You probably recognise Lea DeLaria from her role on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black. But while she's best known for playing inmate Big Boo, the truth is she's been around a hell of a lot longer than that. The first openly gay comic to appear on American television, DeLaria has been appearing on stage and screen for more than three decades, and will on Saturday, June 9 appear at the City Recital Hall for an evening of stand-up and song. Part of this year's Vivid festival, Lea DeLaria Live In Concert will see the singer, actor and comedian – who has five jazz records to her name, by the way – perform songs from her latest album, House of David. If the name didn't give it away, it lovingly reimagines the music of the late great David Bowie, so you'll be getting two icons for the price of one.
On Wednesdays, you might wear pink — but breaking out your favourite not-quite-red shades on Tuesday, May 22 is going to be perfectly acceptable. You'll need to look the part at Made by the Hill's Mean Girls trivia night, after all. And the venue will be setting the mood by decking out the place in the right colour, right down to an 'On Wednesdays We Wear Pink' cocktail. Yes, not being there would be social suicide. Yes, revisiting the correct usages of 'fetch', 'grool' and 'ESPN' is just part of the fun too, as is channelling your inner queen bee. Yes, pretending it's the Spring Fling is encouraged. If all of the above means something to you, then this is your kind of event. Mathlete or plastic, if you're a fan of the now 14-year-old movie, then show your devotion by battling it out across five trivia rounds. It all kicks off at 6.30pm and entry is free, but registrations are essential.
Think watching a movie under the stars is a summer activity? Think again. Braving the elements to catch a film in winter comes with its own rewards: snuggling up next to your nearest and dearest, enjoying the brisk night air and sipping hot mulled wine, for example. As part of the broader Bastille Festival, the Tallowoladah Lawn outside of the MCA will become a pop-up openair movie theatre. That means settling in for a flick with a view not just of the screen, but vantages out over the Opera House and Sydney Harbour as well. Screening seven sessions over four days between July 12 to 15, Le Cinema lets attendees get cosy in 100 deck chairs (with blankets, of course), and offers up a glass of mulled wine and popcorn to complete the outdoor film-watching experience. Movies include the Marion Cotillard-starring La Vie En Rose, the animated culinary delight that is Ratatouille and sci-fi fun with Luc Besson's The Fifth Element. Or, let yourself eat cake at a session of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette.
Talented pooches have been barking their way to big screen stardom since the birth of the medium, and Cannes Film Festival even gives out awards for ace pupper performances. Now, Australia has a new dog-themed cinema showcase. At the Top Dog Film Festival, doggos and puppers cement their status as humanity's favourite movie stars in a touring program of pooch-centric shorts. For two hours, dogs will leap across screens in a curated selection of heartwarming flicks about humanity's best friend. Last year, the lineup included films about dog-powered sports, dogs in space, dogs hiking through the desert, senior dogs and more. The festival hits Sydney on July 15 and July 29 as part of its national run, headed for one-day-only showings the Hayden Orpheum and Randwick Ritz respectively. Rushing after tickets the way your best four-legged friend rushes after a frisbee is recommended. Given how much we all love watching dog videos online, not to mention attending pupper-centric shindigs in general, this fest is certain to be popular.
What's better than gazing at the Vivid lights from the Museum of Contemporary Art's rooftop Sculpture Terrace? Doing so with a glowing, gin-infused cocktail in your hand, that's what. To that end, Bombay Sapphire is taking over the space this festival, with a pop-up dedicated to boozy and warming concoctions. If you're one to feel the cold easily, order the Winter Warmer in Laverstoke. Served in a comforting tea and saucer, this creation is a blend of ginger, chocolate butter and vermouth. Yep, it's your post-dinner cocktail and dessert sorted in one hit. Another sweet, sweet option is the Chocolate & Roses. For die-hard G&T drinkers, there are a few twists on the classic and they all feature native ingredients. Choose from lemon myrtle and thyme, karkalla (a native coastal succulent) and orange or finger lime and sage. Meanwhile, The Barber Shop Bombay Sapphire Negroni comes with picture-ready glow-in-the-dark glasses. Aussie artist Jonny Niesche will be lighting up the MCA facade this year. His installation Virtual Vibration, created exclusively for Vivid Sydney, will turn the building into a shifting, mesmerising image — combining the formality of high modernism with wild psychedelia — set to a soundtrack by composer Mark Pritchard. While the bar will be free to enter throughout Vivid (from Friday, May 25 till Saturday, June 16) it will be closed to the public on the opening night — as it's hosting the sold out Artbar: Vivid edition — and closed for private events on June 1 and 6. The Bombay Sapphire x MCA Pop-Up Bar will be open throughout Vivid Sydney on most Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, from 5–9pm. For the full schedule, check the website. Top image: Sam Whiteside
It's the film that had to happen, honestly. Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero couldn't just give the world the so-bad-it's-amazing gift that is The Room and leave it at that — even if their disasterpiece became the basis for Sestero's ace behind-the-scenes book The Disaster Artist, and then the oh-so spot-on movie adaptation of the same name. No, this cinematic odd couple just had to make a second flick. Really, they had to. All those spoons thrown at cinema screens, all those screams of "you're tearing me apaaaaart!", all those "oh hi, doggy" comments: as The Room became a cult phenomenon over the past 15 years, we've all been praying to the deity that is Wiseau's long, greasy locks, and hoping that the world's most unlikely film star and his best friend would make another movie. Well, they have, and it's called Best F(r)iends. It was written by Sestero but directed by someone other than Wiseau, so it might all make some kind of sense this time. Apparently inspired by a road trip the duo took just after they'd made The Room, it's actually the first volume of a two-part flick, starring Sestero as a drifter and Wiseau as a mortician. We know — the latter couldn't sound like better casting. Maybe he's a vampire, too? Either way, the pair hatch a scheme that comes undone due to greed and jealousy, sparking a road trip as well as an exploration of friendship and loyalty. Switch out a few details, and it sounds a little like our favourite best worst film. If you're so filled with excitement that you feel like storming onto a rooftop and throwing a bottle, don't stress — Best F(r)iends is coming to Sydney, screening at the Hayden Orpheum at 7pm on Monday, June 25. Even better, Sestero will be in attendance to answer all of your questions. Just don't ask him how his sex life is, obviously. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTu9N40E_MI
What is taught at schools, and how it's tested, is oft a topic of debate. A quick Google search will tell you that everyone from Richard Branson to Mark Wahlberg, Shannon Bennett to Aretha Franklin either failed at or dropped out of school. So, does the current system really work for all kids — or just those who are academically minded? At this Vivid Ideas talk, five of Australia's great minds will deep dive into the topic: are schools and society fostering or stifling imagination? And they're doing it in honour of another great mind: the great, late Australian journalist Mark Colvin. During Colvin's four-decade career he worked at the ABC Radio, Four Corners, Double J and Triple J and reported from pivotal events across the globe, including the Iranian hostage crisis and the aftermath of Rwanda's genocide. In the spirit of Colvin's unbridled curiosity, songstress Megan Washington, screenwriter and columnist Benjamin Law, Guardian Australia senior editor Lucy Clark — and author of Beautiful Failures: How the Quest for Success is Harming Our Kids — Professor Robyn Ewing AM and TV presenter Julia Zemiro will take to the stage to debate the current schooling system. It's rumoured that Washington, who'll be discussing how she found her voice through music, might even perform a song or two. The lively debate will be held at the City Recital Hall on Sunday, June 3 at 11.30am. To purchase tickets, head to the website.
When it comes to sunset drinks, Hotel Palisade's rooftop is hard to beat — the split-level cocktail bar, Henry Deane, in Millers Point offers near 360-degree views of Sydney, including lots and lots of harbour. Making it even more appealing this season is the arrival of the Chandon S Lounge. For the next few weeks, you'll be able to sink into some of the comfiest seats in town, while sipping a glass ($12) — or bottle ($59) — of Chandon S (Chandon's popular sparkling wine infused with orange bitters) and staring for hours at tranquil water, pretty parks and spectacular skyline. Should you get peckish, you can feast on dishes from the menu. Making the most of the Palisade's brilliant location, the Chandon S Lounge is open every day from midday — but we suggest heading up between 4–8pm to soak up the last rays of afternoon. Things are set to wrap up on Monday, December 10, so get your skates on. To make a booking, visit Hotel Palisades website.
After a long, hot day, what better way to cool down than by sipping a chilled drink with the sound of waves crashing in the background. And if you find yourself in Bondi, you can do just that at The Pacific Club. The sleek all-day eatery opened in August 2018, and its chic design, featuring handcrafted Indian tiles and marble finishes, and views overlooking the promenade make it the perfect spot to enjoy a tipple or two. Giving you an extra reason to visit this spring is the arrival of an outdoor pop-up bar devoted to the mighty Chandon S. Get there between 4–6pm and settle in to the designated seating to try Chandon S at happy hour prices — just $8 a glass. This summery drop is a blend of sparkling wine and orange bitters — an aromatic combination of blood and navel oranges, fresh ginger, gentian root, vanilla pods, cinnamon quills and cardamom. Whether you spend your afternoon lazing about on the sand or strolling all the way to Bronte and back, be sure to leave yourself enough time for a cheeky sundowner. The Chandon Spritz Bar will be running every day between 4–6pm at The Pacific Club until Monday, December 3. No booking required.
UPDATE, August 15, 2020: I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story is available to stream via DocPlay, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. For many teenage girls, love has a name. It's not their schoolyard crush, or that boy who keeps teasing them in class. Depending on the decade, it's Harry Styles, Nick Carter, Robbie Williams or Paul McCartney. Their great loves sing to them, stare back at them from posters on their walls, and soulfully look their way at packed-out concerts. They croon tunes about holding hands, wanting them back and inner beauty, and — crucially — declare they'll never break any hearts. Whether it's The Beatles in the 60s, the Backstreet Boys in the 90s or One Direction earlier this decade, such is the power of boy bands. Many come together in the most calculated of manners, specifically engineered to appeal to as many swooning girls and sell as many records as possible. But the sentiments they're uttering feel real to their fans. Take 16-year-old Long Island resident Elif, for example. When she talks about One Direction, her face could light up Zayn Malik and company's world like nobody else. She screams at their videos, calls them "the boys" like they're kids that she goes to school with, and bursts into tears when a friend suggests that a band member might deliver their pizza. Alongside 25-year-old San Francisco journalist Sadia, 33-year-old Sydney band strategist Dara and 64-year-old Melbourne TV producer Susan, Elif is one of four boy band aficionados featured in I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story. Each has fallen hard for a different group and it's changed their life, with the documentary exploring, analysing and celebrating their fandom. Well aware that loving a boy band is so often seen as the domain of silly young girls, filmmaker Jessica Leski examines the phenomenon with joy, affection and irreverence, and with an open heart and mind. She knows a thing or two about the topic herself, having become a devoted Directioner at the age of 31. Cue a delicate balancing act, but one that I Used to Be Normal manages with the skill of a carefully choreographed *NSYNC dance routine. As the bright, upbeat, quick-paced film delves deep into its subjects' thoughts, emotions, hopes and desires, it also dissects the broader allure of manufactured male pop groups and the catharsis they can offer. Dara gives viewers a Boy Band 101 lesson to help cover all angles, however its her own personal story — and Elif, Sadia and Susan's too — that comprises the beating heart of the doco. Set to an appropriate soundtrack, their love of cute men belting out pop ballads is always intimate and genuine, and handled with thoughtfulness and insight. For Turkish immigrant Elif, One Direction connects her to her adopted country and helps unleash her dreams of becoming a musician. Growing up in a conservative Muslim household, Sadia's obsession with the Backstreet Boys helped her explore her teenage urges — and still helped when she suffered from depression in college. Dara's affinity for Take That's Gary Barlow shaped her identity and her sexuality, while Susan's Beatlemania has been a crutch to lean on through decades of ups and downs. Even if you don't know New Kids on the Block from East 17, and even if you'd never want to, these tales are instantly relatable. It's passion that unites I Used to Be Normal's four women, and unites them with everyone watching, too. On good and bad days alike, these ladies filter their lives through something that feels larger than life, which is exactly what sports nuts, comic book-lovers, Game of Thrones tragics and Potterheads do as well. While exposing this truth, Leski acts in much the same way from behind the camera. That's a key aspect of her documentary: she doesn't judge or dismiss or play up stereotypes, because everyone is a fangirl (or boy) for something, including the director herself. There's humour in the film, but it comes from someone who knows what her subjects are going through — and knows that everyone watching knows the same loving feeling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSQBPzGL8EI
Paramount Recreation Club — a rooftop dedicated to fitness above the newish Paramount House Hotel — is gearing up for the festive season. On Saturday, December 1, the yoga mats and gym balls will be swept aside to make way for the club's Holiday Market. If you're on the hunt for locally designed and made gifts, then make sure you add this one to the calendar. The good folks at Paramount have handpicked a bunch of their favourite brands and designers, including linen from In Bed, Le Labo's fragrances, Japanese basics from nearby store Provider, Mud ceramics, and bits and bobs form Dinosaur Designs, The Plant Society, Maison Balzac and The Locals Market. Anyone who arrives within the first hour (i.e. between 10am and 11am) will score free coffee, courtesy of Coffee Supreme, while the Rec Club Kiosk will serve healthy eats right up until 4pm.
Every year, when October rolls around, Palace Cinemas hosts an all-night movie-watching extravaganza. 'Tis the season for bumps, jumps, screams, creepy celluloid dreams and getting scared while sitting in a cinema, after all. But there are halloween marathons, and then there are Halloween halloween marathons. No, we didn't accidentally repeat a word in the last sentence. For the Chauvel Cinema's venue's 2018 spooktacular, it's dedicating an entire night to the frightening film series that John Carpenter started 40 years ago. Expect the writer/director/composer's famous piano-filled score to echo throughout the building as Michael Myers dons his mask, grabs a knife, bursts through wardrobes, stalks babysitters and terrifies his hometown of Haddonfield, all on the titular occasion. And, expect Jamie Lee Curtis to cement her credentials as the ultimate big-screen scream queen. From the iconic first film — one of the best horror flicks ever made — to the not-so-iconic late 90s and early 00s sequels, all eight original Halloween movies will screen from 7pm on Saturday, October 27. The Halloween onslaught couldn't be better timed, and not only due to the date, with the all-new ninth film in the franchise hitting cinemas everywhere just a week earlier.
Fancy yourself the next Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle? Spend your days listening to My Favorite Murder and watching Making a Murder? Have a morbid fascination with true crime? If you answered yes to any of these, this festival might be right up your dimly lit alley. Bad is Sydney's only festival dedicated to all things crime writing, and it's back for its second year with a morbid — and fascinating — lineup. Kicking off the three-day fest — running from Friday,August 31 to Sunday, September 2 — is a huge true crime-themed 'pub trivia' quiz, hosted by award-winning author Candice Fox, where you'll battle it out against some of the nation's top true crime writers (and maybe all those Netflix binges will finally pay off). Over the next two days, you'll be able to head to a host of conversations and Q&As with ex-armed robber Carl Synnerdahl — who successfully convinced prison officers that he was blind — investigative journalist Joanna McCarthy, forensic psychiatrist Donald Grant, former judge Brian Knox and former detective and author Duncan McNab, among others. Authors Adam Shand and Mark Morri will also discuss and compare the underworlds of Sydney and Melbourne, while Nerida Campbell and Michael Duffy will explore Australia's prohibition era.
Alpine resort Thredbo has been making some serious tracks in the fields of environmental awareness and sustainability this year. Earlier this month, it announced that 100 percent of its lifting and snowmaking electricity will be offset for this winter season thanks to a partnership with Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project (ALFA), a not-for-profit company owned by the Aboriginal people of Arnhem Land. It has also been named as the inaugural partner of advocacy group POW (Protect Our Winters), which has recently launched its Australian chapter. POW is all about protecting winter and the alpine environments in Australia, with initiatives targeted at protecting slopes like those at Thredbo and reducing human impact. To celebrate these new partnerships, Thredbo is hosting an educational celebration this weekend. There'll be talks from the board members at ALFA, as well as Hike for POW happening on Friday, July 27: a hike to the top of Mt Kosciuszko, open to all backcountry snow goers and led by US free skier Chris Davenport. If hiking a mountain sounds a little too intense, the weekend will celebrate National Tree Day as well. Since 2014, Thredbo guests have offset almost 8000 tonnes of carbon emissions by planting more than 30,000 trees. So, why not join them? Over the weekend, attendees can purchase a tree friend and be assured it's doing extra good — Thredbo is matching all donations throughout the time. Thredbo's environmental weekend will take place from Friday, July 27 to Sunday, July 29. For more information on its environmental initiatives, register for the Hike for POW or buy a tree, visit the website.
Cheese is always on the menu at Salt Meats Cheese, as its name suggests. Oozing on top of pizza, sprinkled over pasta, on platters with cured meat and homemade chutney — they're just some of the dairy choices. Or, you could combine a few of the above at the restaurant's regular Cheese Feasts. Next taking place at SMC Broadway from 6pm on Saturday, January 12 and at SMC Circular Quay from 6pm on Tuesday, January 15, they'll turn your day into cheese heaven. On the menu is a selection of cheeses, meats, seasonal fruits and focaccia to share, followed by wood-fired brie filled with cheese pasta, and stuffed porchetta and roasted lamb shoulder smothered in gooey raclette. After that, dessert comes in the form of cardamon panna cotta served with smashed berries and cream. For the food side of things, it'll set you back $39 — and if you'd like to add bottomless wine, you can do so for an extra $29. That gets you an unlimited selection of Italian red, white and prosecco drops.
If you're looking for a new bottomless brunch with a view this summer, Regatta Rose Bay has you covered. The beachside restaurant is hosting its version of the morning meal, complete with free-flowing rosé, every Sunday until March 31. The brunch will take over the deck of the venue's Blue Room — which boasts views across Sydney Harbour — each Sunday for one sitting from 10am. For two hours, guests will be treated to endless pours of Rogers & Rufus rosé, along with seven dishes designed to complement the wine. Between sips, you'll sample truffle and taleggio arancini, mini smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels and ham and gruyere croissants, along with piquillo pepper and potato frittata and buffalo mozzarella bruschetta. On the sweeter side, there'll be seasonal berry-topped granola and caramel muffins, too. The brunch costs $80 per person and includes two hours of bottomless rosé and seven dishes. Reservations are essential so, to make a booking, visit the website.
Now that spring has sprung, what better time to give your old ceramics collection a spruce up? Especially since you can score some fab pieces on the cheap, at Mud Australia's one-day-only Sydney flash sale. The legendary Aussie label is opening the doors to its Marrickville studio tomorrow, Saturday, September 8, and is slinging a whole assortment of its handmade porcelain and homewares for at least 50 percent off the regular price. Head along from 10am to find some very pocket-friendly deals on designs that are samples, slightly chipped, left over from discontinued lines, imperfectly glazed, or as the team describes, 'outrageously organic'. You've got until 4pm to load up on cute ceramic bargains and sort out your mates' pressies (and Christmas pressies, it's soon) for the rest of the year.
The best film festivals offer something for everyone — different genres, a variety of stories and an array of events. Returning for its 13th year, the Sydney Latin American Film Festival ticks all of those boxes and jumps between different countries in the process, showcasing the latest cinema efforts from Chile, Cuba, Uruguay, Peru, Panama, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico. Across September 6–15 at Dendy Opera Quays, Addison Road Picture House and PYT Fairfield, movie buffs can enjoy ten films, a collection of shorts, and huge opening and closing parties, all while sampling the best new flicks that the region has to offer. On the bill: a true tale about teenage girls breaking into the apartments of the wealthy; a documentary about Grammy winner, actor, lawyer and Panama presidential candidate Ruben Blades; and an animated comedy about a foosball player who's trying to protect the object of his affection — with the latter screening including street fútbol and traditional food. Or, viewers can watch a selection of shorts from Latin American female directors, catch the first Venezuelan film to make it to the prestigious Cannes Critics' Week competition, or laugh through a mockumentary about a secret presidential mission to supply cannabis to Uruguay. Other standouts include a revenge drama from Melbourne film graduate Laura Mora, plus one of our picks of this year's Melbourne International Film Festival: Issa López's enchanting and empathetic Tigers Are Not Afraid, which explores the Mexican drug war through the eyes of the children it leaves orphaned.
Add some zest to your Monday night at Chin Chin, all thanks to the Surry Hills restaurant's Curry Club. Launched back in August and returning at 6pm on September 10, it's your chance to feast through a delicious banquet cooked up by head chef Graeme Hunt — and, obviously, curry is on the menu. The details change with each outing, so if you just can't get enough spice in their life, you won't be eating the same thing twice. This time around, the evening's menu includes fried squid with crispy shallots, then two types of the titular dish: a rich beef rib massaman curry and a Penang chicken curry. There'll also be rice and roti, plus — because each Curry Club sees Chin Chin team up with a brewery — a beer on arrival from Fury & Son. The last event sold out, so anyone that's already salivating is advised to book their $49.50 ticket asap.
Creativity never dies. In its tenth year, HIDDEN will showcase over forty sculptures installed all over the historic Rookwood Cemetery. The exhibition features artists from all over the country and overseas. Tasked with celebrating history, culture, remembrance, and love, each artist has contributed to this outdoor sculpture walk that hides creativity amongst gardens and graves. The exhibition is free to explore and runs for the entirety of September, kicking off with a launch party at 3pm on Saturday, September 1. Highlights of the unique (and slightly spooky) exhibition include a short film competition — with 10 different flicks — a floating "stairway to heaven" and a performative piece, which takes place every Saturday and Sunday from 12pm. For those wanting to know some of the stories behind the art pieces, there'll be free tours running throughout the exhibition led by HIDDEN curator Cassandra Lawrie. You can check out the full list of times and book your space here.
Rosebery's The Cannery has almost everything: a pizzeria, a distillery, a patisserie, a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker. Well, you'll find the last-mentioned at its new market, launching this Sunday, September 2 To be held on the first Sunday of the month, the market will feature a huge range of food, homewares, fashion and art. Regular stallholders will include The Little Florist, Maethorani Plants and Amber Drop Honey while a slew of others will rotate each month. On the first weekend, you'll find natural perfume and essential oils from Amacyn, sustainable threads from Aulieude, Eggpicnic's environmentally conscious art and Lisa Sanasi's ceramics. While you're there, check out the permanent fixtures, too, which include Archie Rose Distillery, Black Star Pastry and Da Mario.
Spring is in the air, the greenery is blossoming — and it's time to sip a beverage that shares its name with a flower (well, the spelling of its name). That's not the only thing on the menu at Bistro Rex's Languedoc Long Lunch, but it's one of the attractions every Saturday between 12–5pm. Food-wise, you'll be feasting on a menu that will make your tastebuds think they've gone to France, all thanks to beetroot crackers with pickled eshallots and créme fraîche, cauliflower and gruyére pastries and confit chicken with eggplant. The list goes on, as does the rosé. For two hours, the latter is bottomless. Bookings are essential, and this lazy lunch — for you while you sit there and eat, not for the chef's cooking it up at the Potts Point restaurant — will set you back $75 per person.
Your must-see movie list just keeps growing, but your wallet doesn't want to play ball. Call Dendy Opera Quay's latest special a case of great thinking, then, with the chain offering up discount tickets that'll solve your problem. Every week up until December 19, you can catch up on a recent flick from the last month. The selected movie changes each Thursday, but you head along to see it any time across the next seven days — and you'll only pay $7. A wide variety of films are getting the cheap treatment, from The Meg to BlacKkKlansman to Crazy Rich Asians, and including Searching, A Simple Favour and the upcoming The Girl in the Spiders's Web too. Check Dendy's Did You Miss It? page to keep an eye on what you should see each week, with online bookings taken from two weeks in advance. Your budget will thank you.
Don a fancy dress or suit and head to Randwick. Spring has officially arrived in Sydney, so that means racing season has too. Returning for another carnival of fashion, food and action, Colgate Optic White Stakes Day is the first group race of the 2018 Everest Carnival offering racegoers to shake off the winter chill. Held Saturday, September 15 at Royal Randwick, there'll be a variety of food and drinks to enjoy while The Mews will provide a spot to hang out with friends and soak in the entertainment. Kick back at the Colgate Optic White Lounge marquee and stop by the bandstand where artists including Hype Duo and Georgia White are set to perform. As always, looking the part is one of those iconic aspects of going to the races. Want a hot tip? Incorporate a splash of red into your getup, and you'll have a chance of winning the fashion-spotting competition. And, if you're feeling extra lucky, you can enter the On Top of the World competition, which will get you a money-can't-buy experience on Everest Day: two night's accommodation at The Star, a buffet breakfast at Sokyo, a helicopter transfer to Randwick and a dining package while you're there. Plus, when you return to The Star that night (via limousine), you'll enjoy dinner at BLACK Bar & Grill. Stakes Day is one of the Everest Carnival's headline events. Everest Carnival runs across six weeks and culminates in the world's richest horse race on turf, The $13 Million TAB Everest, on Saturday, October 13.
Life drawing and classes all typically unfold in the same manner: a model disrobes, budding artists commit their likeness to paper, and a wealth of potential masterpieces all focus on the naked human form. But at Magnolia's Art Class, that's just part of the equation. The other part? The folks behind the easel are also encouraged to drop their clothes. Open to women and female-identifying participants, next taking place on Wednesday, May 15 at Dulcie's Kings Cross, this art session is also a bonding session. It asks artists to embrace their own bodies while they're sketching someone else's, and celebrates confidence, diversity and empowerment in the process. And, it also lets attendees strike a pose as well — while there'll be an art model leading the charge, everyone can trying their hand at standing in their place. Tickets cost $20, and the 30-person class kicks off at 6.30pm. Given the venue, there'll also be wine, cocktails and cheese available to purchase, which might help spark some inspiration. How naked you get is up to you, based your own comfort levels — and the section of the bar where the class takes place will be closed off, and solely served by female staff. All drawing skill levels are welcome, too, with the session's teacher taking you through the basics. Just BYO dressing gown, sketch book, and drawing or painting tools.
A brand new food festival is coming to Sydney's west. Liverpool on a Roll showcases the community's multicultural vibes with a night of tunes, entertainment and a whole lot of food. It'll all happen in West Hoxton's Greenway Park on Saturday, March 30 from 5–10pm. The food truck lineup features heaps of international cuisines, with all dishes capped at $12. Expect Indonesian-inspired soft shell crab and pork belly kimchi baos from Bellbird Dining & Bar, steak subs and deep-fried Oreos from Cross Roads Hotel, Vietnamese street food from Bun Me Baguette, meatball sliders from Mac Street Diner, and pork belly eggs benedict from Black Elk Espresso. For dessert there's fairy floss burritos, Thai-style ice cream rolls, doughnut balls and deep-fried baos. For drinks, head to the pop-up beer garden, which will be slinging Pimm's cocktails and local beverages aplenty. Grab a seat by the pond as live entertainers serenade you throughout the evening, or join in on the garden games and giveaways. There'll be market stalls selling fresh seasonal produce to take home, too.
Shows at Sydney Festival's Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent are always special. But they almost always cost money. So you should stop counting your pennies and make a beeline to the festival village venue when it opens its doors for a series of Friday and Saturday night parties. After the last show wraps up (around 10.30pm), the doors to the Spiegeltent will open for an end-of-night party for all. Sydney DJs The Dollar Bin Darlings will be filling the tent up with spicy disco, the bar will be in full swing and you will be expected to dance. Image: Jaime Williams.
Spend a cruisy summer Saturday evening listening to acoustic songs and staring at Sydney Harbour thanks to Cockatoo Island's sunset sessions. Every Saturday until February 16, you'll be able to listen to music from local acoustic musicians. Venue 505 has curated the lineup, so you know you're in for an ace run of talent. Sets start at 5pm, but we recommend heading over to the island early to soak up as much sun as possible. And, because the combination great music and gorgeous begets some refreshments, there will be beer and wine, as well as cheese and charcuterie boxes available to purchase. Tickets are $25 each.
UPDATE: December 4, 2019 — If you missed this special preview, Ritz Cinema is screening Sorry to Bother You daily, until Wednesday, December 12. Head to the website to check times and purchase tickets. When Hollywood's annual awards season rolls around, it often brings period pieces and sombre dramas along with it. This year, it's bringing Sorry to Bother You as well. The talk of the Sundance Film Festival back in January — and the talk of the film industry ever since — this Oscar hopeful is the debut feature from rapper-turned-filmmaker Boots Riley. Certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, it's also a provocative and highly original absurdist comedy that's smart, sharp, satirical and more than a little savage. Featuring an all-star cast of Tessa Thompson, Terry Crews, Danny Glover and Armie Hammer, as well as the voices of Patton Oswalt, David Cross and Lily James, Sorry to Bother You is set in an alternative version of present-day Oakland. Here, Cash Green (Get Out's Lakeith Stanfield) works as a telemarketer with little success, until he's advised to adopt a 'white' voice on the phone. Following Cash's sudden rise through the ranks by these morally dubious means, Riley doesn't hold back when it comes to making a statement. Tackling everything from race relations to capitalism, his film is being called this year's Get Out for a reason. From Thursday, November 29, Sorry to Bother You will screen in Sydney at the Ritz Cinema for a limited time — and before the movie opens for its exclusive season, the Randwick picture palace is hosting a sneak peek screening. Grab your ticket for the preview screening at 7pm on Tuesday, November 27, and you'll be among the first in the country to see one of 2018's hottest titles. For most of this year, it looked like this unique and highly amusing comedy mightn't even reach Australian cinemas, so catching it on the big screen (and catching it early) is a mighty fine treat. Tickets to Ritz Cinema's sneak peek screening of 'Sorry to Bother You' cost $17 per person (or $11 for members). To nab yours, visit Ritz Cinema's website.
Most Aussies flock to cinemas in summer to escape the heat, but this March, why not embrace it and catch a few flicks while floating in Wylie's Baths, when the heritage-listed tidal pool plays host to the Floating Film Festival. After being cancelled due to some wild weather in November, the festival will run across March 15 and 16. It features a lineup of marine-themed films, including Blue The Film, a documentary about ocean pollution and its devastating impact on marine life, and Duct Tape Surfing, a moving short-film about a surfing paraplegic. If the thought of spending hours in the water gives you wrinkly finger-filled nightmares, fret not — you can also watch the films stretched out on the pool's surrounding rocks and deck. On the deck, you'll also find wines by the Yarra Valley's Innocent Bystander, G&Ts by Four Pillars and summery snacks. As an added bonus, profits from the night go to maintaining the baths, so you can spend many a summer cooling off in its waters. Updated: December 14, 2018.
UPDATE, March 4, 2021: Can You Ever Forgive Me? is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Can You Ever Forgive Me? takes its title from Lee Israel's memoir, but like much in her life, the words aren't completely her own. Israel first penned the phrase in the guise of Dorothy Parker, forging a letter by the famous American poet and writer, and selling it for a handsome sum. For a brief period in the early 90s, that's how Israel made a living. After establishing her career as a celebrity biographer, and earning praise for channelling the voice of her subjects, she couldn't get another book published. So she put those skills to other use, starting with a genuine but embellished thank you note, and segueing into outright — and highly lucrative — counterfeiting. Still, Israel was proud. "I'm a better Dorothy Parker than Dorothy Parker," she boasted. Based on Israel's confessional account of her crimes, Can You Ever Forgive Me? tells this heist-like tale, however it also tells so much more. Directed with an eye for quiet detail by Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl) from an evocative and insightful screenplay by Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said) and Jeff Whitty, it's an examination of everything from loneliness to the limits of celebrity worship — the things we do to fill our lives, and the need we have to connect with our idols. The film also charts a complex friendship that acts as a temporary balm for two unhappy souls, and portrays a tender, tentative and troubled romance, neither of which follow any formula. Of course, first and foremost, it's a portrait of the movie's central figure. Even if Israel hadn't dabbled with literary fraud, she could've spawned numerous character studies. Played with a hard veneer and begrudgingly vulnerable centre by a career-best Melissa McCarthy, Israel is passionate about chronicling the lives of great women. With her agent (Jane Curtin) continually brushing her off, she's also vastly under-appreciated. She drinks whisky at the thankless job that pays her bills until she's fired, and at her favourite bar every chance she gets. She refuses to temper her personality to please anyone, or simply get along with anyone for that matter. As becomes clear whenever Israel interacts with the world, she loves her cat more than people — even bookseller Anna (Dolly Wells) on their awkward dates, and even fellow outcast and barfly Jack Hock (Richard E. Grant), who becomes her only friend. Then her beloved feline falls ill and Israel can't afford to take her to the vet, so she gets into the forgery game. Many of Can You Ever Forgive Me?'s delights come from McCarthy, both when she's alone and also sharing scenes with Grant. While Israel was real and her story as well, the screen versions of both come to life in the actor's hands. It's a compelling, awards-worthy performance, one that's played close to the chest to capture Israel's closed-off nature, while remaining expressive in every inch. McCarthy paints Israel as someone who's always herself, even when she's pretending not to be — and when she pals around with Grant's rambunctious, resourceful, up-for-anything drinking buddy, the duo feel like they could walk out of the film and into any dank New York watering hole of their choosing. On the surface, McCarthy's switch from garnering laughs to evoking deep empathy might sound familiar, with plenty of comedians following that path before. And yet, nothing about her work as the misanthropic and purposefully thorny Israel feels routine, which is another of Can You Ever Forgive Me?'s great charms. Heller knows how juicy Israel's tale is, and firmly proves that fact is stranger than fiction. She also knows that this story is a product of a fascinating, complicated and distinctive woman, who both committed the details to the page and actually committed the crimes. Heller may only have two movies to her name, however she's a perceptive, probing and generous director, giving her characters the space they need to shine and fail and experience everything in-between. Indeed, in bringing Israel's life to the screen, Heller and McCarthy have clearly taken her words to heart. The real-life writer bragged about stepping into someone else's shoes so easily and convincingly, and the women leading this fantastic film achieve the very same thing — just without perpetrating a sham. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvJIaNsf_bY
Australia's Cine Latino Film Festival is back for 2018, and in a big way. Returning for its third year, the annual showcase of cinema from Central and South America boasts two of the most notable flicks not just from the region, but from the international scene in general over the past twelve months. The first, Roma, is the latest feature from Gravity director Alfonso Cuarón — and this gorgeous, moving black-and-white tale of a domestic worker in Mexico City comes to Sydney straight from winning the top award at this year's Venice Film Festival. The second, Birds of Passage, is a sweeping Colombian drug tale; however this Indigenous story is unlike any drug war flick you've seen before. In total, 26 movies from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Paraguay are on the CLFF's 2018 lineup, with Cuarón's work bookending the fest. Not only is Roma the opening night pick, but the filmmaker's 2001 Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna-starring effort Y Tu Mamá También will close out proceedings. Other highlights include Bernal in The Accused, a drama about a 21-year-old woman on trial for murder; Westworld's Rodrigo Santoro in A Translator, playing a professor helping child victims of Chernobyl; and this year's Sydney Film Festival prize winner The Heiresses. Running from Thursday, November 15 to Wednesday, November 28, CLFF screens at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Central and Palace Verona.
Aren't book fairs dandy? I love being able to show up with a collection of gold coins and leave with a fat stack of fiction. The good folk at Double Bay's Woollahra Library believe all books were created equal, and are hosting a big book fair to help you prepare for a solid three months of summer reading. Running across two days, Saturday November 24 and Sunday, November 25, the sale will have works from all genres and types, so if you're a fiend for romance, sci-fi, drama, young adult, philosophy, archaeology or practically anything else, you should be well catered for. There will also be a shedload of novels and magazines. The best part? Everything is priced between 50 cents and $5. That's cheaper than a few days of overdue fees at the public library. BYO bag. The Spring Book Fair will run from 10am to 4pm on both days.
Halloween is ghost season, so what better way to celebrate (or is that commiserate?) these lost souls than trying to find them. Once a quarantine facility for newly arrived migrants, Q Station in Manly has been consistently voted one of the most haunted locations in Australia, so you know it's going to be really, really creepy. North Head is dotted with gravestones and is the burial place of over 572 bodies. Many of the spirits that roam the area are the memories of British convicts and settlers who suffered horrifically from infectious diseases en route Down Under. While ghost tours run throughout the year, the special Halloween Ghostly Encounters tours are a cut above the rest. Each tour kicks off after the sun goes down and run for two-and-a-half hours across five nights, from Friday, October 26 through to the big spooky day itself. If you're thinking that won't stop you from sleeping soundly, sign up for the Paranormal Investigation Experience on Halloween night. Rather than just looking for ghosts, you'll try to communicate with them and record their activity. This one costs $99 and is strictly for adults only. The team encourages you to dress up Halloween-style to really get in to the spirit (or to raise them from the dead), so come in costume. If you've got it, haunt it.
Bust out that vintage dress and Nan's old sunglasses — the Central Coast is bringing its retro festival back to town at the end of October. A tribute to classic America — rock 'n' roll, hot rods and all — ChromeFest will unite a whole lot of rockabilly goodness into one big weekend of throwbacks. Start the day by browsing over 70 market stalls laden with vintage goods and numerous food stalls. If you feel like you really did belong in the 50s, you can sign up for a workshop to help you achieve that 'vintage glam' look — or if you've already got the styling and posing down-pat, you can take part in the fashion parade. For the more sit-back-and-observe type, there'll be the Pin-Up Doll Australia competition on the go, vintage cars cruising around and a Parkes Elvis Festival Tribute Artist (we told you it'd be a real throwback). The live music lineup also includes Mescalero, Midnight Drifters, Itchy Fingers, The Lincolns and Narelle Evans and the Jetbacks. Meanwhile, The Sydney Swing Katz dance troupe will perform everything from the charleston to the lindy hop to swing. A fair warning here: audience participation is expected. While the bulk of the action is going down around The Entrance, the entire region is getting involved with pubs and bowling clubs throughout the Coast hosting retro bands across the weekend. If you're planning to make a weekend of it and stay on the Coast, free shuttle buses to ChromeFest will be running hourly from Tuggerah, Toukley and Bateau Bay. For more info and to check out the full lineup of acts, head to the ChromeFest website.
At 11am on November 11, 1918, WWI came to an end — after four years of gruelling battles and around 40 million deaths. To mark the 100 years that have since passed, Liverpool is hosting Visions of Peace: a free, outdoor exhibition featuring illuminations, photographs, spoken word and live music. At the show's heart is a walking trail dotted with light projections. Begin at St Luke's Church, built in 1819, and travel down Macquarie Mall, before finishing up at the Memorial School of Arts, which was built in 1924 as a memorial to WWI veterans. Along the way, you'll find much of Liverpool's stunning 19th and early 20th-century architecture illuminated with century-old sepia images alongside colourful contemporary ones. Evening wanderers will be soundtracked by music from the era, performed live by the Liverpool City Brass Band and various local musicians. Listen out, too, for readings of authentic journal entries and poetry. Visions of Peace, produced by Esem Projects, involves collaborations with Liverpool Girls High School, Liverpool Boys High School, Liverpool RSL sub-branch, Moorebank Heritage Group, Western Sydney University and an array of community members. The purpose is to reflect on the past and how it has shaped Australia's identity. Visions of Peace will run nightly from November 1–11 between 6–10pm. Performances and activities will take place across November 1–3 and November 8–11 between 7.30–9pm. For more information, visit the Liverpool City Council website.
It's said that great magicians never reveal their tricks. But hey, it's 2018. The alternative is you find the answer on YouTube and then axe yourself trying to replicate it in the backyard. SydFest is bringing the circus to town over the weekend of January 11, and with its arrival, there's as much opportunity to learn and perform amazing feats as there is to witness them. At Parramatta's Prince Alfred Square, the moon will rise twice in 24 hours — once out of gravitational necessity and once to suspend an aerialist 20 metres above the ground as she spins and twists in the lunar body's orbit during the performance, Heliosphere. For those who fancy a moonwalk for themselves, Sydney Trapeze School will be running flying trapeze classes nearby for $50, as will acrobatics school Aerialize in the courtyard of Riverside Theatre for $10. Circus Comes to Town is part of Sydney Festival's dramatic and diverse 2019 program. Check out the full lineup here.
One of Sydney's longest standing players in the craft beer game, Harts Pub is set to hold the ultimate event of Sydney Beer Week — the Beer Olympics. While the full details remained shrouded in mystery, much like the vapours surrounding the Delphic shrine of Ancient Greece, we hear that there will be six events along the lines of foosball, darts, and Mario Kart. Accompanying refreshments — to help refuel the thirsty athletes — will be available from Little Alchemist, Holgate, 2 Birds, Kereru, Gage Roads and Rocks Brewing, with each supplying a new, seasonal or limited release beer. Tickets include three schooner vouchers and a chance to compete in all games. Merch giveaways, on-the-spot prizes and a glorious victory for the ultimate Beer Olympics Champion are on the cards. So get your game faces (and costumes) on for a great day of games, beers and good times all round.
How do you get a rocket to the moon? You point the rocket at the moon and press the big red button, right? Most of us have a rather oversimplified view of space travel; it's not our fault, they made it look easy enough in Star Trek. Fortunately, the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences is not here to facepalm at our lack of knowledge. Instead, it's delved into the archives and hauled out a fascinating array of astronomical tools and space-related oddities for an exhibition at Riverside Theatres during Sydney Festival 2019. From astrophotographs, Copernican gadgets and lunar-inspired ceramics, this is a collection designed to press home the complexities of galactic gallivanting. If you've just finished one of Aerialize's trapeze classes in the theatre's courtyard and you feel a little woozy, stick your head in the door and meander through MAAS and the Moon. MAAS and the Moon is part of Sydney Festival's dramatic and diverse 2019 program. Check out the full lineup here. Image: Destination NSW.
Sydneysiders and dogs go together like smashed avo and toast, Bondi and backpackers or Circular Quay and unintentional photobombs. While you can now take your pup along with you to some pubs and cafes, other activities are less accommodating. Take yoga, for example. Want to up your practice, but don't want to leave your furry pal at home alone? Cue Hot Dog Yoga. The Double Bay studio allows well-behaved pooches to relax in the airy reception with Pavlova the Maltese concierge (and maybe try out a few poses of their own) while their human works on their own downward dog. And it's celebrating its first birthday with an entire day of free yoga classes. On Saturday, October 13, you'll be able to attend any of the dog-friendly studio's classes for free. Classes on the day start at 8am and run through till 4pm, range from beginner to expert classes, mellow to power flow, and are held in a heated room (the studio has rain showers, too). There'll also be a heap of treats (for humans and good dogs), discounted pass and lucky draw prizes available on the day. To register your spot head to the Hot Dog Yoga website.
If your idea of a cracking Sunday session is one that involves a gorgeous rooftop, some BYO bubbles and a tasty high tea dished up by some of Sydney's most-loved bakeries, your spring is looking very fine indeed. Every Sunday, from October 28 until December 2, the cacti-filled rooftop — part of Surry Hills' wellness hub Paramount Recreation Club — will play host to a high tea headed up by the Flour Market crew. Dubbed Higher Tea, the series will see some of the city's finest pastry masters team up to deliver an eight-course tasting menu of sweet and savoury delights, to be enjoyed with stunning CBD views as the backdrop. Pick from two weekly sessions (11.30am-1.30pm or 2-4pm) and venture on up with at least three mates, to enjoy eight courses of scones, cucumber sandwiches and a parade of sweet treats from favourites like Bakedown Cakery, Shortstop, Grumpy Donuts, Brickfields and Treat Dreams. Vegan and gluten-free options are available on request, too. There'll be coffee by Supreme and tea from Byron Bay's Mayde, or you can really step up the celebrations and bring along your own bubbly — corkage is included in the $55 ticket price. Higher Tea runs from 11.30am–1.30pm and 2–4pm every Sunday.
Sure, we might be zipping through summer at lightning speed, but at The Shuckery Oyster Bar, indulgent holiday vibes are fervently persevering right through January. Taking over the plush surrounds of the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay's Stillery bar, the pop-up will be open for oyster devouring every Thursday and Friday night this month. Bivalve buffs can indulge in oysters from the likes of Pambula Lake and Smoky Bay, which will be shucked before your eyes. The best part? This chic little feast needn't break the bank — oysters will be $2 each, while a half-dozen teamed with with a flute of Perrier-Jouët Champagne will set you back $30. Keep this one in mind for date night, we reckon. The Shuckery is open from 5–8pm, every Thursday and Friday night in January.
Just because your bank account's looking a little light post-Christmas and New Year needn't mean resorting to an entire month of Mi Goreng. Not when you've got the legends at Brick Lane offering what might just be the dinner deal of the year. On Tuesdays through Saturdays until March 11 you can book a table at the cheery Darlinghurst restaurant and enjoy an eight-course feast, with bottomless wine and beer, for the blisteringly affordable price of just $50. If you've ever wrapped your mouth around some of Brick Lane's mod-Indian fare, you'll know that's an offer not to pass up. The special edition menu will feature a mix of Brick Lane favourites and exclusive new creations, including the likes of masala tostadas, crunchy wonton poppers and a coconut chicken curry with cabbage slaw. You can view the whole menu here. Teamed with an hour and a half of free-flowing beers and wines, this is exactly the kind of food situation you need to banish those last remaining post-holiday blues. Brick Lane is open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday, but can open for lunch if you have a large booking. Just enquire through the website. UPDATE MARCH 28, 2018: Due to overwhelming popularity, Brick Lane has made this $50 deal permanent.
The crew at the newly opened P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants are kicking the new year off right with two back-to-back wine tastings. The specialty bottle shop and education space in Newtown is firing up the barbecue and has invited two Australian winemakers to showcase bottles upon bottles of their stuff, all for just $20 a pop. The first will take place on Wednesday, January 24 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, when the trendy duo from Borachio Wines (Mount Loft Ranges, SA) make their way up north for their first Sydney showing. Patrons will try a whopping seven different wines — including a pet nat, a pinot gris and a chardonnay savagnin — all while tucking into some coal roasted barbecue by the Mary's team. If you haven't had enough, the next day P&V will launch its first masterclass with Margaret River winemaker Sam Vinciullo. This one will take place on Thursday, January 25 from 6pm to 7.30pm in the bottle shop's tasting facility, where guests will taste five of Vinciullo's handmade wines and enjoy a wine tutoring session by one of Western Australia's most interesting winemakers. The masterclass will again be followed by a courtyard barbecue, all for another $20. Spaces for both tastings are limited, so direct message P&V on Facebook to reserve a spot.
Melbourne-based Hoy Pinoy has given Australia a rare taste of legit Filipino street food over the past few years, remaining a favourite at the Night Noodle Markets across the country. Now, it's taking up residence at EQ Moore Park for a month-long pop-up from February 7 through March 11. Every Wednesday through Sunday, the team will be serving up slow-cooked Filipino barbecue during its longest Sydney stint yet. Hoy Pinoy's summer barbecue will go well beyond its signature soy-glazed chicken skewers and banana ketchup-glazed pork skewers — though these items will still make an appearance on Saturdays during the regular EQ Village Markets. The more complex daily menu will focus around an open charcoal pit rotisserie, turning out boneless Cebu-style lechon (roast suckling pig), 12-hour smoked bistek (beef brisket), slow-smoked liempo (pork belly) and grilled pineapple salad. Make sure to rock up on a Thursday at least once during the month, when patrons can get a 'boodle fight' — that is, a spread of Hoy Pinoy's best meats and condiments for just $25 per person. Quantity is limited, so be sure to RSVP via the Facebook event to secure your meaty platter. On the booze side, Hoy Pinoy is representing their home country with San Miguel beers, along with 'pinoy coladas' and rum cocktails served in coconut shells. For those with a sweet tooth, the team's once again teaming up with Gelato Messina, BlackStar Pastry and N2, to bring you treats with flavour profiles using Filipino favourites like ube (purple jam), jackfruit and mango. Hoy Pinoy's summer barbecue will be open February 7 through March 11, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am till late and Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from noon till late. Image: Kimberley Moore.
Are you the kind of person who starts plotting your next meal before you've even finished the last? Love eating more than anything else? Well, you can get right to the guts of our global food obsession when culinary legend Nigella Lawson hits Sydney, joining social psychologist and author Hugh Mackay this January. Hosted by The School of Life on Monday, January 22, Nigella Lawson On Why Food Matters will have audiences diving deep into the concepts surrounding food and its links to pleasure, creativity and belonging. The renowned celebrity chef will share insight into her philosophies on life and food while Mackay dishes up some of his own research finds, exploring rituals, our dependence on fast food, and the idea of food as a sort of therapy — whether that involves cooking up a storm, sharing a feed, or simply stuffing your face. Sink your teeth into some enlightening chat about social food trends and learn a little something about your own eating habits in the process. Those feeling inspired will also be able to grab a copy of Lawson's new book, At My Table.
Grab your guitar and a boot-scootin' babe, and saddle up for the biggest event on the Australian country music calendar. The Tamworth Country Music Festival is now in its 46th year and is back, bigger than ever. There will be over 700 artists performing across 120 venues around the city over the course of the ten-day festival, with both ticketed and free events on offer. Tamworth will be alive with the coos of country music, from street corners to pubs to backyards, and everything in between. Spot the next Troy Cassar-Daley at the Australian Country Music Busking Championships and marvel at the Toyota Cavalcade, which features over 100 floats, bands and magnificent groups of horses marching through town. And let's not forget Australian country music's night of nights, the 46th Country Music Awards of Australia, where the best country artists will be named and get to take home golden guitar statues.
The Rizzeria is moving into Surry Hills' Brand X Studio. For three summery months, you’ll be able to drop in to watch artists at work and maybe even snap up a unique artwork. On Thursday, November 12, the residency will kick off with a free, official launch party — and you’re invited. Unfamiliar with The Rizzeria? It’s a collective of Sydney-based creatives who love self-publishing and printmaking. They’re clever enough to whip up pretty much anything — from prints to tea towels to zines. And they’ve pooled their cash to buy a Risograph, an ingenious contraption that creates amazing, multi-layered prints. Members of the public can have a go on it by booking a session. Brand X Studio, located at 180b Campbell Street, is just one of Brand X’s many spaces, providing artists with places to work, expand their audience and sell their creations. Others include the TWT Creative Precinct at St Leonards, Tempe Jets Music Business Hub and Camperdown Bowling Club. The Rizzeria’s pop-up will open Thursday–Saturday, 11am–6pm, and Sunday, 12–4pm. Book yourself a spot at the launch over here.
Chicken & Sons have the sixth best burger in Sydney, according to the Fatties (a 33,000 strong group of hardcore burger lovers), and they’re bringing it across the bridge. The crew will be taking over the kitchen at The Bald Faced Stag in Leichhardt from Thursday, January 14. This isn’t your regular chicken burger joint. They’ll be serving up things like truffled mac 'n' cheese, pulled pork shoulder and specials for the Fatties. You should also leave room for some of their brined chicken cooked over coals and a bev. It’s the perfect place to bring some friends, order up a storm and relax to a slew of up and coming bands. This isn’t the first kitchen takeover Chicken & Sons have done and they’ve left many a happy diner in their wake. You better hurry, the takeover is only a month-long.
Everyone's heard the adage that life is about the journey, not the destination — and as cheesy as it sounds, sometimes it rings true. Take Christmas, for example. All of the browsing, buying, wrapping and celebrating that takes place in the lead up to December 25 is just as jovial and enjoyable as the main event. Many a store and venue in the Darlinghurst area certainly thinks so, which is why they've banded together to throw the ultimate festive shopping shindig. That'd be the DoDarlo Xmas Party, a day of activities and happenings that'll take care of your Christmas list, shower you in specials and discounts, serve up free drinks and nibbles, and just generally give more reasons to be merry than you thought possible. You'll learn how to make your own presents, knock back a few Christmas cocktails and win prizes at the Darlinghurst Design Quarter — just completely escape the usual Yuletide rat race. And as an extra special bonus, every attendee will receive a super-limited artist series sticker sheet of gift labels designed by local legend Jodee Knowles. That's right, you won't be leaving DoDarlo empty handed, or lacking in the spirit of the season.
