Who doesn't love a happy hour? Throughout August and September three of Sydney's classiest restaurants are getting in on the action with the launch of Golden Hours. Bistecca, The Rover and The Gidley will all be serving up their own deals across the two months featuring martinis, steak and burgers aplenty. Let's start at Bistecca. The acclaimed Dalley Street spot has created "Sydney's best steak sandwich". Usually you have to book well in advance to get a spot in Bistecca's dining room but, as part of Golden Hours, you'll be able to order the kitchen's renowned eats in the walk-in-only bar area. Available for $20 from 6–8pm every Monday–Saturday throughout the promotion, the steak sandwich will feature a cut of sirloin, Tuscan white bean paste, pickled onions and spicy salsa verde on a potato bun — and it'll be available to just 20 customers per night. Alongside the sambo, Bistecca will also be offering $15 aperol spritzes, $15 negronis and $10 amaro highballs. Over at The Rover, the happy hour will have a classic pairing on offer. Head to Surry Hills between 5–6pm Tuesday–Saturday and you can score yourself $2 oysters and $10 martinis - an absolute steal. Rounding out the deals is The Gidley's famous cheeseburger which is on offer for $20 (or $22 with the inclusion of a fried egg). A great deal for one of Sydney's best burgers which stars succulent double beef patties, melted cheese and house pickles. You can also pick up any bottle of champagne for 30% off or nab yourself a $20 Old Fashioned. Both of The Gidley's Golden Hour deals are on offer from 8–10.30pm every Monday–Saturday throughout August and September. Top image: Bistecca, Dominic Loneragan
Three Michelin stars. Two hats. One of the biggest culinary names in the world, one of Australia's best-known chefs as well, plus another Aussie wiz in the kitchen. Throw in a famed London restaurant and a top Sydney fine-diner, and you get you get one of 2023's biggest food events in Australia: Restaurant Gordon Ramsay coming to Aria. For three nights this autumn, from Monday, May 8–Wednesday, May 10, Gordon Ramsay's eponymous restaurant will hit up the Harbour City for one-of-a-kind residency — because it's never been done before. This is the first time that the London venue has popped up anywhere outside of the British capital. On the menu: a dining experience curated by Ramsay and Matt Moran, naturally. While the pair are joining forces to oversee the residency, Australian chef Matt Abé will be in the kitchen with the Aria team. Dubbed 'Restaurant Gordon Ramsay comes to Aria', the hot culinary ticket capitalises upon a hefty history between Ramsay, Moran and Abé. Ramsay and Moran have been friends for more than a quarter-century, while Abé got his first culinary job at the age of 17 at Aria — and now, 21 years later, he's chef patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. On offer: a seven-course menu for $495 per person, plating up signature Restaurant Gordon Ramsay dishes, but with British produce replaced with Australian ingredients. The menu hasn't been revealed; however, it's likely that shellfish raviolo and a pecan praline dessert will feature. And, Aria's wine program will be doing a premium vino pairing on top for another $295 a head. "What an absolute honour to have Restaurant Gordon Ramsay do their first residency outside London at Aria. Gordon is one of my closest mates, and Abé spent five years cooking with me in the Aria kitchen before moving to London where he has cemented his place as one of the world's finest chefs. These three nights will be a real highlight in the 23 years of Aria; I can't wait," said Moran. "Collaborating with my dear friend Matt Moran, and talented chef patron Matt Abé at Aria, with its magnificent views across Sydney harbour, and creating a menu that utilises Australia's incredible local produce whilst delivering the finesse of our three-star Michelin menu, is a dream come true," added Ramsay. "I'm so excited to be heading back to the restaurant where my love for fine dining began. It means so much to be coming home as the first and only three-star Australian chef, to showcase what I have learnt over the years of working for Gordon. It really is an honour to be stepping back into the kitchen at Aria, a place where I first met Gordon, and to show my earliest mentor and friend, Matt Moran, the chef I am today," noted Abé. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay's stint at Aria joins the growing list of high-profile Sydney culinary pop-ups in 2023, with France's Mirazur just finishing a three-week stay at The Gantry at Pier One Sydney Harbour at the end of March — and three Michelin-starred English restaurant L'Enclume, from British chef Simon Rogan, making Balmoral Beach's Bathers' Pavilion its home away from home in July and August. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay comes to Aria takes place from Monday, May 8–Wednesday, May 10, costing $495 per person with a wine pairing from $295 per person — with tickets on sale from 9am on Thursday, April 13 via the Aria website.
Chiswick Cellars is another family-run operation, which celebrated 26 years in the business in 2020. Located on Blackwall Point Road, the small business boasts a friendly team that is more than happy to help you decide what to purchase. The focus here is on the wine, though a basic liquor and beer offering is also on the docket. It's best to spend some time perusing the shelves — with so much on offer, you won't want to rush. Apart from all the booze, there's also a sizeable deli attached, so it's a great place to test your skills with wine and food pairing.
If seasonal change has left you in a dizzy headspin of new colours and fabrics and prints and jackets — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is coming back to Paddington Town Hall for four days between Thursday, March 12–Sunday, March 15. The name pretty much says it all. This thing is big. You'll find thousands of lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from over 50 cult Australian and international designers, both well-known and emerging, including Romance Was Born, Isabel Marant, Alexander McQueen, The Row, Kenzo, Anna Quan, Stella McCartney, Dries Van Noten and more. With discounts of up to 80 percent off, this is one way to up your count of designer while leaving your bank balance sitting pretty, too — whether you're keen on clothes, shoes, swimwear or accessories. The March event will also feature an expanded focus on pre-loved items, if you're eager to both take home some new threads and be sustainable. Prices this low tend to inspire a certain level of ruthlessness in all of us, though, so practise that grabbing reflex in advance. This is every shopper for themselves. The Big Fashion Sale will be open Thursday 9am–7pm, Friday–Saturday 9am–6pm and Sunday 10am–5pm.
A George Lambert-style self portrait by Yvette Coppersmith has just nabbed the 97th annual Archibald Prize — her work Self-portrait, after George Lambert was chosen from a talented bunch of 58 finalists. This year's $100,000 prize attracted a whopping 794 entries from across the country and New Zealand, their works depicting homegrown icons ranging from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to actor Guy Pearce. The prestigious portrait competition pulls a compelling lineup of artworks each year, portraying an eclectic mix of artists, musicians, politicians, sports heroes and other notable Aussies. Coppersmith's winning piece pays homage to the stylings of acclaimed fellow artist George Lambert, who himself took out the 1927 Archibald Prize. The win's been a long time coming for Coppersmith, who has been a finalist five times. "Hearing of the win this morning my mind was scrambling to integrate the surreal news about something that's been 20 years in the making," she said. "I'm still trying to fathom it!" She's also only the tenth female artist in history to have taken out the top prize. In more good news, the winners of the Wynne and Sir John Sulman prizes we also revealed today — and both are Indigenous women. Pintupi artist Yukultji Napangati took out the former — which awards the best landscape painting of Australian scenery or figure sculpture — for her depiction of a scene among sandhills west of Kiwirrkura in Western Australia. The Sir John Sulman Prize goes to the best mural, subject or genre painting, and was this year awarded to Kaylene Whiskey's work of Cher and Dolly Parton. Today's announcements follow last week's naming of the 2018 Packing Room Prize, which is selected by the gallery staff who unpack and hang the Archibald Prize entries each year. That title was taken out by Jamie Preisz, for his piece Jimmy (title fight), featuring legendary singer-songwriter Jimmy Barnes. All the winning portraits and finalists will be on display at Sydney's Art Gallery of NSW from tomorrow — Saturday, May 12 — up until September 9. If you do't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice. Image: Self portrait after George Lambert, Yvette Coppersmith. Photo shot by Jenni Carter courtesy of AGNSW.
Would you rather spend your hard-earned pennies on a funky piece for your house than on new clothes? Are you the kind of friend that your mates come to for interior decorating advice? Then, you're also probably the kind of person that shudders at monstrous televisions that often break, not make, a living room's feng shui. Thankfully, we've teamed up with Samsung to give one lucky design geek a brand-new The Serif. This stylish TV was designed to be a focal point in the living room, and to complement interior aesthetics instead of being an eyesore taking up space in the corner. Developed through a collab between two of the world's most esteemed industrial designers — Paris-based brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec — The Serif TV features an iconic 'I' shape when viewed from the side. Its seamless form means it looks good from any angle. So, you can position it on its own legs, on a counter or on a traditional TV cabinet, and it'll not only integrate seamlessly into your home but also transform it into something resembling those chic spaces you drool over on Instagram. The major prize winner will receive one 43-inch The Serif TV and one limited-edition artwork by the Bouroullec brothers. We've also gotten our hands on 99 more of those artworks to share as runner-up rewards. To be in the running, enter your details below. To find out more about The Serif, visit the Samsung website. [competition]831045[/competition]
Sydneysiders, after almost three weeks in lockdown now, you're probably quite sick of the sight of your own four walls. But with high local COVID-19 case numbers continuing to be reported daily — including 97 new cases identified in the 24 hours until 8pm yesterday, Tuesday, July 13 — the lockdown conditions currently in place in the Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour regions aren't going to end anytime soon. This time last week, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian extended the lockdown until Friday, July 16. Today, Wednesday, July 14, she has just announced that it will continue for at least another two weeks beyond that. So, 11.59pm on Friday, July 30 is the new possible end time and date — but whether lockdown does finish then will obviously depend upon case numbers in a fortnight. "It always hurts to say this, but we need to extend the lockdown for at least another two weeks," said the Premier. "We will assess the situation at the end of those two weeks and provide information beyond that," she continued. Folks currently in lockdown will remain under the same conditions that are presently in place — with the stay-at-home rules in these areas getting stricter back on Friday, July 9. Since then, rules around face masks have expanded, too, as have testing requirements for some workers. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1415113868183937026 Accordingly, everyone in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour can still only leave the house for four specific essential reasons: to work and study if you can't do it from home; for essential shopping; for exercise outdoors; and for compassionate reasons, which includes medical treatment, getting a COVID-19 test and getting vaccinated. And, you can still only exercise in groups of two outdoors — or as a household. You can also only get sweaty within your local government area, or within ten kilometres of where you live. And, you're still not permitted to carpool with anyone outside of your household when it comes to exercising, or in general. If you need supplies, only one person from each household can go out shopping each day to buy essential items — and browsing is prohibited, too. No one can have anyone over to their house, either — other than for care purposes, which includes intimate partners. Announcing the lockdown extension, the Premier advised that it is "the number of infections in the community we want to get down to zero" before the NSW Government can consider lifting the stay-at-home conditions. "If we have cases in isolation, that is less of a concern to us, and I want to make that clear. The number that would worry us in the last 24 hours is the 24 number. Twenty-four people were infectious in the community. We need to get that down to as close to zero as possible," she said. "The advice on the two weeks is provided through health. We will know at the end of two weeks to what extent we need to extend the lockdown," the Premier continued. "There are a number of issues we won't know until we have further data. Remember, the impact of some of the changes we have put in place will not be found for the next few days." As always, Sydneysiders are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited. If you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, you'll need to get tested immediately and follow NSW Health's self-isolation instructions. In terms of symptoms, you should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any. The current lockdown in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour will now continue until at least Friday, July 30. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
Back in 2020, the Hella Mega Tour tour was meant to come to Australia, bringing Green Day, Weezer and and Fall Out Boy our way all on the same bill. Dates were announced, tickets went on sale, but then the pandemic hit, so the event didn't go ahead. Now, three years later and within the space of mere days, both Weezer and Fall Out Boy have either locked in or teased trips Down Under. Weezer have made everything official, unveiling dates for three shows along the east coast in October. Fall Out Boy, however, are just dropping hints at the time of writing. But you don't post an Aussie flag, a kangaroo emoji and a clip from The Simpsons' Australian episode if you're not going to follow through — we hope. 🇦🇺🦘🔜 pic.twitter.com/34YUSb2dr8 — Fall Out Boy (@falloutboy) August 14, 2023 So far, the above tweet is all that fans have to go on — so watch this space for actual tour details when they're announced. If you haven't heard the name Fall Out Boy for what seems like ages, the Chicago-formed band weren't just big in the 00s — they reformed in 2013, complete with both new music and new live gigs. [caption id="attachment_913087" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rufus via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] If Pete Wentz, Patrick Stump, Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman do make the trip Down Under sometime soon — adding dates to a tour that's also taking them to Japan this weekend, then to Europe until November — they'll do so of the back of their eighth studio album So Much (for) Stardust, which released in March this year. And, of course, they'll treating audiences to everything from 'Sugar, We're Goin Down' and 'Dance, Dance' to 'Uma Thurman' from their couple of decades together. Fall Out Boy haven't announced Australian tour dates yet, but we'll update you if/when they do. Keep an eye on their website and social media in the interim. Top image: Drew de F Fawkes via Wikimedia Commons.
These days, a meal isn't just a meal. It's a bubbling, troubling cauldron of ethical, environmental and health dilemmas. Are genetically modified foods okay or not? Is eating meat an immoral act? Should you quit sugar? A new mini talks fest, to inaugurate at the Sydney Opera House on 14 July, is dedicated to these and other food-related issues. The Fixing Food Festival will kick off at midday, with a panel made up of I Quit Sugar author Sarah Wilson, indigenous food expert Jody Orcher and CSIRO research scientist Professor Grant Brinkworth. They'll be discussing the $64 million question: what should I eat? Reformed anti-GMO activist Mark Lynas will take the floor at 1.45pm to deliver a solo talk titled GMO: No Way or OK? Lynas is an interesting one — in 2013, he publicly apologised for having prevented GMO trials and has since worked in Africa and Asia with scientists who use the organisms to help independent farmers. Wrapping things up at 3.30pm will be a talk from British writer Louise Gray, who wrote The Ethical Carnivore after spending a year eating only animals she killed with her own two hands. Along the way, she explored slaughterhouses, halal meat, roadkill and alternative proteins, such as insects. You'll have to buy tickets to each event separately, with the talks coming in at $39 each. Tickets to the panel are $55 but include a lunch box salad filled with native ingredients, including kangaroo, bush tomatoes, bush nuts and finger lime dressing. Image: Leticia Almeida.
Sydneysiders, start bragging. Folks across the rest of Australia, start making cocktail plans for your next trip to the Harbour City. The World's 50 Best Bars list for 2022 has just been announced — the top 50, after dropping the extended 51–100 rundown in late September — and two Aussie spots have made the cut. They're both in Sydney, and they've both been in this position before. Indeed, in a piece of familiar news, the nation's highest-ranking spot to get sipping in 2022 is Sydney's Maybe Sammy. And, it's the fourth year in a row that the innovative bar in The Rocks has made the list, taking 29th place. That's a drop from 2021 when it came in 22nd, and from 2020's 11th spot, but higher than in 2019 when it sat at 43rd. Also pouring a big glass of déjà vu is Cantina OK!, another World's 50 Best Bars list mainstay. After placing 23rd in 2021, it came in 41st this year — after sitting at 28th in 2020, too. [caption id="attachment_704012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] DS Oficina[/caption] For those yet to be acquainted with Maybe Sammy in The Rocks, its luxurious styling nods to old-school Vegas glamour, all blush pink velvet banquettes and lush indoor greenery, while the list of theatrical signature drinks pays homage to the classics. At Cantina OK!, you'll find a pint-sized mezcal bar in an old garage down a service laneway — complete with bright pink and purple walls, Mexican vibes and laneway seating. That's it for Aussie showings in the top 50; however, in the longlist from last week, Melbourne's Caretaker's Cottage came in at 60th spot and Sydney's Re took out 87th position. [caption id="attachment_714476" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] The overall winner this year, and marking the first time the gong has been won by a bar that isn't in New York or London: Paradiso in Barcelona. Also, Brisbanites, rejoice — the acclaimed venue has been teaming up with W Brisbane's Living Room Bar since May, with the North Quay venue serving up a range of ten tipples created by Paradiso's owner and mixologist Giacomo Giannotti. Paradiso took out this year's top spot ahead of London's Connaught Bar, which did the same in 2020 and 2021 and now sits eighth. In the rest of the top ten: London's Tayēr + Elementary in 2nd, Barcelona's Sips in third, Licorería Limantour in Mexico City in fourth and Paris' Little Red Door in fifth, as well as Double Chicken Please in New York at number six, Barcelona's' Two Schmucks at seventh, New York's Katana Kitten in ninth spot and Cartagena's Alquímico in tenth. Making holiday plans based on the globe's best watering holes? It's as good a reason for a getaway itinerary as any. The annual World's 50 Best Bars awards are voted on by bar industry experts from around the world, including bartenders, consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists. For the full of the World's 50 Best Bars for 2022 (and the longlist, and past years' lists), head to the website. Top image: Kimberley Low.
The zero-waste movement has spawned a whole host of clever recycling initiatives, from workout gear crafted out of rescued ocean plastic to sneaker soles featuring rubber made from used bubblegum and even a whole road made of soft plastics and glass bottles. And now, with the help of a $115,000 boost in funding from the NSW Government, coffee cup recycling crew Simply Cup will be turning millions of disposable coffee vessels into things like benches and parking curbs. Over the next year, the project will see 110 tonnes, or around 11 million cups, diverted from landfill and upcycled into a range of new products. That's on top of the 2.5 million disposable cups the group has already saved from landfill in the past 18 months. In collaboration with a group called Newtecpoly in Moama, many of these cups will be combined with recycled plastics to create transport control products, like car park stoppers, bollards and kerbing. Newtecpoly also have the capacity to make all sorts of things like outdoor furniture, coathangers and bricks. The new funding — which comes from the NSW Government's $5.46 million Circulate grant program that aims to divert waste from landfill — will allow Simply Cups, which operates across Australia and the UK, to ramp up its efforts, collecting even more cups from commercial buildings, public spaces, caterers and 7-Elevens in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. The group's the same one behind rCUP — the world's first reusable cup made from recycled coffee cups — which was created in collaboration with 7-Eleven earlier this year. The Simply Cups collection tubes are currently set up at 340 locations and counting around Australia, including 7-Elevens, Muffin Breaks, office buildings and cafes. To add to that number, you can set up your own workplace or business with them, too — just request a collection over here. And if you want to go one step further, the best way to make sure your coffee cup doesn't end up in landfill is to buy a reusable keep cup.
UPDATE, January 7, 2022: Godzilla vs Kong is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. The kaiju to end all kaiju (or to fight them, at least), Godzilla isn't a villain. When the giant critter first rampaged across the screen 67 years ago in the original and still best Godzilla film, it was born of the need to confront the consequences of nuclear weapons. When fire blazed from the monster's mouth, there was no doubt that it was sparked by the apathy and arrogance that humankind showed the planet by creating the atomic bomb. Predating the leviathan by debuting in 1933, King Kong isn't a villain either. If the enormous ape hadn't been captured and exploited, the so-called 'eighth wonder of the world' wouldn't have had a date with the Empire State Building. If humanity hadn't interfered with nature, he wouldn't have clutched several blondes — Fay Wray to start, Jessica Lange in 1976, Naomi Watts in 2005 and Brie Larson in 2017 — in his oversized hands across the decades. Given that neither of Godzilla vs Kong's towering titans are truly terrors, and therefore neither should really emerge victorious over the other, getting them to face off seems pointless. "They're both big, so they can't get along" is the simplistic concept. This isn't a new train of thought, or new to the American-made Monsterverse that's been nudging the beasts closer together for seven years. Thankfully, in the hands of You're Next and The Guest director Adam Wingard, Godzilla vs Kong has as much in common with its superior Japanese predecessors as it does with 2019's terrible Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The follow-up to 2017's Kong: Skull Island, too, this new battle of the behemoths doesn't remake the duo's first screen showdown in 1962's King Kong vs Godzilla. And, sadly, it hasn't ditched the current Hollywood flicks' love of unexciting human characters. But it crucially recognises that watching its titular creatures go claw-to-paw should be entertaining. It should be a spectacle, in fact. The film also realises that if you're not going to make a movie about this pair with much in the way of substance, then you should go all out on the action and fantasy fronts. In other words, Godzilla vs Kong feels like the product of a filmmaker who loves the Japanese Godzilla flicks and Kong's maiden appearance, knows he can't do them justice thematically, but is determined to get what he can right. Wingard is still saddled with a flimsy script with a tin ear for dialogue by screenwriters Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok) and Max Borenstein (Kong: Skull Island), but his massive monster melees are a delight. That's fantastic news to everyone who strained to get a proper glimpse of Godzilla in 2014, found that Skull Island borrowed a little too much from the Jurassic Park series, and suffered through the dark and ugly-looking King of the Monsters. Also welcome: Godzilla vs Kong's eagerness to lean into its genre. When it surrenders to its pixels, and to a tale that involves a journey to the centre of the earth, subterranean asteroids, altercations with giant flying lizards and an underground tunnel from Florida to Hong Kong, it's equal parts loopy and fun. That trip to the planet's interior is guided by Kong, whose life has changed since last swinging across the screen. Kept in a dome that simulates the jungle, the jumbo primate is under the watch of Jane Goodall-esque researcher Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall, Tales from the Loop), and bonds with Jia (newcomer Kaylee Hottle), the orphan also in the doctor's care. But, after Godzilla surfaces for the first time in three years to attack tech corporation Apex's Miami base, CEO Walter Simmons (Demián Bichir, Chaos Walking) enlists geologist Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård, The Stand) on a mission. Testing the latter's hollow earth theory, they plan to track down an energy source that could be linked to both Zilly and Kong's existence — but only if Kong will lead them there. In a plot inclusion that'd do Scooby Doo proud, teenager Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown, returning from King of the Monsters) and her classmate Josh Valentine (Julian Dennison, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) are certain that Apex is up to no good and — with conspiracy theory-obsessed podcaster Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry, Superintelligence) — start meddling. If you're tired of seeing podcasting overused as an easy narrative crutch — as also present in everything from the most recent Halloween to the new Mighty Ducks TV series — you're not alone. Story-wise, Godzilla vs Kong makes a slew of such lazy choices. When its handling of technology brings up memories of the atrocious first US take on Godzilla back in 1998, that definitely isn't a good thing. And, despite the high-profile array of talent involved, the film doesn't give its cast anything to brag about. You could be generous and assume that's intentional, because Godzilla and Kong should be the stars of the show and dwarf their flesh-and-blood costars in multiple ways; however, the feature spends far too much time with its thinly written humans to support that notion. When the movie's monsters are pushed to the fore and thrust together, though, Godzilla vs Kong is a much better film. One exceptional sequence doesn't make any picture a masterpiece, but the luminous wrestling match that takes place against Hong Kong's neon-lit skyline is instantly gorgeous, impressively staged and reminiscent of Tron: Legacy's dazzling imagery. While the fact that the film's fights aren't messy, dim and frenetic to the point of being visually nonsensical shouldn't be as much of a win as it is, that's the state of big blockbuster action these days. Indeed, the knack for action choreography that Wingard initially showed in the underrated and underseen The Guest is firmly a highlight here. The idea of pitting its titans against each other remains ludicrous, but Godzilla vs Kong knows it, leans in, delivers on the concept and adds a pulsating synth score. Wingard has the average recent Blair Witch on his resume, too, so he has struggled with jumping into an existing franchise before — but from the eponymous animals to a not-at-all surprising but still well-handled late appearance, he has helmed one of the Monsterverse's most engaging entries yet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odM92ap8_c0
Start your patriotic shenanigans on Australia Day eve with, um, six hours of American hip-hop. The Cliff Dive, Sydney's favourite tiki bar, will be taking a trip back to the noughties, with all the artists that ruled the decade: from 50 Cent and Ja Rule to Chingy and Nelly. There's even a 20-minute Rihanna marathon promised in the mix, courtesy of Nes, resident DJ. The event is the second in the venue's Naughty Noughties series. The first was so over-crowded with shakin' booties that The Cliff Dive's party-loving folk couldn't help but organise another. Joining Nes will be Nick Lupi, who's one-half of Spit Syndicate, one-seventh of One Day, has played Splendour and includes a bunch of G-Unit in every set, as well as King Lee, doyen of Sydney clubbing and deliverer of bangers. Meanwhile, 24 Karat Kev will be taking care of the MCing.
The white sandy shores and lush subtropical forest of Lord Howe Island can only be explored by 400 lucky visitors at any one time. So, if you want to swim through these aquamarine waters, you'll need to snap up accommodation for your crew, quick smart. Looking for an isolated sanctuary? You'll find a private oasis among a forest of kentia palms and banyan trees at Island House, which accommodates up to eight guests across two villas. These carefully curated, light-filled spaces feature sleek Danish furnishings and kitchens stocked with island-grown and -caught produce, plus a bevy of top-shelf drinks. The venue will also kit you out with all the equipment you need for your explorations, offering everything from fishing gear, snorkels and fins to glass-bottomed paddleboards, pushbikes, yoga mats and trekking accoutrement. The team can also help you book a tour for anything that can't be attempted solo, such as deep sea fishing, scuba diving or hiking more arduous trails like the dizzying Mount Gower ridge. Head here for more Aussie island inspiration. Images: Destination NSW
For Sydneysiders who love a little jazz, the Camelot Lounge is no stranger. Hell bent on staying a bar with no pretentiousness and no expectations, the venue has remained just a joint of smooth jazz, laid-back vibes and tasty food. They've opened up a new bar too, downstairs from the main bar. Dubbed Django Bar, the new spot plays host to live tunes every Thursday night, deep in the the confines of the luxuriously decked out digs. So get in early, get yourself a selection of the delicious dips and mezze, and settle in for some free flowing musical mischief to get you through to the weekend.
In the dramedy that bears his name, which streams in Australia via Stan, Ramy Youssef is a quintuple threat. The standup comic and Mr Robot and Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot actor created Ramy. He plays the eponymous Ramy. He also executive produces the series and, across all three seasons to-date, he frequently writes and directs. It's a show about a Queens-born first-generation American Muslim raised in New Jersey to Egyptian parents, too, as Youssef himself is. Indeed, there's no doubting that Ramy springs from a personal place, a feeling that echoes in every one of its 30 episodes so far. There's a difference between bringing your own exact existence to the screen and conveying the truth behind your experiences, however. Ramy falls into the second category. As the series charts its titular figure's struggles, specifically as his faith conflicts with his lifestyle, it doesn't pretend for a second that its two Ramys — Youssef off-screen, Hassan on-screen — are one and the same. Instead, it proves deeply steeped in the lived reality of feeling torn between two cultures, and so specific in the details that stem from that fact, while also universal and relatable in its emotions and insights. That's been the case since Ramy's first Golden Globe-winning season in 2019, and none of the above changes in the newly released third batch of episodes, which rank among the show's finest moments yet. In this ten-episode latest run, the lives of Ramy and his loved ones are rarely blessed with fine moments, no matter how eagerly and desperately they seek them. Youssef's on-screen alter-ego keeps threatening his own heart, mind and soul with his choices, and being disappointed with the outcome. Season two ended with a brief marriage to Zainab (MaameYaa Boafo, The Mysterious Benedict Society), the daughter of Sheikh Malik (Mahershala Ali, Swan Song). With one lustful bad decision, Ramy blew up his personal and religious connections, leaving him alone in a car with only an incarcerated pal's dog for company in its last scene. A year has passed on-screen now, but the fallout still lingers because nothing is easy to escape in this series. Zainab won't talk to Ramy, but there's a cash payout that needs settling for breaking their marriage contract. Accordingly, Ramy has thrown himself into making his Uncle Naseem's (Laith Nakli, Ms Marvel) diamond dealership a success — as a distraction, and to take care of his debt — and, as the season continues, he branches out on his own with Jewish friend Michael (Michael Chernus, Severance) and his Israeli-syndicate backers. He now has money, as well as his own place. Soon, he has his own jewellery business, and the boost to his ego that its triumph brings. But none of this herald's happiness, or comfort, or the ability to truly work out who he wants to be as he still tussles with balancing his beliefs with impulses, and overcoming his selfishness in general. It's easy to think of Uncut Gems while watching Ramy stake his sense of self on the money and hustle of the jewellery game, but that isn't the only Safdie brothers film that springs to mind in season three. Youssef doesn't sport bleached hair as Robert Pattinson did in Good Time, but he has a similarly careening vibe — and the same propensity to always put himself first, usually by making the worst move he can, while thinking he's helping others. In the new season's Ramy-focused instalments, the show sports the same feverish energy, too; there's no heists here, but that's the engrained mood. Actually, is Ramy heisting himself all along? He thinks he can bluff his way to contentment by getting big in the jewellery game and boosting his bank balance, but he's just as conflicted in this run of episodes as he's always been. One of Ramy's strengths has always been its willingness to see its protagonist, his flaws and poor choices with clear eyes, while remaining empathetic to his attempts to honour his faith — even as he makes such terrible decisions. Also one of the series' highlights: that it isn't simply about Ramy, with full episodes surveying his family and friends' lives as they grapple with their own woes. For his sister Dena (May Calamawy, Moon Knight), striving hard to take the bar exam isn't paying off, especially when her parents Maysa (Hiam Abbass, Succession) and Farouk (Amr Waked, Wonder Woman 1984) are open about how differently they see her and her future to Ramy's — and she's reassessing not only her dreams, but what's behind them. That's one of the third season's big themes, with a question bubbling up again and again: are the lives that the Hassans have been working towards truly what they want, and what'll bring them emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual fulfilment? That query ripples with an immense sense of melancholy with the elder Hassans, who are adjusting to Farouk being out of work, a bad financial investment that might mean they have to sell the family home and decades of feeling like they're treading water. And, it informs the subplot with Naseem, who is visibly hurt by Ramy leaving him behind, and also frantic about potentially being outed when one of his app-driven hookups turns out to be friends with Dena. Storylines involving Ramy's friends Steve (Steve Way, Nepotism), Ahmed (Dave Merheje, Mr D) and Mo (Mohammed Amer, Mo) are all guided by a similar train of thought, thoughtfully so. Season three serves up character study after character study, and with humour and insight in tandem, including laughs that echo because sometimes that's the only way to cope with life's chaos. Three seasons in, the fact that Ramy boasts one of the best casts on TV isn't new news. That said, an appearance by Bella Hadid as Steve's new The Office-worshipping girlfriend plays awkwardly, but James Badge Dale's (The Empty Man) bit part as televangelical-style Muslim convert is a cringe-inducing scene-stealer — as is Christopher Abbott's (On the Count of Three) efforts as one of Ramy's wealthy customers. No matter who pops up around them, though, the show's core group of actors keep turning in standout work. That Ramy keeps remaining a stunningly perceptive and engaging exploration of the battle to remain true to oneself — and one's hopes, dreams and religion — is firmly a communal effort. That it's a rich, authentic, poignant and devastatingly potent comedy that just keeps getting better and diving deeper is as well. Check out the trailer for Ramy season three below: Ramy streams via Stan.
Bangarra Dance Theatre has been creating poignant theatrical performances since 1989, fusing together contemporary dance, music, poetry, art and design to spotlight First Nations culture and stories. The company's latest work is Horizon — a double bill of contemporary dance works that pay homage to the landscapes, skies and spirits that are considered significant by First Peoples across the Oceania region, from Australia to the Torres Strait Islands and Aotearoa. Sani Townson's Kulka opens the show, honouring his grandfather and highlighting his Torres Strait heritage. This is followed by collaborative work The Light Inside by Bangarra alum and Torres Strait choreographer Deborah Brown and Māori Arts Laureate Moss Te Ururangi Patterson. In partnership with Bangarra Dance Theatre, we spoke to Sani Townson — choreographer, Bangarra alum and presently Bangarra's Youth Programs Coordinator — about creating Kulka, what sparked his passion for dance, and why you need to see Horizon. On What You Love Most About Working with Bangarra Dance Theatre The sense of family. I've been on all sides of this company — I was a dancer and am three years back into the fold of Bangarra again, inspiring and nurturing a new generation of young talent in the Youth Programs team. Now I have this opportunity to create with the company. My heart is full. On the Power of Dance When I was younger, traditional dance was the first time I ever fell in love with movement — how song and dance marry together. But with the contemporary art form of dance, I loved how you can make amazing shapes with bodies; how you can manipulate the muscles on your body with the use of light; and how the human body can act as a paintbrush on a blank piece of canvas. On the Inspiration Behind 'Kulka' In my Grandfather's language of Kalaw Kawaw Ya, 'kulka' means 'blood'. This piece pays homage to my grandfather, Sania Guy Townson. This is merely my interpretation, in contemporary dance form, of a story he passed on to me about how my family got our totem and our clan. I've carried his name my whole life as he was an important man to my Saibai Island families. Carrying a name like his has definitely made me work extremely hard to get to where I am today. I have taken his name all over the globe and I will continue to do so where I can. He has seen me perform as a dancer with Bangarra and now his voice will be in the Drama Theatre in the Sydney Opera House. On Spotlighting Your Torres Strait Heritage Through Your Work All my works have always been in the mother tongues of both Kalaw Lagaw Ya and Kalaw Kawaw Ya. Every time I make a work, I really want to make sure that you, as the audience, will leave the theatre with a bit of the Torres Strait with you. On What Makes 'Horizon' So Special This is a cross-collaboration between the First Nations peoples of Australia and Aotearoa and the one thing we share, which is the night sky. My piece starts coming from the stars and ends looking up to the stars. Our cultures differ but share the night sky. In a world premiere, Horizon will run at the Sydney Opera House from Tuesday, June 11–Saturday, July 13, before touring Canberra from Thursday July 18–Saturday, July 20, Brisbane from Wednesday, August 7–Saturday, August 17, and Melbourne from Wednesday, August 28–Saturday, September 7. Book your tickets to Horizon today, and find out more, at the Bangarra Dance Theatre website.
The Rocks might be one of Sydney’s most beautifully preserved historic areas, but its dining scene is in no way stuck in time. Among the sandstone buildings and cobbled laneways, you’ll discover sushi revolutions, serious cocktail experiments, ground-breaking fusion menus and some of the city’s finest bistronomy. Here are the restaurants serving up some of The Rocks’ best new flavours. SAKE If you think you know your sushi, get ready to stop at a whole new station. Forget your California rolls and tuna with avocado. At Sake, you’re in for whizz-bang, hatted creations. We’re talking grilled eel with cream cheese, cucumber, tempura crunch, jalapeno mayo and avocado, and Korean-inspired K-Town roll with seared beef, takuan pickle, wrapped in sesame leaf and yang-yang sauce. Plus, there are more than 40 sakes to match them with. Executive chef Shaun Presland learned how to make sushi in Japan for 15 years before working at Nobu’s Bahamas outpost and the Establishment’s Sushi-e and Sake. ANANAS Since opening in 2012, Ananas has been bringing a sizeable dose of Parisian glamour to The Rocks. Under the guidance of chef de cuisine Neil Martin, classic French dishes are served up in their freshest and most indulgent incarnations. Think scallop ceviche with fennel, tangerine and tarragon; dressed blue crab with avocado and horseradish; and oysters. Lots of oysters. To ensure your dishes are appropriately accompanied, there’s a handpicked selection of champagnes and a bunch of signature cocktails. PEI MODERN Mark Best, who heads up fine-dining institution Marque, is one of Australia’s best chefs. And at Pei Modern, his recently opened bistro, you can sample his creations without paying hatted price tags. It’s housed in the spacious ground floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, where a central open kitchen allows you to watch the cooking in action. Go for John Dory cooked on the bone with cauliflower puree and saltbush; Holmbrae chicken with baby Brussels sprouts and lardo; or ricotta dumplings with zucchini flowers and lazy man’s pesto. The emphasis is on simple yet innovative dishes, with super-fresh, locally sourced ingredients. SAILORS THAI Here’s where you’ll find some of the most exciting Thai in the city. With tantalising street food and ancient recipes as its base, the menu spices matters up with Australian produce and surprise ingredients. There’s no cutting corners: dishes are cooked slowly and pastes are made daily on the premises. Eat at a communal table, beside one of Sydney’s first open kitchens, or retreat to the deck for sparkling views of the harbour. No wonder people say that the best Thai in the world is in Sydney. WILLIAM BLUE DINING If you like getting to know Sydney's next generation of star chefs before they've headed their own kitchens or released a cookbook (and would like to support them along the way), this is the place to be. Now located at Rockpool's former digs, William Blue Dining is the city's oldest hospitality management school, training students in commercial cookery, front of house and events. As part of the training, they keep a restaurant running for lunch and dinner, six days a week. It's $38 for three courses (also available individually) of the likes of oven roasted Milly Hill Lamb rump with saffron fondant potatoes, asparagus, pickled turnips and jus. It's a five-star culinary treat at a fraction of the cost. View all Sydney Restaurants.
Sydneysiders will soon farewell some of its oldest commuter trains, with the NSW Government revealing it's set to fast-track the delivery of 17 additional air-conditioned models for use on our busy rail network. The Waratah Series 2 trains will beef up an existing order of 24 vehicles, some of which were rolled out onto the tracks last September. You might have spied them cruising around with their bright orange driver cabins. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the new haul of trains won't come cheap, clocking in at around $900 million, taking into account ongoing maintenance. Most of that money won't be headed to local pockets, either, with the vehicles being built over in China — though upkeep will take place in Auburn, NSW. Once rolled out, the full collection of Series 2 models should make for more pleasant journeys across Sydney's rail network, as they eventually replace the remaining S-Set trains — a group of 40-year-old carriages nicknamed 'sweat sets' for their lack of air-conditioning. By comparison, these newer counterparts boast double decker carriages, HD information screens, priority seating, wheelchair spaces, hearing aid loops and full air-conditioning with temperature control. [caption id="attachment_707370" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A 40-year-old S-Set train.[/caption] As well as the dire need to replace the old sweatboxes, the new trains are being fast tracked because of a boom in demand. Sydney's rail network has had a serious workout of late — it clocked 413 million journeys last year, a 38 percent increase from 2013. As to which lines the new trains will be landing on, Transport for NSW has said it will be prioritising T2 Inner West and Leppington, T3 Bankstown and T8 Airport and South Lines. The latest orders should hit the tracks from 2020, which is unfortunately a little too late to save you from this summer's sweaty commutes. But, when they do drop, the additional trains will also mean more trains on the tracks and — hopefully — less time waiting at the station. All 41 Waratah Series 2 trains are expected to hit the tracks by mid-2020.
Film fans, your spider-senses should be tingling: there's a new batch of Spider-Man-adjacent characters swinging onto the big screen. Get ready to meet Dakota Johnson (Cha Cha Real Smooth) as Madame Web, aka clairvoyant paramedic Cassandra Webb. Get ready, too, for Sydney Sweeney (Reality) as Julia Carpenter, who has a stint as Spider-Woman in her story in the comic books. Johnson and Sweeney lead Madame Web, the fourth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. That's the name for the studio's franchise of flicks that have been spun off from its Spider-Man movies — so from Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home — but aren't part of the the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hitting cinemas on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, it slings in alongside Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Morbius, plus the delayed Kraven the Hunter when it arrives later the same year, to spread another web of superhero-related pictures. Given its name, there's no chance of thinking that Madame Web would be subtle about its Spidey links. The just-dropped first trailer for the film makes that plain not just in multiple Spider-Woman sightings, but in an explanatory line from Johnson designed to drop some backstory: "he was in the Amazon with my mum when she was researching spiders right before she died". In the first SSU movie with a female lead, the man that Webb is talking about is Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim, Extrapolations), a character who also hails from the page. He factors into a narrative that has Webb almost drowning, then discovering that she can see the future, with not just Sims but Carpenter linked to her fortunes. Also, would this be a Spider-Man-related movie, or a comic book movie in general, if a complicated past didn't also play a part? Also featuring on-screen in Madame Web: Celeste O'Connor (Ghostbusters: Afterlife), Isabela Merced (Rosaline), Mike Epps (I'm a Virgo), Emma Roberts (American Horror Story) and Adam Scott (Party Down). Veteran TV helmer SJ Clarkson (Succession, Vinyl, Jessica Jones) directs, and also co-wrote the script with producer Claire Parker (Life on Mars). Check out the trailer for Madame Web below: Madame Web opens in cinemas Down Under on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
What's your age again? Old enough to remember when blink-182's classic lineup of Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker were initially together — and old enough to be excited that DeLonge has now rejoined the band, too. If that's you, then you will have been mighty excited about the above news, as well as the fact that the trio is hitting the road on a huge world tour, including heading to Australia. To the surprise of no one, blink-182's upcoming trip Down Under has been getting a huge response, even before general tickets to its February 2024 shows go on sale. So, also unsurprisingly, the band has just added extra gigs in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_873239" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jack Bridgland[/caption] Melburnians can now choose between Tuesday, February 13 and Wednesday, February 14 at Rod Laver Arena; Sydneysiders can opt for either Friday, February 16 or Saturday, February 17 at Qudos Bank Arena; and Brisbanites have Monday, February 19 and Tuesday, February 20 at Brisbane Entertainment Centre to pick from. Well, assuming you nab tickets quick smart from 1pm on Thursday, October 20 local time — or hop on the Live Nation and Spotify pre-sales at 1pm on Wednesday, October 19. That feeling you get when a decades-old band either reforms its beloved lineup and hits the road, or tours your way with a huge history behind them, kickstarting all those nostalgic old memories? If you're blink-182 fan, you clearly know the right words for that: well I guess this is growing up. DeLonge, Hoppus and Barker — with Rise Against in support — will start their Australian run in Perth, then head to Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. For three decades, blink-182 have been the voice inside punk and rock fans' heads, especially in the late 90s and early 00s thanks to albums Enema of the State and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. Now that they're back together after DeLonge left the band in 2015, blink-182 are also recording new music together, with single 'Edging' out now. Expect to hear everything from 'Dammit', 'Josie' and 'What's My Age Again?' to 'All the Small Things' and 'I Miss You' live, though — and yes, the latter feels oh-so-apt right now. BLINK-182 2024 AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR: Friday, February 9 — RAC Arena, Perth Sunday, February 11 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Tuesday, February 13–Wednesday, February 14 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Friday, February 16–Saturday, February 17 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Monday, February 19–Tuesday, February 20 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Friday, February 23 — Spark Arena, Auckland Monday, February 26 — Christchurch Arena, Christchurch Blink-182 will tour Australia and New Zealand in February 2024. Live Nation and Spotify pre-sales start at 1pm on Wednesday, October 19 — and general sales from 1pm on Thursday, October 20 (all local time). For more information, head to the Live Nation website.
Listen up: Listen Out is back for its 11th year and it isn't slouching on the lineup front. The bill for the touring festival boasts 21 Savage, Skepta, Tyla and Flo Milli among its hip hop and R&B names. On the electronic side, John Summit and Sub Focus feature. Yes, the list goes on from there. Fans of 21 Savage, Tyla and Flo Milli — and of Teezo Touchdown, Jessie Reyez and Jazzy, too — should be especially excited. When they each take to Listen Out's stages at Centennial Park in Sydney on Sunday, October 6, they'll be hitting the country for the first time. Among their company, Lil Tjay, Lithe, Folamour, The Blessed Madonna, Cassian and Disco Lines are just some of the fellow acts that'll have festivalgoers dancing. 2023's fest was Listen Out's most successful in terms of ticket sales ever, and the crew behind it are hoping to continue that trajectory. Something that might help: turning the fest into a 16-plus event, age-wise, which is a first for 2024. As the roster of names on the lineup demonstrates, the festival's focus is staying true to its niche, filling its stages on electronic and hip hop artists — both international and local talents, too. Listen Out 2024 Lineup: 21 Savage Skepta Lil Tjay Tyla Flo Milli Jessie Reyez Teezo Touchdown Lithe John Summit Sub Focus Folamour The Blessed Madonna Cassian Disco Lines Jazzy Koven Conducta A Little Sound Ben Gerrans AK Sports Foura B2B Tom Santa Miss Kaninna Djanaba Soju Gang Sydney only: Dayzzi Malfunkt x Banno Bodego Collective Bella Backe Top images: Jordan Munns and Sam Venn.
Lots of interesting things are going on in Parramatta right now. The Sydney Festival is continuing to inch westwards, Parramatta Council is looking to open up empty spaces along Renew Newcastle lines. And then there's ICE. Parramatta's Information and Cultural Exchange (ICE) works to tell the stories of western Sydney, especially its youth and new migrants. Developing the communities culture for your entertainment and their edification, it has its fingers in a lot of pies. Soon to be backing the hip-hop collaboration East London West Sydney with the UK's Jonzi D at Carriageworks for the Sydney Festival, this week it's launching the results of a different collaboration — the product of months of work with local artists: the RISE Project. RISE has taken young people from central and western Sydney and equipped them with digital and physical skills to get their tales across to the wider world — with mentors Vuli Mkwananzi of True Vibenation, MC Trey of Foreign Heights and Mirrah. The results of their work will be launched in ICE's newly refurbished and renewed Switch Digital Arts Centre, with live acts on the night. RISE launches Thursday evening, but RSVP by Monday the 13th via info@ice.org.au or on 9897 5744 to avoid missing out. Image by geishaboy500.
June is here, so is the cold weather — and usually the Sydney Film Festival also would be in full swing right about now. But in 2021, SFF is unleashing its cinematic wonders a little later than normal. That doesn't mean that you can't spend its traditional time slot thinking about all the things that you're going to watch between Wednesday, August 18–Sunday, August 29, though. Also a bit later than usual, SFF has just announced its first program sneak peek for 2021, ahead of the full lineup drop in July. The short version: even based on the list revealed already, your eyeballs are going to be busy at this year's 12-day fest. So far, the event has named 22 movies that'll help it make its proper return to cinemas after a two-year gap. The 2020 event moved online due to the pandemic — and when a summer season brought cinephiles back to the glorious State Theatre in January, it only screened a handful of movies. If these first 2021 titles are anything to go by, film buffs are in for quite the treat come August. Leading the charge: New Zealand's The Justice of Bunny King, which stars Essie Davis (Babyteeth) and Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit); Riders of Justice, a revenge-fuelled Danish comedy led by the inimitable Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round); 2020 Sundance hit Zola, which is based on a lengthy 148-tweet Twitter thread; 2020 Berlinale Golden Bear winner There Is No Evil, a searing Iranian drama about the death penalty; and Undine, the alluring and beguiling latest film from German auteur Christian Petzold. Festival director Nashen Moodley has also programmed documentary The Kids, which sees Australian filmmaker Eddie Martin (All This Mayhem) explore Larry Clark's 1995 film Kids; climate change doco The Magnitude of All Things, which includes Greta Thunberg chatting about the topic; Shoplifters of the World, a drama about a fan of The Smiths trying to cope with the band's breakup; and three-time Sundance 2021 winner Hive, the first film to ever win the fest's Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award and Directing Award. Or there's also the tense and engaging Night of the Kings, which takes place in a rough Côte d'Ivoire prison; The Beta Test, a Hollywood-set horror flick that's been getting comparisons to The Twilight Zone; and the Taika Waititi-executive produced sci-fi film Night Raiders. And, on the local front, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow hones its focus on Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, following the couple as they prepare for 2004's Kura Tungar — Songs from the River — a collaboration between the First Nation artists, Paul Grabowsky and the Australian Art Orchestra. Plus, Step into Paradise explores the collaboration and friendship between Aussie fashion designers Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson. The 2021 Sydney Film Festival will run between Wednesday, August 18–Sunday, August 29. Check out the event's just-announced titles by heading to the festival website. The full program will be released on Wednesday, July 22. Top image: Zola. Anna Kooris / A24 Films.
There's nothing worse than being weeks out from payday and feeling like you need to resort to two-minute noodles and canned goods, particularly when Sydney is flaunting such damn fine food in front of you. When it comes to the calibre of food in Sydney, missing out is not an option. Thankfully, some of Sydney's top restaurants understand that fancy food shouldn't require a savings plan or be reserved solely for special occasions. Here are ten fancy spots that you can get to without breaking the budget. LUNCH AT AUTOMATA Keeping up with all of Sydney's best restaurants can be exhausting, not to mention expensive. But thanks to Automata's three-course lunch degustation ($60) you can indulge without blowing in excess of $200 Wednesday to Saturday. The dishes at Automata are one-of-a-kind, intricate and experimental, and ever-changing based on what's in season. Set in an industrial warehouse space, Automata offers fancy food with an edge. It's the kind of place where the beer list – which features some different contenders, like the Rodenbach Flemish Red Ale from Belgium ($12) — is given just as much emphasis as the cocktails or wine. DINNER AT MOMOFUKU SEIOBO Momofuku embraces the best part of fine dining — fresh, unusual and inventive dishes cooked expertly — but leaves the formalities behind. While the best seats in the house wrap around the kitchen, giving you a full view of Paul Carmichael's creative Caribbean flair, they don't come cheap at $185 for the degustation (and $105 for the wine pairing). Hardly a budget option. The loophole is that there are five coveted seats at the bar that give you access to fried chicken or black pudding sangas ($18), lamb tartare with mango hot sauce and black eye peas ($18) and the intriguing option of fish head with chickpea and hot sauce ($24). LUNCH AT LUMI With a long list of awards and a picturesque waterfront location, LuMi has real clout in the Sydney dining scene. And it treads its own unique path — chef Federico Zanellato adding a Japanese twist to modern Italian cuisine. Offering degustation-only menus (ten courses for $150, or seven courses for $120), the $85 Friday lunch menu is your best bet if you're on a budget. But don't think for a second that you're missing out, there's not a better time of day to be sitting by the water discovering how these unlikely pairings come together in dishes, like miso-strone, for example. LUNCH OR DINNER AT MERCADO With the care and energy that goes into making everything from scratch, you'd expect Mercado to come with a sizeable price tag. An opulent setting hidden below street level, Mercado does all its pickling, curing and smoking on-site and boasts an ever-changing seasonal menu that offers a modern take on Moorish food. Head in during the day — Monday to Wednesday — for the express lunch ($35), which includes John Dory, barbecue rump or a vegetarian option, and sides. At dusk, grab a table before 6pm and order the pre-theatre menu ($55) for three courses and the restaurant's famed dulce de leche ice cream with candied bacon. [caption id="attachment_660591" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] CURED & CULTURED AT BENNELONG When it comes to getting value for money, it doesn't get better than a meal and a show. Sit at the Cured & Cultured counter for a full view of the chefs at work, and for a meal that'll cost you less than the main restaurant. Drop in for a glass of Priory Ridge, Sauvignon Blanc ($18 a glass) and a not-so-quintessentially-Aussie suckling pig sausage roll ($24). You can try a bit of everything – including the Tasmanian-inspired scallop pie, black pig ham and polenta and five textures of raspberry — for $65 with the chef's tasting menu. Not bad considering three courses in the restaurant will set you back $140. LUNCH AT PENDOLINO Boasting a dedicated pasta kitchen, Pendolino takes pride in its traditional approach to regional Italian cuisine and the quality of its ingredients. Tucked away on the second floor of The Strand Arcade, Pendolino has all the marks of a sophisticated fine dining venue, right down to the white linen tablecloths. Dining at Pendolino usually costs, at minimum, $90 for an entree and a main, but if you're in town Monday to Saturday head in for an express lunch, it'll only set you back $57. Enjoy a main — the milk-braised pork belly with sage, the char-grilled quail or the Piemontese-style mushroom pie, to name a few — and a side (green beans, say, or the savoy cabbage salad). DINNER AT THE GANTRY Waterfront views rarely come cheap, unless you get in early for The Gantry's pre-show menu. Overlooking Walsh Bay, this lauded restaurant celebrates Australian produce in an intricate and intriguing way. To snag the bargain meal, head in before 7pm and choose from either two ($60) or three courses ($75) — and, if you have the money to spare, end end the evening with a cocktail at The Gantry bar. You can start with spanner crab, move on to Berkshire pork neck or snapper, and end with one of three desserts. LUNCH AT NEL. Given that the restaurant is housed in a bunker, nel. starts off on the right foot when it comes to its promise to deliver an experience like no other. Committed to keeping things interesting, nel.'s degustation-only menu changes every six weeks, meaning it always maintains the element of surprise. Not just a case of switching up what they serve, chef Nelly Robinson loves to experiment with seasonal Australian ingredients. While the dinner degustation costs $118, dropping in for lunch will set you back a surprisingly affordable $69 for four courses and snacks. DINNER AT ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL Rockpool is a Sydney institution, which is why no budget should stand in the way of you experiencing it. The more relaxed of all of Neil Perry's Sydney venues, you can get away with spending a fraction of the price by sitting at the bar — the only requirement being that David Blackmore's wagyu burger with bacon, gruyere cheese and pickle ($26) be eaten with two hands. Not fancy enough for you? Start with some freshly shucked oysters and build your meal from the range of small plates. If you're a seafood lover, go for the tuna tartare with moroccan eggplant ($13), Don Bocarte anchovy with smoked tomato ($7 each) and king prawn cutlet with aioli ($11 each). Offering a detailed list of wines by the glass, it's easy to walk away from Rockpool Bar and Grill without racking up an exorbitant booze bill. BAR PINCER AT RESTAURANT HUBERT Restaurant Hubert may specialise in fancy French fare, but it's a setting fit for a meeting of Italian Mafiosi. Equally as impressive a space as the main dining room, the adjoining Bar Pincer is heavy on the timber with lashes of red in the booth seat upholstery. It's moody and deserving of a quintessential French meal of escargot with Hubert XO sauce ($24) or wagyu topside beef tartare with fries ($24), and of course a good glass of plonk — described as broad, dark, weighty and handsome, the '15 Della Staffa 'Rosso' Sangiovese Blend, Italy ($16) is a perfect match for Bar Pincer. As well as being a touch cheaper than the main dining room, it's also a lot easier to snag a table in Bar Pincer.
It happens every year, but 2023 is certainly going by in a flash — it's hard to believe that we've already farewelled summer. With the end of the warmer weather, it's easy to let the weekend roll around with no plans besides a couple of drinks at the pub and then a finale of cosy TV-watching and ordering in. But, we think it should be different. Let's think bigger, and ensure we milk every second from our precious days off. Spectacular stretches of sand and fresh autumn oceans, bushwalks and scenic vistas, sitting around a campfire sharing a bev or two — it's the nature life for us. Along with The Bottle-O, the store slinging your favourite boozy sips all over Australia, we've rounded up some amazing road trip options so you can make the most of your sweet freedom. Get ready to dust off your tent and hit the road. TO BE OCEANSIDE: ROAD TRIP TO SEAL ROCKS, CAMP AT YAGON Head a bit over three hours north of Sydney to an oceanside oasis. Seal Rocks is an idyllic locale to escape to, with remote beaches and lakes situated along the Barrington Coast. Famous for its iconic lighthouse, it's the perfect spot to watch the sunset with a delicious craft beer in hand. Drive through the small oceanside town and turn down Yagon Road. After a short stretch of dirt road, you'll find yourself at Yagon campground, a bushy spot that'll have you set up just a quick walk from the beach. With all the facilities for a barbecue, you can spend the day exploring beautiful walking tracks and surfing, fishing, paddling or swimming in the wild and remote beaches. Don't forget to pack an esky for your brews from The Bottle-O en route (The Bottle-O at Wickham is on your way, Sydneysiders) — it'll be needed to enjoy your sipping on the sand with your mates. [caption id="attachment_891378" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Love Leah[/caption] TO GET INTO THE BUSH: ROAD TRIP TO THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, CAMP AT DUNPHY'S If you're more inclined to hit quaint countryside villages then head into bushland, the Blue Mountains is the obvious choice — it's the ideal combination of sweeping scenery and small-town charm. Plus, there's a plethora of activities for any adrenaline junkies. Plan your trip around a rock climbing adventure from Katoomba or get your thrills on a two-stop canyoning adventures. After your escapades, pick up some good-value drinks — like a spicy shiraz to sip in the crisp mountain air — at The Bottle-O Hazelbrook, as you make your way to Dunphy's campground. After your stop for provisions, you've got just over an hour's drive — that'll have you snaking through Leura, Blackheath and Megalong Valley — to this perfectly remote spot, where you can wind down and sleep under the stars with your nearest and dearest. You will enjoy mountain views and be around plenty of nature walks — just make sure you keep a look out for kangaroos and wombats. [caption id="attachment_891379" align="alignnone" width="1920"] In Syde Media[/caption] FOR EPIC HIKES: ROAD TRIP TO THE CENTRAL COAST, CAMP AT TALLOW BEACH If going on more hikes was one of your New Year's resolutions, then head up to the Central Coast's Bouddi National Park, which is teeming with scenic trails to explore. Grab some friends and set up camp at Tallow Beach campground — it's a goodie. The campsite is a bit of a hike to reach from the carpark, so make sure you come prepared. But, we promise it'll be all worth it for that secluded, seaside feel. Camping here is free but only accommodates six tents so make sure you book in advance to secure a spot. From the beach you can enjoy a swim and a surf and even try out some rock fishing. Then, enjoy a 3.1 kilometre walk along the Box Head Track leading to a lookout with beautiful views across the Hawkesbury River. You can also check out the Flannel Flower Track, which takes you through the angophora forest to the picturesque Lobster Beach (which you could very well enjoy to yourselves). After your day of exploring, share a bottle of crisp rosé (which you'll need to nab from The Bottle-O at Point Clare before you arrive) with your gang, perfect to enjoy with some freshly caught fish (if you packed your rod). FOR CLOSE PROXIMITY TO CREATURE COMFORTS: ROAD TRIP TO WOLLONDILLY, CAMP AT THE RIVER STATION About an hour-and-a-half from Sydney you'll find the charming Wollondilly Shire. Affectionately known as The Dilly, this picturesque riverside spot is an easy getaway that feels worlds away from the city life — but still provides all the comfortable extras you could want. After you've brunched at Picton Social or had a pub feed at George VI Inn, pick up your drinks from the The Bottle-O at The Oaks to sip happily at your campsite at the Wollondilly River Station. There's kayaking opportunities aplenty, or if you're simply looking to kick back and spend the long weekend riverside with your friends, soaking in the scenic wonders, there's that too. Lock in the good times with an ice-cold Aussie beer once you get back to camp. [caption id="attachment_891377" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Bay of Fires - Tasmania[/caption] IF YOU'RE GOING FOR LONGER THAN THE WEEKEND: FLY TO HOBART, CAMP AT BAY OF FIRES Not technically a road trip per se, but if you have managed to score a few extra days off, why not take a flight to Hobart and see what Tasmania has to offer? You could head to Bruny Island, where you can take an expertly-curated tour through a pristine natural wonderland. Or, take a trip to visit Mount Wellington, discovering its views and vibrant vegetation, before experiencing MONA, a true must-see for any Tassie tourist. But, if you're set on a camping adventure, the Bay of Fires is for you. Just under four hours from Hobart, you'll be settled in this idyllic paradise — where white beaches and crystal clear waters backdrop staggering boulders set alight with naturally occurring orange lichen. Before you go, stop in at The Bottle-O Bevvies Howrah and grab a pack of fruity seltzers — once you're in the uniquely breathtaking landscape you won't want to leave. Wherever the road leads you this weekend, find your nearest The Bottle-O and stock up on some standout bevs. Ready to start planning? Head to the website.
Acclaim, awards, and Josh and Julie Niland all go hand in hand. The Sydney duo have been winning fans locally since 2016, when they opened Saint Peter, and the praise has kept flowing and growing from there. Josh's applauded The Whole Fish Cookbook earned him the prestigious James Beard Book of the Year Award back in 2020, becoming the first Australian to ever take out the prize. Earlier in 2022, he was the only Australian chef to feature in The Best Chefs Awards for 2022 — aka the list of the top 100 best globally — too. Now, with Julie, another gong has come the Nilands' way: the Game Changer Award from France's La Liste. La Liste is known for picking the best 1000 restaurants in the world annually, and it has also just done exactly that for 2023. But it gives out awards as well, with its latest round handed out on the evening of Monday, November 28 in Paris. That's where Josh and Julie earned some love for their approach to seafood, and the businesses that've sprang from their efforts. [caption id="attachment_771911" align="alignnone" width="1920"] by Rob Palmer, from Josh Niland's The Whole Fish Cookbook[/caption] "Australian chef Josh Niland, whose wife Julie runs his ever evolving Sydney business, has changed the way chefs use fish all over the world with his zero-waste 'fish butchery' approach," La Liste notes in its explanation for its 2023 Game Changer pick. "His methods seemed radical when he started talking about them, but make sense — use the whole fish, from fin-to-gill, as we do nose-to-tail with animals. Age and cure fish. Don't forget the offal. As many chefs lack the knowledge to do this, he shares his ideas in two cookbooks, The Whole Fish and Take One Fish," the statement continues. [caption id="attachment_878784" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rob Palmer[/caption] Clearly, Sydneysiders will be familiar with the Nilands courtesy of Saint Peter, and also thanks to Fish Butchery since 2018 — with the latter now in both Paddington and Waterloo — plus sustainable fish and chip shop Charcoal Fish in Rose Bay. They have more venues in the works, with Saint Peter moving into The Grand National Hotel, the Nilands taking over the whole place, and new 60-seat restaurant and bar Petermen coming to St Leonards, all in 2023. The Nilands' La Liste prize saw them earn international recognition alongside fellow Aussie chefs James Henry and Shaun Kelly, who scored one of the Hidden Gems awards for Le Doyenné in Saint-Vrain in France. Also picking up a win among the global recipients: Michel Guérard, who nabbed a special Award of Honour; Chika Tillman from New York's ChikaLicious Dessert Bar, who received the Top Pastry Chef Award; and Yotam Ottolenghi for championing the Mediterranean region, which scored him the New Destination Champion Award. Plus, Italy's Niko Romito was given the Innovation Award, France's Yannick Alléno the Community Spirit prize, and Brazil's Manoella Buffara took home the Ethical and Sustainability Award. Among La Liste 2023's 1000 restaurants, Saint Peter obviously featured, as did a nice lineup of other Australian spots. In Sydney, Oncore by Clare Smyth, Quay, Tetsuya's, Bentley Restaurant and Bar, Bennelong, Ormeggio at The Spit, and Rockpool Bar and Grill made the list, while Melbourne's inclusions span Vue de Monde, Attica, Cutler and Co, Minamishina, Lume, Grossi Florentino Upstairs and Flower Drum. In regional Victoria, Brae, Lake House and Provenance got the nod, as did Penfolds Magill Estate in Adelaide. [caption id="attachment_690417" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brae[/caption] For La Liste's full list of awards, and best restaurants, head to the guide's website. Top image: Rob Palmer.
O Week used to be about getting bullied into signing up for societies you never wanted to join. But UTS' O'Fest wants to do things just a little differently. For starters, it's a music festival rather than just a dull sounding week. But more importantly, they've managed to score some of the best Aussie acts of the moment. This isn't your usual first week of uni. And for all of those under 18's looking for an all ages gig — this is for you. Now for the name dropping — Midnight Juggernauts, Hermitude, Parachute Youth, New Navy, Ajax, Zoe Badwi, Elizabeth Rose, Grey Ghost, Panama, Purple Sneakers DJs, Luke Million, Pluto Jonze, Tokyo Denmark Sweden, Tyler Touche, Willow Beats, DJ Knife, Elliot The Bull, Canecutter, Rabz, and Ben Talbot-Wright. Phew. This is Back to the Future Festival. Bring your best '80s getup (not required, but what the hey) because "yeah, well, history is gonna change." https://youtube.com/watch?v=hkCbTNQ4yQg
Last month, you learned that Sydney would play host to the first Global Cities After Dark forum, held in collaboration with the Electronic Music Conference and Amsterdam Night Mayor Mirik Milan this November. Now, the one-day event's inaugural speaker lineup has been announced, promising a thought-provoking program led by night culture specialists from across the globe. The invite-only forum, to be held on November 28, will give local leaders and planners the chance to score valuable insights from international experts, which in turn will hopefully instigate some positive changes to Sydney's own troubled nightlife culture. Global Cities After Dark will feature inspiring keynotes from five overseas visitors, with Mirik Milan joined by the likes of Lutz Leichsenring of Berlin non-profit The Creative Footprint, who'll discuss indexing the artistic landscape of urban spaces, and consultant psychiatrist and CEO of Global Drug Survey Adam Winstock, who will chat about health and wellbeing in night culture, and striving for zero harm. Meanwhile, a Sydney at Night panel discussion led by guests from City of Sydney and Create NSW will explore new initiatives in development. There'll also be a range of expert sessions hosted by the likes of Icebergs' Maurice Terzini, Animals Dancing's Andee Frost and SLAM's Helen Marcou, which will delve into specific aspects of night culture, including food and housing creativity. Describing his involvement in the event as 'a dream come true', Milan explains that "by sharing ideas for a safe and vibrant nightlife, it empowers bottom-up initiatives after dark that contribute to and strengthen creative cities around the world". You can read our chat with Milan on how to build a nightlife-friendly city here. The forum will return to Sydney each November for the next three years. GLOBAL CITIES AFTER DARK 2017 LINEUP Adam Winstock, Global Drug Survey Andee Frost, Animals Dancing Andreina Seijas, Harvard Graduate School of Design Anne Loxley, C3 West Anne Malloch, City of Melbourne Baby Guerrilla, Artist Barrie Barton, Right Angle Studio Brett Robinson, Icebergs Group Chris Raine, Hello Sunday Morning Clare Holland, FBi Radio Declan Lee, Gelato Messina Dr Caitlin Hughes, National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre Emily Collins, Music NSW Glen Cassidy, Cake Wines Helen Marcou, Bakehouse Studios / Save Live Australia Music (SLAM) Jemma Cole, Soft Centre Jess Scully, City of Sydney Joel Edmondson, Q Music Kate Becker, Office of Film & Music City of Seattle Kees Dorst, UTS Kevin Nuttall, Waterfield Kirsty Rivers, Creative Victoria Libby Harris, City of Sydney Lutz Leichsenring, Berlin Clubcommission/The Creative Footprint Marie-Louise Theile, James Street Initiative Maurice Terzini, Icebergs Group Mirik Milan, Night Mayor of Amsterdam Sarah Barron, MCA Simon Shaw, Capstone Collective Tyson Koh, Keep Sydney Open Global Cities After Dark will take place on Tuesday, November 28. The event is invite-only and registrations have now closed. But you can join the waiting list at globalcitiesafterdark.com. Image: Yaya Stempler.
Seven First Nations artists have been celebrated at the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards on Friday, August 7. Held for the first time in a special live-streamed virtual ceremony, this year's Telstra NATSIAA was presented by journalist and Gamilaroi woman Brooke Boney, who announced the winners across several categories, each with a cash prize. The artists were chosen from a suite of 65 finalists by this year's judging panel: Director of Injalak Arts Donna Nadjamerrek, Darwin-based visual artist Karen Mills, and Curator of Araluen Arts Centre Stephen Williamson. Each artist represents a different community, and they've shared stories of their land, the sea, their history, creation and healing through a variety of styles and mediums, highlighting the enormous and diverse talent of Indigenous artists from across the nation. You can see all the finalists' works in this year's Telstra NATSIAA via the virtual exhibition, and you can also sling a vote for your favourite artwork online in the Telstra People's Choice Award. Check out the seven winners from this year's awards, below. NGARRALJA TOMMY MAY Winner of the Telstra Art Award 2020 — prize $50,000 Wangkajunga/Walmajarri man Ngarralja Tommy May has been awarded this year's major prize in the Telstra NATSIAA. The piece, titled 'Wirrkanja' (2020), depicts flood time on the artist's country in the Great Sandy Desert. The now Fitzroy Crossing-based artist has been pioneering his unique style in a career spanning three decades; this year's judging panel noted 'Wirrkanja' shows May at his peak with a work that displays "exquisite beauty and power". May says his work shows a place significant to him; "It's the country where I lost my brother, it's jilji (sand dune) and flat country. There's a jila (living spring waterhole). It's not far from Kurtal, over two sand dunes. In flood time, the water runs down the jilji (sand dunes). This is my country and my family's country. This is my job, it's a good job." JENNA LEE Winner of the Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award (sponsored by Telstra) — prize $5,000 Larrakia/Wardaman/Karajarri artist Jenna Lee lives in Brisbane. Her entry artwork was created in response to the 250-year anniversary of Lieutenant James Cook's arrival at Botany Bay, marked this year. 'HIStory Vessels' is a reconstruction of the cover of a Ladybird History Book, The Adventures of Captain Cook. The interdisciplinary artist was inspired to create the artwork during an artist residency in the UK, to reclaim the omnipresent, white, patriarchal narrative of Cook and its impact on First Nations stories. She says, "I aim to take this narrative and reconstruct it as a story of personal and cultural resilience, beauty and strength." CECILIA UMBAGAI Winner of the Telstra Emerging Artist Award — prize $5,000 Painting on bark that was harvested from her country in the West Kimberley region, young Worrorra woman Cecilia Umbagai says she likes to use traditional materials to create her contemporary depictions of Wandjina Wunggund law, the dreaming stories of her people. The artist usually works across several mediums including acrylic on canvas and photography, and she only started working with bark in 2019. The artist says she loves the texture of the bark with its "curves and irregularities". Using earth pigments on stringybark, Umbagai's winning entry 'Yoogu' is based on traditional cave drawings of the Wandjina spirit of the boab tree, a story she remembers being told as a child. SIENA MAYUTU WURMARRI STUBBS Winner of the Telstra Multimedia Award — prize $5,000 The youngest finalist in this year's Telstra NATSIAA is 18-year-old artist Siena Mayutu Wurmarri Stubbs. The winning artwork is a poem and film inspired by a school trip in 2019. Shinkansen was made on the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Nagoya to Kyoto in Japan. The Yolŋu Matha woman has grown up surrounded by her culture, family and Yolŋu lore, which she explores in all of her artistic endeavours. In such a short career the artist and filmmaker has already won multiple awards for her non-fiction, and curators remark that her work conveys a maturity beyond her years. ADRIAN JANGALA ROBERTSON Winner of the Telstra General Painting Award — prize $5,000 In his artworks, Alice Springs-based Warlpiri artist Adrian Jangala Robertson often refers to his mother's country, Yalpirakinu. Revering the ridges, trees and desert mountains that make up the landscape, Robertson's painting style is described as being loaded with energy and drama. Born in Papunya in 1962, Robertson witnessed the emergence of the Western Desert painting movement, which informs his style to this day. Typically using a minimal range of colour, the widely respected landscape artist injects character and movement into his work with brushstrokes that he says are his connection to his country and "loaded with memories". His winning artwork is a synthetic polymer paint on canvas titled 'Yalpirakinu' (2020). MARRNYULA MUNUŊGURR Winner of the Telstra Bark Painting Award — prize $5,000 Coming from a lineage of prolific and award-winning bark painters, Yirrkala-based Munuŋgurr, of Djapu and Balamumu clans, has carried on the tradition of her family in her creation of ground-breaking bark installations. The artist grew up assisting both of her parents with their own bark work, and in particular her father Djutjadjutja with his sacred Djapu paintings that also won him the Bark Painting Award in the 1997 NATSIAA. For this year's award, Marrnyula created a cross hatching grid pattern — a sacred design for the freshwaters of the Djapu clan at the clan's homeland of Waṉḏawuy. Unlike her other well known artworks in which the artist creates large-scale installations using hundreds of small pieces of bark, this time the artist has chosen to create the same effect on just one piece of bark. The winning stringybark is titled 'Muṉguymirri' (2020), which means 'in small pieces'. ILUWANTI KEN Winner of the Telstra Works on Paper Award — prize $5,000 Pitjantjatjara artist Iluwanti Ken, who is from Watarru and now based in Rocket Bore community in the NT, says birds have lessons for Anangu women about how to hunt and how to care for one's children. A highly respected ngangkari (traditional healer) and a skilled tjanpi (grass sculpture) weaver, Ken is mostly known for depictions of hunting eagles. Ken's winning ink on paper entry, 'Walawulu ngunytju kukaku ananyi (Mother eagles going hunting)', tells the story of female adult eagles hunting for food and bringing it back to feed their babies. The artist says birds are like Anangu mothers in that they protect their babies from outside dangers. Take a look at the virtual gallery and vote for your favourite artwork in the 2020 Telstra NATSIAA People's Choice Award. Top image: Njarralja Tommy May by Damian Kelly.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we take you to Monte Pacis in Lithuania, an outrageously grand monastery that's been partly transformed into a luxury hotel. If you're planning a big European getaway this summer, think about spending a few nights here. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? It's a 17th century monastery located on a gorgeous lagoon surrounded by nature — need we say more? THE ROOMS The 13 rooms and apartments at Monte Pacis are decorated in baroque style, each complete with a minibar and private bathroom. Large canopy beds sit in rooms with double-vaulted ceilings and chandeliers dripping from large wooden beams. Ornately decorated and grand in scale, it feels more like a royal castle than the home of monks. And with so few people staying here at one time, you are almost guaranteed peace and quiet. FOOD AND DRINK The restaurant at Monte Pacis is known as one of the very best places to eat in the Baltics. It offers a four- or six-course tasting menu that changes seasonally (notably, much of the produce comes from the monastery grounds). Head chef Raimundas Dambrauskas is known for creating challenging dishes that rival Michelin-starred restaurants. On the booze front? The team has won awards for the extensive wine list, with some wines coming from other monasteries in the region. Be sure to add the (very) reasonably priced wine pairings onto your tasting menu experience. THE LOCAL AREA The hotel sits on the bank of Lithuania's Kaunas Lagoon, where you can swim and sail during summer and take wintery walks in the colder months — you might even be able to walk across some of the frozen parts. If that sounds too risky, you can simply stick to some of the many hiking trails that wind around the protected forests. The local city of Kaunas must be explored too. In 2022, it was named the European Capital of Culture thanks to the abundance of galleries, festivals and dining venues. There's stacks going on in this little known city — both ancient and modern. Next time you go gallivanting around Europe, be sure to add Lithuania to your list of must-visit countries. THE EXTRAS When staying at Monte Pacis, you are surrounded by history and tradition. That's why it's imperative you take a tour of the monastery and its grounds — seeing how monks, both past and present, use the space while marvelling at all the baroque artworks. The hotel's residents even have access to the historical literature library and spiritual literature room. Either attempt to read something from the shelves or bring your own book to enjoy within the staggering space. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
Tasmania is famous for its heritage-listed wilderness, exquisite pinot noir, epic art festivals and, of course, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). But, are you sure you know everything there is to know about the little island off the big island — also known as the Apple Isle? Beyond the magnificent snow-capped mountains, wild rivers, wineries and landmarks, there's a stack of unexpected adventures to be had — and Tassie's wintry sights make them all the more special. Are you aware that Tassie is home to a museum devoted to poo or a farm devoted to sea horses? Or that there's a village that's precisely like one you'd find in Switzerland? Strap in and get yourself to Tassie this winter. There's a whole slew of curiosities to discover. [caption id="attachment_718931" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whisky tasting at Old Kempton Distillery by Samuel Shelley.[/caption] IMBIBE AT A WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL DEDICATED TO WHISKY Every August, in the dark depths of winter, Tasmanians warm themselves up during Tasmanian Whisky Week. Running from August 12-18 this year, the celebration of local drops takes over the entire state with tours, tastings and special events, like film screenings, cocktail parties and chef feasts — all whisky-inspired, of course. Among the highlights are bus tours of Tasmania's remote distilleries, a progressive dinner across four of Hobart's top restaurants, a whisky-fuelled twilight sail down the River Derwent and Shene Estate's 200th birthday party. Check out the rest of the program over here. [caption id="attachment_722067" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aurora Australis from Strahan by Dietmar Kahles.[/caption] SEE THE SOUTHERN LIGHTS Stargazers, great news — there's no need to travel all the way to Iceland or Norway if you're keen to view one of the sky's technicolour ballets. Australia has our own, and Tassie is the best place to see it. The Aurora Australis, aka the Southern Lights, might not get as much press as its northern counterpart but it certainly is just as beautiful. There's no telling when the stunning spectrum of light is likely to appear, but your safest bet is to head as far south as possible. There's also a handy Facebook group that reports on possible activity, so it's a good idea to keep an eye on that, too. [caption id="attachment_718929" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Graham Freeman.[/caption] FOLLOW AN UNDERGROUND RIVER (AND SEEK OUT GLOW WORMS) Deep in Mole Creek Karst National Park in Tasmania's central north are more than 300 limestone caves, caverns and sinkholes. However, just two are easily accessible, one of which being the Marakoopa Cave, an underground world of stalactites, stalagmites, crystals, serene pools, babbling rivers — and the biggest glow worm population found in a publicly accessible cave in Australia. Also, look out for the Tasmanian cave spider, a special type of creepy crawly that's learned to live without light. Tours of the cave go for 45 minutes and depart several times a day. [caption id="attachment_717924" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Seahorse World.[/caption] VISIT A SEAHORSE FARM You'd have to spend a lot of time snorkelling to get up-close to a seahorse. But, at Beauty Point on Tassie's north coast, there's Seahorse World, a farm where you can meet loads without even getting wet. From big-bellied ones to bright orange pacific seahorses (also known as giant seahorses), you'll wander through the mysterious Cave of the Seahorse, find out how such a farm operates and stroll through the Wonders of the Southern Ocean Aquarium. While here, you can also catch a glimpse of teeny-tiny baby seahorses — which are about the size of a thumbnail — and hold a fully grown one in the palm of your hand. [caption id="attachment_722075" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thalia Haven.[/caption] TAKE THE MOST SCENIC BATH OF YOUR LIFE This tub takes scenic bathing to a whole new level. Perched on a private deck at Thalia Haven, it overlooks incredible views of Great Oyster Bay on Tasmania's charming east coast. Even in the nippy winter air, not much can beat soaking in a bubble bath with such views and a glass of wine in hand. Sink into the steaming depths of this tub and lose yourself in a dreamy sunrise or, by night, endless stars. To try it out, you'll need to book a stay at Thalia Haven, an ancient stone dwelling set on 130 acres of woodland on its own private peninsula — with its own private beach. There's room for up to eight guests, so you can take a bunch of friends with you, too. [caption id="attachment_717921" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grindelwald Swiss Village.[/caption] STROLL THROUGH A SWISS VILLAGE Head to this magical spot and you could easily believe that you're in Switzerland — particularly when you're in the depths of Tassie winter. Found within Tamar Valley Resort, Grindelwald village, built in the 1980s, is a replica of a Swiss original — think enchanting houses with oversized eaves, window shutters and bright flower boxes. In between admiring the uber-kitsch town, its architecture and manicured gardens, warm up in the chocolate cafe where you can feast on handmade truffles, or take a stroll around the village's sparkling lakes and take in the crisp country air. This wonderland lies a 20 minutes' drive northwest of Launceston and is the perfect pitstop before heading to Tamar Valley's many vineyards. [caption id="attachment_717910" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pooseum.[/caption] TALK FREELY ABOUT POO AT A POOSEUM Anything you've ever thought, questioned or wanted to say about poo is fair game at the Pooseum, "where talking about poo is not taboo". You'll find this paean to the mighty number two in Richmond, a village 30 minutes' drive northeast of Hobart. The exhibition covers poo of all shapes, sizes and types. And you're bound to discover a few things that'll come in handy at your next trivia night — from the poo cheese that Sardinians consider a delicacy to the rising popularity of poo facials in Australia. Top image: Shene Estate by Samuel Shelley.
Dramas and turmoil aside, there are indeed a few good things to have budded out of this year. And that includes Newtown's new haven of green, Plant Daddy. The foliage-filled Lennox Street studio is the latest project from this small local plant business — which began its life last summer slinging indoor plants and upcycled pots at markets across the city, then underwent a change with the pandemic hit. This year's COVID-19 restrictions saw founders Trent and Charlie Wu shift much of their Plant Daddy offering online, with the pair originally snapping up the Newtown site to use as a click-and-collect point. Now, with lockdowns eased and IRL shopping back on the cards, it has evolved into a proper pop-up store dedicated to all things plants. The Plant Daddy space showcases a carefully chosen range of top-quality indoor greenery, including a strong lineup of rare and collector varieties. This is a selection worth losing yourself in, featuring everything from succulents and snake plants through to Boston ferns and dragons tail. Whatever kind of living setup you've got, we bet there's a green thing here that'll suit. To match, Plant Daddy has a growing range of locally made pots and planters, in a variety of hues, finishes and sizes. The team is very keen to spread the love for their community, so expect to keep finding plenty of goodies from fellow small local businesses popping up on the shelves. What's more, you can ensure you keep those plant babies in tip top shape and looking good thanks to the store's curated range accessories — hello, macrame hangers — and plant care products. If you can't get there in person, Plant Daddy's online store remains up and running — offering deliveries across Sydney every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Find Plant Daddy HQ at 90 Lennox Street, Newtown. It's open from 11am–3pm Monday–Tuesday, and 10am–4pm Wednesday–Sunday.
Flight sales pop up all the time, which is excellent news for everyone that's obsessed with taking holidays. So, it's great for everyone. But Virgin Australia's latest batch of cheap fares is a once-in-four-years offering. It's doing big discounts for Leap Day, because February 29 is worth celebrating when it rolls around. For today, Thursday, February 29 only, then, more than 200,000 sale flights are up for grabs across a range of both domestic and international destinations. In other budget-friendly news, the cheapest starts at $35. As is always the case with these kinds of specials, that's the price from Sydney to Byron Bay — but Melbourne to Launceston will only cost you $39, too. Other options include Sydney to the Sunshine Coast from $55 and to the Gold Coast from $59, Melbourne to Uluru from $89 and to Hamilton Island from $99, and Brisbane to Cairns from $75 and to Hobart from $99. Folks in Adelaide can hit the Gold Coast from $85, while Perth residents can go to Cairns from $129. And they're just some of the one-way deals available. Internationally, the return deals start with Adelaide to Bail from $385, and also include Melbourne to Bali from $439, Sydney to Queenstown from $405 and Brisbane to Fiji from $479 — with more where they came from as well. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, there's a range of dates from Monday, April 1–Sunday, June 30, 2024, all varying depending on the flights and prices. Getting in quickly is always recommended when it comes to flight sales — but when they only run for a day, finishing at 11.59pm AEST, you need to take that advice seriously. Virgin's 2024 Leap Day sale runs until midnight AEST on Thursday, February 29 — or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Call it the circle of cinema. Call it the movie that was always bound to happen once technology was rolled out to bring The Lion King franchise back to the screen with photorealistic visuals, too. After remaking its 90s animated hit with imagery that helps its animals to appear as if they've walked out of a documentary — well, almost — with 2019's The Lion King, Mufasa: The Lion King is hitting cinemas in 2024 to tell the story before the saga's beloved story. If you just can't wait to spend more time in the lifelike iteration of The Lion King's world, here comes a film about the lion that's king of the Pride Lands before Simba gets the job. As both the initial teaser trailer and just-dropped full sneak peek show, Mufasa: The Lion King is again styled to look like reality, not animation. It also shares Donald Glover (Mr & Mrs Smith), Beyoncé, Seth Rogen (Dumb Money), Billy Eichner (Bros) and John Kani (Murder Mystery 2) with its predecessor, reprising their roles as Simba, Nala, Pumbaa, Timon and Rafiki. As the feature's moniker makes plain, however, Mufasa: The Lion King isn't focusing on any of those characters' tales. Mufasa, aka Simba's father, sits at the centre of a picture directed by Moonlight Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins. The movie is presented as a story told by Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa to Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala, who is voiced by Blue Ivy Carter. So goes a narrative about an orphaned cub who is taken in by a lion with royal blood, then set on a path that leads to the events of The Lion King. Among the voice cast, Aaron Pierre (Foe) does the honours as Mufasa. Kelvin Harrison Jr is Taka (Chevalier), the lion prince who takes Mufasa in like a brother. Tiffany Boone (Hunters), Mads Mikkelsen (The Promised Land), Thandiwe Newton (Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget), Lennie James (Genius), Anika Noni Rose (Pantheon), Keith David (Rick and Morty), Kagiso Lediga (The Umbrella Men) and Preston Nyman (A Small Light) also lend their vocals to the flick. As well as Jenkins, Mufasa: The Lion King boasts another huge off-screen name, with Hamilton great Lin-Manuel Miranda writing the movie's tunes. "Elton John. Tim Rice. Hans Zimmer. Lebo M. Mark Mancina. Beyoncé, Labrinth, Ilya Salmanzadeh. Beau Black, Ford Riley, the incredible music team on The Lion Guard, and so many musical contributors over the years. The Lion King has an incredible musical legacy with music from some of the greatest songwriters around, and I'm humbled and proud to be a part of it," said Miranda. "It's been a joy working alongside Barry Jenkins to bring Mufasa's story to life, and we can't wait for audiences to experience this film in theatres." Check out the full trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King below: Mufasa: The Lion King releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, December 19, 2024. Images: courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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.
Among the array of difficult decisions that shape each and every movie, structure — that is, how directors and screenwriters choose to order and relay their on-screen stories — ranks among the most pivotal. Many filmmakers prefer the scaffolding of their films to remain invisible, so their features flow seamlessly from beginning to middle to end without anyone noticing the wheels turning, and that's perfectly fine. Indeed, it suits plenty of cinematic tales. But when someone like acclaimed French auteur François Ozon calls attention to exactly how he's organising and doling out his narrative, he does so with a definite purpose. Actually, in his latest drama By the Grace of God, he does so to make a statement. This Berlinale Silver Bear-winner explores sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, diving into its tough subject matter by not only charting the paths of three men who were all molested by the same priest as children, but by dedicating roughly a third of its running time to each of them. This move, made by Ozon as both a writer and director, is also equally sensible and natural. By the Grace of God meets its trio of protagonists as adults, as lawyer Alexandre Guérin (Melvil Poupaud), then atheist François Debord (Denis Ménochet), and then the younger and more visibly troubled Emmanuel Thomassin (Swann Arlaud) all face their ordeals decades earlier at the hands of Father Preynat (Bernard Verley). When Alexandre, who remains a church-goer and now has his own young children, discovers that the Lyon priest is still allowed to work with kids, he makes a complaint to Cardinal Philippe Barbarin (François Marthouret). Later, Police Chief Courteau (Frédéric Pierrot) begins investigating as well. Slowly, both François and Emmanuel are drawn into these enquires, with the narrative shifting its focus accordingly. Although there's no literal baton-passing, that's the overall effect. By arranging the movie in this fashion, Ozon gives himself the space to tell three very distinctive (yet still related) stories. As is to be expected, Alexandre, François and Emmanuel's shared traumatic childhood experiences have affected them in completely different ways, and conveying this is crucial. Beyond that, however — and perhaps more importantly than that — Ozon's tripartite structure shows how something this insidious and atrocious causes ripples that don't ever end. Reflecting the reality of such cases, By the Grace of God could've included five, ten or vastly more main characters, relaying the torch from one to the other. As the news keep reminding us, tales like these aren't fictional or isolated. Ultimately, the film hones in on just three men and their encounters with one priest, but it wholeheartedly highlights the devastating scope of sexual abuse in religious institutions, both in terms of the number of victims and the unshakeable pain that follows them throughout their lives. The details at the centre of By the Grace of God are, as with excellent Best Picture Oscar winner Spotlight, actually based on truth. Here, the film's ripped-from-the-headlines storyline caused two of the figures portrayed within its frames take legal action to — unsuccessfully — attempt to block its release. While he's known for working in fiction across everything from the comedy (In the House) to psychosexual thriller (Double Lover) genres, Ozon reportedly originally considered turning this story into a documentary. Sticking with an appropriately beige-hued drama instead, he more than does it justice. This is a sensitive and sobering picture, with Ozon in a far more restrained mode than evidenced in previous efforts such as Swimming Pool and Young & Beautiful. The use of letters read via voice-over to provide viewers with swathes of information doesn't always work as well as intended, but that By the Grace of God sparks a wealth of anger, dismay and empathy while watching should surprise no one — nor that it does so in a measured and careful manner. It seems a sad fact of life that, in most corners of the world, movies like this are always going to be topical and timely. In Australia, in a year that's seen a landmark case taken through Victoria's courts, the film lands at a particularly significant moment. As a result, it's fitting that Ozon's thoughtful feature apes a fundamental tenet of legal action in such heartbreaking circumstances. By telling this tale, it gives victims a voice. Poupaud, Ménochet and Arlaud are each superb as men forever changed by their tainted youth — Poupaud in a grounded way, Ménochet playing lively and impassioned (and proving worlds away from his menacing turn in last year's Custody), and Arlaud serving up a simply haunting performance. By virtue of its savvy structure, By the Grace of God pushes this top trio and their real-life characters to the fore, ensuring that the consequences of letting abuse get swept under the pulpit are not just on display for all to see, but are thoroughly inescapable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-kwXK-SS3U
In what might be the bravest marketing move of the decade, ice cream manufacturers Ben and Jerry's are rumoured to be creating a new flavour called 'Schweddy Balls' based on an incredibly popular Saturday Night Live skit from 1998 involving Alec Baldwin. In an interview last night former SNL cast member Anna Gasteyer said of the Schwetty Balls skit "It has this crazy, massive popularity that's kind have had a half life since I left the show. Ben and Jerry's is coming out with a Schwetty Balls ice cream for Christmas this year." Bowery Bogey claims this delicious dish will be available to consumers as soon as September. A Ben and Jerry's representative has refused to either confirm or deny the sweaty speculations, instead choosing to say "we like all our new flavours to have an element of surprise." Surprise indeed, one can only imagine what constitutes a Schweddy Balls flavour. And while this all might seem too be good to be true, it wouldn't be the first time that Ben and Jerry's have released a pop culture inspired flavour. Previous flavours include Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream, Cherry Garcia, in honour of Grateful Dead singer Jerry Garcia, and Yes Pecan in honour of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential victory. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yVChao15oDw [Via Gothamist]
Amongst all the fanfare of the opening of War and peace and in between at the AGNSW, another show seems to have slipped quietly under the radar. It’s a shame really because Video Swell Sydney is a mini showcase of some superior video art.Featuring work by Sydney’s video art heavyweights, The Kingpins, TV Moore and Kate Murphy — and that powerhouse of contemporary art himself, Shaun Gladwell, Video Swell Sydney is an opportunity to see some of the very best works minus the distraction of a group show. The AGNSW is keeping mum about the details (although they promise a program is forthcoming, check out their website for updates). What they are saying is ‘Four Artists. Four Videos. Two weeks per screening’. It’s a little bit like those old Ansett mystery flights — you’re not sure where you are going, but you know it’s going to be good. Image: The Kingpins, Welcome to the Jingle, 2003, (production still).
While wallet-friendly price points and a penchant for the flat-pack can often see IKEA's designs pitched as short-term furniture, the Swedish retailer is keen to shake off those perceptions. And how better to do so than by teaming up with an acclaimed design company for a clever new collection? The latest move in IKEA's push towards longevity is a statement range called Ypperlig, created in collaboration with Danish designers HAY. Launching this October, it's a collection of basics crafted for contemporary styling, drawing on HAY's flair for functionality and aesthetics. According to Rolf Hay, one half of the husband-and-wife duo behind the design company, the project proved an all-round win. "It's fair to say that HAY and IKEA are two very different companies," he acknowledged. "But when we started talking to IKEA it became very clear that we shared many perspectives on design." Unlike some of IKEA's more ubiquitous designs, this is a range of furniture and accessories you won't want to get rid of in a hurry — each piece clever, yet understated, sleek and undeniably Danish. Expect nifty products like a slimline LED lamp complete with in-built touch dimmer, hand-painted stoneware vases, a contemporary take on the classic Scandinavian plank table and a spring mattress sofa bed that's actually comfy enough to sleep on. HAY has even redesigned the iconic blue Ikea shopping bag, working in a range of new colours and weave patterns. The best part about this HAY x IKEA collaboration is that you can purchase a HAY piece for IKEA prices. While a HAY chair retails for around $200–400, one from their IKEA collaboration will set you back less than $100. The HAY x IKEA Ypperlig collection will go on sale this month. To browse the collection, visit ikea.com.
Step aside Viennetta: there's a new luxe dinner party freezer-treat in town. Connoisseur — that purveyor of luxurious, eat-it-by-the-tub ice cream — has teamed up with artisan Australian chocolate brand Koko Black for a new range of ice cream sticks for more discerning chocolate aficionados. The duo of new flavours serve as a good reminder that, sometimes, you can't go past a classic. The vanilla version sees Connoisseur's vanilla coated in Koko Black's 54 percent dark chocolate. If you're looking for a bit more crunch, make a beeline for the honeycomb stick that stars honeycomb ice cream in Koko Black's signature Tasmanian Leatherwood Honeycomb pieces in 54 percent dark chocolate. It's the first time the Melbourne-born chocolatier has made its way into the frozen aisle, which is surprising given that its more recent collabs have included cake and beer. Connoisseur's Koko Black selections are available as four-packs ($8.40), while the classic vanilla is also available as an individual stick ($4.40). They're available right now from leading convenience and grocery stores around Australia.
Forget the most important meal of the day, the most important meal of any young adult's life is the hangover-busting feed — the one that salves the soul and brings you back to human form. The elixir? It has to be the perfect plate of eggs. They're a staple of any good brunch feast, with benefits including a healthy serving of amino acids, detoxifying minerals and protein. Most importantly, a good helping of eggs can help reduce your post-party blues. We've picked some of our favourite egg-based brunch dishes to keep your first (or second, or third) meal of the day as healthy and restorative as possible, without sacrificing flavour. In fact, there are heaps of nutritional benefits to eating eggs (on any day of the week). And the Heart Foundation recommends healthy Australians can eat eggs without limitation as part of a healthy diet. So go ahead and enjoy refuelling with one (or more) of these favoured brekkie savours.
Don't be fooled by the last-century name, because 1908 Cronulla is as contemporary as they come. Hands down one of the more stunning venues in southern Sydney, this ivy-covered, high-ceilinged, glass-fronted building is a popular choice for weddings in the area. It's also a great place to go for a sophisticated dinner or drinks. Like many restaurants in Cronulla, 1908 celebrates its coastal proximity through a seafood-heavy menu. Tuna is served as a charred tataki with coriander butter and an elegant buckwheat and leek risotto and and the oysters come with a trio of garnishes: natural, prik nam pla (a sweet, spicy Thai dressing), and jalapeño mornay. If you're after something heartier, the steak frites is rubbed in pastrami spices and served with curried sauce. Make sure to accompany your meal with one of the options from the exceptional cocktail menu. To match the sophisticated setting, order the Champagne for Mixologists, which combines Veuve Clicquot Rich with grapefruit, cucumber, lime, ginger and cold tea. It will set you back $110, but then, this place is all about indulgence.
How do you start the first-ever WorldPride held in the Southern Hemisphere? With an already-announced opening concert starring none other than Kylie Minogue, of course. How do you farewell the fun when the massive LGBTQIA+ festival is finished taking over Sydney in February and March 2023? The event has just started locking in those plans, too, with MUNA and G Flip headlining closing gig Rainbow Republic. Like the kick-off festivities, this one will take place in The Domain — and indie popsters MUNA will be making their Australian debut when they take to the stage. As for G Flip, the pivotal slot comes after they just played the AFL Grand Final, following one iconic event with another. When it takes place on Sunday, March 5, attendees can expect a seven-hour show filled with live music, DJs and dancing — a queer megamix, if you like. On hosting duties: Keiynan Lonsdale (Love, Simon, The Flash, Eden), who'll also perform. Peach PRC, Alter Boy, BVT and Vetta Borne have also been named on the bill. This is just the first lineup announcement, however, so expect more to follow. Sydney WorldPride has been announcing parts of its lineup since June, including the return of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade to Oxford Street after the 2021 and 2022 events were held at the Sydney Cricket Ground due to the pandemic — and it will drop its full 300-event program in November. As well as the parade, Kylie and Rainbow Republic, Sydney WorldPride will feature pride villages set up in sections of Crown Street and Riley Street, a giant weekend-long street party on Oxford Street, a Bondi beach party that'll turn the iconic sandy stretch into a club for 12,000 people, and a Blak & Deadly First Nations gala concert. Plus, there'll be another huge gig in The Domain — a dance party for 10,000, which is being dubbed as the biggest LGBQTIA+ outdoor dance party in Australia. RAINBOW REPUBLIC SYDNEY WORLDPRIDE CLOSING CONCERT LINEUP: MUNA G Flip Keiynan Lonsdale Peach PRC Alter Boy BVT Vetta Borne Sydney WorldPride will run from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, 2023, with closing concert Rainbow Republic taking place at The Domain on Sunday, March 5. Tickets for Rainbow Republic are on sale now. For more information about Sydney WorldPride, or for general ticket sales, head to the event's website. Thinking about Sydney WorldPride's big opening gig, Live and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert, too? General admission tickets have sold out, with only Sydney WorldPride's affordability option left — but you can still head along thanks to Concrete Playground Trips. The Sydney WorldPride package includes tickets to the Domain Dance Party and Live and Proud: Opening Concert, plus three nights at the PARKROYAL Darling Harbour Sydney.
As Alfred 'Paper Boi' Miles in Atlanta, Brian Tyree Henry has been given plenty to utter. Across the hit Donald Glover-created series' three seasons so far, his rapper character has soared from up-and-comer to global star touring Europe, as chronicled with the show's banter-filled dialogue. But there's one thing that hasn't ever fallen into his remit in his best-known role, and is highly unlikely to in the fourth and final season that's set to arrive this September: obsessing over Thomas the Tank Engine. Henry might be as synonymous with Atlanta as Glover, complete with a 2018 Emmy nomination for his stellar performance, but his resume spans far further than the acclaimed series. In movies as varied as Widows, If Beale Street Could Talk, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Joker, Godzilla vs Kong and Eternals — and shows such as Boardwalk Empire, The Knick and This Is Us as well — he's kept proving a compelling presence. There's no Thomas the Tank Engine fixation among them either, though. Instead, waxing lyrical about blue British locomotives is the domain of Henry's part in action-comedy Bullet Train. He plays blonde-tressed assassin Lemon, half of a chalk-and-cheese killer duo with Aaron Taylor-Johnson's (The King's Man) Tangerine. Dubbed "the twins" but clearly brothers in friendship rather than blood, they're just two of the movie's many killers, as led by Brad Pitt (The Lost City) — all of which, fittingly for Lemon, find themselves speeding across a neon-drenched vision of Japan via the titular shinkansen. In other films, it's easy to predict how Henry's part would go. But, working with John Wick and Atomic Blonde filmmaker David Leitch, Henry was determined that Lemon would transcend tropes — and be a hitman that viewers cared about, even as he's using Thomas the Tank Engine to decide whether people are trustworthy or not and, obviously, as he's hopping around the train killing people. Ahead of the movie's local release on August 4, we chatted to Henry about Bullet Train, childhood favourites, busting tropes, gravitating towards banter, and a shoot that felt like "a bloody summer camp". ON 'THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE' AND CHILDHOOD FAVOURITES "Is anyone really a fan of Thomas the Tank Engine? It has always been a part of our childhood, right? He's just always been there… I think what's really great is that with this movie, we get to really go into the characters' details, because Lemon truly studied and loves Thomas the Tank Engine. And he's right about it. Every time that he says that somebody is a Percy or an Edward or a Diesel, he's right. So there is a little truth to the characters of Thomas the Tank Engine, for you to tell if somebody is trustworthy or not. But, when I was a kid, it came on after the good stuff. Like Thomas the Tank Engine kind of wrapped your day, and you were like 'where are the explosions? I want to see more stuff with candy.' I didn't do an in-depth Thomas the Tank Engine study when I got this part, but I did play the theme song on set though to really piss everybody off. I was like 'come on guys, we need this levity, let's listen to Thomas the Tank Engine'. Care Bears was my thing. Fraggle Rock, anything Muppet-related, I was all about it. I was a huge Jim Henson head, I mean anything that had Jim Henson on it, I was there for it. And I'm not going to lie, I still do, I still care a lot about anything Jim Henson-related." ON GOING BEYOND THE COMEDIC BLACK GUY TROPE "I got a call from David Leitch who said that he was making this movie, and my jaw kind of fell on the floor because I know David Leitch's repertoire and I was really excited — and I was also very suspicious. I loved Deadpool 2. I know he produced all the John Wicks which I love as well. I remember loving Atomic Blonde and these universes he created, but I was very much like 'where am I going to fit in this?'. And then he told me that there was a character named Lemon that was one half of a duo called Lemon and Tangerine. I read the script, and I did love it, but there were some parts that I really wanted to delve a little deeper into — because the first draft kind of seemed like Lemon was there to just be there for laughs, and I didn't want him to just be the comic foil. I wanted him to be cared about. There's usually a trap that happens sometimes when you're Black and doing action movies or any kind of certain genre, that you're the funny person and usually the first person that dies — you know all these weird, terrible, microaggressive tropes that are put on Black people. I didn't want that for this movie, and I pled this to him. I was like, 'look, if you are putting me in this atmosphere, being on Japan on a bullet train, I want people to care that I'm there — it's not like I can hide anywhere, it's not like people won't notice when I'm there'. This is also during 2020 when shit was hard. It was really hard in America, it was really difficult. We didn't know what this virus was, there was social injustice going on outside of our door, we were dealing with an election that would change our fate, and I was angry — and I hate saying that I was an angry man, but I was. And I was also very fearful of what was going on, and I had to find some trust to take this movie, and David reassured me, he was like 'we really want your voice in this'." ON PLAYING A KILLER PEOPLE WOULD CARE ABOUT "When I was paired with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, I was like 'this can play a few ways', because it says we're twins and we're clearly not. A sense of brotherhood can be there and that can be authentic, and I let David know that. Aaron and I both wanted to find the heart of who both of these characters are. Whenever we see these movies, where the tropes are a black man and a white guy coming together, it's all different kind of hijinks — and look these tropes have a place, and I admire them and the actors who played them, they have their own place in history. But if we were going to add to that, we wanted it to come from a different place. With most of these duos, you see these men coming from two different sides of the world, or two different walks of life, they come together and they form a partnership. But with our duo, we literally grew up together. And part of me was like 'maybe we were passed around in the foster care system together, maybe we were used to having each other to protect each other, to care about each other, and that just went on until we grew up?'. So that brotherhood was what was really important, because we wanted the audience to really believe that there was a brotherhood between the two of us. David heard that, and really allowed us to play with that — because I wanted the audience to care, I really did. I know that we're sociopathic killers, and yes we're funny and we have this banter that goes back and forth, but I wanted you all to care if we got separated. I wanted you all to care if one made it and one didn't. I wanted the audience to really care about these brothers, because they're the only assassins on the train that are a duo, that's a partnership — and I wanted people to care because I needed to figure out how to care again. I needed to figure out what a brotherhood meant with someone who didn't look like me, someone who wasn't from where I was. I needed to really find a way to feel a connection with somebody, and Aaron just brought his heart and brought his soul to this thing‚ and we instantly hit it off. And we gave David Leitch no choice but to kind of like accept that. Most of the things that we were doing were improv. Most of the things that we said, that we volleyed off one another were just off the top of our heads, and David Leitch was like, 'yeah, let's keep going with that' because he saw how close we were. It restored a kind of faith in me again when playing this role because I cared about Lemon so much, and I wanted people who were watching Lemon so much… I owe a huge thanks to David Leitch for hearing me out, hearing me say that I wanted these things and I wanted to play with Lemon this way, because he let me." ON ALL OF THOSE STUNTS — AND A SHOOT THAT FELT LIKE "A BLOODY SUMMER CAMP" "I remember going to Dick's Sporting Goods, and I was like 'kneepads, gloves, shorts, everything, because I'm going to do it all'. I was so ready to get ready for this movie. I really wanted to do all these crazy stunts that I'd seen David Leitch choreograph throughout his career. I really wanted to do wire work. I wanted to find different ways to kill somebody with a tray table. I wanted to really get in there. We couldn't go to studios like you would if you were trying to learn fight choreography, so they had to improvise and made this makeshift fight playground, basically, on the rooftop of a parking deck on Sony's lot. And it was the coolest thing I've ever seen. So you've got padded floors, boxes are that are the walls of the train, tables, fold-up chairs — and with the help of Greg Rementer, who is the stunt coordinator for 87 North [David Leitch's production company], we had the time of our lives. The collaboration that David Leitch has in his work is really fun. Especially, I think about the fight between Brad and I that is taking place on a quiet car. My character tells him that he needs to keep his voice low because it's the quiet car, and all the while I'm going to do what I can to kill him on this quiet car. So doing the fight choreography, to map out how we're going to do that, was like taking me to like a bloody summer camp. You're signing up to just go bash each other's faces in, but how how many different ways can we do that on a quiet car? How many ways are Brad and I going to be in a headlock and punching each other in the nuts? How many ways are you going to avoid a snake that's now loose on this train? It was some of the most therapeutic scene work I've ever done in my life, and it was incredibly fun." Bullet Train screens in Australian and New Zealand cinemas from August 4. Read our full review.
Oktoberfest down under comes in the form of Beer Fest 2023 — The Australian Heritage Hotel's annual event celebrating Australian excellence in craft beer. The free event will bring 20 of the country's leading craft brewers to The Rocks from Friday, October 6 to Sunday, October 8. There are various tasters which you can pre-purchase to avoid the queues. Nab ten tasters and a tasting cup for $49 with the Early Bird Starter Pack, or level it up with all that plus a stubby holder and a Beer Fest tote in the Early Bird Legend Pack for $75. There's also an option to add five extra tasters for $25. Take the experience further at a Meet the Brewer session. Attendees can froth about their favourite cold ones with the experts behind the bevs on the rooftop at one (or all) of the four sessions on Saturday and Sunday. There are prizes and giveaways galore both before and during the event. Home brewers have the chance to get their original recipe brewed by Frenchies Brewery and served on tap at The Australian, while the winner of the social media competition will receive private use of the pub's rooftop for them and their guests on Friday, October 6, complete with a $500 bar tab and a dedicated staff member. Vote for Best Dark Beer, Best IPA, Best Sour, Best Specialty Brew, the Geoff Scharer Award and more in the Best Beer Competition to have a shot at winning a brewery tour with three of your mates, a $250 bar tab at The Australian or a Young Henrys merch pack. If you're not a beer devotee, you can still enjoy live music from Harvey, Tiago, Hot Minute, Oompah Loompah and Hot Potato Band, as well as food stalls and cold cider. To find out more and pre-purchase some tasters, head to The Australian Heritage Hotel's website.
Tell us that it's June in Sydney without telling us that it's June in Sydney: it's cold, puffer jackets line George Street as far as the eye can see and almost everyone wearing them is rushing between cinemas. Also, the lights are shining at the glorious State Theatre, lines keep snaking down Market Street and chatting about which flick you saw last night is the only mode of conversation. This hasn't been a winter reality since 2019, though. Thankfully, for the first time in three years, Sydney Film Festival is now back in-person and in its tradition midyear slot. Yes, this is what movie-going heaven feels like. Yes, that includes an utter lack of vitamin D, carefully clutched warm drinks keeping your hands toasty and getting settled into your favourite cinema seat (we all have one) for the long haul. SFF 2022 is well and truly underway until Sunday, June 19, and that means you now have two types of movies to add to your list — to two types of lists, too. Some of the standouts so far still have big-screen dates coming up at the festival, and are worth booking tickets to ASAP. Others you might need to seek out afterwards, including from home. Either way, here's ten must-sees. SISSY Thanks to everything from The Saddle Club and I Hate My Teenage Daughter to Sweet/Vicious and The Bold Type, Gold Coast-born Australian actor Aisha Dee knows what it's like to live life through screens. She's been acting since she was a teenager, and she's charted the highs of her chosen profession — all in front of a lens. In Sissy, she hops in front of a camera again, naturally, and not only once but twice. In this delightfully savvy and funny Aussie horror film, Dee turns in a wonderfully layered performance as the titular Instagram influencer, whose soaring follower count, non-stop flow of likes and adoring comments, and online fame all stems from her carefully poised and curated wellness videos. Also known as @SincerelyCecilia, the character's sense of self springs from that virtual attention too; however, when she reconnects with her childhood best friend Emma (co-director/co-writer Hannah Barlow), gets invited to her bachelorette weekend and finds old schoolyard dynamics bubbling up, that facade starts to shatter. If Mean Girls was a slasher film set in a remote cabin in rural Australia, it might look something like Sissy — and that's a compliment multiple times over. Every horror movie wants to be smart and savage on multiple levels, but Barlow and fellow co-helmer/co-scribe Kane Senes (reteaming after 2017's For Now) weaponise everything from influencer culture and pastel, rainbow and glitter colour palettes to toxic friendships, all while spinning a clever, cutting and comedic take on the impact of bullying. They also fill their feature with as gloriously diverse a cast as Australian cinema has boasted, and with one helluva lead performance. If Carrie was set in today's always-online world, amid cancel culture and plentiful praise at the press of a button, it'd look like this, too, but this instant Aussie horror classic takes its own bold stab at plenty of genres. Sissy screens at Sydney Film Festival until Wednesday, June 15, and also releases in Australian cinemas on October 27. NUDE TUESDAY Relationships are all about communication. So much about life is, too. And, so is storytelling. With absurdist comedy Nude Tuesday, expressing emotions, connections and narrative details all boils down to two things, though: gibberish and bodies. This extremely amusing New Zealand film from writer/director Armagan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water) and writer/star Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers) does indeed strip its performers bare, as its name makes plain — but it saddles them with conveying almost everything about their characters via body language long before that. The reason: every piece of dialogue spoken in the movie is uttered in gibberish, with completely made-up and wholly improvised words that take a few cues from The Muppets' Swedish Chef in cadence. While they're subtitled in English by British comedian and writer Julia Davis (Camping), that text was penned after shooting, in one of the film's other gleefully silly twists. The result is patently ridiculous, and marvellously so — and hilariously, too. It's such a clever touch, making a movie about marital disharmony and the communication breakdown baked within that's so reliant upon reading tone and posture, as couples on the prowl for the tiniest of micro-aggressions hone in on. Van Beek and Australian The Tourist actor Damon Herriman play that pair, Laura and Bruno. Living on the fictional pacific island of Zǿbftąņ, they're as stuck in a rut as any married, middle-class duo can be, and they're gifted a getaway to ẄØnÐĘULÄ to help. But this mountainside commune, run by the charismatic and lustful sex guru Bjorg Rassmussen (Jemaine Clement, I Used to Go Here), wants them to bare all in multiple ways. The film doesn't live up to its moniker until its last third, but its perceptive and side-splittingly funny from the get-go. Nude Tuesday screens at Sydney Film Festival until Sunday, June 19, and also releases in Australian cinemas on June 23 — and will stream via Stan from July 7. INU-OH Frequently, watching a Japanese animated film involves getting a song stuck in your head afterwards, whether it's a J-pop-style ditty (see: Weathering with You and Ride Your Wave) or an enchanting score (see: Studio Ghibli's entire catalogue). Inu-Oh is no different, except that the movie is also a magnificent rock opera, and a glam-rock one at that. Getting its main musical refrain, which plays through the entire middle section of the feature and tells much of its story, out of your brain afterwards is impossible. You won't want to — it's that catchy, and also that pitch-perfect in the context of the tale its telling. And, the fact that that narrative takes its cues from a real-life Noh performer from 600 years ago, then spins his success in the uniquely Japanese form of dance-drama theatre into a fantastical allegory, only adds to this wondrous and entrancing film's appeal. Director Masaaki Yuasa doesn't make stock-standard animated movies, after all, not that many Japanese directors do; he has the aforementioned Ride Your Wave, as well as the also-great Lu Over the Wall and Night is Short, Walk on Girl on his resume to prove it, too. With Inu-oh, he adapts Hideo Furukawa's novel The Tale of the Heike: Chapter of Inu-Oh, and hums around its titular figure and his friend and collaborator Tomona. Inu-Oh's route to fame isn't assured, with people everywhere shying away from his physical appearance, and an ancient curse troubling his path. As for his pal, the blind musician is also a biwa priest. But when the pair team up for huge rock concerts that draw crowds in from far and wide, Inu-Oh's dancing becomes a phenomenon — one that, in a movie that's also about artistic freedom and is always as visually creative as animation gets, causes backlash from the country's powerbrokers. Inu-Oh doesn't yet have an Australian release date post-Sydney Film Festival — we'll update you if and when it does. PIGGY Hell is other people in Spanish horror film Piggy, an observation that's been made countless times on-screen. Hell is also today's always-online world, another familiar statement (and one that Sissy, see above, also serves up). Still, a movie doesn't need to trade in completely new observations to stand out — which this bullying-revenge film definitely does in a plethora of ways. Sadly, its title stems from the taunt slung in its protagonist's direction much too often. A resident of a small, sleepy Spanish village close to the Portuguese border, Sara (Laura Galán, Unknown Origins) is called other names, too, none of them kind. She's also almost drowned by her tormentors during a trip to the local pool, where they're as cruel as anyone can be about her body. That experience comes with consequences, however, when a kidnapper strikes. Sara is a witness, the three mean girls that've made her life miserable go missing, and the right next step isn't straightforward. Galán is astonishing in Piggy, reteaming with writer/director Carlota Pereda after also starring in her 2018 Goya Award-winning short of the same. This full-length expansion is a vicious marvel, too — and it isn't afraid to get brutal either thematically or physically, or to plaster gory sights across its imagery. Indeed here, seeing a murdered corpse weighted down at the bottom of a public pool isn't a pretty vision, unsurprisingly. That said, it also pales in comparison to the nastiness continually thrust Sara's way, and to everything the film sinks a knife into about being a woman today in the process. Piggy is also astonishingly stylish, using its Academy-ratio frames to ramp up the sense of claustrophobia to an immersive degree. Pereda has enjoyed stints behind the lens since 2008, spanning television, shorts and features, but this immediate must-see deserves to put her on the path to a great genre career. Piggy screens at Sydney Film Festival until Friday, June 17. It doesn't yet have an Australian release date post-SFF — we'll update you if and when it does. HUDA'S SALON Via opening spurts of text on-screen, Huda's Salon relays some of the facts and figures attached to daily existence in Palestine. Included within them is an observation that life for women has only gotten more difficult, including in the movie's setting of Bethlehem. That's where Reem (Maisa Abd Elhadi, The Angel) lives, unhappily but dutifully married to the controlling and jealous Yousef (Jalal Masarwa, Sand Storm), and busies herself doting on their baby. It's also where she usually earns a respite from her routine existence at Huda's salon, unburdening her woes while her friend Huda (Manal Awad, Gaza Mon Amour) washes, dries, cuts and styles her locks. On the visit that opens Hany Abu-Assad's gripping film, however — joining the writer/director's resume alongside Oscar-nominated features Paradise Now and Omar, plus The Idol and The Mountain Between Us — she walks out with her tresses a mess, and as a new informant for Israel's internal security service thanks to a stark blackmail plot. From there, Huda's Salon is a riveting thriller — as it is from the outset — as Reem fears for what will happen if her new duplicity is discovered. She hasn't done a single thing to be seen as a spy or a traitor, but Huda stages shocking evidence, and the Palestinian resistance is soon sniffing around. Much of the movie jumps between Reem's efforts to remain alive, and to hide her new secret, and Huda's interrogation by the calm but firm Hasan (Ali Suliman, Jack Ryan). Abu-Assad handles both aspects like the life-and-death situations they are, sending a potent, harrowing and heartwrenching message about what women in occupied Palestine face. He also draws upon real-life events, making his latest intense and excellent film an even sharper gut-punch — and the three key performances, from Elhadi, Awad and Suliman, are all immensely compelling at every single moment. Huda's Salon screens at Sydney Film Festival until Saturday, June 18. It doesn't yet have an Australian release date post-SFF — we'll update you if and when it does. ELVIS Making a biopic about the king of rock 'n' roll, trust Baz Luhrmann to take his subject's words to heart: a little less conversation, a little more action. The Australian filmmaker's Elvis isn't short on chatter — it's even narrated by Tom Hanks (Finch) as Colonel Tom Parker, who famously was never a colonel, a Tom or a Parker — but this chronology of an icon's life is at its best when it's showing rather than telling. To be even more specific, it's downright electrifying in its treasure trove of recreated live concert scenes, where Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) slides into Presley's blue suede shoes and lifetime's supply of jumpsuits like he's the man himself. He genuinely is that hypnotic. Thanks to his blistering on-stage performance, shaken hips and all, as well as dazzling cinematography, editing and just all-round visual choreography, these moments in the movie — of which there's understandably many — feel like Elvis hasn't ever left the building. Around such glorious centrepieces, Luhrmann constructs exactly the kind of Elvis extravaganza he was always bound to; balancing the writer/director's own style with the legend he's surveying can't have been easy, and it doesn't always play out as slickly as Presley's slicked-back pompadour, but it's always engrossing. The requisite details are covered, from the singer's birth in Tupelo, Mississippi, through to his late-career Las Vegas residency, with plenty in the middle. His discovery, the impact upon his parents (Rake co-stars Helen Thomson and Richard Roxburgh), his relationship with Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge, The Staircase), America's puritanical reaction to his gyrating pelvis, the issues of race inescapably baked into the response to him as an artist: they're all featured, as retold with Luhrmann's circling images, love of split-screens, frenzy of colour and visible lavishness. Using Parker as a narrator and framing device doesn't work as convincingly, but those spectacular live performances are one for the money. Elvis screens at Sydney Film Festival until Friday, June 17, and also releases in Australian cinemas on June 23. INTO THE ICE From its first shot of a frosty river snaking and glistening between dark-hued rocks — a snapshot of Greenland's inland ice that's lensed from above, arrestingly so — Danish documentary's Into the Ice is nothing short of stunning. Spectacular water-and-landscape imagery was a feature of the unrelated River, too, and this film initially looks like it could be an easy companion piece, just chillier. Where that doco took a poetic approach to ruminating upon humanity's impact upon the earth, all while staring at the physical results, Into the Ice is far more pointed in its message. Making his first theatrical feature, filmmaker Lars Henrik Ostenfeld peers down at the planet's wonders, frozen and flowing alike, and uses his immersive imagery to make inarguably clear that the ice caps are melting, the bulk of the population doesn't seem to care and very little is being done about it. Into the Ice also makes time for people who do care: glaciologists Jason Box, Alun Hubbard and Dorthe Dahl-Jensen. All three explore Greenland, collecting ice, taking data and literally diving deep — and, charting their efforts all in the name of science, the film is an all-encompassing experience even just by viewing it from a cinema seat. Sometimes, the documentary showcases jaw-dropping, record-breaking, nerve-rattling daredevil acts. Sometimes, it's merely in awe of its surroundings, understandably. Sometimes, it's devoted to conveying just how difficult it is to gather information in this realm, and how committed scientists need to be given that the very fate of the planet is at stake. Whichever the documentary happens to be doing, including all three at once at times, this environmentally conscious film is on a mission. It's one thing to know that Greenland's ice is melting, and to read about it — and it's another entirely to witness what that really means. As the film's opening tells us in its overlaid narration, "you can see our future in it." Into the Ice screens at Sydney Film Festival until Saturday, June 18. It doesn't yet have an Australian release date post-SFF — we'll update you if and when it does. MILLIE LIES LOW A scene-stealer in 2018's The Breaker Upperers, Ana Scotney now leads the show in Millie Lies Low. She's just as magnetic. The New Zealand actor plays the film's eponymous Wellington university student, who has a panic attack aboard a plane bound for New York — where a prestigious architecture internship awaits — and has to disembark before her flight leaves. A new ticket costs $2000, which she doesn't have. And, trying to rustle up cash from her best friend and classmate (Jillian Nguyen, Hungry Ghosts), mother (Rachel House, Cousins) and even a quick-loan business (run by Cohen Holloway, The Power of the Dog) still leaves her empty-handed. Millie's solution: faking it till she makes it, searching for ways to stump up the funds while hiding out in her hometown, telling everyone she's actually already in the Big Apple and posting faux Instagram snaps MacGyvered out of whatever she can find (big sacks of flour standing in for snow, for instance) to sell the ruse. There's a caper vibe to Millie's efforts skulking around Wellington while endeavouring to finance her ticket to her dreams — and to the picture of her supposedly perfect existence that she's trying to push upon herself as much as her loved ones. Making her feature debut, director and co-writer Michelle Savill has imposter syndrome and the shame spiral it sparks firmly in her sights, and finds much to mine in both an insightful and darkly comedic manner. As she follows her protagonist between episodic efforts to print the legend — or post it one Insta picture at a time — her keenly observed film also treads in Frances Ha's footsteps. Both movies examine the self-destructive life choices of a twentysomething with a clear idea of what she wants everyone to think of her, but far less of a grasp on who she really is and what she genuinely needs. While some framing and music choices make that connection obvious, the astute delight that is Millie Lies Low is never a Wellington-set copy. Millie Lies Low screens at Sydney Film Festival until Thursday, June 16. It doesn't yet have an Australian release date post-SFF — we'll update you if and when it does. FIRE ISLAND Pride and Prejudice, but set on New York's Fire Island. That's it, that's the queer rom-com that shares its setting's name. Fire Island, the movie, even comes with its own Mr Darcy — here called Will and played by How to Get Away with Murder's Conrad Ricamora, who should enjoy the same career bump that Colin Firth did in the 90s when he stepped into the part in a far-more-faithful TV adaptation. Updating Jane Austen isn't new, of course. Bridget Jones' Diary, also famously starring Firth, did the same with Pride and Prejudice. Stone-cold classic Clueless, which gets a shoutout here in a perfectly co-opted line of dialogue, did it with Emma, too. One of Fire Island's best traits is how new yet comfortable it feels, though, like thumbing through a favourite but seeing it afresh — with hot tubs full of praise deserved by director Andrew Ahn (Spa Night, Driveways) and screenwriter/star Joel Kim Booster (Search Party, Sunnyside). Booster also boasts a writing credit on The Other Two, one of the best new TV comedies of the past few years — and that bitingly smart, laugh-a-minute tone shines through in Fire Island, too. He takes Austen's tale about love and class and steeps it within the queer community, its subdivisions and subcultures, and issues of race and socio-economic status that ripple through, as they do in America and the world more broadly. That's what Booster's self-confident Noah finds himself navigating on a week-long annual getaway with his best friends, and after he decides to put his pal Howie's (Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live) romantic prospects above his own. If you know the OG story, you know what happens next, including Noah's path towards the initially stern, quiet and standoffish Will. The end product here is witty, funny, heartwarming and sincere, as well as supremely well cast, energetic from start to finish, and bursting with queer pride. Post-Sydney Film Festival, Fire Island hits streaming via Disney+ on Friday, June 17. CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH With Freshman Year, Cooper Raiff cemented himself as a talent to watch, both on- and off-screen. The writer, director, actor, editor and producer wore many hats on the likeable romance-meets-coming-of-age film, and he wore them all impressively and effortlessly. With Cha Cha Real Smooth, he hands over splicing duties, but he's just as ace in every other guise yet again. Winner of the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, in the prestigious event's US Dramatic competition, this comedy also focuses on the fact that no one really knows how to handle life — this time centring its tale around the just-out-of-college Andrew (Raiff, Madeline & Cooper). The character returns home after graduating with the sole aim of making enough cash to follow his girlfriend to Spain, but falls into a gig hosting Bar Mitzvahs for his younger brother David's (Evan Assante, Dinosaur World) friends. Andrew falls in another way, too: in love with Domino (an exceptional Dakota Johnson, playing a mum again after The Lost Daughter), mother to Evan's classmate Lola (debutant Vanessa Burghardt). Lola has autism, is bullied by the other kids and usually finds herself ignored at parties, somewhat happily so; however, Andrew makes her feel comfortable and accepted, which doesn't go unnoticed. His growing fondness for Domino is complicated, though. So is the object of his affection herself — and, while more than half a century ago The Graduate splashed in a similar pool, Johnson brings her own shades and depths to a woman who is yearning for stability yet rallying against it. Everything also remains complex about Cha Cha Real Smooth's portrait of being a fresh college graduate with everything ahead of you and zero ideas of how what to truly do — and proves always-earnest as well, a description that applies to Raiff's work as Andrew and this low-key, insightful and charming movie alike. Post-Sydney Film Festival, Cha Cha Real Smooth hits streaming via Apple TV+ on Friday, June 17. The 2022 Sydney Film Festival runs between Wednesday, June 8–Sunday, June 19 at the State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street, Dendy Newtown, Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne, Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and Art Gallery of NSW. To check out the event's full program, or to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
When you're watching The Room, or reading behind-the-scenes memoir The Disaster Artist, or seeing the star-studded film the latter spawned as well, one big fact is always glaringly apparent. It's inescapable. It's as obvious as Tommy Wiseau's lanky hair and awkward demeanour. It's as plain as the spoons scattered throughout The Room. Yes, Greg Sestero went through one helluva experience. Of course, if it wasn't for The Room, Sestero mightn't have enjoyed his current fame. When you're in a movie that's so bad it's bad but also someone great to watch — but definitely not great itself by any standards — that's a particular kind of success. So, Sestero has made the most of it. He penned The Disaster Artist. He popped up in the flick based on it. He reteamed on-screen with Wiseau for the two-part Best F(r)iends. And he heads to screenings, doing Q&As to chat about all things The Room, too. It's been five years since Sestero last came to Australia to indulge the nation's The Room fixation, but for a week from Sunday, February 12–Saturday, February 18, he's back. His timing is perfect given that Wiseau's disasterpiece notches up 20 years in 2023. Spoons at the ready, clearly. Sestero is heading to Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne to do two things: get talking about The Room as part of 20th-anniversary sessions, and also show his new horror film Miracle Valley. This one is a horror movie on purpose, rather than accidentally like The Room, and also marks Sestero's feature directorial debut. "Few other countries have embraced The Room as Aussies have," said Sestero, "so it feels right to celebrate twenty years of a film few expected would be remembered beyond the premiere with the fans Down Under. This will be my fifth visit to Australia, and I can't wait to get back there." For newcomers to The Room — with your pristine minds currently untainted by its wonders, and your vocabulary free from constantly saying "oh hi Mark" — it tells the tale of a banker, his adulterous fiancée, his conflicted best friend, a local teen caught up in a drug deal, a mother with cancer, a particularly tense party, a bunch of guys playing football in tuxedos and the worst apartment decorating scheme you've ever seen. Wondering how all of these things come together? Even the wildest combination you can come up has nothing on The Room. As for Miracle Valley, it's about an obsessive photographer and his girlfriend, who head off on a desert getaway but get threatened by sinister forces. No — disappointingly or welcomely, depending on how you feel about The Room — Wiseau is not among the credited cast. GREG SESTERO AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2023: Sunday, February 12 — Hayden Orpheum, Sydney Tuesday, February 14 — Dendy Coorparoo, Brisbane Wednesday, February 15 — Luna Palace, Perth Friday, February 17 — Palace Nova, Adelaide Saturday, February 18 — Cinema Nova, Melbourne Greg Sestero is touring Australia from Sunday, February 12–Saturday, February 18. Head to the Hayden Orpheum, Dendy Coorparoo, Luna Palace, Palace Nova and Cinema Nova websites for tickets and further details.
After an unseasonably warm winter, anyone who has been outside this month will have noticed the trend continuing, with Sydney's weather seeming to forget that spring comes before summer. Indeed, fresh from experiencing one of the hottest winter days on record, the city has just hit the same milestone when it comes to September evenings. Earlier this week, Weatherzone predicted that the temperature would reach sweltering heights this weekend, and they weren't wrong. Overnight, the mercury didn't dip below 26 degrees, ready for a high of 33 degrees today. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that when the temperature did make it to 25.7 minimum this morning, it still eclipsed the September record by 3.7 degrees. And, the records keep coming. The September high for the entire state was broken yesterday according to the ABC, with temperatures topping out at 40.5 degrees in Wilcannia in western New South Wales. With White Cliffs and Bourke, the town became the first in the state to venture over 40 degrees during September. Just over the border, Mildura hit the highest temperature ever recorded in Victoria during September, making it to 37.7 degrees. https://twitter.com/weatherzone/status/911539706302676993 Things are expected to cool down on Monday, for those in need of a reprieve — aka everyone. For now, total fire bans are in place across large parts of the state. And if you're feeling some anxiety about global warming, and what the rest of the year holds in store, that's completely understandable. We've said it before and we'll say it again: best grab a fan now; it's going to get quite the workout. By Sarah Ward. Via ABC / Sydney Morning Herald.
