingale and The Australian Dream to The Furnace, High Ground and The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson. As the last filmic ode to a key Indigenous figure within cinema also did, aka My Name Is Gulpilil, Ablaze has a clear source of inspiration beyond the person at its centre. Appearing on-screen, Tiriki begins with two discoveries that put him on the path to making the movie: finding a suitcase filled with Bill's belongings, which included photographs of Indigenous boys in traditional paint peering at a film camera; and learning that the National Film & Sound Archive was in possession of footage of unknown origin that it believed to be linked to Bill. Accordingly, Ablaze is as much a detective story as it is a tribute, with Tiriki puzzling together the pieces of his grandfather's tale. Structuring the film in such a way is a savvy decision; even viewers coming to Bill with zero prior knowledge will want to sleuth along to solve the feature's multiple mysteries. Connecting the dots starts easily, after Tiriki spies the boys in Bill's photos in the NFSA's nine-minute reel — footage from which it's an enormous treat to see in Ablaze. From there, though, the what and why behind the material takes longer to tease out. So too does exactly why Reg Saunders and Doug Nicholls — the first Aboriginal officer in the Australian Army and the famed Aussie rules footballer-turned-pastor, respectively — appear in Bill's silent footage. Also an opera singer, Tiriki guides Ablaze's viewers through the answers, while delivering a biographical documentary-style exploration of Bill's existence along the way — from being born in 1906 at the Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve, on the Murray River in New South Wales, through to his passing in 1968 following the successful 1967 referendum on counting Indigenous Australians as part of the population, for which he spearheaded the campaign. As is any fascinating doco's curse, much in Ablaze could fuel several movies. Bill packed plenty into his time, although filmmaking, activism, and sharing his culture far and wide are recurring themes. Before shooting the reel that helps spark Ablaze sometime around 1946, Bill had gleaned how influential cinema could be to spread a message. And, from working on other productions — such as Charles Chauvel's Uncivilised in 1937 and Harry Watt's The Overlanders in 1946 — he was intent on using that power to tell the world about Indigenous Australians and their plight. In addition, with the same quest, he took to the stage. As Ablaze shows among its treasure trove of archival materials, white Aussies were flocking to a horrendously offensive-looking production called Corroboree, starring white performers in hand-stitched blackface bodysuits — which Bill set to counter. Even the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II was among Corroboree's audience, as seen in another of Ablaze's impressive compilation of clips from decades back. Contrasting that fact with glimpses of Bill's White Justice, his theatre piece inspired by the 1946 Pilbara strike by Indigenous workers — a show that was filmed and forms part of that unearthed reel — is just one instance of a trend that keeps popping up throughout the documentary. Each time that Tiriki unfurls a new strand to Bill's story, more infuriating horrors come with it. When Bill travelled overseas to attend a peace festival East Germany to draw global attention to the situation back home, he was reportedly surveilled by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. When he received an invite from Walt Disney to go to America, ASIO helped put a stop to it. The atrocities go on, and aren't always personal. As explained by actor and now-elder Jack Charles (Preppers), even the traditional act of making possum skin wraps that chronicled the wearer's life was banned by white Australia, with the animal fur commandeered for fashion instead. With its mix of archival footage, motion graphics made from old photographs, animation and interviews — plus Tiriki's travels — Ablaze has a wealth of other threads weaved through its frames. As they're all stitched together, another truth solidifies: this film, and its wide-ranging examination of how Indigenous Australians have been treated since colonisation, is exactly what Bill was dedicated to bringing to the screen. Its moniker also feels extra apt, even after being outlined early (we have a caravan fire to thank for its subject's prowess behind the camera, and what he shot, being so little-known). Scorchingly obvious in almost every second of Ablaze, Bill was aglow with fiery determination. There's little that's remarkable about the way this cinematic homage to his efforts is put together but, given who it focuses on and his tireless crusade for equality, this doco was always going to burn bright.
When someone asks where the party at, Motorik answer. The Sydney-based dance collective and record label are known around the traps for throwing the most outrageous of raves in secret locations. After three years of warm-ups and killer releases, they're ready to get epic for their third birthday this Saturday. With the 15th release coming up for the label — a casual facemelter of an EP from The Presets' K.I.M — and their own show on the brand new FBi Click, Motorik have a bunch of reasons to get messy. They've also released the next instalment of their 'Under the Influences' mixtape series with K.I.M, streaming over here. But you came here to find out what makes the crew tick huh? Andrew Santamaria from Motorik took us through his top five tracks, set to gear you up for Motorik's epic birthday bash this Saturday. https://youtube.com/watch?v=KJm1MHBFoFQ CSMNT61 — KEEP HOLDING ON "The first ever release on Motorik Records. It got the ball rolling for everyone. Still one of our proudest moments as a label or party." https://youtube.com/watch?v=ippnJFRMpeM WORDLIFE — VISION "We love the Wordlife bros, have done for years before they became Wordlife and will do for ever more. This is their first release on our label and if I'm not mistaken our most successful one. They're going form strength to strength, with their new live set one not to be missed. They are, of course, playing the birthday party. I'll be front and centre... high-fiving you." https://youtube.com/watch?v=AiuDNGYQdTg JENSEN INTERCEPTOR — SYSTEM ADDICT (SCNTST REMIX) "This is the new one from our main man and label stalwart, Jensen Interceptor. He's been bringing the bangers to the table since day one. Today is no different." https://youtube.com/watch?v=fulX7PEQeXU THE FINGER PRINCE — YOUR FACE "The final piece in our four-fingered puzzle of artists that inspired Motorik to evolve from putting on raves to creating a recorded history of our times. Also a personal favourite." https://youtube.com/watch?v=wORSreFpLIw ERIK & FIEDEL — DONNA "Pretty much every time I'm asked about a top ten or five or even one, this track is in there. It was one of the first techno records I ever heard. It didn't make much sense to me for ages, all I knew was that it was wildly different to anything else I was listening to. It still stands out as both an inspiration and conundrum. I. LOVE. IT." Motorik's 3rd Birthday is happening this Saturday, July 19 at a 'secret base location'. Tickets available here and third release ($55 +bf) are selling fast so click those heels.
Loving Fleetwood Mac is the right thing to do, even if their lyrics try to tell us otherwise. This new gig at the State Theatre clearly agrees, with a 24-piece orchestra playing the band's hits over one big evening. How else can you bask in the glory of a band that has sold over 120 million records, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and still remains popular almost 55 years after they first formed? Guest vocalists Tania Doko (Bachelor Girl), Karise Eden, Prinnie Stevens and Mark Williams (Dragon) will also help offer a new spin on the Mac's classic tracks come Thursday, March 11, and you can listen along and pretend it's the 70s. Expect Seven Wonders: The Music of Fleetwood Mac Orchestrated to tackle the likes of 'Landslide', 'Tusk', 'The Chain', 'Dreams', 'Rhiannon', 'Little Lies', 'Go Your Own Way', 'Seven Wonders' and more — aka some of the biggest singles of the last half-century. With a night of reimagined hits to look forward to, you won't stop thinking about tomorrow — with tickets costing $99.90–149.90, and going on sale from 12pm AEDT on Monday, January 18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATMR5ettHz8
We’ve got a pretty decent skyline down in Sydney, so it’s nice that the folks at St George are continuing to make proper use of it even when the sun has gone down. The St George Open Air Cinema will be returning to Mrs Macquarie’s Point this summer, screening major new releases and some of the year’s best art-house films. Obscuring just the right amount of the killer harbour view will be a three story high screen hydraulically raised from the water, on which all 36 of the scheduled films will come to life with the help of state-of-the-art Dolby Digital surround sound. This season’s line up includes Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson’s rendition of The Adventures of Tintin, Spanish maestro Almodóvar’s unique tale of psychological obsession and sexual perversity The Skin I Live In, and the high-action heist movie Contraband. You can’t BYO food or booze to this outdoor cinema, but why would you want to eat sandwiches when you can wash down a hand-made chili king prawn pizza from the on-site bar and restaurant with some Cloudy Bay sauv that hasn’t been warming up in your bag for the last hour? Advance sales commence at 9am on 15 December and can be purchased through the official website or from Ticketmaster retail outlets.
"Siri — write my Her review". "[da-dup]…I'm not sure I understand". Yeah, okay. So, it's not perfect, but the fact is, I just had a conversation with my phone. What's more, I didn't feel weird about it, and — most crucially — neither did the people around me. It's for this reason that Spike Jonze's new movie Her feels eerily and uncomfortably plausible. Familiar, even. In fact, inevitable. Set in the almost certainly near future, Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly — a gentle, retiring man who works at BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com penning heartfelt correspondence between people he's never met. In his personal life, his wife (Rooney Mara) has left him and now communicates exclusively via their lawyers. In short, nobody really talks anymore. Then one day he buys and installs a new operating system called 'OS1' — an artificially intelligent construct that names herself, or rather itself, 'Samantha' (voiced to perfection by Scarlett Johansson). At first Samantha simply streamlines Theodore's life, triaging his emails and encouraging him to get out more, but gradually, as she evolves and learns more from their interactions, they begin to fall in love. It seems ridiculous, yes, but thanks to Jonze's masterful script and direction, it never really feels it, and that's what makes HER the first must-see film of 2014. "Is it a real relationship?" Theodore asks his best friend (a game designer played by Amy Adams), to which she replies: "Well… what is real?" It sounds like hack freshman philosophy but actually cuts to the core of the film, because — in essence — Theodore's relationship is largely indistinguishable from every real-world, long-distance one. In this increasingly international age where overseas employment and study opportunities beckon with greater frequency and ease, it often feels like the number one obstacle for couples to overcome is mere geography. Hence, nobody bats an eyelid when two people attempt to sustain a relationship exclusively and indefinitely via phone calls, meaning — to the outside world — Theodore's interactions with Samantha are just as commonplace and unremarkable. And ultimately, who's to say they're not? Look around you right now. How many people are on their phones — talking, listening, scrolling, reading or playing? The loneliness and isolation of an increasingly interconnected world is a pervasive and fascinating phenomenon, but few have yet explored how humanity's growing fusion with technology might lead to actual relationships with it. Well, except maybe for the Japanese. To say much more is to risk giving away precious moments and quiet surprises (of which there are many), though it's worth noting Her pleasantly avoids a lot of tech in-jokes and future gags that could easily have rendered it a far more pedestrian affair. Ultimately, it is a beautiful, imaginative and provocative offering by Jonze that asks some fascinating questions about the direction love is taking in the technological age. Could we love an operating system, and — more importantly — could it love us back? "Siri - do you love me?" "[da-dup] Look…a puppy!" Man, love is hard. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ne6p6MfLBxc
Summer is all about balance. So if you're feeling a bit flat after your Christmas indulgences, equalise that with a few spins around a mammoth inflatable obstacle course. Popping up at Nolan Reserve in Manly from January 4–6 and then Centennial Park from January 18–20, Tuff Nutterz takes the adventure bouncing castle concept to a whole new level, clocking in at 270 metres long and boasting over 30 different obstacles. Organisers are calling it the largest inflatable obstacle course in the world, although it seems pretty similar in size to this one that popped up in Melbourne in early 2018. You'll get to bounce off walls, weave through cones and battle over giant wheels in a mad dash to the finish line. Each lap takes around 30 minutes to complete and you'll score two goes with your $45 ticket. Sure, it's meant for kids — but the website says that anyone over eight years old can participate. So if you're not taking children along with you, just be mindful that there will be lots of little people on the course, so you'll have to look out for them. There'll be plenty of food trucks on site, slinging a tasty lineup of burgers, hot dogs, ice cream and coffee to ensure you've got enough energy to tackle all those crazy obstacles.
April 25th is nearly upon us again, and after 2020's ANZAC Day was severally dampened by COVID-19, 2021 is set to offer something a bit more familiar. That includes at Petersham's Public House, which is hosting its annual day of two-up and tunes. Make sure to have a few $10 bills at hand as the inner west pub will be running two-up from midday until sundown. Accompanying the ANZAC Day tradition will be live sets from exciting young Sydney bands Rosa Maria and Megafauna, as well as DJ sets from FBi Radio's Deepa and Barkaa collaborator Fly Waves. Dancing will be permitted inside and outside, so make sure you're ready for a boogie. Beer stalls will be set up in the car park, or you can head inside to the courtyard for a drink and a feed. Those who choose to partake in a cold jug of Reschs on the day will also be helping raise money for Legacy Australia, an organisation that supports the families of veterans.
Keen to escape the realities of 2020 for a little bit? We don't blame you, it's been a pretty wild ride. Helping you go back to simpler times this November and December is Hoyts Cinemas, with its new retro series the Best of the Classics. First up, the entertainment company is screening a heap of flicks from the 1970s and 1980s, full of lo-fi special effects, bad fashion, epic stunts, nail-biting adrenaline and cheesy one-liners. In other words, the ideal antidote to our current reality. Every week till December 2, Hoyts Cinemas across Sydney will be screening 70s horror and 80s action blockbusters, so you can get your cinematic chills and thrills on the big screen this spring. From the 70s, expect Ridley Scott's Alien, the 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie, William Friedkin's The Exorcist and everyone's favourite shark film, Jaws. If you're more keen on action-packed cinema, then catch Bruce Willis in the OG Die Hard, James Cameron's sci-fi thriller Aliens or Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator and Predator. Sessions dates and times vary for each participating Hoyts cinema, so best to check the Hoyts Best of the Classics program here before booking in your next movie date. [caption id="attachment_788789" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Alien'[/caption] Find your closest Hoyts Cinema here — then check out the Best of the Classics program and book your seats. Top images: 'Predator' and 'Die Hard'
This spring, Sydney's Night Noodle Markets will finally make its glorious return for six nights of tasty things on sticks, bowls of noodles, all the bao you can handle and oh-so-many extravagant desserts. After a couple of disrupted years, the beloved food event will hit up Sydney from Tuesday, October 4–Sunday, October 9. And, this year, the festival is ditching its traditional home in Hyde Park for another expansive inner-city location: Prince Alfred Park. If this sounds familiar, just in a different season, the Night Noodle Markets were originally set to return in March this year, but had to be postponed due to Sydney's wet weather at the time. Autumn's loss is spring's gain, with the markets now making a comeback when the weather gets warmer — to give Sydneysiders the opportunity to get out and fill their night with Asian street food, drinks and entertainment. Like most major events, the last two years haven't been smooth sailing for the Night Noodle Markets. In 2020, it was forced online, offering special meals from local restaurants and selections from its usual vendors via home delivery. Last year, the markets were unable to run at all, but now it's finally time to get excited again. Stay tuned for further details about vendors, aka who'll be slinging delicious dishes and drinks, and what they'll be serving. The 2022 Sydney Night Noodle Markets will run from Tuesday October 4—Sunday, October 9 in Prince Alfred Park, Chalmers Street, Surry Hills. For more information, head to the event website.
Sydney can't get enough of zombies at the moment. Fresh off the news that the undead obstacle course Run For Your Lives is headed our way, now it's time to look drop dead gorgeous and graduate at every(dead)body's favourite high school dance: Zombie Prom 1986. After selling out the last three years at The Vanguard, the team behind The Empire Strips Back has teamed up with Oz Comic-Con to move the Shermer High School end of year dance down the road to the much bigger Factory Theatre and take it to the next level. Think zombie dancers, a zombie house band and zombie DJs pumping out the best '80s hits all night long. The best part about it is that dressing up is pretty much mandatory. The dress code is '80s prom night, but zombies, so when 'Thriller' comes on you just know it's going to look incredible. Zombie Prom King and Queen will be crowned, so come dressed as your best cheerleader, quarterback or geek and have the best night of your undead life.
We don't need to tell you that summer is coming, but what we do need to tell you is where to make the most of the gorgeous warm weather with a seriously swish lunch. Level up and book into one of these lovely long lunch spots, which place an emphasis on outstanding service, schmick menus, swanky cocktails and all-round fancy feels. Dress up, look smart and get ready to live the glamorous (flossy, flossy) life. The world's finest French vodka, Grey Goose, is committed to quality ingredients, which means bartenders are able create incredible cocktails that upgrade any summer occasion — particularly a leisurely long lunch on the weekend. With that in mind, here are six Melbourne venues perfect for a fancy, indulgent meal.
Picking the right salon can be a daunting procedure. Let's be honest, getting your luscious locks chopped is an intimate encounter. Not to mention, you have to have faith in the scissor-wielding professional. But, whether you're after just a trim or wanting a bold, new look, Neutral Bay's Atelier by Rencounter should be on your radar. Housed just off Military Road, the Australian Japanese salon is the second shop from the Rencounter crew and features an in-house team of three experienced hair designers ready to help you touch up or totally transform your hairdo. The trio — Hide, Sena and Akane — cut styles for any gender and age, with kids' cuts priced from a reasonable $10. Atelier by Rencounter stocks a great range of specialist hair care products, too, so you can get the most out of your new look. Images: Cassandra Hannagn
Thanks to the pesky Australian trademark system, Lazy Suzie is no more. Instead, her fun, cool sister, Lucky Suzie, has taken her place. The Darlinghurst restaurant, which was opened earlier this year by the Devon team, was recently issued an infringement notice by Lazy Susan's Comedy Den in Perth, who thought the Malaysian hawker restaurant was quite the copy cat. It doesn't seem all that confusing to us — considering the different concepts, different cities and different names — but hey, we're not trademark experts. In light of this potential lawsuit, owners Derek Puah and Noni Widjaja and executive chef Zacharay Tan didn't skip a beat. Rather than pay the court expenses, the team decided to just up and change the restaurant's name. And you can bet Lucky Suzie is a more vibrant and bolder version of the laidback sister she replaced. The restaurant plans to further emphasise the bar and street food aspects of the joint without losing their authenticity. To celebrate and solidify the new name, the restaurant is introducing a daily Lucky Hour from 5–7pm, which includes a selection of Marco Oscar Oshiro Giron's incredible cocktails for only ten bucks, along with a range of beers and wines for $7. The restaurant has also launched a new menu, which will emphasise local, seasonal produce from ethical and sustainable suppliers. The new bar-style dishes include a crispy-fried quail ($16), wok-fried clams ($23) pork belly satay ($14) and a pandan custard spiced layer cake for dessert ($14). Don't worry though — Aunty Yulia's beef rendang ($19) won't be going anywhere, nor will the infamous bubur cha cha and taro ice cream dessert ($14). The menu changes will continue, with a "luck-themed" new menu rolling out in August. Whether she's lazy or lucky, we're excited to see what yummy new treats she has in store for us. Lucky Suzie is located at 78 Stanley Street, Darlinghurst. Read our review of the restaurant in its previous incarnation here.
Another summer, another excuse to round up the crew for a boozy brunch. This year, bringing the good times in spades is Pelicano with a month-long brunch series, so you can get your catch-up in before the year is out. Every Saturday in December, the Double Bay bar is hosting a decadent feast. Just book a table from 1pm, preferably on the dreamy outdoor terrace, and you and your friends will be treated to a four-course Mediterranean-inspired meal for $55 a head. Better yet, Pelicano has teamed up with Absolut Vodka to celebrate the launch of Grapefruit Absolut, so expect plenty of summery cocktails, too. You'll score your drink of choice for no extra cost. It may be a classic vodka and tonic, made with Absolut Grapefruit, or the Grapefruit Glamour — a concoction of Absolut Grapefruit, mandarin, lime and coconut. Either way, it'll be made in front of your eyes on a roving cocktail trolley. Plus, being made with the tangy and refreshing spirit, it'll be great for kicking back in the sun with mates. Want to take things up a notch? You can keep the fun times going and opt for bottomless Mumm Petit Cordon sparkling for just $30 per person. To book your spot, head to the Pelicano website.
As well as being strikingly shot with neon hues aplenty, British thriller We Hunt Together boasts quite the memorable concept. Its title refers to two sets of characters. Firstly, detectives Lola (Eve Myles) and Jackson (Babou Ceesay) are trying to track down a couple of murderers terrorising London. If that sounds rather standard, the series also spends a significant amount of time with former child soldier Baba (Dipo Ola) and his new girlfriend Freddy (Hermione Corfield) — who go on a revenge-seeking, kill-happy spree, sparking the police's investigation. Consequently, this is a show that willingly lurks in murky terrain — especially where Baba and Freddy are involved. He's trying to gain asylum in the UK to avoid being sent back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and their first encounter involves him saving her from an attempted sexual assault.
There's a crumbling, dinky old pub on Parramatta Road that you've probably driven past a hundred times. It's not on a corner, it's not particularly flash, and it's wedged between Ray's Outdoors and Istanbul on Broadway. But, as of midday today, Thursday, November 10, it's going to be Camperdown residents' new go-to local — the lord mayor of Chippendale's The Lord Gladstone has revamped one of the suburb's legitimately hidden gems: The Hampshire. Playing partner pub to the Lord Gladstone, the Lady Hampshire (get it?) is the latest project from prolific Sydney publican Paddy Coughlan. Co-founder and ex-CEO of the Riversdale Group (The Vic on the Park, The Marly, Kinselas) and now founder of boutique Sydney pub company Bourke Street (The Glad), Paddy specialises in taking an underperforming pub and giving it new life, rather than building a brand newie. This time, it's Camperdown's long lost Hampshire, which has sat quietly closed for two years on Parramatta Road. "I knew this pub was here, because I'd driven past it a hundred times and always wondered why it was closed," Paddy told us back in September. "I could see what was happening in Camperdown — to me Camperdown feels like Newtown now, whereas when I was growing up, Camperdown was a bit of a No Man's Land — it was like a thoroughfare to get to the city." Paddy tracked down the Hampshire's owner and snapped the pub up. The biggest win? No one, especially the public, had looked at the pub for years. "Often times, ironically, it's easier to take a really bad pub or a pub that's closed because you don't have that worry about protecting any existing trade. You can really just go in with a clean slate," he says. "When you take over a pub that's trading, you know, there's a certain amount of customers that you want to remain customers. You end up trying to please everyone and you can't." Design-wise, the Hampshire has undergone the same treatment as many of Paddy's pubs. "We just strip everything back and then try and find any features that are worth keeping." Bourke Street's a fan of the classic front bar and has kept the Hampshire's initial room as is, and the second room in the pub, which features two old fireplaces, will see Paddy bring some local street art to the space (and running the Glad and the Vic, he knows a Sydney street artist or two). "As all my mates are fucking sick of me talking about, I'm a big lover of graffiti and street art because I grew up with it." Out back, the Hampshire boasts a great openair beer garden, with a big screen primed for AFL grand finals and Rabbitohs matches — something pubs like The Vic have become known for. Alongside a custom smoker for smoked meats on the weekends, Paddy plans to lower the shed roof to create a hanging kitchen garden. Food-wise, the Hampshire will follow the lead of its predecessors, with classic pub grub done bloody well. Paddy's looking at featuring the Gladstone's signature schnitties and burgers on the menu — we suggested doing a Lady Burger a la Lord Burger, and we're claiming it if it ends up on the menu, Paddy. They'll go heavier on the tacos than the Gladstone, who feature three on the menu — Hampshire will feature possibly ten. But how will the Hampshire stand out in a renaissance of pub grub? "My theory on that, and I say this to all our managers, is you can go to most pubs in Sydney who have a pub-style menu, if you just read the menu they all read exactly the same — they've all got a schnitzel, a burger, a steak, a couple of other things right? But it's how it's cooked is the difference." His main piece of pub grub advice? "Beware the heart-shaped schnitzel... No two schnitties should look the same." Music lovers will be stoked to hear the Hampshire focus on live music, — Paddy's thinking Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. Hopefully neighbours don't treat the Hampshire the same way they treated the Annandale Hotel, right up Parramatta Road. Importantly, Camperdown's outside the lockout zone, something that can't be ignored when you're opening a new pub in Sydney with a focus on live music. "Sydney's in a weird time at the moment, socially, I think, you know, this whole lockout thing, with the State Government that we have," he says. "I really think we'll be looking back in ten years time and go, "Jesus, what the fuck was going on then? How did we let this government change the city culturally? I think it's a shame. But I think as a city we'll regenerate ourselves." "I think there is so much unintended consequence from it, which happens when a decision's made in a kneejerk way, without being thought through ... But I think that makes it more important for venues to support art and support music, to give creative people an outlet, give them spaces to use, give them places to come and perform and just to hang out late at night." The Lady Hampshire will open at noon on Thursday, November 10 at 91 Parramatta Road, Camperdown. For more info, visit their Facebook page. Images: Steven Woodburn.
If the word ‘organ’ makes you think of dreary church services and scary old-lady piano teachers, head to the Opera House on November 12. And let rockstar organist Cameron Carpenter help you rethink your thoughts. He’s a 34-year-old from the good ol’ US of A, who’s travelling the world, singlehandedly changing the instrument’s musty, dusty image. Rather than sticking with traditional repertoire, he busts out into all kinds of grooves — from pop tunes to originals. He’s even learning Percy Grainger’s ‘Colonial Song’ specifically for his Aussie gig. “I tend to change the program at the last minute… that’s part of the fun,” says Carpenter, describing Grainger as his “very favourite composer in the world”. Also on the program is the Australian premiere of Carpenter’s composition Music for an Imaginary Film. Rather than playing the Opera House’s in-house organ, he’ll be bringing his unique ‘International Touring Organ’ along. Massachusetts-based makers Marshall and Ogletree built it with pipe samples from all kinds of instruments — from cathedral organs to Wurlitzers. The concert is the last in the 2015 Utzon series.
Not to be missed at Crave Sydney International Food Festival is Breakfast at Bondi on Sunday, October 14, from the nippy, seize-the-day hour of 5.30am. Imagine watching the sunrise over Bondi beach in time to a full symphony orchestra with soprano Lorina Gore, from Opera Australia, joining in. Now picture this scene with your own BYO breakfast (or having grabbed something from one of the surfside food stalls), alongside a few of your closest thousand friends. You could bring some fruit salad, sip coffee in a thermos, or plate up a full English breakfast with all the trimmings from tupperware to give food envy to all around you. Or you could just pay to get into the VIP area to have Bill Granger make you brekkie. Maybe you could catch a few waves after, or have a nap in the sunshine to digest and plan the day ahead. Picnic blanket essential.
If you were planning on catching an Uber to a lunchtime meeting or a late morning uni class, you may find yourself waiting longer than usual. Drivers in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane will simultaneously log off the app at 10.30am — on Wednesday, May 8 — and deliver letters of demand to Uber head offices as part of a worldwide strike protesting the mistreatment and underpayment of drivers. The strike comes ahead of Uber's Initial Public Offering (IPO) — where members of the public can buy shares in a company for the first time — for which it's reportedly expected to make close to $9 billion. The unions organising the strikes, Rideshare Drivers United in the US and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the Rideshare Driver Co-Operative in Australia, say that while the company is set to make a heap of money, it continues to "reduce driver rates, deactivate drivers with no notice or right to appeal and refuse to support drivers". The TWU also reports that rideshare drivers make on average $16 per hour, less than Australia's minimum wage, before fuel, insurance and other costs. So, we could see Uber fare hikes in the near future — or drivers jump to other providers, such as Ola and Taxify, both which take a smaller commission cut compared to Uber — Taxify takes a 15 percent cut compared to Uber's 25 percent. While drivers in the US are expected to strike for 24 hours from midnight on Wednesday, May 8, Aussie drivers will deliver letters of demand on mass at 10.30am — so expect some delays and surges around then.
Located on the gorgeous Lower Hawkesbury River, Broken Bay Pearl Farm is the only operating pearl farm in New South Wales. It offers a bunch group and private tours, which range from $35–500 — so, depending on your budget, you can pop in for a quick tour of the on-site 'Shellar Door' or go all out on a private boat cruise with all the bells and whistles. Most tours include a boat trip to the farm's oyster leases, where you can take in spectacular bushland vistas from the water and learn about the pearling process firsthand. Then, you'll call into the aforementioned Shellar Door, where you can sample freshly shucked local oysters. You can also join a pearl grading session in the restricted-access grading room. Feeling OTT? You can also add on a Sydney Seaplanes trip there for a cool $675 per person. [caption id="attachment_829582" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Top image: Destination NSW
Later this year, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia will turn into an otherworldly space, all thanks to large-scale sculptures and architectural installations made out of brightly coloured fabric by South Korean artist Do Ho Suh. But that description also applies to its current exhibition Ultra Unreal, which is taking over the cultural institution from Friday, July 22–Sunday, October 2 — complete with hyper-real artworks that blend myth and reality into visions of the possible future. The free showcase has taken up residence on The Rocks venue's first level, heroing work by six artists and collectives: Club Ate from Sydney; Korakrit Arunanondchai and Alex Gvojic, who work across Bangkok and New York; London-based Lawrence Lek; Shanghai's Lu Yang; and Saeborg from Tokyo. And while using the traditional tales that humanity has long told itself as a way to explore what might come is an approach obviously loaded with potential both visually and thematically, Ultra Unreal's roster of talent are all concerned with worldbuilding and nightlife ecosystems. Accordingly, when you walk through the exhibition, you'll be peering at multi-sensory works that reflect upon the kinds of worlds we have, do and want to inhabit — and what goes into them, and the tales that spring up around them. That examination covers everything from religion, neuroscience and ecology through to artificial intelligence, gaming and queer club cultures, too, as created by artists who are drawing upon their own experiences and politics. In pieces by Club Ate and Saeborg, for instance, the politics of the dance floor are pushed to the fore. Club Ate has crafted a video, sound and textile installation called Ang Idol Ko / You are My Idol, which finds inspiration in Filipinx mythologies and club cultures — while Saeborg's installation Slaughterhouse unsurprisingly gets dark, using a brightly coloured rural world filled with livestock that first began as a series of costumes and performances for Tokyo nightclub Department H, all to explore gender-based power and control. [caption id="attachment_862174" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saeborg, Slaughterhouse, 2020–22, installation view, Ultra Unreal, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2022, latex, wallpaper, synthetic polymer paint, sound, image courtesy and © the artist, photograph: Anna Kučera.[/caption] Also featuring: Saeborg's Pootopia, which has been dubbed a "dung beetle paradise"; Yang's new series of works, which are set in digital worlds filled with genderless avatars and include his latest avatar DOKU; Arunanondchai and Gvojic's immersive installation No history in a room filled with people with funny names 5, which comes to Australia for the first time; and Lek's Nepenthe series, including an augmented reality project that lets visitors enter new worlds on each of the MCA's levels. Ultra Unreal is kicking off with a weekend of artists events, too, including a night of club-inspired performances, music and screenings on Friday, July 22. [caption id="attachment_862178" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Club Ate (Justin Shoulder, Bhenji Ra, and collaborators), ANG IDOL KO / YOU ARE MY IDOL (detail), 2022, installation view, Ultra Unreal, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2022, 2-channel video, HD, colour, sound, fabric, image courtesy and © the artists, photograph: Anna Kučera[/caption] Top image: Lu Yang, installation view, Ultra Unreal, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2022, image courtesy and © the artist, photograph: Anna Kučera.
It's goodbye everyday blues, and hello margarita magic. Say adios to the ordinary and step into a lunchtime fuelled by bottomless margaritas at Henley's Motel Mexication pop-up. Every day between now and June 30, you can book in from midday to drink as many margs as you can handle in 90-minutes – infused with your pick of summery flavours, including passionfruit, watermelon, strawberry and mango. Or, if you're more traditional, stick with the classic. And, for your non-marg-loving mates, wines and beers are included, too. On top of all the drinks, you'll be treated to bottomless corn chips, guacamole and salsa, created by executive chef Jason Roberson. If that's not enough, splash out on one of his other Mexican dishes, like Trashcan Nachos or DIY Tacos. Then there are the views; Henley's is right on the waterfront, so you'll be gazing over Sydney Harbour as you sip. Should you be visiting on a Friday, be tempted to stay on into the evening for DJs accompanied by live saxophone and vocals, which kick off at 5:30pm.
Bondi's Rocker restaurant and bar is ushering in autumn with a new bottomless brunch. Settle in for one-and-a-half hours of free-flowing beverages and endless share plates designed to warm you up on chilly days. Your booking gets you all the mimosas, sparkling wine, rosé and beer you can handle. As for the bites, taste your way from Mount Zero olives served with tangy pickles, to smoked mozzarella and mushroom arancini, to slow-roasted lamb gnocchi in a tomato-red wine ragu topped with aged Parmesan and herby breadcrumbs. Three sessions are available, all between Thursday and Sunday, which means there's a time for every occasion. Book in at 11:30am for a late morning feast, at 1:45pm for a late lunch or 4pm for a pre-evening session. You'll find Rocker on a bright corner on a hill in North Bondi, a stone's throw from the golf course. Look out for the quirky murals and listen out for DJs.
This Woollahra Village institution has been serving its community for the past four years. The salon is situated within a sunny rustic loft filled with leafy greenery, so expect a true escape from the bustling streets below where you can switch off and relax in the care of the trustworthy team. Willomina's stylists provide specialised services in all things cutting, colour and styling. Bonus: they know how to handle curls. A simple blow-dry starts at $50, while more complicated styling ranges from $80–160.
