Sydney Harbour is bursting with waterfront bars and boat parties aplenty. But while the Channel V Party Island and those tacky glass-walled party boats provide temporary shindig spaces, we've been missing a permanent go-to floating bar in Sydney. As of February 2015, that hole in the waterfront nightlife market will be plugged, with the triumphant arrival of the Seadeck — a 44-metre long vessel that’s set to become a Harbour-cruising venue, permanently. The creation of Scott Robertson, Mel Como, Gavin Douchkov and Joseph Ralph, Seadeck is currently making its way here from Europe, ready for launch in February. Robertson used to be involved with Future Music Festival and, if you’ve been hanging out at Double Bay’s Vine or Darlinghurst’s Lift gym, you should be familiar with Douchkov and Ralph’s venue-running finesse. Seadeck features three vast decks, meaning that, pretty much wherever you are on board, you'll find yourself eye-to-eye with panoramic harbour views. The European-style ship will set up home at a mooring within Rozelle’s Super Yacht Marina. But when it’s not catching up on some post-party shut-eye, you’ll find it travelling between various points, picking up and dropping off passengers around Sydney Harbour. Entertainment-wise, there'll be a serious focus on music. Handpicked local performers will share bills with major international artists, with the program kicking off as soon as Seadeck gets through the heads. The intention is to create a 'European' atmosphere, reflected in the ship's avant-garde design, featuring natural colours and minimalistic décor. A retractable awning means that you'll never have to worry about the weather washing out your night. "Sydney for me is without question one of the best cities in the world and you would be hard pushed to find a more impressive backdrop for events," says Robertson. "Seadeck gives us the opportunity to take full advantage of this and brings with it a distinct flavour of European lifestyle culture. Our aim is to produce events which will be globally regarded and we have lined up some of the biggest international artists and club brands in the world for our debut summer season. Whilst Saturdays will focus predominantly on international headliners, Seadeck Sundays is all about house music and showcasing some of Australia’s best homegrown talent." Seadeck will be ready to set sail in February 2015. Check the website for upcoming events.
Everybody loves condiments, but it's hard to imagine sitting down to a 33-minute documentary about one. Until, perhaps, we reveal that the condiment of choice is Sriracha, the punchy hot sauce that inspires cult-like levels of devotion the globe over. Sriracha is a Kickstarter-funded documentary by Griffin Hammond that follows the rise of the ubiquitous 'rooster sauce' in America after a Vietnamese refugee named David Tran decided to make his own version of the sauce, which originated in Thailand but is also popular in Vietnam as a condiment for pho. Tran founded Huy Fong Foods in 1980, and since then the company's revenues have grown by at least 20 percent every year — amazingly, without advertising. The documentary mainly consists of interviews with Tran, as well as several die-hard Sriracha fans. According to reviews, there's some interesting trivia in there and it does give you an insight into the company and its founder. But it's also been described as "one long Sriracha commercial" due to its lack of non-Sriracha-loving subjects. There's some anxiety among Sriracha lovers following the recent partial shutdown of the main Huy Fong factory in California. Combined with a new 30-day freeze on shipment, it's looking like a short-term shortage may be a reality. Have fortitude, heat fiends. You can watch the trailer for Sriracha below. The full documentary is available on Vimeo for $5. Via the NPR blog.
A soundtrack of wall-to-wall floor-filler classics will echo across Australia this autumn, featuring tunes by Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers and Groove Armada — but not exactly as you know them. Joining the dance-meets-symphony trend is the just-announced Alive Garden Party, which has enlisted the UK's Club Symphony to head Down Under to give the country another event in the style of Synthony and Ministry of Sound Classical. The setup: having a symphony orchestra play tracks normally known for getting clubs pumping, not concert halls. The concept isn't new; however, it is popular. Australia's latest instance is heading to outdoor venues, including some wineries — taking queues from A Day on the Green and Grapevine Gathering as well. Songs by Faithless, Swedish House Mafia and Eric Prydz will also feature when Alive Garden Party debuts in South Australia at the end of March, then tours to Moss Vale Showgrounds in New South Wales' Southern Highlands, Swan Valley's Oakover Grounds in Western Australia, the Gold Coast in Queensland and Rochford Wines in Yarra Valley in Victoria. The lineup will expand as well, beyond the Steve Anderson-, Dave Seaman- and Cliff Masterson-led Club Symphony, including vocalists. Attendees aren't just in for a treat for the ears, but also for the eyes and tastebuds. With the latter, the focus will be on gourmet local produce that you can enjoy while picnicking the afternoon away — plus drinks, of course — before getting dancing beneath the stars when night hits. Bringing your own blanket to sprawl out on is encouraged, as is relaxing on the grass. If you'd like the VIP experience, it includes express entry, premium viewing and a bar with an expanded range. [caption id="attachment_936463" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Hildebrand[/caption] "This will be a visual and audible show that leaves audiences elated," said Jaylee Osborne on behalf of Alive Garden Party's organisers. "Alive Garden Party was born because music festivals aren't for everyone and concerts sometimes don't quite hit the spot. So we created a highly bespoke, beautiful and comfortable experience for every concertgoer." [caption id="attachment_936464" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Perry McLaughlan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_936462" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Hildebrand[/caption] ALIVE GARDEN PARTY 2024 DATES: Saturday, March 30 — TBC, Adelaide, South Australia Sunday, March 31 — Moss Vale Showgrounds, Southern Highlands, New South Wales Saturday, April 6 — Oakover Grounds, Swan Valley, Western Australia Saturday, April 13 — TBC, Gold Coast, Queensland Saturday, April 20 — Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, Victoria Alive Garden Party will tour Australia in March and April 2024, with tickets on-sale now — head to the event website for further details.
Lace up your running shoes and join the Central Coast's biggest running event, the Bay to Bay Running Festival. Now in its 21st year, this charity run raises funds for local community organisations. The one-day event offers something for everyone, from a five and 12-kilometre fun run to a two-kilometre kids run and a 21-kilometre half marathon. Whether you run, jog or simply enjoy the leisurely route at your own pace, this community event is a great way to get active while supporting a good cause. Over two decades, the Bay to Bay Running Festival has become a much-loved Central Coast tradition, and continues to bring the local community together through fitness, philanthropy and the great outdoors. The Bay to Bay Running Festival is taking place on Sunday, June 15 in Gosford and Woy Woy, for more information visit the website.
Anyone who's caught The Jezabels live can nod to a hoarse throat and an emotional upheaval at the close. One of Australia's best live outfits, the Sydney foursome sure pack a punch on stage, leaving festival crowds at St Jerome's Laneway Festival, Groovin the Moo and Big Day Out thoroughly uplifted and homeproud. After extensive UK touring and support slots for Depeche Mode and the Pixies, The Jezabels are back on home turf ready to blow minds at the Sydney Opera House for their 2014 headliner tour. Following the release of their colossally successful debut release Prisoner, The Jezabels spent two years on a furious touring escapade; leaving fans generally euphoric at over 200 shows worldwide. Gradually refining their epic live presence, the Sydney locals are a long way from their Manning Bar days — rounding out 2013 by opening for Depeche Mode and the Pixies through Ireland and the UK. The crew based themselves in London, hooked up with UK Producer Dan Grech-Marguerat (Radiohead, The Kooks, Lana Del Rey) and crafted their second album, The Brink, which debuted at #2 on the ARIA chart. No biggie. For their first headline dates for 2014, The Jezabels will fill every eave of the Sydney Opera House with Hayley Mary's supercharged vocals. And because she's got mad skills, keyboard player Heather Shannon will open the show playing the coveted Opera House grand organ, the largest tracker-action pipe organ in the world. That's how the 'bels roll. Tickets available from the Sydney Opera House Box Office or you can live stream the concert from home on Tuesday at 8:10PM [AEST]. https://youtube.com/watch?v=pQ3fAMOz-Ic
UPDATE, Sunday, October 22: More information about Haus of Horror's 2023–24 venues and screenings are on their way, with some details changing — we'll update you when the latest schedule is announced. How do you start a new horror movie event with a bang? Take a lineup of beloved scary flicks — or spooky-themed, but funny — to a couple of supremely eerie locations. That's Haus of Horror's setup, unleashing both The Exorcist and the OG Scream in a haunted prison with sessions at Parramatta Gaol earlier in 2023, then also taking Beetlejuice to Camperdown Cemetery in Newtown. In the best kind of creepy news, it'll be back to do the same from November through to March 2024 as well. Haus of Horror's second season is split across the two locations, with its haunted prison screenings skewing darker and its graveyard sessions showing family-friendly fare — all on Saturday nights. The first kicks off on November 2 with A Nightmare on Elm Street, which means that striped jumpers are the outfit of choice. The latter will get started on November 25 with Gremlins, plus rules about feeding after midnight. Parramatta Gaol will also show The Nightmare Before Christmas at the perfect time, then American Psycho to start 2024 with a savage satire. From there, the North Parramatta venue's lineup includes The Craft, Bram Stoker's Dracula and The Evil Dead — so an impressive roster of top-notch horror classics. Over at Newtown, Ghostbusters will scare away spirits, the original big-screen version of The Addams Family will get fingers clicking and Edward Scissorhands will close out the season with Tim Burton whimsy. There's obviously no better place to show scary-themed films than these two settings — and Haus of Horror's movie nights aren't just about the big screen. In the past, its Parramatta sessions have included two hours for attendees to explore Parramatta Gaol's morgue, cell blocks and showers; a bar serving beer and wine; vegan and non-vegan bites to eat; a live DJ spinning tunes while the sun sets; and an interactive photo booth set up like scenes from the film. At Camperdown Cemetery, attendees were also able to enjoy a cemetery tour, a DJ, a photobooth, and food and drinks. While the proper Haus of Horror season won't begin until the weather gets warmer, the horror event fiends do have something else in the works in the interim. Fancy catching the original live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film in stink-o-vision, with scratch 'n' sniff cards emitting appropriate scents as you watch? That's coming up on Saturday, August 19 at Roseville Cinemas. Haus of Horror's 2023–24 season will kick off in November, screening at Parramatta Gaol, corner O'Connell and Dunlop streets, North Parramatta and Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Federation Road, Lennox and Church streets, Newtown. Head to the Haus of Horror website for further details.
From Asian-inspired wine bars to avant-garde dumpling houses and Korean restaurants bringing the soul of Seoul to Sydney, our hearts are all aflutter with the extraordinary contemporary Asian dining options currently gracing our fine city. Whether it's sashimi sorbet, green tea soft-serve or a burnt butter bibimbap you're after, we've got you covered. Welcome to our guide to the ten best modern Asian restaurants in Sydney. KIM RESTAURANT If you haven't yet indulged in the modern Korean trend that's sweeping Sydney, now is the time to start. Kim's consistent menu spans from small, punchy options like a flavour-packed seafood and shallot pancake ($14) to more substantial dishes like the vibrant ssam, which has you stuffing crispy barbecued chicken, chive kimchi and pickles into lettuce cups ($26). With its cute alleyway feel, intriguing traditional Korean drinks and an old school hip-hop sound track that would bring us here on its own, Kim Restaurant brings the spirit of Seoul to the heart of Sydney. 24-30 Springfield Avenue, Potts Point BAR H Power couple Hamish Ingham and Rebecca Lines continue to dazzle us at their gorgeous little wine bar in Surry Hills. The Japanese-sprinkled Chinese-fusion menu throws one punch after another with its clever, Asian-inspired bar food. Pull leaves of crispy battered saltbush off their branches and dunk them into a creamy chilli mayo ($14), enjoy silky strips of sashimi snapper brought to life by a trippy powdering of wasabi snow ($19) or take a moment to admit to yourself how delicious sea urchin custard is. The kitchen's commitment to clean, sustainable produce sings from every plate, and also from a gratifying wine and sake list focused on small producers and pure methods. 80 Campbell Street, Surry Hills SPICE TEMPLE Behind the mysterious billowing silk that marks Spice Temple's iconic entrance is a shrine to the chilli to which every lover of the sweet burn must make pilgrimage. Dark, dramatic and undeniably sexy, the underground dining room is host to Neil Perry's modern spin on regional Chinese cuisine and a list of exactly 100 wines hand-picked to match. The food is theatrical and striking in both flavour and aesthetic, from the "hot and numbing" crispy dry Wagyu ($22) to leatherjacket fillets bathing in a pool of heaven-facing chillies and Sichuan peppercorns ($39). Cooling desserts and clever digestifs complete an experience you won't soon forget. 10 Bligh Street, Sydney LOTUS DUMPLING BAR If we had to pin down humankind's two greatest inventions, they'd have to be cocktails and dumplings. So you can imagine our enthusiasm about the lively intersection of our two favourite things at beautifully designed Lotus Dumpling Bar on Hickson Road. Though you'll be competing for space with the pre-theatre crowd, the wait (or the foresight to book) is certainly worth it: from colourful xiao long bao ($12.80) to prawns encased in spinach rice dough ($13.80), the slippery little bundles of goodness are consistently top-notch, and should be accompanied by a bowl of piquant fried rice with duck and asparagus ($16). The cocktails are as great an attraction as the food, with a well-stocked bar and knowledgeable bartender making for a mouth-watering list. 3/16 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay JIMMY LIKS Jimmy Liks is an intimate place. With its glimmering lantern-light, sunset-coloured silks, rich wooden tables and tactile sharing plates, the Potts Point institution is a romantic space enlivened with the hum of close conversation and a sleek, jazzy soundtrack. The flavours are dynamic and authentic, with a distinctly modern edge: here, son-in-law eggs are of the free range duck variety ($8.50), while the chicken is served crispy-skinned in a split green curry spiked with wild ginger ($29). Be seduced by a vibrant, Asian-inspired cocktail list sprinkled liberally with pandan, kaffir lime, ginger and lemongrass, and complete your night with a delectable dessert platter for two. 186-188 Victoria Street, Potts Point STREET MARKET Take the stairway past the bountiful hessian sacks that overflow with pretty star anise, dehydrated mushrooms and an intriguing assortment of pulses and spices, and make your way into the sensory celebration that is Street Market. Golden pieces of crispy fried chicken are paired with a creamy kimchi dipping sauce ($13) in a dish that’s a bang-on doppelganger for the best served in the pubs of Seoul, while the sticky hoisin sauce that hugs the charcoal-grilled lamb ribs ($17) makes it difficult to stop before the plate is clean. With a long, varied and consistent menu, Street Market is the kind of place you can keep coming back to. 3/12 Fitzroy Street, Kirribilli NIJI RESTAURANT AND BAR Pretty, thatched lanterns suspended over an intricate wood-panelled entryway and a welcoming committee of friendly bartenders shaking Asian-inspired cocktails are the first hints that Niji is not your usual Double Bay establishment. The cocktail list is abuzz with curious Japanese ingredients like green tea sorbet, sparkling sake and celery-infused shochu, while the menu plays creatively with Japanese cuisine while maintaining its integrity and flavour. The 'salmon sorbet' ($19) is a well-executed and slightly mind-bending dish of cured salmon, nashi pear, wasabi sorbet and ponzu, and we can't go past the miso-marinated duck ($27), smoked over mesquite and alder woods and served in fine slices over a cradle of robata-grilled asparagus. 21 Bay Street, Double Bay LONGRAIN When Longrain's new head chef Louis Tikaram won the SMH Good Food Guide's 2014 Young Chef of the Year Award, he described his kitchen philosophy in one word: 'tastiness'. It's a philosophy that reigns supreme at Longrain, where Tikaram's Thai cuisine delivers consistent knockouts from your first bite of pomelo, coconut and chilli jam wrapped in betel leaf ($6), through dynamic favourites like stir-fried beef with Thai basil ($34), to your final spoonful of the iconic 'Longrain layered dessert'. A treasure trove of interesting wines and a broad, international beer list mean you'll have no trouble finding the ideal accompaniment to your meal. 85 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills CHO CHO SAN With shareable contemporary food, culinary pedigree and a coolly minimal room, Cho Cho San is perfectly Sydney. Utilising traditional hibachi grilling and steaming, the menu is relatively light and healthy — a nice deviation in the present restaurant landscape. Ironically, the best dishes are those that sound the least appealing. The grilled kingfish head (a bargain at $14, since you're saving it from the bin) is surprisingly full of succulent, full-flavoured meat, and the side of raw, seasoned radishes with a pat of mild butter ($11) is an inexplicable taste sensation. Then there's that green tea soft-serve ($6). When you have a transcendent meal out of what sounds like World War II rations, you know you've had a special night. 73 Macleay Street, Potts Point MOON PARK The Korean restaurant hidden away in an upper story of an unmarked block in Redfern offers Korean food that's so modern it sometimes barely resembles the original, but for lovers of the contemporary it's certainly worth a visit. Brought to life by the team from Claude's, Moon Park is a low-key, minimalist space with an intriguing menu — the bibimbap ($26) features the unusual additions of walnuts and burnt butter, while the cucumber kimchi is a simple but punchy win of a dish. The desserts are kooky and wholly delectable, creating pretty pictures out of interesting elements like yuzu curd, burnt honey and shaved milk ice. 34 Redfern Street, Redfern View all Sydney Restaurants.
Born in warehouses, cafes, breweries and backyards around Sydney, Freshflix showcases some of the best indie short films from across Australia and beyond. Now, it's bringing its Film Festival back for the seventh season in conjunction with Vivid Sydney. And this year, it'll be held on the top floor of Circular Quay's Museum of Contemporary Art — which means, as well as watching some top quality shorts, you'll get to enjoy some impressive views of the Vivid lights, too. Running from 5pm on Saturday, June 8, the night begins with live music (paired with some soaking up of Vivid lights), then a slew of independently made short films will screen. If you're a horror fan, we recommend you stick around until 9pm, when a series of blood-curling, creepy and gory thrillers and sci-fi flicks will screen. There'll be awards handed out throughout the night, too, as well as a heap of beverages available for purchase. Tickets start from a very reasonable $10 a pop, too.
One of my most vivid childhood memories occurred when I was around seven years old. School had just started back from term break and a lot my mates were talking about how great a time they had camping over the holidays. Wondering why I was missing out on all the fun, I asked my mum when she got home from work that evening why we'd never been camping before. Her response? A deadpan, and completely earnest: "But we have been camping, darling – remember that time we stayed at a Best Western?" Not only is this one of my earliest memories — it turned out to be one of my most formative, too. Mine wasn't a particularly outdoorsy family, which is a legacy I have stubbornly (or proudly, depending on the day of the week) kept going. I can't swim — in fact I only started enjoying even getting into a pool just a few years ago. I never managed to master riding a bike. And hiking? I am yet to be convinced that it's anything other than a mind-numbing and utterly pointless endeavour. If I wanted to experience nature, I'd drive through it on paved and well-signed roads in a climate-controlled vehicle, thank you very much. So imagine my surprise when I arrived in Cairns. [caption id="attachment_854603" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jarrad Shaw[/caption] I felt like David Rose. It's safe to say that a trip to regional Queensland had never been on my radar. But, as a guest of Tourism Tropical North Queensland, I was duty-bound to wholeheartedly embrace the itinerary put together by my incredible colleague and Mission Beach local Courtney Ammenhauser. Yes, it was going to put me well beyond my comfort zone, but that was entirely the point — could this part of the world appeal to someone who can count on one hand the amount of times he's voluntarily been in nature? The short answer is yes, it bloody well can. Over a jam-packed three days, I was shown just some of what the region has to offer by Cairns local Katie Purling. At the risk of being hyperbolic, I was lucky enough to see and do things that I never thought I would see or do. Sure, I didn't have to cosplay as Bear Grylls, but it turns out I didn't have to. There are plenty of ways to explore the spectacularly diverse and truly beautiful tropics that would appeal to even the most discerning of travellers, from luxe, carbon-neutral accomodation set among the rainforest canopy to excellent fine-dining venues that showcase the richness of produce available in Australia's tropical north and First Nations-owned and operated tours offering immersive cultural experiences that offer a fascinating look at Indigenous protected land. [caption id="attachment_854604" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jarrad Shaw[/caption] While the videos in this feature do a far better job than my words ever could of illustrating the beauty of the tropics, there were some highlights that will stay with me for a while. Swimming (well, wading, really) in the Great Barrier Reef after a very comfortable yacht trip with Sailaway was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'll not soon forget. Reef conservation is something that is, understandably, taken quite seriously in the region. Dipping my toes into the Coral Sea's crystal-clear waters dotted with an infinitesimal fraction of its fascinating coral formations was a truly humbling experience that afforded me an almost tangible perspective (beyond my existing but more conceptual one) around just how important it is to keep the Reef thriving. As a regional leader in ecotourism, Sailaway not only gets visitors up close to the Great Barrier Reef in a responsible way with trips that are 100-percent carbon neutral, but is also an active participant in coral planting and monitoring initiatives — trips are also offset with a portion of each ticket price invested back into rainforest reforestation projects. If nature walks aren't your thing, the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, located just 15 minutes north of Cairns, is an incredible way to experience the world's oldest continually surviving rainforest. It's a strange combination of fear and awe as you enter your cable car and ascend up to 90 metres above ground, the ideal spot from which to enjoy sweeping views of the rainforest canopy below and the beautiful blue ocean beyond. I can confirm, though, that the awe quickly consumes the fear as you take in the incredibly diverse sea of green underneath you, especially when the mighty Barron Falls comes into view. A one-way journey on Skyrail is 7.5-kilometres long, with three legs that are broken up with stops featuring stunning lookout points, complimentary ranger-guided boardwalk tours and informative discovery zones. An EarthCheck-certified operator, Skyrail is part of the Wet Tropics Management Authority, which works to protect and conserve this World Heritage area, while its own Skyrail Rainforest Foundation raises and distributes funds to support research and education projects for the tropical wonder. But the biggest takeaway was something I couldn't quite put my finger on until I was discussing my time up north with Courtney upon my return. There's an almost palpable sense of time slowing right down — the days somehow feel longer but you never get the sense that they're dragging on. Whether it's down to the humidity, the warm hospitality of the laidback locals or really more of a general vibe, that, for me, truly felt like the biggest money-can't-buy luxury of all. And even writing this from the far more familiar surrounds of the big smoke, I can't wait to experience that again soon. Nik Addams travelled to Cairns as a guest of Tourism Tropical North Queensland. Top image: Jarrad Shaw
One underground restaurant dedicated to steak wasn't quite enough for Bistecca's James Bradey and Warren Burns. The Liquid and Larder directors, and minds behind The Wild Rover and Grandma's Bar, have just opened The Gidley — an opulent basement restaurant inspired by old-school New York and London steakhouses. The subterranean setup means there are no windows and no distracting "beautiful harbour views", says Bradey. Lack of distractions is a passion of the restaurateur duo, who banned phones at the table at their original steak spot Bistecca. The same goes here, too. Instead of Instagram, you'll be soaking up the lusciously designed space, by Darlinghurst studio Tom Mark Henry, which was made to feel like a "rabbit warren" that you could lose yourself in. Split into several rooms, including a lounge, dining area, wine bar and private room, the restaurants seats about 120 all up. Expect lots of velvet (both drapery and furnishings), along with dark timber veneer, herringbone floors and plush leather lounges — aka all those vintage steakhouse feels. Linking the space back to its home shores is the ornate wallpaper, which depicts native Australian flora and fauna. "It's a fun bit of 80s nostalgia," explains Bradey, who says the space is a throwback to a time when "the stock market was booming and everyone was wearing big puffy jackets". [caption id="attachment_751374" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dominic Loneragan[/caption] Overseeing the menu, which has its own notable throwbacks, is Bistecca Head Chef Pip Pratt. Taking inspiration from supper clubs and steakhouses, the menu heroes one dish: the Riverine black angus rib eye. Here, it's done three ways: chargrilled on-the-bone, a classic prime rib roast in either English cut (300 grams) or Gidley cut (700 grams) and a hard-to-come-by spinalis steak. "That fatty side of the rib eye is called the spinalis, and we've taken it off and are cooking it as its own standalone steak," say Bradey. "It's very rich, decadent and delicious." To finish your steak off, douse it in your choice of green goddess, confit garlic mustard or truffle, mushroom and burnt butter sauce. While the rib eye is the star of the show, unlike Bistecca, steak isn't the sole dish vying for your attention here. Other mains include whole grilled flounder with butter and lemon, brick chicken in a good old-fashioned British bread sauce and a savoury pumpkin pie that's layered with whipped goat's cheese and better resembles a lasagna. It wouldn't be a traditional steakhouse without a burger, either — this one has a double beef patty with cheddar, pickles and optional bacon and egg. There's also a raw bar serving up the likes of oysters, caviar and prawn cocktails for starters, plus heaps of sides and salads — expect mac 'n' cheese, potato gratin and caesar salad sit alongside broccolini with braised leek and shaved brussels sprouts. Desserts come with a bit of nostalgia, too, with the likes of pecan pie, raspberry cheesecake and bowls of chocolate and eucalyptus ice cream. Prefer drinking your desserts? Order the banana split old fashioned cocktail with ice cream-washed Jack Daniels and salted maple syrup. [caption id="attachment_751371" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dominic Loneragan[/caption] Since no steak is complete without a good glass of red, there's, thankfully, plenty of that. The extensive wine program is looked after by Bistecca's award-winning sommelier Alice Massaria, with the 13-page list featuring many well-made drops from many well-known brands, many of which are bio-dynamic and sustainable. Massaria's list also shines a light on female winemakers, with a special focus on Vanya Cullen of Cullen Estate. Bartender extraordinaire Jonothan Carr (Archie Rose, Kittyhawk, Door Knock, Burrow Bar) is pouring a "straight and stiff" array of batched and bottled cocktails. Expect all of your usual suspects and more creative options, including negronis for two and martinis served on silver trays. Other house specialties include toasted chamomile spritzes and a banana split old fashioned. Find The Gidley at 161 King Street, Sydney. It's open Tuesday–Saturday from 5.30pm–late and Friday 12–3pm. Images: Dominic Loneragan
Bendigo Art Gallery will honour one of the most influential fashion icons of all time when the Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion exhibition opens on August 17. A pioneering 20th century designer hailing from Spain, Cristóbal Balenciaga was considered one of the leaders of haute couture — and hundreds of his designs are making their way to Australia this winter. For this exclusive exhibition, Bendigo Art Gallery has collaborated with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Expect over 100 garments and hats designed not only by Balenciaga, but also by his 30 contemporaries and apprentices at the design house — who include the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Hubert de Givenchy. Along with the designer pieces — including pieces worn by actress Ava Gardner, mononymous 50s model Dovima and 60s fashion icon Gloria Guinness — visitors will gain access to Balenciaga's house through archival sketches, fabric samples, photographs and fashion show footage. This is the gallery's latest fashion-focused installation, with past exhibitions including Melbourne's own Toni Maticevski in 2016, golden era Hollywood designer Edith Head in 2017 and, most recently, an exhibition on Finnish textile icon Marimekkoin June 2018. The art gallery is located about two hours' drive northwest of Melbourne. Instead of flying into Melbourne, out-of-towners can opt to take a newly operating Qantas direct flight from Sydney to Bendigo — and August would certainly be the time to do it.
Mad Mel is back. After seven years off screen, he's stepped in front of the camera and into very familiar shoes, once again playing a police detective driven to the brink. Based on the 1985, critically acclaimed BBC miniseries, director Martin Campbell has returned to helm the feature film after screenwriters Andrew Bovell (Lantana) and William Monahan (The Departed) moved the action from Leeds to Boston. After his darling daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic) is gunned down in front of him, single father and staunch Catholic Thomas Craven (Gibson) desperately hunts down every lead, even as they take him further outside the bounds of the law. Doing a deal with the devil (in the guise of shady gun-for-hire Jedburg (Ray Winstone), Craven soon finds himself in front of a pathological corporate figurehead (Danny Huston) and in the cross hairs of a nuclear conspiracy. While the premise intrigues and the performances are strong, Edge of Darkness ends up being decidedly less than the sum of its parts. It's as if more than just the British accents were lost in translation, as the six-part mini-series fails to resonate within the film's 116 minute running time. Plot holes and odd pacing do little to drive action or interest to the promised edge, and although it's good to see Mel again, audiences would definitely do better venturing back to the 80s, with the original series, and a couple of Lethal Weapons thrown in for good measure. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-HVYeDUd-gs
There's a great mystery to be solved in Hollywood's remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but it's not the brutal spate of murders Stieg Larsson's heroes are trying to solve. Instead, it's why a movie with all the ingredients for perfection somehow fell short of that mark. It's certainly not the case that this was an unnecessary remake of Niels Arden Oplev's 2009 Swedish version, a great and faithful adaptation of the novel but by no means a consummate picture warranting no further attempts (compared to, say, Point Break. D'ya hear that Warner Bros? For God's sake just let it be!!). Directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, The Social Network), Girl seemed like the ideal project for a man who's made an art form out of humanity's dark side. Set in the frosty countryside of Sweden's snow-covered north, it covers kidnapping, torture, murder, rape and — without giving too much away — Nazism. If you're not one of the 65 million people who've already bought the book (or the billion who then borrowed it off one of them), Girl tells the story of Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), a disgraced investigative journalist reeling from an embarrassing and possibly career-ending libel lawsuit. Absent any other options, he begrudgingly accepts the invitation of a reclusive industrialist named Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to help him solve the 40-year-old mystery of his missing niece. Recruited to assist Bomkvist is the dragon-tattooed Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a bisexual savant hacker with an abrasive personality and (entirely justifiable) penchant for punishing abusive men. Just as it was with Noomi Rapace in the Swedish film, Mara is the standout performer in Fincher's version. Her transformation from the aggrieved ex-girlfriend of Mark Zuckerberg in the opening scene of The Social Network to this pierced, animalistic and almost androgynous avenger is nothing short of astonishing. Compared to Craig's altogether monochrome performance, Mara's scenes are tense and compelling throughout, yet even they aren't enough to save this violent, 2 hour 40 minute epic from periodically dragging. Perhaps it's because as a murder mystery Girl is a far cry from the complex and sophisticated plot of Fincher's earlier film Zodiac, just as it fails to unsettle in quite the same way Se7en did. Not that there isn't also a lot to love. Jeff Cronenweth's cinematography is exquisite and the movie's opening credits are simply breathtaking. Highlighting Fincher's background in music videos, Girl opens with a pulsing goth-rock cover of Led Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song' by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross while fetish-infused visuals of oil-drenched figures writhe across the screen, not unlike the introduction to 1999's Bond film The World Is Not Enough. Which brings us back to the start. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a stylish, confronting and faithful adaptation of Larsson's novel that for some reason just fails to match its potential. It's a fascinating mystery — only not quite the one Fincher set out to tell. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WVLvMg62RPA
Everybody loves food. The glorious stuff keeps us alive, after all. But our relationship with it is so much more than just one of sustenance. It's a deep love based on bold flavours and gastro-satisfaction — and it's a love so strong that we're willing to cross seas, hop on rickety buses and pay big money to travel far-flung countries just to get our hands on what could be the world's best sandwich, or the perfect cup of coffee. Culinary tourism is one of the top reasons people travel, and travelling for a food festival is one of the most hectic, informative and fun ways to immerse yourself in the city's food culture. So take a coffee break and scroll through some of the world's most delicious food festivals. They're events we reckon are worth dusting off the passport and busting out your custom chilli spoon for. And even if you can't make it to the actual event, it might at least give you an inspired idea of what to eat for dinner tonight. AUSTIN FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL, TEXAS, USA Austin has long been the culinary darling of the United States, and the glorious April feast that is the Austin Food + Wine Festival is the best way to find out why. As well as artisanal food and booze from a slew of local vendors, there's usually a fire pit, a taco showdown, interactive demonstrations, live music and meet and greets with America's top chefs. There's so much on you won't even be thinking about the exchange rate — just about how much you can fit in your tummy. When? Late April. COPENHAGEN COOKING, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK So we all know about Noma (especially after Rene Redzepi brought the restaurant to Sydney earlier this year), but do you know anything else about Danish cuisine? Probably not. But your one-way ticket to finding out is attending the Copenhagen Cooking food festival. This lovely little festival (which was in fact modelled in part on Melbourne Food and Wine Festival) will have you biking all over the small city to eat all the smørrebrød and skagen you possibly can. They also have a heap of good coffee and natural wine to try. The festival itself includes a wide range of events, from slow food dinners held in barns on the outskirts of town to cupping sessions and a long table outdoor feast that takes over a street in the city's Frederiksberg area. When? Late August. [caption id="attachment_594133" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Seth Lui via Singapore Food Festival[/caption] SINGAPORE FOOD FESTIVAL, SINGAPORE The entirely unique blend of cultural flavours (and price points) that is Singapore's cuisine jumps out at you like nobody's business at this annual celebration of eating as much as you deem safe. At the Singapore Food Fest, top chefs (many Michelin-starred) re-imagine classics in market stalls, and street vendors around town dish out every delicious colour of the foodie rainbow. This year they were even serving up something called laksagne — that's laksa-flavoured lasagne. Yep. When? Mid July. FOOD AND FUN FESTIVAL, REYKJAVIK, ICELAND With Iceland's relative proximity to the well-known food scene of Copenhagen (thanks to Noma) and the fact that it's on just about every traveller's bucket list, it's no surprise to see the culinary delights of Reykjavik becoming more and more popular. The most popular food event in the nation's capital, the Food and Fun Festival, sees restaurants across the city gather together to showcase Iceland's best home-grown produce over a few days in March. When? Early March. [caption id="attachment_594107" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Binder.donedat via Flickr.[/caption] PHUKET VEGETARIAN FESTIVAL, PHUKET, THAILAND Although it's already passed us by this year, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is definitely worth marking down on your travel calendar. The festival is actually a religious one, and celebrates the Chinese community's belief that abstaining from meat and other stimulants during the ninth lunar month and praying to the Nine Emperor Gods for good health and peace of mind. It packs in ten days of intricate ceremonies — from fire walking to others too gruesome to mention — all while following a strict vego diet. Their mock meat game is strong and the food is stellar, with nature's produce being cooked with such skill that it'll probably never taste better. Remember this is a religious festival though, and if you attend you'll have to follow the festival's ten rules (no alcohol is one of them). When? Early October (but changes with the lunar calendar). L'APLEC DEL CARAGOL, LLEIDA, SPAIN Deep in the heart of Catalonia lies the city of Lleida — and every year in May, it plays host to up to 200,000 visitors for the annual gathering of snails. Essentially, it's a huge snail feast. The festival, named l'Aplec del Caragol, lays it on with parades, bands and whole mess of snails to consume. Last year, twelve tonnes were demolished across the weekend. When? Late May. WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL, CANCUN, MEXICO Legging it to a destination for food doesn't necessarily mean sticking with the local offerings, so why not treat yourself to a festival of pure world class gastronomy? Cancun's Wine & Food Festival is regularly hosted by some of the best chefs in the world, and it comes with the jaw dropping scenery of Caribbean in the background. Plus, you can snack on street tacos in-between events if you're still hungry. When? Early October. LE SALON DU CHOCOLAT, PARIS, FRANCE This one's pretty straight up and simple: a four-day chocolate festival in Paris. Le Salon du Chocolat sees hundreds of pastry chefs, chocolatiers and confectioners from all around the world descend on Paris for a whole long weekend's worth of take my money now. That's a bender to really get behind. When? Late October. Top image: Copenhagen Cooking.
Even the most dedicated camping fans aren't that fond of packing. So much to bring, so little space, even when you're a seasoned outdoorsy type. Factor in not only shelter, bedding, food and other essentials, but anything fun you'd like to do while you're away from the big smoke, and you're carting quite the hefty stack of gear with you. Next time you're heading beyond the city limits for a stint under the stars, the Traft will help reduce your luggage, especially if a paddle along a waterway is also on your agenda. And, it'll open up your options when it comes to activities. As the name suggests, it's an inflatable tent-raft combo that you can splash about in by day and sleep in at night. Officially described as a line of "hybrid tent-packraft-sleep systems", the Traft can also be used to lounge around in both on land and water, with or without shade from the sun thanks to its removable tent. Should you fancy sleeping in something other than a raft, the latter can also be used as shelter independently from the base. Sparked by an idea for a floating boat hammock, and made from thermo plastic polyurethane, the Traft was first unveiled at a US outdoor retailer show back in July. It comes in 2.43-metre, 2.59-metre and 2.76-metre options, although only the first is available at present. The smaller size weighs less than four kilograms, making it a lightweight addition to your camping kit — but, unsurprisingly, it doesn't come cheap, selling for US$900. For more information, visit the Traft website. Via: Digital Trends. Image: Traft.
While most Australian states and territories shiver their way through winter, the Top End becomes an ideal vacay destination thanks to its balmy dry season (which runs from May–October). And, if you needed even more reason to escape the winter chill, the region is turning up the heat this season with a stack of arts and cultural events. Sure, Australian cities are in no short supply of creative endeavours. But Darwin is different. Billing itself as the beating heart of First Nations culture and creativity, the Northern Territory's capital has long-recognised the traditional custodians of the land, specifically the Larrakia people. Fittingly, this August, it's got an epic month-long lineup of First Nations-focused exhibitions, runway shows, art fairs and a one-night music celebration. In partnership with Darwin Festival and its Beating Heart of First Nations Culture events series, we've rounded up seven must-see gigs that are not only worth the plane trip, but also represent Australia's past, present and future. So go on — book that flight. [caption id="attachment_817479" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elise Derwin[/caption] DARWIN FESTIVAL August 5–22 Darwin's annual winter party is not shy of events this year, with music, dance, theatre, cabaret and comedy performances popping up across a whole host of Top End locations. Naturally, the three-week fest is championing First Nations performers. You can catch openair concert Buŋgul on opening night (more about this later) and the world-premiere of intercultural dance troupe Marrugeku's provocative new production Jurrungu Ngan-ga (Straight Talk) (August 13–14). The stirring show combines dance and theatre, and is inspired by both Yawuru leader Patrick Dodson and Kurdish-Iranian writer Behrouz Boochani's perspectives on incarceration. Ilbijerri Theatre Company's Heart is a Wasteland (August 11–15) — a play and (whisky-fuelled) live music show of First Nations storytelling — is one you won't want to miss. Also on the bill is singer-songwriter Sycco, of Torres Strait Islander heritage, who's playing alongside Confidence Man and Flight Facilities (August 13). To check out the full program, head to the festival's website. BUŊGUL August 5 We promised you we'd talk more about this one. Kicking off Darwin Festival is this free, openair concert celebrating the music of Gurrumul and the people of North East Arnhem Land. Born blind, proud Galiwin'ku man and award-winning musician Gurrumul (AKA Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupiŋu) was a member of Yothu Yindi and Saltwater Band, and had a successful solo career. Dubbed 'Australia's most important voice' by Rolling Stone Australia, he remains one of the most celebrated — and commercially successful — First Nations musicians. His impact is still deeply felt and Buŋgul is set to shine a light on his genius. Featuring Yolŋu dancers, songmen and the Darwin Symphony Orchestra, the opening night event will be held at Darwin Amphitheatre at George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens — we recommend getting in early for this one, as spaces are limited. While the concert is free, registration is required. NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS August 7 The music at the Botanic Gardens continues on August 7 with the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA). The event has been celebrating Aussie music for 16 years, and every year it recognises the stellar tunes coming from First Nations musicians from every corner of the country. From emerging artists to those of international acclaim, past awards have been picked up by the likes of Archie Roach, Baker Boy, Emma Donovan, Dan Sultan, Gurrumul and JK-47. Get in on all the action and head to Darwin Amphitheatre to see who will add their names to the honour roll and catch a heap of live acts including Baker Boy, Miiesha, Electric Fields, King Stingray, Alice Skye, and Dallas Woods and Kee'ahn. [caption id="attachment_814319" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dylan Buckee[/caption] DARWIN ABORIGINAL ART FAIR August 6–8 On the visual arts front, the first weekend of August will see the return of the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF). Showcasing more than 70 Indigenous-owned galleries under one roof, the fair is a unique opportunity for you to purchase artworks directly from the source. Misrepresentation of First Nations artists is not uncommon, so if you want to pick up authentic Indigenous artworks in an ethical fashion, DAAF is a surefire bet — 100 percent of sales to date go back into First Nations creative communities. The fair always has an exciting entertainment program, with this year promising dance performances, workshops, material demonstrations and artist talks, as well as food, film and fashion. You can check out the full program on the DAAF website. [caption id="attachment_814321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Charlie Bliss[/caption] TELSTRA NATIONAL ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER AWARDS August 2021–February 2022 The Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), presented by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin, is the longest-running and most prestigious art awards program for First Nations artists. For 37 years, it has celebrated contemporary artworks from around the nation across a broad range of disciplines — from paintings to photography and textile works. What makes the awards so special is the diversity in storytelling; here, you can explore perspectives from coastal regions, desert towns, cities and everywhere between. Can't make it to the Top End this season? The exhibition is running right through to next year. Otherwise, you catch it from your couch thanks to the virtual gallery. [caption id="attachment_814318" align="alignnone" width="1920"] George F Photography[/caption] COUNTRY TO COUTURE August 4 Missed seeing Australian Fashion Week make history with its all-Indigenous fashion showcase this year? No worries — you can still get your fashion fix in the NT this August. Falling under the umbrella of DAAF, the National Indigenous Fashion Awards (NIFA) are set to return on August 3. Launched only last year, the awards are a celebration of the innovative, diverse and ethical practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and fashion designers. DAAF even has its own runway show, dubbed Country to Couture, set to take over Darwin Convention Centre on August 4. The stylish show has run alongside the annual DAAF since 2016 and champions First Nations contemporary fine art, textiles and high-end fashion. For tickets, head to the event website. [caption id="attachment_817282" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Ngayuku Ngura – My Country' by Barbara Moore, acrylic on linen. Photo: Elise Derwin[/caption] SALON DES REFUSÉS August 5–September 25 Rounding out the stacked events calendar is Salon des Refusés, presented by Salon Art Projects. This year, the organisation is presenting seven Indigenous art exhibitions across five local galleries from July to September. But it's the much-anticipated aforementioned show, running from August 5 to September 25, that you'll most want to check out. Held in Charles Darwin University Art Gallery, the exhibition showcases works submitted but not accepted into NATSIAA. The high quality of works on display showcase First Nations artists from around Australia, while shining a light on the current state of Indigenous art and what its future might look like. Now in its ninth year, the event is also hosting an opening night shindig on Wednesday, August 4. Time to start planning that trip north? Darwin Festival — and its Beating Heart events — runs from Thursday, August 5–Sunday, August 22. For the full program of events, head to the website. Top image: Elise Derwin
University students might be accustomed to pairing their education with a few alcoholic beverages; however most don't expect their tertiary institution to have its own tipple. That rings particularly true when one of the most famous and prestigious universities in the world is involved — but, as well as teaching bright minds, Oxford University is bursting boundaries. The British uni has just added an official brand of gin to its list of achievements: Physic Gin, aka an especially aptly named juniper spirit. It's a product of The Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD), which is located in the same city, but is separate from the university. With their collaboration — the result of one of TOAD's distillers meeting one of Oxford's botany professors — they've created the first gin made for the university and bearing its name. Branding isn't Physic Gin's only Oxford connection. It's also flavoured using plants from the uni's botanic garden. Founded in 1621 to help teach herbal medicine, the patch of greenery in question is the oldest of its kind in the country. In total, 25 botanicals grown and foraged in Oxford's garden are used in the tipple, most of which were listed in a catalogue kept by its first keeper back in the 1640s. According to TOAD master distiller Cory Mason, anyone keen on a sip should expect a rich, earthy taste thanks to ingredients such as wormwood, rue and sweet woodruff — which "bring a deeply complex flavour to bear and take us back to the time when plants formed the base of all medicine." TOAD also use ancient, organic, super-sustainable grains in their production of Physic Gin, plus their original Oxford Dry Gin and Oxford Rye Vodka. For more information, visit www.spiritoftoad.com Via The Guardian. Image: The Oxford Artisan Distillery.
Along with Glastonbury, Coachella is one of the biggest, most famous and highly coveted music festivals in the world — the type of fest that everyone wishes they could nab a ticket to at least once. While this year's festival has been postponed — from April till October — come next week, you'll be able to relive highlights from its 20 year history. Hitting YouTube at 5am AEST on Saturday, April 11 (12pm PT Friday, April 10 — when the 2020 festival was scheduled to start), Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert will feature behind-the-scenes stories, never-before-seen footage, interviews and performances from some of the world's most famous musicians. While Coachella hasn't announced exactly what performances will make it into the doco, its website does tease some highlights from every year. Jane's Addiction 2001 reunion show, MIA asking fans to storm the stage; Daft Punk debuting their pyramid stage; Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg performing with a hologram of 2Pac; Beyoncé famous 2018 show; and Amy Winehouse, Jay-Z , Björk, Tame Impala, Kendrick Lamar and so many more big-names hitting the stage. With music festivals across the world — and Australia — cancelled and postponed, and people self-isolating and social-distancing, the doco will be a great way to escape — virtually. And, if you've ever wanted to head to the Cali festival, but haven't been able to snag tickets or afford to go, it's free way to experience it. While you wait for Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert to drop, you can watch Netflix's Homecoming — a doco about that Beyoncé set — and eyeball the trailer below: https://youtu.be/pflR5xxx0bQ Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert hits YouTube at 5am on Saturday, April 11 AEST.
Since time immemorial, poets and bards have compared rolling hills to the fecund curves of the human body: "To whit, yon vale dost suggest to mine eye the breathing bosom of my lady fair." Or some such wankery. Now photographer Carl Warner makes the literary literal, in a series of 'landscapes' composed entirely of naked men and women. Using studio lighting and Photoshop compositional trickery, individual bodies becomes duplicates, limbs are seen from multiple angles, and skin becomes desert rock hewn by the wind of millennia. With titles like 'The Cave of Abdo-Men', 'Desert of Backs' and 'Shin Knee Valley' (a personal favourite), it's easy to see both the human and geological aspects of each picture, while imagining that they're images from a real world. Channelling the idea that a body that's lived in by an individual can be conceived as a larger place to live, Warner's pictures are sensual and intriguing, inviting you to take time identifying what body parts you're actually looking at. You can scope out the full series on Warner's website. A seasoned 'Otherscaper', for decades he's been crafting his trademark artificial landscapes out of food, office supplies, tools and all manner of products — and attracting many advertising clients in the process. His most famous body of work is his Foodscapes, entirely different in colour spectrum and emotional tenor but just as impressive as these mountains and valleys of luscious skin. The Desert of Sleeping Men Shin Knee Valley Shoulder Hill Valley Desert of Backs
When the John Wick franchise first burst onto screens back in 2014, it taught the world an important lesson. Whether he's avenging his beloved puppy, repaying past debts or avoiding a contract on his life, there's little that the formidable assassin wouldn't do. So far across the original film, 2017's John Wick: Chapter 2 and 2019's John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, the character played so commandingly by Keanu Reeves hasn't had to ride a roller coaster all day to either get revenge or escape his enemies. But, if he had to, we're certain he would. We doubt that idea will form part of the next two John Wick movies — because, yes, two more flicks have already been announced — but combining the determined hitman and a theme park ride is definitely going to be on the agenda next year. At Motiongate Dubai, patrons will soon be able to take a spin on the John Wick: Open Contract roller coaster. We assume that dogs won't be allowed on when it opens at a yet-to-be-revealed date early in 2021, but no one should tell the titular figure that. If you're keen to add the attraction to your must-visit list once international travel starts returning to normal, John Wick: Open Contract will run across a 310-metre track, and hit speeds of up to 64 kilometres per hour. You'll start by stepping inside The Continental, the hotel safe haven for assassins seen in the franchise. Then, you'll have two choices according to Variety: help John Wick or chase after him. Either way, you'll be zipping both forwards and backwards, and doing freestyle spins. If the roller coaster can mimic even a little of the film franchise's kinetic, balletic action scenes, everyone strapping themselves in will be in for quite the ride. In fact, it'll hopefully have you exclaiming a Keanu-style "whoa!" several times. Motiongate Dubai will also welcome Now You See Me: High Roller, which is based on the Now You See Me movies. And, both of its new rides will join existing attractions inspired by everything from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Hotel Transylvania to Ghostbusters, The Smurfs and The Hunger Games. If you need a reminder of just how frenetic the John Wick flicks are, check out the trailer for Parabellum below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BULB0aX4lA John Wick: Open Contract will open at Motiongate Dubai in early 2021. To keep an eye out for further details, visit the park's website.
After a super popular pop-up at the Annandale Hotel — in which lines snaked around the corner even at brunch — Burgers by Josh has announced its next move: a kitchen takeover at The Hotel William. The residency will kick off on Wednesday, June 8 at the recently refurbished William Street pub — and although it's initially locked in for two months, the man behind it all, Josh Arthurs, is scoping out the venue as a potential long-term home for his delicious burgs. Could this be an end to the shifting sands of short term burger availability? We hope so. The menu will feature the burger that started the Burgers by Josh craze, the New Yorker, as well as all the deliciousness from the Annandale pop-up. Arthurs has also teased at a collaboration with a secret Sydney kebab shop to recreate the Halal Snack Pack burger. The monstrosity — which is essentially a kebab plate with meat, chips, wagyu, cheese and tabbouleh in a bun — was created for the final night of his Annandale Hotel pop-up, and it looks set to come back with a vengeance. A photo posted by 🍔🐓🍟🍺Burgers by Josh🍺🍟🐓🍔 (@burgersbyjosh) on May 24, 2016 at 12:20am PDT Burgers by Josh will be running the Hotel William kitchen for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday from Wednesday, June 8. If you dig it, let the BBJ team know — it might convince them to set up shop permanently. The Hotel William is located at 47-19 William Street, Darlinghurst. For more info on the pop-up, visit the Burgers by Josh Facebook page.
Life might be a bittersweet symphony, as The Verve told us all back in 1997, but right now is a pretty great time to be a fan of a hugely influential late-90s teen flick that helped immortalise that very track. The movie in question is Cruel Intentions, of course, and it's about to hit the stage in Australia. And yes, the musical's soundtrack is filled hits from the era, including 'Bittersweet Symphony', obviously. Indeed, if that song and Placebo's 'Every You Every Me' get you thinking about Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair, then you're clearly a fan of the film. And if you were a 90s or 00s teen who watched and rewatched the 1999 classic over and over again — soaking in all those dangerous liaisons, the scheming that went with them, Joshua Jackson's blonde locks and Gellar in a decidedly non-Buffy role — then you'll probably be first in line to see Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical. The movie-to-theatre production has been unleashing its teen tumult and throwback soundtrack in America since 2015, and now it's finally heading to our shores. That was first announced back in 2021; however, now the local leg of the production has confirmed its full Aussie dates. Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical's Melbourne stint was already locked in to start on Wednesday, May 25 at the Athenaeum Theatre, and its Sydney run will now kick off on Thursday, June 30 at the State Theatre as well. Then, it'll head to Brisbane's Fortitude Music Hall from Wednesday, July 27, before hopping over to Adelaide's Her Majesty's Theatre from Thursday, September 8. Because it's a jukebox musical, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is also filled with a heap other tunes from that late 90s, early 00s era; think: *NYSNC's 'Bye Bye Bye', Britney Spears' 'Sometimes', No Doubt's 'Just A Girl', Jewel's 'Foolish Games', Christina Aguilera's 'Genie In A Bottle' and Sixpence None the Richer's 'Kiss Me', for starters. If you've seen the movie — the original, not the direct-to-video 2001 and 2004 sequels, one of which starred a very young Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) taking over Gellar's role — then you'll know the story. Based on 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, which was also been adapted in the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, Cruel Intentions follows step-siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Manipulating each other's love lives is their main hobby, a pastime that levels up a few notches when Kathryn places a bet on whether Sebastian can sleep with Annette Hargrove, the headmaster's daughter at their exclusive prep school. On-screen, Phillippe played Sebastian, Gellar vamped up the film as Kathryn and Witherspoon stepped into Annette's shoes. Exactly who'll be following in their footsteps when Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical tours Australia hasn't yet been revealed, with auditions underway now. Cruel Intentions' writer/director Roger Kumble co-created the musical, so it comes with quite the screen-to-stage pedigree. Also, it's arriving in Australia via David Venn Enterprises, who also brought The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy and Bring It On: The Musical our way. CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE 90S MUSICAL 2022 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Melbourne, at the Athenaeum Theatre: Wednesday, May 25–Sunday, June 12 Sydney, at the State Theatre: from Thursday, June 30–Sunday, July 10 Brisbane, at Fortitude Music Hall: from Wednesday, July 27–Sunday, August 7 Adelaide, at Her Majesty's Theatre from Thursday, September 8 Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical will tour Australia between May–September. For more information, and to buy tickets now for the Melbourne and Sydney seasons — and to join the waitlist for Brisbane and Adelaide tickets, which'll go on sale from Tuesday, March 29 — head to the musical's website.
No one likes a boring lunch, or spending hours meal prepping — though we all know how quickly the cost of midday food splurges can add up. Those lunch dramas will soon be a thing of the past, with nifty food app MealPal arriving in Sydney. The brainchild of ClassPass co-founder, Mary Biggins, and Katie Ghelli (formerly of ZocDoc), the meal subscription service has proved a hit across the USA and UK since first launching in Miami, in January 2016. Now, having dished up over 2 million meals to time-starved office workers, the MealPal concept is heading down under, to give us Aussies our first taste of the action. Through the website or app, subscribing members are able to order a daily lunch meal from the huge selection of great local restaurants, schedule a convenient time to skip the queues and pick it up, and enjoy a tasty feed for blissfully minimal effort. Use it Monday to Friday, and the service clocks in at less than $8 per day. More than 100 of Sydney's lunchtime go-tos are already on board, including Fratelli Famous, Sumo Salad, Down N' Out, and Zeus Street Greek. Sign up here. Image: Sake Jr.
The writer who gave us Strictly Ballroom, Lantana and a host of other cinematic and theatrical gems, has returned to Belvoir. And this time, Andrew Bovell is focusing in on a subject we can all relate to — family drama. After lauded runs in South Australia, the UK and US, Things I Know to Be True comes to Sydney, tracking a tumultuous year in the lives of the Price family. Belvoir will welcome to its stage a slew of theatre greats as they deliver an intimate look into a year in the life of an Australian family. Read on for just a few reasons why you should make a beeline for Things I Know to Be True. THE REVIEWS Since its 2016 premiere, Things I Know to Be True, has clocked some serious mileage. After a cracking Adelaide season, in which the Adelaide Review described it as "a moving and beautifully crafted piece that succinctly captures the dilemma present in so much of contemporary Australian life and family", it headed off to the UK. Praise was no less lavish across the pond, with The Guardian describing it as a "pleasure to watch". With a little bit of tweaking, it then had a celebrated season in the US, with the Chicago Tribune describing Bovell as "chronically under-appreciated" and responsible for crafting "one of the best new plays of the year". THE TEAM Director Neil Armfield describes Things I Know to Be True as a play about movement, change, returning home and the 'tension between home and the world'. In a tidy little nod from life to art, this production has lured a number of Belvoir alumni back to boards they haven't trod for a while. Armfield, who's returning for the first time in almost a decade, said he's particularly excited to be at Belvoir again: "It's a company that I love and with which I have a relationship unlike any other company…it's lovely to come back and play in that room." Additional returning heavyweights include Tony Martin as Bob Price, a recent retiree who's lavishing his newfound freedom on his roses, and Helen Thomson as Fran Price, a nurse who somehow finds the time to get overly involved in her children's lives. And there's no less gravitas coming from the kids' table, with Anna Lise Phillips, Miranda Daughtry, Tom Hobbs and Matt Levett filling out the rest of the family album. THE STORY Things I Know to Be True is blessed with, as Armfield puts it, "structural purity". The play takes place over the course of a year, with each season dedicated to one of the children and the myriad problems they bring home to (or attempt to hide from) their parents. Rosie has just had her heart crushed while travelling in Europe. Pip's contemplating detonating her marriage. Mark is beginning to suspect that his identity has to change, while Ben sees a chance to make some serious money without realising the true cost. At the centre of the maelstrom are Bob and Fran, middle-class parents who have laboured physically and emotionally to ensure their children's happiness. But they don't have ready solutions any more and often struggle to find the next best thing — acceptance. THE CHARACTERS From the overbearing mother to the overly idealistic and heartbroken daughter to the son risking too much for a quick buck, one of the great strengths of Things I Know to Be True is how recognisable its characters are. Bovell's play, set in the South Australian town of Hallett Cove, is at once uniquely Australian and an archetypical nuclear family drama. Discussing the matriarch Fran for Belvoir's podcast, Thomson laughingly admits that she is unsure to what degree she is playing the character and vice versa. "I relate a lot to Fran," Thomson revealed. "I would like to think I'm not as controlling, but it is that whole thing as a mother of knowing when to step in and when to step out." Armfield expands on this, saying that Bovell's work resonates with audiences because great writers don't just "write about their own family, but they're writing about all families". Bovell's definition of family is bitter-sweet: "it's the thing we spend our lives running away from and wishing we could run back to." Things I Know to Be True is truthful, sometimes painfully so, but as with most family-oriented pursuits, it's worth the investment. Things I Know to Be True is showing at Belvoir Theatre till Sunday, July 21. Full price tickets start at $65 and 30-Down tickets at $43. To book tickets and find out more about Belvoir's latest must-see, visit the website.
Since opening last year, sleek Surry Hills star Nomad has made waves in Sydney's restaurant scene, boasting a sophisticated, local-focused menu and an even more notable wine list. Known for its dedication to serving exclusively Australian wine from smaller, boutique producers, wine lovers will now be able enjoy these hard-to-find wines at home with Nomad's Online Cellar Door. The service lists most of the 50-odd wines from the restaurant's main wine list and a selection from the reserve list, as well as other locally produced sparkling, rose and dessert wines. With the online range changing regularly, Nomad's Online Cellar Door is the perfect way to acquaint yourself with the impressive, if little-known, wines produced in our own backyard. In the spirit of the silly season, Concrete Playground is giving away three of Nomad's Celebration Bundles — a range of mixed half dozens sure to get your festivities into full swing. Go in the running to win a Christmas BBQ Bundle (valued at $210), or get lucky with the Cellar Reserve Selection ($489) — six of Nomad's best red wines, ready to quaff now or savour in another 20 years. For fans of sparkling, don't miss the chance to win the New Year's Celebration Selection ($199) for the ultimate NYE party, containing Prosecco, Courabyra and Arras NV. Thanks to Nomad Online Cellar Door, we're giving away three Celebration Bundles — one each week until the end of the year. Delivery within Australia is included in the prize. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address: Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Where: Lavender St, Lavender Bay Wendy's Secret Garden is a small testament to heartbreak hidden amongst the skyscrapers that line the city's foreshore. The garden was created by Wendy Whiteley, the wife of one of Australia's most celebrated artists, Brett Whiteley, noted for his depictions of Sydney painted from the wastelands of their Lavender Bay home. After Brett's death of a heroin-overdose in 1992, Wendy got hold of the derelict land belonging to the NSW Rail Corporation adjacent to their house. The land was tangled and broken, choked with lantana, scattered with broken bottles and rotting mattresses and an occasional sleeping spot for the city's homeless. Channelling a lifetime of artistic endeavour and all her grief, Wendy restored the grounds, transforming it into a beautiful, secluded space laced by winding paths, fig trees, native plants, a flurry of bird life, antiques and esoterica all against the backdrop of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. While the garden marks the spot where Brett Whiteley and their daughter Arkie's ashes are buried, the space is always open to the public and is accessed between Clark Park and the Lavender Bay rail-shunting yard. Wendy says "People like to come and eat a sandwich or sit and think or read or even do a little bit of work, but they love to be in it because they feel that they can be part of it, and any kind of creative activity needs to be shared otherwise what's the point?"
There are very few faces as synonymous with Australian cinema as that of actor David Gulpilil. From his 1971 breakout in Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout to his recent collaborations with arthouse filmmaker Rolf de Heer, Gulpilil's career is full of unforgettable performances, many of which represent turning points for the depiction of Indigenous Australians on screen. His third and most recent film with de Heer marks the last part in a loose thematic trilogy — one that began with The Tracker in 2002 and continued with Ten Canoes four years later. But while those films dealt with Aboriginal history, Charlie's Country takes place in the present. It's also one of Gulpilil's first major film projects since his incarceration for assault in 2011; de Heer visited him in prison so they could work together on the script. It's perhaps for these two reasons in particular that the film feels so resoundingly authentic. Gulpilil's Charlie resides on an Indigenous settlement in Arnhem Land, the very same territory that his kinsmen have lived in for generations. But the truth is the land is no longer theirs. Charlie enjoys a genial relationship with the entirely white police force, yet differences in culture seem to make run-ins almost inevitable. When the cops confiscate his shotgun and destroy a lovingly made hunting spear, Charlie decides he's had enough. And so the ageing Charlie goes trekking into the bush, intent on living as his ancestors did before the first white settlers. For a time he's successful. He hunts, and paints, and sleeps in a makeshift hut. But then comes the rain and with it a sad realisation: the way of life he wants to return to is one that no longer exists. De Heer's slow narrative defies traditional arcing, the rewarding if occasionally directionless sense of realism enhanced by his naturalistic camerawork. The film's grim depiction of certain sections of the Indigenous community may put some viewers in mind of Warwick Thornton's Samson and Delilah. At times the film can be similarly difficult to watch, although on the whole it's much less unpleasant. Indeed, a warm sense of humour, particularly in the early scenes, puts harsher moments into relief. Gulpilil looks far older than his 61 years, but as Charlie he may never have been better — he's just taken home a best actor award at Cannes for it. It's a performance loaded with understated feeling, one that's obviously informed by a wealth of personal experience. His very face tells a story, about a country, its people, and its cultural and cinematic history. What a wonderful piece of acting in a likewise remarkable film. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ly8_7Su4m4c
Another year coming to a close, another batch of relaxing COVID-19 restrictions. That's the case in 2021, just as it was in 2020, as different parts of the country ease out of their latest lockdowns again. So, as also occurred last year, border rules around the nation are changing once more — with New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and now Tasmania announcing plans for visitors from elsewhere. Today, Friday, October 22, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein revealed that the Apple Isle will reopen to all non-Tassie residents who've had two COVID-19 jabs — travellers from interstate and international destinations — on Wednesday, December 15. That's when the state is expected to have reached the 90-percent double-vaccinated threshold, if you're wondering what motivated that choice. And, yes, that's when the double-vaxxed from Australia and around the world alike will be able to enter without quarantining. "At the 90-percent fully vaccinated target for 12 years and over, anyone will be able to enter Tasmania from anywhere within Australia, subject to being fully vaccinated," the Gutwein advised. "That's if they've had a negative test result within 72 hours of travelling. The testing requirement will remain in place for up to four weeks subject to review." "Now, at the 90-percent vaccination mark as well, no quarantine for fully vaccinated overseas arrivals. It will be the same rules for everyone. If you're coming from overseas and you're coming to Tasmania, you'll have the same rules if you're coming out of Sydney or Melbourne or South Australia or Queensland," the Premier continued. That testing requirement is exactly what Victoria has just announced, too, for international arrivals — however, in Tasmania, it'll apply to both Aussie and overseas visitors. The Premier also noted that the only exemption to this will be for Tasmanians that return from a short trip to the mainland. "So, if you want to go shopping in Melbourne... if you're away for a couple of days, you'll be able to return, so long as you're fully vaccinated, without needing to meet the 72-hour test rule. So, if you travel and the travel is less than seven days, you'll be able to return," Gutwein said. The news comes just two days after Tassie hit the 70-percent double-vaxxed milestone among residents aged 16 years and over. For potential visitors who aren't double-jabbed or refuse to take a test before heading to Tasmania, there'll still be quarantine and testing requirements from Wednesday, December 15. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Tasmania, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub.
We take it as a given that children are innocent. But at what point do they stop being children and become knowing, culpable, or evil? This question is the backbone, though not the heart, of Lore, Cate Shortland's new film about naive Nazi offspring trying to cross Germany at the end of World War II. The family of five kids is headed by Lore (star in the making Saskia Rosendahl), a girl of about 16, who, chasing her younger sister, Liesel (Nele Trebs), around the forest, looks like she could have skipped off a Hitler Youth propaganda poster. Their twin brothers are all chubby cheeks and short pants, and their baby brother is a doll. Their image should be angelic and instead constantly recalls the menace of the Nazi eugenics program orchestrated and implemented by their parents, who are imprisoned by the victorious Allies not long into the movie. Abandoned and outcast, this inversion of the Von Trapps sets out for the refuge of their grandmother's house, 900km away in the north of Germany. The period directly after war is a lawless limbo, so the fact they are innocent children by no means guarantees their safety, and the things they see on their journey recall the apocalyptic nightmare of The Road. Eventually, they find some protection with Thomas (Kai Malina), a Jew who uses his papers to convince patrolling soldiers that the Aryans are his siblings. Lore is disgusted by and cruel towards Thomas, but she also finds herself primally drawn to someone who is her ostensible enemy and yet has faced the same darkness that she has to hide from her younger siblings. The film tracks her slow, internal reckoning with the Nazi ideology she has swallowed in her upbringing. Her desire to feel, live, and know truth is the real heart of Lore. Adapted from the novel The Dark Room by Rachel Seiffert, the Australian/British/German coproduction is a narrative well suited to Shortland, the Secret Life of Us director whose characteristic style made such a deep impression with her last film, 2004's Somersault. The focus is on sensation and saturation, the tempestuous and heightened reality of a broken world. Joining with cinematographer Adam Arkapaw (Animal Kingdom, Snowtown), she uses laconic storytelling and a languid lens to bring us the heady perspective of a character who doesn't wholly understand but does believe. The result is deeply affecting and an inspiring choice for Australia's entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category for the 2013 Academy Awards. In these days when Godwin's Law reigns, it's not every day you see a Nazi tale so original and so piercing. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8v3rgP0Aqu8
Best Coast was the band on everyone's lips when they released their first album in 2010, Crazy For You, with Popfrenzy Records. Whack their CD in your player and the speakers will radiate pure, golden sunshine. Their upbeat indie sound is laced with surf rock, with lead singer Bethany Cosentino's fantastic voice (she backs herself as well) carrying each song to glorious, summery heights. After spending the last two years playing gigs around the world and collaborating with Johnny Marr, Weezer, Vampire Weekend and Wavves, the duo, Cosentino and Bobb Bruno, will this time be playing at Big Day Out 2012 as well as two sideshows. Catch them in Sydney at Manning Bar on January 25, a perfectly intimate venue so you can get right up close. Courtesy of Popfrenzy Records, Concrete Playground has two double passes to giveaway. To win tickets to see Best Coast, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au by 5pm on Tuesday, January 24.
The city will set 2024 off to an exciting start with the return of the Sydney Festival. One of the many exciting events coming to town is an exciting collaboration between Riverside's National Theatre of Parramatta and UK-based theatre company The Javaad Alipoor Company. That collaboration is Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, a multimedia theatre production coming to the Sydney Opera House for a limited run between Friday, January 19 and Sunday, January 21, 2024. This production is a look at the nature of investigation, with the real-life murder of prominent 1970s Iranian pop star Fereydoun Farrokhzad at its core. Using a blend of technology, music, and dramatisation, this show explores how our thoughts and actions are affected by the tools we use to investigate — from Wikipedia to murder mystery podcasts — and how the creation of those tools affects the outcome. With performances by Javaad Alipoor and Asha Reid with Raam Emami (King Raam) and on-stage musician Me-Lee Hay, this one-of-a-kind show will help you wrap your head around a new way to tell stories. Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World is playing at the Sydney Opera House from Friday, January 19 to Sunday, January 21. For more information or to get tickets, visit the website.
2022 was a glorious year for Taika Waititi, and for the writer/director/actor/comedian's fans. He was the subject of the Archibald's Packing Room Prize-winner, with his likeness becoming an award-worthy piece of art. He had that little Marvel movie Thor: Love and Thunder hit cinemas. Another season of Reservation Dogs, which he produces, arrived. Oh, and he went and co-starred in one of the best new TV shows of the year, Our Flag Means Death. Also, that swashbuckling comedy was renewed for a second run. 2023 is looking mighty fine for Waititi as well, and also beginning of 2024. Reservation Dogs is back for its final season. Big-screen soccer comedy Next Goal Wins, which he directed and pops up in, is on its way. And, so is that second sailing for Our Flag Means Death — complete with a just-dropped trailer. No, Taika's stint playing a pirate isn't over yet, in supremely welcome news for everyone who cruised through Our Flag Means Death's first season. His latest collaboration with fellow New Zealand comedian Rhys Darby (after also working together on Flight of the Conchords, What We Do in the Shadows, Wellington Paranormal and Hunt for the Wilderpeople), it satirises the buccaneering times of the 18th century. As its first season unfurled, Our Flag Means Death also proved to be a sweet and warmhearted romance, as well as essential viewing. HBO clearly agreed, greenlighting the show's second season for its streaming service Max. Now, that next run has a first sneak peek, and a Thursday, October 5 release date in the US. Fingers crossed that Binge in Australia and in Neon in New Zealand drop new episodes at the same time. Spanning eight episodes, season two will pick up where its predecessor left off. If you haven't hopped aboard already, Our Flag Means Death stars Darby stars as Stede Bonnet, a self-styled 'gentleman pirate', a great approximation of Flight of the Conchords' Murray if he'd existed centuries earlier, and a man determined to bring a bit of kindness and elegancy to the whole swashbuckling game. He's based on an IRL figure, who abandoned his cosy life for a seafaring existence. The show is a loose adaptation of Bonnet's tale, though. As for Waititi, he dons leather, dark hues aplenty, an air of bloodthirsty melancholy and a head of greying hair as Edward Teach — the marauder better known to the world as Blackbeard. While the famed pirate seems like Stede's exact opposite, disproving that is a big part of the show's narrative. After sparks flew, then season one came to a memorable end, season two will follow what happens for Stede and Edward next. Also featuring among Our Flag Means Death's cast: Samson Kayo (Bloods), Vico Ortiz (The Sex Lives of College Girls), Ewen Bremner (Creation Stories), Joel Fry (Bank of Dave), Matthew Maher (Hello Tomorrow!), Kristian Nairn (Game of Thrones), Con O'Neill (The Batman), David Fane (The Messenger), Samba Schutte (Forspoken), Nat Faxon (Loot) and Leslie Jones (BMF), all returning from season one. This time around, they'll be joined by a heap of new recurring guest stars in Ruibo Qian (Servant), Madeleine Sami (Deadloch), Anapela Polataivao (The Justice of Bunny King) and Erroll Shand (The Clearing), plus Minnie Driver (Chevalier) and Bronson Pinchot (The Mysterious Benedict Society) as guest stars. Check out the teaser trailer for Our Flag Means Death season two below: Our Flag Means Death will return for season two in the US on Thursday, October 5 — we'll update you with Australian (via Binge) and New Zealand (via Neon) dates when they're announced. Read our review of season one. Images: Nicola Dove/ HBO Max.
Vasily Grossman's stark epic Life and Fate has no moral, according to the novelist who introduces its latest printing, Linda Grant. Instead, it has nothing more to say than "instinctive kindness, whatever the consequences, is what makes us human." Fellow Brit Michael Landy had already taken this sentiment to heart when he decorated the London Tube with his great work focused on local kindnesses. Now Kaldor Public Art Projects have brought him over here to put together a Sydney version as part of Art and About. And while the art may be foreign, the Acts of Kindness are all home-grown. Behind the cenotaph in Martin Place, Landy has laid out a giant map of Sydney's CBD, seemingly hand drawn on a giant white jigsaw. Each piece owns a counterpart somewhere around the city that has a story stuck onto it. Stories about moments where kindness barged itself small or large into sombody's life. Landy spent months recceing his urban canvas by collecting stories from Sydney to fix to the pieces. His approach is as crowd-sourced as Wikipedia's editing system, but with his last dramatic step from abstract geocoordinates to tangible places, he steps from the aesthetic into a connection with a city you'd thought you already known.
You're in a pub, having a beverage with your best mate, and you both keep picking up your pesky smartphones. It's a problem we all know too well — and something we're all guilty of, admit it. At London's new pop-up pub, it's simply not an option. Firstly, at the Make Time For It craft bar in Greenwich, you and your BFF will be the only people there. Yep, the short-term venue in Greenwich only seats two people. That's what happens when you open up the tiniest, cosiest of bespoke pubs in a garden shed that's smaller than a pool table. Plus, to make sure you really do have a good natter, you have to hand in your phone when you enter. That's right — good things don't just come in the smallest of packages here, though, but in the quietest and most distraction-free. Make Time For It's limited operation from October 21 to 30 is designed to highlight the importance of time, and of unplugging from digital distractions. You'll get free beer for your troubles, with the entire place the brainchild of craft brewer Meantime. After fashioning a range of special tipples that stress the concept of disconnecting from the screens in your pocket, they've taken the idea to the next level. Sure, it's a gimmick, but it's also Britain's smallest bar, and probably the world's, as well as the kind of place you instantly want to visit. You can pre-book a slot, or simply turn up and enjoy your time in the teensy-weensy watering hole. And if you're heading elsewhere in the UK at a later date, you might just be in luck — Meantime is pondering taking the bar on the road. Via Meantime.
Imagine flying through the air on a plane fuelled by mustard seeds. It might sound somewhat futuristic, but it's Qantas' real-life plan for its Los Angeles to Melbourne Dreamliner route and it's set to happen as early as next year. It'll mark the world's first biofuel flight between the USA and Australia, with the aircraft powered by an oil derived from an industrial kind of mustard seed, called Brassica Carinata. Qantas has also teamed up with the seed's developers — Canada-based Agrisoma Biosciences — and will work with local farmers to have Australia's first commercial aviation biofuel seed crop grown by the year 2020. If the Australian program follows in the footsteps of large-scale overseas operations, it could see up to an 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions. The plan is to soon be growing 400,000 hectares of carinata locally, which would equate to over 200 million litres of the bio jet fuel each year. Not only would use of this kind of fuel see a hefty reduction in carbon emissions, current field trials in Queensland and South Australia have shown the crushed seed is a viable non-genetically modified food for livestock. It's not the first time Qantas has dabbled in biofuel — back in 2012, the airline conducted trial flights between Sydney and Adelaide, and Melbourne and Hobart, using fuel derived from cooking oil.
On its face, Chicken People is about the cheery behind-the-scenes world of poultry competitions. It's a documentary about the people who live, breathe, and show (but generally do not eat) poultry, and is actually fairly educational for those who might not know much about our fair-feathered friends. More so than that though, it's a study of a small group of people who are just really, really passionate about what they do. Director Nicole Lucas Haimes takes viewers through a year in the life of some of the top competitors from the 2014 Ohio National Poultry Show, as they prep their prize birds for the same event 12 months later. There's Brian C, a singer and performer who has recently sacrificed his role in a stage show to devote more time to his obsession. There's Shari, a mum who has beaten alcoholism and now spends hours every week washing and blow-drying her prize silky breed chooks. And there's Brian K, an engineer who obsessively cross-breeds his chickens in the ultimate search for the perfect bird. What makes Chicken People such a charming portrait of something you probably have zero interest in is that it stays well and truly away from wtf territory. It doesn't condescend, patronise or alienate its subjects – it just follows them and provides the audience with handy pop-up facts about what makes the perfect chicken. Who knows when that information will come in handy. A touching aspect of the film is singer Brian C's parents, who have taken up the mantel of caring for his birds while he's away performing. They have no real interest in chickens and aren't particularly fond of the work, but they sure are fond of their son. His dad is a constant presence at the competitions with him, a sweet example of familial love and what you'll do for the ones you care about. Along the way, we also discover Shari's past battles with alcohol and mental health. When the 2015 Ohio competition is cancelled due to an outbreak of avian flu, she finds it hard to follow other competitors heading to a replacement comp in another state – being a greater distance away, she feels anxious being that far from her home. When she finally tells the camera that she's overcome her fears and has decided to head along, we realise just how invested in these chicken-mad folk we've become. If Chicken People has a problem, it's also kind of a strength: its subjects are just so damn lovely. There's no contrived drama, no bitchiness, and no bad words. The competitors all hug each other when the winners are announced, and even when Brian K sees his ex-girlfriend at the show, it results in a happy reunion. Perhaps viewers will yearn for a bit of swearing and stink eye. Then again, maybe we're better off with a nice doco about nice people to counteract all the nastiness in the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9ZShxa6wJ0
When Josh Hodges (Feral Brewing Co, Cookie) and Caleb Baker (Greenhouse by Joost, Meatball & Wine Bar) began planning their dream venue, the drinks focus was never going to be a narrow one. Having racked up a combined 20 years of experience working with everything from craft beer and artisan spirits to cocktails and fine wines, the boys were set on embracing it all. And so, their first solo venture is born — Mr West Bar & Bottleshop is a multifaceted drinking destination celebrating all booze in equal measure. Set to join Footscray's ever-booming drinking scene in mid-August, this newcomer promises to tick all the boxes with its two-level, 500-square-metre space. It's will include an upstairs bar, lounge, pool room, rooftop courtyard and even a ground-floor bottle shop, stocked with a solid collection of rare and interesting drops. Get excited for an impressive 24 taps showcasing craft brews, local wines, and batch cocktails, alongside a well-traveled curation of bottled wines and spirits. Bar staff will be shaking up a gutsy, yet approachable, range of cocktails, or you can grab something interesting from the bottle shop to quaff in house. The food menu will consist of snack-happy drinking fare, with the option of bringing in your own eats from one of the nearby takeaway joints. And, if you're after more than just great sipping, keep your eyes peeled for the regular program of tastings, masterclasses, and product releases to come. Mr West Bar & Bottleshop will open mid-August at 106 Nicholson St, Footscray.
Survival is an ongoing process. If the first season of The Last of Us didn't already make that clear, the second season of the HBO series is set to arrive in 2025 to stress that message again. How does humanity endure in the aftermath of the Cordyceps virus, and the global devastation caused by it? What does it mean to persist? Also, who do we become in the process? Audiences will find out again from April. At the end of 2024, the US network confirmed that The Last of Us would return sometime in autumn Down Under. Now, it has locked in a month. An exact date is still to be revealed, but the show's comeback is getting closer. Also revealed: a new teaser trailer for the hit TV show that's based on the hugely popular gaming series, following prior sneak peeks — including as images and in promos for the network's full upcoming slate, plus an earlier season two teaser trailer. Prepare for a time jump. Prepare for a guitar. Prepare for hordes of infected. Prepare for a haunting feeling, too. Also, prepare for sirens, flares and a stern warning: "there are just some things everyone agrees are just wrong". In season two, it's been five years since the events of season one. And while there has been peace, it clearly isn't here to stay. Yes, Joel and Ellie are back — and, in their shoes, so are Pedro Pascal (The Wild Robot) and Bella Ramsey (Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget). This time, however, part of the conflict comes from each other. In season two, the show's main duo also have company from both familiar faces and a heap of newcomers. Rutina Wesley (Monster High) and Gabriel Luna (Fubar) return as Maria and Tommy, while Kaitlyn Dever (Good Grief), Isabela Merced (Alien: Romulus), Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction), Young Mazino (Beef), Ariela Barer (How to Blow Up a Pipeline), Tati Gabrielle (Kaleidoscope), Spencer Lord (Family Law), Danny Ramirez (Black Mirror) and Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) are the season's additions. The two teasers for the second season so far give fans a glimpse of plenty of the above new cast members, including Dever as Abby and Wright as Isaac. The Last of Us made the leap from video games to TV in 2023, and was swiftly renewed after proving a massive smash instantly. The series gave HBO its most-watched debut season of a show ever — and its first episode was also the network's second-largest debut of all time. Locking in a second season was also hardly surprising because the 2013 game inspired a 2014 expansion pack and 2020 sequel. For first-timers to the franchise on consoles and as a TV series, The Last of Us kicked off 20 years after modern civilisation as we know it has been toppled by a parasitic fungal infection that turns the afflicted into shuffling hordes. Pascal plays Joel, who gets saddled with smuggling 14-year-old Ellie (his Game of Thrones co-star Ramsey) out of a strict quarantine zone to help possibly save humanity's last remnants. There wouldn't be a game, let alone a television version, if that was an easy task, of course — and if the pair didn't need to weather quite the brutal journey. As a television series, The Last of Us hails from co-creator, executive producer, writer and director Craig Mazin, who already brought a hellscape to HBO (and to everyone's must-watch list) thanks to the haunting and horrifying Chernobyl. He teams up here with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also penned and directed The Last of Us games. Check out the latest teaser trailer for The Last of Us season two below: The Last of Us season two will arrive sometime in April 2025 — we'll update you when an exact date is announced. Season one is available to stream via Binge in Australia and on Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of the first season. Images: HBO.
It might just be Australia's brightest festival: Parrtjima - A Festival In Light, which has just finished its fourth and most expansive annual program in Alice Springs. Shifting from the fest previous spring timeslot to autumn, the 2019 event attracted a record crowd of 25,000 — and, if you're keen to be among them next time around, organisers have announced that the fest will return in 2020. While exact dates haven't been revealed, the nation's first indigenous festival of its kind will light up the Red Centre in April, once again filling the region with dazzling light installations. This year's free ten-day public celebration of Indigenous arts, culture and storytelling included seven luminous displays gracing both the Alice Springs Desert Park Precinct and the Alice Springs Todd Mall. Expect a similar lineup — with all-new lighting pieces, of course — to feature next year. [caption id="attachment_715721" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Lighting the Ranges, Parrtjima festival, Alice Springs, Australia. 5/4/2019. Images courtesy Parrtjima / NTMEC[/caption] If you're already thinking about blocking out your diary, 2019's highlights might help cement your plans. Alice Spring's CBD was lit up with new installations and events, and just out of town, tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park came alive with the festival's main attraction. Once again, a huge artwork transformed a two-and-a-half-kilometre stretch of the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, showering it with light from 6.30–10.30pm each night of the festival — and featuring an audio track voiced by Aussie acting legend Aaron Pedersen. Visitors were also able to immerse themselves in art and storytelling as part of the returning Ahelhe Itethe – Living Sands (Grounded), with installations projected onto the earth and accompanied by a striking soundscape. New additions to this year's lineup included an illuminated tunnel that attendees walked through as they enter the festival space, called Angkentye Anpernirrentye-kerte – The Language of Kin; an array of over-sized sculptures relaying the social history of First Nations station workers and their language of the land, dubbed Angkentye Stockmen Mape-kenhe – The Language of Stockmen; and a series of sculptured large-scale moths, badged The Language of Moths, in Todd Mall. There was also a huge maze for kids and a set-up of three bush taxis displaying works by First Nations artists. [caption id="attachment_715716" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Language of Kin, Parrtjima festival, Alice Springs, Australia. 5/4/2019. Images courtesy Parrtjima / NTMEC[/caption] With the news that Parrtjima will shine again, the Northern Territory will boast two glowing attractions in 2020 once again. The festival it's a nice supplement to Bruce Munro's Field of Light installation, which has been extended all the way through until December 31, 2020. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs until April 14, 2019 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: James Horan.
According to all reports, climactic temperatures are on the up. So, how best to keep ours down? Air conditioning has been the favoured solution for years, but is it really the most satisfactory? It's a drain on the household budget, it'll leave the air drier than the jokes in an Oscar Wilde play, and it'll make you the natural enemy of asthmatics, athletes and singers. What's more, despite keeping things cool at home, air conditioning contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases. Architects, designers, engineers and scientists the world over are busy in their labs and studios developing more sustainable and attractive methods for making homes and workspaces livable. In Italy, recycled plastic is being turned into insulation; in Germany, maximum airtightness is minimising temperature fluctuations; in the United States, one man has combined heating and cooling his place with building gigantic ice sculptures. 40,000 Plastic Bottles Hold onto your soft drink bottles; you'll need 40,000 of the plastic kind to model your home on this zero energy beauty, titled Tvzeb. Designed and developed by Traverso-Vighy Architecture in conjunction with the University of Padua's Department of Technical Physics, it's hiding in the woods in north-eastern Italy, just a few kilometres outside the World Heritage listed city of Vicenza. The bottles were transformed into a 90mm layer of insulating polyester fibre, which combines with a heat minimising structural design and reflective glass to keep the elements at bay. Plants. Hundreds of Them. Inside. This is model and activist Summer Rayne Oakes' Brooklyn apartment. She keeps temperatures at an equilibrium by living in a vertical garden, with 220 plants filling her kitchen, living room and bedroom. Keeping them alive doesn't require any sacrifice of her hectic eco-awareness promoting schedule. An automated subirrigation system does the job. Pump it Up Minnesota artist Roger Hanson builds gigantic ice sculptures and keeps his home comfy using geothermal heat, which takes advantage of the Earth's stable temperatures. For cooling, a pump sends water underground, where warmth is removed; for heating, the opposite occurs — water is pumped up from the hot surface layer of the Earth's crust. Passive House The Passive House, or Passivhaus, as its German and Swiss originators call it, is all about extreme energy efficiency. To qualify, a building must meet some pretty stringent standards, including a maximum hourly air leak of only 0.6 times its entire capacity and an annual energy consumption no higher than 120kWh/m2. This is achieved through a 'passive solar' design and airtightness as close to 100 percent as is manageable. About 30,000 Passive Houses can be found in the world, most of them on the European continent. Follow the Sun Australian couple Luke and Debbie Everingham have designed and built a rotating house. Located on the Nowendoc River in the Manning Valley, it's powered by an engine that's only slightly bigger than one you'd find in a washing machine. Access to both sun and shade is optimised and construction costs are on par with those of building a regular home. Caveman Style The troglodytes had it figured out all those thousands of years ago. American couple Curt and Deborah Sleeper built this house into a sandstone cave in Festus, Missouri. Before their purchase of the space, it functioned as a roller-skating rink and concert venue, where the likes of Tina Turner and Bob Seger made appearances. The need for air conditioning is eliminated via a blend of natural insulation, thoughtful design and geothermal heat. Back to Basics Architect Giles Blunden knows about living in hot climates. He spent his childhood in the Australian outback before moving to the American South. In 2000, Natural Home magazine awarded him Home of the Year for this house, which is situated in North Carolina's first co-housing neighbourhood, Arcadia. A moderate temperature is maintained through old-fashioned methods: cross-ventilation, high ceilings, fans, a tin roof and eaves. According to Blunden, “Many of these features are just common-sense things that people have forgotten.” In the Treetops Artists Beth Kraminstein and Roy Levy wanted to live and work in their place without depending on air conditioning. So the environmentally conscious architects at Jersey Devil conjured this one up for them. Cross-ventilation is achieved through three garage doors and seventy carefully positioned windows. A new wing has been built to sit in the treetops, maximising the cooling effect of ocean breezes, while insulation is achieved through a blend of concrete, corrugated steel and Galvalume steel. Go Underground No, it's not a scene from The Lord of the Rings, it's a real-life, tall person's home, to be found in Vals, Switzerland. Certainly inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginary world, this Hobbit Hole is the product of the combined efforts of Christian Muller Architects and SeARCH. Temperatures are kept at a civilised level by virtue of its being underground, but the oval design allows plenty of sunlight to shine through and affords mountain views. Find Some Fans If an architect-designed house is beyond reach, or you can't see yourself catching up with Gandalf underground, you can always opt for a simpler solution: fans. Think of your home as you would your MySpace page. There are loads of unusual ceiling fans on the market these days, and if you want to get really serious about it, you can always consider a mega whole house cooling package, offered by businesses like Breeze Power.
When the end of the year hits, do you get 'Christmas is All Around', as sung by Bill Nighy, stuck in your head? Have you ever held up a piece of cardboard to tell the object of your affection that, to you, they're perfect? Does your idea of getting festive involve watching Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Rowan Atkinson and Martin Freeman, all in the same movie? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you clearly adore everyone's favourite Christmas-themed British rom-com, its high-profile cast and its seasonal humour. And, you've probably watched the beloved flick every December since it was first released in cinemas back in 2003. That's a perfectly acceptable routine, and one that's shared by many. But this year, you can do one better. A huge success during its past tours of the UK and Australia (to the surprise of absolutely no one), Love Actually in Concert is returning in 2022 to make this festive season extra merry. It's exactly what it sounds like: a screening of the film accompanied by a live orchestra performing the soundtrack as the movie plays. And, to the jolly delight of Aussies around the country, it's heading to Brisbane, Hobart, Wollongong, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Dates and times vary per city — and not all places have a venue locked in as yet — but obviously you'll be getting your Love Actually fix in the lead up to Christmas. Here, you'll revisit the Richard Curtis-written and -directed film that you already know and treasure, step through its interweaved Yuletide stories of romance, and hear a live orchestra play the movie's soundtrack. And, yes, Christmas (and love) will be all around you. Ticket on-sale dates vary per city, too, starting on Wednesday, September 28 in some places — but you can join the waitlist now no matter where you are. LOVE ACTUALLY IN CONCERT 2022 DATES: Saturday, December 10 — 4pm, Great Hall, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Saturday, December 10 — time and venue TBC, Hobart Wednesday, December 14 — 7.30pm, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong Thursday, December 15 — 7.30pm, The Star Gold Coast Friday, December 16 — time and venue TBC, Adelaide Saturday, December 17 — 4pm, Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC Sydney Saturday, December 17 — 4pm, Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Saturday, December 17 — 4pm, Perth Convention and Entertainment Centre Love Actually in Concert will tour Australia this December — head to the event's website for further details, and to join the waitlist, with tickets in some cities going on sale on Wednesday, September 28.
Winter has come to Scotland — and with it, the perfect place for Game of Thrones fans to have a pint or two. Here, pretending that you're wetting your whistle in a boozy establishment in the Seven Kingdoms is easy as heading to Edinburgh's latest popup. Taking inspiration from the pages of George R.R. Martin's epic 'A Song of Ice and Fire' as well as the accompanying TV adaptation that no one can stop watching, Blood & Wine is the latest venture from events team The Pop Up Geeks. Every Wednesday and Thursday evening throughout January and February, they'll serve up GoT-inspired wines, ales, spirits and infusions. When you're sipping on Myrish fire wine and eating Frey pies (yep, they went there), you'll forget that new episodes of everyone's must-watch program aren't slated to return until June. https://www.instagram.com/p/BPKpLalDCok/?taken-by=thepopupgeeks Drinks wise, you'll also find the likes of Dornish Sour Red, The Imp's Delight and The Old Bear's Hot Spiced Wine on the menu, as well as a flight of seven tipples that lets you sample everything that Westeros and its fellow realms has to offer. Or, if you still have a Lannister-like thirst, opt for a Goslings Hot Mead or a glass of Icelandic Mountain Vodka. If the picture on the back of the bottle doesn't tip you off, the latter is made by a company co-owned by Hafþór Júlíus "Thor" Björnsson, the actor who plays Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane on the show. To add the requisite finishing touches, the whole candlelit space is decked out with the appropriate bits and pieces; think shields, swords, posters, props and medieval-like flourishes. If that's not enough to send you scurrying over land and sea like a lost Stark child, then keep an eye on The Pop Up Geeks next venture, Perilous Potions, where they'll delve into the wizarding world of — yep, you guessed it — Harry Potter. Via Uproxx. Image: The Pop Up Geeks.
In an attempt to promote real music to families in this manufactured drought of Biebers and X-Factors, Soul of Sydney have teamed up with some of the city's funk dons for a free block party of street art, barbecuing, and music. In a warm, as-yet-unspecified indoor/outdoor courtyard in the Chippendale area, the afternoon of feel-good fun will see classics from artists like James Brown, De La Soul, and Masters at Work spun by a couple of Sydney's God-Fathers of Funk as well as the All Souled Out DJs (Stephen Ferris and Graham Mandroules) and resident DJs. With the chill of the winter sun a complete irrelevance, souls will be sizzled and hearts will be heated as good food, good sounds, and good company become the only thing to think about. There's limited capacity, so voice your interest by emailing soulofsydney@gmail.com.
Everything that Melbourne and Brisbane can do, Sydney tends to believe that it can do better — and devouring Cinnabon's sticky cinnamon scrolls might soon join that list. After the Seattle-born chain opened its first Australian store in the Sunshine State in 2019, then added more Queensland stores, then made the leap to Victoria in 2021, Sydneysiders have been hanging to get their fix; however, that wait now has an end date: summer 2022–23. Ideally, Cinnabon will start serving its coveted scrolls from its first New South Wales site in Darling Square in mid-December this year, but that date might shift slightly. When the brand does launch in NSW, Alby Lam, one of the directors of the master franchisee for the state, is hoping that baked goods-loving locals will come out in force. "Brisbane actually broke the world record for opening Cinnabon, for sales — so hopefully Sydney will break Brisbane's so that we can take that title. We'll see what happens though," Lam tells Concrete Playground. Something that might help: Sydney's first Cinnabon won't be located in a shopping centre, which will enable it to operate for longer hours. At Darling Square, that might mean 9pm or 11pm closes. Those Cinnabon cravings don't just tempt your tastebuds during business hours, after all. In NSW, the plan is to open 15 stores — including one each in the city's east, west, north and south within three years, and also outposts in Newcastle, Wollongong, Coffs Harbour and Taree. Another big difference in NSW will stem from the chain's specials, with a new limited-edition flavour on offer each month. Exactly what they'll be is yet to be revealed, but that'll give Cinnabon fans a new reason to head by regularly. Also, while the first store will launch with a small beverage menu, the plan is to offer an extensive range moving forward, spanning beyond the usual varieties. "It's not going to be your standard strawberry smoothies and vanilla milkshakes — the flavours are going to be quite unique," Lam advises. New to all things Cinnabon? Haven't tasted them on trips overseas or interstate? Only spotted the chain in Better Call Saul? It's famed for those scrolls, which come slathered in glaze and cream-cheese frosting — and, yes, they truly are oh-so-sticky to eat. Many people have tried to replicate them since Cinnabon first set up shop in America in 1985, too, but the brand's long-held recipe is immensely hard to copy at home. Cinnabon will open in Darling Square, Haymarket sometime in summer 2022–23 — with a planned mid-December launch. We'll update you with exact details when they're announced.
Been spending the start of 2018 looking to the future? That's what new years are all about, but tonight you might want to look to the skies as well. As part of a summer filled with supermoons, an extremely rare celestial event will occur: a super blue blood moon — or a supermoon, a blue moon and a total lunar eclipse, aka a blood moon, all at once. On the evening of January 31, it'll be time to peer above to see a piece of history. The last time this trifecta happened at the same time was back on March 31, 1866. They'll be more frequent in the coming decades, with others expected on December 31, 2028 and January 31, 2037. Still, if you miss it this month, ten years is a long time to wait. WHAT IS IT? If you're more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, here's what you need to know. As we all learned back in November 2016, a supermoon is a new moon or full moon that occurs when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit. They're not uncommon; two have taken place since the beginning of December. The supermoon at the end of January will be a full moon, which is why it's also a blue moon. A blue moon refers to the second full moon occurring in a calendar month. Despite the saying, they happen more often than you might think, with the last taking place in July 2015, and another due in March this year. And then there's the lunar eclipse, when the moon passes directly behind the Earth, into its shadow, blocking direct sunlight. When the three celestial bodies are lined up, it makes the moon look like it has been tinted red. WHEN CAN I SEE IT? If you're keen to catch a glimpse, timeanddate.com has put together a handy to-the-minute schedule of when the eclipse will be happening in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The super blue blood moon is expected at around 12.30am in Sydney and Melbourne, and 11.30pm in Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_655292" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sydney total lunar eclipse times via timeanddate.com[/caption] Have your cameras at the ready, obviously — and see if you can outdo the last big batch of supermoon snaps. WHERE CAN I SEE IT? Being in the southern hemisphere, we get some of the best views in the world — weather permitting, of course. Everyone in Australia should be able to catch a glimpse, but, even so, if you're living in the city, it would be best to as far away from light pollution as possible. Typically, clouds and rain are predicted for today along the east coast, which could prove really screw up visibility. If you can't get a clear view, The Virtual Telescope Project will be live streaming the eclipse from 10.30pm AEST (9.30pm in Brisbane) here. Otherwise, there will be another total lunar eclipse on July 28. Via Space.com and timeanddate.com. Updated: January 31, 2018.
A Separation is an Iranian drama film that revolves around the divorce of Nader and Simin, who have been married for fourteen years and share an eleven-year old daughter, Termeh. Simin wishes to move the family outside of Iran in light of the turbulent conditions, while Nader wishes to stay in the country to care for his elderly father. A rapid series of events takes place following the separation, which lead to accusations of violence, theft and murder. What results is a fascinating insight into gender customs and religious devotion in Iranian society. Moreso, it unfolds as a story which explores the global themes of guilt, self-reflection and responsibility in a fascinating environment. The film has garnered unanimous critical acclaim since its original release in 2011, which has been solidified with a plethora of awards. These include Best Film at the Sydney Film Festival, a Golden Berlin Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, the esteemed Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globe Awards, and, as of today, the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Critics have praised the film for its fast pace, weaving complexity and bravery for commenting on themes which have been kept hidden to much of the Western world. A Separation is a gripping film that raises more questions that it answers, leaving viewers meddling in thought and contemplation. Thanks to Hopscotch, Concrete Playground has five double passes to give away. To win tickets to see A Separation, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=B2Sswx_vrWk
It gets us around the country, and the world, much faster than any other form of transport that's in widespread use; however, there's plenty about air travel that's far from fun. No one loves being crammed into the tiny amount of space that comes with each economy seat, for instance, or getting stuck having awkward mid-air conversations with strangers. Thanks to Qantas, skipping both of those frustrations is now possible. The Australian airline has just launched a new 'neighbour-free' option. It sounds like the Australian TV landscape now that a certain beloved soap opera is off the air, but it's actually an in-flight move to give you some extra room. The concept really is as self-explanatory as it sounds — aka you'll take to the air without someone sitting in the neighbouring chair. Before you go dreaming about how you'll use the added space on your next getaway, Qantas is still trialling its neighbour-free offering at present, so it isn't available on all routes or flights. The test is only running domestically, too — so cramped overseas trips still await. Unsurprisingly, you do need to pay for the added space, with prices varying depending on the route. The Australian Frequent Flyer forum advises that the cost starts at around $30 — on top of your existing fare, of course — for short flights. Here's how it works: if you're eligible to go neighbour-free, you'll get an email 48 hours before your departure, inviting you to take up the service. You're then able to make the request up to an hour before your flight, including when you reserve your seat — or by hopping into your online reservation if you've already picked where you want to sit. That's when you'll pay the neighbour-free fee, too, and receive confirmation via email. Obviously, the whole thing is subject to availability — and it also can't be cancelled after you've set it up. If Qantas has to seat someone in your extra spot, however, you'll automatically be refunded the neighbour-free cost. (The airline advises that that might happen "for operational, safety or security reasons, even after boarding the aircraft".) [caption id="attachment_823330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brent Winstone[/caption] Yes, you could always do this by booking two seats if you really wanted to avoid sitting next to anyone. This new option is much cheaper, though. There's no word yet as to if or when the ability to go neighbour-free might become a standard Qantas offering, or if it'll also be trialled or brought in for international trips. We can think of a few of flights where it'd be particularly handy: the 17-hour direct Perth–London route, and the planned non-stop legs from Australia's east coast to London and New York. For more information about Qantas' new neighbour-free option, head to the airline's website.
The Scare inhabit a truly jaunty world of post-punk swagger. Their debut Chivalry and its scuzzed-out, big-haired, big-guitared rock was largely ignored by their brothers and sisters here in Australia. They didn't take it to heart; instead, they pissed off to the UK where they ate baked beans for a solid chunk of the last few years and built a following by playing club shows and festivals. They gave Australia another chance with Oozevoodoo, their second album — even enlisting our favourite Novacastra-vegan son Daniel Johns to produce it. This time around they stripped back the distortion and slowed things down to a danceable groove, working the angles into more, ahem, angular angles featuring biting guitars and wirey bass fighting it out underneath singer Kiss' attention-demanding vocals. Their new sonic approach took some cues from the Rapture and LCD Soundsystem, whilst also nodding their hat to Gang of Four and even a bit of early INXS (think 'Just Keep Walking'). It worked. Radio has picked up the album and the band have been relishing in the attention, performing at every big festival including a much-coveted rock spot on the Big Day Out. They have decided to stay true to the album format and are performing Oozevoodoo in its entirety over two nights at Spectrum. To win one of four double passes to see The Scare play in Sydney, email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with 'Scare' in the subject line and a few words on why you want to go. https://youtube.com/watch?v=VmDRDFIZE84
Clear your calendar. Check your annual leave balance. Dust off your biggest suitcase. In the space of less than 24 hours, not one but two dream vacation spots have added themselves back to everyone's must-visit lists — and, even better, to our can-visit lists. First came Japan, which'll drop its travel restrictions on individual international tourists in mid-October. Also announcing a big change to its border requirements: Hong Kong. The Special Administrative Region's Chief Executive John Lee advised on Friday, September 23 that it'll ditch compulsory hotel quarantine for incoming travellers from Monday, September 26. Yes, in a matter of days you'll be able to jet over to the popular getaway destination and enter without spending a stint holed up in a hotel first. The quarantine requirement will lift "for inbound persons from overseas places or Taiwan" after "analysing scientific data and striking a balance among factors such as transmission risks", the Hong Kong Government said in a statement. "The Government's goal is to minimise the inconvenience faced by inbound travellers due to quarantine requirements and allow room for Hong Kong to connect with the world as far as possible, while being able to contain the epidemic development." Also changing: testing requirements, with travellers no longer needing to provide a negative PCR test to enter Hong Kong from Monday, September 26, too. Rather, you'll have to show a negative COVID-19 result from a rapid antigen test, which needs to be taken within the 24 hours prior to getting on your flight. There are a few other caveats. A period of "medical surveillance" lasting three days applies, which requires self-monitoring from wherever you're staying in Hong Kong. And, during that period, travellers can't enter bars or restaurants — places considered "high-risk premises involving mask-off or group activities" — but they can use public transport, and shop in supermarkets and markets. You'll also need to undertake daily RATs for a week, and take a PCR test upon arrival — and on days two, four and six of your stay. Currently looking for your passport? Making big summer plans? Plotting out your bucket-list 2023 trip? That's understandable. Hong Kong's compulsory quarantine requirement will lift on Monday, September 26. For further information about travelling to Hong Kong, visit the Hong Kong Government's website.
