When someone's nailing everything they set their mind to, it's not hard to feel just a tiny bit jealous. Good news, Vivid Ideas is inviting four of the creative world's cutting edge icons to reveal how they achieved such enviable success. The Game-changers talk series features filmmaker Spike Jonze on June 5 (Her, Adaptation, Being John Malkovich), House of Cards creator Beau Willimon on May 28, Orange is the New Black writer and creator Jenji Kohan on June 10 and Australian fashion influencer Margaret Zhang on May 28, all taking to the stage for what's tipped to be a fascinating insight into their lives and achievements. This is one of our top picks for Vivid Ideas events. Read the whole list and reboot your brain.
Maydanoz on Carrington Street comes from award-winning Turkish chef Somer Sivrioğlu (Efendy). With Maydanoz, Sivrioğlu is pushing towards vegetarian and plant-based cuisine in a 100-seat venue with his business partner Tarik Köni that takes inspiration from the Turkish coast and its veggie-loving meze bars. The menu at the expansive venue is predominantly vegetarian with a smattering of meat dishes found on the menu. "So often, people equate Turkish cuisine to kebab or lamb, but in fact, the meat is often secondary to the incredible array of vegetable-driven dishes available in Turkish cuisine, particularly in the West," Sivrioğlu said. Sivrioğlu and Köni have created a series of distinct menus, based on dishes cooked in olive oil zeytinyagli style. If you are heading to Maydanoz for dinner, you'll be greeted with an extensive a la carte menu with highlights like lentil kofte; beetroot, with falafel on a spinach pita; and cabbage kebabs with harissa labna and coriander. A smattering of meat options are also on the menu, including kingfish collar kebab with sumac onion and ezme salsa. If you want to sample your way through the menu, you can opt for the feast menu. This includes aforementioned highlights like the lentil kofte alongside a wood fired oyster mushroom with macadamia and artichoke cream puree. Plus, head to Maydanoz between 3-6pm Monday to Friday for their happy hour, with discounts on beer, wine and cocktails and a limited food menu. Images: Steven Woodburn
Kittyhawk — the much-anticipated second project from The Lobo Plantation team – has (finally!) opened to the public. That's right, since Tuesday, June 27, Sydneysiders have been exploring a 120-strong rye whiskey collection at a grand, 12-metre-long bar and tucking into Parisian street food, while surrounded by WWII paraphernalia at the Macquarie Street end of town. "It's inspired by the Liberation of Paris," says Jared Merlino, the bar's director and co-owner. "On August 25, 1944, Paris was freed from oppression by American and French soldiers. It must have been a jovial and joyous time." As such, interior designers AZBcreative have worked both French and American ideas into the 175-capacity venue. "You can see the French influence in the beautiful front bar, the marble mosaics, the brass tabletops and the balloon-backed chairs," Merlino explains. Meanwhile, the WWII aesthetic comes in the form of propaganda posters, a massive artwork featuring flying Kittyhawks and army green banquettes. The room is made up of various spaces, including an area resembling an "officers' lounge" and a raised section with a balustrade. The bar, which is being run by Lobo's Paige Aubort, holds up to 900 spirits. The focus is on rye, with about 120 drops available at the moment and another 300 or so still to be added. There's a healthy rum selection too (after all, the Lobo folks know their rum) and a 16-strong cocktail list, all wrapped up in an illustrated menu that cleverly resembles a warplane mechanic's manual. In the kitchen you'll find legendary Scottish chef Jason Wright. Creator of the best steak in Edinburgh, he's since run his own fish restaurant and, at Kittyhawk, has put together a Parisian street food menu. "The dishes have been going down a treat," Merlino says. "They're traditional, but with a bar-friendly twist." Snacks from the menu include mussel vol-au-vents, duck Scotch eggs and onion soup sticks. Kittyhawk is now open at 16 Phillip Lane, Sydney. They're open Monday to Thursday 3pm till midnight, and Friday and Saturday 3pm till 2am. For more info, visit kittyhawk.com.au.
For everyone who can't make a trip to IKEA to buy furniture and homewares without eating meatballs, but also doesn't eat meat, the Swedish retailer has added both vegetarian and plant-based versions to its range in recent years, including Down Under. But what if you feel the same about the chain's hot dogs? Enter IKEA's plant dogs, which have just hit Australian stores. Let's be honest — getting through a visit to the brand's warehouse-sized outlets doesn't just involve shopping, and also deciding that everything in your house could use a facelift, but also working up an appetite while browsing and buying. Accordingly, it usually entails tucking into one of IKEA's famed bites, whether you're sitting down for those meatballs mid-shop or nabbing a hot dog on the way to the car. Obviously, the original meaty hot dogs that've been on offer for more than four decades aren't going anywhere; however, these new plant dogs expand the range. They're made from rice protein, plus carrot, onion and apple — and they'll set you back $2 a dog. IKEA is working to make 50 percent of the meals in its restaurant meals plant-based by 2025, with offering plant dogs the next step in that direction. In Sydney only, on four individual dates, the brand is also busting out a plant dog truck to hand out freebies. You'll find it at IKEA Marsden Park from 2–6pm on Tuesday, May 28 and at IKEA Tempe from 11am–3pm on Wednesday, May 29. After that, it's popping up at Centenary Square in Parramatta from 12–4pm on Thursday, May 30 and at Dolphin Court at Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach, from 11am–3pm on Saturday, June 1. To nab a free taste — your choice of a plant dog or plant balls — from the yellow-hued truck at its Sydney stops, you will need to show your IKEA Family membership (and if you're not already a member, you can sign up for free online). IKEA's plant dogs are now available at its Australian stores — head to the chain's website for further details. The IKEA plant dog truck is popping up across Sydney from Tuesday, May 28–Thursday, May 30 and on Saturday, June 1.
Norway’s capital Oslo has recently elected a leftist city government and they’re already implementing radical new plans that may soon see Norway grow more famous for its sustainable practices than its Viking history and fjords. Oslo's city centre is about to go car-free. By 2019, private vehicles will be banned from Oslo's CBD, where according to local press Verdans Gang, about 90,000 people work, but only 1000 live. The pedestrianisation of Oslo's centre is an attempt to reduce carbon emissions to 50 percent of 1990 levels by 2020. Don’t it bring a tear to your eye? Snaps for Oslo. The plan isn’t without controversy, obviously. The proposal has raised concerns for local businesses who worry the program will reduce the amount of shoppers out and about. Others have raised legitimate concerns that seniors, people with disabilities or families with young children will suffer without access to private transport. To counter, the city will allow vehicles with disabled stickers and zero-emissions vehicles on the roads, but ultimately the message is: if you’re able, you gotta use bike lanes or public transport. The city government also plans to supplement the scheme by building more bike lanes, subsidising the purchase of electric bikes and moving away from fossil fuel investments in pension funds. Around the world, many big cities are coming to the realisation that the only way to improve the health of the population and reduce urban pollution, is by reducing traffic rather than managing it. In September, Paris implemented a one-day scheme wherein large parts of the inner city were closed off from traffic for a day, including the iconic Champs Elysees (we’ve heard it’s a busy street, but maybe that’s thanks to all the traffic?). The Guardian reported Parisians walked around in awe of the quiet, clean air, with one citizen even saying “Everyone seems to be smiling, and not as stressed,” (awww bless). In Seoul, a forward-thinking city government in 2003 ripped up a highway to execute a plan to restore the Cheonggyecheon stream, which runs through the centre of the city and was laden with pollution and debris. The restoration meant getting rid of an overland highway that ran along the stream and carried a huge amount of traffic. What their traffic engineers found however instead of acting as a liquid and clogging adjacent streets, the traffic acted as a gas and contacted to fill the space available. It seems that highways follow the same basic principles as baseball fields — if you build it, they will come. Another stellar example comes from Curitiba in Brazil, otherwise known as the Green City. In 1972, architect Jamie Lerner was elected as mayor and his first act was to physically blockade a major traffic artery in the heart of the city, without approval from anyone but himself, and restore it for pedestrian use. Total baller. The coup took less than 72 hours and was the first of many environmentally sustainable initiatives that have rendered Curitiba a shining example of smart, cheap design. And now, fingers crossed, Australia is looking to follow suit. Long term plans for Sydney’s George Street include reclaiming a large portion of it for pedestrian use. Brisbane’s controversial City Centre Master Plan aims to pedestrianise Albert Street to create a 'green spine' from one side of the city to the other. Yassss. Onya ‘Straya. Now if you’d just bump down the price of public transport and we’ll be all gravy. Via The Guardian. Images: Dollar Photo Club/City of Sydney.
Sydney’s top Italian restaurateurs are bringing their own brand of Euro disco to Carriageworks during Vivid Sydney's Modulations. Combining a love for music, food and the motherland, the Italo Dining and Disco Club is a collaboration between the guys from Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta, Fratelli Paradiso and 10 William St. They promise to transport you to a different time and place with an immersive dining and dance experience. “We know how to throw a great party,” says Giovanni Paradiso, co-owner and manager of 10 William St and Fratelli Paradiso. “We all have a great vibe in our restaurants, you just don’t want to leave ... we want to get people's conceptions of dining and entertainment to change. You don’t need to go to seven venues to have a good night out, you can just go to one all-rounder.” With exclusive performances from Grace Jones, Pharoah Sanders and Bill Drummond (plus a Kooky party) running concurrently with the disco at Carriageworks, you'll be able to take a holistic approach to your night and get dinner at the club, go see Grace Jones, and head back to Italo to continue to party the night away under the influence of for-real European disco legends like Beppe Loda. Which is good, considering you'll probably have consumed a fair few carbs from the Italian menu. Paradiso's partner in this project is Maurice Terzini from Icebergs and Da Orazio, whose spit-roasted pig and 48-hour pizza dough are often on our minds. Terzini grew up in Pescara on the Adriatic coast, so has a very firsthand reference point for the kind of party they want to create. “We’re doing natural wine out of barrels," says Paradiso. "You’ll be able to order it by the glass, by the half litre ... Maurice will be doing some of his Ciroc things with paired cocktails, and there will obviously be jugs of spritzers. "Food-wise it is going to be pretty much our favourites from Fratelli Paradiso, 10 William St, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar and Da Orazio.” He boasts of a festival vibe and street food set to tempt. Paradiso encourages people to bring their families along early on in the night for a great Italian dining experience. "We know there’s going to be great food and great music,” he says, cheekily adding, “and pretty much you do the rest. You bring the fun.” With the success of the similar food-culture fusion Wild Porteno at Vivid Festival last year, Italo Dining and Disco Club certainly has some big shoes to fill; however, by taking a snapshot of Italy in its disco heyday and putting their own spin on it, Paradiso is confident they will transport club-goers into a simpler time when discos were more about a combination of great food and dance in the one location. "[What’s important is to] take a bit from a great movement, the '70s and '80s, and turn it into something pretty cool and pretty modern,” he says The Italo Dining and Disco Club runs from 5pm till late on May 31 to June 2 and June 5–7. Entry is free and all ages are welcome.
Back in July, we told you about the opening of a booze-free bar in Auckland, whose owners hoped to tackle New Zealand's serious drinking obsession and simultaneously capitalise on council alcohol regulations that saw all city watering holes closed by 4am. It seemed like a nice idea in theory, but punters clearly didn't agree, and now just five weeks after opening, Tap Bar has shut its doors. Co-owner Grady Elliot admitted defeat to the New Zealand Herald, telling the paper, "We gave it a shot and Auckland drinking culture just didn’t tie in with the dry bar." Or, to put it another way, "No one showed up." Guys, this might be a reaaaaaal good time to start thinking about our relationship with alcohol. New Zealand's first and presumably last dry bar, Tap (briefly) served a mix of alcohol-free beer, wine and mocktails starting from around NZ$5. The absence of alcohol meant they could stay open all night, but according to Elliot, what few patrons they did get mostly stuck with the free water. The NZ$15 entry fee probably didn't help matters either. Perhaps the most depressing thing about this story is that Elliot was clearly well prepared for failure, and has already applied for a liquor licence for the location, which will reopen as a more traditional nightclub as soon as possible. Talk about sticking to your guns. On the plus side, now he'll be able to drink to forget about that pesky oversight. Meanwhile, the operators behind London's recently opened alcohol free bar Redemption are presumably rolling beer kegs in through the back door. Just in case. Via The New Zealand Herald. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Settling in for The Martian, you could be forgiven for feeling a little deja vu. Interstellar might be flooding your memory, given that Jessica Chastain and Matt Damon grapple with space again. Alien and Prometheus could also pop into your head, seeing that director Ridley Scott seemingly heads into familiar territory too. Thankfully, their resumes aside, the rehash largely stops there. That’s not to say that The Martian doesn’t recall many other intergalactic efforts such as Gravity, Moon, Sunshine, Contact and Apollo 13, nor that it doesn’t work with themes and narrative components recognisable to anyone who has seen a survivalist film like Castaway or All Is Lost. What this adaptation of Andy Weir's 2011 novel of the same name does do, though, is soar forward with two things in mind: optimism and practicality. Botanist Mark Watney (Damon) is the key. He's residing among a group of astronauts manning the latest mission on Mars — until a storm strikes, he gets knocked out and blown away from his colleagues, and they head back home. When he wakes up to discover he's now the only human left on the planet, he focuses on attempting to remedy his predicament. Finding a way to grow food in the inhospitable environment is his first priority, followed by trying to communicate to NASA that he's alive and ready to return to Earth. Solving problems rather than wallowing in sentiment is the approach Watney takes, as does Scott and screenwriter Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods). As the repercussions of the Watney's situation ripple through those trying to rescue him — be they space agency head (Jeff Daniels), other members of the ground-based team (including Kristen Wiig, Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong and Donald Glover), or Watney's departed crewmates (Chastain, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan and Aksel Hennie) — action rather than emotion sits at the film's fore. Accordingly, The Martian favours procedure and process over psychology. It traces the steps needed to bring the stranded man home. It springs from a position of simply believing that resolution is possible. It presents characters using science (or sciencing the shit out of things, as the MacGyver-like Watney puts it in the video logs that comprise much of the storytelling) to make things happen. People, teamwork and ingenuity reign supreme, even over the capably rendered 3D spectacle. Anyone fearing a lack of wonder or feeling in the film can rest assured; they are there, and they spring from the way the cast subtly handle their roles (particularly an empathetic Damon) rather than the script hitting audiences over the head with horror or sappiness. A keen sense of humour is also evident in perhaps the most upbeat survivalist offering for some time, with Lord of the Rings fans likely to have the biggest laugh. There's also the endearing soundtrack, which includes moments of dancing along to disco hits or letting a classic, perfectly chosen David Bowie track (though not the one you think) play out in full. That it all adds up to one of the most enjoyably pragmatic sci-fi stints seen in the cinema is refreshing and perhaps surprising, even given its pedigree. In fact, The Martian doesn't just solidly engage from start to finish — it entertainingly and convincingly colonises its own patch of space movie territory.
In an inspiring display of hospitality — one that you’d rarely associate with anyone in the moneymaking tourism industry — a new hotel in Vienna has been set up to provide accommodation to both tourists and refugees forced to flee their native countries. Recently opened just a stone’s throw away from the centre of the Austrian capital, the magdas Hotel boasts 78 furnished rooms for visiting tourists, right alongside two residential units providing housing for up to 25 young asylum seekers displaced by persecution and war. The hotel is an initiative of the Austrian arm of the international Catholic aid collective Caritas. In addition to providing temporary accommodation, magdas Hotel also offers employment opportunities, with a majority of the staff being refugees. No two guest rooms are the same, with most of the furnishing having been donated or purchased from second-hand stores. Don’t let the ramshackle set-up fool you though. This place looks nice. Basic rooms start from around €60 a night, although you might well be tempted to upgrade to a suite. Amenities include a breakfast buffet and a fully-stocked bar, while the front door is located just a few minutes away from the Praterstern Transportation Hub as well as the Prater Recreation Park. Fingers crossed that the magdas Hotel does well. It’s always nice to see social enterprises like this succeed, especially when you’re in a country whose own track record with refugees is a little... uh... less accommodating. That being said, certain Australian entrepreneurs have been taking steps in this regard, such as the recently opened migrant-run clothing manufacturer Social Outfit in Sydney and Melbourne. In the mean time, if you’re going to be in Vienna any time soon, you can book at room at the magdas Hotel via their website. Via Design Milk. Images: AllesWirdGut Architektur/ Guilherme Silva Da Rosa.
A weekend away exploring the Kangaroo Valley and the surrounding areas is a feast for all your senses. And while the beauty of the green rolling hills speaks for itself, there's also some knockout foodie experiences to be had. From some not-so traditional hybrid pies to a restaurant run by an award-winning, ex-Tetsuya's chef, every taste (and budget) is covered. Here's five foodie experiences that are getting in the car and heading down to NSW's Kangaroo Valley. LOCAL PRODUCE AT THE GENERAL CAFE When visiting the Kangaroo Valley, The General Cafe is where you want to start your day. They serve great coffee and even make their own almond milk. Easily identified by its tin roof and wrap-around balcony, the place is reminiscent of an old country home, complete with a kitchen table adorned with baked goods. This place is nothing short of wholesome. The menu is built on locally-sourced produce and the shelves lining the front windows are stocked with homemade, award-winning jams and honey. If you're planning to go on a walk or canoe down the river, this is the place to pick up picnic supplies — The General has you covered for cheese, spreads and even house-made bread and butter pickles, and you can grab a loaf of bread from the shop next door. 151 Moss Vale Road, Kangaroo Valley. CHEESEBURGER PIE AT SOUTHERN PIES If someone asks if you want to pimp up your pie, you don't waste time waiting to find out what that means — you just say yes. At Southern Pies in the Kangaroo Valley, the decision to pimp will get you your choice of pie piled high with mushy peas, creamy mash and gravy. And with another shop up the road boasting the best pies in the world, pie makers in this town can't afford to sit on their laurels. To keep the competition interesting, on top of classics like lamb and rosemary, Southern Pies have combined two all-time food favourites to create the epic cheeseburger pie. And if that wasn't enough of a feat, inside their epic brekkie pie you'll find bacon, a whole cracked egg, a hash brown and smoky onion relish. Beat that. 146 Moss Vale Road, Kangaroo Valley. [caption id="attachment_575085" align="alignnone" width="1280"] ange__85 via Instagram[/caption] ALPACA BURGER AT THE BERRY HOTEL The Berry Hotel may look unassuming from the outside, but don't be fooled — this is the home of burger royalty. Short of travelling to South America you'd think you would be hard-pressed to find a place that has alpaca on the menu. Pause for dramatic effect, and cue the alpaca burger at the Berry Hotel. If you're wondering what alpaca tastes like, it actually has quite a mild flavour — but this burger does not. The mix of spices in the patty, paired with slow-roasted tomato, rocket, cheese and caramelised onion make this rare find a real winner. 120 Queen Street, Berry. [caption id="attachment_575094" align="alignnone" width="3264"] Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset[/caption] CINNAMON DOUGHNUTS AT THE FAMOUS BERRY DONUT VAN If you've heard of Berry, you'll no doubt know about The Famous Berry Donut Van. While the likes of Doughnut Time and Grumpy Donuts have created doughnut hysteria with outrageous flavour combos like maple bacon, hibiscus and nerds, The Famous Berry Donut Van reminds us of the art of simplicity. It's the kind of place where you can unashamedly order bulk cinnamon donuts (to share with your friends, of course) and nobody will blink an eye. There's absolutely no judgement when something so simple tastes this good. Made fresh to order, you'll want to scoff these while they're still hot. 73 Queen Street, Berry. ESPRESSO MARTINIS AT SILOS RESTAURANT Hidden in a converted hay shed in Berry is a contender for the best espresso martini in NSW. At Silos Restaurant they've set themselves the challenge of using each of the native Australian ingredients once only on their seasonal menu. So in their martini it's the cinnamon and nutmeg-infused syrup that plays the starring role. From the complimentary parsley and whey cake appetiser to the dark cherry and olive palette cleanser, Silos Restaurant is out to spark your sense of adventure. Taking the chef's suggestion, we ordered scampi sautéed in wasabi butter, miso-pressed eggplant, asparagus, crisp chicken skin and yuzu curd and the blue eyed cod with sweetbreads, jerusalem artichoke cream, wild fungi and garlic in a red wine sauce. And even though sweetbreads have never been our thing, we put our blind faith in this award-winning chef — and so should you. B640 Princes Highway, Berry. Top image: Thomas Kelley.
In the most mathematical news since boffins discovered a pattern in prime numbers, the cast and crew behind of Adventure Time, the show that straddles generational gaps like it ain't no thing, are coming to town next March. It's going to be live, it's going to be loud and it's gonna be so flippin' awesome. Making quick trips to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, Adventure Time Live will be an interactive, audio-visual festival that includes Q&As with cast and crew, cosplay competitions, live reads of classic episodes and much more to be announced. It's not a show, it's an experience, man. The event hits Australia between March 10 and March 12 next year, which will probably coincide with the largest gathering of adults pretending to be children pretending to be adults that this country has ever seen. Tickets go on sale on December 12, with more deets available here.
I’ll never forget my original Magic Mike experience. In a packed cinema of some 750 people, I was one of just nine men, and of those, (probably) the only straight one. After a brief welcome, the film's promoters introduced two male strippers who danced, disrobed and lap-danced their way through the crowd like bejewelled beagles at Customs, singling out the most awkward and uncomfortable with astounding accuracy. Coupled with the trailer, everything seemed in place for a movie designed to entertain everyone but me, and yet — two hours later — I stood both corrected and utterly entertained. Armed with that memory, I approached Magic Mike XXL with a much more open mind, only to once again be surprised by a film whose suggestive marketing, racy trailer and heck, even its name, belied a film of far greater substance and maturity. Magic Mike XXL is not a story about male strippers entertainers, but an old-fashioned road movie about self-discovery and friendship, where it is souls and vulnerabilities — not bodies — that the men are dared to reveal. As it happens, it's also a cracking comedy. The story itself is as scant as a stripper’s costume. Mike (Channing Tatum, whose real life story provided the inspiration for both films), finds himself visited by his old dancing buddies on their way to the annual 4th of July Strippers Convention (yes, it’s a thing). Their former emcee and manager has skipped town with the young star Adam, meaning this is to be their swan song before retiring to whatever 'normal' jobs they can find. Recently single and finding his own furniture business low on the thrills, Mike joins them in the hope of purging his demons and starting life afresh. In some ways, it’s best to think of Magic Mike XXL like a musical, given the way its stars spontaneously burst into dance routines and, this time round, singing (showcasing the talents of both Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, and Matt Bomer, whose voice is so remarkable it’s baffling we’ve not been treated to it sooner). Unlike most musicals, however, Magic Mike XXL navigates the almost impossible transition from acting to dancing without it ever feeling forced — the best example also being the film’s standout scene, featuring Joe Manganiello (True Blood) stripping in a gas station to a Backstreet Boys staple for no other reason than to elicit a smile from its store clerk. Funny yet provocative, childish yet heartwarming, it encapsulates everything Magic Mike XXL is about: honest desire, spiritual growth and — most importantly — intimacy. Almost every dance in this film is centred on one woman. Any woman. Every woman. No matter how large the crowd, someone is always singled out and treated to a publicly private performance, "a queen being reminded of her beauty", as Mike’s former flame Rome (played magnificently by Jada Pinkett Smith) puts it. Yes, the dancing is extraordinary (Tatum’s routines in particular are jaw-dropping in their athleticism and eroticism), but just as appealing are the ladies’ reactions — a blend of shock, lust and pure exhilaration that imbue each and every fantasy piece with a genuine sense of realism. There’s more sensuality in this film than fifty Fifty Shades of Greys, yet it never once feels sleazy, instead veering closer to something uplifting and sincere. By all means come for the bodies, but stay for everything else.
Mere days after Keep Sydney Open launched their commemorative plaques for live music venues campaign, Sydney's loudest anti-lockout lobby group have an even bigger surprise for Sydney, with fresh news that Flume has called in from the old US of A to release a brand new jam especially for KSO's new video today. Have a peep, below. Plaques organiser and KSO activist Jonno Seidler says: "This is such incredible news to receive at the 11th hour. Harley is currently on tour in North America, playing sold out theatres across the country. But he is proud of where he's from and really backs the Sydney scene, and this just shows how dedicated he really is to the future of local music." The track, called 'Heater' will presumably form part of Flume's next release, which is anyone's guess but could be an EP, coming off the international success of Skin, which dropped earlier this year. "The plaque for Harley was the easiest one to make, because I was there!" says Seidler. "It was a double header with him and Chet Faker [now Nick Murphy] at Goodgod Small Club, my favourite venue for years. Ask anyone who was in the audience, you could tell something was cooking even way back then. I've seen Flume play to tiny rooms in New York city and huge stages at Byron, and he's been world class the whole way." The video, prepared by Keep Sydney Open, features interviews with Gang of Youths Dave Leaupepe in Kings Cross and Jim Finn and Dan McNamee of Art Vs Science, who showed up at Oxford Street to play a trio of songs dedicated to NSW premier Mike Baird, including 'I Love The Nightlife', 'All Night Long' and 'Blame It On The Boogie.' "I met Jim and Dan seven years ago, and it was pretty much a mutual love fest from then on in," says Seidler. "I think they're largely seen as a festival band, but they have amazing musical chops. I've been lucky enough to jam with them a few times and they are the real deal. You have no idea how fast they learned all of those songs." The response to the plaques has been immediate, picked up by media across the country. Seidler says he that while he, Tyson Koh and the rest of Keep Sydney Open are beyond thrilled, they're not surprised at how quickly it took off. "The reason we went with this method is that everyone relates to music. We have so much incredible talent that started right here in small to medium venues that are now literally world-class talent, from Anna Lunoe and Alison Wonderland to The Preatures. When you see those names and you put the two things together, the lockouts starts to become a much bigger problem than just where you can have a drink late at night." More on Keep Sydney Open's plaque campaign over here.
We may still be stuck in the dying days of a rainy, rainy winter, but for one afternoon, on one rooftop in Sydney, summer is coming to town. To celebrate the launch of their latest beer, Heineken are teaming up with the five star Primus Hotel for a full blown beach party six stories up. The fun kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, August 27, with a handful of spots on the proverbial sand still available. The hotel's rooftop pool area will be transformed into a fully heated indoor-outdoor beach club, complete with DJ, live entertainment and all your favourite summer foods, plus a whole bunch of ice-cold brews. The whole thing is to mark the release of Heineken's new beer — a beverage that, for the time being, remains shrouded in secrecy, and that guests at the rooftop event will be among the first in the world to try. Mystery beer by the pool? We're in. To score an invite to Heineken's Ultimate Summer Rooftop Pool Party, register your details via the link on the Facebook event page.
If you want to know what it feels like to have Siri laugh at you, ask them to search for "small garden hideaway with excellent food, drink, music in Sydney's CBD". Once you've done that, head back here so we can give you what you want. Since I Left You, the 21st-century city speakeasy nestled in a heritage-listed storehouse in the centre of Sydney, has announced another chapter of The SILY Sessions. The once-monthly sessions are live gigs, but not as you know them. This month, you'll catch the immensely talented Kaloune who heads to Sydney all the way from La Reunion Island, plus local talent Maia Marsh and SILY Sessions alumni Jannah Beth. But rather than spending the day being elbowed in the face at varying intensities, the performance is small — 50 people max — generally acoustic and includes antipasti and special cocktail offers. The gig takes place in SILY's courtyard which is transformed into a 'tropical oasis' for the occasion. With only 50 tickets to each session, you'll need to clamour for seats. Once you're there, though, relaxation, fine food and great music are all that need concern you. For those left out in the cold, each performance is recorded and available for purchase. Plus there's always next month. Take that, Siri.
With patches of spring starting to infiltrate the city, one might be forgiven for assuming that winter has done its dash. Perhaps. But theatre is not a beast governed by the seasons and August has some seriously chilly offerings to impart. A bitter old man losing his mind and his furniture as he hurtles headlong into death's maw. A rebel racing to tear down an asylum before his brain fries. A Gordian knot of emotional destitution that its creator would never see performed. Dispense with the mittens, sure. But theatrically speaking, you're not out of the woods yet.
It's great that rum is no longer only associated with pirates and over the top tiki bars. In the past few years we've seen a resurgence of this spirit that's born from sugarcane — it now doesn't just appear in the mojito, but is a staple of the bar menu. Bartenders regularly use rum to spice up classic cocktails and create over the top drinks. Sydney has many specialty rum bars in which knowledgeable bartenders (who know the difference between light and dark rum) perfectly mix up rum cocktails and know exactly what to mix with each type. In partnership with Baron Samedi Spiced, we asked our friends at The Lobo Plantation in Sydney for a few ways to use rum — so we can reignite our love for this tropical spirit and shake up our at-home cocktail routine. TASTE THE FLAVOURS IN AN OLD FASHIONED An old fashioned is a classic cocktail, often enjoyed with whisky, but best enjoyed with rum. It's a simple combination of rum, bitters and orange peel — easy to make, and a great way to take time to taste the flavours in your rum (rather than having it mixed into a tropical cocktail where the other flavours will overwhelm it). To make the The Lobo Plantation old fashioned, simply fill an old fashioned glass (the same size as a Negroni glass) with ice, add a shot of Baron Samedi Spiced (4oml), a splash of bitters and sugar syrup and stir it all together gently for 30 seconds. Top with an orange peel for a little citrus twist. TRY SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE TROPICAL Another classic way to enjoy rum is to mix it into a tropical, colourful cocktail and pretend you're on holiday. This type of drink should preferably be served in an extravagant glass, or served with a creative garnish (The Lobo Plantation serve theirs with a mini pineapple on top). To make The Lobo Plantation's Carribean-inspired Bajan Julep, build crushed ice into a tall glass and add a shot (40ml) of Baron Samedi Spiced. Mix in a dash of blackberry liqueur and a dash of fresh lemon juice, then add a teaspoon of passionfruit, a teaspoon of sugar and top it all off with ginger beer. ENJOY ON ITS OWN If you've decided that you really like rum, an easy, delicious way to enjoy it is to drink it on its own, stirred with a little ice. Rum was manufactured, distilled and made long before any other spirit was, and each brand has developed its own particular flavours and methods of distillation. Baron Samedi Spiced is infused with vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon that give off rich flavours of butterscotch, coffee and vanilla. Like whisky, when you sip rum the flavours are much more apparent. Although rum is made by distilling the byproducts of sugarcane — that long grass that's prevalent in countries like the Carribean and the Philippines, it tastes much more complex than that. It's delicious. Images: Kimberley Low at The Lobo Plantation.
Back in 2016, Bentley co-owners Brent Savage (food) and Nick Hildebrandt (wine) announced they were going 100 per cent vegetarian with fine diner Yellow. Their aim? To show that vegetarian and vegan dishes are just as tasty as any other menu item. Now, it's one of Sydney's go-to dining destinations. Set in Yellow House on Macleay Street, the bistro's name and design pay respect to the building's history as an artists' dive during the 70s when Brett Whiteley, Martin Sharpe and George Gittoes would reportedly grace the place with their presence. Designer Pascale Gomes-McNabb gives due respect to the original building by retaining a bohemian character and featuring exposed brickwork. The fit-out takes a leap forward into high irony with elements such as distressed wooden tables that belong more at a beachside country kitchen than inner-city bistro, but with the geometric bling of mirrors and gold frames as a counterbalance, we know we're in safe hands. Service is snappy and informative, and early on a Monday night the place had a Friday night buzz. Open seven nights a week from 6pm (and for lunch on weekends), this could very easily become a second home for Potts Point locals. Lucky things.
In European rural communities, wine-making has been an inclusive experience for centuries. What better way to forge village connections than by the mass squashing of grapes and shared sampling of the results? Here in Australia, however, exorbitant distances mean that our quaffing usually happens a long way from the bottle’s source. Even if you are curious about setting up your own winery, it all looks rather pricey and tricky from the outside. Three guys in Melbourne want to change all that. They’re set on opening the city’s first interactive ‘urban winery’. And, through their Pozible campaign, they’re hoping to enlist your help. At Noisy Ritual, you’ll be able to take a hands- and feet-on role in the creation of people-powered, group-owned, premium quality wine, using old-school strategies — from the messy luxury of the mid-March stomp, to the squidgy fun of early-April pressing, to the spring magic of bottling — without leaving the Melbourne met area. The project came about when winemaker Alexander Byrne (of Lethbridge Wines) discovered a fermentation tank beneath the Thornbury house of schoolmate, Cam Nicol. “We decided then and there that we’d have to make use of it, because it was the only logical thing to do,” Cam says. “So, in autumn this year, Alex brought two half-tonne batches of shiraz grapes up from Geelong, from where he works. A few friends put in money to buy them, and we formed a basic winemaking syndicate. When it came to labour time, we’d have mini-parties, doing our stomping or pressing downstairs then coming upstairs, to eat and socialise.” Before that, Cam, a "music industry multi-tasker", was new to winemaking. “The process was a massively educational one for me,” he says. “I’d never known much about wine, so being involved in the making of it was a doorway into wine culture. It was something I’d always felt intimidated about and found it hard to converse about, because there’s a lot of assumed knowledge when you’re talking to people who actually know about wine.” Nervous whenever you sidle up to a wine-tasting counter? Not sure about deciphering the difference between a leather tone and a blackberry one? Noisy Ritual intends to have you demystified in a matter of months. Figuring that other people might benefit from the same learning curve, Cam suggested to Alex and another winemaking school buddy, Sam Vogel (Provenance Wines), that they take their neighbourhood operations citywide. Once funding is secured for Noisy Ritual, they’re planning on moving from Cam’s place to a bigger space, somewhere near Brunswick. In 2015, members (join up by pledging) will be able to take an active part in winemaking, in a party atmosphere fuelled by live music, DJs, wine tastings and food. To stem your loneliness in the lapses between the action, there’ll be special events and ample opportunities to drop in, to "taste the wine straight from the barrel, take some measurements, bend a winemaker’s ear or just give a barrel a hug". Images by Tajette O'Halloran.
Khamsa Cafe fuses vegan eats with Middle Eastern flavours, courtesy of its Palestinian founder Sarah Shaweesh. Shaweesh — whose catering business has been supplying Sydney cafes with raw vegan cakes since 2015 — was born in Sydney but raised in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Jordan, and brought these influences to Khamsa Cafe. Located on the Erskineville end of King Street, the corner cafe boasts bi-fold doors and floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing for a seamless indoor-outdoor feel to the space [caption id="attachment_707085" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Ali[/caption] Open seven days a week from 7am–3pm, the cafe offers both breakfast and lunch items, all infused with many Middle Eastern spices. All-day brekkie includes the Jerusalem bowl — a combination of cauliflower and quinoa with fattoush salad, baba ghanoush and hummus — and a massive Bedouin breakfast wrap that combines fried cauliflower, cucumber and tomato, all topped with tahini, pickles and garlic. Khamsa Cafe's main meals offer more traditional Middle Eastern fare, like the Kan Zamman Bowl with tzatziki, muhamarra, viudjara and fresh salad and the Hey Macarena with macaroni, garlic yoghurt, Palestinian spiced mint and pine nuts. For drinks, the highlight is the fragrant Arabic coffee with cardamom — a rare find in Sydney's inner west. There's also a healthy range of teas to select from including a matcha latte and a chai na'naa' with loose leaf black tea and fresh mint leaves. It's creative vegan fare that fits right in to its surrounds. [caption id="attachment_707088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Ali[/caption] Top images: Sam Ali, Commune Waterloo.
With summer glimmering on the horizon — bringing with it the promise of gloriously warm, long nights — it's the perfect time to start thinking about your first dinner party of the season. But if the thought of hosting yet another classic evening meal around your dining table fills you with something close to dread, why not make this summer one of experimentation instead? To help make this social season more exciting, we've collaborated with KitchenAid (to celebrate the launch of the KitchenAid Mini in Australia) and come up with five simple ways to take your next dinner party from conventional to creative. Pick your favourite idea, send out the invitations, and get ready to become your friends' favourite host. TAKE IT OUTSIDE There's something about dining al fresco that always feels so luxurious. So why not take advantage of the warm weather and host your party in the backyard? Decorate a table with a bright cloth, a few fresh flowers, heaps of candles, and artfully mismatched crockery and your guests will feel like they're dining in a romantic European café. For additional charm, hang fairy-lights from the trees and use lanterns to illuminate the walkway between your house and the garden. If you've got a pool, make sure to set your table near it — while it's not exactly oceanfront dining, it comes pretty damn close. You could also switch things up by taking a page out of the pop-up restaurant playbook and having dinner in the front yard – the enhanced opportunity for people-watching is an added bonus. PARTY FOR A GOOD CAUSE Take inspiration from initiatives like the Big Aussie Barbie and turn your dinner party into a mini fundraiser for your favourite charity. Simply ask guests to pay a small entry fee to attend (set up a simple webpage to streamline the process and avoid having to hassle your mates for cash on the day) and then donate the funds to the charity of your choice. Make sure to tell your guests a little bit about the organisation so they understand where their contributions will be going. As for the party itself, your options are endless. You could, for example, host a BBQ, a cocktail party, or a games night. You could also theme your event in a way that aligns with the charity, like having guests dress up in the colour associated with the cause (pink for breast cancer, for example). UP YOUR ALCOHOL GAME Instead of the predictable bottles of wine and beer, treat your guests to an alcoholic summer punch. Serve your concoction in a pretty glass bowl, with a medley of colourful fruits at the bottom, and you've also got yourself a sweet centrepiece. Another idea is to try your hand at homemade frosé—we promise it's easier than it sounds and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. If you're feeling especially creative, why not set up a little cocktail station with a few easy classics? Gin & Tonics, Dark & Stormies, and Caipirinhas are perennial favourites that can all be made with just three ingredients. Pre-garnish the glasses (ant-rimmed Aussie South Side, anyone?) for a lavish finishing touch. HOST A GIG IN YOUR HOUSE So you've hosted a brunch party, are an old-hand at whipping up delicious homemade cocktails, and have mastered the art of al fresco dining? Then it's time to take your party to the next level with Parlour Gigs. This ingenious initiative lets you bring live music into your living room. We know, it sounds almost too good to be true. Hosting a gig is insanely easy: simply sign up on the website, invite a local artist to play, and, once they've accepted, share a private invite with your mates. Then, set up your space with a few comfy chairs, plush pillows, and some mood lighting for a unique evening that is guaranteed to have your friends talking all summer long. BRUNCH PARTY? Yes, we know, "dinner party" connotes an evening meal but why not switch things up and host a brunch party instead? Not only is brunch arguably the best meal of the day, having people over in the late morning or early afternoon let's you make the most of the summer sunshine, while also being cheaper and easier to put together than dinner. What's not to love? To pull off a successful brunch party, make a few easy main dishes with your KitchenAid Mini (meals you can prep in advance, like french toast or quiche, are ideal), pick up some pastries from your favourite bakery (here are our picks), cut up some seasonal fruits, throw everything onto a pretty tablecloth and you're good to go. For an extra touch, set up a simple mimosa bar with a few pitchers of orange or grapefruit juice and a couple of bottles of bubbly.
They say home is where the heart is. If that's the case then we need to get our heart into one of these places as soon as physically possible. Houses Magazine has just revealed the winners of the 2015 Houses Awards, singling out some of the most innovative and extravagant homesteads in the country. The top prize, Australian House of the Year, went to Planchonella House in far north Queensland; the extravagant tropical abode that bears at least a passing resemblance to a villain's lair in a Bond film also won the gong for New House over 200m². The prize for New House under 200m² went to Sawmill House in regional Victoria, which combines more than 250 one ton concrete blocks with a timber screen and a nine metre long sliding glass wall. Best Apartment or Unit went to The Darlinghurst Apartment, a one-bedroom dwelling in inner-Sydney just 27m² in size. The competition also hands out awards for Outdoor and Sustainable residences, which this year went to the partially roofless (and bafflingly named) Cut Paw Paw in Seddon, Victoria and the QV8 apartments in the Melbourne CBD, respectively. The Houses Awards are decided by a panel of esteemed designers and architects. You can find the full list of this year's winners below. AUSTRALIAN HOUSE OF THE YEAR – Planchonella House by Jesse Bennet Architecture. NEW HOUSE UNDER 200M² – Sawmill House by Archier Studio. NEW HOUSE OVER 200M² – Planchonella House by Jesse Bennet Architecture. HOUSE ALTERATION & ADDITION UNDER 200M² – West End Cottage by Vokes and Peters. HOUSE ALTERATION & ADDITION OVER 200M² – Tower House by Andrew Maynard Architects. APARTMENT OR UNIT – Darlinghurst Apartment by Brad Swartz Architect. OUTDOOR – Cut Paw Paw by Andrew Maynard Architects. SUSTAINABLE – QV8 by Breathe Architecture. HOUSE IN A HERITAGE CONTEXT – House in House by Steffen Welsch Architects.
Melburnians rejoice! Our time has come to put on our red shoes and dance the blues. David Bowie Is, the most talked about exhibition all year, has graced us with its almighty presence. Now you can all stop complaining that you only just missed it when it was in London, and get to ACMI ASAP. The exhibition features a whole heap of Bowie-related items, including costumes, sets, lyrics, album artwork, rare footage and obviously, music. Really, you had us at 'Bowie Exhibition'. You could charge $20 to come and view just one sequinned shoulder pad, and we’d still be running one-another down to get to the entrance. But before you rush too quickly out the door, you might want to prepare yourself for the onslaught of aggressively competitive Bowie fanatics who'll be lining up and no doubt loudly exclaiming various facts and quotes to out-Bowie each other. You know, the kind who will be all, "That’s not even David’s correct blood type..." So to help you stand your ground, we've put together this list of pointers. Consider this your David Bowie homework. WATCH (OR REWATCH) LABYRINTH First and foremost, rewatch Labyrinth. Or, at the very least, get your fix through one of the greatest, most terrifying moments from everyone’s childhood that is the clip above. Bask in the glory of Bowie as he dances around with a large swarm of tiny alcoholic goblin puppets. It truly is something to behold. Extra fun fact: Toby Frouder, the actor who, as a baby, quite convincingly played the baby in Labyrinth, is now a puppeteer himself. A goblin puppeteer, in fact. It's true and it's amazing. HAVE SOME BOWIE MERCHANDISE TO FLASH Drunkenly purchase yourself some Bowie merchandise in the wee hours of the morning. Not speaking from experience at all, but when your new Aladdin Sane queen-size bed set arrives in the mail, you'll thank your past boozed-out self. Take a snap on your phone and set it as your background so when you waltz around the exhibit, you can be like "lol, I’m sleeping with Bowie tonight lol lol." Everyone will love you for it and think you are hilarious and original. They will. BRUSH UP ON YOUR BOWIE CAMEOS Remember that time Bowie starred as Pontius Pilate alongside Willem Dafoe’s Jesus in The Last Temptation of Christ? Yeah. That happened. Well, just in case someone quizzes you on that, you can memorise the full scene from here (but don’t, because it’s not great.) In fact, Bowie has a habit of popping up in unexpected places, everywhere from Zoolander to Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwdORJVw3-o[/embed] GET THE LIVE(ISH) EXPERIENCE There’s a million videos of Davey B killing it on stage, but our personal favourite is this performance of ‘Under Pressure’ featuring Annie Lennox at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert in 1992. Unfortunately Bowie and Mercury never performed the song together live (can you actually imagine how incredible that performance would have been?), but it’s fair to say Lennox did a pretty phenomenal job. The dress, the three-piece green suit, the long loving embrace. It’s all too much. MEMORISE AT LEAST ONE BIT OF OBSCURE BOWIE TRIVIA When he was 13, Bowie was punched by his mate George Underwood over some mix-up with a girl (cuuute), and was left with a permanently dilated pupil. This story is relatively well-known and won’t earn you any Bow-n-ie points amongst aficionados. But what you may not know is that Underwood continued being one of Bowie’s best mates. Not only that, he's responsible for two of Bowie’s album covers, in Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars. This proves that Bowie's a forgiving gentleman and all-round top bloke, just like we always knew he was. David Bowie Is will be at ACMI until November 1. See the full program of exhibition-related events at www.acmi.net.au/bowie. Top image: Masayoshi Sukita, The David Bowie Archive.
Bad news for online shopping addicts: Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has declared his intention to abolish the $1000 GST-free threshold on overseas purchases by July 1, 2017. The announcement, which came after a day of tax reform talks between state and federal treasurers, means that all items purchased from overseas retailers, including those bought through online shopping services such as Amazon, will soon be subject to the same standard 10 percent GST surcharge as items purchased in Australia. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Hockey said that the change will help deliver "competitive neutrality for Australian businesses, and ensure fair and equal treatment of goods and services. If goods and services would have the GST applied in Australia, then the same should apply for goods from overseas." He also stated that the decision had been made "with the unanimous agreement of Labor and Liberal states and territories". Hockey told the ABC that "what it effectively means is that we're going to have taxation officials travel around the world and visiting these companies and asking them to register for GST purposes." Only those companies with an annual GST turnover of more than $75,000 will be affected. This will also include companies that provide digital content services, such as Netflix and Facebook. If overseas companies prove unwilling to comply with Australian government requests, an alternative method of collecting the GST could be for Australians to pay the surcharge separately upon receipt of their purchased item. The potential issue with this method would be the cost of assessing each item as it reaches the border – something that Hockey as dismissed as "plainly ridiculous." The treasurer is apparently confident that the amount of revenue raised by this new scheme will outweigh the costs of enforcing it – despite recent findings by the Productivity Commission to the contrary. According to news.com.au, however, a spokesperson for Mr. Hockey yesterday admitted that the treasury has yet to perform any modelling on the economic impact of the proposed changes. Ultimately, the most depressing thing about this story is that regardless of whether we end up paying the GST, it may still be cheaper to purchase things online — which does rather put a damper on Hockey's 'levelling the playing field' rhetoric. As it stands now, you've got just under two years to get in all your impulse buying before you get whacked with an additional fee. Image: Dollar Photo Club
Run away with the circus on New Year's Eve (and stay there for early morning on New Year's Day). If your new year celebrations are often filled with unrealised expectations and warm beer, this year could be the year you vow to make it different — and the perfect solution might be Sydney's Harbour Hoopla, a new event looking forward to shaking its sequins and twirling its hoops at you. Harbour Hoopla is 'vintage-circus themed', meaning there will be some highly sassy costumes as well as props popping up everywhere. Held at Tarpeian Way (inside the Botanic Garden Sydney), there will be games, a theatrical photo booth, circus performers a-plenty, and a DJ once the night gets into swing. It's the perfect location to watch the iconic New Year's Eve fireworks, the harbour bridge is right next door and it's sure to supply incredible views. You and your mates can come dressed in your circus best (or your stroke-of-midnight-best will do), or hit up the photo booth props at the venue for some snaps. Hungry after all that frolicking? You get a picnic hamper upon entry with a salad, poached chicken main, dessert and cheese plate, and there's a (cash only) bar on premises. BYO rug, that ridiculous dress at the back of your wardrobe, and cash (no ATMs on site). We also suggest you start practicing your cartwheels for when you decide that joining the circus is the best thing to do with your life this year. Tickets are selling fast — two out of four of the Royal Botanic Garden's events have already sold out. We've got six tickets to Harbour Hoopla to give away — enter your details below and you're in the running to head along and take five of your friends. [competition]599091[/competition]
A few of Sydney's hospo greats have joined forces to revamp Double Bay's old Limoncello site, giving it new life as an Italian eatery. Orazio D'Elia (Da Orazio Pizza and Porchetta), Eddie Levy (Kittyhawk, Lobo Plantation and Darlo Country Club) and Adam Abrams (also of Darlo Country Club) will open Matteo on Wednesday, July 5. The restaurant is named after D'Elia's two-month-old baby boy. "Finding the name is the hardest thing and in the end Eddie convinced me to go with Matteo," says D'Elia. "It means I have to put a lot of soul and work into this restaurant because it has to be perfect with my son's name." This genuine big-heart Italian nature is indicative of of D'Elia and his signature ventures. The three mates had been chatting about opening a new venue together for a while — and when they visited the Limoncello site, things just fell into place. "They knew I was looking for something and said they liked the look of the Limoncello site,"says D'Elia. "I actually used to work as head chef there and we got a good opportunity to take it." While Matteo will cater to families during the day, the vibe will change to a cocktail den by night, with DJs on the weekends and Quynh Nguyen (Brooklyn Social, Luis Tan, Icebergs and China Diner) behind the drinks list. Cocktails will focus on simple ingredients with some Italian twists, like blood orange and Amaro Montenegro. As with Da Orazio, the Italian eatery will be all about house-made pastas, pizzas and share plates, focusing on simple Italian dishes — think seasonal snapper cooked in rock salt, char-grilled octopus (this reminds D'Elia of summer in Europe), and, for winter, saffron capunti (that's a pea pod-shaped pasta) with osso buco ragu. The traditional pizza menu will include a few focaccias and tiramisu for dessert because, as D'Elia puts it, "every Italian restaurant needs to have a tiramisu". The 150-seater features a Mediterranean-style fit-out by interior designer Ian Nessick, which includes a six-metre-long marble and stone bar, hand-rolled porcelain light fittings and upcycled aged timber ceilings and panelling that give the feel of an old Italian house. The new pizza oven, which just arrived from Italy, is the hero of the open kitchen and the finishes are multicoloured Italian terrazzo throughout — that chipped marble set in concrete that is characteristic of the Mediterranean. "We wanted to elevate the interior to match the food," says Nessick. "Ori [Orazio] is authentic Italian and cooks from the heart, so that is at the soul of the fit-out as well, and why the kitchen is at the centre of the venue." The colour palate is earthy and light, with blonde American oak tables and chairs with rust coloured upholstery. The open deck out front has been designed to feel like you're sitting on a luxury yacht, and will host an aperitivo hour. "The space has a really handmade feel and is turning into the most beautiful little restaurant," says Nessick. D'Elia has recently made the decision to leave his hatted Bondi restaurant so he can focus on Restaurant Matteo full time, with his business partner, Maurice Terzini, taking the reigns and Icebergs' chef Monty Koludrovic stepping up in the kitchen at Da Orazio. Of the new Double Bay restaurant, he says: "I want this space to be something people will enjoy as an experience and make them feel like they're coming to eat with me and my family." Matteo will open on Wednesday, July 5 at 29 Bay Street, Double Bay. For more info, visit matteosydney.com. Images and video: Steven Woodburn.
God knows we all spend way too much time looking at our phones. Whether you're texting, tweeting or chasing imaginary Japanese monsters, it seems like people constantly have their eyes glued to tiny screens. At best, it can be a wee bit anti-social. At worst, it can actually be really dangerous. Case in point: this teenager who got hit by a car while playing Pokémon Go. Fortunately for the technology-addicted, artist and designer Ekene Ijeoma has created a new mobile app designed to get people to tear their faces away from their phones. Look Up New York City causes your phone to vibrate whenever you're approaching an intersection, while also drawing data from the New York Department of Transportation to give each intersection an "energy score." The higher the score, the more frequent the number of accidents that take place there, and the more users should maybe think about paying attention to where it is they're walking. The purpose of the app is twofold, with its creators hoping to reduce the number of accidents while also encouraging social interaction. "Whether it's strangers making eye contact and saying hello or friends hugging, Look Up hopes to tear down the digital walls we build up, opening us to seeing, acknowledging and valuing the people and city around us," reads a statement on the Look Up website. Look Up is currently available on Android devices, with an iOS app coming soon. No word on whether they're planning on branching out beyond NYC, although we can easily imagine it taking off across the world. In the mean time, if you're reading this on your phone, please keep an eye on where you're going. https://vimeo.com/171683941 Via PSFK.
Do you sweat good ideas through the day? Do you have the a major game-changer on some napkin tucked into your pocket? Or have you the savvy eyes to spot fantastic innovation before the mainstream? If you even started to nod silently to any of those questions, then you will have a ridiculously good time at the REMIX Sydney 2016 conference — a maelstrom of keynotes, panels, masterclasses and mixers centred at the nexus of creativity, technology and entrepreneurship. The REMIX Sydney schedule is silly with inspiring sessions across many platforms. Hear keynote speeches and round-table conversations from around 100 leading creative pioneers onstage, including Secret Cinema founder Fabien Riggall, director of the Cirque du Soleil Creative Lab Gillian Ferrabee, president and CEO of NYC's Governor's Island Leslie Koch, Bloomberg global creative director Damian Totman, British Museum's head of digital and publishing Chris Michaels, Huffington Post CEO Chris Janz, Noma COO Ben Liebmann, head of design at New Zealand's Te Papa museum Ben Barraud, Change.org country director Karen Skinner, Airbnb country manager Sam McDonough, Dubai Design District (d3) CEO Lindsay Miller, Arts Centre Melbourne CEO Claire Spencer, Moonlight Cinema co-founder James Tutton and many more. Your mates Concrete Playground will be there too, introducing you to Sydney's most successful new entrepreneurs — the businesses we couldn't write fast enough about — with a special curated session on 'How Long Does It Take to Become an Overnight Success?' featuring Kristen Francis (festival founder and director of Wine Island, winner of CP's Best New Event of 2015), Georgia van Tiel and Carla McMillan (co-founders of citywide gym class pass Bodypass, winner of CP's Best New Product of 2015) and Michael Chiem (co-founder of Sydney's first ever soda factory bar PS40). You'll have the frontal lobe equivalent of a food baby after this summit. Best get ready to digest. We had early chats with our panelists before REMIX, find out the secret to overnight success here.
First came Messina. Then came kittens. Now, finally, Uber has rolled the dice on the ultimate delivery treat, and will be bringing babies right to your office. That's right — we're talking UberBUBS. Like some sort of stork in an Audi with a 4.8 star rating, Uber drivers have teamed up with trusting mums and dads all around the country to unlock the clucky in all of us, but be warned: the waiting list is expected to be huge. "If there's one thing you hear time and time again from successful, white collar types in the CBD," explains Uber Australia CEO Pieter Rank, "it's the regret of having put career ahead of family. Today at least, even if only for 15 minutes, we're giving them the chance to have both — no strings attached." Naturally, parents will be present at all times, and if the younglings find themselves overwhelmed, the visit will be cut short and a 50 percent refund offered in return. So how can you grab your chance to experience all the adorableness of kittens with the added benefits of dribble and mumbling? 1. Download the Uber app. 2. Request the 'BUBS' option in the app TODAY between 12pm and 4pm within the Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane CBD and surrounding suburbs. 3. If available, you'll get to enjoy 15 minutes of wide-eyed (or possibly stinky, wailing) cuteness delivered to your office, your home or even your reluctant partner to show them what they're missing. All funds raised will go to local not-for-profit nappiesandinsomnia.org.au to help raise funds for future Uber marketing activations.
The wildflowers are a-blooming, the sun is a-shining and the air is clear. Now that summer has stolen the cooler weather away for keeps, it's time to make a beeline for the Blueys. The days are warm enough for walking, but the evenings still cool enough to get cosy before a log fire (bushfire warnings permitting). So don't forget your walking boots or your whiskey. Here's our guide for squeezing the most out of a mountains weekender this summer. SEE The Three Sisters and Katoomba Falls are bound to be high on your list. For the most magical views (and the fewest tourists), visit by night. Or try checking them out from a new angle at Sublime Point Lookout (Sublime Point Rd, Leura). Other lookouts worth visiting include Cahills (258-276 Cliff Drive, Katoomba), Evans (Evans Lookout Rd, Blackheath) and Govetts Leap (Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath). For more water, head to Wentworth, where you can picnic while watching the most majestic waterfalls in the mountains, and Leura, to explore cascades of more fairy-like dimensions. If you feel like a dip, take on the 1 kilometre walk to Minnehaha Falls. Image: Gary P. Hayes. DO The quintessential Blue Mountains experience is to be had at Scenic World (corner Violet St and Cliff Drive, Katoomba; (02) 4780 0200). Your adventure starts with an invigorating ride on the 270-metre high Scenic Skyway, taking in some of the mountains' most spectacular vistas, including Jamison Valley and Katoomba Falls. Once you're safely back on land, jump on the Scenic Railway (the steepest railway in the world), which descends 310 metres, dropping you on the valley floor, where the Scenic Walkway takes you on a 2.4 kilometre stroll through ancient rainforest, passing local lyrebirds. Make a gentle return via the Scenic Cableway's slow, 545 metre climb. If you're after some more intensive hiking, leave time for an all-day walk. Two of the best are the 6 kilometre Grand Canyon track and the relentlessly scenic Mount Banks trail. Alternatively, get into some local culture. The Blue Mountains have long provided a refuge for Sydney artists, so there's no shortage of galleries and exhibitions. You'll find diverse touring shows of both minor and major varieties at The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre (30 Parke St, Katoomba; (02) 4780 5410; Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm; Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm). Or revisit your childhood at the Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum (14 Norman Lindsay Crescent, Faulconbridge; (02) 4751 1067; daily, 10am-4pm) and at Leura's Toy and Railway Museum (36 Olympian Parade, Leura; (02) 4784 1169; daily, 10am-5pm). EAT At least one (if not all) of your dining experiences should come with dreamy mountain views. Katoomba's Scenic World (corner Violet St and Cliff Drive, Katoomba; (02) 4780 0200) is home to two eateries looking over uninterrupted vistas of Jamison Valley and the Three Sisters. Book at EATS270 (10am-3pm daily) for local produce, craft beers, a killer Angus beef burger and a seat right on the giddy edge of the escarpment. Or, for a casual snack or coffee, there's the Terrace Cafe (10am-5pm daily). Occupying an equally extraordinary position is the airy, elegant Solitary Restaurant (90 Cliff Drive, Leura Falls; (02) 4782 1164; Wed-Sun, 11am-4.30pm, Fri and Sat, from 6.30pm). On a clear day, you can see as far as the Southern Highlands. The seasonal menu includes dishes like roasted sage spatchcock with Dutch finger carrots, Parma ham, asparagus and carrot puree. More refined dining is on offer at nineteen23 (1 Lake St, Wentworth Falls; 0488 361 923; Thu-Sun, from 6pm, Sat-Sun, from 12pm) and Blackheath's Vesta (33 Govetts Leap, Blackheath; (02) 4787 6899; Wed-Fri, 5pm-10pm, Sat-Sun, from 12pm), where the specialty is slow roast, cooked in a 120-year-old scotch oven, fuelled by good ol' Mudgee vintage ironbark. For a more casual munch, head to Leura Garage (84 Railway Parade, Leura; (02) 4784 3391; daily from 12pm), an arty, community-minded cafe-restaurant. The menu is hearty and the coffee is a special, Umami-created Ethiopian-Brazilian blend. DRINK After a ten-year closure and $35 million reno, the glamorous Hydromajestic Hotel, built in 1904, reopened in October 2014. Drop by the Shanghai-inspired Salon du The Bar & Lounge (52-88 Great Western Highway, Medlow Bath; (02) 4782 6885; Fri-Sun, 3pm-9pm) for a cocktail, wine or high tea and amazing views of Megalong Valley. For a more old-school, classic hotel experience, visit Mount Victoria's Imperial Hotel (1 Station St, Mount Victoria; (02) 4787 1878), built in 1878, where you can kick back in front of a crackling fire. Lilianfels Lounge & Bar (5-19 Lilianfels Avenue, Katoomba; (02) 4780 1200; daily, 11am-11pm) offers a long wine and beverage list covering local and international wines, single malt whiskeys and signature cocktails. STAY Those travelling in a group should explore Airbnb to nab a cracking deal on a private residence. An eco-friendly, passive-solar house, Nagual Retreat in Leura comes with incredible views over Mount Hay and sleeping space for 11 across five bedrooms and two levels. But if you want to go all-out deluxe, check out Katoomba's stunning, architect-designed The Last Straw. Meanwhile, rowdy crews might consider surrounding themselves with land. There's this gorgeous, four-bedroom timber home on 2 acres at Medlow Bath, this tranquil property on 7 acres at Blackheath with its own tennis court, trampoline and cubby house (yay!), or the immense Dantosa Retreat, which sleeps 16 and is set on 9 acres of landscaped gardens, private lake included. If you're more in the market for a romantic hideaway, there are loads of rustic mountain cottages to choose from. Stay within walking distance of Leura at the sunny, spacious Little Haven, with its own courtyard, king bed, spa bath and log fire. Or plant yourself in nature at the irresistibly cute Jemby Rinjah Eco Cabin, with its Japanese spa and treetop-level bedroom. And then there's this Enchanted Cave. GET ME THERE By car: The Blue Mountains is 90 minutes from Sydney via the M4 motorway. Alternatively, take the scenic route through the Hawkesbury along Bells Line of Road. By train: The journey from Sydney's Central Station to Katoomba is two hours on the Blue Mountains Line. Scenic World: Scenic World is 3km from Katoomba's town centre. Park in the all-day free parking, or hop on either a Blue Mountains Explorer or Trolley Tours bus and disembark at Scenic World main building.
It won't be the liquor that's making your head spin at Mexico's Biré Bitori. Designed by architectural firm Tall Arquitectos on behalf of chef Maria Andrea Payne, the proposed two-story bar and restaurant would stick out over the edge of a cliff near the Basaseachic Falls, the second highest waterfall in the country. And if that weren't enough to kick your vertigo into gear, the bar and dining area will feature a transparent glass floor, offering breathtaking/terrifying views of the canyon below. The bar and restaurant (and nausea-inducing glass floor) would be located on the first level, while upstairs patrons would find a panoramic observation platform and pool. No word on what the menu might look like, although given the incredible surroundings we can't imagine it would be all that cheap. The falls themselves are located in the Basaseachic Waterfalls National Park, around three and half hours drive west of Chihuahua in the country's north. Via Traveller.
Tired of only having sugary, soulless mixers to pick from in Sydney bars? PS40 opens in Sydney's CBD this week as the newest bar concept by the creators of PS Soda, an all-natural soda line. "Instead of an open cellar door, we have an open soda door," says co-founder Michael Chiem (ex-Sokyo, Bulletin Place and the Star's Black by Ezard). Along with business partner Thor Bergquist (ex-Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC) and Der Raum) and creative director Livia Lima (ex-Maud), it's an all-star crew behind this factory's curtain. This warehouse gem is well-hidden down Skittle Lane and designed with a modern and bright fitout. "It's a soda factory, so we want it to be super playful," says Lima. "Everything is handmade and hand-designed." The homemade motif extends to the bar, with all PS sodas sourced from local, native produce and made with community input at that; Archie Rose Distillery helped to develop the tonic that would complement their gin and LP's Quality Meats' Luke Powell helped create the lemonade. An eight-tap bar will include soda taps, with one tap left open for experimental releases, like their collaboration soda made from leftover pomace supplied by Hunter Valley's Thomas Wines. "Collaboration is a big thing for us" says Chiem. "We have close relationships with our suppliers and want suppliers that care about what they're doing." The local love doesn't stop there, with the wine list curated by Lo-Fi Wines and taps from Sydney brewers Wayward and Young Henrys. All PS Soda will be made and bottled in-house and used for the line of signature cocktails available at PS40. "A mixed drink is the sum of its parts and making our own sodas gives us 100 percent control over the final flavour," says Chiem. The cocktail menu is as unusual as the sodas, each with its own story. The Stockholm Syndrome ($18) is inspired by Bergquist's time in Sweden. "I wanted to pack all of the flavours of Sweden into this drink — from the gravlax to the pickled things," says Bergquist. We gave it a whirl, and the drink does taste of fresh sea air with a mixture of cumin and dill infused vodka, Aquavit, lemon and pink Himalayan salt. Double the Funk ($19) is another crazy concoction that just works — bourbon mixed with passionfruit husk, fermented pineapple and pickled raspberry. "This drink is a bit of a tropical kitsch," says Bergquist. Many of the ingredients found in the cocktails will be reflected in the food menu, which is focused on "preserves and reserves" made in-house along with a selection of Banh Mi inspired by Chiem's mum. You won't find PS Sodas in the corner store, but for a taste outside of PS40 check out partner venues including Bennelong, The Old Clare Hotel, Firedoor and Archie Rose. PS40 is located at 40 King Street, Sydney. Open Monday – Saturday, 4pm - midnight (closed Sundays). Images: Marissa Ciampi.
Move over, Sydney Harbour. Lake Macquarie, just 90 minutes drive north, is two times bigger than you. In fact, it's the largest full-time saltwater lake this side of the equator. There are 167 kilometres of shoreline for strolling, swimming and paddling, and 90 villages for coffee-ing and feasting, just a short cruise up the Legendary Pacific Coast. Meanwhile, a short scurry overland to the coast leads to a string of pretty, pretty beaches, including Caves Beach (where there are real, actual caves on the beach), to quaint Catherine Hill Bay, dotted with 1890s miners' cottages. And, just to the west, lie the mountains, waterfalls and rainforest gullies of the Watagans National Park. Here's your guide to a dreamy lake weekender. [caption id="attachment_575383" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lake Mac Kayak.[/caption] DO To get your bearings — and stretch your legs after the drive — start with a walk. You can take your pick, in terms of length, difficulty level and scenery. One of the easiest and most popular is the 8.9 kilometre, water-hugging Warners Bay Foreshore. It's a shared path, so you can saunter or cycle, and there's a handy, 24-7 bike hire station onsite. A mightier adventure is the 25-kilometre Yuelarbah Track, which forms part of the Great Northern Walk and takes in coastal rainforest, plus two waterfalls, before finishing at Glenrock Beach. For epic views, pop inland to conquer Mount Sugarloaf. When you're done with those, you'll find stacks more walk ideas over here. After seeing Lake Macquarie from the dry safety of land, the next step is to launch yourself onto the water. Pick up a kayak or paddleboard from Lake Mac Kayak and get shaping up those biceps. If you're the intrepid type, choose your own adventure. Otherwise, book a guided tour with School of Yak, whose itineraries include uninhabited Pulbah Island and secretive Dora Creek. Both two-hour and half-day trips are available. [caption id="attachment_554861" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Robert Montgomery.[/caption] More interested in lazy beach days? Make tracks to the coast to visit Caves Beach at low tide and you'll be playing The Goonies in a network of sea caves. For safe, patrolled swimming, head to Blacksmiths, which is at the southern end of a 14-kilometre strip of sand, ending in the rocky formations of Redhead Beach. And, at Catherine Hill Bay, you'll feel like you've stumbled into the 19th century. Once a mining village, it's heritage listed, so developers have kept away for the past 100 years. While you're there, drop by the Catho Pub for a beer in a refreshingly un-renovated, un-themed, old-school, Aussie watering hole. If you're looking for a beach inside the lake, swing by Murrays. [caption id="attachment_575386" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Sephardim.[/caption] EAT AND DRINK After completing the Warners Bay Foreshore track, tuck into a Mediterranean feast at Sephardim, where the motto is, "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die." Amen. When we say Mediterranean, we really mean it. The menu is a kind of circumnavigation of the Sea, with tapas-style dishes covering Spanish, Turkish and Persian influences. Be sure to try something from the Ottoman grill, which is fired up every single day, powered by Aussie charcoal. Seasoned with herbs, standouts include the swordfish, the gypsy steak and the Zhoug chicken. Vegetarians, don't panic, there are loads of dips, salads and fancy veggies. To dine surrounded by trees with water views, grab a table at The Lakehouse Cafe, at Murrays Beach. Their hearty breakfasts, like the monster bacon and egg roll or the mega signature breakfast, will sort you out for a day of action, and lunch and high tea are on the menu, too. Special events, like tapas nights, are held every now and again — keep an eye on the website for details. [caption id="attachment_574793" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The Olde Bakehouse.[/caption] Get your Italian fix on the western shore at The Olde Bakehouse, Morisset. But you can forget your usual country town spag bol or chicken parmi. Head chef Dan Way is a master of his craft and unafraid to experiment, working with the best produce that the seasons bring to his door. That's why the restaurant made the finals of the 2015 NSW Regional Restaurant Awards. So, gear up for house-made pastas, exotic inventions like wasabi-infused flying fish roe, and perfect panna cotta. Of course, the Hunter Valley's not too far away, so expect plenty of wines from the region on most wine lists in the area. If you have the time, then work your way through a degustation. On cold evenings, you won't want to rush, anyway — the fire's always a-crackling away. Another waterfront option is the Swill 'n' Grill Bistro at the Gunyah Hotel, at Belmont. Unfortunately, it was closed by a basement fire in early April, but the owners are promising to reopen soon. When that day comes, claim a spot on the verandah if you can (locals love this place). Freshly-shucked local oysters are dished up natural, Kilpatrick or mornay, while the generous Atlantic salmon steak is glazed with maple. There's also a bunch of premium quality meatiness, like the surf 'n' turf, which comes in the form of a 400 gram King Island rump with chilli garlic prawns. [caption id="attachment_575381" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Airbnb.[/caption] STAY For an old-fashioned stay on the lake's eastern edge, check into Selby Cottage at Mark's Point. You'll be cosying up among antiques and black-and-white photos, soaking in a claw-foot tub, pottering around in a private garden and catching sunsets from a waterfront verandah. Or, to be encircled by Wallarah National Park, opt for Bluebell Retreat at Murrays Beach. Designed by Queensland architect Gabriel Poole, this cottage won a UDIA for Sustainability and a HIA Greensmart Design Award. It features two large, sunny bedrooms and loads of luxe touches, from Sheridan linen to a Bose entertainment centre to decks overlooking landscaped lawns. There's also a selection of beauties on Airbnb. At The Boathouse, Wangi Wangi, on the lake's western shore, you and up to six friends can kick back in a spacious, open plan living-kitchen-dining room on waterfront reserve. Doing the romantic thing? Book peaceful Cedar Cottage, with its bamboo floors and fancy-pants bathroom and kitchen. Top image: Bill Collison.
It's been a big few months for gadgets. In September Apple released the iPhone 7 and, just last week, Google released their first ever fully-Google phone, the Pixel. The new MacBook Pro went on sale today after an early morning our-time launch by Apple in California — and devotees are very, very excited. Thinner, shinier and way more powerful than previous iterations, the computer will retail for between $2199 and $2999 depending on which of the three models you're after (more on that in a second). It's probably not the sort of cash you blow willy-nilly, so before you make any impulse buys — and, yes, we realise the temptation is strong and the online store is right there — we've taken a gander at the specs and broken down Apple's new laptop into five key talking points. IT'S WAY THINNER 17 percent thinner, to be precise. The new MacBook Pro is available in two screen sizes: 13-inch and 15-inch. They come in at 14.9 and 15.5 millimetres, respectively. Thinner also means lighter, with a weight of 1.37 and 1.8 kilograms (also respectively). The accepted wisdom is that these bad boys will replace the MacBook Air, may it rest in peace. THE KEYBOARD HAS A NEW LED TOUCHSCREEN BAR The coolest addition to the new MacBook Pro is the organic LED function bar that replaces the standard keys for controlling volume, brightness and so on. The so-called Touch Bar (proper noun) can do all those things, but can also be customised depending on what you're doing at the time. So for example, if you're using the internet, the Touch Bar can display your favourites or open tabs. It can even be used as an emoji keyboard — what a brave new world this is. The Touch Bar is available on both 13-inch and 15-inch models, although there is also a cheaper 13-inch variant without it. YOU CAN LOG IN USING YOUR FINGERPRINT One of the additional upsides of the Touch Bar is that it enables Touch ID. Located on the power button (makes sense), the sensor lets users log into their MacBook using their fingerprint, just as the they can with their iPhone. The sensor also works with Apple Pay, making it that much easier to splurge on more Apple products in the future. THE TRACKPAD IS ENORMOUS AND USES ELECTROMAGNETIC TECHNOLOGY The new MacBook Pro trackpad seems the same as ever, but don't let yourself be deceived. Rather than actually depressing when a user pushes down, electromagnets within the track pad shift to create that clicking sensation, meaning the pad itself doesn't physically give at all. Sorcery! It's also nearly twice as large as one previous MacBook Pros. THE USB AND CHARGE PORTS HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED The downside of making your laptop so much thinner is that you don't have room for all the fancy holes. Gone is the standard USB and MagSafe charging ports, replaced by four identical Thunderbolt 3 powered USB-C ports. The ports are incredibly versatile, and can be used for power, USB, HDMI and more. Good idea, but it promises to be a bit of a pain in the short term, with adapters required for all your current devices, including your brand spanking new iPhone 7. Typical. The new MacBook Pro is available from today, Friday, October 28. For more info, visit apple.com/macbook-pro.
Odd Culture has set up shop in the space formerly occupied by King Street dumpling institution Happy Chef, left vacant since a devastating fire in 2018. Now, a French-leaning slick diner and wine bar combo has risen, phoenix-like, out of the literal and proverbial ashes — with approval from the Happy Chef crew — to bring an exciting new venue to Newtown's busiest strip. Odd Culture is a venture by the team behind The Old Fitz and The Duke of Enmore, so the mood is decidedly relaxed. The fit out — all exposed brick, high ceilings and airy street-facing windows — has all the stamps of a good, friendly neighbourhood pub. They've even painted a vintage Reschs advertisement replica on the wall to really hammer it home. But behind the bar and in the kitchen, they're cooking up something a little more special than your average drop-in drinks joint. Executive Chef James MacDonald (formerly of Hubert) and Head Chef Jesse Warkentin, bring to the menu a collision of traditional French influence and exciting Japanese flavours, delivered with great seasonal ingredients and gorgeous plating flair. Case in point: the chicken liver pate with fish sauce caramel served with potato chips is simultaneously sweet, salty and piquant — a terrific umami hit. The menu is arranged by portion size: snacks, small and large. Smalls might include a lively beef tartare, or pickled mussels with celery and smoked cream. The large plates range from blood pancake with pork jowl and fried egg to a no-messing-around koji roasted chicken with togarashi and chicken fat congee, and definitely favours carnivorous patrons with big appetites. The wine list, steered by Odd Culture Group beverage manager Jordan Blackman, is generous and varied with a focus on natural wines, and there's a dozen beers on tap with a hefty selection of international craft beers in the fridge. Come hungry and thirsty with a date or a group of pals. Appears in: The Best Bars in Sydney
Vivid Sydney is really cranking it up this year. With a kaleidoscopic festival program of light, music and ideas, Vivid's 2016 will be taking over building facades, creative spaces and music venues throughout the city from May 27 through to June 18. Obviously, the lights are the main event here, the drawcard millions of visitors descend upon Sydney for. This year, Sydney Opera House features the absolutely stunning Songlines, with new and iconic contemporary Indigenous works from Karla Dickens, Djon Mundine, Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi, Reko Rennie, Donny Woolagoodja, and the late Gulumbu Yunupingu. The Light Walk is back, with Sydney's building facades lighting up with spectacular artistry — including Selena Griffith, Edison Chen, Nila Rezaei, Nathan Adler's I LOVE YOU, a giant heart that changes colour when you scream those exact words at it. Taronga Zoo is playing host to an illuminated animal trail, and The Royal Botanic Gardens is celebrating 200 years with its own highly Instagrammable installations — including Mandylights' Cathedral of Light. The Chatswood precinct lights up with WildLight, inspired by the animals of Gondwana, and Martin Place sees the technical debut from NIDA in Martin Place called Fountain, a giant installation of human birth rate data as 'water jets', and Simon Aitken's unmissable Geometrics. Have a flick through our gorgeous gallery from Concrete Playground's Bodhi Liggett, then rug up and get amongst the lights, music, parties and ideas. Want to have a bite while you're watching the lights? Here's ten spots with panoramic Vivid views.
Get ready to pick your jaw back up off the floor, because the World Press Photo Contest have just released their winning images for 2016. Back for its 59th edition, the yearly photographic collection regularly leaves us gaping at the mouth — and this year is no exception. Right at the top with 2015 Photo of the Year is Australia's own Warren Richardson, with his poignant picture of a man passing his baby through a fence at the Hungarian-Serbian border. He beat 82,951 submissions by 5775 photographers from 128 countries for the top prize, while also taking out first prize in the Spot News category. After almost six decades of beautiful and devastating photojournalism, the WPP contest continues to be one of the world’s most important platforms for art, journalism and humanising the headlines. The exhibition travels the world each year, although sadly it won't be making a stop in Australia in 2016. Take a look through some of the landmark images that caught the eye of the WPP judges; from a Tibetan Bhuddist ceremony in rural China to a 16-year-old Islamic State fighter being treated for burns in Syria, to one of those epics #sydneystorms rolling over Bondi. With many of the photographs documenting the more saddening news headlines, they’re often not easy images to look at, but it’s the work of these photojournalists that wakes up an otherwise ignorant world. Hope for a New Life, Warren Richardson (Röszke, Hungary) 2015 Photo of the Year + First Prize Spot News, singles "I camped with the refugees for five days on the border. A group of about 200 people arrived, and they moved under the trees along the fence line. They sent women and children, then fathers and elderly men first. I must have been with this crew for about five hours and we played cat and mouse with the police the whole night. I was exhausted by the time I took the picture. It was around three o’clock in the morning and you can’t use a flash while the police are trying to find these people, because I would just give them away. So I had to use the moonlight alone." The Forgotten Mountains of Sudan, Adriane Ohanesian (Sudan) Second Prize Contemporary Issues, singles "Adam Abdel, 7, was severely burned after a bomb was dropped by a Sudanese government Antonov plane next to his family home in Burgu, Central Darfur, Sudan." Bliss Dharma Assembly, Kevin Frayer (Sichuan, China) Second Prize Daily Life, stories "A Tibetan Buddhist nomad boy in Sertar county. Tibetan Buddhists take part in the annual Bliss Dharma Assembly. The last of four annual assemblies, the week-long annual gathering takes place in the ninth month of the Tibetan calendar and marks Buddha's descent from the heavens." IS Fighter Treated at Kurdish Hospital, Mauricio Lima (Hasaka, Syria) First Prize General News, singles "A doctor rubs ointment on the burns of Jacob, a 16-year-old Islamic State fighter, in front of a poster of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, at a Y.P.G. hospital compound on the outskirts of Hasaka, Syria." Storm Front on Bondi Beach, Rohan Kelly (Sydney, Australia) First Prize Nature, singles "A massive 'cloud tsunami' looms over Sydney as a sunbather reads, oblivious to the approaching cloud on Bondi Beach." La Maya Tradition, Daniel Ochoa de Olza (Colmenar Viejo, Spain) Second Prize People, stories "Young girls between the age of 7 and 11 are chosen every year as 'Maya' for the 'Las Mayas', a festival derived from pagan rites celebrating the arrival of spring, in the town of Colmenar Viejo, Spain. The girls are required to sit still for a couple of hours in a decorated altar." Neptun Synchro, Jonas Lindkvist (Stockholm, Sweden) Third Prize Sports, singles "Members of the Neptun Synchro synchronized swimming team perform during a Christmas show in Stockholm, Sweden." See all the 2016 World Press Photo Contest winners and finalists here.
Located in the heart of the bustling CBD, Machiavelli Ristorante dates back to 1988, and focuses on brining the finest and freshest ingredients to its menu, while choosing organic whenever possible. Head chef Laurent Cambon has been at the helm since 1994, drawing from his experience working at Paris classics such as L'Arpege and Au Trou Gascon to bring the finest dining experience to Sydney. The interior is a classic Italian eatery, complete with white-washed arches and tiled brick floor. The tables are adorned with classic white tablecloths and the simple wooden furniture helps to draw attention to the main star — the cuisine. Its not hard to picture Don Corleone enjoying a meal here, however with the excellent service and delightful clientele the night is destined to be memorable for only the right reasons. The Machiavelli Ristorante menu here is everything you could expect from a traditional Italian joint that's famed for hosting prime ministers and media moguls. The antipasti menu includes zucchini flowers with ricotta, a caprese salad with vine-ripened tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella and a serving of prosciutto served straight up. For a pasta dish, try the gnocchi gorgonzola or the pappardelle duck ragu in a rich madeira sauce and fresh thyme. They are absolute winners. Mains include the Milanese scaloppine with golden bread crumbs and lemon as well as the deliciously rich and creamy steak diane with butter garlic and Worcestershire sauce. Be sure to pair it all with a glass of red or two and finish off with an adffogato paired with Amaretto or Frangelico. Appears in: The Best Italian Bars in Sydney for 2023
"Franchise" needn't be a dirty word in Hollywood, and the Mission: Impossible movies are shining examples as to why that is. Now in its sixth instalment, this isn't just a franchise done right. It's a franchise that somehow improves with each new chapter – an ongoing escalation of stakes and stunts that never sacrifices the intelligent, honest and light-hearted storytelling that's been so critical to the series' sustained appeal. At the forefront once again is leading man and producer Tom Cruise, whose capacity for performing increasingly complex and outrageously dangerous stunts remains inversely proportionate to his age. In Mission: Impossible – Fallout his IMF agent Ethan Hunt is at it again, weaving cars and motorbikes through the traffic-packed streets of Paris, HALO jumping from 30,000ft and leaping across rickety London rooftops. Cruise even accrued over 2000 hours of helicopter flight time prior to filming, all so that he could personally perform what is arguably the film's most thrilling and death-defying sequence. His love of filmmaking is apparent in every frame he occupies, and its value to the enduring allure of the franchise cannot be overstated. That the Mission Impossible brand could survive beyond Cruise's involvement seems far less assured than, say, James Bond or Batman. Not unlike the two most recent Bond films, Fallout compels its hero to shine a light on his own past deeds, with the movie's title referring not just to the literal threat posed by three nuclear devices but also the consequences of a lifetime spent obediently killing, stealing and undermining at the behest of the US Government. Adding to the emotional stakes, Fallout also repeatedly asks its characters to weigh up the value of a human life, presenting them with multiple scenarios in which they're forced to choose between the one or the many – knowing that either path carries with it irreconcilable guilt and heartache. Written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie (whose return to the franchise marks the first repeat involvement by a director, with McQuarrie having also written and directed the previous instalment, Rogue Nation), Fallout achieves the rare feat of being an unceasing action movie that always feels more like a drama. There is no superfluity here. Every punch, shot, jump, crash and explosion exists because it must. This is a story-driven international escapade that never stops to sit down and catch its breath. Around Cruise the IMF family assembles once again, with Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin and Rebecca Ferguson packing equal measures of comedy and conflict into every scene they get. Man of Steel's Henry Cavill also joins the action, with his lumbering, muscular CIA assassin representing an appealing counterpoint to Hunt's penchant for the softer, tradecraft touch. He and Hunt are at once rivals and compatriots – two competing assets unwillingly paired together in pursuit of a common goal. Or so it seems. As always, the Mission: Impossible franchise throws up all manner of red herrings, double-crosses and mask-pulling identity swaps, meaning – just like the characters – you're never quite sure who to trust. If the story borders on confusing at points, it's only because the time-honoured tradition of spy movies commands nothing less. Ever since 1996, this series has unapologetically embraced jargon-heavy dialogue and twists upon twists without ever feeling compelled to play it safe or dumb things down (Mission: Impossible 2 being the regretful exception). If most sequels fail because they're rushed into production purely to capitalise on their predecessor's success, Fallout demonstrates the benefit of having the patience and the discipline to say: we will make this film not when, but if a good enough story comes our way. So it is that McQuarrie, Cruise and company deliver a benchmark setter for action movies – a rollicking, tense and captivating piece of cinema that begs to be enjoyed on the big screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb49-oV0F78
It's inevitable that once crowdsourcing platforms like Uber, Airbnb and Foodora began to take off, everyone would try to get on the source. Introducing the latest likeminded business, WelcomeOver, a platform for crowdsourcing dinner parties. This may sound a little strange, but think of it as a friend-food-fun-finding website that turns your dining room into a super exclusive restaurant. Co-founder Johan Schberg got the idea for WelcomeOver while travelling in Indonesia. "I saw a similar platform while travelling in Indonesia and thought that it would resonate perfectly with an Australian audience with our love of food and openness to new experiences. Trust is a core ingredient to the success of the product and if you look at how Australians have embraced platforms like Uber and AirbnB, where trust is also fundamental to success, we thought this would be a perfect market." At present WelcomeOver is focusing on Sydney, with ambitions to expand to Melbourne and Canberra before long. It's a pretty simple premise: the host (generally amateur chefs or hardcore foodies) will put together a menu, then set a time and a price per head and other users can opt into the event. Like most crowdsourcing ideas, the user rates their experience after the fact. The system runs on the joint pillars of trust and reputation, however, still faces the same questions about user safety that plague platforms like Uber and Airbnb — everything from online financial protection to physically putting yourself in the hands of someone you don't know. Home events have been a pretty top socialising choice for Sydneysiders since the introduction of the controversial lockout laws that have been hampering the city's nightlife. Schberg says the project isn't a direct response to the lockouts, but they don't agree with the laws either. "We believe a desperate measure like the lockout laws should only be the very last resort after all other options to provide adequate safety have been tried and proven unsuccessful," he says. "Besides, just a few months prior to the lockout laws, the very same government announced Sydney to be the safest city in the world, so how dangerous was it, really? Looking on the bright side, we are happy that you are still allowed to throw a dinner party at your home in Sydney, and through the WelcomeOver platform there is always a dinner party nearby where you and your friends are invited." There's no doubt though that the restrictive laws have forced party-goers to seek out other ways to have fun and allowed platforms like WelcomeOver to find their niche. And if that means more dinner parties options every weekend, we're so down. Check out WelcomeOver's website for more info. Top image: Krzysztof Puszczyński.
The best cafes in The Rocks aren’t the easiest to find. The area gains its mystique from its retention of 19th-century secretiveness, so the tastiest eats and cosiest spots are hidden among twisting cobbled laneways, narrow sandstone alleys and enigmatic heritage buildings. Luckily for you, we've been doing some exploring. Here are five cafes that’ll have you weaving in and out of The Rocks’ tucked-away spaces. THE FINE FOOD STORE If there's one cafe in The Rocks that the locals have frequented for over a decade, it's this one. The Fine Food Store serves up Sydney’s legendary Coffee Alchemy from its clandestine location on the corner of Mill and Kendall Lanes. Between caffeine fixes (which come however you want them, be that cold brewed or single origin), sort out your hunger with house-cured salmon bagels, chickpea and lamb stew, Golden Gaytime shakes (yes!) and plenty more. A recent revamp has given The Fine Food Store a clean, NYC West Village-esque feel. Corner Mill & Kendall Lane, The Rocks Centre LA RENAISSANCE PATISSERIE AND CAFE Tell us there’s somewhere else in Sydney where you can indulge in a Mousse Picasso and we’ll eat our paintbrushes. Paris-trained dessert master Pierre Charkos began bringing sweet French excellence to Sydney in the 1970s, when he and his wife set up their humble shopfront in East Roseville. Two decades later, they moved to 47 Argyle Street, The Rocks. Carrying on the tradition, with Jean Michel Raynaud and Pierre’s widow Sally at the helm, La Renaissance is now producing a range of patisserie which will match anything you can find in Paris, from mouth-watering macarons and decadent chocolate desserts (try Zulu) to the traditional favourites like mille-feuille and almond croissants. There’s also a selection of savouries and coffee from The Little Marionette. 47 Argyle Street MCA CAFE The MCA Cafe comes with views you’d usually associate with much fancier, more expensive establishments. Pop up there anytime before or after your art fix; it’s open 10am–4pm daily for a coffee, a snack, a meal or a glass of wine and a chance to relax in front of uninterrupted views of the Opera House and Harbour. Choose from faster fare like a Reuben sandwich to substantial dishes like roasted salmon with green beans and roasted kipfler potatoes. Finish on a decadent banoffee pie with banana, cream, dulce de leche and shaved chocolate. MCA Cafe is fully licensed. Level 4, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 140 George Street LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN Of the three Le Pain Quotidiens in Sydney, the one that calls The Rocks home is the most atmospheric. It’s housed in a beautifully historic 1880s-built sandstone building that once served as The Rocks' first police station. Original features, like the metal cell doors, the original cells themselves and window grilles, all remain. As with Le Pain Quotidiens everywhere, you can expect simple yet high-quality and nourishing dishes, featuring locally sourced produce and organic ingredients whenever possible. There's daily baked organic breads, freshly baked pastries, organic coffees and teas, and shared platters loaded with prosciutto, ricotta, shaved parmesan, olive spread and basil pesto. The signature communal table, made from recycled wood, makes sharing and socialising easy. 127 George Street CREPERIE SUZETTE Like La Renaissance, Creperie Suzette is responsible for diversifying The Rocks' cafe scene with some French influence. Its specialities are crepes and galettes. Sweet and savoury tastes are catered for, from La Trois Fromage (camembert, blue and tasty cheeses) to La Pekinoise (Peking duck, spring onion, mature cheddar and hoisin sauce) and La Grand Marnier (caramelised sugar, orange zest and Grand Marnier). And you're welcome to watch the chef in action. 34 Harrington Street View all Sydney Cafes. Top image: Creperie Suzette.
Green Gourmet features a menu that reads like a vegan's heaven on earth. All dishes are entirely meat-free, dairy-free and (interestingly) free of onion and garlic as well. Green Gourmet buys into the ancient vegetarian practices of China and India, which tout vegetarianism as a means to rediscover ' universal love' and the pure character of man. Part of that practice is to eliminate all spicy-scented vegetables (including onion, garlic, leeks, spring onion and chives) which are believed to induce offensive reactions, from bad breath to lustfulness. Whether you are excited by Green Gourmet's adherence to these practices or thinking, 'Shit, the food will have no flavour', prepare to leave full and happy - and perhaps pleasantly surprised. Green Gourmet is family-owned and bases its business around creating nutritious food to benefit mind and body. The health vibes are apparent, making customers feel like they are cared about. And, don't worry, your tastebuds will be taken care of too. With one restaurant location in St. Leonards and a stall at the Sydney Vegan Market, Green Gourmet is clearly enjoying a regular crowd. Jump on this vegan bandwagon and stop in for some curry triangles and 'duck' spring rolls with hoisin sauce. If you prefer a spicy dish, we recommend the Sichuan style eggplant or cauliflower with sweet and spicy red vinegar glaze and sesame seeds. Make sure you save room for dessert, too.
Melburnians now have even more of a reason to head down the Mornington Peninsula for a pampering session, as the acclaimed Peninsula Hot Springs unveils some swish new facilities as part of a $13 million upgrade. The award-winning wellness destination now has a revamped program of offerings as part of its biggest expansion since opening back in 2005. This includes the addition of two cold plunge pools and seven new hot spring pools — which, if you've ever jostled for a spot in the top pool on a busy Saturday, you'll know is good news. An impressive outdoor Bath House Amphitheatre has also been added to the Fingal site, which is set to host a whole swag of shows. Baths also now have views of the stage and underwater speakers have been installed so visitors can get stuck into some live entertainment while they're submerged. The Hot Springs is also delving into cryotherapy for the first time with a new 'ice and fire' experience. This will allow bathers to switch between hot and cold therapy — the hot being two new 30-person saunas, and the cold being a new (and Australian-first) ice cave and a 'deep freeze' treatment room, which will be kept at a cool 25 degrees below freezing. The idea is that, by jumping between hot and cold, you will sweat out toxins, cleanse your skin and potentially burn calories. The venue also has a new cafe, a cultural meeting space designed in collaboration with local Indigenous elders, and a multipurpose wellness centre for classes and talks. Meanwhile, a new on-site veggie garden marks the start of a planned three-acre terrace 'food bowl', which will grow produce for the Peninsula Hot Springs' kitchens. Thermally heated glasshouses and an underground mushroom cave are also in the works. If that doesn't sound like enough, there's more growth in store for the Peninsula Hot Springs, with glamping facilities and 126 rooms of accomodation to be built on-site over the next three years. The Peninsula Hot Springs is located at Springs Lane, Fingal. Booking is recommended on weekends. Updated: October 5, 2018.
Ah vino. Best paired with a fine cheese or a hearty meal, or enjoyed around the fireplace with your oh-so-classy friends. Or at least, that's how it works in your mind. In reality, we're more likely to be inhaling a $6 vintage straight from the goon sack, or using the discarded bottle as a microphone in our solo rendition of 'All By Myself' – all before stumbling woozily off to bed. Hopefully your experience lies somewhere in the middle of those two scenarios. But the reality is that, for every bona fide sommelier out there, a large portion of the rest of us are more likely to pick our poison based on the price and how nice the label looks, as opposed to things like acidity, provenance or bouquet. And something about tannins. Those are a thing, right? Embracing this fact, VinePair co-founder Adam Teeter (which is an excellent surname for a wine buff, by the way) has teamed up with illustrator Jeff Licciardo to produce 26 hypothetical wine labels that better reflect the average wine drinker's true experience. Forget about drinking to forget: these vintages know you better than you know yourself, offering everything from handy pairing suggestions ("drink me with post-break-up anger and takeaway") to positive affirmations ("yes, you're definitely on key") to nuggets of brutal honesty ("you're turning into your mother"). Look, somebody needed to tell you. At least this way you can get drunk immediately after hearing it. For more honest wine labels, visit VinePair. Via BuzzFeed.
Chef Darren Robertson's reputation precedes him — those who do not already know him from his time at the tremendously luxe Tetsuya's or as one of the main minds, and palates, behind Australian restaurant group Three Blue Ducks, will surely have recognised him as a judge on My Kitchen Rules back in the day. Now, the famed chef has opened his 100-seater in Bondi in the former site of The Hill Eatery. The name Rocker refers to the nose-to-tail of a surfboard that ties in with both the style of cooking Robertson is known for and with the surf-crazed Bondi community. This local vibe is echoed in the fit-out, which includes timber floorboards alongside concrete panelling and navy blue tiling and table surfaces that give the space a nautical feel. "We utilised a lot of existing materials to create an industrial yet warm vibe that combines coastal elements with hanging greenery," says Robertson. Running the kitchen day-to-day is Stuart Toon, who has a decade of experience as a butcher working with Jamie Oliver. The precise, seasonal menu is distinguished by regular specials and fresh ingredients. [caption id="attachment_635514" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katje Ford[/caption] The all-day lunch and dinner service starts from noon, with 'smalls' including olives, oysters and salads, and kangaroo tartare with blueberry and fried curry leaf. For 'bigs', think pasta dishes like pappardelle and beef cheek ragu and a wintry pumpkin risotto with pecorino and egg yolk. Diners can also expect pan-fried Ocean Jacket fillets with braised onion and from the grill Jack's Creek sirloin cuts. Desserts included a cheese platter with roasted fig jam and pumpernickel crisps. On the drinks side at Rocker is a wine list that mixes old-school and new-school wines from young and exciting winemakers. The cocktail list includes a range of negronis, margaritas and slushies, while local craft brewers 4 Pines appears on tap next to Spanish classic Estrella Damm. It all sounds almost too good to be true, but the proof is in the pudding. Images: Katje Ford.
Ours is a generation for whom concept hotels are a wildly popular and sometimes baffling reality but hey, just lean into it. Here's a good'un that's caught our eye in central Spain: the Hotel Aire de Bardenas. The concept, executed with see-through bubble rooms, lets you sleep in the desert without roughing it — although the question of 'Do you trust the Spanish desert is not littered with creeps who want to watch you sleeping?' lingers in the air. The Hotel Aire de Bardenas is comprised of a series of bubble rooms connected by bubble tunnels and serviced by Michelin-tyre-man style bubble butlers (alright, so we made up the last one but theming provokes imagination). The bubbles don't offer much privacy but they certainly are Instagrammable (which is the whole point right?) and the views are predictably amazing. Architects Emiliano Lopez and Monica Rivera say the design is more than a gimmick and responds to the context of the site; it allows guests to take in the desert's stunning landscape but protects them from the harsh sun, wind, dust and heat that characterise a desert. #BalloonRooms #airedebardenas #hotel #luxury #balloon #sky #life #peace A photo posted by Serhat özdek (@serhatozdek) on May 25, 2015 at 9:32am PDT Amazingly enough, this isn't the world's only bubble hotel — France's version Attrap'Rêves lies outside Marseilles. While we dig the bubble life, we can't help but think windows offer the same protection — FYI the hotel also has beautiful rooms with traditional walls, ceilings and said windows. So if you're looking for a weird and wacky activity to do while cruising through the deserts of central Spain, consider dropping $200 a night to stay in a bubble under the stars. Wandering the desert has never been so luxurious. Keen to put yourself in a Spanish desert bubble? Check out the Hotel Aire de Bardenas for more info. Via The Creators Project. Images: Hotel Aire de Bardenas, Instagram.
Sydney, you're about to discover (and taste) what can happen when an acclaimed Finnish chef and an award-winning Italian sommelier join forces. Giorgio De Maria (formerly of 121BC and Rootstock Sydney food and wine festival), is teaming up with Finnish-born Pasi Petanen (2015's SMH Chef of the Year and the guy behind Café Paci), for That's Amore — a series of wine dinners to be held at Mecca in Alexandria next month. Across 12 nights in March, the pair will combine culinary talents, pulling together innovative foodie flair, some serious wine knowledge, and a couple of lively personalities, for what promises to be one very rare dining experience. This fusion of front and back of house is bound to ensure some well-rounded feasting, starting with the weekly-changing, five-course menu. Here, the duo's hinted at a focus on produce-driven dishes, with an Italian edge. Meanwhile, De Maria's working his own brand of magic, proving the cross-cultural combo isn't the only perfect partnership on the table here. His handpicked selection of wine is available to try matched to each course, or simply quaffed by the bottle. That's Amore dinners will take place on March 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, and 25 at Mecca, 2/26 Bourke Road, Alexandria. The five-course menu is $75 per head, with drinks charged on consumption. Jump on the That's Amore Instagram page for a peek at the menu and nab your spot by emailing thatsamoreinsydney@gmail.com.
Bingo. Rave. Two ends of the spectrum of fine holiday fun finally came together in Australia last year. If you didn't make it along, Bongo's Bingo is a games night like you've never seen before. Part club, part rave, and, of course, part bingo night, this unlikely fusion event has been wildly popular in the UK since 2015. It's hardly surprising that taking the show on the road — that is, launching Bongo's Bingo Down Under — went well. And now, it's hardly surprising that is's coming back for yet another round either. What you mightn't expect is the event's new special guests: British boy band royalty, aka Westlife's Brian McFadden and Boyzone's Keith Duffy. Under the name Boyzlife, they'll perform their respective groups' biggest hits while all of the debauchery of the original British version of Bongo's Bingo gets underway. That includes rave intervals, dancing on tables and a loose kind of bingo that you definitely never played with your nan (well, maybe you have). The victorious players can win everything from big cash prizes to some absolutely ridiculous surprises, which is all part of the fun. Australia is the second international location for Bongo's Bingo, which recently launched in Dubai as well and, based on popularity, we imagine the event will continue to expand around the globe. BONGO'S BINGO DATES: Brisbane — Saturday, March 24 at The Tivoli Sydney — Saturday, March 31 at Big Top Melbourne — Thursday, April 5 at St Kilda Hall Doors from 6pm and shows kick off 7.30pm. Tickets are $40 per person and go on sale on Monday February 5 — the Brisbane show at 4pm AEST via Ticketmaster, and the Sydney and Melbourne shows at 6pm AEDT via Moshtix.
Looking for a pet-friendly apartment? A new Melbourne high-rise will do you one better. Opening at 5 Elgar Court in Doncaster next year, GardenHill Apartments will become the first residential apartment block in the country with its own private off-leash dog park. Construction on the 11-storey building is set to begin in September, but if you and your four-legged friend are interested, you might want to get in quick. 80 percent of the 136 one- and two- bedroom apartments have already been snapped up, at a cost of between $380,000 and $745,000. The dog park will be located on the ground floor, enclosed by secure fencing, and will include seating, a drink station and a clean-up station. Development director Adelene Teh told Domain, "By offering our Gardenhill residents a designated place they can take their dogs for exercise, socialisation or even mental stimulation, we're encouraging responsible pet ownership and, hopefully, paving the way for other developers to follow suit." Teh also confirmed that the dog park had been a drawcard with purchasers. A number of apartment blocks in the United States already boast on-site dog parks — and it's easy to see why the concept would be popular with tenants. Dogs and small apartments aren't exactly natural bedfellows, which can be a real bummer for animal lovers. Sure, you could get a goldfish, but they just don't offer the same level of affection. And don't get me started on cats. Via Domain.
