Here's an incredibly obvious but still always true statement: the finest sushi you'll ever eat is found in Tokyo. That's just a delicious reality, but so is struggling to get into the best sushi joints during your Japan holiday because they're impossible to book. Thanks to Melbourne eatery Uminono, however, there's now a tour jetting out of Australia this spring that'll let you spend five nights eating your way through Tokyo's finest sushi restaurants. And yes, it takes care of all the reservations for you — including to quite the selection of exclusive spots. First, you'd best check your bank account. The Uminono x Plan Japan Luxury Sushi Discovery Experience doesn't come cheap, costing $9600 if you're willing to share a room and $11,900 if you want to bunk solo. But that fat stack of cash will get you the kind of Tokyo holiday you've only dreamed of, as co-guided by Uminono sushi chef Arnaud Laidebeur. Between Sunday, September 25–Friday, September 30 — departing out of Melbourne, and presumably assuming that Japan allows tourists back in by that time — this trip will hit up the likes of eight-seater boutique Sushi Amamoto, which boasts two Michelin stars, plus acclaimed chef Masamichi Amamoto in the kitchen; and Sugita, an extremely well-known standout that uses traditional Edomae skills to make its sushi. Also on the list are Ginza's Hakkoku, a six-seater that serves up to 30 different fish varieties; and Sushi Kimura, which is all about aged sushi and non-conventional fish varieties. While sushi is the main focus, the tour also includes a range of Tokyo fine-diners with a particular focus on French-Japanese fusion. So, that means a meal at the world-acclaimed Sugalabo, as well as Florilège and Été, with the latter only seating up to four guests a day. The exact itinerary hasn't been locked in just yet, but other restaurants on the list include Arai, Shimazu, Takamitsu and Sushi Ryujiro among the sushi spots; Ode from the French-Japanese eateries; and also eight-seater upmarket seafood and steak joint Tacubo, yakitori standouts Torishiki and Yakitori Eiki, yakiniku spot Yoroniku, the wagyu-covering Wagyumafia, Toyosu market, and a heap of street food and ramen places. Only six seats are available for the tour's September dates — so if this'll let you live your sushi dreams, and you can afford it, getting in quick is obviously recommended. And, you'll be slumbering in hotels to match the luxe culinary experience on offer, such as Palace Hotel Tokyo in the Marunouchi district and Shangri-La Tokyo, which is right near Tokyo Station. The Uminono x Plan Japan Luxury Sushi Discovery Experience arrives in Tokyo on Sunday, September 25, then returns to Melbourne on Friday, September 30. For more information or to register your interest, head to the Plan Japan website.
Sydney's love affair with escape rooms has reached an all time high. These interactive experiences will transport you through films, history, space and time — and it's up to your team to solve the puzzles and make it back to reality within 60 minutes. Become a post-war spy, a Mexican cartel leader, Sherlock Holmes, a pirate or an CIA agent, or enter someone's dreams Inception-style, get locked in an asylum and embrace the world of the paranormal. With so many options to choose from, we've made it a bit easier by narrowing it down to our favourite. Here are Sydney's best escape rooms — how many can you solve? THE CIPHER ROOM, NEWTOWN This post-war, spy-themed escape room has been a staple in Newtown since back in 2016. The Cipher Room is the brainchild of husband and wife duo David Vella and Marise Watson, who channeled their love of puzzles into one of Sydney's most-loved immersive experiences. All of the props and materials have been sourced from local vintage shops, which gives the space a real old-school feel. At the moment, The Cipher Room offers three different experiences, each suitable for groups of two-to-eight. The first is called Espionage: it's set in 1945 and the mission is to track down the mysterious Agent M. The second is set in a 1950s New York hotel, where players are the private investigators in their own black and white film noir. In the third, you're a team of detectives investigating a serial killer in an abandoned cabin. How much? $40–47 per person. EXPEDITION ESCAPE ROOMS, REDFERN The Expedition brand expanded from Canberra to Sydney in 2018, snatching up Cope Street digs and launching with The Forgotten Son. One of Sydney's more unique escape room experiences, the journey lead players on a dangerous trek through the Australian outback. The room's historic theme follows a distinguished character from Australian folklore. It promises to transport your group from the inner city straight back in time to the door of an old tin shack — through which the eerie sound of a sobbing child can be heard. As with most escape rooms, players will have up to one hour to follow clues and complete the course, with a maximum of six players allowed in at once. Two more rooms — dubbed The Nuclear Decision and Return of the King (it'll be medieval themed) — will open in Expedition soon, too, so keep an eye on this space. Expedition Escape Rooms Redfern (reopening soon) and Gladesville (reopening October 1) are currently closed for renovation, with brand new rooms coming soon. Head to the website for updates. How much? $42–48. SOCIAL ESCAPE, ALEXANDRIA Social Escape's four different rooms are filled with the usual riddles, puzzles, mind games and mysteries. Start with the Paris Escape in which you have one hour to find your passport and plane tickets within the confines of a gorgeous Parisian hotel. Then there's a Sherlock Holmes murder-mystery room (set in Victorian-era London, of course), a bank heist with a diamond-filled vault and one called Ransom, where you'll need to decipher a ransom note in order to save a kidnapped loved one. How much? $45 a person. [caption id="attachment_778497" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Temporal Tangle Online[/caption] ENIGMA ROOM, CBD Pitt Street's Enigma Room offers two immersive experiences that promise to transport you into the middle of films like Looper and Inception. The former is titled Temporal Tangle, in which players are employed by the Future Directions Bureau to track down agent Fox and preserve the 21st-century timeline. The latter, In Memorandum, sees your team try to save a woman in a coma by travelling into her consciousness — while trying to avoid being permanently stuck in her memories. How much? $35–45. NEXT LEVEL ESCAPE, CBD This CBD favourite doesn't just offer an escape room experience along O'Connell Street. It also designs and build custom escape rooms for pop-up experiences — including for movies, week-long activities and school outings. Those include Enigma Room's Temporal Tangle, which Next Level Escape designed and now also offers as an online experience through its own website. Not surprisingly, its in-house experiences are impressive in their own right, too. At the moment, you can investigate an alien artefact with the CIA, join a TV game show and go head-to-head with other players, or immerse yourself in the world of literature — with this room duplicated into two, allowing 16 players at once. How much? $45–55. PANIQ ROOM, THE ROCKS Paniq Room puts participants in some seriously precarious situations. There's even one that splits your group up from the start, called Supercell 117, in which you'll begin in two separate (and very smoky) prison cells, all hand-cuffed and blindfolded. It's one eerie experience — especially if there are just two of you playing. You can also navigate the secrets of a famous magician's mansion, trying not to fall for the many tricks around the corner. There's one inspired by The Godfather and another similar to Jumanji, too. The rooms are designed for all ages, but not for those who get spooked easily. How much? $40–47. PARRAPARK, MACQUARIE PARK For those who are into the spooky side of immersive theatre, it's time for a group trip to northern Sydney. ParraPark's namesake escape room, Paranormal, sends players to rescue possessed captives from a very creepy abandoned building. Yep, this one will renew your belief in ghosts. If you're looking for a less nightmarish option, the mysterious Crime Scene room will have you acting as police detectives who are taking on an epic cold case. Parrapark hails from Budapest and has become a favourite among Sydneysiders since opening, so is a must visit for escape room fanatics. How much? $37–50. LABYRINTH, PARRAMATTA Obsessed with Narcos and love to imagine what the dangerous lifestyle of a cartel leader is really like? Parramatta's Labyrinth escape room has capitalised on the popularity of the Netflix mega-series by creating its own 'real-life' version of the show — where you can immerse yourself in the show's themes without actually being in harm's way. If this is a little too real for you, other options include a cursed circus with a well-kept (and ghoulish) secret. Or you can get locked inside the confines of an asylum with a convicted murdered on the loose. These are all quite intense, but will definitely get that adrenaline going. How much? $40. BREAK THE CODE, HAYMARKET Movie-lovers will want to opt for Break the Code in Haymarket, where all of the escape rooms are loosely based on film and television. There's the Da Vinci Code room, where you explore the secrets within a cryptic mansion; an Indiana Jones-themed room, in which your group will search the Guatemalan jungle for a lost relic within a Mayan temple; an Avatar room that'll transport you to 2090, in the midst of a deadly Ebola-X virus; and a Lost room, which will see you as passengers needing to escape from the plane wreckage. Each room allows two-to-eight players and ranges from easy to difficult, so choose your team wisely. How much? $40. Top image: Expedition Escape Room
Following a huge ground-floor renovation, the Harbord Hotel reopened at the beginning of 2021 with a new-look terrace and main bar, a new head chef, and a commitment to surf culture and live music. The historic hotel is keeping to that focus with the launch of Froth Fest, a new 11-day festival centred around surfing and encompassing art, film, music, food and drink. Froth Fest is taking over the Freshwater spot between Friday, April 16–Monday, April 26 to coincide with the the 2021 World Surfing League Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic. The stacked program is full of talks, demos, film screenings, exhibitions and gigs that celebrate the area's love of surfing and storied history with the ocean. "Sydney's Northern Beaches have been an incubator for surf culture for more than 60 years, producing some of the greatest heroes, larrikins and infamous characters in surfing and Australian counter-culture," said Harbord Hotel owner Glenn Piper. "Froth Fest is a celebration of their art, their films, their song, their history." In one of the program's big highlights, seven-time world champion surfer Layne Beachley will host a lunch-and-learn session accompanied by a three-course set menu in the Harbord Hotel's Balsa dining room on Thursday, April 22. Throughout the rest of the program, you'll find an exhibition about pro surfer Peter Crawford, another from designer Steve Gorrow, a screening of surf film Men of Wood & Foam, surfboard demos from multiple brands, a longboarding competition and an ANZAC Day dawn service. On Wednesday, April 21, Triple J favourite Ruby Fields will bring her unique brand of punk and indie rock to the hotel for an intimate set with support from Love Drunk Hearts — and on Monday, April 26, podcast hosts The Swellians are throwing an unofficial Surfing League afterparty to close out the festival.
When That's Not Me begins, it's with a black screen and an Oscar speech — and then a toilet and a can of air freshener. Polly Cuthbert (Alice Foulcher) is practicing for the acclaim and awards she hopes will come, but it's clear the aspiring actress still has a way to go. But hey, she's determined. Working at a cinema, turning down soap operas, and waiting to audition for Jared Leto's new HBO show are part of her slow-and-steady approach to carving out a serious career. And it might've worked, if her identical twin sister Amy hadn't started living out Polly's wildest acting fantasies instead. That's Not Me is more than just the title of this smart, funny and perceptive Australian comedy from writer-director Gregory Erdstein and writer-star Foulcher. It's also what Polly finds herself telling her sibling's fans when they start accosting her wherever she goes. Moreover, in a movie that explores the reality that lifelong dreams don't always work out as planned, it offers audiences a clever reminder: there's nothing wrong with not having the life and job you thought you would when you were a kid. Call it a quarter-life-crisis portrait, a faking-it-without-making-it character study, or a not-quite-slacker story. Whichever label you choose, they all fit the bill. As familiar as all of that may sound, the film also deserves to be described as earnest, astute, insightful and thoroughly amusing. Brimming with well-observed scenarios, characters and emotions, it's the kind of movie that makes you feel like you might've seen it all before, only to delight you as you realise you haven't. Frankly, it's the type of flick you could easily imagine remade around an unhappy New Yorker. And yet despite that, it wears its local-and-proud-of-it heart on its sleeve — even while making jokes about the stereotype that no one watches Aussie films. Indeed, this is a movie that is both universal and unmistakably Australian – and that's just one of many delicate balancing acts that That's Not Me achieves. Gags about Jared Leto and the superficial nature of the film industry sit alongside jabs at Neighbours and Home and Away, as well a brief appearance from Andrew O'Keefe. It takes a similar amount of skill to plot a story filled with highs and lows, while maintaining an awareness that life usually exists somewhere in between. The movie's look and feel further blends a variety of elements, from a fond but never rosy view of Melbourne, to music that leans towards the '80s without wallowing in nostalgia, to pacing that feels brisk but never rushed. Of course the biggest juggling task sits with Foulcher, and not just because she's playing twins. Rather than filling the movie with sisters in the thick of sibling rivalry, this is really a flick about Polly's unrealised dreams, and Foulcher gives her character all of the dimensions you'd expect — plus some you might not. Her character's not always sympathetic, but she's certainly relatable, with the actress delivering an immensely likeable and layered turn. If there's any justice, this gem of a film will be remembered in the exact same way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C-78QW3xq8
"For never was a story of more woe," said William Shakespeare of Romeo & Juliet. To be accurate, he had the iconic play announce that itself in its second-last line. In the four centuries since the famed tale was first penned, never was there a tragic romance that's better known, either. Few works have been adapted and performed as much as this story of the warring Montague and Capulet families, and the heartbreak that ensues when their children fall in love — but Benjamin Millepied's Romeo & Juliet suite still stands out. Sydney audiences can now discover why for themselves, with the world-famous choreographer's take on Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers making its Aussie debut. Playing exclusively at the Sydney Opera House from Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 9, the ballet is filling the Joan Sutherland Theatre and other spaces with a mix of dance, theatre and cinema that defies genres, as well as a modernisation of the narrative that sees love first, not gender. Three versions comprise the suite, each with a different couple. On the production's first night and its Saturday matinee, an all-male pairing will bring Romeo & Juliet to life. On the second evening and the Saturday night, two female dancers will play the lead parts. And on the Friday and Sunday, a male-female duo will take to the stage. Millepied's Romeo & Juliet hails from the LA Dance Project, which he co-founded and acts as its Artistic Director. The company's ensemble are performing on the opera house's stage and also throughout the building, which is then broadcast live back to the audience inside the Joan Sutherland Theatre. So, the Romeo & Juliet suite plays with form, too — and even if you think you've seen every iteration of R&J before, this one is unique. Bringing the ballet Down Under for the first time marks Millepied's latest project in Australia. His last: making his film directorial debut with Carmen, which starred Melissa Barrera (Abigail) and Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers), reimagined Prosper Mérimée's novella and Georges Bizet's opera, and shot in the outback New South Wales town of Broken Hill. The dancer, choreographer and filmmaker's resume before that spans joining the New York Ballet as a teen, choreographing and co-starring in Black Swan, a stint as Paris Opera Ballet's Director of Dance and creating the sandwalk for Denis Villeneuve's versions of Dune. Images: Julien Benhamou, Paul Bourdrel and Josh Rose.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ivHf4ODMi4 JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH The last time that Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield appeared in the same film, Get Out was the end result. Their shared scene in Jordan Peele's Oscar-winning horror movie isn't easily forgotten (if you've seen the feature, it will have instantly popped into your head while you're reading this), and neither is Judas and the Black Messiah, their next exceptional collaboration. With Kaluuya starring as the Black Panther Party's Illinois Chairman Fred Hampton and Stanfield playing William O'Neal, the man who infiltrated his inner circle as an informant for the FBI, the pair is still tackling race relations. Here, though, the duo does so in a ferocious historical drama set in the late 60s. The fact that O'Neal betrays Hampton isn't a spoiler; it's a matter of fact, and the lens through which writer/director Shaka King (Newlyweeds) and his co-scribes Kenneth Lucas, Keith Lucas (actors on Lady Dynamite) and Will Berson (Scrubs) view the last period of Hampton's life. The magnetic Kaluuya has already won a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for his performance, and is bound to be nominated for and likely win an Oscar as well — and if he wants to keep acting opposite Stanfield in movies this invigorating, ardent, resonant and essential, audiences won't complain. It's 1966 when O'Neal falls afoul of the law for trying to impersonate an FBI agent to steal a vehicle. With J Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen, Grace and Frankie) directing his employees to "prevent the rise of a 'messiah' who could unify and electrify the militant black nationalist movement" — his real-life words — the car thief is offered a deal by actual FBI Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons, I'm Thinking of Ending Things). If O'Neal cosies up to Hampton, then reports back on his comings, goings, political moves and general plans, he'll avoid jail. Initially apprehensive, he acquiesces to keep his freedom. With Hampton's raging speeches earning him a firm following, and his charisma and canny strategies broadening the crowds hanging on his words, O'Neal's task isn't minor. And the further he ingratiates himself into Hampton's confidence, becoming his head of security, the more he's torn about keeping tabs and doing the government's increasingly nefarious bidding. This isn't just a story about one young Black man coerced into bringing down a rising leader and revolutionary, however. It's also a tale about the figure who mobilised the masses as Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X had, until he was shot while he slept at the age of just 21. And, it's an account of the powers-that-be's abject fear of progress, equality, and the crusaders willing to put their lives on the line to fight for justice and a better world. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBjcbZla2cA GIRLS CAN'T SURF Exploring the gender imbalance in professional surfing, especially during the 80s and 90s as women in the sport were starting to attract the world's attention, Girls Can't Surf feels like a floodgates-bursting documentary. Watching female stars of the era talk about their experiences, including the vast disparity in prize money between men and women and how that affected their efforts to make a living, it's easy to see this candid and detailed film setting a template for a wealth of other movies. As fans of any type of women's sport well and truly know, differing treatment, pay, sponsorship and levels of respect aren't restricted to hitting the waves. Indeed, as the doco's high-profile parade of talking heads offer their thoughts and recollections — such as former world champions Frieda Zamba, Wendy Botha, Pam Burridge, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen and Layne Beachley — many of their words could be uttered by any number of female athletes in a wide range of fields. That truth doesn't undercut the doco's power, or downplay what women surfers have been through. Rather, it underscores the importance of continually shining a light on the way the sporting arena has routinely sidelined, undermined and devalued anyone who isn't male. "If you can't see it, you can't be it" is one of Girls Can't Surf's resonant and universal sound bites, and it's easily applicable far beyond the film's specific stories and the sport in focus. Indeed, when Beachley talks about how she used to mill around surfing contests as a teen starting out in the field, and annoy the ladies she'd soon be competing against, you can see those words in action; if earlier generations of women hadn't already been hanging ten, Australia's seven-time champ wouldn't have had any footsteps to follow in. The film is filled with astute insights and telling connections such as these. It all leads to the well-publicised recent development, only back in 2018, of equal winnings for men and women being mandated by the World Surf League from 2019 onwards. That happy ending benefits today's stars, such as Stephanie Gilmore, Tyler Wright and Carissa Moore, but it came too late for Girls Can't Surf's interviewees. Once again, knowing that significant change has finally come to the sport doesn't diminish the potency of hearing about the horrors, struggles and rampant sexism that female surfers endured for decades — with two-time feature surf documentarian Christopher Nelius (Storm Surfers 3D) smartly bringing those tales to the fore, and the people sharing them as well. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb9PBr7Qhec MAX RICHTER'S SLEEP Since first opening its doors back in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has played host to a wealth of performances, spanning far further in genre than just the art form that gives the venue its name. But it was only during Vivid Live 2016 that the iconic locale serenaded visitors into an evening-long slumber, all as part of Max Richter's live recital of his eight-and-a-half hour work Sleep. Across 31 tracks comprised of 204 movements, the German-born British composer's concept album unfurls music based on the neuroscience of getting some shuteye. In its intonation, the ambitious yet soothing piece favours the range that can be heard in the womb for much of its duration. When performed for an audience, it is played overnight, with beds set up — and doing as the work's title suggests is highly encouraged. Attendees recline, listen and let Richter's blend of strings, synthesisers and soprano vocals lull them into the land of nod. If they'd prefer to stay awake, that's fine as well, but soaking in Sleep's ambient sounds while you're snatching 40 winks is all very much part of the experience. In its live version, Sleep has echoed through spaces in London, Berlin and Paris, too; however, it's the first openair performance in Los Angeles' Grand Park in 2018 that takes pride of place in the documentary Max Richter's Sleep. A filmmaker was always bound to be so fascinated with the concept that they'd turn their lens Richter's way, and that director is Natalie Johns (an Emmy nominee for Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live in Concert), who endeavours to capture the experience for those who haven't had the pleasure themselves. The resulting film doesn't run for more than eight hours, or anywhere close — but those watching and listening will quickly wish that it did. As a feature, Max Richter's Sleep isn't designed to advertise its namesake. Rather, it documents, explores and tries to understand it. Still, the movie so easily draws viewers into the music, and so deeply, that making its audience want to snooze in public while Richter and his band plays is a guaranteed side effect. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZSLvFo0eus COSMIC SIN Reminding viewers of far better movies while they're watching yours isn't a smart or recommended filmmaking tactic, but it's what writer/director Edward Drake (Broil) does best with Cosmic Sin. By casting Bruce Willis in this science fiction slog, it immediately brings The Fifth Element to mind. That influential 1997 movie just keeps inspiring flicks that don't feature Willis of late — see also: Chaos Walking — but it leaves a particularly heavy imprint here. Indeed, it's impossible not to think of the rosier era in the actor's career that The Fifth Element represents as Willis is grimacing his way through scene after scene in Cosmic Sin, and visibly putting in zero effort. It's difficult not to think of 1998's Armageddon, too, a movie that isn't at all great but is certainly better than this new space war-fuelled picture. Drake clearly wants audiences to make these connections, which is why his feature spends far more time than it should watching Willis meander around looking unimpressed and wearing plastic armour, all while playing a disgraced military head honcho on the comeback trail. And, it must be why the film squanders Frank Grillo, who also hasn't had a great run of late (as seen in Jiu Jitsu and Boss Level), but has been screaming for years for a movie that makes the most of his presence. The year is 2524. Earth is now an old hand at attempting to colonise other planets. And when one such celestial body tried to break away five years earlier, Willis' James Ford handled it by committing mass murder. Now, a group of aliens from a just-discovered civilisation is attempting to give humans a taste of their own medicine. Ford is brought back as part of a ragtag team tasked with defending life as everyone 500 years in the future knows it, which also includes General Eron Ryle (Grillo), his nephew Braxton (Brandon Thomas Lee, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser), quantum tech Fiona Ardene (Adelaide Kane, Once Upon a Time) and fellow veteran Marcus Bleck (Costas Mandylor, In Like Flynn). Cue a movie that's never as over-the-top as it needs to be to keep viewers even remotely interested, and a bland affair all-round. The film's fondness for tech jargon-heavy nonsense dialogue doesn't help. Cosmic Sin's vision of the future — including its laughable robot bartenders — also looks as awkward as its narrative and performances feel. And while Drake and his co-writer Corey Large (Breach, and also a co-star here) endeavour to ponder deeper themes, including humanity's historical penchant for exploring the world and conquering everything in sight, that too proves flimsy. It isn't intentional, but Willis' bored look says everything it needs to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVOH9540Sbg THEN CAME YOU With film distributors playing it coy and cautious when it comes to releasing their hopeful box office hits during the pandemic, movies that mightn't have otherwise made their way into cinemas are currently getting a shot at the big screen. In some cases, that's excellent news for small but exceptional features that would've likely been dwarfed by blockbusters. In others, flicks that no one should have to pay to endure are also reaching theatres. Then Came You falls into the latter category. A vanity project for American talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford, who stars in and wrote the not-at-all romantic or comedic rom-com, it'd test patience even if it was watched with just one eye half-open and after several drinks in the middle of a long-haul flight. As well as lazily using culture-clash tropes to throw obstacles in the way of its chalk-and-cheese central duo — a newly widowed American hardware shop owner (Gifford, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming) and the Scottish Lord (Craig Ferguson, Hot in Cleveland) whose crumbling mansion she books for the first stop on a globe-hopping getaway — this trite affair hasn't met a clunky double entendre it didn't love, or a predictable plot development that can be seen from Nantucket to Scotland. First, Annabelle Wilson and Howard Awd converse via email, which Then Came You has the pair read aloud in its opening moments. Then, she announces to her empty house that she has to make new memories or the old ones will kill her, heads to the UK, is shocked that Scotland has working trains, and alternates between flirting and arguing with her host. He has a sob story, too, and he's also struggling to retain his sprawling, stereotypical-looking estate. He has a high-powered London-based bride-to-be (Elizabeth Hurley, Runaways) as well — but there's never any doubting how Then Came You will end. Rom-coms frequently stick to a template; however, it is possible to liven up a creaky formula with snappy dialogue and warm, charismatic performances. As directed with the forceful gloss of a TV commercial by second-time feature helmer Adriana Trigiani (Big Stone Gap) and often set to the same repeated song (also co-written by Gifford), this film sadly struggles with both its core rapport and its leading lady's overacting. He's worlds away from his own former TV hosting gig on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and from his sitcom tole on The Drew Carey Show, but the fact that the reliably charming Ferguson fares best here, even with the grating material, hardly comes as a surprise. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3, December 10, December 17, December 26; and January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; and March 4. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom, Sound of Metal, The Witches, The Midnight Sky, The Furnace, Wonder Woman 1984, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles, Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking and Raya and the Last Dragon.
There are plenty of aspects of lockdown that suck, but one giant ray of sunshine through the whole experience has been all the top-notch, inventive takeaway options coming from some of our favourite Sydney businesses. One such restaurant is Redfern's Bart Jr. The Pitt Street spot is cooking up a range of lockdown specials including date night packs, heat-at-home meals and fancy panko-crumbed market-fresh ling Fillet-O-Fishes — but the crowning jewel of Bart Jr's lockdown menu is its lobster roll. Piled high with fresh WA Rock Lobster, NSW Clarence River king prawns, tarragon, chive and horseradish, Bary Jr's lobster rolls are available every Friday from the restaurant's takeaway window — lovingly named Bart Mart. With local lobster prices lower right now due to slower international trading, the Bart Jr team jumped at the opportunity to add a more affordable lobster dish to its menu. The rolls were originally created as a one-off dish, but after a huge community response, they've been added to the Bart Mart menu as a weekly Friday item. "I had about 50 people on Instagram message me asking if they could pre-order for next time, and so many people came by afterwards and said, 'please do it again'," Bart Jr owner George Woodyard said. If you miss out on a lobster roll you can pre-order a beef brisket roll packed with cheddar, zucchini pickles and chipotle mayo, available every Saturday. You can also keep your eyes on the Bart Jr Instagram for weekly deals. Last week's date night pack was filled with fried halloumi dusted in a za'atar-spiced semolina, 12-hour slow-roasted lamb shoulder, orange and polenta cake and a set of two bottled cocktails. At Bart Jr's Instagram you'll also find the details on how you can pre-order both hot rolls and DIY at-home dinners. Once you pre-order, you can pick up your lockdown dishes between 12–3pm, Thursday–Saturday. [caption id="attachment_824127" align="alignnone" width="1920"] George Woodyard, Destination NSW[/caption] Images: Destination NSW
Australia is widely regarded as a beer-swilling nation. Yet beer consumption is at its lowest in over 60 years. Wine and cider no longer prompt confusion or smirking, and whisky is certainly no longer for grizzled men of bygone days slumped over a wood-panelled bar. Our tastes have become more adventurous. By no means has our love of alcohol disappeared; instead, we are increasingly looking through a glass, darkly. With that in mind, Concrete Playground is turning our bleary and debauched eyes to whisky. While whisky is more popular than ever, a lot of newcomers are thrown by how and where to drink it. With the help of Lewis Jaffrey, head barman at Sydney's The Baxter Inn, we're here to help lead you through the ins and outs of whisky drinking. Why should I be drinking whisky? That's the million-dollar question. There seems to be something about whisky that appeals to everybody. "It's popular with everybody from 18-year-old girls who've never been in a bar before to 70-year-old CEOs," says Jaffrey, "They all seem to come down here and have a common interest for drinking whisky". What is whisky made from? Whisky is essentially liquid bread. The same ingredients you find in your morning toast — grains like barley, rye and wheat — are fermented and stored in wooden casks, aged for a non-specific amount of time, and pop out the other end as a bottle of whisky. While both Scotland and Ireland claim to be the birthplace of whiskey, it's hardly a debate we're going to settle. For now, let's just call it an even draw. Blends vs Malts: what's the difference? Whiskies tend to be either blends or single malts. A blended whisky is made when somebody takes liquid from different distilleries and blends it with a grain whisky, which is relatively cheap to produce. Blends, therefore, can be excellent for cheapskates, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're an inferior product. A single malt, on the other hand, is liquid produced exclusively from the same distillery. It might have been produced over a number of years to get a consistent flavour, but as long as it's from the same distillery you have yourself a single malt. Whiskey around the world What we generally consider to be whisky is Scotch whisky, but Scotland is by no means the only whisky-producing nation. The other big players are Ireland and America. Traditionally, Irish whiskey* is triple distilled (Scotch is distilled twice) and tends to be smoother and easier to drink. That's often why you'll associate Irish whiskey with your grandfather (to make a sweeping generalisation). American whiskey, on the other hand, tends to be sweeter and have a spicy quality, as anybody acquainted with Jack Daniels will be all too aware. Another big producer of whisky is Japan, who according to Jaffrey "took what Scotland does as an art form and turned it into a science". If you want to see what a whisky from India or Wales tastes like, inquire at your nearest whisky bar. How to drink whisky Whether you drink it wearing a dinner jacket with your other hand caressing a fine cigar, or whether you drink it during the wee hours in a booze-soaked dive, the real lesson is that you should drink whisky in whatever way suits you best. If you're starting off, you might want to have a bite to eat first; whisky is 40 percent alcohol and you don't want to wind up sprawled in the gutter staring at the stars too early in the evening. Jaffrey recommends starting off with a whisky and apple juice. This is popular at both The Baxter Inn and Shady Pines, so no need to be put off by the 'apple juice' part. If you're not at either of these joints hosted by Sydney's whisky afficionados, starting with a whisky cocktail will be best. The first time you drink whisky is like being slapped in the throat, and as with any first time, you want to make it as gentle as possible. Gradually you can begin mixing it with water, or sipping whisky on the rocks, which will chill the alcohol and make it easier for your body to cope with. But drinking whisky neat doesn't have to be the end goal of the process. In the end, it's whatever makes you and your taste buds happy. Image by Dominick Guzzo via cc licence. Talk like a pro While we in no way encourage you to become like this guy, there are certain terms and phrases that it might be useful to learn. Something sweet and fragrant is, like wine, often described as 'fruity'. 'Woody' whiskies have a smokey quality about them, while 'peaty' whiskies tend to be very strong smelling, a bit like tar or even iodine. At the end of the day, you can probably settle for the standard, "I like that one" or "eurgh that's dreadful". You don't want to over-intellectualise whisky; you want to enjoy it. Storing whisky Unlike wine, you'll be hard pressed to find a bottle of whisky that's gone off. Whisky is generally easy to look after, but there are some common-sense measures to keep in mind. Store your bottles in cool, dark places, and make sure, once it's opened, that there's no air getting in. Famous Whisky Drinkers Bar rooms full of endearing drunks had a love of whisky running in their veins. William Faulkner was rarely without a bottle upon his person at any one time and is remembered to have declared, "isn't anythin' ah got whisky won't cure." Faulkner once showed up to a Hollywood script meeting and sliced open his finger trying to uncap a whisky bottle. Instead of cutting the meeting short he dragged a wastepaper basket over so that he could gulp whisky with one hand and drip blood with the other. Another noted devotee was Winston Churchill, who had a bottomless capacity for the stuff and regularly took whisky at breakfast. The most renowned fictional character, of course, is Don Draper. With every act of business or sexual brilliance he seemed to have an Old Fashioned by his side, and arguably the popularity of Mad Men helped kickstart the resurgent interest in whisky. Whisky on a budget As with all things alcohol, you know what you're getting yourself into if you order the drink from the top of the list. At The Baxter Inn, their house whisky is an award-winning blend made by Ballantine, being sold at a mere $8 a glass, and there's a whole range of excellent whiskies that come in at $10 a pop. For that price, you should be able to get an excellent drink at whatever establishment you're drowning your sorrows in. The Best Whisky Bars in Sydney There are many fine bars in Sydney with a healthy selection of whiskies, but there are some that stand out above the rest. Our first recommendation, naturally, is The Baxter Inn. With over 500 whiskies, a pro-choice attitude to drinking, and a dissolute pre-war atmosphere, they are one of the first places you should head to if you're really keen to learn about whisky. The other sure favourite is, of course, Shady Pines, which loves whisky just as much as Baxter but comes in the form of a classic American-themed saloon you'd fully expect to find Johnny Cash drinking in (but he's dead, so you probably won't). Our other favourites are Palmer and Co., the Merivale take on Prohibition, and Shirt Bar, a man's bar for men who like their shirts pressed, their coffee strong, and their whisky smooth. *The spelling of 'whisky' (versus 'whiskey') is a source of some contention. 'Whisky' is the general spelling in Australian English, although Irish and American whiskies usually go by their own preferred spelling: 'whiskey'.
Behind the Betta Meats butchery facade, you'll find a secret but beloved cocktail bar: Earl's Juke Joint. It has been around since 2013 and remained a firm Newtown favourite since then. Owner and ex-Shady Pines head honcho Pasan Wijesana has pulled off the seemingly impossible — soul without kitsch — and given King Street a grown-up bar with a New Orleans edge. On the spectrum of masculine broody, the Earl's decor comes in at about the 'thick with bourbon' mark — you could be forgiven for swearing there is a haze of cigarette smoke in the air. They have gone with a basic but effective design brief: dim yellow lighting, dark wood and corrugated iron, topped off by faces like Fats Waller and T-Bone Walker looking down at a comfortably eclectic crowd from the whitewash walls. The feature of the bar, is, well, the bar; a goliath amongst bar tops that coolly dominates the space and invites you to take a seat. If you're not so keen on bartender banter there are a few booths at the back of the room, and plenty of side tables if you're after a touch of privacy. Once you've secured a menu look over the house rules. Rule # 2: 'Don't be creepy' is a built-in conversation starter (or ender) for those on dates. Move on down the menu to the cocktail list, which rotates through eight options every two months and uses native ingredients like saltbush and kaffir lime. If cocktails aren't your port of call, there is plenty else to love about Earl's extensive beer list, which has taken a turn toward mainly Australian and New Zealand craft. Like the cocktail list, it too changes regularly but has an intriguing roster of local legends Wildflower, Yullis, and Philter as well as craft breweries further afield. Wines take a heavy natural and organic lean, with rare 'cult' drops making an appearance every month. The only disappointment here was that we didn't get to see Rule # 5: 'If Triumph by the Wu-Tang Clan plays there will momentarily be no bar service. At least for the first verse anyway.' Updated April 28, 2023.
A Sydney mainstay and enthusiast of all caloric affairs, Mary's, is expanding into a new AM enterprise with the launch of a weekend brunch menu exclusive to its North Sydney outpost. The new fixture fixates on the most important meal of the day after a wildly successful pop-up event in June, where the restaurant trialled an all-day breakfast menu for a week. The menu is available every Saturday and Sunday from 9am–2pm, beginning on Father's Day weekend. "We had such a great response to the pop-up and had so much fun creating this menu. Launching it in sync with Father's Day weekend is just perfect timing for all those hungry, thirsty dads," said Mary's co-founder Jake Smyth. There are a few ways to tuck into the menu. If you're partial to a bottomless brunch, $55 per head will set you up with Mary's brunch classics alongside free-flowing mimosas, bloody marys, house wine or beer, and Loggerhead filter coffee. Or, pace yourself and spare the belt notches with a step-by-step exploration of the à la carte collection. Get that bottomless filter coffee coming and settle into your TV-show-detective morning routine with doughnuts by the piece or in a half dozen. Seeking something savoury? Take your pick from egg and cheese muffins, bacon and sausage stacks, biscuits in gravy or a full brekkie burger — with a sausage patty, 'trashcan' bacon, fried egg, cheese, hash brown, smoked maple syrup and house HP. There's a vegetarian take too, with a stack of mushrooms, fried egg, hash browns and smoked ketchup. Keeping with big breakfast tradition, there are pancakes too, which come in stacks ranging from classic to chaotic. On one end of the spectrum is the Classic Stack adorned with whipped butter and maple syrup, and on the other end is The Widow Maker, topped with bacon, patties, eggs and hash browns. You'll want to skip dinner the night before for the latter. All that food got you extra thirsty? Mary's classic $10 margs are available just as you'd find them at other Mary's venues, and the weekend brunch offering also offers mimosas, palomas and Spicy Pickle Margaritas, if you need a little hair of the dog. Mary's North Sydney will launch the new weekend brunch menu on Saturday, September 5. Find it at T16/155-189 Miller Street, North Sydney, 2060. Open from Monday–Sunday, hours vary. Find out more and make a booking via the website.
The wait has felt like forever, but season five of Stranger Things is almost here. One day after the show hits Netflix on Thursday, November 27, Luna Park Sydney will also host the return of Stranger Things: The Experience. Having made a hugely popular debut earlier this year, this trip into the Upside Down is back by popular demand. Get ready to visit 1986 — and also Hawkins, Indiana, of course — in what promises to be an interactive stint of Stranger Things-loving fun. Locations from the show are part of the setup, as is a supernatural mystery. And yes, you can expect to feel nostalgic, even if you don't have your own memories of the 80s, because you hadn't been born yet. However, Stranger Things: The Experience isn't just about visiting recreations of settings that you've seen while watching Eleven and the gang. The installation features its own storyline, where playing along means trying to save Hawkins from yet another threat. Jam-packed with 80s nostalgia, this highly engaging journey is primed for the show's biggest fans. Just step into the Hawkins Lab, filled with dazzling special effects and strange surprises, or swing through Mix-Tape — a neon space brimming with retro 80s fun. Here, you'll sip themed cocktails, capture pics in the photobooth and roam iconic locations from the show while encountering a mysterious cast of characters.
Sydney's lockout laws might doing a good job of raining on your late-night parade, but it seems they're no match for David James and Brett Ayton, who've launched a weekly after-hours party at Darlinghurst's Club 77. Called Afters, it's the ultimate serve of breakfast fun, kicking on from 5am until noon each Sunday. Boasting great cocktails and a top-notch international DJ program, it's a primo situation for revelers keen to extend their nighttime shenanigans, or hopso kids looking for some after-work fun of their own. It's already proved a serious hit, just two months in. Of course, the whole thing's entirely above board — while Club 77's usual operations run to 3am, these guys won't kick things off until 5am when the lockout ends. There'll also be the odd 15-hour venue takeover which will run right through, but with no drinks sold between 3-5am and no entry from 1.30-5am. The next of these is presented with CAUSE on December 9 and 10, featuring a marathon lineup of tunes from the likes of East End Dubs, Jake Hough and Alex Ludlow. For more information about Afters, check them out on Facebook.
The laws of the universe stipulate that every workplace employs at least one person who is vehemently opposed to organised fun. But we'd argue that's because it's all too easy to fall back on underwhelming group activities that involve shuffling around jugs of beer or chocolate swiss rolls (both of which are delicious, mind you). If you're tasked with overseeing team bonding activities for your office, it's time to prove the naysayers wrong with some more inspiring options that'll keep the whole crew entertained. In partnership with American Express, we've pulled together a list of local experiences that'll get you and your colleagues out of the office and embracing forced fun.
Back in 2012, when Daniel Radcliffe was initially trying to shake a certain boy wizard from his system — before everything from Swiss Army Man and The Lost City to Miracle Workers and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story firmly helped — he stepped into a different kind of supernatural thrills. His first post-Harry Potter role saw him take on The Woman in Black, a gothic-horror tale that pitted him against a curse and a ghost. And yes, the latter did have quite the fondness for wearing dark clothing. The film adapted the 1983 novella of the same name for the second time. But before The Woman in Black made it to the screen, it spooked out the theatre courtesy of Stephen Mallatratt back in 1987. Because hauntings often keep coming back, this play is doing so again, this time in a new Australian production starring John Waters (Blaze) and Daniel MacPherson (Foundation). [caption id="attachment_950670" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Reiser[/caption] If you don't like scary tales about sinister spirits seeking revenge for past ills, then you might want to sit this one out. If you love them, then prepare to put your nerves to the test. We're betting that Theatre Royale Sydney will be at its unsettling best for the occasion — it's not every day that it hosts a show that ranks among West End's longest-running productions, second only to Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, after all. Sydney's season will kick off on Tuesday, July 30, spanning till Saturday, August 17. The Woman in Black is set in Eel Marsh House in England's north, which sits at the heart of a story that Arthur Kipps recounts about his stint as a young solicitor overseeing Mrs Alice Drablow's funeral. The place isn't just filled with secrets, thanks to the titular figure. Waters plays the elder Kipps, with MacPherson plays an actor who agrees to perform the role of his younger guise. Top image: Justin Nicholas.
Of Bowral's many boutiques and specialty stores, Dirty Janes has to be the best known. The expansive antique market is an emporium of retailers, from vintage sellers to plant purveyors, and you could easily lose a couple of hours exploring each one at a leisurely pace. The family-run business underwent a major renovation in 2016, which saw its original emporium linked up with neighbouring cafes and bars so that you can sit and admire the antiques over a glass of pinot before loading up the car with unique, yesteryear gifts. Spread out over 1600 square metres, the indoor market is the largest in the Southern Highlands — and it's so popular that the owners are opening a second outlet in Canberra in 2020. At the Bowral location, you'll find an eclectic mix of homewares and antiques — from vintage cameras and fur coats to oak dining tables and brass doorknobs. It's become a landmark shopping destination that's worth a stickybeak on every trip to the Southern Highlands. Images: Destination NSW.
It's been touch and go for so many arts and culture festivals in the last 12 months, so having a citywide summer festival this year is a highlight in and of itself. Sydney Festival kicks off from January 6–26 with a packed program of local theatre productions, live music, extraordinary circus and physical theatre shows, as well as a run of outdoor events at Barangaroo Headland. There are more than 140 events to choose from, so we've partnered with Sydney Festival to bring you ten standout events to see first — from raucous musicals to redefined poetic rituals and deep dives into groundbreaking news stories. Snap up your tickets before it's too late.
It's been one of those weeks. You've been racing across the city (or tapping between Zoom calls) for back-to-back meetings and fielding urgent calls, all while your unread email count continues to climb. Oh, and you still have to nab a gift for your mum's birthday before the weekend. We've all been there. Life can be hectic, as we all know. If your nine-to-five has you feeling like a sea change but you can't escape the desk, we've got a way to make you feel like you're holidaying by the Mediterranean coastline — and it won't cost you a cent. In the spirit of turning off and seeking out some wholesome nature, we tracked down some top-notch seaside walks to freshen up your routine. From the shores of the northern beaches to the bush tracks of the Royal National Park, recharge this weekend by embarking on one of Sydney's best coastal walks. [caption id="attachment_719993" align="alignnone" width="1920"] jipe7 via Flickr[/caption] BONDI TO BRONTE No guide to Sydney's walks would be complete without a mention of the iconic Bondi to Bronte coastal track. With panoramic Pacific Ocean vistas, magnificent cave-like cliffs and a stack of delicious brunch spots to help you refuel, this is definitely one for the local bucket list. Grab a coffee and bagel from Lox in a Box and kick off this three-and-a-half-kilometre walk at Bondi Icebergs, weaving your way along the rocky foreshore and finishing up at Bronte's lush park. If you're not too tired, keep the endorphins going by following the track all the way to Coogee (with a spritz and pizza from Coogee Pavilion to finish, of course). [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Martin7d2 via Flickr.[/caption] GLEBE FORESHORE The inner west might be best-known for its pubs, bars and live music, but there's much more to this eclectic part of town. Head to Bicentennial Park near Rozelle Bay for a leisurely four-kilometre stroll along the Glebe foreshore. Here, you'll enjoy a slice of bayside paradise as you make your way along the picturesque track, which is perfectly accessible by the nearby light rail and bus stop. Pup parents can also let their pooch run free at the off-leash end of Bicentennial Park before heading to the historic cricket ground of Jubilee Park. Take a break once you reach Blackwattle Bay Park or continue along to the end and you'll hit the Sydney Fish Markets, the perfect spot to finish with a hot box of fish and chips for lunch. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NSW Parks.[/caption] PALM BEACH TO BARRENJOEY LIGHTHOUSE Perched at the top of Sydney's northern beaches, just 90 minutes from the CBD, Palm Beach is the ultimate spot for a staycation. It boasts the laidback vibes you'd expect from a tropical escape, minus the airfare. So, it's the ideal spot for an easy day-trip from the big smoke. While you're there, head to the top of the peninsula for the Barrenjoey Lighthouse walk. This cruisey three-kilometre trail takes you through the bush to the lighthouse, with sweeping views of Palm Beach and beyond. Tip: take the short but steep Smugglers Track route for the best views (and photos). Feeling peckish? Swing by The Boathouse Palm Beach for a bucket of prawns and a Murray's Whale Ale. CHOWDER BAY TO BALMORAL BEACH For those who rarely venture across the bridge, there's a well-kept secret that you mightn't know about. Tucked away on Sydney's lower north shore, you'll find a walk with some of the best vantage points across sparkling Sydney Harbour. Starting in Chowder Bay, this short one-and-a-half-kilometre track is bursting with stories from Sydney's history. You'll pass Gunners Barracks, an old military point that's been converted into a high-tea destination, soak in the city skyline from Georges Heights Lookout (dotted with military cannons aplenty) and emerge at Balmoral Beach. Dive in for a dip or head straight to the cafe to cap off this leisurely weekend stroll. [caption id="attachment_703777" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott Brown via Flickr[/caption] THE ROYAL NATIONAL PARK COAST TRACK Looking for a spot of adventure? Grab your swag and backpack, and gear up for this spectacular two-day, 26-kilometre coastal hike through one of the oldest national parks in the world — Royal National Park. This one's a serious beauty and a must for experienced hikers. You'll forget all about your inbox while you're getting off the grid, spending a weekend in the bush and reconnecting with nature. The first day will see you exploring through the rugged wilderness from Bundeena southwards, with sandstone and sandy beaches at every turn. Set up camp for the night at North Era (just make sure you book this one in advance) before tackling the final three-hour stint to the top of Otford the next day. We suggest you check for closures on the NSW National Parks website before you head off on this multi-day adventure, too. Time your trip right (between May and October) and you might even spot a migrating humpback whale during your walk.
If this year's holiday planning has you thinking small and local, you've now got a couple of extra accommodation options to pop onto that travel radar. After the NRMA, aka the National Roads and Motorists' Association, debuted the first of its new stylishly-repurposed shipping container escapes — or 'glamtainers' — last spring, it has now added two more to the collection. While the two OG tiny homes will temporarily remain at NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort, where they've been sitting pretty since September, the other pair are headed to the snow. The new editions will premiere at NRMA Jindabyne Holiday Park from July, in time for the busy ski season. Easily movable and also extendable in size, the seven-metre-long luxury tiny homes all have room to sleep four. Each boasts a queen and a double bed, plus a full bathroom and a decent sized kitchenette. What's more, they're fitted out in style, with upscale features including comfy mattresses, plush linens, air-conditioning and attached outdoor entertaining spaces. As with their beachside siblings, the new glamtainers are the work of Melbourne company Glam Xperience, which makes a whole series of glamping tents and mini retreats — and whose creations you might have spied at the likes of St Jerome's The Hotel and Clifftop at Hepburn. The units are designed to allow guests to experience staying amongst the great outdoors, without sacrificing comfort, so you can bet they're primed for those winter snow escapes. The Ocean Beach glamtainers have proved a huge hit for Aussie holidaymakers, with bookings filling up quickly ever since their inception. In fact, the original plan was to move those two on to Jindabyne next, but the pair have been so popular that NRMA decided to simply expand the family instead. The NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort glamtainers are available to book again for stays from May 11. Meanwhile, the new NRMA Jindabyne Holiday Park glamtainers are being installed in the coming months, with bookings open from July. Images: Shan Rose Photography
If you're a culture vulture that's looking to up the party at your next museum trip, listen up. Together with Vivid Sydney, the Australian Museum is answering your calls with Jurassic Lounge: Heroes. Once again, the Sydney venue's grand halls and hidden corners are being transformed into a stage set for thrilling live performances, disco dancing and after-dark antics. On Saturday, June 18, a stellar lineup of DJs, drag queens, dancers and dinosaurs await. Partygoers can boogie down to Soul of Sydney DJs or get their groove on with Sydney drag royalty at a silent disco. There'll be drop-in art classes with scientific illustrator Celia Curtis (where you'll get the chance to artistically discover nocturnal beasts) and the opportunity to get gory at the autopsy of a T-rex (from the talents at Improv Theatre Sydney). Gramophone Man will be joining his unique musicalities with The Space Cowboy's Mutant Barnyard (which is, yes, a curious collection of taxidermy animals including a two-headed calf) and critters from Deep Sea Astronauts will be roving the museum's halls. [caption id="attachment_856643" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Diabolique Photography[/caption] All that the Australian Museum asks is that you dress up as your hero. Whether that means your don a cape or a lab coat, grab Ash Barty's racket or a health worker's scrubs — pay tribute to the champion in your eyes and get yourself ready for a night of out-there excitement. Sip a cocktail mixed by the gin-lords at Archie Rose and enjoy entry to all permanent collections, too — the museum will be all yours for after-hours wandering. With face-painting, sideshows and the people-pleasing Jurassic World by Brickman, it's gearing up to be the party of the season. Still have a Discover NSW voucher handy? Head to the museum in person to redeem and grab your (free) ticket — then get ready to party on the Government's dime. Jurassic Lounge: Heroes will take place from 6.30–10pm on Saturday, June 18. For more information and to book tickets, head to the website. Please note, it's an 18+ event and all weapons (real or fake) are strictly prohibited. Top images: Sarah Wilson (first); Diabolique Photography
Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård) comes across Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), lying broken and beaten in the street. She refuses an ambulance, so he takes her back to his house, where she tells him the story of lifelong obsession with sex. Nymphomaniac is, in many territories around the world, released in two separate parts. In Australia, we are getting the whole thing in one massive four-hour go, albeit with some of the more extreme material cut. Although it's hard to imagine they cut much, given what's left in. There's a good chance that Nymphomaniac will confirm your preconceived notions of director Lars von Trier. To his fans, it is a bold, funny, challenging film that dives headlong into a difficult subject. To his detractors, it is further evidence that von Trier's idea of provocative cinema is a rote combination of mental illnesses and genital close-ups. I should confess at this point that I am traditionally a von Trier detractor, but one who claimed his previous work, Melancholia, to be one of 2011's best films. Nymphomaniac, however, is a litany of his worst tendencies. He seems terrified of sincerity; every moment that comes dangerously close to a human emotion is immediately undercut with a cynical aside as we cut jarringly back to the 'present -day' story. What should be a clever framing device becomes a get-out-of-jail free card for von Trier. Joe and Seligman fall over themselves to acknowledge the extraordinary coincidences in Joe's story, as if von Trier thinks this makes up for lazy writing. Or is winking at us to show us the lazy writing is deliberate. Either way, he seems to believe a veil of self-aware cynicism insulates him against potential criticism. It does not. Now, it must be acknowledged that making fun of Shia LaBeouf these days is like shooting fish in a barrel, and must only be attempted when the situation absolutely calls for it. This is one such situation. Casting LaBeouf as one of the 'English' characters feels like von Trier's biggest prank, and LaBeouf enters each scene as if he was asked to try some sort of Britishy accent moments before 'action!' was called. I'm not saying it's bad; I'm saying nobody's allowed to make fun of Dick Van Dyke ever again. There's an adage in filmmaking that if you have a great ending, audiences will forgive any trespasses. And Nymphomaniac, I must confess, has a great ending. It went out on such an impressive note, it almost made me forget my problems with the proceeding four hours. Almost. Ardent fans of von Trier will find much to enjoy in this film, as he continues exploring the themes and styles of works such as Breaking the Waves, Dogville and Dancer in the Dark. If you do not count yourself as a fan, then I suggest you stay well away. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Gdxzno5Xp2Y
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has won three Grammys and 11 Latin Grammys, starred in Bullet Train and hosted Saturday Night Live, among plenty of other achievements, but he hasn't hit the stage in Australia — yet. By the time that summer 2025–26 is out, Bad Bunny will tick a trip Down Under off of his list, after announcing that his new DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour includes a visit to Sydney. Locking in dates in the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Poland, Italy and Belgium, too, Bad Bunny has confirmed 23 shows between November 2025–July 2026 so far. Named for his latest album, which released in January this year and spent three weeks in a row atop the Billboard 200 chart, the tour will see him become the first Latin act to headline stadiums globally. Only one stop on Bad Bunny's jaunt around the planet is Australia, however: at ENGIE Stadium in the Harbour City on Saturday, February 28. He's playing the New South Wales capital in-between dates in Brazil and Japan, two other countries where the 'Mia', 'Callaíta', 'Qué Pretendes' and 'Vete' singer will perform live for the first time ever. The Puerto Rican superstar's global jaunt will follow his upcoming No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí gigs, a 30-date residency at José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in his homeland. Before that, he toured North America in 2024, and both North and Latin America in 2022. His DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS shows will take him to Europe for the first time since his 2019 X 100pre tour. On the charts, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, his sixth album, has kept garnering love — also sitting in the Billboard 200 top ten for 13 weeks, taking the number-one slot on Billboard's Latin Albums chart for 16 consecutive weeks and helping him become the first-ever Latin artist with 100 Billboard Hot 100 entries. Before both his No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency and DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour, Bad Bunny also has another date with SNL, this time as the musical guest on the season 50 finale that's being hosted by Scarlett Johansson (Fly Me to the Moon). Bad Bunny DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS World Tour 2026 Australian Date Saturday, February 28 — ENGIE Stadium, Sydney Bad Bunny is playing ENGIE Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, February 28, 2026, with presales from 10am on Thursday, May 8, 2025 and general sales from 11am on Friday, May 9. Head to the tour website for more details.
Dream pop, psychedelic folk, alternative rock ... however you describe the music of Mazzy Star, there's no doubt that the duo has soundtracked the lives, loves and visions of the Californian underground for almost 30 years. Now, the pair is coming our way for the first time — and they're bringing a brand new, four-song EP with them called Still. It's Mazzy Star's fifth release. Of the duo's four studio albums, the best known is So Tonight That I See (1989), which features singles 'Fade Into You', 'Blue Light' and 'Into The Dust'. The understated vocals of singer Hope Sandoval and the echoey guitar playing of David Roback remain at the core of Mazzy Star's sound. But, the duo's path hasn't been linear: the pair broke up in 1997 and reformed in 2000, only to split up again, before reuniting in 2010. Two years later, Mazzy Star's acclaimed live comeback at Coachella got fans excited all over again. Mazzy Star's three Opera House shows — a part of Vivid Sydney — will be the duo's only Australian appearances.
Melbourne has the Sydney Myer Music Bowl, Brisbane has the Riverstage, and while spots like The Domain and Centennial Park are often used to host outdoor music events, one thing Sydney is missing is a permanent openair concert venue. That might be about to change, with a new proposal pitching not one, but three new full-time outdoor stages located across Sydney. The proposal, which has been put together by Australian tourism and events organisation Cedar Mill Group in collaboration with Business Sydney and Business Western Sydney, has floated the idea of a trio of new entertainment spaces in The Domain, Parramatta Park and Thompsons Creek Regional Parkland in Bradfield. According to Cedar Mill Group, these "permanent performance shells" would generate 2300 jobs and $450 million each year, filling a void for mid-to-large-sized shows too big for venues like Enmore Theatre or the newly opened Liberty Hall, but too small for the likes of Qudos Bank Arena. The tourism and events group says these stages will be utilised for not only gigs but also performing arts, music festivals, movie screenings and community events. "Permanent performance shells are the missing piece in Sydney's cultural infrastructure," says Cedar Mill Group Founder and Managing Director Paul Lambess. "They minimise expensive setup costs, disruption to public spaces and the environmental impact from installation of temporary infrastructure." Cedar Mill has already been given the green light to open a 30,000-capacity amphitheatre in Lake Macquarie, with the expansive regional venue set to open as part of the redevelopment of the Morisset Golf Course next year. While The Domain and Parramatta Park are expected locations for new outdoor live music structures, the proposal also bookmarks Bradfield for a performance shell. Located an hour southwest of Sydney's CBD, the area is being pushed as Sydney's third city by the NSW Government, with the Western Sydney airport set to be built at Badgerys Creek. "A performance shell in the early development phase of Bradfield will help anchor the city, create a cultural destination around which the city will evolve with, and offer easy access to the airport and surrounding regions," David Borger, Executive Director of Business Western Sydney said. Check out the full report on Cedar Mill Group, Business Sydney and Business Western Sydney's proposal for three new permanent outdoor stages across Sydney.
A hidden local treasure tucked away off the main strip, Graze N Cakes offers every cake and baked treat you could imagine — not to mention the famous banh mi rolls. Run by Sandy and his family as a Vietnamese cafe and bakery, the menu is packed with freshly prepared vermicelli noodle bowls, baguettes and all the sugary delights of your childhood dreams. The decorated cakes are delightful and the locals fill this place to the brim, if not for the food, then certainly for the ONA coffee. You'll probably want to make an excuse to pop in as often as you can — considering custom cakes are on offer, that excuse is sorted.
Skip the hassle of flights, long airport queues and overcrowded tourist traps, and embark on a Euro-inspired adventure in the renowned food and wine region of Orange, NSW, instead. With world-class wineries and notable restaurants dotted across rolling hills and endless vineyards, Orange combines a European bon vivant lifestyle with the easygoing, laidback charm of Australia. Its spectacular views, superb eateries and top-notch wineries will have you feeling like you've crossed continents, without having to leave the country. Want to know where to start? Here's how to soak up those Euro-summer feels in Orange and its surroundings. Scenic Views First, you'll need to set the scene so you can really kickstart your cross-continental holiday. Channel the serene beauty and rustic magic of the European countryside at one of Orange's scenic landscapes. Situated below Mount Canobolas, Lake Canobolas is an idyllic spot for swimming, hiking, cycling or just basking in the sun with a picnic. Spice up your Euro-inspired adventure with some uniquely Australian flora and fauna — you are still home after all — as you make your way up to Pinnacle Lookout or Federal Falls for panoramic views across Towac Valley, Canobolas and beyond. For those seeking an expedition with a Euro twist, hop on a bike and pedal through the picturesque countryside of Orange and its surrounding villages. There are numerous trails to choose from in the region, no matter your skill level. With endless scenic routes, you'll be stopping every few kilometres just to take in the views. Delightful Dining Now that you've worked up an appetite, it's time to settle in for a leisurely long meal with indulgent dishes, flowing wine and good company. Transport yourself to Italy at Lucetta Dining or Fiorini's, which both offer authentic Italian fare in the heart of the region. Hidden in an unassuming barn, Fiorini's serves a selection of traditional dishes — think rigatoni alla carbonara, spaghetti alla vongole, saltimbocca alla Romana — in a warm, homey space that feels like a family-run restaurant in the Italian countryside. Lucetta Dining is a touch more glamorous, dishing out contemporary plates in an intimate, industrial space. The menu includes pesce crudo with yuzu; burrata with fermented chilli oil and bottarga; pappardelle with mixed mushroom ragu, mascarpone and truffle pecorino; and lamb rump with leek, bronze fennel and rosemary caramel. For dining with a view akin to feasting under the Tuscan sun, head to Rowlee Dining & Bar for family-style, farm-to-table plates amidst the winery's sprawling rows of vines. If you're just after a quick bite, you can also nibble on snacks and smaller plates at the Garden Bar. With a restaurant, outdoor courtyard and bar, The Union Bank will see you through from day to night with aperitifs, wines and modern-European plates. Housed in a historic bank dating back over 165 years, the spacious venue slings dishes such as crudo with blood orange, bone marrow with salsa roja, and sirloin with miso bagna cauda, along with additional options for an express lunch and set menus for groups. Sun-drenched Sips You don't need to jet off to sip world-class wines amid breathtaking scenery — Orange's 40-plus cool-climate vineyards bring a slice of Europe to you. Start your journey at celebrated local winery Nashdale Lane, where you can savour local drops as you take in sweeping views across the vineyard. In fact, Nashdale Lane Wines was dreamt up while the team were visiting a vineyard in Radda in Chianti, so you can expect strong European influences. Continue your taste of Italy at See Saw Wines, where you can sit al fresco and sip the only locally produced prosecco in the region. Next up on your vineyard tour is a stop-in at Tamburlaine Organic Wines. Sample Tamburlaine's range of organic, vegan-friendly and low-sulphur wines at its cosy cellar door in nearby Millthorpe. While you're there, discover the village's charming assortment of boutiques, cafes, wineries and bed-and-breakfasts. Head to Mayfield Vineyard or Logan Wines for more impressive vistas and unconventional wines. At Mayfield Vineyard, you'll be able to taste elegant minimal-intervention wines in rustic, French-inspired surrounds, before kicking back with a vino in the airy and sun-filled cellar door at Logan Wines' new Orange location. If you're overwhelmed by the sheer amount of wineries to choose from, let someone else handle the decisions (and the driving) with Orange Private Tours or Orange Trike Tours. Plan your trip now to the Orange Region at the Orange360 website. Additional author: Orlaith Costello Images: courtesy of Destination NSW and Orange360.
Despite our country being stereotyped as 'always sunny', us Aussies know it can get pretty cold mid-year. So, if you're currently trying to warm up your toes next to your office heater, dreaming about the return of summer, you're in luck. We've teamed up with travel company Klook to give away a four-night getaway to a tropical oasis: Bali. If you're the lucky winner, you and your partner in crime will be heading off on a short flight headed for Bali's stunning beaches, hot weather and next-level food. As well as flights and four nights of four-star accommodation in Seminyak, Klook — being an activities and tours booking platform — will also organise day trips for you and your bestie, plus airport transfers to and from your hotel and SIM cards. So, all you'll need are your cossies, sunscreen and a good read. It won't be your typical Bintang-fuelled Bali trip, either. The folks at Klook work with local vendors to uncover hidden gems and offer trips to many of the surrounding islands (there are more than 17,000 in total). So, expect plenty of off the beaten track adventures and get ready to unearth some undiscovered parts around the island. One day, the two of you will be heading off to West Nusa Penida and its crystal clear waters, so you can expect plenty of swimming and snorkelling. The next, you'll be trekking up an active volcano — Mount Batur — to watch the sunrise over the island. An early morning start will reward you with sweeping mountain views and a visit to a coffee plantation afterwards. Plus, don't forget all the poolside cocktails and Balinese feasts you'll be having. You'll be on holiday, after all. You've got anytime before the end of the year to go, so you can escape Australia's cooler weather ASAP. If you're keen to head off on a trip to Bali — which obviously you are — enter your details below to be in the running. [competition]731537[/competition]
If you've been looking for a reason to get away for the weekend, block off a couple of days (or more) in March and head to Canberra for Enlighten Festival 2020. From February 28–March 15 2020, the city will light up with live music, free performances, events, exclusive exhibitions and access to national attractions after hours, plus pop-up bars, beer gardens and after-dark food markets. So, you can expect Canberra's Parliamentary Zone to be transformed into a buzzing hub of neon activity. A highlight of the festival is Enlighten Illuminations (February 28–March 9), where large-scale projections will bring to life iconic Canberra buildings, including Australian Parliament House, the National Gallery of Australia and Questacon. You'll find the Night Noodle Markets nearby, too, so you can pick up a snack while still viewing the projections. And, of course, one of Canberra's most anticipated events, Canberra Balloon Spectacular, will return each morning, from Saturday, March 7 to Sunday, March 15. On Friday, March 6, you can head to Canberra's answer to Tropfest: the Lights! Canberra! Action! short film festival. Here, you'll be watching the top 12 finalists on a massive outdoor screen while sitting under the stars. Or, if you're a fan of music, you can catch a live orchestra performing popular hits as the sun goes down at Symphony in the Park (Sunday, March 8). Then, on the festival's penultimate night, you'll see fireworks lighting up the night sky above Lake Burley Griffin for the Hit 104.7 Skyfire event. Enlighten Festival 2020 is taking place between Friday, February 28 and Sunday, March 15. The festival is free to attend, with some selected ticketed events. For the full program, head here.
Cheap festival events are great. Free festival events? Even better. Sydney Festival has done a lot in the last couple of years to up the free factor in its programming, which means you can breezily pad out your January with giant ballpit beaches, bold new exhibitions, dancing boxes full of glitter, and other outings fun and fanciful. By the Concrete Playground team.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Sydney is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Sydney. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, get some culture with dinner and a play for under $50, dive into some lunchtime laps and eat your way through a food truck festival. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the next few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Right. It's November, 30 days hath it and it's pretty grand, on the whole. Nevertheless, everybody seems to be in a great hurry to leapfrog it and get straight to the insanity of Christmas. If you're currently enjoying the mild comforts of spring and think it should be illegal for more than 75 percent of your family to gather in one location to consume large amounts of food, try putting the festivity brakes on in one of Sydney's mainstage theatres before the halls (and one of your tipsy uncles) get well and truly decked.
Since 2017, watching The Handmaid's Tale has meant wishing for one thing: the end of Gilead, the totalitarian, male-dominated society that rules the show's dystopian version of the United States. (No, not the masterplanned Sydney community of the same name.) In the award-winning series adapted from Margaret Atwood's book, that outcome is finally coming in a way — with American streaming platform Hulu announcing that the hit show will finish up when its sixth season airs. That said, it's highly likely that The Handmaid's Tale won't truly wrap up with the destruction of Gilead, because Hulu also has revealed that The Testaments in the works. It too is based on an Atwood novel — on her sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, which hit shelves in 2019 — which means that her fictional nightmarish realm isn't going far. The news that The Handmaid's Tale will end after season six comes ahead of the show's fifth season, which starts airing from Thursday, September 15 — so fans still have two more batches of episodes to soak up, sweat and stress through, and enjoy. "It has been a true honour to tell the story of Margaret Atwood's groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of The Handmaid's Tale," said creator, showrunner and executive producer Bruce Miller in a statement announcing the news. "We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point," Miller continued. If this all sounds a bit familiar, that's because The Handmaid's Tale isn't new to plotting out its future a couple of seasons in advance. Back in 2020, it was renewed for this fifth season before the fourth even dropped, too. Miller will also work on The Testaments, which doesn't yet have a release date — and neither does The Handmaid's Tale season six. If you haven't read the book, The Testaments is set 15 years after the events of its predecessor, and also includes familiar characters. How that'll play into the end of The Handmaid's Tale on-screen obviously hasn't been revealed. For now, blessed be your streaming queue with The Handmaid's Tale season five, which promises one helluva reckoning. Of course, things are never well here — but now June (Elisabeth Moss, Shining Girls) faces the fallout from her actions in the show's last go-around, and Serena's (Yvonne Strahovski, Stateless) in-mourning getup speaks volumes. In the show's recent trailers, June doesn't just navigate more than a few consequences. Still fighting Gilead from afar, with Luke (O-T Fagbenle, Black Widow) and Moira (Samira Wiley, Breaking News in Yuba County), she admits how much she enjoyed her most recent choices. As for Serena, she's in profile-raising mode in Toronto, as Gilead's influence creeps into Canada — and Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford, Tick, Tick... Boom!) and Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd, Rebecca) are endeavouring to reform Gilead. Also returning among the cast in season five: Max Minghella (Spiral: From the Book of Saw), Madeline Brewer (Hustlers), Amanda Brugel (Snowpiercer) and Sam Jaeger (The Eyes of Tammy Faye). Check out the trailer for The Handmaid's Tale season five below: The fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale will hit start airing in Australia and New Zealand from Thursday, September 15 — on SBS TV, and to stream via SBS On Demand and Neon, with new episodes arriving weekly. Season six doesn't yet have a release date and neither does The Testaments, but we'll update you when they do. Images: Sophie Giraud/Hulu.
The Hills has a new American-style barbecue joint. Resting on the rooftop of the newly renovated Hillside Hotel, Fire and Brimstone is serving up smoked meats and smoky whiskeys. Behind the impressively large smoker is pit master Brad Shorten. He's preparing 12-hour slow-cooked brisket, pork belly, pulled pork and a range of hot links (a variety of sausage common in southern American barbecue). Alongside the extensive meat lineup, there's also a host of sides — including house slaw, homestyle mac 'n' cheese and tangy garlic dill pickles. To get the "full" southern barbecue experience, Shorten recommends pairing your meaty feast with a whiskey — specifically Buffalo Trace. To further complement the experience, the rooftop will also regularly play host to bands and DJs spinning soulful tunes. While Sydney has a neat selection of barbecue joints, the north-west is noticeably lacking in smoked goods. Luckily, Fire and Brimstone fixes that — for now. While there's no word yet on how long the barbecue joint will hang around for, Hillside Hotel is known for regularly mixing up its rooftop antics, so we suggest heading in sooner rather than later. Fire and Brimstone is open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6:30pm until sold out.
In 2023, the Darling Harbour outpost of global hotel chain Sofitel (that also made our list of the best hotels in Sydney) unveiled its lavish new two-storey spa, delivering a fresh dose of relaxation high among the Sydney skyline. Joining the Harbour City's existing impressive supply of luxe spa experiences, and pairing its relaxation experiences with sweeping water views, the Sofitel SPA Darling Harbour offers an array of facilities and wellness journeys — all housed within a "quintessentially Sydney" space. Soft timbers, sandstone and marble finishes welcome guests into the latest addition to Sydney's wellness scene, which boasts seven roomy treatment spaces. Also on offer: a bespoke standalone bathtub with harbour views, an infrared sauna, a meditation zone and a contemplation deck sitting on level four of the hotel. While traditional experiences like massages, facials, body wraps and exfoliation are all available, the flagship offerings from the spa are its package deals — or wellness journeys. Take the signature half-day journey, for example, and you'll combine exercise, nutrition, treatment and introspection, getting a holistic experience that's meant to leave guests refreshed head-to-toe. French beauty brand Biologique Recherche and fast-rising Australian company Waterlily have been enlisted to provide the spa with its cosmetic treatment products, each of which will be personalised to every guest's needs. Plus, the spa sits alongside the hotel's previously opened level-four infinity pool. The swimming spot is heated year-round and offers guests the ability to enjoy a dip while soaking in panoramic views of Darling Harbour and the Sydney CBD skyline. Images: Anna Kucera
Geelong may not strike you as an obvious destination for a weekend away. The small port city is currently straddling that awkward growth stage between small town and bustling metropolis. As such, it manages to feel like both. Although Geelong wears the vestments of a big place, it still treats you like a small town would. You don't feel anonymous (an odd feeling for veteran city dwellers) and people look you in the eye while genuinely questioning how you are and what you're doing in town. Nowhere is this more pronounced than the food and art scene, hidden away on the quiet side streets of the small city. The cheap and abundant studio space makes it a paradise for creatives, weirdos and anyone who errs on the side of the non-commercial — this relatively small pond attracts some remarkably big fish. Some of Melbourne's best foodies, chefs, entrepreneurs and taste-makers have forsaken the big city in favour of a smaller scene where gimmicks are left at the train station and what shines through is something surprisingly authentic. Leave all that big city pessimism at home and let V/Line (or your car down the M1) carry you to the unexpected cultural oasis of Geelong. Whether you devote your whole weekend to Victoria's second largest city or a few hours on your way down the Great Ocean Road, here's what to do when you get there. [caption id="attachment_569243" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Craft Space[/caption] EAT AND DRINK Before heading down to Geelong, you may want to fast for a few days — there is some serious eating to be done here. Your first port of call should be Craft Space on Little Malop Street. Craft Space is, as the name suggests, a cafe-craft hybrid. You'll find tubs of markers and zines strewn across the mismatched (but colour-coordinated) furniture, a mint green La Marzocco espresso machine filling the back corner and sweet ornaments lining every nook. There's no stone left uncrafted — even the pot plants have been knitted. It's a haven for people who like to occupy their hands while catching up over organic, small batch tea and boutique cakes by Melbourne's Little Bertha. It's a warm little nook and the owners operators Cathy Slarks and Loretta Davis are the kindling in the hearth. The welcoming pair also run craft workshops most weekends and make a mean, towering chocolate milkshake. [caption id="attachment_573393" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Hot Chicken Project[/caption] Once night falls it's just a hop, skip and a jump over the way to the Hot Chicken Project for dinner and a bit of atmosphere. Hot tip: undo your pants as you walk through the door (no one will judge). You may feel a sense of déjà vu as you glance the menu as HCP is owned by Aaron Turner, who previously engineered Belle's Hot Chicken on Gertrude Street. The menu is conceptually similar – a hero serve of southern fried chicken (as spicy as you can handle) and a down-home side (think turnips, greens and coleslaw) for $16. The simplicity of the menu works in its favour as the entire wine list is paired for salt, crunch and spice. It's dominated by light, fruity wines from some of Australian's most innovative winemakers — and if you're not literate in wine speak, your best bet is to ask a staff member to choose a wine for you. They know their stuff. We highly, highly recommend indulging in a side of the crispy chicken skin (drizzled in honey, hot sauce and thyme) because you will see God. The place is usually buzzing on the weekend, and with plans to expand into the next shop front, HCP can only get better with time. If you're hankering for a cold one after that, drop into the Little Creatures Geelong Brewery for one straight from the source. [caption id="attachment_569247" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Freckleduck[/caption] The final must-eat destination on your Geelong tour is Freckleduck. The sweet corner café is light, airy and — dare we say it — produces the best coffee in Geelong. The pumpkin smash, served with tortillas, roasted pepitas, fresh asparagus, onion jam and prosciutto ($17) is a salty, sweet and crunchy affair and absolute heaven on a plate. They've just announced plans for a brother venue in Belmont, so we're clearly not the only ones feeling it. [caption id="attachment_569246" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lola's Kitchen at Boom Gallery[/caption] SEE AND DO Geelong's art scene is intimate. There aren't new openings every night of the week with free flowing Champagne and lines around the block full of hungry young social climbers desperate to be seen; instead, it's more of a community of makers, painters and creatives who quietly and rigorously curate thoughtful and provocative shows. That's what first strikes you as you enter a Geelong gallery — the exhibitions have been created by locals, for locals. And secondly, you might be a little surprised at how many of them there are. There's a lot more art galleries nestled in Geelong than meets the eye — you'll find them hidden in quiet corners, behind demure shopfronts and residing in rustic warehouses. Boom Gallery should be your first stop. From the centre of town, grab an Uber (yes, Geelong has Uber) out to the Rutland Street address and make your way down the row of warehouses to the end. The gallery itself is curated by Ren Inei, whose name you may recognise from some of the works on the walls. They just wrapped up a phenomenal show about local legend William Buckley (of the saying 'Buckley's chance') and one called PLAY, a unique exhibition by Melbourne furniture designers Dowel Jones that encourages attendees to play with their creations. Inei may be a curator, but his attitude is more docent — turn up on any day of the week and you'll likely find him getting amongst it, hanging out with exhibiting artists in the café, chatting with visitors and giving personal insights on the show. Boom also has a small, chic café attached the gallery space named Lola's Kitchen which serves up bite-sized tacos and smooth coffee. For details on current and upcoming exhibitions, go here. [caption id="attachment_573394" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Boom Gallery[/caption] The National Wool Gallery in the centre of town is another must-do. While the museum is housed in the former Dennys Lascelles wool store and chronicles the history of Australian wool in more detail than strictly necessary, the space also hosts some amazing (and random) exhibitions, including the current Wildlife of Gondwana. While you're in the city centre, make sure you stop in at the Geelong Gallery too, a stately old building which has enough clout to host the bigwigs of Australian and international fame. The current exhibition — Land of the Golden Fleece, running until June 13 — is a retrospective of one of the big names in Australian landscape impressionism, Arthur Streeton. The exhibition is beautifully curated and as much about Streeton's life as it is about his works. If you don't want to leave without a souvenir, make your way our to the Mill Markets. They're a little way out of town, but if you've got a car (or just a strong will for vintage shopping) it's well worth trekking to. It's a two-storey veritable paradise of vintage clothes, books, antiques and weird shit, and your bound to find something to at least consider buying. But if you're worn out with food, art and busyness, a picnic basket and veg out session in the lush Johnstone Park is the perfect way to round out your stay. LET'S DO THIS; GIVE ME THE DETAILS Geelong is about one hour from Melbourne. You can drive (the M1 makes it a cinch) or take a V/Line train from Southern Cross to Geelong Station. The city isn't bursting with hotels, but the Mercure Geelong is situated in the centre of town and Airbnb is (as always) your friend. Imogen Baker travelled as a guest of Tourism Greater Geelong & the Bellarine. Top image: Little Creatures Geelong Brewery.
Like Eminem, we're all big fans of mum's spaghetti. But, sometimes the situation requires something a little… fancier. Heading on a date? Celebrating a win at work? Or, just acknowledging making it through to Friday? We think that calls for a four-cheese maccheroncini, truffle tortelli or vodka rigatoni. Sydney has a multitude of Italian restaurants, and, as a result, a multitude of pasta — but not all pasta is created equally. So, together with American Express, we've rounded up the ten pasta dishes that'll put mum's spag bol to shame (no offence, mum). Put on your fanciest stretchy pants and prepare for linguine with clams by the beach and the silkiest ribbons of pappardelle at a Sydney institution.
Art Month's Art Cycle combines the need to know with a two wheel tour, taking Art Month attendees on one of four itineraries of galleries around town. An Inner West circuit skirts Newtown galleries, Annandale and Leichhardt, with a finish at At the Vanishing Point and the night-garden-making Tortuga Studios, while a Chippendale and CBD tour pings Customs House before cruising inner-city highlights like Gaffa and Serial Spacebefore ending up at First Draft. Bourke Street's foray touches Dank Street, the National Art School and Artspace, and the Paddington excursion exercises you from the Sherman Foundation through Alaska Projects up downhill to Coo-ee Aboriginal Art down by Bondi Beach. Bookings are essential. Email info@artcyclesydney.com with your name, mobile and the tour you prefer. Art Cycle recommends bringing water, food cash, a mobile, spare tube/tube or repair kit, tools and weather protection. Helmets compulsory. For more info on Art Month 2012, check out our Ten Best Things to See and at Art Month 2012.
Inspired by a lengthy trip through Latin America, Paddington's Tequila Mockingbird is an inspired marriage of the vibrant, bold flavours of that continent with top-shelf Australian produce. Designed by the prolific Luchetti Krelle (Bar Brose, ACME), the terrace has been refashioned into a skinny but stylish space, with a long bar leading into a warm space with wooden floors, hanging plants and gorgeous black and white line drawings of tropical fish and cacti. Often the menu comes across as a kind of delicious potted Latin American history lesson. Dishes that focus on freshness and flavour make up your starting course. Kingfish tiradito with bonito and shiso nod to the influence of Japanese flavour upon Peruvian cuisine, while the ceviche taco with charcoal salt is a creative reimagining that adds new depth to a more classic rendition of ceviche. From the grill, you'll find options like spatchcock with coriander, a big hitting lamb shoulder with house pickled guindilla peppers, and the comfort food of grilled zucchini with mole that was included on the menu to please co-owner Michael Fegent's mother. A tequila-heavy cocktail list complements the big flavours and Latin American accent of the menu. The house cocktail which shares a name with the restaurant is a spicy tequila-forward number with a Patron Silver base, recommended for its fresh, summery flavours and tajín-coated rim. The drinks program also boasts an incredibly comprehensive tequila list, with dozens of selections as well as a generous selection of mezcal. Flights are available for the equally indecisive and thirsty. Silly name aside, Tequila Mockingbird is a reliably good joint full of buzz and booze, pulling off a very good menu complemented by lively service and an expertly curated drinks list. Images: Byron Martin for PADDO(Collective)
Ever since news broke that The Cure, The Strokes and The Avalanches were coming to Australia for Splendour this year, every punter and his dog have been trying to predict when and if The Cure would be announcing solo sideshows to coincide with the festival (unlike the other two bands, they didn't have a big fat 'only Aus show' next to their name). And today they've gone and done it, with Live Nation announcing this morning that the iconic British band will be touring to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth later this year. Just like in 80s rock heaven, The Cure will be playing full-set arena spectaculars. Their retrospective shows have been known to go for two hours plus, so if you can't make it to Splendour, this really is the next best thing. It's the first time the band have toured Aus since 2007. The dates for Sydney and Melbourne have been locked in: Monday, July 25 at Qudos Bank/Allphones Arena and Thursday, July 28 at Rod Laver Arena, respectively. However, the Adelaide and Perth shows are still being finalised and will be announced at a later date. You're going to have to get your best ticket-nabbing game on though, because these babies are going to wildly sought after. The Melbourne and Sydney shows will go on sale next week. There will be a Telstra customer pre-sale at 10am on Tuesday, May 3, followed by a Live Nation pre-sale at 10am on Thursday, May 5, and general tickets will finally go on sale at 10am on Friday, May 6. Phew. THE CURE 2016 TOUR DATES Monday, July 25 — Qudos Bank Arena (formerly Allphones Arena), Sydney. Thursday, July 28 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. Adelaide and Perth dates to follow. To keep up to date and to buy tickets, head to livenation.com.au.
If pale pink suits, burgundy striped blazers and shiny gold cufflinks don't sound truly fabulous, then think again, because they totally are. Double Academy Award-winning designer Catherine Martin has created an authentic 1920s style costume collection for Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of The Great Gatsby — as well as a dapper consumer line that you can own a piece (or two or twenty) of. Martin teamed up with America's oldest clothier, Brooks Brothers, in a unique collaboration to produce the 500+ outstanding men's costumes that will surely be a highlight of the film. Writer of The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald was a lifelong Brooks Brothers customer, so it only made sense that the filmmakers would team up with the clothing company to create an attractive and authentic line, something that Fitzgerald would approve of. On the Brooks Brothers website Martin says, "It was the most basic and fundamental connection that has made our collaboration so authentic." The main inspiration for the collection came right from the Brooks Brothers archives. Martin rummaged through the extensive archives and found incredible designs that typified classic 1920s style. Since the designs were inspired by real 1920s clothing, they do a great job of adding period-specific authenticity and really bring the film to life. The best part? Brooks Brothers has adapted the costumes into an exclusive collection, including both formalwear and daywear, that is now being sold in stores and online. Below are some of the (gorgeous) items that are being showcased and sold on the Brooks Brothers website.
Gage Roads Brewing Co is officially heading to the east coast. The Perth brewery announced last week that it has signed the lease for a space that'll soon be home to its first microbrewery and taproom — and it's right here in Sydney. Having launched way back in 2004, Gage Roads has expanded to become one of Australia's largest independently owned breweries. In 2018, it rebranded nationally as Good Drinks and acquired Western Australian brewery Matso's — makers of the state's favourite alcoholic ginger beer — with more brands expected to join Good Drinks in the future. Now, the growing company has snapped up a space in Redfern. "Redfern is a community with a great diverse spirit and culture, and that aligned really well with Gage Roads," says head of marketing Miles Hull. When the brewery and taproom opens in the next 12 months, you won't find Gage Roads signatures — like the Single Fin summer ale or Atomic pale ale — instead, a new experimental sub-brand will be launching. "We see this as an opportunity to create some new beers and styles that we haven't previously done under the Gage Roads banner," says Hull. The brand will invest $3 million into making over the 578-square-metre space, which will be home to both a brewing facility and a 250-capacity taproom. The brewery won't be large enough for mass production; instead, the focus will be on creating a range of beers for onsite consumption, with the potential to send a few kegs to local bars and restaurants down the line. This super-local vibe is the exact reason why Gage Roads was keen to set up a bigger presence in the east. "We recognise that to be local is really important and we wanted to provide our east coast beer drinkers with a brewery and taproom where people can come in and taste beers that they can't get anywhere else," says Hull. If all goes well, the brewpub should be up in running in the next 12 months. You can expect to see Gage Roads snap up more properties across the east coast soon, too. We'll update you with more details as we get them. The new Gage Roads Brewery and Taproom is slated to open in the next 12 months along Regent Street, Redfern. Keep an eye on this space for updates.
The world won't end in April, but video game and television fans will be whisked off to an irradiated wasteland just by sitting on their couches. Here, living inside luxe vaults has been the way of life for two centuries; however, it's no longer a reality for Lucy (Ella Purnell, Yellowjackets). So goes the plot for the new Fallout streaming series that's following 2023's The Last of Us from mashed buttons to TV. This one comes via Prime Video, dropped its first teaser last year, and has now unveiled a full look that shows that it's sticking closely to its source material. The streaming platform has also announced that Fallout will arrive earlier than initially planned, by a day — so you'll be watching on Thursday, April 11, 2024. It's been almost three decades since Fallout first hit computers back in 1997, with three released sequels, a fourth on the way and seven spinoffs all following. The live-action television take doesn't just star Purnell, but also a swaggering Walton Goggins (I'm a Virgo) as bounty hunter The Ghoul, plus Kyle MacLachlan (Lucky Hank) as Overseer Hank. Here, it's a post-apocalyptic future, where everything went pear-shaped 200 years back. Hence living in vaults, because a hellscape filled with mutants, wild west vibes and plenty of violence awaits outside those cosy confines — as the optimistic Lucy, daughter of Hank, who oversees Vault 33, is about to find out. On the surface, Goggins' The Ghoul has a secret past — and Aaron Moten (Emancipation) also has a pivotal part as Brotherhood of Steel soldier Maximus. The retrofuturistic dystopian series features Moisés Arias (Samaritan), Sarita Choudhury (And Just Like That...), Michael Emerson (Evil), Leslie Uggams (Extrapolations), Frances Turner (The Boys), Dave Register (Heightened), Zach Cherry (Severance) and Johnny Pemberton (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story) as well — plus Rodrigo Luzzi (Dead Ringers), Annabel O'Hagan (Dear Edward) and Xelia Mendes-Jones (The Wheel of Time). For The Last of Us, HBO enlisted a creative force from one of the US premium cable network's past hits in Chernobyl's Craig Mazin. Prime Video has done the same with Fallout, but with Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy — who also executive produced Prime Video's own The Peripheral. As well as executive producing with Joy, Nolan directs the first three episodes. Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel) and Graham Wagner (Silicon Valley) are similarly among Fallout's executive producers, as well as the series' writers and co-showrunners. And yes, Bethesda Game Studios has a hand in finally bringing the games to the screen. Check out the full trailer for Fallout below: Fallout will start streaming via Prime Video from Thursday, April 11, 2024. Images: courtesy of Prime Video.
In late 2020, it was announced the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was moving its legendary parade to the Sydney Cricket Ground for 2021 in a bid to keep the event COVID-safe. This is the first time in the event's 42-year history it won't be taking place on Oxford Street — but that doesn't mean the local businesses aren't still getting involved in the celebrations. Thanks to additional funding from the City of Sydney, the Darlinghurst Business Partnership's annual Oxtravaganza event is bigger and better than ever this year. Between Thursday, February 19 and Sunday, March 7, the streets and businesses of Darlinghurst are coming alive with live performances, parties, special discounts, a self-guided art walk and much more. Popular LGBTQIA+-friendly venues, including Stonewall, Universal, Claire's Kitchen and Trade, are hosting cabarets, burlesque shows and drag performances across the two weeks leading up to the parade. And, on the night of the parade — Saturday, March 6 — The Oxford Hotel, Universal, Darlo Bar and Kings Cross Hotel will host viewing parties. Meanwhile, local retailers are offering some epic deals across clothes, accessories, shoes and more, so you can get your look sorted for the big night. And surrounding bars and restaurants are also helping to keep the good times rolling with special menus and discounts across the two-week period. Pop into Wings and Tins for $5 schooners or La Farmacia for $5 Mexican lagers. Meanwhile, Darlo institution Bill & Toni's is serving big bowls of spag bol for a tenner and Brick Lane is offering 15-percent off if you dine between 5–6pm. Finally, Sydney brewery Young Henrys has special Karma Kegs set up at a bunch of nearby bars (Kinselas Hotel, Courthouse Hotel, Darlo Bar, The Oxford, The Strand and Universal) with all proceeds from beer sales going to The Gender Centre. Images: Robert Knapman Photography
Ah, the humble loo — a place of peace and sometimes panic when you realise the roll is empty (or was simply never there to begin with). Here in Straya, not only do we have stunning landscapes, amazing surf and adorable native critters, but there are loos with views so sensational that they'll make you forget about the TP entirely. We decided to make a list of a few of the best, and in order to cover as much ground as possible, we asked our readers and social followers to chip in with your reccos. The following list is made up of our favourite submissions. So if you've decided to head off on an adventure this long weekend, here's where you should head when nature calls — plus some nice spots to chill over the weekend with a bev from our mates at The Bottle-O. [caption id="attachment_942303" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mount Wellington, Darren Tierney[/caption] Kunanyi (Mount Wellington), TAS If you fancy a Tassie road trip, head up to Kunanyi (Mount Wellington) for the best bathroom views, according to reader Alan: "There's a public toilet at the top with the best views even on a cloudy day. The window is literally above the sink, so you can look out while washing your hands." Once peak dunny has been achieved, continue on the adventure to Huon Valley or down to Bruny Island, stopping in at local The Bottle-O to grab a haul of evening beers to crack with your road trip buds — ideally over a roaring fireplace. Closest The Bottle-O: Grove [caption id="attachment_942299" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kalbarri Skywalk, Gagliardi Photography[/caption] Kalbarri National Park, WA Are you keen on an outback adventure in WA this long weekend? Explore the dramatic coastline and striking red sandstone gorges of Kalbarri National Park. Take it all in at the Kalbarri Skywalk – and make sure you pay your respects at the toilets next door. Our IG follower Tanya paints a glorious picture: "You step out of the bathroom, and there are just uninterrupted views of the landscape. Just breathtaking." Then, make your way to Dongara's The Bottle-O for a well-deserved beverage to enjoy with your mates at the local campground. Closest The Bottle-O: Dongara [caption id="attachment_942305" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sunset Beach, Penny Britt[/caption] Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach, Onslow, WA Concrete Playground commenter Laura recommends this spot: "There are bathrooms with showers, so whether you're arriving first thing for a dip at sunrise or chilling in the evening, there's everything you need to get sorted and perfect sunrises and sunsets over the ocean with a bev." If you're WA-bound and the beach is calling you this long weekend, enjoy epic sunrise and sunset views at Sunrise Beach (or front beach, ideal for swimming and chilling) and Sunset Beach (or back beach, perfect for fishing and picnicking) after picking up your drinks at The Bottle-O and snacks at the local grocers at Onslow. Closest The Bottle-O: Onslow [caption id="attachment_942304" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mount Wellington, Nick Clark[/caption] Mount Solitary, Blue Mountains National Park NSW Every Sydneysider has gone to the Blue Mountains at least once. But have you made it over to Mount Solitary? Reader Michael recommends the Mount Solitary walking track for the views and the drop toilets: "There are two toilets and a water tank near Ruined Castle if you need to take care of business. There's never too many people about, and the views are unreal." Keep in mind this walk is for experienced bushwalkers, but once you've successfully completed the journey, nothing will taste better than that first drink back at the campsite once you've kicked off your walking boots. Stock up your dinner supplies at Hazelbrook and drinks at the local The Bottle-O on the way to the track's starting point. Closest The Bottle-O: Hazelbrook [caption id="attachment_942302" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lord Howe Island, A Goyen[/caption] Lord Howe Island, NSW If you're looking for a long weekend adventure with a whole lotta luxury, Lord Howe Island, with its pristine beaches and lush rainforests, make it a straight-up paradise. And apparently, the public toilets stick to the same high standards. Concrete Playground follower Pat confirms: "Everything is lush on this island. There's a stunning view from every window, especially the public toilets at Ned's Beach." There are a few ways onto the island, but unless you and your mates have access to a boat, you'll have to fly over. Regional flights head from Port Macquarie, head there to stock up on supplies and bevs from The Bottle-O toast to island life for the long weekend. Closest The Bottle-O: Flynn's Beach, Port Macquarie [caption id="attachment_942300" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lake Bellfield Toilets, Tracie Louise[/caption] Gariwerd (Grampians) National Park VIC Melbourne-based readers: are the mountains calling you for a long weekend getaway? Trek along the ridges and clicks of the epic mountain range before chasing emus off your campsite at Smith's Mill Campground. Once you've arrived in the Grampians, you're not going to have the opportunity to head down to the local shop for snacks, so get sorted at Sebastopol and head to The Bottle-O there for any campsite brews to enjoy with your mates. David recommends Lake Bellfield for a loo with a view, and sounds like prime real estate: "Just off the main road from Halls Gap, in this large two-storey wooden shelter, you'll find the toilets with views out over the lake, perfect for stretching your legs." Closest The Bottle-O: Sebastopol [caption id="attachment_942306" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, Wirestock[/caption] Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, TAS Want to get a little wild for the long weekend? Head into the wild west of Tassie to the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. According to reader Natalie, the dunnies located near Nelson Falls are among Australia's most scenic: "A perfect sidetrack if you're road-tripping from Cradle Mountain to Queenstown or vice versa. Toilets themselves are nothing special, but the waterfalls are gorge". Once you've finished admiring the scenery, head over to Queenstown to pick up a drink at The Bottle-O and toast to the wonders of the Tasmanian wilderness at the free campsite at Lake Burbury. Closest The Bottle-O: Queenstown Wherever the road leads you on your weekend adventuring, find your nearest The Bottle-O and stock up on some standout bevs. Ready to start planning? Head to the website. Top image: Canva Stock
The Walrus is nearing on two months open, yet it still qualifies as one of the newer cafes in Sydney's CBD. It looks it too — the decor is bright but pared-back with neutral tones accented by plants and a distressed brown banquette by the floor-to-ceiling windows. These windows remain closed during the colder months, but in warmer weather, they're opened to let in the breeze. Burgers have become a cafe menu mainstay in Sydney and The Walrus is no different. A buttermilk fried chicken burger with kimchi and chipotle mayonnaise on a brioche bun ($18) is one of two available. There's no surprise that spicy kimchi and creamy mayonnaise work well together, but the combination is given an edge with a crushed corn chip crust on the chicken. The burger comes with a side of beer battered fries which adhere to my number one chip requirement: they stay crisp throughout the entire meal. If you don't want fried food for lunch, opt for the free-range chicken and quinoa salad ($19) which is meant to include pistachios, honey-roasted bacon, peas, fennel and parmesan. I can't attest to what the pistachios add to the meal as they didn't turn up on my plate, but little morsels of bacon and a creamy house dressing do a fine job of keeping your salt and mayo cravings in line while eating an otherwise nutritious salad. As you'll notice from the bags of bean packed on an overhanging shelf, the cafe uses Toby's Estate coffee. For those who don't feel like caffeine (or have perhaps had their fill for the day), there is a selection of just-squeezed juices, smoothies and house sodas that come in milk bottles with a curly straw. Of note is the blueberry and lime soda — it has the tart fizz reminiscent of lemonade but without the artificial sweetness. The Walrus is the cafe we want near our office — it does reliable coffee, serves food that spans from salads to hearty burgers, and has a team of attentive but non-intrusive staff. Aside from the small issue of the missing nuts, there's not much to complain about. Here's hoping they iron out all the kinks so you can add them to your list of CBD go-tos. Images: The Walrus.
Why book a trip to Europe in December when Europe can come to you in June? That is the unique predicament that the Sydney Winter Festival so capably addresses. Here’s the wrap: the Sydney Winter Festival — on every evening from Thursday, June 24 to Sunday, July 4 — is something of a spin-off of the Christmas markets held across Europe, where hoards of people come out to bustling squares for an ice skate, a hot mug of Gluhwein (steaming spiced wine — it’s tops) and perhaps a coquettish cuddle amid the snow. While the snow part is less likely in the middle of Sydney city, you can be assured plenty of alpine enjoyment on the ice rink in the Cook and Phillip Park forecourt. Even though the rink is four times bigger than last year’s, you're advised to book in advance (averting potential skate-rage). Elsewhere in the forecourt are a woodfire-lit, ski-lodge-styled Alpine Ski Hut, where you get your fix of Austrian, Swiss and Bavarian delicacies and live folk music; an Alpine Food Market packed with bratwurst, beer and the like; and off-the-wall rides like the inflatable Zorb Ball (a 'global' sport, pardon the pun). With St Mary’s Cathedral looming in the background, the Sydney Winter Festival may as well be anywhere from Paris to Prague.
Yum cha might literally mean "drink tea" in Cantonese, but that doesn't mean you can't add a little liquor to the mix. With this in mind, Chin Chin Sydney is reviving an old favourite for this April only, as Boozy Yum Cha returns for a limited series of weekend lunches from Saturday, April 5–Sunday, April 27. Held across Saturday and Sunday sessions from 12pm, the menu is decked out with shareable fried and steamed goodies, from prawn wontons and barbecue pork buns to drunken Hokkien noodles. Meanwhile, optional extras like Sichuan-style chicken stir-fry and bacon and egg fried rice will satisfy even the biggest hunger. As for the booze, expect free-flowing drinks throughout, with plenty of stellar choices on the menu. Think Young Henrys Newtowner and Alpino Prosecco alongside Chin Chin's strawberry- and yuzu-infused Jasmine Dream cocktail. Plus, a rotating list of wines will help keep you satiated. All that's left to do is get the crew together and choose between a 90-minute or an extended two-hour session that gives you more time for sumptuous bites and sips. Whichever you choose, bookings and walk-ins are welcome.
Forty years after first forming, Cirque du Soleil still knows how to notch up firsts among its lineup of dazzling circus shows, especially for Australian audiences. In 2023, the Montreal-based company headed Down Under with CRYSTAL, its first-ever ice production on ice. In 2024, it's following that up with LUZIA, which takes inspiration from Mexico, and also marks Cirque du Soleil's first touring performance that features rain in its acrobatic and artistic scenes. LUZIA's name is a combination of the words 'lux' and 'lluvia' in Spanish, with the first translating as light and the second as rain. What that means in the production will be unveiled to Aussie audiences throughout the year, starting in Melbourne in March. Seasons in Adelaide from June, Perth from July, Brisbane from September and Sydney from November will all follow. While it has been four decades since Cirque du Soleil was created back in 1984, 2024 is the 25th anniversary of the troupe's performances in Australia, making LUZIA the tenth big-top show to hit our shores. So, although it's already an ode to Mexican culture, the production has even more to celebrate as it spends the bulk of 2024 and into 2025 making its way around the nation. Packing their bags to help: a team of 120 people, which includes 47 artists from 26 countries. First staged in 2016 and becoming Cirque du Soleil's 38th original production at the time, LUZIA has already been seen by 4.5-million people, a number that'll grow in Australia. Audiences are in for a trip to an imaginary version of Mexico, where the performance gets playful and surreal amid the light and rain. Some of the settings include an old movie set, the desert, the ocean and a dance hall, all backdropping the company's acrobatics, trapeze displays, contortionist feats, juggling and more. In the Cyr wheel, artists will roll and spin through the rain. And that trapeze work? That happens through showers. LUZIA also spans hoop diving on giant treadmills, a natural sinkhole, seven pins being flung in the air by jugglers and street dancing that includes footballs. Daniele Finzi Pasca wrote and directs the production, which begins with a parachutist falling into a field of cempasuchil flowers, turning a huge metallic key, then taking a magical journey. From there, the clown antics give LUZIA a beach clown and clown scuba diving, the acrobatics even take to a bike, a luchador mask makes an appearance in the swing segment — 1000-plus costumes are seen across the show in total — and a hair-suspension act features. Cirque du Soleil's LUZIA — Australian Tour 2024–25: From Sunday, March 24, 2024 — Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne From Sunday, June 9, 2024 — Adelaide Showground, Adelaide From Thursday, July 25, 2024 — Claremont Showgrounds, Perth From Wednesday, September 25, 2024 — Next to Royal Queensland Golf Club, off Curtin Ave East, Brisbane From Sunday, November 24, 2024 — Entertainment Quarter, Sydney Cirque du Soleil's LUZIA tours Australia from March 2024. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the show's website. Images: Anne Colliard.
