How does an underwater opera work? Is it through air pockets? Scuba gear? Gillyweed? All your questions will be answered and then forgotten in the majesty of Dido & Aeneas, the Sydney Festival's first big 'get' for 2014, announced today. First performed in 2005, the work is from Berlin dance-theatre guru and former Schaubuhne artistic director Sasha Waltz and her company, and has been much acclaimed in its performances across Europe. The Australian exclusive performance will mark the first time the show will have toured to the Asia-Pacific. That delay may have something to do with the stage design that definitely breaks the standard baggage allowance. The first part of the show is a dance that takes place inside a 7500L tank. The opera then unfolds in a dry-land spectacle with 60 performers that Neues Deutchsland called "in the best sense overwhelming". In the vein of last year's Semele Walk, Dido & Aeneas combines exquisite dance, costumes, singing, music and stagecraft to tell a passionate love story. By Henry Purcell, the Baroque score was described by festival director Lieven Bertels as having "topped the emo charts for almost 350 years now". It's performed on stage by renowned German chamber orchestra Akademie fur Alte Musik, who will play on rare Baroque instruments that sometimes have to be sourced locally so as to avoid the strain of travel. The Sydney Festival is your main chance in the year to see big-deal international productions, and Dido & Aeneas is one big, awe-inspiring deal. Dido & Aeneas is on at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 16-21 January. Tickets go on sale today at noon from the Sydney Festival website. https://youtube.com/watch?v=u7nKmm7a71Q
As we pass World Environment Day for 2022, the year's motto of "only one Earth" lingers. It's a message at the forefront of the news cycle and on the minds of many, with our planet only continuing to get hotter and our need to make lifestyle shifts getting only more pressing. Enter Lottie Dalziel, the Sydneysider dedicating her working life to everyday sustainability. The self-professed optimist is the founder of Banish, an online marketplace, education platform and recycling platform. With a focus on small achievable changes (which collectively have a large impact), Lottie inspires hope — and change. "I believe people do want to be more sustainable," Lottie says. "I think the main barrier to people making eco-switches in their life is them not knowing where to start." One easy way to start? The NSW Government's Return and Earn program. Working towards adjusting the state's everyday consumption behaviours — and highlighting the ease of making a big eco-impact — Return and Earn allows you to easily recycle the bottles, cans and cartons we all amass in our daily lives, with used containers back on shelves living a new life in as little as four weeks. There are over 600 return points where recyclers are given the choice between a refund or charitable donation. Either way — you're taking steps towards making the planet better for all. Together with Return and Earn, we had a chat with Lottie and asked her to share her favourite switches that will see you quickly — and easily — living a more sustainable life. 1. DITCH THE SINGLE-USE COFFEE CUPS "Use a reusable coffee cup for your daily brew," Lottie says. With caffeine powering a great number of us through our days, a simple and oh-so-effective switch is ditching those plastic-lined cups and nabbing yourself one for keeps. 2. CHOOSE BAMBOO "Every plastic toothbrush that every person has ever used still exists somewhere on this planet — and will take at least 300 years to break down," Lottie tells us. The sheer enormity of those numbers is overwhelming, which makes this easy swap from the sustainability queen that much more welcome: "Switch to a bamboo toothbrush," she offers. "Then, when you're done, you can compost the base." Taking it to even higher sustainability heights is bamboo's rapid growth rate, natural pest-resistance qualities (eliminating the need for chemical pesticides, which can enter the wider ecosystem) and ability to remove carbon from the air (a huge point-breaker in the plastic-or-bamboo-toothbrush debate). 3. GET COMPOSTING Pump the brakes on throwing veggie scraps in your rubbish bin. "Start composting! On average, 40% of the contents in a household bin is organic matter that could be composted. Grab yourself a kitchen caddy and then join ShareWaste — and get its app — so you don't even need to get your hands dirty." 4. WAKE UP YOUR MAKEUP ROUTINE Giving a shout-out to another small biz that's as planet-focused as Banish, Lottie suggests a simple switch-a-roo between single-use makeup wipes and these Sabbia Co resusable ones. Removing the day doesn't have to cost the earth, so grab some machine-washable, 100% cotton pads — which can last over 200 washes with the right kind of loving. 5. KISS PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS GOODBYE Lottie knows how to keep it simple yet effective: "Remember your reusable tote bag when you head to the grocery store." Have the best intentions but always turn up with empty hands? Pop a tote in your car, or a teeny-tiny fold-away one in your bag, so you're not left with plastic — or a precarious hand-held balancing act — as your only option. If you haven't made the switch already you'll want to do it soon — some of NSW's biggest retailers are farewelling the plastic shoppers for good, which is sure to prove a momentous step towards a greener planet for all. [caption id="attachment_767688" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Spiske (Unsplash)[/caption] 6. SHOP SMARTER Think long and hard about whether those four apples really need a bag around them. And surely your bananas can handle themselves? Skip the plastic when you can, but if your market haul — we're thinking brussels sprouts and string beans — is really in need of some organisation assistance, Lottie has an easy solution: "Ditch plastic bags in the fruit and veg section, and use reusable produce bags instead." 7. BLADES OF CHANGE "Never use a plastic razor again," says Lottie. "Grab a safety razor and for the rest of your life all you'll need to do is replace the blades." That's a sell that's hard to shop past, so if you're not spending winter growing your hair out, head to Banish to see the back of plastic-powered hair care. Looking to kickstart your eco-journey? Head to the Banish website. Or, if you're ready to put your recyclables to work, look no further than Return and Earn. Crunch your numbers at the impact calculator and see the real-world benefits your recycling will have. Images provided by Lottie Dalziel.
Take a number of similar events, link them together, then get everyone turning hitting them all up into an event itself. To paraphrase the late, great Carl Weathers in Arrested Development: baby, you've then got a crawl or tour going. Pub and bar crawls do it, as do wine walks. Now, so is Australia's first Art Grand Tour, which is popping up to celebrate a heap of exhibitions and art events taking place in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide across the first half of 2024. This is the first time that the Biennale of Sydney, Adelaide Biennale of Australian Art and PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography in Melbourne, all three of which are free to attend, have teamed up in such a way. The idea is encourage not only folks in each event's own city to attend, but to spark multi-stop getaways based on seeing the trio. [caption id="attachment_927824" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Felicity Jenkins[/caption] A range of fellow exhibitions and events have also joined in, so the full tour includes Melbourne Art Fair, NGV Triennial and MPavilion 10 by Tadao Ando in Melbourne; Adelaide Festival in South Australia; and the Louise Bourgeois exhibition at Art Gallery New South Wales, plus projections on the Sydney Opera House. Think of it as your go-to itinerary for exploring the best art that's on show across Australia's southeast, whether you want to check out famous towering spider sculptures, architectural installations or a room-sized ode to plants. The three key events are reason enough to head to Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide anyway — or to play tourist in your own town if you live there. The Biennale of Sydney is celebrating its 50th-anniversary year, embracing the theme "ten thousand suns" and featuring pieces by 88 artists and collectives from 47 countries. And, it's opening White Bay Power Station to the public for the first time in over a century as part of the event, which runs from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10. In SA, the 18th Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art is focusing on the human condition, complete with 24 artists and poets featured. You can head along from Friday, March 1–Sunday, June 2. PHOTO 2024 marks its third edition from Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 24, with "the future is shaped by those who can see it" the theme tying together 100 free installations and exhibitions, including work by 150-plus artists. [caption id="attachment_940260" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view: Troy-Anthony Baylis: Nomenclatures by Troy-Anthony Baylis, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; photo: Saul Steed.[/caption] Announcing the Grand Art Tour, Biennale of Sydney Chief Executive Officer Barbara Moore dubbed it "an exciting celebration of the power of art to connect, share and bring joy". Art Gallery of South Australia's Director Rhana Devenport described it as "an extraordinary art adventure" and "a rare opportunity to experience these exemplary gatherings of art that push boundaries, and alter your perceptions, and create new memories". [caption id="attachment_940262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] J Forsyth[/caption] For PHOTO Australia Founder/Artistic Director Elias Redstone, it's set to "inspire audiences with immersive art experiences that celebrate human connection as society faces uncertain futures". While the Art Grand Tour has tour right there in its name, there's nothing formal about it — so there's no ticketing packages and the like. Instead, it's a self-guided affair, so make your own schedule and travel plans accordingly. [caption id="attachment_938006" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marie-Luise Skibbe[/caption] Art Grand Tour 2024 Events: Sydney Until Sunday, April 28 — Louise Bourgeois: Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day?, Art Gallery of New South Wales Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10 — Biennale of Sydney, various venues Ongoing — Badu Gili: Celestial, Sydney Opera House Bennelong Sails Adelaide Friday, March 1–Sunday, June 2 — Adelaide Biennale of Australian Art, Art Gallery of South Australia Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 17 — Adelaide Festival, various venues Melbourne Until Tuesday, April 7 — NGV Triennial, NGV International Until Monday, March 29 — MPavilion 10 by Tadao Ando, Queen Victoria Gardens Thursday, February 22–Sunday, February 25 — Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 24 — PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography, various venues [caption id="attachment_936840" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lillie Thompson[/caption] Australia's first Art Grand Tour encompasses events in Sydney and Adelaide until June, Melbourne until March. Head to the tour's website for more information. Top image: PHOTO 2022, Will Hamilton-Coates.
The sun slipping away earlier in the cooler months isn't a bad thing — it just means there's more time for fun to be had after dark. This is something our pals at Sydney Living Museums know all too well, thanks to its monthly art and music series. Since February, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hyde Park Barracks has presented its new late-night program After Dark. Once a month, from 5–9pm, you can enjoy drinks at the pop-up bar while checking out the live tunes, performances and more. And at this month's event on Thursday, June 24, you can get cosy around the fire pit with marshmallows courtesy of the Country Women's Association. Then, let Muruwari Man Willy Stevens give you a First Nations perspective on astronomy or join a yarning circle with D'harawal Saltwater Knowledge Keeper Shannon Foster. There'll be installations by artist Ella Condon to enjoy and live music from Sparrow, Lady King and FBi Radio DJs, too. The next Hyde Park Barracks After Dark event is happening on Thursday, June 24 from 5–9pm. Each month boasts a new lineup to enjoy. To stay up to date, visit the website.
Dust off your sombreros, amigos. The latest international excuse for a good time to reach our shores is Cinco de Mayo — a celebration of all things Mexican (which, if we’re being nit-picky, is really more of an Americanisation than anything but shh, let us party). In celebration, the folks at Corona and Beach Burrito Company Fitzroy are putting together a fiesta, complete with face painting by local street artists and the first ever Taco Time Trials Eating Contest. For the less competitively inclined but equally taco-happy, Cinco de Mayo falls conveniently on a Tuesday, and Beach Burrito Co’s regular $3 taco deal applies, so your pesos’ll stretch further. With what you’ve got left, you can sip salt-rimmed margaritas, down trays of tequila shots (not recommended) or share a bucket of ice-cold Coronas. And, of course, come prepared to smash and whack your way to glory, because they wouldn’t be doing Mexico right without pinatas.
Sydney's funkiest, most boundary-pushing brewery Wildflower is releasing a new brew and inviting everyone 'round to celebrate. To kick off 2024, the Brompton Street favourite is unveiling its 2023 Etoile su Sud in collaboration with France's Brasserie Thiriez, and it's throwing an appropriately European-themed summer bash to launch the beer on Saturday, January 13. Hotluck Snack Club will be in charge of the day's eats, serving a stacked lineup of Euro summer bites. There will be twice-cooked frites with a range of sauces for dipping including curried andalouse, XO Big Mac sauce and tofujang; a chip butty with burnt onion butter and fried peppers; chicken liver and mince oyako kipcorn dogs; fried spring rolls filled with nduja and scamorza; and a flammkuchen calzone packed with fromage blanc, crispy lupcheong and caramelised onion. For drinks you can get your hands on the Wildflower Etoile du Sud, of course, as well as Brasserie Thiriez's Etoie du Nord and Petite Princesse, and Wildflower's 2022 Fatome collaboration, Fatome d'or. Last year the Wildflower crew travelled over to Esquelbecq in northern France with local Motueka hop flowers in order to bring this special France-meets-Australia collab to life. If you want to get your hands on some interesting and rare beers paired with flavour-packed eats, Wildflower is the place to be on Saturday. Images: Wildflower Brewing, Cassandra Hannagan
When you're taking your pet pooch to the park in the cooler months, you want your four-legged friend to look its best and be warm. Yes, all puppers are adorable anyway, because that just comes with the territory. But your furry little woofer is certain to dial up its natural cuteness in a piece from Big W's new winter pet range. Whether your dachshund would look dapper in a cosy knitted vest, your jack russell terrier needs a faux fur-trimmed jacket or your shih tzu could do with an 'Always Snackin' sweater, you'll find it on offer in this new line. It's super-affordable, too, with sweaters starting from $9 and jackets from $15. More than 100 items are currently available (including various sizes and colours), spanning collars, harnesses and leads, as well as cable-knit jackets, tartan jumpers and novelty beds. Yes, if you and your pooch are looking to to go on an 'indoor camping adventure' — we've been WFH for a while now — you can get them a teepee: The fashion and accessory line will add further items throughout the year, too, because even your doggo's wardrobe can change with the seasons. While Big W has dubbed the line its 'petwear', so far it's all for dogs. That said, if you can somehow manage to get your cat into a vest or sweater, then you're well-equipped to slip them into something from this range. Big W's petwear is currently available to purchase online, with contactless home delivery and pick up available.
After a tumultuous start to the year, Australia's arts and cultural industries are slowly starting up again. Over the past few months, the Australian Government's ban on non-essential gatherings, social distancing rules and the mass closure of indoor venues saw many major events around the country cancelled or postponed. One such event was the acclaimed 22nd Biennale of Sydney, which opened on March 14 and closed only ten days later. Now, the citywide free arts festival has announced it'll be kicking off (again) from June 16, following the reopening of NSW art galleries, museums and libraries on June 1. This year's lineup of 100-plus artists are examining a poignant issue close to the heart of Australia: First Nations sovereignty and intergenerational trauma. The 2020 Biennale is entitled Nirin, which means 'edge' in the language of western NSW's Wiradjuri people. The theme is timely, for two reasons: the 2020 blockbuster falls on the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's voyage to Australia — and it will be helmed by a new First Nations artistic director, famed Sydney-born, Melbourne-based interdisciplinary artist Brook Andrew. In a statement announcing the festival's reopening, Biennale of Sydney's Chief Executive Officer Barbara Moore said, "now, more than ever, we need art to connect, collaborate and heal – all core themes of Nirin." Andrew has selected an impressive lineup of artists and creatives — many of them First Nations — from around the world to exhibit at the Art Gallery of NSW (June1–September 27), Woolloomooloo's Artspace (June 1–September 27), Campbelltown Arts Centre (June 1–October 11), Cockatoo Island (June 16–September 16) and the MCA (June 16–September 6). The National Art School, which was originally part of the program, will remain closed to the public for the foreseeable future, so the Biennale is currently looking to relocate its works to a new space. On the lineup, you'll find the Southern Hemisphere premiere of Arthur Jafa's Golden Lion-awarded work The White Album, Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens's immersive work symbolising the disproportionate number of incarcerated Indigenous Australian women and a large-scale political protest piece by Pitjantjatjara artist Kunmanara Mumu Mike Williams (who passed away last year). [caption id="attachment_759715" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arthur Jafa, Still from The White Album (2018). Photo courtesy the artist and Gavin Brown's enterprise, New York/Rome; commissioned by the University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). © Arthur Jafa, 2018[/caption] Cockatoo Island will be home to a wide range of works, including Ghanaian-born artist Ibrahim Mahama's sprawling installation of coal sacks; Tony Albert's interactive greenhouse, where you'll be invited to write and plant messages; and Tlingit/Unangax̂ artist Nicholas Galanin's excavation work that'll 'dig up' the land beneath the shadow of Hyde Park's Captain Cook statue. Elsewhere, Ahmed Umar's ceramic sarcophagus will be shown at the MCA; DJ Hannah Catherine Jones will perform an audiovisual work inspired by pop-culture, poetry and provocative imagery; Andrew Rewald's evolving community garden will take over NAS; and Leisa Reihana's multi-channel video installation and film will explore the history of Māori and South Pacific Islander peoples. During its physical hiatus, Biennale of Sydney launched a digital program, which will continue. Nirin Wir — a program of free and ticketed events taking place all over the city, from the Blue Mountains to La Perouse — has been postponed until further notice. The 22nd Biennale of Sydney will now officially run from June 16–September 6 2020. The Nirin exhibitions are free. While Nirin Wir is postponed, you can catch the digital program here. Top images: Josep Grau-Garriga 'Retaule Dels Penjants and Màrtir', installation view (2020) in the Grand Courts at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, photograph by Zan Wimberley; Lisa Reihana 'Tai Whetuki - House of Death Redux' (2016) at The Walters Prize, Auckland Art Gallery; and Andrew Rewald 'Alchemy Garden'.
One of Erskineville's favourite venues is throwing a huge party to say 'Thank U, Next' to 2019. With a little help from promoters Girlthing/Boything, The Imperial Hotel's NYE Thing: 2020 Vision has a bunch of different options to suit your mood and budget this New Year's Eve. For those with a taste for the high life, you can sip bubbles and watch the sunset on the Imperial UP! rooftop, at an exclusive pre-party from 7–10pm. VIP tickets ($150) will get you a glass of champagne on arrival, two hours of bottomless bubbles and roaming canapes and grazing boards to nibble from, before you can head downstairs with all venue access for the rest of the night. If a sit down meal and a show is more your style, resident queens Dammit Janet, Ruby Slippers and special guest Saggitaria will delight crowds with a 2019 rewind production of Drag N' Dine, paired with a seven-course vegan feast and bottomless bubbles, followed by full venue access so you can party into 2020. That's $80 per person. If all you're really after is a good boogie, the ground floor bonanza and basement bash are for you. There'll be live music, performances and DJs all the way through until 4am — and tickets start at just $25.
Today, one month after the unmitigated frenzy that was the iPhone 6, Apple have unveiled their latest tech offerings to the world. Without quite as much fanfare, they've gifted us with the new iMac, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3. Unlike the latest iPhone, there isn't a huge list of new features to jump up and down about. But there is this one thing — the screens of both the iPad Air and iMac are thinner than a freakin' pencil. Gone are the days of the bulky and obnoxiously colourful iMacs that we knew and loved from the mid-2000s. The screen on the latest iMac measures in at a mere 5mm and the iPad Air isn't much larger on 6.1mm. This is a size reduction of around 18 per cent from the last models (which was 20 per cent thinner than the ones before that). We know live in a time when technology has beaten the cliche of being "pencil thin". Aside from putting everything on a serious diet, Apple has given the new iPads faster processors and better cameras. The iPad Air now has all the latest updates we've seen in the iPhone 6 including an 8 megapixel camera. It will also have less glare with a new coating reportedly reducing reflections by 56 per cent, and the same TouchID fingerprint sensor that enables you to use the nifty (and only slightly scary) Apple Pay. Speaking of things which sound somewhat daunting, Apple has given the latest iMacs "5K retina display". While it sounds a lot like something to do with 5,000 lasers shooting into your eyeballs, it actually just means a really, really good image quality. Over 14 million pixels will now be shimmering around your desktop's 27-inch screen finally giving crystal-clear definition to all your Youtube cat videos. All in all, there's nothing to be too excited about unless you've been trying to jam your iPad into inconceivably small cases all year. People just love to kick up a fuss about Apple because they makes us feel like we're living in the future. If tiny, tiny technologies are really your thing, you can pre-oder these new gadgets from tomorrow. The new iPad Air will cost you between $619-1,019 depending on how tricked out you want it to be; the iPad Mini will be $499-899; and the iMac will fluctuate wildly between $2,999-5,279. Just wait and see how expensive it is once they perfect a design the same thickness as a piece of paper. And no, in case you wanted to keep your new iPad in your pocket, Apple aren't afraid of them bending. Via Wired and SMH.
It's December, so summer has been steaming up Australia for a week now. It's also predicted to be a particularly warm and wet season. So, you might think that snow is off the agenda for a few months. That's a reasonable view to hold. It's sensible, in fact. But it seems that the weather has other ideas, with New South Wales and Victoria's alpine regions getting more than a little frosty this week. Yes, it has been snowing in places such as Perisher and Mount Hotham. The former got down to -0.8 degrees overnight last night (as Monday, December 7 became Tuesday, December 8), as recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology. It's also forecast to hit a -1-degree minimum on Wednesday, December 9. At the latter, the mercury is only tipped to hit 7 degrees maximum on Tuesday, December 8, while Weatherzone reports that it got down to -1.4 degrees overnight. Numbers are all well and good, but if you want on-the-ground details — and images — a number of places in both areas have you covered. Perisher Resort and Hotham Alpine Resort have each posted videos to their social media showing the conditions. If you haven't seen snow in summer before, well, consider that a new 2020 achievement. https://twitter.com/PerisherResort/status/1336068906327318528 https://twitter.com/_hotham/status/1336079287091269632 As the Bureau of Meteorology in both NSW and Victoria have reported, wintry conditions are indeed on the cards in both state's alpine regions this week. Perisher is expected to have minimums between -1–3 degrees until Monday, with maximums between 9–17. At Mount Hotham, the corresponding ranges span -1–7 in terms of lows and 7–17 degrees in top temps. https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1335690118133321729 https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1335766642475880456 As for Sydney and Melbourne, it won't be anywhere near that frosty, unsurprisingly. But Sydney's maximums are due to stay mild, between 22–25, for most of the week. In Melbourne, the city isn't predicted to top 18 degrees either today or Wednesday — although temps will rise over the weekend, leading to a 32-degree maximum on Monday, December 14. Top image: Mount Hotham, Rob Blackburn.
Film festival lineups are only ever truly complete when the event is over for the year, because new movies and sessions can join the program right up until the curtains fall. 2025's Sydney Film Festival runs in June, for instance, and unveiled the bulk of its its roster to start May — but it still keeps expanding, including by scoring the Australian premiere of Ari Aster's Eddington. Fresh from announcing that DEATH STRANDING and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has joined the 2025 program to get chatting with Mad Max and Furiosa director George Miller, SFF has now revealed that one of this year's most-anticipated movies — that wasn't already on its bill — is also heading to the Harbour City across Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15. Eddington joins the fest's straight-from-Cannes contingent, with the news coming just days after the film debuted at the prestigious French festival. "With Eddington, Ari Aster turns his razor-sharp gaze to the fractured heart of America, and perhaps the world, in a film that is provocative, urgent and completely gripping. This is a compelling work that speaks to the chaos and contradictions of our times — and one that will spark passionate conversation," said SFF Festival Director Nashen Moodley, announcing the movie's addition to SFF's 2025 program. "We are delighted to present its Australian premiere at Sydney Film Festival and offer Sydneysiders the chance to be some of the very first people in the world outside of Cannes to see this incendiary film." Arriving two years after Aster first stressed out Joaquin Phoenix in Beau Is Afraid, Eddington has more tension and chaos in store for the Oscar-winning actor. The pair reunite for a trip back to 2020, to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the movie's eponymous New Mexico location as it attempts to cope with the abrupt change to life as its citizens know it. Phoenix (Joker: Folie à Deux) portrays the small town's sheriff — with Emma Stone (Kinds of Kindness ) as his wife, Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) as the loyal mayor and Austin Butler (The Bikeriders) as the charismatic Vernon Jefferson Peak. The storyline: putting Joe and the mayor on a collision course, which unsurprisingly causes ripples throughout Eddington, in a tale that's set to see townsfolk clash in a period that we all know couldn't have been more heightened. Aster is back cultivating unease, then, as he did so expertly in Hereditary in 2018, then Midsommar in 2019, then Beau Is Afraid in 2023. If you can't see Eddington at SFF, it releases in Australian cinemas on Thursday, July 24 — the same day as the also Pascal-starring Fantastic Four: First Steps. Check out the trailer for Eddington below: Sydney Film Festival 2025 takes place from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website.
After first setting up shop in Brisbane last year, and then announcing plans to open more Australian stores last month, Taco Bell has revealed the location of its second Australian outpost: Robina on the Gold Coast. The US Tex-Mex chain is headed to a spot adjacent to Robina Town Centre later in 2018, with construction currently underway on its new digs. While the exact opening date hasn't yet been revealed, fans of burritos, quesadillas, nachos and, of course, tacos, can expect to start munching away before summer hits. Taco Bell's Queensland expansion will come as no surprise to anyone who's seen the lines at the company's existing Annerley store, and it doesn't look as though the company is done with the region yet — with job listings presently open for not only Robina, but for Brisbane and the surrounding suburbs. In good news for those eager for a Mexican-inspired bite in Sydney and Melbourne, more Australian shops are planned by the end of the year. It'll be a case of out with the old and in with the new, actually, with previous reports indicating that Taco Bell will take over old Sizzler spots. Find Taco Bell at a to-be-confirmed Robina location near Robina Town Centre later this year. We'll keep you updated on the opening.
Summer has (finally) arrived. And while days lazing in the sun and nights chilling on rooftops are all well and good (and some of our favourite activities, to be honest), there is more to our city than just your same-old. This year, instead of sticking to your go-tos, use the longer days and balmy nights as permission to discover a new side of Sydney that you've never experienced before. To help you do just that, we've teamed up with our mates over at the inner city-inspired brewer Atomic Beer Project to highlight some of the most innovative events happening in our city this summer. From a celebration of Japan's ancient art forms and Australia's first Aboriginal musical to one massive exhibition of contemporary Chinese art, these five happenings are sure to make you step a little further outside your comfort zone and seek more interesting experiences — and to give you something way more interesting to talk about at the next backyard barbie. WITNESS FLYING LOTUS' NEW PSYCHADELIC 3D MUSICAL PERFORMANCE When? January 24 Grammy-nominated artist Flying Lotus is heading to Aussie shores for the first time since 2015. He'll take over Enmore Theatre for one night only on Friday, January 24 with his latest performance experience, Flying Lotus 3D. While much of the show will remain a mystery until the night, ticket holders can expect it to centre around FlyLo's fire-themed 2019 album Flamagra. The album is chockers with jam sessions, jazz influence, electro-funk and hip hop beats, along with heaps of all-star collaborators — including Anderson .Paak, Little Dragon, Toro y Moi and even renowned filmmaker David Lynch. This performance is a must for experimental music and visual arts lovers. Tickets are $79 each and this one will likely sell out, so best buy them here before it's too late. DELVE INTO JAPANESE CULTURE AT THIS ONE-NIGHT CELEBRATION When? Monday, December 16 The Sydney Opera House is set to celebrate ancient Japanese art forms this month when Japan Spectacular premieres for one performance only. Audiences will be taken through a historic and cultural journey that spans ikebana (flower arrangement), onikenbai (a sword dance) and a traditional zither performance by celebrated musician Satsuki Odamura — he'll play this ancient musical form on the koto (a 13-string Japanese instrument). A showcase of elegant kimonos, a samurai performance and nichibu dance are also on the docket. The show will finish off with a massive finale by the award-winning Taikoz drummers, who will play the roaring odaiko drums. Tickets start at $80 and are still available here, so grab 'em while you can. [caption id="attachment_710997" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Lidmila[/caption] LET LOOSE AT A JUDGEMENT-FREE HIP HOP CLASS IN REDFERN When? Every Monday and Tuesday Judgement-free dance class Groove Therapy has become a mainstay in 107 Projects' weekly calendar since launching a few years back. Expect no-mirrors, just-for-fun vibes, designed to help beginners let go of their fear of dancing in public. But don't be fooled, this is still a legit hip hop class, taught by professionals who have trained across New York, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Paris and Tokyo. This is your chance to learn some serious moves without being self-conscious about it — and all for just $20 a pop. The classes run every Monday and Tuesday from 6–7pm, and you can book a spot on the website. [caption id="attachment_753429" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Symons[/caption] BRAN NUE DAE When? January 16–February 1 Jimmy Chi's Bran Nue Dae first premiered way back in 1990 to rave critical reviews. And across two weeks in the new year, the Aboriginal musical will return to the stage — Parramatta's Riverside Theatres to be specific — for its 30th anniversary. The coming-of-age comedy follows a journey through 1960s Western Australia. The play's protagonist, young Willie, is a runaway teenager who, in order to reunite with his love, is hitchhiking his way from mission school to Broome. Along the way, he encounters several characters, including two hippies, a 'wily' uncle and a German priest. It's a story of homecoming, forgiveness and family that showcases a range of musical genres from blues and country to gospel and rock and roll. To see it as part of Sydney Festival 2020, grab your tickets here. DISCOVER LEGENDARY CHINESE ARTWORKS AT THIS TEN-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE When? Until January 26 After ten years in operation, Chippendale's White Rabbit Gallery is celebrating its first decade with one massive showcase of Chinese art. The gallery has taken a deep dive into its past and compiled a decade's worth of the best contemporary artworks from its extensive collection. Then features more than 60 pieces, which are on display across a four-month exhibition that runs until January 26. Some of the most notable works within the exhibition include Wang Zhiyuan's Object of Desire, Chen Wenling's 11-metre gold tongue and Dai Hua's six-metre I Love Beijing Tiananmen. In addition to old favourites, Then also showcases a selection of brand new, never-before-seen works, too. As always, the exhibition is free to enter. You can find more information here. Step outside your comfort zone and celebrate creativity with Atomic Beer Project's hop-driven brews. To see the full range, visit the website.
In a city as culturally and geographically rich as Sydney, the word 'iconic' is bandied about quite a bit. While it's often an exaggeration, there's no denying the impact the precinct at 25 Martin Place has had on the city's skyline. The precinct — formerly known as the MLC Centre — has been an instantly recognisable icon of Sydney's built landscape for over 40 years. A gift to the harbourside locale by legendary architect Harry Seidler, the building was the tallest skyscraper in the southern hemisphere when it opened in 1978, and became the benchmark for visionary design throughout Australia as it drove the Sydney skyline into the future. More recently, the landmark structure has undergone an extensive renovation and revamp that will position it as a new CBD hub for fashion, dining, business and culture. It's also been renamed 25 Martin Place, celebrating its location in the heart of the city. We've teamed up with 25 Martin Place to take a closer look at the new dining and drinking venues bringing fresh life to this Sydney icon.
When four Frenchmen came to Australia for the beautiful weather and friendly people, they missed their daily fill of French-style mouth-watering crepes and galettes, so they decided to make their own. Four Frogs Creperie plates up authentic savoury galettes made with buckwheat flour and topped with ham and cheese or garlicky snails, and sweet crepes that range from traditional butter, sugar and lemon to the Grand Marnier crepe, which is set on fire before being delivered straight to your table. You can eat in at the licensed cafe, and the staff loves to celebrate a birthday with messages written in Nutella.
If you're fascinated by anatomy and don't get too creeped out by cadavers, then we might've found your ultimate exhibition. Having scored rave reviews on its international tour, the world-renowned Real Bodies exhibition has finally made its Sydney debut at the Entertainment Quarter's Byron Kennedy Hall. This one digs pretty deep and is a little different to your standard cultural experience in that it features a collection of 20 real, perfectly preserved human bodies, alongside over 200 anatomical specimens. Exploring birth, life and death, through a compelling mix of art, science and emotion, Real Bodies aims to give visitors a whole new perspective on the weird and wonderful complexities of the human body. The exhibition's divided between ten different galleries, each focused on various physiological functions. Dive into the intricacies of the respiratory system in the 'Breathe' gallery, or discover the science behind physical attraction as you explore the one titled 'Love'. Just remember, it's probably not one you want to schedule in for straight after lunch.
When Whitney Houston sang 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody', the world believed her. It wasn't just the energetic beat or joyous tone that struck a chord, but the dynamic power of Houston's voice. Her prowess wasn't new news — released in 1987, the track was the first single from her second album, and became her fourth consecutive number one single in the US. And yet, when she trilled so explosively about finding someone to dance with, she seemed like a woman who not only wanted to share her life with that one special person, but also wanted to share her talent with the entire planet. With Whitney, director Kevin Macdonald tests that theory. Giving the pop superstar the same probing treatment that has driven his previous movies about Bob Marley, artist Cai Guo-Qiang and fellow documentarian Errol Morris, among others, the filmmaker behind Touching the Void, State of Play and Black Sea explores the what, how and why of Houston's life in a thoughtful and solemn fashion. What did she want out of her career? How did she try to achieve it? Why did her story turn out the way it did? They're the questions at the heart of this birth-to-death portrait, all examining the tragic tale of someone who sang like no one else, crooned hits that were heard around the globe and broke music records, but was rarely able to be herself. If you're already a fan, you'll know the minutiae. Even if you're not, you'll still be aware of Houston's substance abuse issues, and the way that her life came to an end. Macdonald combines candid interviews with Houston's loved ones — including her gospel singer mother Cissy Houston and her ex-husband Bobby Brown — with archival footage, performance clips, family photos, recording demos and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the movie's eponymous figure. Of course, it's not only Houston's specific tale that feels familiar, but the fact that this narrative has played out with plenty of other famous folks of late. Recent documentaries about Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain relayed very similar details, and Whitney: Can I Be Me? tread very similar ground just last year, albeit relying more heavily on backstage footage and focusing more firmly on Houston's relationship with friend Robyn Crawford. Whitney mightn't tell viewers much that's new; however it assembles its various pieces with a force on par with Houston's roaring voice. The editing on display in the film's contextual montages — which weave together ads and events from the time, Houston's work, and intimate photographs — sets a swift pace that never lets up, as Macdonald squeezes as much as he can into the documentary's two-hour running time. There are gaps, with Brown refusing to talk about drug use, and only some parts of Houston's career getting in-depth attention. There are also splashes of particularly incisive, penetrating insight, including a dissection of the impact of race and class. And there's one huge, heartbreaking revelation, although the way it's treated as a third-act twist sits cheaply and uncomfortably. Throughout it all, there's Houston herself. As the rise-and-fall music biopic genre understands all too well, there's no substitute for letting a film's subject prove their merits in their own way, with their own voice and in their own words. In Whitney, it's seeing Houston perform that shapes the documentary's sorrowful melody — and, expressly, seeing her shows evolve over the years. First, she's a bright-eyed teenager making her first TV appearance. Soon, she's the most famous singer in the world, unleashing her distinctive take on 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at the 1991 Super Bowl. Later, she's an object of derision during her final tour, which caused walkouts when she came to Brisbane, as the movie shows. Out of all of the above, it's her 1983 rendition of 'Home' on The Merv Griffin Show that echoes throughout the doco, so much so that Macdonald uses it to bookend the picture. With Houston radiant in a purple dress but shining brighter out of sheer talent, the clip perfectly embodies the film's message: that she simply wanted to sing, dance and soar, but couldn't chase away her demons as she chased her dreams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU2g2w70kG0
Beloved camping music festival Beyond the Valley returns to its regular programming this year, set to ring in the new year at Barunah Plains, west of Melbourne, from December 28, 2022–January 1, 2023. And it's got a stacked lineup to celebrate, too, headlined by none other than the legendary Nelly Furtado — the Canadian singer behind 'I'm Like a Bird', 'Turn Off the Light', here for a one-off Aussie-exclusive performance. Joining her on the eclectic bill: Denzel Curry, Dom Dolla, Kaytranada, BENEE, Yeat, Flight Facilities, Honey Dijon, Lime Cordiale, Patrick Topping, Charlotte De Witte, Diplo and more. That includes Bicep, which'll come as no surprise if you saw the video earlier in the year announcing the fest's return, which was set to the sounds of 'Glue'. The fest's sprawling new Barunah Plains home comes complete with a 100,000-square metre-natural amphitheatre, playing host to its three usual stages (main stage, dance tent and multi-level dance spot Dr Dan's), as well as a new podcast stage featuring live and interactive recordings. The 2022 instalment will also include a beach club for swims; a small space that's only accessible via secret entrance called Schmall Klüb; and the Poof Doof 'pride patrol'; plus speed-dating, yoga, pilates, meditation, open mic sessions and a fortune teller. Beyond the Valley has released a range of ticketing options, including single-day passes and multi-day entry — though you'll want to be quick as they're all expected to sell out. [caption id="attachment_866660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mackenzie Sweetnam[/caption]
Are you and your crew due for a karaoke night? If, like us, you don't need much of an excuse to belt out Mariah Carey or a bit of Bon Jovi on a school night, make tracks to Hornsby's Sing Bar. Every Monday to Thursday, the karaoke bar is offering up complimentary booths with any alcoholic bevvy purchase — you'll just have to make sure your mates all have a cold one in hand. On the menu, expect the new seasonal cocktail jugs to give you liquid courage as you sing your heart out. The venue's ten themed rooms are all equipped with high-quality sound systems and technicolour lights, plus they can accommodate a range of group sizes, from an intimate group of four to a whopping 25 people. You can order drinks and snacks from the bar directly to your booth. Better yet, the music list is updated daily — so, if you want to get in on this deal on the regular, you won't have to listen to your mate attempt 'Ice Ice Baby' again. If you come by at happy hour (which is from Monday–Friday, 2–6pm and Saturday–Sunday, 12–6pm), it's just $6 each per hour to rent a room. Bargain. Images: Renato Soares and Anandio Asmaliudin.
Under the rubric 'Read, Rethink, Respond' this year's Sydney Writers' Festival brings together authors across cultures and continents to cast a light on what's happening right now, and they seem to be a pretty confronting and contentious lot. It's not a competition to see who's the most ink-stained, it's about interesting and well-expressed opinions and what light they cast on what's important culturally and socially and politically. The masses of events are roughly categorised according to a set of five icons, symbolic Sydney landmarks tying the sessions together as events and to the city itself as a discursive site. Walsh Bay will be full of poets and economists and polemicists and historians and Christopher Hitchens and a guy who knows Woody Allen really well. There'll be talks, launches, panels, readings, workshops and basically any other format that involves words, plus a whole bunch of other people who will totally elbow you to make it into the free sessions and then ask really long questions that end up being statements. (It might be worth bearing in mind that area restaurants have deals going so you can at least be sufficiently well-fed and wined that your satiated look might be confused with wisdom. Just saying.) See more of our Festival picks at our blog. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0MUgS5x8R3k
Just when you thought summer had packed it in all these glorious hot weekends keep springing up out of the depths of March, and then there's this. Over in Marrickville Tone Deaf, Corona Extra and Sailor Jerry are roping in some of the land’s best party people to put the ‘sun’ in your Sunday, the char-grilled foodstuffs in your hot little hands and some of the best local music in your ears. Leading this year’s musical lineup are Ballarat mash-up duo Yacht Club DJs, who have just dropped a highly caffeinated 54-minute teaser that you can find here. The deservedly hyped Step-Panther, Sures, Bloods, Driffs and The Walking Who will all be in tow with heaps of new tracks alongside some beer and BBQ-friendly oldies. And, since it’s a bowling club, there’s barefoot bowls. It’s the most fun Sunday you’ll have for at least seven days.
This kilometre-long stretch of sand is an ideal spot for group hangs. You won't get the crowds that take over some of the other nearby beaches, like Bondi and Coogee. Here, you can really spread out and take on larger-form games like soccer, or even dodgeball, without worrying about disturbing a nearby sunbather. After you've got your heart pumping, take a short stroll to Mahon Pool, which is tucked away on the beach's northern headland, for a secluded dip. Friends who love a surf should bring their boards, too. Not only is this one of Sydney's great surf spots, it's also one of only 21 National Surfing Reserves in the country. Image: Destination NSW
It seems unlikely that David O. Selznick, the legendary Jewish filmmaker who produced Gone With The Wind, and Nazi Germany’s propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, would agree on much. That both were avid fans of Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin is a testament to the film’s raw emotional power. A pure slice of pre-Stalinist Soviet propaganda, this silent film pioneered new editing techniques in order to elicit maximum sympathy from audiences, and is universally acclaimed as a cinematic masterpiece. Considering the recent Russian revival, few films could be a more appropriate next step in the Sydney Symphony’s Movies Over Music series.The posthumous soundtrack is supplied by Shostakovich: another brilliant Russian who was fascinated by the film. While this doesn’t strictly sit with Eisenstein’s rules – that the soundtrack should be rewritten every 20 years in order to stay relevant and hip – it will be, perhaps, more appropriate to the current cultural climate than the version composed by the Pet Shop Boys. In honour of, if not quite according to, Eisenstein’s wishes, conductor Frank Strobel presents a newly arranged score for the occasion.
Natalya Hughes' Looking Twice is a tiny selection of her work. Only four pieces hang on the wall. Of those, two oversize pieces dominate the space. And it's these two which make such a small show so easily worth dropping into. Hughes has recently moved from straight up painting to a preoccupation with pattern, carpet and wallpaper. It's a good move. Looking Cute splays fabric with Japanese folds over a broad wooden base. If you look closely, you're just looking at a painting of folds in cloth. But standing in front of the piece, drowning in its size, its colour and strong, clean lines feels like looking into the mouth of an alien face which would have been pretty comfortable in the original Watchmen comic or War of the Worlds. Its terrible symmetry wouldn't has something of a Beastman wall to it and the fabrics have a stark, colourful richness which would have worked for Florence Broadhurst. Its easy to get lost in its alien glare, but there's also a strong element of the Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock style. Assuming your everyday, domestic Japanese scene also contains scary bug-like monster eyes. And where Looking Cute is strong, Looking Shy is more powerful still. Looking for all the world like a cushion-clad kendo practitioner taking off a fluffy helmet, the oversize piece's scale and perfect rendering of fold and pattern take you away convincingly to this strange, pillow-dominated world. Like the best of Beastman's work, Hughes' larger pieces manage to combine simple colour and symmetry to create a feeling of overwhelming awe. It's not a bad trick. Also hanging are the smaller Looking Weighed Down (Again) and an abstract piece, but it's the bigger pieces that make this show worth the visit. A small selection, I wouldn't to recommend trekking across town just to get here, but if you're ambling around Chippendale or the City Road side of Redfern, it's well worth a closer look. The Commercial is open Wednesday to Saturday, 11-6. Image: Looking Cute by Natalya Hughes.
Every meal is a happy meal at Queenies. But returning next month is the happiest meal of all: Queenies' Annual Stoner Dinner. The third such dinner in as many years, it's themed 'MacQueenies' and pays homage to that ever-reliable late-night institution that we will always have a soft spot in our hearts for: McDonald's. For $55 a pop, you'll forget what munchies even are with a finger-lickin' good seven-course MacMenu, including the breakfast sandwich of dreams. The kitchen is putting a highly creative spin on your Golden Arches faves, serving up courses like the ‘Smokers Delight’, which is simply soft serve and french fries, and ‘Burger Rings’, onion rings with burger salt, bacon ketchup and jalapeño mustard. There’s the ‘Chicken Griddle’, the unholy combination of southern fried chicken with hotcakes and maple hot sauce, and our personal favourite, the ’10.35am Burgffin’, a pristine cheeseburger and egg muffin hybrid. But how can Queenies beat Macca's desserts? They're going to try damn hard with one highly Instagrammable hot fudge sundae, an insane cornucopia of sugary goodness with peanut butter ice cream, hot chocolate sauce, peanuts, Violet Crumble, cream and kush brownie. Yep, that’s what the menu says. Kush brownie. Promising more satisfied bellies than ever, Queenies' Stoner Dinner is a tradition you'll want to make a habit. Give in to your wildest cravings and book it. MacQueenies takes place on Thursday, October 1. $55 a head — bookings essential. To reserve a spot email bookings@queenies.com.au or call (02) 9212 3035. By Katie Davern and Shannon Connellan.
Comprising 100 spa locations in Australia, Endota is one of the largest companies offering pampering treatments across the country. At its Crows Nest spa, you can book in for relaxation, remedial or deep tissue massages on any day of the week. Its team uses certified organic products across all its facials, massages and beauty treatments, and if you're rushed for time they offer express appointments, too, starting from 30 minutes for a facial ($95). But you should plan in some time to truly relax. Endota Spa at Crows Nest has six treatment rooms all up, plus two double treatment rooms with luxury spa baths — perfect for sharing the experience with a loved one. Simply here for some crucial maintenance? You can also get manis, pedis, waxing and spray tans. Image: Andrea Piacquadio
We know what you're thinking: Darling Harbour, not your usual no.1 pick for a day or night out in Sydney. But consider that the area is bordered by Barangaroo to the north, and new precinct Darling Square to the south, meaning your every meal can be catered for by a parade of top restaurateurs. Think about how easy it is to catch a ferry from here, and enjoy a day trip out onto the harbour. And entertain the idea of a night at the theatre without the cold schlep home. It all adds up to one thing: you're due a staycation in Darling Harbour. Here's your guide to living a luxury weekend of food, wine, culture and revels, harbourside. EAT AND DRINK To experience some of the most exciting cooking being done in Sydney, you'll want to follow the waterfront around to Barangaroo. The precinct only began opening its first completed sections in 2015, and already there's more life here than you might expect from a masterplanned development. Mainly, people come for the food and drink. At the fancier end of the spectrum, there's seafood-focused Cirrus Dining, the new offering from local food scene celebs Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt of Bentley. It's the spot for a quintessential Sydney blow-out lunch of oysters, trevally tartare and roasted king prawns with koji butter. Lotus Dumpling Bar and Turkish joint Anason are two more casual options that still wow. Alternatively (or afterwards), head to 12-Micron, a contemporary-Oz affair that stands out for its focus on dessert. They even offer a three- or five-course dessert degustation, with flavour combinations like Pyengana Cheddar, milk chocolate, plum and honeycomb all bundled together into one dish. Also note their use of native ingredients on every plate — it's something you don't see often enough in Australia. Follow all this up with some appropriately refined drinking. One luxe spot in this area is small bar Solera, with it's lush decor (think green velvet couches and flashes of marbles). Another good option is Banksii, where the specialty is vermouth and everything just sings. Back in Darling Harbour proper, Sofitel Darling Harbour's Champagne Bar is perfect for an indulgent nightcap after a long day of exploring. Over 20 different types of Champagne are on offer, from Carnard-Duchene and Pol Roger to a 2009 Louis Roederer vintage in collaboration with artist Philippe Starck. If you prefer brews over bubbles, Pumphouse has one of the best beer selections in the city, from easy-drinking lagers to heavy-going stouts. In this area, you'll also find one of Sydney's most well-known fine-diners, Sepia. This is still a great special-occasion spot, where your dinner looks like a procession of miniature landscapes and sculptures. A more casual option in this area is the Ternary at the Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour, a crowd-pleasing bar and restaurant with three distinct offerings: Grill Kitchen, Asian Kitchen and Wine Bar. They know how to do winter too — they've scheduled a five-course, whisky-paired degustation on Thursday, August 30 for $189 per head. If dining isn't the headline act for this evening, drop by the newly launched Pier St Kitchen at the Novotel Sydney Darling Square. They offer a pre-theatre menu of one or two courses with matching wines from $30 — a good call given major venues like the International Convention Centre and The Capitol and State Theatres are a short stroll away. Or, take a stroll along The Goods Line to the new Darling Square food precinct Steam Mill Lane — here, you'll find a bevy of casual food options including famed Melbourne burger joint 8bit and poké place Fishbowl. DO You're in Sydney's theatre district right now, so you might as well make the most of it. The critically acclaimed and audience-adored British touring production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is on at the Roslyn Packer Theatre, just up from Barangaroo, until the end of July. After that there's Ruth Park's great Australian novel The Harp in the South, given a new adaptation by Kate Mulvany. Meanwhile, Capitol Theatre down in Haymarket begins its run of Jersey Boys at the end of August. Or, head in the other direction and into Pyrmont, where big musicals land at the Lyric Theatre. This winter, that's The Book of Mormon — the Broadway hit that also manages to be hugely offensive to just about everyone. There's a treat for lovers of high fashion in this part of town too. The Powerhouse Museum is hosting Reigning Men, the world's biggest exhibition of men's fashion, with garments pulled from aristocrats of the 18th century as well as the runways of today. Divine. If you don't mind doing a little learning on your mini break, stop by the Australian National Maritime Museum, which is currently hosting James Cameron: Challenging the Deep. This immersive exhibition centres on the filmmaker's oceanic explorations. You will be able to virtually explore the Titanic and Bismarck shipwrecks and see props from Cameron's films, including the Heart of the Ocean diamond. Your final foray in Darling Harbour should be to Barangaroo wharf, where you can catch a ride on the F3 ferry to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cockatoo Island. It used to be a penal colony, then a dockyard, and the mix of natural beauty and industrial ruin here is quite special and poetic. It's a great spot to just wander around and photograph — though there's also a haunted night tour if you just have to get intense about it. SLEEP Back to the mainland, where you've been smart enough to book yourself more deluxe lodgings. The Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is pure 5-star indulgence, with an infinity pool offering stunning views of the Sydney skyline and the aforementioned Champagne Bar. If you're celebrating on this trip, get a Luxury Room with Darling Harbour view, where you can enjoy harbour views from your freestanding bathtub through floor-to-ceiling windows. Another option is the home of the aforementioned Ternary restaurant, the 4.5-star Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour. Its rooms have just been refreshed, with dark feature walls, light wood accents and oversized art creating a contemporary yet cosy feel. Go for the executive rooms and suites if you want to bask in those city panoramas. The 4.5-star Novotel Sydney Darling Square, meanwhile, is comfortably situated equidistant from the ICC and Chinatown, making it a good option if you're partial to a mid-afternoon nap before heading out into the action again. Go to the AccorHotels website to book your stay in Darling Harbour, and to discover more of NSW, check out Visit NSW.
This article is sponsored by our partner The City of Sydney. Since the 1960s, Newtown has been a haven for mavericks of all stripes — from bohemians and old-school rockers to skate punks and glam goths. In fact, they're all still there. While the melting pot has not fully escaped gentrification's whitewash in the interim, it has fiercely fought to stay in character. Irreverently genuine. Warts and all. Oh, Newtown. These days, King Street often feels like a sort of historic catwalk for Sydney's malcontent — a 3km kaleidoscope of weathered leather, tacky tartan and electric hair. And the City of Sydney have decided that it's about time you celebrated this non-uniformity. Hence, Newtown is Fashion, a three-week style extravaganza beginning on Thursday, 22 August and part of the city council's Sydney is Fashion festival. For three Thursdays in a row, the velvet merchants, DIY artisans and vintage treasure troves of Newtown will be launching a fashion blitz with free in-store champagne, next season exhibitions, interactive workshops, one-off clearance sales, jewellery-making masterclasses, and festival-only pop-ups. Each night has a different focus: 22 August is 'Mainstream, Vintage, Retro, Collectibles'; 29 August is 'Designer, Designed, DIY, Artisan'; and 5 September is 'The Wildlife of Newtown – Alternate, Burlesque, Goth, Punk, Tatts'. Dendy Newtown is even presenting a sartorial series of films every week, including Breakfast at Tiffany's, The September Issue and Bill Cunningham New York. If fashion's your 'thang', or if you're just a lover of all things Newtown, then head over to the Sydney is Fashion website to find out more. Nonconformists, unite. Image: Noddy’s on King.
Artist Vicki Lee and photographer Ted O'Donnell celebrate life's sensuality by giving flowers the Nickelodeon slime treatment with bright-hued paints in IS./WET, their new artistic collaboration showing at Sun Studios. Oozing and dripping, the motion of the paint was painstakingly captured by a combination of O'Donnell's lighting mastery and Lee's carefully timed pouring. The artists' Tumblr has stop-motion videos showing the process. It would be tempting to watch it all happen in slo-mo, so mesmerising is the trail of liquid colour over petals. What is the message and mood of these images? The symbology of flowers ranges from the appearance of fragility and beauty to the simple fact that we all live and grow. The addition of glossy pigments only heightens the sense of relish the artists take in presenting these living sculptures, pinned by the camera in a moment of flux. The key word is "vitality".
Late night eats could be more important to inner city Sydney bars than ever, with the passing of new State Government legislation forcing venues to keep their kitchen open while there's alcohol being served. According to the Daily Telegraph, the Liquor Legislation Amendment has been passed through the State Lower House and will hit the floor at the Upper House this week. This new move could mean venues have to keep kitchens open and chefs hanging around hoping for drinking punters feel like a little nibble, a serious financial strain on any bar. With Sydney venues already jumping through every hoop to boost dwindling figures after the introduction of the lockouts, this could be some pretty bad news for CBD/Kings Cross/Surry Hills et al. Bar owners are pretty worried, mainly because most late night punters are more interested in another round than a sit-down meal — or they'll head elsewhere for a nosh, to Hot Star Large Fried Chicken, Fatima's or Golden Century. Sure, the model works for already late night food-focused spots like Darlinghurst's Henrietta Supper Club and Surry Hills' Brooklyn Social, who both keep the kitchen open late, but will every bar be able to make the switch and keep the chefs on? It probably depends on the type of venue. "If the market was there to keep a kitchen open late at night we would, but it’s not," Kings Cross venue co-owner Danny McPherson told the Tele. "Sometimes we don’t have many customers around and we don’t get a lot of business after 10pm so it is insane to try and regulate something like this. It is going to mean we will need to pay to keep our chefs on which is going to really burden us financially." Then there's the issue of spots without kitchens, whether a venue like Oxford Art Factory could really run with this new legislation. With police looking to extend the lockout from the CBD and wanting everything shut down by midnight, and #notearsshed over the recent lockout-blamed closure of the Backroom, Sydney venues are truly being put through the financial ringer by the government — according to the Telegraph, businesses have reported a 40 percent revenue loss post-lockout. The legislation hits Upper House this week, we'll keep you posted. Via Daily Telegraph.
It's that time of year again people — time to get festive in the Hills of Surry! Every year hordes of chilled locals and visitors gather in Surry Hills, that rich tapestry of an inner city enclave we love to love, to get amongst it at the Surry Hills Festival. The two main venues of Ward Park (Devonshire St) and Shannon Reserve (Crown Street) will feature live music and dance acts, markets full to the brim with second-hand and new clothes, art and other goodies, food to make your mouth water, and grass that your ass will be more than happy to recline on for a few hours as you soak up the ambiance and those crazy dog races under a warm sun and a crisp, blue autumn sky. Take note: there's no BYO kids but you'll find plenty of booze for sale at pubs around the festival locations (official supporters are the Trinity, the Whitehorse and the Beresford). Musically there are too many talented acts to mention but you can catch the likes of genius electronica duo Domeyko + Gonzalez at Ward Park, the Dirty Secrets at Shannon Reserve, and Meem, purveyor of funk, disco, soul and electro-boogie at the Trinity. Bringing the little ones? Cool things are happening in the City of Sydney Library on Crown Street like the youngster's breakdancing, popping and capoeira workshop by Ace Dance Studios and Capoeira Topazio. Also check out the sustainable food feature and cooking demonstrations. The Surry Hills Festival is a joyous celebration of creativity and community which never fails to deliver. It's straight-up what you want to do with your weekend.
With six years and seven Melbourne venues under its belt, it was only a matter of time before Melbourne's fun-loving Mexican restaurant chain Fonda made its way north. Owners David Youl and Tim McDonald knew their format would make an excellent fit for Sydney's dining culture, but it's taken a solid few years of searching to find the perfect spot to pull it off. Finally, the latest addition to the Fonda family — the first outside of Melbourne — is ready for Sydney's tostada lovers to descend. If you've been to a Fonda in Melbourne, you'll know that Fonda does casual, affordable Mexican food in bustling bright spaces. But they're mixing things up for their Sydney debut. Not only is this newcomer breaking the mould with a rejigged cocktail list, an overhauled food offering and the introduction of table service, it's setting the blueprint for a roll-out of changes across all of its sibling stores. Welcome to Fonda 2.0. Fresh from West Hollywood's E.P. & L.P., L.A. chef Mark Tagnipez is heading up the kitchen, armed with a new-format menu of signature tacos, vibrant salads, poke bowls and tostadas. These are house-made six-inch tortillas that are toasted, loaded with lively toppings like kingfish ceviche and then theatrically broken into pieces by waitstaff. Most exciting though, are the new taco sharing boards, designed to bring the fiesta to your table. They feature pull-apart meats like slow-cooked pork and braised beef short rib, along with fresh-pressed wheat tortillas and an array of fresh fillings, ready for guests to dig in and customise their own tacos. The Sydney venue also marks Fonda's first foray into desserts and a crafty lineup of signature cocktails, including the Tea With Freda: a blend of triple sec, lavender syrup and Earl Grey tea-infused gin. Fonda Mexican is now open at 85 Hall Street, Bondi. For more info, visit fondamexican.com.au. Image: Fonda Bondi, by Leticia Almeida.
If we're to believe any film about pirates, famous shipwrecks or Pixar fish, there are a lot of secret treasures to be found on the ocean floor. But surely, none as grand as this. English sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has just laid to rest one of his finest works in the Bahamas. Measuring in at over 5 metres tall and weighing a whopping 60 tonnes, this enormous and serene lady is officially the world's largest underwater sculpture. Though it's hard to imagine that dumping 60 tonnes of foreign material in the ocean can be a good thing, this work, entitled Ocean Atlas, actually doubles as an artificial reef for marine life. The sculpture is made of long-lasting, pH-neutral marine cement and was created in consultation with the Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation. "[The work shows] the vital role the local community and especially the younger generation have in conserving the islands' natural resources," said the artist. The artwork's name makes similar allusions to such environmental responsibilities. In Greek mythology, Atlas was condemned to hold the sky on his shoulders — an idea beautifully represented in the hunched female figure just below water level. As the tide draws in and out, locals are reminded of her constant watchful presence off their coastline. Though Sydney in particular is familiar with sculptures by the sea, the idea of underwater sculpture is a bit of a novelty for us. But this artist has been pioneering the concept for nearly ten years; he now has hundreds of sculptures to be found all over the world's most idyllic beaches. His underwater sculpture park in Mexico even features over 400 life-size works — a glorious incentive to take diving lessons. 'Ocean Atlas', on the other hand, is a special case. She is so large she in fact had to be lowered into the ocean in separate portions. Being face to face with this work would be a completely unique experience. Even more so as she gathers spooky seaweed and marine life. Don't be alarmed if you don't hear from us. We're booking flights to the Bahamas and stocking up on snorkelling gear ASAP. Via Forbes and Daily Mail. Photos via Jason de Caires Taylor.
Lightning Ridge might be best known for its enduring opal mining history, but the community's collection of bizarre museums and creative spaces are definitely a close second. Kangaroo Hill Complex is the stop for you if you're into off-the-wall antiques and unusual souvenirs. Others not to miss are the Bottle House Museum, Amigo's Castle, Beer Can House and the Astronomers Monument. Image: John, Flickr
Want to experience a slice of Jamaica in Sydney? There's a rum-fuelled adventure happening in Sydney over November and December you should lock into your diary. Fine purveyors and makers of rum for over 265 years, Appleton Estate have launched The Appleton Trail in Sydney, three weekends of rum-tasting, storytelling and celebration of Jamaica's long-loved spirit. After Paddington's Village Inn and before the final stop at Taylor's Rooftop in the city, the final stop of The Appleton Trail will be at Sweethearts Rooftop Barbecue in Kings Cross. Like the other stops on the Trail, expect a Jamaican-themed pop-up hideaway with specially-created rum cocktails, paired with Jamaican food, and hosted by a Jamaican dancer — all to make you feel like you’re finally on that well-deserved island holiday. There'll even be a Jamaican music DJ on both nights, who'll be accompanied by a steel drum player on the Friday night. You'll be able to try the Appleton Estate Signature Blend – the original Appleton Estate rum — alongside the Reserve Blend, Rare Blend 12 Year Old, 21 Year Old Jamaica Rum and 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum – the world’s oldest barrel-aged rum. Plus, Appleton have taken it upon themselves to create four signature cocktails for the event. If it’s refreshment you’re after, try The Grand Discovery with Appleton Estate Signature Blend, white peach, fresh lime and almond flavours. For something a little more berry-infused, The Trail Less Travelled combines Appleton Estate Signature Blend, pomegranate and cranberry juice, with fresh lemon and cherry. As well as the cocktails, Sweethearts will also have some additions to their menu just for the occasion — think Jamaican jerk chicken burgers and jerk chicken wings — so arrive hungry. The event will start on Friday at 6pm and 4pm on Saturday for those looking to maximise tropical rum times.
The films we like to classify as big, dumb fun haven't had a great run of things so far in 2018. They've made money, definitely, but the balance has been out. Be they clangers like Pacific Rim: Uprising or mindless popcorn offerings like Rampage, there's been a lot of big and even more dumb, but the fun has been noticeably absent. The latest contender, Skyscraper, fares a little better, although ultimately its preposterous script and story render it little more than a passing diversion. Set in Hong Kong and starring Hollywood's most bankable star Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Skyscraper is a thriller centred around The Pearl, the world's tallest and (supposedly) safest building. Johnson plays Will Sawyer, a former FBI agent turned high-rise security expert who finds himself in the midst of a convoluted terrorist plot to steal a valuable flash drive by setting fire to The Pearl in order to flush out its billionaire owner. Allusions to both Die Hard and Towering Inferno have been embraced by the film's distributor, so much so that they even created homage movie posters. Sadly, Skyscraper possesses neither the wit and gritty action of Die Hard nor the suspense of Inferno to see it come close to either. As always, Johnson does his level best to keep the film entertaining. But he's robbed of his usual charm-fuelled asides, left instead to deliver bizarre non-sequiturs like "if you can't fix it with Duct Tape, y'aint using enough Duct Tape" (this also ranking as perhaps cinema's most unexpected product placement). The movie's villain, too, is entirely forgettable – and whilst it might be unreasonable to hope for another Hans Gruber, writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber could at least have endeavoured to give us something a little meatier than the generic hired gun he serves up. Refreshingly, Neve Campbell appears as Johnson's wife, who proves a far more capable action-movie heroine than the traditional spouse-in-distress. Multilingual, combat-trained and a surgeon, she's the first to clue in to the terrorists' plot and doesn't back down when the guns are pointed in her direction. And then there's that jump. Every poster, promo spot and trailer has focussed on Johnson's physics-defying leap from a towering crane into the blazing building. Every part of the sequence is ludicrous, from the impossibly short space of time it takes for Johnson to ascend the crane in a free-climb, to the Olympic gold medal everything a leap of that magnitude would win, to the police shooting at him from a helicopter despite him being unarmed and no threat to anyone. Of course, in the end he does land the jump and the crowds both on screen and off cheer in unison. It's an A+ example of big, dumb and fun existing in perfect harmony. The great shame is how few of these moments exist in Skyscraper despite a setting of such scale and design offering so many more possibilities. At the end of the day, there's not much of Skyscraper that holds up to any real level of scrutiny. Still, as a park your brain at the entrance type distraction, it mostly gets the job done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9QePUT-Yt8
Got the HSBC Sydney 7s in your calendar for Saturday, February 1 and Sunday, February 2? This year, the action will take place at the Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta, and, if you and your mates are serious about making the most of it, then locking in a staycation is your best bet. You can surround the two full days of rugby with Parramatta's many delights — think small bars with top-shelf cocktails and 360-degree views, local eateries dishing up delicious international fare and outdoor adventures galore. Here are seven reasons to get planning — before every hotel room in Parramatta books out. [caption id="attachment_687981" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lil Miss Collins[/caption] EAT YOUR WAY AROUND THE LOCAL CAFES AND RESTAURANTS Being smack bang in the middle of the Sydney metropolis, Parramatta is an international banquet. Launch into your day at Circa Espresso, with a strong coffee and a Middle Eastern-inspired feast, like ottoman poached eggs with crumbed eggplant, garlic labneh, burnt chilli and sage butter with house-made focaccia. Other worthy brunch contenders include the sleek Black Seed Eatery, laneway joint White Henry Espresso Bar and shipping container set-up Lil Miss Collins. Come lunchtime, dive into a steaming bowl of laksa at laneway eatery Temasek or visit Lebanese-inspired cafe Meraki Merchants for The Sultan's Jaffle, which features cheese, sujuk and olives with a side of smoky capsicum relish. And for dinner, you can enjoy cracking Vietnamese at Pho Pasteur, excellent fried chicken and champagne at Butter or classic Greek fare, including melt-in-your-mouth slow-roasted lamb, at Kouzina Greco. [caption id="attachment_703446" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeffrey Drewitz / Destination NSW[/caption] GO WILD SWIMMING AND HIKING AT LAKE PARRAMATTA When you're not watching the Sevens teams get active, give your own fitness a boost at Lake Parramatta. Surrounded by 70 hectares of bushland, this wild swimming spot is one of western Sydney's secret oases. Take a refreshing dip (yes, the water's officially been clean enough since January 2015), climb into a rowboat or go hiking on one of three trails, such as the Lake Circuit, which follows the shoreline for 4.2 kilometres. There are barbecues to cook up a storm on, plus plenty of cleared spots to roll out a picnic blanket and position your esky. [caption id="attachment_691230" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jiwon Kim[/caption] CHECK OUT SOME COOL BARS Parramatta has always had great pubs — including an excellent craft brewery — but over the past few years, quite a few swanky bars have joined the drinking scene. For jaw-dropping 360-degree views — all the way to Sydney Harbour — linger over a beverage on Nick and Nora's spectacular terrace. For creative cocktails made with top-shelf ingredients (and a moreish reuben sanga), hunt down Uncle Kurt's, a graffiti-splashed small bar hidden away in a car park. And, to mix your drink with calming views of the Parramatta River, swing by Alex & Co., a rather magnificent 350-seater bar and restaurant. Get some more ideas over here. [caption id="attachment_752830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] CATCH A SHOW AT RIVERSIDE THEATRES Perched on the banks of Parramatta River, Riverside Theatres is the place to get your arts fix — be it a dance show, an original new play, a touring opera or a stand-up comedian. On the HSBC Sydney 7s weekend, you'll be treated to musical comedy Bran Nue Dae, which you might know as a 2010 film starring Jessica Mauboy and Ernie Dingo. The show tells the story of a teenager who hitchhikes from a mission boarding school to his hometown of Broome. This production is a collaboration between Riverside Theatres, Sydney Festival and Opera Australia, and tickets start from just $59.90. [caption id="attachment_756994" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Getty Images[/caption] ENJOYING THE GAME AND FESTIVAL VIBES AT HSBC SYDNEY 7S If you've never been to HSBC Sydney 7s tournament before, take note: it involves way more than rugby games. It's actually more like a mini festival. There's a huge music program planned, featuring Aussie DJ LDRU, DJ Tigerlily (who was a smash hit at last year's Sydney 7s) and Yolanda Be Cool (aka DJs Andrew Stanley and Matthew Handley). These artists are just the tip of the iceberg — loads more music announcements are on the way. And since you're going with your crew, we suggest investigating one of the packages, which will score you all guaranteed seats and, in the case of the 7s Social Club, food and drinks all day. [caption id="attachment_748134" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] SQUEEZE IN SOME CULTURE AND HISTORY Parramatta and its surrounds have been the backdrop for many of Australia's most important historic moments — from the Battle of Parramatta, in which fierce Eora warrior Pemulwuy led a 100-strong attack on Government Farm, Toongabbie to the founding of the Female Factory, which imprisoned thousands of female convicts. So there's plenty of history and culture to soak up during your weekend staycation. Pay a visit to Elizabeth Farm (one of Australia's oldest European homes), wander around Old Government House (the Georgian-inspired mansion that served as a country residence to NSW's early governors) and explore local Indigenous history in the Arrunga Bardo Aboriginal Bush Food Garden near Lake Parramatta or on a Warami Mittigar Cultural Walk. STAY AT A LUXE BOUTIQUE HOTEL WITH VIEWS However you spend your downtime during the HSBC Sydney 7s, you'll need somewhere glorious to rest. That's where SKYE Hotel Suites comes in. This fancy boutique stay is right in the middle of the Parramatta CBD, which is just a 15-minute walk from Bankwest Stadium. Rooms range from studios to two-bedroom suites, and every single one is decked in luxe interior design — think plush furnishings, cloud-level comfy beds and dreamy soft towels. Most also come with epic panoramas of Parramatta and beyond, and you can also enjoy the onsite pool and gym. SKYE Hotel is also home to a rooftop bar, so you can end every day with a cocktail and some of the best views in town. To purchase tickets to HSBC Sydney 7s, visit Ticketek, and for event updates follow @Aussie7s on Instagram. Then, find more ways to make the most of your weekend below.
Sydneysiders are in for one big night of live music when the Young Henrys Rock & Roll Circus rolls back into town next month. After taking its show down to Melbourne for the first time during Good Beer Week in May, the free blowout is set to return to its home city on Halloween night. Head in to Frankie's on Wednesday, October 31 , when some of Australia's best musical talent will join forces for one night only. Expect a 'super band' to once again take the stage. Dubbed The Replicas, the band is made up of members from The Delta Riggs and The Preatures, along with Wild Honey's Adam Della Grotta. They'll perform classic hits, 70s–90s English punk covers and alternative favourites for the masses from 8pm until the wee hours. Joining the band on stage is a lineup of guest singers, including Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus), Joe Jackson (Sloan Peterson), Melissah Marie (Moody Beach), Gideon Bensen (Fiction Writer), Caitlin Harnett, Andy Golledge, Jess Kent and Charlie Collins — with many more announced closer to. And Young Henrys will of course be taking over the bar's taps with its brews and cider, too. Image: Katje Ford.
Let's get the obvious out of the way immediately: a business's use of technology is fairly integral to its day-to-day functionality. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule but, for the most part, how a business is able to embrace technology and shape its output accordingly is fundamental to long term success. That's why the City of Sydney and founder-focused development and investment firm Investible got together to devise the Retail Innovation Program — an eight-week intensive that provides forward-thinking businesses with expert mentoring, in-depth workshops and guidance as they look to keep themselves ahead of the retail game. We spoke to four of the Sydney-based small businesses that have taken advantage of this innovative platform. Read on to discover how these entrepreneurs are using tech to do everything from making the design process more sustainable to rethinking how supply chains can work — and are thriving because of it. [caption id="attachment_734147" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] POP UP FINDS: HIRE SERVICES YOU DON'T NEED TO OWN It might come as a surprise, but pop-up events don't simply just pop up — a huge amount of work goes into ensuring they run smoothly, which can often rack up big bills very quickly. Pop Up Finds is designed around reducing wastage and minimising the hard costs associated with running events. "Brands were purchasing furniture to use as a one-time event and then throwing it away or storing it in their warehouse never to be used again," explains co-founders Kim and Taryn Hoang. Given this ethos is ingrained into their business model, the pair are pretty skilled at taking advantage of tech services that follow this same principle. Instead of forking out money to own a van, the Hoangs use car-sharing service GoGet to hire one as and when they need. The same goes with staff — the pair rely on platforms like Freelancer and Upwork to scale up the crew and fill gaps in skill sets when required. [caption id="attachment_731486" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] CITIZEN WOLF: BUILD ALGORITHMS FOR THE PERFECT FINAL PRODUCT Have you ever thought about the nature of your relationship with clothes? For the past three years, Citizen Wolf has argued that tailoring your clothes is the optimal way to feel attached to them and wear them for longer than a season. Instead of using outdated tape measures, it's built the Magic Fit algorithm. What's that, you ask? Well, it's a statistical model that caters for height, weight, age and bra size to design the perfect fitting shirt for each individual. Citizen Wolf takes the Magic Fit pattern and uses a laser to cut the fabric before local Sydney sewers pull the final product together. Ultimately, this model is making the design process as straightforward as possible and reduces the likelihood of buyers returning products or, even worse, throwing them away because they don't fit properly. The fabrics the business uses are 100 percent natural fibres, and it's currently investigating biodegradable threads, too. Plus, it's looking to start working with a Spanish mill to turn old t-shirts into recycled yarn which will complete the circle entirely and reduce waste. [caption id="attachment_734138" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] FOODCOSTR: ADOPT DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS TO REDUCE WASTE Whether it's due to poor stock management or massive portion sizes, many Australian restaurants and cafes are wasting a huge amount of good quality food. That's what Foodcostr, and its founder Min Chai, is hoping to change. As the founder of the now-closed ice cream chain N2 Extreme Gelato, Chai knows a few things about the challenges of food stock. Having shifted his focus away from N2, Chai is now committed to helping other businesses operate more sustainably – both financially and environmentally. While it's still in development, Foodcostr is aiming to be a piece of tech that chefs can use to future-proof their restaurants — and it'll take advantage of other tech platforms to do so. Initially, the app was just going to be a way to calculate food costs, but Chai is now investigating ways to incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict exactly what a restaurant has to buy in order to meet the demands of its customers and minimise wastage. Plus, he hopes to get to a point where the app is generating valuable data-driven insights, like pinpointing specific ingredients to add or remove from the menu to improve the bottom line. [caption id="attachment_734152" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] MODSIE: KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE Getting your hands on authentic second-hand luxury fashion is the dream, but when you dig some up at your local op-shop or online, how can you be sure that it's the real thing? Modsie is Australia's answer to this conundrum as its members are safe to buy and sell their goods, which are verified by the company's own expert in-house quality control team. Co-founder Josephine De Parisot says that the Retail Innovation Program helped Modsie build a strategy to communicate with a wider audience. "The digital tips we received from Kelly Slessor from ShopYou and Emma Lo Russo from Digivizer were really interesting and helpful," says De Parisot. "They've made us aware of easy ways to improve our business's visibility, to determine clearly who our target is, and how to communicate better with our customers on Facebook, Google or simply on our website." Learn more about the City of Sydney Retail Innovation Program here. Image: Kimberley Low.
From the director of Dumb & Dumber, There's Something About Mary and Shallow Hal comes a race-relations drama with five Academy Award nominations to its name. Only a handful of years ago, that would've seemed like one of the most unlikely sentences in the film industry. But Green Book is a Peter Farrelly movie through and through, even if no one gets their tongue stuck to a frosty pole, uses an unconventional type of hair gel or dons a fat suit. It might take its real-life tale seriously, however the same simplicity — and the same penchant for upbeat, easy sentiment — that has characterised the director's filmography remains. Taking to the road across America's Deep South circa 1962, Green Book follows a journey within a journey. As revered classical musician Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) and his hired chauffeur Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) venture from town to town on a piano recital tour, this odd couple ventures towards an unexpected friendship. Painfully aware of the discrimination of the time, the reserved, refined Shirley understands the need for a chaperone, but is hardly accustomed to some of his driver's behaviour. For the mouthy, uncouth Lip, a New York bouncer who's happy to treat African-Americans the same way he'd treat an unruly bar patron, working for a black man likewise takes some getting used to. Co-writing the screenplay with Brian Currie (also one of the film's producers) and Nick Vallelonga (son of Tony 'Lip' Vallelonga), Farrelly throws up plot developments like his characters throw fried chicken scraps out of the car window. That's one of Green Book's big scenes, and it's tossed in breezily but lands with a thud. The same is true of much of the movie. Simultaneously light and overt, and shot and styled in the same way, this is a picture that ticks all of the obvious boxes, charts all of the predictable developments and services all of the expected messages. It has a heart, as do most of Farrelly's films, yet it always seems like it's expending most of its energy on stressing its feel-good importance. While scenes that show Tony learning to overcome his own prejudice, saving Shirley from violent attacks and teaching him that stereotypical aspects of black culture may have a basis in truth, they also feel carefully calculated to further the picture's overall vibe. A film that makes Lip the protagonist and Shirley the supporting player, Green Book is also a film that's willing to shape the details to suit its smooth angle on reality. That's far from uncommon in the "based on a true story" game, but even if controversy hadn't sprung up about the handling of specific aspects of Shirley's life (with his family contesting some elements), the movie would've still felt massaged for mass consumption. Indeed, Farrelly has a mould that he's trying to fit, earning and thoroughly deserving the label of this year's Driving Miss Daisy. It's also this year's The Blind Side, aka a picture where a person of colour's narrative is framed through their relationship with a helpful white friend, or saviour. Green Book's questionable approach would've always been apparent, but it perhaps cuts deeper because of the film's biggest success: its performances. Oscar-nominated for their respective roles, Mortensen and Ali truly make the best of the material at their disposal. More than that, they exceed it — as you'd expect from both. In Mortensen's case, there's a welcome looseness to his take on Lip that never feels like he's forcefully pushing buttons or hitting marks, even though the script always is. With likely two-time Best Supporting Actor winner Ali, there's soulful elegance, resounding dignity and quiet vulnerability to his portrayal of Shirley, giving the man what he deserves even if the film around him doesn't. Although a great movie could be made starring the pair, this isn't it. Instead, they lift a polite hug of a picture, one that boils down good intentions to the easiest, most conventional elements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c18JX_RS-Xo
As if the first announcement wasn't kickass enough, OutsideIn have announced the second part of their festival lineup. Locked in to be held over three levels at Manning Bar in the University of Sydney, the boutique music festival cooked up by Sydney touring and management agency Astral People and record label Yes Please returns for its third instalment on Saturday, November 29. Forecast to sell out like its 2012 and 2013 events, OutsideIn will spread its super solid lineup over three stages. Joining an already solid lineup featuring '90s US hip-hop legends The Pharcyde, Sydney's beloved electronic trio Seekae, Germany's Pantha Du Prince, America's Giraffage and Melbourne duo Client Liaison is legendary Chicago house DJ/producer Roy Davis Jr and US R&B/housemaster Brenmar, alongside Melbourne’s Noise In My Head, Adelaide’s Late Nite Tuff Guy, and Sydney's own Collarbones, Chris Barker and Basenji. With a host of both local and international artists yet to be announced, OutsideIn is back for another year of beats-you-may-have-missed and downright shindigging. OUTSIDEIN 2014 SECOND LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT: Roy Davis Jr (US) Basenji Brenmar (US) Late Nite Tuff Guy Collarbones Noise in My Head Chris Barker FULL 2014 LINEUP: The Pharcyde (US) Seekae Pantha Du Prince (GER) Giraffage (US) Roy Davis Jr (US) Client Liaison Basenji Brenmar (US) HNNY (SWE) DJ SPINN (US) Tornado Wallace Collarbones Late Nite Tuff Guy Wookie (UK) Rome Fortune (US) Fishing Jubilee (US) Guerre Black Vanilla Retiree Sui Zhen Noise In My Head Preacha Andy Webb Moriarty Ariane Chris Barker OutsideIn is happening at Manning Bar, University of Sydney on November 29. General admission is $80 +bf. All tickets are available through Oztix. Photo credit: Voena.co
Providing fodder for all your half-drawn theories about parallel universes and/or that feeling you have that there are other yous out there (products of that time you could have sent that text and didn't, or the time you accidentally dropped that plate and smashed it, but probably could have caught it if you'd wanted to), a new production presented by Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Constellations, tells a story about the infinite possibilities of one relationship across infinite universes. The play, by young British playwright Nick Payne, opened in London in 2012 and will premiere on Broadway next January, starring your teenage heartthrob Jake Gyllenhaal. In the Sydney production, Sam O'Sullivan is Roland the beekeeper and Emma Palmer is Marianne the physicist — a convergence of occupations almost too whimsical to handle. Starting from the moment the couple meet at a barbecue and detailing particular moments in their ensuing relationship, with outcomes dependent on anything from their previous relationships to the way they phrased that last thing they said, this is one for those who like their boy-meets-girl with a side of multiverse theory. Constellations is on from August 13 to September 17 at the Eternity Playhouse. Thanks to the Darlinghurst Theatre Company, we have two double passes to give away to the preview performance on Sunday, August 10, at 5pm. 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 and address.
The sun is peeking out from behind the clouds, the birds are thinking about swooping, and now we really know winter will soon be out of here because summer's Sydney Festival 2015 has made its first lineup announcement. It's a show called Tabac Rouge by acclaimed circus mastermind James Thierrée, and in true festival style, it's a medium masher. The dance, theatre and acrobatics fusion is described as a "feast of visual poetry" by Sydney Festival director Lieven Bertels, who saw it in London earlier this year. "The show explores a world somewhere between the silent cinema classic Modern Times and a Jeroen Bosch painting — sometimes dazzling and funny, sometimes alienating and grotesque, but always hypnotic," he says. An adventurous recent work with a thumbs up from Europe (less so the UK), Tabac Rouge revolves around a disillusioned dystopian king trying to make sense of the world. Frenchman Thierrée plays the lead role, surrounded by a cast of agile performers, a junk shop aesthetic, an imposing scaffold set and plenty of smoke, mirrors and dramatic lighting effects. It sounds weird and enigmatic, but hopefully not quite so weird and enigmatic as this year's mostly impenetrable signature event, 'underwater opera' Dido and Aeneas. https://youtube.com/watch?v=VH2MmpE9THc The grandson of Charlie Chaplin and great-grandson of Eugene O'Neill, Thierrée was raised in his parents' circus troupe, Le Cirque Imaginaire. Needless to say, his understanding and flexibility with the circus arts is right up there. He's a Sydney Festival veteran too, having brought us Junebug Symphony (2003), Bright Abyss (2006) and Au Revoir Parapluie (2008). You won't be able to miss Tabac Rouge; it plays at the Sydney Theatre for the whole duration of the festival. Tickets for the Australian exclusive start at $85/$72 concession, and premium tickets ($119/$109) are on sale now through the Sydney Festival website. Look out for full festival lineup announcement on October 23.
You mightn't usually be the kind of person who yells at the TV when you're watching something. In fact, you may have never exclaimed aloud during a streaming binge. But all bets are off when Curb Your Enthusiasm is on — because Larry David, playing a heightened and fictionalised version of himself, constantly behaves in a manner that'll make you shout an exasperated but still amused "Larry!?!?!?!" more than once. Across ten seasons since 2000, the series has followed the Seinfeld co-creator's life after that huge hit, including both his personal and professional ups and downs. Over that time, he's gotten the Seinfeld gang back together for a reunion, fallen asleep during Hamilton and starred in a Broadway production of The Producers — all within the show, that is. Larry isn't particularly fond of following social conventions, which is the source of much of Curb Your Enthusiasm's awkward comedy. There's no one better at it, actually, and much of the dialogue is improvised, too.
You can practically skip stones into the Hawkesbury River from this magnificently restored 19th century church. The grand sandstone structure has been divided into five private bedrooms (four with ensuites, one with an in-room clawfoot tub), a kitchen, dining area and living room complete with movie projector screen. The deck and plunge pool are welcome features for the warmer months, while a soaring steel steeple protects the rooftop lounge area from the elements for optimal sunset sessions by the fire pit. If you can drag yourself away from this ultimate chill-out pad, visit your hosts for dinner at the Settlers Arms Inn (which they also run) just five minutes up the road. And if you want to extend your stay in the area, hit the Womerah Range trail for a challenging two-day hike that takes you to the remote Heartbreak Hill campground in the Parr State Conservation Area. Images: Destination NSW
Sydney Design descends on this city annually to wrap it in a web of style, sweet-talking much of its otherwise design-agnostic population into appreciating the form, fit and function of the useful stuff in their lives. This year, it's focused around the theme of lace, including a central Powerhouse exhibition and events with thread-centric themes, like a bicycle culture tour that makes a crochet workshop pit stop. The Powerhouse will host the annual Young Blood: Designers Market and design awards, and visitors there are invited to add to Shane Waltener's giant lace sculpture, Knitted and Looped. Hamish Ta-mé will put together a huge paste-up on the side of a Surry Hills warehouse, weaving and reweaving the same portraits night after night each evening for Reworking the Paste-Up, while up the hill in Kippax Street, you can check out choice rooftop, design-themed movies at the Design Film Screening. In Chippendale, Allen Jack+Cottier have installed a cafe in their headquarters, wrapping it with an exhibition on the neighbourhood's slow march from brewing icon to caffeine addict. Meanwhile, COFA is running the COFA Design Festival as a Sydney Design mini-festival-within-a-festival. COFA's contribution includes the annual campus-wide, one-day forum Live Futures 2020, a series of design and sustainability-themed talks and two new exhibitions by COFA staff and students. COFA isn't the only artistic institution to huddle under the festival umbrella either, with innumerable shows featuring Bauhaus, the typewriter, sand, hand-made bikes and Italian seating.
Lee Mingwei invites you to join him in an act of destruction. On April 23, he'll be recreating Pablo Picasso's famous Guernica (1937) at Carriageworks as part of the 20th Biennale of Sydney. Painted in oils, it's considered one of history's most powerful anti-war artworks and was created in response to the bombing of Guernica, a Basque village, during the Spanish Civil War. Instead of oils, Mingwei will be using sand to replicate Picasso's lines exactly. Once his work is done, you'll be given permission to walk all over it. And then, Mingwei and his collaborators will pick up brooms and start sweeping the sand into new shapes and forms. As you watch the original artwork being destroyed — and a new one being created in front of your eyes — you'll find yourself contemplating the relationship between destruction and creation, between precise lines and organic forms, and between past and future. "I used Picasso's Guernica as the departure point for a different view of the damage done when human beings are victimised," Mingwei said in his artist's statement. "Instead of simply being critical...I wanted to use the concept of impermanence as a lens for focusing on such violent events in terms of the ongoing phenomena of destruction and creation." Image: Lee Mingwei, 'Guernica in Sand', 2006 and 2015.
After a fantastic year of programming that included works as diverse as the debut production of wonderful new Australian comedy Hubris & Humiliation and Edward Albee's provocative Tony Award-winner The Goat Or, Who Is Sylvia, the Sydney Theatre Company's 2023 season is wrapping up with another undisputed theatrical classic. Anton Chekhov's 1886 slice-of-life banger The Seagull will play at the Roslyn Packer Theatre throughout November and December, bringing to life the funny and fraught production about romance, death, the purpose of art, and existential dissatisfaction. From a Russian playwright you simply cannot have it any other way! Set at a lakeside rural estate in the Russian countryside where the drama plays out, the original text has been adapted by Andrew Upton (former co-artistic director of the STC with his wife Cate Blanchett) and his interpretation is directed by Imara Savage who might just be one of the most impressively versatile directors of stage working in the country right now. The Seagull also welcomes Australian acting great Sigrid Thornton back to the STC stage in the role of glamorous ageing diva Irina Arkadina, alongside a terrific cast including Toby Schmitz in the pivotal role of Boris Trigorin, Sean O'Shea and Megan Wilding (both of whom previously featured in STC's The Importance of Being Earnest), and Arka Das and Mabel Li in their Sydney Theatre Company debuts. If you're looking for one last theatrical experience to round out your year, Sydney Theatre Company's The Seagull might be difficult to top.
Here's one more reason to love Darlinghurst's haven of hip hop, cheese and wine Big Poppa's: it's putting together a big night of carbs and vino in the form of a five-course pasta degustation. That's almost half a dozen different handmade pasta dishes to enjoy while you sip wine from northern Italy and bop your head to hip hop beats. You'll enjoy blue swimmer crab fusilli paired with chilli and thai basil, poached quail tortellini, and beef cheek ragu served with a fresh pappardelle pasta, all created by Big Poppa's Executive Chef Liam Driscoll. And there'll be a couple of veggie dishes in the mix, too, including the triangoli stuffed with butternut pumpkin and tortiglioni with roasted ox-heart tomatoes, star anise and stracciatella. The degustation is $75 for five courses and you can add on matched wines for $50 (total $125). If you choose the latter, each dish will be paired with a glass of vino from Marion and Corte Lavel — two labels run by the same family from the Veneto region in the north of Italy. You'll start with a floral pinot bianco and work your way through to a velvety and spicy 2013 red. [caption id="attachment_758610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] Big Poppa's pasta degustation will take place from 6.30–9.30pm.
