Your Christmas lunch could soon be soundtracked by Bill Murray. Well, that's the best case scenario. Bill Murray has recently told Variety that he will be teaming up with Sofia Coppola for a festive TV special involving him singing a variety of Christmas carols. Obviously once that's out in the world, all other traditional tunes will be irrelevant and we'll all celebrate the season to his unashamed, slightly slurring version of 'Jingle Bells' and 'Silent Night'. Though we don't have many details about the project as yet, both Murray and Coppola have confirmed that something is in the works. It's also safe to assume the work will be somewhat different to their last collaboration, Lost in Translation. "It's not going to be live," said Murray. "We're going to do it like a little movie. It won’t have a format, but it’s going to have music. It will have texture. It will have threads through it that are writing. There will be prose." If that's not vague enough for your liking, he also added that it will have a "patina style and wit to it". "It will be nice," he said. "My motivation is to hear him singing my song requests," said Coppola. Though Murray is well accustomed to being on television — not only was he on three seasons of SNL in the late '70s, he's been such a regular to Letterman over the years he now just wears elaborate costumes and shaves his beard on air for kicks — this will be Coppola's first foray away from the cinema. It's hard to see how her quiet and subtle filmmaking style will translate to the cheesy traditions of Christmas TV specials (despite how much "wit" Murray claims it will have). But, whatever the final result, we're looking forward to it immensely. Now, because we'll basically take any excuse, here's a selection of Bill's best. 'Tis the season. Via Variety.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of cinemas worldwide, two questions arose: when will they be able to reopen and, with movie release dates instantly thrown into disarray, what will they show? Picture palaces are now welcoming movie buffs back through the doors in some portions of the world, including parts of Australia and in New Zealand, so that's the first query taken care of. Just what they're able to screen, however, is still the subject of constant manoeuvring. Many of the big films that were due to release in 2020 have been shifted to 2021, such as Fast and Furious 9, In the Heights, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Halloween Kills. Some have remained committed to reaching the silver screen this year, but have still moved their release date over and over, like Tenet. And some have decided to make the jump online — including after rescheduling in-cinema release plans a few times, as is the case with Disney's live-action Mulan remake. As announced this week, the new Mulan will head straight to streaming platform Disney+ in many areas of the world, including Australia and New Zealand. It'll hit the service on Friday, September 4, but it won't be a part of your regular subscription. Instead, you'll have to pay to view it on a video-on-demand or 'premier access' basis, at a cost that's yet to be announced for viewers Down Under. If you want a ballpark figure, though, the US price is $29.99. This isn't the first Disney project to make the move to digital this year, with Pixar's Onward doing the same after a very brief cinema run as the globe went into lockdowns in March. Terrible family-friendly fantasy Artemis Fowl bypassed theatres altogether, hitting Disney+ in early June, while the phenomenal recorded version of Hamilton debuted on the streamer in July. In Mulan's case, it'll mean that fans can not only watch the highly anticipated blockbuster at home, but also finally enjoy the latest screen iteration of the famed character. In Chinese history, the legend of Hua Mulan dates back to the sixth century. At the movies, the formidable female warrior first fought her way across the big screen in a 1927 silent film. Mulan has been no stranger to the page, stage or cinema over the past 92 years, but many folks know the tale thanks to Disney's 1998 animated musical. Now, as it has done with everything from Alice in Wonderland to The Jungle Book to Aladdin, the Mouse House has turned the story into its latest live-action remake. Once again, Mulan (played by Chinese American actor Liu Yifei) will evolve from dutiful daughter to kick-ass combatant, all to protect her family in a time of war. She's originally due to be married off to a husband chosen by a matchmaker, until the Emperor of China issues a decree stating that one man per household must serve the Imperial Army as it endeavours to fend off northern invaders. To save her ailing ex-soldier father from having to fight, Mulan disguises herself as a man, takes on the name Hua Jun and becomes an icon. Forget rousing tunes or a talking dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy. This time, the tale hits the screen without a singing and smart-talking sidekick, but with plenty of sword-swinging, arrow-flinging antics. In New Zealand director Niki Caro's (Whale Rider, The Zookeeper's Wife) hands, this version of the story goes heavy on the action and empowerment, as shown in the spectacularly choreographed scenes seen so far. As well as Liu (whose resume includes The Forbidden Kingdom and The Assassins), the new Mulan features Jet Li as the Chinese Emperor, Gong Li as a witch, Donnie Yen as the protagonist's mentor, Jason Scott Lee as a villainous army leader, and Yoson An (The Meg, Mortal Engines) as her fellow fighter and love interest. Check out the full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK8FHdFluOQ Mulan will be able to view via Disney+ — on a 'premier access' video-on-demand basis from September 4, 2020. Image: © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc.
The north-of-the-bridge boom is in full swing, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Once Sydney's oft-overlook CBD extension, North Sydney is now home to some of the city's buzziest restaurants on either side of the harbour — not to mention a shiny new metro making the neighbourhood more accessible than ever before. And from mid-May, there'll be one more restaurant in North Sydney to add to the list, promising to bring a whole lot of flair, flavour and finesse to the table. Located in the heart of the action on Miller Street, Toki Bistro & Bar will showcase modern Asian-inspired flavours and French culinary techniques, with a storytelling twist that will turn your meal into something far more memorable. The cleverly designed space — which includes three private dining rooms and an intimate public dining room across its 475 square metres — is moody and elegant, mixing classic Parisian bistro charm with modern luxury. Think: mahogany floors, black marble tables, deep red vintage seating and glass chandeliers glowing overhead. Upon entry, you'll be greeted by a showcase of fresh seafood set against a slick and stacked mahogany and marbled-topped bar. Leading the charge at Toki is Head Chef Jay Choy, whose culinary credentials span Michelin-starred restaurants in the US and a top-ten nod from San Pellegrino's Young Chef awards. At Toki, Choy will present a considered menu that brings together classic French technique and punchy Asian flavours, inspired by his own childhood memories and years of global experience. The public dining area offers an à la carte menu spotlighting Toki signatures — but for the full experience, you'll want to opt for one of the set menus. Highlights include beef tartare topped with caviar and crispy tendon crisps, marron udon with beurre blanc and lobster bisque, and bone marrow custard with bacon jam, uni and ikura served on a crumpet. You can pair your meal with a selection from the thoughtful wine program, which includes premium drops from Australia, Asia and France — with complimentary tastings also available to help you find your perfect match. For a more exclusive experience, step into the discreet elevator on Miller Street to access one of Toki's three private dining rooms. Here, you and your fellow diners will be treated to a ten-course tasting menu divided into four 'chapters' that mirror the milestones of life through flavour. You might start with citrus-dressed Sydney Rock Oysters before moving on to larger dishes like amaebi tart served with citrus cream and yuzu tamarind dressing or beef tartare with nashi pear, french mustard and salted tendon chips. There are luxe add-ons, too, like caviar with house-made blinis and three different types of crème fraîche, a tomahawk steak carved tableside, and a two-part duck that's been dry-aged for two weeks and uses every part of the bird, from lavender honey-glazed slices to a rich duck-and-chicken sausage featuring pistachio, yuringi onion marmalade and teriyaki-braised shiitake jam. With its slick interiors and thoughtful menu featuring standout ingredients, Toki is shaping up to be one of Sydney's most ambitious fine-dining openings this year — and one that we reckon would be well worth crossing the bridge for. Toki Bistro & Bar is slated to open in mid-May at T23-24/100 Miller Street, North Sydney, and will be open for lunch and dinner Tuesday–Sunday. For more information, head to the venue's website.
On Wednesday, January 15, New South Wales was hammered by massive thunderstorms that stretched from Glen Innes in the state's north down to Eden, 1000 kilometres away on the Sapphire Coast near the Victorian border. In Sydney's CBD, 40 millimetres of rain fell between 8-30pm–11.30pm, flooding Town Hall station. Elsewhere in NSW, even heavier downpours inundated places like Eurobodalla on the South Coast, where more than 63 millimetres of rain fell in just one hour. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Places to Roam Australia (@places_to_roam) Damaging winds were also recorded across the state, with gusts as strong as 107 kilometres per hour destroying property and crops in places like Wagga Wagga. Power outages impacted as many as 150,000 homes in Sydney's satellite suburbs and north of the city near Newcastle, with some areas still without power at the time of publishing this report. Sydney airport, where 100 kilometres-per-hour winds were recorded, also suspended flights temporarily. Sydneysiders flocked to social media to share hundreds of dramatic images of lightning strikes in the heart of the city. Some of the most striking captures depict multiple lightning forks striking the CBD simultaneously. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ᴘʜɪʟɪᴘᴘ (@philipps.world.of.photography) The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has warned that yet more storms are likely to roll across NSW on Thursday, 16 January and Friday, 17 January, with strong winds and heavy rains forecast. The State of Emergency Service has called for people on the Sapphire Coast in the state's far south to remain indoors until further tempests have passed. The BOM also issued a warning for surfers to be aware of "large and powerful" conditions up and down the eastern seaboard as high winds continue to lash the NSW coast. However, it also lifted its extreme weather warning on Sydney, stating that the worst of the storms have now passed the city. View this post on Instagram A post shared by My Life Experience (@herlifeexperience) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rebecca Frost (@msrebeccafrost) View this post on Instagram A post shared by ᴘʜɪʟɪᴘᴘ (@philipps.world.of.photography) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicole McInnes (@wideeyedgirl) View this post on Instagram A post shared by ᴘʜɪʟɪᴘᴘ (@philipps.world.of.photography) For further details of Sydney's weather forecast, visit the BOM website. Top image: Charles Miller
Love the fireworks display that lights up Sydney Harbour on New Year's Eve? This year, the celebrations will continue into the new year and the Sydney skyline will be illuminated for even longer thanks to the Elevate Sydney Sky Show. In an Australian first, the Elevate Sydney Sky Show will take place above Circular Quay from Saturday, January 1 till Wednesday, January 5 as part of the brand-new Elevate Sydney festival. Catch 500 choreographed drones weaving across the sky in this multi-sensory spectacle set to an original soundscape. Sounds pretty incredible, right? The sky show will kick off from 10pm each night, right after the headline performances at the stages perched atop The Cahill Expressway. If you missed out on tickets to one of the Elevate Sydney shows, make a date with the night sky and let the colour and light of the sky show mesmerise you instead. Elevate Sydney Sky Show is taking place from Saturday, January 1 till Wednesday, January 5. For more information, visit the website.
UPDATE, March 8, 2021: Hidden Figures is available to stream via Disney+, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies and Amazon Video. Every parent tells their child to dream big. Unfortunately, for many people, a world of factors conspires to stop their hopes and aspirations from coming true. For the three women at the centre of Hidden Figures, the forces blocking them from fulfilling their potential aren't just obvious — they're quantifiable. Faced with both institutionalised sexism and institutionalised racism, friends Katherine (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy (Octavia Spencer) and Mary (Janelle Monáe) know exactly what's holding them back. But, as smart, savvy human computers at NASA's Virginia headquarters in the segregated 1960s, they're also driven to find a solution. Based on a real-life tale that most won't have heard before, and sending its spirited leading ladies on a fight for equality, Hidden Figures is exactly the kind of movie that you think it is. It's warm, broad and certain to please. It's designed to rouse and entertain as it sheds light on an overlooked part of history, with soft colours and an upbeat soundtrack. It brings together an engaging cast who prove endearing individually and even more so when their affectionate rapport is in the spotlight. Most of all, though, it combines all of the expected elements together just as anyone could easily predict, and still manages to be a thoroughly good watch. Katherine, Dorothy and Mary crunch numbers in the same department, share rides to work and spend time together with their families after hours, but it's ambition in the face of oppression that truly unites them. On any given day, they're expected to be grateful for their jobs, while constantly being underestimated, undermined, ignored, overlooked, and made to use separate bathrooms and even coffee pots. That's a struggle, especially in a place that wants to defy the accepted order by putting a man on the moon. Each of the three have their own goals: Katherine wants credit for her crucial efforts when she's moved into the team trying to send an American beyond the earth; Dorothy seeks the supervisor title and pay raise that goes with the tasks she's already doing; and Mary is trying to take the classes she needs — at a white's-only school — to become an engineer. There's not much surprising about the way that writer-director Theodore Melfi (St. Vincent) brings Margot Lee Shetterly's non-fiction book to the screen, but honestly that's fine. In fact, it's rather apt. It's the sparkling individual components that comprise the ideal equation here, rather than any attempt to craft a new formula. Besides, just the fact that this story is being told at all is kind of revolutionary. Space movies and films about maths geniuses are a dime a dozen, but they're usually about one type of person: white men. Not here. A few pop up — Kevin Costner is memorable as Katherine's boss, while Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons plays the colleague constantly putting her in her place — but, refreshingly, this isn't their movie. Instead, it belongs to the women of colour at its centre. Played with vibrancy that matches the feature's own mood, there's nothing hidden about the core trio of black female mathematicians. Their real-world determination, infectious spirit, and the fine performances behind them, ensures that Hidden Figures adds up to something really special.
Calling all rom-com fans, Notting Hill aficionados and Rose Matafeo devotees — aka everyone who discovered marvellous new series Starstruck in 2021, fell head over heels for its firmly 21st-century take on dating a famous actor and has probably binged it more than once in the past eight months. Because February is stereotypically a time for all things romantic, the HBO sitcom is making a return, and it's just dropped its first trailer. Last year saw plenty of great new TV shows hit screens and streaming queues, and Starstruck was one of the best of them — which, given Matafeo's talent and the show's deep-seated love for its chosen genre, really didn't come as a surprise. The premise: a 28-year-old New Zealander in London who splits her time between working in a cinema and nannying, Jessie (Matafeo, Baby Done) isn't expecting much when her best friend and roommate Kate (Emma Sidi, Pls Like) drags her out to a bar on New Year's Eve. And, for most of the evening, her lack of enthusiasm proves astute. But then she meets Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral), ends up back at his sprawling flat and realises the next morning that he's one of the world's biggest movie stars. From featuring Matafeo enjoying a morning-after stride of pride to the sounds of 90s hit 'Return of the Mack' to swirling through the chaos of being in the orbit of someone so famous (and just general twentysomething life and dating mayhem as well), Starstruck's first season was smart, sidesplittingly funny and all-round charming — and the trailer for its second season sets it up to continue the trend. After its initial six episodes ended with a nod to The Graduate (yes, this show knows its rom-com history), the new batch of chapters is poised to dive into the reality of Jessie and Tom's efforts to make a real go of it. In other words, get ready for the story after the point where big-screen romantic comedies usually end — which doesn't look like it's going to go smoothly for the show's protagonist. Jessie has never just been a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her, and that still appears the case in Starstruck's sneak peek at its second season. Also a part of season two: Minnie Driver, after the About a Boy star first popped up in season one as Tom's agent, and also Russell Tovey (Years and Years). And, behind the scenes, Matafeo and fellow comedians Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson are still on scripting duties. Starstruck's new episodes will hit ABC iView in Australia from 9pm on Wednesday, February 16 — with an airdate via TVNZ in New Zealand yet to be confirmed, but hopefully arriving sooner rather than later. Check out the trailer for Starstruck's second season below: Starstruck's second season will be available to stream in Australia via ABC iView from 9pm on Wednesday, February 16 — and we'll update you with a New Zealand airdate via NZTV as soon as we have one. Read our full review of Starstruck's first season.
When Game of Thrones came to an end, HBO filled that gap by making prequel House of the Dragon, and also exploring a heap more spinoffs as well. Plenty have been rumoured, including focusing on Jon Snow and devoting a second new series to the Targaryens — but A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is the next to get the official go-ahead. The American cable network and source of plenty of Binge, Foxtel and Neon's programming Down Under is announcement mode, revealing that it's renaming its own streaming service from HBO Max to Max — a platform that isn't available in Australia or New Zealand as yet — and also dropping details about a range of new shows that folks can look forward to watching on it. We hope you like TV versions of hit movies, too, because HBO's upcoming slate goes big on well-known properties. Harry Potter, The Conjuring, IT, The Batman: they're all covered in one way or another. A century before @GameofThrones, there was Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg. Executive produced by George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker, Ryan Condal, and Vince Gerardis, A Knight of the #SevenKingdoms: The Hedge Knight has received a straight to series order. #StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/MRPUke5Upt — HBO Max (@hbomax) April 12, 2023 A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is a prequel, and will boast George RR Martin as a writer and executive producer. It comes to the screen from the novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg, and has been rumoured for a few years now. The story follows knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg as they wander Westeros a century before the events of GoT, when the Targaryens remain on the Iron Throne and everyone still remembers dragons. Yes, there's an odd-couple vibe. The first-ever Harry Potter TV series has also been whispered about for years, with that chatter getting louder recently. Bringing the Wizarding World to the small screen, it will run for a decade and cover all of the original books — a tome per season, diving into more detail than the movies were able to. Your Hogwarts letter is here. Max has ordered the first ever #HarryPotter scripted television series, a faithful adaptation of the iconic books. #StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/3CgEHLYhch — HBO Max (@hbomax) April 12, 2023 Newly revealed is a drama series set in The Conjuring universe — a supernatural big-screen realm that's already hefty, given that it spans The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Conjuring 2, Annabelle: Creation, The Nun, The Curse of the Weeping Woman, Annabelle Comes Home and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and will score The Nun 2 later in 2023. There's no word yet on what it'll cover, other than that it'll continue the story established in the features. Australian filmmaker James Wan, who helmed the first two The Conjuring movies, may executive produce. The American network is also making IT prequel series Welcome to Derry, which it announced earlier in 2023. Plus, it also has a spinoff from The Batman, aka The Penguin, on the way for its 2024 lineup — with Colin Farrell reprising the show's titular role. Welcome to Derry. Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, James Remar, and Chris Chalk have been cast to star in the Max Original Series and prequel to the IT films, coming in 2024 to Max. #WelcomeToDerry #ITSeries #ITMovie 🎈 #StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/wnX3YTIB21 — HBO Max (@hbomax) April 12, 2023 And, arriving in May, there's the animated Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, a prequel to the 80s movies that heads back to 1920s Shanghai and the Wing family's first meeting with Gizmo. Clearly, the answer to how HBO will cope with not just the OG Game of Thrones ending, but the looming post-Succession void, is leaning into other well-known properties. There's been no word of any spinoffs, prequels or sequels to the Roy family saga — even after its latest episode, and the fact that this is the acclaimed series' final season — however, based on the current announcements, don't be surprised if HBO gives it a try down the line. Most of the above HBO shows don't have exact release dates yet — we'll update you when further details are announced. Top image: courtesy of Max.
Call it the City of Angels. Call it the City of Stars. Call it Tinseltown, too. Whichever you go with, Los Angeles isn't short on tourist attractions, especially if you're fond of show business. But if you grew up playing Nintendo's games, you've now got one must-visit Hollywood spot to head to: Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. Let's go! This is the globe's second-ever theme park area dedicated to the company and all of its video-game characters, after the first IRL Nintendo-themed amusement park opened in Osaka in Japan in 2022. The attraction's US debut has been in the works for a while, but finally opened its doors on Friday, February 17 — complete with a new way to play everyone's beloved Mario Kart beyond the many various devices that the game has popped up on over the years, not to mention Google Maps, mobile phones and reality. Clearly, you can never have too much Mario in your life. 2023 is also the year that a new Super Mario Bros movie is hitting cinemas, after all. Head to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood, however, and you won't just be staring at a screen. Looking as glorious as its Japanese counterpart, the LA site features life-sized recreations of both Bowser's Castle (complete with spiked fences and heavy iron doors) and Peach's Castle, plus Mario Kart rides as well. Also, themed shopping and dining are a part of the experience, of course, including slurping mushroom soup out of the cutest mushroom bowl — with a red-and-white lid — that you've ever seen. Just walking around the space is a drawcard enough, with warp pipes, piranha plants and question blocks all part of the larger-than-life design. The colours are as bright as in the games, too, and you really can enter through a green tube, then punch blocks to collect coins — digital ones, but still coins — as you wander. Hollywood's Mario Kart fix comes courtesy of Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, a twist on Osaka's version that focuses on Koopas. Inspired by the games, it uses augmented reality (AR) with projection mapping technology — but there's also a moving track, plus genuine Mario Kart set pieces along the way. So, you'll sit in a vehicle and navigate courses, including underwater and in the clouds, but on a rail and with AR helping fill in the details. Thanks to the blend physical sets, technology and projections, you really will feel like you're in the game. To even get to the ride, you need to queue from Mount Beanpole, one of the park's towering landmarks. And, you'll also see the aforementioned Bowser's Castle, which no one will miss with its massive statue of its namesake out the front. Inside, there are corridors and passages to wind through as you make your way towards the IRL Mario Kart. Also a highlight: the Toadstool Cafe, which is where that soup comes in. The menu spans themed dishes such as toadstool cheesy garlic knots, piranha plant caprese, the Mario bacon cheeseburger, the Luigi pesto chicken burger, question block tiramisu and Princess Peach cupcakes. And, like the Osaka venue, Hollywood's Super Nintendo World features wearable wrist bands, called Power Up Bands, which connect to a special app and allow patrons to interact with the site using their arms, hands and bodies. That's how you collect coins just like Mario does in the Super Mario games. Super Nintendo World is now open at Universal Studios Hollywood, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. For more information, head to the theme park's website. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Visit Alice Springs at any time of year and you'll find plenty to see and do in Australia's Red Centre, including making the trip to Uluru, marvelling at Bruce Munro's Field of Light, and checking out the Tjoritja gorges and Kings Canyon. Here's a spectacular reason to head by every April, including from now until Sunday, April 16 in 2023: Parrtjima — A Festival In Light. The region's luminous Indigenous arts festival is back for another year and, set against the 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges, it looks stunning as always. This event celebrates First Nations arts, culture and storytelling, and just might be Australia's most luminous event — with installations in breathtaking surroundings leading the show alongside music, talks, films, workshops and more. [caption id="attachment_896332" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sisters at Watarru by Noreen Dixon, Grounded.[/caption] 2023's focus: 'Listening with Heart'. That's what this year's light-heavy installations, which were announced late in 2022, are focusing on. Parrtjima's theme is inspired by the artwork surrounding the Statement from the Heart, with that piece depicting Uluru-Ku Tjukurrpa, the Uluru story of connection, as created by a group of artists from Multijulu as led by Maruku artist Rene Kulitja. So, Kulitja has worked with other of artists for Parrtjima to turn the Statement from the Heart artwork into a large-scale immersive light and sound installation. Accordingly, Parrtjima attendees are currently getting plunged in the world of the Aṉangu people of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands surrounding Uluru. This year's festival installations feature ancient songlines, plus Indigenous viewpoints on Country, as well as connecting to First Peoples' strong links with the land, water and sky. Two things that are also on the bill: two of the festival's regular annual attractions, aka a huge artwork that transforms a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival; and Grounded, the installation projected over the red dirt at tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park. As for the music program, it is overflowing with First Nations talent, including Docker River Band, Eastern Reggae Band, Emily Wurramara, JK-47, KAIIT, Karnage and Paul Ah Chee. They're joined by Radical Son, Richard J Frankland, Discovering Leerpeen Mara, Rowdy Birds, The Andrew Gurruwiwi Band and The Merindas across the ten days — and with a range of dazzling backdrops. The talks lineup features actor Steven Oliver, marathon hero Charlie Maher, media identity Naomi Moran, scientist Corey Tutt, Olympian Nova Peris and more, such as musicians Richard Frankland, KAIIT and Paul Ah Chee — doing double duty on stage and having a chat. Movie-wise, attendees can look forward to Westwind: Djalu's Legacy, Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky, Araatika: Rise Up and The Australian Wars. And, the workshops schedule includes dance, art and pottery. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs until Sunday, April 16, 2023 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: Parrtjima – A Festival in Light. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
If you've been struggling to live in the teenies because you're musically and spiritually stuck in the noughties, we have some news that's going to bring you bolting straight into the present. Ministry of Sound has just announced a super-niche tour. From mid-November, they'll be paying visits to Australia's capital cities to perform, get this, their greatest clubbing moments from The Annual 2001-2004. And that'll be all, folks. Leading the lineup will be OGs John Course and Mark Dynamix, who, between them, have placed millions of CDs in club-loving hands and ears over the past couple of decades. They're the mighty duo behind Ministry of Sound's annual compilations, on which you probably first heard Roger Sanchez, Basement Jaxx, Tim Deluxe, Cassius and Groove Armada. To each gig, Course and Dynamix will be inviting a bunch of cracking support artists. Sydneysiders will be treated to an extra-special tribute to early noughties break beat at a Clubber's Guide to Breaks Room. You can count on appearances by the UK's Plump DJs, as well as by homegrown breaks guru Kid Kenobi. MINISTRY OF SOUND 2001-2004 REUNION TOUR November 18 — The Prince, Melbourne December 16 — The Metro, Sydney December 20 — HQ, Adelaide January 13 — Discovery, Darwin January 15 — Matisse Beach Club, Perth January 21 — The Met, Brisbane In the meantime, to get yourself in the mood, have a listen to this dedicated Reunion Tour play list on Spotify.
Australians have hotly anticipated the opening of the very first Il Mercato Centrale in Melbourne ever since it was first announced in 2022. At that time, it was expected to launch late the same year. But it's now 2024, and we still have no hard date for its opening. The highly ambitious venture came across a heap of setbacks, as the team behind it is determined to create a hospitality venue unlike anything that Melbourne has ever seen. All the red tape has now been sorted, however, and construction is charging ahead at 546 Collins Street at lightning speed. [caption id="attachment_856983" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Il Mercato Centrale in Turin[/caption] First off, the 3500-square-metre space, spread across three stories, truly is enormous. The first floor will have a market feel to it but with more flash, fun and tech. Each of the vendors will be slinging their own specialty goods, with none competing with the other. There'll be a bakery, patisserie, pasta shop, pizza joint, cheese maker, butcher and seafood stall, to name a few. Here, you can get fresh produce to take away or order it to be cooked up right in front of you. That means that you can buy a steak to eat at home or ask them to pop it on the grill while you start on some wine that you ordered from the bar right in the centre of the ground floor. Want to make it a surf and turf? Order some grilled calamari from the seafood stall next door and create your own feast. Conveniently, you'll be able to order from any and all vendors all in one transaction by using a QR code — or even pre-order from your office to pick up when it's ready. It going to be one of the easiest Melbourne food halls to order from. Then, on the second floor of Melbourne's Il Mercato Centrale, you'll find a fine-dining restaurant, cocktail bar, pasta restaurant (all made by hand), pizzeria, gelateria, wine bar, a gin and vodka distillery, and live music stage. We told you, it's huge. Up here, you'll even be able to order some of the food from downstairs to be delivered to you. Say you're sipping on a negroni at the bar upstairs and get a bit hungry. All you've got to do is order a cheeseboard and perhaps some slices of pizza on your phone, and the team will bring it up to you. If it all works out how the crew wants it to, it will be a huge feat of tech and service ingenuity. The top floor of Il Mercato Centrale will then be dedicated to private events and masterclasses, where each of the vendors will run workshops on their particular trades each month. [caption id="attachment_856981" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Il Mercato Centrale Rome[/caption] There will even be a big outdoor seating area right on Collins Street, something that was not easy for the Il Mercato Centrale team to secure. Taking Concrete Playground on a tour of the site, General Manager Gary Patikkis couldn't share the details about the outside area, but he noted that it is set to be unlike any other street-level drinking and dining space in the CBD. The venue will have a 3am liquor license (another rarity for new venues in Melbourne) and be open until from 7am–12am every day of the week. Patikkis was reluctant to share any opening dates, but rest assured that Il Mercato Centrale is coming. And Melburnians and visitors alike hopefully won't have to wait much longer before being able to dine on a massive range of Italian eats in the Victorian capital's CBD. [caption id="attachment_856978" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Il Mercato Centrale Firenze[/caption] Mercato Centrale Melbourne is set to open at 546 Collins Street, Melbourne. We'll share more information as it is announced, and you can head to the venue's website in the interim. Top image: Il Mercato Centrale Milan.
It's easy enough to understand why so many people move from sunless England to Australia each year, but it's pretty rare for a whole restaurant and its staff to pack up their bags collectively. Yet that's just what's happening with one of the world's most famous chefs, Heston Blumenthal, and his molecular gastronomy stronghold The Fat Duck. They'll be shutting down the iconic Berkshire restaurant and 'relocating' it to the Crown Melbourne for six months. "This is not a popup restaurant," Heston obliquely insisted at this morning's announcement. Although The Fat Duck won't be opening until February 2015, you'll probably need to develop your booking strategy soon if you want to sample the likes of snail porridge, egg and bacon ice-cream and the aurally enhanced Sound of the Sea. The sensational food experience ought to wash away that bitter taste you get from having to pass through the casino to reach it. Funnily enough, The Fat Duck is not the only world-renowned restaurant to try an international exchange: Rene Redzepi yesterday tweeted that Noma would be moving its operation to Tokyo for two months in 2015. If these two chefs are on board, expect to see many more taking up the experiment soon. Heston's Melbourne non-popup temporary restaurant will leave a different, permanent one in its wake, dubbed Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Meanwhile, rumours of a Sydney Blumenthal excursion abound.
Bringing fresh life and all-day Italian cuisine to the entrance of Sydney's QT is Parlour Cucina. While it'll continue serving the same coffee it poured in its previous guise, Parlour Lane Roasters cafe, Little Marionette, the food menu has had a complete makeover. Expect hearty and traditional Italian fare served from breakfast through till dinner. Settle in on the banquette seating in the low-lit, elegant deco restaurant, then pick up a menu and start making some decision. We're happy that it's only two pages for breakfast (including drinks), and one page for lunch and dinner, because everything on it sounds delicious. If you're dropping by first thing — with brekkie served until 11am — baked goods include lemon curd doughnuts ($7), banana and bran muffins ($9) and a cabinet filled with pastries. For something more substantial, opt for a melt with comté and gruyere cheese, ox heart tomatoes and seeded mustard white sauce ($17); a Milan club made from Berkshire organic gypsy ham and cheese square toast ($21); or a panini with truffled eggs, bacon, lemon spinach and a potato bun ($16). There's also a thick breakfast pizza, Margherita–style with free range egg and prosciutto ($8), plus drinks spanning fresh juices ($8), hot chocolate ($4.50), ten types of tea ($4.50–6), Mumm Champagne ($19), bellinis ($19) and bloody marys ($19). From 11am onwards, start with the four cheese and spinach arancini ($14), perhaps, or the pepper and snapper carpaccio with blood orange, chilli and lemon balm ($22). Then, move on to the mains more pizza (including another prosciutto, tomato, asiago cheese and rocket variety for $19) or the lemon-crumbed parmigiana with fresh tomato, mozzarella and basil ($31). Don't leave before trying a dessert of tiramisu ($16) or the chocolate chip gelato affogato ($12). The extensive wine list means there's a drop for any preference, with glasses starting at $9 and bottles capping out at $160. Paired with food made from simple, fresh produce — and the 60s-era feel and heritage-listed decor — the result is flavoursome, old-school Italian fare and surroundings to satiate more than your belly.
It's always been an excellent concept for a TV series: what happens when 456 people have a chance to make their dreams come true via a huge cash prize simply by playing childhood games? Whether or not there was a murderous edge to this contest — which, of course, there is — this situation was destined to bring out the worst in many of its players. It was also forever bound to stress a point that Squid Game's latest season three trailer utters: "no matter how you look at it, life is just unfair". Those words are directed at Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte), who went through this ordeal once in the award-winning Netflix hit's debut season and made it out the other side — only to head back in season two with stopping the game forever his motivation. How he'll fare next is set to play out in Squid Game's third and final season from Friday, June 27, 2025. The mood is unsurprisingly ominous, however, in the newest sneak peek. By now, everyone knows the Squid Game concept: here, trying to win 45.6 billion won means battling 455 other players to the death. Fans will also know that when Player 456 went back into the game with new fellow competitors for company in season two, he found himself closer to the person pulling the strings than he knew. The most-recent batch of episodes dropped at the end of 2024, ended with quite the cliffhanger and seem to have only made the show's protagonist even more determined on his quest — which will again bring him into contact with the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven). Whatever eventuates, Squid Game's last run will feature a finale written and directed by series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk as it brings its fatal matches to a conclusion. In multiple trailers so far, audiences have been given a glimpse of pleas, big reveals and truths, mazes, jumping rope, a huge gumball machine with red and blue balls, tears, words of advice and more. In Squid Game's second season, Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) also returned as the man in the suit, aka the person who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place — and so did Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) as detective Hwang Jun-ho. That said, a series about a deadly contest comes with a hefty bodycount, so new faces were always going to be essential. That's where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all came in. If you've somehow missed all things Squid Game until now, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. As a result, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. Watch the latest trailer for Squid Game season three below: Squid Game season three streams via Netflix from Friday, June 27, 2025. Season one and two are available to stream now. Images: Netflix.
If you're keen to surround yourself with art in the most-immersive fashion on offer and you haven't yet visited The Lume, Australia's digital art gallery, then you'd better get organised: the Melbourne venue will close up on Sunday, June 1, 2025. News that the site was set to say farewell was first revealed in 2024, but with a January 2026 end date; however, those plans have now moved forward. Accordingly, The Lume will shut up shop when its present Vincent van Gogh showcase finishes. Art exhibitions are fleeting, of course, gracing walls and halls for just days, weeks or months at a time, then moving elsewhere or never being seen again. But when The Lume opened in 2021, you can be forgiven for thinking that it wouldn't be such a brief addition to Australia's cultural scene. The closure comes after Grande Experiences, the company behind it, decided not to extend its lease at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Whether you're an art lover based in the Victorian capital or elsewhere around the country, a last trip to the site means enjoying van Gogh delights, complete with The Starry Night projected large, taking over an entire room; the immersive Sunflower room, where golden petals stretch as far as the eye can see; VR experience Finding Vincent; a cafe inspired by the artist's Café Terrace at Night; and more. The Lume actually launched with the same exhibition. Also wowing audiences at the gallery since its opening: a celebration of Monet and his contemporaries, a huge showcase dedicated to First Nations artists and all things Leonardo da Vinci. Across its four-year run, The Lume has unsurprisingly proven popular, with 1.5-million visitors heading by to-date. "The Lume Melbourne has been a defining chapter in Australia's cultural landscape — a place where art, innovation and imagination came to life for millions of visitors. We are deeply grateful to our team, our partners and every guest who stepped through our doors," said Grande Experiences Founder and Chair, and The Lume Melbourne CEO, Bruce Peterson. "As we look to the future, we see an opportunity to once again redefine immersive storytelling. Rather than simply continuing, we are choosing to evolve — embracing new technologies that will take cultural experiences to even greater heights." "This was not a decision we made lightly, but one rooted in our ambition to push the boundaries of cultural storytelling even further. The landscape of immersive experiences is evolving rapidly, and we are seizing this moment to lead that evolution on a global scale. Our focus is now on creating even more groundbreaking, transformative stories through innovative new technology," Peterson continued. Melbourne's The Lume is one of two worldwide, with the other in Indianapolis in US, which is remaining open. Even as its only Australian site confirms its farewell, Grande Experiences hasn't ruled out more Aussie venues, advising that other states have flagged their interest in hosting the gallery — but nothing has been locked in so far. The Lume Melbourne will close at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 5 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Van Gogh at The Lume displays until then. Head to the venue's website for tickets and further information. Images: Grande Experiences.
After a two-year COVID-related hiatus, the Eden Whale Festival is back with three huge days of animal conservation talks, educational workshops, delicious eats and live music. Festivities will kick off on Friday, October 7, with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, before guests hear from two speakers. First off is Lyn Hughes, author of the novel Mr Carver's Whale. Then wildlife scientist Dr Vanessa Pirotta will discuss her work — she's a whale enthusiast well-known for her research using drones to collect whale snot (because, yes that's apparently a thing). Complimentary afternoon tea is provided before some abalone tasting begins. Locally harvested blacklip abalone will be served in eight different ways during the appropriately named 'A Taste of Abalone', prepared by renowned local chef David Ahren. Grand Matriarch Distilling, a local Sapphire Coast micro-distillery will be operating the bar for the evening, while live music is provided by local crooner Lochie Marson. This abalone tasting event is ticketed, costing $99 per person. Day two is a little different. They'll have a seafood paella demonstration by celebrity chef Miguel Maestre, as well as plenty of market stalls where you will find a great mix of food vendors, local artisans and local produce. Entertainment comes in the form of a chainsaw wood carver, fire throwers and sky-high kite displays. Wildlife stalls will be scattered about the space for those wanting to learn a little bit, too. And a series of musicians will be playing live music throughout the day. The final day of the festival, on Sunday, October 9, will be offering a whole lot of educational fun: you can attend an ORRCA Whale Rescue Training Workshop, the Wolf Peak Community Sand Sculpture Workshop, SKIFF boat trials and a Cultural Whale Experience. And don't miss the art exhibition, held in the new creative space connected to the Eden Library. You can check out photography, woodwork and mixed media from artists around the community. If you can't make it in during the festival, no worries — the works will remain on display during library opening hours until 5pm on Thursday, October 13.
Musician, actor, cook book author, wrestling MC, wine brand owner, 2024 Paris Olympics correspondent and performer: these labels all describe Snoop Dogg. Here's another that's set to join the Californian rapper's list: AFL Grand Final headliner. The hip-hop icon will take to the stage at the MCG on Saturday, September 27, 2025, leading this year's pre-game entertainment. Whichever teams make it to the season's final match, they won't want to be dropping anything like it's hot — but the man who hits the turf before them is bound to be singing about just that. AFL Grand Final headliners typically work through a range of their best-known and most-loved hits, so even if you aren't sipping on gin and juice at the game, you'll likely be hearing Snoop rap about it. Cross your fingers for not only 'Drop It Like It's Hot' and 'Gin and Juice', but also 'What's My Name?', 'Snoop's Upside Ya Head' and plenty more to make it into his set before the game's 2.30pm AEST kickoff. "It's an absolute honour to be hitting the stage at the AFL Grand Final — it's one of the biggest events on the Aussie calendar. Can't wait to bring the energy and celebrate with the fans. Let's make it unforgettable," Snoop Dogg said about the gig, as per the AFL. "The AFL Grand Final is the biggest event on the Australian sporting calendar — and this year, it just got a whole lot bigger," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon advised. "Snoop Dogg is a pioneer, a performer and a true entertainer. He's played to packed stadiums around the world — but we think 100,000 fans at the MCG might just be his most-iconic crowd yet." "We want Grand Final Day to be an unforgettable celebration of footy — and beyond the four quarters of the match, a celebration of culture, energy and entertainment. Snoop fits that brief better than anyone." "From Long Beach to the biggest stage in Australian sport — Snoop Dogg is coming to the MCG for the Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment, and we're ready to make history." Snoop Dogg last played in Australia on his 2023 'I Wanna Thank Me' tour, which was postponed from 2022. In headlining the AFL Grand Final, he follows in the footsteps of Katy Perry in 2024, KISS in 2023 and Robbie Williams in 2022, all recent overseas talents who've helped kick off the biggest day in Aussie Rules. The Killers, Black Eyed Peas, Sting, Chris Isaak, Ed Sheeran and Tom Jones, and Meatloaf have all done the honours since 2010, too. If you're a Western Bulldogs fan, you might be thinking that Snoop's prime spot on the 2025 lineup is a sign. Given that he's also gone by Snoop Lion, you can claim that as well if you're a supporter of the Brisbane Lions, 2024's premiers. Snoop Dogg is headlining the 2025 AFL Grand Final Pre-Game Entertainment at the MCG, Melbourne, on Saturday, September 27, 2025. For more information, including tickets to the game when they're available, head to the AFL website. Top image: Andrew Chin/Getty Images.
Redfern's much loved Donut Papi hooked us in a long ago with its many Asian-inspired flavours. Now, thanks to Filipino-born owner Kenneth Rodrigueza, the shop is turning out a full menu inspired by popular Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee. The homegrown brand is a firm favourite in the Philippines for breakfast rice meals, fried chicken and spaghetti — and, if you've ever visited or know any Filipinos, you'll know this homage is kind of a big deal. For the entire month of March, the doughnut shop will sling this special 'JollyPapee' tribute menu. The options are of course limited and sadly won't include any of the above. But, you can nab a classic Jollibee-style hotdog 'sandwich' topped with banana ketchup, tangy cheese sauce and grated cheese; tater tots drizzled with banana ketchup and mayo sauce; and a spam-and-egg sandwich, which hails from the chain's US branches. Sweet treats includes peach 'n' mango and chocolate mallow cream doughnuts, a banana jackfruit fritter and the Philippines signature halo halo: a shaved ice dessert with fresh fruit, macapuno coconut, sweetened beans and jelly cubes, all topped with ice cream and evaporated milk. To quench your thirst, there's a fresh pineapple slushie, too. For the full menu details, head over here. Be aware that the savoury options, drinks and sides are only available Friday through Sunday until March 31 — so head on in this weekend and have yourself a Filipino feast. Donut Papi is located at 24 Redfern Street, Redfern. Its Jollibee-inspired menu is available from 10am–8pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until March 31.
Warhol, Chagall, de Kooning, Gauguin, Matisse, Rembrandt, Renoir — what a bunch of big fat fakes. You'll need to look a little closer at the latest exhibition in New York City's Center Gallery, because every last work is 100% sham. Until this August, the FBI had these frauds locked away, never to see the light of day again. In a rare moment of public awesomeness from the Feds, Fordham University's Center Gallery plays host to a collection of seized forgeries from the evidence stores of the FBI Art Crimes department. From a Warhol Brillo Box to De Kooning's seminal work Woman, I, each work in the aptly named Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware) exhibition has been certified by the FBI as a genuine forgery. Many have been classified and reclassified over the years, with the FBI fine-tuning their art crime detection techniques and nailing some big-time fraudsters. Art forgery has been around for thousands of years, from ancient Roman copies of Greek marbles to Michelangelo allegedly “borrowing” master works, copying them and returning the imitations to their owners (so Vasari says). Forgeries still plague the FBI today; this exhibition is running at a rather testy time for New York's art world, with the recent accusations against an NYC art dealer who allegedly scammed two big-time Manhattan galleries out of up to US$33 million with counterfeit Rothkos, Pollocks and De Koonings. So how do you tell a genuine fake? Luckily for this forgery noob, an NYC conservator casually inhabiting the gallery noted the tell-tale subtleties in the works, tiny details you really have to be looking for to notice. Warhol's 1972 Mao for instance, can be dethroned by the painted staples (Warhol mass-produced his works, stapling the dried canvases afterward). Boom! Fake. The forged Matisse work sports an identical style to the French master; however, the lifeless colour palette may have pricked the suspicion of the buyers. Voila! Faux. So, not dissimilar to RSVPing to a tacky nightclub launch, why would you knowingly head along to a room full of fakes? Caveat Emptor inevitably makes you question the value of a 'real' work of art, as the works on the walls are technically not works at all; they're all evidence in art crime, as damning as a fingerprint-mottled pistol or balaclava left at the bank. It's a staggering thought that an unknown artist could have the gumption to recreate Rembrandt or photocopy Gauguin. With a few minuscule muck-ups, the works are almost carbon copies of the original masterpieces. It's hard to tell whether the exhibition is a celebration of the brilliance of the FBI, the works sitting like mounted trophies, or the genuine skill of the 'artists' themselves. The works are even faux-signed by the forgers, with as much attention paid to a spot-on signature as the work itself. For legal reasons, we can't meet all the makers of these bonafide recreations. Unfortunately, that's often classified. One of the greatest art forger's in history, Ken Perenyi, wrote his own salacious story in a book not so coincidentally called Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art Forger. Luckily enough, one of Perenyi's favourite masters to copy was English maritime painter James E. Buttersworth, a fraudulent copy of whose is included in the exhibition. Though the novelty of sort-of-seeing Warhol's Mao next to a tiny Renoir study is undeniably fun, there's something about the hand of the master artist that's missing. That being said, these phonies sure can paint. Images by Shannon Connellan.
It's not often that you look at a Christmas present and you're more interested in the wrapping than what's inside. But with MECCA's Holiday 2023 artwork, this might just be the case. The Australian brand has become one of the biggest beauty retailers across Australia and New Zealand throughout its 17 year tenure, establishing itself as the place for Aussies and Kiwis to shop for high quality skin, make up, hair and fragrance products. For the past eight years, MECCA has worked with the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne to find an artist to create their holiday packaging, which adorns MECCA's carry bags and gift boxes throughout the silly season. The design also acts as a backdrop for MECCA's very own holiday gift sets, which include everything from Christmas crackers filled with sunscreen to tree ornaments made out of lip oil. Not only will MECCA's packaging get a makeover, the chosen artist will also have their designs shown in the National Gallery of Victoria, a huge platform for budding artists. The artist who was bestowed this honour for 2023 is Kaylene Whiskey from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the northwest of South Australia. To create her design, Whiskey combined pop culture references – such as the Wonder Woman-inspired figure that appears throughout her work – with her knowledge of Anangu traditions,reflecting elements of Whiskey's life in her community. With her vibrant, colourful design, Whiskey wanted to show the culture of the Anangu community and what she learnt growing up, layered with how the current generation of children from her community are growing up. Created using former tourism flyers, Whiskey shows how these two generations can exist alongside each other, illustrating Anangu traditions like hunting amidst the Australian landscape while women sing and play instruments and a superhero figure flies above. Whiskey's artwork can be summed up by a phrase she plugged herself whilst creating the design, which hits the nail on the head when it comes to the holiday season and MECCA: "Everyone together, looking so good". MECCA Holiday 2023 is now available online and in stores throughout New Zealand and Australia. Head to the MECCA website to see the full range of Whiskey's artwork.
Imagine that someone from the year 2007 or earlier — anyone who existed before May 2008, for that matter — suddenly reappeared today, happily oblivious about everything that's happened since, and immediately asked what was doing big business on the big and small screens. To answer that question, you'd need to explain the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which kicked off 14 years back with Iron Man and has shown zero signs of stopping from then onwards. The MCU hasn't just kept on keeping on over ever since Robert Downey Jr introduced the world to Tony Stark. It has grown and sprawled and taken over not only cinemas, but streaming queues as well. And if you're wondering what's coming next — after a busy 2022 already, which has seen Moon Knight, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Ms Marvel and Thor: Love and Thunder arrive so far — Marvel just unveiled its plans for the next couple of years at San Diego Comic-Con. 2022 still has two MCU titles to come: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which stars Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) as a lawyer who learns that it isn't easy being green, and the eagerly awaited Black Panther sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The first starts streaming from August 17, the second hits cinemas on November 10, and both dropped either new or initial trailers, too. And, they'll round out the Marvel Cinematic Universe's phase four, because this non-stop saga is broken into chapters that split its enormous story up into smaller parts. [caption id="attachment_862313" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Obviously, this means that phase five is on its way. Marvel has also dubbed the story from the phase four through to the end of phase six 'the multiverse saga'. Given that everything from Spider-Man: No Way Home to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been dropping that m-word, that's hardly surprising. The MCU's fifth phase has 12 titles in store — some already announced, some newly confirmed. Come February 16, 2023 Down Under, the third Ant-Man flick — Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — will continue the pint-sized superhero's story (and bring more Paul Rudd to the MCU). Alongside that, hitting Disney+ sometime during autumn 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, is Secret Invasion. It focuses on Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury, and will also feature the return of Ben Mendelsohn (Cyrano) as Talos, as well as Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami), Emilia Clarke (Last Christmas) and Olivia Colman (Mothering Sunday). On May 4, 2023, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3 will reach the big screen, while The Marvels — which teams up Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Just Mercy), Ms Marvel (Iman Vellani) and WandaVision's Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, Candyman) — arrives in cinemas on July 27. In-between, newcomer Echo, a spinoff from Hawkeye focusing on Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), will make its way to streaming in winter 2023, as will season two of Loki. [caption id="attachment_862338" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] November 2, 2023 heralds the return of Blade, with the half-vampire vamp hunter played by Moonlight and Green Book Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali this time around — and sometime that spring, Disney+ series Ironheart will drop, too. First, that character (played by Dominique Thorne, Judas and the Black Messiah) will feature in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. During the summer of 2023–24, Agatha: Coven of Chaos will magic itself into streaming queues as well — giving the delightful Kathryn Hahn her own witchy WandaVision spinoff series, as first revealed in 2021. And, in 2024, phase five will also see a new 18-episode Daredevil series starring Charlie Cox (King of Thieves) and Vincent D'Onofrio (The Unforgivable) hit in autumn. They return to the roles of Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk following the 2015–18 Netflix series, and this go-around is called Daredevil: Born Again. [caption id="attachment_799400" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Similarly arriving the same year: a new Captain America movie, called Captain America: New World Order, focusing on Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) with the cape and shield — on May 2, 2024. And, fellow flick Thunderbolts will release on July 25, 2024, wrapping up phase five, and focusing on a new team of characters. As for phase six, it currently has three titles in the works, with more to come. They're all massive, though, given that they start with yet another Fantastic Four film on November 7, 2024 (with no cast yet announced) and end with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars on May 1 and November 6, 2025, respectively. Just announced in Hall H: Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four, in theaters November 8, 2024. #SDCC2022 pic.twitter.com/z4j7tsfKl9 — Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) July 24, 2022 For more information about Marvel's upcoming slate of films and TV shows, head to the company's website. Top image: Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.
People of Enmore, The Duke has reopened. This weekend, you can head along to the neighbourhood pub for crisp-yet-succulent porchetta or, if you're a vegan, perhaps a cauliflower steak — and stay until 2am. Now owned by James Wirth and Michael Delany, The Duke of Enmore — formally known as The Duke of Edinburgh — has had quite a revamp. You might be familiar with the duo's work — previously, they bought and made over The Norfolk, The Flinders, The Carrington and The Oxford Tavern, before selling them all in 2016. "Everything was gyprocked and painted white — it felt a bit like a shopping centre," says Wirth, explaining The Duke's pre-reno state. "So, we decided to rip it all out and see what we could find. I wouldn't say we gutted it, but we reskinned it, pretty seriously." Their efforts revealed layers of history. Built way back in 1870, The Duke has seen many a drinker and many a late night. "We found a 1940s ceiling, original timber, original brick and original tiling," says Wirth. After exposing and smartening up some of these elements, the duo added more timber, expansive windows, stained glass, a new bar and tartan carpet. They also covered the entire facade in 1960s-style tiles. "We just wanted to give it some love and make it feel like a good, solid, local pub," says Wirth. "It's not meant to be anything too wild or too fancy." The food, presided over by Head Chef Toby Wilson (Bad Hombres, Ghostboy Cantina), follows suit. The emphasis is on high-quality pub grub. Start off with fried salt-and-pepper enoki mushrooms with chilli soy dipping sauce, then tuck into a chicken parmigiana (or the equally great eggplant version) with fresh mozzarella, fries and salad, before finishing up with malt ice cream with toasted buckwheat and stout caramel. One of the stand-outs is the porchetta, first cooked at high temperatures to encourage extreme crispiness, then slow-cooked for five hours, to promote juiciness. It comes in a roll or on a plate, with white bean puree, salsa and greens. There are 12 taps at The Duke, offering old-school classics, like VB, Carlton Draught and Resch's, plus new classics, like Young Henrys. Wirth says the plan is "to play around" with the other eight, with a focus on local craft breweries. Meanwhile, Joel Amos (founder of natural wine retailer Drnks) is on the wines, bringing you — as you'd expect — a bunch of drops made with minimal interference. There are signature cocktails, too, including the Robert Mitchum: a concoction of Jack Daniel's, whole egg, orange juice and maple syrup, which, according to Wirth, tastes like a "boozy banana shake" and makes for a great "meal in a drink" at brekkie time. Find The Duke of Enmore at 148 Enmore Road, Enmore. Opening hours are Wednesday–Saturday, 11am–2am; Sunday, 11am–10pm; and Monday–Tuesday, 11am–midnight. Images: Kitti Gould.
It's time to get schwifty, Rick and Morty fans — again. Last year, everyone's favourite interdimensional adventurers finally returned for their fourth season, with a certain eccentric scientist and his anxious grandson causing plenty of chaos throughout the multiverse across five characteristically anarchic episodes. To the delight of R&M fans everywhere, however, there's more where that came from. In fact, 2019's batch of episodes only covered half of the animated sitcom's fourth season — and the second set of five episodes is heading to the small screen this year. It'll start airing week-to-week in the US from early May, and hopefully Netflix Down Under will follow suit shortly afterwards. Of course, even if Australian and New Zealand viewers have to wait a few extra weeks, it'll be a much shorter delay than the gap between the show's third season in 2017 and its fourth in 2019. In the just-dropped trailer for the new episodes, Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith (both voiced by show co-creator Justin Roiland) are still doing what they do best: not just aping a concept straight out of Back to the Future (aka a lab coat-wearing old man, his teenage sidekick, and their time- and space-jumping antics), but wreaking havoc in as many universes as they can stumble across. Also back are Morty's mother Beth (Sarah Chalke), father Jerry (Chris Parnell) and sister Summer (Spencer Grammer). Watch the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPDqQDTnJKE As always, the new episodes will rejoin the smartest Rick and Morty-est Morty in the universe — and, behind the scenes, feature the smart comic writing of Roiland and Community's Dan Harmon. And, while five new episodes mightn't seem like much, there's still even more to come, with the show renewed for a huge 70 episodes by US network Adult Swim in 2018 (which is more than double the 31 that the comedy aired before season four started). If you're more excited about new R&M than Mr Meeseeks and Mr Poopybutthole are about just being themselves, then there's more good news, with Adult Swim also dropping a five-minute-long online mini-episode to tide fans over until the next full episodes hit. Prepare to meet Rick WTM-72 and Shogun Morty in Samurai & Shogun. Wubba lubba dub dub indeed. Check out Samurai & Shogun below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=BSF5yoD-vC4&feature=emb_logo The final five episodes of Rick and Morty's fourth season will start airing weekly from May 3 in the US. Down Under, the show airs on Netflix — and we'll update you with a release date for the new episodes when one is announced.
Living in a building that hangs from space might sound like science fiction; however a New York firm has published a design that explores that very concept. Appropriately labeled "speculative" on their website, Clouds Architecture Office has come up with a high-rise building that would hypothetically be suspended from an orbiting asteroid. Yes, really. For those instantly dreaming about living about the earth, the bottom would reach close enough to the ground for residents to parachute to the surface. The firm has proposed Dubai as a potential place to build the tower, citing that the city "has proven to be a specialist in tall building construction at one fifth the cost of New York City construction." While suspending anything from any kind of celestial body piques a whole lot of interest, Clouds AO have cited recent missions from the European Space Agency that they say prove that "it's possible to rendezvous and land on a spinning comet." They also say that "NASA has scheduled an asteroid retrieval mission for 2021 which aims to prove the feasibility of capturing and relocating an asteroid." According to their idea, if we could harness an asteroid and pull it into a geosynchronous equatorial orbit (a stable circular orbit that follows the Earth's rotation), steel cables could then be attached to the asteroid, and a tower suspended from them. The building would then hover in a figure-eight motion daily, moving between the northern and southern hemispheres. Business would be conducted on the lower levels, with the middle section classed as residential. As for what happens above that, "devotional activities are scattered along the highest reaches." There are just a few points to be taken into account, unsurprisingly. The proposal includes transfer stations to load and unload people and goods, but how this could be done with a building moving literally at an astronomical pace is debatable. While infographics in the proposal show aeroplanes safely manoeuvring around the tower, having just one object moving through the air consistently with no vertical break would be sure to wreak havoc on global flight paths, let alone if more towers were built. Finally, if the tower is constantly in motion, what happens if a resident parachutes to earth for work and then forgets that they left their earphones at home? Are they left to face the rest of the day without jams? The firm has also noted that "there is probably a tangible height limit beyond which people would not tolerate living due to the extreme conditions," meaning that it's pretty tough to be outside the troposphere without some kind of spacesuit. It doesn't really bother Clouds AO, though, as astronauts do it all the time "so perhaps it's not so bad?" Even with those issues, the proposed idea is a maverick design that really pushes the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of architecture. It also demonstrates that new research inspires new technology which, in turn, changes the way we build our world. While the Analemma Tower might not be built in our lifetimes, its design goes to show that we'll always keep reaching for the stars. Via: Dezeen. Images: Clouds Architecture Office.
Catering to everyone's fierce love of seafood over the holiday period, Sydney Fish Market is once again pulling its annual all-nighter so that you can get your hands on the freshest ocean treats for Christmas lunch. Each year, the Fish Market — which will soon be relocated to a $250 million new site — capably serves over 100,000 buyers looking to snag a deal. Between 5am on Saturday, December 23–5pm on Sunday, December 24, the market will be open for a whopping 36 hours straight so that you can scout out the most sumptuous fish, king prawns, lobster, oysters and calamari. It's not only seafood here, though. You can also peruse cold meats and cheeses at the deli for a grand charcuterie platter, or stop by the onsite bakery and greengrocer. You can even pick up a Christmas ham to pair with your delights of the sea. [caption id="attachment_803431" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Horan, Destination NSW[/caption] You'll find basically everything here. If you're stuck for gifts, there are plenty of opportunities for that last-minute buy. Head to the gift shop, florist or bottle shop. More than 250 tonnes of seafood are expected to be sold during the marathon — including 120 tonnes of prawns and hundreds of thousands of oysters. "We encourage visitors to come with an open mind and menu, and let our expert retailers guide you towards the catch of the day," says Sydney Fish Market CEO Greg Dyer.
Spring is here and it comes with good news — picnics of up to five double-vaccinated Sydneysiders are allowed. With the easing of restrictions in the air, it's time to make the most of those extra daylight hours by grabbing some tasty snacks and tipples, and hitting up one of the beautiful BYO-friendly public spaces in your area. We're spoiled for choice when it comes to chilled outdoor hangouts in Sydney's inner west. So we've teamed up with Rosie Spritz to share some of our favourites. Load up that wicker basket with a lavish spread and chilled bevs and head to one of these spots for some long-awaited catch-ups. [caption id="attachment_653289" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] BLACKWATTLE BAY PARK, GLEBE Blackwattle Bay Park stretches along the Glebe foreshore between Rozelle Bay and Blackwattle Bay, and showcases stunning views of the Anzac Bridge and the CBD. The sprawling parklands offer plenty of spots to chill out and loads of space for dogs to run around (yep, it's off-leash). The park has barbecue facilities if you're keen to pair your spritzes with some grilled snacks (we recommend prawns). Plus, there's a shared walking and cycling trail if you'd like to end your picnic with a stroll. Easily accessible, though never overly packed, this one's a no-brainer. [caption id="attachment_656242" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] CAMPERDOWN MEMORIAL REST PARK, NEWTOWN Arguably the crown jewel of booze-friendly inner west picnic spots, Camperdown Memorial Rest Park is a go-to for locals — and their cute pups. Barely a minute's walk from bustling King Street (where there is a conveniently located BWS for all your Rosie Spritz needs), this neighbourhood haunt wraps around a peaceful old graveyard and church, the walls of which are adorned with graffiti to complement the suburb's grungy aesthetic. The park is at its most magical just before sunset, so get your vaccinated crew together and head there for sundowners. [caption id="attachment_826941" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brooke Zotti[/caption] ASHFIELD PARK, ASHFIELD A cute local spot with amazing facilities, Ashfield Park is conveniently located at the intersection of Parramatta Road and Orpington Street. An expansive park encompassing a sports field, traditional gardens and a recently refurbished playground, it makes for a great spot to soak up those springtime rays while indulging in some simple comforts. Generally one of the quieter inner west picnic areas, it's a relatively safe bet for chilled-out vibes any day of the week. Dust off the WFH blues with a Friday arvo picnic with your pals to put a satisfying full stop in the workweek. [caption id="attachment_826973" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brooke Zotti[/caption] BICENTENNIAL PARK, GLEBE Situated on the picturesque foreshore of Rozelle Bay, this idyllic waterfront park is an oasis of greenery. Plenty of wide-open grassy spaces make social distancing super easy, and the stunning bayside views are perfect for staring at the luxe superyachts while you picnic. There are also plenty of leafy trees to shelter under if you've forgotten your sunscreen. Parents will be happy to hear that there's some fenced-off play equipment to keep the ankle-biters occupied. Pups are permitted on-leash, but there is also an off-leash section west of the canal. [caption id="attachment_788794" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Martin7d2, Flickr[/caption] BIRCHGROVE PARK, BIRCHGROVE Birchgrove Park may strike a chord in the hearts of sports enthusiasts as it's the home to the oval where the very first professional rugby league game was played in Australia, way back in 1908. The white picket fence that rings the historic oval is reminiscent of times gone by and the surrounding parkland makes for an ideal picnic spot. The park is located near the Birchgrove ferry stop and offers waterfront views, including a spectacular vista of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It's a tranquil and welcoming space, with plenty of room for you to kick back with a spritz and enjoy the sun. [caption id="attachment_731570" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alexandria Velovotee, Flickr[/caption] SYDNEY PARK, ALEXANDRIA A much-loved park with sprawling greenery, water features, running tracks and rolling hills, Sydney Park contains perhaps the most varied landscape on this list. This gargantuan park spreads across parts of four different suburbs and offers many great spots for a picnic. The ultimate afternoon hangout spot here has to be the massive hill. It's well worth trekking the steep incline to the top to catch the city in all its glory as the sun sets. Though it's often quite a busy spot, the park itself is massive, so you'll have no trouble finding somewhere to set up your decadent spread. Rosie Spritz is an ideal springtime sip and is available at BWS, Dan Murphy's and First Choice Liquor stores across Sydney. For more picnic inspiration, check out our guides to idyllic picnic spots where you can BYO booze in Sydney's inner city, eastern suburbs, lower north shore and northern beaches. Top image: Bicentennial Park, Glebe, Brooke Zotti Remember to Drinkwise.
Originally greenlit back in 2017, construction on Urbnsurf Sydney's massive man-made surf park is currently underway, and the finished site now has a brand-new opening date: autumn 2024. The $50-million development will hit a 3.2-hectare site in Sydney Olympic Park next year from the team behind Australia's first surf park, featuring perfect waves year-round, plus a slate of freshly announced food and beverage offerings. Sydney surfers can expect a diamond-shaped lagoon pumping out waves up to two metres in height. Thanks to LED lighting illuminating the man-made waves after dark, visitors will also have the option of an evening swim. The lagoon will be capable of churning out waves every eight seconds, with surfers set to catch between ten and 12 waves per hour. When surfers are done riding waves, Urbnsurf Sydney will also feature a wellness studio, skate park, hot tubs, beach cabanas and a surf academy for those looking to take their surfing to the next level. On top of all that, one of Sydney's premier hospitality groups, Applejack, has been put in charge of the culinary offerings at the park. Applejack owns and operates eight venues across Sydney, including Forrester's, The Butler, RAFI and Bopp & Tone. The team will be bringing the same produce- and service-driven approach found at its venues to Urbnsurf Sydney's premium restaurant with a rooftop terrace, waterfront cafe and takeaway kiosk. Applejack joins the Urbnsurf family alongside farm-to-table favourites Three Blue Ducks, who provide the food and drink offerings down in Melbourne. Urbnsurf CEO Damon Tudor said he was excited to use what the company had learned in Melbourne to bring a new inclusive way to surf to Sydney. "Growing up in the west and as a Sydneysider, we are blessed with a stunning coastline of surf beaches, but access to those beaches and crowding in the lineup is becoming an increasing issue." [caption id="attachment_871263" align="alignnone" width="1920"] RAFI North Sydney[/caption] Urbnsurf Sydney is excepted to open in Sydney Olympic Park in autumn 2024.
First he brought the entirety of his Berkshire restaurant The Fat Duck to Melbourne for a residency, in which seats went for $525 each (plus wine). Then it was Dinner by Heston, which, while not as exorbitant, still costs a pretty penny (a starter of savoury porridge goes for $36). But now, in UK celeb chef Heston Blumenthal's latest Melbourne project, he'll be opening a series of one-night-only pop-up restaurants for a considerably affordable price — that is, $0. Yes, free. As in, no money will be changing hands, and no credit card details are required. The Hidden Heston pop-ups are part of MasterChef machine's Heston Week — and while they will no doubt involve nervous contestants fumbling over intricate and ridiculous dishes, they'll nonetheless be extremely exclusive events. So be prepared to earn yourself a place at the table. There will be four pop-ups in total, each running for one service only in a "top-secret" location in Melbourne that will only be announced before the doors open. Punters will have to keep an eye on MasterChef's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts for clues, and enter online to receive an invitation. According to MasterChef, each restaurant will offer a "completely different dining experience", and the lucky winners will get "an experience they will remember forever". So, fingers at the ready — this is your chance to get a slice of the meat fruit pie without forking out a whole month's rent. The Hidden Heston pop-ups will be coming to Melbourne in March. For more info, keep checking the MasterChef Facebook page.
Sometimes, you just want a sweet treat and a few film facts. For Australian fans of lollies and movies, Fantales have always come through. Sure, the chocolate-covered caramels are great for a sugar fix, but they've become an iconic Australian favourite thanks to their yellow wrappers printed with stories about the big screen's stars. And yes, they're the perfect snack when you're hitting the cinema. Well, they were. Fantales have been around for almost a century, debuting in the 1930s, but the Aussie chocolate is going the way of silent the age. Come mid-July, they'll cease production, with Nestle announcing that it is closing the curtain on the lollies. If you were a pre-internet kid, you'll remember gleaning film tidbits about famous faces thanks to the sweets back in the day when every piece of information about every celebrity wasn't available online instantly. But apparently that hasn't been enough to keep folks buying Fantales. Indeed, Nestle's decision has been made due to declining sales, plus the upgrades that'd be needed to the machinery that makes them "We know our decision to stop making Fantales will be sad news for many people," said Nestlé Oceania Confectionery General Manager Andrew Lawrey. "Many of us grew up with Fantales and have fond memories of them. Despite the sense of nostalgia Fantales evoke, unfortunately people simply aren't buying them as often as they used to," he continued. "In addition, our Fantales equipment needs significant investment. It's become increasingly difficult to get the parts we need to maintain it and, with declining sales, replacing it isn't viable." Before you start fearing for that other Aussie childhood staple — that'd be Minties — Nestle has confirmed that they're sticking around, as are other party bag go-tos like Snakes Alive and Allen's Party Mix. Fantales will cease production in mid-July 2023. You'll find them on supermarket shelves for now while stocks last.
A film about memories, Aftersun is impossible to forget. Floating across the screen like it's sweeping in from a dream, it's too raw, too personal, too deeply felt and too tactile. Within its frames, 11-year-old Sophie (debutant Frankie Corio) enjoys a sunny late-90s getaway to Turkey with her father Calum (Paul Mescal, The Lost Daughter), cementing recollections that'll linger decades afterwards. In telling this "emotionally autobiographical" tale, as she's called it, Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells crafts a movie that's rich, resonant and haunting from its very first moments to its equally stunning and beautiful finale. Since the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, Aftersun certainly hasn't been forgotten by the film world. Nearing a year later, it's still the talk of the industry — deservedly so. The list of accolades and nominations to its name keeps growing almost daily. A Cannes Critics' Week Jury Prize, five Independent Spirit nods, a Gotham Award, seven British Independent Film Awards and nine more nominations, the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: they're among the movie's ever-expanding list of gongs. So too is the Directors Guild of America's coveted prize for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film. And, of course, there's Mescal's Academy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor, a feat that the Normal People star achieved in just his third big-screen role. Making her feature directorial debut after shorts Tuesday, Laps and Blue Christmas, Wells didn't contemplate anything that'd follow simply making Aftersun. "With shorts, it most often ends at its premiere. You're so fortunate to have gotten to the point where you're showing the film with an audience at a festival that that is the end of the road, really," she tells Concrete Playground. "I had naively not thought about what came after making the film. I thought about the response only really in the narrative sense, about how legible the film was in its themes and its characters, and its intentions," she advises. "It's been really special. I don't think you set out to make films to get that type of award recognition, but it's been really nice to see the work recognised, and the work of my collaborators recognised." Special truly is the word for Aftersun, and for everything that it brings to the screen. It applies to the so-intimate-you-could-be-there look and feel, the heartwrenching use of a coming-of-age tale to ponder loss and depression, the meticulously specific yet also timeless use of 90s minutiae — songs like 'Macarena', 'Losing My Religion' and 'Tubthumping', plus Catatonia's 'Road Rage', All Saints' 'Never Ever' and Blur's 'Tender' as well — and Corio and Mescal's sublime performances. With the film now in cinemas Down Under, and still buzzing around the international awards circuit, too, we spoke to Wells about her journey with Aftersun — including what it's like to direct Paul Mescal to an Oscar nomination, and finding her perfect cast to begin with. ON CASTING PAUL MESCAL — AND WATCHING EVERYTHING HE WAS IN FIRST "We focused our attention first on casting Sophie, because we knew she would very likely be a discovery, somebody who'd never acted before, and that it would take time — which it did, it took about six months. And towards the end of that process, we started to consider Calum in earnest, and Paul's name came up. Obviously, I'd seen him in Normal People. It was about a year after that had premiered during the early days of the pandemic, and I watched everything that I could get my hands on. I was drawn, I think, just to his warmth and capacity for vulnerability, and his openness and playfulness and charm. You know, I was watching interviews, really anything and everything. There was like an Instagram video of him singing Sia, and reading a children's book — everything. I don't think I've said that to him. Then we had the opportunity to meet and to talk. There was a period where he wasn't available, so we had to dispel the idea, but it came back around because our dates had moved. Then we had the chance to meet, and we just had a really great conversation and connected. He was so thoughtful in the way that he spoke about the script and the character. It's always a leap of faith at every step of the process, from the second the script leaves your inbox, to bring on collaborators, particularly for a project like this. It was so long in the making, in the writing, and so personal in so many ways, and casting is a really big leap of faith — it's when things start to become concrete in a certain way. It was a leap of faith really well taken, and I feel really proud to stand beside those two when we present the film to people, when we're at awards together. It was a really good experience, and they connected in such a profound and unexpected way. I don't think anybody foresaw the relationship that they would build to be as real in some way as it was." ON HEARING THE OSCARS NEWS AFTER SUCH A COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCE "I can tell you what it felt in the moment that it happened, because I was on the phone with a couple of my producers. Paul rang the moment that it happened, and we both just jumped up and down around our respective apartments, yelling and swearing — and then took this moment just to appreciate the absurdity of the moment, and also the experience that we had together, which really was like a creative partnership and collaboration." There was a lot of trust that we placed in each other, I think. It really worked both ways. He put a lot of trust in me that I was creating meaning out of sequences of images, and things that may not be shot the way he'd imagined they'd shot — great stretches of dialogue shot while he was 50 feet away, sitting on a float out at sea for pivotal scenes in the film. He really trusted that I knew what I was doing in crafting this and building it, and allowing the feeling to shine through. I trusted him to just bring so much empathy to that character and to find meanings in unexpected places, and warmth in unexpected places. It was just a really special collaboration, and it feels like an amazing accomplishment on everyone's part in the film. And his performance being recognised, you know, it's such a small team. There weren't a lot of us. It was a really intimate film, and it's just very exciting and really, really nice." ON FINDING FRANKIE CORIO TO PLAY SOPHIE "We worked with [casting director] Lucy Pardee, who has worked with [Fish Tank and American Honey director] Andrea Arnold and [Birth and Under the Skin filmmaker] Jonathan Glazer, and has this amazing reputation for discovering new talent. She was my guide through that process, really. We had almost 800 submissions. These kids would submit various videos, and ideally we allowed them the space to grow with the process and become more comfortable in front of their camera at home. So, when we got into the casting room in-person — we met 16 of them — it felt like a natural step, a natural point of evolution in the process, even though that was still a new experience for them and for me too, really. That's where Frankie really stood out. That's where she was able to sit in front of the camera and become somebody different, and respond to direction, I suppose. And conjure emotional states that weren't what she was feeling in the moment, and then just shake them off when the exercise was over and cartwheel out the room. She was really, really, special and funny and never let me off easy in the best possible way. She's amazing to be around. She has so much energy." ON BRINGING 90S SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES TO THE SCREEN "It was all about specificity in detail. The colours were just right. The length of the sleeves were just right, and that was down to our costume designer. The size of the tiles were just right or, if they weren't, we knew and we made a choice. There was just so much attention to detail in every department, and yet Greg [Gregory Oke, Aftersun's cinematographer] and I spoke about this, because we didn't want to excessively draw attention to detail. I think music is the most significant signifier of the period in the film. I played into a little bit, and enjoyed playing into a little bit. At the same time, I didn't want to always choose mega hits, because if I did I couldn't pay attention to the scene at hand. I wanted to choose things that were pop, and that felt real to the location, and also draw from slightly older tracks, too, because it's not only songs from 1997–8 that you would be hearing in 1997–8. We wanted it to feel really present and rich, and vibrant. 'Present' was our overriding adjective for the feel of the film, even though it was set in the past. We used our own holiday photographs as the basis of the look, the turquoise blues and the magenta skins and the rich blacks, quite saturated. We literally just handed holiday photographs to my colourist. I had been on one holiday to Turkey as a kid, and the photographs for that were the basis for the look for the film, and the types of tones that we went for. The Souvenir, Joanna Hogg's film, the first one had come out when we made the film. The second came out devastatingly in post. That was definitely a cue for how to portray a period that just felt very lived in and authentic, and never drawing attention to itself where it didn't need to, but just serving the story and the feel of the film." Aftersun is now screening in Australia and New Zealand cinemas. Read our full review. Images: Sarah Makharine.
The new year is still fresh, but unfortunately it's already taken its first music venue victim, with news much-loved Enmore hot-spot Sly Fox will close its doors for good before the month is out. Known for its diverse programming, 24-hour licence, late-night closing time and ever-inclusive vibe, the venue's been a staple of the Enmore Road strip for the past 21 years. But, despite being a firm favourite among locals and the LGBTIQ+ community, the bar is now being forced to shut up shop, calling last drinks next week on Saturday, January 18. https://www.facebook.com/slyfoxenmore/photos/a.332930540096434/2807838095938987/ It's not a total surprise, though. Owners of the venue which took to Facebook in November to gives fans a head's up about the potential closure, citing long-running issues regarding licensing. Apparently, the bar scored its 24-hour licence back in 1998 on a one-year trial basis. But, as it turns out, the then owners neglected to reapply after those first 12 months were up. This minor detail went unnoticed for almost two decades, until 2016, when the police picked up on the licence lapse following the introduction of the lockout laws. In the years that have followed, the building copped a ban on playing amplified music after 3am, silent disco headphones were rolled out in an effort to keep the late-night partying alive, and Sly Fox's owners got busy dropping a cool $100,000 on fully sound-proofing the venue. After applying for a licence amendment to see the bar restored to its former late-night glory, 2019 saw extensive consultation with council planners, town planners, acoustic engineers, neighbours and lawyers. Sly Fox's owners then submitted an application for a new 24-hour licence, but, following push-back from council and a handful of community objections, it wasn't granted. They say the midnight licence they've now been offered makes it unviable for the venue to remain in operation. In a Facebook post this week, the Sly Fox crew confirmed the sad news, while thanking the venue's many supporters, staff, collaborators and guests. "We've made friendships and memories that will last a lifetime and no council will ever be able to take that away from us," the post reads. "Thank you all so very much." Of course, this legendary party spot won't be going out without a bang, hosting a special Last Chance to Dance events program over this final week. Expect familiar faces, resident DJs and plenty of late-night shenanigans to help finish things on a high note. Find Sly Fox at 199 Enmore Road, Enmore. It's hosting its last events on January 10, 11, 15, 17 and 18.
Staying at QT Gold Coast is a luxe experience, with the hotel chain serving up its characteristically distinctive version of beachy chic. That's one of the accommodation brand's key traits, matching each of its sites to its surroundings. QT Sydney's glorious gothic look and QT Melbourne's impeccably polished vibe wouldn't suit Surfers Paradise, after all, and the latter's coastal cool wouldn't match anywhere else either. Here's something else that mightn't quite fit at any other QT: the Gold Coast venue's new qtQT rooftop cabins. The chain has converted an otherwise unused lower-level rooftop into an urban oasis, complete with tropical gardens, firepits and six laidback spots for guests to stay — and get away from it all in the middle of the Glitter Strip. Designed by Nic Graham, a regular at working with EVT — QT's parent company — each cabin can welcome in two guests. So, you and your bestie / other half can book one for a blissful vacation, or you can gather the gang and reserve all six at once. Fancy heading along solo? This is the place for that as well. And, QT sees it as a drawcard for retreats and weddings, too. Whoever you're visiting with — or not — you'll find a stay that's designed to help you unplug, with each cabin featuring its own private balcony. They all come equipped with I Love Linen robes, a bed decked out with I Love Linen sheets and Drift candles for ambience, plus board games and coffee table books. That said, you can switch off as much or little as you like. If you still want to use the qtQT cabins as a base to explore the Goldie, the hotel's newest addition has its own 'curator of sunshine' to organise activities for you. Other onsite options include stargazing by those aforementioned firepits, enjoying an aperitivo in the same place, meditating and tucking into a meal al fresco dining area The Terrace — which'll host both bespoke feasts and communal dining experiences. There's also a lawn called The Landing which looks out over the ocean, and is touted as an ideal picnic spot, place to salute the sun with an early-morning yoga session or a breakfast hangout. And, during your stay — with rates starting at $359 per night — you'll also have access to the hotel's pool precinct. QT is launching qtQT on the first day of summer, after all, with bookings open now for trips from Thursday, December 1. Or, you can head to the onsite SpaQ, or eat cooking, eating and drinking at either sushi-making or whisky-tasting sessions at onsite Japanese restaurant Yamagen. The new qtQT concept is also QT's way of testing out a big travel trend, given how popular tiny homes and cabins have proven over the past few years. "When designing the overall QT Gold Coast upgrade, we identified a previously unused lower-level rooftop. We had been exploring the world of tiny accommodation and standing there as the sun set, we knew this would be the perfect location to trial our interpretation of this experience, the QT way," said EVT CEO Jane Hasting, announcing qtQT. Find qtQT at QT Gold Coast, 7 Staghorn Ave, Surfers Paradise. qtQT is open for bookings for stays from Thursday, December 1. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
For the second year in a row, Splendour in the Grass will be without one of its big-name acts, with Lewis Capaldi cancelling his plans to head Down Under in July. The Scottish singer-songwriter announced in a statement that he's taking a break from touring following his Glastonbury set, which means sitting out Byron Bay's annual excuse to wear gumboots, as well as his other planned gigs in Australia and New Zealand. "The fact that this probably won't come as a surprise doesn't make it any easier to write, but I'm very sorry to let you know I'm going to be taking a break from touring for the foreseeable future," said Capaldi via social media. "I used to be able to enjoy every second of shows like this and I'd hoped three weeks away would sort me out. But the truth is I'm still learning to adjust to the impact of my Tourette's, and on Saturday it became obvious that I need to spend much more time getting my mental and physical health in order, so I can keep doing everything I love for a long time to come," he continued. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lewis Capaldi (@lewiscapaldi) "I know I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to take some time out when others can't, and I'd like to thank my amazing family, friends, team, medical professionals and all of you who've been so supportive every step of the way through the good times and even more so during this past year when I've needed it more than ever." "I'm so incredibly sorry to everyone who had planned to come to a show before the end of the year but I need to feel well to perform at the standard you all deserve. Playing for you every night is all I've ever dreamed of so this has been the most difficult decision of my life. I'll be back as soon as I possibly can." Capaldi was set to lead the 2023 Splendour in the Grass lineup from Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23 alongside Lizzo, Flume, Mumford & Sons and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs — the latter of which were slated to headline 2022's Splendour in the Grass lineup, but cancelled in the lead up. With his solo shows, the 'Someone You Loved', 'Before You Go' and 'Wish You the Best' talent was due to play two shows in Sydney and Melbourne, and one each in Perth, Adelaide, Auckland and Wellington, all in July. Before Glastonbury, he had also taken a break from touring. [caption id="attachment_907307" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alexandra Gavillet[/caption] Splendour now has three gaps in its lineup, with Slowthai and Rainbow Kitten Surprise also no longer appearing at the festival. Organisers have advised that replacements for all three will be announced this week. The festival will contact Friday-only ticketholders via Moshtix about the process for refunds, while folks with tickets to Capaldi's headline shows will automatically receive their money back in full via whichever method they paid with. [caption id="attachment_891054" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2023 MUSIC LINEUP: Lizzo Flume (Australian exclusive: ten years of Flume) Mumford & Sons (Australian exclusive) Yeah Yeah Yeahs Hilltop Hoods J Balvin Sam Fender Idles Little Simz Tove Lo 100 Gecs (Australian exclusive) Arlo Parks Ball Park Music Iann Dior King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 070 Shake Pnau Ruel Loyle Carner Benee Marlon Williams Hooligan Hefs Peach PRC Palace Dune Rats Tkay Maidza Noah Cyrus Skegss Sudan Archives Cub Sport Meg Mac X Club. Claire Rosinkranz Jack River The Smith Street Band Lastlings Jeremy Zucker Young Franco Sly Withers MAY-A The Vanns Telenova Vallis Alps Jamesjamesjames Kaycyy RVG Teenage Dads Balming Tiger Automatic Harvey Sutherland Gali Del Water Gap Royel Otis Shag Rock Big Wett Mia Wray Memphis LK Gold Fang Milku Sumner Forest Claudette Full Flower Moon Band William Crighton Hellcat Speedracer Triple J Unearthed Winners Mix Up DJs: Tseba Crybaby Latifa Tee Foura Caucasianopportunities Luen Mowgli DJ Macaroni Crescendoll Splendour in the Grass will take over North Byron Bay Parklands from Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23, 2023 — head to the festival website for further details and tickets. Top image: Harald Krichel via Wikimedia Commons.
Good news, Sydney commuters: the new Sydney Metro line connecting Sydenham in the southwest with Chatswood north of the harbour is ready to welcome its first passengers. No, really this time. The original August 4 opening date was cancelled with only two days' notice due to a (quite literally) shocking accident during the line's final tests, which resulted in a firefighter participating in safety drills being electrocuted, although they were thankfully not seriously injured. The national independent safety regular is now satisfied that the new train system is finally passenger-worthy, clearing the way for all nine stations on the new extension of the Metro to open on Monday, August 19. The announcement is not only good news for passengers but also for the hospitality businesses at the Metro's new stations. Major dining hubs at Martin Place, Victoria Cross and Waterloo have been developed to take advantage of the new influx of Metro passengers. The first of the new Metro services is set to ride the rails from 4.54am on Monday, August 19, when the first ever northbound service from Sydenham departs on its way to Chatswood. The new driverless train system will whisk Sydneysiders across the city at incredible speeds, making the 15.5-kilometre journey from Sydenham to Chatswood in just 22 minutes and the journey from Central Station to Martin Place in just four minutes. The next phase of the Sydney Metro extension works is already underway. The line between Sydenham and Bankstown will be closed for 12 months as new tracks, stations and other vital infrastructure are installed. When it opens in 2025, the Metro will offer the city's fastest ever travel between the far west and the CBD. For more details about services on new City and Southwest Metro Line, visit the Sydney Metro website. Images: Transport for NSW
Marrickville's 20 Chapel – which we love for its potato wedges and many cuts of Blackmore wagyu cooked over woodfire – has now gone bottomless. Every Saturday from midday, you can book in for endless prosecco, wine and beer, while working your way through an irresistible set menu. Leading the way are the wedges. They're so good because they're brined overnight, before being parboiled, blast-chilled and deep-fried in wagyu tallow – then served with Coppertree Farm creme fraiche infused with house-made caramelised chilli. Were that the only dish on the set menu, we wouldn't be complaining. But there's way more to try, starting with a trio of seafood delights. Abrolhos Island scallops come with spicy harissa butter, while garlic prawns arrive in a pot sprinkled with white pepper and garlic chives. Then there's the delightful raw fish 'Kokoda' with sweet potato, coconut and sago. Come mains, choose between the 20 Chapel Wagyu Burger or the CopperTree Farms beef fillet with shimeji mushrooms and marsala, before rounding off with the chocolate custard and marmalade flan. All this will set you back just $95 (including an hour and 45 minutes of bottomless beverages). For an extra $30, you can be sipping seasonal cocktails as well.
Vivid is both an exciting and overwhelming time. The city is alive with lights, music, ideas and food — but the crowds are out in force. If you're heading in for any of the aforementioned activities, why not make a night out of it and grab dinner or a drink before or after. To help you plan your epic Vivid night, we've put together a list of 11 of our favourite Sydney bars and restaurants that are located just a stone's throw from Vivid activations. Naturally, every possible venue and vendor around inner-city Sydney — big or small — is embracing the crowds and introducing compelling special dining and drinking options, from CBD institutions like The Galeries and QVB to the smallest of bars and restaurants to The Rocks and Circular Quay. Spread across Circular Quay, Wynyard, The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and Chippendale, these spots have a range of options across varied price points. Pop into an underground drinking den for one of Sydney's best negronis, book a lavish French feast a short walk from the Sydney Opera House or head to a vibrant Indian restaurant that won't put too much pressure on your budget.
Wellness travel is on the rise, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out where Australians choose to rest and recharge most. According to Traveloka's 2025 Wellness Travel Trends, the much-loved destinations of Bali, Bangkok and Hanoi top the list, offering the ideal combination of stunning scenery, relaxing experiences and affordability. If a self-care holiday sounds pretty good right now, you'll be happy to know Traveloka has just revealed its Spring Travel Sale. Featuring stellar deals on flights to these mindful destinations and more, the sale also includes discounts on serenity-inducing resorts and renowned sightseeing experiences that elevate your adventure. Until Friday, October 10, Perth-based travellers can score one-way flights to Denpasar starting from $179, while flights from Melbourne to Hanoi start from $274 one-way. Special airline brand days also offer massive savings, with up to 30 percent off flights with Indonesia's Garuda Airlines and Malaysia Airlines. Plus, there are low-cost flights to Bangkok, Seoul, Da Nang and beyond. At the same time, Traveloka has budget-friendly discounts on luxe hotels and resorts, making it easy to secure accommodation that matches your relaxation vibe. Think up to 52 percent off Bali's Legian Beach Hotel and 77 percent off Bangkok's The Quarter Ratchayothin. That means no noisy, crowded party hostel for you. Discounts on activities will also help you get out and about more during your overseas adventure. For instance, 40 percent off tickets for Singapore Zoo or 20 percent off Hong Kong Disneyland will help keep your travel costs down and ensure your vacation is filled with incredible one-off experiences. "Travel is no longer just about sightseeing — it is increasingly a way to nurture well-being, build meaningful connections, and support local communities," says Baidi Li, VP Commercial at Traveloka. "Through our Spring Travel Sale, we want to make these restorative travel experiences more accessible and affordable, while also contributing to the growth of the tourism ecosystem across Asia Pacific." Traveloka's Spring Travel Sale is happening until Friday, October 10. Head to the website for more information.
In primary school, ripping into collages lets you take grown-up things and shape them to your infant will. High school art class gives it back to you as culture. This art tradition embraced by Pop Art, pioneered by Dadaists with photo and pen, gets most of its airtime through stencil art these days. Photoshopping and outright collage still stir controversy, but it's rare to see the form get a dedicated show. For a brief correction, aMBUSH Gallery has brought a group of five local collage artists together to highlight this under-appreciated form, for the exhibition Alterations, Disturbances and Rips. Like their art, the five artists in this exhibition are juxtaposed for maximum contrast. Mauro Palmieri's art shows off his collage figure studies, Hilary Faye's giant figures stride Godzilla-like around their everyday landscapes and Kareem Rizk's earthy palette will feature. Dada-inspired Joel Lambeth and Danilo Brando's blind subjects are also on show. It's a short season, but these visual mash-ups have been shuffled together especially for your enjoyment. Check them out in this school-free setting before they shuffle away completely. Alterations, Disturbances and Rips opens Thursday December 15, at 6pm. Images by Joel Lambeth and Mauro Palmieri.
February 2018 marks four years since the lockout laws hit Sydney's entertainment precinct. In that time, venues have shut up shop (like Hugos Lounge, which directly attributed the lockout laws to its closure), others have closed and reopened under new ownership (The Flinders and The Lansdowne, among them) and Kings Cross, once the nightlife hub of the city, has turned into a ghost town after midnight. Moreover, tens of thousands of people have rallied in opposition to the laws. Regardless, the NSW Government has given no indication that it will make any huge changes to them. The only consolation has been a half-hour extension of trading hours for businesses hosting live events. Sure, it's better than nothing — but it hasn't been enough to restore Sydney's nightlife to what it once was. That's why entrepreneur Paul G Roberts, founder of Fashion Industry Broadcast and Style Planet TV, decided to make a documentary titled After the Lockouts. When Roberts, who previously ran Melbourne night club Checkpoint Charlie, first moved to Sydney in the late 1990s, the nightlife was, in his words, "amazing". "You were spoilt for choice," he says. "You could go out from sunset to sunrise, seeing bands, going to clubs, going to cool bars...it's really not the same anymore." But, rather than mourn and complain, he wanted to get to do more research on the matter. So, with a camera crew in tow, he spent most of 2017 researching, studying media representations, speaking to venue owners and travelling to cities around the world, to find out how they manage busy nighttime economies without lockouts. "I wanted to cut through the spin and get down to the facts, the evidence," he says. After the Lockouts gains authority with interviews with some of Sydney's leading nightlife figures, including Keep Sydney Open's hardworking Tyson Koh, Mark Gerber (Oxford Art Factory), Maurice Terzini (Icebergs Dining Room), councillor Jess Scully and Dave Evans, former owner of Hugos Lounge, which closed down in mid-2015 due to revenue loss following the lockouts. There's also a tour of Amsterdam with night mayor Mirik Milan, who, since 2014, has overseen the city's nocturnal happenings. The documentary doesn't seem to include any interviews with any NSW Government spokespeople. Through the doco, Roberts also poses alternative solutions to the laws — that is, strategies for reversing the laws and renewing the city's vibrant all-night scene. "I'm very confident that anyone who sits through the whole film will walk out with a new perspective," says Roberts. "There are so many people doing a Herculean job to fight the lockout laws...but there needs to be a united voice. There needs to be an ongoing campaign to put pressure on the government. The film is just the first part of a multi-pointed campaign." After the Lockouts will premiere at a private gala screening tonight, February 1. The plan is to then roll it out across cinemas and the Internet. For more info, visit afterthelockouts.com. Image: After the Lockouts.
Surry Hills has scored a new, creatively charged culinary hot-spot, with acclaimed chef Jessi Singh opening the doors to his 'unauthentic Indian' restaurant Don't Tell Aunty. In the space once home to the Colin Fassnidge's hatted 4Fourteen, Singh's latest venture sees him returning Down Under after a few years in the States, heading up NYC's Babu Ji and Californian spin-off Bibi Ji. Back in Surry Hills, he has teamed up with restaurateur, Amar Singh (Melbourne's Horn Please and Dhaba at the Mill) to open his first Sydney outpost. This latest venture is inspired by the welcoming homes of traditional (yet, slightly eclectic) Indian aunties — complete with blue velvet banquettes and bright pink walls — but food does not stick to the rules. Instead, innovation is the hero, as Singh sticks to his signature envelope-pushing approach. As he'll tell you, "there's no ghee or oil in the curry, there's whiskey in the chai and the men do the cooking". An oft-changing menu trips all across India, with touches of Aussie and American influence peppered throughout. Street eats might include the likes of Colonel Tso's Indo-Chinese-style cauliflower with tomato and chilli; the 'Yoghurt Kebab', featuring a spiced yoghurt croquette in a vibrant beetroot ginger sauce; and the nachos-like papadi chaat. The tandoor is turning out dishes like charred local fish with ginger honey sauce, and there's a slew of crafty curries, including the short rib korma and a coconut cashew gravy. Head in for lunch, and you can snag a super affordable $10 canteen-style selection of curries and street food. Meanwhile, Rajat Parr — an international winemaker and sommelier Singh met while in the USA — has worked his magic on the drinks offering. Watch retro Bollywood films flicker on the walls, while tucking into drops from the self-serve beer fridge, approachable wines from around the world, and lively cocktails like the namesake Don't Tell Aunty — a concoction of mezcal and beetroot rimmed with black lava salt. Find Don't Tell Aunty at 414 Bourke St, Surry Hills. It's open Tuesday to Saturday 11am–2.30pm and 5–10pm.
Northern Beaches residents, you've got a new standout pizzeria to add to the top of your hit list. Next time you're after some doughy, cheesy, saucy goodness, turn your attention towards Ribelle, the BYO pizza spot that's just arrived in Freshwater. Ribelle is the brainchild of accomplished chef Dale Mann, who brings with him experience from Ezra, Hartsyard, and one of Sydney's best and most-beloved pizzerias, Bella Brutta. Mann worked for four years at the latter, the last of which he spent as Head Chef. So with Ribelle you're in very, very good hands. The new Freshwater spot is serving up the same leopard-spotted Napolitana-style pizza as Bella Brutta in a simple, no-frills shop on Moore Road. Whether you're eating in or grabbing a bright yellow pizza box to-go, the menu is kept simple, with a mix of classic and more boundary-pushing toppings available alongside a couple of simple sides like anchovies, baby cos salad and burrata. It's also BYO, so you can pack that riesling you just got for your birthday or your favourite funky skin-contact and head in. Laying the foundation for each slice is the pizza base, which takes the Ribelle team three days to make due to the need to mix and ferment the enriched dough multiple times. Keeping true to the restaurant's name, which means 'rebellious' in Italian, some of the more out-there pizza varieties on the menu include The Reuben which combines 12-hour smoked beef brisket from LP's Quality Meats, pink peppercorn sauce, fior di latte, confit garlic, parmesan and purple sauerkraut; or the Braised Greens, a meeting of cheese, braised kale, rainbow chard, fermented red chilli sauce, confit garlic and lemon juice. And each month there's a new special as well, allowing Mann and the crew to really flex their creativity. This month, you'll find a take on the classic garlic prawn round, with the addition of something you'd be hard-pressed to find on another pizza anywhere in Sydney: a housemade XO sauce. Ribelle is located at Shop 15, 1–3 Moore Road, Freshwater. It's open 5pm–9.30pm Thursday–Sunday. Head to the restaurant's website for more information and to order online.
The red light man never gives us much joy in life. Holding us up from catching the train or making us that crucial extra bit late for work, he is the cause of much frustration and general bad vibes in your day. Faced with his staunch neon presence we must choose to stand and stare at his mocking little face or dangerously make our way through oncoming traffic. Tough call. To combat this frustration and make the streets a whole lot safer, Smart — the people behind the Smart car — found a way to keep us satisfied at the lights. Operating at an intersection in Lisbon, Portugal earlier this year, The Dancing Traffic Light put an interactive and entertaining spin on the red man — he danced. Made in real-time, the dancing red man was controlled by the movements of other pedestrians nearby. Let loose inside a little dancing box with their own choice of soundtrack, passersby could manipulate the red man into all manners of disco, hip hop and salsa moves. Those waiting at the lights were then treated to the bizarre sight of a twerking pedestrian signal. Produced as part of a Smart advertising campaign promoting safety, the experiment was designed to keep people entertained enough to not jaywalk. And, for the most part, it worked. The ad claims that 81 per cent more people stopped at the lights to watch. Though there are no plans to bring the dancing red man to other parts of the world, those seem like the kind of figures we should listen to. Imagine if we could not only bring the number of pedestrians injuries down next to nil, but also provoke daily dance mobs every morning. Forget about elaborate motorways and public transport ticketing that doesn't ever work, the next state election is all about dancing red man. Via Mashable.
With less than a month of summer to go, we're pretty keen to make the most of the last of the warm weather. And what better way to do so than by hosting a summer soirée for you and your mates to sip on tasty tropical cocktails? You don't need to be an experienced bartender to impress your guests with delicious drinks. With a bottle of Malibu rum and a few other key ingredients you can serve up some seriously refreshing and summer-ready bevs. Whether you're hosting a boozy brunch with friends or a tropical-themed pool party, we've put together four foolproof cocktail recipes that'll keep you in that summer mindset til season's end. TO SIP ON POOLSIDE Nothing screams summer more than a refreshing piña colada. It's sweet, it's fruity and it has just a touch of creamy coconut goodness, making it the ideal poolside companion. Ingredients 50ml Malibu Original 75ml pineapple juice 25ml coconut cream Method Pour everything into a shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour into a tall glass before garnishing with a pineapple wedge. FOR A BOOZY BRUNCH You can kiss your mimosas goodbye in favour of this juicy cocktail — a Malibu Bay Breeze. It's a simple and surefire way to step up your brunch bev game, whether you're playing host or guest. Ingredients 50ml Malibu Original 50ml cranberry juice 50ml pineapple juice Method Load a tall glass with ice and top with Malibu Original, cranberry juice and pineapple juice. Finish with a wedge of lime for added refreshment. THE ULTIMATE PRE-PARTY DRINK If you are hosting pre-drinks, add this crowd-pleasing pour to your pre-party plans. It's light, refreshing and has a tropical twist on your classic spirit and soda combination. Ingredients 50ml Malibu Original 100ml soda water Wedge of lime Method Pour the liquids into a tall glass filled with ice. Squeeze in some lime juice and drop in the wedge. FOR YOUR NEXT GARDEN PARTY There is nothing fresher than sipping lemonade in the sun at a garden party. So, why not step it up a notch with a dash of Malibu? It's simple enough to make for multiple guests and delicious enough that it will leave everyone asking about the secret ingredient. Ingredients 50ml Malibu Original 15ml lemon juice 100ml soda water Methods Fill a tall glass with ice and top with Malibu, lemon juice and soda water. Add a wedge of pineapple or lemon to garnish and enjoy. Ready to serve tropical tipples at your next summer soirée? For more drink inspiration, head to the Malibu website.
Dulwich Hill's nighttime has expanded once more, with the opening of Butchers Brew Bar. The newcomer brings jazz and funk to Marrickville Road, slinging local craft brews, a serious wine list and live tunes six nights a week. It's an intimate, 50-seat venue owned by local and self-confessed live music junkie Caroline Buckingham, who's lived in the area for 20 years. It's housed in a former butchery (hence the name), and the 'retro-butcher' vibe has been maintained in the fit-out — the old butcher hooks have been repurposed into a ledge, and turquoise and gold tiles have been spruced up. To increase the jazz lounge feels, velvet curtains and vintage red spotlights were added, brick walls have been exposed and local artist Fernando Mosca (who's résumé also boasts Marrickville's Lazybones) was commissioned to paint a mural of Aretha Franklin. Music is the main offering here, with a focus on jazz and funk, but the genres aren't limited — other acts include surf rock bands, reggae hip-hop groups, New York jazz quintets and Brazilian musicians. Bands take the stage every Tuesday through Sunday night, with Mondays reserved for stand-up comedy by Happy Endings Comedy Club. The entertainment cover charge ranges from $10–20 — with all profits going to the band — and sometimes includes the first drink. At the bar, expect Sydney locals Young Henrys and Batch on tap ($10–12) and classic cocktails for $20, along with a compact, but carefully selected wine list ($9–15 by the glass). For hard booze, Marrickville's Poor Toms and Grose Vale's Karu Distillery are supplying the gin, while Sydney's Silver Moon Distillery is covering the vodka. According to Buckingham, the drinks at a live music venue are as important as the acts — but not all Sydney venues pay equal attention to both. "I've noticed that there'll be a beautiful venue and great band on, but a very basic or horrible wine list," says Buckingham. "I think having a nice glass of wine in your hand turns a good evening into a great evening." The drinks list may continue to grow, too, with Buckingham looking to get in bottled brews from Dulwich Hill's The Sausage Factory, which launched its own brewery Sausage Queen Brewing last year. While the in-house food offering is limited to cheese platters ($10–20) — at the moment, there's a Tasmania smoked brie, Danish blue and cheddar on offer — delivery from nearby ethical Japanese restaurant Manmaru is also available. Down the line, Buckingham is hoping to partner with Middle Eastern pizzeria Fred's Oil and Oregano Lebanese Bakery, across the street. Also to come is a mini art gallery, with local artists invited to hang and sell their work throughout the Butchers Brew space. Images: Katje Ford.
In a city saturated with vintage clothing stores, Fabrique Vintage is a cut above the rest. All of the stock here is hand selected and you can expect to find a huge range of items from Europe and the US when you step into this Oxford Street emporium. It's packed to the brim with great finds. Denim dominates, with jeans, shorts, overalls and jackets lining the walls. There's also a strong Americana vibe: think cowboy boots, belt buckles and kerchiefs. Like with all good vintage stores, unearthing the treasures here takes some dedication — but half the fun comes from what you find along the way. [caption id="attachment_779026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Addicted to the grind? We understand. You may not be taking as many trips to your local cafe for barista-made flat whites for the next week, but there are ways to stay keen for the bean, while staying safely at home for as long as it takes for the wave to pass. During the peak of lockdown in 2020, several roasters had to reduce their cafe operations, but they kept roasting, grinding and shipping coffee to customers — with some offering free delivery. Many roasters offer subscriptions for those plunging more at-home brews than ever before, some have online stores of equipment so you can up your home brewing game, and a few have sample packs and isolation gift boxes (as well as cute merch) so that we can make the most of this temporary shift in our daily habits. Here are 12 of the best roasters delivering the goods. If you choose to pick up your beans, make sure you follow the government's latest advice on social distancing. [caption id="attachment_693510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tom Ross[/caption] EVERYDAY COFFEE The Melbourne-based micro roaster delivers espresso, filter and decaf blends, as well as your requisite brewing gear — filter papers, pour-over cones, AeroPress kits and more. If you're familiar with Everyday Coffee's cafe blends, order a bag of All Day Espresso ($16), which goes well with milky coffees for a dark chocolate and caramel flavour, or a sweet and malty black coffee. Add your grind instructions at checkout and you should have your beans via Express Post within two-to-four days. In it for the long haul? Everyday offers subscriptions to deliver freshly roasted beans to your door. Select how you make your coffee and your preferred quantity, with prices starting at $20 for 250 grams. [caption id="attachment_813753" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Abigail Varney[/caption] MARKET LANE Prefer your beans with an aesthetically pleasing Pantone-esque packaging design? Market Lane not only offers free standard shipping for all orders over $40 within Australia but also make your kitchen shelf look excellent. The coffee retailer sells beans roasted for all filter brew methods, including pour over and plunger and, right now, all their shops are open for takeaways during their usual operating hours. For the bean fiends among you, Market Lane's vending machine is on 126 Weston Street, Brunswick East and is switched on 24/7 so you'll never go empty handed. Those further afield will get theirs via Australia Post, allowing up to five days for shipping. Fond of commitment? Join the Coffee Club, which ships beans every two weeks for $20 (for 250 grams). SAMPLE COFFEE Pacemaker is Sample Coffee's year-round house blend that has a Cherry Ripe-style flavour profile and goes well with milk. The Sydney roaster has subscription services for a range of blends, delivered across the country and ground to your preference, every week, fortnight or month. A 250-gram bag is between $15.80–23.80 per delivery and quantities go up to four kilograms. The online shop also has eight single origin blends, with bags starting from $16.20, plus brewing gear like cold brew pots, mini grinders and speciality kettles, but note delivery costs are calculated based on weight and distance. LOGGERHEAD Small scale Sydney roaster Loggerhead takes delivery orders up until Tuesday, 3pm, for its weekly Wednesday roast. Its online shop has Nespresso-compatible capsules from $10 a box (of ten), and a selection of roasted blends that start at $13 for 200 grams. So if you'd rather save those essential trips out for the supermarket you can select size, roast and grind preference online. To quote the words on the Loggerhead website: rip in. MECCA COFFEE Mecca Coffee, roasted in Alexandria, Sydney, serves up its orange, honeycomb and chocolatey house blend along with six other options through the website. It's offering ten-percent off all coffee and equipment, too, as well as free shipping on all orders over $30. Just as you can for any coffee order, you can select how your beans are ground if you'd like to skip the arm workout. Sydney deliveries take 1-2 business days and for Melbourne (along with Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra) orders should arrive within 3-5 business days via Australia Post. Looking for a longer term relationship? The Blend Subscription will set up within fortnightly deliveries, making sure you'll never have to worry about a caffeine shortage. ONA COFFEE If you want to geek out, Canberra-based Ona Coffee has an extensive online shop with merch — including winter-appropriate beanies and sweats — and some serious brew gear. There's also milky coffee blends Raspberry Candy, Black Betty, The Founder and The Hitman, which you can order to your brewing style. Filter fiends get some serious Central American single origins to choose from and specialty espresso roasts. Shipping is $10 or free when you spend over $75, and deliveries to Melbourne will reach you in 2-3 days. [caption id="attachment_635510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alana Dimou[/caption] SINGLE O In Botany Bay, Sydney's Single O is roasting and packing orders of its seasonal blends, single-source coffee and equipment. Order before 2pm and your coffee (ground to your liking or in whole bean form) is dispatched the next working day. And right now they're offering free standard shipping. Single O has equipment starting from $7, T-shirts and other merch, gift vouchers and coffee subscriptions that are well worth a browse to complement a short- or long-term working from home arrangement. ST ALI South Melbourne's St Ali has been roasting the good stuff for 15 years. Its online shop has ethically sourced Feels Good organic espresso beans, the rich and butterscotch Wide Awake espresso blend, dark roast Italo Disco and apricot and orange sweet single origins. But St Ali doesn't stop there. You can pick up Nespresso compatible capsules filled with its two house blends from $65 for 60 pods. Need a restock of your hand sanitiser? St Ali makes its own formulation in good-looking bottles, along with a collection of products all about keeping you safe and sanitised. For Australia-wide deliveries of its coffees, there's free shipping on orders over $99 so go big or go home. SENSORY LAB Sensory Lab's coffee and subscriptions can be sent anywhere in Australia either weekly, fortnightly or monthly - and shipping is free, Australia wide (with no minimum order!). Packs of whole beans start at $14 for 250 grams, and you can dive into a selection of blends or single origin beans. From the sweet red apple and caramel notes of the excellently titled Kiorero Washing Station to the chocolaty palette of the Steadfast Espresso Blend, you're guaranteed to find your flavour. It also has a limited range of mugs, totes and equipment worth a look in. PROUD MARY Proud Mary roasts its coffee in Collingwood, where you've likely eaten at its two cafes, Aunty Peg's and the eponymous Proud Mary. Founder Nolan Hirte is considered a leader in Australia's specialty coffee industry, and his mission is bridging the gap between farmers and coffee drinkers — so now's as good a time as any to support that mission through Proud Mary's $24 coffee subscription. A fortnightly run of single origin filter is shipped on Wednesdays, which gets you around 16 cups-worth. Add a single bag to your cart from $15 for a blend, and up to $22 for a single-o and in 1–4 days you'll be treated to the candy-coloured surrealist cartoons of Proud Mary's packaging in the mail. SMALL BATCH North Melbourne's socially responsible Small Batch has been roasting exceptional coffee since 2009. The juicy Golden Ticket filter is a blend from two producers, from Ethiopia and Colombia, and you can see how many pesos per carga each producer was paid by Small Batch when you select your quantity and grind. Transparency in the supply chain is Small Batch's bag, and as you're enjoying a Candyman Espresso Blend, which has a malted milk and macadamia flavour when taken with milk, you can be sure of the fact that all four producers who farmed the coffee in the blend were paid above Fairtrade prices. Standard shipping is $8 across Australia and typically takes 2–3 days, while the $13 premium rate should get your beans to you the next day. [caption id="attachment_712131" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Industry Beans[/caption] AND MORE! In Adelaide, Monastery Coffee has free shipping on coffee orders over 250 grams with single origins starting at $16, and Elementary Coffee is shipping country-wide when you spend more than $30 (get the Young Street Blend used daily in its cafes). In Brisbane, Wolff Coffee Roasters has Australian International Coffee Awards-winning filter Hummingbird Vol 3 ready to ship for those after a fruity, gooseberry-driven flavour for $16. Industry Beans has espresso blends named for its cafe locations in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with prices starting at $15. Melbourne's Code Black Coffee is offering free shipping Australia-wide for orders over $25, which means you could grab two bags of its signature 3056 blend (named for the postcode of the roastery) for $30. Then there's Axil Coffee, Black Market Roasters, Coffee Cartel and Reuben Hills all offering subscriptions. And, Edition Coffee Roasters is delivering Australia-wide with free delivery on orders over $50. So there really is no excuse for drinking bad coffee. Top image: Single O by Alana Dimou
Sydney's scored a brand-new cultural gem — and it's making its debut with sonic elegance, pairing strings, woodwinds and ambient waves with sweeping harbour views. Pier Pavilion officially opened its doors to the public on 30 April and is set to host one of the city's most unique cultural experiences. Perched on the water's edge, the structure is a beautifully designed space that was selected from over 170 entries from architects across Australia in a meticulous design competition back in 2020. To celebrate its arrival, Barangaroo is turning the already-spectacular space into an atmospheric soundscape with Nocturne — a free evening music series showcasing some of Sydney's finest musicians. The program runs from 26 June to 19 July, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, featuring contemporary chamber music and classical interpretations of modern tunes. By night, Pier Pavilion morphs into Nocturne: an immersive instrumental experience bathed in ambient lighting. The lineup is as elegant as the venue itself, with performances by Trio Historie, Continuum Sax, Alma Moodie Quartet and The Song Company. A curated selection of food and drinks will be available onsite, and the surrounding Barangaroo precinct offers no shortage of bars and restaurants to continue your night. By day, the Pavilion is a serene space for wandering — a place to soak in coastal views, marvel at the architecture, and watch the light dance through its freestanding colonnade. Designed by Besley and Spresser, the structure is made from nearly half a million recycled oyster shells — yes, really. Its curved footprint mirrors the geometry of Sydney Harbour's coves and peninsulas, while its living roof — planted with over 2,400 native species — attracts birds, insects and other wildlife, creating microhabitats that connect the waterfront with the natural rhythms of Country. Whether you're a design lover, music enthusiast, or just want to experience something uniquely Sydney, Nocturne at Pier Pavilion is your winter go-to. For more information, visit Barangaroo Sydney and be sure to share your experience with us on socials @barangaroosydney Images: Supplied.
This Labour Day long weekend, Sydney's premier Asian supermarket, Gong Grocer is hosting a three-day Mid-Autumn Festival celebration from Saturday, October 4 to Monday, October 6. The free event will run daily from 12–8pm and pack out World Square's slice of George Street with live entertainment, cooking demos, and plenty of mooncakes. The Mid-Autumn or Moon Festival is a historic celebration in China, commemorating the end of the harvest season and the full moon. Expect traditional lion dance performances, live music, and family-friendly activities, alongside celebrity chef demos from Vincent Lim (DimSimLim), Catherine Desserts and Brendan Pang. If you aren't yet sick of Labubu's, then you can sign up for an exclusive Labubu mooncake-making experience hosted by G-LAB Patisserie. Or if that doesn't tickle your fancy, sip your way through premium sake tastings featuring brews from celebrated Japanese names like Umenoyado, Tatenokawa, and Chiebijin. Stalls from 12Cake and Ommis Foods will showcase handmade cakes, mochi, Taiwanese street eats, and mooncakes. While interactive games, including Spin-the-Wheel and the Big Chopstick Challenge, will award prizes like Labubu collectibles, plushies and limited-edition merch. Entry to this three-day Mid-Autumn festival is free, so make sure to bring your nearest and dearest this October. For more information, head to the event website.
Despite years of public rallies, crowdfunding efforts and court action, Sydney's Brutalist, box-like Sirius building is officially up for sale. Although the New South Wales government first announced that the 70s-era structure was on the market back in December, expressions of interest just opened yesterday, Friday, May 25, with Savills Australia now actively seeking buyers for the iconic location. While it's a blow for the vocal Save Our Sirius campaign, the 2-60 Cumberland Street address will apparently be subject to some restrictions. The government "will maintain interest in the site, ensuring any future developments are sympathetic to the surrounding area," according to Savills Australia. And, a proposed State Environmental Planning Policy amendment will apply, imposing new controls regarding the zoning, height, maximum gross floor area, active street frontages and design of the site. It has been a particularly eventful year for the 79-unit tower, which stands tall by the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Final public tours took place in January, a farewell party for the structure's last remaining resident — 91-year-old Myra Demetriou — was held the same month and Save Our Sirius revealed they'd be lodging their own purchase bid. In response to the official launch of expressions of interest, Save Our Sirius restated their quest to retain the building in its current form, ensure it is used as affordable inner-city housing for workers in the area, and to have its historical significance officially recognised. "We again call on the NSW Government to stop the sale, deploy Sirius for key worker accommodation, and list Sirius on the State Heritage Register," the group advised in a statement. Even with the government restrictions, if Sirius is bought by developers, the 79-unit tower is highly likely to be demolished to make room for new apartments. As well as wiping out a crucial part of '70s architectural history, it'll also mean saying goodbye to an important public housing initiative, allowing people on low incomes to live in the centre of this expensive city and enjoy harbour views. With the situation certain to keep developing over the coming months, take a look through our gallery of the building as it currently stands. Images: Katherine Lu / Kimberley Low.
