Most people have, at some point in their life, contemplated learning the guitar. Maybe you were inspired by Jack Black in School of Rock or by Paul Rudd and Jason Segel's enthusiasm in I Love You, Man — or maybe you've just always wanted to be able to strum some tunes around the fire on a camping trip. Whatever your inspo, you can (finally) make your dream a reality at Church Street's Guitar Factory. Home to what it calls "Sydney's widest range" of guitars, the shop sells everything from vintage Fenders to acoustic guitars for beginners and even ukeleles. It repairs guitars, too, if you already have one sitting at the back of your closet, and offers music lessons for all levels — from beginner to advanced — so you'll be playing 'Smoke on the Water' or slappin da bass in no time.
For every Skrillex there’s a producer or DJ doing truly groundbreaking stuff for the world of electronic dance music, and Astral People and Niche Productions are bringing five of them to Sydney for one mind-blowing night of sonic exploration. Waving the flag for the UK’s mushrooming electronic scene are Pearson Sound (the Radiohead-approved alias of ex-Ramadanman David Kennedy), DJ Ben UFO, techno producer Pariah and UK garage game changer XXXY. The United States’ Slow Magic will round out the lineup with his swagger-infused dreamwave. Also along for the ride will be a few of Sydney’s own finest electronic artists including Dro Carey, Cliques and Astral DJ Ben Fester, plus some next-level lighting to ensure your eyes are sufficiently dazzled too. Concrete Playground has two double passes up for grabs. For a chance to win, make sure you’re subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au by 5pm Friday 14 December.
Were Picasso's Cubist portraits of women true to life? It would suggest there were a lot of chicks with displaced eye sockets hanging round Paris in the 1900s. Now a Spanish fashion photographer, Eugenio Recuenco, has reimagined Picasso's Cubist muses as live beings, styling his models in the same surrealist manner that Picasso painted them. Recuenco's portraits are weird, emotional and lovely in their own right. His women subjects mirror the poses of the originals, with elegant silhouettes, painted skin and outlandish costumery all projecting a moody atmosphere. Post-production by Recuenco gave the photographs the same feel as the paintings via color manipulation, while the mysterious spaces he used amp up the dreamlike quality. Recuenco has a large dossier of equally stylised art and fashion projects. Beside this project, which was published in the Spanish weekly SMODA, his website shows fairytale scenes and tableaux vivants that suggest their own narrative worlds channelling the work of artists Goya, El Greco and Zurbaran. Check out a selection of the Picasso-inspired portraits below. Via Flavorwire.
Most superheroes don't boast the same skills; however, in making the leap from comics to the screen and beyond, they can follow similar paths. Yes, the fact that great power means great responsibility should apply to all caped crusaders. Yes, many often segue from ordinary folks to suddenly super-powered saviours. And yes, in Black Panther and now the Spider-Man franchise's cases, one of their best are returning to cinemas a couple of years later as a spectacular movie-and-music event. Film fans can see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in cinemas right now, and should. It's exceptional, and already one of the best flicks of 2023. Keen to revisit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the title that started everyone's favourite friendly neighbourhood webslinger's current animated movie series? That's coming to Australia via Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert. Five years after Into the Spider-Verse debuted on the silver screen, it's swinging back onto one, this time at The Plenary at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, October 21. Making its Australian premiere as a concert, the animated masterpiece will be accompanied by a 32-piece orchestra, plus DJ Total Eclipse from The X-Ecutioners on the turntables. Everything from The Lion King to Star Wars and Harry Potter, plus The Princess Bride, Home Alone and Toy Story as well, have scored or are about to score the orchestral treatment — but that approach alone wouldn't suit Into the Spider-Verse and its Brooklyn-based Spidey Miles Morales (Shameik Moore, Wu-Tang: An American Saga). Hence the fusion with DJ-spun tracks, to truly do not only Daniel Pemberton's (an Oscar-nominee for The Trial of the Chicago 7) score justice, but also the soundtrack featuring Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Jaden Smith and Nicki Minaj, too. "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of my favourite scores I've ever written. Utilising a full orchestra, crazy electronics and unbelievable turntable scratching techniques amongst a million other things, it is so technically complex I never thought we'd ever be able to actually reproduce it in a live concert, but somehow, we have," said Pemberton about the project. The concert version heads Down Under after premiering in New York in March 2023, and with fellow stops around the US currently taking place, as well as shows in the UK planned after its Australian run. Fingers crossed that this dazzling mix of sound and vision will do whatever the Spider-Verse can in other Australian cities, although only a Melbourne date has been announced so far. Check out the trailers for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in Concert and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse itself below: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert is playing The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne on Saturday, October 21, with tickets on sale via Ticketmaster from Friday, July 28. Images: Adela Loconte.
Community radio is a lovely thing. Run by passionate volunteers who hold a genuine love of local music and the arts, and embraced by supportive listeners who appreciate the alternative to commercial radio, community radio is the backbone of our local communities and the culture we seek to find. One of Sydney's leading community radio stations, FBi Radio, has just turned ten. To celebrate, they have curated and organised the biggest event in the station's history. Join FBi as they celebrate double digits in style. They’ve lined up 35 acts across four stages for the day-long festivities on Sunday, September 8, at Carriageworks. The line-up includes ARIA Award-winning dance music legends The Presets, FBi SMAC Award winners Hermitude and Seekae, alongside an array of the best Australian live acts and DJs. The second line-up announcement has seen the addition of Sarah Blasko, Kirin J Callinan, Bleeding Knees Club, Deep Sea Arcade, Oliver Tank, Big Village Allstars, Katalyst, Fishing and Naughty Rappers Collective. They join previously confirmed acts Urthboy, Decoder Ring, Spit Syndicate, The Laurels, Thundamentals, The Preatures, Sampology (AV Show), World’s End Press, Straight Arrows, Collarbones, Naysayer & Gilsun (AV Show), Zeahorse, Movement, Citizen Kay, HOOPS, Ro Sham Bo, Joyride, Simon Caldwell, Kato, Shantan Wantan Ichiban, Mike Who, Mealo & Space Junk, FBi DJs, secret guests and more to be announced. FBi first hit the airwaves on August 29, 2003, and since then have stayed true to their word, playing 50 percent Australian music, half of those from Sydney. FBi Turns 10! is an 18+ event and tickets are $49 or $39 for FBi supporters. Doubling up as a fundraiser, proceeds will go towards the station for 10 more years of unique content, music and arts.
With 1654 stores to its name worldwide, Five Guys' burger joints have become a common sight across America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia — and soon, they'll also be opening in Australia and New Zealand. That news was announced in 2020, but 2021 brings further details, including the fact that it'll be launching its first eatery Down Under this year. Once the middle of 2021 rolls around, Five Guys will be serving up burgers, fries and shakes in Penrith — making Sydney the first Aussie city to taste the chain's wares. Originally, the debut store Down Under was slated for Sydney's CBD, but those plans changed due to COVID-19. An exact mid-year opening date hasn't been revealed; however, Sydneysiders will find restaurant next to Krispy Kreme and the Panthers League Club on Mulgoa Road in the western Sydney suburb when it launches. Construction on the store is due to start in the coming weeks. The cult-favourite chain is making the leap to Australia and New Zealand as part of a master franchise agreement with Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, aka the folks behind The Meat & Wine Co, Hunter & Barrel, 6 Head, Ribs & Burgers, Italian Street Kitchen and Butcher and the Farmer. Around 20 stores are due to launch in Australia alone, plus more in NZ — although exactly where else and when Five Guys will be popping up is yet to be revealed. In Sydney, additional sites are currently under consideration, including in the CBD around Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Broadway. Overseas, Five Guys has amassed quite the reputation — and, even given the number of big-name US burger chains with hefty followings, such as Shake Shack and In-N-Out, it stands out. Its made-to-order burgers skew in the classic rather than oversized, jam-packed direction. They come with two hand-formed patties on toasted buns with your choice of toppings (including pickles, grilled mushrooms and jalapeños), plus bacon cheeseburgers that add two strips of bacon and two slices of Kraft American cheese as well. Five Guys also serves up hotdogs, sandwiches, hand-cut fries (with or without Cajun spices) and vanilla milkshakes. Don't go thinking the latter are boring, though — you can add bacon, bananas, peanut butter, salted caramel and even Oreo pieces to your design-your-own beverage. The chain started back in 1986 in the Washington, DC area and, as anyone with allergies should note, only cooks its fries in peanut oil. Five Guys will launch its first Australian store on Mulgoa Road in Penrith sometime in the middle of 2021, with stores in other Australian states — and in New Zealand — to follow. No exact opening dates have been revealed as yet — we'll update you when more information comes to hand.
Towards the end of 2012, a bunch of Fairfax photographers decided it was time to do something about one of the Sydney CBD’s most unappealing stretches. Without seeking official permission, the aesthetic vigilantes added more than 40 photos to a wall on Elizabeth Street (near the corner off Goulburn Street) and waited to see what would happen. As it turned out, the Lord Mayor was a supporter and the 'Elizabeth Street Gallery' has remained a fixture. Two years on, the photos have been tagged and dirtied to a point of near-obscurity. So last Thursday, the team — comprised of Nicholas Walker, Andrew Quilty and Dean Sewell — replaced them with a brand new series. This time, however, they received a $30,000 City of Sydney grant to make it happen. "Each of the 42 new photos has been covered in a graffiti-proof laminate," Walker told the Sydney Morning Herald. "It will just wash right off." The funding also allowed scope for a submission and curating process. Photographers were asked to submit "long-form photo essays with the realm of documentary and street photography ... In accordance with the photographic principles espoused by its founders, work will be created from real life, without direction or manipulation before or after the taking of any photograph beyond the digital equivalent of traditional darkroom techniques." The six winners were Tom Williams, Daniel Hartley-Allen, Brodie Standen, Lyndal Irons, Josh Robenstone and Marco Bok. "Sydney has plenty of spaces and buildings which could be improved with the intervention of artists," Clover Moore told the SMH. "There is something exciting about coming across art in unexpected locations, like the wall of a car park or a quiet laneway." Photo by Rita Bila.
In 2020, the inaugural Great Southern Nights saw more than 1000 gigs take place across 300 NSW venues. This year it's coming back throughout March and April with a heap of live shows from artists both emerging and bonafide iconic. The diverse and far-reaching program features everyone from icons like Jimmy Barnes popping up in western Sydney through to smaller acts like hyped young R&B singer Liyah Knight headlining a night of local music and DJs at Zetland's 107 Projects. We've picked out eight of our favourite gigs on the lineup including free block parties, Triple J favourites in oft-forgotten regional hubs, and inner-city Sydney dance parties. Top help you make the most of the Great Southern Nights 2022 program, we've also paired each gig with a set of nearby venues so you can book in a memorable pre-gig meal or post-show drink.
Update: Maiz is serving up its full menu 11am–3pm and 5–8pm for takeaway and delivery via UberEats and Doordash during Sydney's lockdown. Those that pick up their order can also treat themselves to a section of Mexican beers, wines and boozy aguas frescas. Rolling down King Street looking for lunch can be a daunting task. The sheer amount of options spanning every price point is enough to stress anyone out. Newtown's newest addition, Maiz, is here to make that choice easier, offering all-day Mexican brunch and local small-batch coffee in a beautiful openair courtyard. Maiz started as a family-run food stall at the Summer Hill Flour Mill Markets from brother and sister Juan Carlos Negrete and Marissa Negrete, and their respective partners Freija Brandie and Carlos Levet. The team begun by selling sopes, a thick corn torilla topped with fillings. They were Maiz's biggest sellers at the Flour Hill Markets and remain Maiz's best-selling dish at the restaurant nowadays. The Maiz team made the leap to a brick-and-mortar restaurant in early 2021, finding a historic 1830s building in a prime position among the bustling atmosphere of south King Street. Juan Carlos Negrete told Concrete Playground he originally planned to open in the eastern suburbs, but fell in love with the inner west through the Flour Hill Markets. "It's a city vibe, full of grounded and hard-working people, full of diversity and incredibly artsy. The buzz you get in this part of Sydney is the closest buzz we get in the streets of Mexico. Opening up a street food concept could only make sense in this environment," Negrete said. Maiz's menu is inspired by Negrete's time living in the central region of Mexico. The neat selection of lunch options purposefully steers away from tacos and highlights other mainstays of Mexican cuisine instead. Alongside the sopes, you'll find thick corn flatbread tlacoyos topped with combinations like eggs, shallots, queso salado, two types of salsa and filled with black beans. Negrete says this tlacoyos divorciados is his pick of the menu. "It's such a beautiful dish that reminds me of the markets of Cholula when I was a student. The Tlacoyo is one of the oldest snacks made by Indigenous cultures in Mexico and the "divorciado" is a twist we decided to do," he said. Alternatively, tuck into the tortas de longaniza, a Mexican sandwich-esque dish that combines green chorizo scrambled eggs, fermented cabbage and chipotle mustard mayo, or share a serving of chilaquiles burrata — corn chips topped with burrata, onions, radish and chilli oil. Fresh pastries are on offer from Pancho Bakery and coffee is sourced from small-batch Sydney coffee roaster Madding Crowd Coffee. Cacao is also on hand which is mixed with hot or cold water and comes at your requested strength anywhere between from 35 to 100 percent cacao. Newtown-based China Ceramics, a clay artist who splits their time between Marrickville's Clay Sydney and Maiz, has their handmade mugs and other clay products on display and for sale inside. And, those looking to make your brunch a little boozier, you can complete your brunch with a selection from Maiz's range of mezcal, tequila, Mexican beers and Mexican-inspired cocktails. While the new inner west spot is currently only open until 2.30pm, expanded trading hours and a dinner menu are on the cards in the next couple of months, so keep your eyes peeled for an announcement over at Maiz's Instagram. Maiz Mexican Street Food is located at 415 King Street, Newtown. It's open 8am–2.30pm, Wednesday–Sunday. Images: Debbie Gallulo
Grab your guitar and a boot-scootin' babe, and saddle up for the biggest event on the Australian country music calendar. The Tamworth Country Music Festival is now in its 46th year and is back, bigger than ever. There will be over 700 artists performing across 120 venues around the city over the course of the ten-day festival, with both ticketed and free events on offer. Tamworth will be alive with the coos of country music, from street corners to pubs to backyards, and everything in between. Spot the next Troy Cassar-Daley at the Australian Country Music Busking Championships and marvel at the Toyota Cavalcade, which features over 100 floats, bands and magnificent groups of horses marching through town. And let's not forget Australian country music's night of nights, the 46th Country Music Awards of Australia, where the best country artists will be named and get to take home golden guitar statues.
Since 1983, a bestselling book about a young boy, his grandmother and a powerful witch with an evil plan has been delighting readers of all ages. And since 1990, fans have not only been rifling through the pages of Roald Dahl's The Witches, but watching the Anjelica Huston and Rowan Atkinson-starring film based on the novel. Because just about everything gets remade these days, viewers will soon have another screen version of the book to watch, too. Yes, a new film is on its way, this time featuring Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch. If you can't remember the story or you just need a refresher, The Witches focuses on a boy who finds himself in the same hotel as a convention of witches — who happen to seriously, strongly and viciously hate children. This time around, the tale is set in 1960s-era Alabama, where its protagonist (Jahzir Kadeem Bruno, Atlanta) and his gran (Octavia Spencer) face off against Hathaway's seemingly glamorous villain and her coven of similarly child-despising followers. Directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit) from a script cowritten by the filmmaker with Kenya Barris (Girls Trip) and Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water), The Witches also stars Stanley Tucci — and features the voice of Chris Rock as the film's narrator. And, based on the just-released first trailer, the above cast and crew have combined for quite the dark and funny all-ages-friendly battle between humans and the occult. Roald Dahl's work is rarely far from our screens for long — it has only been a few years since The BFG hit cinemas, plus Netflix is currently making a heap of animated series based on the author's books, including several Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-related shows by Taika Waititi — but just when The Witches will be available Down Under is yet to be announced. In the US, it was just revealed overnight that the movie will no longer release in cinemas, and will be heading to streaming service HBO Max instead; however, the movie's Australian distributor Roadshow also tweeted afterwards that it'll release in cinemas here soon. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nlhmJF5FNI The Witches doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced.
Spinning origin stories might be one of Hollywood's favourite trends at the moment — and for years, in fact — but few characters have screamed for an entire movie dedicated to their backstory like Furiosa. In Mad Max: Fury Road, Mad Max's moniker was right there in the title; however, it was as much Charlize Theron's (Fast X) film as Furiosa as it was Tom Hardy's (Venom: Let There Be Carnage) as the picture's eponymous figure. Cue Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which will dive into her history from May. As the just-dropped second trailer for the feature shows — following an initial sneak peek in late 2023 — there's no shortage of details to explore. The new footage starts with Furiosa being robbed of her family as a child, then beginning her quest for vengeance. Australian director George Miller knows to name his characters fittingly, clearly. Shaving her head, vehicular chaos in the wasteland, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Super Mario Bros Movie) looking fierce in the part, Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder) co-starring: that's all also covered. Shot in Australia, arriving nine years since Mad Max: Fury Road reached cinemas and became the best action movie of this century so far — and the best Australian flick of the same period — Furiosa marks the fifth instalment in Miller's dystopian Mad Max franchise. That delay means nothing given that there was a 30-gap between 1985's not-so-great Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Fury Road's triumphant arrival in 2015, however. More Miller extending his passion project is always worth waiting for. Furiosa's storyline follows the younger Furiosa as she's taken from the Green Place of Many Mothers, ends up with a biker horde led by Warlord Dementus, and then gets caught in the middle of a war being waged with the Citadel's Immortan Joe — all while trying to escape and get back home. And, as the both glimpses of the movie illustrate so far, the look and feel is all classic Mad Max. Miller not only directs but co-writes with Mad Max: Fury Road co-scribe Nico Lathouris, while Alyla Browne (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) and Tom Burke (Living) are also among the movie's stars. A heap of Miller's other behind-the-scenes collaborators are back, including production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, sound mixer Ben Osmo, costume designer Jenny Beavan and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt, all Fury Road Oscar-winners. Check out the second trailer for Furiosa below: Furiosa releases in cinemas Down Under on May 23, 2024.
Sydney's city skyline is set to welcome three towering new additions, as the designs are finalised for Sydney CBD's new tech hub. Dubbed the Tech Central Precinct, it will span from Central to Eveleigh and has been pitted as the "Silicon Valley of Australia" by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. First announced back in 2018, the precinct will be home a $2.5 billion commercial development with two sky-high towers — clocking in at 37 and 39 floors, respectively. Architecture firms Fender Katsalidis and Skidmore and Owings & Merrill have just been announced as the winning designers of the development, called Central Place, which will be overseen by Dexus and Frasers Property Australia and will also include a sandstone building with shops, eateries and working spaces. The precinct is set to be built with 100 percent renewable energy as well as a "double skin façade" to help control heat gain and minimise the need for air-conditioning. [caption id="attachment_779987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Render courtesy of Fender Katsalidis[/caption] Adjacent to the two towers will be a third imposing building: the world's tallest 'hybrid timber', in fact, built by tech giant Atlassian. Clocking in at 40 storeys and announced in late June, it's set to take over the existing YHA site on Pitt Street, with a mix of indoor and openair areas, including elevated green spaces and a plant-filled terraced rooftop. The National Trust has, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, raised concerns about the new towers, saying they are "out of context with the surrounding area" and could "overwhelm" existing buildings. Atlassian will submit a development application for the tower in the coming months and, if approved, hopes to start construction in 2021. Renders courtesy of Fender Katsalidis.
Any Brisbanite or Gold Coaster who takes relaxation seriously will be familiar with Soak Bathhouse. These lush day spas offer an escape from the white-knuckle hustle of daily life, banishing stress with a suite of facilities including magnesium baths, invigorating plunge pools, soothing saunas, and a laundry list of treatments and massages designed to enliven and revive the skin and senses. Now, the brand is expanding its footprint beyond Queensland, with not one but two new state-of-the-art day spas in central Sydney. If the renders are anything to go by, these temples of zen will set a new gold standard for pampering in the Harbour City when the Bondi Junction outpost opens in December, followed by the Alexandria site in April, 2025. [caption id="attachment_977174" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Soak Bathhouse Bondi Junction[/caption] In Bondi Junction, guests will be able to indulge in a dip in two large mineral baths and three thermal spas, followed by a good sweat in the sauna and steam rooms, and a bracing leap into the chilled plunge pool. Then it's off to the private treatment rooms for a deep tissue massage, an LED facial, an exfoliating scrub or one of the other numerous therapies on offer. When the Bondi location on Ebley Street was announced in September, it was set to become Soak's biggest bathhouse to date. However, that laurel has been swiftly snatched by the Alexandria outpost, which will be spread over a sprawling 700-square-metre development. [caption id="attachment_977175" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Soak Bathhouse Alexandria[/caption] Much like its Bondi Junction sister, the Alexandria Soak Bathhouse will feature marble-clad magnesium pools heated to a pleasant 34 degrees Celsius, hot spas with bubble jets, plunge pools, a dry cedar wood sauna and a steam room. Once you're done using the communal bathing areas, you can slip into a solitary moment of bliss with one of the private therapies, such as infrared sauna sessions, LED facial treatments and expertly delivered massages. Lush planting throughout both spas — a signature of the Queensland venues — also helps conjure a sense of serenity and calm. Self-care doesn't get much better than this. For more details visit the Soak Bathhouse website.
For the past 26 years, the suburb of Glebe has been hitching up its harbour-lined skirts for a party every November, and so have all the locals. The reason behind the party? Why, to celebrate itself of course! Stretching for a kilometer down the main drag, the Glebe Street Fair has a circus theme this year, prompting many high-falutin' ideas of acrobats and clowns and a pervasive sense of playfulness. What more does one want on a Sunday? Certainly, more than 100,000 people were lured in by the fair's sights and sounds last year. One of the longest-running annual community events in Sydney, this year's fair will incorporate over 200 stalls that make up the much loved weekly markets, plus delicious food stalls, rides for children and all manner of carnival-inspired activities. Sounds like that's the humans taken care of but what of the Glebe pooches? Funny you should ask, because the fair also doubles as Glebe Dogs Day Out. While the Glebe cats will be sleeping it off at home, the suburb's pups are invited to enter a canine Olympics or if they look better in heels than sneakers, try their luck in one of the "Doggie Fashion" events. Just a heads-up: I saw a dog, a poodle no less, wearing a polo t-shirt and jeans (jeans!) on Pitt Street in the Sydney CBD last year. Too casual I say, go with a nice tutu instead.For those who think dressing up animals is for the slightly disturbed, head or be lead by a roving troubadour gang, to the Arguer's stage where you can get on your figurative soapbox and have a bit of a whinge or perhaps stir the crowd with the your hypothetical Logies speech (what, you've never written one?). I'm kinda tired just thinking about where to start. Safe bet is the baby animal farm in Foley Park.
When the French city of Toulouse gets its first skyscraper in 2022, it won't just see 40 floors of of shining glass, concrete and steel join its skyline. It'll also gain its tallest garden — and one of the world's as well. A "continuous vertical landscape" will spiral around the outside of the building like a ribbon of greenery, lined with trees and reaching all of the way up to the top level. Called the Occitanie Tower after the administrative region of France that Toulouse falls within, the structure will measure 150 metres in height and boast 11,000 square metres of offices, as well as a Hilton hotel, up to 120 apartments, plus space for retail and hospitality outlets. The latter will feature a restaurant with panoramic views, including towards the Pyrenees mountain range less than 100 kilometres away; however there's no mistaking it's eye-catching vertical garden that'll be the centre of attention. Designed by the New York and Zurich-based Studio Liebskind — aka the folks behind everything from Berlin's zigzag-shaped Jewish Museum to the World Trade Centre Master Plan development to a Swarovski chess set modelled after iconic buildings — the Occitanie Tower is slated to start construction in 2018. While it'll certainly give the area a new landmark, and weave in nicely with the vertical garden trend that just keeps growing, it won't be quite as tall as Australia's addition to the lofty fold. That'd be 166-metre-high, 250-species-filled One Central Park in Sydney's Chippendale. Via dezeen. Images via Morph / Luxigon.
There's no one way to choose which airline to fly with, or what time to take to the skies. Pure and simple necessity might leave you without options anyway. But if you're the kind of traveller who loves saying cheers to your flight with a wine or beer in your hand, Qantas has poured out some great news just as the holidays are about to hit. That free drink that everyone usually scores from 4pm in economy on the carrier's routes? It's now kicking in at midday. So, effective immediately, travellers flying with Qantas on all domestic and regional flights from 12pm onwards will be offered a complimentary beverage. Your options: a red or white wine, with Aussie drops getting the nod, or a One Fifty Lashes Premium Pale Ale. This is the first time that the Australian airline is bringing forward the opening time for its onboard economy wine bar — which, of course, isn't a part of the plane where everyone hangs out with a drink in their hand, but the name that Qantas has given its vino-slinging offering. Your drink will come with either lunch or snacks, depending on the time that you're flying — or even dinner, because the free beverage still applies after 4pm. Fancy a quiet sip by yourself? Remember that Qantas also now lets you pay for neighbour-free seating, purchasing the middle seat so you have a gap between you and the next person. For more information about Qantas' onboard dining options, head to the airline's website.
Today, Tuesday, February 22, 2022, the twos clearly have it — on your calendar and, thanks to Jetstar, in your wallet as well. To celebrate 22.02.2022 like only a low-cost airline would, the Australian carrier has dropped 22,000 $22 flights. You shouldn't need to be told twice that that's a bargain. The Twosday sale is a one-day-only affair, running until 11.59pm AEDT today — so, obviously, getting in quick is a must. In fact, by the time you're reading this, you might find a number of routes already sold out. Thankfully, Jetstar is slinging cheap tickets across a hefty range of flights, so you you should find a cheap holiday option on offer. Destinations include everywhere from Cairns and Hamilton Island to Hobart and Uluru, depending where you're departing from. You can head from Sydney to Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast, Melbourne to Hamilton Island and Launceston, and Brisbane to Mackay and Adelaide, for instance. Other spots covered span Townsville, Byron Bay, the Gold Coast and Darwin. And if this is the inspiration you need for a weekend somewhere you wouldn't have planned a getaway to otherwise, consider that a bonus. Tickets in the sale are for trips this coming spring, between various dates in October and November, with exact days varying in each region. And there are a few caveats, as is always the case. The discounted flights are one way, and they don't include checked baggage — so you'll need to travel super light, or pay extra to take a suitcase. Jetstar's Twosday sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Tuesday, February 22, or until sold out.
If you've never tried the cream puffs at Emperor's Garden Bakery in Chinatown, today's the day to fix that sad situation. As soon as you escape the office, make a beeline for the outpost on the corner of Hay and Dixon streets, and join the queue waiting for a taste of the venue's famous Emperor Puffs. These hot little custard balls are sold straight from the oven and are well worth the wait. Plus, a single dollar buys you three of these babies so you can order as many as you want without putting a dent in your wallet. Craving even more sweet treats? Wander inside the bakery, where you'll find moon cakes, chocolate eclairs, egg tarts and a whole bunch of other delectable nibbles. Image: Alpha via Flickr.
Whether you're zipping from Sydney to Melbourne, or settling in for the long haul on the mammoth Perth–to–London flights, travelling by air comes with a significant environmental cost. As well as fuel usage and the considerable carbon footprint, planes are a hotbed for disposable items. Those plastic utensils you're using to tuck into your breakfast? The cup you're sipping your in-flight wine from? The wrapping around your blanket? All single-use plastics. To help counteract the hefty amount of environmental waste created by soaring through the sky, airlines have started changing their ways — such as Portuguese charter outfit Hi Fly, which has pledged to become the world's first plastics-free carrier within the next 12 months. Now Australia's own Qantas is following suit, announcing a plan to cut its waste by 70 percent by the end of 2021, including eradicating 100 million single-use plastic items from its flights and lounges each year from 2020 onwards. On their way out: 45 million plastic cups, 30 million cutlery sets, 21 million coffee cups and four million headrest covers each year, which'll all be replaced by sustainable alternatives. In the case of coffee cups, for example, they'll be swapped for versions that can be recycled or composted. Qantas has already ditched plastic wrapping on its pyjamas and headsets, and gotten rid of plastic straws altogether. It's also scrapping unnecessary paper, so that means using digital boarding passes rather than physical versions as well. The changes will come into effect across Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar, and while the company recognises that some single-use plastic objects don't have a ready-made substitution (highlighting some wrappings used for hygiene purposes, as well as heat-resistant containers deployed in meal preparation), it's endeavouring to find solutions there as well. It has a history in the eco-conscious space, at least where fuel is concerned — using mustard seeds to fuel its Melbourne–to–LA flights, and dabbling with fuel derived from cooking oil before that. As part of the new waste reduction move, Qantas aims to become the world's first airline to reuse, recycle and compost at least three-quarters of its general refuse. "In the process of carrying 50 million people each year, we deal with more than 30,000 tonnes of waste," said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce in a statement. "That's the same weight as about 80 747 jumbos."
The Spanish are once again bringing their special brand of fiesta to Sydney this May. The 13th Spanish Film Festival has a programme brimming with over 40 films, many of which come with a glittering array of festival accolades, including the Oscar-nominated short animation The Lady and the Reaper, which will open the festival along with the crowd pleasing rom-com Friends Zone. Other critically acclaimed films include Berlinale winners The Milk of Sorrow, Crab Trap and Gigante, as well as the Goya- (Spanish Academy Awards) winning animation The Missing Lynx. And closing the festival is Agora, this year's favourite with six Goyas, by Oscar-winning director Alejandro Amenábar (The Sea Inside, The Others) and starring Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardner) as the Greek mathematician and philosopher Hypatia. Set in fourth century Alexandria, this historical epic tracks the revolutionary rise of religion and the political and social upheavals that portend centuries of Classical tradition. Alongside these new releases from Spain and Latin America, the festival has programmed an exciting All By Women section, highlighting the achievements of contemporary female filmmakers. Included among this great selection is the winner of this year's Goya for Best New Director, Mar Coll, with her debut feature, Three Days with the Family. The festival is also shining the spotlight on director Fernando Trueba, who will be visiting Australia to conduct Q&A screenings of his new film The Dancer and the Thief. Audiences will also have the opportunity to catch up on his lauded films, including Oscar-winning Belle Epoque, the Civil War–set The Girl of Your Dreams and Trueba's love letter to Latin jazz, 54th Street. Documentaries, Julio Medem's naked romp Room in Rome and a vibrant Viva La Musica section (including a Q&A screening with Sydney Dance Company artistic director Rafael Bonachela for Blank Canvas) are all vying for attention over a jam-packed 12 days. And keep an eye on the website for the special 'best of the fest', screening on a lucky 13th day! To win one of five double passes visit our Facebook page, invite some of your peeps to CP then confirm on the wall below. https://youtube.com/watch?v=f-xH0lHUs9c
When we were kids, spending time with our favourite people — our mates — was a regular occurrence. Nowadays, with different schedules and responsibilities, catching up is trickier to coordinate. And organising a group trip? Even harder. Trust us when we say the slog — juggling competing preferences and calculating budgets — is worth it once you're all together. The sense of belonging you'll experience when surrounded by people with shared passions or history is simply unmatched. To minimise holiday admin and finally get your gang on the road, we've investigated destinations around New South Wales that are ideal for a getaway with friends. Whether you're part of an outdoorsy circle or you hang with folks who prefer to spend their leisure time at a constant recline, there's something here to satisfy every taste in vacay.
The beer world is filled with big names, heavy hitters and brands that you'll find almost anywhere around the globe. They're all well and good (and tasty), and everyone has heard of them. But, whether you're having a cold one after work or throwing back a few tins on a weekend, there's nothing quite like supporting a top-notch local brew. Perhaps it's the fact that the beer you're enjoying was made so close to home. Maybe it's the feeling of knowing that you're showing some love to folks in your own community. We think it's both, actually — because sipping and celebrating a top homegrown brew is one of life's small but still significant pleasures. As everyone across the state is well aware, New South Wales has a healthy beer scene — and we're sure you're knocking back local brews rather often. Still, if you need a few pointers, or you're just keen to support nearby breweries every chance you get, we're here to help. We've teamed up with our pals at BWS to highlight five NSW-based up-and-comers you should add to your must-drink list. And whether you already know and love them, or you're discovering them for the first time, you can also throw some extra support their way by voting for them to be stocked in more BWS stores across the state.
Your phone rings unexpectedly. A gravelly voice asks "do you like scary movies?". If you live in Sydney right now, it's a great time to answer in the affirmative. Horror film buffs know that the above is a scene straight out of the Scream franchise, which kicked off in 1996 and just keeps having another stab at cinemas — including 2023's Scream VI, which is showing now. Scary movie fans also need to know that eerie event fiends Haus of Horror are playing the OG Scream at Parramatta Gaol for one night only. This event collective just loves showing classic horror movies in spectacular locations, with its Scream session following a past The Exorcist night in the same spot — and also Beetlejuice in Camperdown Cemetery, too. Unsurprisingly, all these movie events are proving popular. And what better film to show next to Sydney's horror aficionados than one that screams "Sidney" (Prescott, Neve Campbell's character, that is) over and over? Once again, the idea is for the night — which has been dubbed 'Scream in a Haunted Gaol' — is to be as immersive as possible. Parramatta Gaol already hosts ghost tours, and is reportedly haunted by its former inmates if you believe in that kind of thing. So, if you dare, that's where you'll be watching Scream — aka the story of a town and its teenagers terrorised by a mask-wearing psychopath who really does adore scary movies. Directed by late, great horror director Wes Craven, it became an instant classic by smartly blending slasher scares and self-aware laughs. And, from Campbell (Scream, the 2022 version), Drew Barrymore (Santa Clarita Diet) and Rose McGowan (The Sound) to Courteney Cox (Shining Vale), David Arquette (Quantum Cowboys), Matthew Lillard (Good Girls) and Skeet Ulrich (Riverdale), it boasts one helluva cast. Haus of Horror's Scream screening takes place at 6pm on Saturday, April 15, and includes two hours for attendees to explore Parramatta Gaol's morgue, cell blocks and showers. Whether or not you'll see Ghostface slinking around is yet to be revealed. Also on the agenda: a bar serving beer and wine, vegan and non-vegan bites to eat, a live DJ spinning tunes while the sun sets. The movie will play at 8pm on a grassy field inside the site, showing outdoors under the stars — and picnics are welcome. Tickets cost $39, or $59 if you'd like to book a large bean bag to sit on.
When Spilt Milk announced that it wasn't taking place in 2024, instead delaying its next festivals until 2025, it looked like fans of the event were in for a hefty wait till they could next hear live tunes echo from its stages. But if you're in Newcastle — or can get there — that's no longer the case. Spilt Milk's regular fests remain postponed until next year; however, it's still returning in November for a new gig series. Meet Spilt Milk House Party, aka the shindigs you throw when you're not throwing your regular shindig. If the tactic sounds familiar, that's because Yours and Owls is deploying it in 2024, too, calling it a pre-party instead. The idea is the same, though: get a bunch of acts to play at a smaller event, rather than the usual big festival rollout. For its version, Spilt Milk hasn't skimped on talent. In addition to his already-announced Australian tour, Troye Sivan leads the Spilt Milk House Party lineup. For company, he'll have Glass Animals, G Flip, Artemas and Sycco. The quintet have a date with Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Sunday, November 24. Spilt Milk House Party Lineup: Troye Sivan Glass Animals G Flip Artemas Sycco
When October rolls around each year, there's really only one appropriate thing to watch. That'd be horror movies, horror movies and more horror movies — all leading up to Halloween, obviously. Australia's A Night of Horror International Film Festival clearly loves the genre no matter the time of year; however, in 2021, it's showcasing its lineup of fear-inducing flicks in the two weeks right before the spookiest day of them all. So, from Monday, October 18–Sunday, October 31, you can get your scares at its virtual fest. And yes, by jumping online, that means the event is accessible nationally as well. This is A Night of Horror's 13th fest, fittingly, and it comes with an unsettling program of shorts and features. From the full-length titles on the bill, highlights include the UK's Lair, about an occult expert and skeptic with a pal who thinks he's possessed; New Zealand's The Turn of the Screw, the latest big-screen adaptation of Henry James' novel; and the Aussie-made My Cherry Pie, which nods back to 80s slasher fare — plus dreamlike Austrian effort Memory, and the supernatural and sinister Sunod from The Philippines.
World, say hello to the ultimate marriage of fashion and fine dining: a Gucci restaurant helmed by none other than Massimo Bottura, chef and owner of three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana. That's right, the internationally renowned high fashion label has forayed into the world of food, yesterday opening Gucci Osteria in the heart of Florence, Italy. Just as you'd expect, the 50 seater is a study in luxury, housed in the centuries-old Palazzo della Mercanzia building and with views across Piazza della Signoria. It forms part of the just-revealed lavish Gucci Garden, which also features a cinema room, a bazaar-style fashion boutique and exhibition spaces curated by fashion critic Maria Luisa Frisa. Diners at the all-day restaurant can expect to sit down to globally-inspired dishes like pork belly buns, Peruvian-style tostadas and Parmigiano Reggiano tortellini, dropping about €20–30 ($30–46 AUD) per plate. While it's hard to say how much he will be on the pans at this new location, Bottura says he drew inspiration from his travels when developing the lineup, mixing classic Italian flavours with clever, new-school twists. "Travelling the world, our kitchen interacts with everything we see, hear and taste," the chef explained. Gucci Osteria is the latest in a string of luxury fashion house food ventures, following the opening of Tiffany & Co's Blue Box Cafe in New York, and the announcement of parent company LMVH's plans for a second outpost of its gourmet Parisian grocery store La Grande Epicerie.
Trailblazing graffiti artist Nychos is on his way to Australia. Gracing our shores in late February and early March, the Austrian artist who recently took New York City by storm will split his time between Sydney and Melbourne, presenting exhibitions, hosting workshops and leaving his unique mark on walls around town. In Sydney, Nychos will head a graffiti art workshop at Work-Shop on February 25. He'll also present a screening of his street art documentary The Deepest Depths of the Burrow. In Melbourne, the workshop and screening will take place on March 11. He'll also launch a pair of exhibitions, showcasing his new sculpture project, Vienna Therapy, featuring the three-foot-tall Dissection of Sigmund Freud in Federation Square from March 8-12, and his solo exhibition, MONOCHROME ORGANISM, at Juddy Roller Gallery in Fitzroy from March 10-24. In between his various public engagements, Nychos plans to create original wall art in locations around Sydney and Melbourne. Here's hoping it's as eye-popping as his Oakland T-Rex. Detail of the Oakland Tyrannosaurus Rex . Full wall coming soon. #translucenttyrannosaurus #nychos #isliceforaliving #anatomy #oakland #bayarea #lordscrew A photo posted by nychos (@nychos) on Jan 14, 2017 at 8:37pm PST Images courtesy of the artist.
The Rocks' Blak Markets are back for NAIDOC Week 2020, bringing together artwork, jewellery, textiles and food from Australia's Indigenous communities. The markets will once again take place on Gadigal land — setting up shop on the Tallawoladah Lawn in front of the MCA for two days from Friday, November 14 through Saturday, November 15 (10am–5pm daily). Throughout the weekend, more than 20 stalls will sell goods made exclusively by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and makers. Apart from art and jewellery, they'll also sell gifts, homewares and Indigenous food and drinks. In between wandering the stalls, try some bush tucker from Indigigrow, check out one of the cooking demonstrations or join in on a craft and weaving workshop. Performances of traditional Indigenous dance and song are also on the docket. Blak Markets in The Rocks will run from 10am–5pm.
Sydney Craft Beer Week is a staple in our annual social calendar, and we can't think of any other way to start it off than with a huge opening gala. Some of the nation's most exciting brewers are bringing the best of their beers to the shindig. There, they will be joined by burgers, commemorative glasses and weird music. If it's anything like last year's party, it will be a night of good vibes and great company. This event is one of our top ten picks of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Check out the other nine.
If you're Melbourne's NGV International and you've spent the summer filling your walls and halls with fashion by Coco Chanel, how do you follow up come winter? By dedicating your next blockbuster exhibition to Pablo Picasso and the artists, poets and intellectuals he crossed paths with. The iconic Spanish painter, sculptor and printmaker's pieces will sit alongside works by everyone from Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse to Marie Laurencin and Gertrude Stein at The Picasso Century, which'll take over the St Kilda Road gallery from Friday, June 10. A world-premiere showcase developed exclusively for the NGV by the Centre Pompidou and the Musée national Picasso-Paris, and displaying until Sunday, October 9, The Picasso Century won't skimp on its namesake. From Picasso alone, more than 70 works will be on display. But it'll also surround his pieces with over 100 others from more than 50 of his contemporaries, with the latter sourced from French national collections and the NGV Collection. That means that art lovers will be able to gaze at 170-plus works of art, and chart Picasso's career via his paintings, sculptures, drawings and ceramics in the process — and also see how it developed through his engagement with his peers. And, when it comes to other talents showcased, the hefty list also covers Guillaume Apollinaire, Georges Braque, Alberto Giacometti, Françoise Gilot, Valentine Hugo, Dora Maar, André Masson and Dorothea Tanning. By placing the artist's pieces in context with the works of others around him, The Picasso Century examines the connections that helped make him who he was, and explores how his creations rippled throughout the world. Accordingly, art by Natalia Goncharova, Julio González, Wifredo Lam, Suzanne Valadon and Maria Helena Vieira da Silva will also feature, all talents who've rarely been exhibited in Australia. And, other artists included span André Breton, Georges Bataille, Aimé Césaire and Alberto Giacometti, as well as Kay Sage, Max Ernst and Giorgio de Chirico — plus Francis Bacon and Willem de Kooning as well. Didier Ottinger, a scholar of 20th century painting and Deputy Director of the Musée national d'art moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris, has curated the exhibition, which obviously steps through Picasso's distinct artistic periods: his blue period, cubism and surrealism, for instance. In total, The Picasso Century will explore 15 thematic sections that chart the course of Picasso's seven-decade-plus career. If you're fond of his surrealist period, however, it'll be particularly packed with works from then. [caption id="attachment_857196" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of 'The Picasso Century', on display 10 June 10–October 9, 2022 at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Jeremy Kees.[/caption] Top Images: Installation view of 'The Picasso Century', on display 10 June 10–October 9, 2022 at NGV International, Melbourne. Image 1, photo: Peter Bennetts. Image 2-4, photo: Sean Fennessy.
This news isn't like rain on your wedding day. It doesn't resemble finding a black fly in your chardonnay. And it definitely isn't anything like hitting a traffic jam when you're already late, either. But, it will have you singing those lines — and it is news that you oughta know, too — because 15-time Tony Award-nominated musical Jagged Little Pill is heading to Australia. The Broadway show's trip Down Under was first announced back in April; however, a lot can happen in just a few months during a pandemic. Indeed, back in July, Jagged Little Pill the Musical postponed its planned September launch — but now it's locked in to make its local debut on Thursday, December 2. The acclaimed production is making its first trip beyond Broadway, in fact, when it hits the Theatre Royal Sydney. And, when the curtains are raised, it'll help mark another milestone, reopening the Theatre Royal five years after it closed its doors in 2016. Inspired by Alanis Morissette's 1995 album of the same name, Jagged Little Pill the Musical weaves a story around songs from that iconic record. So yes, it's a jukebox musical like Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You and Rock of Ages. Famed tracks 'Ironic', 'You Oughta Know', 'Hand in My Pocket', 'Head Over Feet' and 'You Learn' all feature, in a production that boasts music by Morissette and her album co-writer and producer Glen Ballard, lyrics by Morissette, and a book by Juno Oscar-winner Diablo Cody. And, songs such as 'Thank U', 'So Pure', 'That I Would Be Good', 'So Unsexy' and 'Hands Clean' all pop up as well, even though they hail from the musician's subsequent albums. At present, tickets are on sale for shows until Sunday, December 19, all starring Natalie Bassingthwaighte. She'll play Mary Jane Healey, with Jagged Little Pill the Musical telling the Healey family's tale as they struggle with their seemingly idyllic suburban lives after a troubling event in their community. Expect to hear Morissette's tunes — including two new songs written just for the show — used in a story about social issues relevant to today, but also with an overall message of hope, healing and togetherness. Australians keen to see the musical can look forward to watching it in a venue with quite the history. The 1100-seat Theatre Royal is one of Australia's oldest theatres, dating back to the 1870s. But most folks will know it in its current form, after it reopened in the 1970s with a design by famed Australian architect Harry Seidler as a replacement for the old theatre that was demolished when the MLC Centre was built. Jagged Little Pill the Musical will play the Theatre Royal Sydney at 108 King Street, Sydney, from Thursday, December 2 — with exact season dates yet to be announced. For further details and to buy tickets, head to the musical's website. Top image: Jagged Little Pill the Musical Broadway opening night curtain call, Bruce Glikas.
Flour Market Waking up to the smell of something delicious and fresh out of the oven is one of life's greatest little pleasures. Flour Market is the expert at giving Melbournians that fuzzy stomach feeling by curating selections of the finest bakers and pastry-makers for seasonal bake sales early on weekend mornings. Flour Market was born and raised in Melbourne, but now it's Sydney's chance to wake up to the wafts of all of the freshly baked goods lined up under the one convenient roof at Paramount House. Lines have been wrapped around street corners for previous Flour Markets, so if you want to stock up on some of Blackstar's watermelon and strawberry cake or Brewtown Newtown's delectable cronuts, or just have a nibble of Katherine Sabbath's mini cake donuts, you'll have to rise nice and early. Saturday at Paramount House. More info here. 50/50 Festival 107 Projects is a proud supporter of arts and culture in Sydney, through their multidisciplinary arts space in the heart of Redfern. From July 31, the artist-run initiative will be presenting a fundraiser of the best kind: the 50/50 Festival, which is raising money for a new sound system for performers and the local community to enjoy. The 50/50 title implies just that — 50 percent of profits will go to participating artists, the other 50 percent will contribute to a new sound system. The lineup includes an eclectic mix of Sydney's music outfits, with music styles tending towards the experimental and electronic. Participating collectives include the NOW now, CDR, Tin Shed Spots and Pretty Gritty, who will each curate an evening of sounds. Saturday and Sunday at 107 Projects, Redfern. More info here. Mr Kolpert - pantsguys and ATYP Selects Following their award-winning Punk Rock in 2012 and the sell-out On the Shore of the Wide World earlier this year, comes another pantsguys production that promises to deliver more of the exciting and challenging theatre we've come to expect from one of Sydney's most successful independent theatre companies. This month, they'll be staging the black comedy Mr Kolpert at the Australian Theatre for Young People. Written by German playwright David Gieselmann and directed by James Dalton, Mr Kolpert follows the radically dark turn a dinner party takes when hosts Ralf and Sarah tell their guests they've murdered a colleague, Mr Kolpert, just for kicks. Saturday and Sunday (until August 16). More info here. Bar Pho Pop-Up at The Foundry Masters of Vietnamese cuisine and market regulars Bar Pho are extending the love (in the form of pho) to Surry Hills location The Foundry with a pop-up canteen. The brainchild of Tina Do, Bar Pho emphasises authentic street-style Vietnamese food with an Australian twist. The canteen is offering authentic Vietnamese dishes, alongside locally crafted beer by the kegful, courtesy of Young Henry's. The menu is varied, including barbecue sesame pork skewers, lemongrass pork chops, Vietnamese omelettes and the dish that started it all — the humble pho. There's also a Vietnamese-inspired cocktail stall, courtesy of Trolley'd. Saturday and Sunday (until August 29). More info here. LOST in Space ft. Art vs. Science, Jensen Interceptor + Motorik If you're a fan of beats in this drop-loving city, you'll probably be across the names Spice, Motorik and LOST. If you're new to the build-ups and breakdowns, these crews are your go-to partymakers, constantly churning out some of Sydney's biggest (and most wonderfully chaotic) shindigs around town — from the well-known Spice Cellar to mystery warehouse spots citywide. This weekend, the three are teaming up for a space odyssey of an interstellar get-together — headlining the event is ARIA award-winners Art vs. Science, with Sydney d-floor favourite Jensen Interceptor in tow. Motorik Vibe Council will front up their particular brand of beat slinging goodness, while Robbie Lowe, Cassette, Bondi House DJs, Wordlife, Sosueme DJs, Pink Lloyd, Sam Fransisco, Simo, Jericho and Obi-Wan-Keithnobi make up one hell of a pounding lineup. Saturday at a mystery Sydney location. More info here. The Morrison Oyster Festival 2014 As any Sydney seafood aficionado should know by now, The Morrison has a constant focus on the not-so-humble oyster. But in August, when the month-long Oyster Festival takes over, that focus turns into an overwhelming obsession. One of the major drawcards is 'Oyster Hour'. Between 6pm and 7pm every single day, you'll be able to eat as many oysters as you can handle at just $1 a pop. If you fancy something a little, well, fancier, you can opt for a 'Wine and Oyster Flight' (three wines and three matching oysters) or a 'Champagne + Oysters' indulgence. For those who'd like to sharpen up their shucking skills, there'll be an 'Oyster Masterclass'. Finally, if you reckon you might be Sydney's fastest oyster eater, you ought to book a spot in the 'Oyster Eating Competition'. Saturday and Sunday (and August-long) at The Morrison, CBD. More info here. These Final Hours At last year's Melbourne International Film Festival, Perth-set apocalypse film These Final Hours beat out high-profile competition, including The Turning and Mystery Road, to snag The Age Critics Award for Best Australian Feature. Now, almost 12 months later, the film has finally arrived in theatres. Trust us when we tell you that this movie, blending heart-pounding thrills with character-driven drama, is well worth the wait. In his first feature outing, writer-director Zak Hilditch seems remarkably assured. His native Perth provides a unique and unsettling backdrop for the film, the haunting images of forsaken Australian suburbia striking eerily close to home. Visuals like that contribute to a suffocating sense of bleakness that hangs over the film like a scorching summer heat. Saturday and Sunday (until August 20) at various cinemas in Sydney. More info and our review here. John Stezaker: Collages Forget what your eight-year-old self knows about collages and abandon your trusty Clag glue pot. The newest exhibition at the Anna Schwartz Gallery gives sleek insight into the art form using images from Hollywood's golden era. British artist John Stezaker has been making collages and photomontages for decades but has only very recently turned heads in the art sphere. In some collages, Stezaker creates interesting and often creepy contrasts by cutting and reassembling mid-20th century cinema memorabilia and agency head-shots of unknown actors. In others, the artist cleverly and purposefully places picturesque postcards over the expressions of failed movie stars, to unsettling effect. Saturday (until September 6) at Anna Schwartz Gallery, Darlington. More info here. Chippendale Markets As if to herald Chippendale's resurgence as a gentrified neighbourhood, Kaleidoscope Gallery and Soma Studios have joined forces to create a local curated mini-market in Chippendale every Sunday. The keyword here being curated; you're inside the iconic red doors of the Kaleidoscope Gallery, but this time you can actually touch the displays (except for the food — that would be awkward). Stall offerings range from natural skincare to garden accessories, sustainable fashion, flowers and jewellery. Being in an art gallery and all, you can even pick up some locally created art and watch live music performances. Sunday at Kaleidoscope Gallery, Chippendale. More info here. Pizza. All of the Pizza. Forget cheeseburger stuffed crusts and meal deals with 5 litres of Pepsi Max; visiting a soulless pizza chain in Sydney is a mortal sin. There are so many places that have mastered the art of the fine Italian dish, it's only a question of picking one. Here are our ten favourites that keep us coming back for stretchy Buffalo mozzarella, pillowy bases and perfect toppings. Saturday and Sunday in our top ten best pizza spots. Check out the whole list and get crusty.
Delayed from its usual January dates, the most important event in the Australian country music calendar is back this April. Over 100 venues will be hosting performances from some of the genre's biggest names, such as Amber Lawrence, Kasey Chambers and Troy Cassar-Daley, for the Tamworth Country Music Festival. It's a great all-ages event, too, with things to see and do throughout the whole town, including rides at Family Zone and shows at Toyota Park, both of which are free to enter. The festival is also the home of the Golden Guitar Awards, the biggest prize in Australian country music, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary of handing out the eponymous statuettes to the best artists of the previous 12 months. Check out the lineup to start planning your trip. Top image: Tourism Australia
Feral Brewing Co is back in town with a 22-tap takeover at the Union Hotel. Don't pretend you're not excited. If you think it's almost impossible to get a hold of some of their beers, this is the event you want to be at. Every Feral beer brewed in the last 12 months is making an appearance. Bring your friends, share some cheap jugs, line your stomachs with plenty of pork and enjoy a great start to the weekend. This event is one of our top ten picks of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Check out the other nine.
Whenever a new true-crime tale arrives, audiences fall into three camps: those who are well aware of all of the case's ups and downs, folks who remember the headlines but are vague on the details, and others that come to the whole saga and its specifics brand new. With The Staircase, it's highly likely that more viewers will fall into the first two categories. The eight-part HBO miniseries isn't just based on an IRL crime, after all, but also on a French documentary series of the same name. For those learning about the story afresh, it all started in 2001, when novelist Michael Peterson reported the death of his wife Kathleen. He said that she had fallen down the stairs at their North Carolina home — yes, hence the name — but the authorities weren't convinced. Given that occurred more than two decades ago, how it all turned out is now a matter of history. So, you'll either know it and be intrigued to see how it plays out on-screen with Colin Firth (Supernova, 1917) and Australian star Toni Collette (Nightmare Alley, Dream Horse) as the central couple, or you'll want to discover the intricacies for yourself while watching. Plunging famous faces into a twisty miniseries is firmly HBO's approach of late, with The Staircase following everything from Big Little Lies and The Undoing to Mare of Easttown. Joining the high-profile duo when the US network's latest hits Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Thursday, May 5: an all-star cast that also features Juliette Binoche (How to Be a Good Wife), Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me By Your Name), Parker Posey (Lost in Space) and Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), as well Rosemarie DeWitt (Little Fires Everywhere), Dane Dehaan (Lisey's Story), Patrick Schwarzenegger (Moxie), and Aussie actors Olivia DeJonge (Better Watch Out) and Odessa Young (Shirley). There are clearly plenty of moving parts to this narrative, which comes to TV courtesy of writer/director Antonio Campos (The Devil All the Time, The Sinner). As the just-dropped full trailer shows, there's plenty of drama as well. That's true both before and after the Peterson family find themselves immersed in a heartwrenching tragedy. Indeed, the sneak peek starts with happy times — with saying cheers to happy folks sat around the dinner table, in fact — but that isn't how it ends. Given that it's hitting screens 18 years after the original The Staircase, this dramatised version even mentions the film crew eager to start recording the details after Kathleen's death. So, when it starts airing in May — dropping three episodes at once to kick things off, then going weekly — the show will cover a well-known true-crime case as well as the just-as-well-known TV show that's already been made about it. Check out the trailer for The Staircase below: The Staircase will start streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Thursday, May 5.
In a provocative move usually found in the realms of contemporary art, Austrian men's magazine Vangardist has just printed 3000 copies of their latest edition with blood-infused ink from people with HIV. A new project with Saatchi & Saatchi Switzerland, Vangardist's #HIVHeroes issue aims to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, trigger discussion around the attached social stigmas and raise funds — all profits from this edition go to charity foundations fighting the stigma of HIV/AIDS. The blood-infused ink comes from three HIV-positive donors: a wife and mother, a heterosexual man and a homosexual man. The #HIVHeroes issue comes sealed in plastic, encouraging readers to face their HIV contact fears when physically opening the magazine. According to Dezeen, Vangardist followed Harvard and Innsbruck-produced guidelines to ensure handling of the magazine had no risk of infection. Vangardist describes the plastic-sealed issue as "100% safe", a provocative nod to the prevailing social fear attached to HIV/AIDS and the people who live with it every day. "Although people with HIV can live a normal life in countries with good medical care, they are still faced with a hard social stigma of exclusion," says the Vangardist team. "Most conceal their illness for fear of losing their friends, their job or their partners or even to find a partner. Because still there are still too many people who are afraid to touch a person with HIV, to embrace or kiss. "No matter how one learns of the issue, whether one hears about in the news or reading the newspaper about it, everyone is wondering: "Would I attack this magazine? In any case, anyone who buys one of the limited edition of 3000 pieces is inevitably faced, when opening the special packaging, with its own fears and discomfort. If these are overcome, the next contact with an HIV positive person is very natural run." Vangardist's blood-printed issue is being launched to coincide with Vienna's Life Ball, one of the globe's biggest AIDS charity events. The magazine is only distributed in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, although you can contact their customer service if you want to get your hands on a copy. Via Dezeen. Images: Julian Behrenbeck.
If spirits are your poison of choice, you need to blank out the second weekend of July in your diary. The Sydney Spirits Festival is making an epic return to the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay. Launched only last year, the event was a sold-out smash hit. This time, it'll be bringing you even more spirits, more makers, and more masterclasses from Australia and the rest of the world. Highlights include single malt whisky masterclasses with Bill Lark, an oyster shell gin masterclass with Mikey Enright of Hickson House Distillery, and a mixology masterclass with Felix Clark of Ester Spirits, which won gold at the World Rum Awards in 2024. Plus, all weekend long, the Taste Theatre will host drop-in sessions led by the International Spirits Academy on all kinds of matters – from how to get more out of your tastings to how to make better cocktails. You can choose a ticket to suit your tastes – from the $55 early-bird special to the $180 masterclass ticket, which includes festival access. Just be sure to get in early – if last year is anything to go by.
Look, we could be mad. We could have been angry when LCD Soundsystem — the legendary band that called their final show at Madison Square Garden back in 2011 — turned up on the 2016 Coachella lineup. We could have been mildly annoyed when they announced they were reuniting last year. And we could have been pissed when they showed up on this year's Splendour in the Grass lineup and did shows in Sydney and Melbourne. But we're not. We can't be — we're just so goddamn happy the band's back together. And now, less than six months since LCD graced our shores, they've announced that they'll be back in 2018. The band will return to Australia in February for headline shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Call all your friends. Tickets will sell out so get your fingers ready for 3pm (2pm in Brissie) on November 27 if you're a Frontier member, or, for everyone else, 11am on November 30. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM 2018 TOUR DATES Monday, February 12 — HBF Stadium, Perth Thursday, February 15 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Friday, February 16 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Wednesday, February 21 — Riverstage, Brisbane. LCD Soundsystem will tour Australia in February 2018. You can buy tickets here. Image: Matt Biddulph via Wikimedia Commons.
Do you remember the days when we had to argue that video games were art, comic books were literature, and animation wasn't just for kids? Those medieval times are now thankfully one or two years behind us, and it's in part thanks to festivals like Graphic. The event, now in its third year, brings pop culture into the lofty Opera House and encourages artists of all stripes to come together and mix media. After bringing out Neil Gaiman and Robert Crumb in its first two years (well, not quite bringing out Robert Crumb; the pioneering cartoonist famously withdrew from the 2011 festival fearing pitchforks and torches after being called a 'sex pervert' in the Sunday Telegraph), Graphic is now grown up enough to present a solid program that doesn't rely on crazy-big names to stir excitement. In 2012 it's got talks, concerts, workshops, an exhibition, a competition, a quiz show, and many hybrids of these. This is the year we'll be getting better acquainted with perhaps the most influential force in animation today, Pixar Animation Studios, makers of Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Wall-E, Brave, and a raft of other hits that make kids squeal and adults unexpectedly laugh, cry, and find catharsis. Lee Unkrich, Academy Award-winning director of Toy Story 3 and long-time Pixar creative, will be leading a presentation on what goes on behind the scenes of the company as an idea goes from storyboard to screen. Similarly styled talks will also be given by Animal Logic — Australia's own animation superstars, behind such key films as The Matrix and Happy Feet — and Peter Bagge, co-editor of Robert Crumb's WEIRDO and contributor to MAD magazine, whose session is called Hate! and Other Neat Stuff. Following in the footsteps of Gotye's now legendary animated preview for his Making Mirrors album in 2011, gigs that combine music and visuals feature prominently in the 2012 program. New Zealand's Fat Freddy's Drop will be previewing their new album, Blackbird, which won't be released until 2013. The night will include specially commissioned animations throughout from street artist Otis Frizzell. Meanwhile, 25-members-strong collective Elefant Traks will be creating a set of Dr Suess-inspired songs. To experience Graphic's idiosyncrasies in full, get along to the Good Game Roffle Cup quiz show, FBi's Radio with Pictures storytelling jam, and the Art of Dr Seuss exhibition in the Opera House foyer. Were you aware that as well as hopping on Pop and putting the Cat in the Hat, Theodor Seuss Geisel made over 400 political cartoons about World War II and Nazis? A better summary of the scope of graphic arts is hard to come by.
A small, rotating cast of volunteer musicians come together as The String Orchestra of Brooklyn (SOB) to produce site-specific musical experiments and collaborations with other New York area musicians. According to executive director and founder Eli Spindel, the strength of SOB lies in the orchestra's versatility. "We have the flexibility to take risks and follow our musical curiosity wherever it might lead," he said. Recently, SOB's "musical curiosity" led to a collaboration with ISSUE Project Room on the March 17 production of String Theories 2012. Held in St. Ann's Church in Brooklyn, String Theories featured the works of four commissioned composers: Anthony Coleman, Eric Wubbels, Spencer Yeh, and MV Carbon. The goal of the project was to create performances on a larger-than-realistic scale, playing on the physicality of the orchestra members and adopting new musical techniques. "It will definitely get a bit rowdy," Spindel said pre-performance. Upcoming events include the 2012 Parks Concert Series, where SOB, in collaboration with The Fort Greene Park Conservatory, has joined the outdoor concert lineup. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UU6VdE35Htg
Things happen quickly in the digital world. Movies about it don't always earn the same description. In the TRON franchise's case, the first film hit cinemas in 1982, then sequel TRON: Legacy arrived 28 years later in 2010. A third movie was announced the very same year, but TRON: Ares won't return cinemagoers to the grid until 2025. Some flicks fall into the "I'll believe it when I'm actually sitting in a theatre watching it with my own eyes" category, and this has been one of them for more than a decade. But Disney has not only announced that TRON: Ares has a date with picture palaces next year — although the exact date itself hasn't been revealed — but also dropped a first image now that production is underway. View this post on Instagram A post shared by JARED LETO (@jaredleto) If your immediate response to this news is to hear "the grid, a digital frontier" in your head in Jeff Bridges' voice while Daft Punk's music plays, then you're obviously a fan. At present, there's no word on who'll be taking care of the score this time around, trying to follow in TRON: Legacy's huge footsteps. Cast-wise, TRON: Ares spans a heap of familar names. Jared Leto (Haunted Mansion) plays Ares, while Greta Lee will be worlds away from Past Lives. Evan Peters (Wish), Hasan Minhaj (No Hard Feelings), Jodie Turner-Smith (White Noise), Arturo Castro (The Vince Staples Show), Cameron Monaghan (Shameless) and Gillian Anderson (Sex Education) also feature. As for the plot, TRON: Ares follows the program that shares its moniker, which makes the jump from the digital realm to the real world. So, it's a tale about AI, plus humanity's first encounter with it. [caption id="attachment_935550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] TRON: Legacy, ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] The film started shooting in January in Vancouver, with Joachim Rønning (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) directing — taking over from Australian Lion and Foe filmmaker Garth Davis, who was initially attached to the movie. "TRON: Ares builds upon the legacy of cutting-edge design, technology and storytelling. Now more than ever, it feels like the right time to return to the grid," said Rønning. TRON: Ares doesn't have a trailer as yet, but you can check out the trailers for TRON and TRON: Legacy below: TRON: Ares is set to release in cinemas Down Under in 2025 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
In an early scene in The Sessions, Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes), cocooned in an iron lung, unable to move a single part of his body, has a cat brush its tail against his nose. With no-one around, he has no way to scratch that tiny yet inevitably all-consuming itch. He lies awake through the night. It's a scene that ensures we know exactly how he feels as his character embarks on his arc in the film — seeing a professional sex surrogate, Cheryl (Helen Hunt), who initiates him into how and what it means to have sexual contact with another person. The Sessions is based on the memoirs of the very real Mark O'Brien, a journalist and poet who was paralysed from the neck down by a childhood bout of polio. His is a form of paralysis that means he can't move his body but his body can feel touch; it's just that he's lived to 38 without finding a person inclined to touch him in a way that's non-medical. The Sessions is a wonder of a film, and don't let any hesitations you might have about it being tough going or generally a bit icky keep you from seeing it for yourself. Aussie quiet achiever Ben Lewin writes and directs this incredibly warm, funny, brilliantly un-mawkish movie that is not at all shy about sex and yet kind of weirdly fun for the whole family. Many separate factors had to come together to pull this off: the frank, sassy voice of Mark, interpreted by Lewin; the totally invested performance from Martha Marcy May Marlene actor Hawkes; the illusorily relaxed performance by Hunt, whose almost entire screen time in spent in these sex 'sessions'; and the vivid presence of the supporting cast, who make you want to know them beyond their intersections with Mark (look out for a sweet cameo from Hawkes' Deadwood co-star Robin Weigert, barely recognisable outside of her Calamity Jane get-up). The charm of the peripheral characters suffers a drought around Cheryl's side of the family, apparently to give her reason — more than she needs — to fall for Mark just as he surely falls for her. Conversely, it reaches its peak in the form of Father Brendan (William H. Macy). Mark is a devout Catholic, see, and it's The Sessions' clever conceit that his confessions should take the place of standard narration. The shaggy-haired (read: open-minded) priest is forced to take a more pragmatic position on sex around his new congregant, who is soon torturing him with lyrical descriptions of corporeal pleasures precluded to a man of the cloth. The presence of the priest also hints at another important point about The Sessions, which is that it's not just about disability and sex but also about all of us and sex. The religious and social dogmas that feed into how we think about sex are many and varied, and for those for whom these beliefs and behaviours create an obstacle to sex, it's a little, everyday tragedy. Because what The Sessions communicates above all is the pure, joyous, silly pleasure of sex and the unique ways it bonds two people partaking in it. https://youtube.com/watch?v=oI7Rs_Hv_IA
Kinky things are afoot behind proverbial white picket fences. Made with the financial assistance of the Melbourne International Film Festival Premiere Fund, the directorial debut of acclaimed local short film and music video director Stephen Lance takes your typically angst-ridden, po-faced Australian teen drama, and dresses it up in a full-body latex suit. A BDSM-themed coming of age story, My Mistress gets points for an eyebrow-raising premise and some bold stabs at Blue Velvet-style erotic voyeurism. Unfortunately, weak dialogue and clumsy characterisation soon leave the film feeling limp. The leafy suburbs of Queensland provide the backdrop for the story, one that begins when delinquent high-schooler Charlie (Harrison Gilbertson) discovers his father's body hanging in the garage. Stricken with grief and consumed with anger towards his mother (Rachael Blake), on whose shoulders he places the blame for his father's suicide, Charlie seeks comfort in an unlikely relationship with Maggie (Emmanuelle Beart), a professional dominatrix who has recently moved to town. It's a seriously strange set-up that, frankly, should have yielded far more interesting results. Lance shows adeptness behind the camera, and all three of the lead performances are quite strong. The problem with My Mistress lies instead with its screenplay, co-written by Top of the Lake creator Gerard Lee. The dialogue more often than not rings false, particularly when people are arguing, which they're doing almost all the time. There's also a baffling lack of consistency in the behaviour and personality of the characters, with Maggie and Charlie's relationship going from stable in one scene to downright hostile in the next. It's also disappointing to see Lance adopt the very boring, narrow-minded position that the sort of niche sexual behaviour exhibited by his characters must be a symptom of some sort of dysfunction or inner pain. Charlie's emotional dependence on Maggie obviously has its origins in the breakdown of the relationship with his mother. Likewise, the film goes to great lengths to make us understand that Maggie is damaged: a former drug addict who has lost custody of her infant son. Wouldn't it be nicer to see a movie about S&M practitioners who are just in it for a rip-roaring good time? Fingers crossed for 50 Shades of Grey. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6jZeKiaE04c
Sometime next year, we can expect Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown to cruise in on their DeLorean, looking to save McFly’s future offspring from incarceration, according to the Back to the Future timeline. So, 26 years later, how does Robert Zemeckis’s vision of 2015 shape up? Ubiquitous cameras? Check. Video chat? Check. The explosion of plastic surgery? Check. Flying cars? They’re not exactly part of the furniture, but they're on their way. How about self-tying sneakers? Well, according to Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, their ascent to the market is set to coincide with McFly’s fantastical arrival. “Are we gonna see power laces in 2015? To that, I say YES!” he said during an appearance at Jordan Brand’s Flight Lab Space in New Orleans. On September 8, 2011, Nike unexpectedly released a limited-edition version of McFly’s high-top, named the MAG. Complete with electroluminescent strap and LED panelling, it was a striking replica. It was also Nike's first-ever rechargeable shoe, with every charge providing five hours’ worth of glow. 'Power laces' were, however, conspicuously absent. Still, that didn’t stop all 1,500 pairs of MAGs released on eBay from auctioning to the tune of US$6 million. Footwear fanatics, sci-fi fans and celebrities spent up big, with prices starting at $10,000 and ending at $90,000+. Every cent went to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for research into Parkinson's Disease. We know that Nike bought an auto-lacing patent back in 2010, but we’ve no idea how the next round of Back to the Future-inspired sneakers will look. To find out whether or not they’ll come attached to another edition of MAGs, modelled by McFly as he makes his descent, or built into an altogether new model, you’ll have to keep an eye out for the next instalment. Via SlashFilm.
Ningaloo Reef is the only large reef in the world that you can access straight off the shore. Whether you’re lazing on the sand in Exmouth or Coral Bay, all you have to do is slip on your snorkelling gear, paddle out a few metres and, within minutes, you’ll be hanging out in dazzling coral gardens, along with dolphins, turtles and manta rays. You’ll find the UNESCO heritage-listed wonder 1,200 kilometres north of Perth, from where it runs north along the coast for 260 kilometres, between North West Cape and Red Bluff. Like the Great Barrier Reef, its fragile environment is under constant threat — from both development proposals and excessive tourism. Here's your eco-friendly guide to spending time in Ningaloo, while treading carefully. For the best prices on flights and accommodation on the WA Coral Coast, check out Wotif.com. SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS Ningaloo is most famous for the hundreds of mammoth-sized visitors that come around once a year — between April and July. Even though they’re called whale sharks, they’re so gentle you can swim alongside them. And they also happen to be the biggest fish in the world. In few places do they gather in big crowds, but when you have 18 metres of body to feed, Ningaloo’s plankton feasts are hard to pass by. To swim, snorkel or dive with whale sharks, book yourself into a day tour. Needless to say, we don’t want to bombard them with strangers, so tours are tightly controlled, with only ten people allowed to hang about each creature at a time. If you happen to be in Exmouth between 21 and 24 May 2015, you’ll be right on time for the Whale Shark Festival. HUMPBACKS, TURTLES AND DUGONGS Whale sharks aren’t the only underwater life seeking out Ningaloo’s culinary abundance. Where other habitats have been over-fished and stripped of their diversity, Ningaloo is still thriving (so far). 30,000 humpback whales breach and spout their way past between June and November, on their 11,000 kilometre journey from Antarctica to the warm breeding grounds just off the Kimberley. Minke, southern right and blue whales pop by frequently, too. Excellent spots for whale watching include Exmouth’s main beach, Bundegi Beach and Vlamingh Head, but if you’d like to get closer, join a whale watching tour. Then there are dolphins, manta rays, one thousand dugongs and Jacques Cousteau knows how many fish. Six of the world’s seven marine turtle species call Ningaloo home, four of them vulnerable or endangered, and the reef is one of the most important nesting grounds on the planet for green and loggerhead turtles. To watch hundreds of hatchlings making their dangerous dash to the sea, you’ll need to visit between November and February. The breeding process is incredibly delicate, so you’re asked to follow the guidelines outlined in the Ningaloo Turtle Watchers’ Code of Conduct, which you can pick up from the Exmouth Visitor Centre, or join a tour. PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION Back in the 1960s, the WA branch of the Australian Marine Sciences Association recommended that Ningaloo be turned into a marine reserve, but it wasn’t until May 1987 that their suggestion was realised, and not until November 2004 that the park boundary was expanded to incorporate the entire reef. At present, 34% of the reef is made up of protective sanctuary zones. Regardless of such legislation, however, Ningaloo hasn’t been immune to threat from developers. In 2003, a plan to build a 2,000-bed resort at Mauds Landing was rejected, largely thanks to the Save Ningaloo Reef Campaign. Then, in 2010, sustained opposition successfully defeated a proposal to develop a salt mine in Exmouth Gulf. Now, the focus is on ensuring that development of, and tourism in, the area happens along sustainable lines. If you’re visiting, be sure to opt for eco-friendly activities and choose ethical tour operators.
In 2021, within the space of mere months in the middle of the year, viewers who love watching things going awry at lavish resorts on super-scenic getaways — and digging into star-studded small-screen mysteries as well — were spoiled for choice. First, the debut season of The White Lotus hit. Then, the first season of Nine Perfect Strangers followed. Four years later, The White Lotus is a season ahead of Nine Perfect Strangers, but they're both back. Indeed, as the former wraps up its third season, you don't have long to wait until the latter arrives for its second run. Mark Thursday, May 22, 2025 in your diary, as that's when you'll be able to start watching Nicole Kidman (Holland) in wellness guru mode again. As with the first season, the Australian actor plays Masha Dmitrichenko. Also, her character is back at a retreat with a group of folks that she's invited, and getting through the week is likely to prove a twisty experience again. While the first season of Nine Perfect Strangers was shot in Byron Bay, the second definitely wasn't, given that it is set in the Austrian Alps — and Byron can't double for that. The cast around Kidman has also changed, starting with Henry Golding (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), Lena Olin (The Darkness), Annie Murphy (Fingernails), Christine Baranski (The Gilded Age), Dolly de Leon (Jackpot!) and Mark Strong (Dune: Prophecy). Murray Bartlett (The Last of Us) also features, after starring so memorably in The White Lotus' first season. Also joining him and the above actors: Lucas Englander (The Day of the Jackal), King Princess, Maisie Richardson-Sellers (Wolf Hall) and Aras Aydin (To Betray). David E Kelley (Presumed Innocent) remains one of the driving forces behind the series — and author Liane Moriarty (The Last Anniversary), who wrote the novel that the first season was based on, is one of Nine Perfect Strangers' executive produces again. Accordingly, Kidman continues her link with both. Kelley was also behind Big Little Lies, which, like Nine Perfect Strangers, also adapted a book by Moriarty. While The Undoing didn't initially stem from the Australian writer's pen, it did also connect Kidman and Kelley. The new on-screen lineup follows in the footsteps of Melissa McCarthy (Only Murders in the Building), Michael Shannon (The Bikeriders), Luke Evans (Weekend in Taipei) and Asher Keddie (Fake), plus Bobby Cannavale (Unstoppable), Regina Hall (O'Dessa), Samara Weaving (Azrael), Melvin Gregg (Fight Night), Grace Van Patten (Tell Me Lies), Tiffany Boone (Mufasa: The Lion King), Manny Jacinto (The Acolyte) and Zoe Terakes (The Office), who all starred in season one. An important note: season two of Nine Perfect Strangers is dropping weekly episodes, so you won't be binging it unless you wait until they've all been released There's no trailer for the second season as yet, but you can check out more images from it below: Nine Perfect Strangers season two will start streaming in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, May 22, 2025 via Prime Video. Images: Prime Video / Reiner Bajo.
Well, it's finally happened. Google has gone and ruined Pictionary forever. The internet giant has just unveiled a new web-based tool for computer, mobile and tablet that helps translate your incomprehensible scribbling into legible images. And while it's certainly got lots of useful applications, one thing is crystal clear: family game night will never be the same again. AutoDraw uses "machine learning" to deduce what users are trying to draw, and then presents them with a number of simple artist drawn sketches to choose from. Basically it's like autocorrect for art. Google released an explainer video, which you can check out below. You can have a play around with the tool over here. And no, for the record, it doesn't spit out dirty pictures, no matter how much you might want it to (full disclosure: we tried, a lot). That said, Google is accepting artist submissions, so maybe someone can sneak one through. And look, if nothing else, at least it'll help people avoid situations like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-NH6TGZTcc
Dubai is truly the land of structural opportunity, the Hollywood of the architectural world. There seems to be no limit to what can be built in Dubai, and while they've spent the last few decades ranging upwards with more and more outlandishly tall towers — Dubai Civil Defence is even training a fleet of jet-packed fire fighters to respond to the crazy heights — they now have set their sights on the magical realm of under the sea. Dubai's first partially underwater villa, named The Floating Seahorse, has just been completed in the Heart of Europe, a cluster of luxury man-made islands just a few miles off the shore. The lower level of the three-storey structure is completely submerged so you can literally sleep with the fishes (in a non-life threatening kind of way). The house also features a man-made reef to encourage the growth and protect marine life in the area, with a special focus on their namesake, the seahorse. The villa is one of 42 being built in the area, all of which have apparently been sold for a cool $2.7 million clams. If you missed out, we suggest turning the heater up to humid and grabbing a copy of the Sims 3: Island Paradise expansion — it's basically the same thing but for a fraction of the price. While the villas are astounding, they're not altogether surprising because we, the collective consciousness of the Internet, have recently been going bananas for everything submerged. The Airbnb room literally inside an aquarium shark tank, Africa's first underwater hotel and Subsix in the Maldives — a sunken restaurant with 360 degree views of the surrounding marine life — all point towards an interest in watery accommodation. Something Sebastian the crab said must have really gotten into our brains because we all want to be under the sea (ideally with a hot crustacean band). And now we can. Via Travel + Leisure.
