This year hasn't involved wearing as much smart casual and business attire as we imagined — come on, we all wore PJs out of frame in at least one Zoom meeting. Right? But with society starting to open back up at different rates across the country, our neglected wardrobes are going to be back in rotation very soon. And, if you've realised that you didn't really miss your 'nice' clothes during lockdown, it may be a sign you need to do a little outfit rejig. Big fan of signs? Here's another one: menswear label M.J. Bale is hosting a huge two-week sale. The Australian fashion house focuses on producing timeless pieces that'll last beyond the seasonal trends, and this month you can get your hands on some high-quality, suave styles for an absolute steal. We're talking suits for just $399 (for one week only, between September 14–20), plus casual attire like jackets for under $199, trousers for under $99 and shirts for under $69 — it's all up to a whopping 50 percent off. The sale is running from Monday, September 14 to Sunday, September 27. You can jump online here to check out what's on offer. If you live in NSW or Queensland, you can also go to your closest M.J. Bale store. The M.J. Bale Spring Bale Sale is running between September 14–27, both online and at its stores (besides Victoria).
Future Classic are on the ball, often touring producers before they are too well-known, which means you can see them in smaller more intimate venues instead of at mega-summer-fluro-festival-stadiums. The latest guest Future Classic are bringing to our shores is UK born, Californian based producer Simon James. He turns out softly rolling gems of spaced out disco with sprinklings of baleric and sleazy house under the pseudonym Woolfy, and will be selecting songs at the latest of Future Classic’s monthly label parties at the Civic Underground this Saturday night. Presale tickets are available from Resident Advisor now. Plus, Future Classic are also hosting a DJ mix from Woolfy through their website so you can prepare your best moves and murder the dance-floor Saturday night!
Australian art-inspired surf brand Mambo is venturing into the food scene, in a way that we probably should've expected. It's opening a pop-up canteen reminiscent of your primary school tuckshop. Making the most of the long summer days (and just before school goes back, too) the Mambo Tuckshop will pop up for just four days, rolling open the shutters from January 25–28 in North Bondi. Mike Eggert and Jemma Whiteman of Pinbone (known for their recent Mr Liquor's Dirty Italian Disco and Good Luck Pinbone pop-ups) have directed the menu, and they've collaborated with some of Sydney's best restaurants to create the food. Korean fried chicken experts Paper Bird, cured meat maestros LP's Quality Meats, pastry chef Yu-ching Lee (known on Instagram as Lemonpiy) and Aussie ice-block brand Pure Pops are some of the names taking part. With your hard-earned pocket money you'll be able to purchase devon sandwiches, warrigal greens and ricotta rolls, beef and 'Mambomite' pies, wattleseed vanilla slices, and, importantly, $1 apple and lemon sour straps. Just like your school days, it'll be a grab-and-go situation — no word yet about whether you'll be able to put in a lunch order for later. And, in case you're wondering, the Mambo brand is still alive. While standalone Mambo stores no longer exist (RIP) you can buy Mambo clothing and accessories from Big W.
Making council-owned spaces available as rehearsal and performance space, modifying the liquor laws to make it easier to open licensed entertainment venues, dealing with noise complaints through mediation and creating a live music and performance liaison officer — these are some of the ideas to come out of the City of Sydney Council Live Music Matters Action Plan, released to the public on Monday. The report comes after six months of research into Sydney's live music scene, which has been steadily in decline since the '90s. What was once a thriving pub rock scene where bands like AC/DC, INXS and Midnight Oil made their names has gradually given way to quieter, more food-and-drink-based venues, such as El Loco and Newtown Social Club (as much as we love them) in former live music hubs The Excelsior and The Sandringham. The report was commissioned by the City of Sydney Live Music and Live Performance Taskforce, headed by musician, teacher and activist John Wardle. As well as noise complaints from locals, the report identifies regulatory barriers, the popularity of poker machines as income for venues, lack of performance and rehearsal space and "changes in leisure culture" (sports screens in pubs, more digitally available music) as reasons for the decline. But one thing that's definitely not lacking is demand from the public. A recent study by Ernst and Young revealed that in 2009 10 venue-based live music injected over $1.2 billion into the Australian economy, supported almost 15,000 full-time jobs and drew crowds of nearly 42 million patrons at various events across Australia. In a press conference at Goodgod Small Club, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said that live music was an important part of Sydney's night-time economy, and that the more options young people had, the less likely they would be to rely on alcohol for entertainment. "One of my major objectives for pushing for small bars ... was a renaissance of our live music scene," she said. “The industry has been hit hard in recent years by regulatory and legislative changes that have led to fewer venues for live music. “Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in residential living in parts of the city that were traditionally home to live entertainment ... As a council, we need to balance everyone’s needs, and to do that we need to understand the issues.” The report is available online, and the council is inviting Sydneysiders to share their thoughts at sydneyyoursay.com.au. The consultation period will end on January 18, 2014. Image: Gue?rgui via photopin cc.
With a voice so high you picture him as a cartoon character, Michael Angelakos fronts the Massachusetts wonky popsters Passion Pit. After the release of the Chunk Of Change EP - purportedly a Valentine's offering to the singer/songwriter's then girlfriend, the band went on to explode from relative obscurity with the release of their debut Manners. As is becoming increasingly the way for bands to get known these days, the Pit also licensed their catchy single Sleepyhead to countless advertisements and TV shows. Now they are touring as part of The Big Day Out and stopping by The Metro for their first ever Australian headline show. It will be interesting to see if they can pull off the big, thick layering and heavily built up vocals of their album - but they must be doing something right as they've opened for everyone from The Killers to Death cab For Cutie and are being praised from press and public worldwide.
Break out the martinis and prepare for a shaken but not stirred Boxing Day — Bond, James Bond, is coming to your lounge room. On Wednesday, December 26, Stan will become home to all 24 official films in the espionage franchise, which means one massive movie marathon is on the cards. Sean Connery smouldering his way through everything from Dr. No to Diamonds Are Forever, Roger Moore stepping into 007's shoes between Live and Let Die and A View to A Kill, Timothy Dalton's two-film run in The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill — they're all included. So is Pierce Brosnan's stint as the secret agent between GoldenEye and Die Another Day, and Daniel Craig's four contributions to date since Casino Royale. Aussie actor George Lazenby's one-movie appearance as Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service is also on the bill. A 25th movie, Never Say Never Again, will also hit Stan on the same date. Made in 1983, it stars Connery as the suave spy. But, because it was made by a different company from the rest of the Bond movies, it's not considered part of the official franchise. If you're particularly keen to rove your eyes over every single detail — and every villain, Bond girl, gadget and opening credits sequence too — Stan is streaming the flicks in 4K. And even if you're not wowed by revisiting the franchise in an impressive resolution, this marks the first time the entire franchise has made its way to an Aussie streaming platform. Find the Bond franchise on Stan from Wednesday, December 26,.
Twins. Freaky deaky twins. The Mangano Sisters are identical twins who draw. They make videos and performances about the nature of drawing and their relationship to each other. It would be cliched and lazy to suggest that because they are twins they seem to be symbiotically, almost telepathically, linked. But they do. Their artworks usually involve them being gently supportive of each other while performing simple tasks and rituals. It kind of reminds you of those scenes in Jane Campion films where two bosom friends braid each others hair in a field of lilacs while Harvey Keitel wanders around offscreen with no pants on. Gently comforting but also slightly sinister.Their new body of work In The Stillness Of Shadows opens at Anna Schwartz Gallery on October 2.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, laneways, car parks and outdoor city spaces have taken on new lives as event organisers, restaurant owners and city councils look to these outdoor areas in response to restrictions on indoor venues. In Melbourne, the City of Melbourne has been running an outdoor dining program and a CBD carpark is being used as a cinema. In Sydney, the St. Mary's Cathedral forecourt has been reinvented as a temporary gig space, a northern beaches laneway was transformed into a beer garden and Sydney Opera House's forecourt is set to become a dance and workout space. Parramatta is no stranger to these kinds of outdoor transformations, with annual events series like Parramatta Lanes and Parramasala taking over its streets each year. The latest is Parramatta Nights, a three-week event program that's popping up in Parramatta Square, Prince Alfred Square and the City Centre Car Park rooftop with music, movies, a roller skating rink and carnival rides. Parramatta Nights was originally scheduled for January, but was postponed due to the northern beaches and Berala COVID-19 outbreaks that occurred in late 2020 and early 2021. Following the postponement, the series will now run between Thursday, March 25 and Sunday, April 18. Kicking things off is The Rooftop Hangout, a four-night music series on the City Centre Car Park rooftop from Thursday, March 25 to Sunday, March 28. The lineup is overflowing with talent across the four nights, with the likes of Briggs, The Chats and Ruby Fields taking to the stage. If the music wasn't a big enough drawcard, there will be food on hand from fried chicken faves Butter, as well as a rooftop bar. An openair cinema will be set up in Prince Alfred Square from Thursday, April 1 through to Sunday, April 18. The cinema will be showing cult Bollywood classics and family favourites including The Greatest Showman, The Karate Kid and a Grease sing-a-long. Next to the cinema in Prince Alfred Square will be a roller skating rink and a ferris wheel. If you're looking for a more relaxed musical experience, head to Parramatta Square where you'll find free jazz nights every Thursday–Sunday between March 25—April 11. You can find the full program and go into the draw to win free tickets to the Rooftop Hangout and openair cinema at Discover Parramatta's website. Parramatta Nights will run across Parramatta Square, Prince Alfred Square and City Centre Car Park rooftop between Thursday, March 25 and Sunday, April 18.
Last year, when New South Wales went into lockdown, plenty of folks wanted a furry, four-legged friend by their sides. The RSPCA understood that yearning for a new adorable pet and, to find permanent homes for pups, cats, bunnies and guinea pigs surrendered into its care, it launched a completely online adoption process. Kicking off in April 2020, it helped 2655 animals get adopted across the state. Now that the Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour regions have been in lockdown again for three weeks so far, and will remain under stay-at-home conditions for at least another fortnight, RSPCA NSW is bringing back its online adoptions. It's also calling out to the community again to help look after its many animals during this tough period. So, if you've been thinking about adding a pet to your fam (and have considered it thoroughly), now might just be the time. At the Sydney, Blue Mountains and Illawarra shelters and care centres, the RSPCA's 'Adopt from Home' system is now back up and running. The entire adoption process is conducted over the phone or video call and, once approved, your new pet is transported to your house for a (socially distanced) meet-and-greet. Rest assured, too, that the usual procedures and standards still apply, so every animal will end up in a happy new forever home. To welcome in a new family member, you must fill out the online form, and then the RSPCA NSW will be in touch to arrange a time for the process to take place via phone or video call. You will need to live within a 45-minute drive of the shelter that you're adopting from, too, and you'll have to pay an extra $55 for the at-home adoption, on top of the usual fee. If you're thinking about adopting, you can check out all the good boys, kittens, bunnies and birds looking for new homes in NSW. For details about adopting animals, head to the RSPCA NSW website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
Festival season is well and truly upon us, with the Woodford Folk Festival the latest event to announce its program. If you fancy seeing out 2019 and welcoming in 2020 while catching a heap of bands, wandering between arts performances and getting a little muddy across a grassy patch of southeast Queensland, the fest has you covered for its whopping 34th year. Taking place at Woodfordia about 90 minutes north of Brisbane, this year's event will be held for six days between Friday, December 27, 2019 and Wednesday, January 1, 2020 — with Amanda Palmer, Lior, Horrorshow, The Herd, Kate Miller-Heidke, Electric Fields, Emma Louise, Archie Roach with Paul Grabrowsky, and Kasey Chambers among its high-profile talent. In total, over 2,000 artists will put on more than 1600 shows across the festival's 25 stages, all in venues that range from a 25,000-seat amphitheatre to chilled-out hangout spots. With the lineup featuring everything from music, art, circus and cabaret to yoga, dance and comedy, there's plenty of other highlights — including a spoken word, comedy and performance program that tasks American Gods and Stardust author Neil Gaiman with reading from his work as the sun sets on the first day of the new year. Elsewhere, Woodford's 2019–20 bill spans arts, dance and meditation workshops, plus a heap of circus and cabaret shows. And, if you're bringing littlies, the event's Children's Festival within the broader fest is also returning. Or, you can explore Woodfordia's rainforest plants on a guided tour, eat a feast of bush foods, play a real-life fantasy game and soak in the flames at the fest's annual closing fire ceremony. Fancy celebrating New Year's Eve with an Elton John sing-along? Woodford won't go breaking your heart, because that's on the agenda also. While the annual Queensland festival has weathered an uncertain future in recent years, it remains a staple of the state's end-of-year calendar — and visit will also boast a whole heap of stalls around the grounds (195 in 2018–19), turning the site into a mini-village for its duration. That includes everything from bars, cafes and restaurants, to an on-site doctor's surgery and two general stores. As always, camping is available at one of the fest's multiple campgrounds, or you can nab a ticket just for the day. Either way, expect to have company, as around 132,000 people attend each year. The 2019–20 Woodford Folk Festival runs from Friday, December 27, 2018 and Wednesday, January 1, 2019 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. To view the program and buy tickets, head to woodfordfolkfestival.com Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
Catching a movie at one of Sydney's favourite outdoor cinema spots is a summertime tradition, combining new and recent big-screen flicks with spectacular panoramic views of the city, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. And, while many events have had to cancel or postpone their plans this year — spanning gigs, festivals and even outdoor art exhibitions — Westpac Openair Cinema has announced that it'll definitely be returning when the warmest season of the year officially kicks in. Every movie that graces the cinema's big screen has to hold its own against the stunning sights glittering away behind it, of course — and although Openair hasn't yet revealed what it'll be screening this time around, it has unveiled its 2020–21 dates. It'll kick off on Tuesday, December 15 and run through until Wednesday, February 24, all at Mrs Macquaries Point as usual. If you've noticed that Openair's season spans a few weeks longer than normal this year, that's because of the capacity restrictions required to remain COVID-19-safe. Only 900 movie-goers will be permitted to attend each night, and to feast their eyes on the on the 350-square-metre screen rising from the harbour. Just what other changes will be in store to adapt to the current pandemic are also yet to be revealed, including what it means for the event's usual food and booze spread. Especially given these adjustments, tickets are likely to go quick when they go on sale. Across the summer of 2018–19, more than 40,000 tickets sold within the first two days of pre-sale — so put it in your diary ASAP. Westpac Openair 2020 runs from Tuesday, December 15–Wednesday, February 24. Further details about the lineup, and COVID-19 restrictions, are still set to be announced — we'll update you when more information is revealed. Image: Fiora Sacco
It may be a summer blockbuster but the weighty themes come thick and fast in JJ Abrams' second Star Trek film Into Darkness. Just minutes into the opening scene, almost before we've even seen our first lens flare, Spock (Zachary Quinto) reminds the crew of the Enterprise with Leninesque fidelity that "the interests of the many outweigh the interests of the few". Soon after, we're asked to consider the true meaning of friendship, to weigh the expediency of vengeance against the necessity of justice and even to opine on the militarisation of a traditionally scientific vessel. In short: it's a terrifically fun film that aspires (and mostly achieves) to be something much more. In many ways, Spock's eloquent reminder is just as relevant to the big studios, compelling them as it were to balance the expectations of dedicated fans with the need to make the movie widely marketable. That's why Abrams is such an excellent choice of director, not only for these Star Trek films but now also the Star Wars ones, since both possess loyal and passionately defensive fans who consistently reject change as often as they reject each other. Arguably the greatest accomplishment of his first Star Trek film in 2009 was that it satisfied the Trekkies whilst opening up the franchise to an entirely new audience. Now again, in Into Darkness, Abrams carefully traverses that balance between old and new, as well as between the pop and the pensive. For every furrowed brow or teary eye moment come multiple laughs, usually courtesy of Quinto's logic-driven Spock or Simon Pegg's Scottish-driven Scotty. And as for the action, it's predictably topnotch, both in its intergalactic sequences and small-scale, hand-to-hand pieces. The Star Trek universe has always been defined by the relationship of its two leads — Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock — however, it's also true that heroes are defined by their villains, and thankfully in Into Darkness they have a fantastic one in the shape of Benedict Cumberbatch. With that now famous Alan Rickman-like baritone growl, he throws himself into the character of John Harrison, a British spy turned rogue terrorist whose devastating attack on London sees Kirk pursue him to the far reaches of the galaxy in order to bring him to justice one way or another (given those orders come from Robocop's Peter Weller as Starfleet's admiral, it was a small shame he didn't actually say "Harrison, dead or alive, you're coming with me"). Into Darkness also sees all the familiar characters return (Bones, Chekov, Uhura and Sulu) along with the introduction of a sadly underused Alice Eve; however, it's Cumberbatch who really drives it forward. Even the Kirk/Spock dynamic takes a back seat (subject to one or two key moments), and if anything, it's that shift away from what made the first Star Trek film soar that's probably Into Darkness's only significant failing. Overall, this is a wonderful movie, large in scale but also capable of delivering impressively intimate moments throughout.
Bringing together ten Australian artists who are in touch with their own shortcomings, this exhibition re-examines notions of success and failure through a bit of image, a bit of text and a lot of irony. Anastasia Klose channels The Nanny in her Film for my Nanna, while Emma White cleverly tracks a Saturday night and the nocturnal descent of reason in Decision Time, while Joan Ross ridicules the power of one of the ugliest states of emotion - jealousy - in a ludicrous, fluorescent soft-sculpture. I’m worse at what I do best features video, sculpture and painting and the opening night will see the launch of an accompanying publication including 25 short stories penned by arts journo, Andrew Frost.Image: Anastasia Klose, production still, Film for my Nanna, 2006. Courtesy of the Artist and Tolarno Galleries.
The lower north shore's Mexican eatery SoCal is reopening to the public on Monday, June 22, and celebrating with a three-day money-can't-buy taco feast. Money can't buy? Yes, it's free — well, mostly. From June 22–24, SoCal will be serving up a bottomless feast of baja fish, pork, smoked brisket and tofu tacos, as well as black corn tortilla chips and churros with dulce de leche sauce — for free. If you want any drinks — tequila shots or margaritas, for example — you'll have to pay for those. As well as paying for drinks, guests are encouraged to contribute a 'taco tip', which will be pooled and split equally between Applejack Hospitality employees as part of the company-wide 'food sales for staff' initiative. Similar pay-what-you feel offers will be happening at the groups's seven other venues — including June Shoppe, The Butler, The Botanist, Endeavour Tap Rooms and Bopp & Tonne — as they gradually reopen between now and mid-August. While there's no limit on how much your 'taco tip' should be, you're encouraged to dig as deep as you can to help out employees, many of whom were not able to work during the lockdown and were also not eligible for the government's JobKeeper payments. SoCal is suggesting you pay $35–55 per person, which is in line with how much it usually charges for bottomless tacos. This deal will obviously be popular, so book your spot ASAP over at the website. Bookings are open from 5pm each night with a maximum of ten people a booking.
This article is sponsored by our partner, Toshiba. Forget sushi trains, pizza motorbikes, roller-skates and any other sub-par form of transportation for a delicious meal. If you’re using any method of food service that’s not a roller-coaster, then you’re doing it wrong. Set to take over the multifunctional space at District01 (7 Randle Lane, Surry Hills) is Toshiba’s latest display of being ‘seriously Japanese’. And it’s just how you’d imagine a sushi train redone by a computing and technology company: upgraded and revved up. Over three nights at the end of this month, Toshiba are teaming up with a handful of sushi professors from Zushi to create a different sort of Japanese pop-up. Entrants will be greeted by geisha girls, taken care of by suited-up professionals and then order sushi with the help of Toshiba tablets. Specially created sushi roller-coasters will then deliver your chosen Japanese delights. Although there’s no currently available record of what this invention will look like, we have no doubt the Zushi roller-coaster will be travelling a little faster than your local sushi train. The sushi roller-coaster is on from 6-9pm daily. It’s a free, first-come-first-served experience, so get there earlier to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the fast-paced sushi good times.
Sydney nightlife precinct YCK Laneways is making the most of the month of August with a four-week music, art, food and drink festival celebrating women in creative industries and hospitality. As part of YCK Front & Centre, more than 50 individual events will take place across 15 CBD venues. The culmination of the festival will be across the August 26 weekend with a three-day marquee event titled Front & Centre presents: Live at YCK. Throughout the days, attendees will be treated to masterclasses from hospitality veterans including a spirits distilling workshop from Women of Australian Distilling, a Cornersmith-led pickle your own vegetable masterclass and a truffle grading and tasting experience with Ganymede Truffles. Come nighttime, live music and entertainment will take over with a stacked lineup including sets from the likes of Jaguar Jonze, JOY, Bella Hatch, Kilimi and Pirra. Across the 15 venues, there is a tonne of other highlights. Over at PS40, the bar will be running its regular chef collaboration series with a female-led lineup; Esteban will be hosting live art from Nanami Cowdroy; plus female and non-binary DJ collective Pho the Girls will be taking over Since I Left You among the dozens of events popping up across the laneways. Rounding out the program is a series of limited-edition cocktails inspired by Moulin Rouge! The Musical which has been rolled out across the venues for the entire 31-day program.
The restrictions on our social lives during the pandemic gave us some real clarity on just how important it is to gather with others, enjoy our freedom and, yes, party. And that is exactly what's on offer at this otherworldly experience taking place under haloes of light. For those looking to pair beats and a dance floor with the stunning light shows of Vivid, this event is for you. Gear up for a night of congregating with strangers, mingling and dancing under giant floating rings, an installation conceived and created by British design studio Lucid Creates in the midst of COVID. Head to Tumbalong Park, where huge rings of light will be suspended above attendees, with alternating messages spread across through the inner bands and an accompanying soundscape to capture your senses. A 360° light show will also follow to top off the night. Ready to embark on your journey? Look out for the three huge floating rings from Friday, May 26 onwards — they will guide you to your destination. Check out the Dance Together event page to stay up to date with the latest event details.
Conversation Piece directed and choreographed by Lucy Guerin, begins with an improvised conversation between three dancers, Alisdair Macindoe, Harriet Ritchie, and Rennie McDougall. The quotidian chat is recorded on iPhones and used as base material for the performance that follows. The exchange is different each night. Joining the dancers on stage are three actors: Alison Bell, Megan Holloway, and Matthew Whittet. The show is something of an experiment. Guerin devised the work in collaboration with the performers, and the result isn't so much a blend between dance and theatre as a meeting. The contrast between the dancers and actors is clear and at times hilarious. Bell and Holloway try to follow a choreographed routine at one point with comic results, and Whittet's attempt to resist the lyrical advances of Macindoe is wickedly funny. Conversation Piece is a bit empty as a play and indeed makes more sense as a dance piece or even perhaps anti-theatre. The language used in this show is abstracted and words are almost treated as found objects. The show has much in common with Peter Handke's 'Sprechstücke' or 'speak-ins', which use words to form language criticism rather than well-made plays. As with Handke’s works, Conversation Piece uses words as toys to be played with rather than vessels of expression or description. In fact, there couldn't be a better example to support the argument that words do not hold meaning; rather, it is their use that is meaningful. Bell rendering some of Ritchie's banal comments into vicious condemnations is a prime example. The music created by the performers with their iPhones is hugely enjoyable, and Robin Fox's sound design mostly supports the action on stage. A few of her choices seem an odd fit though, such as Johnny Cash's version of The Mercy Seat playing during a choreographed sequence. The song is extremely lovely, but stands out as a grand emotional wash against the otherwise very detailed production. Other than this moment, the piece never hands us grand narratives or sentimentality. Instead, we're treated to a joyful string of conversations between technology, language, and movement.
On the first weekend in November, more than 150 music acts are set to take over Bendigo, pouring into town for the annual Blues & Roots Music Festival. Whether your thing is getting amongst it at a huge, outdoor concert or kicking back to mellow tunes in a small bar, there'll be something on the program to make your ears prick up. At the festival's heart is a free, all-day, all-ages shindig in Rosalind Park featuring more than a dozen acts. Outside of that, you'll have more than 50 venues to choose from — including a moving one, the Bendigo Blues Tram. This engaging experience sees some of the festival's cracking blues artists take over a historic city tram, filling it with music as it rolls through the city from the Central Deborah Goldmine to the Joss House and back. Look out, too, for laneway parties, workshops, pop-ups, buskers and loads more. The majority of the festival is free, but you can also pick up an Easy Rider Pass for $99 that'll guarantee you stellar seats at some of the more popular events.
We're in the thick of summer festival announcements, and today organisers of Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival have launched a brand newie: Sydney City Limits. A sister festival for Texan mega-fest Austin City Limits, Sydney's version will be a one-day all-ages event full of music, food, art and market stalls aplenty. Gracing four stages in Sydney's Centennial Park will be a serious lineup of Australian and international artists. Over 30 huge names — including international acts Justice, Beck, Phoenix and Grace Jones, and local artists Gang of Youths, Tash Sultana, Vance Joy, Dune Rats and Allday — will converge on the inner-city park for the festival. Not a bad debut lineup. You'll also be nourished by a handful of Sydney's top chefs, restaurants and food trucks, all curated by the team behind Mary's and The Unicorn. And just like the festival's American counterpart, the creative arts will get a strong representation here, too. You'll be able to explore an openair art space that showcases snapshots of the city through painting, street art, photography, video and performance art by Sydney artists. There will also be artisan markets, with the opportunity to bring home fashion, jewellery, art and merchandise. Sydney City Limits will take place at Centennial Parklands on Saturday, February 24. Tickets go on sale on November 1. Tickets will range from $179.90 and $199.90. For more info and to buy tickets, visit sydneycitylimits.com.
There's another wine festival hitting Sydney — but this one's shining the spotlight on the lesser-known colours and varieties. For Wine De Jour's first event on Saturday, December 2, there's going to be a focus on rosé and skin-contact wine. By bringing together producers from around Australia, the festival's organisers hope to quell some of the misconceptions often made about these special drops. Sweeping claims and assumptions about these varietals will be challenged, such as 'the darker the rosé, the sweeter the flavour' or that 'all orange wine must be bitter, astringent or cidery'. It's run by Glen Cassidy, founder of Cake Wines, and Sydney sommeliers and wine writer Samantha Payne. Over 30 winemakers will join in on the conversation, including Vinteloper, Swinging Bridge, Raidis Estate and Captains of Trade. And due to this huge gathering of different production methods, colours and ethoses you'll walk away more confident and with a well-rounded knowledge of these up-and-coming varieties. Wine De Jour will take place in the carpark out the back of the Cake Wines Cellar Door in Redfern with DJs Boogie Monster and Tom Studdy mixing the music and food provided by neighbours Bart Jr. There are two three-hour sessions on the day: at 3.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets are $46 and include wine tastings.
Finally, the lobster pop-up our bank accounts have been waiting for. Y'know... relatively speaking, anyway. Down N' Out, famous for their American-style burger pop-ups, are bringing Westfield Sydney's food court clientele their classiest lunch run yet. It's all happening at Lobster Shack, taking over Cod & Co's kitchen on level 5, and there's even proper Champagne to go with it. For $35, you can experience Maine lobster confit in a freshly baked roll with buttermilk and fennel slaw. The lobster tails are slow-poached in butter before being placed inside a milk bun. You'll also receive parmesan-dusted truffle fries on the side. If you still don't feel like a baller, you can step up the fancy factor with a glass of Veuve Clicquot on the side for an extra $15. They'll be serving from midday until 6pm each day, and until 9pm on Thursdays.
Imagine a huge spread of the finest French delicacies: cheese, charcuterie, pastries, tarts and cakes, with goblets of craft beer on the side. It could be a dream. Well, every Sunday between 11am and 3pm, this dream could be realised. Frenchies Bistro and Brewery, the new kid on the Saporium block in Rosebery (right near Archie Rose and Black Star), is replacing its usual bistro menu for a bottomless boozy brunch. So what does it entail? First: unlimited replenishments from the grazing table, which might include French cheese, cured meats, terrines and cake. Second: pastries. And third: free rolling refills of beer brewed in-house and beer spritzes. After a slight price increase, the brunch will now set you back $70. If you want to stay dry (or you've been conned into driving), it's $45 without booze. While you're at it, check out our other bottomless boozy brunch picks in Sydney. Updated: November 20, 2017.
After an epic ticketing hack spoiled everything for hyperventilating punters on release day, Splendour in the Grass has rectified the situation with a fresh batch of tickets. Initially released in early May, Splendour tickets found themselves both the target of more festival-seekers than ever in Splendour history and hackers who charged said ticket buyers thousands in sneaky fees. Attempting to put smiles back on the dials of festivalgoers and shareholders alike, Splendour and North Byron Parklands applied for a capacity increase of 2500 tickets. Prompting high fives Australia-wide, the Department of Planning and Environment have approved the increase. The new load of tickets will go on sale at 9am AEST on Thursday, June 12 via Moshtix. Splendour are releasing a mixture of three-day, single-day and camping tickets. If you miss out on this predictably chaotic bid for tickets, Splendour's Re-sale facility allows ticketholders who bail on Byron plans to offload their ticket to anyone who missed out. The Re-sale will be open through Moshtix from 9am AEST Monday, June 16. Splendour is pleading with punters to avoid buying through online auction sites or dodgy-looking creeps outside the front gate. Your name and DOB will be printed on your ticket. The Splendour in the Grass lineup and more details are over here.
Flicked through all of your various streaming queues, watched everything that takes your fancy and wondering what to feast your eyes on next? On Friday, March 27, let the folks at Static Vision and Prototype do the choosing for you. One usually specialises in weird, wonderful and cult cinema screenings around Sydney, while the other is an e-newsletter dedicated to new experimental art and short films — and they're joining forces to put on Lockdown: An Interactive Livestream. Beamed to viewers online from 6pm AEDT (5pm AEST), Lockdown will screen six hours of movies — including three features and three shorts programs, plus e-chats, Q&As and interviews. As for exactly what you'll be watching, the program is top secret until the night, with being surprised by the lineup choices all part of the fun. Lockdown will be setting up an online screen room for the event; however you can decide just how interactive you'd like your experience to be. Natter along with other viewers in the live-text chat, or hit full-screen mode simply sit back and watch — it's up to you. To register your participation — and to receive updates — head to the event's Eventbrite page.
The Australian Museum is staying up past its bedtime to present a series of fascinating night-time events. Each Wednesday from January 24 until March 14, experts, guests and staff will provide an interactive, adult-only experience for the super curious. This first Wednesday, named We Stand Strong, hones in on important questions about Australian identity, protest and resilience. The session will be commandeered by the museum's First Nation staff, and will include deadly-designed jewellery workshops, a live DJ playing 'decolonisation beats' and a 'Change the Date' virtual reality rap video. Each Wednesday has a provocative theme, such as Anti-Valentine's Day which includes 'speed-hating', Voodoo doll-making workshops and animal heart dissections; and Another View (held in conjunction with Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras), with cabaret performances, tours of the museum from an LGBTQI perspective and live art. For the environmentally minded, there's also Turning the Tide, which introduces experts on marine life and a virtual reality guide to coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef.
Supermarket shelves are filling with panettone and mince pies, department shop windows are being decked out with festive displays and high streets across the city are being strung with lights and baubles. It may only be November, but yuletide is already upon us and with it, 'tis the season for Christmas markets in all their wondrous forms. Any Sydneysiders in search of gifts for the foodies in their lives should circle November 22–24 on their calendars. Over three days, The Sydney Good Food & Wine Show Christmas Markets will take over Carriageworks in South Eveleigh with all manner of delicious stalls, seasonal treats, handcrafted gifts and artisanal goods. A host of celebrity chefs — including pastry chef and chocolatier Kirsten Tibballs, Smelly Cheese Co. founder Valérie Henbest, cookbook author Steph de Souza, Great Australian Bake Off star Elliot Styche and My Kitchen Rules winner Sammy Jakubiak — will also be delivering live cooking demonstrations, so you can learn the professional tips and tricks that'll make cooking your festive feast a piece of (Christmas) cake. With the wares of more than 150 local producers to peruse, there will be plenty of opportunities to sip and sample all kinds of treats from Christmas puddings to holiday-themed cocktails, all while soaking up a buzzy atmosphere and festive tunes. And thanks to The Smith Family Wrapping station, where volunteers from the Voice, Interests and Education of Women Club will be on hand to wrap your goodies, you can leave the markets with all your gifts ready to place under the tree. All funds raised from the station will go towards providing learning support for Australian children living in poverty.
Forget everything you thought you knew about eating schnitzel. Forget whatever ideas you have about which other food items can sit atop them, too. Now isn't the time for plain old parmas/parmis/parmys (whichever you prefer), as great as they are — because The Bavarian has dropped a limited-time loaded schnitzel menu that's as OTT as schnitties come. On offer from Monday, March 7–Saturday, April 30, this chicken schnitty range takes the loaded concept super-seriously. There are six different varieties, and they all stack a whole heap of toppings and sauces upon a crumbed piece of chook. Plenty of them also turn this good schnit into another beloved meal — like the avo smash version, which comes slathered with smashed avocado, cherry tomatoes, feta and sesame seeds, plus fries. There's also a bangers and mash version with cheese kransky, creamy mash, caramelised onion and gravy; a pizza-style option with spicy salami, kalamata olives, roasted capsicum, mozzarella and fries; and a nachos option with corn chips, chilli con carne, salsa, jalapenos, cheese and sour cream. Or, go for schnitty topped with cheddar cheese, fries and lashings of gravy — a choice that's been dubbed a hangover cure — or a schnitty decked out with fried calamari, chorizo, roasted pumpkin, crispy potatoes and jalapeno sauce. Prices range from $26–28 for just one schnitty loaded with any of the above options, but you can also go for a one-kilogram schnitzel snack if you really do love this schnit. That'll set you back $80, and put you in the running to win either a $1000 if you finish it faster than anyone else — with winners announced on Monday, May 2 — or one of nine $100 dining vouchers for runners up. Hungry? You can head to any The Bavarian venue to tuck in. There are 16 in New South Wales — including everywhere from Entertainment Quarter and Green Hills to York Street and Chatswood — so you've got options.
As a teenager, a frozen coke or a slushie from the local fast food joint or convenience store was an essential part of any trip to the beach. Waterside spot Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel is introducing the adult version of the beach slushie to the eastern suburbs. Partnering with Don Julio Tequila, the hotel bar is offering up margarita and paloma slushies for the remainder of the year. For $14, you can pick up a frozen margarita, made with tequila, orange liqueur and lime; a frozen paloma, made with tequila, grapefruit soda and lime; or mix the two together to create what has been branded the margaloma. The pop-up slushie bar has been running out of the hotel's beach club since Saturday, November 7 and will run until Friday, January 1. The beach club offers ocean views as well as a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu that includes seafood, pasta, burgers and salads you can enjoy alongside the frozen cocktails. To ensure you get your hands on a margaloma this summer, book a table at the Beach Club.
In the dying days of 2019, Camp Cope's valiant leader Georgia Maq released the raw and vulnerable solo album Pleaser. The album continues the deeply personal lyrics of many of Camp Cope's best songs, but trades shredding guitars and plucky bass lines for more synthesisers. Since its release, Maq has been booked to perform the album at Vivid for its past two iterations, before the festival was ultimately cancelled both times. Finally, at Vivid's grand return in 2022, she'll be taking to the Sydney Opera House's Utzon Room to perform tracks from Pleaser as well as her biting new single 'Joe Rogan' about a toxic guy she dated. The show will mark Georgia Maq's return to the Sydney Opera House for the first time since Camp Cope's headline show in 2019 and their back-to-back sold-out shows as part of Vivid 2017. Top image: Jo Duck
Everyone loves digging into a bowl of hearty, cheesy, carby pasta — whether it's the middle of a drizzly winter or the peak of summer. But sometimes, depending how fancy you go, they can set you back nigh $30. Fratelli Fresh has decided to shun exxy bowls and is now serving up $10 pastas every weekday. Available between 12–3pm at all seven stores, they're your new excuse to get out of the office for lunch. The lineup of affordable pastas features six classic dishes, including fusilli with ragu, linguine with chilli, penne with gorgonzola and (for when it's really hot) an olive, feta and cucumber number served cold. Those wanting more than just a bowl of (very tasty) carbs can also add on selected sides, desserts and drinks for only $5 a pop, which range from cheese-stuffed zucchini flowers to tomato bruschetta, shoestring fries, banoffee torta and, yes, $5 glasses of wine and beers. So, save that salad for tomorrow and chuck your sandwich in the fridge — it's time to level-up your lunch. You'll find the $10 pasta deal (and $5 sides) at Fratelli Fresh stores in Alexandria, Bridge Street, Crows Nest, Darling Harbour, the Entertainment Quarter, Walsh Bay and Westfield Sydney. It's only running for a limited time, so we suggest booking in a long lunch sooner rather than later. Book your spot for via the website, and check out the full discounted menu here. Fratelli Fresh's $10 classic pastas are available at all seven stores from 12–3pm on weekdays.
As the weather continues to cool down, our appetites naturally move toward comfort food that'll keep us warm from the inside out. Autumn menus are all about seasonality and flavours that prepare you for the blustery days ahead. This means restaurants are starting to turn out dishes using earthier produce and specific cooking methods that put the taste of autumn on a plate. Neighbouring restaurants Balla and BLACK Bar and Grill have done just that by curating their seasonal menus specifically for autumn. We've chatted with executive chefs Gabriele Taddeucci from Balla and Dany Karam from BLACK Bar and Grill on which ingredients make a menu distinctly autumnal and what's inspiring them in the kitchen this season. IT'S ALL ABOUT SEASONAL PRODUCE At the core of any good seasonal menu is the produce, giving a dish the distinct flavour of the time of year. In autumn, that means sourcing what's available for harvest — think wild mushrooms, pumpkin and apples, ingredients which both chefs are apt to use during the season. "Autumn and its fabulous fall harvest provides us with a variety of sensational fruit and vegetables whose nutrients will sustain us through the colder months ahead," says Taddeucci. "The cooler temperatures bring a whole slew of seasonal goodies to cook with, from apples and pears to healthy greens such as cavolo nero or silverbeet, as well as root vegetables and wild mushrooms." Karam is also a big fan of wild mushrooms and feels seasonality is at the heart of any good autumnal recipe. "Our philosophy is to use the best seasonal produce and to treat it simply," says Karam. "Some of my other favourite autumn ingredients include cauliflower, horseradish, fig, kohlrabi, walnuts and finger lime." For Taddeucci, pumpkin is a specific standout as well. "One of my favourite things about autumn is pumpkin — this ingredient holds beautiful memories for me; you can create so many fantastic dishes with it. But the star of the season, in my opinion, is definitely the truffle." SOURCE FROM LOCAL SUPPLIERS The key to seasonal fruit and veg is to keep it fresh, and the best way to do so is to source from local suppliers. This is essential to the menus at both Balla and BLACK. "As chefs, all we can do is work closely with our trusted local suppliers whose passion and dedication to growing and rearing high-quality produce gives us the opportunity to work with the best seasonal ingredients," says Taddeucci. For Taddeucci, the terms seasonal and fresh are codependent. "Seasonal most definitely means fresh," he says. "Sticking to these rules always reinforces the credibility of our menu and, of course, allows passion and quality to shine through." COOK WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE Part of what makes autumn dishes so comforting is the way that they're cooked. This often means using woodfire and charcoal cooking techniques to add a bit of heat to a dish, warming you up and enhancing the autumnal flavours of the produce. "In autumn, we use two different types of wood — cherry wood for smoking and ironbark for high heat — as well as charcoal for our rotisserie," says Karam. "At Balla, we tend to use traditional Italian cooking methods such as poaching, deep frying or grilling on firewood," says Taddeucci. Whichever the method, the warmth of the food is sure to keep you going when you step out into the cold. DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE PAST The autumn menus at Balla and BLACK may change each season, but they draw on deep inspiration from the chefs' pasts. "There is something really special about my memories during the autumn in Italy," says Taddeucci. "The air, the colours and the produce are just magic. Autumn is the time to harvest food and celebrate that harvest. I remember the time spent on my grandpa's farm, where all the family would gather together, spending the days harvesting grapes and olives. I will always bring those memories with me, and I will always try to give this sense of family to the food that I make." Karam similarly draws on his upbringing to inspire his seasonal cooking. "I grew up in a family that ate organic and seasonal food, and food still plays a big part in our lives." CREATE STANDOUT DISHES So how does all of this translate into the dishes at each restaurant? We asked the chefs to tell us about a few standout dishes that they're most excited to share with guests. "I would say our roasted pumpkin ravioli, which is served with burnt butter, parmesan and sage," says Taddeucci. "This is without a doubt a warm pasta dish that is perfect for this season." "At BLACK, our standout dishes include a fig and rocket salad, served with house-made duck ham and burrata, then topped with candied walnuts and a white balsamic dressing," says Karam. "My other favourite at the moment is the crab remoulade with apple, kohlrabi and avocado, dressed with finger lime mayonnaise, mint and puffed wild rice."
Hip hop goes kid friendly at Graphic Festival this year when Elefant Traks pays tribute to the whimsical spirit and imagery of Dr. Seuss. The innovative Sydney collective and label will be maintaining their motto to make “challenging yet adventurous music”, rounding up 25 artists to turn 60 years of children’s classics into a 90-minute performance of enormous enormance drenching the Opera House Theatre in a surrealist fusion of modern sound and visual whimsy. Among the acts are The Herd, Hermitude, Urthboy, Horrorshow, Jimblah and Unkle Ho, who will be spitting fresh new rhymes to trippy Seuss visuals projected onto a Hortonesque screen. But since this is, at its heart, a meeting, you can expect there to be a few familiar jams thrown in too. Dr. Seuss Meets Elefant Traks is a specially commissioned show for Graphic 2012. To commemorate it Graphic will be giving away a framed limited edition artwork by Dr. Seuss, so buy two or tickets for a chance at winning.
Sydneysiders love a bottomless brunch. But, let's face it, there are only so many smashed avos and poached eggs one can eat before fatigue sets in. But bottomless pizza? Well, that's a whole different story. And, if you head down to King Street Wharf around lunchtime on a weekend, that's exactly what you'll find. Every Saturday and Sunday from midday, Beer DeLuxe is offering its own version of the popular bottomless food and booze package. For $60 per person, you and your mates can enjoy all the pizza you can manage in two hours, with bottomless craft beer to wash it down. You'll have your pick of five different pizzas, from the classic pepperoni to the controversial (but still delicious) ham and pineapple. And, there are vegetarian options available, too. Meanwhile, for drinks, the venue boasts a mammoth 150 different craft beers. We won't list 'em all here, but some of the brews that have been on tap recently include Stone & Wood Pacific Ale, Bent Shovel Red Ale and Feral Brewing Biggie Juice IPA. Whether you're winding up for a big night out or recovering from one (hair of the dog-style), round up the crew, throw on some stretchy pants and go your hardest. Beer DeLuxe's You Wanna Pizza Me? offer is available across two sessions — 12–2pm and 2–4pm — every Saturday and Sunday. To make a booking, visit the website.
As fans across the globe gear up for the Arctic Monkeys' sixth album to drop later this week, the acclaimed English rockers have pushed the excitement levels even further, announcing a series of international pop-ups and film screenings to coincide with the launch. And even Australia's getting a look-in, with the local edition of the store — named after the forthcoming album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino — is popping up at Sydney's Golden Age Cinema and Bar, this Friday, May 11, and Saturday, May 12. According to the Arctic Monkeys' website, the TBHC pop-ups will offer a range of "unique and limited album and merchandise items", alongside screenings of the band's favourite 70s flicks. Titles include Le Cercle Rouge, Inherent Vice, The Last Waltz and Michelangelo Antonioni's L'Eclisse. The event's running at the Surry Hills theatre from 11am until 8.30pm each day, though as you can imagine, tickets to the screenings are already selling fast. Only a handful of other lucky cities will also host these Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino pop-ups: Berlin, Tokyo, Paris, New York and the band's own hometown of Sheffield.
York Street's Bavarian beer hall Beerhaüs is getting a major dose of Americana this week as it launches a new barbecue menu. To celebrate, the venue is giving away 500 brisket sliders on Wednesday, July 17 from 11am. The sliders are made with wood-smoked, slow-cooked beef, fresh off the barbecue. It's then loaded onto a potato bun and topped with cabbage slaw and onion jus. Be sure to get in bang on 11am, because these tasty morsels won't last long. If you miss out on the freebie, the new menu of American-style barbecue is now available, too. Expect pulled pork, kielbasa, brisket and chicken — all served with pretzel rolls and house pickles — as well as buffalo chicken and habanero shrimp po' boys, a five-strong schnitty menu and a heap more sides. Lucky for you, this new menu is expected to stick around for a good long while. Free brisket sliders are available from 11am until sold out.
Sydney Festival has dropped their program for the 2017 festival — and it's nothing short of sublime. From January 7-29, the city's creative spaces will be taken over with every type of art and entertainment imaginable. The upcoming festival encompasses circus craft, insane architecture, music, art, theatre — the whole shebang, really — and in 2017 the venues will stretch from Campbelltown to Carriageworks to a carpark in Blacktown. All up, 46 spaces will be used by more than 1000 artists over the 23 days of the festival. To say there's a lot on is an understatement. While we'll try to hit up as many of the 150 events as we can, we've had a good, long look at the program and come up with ten Syd Fest events you simply cannot miss. These should help you decide how, where and when to whet your cultural whistle.
Dinner and a show: it's a date night classic for a reason. But, sometimes, if it's last-minute or your wallet is feeling a little light, the 'and show' part of the equation can be a bit tricky to arrange. Thankfully, living in Sydney means you have around-the-clock access to one of the best free shows on earth: the beach. Whether it's a warm and sunny day or blisteringly cold, Sydney's beaches make for a great spot to get cosy with your special someone and watch the waves, surfers and sea life as the sun rises or sets. And, if you choose the latter time, you have the bonus of being able to include some takeaway food in the equation, too. So, we've ploughed through DoorDash's extensive list of restaurants, cafes and bars to determine the ideal eats for a cheeky beachside sesh with your date — or best mates.
If you're a fan of chicken wings, then you might already have July 29 marked in your calendar. It's your annual excuse to tuck into plenty of chook, because that's what National Chicken Wing Day is all about. At Pacific Concept's various German-themed venues — aka Munich Brauhaus and The Bavarian, and at all stores around New South Wales — you won't just find a whole heap of chicken, however. Wings will also be on special from 4–6pm for ten cents each. Yes, you read that price correctly. All wings come with buffalo sauce, and you can nab up to 20 at a time for just $2 — although you will also need to buy a full-priced drink. If you fancy more than 20, that's fine — you'll just need to get more beverages, which we're sure no one will be complaining about. And yes, given that July 29 falls on a Friday this year, this is a special worth knocking off early for.
Spring means different things to different people. Flowers, cleaning, spending more time outdoors, being pleased that winter is over for another year — they're all on the list. At The Bavarian for three months from Wednesday, September 2, however, the season also means tucking into a German-style meal and washing it all down with bottomless beverages. That's what's on offer at the The Bavarian Spring Fest, which is available every day throughout the aforementioned period. It'll cost you $69 per person, which includes a range of dishes — think pretzels, chicken schnitzel with mushroom sauce and fries, and apple strudel — plus two hours of beer, cider and cocktails. You'll be able to choose what you'd like to sip, including from an Aussie range of brews, plus cocktails such as The Bavarian's new strawberry margarita, apple-tini and lychee paradise. Bookings are recommended — and Spring Fest is happening at The Bavarian venues in Charlestown, Rouse Hill, Castle Hill, Shellharbour, Tuggerah, Manly, Miranda and Penrith. The Bavarian Spring Fest runs from September 2–November 30 at the chain's venues in Charlestown, Rouse Hill, Castle Hill, Shellharbour, Tuggerah, Manly, Miranda and Penrith.
If you've ever whiled away your evening hours watching MasterChef while enviously eating a two-ingredient pesto pasta for dinner, we have some good news for you: Jacob's Creek is setting up a pop-up kitchen, and it's aimed precisely at those who want to refine their chef skills a little — i.e., you. For the Kitchen Collective, Huxtaburger chef (and past guest judge on MasterChef) Daniel Wilson will guide attendees through a two-course cooking demonstration of one entree and one dessert. Diners will learn from Wilson and then take part in a little friendly competition as they recreate the two courses. While there will be prizes up for grabs, there won't be any eliminations (and hopefully no tears, either). To take a little of the pressure away, caterers Studio Neon will take care of your main course and Jacob's Creek Barossa Signature wines will be matched to each course. Wine expert Ambar Maddox will be present to chat through each free-flowing drop and share the secret to food and wine pairing. As well as helping you hone your top chef skills, the pop-up will also contribute to an even greater good: 100 percent of profits are being donated to SecondBite, a charity that provides food and support for the needy. Jacob's Creek Kitchen Collective will take place between Friday, July 27 and Sunday, August 12. Daytime sessions will run from 12pm–4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, and the nighttime experience will run from 6pm–10pm every Friday to Sunday. Only 16 seats are available for each session, so move quickly and nab your spot here.
As fans of a certain fictional cat-like Japanese character should already know, Hello Kitty Land is a real place that exists in Tokyo, and it's probably a bucket-list destination for your next Japan trip. But Sydneysiders don't need to hop on a plane to celebrate the bow-wearing, feline-resembling animated favourite for the next three months, with Darling Square hosting a huge Hello Kitty-themed street festival. Running now until Friday, April 29, this Hello Kitty fest is actually a Hello Kitty Town — so expect the precinct to be positively purring with all things Hello Kitty. Created in partnership with Sanrio, the Japanese company behind the super-popular character, the set up includes exhibitions, inflatable installations and Hello Kitty-themed food and drinks. Who doesn't want to eat a sandwich shaped like the perpetual third-grade student, or drink Hello Kitty rose mocktails? On the art side of the setup, Hello Kitty Town is home to Australia's largest Sanrio art exhibitions, spanning pieces from top graphic designers, illustrators and street artists such as UK cartoonist, writer and illustrator Gemma Correll, Berlin-based artist and illustrator DXTR, Melbourne large-scale mural painter Justine McAllister, and Aussie artist Travis Price, who is the featured artist for the festival — with their wares all displayed in an outdoor gallery. And, there's also a five-metre Hello Kitty inflatable that, yes, is as adorable as it sounds. Food- and drink-wise, the menu currently includes Kurtosh's apple pie (Hello Kitty's favourite meal) covered in pink coconut sprinkles, and themed ramen from IIKO Mazesoba. The two brothless ramen bowls on offer are a spicy tuna option with Hello Kitty nori; or a chicken karaage bowl packed with togarashi, sriracha mayo, homemade sesame chilli oil, onsen egg and the same themed nori. You can also feed your four-legged pals with a pup-friendly menu and activities on offer. Take your furry friend to the Hachi Dog Boutique and Spa or order them a Hello Kitty-shaped dog cake and a bento box filled with natural Australian-made dog treats. There'll be more additions to the program — and to the menu — announced over the event's three-month run, tempting you to indulge your Hello Kitty love multiple times. Obviously, Hello Kitty merchandise is on sale, because a festival like this wouldn't be complete without it. And, also to the surprise of no-one, this is firmly a family-friendly affair. No one ever really outgrows Hello Kitty, though, do they? Updated: Wednesday, April 6
Need yet another utterly worthy excuse to take a break from your daily grind and go on a sneaky getaway to the dreamy waters and magnificent sunsets of Mollymook? Well, we've got one — two nights at one of the towns most luxe hotels, Bannisters Pavilion Mollymook. A scenic three hour drive south of Sydney, this stretch of coast boasts stunning beaches, numerous bush walks and plenty of dining options — it's the perfect escape from the bustling city. So, if you're in need of a jaunt down the south coast, you're in luck. Should you get your mitts on this glorious prize, you and a lover (or a buddy) will be spending two lazy nights in one of the penthouse suites at Bannisters Pavilion Mollymook. With daily breakfast, dinner at The Rooftop Bar & Grill and also at Rick Stein at Bannisters Mollymook and a private surfing lesson with ex-world champion Pam Burridge, this treat is worth a cool 1800 bucks. Bannisters Pavilion Mollymook is perched just 80 metres from one of the south coast's most beautiful beaches — Mollymook Beach — and has a coastal-chic aesthetic, with incredibly luxe rooms. In one of the two penthouse rooms, you can expect tranquil forest views while in the other you'll find a double-sided fireplace — so you can plan your trip whatever season. Both have large outdoor terraces and have an open plan design over 149 square metres, too. You can claim your prize at any point until August 2020 (between Sundays and Thursdays, excluding peak periods, school and public holidays), giving you ample opportunity to carve out a little pocket of me-time. Whether you want to use it as a base for exploring the region or stay put for an ultra-relaxed vacation, this is one prize that's sure to make your mates jealous — unless you can convince them to join you. To enter, see details below. [competition]729825[/competition]
Located along the food precinct of Little Hay Street in Darling Square, Fifteen Sheets offers contemporary fashion for both women and men. Opening in Kuala Lumpur back in 2013, the shop started out as a combined menswear retailer and espresso bar. In 2016, the brand officially relocated to Sydney and introduced womens fashion into its repertoire. Now, the Darling Square shopfront spans multiple labels and specialises in everyday wear, focusing on simple, quality designs with LA-style vibes. Think labels like Descendant of Thieves, Alternative Apparel and SLVDR, plus Southeast Asian labels like Singapore's Beyond The Vines and Malaysia's Nala Designs.
Adapted from the title of the 2008 Haruki Murakami book What I Think About When I Think About Running (itself adapted from the title of Raymond Carver's 1980 short story, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love), What I Think About When I Think About Dancing is an interdisciplinary project comprised of a series of residencies, exhibitions, performances and a publication. This is a mammoth project. Twenty-three dance and visual artists have been brought together "to question the meeting place of dance and visual arts across cultures, communities and by individualsâ€. Eleven of them (including Brian Fuata and Agatha Goethe-Snape, Gabriella Mangano & Silvana Mangano, Brown Council and renowned innovative UK choreographer Rosemary Butcher) will create new works on site through the residency program. A further four (Kate Murphy, Mitch Cairns, Christian Thompson and Shigeyuki Kihara) will present new works. And, if that line-up was not enough to convince, work by acclaimed Australian artists The Kingpins, Shaun Gladwell and David Noonan and emerging artists Laresa Kosloff and James Newitt, will also feature. The Project launches on Friday 27 November with the opening of the exhibition and performance showings by Fuata and Goethe-Snape, Mitch Cairns, The Kingpins, Brown Council and Rosie Dennis. Image: Kate Murphy Count me in 2009 digital video still single channel HD video installation with stereo sound Courtesy the artist and BREENSPACE, Sydney https://youtube.com/watch?v=WGaZUqjBDBE
The silly season is at last upon us. And you know what that means, plenty of long lunches with your friends, family and work crew. If you have a long list of social commitments on your calendar, let us help with some of the work. We've gathered this list of celebratory lunch specials available at Solotel venues across Sydney, perfect for your festive feast needs.
It's been a big couple of days in Sydney. Regional travel was given the green light, beauty salons and cultural institutions were allowed to reopen and the city's hospitality venues could welcome up to 50 patrons through their doors from yesterday. Because of the latter, a lot more venues have been opening said doors — as 50 customers is a bit more financially viable than ten — and one of those is Bondi Beach Public Bar. The Campbell Parade pub isn't simply reopening, either. It's reopening and offering a whopping 50 percent off all food and a range of beer, wine and cocktails — all day, every day until the end of June. This means, when you head in from 5pm on Wednesday, June 3, you'll be able to dig into $5 tacos, $10 burgers and $15 steaks, as well as $5 select wines and beers and $10 margaritas and espresso martinis. BBPB is also bringing back the tunes. While you can't get up and dance — no mingling allowed at hospo venues just yet — you can sit and shimmy along to DJ Levins on Fridays and Public Affection on Saturdays. The inaugural party on Saturday, June 6, will see DJs Charlie Chuxx, Parihaka and Pink Lloyd will be spinning the decks from 6pm You can either book a table or walk in, with 50 seats available in each of the Public Bar, dining area and heated outdoor area (150 in total), which is in line with current regulations. Bondi Beach Public Bar is reopening from 5pm on Wednesday, June 3 and is offering 50 percent off all food and some booze until the end of June.
