Queensland might be home to a gorgeous holiday spot called Rainbow Beach, but patches of sand all along New South Wales are taking on bright hues on Sunday, February 27. Expect to see rainbow-hued clothing and flags, plus fluoro zinc aplenty, all thanks to a one-day Rainbow Beaches celebration. The event comes courtesy of Lifesavers with Pride, who are getting a heap of surf clubs in Sydney and further north — up to Byron Bay, Brunswick and Yamba — decked out to showcase pride and diversity during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. So, if you can't make it to Mardi Gras itself, or you're keen on a dip as well, you can still get into the spirit of the occasion with your next stint of sun, surf and sand. The festivities at each surf club vary — but expect rainbow attire among beach patrollers, nippers and swimming clubs, and on their equipment and sun protection. The 2022 event follows a successful first run in 2021, and will hit up Bronte, Tamarama, Bondi, Cronulla, Maroubra, Dee Why, Bigola, Avalon and Queenscliff in Sydney — as well as Coogee, which is already home to its own rainbow walkway. And, Rainbow Beaches will also take over those aforementioned regional locations if you're either heading north from the NSW capital or south from Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_800676" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Coogee Rainbow Walkway[/caption] "Surf life-saving has evolved to become far more diverse and inclusive since it was formed over 100 years ago to make our beaches safer. The more diverse, inclusive and welcoming we are as a community, the stronger and more effective our movement can be," said LWP's Ivan Power, who developed the Rainbow Beaches initiative with LWP Chair Gary Driscoll. "Surf life-saving clubs are part of communities right around our country whose culture has changed substantially in recent years, reflecting the communities and members they serve. We are so pleased to be working with Mardi Gras to empower our members and clubs to show the progressive and inclusive nature of our communities and our movement," Power continued. Now you know the brightest spots to have a splash on Sunday — and you can take a few cues from the theme yourself by busting out your most colourful rainbow-toned swimmers for the occasion. Rainbow Beaches takes place on Sunday, February 27 from 8am at Bronte, Tamarama, Coogee, Bondi, Cronulla, Maroubra, Dee Why, Bigola, Avalon and Queenscliff in Sydney, as well as in Byron Bay, Brunswick and Yamba. For more information, head to the Lifesavers with Pride website.
No longer must you choose between cocktails and dessert. You can now do both in one fell swoop at Pumphouse. To celebrate the imminent coming of the Easter bunny, the Darling Harbour bar has come up with a new cocktail menu. And every sip is deeply, irresistibly infused with chocolate. Hop straight into the party with a Drunk Bunny — a rich concoction of vodka, Irish cream, chocolate liqueurs and actual cream, topped with a choccy bunny. Need a bit of a kick? Go for the Eggslide, which brings together dark chocolate and coffee. If you're a martini aficionado, you'll be able to knock back the Chocolate Martini or Cottontail Martini, which comes with delicious dashes of coconut rum and coconut cream, plus pineapple juice. All these egg-stra special cocktails are $23 a pop. The only catch is you don't have forever to try them out, as they're only on the menu till the end of April. Bookings can be made here.
The first day of the year, The Domain and Sydneysiders flocking to see live tunes: that's one helluva New Year's tradition. It's also what Field Day serves up every year, and will again to start off 2024. Leading the bill: RÜFÜS DU SOL and Central Cee. The 2023–24 crossover period will be busy for the Sydney fest's two headliners. They're both hitting the Harbour City on Monday, January 1 after also playing Victoria's Beyond The Valley over the Christmas break. On their New South Wales stop, they'll have G Flip and Genesis Owusu for company, plus Romy, Sub Focus, Ross From Friends, Claptone and COBRAH. Yes, it's going to be quite the massive party. For RÜFÜS DU SOL, this is a huge hometown gig. For British rapper Central Cee, everything from 'Doja' and 'Let Go' to 'Sprinter' and 'Obsessed with You' will get a whirl. Combining both local and international names again in 2024 — as was the standard pre-pandemic, and returned in 2023 after an all-Aussie lineup in 2022 — Field Day will also feature Destroy Lonely, LUUDE, Logic1000, Kinder, Dameeeela, Mell Hall and JessB as part of its packed roster. A triple j Unearthed winner is still to join the lineup as well. [caption id="attachment_811734" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Warr[/caption] FIELD DAY 2024 LINEUP: RÜFÜS DU SOL Central Cee Cassian Claptone Cobrah Conducta Destroy Lonely G Flip Genesis Owusu Isoxo Knock2 Logic1000 Luude Mall Grab Notion Riton Romy Ross From Friends (DJ set) Sub Focus (DJ set and ID) Dameeeela Fukhed J-Milla Jessb Kinder Mell Hall Swim Willo Top image: Fifth Legend via Wikimedia Commons
Sydney's humming pop-up culture is breathing new life into our city's arts and nightlife scene. Often focused on showcasing emerging talent in unconventional spaces, the pop-up has evolved into a place for social engagement and a celebration of the 'new'. Beautiful Strange pop-up art bar is Sydney's latest offering, bringing together artists, their art and the essential stable of booze. Brainchild of Jac Taylor, Beautiful Strange is designed to prove that pop-ups have a viable place in enhancing Sydney's cultural landscapes as standalone events. Taylor's vision has been realised with the help of many creative parties. Design and theatre students from Randwick and Enmore TAFEs have collaborated on the bar's interior and exterior and guests should expect a surreal wonderland comprising an indoor light forest, lampshades taking penguins for walks and other out-of-this-world delights. Entertainment will be provided by contemporary performance artists Christopher Hawkins, Matte Rochford and Bella Louche to name but a few who will concoct a lethal mix of circus acts, demonstration art and burlesque. Tipple wise, look forward to an original cocktail list and the prized Alhambra Sour, a combination of sweet, sour and spiced served with a side of Middle Eastern almonds. As far as pop-ups go, we're pretty sure Beautiful Strange is going to be the real deal: art, booze and an evening's good time. Check Beautiful Strange's Facebook page for more details on the venues from September 20.
A brand new restaurant has cropped up in inner west Sydney that looks poised to take the Australian food scene by storm. Nestled in the heart of Camperdown, the menu at The Corner is jam packed with fashionable dining options, from lentil and eggplant salad to roast Moroccan chicken breast, tomato and bocconcini Caprese salad to...Wait a minute, are those McNuggets? Yes, Sydney's hottest new eatery turned out to be a Maccas in disguise. Described by the fast food giant as a 'learning lab', the site will be used to trial a bunch of new menu options, presumably in a bid to combat their flagging sales. Which is all very well and good, but come on. Brioche McMuffins? Pulled pork Quarter Pounders? What kind of twisted bait and switch is the Hamburglar trying to pull? Of course, the reality is that a bit of sneaky rebranding is de rigueur for companies like these. McDonald's isn't the first chain to try and capture a trendier market share, and it certainly won't be the last. Here are four other examples of mass producing omnicorps attempting to cash in on foodie culture. YOUR FAVOURITE CORNER COFFEE JOINT TURNED OUT TO BE A STARBUCKS No self-respecting coffee lover would ever be caught dead in Starbucks. That is, unless they didn’t know it was a Starbucks. In an attempt to raise sales in the wake of the global recession, the massive coffee chain started to revamp a number of its US and European locations in 2010, removing all traces of the company name save for a nauseating caveat that the 'new' stores were 'inspired by Starbucks'. The good news is that Australia's coffee snobbery has already killed close to three quarters of the Starbucks locations down under, so our chances of being hoodwinked are fairly slim. That is, unless they just said they were closing all those stores. Maybe it was just a trick. Maybe they never left at all. BURGER KING TRIED OUT 'SODA PAIRINGS' It's common knowledge that certain wines go better with certain foods. All Burger King tried to do was apply that same basic principal to soft drink in 2014. Taped half-heartedly to the side of a soda fountain, their pairings seem somewhat arbitrary to me, but then again I'm no sommelier. After a hearty Angus Burger and onion rings, who's to say that a 'crisp, clear bodied' Sprite doesn’t sit better on the palate than a Diet Coke? Honestly, this feeble attempt at classing up the joint isn't so much insidious as it is really, really lame. That being said, nothing goes well with Dr. Pepper. YOUR AVERAGE BP SERVO SANDWICH WENT ALL 'ARTISAN' When they're not too busy pumping oil into the ocean, it turns out BP make freshly baked artisan bread. And brew 100 percent organic coffee. And build rescue shelters for injured puppies. Okay fine, so I made up that last one. But the other two are apparently staples of Jack & Co., self-described as "the freshest convenience stores in the world". The original store was fused to a BP service station in 2012, but recent openings in Taree, NSW have evolved into their own faux-gourmet, corporate guilt-alleviating entities. YOUR KFC ZINGER COMBO WILL HAVE CRAFT BEER FOR THE DRINK Face it: if Mickey D is targeting hipsters, this lot were never far behind. Kudos to the Colonel for at least having the giblets to keep the initials — not that KFC actually stands for anything anymore. In any case, Parramattans will soon be able to get beer and cider with their original recipe, when 'KFC Urban' is granted a liquor licence later in 2015. Like McDonald's, KFC has been falling behind in the fast food arms race, losing younger customers to chains like Nandos and Grill’d. Rather than serving up a kale burger, their solution is apparently to just get everybody sloshed. Frankly, I have absolutely no problem with that. Images: The Corner, Fast Company, Imgur, Jack & Co., KFC.
Want to spend your birthday with lions and tigers and bears? (Oh my!) For the second year in a row, the folks at Taronga Zoo have got you covered. In 2016, as part of their centenary celebrations, the zoo offered $1 entry tickets to visitors on their birthday so that they could enjoy their special day with friends on two legs and on four. And being the champs that they are, they're doing the same thing in 2017. "We had so many people choose to celebrate their birthday with us last year that we decided to extend the offer for another year," said Taronga CEO Cameron Kerr. "It's our way of saying thank you to the amazing public that continues to support our wildlife conservation work." Animal lovers can register for a $1 voucher to use on their birthday via the zoo's website. Be warned though: you may be expected to share your cake with the monkeys*. You'll also receive a special birthday badge as a souvenir. Last year, more than 50,000 people registered to spend their anniversary of their birth with the cutest critters imaginable, so regardless of which date you were born on, you'll likely have plenty of human company too. And your dollar entry fee will also give Taronga a gift, with proceeds going towards the not-for-profit zoo's wildlife conservation work to protect 10 critical species from Australia and Sumatra, including the Asian Elephant, the Corroboree Frog and the Pangolin. *just kidding. Please don't feed the monkeys cake. By Tom Clift and Sarah Ward.
A mere 12 months after reopening and wildly impressing us with its fancypants makeover, the over 100-year-old Hotel Palisade is on the market. Boasting some prime real estate in The Rocks, the historic building reopened to a whole lot of buzz late last year, unveiling eight premium hotel rooms, a swanky new ground floor Public House Bar, and rooftop bar, Henry Deane, with its gorgeous interiors and sweeping harbour views. Now, according to The Shout, the plush property's up for sale through JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group, and expected to fetch at least a cool $30 million, with international expressions of interest open until November 30. Word is, Hotel Palisade has been attracting plenty of offshore interest, with the owners already having received a bunch of unsolicited offers for the unique piece of property. Via The Shout.
Forget Ferraris and therapy, SPOD has come up with an unbeatable fix for the good ol' mid-life crisis. Take a 2003 classic (i.e. SPOD opusTaste the Radness), update it with a decade's worth of wisdom and release a brand new incarnation (i.e. Taste The Sadness). That's right, SPOD's getting old. And slightly blue on occasion. And he's not afraid to admit it. Back in the early noughties, he thought that happiness was all about aiming champagne corks at innocent bystanders, tossing streamers around and cranking the odd slow-grind. But the combo just isn't cutting the mustard these days. "I thought I'd update the album, make it a bit classier, say sorry for all the naughty things I've done," he explains in the promo video. Taste the Sadness tells the story of rushing headfirst into the autumn of existence as though you were still a spring chicken, only to dislocate your hip and find yourself in an ultra cosy armchair. From that vantage point, you spend your time telling the world how much better everything was when you were able to enjoy it more. Released on August 22, the album will be officially launched in Sydney on September 19 with a free gig at The Lansdowne Hotel — with dinner included. To attend, RSVP to the Facebook event to be on the guestlist for a special SPOD menu. https://youtube.com/watch?v=z11wwNJ2aRM
Our Melbourne comrades are doing it especially tough right now, currently pushing through the fourth long week of their current stage four lockdown. But if you know a southerner who could use a distraction from their 8pm curfew and five-kilometre travel restrictions, you can now send them a little sweet relief courtesy of Uber Eats. This week, the delivery service is allowing interstate mates to send Victorian friends free dessert or ice cream, via its new #lockdownlove offer. From today, Monday, August 31, to Friday, September 4, you can surprise your Melbourne mate with a free Uber Eats dessert delivery, up to the value of $20 (including delivery fee). There are 1000 of the freebies available each night, starting from 8pm. To share the love, simply plug your friend's address into the app, order from one of their local dessert venues and enter that day's promo code (it's 'mondaylove' for Monday, 'tuesdaylove' for Tuesday and so on). Once you've ordered, you can click 'Share This Delivery' at the top of the app and your pal will be able to track their sweet treat on the move. Brighten their day with some Pidapipo gelato, send some Greek doughnuts from Lukumades, or maybe treat them to a wedge of cheesecake courtesy of the iconic Brunetti. If you're a sweet-toothed Melburnian who could do with some free dessert, we just send this article to an interstate friend — as a very unsubtle hint. [caption id="attachment_687498" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Doughnuts by Shortstop[/caption] Top image: Lukumades
Next time you walk into Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, you can be forgiven for starting to sing Disney songs in your head. Already fond of hosting everything from dining experiences to silent discos beneath its water-filled — but glass-walled — spaces, the venue is embracing a well-known piece of advice: yes darlings, it is better down where it's wetter, especially when you're holding The Little Mermaid-themed cocktail parties. While the Mouse House's beloved animated movie will have popped into your brain right now, of course, Sea Life's shindigs are actually taking their cues from the OG version of the story, aka Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale. On the lineup: three fairytale-inspired cocktails, which you'll be drinking below the surface, as well as a live performance of a modernised take on Andersen's The Little Mermaid. The event kicks off today, Thursday, February 3, and settles in for an eight-week season of nostalgia-dripping sipping and peering at cute aquatic creatures (almost) under the sea. If you're keener than a mermaid who dreams of becoming a human, you can head along every Thursday–Saturday for 90-minute sessions, either from 6–7.30pm or 8.30–10pm each night. Your $55–65 ticket includes one themed cocktail upon arrival; however you can purchase more — plus beer, wine and snacks — if you're eager to keep wetting your whistle while in such gloriously watery surroundings.
As the NSW bushfire tragedy continues, a number of articles have appeared discussing the various ways a home may be fireproofed. There are miraculous treatments such as this fire-retardant gel, but how do you build for the bush? It's certainly possible. Incredibly, in the 1970s Sydney architect Glenn Murcutt designed a house so safe that its owner moved many actual drums of petrol from the garage into it before a bushfire surrounded the property. In the States an extremely old, fire-safe construction method is currently trending: the rural Japanese tradition of shou-sugi-ban. Roughly translated as 'burnt cedar board', shou-sugi-ban supposedly dates back to the 1700s, when it was used primarily to safeguard against fire and to preserve the wood against rot. So how does shou-sugi-ban work? The reasoning goes, if wood has already been charcoaled, it's unlikely to catch fire a second time. Similar in principle to the weathering of steel, where oxidisation creates a protective barrier, wood is first scorched with a controlled method of burning then brushed with a stiff broom to remove excess soot. Next it's washed and dried, and finally treated with an oil like Penofin Verde. It just happens to look fantastic, with many shades and finishes achievable, depending on how long the wood is burned. Usually a paint or a stain is required to darken wood to an attractive chocolate hue with rustic texture, and both methods are subject to fading and degradation. But not shou-sugi-ban. Apart from providing resistance to flames, the charred wood also repels insects and rot. This makes it durable and long-lasting. A standard cedar might decay after five years, whereas the owner of a low-maintenance shou-sugi-ban wall or fence could expect 30 years without decay, which is a pretty dramatic difference. For this reason, as well as its visual attractiveness, lately it's appearing in many restaurants around the Bay Area in California. Companies like Shou-Sugi-Ban in the UK and Delta Millworks in Austin, Texas (a land where it is said that cowboys mingle with punks) have mastered how to artfully scorch reclaimed wood for beautiful and practical built spaces. We hope to see more of it popping up on our shores. Via PSFK
In a stark change from last year, 2021 is shaping up to be quite the magical time for Australian musical theatre fans. The country is finally getting a shot to see Hamilton right now, everyone will be able to swoon over Moulin Rouge! from August and making a date with one of popular culture's most famous masked men, The Phantom of the Opera, is on the cards from September. And, as just announced, Cinderella will be riding a pumpkin carriage into Sydney when November hits, too. First premiering back on Broadway in 2013, this version of the beloved fairy tale features music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, a couple of the best-known names in musical theatre history. The pair actually wrote their songs for a 1957 television production, which starred a pre-Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music Julie Andrews. (If you've seen the 1997 TV movie with Brandy and Whitney Houston — which remade that original small-screen flick — then you've already seen a version based on Rodgers and Hammerstein's original efforts.) Now, the Broadway production is finally making the jump Down Under, debuting locally at Sydney's Capitol Theatre at a yet-to-be-revealed date in November, as presented by Opera Australia and the Gordon Frost Organisation. The two organisations recently teamed up on The King and I, another Rodgers and Hammerstein hit, but this time they're all about glass slippers and masked balls. Whether Cinderella will make its way to other Aussie cities hasn't yet been announced either. Don't expect the exact same story you're used to, though — as you read as a kid, and saw in Disney's classic animated film and its live-action remake. Here, Cinderella is a contemporary figure, but living in a fairytale setting. She's still transformed from a chambermaid into a princess; however, the tale has been given a firmly modern spin. Just who'll be starring in the show when it makes its way to Sydney hasn't yet been revealed, but they'll be working with a production penned by playwright Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, Sister Act) based on Hammerstein's work — which was, of course, adapted from the fairy tale about a young woman dreaming of a better life. The Broadway production was nominated for eight Tony Awards and won one, for Best Costume Design. In the US, Carly Rae Jepsen played Ella for a stint, while The Nanny's Fran Drescher also took on the role of Madame, Ella's stepmother, for a period. If you're wondering how the musical works its magic, check out a clip from the original Broadway show below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypPkiBW1Z4 Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella will hit the stage at the Sydney's Capitol Theatre in November 2021, with exact dates yet to be announced. Tickets will go on sale on April 30, with pre-sales from April 26 — for further details, or to join the waitlist, head to the musical's website. Top image: Original Broadway production of Cinderella by Carol Rosegg.
Everyone has a New York bucket list, filled with must-visit places throughout the busy city. And, we're betting that The Metropolitan Museum of Art features on most of them. Founded in 1870, presenting over 5,000 years of art from around the world and considered one of the top museums in the world, it's a iconic site for many reasons, including the pieces within its walls, its exhibitions and its annual gala. Another reason The Met is a favourite for visitors? For the past 50 years, a pay-as-you-wish scheme operates regarding the entry price. The suggested admission for adults is $25, but walking through the door for free is perfectly acceptable. That'll change on March 1, but it'll only impact folks who aren't New York State residents or students from New Jersey and Connecticut. In short, if you're from anywhere else in the world and you're keen to wander through The Met, you'll now pay the $25 fee. The mandatory full-priced admission tickets will be honoured for three days at the museum's three locations, however, so out-of-towners can make the most of their money. The news comes after The Met welcomed over seven million visitors in 2017, and put on 60 exhibitions. In a statement on the museum's website, Met president Daniel Weiss said the change was needed "in order to sustain its mission for future generations and to remain an accessible source of inspiration to all." It's expected that mandatory admissions will affect around 31 percent of their annual visitors. Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Not once, not twice, but at least 17 times, Robert Pattinson (The Batman) dies in Mickey 17. In the just-dropped full trailer for the new science-fiction film, his character is not too happy about it, either. But when you've signed up to be an 'expendable', as Mickey has in this adaptation of Edward Ashton's book Mickey 7, you've agreed to kick the bucket over and over and over for a living. On the page, the lead character is the seventh version — thank human printing — working as part of an effort to to colonise an ice world and soon finding himself trying to fend off the eighth. Mickey 17 has clearly upped that to the 17th version of its lead character. And, with Korean director Bong Joon-ho writing and directing, making his long-awaited first feature since Parasite, it's leaning heavily on comedy as well. Mickey 17 has been in the works for years, even dropping an initial teaser trailer at the end of 2022. Back then, the flick was targeting a March 2024 release date; however, that changed early this year, with the movie now hitting cinemas in January 2025. Thanks to everything that the last few years have served up, 2019, when the Palme d'Or-, Sydney Film Festival Prize- and Oscar-winning Parasite released, seems like a lifetime ago. So, waiting for anything since that innocent pre-pandemic time feels like waiting forever. But a new Bong movie has always been worth it so far, as his impressive cinematic resume attests. He's also the filmmaker behind stunning crime procedural Memories of Murder, creature feature The Host, dystopian thriller Snowpiercer and the offbeat Okja, after all. Mickey 17 looks set to mark the filmmaker's third movie mostly in English after Snowpiercer and Okja, with Pattinson leading a cast that also includes Steven Yeun (Beef), Naomi Ackie (Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody), Toni Collette (Mafia Mamma) and Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things). Science-fiction fans will spot that the premise alone gives off big Moon, Sunshine and Voyagers vibes — and brings High Life, RPatz's last exceptional sci-fi flick, to mind. That said, Bong isn't a filmmaker to follow in anyone else's footsteps. How he makes this concept his own already looks like a treat to see based on the two sneak peeks so far. Mickey 17 is a return for Pattinson, too, given that he hasn't been seen on-screen since his debut turn as Bruce Wayne — although he could be heard in the English-language version of Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron, adding a movie by another iconic director to his filmography. Check out the full trailer for Mickey 17 below: Mickey 17 releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
If you didn't end April or start May binging Heartstopper, then you probably weren't anywhere near your streaming queue or social media. As charming as romantic comedies, LGBTQIA+-championing tales, British series and coming-of-age stories can get, this webcomic-to-page-to-screen delight dropped all eight of its first-season episodes at once, became an instant Netflix hit and started many an obsession — regardless of whether you currently are or ever have been a queer teen trying to be true to yourself, navigating high school and riding the emotional rollercoaster that is falling in love. The great news: if you haven't seen it already, season one is obviously still there and waiting. The even better news: Netflix has just renewed the series for two more seasons. So, sometime in the future — with no dates given as yet — Heartstopper will be making tickers miss a beat again, and twice, with the graphic novel's author and illustrator Alice Oseman also returning as the show's writer (and creator, obviously). It's easy to see why more Heartstopper is on its way — and not just because its narrative has continued past where season one stopped on both the web and in print. The series hit the Netflix top-ten list in 54 countries, wowed audiences and earned the social-media attention to prove it, and has already made stars out of its delightful cast. ✌️ more seasons of Heartstopper! 🍂🍂https://t.co/u65kBHzJ9p pic.twitter.com/s6NKkU9Hl3 — Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) May 20, 2022 Story-wise, Heartstopper heads to Truham Grammar School, where Charlie Spring (first-timer Joe Locke) is in year ten. He finds himself seated in his form class next to year 11 rugby player Nick Nelson (Kit Connor, Little Joe) at the start of a new term, and sparks fly swiftly and overwhelmingly — at least on Charlie's part — with a crush and then a life-changing love story both blossoming. While director Euros Lyn (Dream Horse) gives Heartstopper's first season a dreamy look and feel — with emotionally astute showers of colour, too — teen romance is always complicated. Actually, teen life in general is. Also popping up here, with their own ups and downs: Charlie's self-hating secret boyfriend Ben Hope (Sebastian Croft, Doom Patrol); his disapproving, high-drama best friend Tao (fellow debutant William Gao); their recently out trans pal Elle (Yasmin Finney); her lesbian school friends Tara (Corinna Brown, Daphne) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell); and the quietly happy-go-lucky Isaac (Tobie Donovan). Oh, and Oscar-winner Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter) as Nick's mum. The end result isn't afraid of teen tropes or rom-com cliches, such as grand gestures in the pouring rain, blissful montages and the stress of text messages — but it also isn't willing to deliver anything other than a thoughtful and tender account of high schoolers being and finding themselves, even amid unavoidable teen angst and taunting. There's currently four volumes, spanning five chapters, of Heartstopper on the page — and a fifth volume set to arrive in February 2023 — so fingers crossed there'll be even more seasons of the Netflix series in our futures. Check out the trailer for Heartstopper season one below: Exactly when Heartstopper will return for season two and three hasn't yet been revealed — we'll update you when dates are announced. The first season of Heartstopper is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. Images: Rob Youngson/Netflix.
Each individual member of How I Met Your Mother seems to do something cool. Jason Segel resurrected the Muppets. Neil Patrick Harris produces interactive theatre and dresses his adorable babies in adorably elaborate Halloween costumes. Alyson Hannigan was Willow freakin' Rosenberg. When you break it down, the omnipresent sitcom might be less than the sum of its parts. Josh Radnor, the personal pronoun of How I Met Your Mother, follows suit by being an indie film writer and director of some repute, having won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for 2010's happythankyoumoreplease. His newbie, Liberal Arts, is about a 35-year-old demi-achiever, Jesse (Radnor), who works a dull job as a university admissions officer and reads dead-tree books constantly, while walking even. When he visits his alma mater to honour his retiring former professor, Peter (Richard Jenkins), Jesse also starts a romance with sparky 19-year-old student Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen). Between her exuberance for new knowledge and the campus's leafy, Midwestern nourishment, he rediscovers some of the wide-eyed optimism of his own college days — and also learns why he can't have them back. Really, you can't blame anyone for falling a bit in love with Olsen. She elevates the whole movie, bringing a flood of beauty and intelligence to a character already written to be quite beautiful and quite intelligent. She's not a manic pixie dream girl, although the film pales from being made in an MPDG world. The story of 'unremarkable pre-middle-aged male seeks shaking up, via female, into remarkable life' is a little tired. Sure, seedy, equivocating men deserve our empathy, but arguably they've already had their time in the sun. We know you shouldn't sleep with the girl; we don't need to see your working out. There are other flaws in the film that follow on from all this obviousness: One character, Dean (John Magaro), a random student among thousands, appears in front of Jesse 'by coincidence' with such frequency he'd have to be a ghost stalking our protagonist (he's not), and his arc becomes too foreseeable. Perhaps Liberal Arts would have meant something more if all these other characters didn't so perfectly serve Jesse. They awaken him, confront him, absolve him, and release him. That said, arts graduates will nod in recognition of post-modern theory references, and Allison Janney fans will delight in her cameo as an ironically hard-hearted Romantics professors. There are several estimable bon mots. Liberal Arts may make a forgettable thesis, but you'd still find a couple of passages within it to highlight.
Let the games begin — again. Following a three-year wait since its award-winning first season, and after teasing the show's 2024 return since January, Squid Game will start playing again on Boxing Day. If you usually spend the day after Christmas shopping, at the cinema or recovering from your food coma by trying to play backyard cricket, you now have other plans if you want to catch the next instalment of the South Korean thriller ASAP. Netflix has not only advised when its huge 2021 hit — one of the best new TV programs of that year, in fact — will finally make a comeback, but has also announced that there's even more in store. After Squid Game season two arrives on Thursday, December 26, 2024, Squid Game season three will drop sometime in 2025. There's no exact date for the latter as yet, but it will be the final season, closing out the Squid Game story. The streaming platform revealed both pieces of news with a date announcement teaser that features a running track, competitors in recognisable green tracksuits, and also-familiar folks in red watching on alongside the masked Front Man — and with a letter from series director, writer and executive producer Hwang Dong-hyuk. "I am beyond excited to be writing this letter to announce the date for season two and share the news of season three, the final season," said Hwang. "Seong Gi-hun, who vowed revenge at the end of season one, returns and joins the game again. Will he succeed in getting his revenge? Front Man doesn't seem to be an easy opponent this time, either. The fierce clash between their two worlds will continue into the series finale with season three, which will be brought to you next year." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix US (@netflix) So, yes, season one's protagonist Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte) is back. So is his nemesis (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven). If you're wondering what else is in store after the hefty gap — Squid Game was such a huge smash in it first season that Netflix confirmed at the beginning of 2022 that more was on the way, and also released a teaser trailer for it the same year, before announcing its new cast members in 2023 — a few further details were dropped earlier in the year. That's when Netflix previously unveiled a brief snippet of Squid Game season two, arriving in a broader trailer for Netflix's slate for the year — as it releases every 12 months. In the footage, Seong Gi-hun answers a phone call while at the airport sporting his newly crimson locks. He's soon told "you're going to regret the choice you've made". Cue his statement of vengeance; Squid Game meets John Wick, anyone? Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) is back as detective Hwang Jun-ho, as is Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) as the man in the suit who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place. A show about a deadly competition that has folks battling for ridiculous riches comes with a hefty bodycount, which means that new faces were always going to be essential in Squid Game season two — so that's where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all come in. If you somehow missed all things Squid Game when it premiered, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. Accordingly, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Here, 456 competitors are selected to work their way through six seemingly easy children's games. They're all given numbers and green tracksuits, they're competing for 45.6 billion won, and it turns out that they've also all made their way to the contest after being singled out for having enormous debts. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. Check out Netflix's season two date announcement clip for Squid Game season below: Squid Game season two will stream via Netflix from Thursday, December 26, 2024. Season three will arrive in 2025 — we'll update you when an exact release date for it is announced. Images: Netflix.
Out in the California High Desert last month, people saw a mysterious apparition: a transparent log cabin named Lucid Stead, the latest installation by artist Phillip K Smith III. At first glance the structure doesn't look real. Is it a mirage, a vision, a portal to another world? The structure's Pre-Romanesque stripes are no hallucination: Smith achieved the optical illusion of transparency by inlaying lengths of mirror between the splintery old wood planks of a 70-year-old homesteader shack in Joshua Tree national park. When the artwork was unveiled, he was surprised by an influx over two days of 400 visitors who'd gotten word of the magical cabin. Search #lucidstead on Instagram and you'll see many photographic perspectives on what they saw. (And riddle me this: how come we can't see any trace of a photographer reflected in these images? Witchcraft.) Like Lucy Humphrey's Horizon in this year's Sculpture by the Sea, here is an artwork that uses its surrounding environment to fill its own canvas, seamlessly melding the natural and manmade. Smith likes to make artworks that appear to breathe and move, blurring the border between geometric rigidity and the organic; he says he is attracted to the idea of "something that you cannot hold on to... That slips between your fingers." As the day progresses, Lucid Stead's appearance changes completely, reflecting the different colours of dawn to dusk. After-hours, it takes on a new role, generating its own light rather than merely reflecting it; the windows become vivid, floating blocks of coloured LED illumination. In the pictures below you'll notice the LEDs brighten the surrounding shrubbery in an unearthly rainbow, not unlike the surrealist nighttime photography of Gregory Crewdson. These colours change, controlled by an Arduino computer system, in a continuous flow that's all part of making the viewer look twice. Smith explains: "The color of the door and window openings are set at a pace of change where one might question whether they are actually changing colors." Check out the video below to see a before-and-after view of the shack, and to hear Lucid Stead's creator talk about his interest in the basic elements of light and change. Images by Stephen King for Royale Projects. Story via Colossal.
There's a long history of animals in art. From long-haired lapdogs to doe-eyed cows, artists use animals as metaphor, scenery or the excuse to show off some flash technique. It's less common to take them part by part, but at Monstrosity Gallery in Woolloomooloo they're doing just that — gathering local Sydney artists together for show on the theme of Fur. While some people get deep into fur, Monstrosity's show remains meaning-agnostic, with an open call for entries letting artists interpret the theme as they will. The results will go on display in the gallery in a group show launching on Wednesday evening. The exhibition ran an open call for entries, but the selection should include the sketch-animating Novocastrian Todd Fuller, the primordial work of Kathy Leung and Yulia Pustoshkina's leering animal world. Also showing will be the day-glo dread of Gerald Leung's work, Puberty Blues star and video artist Nell Schofield and the work of exhibition curator West herself. So while the theme of the show may only be skin deep, the work on show promises to snatch at depths that shaggy follicles don't reach. Fur launches at 6pm Wednesday night. They gallery is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Painted image by Yulia Pustoshkina.
As well as creating some of popular culture's most beloved characters of the past three decades, JK Rowling's Harry Potter franchise has also conjured up a whole heap of astonishing critters. The Boy Who Lived himself studied them at Hogwarts, all thanks to textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them — and, to the joy of Potter-loving muggles everywhere, Rowling turned that tome into an actual text in 2001. Plus, as every Wizarding World fan knows, that book followed the original Harry Potter novels in making the leap from the page to the screen. So far, two movies have hit cinemas, charting the exploits of the text's author Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) just as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) rises to prominence. While neither the first 2016 film nor its 2018 sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald quite live up to the HP movies, three more are still planned from 2021 onwards. Can't wait that long until your next Fantastic Beasts fix? Particularly fond of the creatures that fly, scamper and scurry through the Wizarding World? Then you'll be waving your wands in excitement about the huge new Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature, which'll display items from Rowling's fictional universe alongside real-life creatures, specimens and artefacts. Premiering at London's Natural History Museum sometime this autumn — spring in the northern hemisphere — for a seven-month season before embarking on an international tour, the showcase will combine critters from the natural world, the mythical world and the Wizarding World. Visitors will see legendary beasts placed alongside specimens and historic objects, while also venturing through digital installations and other elements from the Fantastic Beasts flicks. Unsurprisingly, there'll also be a huge focus on Scamander, the Wizarding World's famed magizoologist. [caption id="attachment_757302" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Jeff Spicer[/caption] While the full range of exhibits hasn't been revealed, you can expect to peer at a tiger, a Galápagos marine iguana and a giant oarfish (the planet's longest bony fish) alongside an Erumpent horn and the dragon skull from Professor Lupin's classroom. You'll also be able to compare the camouflage tactics of a jaguar to those of the Demiguise. Here's hoping a super-cute Niffler features in some shape or form, too. Just where Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature will head after its London run hasn't been announced yet either, but start yelling "accio exhibition" while you cross your fingers for a stop Down Under. A collaboration between the Natural History Museum, the BBC and Warner Bros, a Fantastic Beasts documentary is also headed to screens to tie in with the exhibition. Called Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History and presented by Stephen Fry, it'll delve into the origins and stories of mythical creatures and fantastical beasts, examining their history and making connections to animals roaming the planet today. In the UK, it's set to air at a yet-to-be-revealed date later this year — with international airings also yet to be announced. Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature will display at London's Natural History Museum from sometime this autumn — spring in the northern hemisphere — with tickets on sale from Thursday, January 16. Details of the exhibition's international tour are yet to be revealed.
Looking to make the most of your Friday lunch break? Step away from your desk, stretch your legs, and get a little bit jiggy with it, if you please, as The Rocks invites you to The Lunch Set, a series of free live music sessions showcasing Sydney's best up-and-coming talent. While you're at it, you'll be treated to $15 lunch specials from some top-notch Rocks eateries. Head to Aslan Coffee Roasters for a hearty falafel or crispy chicken wrap with chips, or the Four Seasons' On the Go Cafe for a mortadella pizza sandwich layered with stracciatella, pecorino, pistachio pesto and rocket. Ready for afternoon tea already? Hit The Tea Cosy for a picnic pack, which gives you four classic cucumber sandwiches, plus four scones with jam and cream. The Lunch Set is happening in First Fleet Park every Friday from 11.30am-2.30pm until June 27, and there's a different act every week, ranging from acoustic and indie pop to R&B. Catch Lolita M on March 21, Sloan Peterson on March 28, Karim on April 4, and Mikey Harvey and Stephanie Grace on April 11. More acts will be announced soon, so watch this space.
UPDATE March 14, 2017: We'll admit when we're duped. We done got duped. The Frango's Delivery Service Facebook page has revealed their true colours as an unofficial, fake page. Frango's is tragically not offering delivery. Unleash the hounds, we can take it. Have you crossed the city for Frango's? You've crossed the city for Frango's. This Sydney institution's celebrated charcoal Portuguese chicken is the juiciest around and their ever-bustling, no-nonsense stores have one of the biggest cult followings in the city. Their secret sauce haunts our food dreams, and a mere mention of a Frango's chicken burger can trigger unstoppable, ranting praise. Now, to further fuel the mad ravings of Frango's fanatics, they're starting their own delivery service. Seriously. Frango's. Delivered. The first post to the Frango's Delivery Service Facebook page was only two days ago and yet the page already has over 1200 likes. Sydneysiders are losing their collective shit over this news, sharing on social by the handful, and we're right there with them. Delivery will gloriously run seven days a week, but only out of their Petersham shop for the time being. Before you rush to the phone, though, you'll have to wait a little longer to dig in at your desk — delivery services won't start until the beginning of April, so watch this space for the green light. Top image: Emmy Smith. Featured image: @ajsastulanovic via Instagram.
What type of coffee aroma would characterise the feet of your ideal partner? Arabica or Robusta? Single origin or a blend? The Ministry of Supply's new ATLAS socks promise to replace the smell of sticky, sweaty feet with the more alluring scent of roasted beans. They've been made possible by a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, which raised a whopping US$200,000, not only through their novel appeal but also through a reward of two pairs of socks for every $28 pledged. The Ministry of Supply team developed the technology through a deep and prolonged study of the human foot. First, they figured out which areas are most liable to the reception of pressure, and therefore to the production of sweat and heat. Then they designed an accordingly padded and ventilated sock, using wicking to maximise aeration potential. The coffee, collected from various cafes and eateries, is infused into the material. Its job is to draw in and capture the nasty molecules that create antisocial smells. Voila, feet so sweet you can leave your socks on for a week. Well, that's the story according to Forbes writer Natalie Robehmed, who claims she wore a pair for five days straight without frightening anyone away. [via Springwise]
Christmas is almost upon us, and if you're not sure how best to celebrate this year, fear not. We've got you covered with a few drink recipes to add a little extra cheer to your Christmas festivities. Whether it's bubbles, whisky or fine wine, we've teamed up with our friends over at Pernod Ricard, purveyors of celebratory drinks like Mumm, Chivas, St Hugo and Jacob's Creek, to bring you five drink recipes guaranteed to make your silly season all the merrier this year. Whether you're a Champagne sipper or whisky swirler, put these tipples on your menu this festive season. [caption id="attachment_586726" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Steven Woodburn.[/caption] MUMM 75 A delicate, well-balanced drink, the Mumm 75 is sophisticated but accessible — perfect for impressing (and easily whipping up) for a casual barbecue or sunny garden party. — 15ml Beefeater Gin — 15ml elderflower liqueur — 15ml lemon juice — 80ml of Mumm Champagne Add everything but the Champagne to your cocktail shaker, shake vigorously and double strain into a coupe glass. Top up the glass with Mumm and serve garnished with a thin slice of lemon. ST HUGO CABERNET SAUVIGNON This bold cab sav is an excellent red to add to your holiday dining table this year. Truly indicative of the Coonawarra region, this wine offers a rich bouquet of fruity aromas — think blackberries, dark cherries and a hint of star anise. These aromas give way to a full body, showcasing oaky, vanilla notes with a touch of roasted chestnut. The finish is rich in tannins with a faint, delicate acid line to balance it out. It's the perfect accompaniment to a roast Christmas lunch. The versatility of the wine also makes it a great gift, and with a personalised gift wrapper and calligrapher at selected Dan Murphy's stores, you can easily grab a special bottle or two for the epicure in your life while shopping for the rest of the Christmas meal. CHIVAS REGAL 18-YEAR-OLD SOUR This is already a fine, rich drop of expertly blended whisky, with a velvet, smooth profile featuring notes of dark chocolate, toffee and hints of dried fruit. It's also a top-notch base for a whisky sour. — 2 parts Chivas 18-Year-Old — 1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice — 1 part sugar syrup — 1 egg white First add the Chivas to your shaker, then add the lemon juice and sugar syrup, and shake. Next, add the egg white and shake to emulsify. Add ice and shake vigorously again; double strain over ice and garnish with a maraschino cherry and slice of orange. Add a dash of bitters to top it off. LE PETIT ROSÉ FROSÉ What's become the drink of the summer (perhaps after the spritz — more on that below), frosé is dead easy to make —and with the bright, fresh berry and mild citrus notes of Jacob's Creek Le Petit Rosé, you have the perfect wine to use as the base for this summer sipper. — 90ml Jacob's Creek Le Petit Rosé — 30ml Absolut vodka — a splash of grenadine — 3 cups of ice Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender, and blend on high to achieve a smooth consistency. Garnish with a strawberry or a scattering of edible flowers for total summer vibes. JACOB'S CREEK PROSECCO SPRITZ The prosecco spritz is an ideal drop for an Aussie Christmas — or really any summer's day. Light bodied, but full of flavour, this refreshing drink is sure to be a hit with wine lovers, cocktail drinkers and hosts who don't have time to mix up spritzes for the group. The fresh, bone-dry base of Jacob's Creek prosecco is blended with bitter orange notes and gives way to a clean fruity flavour. Best served over ice with a generous slice of blood orange to heighten the citrus notes and herbaceous aromas, the drink makes a great aperitif or accompaniment to any summer seafood dish. Start planning your festive menus — Christmas will be here before you know it. Purchase any two eligible Pernod products from a Cellarbrations, The Bottle O, IGA Liquor or Big Bargain Bottleshop, and go in the draw to win a $500 travel voucher. There's one voucher to win every day till Christmas. And really, what could be better for the holiday spirit than winning an actual holiday?
If you think that TED is thought provoking and intellectual yet on the whole not funny enough, Sydney Festival has taken it upon itself to broaden the appeal. Mixing comedy with academic explanation might seem like an idea best approached with some soothing booze, but the inaugural round of Bright Club has that angle covered too. Not unlike Cafe Scientifique, it mixes a good idea and a good drink while eager academics bring their ideas to the stage in eight minutes of entertainment and comedy. The Festival’s Club is divided into three consecutive themed late Wednesday nights from 11.30pm. The first focusing on Testosterone, the second Sex and a third escaping the human body into Earth, Sea and Sky. Joining Sydney University thinkers and researchers in the woody confines of the Famous Spegieltent will be more orthodox comedians, performers and host James O'Loghlin — whose twin holds on science and comedy should be enough to keep the pace from dragging. If you like your ideas entertaining, challenging and short, Bright Club's intellectual pugilism is probably just the British import you were waiting for. Image by Joi Ito.
Heiner Goebbels is the celebrity of the 2013 Sydney Festival, as far as the experimental performance nerds are concerned. But the director and composer's esoteric-sounding works can be relied on to hit a nerve no matter whether you've done the background reading. Eraritjaritjaka, which means "regret for lost things' in the Indigenous Australian Arunta language, features the unflinching texts of Nobel Laureate Elias Canetti, live music by Amsterdam's Mondriaan String Quartet, an actor who takes the whole audience with him when he leaves the stage, and a lesson on how to chop an onion in perfect time with the music of Ravel. The expansive multimedia performance has toured the world since 2004 and now makes its exclusive Australian appearance at the Theatre Royal. Read our list of the 12 best things to see at the Sydney Festival in 2013.
First came Princess Diana, then Elvis, then Marilyn Monroe. That's not how it happened in reality, of course, but it's how 2022's big biopics are shaping up Down Under. This year has already seen both Spencer and Elvis sashay onto local screens — and, because star-studded movies about stars are a film buff's best friend, or so studios seem to think, Netflix's Blonde will follow come September. Here's hoping that the long-awaited feature — which started shooting back in 2019, but was delayed due to the pandemic — completes a trifecta of excellent recent films about icons, too. It has just as wild, chaotic and tragic a story to tell, and someone just as famous at its centre. This take on Monroe's life is based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates, so it'll spin a piece of biographical fiction; however, looking at the just-dropped full Blonde trailer, there's plenty that sticks with the facts in the movie's frames. Dresses, moments, that titular hair, the husbands, the fame, the scrutiny: they're all a part of this haunting sneak peek at the film, which sees Ana de Armas hopping from Knives Out, No Time to Die and The Gray Man into her biggest role yet. The trailer features her voiceover throughout, explaining the toll that all that success had. "I can't face doing another scene with Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn doesn't exist. When I come out of my dressing room, I'm Norma Jeane," she says. "Marilyn Monroe only exists on the screen," she continues — and that's clearly set to be a constant point throughout the movie. Blonde will peer back at the days when she was only known as Norma Jeane, explore her rise to stardom, and look at her romances as well, all to unpack the gap between who she was in private and the persona that the public demanded. Blonde hits Netflix on Wednesday, September 28, with Australian filmmaker Andrew Dominik both writing and directing, and the cast also featuring Bobby Cannavale (Nine Perfect Strangers), Adrien Brody (Succession), Julianne Nicholson (Mare of Easttown), Xavier Samuel (Elvis) and Evan Williams (Westworld). Of course, de Armas isn't the first actor to step into the icon's shoes — and twirling frocks and diamonds, too — or to do so in an adaptation of Oates' book. Aussie actor Poppy Montgomery (Christmas on the Farm) did the same back in 2001, in a made-for-TV version also called Blonde. Elsewhere, Michelle Williams (Venom: Let There Be Carnage) did the honours in the unrelated 2011 movie My Week with Marilyn, and earned an Oscar nomination in the process, while Mira Sorvino (Shining Vale) and Ashley Judd (Berlin Station) shared the part — one as Marilyn, the other as Norma — in 1996 TV effort Norma Jean & Marilyn. Check out the trailer for Blonde below: Blonde will be available to stream via Netflix Down Under on Wednesday, September 28. Images: 2022 © Netflix.
Here's your chance to meet the man who burned a million pounds. Back in 1994, as one-half of the K Foundation, Bill Drummond met with co-performer Jimmy Cauty in an abandoned boathouse on the Isle of Jura, Scotland, where the two of them set fire to most of the money they'd earned as The KLF, an acid house band that ruled the early '90s. These days, Drummond makes art under the name Penkiln Burn. His recent escapades have involved making and giving away flowers, beds and cakes. Right now, though, he's on a world tour, which began with daffodils beneath Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham in March 2014 and will finish there — but not until April 2025. Along the way, he's exhibiting his show The 25 Paintings in 12 cities in 12 various nations. The University of Northampton is so impressed they've given him an honorary Master of Arts degree. As part of Modulations, Drummond will make an exclusive appearance at Carriageworks on Saturday, June 6, at 6pm to discuss his art.
The latest addition to the ‘rom-con’ genre by writer/director duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid Love), Focus is a surprisingly enjoyable film in spite of its flaws. With the audience guided early on by the Grifter’s Mantra — "Never break focus. Die with the lie." — it’s one where you’re persistently trying to anticipate the next twist and deconstruct every line to reveal its true meaning, only to find yourself constantly (and refreshingly) wrong. Fronting the film is Will Smith in a role that at last plays to his strengths of charm and wit rather than the physical kind (like so many of his recent, ill-conceived outings). Smith plays Nicky, a lifelong conman at the top of his game who one night finds himself the target of the aspiring but guileless gonif Jess (Margot Robbie). Sensing her potential, however, Nicky shows Jess the ropes and invites her to join his crew in New Orleans as they take on the unsuspecting hordes during Superbowl week. From then on, Focus buffets you with twists, deceptions and double-crosses with such marked regularity that you’re never quite sure where you stand. Key to its appeal is the chemistry between Smith and Robbie, simmering deliciously back and forth between master and apprentice, lover and temptress. Robbie’s sex appeal is undeniable, but here — unlike in The Wolf of Wall Street — it’s treated as a playful trait rather than her raison d’etre, even going so far as to make her character spectacularly bad at the art of seduction. It’s a refreshing angle and one that allows Robbie to showcase her genuine acting chops. Solid performances from Smith and Robbie notwithstanding, it’s the secondary characters, however, who ultimately prove the scene stealers (or should that be grifters?). Rodrigo Santoro (Love Actually) makes for a convincing billionaire playboy come Formula 1 team owner, BD Wong is almost unrecognisable as a cashed-up gambler with a near-sexual response to wagers, and Adrian Martinez delivers a laugh a line as Smith’s long-time accomplice ‘Farhad'. The highlight, though, is Gerald McRaney (House of Cards) in a role that very much channels his iconic Major Dad character from the early '90s. Playing Santoro's interminably suspicious bodyguard, he at one point delivers a sublime rant on today’s youth, covering off everything from lazy Sundays to panini and — best of all — “Sarcasm: another pillar of your generation. If you don’t like somebody’s jacket, don’t say ‘Hey nice jacket’, say ‘Fuck off’”. Overall, Focus might not match the sophistication of Ocean’s Eleven or the passion of The Thomas Crown Affair, but it’s an enjoyable enough distraction whose only real major letdown is an unnecessarily twisty ending.
Only one show on TV starts in a haunted house, then jumps to an asylum for the criminally insane, then follows a coven of descendants of the Salem witch trials. And, from there, it also steps inside a travelling freak show, explores the twisted history of an LA hotel, gets caught up in a small-town cult, sees the Antichrist unleash the apocalypse and sets a serial killer upon an 80s-era summer camp as well. That series: American Horror Story. Every season, it tells a different story, anthology-style. The creepy details change, as do the narratives and characters, but the eeriness remains. Also staying the same: many of the faces seen in American Horror Story's tales, including Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy, Kathy Bates, Jessica Lange, Emma Roberts and Lady Gaga. The show is the brainchild of writer/producer/director Ryan Murphy (Glee, Pose) and, yes, it definitely takes audiences on a wild ride each and every season.
Described as a 'modern cowboy of the creative revolution', Mr Lentz creates objects and fashion accessories from wood and upcycled materials, which he finds in junk yards. 'My aim has always been to find beauty and share it with others,' he explains on his site. Mr Lentz works with leather, and dabbles in photography, but his current project is the creation of rings, necklaces and brass knuckles made of wood and grass. Fashioned from sustainably harvested walnut, each ring plays host to a live micro-environment - a teeny tiny patch of growing grass or moss. For those who don't go for green, Mr Lentz has created a limited edition series of brass knuckles made from deer antlers. According to his site, 'they're a force to be reckoned with', designed 'for the rebel livin' life on the edge'. The antler tips are gathered from the forest floor, after the deer have gone through their annual shedding process. Mr Lentz says that he decided to make environmentally-inspired jewellery after a solitary walk through a foggy, overgrown redwood forest. 'This walk lasted days, meandering through river valleys and steep, dense hillside. The redwood forest did not once fail to impress and inspire me, and so what once was a trail of footsteps is now a journey into the handmade world of eco-friendly and sustainable jewellery'. [via Inhabitat]
Stanley Street's about to get pretty Pacific Northwestern; IconPark has announced their next pop-up residency. Revealed today, the Darlinghurst space will play host to dream team collaboration Rupert & Ruby from August 25. Bringing together Fat Rupert's Eli Challenger and Aaron Pearce and IconPark favourites Ruby's BBQ, this collaboration marks the second pop-up for the Stanley Street space, following Matt Stone, Bobby Carey and Jeremy Spencer's celebrated Stanley Street Merchants — finishing up this Saturday, August 9. Launched in this year as a top notch crowdfunding experiment, IconPark was launched to showcase Australia's top hospitality goalkickers — basically providing a space to let kickass collaborations come up with something super special (and temporary). Identifying various teams from their first season of successes, the brisket-loving Ruby's BBQ was invited to curate the second residency for IconPark's second Stanley Street pop-up. "The Ruby’s BBQ concept was so popular at the Taste of Sydney festival, we just had to give these talented and passionate people an opportunity. They will bring a new dimension to the Stanley St location," says IconPark co-founder Dean McEvoy. Fingers crossed for the offensively high-fiveable bourbon iced teas they cranked out at Taste. Opening late August, the Darlinghurst space will see Bondi's beloved Fat Rupert's team up with braised goodness of Ruby's BBQ (again — the two have paired up for residencies together in the past). Expect modern twists on the flavours of modern Australian-meets-traditional American food — revamped egg dishes, fried chicken and waffles, and the go-to Rupert's menu of addictive burgers. FR's award-winning Yeezy Sliders have been realised in full form as the Big Poppa, with the Bondi Babe and Notorious K.F.C little'uns getting the Rick Moranis treatment as well. But good ol' greens aren't left out of this, with Eli Challenger's signature salads and vegetable dishes joining the ranks at Rupert & Ruby. Canadian-born and Porteno-trained, Challenger is one of Sydney's best culinary assets; taking out the coveted 2014 People's Choice Award at Taste of Sydney. "Eli is such an exciting young culinary talent, the festival goers at Taste of Sydney recognised the passion he and his team put into their work. IconPark trusts in the ‘crowd’ of diners in cities to identify brilliant talent," says Paul Schell, IconPark co-founder. Will & Co will crank out coffee at the all-day eatery, a genuine treat for inner-city coffee aficionados who haven't found the lads on Bondi's Hall Street yet. With Stanley Street Merchants closing up this Saturday, August 9, the highly successful St Ali coffee operations will hang around and continue serving their applaudable coffee until Rupert & Ruby open their doors on August 25. Rupert & Ruby will open at IconPark, 78 Stanley St Darlinghurst on August 25 and reside until the end of 2014. Bookings are now open here. Look out for season three of IconPark, with new IconPark crowdfunding locations set to be launched around the city.
The freshly prettified Prince Alfred Park will welcome the Surry Hills Festival home this year, along with a killer program of musicians, art installations, pop-up bars, the ever-integral Surry Hills Dog Show and a cool new Sustainability Hub showcasing fresh ways to live green. Food, arts and dog-related details will be announced as Saturday 27 October draws closer, but for now you can get excited about the musical line-up released this morning. And with the festival set to draw culture-hungry folks from far beyond the 2010 postcode to the sprawling grounds there really is something for everyone. This year will see artists playing across two separate stages and a cozy Chai Temple. On the main stage headliners Tijuana Cartel will be emitting the rhythmic electro-reggae beats along with their new single “Snappy Tom” (a Surry Hills exclusive), and plenty of great preceding acts will provide a satisfying progression of sonic accompaniments for everything from single-origin lattes to craft amber ales. Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire!, True Vibenation, The Liberators and Nantes will be among those setting the cogs in motion. When the sun goes down and the kids go home the Purple Sneakers, Softwar and Slow Blow DJs will be spinning vinyls with Canyons and Alison Wonderland, and the aforementioned Chai Temple will provide acoustic repose and pillows for those less disco-inclined. Full music line-up is: Tijuana Cartel Alison Wonderland Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! The Tongue Canyons (DJ Set) Nantes Purple Sneakers DJs The Liberators Softwar SOSUEME DJs Mojo Juju Slow Blow True Vibenation Rhythm Section Showcase Steve Smyth Keyim Ba Madhu The Surry Hills Festival 2012 will take place on Saturday, 27 October in Prince Albert Park (cnr Chalmers & Cleveland Streets) from 9.30am
There's a familiar sound, but unfamiliar words. Photographer Matthew Niederhauser had given up on the local Beijing rock scene until a night at a uni bar in 2007 changed his mind. Captivated by the new music on show, he started documenting China's capital's emerging music scene against a distinctive red background. The new authority-agnostic sounds he heard have since had their images compiled into the book Sound Kapital: Beijing's Music Underground. To offer some louder Chinese New Year sounds than Sydney's usually accustomed to, Carriageworks is bringing us this taste of sweaty, Sino-rock in a night of music at Sound Kapital. Niederhaurser himself will launch the pre-show with a free 6pm talk before the headliners get on stage to educate your ears. The bands will stand safe in a projected blanket of Niederhauser's photos of Beijing's underground, the evening's line up featuring Sex Bob-omb-like AV Okubo, the mellow abstraction of Xiao He and Helen Feng 's poppy, solo facet, Nova Heart. Loud, yes. But a great way ease yourself into with this year's dalliance with the dragon. For a chance to win one of ten double passes to Sound Kapital, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au by noon on Thursday, February 2. Image: Nova Heart.
Is there such a thing as blockbuster fatigue? Two big shows in Sydney are offering you a way to find out, filling local arts institutions with lines, crowds and the suggestion that this chance to get close to the artefacts is really a once-in-a-lifetime. One features Picasso, the other Harry Potter. Potter may not claim quite the masterpiece status of his cubist forebear, but underlying the saga are some pretty strong ideas. Author of the novels, J.K. Rowling, sculpted Dumbledore from her luminous classics professor TP Wiseman and dropped in strong human rights ideas from her time with Amnesty UK. And the films had a lot of the fire, if less of the humour, from the original novels, with a big chunk coming to Sydney for Harry Potter: The Exhibition. The exhibition showcases props from the films on its only Australian stop, including Dumbledore's wand, plus Harry's and Voldemort's paired pieces. But there's also room to wander around in recreations of the movies' sets, set a hand to mandrake gardening, and get close to some aspects of that reassuringly dangerous sport quidditch. Image by Bill Hails.
When a big musical hits Australia, there are often two reasons to get excited: the fact that a new stage show is heading Down Under, and possibly getting to see it without breaking the bank. That budget-friendly option frequently comes courtesy of TodayTix, which loves slinging cheap seats via a ticket lottery. And, as has happened with Hamilton, Moulin Rouge! and Mary Poppins, it's rolling one out for Tina — The Tina Turner Musical. This is simply your best chance to see the show for less than the price of a dinner, with tickets costing just $35. To take part in the lottery, you will need to download the TodayTix app — which is available for iOS and Android — and submit your entry each week for the next week's performances. The lottery will go live at 12.01am every Friday morning, and is already up and running for its first week. Then, the winners are drawn after 1pm on the following Thursday. If your name is selected, you'll have an hour to claim your tickets from when you receive the good news. If you need a reminder, you can also sign up for lottery alerts via TodayTix, too. After premiering in London back in 2018, this stage ode to the music icon that's had Aussies dancing to 'Nutbush City Limits' for decades is making its way to Sydney from Thursday, May 4. No, it isn't taking to the stage in a church house, gin house, school house or outhouse — or on highway number 19, either. But Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will obviously have Theatre Royal Sydney enjoying Turner's greatest hits in one massive show. The list of musical numbers includes 'Nutbush City Limits', naturally, as well as everything from 'River Deep, Mountain High' and 'Proud Mary' through to 'Private Dancer' and 'What's Love Got to Do with It?'. Tina — The Tina Turner Musical makes its trip Down Under courtesy of TEG DAINTY, Stage Entertainment and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner herself. Announcing the news, the singer said that "Australia has always shared abundant love with me, going back to my early concerts in the late 70s through the uplifting partnership with the National Rugby League. It is very special for me that we will be reunited." "The joy, passion and message of resilience in my musical is so important now as ever. Thank you from the bottom my heart for welcoming me with open arms once again," Turner continued. Penned by Tony Award-nominee and Pulitzer Prize-winner Katori Hall, plus Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, and directed by fellow Tony-nominee Phyllida Lloyd, Tina — The Tina Turner Musical clearly has quite the story to tell. The show steps through Turner's life and fame, including growing up in Nutbush, Tennessee, the hard work that led to her career, all of those aforementioned hits, her 12 Grammy Awards, her volatile time with Ike Turner and her huge solo success. There's no word yet as to whether Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will head to other Australian cities, but cross your fingers while you're doing the Nutbush, obviously. Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will open its Australian-premiere season at Theatre Royal Sydney from Thursday, May 4. To enter the TodayTix $35 lottery, download the company's iOS or Android app, and head to the company's website for more information — and to set up an alert. Images: Manuel Harlan.
At the moment of writing, the world holds its breath on the edge of financial ruin. At the centre of the storm is Italy's Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, whose attempts at financial governance have been mired by his scandals, many of which seem to involve him with much, much younger women. It makes for a strange time to be watching Ages of Love, an Italian comedy about older men falling in love with women twenty years their junior. Third in the Manual of Love series, these three short films get linked by a common block of apartments, progressive epochs of 'youth', 'adulthood' and 'beyond' and a Cupid (Emanuele Propizio) wielding a steel hunting-bow. The young Roberto (Riccardo Scamarcio) chooses between a commitment-free lover and his wife-to-be Sara (Valeria Solarino), vain newscaster Favio (Carlo Verdone) finds his undoing in a surprise fling with admirer Eliana (Donatella Finoochiaro), while the recipient of a heart transplant (Robert De Niro) encounters a lover for his autumn years in appealing, Bronx-tinted Italian. De Niro's turn as the older Adrian proves to be one of the highlights of the film, as he performs a short strip tease for his lover Viola (Monica Bellucci). Wrinkled and sinewy, the scene allows him to be old without being decrepit. Cupping his hands over his bare heart scars as though they were a kind of nakedness, he is vulnerable and clumsy. But the film is seriously short on women's perspectives. A problem, as each of the women get dealt the stronger parts in the stories. Sara takes some time to ponder her upcoming wedding, Eliana deals with mental illness while loving the wrong man and Viola, living a lie, finds unexpected gentleness with De Niro. Told instead by the men, the stories lose a lot of their power, leaving as ordinary what could have been far more compelling moments of modern Italian love.
This article is part of our series on the 17 most unique things to have come out of Japan. Check out the other 16. Australia sure could take a leaf out of Japan’s book on the parking front. As we circle around the inner city, seeking out a spot that lasts more than an hour but costs less than $40, Japanese drivers simply drive onto a platform, jump out and watch their car disappear into an enormous garage. Japan is home to some of the most sophisticated, space-smart and convenient parking on the planet. Their automated garages are structured like multi-storey car parks, in the sense that they provide space for hundreds of cars stacked vertically. But the difference is that, instead of driving in (and round and round), you deposit your car at the entrance and then leave it to be parked automatically. The beauty of this system is that no space is wasted. There’s no need for ramps, lanes, walkways and staircases, and ceiling height is kept to a minimum. And it’s not just cars getting such good facilities. Bicycles have their own automated parking, too, with some big enough to hold as many 6,000. To access the parking regularly, bike owners must register and pay $24 per month. It’s a pretty small price for not having to worry about the hassle of finding a spot or guarding against theft.
Uber is expanding its services in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, with new high-end and cost-effective ride options. Launched June 1, the new uberXL service is targeted at groups of up to six people. When requested, users will be picked up in an SUV or van, such as a Toyota Highlander, a Ford Explorer or a Nissan Quest. Alternatively, if you're looking for something a little bit swankier — but aren't keen to break the bank on uberBLACK — you can now order uberSELECT and connect with a driver in an upscale vehicle like an Audi A3, a BMW 3 series or a Lexus RX. Both uberXL and uberSELECT will be charged at 1.5x the cost of an uberX — although especially in the case of the uberXL, that's still a damn sight cheaper than you and your mates ordering two separate cars. In less exciting news, the ridesharing service is introducing a flat 55c booking fee on all rides, and is also raising the minimum fare rate in Sydney ($8 to $9) Melbourne ($6 to $7.50) and Brisbane ($6 to $7.50). "Following our recent roundtable listening discussions with driver-partners, we heard that an important improvement Uber could make to the driving experience would be increasing the minimum fare," said an Uber spokesperson. The booking fee, meanwhile, will be used to assist with "the operational costs associated with providing a ridesharing service."
Baz Luhrmann, the internet's current poster boy for excess and anal-retentiveness, thinks so. It came as no surprise to the millions of die-hard Gatsby fans that the bloke who made Moulin Rouge! (and oh did that film earn it's exclamation mark) and this scene was going to make something bordering on the bombastic and the flamboyantly camp. And with the film already finding itself in the firing line for its "flimsy phantasmagoria" and resemblance to a "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as staged by Liberace", it seems fair to say that The Great Gatsbywill fit like a glove within Luhrmann's filmography. Yet for a man that seems to have spent his career baulking at the notion of "subtlety", Luhrmann is capable of some surprising poignancy. Take for instance this little gem taken straight from the horse's mouth, about his decision to employ walking billboard and hip hop demigod Jay-Z as his soundtrack producer: "In our age, the energy of jazz is caught in the energy of hip hop." In vintage Luhrmann style, Baz has taken this assumption to its most extreme realisation, with a soundtrack that includes the likes of Fergie, Andre 3000, Nero and (cue the sounds of a thousand sinking hearts) will.i.am. But is Luhrmann onto something here? Is hip-hop the 21st Century equivalent of jazz music? In a recent Flavorwire article, Tom Hawking answered this question with a resounding 'oh hell yeah'. He argued that regardless of what you may think of the quality of the film's music, the soundtrack manages to encapsulate what an extravagant Gatsby party might actually feel like if it was thrown today — completely overblown, obsessed with its own sense of retro-ness and filled with the sort of mega-sized beats that are sure to get any self-respecting 19-year-old gyrating. There are some other obvious parallels between F. Scott Fitzgerald's jazz age and Luhrmann's hip-hop generation. Most notably, both these musical styles are deeply rooted in black culture and history, originating in the clubs, ghettoes and basements of Harlem and the Bronx. Yet from these humble beginnings, both jazz and hip hop have suffered a similar process of bastardisation, transforming from black cultural icons, into packageable, mass-producible commodities that rich white folk can consume. And it is here that Luhrmann might be right on the money. Not only has Luhrmann's soundtrack got all the hallmarks of a cashed-up, Long Island party but it has all the vapidity and disposability of such a party as well. Take for instance Beyonce and Andre 3000's aping of Amy Winehouse's darkly melancholic 'Back to Black' into an overproduced mess of showy vocals and grizzly bass lines. In this song alone we have both the success and failure of the soundtrack all contained in one. While the song is initially gratifying, it is ultimately empty and insubstantial. And this is exactly what Gatsby taught us about the opulence and decadence of the jazz age. It was beautiful and incredibly intriguing but ultimately fleeting and meaningless. The perfect analogy for what Fitzgerald saw as the great American lie: the American Dream. As such, The Great Gatsby soundtrack is big, it's bold and it's infrequently magnificent (Jack White's cover of U2's 'Love Is Blindness' manages to grip at your nerve ends and give them a toe-curling squeeze) but just as often it is just plain dumb. So in answer to our original question, is hip hop the 21st-century equivalent to jazz music? Yeah, Jay-Z may be the closest thing we have to a modern-day Jay Gatsby, but in a much darker vein perhaps it is the decline of these genres from cultural icons to products of a commercialised and materialistic society that makes them so alike. How very Gatsby that is. https://youtube.com/watch?v=5snA5TEse9w
Ever wish your sneakers smelt more like roses after a long sweaty run? Le Coq Sportif aren't making any technology-defying promises, but they have certainly been inspired by the classic perennial in their new, limited-edition running shoe, the Eclat Rose EXD. It's the tenth anniversary of Barcelona's sneaker store Limiteditions and to celebrate, the French sports style experts at Le Coq Sportif decided it was time to revitalise the original 1985 Eclat classic with a Barcelonian motif. Complementing rich red and pink hues with woody greens and browns, the Eclat Rose EXD is indeed reminiscent of a rose, symbolising the city of Barcelona. Made from waterproof nubuck, it has a quick lacing system, supportive sole bands and comfy freeform insoles. This unique design is only available locally at Up There in Melbourne and Highs and Lows in Perth. But thanks to Le Coq Sportif, we have two pairs of the limited edition Eclat Rose EXD (retail price is $159.95) to give away — one size 43 and one size 45. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and email us with your name, address and preferred size. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
There's plenty of food at Bondi Feast, but it's not the main course. The Rock Surfers Theatre Company's annual festival serves up offbeat performances, comedy and writerly projects from some of our favourite creative Sydneysiders, all backed up by a rotating cast of food vendors in the Bondi Pavilion's Festival Bar. With tickets to shows starting at $10, consider it a tapas of ideas, hilarity, provocation and feels. The shows here have fronted up ready to compete for our very limited attention spans on title alone. There's My Struggle: The Life and Times of an Individ (in a World Full of Hipsters), This Is My Box, Awkward Conversations with Animals I've Fucked, Jack Kerouac's Rules for Spontaneous Prose, Destroyer of Worlds and Josipa Draisma is Jean Claude Van Damme. The synopsis for (Melbourne Fringe Festival and Green Room Award winner) Tim Spencer's Sweet Sweet Merch reads simply, "Shock hot super cool amazing unbelievable award winning prizes escalation fireworks blow by blow action responsive titivating nudity live girls progressive mind bending altering adulterating celebrity scandal high quality mindfulness organic all natural beatific excellence quality service customer care highlights moisturising elevating prosthetic cyborg money back guarantee*". What more could you ask for? But there's a lot of substance to these dishes. With acts pulled together by festival director and regular indie theatre conduit Phil Spencer, Bondi Feast is a showcase of the east coast's best fringe or up-and-coming performers and writers. "Bondi Feast 2014 is packed full of action with guided meditations, dance classes, open auditions, 24 hour playwright parties, scratch nights, hot soup and bags of new works," says Spencer. Included on the bill is Eddie Sharp (Erotic Fan Fiction), Genevieve Fricker (TV's The Roast), Vanessa Bates (Every Second), Jessica Bellamy (Shabbat Dinner), Caleb Lewis (Death in Bownegabbie), Daniel Townes and Hannah Malarski (Bushpig). For the duration of the fest, the Bondi Pav will kitted out as a North American roadside diner, featuring designer Gemma O'Nions' "bespoke truckie cab shrines". A different food truck or local business takes over the kitchen each night (in previous years that's included the Bucket List, Veggie Patch, Misschu, Bondi Harvest and the Beach Burrito Co), while Batlow's hot spiced apple cider provides the support you need to step out onto that blustery balcony with the killer beach views. Bondi Feast 2014 is on from July 8-26 at the Bondi Pavilion. Thanks to the Rock Surfers, we have one double festival pass to give away (that's valid for all shows in the 'Big Theatre' throughout the festival). To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Looking to be a little more mindful this year? Perhaps a get a bit more spiritual? Make tracks to Bendigo's impressive Buddhist structure, The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion (which also happens to the largest stupa in the southern hemisphere) in May. The annual appreciation for Buddha and his life, known as Illumin8, will take place across Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18. If Buddha is your jam and light installations and fireworks are your peanut butter, then roll on up. Illumin8 2019 will incorporate light sculptures in The Great Stupa's Peace Park, roaming performances and vegetarian and vegan food and market stalls. Be sure to visit the giant Jade Buddha while you're there, too (it's his day after all). The centrepiece of the whole shebang is a light projection show each night telling the story of Buddha's life, topped off by fireworks. Open your mind and let the light in (just don't get too close to the fireworks). Illumin8 2019 will run from 4–8pm on Friday, May 17 and 10am–8pm on Saturday, May 18. To purchase tickets, head to The Great Stupa's website.
Image: "The Kiss" by Pablo Picasso in the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. REUTERS/David Gray The Art Gallery of New South Wales is among six Australian galleries to share their collections with the online community via Google Art Project. The project, launched last year, allows art enthusiasts to view the great artistic works of the world, all from the convenience of their computer screen. The Art Gallery of NSW has now launched 415 of its most notable works, including a wide sampling drawn from every aspect of its collection. Included are works from the gallery's Australian, Indigenous, Asian and European collections. All of the pieces are featured in incredible high-resolution detail, revealing brushwork and other elements that are undetectable by the naked eye. 250 of these works are accessible through the website's 3D gallery walkthrough. "To think," says Anne Flanagan, acting direction of the Art Gallery of NSW, "that while a person here at the Gallery is viewing a work, someone else, anywhere in the world, can also be viewing the same work with such crystal-clear definition." Other participating Australian galleries include the National Gallery of Australia, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Melbourne Museum, and Griffith University's Rock Art Research Centre. They have joined the efforts of 151 cultural institutions in 40 countries, under Google, to transform the art-viewing process, and to make fine art universally accessible.
Grocery nerds, listen closely. Naked Foods — an organic, packaging-free bulk health food store — has opened on the Bondi end of Oxford Street, and there's hardly an unusual flour or up-and-coming superfood that Brazilian owner Caique Ponzoni doesn't stock. In a stripped-back, concrete-floored space lined with rows of white tubs filled with every type of lentil, nut, spice, grain and dried fruit the I Quit Sugar cookbook could ever call for, Caique and store manager Dolores Romero welcome a range of customers, from the older regulars who have known them since they started doing market stalls six years ago to the assertive, very Bondi 12-year-old he tells me came in one night after her yoga class to do her bulk shopping. Naked Foods' basic philosophy is to be organic, sustainable and waste-free. Bring your own containers or use the brown paper bags supplied around the shop and buy as much (or as little) as you want. He means that, too — you can get one walnut, or 12 kilos of flour. Gone are the days of pantries deep with hardly touched jars and bags of obscure ingredients you needed for that one recipe, that one time, two years ago. "Price is key as well," Caique tells me. "That's the difference between packaged stuff and an organic health shop. It'll always end up cheaper buying here, because you're always going to get what you need." At the front of the shop, Dolores churns out fresh nut butter. Behind her is a sign listing a different nut for each day of the week; the day I'm there she feeds enormous macadamias in, and a creamy, pale yellow, thick butter oozes out. Other products of note include the very aesthetically pleasing baby pink Himalayan crystal salt; chocolate coated nuts, banana and ginger (in dark and milk varieties); flour from the ancient grain khorasan (apparently known for its nutty flavour); and the super hard-to-find 'super superfood' bee pollen (for $79.95 a kilo, no less). Whether you're a proponent or not, there's no denying clean eating (or #cleaneating, as more than 9 million mentions on Instagram have it) is the latest food trend, though Caique might baulk at that term. "It's just a lifestyle, that's the right word. It's just normal. Shop in bulk, eat a lot of greens and raw food. That's the way we lived in Brazil." The organic, sustainable philosophy extends to other products as well. You can do away with your Head and Shoulders and expensive moisturisers. Caique sells organic shampoo and conditioner and assures me coconut oil is better than any high-end moisturiser or aftershave. His skin looks pretty damn soft. I think he's probably on to something. Naked Foods is at Shop 7, 310 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction and online. Its opening hours are 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 5pm on Sundays.
The Mornington Peninsula is now home to a gluten-free brewpub thanks to Twøbays Brewing, which opened the doors to its Dromana taproom in December 2018. The public tasting room is set amongst the production brewery, which began operation in 2017. It's stainless steel tanks are visible from the brewpub side, and the entire facility overlooks the picturesque Arthur's Seat. Founder and beer enthusiast Richard Jeffares was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2016 and became inspired by similar gluten-free taprooms found in The States. Jeffares signed on head brewer Andrew Gow, who's resumé boasts 20 years in the business, including at Mornington Peninsula Brewery, Mountain Goat and Five Islands in Sydney's Wollongong. While most beers use gluten-containing malted barley, Twøbays instead uses gluten-free millet, rice and buckwheat — imported from Colorado and California — in all its beers. The brewpub has launched with a range of seven core and specialty tap beers, including an easy-drinking pale ale; an English-style extra special bitter dubbed Local Knowledge; Gose Against, a German-style gose brewed with coriander, salt and lime; and a mid-strength ale called Little Arthur. To try a few at once, patrons can nab a four-pony tasting paddle. Apart from brews, there's locally produced Quealy wine and Ten Sixty One cider to enjoy. And, adding to theme, there's also a woodfired oven slinging gluten-free pizza. The taproom is a cash-free environment, though, so make sure you come with card in hand. Twøbays also sells its pale ale and IPA online — both of which are endorsed by Coeliac Australia. If you're a keen home-brewer, Twøbays is already selling and shipping its gluten-free brew packs and malts across Australia. Find Twøbays Brewing Co at Unit 1, 2 Trewhitt Court, Dromana, Victoria. Opening hours are Friday from 3–8pm, Saturday from 12–6pm and Sunday from 12–5pm. Updated: June 3, 2019.
If you've ever dined in the Darling Harbour eatery ABODE you'll be familiar with its dining approach of accessible sophistication and sustainability. The seasonally-led kitchen is about to go all-in on the biggest culinary draw card of the season: for just one winter evening on Saturday, July 29, ABODE is levelling up its usual offering of Australian produce with a luxe Truffle Dinner. ABODE has joined forces with certified biodynamic and organic Elvesgate Truffle Farm to curate a five-course dinner showcasing that subterranean black gold: the black truffle. Each course of the meal will be designed around, star or be inspired by the luxurious culinary gems (black truffle is quite literally valued in the hundreds of dollars per kilogram). You'll also meet a member of the family behind Elvesgate Truffle Farm, who'll be imparting knowledge of the food as well as the farm. These truffles will star in dishes featuring duck breast, house-made bread, beef fillet, chocolate and more. Your $140 ticket includes a welcome drink and five courses of food, and for an extra $50pp you can get matching Gartelmann Wines from the Hunter Valley region to wash it down. Truly a gastronomical delight, no? For key details on the Truffle Dinner and to secure your ticket, visit the website, or visit the ABODE website for more information.
