A good place to start is at heritage-listed Lennox Bridge, a single-arch sandstone bridge built by convicts in the 1830s. Pop into the Visitors Centre for a brief introduction to the area and to check out the historical archives before starting your walk. Heading east, you'll see the pavement is covered in Indigenous murals created by Ngemba artist Jamie Eastwood. They tell the story of the European invasion, including Governor Arthur Phillip's boat trip to the head of the Parramatta River in search of fresh water and the bloody Battle of Parramatta and death of Indigenous leader Pemulwuy. There are signposts to help you on your way but you can learn even more on a tour. Image: Emma Joyce
Sake is a drink known by many but — in Australia at least — understood by very few. It's a beverage that's generally relegated to fancy sushi work lunches where your boss is picking up the bill, but, truth is, the fermented Japanese rice wine is much more versatile than that. You can order a bottle to pair with fish at your next dinner party, but you can also pick up a pull-tab can to take to a party or add some to prosecco and soda for a Japanese-style summer spritz. There are many ways into sake, and we've laid them out below. Need a refresher first? Have a read of our bluffer's guide to sake then get started. [caption id="attachment_628082" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sakeshop[/caption] FOR THOSE WANTING AN EASY INTRODUCTION TO SAKE A Japanese sake providore located in both Melbourne and Sydney, Sakeshop is your one-stop shop for all things sake. Here, tastings and internationally recognised sake courses are held and there's even an extensive Japanese beer selection — so there's really no greater place to immerse yourself in the blossoming world of sake appreciation. Pick up one of the Hanamikura Aya 200ml with its cute little ring-pull tab lid, throw it in your beach bag and sit in the sun sipping on the peachy and pear flavours with the sounds of summer echoing in your ears. FOR THOSE SICK OF APEROL SPRITZES The ultimate in spring and summertime drinking is a Japanese yuzushu made with equal parts one-year-old Junmai sake and yuzu juice (a type of native Japanese grapefruit). It's great either on the rocks or in a spritz — the perfect alternative to an Aperol Spritz for 2017–18. It's lively, fresh and zesty with a hint of a jasmine floral and pink grapefruit character on the nose. On the palate, it's delicate and strikes the perfect balance between tart citrus flavours and sweet characters. Try the Heiwa Shuzo Yuzushu in a wine glass filled with ice, 30ml Yuzushu topped with a dry prosecco (the Dal Zotto from Australia's King Valley is always a winner) and a splash of soda with a twist of lemon. Be careful, though — they're so dangerously delicious that you might be wondering where the bottle went in no time. FOR THOSE WANTING TO ADD A BIT OF JAPANESE HISTORY TO THEIR DINNER Hailing from the third-oldest sake brewery in Japan, which was established in 1548, Yoshinogawa is the Rolls Royce of sake: elegant, high quality and impeccably made. Made by the 20th generation of the Kawakami family, Yoshinogawa Ginjo Gokujo is created using a combination of techniques, both ancient and modern, to craft what is considered to be a classic yet modern interpretation of the style. Floral, with just a hint of umami character, it's almost ethereal on the palate. Pop down to the Fish Markets and pick up some salmon, slice it up and make a ginger and soy glaze while lightly searing the fish in a pan, crank The Go-Go's and pour some of this sake chilled for the ultimate trifecta. [caption id="attachment_645960" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Studio Hortenzia.[/caption] FOR THOSE LOVERS OF JAPANESE AESTHETICS Now, not all sakes are from 469-year-old breweries. Some are just brand spanking new, like the newly released Toji Sake from Melbourne couple Yuta and Shar Kobayashi. Distilled with Yuta's childhood memories of drinking sake with his grandfather, this approachable sake draws upon traditional Japanese flavours but modernised for an Australian palate. Crisp, perfumed and well balanced would be a perfect accompaniment to a trip to see the contemporary art collections at Sydney's White Rabbit or GOMA in Brisbane. Plus, the bottle is a work of art in itself — you'll want to keep it. FOR THOSE NEEDING A MEMORABLE HOUSEWARMING GIFT Your friend's just moved into a new place and you want to bring a housewarming gift that's not a plant (that they will inevitably overwater) or a set of cheese knives (that are beautiful but they'll probably never use). Enter the versatile bottle of sake. Grab an all-rounder like the Dewazakura Dewa Sansan Junmai Ginjo — it's great for sipping on a hot day and can also be used as a base for curing fish because of its signature fragrant perfume and delicacy on the palate. It's also available in a 1.5-litre bottle if you really want to earn your place as friend of the year. Top image: Sakeshop.
There's a gallery in Sydney's eastern suburbs whose artists and curators never pack up and go home. They are home. Welcome to Le Petit Bateau, an eastern suburbs art community with a backyard that's a grown-up culture playground. Without knowing the location of this little art haven, you could easily assume it was nestled in the streets of Kreuzberg in Berlin or Montmartre in Paris, rather than tucked away in the sunny streets of Bondi Beach. Just around the corner from the main road is a little sign welcoming you to Le Petit Bateau. Blink and you'll miss it. Le Petit Bateau celebrates local creatives, housing art, dance and cooking classes. Home to 25 people residing in six flats, it functions as both a communal living and art space. Anne-Sophie Ridelaire is the curator behind this venture. Six months after coming across the space in Sydney and settling into the life of the complex, she and her boyfriend, Gaetano Russo, decided to convert an old garage into a multipurpose art studio and gallery, open to everyone in the community who wants to view and participate in art, with an emphasis on combining the cultural and social. "When I was in Paris, I was working for an art gallery, [and] my dream was to open a space like this where people can come and feel free to see the artwork," she says. Everything you see is recycled, from the couches to the decorations — all bits and bobs collected from the street. Fitting in perfectly with the community's nautical name, an old boat donated by the Pyrmont Heritage Boating Club stands prominently at the entrance. "All this we found stuff on the street, so we don't spend much," she says. "[We wanted] to show people that you can build something with nothing." Art being accessible is at the heart of Le Petit Bateau, evidenced by the open door policy. The classes, the jam sessions, the art — it's all for free. Anne-Sophie sees it as important to overcome the dissonant idea that art is reserved for the upper classes. She sees Le Petit Bateau as an important opportunity to reach out to people through art and to encourage dialogue across cultures. In keeping with that, the current exhibition is The Big Picture, an international photography exchange as part of the Month of Photography in Denver, Colorado. The Big Picture involves photographers from all around the world displaying their prints inside galleries and on the streets. Anne-Sophie has been working on this project for a year now. Along with five talented local photographers, she has recently returned from six weeks in Europe, in which she and her team pasted their photographs all around the streets of Lyon, Strasbourg, Rome, Sicily and Milan. Sydney is among many other cities participating in the project, alongside Perth, Paris, Vienna, Portland, Denver, Berlin, London, Mexico City and Buenos Aires. "It is an exchange of culture through photography, and the idea is to go around cities and to pass these pictures along," she says. Working with a gallery in Sicily, the team pasted a photo of a shark at the local fish market, which attracted a crowd of observers. "The fishermen were like, 'What is that? Is it a shark? Is it real?'" she recalls. "This kind of conversation starts, and this is exactly what the project is about." At the moment, the photos are pasted around the gallery. Her next step is to post some of these attention-grabbing works around the streets of Sydney. The success of Sydney's Le Petit Bateau has inspired a similar projects in Anne-Sophie's hometown of Lyon in France, as well as in Sicily in Italy. Despite that, she is not sure if the current Bondi Beach site will remain the home of Le Petit Bateau; she views its current form as a trial. Mindful that Bondi is a residential neighbourhood, she hopes to expand somewhere where there are fewer limitations. Watching Le Petit Bateau inject a bit of Paris into the streets of Sydney has been very welcome. And it would appear that the admiration is mutual. "Sydney is a sharing place, and there's so many different cultures in Sydney, it's beautiful," she says. "It's a cosmopolitan city, and it's important to create connection between each culture, to not have gates." To keep up to date with all their events, check out their Facebook page. Images: Bodhi Liggett.
We might be living in a golden age of desserts in Australia. With the likes of Gelato Messina's ever-popular empire and KOI's continued success following owner Reynold Poernomo's time on MasterChef, there is a spirit of fanaticism around the decadence of our most pleasurable course. Standards are impossibly high for Instagram-ready desserts, but Australia's talented pastry chefs never disappoint. We're lucky enough to have access to some obsession-worthy sweets — from legendary mango pancakes to inconceivably flaky pastries, there exists a multitude of cult-like desserts out there that are equally unforgettable and affordable. Read on for some of the best cult desserts in Sydney that cost less than you might think.
A hard day of wizarding deserves a fresh pint of butterbeer, and London could soon have just the spot for it. An eager Harry Potter fan is launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund what might just become everyone's favourite magical watering hole: The Cauldron. You can taking the leaking out of the enchanted bar's name, but you can't take the wonder, with the pub promising to use technology to emulate all of the tricks you've read about in JK Rowling's books and watched in the subsequent film adaptations. That includes touch-sensitive magic wands that can be used to light fires, turn on the lights and even pour drinks, plus moving photographs and levitating candles. There's no mention of paying for your drinks in galleons, but that idea sounds right up this place's Diagon Alley. Speaking of beverages, in addition to their own signature brew — the Cauldron Ale, which will be served in a specialty bottom-filling pint glass — The Cauldron will provide wizarding-inspired wines, spirits and soft drinks, as well as "spectacular science-based cocktails that look and behave like potions that are described in fantasy books." There's no word on just how they'll achieve that feat, but we like their confidence. As for food, The Cauldron once again pledges to fill its menu with dishes mentioned in all of those novels you love, with fans also able to make suggestions. Their ambition doesn't stop there, with shelves filled with texts, plug-in listening stations for audiobooks, book clubs, book readings, book signings, games meet-ups and wizarding trivia all on the agenda if the venue gets the go-ahead. It's the latest in a long list of HP-themed fun (including a pasta restaurant, a sleepover wizarding school, yoga classes and a market, plus Toronto already has a bar); however if that floats your objects of choice, The Cauldron's fundraising quest kicks off on June 26. The proposed pub is aiming for a March 2018 opening — for more information, check out their website.
Ferris wheels, friendly lambs and fairy floss ODs — the Sydney Royal Easter Show, as you've always known and loved it, is back. But, this year, Australia's biggest ticketed event is taking its culinary side up a notch. In between rummaging through showbags, you'll be feasting at food truck parks and pop-up restaurants that'll be serving everything from refined Italian fare to Korean fried chicken and burgers. There'll also be plenty of bars to discover — including The Stables which will be swilling the signature Sydney Royal Easter Show Showstopper Australian Pale Ale. It's a far cry from the dagwood dogs and chips-on-a-stick that we remember (though they'll be there, too). To help you make the most of this food extravaganza, we're giving away a VIP package. The prize includes four general admission entry tickets to the Sydney Royal Easter Show (usually 43 bucks each), plus food and drinks galore. You'll get to enjoy a decadent Italian lunch at The Loft Restaurant and Bar ($200 value), drink 50 bucks' worth of booze at the Sydney Royal Beer and Wine Bar and finish up with decadent frozen custard treats from Taylors ($36 value). If you're not lucky enough to score the major win, hang in there for a runner-up prize — we've also got five double entry passes to the Show to give away, too. Enter your details below for a chance to win. [competition]710795[/competition]
Queensland has just cracked a moon shot — the state has won the right to host the 2027 Women's Softball World Cup Finals. Taking over the City of Moreton Bay, it'll be the first time Australia has hosted the event since its inaugural edition back in 1965. On that occasion in Melbourne, our national women's team, aka the Aussie Spirit, triumphed over the USA to score themselves the gold medal. Now, over 60 years later, the event is returning to where it all began, as eight of the world's best women's teams descend on Talobilla Park in Redcliffe from Monday, April 5–Sunday, April 11, 2027. Just 45 minutes north of Brisbane, this coastal spot will be the ideal setting for locals and international visitors to soak up the action. View this post on Instagram A post shared by YIAGA (@yiaga.au) While every Women's Softball World Cup is a special occasion, the next instalment will take on even greater significance. That's because it will serve as the qualifying event for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Marking softball's return to the Games after not being included in the 2024 edition, the World Cup Finals will set the tone for what takes place on one of sport's most significant stages. "We're thrilled with the announcement of Redcliffe as host of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2027, the flagship event of international women's softball," says WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. "Held one year before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and five years until the Brisbane 2032 Games, this tournament will highlight Australia's strong passion for softball and the deep roots the sport has in the country's sporting community." The announcement arrives on the back of solid support for women's sport in Australia, with the federal government clocking home run bids for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023, the Women's Asian Cup in 2026, the Netball World Cup in 2027 and the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2029. So, pencil in your trip to Redcliffe to get behind the Aussie Spirit as they face off against the sport's heaviest hitters on the diamond. "The return of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup to Australian soil is a powerful opportunity to inspire the next generation with Olympic dreams, boost grassroots participation and deliver lasting benefits to local communities," says Softball Australia CEO Sarah Loh. The Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2027 will be held at Talobilla Park in Redcliffe from Monday, April 5–Sunday, April 11, 2027. Head to the website for more information.
UPDATE Tuesday, 29 June: The Duke of Enmore's new food and drink menu is available for pickup or delivery, including the eggplant katsu sandwich, all the pickleback shots and a range of meal deals to enjoy at home. Also, being the legends they are, The Duke team is offering free meals and drinks to hospitality workers out-of-work due to the lockdown. Since reopening late last year, inner west stalwart The Duke of Enmore has regained its place as a bustling Enmore Road favourite. Serving up hearty pub feeds, live music aplenty and the bar's signature picklebacks, The Duke has seen a fully fledged revival over the past nine months. Now, its owners are looking to cement its place in the hearts of inner west locals by taking each of those elements to another level with a new-look menu, a dedicated pickleback bar and even more live music. The new menu comes from the minds of Odd Culture Group Executive Chef James MacDonald (ex-Restaurant Hubert, St John) and The Duke's newly appointed Head Chef Doug Alvarenga (ex-Porteño). The mealtime offerings are centred around the venue's new custom-built woodfire oven and charcoal grill, and pulls from both Middle Eastern cuisine and Alvarenga's Brazilian-Australian background. From your seat in the dimly lit diner, you can enjoy a range of woodfire flatbreads featuring combinations including lamb, onion parsley and pickles; red capsicum, hazelnut and roast garlic; and spiced mussels, dill and nigella seed. There's also an unholy-looking eggplant katsu sando wrapped in flatbread, woodfire cheese with curry butter and a beef cheek hot pocket. [caption id="attachment_816755" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eggplant Katsu Sando[/caption] Those looking to pair their hot pocket with a drink can head to the bar where they'll find a range of cocktails, natural wines and craft beers, or you can head to the beer garden where a selection of six different types of pickleback bevvies are on offer. For those not in the know, a pickleback is a mix of Jameson and pickle brine, however The Duke's picklebacks don't stop there. The Ruins Revenge, for example, combines Jameson Black Barrel, watermelon, mint and house made brine. If you head to The Duke at any point in July and August for a bite to eat or a pickle-heavy shot, chances are you'll also be able to catch some live music. Over the next two months, the Enmore Road pub will be hosting free live music close to seven days a week. Live favourites and young up-and-comers from Sydney are set to pop including Tommy Gun, 1800 Mikey, Jet City Sports Club, The Shang and Zipper. "The Duke provides a broad and boundary-free approach to live tunes. You'll find country and blues, good time rock and roll, heavy metal and dark folk several times a week," says The Duke General Manager Sabrina Medcalf. Find The Duke of Enmore at 148 Enmore Road, Enmore. It's open 12pm–midnight Sunday–Tuesday and 12pm–2am Wednesday–Saturday.
The lofty title of the ‘World Wide Web’ implies that we can access the internet, well, all over the world. However, with 71 percent of the Earth’s surface covered by oceanic bodies, the web is more limited than you think. Researchers at the University of Buffalo may have found a way to cross the digital gap between land and sea. Their ‘deep sea Internet’ is a sunken wireless network that will provide instant communication from beneath the surface to any device on land. Since wireless access has expanded everywhere, from subways to third world countries, why hasn’t this been thought of before? Although the internet feels like an omnipresent force that floats invisibly above our heads like the particles of a broadcast chocolate bar in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, it’s a little more complicated. Wireless communication on land relies on radio waves from satellites and antennas, which don’t work well out in the middle of the ocean. Deep-sea communication technologies function on sound waves, which are converted above the surface and transmitted to our devices. This interaction is a bit dodgy, given that it’s nearly impossible to communicate in real time because of the various methods and standards involved when it comes to communicating with underwater sensors. To make things easier, the masterminds in New York are developing a framework that would create a singular way to collect and send data from an underwater sensor to any computer in the world. The possibilities are endless with this superpower technology. Tsunamis and hurricanes could be detected and warned of earlier, oil and gas could be detected more efficiently, pollution could be better monitored, and law enforcement agencies could track down drug-smuggling pirates. The underwater modem seems to be well on its way to doing these things; it is currently being tested at the bottom of America’s Lake Erie and will be presented at the International Conference on Underwater Networks & Systems in Taiwan this November. So on your next deep-sea dive or fishing trip, check your smartphone for Wi-Fi: BIG BLUE, password: n3m0. Via Fast.CoExist.com.
Sometimes, Disney adapts its movies and brands — names like Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar — into theme-park attractions. Sometimes, it makes streaming shows about the rides at its amusement parks as well. And, as happened with Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise and Tomorrowland, sometimes the Mouse House loves the highlights at its parks so much that it spins them out into their own films. Disney already took the latter path with The Haunted Mansion back in 2003; however, the massive entertainment company also adores revisiting its past hits (see: the upcoming live-action versions of Peter Pan & Wendy and The Little Mermaid, plus a whole lot more in recent years). So, it's ticking two boxes with Haunted Mansion, a second flick based on the Disneyland, Magic Kingdom Park and Tokyo Disneyland must-see. Obviously, the overall concept is right there in the name, but the new film's just-dropped trailer provides more story details. This time around, single mother Gabbie (Rosario Dawson, Clerks III) and her son (Chase W Dillon, The Harder They Fall) bring in folks who call themselves 'spiritual experts' when they discover that they're not the abode's only residents Cue a cast that also features LaKeith Stanfield (Atlanta), Tiffany Haddish (The Afterparty), Owen Wilson (Loki), Danny DeVito (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Dan Levy (Schitt's Creek), plus 2023 Oscar-nominee Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween Ends). Plenty of the above names are keen to make some cash offering their services — and some of the movie's stars, such as Jared Leto (Morbius) as The Hatbox Ghost, get spooky. The end result will creep into cinemas in July, with Dear White People and Bad Hair filmmaker Justin Simien directing. And yes, if you want to watch the Eddie Murphy (You People)-starring original movie in the interim, you'll find it — and 2021 special Muppets Haunted Mansion — on Disney+ right now. Check out the Haunted Mansion trailer below: Haunted Mansion releases in cinemas Down Under on July 27.
Some holidays arise from months of planning. Others happen simply because an airline has cheap flights on offer. Both are perfectly acceptable ways to lock in a getaway — and if you're keen for the latter, Jetstar is doing a big 48-hour sale with 400,000-plus fares to Bali, Phuket, Hawaii, Vietnam, Japan and Seoul, among other destinations. Actually, the Australian carrier is doing discounted flights across Australia as well as to international spots — but after the couple of years we've all had, with closed borders both locally and overseas, you're probably (and understandably) itching to venture to other countries. International fares start from $199 return — yes, both ways — because this is Jetstar's 'return for free' sale. Running from 12am AEST on Wednesday, May 4–11.59pm AEST on Thursday, May 5, or until sold out, it's as straightforward as it sounds. Whatever flights you opt for as part of the sale, you'll get the return fare for nothing. Overseas, one big caveat is worth keeping in mind: some destinations, such as Japan, haven't yet opened to international tourists. But if you'd like to book cheap flights to Tokyo or Osaka and back for later in the year and cross your fingers that the border situation changes, you can. Also on the list: fares to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown, to name a few, with 29 international routes covered. Locally, you've got a choice between 59 routes — all with return legs for free — starting from $69. Tickets in the sale are for trips from this coming spring onwards, with exact days varying in each region. There are a few other rules, as is always the case. You have to the same departure and arrival ports for the two fares — so you can go from Melbourne to Honolulu and back, for instance, but can't return via another place or to another city. And, the sale fares don't include checked baggage, so you'll need to travel super light or pay extra to take a suitcase. Jetstar's 'return for free' sale runs from 12am AEST on Wednesday, May 4–11.59pm AEST on Thursday, May 5 — or until sold out.
Staves Brewery's opening marked the newest wave of microbreweries popping up in the craft beer haven that is the inner west. Snugged next to Broadway Shopping Centre on Grose Street, this is possibly the most unconventional spot for a brewpub yet. There is nothing to denote the speakeasy-style brewery apart from the words 'bar' and 'brewery' painted on the otherwise frosted windows. The building itself still has features from its steel fabrication workshop days, and the simple, barrel-focused interior is reminiscent of an English pub of old. It's not such a surprising venture from British owner Steven Drissell, whose impressive rap sheet boasts competitive beer judge, long time craft beer enthusiast and, of course, brewer. Staves will continue to operate as a brewpub while Drissell ultimately transforms the space into a fully functioning brewery with his own batches of craft on tap. For now, the eight taps will continue to rotate with a ton of local talent like Wayward and Modus Operandi, as well as killer out-of-towners like Little Brewing and Nail. Pints range from $11-15, and jugs from $19-26. Drissell only buys one keg at a time to keep his taps fresh, attracting patrons that return each week to see what's new. As Drissell puts it, he's "focused on creating a balanced beer menu that reaches every palate, whether it's that of a craft beer know-it-all or a new beer drinker". The place will continue to grow organically; the beer garden is already expanding with more greenery and personality, and the live music will come to include jam session nights. While patrons are still anxiously awaiting the opening of the upstairs pizza kitchen, Staves offers a cheese and meat board in the meantime ($20), giving patrons something to nibble on while they get stuck in. Cheese aside, our favourite addition to the brewpub is the introduction of two-for-one pints on Thursdays from 4-6pm. Yeah, that's a lot of beer. Bring a friend — or don't. We won't judge.
Josh and Julie Niland are proud pioneers. The pair's low-waste, often experimental approach to seafood — most notably the innovation of dry-aging fish — once raised eyebrows, but today, not only are these techniques a hit with Sydney diners, they've also earned the Nilands international acclaim and an impressive haul of awards, including three coveted Good Food Hats. Now, the pair are trailblazing once again, launching a boutique stay attached to a restaurant. The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter will feature 14 luxury suites located above the dining space of the Niland's flagship fine diner, which moved last August from its original digs on Paddington's Oxford Street to Underwood Street, just around the corner. The former pub, which dates back to 1890, is entering its latest era as a multi-faceted hospitality destination following six years of renovations. During that time, an invitation to the Nilands from the pub's owner, George Penklis, to launch a new fine diner evolved into a bold plan to create a hotel-restaurant hybrid where top-of-class cuisine and plush accommodations go hand in glove. With input at every level from the Nilands, Studio Aquilo has designed the interiors to blend existing heritage features like marble fireplaces with vibrant, modern textures and luxe details. The rooms, featuring custom velvet headboards and Australian-made artworks including black and white sketches by Ken Done, also underline the Niland's low-impact, eco-minded philosophy with fish-fat candles, down duvets ethically sourced by Melbourne-based company Bonny and ceramics created using fish bones. The Nilands aim to offer a complete hospitality experience, with breakfast by the Saint Peter team, handmade chocolates, and a non-alcoholic minibar included with every booking. "When approaching the hotel, we paid as much attention to detail to the design and furnishing as we did with the restaurant. This is our first venture into being hoteliers, and we knew that we wanted to apply the same level of care to the rooms so that they weren't just an addition to Saint Peter but a destination in their own right," says Julie Niland. "We want the restaurant and the rooms to complement each other as much as possible.," comments Josh Niland. "Opening the hotel allows us the opportunity to fulfil our vision of hospitality beyond dining into a thoughtful 360-degree hotel experience, from handmade chocolates on your pillow to the breakfast cooked by our team." The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter, located at 161 Underwood Street, Paddington, is set to open on January 31. Reservations are now open — go to the Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter website for more details. Images: Christopher Pearce
UPDATE: MAY 6, 2020 — You can now watch celebrities narrate Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone thanks to Harry Potter at Home's new weekly recordings. First up is Potter himself — Daniel Radcliffe — reading the first chapter, 'The Boy Who Lived'. Then, it'll be the likes of Stephen Fry, Claudia Kim, Eddie Redmayne, David Beckham, Dakota Fanning and Noma Dumezweni. You can watch via the website or listen on Spotify. If Hogwarts was a real place, no one would be able to visit it at present. But if you're still dreaming about all things magical despite the current state of the world, you can accio up a slice of the fictional school while cooped up in your own house. You've probably already watched and rewatched all the Harry Potter films, and the Fantastic Beasts flicks. Maybe you've started reading your way through the books again as well. Now, if you're looking for an added dose of wizarding fun, you can also head to new online hub Harry Potter at Home. A fresh addition to Warner Brothers and Pottermore's Wizarding World website, Harry Potter at Home aims to become a one-stop shop for Boy Who Lived-related activities during these self-isolating times. And while it's primarily aimed at kids (and their parents, teachers and carers), so were JK Rowling's books — and that hasn't stopped fans of all ages obsessing over Harry, Ron, Hermione and the gang by heading to HP-themed boozy potions classes, kitting themselves out in Hogwarts-inspired attire, sleuthing their way through escape room challenges, participating in scavenger hunts, shopping at dedicated stores, playing Pokémon Go-style games on their phones, and getting excited about a potential new Harry Potter theme park. Visitors to Harry Potter at Home will find articles, quizzes and puzzles, including Harry Potter-themed crosswords. You can also find out your Hogwarts house via virtual sorting hat, too. And, you can spend some time watching crafting videos that'll teach you how to knit a Weasley family-inspired scarf and bust out Marauder's Map-worthy calligraphy skills — which are also available via Wizarding World's YouTube channel. You can also watch celebrities narrate Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone thanks to Harry Potter at Home's weekly recordings. First up is Potter himself — Daniel Radcliffe — reading the first chapter, 'The Boy Who Lived'. Then, it'll be the likes of Stephen Fry, Claudia Kim, Eddie Redmayne, David Beckham, Dakota Fanning and Noma Dumezweni. You can watch via the website or listen on Spotify. New activities, videos, puzzles and articles will be added regularly, with Potter diehards able to access Harry Potter at Home for free — and sign up for a weekly newsletter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp21Xijewlg If you're a muggle who's somehow new to all things Harry Potter — or you're eager to go back to the beginning again but haven't yet done so — Pottermore Publishing is also making Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone available for free via eBook or audiobook until the end of April. For further details, visit the Harry Potter at Home website. Top image: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Warner Bros. Pictures.
If you're a vegetarian, keen home cook or worshipper of eggplant, chances are Yotam Ottolenghi has had some impact on your life. Now, it's time to meet him in the flesh. On January 29, the cult Israeli chef will appear at the Sydney Opera House for a long chat about food. Happening as part of the Opera House's Talks and Ideas programme, the date marks the release of Ottolenghi's latest book Simple filled with 130 easy-to-make yet super-tasty dishes. But, he'll be talking about much more than that. Firstly, there are all his other books, like the Middle Eastern-inspired Jerusalem, the vegetarian-friendly Plenty and the dessert bible Sweet, a collaboration with Melbourne pastry chef Helen Goh. Then, there are his documentaries and his regular writing gigs: a weekly column in Feast magazine and a monthly column in The New York Times. Before becoming a world-famous chef, Ottolenghi worked as a journo in Amsterdam. On deciding to delve into food, he trained at the Cordon Bleu, as well as a bunch of Michelin-starred restaurants in London, before taking on the role of Head Pastry Chef at Baker and Spice, where he befriended Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi. The two teamed up to found the Ottolenghi deli in Notting Hill — the first of many, many projects. An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi pre-sale tickets are available from 9am on Wednesday, December 19, with general tickets on sale from 9am Friday, December 21. Image: Prudence Upton
Already this year, the Biennale of Sydney has filled the city with dazzling art. In its long-awaited return this winter, Vivid Sydney did the same, too. The next event set to get the Harbour City all creative: Sydney Contemporary, which'll make a comeback at Carriageworks in September for the first time since 2019. The reason for that gap is obvious. When the art fair returns for its sixth edition from Thursday, September 8–Sunday, September 11, it's understandably going big to celebrate. More than 90 galleries will take over the multi-arts centre, featuring works by 450 artists from 34 countries — including a specific focus on large-scale artworks. Galleries making their presence known — emerging and established alike, and spanning both Australian and New Zealand institutions — include Melbourne's Neon Parc and Niagara Galleries, Station and This Is No Fantasy; Edwina Corlette from Brisbane; Sydney's own Sullivan+Strumpf, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery and Martin Browne Contemporary; and Gow Langsford Gallery and Michael Lett from Auckland. APY Art Centre Collective, which operates across Adelaide and Sydney, will also hit the fair, as will Singapore and Sydney's Yavuz Gallery. [caption id="attachment_859304" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning[/caption] The list goes on — with Sydney Contemporary newcomers Mangkaja Arts (from Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia), C Gallery (Melbourne), N Smith Gallery and Formist Editions (Sydney), and A Secondary Eye and Onespace Gallery (Brisbane) also set to be represented. And, in terms of the art that'll be on display, it'll hail from artists from Australia, NZ, the UK, the US, China, Germany and Indonesia, as well as Japan, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey — among other nations. [caption id="attachment_859309" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view: Callum Morton, The End #3, 2020, polyurethane, timber, steel, glass, synthetic polymer paint, lights, sound, 240 x 360 x 50 cm. photo: Luis Power, courtesy the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney.[/caption] As just announced, the newly renamed Installation Contemporary lineup — now called Amplify — will be a hefty feature, focusing on large-scale pieces. Annika Kristensen, Visual Arts Curator at Perth Festival and Associate Curator at Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, curates the selection. Like most things at Sydney Contemporary, her program isn't holding back. Peta Clancy's Undercurrent, a photographic series, will be projected across Carriageworks' exterior facade; Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro have made a huge papier-machè representation of the moon's surface; and Callum Morton's sizeable wall sculptures are actually exact-scale replicas of the iconic Sirius Building's window frames. 2020 Archibald Prize-winner Vincent Namatjira will display The Royal Tour (Diana, Vincent and Charles), while Catherine O'Donnell is set to create a drawing directly onto one of the fair's walls — that'll prove specific to the site and stay for Sydney Contemporary's duration. That's just a taste of the Amplify lineup, of course. [caption id="attachment_859312" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro, ごめんえ素直じゃなくて GOMEN NE SUNAO JANAKUTE (Sorry, I'm not straightforward), 2021, papier machè and styrene core, metal strap, metal plates, 256cm in diameter. Courtesy of the artists and N Smith Gallery.[/caption] Elsewhere across the fair, the Performance Contemporary program will focus on artists WeiZen Ho, Rakini Devi, Salote Tawale and Alli Sebastian Wolf — and the Talk Contemporary rundown will be announced in August. Whatever catches your eye, expect to have company. More than 112,000 visitors have attended in past years, and more than AU$85million in art sales have been notched up. "Sydney Contemporary has been firmly established as the most influential fair in the region, and the sixth edition of Sydney Contemporary promises to be our strongest fair yet," said Sydney Contemporary founder Tim Etchells. "The fair provides the largest concentration of art sales annually in Australia and we expect 2022 to be no exception." [caption id="attachment_859307" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning[/caption] Sydney Contemporary 2022 runs from Thursday, September 8–Sunday, September 11 at Carriageworks. For further information and to buy tickets, head to the art fair's website. Top image: Zan Wimberley.
Much-hyped multi-space venue Shell House will open its doors for the first time on Thursday, October 14 with the first of its four bars and eateries, The Menzies Bar and Bistro, opening to the public. Named after the former occupancy of the building, the Menzies Hotel, The Menzies Bar will serve a bistro-style menu curated by The Point Group executive chef Joel Bickford and his team, as well as an extensive wine and cocktail list. The Shell House was announced back in May, with The Point Group laying out plans for a multi-level venue inside the Margaret Street building after signing a 15-year lease with Brookfield Place Sydney. The Point Group currently operates The Dolphin, Bondi Beach Public Bar and Harry's, and is set to open a restaurant, bar and wine room on former defence facility Fort Denison. The ground-level space that houses The Menzies Bar has been restored and renovated with the help of interior stylist Anna Hewett and Woods Bagot Architects. The bar and restaurant have been given a luxe makeover with warm bronze and gold marble and a leather fit-out featuring a blackened steel bar, overhead bar hamper storing more than 1000 bottles of spirits and a marble fireplace. The Point Group CEO Brett Robinson called the new venue "simple, reliable, consistent, and fun". "We want the Menzies to be an essential part of life in the city. Raising a glass to the return of hospitality in this new space will be so good," Robinson said in a media statement. The Menzies Bar will be open Monday–Saturday from midday until 2am and will offer an exciting bistro menu with offerings ideal for lunch, dinner or a snack while you enjoy a drink. Small plates include spanner crab benedict on potato crumpets, smoked eggplant and parmesan polpette, chicken liver eclairs and yellowfish tuna with capers and a boiled egg. When it comes to larger dishes, you'll find the likes of vongole and fermented chilli linguini and spiced fried kingfish collar alongside bistro classics like a wagyu beef burger and 400-gram boneless rib eye served with lemon and olive oil. If you're looking for an after-work drink, the bar will host Martini Hour Monday–Saturday between 4–6pm where the classic cocktail stirred through shards of countertop ice will be served alongside fresh lobster rolls for $10 a piece. A vibrant selection of cocktails will also be on hand. The In-Cider Trading will feature scotch, coffee, fig, cider caramel and smoked honey; while The Dolphin's Sicilian Margarita has made its way to the new venue, combining tequila with limoncello, Sichuan, and fresh lemon. The Menzies Bar will be joined by the Shell House's Sky Bar, Dining Room and Terrace, and Clocktower in the future. Reservations for The Menzies Bar are now open via the Shell House website. [caption id="attachment_828112" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fried kingfish collar, Jonny Valiant[/caption] The Menzies Bar is located at Shell House, 37 Margaret Street, Sydney. It will be open Monday–Saturday, midday–2am from Thursday, October 14.
Australia and New Zealand haven't been treated to Beyoncé's Renaissance tour, but we are getting the next best thing: RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ. The latest chance to worship the superstar on-screen was announced back in October and will hit cinemas worldwide in December. And, it will be arriving Down Under at the same time as the US: on Friday, December 1. What runs the movie world right now? Concert flicks, which are having a big-screen moment again. In the space of mere months, three huge examples of the genre are playing cinemas worldwide, much to the delight of folks who like getting their film and music fix in one go. First came Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in October. In Australia, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense, aka the best concert flick ever made, has returned to picture palaces since mid-November. Next, RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will do the same — and it has dropped another trailer to celebrate. Beyoncé is no stranger to splashing her sets across a screen, after HOMECOMING: A Film By Beyoncé did exactly that on Netflix back in 2019. That movie covered the superstar singer's time on the Coachella stage, and came with a 40-track live album as well. This time, Bey is focusing on her 56-performance, 39-city world RENAISSANCE tour in support of the 2022 album of the same name. Now wrapped up after starting in Stockholm in Sweden in May and finishing in Kansas City, Missouri in the US on Sunday, October 1, the RENAISSANCE tour featured everything from 'Dangerously in Love 2', 'Cuff It', 'Formation' and 'Run the World (Girls)' to 'Crazy in Love', 'Love On Top', 'Drunk in Love' and 'America Has a Problem'. Given that audiences in Australia or New Zealand haven't experienced that setlist for themselves, with the tour skipping Down Under shows so far, RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ is the first chance for Bey fans in this part of the world to join in without heading overseas. "When I am performing, I am nothing but free," said Beyoncé in the concert film's initial trailer. "The goal for this tour was to create a place where everyone is free," the musician continued, in a sneak peek that includes behind-the-scenes glimpses, crowd shots and, of course, spectacular concert footage. In the latest trailer, Beyoncé expands upon her daily challenge. "In this world that is very male-dominated, I've had to be really tough to balance motherhood and being on the stage," shares the singer. RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ charts the tour from its first show until its last, as well as the hard work and technical mastery that went into it on- and off-stage, as 2.7-million-plus fans have seen in person. Check out the latest trailer for RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ below: RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will release in cinemas Down Under from Friday, December 1 — head to the film's website for tickets and further details. Images: Julian Dakdouk / Mason Poole.
Owning your first pair of R.M. Williams is like an Australian coming-of-age moment. The brand, first established in 1932 by Reginald Murray Williams, is a classic through and through. From a modest start in the Adelaide outback learning leatherworking from local bushmen, Williams built a following among the stockmen and women of the heartland, and eventually — over a highly prolific eight decades — gained global notoriety. 85 years later, fans are still wearing R.M.s — from farmers in the outback, to corporate businessmen, to the style set at fashion week. How has the iconic brand managed to stay relevant, and stand the test of time over eight decades? In partnership with R.M. Williams and in celebration of their 85th anniversary, we sat down with head designer Jeremy Hershan to discuss respecting your roots, honouring the craft and innovating from there. Oh, and never, ever forgoing quality. TIMELESS DESIGN NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE Jeremy Hershan earned his stripes in the fashion industry designing for high-end, heritage brands — he's worked with Kris Van Assche of Dior Homme, and set up on London's Savile Row at Gieves & Hawkes. Last year, the Melbourne-born designer landed the lead design role at R.M. Williams, bringing with him a respect for tradition, an appreciation for quality shoes and most importantly, contemporary insight — a necessity for keeping things fresh and captivating at a history-rich design house like R.M. Williams. A treasure trove of beautifully-crafted pieces, the R.M. Williams archive provides a huge source of inspiration. Reworking archival pieces to suit contemporary trends, Hershan explained how he looked to the archives to find relevant styles to reinterpret for the brand's future. Take the R.M. Williams signature Craftsman boot, for example. First created for the working men and women out in the Australian bush, the boots' design has barely changed during the brand's 85 years. Rather than reinvent the boots every season, modern touches and the use of alternative materials and treatments keep the iconic style fresh and contemporary. For the latest collection, R.M. Williams' master craftspeople worked and reworked the leather of the boots over several days, hand-staining with different creams to create a rich, burnished patina. This sort of attention to detail, and the quality of each and every pair has been key to the brand's 85-year survival. Every shoe is made with one single piece of leather and one integral seam, personally created by craftspeople at the brand's Adelaide workshop. KEEPING THINGS FRESH THROUGH INNOVATION Over the years, the Craftsman boot has evolved to incorporate new materials, cuts and fabrications. There are now Classic, Comfort, Signature and Natural styles — each with a different finish, sole style and fit. Originally available only in classic dark brown, the boots are now available in a range of colours including dark tan, chestnut and black, as well as leathers, like French veal calf, crocodile and even kangaroo (if you're feeling patriotic) among many other options. If you are more partial to lighter styles, there's also the women's Adelaide — a slimmer shoe to the Craftsman — and the pointed-toe Millicent, which gained popularity with the fashion crowd after Australian designer Dion Lee collaborated with the brand and dressed his models in custom boots for his runway at fashion week in New York and Sydney in 2014. By responding to trends through colour and material, the brand has managed to evolve, stay relevant and keep their boots fashionable. Small tweaks have made huge differences, and collaborations with high-end designers have opened the brand up to new customers, all while allowing them to keep their loyal customer base. They've even gone as far as expanding their reach into your home. You can now customise your very own bespoke pair of boots — literally creating those perfect, slightly out-of-reach shoes you've been searching for your whole life. THE ANTIDOTE TO DISPOSABLE FASHION With shops overrun by fast, disposable fashion, it's all too easy to buy designer imitations that only last a few months. Hershan urges the need to return to quality and reevaluate our view of fashion. Not mentioning the numerous social and environmental benefits that come from quitting fast fashion, if you invest in a quality pair of boots, they'll last you forever and only get better with time — you know when your boots start to scruff in exactly the right places, that's when they've truly become your boots. Follow Hershan's advice and spend your hard-earned money on a long-term investment, like the Craftsman, that remains stylish and cuts through the noise of ever-changing fast fashion. "It's about buying less, but buying better. A pair of boots is an investment that will last you a lifetime if you take care of them in the right way." Judging by the success of R.M. Williams over the past 85 years, they won't go out of fashion either. R.M. Williams Craftsman, Adelaide and Millicent boots are available online — head to the website to shop the latest collection or create your own bespoke pair. By Quinn Connors and Kelly Pigram.
Turkish eatery Anason is the first permanent restaurant to open its sleek navy doors in the Barangaroo precinct. Nestled neatly in an unassuming alcove, Anason is immediately warm and inviting inside and out; the indoor area is largely dedicated to an open plan kitchen and wine storage so most diners eat outside in the open-air terrace. The innovative menu is stridently Turkish, showcasing authentic mezze plates characterised by bold flavours and even bolder colour palettes. The generous dishes crafted from fresh, local produce are designed for groups to share, which may be bad news for people who like to eat tiny meals alone. Anason invokes the bustling atmosphere of the meyhanes of Istanbul, but unfortunately the decor and music aren't enough to disguise the fact that you're eating in the middle of the soulless, futuristic ghost town that is the still-in-progress state of Barangaroo. While you peruse the list of local and imported Turkish wines, we recommend starting with a few dips and breads to share. A sesame seed-studded simit ($3 each) is served with creamy tarragon labne, and is simultaneously chewy and soft — it tastes like the delicious carby love child of a bagel and a loaf of sourdough. Meanwhile, both the Atom dip — which is served with a pool of burnt butter and dried Marash chillies — and the creamy pumpkin hummus topped with crispy salted chickpeas are large enough portions to justify ordering several toasted pita breads to mop them up with. For the larger dishes, Anason is plating up some seriously fresh foods from the sea. There's stuffed mussels brimming with wild rice and sweet currants ($18); according to owner and chef Somer Sivrioglu, these moreish morsels — intended to be tackled in a single bite — are the street food of choice after a Turkish bender. For those who prefer to eat their seafare with cutlery, the octopus with beetroot kisir ($20) is perfectly balanced and a stunning shade of magenta, while the whole calamari dolma can barely contain its delectable stuffing of feta, pistachios and sweet barberries ($28). It's served on a bed of avo-ghanoush, a curious blend of avocado and baba ghanoush, presumably intended for those who can tolerate heated avocado. If you're after something that hasn't spent a lifetime at sea, the cauliflower with walnut tarator and orange zest ($19) is a robust accompaniment that proves vegetables don't need to be relegated to side dishes, while our favourite is the lamb backstrap ($27). Served roughly sliced on a thick schmear of pureed eggplant begendi, the succulent lamb is impossibly tender and that perfect shade of blush pink that you only seem to see on ads funded by lamb lobbyists. If you've managed to save some stomach real estate for dessert, the poached quince with tart green apple sorbet ($15) was wonderfully light, while the creamy sutlac — a Turkish rice pudding with a caramelised top sprinkled with crispy pastry bits and hazelnuts — is the pudding equivalent of a toasty heated blanket. Unfortunately though, once you've had your fill, you have the unenviable task of ejecting yourself from a beautiful evening tucked away in what feels like a patio in Istanbul and returning to the desolate construction site of Barangaroo, where you wait alone on the street for a cab to take you back to civilisation.
This year, as we are wont to do, we ate a lot of meals. We ate mussels and Mexican in Sydney, sushi and salted caramel in Melbourne and fried chicken and Frankenstein foods in Brisbane, as well as some excellent meals on our travels. But, when it comes down to it, at the end of 12 months of noshing, there are only a few truly memorable meals that spring to mind immediately — the ones that were so good, we gushed about them for the next three weeks and nagged our partners/colleagues/friends to return with us ASAP. Here are the dishes burned into our taste memory — if their respective eateries still list them on the menu, book a table immediately. ROUGAMO (CHINESE BURGER) AT XI'AN BIANG BIANG, SYDNEY What if I told you one of Sydney's most memorable burger experiences can be found at a Chinese restaurant in Haymarket? That's right, this year Xi'an Biang Biang introduced us to 'rougamo', aka the world's oldest 'hamburger'. Originating in the Shaanxi province of China, this ancient meat sanga is made from a flaky pastry pocket stuffed with juicy pork shreds. It's soft. It's crunchy. It's everything. Expect warm fatty juices to run down your arm and awkward stares from strangers when you go to lick it off. Let's just say, we can see why it caught on. — Erina Starkey, Sydney food and drink reviewer KANGAROO AND CROCODILE, CALYPSO DREAMS AT MOMOFUKU SEIBO, SYDNEY Puffed kangaroo tendon and crocodile soup aren't things you'll usually see at Seiobo. But neither is Jock Zonfrillo. The native-ingredient wizard, from Adelaide's Orana, helmed the kitchen alongside head chef Paul Carmichael for one night in October, dishing up creative Caribbean dishes with Australian twists. The night began with the above — the broth was rich, the puffed tendon light and tangy — and ended with a dessert of buttermilk and eucalyptus. If you see this elusive pair on a lineup together anytime in the future, I recommend you make a reservation, tout de suite. — Samantha Teague, editorial manager A post shared by Marco Fanuli (@marco_fanuli) on Sep 24, 2017 at 12:41am PDT TEA SANDWICH AT AFRICOLA, ADELAIDE I had dreams about this sandwich on the night after I first tried it. It's a simple yet exceedingly delicious creation: crispy roasted chicken skin on crustless white bread with flat-leaf parsley and a generous lick of chilli mayonnaise. Served with a dish of hot drippings from Africola's signature peri peri chicken (usually spiked with Bourbon if chef Duncan Welgemoed is lingering behind the bar), no less. It's the ultimate hangover cure, which they need to start packaging up and shipping around the country. — Samantha Payne, Sydney contributor WAFFLE-COATED SATED CARAMEL ICE CREAM AT ANNAM, MELBOURNE Salted caramel remained as popular as ever this year and new Vietnamese restaurant Annam was all over it. When I visited in November I revelled in a glorious six courses finished with an an epic waffle and coconut-battered deep-fried ice cream, drizzled in salted caramel sauce. Achieving that moreish balance between salty and sweet this was the perfect way to finish the feast — the modern twist on a Chinese restaurant favourite has easily been one of my fave dishes of 2017. — Ashleigh Whitehill, Melbourne contributor A post shared by Samantha Teague (@teaguese) on Oct 23, 2017 at 4:33am PDT SCALLOP, HAM AND PEAS AT SASAKI, SYDNEY This is what happens when Yu Sasaki recreates pea and ham soup. The head chef and owner of our best new Sydney restaurant of 2017 used prosciutto jelly, scallops and pea shoots to create an Instagram-friendly, edible yin yang symbol that transported its eaters to snotty childhood winters. The restaurant's menu changes frequently, so this is no longer on offer, but there are many other next-level dishes — like the Japanese Madeleines — to enjoy. — Samantha Teague CHICKEN PARMA SPRING ROLLS AT LITTLE BIG HOUSE, BRISBANE Of all of the culinary hybrids cooked up by foodie Dr Frankensteins, Little Big House's might be the most unexpected: chicken parma spring rolls. They're also one of the tastiest, from the oh-so-crispy pastry to the succulent sauced-filled filling. And to think we've all been eating them separately for all of these years. — Sarah Ward, weekend editor KINGFISH SAN CHOY BAU AT ESTER, SYDNEY Most Ester regulars will be familiar with its famed kingfish and mandarin dish, but if you're lucky enough to see kingfish san choy bau on the menu, order it immediately. A recurring special on the menu, the Ester team basically pick the flesh off the roasted kingfish head (which would have gone into the bin otherwise) and then roll it up in a lettuce head with mint, cress and delicious spicy sambals. — Tahlia Phillips, business director A post shared by Jamie // JamJam (@jamjam.li) on Dec 9, 2017 at 6:32pm PST SMOKED MUSSELS AT DEAR SAINTE ÉLOISE, SYDNEY As overall winner of Concrete Playground's best new Sydney bar of 2017, it's no surprise I indulged in one of my favourite meals sitting at the long copper bar of Dear Sainte Eloise. The dish that, for me, carries the succinct menu selection is the smoked mussels on toast ($14). Like bruschetta from the sea, the briny broth is slurpable and the mussels are plump and succulent. The combination of crunchy carrots and fresh parsley with the shellfish is supremely well-balanced — much like Dear Sainte Éloise itself. Pair it with a expertly recommended glass of white from the extensive 350 plus wine list and you'll know exactly why this laneway spot has quickly secured a place in sydney food-loving hearts. — Marissa Ciampi, Sydney contributor PORK BELLY SALAD AT AGRARIAN KITCHEN, HOBART They say you don't win friends with salad but when the salad in question has chargrilled pork belly and a perfectly poached egg, which, when broken, runs through the freshest mixed leaves I've ever eaten, you might want to rethink that statement. Everything the Agrarian Kitchen uses on their menu comes from their on-site garden and farm giving the food this incredible energy and life to it. A must-visit if you're in Tassie. — Samantha Payne HUITLACOCHE AT CHULA, SYDNEY Fungus fans, this one's for you. Potts Point eatery Chula is dishing up a superb "Mexican pizza" called the tlayuda de huitlacoche. This intriguing dish sees a crispy tortilla base topped with refried beans, Oaxacan cheese and blistery black clumps of corn smut (yep, smut). Both a disease and a delicacy, this unusual Mexican ingredient reveals pungent earthy flavours with a funky kick of blue cheesiness. If you like truffle, you need to give huitlacoche a try. — Erina Starkey PANI PURI AT TONKA, MELBOURNE By no means a new dish, but my first pani puri experience — and it delivered becoming something I continued to chase throughout 2017. Tonka's fragrant, slightly warm aromatic water is addictive poured into those crispy parcels filled with potato, mung bean, tamarind chutney and dates. — Quinn Connors, partnerships editor A post shared by Lauren Vadnjal (@lrnvdnl) on Mar 1, 2017 at 4:06pm PST GLUTEN-FREE LAMB RAGU PAPPARDELLE AT KINDRED, SYDNEY Back when I was diagnosed as coeliac in the early 2000s I used to eat rice cakes and tiny pieces of toasted gluten-free bread and think that this was my life now. Slowly, it got better; restaurants started to bring in sans-gluten supermarket spaghetti as an alternative and stopped serving burgers in lettuce cups (mostly), but we still hadn't hit the gluten-free golden age. So I personally don't think it was overdramatic to shed a tear when this bowl of pappardelle was placed in front of me at Kindred — not only was it GF, but the Cleveland Street restaurant makes it fresh in-house, just the same as its regular pastas and breads. It was a special pasta moment and I have returned to Kindred multiple times to relive it. — Lauren Vadnjal, deputy editor PORK BELLY CONGEE AT EITHER OR, SYDNEY Well thought out in design, drinks and food, Either Or serves a menu of Asian-inspired breakfast favourites. The pork belly adobo congee is a clear winner, featuring umami flavours and served with mushrooms, micro greens and a poached egg on top. — Quinn Connors A post shared by Vicky Hanlon (@vicsta.gram) on Dec 22, 2017 at 5:11pm PST CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM LAYER CAKE AT BEATRIX, MELBOURNE When things get tough, eat cake. The best way to eat a takeaway slice of Nat Paull's infamous Beatrix chocolate sour cream layer cake is straight out of the box on the walk back to North Melbourne Station. It's an old favourite of mine that never, ever disappoints — the buttercream frosting is cloud-like in texture and moreish at the same time, while the dried raspberry crumble on top finishes off with a sharp, sweet aftertaste. — Nathania Gilson, Melbourne contributor VEGAN PATATE PIZZA AT GIGI'S, SYDNEY While Sydney's New York-style pizza scene is somewhat dwindling, rising from the ashes of the woodfire is a healthy crop of simpler pizza restaurants using fewer (but better) ingredients. Newtown's Gigi's has gone one step further and is making fully vegan Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana-certified pizzas in traditional Neapolitan style. Physical restraints would be required to hold me back from finishing the patate pizza with thin-sliced roasted potato, garlic, rosemary and black truffle pâté. Pair it with a natural wine and Gigi's rocket, radicchio, apple, pistachio and cinnamon salad. Plus, you can feel good about supporting the plant based ethical eating movement over pizza and wine. — Kitti Smallbone, Sydney photographer
A Sydney original, Beau Tea began in Cabramatta and now boasts five locations across Sydney, including in Burwood, Chatswood and Haymarket. The tea here is brewed fresh daily and is made from a 'secret' recipe — and you'll notice the difference in the taste. The brand specialises in traditional fruit and flower teas, but has continued to expand into new territory. Think purple rice yoghurt drinks, hibiscus tea punches and the new coffee frappe range (topped with milk foam, of course). There's also cream lattes, cheese teas and hidden menu items to watch out for.
You know those little steamed buns that you get at yum cha? You'll get to know them a whole lot better at Bao Town, a pop-up collaboration between two bao-obsessed ladies who want to share their love for this soft outside and tasty inside street food. Traditionally an Asian street food, baozi, or simply bao (pronounced 'bow'), are growing increasingly popular here in Sydney and so what better way to explore the fun even more than with Bao Town? Once a month, for three months, Bao Town will serve two savoury and one sweet bao with new flavours being introduced at each pop up, along with Vietnamese coffee. Scrumptious fillings that you can expect to try include beef bo kho, yellow chicken curry, miso eggplant and coconutty pork belly (a definite favourite so far). Sweet tooths will drop their jaws at lemon polenta and gooey molten chocolate — the latter certainly requiring napkins. The collaboration comes from Theresa Nguyen and Vella Nero, who are joining forces to bring us this beloved street food, with plans to eventually operate as a stand-alone space and catering company. A graphic designer by profession, Australian-Vietnamese Theresa is a freelance food stylist and the words behind food blog The Gook. Since she was old enough to pronounce 'bao', Theresa has had a love of good food. When she noticed a shift in the Sydney eating scene — a move to simple cuisine, with one dish done well — she saw the opportunity to operate her own Bao joint, and we're chuffed she followed through with her idea. So pop on down to Bao Town for the launch on Sunday October 12 and grab some tasty bao. And at only $3.50 a pop or 3 for $10, why wouldn't you be keen to celebrate the love of the hot fluffy goodness and warming happiness that is bao? Bao Town is on Saturday, October 12, November 2 and December 7 from 10am to 5pm at Vella Nero, 259 Clarence Street, Sydney. You can follow Bao Town on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
If you feel like the general cost of living is on an endless journey upwards, well, you'd be right on the money (or lack thereof). In news that's surprising to pretty much no one, Sydney and Melbourne have again outdone themselves, both trumping their earlier positions on an index of the world's most expensive cities. The list, which is one of many that index cost of living, is put together by the world's biggest price aggregation website Numbeo. This year sees Sydney shoot to number 32, soaring past last year's ranking of 41, and Melbourne also surged ahead, moving from last year's 77th position to become the world's 64th most expensive city in 2018. The Gold Coast was the least expensive local city in the index, ranking at 180. To create the Cost of Living Index, Numbeo looked at a range of factors, surrounding things like food, lifestyle, housing, salaries and taxation. Hamilton in Bermuda topped the list, followed closely by five different Swiss cities. In the breakdown, Sydney's hefty rental prices were named the 16th highest in the world, with a one-bedroom city apartment averaging $2619 a month. If that makes you cringe, spare a thought for London (ranked 10th on the rent index) where the same sort of pad costs $2876 a month, or the top-ranking city of San Francisco, where you'd be forking out $4113. Meanwhile, Hobart was named Australia's most expensive city for dining out and 26th in the world, with a two-person feed at a mid-range restaurant averaging about $100. In this lineup, Perth ranked 46, while Melbourne and Sydney clocked in at numbers 79 and 80 respectively. When it comes to the average cost of a new set of wheels, Sydney ranked 188th in the world, with Perth edging in at number 202. Canberrans have it better than any other Aussie city in this department, taking out 226th ranking. To check out the full list, visit numbeo.com.
After nearly a decade of Westerosi power struggles, obsessed fans and soaring ratings, HBO found itself with a Game of Thrones-sized gap to fill last year. The network isn't completely saying goodbye to the world created by George RR Martin, with at least one spinoff in the works — but it's also eager for something else to help pick up where GoT left off, fantasy-wise. First debuting late in 2019, and due to return for a second season in November, His Dark Materials is one of the US network's prime candidates. It's based on Philip Pullman's award-winning young adult trilogy of books of the same name: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. And if it sounds familiar — and not just because you watched the initial batch of episodes — that's because one of the tomes, The Golden Compass, was already turned into a movie back in 2007. HBO is keeping things simple with its adaptation by sticking with the franchise name, other than individual book monikers — hence the His Dark Materials title. It has also bet big on star power, with the series boasting a hefty cast. James McAvoy, Ruth Wilson, Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda, Da 5 Bloods' Clarke Peters and Logan's Dafne Keen all feature, while Fleabag's Andrew Scott and Phoebe Waller-Bridge will also pop up in the second season. Yes, it'll be a reunion for the two series newcomers, although you'll be seeing Scott on-screen as Colonel John Parry and hearing Waller-Bridge's voice as Parry's daemon. What's a daemon? It's one of the key parts of His Dark Materials. Here, Keen plays an orphan by the name of Lyra Belacqua — who seems just like everyone else, but hails from an alternate universe where a person's soul manifests as a shape-shifting animal called a daemon. In the show's first season, as Lyra looks for a kidnapped friend in the Arctic, she discovers a church-run stolen children ring, learns about mysterious particles known as Dust and ventures through different worlds, including the one we all know. McAvoy pops up as a powerful aristocrat, Wilson is his ex, and Miranda plays a balloonist and adventurer. If you're eager for the next season, HBO dropped its first sneak peek a few months back, releasing a trailer as part of this year's Comic-Con at Home — and it has just revealed a new trailer as well. As for when you'll be watching it, it returns to screens on Tuesday, November 17, Australian and New Zealand time. In Australia, it airs on Foxtel. Check out the latest trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CdQm6gLHUM His Dark Materials' second season will start airing from Tuesday, November 17 on Foxtel in Australia, and will also be available to view on-demand. Images: HBO.
The year 2000 seems appropriate for the release of an iconic Australian record: it was the year Daniel Johns promised he'd make it up to us; we'd recently learned Madison Avenue was not our baby; and we'd narrowly avoided death by computers crashing. It was time to celebrate a new millennium. Having sold more than a million copies, Since I Left You had fans pleading for a follow-up album from day one. But 14 years later, The Avalanches are still yet to deliver. Though a second album is expected at any moment, Vivid Sydney is keeping us satisfied in the meantime. Fronted by South Africa-born, Sydney-raised eclectic electronic whiz kid Jonti along with alt-pop local favourite Rainbow Chan and management buds Astral People, Vivid LIVE's celebration of The Avalanches will see as many as 17 performers reinterpret and rearrange some of the 3,500 samples included in Since I Left You. Between rehearsals and resting his voice, Jonti took time to chat with us about Saturday's Opera House performance, his love for The Avalanches and what to expect from the future. ON VIVID LIVE Originally produced for OutsideIn Festival last year, the Since I Left You tribute set was created to "show our own profuse love for The Avalanches," according to Jonti (who'll no doubt be blissing out himself throughout the show). If you've been a little baffled by what to expect from the Saturday May 24 performance, Jonti makes it plain. "It's a recreation of the album. We're basically just trying to bring it to life, cover every sound and play it in the same order as when you listen to the album, but back-the-front," he says. Of the whopping 18 songs making up Since I Left You — and the 3,500 samples included in it — 'Electricity' is Jonti's favourite of their reinterpretations (although it wasn't an easy task to pick just one). "I just think it ends with a lot of soul and the strings sound really beautiful. It just kind of explodes and everyone's really on their A game and it's all kind of 'game over' sounding. I've really liked the way we've been doing that one." https://youtube.com/watch?v=VfAuFAgHpzc ON HIS LOVE FOR THE AVALANCHES To have a bunch of young, celebrated musos recreating their album at the Opera House 14 years after its release must feel pretty damn great for The Avalanches. But of course, it's equally satisfying for Jonti, who's adored the Melbourne band since their first release. "There's copious amounts of love in their album and I feel that's what makes it kind of transcend over the years. "When I moved to Australia from South Africa, I wasn't really sure of my identity. I had to find myself and I think the album helped me with that; it helped me choose a path. And even last year, I was very stuck and went through a breakup, then we did the Since I Left You [OutsideIn] show and it just resparked a love of music. It's the album that keeps giving," Jonti laughs. The Avalanches have kept us on their toes with rumours of a second album since Since I Left You's release. But it finally seems likely that we'll hear more from the Melbourne legends any day soon, with Jonti recently collaborating on the forthcoming anticipated (and rather mysterious) release. Despite his undying love for their first album, it seems even Jonti thinks a second could be better. "I think it's possible. When I got back from the studio I was kind of blushing like a school girl. It definitely has the same power." But rethinking his answer, Jonti reckons it might not be his favourite. "Only because I'm on their album. I don't think I could say that's my favourite album and be on it," he laughs. "That would sound weird." https://youtube.com/watch?v=_MJNjRAkRfE PREDICTING THE FUTURE Orchestrating a 17-person show at the Opera House has become Jonti's pet project for the past year. But requiring a huge amount of effort, stress and thought, it'll all be over after Saturday night. "There'll definitely be withdrawals. We were talking about it this morning, like, 'what are we going to do?' But we have ideas. And you just don't know what's around the corner so we'll probably just keep the gang together one way or another. "We definitely want to do a show in Melbourne, because that's where they're [The Avalanches] from. But it all depends on whatever we can make feasible. It's just hard enough getting us all in the one room to rehearse!" But between rehearsals, Jonti's also been recording a solo album that's probably "40 per cent" completed. "We'll see where that leads to." Jonti will perform as part of Vivid LIVE in Since I Left You - A Celebration of The Avalanches on Saturday 24 May. More details over here.
Reward yourself for making it to the end of another working week by stuffing yourself silly at Cairo Takeaway in Enmore. This unassuming Egyptian delight is not your average kebab shop; the ingredients are fresh, food is made to order and the menu is a truly authentic one. The standout here are the falafels — theirs are made with fava beans — that are then lovingly stuffed into a sesame-crusted warm pita and topped with an array of pickled veg. Even better? Their beer hails from Inner West craft beer barons Wayward Brewing and Young Henrys. You can also BYO your favourite vino if beer's not your thing. Round out the night by laughing away the week's stresses with some comedy at Factory Theatre. Presented by Laugh-Masters Academy, the Night Shift show is guaranteed to get you chortling away courtesy of Sydney's best up-and-coming improv and comedy talent.
If you thought Melbourne was the only place you could eat a meal on a tram, think again. With a gorgeous old Rozelle tram restored and fitted out with tables and chairs, Butcher and the Farmer has one of the most unique dining areas in Sydney. It sits on one side of the restaurant's light-filled, sprawling industrial space at Forest Lodge's new Tramsheds development. Befitting of its historic location, Butcher and the Farmer is going for a providore to plate approach. There's a firm focus on pushing the produce front and centre, with plenty of dishes presented simply using traditional coal-roasting, smoking, pickling and curing techniques. They're serious about their meat here, with the provenance and farmer listed for every cut. All the meats on the menu are also available for purchase at the on-site butcher. The sirloin steak ($37) is a fine piece of meat (an Angus from South Australia's Collinson farm), with a black, crisp exterior giving way to a juicy, medium-rare interior. It's well-seasoned and rested, and presented with your choice of buttered mash, baby cos or fries. There are also smaller, sharable options like chargrilled chicken breast ($27) which ties into the theme of unfussy and pastoral fare, or a straightforward warm grain salad ($13), with white grapes, walnuts and coriander. There are some neat touches in the drinks list, with a lemon ginger mojito ($16) using white rum, lemon sherbert, lime, smashed mint and ginger and the East 8 Hold Up ($16) mixed using 666 vodka, Aperol, pineapple juice, passionfruit and lime. The bar also stocks a range of craft beers and ciders, alongside a mainly Australian wine list. You can sip on the honeyed sweetness of a Margan Estate Botrytis Semillon ($14 glass) with dessert, which also tends to the rustic. The Apple Rumble ($13) with cinnamon poached apple, ginger and oat crumble, rum and raisin ice cream and dulce de leche is definitely the highlight. Service is enthusiastic if sometimes nervous, but the space is a fine example of an urban renewal project paying homage to its roots. Extras like breakfast from 8am and generous happy hour — which kicks off at 4pm and runs till 7pm every weekday — are drawcards, as is the homespun, hearty food on offer. Images: Steven Woodburn.
If this year's holiday planning has you thinking small and local, you've now got a couple of extra accommodation options to pop onto that travel radar. After the NRMA, aka the National Roads and Motorists' Association, debuted the first of its new stylishly-repurposed shipping container escapes — or 'glamtainers' — last spring, it has now added two more to the collection. While the two OG tiny homes will temporarily remain at NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort, where they've been sitting pretty since September, the other pair are headed to the snow. The new editions will premiere at NRMA Jindabyne Holiday Park from July, in time for the busy ski season. Easily movable and also extendable in size, the seven-metre-long luxury tiny homes all have room to sleep four. Each boasts a queen and a double bed, plus a full bathroom and a decent sized kitchenette. What's more, they're fitted out in style, with upscale features including comfy mattresses, plush linens, air-conditioning and attached outdoor entertaining spaces. As with their beachside siblings, the new glamtainers are the work of Melbourne company Glam Xperience, which makes a whole series of glamping tents and mini retreats — and whose creations you might have spied at the likes of St Jerome's The Hotel and Clifftop at Hepburn. The units are designed to allow guests to experience staying amongst the great outdoors, without sacrificing comfort, so you can bet they're primed for those winter snow escapes. The Ocean Beach glamtainers have proved a huge hit for Aussie holidaymakers, with bookings filling up quickly ever since their inception. In fact, the original plan was to move those two on to Jindabyne next, but the pair have been so popular that NRMA decided to simply expand the family instead. The NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort glamtainers are available to book again for stays from May 11. Meanwhile, the new NRMA Jindabyne Holiday Park glamtainers are being installed in the coming months, with bookings open from July. Images: Shan Rose Photography
You've heard of bed and breakfasts. In fact, you've probably even stayed at a couple. They're all well and good; however a new cocktail-focused hotel is offering up something even better than brekkie with your room: a bed and beverage experience. If you're in the vicinity of Los Angeles from September onwards, head to ten-room The Walker Inn to enjoy an intimate and relaxing evening complete with a nightcap or several (and painkillers when you check out). And no, you won't just guzzle whatever's in the mini-bar in your vintage-heavy room. Instead, you'll get the kind of high-quality home bar setup you could only dream of having in your actual house, complete with a recipe book to guide you through the cocktail-making process. You'll be shaking, mixing and stirring your own drinks in no time. Don't think that The Walker Inn isn't for sociable clientele, though. With the '20s-style hotel also boasting its own bar, you'll have plenty of opportunities to sip on a mixologist-made beverage and mingle with other patrons, if that's what you'd prefer. Some rooms even have their own secret staircase leading back down to the shared lounge area. Basically, think of The Walker Inn as accommodation for those who want a couple of options for winding down after a nice meal out with friends, which is exactly how owner David Kaplan describes it. Similar establishments have popped up in Paris and Los Feliz, so it seems like this is part of a growing trend. Fingers crossed that some clever person brings the concept to Australia — and soon. Via PSFK and Skift.
Before 2025 is out, BENEE will release her second album. Before that, she's supporting Tate McRae's UK and Europe gigs, and already has a tune on the soundtrack for A Minecraft Movie. That's a huge year for any musician, especially after touring with Wallows in North America and Olivia Rodrigo in Australia in 2024, as well as making her Coachella debut in 2023 and singing the official song of the same year's Women's World Cup with Mallrat. But something else that's massive has been happening for Stella Bennett around the above achievements and highlights, plus her own first world tour in 20222: Head South, her debut film. Written and directed by fellow Aotearoan Jonathan Ogilvie (The Tender Hook, Lone Wolf), Head South is based on his own experiences. The filmmaker calls it "an almost-true story"; "everything in it happened, and mainly to me", he also notes. Given that the movie shot in 2022, then premiered at International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2024, then played New Zealand International Film Festival and hit cinemas in NZ that year, Head South has been a part of Bennett's life for a few years ahead of opening in Australia on Thursday, April 3, 2205. And while she can't wait for what's ahead for her musically in 2025 — "I'm so excited. I love touring. It's pretty fun being on a bus. That makes it weirdly easier, because you're not checking into hotels or being in a sprinter van, but you get rocked to sleep in the bus. It's quite strange. It doesn't sound fun, but it is fun," she tells Concrete Playground — she's always wanted to be in a film. Indeed, she hopes that more will follow. BENEE wasn't actively looking for the project that'd take her to the big screen when Head South crossed her path. "It was just an opportunity that came up," she advises. That said, "I'd definitely been saying that I want to do acting", she also reflects. "I grew up doing auditions and voiceovers, so it was definitely, when it came up, I was like 'heck yeah, definitely, I'm down'." The bug has firmly struck, though, including genuinely seeking out new parts moving forward. "I am. I've just got a new agent in America, so there are hopefully going to be some opportunities. And I want to be in a horror movie. I would love to be in a scary movie." With Head South mining Ogilvie's teenage life for inspiration, Australian talent Ed Oxenbould (Nugget Is Dead?: A Christmas Story) is the picture's lead — and the lone Aussie among the NZ cast and crew, he tells us. As Angus, it's the Puberty Blues, Paper Planes, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, The Visit, Better Watch Out, Wildlife and Irreverent star's task to virtually play his director, and to find himself thrust into Christchurch's post-punk music scene in 1979. Always trying to seem cool, the character swaps his blonde surfer-style locks and trying to pass off parsley as marijuana with his schoolmates for a cropped cut, a bass and the world revolving around Middle Earth Records. Listening to Public Image Ltd, John Lydon's band post-Sex Pistols, is one of those life-changing music moments that every teen has. Attempting to put together the band that Angus claims that he already fronts — endeavouring to impress Malcolm (Demos Murphy, The Gulf), the singer from local favourites The Cursed — isn't as straightforward as he expects, however. Angus' made-up group has a name: The Daleks. It soon has a gig as well, opening for The Cursed. BENEE plays Kirsten, who works the counter at a pharmacy, is a wiz on the guitar and is Angus' only hope for making good on his music claims. That Ogilvie's narrative focuses on a journey sparked by exaggerating to fit in, then scrambling to back it up, is indicative of its warts-and-all honesty. There's warmth to Head South, yet it's also deeply bittersweet as it balances Angus and Kirsten's growing connection, and the former's quest to truly find himself amid his self-doubts — plus "all these cute characters vibing around Christchurch", as BENEE puts it — with more than a few people taking advantage of Angus, the awkwardness with his father (Marton Csokas, Cuckoo) at home after his mother has moved out and navigating a tragedy. In Head South's performances, emotions, personal ties, portrait of a moment in music history in a specific city, soundtrack and aesthetic — scratches and splices among the visuals included — Ogilvie pushes authenticity to the fore. Much about that commitment appealed to both Bennett and Oxenbould; this isn't the kind of project that comes either of their ways often. "You don't see these type of things every day, and that's what immediately jumped out about it, was the quality of it, how unique it was. It was something that I knew nothing about, which is always exciting as an actor, to dive into a different world. And the fact that it was personal and true adds a whole new gravity and weight to it, which makes it really exciting. There was so much about it that was so interesting and tantalising as an idea," Oxenbould says. Among the pair, Oxenbould was the veteran on-screen, but Bennett had the music experience. Drawing upon each other's expertise was a key part of the production for both. We also chatted with the duo about being about to lean on each other, the weight of making a film that's so personal for its guiding force — and, as Oxenbould characterises it, "such a unique mix of genres" — as well as music research and more. On How BENEE Knew That Head South Was the Right Film for Her Movie Debut Stella: "I think when I initially got sent the script and story, I was obviously like 'okay, this is sick'. This is set in Christchurch, in the post-punk scene, which I honestly didn't know a lot about when I first got sent it. And then I read the script and I learned about Kirsten, and I was pretty attached to her quite early on — because I was like 'oh, there's something so vulnerable and sweet and kind of damaged and quirky about this character'. And I just instantly fell in love with the whole story. It just felt right. And also Jonathan was so nice. He was so enthusiastic from the get-go. And I was like 'he believes in me, and I'm so down to be a part of this'. I've always wanted to be in a film. And I love acting. It's a lot of fun. And it's fun to just be a different character, because I feel like my whole thing is BENEE and it's more myself — but performing, but myself. So it was cool to just completely take a different role. I want to be in a horror movie next. I want to be every different kind of character." On Whether It's Daunting Making a Project That's So Personal for Its Director — Including, for Oxenbould, Playing a Version of Ogilvie Ed: "100 percent. It's very daunting. Look, it's good. Thankfully, it was really good that Jonathan wasn't like 'you have to get me word-perfect'. It was so relaxed, and he knew that it was just a basis. And there were things that he changed and stretched in his story, so we found a really good middle ground of character and real life. But it is always daunting, knowing that these things happened to him. It adds to it — it's not just like 'ooh, how would I react?'. There was a lot of me asking him 'how did you react? How did you feel here? How can I try to bring some of that authenticity and truthfulness to that?'. But it is definitely daunting." Stella: "It definitely was. And even I remember that last scene, I feel like I got — as you got — pretty emotional, because I was like 'damn, he went through this and we're just acting this out right now in front of him', and 'what a crazy thing to experience in life' and to do it justice, basically." Ed: "Yeah, that's it. But it is surreal. Like you're saying, Stella, it's kind of weird to think 'ohh, we're acting out this crazy pivotal moment in Jonathan's life'." Stella: "Yeah." Ed: "And he's watching, and there's a whole crew watching." Stella: "You did a great job, mate. You did a great job." Ed: "Thank you. You too." On the Balancing Act of Navigating the Movie's Mix of Comedy, Darkness, Coming-of-Age Antics, Awkwardness and Heartbreak Ed: "It definitely is, but I think it comes down to Jonathan's great sense of direction — that he knew when to reel it in, he knew when to accentuate it. But I think that's also what read in the script, is the sense of humour, and all these gags that were in it that made it really fun and light. And it's also that really nice, quirky, very Kiwi sense of humour, which also just sets it apart from so many other things. But I think he just did such a good job with, on the day and in editing, just really finding that balance of heart and extremities of both sides." Stella: "Definitely. There's so much depth. And like, yeah, you were laughing — like I was hysterically laughing at times —and then other times I'm like 'well, this is dark and kind of twisted' or 'this is really sad'. I feel like that's what I want out of every movie. I want it to make me feel a bunch of things — and then I come out of it, and I feel a little bit hurt, but I also feel kind of hopeful." On the Research Required for a Film Set in the Late 70s, in the Post-Punk Music Scene, Telling a Very Specific Slice of Christchurch Life Ed: "For me, so much of the film is about these experiences that Angus goes through and he's extremely unprepared for them, and he kind of gets taken off his feet. So I had an element of that, of wanting to be a little bit carried away and swept up by the music and by everything. But I think in basic preparation, it was just a lot of looking at a lot of reference material; listening to the music; listening to what came before, what came after, what came during; and just to try to build the scene in your head — so that we were really well-versed in just that world, so that we could do our jobs truthfully and as close as possible to how these people lived and sounded and acted." Stella: "Yeah, totally. And for me, I think what was really helpful was just sitting down with Jonathan and hearing everything that he has to say about that era, and what it was like for him being in a band — because it is so different to how it is now, and making music and releasing and recording music. And he's so passionate about it because he's not only a director but also musician. So just learning from him, and then feeling prepared by that. He was like an encyclopaedia, for real — a thesis." On How BENEE's Music Experience Helped Her Make the Leap to Her First Movie Stella: "Maybe for the performance at the end. That was really fun. But also, I feel like music is my life, so it felt quite comfortable just doing this film because it was all about the music. And yeah, I think that in maybe some subtle ways that it did help me, maybe. I don't know how, but I think it did." On What Oxenbould Makes of His Journey of an Actor, From Starting Out as a Child to the Path That's Brought Him to Head South Ed: "That journey is bizarre. I've been so, so lucky, and I wouldn't change anything. I've met incredible people. I've made my strongest friends by doing it. It's given me access to a whole host of opportunities that are very, very fortunate. So I feel so lucky. But I don't know — I don't really know where it goes from here. I don't know if I hit my peak and now I've plateaued." Stella: "No, you have not." Ed: "Or I'm on a downward spiral. But it's good. It means everything to me. I'm so lucky, and I hope I can continue to do it for the rest of my life. And I'm excited to explore other areas of the industry. It was a fantastic way to learn and to grow up. I've picked up all these great things and it's made me who I am as a person. I'm very, very fortunate to the people who let me get away with all things I get away with." On What It Means to BENEE to Make Her Movie Debut in a Homegrown Film That's So Proud of Being From NZ, and with Such a Strong Connection to Music Stella: "It feels really special and authentic, and just like it was meant to be. It was just the universe being like 'girl, you're going to do this right now and it's going to be really cool'. And it feels really special that it is my home, and I am part of the music, and the music that shapes the music from Christchurch. That made no sense." Ed: "I got it." Stella: "Did you get that? But it does feel pretty special. I wouldn't have wanted it to be any other role. And also just the people, it was so nice. I don't have any other experience of working with actors or directors from America or anything, so it was pretty special that it was on this Kiwi-Aussie bus. Everyone just gets it and is super down to earth and very chill. So it was a great environment to be in, especially as a first-timer, I would say." On Being Able to Lean on Each Other While Making the Film Ed: "100 percent. It's that beautiful acting thing where you just bounce off each other, and you don't realise it but you learn so much from other people. And then by the end you're like 'ohh, thank you'. And it's not this explicit 'let me help you, ;et me sit you down, Buster'." Stella: "No, no." Ed: "You just absorb." Stella: "Yeah." Ed: "It was great." Stella: "It was a lot of fun. It makes it easier, I guess, just being able to vibe with who you're working with in any field — but especially because Ed is so good. I was like 'okay, I'm taking notes and I'm learning, and I'm going to get better at this'. So it was a pretty awesome experience." Ed: "Watching you just perform and on stage — okay, that's how you do it." Stella: "No! I was literally faking the guitar. It was insane. I was learning how to play bass — oh wait, no I wasn't, I was actually playing guitar." On What Oxenbould Looks for in an Australian or New Zealand Project — and What's Special About Working Down Under After His Success Overseas Ed: "It just means a lot more. It's a lot nicer to be talking in your own accent, and talking to people that you know. and you're in a familiar land. It just feels better. It feels nice. It means you can stay and you can work and still live with family. When you work over there, you have to kind of give up — at least I have to give up everything to go over there. But working in Australia, I love. And then working in New Zealand was an honour. I love, love, love, love New Zealand. I love Kiwis. And I was the only Aussie." Stella: "You were." Ed: "I was only one in the cast. I think the only one on the crew. So I was very intimidated." Stella: "New Zealand loves you." Ed: "But you felt very welcomed, and I was very happy. And it meant a lot that that Jonathan trusted me to be the lead of this very distinctly Kiwi film — to get a traitor in the mix." Stella: "No! No. You made peace, bro." On What BENEE and Oxenbould Learned From Making Head South Ed: "You learn so much from every project and every film, which is the best part about it — you just pick up so much from the people, from around you. But I think the main thing that I learned was just about the punk scene. It's just awesome to dive into a whole new topic. And it's not something that I ever would have probably researched or probably would have sought out a lot of information, but then having Jonathan, having this crazy, knowledgeable guy who's just always there and able to fill us in on the gaps of history, it was just great. You walk away learning a lot more about these real institutions that have shaped the music industry here and in New Zealand." Stella: "Totally." Head South opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, April 3, 2025 — and is available to stream in New Zealand via Arovision.
Go big for your next date night at Willo Restaurant & Bar: a hatted restaurant plating up striking dishes with Mediterranean and Australian influences. The glamorous space in central Parramatta boasts a grand indoor dining room and bar that spills onto the foyer outdoors. The Tiny Bird's Nest is a must — a delicate brioche filled with chorizo cream and topped with Italian meringue. Follow it up with Hokkaido scallops with artichoke and chilli oil, or crispy pork ribs with pesto. Bigger mains include a Venetian duck ragu pasta, girasoli stuffed with blue swimmer crab and prawns, and slow-roasted lamb with harissa and pomegranate. Top Images: Nikki To
The Sydney Mardi Gras is almost upon us and, along with it, a feast of new queer cinema is about to descend upon the city. For 29 years now, the Mardi Gras Film Festival has added the latest LGBTQIA+ movies to Sydney's big celebration, and it's doing the same again in 2022 — but, as happened in 2021, it's going hybrid with both physical and online screenings. Accordingly, if you're a Sydneysider who's keen to get your big-screen queer film fix between Thursday, February 17–Thursday, March 3, you can, with the fest showing at Event Cinemas George Street, and holding one one-off sessions at Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne and Event Cinemas in Parramatta and Hurstville. But if you feel more comfortable watching from home during the current Omicron outbreak or you're a fan of LGBTQIA+ movies located elsewhere in Australia, you'll also be able to enjoy MGFF digitally as well. The fest's 2022 lineup spans 119 films from 37 different countries, covering 32 narrative features, 15 documentaries, four episodic screenings, a retrospective and nine programs of shorts — so yes, there's more than a bit to watch. That said, different flicks will play in cinemas and on-demand, as happens with hybrid fests, but more than half of the program will be available for those playing along at home and interstate. Opening the fest on the big screen is Wildhood, which is set in Canada's Atlantic Provinces and hails from MGFF's focus on First Nations filmmaking for 2022. In-cinemas only, it's joined by high-profile international film festival circuit highlights such as Great Freedom, an immensely moving drama about a man's experiences being imprisoned under Germany's former law criminalising homosexuality; and Benedetta, which follows a 17th-century nun who shocks her convent with visions, wild power plays and lesbian affairs, and happens to be the latest feature by Basic Instinct, Showgirls and Elle director Paul Verhoeven. Or, there's the Carrie Brownstein and St Vincent-starring mockumentary The Nowhere Inn, which has them both play versions of themselves, and The Novice, about a queer student on a university rowing team. Other standouts include Mexican magical realist drama Finlandia; documentaries about queer comic creators, lesbians in post-punk 80s London and American artist Keith Haring; and closing night's B-Boy Blues, which is based on the celebrated novel o the same name. Online, LGBTIQ+ cinema fans can also check out horror film The Retreat, which combines a cabin-in-the-woods setup with planning a queer wedding; Cannes-selected Taiwanese drama Moneyboys; the relationship-focused Ma Belle, My Beauty, about a long-term couple living in a scenic villa in the south of France; and Estonia's Firebird, which charts a romance against the backdrop of the Cold War. There's also documentary Coming to You, following two mothers fighting for LGBTQ+ rights in Korea; and As We Like It, an all-female version of Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It. Mardi Gras Film Festival 2022 runs from Thursday, February 17–Thursday, March 3 at Event Cinemas George Street, plus one-off sessions at Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne and Event Cinemas in Parramatta and Hurstville — and online nationally. For more information, visit the festival's website.
One of the most worthwhile things you can do when looking to start your own business is sit down with another small business owner and share your ideas, as well as take note on what they've done right (and wrong), what small wins they encountered that eventually led to bigger things. When it comes to opening a cafe specifically, successful venues like Three Williams in Redfern can be a great source of inspiration — especially considering that this particular brunch spot was once started by a first-time cafe owner, too. As running your own business can typically involve a lot of hard work and crazy hours, we've teamed up with MYOB to bring you some helpful hints from those in the know. Here are four ideas to get you started (whether you're looking to open a cafe, a shop or other small business), courtesy of Three Williams co-owner Toby Iaccarino. [caption id="attachment_683542" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Three Williams co-owner Toby Iaccarino.[/caption] DON'T BE AFRAID TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY Put yourself out there and get your hands dirty in a business that inspires you, says Toby. "Learn the ropes from cleaning drains to fine-tuning your customer service skills to honing the art of people management," he says. While there's much to be gleaned from research and study, nothing beats rolling up your sleeves and jumping in there yourself — whether it's through an internship or a few hours per week in a related side hustle. "I cannot stress how paramount raw experience is to your success in such a hands-on industry." LEARN THE RULES OF THE GAME Most new venues will require a spruce up, so make sure to run your plans through council first. "Council regulations raised a multitude of unexpected and untimely hurdles along the way that I wasn't necessarily financially prepared to accommodate," says Toby. "Regulations differ, sometimes significantly, from council to council. So do your research. Calculated planning and foresight can save you a wealth of not only time and money, but major headaches down the line. Familiarise yourself on what you can do, can't do and must do in order to operate in the capacity you are envisioning." MAKE SURE YOUR FINANCES ARE IN ORDER Having great staff — in this case, an excellent chef, barista and floor team — is obviously vital to a business's success, however, the importance of financial understanding cannot be stressed enough, says Toby. "The ability to get your head around GST, BAS, super and all the other cash flow and cash management requirements will be the difference between failure and success." While a few cents difference between shopping bags or sugar sachets may seem like small beans, keeping your eye on market prices can end up being paramount to profitability, and it's these small wins that help lead to bigger things. "Constantly tweaking roster costings, analysing suppliers and their pricing and keeping up to date with the cheapest energy companies makes all the difference." INVEST IN NEW TECHNOLOGY AND SMART BUSINESS SYSTEMS New business systems and smart platforms that allow you to monitor, track and manage your operations can help you run your business more efficiently, as well as free up your time for the jobs that really matter. For Toby, managing finance and compliance obligations had become overwhelming, so he decided to invest in cloud-based accounting software. "MYOB has been, and continues to be, such a practical way to manage our invoicing, payroll, reporting and finances. It makes everything from preparing BAS to managing financial year rollovers and keeping track of inventory a breeze." Planning to open your own business? Consider MYOB to help sort out all your accounting needs.
Middle-earth is about to sprawl across your TV screen — or whichever other screen you use to access your streaming queue. And, after five years of talking about it, Amazon has finally given Lord of the Rings fans what they've been waiting for: a first look at its new JRR Tolkien-inspired fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Elves, dwarves, epic cities, leafy landscapes — yes, 2022's new Lord of the Rings streaming series ticks all of those expected boxes so far in its just-dropped first teaser trailer. A young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) climbs ice, and a young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man) features as well. Also packed into the 61-second clip: elves catching arrows, humans stuck on rafts on stormy seas, cave trolls, raging fires and orc battles. If you're new to The Rings of Power, Amazon first announced the show back in 2017, gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and set a premiere date of Friday, September 2, 2022 back in 2021. In-between, it confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies. Rather, the series will spend time in Middle-earth's Second Age, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the very first time. According to show's official synopsis, it'll follow "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. The series will also "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness." If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. Naturally, you can expect Sauron to feature in the new show, and to give its main figures some trouble. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth," the official synopsis continues. "From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. In terms of stars, The Rings of Power will feature an unsurprisingly large cast — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the other actors traversing Middle-earth are Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing) as Arondir, Nazanin Boniadi (Bombshell) as Bronwyn, Owain Arthur (A Confession) as Prince Durin IV, Charlie Vickers (Palm Beach) as Halbrand and Sophia Nomvete (The Tempest) as Princess Disa. There's also Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. Check out the first teaser trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Amazon Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022.
It's easy to peruse the lengthy list of movies that'll be screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2024 and find parallels with the cinema celebration itself. Just like the claymation that brings Academy Award-winning animator Adam Elliot's work to life — including short Harvie Krumpet, 2009 feature Mary and Max and now MIFF's opening-night pick Memoir of a Snail — the fest expertly moulds its chosen materials into a reflection of the world around us. On par with every feature from David Cronenberg, it isn't afraid to push boundaries. As Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke ponders, it's deeply aware of both the past and the future. And exactly as all things Godzilla has, it's been a mainstay of the film world for seven decades. Running across Thursday, August 8–Sunday, August 25, Melbourne's annual celebration of moving pictures does indeed boast all of the above on its just-announced full program for this year. The Shrouds from Cronenberg (Crimes of the Future) sees the iconic body-horror filmmaker respond to the death of his wife IRL through the tale of a tech entrepreneur played by Vincent Cassel (Damaged) doing the same. The narrative of Caught by the Tides by Zhang-ke's (Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue) spans over 20 years, using footage from across just as long. And the ultimate kaiju is getting a one-night, seven-movie 70th-anniversary marathon, starting with franchise's iconic OG Japanese flick and making its way through to Shin Godzilla. "This year's MIFF program features over 250 films, with more than 400 sessions across 18 days, bringing together incredible Australian filmmaking, world cinema, drama, comedy, horror, animation, bold experimentation — things you've been waiting months to see, and others you never thought you'd get a chance to," explains the festival's Artistic Director Al Cossar about the complete lineup. "The MIFF program this year, like every year, is a multi-faceted festival of cinematic excess, designed to delight and sure to bring out the best in your imaginations. We're thrilled to welcome audiences back — come along and settle in for all too many movies at Melbourne's favourite binge this winter." Some of the fest's new highlights fill its Bright Horizons strand, aka its competition — including Flow, an animation about animals on a boat; Janet Planet, the debut movie from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker; Inside, a prison drama with Guy Pearce (The Clearing), Cosmo Jarvis (Shōgun) and Toby Wallace (The Bikeriders) that's directed by Charles Williams, who won the 2018 short film Palme d'Or for All These Creatures; and The Village Next to Paradise, which is the first-ever Somali film play Cannes. Other standout additions to the program elsewhere span flicks that've had the international film festival circuit talking in 2024 — and Australia's by first showing in Sydney. The Substance is also the long-awaited second effort from writer/director Coralie Fargeat, who made a spectacular debut with 2017's Revenge and picked up the Best Screenplay award at Cannes for this Demi Moore (Feud)-starring body-horror effort. Megalopolis features Adam Driver (Ferrari), with The Godfather and Apocalypse Now filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola first conceiving of the picture back in 1977. Rumours gives the fest a dose of Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson behind the lens (reteaming after Accidence, The Rabbit Hunters and Stump the Guesser), plus Cate Blanchett (The New Boy) on-screen. The Seed of the Sacred Fig is the latest film from Mohammad Rasoulf (There Is No Evil), with the movie's place on this year's Cannes lineup seeing him forced to flee Iran after being sentenced to flogging and imprisonment. And All We Imagine as Light was the first Indian film to play in Cannes' competition in three decades. MIFF's winter stretch in Melbourne cinemas — plus sessions from Friday, August 9–Sunday, August 25 online; and across both Friday, August 16–Sunday, August 18 and Friday, August 23–Sunday, August 25 in regional Victoria — will also feature Berlinale Golden Bear-winner Dahomey, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt from poet and photographer Raven Jackson, the maximum-security prison-set Sing Sing with Colman Domingo (Drive-Away Dolls), and Hong Sang-soo and Isabelle Huppert reuniting on A Traveler's Needs after Another Country and Claire's Camera. Amid its usual celebration of variety, Timestalker from Prevenge director and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace star Alice Lowe sits beside coming-of-age tale Bookworm's reteaming Elijah Wood with director Ant Timpson after Come to Daddy — this time playing a dad — and the Ilana Glazer (The Afterparty)-led Babes helmed by Pamela Adlon from Better Things. Or, there's the cinephile-catnip Martin Scorsese-presented doco Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger, Craig Silvey's Runt reaching the screen with a heap of local faces (Kaleidoscope's Jai Courtney, Colin From Accounts' Celeste Barber, High Ground's Jack Thompson and Total Control's Deborah Mailman), Indigenous Aussie horror via The Moogai, and The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre music documentary follow-up Dig! XX. If that — plus Wake in Fright getting the Hear My Eyes treatment — isn't enough, In Vitro is an Ashley Zukerman (Succession)-led Australian sci-fi thriller about a couple doing biotech experiments, the also-homegrown boxing drama Kid Snow features Phoebe Tonkin (Boy Swallows Universe), Ghost Cat Anzu brings a touch of Japanese animation, and the Kate Winslet (The Regime)- and Alexander Skarsgård (Mr & Mrs Smith)-led Lee is about WWII reporter Lee Miller. Three IRL Belfast rappers star as themselves alongside Michael Fassbender (Next Goal Wins) in comedy Kneecap; Problemista is directed by and stars Los Espookys and Fantasmas' Julio Torres opposite Tilda Swinton (The Killer); and Sasquatch Sunset, directed by the Zellner brothers (Damsel), gets Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & the Six) and Jesse Eisenberg (Fleishman Is in Trouble) playing a sasquatch family. Plus, Australia's own Romulus, My Father and Lake Mungo have scored restorations, the fest is spending an evening at Peninsula Hot Springs, an Iranian New Wave retrospective sees MIFF team up with New York's Museum of Modern Art, there's a whole strand dedicated to non-fiction films about the natural world, and Devo and The Black Keys also pop up in the Music on Film section. Not having anything to watch clearly isn't a problem at this fest. Whittling down your must-watch list? Now that's a different — and delightful — issue. [caption id="attachment_965567" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Barry Schultz, BarrySchultzPhotography.com[/caption] The 2024 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 8–Sunday, August 25 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 16–Sunday, August 18 and Friday, August 23–Sunday, August 25 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 9–Sunday, August 25. For further details, including member tickets from 8pm on Thursday, July 11 and general tickets from 9am on Tuesday, July 16, visit the MIFF website.
It was accurate with side-splitting hilarity in The Thick of It and In the Loop, as packaged with heartache in Benediction and in the world of Doctor Who in-between: Peter Capaldi is one of Scotland's most fascinating actors today. Without a "fuckity bye" uttered, any poetry quoted or a tardis in sight, Criminal Record also uses his can't-look-away presence to excellent effect, casting him as Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Hegarty, one of the eight-part Apple TV+ series' two key detectives. There's an intensity to Capaldi that's long served him well and, as seen since the show first arrived in January, it's unsurprisingly pivotal in the first role in his four-decade career that has him playing a police officer. His stare alone on-screen has been known to make others wither; in Criminal Record, folks on both sides of the law are trying to avoid that glare, except Capaldi's Torchwood co-star Cush Jumbo. By day, the no-nonsense Hegarty is a force to be reckoned with on the force. By night, he moonlights as a driver, seeing much that lingers in London as he's behind the wheel. In his not-so-distant past is a case that brings Detective Sergeant June Lenker (Jumbo, The Good Fight) into his orbit — a case that she's certain is linked to a distressed emergency call by someone attempting to flee domestic abuse. The mystery woman says that her partner has already committed murder, gotten away with it, sent another man to prison for the crime in the process and now brags about it. Hegarty contends otherwise, vehemently and gruffly. No matter how many times she's warned off, Lenker is determined to discover the truth, find her potential victim, ascertain whether someone innocent is behind bars and learn why every move that she makes to dig deeper comes with professional — and sometimes personal — retaliation. The events in question saw Errol Mathis (Tom Moutchi, PRU) incarcerated for 24 years for the brutal 2011 killing of his long-term girlfriend Adelaide Burrowes (Ema Cavolli, Doctors), with Hegarty leading the charge in sending him away for murder. Lenker is not the only one asking questions. For over a decade, Errol's mother Doris (Cathy Tyson, Boiling Point) has been protesting his innocence, aided by lawyer Sonya Singh (Aysha Kala, The Doll Factory). Although believing the official story, Adelaide's son Patrick (Rasaq Kukoyi, The Kitchen) — who was just six when his mum died, and in the other room as she was attacked — is understandably struggling to move on. But Errol confessed and isn't keen on dredging up the past. To Lenker, however, little adds up, and it isn't just Hegarty's insistence that she leave the case alone that sparks a myriad of questions. The elder cop has cronies DS Kim Cardwell (Shaun Dooley, Saltburn) and DS Tony Gilfoyle (Charlie Creed-Miles, Gunfight at Dry River) on his side, willing to do whatever it takes to get Lenker to drop her inquiries. They'd describe themselves as "old-school". To everyone else, their prejudice and bigotry is as apparent as their sense of entitlement. Lenker isn't one to back down, though, from both trying to find the woman on the other end of the 999 call and getting to the bottom of Adelaide's death. Indeed, she's so focused that work is all that she's thinking about even when she's at home with her partner Leo (Stephen Campbell Moore, Masters of the Air) and pre-teen son Jacob (Jordan A Nash, Breeders) — and when her mother Maureen (Zoë Wanamaker, Black Ops), who doesn't trust the law regardless of that her fact that her daughter has a badge, is around. Two police officers sit at Criminal Record's centre, but creator and writer Paul Rutman (Next of Kin) clearly hasn't crafted an odd-couple cop show. With Shaun James Grant (a TV first-timer) and Jim Loach (The Tower) directing, plus Ameir Brown (Champion), Thomas Eccleshare (Witness Number 3) and Natasha Narayan (Rutman's Next of Kin co-creator) also scripting, this is still largely a two-hander — and saying that it couldn't be better cast is an understatement. Capaldi is already someone who makes every moment that he's on-screen better. So is Jumbo, which makes watching them face off as riveting as television gets. Passive aggression oozes from the frame when Hegarty and Lenker first confront each other. Tension drips throughout the series relentlessly, but with particular vigour whenever its key cops are in close proximity. Criminal Record doesn't waste time keeping audiences guessing about who's dutifully taking to their role as part of the thin blue line and who's among policing at its most corrupt. Instead, it lets two people that are both meant to be on the upstanding end of the law-and-order divide clash, surveying the damage that ripples not just through the fuzz but also the community. That said, this isn't a simple good-versus-evil scenario between fellow officers. Diving into the complexities is as much the show's remit as unfurling a whodunnit. Accordingly, there's no doubting that Hegarty and Lenker both take their jobs seriously. And, there's zero questioning that each thinks that the choices they're making — and have made — are for the best. There's no seeing past how Hegarty has managed to adapt, either, surviving in his post by saying the right things yet retaining a problematic attitude. There's also no avoiding the complications that are a daily part of the gig as well, or the systemic barriers, or the way that the force handles both gender and race. As it primarily walks in Lenker's shoes, there's similarly no escaping the microaggressions that come her way constantly. If she pushes a colleague to help, she's going too far. If she complains about a racist remark from Hegarty, she's told that she's looking for issues. As Lenker continues to probe, to refuse to take no for an answer and not accept Hegarty's claim that everything is above board, the senior cop even advises her to check her own unconscious bias. While twists and mysteries are layered into the show's narrative, they regularly come second to Criminal Record's thematic willingness to tear into what policing should be, can be and often is — and what that means for women and people of colour, both in general and when endeavouring to improve the constabulary from within. Criminal Record isn't just a supremely well-cast procedural that's home to extraordinary performances, then — it's also weighty. And, as this slickly shot series works through its episodes, a matter-of-fact air doesn't only emanate from Capaldi and Jumbo. Rutman and company don't look away from the sincerity of Lenker's wish to truly protect and serve, the desperation to combat law enforcement's most-abhorrent impulses and the bitter disappointment every time that the worst proves true. The series also spies how entrenched the problems that Hegarty and his sidekicks represent are, and how deeply they fester. It does all this while ensuring that viewers can't look away — from its stars, story or heartbreaking, infuriating intricacies. Check out the trailer for Criminal Record below: Criminal Record streams via Apple TV+.
When Cillian Murphy first came to widespread fame two decades ago, it was for acclaimed British director Danny Boyle while pondering the end of life as we know it, with zombie masterpiece 28 Days Later the spectacular end result. Since then, he's become a regular for fellow UK filmmaker Christopher Nolan and, in their latest collaboration after The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises and Dunkirk, Murphy again faces an apocalyptic scenario in Oppenheimer. Set to be 2023's most explosive movie, Nolan's first flick since Tenet explores a little thing called the atomic bomb. Focusing on J Robert Oppenheimer as the name makes plain, this biopic keeps promising a tense time at the movies — in its first teaser, initial full trailer and just-dropped new sneak peek — as befitting a situation where the world risked total annihilation in order to be saved. Yes, Nolan is going back to the Second World War again, focusing on the eponymous American physicist, aka the man who helped develop the first nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project. Charting Oppenheimer's life, his part in birthing the atomic bomb and how it changed the world — and the fallout — should make for gripping viewing, as viewers will see from July 20, 2023. Oppenheimer's story also includes heading up Los Alamos Laboratory, plus observing the Trinity Test, the first successful atomic bomb detonation in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. Nolan is always in serious mode, but this is a solemn affair even by the Memento, Interstellar and Dark Knight trilogy filmmaker's standards. And, it looks like quite the sight, in no small part thanks to being shot in IMAX 65mm and 65mm large-format film photography, including sections in IMAX black and white analogue photography for the first time ever. Based on Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin's Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the film boasts an all-star cast, including Emily Blunt as the physicist's wife, biologist and botanist Kitty (reteaming Blunt with Murphy after A Quiet Place Part II) — plus Matt Damon (The Last Duel) as General Leslie Groves Jr, director of the Manhattan Project; Robert Downey Jr (Dolittle) as Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the US Atomic Energy Commission; and Florence Pugh (The Wonder) as psychiatrist Jean Tatlock. Also set to pop up: Josh Hartnett (Wrath of Man), Michael Angarano (Minx), Benny Safdie (Stars at Noon), Jack Quaid (The Boys), Rami Malek (No Time to Die) and Kenneth Branagh (Death on the Nile). Oh, and there's Dane DeHaan (The Staircase), Jason Clarke (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Olivia Thirlby (Y: The Last Man), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Matthew Modine (Stranger Things) as well. Check out the latest trailer for Oppenheimer below: Oppenheimer will release in cinemas Down Under on July 20, 2023. Images: © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Sydney's lower north shore recently scored itself an impressive new addition, with The Alcott opening its doors in Lane Cove in late July. Complete with restaurant, roomy outdoor terrace and its own spritz bar, the 200-seater brings plenty to the table. It's a modern, multifaceted space for all occasions, and it has been designed by Pony Design Co, who recently kitted out The Fernery nearby in Mosman and Camperdown's Acre. The venue also boasts an upbeat fit-out built on bold feature tones and a menu anchored in the Mediterranean. In the kitchen, Head Chef Richard Slarp is plating up fresh seasonal fare with a wholesome edge. Best enjoyed in that al fresco dining space are dishes like the saltbush lamb ribs with almond sumac and coriander, crispy brussels sprouts paired with romesco, and a show-stopping whole calamari, chargrilled and matched with tomato breadcrumbs and pickled fennel. On the weekends, The Alcott opens its doors earlier — at 11am — for brunch. It serves up shakshuka, smashed avocado and a hearty Warm Green Bowl, with sweet potato hummus, kale, pumpkin seeds and poached eggs. Those wanting to turn their back on winter altogether will find their oasis in the spritz bar, serving cocktails infused with flavours like rosemary, grapefruit, elderflower and lychee. The cocktails are backed up by an extensive wine selection, with plenty of love for Euro-leaning Aussie drops.
Never picked up a snowboard or snapped on a pair of skis? No problem. Not only are there ample opportunities to upskill on the slopes — there's so much more to Thredbo than snow sports. Welcome to the après-ski lifestyle: fine wine, fondue, fireplaces and some next-level snowfields fashion. This winter is your chance to go all out with luxurious champagne lunches, outdoor dance parties, live music, mountaintop feasts and fireworks lighting up the night sky. Whether you want to jump into the jam-packed events calendar or wind down by the fire at a cosy bar with a schnapps in hand, you're about to discover why Thredbo is an award-winning winter experience. THE FASHION Forget being swaddled in shapeless, dull puffer jackets and uninspiring colour palettes. Thredbo is all about the 80s snowfield chic. We're talking stylish fluoro detail, faux fur, and a killer headband and flashy goggle combo that'll have you looking sharp on the mountain and at the bar. Need some inspo? When it comes to vintage winter gear, it's go hard or go home. So crack out the snowflake sweaters and furry headbands and get ready to put your best boot forward. THE PARTIES Congratulations, you now have a wardrobe fit for the First Base First Base's A Vintage Après Ski Soirée — the wildest party you'll find in Thredbo this winter. If you think a night of dancing, DJs and Canadian Club will help to cut through winter's bite, make First Base your number one party priority. July 23 will see Stace Cadet take pride of place; August 20 brings the ever-fabulous Poof Doof to the chilly locale; and attendees on September 3 are in for a surprise headliner. Heineken is joining forces with Thredbo to transform Alpine Bar into the outdoor live music space of dreams with Heineken Saturday. Set Mo will be bringing their groove-heavy dance tracks on June 11; while the August 6 session will be a tribute to the electronic mastery of Daft Punk courtesy of Discovery, the duo dedicated to the One More Time virtuosos. And, if that mega offering still has you wanting more, White Claw Weekend is bringing KLP to increase the heat in the snow town. Seltzers and a DJ set from an industry heavyweight after a morning on our glorious slopes? The makings of an epic Saturday. If you only hit up parties for the food (we get it), take the Alpine Gondola up to Merritts Mountain House for its Bavarian-inspired winter feast. The Kareela Hutte Supper Club is a genteel affair where you can watch the Saturday night fireworks with a champagne and canapé in hand. Or, if you're after something a bit more low-key, see what's on at some of the smaller local venues, such as the regular trivia night at T-Bar. THE MUSIC Can't make it to one of the parties? Don't worry, you won't miss out on Thredbo's music scene. Venues around the village have loads of live gigs throughout the busy winter months. Swing by Merritts Mountain House for regular DJ sets or head over to the Schuss Bar to catch live bands performing. The Lounge Bar at First Base is the perfect spot to kick back with a drink by the fire and take in a solo set. Make sure you keep an ear out for more local gig announcements closer to the snow season — chances are there'll be something that grabs you. THE FOOD You might not think of Thredbo as a foodie destination, but that's about to change. Apart from its top-notch restaurants and delightful ski-side kiosks, Thredbo is laying on a spread of delicious events this winter. First up, the GH Mumm Long Lunch will return with luxurious alpine fare and the finest bubbles. On Wednesday evenings from July 13–September 7, you can ride on the Snowcat to Kareela Hutte for a night of premium wining and dining overlooking the picturesque snowy village. Craving a foodie experience, but can't wait to hit the slopes? Head up the mountain for a Sunrise Session. Nothing will beat a delicious breakfast and mimosa on the mountain before jumping on your skis or snowboard in the first rays of light. THE DRINKS Whether you're chasing a fine wine by the fire or hankering for mountaintop steins of beer, Thredbo has an ideal venue for your preferred tipple. Eagles Nest — the highest restaurant and bar in Australia — offers beer, wine and cocktails with an unparalleled view. Love a bev but can't loathe getting in and out of your gear? Head to ski-in, ski-out venue Kareela Hutte for your vino break. Down in Thredbo village, the Après Bar at The Denman boasts a brilliant range of spirits and liqueurs and a team of cocktail experts ready to shake up your perfect winter drink. For an enviable wine list, hit up Cascades Restaurant, Sante or grab a bottle at Thredbo Cellars. Or, take a trip out of town to the Wildbrumby distillery for locally produced schnapps, vodka and gin at the cellar door. THE VILLAGE Whether you stay in a cabin, chalet, apartment or the Alpine Hotel itself for your winter wonderland, you'll soon discover that Thredbo is more than a resort — it's got that community vibe. Be sure to visit the village bakery, the aptly named Local Pub to tie one on, and then go full alpine indulgence with fondue at Candlelight Restaurant and a rejuvenating session at Tineke Edwards Massage Therapy after a big day on the slopes (or in the lounge bar). For a touch of arts and culture, you can check out JK Gallery and Mountain Shop for original artworks, sculptures and homewares. THE STORIES Whatever winter adventure you choose, you'll have plenty of stories to tell. Whether you travel with the whole crew, the family, or make new friends along the way, you can sit back at the end of the day and regale them with tales of your successes and slip ups on the slopes. Did you catch the fireworks? The ice sculptures? Which roaring alpine fireplace is, in fact, the most cosy? Soon, you'll have all the intel on secret spots to share with your crew that are sure to keep you heading back, year after year. Keen to check out Thredbo's après ski scene for yourself? For more information and to plan your snow trip, visit the website.
What's set to feature synth-heavy tunes, a big blender, plus Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act chatting Australian audiences through one of the huge music events of every year? In 2025, that's how the Eurovision Song Contest will play out. Another May is in full swing, which means that another round of acts are taking to the stage to compete for Europop glory. Flying the flag for Australia at the 69th Eurovision: Go-Jo with the song 'Milkshake Man'. The place: Basel in Switzerland, thanks to Nemo winning Eurovision 2024 with 'The Code'. And the dates for your diary: Wednesday, May 14–Sunday, May 18 Down Under. The event's 2025 semi finals take place at 5am Australian time on Wednesday, May 14 and Friday, May 16, with Go-Jo featuring in the second. Then, this year's winner will be crowned on Sunday, May 18. To watch along from home, you'll be heading to SBS and SBS on Demand — which is where Armstrong and Act come in. As announced back in April, the pair are fronting the Aussie commentary team this year, with the ex-AFL footballer-turned-TV presenter (Eat the Invaders) teaming up with the Australian Idol and RuPaul's Drag Race alum to guide audiences through the full 2025 Eurovision experience. Act was part of the 2024 coverage, too, as SBS's backstage Eurovision correspondent. Go-Jo, aka Marty Zambotto, was named in February as Australia's latest entrant. While you might've been among the folks helping his single 'Mrs. Hollywood' notch up 60-million digital streams and one-billion views, he's performing 'Milkshake Man' at Eurovision. Enter that big blender for the Manjimup-raised, now Sydney-based performer, another former footballer (in the West Australian Football League), who was the ninth most-streamed Australian artist in the world in 2023. "The Milkshake Man's purpose is to inspire people to embrace the loudest and proudest version of themselves, and I can't think of a better place to share that message than the Eurovision stage. It's an absolute dream come true to represent such a beautiful and diverse nation, and I've never been more excited to share my art and vision with the incredible Eurovision fans around the world," said Go-Jo when he was announced at 2025's Aussie competitor. And that blender? It's part of Go-Jo's staging, and measures four metres in height — with Australia going big, literally, to mark ten years since first competing in Eurovision when Guy Sebastian entered the 2015 contest with 'Tonight Again'. [caption id="attachment_1003691" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Henley[/caption] For newcomers, Eurovision started back in 1956 as a competition between a mere seven nations. Now, nearing seven decades later, it's a glitter-strewn and spandex-fuelled global musical phenomenon. Thirty-seven countries not only in Europe but from elsewhere are competing in 2025 — hello Australia — and viewers tune in en masse to watch, sing along and add new pop tunes to their queues. When Go-Jo performs his track in the semi final, he'll be up against performers from Ireland, Austria, Greece, Denmark, Finland, Montenegro, Latvia, Armenia, Lithuania, Malta, Georgia, Czechia, Luxembourg, Israel and Serbia. If he then makes his way through to the grand final, he'll be one of only 21 acts making the cut,. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Switzerland are automatically guaranteed spots. You have choices if you're keen to watch — depending on whether you want tear yourself out of bed before it's light. If you want to view the proceedings live, you can from 5am on the relevant days. Streaming replays will also be available mid-morning. Or, if you can somehow manage to avoid the internet and social media, both semis and the grand final will also screen in primetime across Friday–Sunday. Can't decide whether to beat the sun or wait and host a party at sensible hour? It's worth remembering that Australians can indeed vote for Eurovision, but only until around 18 minutes after the last song is performed in each live semi-final broadcast and about 40 minutes after the last track ends in the grand final. Voting is open to everyone in all finals — whether you're from a country participating in that final or not — and the artists who get through from the two semi finals to the grand final will be solely chosen by the audience at home. Still remaining the same: the rule that says Australians can't actually vote for Go-Jo, because no one can vote for the country they represent. [caption id="attachment_1003694" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Wilson[/caption] "I'm so excited to jump into the world of Eurovision with the one and only Courtney Act, who has already taken me under her wing. I'm definitely not envious of her brilliance and my jealousy won't make it on screen I promise. Eurovision holds such a special place in so many hearts around the world. I look forward to being a part of the spectacle along with Courtney," said Armstrong when his Eurovision hosting gig for SBS in 2025 was announced. "I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy Eurovision last year — and this year I'm back, now with everyone's favourite IT man Tony Armstrong (who I can confirm is just as delightful and dashing in real life as you'd expect). I'll be offering my commentary expertise on every costume reveal, key change, wind machine and pyro moment I know Switzerland will deliver. Tony's already taught me a thing or two about team sport energy, and I'll be returning the favour with a crash course in camp," added Act. Eurovision 2025 Broadcasts Live broadcasts: Semi final one: 5am AEST on Wednesday, May 14 on SBS and SBS on Demand Semi final two: 5am AEST on Friday, May 16 on SBS and SBS on Demand — featuring Go-Jo Grand final: 5am AEST on Sunday, May 18 on SBS and SBS on Demand Streaming replays: Semi final one: from 8.30am AEST on Wednesday, May 14 on SBS on Demand Semi final two: from 8.30am AEST on Friday, May 16 on SBS on Demand — featuring Go-Jo Grand final: from 10.30am AEST on Sunday, May 18 on SBS on Demand Prime-time TV 'access all areas' broadcasts: Semi final one: 7.30pm AEST on Friday, May 16 on SBS Semi final two: 7.30pm AEST on Saturday, May 17 on SBS — featuring Go-Jo Grand final: 7.30pm AEST on Sunday, May 18 on SBS SBS' Eurovision 2025 coverage runs from Wednesday, May 14–Sunday, May 18. For more information, head to the broadcaster's website — and for more information about Eurovision, head to the event's website. Eurovision rehearsal images: Alma Bengtsson / Sarah Louise Bennett / Corinne Cumming.
Impromptu Dining is done with and in its place stands et.al, a sleek, Potts Point restaurant co-owned by chef Daniel Backhouse and manager Stephen Craig. As the name suggests, sharing a meal with friends, family, lovers et al is at the heart the restaurant's ethos and every element of the place has been designed with this in mind. Backhouse, a former chef at Bathers Pavilion and Berowra Waters Inn, and Craig, a former colleague of Colin Fassnidge at the Four in Hand Dining Room, have put a great deal of passion into the venue — and it shows. The food is an inventive take on modern classics born from the imagination and expertise of Backhouse's culinary genius. For lunch, there'll be a maple chilli bacon butty, and a burrata with shaved zucchini, tempura flowers and hazelnuts. For dinner, an impressive 600g scotch fillet served with black garlic butter and fried potatoes catches our eye, although the vodka cured salmon with zesty grapefruit, avocado and fennel makes us think we might need to order both. The dishes are designed to be crisp, carefully balanced and showcase the eloquence of simplicity whilst Craig's short, sharp and worldly wine list complements the food's clear flavours. The new space has been fitted out by Chris Wilks of Giant Design, so expect chic wooden furniture, vibrant textiles and an open plan kitchen of tiles, concrete, stainless steel and light that looks out into the courtyard dining space. Everything — from the water carafes to the saucepans — has been granted it's own place. At the risk of making a bit of a generalisation, this place oozes 'Sydney' right down to the weight of the cutlery and the shape of the wine glasses.
UPDATE: MARCH 31, 2020 — Both the Surry Hills and Balmain Nutie stores remain open for takeaway, but the crew has also put together an extensive delivery menu, which features everything from fresh produce and ground coffee to vegan cookies and gluten-free doughnuts. Its also offering vegan lunch and dinner packs ($32) filled with the dish of the day (think quiche, tacos or corn fritters), salad or soup, dessert, fruit and cold-pressed juice. Head here to place your order. Gluten conscious and cruelty free foodies, we bring you tidings of great joy. No longer will you be deprived of doughnuts, thanks to the good folks at Nutie. After a year hopping from market to market around town, the Nutie Donuts team is opening a permanent location in Balmain next month where they can sling their sweet treats full time. Opening on Saturday, March 4 at 13 Beattie Street, Nutie Donuts will bake their doughnuts daily in an open kitchen using premium gluten-free ingredients. They'll also offer a variety of vegan and dairy-free options because doughnuts are for everyone. Speaking of options, let's talk about their flavour combinations. Among the extravagant creations that have popped up on their Instagram account in recent times are pink Champagne, black sesame and green tea, and beetroot with dark chocolate ganache. Oh, and don't worry: despite there being not a gluten protein in sight, they assure us that they taste just like the real thing. To give you a little added incentive to pay them a visit, Nutie will be giving away free doughnuts to the first 100 customers on their first day of operations, while a dollar from every subsequent doughnut sold that day will be donated to the local Police Citizens Youth Club. "We want Nutie Donuts to be a strong part of the Balmain community, not just a shopfront," said owner Sina Klug. "That means [doing] everything we can to make a positive difference to the people around us." Nutie Donuts will open at 13 Beattie Street, Balmain from 10am on Saturday, March 4. For more information visit them on Facebook.
When Bayswater Brasserie closed back in 2010 (where has the time gone?), it left a vanilla lobster-shaped hole in the hearts of many. Well, good news everyone, Chef Jeff Schroeter (Bayswater Brasserie, Bistro Moncur) is serving the much-loved dish once again, along with a huge assortment of other adored classics and exciting new creations, at Beckett's, Glebe's new mid-century New York and Parisian inspired restaurant and cocktail lounge. Schroeter has teamed up with Playwright-Director Wendy Beckett (Claudel) to create the new brasserie, located on the site of the former Darling Mills space on Glebe Point Road, adding to the inner western suburb's recent food revival. Schroeter brings three decades of experience with him to Beckett's kitchen, and while the menu is set to change seasonally, some current standouts include the charcoal-roasted wagyu rump, served with pommes dauphinoise and field mushroom jus and the aforementioned Queensland-caught fennel butter-poached vanilla lobster. You'll also find Thievery's super-popular burnt butter hummus on the menu. Schroeter stole the recipe because "it's brilliant". [caption id="attachment_804799" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Li[/caption] World-class bartender Charlie Ainsbury (This Must Be The Place, Proof & Company) and sommelier Sasha Siljanovic (NOMAD, Spice Temple, St Isidore) have also joined the team, creating a classics-driven cocktail menu featuring Ainsbury's new 'Beckett's Martini' (Widges Gin and Mancino Secco) and a wine list boasting an assortment of international and domestic wines. As for the space itself, Beckett has recruited her set designer to channel mid-century New York and Europe's great wine bars of the past, creating a setting that's moody, yet elegant. The new space fits 90 people, curtained in half by an olive velvet-lined colonnade. Over at the front, you'll find the lounge bar; one side featuring the bar itself and a baby grand piano (played nightly), while the other side will be home to a mix of small bar tables, banquette seating, and plush cocktail chairs. Meanwhile, in the dining room, expect ochre-hued fabric seats tucked gracefully into clothed tables. Find Beckett's at 134A Glebe Point Road, Glebe from 5pm Wednesday–Sunday. Images: David Li
Love theatre? Desperate to see all the latest and greatest shows that London's West End has to offer, or the British theatre scene in general? Live in Australia, rather than the UK? If you answered yes to all of these questions, and you can't afford to zip over to Britain and back to indulge your stage fix — because who can? — then you're probably a huge fan of National Theatre Live. Since well before the pandemic, this theatre-to-cinema program has beamed live versions of hit London stage productions into Australian picture palaces. If you watched Danny Boyle's phenomenal version of Frankenstein starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, as everyone should've, then this is how you saw it. If you caught Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy in the also-phenomenal Skylight, it was thanks to NT Live, too. (And if you found yourself streaming other British theatre shows during lockdowns, that's because National Theatre set up its own online platform when we were all at home as well.) NT Live's Aussie cinema program has been back up and running as the venues themselves have been doing the same, and it has something massive in store in July: Prima Facie. The one-woman play marks the West End debut of Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, who plays a brilliant young barrister. And it'll be showing in movie theatres Down Under from Saturday, July 23. Penned by Australian British playwright Suzie Miller — and an AWGIE winner in 2020 at home for its Griffin Theatre premiere season — Prima Facie also sees Miller herself make her West End debut. Her play follows legal eagle lead Tessa (Comer, The Last Duel, Free Guy), who has succeeded in her field after working her way up from working-class origins. Then, thanks to an unexpected event, she's forced to examine power dynamics, the patriarchal force of the law, morality and burdens of proof. NT Live's recording of Prima Facie was captured live at the Harold Pinter Theatre — and, as all such stage shows that make the leap to cinemas as filmed versions of the original plays, the visual presentation is designed to make you feel like you're really there. Prima Facie will play in select cinemas around the country — including the Hayden Orpheum, Dendy Newtown, Palace Chauvel and Ritz Cinemas in Sydney; Cinema Nova, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Como, Palace Balwyn, Lido Cinemas, Classic Cinemas, Cameo Cinemas and Yarraville's Sun Theatre in Melbourne; and Palace James Street, Dendy Portside and Dendy Coorparoo in Brisbane. It'll also show in Palace Nova Eastend in Adelaide, as well as Luna Leederville and Luna on SX in Perth. And if you're wondering what else is on NT Live's schedule, it's doing Shakespeare — Henry V starring Game of Thrones and Eternals' Kit Harington, in fact — from Saturday, June 25. Check out the Prima Facie trailer below: Prima Facie will screen in Australian cinemas from Saturday, July 23. Images: Empire Street Productions, Helen Murray.
It's hard to believe holiday season is just around the corner with 2021 coming in close for the fastest year ever award. If you're after some festive fun to celebrate the silly season, you'll be happy to know the Sydney Christmas Fair is back with a huge lineup of Christmas-y entertainment at Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter. Running across three weekends in December, you and the fam have plenty of opportunities to enjoy this outdoor and COVID-safe event. Hop on crowd favourite rides like a giant water slide, a classic carousel and the dodgem cars, or join the interactive elf workshops where kids can write letters to Santa, make Christmas cards and stuff stockings. And, if your little one loves to dance, head to the gingerbread house party for a big ol' boogie. Visiting Santa will be contactless this year, so make sure you practice your best physically distanced poses for the all-important pic with the big guy. Be sure to whip out your ugliest Christmas sweater and take your furry friend (BYO dog-sized reindeer ears) for your annual Santa photo, too. Sydney Christmas Fair is running from December 4–6, December 11–12, and December 18–19 at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park. For more information and to pre-book your tickets, visit the website.
