When it comes to movies, we sometimes use 'Hollywood' as a pejorative. We might employ it to mean schmaltzy, unrealistic, vapid and other similar unpleasantries. But when I say The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the ultimate Hollywood movie, I mean it's the good side of Hollywood, all packaged and wrapped up in time for Christmas. Funny, optimistic, life-affirming and full of pretty pictures and massive special effects, the film is something of a passion project for Ben Stiller, who directed, produced and stars in it. It's adapted from a 1939 short story by Jamie Thurber that's been reshaped entirely beyond its basic premise. The film follows a quiet Life magazine staffer as he learns to seize the day. As the head of the negative assets department, Walter is responsible for selecting and processing the works of their world-roving star photographers, chief among them the shamanistic Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn). But Walter has never experienced this wide world for himself, after the blows of life turned him timid. Instead, he imagines epic adventures for himself — diving into exploding buildings to save a dog, hiking the Arctic and, in a high point of the film, living a backwards Benjamin Button-like life with the woman he loves. That he 'zones out' while engaged in these daydreams does not help his social standing in cutthroat New York. Life doesn't exist any more, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is set in the dying days of the monthly magazine. Ted Hendricks (a disconcertingly bearded Adam Scott) is brought in to oversee the move from print to online and the accompanying rafts of redundancies, and Walter is firmly in his sights. Unfortunately, Walter can't find Sean's 'negative 25', which the photographer has described as capturing the "quintessence of life" and which is wanted for the final cover. Given new courage by love — in the form of colleague Cheryl (Kristen Wiig) — he sets off to track down Sean and the missing negative, using the few clues he has. Iceland is his starting point for a very big adventure that sees his latent resourcefulness and cool coming to the surface. For a mainstream, very feelgood film, it's the weird quirks that make The Secret Life of Walter Mitty loveable. Aside from the interjecting daydream worlds, Walter is shadowed by an over-caring eHarmony customer service representative, Todd (Patton Oswalt), who's determined to help him succeed in love. Their phone chats, coming at inevitably odd times throughout the film, are always funny and welcome. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is really ideal New Year's rather than Boxing Day fodder, egging you into living fully and booking that adventure holiday you've been putting off. There's so much focus on travel as a means to self-realisation, in fact, that it's ultimately to the film's detriment. It's simplistic; skateboarding down the valley of an active volcano might make you a more open person, or it could make you a twat. All outcomes are possible for the intrepid traveller. But that shouldn't ruin the journey of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It's a charmer with a good heart and a healthy dose of unrealism. https://youtube.com/watch?v=7ve8mc6UNSk
More than just a culinary fad, the trend towards eating locally grown produce serves a number of important purposes. Fresher ingredients, supporting producers in the region, reducing the work and toll required to transport food, eating seasonal fare — the list goes on. They're some of the motivations behind Grown Local, a dinner shining a spotlight on New South Wales' finest with a food and drink menu completely sourced from within the state. Every dish eaten and beverage consumed at the Newtown dinner, which takes place at Bloodwood Restaurant & Bar at 7pm on October 24, will be made from NSW-grown ingredients. Yes, every single one. Leading the charge is Wildflower Brewing & Blending, who'll be pouring a beer made especially for the event. A collaboration tipple brewed at Batch Brewing in Marrickville, everything in their new beverage comes from the state, including malt from the Voyager Craft Malt in the Riverina, hops from Ryefield Hops in Bemboka and yeast harvested by Wildflower. Unsurprisingly, it's the first beer that's ever been brewed with all NSW ingredients. Food-wise, the NSW brew will help wash down dishes made with seasonal, NSW-grown produce, as well as kangaroo sausages from The Sausage Factory. With Bloodwood's team doing the honours and whipping everything up into a feast, a delicious, locally minded dinner is certain to be the end result. Tickets cost $65 per person. That sense of homegrown pride you'll feel is an added bonus. Image: Sarah-Jane Edis
One of the most popular parts of the Sydney Fringe Festival program, the Sydney Fringe Comedy Festival is all about checking out the new, the emerging and the unexpected. Both upcoming talents and old hands presenting fresh material are among the 100-strong program. And, every night from Tuesday, August 29 till Sunday, October 1, you'll find a bunch at the Factory Theatre, which acts as the comedy festival hub. "The best way to enjoy Sydney Fringe Comedy is to come down ... grab a drink and something to eat, and then take a chance on a comedian that you've never seen before. We run multiple sessions each night across five venues and we try to keep the ticket prices as low as possible," said program director Shane Smith. Just some of the big names to have cut their teeth at Sydney Fringe are Aaron Chen (Best Newcomer, Sydney Comedy Festival and MICF 2017), Tom Walker (Best Newcomer, MICF 2016), Rhys Nicholson (Barry Award nominee, MICF 2016) and Ronny Chieng (Director's Choice, MICF 2014, ARIA Awards 2015 nominee and Helpmann Awards 2015 nominee). Most tickets are a steal, at $10-15. Peruse the program and snap yours up over here.
Cinemas in Melbourne have been given the go-ahead to reopen, but that doesn't mean that you need to farewell that groove in your couch — or, if you're located elsewhere in Australia, that you need to miss out on one of the Victorian capital's top film festivals. After its physical event for 2020 fell victim to March's COVID-19 lockdowns, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival is returning with MQFF Interrupted, a largely online fest that's streaming nationally from Thursday, November 19–Monday, November 30. Film buffs around the country can look forward to 17 features and 40 shorts, all telling lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer stories. And it's an impressive lineup — whether you're keen on Aussie teen rom-com Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt), haunting British thriller Make Up, trans drama Lingua Franca, American vampire comedy Bit or Georgian romance And Then We Danced. Melburnians can also attend an in-person event, thanks to a Coburg Drive-In screening of Happiest Season. It stars Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis as Abby and Harper, a couple who head to the latter's parent's place for Christmas dinner — but said folks don't know that Harper is gay, let alone about Abby. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxx76RnyVIo&feature=emb_logo
The festive season is officially upon us, with decorations going up and parties happening all around town. In celebration of the most wonderful time of year, The Strand Arcade is hosting an evening of Christmas-themed frivolity. All Things Bright and Beautiful will take place on Thursday, December 6 spanning the arcade's three floors. On level one, grab a Belvedere vodka cocktail, featuring native hibiscus flower and lemon myrtle, then set off for a wander through the stores. As you shop, The Accent Strings string trio will serenade you with joyous Christmas tunes from the air bridge and a calligraphy station will provide complimentary Christmas card calligraphy for any purchases you make on the night. Plus, native floral posies will be given out to the first 100 guests. Holiday sweet treats will also be on offer, with Romolo Espresso e Cucina slinging lavish gold-flaked cannolis on the ground level. As you peruse, be sure to look up at The Strand's suspended ornament display and its 27,500 twinkling Christmas lights, all drawing inspiration from the Australian landscape and highlighting the building's heritage. Highlights include three blossoming eucalyptus branches suspended from the ceiling and a four-metre-high gumnut pod sculpture on the ground floor — both of which will remain on display throughout the Christmas season. All Things Bright and Beautiful will take place on Thursday, December 6 from 5–8pm. Get your shopping list ready by checking out the directory of shops on The Strand Arcade's website.
New adaptations of acclaimed classics, tributes to iconic directors, topical thrillers and plenty of glimpses of Berlin — that's what's on the program at this year's German Film Festival. Like its fellow country-specific counterparts (such as the French and Spanish film fests), this showcase of cinema serves up the latest and greatest movies its chosen nation has to offer. In 2021, after sitting out 2020 for obvious years, that means that 30 films will be lighting up the big screen at Palace Norton, Chauvel Cinemas and Palace Central from Tuesday, May 25–Sunday, June 13. A number of GFF's big highlights this year all follow a common thread, because they're linked to the great New German Cinema director Rainer Werner Fassbinder in one way or another. That includes a 40th anniversary screening of Lola, which'll screen via a glorious new 4K restoration; biopic Enfant Terrible, which sees Oliver Masucci step into Fassbinder's shoes; and Berlin Alexanderplatz, a new screen version of Alfred Döblin's 1929 novel — which Fassbinder famously adapted into a miniseries back in 1980. Celebrating today's German greats as well, GFF will kick off with Next Door, the filmmaking debut of actor Daniel Brühl (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier). No spotlight on movies from the European nation would be complete without an appearance by the inimitable Nina Hoss (Pelican Blood), of course, which comes courtesy of drama The Audition. And, there's also Exile, starring Toni Erdmann's Sonia Huller; Fabian: Going to the Dogs, which is set in pre-World War II Berlin; and romantic comedy I'm Your Man, which follows a scientist who agrees to live with a humanoid robot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWEoRYylwwI&feature=emb_imp_woyt Top image: Berlin Alexanderplatz.
As you reach for your lumpy knits to combat the incoming winter chill, Sweethearts Rooftop Barbecue are helping with the shift in seasons by inviting you to curl up with a cocktail and tuck into a hearty meat platter. From now until the end of August, the venue will be transformed into a German-inspired winter wonderland. The rooftop hot spot will be launching a new menu crammed with tasty Deutschland delights, including schnitzels, bratwurst, pretzels and oodles of sauerkraut. To sweeten the deal, there will also be a delectably gooey apfelstrudel, courtesy of Keystone's executive pastry chef, Vincent Gaden. Driving home their reputation as one of the Cross's foremost stomach-fillers, this is a change of flavour that should fare well with the after-work crowd and party-goers alike. Our dark and delicious friend Jagermeister is at the heart of this operation. The cocktail crew at Sweethearts will be whipping up a range of mixed drinks featuring Jagermeister Spice, a new winter flavour tempered with spicy cinnamon and smooth vanilla. You can stave of a frosty evening with a Jager Spice Espresso or perhaps a finger-tinglin' Jager Spice Toddy. Paired with a mouthwatering meat menu, it looks like you'll be in safe hands this winter. Danke Sweethearts!
Attention Sydney foodies, fans of Japanese cuisine and connoisseurs of fine dining. Get ready to savour the flavours of omakase dining as Concrete Playground and Haku Vodka offer you the chance to win a $2500 restaurant voucher to omakase restaurant Besuto. Omakase literally means 'I'll leave it to you', and when you sit down at one of the 14 counter seats at the intimate (and hatted) restaurant, you'll have found yourself left in truly exceptional hands. The harbourside restaurant, Besuto, sits in the Quay Quarter Lanes precinct. It is co-owned by Joel Best (chef, seafood expert and self-professed Japanophile), Hirofumi Fujita (an expert sushi chef) and Tomi Björk (the Finnish celebrity chef), who made an elite Japan-meets-Sydney dining experience their mission. [caption id="attachment_886842" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Declan Blackall Photography[/caption] "I love sitting down at a seat and allowing the chefs to decide what is going to be served," Best starts. "It's the best of the best of the day. Besuto is a passion project cos I love sitting in the chair." Accompanying this journey is a curated drinks menu and, right now, a bespoke Haku Martini. With the central ingredient of Haku Vodka — a craft spirit from the House of Suntory — the cocktail delivers umami notes through an infusion of nori, dry vermouth and a garnish of pickled ginger. The Haku Martini will be served during an exclusive 15-course menu at Besuto from Tuesday, October 3 until Friday, November 3. If you aren't the overall winner of the $2500 restaurant voucher to Besuto, you need not worry. Ten runner-ups will score a bespoke Haku Vodka Gift Pack (valued at $60 each) with a 200ml bottle of Haku, two martini glasses and two Haku martini pins. To be in with a chance to win this delectable dining experience or score a runner-up gift pack, fill out the form below. [competition]921507[/competition]
The democratic and daring artist-run gallery known as Firstdraft has some extraordinary offerings on hand this month. Diverse exhibitions feature creatures ranging from ambiguous objects to musical monsters. Marc Alperstein's abstractions lie somewhere between object design and colour-field, wreaking havoc with signification and the senses. Patterned material plays with optical illusion, confusing the ways in which we read and interpret objects. Be Jones' materials are slightly more mucky, blending the natural and the found into a new chaotic, disintegrating environmental possibility. In Ceremony, Julian Day has collected old and disused keyboards and employed them as organs, which combine to form a breathing body of sound. The gentle sound waves of each instrument, coaxed out via weighting on the keys, build and blend with each other to create a warm, dense sound-world — a musical atmosphere. This ensemble, which he titles An Infinity Room (or A.I.R for short), will perform on August 12 at 6pm for a mere $10 donation. Justin Shoulder has similarly created a creature, many in fact, but his own physicality forms the necessary body for these. In I Am Raining, Shoulder pursues his fascination with 'Fantastic Creatures', including Chimeras, Vampire demons and Fire Gods, and the collective mind from which they emerge. Between these four exhibitions, the artists question and clarify, soothe and disturb, surprise and affirm. Image: Julian Day, Ceremony, 2010
Backyard cricket, barbecues and water sports are all Aussie summer clichés for a reason: they're good, wholesome fun. Another one? Outdoor cinemas. And we're here to tell you the very good news that Canberra's version of this al fresco activity is returning for another season. Sponsored by IMB Bank, Sunset Cinema will take over the Eucalypt Lawn at the Australian National Botanic Gardens from November 28—January 12. Whether you're planning a cosy date night or easy family outing under the stars, this year's extensive program has something for everyone. The nostalgic lineup ranges from cult films like The Big Lebowski and Love Actually to the latest Hollywood blockbusters including A Star is Born and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, plus special advance screenings of Instant Family and Storm Boy. Family-friendly options include Smallfoot, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms and even The Lion King. BYO picnics are encouraged, but if you want to enjoy a sparkling or brew throughout the film, the on-site bar will be serving a range of Grant Burge wine and Young Henrys craft beer and cider. Didn't pack enough snacks? There'll be plenty of the requisite movie treats like popcorn, chips chocolates and lollies, plus an on-site dining menu of bigger bites. Tickets start at $20 for adults, with a premium $40 lawn lounge package on offer, too — it includes entry, a prime-viewing bean bag reserved on the lawn, a beverage of your choice and a box of popcorn. To see the full program and purchase tickets, visit the Sunset Cinema website.
Stepping into Berlin's Markos Dance Academy on a grey, rainy 1977 day, Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) is a picture of nervous excitement. The former Ohio Mennonite clutches at her meagre belongings with equal parts eagerness and apprehension, her eyes darting keenly. But once she's through the school's doors, she's willing to surrender to whatever comes her way. It's an attitude that everyone watching Suspiria should take note of, for Susie is the perfect viewer surrogate in this delightfully dark, seductive, twitchy and witchy remake. Like the American in Germany pursuing her dream and accepting everything that happens next, giving yourself over to the movie's horrors and charms is truly the audience's only option. If ever a remake yearned to be judged on its own merits, it's Suspiria. After the sun-dappled Italian vistas and melancholic romance of his sublime Call Me By Your Name, filmmaker Luca Guadagnino takes Dario Argento's iconic 1977 film — and really takes to it. Made with evident love for the original, but never trying to slavishly recreate it, Guadagnino's Suspiria is a new dreamlike interpretation of an already dreamlike classic. It's the feverish nightmare you might have after letting the initial flick needle its way into your brain and mix with your own subconscious. Perhaps that's what happened to Guadagnino and his second-time screenwriter David Kajganich (A Bigger Splash). Either way, their protagonist also experiences her own disturbing nocturnal visions, and they're gloriously unhinged. In a city still grappling with the aftermath of catastrophic conflict three decades on, where Red Army Faction terror attacks have become a daily occurrence, bad dreams are the least of Susie and her fellow dancers' concerns. Amid preparations for the academy's latest show — a re-staging of a piece created by head teacher Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton) after the Second World War — their star goes missing. It's with an air of unease that the unsettled group moves forward after Patricia's (Chloë Grace Moretz) disappearance, which the school's teachers link to the far-left RAF's disorder in the streets. Thankfully, newcomer Susie is both willing and able to step into Patricia's shoes, with her breathy passion more than catching Madame Blanc's eye. While Argento's Suspiria teased out its big twist, Guadagnino's version lays it all out on the dance floor from the outset. Rather than a company of dancers, complete with experienced instructors overseeing the next generation, this is a coven. Rather than training for their next recital, they're readying their new sacrifices for a ritual. Removing the mystery around the film's otherworldly elements doesn't remove the mystery from the film, however. With an elderly psychiatrist (an actor credited as 'Lutz Ebersdorf') searching for Patricia with the eventual help of Markos dancer Sara (Mia Goth), there's intrigue aplenty. The intense teacher-pupil, pseudo mother-daughter bond between Susie and Madame Blanc also keeps everyone guessing. Scored to Thom Yorke's moody tunes and edited with a sense of anxiety, Suspiria isn't a character study. It doesn't probe the recesses of Susie's mind to explore what makes her tick, or delve deeply into Madame Blanc's motivations. Instead, it largely leaves its key duo at the mercy of the movie's macabre plot. That's what horror movies typically do, as seen in this year's other dance-horror flick, Gaspar Noe's Climax. Nonetheless, Johnson and Swinton instantly demand the audience's attention, drawing viewers in in much the same way that their characters are drawn to each other. The combination of vulnerability and determination that made Johnson the best thing about the Fifty Shades trilogy is firmly on display, as is Swinton's well-established allure in multiple guises. Everything else that Guadagnino and Kajganich place within Suspiria's frames is also designed to reel the audience in; to encourage surrender, if not willingly then by force. A movie as densely layered as the rhythmic yet jarring dance moves that it thrusts to the fore, Suspiria is laden with intoxicating, inescapable detail. Thematically, it delves into the scars of war, the historical subjugation of women and the way that one childhood moment can shape someone's life. In its aesthetics, it's an all-out horror onslaught that evolves from creepily atmospheric to violently sensual to gleefully bloody (oh-so-bloody!) across its 152-minute running time. The film's strong visuals shouldn't come as a surprise, although not for reasons that original Suspiria fans might expect. Where Argento's movie glowed with deep jewel tones, Guadagnino favours grim shades enlivened by more than a dash of red. With a filmography that also includes Swinton in I Am Love, and both Swinton and Johnson in A Bigger Splash, Guadagnino has long known how to throw gorgeous pictures across the screen. He's not the first filmmaker to demonstrate that horrific imagery can also be bewitching but, aided by the suitably restless camerawork of cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (Call Me By Your Name), he makes the case in a stunning fashion. Two scenes stand out — Susie's telekinetic audition, and the movie's over-the-top climax — but the entirety of Suspiria stamps itself onto viewers' eyeballs. Perhaps Susie and her cackling company won't be the only ones having lurid, disturbing and spellbinding dreams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q6jwH5_MKQ
This year marks the anniversary of some pretty important historical events, including 50 years since the legendary Woodstock Music Festival and 100 years since the US imposed Prohibition. Neither of those are particularly worth celebrating — but we know of one that is. This year is the 150th anniversary of Moët Impérial. So, this Saturday, June 22, Moët & Chandon is throwing a big ol' party to mark the occasion. Sydney's main Grand Day party will go down at the 50s-inspired CBD cocktail bar Maybe Sammy. It'll start at 6pm with a Champagne tower — which will offer a complimentary glass for all guests — and live jazz by The Gypsy Swingers. If you're keen to kick on afterwards, the cocktail bar will be offering glasses of Moët Impérial for $20 or bottles of the premium Champagne for $99 — which is a solid $56 less than usual — all night. Earlier in the day, you can head to Royal Randwick for the Moët & Chandon Grand Race Day, where you'll receive a complimentary bottle of Moët Impérial for bookings of four or more in the venue's Grandview Restaurant. Bottles of the Champagne will also be available in the general admission area for $99 each. To be part of the global festivities, head to Maybe Sammy on Saturday, June 22. For more information on Moët & Chandon Grand Day, head this way.
If Hartsyard's fried chicken, pulled pork, lamb ribs and poutine have formed your four main food groups for the past six years, it's time to say goodbye. The much-worshipped Newtown eatery is about to go through a metamorphosis. On December 23, it'll disappear into hibernation, only to reemerge a couple of weeks later as a new, more whizz-bang version of itself. It'll be Hartsyard 2.0. Out of the kitchen will be the deep frier, along with all the aforementioned staples. In their place will appear a charcoal grill and a revamped, tightly edited menu featuring just ten or so dishes. "After six years, we just decided it was time to head in a new direction and change things up a bit," said head chef George Llewellyn. "Sydney embraced us when we launched and before we knew it we were a runaway train serving more fried chicken and softies than I thought was possible." Now Llewellyn wants to focus on the food he "really likes to cook" and, he hopes, "people will want to eat". Though we don't have any nitty gritty details, we do know you can expect loads more veggies, as well as seafood and duck. To mark the change, the space will receive a bit of a makeover, with new art, new furniture, a coat of paint and a floor polish. Llewellyn's partner and co-owner Naomi Hart will continue to lead the Hartsyard team, in collaboration with general manager Mark Rowland, so you can continue to count on warm service and a friendly atmosphere. Meanwhile, there's no change afoot at The Gretz, Hartsyard's sister venue down the road. Hartsyard will remain open until Saturday, December 23 at 33 Enmore Road, Newtown, and reopen in January 2018. For more info, visit hartsyard.com.au.
This weekend, Mardi Gras is rounding out its 41st year with a downright epic finale and nothing's going to rain on its parade. Least of all, some pesky lockout laws. That's right — the NSW Government has again agreed to ditch Oxford Street's usual lockout restrictions on Saturday, March 2, as the famed strip plays host to the annual Mardi Gras Parade and the massive crowds of revellers it pulls. For this one night only, venues in the area will be allowed to let punters through the door beyond the usual 1.30am or 2am cut-off, though they can only serve alcohol according to their usual time restrictions — for most, that's 3am. Some venues, with half-an-hour live entertainment extensions, will be pouring and shaking till 3.30, including Stonewall, Oxford Art Factory and the Cliff Dive. The lockout exemption zone, highlighted below, will stretch from the Burdekin Hotel — on the corner of Oxford and Liverpool streets — up to Victoria Street and across to the corner of Flinders and South Dowling streets, where the Taphouse is. [caption id="attachment_709775" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of the NSW Government.[/caption] The lockout laws were first relaxed last year after a request by Liberal City of Sydney councillor Christine Forster. She wrote to Premier Gladys Berejiklian saying the move would "be a particularly poignant gesture of reconciliation given the historic passing of Australia's same-sex marriage legislation on 7 December 2017." This year, Cr Forster took to Facebook again to call for the lockouts to be relaxed for the full week leading up to the parade, but was unsuccessful. Mardi Gras 2019 celebrations runs from February 15–March 3, with the parade taking place on Saturday, March 2. Image: Jeffrey Feng.
Free stuff might not fix everything, but the organisers of Wine Machine are hoping it'll help cool a fraction of the heat they've copped in the past three days. They're offering two free gigs to disgruntled patrons of the musical festival's NSW leg. The Hunter Valley festival was dealt a big blow over the weekend, when a freak electrical storm put an early end to the event, shutting things down just before DJ and co-founder Hot Dub Time Machine made it on to the stage. And those in charge have copped some slack for the way the situation was handled, with festivalgoers complaining about shoddy evacuation processes, as well as lengthy bar lines and wait times during the festival. In now-deleted social media comments published in Tone Deaf, festivalgoers slammed organisers for their lack of concern for patrons' safety, apparently more focused on getting people out quickly than on the dangerous lightning. Attendee Samuel Brady labelled it the "worst event ever", saying, "a tree came down in front of us and a guy broke his leg. So much for duty of care". A heavy police presence caused more complaints, while stacks of patrons called out Wine Machine's hefty food and drink queues, with some saying they waited in line in the sun for over 45 minutes. In an updated statement released yesterday, Wine Machine Hunter Valley event organisers said the evacuation was initiated in consultation with medical, safety, police and emergency services officers, saying, "the safety of all patrons, artists, and staff is of absolute priority". They also called for feedback on the day's police and security methods, which can be submitted here. The statement also addressed bar queues, blaming lengthy wait times on NSW's strict new festival licensing restrictions, management by external operators and an incident between two staff mini-buses. In the wake of this, Hot Dub Time Machine has promised to make up for his missed performance, with two free shows for Wine Machine attendees. "We wanted to make it up to you with this small token of our appreciation," the DJ said in a statement, announcing a full-length show at the Enmore Theatre on April 11, followed by Newcastle's Exhibition Centre on April 12. The gigs are exclusively for Wine Machine ticket holders, who'll each receive an email with registration details for the coming shows. Read Wine Machine's full statement below. Statement from the organisers of Wine Machine Hunter Valley Over the weekend 11,000 patrons attended the Wine Machine event at Roche Estate in the Hunter Valley. Toward the end of the event, personnel in the Event Control Centre who had been monitoring weather all day were made aware of an extreme storm cell rapidly approaching the event. The decision to evacuate was made in consultation with event medical, safety, police and emergency services officers and evacuation procedures were initiated circa 2130, 90 minutes prior to the scheduled end of the event after The Presets performance but prior to Hot Dub Time Machine's performance. The extreme weather system included torrential rain and a high multitude of lightning strikes within close proximity. The safety of all patrons, artists, and staff is of absolute priority. Evacuations of this nature in such extreme conditions are never pleasant. If you have feedback on the method by which police and or security managed this please email the WM team at cellarmaster@wine-machine.com and we will come back to you personally. We take reports of over aggressive behaviour very seriously and will investigate accordingly. We must also address bar lines earlier in the day. It must be noted the venue Roche Estate was a dry hire and not responsible for the bars. There were a number of external operators managing the event. Due to the current climate in NSW, severe licensing conditions were placed upon the event limiting drinks to two per person causing unacceptable congestion at the bars. Adding to this were staffing issues from our external bar operators Prime Collective who've issued the following statement: "Whilst licensing restrictions played a significant role in bar congestion at the Wine Machine NSW event, we must unreservedly apologise for our role in this and take full responsibility. Two of our staffing mini-buses carrying 32 staff were reportedly involved in an incident whilst en route from Sydney resulting in bars being under staffed. We are currently investigating the circumstances of this and following up on the conditions of those staff involved. If you would like further information on this or the licensing restrictions please email us: info@primecollective.com.au and we will come back to you." Event medical, police and safety officers have commended the attendees of the event for an otherwise very well behaved crowd with minimal presentations and detections for an event of this size. Lastly, stay tuned for an announcement from Hot Dub Time Machine who is planning to throw a complimentary make-up show for those disappointed he didn't get to play.
Everyone loves a good chat, and who wouldn’t love a chat about life’s big questions with charming director Wesley Enoch? But a chat in front of a packed main stage theatre under a glaring spotlight? This is a tete-a-tete for a special kind of performer. 20 Questions is the handiwork of Enoch and Eamon Flack. A surprise Indigenous guest will brave the upstairs theatre to answer Enoch’s questions every Monday night until mid-August. The performer has been briefed that they are to answer questions but has no idea what the questions will be. The questions range from “are you happy?” to “do you get sick of white guilt”, with a range of fun and reflective questions in between. iPad in hand, Enoch sets the example as a generous host, requesting our full support of the guest at the top of the show. Twenty-five-year-old Casey Donovan steps through the gold curtains onto the stage in stilettos. The crowd applauds. She’s nervous, we’re nervous. The questioning begins. If you've ever seen Donovan sing, or were lucky enough to see her in the 2010 production of The Sapphires (directed by Enoch), you’ll know she is comedic, soulful gold on stage, but we don’t get the best of her in this setting. Enoch’s structure relies heavily on the guest’s improvisation skills, which Donovan doesn't quite bring to the floor, answering many questions with coy evasion. When Enoch invites her up to the mic to sing, it’s a relief and a pleasure to hear the phenomenal voice that launched her into the public domain at age 16 on Australian Idol. Her singing is the highlight of the evening. This talk show/counselling session is probably better suited to a cabaret setting than the main stage and would also suit cabaret prices. It feels odd that an unrehearsed Q&A with a minimal set would warrant full-price tickets. At bare minimum, the show is a nice chance to reflect on what your own answers to Enoch’s questions would be. It’s always nice to think about death, for example. It’s difficult to assess the merits of the show given the guest will be different each Monday. Enoch has certainly undertaken a high-risk enterprise with so much relying on the individual guest. No doubt with a more seasoned performer up in the spotlight, it could make for a wild, heartfelt ride.
If you're looking for ways to cut back on your weekly coffee budget and you want to help out a good cause, Sorry Thanks I Love You's inner-city store is the place for you every Friday. Originally launched online in 2015 before setting up a brick-and-mortar store and then moving to Westfield Sydney, Sorry Thanks I Love You is all about gifting differently, offering a range of items that are unique and thoughtfully designed to give to your best friend, a family member, your partner or even yourself. The emphasis here is on handmade, expertly designed products that tell a story. All of the creations in the space are unique, so you're in very little danger of doubling up on gifts for your mate. Among the clothes, accessories and homewares, the retailer also runs a cafe within the store. And, while the focus of the shop is on helping you find the perfect gift, it also gives back, donating to the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse cancer treatment centre. In order to encourage donations, Sorry Thanks I Love You is offering up its Single O coffee for a gold coin at the end of each work week. Each Friday morning, anyone who comes in-store to get their morning coffee can pay with a gold coin donation to the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse. That's right, you can pick up your daily cup of joe for as little as $1 and know the money is helping out. The promotion kicked off last year, but has been extended indefinitely after its success. STILY is aiming to raise enough money for 100 patient visits to the Lifehouse's psychology and counselling services, one gold coin at a time. While there will be a moneybox where you can donate your physical coins, you can pay via EFTPOS if you don't carry cash. You can also chip in online via STILY's website.
Next time you're out on the town on the weekend, when 1.30am rolls round and you're at a loss at where you can go (and get into), you'll have another option. Chippendale's Lansdowne Hotel has just had a new 5am lockout-free licence approved for Friday and Saturday night. The multi-room bar, live music venue and pizzeria was resurrected in 2017 by local hospo legends Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham (Mary's Newtown, Mary's Underground, The Unicorn Hotel), and now they're helping to pump a little fun back into the early hours of the weekend. It's not the only venue doing so either, with nearby favourite Freda's recently having its licence extended till 4am, too. Collectively, it's a big win for Sydney. With a reported 176 venues having closed since the lockout laws were introduced to curb alcohol fuelled-violence four years ago, this slight loosening of the State Government's vice-like grip on the industry can only mean good things. While Chippendale isn't in the lockout zone, its bars have still been impacted by the State Government's strict late-night and live music policies. [caption id="attachment_626498" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lansdowne Hotel by Bodhi Liggett[/caption] To celebrate its new licence, the Lansdowne is bringing one of LA's biggest parties to Australia for the first time. A Club Called Rhonda is an extravagant and inclusive party — described as a "pansexual paradise, a haven for all identities and inclinations" — known for its art, music and pumping dance floors, which has danced its way across LA, San Francisco, New York, Canada and Berlin. You can get a little feel for it by watching this short YouTube doco. Smyth and Graham have teamed up with Maurice Terzini (Icebergs, The Dolphin) and A Club Called Rhonda Founders Loren Granich and Gregory Alexander to throw Rhonda Intl 'A Night in LA' on Saturday, August 24. The two-storey party will run from 9pm all the way through till 5am (yes, a full eight hours), with guests told to expect an over-the-top night with local artists and to-be-announced international DJs — oh, and lots (and lots) of glitter, lasers and colour. As an added bonus, you'll be able start the party with cocktails from award-winning bartender Yael Vengroff. The 2018 American Bartender of the Year, who is currently the bar director at The Spare Room inside LA's Roosevelt Hotel, will be whipping up drinks from 9–10.30pm. Vengroff will also be making an appearance at the Rhonda Intl recovery session at The Dolphin on Sunday, August 25 from 7–9pm. Rhonda Intl 'A Night in LA' will run from 9pm–5am on Saturday, August 24 a The Lansdowne, with the venue open till 5am every Friday and Saturday thereafter. Tickets for the party are $40 and can be purchased via The Lansdowne website. Top images: A Club Called Rhonda
Australia's answer to a certain cult American burger chain, Down N' Out is this week moving up and out, launching its first standalone restaurant in Ryde. The new venture comes just over a year after owners Archie Saliba and Ben Kagan first introduced the Down N' Out concept to Sydney via a pop-up — which later saw them take over the kitchen of The Sir John Young Hotel — with a menu of US-style burgers, deep fried cheese patties and loaded 'tiger fries'. Now, Down N' Out's graduating to digs that are completely their own, opening the doors to a space outside Top Ryde Shopping Centre this Saturday, September 23. This one's a little more polished than the CBD kitchen, though the comic book theme, the small bar feel and the soundtrack of soul, funk and hip hop remain. In fact, fans needn't worry about too many changes at all — the menu at Down N' Out 2.0 is a pretty close match to the original, right through to that infamously fiery hot sauce. Thankfully, the epic weekly burger specials aren't going anywhere either. The biggest change is that you'll now be able to wash those burgers down with a decadent Down N' Out shake, in flavours like Oreo and salted caramel. Pending liquor licence, a range of wild and wacky cocktail creations could also be on the cards. You'll find Down N' Out at 95 Blaxland Road, Ryde, from this Saturday, September 23. It'll be slinging burgers daily, from 11am-9pm. Image: Bodhi Liggett.
With drought blighting the country, Australia just sweltering through its hottest summer on record, and severe storms popping up with frequency in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, there's little doubt that the earth's climate is changing. And while the subject has fuelled many a documentary in recent years, a new Australian film is taking a different approach. Rather than chronicling the bleak status quo, it ponders how we could improve things for the future. The second film from actor-turned-director Damon Gameau, 2040 sees the Aussie exploring areas such as climate, economics, technology, civil society, agriculture and sustainability — chatting with experts, assessing the best technology currently available and prognosticating on what life might be like if we were to embrace solutions that are being worked on today. Specifically, he muses on the state of the planet in 21 years time, using his young daughter as inspiration, with the doco framed as a letter to the now four-year-old. In his previous feature back in 2014, Gameau took on unhealthy diets by consuming a whole heap of sugary food — and given That Sugar Film's local success, it's hardly surprising that he's taking a personal approach to an important topic once again. 2040 premiered last month at the Berlin Film Festival, where it struck a chord with audiences, and will have its Aussie debut at the Gold Coast Film Festival in April before releasing around the country in May. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-rTQ443akE&feature=youtu.be 2040 opens in Australian cinemas on May 23.
It's a scenario that every Australian can relate to: it's summer, the temperature has reached scorching levels and you can hear the sounds of someone splashing around in a cool, refreshing pool. Alas, those noises aren't emanating from your own pool, because you don't have one — and you don't know your neighbours well enough to just pop by for a dip. And, maybe your local swimming spot is too far away, you don't live near the beach or the nearest public pool is closed for the day. Add all of the above together, and you're stuck trying to cool down in the bath or under the fan. Enter Swimply, a service that's operational in nearly 20 American states, just launched in Toronto in Canada, and is set to head to Australia by summer, according to Lonely Planet. Like every other service that's popped up in today's sharing economy, it's all about renting out something that one person has and doesn't use all of the time, to another person that has a short-term need. In this case, it lets folks with pools lease out their backyard swimming spots when they're not in use, and lets folks without pools find a place for a splash. If you fall into the latter category, you can look for a spot by the day or for a weekend. If you're after a pool with specific facilities and inclusions — such as a changing area, lounge chairs, wifi, a shady spot to sit under and heated waters — you can do that too. Prices aren't particularly cheap, hovering around the US$40 mark for a day, but if you're planning a dip with your pals and can split the cost, it's much more affordable. Add Swimply to the list of Airbnb-like ventures popping up — services that let you stay in architecturally significant houses, the homes of friends of friends, camping grounds, and caravans and campervans; rent out your spare room to refugees; find a music studio; and take care of your luggage needs overseas. This one sounds particularly enticing, however, especially as the warmer weather starts to hit. For further details, visit Swimply's website and Facebook page.
You know that winter is coming to a close when the parties start spilling into the streets again. Case in point: Eat Your Heart Out Liverpool. On Saturday, August 25, the south west Sydney fiesta will return for the second year running. This time it's coming to Railway Street and it's bringing with it live music and performance, food, market stalls, carnival games and art. On the music side of things, a host of artists with ties to the area are set to perform. The main stage will have performances by Thandi Phoenix, six-piece reggae band Manutabu, Gang of Brothers, The Strides and Turquoise Prince as well as dance troupe Shaun Parker and Co. Meanwhile, the Serviceway stage will be showing some of Sydney's up-and-comers in the music scene including Red Roy and Bankstown Poetry Slam. Playing to the name of the festival, Sydney-based artist Melissa Carey will create a huge heart sculpture that will arch over Railway Street as the festival centrepiece. Other commissioned pieces to be revealed include a mural by painter Julia Townsend, plus new work by Studio52's artists-in-residence Thomas Thorby-Lister and Stephanie Peters. There will also be a community mural produced by Muralisto with Settlement Services International, celebrating multiculturalism and diversity through the festival. If consuming all that music and art has left you with a raging hunger, you'll be pleased to know that there'll be food options galore. Dirty Bird, Berlin Bangers, Feast of the East and Dutch Poffertjes House are just a few of the food stalls that will roll into Liverpool, and local pub Macquarie Bistro will also be running a pop-up restaurant in a shipping container for the day. Or, opt for a ticketed Taste Tour for a guided tour of Liverpool's best spots. The tours cost $60 per person and run from 1–3pm, so you'll still have plenty of time to check out the rest of the market stalls and play with some giant lego from Garden Games afterwards.
Call it fate, call it destiny, call it feeling so deeply that you were always meant to cross paths with another person that no other outcome could ever be conceivable: in Korean, that sensation is in-yeon. Call it having a connection that sprawls yet binds like an endless piece of string, always linking you to someone no matter how far apart you each wander: stretch that out over many, many lifetimes and, yes, that is in-yeon as well. Watching Past Lives, which references the kismet-esque concept both in its three-part story and its title, gives viewers a brush with in-yeon, too. Writer/director Celine Song's feature debut is that affecting; that vivid, evocative and haunting; that alive with been-there-lived-that energy. Wading through layers of love, identity, roads taken and not, and the versions of ourselves that we are at each fork, Past Lives is that acutely able to make a very specific experience mirror everyone's experiences. Partway through the film, aspiring playwright and writer Nora (Greta Lee, Russian Doll) talks through in-yeon with fellow scribe Arthur (John Magaro, The Many Saints of Newark). She shares that in-yeon lingers with everyone that you meet, the very act of making one's acquaintance signifying that you've done so before — and if two people become lovers, it's because they've kept falling into step in life after life. As Nora speaks, Past Lives' audience are well-aware of an unshakeable truth, as is the movie's central figure: that she knows in-yeon in her bones. Indeed, this is what Song's sublime feature is about from its first frames to its last in every way that it can be. With Arthur, Nora jokes that in-yeon is something that Koreans talk about when they're trying to seduce someone. There's zero lies in her words, because she's working that move right there and then, and she'll end up married to him. But with her childhood crush Hae Sung (Teo Yoo, Decision to Leave), who she last saw at the age of 12 because her family then moved from Seoul to Toronto, in-yeon explains everything. That one perfect term sums up Nora and Hae Sung's firm friendship as kids, as chronicled in Past Lives' first third. As pre-teens, the duo (Voice of Silence's Moon Seung-ah and Good Deal's Leem Seung-min) are virtually inseparable — walking home from school together daily, competing over grades, bantering with effortless rapport — until half a globe separates them. Then, when they reunite in their 20s via emails and Skype calls after 12 years without each other, Past Lives' crucial word also describes their instant spark and pull. The latter is so magnetic that they're basically dating without saying it, and while he's still in South Korea but she's now in New York. Next, it captures the complicated emotions that swell when Nora and Hae Sung are finally in the same place together again after decades. Arthur is in the picture by then and, ever-adaptable, in-yeon even encapsulates that development. If Past Lives didn't leave its viewers certain to their core about its emotional authenticity, that'd be a greater surprise than how strongly and tenderly it resounds. The Korean-born Song also emigrated to Canada with her parents at the same point in her life as Nora. While she hasn't made a strictly autobiographical work, there's fact dwelling behind this fiction. Her picture would pair astoundingly well with Minari and Aftersun, in fact. In its way, leaping in souls and minds rather than through realms, it's a multiverse tale and companion to Everything Everywhere All At Once also. Feeling so intimately applicable to the characters loving, living, immigrating, yearning and growing within its frames, and yet echoing so universally, is that always-sought-after holy grail of storytelling feats. Although her film hones in on the heart — on-and off-screen alike — as it gets poetic and philosophical (and delivers a Big Apple-set Before Sunrise/Before Sunset/Before Midnight sequence), that Song studied psychology and once planned to become a therapist isn't astonishing to learn. Each time that Nora and Hae Sung slide back into each other's existences, a dozen years have passed, but it feels no time at all for both. Still, that sentiment can't and doesn't smooth their way onwards. Fittingly, Past Lives is crafted to resemble slipping into a memory, complete with patient looks and visuals (Skate Kitchen and Small Axe cinematographer Shabier Kirchner lenses) and a transportingly evocative score (by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear, which gives the picture a bond with the also-heartwrenching Blue Valentine and its own knotty romance). This feature knows every emotion that springs when you need someone and vice versa, but life has other plans. It feels the weight of the trails left untrodden, even when you're happy with the route you're on. It understands what it's like to be see your past, plus the present and future it could've influenced, shimmering in front of your eyes. Past Lives is a film about details — spying them everywhere, in Nora and Hae Sung's lives and in their faces, while recognising how the best people in anyone's orbits spot them as well. Of course every second appears meticulous, then, but also equally dreamy and ripped from reality. Of course Lee, Yoo and Magaro are each magnificent, as is this entire sensitive, blisteringly honest and complex masterpiece. Lee charms Nora's two love interests and Past Lives' viewers in tandem, in a sincere and sharp performance as a woman who is as witty as she is wistful while grappling with who she is. Yoo hops from the best movie of 2022 to what'll be difficult to beat as the best of 2023 with quiet dedication and potency. And Magaro plays adoring, accepting but never elementary; Arthur knows how intricate the situation is, so his way through is just that, through, gleaning his part in helping Nora and Hae Sung be who they need to. Contemplating what's written in the stars also involves contemplating beginnings and endings, even when in-yeon has cycles and reincarnations all a-fluttering. Again, Song fashions Past Lives to embody all that it muses on, including via an opening that's utterly immaculate and a closing scene that's breathtakingly divine. Both are also unforgettable. To start, jumping forward before going backwards, Nora, Arthur and Hae Sung sit at a bar. Her body language is all about her lifelong friend, as fellow drinkers peering on comment on; regardless of how things appear, though, only Nora, Arthur and Hae Sung can ever truly grasp their own full story. To wrap up, simply walking and waiting is so impeccably considered and staged, down to the direction that events flow in across the screen, that they say everything about advancing, retreating and wishing you were doing one while going through the other. Past Lives is a movie to lose yourself in, and gloriously; a film to fall head over feels for, and fast; like it feels fated to be, it's also just extraordinary.
Most music festivals have been lucky to host even one event over the past couple of years, thanks to the pandemic. Many are gearing up for their big returns — and first fests since 2019 — this winter, spring and summer, in fact. But when This That hits Newcastle and Brisbane in October and November, it'll mark its second festivals in both locations this year. That's huge as it is, and so is the just-dropped lineup. Already spent a day dancing at This That in 2022? Get ready to do so once more. This That will make its return to the Sandstone Point Hotel in Queensland on Saturday, October 29, then head to Newcastle in New South Wales on Saturday, November 5 — and it'll do so with Earl Sweatshirt and Flight Facilities leading the bill. The fest will also play host to What So Not in Brissie only, and to The Presets in NSW. And yes, the list goes on. Also set to grace the fest's three stages: Vera Blue, Winston Surfshirt, DMA's, Chillinit, Skeggs, Hockey Dad, Jesswar and more. Some of the acts on This That's 2022 2.0 bill already hit its stages earlier this year — The Presets played Sandstone Point then, but will do Newcastle now, for instance — not that anyone is complaining. If you did already attend this year, you'll get a discount for backing it up, too, thanks to a 48-hour period for autumn This That attendees to buy tickets at the fest's first-release price. THIS THAT OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2022 LINEUP: Alice Ivy Chillinit Dear Seattle DMA's (NSW only) Earl Sweatshirt Flight Facilities Godlands Hockey Dad Hooligan Hefs Jesswar Kinder Lola Scott Ruby Fields Set Mo Skegss Slumberjack The Presets (NSW only) Trophy Eyes Upsahl Vera Blue What So Not (QLD only) Winston Surfshirt THIS THAT OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2022 DATES: Saturday, October 29: Sandstone Point Hotel, Sandstone Point, Queensland Saturday, November 5: Newcastle, New South Wales This That returns to Sandstone Point and Newcastle in October and November. For more information, or to buy tickets — with pre-sales from 9am on Wednesday, June 29 and general sales from 9am on Friday, July 1 — head to the festival's website. Images: Mitch Lowe / Jordan Munns.
FBi Radio's boots are getting bigger, better and shinier by the day —for the first time ever, Sydney's independent radio legends are launching an Australia-wide competition. Extending their Northern Lights competition nationwide — in which FBi flies two above-and-beyond newbies to Iceland Airwaves Festival in Reykjavik — FBi are looking for talent across Australia this time. A hotly-anticipated date on the music festival calendar, Iceland Airwaves has seen everyone from Bjork to Omar Souleyman, Savages to Harpa Silfurberg playing to packed halls of Icelandic and international fans. FBi competition's now in its third year, offer two winning spots to join the Airwaves lineup — one solo producer/artist, one band. With the help of philanthropist Mitchel Martin-Weber, this marks one of FBi's biggest-scale competitions to date, kicking another goal after yesterday's FBi Click launch. Winners of the first Northern Lights, Oliver Tank and Rainbow Chan, have seen super success following their Icelandic escapade (with Tank supporting Lorde on her recent national tour and Chan joining the lineup for Vivid LIVE's recent Avalanches tribute Since I Left You, no biggie). "It really changed my life that whole trip. It was so incredible," says Tank. "I got to play music overseas before I’d even done that many gigs in Australia. And there were people over there that were interested in my music and that just blew my mind. It was like a dream come true. It was such an experience." A national callout means a national road trip for FBi, taking their Music Open Day (a monthly staple event for FBi where new bands/artists can meet FBi music director Stephen Goodhew and learn how to get their music on radio) to community stations around the country. "Over 300 artists have been to Music Open Day in the last 12 months," says Goodhew. "Oliver Tank, Cloud Control, Gang of Youths, Movement are all examples of the kind of talent that have responded to and engaged with our Music Open Day in the past and gone on to establish themselves as prominent figures in the Australian music scene. It’s a great way to discover new talent and give emerging musicians some valuable advice about the industry." To apply for a spot at Iceland Airwaves and enter FBi Radio's Northern Lights competition, you simply have to be an emerging solo artist/producer or band (and an Australian resident). Head to FBi's website to throw your name in the ring from June 26 - July 21. Music Open Day is on the road from July 11-18. 11 July - Brisbane's 4ZZZ 15 July - Adelaide's Fresh FM 16 July - Perth's RTR FM
Mindfulness practice — achieving the mental state of focusing on the present moment — is gaining popularity as people attempt to regulate their stressful lives. People have turned to everything from meditation to colouring books to achieve mindfulness, but perhaps few people would think of doing a triathlon to achieve inner peace. Take three activities that promote mindfulness — specifically running, yoga and meditation — and you've got yourself a 'mindful triathlon'. Wanderlust 108 has been running these triathlon festivals since 2014, and the standard day has a few main components. First, there's the five kilometre run, although the site reassures you that you can walk instead of running — or even "prance, skip, stroll or strut" — as long as you reach the finish line. After that, theres 75 minutes of yoga accompanied by a DJ set, and finally 30 minutes of meditation to round out the whole-group activities. Once the structured section of the day has wrapped up, participants can also head to activities such as aerial yoga, acroyoga and hooping, or to lunch. It's part exercise, part dance party, part fest — and 100% focused on helping attendees feel great inside and out. Also on the agenda: walking meditation, essential oil classes and the Mindful Marketplace, which will help you take your new blissed-out state home with you.
Artbank’s annual Social Club is on again. Kind of like an art open day, it’s a chance to be all nosey and have a wander through their new premises. Like snooping, only you’re invited, so there’s no need to tiptoe around. There's the just launched Loose Canon exhibition to check out, plus some 3,500 artworks in their collection. Yup, that’s a whole lot of art. Artbank's art leasing program supports Australian artists by buying the works of living artists and putting the money back into the art scene. It’s been doing this for 30 years now, and that means artists actually get to see their works hung on walls in some impressive institutions and homes. And the social part of the day? Think live DJs, performance artists and hot dogs (Woofys Gourmet Hotdogs). Naturally, while you discuss the finer points of contemporary photography or painting, there will also be a few beverages to sip on. The Artbank Social Club runs from 11am - 3pm.
When the Bondi Short Film Festival started in 2001, creator Francis Coady thought it was pretty insane that his young filmmaker friends had missed out on entering other film festivals in Sydney because the films had already screened in other Australian states. He was right! Indie film watchers don’t care if what they’re seeing has already screened in Perth or Melbourne, they just want to experience something thought provoking, poignant, hilarious and beautiful, or that has Ryan Gosling in it. Eleven years on the Bondi Short Film Festival continues to screen cinematic Australian gems that fulfill almost all of these criteria and, while the power of the collective continues to endorse babeliciously quirky actors as the marker of a feature-length film’s watchability, the quality of a BSFF one is determined only by captivating storylines and cinematography, brilliant music and set design and some of the best young acting talent in this country. The only restrictions the festival places on filmmakers is that entries must be less than 15 minutes long, making it a 2-hour melting pot of powerful drama, quirky comedy, thought-provoking documentaries and stunning animation. All of these things will take place under the waterfront Bondi Pavilion, making the festival one of the finest ways to see in the summer.
As far as winter comfort food goes, a big serve of rustic-style gnocchi has to be up there with the best. But, even better? A bottomless, never-ending serve of gnocchi, like the kind being served up for two Wednesdays at The Stables Restaurant. The Paddington eatery is getting right into the spirit of the chilly season, with its new Winter Wednesdays gnocchi deal, on offer from 4pm on Wednesday, July 10 and Wednesday, July 17. On these two nights, the kitchen is whipping up three styles of gnocchi and you can devour as much as your belly can handle for just $20 a head. And we think that's a pretty standout bargain. Choose from a classic pesto version, an 'nduja number and a creamy gorgonzola gnocchi, all of which probably work a treat alongside a couple of glasses of red from The Stables' impressive cellar selection. We think these two nights will fill up (like your stomach) pretty quickly, so if you're keen to head along we suggest you get there early. Images: Kimberley Low
In the opening seconds of Ema, on a seemingly ordinary night in the Chilean port city of Valparaíso, a traffic light flickers with flames. The inky evening streets are silent and still otherwise, save for the film's eponymous protagonist (Mariana Di Girólamo, Much Ado About Nothing) — but Pablo Larraín (Jackie) well and truly starts his eighth feature as he intends to continue. Ema peers on from just a few paces away, her platinum blonde hair slicked behind a protective visor, a flamethrower strapped to her back and a nozzle in her hand. She's ready and eager to set her world alight. She's positively bursting to torch everything that's holding her back, in fact. Figuratively more than literally, she won't stop until she's watched the status quo burn. Anchoring a movie about trauma, power, family, restriction and freedom, she'll swiftly prove a blazing force, as well as an unforgettable central figure in one of Larraín's very best movies so far. Before 2021 comes to an end, the Chilean filmmaker will have given the world Spencer, a new biopic about Princess Diana featuring Kristen Stewart as the royal figure. Also on his hit list this year: Lisey's Story, a Julianne Moore-starring TV adaptation of a Stephen King book that has been scripted for the screen by the author himself. But with the release of the phenomenal piece of cinema that is Ema, he's already gifting viewers something exceptional — and something that'll be hard to top. A new project by Larraín is always cause for excitement, and this drama about a reggaeton dancer's crumbling marriage, personal and professional curiosities, and determined crusade to become a mother rewards that enthusiasm spectacularly. That it stands out amongst the director's already impressive resume is no small feat given he's the filmmaker behind stirring political drama No, exacting religious investigation The Club and poetic biopic Neruda, too. For the first time in his career, Larraín peers at life in his homeland today, rather than in the past — and, in the smouldering interrogation that results, he may as well be holding the flamethrower himself. Ema is filled with gleaming, dazzling and glowing sights like the image it first splashes onto the screen, with Larraín's now six-time cinematographer Sergio Armstrong (Tony Manero, Post Mortem) lensing an exquisite-looking picture. When its lead is first seen dancing for the company overseen by her choreographer partner Gastón (Gael García Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle), she stands before a giant blue fireball. It's a projection on a screen, but even just five minutes into the movie, it comes as no surprise when the eye-catching backdrop soon turns vibrant hues of red, orange and pink. Little else about Ema is that predictable, though, including its persistent penchant for glaring at its namesake as intently as it can. Faces and bodies fill the feature's frames, a comment that's true of most movies; however, in the probing patience it directs its protagonist's way, the intensity of its lingering shots that continually place her at the centre of the image and the kinetic fluidity of its dance sequences, this feature brilliantly, blisteringly and evocatively surveys and stares. There's much to take in, all sparked by Ema's struggles after an attempt at motherhood goes awry. With Gastón, she adopted a child — an older boy, rather than a baby — but something other than domestic bliss eventuated. Following a devastating incident and the just-as-stressful decision to relinquish the child back to the state's custody, Ema is scrambling to cope. But, in a script by Larraín, Guillermo Calderón (The Club, Neruda) and Alejandro Moreno, this isn't a situation she's simply willing to accept. Social services won't give her another chance, or even let her see the boy she still calls her son. Things with Gastón have changed irrevocably, too. To combat both, to rally against the oppressive rules and expectations thrust her way, and to reclaim her sense of self emotionally and in her career, Ema makes a series of bold decisions that reshape and reignite her existence. Unspooling its narrative like a mystery to be pieced together one enigmatic and melodramatic moment at a time, Ema is many things. Most potently, it's a portrait of a woman who is willing to make whatever move she needs to, both on the dance floor and in life in general, to rally against an unforgiving world, grasp her idea of true liberty and seize exactly what she wants. Impeccably cast as the unflinching dancer, and acting with internalised cool, control and command, the magnetic Di Girólamo exudes perseverance from her pores, as well as allure — two traits that couldn't be more crucial to Ema's plans. Whether she's showing off her best reggaeton moves against a vivid backdrop, staring pensively straight at the camera or being soaked in neon light, the film's star is hypnotic. Like the brightest of flames, she's impossible to look away from. One of Larraín's regular players, Bernal also leaves an imprint, perfecting a thorny role that ties into the film's interrogation of Chile's class and cultural divides. That said, so much of his performance involves responding to Di Girólamo that everything about Gastón would be completely different without her presence. Larraín has always had a knack for casting (see: each and every one of his movies listed above). His skill as both a visual- and emotion-driven filmmaker shines here as well, and that too isn't new. The experience of watching Ema almost feels like dancing through it alongside its titular figure, because that's how mesmerising each stunning image proves, especially when paired with an intoxicating soundtrack that sets the beat and tone all at once. Nothing about this movie fades quickly; not its ideas, inimitable protagonist, or rousing exploration of trauma, shock and their impact. Little feels like anything else in Larraín's filmography, and yet it's always still evident that he's behind the camera. Add it alongside Gaspar Noé's Climax in the list of dynamic dance movies that romp, swirl and gyrate to their own electrifying rhythm. That comparison can't paint the full picture, though, because a cinematic light this strong and scalding sparks in nobody's ashes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COrqRKMZ2KM
If you're looking for a chance to step back and unwind, beloved Sydney gallery the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is hosting free weekly wellbeing sessions. Art Flow offers you the opportunity to take an extended lunch break on a Thursday to soak in some creative R&R, or begin your weekend with a dose of art and relaxation. Art Flow consists of 45-minute sessions running between 10.15am and 12.15pm Thursdays and Saturdays. The program is open to everyone over the age of 18 and invites participants to take 45 minutes to contemplate art and mindfulness. Each week there are four sessions, two on the Thursday and two on the Saturday, with a different artwork at the centre of the experience each week. The first four artworks will be Angela Tiatia's Lick, Elizabeth Mipilanggurr's Bamagora (conical pandanus palm mat), Nicholas Mangan's A World undone, and Khadim Ali's The Haunted Lotus. "The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is excited to launch this new program, created in response to these post- Covid times, where connection and wellbeing are more important than ever," MCA Director of Audience Engagement Gill Nicol says. "Being with art can help reduce stress and be a powerful source of wellbeing." Entry is free but if you want to ensure you've got a spot, head to the MCA website. [caption id="attachment_750113" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Liam Cameron[/caption] Top image: Art Flow: a wellbeing experience, MCA, 2022. Photograph: Anna Hay
Once you’ve had your whisky served up with an ice ball, it’s really hard to go back to cubes. Not only because that big, beautiful, frozen chunk looks better but also because it melts ultra slowly, so your whisky isn’t diluted within seconds. What’s more, the gradual addition of water means that every sip of your beverage tastes different to the one that came before. Whether you’re into straight whisky or short cocktails — Old Fashioneds and the like — knowing how to make your own ice balls is one handy, handy skill. And who better to learn it to you than a man who hand-chips 100 of them every single week, Mr Yoshi Onishi. He’s the bar manager at Tokyo Bird. To learn from the master craftsman direct, get along to Tokyo Bird on Monday, May 25, at 6pm. As part of World Class Cocktail Week, he’ll be running a workshop on 'The Art of Hand-Chipped Ice Balls'. Once you’re done, you’ll be able to test out your work on a Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Scotch Whisky.
It's almost time to take 2021 to the trash pile where it belongs but first thing's first: festive fun with the ones you love. Or, more specifically, the art of spoiling friends and family with presents. Whether you're a gifting goof or believe that gifts are truly your love language, we've found a few ways you can nail the gift-giving game this holiday season and, while you're at it, support your favourite local hospitality heroes. Thanks to our partners at new fintech business Slyp, you can even show some extra support simply by paying your bill — how good. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SLYP TIPS To celebrate the festive season, Slyp is providing extra holiday cheer to our beloved hospitality industry by slinging $20 tips to participating hospo venues at no extra cost to the customer till December 31. There are over 80 venues that have signed up for Slyp Tips including Watson's Bay Boutique Hotel, Hotel Ravisis and Tequila Mockingbird. In order to unlock a few extra bucks for your favourite hospo heroes, you'll need to be a NAB customer. Simply activate Smart Receipts in your NAB app, use your NAB card to pay at a participating venue, view the receipt in the app and voila, the $20 tip will be unlocked and shared among the venue's staff. The best part? There's no minimum spend to unlock the tip and take advantage of this festive offer. MAKE MERCH YOUR SUMMER LOOK Nothing says 'I'm a fan' like repping a piece of band merch. It's also a top-tier way to support a hospitality business you rate. Reckon Betty's Burgers have the best buns in the biz? Deck out your pooch in its limited edition dog merch. Consider yourself the number one fan of hot chook and chippies? Time to let everyone know via a Chargrill Charlie's tote. Or, if you to love your local cafe so much it hurts, score its custom t-shirt so you can say it with your chest. Like this one, from Ruby Lonesome in Sydney. [caption id="attachment_706983" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Industry Beans' famed cold brew coffee[/caption] SIGN UP TO A COFFEE SUBSCRIPTION Waking up to an empty coffee bean canister is truly devastating. And, after a year of letdowns, we're pretty keen to minimise disappointments like that in the new year. To avoid such situations and support your local bean roaster, you can sign up to a coffee subscription so you have the beans delivered to your door exactly when you need them. Industry Beans has a self-managed, pay-as-you-go subscription available which is ideal for first-timers wanting to try the service out. There's no fixed term to sign up and you get an automatic 10% off your orders once you subscribe. Cool beans. BUY YOUR MATE (OR DATE) A GIFT VOUCHER If you're a regular CP reader there's a good chance you love to dine out as much as we do. And we think there's no better dining experience than taking your favourite person to their favourite venue. Got a mate who is obsessed with Capitano's blistered pizzas? Purchase them a voucher to give the gift of delicious this year. Does your partner have their finger on the pulse of what's new in the hospitality scene? Impress them with a voucher to the newly opened MuMu in Sydney's CBD. SHOW A NEWBIE SOME LOVE It can be tempting to plan your summer celebrations at your go-to restaurants and bars but spare a thought for the new venues trying to make their mark when locking in your dining destinations this festive season. Instead of booking all your catch ups at the same small bar near your work, say hello to a fresh face on the hospitality scene this summer. Head to Cabana Bar in the Sydney CBD to activate your holiday mode and sip on spicy margaritas or try moorish Mauritian flavours at Manze in North Melbourne. Slyp Tips is applicable at participating venues until 11.59pm AEST on Friday, December 31. For the tip to be unlocked, you'll need to view the Smart Receipt prior to 11.59pm AEST on Wednesday, January 5. For more information and to find your nearest participating venue, visit the website.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Royal Botanic Garden will be hosting its annual Tomato Festival. As well as eating tomatoes — obviously — it'll feature an abundance of cooking demonstrations, talks, tips and tricks that are guaranteed to inspire your creations in the kitchen. If cooking doesn't suit your weekend relaxing plans, take part in the Longest Tomato Lunch, a dining table that stretches 70 metres long on the Garden's foreshore lawn. No surprising for guessing the main ingredient on the menu — yes, you'll indulge in an Italian and tomato-inspired meal, with dishes such as fresh tomato pasta salad and mixed tomato carpaccio. Other highlights include a tomato degustation brunch, a pop-up bar and cafe by Relish, a produce market filled with some of Sydney's highest quality produce, and taste testing a-plenty. Tomatoes will be judged on their colour and smell, and you'll be able to witness some of the best in show, from the best local and homegrown farmers. Just don't wear white.
If you were a child of the 90s, there's a good chance you will remember the page-turning thrill of the Goosebumps choose-your-own-adventure books or the semi-terror of The Simpsons halloween specials. Well, now there's a chance to live out your own bespoke adventure (or Treehouse of Horror episode) in real life. A Midnight Visit is a captivating theatre experience in which participants will traverse an abandoned Sydney warehouse on a hair-raising journey through a surreal dream world. And we've managed to get our hands on some double passes. Audiences will find themselves transported to an intriguing and wistful world — with a David Lynch meets Stanley Kubrick aesthetic — which takes its cues from the notoriously macabre works of Edgar Allan Poe. It's certainly not for the faint-hearted, with suffocatingly small spaces and many 'troubled characters' — but you can calm your nerves with a cocktail or two at The Ravens Rest pop-up bar — though, unfortunately, there'll be no Bart-turned-raven taunting Homer. This immersive choose-your-own-adventure experience is unlike any theatre offering the city has seen before and, the best part is, tickets are on us. Enter with your details below. [competition]691327[/competition] Images: Anna Kucera and Tim Da-Rin.
Bendigo is a city that loves its craft. You can see that in its busy pottery centre or its tram completely covered in yarn. But most of all, you can see it in the profusion of craft breweries here, collectively making some of the best cold ones in the country. To celebrate this thriving indie beer scene, Bendigo on the Hop returns to the city on Saturday, August 25. The annual winter festival transforms Bendigo's historic town centre into the site of one epic craft beer crawl. The event organisers, local non-profit Bendigo Beer, describe it as a "festival for beer drinkers with an open mind". It works like this: you buy your ticket and select your starting venue. This is where you pick up your tasting tokens and souvenir glass on the day. After that, it's a choose-your-own-adventure as you make your way to whichever pub, bar, beer garden or pop-up kiosk calls you most. This year's event has grown from last year, now featuring 44 beers from 22 truly independent breweries across 10 venues — including sophisticated restaurant Rocks on Rosalind, leafy Handle Bar and heritage boozer The Rifle Brigade Hotel. Turn over your tasting tokens as you go, and be adventurous — that tzatziki beer might turn out to be your tastebuds' true love. Trains travel every hour from Melbourne to Bendigo, making this an easy day trip. If you've got the time to spare, though, take the opportunity to stay the night, enjoy a lazy Sunday and spend some time at Bendigo's four breweries. To plan your time in Bendigo and the surrounding countryside, visit the Wander Victoria website.
Art is a matter of life and death in the star-studded Velvet Buzzsaw, which might just earn the title of 2019's most out-there film so far. The movie marks the reunion of Nightcrawler writer/director Dan Gilroy and actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo — and if you've seen that 2014 standout, you'll know that you're in for a wild ride. Both an unhinged horror effort and a satire of the art world, the film is set to premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival, but general audiences won't have to wait long at all to see the flick for themselves. It'll hit Netflix worldwide on Friday, February 1, while Sundance is still running. While Nightcrawler took aim at tabloid news media and charted its deadly consequences, Velvet Buzzsaw has another realm in its sights. With Gyllenhaal playing an art critic, Russo an agent, and everyone from Toni Collette to John Malkovich to Stranger Things' Natalia Dyer among the cast, the film charts a spate of sinister happenings that are linked to a batch eye-catching paintings. The art collection in question is only found after an unknown elderly artist passes away, and comes with strict instructions to destroy the work; however, when that warning is ignored, everyone who profits from the pieces starts to suffer. Check out the trailer below, and add the movie to your streaming queue for your next fright-filled date with your couch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdAR-lK43YU Velvet Buzzsaw will be available on Netflix from Friday, February 1.
Darlinghurst's much esteemed corner of cafe culture, Bootsdarling, is graduating from babes-in-arms status and celebrating its very first birthday with all the style of Clint Eastwood in a well-fitting tuxedo. Bootsdarling has emerged from its first year on the scene with a dedicated pack of coffee and fritters crazed Sydneysiders crowding around the door, so fair enough they want to celebrate. This Friday afternoon the cafe will mark its anniversary with a relaxed end-of-week session of complimentary whiskey cocktails (that's right, complimentary) from Bulleit Whiskey and guest musical sets — all presented by Sydney crew Run The BLVD. Very much fitting with the intimate and exclusive atmosphere the cafe fosters through its diminutive (truly tiny) size and loyal clientele the celebrations will include a guest acoustic performance by Aussie legend Phil Jamieson from Grinspoon as well as DJ sets and the charming promise of endless hot wing supplies. Entry is free with RSVP — email Rich at Run The BLVD (rich@runtheblvd.com) with your full name. But numbers are limited, so get on it. Image: Bootsdarling.
It's been a busy couple of months of stargazing, with both the Lyrid and Eta Aquarids Meteor Showers lighting up our skies, as well as a supermoon. This weekend, there are another two reasons to look up, too: a strawberry moon and an eclipse. Well, it's penumbral lunar eclipse. And you'll have to shake yourself out of your warm bed at a super-early hour on the morning of Saturday, June 6 to catch this one. While the penumbral lunar eclipse — which occurs when the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, but they don't form a perfectly straight line — will start around 3.45am, the maximum eclipse will occur at 5.24am. From here, you'll only have a very short amount of time to catch the main event, with the moon setting at 6.59am. For the full details, timeanddate.com has put together a handy to-the-minute schedule of when the eclipse will be happening in each city. During a total lunar eclipse, the moon turns a shade of red, but during a penumbral eclipse, which is much subtler, it'll appear to look dark grey or silver. For a lunar eclipse to occur, there must be a full moon. This June full moon is called a strawberry moon after the wild strawberries that ripen at this time of year. If you can't get a clear view, The Virtual Telescope Project will be live-streaming the partial lunar eclipse from the skyline above Rome from Saturday, June 6 at 5am AEST.
It's the horror franchise that's become a massive hit, and also sports a clear formula. We're talking about The Conjuring movies, which have become their own cinematic universe over the past eight years, and generally focus on eerie happenings in both ordinary and creepy abodes. If you saw the original 2013 film, its 2016 sequel, the three Annabelle flicks to-date, The Nun or The Curse of the Weeping Woman, then you'll know what we're talking about. Indeed, based on how much cash the combined saga has earned at the box office so far, we're betting you've watched at least one of them. If people keep turning out to see the series' movies en masse, then they'll keep being made, even if some hit the mark and some are terrible. That's how Hollywood works, after all. So, a third Conjuring film is now a thing — becoming the third movie specifically with The Conjuring in its title, and the broader franchise's eighth entry. In The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, however, the saga seems to be trying something a little different. Bumps and jumps still abound, at least based on the just-dropped first trailer, but so does a crime-thriller setup. Here, paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson, The Commuter) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) are called to assist in a murder trial, with the suspect claiming demonic possession as a defense. By now, you should know that the Warrens were real people, and that some of the franchise's movies draw upon cases and incidences they looked into — including this one. When it hits cinemas Down Under on June 3, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It will also feature Ruairi O'Connor (The Spanish Princess), Sarah Catherine Hook (Monsterland) and Julian Hilliard (WandaVision), while The Curse of the Weeping Woman's Michael Chaves is on directing duties. The latter takes over from Australian filmmaker James Wan (Aquaman, Fast & Furious 7), who helmed the first two Conjuring movies, but produces and gets a story credit here. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMZPMMWIWn4 The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It releases in cinemas Down Under on June 3.
Pull out your loose change stash and check under the couch, because one of the best food deals we've seen in a while is coming back The Rocks next week. For one day only, The Argyle is slinging dumplings for just ten cents a piece. Head on in from 11am on Tuesday, July 23 and bring your appetite — and all the silver coins you can find. Expect a dim sum feast of gyoza, har gow and shumai on offer, with prawn, vegetable and pork varieties up for grabs. There is one catch — punters must purchase a full-price drink to access the ten-cent dumpling extravaganza. The deal is available from 11am until sold out and bookings are essential — so head here before all the tables for next week are snatched up. If you miss out this round, you can still nab $1 dumplings (and $5 Asahi) at the venue every Tuesday — though the deal isn't nearly as appealing once you've considered the ten-cent version.
The lower end of Crown Street has been doing it tough this year — the block between Cleveland and Devonshire streets currently has a large number of empty shopfronts, with long-time residents Mr Fox and Cafe Mint closing down, and Bishop Sessa forced to change from fine dining to a more casual affair. But, in good news, at least one of those shops is set to open again soon, with 4 Pines Brewing Company taking over the Mr Fox space imminently. It will be the brewery's fourth venue, and first off the north shore, and it'll be dedicated not only to brews, but also to loaded burgers. The new bar will have a similar fit-out to the brewery's other instalments, which include the Manly Brewpub, Brookvale Truck Bar and the Newport barrel-aged outpost — plus the Manly ferry bars and the SCG craft beer stall which opened in April. Spanning two levels and seating around 60 people, the bar will offer the full 4 Pines core range and limited releases, alongside some seriously stacked burgers. While the menu is still being finalised, expect dishes like deep-fried prawn burgers overflowing with tartare sauce, habanero chicken topped with heaps of blue cheese, a deep-fried cheese patty and a Hawaiian pizza in burger form. Apart from beer, there will also be a modest supply of wines, cocktails and spirits on offer. If all goes well, the Surry Hills joint will open just in time for Christmas — so if a new Crown Street local is on your wishlist, you might be in luck. 4 Pines Surry Hills will open in late December at 557 Crown Street, Surry Hills. We'll let you know when an opening date is set.
While many Sydneysiders are still working from home, some of us have recommenced our daily commute over the Harbour Bridge to the city. If you're one of them, your journey today may take a little longer than usual today. As of 7.40am on Thursday, August 27, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is closed in both directions and a helicopter is on site, in response to a serious two-car crash. Transport for NSW says there is no forecast for when all northbound and southbound lanes will reopen and is telling Sydneysiders to avoid the area, reconsider non-essential travel and consider working from home (if they're not already). https://twitter.com/LiveTrafficSyd/status/1298745028295249922 The Sydney Harbour Tunnel is still open, but, because of the crash, traffic is currently backed up to Artarmon in the north and across to Kings Cross in the east. Buses are terminating at North Sydney Station, Milsons Point and McMahons Point and while trains are still running, Transport for NSW has warned that there may be increased patronage on trains and to continue to social distance as much as possible. For more information about the status of the Harbour Bridge and current traffic, head over to the Live Traffic website. To stay up-to-date with trains and buses, check the Transport for NSW website and real-time apps. Image: Jorge Lascar
Erskineville's Imperial Hotel is a favourite among many, with props sure to go to its thrilling dining events (which bring dazzling queens to the stage for super-charged performances alongside a fantastic feed). So, you'll be excited to learn American Express delicious. Month Out is bringing a special one-night only Drag 'N' Dine extravaganza to the inner west local. The dress code? Fabulous. On Thursday, May 5, you and your friends can enjoy a stand-out plant-powered dinner — hosted by Khanh Ong — while you're serenaded and titillated by stellar drag performers. And, if you're an American Express Card Member, you can nab 15 percent off your ticket right up until the day before (just use your Australian-issued American Express Card when securing your tickets through Resy). Tickets are $89 and include a cocktail on arrival, a delicious set menu and a drag production with all the razzle dazzle. With two seatings on offer — 6pm and 8.30pm — it's the perfect opportunity to get raunchy at the dinner table. Ready for a night of spectacular performances and irresistible food? Book yourself a table at The Imperial Hotel's Drag 'N' Dine presented by American Express delicious. Month Out. For more information and to book, visit the website.
Back when the world population totalled 2.52 billion and houses cost less than the price of a hatchback today, Elvis was a rookie and polyester was the fabric of the future. Yes dear reader, this was the Golden Age nestled between the austere Forties and free-loving Sixties. This was an age where the new Miss World beauty pageant saw ‘world peace’ increase in popularity, Polio was defeated and dogs were rocketed into outer space. Ah, the Fifties. Where would we be without them?In celebration of this glorious age, the Rose Seidler House will again play host to the annual Fifties Fair. Now in its 15th year, attendees are encouraged to dress on theme and swing, jive and twist with the best of them. Specialty markets selling Fifties collectibles will lure and seduce even the most resistant buyer, while the ‘garage shed cinema’ will entertain and delight with genuine Government travel documentaries and home videos. And for total submersion into the period, tours of the iconic post-war residence built by Harry Seidler for his parents will be running throughout the day. So Guys and Dolls, dig out your Brylcreem and brush off your dancing shoes – this is a sashay back in time you won’t want to miss.
If your natural response to winter is to stay indoors, rug up, make friends with your couch and activate hibernation mode, you might be feeling rather happy about your usual frosty routine over the weekend of Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14. Thanks to a cold front that's currently moving through New South Wales from the alpine region, the Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting blustering winds across Sydney for the next two days, with gusts potentially reaching 90 kilometres per hour. BOM has issued a severe weather warning for the possibly damaging winds, noting that they'll blow west to southwesterly, especially on Saturday. While the present cold front is anticipated to ease on Saturday afternoon, another is due to make its presence known on Sunday, which means the breeziness will pick up once again. The Bureau is specifically cautioning about winds of around 70–80 kilometres per hour in Sydney, and advises that gusts up to 90 kilometres per hour are possible. Folks in Illawarra, the eastern parts of the Central Tablelands — including the Blue Mountains — and Southern Tablelands, as well as the high country around the Upper Hunter and Barrington Tops, can all expect winds of 60–70 kilometres per hour in Illawarra, with gusts exceeding 90 kilometres per hour. https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1149784201874616320 Sydneysiders are only being warned about Saturday so far, while those in the other aforementioned regions should factor more than a stiff breeze into their entire weekend. Temperatures in the city will only reach 15 degrees on Saturday and 16 on Sunday, which will help to keep things chilly regardless of the wind. On Facebook, NSW SES recommends that residents secure loose items, and move vehicles undercover or away from trees. If you're not only venturing out of the house today, but to the airport, the windiness could interfere with flights into and out of the city — travellers in some parts of the country, such as the Gold Coast, have already been advised of possible delays due to Sydney's blustery conditions. The winds are forecast to drop off on Monday, when the second cold front will move away from NSW. Image: Jason Tong via Flickr.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Vino Paradiso. Every day, it seems, Sydneysiders discover another beverage-inspired escapade. Pop-ups, boutique tastings, underground bars and regionally inspired gatherings have become part of the city’s ever-changing landscape. And now, a brand new festival is set to bring them all under one roof for three delicious days of drinking, eating and general frivolity. Meet Vino Paradiso. From Friday, October 31, to Sunday, November 2, Australian Technology Park will transmogrify into a kind of immersive adventure-park for food and drink aficionados. There’ll be stalls serving up gustatory sensations from all over the world — and giving you the chance to meet the passionate producers behind them. But the affair is far from your average expo. You can also expect secret alleyways, surprise happenings, live music, art-in-motion and loads of opportunities for interaction. You might well find yourself crushing grapes the traditional way (i.e. via bare-footed, toe-tingling stomping power); relaxing in the bespoke, AstroTurfed, aptly named Paradise Park; testing out your olfactory potential; taking part in a humungous treasure hunt; and/or carrying home part of an artist designed wine wall, complete with over 100 bottles of wine. To help you sharpen up your DIY culinary skills, there’ll be a bunch of special guests leading masterclasses and hosting demonstrations. These include legendary chef Darren Robertson from Three Blue Ducks, rock star tastemaker Oscar McMahon from Young Henrys, biodynamic winemaker Peter Windrim from Krinklewood Vineyard, international winemaker Tom Egan from Porteno and obsessive mixologist Grant Collins. Tickets, which start at $25, are available online. Thanks to Vino Paradiso, we have ten double passes to give away to Vino Paradiso's masterclasses. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name, address and masterclass preference out of 'Demystifying Sake' on November 1 at 11am or 'I Love the Smell of Nebbiolo in the Morning' on November 2 at 12.30pm.
Exercise is important, but exercise classes are expensive. Lucky for Sydneysiders, there are plenty of free and by-donation classes floating around if you know where to look. Potts Point's Reg Murphy Community Centre offers one of them — a free pilates class held every Wednesday from 10–11am. And they're running from February 14 all the way through December 19 this year. That gives you plenty of chances to join in or to make a weekly thing of it. Pilates is known to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility and posture and increase mental awareness. Apart from the free bit, the one-hour classes — organised by the City of Sydney — are also open to all levels and ages. Mats are provided as well, though you'll have to BYO towel and water. Since it won't cost you a dime, there's really no draw-back to this one.
Those with a passion for anime have something a little more than a passion. Obsession is perhaps a better word. So while I may be frustrated waiting for the next season of Mad Men, this is nothing compared to what those awaiting the sequel to Evangelion have suffered. Luckily for them, the leading purveyors of anime here in Australia (namely Madman) are importing the latest flicks straight from Tokyo to be screened in cinemas in our own backyard. The line up includes Summer Wars, blending summer holidays, teenage romance, mathematics and avatars into a whirlwind adventure. King of Thorn is a action horror-thriller drawing on the disparate genres of science fiction and fairy tales. The highlight, however, is arguably Evangelion 2.0, with 1.0 being screened also for those of us who are slightly less educated but keen to catch up. https://youtube.com/watch?v=55Uu73VSXMk Image: still from Summer Wars, courtesy of Madman films
