Bondi has scored a smart neighbourhood bistro that feels equal parts Parisian boîte and breezy seaside local. Designed for everything from post-beach spritzes to dimly-lit date nights, Bistro Bondi is the first full-service restaurant from the Appetizing Trade Group (Lox In a Box), bringing continental classics to an elegantly laidback corner of Warners Avenue. Bistro Bondi is brought to life by an all-star team of front- and back-of-house talent drawn from some of Sydney's most celebrated venues. At the helm are Executive Chef Isabelle Caulfield (Poly, Ester) and Head Chef Dan Andersen (Shell House). Together, they've built a menu that leans into Euro comfort with playful twists — think pâté with mustard fruit and bagel crisps, latkes topped with anchovy and comté, steak frites au poivre and charred prawns luxuriating in café de paris butter, best mopped up with fresh Baker Bleu baguette. Desserts follow a similar theme, with selections like chocolate mousse with warm churros, rhubarb crêpes and Campari granita with Mapo sorbet. Complementing the menu is a 70-bottle wine list curated by Jaymie Wallace (Love Tilly Divine, Lo-Fi, Melbourne's Embla), which balances local and European drops. At the bar, Tim Ham (Nour) shakes up both classic cocktails and summer-ready signatures like the Bondi Blue, an electric-blue riff on a piña colada topped with watermelon granita and a cocktail umbrella. Running the floor are Eden Elan (former General Manager of the Love Tilly Group) and Isaias Sirur (Pino's Vino e Cucina al Mare), who bring natural warmth and intuition, as well as an understated polish, that ties the whole experience together. Designed in warm tones and awash with soft light, Bistro Bondi channels old-world charm while retaining a distinctly local feel. "We wanted to bring something familiar yet elevated to Bondi, somewhere you could walk in straight from the beach or book for a special occasion," says Founder, Candy Berger. "It's European in flavour, but it still feels like home."
Don't get stuck in the Bondi and Coogee bubbles this summer. Instead, branch out further down the coast to The Boatshed La Perouse. This coastal cafe, located just south of Maroubra, overlooks Frenchmans Bay and offers beachside dining, panoramic ocean views and a seafood-focused menu to boot. The venue is open for breakfast and lunch seven days. For summer mornings, grab a table on the expansive deck and tuck into the likes of passionfruit ricotta hotcakes ($18.5) and knafeh french toast with almond chocolate crumb, strawberry curd and rose syrup ($17). Or go for staples like eggs benny ($19.50), bacon and egg rolls ($10.5) and English-style big brekkies ($23). At lunchtime, the seafood-heavy menu features oysters, buckets of tiger prawns and pots of spicy tomato mussels. Enjoy a bit of everything with the loaded seafood platter ($80) — in addition to oysters and prawns, it comes with blue swimmer crab, salt and pepper calamari, seared scallops, barbecue baby octopus, crispy battered fish and chips, and an optional addition of half-or-whole lobster for good measure ($25–40). If this is little too much, you can also indulge with the half-lobster linguine for a more reasonable $28.5. Diners can also take in the views with drink in hand. Sidle over to the outdoor bar where you can sip summertime favourites like passionfruit mojitos ($16) or the vodka and watermelon Santorini Sunset ($17). And, to help battle those Monday blues, The Boatshed is now offering $2 oysters and $5 glasses of bubbles each week over lunch.
Sydney fine-diner nel doesn't do anything by halves. When it shows its love for Disney, Moulin Rouge!, Australian native ingredients, British food or KFC on its plates, Nelly Robinson's restaurant goes all in with decadent multi-course degustations. The same applies to Christmas, with the eatery's festive end-of-year spreads a seasonal culinary highlight. But who wants to get jolly just once a year? Not most of us, and not this Wentworth Avenue spot. In 2024, nel is jumping on the Christmas in July trend with Sunday roasts every week. Of course, nel's take on anything it sets its ingredients to is never like anyone else's. So, your winter lunches can now include a nel spread with lamb shoulder, smoked salmon with caviar and dill, and sticky toffee pudding among the dishes — and that's just part of it. This is a four-time-only affair for this year, because there are four Sundays this July, with the festive offering kicking off on Sunday, July 7. You'll pay $85 for your taste of merriment, and you'll also need your wallet for any beverages on top. Bookings are essential. Christmas jumpers are optional (but you know that you want to wear one anyway).
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. From the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from July's haul of newbies. (Yes, we're assuming you've watched Black Widow already.) BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON Coffin flops, sloppy steaks and babies that know you used to be a piece of shit: they're just some of the absurdist and hilarious gems that the second season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson serves up. Also making an appearance: a secret excuse to help men explain away pee stains on their pants, quite the loud and lurid shirt, and a daggy hat. Back in 2019, the sketch comedy's first season was Netflix's best new show of the year, and easily. History is repeating itself with the series' next batch of episodes, with all of the above inclusions resulting in side-splitting chuckles. To put it simply, absolutely no one excavates, explores and satirises social awkwardness with the gusto, commitment and left-of-centre viewpoint of Robinson. His skits dive headfirst into uncomfortable and excruciating situations, dwell there, and let them fester. He's a mastermind at ensuring that gags go for exactly as long as they need to — whether they're brief or prolonged — and the only criticism that can be found with I Think You Should Leave is that its short 15–17-minute episodes zoom by, so you'll probably watch all six new instalments in one 90-minute sitting. That's perhaps the best hour and a half you could spend staring at the TV right now. Robinson's flexible face is a constant source of surprises, and humour, and his outlook upon the world is both savage and brutally relatable. Binge his gags, then binge them again; that's how savvy this show is, and how addictive. If we can't have more Detroiters, the sublime sitcom that Robinson made after his time on Saturday Night Live, thank goodness we now have this. The second season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is available to stream via Netflix. THE PURSUIT OF LOVE Bolters and stickers. They're the two labels given to women in The Pursuit of Love, a lavish, effervescent and also impeccably shrewd new three-part miniseries adaptation of Nancy Milford's 1945 novel of the same name. Befitting its source material's timing, the storyline leads into the Second World War, all as chalk-and-cheese cousins Linda Radlett (Lily James, The Dig) and Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham, Little Joe) grow from teens into women — and the former, the impulsive and passionate daughter of a Lord (Dominic West, Stateless) who doesn't believe in educating girls and hates foreigners, chases romance at all costs. Fanny narrates the story, detailing Linda's ups and downs alongside her own. Her own mother (Emily Mortimer, Relic) is purely known as "the Bolter", having left Fanny with her sister (Annabel Mullion, Patrick Melrose) as she too sought love again and again. It's a label that Linda despises when it's applied to her, though. Whether having her eyes opened to the world by her bohemian neighbour (Andrew Scott, His Dark Materials), falling for the first arrogant boy (Freddie Fox, Fanny Lye Deliver'd) she spends any real time with, or later crossing paths with a motivated Communist (James Frecheville, The Dry) and a French duke (Assaad Bouab, Call My Agent!), she does keep leaping forward, however. In contrast, Fanny literally bumps into Oxford academic (Shazad Latif, Profile) and settles into domestic bliss, all while worrying about her cousin. Mortimer also makes her directorial debut with this swiftly engaging look at well-to-do lives, and unpacking of the way women are perceived — and it's the latter, the vivid staging and cinematography, and the vibrant performances that make this a must-see. The Pursuit of Love is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. THIS WAY UP Another month, another season of stellar comedy This Way Up. That's not how it aired in Britain, but it's basically how it has panned out for Australian viewers. And, that's a great thing — not only because this smartly written, astute, insightful and delightfully acerbic series about London-based Irish siblings Áine (Aisling Bea, Living With Yourself) and Shona (Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe) keeps viewers hooked episode after episode, but because binging your way through it immerses you wholeheartedly in their chaotic lives and headspace. As the first season established, English teacher Áine is riding the ups and downs of a mental health journey that saw her spend some time receiving in-patient treatment, and has left Shona, the high-powered overachiever of the pair, perennially worried. Even as COVID-19 approaches and begins to affect their lives, that dynamic is still in place. But Áine is now embarking upon a relationship with Richard (Tobias Menzies, The Crown), the father of a French boy (Dorian Grover, The White Princess) she tutors, all while trying to hide it from her bosses and said kid. Shona is the least-fussed bride-to-be there is as she prepares to get married to her long-term boyfriend and ex-colleague Vish (Aasif Mandvi, Evil), and also navigates more than a little awkwardness with her friend and new business partner Charlotte (Indira Varma, Official Secrets). The heart of this series is the push and pull between this sisters, and how they try to weather everything that life throws their way — and it remains firmly intact this time around. The second season of This Way Up is available to stream via Stan. FEAR STREET Maya Hawke. A mall. Retro clothes and tunes aplenty. Combine the three, and that's how Fear Street Part 1: 1994 opens. Yes, that's familiar, because all of the above played a significant part in the third season of Stranger Things, too. But while Hawke is still popping up on Netflix here, she isn't in Hawkins, Indiana anymore. Instead, her character Heather is working at a mall in Shadyside, Ohio. The year is obviously 1994, Heather is doing the closing shift at a book store, and viewers first see her gushing over an eerie title, only for the customer that's buying it to proclaim: "it's trash; lowbrow horror". Fear Street Part 1: 1994 might begin with a wink to its RL Stine-penned source material, but that isn't the only nod it serves up. Directed and co-written by Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon), this slasher flick splashes its debts to everything from Halloween to Scream across every frame. That's part of the package, as is plenty of blood, gore, bumps and jumps. The end result is unmistakably formulaic, but aptly so; every novel in Stine's series also earned the same description, as did every Goosebumps book as well. From this scene-setting opening, there's a masked killer on the loose, more deaths and chaos follows, and a witch's curse pops up. Then, two more movies keep spinning the story. Fear Street Part 2: 1978 takes its cues from Friday the 13th by heading to a summer camp in its titular year, and Fear Street Part 3: 1666 ponders the origins of Shadyside's curse in the 1600s — and binging all three at once is immensely easy. All three Fear Street movies are available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review of Fear Street Part 1: 1994. DR DEATH Cliffhangers aren't a new creation, but Dr Death deploys the tactic masterfully. When each episode of this true-crime series ends, you want more. That's a product of the show's structure as it jumps between different years in neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch's life, and also a result of the stressful story itself. As played by Joshua Jackson (Little Fires Everywhere), Duntsch is full of charm when he's trying to encourage folks with spinal pain and neck injuries into his operating theatre — or when he's attempting to convince hospitals, particularly in Texas, to hire him. But again and again, those surgeries end horrendously. And if he's not endeavouring to sweet talk someone to get what he wants, and maintain the reputation and lifestyle he demands, his charisma melts into pure arrogance, including when he's dealing with his patients post-surgery and/or their loved ones. That's the narrative that Dr Death charts, all based on Duntsch's real-life tale, with the series following The Case Against Adnan Syed and the first and second seasons of Dirty John in jumping to the small screen from podcasts. If you've heard the Wondery release that shares Dr Death's name, you'll know that this tale is pure nightmare fuel, and the well-acted, well-shot and rightly angry drama plays that way on the screen. The longer he's allowed to operate, the bleaker Duntsch's story gets, all while fellow Texas surgeons Randall Kirby (Christian Slater, Dirty John) and Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin, Pixie) do whatever they can to bring his misdeeds to light. Dr Death is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK THE WHITE LOTUS With Enlightened, his excellent two-season Laura Dern-starring comedy-drama from 2011–13, writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status) followed an executive who broke down at work. When she stepped back into her life, she found herself wanting something completely different not just for herself, but for and from the world. It isn't linked, narrative-wise, to White's latest TV miniseries The White Lotus. Here, wealthy Americans holiday at a luxe Hawaiian resort, which is managed by Australian Armond (Murray Bartlett, Tales of the City) — folks like business star Nicole (Connie Britton, Bombshell), her husband Mark (Steve Zahn, Where'd You Go, Bernadette), and the teenage trio of Olivia (Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria), Paula (Brittany O'Grady, Little Voice) and Quinn (Fred Hechinger, Fear Street); newlyweds Rachel (Alexandra Daddario, Songbird) and Shane (Jake Lacy, Mrs America); and the recently bereaved Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge, Promising Young Woman). From the outset, when the opening scene shows Shane accompanying a body on the way home, viewers know this'll end with a death; however, as each episode unfurls, it's clear that these characters are reassessing what they want out of life as well. Here, a glam and glossy getaway becomes a hellish trap, magnifying glass and mirror, with everyone's issues and problems only augmented by their time at the eponymous location. In terms of sinking its claws into the affluent, eat the rich-style, this perceptive, alluring and excellently cast drama also pairs nicely with the White-penned Beatriz at Dinner, especially as it examines the differences between the resort's guests and staff. The first three episodes of The White Lotus are available to stream via Binge, with new episodes dropping weekly. TED LASSO A sports-centric sitcom that's like a big warm hug, Ted Lasso belongs in the camp of comedies that focus on nice and caring people doing nice and caring things. Parks and Recreation is the ultimate recent example of this subgenre, as well as fellow Michael Schur-created favourite Brooklyn Nine-Nine — shows that celebrate people supporting and being there for each other, and the bonds that spring between them, to not just an entertaining but to a soul-replenishing degree. As played by Jason Sudeikis (Booksmart), the series' namesake is all positivity, all the time. A small-time US college football coach, he scored an unlikely job as manager of British soccer team AFC Richmond in the show's first season, a job that came with struggles. The ravenous media wrote him off instantly, the club was hardly doing its best, owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham, Sex Education) had just taken over the organisation as part of her divorce settlement, and veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle) and current hotshot Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, Judy) refused to get along. Ted's upbeat attitude does wonders, though. In the second season, however, he finds new team psychologist Dr Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles, I May Destroy You) an unsettling presence. You definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this show's ongoing charms, to adore its heartwarming determination to value banding together and looking on the bright side, and to love its depiction of both male tenderness and supportive female friendships (which is where Maleficent: Mistress of Evil's Juno Temple comes in). In fact, this is the best sitcom currently in production. The first two episodes of Ted Lasso's second season are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly. MONSTERS AT WORK Some of the best films leave you pondering a simple question: what happened next? Sequels don't always answer that query, though, because often you're wondering what literally followed mere moments after the exact events you've just watched — which isn't necessarily where follow-ups head. Cue Monsters at Work, Pixar's latest addition to its Monsters, Inc franchise. That smart and sweet 2001 movie saw seasoned scarer Sulley (John Goodman, The Righteous Gemstones) and his offsider Mike (Billy Crystal, Untogether) upend their titular employer's setup, their city of Monstropolis and their whole monster-filled world, all by realising that the children they're tasked with frightening would be much happier laughing. 2013 prequel Monsters University then joined them back at that eponymous spot; however, if you've always wanted to know what happened after Sulley and Mike switched to eliciting giggles, that's where this new Disney+ TV series comes in. The pair everyone already knows and loves is adjusting to the new status quo, because the ten-part animated show picks up the very next day after the film that started it all. Also thrown askew: Tylor Tuskmon (Ben Feldman, Mad Men) a horned scarer who just graduated, is all set to spook kids, but finds himself working in maintenance instead. Even as it explores the fallout of Pixar's beloved 20-year-old delight, this series doesn't really need to exist, but it nonetheless delivers an enjoyable extended stint in this creature-filled world. Also entertaining: voice work from Mindy Kaling (Locked Down) and Henry Winkler (Barry) as Tylor's new colleagues. The first five episodes of Monsters at Work are available to stream via Disney+, with new episodes dropping weekly. MIRACLE WORKERS: THE OREGON TRAIL In the first season of Miracle Workers, which hit screens back in 2019, the one and only, always-great Steve Buscemi (The King of Staten Island) played god. It was a stroke-of-genius piece of exceptional casting in an eccentric comedy about heavenly bureaucrats subjected to the supposed Almighty's whims while still trying to keep earth running — and attempting to save it from the deity's destructive tendencies — but the storyline wrapped up in one season. Thankfully, the series still returned in 2020; however, this time it went back to the Dark Ages. Buscemi's role: Eddie Shitshoveler. Yes, that name does indeed describe the character's occupation, and many hilarious hijinks ensued in that addition to this ongoing anthology. Again, the tale ran for a single season, but that wasn't the end of the show either. Now that Miracle Workers has returned once more, it has the subtitle The Oregon Trail. Buscemi is Benny the Teen, an outlaw in pioneer era-America who ends up leading townsfolk from a fading rural locale along the titular track and hopefully to a better life. All of his now three-time co-stars are back as well, with Daniel Radcliffe (Guns Akimbo) playing a priest, Geraldine Viswanathan (The Broken Hearts Gallery) as the unhappy wife of Jon Bass' (Baywatch) snobbish villager, and Karan Soni (Superintelligence) as another gunslinger. Like its predecessors, this season is delightfully absurd, filled with intriguing characters and benefits from committed comic performances, all while parodying its new setting. The first three episodes of Miracle Workers: The Oregon Trail are available to stream via Stan, with new episodes dropping weekly. CLASSICS TO WATCH AND REWATCH THE SPY KIDS FRANCHISE Here's the thing about the best family-friendly movies: if they're great and they truly live up to their genre, then they really are not just suitable for but entertaining to audiences of all ages. Most films that overtly endeavour to entice children's eyeballs do also attempt to keep adults engaged as well — but oh-so-many fail. Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids franchise is one of the rare examples that works for everyone. It's goofy enough to play as an espionage comedy for viewers young and old, and even its flatter moments are better and have more personality than the bulk of its genre cohorts. Given the cast, which includes Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory), Carla Gugino (Gunpowder Milkshake), Alan Cumming (Battle of the Sexes), Cheech Marin (The War with Grandpa), Danny Trejo (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run), Steve Buscemi (Miracle Workers: The Oregon Trail; see above) and Salma Hayek (The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard), as well as Daryl Sabara (The Green Inferno) and Alexa Vega (Nashville) as the central kids, there was always going to be plenty to love here. Nostalgia might keep drawing you back to this series, but that's not the only thing that'll keep you interested. The frenetic and kinetic pace, the candy-coloured visuals and the all-round offbeat approach all filter through not only the first three flicks in the franchise, aka 2001's Spy Kids, 2002's Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, and 2003's Spy Kids 3: Game Over, but also 2011's Spy Kids: All the Time in the World as well. Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3: Game Over are available to stream via Binge, and all four films are also available on Stan. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May and June this year — and our top straight-to-streaming movies and specials from 2021 so far, and our list of the best new TV shows released this year so far as well.
Following months (and months) of lockdown, the Immigration Museum is finally able to exhibit the work of South Sudanese-born, Melbourne-based artist Atong Atem. Running through January 31, 2021, Atong Atem: To be real showcases the photographer's work as part of the Photo 2021 International Festival of Photography. Revealing a new series of large-scale photographic works, Atem captures moments that verge on the surreal and hyper-real. The artist uses bright tones and textural outfits to explore themes of mythology and fantasy — as well as examine her own identity and sense of belonging in contemporary Australian life. While entry is free, booking ahead is a must. Head here to grab your ticket. Top image: Bigoa with Fan (2020) by Atong Atem
First, Black Mirror's Twitter account broke a four-year silence back in April. Next, Charlie Brooker's dystopian sci-fi hit dropped a sneak peek at its next batch of technological nightmares — aka the first trailer for the show's long-awaited sixth season — and confirmed that the show would return sometime in June. Now, the Netflix series has unveiled more details about what's in store, including which new technological nightmares it'll be spinning. It might be a streaming smash, but that doesn't mean that satirising streaming is off the agenda. Indeed, one of season six's five episodes, Joan Is Awful, will focus on an average woman who discovers that a global streaming platform has adapted her life into a prestige TV drama. Playing her on-screen? Salma Hayek Pinault (Magic Mike's Last Dance). This instalment will be packed with familiar faces, too, including Annie Murphy (Kevin Can F**k Himself), Michael Cera (Life & Beth), Himesh Patel (Station Eleven), Rob Delaney (The Power) and Ben Barnes (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities). Also on its way: Netflix seeing the darker side of nature documentaries — which, like biographical dramas, it's mighty fond of making itself. In upcoming Black Mirror instalment Loch Henry, a sleepy Scottish town welcomes in a young couple, who are keen to follow in David Attenborough's footsteps. Then they learn of a shocking local story, in an episode with Samuel Blenkin (The Witcher: Blood Origin), Myha'la Herrold (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Daniel Portman (Game of Thrones), John Hannah (The Last of Us) and Monica Dolan (Empire of Light) in its cast. Viewers looking forward to Aaron Paul's (Westworld) return to Black Mirror after first being involved in 2017 will been keen on Beyond the Sea, where it's an alternative 1969, two men are on a high-tech mission and dealing with a tragedy's big consequences, and Josh Hartnett (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), Kate Mara (Call Jane), Auden Thornton (This Is Us) and Rory Culkin (Swarm) co-star. In Mazey Day, the paparazzi hounds a troubled starlet who is coping with the aftermath of a hit-and-run, with Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Clara Rugaard (I Am Mother) and Danny Ramirez (Stars at Noon) featuring. And in Demon 79, it's 1979 and a sales assistant in Northern England is informed that she has to commit terrible acts or a disaster will occur — with Anjana Vasan (Killing Eve), Paapa Essiedu (Men), Katherine Rose Morley (The Syndicate) and David Shields (Benediction) starring. Brooker has penned all five new chapters, co-writing Demon 79 with Bisha K Ali (Ms Marvel). This season is being teased as "the most unpredictable, unclassifiable and unexpected season yet", which is saying something given everything that Black Mirror has thrown at the screen in past seasons (and in choose-your-own-adventure-style movie Black Mirror: Bandersnatch). And yes, Brooker does have quite the challenge this time around: making something that manages to be even more dispiriting than reality over the past few years. That's increasingly been one of the show's dilemmas — and noting that something IRL feels just like Black Mirror has become one of the cliches of our times — but this'll be the mind-bending effort's first round of episodes following the pandemic. Check out the first trailer and latest teaser for Black Mirror's sixth season below: Black Mirror season six will stream via Netflix some time in June. We'll update you when an exact release date is announced. Images: Nick Wall/Daniel Escale, Netflix.
Gone are the days when watching a new television series meant sitting down at a set time to glue your eyes to the small screen, or programming your VCR to record said show for later. If you can remember back then, then you'll know that gone are the days where viewing everything you want to felt somewhat achievable, too. Thanks to the ever-growing array of streaming platforms, we're now utterly spoiled for choice, with new choices dropping all the time — and constantly demanding your attention. Sadly, we just can't watch every TV show ever made when they first arrive. Realistically, we can't all view every series ever anyway — but we can catch up with the greats. That's one of the handy things about summer holidays: the flow of newcomers does slow down, even if only for a few weeks, and plenty of the year's standouts beckon. When it comes to excellent episodic fare, 2022 was no slouch. Ace new shows hit with frequency over the past 12 months, so much so that you likely missed some. With that in mind, we've rounded up 15 stellar 2022 arrivals that mightn't have made their way to your streaming queues yet, but should as soon as you have the time — and, if you've already seen them, definitely deserve a rewatch. THE LAST MOVIE STARS Filmmakers adoring filmmakers is basically its own on-screen genre. Six-part documentary limited series The Last Movie Stars gives that idea a different spin: actors loving actors. Here, Ethan Hawke turns director, not for the first time — see: films Blaze, Seymour: An Introduction, The Hottest State and Chelsea Walls — to show his affection for the inimitable Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Unsurprisingly, he has a wealth of company, some chatting through their fondness for two Hollywood talents like no other and some contributing by giving voice to interview transcripts. For a memoir that didn't eventuate, Newman and Woodward compiled chats by a who's who of showbusiness during their careers; however, they also had the tapes destroyed. Cue George Clooney voicing Newman's chats, Laura Linney doing Woodward's, and everyone from Oscar Isaac, Sam Rockwell and Mark Ruffalo to Rose Byrne and Zoe Kazan also subbing in for other famous names. That's where The Last Movie Stars' audio comes from, echoing with insightful discussions given the emotion they deserve. Hawke also includes new zoom chats with his players, as well as with Martin Scorsese, his daughter and Stranger Things star Maya and more, but his engrossing and probing series is head over heels for pairing those recreated interviews with archival footage. Staring at Newman and Woodward is easy, as is celebrating them and their relationship. This isn't just a case of deserved worship, though, but shows its subjects as real people rather than just stars — all while exploring Hollywood at the time, stepping through their careers and contemporaries, and overflowing with clear-eyed warmth. Hawke doesn't avoid tricky traits or truths, and this in-depth doco is all the more enlightening and compassionate for it. Whether you already treasure Newman and Woodward or you've always wanted to know more about the two legends, this is a movie buff's pure and utter dream. The Last Movie Stars streams via Binge. THE AFTERPARTY Only Murders in the Building isn't the only new comic murder-mystery series worth streaming from the past year or so. Joining it is The Afterparty, which also sports a killer cast — this time Sam Richardson (Detroiters), Ben Schwartz (Space Force), Zoe Chao (Love Life), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project), Dave Franco (If Beale Street Could Talk) and Tiffany Haddish (The Card Counter) — and a savvy spin on an oft-used gimmick. Rather than skewering true-crime podcasting, this quickly addictive comedy from writer/director Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie) toys with the reality that every tale differs depending on the perspective. Whodunnits always hinge upon that fact, and Miller has also clearly seen iconic Japanese film Rashomon. And, considering that its big murder takes place after a school function, there's a touch of Big Little Lies at play, too. With his directing partner Phil Lord, Miller has made a career out of getting smart and funny with familiar parts, however, and that doesn't change here. The setup: at the afterparty following his 15-year high-school reunion, obnoxious autotune-abusing pop star Xavier (Franco) winds up dead on the rocks beneath his lavish mansion. Enter the determined Detective Danner (Haddish), who starts grilling his former classmates one by one to find out who's responsible. Her interrogations start with the sensible Aniq (the always-great Richardson), who was hoping to finally make a move on his schoolyard crush Zoe (Chao) — and after his version of events, Danner hears from Zoe's macho ex Brett (Barinholtz) in The Afterparty's second episode, then from Aniq's best bud Yasper (Schwartz, riffing on Parks and Recreation's Jean-Ralphio without being quite as ridiculous), and so on. The cast is top-notch, the writing is clever, there's much fun to be had with its genre- and perspective-bending premise, and the throwaway gags are simply glorious. The Afterparty streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. MO For three seasons on Ramy, Mohammed Amer has played Mo, the diner-owning cousin to the show's namesake. For those three seasons, including 2022's batch of episodes, he's also been part of one of the best and most thoughtful shows currently streaming, especially when it comes to the immigrant experience and telling Muslim American stories. Instead of just co-starring in an art-imitates-life dramedy inspired by someone else's existence, however, Amer has taken a leaf out of Ramy Youssef's book with Mo — a show with the same underlying concept, as co-created by Amer and Youssef. This time, the pair draw upon Amer's background rather than Youssef's. So, Amer's on-screen alter-ego is a Palestinian living in America. He's a refugee, in fact, who fled the Middle East when he was a child and sought asylum with his family. His US home: Houston, Texas. IRL, every one of these points is drawn from Amer's existence, as fans of his Netflix standup specials Mo Amer: The Vagabond and Mo Amer: Mohammed in Texas will recognise. That's the history behind Mo, with the series' eight-episode first season honing in on its protagonist's attempts to gain US citizenship. Mo Najjar (Amer, Black Adam), his mother Yusra (Farah Bsieso, Daughters of Abdul) and brother Sameer (Omar Elba, Limetown) have been waiting two decades to have their cases heard — another detail ripped from reality — and trying to forge new lives while remaining in legal limbo has long since taken a toll. Spanning losing jobs, trying to find a new one as an undocumented American resident, the Najjars' family dynamic, pain from back home they haven't processed, the weight of cultural traditions and expectations, and Mo's relationship with Mexican and Catholic mechanic Maria (Teresa Ruiz, Father Stu), there's no shortage of detail and drama to Amer's passion project. Indeed, every second of the series feels as personal and authentic as it clearly is, and does far more than merely give Amer his own Ramy. Mo streams via Netflix. LOOT Aptly given its title, new Apple TV+ sitcom Loot doesn't look cheap — or sound it. It's partly filmed in one of America's biggest private homes, an enormous mansion with 21 bedrooms, five pools, a bowling alley and a cinema. It's filled with well-known needle drops that come quickly and often, with one episode featuring three Daft Punk tracks alone. It couldn't scream louder or drip harder with excess; the series is about a mega-rich tech whiz's wife who gets $87 billion in their public and messy breakup, after all. And, it is inescapably made by a company that's a big technology behemoth itself, and has been splashing stacks of cash to build its streaming roster (see: The Morning Show, Ted Lasso, Severance, Physical, Prehistoric Planet, Foundation, The Shrink Next Door, Shining Girls, Slow Horses, Lisey's Story and more). Loot is also clearly a satire, however, and a canny, warm and funny one at that. The premise: amid being gifted a mega yacht for her birthday, then jumping to a party in that aforementioned sprawling home, Molly Novak (Maya Rudolph, Big Mouth) discovers that her husband John (Adam Scott, Severance) is cheating on her. Post-divorce, after that huge settlement and a stint of partying around the globe with her assistant Nicholas (Joel Kim Booster, Fire Island), she gets a call from Sofia Salinas (Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Pose), the head of the foundation she's forgotten bears her name (and even exists). With Molly's drunken decadence all over the news, the charity is finding it difficult to do its work. So, the organisation's namesake decides to ditch the revelry — and her married moniker, becoming Molly Wells — and put all that dough to better use. She also commits to playing an active role in how her funds can truly help people. Loot streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. TOKYO VICE Seven years after making his most recent movie, aka 2015's Chris Hemsworth-starring Blackhat, one of America's best directors is finally back behind the lens. Thief, Heat, The Insider and Collateral filmmaker Michael Mann only helms Tokyo Vice's pilot, but what a tone-setting debut episode it is — as stylish and gritty a piece of television as you're likely to stream any time soon, in fact. Mann also serves as the eight-part book-to-screen series' executive producer, which explains why its slice of neon-lit Japanese-set noir always feels like it bears his fingerprints. Of course, the show isn't shy about its links to the director, who also executive produced the original 1980s TV series Miami Vice, and wrote and directed the 2006 big-screen remake. That said, Tokyo Vice's moniker actually stems from Jake Adelstein's memoir Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan, about his years writing for Yomiuri Shimbun as a non-Japanese journalist. Nonetheless, everything about the HBO-backed program feels as if it was always fated to end up in Mann's hands. Adelstein was Yomiuri Shimbun's first foreign staff writer, with Tokyo Vice exploring his quest to cement himself inside the publication from the bottom up. As played by West Side Story's Ansel Elgort, Adelstein always stands out, as does his dogged determination to chase the stories he's explicitly instructed to ignore. Murders don't happen in Japan, he's told. What he's witnessing screams otherwise, though. So, he starts spending his own time investigating, befriending Tokyo organised crime division detective Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) for guidance, and also getting close to club hostess and fellow American-in-Tokyo Samantha Porter (Rachel Keller, Legion), plus jaded Yakuza enforcer Sato (Shô Kasamatsu, Love You as the World Ends). Elgort is the weakest part of the series, but that also suits the overall narrative and its focus on the city's underworld — and everything around him, including Rinko Kikuchi (Pacific Rim: Uprising) and Hideaki Itô (Memoirs of a Murderer), is stellar. Tokyo Vice streams Paramount+. Read our full review. PACHINKO When novels are turned into movies, there's usually a sense that's something is missing, no matter how fantastic the film proves. That's understandable; when you compare the time it takes to unfurl a story on the page with the usual running time of a feature — even a lengthy one — not everything can make the leap from book to screen. Named for the gambling machines that fill Japanese arcades, Pachinko turns author and journalist Min Jin Lee's award-winning text into an eight-part series instead, and it's a canny and clever move. So too is getting filmmakers Kogonada and Justin Chon to direct four instalments apiece, both coming off fantastic work via After Yang and Blue Bayou respectively. And, adding to the smart and savvy choices made by this immediately engrossing series, which unfurls a sweeping, 20th century-set, multi-generational tale about struggle, resilience and endurance: casting always-wonderful Minari Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung — as well as newcomer Kim Min-ha as the younger version of her character. Youn and Kim play Sunja (and, as a child, first-timer Yuna does as well), who anchors a story that's both impressively sprawling and devastatingly intimate. As a girl, she grows up in Japanese-occupied Korea, a fact that shapes every part of her young life. When she's older, she moves to Japan — and by the time that she's a grandmother, that's where the bulk of her existence has unfolded. Jumping between different periods, Pachinko charts how the shadow of colonial rule has lingered over not just Sunja but the family she's brought into the world, including in the 80s where her grandson Solomon (Jin Ha, Devs) works in finance in New York and her son Mozasu (Soji Arai, Cobra Kai) has made his way thanks to the titular game. Splashing an epic story told with emotion, resonance, insight and elegance across the screen, this is at the pinnacle of novel-to-screen adaptations. Pachinko streams via Apple TV+. BLACK BIRD 2022 marks a decade since Taron Egerton's first on-screen credit as a then-23 year old. Thanks to the Kingsman movies, Eddie the Eagle, Robin Hood and Rocketman, he's rarely been out of the cinematic spotlight since — but miniseries Black Bird feels like his most mature performance yet. The latest based-on-a-true-crime tale to get the twisty TV treatment, it adapts autobiographical novel In with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption. It also has Dennis Lehane, author of Gone Baby Gone, Mystic River and Shutter Island, bringing it to streaming. The focus: Jimmy Keene, a former star high-school footballer turned drug dealer, who finds his narcotics-financed life crumbling when he's arrested in a sting, offered a plea bargain with the promise of a five-year sentence (four with parole), but ends up getting ten. Seven months afterwards, he's given the chance to go free, but only if he agrees to transfer to a different prison to befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser, Cruella), and get him to reveal where he's buried his victims' bodies. Even with new shows based on various IRL crimes hitting queues every week, or thereabouts — 2022 has seen plenty, including Inventing Anna, The Dropout, The Girl From Plainville and The Staircase, to name a mere few — Black Bird boasts an immediately compelling premise. The first instalment in its six-episode run is instantly gripping, too, charting Keene's downfall, the out-of-ordinary situation posed by Agent Lauren McCauley (Sepideh Moafi, The Killing of Two Lovers), and the police investigation by Brian Miller (Greg Kinnear, Crisis) to net Hall. It keeps up the intrigue and tension from there; in fact, the wild and riveting details just keep on coming. Fantastic performances all round prove pivotal as well. Again, Egerton is excellent, while Hauser's menace-dripping efforts rank among the great on-screen serial killer portrayals. And, although bittersweet to watch after his sudden passing in May, Ray Liotta (The Many Saints of Newark) makes a firm imprint as Keene's father. Black Bird streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. I LOVE THAT FOR YOU It works for television networks greenlighting new comedies, and it works for viewers picking what to watch, too: take one of Saturday Night Live's extremely amusing ladies, give them their own show, see laughs and smarts follow, profit. I Love That For You actually boasts two such talented women, although they didn't crossover during their SNL stints: Molly Shannon and Vanessa Bayer. The latter plays Joanna Gold, who has always dreamed of being on SVN — Special Value Network, that is. When she was a kid (Sophie Pollono, Small Engine Repair), she was diagnosed with childhood leukaemia, and obsessing over her idol Jackie Stilton (Shannon, The Other Two) as she sold anything and everything helped as a distraction. Now an adult, Joanna still wants to do exactly the same, and leave her job alongside her dad (Matt Malloy, The Sex Lives of College Girls) at Costco behind. But when she gets the chance, she pulls an unimpressed face during her first on-air stint that kills sales, so she says her cancer has returned to avoid getting fired. On paper, that's an extremely tricky premise. In lesser hands, it'd be downright horrible. As well as being a comic gem here, in SNL, and in everything from I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson to Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Bayer had childhood leukaemia herself — and if she didn't, and wasn't also one of I Love That For You's creators and writers, it's highly likely that this series wouldn't work. Thankfully, instead, it takes the same approach that Bayer has clearly always taken since her teenage experience, using humour in clever, sensitive, sincere, amusing, savvy and sometimes surreal ways. The show keeps demonstrating why its setup is worth tackling, too, asking questions about trying to live a normal life and work out who you are after surviving such a diagnosis; how and when sympathy is genuine, earned and milked; and guilt on several levels. It's also an entertaining workplace comedy and a takedown of consumerism, greed and the fact that anything, including sob stories, are for sale if there's something to be sold. And, of course, Bayer and Shannon are dynamite in their shared scenes. I Love That For You streams via Paramount+. THE PATIENT In one of 2022's new streaming standouts, Bad Sisters, Brian Gleeson tries to get to the bottom of a suspicious death. In another, The Patient, Domhnall Gleeson plays a serial killer. The two shows have more differences than commonalities, but it's clearly a great time for the Frank of Ireland-co-starring Gleeson brothers and twisty tales about crime. For Run's Domhnall, he co-leads a show about a murderer who enlists a therapist to try to stop his homicidal urges. Sam Fortner does indeed sit in Alan Strauss' (Steve Carell, Minions: The Rise of Gru) office and seek his help, but as well as hiding his eyes and face behind sunglasses, he keeps his real name, the bulk of his personal details and bloody pastime to himself. It's only after Strauss wakes up chained in Fortner's house that the latter feels comfortable enough to come clean and truly ask for assistance, albeit under terrifying circumstances for his captive. Domhnall Gleeson's on-screen resume isn't short on highlights, including Ex Machina and Brooklyn. Carell's has blatantly boasted many, spanning both comedies (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The Office, obviously) and dramas (including his Oscar-nominated work in Foxcatcher). Accordingly, it should astonish no one that they're both instantly gripping in The Patient, as their characters bounce off of each other in inherently grim circumstances; however, they're each also in career-best form. The psychological-thriller series works as two commanding, textured and high-stakes character studies as Fortner demands Strauss' professional best, and ensures he isn't capable of refusing — and works through their respective baggage cat-and-mouse-style from there. In fact, it hits its marks so well that the show's concise format (each episode clocks in at between 20–25 minutes) keeps viewers wanting more. The Patient streams via Disney+. KILLING IT Killing It starts with a pitch. It's the first of many because that's just life these days, the show posits. Adding another sitcom to his resume after The Office, Ghosted and his beloved Brooklyn Nine-Nine guest spots, Craig Robinson keeps his first name as a Miami bank security guard with big aspirations — if he can rustle up some startup funds. His vision: owning a saw palmetto farm and living the American dream, because he believed his dad back when he was told as a kid that hard work and perseverance always pay off in the USA. For $20,000, he plans to buy land in the Everglades, then sell the fruit to pharmaceutical companies, who'll use it in prostate medicines for the lucrative health market. But when his branch manager won't give him a loan, and his life spirals soon afterwards, he begins to realise how America really works for everyone who isn't ruthless, wealthy or both. Striving for a better life, styling yourself to meet society's expectations, getting brutally trampled down: that's Killing It, which hails from B99 co-creator Dan Goor and executive producer Luke Del Tredici. It's a perceptive and savvily funny series about aiming for a shiny future to escape the swampy present, but getting stuck slithering in a circle no matter what you try. And, it's also about literally killing snakes, a money-making scheme that Craig comes across via Uber driver Jillian (Claudia O'Doherty, Our Flag Means Death). She's a chatty Australian who swings hammers at pythons because it's a profitable business — and because there's a contest awarding $20,000 to whoever kills the most. If The Good Place was wholly set in Florida and followed down-on-their luck folks chasing glory by slaying pythons, and also made exceptional use of the well-paired Robinson and O'Doherty, this'd be the end result. Killing It streams via Stan. Read our full review. WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES Scandals are to the true-crime genre like loose bills are to erotic dancers: virtually essential. On-screen stories about real life can exist without getting into ripped-from-the-headlines territory, of course, and performers who disrobe onstage can do their job without crumpled notes being thrust their way. Still, some synergies just work. In 2022, TV writer and producer Robert Siegel has happily mined sordid chapters of the past for two new streaming series, and how — first with the instantly watchable and engrossing Pam & Tommy, and now with the just-as-easy-to- Welcome to Chippendales. The second sees him survey the eponymous male stripping business, of course, showers of dollar notes and all. And for viewers who don't already know the details behind the world-famous touring dance troupe and its West Los Angeles bar origins, as started by Somen 'Steve' Banerjee back in the 70s and earning ample attention in the 80s, the full rundown has far more than scantily clad guys aplenty, lusty women, and bumping and grinding to an era-appropriate soundtrack. Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals) plays Steve, who rustles up the cash to start his own backgammon club by working in a service station for years. His dream place: cool, suave and sophisticated, and somewhere that Hugh Hefner might want to hang out. When a rush of patrons doesn't eventuate, the male dancer idea springs after a night at a gay bar with club promoter Paul Snider (Dan Stevens, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) and his playboy model wife Dorothy Stratten (Nicola Peltz Beckham, Holidate). But as business partners change, choreographer and Emmy-winning producer Nick De Noia (Murray Bartlett, Physical) gives the troupe its crowd-pleasing moves, Steve kinds a kindred spirit in accountant Irene (Annaleigh Ashford, American Crime Story) and costume designer Denise (Juliette Lewis, Yellowjackets) comes on board, this twists into a tale of money, envy, squabbles over power and ultimately murder. And yes, both Nanjiani and Bartlett are riveting to watch — as are the dance routines De Noia conjures up. Welcome to Chippendales streams via Disney+. INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE When Louis de Pointe du Lac met Lestat de Lioncourt, his life forever changed. His death did, too. That's the story that Interview with the Vampire tells and, by committing it to the page in 1976, Anne Rice's existence was altered for eternity as well — although not quite in the same way, naturally. The author has been known for her Vampire Chronicles series ever since, and its debut entry was adapted into a Brad Pitt- and Tom Cruise-starring 1994 movie before getting a do-over now as a television series. Obviously, the late Rice doesn't share her characters' lust for blood, or their ability to thwart ageing and time. Still, her famed works keep enticing in both readers and viewers — and this latest novel-to-screen version is a gothic series worth sinking your teeth into, especially thanks to its willingness to take on race, to embrace queer themes, to get playful and humorous, and to splash a sweepingly rich iteration of its now well-known tale across streaming queues. If you've seen the film, you'll know Interview with the Vampire's basic gist, although there has been some tweaking. Nonetheless, Louis (Jacob Anderson, aka Game of Thrones' Grey Worm) and Lestat (Sam Reid, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) meet in New Orleans, where they're both drawn to each other — and soon the former joins the latter in sleeping in coffins, avoiding daylight and (reluctantly) feeding on people. The series has the titular chatting happen in today's times, however, as a continuation of the movie's first conversation. Yes, this version of Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian, Succession) has been there and done this before. That didn't turn out so well for him, so he's reluctant about a repeat discussion, this time in Dubai. But Louis still has quite the story to unfurl, including covering been a Black man trying to make his way in the bayou at the turn of the 20th century, what it's meant to join the undead, his complicated relationship with Lestat, and the arrival of Claudia (Bailey Bass, Psycho Sweet 16) as part of their bloodthirsty family. Interview with the Vampire streams via AMC+. THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH Who'd want to try to step into the one and only David Bowie's shoes? Only the brave and the bold. Two people earn that description in The Man Who Fell to Earth, the new TV sequel to the iconic 1976 movie that starred the music legend in the role he was clearly born to play: an alien who descends upon earth and ch-ch-changes history. Bill Nighy (Buckley's Chance) is charged with taking over the character of Thomas Jerome Newton and, thankfully and with style, he's up to the task. Chiwetel Ejiofor (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) slides into the same kind of part that Bowie owned in the original, however, as fellow extra-terrestrial interloper Faraday. He's this follow-up's newcomer to the planet, and he's just as destined to do big things. That's not a spoiler — early in the first episode, Faraday addresses a massive crowd like he's Steve Jobs announcing Apple's latest product, and The Man Who Fell to Earth's tech success uses the occasion to spin his origin story. Who'd want to try to pick up where one of the best sci-fi films ever made left off? That'd also be the brave and the bold, aka Clarice creators Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman. Drawing inspiration from silver screen gems is obviously the pair's niche of late, but it's worth remembering with this new effort — which takes its cues from Walter Tevis' 1963 novel of the same name, too — that Kurtzman was also behind exceptional 2008–13 sci-fi series Fringe. Indeed, The Man Who Fell to Earth 2.0 feels like the perfect use of his talents, with the series thinking big and brimming with urgency in its vision of a world that might only be able to be saved by a spaceboy who truly cares about stopping climate change's damage. To follow through with his mission, though, Faraday also needs the help of former MIT physics whiz Justin Falls (Naomie Harris, No Time to Die). The Man Who Fell to Earth streams via Paramount+. OUTER RANGE Some shows commence with a dead girl wrapped in plastic. Others begin with a plane crash on a spooky island. With Outer Range, it all kicks off with a void. On the Abbott family ranch in Wyoming, in the western reach that gives the show its name, a chasm suddenly appears. A perfect circle swirling with otherworldly mist and resembling an oversized golf hole, it's just one of several troubles plaguing patriarch Royal (Josh Brolin, Dune), however. There is indeed a touch of Twin Peaks and Lost to Outer Range. A dash of Yellowstone, The Twilight Zone, The X-Files and whichever family-focused prime-time soap opera takes your fancy, too. As a result, while Royal is visibly disconcerted by the unexpected opening staring at him in an otherwise ordinary field in this intriguing, quickly entrancing and supremely well-acted eight-part series — a show that makes ideal use of Brolin especially — he has other worries. His rich, ostentatious and increasingly madcap neighbour Wayne Tillerson (Will Patton, Halloween Kills) suddenly wants a parcel of the Abbotts' turf, claiming mapping inaccuracies. One of Tillerson's mouthy and entitled sons, Trevor (Matt Lauria, CSI: Vegas), ends up in a bar spat with Royal's sons Rhett (Lewis Pullman, Top Gun: Maverick) and Perry (Tom Pelphrey, Mank). And there's also the matter of Perry's missing wife, who disappeared nine months back, leaving both her husband and their young daughter Amy (Olive Abercrombie, The Haunting of Hill House) searching since. Plus, into this sea of faith-testing chaos amid such serene and dreamlike scenery, a stranger arrives as well: "hippie chick" backpacker Autumn Rivers (Imogen Poots, The Father). She just wants to camp for a few days on the Abbotts' stunning and sprawling land, she says, but she's a key part in a show that's a ranch-dwelling western, an offbeat enigma, an eerie sci-fi, a detective quest and a thriller all at once. Outer Range streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. THE GIRL FROM PLAINVILLE Whatever she's in, and whether she's the star of the show or a supporting player, Chloë Sevigny's face always tells a tale of its own. That's been true in everything from Kids and Boys Don't Cry through to Big Love and We Are Who We Are, and it remains that way in The Girl From Plainville — the new eight-part true-crime miniseries led by The Great's Elle Fanning that's based on the death of Massachusetts teenager Conrad Roy III in 2014. Here, Fanning plays Conrad's long-distance girlfriend Michelle Carter. It's due to the her actions that the situation has been known as "the texting suicide case" for almost a decade — garnering not just local but international attention, and earning a HBO documentary, I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs Michelle Carter, back in 2019. Fanning is fantastic in what proves an eerie character study, but the looks that Sevigny, as Conrad's mother Lynn, shoots her way scream rather than simply speak volumes. Inspired by Jesse Barron's Esquire article of the same name, The Girl From Plainville tells a tough tale, starting with Conrad's (Colton Ryan, Dear Evan Hansen) suicide in his truck in a Kmart parking lot. It was his second attempt to take his own life, although he'd promised Lynn that he wouldn't do it again — and when his death was investigated, police discovered text messages sent to him by Michelle, including a plethora of words encouraging him to follow through. In 2015, she was indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter for "wantonly and recklessly" assisting the suicide. In 2017, her trial took place. The outcome is now a matter a history, which the complicated, captivating and gripping The Girl From Plainville builds up to while also unpacking Michelle and Conrad's relationship. The Girl From Plainville streams via Stan. Read our full review.
Canada had Degrassi. Britain had Press Gang. For for seven seasons, 210 episodes and a whole heap of "rack off"s between 1994–99, Australia had Heartbreak High. It's the show that turned Callan Mulvey's Drazic into an icon, actually resembled the multicultural country its homegrown audience experienced every day, and lived and breathed 90s teen angst along with its after-class viewers. Once its instantly catchy opening-credits theme started each episode, it cycled through the same taboos and troubles that every high school-set drama does, and weathered the same schoolyard ups and downs as well — but it was unmistakably and unashamedly Aussie from its accents and Sydney setting to its attitude and vernacular. The OG Heartbreak High wasn't just another snapshot of adolescent chaos; it was a mirror. Dropping on Netflix on Wednesday, September 14, the revival is now another generation's looking glass. It's also a welcome blast from the past for everyone who grew up with the original or managed to track it down afterwards (wearing out old VHS tapes, perhaps, before it hit Netflix itself); however, it's never just that, not even for a second. Initially a spinoff from the Claudia Karvan- and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid, which adapted the 1987 play of the same name, Heartbreak High returns with Gen Z at its core and a spicier vibe to match. This new batch of Sydney high schoolers don't just watch Euphoria, Sex Education and Never Have I Ever, the shows that Heartbreak High circa 2022 easily slots alongside — they're now at the centre of Australia's version, all while listening to a Triple J soundtrack, working at Harry's Cafe de Wheels, avoiding eshays and talking about bin chickens. Teen-focused dramas always reflect the generation they're made for, and the returning Heartbreak High is no different. Today's high school-set shows often come with more than a few nods backwards as well, though. Just like Beverly Hills, 90210, Saved by the Bell and Gossip Girl before it — like Degrassi's multiple go-arounds across more than four decades now, including a new take that's set to land in 2023 — Heartbreak High 2.0 knows it has a history and doesn't dream of pretending otherwise. 90s worship is in fashion anyway, so all those Doc Martens, nose rings, baggy jeans, slip dresses and oversized band t-shirts not only could've adorned the initial show's cast, but prove a natural fit this time around. Sporting such decade-crossing attire is a fresh-faced — and fresh-to-the-franchise — cohort of Hartley High students. The years and teens have changed, but the location, like plenty of the outfits, remains the same. When the eight-episode new season begins, Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect) and Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman) are life-long best friends, but their sudden rift after a drunken night at a music festival changes everything. Amerie doesn't know why Harper has suddenly shaved her head, let alone cut all ties with her. She's just as shocked when the mural they've graffitied in an unused school stairwell, chronicling who's dated, had a crush on and slept with who among the year 11s, is scandalously outed. That "incest map", whether one of Amerie's classmates received a "tongue punch in the fart box", if another has a "lazy kebab vagina", the pink dildo stuck to the school basketball hoop's backboard: there isn't just one sign that Heartbreak High isn't in the 90s anymore, let alone on Network Ten or the ABC; there's a whole classroom full of them. Where the initial series was groundbreaking in its cultural and class diversity at a time when the overwhelmingly white casts of Home and Away and Neighbours otherwise monopolised Aussie screens, navigating almost exclusively middle-class existences, creator Hannah Carroll Chapman (The Heights) ensures that her version is equally as inclusive — and frank — when it comes to gender, sexuality and neurodiversity. Principal Woodsy (Rachel House, Baby Done) isn't impressed by her students' candour, however, sending every Hartley attendee named on the map to an after-hours sexual literacy tutorial. Also in the group: the non-binary Darren (screen first-timer James Majoos) and their bestie Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud), who has autism — and who now comprise Amerie's new support system. Hartley heartthrob Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), his smug pal Spider (Bryn Chapman Parish, Mr Inbetween) and resident comic relief Ant (debutant Brodie Townsend) are all roped in, too. So is the pink-haired Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC), her ex-turned-bestie Missy (fellow newcomer Sherry-Lee Watson), and mullet-wearing drug dealer and food delivery driver Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), plus Bundjalung boy, basketballer and new Hartley arrival Malakai (Thomas, Troppo). Throw any motley crew of high schoolers together and familiar issues and struggles will arise, as all of Heartbreak High's peers — then and now — can attest. Although no one becomes a teen mother here, recent fellow Aussie series Bump also casts a shadow (and not just because it stars The Heartbreak Kid's Karvan among the parents). That show hews softer and smoother, while this one skews glossier and racier. At first, it feels like the OG Heartbreak High's rawness and grit might've been buffed away. But as the series charts the fallout from Amerie and Harper's feud, the reasons behind it, and a new wave of hookups and controversies — as well as parties and pairings — it finds its own intensity. Come for the instant nostalgia, stay for an old favourite firmly seen with fresh eyes: that's the revived Heartbreak High experience. Some recognisable names pop up, but overtly winking and nudging to 90s viewers definitely isn't the show's point. It can't be; teen chaos doesn't rack off but rather gets handed down through time, just as this series now has. Spanning everything from consent and crime to drugs and police brutality, there's more than enough adolescent mess and stress to go around again. Viewers don't have a moment to waste wondering if old faces will return anyway, given how dynamic the new cast is — Madon, Majoos and Hayden make a terrific lead trio, and Weatherall, McDonald and Yasbincek in particular turn in beautifully complicated performances — and how addictive their characters' dramas prove. Check out the trailer for Heartbreak High below: Heartbreak High streams via Netflix from Wednesday, September 14. Images: Mark Rogers / Lisa Tomasetti / Elise Lockwood, Netflix.
Under normal circumstances, when a new-release movie starts playing in cinemas, audiences can't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with a worldwide pandemic forcing picture palaces across the globe to shut down temporarily in the interest of public safety, the film industry is being forced to adjust. While no one in Australia can currently head to their local movie theatre, sit in a darkened room with a crowd of fellow film buffs and feast their eyes on the silver screen, that doesn't mean we aren't eager to see the latest flicks. In fact, as these quarantine days turn into isolation-heavy weeks, you can be forgiven for craving something new to watch. So, film distributors have started fast-tracking their recent releases from cinemas to streaming — movies that were playing in theatres when they closed, flicks that had just released and even films that didn't yet get the chance to hit the big screen. Here's a dozen you can watch right now at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAJyugYEiY THE INVISIBLE MAN Our critic says: "As written and directed by Australian filmmaker Leigh Whannell, this slow-building version of The Invisible Man isn't an account of a scientist corrupted by his latest discovery, as seen in its predecessors. Rather, it's a portrait of a woman at the mercy of a man who'll do anything and use any means to get what he wants. The end result: psychological horror mixed with futuristic science-fiction and layered with a piercing societal statement, and it's as effective as it sounds. Of course, anyone who saw Whannell's previous feature Upgrade will realise that this is the only interpretation of The Invisible Man that he could've made. The Aussie talent continues his fascination with body modification and tech-enabled surveillance, as well as his fondness for hyper-kinetic action, a pervasive mood of dread and tension, and a sparse, sleek look — plus his interrogation of the kind of society that, with not too many imaginative tweaks needed, we just might be headed for." — Sarah Ward The Invisible Man is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygzqL60kvwU BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) Our critic says: "From the moment that Margot Robbie stole the show in Suicide Squad, a Harley Quinn-focused spinoff was always inevitable. So, knowing when they're onto a good thing — and witnessing their now Academy Award-nominated Australian star keep rising in fame via I, Tonya, Mary, Queen of Scots, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Bombshell — the folks behind the DC Extended Universe have gone and done the obvious. Thankfully, the powers-that-be learned a few lessons along the way, leaning into everything that first made the anarchic character attract so much big-screen attention. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is vividly stylised, irreverently upbeat, and both frenetic and fluid. To the benefit of every fight and chase scene, it's also more concerned with eye-popping action choreography than overblown special effects. The movie's riotous mood, lurid colour scheme and kookily comic sensibilities can't smooth out all of its bumps, though, but put it this way: Suicide Squad, this definitely isn't." — Sarah Ward Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrmnEHSJx-M COME TO DADDY Our critic says: "Following a map to a remote waterside location, Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood) knocks on his father's door, reuniting with the man he hasn't seen for more than 30 years. It's a tense, awkward scene, with more of the same following — and, in a movie that segues from reunion drama to unsettling mystery flick to crime thriller, things only get unhinged and deranged from there. Marking the feature directorial debut of New Zealand producer-turned-filmmaker Ant Timpson (The ABCs of Death, Turbo Kid, Deathgasm), Come to Daddy proves an anarchic, unruly and very amusing ride, complete with committed performances not just from Wood, but from Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley and The Breaker Upperers' Madeleine Sami as well. It's also inspired by reality, although to say more would be to reveal too much about a movie that revels in its twists and turns. And in its ample splashes of gore and blood, too." — Sarah Ward Come to Daddy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and Umbrella Entertainment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxKXiQvyG_o ONWARD Our critic says: "Onward tells the tale of brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (Marvel co-stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt), two teenage elves who've grown up without their dearly departed dad. Thanks to an unexpected flash of long-dormant magic, they're given the chance to spend one last day with their father — but, in order to do so, they'll have to undertake a perilous quest in Barley's rundown van Guinevere. From this description, you might've noticed that Pixar's usual formula isn't at play here, with the company branching beyond the "what if toys/cars/rats/robots/monsters/feelings had feelings?" setup that's served it so well in everything from the Toy Story franchise to Inside Out. Rest assured, however, that Onward's central elf siblings do indeed experience a whole heap of emotions as they cast spells, try to decipher mysterious maps, endeavour to avoid curses, explore their complicated brotherly relationship and team up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion called The Manticore (Octavia Spencer)." — Sarah Ward Onward is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes, and will hit Disney+ on Friday, April 24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxAWKALOCAg THE HUNT Our critic says: "When The Hunger Games pit people against each other in an elaborate battle royale-style fight to the death, it did so in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world. In Craig Zobel's The Hunt, a similar situation applies — but, taking aim at the political divides so prominent between the left and right in America today, this satirical horror-thriller is firmly set our current reality. Here, 14 strangers awaken in a remote woodland area, gagged but with access to a giant crate of weapons. Soon afterwards, the shooting starts. Pitting "deplorables" against "liberal elites" in a film with the kill-or-be-killed chaos of reality TV parody Series 7: The Contenders and action choreography that'd make the John Wick franchise proud, The Hunt is nowhere near as savage, smart or politically astute as it thinks it is. That said, thanks to a steely lead performance by GLOW's Betty Gilpin, a playful sense of humour and a willingness to toy with audiences as much as it does with its characters, it entertains far more often than it provokes." — Sarah Ward The Hunt is available to stream via Google Play and iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbHkNiIyl3I THE WAY BACK Our critic says: "Pitched as Ben Affleck's big comeback role after a run of average-at-best flicks — including his short-lived turn as Batman — The Way Back follows a faded man who used to be a big deal. His character was once a high school basketball star; however the years since have been filled with bad choices, tragedy and an overabundance of alcohol. Given the chance to relive his glory days by coaching the school's struggling current team, he embarks on a quest for redemption. As well as boasting Affleck's best performance since Gone Girl, it's to The Way Back's credit that this underdog story on multiple levels doesn't always take the obvious route. Still, it's guilty of leaning on illness-related heartbreak for easy, cliched emotional manipulation, rather than trusting its central performance. Affleck feels like he's trying a little too hard to follow in his brother Casey's footsteps, too, with similarities to the far superior Manchester by the Sea evident." — Sarah Ward The Way Back is available to stream via iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je22_P3Qm7U THE GENTLEMEN Our critic says: "When in doubt, they say to go back to your roots. Given that Guy Ritchie's last two films were Aladdin and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, it's fair to assume that doubt had squarely reared its head. As the director's name alone evokes the sound of cockney rhyming slang and the image of grimy London back alleys, dancing bedazzled elephants were about as off-brand as it gets. So he goes back to his roots with The Gentlemen — and it's a warm and welcome return. Overall, The Gentlemen is fun, to put it in the simplest of terms. It's certainly not without its faults — the patchwork of styles, from action film to hip hop music video and everything in between is constantly jarring — but the general experience is an agreeable one. Like the scotch enthusiastically consumed by the film's unofficial narrator, Fletcher (a delightful turn by Hugh Grant), The Gentlemen is a little rough at first, but smoother with every sip until you're silly drunk and smiling like a fool." — Tom Glasson The Gentlemen is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llt7-EQP6dg EMMA Our critic says: "In the latest big-screen version of Jane Austen's beloved novel, well-heeled chaos ensues — as much chaos that can within stately and sprawling country manors, while compliant, silent servants are always on hand, and amidst polite conversation constantly tinted with gossip (although as Downton Abbey keeps demonstrating, that's plenty). Emma circa 2020 does everything it's supposed to, including using its sumptuous production and costume design to paint a vivid picture of Regency-era England, but it adds little of its own personality. Austen's prose, here shaped into a screenplay by The Luminaries' author Eleanor Catton, still sparkles with wit. Making her feature filmmaking debut, photographer and music video director Autumn de Wilde retains the novel's playful mood, and pairs it with a sweeping sense of visual symmetry that'd do Wes Anderson proud. And yet, this adaptation feels mostly indistinguishable from the many other unchallenging film and TV versions of literary classics that've reached screens over the years. In fact, the end result is fine, but in the passable rather than excellent sense of the word." — Sarah Ward Emma is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78k9Mhgzy74 JUST MERCY Our critic says: "Just Mercy boasts much that other films would envy, such as an emotive true tale, serious subject matter that's sadly still relevant today and a top-notch cast. Eyes blazing, his voice calm yet commanding, and compassion driving his every move, Michael B. Jordan is especially fantastic as real-life lawyer Bryan Stevenson — and he's matched by a restrained but no less resonant Jamie Foxx as a man on death row and resigned to the lie of the land in the deep south. But the feeling that this has all been seen before is used to particularly compelling effect here. It's something that writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton is clearly cognisant of, as he was when he focused on troubled teens living in a group home in the excellent Short Term 12. Layering in other cases, such as that of fellow condemned prisoner Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan), the filmmaker draws attention to the unending spate of real-life stories such as these. That's not a new revelation, but it bears heavily on a movie that's already weighty anyway." — Sarah Ward Just Mercy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szby7ZHLnkA SONIC THE HEDGEHOG Our critic says: "Cast-wise, there's a clear standout. Jim Carrey is back in full force, dropping the most endearingly over-the-top performance audiences have seen from him in ages. As villain Dr Robotnik, he's somehow even more cartoonish than the CGI Sonic — and it's spectacular. Like Sonic's running, however, there's far too little of it throughout. Instead, the lion's share of screen time is reserved for Sonic (voiced by Parks and Recreation's Ben Schwartz) and his new pal Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), the local sheriff who's helping him avoid capture. Giving credit where credit's due, Marsden delivers the goods, charming his way through scenes that ought to have tanked hard. Schwartz, too, makes the inspired choice of keeping Sonic low-key instead of manic, resulting in a far more likeable hero." — Tom Glasson Sonic the Hedgehog is available to stream via iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpbKh4FqR2g RICHARD JEWELL Our critic says: "All it took was a concert and a backpack for Richard Jewell's (Paul Walter Hauser) life to change forever. That's the real-life story that monopolised news headlines 24 years ago. It's also the tale that Jewell, with his desperate desire to work in law enforcement, was overjoyed to have attached to his name. And, it's the narrative that Richard Jewell tells, although Clint Eastwood's involvement should make it obvious that it doesn't end there. As demonstrated with gusto in the latter years of his five-decade directorial career, Eastwood is drawn to heroes. He's not just fascinated by people acting bravely, but by true tales of fortitude in the face of pressure, scrutiny, admonishment and even contempt by society, authorities and bureaucracy. American Sniper's flag-waving tribute to the deadliest marksman in US military history, Sully's recreation of the Miracle on the Hudson and subsequent investigation, and The Mule's account of an octogenarian forced to become a drug courier to make ends meet — they all fit the profile, as does Jewell's swift slide from saviour to suspect." — Sarah Ward Richard Jewell is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-7ACXBRP-g BLOODSHOT Our critic says: "Vin Diesel as Frankenstein's monster? Vin Diesel reliving the same events over and over again, Edge of Tomorrow-style, to right a past wrong? Vin Diesel filled with tiny robots — including in a Terminator-esque scene where half his face is exposed, revealing the nanotechnology gleaming beneath his flesh? Throw in shades of Universal Soldier and RoboCop as well (and some speedy car chases, because Diesel sure does love getting fast and furious behind the wheel), and that's Bloodshot. Yes, as well as tasking Diesel with playing a US soldier brought back from the dead, Bloodshot attempts to revive a variety of parts itself — all cobbled and spliced together from multiple other science-fiction stories and action flicks. Indeed, the fact that Bloodshot is actually based on a comic book character dating back to 1992 doesn't seem anywhere near as important to first-time feature director David SF Wilson as nodding at a heap of other pop culture titles." — Sarah Ward Bloodshot is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review.
Catcall, a self-made woman full of feline fury hailing from the depths of Sydney's garage rock scene, has now landed on her feet in the spritely pop world. Recently signed to Ivy League records, she is set to launch her debut album The Warmest Place at Oxford Art Factory this coming Friday May 18. Spurred to create more than ever following the recent death of her father, Catcall, aka Catherine Kelleher, will perform a bunch of tunes that are catching the world's attention. Her feature track full of glimmering summer beats, 'Satellites', practically has you strumming the driving wheel as you leave Bronte beach with salty hair and a slight sunburn. Joining her on Friday will be a line-up of local all-stars including Al Grigg (Red Riders/Palms), Andrew Elston (aka Toni Toni Lee), Bec Allen (The Fabergettes) and Simon Parker (Lost Valentinos). https://youtube.com/watch?v=fXWTMiOCZ08
Sydney is home to some extraordinary pubs, but few capture that traditional British atmosphere, where hearty cuisine pairs with upscale dining. Launched in 2024 by renowned Lancashire-born chef Nelly Robinson, Winstons at the Nag's Head Hotel in Glebe is what he considers Sydney's first true gastropub experience. For those yet to experience its rustic-meets-refined charm, the latest event in the Winston & Mates series is the ideal excuse to head along. On Thursday, July 24, Executive Chef Nelly Robinson (NEL Restaurant) will team up with Justin North (Banc, Bécasse) for a one-off eight-course dinner. Titled 'Legacy & Larrikin', these big personalities will put their heads together, balancing the refined technique and playful flair that have made them esteemed names in the world of cuisine. Expect standout dishes like spanner crab tart with brown butter, king prawn and bug tortellini in lobster bisque, and 14-hour beef short rib with truffle potato. Priced at $120 per person, there are only 50 spots available for this gastropub-inspired feast. Forming the second in this six-part series, Robinson will also welcome other leading chefs like Julian Cincotta (Butter) and Shaun Christie-David (Plate It Forward) into the kitchen over the coming months.
Aunty Donna fans, we're living in a golden time for the sketch comedy group's jokes making their way from skits to IRL. Obviously, everything is still a drum and always will be. On top of that, though, Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane are making a sitcom about whipping up morning browns, have dropped an Always Room for Christmas Pud picture book and are releasing a $30 bottle of wine literally called $30 bottle of wine. If you're already giggling at all of the above, then you know the skits that they all spring from — and, when it comes to the new vino, you're ready to chug-a-lug. First, though, you'd also best be prepared to aerate the wine by pouring it into a decanter, then wait an hour before drinking. Then, you'll need to swirl, sniff, maybe find a cupcake in your glass, spit some wine out to explore the flavours and just generally feel like a fancy rich type. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Built To Spill Wine (@builttospill.wine) Saying that it costs $30 a lot, and respecting it because it costs $30, are also essential. So is singing the Home and Away theme song, apparently. Obviously, you don't have to take Aunty Donna's $30 Bottle of Wine skit as actual instructions, but watching said clip while drinking is definitely recommended. The $30 bottle of wine — which isn't just any bottle of wine, of course — hails from a collaboration with Built to Spill. The wine label was started by Tai Tate (ex-Porteno, Mary's, P&V) back in 2020 and has built itself up a following since, with this collaboration coming after Tate was introduced to the world of Aunty Donna by tattoo artist called Sanchez. The latter has now done the honours with the bottle's label, in fact, and yes, the words "$30 bottle of wine" feature prominently. Tate advises that the wine, which retails for $29.95 and ships from Monday, November 28, is probably worth more than $30. A natural shiraz from Macedon by Trutta Wines, it features bright red fruits and cacao, plus notes of cranberry and wild cherry. Go on, give all that a mention as you're sipping — you have to, it's the $30-bottle-of-wine way. Built to Spill is selling Aunty Donna's $30 bottle of wine solo, and in a bundle with Always Room for Christmas Pud. Ace Christmas present alert, clearly. All that's left now is to revisit the sketch that started it all, because you can never watch it too many times. Check it out below: For more information about Aunty Donna's $30 bottle of wine, head to the Built to Spill website. Orders are open now, and bottles ship from Monday, November 28.
In his three decades so far behind the camera, every film that Wes Anderson has made, features and shorts alike, has boasted one of two people behind their ideas. Number one: himself, with the writer/director sometimes teaming up with Owen Wilson (Haunted Mansion), Noah Baumbach (White Noise), Jason Schwartzman (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and/or Roman Coppola (Mozart in the Jungle) to pen his screenplays. Number two: Roald Dahl, the author responsible for a bookshelf full of childhood classics that've engaged and entertained generations. With the latter, first came Anderson's magnificent stop-motion Fantastic Mr Fox adaptation, which is lively, smart and funny as well as gloriously animated. Now arrives four new Netflix shorts based on various parts of Dahl's lengthy bibliography. Wondering how Anderson would fare with The Witches, Matilda or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — each of which have reached screens multiple times, including a recent The Witches remake, the film version of Matilda The Musical and upcoming origin story Wonka — remains confined to the world's imaginations at the moment. Instead, the symmetry-loving filmmaker and Dahl still prove a dream match with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison. Dropping daily since Wednesday, September 27, the entire group is now available to stream. Watch all four at once and you've got a new Anderson-directed, Dahl-inspired feature-length anthology, plus pure, quintessential, gorgeous and thoughtful Anderson gold. Visually, the Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom and Isle of Dogs filmmaker busts out his jewel and pastel palette, elaborate dollhouse visuals, moving sets, centred framing and distinctive dialogue rhythms in his latest works, each trademark stylistic touch a reliably dazzling treat in his hands. Talent-wise, he enlists a core sextet of well-known stars — Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Dev Patel (The Green Knight), Ben Kingsley (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Ralph Fiennes (The Menu), Richard Ayoade (The Souvenir: Part II) and Rupert Friend (High Desert) — who deliver pitch-perfect Anderson-esque performances cycling through a range of roles while uttering deadpan to-camera dialogue. Thematically, Anderson starts the shorts series with belief and hope, then keeps skewing darker. His fixation with meticulously delightful sights has always been paired with bleaker notions, as seen from Bottle Rocket onwards; here, he swings between humanity at its best and its worst. Also present: more stories within stories within stories (within stories), as Anderson has long loved stacking and unpacking, frequently with writers taking centre stage. Fresh from stepping into a play as a live production in a TV show in Asteroid City and also flicking through a magazine's articles in The French Dispatch, the filmmaker now gets an author sharing his scribblings. Dahl isn't just the origin of the four stories adapted. Fiennes, who reunites with the writer/director after turning in one of the finest-ever performances in his films in The Grand Budapest Hotel, plays Dahl in one of his current parts for Anderson. That move enthusiastically makes the helmer's fondness for layers known structurally, standing out as much as the faux sets that he deploys visually — and as Dahl pops up to narrate and explain from his Buckinghamshire writing hut, it's also a choice with meaning. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar begins the set with its longest and lightest entry, the source of some of Anderson's best and most purposeful visual playfulness yet, and a 39-minute flick that shares an account of personal and spiritual growth. So, as the author's 1977 tale comes to the screen, the movie's version of Dahl chats. Henry Sugar (Cumberbatch) does as well. Dr Chatterjee (Patel) and his patient Imdad Khan (Kingsley) also have a natter. Their stories reveal that Khan has learned to see without his eyes, Chatterjee couldn't be more fascinated about this medical marvel and, after learning about it accidentally, Sugar is desperate and determined to learn the trick for himself. Initially, the eponymous figure is solely in it to help his gambling and get even richer than he already is; however, there's only soullessness and emptiness on that path, but tenderness with another choice. The next in the batch, the 17-minute The Swan, pushes Friend to the fore. It also sharply changes Anderson's tone. In this short, bullies terrorise a classmate and wildlife in tandem, in a musing on cruelty that's still stunning to look at. With The Rat Catcher, which also clocks in at 17 minutes, the short's namesake (Fiennes) is enlisted by a village (represented by Ayoade and Friend) to live up to his name, a feat he's certain that he only achieve by being as rat-like as possible. Then, in the similarly 17-minute Poison, Cumberbatch, Patel and Kingsley work through almost the opposite of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, with an Englishman in British-occupied India (Cumberbatch) given kindness by a colleague (Patel) and local doctor (Kingsley) in a life-and-death situation, but hardly repaying it. The cast that brings The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison to life is as divine on-screen as it sounds on paper, especially Cumberbatch and Patel in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, plus Patel and Kingsley in Poison. Anderson's way with aesthetics may hog the limelight whenever his name comes up — that, and the wealth of talent that he amasses in each of his films — but his ability with actors is one of his greatest skills. There isn't merely a knack to performing in the filmmaker's work; he gets his stars epitomising his specific style while showcasing their own flair, too. Watching The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, no one would ever want Anderson's latest ensemble to leave his sight, in fact, or to stop telling stories for him. Only one quibble springs from this four-short project: the decision to release each chapter separately, rather than packaging them together as an anthology feature. Of course, streaming makes that choice moot now that The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison are all freely available in Netflix's catalogue. There's a cumulative power to this set of films. Anderson sees the ups and downs of human nature as he works through Dahl's four stories. As Fiennes' Dahl talks in and around their narratives, Anderson also spies it in an author who is both beloved for his creations and decried for his discriminatory opinions. It's there in the explanatory text on-screen noting what inspired The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison as well. Spectacular to look at, exceptionally performed, and packing an emotional and thematic punch, these shorts are vintage Anderson through and through. Check out the trailer for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar below: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison are all available to stream via Netflix. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
How does life go on after not just a global Cordyceps infection, but the chaos that the first season of The Last of Us brought? In 2025, viewers will find out. While the hit HBO series isn't returning until next year, the US network has given fans a glimpse in the interim via the initial two images from the new season. Yes, Joel and Ellie are back — and, in their shoes, so are Pedro Pascal (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) and Bella Ramsey (Catherine Called Birdy). The pair of first pictures doesn't give away much; however, Ellie has a rifle in hand and Joel is looking as serious as ever, but with longer hair. The Last of Us made the leap from video games to TV in 2023, and was swiftly renewed after proving a massive smash instantly. The series gave HBO its most-watched debut season of a show ever — and its first episode was also the network's second-largest debut of all time. Locking in a second season was also hardly surprising because the 2013 game inspired a 2014 expansion pack and 2020 sequel. For newcomers to the franchise on consoles and as a TV series, it's set 20 years after modern civilisation as we know it has been toppled by a parasitic fungal infection that turns the afflicted into shuffling hordes. Pascal plays Joel, who gets saddled with smuggling 14-year-old Ellie (his Game of Thrones co-star Ramsey) out of a strict quarantine zone to help possibly save humanity's last remnants. There wouldn't be a game, let alone a television version, if that was an easy task, of course — and if the pair didn't need to weather quite the brutal journey. [caption id="attachment_932860" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Last of Us season one[/caption] As a television series, The Last of Us hails from co-creator, executive producer, writer and director Craig Mazin, who already brought a hellscape to HBO (and to everyone's must-watch list) thanks to the haunting and horrifying Chernobyl. He teams up here with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also penned and directed The Last of Us games. In season two, Rutina Wesley (Queen Sugar) will also return to the cast alongside Pascal and Ramsey. Kaitlyn Dever (Good Grief), Isabela Merced (Madame Web), Young Mazino (Beef), Ariela Barer (How to Blow Up a Pipeline), Tati Gabrielle (Kaleidoscope), Spencer Lord (Family Law) and Danny Ramirez (Black Mirror) are the season's newcomers, as is Catherine O'Hara (Argylle) as a guest star. There's no clips from The Last of Us season two yet, but check out the trailer for season one below: The Last of Us season two doesn't yet have a release date, other than sometime in 2025. When it returns, it'll stream via Binge in Australia and on Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of the first season. Images: HBO.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 21, 2018: It has been announced that Gould's Book Arcade is not gone for good — it will be reopening at a new location at 536 King Street. So, while its whole book collection is not up for grabs, it will be seriously downsizing. After more than 50 years — and almost 30 years on King Street — Gould's Book Arcade closed its doors in August. While we're mourning the loss of the literary institution, where many a Sydney Uni student spent many a night immersed in a maze of ancient titles, it's not all doom and gloom. Firstly, Commune — an organisation dedicated to the provision of low-cost spaces for creatives and communities — is taking over, so the building won't be turned in to a towering apartment block. Secondly, before setting up, Commune is hosting Booktown — an epic sale of books, records and comics. Yep, what remains of Gould's legendary collection is up for grabs, with single books starting at $1 and boxes from $10. You can also snag records for $5 a pop. Having kicked off on Monday, September 17, the event will continue until Sunday, September 30. And all proceeds will go towards restoring the building. Books, Records and Comics Sale will be open from 11am–7pm daily.
The first stage of The Royal, the long-running Bondi pub, reopened in September, with punters able to quench their thirst yet again with daiquiris, espresso martinis and many take-home wines from the attached bottle-o. However, it's the pub's eatery we had all been waiting patiently for — and with Merivale steering the ship, we knew it wasn't going to be a half-hearted effort. And you'll be happy to know, now that it's open, it's suitably impressive. Chefs Mike Eggert (Mr Liquor's Dirty Italian Disco, Pinbone) and Khan Danis (who worked at Rockpool alongside Neil Perry for 20 years) are heading up the kitchen of the Totti's, a casual Mediterranean-style eatery serving up pasta aplenty, woodfired breads and classic Italian cocktails. The food is a more mature version of that served at Dirty Disco — the six-month pop-up at The Tennyson Hotel, and the first collab between Eggert and Merivale — with the menu aimed at convivial sharing. Cooked-to-order Italian flatbreads come straight from the woodfired oven to the table, to rip and tear alongside small plates of house-made charcuterie and Italian cheeses. Pasta, a focus at Dirty Disco, is also central to the food offering here, with dishes like rigatoni with milk-braised pork belly, prawn casarecce and twists on classics, such as lamb ragu. A Josper oven (part grill, part oven) fires most of the proteins, including fish, Bannockburn chicken and schnitzels charred to perfection, and sides include a radicchio and orange salad and baked eggplant with chilli. And remember that polenta, corn and chervil side that stole our stomachs at Dirty Disco? We can confirm that's made a comeback, too. Another aspect of the eatery similar to Dirty Disco is the drinks. While there's no walk-in fridge — you'll have to head over to The Tennyson's latest pop-up for that — the pub's in-house bottle shop allows the eatery to have an extensive wine list, with house wines, naturals, biodynamics and higher-end varieties, all available by the carafe. Hop fans are taken care of with a long list of local beers and Mediterranean classics, such as negronis, and peach bellinis, will please the cocktail devotees. The 185-seater restaurant and courtyard might seem mammoth, but Eggert maintains that it still feels like your local. "It's a big version of a small trattoria", says Eggert. "We want people to come in and be able to have a great bottle of wine with a steak, and still be in their clothes from the beach." The skylight and big alfresco area take inspiration from a taverna on the Mediterranean sea, with huge olive trees taking centre stage to really set the scene. Images: Nikki To. You'll find Totti's in our list of the best degustations in Sydney. Check out the full list here.
El Camino Cantina is known for its colourful interiors, cheap Tuesday tacos and giant margaritas. This August and September, its outpost in The Rocks is celebrating the latter with a month-long celebration of the frozen cocktail. From Tuesday, August 25 to Saturday, September 12, the inaugural Ritapalooza will feature 15 limited-edition margaritas, as well as margarita tasting paddles and food and drink specials. Nerd, Hubba Bubba and Coco Loco margaritas will be on offer alongside classics like mango, strawberry and tropical, as well as one-metre-long, 13-flavour paddles. Tacos will be going for $7 — and just $4 on Tuesdays — throughout the three weeks, and the ten-cent Wing Wednesday tradition will be on offer, too. If you're happy to risk it for a 'rita, you can spin a wheel — one spin for $2, three for $5 — with prizes including a Tex-Mex Fiesta voucher, a metre-long tasting paddle and a bottle of premium 1800 Tequila to take home.
A Bondi institution for more than two decades, the Beach Road Hotel is one of the only venues the eastern suburbs for free live music, with bands blowing the roof off their bandroom most nights of the week — they get some pretty great acts, and they're almost always free. On the weekend you'll find the front bar packed with enthusiastic sports fans watching their game of choice on one of several screens, while outdoors you'll discover the venue's enormous, sun-soaked beer garden. The latter has long been a preferred destination of locals and backpackers looking to enjoy a few bevs in the sunshine — and with more than 20 different beers available by the bottle, plus a recently refurbished cocktail bar, you shouldn't have any trouble finding something decent to drink. If you're hungry, they've got a rock solid menu and their daily specials include all your typical pub favourites, including tacos, cheeseburgers and, of course, the humble parma.
Young Adult tells the story of Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), a teen author and recent divorcee who lives in a spacious apartment in Minneapolis. Tired of spending alcohol-soaked nights alone, she decides to venture back to her hometown of Mercury in an attempt to rekindle a romance with her high-school sweetheart, Buddy (Patrick Wilson). However, Buddy is recently married and has recently become a father. Always determined and slightly sinister, Mavis develops a plot to break up Buddy's marriage and further her own love interests. Along the way she manages to form an unusual bond with a former classmate (Patton Oswalt), who is also keen on reliving his earlier teenage years. Young Adult is a romantic comedy with an unusual twist, exploring the concept of forbidden love and the extreme lengths at which we go to recapture happiness. Although we may see Mavis as a villain, we identify with her sense of nostalgia and desperation. What results is a hilarious insight into human nature and our adaption to change and age. The film marks the reuniting of director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody, who previously collaborated on the Academy Award-winning Juno. To win one of twenty double passes to see Young Adult, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
For a week each year, the town of Maryborough honours one of its most famous former residents: Pamela Lyndon Travers, the author of the Mary Poppins books. The week-long Mary Poppins Festival celebrates Travers and her works with unusual activities that bring her beloved characters to life. Think chimney sweep challenges, kite flying competitions, costume parades and, of course, the Great Nanny Race, during which 20th century-dressed 'English nannies' push prams to the finish line. The festival kicks off with a steampunk afternoon tea and a good old fashioned street party, and culminates a week later in a community day in the park, complete with carnival rides, roving performers, sidewalk artists, workshops, activities and a grand parade. Next year's festivities will take place in July, leaving plenty of time to plan your trip to the Fraser Coast region — complete with a visit to Fraser Island and a dip in the pristine waters of Hervey Bay. We'll let you know when the exact dates are confirmed.
An automatic sliding glass door is Hustle & Flow's first point of difference from other bars. The next is its colourful wall murals by top graffiti artists like Phibs, Pudl and OnShow — and a pretty dope giraffe painted by the owner himself, Tim Duhigg. The bouncy hip hop and RnB soundtrack makes this place feel buzzy yet relaxed. It's all '90s-'00s, stretching from Tweet's 'Boogie 2Nite' to Aloe Blacc's 'I Need a Dollar' to Biggie to Ice Cube (but no hardcore gangsta rap). A flatscreen displays whatever jam's playing, so the curious listener can put her iPhone's SoundHound to bed. Behind a section of black leather sofas that suggest a skeezy hotel lobby, a glass cabinet displays hip hop and sports memorabilia, including a basketball signed by Dennis Rodman and a tiny spray can belonging to Tim's daughter. The bar itself is made of transparent orange resin, with original vintage pub tiles underfoot. It faces a row of tall tables crafted from recycled wooden palettes and high-quality, expensive resin. Not to sound too arts degree, but isn't this what the hip hop narrative is all about? Rags-to-riches? We were impressed by the metaphor-loaded furniture. Also impressive is the almost scholastic commitment to theme: the cocktails are all hip hop classics, each listed with a snatch of lyrics from the song that mentions it. Tupac's Thug Passion ($11) comes in three hues of Alize and champagne; blue's the sweetest and most popular, but orange wins, with its citrusy passionfruit note. The Incredible Hulk ($9) is a long shot of Hypnotiq and Hennessy over ice, which I wasn't crazy about, but my companion was. The winner was the Hurricane ($15) despite its trail of destruction: a deceptively idyllic, sunset-pink melee of Bacardi, Bacardi 151, Triple Sec, Grenadine and pineapple. The 151's taste is imperceptible, but its 75 percent alcohol content is not — this is the moment when you get Tim to write your address on your forehead so you make it home. The beers include South Sydney brews Green Star Lager ($10) and Cinnamon Girl Spiced Ale ($10); you could share a litre of Sol Lager with friends ($16) or down a 'poor man's Mimosa', the Brass Monkey ($7). With such dedication to theme, one gets the sense there's scope for expansion. Maybe a weekly hip hop karaoke night or emcee battles? (Tim voiced a dream to have someone throw down some cardboard outside the door and act as a 'welcome breaker' — an idea I'd back all the way.) The bar's calendar marks great dates in hip hop, so watch out for drink deals on Biggie's birthday and a food menu that's under development. The cocktails could be more complex, but with a strong concept, committed crew, welcoming space and great soundtrack, I intend to hustle in and flow out frequently. (Sometimes the sliding door doesn't open immediately. You must dance to escape.)
If you're a Stranger Things fan, you probably already have plans for October 27 onwards. If you're a Sydney-based Stranger Things fan, you might've even scored tickets to get a sneak peek of the '80s-set sci-fi/horror series' second season before it drops on Netflix. Either way, it's safe to say that excitement for the show's next chapter is as strong as Eleven's (Millie Bobby Brown) love for Eggos — and the just-released final trailer isn't going to change that. With the first season proving everyone's new favourite TV program — and leaving viewers with plenty of questions — that's completely understandable. Indeed, when the last trailer offered a 'Thriller'-scored glimpse of things to come, we all started wondering what awaits Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and his pals, how tall Steve's (Joe Keery) hair will be and how many time Barb (Shannon Purser) will get a mention. The latest trailer still keeps audiences guessing, but it does reveal more than we've seen to date — particularly when it comes to the monster terrorising the town of Hawkins. Watch it and keep counting down the days until the full series hits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=R1ZXOOLMJ8s
Do you ever gaze at a portrait in a museum and wish the person inside it could speak? Maybe you'd ask them what it was like to be painted by the artist — boring, intimidating, thrilling? — maybe you'd want to know more about their life story, particularly if they're a well-known figure. Or maybe you'd simply be curious to hear what it's like to have your image hung on a wall and stared at by streams of strangers each day. They're not questions you often hear the answers to; when it comes to portraiture, it tends to be the case that the subject is recognised but the artist gets interviewed. So, to redress this, we sought out three 'muses' behind portraits selected as finalists in this year's Archibald Prize to get a sense of how it feels to be a subject in Australia's top portraiture prize. [caption id="attachment_634779" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Loribelle Spirovski: John Bell at home, oil on canvas, 2017.[/caption] JOHN BELL BY LORIBELLE SPIROVSKI The subject of not one, but two paintings in this year's Archibald, legendary actor, director and Bell Shakespeare founder John Bell appears in paintings by Loribelle Spirovski and Jordan Richardson. Having met him earlier this year when he worked with her partner, classical pianist Simon Tedeschi, Spirovski found Bell at first a slightly daunting figure to paint. She used a minimal background and flesh colours tinged with a gleam of Australian sun to channel the viewer's attention towards Bell's piercing gaze, just as she herself "was immediately drawn to that powerful, chiselled face with its deep-set features and inscrutable personality." The resulting portrait of a seated Bell feels both relaxed and intimidatingly regal. Bell was very excited at the prospect of being painted by the artist, who he describes as "a restless creative spirit". He admires her bold experimentation, speed and confident execution: "She can deliver a portrait of photographic realism or one that ventures into the darker reaches of the psyche in a most startling manner." Although he'd seen a number of her paintings, including several of Tedeschi, the finished work nevertheless came to him as "something of a shock," Bell says, describing it as "very intense, brooding and introspective but expressed with a violent palette of colour and craggy vigour of execution. I find it unsettling to look at but very persuasive." He is yet to visit the work alongside the public, but when he does he's looking forward to eavesdropping on their comments (you've been warned). Image: Loribelle Spirovski, John Bell at home, oil on canvas, 2017 [caption id="attachment_634780" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Lloyd Greensmith: The inner stillness of Eileen Kramer, oil on linen, 2017.[/caption] EILEEN KRAMER BY ANDREW LLOYD GREENSMITH It's not every year that a prominent plastic surgeon has a painting in the Archibald. For Andrew Lloyd Greensmith, ex-chief of the Department of Craniofacial Surgery at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, art was a childhood obsession that he's only recently begun to seriously pursue. His muse? Eileen Kramer — who, at 102 years old, is the world's oldest working dancer and choreographer. She toured with the avant-garde Bodenwieser Ballet for a decade, and has called New York, London, Paris and India home. To Andrew, "she embodies beauty as that intangible thing which cannot be fixed on the surface nor defeated by the wear and tear of age." When asked to sit for the portrait, Eileen thought, "I love the portraits of the great Dutch masters, especially Rembrandt. I hope I look like that!" She found Andrew "extremely sympathetic" to work with during the sitting process. Drawing on memories of being painted several times in Paris, Eileen offered up a series of poses she thought would be suitable — until stopping for a moment to rest. This was, of course, the moment Andrew began sketching. After seeing the stillness and quiet grace of the finished work, Eileen felt that Andrew understood the dancer in her. "I didn't know he'd seen that in me," she comments. "To me it looks like the portrait of a dancer. I did not expect to like it, but I do." As for the idea of thousands of people staring at her everyday? "That is an extraordinary feeling. I wish my mother would have been here to see it." [caption id="attachment_634671" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dee Smart: The Major of Bondi, oil and acrylic on canvas, 2017.[/caption] JOHN MACARTHUR BY DEE SMART Picking up her first paintbrush 15 years ago while housebound with a new baby, Dee Smart's artistic drive revolves around the desire to capture the human condition — and it was John Macarthur's humility and sense of humour that drew her to him as a potential muse. The result (and her first Archibald selection) is a joyous portrait positively singing with colour, reflecting the 'vibrating hues' of Macarthur's home and wider world. Fondly known as the 'Mayor of Bondi', Macarthur is famous for his internationally coveted, extremely colourful knitwear brand Purl Harbour. And it sounds like he has a similarly colourful life story. In fact, while living in Spain he apparently very nearly became muse to another painter — Salvador Dali, to be exact — who wanted to paint him as an angel. No big deal. His initial reaction when Smart asked him to sit? "I was absolutely gobsmacked. What on earth and how and why?" The painting's progression was, however, a relaxed one, and by the sounds of it, he made an obedient subject. "She said jump, I said how high. That's basically how it went. We laughed a hell of a lot." Observing Smart's close attention to line and angle, Macarthur savoured his behind-the-scenes vantage point, and found the big reveal of the finished painting to be "quite extraordinary". He particularly enjoys the eye-catching palette of his beloved pinks and oranges — stating that "these are definitely my colours" — his "happy and veracious" look and the "intensity in the eyes" captured by Smart. "I identify totally with what she's done." Catch the 2017 Archibald Prize at AGNSW until Sunday, October 22.
It's a rare treat to see classical favourites performed by world-class musicians in a beautiful setting. And it's even rarer for that experience to be completely free, but that's exactly what's provided by Sydney Symphony Under the Stars. Each year the renowned orchestra brings its rapturous performances to Parramatta Park, with the park's rolling green hills acting as a backdrop to a free program that ranges from enduring pieces of the 18th century to famous film scores of the modern era. The symphony was originally supposed to pop up earlier this year as part of Sydney Festival, but was postponed to Saturday, March 26 due to COVID-19. Pack a picnic basket and your favourite rug before heading down early to nab a comfy spot in front of the huge stage located at Parramatta Park's The Crescent. You'll then be treated to a world-renowned performance from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Northly. Beethoven's epic Symphony No. 5 will act as the grand finale to the night, accompanied by a thunderous firework display lighting the night's sky. The event is family-friendly and spots are first-come-first-serve with no online registrations required this year. You can head to the Sydney Festival website for all the details. Top images: Jamie Williams
If you've been listening to the grapevine, you'll have heard Darling Harbour's recent Mediterranean import, Cafe Del Mar, might not be 100 percent legit. It's true: the Ibiza original's website claims the Sydney version "has nothing to do with our iconic Cafe del Mar brand", while Aussie director John Zappia issued a response labelling the above statement "false and very disappointing". Luckily for Zappia, his venue, whether a part of the brand or not, is far from disappointing. From the Camilla-clad hosts to the blue, white, wood and golden decor that screams beachside holiday cocktails, the large open kitchen, ample outdoor summer seating and wraparound views of, albeit, this city's not-so-favourite aforementioned harbour, the team behind this place have put on quite the show. In all honesty, though, considering the brand in question's history of drawing food-appreciating party animals from all corners of the world, you'd bloody hope so. Said food is topnotch. Head chef Ben Fitton commands the kitchen, and his rule is fair and tasty, offering a pleasantly simple menu with a fair few standout performers. The most notable were the Berkshire pig jowls, served in crispy cases with truffle mash ($24), and the black-inked chilli salt and pepper squid with lime aioli ($24). FYI, the squid isn't deep fried, it comes tentacles and all, but blow me down it's good. For main we divided a six-hour cooked Murryland lamb shoulder (with some of the freshest salsa verde I've had in a long time) from the shared mains section ($65). The meat fell off the bone and straight into our mouths. To drink we sipped a Blanco Dos ($45), one of the six signature sangria pitchers (three red, three white) and designed for four. You can imagine it suited the two of us all evening. Of course, if you're less of a philistine, there's a "carefully selected" wine menu to peruse. We finished with a scoop of sorbet and an espresso: the former comes from a regularly changing list, while the latter made us feel awfully European. All in all, the only real criticisms are the DJ should think about turning the volume down just a tad before 8pm, and the lighting from the two giant and really rather quite spesh chandeliers was a little harsh. Let's just keep our fingers crossed all the rigmarole over whether or not Sydney has its own Cafe del Mar gets sorted. Personally, we want this place to stay.
Comfort food, Greek taverna style, has never been so hip. In a room stripped almost bare with vaulted ceilings, peeling cream plaster and warm lighting, The Apollo is the newest dining hotspot in Potts Point. Once you've tasted the food, you'll wish everyone else wasn't so clued in and that it was simply your local Greek. For those who have had a run in with Greek food that was heavy, oily and served with a cucumber-saturated Greek salad, now is the time to give Greek a chance. This is food that it would be tempting to eat most nights: lemony, zesty and full of fresh herbs. Jonathon Barthelmess, last seen serving his fabulous Italian-accented food at Manly Pavilion, has the lightest of touches when it comes to the food of his heritage. Cocktails form a small part of the drinks list but are among the best in town. There are, of course, nods to Greece, including rosewater, and figs and honey. Similar references are dotted through the wine list, although this features fewer Hellenic inclusions. Back to the food. You can go 'The Full Greek' and be sent out all the signatures as part of a very affordable feast for $55, or pick and choose from the small but perfectly formed menu with all dishes designed for sharing. We suggest trying a series of smaller dishes to start. Taramasalata ($12), served in a small Greek style yoghurt pot with warm, slightly charcoaled pita bread, is pale, creamy and topped with pearly mullet roe. It will well and truly ruin you for the bright pink supermarket versions. Deep-fried king prawns ($6 each) are worth the fiddling to remove the shells for fleshy, juicy meat with a hint of charcoal, and grilled octopus with chickpeas and pickled cucumber is as tender as they come. The already renowned wild weed and cheese pie ($18) is a must, like no spanakopita you've ever eaten. It's lemony and light, full of the good weeds. You have gone Greek, so for the main you really should go with the slow-cooked lamb rib. You won't regret it or the lemony potatoes which help to mop up the juices. It might just finish you off and ruin you for a good Greek dessert, but the walnut filo pastry ($12) or, if you fancy boozy fruit, the ouzo-marinated watermelon are worth making room for. You'll find The Apollo in our list of the best degustations in Sydney. Check out the full list here.
Bringing the European beach club vibe to Sydney Harbour, Pier One is introducing a sun-drenched encounter designed to make your summer. Launching on Thursday, February 19, and running daily until the end of April from 11am–4pm, POOL by Pier One and Business & Pleasure Co combines a floating pontoon and pop-up swimming pool experience, primed for lazy days perched on the edge of Walsh Bay. Just steps away from the hotel's Pier Bar, guests can expect a social hub ripe with refreshing cocktails, summer nibbles and the buzz of Sydney's most iconic harbour setting. So, take a dip in the netted pontoon, then settle into the luxe poolside seating. While there's no sand or pebbles to sink your toes into, this Euro-inspired escape offers the fair trade of uninterrupted harbour views and undeniable coastal luxury. Once you've cooled off, you're invited to order summery small plates from the Pier Bar menu, like kingfish ceviche and bay bug 'Big Mac' sliders. Meanwhile, there's a signature Business & Pleasure Botanical Spritz to sip on. The namesake beach and outdoor furniture brand has brought the al fresco space to life with an assortment of pastel umbrellas, loungers and decorative touches that evoke Riviera resort towns and Slim Aarons' photographs. "POOL by Pier One is about creating a sense of escape without ever leaving the city," says Kristy McKellar, Director of Marketing at Pier One Sydney Harbour. "It is a space designed for relaxed moments by the water, swimming, socialising and soaking up the harbour views, and a natural extension of our vision to deliver memorable, design-led experiences on Sydney Harbour."
It's almost time to tick over into another trip around the sun. But before our current rotation is complete, we have to give this year a massive send-off that celebrates the ups and, hopefully, helps us forget the downs. Fortunately, this New Year's Eve in Sydney is stacked, with these dining encounters, late-night parties and waterfront events making for a memorable final night on the town. New Year's Eve at Cibaria Manly Bring a little Italian spirit to your NYE send-off, as Cibaria Manly presents a specially curated share menu, complete with ocean views and beachfront vibes. Priced at $240 per person, the experience begins with oysters in chardonnay mignonette, warm pizzetta bianca and loads more before arriving at the scotch fillet main, served with a Barolo jus and truffle-pecorino fries. As midnight approaches, enjoy a suitably sweet treat with a Cibaria hazelnut tiramisu. Find out more here. New Year's Eve Dinner Party at Olympus Dining Ringing in the end of 2025 — and a hugely successful debut year — Olympus Dining is transforming into a Greek amphitheatre for an unforgettable dinner party. Bringing along their friends, Four Pillars and Louis Roederer, this Med-inspired banquet — think Sydney rock oysters, a fully stocked souvlaki station and watermelon ouzo slices — is paired with cocktails, wine and beer. From 9pm, the party goes up a notch, as hosts Daimon Downey and Rich Penny guide DJ-led tunes beneath the oculus. Find out more here. Cosmic Universe at Opera Bar Luxe doesn't even begin to describe Cosmic Universe — Opera Bar's galaxy-inspired NYE playground. An incredible fireworks vantage point, this lavish experience, priced at $745 per ticket, features non-stop live performances and DJ sets alongside roaming canapés and complimentary food stalls, available until midnight and beyond. Don't have a budget? An ultra-exclusive VIP lounge costs $20,000 — stacked with free drinks, decadent bites, a dedicated host and uninterrupted views. Find out more here. Balcony Bottomless Package at Coogee Bay Hotel The Coogee Bay Hotel is lighting up NYE with a special balcony bar bottomless experience. Gazing over Coogee Beach with exceptional views of the fireworks, this $180 package features a huge array of tasty bites, spanning freshly shucked oysters, beer-battered potato scallops, crumbed short ribs and more. The drinks are just as inviting, with champagne poured on arrival (and at midnight) alongside beers, wines and cocktails all night long. Find out more here. New Year's Eve at The International Get among the NYE action in Sydney CBD, as The International celebrates the occasion across three vibrant spaces, each with its own skyline view. Head to Wine Bar for easygoing partying, complete with cocktails, slushies and oysters, or enter Panorama Bar for elevated sunset cocktails. If dining is more your mood, The Grill's openair setting is the way to go, featuring woodfired steaks flamed in a two-hatted kitchen. Find out more here. NYE Dinner at The Dry Dock Launch into the New Year with a four-course sharing dinner prepared by The Dry Dock's head chef Ben Sitton. Available for $195 per person, this feast includes an amuse bouche, shared entrees, mains and desserts alongside a glass of Lallier Réflexions R.020 Brut Champagne or a schooner of Asahi Super Dry on arrival. When it's time for the fireworks, guests are welcome to head across the street to Mort Bay Park to catch the harbour show before returning to the restaurant for plenty more partying. Find out more here. NYE at Felons Manly Toast the final sunset of the year, as Felons Manly puts together a vibrant feast made for the Cove. For $149 per person, you'll enjoy a three-course set menu, elevated by a free drink on arrival. As the night wears on, a special 9pm fireworks display will set the tone, followed by live music and tune-spinning DJs that keep the waterfront shindig going into the early hours, both inside and on the jetty. Find out more here.
Summer is coming to an end, but — thankfully — that doesn't mean your time at the beach is. We're blessed with sunny weather for a lot of the year here in Aus, which means we need a few pairs of togs to get us through. If you're looking to snag a new pair, Jets has just launched its new collection of swimwear. To celebrate, the brand is offering Concrete Playground readers 15 percent off, too. Elysian is Jets' first collection under new Creative Director Rachel Allen. The star of the collection is the range of burnt clay swimwear. For example, this sophisticated high neck one piece and this high waist bikini. Jets also has a range of resortwear including dresses, kaftans, flowing shirts and sarongs that'll make you feel like you're holidaying in the Maldives, even if you're just enjoying a cocktail on your back porch. Jets' print collections are made using Renew Plus fabric, which utilises recycled and regenerated Econyl as a replacement to nylon. If you want the first look at the new collection, head to the Jets website and score yourself 15 percent off you order while you're at it. Just use the code CONCRETE15 before 11.59pm on Tuesday, March 30. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Restaurateur Howin Chui has a knack for reimagining well-established Asian cuisines. At the Chatswood outpost of Senapi Ramen, Chui's collaboration with former Sokyo chef Chase Kojima pioneered an omakase experience centred around noodle soups. At the Kowloon Cafes in both Burwood and Chatswood, Chui conjured startlingly convincing Hong Kong streetscapes serving authentic dai pai dong-style street eats. Now, Chui has turned his inventive eye towards a genre of food Sydneysiders not only know and love but are often obsessive about: dumplings. Alongside business partners Jacky Huang and Colin Ho, Chui has sought out uncharted territory in Australia's dense yum cha offering and the result is his latest fast-paced venue at Grosvenor Place in the CBD — Yum Cha Project. [caption id="attachment_969619" align="alignnone" width="1920"] (L–R) Waiwing Lau, Vincent Lim and Howin Chui[/caption] The restaurant's ambition is to make dim sum a more on-the-go dining option. Instead of the steamer-stacked trollies and leisurely pace of traditional yum cha restaurants, diners will be able to grab their order in takeaway boxes inspired by pizza and burger joints. The menu is all about convenience and comfort eating, with yum cha heroes including classic barbecue pork buns, prawn dumplings, vegetarian dumplings, shallot pancakes, spring rolls and prawn siu mai sharing the menu with fast-food riffs such as cheeseburger spring rolls and Peking duck pizza. Diners can also pimp their meal with a selection of Asian condiments at the complimentary sauce station — another nod to fast-food dining culture. Signature iced teas are another house speciality, including grapefruit jasmine green tea, lychee jasmine tea and dark-roasted oolong milk tea topped with Hong Kong favourites like egg pudding, lychee coconut jelly and pink blossom agar pearls. Alcoholic beverages are also on the menu including the Yum Cha staples of Tsingtao and Orion Beer. Once again tapping the skills of Darren Kong from Kong Studios — the creative visionary behind the bright, bold aesthetics at seven of Chui's eight Sydney venues — the fitout is an eye-popping mix of canary yellow tiles and neon signs, including one that proudly asks, "Dim Sum Body Say Yum Cha?". While there is seating for 50 diners, the open-plan kitchen has been built for speed to cope with a high volume of takeaway orders. "Our mission for Yum Cha Project is to make yum cha more accessible, affordable and convenient, all whilst allowing diners to customise their experience via an on-the-go solution." Howin Chui says. "Through Yum Cha Project, we share our culture and memories for delicious, convenient dining with the community, one dim sum at a time." Ever the innovator, Chui will also draw on his experience as a nightclub operator to bring some party vibes to The Yum Cha Project. This will include after-work happy hours with live DJs on Thursdays and Fridays to tempt city workers to stay later in the CBD. Find Yum Cha Project at Shop 3/225 George Street in the CBD, open Monday–Wednesday, 8am–4pm and Thursday–Friday, 8am- 8pm. Images: Kera Wong
It wouldn't be a film adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks book without the glow of sunlight, the shimmer of a body of water, and some all-knowing, overly sentimental narration. Sticking as closely to the formula as it can, The Choice begins with all three. Other Sparks trademarks swiftly make themselves known: an opposites-attract romance featuring would-be paramours from different sides of the tracks; rustic homes in a scenic, small-town location; letters professing feelings of love and longing; and a sudden catastrophe threatening to tear the central duo apart. Original, this certainly isn't. Indeed, while the movie version of The Choice might not be directed or written by Sparks (those honours going to relative newcomers Ross Katz and Bryan Sipe, respectively), there's never any doubt that the author responsible for 18 sappy books to date is the most influential force behind this film. Audiences that have watched Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried in Dear John, Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus in The Last Song or Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling in The Lucky One — yes, attractive white people hooking up is another of Sparks' staples — should know what they're in for. This time, charismatic veterinarian Travis (Benjamin Walker) and spirited medical student Gabby (Teresa Palmer) are the star-crossed parties in the spotlight, meeting when the latter accuses the former's dog of knocking up her own beloved pooch. Though Travis is already fooling around with barmaid Monica (Alexandra Daddario) and Gabby is dating local doctor Ryan (Tom Welling), sparks between the two soon fly (pun intended). The will-they-or-won't-they aspect of their relationship isn't the end of their tale, though. The first half of the feature charts their courtship, then the second half moves the characters to a hospital seven years later, where the titular decision comes into play. As it is in all movies made from Sparks-penned fare, wish fulfilment is the aim of the game, peddling the notion of an epic love story that will withstand even the harshest obstacles, and trying to push as many emotional buttons as possible in the process. But while there's nothing wrong with romantic fantasies or old-fashioned weepies, The Choice dials everything up way too many notches — clumsy meet-cute, overly adorable rapport, corny dialogue and tragic twist included. The film isn't just adhering to a template, it's lazily throwing clichés at the screen to see what sticks. At least Walker, who was previously the best thing about Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, oozes the requisite charm, while Palmer is given much more to do here than she did in the Point Break remake. The scenery also proves a highlight, though it's obviously a problem when the picturesque background is more engaging than the narrative. Of course, the more troubling thought is that there are still seven of Sparks' novels that haven't been made into movies… yet. We might all love Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdam locking lips in the rain, but The Notebook has a lot to answer for.
For the cinephiles, TV addicts and all-around lovers of entertainment, the gifting season can sometimes be a little challenging. After all, everything they want, they can just watch…right? Wrong. It's 2025, physical media is making a comeback, and home cinema technology is better than ever. The only thing stopping you from getting your favourite movie lover a quality present is your attitude. Here's a list curated by our own film-addicted writers for all the blockbuster fans, Letterboxd diehards, nerds and tech heads who know how to make screentime into quality time. Shopping for someone who's never home? Check out our guide to the best gifts for frequent travellers. Two-Room Speaker Set, Sonos Anyone who knows their Hollywood blockbuster from their independent arthouse flick probably dreams of replicating theatre audio at home. With this speaker duo, they'll be able to precisely shape an immersive soundscape for all kinds of movies at home. Shop now. Popcorn Maker, Heller No true movie experience is complete without a bowl or box of hot, buttery popcorn. Sure, you could get a microwaveable packet from the shops, but this adds a novelty feeling to the in-home popcorn experience. Shop now. Freestyle Portable Projector, Samsung With some creative thinking and a smooth, vertical (and preferably white) background, this portable projector can upgrade any space into a theatre with pictures up to 100 inches across, 360º sound and inbuilt Samsung Smart TV tech. Shop now. TV Backlight Kit, Govee The dream of any at-home cinema curator, a tv backlight can synchronise the colour display of its lights to the colours on-screen, blending the picture into the room and making for a seriously immersive viewing experience. Compared to other brands, this kit gives you all the gear you need for a very reasonable price. Shop now. 120" Portable Projector Screen, AIWA Perfectly matched with the Samsung portable projector, this lightweight and reliable screen means you can set up a movie night anywhere with a power supply. If that's not a cinephiles dream, we don't know what is. Shop now. 4K DVD Player, Panasonic You heard it here first: physical media is making a comeback, at least among film lovers. If your loved one has a long-forgotten collection of ancient DVDs or a burgeoning collection of new ones, this player will give them the best quality possible for every sweet, ad-free, unbuffered moment. Shop now. One Year of Pro or Patron, Letterboxd Any movie diehard has either already downloaded or desperately wants to get into Letterboxd. A social media platform designed for film lovers, by film lovers, you can gift the Letterboxd user in your life a year of paywalled goodies and bonus features for their account. You just need an account of your own. Shop now. 'Star Wars' The Skywalker Saga DVD Box Set, Lucasfilm If a special someone in your life has a soft spot for the stories set in a galaxy far, far away — and has a compatible disc drive (any DVD player, external disc drive or disc-compatible gaming console will do) — you can gift them all nine feature films that come free of streaming hassle for the rest of their life. Shop now. Movie Log, A24 If Letterboxd, or social media as a whole, isn't the style of your giftee, maybe they'll prefer something more tactile? Available on a waitlist via independent production company A24, this paper logbook is a great print method for someone to track their movie-watching activities. Shop now. 2026 Daily Tear-Off Calendar, A24 Part calendar, part shopping list for some of the best films in the game, this desktop-compatible gift offers up 365 days of A24's award-winning movies in seasonal order. It's a great accessory, and an even better guide to going from general audience member to certified cinephile. Shop now. Gift Card, IMAX At long last, IMAX screens in Australia are on the rise. These massive theatre screens are the biggest and indisputably best way to watch a blockbuster, but tickets don't come cheap. Save your resident film nerd some precious movie snack money and cover their tickets with these gift cards. Shop now. Gold Class Ultimate ePackage, Event Cinemas If movies mean date nights for you and your special someone, you can save this for the next romantic release to get admission, a welcome drink, three small plates of food, nachos and popcorn for two. Yes, the food comes into the theatre with you. Shop now. Cinephile: A Card Game, Cinephile If you want to test the knowledge of a film lover, this party game is the best way to do it. With 150 cards covering difficulties from beginner blockbusters to diehard cinephiles, it can bring a bit of friendly competition to your next cinematic trivia sesh. Shop now. 100 Movies Scratch Off Poster, Uncommon Goods Do you feel like your special someone doesn't have enough experience with Hollywood's undeniable classics? This scratch off poster makes for a decorative and motivating reason to watch 100 one of the most classic films in human history. Shop now. Movie Night Bingo Cards, Uncommon Goods Admittedly, not all movies are classics, and some are classics for the wrong reasons. If you're the sort of person who hate watches a bad film, gamify your next predictable, cliche or uninspired watch with these genre-specific movie bingo cards. Prizes not included. Shop now. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
There's no denying that the United Kingdom has given the world a lot in the way of music. The nation is steeped in musical culture, from The Beatles to Bonobo; Oasis to One Direction; Elvis Costello to Elton John. It's given us The Spice Girls and 'Careless Whisper'. In short, its veins run thick with musical wealth — but there's more to it than just strolling through The Beatles museum in Liverpool. With the European summer just around the corner, we've been thinking about seminal musical experiences you can tick off your bucket list in the UK. And luckily, Contiki has launched a tour that covers exactly that. Dubbed Contiki Sounds, this ten-day journey includes stops in England's major cities — London, York, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool— and culminates in a VIP experience at long-running rock and pop extravaganza Reading Festival. This Aussie winter, pack your guitar (probably sacrificing some undies for space), head over the water to (somewhat) sunnier plains and prepare to pay homage to some legends. Tell your mum you love her and let her know you're off to find your inner John Lennon. ABBEY ROAD CROSSING, LONDON There's no getting around the Fab Four's reputation as paving the way for modern pop music and music fandom. Speaking of paving the way, the Abbey Road crossing in London's St John's Wood neighbourhood is certainly one of the enduring symbols of the band. The crosswalk is traipsed by countless fans of The Beatles daily in a bid to recreate the iconic Abbey Road album cover — undoubtedly frustrating traffic to no end. You can join the crowds and stroll your way across the road in tribute to the fallen members, John and George, and enduring larrikins Ringo and Paul. Sneak a peek at the current musical talent who might be ensconced inside the famous Abbey Road Studios across the way, where many of The Beatles' hits were recorded. [caption id="attachment_717739" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Image: David Dixon via Wikipedia Commons.[/caption] DENMARK STREET, LONDON Another London road worth a visit is Denmark Street. Traipsing this patch of pavement will have you walking in the boots of the ghosts of the London music scene founders. Somewhat of a musical mecca in the mid-20th century, the street is even referenced in a song of the same name by The Kinks. Here, many bands quintessential to the British music world either rehearsed or recorded, and David Bowie even lived on the street in a campervan. Bowie has passed but the street's resonance lives on. Today it's a hotspot for musical instrument sales and repairs, as well as being home to famous grungy livemusic venue Crobar. READING FESTIVAL, READING There's no greater musical experience than packing up a tent, dancing to live music in your gumboots with your best friends for a few days and coming back having had the time of your life. If you're seeking a definitive musical experience and are up for a good time, an all-in UK music festival is a must — and this is one of the best. Reading is the longest-running pop music festival in existence and serves up a jampacked lineup of pop, rock and alternative heavyweights each year in conjunction with its partner festival in Leeds. It also boasts a number of important moments in musical history, including Nirvana's first ever UK show and Arctic Monkey's launch into superstardom in 2005. And if you're going tick this musical mecca off your bucket list, you'll want to do it in style. If you hop on board the Contiki Sounds trip, the on-site crew will take care of all the logistics — from setting up your tent and mattress to making sure you've got brekkie every day — so you can concentrate on donning your boots and moshing in front of the main stage. [caption id="attachment_717914" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: travelmag.com via Flickr.[/caption] SALFORD LADS CLUB, MANCHESTER Made famous by the sleeve art of The Smiths 1986 album The Queen Is Dead, Salford Lads Club has been on the scene since 1903, when it was still a boys club. Over 100 years later, the club has had a whole fleet of musical legends as members (The Hollies also used to practise there). A decade or so ago saw some necessary refurbs, partly financed by Morrissey himself. These days, it's often used as a film and TV location for the likes of British series Coronation Street and hosts a variety of sports and talks geared towards young people. While that might sound like a far cry from The Smiths posing moodily outside, true fans need not fear — there's still an entire room dedicated to the band inside. The Salford Lads Club's musical pedigree is impossible not to acknowledge. [caption id="attachment_717753" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Image by Hens Zimmerman via Wiki Commons[/caption] CAVERN CLUB, LIVERPOOL A guide to the British music scene wouldn't be complete without Liverpool — the epicentre of a huge part of the UK's music roots. And yep, it's generally down to The Beatles. Every year thousands of people flock to the harbourside town, many wanting to explore The Beatles Story museum. The Cavern Club is equally as important and just as drenched in musical history. Step inside and take a deep breath — you'll be inhaling the atmosphere of years of musical history (along with beer). Still an important live music venue to the town, The Beatles made a name for themselves here, playing their first gig in 1961. Over the years, countless other British bands have followed suit, including The Wombats and The Rolling Stones. Pay your respects to this holy stage. Travel around the best spots in the UK with Contiki at Reading Festival. Unearth the UK's musical heritage, then experience an unforgettable party at one of the world's best and biggest music festivals. Contiki wants to take you there — all you have to do is choose from the 7- or 10-day trip. Plus, if you bring a mate, it'll give you both $200 off. Find out more here.
You're not short on stellar food and drink choices when in the Southern Highlands. There are wineries, fine diners, pubs, local cafes and buzzing restaurants aplenty. But, no trip there is complete without calling into much-loved Gumnut Patisserie. With three locations — Berrima, Bowral and Mittagong — you would think there would be plenty of baked goodies and pastries to go around, but don't be fooled. Locals know to get in early to have your pick of the bunch — and even then you can expect lines. Once you get to the counter, though, you'll find an array of sweet treats like eclairs, cakes, lemon meringue tart, cupcakes, lamingtons and cannoli, as well as croissants, danishes, scones and palmiers. For savoury, expect classics like a flaky sausage roll, plenty of pies — from beef and potato to chicken and leek — and top-notch quiches.
Fancy spending your next coastal getaway in Queensland's far north, splashing in the tree-lined waters of Palm Cove? If so, you'll be swimming in the best beach in the world. That's the verdict of Condé Nast Traveller, which has picked the Sunshine State locale near Cairns as the top patch of sand globally. While plenty of folks Down Under happily trade our own beaches for Hawaii's when it comes to enjoying a tropical holiday, Palm Cove pipped Honopu Beach in Kauai, which came in second. In fact, half of the top ten on the list of 34 beaches hails from Australia and New Zealand. Wategos Beach in Byron Bay took out fourth, Mona Vale Beach in Sydney sits at sixth, Noosa Beach in Queensland ranked eighth and Awaroa in Abel Tasman National Park in Aotearoa came in at ninth. Elsewhere in the top ten, Brekon in Shetland, Scotland placed third; Ora Beach, Maluku, Indonesia sits in fifth spot; Dune du Pilat, France ranked seventh; and Die Plaat, Walker Bay Nature Reserve, South Africa notched up tenth. [caption id="attachment_944619" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Palm Cove[/caption] Palm Cove was chosen for being a quieter spot that's "usually free of crowds", although that might change after topping this ranking. "The combination of leaning palm trees on powdery sand makes Palm Cove Beach the epitome of a tropical paradise," said Condé Nast Traveller, also pointing out its proximity to the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, as well as being able to see dolphins and whales from the Palm Cove jetty. Queensland's tourism bodies are already hoping for an influx of visitors thanks to the attention. "The Condé Nast Traveller selection of Palm Cove as the first in this curated list will bring international travellers to its coconut palm-fringed shore to dine in beachfront restaurants and cafes and relax at stunning resorts," said Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen. [caption id="attachment_944618" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Palm Cove[/caption] In total, seven Down Under beaches made the cut, with Western Australian beaches getting some love, too. Turquoise Bay in Exmouth placed 22nd and Gantheaume Point in Broome came in at 25. All Australian and NZ destinations included on the list were in the top 25. Palm Cove being named the world's best beach comes shortly after Sydney's Manly Beach was picked as the seventh best beach in the world for 2024 by Tripadvisor, and Victoria's Squeaky Beach was chosen as Australia's best beach for this year by beach expert Brad Farmer AM. Queensland keeps scoring attention as well, with Brisbane named one of the best places to go in 2024 by The New York Times, travel guide Frommer's also selecting the city as one of 2024's best spots to visit, TIME putting it on its world's greatest places list for 2023 and the World's Best 50 Hotels picking The Calile as its only Australian and Oceanic entry in its inaugural countdown in 2023. [caption id="attachment_944621" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Palm Cove, Emma Shaw[/caption] Condé Nast Traveller's Top 34 Beaches: Palm Cove, Queensland, Australia Honopu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii Brekon, Shetland, Scotland Wategos Beach, New South Wales, Australia Ora Beach, Maluku, Indonesia Mona Vale Beach, New South Wales, Australia Dune du Pilat, France Noosa Beach, Queensland, Australia Awaroa, Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand Die Plaat, Walker Bay Nature Reserve, South Africa Grand Anse, Grenada Keem Bay, Achill Island, Ireland Fakarava, French Polynesia Marathonisi, Zakynthos, Greece Praia do Sancho, Brazil Chesterman Beach, Vancouver Island, Canada Anse Source d'Argent, Seychelles Seagrass Bay, Laucala Island, Fiji Hidden Beach, Palawan, Philippines Ile aux Cerfs, Mauritius Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos Turquoise Bay, Western Australia, Australia Pink Sand Beach, Barbuda Playa Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica Gantheaume Point, Western Australia, Australia Dolfynstrand, Namibia Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, North Carolina Rauðasandur Beach, Iceland Jibei Island beach, Taiwan Uig Sands, Isle of Lewis, Scotland Benguerra Island, Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique Al Mughsail, Salalah, Oman Playa Paraiso, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cuba Luskentyre, Outer Hebrides [caption id="attachment_651421" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mona Vale Beach[/caption] [caption id="attachment_944620" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Palm Cove[/caption] [caption id="attachment_835908" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Noosa[/caption] [caption id="attachment_791437" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Awaroa, Kiwi Canary[/caption] [caption id="attachment_844181" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Turquoise Bay, Tourism Western Australia[/caption] [caption id="attachment_897204" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gantheaume Point, Tourism Western Australia[/caption] For more information about Condé Nast Traveller's best beaches, head to the publication's website.
It's been open less than a week and it's already racked up over 150,000 views on TikTok. Plus, it completely sold out within hours of opening on its first Sunday. Smoking Gringos is the new viral Mexican restaurant from an acclaimed Sydney hospo veteran that's just arrived on Muru Way in Blacktown. The new Western Sydney Mexican restaurant is led by Richard Borg and Jade Jackson. Borg brings experience from a storied culinary career to his latest venture, having previously worked across Momofuku and Park Hyatt before opening Surry Hills' Master and Burger Head in Penrith with a group of mates. Over the last few years, he's been working under the Smoking Gringos name, serving up juicy barbecued meats — first in Kingswood and then out of the kitchen at Newtown pub Websters. Now, Smoking Gringos has reemerged in Western Sydney bring its passion for perfectly tender meat to a new canvas: birria tacos. The idea to open a Mexican joint was first fostered after doing a birria special in Kingswood which Borg says customers "went ballistic" for. "A lot of the birria we've had in Sydney kind of misses the mark," he told Concrete Playground. "We make all the meat before we finish it in the broth to give it a bit more body — a bit more flavour." The specialty at Smoking Gringos is the quesa taco, a three-corn tortilla dipped in marinade and fried before being topped with three kinds of cheese, coriander, onion and your choice of beef or chicken. Each serve is paired with pickled onions, lime, consommé for dipping and a selection of salsas made fresh in-house every day — the habanero is the chef's favourite. If you want to take things up a notch, opt for the mulitas, which Borg describes as a "quesa taco on steroids". A dish popular in Los Angeles, the mulitas closely resembles a quesadilla, piling toppings between two of the fried quesa tortillas. Nachos and loaded fried round out the menu, with plans to introduce a burrito in the coming weeks. If things go to plan, Borg and Jackson say we may even see more Smoking Gringos stores or a roaming food truck pop up. Watch this space. Smoking Gringos is located at 1 Muru Way, Blacktown. It's open 12–3pm and 5.30–9pm Thursday–Sunday.
Keen to feast on oysters right by the ocean? Then head to Tathra Hotel to sample a few. The traditional country pub has been a beacon for locals for 100 years and the family friendly establishment has all the pub classics. The oysters are served natural, Asian-inspired or kilpatrick and come in half-dozen ($18) or a dozen ($36). Other smaller plates include Vietnamese salad ($17), spice-dusted calamari ($17) and mushroom arancini ($14). Then, there's schnitty ($24), parmy ($25), sirloin steak with mash($35), burgers and fish and chips ($30). Or, you can pick from the chef's specials, which includes the likes of house-made gnocchi ($22), prawn and vegetable curry served with yellow rice and chutney ($32) and Taiwanese braised beef and noodle stew ($22). Basically, you're spoilt for choice. But, whatever you decide, be sure to wash it down with a tap beer made at the onsite craft brewery, Humpback Brewery. Image: Destination NSW
Imogen Heap is embarking upon her inaugural Australian tour in promotion of her latest offering, Ellipse. Released last year, four years after the Grammy Award–nominated Speak for Yourself, the new album is a self-produced collection of dreamy and bittersweet odes. Without ever straying too far from the characteristic electronic-minimalist formula she has built her career upon, the synthetic universe of Ellipse inspires comparisons to contemporaries Sarah McLachlan, French chanteuse Camille, and even a more pop-tinged Laurie Anderson. The former voice of Frou Frou, Imogen Heap's public exposure has gone into overdrive in recent years thanks to contributions to the soundtracks of The OC, The Chronicles of Narnia films, Heroes, Six Feet Under, as well as an array of US late night talk show appearances, and Ellipse is proving to be her most successfully charting release to date. Tickets for the second show are on sale now. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yXj0dF7LAyE
This spring, Toko is serving up something extra special. The luxe underground restaurant, one of Sydney's leading Japanese dining and omakase spots, is adding a twist to its culinary offerings with a limited-edition Haku Vodka Tasting Menu inspired by the premium spirit. Running from Tuesday, October 8 to Saturday, November 2, diners can enjoy a carefully curated selection of dishes made with the smooth, premium Haku Vodka, a craft spirit from the House of Suntory, for only $115 per person. Where's This Special Offer Available? The limited-edition tasting menu is being served at Toko, a sleek subterranean restaurant mere footsteps from Wynyard Station and the Light Rail on George Street. Since relocating from Surry Hills, Toko has continued to impress with its refined ambience and meticulously crafted Japanese fare. Whether you're after a cosy dinner or a late-night indulgence (the kitchen stays open past 10pm), this is the perfect venue for an unforgettable evening. In addition to the tasting menu and specials, Toko is also hosting a one-night-only exclusive omakase evening for up to ten guests. The evening will include Haku Vodka-infused dishes and a bespoke Haku Vodka martini on arrival — find out more about this omakase evening here. What's on the Menu? For $115 per person, Toko's tasting menu includes its omakase offering plus a curated selection of dishes crafted with Haku Vodka. These dishes include freshly shucked Pacific oysters from Tasmania dressed with a house-made tozasu sauce imbued with Haku Vodka, crispy zucchini flowers tempura stuffed with whipped tofu and feta served with dashi made with the Japanese craft spirit. In addition to the limited-edition tasting menu, Toko will offer a series of Haku Vodka-infused specials — available for all lunch and dinner services. Guests can choose a lush lobster roll featuring flame-grilled lobster, Haku Vodka miso chilli butter on a brioche bun and topped with caviar. Alternatively, guests can opt for a Sturia Oscietra caviar bump paired with a shot of Haku Vodka. What's the Special Martini? It wouldn't be a Haku Vodka-inspired menu without an elevated cocktail. The signature serve for Haku Vodka is a martini. As part of this brand collaboration, Toko has crafted a bespoke martini that is available to purchase on both the tasting menu and the specials menu. Dubbed the Superstar Martini, it's a blend of Haku Vodka (of course), apple juice, lime juice, sugar syrup and white chocolate syrup. The resulting martini is a softly sweet, fruit-forward concoction that pairs perfectly with the delicate seafood dishes on both menus. The saltiness of the caviar and the richness of the lobster roll provide a delicious contrast to the fruity martini, but the more delicate sushi courses are not overpowered by the drink's subtle sweetness. What's Haku Vodka? Haku Vodka is a premium Japanese craft spirit from the House of Suntory made entirely from 100 percent Japanese white rice. Named 'Haku', which translates to 'white' and 'brilliant' in Japanese, this vodka exemplifies the artistry involved in creating a clear, clean-tasting spirit. It is meticulously distilled and filtered through bamboo charcoal to achieve unparalleled smoothness. Known for its clean, subtle taste and slightly sweet finish, Haku Vodka provides an ideal foundation for Toko's team to explore a symphony of flavours, textures, and aromas in its dishes. How to Nab a Spot? The Haku Vodka Tasting Menu will be available during all lunch and dinner services, including Fridays and Saturdays, from October 8 to November 2. Bookings are highly recommended to secure your place. You must make a reservation on the website. The Toko x Haku Vodka set menu is available from October 8 until November 2. Make your reservation on the website. Haku Vodka's signature serve is the Haku martini — a drink that showcases the craftsmanship, nuanced flavour and exceptional quality of the premium Japanese liquid. To learn more, head to the House of Suntory website. Image Credit: Jude Cohen
Seven women, a dinner party and a bunch of relationships crying out for serious re-examination provide the dramatic drive behind Jonathan Gavin’s A Moment on the Lips. Having debuted on the Old Fitz stage 11 years ago, the play is now revisiting home territory via the Mad March Hare Theatre Company. Through one short scene after another, the lives of seven protagonists unravel. There’s Anne (Ainslie McGlynn), self-declared ‘home resource manager’ facing the challenges of first-time motherhood; Emma (Claudia Barrie), appearance-obsessed newsreader; Dominique (Sonya Kerr), possessor of prophetic powers; and two sets of sisters. The first is comprised of creatively frustrated, failing artist Victoria (Beth Aubrey) and PhD student Jenny (Sarah Aubrey — the Aubreys are sisters for real); the second of emotionally detached yet successful barrister Rowena (Lucy Goleby) and adopted Samoan sibling Bridget (Sabryna T’eo), who cares for dying patients. What’s more, Jenny is married to Rowena, for whom Emma still carries a flame. And pretty much every relationship — be it platonic, romantic or biological — is fraught with regret, dishonesty and confusion. A Moment on the Lips begs us to contemplate our values and consider the big impact of 'little things'. It’s a mountain of material to get through in just one play. Gavin ambitiously attempts to address every character’s strengths and weaknesses, but it’s a tough call, and, too often, lapses into one-dimensionality. It also means some rather uneven scriptwriting. Several clever one-liners elicit genuine laugh-out-loud moments, but there’s also an indigestible reliance on cliche. Occasionally it's used ironically with more punch. McGlynn delivers the standout performance as the struggling Anne — charismatic, sassy and funny. The other roles prove difficult to fill out, given their lack of meatiness, but director Mackenzie Steele does pull off a fast-paced, snappy show, accentuating eccentricities and dynamics where he can. Charlie Davis has come up with a beige, orderly set with bookshelves offering titles like The Way We Live that could easily pass for a trendy Bondi apartment and cleverly references the characters’ materialism and tendency to obsess over first-world problems. Costume designer Isabella Andronos delivers striking contrasts with bold, bright colours. A Moment on the Lips is an entertaining night out, but, ultimately, proves more simplistic than probing. Image by Katy Green Loughrey.
William Blake once said "without contraries, there is no progression," meaning that opposition hones our strengths by giving us a reason to improve. With accusations of intolerance often levelled at both religion and its opponents, religion itself said to be both resurgent and in decline, the spiritual and the sacred must be right about at their best right now. The Blake Prize, celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, invites artists to submit work based on both of these themes or 'human justice', and its finalists appear to be in top form this year. Originally inaugurated by a Jew and a Jesuit, the prize is named after Blake himself — a man who possessed profound spirituality, a yen for human justice, and mixed his own mythology. Among the finalists are reclining deities, a multi-origined nativity by Martin Sharp, Simon McGrath's proposal for alternate transubstantiation, gods in place of fuzzy dice and Paula Gowans' Persephone in the carbon industry. There are also entries from names better-known in other fields, such as novelist Chris Tsiolkas and broadcaster Richard Moorecroft. The prize has incorporated a poetry prize since 2008, and finalists from this newly-minted aspect of the prize are already on show online. Painting 'Persephone of the Illawarra' by Paula Gowans.
Tucked away on the first floor of the recognisable Salesforce building is Bourke & Ward, an elegant all-day eatery dedicated to Southern Italian cuisine with modern flair. This triple-threat venue operates as a cafe for that early morning rush, a buzzy lunch spot come the afternoon and a moody restaurant after dark. So whether you're in for an intimate date night or swinging by for a hearty lunch, Bourke & Ward has got you covered. Peruse the menu and you'll be met with a wide array of top-quality dishes. For breakfast, take your pick from cafe classics like a hefty B&E with sauce of your choosing, an avocado stack elevated with a diced lemon confit, chilli scrambled eggs with three kinds of spice and fried Tuscan kale and an Italian take on Turkish poached eggs that features whipped ricotta, sauteéd spinach and mushrooms with a burnt butter and tomato vierge. Post-breakfast, you can opt for antipasti like the pillowy focaccia and the crispy polenta paired with calabrese sugo and stracciatella. Then, make your way to the heartier selection — it's recommended that you try a pasta and a pizza, if you've got room for both. Standouts from the pasta selection include a lasagne that would make even the fiercest of nonnas proud, squid ink linguine with garlic-coated prawns and pesto casarecce with Calabrian chilli, sundried tomato, stracciatella and smoked almond. The showstopper, though, is the traditional pinsa. What sets this pizza apart from its fellow dough-centred siblings is its crust, which consists of a six-protein dough that is proofed for 72 hours before it's turned into a lighter and crisper alternative to the familiar slices we know and love. Here, you can choose between five styles of pinsa romana, from a tomato-base Siciliana with eggplant or a four-cheese pie, to prawn-starring gamberi drizzled with nduja oil or the ham-, mushroom- and olive-topped cotto. You'll want to finish your night with a sweet treat if you've still got room, whether it be the indulgent matcha tiramisu, the Nutella pizza or the fruity apple and peach crumble with ice cream. Plus, you can pair each dish with a glass of top-notch vino from the international wine list — there's a decent selection available by the glass — or one of the restaurant's plethora of fun cocktails. From a sour mango marg and stiff blood orange negroni to a selection of seven spritzes, you'll be spoilt for choice.
Chic activewear is an essential part of the Bondi dress code, so it's no wonder locals tend to congregate around places like Nimble. Found on the tranquil Hall Street, this is an activewear store known for its community spirit and eco-conscious clothing. Pick up a pair of recycled-plastic leggings and join one of the store's organised beach cleanups, or take part in the run club or a community yoga class in the minimalist, wood-panelled shop space. Plus, if you're in search of a bargain, it tends to offer sales alongside all its events.
Lennox Hastie is the mind behind one of Sydney's most talked about restaurants. Since bursting onto the scene in 2015, Firedoor has built a cult following. Tables at the venue book out three months in advance, and it was recently named the world's third-best steak restaurant. Now, Hastie is back with a new venture. Gildas is a more laidback display of Hastie's love of food and wine. The Surry Hills bar draws inspiration from the time the acclaimed restauranter spent in Europe's Basque Country, as well as San Sebastian pintxo, and the 1946 Rita Hayworth-starring film Gilda. From the combination of these influences comes a romantic wine bar centered around glasses of sherry, cracking martinis and fresh produce. "The Basque tradition of the pinxtos taverna is a space where locals come together as a community to snack on small plates of pinxtos, tell stories, and enjoy a drink, specifically one of Jerez's best; the Sherry," the Gildas menu states. There are 12 varieties of sherry or sherry-style wine on the menu, ranging from more affordable tipples like the Bodega Barrero Manzanilla, through to pours of 1999 Pedro Ximenez. Outside of the drink of choice, there's an extensive wine list, traversing South Australian skin contacts, Charles Heidsieck champagne, and plenty of Spanish varieties. Accompanying the array of wine is a short and to-the-point selection of cocktails and aperitif including Spanish vermouth, a manzanilla sour, white-wine sangria, and expected standards like a martini and old fashioned. As for the food, experienced chef Zach Elliott-Crenn heads up the kitchen after previously working as the Executive Chef at Maggie Joan's in Singapore and the Head Chef of Portland in London. Elliott-Crenn's menu brings together quality Australian and Spanish produce into memorable share plates. Leading the menu is a trio of cured meats — Basque ham, paleta iberico and jamon iberico. From there the dishes become more unpredictable. There are spanner crab churros, beef tartare with rock oyster cream, oyster mushrooms with smoked egg yolk and charred leeks with romesco and lardo salumi. Finish your trip to Gildas with a playful dessert — the smoked buffalo milk soft serve topped with dulce de leche. Gildas is located at 46–48 Albion Street, Surry Hills, and is open 5pm–midnight, Tuesday–Saturday. Images: Nikki To
This weekend, Hay St Market at Paddy's transforms into a vibrant Italian piazza to celebrate one of Italy's most beloved summer holidays — Ferragosto. Picture a three-day cultural extravaganza with decadent Italian delights, including hand-rolled gnocchi and piped-to-order cannoli, and of course, an Aperol Spritz. Ferragosto traditionally marks the height of the summer harvest in Italy, celebrating with a day of rest and feasting with family. While it might not be summer here, the holiday is reimagined with music, colour and the aromas of regional Italian cooking taking over Haymarket. From Friday, August 15 to Sunday, August 17, the 3,000 square-metre market will be filled with roaming food carts and market stalls serving golden saffron arancini, schiacciata-stuffed porchetta rolls with salsa verde and crackling, and slow-cooked stews over creamy polenta. Plus, desserts like tiramisu trays, cinnamon-dusted bomboloni and scoop after scoop of gelato. On Saturday, August 16, from 12–3pm, a live Italian band will soundtrack your spritz-sipping and market wandering, making it the perfect afternoon of indulgence. Hay St Market Culinary Director George Diamond has worked closely with market traders to curate the menu and capture the spirit of Ferragosto "with every bite". Entry to Buon Farragosto is free, so make sure you head down at some point over the weekend and enjoy this flavour-packed Italian getaway in the heart of Sydney. Find out more about the food on offer at the Hay St Market website.
We all love a good day trip, but when it comes to experiencing the wintry delights of a powder-covered ski resort, it's hard to beat an overnight stay right there atop the mountain. Clicking on those skis in the morning, opening the front door and launching straight into the thrill (or perhaps spill) of it all is a pretty sweet deal. Minimal travel time, maximum snow. So, we've rounded up a few of NSW's best on-snow stays, to help take your next winter escape to a whole new level. From luxury mountain lodges, to private self-contained chalets, here are eight ski-in ski-out stays you can book right now. NSW's latest COVID-19 restrictions allow regional travel within the state from June 1. While all NSW ski resorts are preparing to reopen as soon as possible, Deputy Premier John Barilaro said that they may need a little time to put COVID plans into place so you should get in touch before visiting. That said, this year's ski trip will look a little different to usual, as resorts and operators strive to meet current public health protocol, with limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings set to continue. SMIGGINS HOTEL, PERISHER Gently sloped and protected from the weather, Perisher's Smiggin Holes village is a favourite for beginner snow-trippers. And Smiggins Hotel is located right there at its centre, offering a whole range of top-notch ski-in ski-out accommodation options. It's a modern resort set-up, based just metres away from all the area's chair lifts and t-bars — simply coast out the front door and straight into a choose-your-own-ski-adventure each day. There's a variety of hotel rooms and chalet apartments to suit different groups, while the onsite snow sport school and hire shop will have you mountain-ready, without stepping foot outside of the hotel. Plus, the newly renovated hotel deck is ready and primed for apres-ski sessions around the fire pit. NUMBANANGA LODGE, PERISHER Owned and operated by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, this self-contained six-sleeper lodge offers the full snow experience, sitting pretty on the outskirts of Smiggin Holes. With ski-in ski-out access, it's mere metres away from the village's assorted ski lifts, lessons and hire joints, so you can get up and at 'em within minutes of cruising out the front door. Numbananga Lodge is also primed for group snow adventures, featuring three cosy bedrooms and a fully-kitted kitchen. And if you are after a night on the town, simply hop on your board or skis and glide over to suss out the village's many apres-ski options. Following the government's easing of travel restrictions, NPWS is working towards reopening its accommodation and visitor services. Many sites are set to become available from June 1, with the booking system expected to reopen in the days prior. Check out the website for updates. [caption id="attachment_771410" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] KOSCIUSZKO CHALET HOTEL, CHARLOTTE PASS As Australia's highest snow resort, Perisher's smaller neighbour Charlotte Pass is a winning option for snow bunnies keen to feel on top of the world. And the 90-year-old Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel is one of its most popular ski-in ski-out stays, offering killer views, loads of history and a ripper location close to the village's chair lifts. Comfy rooms overlook either the valley or the mountain, and when the day is done, you'll find a whole collection of onsite bars and eateries for those apres-ski activities — including a cocktail bar complete with roaring fire. Keep an eye on the calendar, too, for regular gigs, bingo sessions and trivia nights. [caption id="attachment_771411" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] SNOWBIRD LODGE, CHARLOTTE PASS Handily located for those embracing the less hectic pace of Charlotte Pass village, Snowbird Lodge is a quaint ski-in ski-out retreat within eyeshot of the ski lifts. This one's a relaxed, rustic set-up, with a range of heated ensuite rooms overlooking the white curves of the valley. Though for even better panoramas, check out the sprawling top-floor common room, with central log fire and nightly party vibes. Meanwhile, the licensed dining room will keep you well fuelled for all those on-snow adventures, kicking off with a classic English-style breakfast each morning. And sore muscles are in for a treat, too, with a spa and sauna housed right onsite. SKI IN SKI OUT CHALETS, THREDBO With a name like that, there's really no doubting it. Ski In Ski Out's sleek chalets boast some prime real estate, located right amongst the action of Thredbo Village. We're talking, smack bang on the Supertrail and offering dreamy views across the snow-topped gum trees. There are 25 luxury chalets to choose from, ranging in size from one to four bedrooms. And, while they don't come cheap, they sure will save you time when it comes to getting up the mountain each day. The accommodation's decked out stylishly and for maximum cosiness — think, wood fireplaces, high-end bath products and even the odd private jacuzzi, which you'll be able to jump into just minutes after cruising in from the slopes. RIVER INN, THREDBO A win for novice snow-trippers especially, River Inn is Thredbo's only ski-in ski-out hotel, handily positioned within stumbling distance of Friday Flat — a dedicated beginner-friendly area. It's also perched right beside the Gunbarrel chair lift, so you're primed to beat the crowds and be among the first on the slopes each morning. Here, there's a range of different ensuite rooms to suit various group sizes, with daily breakfast included the rate. After a big day carving up the mountain, you can look forward to a soak in the hotel's heated spa. Or, head straight to the Bavarian-themed restaurant to warm up over a hearty feed and a few beers. BARRAKEE SKI LODGE, PERISHER Just a 50-metre glide from the North Perisher t-bar, you'll find the cosy escape of Barrakee Ski Lodge — a popular ski-in ski-out stay with over 50 years under its belt. It's comfy and modern, with a range of different room options and plenty of stunning white mountain greeting you from out the window each morning. The lodge has its own sauna, bar and games room for kicking back after a day on the slopes, as well as a cranking log fire cosying up the communal lounge each night. And you won't need to venture anywhere else to get your culinary fix — Barrakee's onsite restaurant is helmed by a former personal chef to the Prime Minister of Australia. TAMBAROORA SKI CLUB, PERISHER A picture-perfect, self-contained lodge sitting right in the heart of Perisher Valley, cosy Tambaroora Ski Club is the kind of ski-in ski-out accommodation you'll want to snap up quick for your next group snow trip. It sleeps six and is hidden among the trees, with a front door that opens right onto the slopes and an enviable location just a quick cruise from the Perisher Quad Express chair lift. The Ski Tube rail terminal is also just a few hundred metres away, for those who've parked off-snow. Inside, the chalet's set up with a full kitchen ideal for post-ski cook-ups, and while there's no TV or wifi, you've got your pick of board games to keep your crew entertained beside the lounge heater each night.
That wide-open highway between Melbourne and Sydney has so much to offer. So, why settle for the routine route when you can have a rural adventure? In partnership with Canadian Club and Empty Esky, we want folks to make the great Aussie road trip even better. We've plotted the perfect itinerary, spotlighting regional towns that have had a rough go lately but are back to welcoming tourists with open arms. The next time you hit the bitumen, make it a mission to do some good and discover cool new things. Brave a haunted house, explore Aboriginal cultural heritage, splurge on a boutique hotel, treat yourself with sweets and a bakery pilgrimage and admire a really big sheep. WANGARATTA Your first stop should be for a hearty lunch with a side of cultural education in Wangaratta. Hit the all-day breakfast menu at Cafe Prevue — is there ever a wrong time of day for pancakes? Or, opt for fried chicken bao, mushroom arancini or a trusty toastie. Afterwards, wander down to the river and along the Bullawah Cultural Trail. This project was a collaboration between over a dozen Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and organisations to acknowledge and celebrate the Pangerang people and their long heritage and continued connection to Country. Through artworks, info boards and a bush tucker garden, discover the ways of living and stories that belong to this place and its people. [caption id="attachment_801899" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] BEECHWORTH If you're passing through Beechworth, hit Beechworth Bakery for the lunch of champions: the signature Ned Kelly Pie, stuffed with steak, bacon, cheese and egg. You'll find "Australia's Greatest Bakery" in one of the beautiful historic buildings typical of this picturesque gold rush town. Room for dessert? We suggest the classic vanilla slice or one of its famous Beestings: a fluffy, filled bun spilling custard into your hands with each bite. You'll need some treats for the road, too, so visit The Beechworth Sweet Co for the whimsy of an old-timey sweet shop. Admire the glass jars of boiled sweets, sherberts and jellies, and sample some of its handmade fudge. JUNEE You haven't really explored the country unless you've picked up some bric-a-brac and local handicrafts. The Olde School T-House in Bethungra is crowded with curios and collectibles, so stop in for a browse and some morning tea. Then, steel yourself with an ice-cold Canadian Club and Dry at Junee Hotel before you dine with the dead (maybe) at Monte Cristo Homestead. Test your nerve at this grand homestead, which was once the Crawley family's (the town's founding family) seat of power. The homestead ghost tour includes a three-course dinner, accommodation and breakfast — a friendly touch for what's considered Australia's most haunted house. Oh, and there's an additional gift "if you make it through the night". For some comfort the next day, head to the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. You can pick up organic chocolates, take a tour around the old mill (currently on hold due to COVID restrictions) or stop at the cafe for a decadent hot chocolate laced with turkish delight, butterscotch or even chilli. [caption id="attachment_795809" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] GUNDAGAI You know it for The Dog on the Tuckerbox, now discover Gundagai's fancier attractions. Heritage meets stylish minimalism at the boutique hotel, Flash Jacks. Starting life as a convent in 1891, these Victorian bricks have been born again as the ultimate luxe retreat, where you can splurge on a room with a bay window daybed. The perfect accompaniment to this top-notch stay is one of the best coffees you can get between Melbourne and Sydney. The Coffee Pedaler is a bright, cheery cafe that punches well above its weight. Sit outside for a pretty street view towards the hills, and tuck into a city-worthy brunch with generous country portions. [caption id="attachment_801901" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Public Art Walk, Destination NSW[/caption] GOULBURN Is it an Aussie road trip if it doesn't include at least one Big Thing? Goulburn's Big Merino (Rambo to his mates) celebrates the great Australian wool industry. If you're a dyed-in-the-wool art lover, take a free tour of Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, which showcases some of the best regional contemporary and emerging artists, then wander the Public Art Walk from there to the Information Centre. Afterwards, join the locals at the Goulburn Workers Club for a Canadian Club and Dry and a game of pool. Recover the next morning at Grit Cafe with an espresso and get your granola on. Or, grab a homemade bagel, artisanal sausage roll or brekkie burrito to see you through to Sydney. For more road trip inspiration, check out these guides from Canadian Club and Empty Esky. Top image: Monte Cristo Homestead, Destination NSW
Beloved pub The Erko received a welcome facelift in 2023 and, with it, a refreshed menu that uses produce from its own in-house garden and the Erko Road Community Garden a few doors down. The kitchen is now under the stewardship of head chef Ethan Robinson (ex-Chiswick). Robinson has reimagined the classic pub grub fare with a seasonal menu. Highlights of the starters section include the seared haloumi with quince local honey and fresh rosemary, served in a piping hot cast iron pan; egg yolk-topped steak tartare; and fried chicken sliders with house-made hot sauce and urban honey. For mains, you can't go past the chicken schnitzel or succulent lamb rump plated up with white bean and bacon fricasse. Vegetarians aren't forgotten with the 'Cheeky Pea' falafel burger and casarecce pasta. You can leave things up to the chef and opt for the $45 chef's choice tasting menu, available for groups of two or more, or time your visit to take advantage of one of the daily deals, such as $2 oysters every Saturday and Sunday from 1pm. For dessert, you can choose between the moreish (and massive) pear crumble with vanilla ice cream or the freshly baked peanut butter, dark chocolate and sea salt cookie. If your pooch is with you and hungry, you can order house-made dog biscuits, a muesli bar or even a raw beef tartare for the fancy pups. The crew have a considered collection of wine available in its drinks list and on-site bottle shop. You'll find diverse drops from across Australia, with a few international tipples showing up, plus there are plenty of natty wines and biodynamic drops to choose from. For a proper good deal, grab a one-litre squealer of Alpha Box & Dice vino for just $25 — and when you bring back the bottle, you get $5 off your next refill. The watering hole has plenty of Aussie craft beer alongside the usual draughts and signature and classic cocktails. There are a few intriguing non-alcohol beverages, too. Opt for the house soda made with 'Ethan's leftover syrup', which changes with the seasons, or a twist on an iced tea made with Ireland's favourite brew: Barry's Gold. Perch yourself at the bar, out in the beer garden or at one of the many candlelit seats in the main bar area to enjoy this year-round favourite. Image credit: Steven Woodburn, Orlaith Costello
