It's been seven years in the making, but Sydney's new Metro line, connecting Sydenham in the city's southeast to Chatswood in the north, is now set to welcome passengers from Sunday, August 4. In addition to platforms at existing stations like Martin Place and Sydney Central, six new stations have been constructed along the line, but these transport hubs will offer more than just access to trains. To take advantage of the influx of Sydneysiders using the Metro, placemaking plans are in the works to develop precincts in and around new stations. The first to be unveiled is in Barangaroo, where new footpaths, over 200 trees and plants, 38 new streetlights and new bike parking facilities, as well as pleasant seating areas, taxi ranks and bus stops have been installed. Travellers leaving the station via the Nawi Cove entrance will find a fascinating monument marking the spot where the Barangaroo Boat was discovered. The well-preserved 200-year-old remains of a vessel were unearthed in November 2018 during the Metro station's excavations and it is believed to be the oldest colonial-era Australian-built craft to ever be fully excavated, recorded and raised. A dramatic, rusting iron inlay, depicting a nine-metre-long, three-metre-wide overview of the boat as it was found buried in the soft harbourside earth, has been etched into the pavement. The craft would most likely have been used to ferry cargo around Sydney Harbour during the earliest days of European settlement. Other areas of the precinct have yet to be completed but they should be accessible to the public by the end of the year. These areas will feature upgraded roads leading to the Dalgety Bridge and a major new car park at 25 Hickson Road as well as a pedestrian footpath and bicycle path on the eastern edge of Hickson Road. Not only will the new Barangaroo precinct service the new Barangaroo ferry hub and the eateries and bars around Crown Towers, Cockle Bay and Darling Harbour, but it will also offer better access to the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct and Roslyn Packer Theatre, which is currently difficult to reach using public transport. Impressive as the Barangaroo precinct may be, there is arguably an even more astonishing feat of infrastructure hiding beneath Sydney's streets just a few blocks away. The Martin Place superhub, also set to open on Sunday, August 4, will feature 3,000 square-metres of retail and dining space spread over three levels encircling a cavernous atrium where escalators will deliver passengers to the station's platforms. For more details on the Sydney Metro's City and Southwest Line head to the Sydney Metro website. Images: Transport for NSW
Even if politics isn't your favourite topic, there's been no avoiding a certain name since the mid 2010s, ever since Donald Trump announced that he was running for US President. Over that time, he's been voted into America's top office, then voted out. Saying that he didn't take the latter well is an understatement. He got kicked off Twitter, too, and announced another bid for the gig in 2024. Much, much, much more has happened, of course — and much, much, much more again — but everyone has seen the constant stream of headlines already. One person who's been forced to observe all of the above from a unique position is Mary Trump, the former US President's only niece, as well as an outspoken critic of him and their family. You might've heard of or read the trained clinical psychologist's 2020 book Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man, which explores the obvious. Now, in winter 2023, you can see Mary chat about her thoughts and clearly chaotic life live onstage in Australia. That tome sold almost a million copies in a single day. Plus, with the next US elections two years away, that T word — Trump — isn't fading from view anytime soon. Accordingly, Mary will head to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to talk about it with Ray Martin, dishing the details from her firsthand experiences. [caption id="attachment_880176" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Wade Photography via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Attendees can expect to hear about her uncle's impact upon the world's health and economic security, plus society in general. And, about the ideas and American history — the American Civil War, slavery and the Founding Fathers all included — that've helped lead to his position of influence. Mary will also give an insider's view into how the US works, the rise of the MAGA movement and what a future with Donald Trump in power, or even out of it, could hold. Taking to the stage at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne's Hamer Hall and Sydney's State Theatre, she'll add insights into her childhood and family dynamic in detail as well. Clearly, this won't be the kind of in-conversation session that anyone gets to see everyday. And, if you're a US politics junkie, it'd make quite the double — albeit spaced out by a few months — with Barack Obama's 2023 Aussie speaking tour. MARY TRUMP: LIVE ON STAGE — AUSTRALIAN 2023 TOUR: Saturday, June 17: Great Hall, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Tuesday, June 20: Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Thursday, June 22: State Theatre, Sydney Mary Trump's Australian speaking tour will take place in June 2023. To join the waitlist for tickets — which will go on sale in February — head to the tour's website.
NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all people of Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This year, the theme is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! and the easiest first step to getting, standing and showing up is making your way to one of the events happening as part of the week. Head along to Broadway Shopping Centre throughout the week and you'll find a heap of NAIDOC Week activations. There's an atrium display from Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding and a portrait and statement exhibition throughout the centre. There will also be a pop-up art gallery and store from the Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Coop running until Sunday, July 10 featuring jewellery from Haus of Dizzy and clothes from the likes of Deadly Denim and Clothing the Gaps. Plus, on Saturday, July 9, local Darug artist Hayley Pigram will be running two all-ages art classes in the centre. Across the free workshops, Pigram will take attendees through the art of Aboriginal painting over the course of 90 minutes. At the end of the class, you'll take away an artwork you've created. Spots for the free art workshops are limited, so head to the Broadway website to reserve your place.
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is last year's news, sadly. There's still two years to wait until Australia hosts the 2026 Women's Asian Cup. But 2024 is the year of the Paris Olympics — and in preparation for vying for gold, the Matildas are hitting the field Down Under. The country's national women's soccer team are playing two friendlies against China, the first in Adelaide on Friday, May 31 and the second in Sydney on Monday, June 3. And although both are sold out — giving the Tillies a massive 14 sellout games on home soil in a row — you can still tune in from home, or the pub, if you won't be in the South Australian or New South Wales capitals or haven't scored tickets. These are the Matildas' first games in Australia since the last match of the final Olympics qualifiers back in February. Taking place in Melbourne against Uzbekistan, that game turned out mighty well for the squad, resulting in a 10–0 scoreline their way and locking in a spot in Paris. This time, there's nothing but bragging rights on the line, but a Tillies game is still a Tillies game. To watch, 10Play and Paramount+ are your destinations — plus Network 10 on regular TV. Sam Kerr is injured, but the squad is filled with high-profile names, including Steph Catley donning the captain's armband, Ellie Carpenter as vice captain, and also everyone from Mackenzie Arnold, Alanna Kennedy, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler and Kyra Cooney-Cross to Hayley Raso, Michelle Heyman, Cortnee Vine and Lydia Williams. Expect the latter to spend some time in goal, given that the legend of the game announced that she'll retire from international football following the Olympics. After this, the Tillies kick off their quest for a medal in Paris on Friday, July 26 at 3am Australian time, playing Germany. Their first-round draw also includes matches against Zambia and the USA. In-between, you can get another Matildas fix via documentary Trailblazers, which hits Stan on Tuesday, June 4 — and if you're in Sydney on Monday, June 10, at a Vivid 2024 talk with Mackenzie Arnold and Tony Gustavsson. The Matildas vs China PR Friendlies 2024: Friday, May 31 — 8.10pm AEST / 7.40pm ACST / 6.10pm AWST Monday, June 3 — 7.40pm AEST / 7.10pm ACST / 5.10pm AWST The Matildas' friendlies against in China PR take place on Friday, May 31 and Monday, June 3, 2024— and you can watch via 10, 10Bold, 10Play and Paramount+. Images: Tiffany Williams, Football Australia.
Haymarket, home to Sydney's once bustling Chinatown, was one of the first areas to feel the real economic impacts of what this year would become for Sydney. Though it's still in survival mode, the suburb's small businesses are primed for visitors to return. And return they should, because Haymarket's cultural importance cannot be overstated. It's one of the best areas of Sydney to get direct access to the customs and traditions of your ancestors — or those of your neighbours — through art, food and music. It's where you can put your culinary prowess (and chilli tolerance) to the test. And it's where you can make $20 stretch across multiple meals and release the inner pop star who usually only sings in the shower. Every encounter you have with a local vendor contributes to why you love living in Sydney, and they need your patronage now more than ever. So we teamed up with City of Sydney to ask you — Concrete Playground readers — what businesses you love to support in Haymarket. Read on to discover some of the most popular picks to visit during the day. Then, flick the switch above and we'll dim the lights to show your favourite things to do once the sun goes down.
Back in 2020, which now seems a lifetime ago, St Jerome's Laneway Festival celebrated 15 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio first decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes. The beloved fest marked that milestone with a characteristically jam-packed lineup that made its way to Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Fremantle, as well as Auckland — but since then, it's been quiet thanks to the pandemic. After two Laneway-less years, the festival has finally locked in dates for its 2023 return — plus new venues for four of its five Australian stops. The festival will kick off in Auckland, returning to Albert Park for the long weekend of Auckland Anniversary Day on Monday, January 30. From there it will arrive in Brisbane on Saturday, February 4, Sydney on Sunday, February 5, Adelaide on Friday, February 10, Melbourne on Saturday, February 11 and Perth on Sunday, February 12. Across these five Australian dates, the Brisbane venue is the only one that has remained consistent from the festival's 2020 run of shows, taking to Brisbane Showgrounds again. The Melbourne leg of the festival has been forced to move away from its previous home at Footscray Park and will now pop up at the newly opened Epsom Road venue The Park in Flemington. The Park has an on-site train station and is located just 15 minutes from the CBD. [caption id="attachment_655626" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anthony Smith[/caption] In Sydney, after 10 years at Sydney College of the Arts and Callan Park, Laneway 2020's Sydney date shifted to The Domain. Now for 2023, it's moved again and will be making its home at the Sydney Showground. Sydneysiders will associate the Showground with the Sydney Royal Easter Show, but this won't be its first time hosting a major touring music festival, as it was once the regular home for the now-defunct Big Day Out. The South Australian leg has moved from Port Adelaide's Hart's Mill to the Adelaide CBD's Bonython Park, and, in the biggest move, the Western Australia leg will be going down at the recently revamped Wellington Square. "The Laneway Festival team is constantly looking for ways to improve and enhance the patron and artist experience and each of the sites will allow us to bring in A+ production and facilities. We are absolutely pumped to host music fans and our favourite ever line-up on these new sites," Laneway Festival co-Founder Danny Rogers said. If you're hanging out to know who will be gracing the stage next year, you'll have to wait a couple more days. The lineup is set to drop at 7.40am this Wednesday, September 21. In 2020, the lineup was headed up by the likes of The 1975, Charli XCX and Earl Sweatshirt, as well as a host of local favourites like Ruel, DMA's and Ocean Alley. View this post on Instagram A post shared by St. Jerome's Laneway Festival (@lanewayfest) St Jerome's Laneway Festival will return to Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth between Monday, January 30 and Sunday, February 12. Head to the festival's social pages for all the info on its 2023 edition and for next year's lineup when it drops this Wednesday, September 21.
MasterCard® Priceless Sydney have partnered with Manly local Taylor Eaton and his surf store, The Shop Next Door, to get you into this summer's perfect pair of thongs. Not just any old bargain-basement flip-flops, but the deluxe version: malc&andi's organic creations. Run by Taylor, The Shop Next Door (46–50 Pittwater Road, Manly) is a surf shop like no other. He stocks over 150 different surfboards, many of them crafted by the world's most creative, forward-thinking board makers. Brands include Christenson, Kookbox, Mandala, McCallum, Ryan Lovelace and La Maitre. Plus, there's an array of music, original artworks, unusual clothing and collectible items. Constantly evolving, The Shop Next Door is more the exploration of a passion than an ordinary retail experience. Half of the shop is dedicated to a pop-up concept known as 'Manly Style'. Every three months, a different clothing label takes over, transforming the space into a unique display. Over the past couple of years, Tyler Warrens Garage Collection, Rhythm, O'Neill, Vans, The Critical Slide Society and RVCA have all had temporary residences. Valued at $24.95, malc&andi thongs come in 11 different colours. Plus, the fact that they're made of 100 percent natural rubber means not only eco-friendliness and biodegradability but also a foot-feel that's soft as the proverbial baby's bottom. Both thin and fat strap versions are available. Already picked out your favourite pair? It's time to catch a ferry to Manly. MasterCard Priceless Sydney is giving away the footwear to shoppers who spend at least $60 at The Shop Next Door, making their purchase by MasterCard. You can use them to walk off your previous Priceless Sydney freebies of signature desserts and choc tops.
Over the past year, seltzers have gone from a hot new trend to a standard section of any bar or bottle shop's drinks repertoire. Brands including White Claw, Smirnoff, Fellr, Moon Dog and Island Fever have all either tried their hand at the carbonated drink or popped up in Australia with their already-popular drink. Fellr is celebrating the seltzer love that's swept the nation with Australia's first pop-up hard seltzer bar in the Royal Botanic Gardens from Saturday, October 9. The seltzer-only bar will feature Fellr's dry and lime, lime and soda, watermelon and passionfruit seltzers, as well as a new range of cocktail seltzers which are making their way onto bottle shop shelves the same day the pop-up bar launches. You can visit from 10am–7.30pm Thursday–Sunday throughout summer and spring. On top of sipping seltzers in the sun, the pop-up will also be putting on events as Sydney begins to reopen. Starting from Saturday, October 24, you can catch a monthly music series at the bar that Fellr are putting on in collaboration with dance music, art and party agency Fruit Bowl.
What do Parks and Recreation, Wellington Paranormal and Ted Lasso all have in common? They're all stellar examples of kind-hearted TV comedies that are an utter delight to watch, especially in chaotic times. Like a balm for frazzled nerves, these types of sitcoms focus on nice and caring people doing nice and caring things, even while their characters navigate all manner of ups and downs. Michael Schur-created favourite Brooklyn Nine-Nine also fits the category, because it too celebrates people who support each other, are always there for each other and form heartwarming bonds as a result. That's what these instantly likeable programs perfect again and again — and do so to not just an entertaining but to a soul-replenishing degree. By now, three of the aforementioned shows have already established a legion of fans, and deservedly so. Ted Lasso, the fourth series named above — and a 2020 newcomer — definitely belongs in the same company even just based on its ten-episode first season, plus the first two instalments of its second season so far. Starring a gloriously optimistic, already Golden Globe-winning Jason Sudeikis, the comedy first introduces its titular character during a period of transition. A college-level American football coach, Ted is hired by struggling English soccer team AFC Richmond, despite having zero knowledge of the sport. Ted is recruited for the role by the club's new owner, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham, Game of Thrones), who received the organisation in her divorce settlement and is determined to tank it to spite her slimy ex (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Stewart Head). And, she knows that her new hire will face more than a few issues in his unlikely job. The ravenous British media write Ted off instantly, the club is in a spot on on-field bother, and veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle) and current hotshot Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, Judy) just can't get along. And yet, this American in London's upbeat attitude does wonders — as aided by his laconic offsider and long-time friend Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt, Bless This Mess), and the team's kit man-turned-assistant coach Nathan Shelley (Nick Mohammed, Intelligence). For much of his career, Sudeikis has excelled at playing thorny, jerkish characters (see: the terrific Colossal) who initially appear otherwise. He's exceptional at showing how arrogance can lurk behind a nice-guy demeanour, and he's proven that multiple times. Ted Lasso is never mean-spirited, however — and that applies to both the series and its main figure. Sudeikis is fantastic here as the genuinely caring coach just trying to do his best, and attempting to bring out the best in others. Yes, the series he's in is just as spot-on, as are his impressive cast members. In Ted Lasso's second season, which has just started streaming on Apple TV+, Ted faces a new challenge. The team has just added psychologist Dr Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles, I May Destroy You) to its ranks and, while Ted may be all positivity, all the time, he's not fond of Dr Fieldstone's profession — and finds her an unsettling presence. This is a series about working through those kind of roadblocks, though. It's one where Rebecca has moved on from just trying to use the club to annoy her ex, and is now thoroughly invested in its fortunes — and where her friendship with model, media darling, Jamie's ex-girlfriend and Roy's current partner Keeley Jones (Juno Temple, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) is never framed as competitive, as would likely be the case elsewhere. Consequently, exploring this storyline in a meaningful and positive way just adds to Ted Lasso's strengths. Viewers definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this show's ongoing charms, to adore its determination to value banding together and looking on the bright side, and to love its depiction of both male tenderness and supportive female friendships. Those traits keep building episode by episode, as does fondness for its underdog team both on and off the pitch, and its ability to make Roy's love of swearing constantly both smart and hilarious. It's no wonder that Ted Lasso picked up a whopping 20 Emmy nominations this year, for its first season alone, including acting nods for pretty much every main actor involved in the show. In fact, this is the best sitcom currently in production. Check out the trailer for Ted Lasso's second season below: The first two episodes of Ted Lasso's second season are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly — and all of the show's first season is also available via the streaming service.
Playing Hawkins, Indiana's chief of police Jim Hopper, David Harbour has faced everything from monsters, grief and missing kids to frozen waffles, mall battles and a Russian prison camp. Across the rest of his non-Stranger Things resume, he's gone red in Hellboy, joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Black Widow and played a not-so-jolly Santa in Violent Night, as well as showing up in three different versions of Law & Order — some more than once — and the American remake of Rake. Next on his agenda: a trip to Australia to revel in his fandom. For famous faces, that's what joining the bill at a big pop-culture convention is all about. A new excuse to show your love for your movie, TV, comic book and game favourites is popping up in Melbourne, with Metro Comic Con making its debut in July. That's news worth busting out your cosplay best for, but Harbour's involvement might have you donning Hawaiian shirts from Saturday, July 8–Sunday, July 9 at Melbourne Showgrounds. The convention's biggest name will make an appearance ahead of his next flick Gran Turismo, which reaches cinemas in August. And, he isn't the only Stranger Things cast member on the lineup. Also swapping the Upside Down for a stint Down Under is Jamie Campbell Bower, aka Vecna, in news that'll make you go running up that hill — any hill. Netflix's huge hit sci-fi series isn't the only title in the spotlight at the two-day event, of course. More than four decades since E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial became a classic, Henry Thomas and Dee Wallace want to get you phoning home about the beloved film. Sons of Anarchy aficionados can look forward to Kim Coates and Tommy Flanagan, while Lucifer's Tom Ellis, The Walking Dead's Khary Payton, and Shadow and Bone's Danielle Galligan and Dean Lennox Kelly will also be in attendance — plus Our Flag Means Death's Vico Ortiz, Roswell's Brendan Fehr and The Mandalorian's Katy O'Brian. The full list of guests also spans voice talents, writers, illustrators and comic artists, with Metro Comic Con's talents appearing across panels, and photo and autograph opportunities — and alongside stalls filled with merchandise, plus oh-so-many ticketholders in costume. Metro Comic Con hits Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Road, Ascot Vale across Saturday, July 8–Sunday, July 9 — head to the event's website for further details and tickets. Stranger Things images: Netflix.
"Do you remember the first time you saw a dinosaur?" asks Bryce Dallas Howard in the latest instalment of the Jurassic Park franchise. We do. It was 25 years ago, as John Williams' iconic score built to its majestic climax and the cast of Steven Spielberg's iconic blockbuster rose from the seats of their jeep, tore off their glasses and stared wide-eyed at a beautiful, towering Brachiosaurus. It's been a quarter of a century since the first Jurassic Park captured the imagination of moviegoers the world over and ushered in the brave new world of CGI-enhanced filmmaking. The whole thing was classic Spielberg: a rollicking, family-friendly adventure that pushed the boundaries of innovation whilst remaining grounded in entirely relatable human stories. Its extraordinary success made sequels inevitable, but unfortunately none except perhaps 1997's The Lost World have come even close to recapturing the magic and wonder of the original. In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom we have a film significantly better than its immediate predecessor, yet one that still falls well short of the bar set back in 1993. Much of the problem with this instalment lies with the franchise's so-called villains. In Jurassic Park the combination was perfect: flawed human antagonists in Dennis Nedry and John Hammond, existential menace in the form of technological hubris, and, of course, those dinosaurs. Between the thuggery of the T-Rex, the cunning of the raptors and the toxic spit of the Dilophosaurus, every step through the failing park held unbearable peril for its characters, instilling a dread that overflowed into the audience. Since then, however, the Jurassic movies have relied largely on a generic recurring villain: InGen, the unscrupulous genetics corporation behind all that Dino-DNA splicing. Even worse, the raptors and T-Rex have become, thanks to their broad popularity, inadvertent heroes, leaving the Dino-threat to come from species that never even existed. Here again in Fallen Kingdom it's that same formula at play: InGen is secretly cooking up some new dinosaurs to sell as weapons (still as ridiculous a concept as it was in Jurassic World), and the big scary dinosaur is a genetically-engineered ultra raptor. Around them are cookie-cutter human bad-guys in the form of mercenaries, big game hunters and money-hungry suits, as well as franchise regular Dr. Henry Wu (B.D. Wong), the original Jurassic Park geneticist who continues to learn precisely zero from all his past mistakes. There is still a lot of fun to be had here, and even a few unexpected feels as director J.A Bayona (A Monster Calls) reminds us that monsters of choice are always worse than monsters of instinct. The film's central conceit, too, is a compelling one: a volcano on the island upon which the dinosaurs currently reside is poised to erupt, meaning they will again become extinct without human intervention. To rescue or not to rescue becomes the burning question for Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), Claire Dearing (Dallas Howard) and returning fan favourite Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum). InGen, predictably, wants the animals saved for far less noble reasons than preservation. The scenes set on the island are the strongest in the movie, and include perhaps the most affecting moment in the entire franchise in the form of a heart-wrenching callback to that iconic Brachiosaurus shot from all those years ago. Thereafter, Fallen Kingdom transforms into a semi Gothic horror film as the action shifts to an isolated mansion in which the characters are stalked by Wu's latest creation. Toby Jones and James Cromwell give spirited performances during this phase, but the weaknesses of the script refuse to be covered up. The bad get eaten whilst the good survive, and it honestly never feels like our heroes are in any genuine peril. As part two of a planned trilogy, the end-point of Fallen Kingdom certainly offers some interesting possibilities for the final instalment. That said, absent a more nuanced and, dare we say, sympathetic villain, this franchise, like Dr. Wu, seems destined to repeat the mistakes of its past. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn9mMeWcgoM
On Sunday, January 20, Sydney staged a huge march through the city streets, with thousands waving witty (and moving) signs to protest violence against women around the globe. Australia was just one of 30 countries taking part in the third annual #WomensWave march — protests were also held in in France, Zimbabwe, New Zealand and across the USA. According to Destroy the Joint, an Australian group that researches and records the number of women killed by violence, 69 women died due to violence in Australia in 2018. This year's march was, unfortunately, timely, following the murder of exchange student Aiia Maasarwe in Melbourne just last week, and Maasarwe was the focus of many of the event's speeches and signs. Speakers at the event included Yumi Stynes, host of SBS documentary Is Australia Sexist? and ABC Radio podcast Ladies, We Need to Talk; Bri Lee, author of Eggshell Skull; Bhenji Ra, indigenous queer artist and activist; Jane Brock of Immigrant Women's Speakout and 1 Billion Rising; and Aunty Norma, a Wiradjuri woman and activist. It's estimated 3000 Sydneysiders marched from Hyde Park to Belmore Park, calling on the Australian government to address gender-based violence and to continue working towards equality for women. Words by Jasmine Crittenden.
As a generation, we've watched the internet emerge from its fledgling beginnings to its modern state, where nearly a third of Earth's population is logged on. In mere decades, the internet has gone from nonexistent to a necessity. We are a population obsessed. And then came Facebook. The ever-expanding social network debuted in 2004, turning us all into Facebook-stalkers and using up any free time we had left. It's hard to remember the internet before Facebook, let alone any of the computer technology of yesteryear. Squirrel Monkey's video tutorial, which imagines Facebook if it had been designed in the 1990s, will bring you right back to the horrendous colour graphics and primitive Windows versions of the technology's start. The video, a humourous how-to, takes a new user through the nuances of "the Facebook". The concept of Facebook, set against the simplistic '90s graphics, suddenly seems very ridiculous. And perhaps that is just the point. The subsequent videos, which imagine Twitter in the '80s and Draw Something as an old PC game, similarly put social media into perspective, reminding us not to take our status updates and tweets all too seriously. https://youtube.com/watch?v=xrYRH3PYYT0 [via Flavorwire]
You have to hear Noisy Jelly to believe it. This science project-esque game, imagined by Raphaël Pluvinage and Marianne Cauvard, allows you to create your own musical instrument out of jelly. Using water, agar agar powder and a set series of molds (contained in Noisy Jelly's mini chemistry lab) players can create their own set of jellies. The jellies are then placed on the included game board, where they may be touched and manipulated to create sound. If you don't quite get the jelly-to-music correlation either, Noisy Jelly includes a scientific diagram to explain what is actually happening. The game board functions as a capacitative sensor, and the final sound it produces all depends upon the shape and salt concentration of the jelly. The distance and strength of the finger-to-jelly contact can create different sounds, as well.
With new limits on how many people can catch buses and trains due to social distancing, Sydneysiders are being encouraged to walk and cycle into work. To help, the City of Sydney and Transport for NSW are building six new cycleways to make it easier to get around the Harbour City. The cycleways will be located across the CBD, Erskineville, Rosebery, Surry Hills and Pyrmont — and, while exciting news for cyclists, the paths are just a temporary fix. But, while temporary, the cycleways are set to be up and running by the end of June. They'll be constructed from a combination of barriers, line markings and lane dividers, which Lord Mayor Clover Moore said are "quick and simple" to implement. "We already have an extensive program of cycleways and public domain improvements, but we need short term tactical measures that can be implemented in weeks," the Lord Mayor said. As well as constructing cycleways, the Council will be temporarily widening footpaths in the CBD to allow for higher levels of foot traffic. The exact locations of the paths, highlighted in orange in the map below, are: Pitt Street north between King Street and Reiby Place, CBD Henderson Road, Eveleigh and Railway Parade/Bridge Street, Erskineville Dunning Avenue, Rosebery Moore Park Road and Fitzroy Street, Paddington/Surry Hills Pyrmont Bridge Road, Pyrmont Sydney Park Road, Erskineville The City of Sydney is also considering temporary bike paths on Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, King Street in Newtown and across King, College an Castlereagh streets in the CBD. [caption id="attachment_773066" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Click to enlarge.[/caption] A more permanent cycleway that is set to be constructed is across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. At the moment, cyclists have to haul their bikes up and down 55 steps to cross the bridge, but, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Transport for NSW is close to finalising plans for bike ramps at both ends after the project was sidelined two years ago due to community opposition. If you're yet to go back to work and are contemplating your commute options, bear in mind the new public transport limits. Because of social distancing, two-door buses are limited to 12 commuters, Waratah trains 35 and Freshwater ferries 245, which works out to be about 25 percent capacity. To find out more information about City of Sydney's temporary cycle routes, head to the council website.
Thailand's floating cinema blows its drive-in counterparts out of the water. Designed by Beijing-based architect Ole Scheeren, the Archipelago Cinema and Six Senses Resort hosted the final screenings of the Film on the Rocks Yao Noi Festival early last month. Moviegoers were transported by boat to their floating seats, which were situated on a raft-like apparatus in the Nae Pi Lae lagoon of Kudu Island. Opposite the seats, and nestled in between two looming rocks, was the full-sized, floating screen. Scheeren describes the atmosphere of his cinema as "a sense of temporality, randomness, almost like driftwood. Or maybe something more architectural: Modular pieces, loosely assembled, like a group of little islands that congregate to form an auditorium." All components of the floating cinema were composed of recycled materials gathered by local fisherman, who previously used it to build floating lobster farms. The cinema is indeed recyclable itself: after the festival, it is set to be dismantled and donated to the Yao Noi community for use as a playground and a floating stage. [via Architizer]
Sydney Harbour's Pullman Quay Grand is set to open a new addition next week — and it looks tremendously luxe. Located within the Circular Quay hotel, Hacienda will be a brand new "vista bar", taking inspiration from Cuba's grandiose, plantation-style architecture and the vintage hotels of 1950's Miami. They're positioning the venue as a "botanical oasis" — and for good reason. Think luxurious, pastel lounge furniture and lush garden trestles, all surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows which showcase panoramic views of the city and Sydney Harbour, which can be drawn open to create a terrace-like feel. Applejack Hospitality have teamed up with AccorHotels to pull off this stylish throw-back of a space. If their past work — and the artist impressions of what the space will look like — is any indication (Bondi Hardware, The Butler, Della Hyde), Sydneysiders will be in for quite the treat. The drink menus will mimic the venue design by using Cuban flavours and they'll be slinging cocktails which include classic ingredients like banana, guava and custard apple. The Tropical Sour – banana-infused Encanto pisco, Tío Pepe sherry, lime and honey — sounds especially tasty, as is the Old Smoked Presidente: a concoction of aged rum, orange curacao, dry vermouth, house-spiced raspberry syrup and Angostura bitters. The bar also has an impressive stock of rum and American whiskey for those looking for something neat. The food offering, curated by Executive Chef Stefan Brademann, will complement the drinks and have a Cuban-American flare. Fusion dishes like the yuka fries, buttermilk fried chicken and a pork neck mojo will sit on the menu alongside a Cubano-Reuben hybrid and burgers galore. The menu will be balanced between bar snacks and more substantial dishes to accommodate for anything from nibbling patrons to hangry ones. This little slice of Cuban culture may play to cliches but we're not fussed — especially considering the iconic views that come with it. Hacienda will open on Monday, July 18 inside Pullman Quay Grand, 61 Macquarie St, Sydney Harbour. For more information, visit their website.
How do you make a huge Charli XCX-headlined festival lineup even bigger? If you're Laneway Festival 2025, you add a piece of Stranger Things to the bill. Before general tickets for next year's events go on sale, organisers have added Joe Keery to the lineup as Djo, who'll be performing live in Australia and New Zealand for the first time ever. When the roster of acts initially dropped, it sparked a question: how much green will be seen at 2025's Laneway Festival given that it's bringing Brat summer Down Under? Now, here's another: how glorious will Keery's hair be when the 'End of the Beginning' talent takes to the stage? [caption id="attachment_728611" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Netflix[/caption] Laneway has also announced another change, with the Sydney event moving locations. Instead of taking place at Sydney Showground, the fest's Harbour City stop is settling in at Centennial Park. For company when the event kicks off in Auckland on Thursday, February 6, the hits Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, Charlie XCX and Djo will be joined by Beabadoobee, Clairo, Barry Can't Swim and Remi Wolf. Also on the list: BICEP doing their CHROMA AV DJ set, Olivia Dean, Eyedress and Skegss — and STÜM, RONA, Hamdi, Joey Valence & Brae, 2hollis, Fcukers, Ninajirachi, Julie, Girl and Girl, and more. [caption id="attachment_975321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Harley Weir[/caption] The event started by Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio in the mid-00s is playing Western Springs in Auckland, then hopping over the ditch to Brisbane Showgrounds, the aforementioned Centennial Park in Sydney, Melbourne's Flemington Park, Bonython Park in Adelaide and Wellington Square in Perth. Laneway joins the list of festivals locking in their comebacks after a tough year of cancellations across the live music scene, alongside Golden Plains, Bluesfest (for the last time), Wildlands, Good Things, Lost Paradise, Beyond The Valley and Meredith. Laneway Festival 2025 Lineup Charli XCX Beabadoobee Clairo Barry Can't Swim BICEP present CHROMA (AV DJ set) Djo Remi Wolf Olivia Dean Eyedress Skegss STÜM RONA Hamdi Joey Valence & Brae 2hollis Fcukers Ninajirachi Julie Girl and Girl + Triple J unearthed winners Laneway Festival 2025 Dates and Venues Thursday, February 6 – Western Springs, Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau Saturday, February 8 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane / Turrbal Targun Sunday, February 9 — Centennial Park, Sydney / Burramattagal Land & Wangal Land Friday, February 14 — Flemington Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri Biik Saturday, February 15 — Bonython Park, Adelaide / Kaurna Yerta Sunday, February 16 — Wellington Square, Perth / Whadjuk Boodjar St Jerome's Laneway Festival is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2025. Head to the festival's website for further details, and to get tickets in general sales from 10am local time on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. Top Djo image: Guido Gazzilli. Laneway images: Charlie Hardy / Daniel Boud / Maclay Heriot / Cedric Tang.
Sydney's underground is a hotbed of creativity, with events like WINGS Independent Fashion Festival leading the charge. Serving as a distinct alternative to traditional fashion weeks, this eclectic affair sees fashion collide with music, art and digital culture in immersive and unfiltered ways. Taking over the Plaza Hotel from Thursday, May 8–Friday, May 9, festival Co-Founders Alvi Chung and Daniel Neeson have reimagined its grand interior with three levels of haute design. Combining full-scale runway shows with large-scale installations, creative lighting design and immersive performance art, this diverse setting will provide the ideal platform for emerging designers. Featured on the runway will be the chainmail creations of Melbourne's Catholic Guilt, the sustainable tailoring of Speed and the mystic silhouettes of Joteo. Plus, Amiss sees duo Vanessa and Joshua Gray blend tech and textile, while Jody Just presents his modern streetwear, worn by celebs like Post Malone and The Kid Laroi. Besides fashion, expect live music performances from genre-bending electronic acts, Maggz and Solsa, alongside local punk, alt-electronic and noise groups, such as G.U.N, Cold Heat and Agony. If you're lucky enough to get backstage, acclaimed chef Sam Bull (Icebergs, Prince of York) curates the experience, bringing top-notch cuisine to the party.
Many local hospitality venues excel at one thing in particular. Whether they pour the best wine or serve a cold brew that'll have you buzzing for a week, most of these venues focus on one specialty during a particular part of the day. For the Japanese café Kahii, located on Kent Street in Sydney, however, flexibility and variety are what keep the spark alive. "Adding a night offering gave the venue a whole new life," says Kahii's director, Matthew Wong. Open from 8am until 3:30pm Monday to Friday, and re-opening from 5pm 'til 12am Tuesday to Saturday, Kahii serves freshly brewed coffee by day and cocktails by renowned mixologist Fumiaki (with a curated bar snack menu from Kuro's Executive Chef, Taka Teramoto) by night. "Flexibility isn't just a survival tactic — it's a growth mindset," Wong tells Concrete Playground. When Kahii opened in 2016, it was purely a day-trade cafe inspired by the Japanese tea room, kissaten. "Quiet, minimal, refined". After the venue survived the pandemic (and subsequent lockdowns and venue regulations that gutted the city as a whole), Kahii wanted to do something "exciting" again. "Licensing conditions had relaxed, and we saw the opportunity to introduce a tea and coffee-inspired cocktail program that reflected our identity while giving people something unique in the city," Wong adds. "It was both strategic and personal — a natural extension of who we are and what we enjoy." Pros of Flexibility According to Wong, the advantages of running a business that opens at different times of the day are plentiful. "It creates diversity—not just in revenue, but in the types of experiences we offer and the people we attract." "During the day, we serve office workers, creatives, and locals grabbing their daily coffee or matcha. At night, the crowd shifts to people seeking somewhere intimate to unwind with a drink and a bite." Wong also notes that increasingly, regulars are starting and ending their day at the cafe. "There's crossover, too." In addition to attracting a diverse range of patrons, from a business standpoint, Kahii is maximising the value of a "sunk cost"—rent. "Activating the space in the evening was a strategic way to make full use of it." Being open throughout the day also creates a buffer from trade volatility. "Things like school holidays, transport disruptions, and weather don't hit quite as hard when we have more than one audience," Wong adds. How to Adapt Your Business to Two Offerings If you want to expand your hospitality business beyond its current offerings, Wong recommends starting with what you love. Then, build systems that support flexibility. "If you're transitioning from day to night, make sure the space is designed to shift moods—lighting, music, staff training, and menus all need to adapt seamlessly." He also suggests thinking about operational flow. From bookings, orders, payments, and prep change, how will you widen your service? "The clearer your identity and the smoother your systems, the more your guests will feel like it's all part of one cohesive experience—not two separate businesses," Wong explains. Tools like Square can help build upon this flow. Kahii uses Square for POS during the day and Square for Restaurants at night. The platform handles everything from payments to open orders and integrates with booking platforms. As he explains, "[Square] makes a huge difference to our workflow, especially as we transition between different trade periods and customer expectations." Kill Your Darlings Running a hospitality business comes with a lot of decision-making. Part of this means making calls that impact your day-to-day. "There were offerings we loved but had to let go of—sometimes because they didn't resonate with guests, other times because they were operationally clunky," says Wong. One of the biggest lessons for Kahii has been knowing when to separate personal attachment from business performance, which Wong notes is never easy, but often necessary. "Looking back, every time we've made that call, it's created room for something better. Something that fits the brand, the customer, and the moment we're in." If Wong could give any advice to other adventurous business owners in the same position, it would be to be honest about what's not working. Be open to new formats, offerings, or even the times of day you operate. And most importantly, don't be afraid to pivot with purpose. "Talk to your team. Listen to your customers. Look at the data. Sometimes the smallest insights, like consistent feedback on a menu item or noticing a dip in trade at a certain time, can spark the biggest changes." Square empowers local businesses to thrive by making it easier to run, manage, and grow their operations. Find out how Square can help your business grow. Images: Kahii
If it wasn't for the hordes of people crowding into this unassuming place, Coffee Alchemy would certainly go unnoticed along Marrickville's industrial concrete stretch. We all know looks can be deceiving so what this place lacks in aesthetic appeal it makes up for with killer produce – coffee. Coffee Alchemy is serious doing things right. Yes, we're talking about their beans. Good beans. For these guys, "coffee is the elixir of life." They are meticulous about freshness, preparation and having the most superior coffee. In short, your coffee will no doubt come with a shot of devotion and taste pretty darn fine. Owner Hazel de los Reyes was recently awarded NSW Barista Champion for 2012, but this is only an addition to the list of other accolades both she and the cafe have received, including SMH "Best Coffee" for 2011 and 2012. Evidently, Hazel is mad about coffee and not half bad at making liquid gold out of it. The house blend, Goodness Galileo, is the standard bearer for cappuccinos and lattes ($3.50 or $12.50 for 250g bag). With rich notes of chocolate and nuts, it leaves a satisfying taste on the palette long after the last sip. Coffee Alchemy's Sibila's Brew — fruity with a bit of spice and clean finish — is another popular coffee and best prepared in plungers, espresso machines or sophisticated equipment such as a vacuum brewer ($12.50 for 250g bag). For those coffee nerds who are bearers of such sophisticated equipment, the usual suspects such as filter, pour over and syphon are available. A Bolivian mamani mamani is the pour over special of the week ($5) and has a lively orange acidity to it, with hints of toffee and caramel even coming through. If you're in the mood for something experimental, the sparkler ($6) is the way to go. Served in a tall beer glass, at first glance it might look like you're getting a dark lager instead of a caffeine fix. However, the chilled coffee is an appropriate refreshment for those balmy days. And on Saturdays, Coffee Alchemy extends the fort with a takeaway counter in the garage next door. There's something truly remarkable about Coffee Alchemy and you'd be a fool to miss out if you're a fan of the bean
Dates can certainly be taken up a notch if you pull a few notes from your piggy bank and put some thought into planning. Fortune, after all, favours a prepared mind. From stargazing in a private inflatable bubble to spending the afternoon wrapped in warm Dead Sea mud — there are myriad ways you can elevate your date and make it extra special. Unfortunately, money doesn't grow on trees, so it's important to be mindful when splashing that cash and to spend wisely. The good news is, you can treat your special someone to a top-notch night out and still keep that piggy bank nice and fat. To help bring those dream date ideas to fruition, we've pulled together some epic money-can-buy date experiences, while our mates at CommBank have the money tips to help you live money smart when dating or coupled up. Celebrate more big (or little) life moments together. Learn to budget as a couple and save for those special dates with these helpful tips from CommBank. [caption id="attachment_511977" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Nikki To.[/caption] CREATE YOUR OWN GIN AT ARCHIE ROSE Heading out for a drink is always a great date idea, but why not go one better and make the tipple yourself at an Archie Rose Blend Your Own Gin class. Held onsite at the Rosebery distillery, the session starts with a signature dry G&T followed by an introduction to the juniper-spiked spirit and a rundown of how they make it at Archie Rose. You'll then get the opportunity to blend two gins yourself (200ml each) using a selection of botanical distillates, with options like rose petals, local honey, fresh pear, native blood lime, river mint and more. Classes run every Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at $115 per person. SPLASH OUT ON A DINNER AT THE AQUARIUM The aquarium is a pretty romantic spot in itself, presenting you with the chance to recreate your best Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet moment. Add in the option of a private dinner among the fish, and you have yourself a pretty hard date to beat. The experience kicks off with a self-guided tour of the aquarium after all the school kids have shuffled on, followed by dinner for two with unlimited drinks served on crisp white linen. And for scenery? Enjoy playful dugongs, vibrant clownfish and blue tang, circling sharks and smiling stingray. The menu includes a main each and dessert platter to share, with options like the pasture-fed Cape Byron scotch fillet with cafe de paris butter, Borrowdale crumbed pork cutlet and a blue swimmer crab linguine (not from the tanks). The experience is priced at $550 per couple. TRY THE WHITE CORAL AT QUAY Nothing builds trust in a relationship quite like sharing a dessert, balancing scoops and bites to ensure everything is equal. While many Sydney dates conclude with a cup of Messina's salted caramel gelato (each — no splitting here), if you're looking to step it up a notch, you can't get any more impressive than the new White Coral dessert at Quay. Sculpted in the shape of a porous sea sponge, the jaw-dropping dessert is made from white chocolate ganache that's been aerated under vacuum then snap frozen with liquid nitrogen. Crack open its shell to reveal refreshing feijoa ice cream and a soft, luscious coconut cream. To get to the dessert, you'll need to plough through nine other courses first — so by the time you get there, you won't mind sharing — which brings the bill up to $550 per couple, without drinks. SPEND THE DAY AT SOL SPA Replace your daggy dressing gowns with plush white robes for a full day of pampering at the new Sol Spa Vaucluse. Draped in millennial pink with white cane daybeds, lush potted figs and a whiff of lemongrass in the air, the elegant Sol Spa promises a date that won't leave you knackered by the end of it, in fact, quite the contrary. Surrender yourself to warm, oiled hands for five hours of pummelling, polishing and primping. As part of the Ultimate Sol Spa Signature Package, you'll enjoy a Himalayan salt scrub, warm Dead Sea mud treatment, nourishing body souffle cream, an organic facial and a hand and foot treatment. By the end of it, you and your love will definitely be feeling the warm and fuzzies. STARGAZE FROM YOUR OWN PRIVATE BUBBLETENT Nestled within world-heritage listed wilderness, this inflatable bubbletent takes your bedroom ceiling and replaces it with a starry night sky. Not your usual A-frame camping experience, here, you'll be able to lie down on a plush queen-size bed and marvel at the magnificent sandstone cliffs and chasms below in Capertee Valley, the world's second largest canyon. The bubbletent comes with a host of romantic features, including a telescope for comet spotting, a swing, fire pit and outdoor wood-fired bath, with cheese and wine included. Choose from one of three tents, with prices ranging from $340 to $660 per night. If a splashy date just isn't on the cards, not to worry. Enter our comp and let us pick up the bill instead. Top image: Nikki To.
Canterbury-Bankstown can feel a bit lacking in all things luxe — and if you live in this pocket of southwest Sydney and have found yourself wondering why lavish dining has felt a bit out of reach, your queries have been heard and answered. Bringing this dose of luxury to Sydney's west is Bartega, an artisanal cocktail bar hidden inside the Canterbury Leagues Club. Venture to the western burbs and you'll find an injection of dining destinations in Belmore's local hospitality precinct — with one of Sydney's top yum cha joints, The Dynasty, residing alongside this sleek bar and restaurant. The crown jewel of the leagues club's multimillion-dollar revamp is located high above Bridge Road, seating up to 60 guests comfortably on its cosy lounges. Its elegant fitout, designed by the renowned studio Atlis Architecture, boasts an al fresco dining area on the adjoining balcony and a stunning marble bar inside, which acts as an eye-catching centrepiece for the space. Bartega offers a variety of elevated snacks on its canapé-style menu — from the Mediterranean-style cauliflower popcorn with sumac seasoning and garlic tahini to the sticky pork belly bao buns, you'll discover a range of flavours celebrating the diversity of the area. Elsewhere on the menu, the oven-baked brie will warm you through the colder months, while the torched yellowfin tuna with wasabi mayo is an ideal summer snack. Pair your tuna and bao with the standout offering — aka the drinks menu. Led by Bennelong alum Tony Rudolph, you can expect a playful and inventive selection of cocktails. Crowd favourites include the Jin Cha — Roku gin combined with matcha, Chartreuse Green, yuzu and honey — and the signature lime and jalapeno Margarita Bartega. Plus, there's a wide-spanning range of wine, beer and spirits to choose from, including drops from local distillery Kalki Moon. If you really want to get into the Belmore spirit (no pun intended), then opt for Kalki Moon's Bulldogs Gin which can be ordered on its own or in the Brutus Blue cocktail.
There are a lot of things Japanese cuisine does right. Ramen, sushi, teppanyaki — it's all had its time in the sun of the Australian foodie scene, and for good reason. In recent years, though, Sydney has wholeheartedly embraced the sweet life, with plenty of Japanese and Japanese-inspired dessert companies bringing their goods to the people Down Under. Here in Australia, eateries and dessert shops, like their Japanese counterparts, are usually met with long lines and Instagram-happy customers eager to try the much-photographed sweets. To help you on your mission to try all the cult Japanese desserts Sydney has to offer, here are five to add to the top of your list.
Our transportation options are becoming more and more personalised. Sydney now has three rideshare car companies — and might soon score on-demand flying taxis — and even the government has jumped on board, launching on-demand buses across the west and inner east. Travel across Sydney Harbour, however, is still limited to two options: Sydney Ferries and pricey, privately-operated water taxis (unless your mate happens to own a tinnie or super yacht, that is). This is about to change, thanks to a new service called Ahoy, which just launched on Tuesday, December 18. Run by Captain Cook Cruises, the on-demand ferries service allows you to call one to your nearest inner east wharf at a time that suits you. Similar to Uber, you can hail the ferry via an app on your mobile device, which also tracks the vessel's journey and lets you know its arrival time. At the moment, Ahoy is available for travel between Elizabeth Bay Marina, Garden Island Wharf and the Harbour Master Steps, Circular Quay. It's currently running between 6.45–9.15am and 4.15pm–7:30pm, Monday to Friday. A one-way journey takes just 12 minutes and costs $7.50 for adults — about the same price as a regular Sydney ferry — or, if you buy a 15-trip eTravelPass, $5.90. The 'tubby class' ferries, which can carry up to 60 passengers at a time, are not Captain Cook's first foray into ferries, either — its rocket ferries run 13 different services across Sydney Harbour, which includes trips to Barangaroo, Lane Cove, Goat Island and Watsons Bay. Download Ahoy at the App Store or on Google Play. Image: Captain Cook rocket ferry courtesy Captain Cook and SeaLink Travel Group.
The Farnsworth Invention tells the story of the fight for the patent for television. The battle plays out between two poor-boys-come-good, Philo T Farnsworth (Damian Sommerland) and David Sarnoff (Patrick Connolly). In the early 1920s, RCA manufactured radios, and made a radio network to go with them called NBC. As Television became a tantalising inevitability, Philo Farnsworth worked to bring this vision to life, while Sarnov competed, as the head of NBC, to beat him to it. While Sommerland and Connolly's lead characters each draw you into the ins and outs of their competition, the best part of this production is the ensemble itself. Each player has few enough roles to play, but their strength lies in the way their presence crowds around the two leads. Most of the cast is on stage most of the time, tittering and gasping at the action, and leaving you with a sense of the fears and buzz that permeated that era's preoccupations, much as present-day media moguls and disasters occupy us today Explaining complex systems is a specialty for writer Aaron Sorkin, best known as the author of the Social Network and the West Wing. Here, he takes what might have been a dry story, interesting only to technology wonks, and made it engaging. As his leads explain the inventions behind cathode-ray televisions, it's easy to understand the intricacies of a TV's phospherecent image. Throughout, the play uses science and music as metaphors for technology and its uses. Farnsworth is more interested in making a TV, but Sarnoff has a stronger vision for what to put on it, despite Farnsworth's own musical talent which straddle both fields. The Farnsworth Invention lets you join them there, in an evening where art explains, and argues about, science with you. And leaves you excited about it to boot.
Your phone doesn't always need to be glued to your hand, but that's often easier said than done. Your nights out don't need photographic evidence to prove that they occurred, but that's also rarely the case anymore. This Never Happened is rallying against that status quo, however, via the Lane 8's record label's dance parties. The distraction-free This Never Happens Presents gigs first arrived in Australia in 2023 — and in 2025, they're returning for more evenings of shenanigans without phones and cameras. Pics or it didn't happen? Not here. You won't have a screen in your hand — or face. You won't be swiping, texting or doing anything else with the gadget that we're all addicted to, either. Attendees will have their phones taped upon arrival, because these dance music get-togethers are all about connecting IRL and in the moment. French house producer Massane and Dublin-based DJ EMBRZ are headlining the two parties, with support from Samantha Loveridge — following in the footsteps of Le Youth, Sultan & Shepard and PARIS in 2023. Whatever their sets bring, you'll just have to rely upon your noggin to remember all of the highlights afterwards. [caption id="attachment_979217" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Megan Burch[/caption] This Never Happens Presents' 2025 shindigs will hit Sydney's Liberty Hall on Saturday, January 18, complete with Massane and Embrz making their Australian debuts. When it last made the trip Down Under, This Never Happened held its first shows in this part of the world, after launching in 2016, signing artists who've toured with producer and DJ Lane 8, and initially hosting parties in 2017 and 2019 elsewhere around the globe. Clearly, its Aussie visit was a hit, hence the return tour. Top image: Megan Burch.
It was a busy couple of days in Melbourne as the city's hospitality and retail industries enjoyed their first weekend of trade post-lockdown, but it was especially momentous for online activewear retailer Stylerunner. On Saturday, October 31, the brand celebrated the launch of its first-ever bricks-and-mortar store, opening the doors to a 200-square-metre flagship space on Armadale's High Street. With eight years and an ever-growing following under its belt, Stylerunner has now created an IRL shop space in collaboration with local creative studio Noise Noise Noise. It has a bright, mood-boosting colour palette and is filled with shapes and curves referencing organic forms and nature. Soothing natural scenes play out across the store's digital screens, while a cloud-inspired neon number floats above the rear lounge area. Shoppers can expect a suite of thoughtful touches, from the styling suite call buttons promising speedy service to the complimentary water and luxe, recyclable packaging. There's even a signature store scent to enjoy while you get in that retail therapy. Gracing the racks is a lineup of threads, sneakers and accessories from dozens of well-loved local and international sportswear labels, including La Detresse, Nike, PE Nation, Exie and many more. Stylerunner's upcoming namesake line will also be on show. There's more to come, too, with Founder Julie Stevanja, revealing plans for at least two more stores coming soon to NSW and Queensland. Find Stylerunner's flagship store at Shop 1152-1154 High Street, Armadale.
Pocket Pizza pays homage to New York's Little Italy, with red-and-white gingham tablecloths, exposed brick walls, vintage NYC photos and a hip-hop playlist to boot. This home of Italo-American pizza on the Northern Beaches has recently relocated to a new, larger spot on Pittwater Road. As well as boasting a new look, the corner restaurant also has an updated menu. For starters, there's burrata with basil oil ($11) and imported tinned sardines with toast ($12). Pasta mains include veal and pork ragu pappardelle with butter milk, ricotta and basil ($23), while dessert offers espresso tiramisu ($12) and negroni panna cotta ($14). But the 12 hand-tossed pizza pies are the star of the show here ($21–$27) — most of which come topped with fior di latte and all of which are given punny titles. There's the Netflix & Chilli (spicy 'nduja, ricotta, chilli flakes and honey), the Baraccoli Obama (spring cream base, broccolini, silverbeet, ricotta and lemon), the Gordon Hamsey (double smoked ham, pineapple, pickled jalapeño and red onion) and the Prawnhub.com (garlic prawns, buffalo mozzarella, capers and prawn oil). Gluten-free bases (add $3) and vegan cheese (add $2) are available for all pizzas, as is a very American ranch dipping sauce for the crust (add $2). On the bar side of things, expect a range of Italian wines by the glass ($8–$13), house draught beer ($8) and Birra Moretti on tap ($9) and three spritzes I th— one combines gin, limoncello and fresh passion fruit, and another is tequila with blood orange and Italian bitter orange ($16 each). There are also classic cocktails that serve two ($24), including a negroni and an old fashioned. The full menu is available for delivery and takeaway, as are the handful of packaged Italian products on display. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Pizza in Sydney
As soon as they step off the plane in Tropical North Queensland, most people make a beeline for the Great Barrier Reef. After all, this marine wonderland is the largest coral reef system in the world and attracts visitors from every corner of the globe. The reef is bold and beautiful but it's also a delicate ecosystem, so it's important to take care when travelling to help protect it and to remember a few quick tips before you explore. Even simple actions like swapping to reef-safe sunscreen or checking you're fishing where you're allowed to do so can have long-lasting positive effects on the health of this natural wonder. Luckily, there are plenty of easy ways you can help keep our reef beautiful for generations to come. [caption id="attachment_842448" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] OFFSET YOUR TRIP Offsetting your trip is an easy way to travel responsibly — especially with many tourism and travel providers of all sizes now providing you an option to do so. One Tropical North Queensland tourism provider that is both dedicated to eco-friendly explorations and aids sustainability efforts is the award-winning Cairns-based Passions of Paradise. The company offers reef tours as well as snorkelling and scuba diving with all gear included, too, so you can get up close to turtles, fish and all the coral-dwelling creatures of the reef with ease before relaxing on board with a buffet lunch. Passions also gives certified divers the chance to engage in citizen science with its Eco Tours. Under the direction of a Master Reef Guide, divers who opt for this experience can contribute to ongoing reef conservation projects and support the work of local conservationists on the Great Barrier Reef through things like surveying reef locations, monitoring reef health or assisting in coral planting. Not a certified diver? You can still make a difference — Passions of Paradise work with researchers to help grow coral through the Coral Nurture Program and offset carbon emissions by planting trees in the Daintree. If you're visiting the reef from Port Douglas, consider a trip with Sailaway. This full-day tour with a qualified marine biologist is a great way to learn more about the wonders beneath the shimmering blue waves. The best bit? The company donates $20 from every ticket to its reforestation and carbon offsetting project. [caption id="attachment_830381" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] SEE THE REEF WITH FIRST NATIONS GUIDES If your idea of a perfect day in the ocean is seeing beautiful reefs and getting an insightful connection to the sea, put Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel on your itinerary. Offering a unique experience, this local team of First Nations sea rangers will invite you to step into the Great Barrier Reef's Dreamtime. Cairns' only Indigenous-focused cruise, Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel is recognised as one of Australia's leading ecotourism providers thanks to its Advanced Eco accreditation awarded by Ecotourism Australia and a Climate Action Business Certification, with its tours and activities carried out in line with industry-best standards. Some proceeds from ticket sales go to local conservation initiatives and further research through GBR Biology group, a dedicated team of marine biologists, educations and rangers that delivers immersive experiences and invests in coral reef monitoring and research. [caption id="attachment_845484" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mikhail Nilov (Pexels)[/caption] USE REEF-SAFE SUNSCREEN (OR WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING SO YOU DON'T NEED SUNSCREEN) If you went to primary school in Australia, then you are probably pretty familiar with the 'slip, slop, slap' campaign. Sun protection is always paramount when you live in a scorching country, but there are ways to keep yourself protected that also help protect the planet. Certain sunscreen ingredients are known to cause coral deterioration, so it's worth being savvy when choosing your products. An easy guide is to look for reef-safe ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and avoid nasties such as oxybenzone and octinoxate. Also, look for packaging that is recycled or recyclable and stay away from spray sunscreens that cause excess product to land on the sand. But if you're looking for the easiest (and most effective) way to escape sun damage, opt for protective clothing that is dark and densely woven. Unlike sunscreen, it doesn't need to be reapplied, and never washes off. [caption id="attachment_845201" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GET INVOLVED IN CITIZEN SCIENCE It's easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to the long-term health of the Great Barrier Reef, but there are some simple ways we can all help. The Eye on the Reef app allows you to quickly log information about reef health and wildlife sightings, allowing anyone who visits to contribute to its protection. It's simple to use, free to download and use and requires zero special equipment — it takes just seconds to record any spots of coral bleaching or instances of sick animals. The app also uses GPS settings to give you specific zoning rules for each area, so you don't get caught out fishing or diving in restricted spots. [caption id="attachment_845200" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] PLANT SOME CORAL Want to help the reef in an immediate and hands-on way? Scuba divers: assemble. All you need is a PADI certification and a ticket on the Passions of Paradise reef tour. This proud ecotourism operator has spent decades on the reef via its 30-metre catamaran. Its Coral Nurture Program is a collaboration with the University of Technology Sydney and allows previously damaged sections of coral to flourish. Divers are carefully guided underwater and shown how to harvest tiny pieces of coral that they then relocate to a coral nursery where they can safely grow up to 30 centimetres each year. This is an immersive and educational activity that gives divers a tangible connection to coral rehabilitation. [caption id="attachment_845197" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] ADOPT SOME CORAL Keen to help with coral conservation but don't have your diving licence? We've got you sorted. The Reef Restoration Foundation (RRF) is a not-for-profit social enterprise that challenges the idea that the reef is damaged beyond hope. Following a coral bleaching event in 2016, keen diver and soon-to-be RRF founder Gary McKenna observed that the coral in his home aquarium could regrow and create new fragments. He expanded his research worldwide, and discovered that there were several coral replanting methods that hadn't been tried on the Great Barrier Reef. International experts came on board, and grant funding allowed the RRF coral nurseries to double. While these steps are incredibly positive, reef restoration is a long-term project. By adopting your own patch of coral through RRF, you can provide much-needed funds to keep resources flowing. Plus, you will receive regular growth updates on your cute coral patch. [caption id="attachment_845797" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Juergen Freund[/caption] VISIT THE OUTER REEF When visiting the Great Barrier Reef, it's tempting to look for the quickest tours that have you zipping there and back before nightfall. However, for those who want to really immerse themselves in the region, the Eco Tourism Australia-accredited Coral Expeditions offers seven- and ten-day adventures to the outer stretches of the reef, far beyond the reach of most tourist vessels. Jump on board one of the company's purpose-designed small ships for an immersive voyage to uninhabited sand cays and pristine reef systems, taking in some of the most impressive and untouched dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef. The expeditions visit both the Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, with on-board experts to guide you through unforgettable moments like meeting green sea turtles, a Welcome to Country in the world's oldest rainforest and many more. LEARN ABOUT REEF CONVERSATION A useful resource for reef conservation information are the Master Reef Guides. These marine experts must meet a long list of criteria before they can carry the title, as well as having to undergo additional training in public speaking and storytelling. If learning more about the iconic destination is on your list while in Tropical North Queensland, be sure to book a tour that has a Master Reef Guide – they work across both tourism and research vessels. Ready to be rewarded for living responsibly? For more information on obtaining Green tier status via the Qantas Frequent Flyers program, visit the website. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland Words: Eliza Crisp, Courtney Ammenhauser, Stephanie Monteith, Nik Addams.
2023 was the year of the Matildas. Here's hoping that 2024 will be as well. Australia's national women's soccer team made history on the pitch and on TV screens at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, and inspired the word 'Matilda' to be chosen as the Australian National Dictionary Centre's 2023 Word of the Year. The squad's current aim: making it to this year's Paris Olympics, with two matches standing between them and playing at the games. The Tillies competed in three qualifiers in Perth in October and November 2023, winning all three. The next step is a two-match fixture against Uzbekistan, which will determine whether the Aussies score one of the Asian Football Confederation's two places in Paris. First up, on Saturday, February 24, the Steph Catley-led squad will play at Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent. Then, they're coming home to take to the pitch at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Wednesday, February 28. If you'll be in Melbourne on the second date and you don't already have tickets, you've missed your chance to head along live. But, as always, 10Play and Paramount+ are your destinations — plus Network 10 on regular TV — to watch from home. As for the squad, Sam Kerr won't be playing after injuring her ACL at a training camp for Women's Super League team Chelsea, which is why Catley will wear the captain's armband. Familiar names abound from there, including Mackenzie Arnold, Mary Fowler, Alanna Kennedy, Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, Hayley Raso, Emily van Egmond and Tameka Yallop. Cortnee Vine will sit out the games for personal reasons, while Michelle Heyman rejoins the squad for the first time in six years. The Matildas are hoping not only to get through to the Olympics, but to best the 2020 games' fourth placing, which is the team's best result yet. In the qualifiers, Japan will play North Korea in two matches on the same February dates, with the winner securing the other Asian Football Confederation spot. Whatever happens against Uzbekistan, the Tillies will hit the turf again in April, thanks to a friendly against Mexico in San Antonio in the US. Matildas Final Paris Olympics Qualifying Matches vs Uzbekistan: Saturday, February 24 — kickoff at 8pm AEDT / 7pm AEST / 5pm AWST Wednesday, February 28 — kickoff at 8pm AEDT / 7pm AEST / 5pm AWST The Matildas' final Olympic qualifiers take place on Saturday, February 24 and Wednesday, February 28 — and you can watch via 10Play and Paramount+. Images: Tiff Williams.
Cinema is one of humanity's greatest artistic inventions — and the joy of sitting in a darkened room, locking your eyes on the screen and becoming immersed in the movie in front of you will never grow old. But, now that the medium is well into its second century, it's worth acknowledging a bleak truth: most movies are average. It's a numbers game, really. With thousands of new films hitting screens and streaming platforms each and every year, they can't all be masterpieces. They're not all rubbish either, which is why so many sit in the middle. Some are watchable trash, others are almost better than okay, but a whole heap fall between those two points. If you're thinking "hang on, isn't this an article about the best films of the 2019?", you're not mistaken — the two topics are related. When a movie isn't average, it stands out. When it's something special, magnificent, glorious and astounding, it sticks in your mind for days, weeks, months and more. In fact, the best films are even more exceptional because they've found the perfect blend of components to soar far beyond the standard. They're the movies that make you excited when you leave the cinema, even if you've just been put through the emotional wringer or scared out of your wits, because you're ecstatic that these films exist. 2019, like every other year, had its share of great, excellent and outstanding movies — and with all of the above in mind, we've picked our best. We could've gone on, so apologies to the films that barely missed the cut. The Souvenir, If Beale Street Could Talk, Midsommar, Vox Lux and Ad Astra are all worth seeking out. So are Knives Out, Booksmart, Weathering with You, Apollo 11 and Hustlers. But we could only choose ten, which is a tiny fraction of the 550-plus movies that released on Australasian screens this year — and our favourites are the absolute opposite of average. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEUXfv87Wpk PARASITE 2019 may be the year that the best film of the past 12 months wins cinema's top two awards. At the Cannes Film Festival in May, Bong Joon-ho's Parasite nabbed the Palme d'Or — and the twisty thriller is one of the frontrunners to be named Best Picture when the Oscars roll around in February. If it scores the latter as well, it'll be the first movie since 1955 to win both — and only the second film ever. Parasite deserves to earn that feat, but it'll still remain an astonishing, smart and supremely enjoyable picture if it doesn't. Following the intersection of two South Korean families — one wealthy, entitled and oblivious to their privilege, the other unemployed and scraping by however they can — this is a precisely layered feature that unravels an engrossing mystery while making a decisive statement about class disparities. The puzzle-like social satire is also written, shot and acted to perfection by the Okja and Snowpiercer helmer, with Bong regular Song Kang-ho leading a dynamite cast. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfPxmnMAyZw THE NIGHTINGALE Back in 2018, after The Nightingale first screened for media at the Venice Film Festival, it hit headlines. Barely a handful of people had seen it, but word of its tough nature spread quickly — as did news of vocal reactions and walkouts. Such reports would only continue as the film toured the festival circuit overseas and in Australia; however Jennifer Kent's second feature after The Babadook wants to evoke that response. Tracking an Irish convict (Aisling Franciosi) on a quest for revenge against the British soldier (Sam Claflin) who brutally took away everything she loved, and following her trek through Van Diemen's Land with an Indigenous guide (Baykali Ganambarr), this isn't meant to be an easy watch. Clawing through the misogyny, racism and oppression baked into Australia's history, and the violence with which it has been dispensed, should leave a visceral impact. Making a different kind of horror movie, Kent uses every tool at her disposal to put viewers in her protagonists' shoes, including a boxed-in 4:3 aspect ratio that stares at assault, death and more front-on. The results don't just leave an imprint — they leave a scar. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn_-YoG69Sw PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE In a film that's sumptuous and striking from start to finish, Portrait of a Lady on Fire's approach to its love story stands out. This is a subtle, slow-burning movie that simmers with restraint and yearning as its central women fall for each other, but it's also bold and uncompromising in depicting what society demands of their lives — and how the expectations placed upon them are incompatible with their happiness. In the 18th century, artist Marianne (Noémie Merlant) has been commissioned to paint the portrait of bride-to-be Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). With Héloïse reluctant about both her nuptials and being immortalised on canvas, Marianne must pose as her new companion, study her closely as they spend time together and paint in secret. As romance blooms within Celine Sciamma's (Girlhood) radiant, exquisitely detailed frames, her equally luminous feature explores both the freedom they find in each other's arms and the stark reality of their future. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJEDh4ikcWA PAIN AND GLORY It's impossible to look at Antonio Banderas in Pain and Glory and not think of the man who put him there. Pedro Almodovar has directed the Spanish actor to many of his top performances over the past four decades, and here he gives him a formidable task — with Banderas virtually playing a fictionalised version of the filmmaker. His character, Salvador Mallo, looks like Almodovar and even wears his clothes. He's also a director and, via a collaboration with a star from his past, he's in the process of taking stock of his life in a new project. The result is a rich and deep exploration of choices made, dreams forgotten, paths followed and possibilities lost, as rendered with Almodovar's usual bright, expressive colour palette. Penelope Cruz also features in flashbacks to Mallo's childhood, playing his mother, but it's the marriage of Cannes Best Actor-winning Banderas and Almodovar in reflective mode that makes this gorgeous, heartfelt, bittersweet movie a piece of cinematic perfection. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bavqDA_3vIo US As a filmmaker using genre to lay bare society's oppressive ills — and to entertain audiences with audacious and ambitious horror stories in the process — Jordan Peele is now two for two. Just a couple of short years ago, Get Out felt like a breath of fresh air with its smart and savage tale of racial alienation. That feeling remains with his second feature, Us, which simultaneously splashes in the same thematic pool and rides its own narrative wave. Focusing on a family of four, a summer vacation to Santa Cruz and sinister lookalikes who start stalking their every move, Peele finds a new way to ponder America's divisive reality both historically and at present, all while making an immensely unnerving addition to an already unsettling genre: the doppelgänger movie. Playing dual roles, Lupita Nyong'o puts in one of the year's very best performances as the matriarch doing whatever it takes to fight for both her family and her freedom, while many of the film's meticulously crafted visuals are pure nightmare fodder. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZeIHrx7Oyc HIGH LIFE Not only sending Robert Pattinson into space with a baby, but marking the first English-language film by acclaimed French director Claire Denis (Let the Sunshine In), High Life was always going to stand out. Pattinson plays Monte, who's caring for an infant alone on a space station when the film opens. Sci-fi history dictates that this was never going to be a cosy situation, with said intergalactic vessel hurtling towards a black hole. While flashbacks fill in the story, they never tell the expected tale. In a film that also stars Juliette Binoche as a twisted doctor experimenting on convicted criminals — and features a masturbation chamber called The Box — nothing was ever going to fit a nice, neat template. Belonging to the contemplative side of space-set sci-fi, High Life is unflinching in its depiction of the dark, cruel side of human nature, with its haunting and distinctive portrait of our species at its worst not easily forgotten amongst its weighty existential musings. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI9UYcEwUYA BURNING On cinema screens Down Under, 2019 has been an exceptional year for South Korean movies by acclaimed auteurs. Parasite has earned so much deserved attention that it's easy to forget that it was the second of this year's big-name theatrical releases from the country — and the second to explore class and gender divisions in a thrilling manner, too. The first was Burning, the visually detailed and emotionally loaded masterpiece by Lee Chang-dong that's based on a short story by Haruki Murakami. Here, society's inequities come to the fore in a blend of contemplative mystery, intricate character study and exquisitely observed examination of human relationships. It all starts when part-time deliveryman Jongsu (Yoo Ah-in) crosses paths with his former neighbour Haemi (Jun Jeong-seo), feels a connection between them, but finds himself pushed to the side when she returns from an African holiday with the wealthy Ben (Steven Yeun) by her side. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELeMaP8EPAA ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD Three words: Rick fucking Dalton. In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio is fantastic as the 60s TV cowboy who pines for a career renaissance; however, he's just one of the film's stellar components. As the stuntman and driver that Dalton relies so heavily on, Brad Pitt oozes complicated cool. As Dalton's neighbour Sharon Tate, Margot Robbie sits at the heart of the film — and demonstrates that dialogue isn't the only indicator of an excellent performance. Jumping back to 1969, and to the summer that the Manson family famously wreaked murderous havoc, Quentin Tarantino plays with real-life details, but he's in the revisionist mode that served Inglourious Basterds so well. The end product is an intricate, mature, laidback and thoroughly enjoyable film that's also purposefully shaggy, and invites audiences to not only ponder its perspective on weathering seismic personal and cultural shifts, but to enjoy the time spent hanging out in its world. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHi-a1n8t7M MARRIAGE STORY Noah Baumbach makes movies about unhappiness, whether he's following titular New Yorker in a state of arrested development (as seen in Frances Ha), a middle-aged couple at a crossroads (While We're Young) or dysfunctional adult siblings sorting through their issues (The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)). And, although Marriage Story commences with odes of love penned carefully and thoughtfully, the film's once blissfully wed protagonists Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) are far from content. Rather, in a story that spans both US coasts, they're divorcing. In the process, they're locked in a bitter custody battle over their young son (Azhy Robertson). Sharp, naturalistic and devastatingly astute, this always-empathetic drama follows the pair's efforts to adjust to their new status quo — with Driver in particularly blistering form as a New York-based experimental theatre director expending all of his energy on a fight that his heart might not be in. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHXxVmeGQUc THE IRISHMAN Only the very best filmmakers can continually return to the same domain, but still make each new visit feel like something new. Martin Scorsese is one of them, as The Irishman illustrates. On paper, it seems like a typical Scorsese-directed movie. It's about gangsters, it stars Robert De Niro, and it even coaxed the great Joe Pesci out of retirement. As anyone with even a passing interest in cinema knows, that's Goodfellas and Casino territory. But with this lengthy epic, the masterful auteur shows that he's not one for needlessly repeating himself. Based on the life of truck driver-turned-mob hitman Frank Sheeran (De Niro) and his time working for union boss Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), this potent saga may revisit familiar themes — but, as pieced together with patience and impeccable performances (especially from Pesci), its portrait of two forces constantly fighting for supremacy, even to their own detriment, is also keenly relevant today. Read our full review. These are our ten favourite films of 2019, and we listed ten other standouts above as well. But we've also put together a list of the best films hardly anyone saw this year — y'know, the ones that sort of went in and out of cinemas without much fanfare but definitely deserve a watch.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Wotif.com. Writer Benjamin Law recently performed a glorious piece of erotic fan fiction about his two culinary idols, Stephanie Alexander and Maggie Beer. We'll spare you the gory details, but the story involves a fair bit of verjuice and self-saucing pudding. The two food goddesses both call South Australia home, because, basically, that's where the good food and wine is. Restaurateurs in Adelaide respect the exceptional produce and wine at their doorstep. Here are ten who are doing it very nicely indeed. BISTRO DOM South African born chef Duncan Welgemoed brings the best of his training under Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal to Bistro Dom on Waymouth Street in the CBD, where he’s serving up French-inspired cuisine such as steak tartare ($19.90) and duck with boudin noir, apple and cinnamon ($39.90). While Welgemoed has a keen interest in the science of cooking, you’ll see no clouds or foams here; his focus is on showing off the produce, unadorned and simple. Bistro Dom boasts a truly varied wine list of French, German and boutique local wines. Make sure you have a crack at the Alpha Box and Dice ‘Tarot’ from McLaren Vale — an elegant blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Tempranillo. 24 Waymouth Street, Adelaide Street ADL and Orana A two-part venture from chef Jock Zonfrillo, together Street ADL and Orana span two levels, offering two unique dining experiences within the one venue. Downstairs is Street ADL; it's informal, casual and accessible, offering up ‘Australian street food’ such as pulled kangaroo sangas, cheeseburgers, Goolwa pipis and lamingtons. Venture upstairs, however, and it's a whole different story. Orana is delicate, intimate (it only seats 25 guests) and very much a fine dining experience. The food continues to tread the line of Australiana, with Zonfrillo paying homage to rich flavours of the land. 285 Rundle Street, Adelaide RUBY RED FLAMINGO Ruby Red Flamingo has an ever changing menu of Italian share plates and a blackboard wine list with Italian wines including Nero D’Avola. Snuggle down in front of their open fireplace with a comforting favourite like macaroni with eggplant and smoked mozzarella or osso bucco risotto. 142 Tynte Street, North Adelaide Peel Street Tucked away on Peel Street (go figure) this restaurant may not look like it's got a lot going on, but once you step in, see the food slapped on the concrete bench, let the smell of freshly baked goods hit your nostrils and take a seat, there'll be no desire to ever leave. Open from 7.30am on weekdays and serving up dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, Peel Street has quickly become a favourite amongst city dwellers — particularly those who frequent the small bar scene in the adjoining streets. If you like what you see on the counter, order 'from the concrete', or otherwise order something bigger 'from the blackboard'. Whatever you go for, you won't be disappointed. And you will be taking a muffin, pie or cupcake on your way out. 9 Peel Street, Adelaide Gin Long Canteen Gin Long has been open for little over six months, but already it's a favourite. You might be hard off getting a seat on a Friday or Saturday night; don't let that deter you because this is possibly the closest Adelaide comes to modern Asian. As well as rice paper rolls and betel leaf cigars, expect to chow down on gin long wings, nom nom barramundi, spicy caramel chicken and sticky braised pork belly. The cocktail list makes it extra fun, and the whole space is spot on — worth the wait, if you ask us. 42 O'Connell Street, North Adelaide MAGILL ESTATE RESTAURANT Magill Estate is the showcase restaurant for Penfolds wines just out of the city in the Adelaide foothills. Head chefs Scott Huggins and Emma McCaskill deliver an ever changing degustation menu designed to show off the Penfolds range (and not just the '51 Grange) starting off with calamari, chlorophyll and preserved lemon and finishing with South Australian Mayura wagyu with radishes and mustard. 78 Penfolds Road, Magill PRESS FOOD AND WINE Press Food and Wine is a new addition to the Adelaide dining scene, and a very welcome one. The two-level restaurant on Waymouth Street is at once homely and elegant. Head chef Andrew Davies prides himself on in-house pickling and curing and their custom-made chargrill. A la carte and degustation menus are on offer, with sophisticated starters such as king fish and pickled radish ($21) and heartier mains such as house-made pappardelle with blue swimmer crab ($29). 40 Waymouth Street, Adelaide EROS OUZERI Eros Ouzeri is a bit of an Adelaide institution. The grand daddy of Rundle Street, its cafe is home to the best damn kataiffi in town and the restaurant proper will sort you out with classic Greek mezze fare such as grilled haloumi, octopus and gyros as well as heartier mains such as lamb shoulder ($29.90) or a charred Angus fillet with mustard skordalia ($35). All this deliciousness is accompanied, of course, by a robust, SA-faithful wine list. Head in for a lunch banquet ($45) and let the famously hospitable Eros staff welcome you to the fold. 277 Rundle Street, Adelaide The Grace Establishment Located on The Parade — which is generally busy with shoppers and alfresco diners, but don't let that put you off — The Grace Establishment is a nice option for a sit-down lunch without breaking the bank. Relatively new and still very shiny, it's part bar, restaurant and beer garden, meaning you can sit indoors or out for a charcuterie board, plate of Kinkawoona mussels or a hearty SA sirloin. 127 The Parade, Norwood GOLDEN BOY RESTAURANT Golden Boy Restaurant popped up last year to feed the hungry punters at the Botanic Bar at the East End of the city and it has quickly become a destination in its own right, serving honest, home-style Thai food in a relaxed setting. Open till midnight, Golden Boy offers the perfect late-night fix of spicy chicken wings and pork belly — you can lick your fingers in style. 309 North Terrace, Adelaide Words by Lauren Vadnjal and Jessica Keath. Peel Street image courtesy of Kristina Dryža via Facebook.
The Sydney rock oyster is one of the finest down under — some might even say in the world. It's creamy, briny, sweet and this August, it's taking centre stage at the Western Sydney Oyster Festival in the heart of Rooty Hills. Over 250,000 NSW-grown Sydney rock oysters have travelled from the coastline to West HQ, where they'll star in specials across the precinct's top dining venues. From Sunday to Thursday, score a tray of 13 natural Sydney rock oysters for just $18 around West HQ. Each restaurant is dressing the iconic bivalve up with a signature touch: red wine vinegar dressing at Steak & Oyster Co by Sean Connolly, soy ponzu sauce at CHU Restaurant by China Doll, an Italian vinaigrette at Pizzaperta Manfredi, and a chilli and lime dressing at New Town Thai. [caption id="attachment_1017903" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied[/caption] The Sydney rock oyster farmers at East 33 support and supply the festival. Drop by Eat Street on Sundays (11am–2pm) to catch live shucking demonstrations and insider info on the estuary-to-table process from experts Matt Toan and his colleagues. [caption id="attachment_1017902" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Images: supplied[/caption]
For the first time in the award's 98-year history, a portrait of an Asian Australian has taken out the coveted Archibald Prize. The winner of the 2019 prize, announced today, is a painting of contemporary artist Lindy Lee by Sydney painter Tony Costa. Costa's oil painting, titled Lindy Lee, was chosen from 51 finalists, which include Tessa MacKay's Packing Room Prize-winning hyperreal portrait of actor David Wenham. In the portrait, Costa attempts to capture the energy of Lee — a practising Zen Buddhist and Taoist, who explores her Chinese ancestry and spirituality through her paintings and sculptures — through his use of minimal colour. "I have kept the colour minimal to avoid any visual noise," said Costa in a statement. "The challenge for me was to capture the energy of Lindy — the emotional over and above the physical. Costa said it was this energy — as well as her "wisdom, humility, courage, humour" — which attracted him to Lee, who was herself a Archibald finalist in 2002, and sat for portraits in 06 and 12. Costa's works are known for their distortion of form and colour, which he employs in this most-recent work. [caption id="attachment_721079" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lindy Lee by Tony Costa.[/caption] In more good news, the winners of the Wynne and Sir John Sulman prizes were also revealed today. Sylvia Ken took out the former — which awards the best landscape painting of Australian scenery or figure sculpture — for her depiction of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands (Ken's homeland) and skies where the Seven Sisters story takes place. This is the fourth year in a row that an Indigenous Australian artist has been awarded the prize. [caption id="attachment_721082" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Seven Sisters by Sylvia a Ken. Photo by Jenni Carter.[/caption] The Sir John Sulman Prize goes to the best mural, subject or genre painting, and was this year awarded to McLean Edwards' work entitled The first girl that knocked on his door, depicting a young man looking for love. [caption id="attachment_721081" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The first girl that knocked on his door by McLean Edwards. Photo by Mim Stirling.[/caption] The winning portraits and finalists will be on display at Sydney's Art Gallery of NSW from tomorrow — Saturday, May 11 — up until September 9. If you do't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice. ARCHIBALD PRIZE 2019 DATES Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney — May 11–September 9 TarraWarra Museum of Art, Victoria — September 14–November 5 Gosford Regional Gallery and Arts Centre, NSW — November 15–January 12, 2020 Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, NSW — January 24, 2020–March 8 Bank Art Museum Moree, NSW — March 20, 2020–May 3 Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW — May 15, 2020–June 28 Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, NSW — July 3, 2020–August 16 If you can't make it to any of the above dates, you can check out the award winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website.
Few shops can claim to be a true family affair, but Fourth Village is one of them — and it's a quality that only enriches the character of this lower north shore providore. The Quattroville family has curated an impressive supply of high-calibre products, with a deli, cheese room (taste before you buy), flower shop and grocer all in the one place. The deli provides Australian cuts alongside imported Spanish ham and Italian prosciutto, while the fine foods section sells gourmet products derived from traditional family recipes, all the way through to sweet treats from some of the finest chocolatiers of Tuscany. You can also find a variety of olive oils, dressings, infused oils, jams and Italian picked vegetables, which are all a part of the Fourth Village label exclusively sourced from the family farm in the lower Hunter Valley. Since 1997, the family has been perfecting the process of offering farm-to-table food in both the providore and its accompanying restaurant — which boasts a comprehensive Italian menu to enjoy post-big Sunday shop.
A monthly literary event co-curated by Age writers and renaissance women Michaela McGuire and Marieke Hardy with all proceeds going to Edgar's Mission, Women of Letters has proven to be wildly popular in Melbourne (and also at the Splendour in the Grass festival, where the event had a successful slot on the Sunday morning). Since its inception in March, every event has sold out, and it's no wonder. Blending the lost art of letter writing with public entertainment in a relaxed and friendly environment, Women of Letters boasts monthly line-ups of strong and intelligent women reading their letters to a particular theme, previously including letters to 'The Night I'd Rather Forget', 'My First Pin-Up', 'My Nemesis' and 'The Song I Wish I'd Written' (the Splendour theme, which included men on the panel for the first and only time. See Paul Kelly's amazing video submission below). Amongst the wine, speakers and DJs, audience members are encouraged to participate, penning their own aerogrammes using the stationery provided. Finally, Women of Letters makes its way to Sydney for one exciting show this month. The Sydney Edition features crime author Tara Moss, ABC's First Tuesday Book Club host Jennifer Byrne, actor Claudia Karvan, television and radio presenter Fenella Kernebone, writer Sophie Braham, actor Virginia Gay, songwriter Sally Seltmann and actor Sacha Horler, all of whom will be penning the minefield that is 'A Love Letter'. Also on the bill is Triple J's Zan Rowe, who will be exhibiting her fine DJing skills. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0lSULKtvSF8
You would think that for a country girt by sea, comprising a shitload of bewilderingly great beaches and a population who love a good bevvy, we'd have more opportunities to drink by the ocean (you know, outside of a sneaky goon sack stroll down the shore on NYE). But we haven't, legally, until now. Fremantle's Bathers Beach House has been granted Australia's first liquor license for alfresco beach dining (and drinking). The WA establishment is currently the only place in Australia where you can (legally) drink on the beach. Of course, they've arranged sun lounges in their newly licensed sand and will be serving a range of food and drinks from their beachside menu, delivered straight to your sunbathing face. General erosion, gradual ecosystem destruction and environmental impact aside, generally speaking, it could be the impetus the rest of Australia needs to start amending the laws that forbid the pairing of our nation's two strongest assets: a hot beach and cold beers. The Gold Coast toyed with the idea in 2015 but to no avail. Come on local Australian councils, legalise beach beers. Think of the boom in sales of those fold-out chairs with in-built drink holders. We can't afford not to follow suit on this one. Via Hospitality Magazine.
Head to the growing food mecca that is Burwood and make a beeline for Yang's Dumpling. Part of the popular Shanghainese chain, it first opened in Burwood as a takeaway-only spot. Thankfully, it has since set up shop on Deane Street with space to dine in, and another neon-lit outpost on Enmore Road in Newtown. You'll want to order its signature sheng jian bao (from $7.80) — doughy, crisp-bottom dumplings filled with spicy pork mince. The xiao long bao ($8.80) here are also exceptional, as are the sui mai ($7.80), deep-fried mini pork buns (from $6.80) and the Sichuan-style wontons in peanut sauce ($10.80). Hot tip: order extra peanut sauce and put it on everything.
In a week already brimming with restaurant closures, yet another famed Melbourne eatery has called it a day, only this one's got nothing to do with wage theft. According to The Age, much-loved Chinatown restaurant Shark Fin House has been forced to shut its doors after fears surrounding coronavirus saw a huge dip in customer numbers. Despite the restaurant's 30-year history, co-owner and co-founder Gabriel Chan revealed they'd had no choice but to shut last Sunday, with diners seemingly too afraid to eat there. He told The Age that an 80 percent drop in customer numbers meant more than 50 Shark Fin House employees had been laid off and that it's highly unlikely the restaurant will be able to reopen. The restaurant's sibling venue Shark Fin Inn is also under threat of closure due to dwindling numbers, with Chan calling for support from locals to help it survive the coming weeks. Food writers Gemima Cody and Sofia Levin are rallying diners in an effort to fill the Bourke Street restaurant's dinner service on Monday, February 24, though dropping by any time for a feed will help make a difference. Of course, the Shark Fin restaurants aren't alone in their troubles, with plummeting patron numbers across the board prompting calls for diners to wise up and steer clear of misinformation surrounding coronavirus. As the ABC explained, "there are no reports of human-to-human coronavirus transmission in Australia: There's no sign anyone is catching it from anyone else." Politicians are also encouraging Melburnians to support their local Chinese restaurants, with Federal Parliament's first Chinese-born MP Gladys Liu telling The Age, "I will be going out this weekend in Box Hill and Glen Waverley to make sure that people know that it is safe." Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos also took to social media to remind everyone that Chinese restaurants across the state are open for business and safe to attend, saying, "the fact is that all Victorians that have been affected by the new coronavirus have recovered and are no longer contagious." And City of Melbourne councillors enjoyed a lunch in Chinatown earlier this week, with a Facebook post from Lord Mayor Sally Capp saying: "All the expert advice shows there's no increased risk from coronavirus in Melbourne. Keep coming to the city to support all the amazing businesses we have here." https://twitter.com/JennyMikakos/status/1227461526589788163 Within the industry, restaurateurs are also rallying support for each other with David Zhou from Oriental Teahouse and David's Restaurant telling Concrete Playground: "We all need to support each other where we can to minimise the impact of the challenges we face.The facts are out there, so if you have a favourite Chinese restaurant, the time to go visit them is now." To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Image: Chinatown by Josie Withers for Visit Victoria
If you're a fan of Japan's top-notch scotches, head to Tokyo Bird for a selection of premium imported whiskies and tasty meat-sticks, formally known as yakitori. In the izakaya tradition, this dimly lit den is all about the drinks, coupled with a savoury snacking menu to ensure you don't get too tipsy and disgrace the family name. Japanese whisky has well and truly taken off, with bar managers across the globe updating their drink menus to reflect the increasingly legitimate entrant to the new wave of nations getting in on the spirit and delivering it at a world-leading level. Tokyo Bird is well positioned to cater to the trend, with a selection of more than 25 imported Japanese whiskys. One of the most notable tipples is the award-winning Yamazaki. The 12-year-old offers up a delicate dram with tropical notes and teasing spice, while the 6-10-year-old Yamazaki Distillers Reserve is mild with hints of vanilla and Japanese oak (mizunara). Other selections from the Suntory range include the Hibiki 12-year-old or 21-year-old, or you can try the toffee tasting pure malt from the Nikka Distillery. If you have mixed feelings towards whisky, there's also Asahi Super Dry and Asahi Black tap (the Black brew has a sunny flavour belying its sinister black colour). For snacks, get stuck into the sticks. Yakitori is traditionally made with chicken, and you can choose from thigh, wing, liver, heart or giblet skewers, all marinated in a sweet soy tare (sauce) and imbued with smoke from the charcoal grill. A Japanese arabiki cheese sausage skewer is particularly tasty, much like a fancy kransky (if such a thing exists — which it most definitely does). The white cabbage salad with sesame dressing makes a refreshing side dish and palate cleanser, or for a casual bar snack you can't go past a bowl of crispy fried renkon (lotus root) chips with spicy mayonnaise. With whiskys aplenty, but not many seats, it pays to be an early bird at Tokyo Bird. Images: George Hong
It was only a matter of time before Australia's penchant for themed brunches spawned an all-out, fairytale-inspired breakfast feast. And you'll have the chance to partake — and channel your inner Ariel, Mulan or, even, Simba — when another huge (unofficial) Disney-themed bottomless brunch and sing-along party rocks into town. The Magical Brunch will go down at a secret location in the CBD sometime in September, and princes, princesses and singing candelabras should expect to sit down to an afternoon high tea feast served "fairytale-style" — along with two hours of unlimited Champagne, beer or mimosas. We're hoping for something similar to Belle's 'Be Our Guest' feast in Beauty and the Beast. Word is there'll be themed entertainment and a Cinderella-worthy dance floor for post-brunch twirling, too. Best dust off the DVD collection and start practising — costumes are definitely encouraged, so you'd best start hunting for your best Elsa gown or Cruella de Vil two-tone wig. The Magical Brunch tickets will start from $77.50. To sign-up for pre-sale, head to the website.
Merivale has acquired its fourth venue within Sydney's inner west, purchasing the long-standing Norton's Irish Pub. Sitting at the corner of Norton Street and Parramatta Road, Leichardt, just down from the suburb's Italian Forum and Norton Plaza, the pub currently operates as your tried-and-true Irish pub and sports bar with a classic pub food menu. Merivale, no doubt, have big ideas for the venue with future plans for it expected to be announced in the coming months. Norton's joins Vic on the Park, Queens Hotel and 3 Weeds as part of Merivale's inner west portfolio. "It is such a privilege to be part of Sydney's vibrant inner west; every suburb has a unique energy and their local pubs play a special role in shaping their culture," said CEO Justin Hemmes. While 3 Weeds is currently closed, the Rozelle neighbourhood pub and bistro is expected to reopen later in 2021 under Merivale's ownership, following an extensive refurbishment. The heritage-listed venue will feature the first inner west outpost of Merivale's popular Italian eatery, Totti's. [caption id="attachment_702661" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Totti's Bondi[/caption] Merivale currently operates more than 60 venues across Sydney, including Mr. Wong, The Beresford, Ivy and Coogee Pavilion. Hemmes' collection of bars and restaurants has been growing in recent years, with the purchase of venues such as The Duke of Gloucester Hotel and Hotel Centennial. Earlier in 2021, Hemmes purchased waterside bar The Quaterdeck on the NSW south coast and the historic Tomasetti House down in Melbourne, marking Merivale's first ventures outside of Sydney. Merivale will receive the keys to Norton's Irish Pub later this month.
With restrictions on indoor gatherings currently in place across Australia — first limiting non-essential inside events and venues to no more than 100 people in one space, and then implementing a limit of one person per four square metres — the nation's hospitality industry is changing fast. Many restaurants, cafes and bars have added or expanded takeaway and delivery options, ensuring that you can still eat and drink their wares at home and, crucially, help support their businesses. And in Continental Deli Bar Bistro's case, that now extends to its popular canned cocktails. Usually, you might hop into Continental Deli's in Newtown or the CBD for a Mar-tinny. Now, you'll be knocking back a Quaran-tinny — and you can do so while sitting on your couch. The venue describes it as "like a normal martini, but you drink it alone in your house". https://www.instagram.com/p/B9_PI8wj-Za/ While you'll still need to head in to pick up your canned cocktails, this is the first time that Continental Deli has made them available for takeaway. It hopes that'll only need to be the case for a limited time — depending how long the COVID-19 situation lasts, obviously. Continental Deli is currently still open for dining in and, as always, you can grab and go from its deli, sandwich and dry goods range. Find Continental Deli Bar Bistro at 167 Phillip Street, Sydney and 21o Australia Street, Newtown — open Monday–Friday in the CBD and seven days in Newtown. Top image: Kitti Smallbone.
Summer means sunny days, escaping to your closest body of water whenever you can, openair drinks aplenty and treating yo'self to all the tastebud-cooling ice cream you like. This summer, it also means making sure that your home also smells like sweet treats — like Bubble O'Bills, Paddle Pops, Golden Gaytimes and Splices, to be exact. Some scents will always stay with you — and for anyone who grew up eating as many rainbow Paddle Pops as they could manage whenever the weather was warm, that sweet treat's caramel-meets-vanilla aroma is 100-percent the scent of summer. Now, it can be the fragrance that wafts through your home when the weather is warm (and during every other season, too), with Dusk bringing back its range ice cream-flavoured candles. The company first launched these enticingly scented, dessert craving-sparking goods back in winter and they promptly sold out, but now's clearly an ideal time for them. In a collaboration with Streets, the two-wick candles are hitting the shelves in-store again — and online — from Thursday, November 24. Obviously, one candle is scented like rainbow Paddle Pops, the go-to gem of supermarket freezers. Yes, each one smells like vanilla bean, strawberry and caramel. Yes, you'll feel hungry. Among the candles scented like fellow classic sweet treats, the Golden Gaytime version emits the aroma of toffee, vanilla and chocolate, while the Bubble O'Bill number smells like strawberries and raspberries — not bubblegum. As for the Splice, the scent of pine lime and vanilla will be floating through your home. Each two-wick candle costs $54.99, and drops not only in time for summer, but also for Christmas. Yes, buying one/some for yourself as a gift is perfectly acceptable. Constantly being hungry for ice cream is about to become your new reality, clearly — and if you also decked out your abode with Gelato Messina candles a few years back, and Tim Tam candles as well, consider this your latest sweet-smelling must-have. Dusk's range of Paddle Pop, Golden Gaytime, Splice and Bubble O'Bill candles hit stores and online again from 9am AEST on Thursday, November 24. Head to the company's website for further information.
Japan might be the land of the rising sun, but the sun isn't something we want to face before coffee. Luckily, Japan does a damn good brew, mixing the best of the American filter scene with antipodean flatties and lattes. We drank our way around the country to find the best buzz this side of hitting the high notes in some J-pop karaoke. ONIBUS COFFEE, TOKYO Let the smell of coffee draw you down an alleyway behind Naka-meguro Station, where you'll find one of the best flat whites in Tokyo. Even better? The magic happens in a Tiny Homes–esque white box house that will blow up your Instagram feed. This is the flagship roaster for Onibus Coffee, and, apart from serving punters, the shop also uses its 15-tonne roaster to pump out beans for Onibus' other shops around Tokyo, including the made-for-Instagram About Life Coffee Roasters in Shibuya. SWITCH COFFEE, TOKYO Switch Coffee, in the backstreets of Meguro, might look like a regular coffee shop. But one sip into the smooth calcium kick of one of their lattes — or, even better, the espresso tonic (espresso shot + tonic water = magic) — and you'll be planning the rest of your Tokyo stay around how many times you can get back to Switch. It's all the work of one man; owner Onishi roasts and brews all of the coffee, and he does different beans day to day — so you've got even more reason to go back and try them all. OBSCURA COFFEE, HIROSHIMA When you think of Hiroshima, you probably don't think of coffee. But that doesn't mean you have to resort to following hipster dudes around town to find a good cup of joe — just head straight to Obscura Coffee. After starting in Tokyo, Obscura has opened a coffee shop in the centre of Hiroshima. The space is cleanly white, almost monastic in appearance. But what's being worshipped here are coffee beans, which Obscura roasts in their Tokyo laboratory and ships down to Hiroshima. Fittingly, a taste of Obscura's perfectly brewed iced coffee is almost a religious experience — it's really damn delicious. [caption id="attachment_613844" align="alignnone" width="1920"] % Arabica by Takumi Ota[/caption] % ARABICA, KYOTO This tiny converted Japanese house with huge windows, minimalist finishes and street seating next to a wide river with overhanging mountains might just be the prettiest coffee shop in the world. But people don't just come to this spot in Arashiyama on the outskirts of Kyoto (and its sister cafe in the city's main temple district) for the Insta props. The house-roasted coffee has a very smooth and slightly dark finish, resulting in perhaps the best iced coffee in town (and it looks prime against the white house for All The Photos). MORIHIKO, SAPPORO Sapporo's coffee scene feels like it landed via the filter coffee capital of the world, Portland, as flat whites have retreated and left the field to milk-free coffee. So don't waste time trying to find a flat white — do like the locals do and head straight to Morihiko. This local coffee chain has a few branches across Sapporo, each one with its own personality. We went from a coffee doughnut paired with American press at the grungy warehouse DxM to a delicate chiffon cake matched with French press at the ivy-covered enchanted house of Morihiko. It's almost enough to stop you ordering a flat white ever again. BROOKLYN ROASTING COMPANY, OSAKA When people talk about coffee in Osaka, Brooklyn Roasting Co. is generally the first name that crops up. It might be because this is another place in a stupidly idyllic spot — this time next to a flower shop on a river overlooking a ceramics museum in Kitahama — but it's also because of the coffee. Now, your coffee experience might be totally different from our coffee experience, and that's because the cafe cycles through different house-roasted beans every day. But we can guarantee it will be good. Go for an iced coffee or an Americano (don't go anything shorter than a latte). TORANOMON KOFFEE, TOKYO Toranomon Koffee is the last remaining Tokyo shop by the owner of the late and much-lamented Omotesando Koffee in Harajuku. We'll be straight up with you: this shop isn't as cool as Omotesando. Even though Toranomon has a nifty set-up of plywood frames and test tubes filled with coffee, well, there's no hiding it — Toranomon is in a huge office building. In the embassy district. On the fancy Ginza line. There. We've told you everything! Now, let's move on to the coffee. Omotesando did the best espresso in town, and Toranomon may very well keep that mantle, with a smooth, full-bodied shot, and no traces of the bitterness and burnt coffee that's often called an espresso in Japan. ALLPRESS ESPRESSO, TOKYO We know, we know — Allpress technically hales from New Zealand, and they have cafes across both NZ and Australia. But with queues of up to an hour on an average weekend day, Allpress has been well and truly embraced by Tokyoites. You'll find both the cafe and the roaster in a sizeable warehouse in the coffee zone of east Tokyo (other coffee notables Blue Bottle and Arise are just around the corner). Once you've managed to get in the door, try the freshly roasted beans in a standard NZ variety flat white, or the more Tokyo-friendly Americano iced coffee. As well as caffeinating the thirsty hordes, Allpress is pumping out beans to cafes around Tokyo, including fellow export Frankie Espresso Melbourne in Shimokitazawa (the latest venture from the good sorts who first brought you Melbourne's Little Ramen Bar). [caption id="attachment_613875" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kars Alfrink via Flickr[/caption] CAFE DE L'AMBRE, TOKYO Like a sommelier is to wine, so the baristas at the old-school Cafe L'Ambre are to coffee. This really is a temple to the bean — owner Ichiro Sekiguchi has been roasting coffee since the 1940s. The main difference about the beans here? Some of them have been aged for 20 years (or more). Pick your bean blend from the menu, and sit back and watch the show — the process is strictly hand-drip. When your coffee is in front of you, take a sip. Yup. That's one of the best coffees you've had in your life. DONGREE COFFEE, KYOTO This little one-man coffee stand is proof that you don't need a killer social media manager (or much online presence at all) to be the best at what you do. Dongree doesn't roast any beans — the back of their stall is a tiny shop selling a beautiful hodge-podge of wares — but rather showcases a rotating selection from the best Kyoto roasters. Order an iced coffee and you'll be asked to select your beans, before said beans are lovingly weighed, ground, placed in the filter and slowly hand watered until, drip by drip, the best coffee in Kyoto slowly forms in the cup. It's worth hunting down.
First, hobbits tuck into breakfast. Then, they enjoy second breakfast. In fact, in both JRR Tolkien's books and the movie adaptations that've brought them to the screen so far, they like their meals frequently and with the smallest of gaps between them. That seems to be an approach that Prime Video is taking to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, its upcoming Middle-earth series, too — at least when it comes to dropping sneak peeks at the long-awaited show. The Rings of Power seems like it has been in the works forever, because it's now been 21 years since the first of The Lord of the Rings movies had everyone rushing to cinemas, obsessing over hobbits and elves, and saying "precious" too many times — and, it's also been five years since it was initially revealed that a TV series was in the works. The show will drop in September, starting on Friday, September 2, but early glimpses have been as rare as a pacifist orc until this month. Now, in the space of just a fortnight, Prime Video has dropped not just one, not two, but three new trailers. The latest arrived during San Diego Comic-Con, aka the reason that other big fantasy titles such as Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and game-to-screen adaptation Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves have also released trailers this week — and it's the longest look at The Rings of Power yet. It also provides the most complete overview of the show's storyline, which jumps back into Middle-earth's Second Age, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the first time. In past trailers — including the initial sneak peek back in February — gorgeous settings, elves, dwarves, harfoots (aka hobbit ancestors), stormy seas, strange skies, cave trolls, raging fires and orc battles have all popped up. This new trailer pieces together more of the plot around them. The focus: the rise of Sauron, how that gave rise to the rings and the impact across Middle-earth. Also seen in the new sneak peek: more orcs, and even a balrog. The Rings of Power features a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) and a young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man), too — and, this time, New Zealand's natural splendours stand in for the Elven realms of Lindon and Eregion, the Dwarven realm Khazad-dûm, the Southlands, the Northernmost Wastes, the Sundering Seas and the island kingdom of Númenór. Amazon first announced the show back in 2017, gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and set its premiere date back in 2021. In-between, it confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies. Rather, as per the show's official synopsis, it follows "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. The series will "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness," the synopsis continues. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. That's a hefty tale to tell, and The Rings of Power has amassed a hefty cast to tell it — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the other actors traversing Middle-earth are Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing) as Arondir, Nazanin Boniadi (Bombshell) as Bronwyn, Owain Arthur (A Confession) as Prince Durin IV, Charlie Vickers (Palm Beach) as Halbrand and Sophia Nomvete (The Tempest) as Princess Disa. There's also Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. Check out the latest The Rings of Power trailer below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022. Images: Matt Grace / Ben Rothstein.
The black parade is coming back to Sydney — finally. After their attempt to head to our shores in 2020 was thwarted due to the pandemic, and then their rescheduled 2022 dates as well, the reunited My Chemical Romance is making 2023 the year they hit the Harbour City. The dates to get excited about: Sunday, March 19–Monday, March 20. The third time is set to prove the charm for Gerard Way and co, and for music lovers eager to grab their eyeliner, don every black piece of clothing in their wardrobe, relive their angsty emo teenage years and let out three cheers. The new tour will mark more than a decade since MCR last came to Australia for the 2012 Big Day Out — and comes after the US group went their separate ways in 2013, then reformed in 2019. Fans will be pleased to know that MCR are headlining their own shows on this tour, too, rather than leading a festival bill as they were slated to do in 2020. And, they're playing two Sydney gigs — both at Qudos Bank Arena. Back in late 2019, when MCR announced that they were literally getting the band back together, they sold out their first reunion gig in Los Angeles quick smart — and tickets to their Australian gigs have already proven mighty popular. So, expect to have ample company lapping up 'I'm Not Okay', 'Helena', 'Teenagers', 'I Don't Love You', 'The Foundations of Decay' and more. Top image: My Chemical Romance performing by NBSTwo via Flickr.
Chances are, you think you know your Snowy Mountains adventures pretty well. In winter, they're all about skiing, snowboarding and apres. Come summer, you're thinking hiking, biking and white water rafting. But what about all the escapades you haven't thought of? Among the Snowies' thousands and thousands of hectares of snow gum forests, open plains, rugged peaks and waterfalls, there are surprises of many kinds. Get started with these ideas — from bobsledding down a mountain in Thredbo to spotting wild brumbies in remote wilderness. From coastal getaways to outback adventures, Australia is home to a wealth of places to explore. Every trip away offers the chance to not only reconnect and recharge, but also to support the communities that have been affected by bushfires. Your visit plays an important role in Australia's recovery, which is why we've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your next Holiday Here This Year. Some of the places mentioned below may still be closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please check websites before making any plans. [caption id="attachment_746526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thredbo Media[/caption] HURTLE DOWN A MOUNTAINSIDE ON A BOBSLED Skiing a black run isn't the only way to get your adrenaline hit in the Snowies. Come summer, you have the option of hurtling down the mountain in quite another fashion. From October each year, Thredbo's Alpine Bobsled opens for play. This twisting, turning feat of engineering travels down a steep slope for 700 metres, delivering thrills (not spills) all the way. Rides, available at Thredbo Sports Valley Terminal, are just ten bucks a pop. But, if you're a bobsled fiend, you'd best invest in a ten-ride pass for $60. [caption id="attachment_749012" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Murray Vanderveer/DPIE[/caption] WALK THROUGH A LIMESTONE GORGE TO A WATERFALL If you like your adventures with a side of spectacular scenery, the Clarke Gorge walking track is for you. This five-kilometre return journey takes you through a narrow gorge, carved out over millions of years by Cave River and flanked by sheer limestone cliffs. Reach the end to be rewarded with even more beauty in the form of the 15-metre-high Cave Creek Falls. You might well have wedge-tailed eagles and grey kangaroos for company along the way. Check the NSW national parks website for current alerts before you venture to this walking track, as it was affected by the 2019/2020 summer bushfires. The track begins at Blue Waterholes campground, where you can book in to stay the night. Note: all camping in NSW national parks now requires advance bookings. [caption id="attachment_746554" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] SPOT WILD BRUMBIES FROM LONG PLAIN DRIVE Some of Australia's most beautiful — yet under-visited — summer landscapes are the Snowy Mountains' High Plains. Wherever you are, keep an eye out for herds of wild brumbies, galloping across open grass, like something out of an American Western. The most breathtaking views are along Long Plain Drive, an 18-kilometre route that, for the most part, is free of trees. Be sure to stop by Coolamine Homestead, an 1800s home with a shady verandah, where you can relax and contemplate times past. Several campgrounds are in the area, including Coleman Mountain and Cooinbil Hut. GO ON AN OVERNIGHT HORSE TREK If there's a classic Australian way to experience the Snowy Mountains wilderness, it's on horseback. You could, of course, settle for a one-hour trail ride. But an overnight trek is a much more epic adventure. On top of trotting and galloping through grasslands, snow gum forests and rocky terrain, you'll spend an evening in front of a roaring fire, sleeping beneath the stars, in the company of your trusty speed. To book an experience, contact Cochran Horse Treks or Reynella Rides. [caption id="attachment_624129" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Murray Vanderveer[/caption] SWIM IN A THERMAL POOL Warm up with a dip in Yarrangobilly Caves thermal pool. It's quiet and secluded, with heaps to explore in the surroundings. Filled with water from a natural hot spring, the 20-metre pool remains at a perfect 27 degrees all year round. Get there via a short (but steep) 700-metre walk from the nearby car park, or wind your way along the three-kilometre River Walk. Afterwards, have a post-swim feed in the adjacent picnic area. The surrounding caves are currently closed, however, check the NSW national parks website before you travel for the latest information. DINE IN A REPURPOSED CINEMA In the picturesque mountain village of Tumbarumba, you'll find Nest Cinema Cafe Books. And it does exactly what the name suggests — provides a cosy space with a cinema (currently closed), cafe and lots of books. Fair warning: once you've settled into a couch here, you won't want to leave. During COVID-19, the Nest has transformed its cinema screening area into a dining space, so you can book in to enjoy cake, coffee, pizza and a couple of beers in the boutique cinema — or opt for a spot by the fireplace or outdoors on the deck. It's best to book ahead to secure a spot, and if you're unlucky but still want to sample the food, it also offers takeaway. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Top image: Tourism Snowy Mountains
