Australia's real-time restaurant deals app, EatClub — which was launched by celeb chef Marco Pierre White — is now offering $5 takeaway dishes from a heap of inner city restaurants this week. From Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 20, you can score a $5 feed. All you have to do is redeem a takeaway deal, then use the app's ordering and payment feature to complete your order. To give you an idea of what's part of this sweet deal, you could be tucking into a cheeseburger from Burger Project, fried chicken from Banh Mi from Mr Bao Buns and Banh Meats & Co rice noodle salads, plus eats from Fish & Co, Yay Pot, Remicone and Chapayom — all for just a fiver. This is in addition to all the deals the eateries already offer as part of the app's aim to fill restaurant tables on quieter nights while also offering diners to eat out for up to 50 percent off. So, overall, you'll be able to score a delicious feed for less than a trip to your local chicken shop. To get involved, you just have to update the app, or download it if you're a newbie. Then claim a takeaway deal from any venue displaying a $5 icon on the map, select order and pay via the app and take your pick of a cheap treat (and anything else your heart desires). The chefs will whip it up in the kitchen, ready for you to pick up in no time. Make sure you download the EatClub app here.
Just in time for your summer binge sessions, streaming platform Stan has revealed their next huge addition: a hefty lineup of films and TV shows from The Walt Disney Company. From Friday, December 14, the Australian service will welcome the wonderful world of Disney to its selection. And, that doesn't just mean Disney's own animated and live-action efforts, but movies and series from Disney-owned companies Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm, too. Whether you want to enjoy gorgeous animated stories, jump into the Marvel Cinematic Universe or head to a galaxy far, far away, the Disney range will bring a heap of your favourites to Stan — think all three Toy Story flicks, the live-action likes of Maleficent and Cinderella, this year's big superhero hits Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, and both Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Want to catch up on the original The Lion King before the new version comes out next year? Fancy watching all three Thor films? They're also on the lineup. Other Disney and Pixar titles heading Stan's way include Wall-E, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, Cars, Cars 2, Monsters Inc., Monsters University, The Incredibles and Big Hero 6 — and, if you just can't let it go, Frozen as well. From Marvel's slate, the three Iron Man movies, the first two Captain America films and the initial Ant-Man are all on the bill, and the first two Avengers flicks alongside Infinity War. For younger viewers, animated shows including Tangled: The Series, Star Wars Rebels and Duck Tales will also hit Stan's queue. That's your holiday viewing sorted — and while you can reasonably expect that this big batch of Disney content will be available for a while, it's likely a short-to-medium term arrangement, given that Disney is launching its own streaming platform in 2019. Stan's Disney lineup will be available from Friday, December 14.
You swing by Starbucks before work, longing for a latte or flat white to bring you to life before a morning full of meetings. The barista hands over your cup of energy for the day and with a smile on your face you continue your journey to the office. You finally lift the cup to take a sip, and much to your dismay instead of enjoying the first taste of caffeine your tongue is brutally scalded by the piping hot liquid. You now have a temporary lisp and food is tasteless for the next three days. Not anymore — Coffee Joulies have come to the rescue of burnt tongues everywhere. The coffee-bean sized capsules are made of a thermodynamic, non-toxic material surrounded by stainless steel and are designed to cool hot beverages three times faster than normal and maintain a "perfect" drinking temperature for twice as long. How does it work? The Joulies are made to melt at about 60 degrees Fahrenheit (coffee is typically brewed at 90, give or take), and as they melt they absorb that extra heat from the drink. When the drink starts to cool down, the Joulies release that heat and begin to re-solidify. They may be called Coffee Joulies but they work for any hot drink, tea, hot chocolate, you name it.
Electric drills and blenders are not often considered for the tender symphonies of song. Indeed OH&S police will advise ear protection in case of exposure. But for the curious among us who are lingering through Bunnings and drumming past construction sites, maybe it is time to embrace these daily noise offenders. A new ensemble will be plugging in 12 heavy metal power tools at the Red Rattler Theatre. Accompanied by trumpeter Scott Tinkler and pianist Adrian Klumpes, the computer-controlled orchestra will be a world's first in the use of the DeMiXerphone — allowing control over any electrical appliance in pitch, timbre and rhythm. Bring earphones and expect a loud and power-hungry performance. It's enough to make Tim the Tool Man weak at the knees.
"You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Jack Nicholson's (How Do You Know) version of the Joker asked in 1989's Batman, just because he liked the sound of it. Here's another question: have you ever seen the Tim Burton (Wednesday)-helmed, Michael Keaton (The Flash)-starring classic caped-crusader movie on the big screen with a live orchestra playing its score? Whatever your answer to the first query, you can soon respond to the second with a hearty yes. To celebrate 35 years since the superhero classic initially reached cinemas, Batman is making a silver-screen comeback Down Under to see out 2024 and start 2025 — and in each of its six stops, including in Sydney, it's giving the film's tunes the symphonic treatment. It's Batman in concert, with the movie playing the Harbour City on Friday, January 10, 2025 at ICC Sydney Theatre, complete with The Metropolitan Orchestra picking up their instruments as the flick screens. They'll be busting out Danny Elfman's Grammy-nominated score, which is just one of the feature's music highlights. The other: songs by the one and only Prince. As well as marking three-and-a-half decades since the picture debuted, these concert screenings also commemorate 85 years of the character on the page — and have been announced just as Burton and Keaton reteam again for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Keaton's stint in Bruce Wayne's slick suits by day and Batman's cape by night kicked off a big-screen four-movie series that ran from 1989–1997, and also saw Val Kilmer (Top Gun: Maverick) and George Clooney (IF) inhabit the role — a character played elsewhere by everyone from Adam West and Christian Bale (Amsterdam) to Ben Affleck (Air) and Robert Pattinson (The Batman). As part of a global tour of events, only Batman going the concert route so far, not Batman Returns, Batman Forever or Batman and Robin. If you're keen to dress up to attend, that's encouraged — and there'll also be merchandise on sale.
Before Sydney went into its current lengthy lockdown, whipping out your phone, opening the Service NSW app and using it to check in at venues had become a normal part of everyday life. When the city begins to reopen again — when 70-percent of New South Wales residents have had both their COVID-19 vaccinations, which is expected around mid-October — you'll be falling back into that habit. And, ideally, that's how you'll also show that you're fully vaxxed as well. Crucial to NSW's roadmap out of lockdown is loosening rules and restrictions for folks who've received both vaccination doses — as also applies with the state's current outdoor gathering rules, which came into effect in mid-September. So, unsurprisingly, the government wants to streamline the process of showing that you've been double-jabbed. Today, Wednesday, September 22, NSW Minister for Digital and Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello announced that the state will pilot an update to the existing Service NSW app that integrates vaccination certificates — which are provided by the Federal Government via its immunisation register. The aim is to start to test the update in regional NSW with 100–500 people from Tuesday, October 6, for two weeks. "Hopefully, the subject of that pilot will be strong, and as a result of that we can then open up to the rest of the state," Dominello said at NSW's COVID-19 press conference. As promised - here is an update on the vaccination integration with the Service NSW app. 1. Display - this is a draft. We have added an additional privacy feature with the show more/show less status 👍🏼 pic.twitter.com/eiUkXlBVu6 — Victor Dominello MP (@VictorDominello) September 22, 2021 At present, you can access your COVID-19 vaccination certificate via the Medicare Express app, and then either keep logging in there when you need to show it, or save it to your Google or Apple wallet. "What we will be doing is integrating that, and providing people with the option of then having it in their Service NSW app to make it really easy when they're checking into venues across NSW," the Minister said. "That way, you don't have to open up several different apps just to get into a venue. You open up one app, the Service NSW app. On that app, it'll enable you to check in, and at the same time on that same screen it'll show your vaccination status," he continued. You will need to consent to give the app authority to access your immunisation record, so it won't happen automatically. First, though, the NSW Government is still working with the Commonwealth Government regarding access to the latter's data, and is also consulting with industry on the design of how it should work. It's also planning to implement security features, such as a hologram just like on digital drivers licences, as well as another QR code. It's expected that the app might be able to be used to show your vax status when state borders reopen as well. Whether the update to the app will be ready to be rolled out statewide when Sydney comes out of lockdown isn't yet known. But, if it isn't, you'll be able to show proof of vaccination via the Medicare Express app, or your Google or Apple wallet, until it is. For more information about the Service NSW app, or to download it if you haven't already, head to the government department's website.
A Secret Service agent-turned-bodyguard falls for the superstar singer he's been hired to protect. It's pegged as one of cinema's most iconic love stories, with Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner first tugging at our heartstrings back in 1992. And now, The Bodyguard is set to come alive for the Australian stage, with producers David Ian, Michael Harrison and John Frost today announcing they'll be bringing their award-winning musical show Down Under next year. Set to kick off in Sydney in April 2017, this local production of The Bodyguard — which follows the just-as-awesome news that Moulin Rouge! will finally be made into a stage show — comes off the back of a wildly successful and star-studded run in London theatres, and record-breaking UK tour, which commenced in February this year. Based on the eponymous Warner Bros. film and adapted for the stage by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris, The Bodyguard musical features all those epic Houston tracks that audiences fell in love with the first time around. According to co-producer Frost, the emotionally-charged storyline, along with those "soaring ballads" — like 'Queen of The Night', 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' and the legendary 'I Will Always Love You' (you know the ones) — were simply destined for the stage. The album is still the biggest selling movie soundtrack of all time. Yep. Still. The Bodyguard The Musical will come to Australia in 2017, and will start its national tour in Sydney. More details, including tour dates and additional cities, will be released soon. If you're a keen bean, a waitlist for priority tickets is now open at thebodyguardmusical.com.au.
Technology just keeps getting smaller and smaller. UK game developer David Braben has created the prototype for a mini computer, so tiny and efficiently manufactured that it could be provided to school kids for free. It's called the Raspberry Pi USB computer, and it functions as a real PC, with USB and HDMI ports meaning you can hook it up to a keyboard and television screen in no time. The Raspberry Pi Foundation exists to promote the study of computer science and related topics, especially at school level, and to put the fun back into learning computing. "We plan to develop, manufacture and distribute an ultra-low-cost computer, for use in teaching computer programming to children. We expect this computer to have many other applications both in the developed and the developing world," reads a description of the Pi project on the foundation Web site. https://youtube.com/watch?v=pQ7N4rycsy4 [Via Mashable]
For the past 11 years, Australians that are fond of a tipple have been familiar with one particular figure: two standard drinks per day. Equating to 14 drinks per week, that's the maximum number of standard beverages that Aussies were told they should consume to minimise the risk of health repercussions from their boozing, as per the National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) guidelines on the subject. But that amount has just been revised as part of the first revamp of those recommendations since 2009. Now, as initially flagged this time last year but officially confirmed today, Tuesday, December 8, by the NHMRC, only ten drinks per week is recommended. Staying within that number will "reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury" in healthy men and women, the organisation advised. And if you're wondering how many of those ten tipples you should have in one sitting, the NHMRC says you shouldn't exceed four standard drinks on any single day. If you need a reminder, a standard drink is defined as ten grams of pure alcohol, no matter what type of beverage you're sipping. That's around 285 millilitres of full-strength beer or a can of mid-strength beer — and 100 millilitres of wine or a single shot of spirits. Sticking within the new guidelines — which aren't rules or laws, but recommendations — means that you'll have "less than a one in 100 chance of dying from an alcohol-related condition", Australia's Acting Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly says. "Every year there are more than 4000 alcohol-related deaths in Australia, and more than 70,000 hospital admissions. Alcohol is linked to more than 40 medical conditions, including many cancers," he explains. Just how many bevvies you should have a week and a day comprises the first guideline. You'll already be well aware of the other two. They recommend that children and people under 18 years of age should not drink alcohol — which has been legislated, of course — and that women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding shouldn't either. The change to the number of standard drinks recommended per week came about after a wide-ranging analysis and review by the NHMRC — into "health effects of drinking alcohol, modelling, data on Australian drinking patterns and best practice guideline development processes", the statement about the change advises. An Alcohol Working Committee was formed, featuring independent health experts such as doctors, medical and public health professionals, researchers and consumer representatives, to guide the development of the new guidelines. And then the NHMRC Council, which includes the Chief Medical Officers of the Commonwealth and each state and territory, endorsed the new guidelines. Alcohol industry body Alcohol Beverages Australia has already voiced its unhappiness about the new recommendation, while the Cancer Council has come out in support of the changes — with the latter noting that three percent of cancers diagnosed in Australia are caused by alcohol. For more information about Australia's new guidelines for reducing the health risks from drinking alcohol, head to the National Health and Medical Research Council website.
When it comes to planning midweek catch-ups with your mates, popping into the oldest library in Australia is probably not top of your list. But we're here to tell you it should be. Right now you can take advantage of its later opening hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays to check out current exhibitions like Coming Out in the 70s, which looks at the individual and community activism that's paved the way for LGBTQIA+ pride as we know it. There's also Eight Days in Kamay, which tells the stories of James Cook's first arrival in Kamay (Botany Bay) from the perspectives of the Gweagal people. And upstairs you'll find the tenth annual Photos1440 exhibition featuring striking images by Sydney Morning Herald photographers. As always, entry is free. But instead of racing in before closing time on the weekends, you'll have the freedom to browse its galleries till 8pm. Be speedy about it, as the extended hours are only offered until April 2021.
When Percy Fawcett gazes upon the Amazon in The Lost City of Z, he does so with wonder blazing in his eyes. A real-life geographer, soldier and explorer played here by Charlie Hunnam, Fawcett is dispatched from Britain to South America to survey the border between Bolivia and Brazil, only to become beguiled by his new rainforest surroundings. Many movies would explain his reaction through dialogue alone, but James Gray's latest effort works in more than just words. The filmmaker behind The Immigrant and We Own The Night, Gray is known for crafting precise, painterly visuals. It's little wonder that his excursion through tropical greenery shares Fawcett's fondness in each and every frame. To watch The Lost City of Z is to stare deep into the splendour of untamed nature, and to appreciate the mystery and allure that comes simply from looking. The colour and movement; the locals and the wildlife; the sense of how different it is to early 20th century England — it's all there, in cinematographer Darius Khondji's striking images. It's an essential touch, given that examining the mindset that inspired Fawcett's repeated treks into the jungle is one of the movie's main aims. If there were ever any doubts that Gray would be able to jump from his urban-set back catalogue to the grandness of the Amazonian wilds, they're quickly dispelled. When we first meet Fawcett, he's a young army officer hunting stag for sport. He's considered talented, yet a shadow hangs over his family name thanks to his drunken father. Asked to do the Royal Geographic Society's bidding on the other side of the world, he soon leaves his wife Nina (Sienna Miller) and infant son for trampling through luscious growth, with Corporal Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson) and on-site guides for company. If he hadn't fallen for the Amazon's magnetism, as well as a story about a lost city teeming with gold, his jaunt might've ended with a happy return home. But Fawcett is haunted by his desire to find the fabled locale — and prove that advanced civilisation exists beyond western society — even if it costs him his life. As the film's existential adventures continue, Pattinson gets grimy, Tom Holland pops up, as does Italian acting legend Franco Nero. Ultimately though, The Lost City of Z belongs to Hunnam, who wipes King Arthur from our memory. Poised, passionate and persistent, with ample charm thrown in, he plays his protagonist as an imperfect but still decent man driven by a multitude of motivators. The character is also surprisingly progressive, breaking from the racist, sexist, classist, jingoistic and colonialist attitudes of his peers. In short, he's the sort of person you'd be willing to follow through dense foliage. Just as seeing is believing when it comes to Gray's mesmerising sights, Hunnam ensures viewers feel the calling coursing through Fawcett's veins. Accordingly, The Lost City of Z becomes more than just a dazzling account of a real-life trek through uncharted terrain. That's not to say that it doesn't impress as an intimate adventure flick, an exploration of fevered obsession, or as a textured and thoughtful biopic — in fact, it succeeds as all three. But what lingers most of all is an understanding of why people chase even the most challenging and unlikely of dreams, what they hope to find, and how such mysteries leave their mark on history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2RYbGgBQeM
The word 'squelch' is not usually one I'd use to summarise something in a complimentary way, but Andrea Arnold's adaptation of Wuthering Heights definitely squelches, and does so wonderfully. This latest version of Emily Brontë's doomy frustrated romance presents the obsessive relationship between Cathy (Kaya Scodelario) and Heathcliff (James Howson) in disturbing intensity, removing the framing device of the traveller to observe the story directly and with a greater focus on the traumatic childhood through which the two bonded. Allowing the viewer to actually see how they ended up the way they did is a powerful choice that brings a psychological believability to the story that hasn't always been evident in other versions, and the representation of the physical setting of the story conveys how integral it is to the events taking place within it, as well as being cinematically beautiful. It's fairly generally accepted now that Wuthering Heights is not really a very romantic story, that it is cruel and strange and its central lovers are neither of them particularly nice people. What gets less play, though, is that the landscape which forms such a part of the story and characters is as crazy as they are: it's very easy to take all the talk of the moors and isolation and even wild storms as romantic, but this film manages to convey the inconvenience and discomfort of the severity of the conditions as well as the grandeur and beauty of all that howling space. We see and — courtesy of wonderfully evocative sound design by Nicolas Becker — hear rain falling relentlessly and mud gripping at footsteps. That's one kind of squelch, where the land is holding onto the characters and making it hard for them to move forward. Another squelch is the sickening and distressingly regular sound of someone being hurt: If the landscape is as crazy as its inhabitants, its population is as violent as the weather. Heathcliff, particularly, comes in for horrible brutality and the depiction of the abuse is unflinching, with crunches and squishes prefiguring contusions. The physical violence and the violence of the landscape are given a corollary in the violence of will that seems to be the thematic driver of the film, from the rigid Christianity of Mr Earnshaw (Paul Hilton) to the sullen resentment of Hindley (Lee Shaw) to the contrasting malleability and thus weakness of Edgar (James Northcote) and Isabella Linton (Nichola Burley). This is a hard film to watch but one that is hard not to admire, where you don't really like anyone but have sympathy for them all, and the horrible and the beautiful are of the same materials. https://youtube.com/watch?v=kUWOCd894-Q
By this stage, most of us have come to terms with the fact that jetting off to USA or Europe is a seriously long slog, made worse by unavoidable (sometimes long, always painful) stopovers. But that European or American trip could soon become a whole lot more bearable, with Qantas not only working towards launching direct flights between the east coast and both London and New York by 2022, but beginning to run trial journeys this year. In October, November and December, the airline will pilot three ultra long-haul research flights, using new Boeing 787-9s. The aircraft will simulate two routes that are at the heart of Qantas' proposed new non-stop plan, which is called Project Sunrise, flying from New York and London to Sydney. That New York trip will mark the first world's first flight by a commercial airline direct from the Big Apple to Sydney, while the London jaunt will be the second time such a journey has been made. The last time the latter happened was back in 1989, when Qantas made the trek on a Boeing 747-400 with just 23 people on board. Don't go packing your bags, though — the aim is to gather data about inflight passenger and crew health and wellbeing, with only around 40 people making the trip. They'll be comprised of crew and Qantas employees, and they'll be fitted with wearable technology devices to monitor their monitor sleep patterns, food and beverage consumption, physical movement and use of the entertainment system during the flights. The results will then be assessed by scientists and medical experts from the Charles Perkins Centre. Pilots will also take part, working with Monash University researchers to record their melatonin levels before, during and after the flights, as well as their brain wave patterns and alertness — to help ascertain the best work and rest pattern when they're commanding those long-haul services. While spending nearly a day on one single plane is better than jumping on and off different vessels multiple times, it's not without its physical, mental and emotional toll — as anyone who has made the trip with Qantas from Perth to London knows, which is what makes this testing so important. Announcing the trial, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce explained that, "for customers, the key will be minimising jet lag and creating an environment where they are looking forward to a restful, enjoyable flight. For crew, it's about using scientific research to determine the best opportunities to promote alertness when they are on duty and maximise rest during their down time." Back in 2017, Qantas first revealed that it was exploring non-stop routes from Sydney — routes that would eclipse those direct flights between Perth and London, which launched in March 2018. Since then, the airline has been pursuing the idea enthusiastically, putting out a call for aircraft that can handle the trip and widening their plan to include departures to and from Brisbane as well. In numbers, the planes will need to be able to handle more than 19 hours in the air (around 20 hours and 20 minutes between Sydney and London, and 18-hours and seven minutes from Sydney to New York). The airline has done its homework, analysing a decade's worth of wind and weather data to confirm the lengthy routes are actually possible. Now it just needs the aircraft, with Airbus and Boeing both pitching vessels (A350 and 777X) that are capable of doing the job. Qantas is expected to announce their decision, including whether the whole project will progress to making commercial flights, by the end of December 2019. Right now, the world's longest direct flight clocks in at over 19 hours, with Singapore Airlines flying 15,322-kilometres along its Singapore-to-New York route. Previously, the journey from Doha and Auckland earned that honour, taking around 18 hours to travel 14,529 kilometres.
If spending a day listening to Porter Robinson, Gang of Youths, Peking Duk, Hockey Dad and Alex Lahey at This That was on your agenda for this spring, the festival comes bearing bad news — again. After cancelling its 2022 end-of-year events, the Newcastle and Brisbane fest has now done the same for 2023. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce This That Sandstone Point (Qld) and Newcastle (NSW) festivals will no longer be going ahead," the festival team announced in a statement on its website and social media. "This difficult decision was reached due to the challenging economic conditions we have been working within this past year, and the many factors that have been impacted by this. It has left us feeling that the This That experience you have come to know and love, and that we pride ourselves on offering, would only be dampened if we were to forge ahead," the This That crew continued. View this post on Instagram A post shared by THIS THAT (@thisxxthat) This That's November dates — on Saturday, November 4 at Sandstone Point Hotel in Sandstone Point and Saturday, November 11 at Wickham Park in Newcastle — were set to mark the coastal festival's return for the first time since early 2022. When the event pulled the plug last year, it was "due to a combination of issues", organisers advised; however, it promised that it'd be back in 2023. Also on the first This That 2023 lineup announcement: Slumberjack, Set Mo and The Presets doing a DJ set, plus Lola Scott, Trophy Eyes, Dear Seattle, Chillinit, Hooligan Hefs, Jesswar, Sophiya, Godlands, Kinder, Alice Ivy and more. [caption id="attachment_910563" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Zagexma via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Some of the acts on this year's now-shuttered bill were also on the roster last year's scrapped, such as The Presets, Winston Surfshirt, Chillinit, Hockey Dad and Jesswar. Ticketholders for 2023 will be contacted by Oztix about refunds, which will be returned to the card that tickets were purchased with automatically. This That will no longer return in November 2023 at Sandstone Point in Queensland and Newcastle in New South Wales. For more information about the festival's cancellation, head to the event's website. Images: Jordan Munns / Mitch Lowe.
Dial your Christmas spirit up a notch at this year's Sydney Living Museum's Christmas Fare. With over 40 of Sydney's best artisan food producers, this annual Christmas Fare will host some of the state's finest edible creations and provide plenty of inspiration for the looming Christmas lunch. Sample something sugary from Sweetness the Patisserie or Carlson’s Handcrafted Organic Fruit Cordials, take a bite of a freshly baked good from The Bread & Butter Project or Brooklyn Boy Bagels, and betray family tradition with a Christmas pudding from PUD Inc. Deli-food favourites Cornersmith, Hands Lane, Kitchen by Mike, The Jam Bandits, Steph’s Gourmet Foods and Pecora Dairy will all be on hand and the American-obsessed The Nighthawk Diner, Bar Pho and Feather and Bone will have stalls for a more substantial feed. To wash everything down, Young Henrys craft beer will be a-flowing as will the wine from Freemans Vineyard. Entry is by gold coin, which will also allow access inside the Hyde Park Barracks Museum. Eat, drink and be merry — the Christmas season has spoken.
Crown Street staple The Winery has transformed its expansive wine garden into a cosy hideout for these winter months — then added in raclette stations and bottomless mulled wine for good measure. The venue's wintry oasis is running from July 14 through August 31 and we reckon you should book in a night out here right away. Walk through the macramé archway to one of two private teepees, which fit up to 11 of your best mates. They're decked out with floor cushions, ottomans and Persian-style rugs — the ideal setting for sipping on endless pours of mulled wine or sangria (in red, white or rosé). A two-hour bottomless booze deal in a private teepee is on offer for $79 per person, with the package also including your own private raclette station, plus additional honey-roasted camembert and a tiramisu-flavoured bombe alaska for dessert. Or opt for the $59 package, which, apart from all that raclette, includes a four-wine tasting paddle, onion and gruyere toastie and hot chocolate cannoli for all. The aforementioned raclette station includes a heap of that hot gooey cheese, along with crudité skewers, cured meats and roasted mushrooms for dipping. If you don't want to sit in a teepee, you can can book the raclette station separately for $20 per person (minimum two people), and order all other food and booze items a la carte, while hanging out in the rest of the Winery courtyard. The Winery Glamping packages can be booked Thursday–Friday, 5–7pm and 7.30–9.30pm; and Saturday–Sunday from noon–2pm, 2.30–4.30pm, 5–7pm and 7.30–9.30pm. Images: Jasper Avenue Photography.
Supper Club is the new series of one-off dining experiences popping up over the June long weekend. Sydneysiders will be treated to dinner and a show featuring the likes of Archie Roach, Mark Olive and the former team behind Goodgod Small Club's The Dip. For those looking for a more sultry night of crooned ballads and and heart pasta dishes, head to Mary's Underground on Saturday, June 12. 'Dinner at Nonna's' will transform the Circular Quay bar with the help of eccentric singer-songwriter Donny Benet. Benet will bring his nostalgic 80s-style pop in collaboration with Toby Stansfield, Head Chef of Fabbrica Pasta Shop, who will be in charge of the nights carb-heavy menu. Guest can expect to be serenaded by Benet while tucking into homemade pasta and sauces with Italian wines.
A glorious handful of Australia's most celebrated restaurants will be waking up with a big ol' smile this morning, finding a spot amongst the mightily prestigious World's Best Restaurants list overnight. Sydney's Sepia and Quay nabbed a highly coveted spot on the list, as well as Victoria's Brae, with the top 51-100 announced separately for the first time ever. Judged by international critics and industry heavyweights, the World's Best Restaurants is a worldwide poll holding some pretty heavy weight. Sydney's longtime culinary leader Quay came in at 58, while super Sydney hotspot Sepia (who was just voted by Australia's top chefs and restaurateurs as Best Restaurant in Australia in the Australian Financial Review Top 100 Restaurants) came in at 84. Dan Hunter's Birregurra restaurant Brae in Victoria came in at 87, a win for the non-CBD-dwelling establishment. The top 50 has yet to be announced, in fact, it's a first that the World's Best list organisers have revealed the 51-100 list already. The top 50 will be announced in London next Monday, at a super fancy awards ceremony with probably insane function food. Who's up for the top spots? Last year's list saw Copenhagen's Noma take out the top spot, followed by El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain and Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. There are high hopes for Ben Shewry's Attica, which came in at second in the AFR Top 100 and hit number 32 in the World's Best list last year — the only Australian restaurant in the Top 50. The Top 50 World's Best Restaurants will be announced next Monday, June 1. For this year's 51-100 list, head over here. Via Good Food.
'I Miss You' isn't just the name of a beloved blink-182 song. It isn't just a track they're busting out on their 2024 tour Down Under, either. It's also the vibe being felt around the band in general, based on how popular tickets to its 2024 Australian and New Zealand tour have been proving — but there's still seats available. In 2022, blink-182 revealed that they were reforming their classic lineup of Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, then hitting the road — and that Aussie fans would get their chance to see the end result live in February 2024. Sydney's dates, at Qudos Bank Arena with Rise Against in support: Friday, February 16–Saturday, February 17 and Friday, February 23–Saturday, February 24. For three decades, blink-182 have been the voice inside punk and rock fans' heads, especially in the late 90s and early 00s thanks to albums Enema of the State and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. Accordingly, expect to hear everything from 'Dammit' and 'The Rockshow' to 'What's My Age Again?' and 'All the Small Things' live. Now that they're back together after DeLonge left the band in 2015, blink-182 are also recording new music together, with single 'Edging' out now — and on the setlist.
For Sydneysiders who love a little jazz, the Camelot Lounge is no stranger. Hell bent on staying a bar with no pretentiousness and no expectations, the venue has remained just a joint of smooth jazz, laid-back vibes and tasty food. They've opened up a new bar too, downstairs from the main bar. Dubbed Django Bar, the new spot plays host to live tunes every Thursday night, deep in the the confines of the luxuriously decked out digs. So get in early, get yourself a selection of the delicious dips and mezze, and settle in for some free flowing musical mischief to get you through to the weekend.
We've all been there at one time or another — in front of that iconic view, the one we've seen a thousand times or more in encyclopaedias, atlases, on the back of postcards, on the television and in our wildest dreams. When it happens, you feel a flutter in your heart and you remember what it felt like to make mud pies as a child; you're elated, carefree and enraptured, all for the most fleeting moment. That's when it happens. You reach into your pocket/handbag/knapsack and pull out your camera. You must remember this moment (that feeling!) forever and ever. The flash goes off once, twice, three times. No, no, that one's blurry. Delete. Take it again! You stand over there. Jump on the count of three! Yes, all of you! At once! OK, here we go one, two... Corinne Vionnet, in an astute observation into the perception of the 'tourist' experience, has made some amazing art out of that moment - that second of pure happiness that is superseded by crazed, paparazzi style photography, leading the sanest of us into a blinding, bulb flashing fury. Sourcing images of some of the world's most iconic sights from the internet, Vionnet's project Photo Opportunities layers hundreds of such images upon each other to create haunting landscapes of profoundly significant earthly wonders. Drawing on the abject, the images appear almost painted, begging questions about reality of experience and perception and our collective cultural consciousness.
Singled Out is a multicoloured series of portraits offering a glimpse of what it's like to fly solo. It's predicted that, by 2020, one in three living arrangements in the city will be that of one-person households, and this show is a unique and contemporary exploration of single life in Sydney. In collaboration with some of Australia's most well-respected playwrights, creative producer and new work director Augusta Supple (The Mayday Playwrights Festival, A View From Moving Windows) has created a rollicking, illuminating adventure into the private lives of people we just may recognise. As these lives unfold, collide and intersect, we begin to understand the joys and complexities of solitary living in a vibrant city. Playing as part of the 2013 Reginald Season, Singled Out is more than a sketch of individual lives — it's a unique celebration about life in the big smoke, minus a plus one.
Last week, Robert Pattinson popped up on our screens in the trailer for upcoming Netflix movie The Devil All the Time. At present, he's also starring in cinemas in Tenet, which is finally earning a release. And, right this instant, he's stepping into a very well-known character's shoes (and cape and mask) — as seen in the just-dropped first trailer for The Batman. Yes, as well as featuring in a Christopher Nolan-helmed movie, Pattinson is playing a character that Nolan helped bring back to cinemas 15 years ago. This time around, Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes filmmaker Matt Reeves is in the director's chair, overseeing a new take on Batman that actually stands completely apart from the most recent Ben Affleck-starring DC Extended Universe version of the character. Basically, what DC Films and Warner Bros. Pictures did with Joker in 2019 — serving up a grimmer, grittier iteration of the infamous figure that has absolutely nothing to do with the rightfully hated Jared Leto version — they're doing for Batman now, too. Also following the same playbook: enlisting a top-notch star in the lead role. Remember, it was only earlier this year that Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for playing the clown prince of crime. The Batman isn't slated to hit cinemas until more than 12 months away — at the end of September 2021 in Australia — however, as this first sneak peek shows, it's shaping up to be a suitably dark and brooding affair. And, as well as Pattison as the titular character and his alter-ego Bruce Wayne, it stars Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as the Riddler, Colin Farrell as the Penguin, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth. For those keeping count, Pattinson is the third actor to play the Dark Knight on the big screen in the 21st century, after Christian Bale and Ben Affleck. He also joins a long list of actors who've donned the outfit, including Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney. Check out The Batman trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLOp_6uPccQ The Batman is currently due to release in Australian cinemas on September 30, 2021.
If you happen to be in Thailand in February and you spy Harry Potter's Jason Isaacs, Mission: Impossible's Michelle Monaghan, The League's Leslie Bibb and all-round icon Parker Posey, congrats: you will have spotted some of the cast of The White Lotus season three in the country to film the hit HBO show's next batch of episodes. The best new series on TV in 2021, and one of the best returning series of 2022 as well, The White Lotus is heading to the Asian nation after spending season one unleashing ultra-lavish hell in Hawaii and season two getting scathing in Sicily. Season three's location isn't new news, but the fact that Isaacs (The Crowded Room), Monaghan (The Family Plan), Bibb (God's Favourite Idiot), Posey (Beau Is Afraid), Dom Hetrakul (The Family) and Tayme Thapthimthong (Thai Cave Rescue) will be experiencing a chaotic getaway — or somehow involved with a White Lotus hotel — is a fresh development. [caption id="attachment_934932" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Crowded Room[/caption] The Mike White (Brad's Status)-created, -written and -directed series will also bring back a familiar face from its first season, as it did in season two. As fans of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning drama know, sadly Jennifer Coolidge (We Have a Ghost) won't be returning, unless the anthology series tells a prequel in the future, gets the undead involved or makes heavy use of flashbacks. Someone she spent a heap of screen time with in The White Lotus' debut season is popping up again, however: Natasha Rothwell (Wonka) as Belinda Lindsey, the spa manager who had been hoping to get Coolidge's Tanya McQuoid to invest in her dream business. Rothwell, Isaacs and company will obviously have more company, but that's the full list of cast members that've been revealed for now. No storyline details have been unveiled, and neither has a premiere date — but you'll be waiting till 2025 to see what happens in The White Lotus realm next. [caption id="attachment_934934" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Beau Is Afraid[/caption] The show will shoot its third season in Koh Samui, Phuket and Bangkok, with HBO partnering with the Tourism Authority of Thailand "to support the filming and promotion of the third installment", the US network advised. Yes, expect everyone you know to want to vacation in Thailand as a result. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the country's Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, certainly does. "Thailand has long been considered one of the world's favourite filming locations. The White Lotus project will certainly strengthen the kingdom's status as a preferred filming destination and a beacon of experience-based tourism, inspiring even more visitors to amazing Thailand," Kiatphaibool said in a statement. Based on past seasons, the nation will backdrop a searing — and supremely entertaining — takedown of one percent, their lavish getaways, their deep-seated problems, and the gross inequality between the haves and have nots. And, it'll spark sleuthing, given that someone winding up dead has been part of all prior seasons as well. HBO announced that it was bringing The White Lotus back for a third go-around mere episodes into season two. Originally, the show was meant to be a one-and-done miniseries, but it was that excellent (and that popular) that it's now running with the anthology setup. White has hinted at focusing on "death and Eastern religion and spirituality" in season three. "It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus," he said in a clip at the end of season two's finale. There's obviously no trailer yet for The White Lotus' third season, but you can check out the trailers for seasons one and two below: The White Lotus' third season will arrive sometime in 2025, but doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. The first and second seasons of The White Lotus are available to stream via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our full reviews of season one and two. The White Lotus images: Fabio Lovino and Mario Perez / HBO.
There's a lot to be learnt from ladies of a certain age. No doubt you've picked up some pearls of wisdom from the grandmothers in your life over the years, whether they're about how best to iron a button-up shirt or the ways of the wider world. A workshop series, Nanna Knows Best, aims to share some of that nana knowledge with the community and teach young'uns about that all-important, old-fashioned manners stuff. It's a crash course in communication, etiquette and presentation and it's led by deportment expert Pat Woodley, who held the titles of Miss NSW and Miss Australia back in 1951. We've heard it before: our generation is a pack of socially awkward, obnoxious web-dwellers more comfortable on our smartphones than conversing IRL (or on the phone). But Woodley is fairly optimistic about our capacity to regain the social skills of days gone by. She promises to school young folk in conversing confidently and 'boosting their powers of attraction'. Apparently that last bit's about more than having a smokin' Tinder profile.
The Hindu festival Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious gatherings on earth, held every three years on the banks of sacred Indian rivers. The festival welcomes pilgrims and visitors alike — visitors including Sydney photographer and documentary-maker Stephen Dupont. Dupont's resulting series of photographs, The White Sheet Series No. 1, will be exhibited at the Black Eye Gallery this month. It features black-and-white portraits taken in the midst of Kumbh Mela, displayed in frames of hand-printed textile stamps collected by the artist during his time on the subcontinent. The series is a natural step for Dupont, whose opus consists of photography and film that features fragile cultures and marginalised people. He has been exhibited in London, Paris, New York and Shanghai and this return to his hometown is an opportunity for Sydneysiders to see his newest work, which is, more than anything, a celebration of people and place.
With restaurant doors closed to dine-ins and weekend getaways on hold, lots of Victorian producers are living life on the back foot right now. But of course, there's always room in your life for some locally made or -grown goodies, pandemic or otherwise. And now, you can find countless ways to support our homegrown heroes from the comfort of your couch, with the Victorian Government's new Click for Vic campaign. This new website's all about celebrating Victorian businesses and encouraging users to continue shopping local via a curation of online stores. Scroll through to find a handy edit of local booze brands, coffee merchants, fashion retailers, makers and creatives, food producers and more. You can hone in on giftwares to find that special pressie, take a virtual shopping tour of your favourite weekend destination, or browse a selection of eateries offering takeaway and pick-up fare. [caption id="attachment_775941" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maha on Providoor[/caption] Click for Vic's also partnered up with a handful of other specialised sites to help keep Melburnians connected to their local producers, all of which can be accessed here as well. The Regional Pantry's online store is stocked with a range of goodies from all Yarra Valley producers, while High Country At Home showcases products from across the High Country region, along with expert-led virtual experiences like gin appreciation sessions and cooking classes. Co-Lab Pantry is slinging ready-made meals and pantry staples from a lineup of much-loved Melbourne venues, and over at Providoor, you can order chef-prepared dishes from favourites like Supernormal and Bomba, designed to finish and devour at home. Plus, you'll find a sprawling selection of homewares, gifts, fresh produce, booze and more, to browse and buy online from the Victorian Country Market website. Set up like a virtual marketplace, this one's easy to shop by category or region, with a broad lineup of offerings promising hours of retail therapy. Shop a huge range of local wares by heading to the Click for Vic website. Top images: Co-Lab Pantry
Thanks to the success of Beef, the past year has been huge for Ali Wong. It was back in April 2023 that the hit series arrived, getting audiences obsessed and sparking plenty of accolades coming Wong's way. She won Best Actress Emmy, Golden Globe, Film Independent Spirt and Screen Actors Guild awards for playing Amy Lau, who has a carpark altercation with Danny Cho (Steven Yeun, Nope) that neither can let go of — and that changes both of their lives. The last 12 months have also been massive for the American actor and comedian onstage, all thanks to her Ali Wong: Live tour. Wong has been playing to full houses in the US, and also in Paris and London — and Down Under audiences are just as keen to see her. Before general tickets even go on sale for her Australian visit, she's added extra gigs. [caption id="attachment_946690" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023[/caption] Wong will head to Australia and New Zealand in July 2024. She initially announced four dates, kicking off in Auckland, then jumping over to Melbourne. From there, she'll work her way up the east coast, next hitting up Sydney before wrapping up in Brisbane. Now, both Melbourne and Sydney have scored extra gigs thanks to the huge demand during the ticket pre-sale period. Behind the microphone, Wong's comedy career dates back almost two decades, including three Netflix stand-up specials: 2016's Baby Cobra, 2018's Hard Knock Wife and 2022's Don Wong. And, as an author, Wong also has 2019's Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life to her name. On-screen, Wong doesn't let go of grudges easily, at least in Beef. In rom-com Always Be My Maybe, she's also been romanced by Keanu Reeves. Tuca & Bertie had her voice an anthropomorphic song thrush, while Big Mouth sent her back to middle school. Beef, on which Wong was also an executive producer, earned just as much love for the show overall — including the Emmy for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series; Golden Globe for Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television; Gotham Award for Breakthrough Series under 40 minutes; Film Independent Spirt Award for Best New Scripted Series; and PGA for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television. [caption id="attachment_722120" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ed Araquel / Netflix[/caption] Ali Wong: Live Tour Dates — Australia and New Zealand 2024: Monday, July 8 — The Civic, Auckland Thursday, July 11–Friday, July 12 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne Friday, July 19–Saturday, July 20 — ICC Theatre, Sydney Monday, July 22 — Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Ali Wong is touring Down Under in July 2024, with general sales from 9am local time on Friday, March 22 — head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023.
The inaugural Woollahra Festival this weekend plans to divide itself into two parts for your entertainment. Siteworx will feed the performance parts of your brain on stages around Queen Street, while a program of talks will feed your ears, eyes and urge you to pipe up with a question. Siteworx is curated by ex-Griffin artistic director Ros Horin, and promises bands, choirs and an orchestra, as well as clowning, capoeira, comedy and tango. Roaming performers on Queen Street complete the line-up. The talk* program starts Friday night with a Q&A-style forum on the festival theme of community, with a dedication to detail that includes a real, live Tony Jones as host. On Saturday, Dee Nolan will talk about mixing the pilgrim trail through Spain with some really good food, while David Malouf covers his literary career. You can also get some advice on international affairs from a panel including prolific tweeter, ABC PM host Mark Colvin. On Sunday have breakfast with a Slow food founder, or hear Delia Falconer talk about her powerfully ambivalent Sydney. Either of the two strands would be enough to fill any regular festival. With both, you shouldn’t find a quiet minute on Queen Street. *all talks require a reservation
Nab some post-work bevvies for a steal at Chinatown's Arisun. The eatery has been a mainstay of Sydney's culinary scene for more than thirty years, with a menu that combines Japanese and Korean flavours. During their daily happy hour, which runs from 3.30–5.30pm, snag a can of beer for only $5.90, a high ball for $9.90, soju for $11.90 and beer jugs for $22.90. Open until 12am from Monday–Thursday and until 2am on Friday and Saturday, the Korean restaurant is an ideal spot for group hangs that last well into the night, with plenty of shared plates, beer towers and Korean fried chicken platters. Head to the restaurant's website for more details.
Whether you were one of those iso bakers tending to your sourdough starter, or simply glued to MasterChef's elimination challenges these last months, there's certainly been something comforting about spending more time in the kitchen right now. And someone who's made a career out of joyfully sharing his passion for at-home cooking is The Living Room co-host and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! winner for 2020, Miguel Maestre. The Murcia-born, Australian chef is well known for repping Spanish cuisine, as well as for his flamboyant presenting style. He's the author of best selling cookbooks Miguel's Tapas and Spanish Cooking, as well as being the ambassador for Stockland Shopping Centres and the owner of Maestre Enterprises — one of Australia's largest Spanish food importers. But not everything Miguel cooks is Spanish leaning. In this live-stream cooking class, he'll show you how to make an easy, midweek meal that'll take just 15 minutes to knock up at home. Miguel's Chicken San Choy Bow borrows from Hong Kong origins and is a zesty crowd-pleaser, plus he'll show you a veggie option and some handy cooking skills along the way. You'll also learn how to whip up Miguel's Fudgy Chocolate Cake with chocolate glaze, as another family favourite. Cook along with Miguel from 6pm AEST on Thursday, June 18. The online cooking class is free to watch, and you can find all the necessary ingredients here. Simply click through to the Facebook event post and click 'going' to make sure you're updated with the live-stream link on the day. And if you're keen to share your prep ahead of or during the event, use the hashtag #stocklandfood for your chance to win a gourmet hamper worth $300. Competition ends at 6pm AEST on Sunday, June 21.
Trump. Inequality. Charlottesville. North Korea. Taylor Swift's 'Look What You Made Me Do'. It's been a, er, testing year thus far. And if it weren't for our ability to talk about it — whether it's desperately debating asylum seeker policy in a pub corner, scrolling through Twitter for solidarity or listening to a critical analysis of covfefe on the way to work — we would probably all be hiding under makeshift bomb shelters in our kitchens by now. But when do we stop talking (and talking) about the state of the world and actually start doing something? That's what the Sydney Opera House set out to address this weekend at ANTIDOTE, a new festival that has replaced the Festival of Dangerous Ideas on their program with the intention of inspiring action. The inaugural ANTIDOTE, which ran over two days, featured a range of speakers, artists and activists whose subject matter moved, for the most part, past the visceral into the practical. They showed us that action isn't always seen through protest — that it can come through satire, by lifting yourself up with 20,000 balloons or just moaning really loudly until someone listens. While it's hard to say if the audiences at ANTIDOTE will put any of their newfound learnings into practice — except perhaps those who are bound by contract from immersive theatre game The Money — here's five things we took away from the festival. It's up to you to crawl out from your bunker and put them into action. [caption id="attachment_635687" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton / Sydney Opera House[/caption] IT'S ACTUALLY DIFFICULT TO SATIRISE DONALD TRUMP — THE ONION America's finest news source has been satirising US politics, everyday life and the power ranking of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen since 1988. They've found ways to cover presidents like George W. Bush ('Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over') and Barack Obama ('Black Guy Asks Nation for Change') — and so, with the election of Trump last year, you'd think it would have made The Onion's job a total cakewalk. Not so. According to managing editor Marnie Shure, video director Katy Yeiser, and senior writer Dan McGraw, who appeared in conversation with The Chaser's Craig Reucassel, Trump's absurd behaviour is inherently hard to satirise because readers often can't tell the difference between satire and reality. Unlike other government figures who usually say one thing but mean another, Trump just says what he means — and there's very little you can do with that. Although they seem to have managed just fine. [caption id="attachment_635686" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton / Sydney Opera House[/caption] PEOPLE WANT TO HELP THE HOMELESS BUT DON'T KNOW HOW — THE MONEY This was no more apparent than at Kaleider's performance of The Money. Held in the Utzon Room — with its views that dissolve into the harbour water — the concept is this: a select number of 'players' sit around the table and decide what to do with a wad of cash. They can put it towards anything legal they can unanimously agree on, but they can't donate it to charity or split it with each other. A group of 'silent witnesses' also present; they don't have a say unless they slap some money on the table, in which case they are then embedded into the decision-making process. At a session on Sunday, discussion quickly turned to acts of non-direct charity. With only $500 on the table — unlike the jackpotted $6000 that went to the YES campaign the night before — the participants wanted to find a way to use the money that would actually make a difference in someone's life. Homelessness — unlike organisations in which members had a vested interest in — was a neutral cause that no one could find a suitable opposition to. But the main question was how. Without giving directly to a charity that would help people without a home, the players decided (after much discussion and disagreement) to put the money on a gift card, that would then be donated to a non-profit to, hopefully, provide food and goods to those who need it. [caption id="attachment_635684" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton / Sydney Opera House[/caption] SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SAY THE WORDS TO REALISE PEOPLE WERE WAITING TO SAY THE SAME THING — EVE ENSLER When Eve Ensler started first performed The Vagina Monologues in a Greenwich Village cafe in 1996, the word 'vagina' was rarely spoken out loud. Nowadays it's much less taboo. And while the playwright and activist thought her play would be redundant by now (if only), the ongoing response and shift of how society views women and their bodies is still a prime example of how art has the power to transform thinking and urge people to act. Ensler took to the stage in what can only be described as a fierce powerful takedown of the "predator-in-chief", the Australian Government's policy on asylum seekers and violence against women and girls. She urged the audience to speak out, refuse to be silenced, stop looking away and say the words that everyone's thinking — because that's how they get introduced into the conversation. She then proceeded to perform a monologue that ended in all-in audience moaning. [caption id="attachment_635721" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida[/caption] TURNS OUT, HELIUM BALLOONS CAN LIFT A HUMAN — CHEROPHOBIA If you've ever watched Up, then the elation of artist Noëmi Lakmaier taking flight by way of helium balloons would not have been lost on you. Especially after the uncertainty and shared suspense of the coming-and-going audience members that visited over the nine-hour work. While her actual lift-off wasn't as dramatic as Carl and Russell's, it did offer a source of contemplation on happiness and fear for those who'd stuck around. Plus, the Concert Hall filled with 20,000 balloons was a pretty lovely sight to see. [caption id="attachment_635685" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton / Sydney Opera House[/caption] WE NEED TO DISMANTLE DOMINANT IDEOLOGIES — RENI EDDO-LODGE Reni Eddo-Lodge refuses to explain race to white people — which is fair enough, really. But after a blog post titled 'Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race' blew up in 2014, Eddo-Lodge has become a prominent journalist and blogger on the topic of, well, just that, having recently released a book of the same name. In her conversation with Benjamin Law she spoke about whiteness as an implicit but ever-present power structure that upholds the dominant ideologies that suit white people. So how do we break the cycle of dominance? Question them. Read up on indigenous history, campaign to change the date of Australia Day — don't accept the structural systems of society just because that's the way they are. Also, read her book. Top image: Letícia Almeida.
If Four Weddings and a Funeral can come back as a television series, then it appears that another beloved rom-com from the past few decades can too. Continuing a trend that's never going to end — aka building pop culture's future out of its past — How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days is the latest flick getting the small-screen remake treatment. And we do mean small, given that streaming platform Quibi is behind the series. Founded by ex-Disney and Dreamworks bigwig Jeffrey Katzenberg, the newcomer won't launch until next year, but it's being designed as a short-form, smartphone-only service. That means content broken down into eight–to–ten minute chunks for ease of viewing when you're somewhere other than the couch. So, How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days isn't just getting a modernised do-over, but one that'll unfurl in bite-sized pieces. Few details about the rom-com remake have been announced as yet, although it'll be penned by The Mindy Project writer Guy Branum. The underlying premise has been given a bit of a makeover, focusing on an online columnist and an advertising executive who need to prove that they can be monogamous, as TVLine reports. Who'll be stepping into Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson's circa 2003 shoes, and whether either will pop up, will be revealed down the line. A release date hasn't been set as yet either, although Quibi is set to drop in April 2020. If and when it'll be available Down Under also hasn't been announced. Until more details hit, check out the trailer for the original How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFGr2_cOOTk
Two Australian music legends. Decades of collaboration. One long-awaited album. One huge tour. That's the maths behind the Australian leg of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' Carnage tour, which Cave first announced was in the works back in early February via his The Red Hand Files email list. Now, after already locking in dates in Hanging Rock — which have sold out, unsurprisingly — the duo have unveiled their full 2022 Aussie tour schedule. Yes, this is some news to come sail your ships around — with 15 gigs slated in five states and one territory, all from mid-November through to mid-December. The tour will kick off with a two-night stop in Adelaide, before heading to those Macedon Ranges gigs, then to Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Tamworth and Newcastle. And, to cap things off, Cave and Ellis will hit up the Sydney Opera House's newly revamped Concert Hall for a two-gig big finale. [caption id="attachment_845539" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Palma Sabina[/caption] The pair are doing the rounds to support the 2021 album that shares the tour's name, which actually marks Cave and Ellis' first studio album as a duo. Bandmates across several projects since the 90s — including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Grinderman — Cave and Ellis are Aussie icons, with careers spanning back decades. Together, they also boast more than a few phenomenal film scores to their names as well, including for The Proposition, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Road, West of Memphis, Far From Men, Hell or High Water and Wind River. Cave and Ellis are heading home after an American Carnage tour, and following Cave's subsequent tour with the Bad Seeds in Europe. "I can't begin to tell you how happy Warren and I are to be finally returning to Australia to perform. The wait has been way too long. See you all soon for the Carnage experience!," said Cave, announcing the news. [caption id="attachment_845538" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Laurine Payet[/caption] It's already been a big year for fans of Cave and Ellis, thanks to film This Much I Know to Be True, as directed by Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Killing Them Softly filmmaker Andrew Dominik. It explores Cave and Ellis' creative relationship, largely through watching them at work in stunning live scenes. Dominik also made 2016 Cave doco One More Time with Feeling, and his latest flick is available to stream now. [caption id="attachment_845537" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Laurine Payet[/caption] NICK CAVE AND WARREN ELLIS 'AUSTRALIAN CARNAGE' 2022 TOUR: Tuesday, November 22—Wednesday, November 23: Festival Theatre, Adelaide Friday, November 25—Saturday, November 26: Hanging Rock, Macedon Ranges — SOLD OUT Monday, November 28–Tuesday, November 29: Canberra Theatre, Canberra Friday, December 2: Palais Theatre, Melbourne Monday, December 5—Tuesday, December 6: Riverside Theatre, Perth Friday, December 9: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Great Hall, Brisbane Saturday, December 10: Gold Coast Convention Exhibition Centre, Gold Coast Monday, December 12: Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre, Tamworth Wednesday, December 14: Civic Theatre, Newcastle Friday, December 16—Saturday, December 17: Sydney Opera House, Sydney Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' Australian Carnage tour will head around the country in November and December 2022. Tickets go on sale at 10am local time in each city on Friday, July 29 — for more information, head to Nick Cave's website. Top image: Megan Cullen.
Caroline's back. She may not have all the parts she started with, but she's just had a dust-up with cancer, so that's to be expected. Returning to her home in Sunset Strip, a prime holiday locale for countless summers now, Caroline finds things slightly worse than she left them. The lake has dried up, as have the vacationers. On the upside, her pathologically optimistic sister Phoebe's still around to remind her that every closing door is just an opportunity in disguise… or something. Suzie Miller's latest work is set where all the best family narratives unfold – on the knife edge between farce and disaster. Promising love, family dysfunction and the secret to training a goldfish, Sunset Strip is a potent reminder of why we choose not to throttle those related to us by blood. Because we need other inmates to help us run the asylum, generally.
UPDATE, January 5, 2021: Martha: A Picture Story is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Is Martha Cooper the Bill Cunningham of the street art world? That's a big call, we know, but as Martha: A Picture Story shows, it's accurate. What he did for New York street style — immortalising it with obsessive devotion and sharing it with the world — she did for graffiti. And she's still doing so, there and around the world. That dedication has made an impact. Street art was considered a scourge when the Maryland-born Cooper moved to the Big Apple to chase her shutterbug dreams, but, as she traversed the five boroughs taking pics for the New York Post in the 70s, she was drawn to NY's colourful, creative murals. And so she filled reels of film with images, got to know the scene's major players and chased tag-covered trains all over town. As Martha: A Picture Story also documents, her efforts helped shape the medium. Before Banksy became a graffiti phenomenon, Cooper's was the name on every artist's lips. Thanks to her 1984 book Subway Art, co-authored with fellow photographer Henry Chalfant, Cooper gave street art a how-to guide. It initially sold poorly, but made its way through the scene via black-and-white photocopies that were passed around and coloured-in by hand by aspiring taggers. Now, 35 years later, she's considered a rock star due to the seminal text. Brazil's Os Gemeos (twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo) are famous in their own right, but they buzz with excitement when they mention Subway Art. As seen in this Selina Miles-helmed documentary, Cooper's recent book signings — where fans flock for her signature — paint a similar picture. Making her full-length debut, Australian director Miles has found the holy grail of factual filmmaking: a subject with a lengthy and captivating history, in a field with broad appeal, who hasn't been given their due by the wider world. As an overview of Martha: A Picture Story, that's too cynical, though; nothing about this film, its exploration of Cooper's career and influence, and its loving showcase of her photos is anything but authentic. Cooper herself invites genuine fascination and wonder. Her no-nonsense attitude and her evident enthusiasm are contagious, and Miles willingly catches that disease. This is a crowd-pleasing doco, winning the audience award at this year's Sydney Film Festival — but it inspires wide smiles and warm feelings solely because Cooper's pics are so exceptional, her passion so palpable and her impact so immense. Indeed, if a documentary about the now-septuagenarian didn't cause this reaction, it wouldn't be doing its job. Cooper's entrance into the film couldn't underscore the above point better. It's 2018, she's in Germany, and she's eager to snap photos of the 1UP crew in action. Carrying her gear on her back, she follows them into the night as they tag their way around an unnamed city — including in subway stations and by sneaking into train yards. Shot on the ground in a suitably shaky style, these sections of Martha: A Picture Story feel vivid and alive. Clearly, that's how doing her job makes Cooper feel, too. As the film begins to step through the photojournalist's past in a more traditional then-to-now format, these opening scenes mirror events that come later in the doco but occurred earlier, when Cooper did the same in NY with its street art bigwigs of four decades ago. Threading together its absorbing chronicle, Martha: A Picture Story keeps finding riveting details to fill its frames, such as Cooper's early quest to work for National Geographic, her globe-trotting efforts to try to make that a reality and her book on Japanese tattooing. The photographer's tale is also intertwined with both gender and class politics, which gives it added significance — she was the first female intern at Nat Geo, she notes, and she's well aware that she has spent years giving visibility to art, neighbourhoods and people that many would rather overlook. It's an informative and engaging delight to hear Cooper reflect on her experiences, and to listen to her friends, relatives, colleagues and admirers relay their parts of the story. But, in a doco like this, the old adage about a picture being worth a thousand words was always going to ring true. Martha: A Picture Story features home-video footage and personal photographs collected over the years, taking viewers through the various stages of Cooper's existence. When it lets the photographer's own snaps take centre stage, however, it makes the case for her greatness one image at a time. Whether she's documenting graffiti on both a broad and intimate scale, focusing on NY children and their makeshift toys, or turning her lens towards the reality of the Baltimore streets, where she grew up, she trades in candid portraits of life, art and personal expression. And, as only the very best pics do, they beam their glory and importance for everyone to witness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOMUHQEYsBQ
Over the past decade, perhaps the greatest collective strength of the 18 (yes, 18) movies in the so-called Marvel Cinematic Universe has been their relative independence. From the very first Iron Man through to the most recent Black Panther, each film has (mostly) achieved an impressive balance of telling its own, distinct story while also servicing the ultimate end-game. Each new entry had enough in-jokes and easter eggs to satisfy the super-fans, but never so many that a newcomer couldn't enjoy the experience from an entirely cold start. The same cannot be said for Avengers: Infinity War, but then again, for directors Anthony and Joe Russo, that was never the intention. This isn't just the 19th film in the MCU, it's the culmination of the entire franchise; a sprawling, non-stop action movie purpose built, this time, for the fans. It's relentless, entertaining and more than a touch surprising. Unfortunately it's also starved of substance and likely to leave many feeling shortchanged. Ultimately, it all comes down to scale. Perhaps for the first time, this cinematic universe is truly universal in its scope. It moves from one galaxy to the next with bewildering speed, including planets so ancient and remote many of the characters have either never heard of them or dismissed their existence as the stuff of legend. And of those characters, where to even begin? In January of this year Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor, casually dropped mention of an extraordinary 76 separate Marvel characters set to appear in Infinity War. Even if he was being slightly hyperbolic (one quickly loses count, so the number might actually be bang on), his comments nonetheless captures the magnitude of this gargantuan blockbuster. But like the pop culture references in the recent Ready Player One, many of these inclusions offer little substance beyond an excitable Pavlovian response triggered by recognition ("Heeey, it's Black Widow! Ooo it's…whatshisface!"). Even with the film's indulgent 156-minute run time, the decision to pack so many characters into a single film inherently means Infinity War must choose between cameo and character, with the former largely winning out. That means that many of the incredible cast members are saddled with just a handful of lines each, with perhaps the fewest coming from Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther (despite the fact that a significant section of the film taking place in his kingdom of Wakanda). Again though, the Russos have knowingly committed to the 'as read' nature of this film, opting instead to devote the lion's share of screen time and dialogue to the only real newcomer: the villain, Thanos (Josh Brolin). Thanos first appeared during the end credits of the original Avengers movie back in 2012. Since then he's been a constant (if fleeting) reference point for the coming storm that is Infinity War. He is nothing if not formidable – a softly-spoken juggernaut whose vision for a harmonious universe involves the mass genocide of precisely half its inhabitants. To achieve that he requires the fabled 'infinity stones', several of which are unfortunately located on earth in the hands (or foreheads) of various Avengers. He is a worthy antagonist for such an enormous project, and what really separates him from all the other Marvel villains is his capability; an indomitable strength that renders void the efforts of every other hero he encounters. Teamwork has always been the name of the game in the MCU, but even the combined efforts of the entire super-powered lineup seems destined to fall short. Of course Infinity War is actually just part one of two films, with the second instalment scheduled to drop in May 2019. Its ending, hence, leaves a lot to be resolved, and it's difficult not to assume much of that will centre upon some extensive Dr. Strange time reversal. There's a serious chance the series could be veering toward shark-jumping territory, so fingers crossed the Marvel boffins have something far grander and more unexpected planned. Until then, brush up on your backstories and strap in for one helluva ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwievZ1Tx-8
Why just eat one regular old sweet treat when you can feast your way through a glorious hybrid of two beloved desserts? That's long been Gelato Messina's unspoken motto. So, last year, the chain delivered a tastebud-tempting creation that took its delicious take on the trusty Viennetta and mixed it with its version of Golden Gaytimes. The result: the Have a Gay Old Messinetta tub, or the Gayinnetta as Messina has also dubbed it. And, in great news for your tastebuds this winter — because yes, you can still eat gelato when it's frosty outside — this limited-edition treat is making a comeback. If you've tried a scoop of the brand's popular Have a Gay Old Time flavour already but didn't tuck into any Gayinnetta last time around, just imagine that flavour turned into Viennetta. This dessert combines layers of caramel and milk gelato, then covers it with chocolate-covered biscuit crumbs, and finally tops it all with ripples of vanilla and caramel chantilly cream. And yes, the end result looks like the dessert you know and love, but in a caramel colour for a change. If you're keen to get yourself a Gayinnetta — which'll cost you $40 — they're available to preorder online on Monday, May 30, for pick up between Friday, June 3–Sunday, August 5 from all stores. And, because Messina's specials always prove popular, the brand is now staggering the on-sale times. Accordingly, folks in Queensland and the ACT are able to purchase at 9am, Victorians at 9.30am, and New South Wales customers split across three times depending on the store (with pies from Circular Quay, Surry Hills, Bondi, Randwick and Miranda on sale at 10am; Brighton Le Sands, Tramsheds, Parramatta and Darlinghurst at 10.30am; and Darling Square, Newtown, Rosebery and Penrith at 11am). Gelato Messina's Have a Gay Old Messinetta tubs will be available to order on Monday, May 30, for pick up between Friday, June 3–Sunday, August 5 from all stores. Head to the Messina website for further details.
Water Polo by the Sea, a highlight of the sporting/social/summer calendar, will return to Bondi Icebergs this January. Come watch our Aussie Sharks — including Olympians Rhys Howden, Richie Campbell, Billy Miller and Johnno Cotterill and Aaron Younger — as they take on the International All Stars in what’s sure to be a fantastic match. This is no normal sporting game. The event is an opportunity to meet the players, mingle with VIPs, extend the summer holiday vibe and sip cocktails (served by shirtless athletes) against the stunning backdrop of Bondi Icebergs. Gates open at 4.30pm, and the game is on from 5.20pm. The marquee stays open until 7pm.
Is the type of film festival that dedicates an afternoon and evening to a killer clown your type of film festival? If so, you should be excited about Monster Fest's return. In just a few short years, the Terrifier movies have become horror must-sees if you can't get enough of slashers splashing about gore aplenty. With the latest flick in the franchise on the way, Monster Fest is screening all three Terrifier titles, old and new — so, giving audiences an extended date with Art the Clown — as a key part of its 2024 program. The Australian premiere of Terrifier 3 will follow the OG Terrifier and first sequel Terrifier 2 on Saturday, October 5 in Sydney. The festival kicks off on Friday, October 4, running until Sunday, October 6 at Event Cinemas Burwood. While getting creeped out by cinema's most-sadistic clown is a big Monster Fest 2024 drawcard, it's The Rule of Jenny Pen from Coming Home in the Dark filmmaker James Ashcroft that's the event's opening-night pick. At the other end of the festival, horror-comedy Frankie Freako by Psycho Goreman's Steven Kostanski is in the closing slot. Both pictures embrace puppets, the first with help from John Lithgow (Killers of the Flower Moon) and the second featuring a dancing goblin. Other highlights include the latest Hellboy movie, Hellboy: The Crooked Man, which heads back to the 1950s; Azrael, as led by Australian actor Samara Weaving (Scream VI), and telling of a woman's attempt to escape from mute zealots; New Zealand body-horror film Grafted; and documentary Generation Terror, which focuses on the horror genre from the late-90s to mid-00s.
UPDATE: FEBRUARY 14, 2019 — With the evening show selling out, the Opera House has added a second matinee performance on the same day. It starts at 3pm and tickets are on sale now. You've danced the night away to 'Good Luck', 'Do Your Thing' and 'Romeo'. Every time you hear it, you can't get 'Where's Your Head At' out of of your head — or the monkeys from the song's music video. But when it comes to electronic music duo Basement Jaxx, we're guessing there's one thing you haven't done. If you've never seen the British act play live with an orchestra, here's your chance. On Sunday, April 14, Basement Jaxx Vs The Metropolitan Orchestra will take over the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall for a night of reimagined bangers. Expect all of the group's floor-filling hits, but expect them to sound rather different. And, as well as sharing the stage with Sydney's The Metropolitan Orchestra, Basement Jaxx will also have singers Vula and Sharlene Hector pumping out vocals.
Ease into your weekend with a few hours of leisurely wandering around the oh-so-chic streets of Paddington. Start in Five Ways and slowly wend your way towards The Intersection, perhaps indulging in a little bit of shopping along the way (or, window shopping, if the credit card needs a bit of a break). Perk yourself up with a coffee from local favourite, Jackie's Cafe, before going for a walk down Oxford Street to see the jacarandas in full, glorious bloom. Finish off with lunch at Morris, a delightful eatery from the folks at Scout's Honour. Expect sandwiches, salads and bowls, all full to the brim with ingredients your nutritionist would approve of (think fresh veggies, seeds, and lean meats).
Back in August, to encourage Australians to roll up their sleeves, Hawke's Brewing Co handed out free beers. If you got the jab, you could put your hand up to get a slab. Yes, it was that simple. Now, the Marrickville craft brewer has gone big with its latest show of support for Australia's COVID-19 vaccination campaign. When you deck out the exterior of your property with a ten-metre-tall mural of Bob Hawke holding a schooner, wearing a mask and donning a "race you to the pub" t-shirt, the message is loud and clear. The towering likeness of the former Australian Prime Minister, and the brewery's namesake, was painted by renowned mural artist Scott Marsh — who has previously given Sydney a large-scale portrait of AFL footballer Adam Goodes, and whipped up others of everyone from George Michael to Danny Lim. For Hawke's, he's painted Bob Hawke in the past, too. This time, though, Hawke has had the vax and he's standing beneath the words "every jab gets us closer to the pub". Look at the PM's arm and you'll actually see a telltale bandaid. It features a QR code as well — and if you scan it with your phone, you'll be directed to a website that'll tell you where you can find your nearest COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Also, that beer glass Hawke is holding? It features percentages on the side, and Marsh is going to top it up as the nation gets closer to the 80-percent fully vaccinated mark, aka the threshold that'll see a heap of restrictions loosen. "It's been encouraging to see jabs on the rise. And now, with more vaccines becoming readily available, it's time to find another gear", said Hawke's co-founder Nathan Lennon. "The sooner we hit 80 percent, the sooner vulnerable businesses can get back on their feet, and the sooner we can all get back to living our lives — less lockdowns, more freedoms and yes, freshly poured beers at our favourite venues. Hopefully just in time for summer." Hawke's is also using the mural to help another good cause, with folks who interact with the artwork via the brewery's social media unlocking $10,000 in donations to hospitality relief fund Tip Jar. If you leave a comment on Instagram, tag a mate you'd love to have your first post-lockdown brew with, tag the venue you'd like to go to and use the #raceyoutothepub hashtag, you'll unlock a $1 donation. If you tag Hawke's as well, that'll go up to $2. Or, you can buy a "race you to the pub" t-shirt via the beer company's website, and $5 from your purchase will go to Tip Jar as well. You can see Hawke's Brewing Co's Bob Hawke mural at 8-12 Sydney Street, Marrickville. To interact with Hawke's Brewing Co's Bob Hawke mural on social media to help unlock donations for hospitality relief fund Tip Jar, head to the brewery's Instagram page.
Sydney loves a Sunday block party and Soul of Sydney’s a good'un — a funk/soul/hip-hop oasis for house heads, Bboys and Bgirls, and pretty much anyone who can get down with getting down to a good beat. This Sunday afternoon, Soul’s taking to yet another secret Sydney disco dance floor for an indoor/outdoor jam in homage to the godfather of house music, Frankie Knuckles. Knuckles passed away in March 2014, leaving a house music legacy like no other; he was credited as being there when the genre first got its name in the '80s, putting the ‘early’ in early Chicago house vibes. To celebrate his life and legacy, Soul of Sydney DJs will be spinning heaps of the disco funk and garage tracks that shaped house music plus — of course — a not-to-be-scoffed-at dose of solid '90s house. The lineup includes Superbreak, Scott Pullen and Phil Toke, and there’ll also be a stepping and house dance showcase. If you haven’t got your tickets yet, get on it. The super-cheap $5 round has sold out, but there a handful of still-pretty-damn-cheap $10 tix left to snap up.
As it continues in a push to produce more inclusive exercise gear, Lululemon has this week launched a new range of workout hijabs across selected international stores. The performance and lifestyle hijabs come in two styles available to buy now across New Zealand and Australia, with a third set to launch later this year. Each hijab is made using the buttery soft, sweat-wicking fabric Lululemon is famous for and offers a series of adjustable fits suited to the gym, a home workout or just those humid days of summer. The pin-free Performance Hijab ($55 AUD/$65 NZD) comes in both black and blue, and features an adjustable drawstring so it stays fitted into place while the user is working out — perfect for runners and HIIT lovers. The more traditional Scarf-Style Hijab ($49 AUD/$55 NZD) comes in soft jersey fabric and can be worn tied, twisted or tucked depending on preference. This one might be more suited to lower intensity styles, like pilates and walks. Lastly, the OTM Pull On Hijab ($49 AUD/$55 NZD) which is set to launch later this year, also has an over the head design and can be worn wrapped around the shoulders or tucked into the front of the shirt. Luluelmon certainly isn't the first activewear company to produce a hijab suited to exercise: Adidas has an option available to purchase online with its famous three stripe logo and Nike also has a monochromatic range. Under Armour also has an option with built-in headphone access. It would be great to see more brands follow suit, including locally made and designed options. The Lululemon performance hijab range launched Monday, June 6 and can be found now in select stores across Australia and New Zealand. For more information, head to the website.
By this point in 2020, you probably feel like you've spent most of your year at home — and either watching or cooking something while you've been there. Thanks to both country-wide stay-at-home requirements and city-specific lockdowns, that's how the past six months have played out. And, as a result, you likely feel as if you've seen every cooking show and made every recipe there is, too. Enter Raph's Mean Cuisine, the YouTube culinary series hosted by Melbourne restaurateur Raph Rashid, who the city's residents will know from Beatbox Kitchen, All Day Donuts and Juanita Peaches. In bite-sized episodes clocking in at under 12 minutes, the show adopts a very nostalgic approach to helping you up your kitchen game — because if there's one thing we're all experiencing this year, it's a yearning for a time before the pandemic. Specifically, Rashid is focusing on 80s cooking classics, with each instalment of his seven-part first season showcasing a dish that's bound to bring back memories. They're simple, easy recipes, too, which you'll be able to recreate at home without any trouble. As Rashid explains, "I just wanted to inspire people to cook in real kitchens, in sharehouses. And I just love cooking with friends. It's kinda what life's all about". Accordingly, he teams up with a different guest in each episode, and together they whip up the cuisine in the spotlight in Rashid's home kitchen. And, as well as recipes, every episode includes tips and hacks as well. On the menu: apricot chicken made with sommelier Matt Skinner, chow mein made with artist Esther Olsson's help and curried sausages with assistance from 1800-Lasagne's Joey Kellock. Six episodes are available at present, also covering Mars bar slice, chicken kievs and tacos, as cooked with florist Hattie Molloy, chef Mike Hoyle and artist Nadia Hernandez. Fancy trying your hand at a lamb roast as well? In the show's finale, that's on offer. Dropping at 6pm on Tuesday, September 8, it'll see Rashid join forces with pro skater Nick Boserio and Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Creative Director Pat Nourse to revive an 80s (and Sunday) staple. Check out Raph's Mean Cuisine's first episode, focusing on apricot chicken, below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVHsUwQAlhk The first six episodes of Raph's Mean Cuisine are available to view on YouTube, with the seventh — the season finale — dropping at 6pm on Tuesday, September 8.
There's no such thing as an ordinary dish to chef Nelly Robinson, namesake of and driving force behind Sydney restaurant NEL, as his degustation menus keep demonstrating. KFC? Lamingtons? French onion soup? Pots of honey? They can all be given a fine-dining twist, and have. And if it can work for Moulin Rouge! and Paddington Bear, it can work for Christmas. Nel is no stranger to Christmas spreads, but it is celebrating 2023's jolliest time of year with a specific range of treats. The new menu takes its cues from the traditional story of Christmas. It's also filled with festive culinary traditions, but not as you know them — from roast spuds to Christmas Day seafood. Nel's chef and namesake Nelly Robinson has found 11 ways to interpret Christmas food staples from around the world while still giving them his usual creative spin. Available from Tuesday, November 14–Saturday, December 23, the Surry Hills institution's new Christmas degustation features a Nel take on seafood blinis featuring crab salad and flowers on mini crumpets, a black charcoal crumbed sausage in the shape of a star that's paired with curry sauce, and a delicate rendition of silly season carbs called Nanna's Potatoes. There are also dishes named after Love Actually, 'O Christmas Tree' and 'Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer' — we can all imagine what that one might be. Rounding out the menu is a reinvention of the traditional Danish Christmas dessert risalamande. In Denmark, a whole almond is often hidden in rice pudding, with anyone who finds it given a prize. In Robinson's version, there's just big flavours instead, with the dessert starring a vanilla rice pudding foam, amaretto ice cream, and an almond, cinnamon and wild rice granola. There are plenty more surprises to be discovered across the 11 courses, plus diners can also opt for a selection of wines meticulously paired with the dishes by the restaurant's head sommelier. Sydneysiders can tuck in for $185 per person, with another $155 each on top for the classic wine pairing or an additional $185 for the premium wine journey. Or, there's a non-alcoholic matching drinks selection for $85 per head. Nel will also be opening for lunch on Saturdays in November, and Friday and Saturdays in December, to give diners extra options. Nel's 2023 Christmas degustation is on offer from Tuesday, November 14–Saturday, December 23 at 75 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney. For more information or to book, head to the Nel website.
Bondi has no shortage of surf schools. The challenge is figuring out which ones are any good. Let's Go Surfing is the only licensed surf school on the beach, with more than 20 years experience behind them. Co-owner Brenda Miley has been surfing for as long as she can stand, and has assembled a killer team of local, national and international surf instructors to take you out on the water. They offers classes for beginners as well as private lessons for those looking to take their surfing to the next level. A two-hour group course costs $99, with prices scaling up from there. If you're really committed, their six-week early morning course costs $279, and should offer you experience in a variety of different conditions. They also have their own shop where you can purchase your own board, wetsuit and surfing accessories. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Sydney is no stranger to a pop-up concert venue. Just this year, gig-goers have been blessed with the introduction of Pleasure Playhouse in Haymarket and Speakers Corner on William Street. These two limited-time spaces brought together rosters of genre-spanning talent for a series of gigs, and this summer, another like-minded venue is springing forth — this time in a nostalgic Martin Place building. The Weary Traveller is taking over the basement of the iconic Harry Seidler mushroom building — also known as the CTA Business Club — between Thursday, January 5 and Sunday, January 29 as part of Sydney Festival. This late-night haunt will bring a 70s lounge bar energy to the longstanding building and play host to 16 shows, each presenting a different boundary-pushing artist spanning the genres of pop, punk, jazz, hip hop, dance and more. On the lineup: always relatable Wergaia and Wemba Wemba singer-songwriter Alice Skye, pop trailblazer June Jones, sax-heavy Sydney punk duo Party Dozen, experimental electronic producer and dance floor favourite Moktar, and rock-reggae icons Coloured Stone. And that's just the start. There will also be two big dance parties curated by Astral People, a performance from Australian voice Tom Snowden, a collaboration between Melbourne hip hop trio Two Birds and Sydney's Bayang (Tha Bushranger), two shows from British grime star Lil Silva, and appearances from Automatic, HTRK and Potion. Adding to the throwback energy of the venue, Sydney Festival has enlisted the help of nostalgic Australiana expert Hawke's Brewery as the official beer of the festival and The Weary Traveller. Tickets range between $29–59 and can be purchased in a multipack. Head to the Sydney Festival website to view the program and nab tickets. [caption id="attachment_884257" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning[/caption] Top image: Jacquie Manning
