Is Renée Jeanne Falconetti's face the most haunting in cinema history? For almost a century, The Passion of Joan of Arc has made that case. Playing the titular role in Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 silent great, the French actress says everything with her eyes as she stares at the lens with deep and lingering soulfulness. Seeing the film means never being able to forget her. Watching The Passion of Joan of Arc on a big screen also usually involves being treated to a new experience each and every time. Among the silent films from almost 100 years back that keep scoring new cinema showings, this is a deservedly popular pick — and it keeps gaining new scores, too. Julia Holter is among those who've tried their hand, first performing her soundtrack for the movie in Los Angeles in 2017. In 2025, she's finally bringing it to Australia. Melbourne International Film Festival is presenting the cinema masterpiece with Holter's score played live, taking over Melbourne Recital Centre for two evenings across Monday, August 11–Tuesday, August 12. This is both an Australian premiere and Australian exclusive, with Holter taking to the stage with her band and The Consort of Melbourne choir — and with UK-based orchestrator and composer Hugh Brunt conducting. A film like no other, a performance to match, and a score by the musician that also left an imprint on the screen with her soundtrack for Never Rarely Sometimes Always: this will be a memorable movie-and-music presentation.
ARIA has revealed the full list of nominees for its 39th annual ceremony, returning to Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday, November 19. In partnership with Spotify, this year's awards will celebrate artists who are redefining the sound and scope of Australian music — from club floors to global charts. Ninajirachi leads the pack with a record-breaking eight nominations, the most ever for a female electronic artist in ARIA history. Her debut album I Love My Computer has cemented her place at the forefront of a new wave of Australian producers pushing pop and club sounds forward. Close behind is Dom Dolla with seven nods, recognised for his chart-topping track 'Dreamin''. Other major contenders include Amyl and The Sniffers and Thelma Plum, each earning six nominations, while Hilltop Hoods and RÜFÜS DU SOL scored five and four, respectively. The 2025 ARIAs will also debut a new category: Best Music Festival. Nominees include Ability Fest, Beyond the Valley, Bluesfest Byron Bay, Laneway Festival and Yours and Owls — a nod to Australia's thriving live scene. Meanwhile, rock legends You Am I will be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. "This year's nominees are living proof that Australian artists are shaping the global cultural narrative in real time," said ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. "There's no longer a singular image of what success looks like for an artist — and the stories celebrated in November are absolute proof of that." For the first time, fans can vote for public categories directly through Spotify, with voting open until November 10. The 2025 ARIA Awards will take place at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday, November 19. For the full list of nominees, visit the ARIA Awards website. Images: Supplied
Enjoying a quality brew is as Aussie as meat pies and footy, and we boast one of the busiest (and best) beer scenes in the world. One of our closest neighbours, Japan, has an equally impressive beer scene. Now one of its native brews, The Premium Malt's, is celebrating its new Tokyo flagship bar by touring the globe — with a Sydney stop included. The Premium Malt's is setting up in the heart of Sydney, specifically in Haymarket's Nakano Darling. It's an inner-city bar that specialises in izakaya-style dining (small snacks and refreshing drinks) — think delicious karaage chicken, gyoza, edamame beans, stir-fried wagyu and more. From Friday, July 21 to Sunday, August 6, you can pair that food with four delicious brews from The Premium Malt's. Those four varieties are Premol, Premol Black, Half & Half (Premol & Premol Black), and Mliko. Each brew offers different levels of flavour and richness, but all offer the brand's pride and joy: 'Kami-Awa', which translates to 'divine foam'. The Premium Malt's House opens on Friday, July 21 and runs until Sunday, August 6. For more information, visit the Suntory website, and visit the Nakano Darling website to make a booking.
2024 marks two decades since one of the best blends of romance, comedy, drama and sci-fi of the 21st century reached screens in the form of Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. How should you celebrate that fact? Rewatching the movie always, and also checking out the French filmmaker's latest feature at Australia's annual Alliance Française French Film Festival. In his first movie since 2015, the director draws from his own experience in semi-autobiographical comedy The Book of Solutions — one of the just-announced full AFFFF program's clear must-sees. French film fans, rejoice — the lineup goes on from there, with 41 titles on offer overall. The festival will run across March and April in its 35th year, giving most of its stops a month of Gallic movies. So, in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra, get ready to see plenty of France from your cinema seat. Byron Bay's season is shorter, but still lasts for three weeks. At the end of 2023, AFFFF unveiled its first eight flicks for 2024, so audiences already had opening night's The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan to look forward to, alongside its second part The Three Musketeers: Milady. And, the Catherine Deneuve (The Truth)-led The President's Wife, Juliette Binoche (The Staircase)-starring The Taste of Things, futuristic The Animal Kingdom, regal scandal-focused Jeanne Du Barry, legal drama All Your Faces and Laure Calamy (The Origin of Evil) in Iris and the Men as well. Joining them are plenty of new highlights, such as Last Summer, the latest from iconic director Catherine Breillat (Abuse of Weakness), about a woman and her teenage stepson. Not one but two movies starring the great Isabelle Huppert (The Crime Is Mine) are on the roster, with The Sitting Duck casting her as IRL whistleblower Maureen Kearney and Sidonie in Japan about a love triangle that includes a ghost. And Second Round gets the closing-night spot, hailing from Albert Duponte (Bye Bye Morons), and taking aim at politics and the media. Attendees can also check out A Difficult Year, from The Intouchables' Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, and with Noémie Merlant (The Innocent) and Mathieu Amalric (The French Dispatch) among the cast — plus rom-com Mr Blake at Your Service!, with author Gilles Legardinier turning director to adapt his own book, and John Malkovich (Billions) and Fanny Ardant (Well Done!) starring. Historical drama Bonnard, Pierre & Marthe is about the painter (Vincent Macaigne, Irma Vep) and his wife (Cécile de France, The Swarm), while Out of Season has Guillaume Canet (Breaking Point) and Alba Rohrwacher (La Chimera) play ex-lovers. Like The Book of Solutions, The Taste of Things, The Animal Kingdom and romantic drama Along Came Love, both Àma Gloria and Rosalie grace the program after debuting at Cannes 2023. The first focuses on a girl and her nanny, while the second tells of a real historical figure who was born with hair covering her face and body. Other options include Take a Chance on Me, as starring French pop singer Louane Emera; fellow comedy A Chance to Win, where two rival villages face off in rugby; the swashbuckling The Edge of the Blade; the world premiere of King of My Castle, from the writers of Welcome to the Sticks; and the animated Nina and the Secret of the Hedgehog, with Audrey Tautou (The Jesus Rolls) among the voices. The fest is also giving classic Children of Paradise from 1945 a new big-screen celebration, taking viewers back to the 1800s with its storyline, as well as into Paris' theatre scene — because looking at France's great films from year gone by is another way to showcase the country's cinema industry and its impact. Alliance Française French Film Festival 2024 Dates: Tuesday, March 5–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace James St and Palace Barracks, Brisbane Tuesday, March 5–Tuesday, April 9 — Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, The Chauvel, Roseville Cinema and Cinema Orpheum Cremorne, Sydney Wednesday, March 6–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace Como, Kino Cinema, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Pentridge Cinema, The Astor Theatre and Palace Penny Lane, Melbourne Wednesday, March 6–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Luna Leedeerville and Windsor Cinema, Perth Thursday, March 7–Wednesday, March 27 — Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay Thursday, March 7–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace Electric, Canberra Thursday, March 21–Tuesday, April 16 — Nova Prospect and Palace Nova Eastend, Adelaide The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia in March and April 2024. For more information and tickets, visit the AFFFF website.
Some of the most wonderful sentences ever written include two glorious words: Nicolas Cage. Usually when the actor's name comes up, it's because he has a new film in the works — or sometimes a TV show — that makes another weird, wild and wonderful addition to an on-screen resume like no other. Already in 2023, he's added his first-ever western to the list. And, he's playing Dracula in Renfield, which might be the only time ever the iconic star has ever sucked. We could keep naming past highlights, such as stepping into his own shoes in 2022's The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and crooning Elvis songs for David Lynch's Wild at Heart, or we could jump straight into the next instant must-see project that might feature the one and only Cage: The Surfer. Just announced at this year's Cannes Film Festival, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, this sadly isn't the only Point Break remake that needs to be made. Like that flick, however — the Keanu Reeves-starring 90s original, not the terrible 2015 do-over — The Surfer has an Aussie connection. Cage looks set to play an Australian expat returning home from America and getting in a beach battle with a local gang of wave riders. An Aussie-set surfing thriller starring Cage? Sold. [caption id="attachment_901586" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moritz Barcelona via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Cage's titular character makes the trip Down Under after years in the US, only to get humiliated by other surfers in front of his teenage son. Cue a turf war, plus Cage's protagonist refusing to leave the beach. Cue the stakes escalating and the movie's namesake having his sanity tested, too. The film is set to shoot in Australia from September 2023, with director Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium) helming, working with a script by screenwriter Thomas Martin. There's no word yet who might co-star with Cage, but you'd expect every Australian actor ever to be lining up to be involved. [caption id="attachment_901587" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Guillaume Paumier via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Fresh from directing The Dry, Blueback and the upcoming Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Robert Connolly is one of The Surfer's producers, boosting its Aussie ties. Given that Cage's character will have been in America for years, that might help the movie get around needing him to bust out an Aussie accent — but who doesn't want to see the man who has proven a comedic genius for the Coen brothers, dabbled with Marvel in two different ways despite never appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, wordlessly fought demonic animatronics, swapped faces with John Travolta, gotten speedy before the Fast and Furious saga existed, taken to the skies with criminals and acted opposite himself in Adaptation give it a try anyway? There's no release date for The Surfer yet, either, or trailer obviously, but checking out Cage's exceptional work in Mandy is always recommended while you're waiting for his next films: The Surfer doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when more details are announced. Via The Hollywood Reporter. Top image: Gerald Geronimo via Wikimedia Commons.
With its latest movie-fuelled event, Immersive Cinema is hoping that you've never felt like this before — and that you love Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey dancing up a storm in a much-adored 1987 romantic drama. The second part is easy. As for the first, you might've actually stepped into this interactive Dirty Dancing experience back in 2019 when it first came to Australia. Who doesn't want to have the time of their life twice, though? For its second Aussie stint, Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience is only heading to Melbourne, taking over the Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, April 1–Sunday, April 2, 2023. If Francis 'Baby' Houseman can take a trip to Kellerman's Mountain House in the Catskills with her family, you can hit up the venue — and the Victorian capital if you're not a Melburnian — to get whisked away to the next best thing. Here, attendees will get plunged into the world of Dirty Dancing. Taking over the outdoor venue, Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience won't just screen one of Swayze's biggest film roles, but will recreate the world of the popular film. That means that attendees will travel back to 1963 in spirit, check into the flick's setting, and enjoy a day of painting classes, volleyball, croquet, mini golf and — of course — dance lessons. You can probably also expect a stint of carrying watermelons, and definitely a dance showcase. And yes, it all ends with an evening screening of Dirty Dancing on the big screen. You'd be just a fool to believe that's all that's on the agenda. Actors and dancers will roam around like the wind and, food- and drink-wise, Americana-style eats will be available at 12 different dining spots, while seven pop-up bars will sling summery cocktails — all on offer for those with hungry eyes (and stomachs). Also, there'll be a dedicated watermelon stand, plus a picnic area among the rose bushes. You'll also be able to wander through recreations of Kellerman's famous fictional spaces. That includes the staff quarters where Baby Houseman gets her first taste of dirty dancing, as well as the studios where she learns all the steps from and starts swooning over Johnny Castle. Wherever you head, nobody will be putting Baby in a corner. Like the film version of Kellerman's, the event is also an all-ages affair — and everyone is encouraged to dress up like it's the 60s, but appropriate footwear for dancing is a must. Also, because no one had phones back in the 60s, it's a technology-free experience as well. The only screen that matters: the big one showing the movie, of course. Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience will take over Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Saturday, April 1–Sunday, April 2, 2023. Ticket presales start at 10am AEDT on Monday, November 28, with general public tickets available from 10am on Wednesday, November 30. Images: Mushroom Creative House.
So far, 2022 has been the year of Wordle — of waking up, busting out your best five-letter guesses over your morning coffee, bragging about your prowess online, getting annoyed about American spelling and grumbling about changes since The New York Times took over the popular game, too. But come March, it'll also be the year of Celebrity Letters and Numbers for the second year running, because SBS is bringing back the star-studded version of its initial 2010–12 hit that first debuted last year. Whether you watched along back when famous folks weren't doing the puzzling, you've been hooked to repeats of old episodes over the past ten years or you jumped onboard when Celebrity Letters and Numbers premiered in 2021, there's no denying the joys of this simple but delightful game show. It celebrates clever contestants doing word and number brain-teasers, each episode has an engagingly low-key vibe — all while still remaining tense as competitors try to work out the right answers, of course — and it's very easy and immensely enjoyable to play along with from home. Accordingly, it's no wonder that SBS has made a second season of its new starry format, which'll start airing on SBS and via SBS On Demand from Saturday, March 5. Comedian Michael Hing is still on hosting duties, after taking over from the OG version's Richard Morecroft. Lily Serna is also returning to flip numbers and show off her maths skills, while David Astle will again tell contestants whether they've found real words or just made them up, all with his trusty dictionary in hand — as they've both done since before Letters and Numbers had an extra word at the beginning of its moniker. As happened during season one of Celebrity Letters and Numbers, they'll be joined by three different well-known faces and a special guest each week, some vying for glory and others sitting with Astle in dictionary corner — with season two set to feature Merrick Watts, Ben Law, Tanya Hennessy, Akmal Saleh, Susie Youssef and Aaron Chen, among others. And, this new run of episodes will again span an hour each, and feature 12 instalments. Making words out of nine randomly selected letters, using six also randomly chosen numbers in equations to reach a set figure, and rearranging a jumble of nine more letters into one lengthy word in the final round — that's still all on the bill, naturally, because it wouldn't be any version of Letters and Numbers otherwise. And yes, to answer the obvious question: this is basically SBS's Aussie version of the great 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (which SBS also airs, so it clearly knows that it's ace). Letters and Numbers, both with and without celebs, owes a big debt to a few European shows, in fact. When it first aired sans comedians more than a decade ago, the original Letters and Numbers took its cues from both French TV's Des chiffres et des lettres, which dates back to 1965 — and also from Britain's Countdown, which has been on the air since 1982, and then inspired 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Check out the trailer for season two of Celebrity Letters and Numbers below: The second season of Celebrity Letters and Numbers will start airing on SBS and via SBS On Demand from Saturday, March 5, with new episodes dropping weekly.
If you've found yourself hankering for an Italian beef sandwich after watching The Bear or been inspired to devour a damn-fine slice cherry pie thanks to Twin Peaks, then you'll know that TV shows and movies can influence your culinary choices. You mightn't have expected Yellowjackets to be on that list, however. When a series follows a group of teenage girls stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash, then forced to get creative — and cannibalistic — to survive, then IRL menu options don't normally jump out. Trust Sydney's NEL to challenge that perception with its latest imaginative 11-course degustation. The Harbour City fine-diner has taken inspiration from pop culture before, including via its popular Disney-inspired feasts and its Moulin Rouge!-themed spread. Among the restaurant's other limited-time degustation menus as well — KFC-inspired dinners, Christmas meals, heroing native Australian ingredients and more — taking cues from Yellowjackets certainly stands out, though. On offer: dishes that dig into the wild and primal reality that the hit show's characters find themselves in. The fact that NEL has dubbed the four-day-only pop-up menu 'Eat Your Heart Out' says plenty. [caption id="attachment_991129" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kailey Schwerman, Paramount+[/caption] "To be approached to create a Yellowjackets-inspired menu just felt like the perfect next venture for NEL Restaurant," said Chef Nelly Robinson about whipping up an inventive feast that aims to plunge diners' senses into Yellowjackets' world — not just via sights and sounds, but also via tastes. "For anyone that knows us, they understand we are about pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and getting to ask the questions of 'how do we make an ear appetising?' or 'how can we get someone to dig into a brain?' was a very exciting quest. The answer is obviously in the flavours, and while it might not be visually 'conventionally appetising', the flavours and aesthetics will most definitely leave you speechless." Across a three-hour experience that'll be on offer between Tuesday, March 4–Friday, March 7, 2025, think: digging for truffles, then tucking into the aptly named Salmon over River Misty (a moss- and salmon-heavy dish) and also seeing how NEL comes up with its own take on the show's darker survivalist scenario. Some dishes will nod to the diet consumed in the series, whether via heart-shaped servings, working in liver or plating up "something a little more ear-y". If you're feeling adventurous enough, you will need to try your luck not only in terms of testing your tastebuds, but to score a seat. Sittings are only available via entering for a chance to win on the NEL website between now and 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. So, attending is free — but only if your name is selected. If you're not located in Sydney, travelling there is at your own expense, but the Yellowjackets dinner at NEL will be on the house. For those who haven't dived into the series so far or need a refresher, Yellowjackets instantly proved one of the best new shows of 2021 when it debuted courtesy not just due to its killer setup — but it does tell a tale that fascinates from the outset. The thriller hops between the 90s and 25 years later. Across two seasons until now, life and friendship have proven complex for Yellowjackets' core quartet of Shauna (The Tattooist of Auschwitz's Melanie Lynskey as an adult, and also No Return's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager), Natalie (I'm a Virgo's Juliette Lewis, plus Companion's Sophie Thatcher), Taissa (Law & Order's Tawny Cypress, and also Scream VI's Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Misty (Wednesday's Christina Ricci, and also Atlas' Samantha Hanratty). The trailers for season three also put it this way: "once upon a time, a bunch of teenage girls got stranded in the wilderness ... and they went completely nuts." The full setup: back in 1996, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private aircraft, Shauna, Natalie, Taissa, Misty and the rest of their teammates entered Lost territory. The accident saw everyone who walked away stuck in the forest — and those who then made it through that ordeal stuck out there for 19 months, living their worst Alive-meets-Lord of the Flies lives. Season three starts streaming in Australia via Paramount+ on Friday, February 14, 2025. Check out the trailer below: NEL's Eat Your Heart Out degustation will be available from Tuesday, March 4–Friday, March 7, 2025 at 75 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney. For more information or to go in the running for a seat — which is only available to competition winners, with entries open till 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 — head to the NEL website. Yellowjackets season three starts streaming in Australia via Paramount+ on Friday, February 14, 2025.
Darlinghurst is set to gain a serious new player in its cafe scene with the opening of AP Bakery this March. Located along Burton Street (just behind Oxford), the new bakery is run by Shwarmama collaborators (and Sydney hospo greats) Russell Beard (Reuben Hills, Paramount Coffee Project, Paramount House Hotel) and Mat Lindsay (Ester, Poly). The A and P stand for 'all purpose', but the gents are working with anything but ordinary flour. Head baker Dougal Muffet also farms the heirloom seeds and grains that will be used in the cafe's New American stone mill — which will be milling away daily to create bread with a premium flavour and nutrition combo. Other seeds will be supplied by the Australian Gene Bank, which focuses on old-world wheats and lesser-known corn varieties from local farmers who follow regenerative practices. Expect the baked offering to change regularly, but some staples will include sourdough baguettes, fermented potato buns and mixed grain loaves. You can also count on extra-large pizza bianca and a pastry cabinet filled with classic (and oh-so-flaky) croissants, buckwheat pain au chocolate, rosella wheat canelé and Vegemite and asagio cheese scrolls. [caption id="attachment_786703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paramount Coffee Project[/caption] As with Reuben Hills and Paramount Coffee Project, the cuppas will be very, very good. Beans will be single origin, with seasonal espresso blends also on the docket. And it'll all be roasted at the nearby Reuben Hills Roastery, of course. Apart from the caffeinated drinks, punters can also enjoy a glass of natural wine from the all-Australian list. A succinct brekkie and lunch menu will round out the offering. With a fit-out by Architect Anthony Gill — who looked after the team's other venues of Poly, Ester and Shwarmama — the design plays to the cafe's setting in a heritage-listed sandstone cottage. Think exposed beams, a glasshouse-like entrance and all original fireplaces. The dining room will sit alongside the bakery, with the mill and deck oven on full display, so you can watch (and smell) the bread making in action. AP Bakery is slated to open this March at 32 Burton Street, Darlinghurst. Top image: Shwarmama by Kitti Gould
Perhaps you've always been a fan of Mickey Mouse. Maybe you can remember how it felt when you first watched Bambi. Or, you might be able to sing all of Genie's lyrics in Aladdin. You could've fallen head over heels for Raya and the Last Dragon more recently, too. Whichever category fits — and we're guessing that at least one does — Disney's animated movies have likely played a significant part in your life. We all have those childhood memories. We've all grown up with a lingering fondness for the Mouse House. Based on its just-announced big 2021 exhibition, clearly the team at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne knows the feeling. From Thursday, May 13 to Sunday, October 17 this year, the newly revamped ACMI will open its doors, halls and walls to Disney: The Magic of Animation, which'll showcase Disney's animated prowess over the past century. There's much to display, with the exhibition ranging back as far as 1928, when Mickey Mouse appeared in his first talkie, Steamboat Willie. From there, you can expect everything from Fantasia to Frozen to get some attention. [caption id="attachment_805358" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Disney Enterprises[/caption] Expect to look at art, too — and plenty of it. When it makes its Australian-exclusive stop in Melbourne, Disney: The Magic of Animation will feature more than 500 original artworks relating to Disney's animated catalogue. Paintings, sketches and concept art will all be on display, with the entire lineup specially selected by the Walt Disney Animation Research Library. Yes, you'll be getting a glimpse at just how the movie magic comes to life, including through glimpses at how some of Disney's famous stories were developed, and at the animation techniques that brought them to the big screen. And, although further details haven't yet been revealed, it's probably safe to expect that watching Disney's flicks will also be part of the program. [caption id="attachment_805353" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Disney Enterprises[/caption] Announcing the exhibition, ACMI Director and CEO Katrina Sedgwick said that the venue is "thrilled to bring Disney: The Magic of Animation to Australia as ACMI's 2021 Melbourne Winter Masterpiece — the first since reopening after our $40 million transformation. Disney's pioneering work has brought the art of animation to audiences across the globe for nearly a century. This exhibition invites us behind the scenes, celebrating the artists and their incredible craft as they create the magical worlds and iconic characters that we know and love." Previously, ACMI's annual Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series has toured international exhibitions such as David Bowie Is... and Hollywood Costume to our shores. In Disney: The Magic of Animation's case, it's designed to appeal to Disney fans of all ages — including Mouse House aficionados both young and young at heart. Disney: The Magic of Animation will display at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Melbourne from Thursday, May 13–Sunday, October 17. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the ACMI website.
When it comes to enjoying great views, this Rose Bay diner takes prime position. It's not just located by the water, but in fact located right on it. Situated right on Rose Bay's marina, Empire Lounge is the departure lounge for Sydney Seaplanes. Diners don't have to be flying to enjoy watching seaplanes touch down on the waterfront, while dining in for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Seafood is the star here, with oysters sourced from the NSW coastline, fresh sashimi, kingfish crudo, tiger prawns and barramundi curry. Images 4 & 5: Anna Kucera
What started as a lockdown pop-up is now one of Sydney's best bakeries with the opening of Fabbrica Bread Shop inside a delightful grocer in Rozelle. Back in 2021, Sydneysiders were pining after any treat they could get their hands on as they stuck out a four-month lockdown. During this time, the Love Tilly Group (the team behind favourites like Ragazzi, Fabbrica and Love, Tilly Devine) was one of many Sydney businesses that made a pivot to something more takeaway-friendly, utilising its King Street pasta and wine shop as a bakery on weekends. The name: Fabbrica Bread Shop. Following the success of that venture, the crew transformed the concept into a permanent bakery and 12-seat cafe in the Rozelle location within the new Maloneys Grocer just down the road from Egg of the Universe and across from The Red Lion pub on Darling Street. Expect a mix of classic baked goods and experimental items, including hot honey focaccia, Tathra Place porchetta croissants, metre-long pizzas, cookies the size of your hand and basque cheesecake. The pick of the bunch is the banoffee tart, which has a banana bread energy to the filling and is topped with fluffy banana cream. It's truly indulgent but not so sweet that you can't start your day with it. Leading the kitchen is Love Tilly Group's super talented Head Baker Aniruddha Bhosekar and Fabbrica Pasta Shop's Alyce Bennett (formerly Humble Bakery). Raised in Thane in India, Bhosekar was trained at Mumbai's oldest hospitality institute and brings a wealth of experience to create this unreal slate of bakery items. Inside the grocer, you'll find fresh produce, bouquets of flowers, artisan pantry items and more Fabbrica goodies — including sourdough baked right there at the bread shop, plus the team's beloved ready-to-cook pasta packs and jarred sauces, can be found on the shelves of the store. Images: Jana Langhorst for Buffet Digital
The annual Orange Wine Festival is back for its 14th run, with ten days of events highlighting the region's sophisticated winemaking from October 18–27. Patrons can expect wine shows, tastings, dinners and educational workshops, all of which showcase the rich diversity of Orange's rich culinary culture. This year's packed-out program includes over 80 events, which are open to all wine lovers, from the connoisseurs to those still getting to know their palate. The region is known for its cool climate which creates wines with bright fruit and deep, balanced flavours, making them some of the best drops in the country. While there are events on every day of the two weeks, you shouldn't miss the festival's flagship Night Market on October 25 — over 50 food stalls and wine bars will pop up in Orange's Robertson Park for a night of wining and dining under the country sky. If you want to try as many wines as possible, the Orange Wine Show Tasting and Masterclass on October 18 will give you a chance to taste and judge the best of the festival, for a reasonable $80. Even with all the events, you won't have any time to sit still — the region is home to 80 vineyards and over 30 cellar doors. We recommend organising a driver so you can taste it all.
Picking something to watch is about to get harder, and Australian viewers are set to get even more spoilt for choice. The list of streaming services available Down Under is already hefty, but there'll be at least 50 more channels to choose from once the end of August hits. The reason: the launch of Pluto TV on our shores, which is coming via Network Ten's 10 Play platform. Up and running in the US for almost a decade, Pluto TV is completely free to watch. The catch: it's a FAST service, aka free ad-supported streaming television. So, just like in the days before anyone had even dreamed up Netflix and the like, or pay TV, you won't pay a cent to watch — but you will have to see commercials. Pluto TV's big drawcard is delivering its smorgasbord of content via channels, rather than just having audiences scroll through hundreds or thousands of shows and movies to decide what to watch. Basically, it replicates the linear TV experience on free-to-air, but via streaming. You'll still need to do some choosing, though, given that there's a lengthy roster of themed channels to choose from. And to watch, you'll be headed to the new Pluto TV area on 10 Play, rather than to a specific standalone service. Paramount, which owns and operates Pluto TV and also Network Ten, hasn't revealed the exact number of channels that'll arrive in Australia from Thursday, August 31 — other than it'll be 50-plus. And, while it also hasn't unveiled the full list of what each will show, it has named some specific options. Fancy only viewing South Park? I Love Lucy? Happy Days? Dynasty? MTV's reality shows? Nickelodeon classics? They'll all have their own channels. Whatever else Pluto TV adds to its Aussie offering — Hawaii Five-O, an MTV channel focused on Shores shows, and Nick Toons have also been announced so far — it'll be drawing from the Los Angeles-based company's partnerships with 400-plus international media outfits. And, it'll be expanding the service in yet another location, with Pluto TV already up in running in more than 35 markets. "These 50 Pluto TV channels represent our first step to engage with Australian audiences and we are happy to mark this milestone by partnering with 10 Play, demonstrating once more the strength of our Paramount ecosystem," said Olivier Jollet, Executive Vice President and International General Manager for Pluto TV. "As pioneers in the FAST industry, we are bringing a new and unique user experience through curated channels dedicated to this market. Our mix of local and international content which matches the needs of our local audiences is what makes Pluto TV so valuable for viewers, clients, and partners across the world," Jollet continued. August is clearly a great month for Nickelodeon fans — Network Ten also just added a free-to-air channel devoted to the brand, the first in Australia outside of pay TV, separate to the upcoming Pluto TV options. Pluto TV's channels will be available via 10 Play from Thursday, August 31.
When Surry Hills mainstay Bodega closed its doors back in July, we were promised a new Japanese restaurant from the Tokyo Bird team would take its place. And now it's made good on that promise, opening Nikkei on Commonwealth Street last week. But it's not a carbon copy of the team's much-loved yakitori and cocktail bar. Instead, this new diner has more of a focus on food, specialising in a particular style of Japanese-Peruvian cuisines called Nikkei. While this combination may be unheard of to some, the style of food actually developed over 100 years ago, when Peru's sizeable Japanese immigrant population began cooking local Peruvian dishes using their native cooking techniques and flavours. The 55-seat venue features a bar, counter seating and a 12-seat communal table. Through the open kitchen, diners can catch Brazilian head chef Lucas Cerullo David (who comes from sister venue Osaka Trading Co.) and sushi chef Justin Kim at work on a seafood-heavy menu. It includes Peru's 'national' dish tiradito, a sliced sashimi-style ceviche. At Nikkei, you can choose between an octopus version — made with nori, pickled daikon and Peruvian chillies — or a mushroom medley with Jersualem artichokes and nori crackers. [caption id="attachment_752482" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bruno Stefani[/caption] Many of the dishes are served as either tapas or izakaya-style, so it's easy to share. Other specialties include hokkaido scallops with capsicum salsa and beef short ribs with miso garlic and Peruvian corn puree. Behind the bar, expect a 40-strong wine list that focuses on coastal vineyards and a cocktail list which boasts distinct Peruvian flavours — including pisco, aniseed wine, chicha morada (Andean purple corn drink), oregano tea and quinoa milk. Lots of the hard-to-find ingredients on both the food and drinks menu have been directly sourced from Peru and Japan, too. This is the fifth restaurant venture for owners Jason Ang, Tina Wing Kee and Christopher Ang — as well as Tokyo Bird, the trio's portfolio also includes other popular venues Osaka Trading Co., Bancho and the nearby Sando Bar. Also involved in the venture is the dining group's venue manager Marco Oshiro Giron, whose Japanese-Peruvian heritage helped inspire and develop the Nikkei concept. He is joined by an impressive array of hospitality vets, including group sommelier Phil McElroy (The Source Restaurant at MONA, Firedoor, Sokyo), manager Reuvin Lim (Tayim, Tequila Mockingbird, Sake Double Bay, Cho Cho San) and head bartender Xander Ramirez (Bentley, Tayim). Find Nikkei Bar & Restaurant at 216–224 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills. It's open Tuesday through Saturday from 5–10pm as well as lunch from 12–3pm on Fridays from 12–3pm. To book, head here. Images: Bruno Stefani.
It hasn't served up meals for more than a decade, but El Bulli will always be a famous culinary name. Until 2011, when the spot in the town of Roses in Catalonia, Spain was operating as a restaurant, it was the pinnacle of fine-dining. It boasted three Michelin stars to prove it. Documentary El Bulli: Cooking in Progress also told its story. Head Chef Ferran Adrià didn't just oversee one of the world's best eateries, either — he's one of the world's best chefs, too. Didn't get the chance to enjoy a dish there, for all manner of reasons? How about sleeping at El Bulli for a night instead. That's the latest money-can't-buy experience on offer via Airbnb, and for one evening only. Slumbering at elBulli1846, the museum that's now onsite, is also free — for two people, but you are responsible of getting yourself to Roses, including paying your own way from Down Under if you score the booking. Airbnb loves opening up places that you wouldn't normally be able to kip in, as seen in the past with Shrek's swamp, Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse, the Ted Lasso pub, the Moulin Rouge! windmill and Hobbiton, for starters. It has also listed the Bluey house, the Paris theatre that inspired The Phantom of the Opera, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, The Godfather mansion, the South Korean estate where BTS filmed In the Soop, the Sanderson sisters' Hocus Pocus cottage and Santa's festive cabin in Finland. Earlier in 2024, Christina Aguilera hosted a two-night Las Vegas stay. Adrià does the honours at elBulli1846 — which, as you'd expect, goes all in on El Bulli's history. As you spend the night in the venue at Cala Montjoi, within the Cap de Creus Natural Park, he's hoping that you'll get inspired by its gastronomic innovation while soaking in the Mediterranean sea views. The museum is named after the 1846 dishes that El Bulli created in its restaurant days, after all. "The mission of elBullirestaurante was about pushing limits. We had reached what we felt was the limits of what can be done in a gastronomic experience at the maximum level," said Adrià. "Now I'm excited to push new creative boundaries, to share this way of seeing the world with the guests who stay here and to introduce them to our latest chapter as elBulli1846." This is the first time that El Bulli has allowed anything like this within its famed culinary halls. Whoever nabs the reservation will meet Adrià, and hear all about the restaurant from him; eat at one of his favourite restaurants in Roses; and get overnight access to El Bulli, including its private rooms. You'll also have dinner the next day at Enigma in Barcelona, where Adrià's brother Albert is the chef. And, in-between all of that, you'll be sleeping in a bed designed to look like a plate, which takes its cues from El Bulli's spherical olive. To enjoy all of the above, you'll need to be free to stay across Wednesday, October 16–Thursday, October 17 — and you'll be getting booking at 2am AEST / 4am NZST on Thursday, April 18. Again, while you won't pay a cent for accommodation or the two dinners while you're at elBulli1846, you will need to fork out to get there and back. For more information about the elBulli1846 Airbnb stay, or to book at 2am AEST / 4am NZST on Thursday, April 18 for a stay across Wednesday, October 16–Thursday, October 17, 2024, head to the Airbnb website. Images: Marc Ensenyat. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
At beachside hotspot Coogee Pavilion, the final piece of the puzzle is about to click into place — and in a big way, too. Five years in the making, the middle level of this historic building is set to finally be unveiled in January, joining the multi-faceted ground-floor offering and much-loved Coogee Pavilion Rooftop. The hotly-anticipated Coogee Pavilion Middle Floor will actually play host to three distinct venues — cocktail bar Will's, restaurant Mimi's, and a wine and tapas bar by the name of Una Más — combining to mark one of Merivale's most ambitious projects yet. While each venue has its own personality and design DNA, the whole level is an homage to the idyllic coastal location and is guided by the same Australian-accented take on modern Mediterranean cuisine. Executive Chef Jordan Toft (Bert's, Bar Topa) is taking the reins for this lot of newcomers, just as he's helmed the rest of the building's food offerings over the years. Boasting sweeping ocean views through its large arched windows, Mimi's pairs drops off a 500-strong wine list with fresh seafood, top-quality meats and market-fresh vegetables grilled on the kitchen's josper. Don't expect any foams, gels or smokes here — Mimi's is all about letting the produce shine. "What you order from the menu is exactly what you see on the plate," said Toft in a statement. "No smoke, no mirrors, no pomp. Just great produce, an amazing setting and the slowing of time". [caption id="attachment_753879" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dimitri Tricolas[/caption] Wine and tapas bar Una Más is the lively, playful sibling, where you'll happily spend a session straight off the beach. Fresh and fun, it's designed to be a modern locals' haunt, offering an approachable menu spiked with both Spanish and Australian influences. Toft says to expect "chilled chablis or vermouth, with an oyster just shucked, seafood off the plancha and anchovies on fresh bread". Meanwhile, cocktail bar Will's will embrace a European charm, promising good time vibes and a drinks list inspired by the Italian coast. Mimi's, Will's and Una Más are set to open on Coogee Pavilion's middle floor in January 2020. In the meantime, you can visit Coogee Pavilion and Coogee Pavilion rooftop at 169 Dolphin Street, Coogee.
We get it: everyone loves an espresso 'tini. And that isn't changing any time soon. Over the past few years, the Central Coasts's cold-pressed coffee liqueur company My Black has held its fair share of festivals dedicated to them — and, this February, the team is heading to Marrickville's Factory Theatre for the Backyard Espresso Martini Fest. The all-day party will take over the venue from 1pm on Saturday, February 8. The affair will involve an array of alcoholic caffeinated beverages from the Mr Black caravan, including the obvious, plus a menu of cocktails that throwback to after-school treats — think cocktails topped with Ice Vovos, irish coffees sipped through Tim Tams and a salted caramel espresso martini made with Caramello Koalas. As with any festival of this kind, there will be plenty of food trucks on hand, and Katherine Sabbath will also be holding her own back sale to raise money for bushfire relief. Given its location, this time round, the festival will be pair the cocktails with a lineup of local DJs and artists. The day will start in the courtyard with sets from Bindah, Randy Knuckles and Jnr. Then, come 7pm, the party will move indoors to the Factory Floor for a set by Cairo Heaven, the new project from one half of Sydney duo Polographia. It's a long day but you'll be well-caffienated to see it through. Tickets are $18 and include your first drink.
If you've ever gone searching for a particular product, discovered that it doesn't exist and thought 'I should just make my own', well, you already know how Lust Liquor originated. The two best mates behind it went through that experience, then set about making a low-calorie, no-sugar range of premixed beverages. For folks keen for a guilt-free tipple as well as a hassle-free one — no blending or shaking required here — Lust Liquor's range features three different types of drinks. Fancy a lime and soda, but alcoholic? Lemon, lime and bitters with vodka? A blend of raspberry and vodka? You'll find all three on the company's lineup. You can nab Lust Liquor's products via its online store, with free shipping available for orders over $100.
Perhaps you've spent some time this year building a Lego bouquet. Or, if you're a Melburnian, you might've made a trip to a Lego recreation of Jurassic World. Whatever interactions you've had with the plastic building blocks of late — including picking up some Lego and IKEA storage boxes, meditating to the sounds of jumbled bricks or signing up for a subscription service during lockdown — you may not have thought about one inescapable fact: that all that plastic is the stuff of environmental nightmares. Lego itself hasn't been ignoring the obvious. Back in 2018, it committed to using sustainable materials in all its core products and packaging by 2030 — and it started by producing a range of sustainable pieces made from plant-based plastic, called bio-polyethylene. The next step: making its bricks from recycled plastic. And while the company isn't quite ready to start selling sets made from recycled materials in stores, it has just unveiled its first prototype bricks. The new blocks are made with PET plastic from discarded bottles, and mark the first that've been made from a recycled material to meet the brand's quality and safety standards. It took some work to get to this point, though, with materials scientists and engineers spending the past three years testing more than 250 types of PET materials — and hundreds of other plastic formulations. One of the trickiest things to nail (and one of the most important): getting the bricks to clutch together. In a statement, Lego said that "it will be some time before bricks made from a recycled material appear in Lego product boxes". From here, it'll keep testing and developing the PET-made bricks, before deciding whether to move into the pilot production phase — with this process expected to take another year at least. And if you're wondering about the plastic used in the new blocks, it has been sourced from US suppliers, with a one-litre plastic bottle providing enough raw material for ten 2 x 4 Lego bricks. For further information about Lego's sustainability plans, head to the brand's website.
Since opening back in 2022, the Southern Hemisphere's first-ever Ace Hotel has been serving up expectedly sleek accommodation and a heap of fun extra-curricular activities — from takeovers of the lobby bar to dinners at Mitch Orr's Kiln. And this year, as Mardi Gras comes to town, there are more exciting additions to the hotel's party program to get in your diary. Alongside the extravagant Dolar Rosa Dines presents Holy Homo Hedon dinner that's popping up on Friday, March 1, there's a more low-key celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride coming to the Ace Hotel's cafe Good Chemistry for a summer afternoon: Melbourne-based record store Queer Records will be up in Sydney on Saturday, February 17, hitting Foy Lane from 12-4pm. While Queer Records doesn't have a physical shopfront quite yet, the team has been celebrating queer musicians through an online store, queer events and BYO record parties. Now, it's bringing the fun to Sydney with a one-day pop-up filled with iconic tunes and deep cuts from LGBTQIA+ artists to dig through. The team has also curated a collection of 46 vinyl records for Ace Hotel guests to borrow and listen to in their rooms, available for anyone staying between Thursday, February 15–Sunday, March 3. You can find out more about Queer Records and the pop-up via Instagram — and, if the aforementioned Holy Homo Hedon tickled your fancy, head to Humantix for more information. Top image: Nikki To
At 12 years old, Jaimee Krawitz looked like she was doing just fine. She had a supportive family, close friends and a strong academic record. But beneath the surface, something wasn't right. Like so many young Australians, she was quietly beginning a battle with an eating disorder — one that would reshape her life. When she eventually made it to the other side — through determination, support and perseverance — she knew she was one of the fortunate ones. What stayed with her, though, was a question: why is it so hard to talk about eating disorders before they reach crisis point? Motivated by lived experience, Jaimee identified what she saw as a critical roadblock: the language surrounding eating disorders. Reflecting on her own journey, she realised she hadn't known how to speak up — and those around her hadn't known how to ask the right questions. At 23, she founded Hide N Seek, a not-for-profit dedicated to changing the way we talk about eating disorders. The foundation is grounded in the belief that these illnesses are often missed not because people don't care, but because they lack the skills to recognise early signs and the tools to navigate difficult conversations. "I wanted to provide others with the help I wish that I had access to — not only equipping individuals with skills to manage an eating disorder, but also recognising the broader impact on families and caregivers. At the time, there were limited resources available, and this gap sparked the idea to focus on empowering caregivers with practical tools, safe language and early-intervention support." From the ground up, she built Hide N Seek to reshape the language around eating disorders and create a community where caregivers can find the confidence and clarity to support their loved ones. To underpin the work, Jaimee became a registered counsellor and gained experience within a psychology practice, deepening her understanding of empathy-led communication. She assembled a team of mentors and advisors — including doctors, ambassadors and accredited dietitians — to ensure the organisation was grounded in clinical expertise. "The organisation exists because there is a clear gap in how eating disorders are understood. They often remain invisible until they become severe, partly because everyday language has normalised harmful beliefs around food, bodies and self-worth. Behaviours and comments that are culturally accepted are not always harmless, particularly for someone already struggling. Hide N Seek focuses on that early window, long before crisis, where awareness and language can genuinely change outcomes," says Jaimee. The scale of the issue is sobering. Current Australian data estimates that more than one million people are living with an eating disorder in any given year — around 4 to 4.5 per cent of the population — with Australia reporting one of the highest prevalence rates globally. Only one in three seek help. For Jaimee, that statistic underscores the urgency of early recognition and clearer pathways to support. While Hide N Seek does not provide clinical treatment, it focuses on prevention and early intervention — implementing safeguards and tools designed to stop illnesses escalating into crisis. As Jaimee explains, "Eating disorders are the fastest growing mental health condition in Australia, yet many people delay seeking help for years due to shame, the normalisation of behaviours and the fear that they are not sick enough." Education quickly became a priority. Believing educators can be powerful advocates, she developed the Hide N Seek Eating Disorder Recovery Program. The program, already implemented by more than 1000 educators, caregivers and students, includes sessions on early recognition and safe language, alongside broader whole-school prevention and culture change. The aim is to give educators the confidence to recognise early warning signs and respond without judgment. "Early intervention significantly reduces severity, duration of illness, hospitalisation and long-term system burden. This is why Hide N Seek focuses so strongly on early recognition through language, long before a crisis." Jaimee is also conscious of the intersection between Hide N Seek's work and Australia's food, drink and hospitality culture. In cities where dining out is central to social life — amplified by social media trends and viral food culture — language around indulgence, balance and self-control carries weight. The line between celebrating food and moralising it can be thin, particularly for someone already vulnerable. "Food is social, which makes language around it incredibly influential. Social settings are where language is most powerful. They are where norms are reinforced and where people can feel either included or quietly isolated. None of this is usually said with harmful intent, but what we say around food can either include someone or isolate them. Your friend might be laughing at the table, but in fact be deeply unwell. This conversation is not about blame. It is about awareness." In 2024, Jaimee secured a $40,000 grant to expand the organisation's reach. As demand has grown, the program has extended into sporting clubs and workplace settings — reflecting how widely eating disorders impact individuals, families and communities. As International Women's Day approaches, Jaimee reflects on the gendered reality of body scrutiny and food moralisation. "This work feels especially important to me as a woman building this organisation from lived experience. International Women's Day is not only about celebrating women, but about examining the spaces women occupy and whether they feel safe, visible and supported within them. Women are disproportionately impacted by body scrutiny, food moralisation, pressure to justify pleasure and normalised self-deprecating language, particularly in social settings. My intention with Hide N Seek is not to restrict enjoyment or tell people how to eat. It is to protect the joy that comes from social connection without shame attached to it." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hide N Seek (@hidenseekfoundation) Jaimee's long-term goal is to create a world where access to help feels clear, connected and human. "My hope is to take Hide N Seek into every community where people live, learn, work and gather — schools, sporting clubs, workplaces, businesses and government spaces. I want educators, colleagues, and employers to feel confident responding to this widespread issue. I want the government to help shape systems that catch people earlier, not later. My dream is for Hide N Seek to become part of everyday culture, so no one feels unseen, unsupported or alone during this journey." Join the Hide N Seek community now to receive the Language of Seeking Help e-book, which is tailored to empower caregivers with practical advice and knowledge of how best to support loved ones. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, help is available via Lifeline, Kids Helpline and The Butterfly Foundation. Images: Supplied.
Not someday, but in July next year, The Strokes will head to Australia to play Splendour in the Grass' long-delayed 20th-anniversary festival. And in news that'll have you partying like it's the 00s again, the New York rockers have also just announced two sideshows: at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion and Melbourne's John Cain Arena. Hitting up Melbourne first on Tuesday, July 26, before heading to Sydney on Thursday, July 28, the gigs will mark the band's first Australian headline shows in a decade. Clearly, The Strokes will have plenty to play — 2021 marks 20 years since their seminal debut album Is This It was released, and since everything from the title track and 'Hard to Explain' to the extremely catchy duo that is 'Last Nite' and 'New York City Cops' first got stuck in the world's heads. Since then, the Julian Casablancas-led group have put out five other studio albums, including The New Abnormal, their latest, in 2020 — which nabbed them the Best Rock Album Grammy Award earlier in 2021. When it comes to seeing one of the most influential bands of the past two decades, don't go making bad decisions, missing out, and realising that you only live once — and putting your heart in a cage. If you want to start drinking juiceboxes in preparation, that's up to you. The Strokes will be supported by The Chats and The Lazy Eyes on their solo shows, after headlining Splendour in the Grass on Saturday, July 23. THE STROKES 2022 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES Melbourne — Tuesday, July 26, John Cain Arena Sydney — Thursday, July 28, Hordern Pavilion The Strokes will tour Australia in July 2022. Pre-sale tickets go on sale at 12pm AEDT on Monday, November 8, with general tickets on sale at 9am on Tuesday, November 9. For further details, head to the tour website. Top image: Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons.
When Whitney Houston sang 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody', the world believed her. It wasn't just the energetic beat or joyous tone that struck a chord, but the dynamic power of Houston's voice. Her prowess wasn't new news — released in 1987, the track was the first single from her second album, and became her fourth consecutive number one single in the US. And yet, when she trilled so explosively about finding someone to dance with, she seemed like a woman who not only wanted to share her life with that one special person, but also wanted to share her talent with the entire planet. With Whitney, director Kevin Macdonald tests that theory. Giving the pop superstar the same probing treatment that has driven his previous movies about Bob Marley, artist Cai Guo-Qiang and fellow documentarian Errol Morris, among others, the filmmaker behind Touching the Void, State of Play and Black Sea explores the what, how and why of Houston's life in a thoughtful and solemn fashion. What did she want out of her career? How did she try to achieve it? Why did her story turn out the way it did? They're the questions at the heart of this birth-to-death portrait, all examining the tragic tale of someone who sang like no one else, crooned hits that were heard around the globe and broke music records, but was rarely able to be herself. If you're already a fan, you'll know the minutiae. Even if you're not, you'll still be aware of Houston's substance abuse issues, and the way that her life came to an end. Macdonald combines candid interviews with Houston's loved ones — including her gospel singer mother Cissy Houston and her ex-husband Bobby Brown — with archival footage, performance clips, family photos, recording demos and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the movie's eponymous figure. Of course, it's not only Houston's specific tale that feels familiar, but the fact that this narrative has played out with plenty of other famous folks of late. Recent documentaries about Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain relayed very similar details, and Whitney: Can I Be Me? tread very similar ground just last year, albeit relying more heavily on backstage footage and focusing more firmly on Houston's relationship with friend Robyn Crawford. Whitney mightn't tell viewers much that's new; however it assembles its various pieces with a force on par with Houston's roaring voice. The editing on display in the film's contextual montages — which weave together ads and events from the time, Houston's work, and intimate photographs — sets a swift pace that never lets up, as Macdonald squeezes as much as he can into the documentary's two-hour running time. There are gaps, with Brown refusing to talk about drug use, and only some parts of Houston's career getting in-depth attention. There are also splashes of particularly incisive, penetrating insight, including a dissection of the impact of race and class. And there's one huge, heartbreaking revelation, although the way it's treated as a third-act twist sits cheaply and uncomfortably. Throughout it all, there's Houston herself. As the rise-and-fall music biopic genre understands all too well, there's no substitute for letting a film's subject prove their merits in their own way, with their own voice and in their own words. In Whitney, it's seeing Houston perform that shapes the documentary's sorrowful melody — and, expressly, seeing her shows evolve over the years. First, she's a bright-eyed teenager making her first TV appearance. Soon, she's the most famous singer in the world, unleashing her distinctive take on 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at the 1991 Super Bowl. Later, she's an object of derision during her final tour, which caused walkouts when she came to Brisbane, as the movie shows. Out of all of the above, it's her 1983 rendition of 'Home' on The Merv Griffin Show that echoes throughout the doco, so much so that Macdonald uses it to bookend the picture. With Houston radiant in a purple dress but shining brighter out of sheer talent, the clip perfectly embodies the film's message: that she simply wanted to sing, dance and soar, but couldn't chase away her demons as she chased her dreams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU2g2w70kG0
Sculpture by the Sea launched Thursday along the coast walk between Bondi and Tamarama beach. Sculptors from around the world have resumed their annual pilgrimage to Waverley municipality, with a selection of local and international sculpture prettily dividing sea from land. Best in show plaudits were pointed at US sculptor Peter Lundberg, who won the Balnaves Foundation Sculpture prize for his Barrell Roll. His win was not from lack of competition. Competitors were well suited to their surroundings, such as the pleasing cacophony of Cave Urban’s multiple, wooden wind-chime piece mengenang (memory) or its nearby contemplative companion in Stephen Marr’s camouflage piece the optimist. Among the fresh in situ sculpture this year Stuart Couzens’ matryoshka (“russian doll”) presents a satisfying nest of wooden containers within containers within containers, while James Hallberg and René Dybdahl’s how close we are is a giant eye of a matching needle outside the Aarhaus Town Hall in Denmark, which blinks a light as people are invited to jump up and pass through the eye of its Australian twin. A sign in front of it says “please do not touch this artwork”. Along the walk between Marks Park and Tamarama Bay, Paul Kaptein’s and in the endless pauses, there came a sound is a satyr sound recordist carved out of wood, with a huge microphone, headphones and visibly absent pants. Gillie and Marc Schattner’s the travellers have arrived carves out some reciprocal nudity and animal heads, while Dave Mercer’s ViewTM gives the vista towards Clovelly cemetery a branded makeover. Tamarrama beach resumes its obligatory, not unwelcome, theme of giant beach things this year, with Carl Tindall, Carly Buteux and Grahame Tindall's half-buried sunglasses *lost in the glare*, an oversized oversize Tonka truck and Adam Hill and Will Coles’ really bins last seen on Macquarie street in the Aboriginal Art Prize Image: Stephen Marr's the optimist.
If you never got to live your Euro summer — or if you did make the trip and need to relive your adventures — there's a little slice of Southern Italy right here in Sydney. Enter Divino Osteria, an Elizabeth Bay eatery that transports the flavour and hospitality of southern Italy to the eastern suburbs. To get the lowdown on the family operation, its menu, and why you should pencil in a reservation ASAP, we spoke to chef Andrea Di Stefano and owner Anthony Alafaci. The address of Divino Osteria might call up some memories for veterans of Sydney nightlife, since 19-23 Elizabeth Bay Road was formerly home to The Sebel, a famous celebrity haunt that went back to 1963. Today, Divino Osteria and Alafaci have swapped A-list party secrecy for Italian hospitality. [caption id="attachment_1005500" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Guy Davies[/caption] What Was the Vision for the Space When it Opened? "The vision for Divino Osteria was to establish a space that celebrates Italy's vibrant culinary heritage, offering a cozy yet refined casual dining experience that captivates the senses and fosters a sense of community among guests. The name 'Divino' in Italian means 'divine' or 'heavenly,' often used to describe something extraordinary, or of exceptional quality. It reflects the idea that the dining experience at our restaurant is not just about food but something sublime and memorable. 'Osteria' refers to a traditional Italian restaurant, typically more casual and focused on offering local, home-style dishes. Osterias were gathering places for friends and family to enjoy simple, hearty meals together, with an emphasis on community and warmth. Together, 'Divino Osteria' embodies the essence of what we offer — a heavenly, welcoming place where you can savour the rich, authentic flavours of Italy, rooted in tradition but presented with modern flair." Which Particular Niche Does Divino Osteria Fill in the Local Dining Scene? "We're a casual Italian eatery focused on local, home-style dishes, reflecting our commitment to genuine hospitality and creating a dining experience reminiscent of sharing a meal at a friend's home. We seek to bring people together with good food and wine. We distinguish ourselves in Sydney's dining landscape, appealing to those seeking a genuine and heartfelt Italian dining experience." Divino's head chef, Andrea Di Stefano, is Sicilian by birth and brings his own range of skills and love for the simple authenticity of Italian cooking, having crafted a menu that celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients and authentic methods, including handmade pasta, stone-baked pizza from the venue's hand-built brick oven, slow-cooked sauces, and locally sourced produce. [caption id="attachment_1005497" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Guy Davies[/caption] What Kitchen Experience Did You Have Before Joining the Divino Team? "I started cooking at 12 years old in our family bakery and pizzeria in Italy, one of three boys all in the food industry. I later trained up in a hotel kitchen in Catania, Sicily, where I cultivated a palate for the different yet specific flavours of Italian cuisine. This was refined at home in collaboration with my mother and grandmother, cooking familiar home-style dishes. I later had the opportunity to hone my skills in fine dining kitchens across Italy and London, learning from Michelin-starred chefs. Now, in Australia, I've combined those experiences to craft the menu at Divino Osteria." Of All the Dishes on the Menu, Which Is Your Favourite to Prepare? "The costoletta d'Agnello is my favourite dish to prepare on our current menu. Lamb chops are a cherished component of Italian cuisine for their tenderness and rich flavour. They offer the versatility to be prepared in various ways that highlight their natural flavour while adding your own refined touch, whether through technique, seasoning or presentation, allowing for creative culinary expressions." [caption id="attachment_1002655" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Guy Davies[/caption] Can You Take us Through Divino's Drinks and Wine Offering? "Divino's wine list is a carefully curated journey through Italy's most celebrated wine regions. From Tuscany to Sicily, each bottle featured reflects the traditions and terroir of its origin. There are Italian classics like barolo, nerello mescalese, nero d'avola and amarone. We also have an array of Australian and New Zealand wines from the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Margaret River and Marlborough. Each bottle has been selected to complement and pair perfectly with the food and elevate the dining experience. We also have some specialty cocktails, some classics and bold Italian signatures too. Our cocktail list is a celebration of fresh citrus, fragrant herbs, and vibrant liqueurs. Whether you're in the mood for something bitter, sweet, sparkling, or spicy, there's a glass here with your name on it." What's Your Favourite Drink on the Menu? "One of the standout elements of our bar program is our curated Limoncello, which is made to reflect the flavours we love most from the south. It's a small touch, but it makes a huge difference in flavour. [caption id="attachment_1002652" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Guy Davies[/caption] If Someone Is Making Their First Booking at Divino, What Would You Recommend They Order? Di Stefano: "The medaglioni is a personal favourite on our specials menu. Using a wagyu sirloin MBS9+ with brown butter and sage, we craft oversized ravioli and present it on a plate. It pairs really well with a due lune nero d'avola/Nerello Mascalese grape, which really enhances the flavour of the food." And for drinks? "You can't go past an Aperol Spritz or a Limoncello Spritz. Both are light, refreshing and perfect for daytime drinking — bitter, citrusy and just the right amount of effervescence. If you're after something a little stronger, a Tommy's Margarita is a great option, too — clean, fresh, and packed with flavour without being too heavy." To make a long lunch booking at Divino Osteria, or to find more information, visit the website.
With all these blustery, grey, wintry days afoot, you'd think Sydney would begrudgingly hibernate for the season, retreating indoors to binge-watch Cleverman and inhale a bunch of soup. But the city's got too much going on, too many new exhibitions opening, activities aplenty and hidden natural gems to explore. Bundle up in your favourite woolies and get amongst your city this chilly season. All you need is a crisp $20 — and in most of these cases, you'll have a little (or a lot) left over. By the Concrete Playground team. 1. EAT HOUSE-MADE DAMPER IN A CITY PUB Redesigned by the team behind Momofuku Seiobo and Bar Brose, and with a menu inspired by the pub's former regular Henry Lawson, The Edinburgh Castle has officially reopened in the CBD. Ex-North Bondi Fish chef Daniel Lanza has created a menu that subtly references the Edinburgh's important literary history as one-time home to Aussie writer and poet Henry Lawson. Tasty morsels on the snacks list include house-made damper with garlic herb butter ($8 a serve), the perfect thing for a chilly winter's day. They also do a mean pork sausage roll for $14. Cost: $8 2. BUNDLE UP AND TAKE A HIKE According to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, 'walking is man's best medicine'. 2500 years — and the invention of antibiotics — later, he's still got a point. This week, a Tasmanian study showed that people in their 50s who walk 10,000 steps a day, every day, lower their mortality risk by 46%. And in Sydney — where spectacular waterfalls, mountains, caves and coastline are just minutes away from the car-strangled CBD — following the doctor's advice is easy. Plus, you'll boost your overall health to avoid those nasty winter sniffles — just make sure you bundle up and take your vitamins. Cost: Free 3. VISIT THE CALYX Meet the Royal Botanic Garden's new world-class horticultural experience, The Calyx. Opened 200 years after the official opening date of the Garden on June 13, 1816, this dazzling new UFO-shaped public space not only houses thousands and thousands of plants, but gives Sydneysiders an escape from the city's busy streets and relentless traffic. It also provides a new home for fun, innovative exhibitions. The first, now open, is Sweet Addiction, the botanic story of chocolate, from bean to bar. Also part of the show is a collection of over 18,000 plants, which are arranged as living artworks. Together, they form the biggest interior green wall in the Southern Hemisphere, measuring six metres in height and 285 square metres in area. Cost: $15 online/$17.50 at the door 4. FIND OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE 'POST-HUMAN' Step into New Romance: art and the posthuman at the MCA this winter and you'll be greeted with a dizzying array of moving parts, flickering lights and a casual spot of time travel. Splicing science and technology with politics and aesthetics, 18 artists from Australia and Korea conceive of the distant and not too distant future in this just-opened exhibition. New Romance runs Thursday, June 30 to Sunday, September 4 at the Museum of Contemporary Art and is open until 9pm on Thursday nights. Cost: Free 5. 'RESEARCH' YOUR WAY THROUGH SYDNEY'S BEST BAKERIES Sydney bakeries these days are in hot competition for your dough — especially in winter, when fresh, hot, bready goodness is just the ticket for a dreary day. There aren't many bakeries left just churning out simple loaves of white bread — now it's all about sourdough, fruit loaves, croissants, cronuts and cruffins. But not all of them rise to the occasion, so we're here to sort out which establishments you knead to visit, and which crumby ones you can be gluten-free of. Use your loaf and follow the Concrete Playground Crust-See Sydney Bakery list this season. Cost: Around $5-10 per visit 6. LEARN UP ON FRIDA KAHLO Two of the greatest artists in history, who happened to have one of the most volatile relationships in recent memory, are the focus of the Art Gallery of New South Wales' brand new exhibition, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Kahlo and Rivera's artistic and personal rollercoaster ride is the focus, with 33 artworks from the pair — including self-portrait paintings, drawings and canvases — all from the renowned collection of Jacques and Natasha Gelman. Australia doesn't actually have a Frida Kahlo on public display, so this is one heck of a slam dunk for the gallery. Cost: $14-18 7. CURL UP NEXT TO A FIREPLACE As the pelting rain and wind of winter roll in, it's easy to see your enthusiasm for a night on the town being replaced by a deep craving to don your long dachshund-print pajamas and settle in for a dry and drama-less night of MasterChef. But there's one thing we know that's worth braving the rain and wind for, and that's cosy beers at one of Sydney's fireplace-equipped pubs and bars. It's your chance to feel like Hemingway with an alcoholic beverage in one hand as you relax in a room filled with that incredible open fire. Here are nine of the best. Cost: Around $10 for a cheeky beverage by the fire 8. WANDER THROUGH A BAMBOO PAVILION Paddington's Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation is going green with the final installation in their Fugitive Structures temporary pavilion series. For the finale of this awesome series, SCAF has teamed up with award-winning architect Vo Trong Nghia to create Green Ladder. The pavilion structure is made entirely from bamboo, "the steel of the 21st century" according to Nghia. The temporary pavilion will be on public display at SCAF from July 7 to December 10 and aims to raise awareness of bamboo's strength as a 'green steel' building material. Green Ladder aims to resemble a dense bamboo forest and visitors will be able to move through the graceful grid at their leisure. Cost: Free 9. GO ROUND THE TWIST AT SYDNEY'S LIGHTHOUSES Gone are the days when lighthouses were the domain of lonesome keepers, spending long nights keeping an eye on kerosene lamps and braving the fog and the foam. These days, automation does all the work. But despite that, it's hard to spend time at one without feeling like you're going back in time 100 years, when adventuring by ship was an extraordinarily risky business. Since 1622, more than 8000 ships have wrecked on the Australian coast, yet only about 2000 have been found. Visit these ten lighthouses in and around Sydney to travel back in time a little, take in some dazzling views, visit some beautiful beaches and perhaps even sleepover in an original light keeper's cottage. Cost: Free 10. SEE A SEASHORE ART EXHIBITION YOU'D USUALLY SEE IN SUMMER Lovers of outdoor sculpture, you no longer have to wait till October for your waterfront fix. The good folks at Sculpture by the Sea are teaming up with the Barangaroo Delivery Authority for an epic new annual exhibition, Sculpture at Barangaroo. Launching on August 6, the inaugural event will feature 12 spectacular outdoor works, created by fifteen Australian artists. Six of the pieces are brand new, while the other six are existent, but have been handpicked for their suitability to the site. Best bit? It's free. Cost: Free 11. DO YOGA AT AN URBAN FARM Though Sydney is filled with some awesome yoga studios, there are very few chances for city slickin' yogis to breathe in fresh air while trying out their best crane pose. Pocket City Farms is connecting mind and body to the actual earth with outdoor yoga classes that overlook their urban farm. For those worried about the winter chill, the practice will be held in a heated pavilion overlooking the market garden, with additional heaters and clear blinds also available for the cooler mornings. Cost: From $10 12. GO WHALE WATCHING Whale watching season is upon us, and the New South Wales coast is one of the best spots in the world to catch these majestic creatures in action. From May to November, the Pacific Coast migration goes from south to north and back again as the whales seek warmer water for the winter months. While humpbacks are the most documented, you might be lucky enough to catch orcas, brydes and southern right whales as well — and all without having to step foot from dry land. From Sydney to Byron, we've put together a list of all the best spots to stake-out and catch a glimpse of the majestic sea creatures. Binoculars, hiking shoes, snacks and picnic blankets recommended. Cost: Free 13. TRY A POPCORN OLD FASHIONED Easy Eight was opened by the Mojo Record Bar crew in March 2016 and they've got one heck of a delightfully fun winter cocktail for you. Order big from the fun and frivolous cocktails list, where every drink comes with an edible garnish, hurrah! There's an apple pie cocktail (i.e. an appletini) with an adorable pie crust lid which you can pull off and dunk into your drink. But we're here for the Popcorn Old Fashioned, with popcorn-infused bourbon, maple syrup and little pieces of popcorn. It'll warm you right up. Cost: $19 14. EXPLORE HIDDEN CAVES NEAR SYDNEY Don't spend all winter sprawled on the couch enthralled by The Goonies — go out and choose your own adventure. Within a couple of hours' drive of Sydney, there are hidden caves for cooling off in, huge sandstone caves for camping in (with 50 or so of your closest mates), beachside caves for picnicking in, tunnel caves for meeting glow worms in and river caves for swimming in. In short, there's a lot of caves. Here are ten we think you should visit. Cost: Free 15. SNUGGLE UP TO SOMEONE ELSE'S DOG Dog-sharing. Yep. Read it again. Dog-sharing. Services that allow pooch owners to connect with other pooch owners to help with everyday care, pupsit for holidays, do walks and so on. It's happening. Australian service Dogshare was initially launched for dog owners only, but it's now launched a pretty damn exciting feature — a 'borrowing' feature for dog loving people in the same neighbourhood. Similar Aussie service BorrowMyPooch works on the same principle but has a subscription fee for owners and borrowers, while Pawshake is free to sign up as a sitter, but owners pay to host their pups. Cost: Free 16. BUY A SUCCULENT The gardening bug is a hard one to shake. What might start off as some Woolies parsley growing in the windowsill above the sink can quickly evolve into obsessively spraying Seasol on your asters and getting elbow-deep in dirt to dig up this month's potato harvest. By then, you'll know succulents are glorious gems to invest in during the colder months — they're hardy little blighters. Here are the ten best places to buy plants in Sydney, go pick out a nice little summery cactus. Cost: Smaller succulents can cost as little as $10 17. BRAVE THE COLD AND LISTEN TO THE STARS SING It's such a shame David Bowie's not around to see this. Sydney installation artist Michaela Gleave has come up with an app that translates constellations into musical scores so you can 'play' the stars above you. Wherever you are in the world, at anytime of night, A Galaxy of Suns can read your geolocation and plays the music it transcribes from the constellations within your view. Bundle up and get amongst the cold winter night. Cost: Free 18. FIND HIDDEN ARTWORKS IN THE CITY If you've got a hankering to see new art but have run out of vital organs to sell for travel money to Venice, there's actually quite a bit to see around the traps. You can experience a whole different cultural side to Sydney, especially in the CBD, if you know where to look. Check out our guide to some of the best public art permanently installed by the City of Sydney — you might have literally tripped over it. Cost: Free 19. GO BUSHWALKING IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS If you particularly love a solid mountain trek in winter, pull on those Blundstones. We're lucky enough to have so many great hiking tracks right in our backyard, and the best among these is arguably the Blue Mountains, but with so many trails and paths to traipse, choosing is the hard part. From easy day hikes to hardcore overnighters, the Blue Mountains have it all. Check out a few of our favourites. Cost: Free 20. GO FOR A BIG LONG BIKE RIDE Many people associate cycling in Sydney with dodging cars, battling road rage and navigating their way through complicated tangles of main roads and side streets. But it's the best way to warm up with the wind in your hair this winter, and there are oodles of dedicated (and more serene) bike paths to explore, passing through expansive parks, around tranquil lagoons and alongside stunning beaches. Whether you're still on your training wheels or prepping for the Tour de France, here are ten of Sydney's best bike routes. Cost: Free Top image: Ondrej Supitar.
If you're in the eastern suburbs this weekend and have a dollar to spare, pop into the Juliana Marcs salon in Double Bay. The good folk there will swap your buck for a blow-dry (for women) or a haircut (for men). All you need to do is download and book through Gobu a brand new app that's going to make your life much, much easier when it comes to booking spontaneous beauty and health appointments. In fact, you can think of the app as Uber, but for haircuts, waxing treatments, massages and the like. Let Gobu know where you are and what you're looking for, and it'll find businesses in the area that are ready and waiting to help you out. That way, you can walk straight in, knowing there's an appointment with your name on it. The other element Gobu shares with Uber is a user-rating system. When searching, you can see how businesses have fared in the past, which could well save you suffering through the bikini wax from hell or a haircut that takes ten years off your life (or add ten years to your face). You can also pay for your appointment through the app — no cash necessary. Bookings open at 8am, Thursday, March 8 — so secure your one-dollar blow-dry or haircut (on Saturday, March 10 or Sunday, March 11) before they're all snapped up. You can download the app via the App Store or Google Play.
As bottomless brunches have swept across Sydney — dizzying drinkers with gallons of Turkish wine, Spanish sangria and bloody marys — vegans have been patiently waiting their turn. Well, animal friends, here it is. As of September 30, Barangaroo rooftop Untied will be treating you to a 100 percent cruelty-free bottomless brunch every Sunday until the end of summer. For two sun-kissed hours, you'll be sipping on as many vegan bevvies as you can handle, while gazing over Harbour views. The drinks list includes a bunch of wines, plus three cocktails: the Cinzano Spritz, the Lychee Snap and the Beetroot Sunrise. Matching these delights will be a six-course feast. Kick off with palm heart croquettes with mango-chilli sauce, and corn fritters with Mexican salsa and chipotle aioli, before diving into walnut tacos, tofu and eggplant shakshuka and jackfruit burritos. Come dessert, it'll be time for fried banana rolls with Ben & Jerry's coconut choc-chip ice cream and caramel sauce. Vegan Bottomless Brunch has two sittings every Sunday: 11am-1pm and 1.30pm–3.30pm. Images: Alana Dimou. Updated: October 31, 2018.
There's something rather cool about being ahead of the curve when it comes to cinema, watching the latest and greatest flicks on the silver screen well before anyone else. And, at Australia's biggest short film festival, you can do just that. The internationally acclaimed Flickerfest is celebrating its 32nd year come January 2023, so you can expect an A-class lineup of cinematic delights over its ten-day run. The annual event is Australia's leading Academy® Award-qualifying short-film fest, and is backed with BAFTA recognition, too. In January, you can catch screenings under the stars at the festival's beachside home in the northern end of Bondi Beach Park. The outdoor cinema will be set in a palm tree-ringed garden courtyard plus indoor screenings in the revamped Bondi Pavilion cinema, both supported by Waverley Council. You can choose from a program of over 200 short flicks from Australia and around the world, handpicked as the most inspiring, provocative and entertaining among the whopping 3100 submissions this year. The program is divided into 29 sessions, so you can plan your visit around the genres that interest you most — like comedy, romance, LGBTQIA+ and documentary films. Want to make a night of it? Drop by the festival's panoramic beachside bar for a pre- or post-show drink and snack. Plus, there'll be an ultra-swish opening-night gala and closing-night event which, for a few extra bucks, you can attend to be part of the action. After wrapping its Sydney stint, Flickerfest will share the short-film love and pop up at over 45 venues across the country between February and October. The 32nd Flickerfest International Film Festival will run from Friday, January 20 to Sunday, January 29. Tickets and the full 2023 program are available from Friday, December 16. For more information, head to the website.
When word arrived that a new version of Scott Pilgrim was on its way, it felt as inevitable as the person of your dreams having a complicated romantic past. That nothing ever truly dies in pop culture is old news. So is the fact that nothing fades into memory, especially when respawning can capitalise upon a fanbase. Turning Scott Pilgrim into a TV show is the latest example on an ever-growing list of leaps from the big screen to the small; however, sight unseen, making a Scott Pilgrim anime series felt more fitting than most similar jumps. Thanks to manga-style aesthetic that filled Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novels, the video game-esque plot about battling seven evil exes and the cartoon vibe that Edgar Wright brought so engagingly to his 2010 big-screen live-action adaptation, imagining how O'Malley and co-writer/co-producer BenDavid Grabinski (Are You Afraid of the Dark?) — plus Wright (Last Night in Soho) again as an executive producer — could bring that to an eight-part animation was instantly easy. Called Scott Pilgrim Takes Off rather than Scott Pilgrim vs the World, the Netflix series that streams from Friday, November 17 begins as a straightforward Scott Pilgrim anime, introducing the same tale that's been spread across pages and cinemas — and played through via a video game, too — right down to repeated shots and dialogue. Meet Scott Pilgrim again, then. The Michael Cera (Barbie)-voiced twentysomething bassist is once more fated to fall in love with literal dream girl Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ahsoka), who first appears to him as he slumbers, then fight the seven folks who dated her before him. When sparks fly, he also has his own amorous mess to deal with, including that he's dating high-schooler Knives Chau (Ellen Wong, Best Sellers) and remains heartbroken over being dumped by now-superstar singer Envy Adams (Brie Larson, The Marvels). Scott Pilgrim Takes Off's debut episode still has its namesake living with Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin, Succession) in a one-room Toronto flat, and regularly having the ins and outs of his life recounted by his roommate to his sister Stacey (Anna Kendrick, Alice, Darling). Scott is reliably one third of Sex Bob-Omb! alongside his friend Stephen Stills (Mark Webber, SMILF) and ex Kim Pine (Alison Pill, Hello Tomorrow!), with Stephen's housemate Young Neil (Johnny Simmons, Girlboss) always watching on. And, when he first talks to Ramona IRL, it's at a party thrown by the acerbic Julie Powers (Aubrey Plaza, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre). Then, the band plays a gig that Scott invites Ramona to, and the first of her evil former paramours interrupts Sex Bob-Omb!'s set to throw down — with Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha, Sense8) still hung up on the girl he dated for a week and a half in seventh grade. Beating Matthew will mean needing to vanquish the rest of Ramona's past loves next: movie star Lucas Lee (Chris Evans, Pain Hustlers), vegan fellow bassist Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh, The Flash), Ramona's college roommate Roxy Richter (Mae Whitman, Good Girls), twins Kyle and Ken Katayanagi (Julian Cihi, Only Murders in the Building), and record-label head Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes). Accordingly, just like Kim shouting "we are Sex Bob-Omb!" at the beginning of a set, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off starts with comfortable familiarity. But at the end of the initial instalment, after every detail looks like the graphic novels and film given the anime treatment to the point of feeling uncanny, in drops the first twist. There's reimaginings, and then there's this playful take that adores the comics and movie, pays homage to them, riffs on and even openly references them, but charmingly shirks the idea of being a remake. So, what if that narrative didn't follow the path that viewers have seen before? What if there's a reason that this series' moniker mentions Scott not being around? What if that's just the kick-off point for a brand-new, gorgeously dreamy, wildly inventive and infectiously heartfelt Scott Pilgrim remix? This is still a story spun from a slacker fantasy while bubbling with sincerity and intensity about navigating love and life when you're working out who you are, but every new turn in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off deepens its tale, emotions and delights. It still dwells in a world where Scott orders a delivery from the rollerskating Ramona on a boxy computer (she slings Netflix DVDs, aptly), yet it feels even more divorced from time. Although still abounds with pop culture nods and throwback vibes as well — albeit without zero sounds from The Legend of Zelda, but with added lines of dialogue straight out of 90s tunes — this isn't the exact same Scott Pilgrim. Prepare to get meta, and also for an angle that Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs the World didn't have, putting the focus on Ramona not as the object of eight people's affections but as Scott Pilgrim Takes Off's protagonist. As she endeavours to work out what's going on, she's the audience's guide in a whodunnit (because alongside slotting into the film-to-TV trend like Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, this series embraces its mystery angle as A Murder at the End of the World has also been doing of late, plus plenty of other shows before it). As Ramona's other exes still need confronting, it's her rather than someone she's casually seeing that's wading and soul-searching through her history. If O'Malley, Grabinski and Wright had chosen to call their Netflix effort Ramona Flowers vs the World, it would've fit; that said, not only Ramona but the full slate of characters beyond Scott all benefit from the big shift. Accordingly, while the ex-by-ex structure stays — plus the fight scenes bursting with on-screen onomatopoeia — each episode builds upon Ramona, Wallace, Knives, Kim, Young Neil, Stephen, Julie, Stacey and Envy, as well as Matthew, Lucas, Todd, Roxy, the Katayanagi and Gideon. If re-enlisting the movie's massive supporting cast seemed like a mammoth achievement, expanding their characters' place in the story must've been a prime way to entice everyone back. What makes Ramona's exes tick, hopes and neuroses alike, cannily and cathartically helps shapes the show's sleuthing. More than that, unresolved emotions and struggles colour every battle. Bouncing ingeniously through an array of film genres in a video store-set fray is a particularly memorable and meaningful move. As brought to the screen with Science Saru's now-expectedly beguiling animation (see also: the big screen's Night Is Short, Walk On Girl, Lu Over the Wall, Ride Your Wave and Inu-Oh, all from filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa), different instalments also take their tone and approach from different sources. A Lucas-centric chapter that turns Liam Lynch's 2002 track 'United States of Whatever' into its anthem is a treat, for instance, and another episode is a self-referential marvel. Where Scott Pilgrim vs the World looked outward to dive into its characters, using its gaming and pop-culture nods as shorthand to explain who they are, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off peers inwards to get its mood, themes, intricacies and slant. Like Scott with Ramona, this series is something to tumble head over heels for, and one of the best examples yet of pressing play again on a beloved treasure. Check out the full trailer for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off below: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off streams via Netflix on Friday, November 17.
Whether or not we wanted it to, the pandemic threw a stick in the hamster wheel of life. For some, it caused a permanent change to their 9-to-5s. For others, holidays and plans halted. For many, it meant stepping back and reassessing: with regular life on pause, were there any changes to make before it all starts spinning again? Career and sea changes aside, this could mean choosing to swap the screen for stargazing — or working overtime on the weekend for two days of waterfall chasing — a little more often. In the words of twins Cam and Chris Grant, maybe now's the time to live a life a little more unyoked. The Grant brothers founded Aussie startup Unyoked back in 2017 and now have 15 — soon-to-be 17 — off-grid cabins across NSW, Victoria and Queensland, including one designed by Matthew McConaughey. All properties have been placed in secret patches of wilderness, in the middle of nowhere, allowing you to well and truly escape the big smoke. Each cabin is designed to make you feel like you're part of the surrounding landscape. Think timber, oversized windows, solar power, composting toilets and a blissful lack of wi-fi. At the same time, though, simple comforts are taken care of, so you get a cosy bed, kitchen appliances, firewood, Single O coffee, cocktails made in collaboration with Archie Rose and Capital brews. With its remote cabins, Unyoked encourages Aussies to travel more, log off more and challenge the typical 9-to-5. To help you do just that, the company is giving you the chance to break free from the grind and get off-grid with two-night getaways in a remote cabin — every three months for the rest of your life. Yep, it's the offer of a lifetime. To win, Unyoked needs your help naming one of its new cabins. The company names all its locations after 'unyoked' people Chris and Cam have met on their travels. There's the Lucia, named after a woman they met in London who had quit her media gig to travel; and the Miguel, who was "floating around the jungle outside Chiang Mai" in Thailand when the twins met him. So, if you know a free-spirit who inspires you to live a little more nomadic, you just need to put their name forward. Then, if your suggested name is chosen, you'll be able to escape to any of Unyoked's cabins for two nights, four times a year, every year — and be a little bit more like your nominated unyoked mate. [caption id="attachment_774963" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maddy Tonks[/caption] To enter, see details below. [competition]774540[/competition]
They're sticky, cinnamon scrolls, drenched in glaze and famous all across the USA. And now, at last, they're available Down Under. Yep, Seattle-born chain Cinnabon has landed in Australia, with a Brisbane outpost now serving up delicious baked goods. The launch was first announced in January this year, when family-run Queensland company Bansal Foods scored the Aussie rights to Cinnabon. But, now, it's more than just news. Brisbanites eager to get their fix can head to Toombul Shopping Centre in the city's north, and grab a scroll seven days a week — well, once the opening queues die down. Cinnabon has been going strong in America since 1985, so it has already picked up plenty of Aussie fans along the way. But this is the first time that we're able to get our hands on those sticky, cinnamon-infused baked goods on home soil. The new Brisbane store slings a trio of Cinnabon cult classics, including the classic cream cheese cinnamon roll, the popular chocolate-drizzled Chocobon and very extra Caramel Pecanbon. They're available in both mini and large sizes, along with packs featuring either four or nine 'minibons'. There's coffee and lots of sugary drinks to pair with your snacks, too, including a cinnamon bun frappe. If you're yet to get acquainted with the decadent dessert creations, prepare yourself for aromatic, cinnamon-spiked dough made to a long-held recipe, decked out with stacks of signature cream cheese frosting and loaded with extras. They're notoriously tough to replicate. Toombul Shopping Centre recently opened a new neon-lit upstairs dining precinct, but Cinnabon isn't a part of that. Instead, it's located on the ground floor near Coles. And if you're not in Brisbane, it probably won't be too long until Cinnabon makes its way down south. The Toombul store is set to be the first of many. A second Brisbane store in Mt Gravatt is due to open in January 2020 and, going off plans announced earlier in the year, Cinnabon is looking to launch in Sydney and beyond in 2021. Cinnabon is now open on the ground level of Toombul Shopping Centre, 1015 Sandgate Road, Toombul.
Summer is fast approaching, and for many this means a total review of your wardrobe. Trenchcoats and scarves are being boxed in your garage, whilst singlets and sunnies are making a comeback as the days grow hotter and longer. Here we've compiled a list of stores around Sydney that will help you look the part in the coming months. From high-end pieces to straight streetwear, there's bound to be at least one store that caters to your tastes. TOPS 7Camicie With over 300 stores in 30 countries, Italian business 7Camicie has only recently found its way to Sydney. Housed in a modest store in Paddington, their button-up shirts are not for the faint-hearted. The designs feature vibrant colours and loud designs, which are often contrasted with more subtle cuffs and collars. Other shirts also have multiple collars, patterned inner lining and an abundance of buttons, which make them a little less formal. You might be surprised that each shirt has so many different intricacies. Wear one of these and you’re guaranteed to turn heads. Address: 446 Oxford St, Paddington Phone: (02) 9331 0088 Visit website Incu Incu has long been hipster heaven in Australia, and their diverse range of niche brands has made the store a staple with the cultured demographic. Of particular note is growing Australian brand Vanishing Elephant, whose checked and vintage print shirts are great for this summer. Their pocket tees and singlets will also be suitable for a day outing, coming in a handful of brighter colours. More conventional shirts from A.P.C and Oliver Spencer can also be found at Incu. Throw one of these on before you hop on your fixie bike. Address: Shop 19-20, 500 George St, Sydney (The Galeries) and 256 Oxford Street, Paddington Phone: (02) 9283 7622 and (02) 9331 6070 Visit website Bassike It’s always essential that you stock up on a handful of plains for summer. This is exactly what you'll find at Bassike - nothing outrageous, but some high-quality, dependable tees and singlets that are easy to piece together an outfit with. When it’s not blank, simple stripes and patterns are on offer. However, the unorthodox cuts and details add some subtle spark to these basics. These pieces of clothing may not seem like the most exciting things to spend your money on, but it’s often the case that less is more. Plus, it’s unlikely that anything you pick up here will be going out of fashion soon. Address: 26 Glenmore Rd, Paddington, 11 Macmilan Court, Avalon and 803 Military Road, Mosman Phone: (02) 9360 3606 Visit website BOTTOMS Above The Clouds Above the Clouds is relatively new on the Sydney streetwear scene, but the wonderfully modern boutique has already made a huge name for itself. The store is named after a Gangstarr song, so you know it’s going to be good. Above the Clouds stocks boardshorts from Sydney-based brand Venroy. With clean, bold designs and an above-the-knee cut, these comfy casuals are a slick addition to any wardrobe. Above the Clouds also sold A.T.G. leopard print boardshorts last summer, and this season features some other pieces which are just as daring. Keep an eye out for some exciting Above the Clouds collaborations in the near future. Address: Shop 2, 256 Crown St, Darlinghurst Phone: (02) 9356 4404 Visit website Alfie's Alfie's is a great store if you're looking for something snazzy without being overdressed. Located just a short drive from the CBD, they stock classic brands such as Lacoste and Fred Perry, but some smaller companies too. Among these is Melbourne-based Mr. Simple, who have an excellent range of chino shorts at a modest price. They're avaliable in everything from royal blue to mustard, and easy to either dress up or dress down. Their long chinos come in a slim fit, and look great when pinrolled for the subtle ankle-flashing that's proven popular. Address: 264 Darling St, Balmain Phone: (02) 9555 5222 Visit website Topshop/Topman Okay, so Topshop hasn’t actually opened yet, but the UK giant has secured a prime location in the CBD and is set to open before Christmas. Whilst it is better known for catering to females, male counterpart Topman offers plenty of options for guys seeking to keep it smart. A quick browse on their online store reveals chino shorts, twill shorts and dress shorts in an assortment of styles. Coloured denim is also available for the braver fashionistas who want to match the summer weather with an equally bright pair of slacks. Here’s hoping that the online range will be replicated in Sydney, and at a reasonable price. Address: Former Gowings Building, Corner Market and George Streets, Sydney (Opening Christmas 2011). FOOTWEAR Footage Footage used to deal heavily with Nike Air Max and runners, but the store has primarily focused on the higher end of streetwear in recent years. Here you’ll find a nice collection of the classics from Vans, Sperry and Converse, plus some cuts you’ll have trouble finding anywhere else. Lace these up and throw on some Mr. Simple chino shorts for a crisp look that’s hard to fault. Every once in awhile Footage will still stock a pair of Nikes to please all the street veterans and homies out there. You might come for the shoes, but don’t be surprised if you leave with a whole outfit. Address: 13C Burton St, Darlinghurst Phone: (02) 9332 1337 Visit website Spring Court Spring Court offers some suave options for those seeking footwear with particular craftsmanship and quality. Having started in 1936, this vintage French manufacturer has been making shoes longer than most people have been alive. Mid-cut canvas sneakers offer a nice casual alternative to mainstream brands, and are apparently made of Egyptian cotton. Fancy. Leather and suede products from Schmoove will add plenty of class to your outfit, and are available in tan and lighter shades for a summer feel. Roll up those skinny jeans even further, as these European shoes are guaranteed to steal the spotlight. Address: 113A Commonwealth St, Surry Hills Phone: (02) 9281 6687 Visit website Espionage/Sneakerology Espionage has been a cornerstone of the Sydney sneaker scene for years, and not without good reason. Their collection of Nikes reigns supreme in this city, and you’ll find yourself at least one pair of runners that are too nice to ever run in. It also hosts a collection of Adidas, Puma and Reebok items, which will undoubtedly please the older generation of sneakerheads. Colourful and extra-wide shoelaces are also available for those replicating that retro b-boy look. The epic window display at their newest store, Sneakerology, will brighten up your shopping experience. Cop a pair of kicks and buy a subtly matching cap for a sneaky colour code. Espionage Address: Shop 2, 22-26 Goulburn St, Sydney Espionage Phone: (02) 9264 9704 Visit website Sneakerology Address: Level 1, Shop 1020, 188 Pitt St, Sydney (Westfield) Sneakerology Phone: (02) 8072 8889 Visit website ACCESSORIES Capsule Capsule carries a load of accessories, from belts to snapbacks and even a few surprises. This includes Navajo print socks, which should be worn with shorts and pulled all the way up for that grandpa swagger. If you want to keep trendy but don’t have the dough, sunglasses from Vans go for just under $20. Capsule also stocks watches from O’Clock, which have silicone bands that stretch and slip onto the wrist like bangles. These are super cheap and extra bands can be bought individually of the watch face. This makes them a convenient choice when you want to switch colours depending on your mood and outfit. Address: Shop 1001B, Level 1, 188 Pitt St, Sydney (Westfield) Phone: (02) 8246 9124 Visit website Tuchuzy Nothing screams summer in Sydney more than Bondi, and cult boutique Tuchuzy is synonymous with the suburb’s fashion circuit. Tucked away just minutes from the world famous beach, Tuchuzy now has a store just for men. Wewood offers wooden watches in a range of earthy shades, and the company plants one tree for every watch sold. Look savvy and be an environmental superhero at the same time. Long cross necklaces from Stolen Girlfriends Club work perfectly when draped over basic tees, and their studded gold rings are suitable for those seeking bling with a little more edge. Aviators and wayfarers from Oliver Peoples are a fresh take on these classic styles. Address: 90 Gould St, Bondi Beach Phone: (02) 9365 5371 Visit website Halfsleeve Halfsleeve has an impressive range of headwear that offers a piece for everyone to enjoy. Caps from streetwear favourites Mishka and Only NY are a regular feature, whilst vintage NBA snapbacks also pop up every once in awhile. Three new Halfsleeve snapbacks will also drop in November to accompany their own line of baseball and pocket tees. For something a little more understated, five-panel and camp caps from Coal and New York Hat Co. use simple designs with a tight, snug fit. Also available is a collection of 9five and Waiting for the Sun sunglasses in plastic and wooden frames, which are fashionable and easy on the wallet. Address: Shop 3, 133 Goulburn St, Surry Hills Phone: (02) 8021 0869 Visit website
Okay, we don't like to get preachy but if you haven't been to the Bendigo region yet, you've been missing out. Over the past few years, the region, which includes Heathcote, Castlemaine, Maldon, Maryborough, Talbot, Inglewood and Wedderburn, has further established itself as an incredible destination for all things arts, crafts and culture — not to mention its emerging foodie scene. But it's not just the urban aspects that are drawing people to the area. The region is a treasure trove of exciting outdoor activities that demand to be explored — from getting your hands dirty and (hopefully) striking gold to uncovering strange wonders like Heathcote's powdery Pink Cliffs and specially built mountain bike trails amid the foothills of Mount Alexander. With that in mind, here are nine that should add to your list right away. [caption id="attachment_730704" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Mitchener.[/caption] CONQUER (SOME OF) THE 210-KILOMETRE GOLDFIELDS TRACK The Goldfields Track links the two cities of Bendigo and Ballarat — but you don't have to complete the whole length of the 210-kilometre trail to experience its beauty. Whether you're on a bike or just on foot, the pathway is broken into three smaller sections to make it easier to tackle. And, the Leanganook Track, between Bendigo and Castlemaine, via Harcourt, is a real knock-out. Throughout spring and summer, colourful wildflowers and orchids line the route, which passes by the historic, still-operating Coliban Water Main Channel and the ever-imposing Garfield Water Wheel. The natural wonders are just as interesting, with highlights including lush pine plantations, tempting apple orchards, Australia's first National Heritage Park and Mount Alexander's huge, picture-ready rock formations. Be sure to stop at Harcourt for lunch, cider and wine tasting. [caption id="attachment_730703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michelle Jarni.[/caption] RACE AGAINST AN OLD STEAM TRAIN ON A TRAIL Opened in 2017, the Castlemaine to Maldon Trail is one of the newer kids on the block. From the dry forests of Maldon Historic Reserve and the open farmland of Muckleford to the historic Beehive Gold Mine and its impressive 30-metre-high chimney, there's so much to see and explore along this 17.7-kilometre trail, which can be completed as either a good hike or a beginner-friendly bike ride. Time your visit right (on a Wednesday or Sunday) and you can even have a race a heritage steam train operated by Victorian Goldfields Railway. Too tired to ride back? You can always ride the train back. WANDER OR RIDE ALONG THE O'KEEFE RAIL TRAIL The gold rush may be a legendary part of Australian history, but it may not have happened at all without construction engineer Andrew O'Keefe. The Irish migrant is considered a pioneer of the Victorian railway, and this line — which connects Bendigo to Heathcote, and is now a cycling hotspot — is named for him. The O'Keefe Rail Trail provides you with the perfect opportunity to uncover the stunning native bushland and wildlife — here's looking at you, adorable platypuses. If you're game, you can walk or ride the whole stretch. Be sure to pack a picnic for a riverside break at the Campaspe River Reserve or Lake Eppalock, before arriving in Heathcote and exploring some wineries or tucking into a well-earned pub feed. PADDLE DOWN THIS FIVE-KILOMETRE CREEK Give your legs a rest from all the walking and cycling, and let your arms take over with a canoe tour along Serpentine Creek. Canoe hire is readily available at Boort Lakes Holiday Park from just $10 an hour or $40 for a full day. You'll set off on your journey from Whytcross Road, Durham Ox and throughout the five-kilometre paddle, you'll see the historic red-brick inn, trees scarred from traditional practices of the Dja Dja Wurrung people and a diverse range of birds. You'll also find a bunch more canoe trails, plus training opportunities, over here. ZOOM AROUND A MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK Set amid the foothills of Mount Alexander, the La Larr Ba Gauwa Mountain Bike Park is a 34-kilometre network of purpose-built mountain bike trails. The tracks have been specially designed to take advantage of the area's tough granite-filled countryside. The 11 exciting trails feature jaw-dropping views of the surrounding rolling hills, boulder drop-offs and English-style oak forest. Plus, riders visiting the park won't just be treated to an incredible physical challenge. They'll also have a chance to take in some art along the way as the trail builders have created a few interesting installations along the tracks. Word of warning: if you're a beginner, stick to the green loop. The rest of the trails are all geared toward intermediate and experienced mountain bikers and feature a lot of drops, jumps and other technical features. DISCOVER THESE NATURALLY FORMED PINK PEAKS The gold rush era shaped the town of Heathcote in more ways than one. But, it was the introduction of sluicing in the 1880s that revealed one of the area's most notable sites. Known as the Pink Cliffs and located a short walk from town, the strange mini gorges rise and fall in a sporadic undulation and, like some kind of natural mood ring, change colour depending on the time of day you visit. As you wander through the geological reserve, you'll realise that these stone-like formations are actually made up of a pink clay that feels a lot like talcum powder — so watch where you sit or you'll find yourself covered with the stuff. [caption id="attachment_730707" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michelle Jarni.[/caption] WALK OR RIDE THROUGH A EUCALYPT FOREST ON THIS HERITAGE TRAIL If you're hoping to immerse yourself in the history of the area while taking in the beauty of Victoria's countryside, then the Ballarat–Maryborough Heritage Trail is a great choice. The 91-kilometre trail is broken into four sections that flow through tall eucalypt forests, grand homesteads from times gone by and sprawling vineyards. Quick dips into quaint towns like Clunes — made famous by Ned Kelly — and Talbot will break up the journey, as do the unbeatable views of Mount Beckworth's imposing volcanic mound. The trail ends with a short journey through open grazing land and through box ironbark forest before you arrive in Maryborough. VENTURE INSIDE THE MELVILLE CAVES If you're searching for a great weekend hideout, then look no further than the Melville Caves at Kooyoora State Park. The rocky outcrop is not the dark and bat-filled cave system you might imagine, but rather a collection of granite boulders that notorious bushranger Captain Melville apparently used as a hiding place and a lookout in the 1800s — hence the name. The hike to reach the cave area takes about 20 minutes (or can be accessed more conveniently by driving to the top of the park) and winds its way through lush trees and shrubs while offering sweeping views of the park below. While you're wandering beneath the rocks, keep an eye out for something shiny. Rumour has it that Captain Melville left some treasure behind. [caption id="attachment_730705" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ewen Bell.[/caption] GO PROSPECTING ACROSS THE BENDIGO REGION Although the Bendigo region is now brimming with art galleries, cultural institutions and a calendar packed with exciting contemporary events, it's still one of the key places people visit hoping to strike gold — and for good reason. Its vast gold rush history has proven time and time again that the area is rich in the shiny mineral that has had people seeing dollar signs for decades. But you don't have to be a serious miner to have a taste of glory. The Coiltek Gold Centre runs tours for those interested in learning how to unearth a natural gold nugget or two — all you need to bring is your lunch (and a bit of luck). To start planning your trip to Bendigo — and to discover more of what's happening in the region — head to the Bendigo Regional Tourism website.
After spending a glorious, sunny summer on the Promenade, the Casa Aperol at Bondi Beach pop-up will be moving indoors and into the beloved Bondi Pavilion to keep giving Sydneysiders the chance to quaff Aperol Spritz, the Italian sunset in a glass, while overlooking their city's most iconic beach. With a breezy bar serving up drinks and a summer-ready food menu designed for beachside enjoyment, the Mediterranean-inspired oasis will shift inside the walls of the Pav, open every Sunday from 11.30am until Sunday, May 7. As well as fresh sea breezes and stunning views of Bondi Beach, you can expect DJs on the decks and prizes up for grabs. The celebrations will keep that summer feeling alive from early March to early May, and culminate in a ticketed live music event in collaboration with Live Nation, so stay tuned for further details. And, if the world's most famous al fresco aperitivo is anything to go by, expect good vibes, great times and a ton of fun for you and your crew. For the latest information on the Casa Aperol pop-up in Bondi, head to the website.
Star Wars did it. Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones, too. No blockbuster movie franchise stays away from cinemas for too long these days, so of course The Lord of the Rings is being taken back to the big screen — even though it has already spawned one huge hit trilogy, then followed it up with another. Expect more hobbits, elves and dwarves in more places — in multiple movies, in fact — given that The Lord of the Rings is also doing big things on the small screen of late. In 2022, the long-awaited The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power hit streaming, bringing Middle-earth to Prime Video across a stunning-looking series. Season two is in the works as well, with the show stepping back thousands of years into the JRR Tolkien-created fantasy realm's past. The new Lord of the Rings flicks are being made by Warner Bros Discovery, so it's unlikely that they'll tie into the TV show — but exactly what they'll cover, be it new tales or linking in with the OG three LoTR movies or The Hobbit films, is yet to be revealed. So far, Warner Bros has just advised that more features are on their way, announcing the news as part of the company's latest investor earnings call. Making more LoTR films involves coming to an agreement with Swedish gaming and media company Embracer Group, which owns the intellectual property rights to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and other Middle-earth-related literary works. As part of the new movie arrangement, the upcoming flicks will be produced by Warner Bros-owned production company New Line Cinema, which was behind the first two trios of hobbit-filled features. "Following our recent acquisition of Middle-earth Enterprises, we're thrilled to embark on this new collaborative journey with New Line Cinema and Warner Bros Pictures, bringing the incomparable world of JRR Tolkien back to the big screen in new and exciting ways," said Lee Guinchard, CEO of Freemode — which is part of Embracer — in a statement. "We understand how cherished these works are and, working together with our partners at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros Pictures, we plan to honour the past, look to the future, and adhere to the strongest level of quality and production values." No further details, including regarding plots, characters, casting, directors or timing — including whether Oscar-winner Peter Jackson will be involved after helming all six past New Line features — has been announced as yet. But Warner Bros Pictures Group Co-Chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy added that "for all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by JRR Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film." "The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honour," the pair continued. The first LoTR trilogy hit the big screen two decades ago, with The Fellowship of the Ring arriving in 2001, The Two Towers in 2002 and The Return of the King in 2003. They were followed by the three Hobbit movies a decade later, An Unexpected Journey debuting in 2012, The Desolation of Smaug in 2013 and The Battle of the Five Armies in 2014. Before the latest Lord of the Rings films come to a fruition, an anime will get there first. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is currently in production, and will spin a story set 183 years before the events of LoTR, focusing on the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan. Expect it in cinemas in April 2024. Obviously there's no trailer for the just-announced flicks as yet, but here are the trailers for The Fellowship of the Ring,The Two Towers and The Return of the King in the interim: The new Lord of the Rings movies don't yet have a release date — we'll update you with more information when it's announced.
As part of its push to get encourage tourism to regional NSW and bushfire-impacted areas, the NSW Government has launched five new culinary trails that will guide you through the picturesque Southern Tablelands. If you're looking for a food-filled trip out of the big smoke, these trails are designed to take the planning out of your travels while ensuring you hit the best spots this beloved NSW region has to offer. Located within three hours of Sydney, these food and wine trails are designed to be taken as a self-guided tour through your choice of five distinct areas within the Southern Tablelands. The five journeys have been labelled: Wine, Water, Wonder; Vibrant Villages & Passionate Producers; Wild Hume: Nature & History; Off the Beaten Track; and Recharge in the Great Outdoors, with each providing travellers with a wholly unique experience. [caption id="attachment_865326" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Contentious Character[/caption] So, let's break down a few of these trails. Number one is Wine, Water, Wonder which is based around Lake George. It includes trips to the adorable Some Cafe in the small town of Collector, a range of food and shopping spots, and a winery crawl through the idyllic vines of Lerida Estate, Lake George Winery, Contentious Character and Lark Hill Winery. The Vibrant Villages & Passionate Producers trail takes you to stops like Grabben Gullen's The Albion Hotel for locally caught seafood, a 300-year-old sock-making dynasty in Crookwell, Laggan Pantry for a six-course degustation and a range of century-plus-old pubs. And, trail three — Off the Beaten Path — explores the areas between the Southern Highlands' Queanbeyan and Braidwood. On this adventure, you'll explore the historic town of Captains Flat, take on our choice of scenic hikes and stumble upon charming pubs, cafes, delis and galleries. Head to the Visit NSW website for the full breakdown of each tourist trail and to begin planning your trip to the Southern Tablelands. [caption id="attachment_865325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bungonia National Park[/caption] Plan a trip to the Southern Highlands through the NSW Government's tourist trails. Images: Destination NSW
Hong Kong's T'ang Court restaurant has earned itself an impressive reputation, becoming a must-eat mainstay in the city's culinary scene, and also boasting three Michelin stars for seven consecutive years since 2016. For Australians keen to give its Cantonese menu a try, there's now another option — and it's easier than hopping on an international flight. Adding to T'ang Court's outposts overseas, The Langham hotel chain has opened an Aussie venue in its luxe new Gold Coast site. The Langham Gold Coast hotel itself launched back in June, after first revealing that it was in the works in May — and T'ang Court making the jump to southeast Queensland was announced then as well. But the restaurant was always set to launch later, in spring. It clearly took that opening date seriously, welcoming in patrons from Thursday, September 1. The fine-dining chain's name comes from the Tang Dynasty, with the restaurant taking a luxe approach to both its surroundings and its culinary spread. The decor pairs bold pops of colour with neutrals, including bespoke abstract art pieces by Australian Chinese artist Lindi Li. As for the food range, it spans perennial favourites and seasonal delicacies, including across both a la carte dishes and three set menus. A big drawcard at T'ang Court's first Australian location: a three-part tribute to Cantonese duck, which features duck pancakes with hoi sin sauce, duck buns with lychee and raspberry sauce (and caviar), and sliced duck breast and leg paired with with plum sauce. Or, the menu also includes sauteed pearl meat with ginger, shallots and Asian greens, plus spicy black tiger prawns with roasted garlic. "Our first Australian T'ang Court restaurant marks a significant leap forward for the local dining landscape. Authentic, traditional Cantonese fine dining is comparatively rare in Australia, so we're thrilled to bring this unique experience to life for locals and travellers, from other states and even internationally," said Howard Lam, Director of Chinese Cuisine for Langham Hospitality Group. "Diners at T'ang Court on the Gold Coast will be able to indulge in the same golden age Cantonese flavours that have earned T'ang Court at The Langham Hong Kong three Michelin stars and seen its many other award-winning sister restaurants across the world become highly-sought-after dining destinations." Located indoors on level three at The Langham, and seating 80, T'ang Court is serving lunch from 12–3pm and dinner from 5.30–11pm five days a week — operating from Wednesday–Sunday. If you're a keen to book in a visit from out of town, then stay the night afterwards, The Langham also boasts 339 rooms and suites, direct beachfront access, a pool bar you can swim up to while still staring at that ocean view, a number of other eateries and a wellness centre. Find T'ang Court at The Langham Gold Coast on level three, 38 Old Burleigh Road, Surfers Paradise — serving lunch from 12–3pm and dinner from 5.30–11pm from Wednesday–Sunday.
A new arrival on the live music scene, the Red Rattler is a community-based venue and innovative arts space. It's a space determined to make a lot of noise, and is named for the old Red Rattler trains that did the same. Building on the shoulders of Sydney's infamous illegal warehouse scene (which many of these Rats were involved in), this is a completely legal venue that seems far too good to be true. It's an inspiring space that feels more like a home than a warehouse. Plush red velvet curtains, mismatched second-hand couches and an intimate, friendly atmosphere make a night spent at the Rattler completely unique. The fact that it's run by a collective of artists guarantees an exceptional spectrum of performers, with past highlights including The Church, Naked On The Vague and the High Reflections experimental music nights.
Two of magic's most outrageous luminaries take the spotlight for this romp through their unlikely rise to fame and their ultimately bloody fall. Their rags-to-riches story — escaping war-torn childhoods in Germany to become Vegas' highest-paid act — is one of entertainment's most remarkable tales, and through it all, Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn were inseparable — romantic partners, closest confidants and each other's inspiration. However, their infamous casino residency brazenly toyed with tragedy as they took to the stage each night with their pet adult male white tiger Mantacore — a decision that would eventually prove to be wildly misguided. A Sydney Festival exclusive, this hilarious new opera, created by composer Luke Di Somma and director Constantine Costi with costumes by Tim Chappel, features powerhouse vocals from Kanen Breen and Christopher Tonkin, live magic and a helluva lot of Vegas-level razzle-dazzle.
Say beer and the Aussies around you perk up. As a nation, we love a quality cold one like nothing else, so if we get a chance to sip exclusive brews from some of our fellow hop-loving neighbouring nations, we take that chance. Here's the good news: the leading Japanese brewing group Suntory is bringing a beer brand typically exclusive to Tokyo, in the form of a pop-up brewing event, back to Sydney. Suntory The Premium Malt's House has come to Sydney once before, selling out for beer aficionados night after night. This year, the Sydney popup will be available from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11. This time, it's setting up shop in Darling Quarter at the Japanese eatery ICHOUME. You'll be able to enjoy ICHOUME's menu of Japanese snacks and share plates — with carefully selected pairings to go alongside five rare brews of Suntory The Premium Malt's: Premol, Premol Black, Half & Half (a mix of Premol & Premol Black), Mliko and Sunset (a 7:3 blend of Premol and Premol Black). Each option varies in flavour and frothiness, but all boast the The Premium Malt's staple of Kami-Awa (aka 'creamy foam'). One particularly special opportunity is planned for Friday, August 2 — International Beer Day. There are popups like this happening all over the world, and Sydney guests that day will join an international live stream where you'll be able to join a truly unique worldwide toast. For a bit of fun every other day, you can snap a selfie and have it printed on the foam of your order, or you might be able to win some Suntory The Premium Malt's merchandise before you go. The Suntory Premium Malt's is taking over ICHOUME from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11. For more information, visit The Premium Malt's website or Instagram.
In self-portrait after self-portrait, Frida Kahlo was no stranger to giving the world a window into what made the artist tick. The Mexican painter didn't just create art — she bared her soul, especially in pieces where she stares back at audiences. Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image has a similar intimate aim in mind, as aided by some of the icon's depictions of herself, as well as a treasure trove of her personal belongings. When it arrives Down Under in 2025, this will be Australia's latest celebration of Kahlo after the Art Gallery of South Australia's 150-work Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution showcase of Mexican modernism in 2023, and also Sydney Festival's multi-sensory Frida Kahlo: Life of an Icon the same year. That's quite the spread of places around the country that've been dedicating walls and halls to the artist, with Bendigo now joining them. Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image will display at the Bendigo Art Gallery from Saturday, March 15–Sunday, July 13. [caption id="attachment_966475" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frida Kahlo in blue satin blouse, 1939, photograph by Nickolas Muray © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives.[/caption] Many of the artworks and items that'll feature have never been seen in Australia before. In fact, some were sealed for 50 years in her family home when Diego Rivera ensured that the site would become a museum after Kahlo passed away in 1954, and that her most-personal items were stored in the bathrooms away from public eyes. Objects such as clothes and makeup will make the trip to regional Victoria, as will mementoes and photographs. Accordingly, attendees will be peering at traditional Mexican garments, including a headdress from the Oaxaca region, that were worn by Kahlo; Revlon cosmetics, such as lipstick, nail polish and an eyebrow pencil; and hand-painted medical corsets that she donned following spinal surgeries. Appearances Can Be Deceiving, a self-portrait drawing that provides a view through her clothing to her corset x-ray style, is also a highlight. [caption id="attachment_966474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] La Casa Azul. Photograph by Sebastián Monsalve. © Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera Archives. Bank of Mexico, Fiduciary in the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museum Trust.[/caption] Arriving direct from the Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico, Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image is exclusive to the Bendigo institution, so you'll need to make the trip if you're keen to explore what the artist's belongings and style says about her art. "This remarkable collection rarely travels outside Mexico, and has never before been seen in Australia. Kahlo's much-loved home, Casa Azul, now the Museo Frida Kahlo, was the embodiment of her art, philosophies and design influences," explains Jessica Bridgfoot, Director of Bendigo Art Gallery. "Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image will shed a light on Kahlo's carefully crafted appearance in the world, and how her vibrant clothing, poetic use of makeup and adornment constructed her captivating public image, and also addressed global political issues, cultural identity and how her physical disabilities both defied and defined her." [caption id="attachment_966476" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cotton blouse embroidered with glass beads; satin skirt with chain stitch and floral motif embroidery; holán (ruffle) and guatemalan waist-sash. Photo: © Museo Frida Kahlo - Casa Azul Collection - Javier Hinojosa, 2017.[/caption] "Frida Kahlo: In her own image originates from the extensive investigation of Frida Kahlo's personal objects, found in trunks, wardrobes, drawers, bathrooms and cellars of the Casa Azul," adds Perla Labarthe Alvarez, Museo Frida Kahlo's Director. "The exhibition is a unique opportunity to learn about the Kahlo's life in a classical Mexican house which encompassed not only her personal world but so much of Mexican life and culture. These endearing objects help us understand the story of this complex artist with all her humanity, resilience and creative power." [caption id="attachment_966477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frida Kahlo, by Guillermo Kahlo, 1932 © Frida Kahlo Museum[/caption] [caption id="attachment_966478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Revlon compact and powderpuff with blusher in 'Clear Red'; Seal-fast nail varnish top coat; Lastron nail varnishes in 'Frosted Snow Pink' and 'Frosted Pink Lightening'; lipstick in 'Everything's Rosy'. Before 1954. Photo: © Museo Frida Kahlo - Casa Azul Collection - Javier Hinojosa, 2017.[/caption] Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image will display at Bendigo Art Gallery, 42 View Street, Bendigo from Saturday, March 15–Sunday, July 13, 2025. Head to the gallery's website for further details. Top image: Frida Kahlo in blue satin blouse, 1939, photograph by Nickolas Muray © NickolasMuray Photo Archives.
Sydney’s reached peak burger obsession, so we reckoned it was about time for a good ol’ fashioned burger battle — and so did Merivale. This February, we invited 16 of Merivale’s top chefs to ivy Ballroom to hit the kitchen and cook up their ultimate burger for March Into Merivale‘s Between Two Buns. Some, like Mr. Wong‘s Dan Hong, opted for their widely celebrated, longtime burger recipes (hel-lo Lotus Burger), while others dreamed up new and strange burger possibilities —Bistrode CBD‘s Jeremy Strode did a chicken and eel burger (and nailed it). Sitting on the judging panel, our own fearless leader and founder of Concrete Playground Rich Fogarty, Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes, Merivale chef Danielle Alvarez (Fred’s, opening soon), and Merivale marketing director Andrew El-Bayeh. Feasting on 16 top-tier burgers sounds like a tough job, but these guys pulled through (with many, many napkins) and picked their six finalists. BETWEEN TWO BUNS FINALISTS: Dan Hong (Mr. Wong) — Lotus Burger Alex Lewis (The Beresford) — The ultimate duck burger Jeremy Strode (The Fish Shop/ Bistrode CBD) — The Fish Dog (chicken and eel) Jordan Toft (Coogee Pavilion) — Aged trim beef, cheese, burger sauce, B&B pickle Paul Donnelley (Ms.G’s) — Beef, bacon and cheese burger Patrick Friesen & Chris Hogarth (Papi Chulo/Queen Chow) — Canadian beef and bacon burger Then, on Wednesday, February 17, the six (or seven, with the team-up of Pat and Chris) went head-to-head in a mighty burger battle at Palings. Punters sampled all six burgers and dropped voting chips in the designated vases for each chef. Who came out on top? Who was the audience's pick? None other than Patrick Friesen and Chris Hogarth of Papi Chulo and the upcoming Queen Chow at the Queen Vic Hotel. They won hearts and stomachs with their juicy, juicy Canadian beef and bacon burger, picking up the golden burger trophy and mad bragging rights for the next year. Kudos guys. Now, we need a bit of a lie-down.
Dust off your skinny jeans. In news that we hope doesn't trigger memories of the era of Sydney's lockout laws, legendary DJ collective Bang Gang is returning to Club 77 this month. The Friday night party starters are returning to the subterranean Darlinghurst club to help it celebrate its 28th year. The Sydney-born collective that helped define a generation of dance floors is reuniting for the first time in over ten years, and they'll be taking over their spiritual home for one massive night on Friday, May 16. It's part of a month-long birthday program for 77 that brings together past legends, rising selectors and the club's own residents, in a celebration of the past and future of Sydney's club culture. Some context for younger readers: Friday nights in the 2000s were ruled by Bang Gang. Known for their high-energy sets and bold selections, the crew made Club 77 ground zero for Sydney's early-internet-era electro scene, and came to embody the sound and spirit of a generation. "It gives me this kind of excitement that's hard to explain — not nervous or anxious, just that fuck-me-this-moment-can't-come-soon-enough kind of excitement," shares Bang Gang member Dangerous Dan ahead of the upcoming gig. "The Club 77 crowd has always been there for one reason — to dance. It's dark, it's loud, and you can't really talk much anyway. But they know what's up. That's my favourite kind of crowd." Sydney — indeed, the world — looked very different when Club 77 first opened its doors in 1997. The club stared down lockouts, lockdowns, licensing crackdowns and the ever-fluctuating tides of the city's live music and nightlife scene. These days, it's where you'll find some of the sharpest programming in the city, and May's stacked birthday lineup proves it: alongside Bang Gang, you can catch returning heroes like Phil Smart, Robbie Lowe and Dreems, as well as next-gen selectors like Mowgli, Deepa, Ciara, Aquenta, DJ D.Dee and more. Whether you were around for the Bang Gang days or are part of the newer set keeping the party going, this month presents a rare opportunity to experience a slice of Sydney nightlife history in one of the city's most iconic nightlife destinations. All of Club 77's birthday events are free to enter with guest list registration before midnight, and $25 thereafter. To sign up for the guest list and to check out the full program, head to the Club 77 website. Top image: Benjamin Weser.
Christine Dean is the alter ego of Christopher Dean, an artist working across two genders over a period of four years. This exhibition at Alaska Projects will look at the spectrum of gender codes and the two problematic polarities of male and female. Curator Daniel Mudie Cunningham came up with the idea of pairing Dean’s early career pink monochromes with a later suite of multicoloured text paintings. In particular, the monochrome is loaded with gender-based assumptions; the colour pink is typically identified as feminine, while the monochrome style of painting is part of a masculinised history of modernism. One thing is for sure: these vibrant works will brighten up your favourite grey cement gallery. Stop by for the opening night on July 8 and you can also check out Christmas in July – a group show that will unpick the superficial and sincere aspects of this loved and loathed festive gathering.
