Welcome to the world of Hiromi Tango. It’s a sprawling wonderland of textile and colour. Walk into Sullivan+Strumpf and you’ll be confronted by Promised, a bright array of mixed media, full of twists and tangles. Sprouting woolly limbs and fabric baubles of almost every imaginable texture, these sculptural works are hung with bells, paper cranes, doilies, maps and letters. Many of them frame a hard neon disc, emblazoned with a single word. They look like fantastical creatures lying low, or vines crawling out of control. Emotional awakening is at the core of Tango’s practice. She aims to create rich sensory experiences, excavating the inner content of the psyche in order to create an evocative whirlwind of everyday materials. There are little messages of anxiety and affirmation discreetly tucked into the visual chaos of her work. One says “you are good at what you do as it all comes from the heart,” whilst another says, “you never ring me.” There’s also her cathartic ritual of reaching out to strangers, requesting their personal stories. Hover a little longer over Tango’s tightly wound tentacles, and you’ll unearth the collaborative threads of her practice. On this note, there is a strong therapeutic dimension to Promised. Tango often reflects on the strictures of her small-town upbringing and feelings of alienation during her years as a student. In recent years, she has sought to connect with members of the community who have suffered mental illnesses. From this point, her art has become a project of psychological healing. Breaking Cycle (Lizard Tail) is an example of her attempts to exorcise negativity. Covered in velvety horns, this work has an animalistic appearance. If not for the vibrant hues and sparkling sequins, it might be slightly menacing. By amputating the toxic tail, she infers that emotional pain can be pried out of the body and manifest as an aesthetic and tangible form. This then becomes a kind of coping mechanism. Also, with her trademark technique of weaving and winding, it’s as if Tango is caught up in an exercise of Freudian repression, compulsively trying to tie down her unruly demons. The term 'outsider art' has been tentatively attached to Tango's practice. Though a hot trend in the contemporary art market, this is an ethically fraught label to apply and might not do any favours. Nevertheless, Promised is well worth a look in. Comprising of everything you'd find in a kindergarten craft class but amplified into staggeringly intricate sculptures, Tango's exhibition offers a lush jungle of endless exploration and discovery.
Just months after opening a second location in Haymarket, Edition Coffee Roasters is permanently closing its Darlinghurst cafe. Announcing the news on its social media platforms, Edition will shift its focus to its new venture, in a move designed to "pave way for the next chapter". With its Darling Square store now considered its flagship site, the outfit will "continue to keep the dream alive, serving the best possible coffee, food, service and experience we can share". A Darlinghurst mainstay since opening at the beginning of 2015, Edition quickly became a brunch favourite with its fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian dishes, served in an airy, minimalist space to match. And, obviously, for its coffee — which Sydneysiders will now need to visit Steam Mill Lane to enjoy. For those keen on popping in to Liverpool Street for one last meal in Edition's original digs, you'd best get in fast — it's closing up the kitchen on Sunday, September 30. Caffeine fiends eager to remember cuppas gone by, you have a bit longer to make the trop, with the Darlinghurst spot serving coffee for an extra week following before finally shutting the doors on Sunday, October 7. Edition Coffee Roasters will remain open at 265 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst until October 7. For more info, visit editioncoffeeroasters.com. Image: Google Maps.
Restaurant Barrio Chino in Kings Cross will undergo an American invasion today, as cult fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger will host a pop-up store for the day from 12-4pm. Barrio Chino announced via their Twitter Page that the famous burgers would be appearing, ensuring followers that this is not a hoax. Get down there for a America's freshest and most delicious take on fast food. It's about time that Australians experience fries with melted cheese. Barrio Chino is located at 28-30 Bayswater Rd, Kings Cross. Run! Update: Barrio Chino have announced via Twitter that all burgers have been 'allocated'.
Show me a plant that you can use to make medicine, soap, a mean green curry, alcohol (and a requisite hangover cure), and bikinis from, and i'll show you a coconut. Now, the water from the 'tree of a thousand uses', long the drink of choice for sunburned tourists the world over, is making a name for itself in more temperate climes as it becomes increasingly popular as a health drink. Coconut water is said to be more isotonic, thus hydrating, than water, as it contains naturally occurring electrolytes similar to high energy sports drinks. There's also no fat or cholesterol in it, and there's more potassium in it than a banana. Not a bad CV. A new local brand, C Coconut Water, launched just in time for summer, and is Australia's first pure organic coconut water, bringing the natural liquid from the centre of young coconuts. The folks at C are giving one lucky Concrete Playgrounder the chance to win an entire summer's worth of coconut water. For a chance to win yourself five cases of 12 cartons, just make sure you're a Concrete Playground subscriber then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Sydney's latest culinary collaboration comes from the minds behind two homegrown favourites: cosy Kings Cross cafe Room 10 and the pokè masters at Fishbowl. Aptly dubbed Side Room, this newcomer has settled into the tiny Campbell Parade space once home to the original Fishbowl, before it upgraded to bigger digs next door. Now, the 20-seater is rocking a sleek, minimalist look, complete with stainless steel wall and custom-made powder-coated furniture, as the owners bring to life their long-held plans for a new-school smoothie and salad bar. The schtick here is fast, fresh and flavour-packed food, with an emphasis on Aussie ingredients and elements crafted in-house. All smoothie options star at least one native addition, from the Fireball — blending quangdong with banana, mango, coconut meat, turmeric and cayenne — to the Bondi favourite Green Fairy, featuring lemon myrtle. Try yours as a standard smoothie, or in a bowl, decked out with toppings like fresh fruit, house-made macadamia butter and granola. Even heartier are the savoury 'whole bowls', crafted around Side Room's own native herb mix and your choice of protein — perhaps the punchy chilli chicken with shredded apple and walnut, or the eight-hour slow-cooked beef in master stock. And for a carb infusion, get any of these same combinations sandwiched between Brickfields' soy linseed, or Noni's seriously good gluten-free bread. Don't forget to help yourself to a generous slug of the house-made fermented chilli, before you eat in, or take away. A careful curation of Mecca coffee, pressed juices and PS40 sodas round out the offering, which should make for a good post-swim pit-stop or a healthy take away lunch by the beach.
After the recent deluge of much-needed rain, the spring sun has peaked out from behind the clouds, promising warm breezes and blue skies, and ushering in dreams of beach days and road trips out of town. Thankfully, even if you can't quite find the time to make it out of the city, Sydney is brimming with ways to soak up every last drop of springtime fun. As its Spring Carnival continues, we've teamed up with Australian Turf Club to bring you five top-notch ways to celebrate the season this week. ENJOY A STROLL (AND SNAP A PIC) AMONG THE TULIPS When? Tuesday, September 24–Monday, October 7 It doesn't get much more spring than this — the 59th annual Tulip Time festival sees more than 75,000 tulips bloom throughout Bowral's Corbett Gardens and surrounds. A 90-minute drive southwest of Sydney, the gardens will come alive with colour, set to light up hearts and Instagram feeds for two weeks of live entertainment, market stalls and flowers. Mary Poppins fans will be delighted to know the festival kicks off with the Tulip Time Twilight Procession — on Tuesday, September 24, the community will gather in Glebe Park to turn a statue commemorating the birthplace of Mary Poppins (writer P.L. Travers is said to have come up with the iconic character while living in the town) from east to west to mark the spring equinox, before an umbrella lantern parade heads to Corbett Gardens. SAMPLE A COUPLE OF LOCALLY MADE CRAFT BEERS FOR FREE When? Thursday, September 26–Friday, September 27 Dust off the working day with free craft beer tastings at Chippendale's Central Park, poured for you from a pimped out, beer keg-filled kombi. As part of a country-wide road trip from hotel chain Four Points by Sheraton, the kombi will roll into town this week and give out free samples from 4–6pm on Thursday, September 26 and Friday, September 27. While relaxing with a cold one, you can also chat to local brewers, throw your hat in the ring to win a trip to New Zealand, and score a beer and wings deal at Four Points by Sheraton Sydney afterwards. SIP BUBBLES AT GOLDEN ROSE RACE DAY When? Saturday, September 28 Sydney's spring racing season continues, with Everest Carnival's De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Race Day at Rosehill Gardens, one of seven events running on consecutive Saturdays until November 2. Gather your friends, get frocked up and experience all of the food, fashion and entertainment of the day. The festivities include the soothing sounds of a live music duo, the 2019 AFL Grand Final playing on the big screen (so you can fittingly cheer on GWS while in their heartland), a DJ spinning beats all day at the main stage bar, signature cocktails and plenty of food trucks. If you're having too much fun to call it a day as the sun sets, the nearby Rosehill Bowling Club will host the official after-party, and Everest Carnival continues the following Saturday. EAT YOUR WAY AROUND BELLA VISTA FARM When? Saturday, September 28–Sunday, September 29 There's nothing quite like getting your mates together, throwing down a picnic rug on a sunny patch of grass, and enjoying a delicious lunch. At the annual Park Feast, all the picnic fare you could wish for will be at your fingertips with 30 of Sydney's best food trucks and dessert stations on hand. With rides for the kids (and grown-ups), live music performances and a pets-are-welcome attitude, the two-day food truck festival is a great way to unwind, catch up and enjoy the water views at Bella Vista Farm. The hardest part of the day will be choosing what to eat, with big-name vendors on the bill including Halloumi Me, Bao Brothers, Smoking Grill BBQ, Chur Burger, Pimp My Chimney and The Cannoli Truck. CATCH A SHOW AT SYDNEY FRINGE FESTIVAL When? Any day After a packed few weeks of art and performances, the 2019 Sydney Fringe Festival is almost at its end. If your heart breaks at the thought of all the fun ending for another year, never fear, as the final week of programming is a big one. Highlights include live art piece Say Something Nice, gritty feminist cabaret Feminah, 24-hour dance and music performance piece All (H)Ours, shameless comedy homage Speed: The Movie: The Play and, of course, the raucous Dance All Night closing party. The festivities don't end there, so make sure to check out the huge Sydney Fringe Festival program to find all the kids activities, pop-up bars, performances and workshops. Everest Carnival runs until November 2 at Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick. For more information, head this way. Top Image: Felipe Neves.
In the biggest shock extinction since Google Reader, Jurassic Lounge organisers have announced that the certainly not-obsolete event's next season will be its last. Having led the evolution of after-hours art parties in Sydney, Jurassic Lounge is now an icon of the Sydney scene we're sad to say goodbye to. That said, it's presence is felt in a helluva lot of places, including other events from The Festivalists team such as the Sydney Film Festival Hub, Possible Worlds and World Movies Secret Cinema. So goodbye isn't really goodbye. Here's the formula: every Tuesday night, the Australian Museum is swamped with a thousand punters partaking in drinks, live music, games and performance. The intelligently curated programs combine off-kilter stuff like slam poetry, alternative stand-up comedy, DJs from FBi Radio, dance lessons, science experiments, palm reading, and storytelling from emerging writers. For the last of its six seasons, running September 3 to November 5, Jurassic Lounge will host ten "outrageous end-of-the-world parties", culminating in the final night, the asteroid collision of fun times. Starting things off on September 3 is the Time Machine Party, a place where the Gatsby '20s and Clueless '90s are just one room apart. For the first five weeks of the season, all visitors will also be free to check out the Australian Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition with their Jurassic Lounge ticket.
With colder weather ahead, adding some new ideas to your cosy winter menu ensures your soups, stews and roasts are better than ever. Fortunately, the Carriageworks Winter Seasonal Market is here to help from 8am–1pm on Saturday, June 14, featuring top-notch farmers from across NSW alongside a free live program exploring seasonality and sustainability. Spread across 60 stallholders, visitors have an array of delicious wares to look forward to, from fresh produce and artisan baked goods to handmade preserves and sustainable meats. With so many in one place, you won't get a better chance to stock up on citrus flavours, leafy greens and seasonal blooms shaped with the help of local farmers and producers that do what they do best. Also taking place is a free live program featuring fascinating talks and cooking demonstrations that elevate eco-conscious choices and everyday food skills. For instance, Louise Tran from OzHarvest — Australia's leading food rescue organisation — will share practical tips and tricks for fighting food waste in the kitchen. Plus, former Cornersmith owner and current Clove Head Chef Alex Elliot-Howery will cook up the best seasonal winter produce before your eyes. With the Carriageworks Farmers Market allowing visitors to chat with the growers themselves, learning more about where your food comes from and how best to prepare it is made easy. Images: Jacquie Manning.
After one (very long) year without a permanent place to call home, Surry Hills favourite Nomad is finally set to reopen its Foster Street doors on Tuesday, October 20. A devastating fire back in September 2019 forced Owners Rebecca and Al Yazbek to shut up shop and temporarily open Nomad Up The Road, before a global pandemic threw another spanner in the works. Now, the restaurant will relaunch in its OG digs with a larger kitchen, more seating and a brand new deli to boot. Thanks to extensive renovations, the open kitchen is back in action, with the addition of wraparound counter seating — allowing 30 diners to sit up-close and watch the chefs in action. The venue's signature woodfired oven is back, too, as is a double-sized charcoal grill. That oven will once again be the focus of Executive Chef Jacqui Challinor's menu, which will include plenty of new additions for patrons to try. But the fan-favourite dishes will return as well, like the smoked ocean trout basturma, date-glazed wagyu tongue and the olive oil ice cream sandwiches (topped with sesame, pistachio and honeycomb). Zucchini flowers with truffle honey and a kingfish ceviche are also on the docket. [caption id="attachment_783321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Petrina Tinslay[/caption] Alongside the reopening is the launch of the brand new Nomad Deli, which will stocked with takeaway items and smallgoods. Expect an extensive selection of house-cured meats, plus Nomad dips and preserves — including duck mortadella, freshly made haloumi and the brand's famed cannellini bean hummus. For bakers, there will be chocolate fudge brownie batter and cookie dough on offer, too. Nomad's cellar has also expanded, with more back vintages available than ever before. The list will continue to focus on small Australian producers and will be available for both takeaway and home delivery (in addition to dine-in). Otherwise, expect the same Nomad vibes you know and love. The team has even restored the restaurant's original chairs and tables, while adding some new touches like plush green banquettes. The venue now has room for 200 all up, but is limited to 110 under the current COVID-19 restrictions. And it's sure to be as popular as ever, so we highly recommend booking ahead. Also on the horizon for the Nomad crew is the opening of its first Melbourne outpost, which has been pushed back to early 2021. Keep an eye on this space for the latest updates. Find Nomad at 16 Foster Street, Surry Hills from Tuesday, October 20. Images: Petrina Tinslay
There is a yin and yang equilibrium to food trends — as our penchant for green smoothies and raw vegan treats grows, a corresponding demand for finger-lickin' fried chicken emerges. It's all about balance. And providing the wings-and-drumsticks side to that balance are places like Belle's Hot Chicken. Belle's set up its first ever home in Melbourne back in 2014, and has since taken poultry fans by storm, with Sydney stores in Barangaroo and Tramsheds. Get stuck into chicken drumsticks ($19), tenders ($20) and and spicy chicken sandwiches ($14.50), or if you're feeling particularly extra, max out with the "Baller Bucket" ($70) complete with sixteen wings and your choice of four sides and four sauces. They also have a killer lineup of drinks, from funky wines and top shelf spirits, to the newly launched boozy slushies and Belles' very own draught beer, created with Adelaide brewers Pirate Life. [caption id="attachment_677689" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] Top image: Kitti Gould
Alcoholic champagne icy poles might've been 2016 and 2017's must-eat frosty treat, but they just might have a challenger for the summer of 2018–19: boozy frosé sorbet. National ice cream chain Gelatissimo has launched the new flavour to mark the first official day of the season, with the chilled dessert made using Chandon Sparkling Brut Rosé and strawberries. Why drink pink while eat fruit when you can combine the two in this icy pink concoction, clearly. The gelato fiends have also launched a second summery variety, this time pairing with Aussie swimwear brand Speedo and taking inspiration from the ocean. Yes, that means Eyre Peninsula sea salt and plenty of it, in a sea salt butterscotch blend that's a creamy blue shade. Gelatissimo's new flavours are available at all of the ice creamery's stores around the country throughout December, unless they sell out before the end of the month. For more information, visit Gelatissimo's website.
Catching all the brilliant sights that Vivid’s offering up this year can be thirsty work. So, to keep you refreshed, Finely Tuned (creators of SOH’s Garden Bar by the Corner House) have transformed Martin Place into an illuminated culinary maze that’s part fairyland, part sci-fi cityscape. It’s built of industrial water tanks, made pretty with the help of pixel-mapped LED lights. A previous collaboration with German architects Modulorbeat provided the inspiration. “We wanted to create a giant sprawling space, filled with lights and places to stop and enjoy the ambiance of Vivid Sydney,” said creative director Joe Crossley. “The industrial water tanks were the perfect medium to build this zone, fusing food stalls and industrial elements together to create a unique light show.." Every evening from 5.30pm, an array of Sydney’s favourite street food providers will be onsite — including Eat Art Truck, Agape Organic, Poklol, Jafe Jaffles, Woofys, Cantina Mobil, Bite Size Delights and Gelato Messina — and, for drinks of the alcoholic variety, Bondi’s Panama House. Check out our other favourite dining spots with Vivid views.
Everyone loves a good ol' fashioned housewarming. And after two wildly successful Melbourne events in 2011 and 2012, The Design Files has again opened its ridiculously well-designed doors to the general public — this time in Sydney. To be held in a beautiful residential property, The Design Files Open House will be an interactive and engaging retail experience — a stylised Australian home where everything is for sale. On offer is a massive range of linen, artwork, books, lighting, furniture and kitchenware. Just see it in the home environment, then buy it for your own. The pop-up event will be active for four days only in Sydney's Surry Hills. The initiative — led by The Design Files Blog creator, Lucy Feagins — is a unique concept, which encapsulates the imagination and style of thousands of design enthusiasts, supported by the immense readership of the popular website. The Design Files Open House will be open to the public from Thursday, December 5, through to Sunday, December 8 from 10am to 5pm. Find it at 5 Bennett Place, Surry Hills.
When it comes to Sydney craft beers, many would argue that brews from the inner west are best. You've got Batch, Grifter, Philter and Wildflower in Marrickville, while just up the road you'll find Willie the Boatman in St Peters, Young Henrys in Newtown, Wayward in Camperdown. Basically, you're spoiled for choice. And, to celebrate quality brews and Sydney's craft beer cradle, Leichhardt's The Royal is throwing its third annual Inner West Beer Fest. Running from 12–8pm on Saturday, November 16 and from 12–6pm on Sunday, November 17, The Royal's Inner West Beer Fest is a great day out for beer novices and enthusiasts alike. This two-day event showcases a plethora of well established and upcoming breweries, featuring some of the hipster capital's very own, including Batch and Young Henrys, as well as stalls from Akasha, Frenchies and Adelaide's Pirate Life. The festival spills out onto the street in front of the Leichhardt institution and will feature live music, crab racing and competitions for best beer or cider in various categories. Plus, you can enter the chance to win an inner west beer crawl for you and seven mates here or at the festival's ticket desk on the day. Best of all, entry to this beer bonanza is free. There'll be a couple of pop-up food stalls, plus The Royal's kitchen will be slinging its usual pub fare. Whilst the event itself is free to attend, you can buy early bird tickets ($27). The price covers five tasters, so it'll ultimately save you money on the day if you plan on sampling a few brews — and you get to skip the queues. To grab yourself an early bird ticket, head here.
Potts Point has seen many restaurants and bars come and go in its time, with upscale digs moving into sites previously home to the dives of The Cross's colourful yesteryear. And with the area becoming more residential (and increasingly affluent), comes the opening of more elegant-yet-casual eateries. The Apollo, Cho Cho San, Monopole and the soon-to-close Billy Kwong are all fine diners that have swung open their doors in the area over the past ten years — and joining them on Macleay Street this June is Franca, a modern French brasserie and bar set to open in the former Fratelli Fresh. With its moniker derived from lingua franca — a common language adopted by those whose native languages are different, historically a mix of Italian, French, Greek, Arabic and Spanish — Franca will take cues from all corners of the Mediterranean, though it'll lean heavily on France. Helmed by ex-Est and Bathers' Pavillion Chef Alexis Besseau, the menu will feature reinvented French classics, be it a niçoise salad with sashimi-style tuna or Besseau's seasonal take on soufflés. [caption id="attachment_717188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chef Alexis Besseau.[/caption] For entrees, expect Gallic staples like foie gras, beef tartare and a selection of fruits de mer, and for mains there'll be seasonal dishes alongside steak frites and lièvre à la royale — a classic game dish eaten by French aristocrats traditionally made with hare, foie gras and bacon — for the committed Francophiles among us. A lengthy cocktail list will feature European classics made with local ingredients, and a 250-strong wine list will focus on labels from across France, Australia and New Zealand. While it's taking over the old Fratelli Fresh site on the ground floor of Macleay Street's Ikon building, Franca will look wildly different to its predecessor. Extensive renovations are being led by Steel and Stitch, the design firm behind some of Sydney's top hospo fit-outs, including Potts Point's Chula and the city's Havana-inspired Lobo Plantation. Franca is slated to open at 81 Macleay Street, Potts Point in June. We'll keep you updated with the exact opening date.
Located within the University of Sydney, Verge Gallery is much more than just a uni-run art space. It's been around since 2009 and offers an exciting program of contemporary art across a range of exhibitions, discussions and performances. Expect a mix of leading and emerging artists to be showcased here, with both student work and accomplished artists on display. Apart from the art, the annual public program includes film screenings, storytelling nights and artist talks — with this year's themes including queer stories and art and technology. For the full list of upcoming exhibitions and programs, head to the gallery's website. Verge Gallery is open 10am–5pm Tuesday–Friday. Image: Can't Touch This, September 2017. Taken by Document Photography.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Jameson Irish Whiskey. Four hot live music acts will appear at Jameson St Patrick's Live, to be held at Ivy, this Sunday, March 16. Here's the lowdown on the line-up. Furnace and The Fundamentals: 3.30pm-4.15pm Furnace and The Fundamentals play other people's songs, but referring to them as a 'covers band' is an understatement. They take a huge repertoire from both the present (cue The Black Keys, Adele, Grouplove and Foster the People) and the past (think The Beatles, Queen and Chuck Berry) and play it with huge energy. Thundamentals: 4.45pm-5.45pm Even though their name makes them sound like a version of Furnace's band for lisp-sufferers, they're actually one of the nation's most happening hip hop acts. Hailing from the misty Blue Mountains, they've been spending plenty of time under the spotlight of late and are set to tour new album, So We Can Remember, in May. Hot Dub Time Machine: 6.15pm-7.45pm For 90 minutes, Sydney DJ Tom Loud carries the crowd on an irresistible dance party that is, in short, a history of chart-topping hits from the '60s to now. Every tune is played in chronological order, mixed on live turntables and made larger than life via big screen video. Yolanda Be Cool: 8pm-9pm Aussie band Yolanda Be Cool made it big on the international circuit with hit 'We No Speak Americano'. The past year has seen performances at Tomorrowland and Burning Man, plus a new remix of 'All That She Wants'. Please enjoy Jameson responsibly.
"Know thyself" is an oft-repeated mantra, but how much do you really need to know? Thanks to advances in technology, people can now generate a whole heap of data about themselves that would have been unthinkable not long ago. If you've got a smart phone, you can already get apps to track your activity and sleep; and heart-rate monitors are just as likely to be worn by joggers as those in a hospital bed. Nike and Apple have already combined to offer Nike+ to the data-hungry running community, but the quantified self crowd will probably want more than distances and times. The yet-to-be-released data-tracking-bracelet from Jawbone (best known for wearable tech in the form of bluetooth headsets) is already causing quite a buzz. Up is more than just a sensor-packed piece of wrist-wear to catch all your data, it can send the numbers to your phone to be crunched, and come back with helpful health tips based on your recent activity. But be careful what you do with all that data! Some fitbit users have been sharing a little too much information — logs of their sexual activity have accidentally been showing up online. [via PSFK]
As it did for the victims of the devastating earthquakes in Haiti, Chili and New Zealand, Google has developed Person Finder for Japan in the aftermath of the catastrophic tsunami and earthquake. Person Finder is an online search tool to help people locate the whereabouts of family members, loved ones and friends that have been caught in the natural disaster. The site has two options: "I'm looking for someone," or "I have information about someone." Those looking for an information on the status of another person can type in a name and receive updates once information about that person is logged in the system. Those who wish to let others know they are safe or have information about the safety of others can type that information into the system for searchers to access. Currently the database holds information on the status of almost 200,000 victims, but is still growing rapidly each day as people gain access to the internet and more people are located.
The Central Coast's truly underrated, sustainable and naturally stunning festival Mountain Sounds is set to return for another year. Heading back to the pretty, pretty spot of Mount Penang Parklands in Kariong, Mountain Sounds has locked in Saturday, February 21 for its 2015 instalment. And the just-announced lineup is some seriously applaudable biznatch. Headlined by Splendour in the Grass favourite and Castlemaine local D.D Dumbo, simmering Adelaide newbie and airwaves-dominator Tkay Maidza, loud-as-blazes Brisbane dudes DZ Deathrays, Danny Harley-steered, electronic project The Kite String Tangle, L D R U and Yahtzel's beat-dropping team-up Carmada and perpetually holidaying outfit The Griswolds, the festival lineup also sees the likes of Jinja Safari's whimsical Pepa Knight, ever party-starting crew Northeast Party House, Soundcloud whiz kids SAFIA, croony newbie Daniel Lee Kendall and offensively talented young'un East among others. MOUNTAIN SOUNDS 2015 LINEUP: (alphabetical order) Carmada Daniel Lee Kendall D.D Dumbo DZ Deathrays East The Griswolds Hatch The Jungle Giants Kilter The Kite String Tangle Luke Million Northeast Party House Pepa Knight SAFIA Tkay Maidza Tropical Zombie PLUS Coda Harper Lemond Ratlife DJs Stephane 1993 Sydney Social DJs Zavier Last year's festival saw Midnight Juggernauts, Ball Park Music, Emma Louise, Sticky Fingers, Jinja Safari, LDRU, and Cosmo's Midnight among others (including a farewell to Snakadaktal). Local strummers should get their demos ready too, as a state-wide competition is set to be launched in the coming weeks to give one live band and one electronic act the chance to play alongside Australia's hyped up artists. Giving a high five to the environment once more, the locally-founded Mountain Sounds is again set to take great care in minimising the environmental impact and carbon footprint of the festival. There'll also be silent discos and campsite parties curated by the team, who all grew up on the Central Coast. With tickets on sale now and sitting around 80 beans, this is an end-of-summer festival worth the measly dosh for. Mountain Sounds Festival is on Saturday, February 21 at Mount Penang Parklands, Kariong, NSW. Tickets and more info available over here. Image: Voena.
Last year, HBO said goodbye to Game of Thrones, at least for now. It also farewelled Veep and wrapped up Big Little Lies, although the latter apparently could still make a comeback. But don't go thinking that the US cable network has gaps in its schedule in 2020. Not only did Westworld return, but The Outsider, Perry Mason, Lovecraft Country, I May Destroy You and The Undoing all proved must-see viewing. Australian viewers can watch its Italian-set mini-series We Are Who We Are from this month, too — and in December, HBO's new six-part psychological thriller The Third Day will also hit local screens. Starring Jude Law, Naomie Harris (Moonlight, Spectre), Paddy Considine (The Outsider), Emily Watson (Chernobyl) and Katherine Waterston (the Fantastic Beasts franchise), The Third Day is comprised of two halves: 'Summer' and 'Winter'. In the show's first three episodes, it follows a man called Sam (Law) who is drawn to an island off the British coast, only to discover that he can't leave. In its second three episodes, it spends time with Helen (Harris), who also finds herself on the tiny Osea Island. If it sounds familiar, that's because it started airing in the US in mid-September and just finished up its overseas run in mid-October. Now Australian viewers will be able to enjoy its intriguing premise, eerie setting and top-notch cast, with The Third Day hitting Foxtel from Monday, December 7 — airing weekly, and also making every episode available to stream via Foxtel Go and Foxtel Now. There's no word as yet regarding The Third Day's other component, called 'Fall' — a day-long event that featured Law, Watson and Waterston, was broadcast in real time and was also captured in one continuous take. Behind the scenes, the show stems from creators Felix Barrett and Dennis Kelly, with Barrett founding British theatre company Punchdrunk — which created the aforementioned 'Fall' segment of the show — and Kelly writing the original UK version of Utopia. Check out the trailer for The Third Day below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hHT5FlMaIQ&feature=youtu.be The Third Day starts screening via Foxtel from 8.30pm on Monday, December 7, with new episodes airing each week. All six episodes will also be available to stream on the same date via Foxtel Go and Foxtel Now. Top image: Liam Daniel/HBO.
Spring has sprung and with it, longer days and sunnier afternoons primed for soaking up some rays with a refreshing drop in hand. If this sounds up your alley, Opera Bar's perfectly pink wine festival Rosé All Day should be top of your must-do list when it returns for ten days in September. Throughout the festival, the iconic harbourside bar at the nation's most famous building, boasting unbeatable views of the Harbour Bridge, will be thinking and drinking pink. Expect frosé, spritzes, pét-nat, cocktails, and rosé both still and sparkling, with varieties from Big Dreams, Petite Amour, Tar & Roses and Chandon. There will even be a range of rosé-centric cocktails, like the frozen rosé and honey margarita; the rosé rebellion featuring Campari, sweet vermouth, sparkling rosé, and coconut water; and spring kiss, a blushing blend of rosé, Aperol, St Germain and raspberry liqueur, topped off with soda. Accompanying all of the pink drinks will be a pink food menu featuring oysters with a rosé mignonette, tuna tartare on prawn crackers with finger lime, and strawberries and cream pavlova. Opera Bar's full menu will also be available to order during the festival. Serenading your every sip, you can expect daily live music performances, DJ sets and a fabulous shimmer squad on weekends. Tickets to the rosé festival cost $45 per person, and include entry plus three pink drinks for you to claim at any point — any tipples you're tempted by after that will be on your own dime. Prebooking is encouraged, but there will also be a limited number of walk-in tickets available each day of the fest.
What's more difficult a feat: to ponder everything that the universe might hold, as writer/director James Gray did in 2019's sublime Ad Astra, or to peer back at your own childhood, as he now does with Armageddon Time? Both films focus on their own worlds, just of different sizes and scales. Both feature realms that loom over everyone, but we all experience in their own ways. In the two movies, the bonds and echoes between parents and children also earn the filmmaker's attention. Soaring into the sky and reaching beyond your assigned patch is a focus in one fashion or another, too. In both cases, thoughtful, complex and affecting movies result. And, as shared with everything he's made over the past three decades — such as The Yards, The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z as well — fantastic performances glide across the screen in unwaveringly emotionally honest pictures. In Armageddon Time, Gray returns to a favourite subject: the experience of immigrants to New York. With a surname barely removed from his own, the Graff family share his own Jewish American heritage — and anchor a portrait of a pre-teen's growing awareness of his privilege, the world's prejudices, the devastating history of his ancestors, and how tentative a place people can hold due to race, religion, money, politics and more. The year is 1980, and the end of times isn't genuinely upon anyone. Even the sixth-grader at its centre knows that. Still, that doesn't stop former Californian governor-turned-US presidential candidate Ronald Reagan from talking up existential threats using inflammatory language, as the Graffs spot on TV. Armageddon Time also takes its moniker from a 1977 The Clash B-side and cover; despite the film's stately approach, the punk feeling of wanting to tear apart the status quo — Gray's own adolescent status quo — dwells in its frames. Banks Repeta (The Black Phone) plays Paul Graff, Gray's on-screen surrogate, and Armageddon Time's curious and confident protagonist. At his public school in Queens, he's happy standing out alongside his new friend Johnny (Jaylin Webb, The Wonder Years), and disrupting class however and whenever he can — much to the dismay of his mother Esther (Anne Hathaway, Locked Down), a home economics teacher and school board member. He dreams of being an artist, despite his plumber dad Irving's (Jeremy Strong, Succession) stern disapproval, because the elder Graff would prefer the boy use computing as a path to a life better than his own. In his spare time, Paul is happiest with his doting, advice-dispensing, gift-bearing grandfather Aaron (Anthony Hopkins, The Father), who's considered the only person on the pre-teen's wavelength. Gray fleshes out Paul's personality and the Graffs' dynamic with candour as well as affection, as seen at an early home dinner. There, Paul criticises Esther's cooking, orders dumplings even after expressly being forbidden and incites Irving's explosive anger — and the establishing scene also starts laying bare attitudes that keep being probed and unpacked throughout Armageddon Time. Indeed, Paul will begin to glean the place he navigates in the world. Even while hearing about the past atrocities that brought his grandfather's mother to America, and the discrimination that still lingers, he'll learn that he's fortunate to hail from a middle-class Jewish family. Even if his own comfort is tenuous, Paul will see how different his life is to his black, bused-in friend, with Johnny living with his ailing grandmother, always skirting social services and constantly having condemning fingers waggling his way. And, Paul will keep spying how Johnny is at a disadvantage in every manner possible, including from their instantly scornful teacher and via Paul's own parents' quick judgement. Filmmakers diving into their own histories is one of the prevailing flavours of recent few years, including Alfonso Cuarón's Roma, Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza and Kenneth Branagh's Belfast — all Oscar-nominees, with Roma and Belfast also Oscar-winners. Don't call the trend navel-gazing, though. As much as these movies, and now Armageddon Time as well, are products of personal experience, all four films are also time capsules steeped in specific places and confronting corresponding realities. In Gray's addition to the fold, he doesn't like, love or appreciate everything that he surveys, with the director delving into happy and sorrowful slices of the past with wide-open eyes. There's another movie to be made that hones in on Johnny instead, but Armageddon Time knows what its audience does, and what Paul doesn't see as clearly but Gray can thanks to the passage of time: that small moments leave an imprint, small deeds left undone cause craters, and everyday aggressions and acts of oppression allowed to run rampant make the world shatter. That soul-searching hindsight explains Armageddon Time's overall neatness; when someone reflects upon what's come before and what it really meant, it's easy to spot intricacy and complexity that went unnoticed at the time, and to also simultaneously view the bigger picture. Still, while the film's conclusions might be blatant, this is a layered and subtle feature, as any coming-of-age contemplation set against a fraught social and political backdrop must be. With cinematographer Darius Khondji behind the lens as he was on Gray's The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z — and adding a different vision of New York to his resume compared to the frenetic Uncut Gems — Armageddon Time brings that texture to its visuals, which always have the look and feel of a memory. Painting in shades of brown is a straightforward, instantly evocative and significant choice; nothing in this powerful feature is ever rose-tinted. There's nothing simple about Armageddon Time's performances, either. In fact, Repeta and Webb manage something remarkable, more than holding their own against the reliably excellent Hopkins, Hathaway and Strong. The young pair's camaraderie shines, whether Paul and Johnny are getting sent to detention, bonding over space and Sugarhill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight', skiving off from a school excursion or smoking the joint that'll get Paul moved to his older brother's snobbish private school — where racism and classism is overt among the offspring of rich Republicans, and where then-Assistant United States Attorney Maryanne Trump (Jessica Chastain, The Good Nurse), Donald Trump's sister, addresses assembly. In Hathaway and Strong's work, complications and contradictions abound, with the former getting the thinner-written role and the latter the best redemptive moment, but the two combining to offer a snapshot of being seemingly progressive in a country engrained with intolerance. As for Hopkins, he's so naturalistic and effortless that even the harshest truths feel digestible in his presence. Armageddon Time is largely that sensation in filmic form, too — tenderly, poignantly and unflinchingly.
Concrete Playground is looking for a Digital Sales Manager to join the team on a part-time basis. The candidate will be responsible for selling online advertising inventory across Concrete Playground’s various city editions, and will bring with them a proven history in media sales and a healthy database of contacts at agencies and brands. The role requires a well-presented, self-motivated individual who exhibits initiative and drive to generate new sales. It is a part-time role that would suit someone who is seeking 8-24 flexible hours of work each week. Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent business experience Responsibilities: • Build bespoke sales, sponsorship & partnership proposals • Present our properties face to face, over the phone and email • Generate ad revenue via agencies and direct clients • Anticipate new growth areas to develop ad revenue Experience: • Has worked in a target driven media sales environment • A proven track record of producing significant revenue • Proven track record in building relationships that turn into sales • In depth knowledge and understanding of Digital Sales including display/video and Rich Media advertising across online and mobile • Grown and managed business relationships with key agencies and direct advertisers. • Ability to manage a self generated workload TO APPLY: Please direct resumes to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Can’t make friends? There’s an app for that. Do you find you’re too busy checking in and tweeting to meet actual people? Help is at hand. Agora, created at the first foursquare Hackathon by Pierre Valade, will find like-minded folk for you. The app finds people who are checked in near you, and then works out if you have common interests based on your Twitter feeds. It then sends you both a tweet suggesting you meet up, with a link to each other’s Twitter accounts so you can check if the algorithm’s compatibility score is on the money. Ingeniously, since the matching is done through Twitter, it can introduce you to people who don’t have the app themselves. Of course, it does mean you’ll have to stop posting all those ironic tweets about Justin Bieber’s haircut, otherwise you’ll end up being introduced to a busload of tweens. [via PSFK]
"Porphyria worshipped me; surprise Made my heart swell, and still it grew While I debated what to do." Porphyria's Lover by Robert Browning "tells the story of an obsessed lover and an escalation of desire that ends in passionate tragedy", according to Sydney-based artists Ted O'Donnell and Vicki Lee. Inspired by the woeful words of Browning, Lee and O'Donnell have created Asphyxiate, their latest exhibition at Paddington's Comber Street Gallery. The show comprises of a collection of 12 images and two one-off paintings, focusing on the artists' ongoing obsession with the rhythm and movement of nature. Following on from their last exhibition, IS/WET, Asphyxiate explores the sensuality of flora promises a darker and more seductive approach this time around. Opening on November 19 Comber Street Gallery, the show has a short run until November 23. Looking to buy? Works will be priced from $1000 to $2000/pc with editions of 10 and 20.
Once a year, Monster Fest treats cinemagoers to a weird and wonderful film festival filled with genre and cult movies — but that's obviously not often enough. So, behold Monster Fest Weekender, aka the fest that the Monster team hosts midyear when it's not rolling out the full shindig. Hitting Sydney's Event Cinemas George Street from Friday, July 14–Sunday, July 16, this three-day affair has an added focus in 2023. Get ready to peer out of blue and red lenses, because every movie on the lineup is showing in 3D. No, none of them are Avatar. Yes, they're all horror flicks. As well as being the first time Monster Fest has focused on giving every title it's screening an extra dimension, it's also the first time that the event has solely programmed classics. The fun starts with a tenth-anniversary session of Texas Chainsaw 3D, which is playing Aussie cinemas for the first time. After that Amityville 3D celebrates its 40th anniversary, while the Vincent Price-starring House of Wax — the first colour 3D film from a major studio — notches up 70 years. Monster Fest Weekender's 3D lineup also includes Andy Warhol's Flesh for Frankenstein 3D, remake My Bloody Valentine 3D and direct-to-video 1984 effort Silent Madness 3D — the latter of which is similarly making its big-screen Australian debut.
There's nothing quite like a great comeback story. Jordan in '95. Jobs in '96. Jesus in 33. We love watching long-lost enigmas return in dramatic fashion, punching critics in the groin while dazzling us with newfound glory. Such is the tale of ex-Blue-Mountainsiders Cloud Control, who were catapulted to domestic divinity by the success of their 2010 debut, Bliss Release. The psych-pop quartet garnered rave reviews, won shiny awards and then... disappeared. Vanished. Vamoosed. Now, three years after absconding to the UK, Cloud Control has rearrived on Australian soil. And, like a resurrected Goku, they are triumphantly punching everyone in the groin. They've sold out VIVID, dropped a much-hyped single, featured at a sold-out Splendour, dropped a much-hyped second album and are now musically pillaging our fine nation on the Australian leg of their international Dream Cave Tour. Dream Cave, their sophomore release, was masterminded by UK producer Barny Barnicott (The Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian) and exhibits the maturity that Cloud Control have developed through years spent living, writing and playing on the other side of Earth. Their current tour will celebrate this evolution, while harkening back to the blissful release that won them acclaim at the turn of the decade. Supported by Sydney bands Palms and Gang of Youths, this is the perfect opportunity for Cloud Controllers to revel in the band's brilliance before they bugger off back to the UK later this month. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketek. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SGSij0-cljI
Two friends meet for a beer. Which are you? The one who pulls out a chair, sits down and starts checking who's been 'totes amazed' by your status update since you jumped off the train ten minutes ago, or the other, looking around, feigning fascination with the pub decor, muttering passive aggressive incantations under your breath? Whether you're the connectivity addict or the addict's tortured friend, you'll be pleased to know that a remedy is nigh. It involves drinking more beer and sitting close together. Brazilian beer company Polar has invented a beer holder that not only keeps your beverage cold but also blocks any 3G or 4G signal within a 1.5m radius. 'Share a Polar Beer, not a link', suggests the ad campaign. The product of collaboration with communications agency Paim, the device employs a scaled-down version of the technology that prevents prisoners from connecting via cell from their, ah, cells. Previous attempts to discourage mobile phone obsession have included an oddly shaped beer glass (also a Brazilian invention) and the designation of 'cell phone areas' in Los Angeles restaurant Bucato. The big question is: will the Polar 'cell phone nullifier' actually boost conversation, or merely cause people to stand further apart (at least 1.5m from their beers, that is)? Via PSFK.
Thanks to its rabbit-warren of malls, markets, eateries and bars, Haymarket is usually more synonymous with buzz than beauty. But if you have a moment to pause and look-up (making sure you're not in the way of the crowds), there a few hidden artistic gems to be found. Jason Wing's In Between Two Worlds spans across Factory Street, Hay Street and Kimber Lane in Haymarket. The beguiling work references both Indigenous and Chinese motifs for wind, water, fire and earth, which are believed to each have their own spirits. By day, you'll spot the cloud murals painted on the floor and silver otherworldly figures suspended in the sky. Be sure to return in the evening — perhaps en route to a Chinatown dumpling feast — and witness those once silvery figures glowing blue in all their neon glory. On the corners of Hay and Sussex Street sits Golden Water Mouth, seen as the symbolic entrance to Chinatown. The sculpture is a eucalyptus tree covered in gold leaf; a positive fusion of natural materials within the urban environment. Matt Adnate's portrait of Jenny Munro, Aboriginal elder and founder of the Redfern Aboriginal Tent Embassy, is hard to miss. It can be found, in all its six-storey glory, on a building on the corner of Harbour and Golbourn streets.
Sometimes being ridiculously beautiful can be a curse — everyone wants to grab a drink with you, stare at you and boast about you to their friends. We're talking about you, Sydney, and your impossible-to-match views. From the twinkling city lights to the picturesque harbour, it's a city we can't help but show off. And what better way to take it all in than at a rooftop bar with a significant other or a bunch of mates? Together with our friends at Heineken, we've put together a list of four rooftop bars that are perfect for a sky-high night out under the stars. You're welcome.
School's back, even if it's been years — or a decade or more — since you last stepped foot in a classroom. Come April, Netflix's Heartbreak High revival will return for its second season, after its initial comeback in 2022 proved more popular than the 3pm bell. When new episodes will drop was announced earlier in the year; now it's time for the trailer for season two, giving viewers a sneak peek at Hartley High's new term. Everyone who can remember their high-school days knows that chaos is always part of the experience — and the debut glimpse at Heartbreak High's second season stays true to that idea. Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect) is back to being hated, and understandably isn't thrilled about it. Also part of the season: picking a new school captain, the impact of a few new arrivals among the students and staff, sporting mayhem and a love triangle. When Heartbreak High first arrived on television from 1994–99, it became one of Australia's classic teen series. When it returned more than two decades later, the new version also had everyone turning up. Accordingly, after its first season proved a huge smash, 2020s-era Heartbreak High was promptly renewed for season two — as you'd expect of an International Emmy-, AACTA- and Logie-winning show. Also on the returning crew in the revival's second season, character-wise: Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman), Darren (screen first-timer James Majoos), Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud), Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), Malakai (Thomas Weatherall, Troppo), Spider (Bryn Chapman Parish, Mr Inbetween), Ant (debutant Brodie Townsend), Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC) and Missy (fellow newcomer Sherry-Lee Watson) — as well as teachers Woodsy (Rachel House, Our Flag Means Death) and Jojo (Chika Ikogwe, The Tourist). As announced previously, they have some fresh faces for company. Sam Rechner (The Fabelmans) plays country boy and classic cinema fan Rowan Callaghan. Kartanya Maynard (Deadloch) joins the Hartley crew as Zoe Clarke, who has big thoughts on celibacy — she's in favour — as part of a gang of Puriteens. And Angus Sampson hops from Bump to Heartbreak High as Head of PE Timothy Voss. Season one started with Amerie becoming a pariah at Hartley after a big revelation — an "incest map" plotting out who's hooked up with who throughout the school — and also struggling with a sudden rift in her friendship with bestie Harper. Attempting to repair her reputation, she called on help from her new pals Quinni and Darren, all while working through her crush on Dusty and developing feelings for Malakai. And that's just the start of the Heartbreak High revival's season one story. In season two, everyone is back for a second term after doing some growing up over the holidays, and Hartley is now the lowest-ranking school in the district. Netflix has also been teasing that threesomes, chlamydia and burning cars will be distant memory for the gang — but there'll still be a whirlwind of teen antics, of course, or this wouldn't be Heartbreak High. It was in 2020 that Netflix initially announced that it was bringing the series back — and yes, it sure is a 2020s take on the Aussie show, including everything from friendship fights, yelling about vaginas from the top of a building and throwing dildos at walls through to consent, crime, drugs and police brutality. The original Heartbreak High was a massive deal, and was filled with now-familiar faces, such as Alex Dimitriades, a pre-Home and Away Ada Nicodemou, and Avengers: Endgame and Mystery Road's Callan Mulvey as Drazic. It painted a multicultural picture of Australia that was unlike anything else on TV at the time. And, for its six-year run across two Aussie networks, the Sydney-shot show was must-see television — not bad for a series that started as a spinoff to the Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid, too. Check out the trailer for the Heartbreak High revival's second season below: Heartbreak High season two will arrive on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The show's first season is available to stream now via Netflix. Read our full review.
The outer reaches of Lightning Ridge are home to a collection of fascinating landmarks and landscapes, with the self-guided Car Door Tours ensuring you journey to the very best. Just follow the green, blue, red and yellow wreckage lining the roads that leave town in all directions. You'll reach the Opal Mine Adventure on the Blue Car Door Tour, while the Red Car Door Tour swings by Ridge Castle – an offbeat mining camp with panoramic countryside views. These trips range from 10 to 45 minutes of drive time, making them perfect for a quick cruise. Even if you don't take yourself on a tour, you'll become familiar with the car doors pretty quickly — they function as de facto street signs in Lightning Ridge.
I wonder how long you have to live in Brooklyn to say you're a Brooklyn band? Yeasayer, TV On The Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Dragons Of Zynth, Animal Collective, The National, Grizzly Bear. Hmmm. I do wonder. There's no way that all of the individuals in all of these groups could be from Brooklyn. But it is definitely the place to make music these days. Mummy I want to be in a Brooklyn band! White Rabbits are one of these bands, but at least in their bio they admit that they are from Missouri straight away. They play rhythm heavy, piano soaked alternative pop/rock â€" somewhere in between Cold War Kids (less earnest and Christian like) and Spoon (more attitude, less tongue in cheek), and in fact have been accused of being Spoon's protégé and didn't help this by enlisting Spoon's Britt Daniel to produce their second album It's Frightening. I even overheard a conversation the other day in a cafe, "they sound so much like Spoon, but they are better looking". Their music is full of little bits that you can clap or sing along to, intricate and fun rhythms, tambourine shakes, snare rolls, errant backup vocals ahhhing. And Singer Stephen Patterson even sounds like Spoon's Britt Daniel, with a similar aggressive yet lazy vocal style â€" think John Lennon on Instant Karma. They apparently are amazing live, and just watching the video for Percussion Gun makes you want to go watch the 6 piece. So forget everything I said about Spoon, you should fork out and go catch their Falls Festival sideshow at the OAF. https://youtube.com/watch?v=IClBpch9vmM
At beloved Chippendale nightclub Freda's, you might've found yourself dancing with a hoard of shirtless strangers at 3am. At the new Freda's in Taylor Square, patrons are predominantly seated (and fully clothed). Like much of its clientele, Freda's has grown up — but it hasn't forgotten how to have fun. In late 2020, we mourned the loss of Freda's the nightclub, with the venue closing its doors after a nine-year reign. But owner David Abram didn't sit on his proverbial hands for long, opening the doors to the new iteration of Freda's — Cafe Freda's — just a couple of months later, on NYE. As is clear from the name, Cafe Freda's isn't a nightclub. It's not just a cafe, either. It's a restaurant, neighbourhood bar and creative space. And, like its predecessor, it's a haven of expression, art and music. A set of DJ decks sit behind the bar in preparation for upcoming live music nights, ceramics made by artist and Abram's partner Carla Uriarte line the walls and a cultural program of readings and exhibitions, overseen by Uriarte, is set to launch in coming weeks. [caption id="attachment_798926" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carla Uriarte, Xinyi Lim and David Abram by Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] Unlike the OG Freda's, however, here there's a stronger focus on food and wine. The kitchen is helmed by chef Xinyi Lim, who has worked at New York restaurants Marlow & Sons and Achilles Heel, and runs Megafauna, which combines food, art and social justice. The food is reflective of Xinyi's Chinese Malaysian heritage and driven by seasonal and locally sourced produce. In short: it's unfussy and nourishing. You might dig into a salad of shaved summer vegetables with sorrel and sesame, topped with a soft egg; a rustic galette of dark leafy greens; or a plate of pulled pork served with labneh and a barley salad. If dessert is on offer, we suggest you order it. So far, sweet hits have included the likes of a generous slice of peach, rye and cardamom brunch cake topped with whipped cream and pastel green pandan panna cotta. Like the panna cotta, the space is covered in pastels. Grand yellow windows open onto Oxford Street, pink walls pop behind the bar and a large blue painting hangs on the wall. Other features have been repurposed from the nightclub, including stools and the bar top itself. [caption id="attachment_798921" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] The wine list, by Restaurant Leo's Darcy Creenaune Ellis, focuses on minimal-intervention drops from smaller producers across Australia and the globe, including fun pét-nats and skin-contact drops from Ari's Natural Wine in the southern highlands and natural numbers from Cantina Giardino in the hills of Campania, Italy. A cocktail list stars the regular suspects: spritzes, margaritas, espresso martinis and negronis — all for under $20. Club Mate, a carbonated, caffeinated tea-based soft drink that has a bit of a cult following in Europe, has also made the journey over from Chippendale. In Taylor Square, you can drink it as is or as part of a Mega Mate cocktail, with vodka and fresh lime. Once a bustling after-dark hub, Oxford Street was hit hard by the lockout laws and is currently a shell of its former self. But, it seems, that's all starting to change. Cafe Freda's will be joined in Taylor Square by a mega-venue that's set to takeover both the Kinsela and Courthouse Hotels, the City of Sydney has announced plans to reignite nightlife on the street and the NSW Government has scrapped several archaic laws surrounding liquor licences and live music. Oxford Street might just be getting its mojo back. Find Cafe Freda's at 191–195 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst from 4pm–12am Wednesday–Thursday and 12pm–12am Friday–Sunday. To make a booking, email info@fredas.com.au. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Like karaoke? Fond of singing in public in general, whether you're solo or in a group? Then it's time to up your crooning game. Pub Choir is exactly what it sounds like — aka a gathering of folks belting out a tune, together, in a bar. It's basically what happens whenever someone puts 'Wonderwall' or 'Weather With You' on the jukebox, but in a more organised fashion. Specifically, each session features a particular song, which attendees learn in three-part harmonies. Talented professionals are there to show you the ropes and lead the way, and if you're wondering what you'll be singing, it's usually announced 24-hours beforehand. Doing the rounds of Brisbane venues since early 2017, Pub Choir has become mighty popular — and now it's headed to Sydney. Come Wednesday, September 11, the Enmore Theatre will come alive with the sound of plenty of folks singing and sipping, because both go hand-in-hand here. It'll also feature Ben Lee leading away, plus a selection of other special guests. And, if you're not usually the type of person to unleash their inner Beyonce in front of the masses, don't worry. The great thing about choirs is that everyone is singing, so you are literally a voice in the crowd. In fact, you might just find joining in the fun cathartic. If you can't feel free when you're crooning along with hundreds of others, when can you?
Halva yoghurt. Israeli date honey. Smoked labne. Over the past five years, Kepos Street Kitchen has been the mouthwatering gift that keeps on giving — and locals keep on coming back. To celebrate the Redfern stalwart's fifth birthday this month, owners Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley are hosting a series of mouthwatering Middle Eastern-style dinners over three Wednesday nights. On November 15 Israeli-born chef Rantissi will tackle sustainable Aussie seafood with a 'loaves and fishes' dinner. On November 22, Rantissi will shift his focus to serving up a whole lamb with local butcher Marcus Papadopoulo. To round it all out on November 29, the event series will end with a vego feast of seasonal veggies (both preserved and cooked over charcoal) and Mediterranean-style cheeses from cheesemaker Kristen Allan. Each dinner costs $65 per person, with drinks coming in as extra. There will be two seatings per event, 6–8pm and 8.15–10pm. If you're a regular, this is a great way to support your local. If you're yet to check it out, well this is a great opportunity to do so.
On November 24-25, the Sydney Opera House forecourt will transform into an outdoor stage for Dance Rites 2018. Now in its fourth year, this epic event is a First Nations dance competition starring more than 300 performers from all over the country. And it's free. Dance Rites was once part of the Opera House's Homeground Festival, but is now a stand-alone event. In addition to watching the heats from 3pm each day, and the finals on Sunday evening, catch an array of established dancers in action. Just some of the acts on the program include 2017 Dance Rites champs Kulgoodah Dancers, 2017 Wildcard Winners ALLKUMO Malpa Paman Dancers, professional troupe Muggera Dancers and, all the way from New Zealand, collective Te Rua Mauri. Check out, too, musical performances from electro poppers Electric Fieldson Saturday night and Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Sumner on Sunday. The Dance Rites 2018 winner, which is judged on three dances and decided upon by an expert panel of Juanita Duncan, Libby Collins, Matthew Doyle and Waangenga Blanco — will score a whopping $20,000, too. Images: Daniel Boud and Jacqui Cornforth.
Melburnians love to proudly — and loudly — lament the city's ever-changing weather conditions. It's the ultimate water cooler talking point and the 'four seasons in a day' gimmick is thrown around at least once a day. We love to talk about the weather so much we now have a building dedicated to the topic. Melbourne's newest high-rise 888 Collins isn't your standard apartment block — the 15-storey exterior is fitted with 58,000 lights which, from dusk until midnight, perform an hourly light show for the masses. The show isn't just for spectacle, though. The colours indicate the real-time weather conditions outside and so are, like the weather, constantly changing. This feat was accomplished by artist Bruce Ramus, whose experience as a lighting designer includes work for the likes of R.E.M, U2 and David Bowie. It was easy for Ramus to notice the city's obsession with the weather and he felt creating an artwork that "interprets how the weather feels" was the best homage to locals, he told The Age. The building is located on the corner of Collins and Bourke Streets, down the Docklands end of the CBD. In order to predict the weather accurately, the roof is fitted with a weather station and fed data from the Bureau of Meteorology. The building is also solar powered, which provides power both for the lights and the building itself. While the idea of an eco-friendly building that depicts our love/hate relationship with the weather is right up our alley, we're not sure how keen we'd be to live in it. But Ramus has ensured residents that he has considered them in the design; the light output is far below the city's guidelines and the show "is very gentle". If you want to head down to Docklands and check it out for your self, Ramus has put together a handy guide for how to 'read' the building. Though the show ends at midnight, the building's lights will remain on throughout the night, depicting images of the moon straight on to morning. Now isn't that just dreamy. Via The Age. Image: LendLease.
It's one thing to admire the Sydney skyline from afar (or from high up), but it's a whole new experience to be able to pick the brains of the kind of people responsible for it. On Friday, August 11 and Saturday, August 12, some of biggest names from the architecture and design industry come together at Sydney Indesign to celebrate how far this city has come design-wise. Across the city, there will be pop-up showrooms featuring speakers and talks with topics ranging from cohabitation among different generations, to the different design identities of Australia and how city developers cope with growing populations. Connected by design trails and a hop-on-hop-off shuttle system, you'll be racing around the city surrounded by innovated designs and talking to innovative designers. Not only that, the showrooms will be interactive — little pieces of unique design in their own right. To skip the lines on the day-of, preregister here. Participating venues will open on Friday, August 11 from 12pm - 6pm and on Saturday, August 12 from 10am - 6pm.
Fans of Muji's minimalist homewares and consumer goods will be glad to know that the Japanese megastore isn't done with Sydney yet. With recent news of the newly opened Muji hotels in Japan and China, we were starting to feel a bit like their neglected middle child. But, according to a blog post, the north shore will get its very own MUJI outpost in March. A sister store to The Galeries on George Street, the newbie will be Australia's first multi-level Muji, and the place will be big, covering a whopping 884 square metres at Westfield Chatswood. You can expect it to be stocking all the usual homeware goods, along with men's, women's and children's apparel and accessories, skincare products, stationery, back-to-school/work necessities and travel goods. Their simple designs are also eco‐friendly with minimal packaging, so you really can't go wrong here. The store will open on Wednesday, March 21 with a range of special offers and even a Muji exhibition. We're personally down on bended knees, wishing and hoping that this store will be selling those flat-pack homes and tiny pre-fab huts that we've been waiting so very long for. Muji Chatswood will open on March 21, 2018. Keep an eye on Muji's Facebook and Instagram for updates. Updated: February 27, 2018. Image: Muji/Facebook.
Over seven years in the making, Bondi Pavilion's massive transformation is finally set to be complete this spring. First announced way back in 2015, the pavilion's multimillion-dollar revamp has been a long-running project of the Waverley Council, which has revealed that the historic building will finally reopen later this year with a host of new food, drink and cultural tenants. "There is such growing excitement in the community about the reopening as more and more of the building and our world-class restoration works are revealed," Mayor of Waverley Paula Masselos said. The rejuvenated space will feature an art gallery, cultural spaces, a new area called the Bondi Story Room, a pottery studio, new amenities and an expansive public courtyard, plus the previously announced food and drink tenants. Late last year, it was revealed the team behind Circular Quay's new multi-level venue Hinchcliff House would be at the helm of an all-day cafe, bakery and bistro called Bondi Promenade at the pavilion. The cultural spaces will be available for a multitude of uses by the community including art exhibitions, theatre, workshops and classes, while the Bondi Story Room will offer visitors the chance to look back on Bondi's history via an interactive digital exhibition. The council is taking submissions for the exhibition via the Bondi Pavilion website. During the renovations, the council has also been working with the Gujaga Foundation to ensure that Indigenous cultural heritage is reflected in the Bondi Pavilion, including naming new spaces in the building in the local Dharawal language. The nearly century-old building was first built in the 1920s, replacing the Bondi Surf Sheds with the Turkish and Hot Sea Water Baths in 1929. The current renovations have uncovered the bathhouse's original signage, which has been restored ready for the pavilion opening. While an exact date in spring hasn't been provided for the reopening, expressions of interest to hire the pavilion's Community and Cultural Centre are now open for the dates Monday, October 10 through until the end of the year. Bondi Pavilion is located at Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach and is set to reopen in spring. You can stay up to date with the building's refurbishment at the Waverley Council's website. Images: Tonkin Zulaikha Greer.
As we all know, no Christmas season is complete without a solid few hours spent devouring a stack of classic festive flicks. And this year, you can upgrade from that living room couch to a comfy outdoor cinema, thanks to QVB's new festive Cine-mas series. Transforming the centre's secret terrace into an intimate theatre from December 5 to 7, this mini movie fest will screen three of the best-loved Christmas films of all time. Making the cut are Will Ferrell-starring comedy Elf, animated adventure flick The Polar Express and that timeless Macaulay Culkin number, Home Alone. Each night, there'll be a family-friendly session at 6.30pm, followed by a screening for adults at 9pm. Tickets start from $35 for adults, but if you fancy making a night of it, you can splash out an extra $25 to add on dessert from La Belle Miette and your choice of bubbly, wine or beer from the Reign Champagne Parlour & Bar. Drop an extra $75, and you'll get a two-course pre- or post-movie feed at QVB's Esquire Drink + Dine on top of all that.
This small space — which has capacity for around 30 people — does classic cocktails very well, but it's the killer craft beer selection that locals love. The offering is constantly changing but Sydney breweries Yulli's Brews and The Grifter feature heavily, and the team here has a knack for getting its hands on limited releases. Images: Jasmine Low
This could be love: a classic 80s film that's been adored for decades, a new date with the big screen, and a live band and singers bringing its soundtrack to life as you watch. Dirty Dancing in Concert isn't new to Australia, but it keeps returning to tour the country because the movie at its centre is one that audiences can't get enough of. If you're a fan, you'll know which phrase fits: ideally, you'll have the time of your film-watching life. On Saturday, September 6, 2025, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey will dance up a storm in the 1987 romantic drama at the Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC Sydney. While this event is clearly hoping that you've never felt like this before, that'll only apply if you didn't go to 2022's or 2023's shows. Whether you're a Dirty Dancing in Concert first-timer or returning after seeing it before, you'll not only see the movie — you'll also hit up the party afterwards. Accordingly, as you celebrate one of Swayze's biggest and most-charming film roles, you'll be immersed in the world of the picture from the moment that you take your seat. Although no one will be carrying watermelons or checking into Kellerman's Mountain House in the Catskills, the digitally remastered feature will grace the big screen, its iconic songs will get a workout live, then the musicians will stick around afterwards to headline a party that'll naturally have you singing and dancing. If you're feeling adventurous and inspired by the movie, you might even want to try to recreate the famous lift. Here, nobody will put you or Francis 'Baby' Houseman in a corner — and you'd be just a fool to believe otherwise. Your hungry eyes will soak in Baby's first taste of dirty dancing, her eager rehearsals and her growing infatuation with Johnny Castle, as well as her parents' bitter unhappiness about the entire situation. Dirty Dancing in Concert images: Zdenko Hanout.
Bars and restaurants across the world are coming up with creative ways to implement social distancing. Some are trying out giant teddy bears, some mannequins and some plastic shields, but right here in Australia, one beer company has come up with a novel solution: robots. Dutch beer brand Heineken together with engineering students from Sydney University have opened a pop-up bar in Darlinghurst that's staffed by two robot arms named Heidi and Ken. The arms will crack you a cold one and send it over via a conveyor belt. Only one person is allowed in the bar at a time, so it's a completely human contact-free experience. The beer it's serving is free, too, but it's also alcohol-free — which is great if you're doing Dry July, not so much if you were hoping to get boozed without spending a dime. If you are doing Dry July, we've rounded up some of our favourite booze-free beverages over here. Running from Wednesday, July 15 to Saturday, July 18, the Heineken Zer0.0 Contact Bar coincides with the (relatively recent) launch of the beer brand's alcohol-free beer: Heineken 0.0. It's said to have a fruity flavour with malty notes, but to find out for yourself, head over to the robot bar. Heineken Zer0.0 Contact Bar is open from 11am–6pm daily.
Sports fans, Christmas has arrived — the athletic version that comes around every four years (or, in this case five), that is. Events have begun at this year's delayed Tokyo Olympic Games, the opening ceremony officially kicks things off on Friday, July 23, and two-plus weeks of competition awaits. If you're fond of all of the above, there's really not much that could improve the next fortnight. Actually, one thing could make your Olympics-watching couch sessions even better. We have two words for you: free pizza. They're two of the best words that exist, especially when used together — and they describe exactly what Pizza Hut is offering Aussies during this year's games. In total, the fast food chain will be handing out up to 285,000 freebies. Exactly how many it'll dole out depends on one big thing: how many medals Australian athletes win this year. Pizza Hut will give away a heap of pizzas to celebrate the Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies, as well as a set amount each day during the games as well; however, it's also breaking some additional slices whenever an Aussie stands on the podium. That means you'll have multiple chances to grab a freebie. First up, there'll be 5000 up for grabs from 4pm on Friday, July 23 to celebrate the opening ceremony. Between Saturday, July 24–Saturday, August 7, another 1000 will be given away daily at 4pm as well. On Sunday, August 8, for the closing ceremony, Pizza Hut will bust out another 5000 at 4pm, too. And, whenever an Aussie wins a medal, it'll add 1000 more free pizzas to its giveaway at 4pm the next day for each gold we take home, another 500 for each silver and another 200 for every bronze. To score your 'za without spending a cent, you'll need to head to Pizza Hut's 'pizzas for podiums' website at 4pm each day. Unsurprisingly, you'll want to get in quick as it's a first in, first served affair. You can only enter twice per day — and, if you win, you'll be sent a voucher code for a large pizza with a pan base. You'll be able to choose from super supreme, barbecue meatlovers, pepperoni lovers, Hawaiian and cheese lovers, and you'll need to redeem before Tuesday, August 31 via a pick-up order. One entrant will also win a year's worth of free pizza — well, Pizza Hut's idea of a year's worth, with one free pizza on offer for 52 weeks — if you need any extra motivation to enter. Pizza Hut will be giving away free pizzas from Friday, July 23–Sunday, August 8 during the Tokyo Olympic Games. For further information, head to the chain's website.
Amongst the many large-scale events that've cancelled or postponed in the wake of COVID-19, is perhaps the one we could all use the most right now — the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. With the government banning non-essential mass gatherings of over 500 people, and, today, indoor gatherings over 100, the huge annual laugh-fest was one of the first to be axed from the 2020 calendar. But if it's some chuckles you're after, fear not, because some of Australia's best-loved comedians, many of which were slated to perform at MICF, are coming soon to a streaming device near you. And even those bunkering down at home in a state of enforced self-isolation, or voluntary social-distancing, get to enjoy this little lineup as well. Hitting screens from next month is Amazon Prime's new special series of stand-up shows from ten big-name Aussie comics. Two specials will be released each week from Friday, April 10, including Tom Gleeson's sell-out show Joy, Zoë Coombs Marr with Bossy Bottom, Judith Lucy, Anne Edmonds and Tommy Little. Lano & Woodley, Celia Pacquola, Tom Walker, Dilruk Jayasinha and Alice Fraser are also on the bill, promising to inject a bit of sunshine into your socially distanced life. The comedy specials were all filmed last year at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre and are set to stream worldwide. You can watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz3dmDUeydw The ten new comedy specials hit Amazon Prime Video from Friday, April 10.
