Parking in Sydney is, well, a bit of a nightmare. There are some 10,483 council parking spaces available to share between a population of over 4 million. The average price for the privilege of plonking your vehicle in the CBD for two-hours is up around the $40 mark. That's if you even manage to find a spot. It's double that for a parking infringement, unless of course you avoid getting caught thanks to geo-location app Park Patrol. Other cities resort to stacking cars vertically, while privately-owned spaces can be crowd-sourced on sites like YourParkingSpace. Perhaps we should take a leaf from San Francisco's book. Recently launched SFPark is a website and mobile app which uses sensors, new meters, and real-time parking data to improve parking in eight test neighbourhoods in the inner city. Around 7,000 of San Fran's 28,800 metered spaces and 12,250 public garage spaces are covered in the program. Accessing real-time information about the availability of parking, drivers can quickly zip into open spaces. Parking meter pricing gets adjusted according to supply and demand, which helps balance availability of popular spaces while subtly encouraging commuters to opt for more sustainable travel options, like a bike or a bus. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bzUGs02Zy40 [Via Fast Company]
If you've ever wondered what lies behind the impressive façades that line the streets of inner Sydney, this November you'll get the chance to find out. Sydney Open returns on Sunday, November 2, inviting the curious to step through the doors of more than 55 buildings across the city, marking its biggest edition to date. This year's program spans stately heritage spaces, modernist marvels and cutting-edge new builds, many of which are rarely open to the public. You can strut the corridors of power at the 210-year-old Parliament of New South Wales and the neighbouring Mint, take in sweeping views from the domes atop Sydney Observatory or get an up-close look at the innovative Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, the only Australian structure designed by legendary architect Frank Gehry. You can also lean into tourist-in-your-own-city mode by exploring hotels like Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, Ace Hotel Sydney and The Fullerton, formerly home to the Sydney GPO. Talks and tours round out the program, including an in-depth look at Hyde Park's Anzac Memorial led by a retired government architect and behind-the-scenes tours of AGNSW's stunning Naala Badu wing. While you're in the Royal Botanic Garden, you can also swing by Government House for a vintage car show and live jazz on the lawn courtesy of the Royal Australian Air Force Band. The City Pass (from $35) is your key to entry — grab yours before Friday, October 10, to go into the draw to win the Sydney Open Golden Ticket: a luxe high tea for two, a double-pass to an upcoming Sydney Open Series tour of your choice and an annual Member + One membership to Museums of History NSW.
When and where domestic border rules and COVID-19 restrictions have permitted, travelling throughout Australia has been on the agenda across the past year. With the country set to remain closed to international jaunts until at least mid-June, that isn't changing yet — but you can still hop on a plane and head over the ocean thanks to Qantas' just-announced new flights to Norfolk Island. Of course, travelling south to Tasmania remains a trusty option if you're eager to get off the mainland. Everywhere from Kangaroo Island and Rottnest Island to Fraser Island and Daydream Island also fit the bill. But a trip to Norfolk Island means you'll be venturing more than 1400 kilometres east from the Aussie coastline, and to an external territory of Australia that sits between New Zealand and New Caledonia. Yes, you'll only be spotting water below you while you stare out of the plane windows. Qantas' flights will kick off on Friday, March 19, and head to the Pacific Ocean spot six times a week — three from Sydney and three from Brisbane. Prices start at $412 one-way from New South Wales and $390 one-way from Queensland, with the routes using Boeing 737 aircraft, which means there'll be 2000 seats available each week. Obviously, if you live somewhere other than Sydney or Brisbane, you'll just need to get to either of them first. For now, the two routes are set to run for three months, as part of a contract that the Federal Government has awarded to Qantas. There is a possibility that it'll be extended, and that the routes will stick around for the longer term. If you're keen to spend some time soaring over the sea, then kicking back on a South Pacific getaway, you'll be departing from Sydney and Brisbane's international terminal — so you really will feel as if you're jetting abroad. There's no need to prepare yourself for a lengthy flight, though, with the trip taking around two-and-a-half hours from Sydney and two hours from Brisbane. For Sydneysiders and Brisbanites who'd rather jet off to colder climes, Qantas has also this month announced new routes from the two cities to the Snowy Mountains and the Victorian Alps. There, you're clearly definitely staying on home turf — but when it comes to making holiday plans for the next few months, before a potential travel bubble with Singapore could possibly come into effect, you definitely have options. Qantas' new flights to Norfolk Island from Sydney and Brisbane will start flying from Friday, March 19. For more information, or to book, head to the airline's website. Top image: Roderick Eime via Flickr.
We're told that Sydney's live music scene is crippling, that Melbourne has cooler venues (please), and that our nightlife is for nannies. But apparently we forgot the part about The Standard being awesome. That's right, you'll be, er, bowled over by the high standards of this Bourke Street venue. Out to celebrate their recently announced new identity as the Standard Bowl, the venue is hosting a three-day bender. Because in case you missed the memo, the Standard's bringing ten-pin bowling to its grungy floors, following in the footsteps of New York's famous Brooklyn Bowl. Bowling, drinking, dancing and moshing combine to make a lucky strike. Oh, and no ticket required. These babies are all free. Launch week will bring three celebratory gigs. Wolf & Cub and Greta Mob will be kicking it off on Thursday, April 3, followed by Palms on Friday and the indie-pop Jenny Broke the Window on Saturday, April 5. So get your Pin Pals together to welcome in a new venue with a weekend of indie-pop-rock and leisurely sporting activities — two things that rarely marry so perfectly. Image: Honor Photo Bar via photopin cc.
The first time that filmmaker Justin Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant tackled a recent dark chapter in Australia's history, in 2011's Snowtown, they both earned AACTA awards for their efforts — and their film picked up six gongs in total. Ten years later, they've bettered the feat with Nitram, which explores the lead up to the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. Both Kurzel and Grant again collected trophies, while the feature nabbed eight awards all up. One of those prizes: the AACTA for Best Film, beating out The Dry, The Furnace, High Ground, Penguin Bloom and Rams. Nitram also swept all four acting prizes in the film fields, with its four key cast members — Cannes Film Festival Best Actor-winner Caleb Landry Jones, plus Aussies Judy Davis, Anthony LaPaglia and Essie Davis — emerging victorious. That's the big story from the 2021 AACTA Awards, which announced its nominees back at the beginning of November, then handed out its trophies on Wednesday, December 8. Nitram scooping the pool isn't surprising, given that it's powerful, haunting and the best Aussie movie of the year — and that AACTA has a history of going all on features it loves. Last year's Best Film recipient, Babyteeth, won seven awards, while The Nightingale picked up six the year before, Sweet Country did the same the year before that and Lion nabbed 12 in 2017. (Thanks to the likes of Hacksaw Ridge, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Dressmaker, The Great Gatsby and The Sapphires before that, the trend goes on.) The Academy's gongs also span television — so, if you've watched The Newsreader or Fisk this year, then you've seen 2021's Best Drama and Best Narrative Comedy Series. Across both the big and small screens, other winners include Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) for Best Indie Film, My Name Is Gulpilil for Best Documentary, and Fires for Best Telefeature or Miniseries. Here's a rundown of the major nominations — and you can check out the full list on AACTA's website: AACTA NOMINEES 2021 FILM AWARDS: BEST FILM The Dry The Furnace High Ground Nitram — WINNER Penguin Bloom Rams BEST INDIE FILM Disclosure Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) — WINNER Lone Wolf Moon Rock for Monday My First Summer Under My Skin BEST DIRECTION Rob Connolly, The Dry Roderick MacKay, The Furnace Stephen Maxwell Johnson, High Ground Justin Kurzel, Nitram — WINNER Glendyn Ivin, Penguin Bloom BEST LEAD ACTOR Simon Baker, High Ground Eric Bana, The Dry Caleb Landry Jones, Nitram — WINNER Ahmed Malek, The Furnace Jacob Junior Nayinggul, High Ground BEST LEAD ACTRESS Rose Byrne, Peter Rabbit 2 Judy Davis, Nitram — WINNER Noni Hazlehurst, June Again Genevieve O'Reilly, The Dry Naomi Watts, Penguin Bloom BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Michael Caton, Rams Baykali Ganambarr, The Furnace Anthony LaPaglia, Nitram — WINNER Sean Mununggurr, High Ground Jack Thompson, High Ground BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Essie Davis, Nitram — WINNER Claudia Karvan, June Again Esmerelda Marimowa, High Ground Miranda Tapsell, The Dry Jacki Weaver, Penguin Bloom BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Monica Zanetti, Ellie and Abbie (& Abbie's Dead Aunt) Roderick McKay, The Furnace Chris Anastassiades, High Ground JJ Winlove, June Again Shaun Grant, Nitram — WINNER BEST SCREENPLAY Rob Connolly and Harry Cripps, The Dry — WINNER Shaun Grant and Harry Cripps, Penguin Bloom Will Gluck and Patrick Burleigh, Peter Rabbit 2 Jules Duncan, Rams BEST DOCUMENTARY Girls Can't Surf I'm Wanita My Name Is Gulpilil — WINNER Playing with Sharks Strong Female Lead When the Camera Stopped Rolling TELEVISION AWARDS: BEST DRAMA SERIES Clickbait Jack Irish Mr Inbetween The Newsreader — WINNER Total Control Wakefield Wentworth BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINISERIES A Sunburnt Christmas The End Fires — WINNER New Gold Mountain The Unusual Suspects BEST NARRATIVE COMEDY SERIES Aftertaste Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun Fisk — WINNER Frayed Preppers Rosehaven BEST COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM Dom and Adrian 2020 Hard Quiz — WINNER The Moth Effect Spicks and Specks The Weekly BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Rudi Dharmaligam, Wakefield Guy Pearce, Jack Irish Sam Reid, The Newsreader Richard Roxburgh, Fires Scott Ryan, Mr Inbetween — WINNER BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Deborah Mailman, Total Control Mandy McElhinney, Wakefield Miranda Otto, Fires Pamela Rabe, Wentworth Anna Torv, The Newsreader — WINNER BEST COMEDY PERFORMER Mark Samual Bonanno, Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun Kitty Flanagan, Fisk — WINNER Tom Gleeson, Hard Quiz Broden Kelly, Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun Sarah Kendall, Frayed Nakkiah Lui, Preppers Luke McGregor, Rosehaven Celia Pacquola, Rosehaven BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Harry Greenwood, Wakefield William McInnes, The Newsreader — WINNER Matt Nable, Mr Inbetween Stephen Peacocke, The Newsreader Justin Rosniak, Mr Inbetween BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Michelle Lim Davidson, The Newsreader Marg Downey, The Newsreader Harriet Dyer, Wakefield Rachel Griffiths, Total Control — WINNER Noni Hazlehurst, The End
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's 22nd film might be called Endgame, but we all know there's more where it came from. Of course there is. In July, Spider-Man: Far From Home will swing into cinemas, continuing the MCU and the story of everyone's favourite friendly neighbourhood web-slinger (the Tom Holland version — sorry Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield fans). If you haven't seen Endgame, and you're averse to spoilers, we're not going to tell you anything that isn't already widely known. Far From Home has been in the works since 2017's immensely fun Spider-Man: Homecoming proved a hit, it released its first teaser back in January and it's officially considered the end of the MCU's phase three. But if you don't want to know what follows on from the huge Avengers showdown that's currently in cinemas, then you definitely won't want to watch Far From Home's new trailer. Consider this an official spoiler warning — something that the trailer itself includes at the start. Yes, really. By getting Holland to deliver the caution to camera, Marvel and Spider-Man distributor Sony shows it clearly has a sense of humour, especially since the young star is known for being loose-lipped with important MCU details. Picking up where Endgame left off, Far From Home sees Peter Parker pondering what the end of its immediate predecessor means, all while he's headed to Europe with his friends. Step up for the good of the world, or pursue his crush on MJ (Zendaya)? They're some of Spidey's options. Once again directed by Jon Watts, who helmed Homecoming, the movie also features Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio — as well as familiar faces in the form of Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, Jacob Batalon as Parker's best friend Ned, and Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan. Oh, and because it's an MCU film, Samuel L Jackson as well. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFoz8ZJWmPs Spider-Man: Far From Home releases in Australian cinemas on July 4.
With its next big streaming series, Apple TV+ is managing to tick a heap of must-see boxes all at once. A dark comedy led by Anchorman co-stars Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell? Check. An adaptation of a hit podcast? Check again. A twisty true tale dramatised? Yep, check once more. Throw in WandaVision's Kathryn Hahn in a key supporting role (before she gets her own Marvel spinoff series), as well as Wet Hot American Summer's Michael Showalter behind the lens, and The Shrink Next Door just keeps giving you reasons to add it to your streaming queue. The eight-episode limited series will drop on Friday, November 12, making its first three episodes available then before releasing new instalments week by week afterwards — and, based on the just-released trailer, it's going to tell quite the story. Last seen on streaming in Netflix's Living With Yourself, Rudd plays Dr Isaac 'Ike' Herschkopf. He's a psychiatrist with to Ferrell's Martin 'Marty' Markowitz, and he amasses quite the sway over his patient. In the sneak peek clip, Ike doesn't hold back when it comes to dispensing life advice — and Marty, wanting to improve himself and his factory, listens to every word. But Ike just keeps pushing, which sends the doctor–patient relationship in unsettling directions. If you listened to the Wondery podcast of the same name, you'll know where The Shrink Next Door is headed. If not, expect to watch Ike charm his way even deeper into Marty's existence — including moving into Marty's home, and also nabbing the president slot of his business. Clearly, it's one of those stories that can only spring from truth. And no, no one reads the news here. As for Hahn, she co-stars as Marty's younger sister Phyllis, while Casey Wilson (Happy Endings) features as Ike's wife Bonnie. And yes, if you're looking for something to fill the Apple TV+ void now that Ted Lasso's second season has wrapped up, this just might be it. Check out the trailer for The Shrink Next Door below: The Shrink Next Door starts streaming via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 12, dropping three episodes to begin with and then releasing new instalments week by week afterwards.
If you missed out on The Jungle Collective's previous warehouse plant sales, be sure to clear the weekend of April 7 and 8. Because there's another one on its way. The Jungle Collective is a Melbourne nursery that stocks all kinds of weird and wonderful species. After holding three wildly successful Sydney markets this year, it's tracking down new plants and throwing another two-day indoor plant party. While we don't know exactly what plants will be available this time, there will be a focus on vines, and previous sales have had everything from hanging pot plants to palms to a giant Bird of Paradise. Have a reputation for killing your cacti? Overwatering your ferns? Don't worry — there'll be horticulturalists on site on the night to give you advice and chat through any questions you might have. The location is still TBC, but will run from 10am till 4pm on both days with ticketed sessions. The good stuff tends to go first, so we recommend booking a morning session on the Saturday when bookings open at noon on Monday, April 2. Images: Mooikin.
The Eddy Avenue Plaza at the northern exit of Central Station is set to be transformed into Sydney's latest food and entertainment precinct featuring a slew of new art, restaurants, bars and shops. Named EDDY, the initiative to revitalise this section of the train station was announced by Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes as an additional element to Central Station's huge renovation and refurbishment which will include a massive tech hub and the southern hemisphere's longest escalators. The Eddy Avenue Plaza currently plays home to a few cafes and takeaway restaurants but has remained largely under-utilised. The EDDY precinct will bring an array of new openings to the busy inner-city thoroughfare, which will add to the trend of new dining precincts emerging across Sydney. Stokes compared the Central Station innovation to the nearby Spice Alley in Chippendale and the new western Sydney precinct Parramatta Square. "Central Station will no longer be just a thoroughfare," said Stokes. "The rebranded EDDY marks a new era for the Tech Central Precinct as it becomes a world-class interchange with innovative and diverse businesses that attracts thousands of new jobs to the CBD." [caption id="attachment_652632" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Spice Alley via Destination NSW.[/caption] Over the past two years, the city has welcomed new food, drink, art and entertainment precincts in South Eveleigh, the York, Clarence and Kent Street laneways, Circular Quay, Parramatta and Mascot. Neither the vendors nor an opening date has been announced yet, however NSW Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Stuart Ayres promises that more information is on the horizon. "We expect to be able to announce an opening date within the coming weeks as we forge ahead with this project which will bring new life to the area surrounding Central Station," said Ayres. Head to the NSW Government website to stay up-to-date with the Central Station renovations. Top image: Simon_sees
If the old wardrobe needs a bit of a pick me up, get yourself over to SWOP quick fast. This delightful second-hand clothing store in Newtown is all about unique, beautiful and sustainable fashion. Inspired by the culture of vintage exchange in the United States, SWOP promotes anti-waste, affordability and sustainability — so it's the perfect place to go for conscious fashion. With both contemporary and vintage threads hanging in colour-coded order, this store is a goldmine for finding that one-off piece your wardrobe needs.
International Women's Day (IWD) is all about celebrating the social, cultural, economic and political achievements of women all around the world — and about furthering the movement for the rights of all women and non-binary identifying folks. This year's theme is #EachforEqual, calling for all to take action towards equality and raise awareness to help forge a gender equal world. And it's a good opportunity to thank and uplift all the badass womxn in your life. In Sydney, there are a bunch of events marking the day, so no matter what your interests — politics, art, beer — you'll be able to find something to get around. Here are just a couple of ways to spend this IWD on Sunday, March 8.
Another incredibly cool freebie, this whimsical fairground is just as much for adults as it is for kids. Think a Ferris wheel fitted out with toilet seats and a bicycle-powered carousel, all of which are made with recycled objects. The vision for the installation was created by a collective of artisans led by Jordà Ferré and Oscar de Paz, and is just one piece of the free summer nights at Parramatta's Alfred Square. Check out more of the best Sydney Festival events under $50 here.
Local festivals are a dime a dozen these days. Not that we're complaining — every one has its own special flavour. And Penrith's approach is to highlight the region's unique natural environment. Across November 2–3, the annual Real Festival will return to the banks of the Nepean River in a clash of art, culture and food. The picturesque location is the hero of the festival, from the water — with jetpack performances, dragon boat racing and kayak tours — to the land — think rock climbing and gardening workshops with Costa Georgiadis. Meanwhile, several art installations will explore the area's urban future, sustainability and waste. Tench Reserve will be abuzz with roving street performers, silent discos and live music planned while internationally celebrated outdoor theatre troupe Stalker will perform Mountain, an exciting fusion of circus, dance and aerial acrobatics. If you want to eat on the go, many of Sydney's much-loved food trucks will be in attendance including Gelato Messina, Burger Head and Stroop Bros. But if you want to put your feet up and soak it all in, head to the sustainable rooftop cafe or riverfront bar, both providing the perfect spot to soak up the sun. Alongside ultraviolet murals, market stalls and a host of other great events, Real Festival is a great way to kick off your November and celebrate the great outdoors. Real Festival will run from 5–10pm on Friday, November 2 and from 2–10pm on Saturday, November 3. To keep up to date on the event program, follow Real Festival's Facebook page or head to its website.
With innovative startups taking centre stage in the tech industry, it was only a matter of time before the ideas behind creative culture, technology and entrepreneurship converged. Creators of the website Culture Label observed this trend with fascination and created Remix, a conference that focuses on the growing entwinement of technology and cultural consumption. The global summit is making a stop at Carriageworks and features two days of lectures, panels and masterclasses from some of world's best and brightest creative leaders. With over 75 speakers, the variety of industries they represent is vast. Presenters include Fabien Riggall, founder of the massive Secret Cinema in London; Tom Uglow, creative director of Google's Creative Lab; and Louise Herron, CEO of Sydney Opera House. These corporate leaders and creative entrepreneurs come together to talk about how they can use the challenges they face in their business sectors to grow their industries in the future. Initially launched in London, the Remix global summit aims to explore the digital culture in some of the most influential cities in the world, including New York, Hong Kong and Dubai.
When Isaac returns from an unspecified war, he's not expecting it to have followed him home. His house is a battlefield, his mother and newly transgender sibling are soldiers marching to secure the downfall of the patriarchy. His father, an abusive disciplinarian, has suffered a stroke and now shuffles about the house in strange clothing, seemingly lost. Struggling to piece his life back together, Isaac has to reacquaint himself not only with civilian life, but a family too different for him to know or remember. He is still a son and a brother but his tribe are on the warpath and he represents the very thing they've vowed to destroy. Playwright Taylor Mac has said the Hir manifested from memories of his hometown, Stockton in California, a place he was bursting to leave as a young man and clearly does not remember fondly. The central question, he says, is, "What responsibility do we have to something that has been abusive to us?" Its setting may classify it as a kitchen sink drama, but make no mistake — a ticket to Hir is a ticket to war. Image: Rehearsal shoot, Helen Thomson. Photo by Brett Boardman.
So far in December 2020, Australia has experienced heat, snow and a patch of wet weather that has caused a Byron Bay beach to erode. That's an erratic set of conditions — so if you're wondering what Friday, December 25 has in store, that's understandable. Is a sweltering hot Christmas on the cards, or is it literally set to rain on everyone's festive parade? According to the Bureau of Meteorology, most of the country's capital cities will fall in the middle of those extremes. On the east coast, it'll be warm, but not sweltering, and either cloudy or mostly sunny. If you're still making barbecuing, beach-going and festive-feasting plans, take note. In Sydney, a maximum of 28 degrees is currently forecast, with a medium (30–40 percent) chance of showers and rain possible across the partly cloudy day. It'll also be a little windy, with northeasterly gusts getting up to 15–25 kilometres per hour. Conditions are expected to be mostly the same on Wednesday, December 23 and Thursday, December 24, too. For Melburnians, prepare for a mild Christmas — with the mercury only set to reach 21 degrees maximum (and with a minimum of 12 degrees predicted). Like Sydney, the Victorian capital will be partly cloudy and experience winds up to 15–25 kilometres per hour. There's only a 20-percent chance of rain or a shower, though. In Brisbane, it'll also be cooler than usual. Yes, we know that 25 degrees isn't exactly cold, but it's much, much milder than usual Brissie summer weather. It's also cooler than the temps leading up to December 25, which'll range from 27–33 across the week prior. The temperature isn't forecast to fluctuate much on Christmas day, with a minimum of 21 degrees expected. Also, it'll be cloudy, with light winds and a 50-percent likelihood of showers interrupting your game of backyard cricket. https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1339866903884513282 Over in the west, Perth will be hot, getting up to 31 degrees — although, given that temps of 38 and 39 degrees are forecast between Tuesday, December 22–Thursday, December 24, it's likely to feel like a cooler reprieve. There is little expected chance of rain, at just five percent, but winds up to 15–20 kilometres per hour are possible on what's predicted to be a mostly sunny day. Folks in Adelaide can expect sun, warmth and wind. It'll be mostly sunny, like Perth, while the mercury will hit 29 degrees and gusts will get up to 25–35 kilometres per hour. Meanwhile, Darwin looks set to be the hottest state capital for Christmas, getting to 32 degrees with showers, light winds and a possible thunderstorm — and Hobart will be the coldest, at just 16 degrees, with a 40-percent chance of morning rain and winds of up to 15–20 kilometres per hour. And in Canberra, it's expected to hit 28, with a medium (30–40 percent) chance of showers and rain possible and gusts getting up to 15–25 kilometres per hour. Of course, while these are BOM's forecasts just under a week out from December 25, conditions may change — so keep an eye on the Bureau's website for the most up-to-date information. For further details about the Bureau of Meteorology's Christmas forecasts, head to the BOM website.
Sydney, it's your time to play the most entertaining game of "what if?" there is, especially if you love classic tales, pop songs and sensational musicals. Whether you studied it in high school or just obsessed over Baz Luhrmann's glorious 90s movie, everyone knows how Romeo and Juliet ends — and it doesn't conclude happily for either of its eponymous star-crossed lovers. But what if it didn't wrap up that way? What if Juliet lived to love again? And what if her experiences from there, after thwarting theatre's greatest tragedy, involved a whole heap of earworm tunes from the last couple of decades? The answer to how all of that might turn out already exists, all thanks to Olivier Award-winning jukebox musical & Juliet. A hit in London's West End since 2019, it remixes the iconic love story in multiple ways — tinkering with its narrative and throwing in all that toe-tapping music. And, the Shakespeare-meets-pop spectacle is playing at Riverside Theatres this October. If you're now thinking "wherefore art thou?" about & Juliet's setup, it picks up after the ending we all know doesn't eventuate. And, it muses on what might happen if Juliet could choose her own fate instead. That scenario involves Anne Hathaway — no, not that one — and her husband William Shakespeare, and features songs by Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Robyn, Katy Perry, The Weeknd, Kelly Clarkson and more. Tunes that get a spin: 'Larger Than Life', 'I Want It That Way', '... Baby One More Time', 'Show Me Love', 'Oops!... I Did It Again', 'As Long As You Love Me', 'Stronger', 'I Kissed a Girl', 'Since U Been Gone', 'It's My Life', 'It's Gonna Be Me' and a whole heap of others. The common factor between them all is Swedish songwriter Max Martin, who penned or co-penned every track on the musical's soundtrack. As well as Martin's involvement — including as one of & Juliet's co-creators — the musical features a book by the Emmy-winning Schitt's Creek writer and The Big Door Prize creator David West Read. And if you're wondering about the show's shiny Olivier Awards, it was nominated for nine for its West End debut season, and nabbed three: for Best Actress in a Musical, Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical and Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tho82JYwz0s[/embed]
On Friday, June 25, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that the City of Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick Local Government Areas in Sydney will be placed under stay-at-home orders for a week in a bid to stop the spread of Sydney's latest COVID-19 outbreak. The outbreak began on Wednesday, July 16, and has seen case numbers grow daily — including 11 new cases yesterday and 17 so far today. The list of exposure sites has been expanding rapidly as well. The stay-at-home conditions are scheduled to start at 11.59pm tonight, Friday, June 25, and run until at least the same time on Friday, July 2. They'll apply to people who live in the four LGAs — and also to anyone who works within them as well. The restrictions include the reinstatement of the four reasons to leave your home, which should be familiar from 2020. Still, the list of things you can and can't do can be a bit overwhelming, so we've broken it down for you. This information is correct as of Friday, June 25. For what reasons am I allowed to leave the house? Remember those four reasons announced back in March 2020? Yes, that long ago. Well, they've been reintroduced. So, folks who either live or work in the City of Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick LGAs can only leave home for work and study if you can't do it from your house, for essential shopping, for exercise — outdoors in groups of ten or fewer — and for compassionate reasons, which includes emergency medical treatment. Otherwise, everyone must stay at home. However, there are no restrictions on when you can go shopping or go out for exercise, and there's no curfew. You can find out more on the NSW coronavirus website and the NSW Health website. For how long can I leave the house? There are no limits on how long you can leave the house, including to exercise or to shop for groceries and other essentials. There are also no limits on how many people can leave the house. And, time-wise, there are no limits on how long you can leave for permitted work or caregiving. Why do the stay-at-home orders apply to folks who work in the four LGAs, but don't live there? Even if you don't live in the City of Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick, you'll still be under stay-at-home conditions if you work in any of the four LGAS. Wondering why? Good question. The Premier said that "in this outbreak, we're seeing too many examples of workers coming in from other areas, getting infected in the workplace but then passing on the infection to multiple clients — and that is, without being specific, it hasn't just happened in one instance, it's happened in multiple instances." Is there a curfew? No, there is no curfew. You are allowed out of your house at any hour as long as it is for one of the four permitted reasons. Do I have to wear a mask? Yes, masks are compulsory in all indoor spaces outside of your own home — and on public transport and in public indoor spaces as well. How far can I travel? Residents of the four Sydney LGAs can only travel within the metropolitan Sydney area — and only for one of the four permitted reasons. Other than that, you can't venture beyond the city limits. Residents of the Bayside, Canada Bay and Inner West LGAs won't be placed under a stay-at-home order, but they also can't leave the metropolitan Sydney area as part of restrictions implemented on Wednesday, June 23. Those restrictions will also stay in place until at least 11.59pm tonight on Friday, July 2. Can I see friends and family? No, you can't have generally visitors to your home. That isn't one of the four permitted reasons to leave the house, either. And, you can't gather with friends and family in a public place under the stay-at-home order. That said, you are allowed to exercise outdoors with up to ten people — and there's no rule requiring those nine other folks other than yourself to all come from your household. Partners who live separately are allowed to visit each other at home, though. "We always have some components which are around intimate partner visits, and that will extend in this circumstance," said NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant. Can I drive to a park to exercise? Yes, but only to exercise — not to picnic or to do anything else. Can I take my pet out for a walk in the park? Yes, you can take your dog for a walk as it's considered exercise. Can I go to the beach? Again, yes, but only to exercise — not to simply hang out or to do anything else. During Sydney's last lockdown, many local beaches closed, so you'd be best to check your local council website before heading out. Can I go on a holiday to a coastal/regional town? In short, no. Since residents of the four Sydney LGAs can only travel within the metropolitan Sydney area — and only for one of the four permitted reasons — you can't head out of town for a holiday. The same applies to residents of the Bayside, Canada Bay and Inner West LGAs, with restrictions implemented on Wednesday, June 23 also forbidding folks in those areas from leaving the metropolitan Sydney area. Can I road trip to an out-of-town beach for a day? Again, no. The ban on leaving the metropolitan Sydney area applies in all circumstances, including day trips. How about driving to my holiday house? Once again, no. Spending time at a holiday house isn't classed as one of the four essential reasons for leaving your home. Can I go to a gym? Exercise is only permitted outdoors, so visiting an indoor gym isn't allowed under the stay-at-home conditions. "For a business like a gym in those four Local Government Areas, we're saying only exercise outdoors up to groups of ten. That means that any gyms or indoor exercise places won't be open," said the Premier. Can I go shopping? For groceries and other essentials, yes. Supermarkets, food and liquor stores, and pet stores will be open. You must shop for essentials only within the metropolitan Sydney area if you can. How about to a restaurant or cafe? You can pick up takeaway from a hospitality venue located within the metropolitan Sydney area, but dine-in service is off the cards. "Clearly, if you are a business in those four Local Government Areas, unfortunately, unless you're providing essential food and services — that is take away food and services or grocery services of that nature — we don't expect those businesses to remain open in the next week," said the Premier. Can I buy alcohol for the weekend from a bottle shop? Yes, you can — bottle shops will remain open. Can I go out for a takeaway coffee? Yes, you can — but you won't be able to sit and sip while you're out. For more information on what you can and can't do in NSW, head to the NSW Government website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
In case you haven't heard, some pretty big names in the art world are calling the Art Gallery of NSW home at the moment. The Masters of Modern Art from the Hermitage exhibition features over 65 works from the late 19th- and early 20th-century's most revered artists, drawn extensively from St Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum. This is a rare opportunity for Sydneysiders to come face-to-face with iconic paintings from the likes of Monet, Cézanne, Matisse and Picasso — works which have come to define a revolutionary point in art history. To celebrate this blockbuster exhibition, the Art Gallery of NSW's much-loved restaurant Chiswick at the Gallery is hosting a suitably artistic dining package. For $82 per person, you'll dine on a delicious two-course meal with a glass of wine or 4 Pines beer before setting off to explore the exhibition. Dishes are prepared by head chef Tim Brindley and stay true to the restaurant's 'garden-to-plate' philosophy — with ingredients even thrown in from the garden outside. Choose from seared snapper with capers, witlof and asparagus or grilled spatchcock served with zucchini and flowers for your main, and then, for dessert, there's strawberry, coconut and lemon balm or Valrhona flourless chocolate cake with cherry liquor and cherry sorbet. The Chiswick team has designed a series of artist-inspired cocktails to add to your meal ($20 each), too. There's the Monet, with vodka, strawberry-rose syrup and citrus, the Picasso, with bourbon, sherry, mandarin syrup and bitters, and the Cézanne, with gin, apple liqueur, citrus and bitters. It's food (and drink) meets art and, in our opinion, the tastiest way to experience one of the Art Gallery of NSW's landmark exhibitions. The dining series is available at Chiswick at the Gallery throughout the duration of Masters of Modern Art from the Hermitage exhibition. It's available for lunch daily and for dinner on Wednesday nights until Sunday, March 3. The menu price also includes entry into the exhibition. To make a reservation, head to the restaurant's website. Images: Rachel Kara.
Tim Flach has captured wild animals in a way you may never have seen before. Studio-lit and beautiful, these animals create gorgeous subjects (although we're pretty sure they prefer their natural habitat to a black back drop and spotlight). Having spent years studying our bond with animals, Flach is known for his conceptual portraits of animals and the unique way in which he differs from a classic wildlife photographer. He has been awarded the Professional Photographer of the Year at the International Photography Awards and has published books, including Equus and Dogs Gods. He recently published More Than Human which features these photos and many more. His photographs challenge us to think of these animals and view them in ways in which we haven't before. He uses the defamiliarisation technique by placing familiar things, in this case animals, in an unfamiliar place to provoke questions and curiosity from the viewer. You can visit his website to view the entire More Than Human series.
Following the introduction of Nike+, the sporting giant has created its most technologically-savvy and personalised piece of performance measurement yet. The Nike FuelBand uses Nike Fuel, a new measurement system developed by the company. This allows you to measure your data such as steps, calories and distance throughout the day against other competitors of different body types and skill levels. You can also set goals for yourself and the band's screen will notify you if you have achieved them by changing from red to green. Perhaps the greatest tool of the Nike FuelBand is its ability to sync with iPhones via Bluetooth, where the information can then be shared through social media or explored in greater depth. The Nike FuelBand also has a built-in USB drive for computer access. At midnight, the FuelBand resets itself so that all your daily information is kept succinct. Technology is now playing a pivotal role in fitness, where data is now becoming more in-depth and accessible for athletes. Such technology offers much more than standard pedometers, and Nike Vice President of Digital Sport Stefan Olander believes that this has a tremendous psychological benefit for those wanting to keep in shape. He states that Nike are attempting to allow customers to "make it really easy to level something — give yourself a goal, but then allow yourself to adjust that all the time to what you want to do." The Nike FuelBand is now avaliable for preorder in the United States, with plans to become avaliable in Europe in mid-2012. This idea of data-collection and goal-setting for fitness has been explored by other products such as the Jawbone UP, a similar wristband that also comes with an app. However, the Nike FuelBand has built upon what was criticised as one of UP's major flaws - an inability to transfer data via Bluetooth because of battery life issues. Therefore, transferring such data from the UP became much more intrusive on daily routines. In any case, the development of such devices have seen technology become a double-edged sword within modern society. On one hand, the increasing dependence on computers and iPhones have been blamed for tragic obesity levels, yet such technology can also be used as a great motivational and measuring tool for physical exercise. Certainly, we are far removed from the days where an Mp3 player was only used to blast uptempo techno music while running on the treadmill. Nike FuelBand https://youtube.com/watch?v=-eAjsFl22HM [via CoolHunting]
Summer holidays throughout Australia are all about sun, surf and sand. That's what the nation is known for, after all. But, when winter hits, this country of ours boasts several ace places to hit the snow — including in the Snowy Mountains and the Victoria Alps. Started planning your mid-year escape now that autumn is already upon us? Not usually a skier or snowboarder, but looking for somewhere to head this winter given that international travel is still off the cards for at least the next few months? To help Sydneysiders and Brisbanites head south for snow season, Qantas has just announced three new routes that'll take you closer to the snowfields (so you can spend less time travelling, and more actually making the most of your frosty destination). If you're venturing from Sydney, you'll be able to fly direct to Cooma three days a week, which is great news if you're looking at holidaying in Perisher Valley, Thredbo and Charlotte Pass in New South Wales. The flights will leave Sydney on Thursdays and Fridays, and return on Sundays. Yes, they're tailor-made for weekend trips. For those making the trip from Brisbane, the airline will fly the same route two days a week. It'll also head from Brissie to Albury three days a week, should you prefer to hit the slopes at Falls Creek or Hotham in Victoria instead. The new routes will operate between July 1 and September 26 this year, and use QantasLink's turboprop Q400 aircraft. Prices will start at $179 one way from Sydney and $239 one way from Brisbane. And, Qantas will obviously let you take ski and snowboard equipment as part of your checked baggage — because, if that's where you're heading, you'll need it. For more information about Qantas' new Sydney–Cooma, Brisbane–Cooma and Brisbane–Albury routes, or to book, head to the airline's website.
When mid-February rolls around each year, a specific feeling starts to sink in: the yearning for these sunny, summery days to keep on stretching on. But autumn will soon be upon us, and cooler weather, too — unless you decide to chase an endless summer by spending time anywhere from the Gold Coast up to Cairns while it gets frosty down south. After a chaotic couple of years due to the pandemic, Queensland holidays have been back on the agenda since late 2021. Just last month, the Sunshine State also ditched all of its remaining domestic border restrictions. And, if you're keen to make an autumn date with plenty of sun, surf and sand — or even to book in a winter getaway, too — Virgin Australia has just dropped a huge Queensland flight sale. Running until midnight AEST on Sunday, February 20 or sold out, whichever arrives first, this sale is solely about trips to and from the Sunshine State — with more than a 1.5 million fares on offer. It might be focused on one part of the country, but you still have options in terms of departure points and destinations. Within Queensland, you can leave or arrive in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Hamilton Island, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Mt Isa and Proserpine. And, around the rest of the country, flights to and from Adelaide, Alice Springs, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and Sydney are all covered. One-way fares start at $59 — which'll get you from Sydney to the Gold Coast, Launceston to Brisbane, Newcastle to Brisbane and Brisbane to Prosperine (and vice versa). Other sale flights include Sydney–Sunshine Coast from $65, Melbourne–Gold Coast from $69, Melbourne–Townsville from $99 and Sydney–Hamilton Island from $109. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, the travel periods depend on the leg — but some span up till spring. Only some fares cover seat selection and checked baggage, however, with the airline announcing back in August that it is now splitting its economy flights into three types. Economy Lite doesn't include checking any baggage or picking your seat, but Economy Choice does — and Economy Flex gives you extra flexibility (hence the name) if you have to change your plans later. As we are still in the middle of a pandemic, flying is little different to normal. Virgin has introduced a range of safety measures, including hand sanitisation stations, contactless check-in and face masks provided to all passengers. Wearing masks on flights also became mandatory in Australia in January. Virgin's Great Queensland Getaway sale runs from today, Monday, February 14–midnight AEST on Sunday, February 20 — or until sold out.
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.
Queer Screen doesn't just host two LGBTQIA+ film festivals in Sydney each year, with Mardi Gras Film Festival arriving in the first half and Queer Screen Film Fest in the second. It also takes those fests to the rest of Australia via online versions. So, to start September, you can get cosy on the couch while streaming your way through a number of movies from the QSFF lineup without leaving home. While the fest runs from Wednesday, August 28–Sunday, September 1, it goes virtual from Monday, September 2–Sunday, September 8. Closing night's Gondola, about female cable-car conductors expressing their emotions in the sky, is among the titles you'll be able to catch on your own screen. So are the gay, sapphic and trans and gender-diverse shorts strands, with Lukas Gage (Road House) and Keiynan Lonsdale (Swift Street) making appearances via the bite-sized Stay Lost. Plus, at-home viewers have American Parent, about a lesbian couple raising a toddler during the pandemic; Big Boys, focusing on a teen with a crush; All Shall Be Well director Ray Yeung's 2019 film Twilight's Kiss; and The Judgment, about US-based Egyptian boyfriends returning home and dealing with the supernatural, among their other choices.
The Lamb Council of Australia (otherwise known as Meat & Livestock Australia/We Love our Lamb) is back on our screens — and this time, it's political. Their 2017 campaign has just launched and, whether you're a lamb fan or not, it's already spreading warm fuzzies across the country. The ad opens on a trio of First Nation peoples picking a spot for a primo beach barbie, but it's not long before the First Fleet and other nations arrive, all by boat (accurate historical fact). While everything's underway, the most recent 'boat people' are seen coming towards the shore, at which point ex-MasterChef contestant Poh Ling Yeow asks, "Aren't we all boat people?" Damn right. It's an inclusive, anti-racism message that's sure to win the lamb lovers and creative agency The Monkeys a spate of awards despite trotting out a few well-worn stereotypes. And although it is an obvious comment on Australia Day — the way we celebrate it and the day we celebrate it on — the ad doesn't actually make any overt references to it. Nonetheless, it's a huge shift away from their regular Australia Day campaign and a move towards something much more inclusive. Plus, it's got a diverse group of Aussie celebrities to help out, including olympian Cathy Freeman, rugby legend Wendell Sailor, cricketer Adam Gilchrist, comedian Rhys Nicholson and, of course, a small cameo from Sam "Sam Sam the lamb man" Kekovich. The result is one ultimate Australian beachside barbie.
When the weather starts to cool down, the urge to devour big bowls of pasta, warm soups and pot pies usually comes with it. Despite all the blankets and fuzzy slippers in the world, sometimes you just need some carbs — and a few boozy concoctions to wash them down with. And, really, there's nothing like curling up with just the thing you're hankering for. When the heart is calling for a cheesy carbonara or a bespoke negroni, you'd best answer it. To help you out when the cravings strike, we've teamed up with Australia Cocktail Month. The inaugural month-long celebration of Aussie-made cocktails takes place throughout May, so it's just the ticket as winter approaches. Alongside everything from yum cha to countryside fire feasts, it's also one of our six recommended ways to indulge when only cocktails and comfort food will do. [caption id="attachment_644421" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] HIT UP YOUR LOCAL FOR A SUNDAY ROAST Warm up from the inside out with a hearty Sunday pub roast. Based on the traditional British end-of-weekend meal, the Australian take on the pub roast usually features all the fan favourites (yes, including brussels sprouts) to help chase away the cold weather blues. Think succulent roast meats, crunchy potatoes, juicy vegetables, copious pours of gravy, and a nice glass of red or two on the side. Right across the nation — including in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane — there are plenty of pubs to hit up. Pick your favourite, then spoil your tastebuds with a filling roast lunch or dinner. Is there anything more comforting? [caption id="attachment_755166" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Death and Taxes[/caption] CURL UP WITH A COCKTAIL AT A TOP BAR If you're in the mood for a cocktail, you're going to love Australian Cocktail Month, a month-long celebration of Australian bars and bartenders that starts on Saturday, May 1. Across the event, 72 bars in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide are partnering with local and international alcohol brands to shake and stir up some bespoke cocktails, and to also offer discounts and unique bar experiences. To attend, all you need to do is grab a general admission ticket from the event's website, then head to a participating bar. Show said ticket and you'll be able to sip a $14 cocktail (or a $10 non-alcoholic version) while you're getting comfy. [caption id="attachment_780994" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] TUCK INTO A YUM CHA FEAST It's pretty universally known that one does not leave yum cha hungry. After all, the meal involves a steady rotation of small portions of dim sum dishes, including steamed, pan-fried and deep-fried options. Think juicy dumplings, prawn har gow, xiaolongbao (steamed soup dumplings), barbecue pork buns and pork ribs — all washed down with piping hot tea. There are plenty of places in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to get your feast on, too. So, forget the cooking and feed your hankering for Cantonese food by heading to your local yum cha house — and indulging until your heart (and tummy) is content. Just make sure not to eat beforehand. [caption id="attachment_779829" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] HIBERNATE IN A CINEMA WITH POPCORN AND CHOC TOPS Grabbing a snack at a movie theatre isn't always easy to justify. But when you're nestled in your seat, it's hard to be sorry about the big box of popcorn in your hands. A choc top never goes astray, either, and neither does a bag of Maltesers. Accordingly, to feed that comfort food craving in your belly, grab a mate or date and head to your local cinema. There, you can hibernate in a supremely cosy setting and enjoy a flick with some quality movie theatre bites. Some venues even serve cocktails too, such as Golden Age Cinema and Bar in Sydney, Classic Cinemas in Melbourne and Blue Room Cinebar in Brisbane. THROW A POTLUCK DINNER WITH YOUR MATES Why indulge in comfort food and cocktails all on your own when you can do it as a group activity with your nearest and dearest? The easiest way: get on that group chat and arrange a potluck dinner at yours with your friends. Either get everyone to bring a surprise dish, or arrange for someone to take care of entrees, others to look after mains and the best cooks in the gang to whip up desserts. You could even try out a new recipe or two, and wow your pals with a skill they mightn't have realised you have. And the best part? There are usually leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. COOK A FEAST OVER FIRE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE Fill up your car, pack an overnight bag and hit the road. It's time to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for some fresh country air and camping-style food. Get a fire roaring, then try your hand at some damper, classic s'mores, snags or corn on the cob. You could even give campfire nachos or some camping quesadilla a whirl. There are plenty of country towns to stay at just a hop, skip and jump from main cities, too, including near Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It's a two-for-one deal, really, because you'll indulge in the charm of the countryside and fill your belly at the same time. Australian Cocktail Month is taking over top bars across the Australia from May 1–31. To buy your ticket, and for the full list of participating bars, head to the event's website. Top image: The Duke of Clarence, Kitti Gould
New Zealanders wanting to enter Australia without quarantining will have to hold off a little longer on their travel plans, after the Australian Government extended the existing pause on the current one-way trans-Tasman travel bubble. New Zealand's previous quarantine-free border arrangements were halted on Monday, January 25 after a NZ resident tested positive to the new, more transmissible B1351 variant of COVID-19. The bubble was scheduled to resume today, Thursday, January 26, after a 72-hour pause; however, the suspension will now continue for another three days. As announced in a statement by Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt, the pause will now run through until 2pm, Sunday, January 31, in line with the recommendation from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and the Australian Government Chief Medical Officer. The latest suspension comes after two more New Zealanders tested positive to COVID-19 in recent days, with both linked to the same Auckland hotel as the initial case. The bubble suspension will give health authorities a chance to do further digging and gather test results for all the close contacts linked to the outbreak. In a press conference, Australia's Acting Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, also advised that there are concerns that a small group of people who had stayed at the Auckland hotel at the same time as the other cases have since travelled to Australia under the previous quarantine-free arrangement. They flew into the country before the bubble was paused on Monday, and are now being contacted by local health authorities. https://twitter.com/healthgovau/status/1354640405485248514 Anyone who has entered Australia from NZ since January 9 is also encouraged to get a COVID-19 test immediately, and go into self-isolation until results are received. The one-way travel bubble from NZ to Australia was introduced in mid-October last year, initially allowing New Zealanders to travel into certain Australian states without quarantine, before being expanded to include access to most of the country. It was also hoped that a reciprocal arrangement wouldn't be far off, after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced in December that the NZ Cabinet had agreed to establishing a two-way bubble from early 2021. It's unknown what impact the recent outbreak will have on those plans. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. To find out more about the virus and travel restrictions in New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub.
Presented by Casus, Australia's only Indigenous contemporary circus ensemble, The Women of Chasing Smoke, explores the world's oldest living culture, delving into 40,000 years of history and covering family, art and the power of women. It's an honest, evocative, playful and triumphant quest for identity that reflects on what has been — and what might yet be. Directed by Samoan-Australian Natano Fa'anana, the show stars traditional dancer Pearl Thompson; Gudjala Kabulba woman Lara Croydon, a trapeze artist, juggler and storyteller; and Wakka Wakka woman Ally Humphris, a dancer, gymnast and circus artist who specialises in flying, hand balance and ground acrobatics. The show will run on Friday, September 28 at 7.30pm, Saturday, September 29 at 3pm and 8.45pm and Sunday, September 30 at 5pm.
The Australian summer tennis swing kicks off in Sydney on Saturday, January 3, with the return of the United Cup. This fan-favourite tournament sees national sides battle it out in men's singles, women's singles and mixed doubles, bringing a lively, festival-like vibe to Ken Rosewall Arena at Sydney Olympic Park. The 2026 edition serves up plenty of reasons to get courtside. Local hero Alex de Minaur — who grew up playing at the Parkside Tennis Courts in Kogarah Bay and is now firmly entrenched in the world's top ten — will once again lead Team Australia. He'll be joined by rising star Maya Joint, making her national debut after a breakout season that saw her claim the mantle as Australia's top-ranked women's singles player. Across the net, they'll be facing the likes of British number ones Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu, both representing Team Great Britain for the first time, as well as Team Poland's world number two — and six-time grand slam winner — Iga Świątek and Hubert Hurkacz, who'll be looking to recapture the form that propelled him into the world's top ten before injury cut short his 2025 season. For Sydney fans, the Ken Rosewall Arena schedule is stacked. The opening night session on Saturday, January 3, launches the tournament under the lights, followed by a week of back-to-back ties as teams vie for knockout qualification. The energy ramps up for the quarter-finals on Thursday, January 8, the semi-finals on Saturday, January 10, and the final on Sunday, January 11. As well as national pride, there'll also be ranking points on the line — so expect sparks to fly from the first serve.
Under normal circumstances, when a new-release movie starts playing in cinemas, audiences can't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the pandemic forcing film industry to make quite a few changes over the past year — widespread movie theatre closures will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you're in lockdown. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here's 12 you can watch right now at home. IN THE HEIGHTS Lin-Manuel Miranda isn't the first lyricist to pen tunes so catchy that they get stuck in your head for years (yes, years), but his rhythmic tracks and thoughtful lines always stand out. Miranda's songs are melodic and snappy, as anyone who has seen Hamilton onstage or via streaming definitely knows. The multi-talented songwriter's lyrics also pinball around your brain because they resonate with such feeling — and because they're usually about something substantial. The musical that made his name before his date with US history, In the Heights echoes with affection for its eponymous Latinx New York neighbourhood. Now that it's reverberating through cinemas, its sentiments about community, culture, facing change and fighting prejudice all seem stronger, too. To watch the film's characters sing about their daily lives and deepest dreams in Washington Heights is to understand what it's like to feel as if you truly belong in your patch of the city, to navigate your everyday routine with high hopes shining in your heart, and to weather every blow that tries to take that turf and those wishes away. That's what great show tunes do, whisking the audience off on both a narrative and an emotional journey. Miranda sets his words to hip hop beats, but make no mistake: he writes barnstorming songs that are just as rousing and moving, and that've earned their place among the very best stage and screen ditties as a result. Watching In the Heights, it's hard not to think about all those stirring tracks that've graced previous musicals. That isn't a sign of derivation here, though. Directing with dazzling flair and a joyous mood, Crazy Rich Asians filmmaker Jon M Chu nods to cinema's lengthy love affair with musicals in all the right ways. His song-and-dance numbers are clearly influenced by fellow filmic fare, and yet they recall their predecessors only because they slide in so seamlessly alongside them. Take his staging of the tune '96000', for instance. It's about winning the lottery, after word filters around that bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos, a Hamilton alum) has sold a lucky ticket. Due to the sweltering summer heat, the whole neighbourhood is at the public pool, which is where Chu captures a colourful sea of performers expressing their feelings through exuberantly shot, staged and choreographed music and movement — and it's as touching and glorious as anything that's ever graced celluloid. Of course, $96,000 won't set anyone up for life, but it'd make an enormous difference to Usnavi, In the Heights' protagonist and narrator. It'd also help absolutely everyone he loves. As he explains long before anyone even hears about the winning ticket, or buys it, every Heights local has their own sueñitos — little dreams they're chasing, such as his determination to relocate to the Dominican Republic. And that's what this intoxicating, invigorating, impassioned and infectious captures with vibrant aplomb. In the Heights is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. A QUIET PLACE PART II When every noise you make could send savage aliens stalking, slashing and slaughtering your way, it's the waiting that gets you. When you're watching a nerve-rattling horror film about that exact scenario, the same sentiment remains relevant. In A Quiet Place, the Abbott family went into survival mode after vicious creatures invaded, hunted down every sound and dispensed with anyone that crossed their path. For the characters in and viewers of the 2018 hit alike, the experience couldn't have screamed louder with anxiety and anticipation. Evelyn and Lee (Wild Mountain Thyme's Emily Blunt and Detroit's John Krasinski) and their children Regan (Millicent Simmonds, Wonderstruck), Marcus (Noah Jupe, The Undoing) and Beau (Cade Woodward, Avengers: Endgame) all silently bided their time simply trying to stay safe and alive, but their continued existence lingered under a gut-wrenching shadow. The critters were still out there, listening for even a whisper. It was a matter of when, not if, they'd discern the slightest of noises and strike again. That type of waiting drips with tension and suspense, and also with the kind of inevitability that hovers over everyone alive. A certain bleak end awaits us all, a truth we routinely attempt to ignore; however, neither the Abbotts nor A Quiet Place's audience were allowed to forget that grim fact for even a moment. Initially slated to arrive in cinemas two years later, then delayed by the pandemic for 14 months, sequel A Quiet Place Part II isn't done with waiting. Written and directed once again by Krasinski, the film doesn't shy away from the stress and existential distress that marking time can bring, but it also tasks its characters with actively confronting life's inevitabilities. After an intense and impressive tone-setting opening flashback to the first day of the alien attack, when the Abbotts' sleepy hometown learns of humanity's new threat in the cruellest fashion, the storyline picks up where its predecessor left off. It's day 474 — the earlier film spent most of its duration around day 472 — and Evelyn, Regan, Marcus and the family's newborn are grappling with their losses. That said, they're also keenly aware that they can't stay in their Appalachian farmhouse any longer. After spotting smoke on the horizon and setting off in that direction, they reconnect with Emmett (Cillian Murphy, Peaky Blinders), an old friend who has been through his own traumas. Evelyn sees safety in numbers, but he's reluctant to help. Then Regan hears a looping radio transmission playing 'Beyond the Sea' and decides to track down its source — and a film that's less thrilling, potent and unsettling than its predecessor eventuates. A Quiet Place Part II is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. BLACK WIDOW Closure is a beautiful thing. It's also not something that a 24-film-and-growing franchise tends to serve up often. Since 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has operated with the opposite aim — extending and expanding the series at every turn, delivering episodic instalments that keep viewers hanging for the next flick, and endeavouring to ensure that the superhero saga blasts onwards forever. But it's hard to tick those boxes when you're making a movie about a character whose fate is already known. Audiences have seen where Natasha Romanoff's (Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story) story finishes thanks to Avengers: Endgame, so Black Widow doesn't need to lay the groundwork for more films to follow. It's inexcusable that it has taken so long for the assassin-turned-Avenger to get her own solo outing. It's indefensible that this is just the second Marvel feature to solely focus on a female figure, too. But, unlike the missed opportunity that was Captain Marvel, Black Widow gives its namesake a thrilling big-screen outing, in no small part because it needn't waste time setting up a Black Widow sequel. Instead, the pandemic-delayed movie spends its 143 minutes doing what more MCU flicks should: building character, focusing on relationships, fleshing out its chosen world and making every inch of its narrative feel lived-in. The end result feels like a self-contained film, rather than just one chapter in a never-ending tale — which gives it the space to confidently blend family dramas with espionage antics, and to do justice to both parts of that equation. Sporting an impressive cast that also includes Florence Pugh (Little Women), David Harbour (Stranger Things) and Rachel Weisz (The Favourite), Black Widow begins in 1995, in small-town Ohio. Here, Harbour and Weisz play Alexei and Melina, parents to young Natasha (Ever Anderson, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter) and Yelena (Violet McGraw, Doctor Sleep), and the portrait of all-American domesticity — or that's the ruse, at least. The film doesn't revel in small-town life, neighbourhood playtimes, 'American Pie' sing-alongs and an existence that could've been ripped from The Americans for too long, however, with the quartet soon en route back to Russia via Cuba at shady puppetmaster Dreykov's (Ray Winstone, Cats) beckoning. When the action then jumps forward to 2016, and to the aftermath of that year's Captain America: Civil War, Natasha hasn't seen her faux family for decades. On the run from the authorities, she isn't palling around with the Avengers, either, with the superheroes all going their separate ways. Then the adult Yelena (Pugh) reaches out, because she too has fled her own powers-that-be: Dreykov, the fellow all-female hit squad she's been part of for the last 21 years, and the mind-control techniques that've kept her compliant and killing. There's an unmistakable air of Bourne and Bond to Black Widow from there, but this deftly satisfying flick doesn't trade the MCU's blueprints for other franchises' templates. With Australian filmmaker Cate Shortland (Somersault, Lore and Berlin Syndrome) in the director's chair, this welcome addition to the franchise spins a thoughtfully weighty story about women trapped at the mercy of others and fighting to regain their agency. Black Widow is available to stream via Disney+ with Premium Access. Read our full review. MY NAME IS GULPILIL Lengthy is the list of Australian actors who've started their careers on home soil, then boosted their fame, acclaim and fortunes by heading abroad. Some have won Oscars. Others are global household names. One plays a pigtailed comic book villain in a big film franchise, while another dons a cape and wields a hammer in a competing blockbuster saga. David Gulpilil doesn't earn any of the above descriptions, and he isn't destined to. It wouldn't interest him, anyway. His is the face of Australian cinema, though, and has been for half a century. Since first gracing the silver screen in Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout, the Yolŋu man has gifted his infectious smile and the irrepressible glint in his eye to many of the nation's most important movies. Indeed, to peruse his filmography is to revel in Aussie cinema history. On his resume, 70s classics such as Mad Dog Morgan and The Last Wave sit alongside everything from Crocodile Dundee and Rabbit-Proof Fence to Australia, Goldstone and Cargo — as well as parts in both the first 1976 film adaptation of Storm Boy and its 2019 remake. The latest film to benefit from the Indigenous talent's presence: My Name Is Gulpilil. It might just be the last do to so, however. That sad truth has been baked into the documentary ever since its subject asked director Molly Reynolds and producer Rolf de Heer — two filmmakers that Gulpilil has collaborated with before, including on Another Country, Charlie's Country, Ten Canoes and The Tracker — to make something with him after he was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer. That was back in 2017, when he was given just six months to live. Gulpilil has been proving that diagnosis wrong ever since. Cue this heartfelt portrait of an Australian icon like no other, which celebrates a star who'll never be matched, reminds viewers exactly why that's the case, but is never a mere easy, glossy tribute. Anyone could've combined snippets of Gulpilil's movies with talking heads singing his praises. In the future, someone probably will. But Reynolds is interested in truly spending time with Gulpilil, hearing his tale in his own words, and painting as complete a portrait of his life, work, dreams, regrets, spirit, culture and impact as possible. My Name Is Gulpilil is available to stream via ABC iView. Read our full review. VALERIE TAYLOR: PLAYING WITH SHARKS Steven Spielberg directed Jaws, the 1975 horror film that had everyone wondering if it was safe to go back into the water — and the movie that became Hollywood's first blockbuster, too — but he didn't shoot its underwater shark sequences. That task fell to Australian spearfisher and diver-turned-oceanographer and filmmaker Valerie Taylor and her husband Ron, who did so off the coast of Port Lincoln in South Australia. If it weren't for their efforts, the film mightn't have become the popular culture behemoth it is. When one of the animals the Taylors were filming lashed out at a metal cage that had held a stuntman mere moments before, the pair captured one of the picture's most nerve-rattling scenes by accident, in fact. And, before Peter Benchley's novel of the same name was even published, the duo was sent a copy of the book and asked if it would make a good feature (the answer: yes). Helping to make Jaws the phenomenon it is ranks among Valerie's many achievements, alongside surviving polio as a child, her scuba and spearfishing prowess, breaking boundaries by excelling in male-dominated fields in 60s, and the conservation activism that has drawn much of her focus in her later years. Linked to the latter, and also a feat that many can't manage: her willingness to confront her missteps and then do better. The apprehension that many folks feel when they're about to splash in the ocean? The deep-seated fear and even hatred of sharks, too? That's what Valerie regrets. Thanks to Jaws, being afraid of sharks is as natural to most people as breathing, and Valerie has spent decades wishing otherwise. That's the tale that Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks tells as it steps through her life and career. Taking a standard birth-to-now approach, the documentary has ample time for many of the aforementioned highlights, with Valerie herself either offering her memories via narration or popping up to talk viewers through her exploits. But two things linger above all else in this entertaining, engaging and insightful doco. Firstly, filmmaker Sally Aitken (David Stratton: A Cinematic Life) fills her feature with stunning archival footage that makes for astonishing and affecting viewing (Ron Taylor is credited first among the feature's five cinematographers). Secondly, this powerful film dives into the work that Valerie has spearheaded to try to redress the world's fright-driven perception of sharks. Like last year's David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, 2017's Jane Goodall documentary Jane and underwhelming 2021 Oscar-winner My Octopus Teacher, this is a movie about being profoundly changed by the natural world and all of its splendour. Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks is available to stream via Disney+. Read our full review. CRUELLA A killer dress, a statement jacket, a devastating head-to-toe ensemble: if they truly match their descriptions, they stand the test of time. Set in 70s London as punk takes over the aesthetic, live-action 101 Dalmatians prequel Cruella is full of such outfits — plus a white-and-black fur coat that's suspected of being made from slaughtered dogs. If the film itself was a fashion item, though, it'd be a knockoff. It'd be a piece that appears fabulous from afar, but can't hide its seams. That's hardly surprising given this origin tale stitches together pieces from The Devil Wears Prada, The Favourite, Superman, Star Wars and Dickens, and doesn't give two yaps if anyone notices. The Emmas — Stone, playing the dalmatian-hating future villain; Thompson, doing her best Miranda Priestly impression as a ruthless designer — have a ball. Oscar-winning Mad Max: Fury Road costume designer Jenny Beavan is chief among the movie's MVPs. But for a film placed amid the punk-rock revolution, it's happy to merely look the part, not live and breathe it. And, in aiming to explain away its anti-heroine's wicked ways, it's really not sure what it wants to say about her. Before she becomes the puppy-skinning fashionista that remains among Glenn Close's best-known roles, and before she's both a wannabe designer and the revenge-seeking talk of the town played by Stone (Zombieland: Double Tap), Cruella is actually 12-year-old girl Estella (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, Game of Thrones). In this intellectual property-extending exercise from I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie, she sports two-toned hair and a cruel that streak her mother (Emily Beecham, Little Joe) tries to tame with kindness — and she's also a target for bullies, but has the gumption to handle them. Then tragedy strikes, an orphan is born, loss haunts her every move and, after falling in with a couple of likeable London thieves, those black-and-white locks get a scarlet dye job. By the time that Estella is in her twenties, she's well-versed in pulling quick heists with Jasper (Joel Fry, Yesterday) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser, Songbird). She loves sewing the costumes required more than anything else, however. After years spent dreaming of knockout gowns, upmarket department stores and threads made by the Baroness (Thompson, Last Christmas), she eventually gets her chance — for fashion domination, as well as vengeance. Cruella is available to stream via Disney+ with Premium Access, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. MARTIN EDEN The last time that one of Jack London's books made the leap to cinema screens — just last year, in fact — it wasn't a pleasant viewing experience. Starring Harrison Ford and a CGI dog, The Call of the Wild forced viewers to watch its flesh-and-blood lead pal around with a needlessly anthropomorphised canine, to groan-inducingly cheesy results. Martin Eden is a much different book, so it could never get the same treatment. With his radiant imagery, masterful casting and bold alterations to the source material, writer/director Pietro Marcello (Lost and Beautiful) makes certain that no one will confuse this new London adaption for the last, however. The Italian filmmaker helms a compelling, complicated, ambitious and unforgettable film, and one that makes smart and even sensuous choices with a novel that first hit shelves 112 years ago. The titular character is still a struggling sailor who falls in love with a woman from a far more comfortable background than his. He still strives to overcome his working-class upbringing by teaching himself to become a writer. And, he still finds both success and scuffles springing from his new profession, with the joy of discovering his calling, reading everything he can and putting his fingers to the typewriter himself soon overshadowed by the trappings of fame, a festering disillusionment with the well-to-do and their snobbery, and a belief that ascribing worth by wealth is at the core of society's many problems. As a book, Martin Eden might've initially reached readers back in 1909, but Marcello sees it as a timeless piece of literature. He bakes that perception into his stylistic choices, weaving in details from various different time periods — so viewers can't help but glean that this tale just keeps proving relevant, no matter the year or the state of the world. Working with cinematographers Alessandro Abate (Born in Casal Di Principe) and Francesco Di Giacomo (Stay Still), he helms an overwhelmingly and inescapably gorgeous-looking film, too. When Martin Eden is at its most heated thematically and ideologically, it almost feels disquieting that such blistering ideas are surrounded by such aesthetic splendour, although that juxtaposition is wholly by design. And, in his best flourish, he enlists the magnetic Luca Marinelli (The Old Guard) as his central character. In a performance that won him the Best Actor award at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, Marinelli shoulders the eponymous figure's hopes, dreams and burdens like he's lived them himself. He lends them his soulful stare as well. That expression bores its way off the screen, and eventually sees right through all of the temptations, treats and treasures that come Eden's way. Any movie would blossom in its presence; Martin Eden positively dazzles, all while sinking daggers into the lifetime of tumult weathered by its titular everyman. Martin Eden is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. I BLAME SOCIETY She's fired by her manager after he finally reads one of her scripts, then deems the topic of Israel "too political". When his assistant wrangles her a meeting with a couple of indie film producers in the aftermath, she's asked to lend her perspective to stories about strong female voices, breastfeeding in public, and either intersexuality or intersectionality — when it comes to the latter two, they aren't quite sure which. So, as I Blame Society gleefully posits in its savage takedown of the film industry today, it's little wonder that Gillian (writer/director Gillian Wallace Horvat) decides to follow up a leftfield idea. Three years earlier, some of her friends told her that she'd make a great murderer, a notion that she took as a compliment and has been fascinated with to an unhealthy degree ever since. Indeed, at the time, she went as far asking her pal Chase (co-writer Chase Williamson) if she could hypothetically walk through the process of killing his girlfriend. The request put a long-lasting pause on their friendship, to no one else's surprise. Now, as she resurrects the project, her editor boyfriend Keith (Keith Poulson, Her Smell) keeps reiterating that it's a terrible idea; however, with no other avenues forward, Gillian is committed to doing whatever she thinks she needs to to kickstart her career. During a mid-film conversation, an increasingly exasperated Keith reminds Gillian that no "there is no movie that is worth hurting someone for". He's endeavouring to get her to agree, but "if it's a very bad person for a very good movie…" is her quick and firm reply. I Blame Society is equally direct. While Horvat plays a fictional character — and, the audience presumes, hasn't ever flirted with or committed murder in real life — she absolutely slaughters her chosen concept. Not every line or moment lands as intended, but this biting satire sticks a knife into every expectation saddled upon women in general and female filmmakers especially, then keeps twisting. The film's recurrent gags about likeability cleave so close to the truth, they virtually draw blood. Its aforementioned parody of supposed allyship among powerbrokers and gatekeepers is similarly cutting and astute. In their canny script, Horvat and Williamson find ample time to poke fun of a plethora of industry cliches and microaggressions, the treatment of marginalised voices both within filmmaking and in broader society, and even the current true-crime obsession, all without ever overloading the 84-minute movie. And, on-screen as well, Horvat is a savvy delight. She wants viewers to both cringe and nod, and everything about her performance and her feature directorial debut earns that response. I Blame Society is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. A FAMILY Just five letters are needed to turn A Family's title into the name of one of popular culture's most famous clans. The Addams crew aren't the subject of this Australian-produced, Ukraine-shot blend of comedy and drama, but it does delve into the creepy, kooky and mysterious anyway. The feature debut of director Jayden Stevens — who co-wrote the script with his cinematographer Tom Swinburn (Free of Thought) — the absurdist gem spends time with the stern-faced Emerson (first-timer Pavlo Lehenkyi). With none of his family around for unexplained reasons, he pays other Kiev locals to play their parts, staging dinners, Christmas parties and everyday occasions. They eat, chat and do normal family things, all for Emerson's camera. His actors (including Maksym Derbenyov as his brother and Larysa Hraminska as his mother) all need to stick to his script, though, or he'll offer them a surly reprimand. Olga (Liudmyla Zamidra), who has been cast as his sister, struggles the most with her role. She's also the member of this little faux family that Emerson is particularly drawn to. Her own home life with her mother Christina (Tetiana Kosianchuk) is far from rosy, with the pair suffering from her dad's absence, so eventually Olga decides that Emerson's role-play game might work there as well. A Family is a film of patient and precise frames, awkwardly amusing moments, and bitingly accurate insights into the ties that bind — whether of blood or otherwise. It's a movie that recognises the transactional and performative nature of many of life's exchanges, too, and ponders how much is real and fake in both big and seemingly inconsequential instances. To perfect all of the above, Stevens walks in Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Favourite), Aki Kaurismäki (Le Havre, The Other Side of Hope) and even the usually inimitable David Lynch's shoes. His feature is austere, deadpan and surreal all at once, and smart, amusing and savage at the same time as well. Indeed, if a bigger-name filmmaker had made this purposefully and probingly off-kilter picture, it would've likely proven a film festival darling around the globe. A Family did start its big-screen run at a fest, at the Melbourne International Film Festival back in 2019. Now reaching Australian cinemas after a year that's seen everyone either spend more time with or feel more physical distance from their nearest and dearest, it feels doubly potent. Every lingering image shot by Swinburn — and all of the pitch-perfect performances that he captures — speak loudly to the cycle of yearning and disconnection that comes with being alive, and that never stops being put under a microscope. A Family is available to stream via iTunes. THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT Starting in 2013 with The Conjuring, expanding with 2014's Annabelle, and also including The Conjuring 2, both terrible and much better sequels to Annabelle, the dismal The Nun and the formulaic The Curse of the Weeping Woman, The Conjuring Universe now spans eight evil-fighting flicks — and they're all as straightforward as it gets when it comes to battling the nefarious. Circling around real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the franchise posits that the supernatural exists, darkness preys upon the innocent and its central couple usually has the tools to combat everything untoward. That template remains firmly in place in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. With director Michael Chaves (The Curse of the Weeping Woman) and screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (Aquaman) doing the honours — taking their cues from James Wan, the Australian Saw and Insidious co-creator who helmed the first two Conjuring flicks — it once again serves up the usual bumps, jumps and scares that have haunted this franchise since day one. That said, the third Conjuring flick within the broader Conjuring realm does attempt a few changes. Rather than getting creeped out by haunted houses, it gets spooked by a kid and then a teenager who are both possessed. True to form, bone-shakingly horrific things can't simply occur without some kind of excuse and entity at play. The Warrens (Patrick Wilson, Aquaman, and Vera Farmiga, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) are first tasked with saving eight-year-old David Glatzel (Julian Hilliard, WandaVision) from a demon after his family moves to stereotypically sleepy Brookfield, Connecticut. Their efforts seem successful, even if Ed has a heart attack mid-exorcism, but the evil force they're fighting has really just jumped ship. Arne Johnson (Ruairi O'Connor, The Spanish Princess), the boyfriend of David's sister Debbie (Sarah Catherine Hook, NOS4A2), is quickly besieged by strange occurrences. He's soon also covered in blood after stabbing his landlord to Blondie's 'Call Me'. The death penalty beckons; however, the Warrens convince Arne's lawyer to plead not guilty by reason of demonic possession — the first time that ever happened in the US — and then commit to unearthing whatever paranormal details they can to save his life. The trailer for The Devil Made Me Do It teases legal thrills, but in a bait-and-switch way, because this film is barely concerned with Arne's court case. The true tale, which was previously dramatised in a 1983 TV movie starring Kevin Bacon, merely provides an easy setup for souped-up demonic antics and a routine, happily by-the-numbers, never remotely terrifying threequel. Indeed, the fact that more flicks will undoubtably still follow is the scariest thing about the film. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. THE HITMAN'S WIFE'S BODYGUARD Someone involved with The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard must really love paperwork; that's the only reason anyone could've given its script the go-ahead. Perhaps Australian filmmaker Patrick Hughes, who also directed 2017's The Hitman's Bodyguard, likes nothing more than keeping his documents in order. Maybe returning screenwriter Tom O'Connor (The Courier) falls into that category, or his debuting co-scribes Phillip and Brandon Murphy — they all made the subject the focus of their screenplay, after all. Whoever fits the bill, their attempt to force audiences to care about bodyguard licensing falls flat. So does the misguided idea that the certification someone might need to unleash their inner Kevin Costner would ever fuel an entire movie. Instead, what was already a needless sequel to a terrible action-comedy becomes even more of a dull and pointless slog, with this by-the-numbers follow-up showing zero signs that anyone spent more than a few seconds contemplating the story. A significant plot point here: that Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds, The Croods: A New Age) has lost his official tick of approval. He's no longer triple A-rated after a mishap in the line of duty, and he isn't coping well. To be fair, no one watching The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard will handle that news swimmingly either, but only because they're made to hear about it over and over, all as Bryce rekindles his begrudging association with assassin Darius Kincaid (Samuel L Jackson, Spiral: From the Book of Saw) and the latter's con artist wife Sonia (Salma Hayek, Bliss). When Darius gets snatched up by nefarious folks during his belated honeymoon with Sonia, only Bryce can help — or so says the angry Mrs Kincaid. She interrupts the latter's vacation with swearing, shouting and shootouts, because that's the kind of feisty Mexican wife that Hayek plays. From there, Reynolds primarily complains, Hayek sticks with stereotypes and Jackson attempts to exude his usual brand of couldn't-care-less cool; however, even more than in Spiral: From the Book of Saw, he's on autopilot. As also seen in Jackson's last big-screen appearance, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard insists on reminding its audience about its stars' better movies. You don't cast both Hayek and Antonio Banderas (who plays a European tycoon plotting the world's demise) if you don't want to bring Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico to mind (and Frida and even Spy Kids 3, too). Thinking about the pair's shared past highlights is far more enjoyable than enduring their current collaboration, unsurprisingly. Making fun of accents is considered the height of comedy here, women can only be hot-headed nags and manchild daddy issues get almost as much love as paperwork. The jokes aren't just scattershot; they're non-existent. The messy, incoherent and over-edited action scenes fare just as badly. None of the above is likely to save us from a third movie, though, which'll probably be called The Hitman's Wife's Baby's Bodyguard's Lost Birth Certificate. The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. FATALE Only 14 women have ever won more than one Academy Award for Best Actress, and Hilary Swank is one of them. When she earned the Oscars double for 1999's Boys Don't Cry and 2004's Million Dollar Baby, she beat both Meryl Streep and now three-time recipient Frances McDormand to the feat — but her career hasn't brought the coveted accolade her way again since. Fatale isn't going to change that recent trend. It hasn't earned Swank a Razzie either, but she could've easily been in the running. Playing a Los Angeles cop who has a one-night stand in Las Vegas with an ex-college basketball star turned high-profile player manager, then starts stalking her way through his life while also trying to intimidate her politician ex-husband into giving her back access to her young daughter, she has one mode here: stern-faced yet unbalanced. Even when her character, Detective Valerie Quinlan, is first seen flirting, Swank plays her as if something isn't quite right. That's accurate, plot-wise, but it robs Fatale of any semblance of tension it might've possessed. The film is meant to be an adultery-focused thriller in the Fatal Attraction mould — with even its title blatantly nodding that way — but it just ends up recycling tired, simplistic, overused cliches about unhinged women into a monotonous and unnecessarily convoluted package. Valerie and Derrick (Michael Ealy, Westworld) hit it off at a Vegas bar, then get physical; however, the next morning, he heads home to his wife Tracie (Damaris Lewis, BlacKkKlansman), who he actually suspects of being unfaithful herself. Before Derrick can meaningfully process either his infidelity or his fears about his crumbling marriage, his swanky home is broken into one night — and, because director Deon Taylor (Black and Blue) and screenwriter David Loughery (The Intruder) are content to hit every expected beat there is (and because they've seen every 80s and 90s erotic thriller ever made, too), Valerie is the investigating officer. Despite being woefully predictable from the outset, Fatale doesn't dare have fun with its cookie-cutter narrative. It doesn't evoke thrills, bring anything more than surface style or prove particularly sexy, and it never gets its audience invested in its obvious twists, one-note characters or rote dialogue. And, although having its badge-toting stalker use excessive force and exploit her power to target a person of colour could've been a choice that said something about America's current reckoning with law enforcement, race and police brutality, Fatale doesn't even contemplate anything other than clunky formula. Fatale is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Check out our lists of movies fast-tracked from cinemas to streaming back in May and June. You can also take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows.
Before 2020 comes to an end, Queenslanders will be able to gather in bigger numbers, outdoor events will be permitted to expand their capacity and New South Wales residents will be welcomed back into the Sunshine State. They're all on the agenda as part of Queensland's new 'COVID Safe Future' roadmap, which was revealed today, Friday, October 2, by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. While the state has unveiled similar plans before, we all know that nothing in 2020 remains certain for long — and that the situation regarding COVID-19 is constantly changing. So, this new outline responds to the current circumstances, and is designed to make clear how the state will be changing between now and the end of the year, in an effort to provide more certainty to both businesses and the community. Already, as at 1am on Thursday, October 1, the first step of the new plan has come into effect — with northern NSW residents allowed into Queensland without quarantining as part of an expanded border zone, and density restrictions easing for outdoor venues, events and stadiums. There's one more newly annonced element to this phase, however, and it'll kick off at 4pm today, Friday, October 2, with Queenslanders once again allowed to eat and drink while standing at indoor and outdoor venues with a COVID-Safe plan or checklist in place. Next, when 1am on Sunday, November 1 rolls around, a new step will start — and it'll be of great interest to anyone eager to head further into NSW, or for NSW residents keen to come north to soak up the sunshine. At that point, no one from NSW will need to enter mandatory quarantine when they come to Queensland. Relaxing that rule is contingent on the southern state having community transmission under control but, just this week, NSW reported a seven-day stretch without any new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, so fingers crossed that continues. Also on November 1, Queenslanders will be able to gather in groups of 40 at home and in public spaces, which is an increase from the current limit of 30. Plus, up to 40 people at weddings will be able to dance, as long as there's a COVID-Safe plan in place. Finally, from 1am on Tuesday, December 1, gatherings at home and in public spaces will increase to 50 people, just in time for Christmas. Outdoor events with COVID-Safe checklists will be able to host 1500 attendees, up from 1000, while weddings will no longer resemble Footloose in any shape or form (unless, for some reason, Kevin Bacon is invited) — because unlimited dancing will be permitted. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1311817281438019584 For now, Queensland will remain closed to Victoria throughout this whole period, but the roadmap notes that the state will reassess the situation when community transmission is under control. And, while the present announcement is all about opening back up again, it does specify that limits may come back into place if there's community transmission in Queensland. It's likely this'll happen in impacted areas only, and could include capping gatherings at ten people again, requiring the wearing of masks, increased testing, only allowing seating rather than standing in venues and scrapping dancing at weddings once more. Announcing the changes, Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young advised that it's thanks to the state's compliance with restrictions thus far that Queensland can reopen further. "The hard work of Queenslanders has helped us to the strong position our state is in today — it has been a fantastic result," Dr Young noted. That said, she also stressed the need to remain cautious regarding hygiene and social distancing. "So that we can keep easing restrictions, it is vital that we maintain physical distance, wear a face mask in public when physical distancing is not possible and wash your hands." For more information about southeast Queensland's COVID-19 gathering restrictions, or about the status of COVID-19 in the state, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Top image: Atlanta Bell.
Huxtaburger's first Sydney store hasn't even received its final lick of paint, but the company has already announced plans to open 10 new stores across NSW in the next four years. The decision is part of the company's plans to enter into a franchise model, which will see it open 20 new stores across Victoria, WA, ACT and NSW, with future plans to expand into Asia, too. Huxtaburger has teamed up with franchising consulting agency DC Strategy — which has previously worked with Ben & Jerry's, Zeus Street Greek and Turkish ice cream vendors Hakiki — to facilitate the expansion, with the first franchise store already open in Melbourne's Footscray. In NSW, Huxtaburger is working alongside investment group Yesdac to rapidly expand. The now cult favourite American-style burger joint first launched back in 2011, and has since opened six stores (five in Vic and one in Perth) with its seventh store, and first NSW store, which is launching with $1 burgers in Redfern this weekend. Construction has already begun on its second WA store, in Fremantle, too. The company's has international expansion plans in the pipeline, too, and hopes to roll out stores across Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and China. If you'd like to get your own slice of Huxtaburger, you can sign up for your own franchise in Vic and WA. You'll have to have some cash handy, though, as it will set you back a cool $550,000. While rapid expansion may be a good thing for burger lovers, let us not forget the story of Doughnut Time.
Barbecuing in Australia no longer dabbles in the carefree realms of cheap snags and piddly steaks. It's 2016 and American-style barbecue reigns in this tender, tender age of pulled pork, slow-cooked brisket and ribs, ribs, ribs. Barbecuing is now serious business, so serious that entire dedicated festivals are popping up, like the wonderfully-named Meatstock. But there is one that comes approved from the folks of Kansas, given the tick of approval by the beating heart of American barbecue itself: The Yaks is coming. Following the success of The Yaks Melbourne Barbecue Festival at the Queen Victoria Market last year, the crew are bringing the festival back for another round — and this time they're doing a Sydney instalment at The Domain on January 30. Barbecue lovers will find themselves panicked for choice at this juicy festival, with food stalls from some of Australia’s finest pitmasters, barbecue cooking demonstrations by local and international barbecue experts, equipment exhibitors, live entertainment and DJs. Plus, venues around the city will host barbecue dinners and classes. But while you're ploughing into a pork rib, there's serious competition afoot. Competitive barbecuing isn't for rookies, this is serious shit. Watch amateur barbecue teams from around Australia battle it out in in the Southern Hemisphere’s first American-style cook-off sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society — the real deal. The best performing Australian team at each of The Yaks Barbecue Festival cook-offs will be invited to represent Australia at internationally renowned barbecue contests in the United States. We're talking the American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational. Plus, they'll be in the draw for the prestigious KCBS-run Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue. That's no average lamb chop. If you reckon you're a pretty damn good barbecuer, check out the website and think about entering a team. Otherwise, bib up and get your tickets here.
April is here, which means that it's almost that time of year: the time when you're either at Coachella or curing your FOMO by watching it at home. 2024's lineup dropped in January, featuring Lana Del Rey, Tyler, The Creator, Doja Cat and the reunited No Doubt as headliners. Now comes news just as big: if you're dancing along in your living room over two weekends this month and you've got a set clash, you'll be able to livestream multiple stages at once. How many? Four in total, all thanks to YouTube's annual coverage of the event. Each year, Coachella and the online video platform join forces to beam the massive music fest around the world. Of course, that's no longer such a novelty in these pandemic-era times — but being able to fill your screen with a quartet of Coachella sets at the same time definitely is. YouTube's multiview concert experience will enjoy its debut in the music space, and globally, at Coachella. This year, the service will be capturing six different stages, as it did in 2023 for the first time ever — with Sonora on the list for the first weekend and Yuma on the second. That said, while you can feast your eyes on four stages simultaneously, you'll only be able to hear one, so you will still need to pick a favourite in any given timeslot. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) Coachella 2024 runs from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 14 and Friday, April 19–Sunday, April 21, which is Saturday, April 13–Monday, April 15 and Saturday, April 20–Monday, April 22 Down Under. For those lucky enough to be getting the IRL experience, the fest takes place at Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. The full bill is a jaw-dropper, as usual, featuring a stacked array of acts that also spans everyone from Blur, Ice Spice, J Balvin and Peso Pluma to Sabrina Carpenter, Grimes, Lil Yachty and Flight Facilities. [caption id="attachment_936351" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Casey via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Coachella 2024 runs from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 14 and Friday, April 19–Sunday, April 21 — which is Saturday, April 13–Monday, April 15 and Saturday, April 20–Monday, April 22 Down Under — at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, and livestreams via YouTube across the same dates. Top image: Roger Ho.
Need a little help getting through the week? Pelicano's new midweek special, The Interlude, will undoubtedly lift your mood. Held every Wednesday from 6pm until late, this laid-back event is your chance to recharge, featuring $25 unlimited pizzas alongside $12 Aperol spritzes and $8 Peronis. While you feast and sip on these familiar combinations, DJs will spin chilled old-school beats in the background. Spanning the best throwback hip-hop and R&B tunes, it won't take long to feel a little more pep in your step. Plus, soaking up the atmosphere on the al fresco terrace with your closest pals won't hurt either. Reopened in October after a major renovation, Pelicano serves up delightful Italian and Mediterranean flavours from the heart of Potts Point. Primed for a post-work get-together, navigating the office for the rest of the working week is bound to feel a little easier following this session.
Get your fill of art and culture for the week at the Thursday Lates series so you can free up your weekend to nurse that hangover guilt-free! After a series of record-breaking attendances at the MCA, the gallery has decided to swing its doors open late on Thursday evenings until the smack bang middle of the year, June 14. Each week, enjoy the current exhibitions, hear informal talks by curators and other creative penseurs on the curious, the controversial and the deeply personal. Soon enough you’ll be walking around talking like Craig Schuftan from Triple J’s much-missed Culture Club. Here are a few tasters to get you riled up and ready. If you’re keen to get a little challenged, attend a free speech session - for free! Snap. Get up on your soapbox and address audiences at the MCA at Soap Box. You know, get something off your chest. Everyone, including your boss, in-laws and ex-lovers (who might be there perhaps out of view behind a column or something) actually do want to hear your ranting and raving. How liberating! Lectures, freestyles, sermons and other spoken-word art forms are welcome. If you’re not so assertive, rally and jeer as an onlooker. It’s tempting to go just in case a fight breaks out. Perhaps that’s all a little nuanced, and you would rather get universal. Australian Aboriginal Astronomy Project talk on April 26 is what it’s all about. Hear astronomer Duane Hamacher from the Macquarie University Research Centre for Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Astrophotonics speak about a collaboration of researchers studying the astronomical knowledge and traditions of Indigenous Australians. Coolness. For the souls of quills and ink, Poet’s Corner (no, not the wine) features Eileen Chong, contributor to the publication for Volume One: MCA Collection. Aside, the ritzy new MCA cafe is open day and night, too, so you can come for dinner and then catch up with the artwork. What a dreamy way to end the night. Also running overnight on Thursday nights is Christian Marclay's the Clock.
In the last couple of years, the humble bicycle has come to symbolise a few things. On one hand, it's been used as a symbol of sartorial hipness and, on the other, it's been held as the hero alternative to cars that consume too much space and omit carbon pollutants. But in the battle of 'car vs. bike', there's been a vital part of 'travel' that the bike lacks. Aside from its eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing points, traveling via bike leaves no room for stuck-in-traffic music, which can help with lightening your mood a great deal. Taiwan-based Bone Collection has designed a bike horn that doubles as an amplifier. The silicone case holds the iPhone and can be attached to your bicycle, allowing you to use it to play sweet music and use the inbuilt iPhone GPS app to help you leisurely navigate your way through sticky traffic situations. An added brown (or should I say green?) point is that the silicone cases are washable. It can also be used as a speaker (without an external power source) and has an additional spot for your charger. [via PSFK]
Lockdown isn't fun or easy for anyone, whether you've been through a few of them now or you're weathering your second prolonged stint of stay-at-home conditions. At the moment, everyone in the Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour region falls into the latter category. Spending all that time within your own house is particularly difficult if you live alone, however — and Sydneysiders without housemates have now been at home on their lonesome for almost five weeks. It has taken more than a month — and, it seems to only have been motivated by the fact that the region will remain in lockdown for a further month — but the rules around folks who live alone are changing. Today, Wednesday, July 28, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that the current stay-at-home rules will continue until at least 12.01am on Saturday, August 28, but singles bubbles will be introduced. So, there's bad news in general, but also some welcome news for people who've spent weeks by themselves now. What's a singles bubble? It's an arrangement that allows folks who live alone to have another person over to their homes. You'll have to designate one specific person, and only that person can visit your house — and only once per day. That nominated person is the only person who can visit you during the next four weeks (in other words, you can't have a different person over to your home each day). The singles bubbles will come into effect from 12.01 on Saturday, July 31; however, there are other caveats. With eight Sydney LGAs under stricter conditions from midnight tonight, Wednesday, July 28 — with people in the Parramatta, Georges River and Campbelltown LGAs joining folks in the Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown, Liverpool, Blacktown and Cumberland LGAs in not being able to leave their area for work, unless they work in emergency services, healthcare, or the aged care and disability care fields — this has an impact on singles bubbles. If you live within these eight LGAs, you have to nominate a person inside the same area, and also within ten kilometres of your house. If you live outside of the aforementioned LGAs, you must designate someone who also lives outside of them as well. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1420195677905113092 Other than singles bubbles, the rules about visitors at home aren't changing. So, no one else can have anyone over to their home other than for care purposes, which includes intimate partners. Basically, the singles bubbles arrangement will allow people who live by themselves to have a friend over. If it sounds somewhat familiar, that's because it has been a part of Melbourne's lockdowns over the past year; however, the New South Wales Government has resisted the setup until now. For people who live alone, the rest of the current lockdown rules still apply. That means that you 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 in groups of two; and for compassionate reasons, which includes medical treatment, getting a COVID-19 test and getting vaccinated. Singles bubbles fall under the compassionate category. You can also only go out shopping once each day to buy essential items — and, from midnight tonight, Wednesday, July 28, you can only go shopping within ten kilometres of your house, or within your LGA. Plus, carpooling is still off the cards, and you can still only exercise in groups of two outdoors — and you can also only get sweaty within your local government area, or within ten kilometres of where you live. 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. Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour will remain in lockdown until at least 12.01am on Saturday, August 28. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
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 Pan Pacific Singapore. [caption id="attachment_892011" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This five-star hotel is right in the heart of Singapore, boasting views across Marina Bay, the South China Sea and surrounding city skyline. It also boasts a heap of extra luxe features, including three pools and an in-house spa. THE ROOMS This is a mighty big hotel, with 790 lavish rooms and suites available to guests. You can go for the more modest Deluxe Room — which is still an impressive 38 square metres in size and has sweeping views across either the city or bay. Alternatively, you can opt for one of the more luxurious suites or studios that have separate living and dining rooms, additional bedrooms and little kitchenettes. There's even the Urban Jungle suite which is made for families. It has a super fun jungle-themed room with an inflatable rocking hippo, a tepee and a treehouse bunk bed that sleeps two kids. FOOD AND DRINK As you'd expect in a city known for its food, this opulent hotel boasts a series of spectacular restaurants and bars. There is the fine-dining Cantonese restaurant Hai Tien Lo and the Keyaki Japanese Restaurant which has its own Japanese rooftop garden. But one of our favourites has to be Edge. Here, you get to feast on a high-end buffet that includes fresh oysters and lobster, roast meats with all the trimmings and a massive selection of local dishes. Quantity and quality combine at this spot. [caption id="attachment_864958" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA Pan Pacific Singapore is close to most of the city's best bits. Head to the adjoining Marina Market for boutique stores, walk along the nearby Singapore River for more entertaining and dining options or take a quick cab ride to any of the city's other great sites. Be sure to check out Little India, Chinatown and Arab Street as well as the famous island of Sentosa, if you seek beach clubs and water activities. 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 to destinations all over the world.
Travellers setting down at Sydney Airport may well want to spend the night, with the opening of a new hotel that can only be described as first class. Located just seven minutes by foot from the domestic terminal, Felix Hotel by 8Hotels takes its inspiration from the Golden Age of air travel in the 60s — that is, before budget airlines made you pay for water. It starts from the moment you step through the door, with guests checking in not at a ground-floor lobby, but the penthouse on the top level of the hotel. In addition to a view of the runway, the penthouse is home to a rooftop cinema, a 24-hour food shop and a cocktail bar that is surprisingly colourful — making a nice change to the usual drabness of airport hotels. Rooms at Felix are split into four different categories: economy, premium economy, business and first class. All rooms are fitted with power rain showers and 55-inch TVs, along with perhaps the most important feature of all: blackout curtains (after a long-haul flight, you're going to want a good night's sleep). They also offer family suites and pet-friendly rooms. Other amenities at Felix Hotel include a 24-hour gym and a 'sky lounge' with communal and individual workspaces. If you Felix Hotel is now open at 121 Baxter Road, Mascot. For more information visit felixhotel.com.au
Sydney Fringe Festival is setting a new precedent for a rooftop's potential with their ambitious program's newest addition — a rooftop roller skating rink. From September 5 through 30, the massive arts and culture festival will take over the open air rooftop of the Broadway shopping centre (which apparently is a thing) and install a roller rink for the masses. Cue the 80s dance moves and big ol' hairdos. The rink will be open Wednesdays through Sundays (weekdays 5–10pm; weekends 9am–10pm) and entry tickets are available at the rink only. In an upside-down-world change of norms, weekend tickets will actually be on the cheap — from 9am–5pm you can nab entry tickets for just five bucks a pop. All other operating times will cost you $15, with rental roller skates included. A DJ will be on hand each night too, with a playlist of tunes you can skate along to. Along with the rink will be a pop-up store featuring two Sydney-based designers, Stavroula Adameits and Katie-Louise Nicol-Ford, who have created one-off designs for the shop and are also the creators of this year's custom Fringe Festival print. Pieces from their respective fashion labels, Frida Las Vegas and Nicol & Ford, will be available for purchase at the pop-ups throughout the month.
With events across the country cancelled and postponed in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19, the live music industry is being hit hard. According to Aussie website I Lost My Gig, the industry has had a lost income of about $340 million so far. To help some of those affected, some of the country's best musical talents have been coming together for a weekly two-day music festival and fundraising event series every weekend — that's all online. In past weeks, the festival has seen the likes of Julia Jacklin, Marlon Williams, Hermitude, Vera Blue, Asta and Stella Donnelly. So, order a disco ball and make a flower crown for your cat, because it's time to party in your apartment. This week's lineup is yet to be announced, but expect it to be announced on Isol-Aid's Instagram soon. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCKEmcRByKp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link While watching, viewers are encouraged to donate to a fundraiser set up by Support Act, which is raising money for musicians and music workers who've lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic and to help "keep our music industry alive". You can also support the individual artists by buying merch and music from their Bandcamp pages, as well as get your hands on some Isol-Aid merch. Isol-Aid runs from 12pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Tune in via isolaidfestival.com. Top image: Bec Taylor
Darling Quarter is diving head first into the spirit of eating, drinking and being merry at its redeveloped dining precinct. There's a collection of fresh, new restaurants that have opened just in time to add a little food-focused fun to your end-of-year festivities. While that stand-out playground and waterpark — the big draw card for the kids — in Tumbalong Park is ready and waiting, so too are a whole host of places. Take Dopa, the retro, Tokyo-inspired donburi and dessert bar by the crew who brought us cult Surry Hills fave Devon; and Goobne, which is slinging its famed Korean oven-roasted roast chicken. There's also MuMian (pictured below), little sister to Tao, one of Sydney's most stunning Cantonese restaurants; the cool new Japanese joint Ichoume (and its strikingly colourful interiors); Vesta Italian (top image), which will be serving up pizzas and Aperol Spritzes all summer long; and the classic fave Gelatissimo — because what's summer without a scoop of ice cream? Whether you plan to squeeze in a long, lazy, last-minute office Christmas lunch, a breezy evening family meal close to the CBD or a festive gathering with your pals in the new year, Darling Quarter has the spot for you. Plus, it's a top notch area for a picturesque stroll — the large-scale vertical garden boxes dressed in red bows are ideal for a 'gram refresh (and the plants will even be available for purchase in the new year, with all proceeds going to charity). Darling Quarter has a range of fresh, new festive dining options ready and waiting for you — head to the website for the full list.
By now, you've probably had an absolute gutful of your house, backyard, neighbourhood and city. You've probably spent much of the past 13 months daydreaming about getaways, too. Well, wannabe jetsetters with a vacation-shaped hole in your life, it turns out this is your lucky week, because a mammoth travel sale is hitting the internet tonight. The bargain-filled Click Frenzy Travel sale returns for a 53-hour online shopping riot, kicking off at 7pm (9pm NZT) on Tuesday, April 20. And it's chock full of airfare, accommodation, tour and holiday package deals, for all kinds of budgets. Obviously, international travel isn't back to normal yet — the trans-Tasman bubble between Australia and New Zealand only just opened this past weekend — but there are plenty of bargains to be found if you're keen to either stay local or plan well ahead. Virgin Australia is offering up to 25 percent off a range of domestic journeys, with prices starting from just $75. You can nab ten percent off flights with Air New Zealand, too. And, if you're thinking further afield in the hope that borders will reopen sooner rather than later, Qatar is doing up to ten percent off flights to places such as the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy and Spain. Obviously, you'll need to take into the consideration the fact Aussies can't currently leave the country for holidays anywhere other than NZ at the moment while you're booking. Staying close to home, Wotif is offering up to 25 percent off Aussie hotels, Park Regis and Leisure Inn hotels are doing up to 40 percent off, and Ascott Australia is taking up to 30 percent off their hotels and apartments in Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart and Perth. Oaks Hotels, Resorts and Suites is offering the same 30 percent discount, but at select locations in Australia and NZ if you stay for two nights or more. Fancy seeing the country by road? Greyhound Australia is taking 20 percent off all tickets and passes if a leisurely bus trip — complete with free wifi — sounds like your idea of a great holiday. If you're in need of a few travel essentials for your next getaway, Click Frenzy also does 99 percent off deals on some items, such as GoPros for $5, Beats headphones for $2, Weber barbecues for $3 and beach umbrellas for $2. Dust off that suitcase and start plotting your annual leave — it's holiday time, finally. The Click Frenzy Travel sale runs from 7pm (9pm NZT) on Tuesday, April 20, until midnight on Thursday, April 22. You can find it and all the tasty travel bargains on the Click Frenzy website.
Maybe you've changed your computer backdrop to a picture of Hamilton Island. Perhaps you keep perusing snaps from a past Byron Bay getaway on your phone. Can't stop thinking about your previous holidays? The midwinter blues will do that. We've said it before and we'll say it again: another cure is planning your next vacation, especially when there's a flight sale to capitalise upon. Qantas has dropped another massive round of discounted fares. In June, it put more than one million cheap seats up for grabs. A month later, it's doing the same. The focus is still on its domestic network, spanning 60-plus routes — and this time, prices start at under $160 one-way on more than 40 of them. You'll be able to travel between August 2024–March 2025, although the specifics vary per destination. If you're keen, you'll need to get in quick as this is a 72-hour-only sale, running until 11.59pm AEST on Thursday, July 25, 2024. And yes, the usual caveat applies: if fares sell out earlier, you'll miss out. Options include Sydney to the Gold Coast for $109, and to Byron Bay for the same price; Melbourne to Launceston from $119, and to Maroochydore for $179; and Brisbane to the Whitsunday Coast from $119, or to Hamilton Island for $169. Other routes and fares span both Brisbane to Sydney and Adelaide to Melbourne from $129, Brisbane to Cairns from $159, Sydney to Albury for $149 and Melbourne to Coffs Harbour for $169. Trips to and from Perth, Hobart, Alice Springs, Darwin, Canberra, Newcastle, Mildura, the Fraser Coast, Wagga Wagga, Devonport, Broken Hill, Tamworth, Port Macquarie, Rockhampton and Townsville are also on the sale list — and there's more after that as well. Inclusions-wise, the sale covers fares with checked baggage, complimentary food and beverages, wifi and seat selection. Qantas' 72-hour surprise sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Thursday, July 25, 2024, 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.
Whether you like it or not, summer's balmy weather is set to last a little bit longer this year, with most of Australia forecast to score a hotter-than-average autumn. Off the back of a record-breaking summer — with January the hottest month ever recorded in Australia — the good folk at the Bureau of Meteorology have released their climate outlook for the March to May period, revealing that most of the country is in for warmer days and stickier nights than we usually see at this time of year. Yep, the soupy weather is set to continue. In fact, if you call mainland Australia home, there's an 80 percent chance you'll experience autumn temperatures that are a whole lot warmer than the median. To give an idea of exactly what that all means, the average daily maximum temperature for March sits at around 24.2 degrees in Melbourne, 24.8 in Sydney and 29.1 in Brisbane. In May, it's around 16.7 degrees for Melbourne, with 19.5 for Sydney and 24.5 for Brisbane. The BOM is forecasting that we'll see warmer than that across the three months. Unfortunately for farmers, large parts of the north are looking to struggle through drier-than-average autumns, too. The southern part of the country, however, is expected to cop the usual rainfall. Looking further into the year — and getting a touch technical — the BOM's senior hydrologist, Dr Robert Pipunic, says there's a 50 percent chance of El Niño forming over the next couple of months, which is double the normal risk this time of year. This means we could see warmer-than-average temperatures and low levels of rainfall continue into winter, too. If you'd like to know more about what exactly El Niño is, and how it impacts Australia, the BOM has a whole heap of fun facts over here. NSW folk survived their second-warmest autumn on record last year, with the statewide mean temperature clocking in at 1.88 degrees hotter than the average. And let's not forget that in 2018, overall, Australia copped its third-warmest year ever. With another sweaty autumn on the way, 2019 looks well set to steal that title. Image: Mark Chew for Visit Victoria.
You've probably heard all about the power of blockchain, but we bet you didn't know cryptocurrency could get you free burgers and gelato. Well, it can (kind of). To celebrate the launch of Liven Coin (LVN), the world's first digital currency for food, Liven has teamed up with Gelato Messina and 8bit to bring you a whole month of crypto-inspired dishes. And if you're a new Liven user, you can get your hands on them for free — or discounted if you're an existing user. Available in Sydney and Melbourne until Monday, November 19, the limited-edition dishes are both creative and innovative. It allows you the opportunity to invest in LVN coin just by dining at your favourite restaurants and rewards you every time you eat out. 8bit will be serving up the Insert Coin burger with a beef patty, american cheese, smashed avo, feta and the much-loved 8bit sauce. New users can score it for free while existing users will get $5 off. Meanwhile, Gelato Messina will sling scoops of ChipOCurrency, a decadent peanut butter gelato with white chocolate and potato chips. New users can get two scoops for free and existing users get one. If one month of freebies is not enough, Liven is also giving one lucky person free gelato and burgers for 12 beautiful months — all you have to do is enter with a quick comment on this Facebook post. Good luck and happy feasting.
26 artists, 39 works and a sign of the visual arts calender getting into full swing, this show is a nice continuation of Brenda May Gallery's tradition of opening up each year with a sculpture survey show. Except on the viewing end one does not so much 'survey' as 'ooh and ahh', 'wonder how it is even possible for a person to do that', 'resist the temptation to check one's lipstick in the ones with reflective surfaces' and 'remember not to touch'. Sculpture explores materiality in a really important way: while any artwork (or any object) is possessed of thinghood, it's almost impossible for a sculpture to not be thoroughly metaphysical because the properties of how it has been made and what it has been made out of are foregrounded in how we make sense of it. Sculpture has potential to be both abstract and figurative at the same time, and this can be deployed to interesting ends. Oliver Tanner's Reclining Steel Figure, for instance, is what it says it is, but is so evocative in its lines as to create a real sense of human embodiment, and those two qualities stand (recline?) in a sort of syllogistic opposition. Or take Jimmy Rix's Stumpy, a truncated-looking chainsaw — stumpy in form — carved out of ironbark timber (a stump of it). Irony! Looking at sculpture is looking at the clever human ability to make things into and out of what they are not, requiring awareness of how shapes and materials and ideas all inform the way we understand what something is, and that what it is is what it means. And — honest! — it feels like a less convoluted project than I've described it as here when you're doing it.
