Renovations to Australia's oldest pool are finally complete, with the Dawn Fraser Baths set to reopen to the public as soon as the NSW Government's public health orders allow. Constructed in the 1880s and renamed after local Olympian Dawn Fraser in the 60s, the baths were closed to the public for upgrades in 2019. The $8 million heritage restoration sees the much-loved swimming hole receive a host of cosmetic improvements, as well as addressing the structural issues that were flagged by engineers and the inner west council back in 2018. "I promised to save Dawn Fraser Baths and, while its been a long hard fight, together we have now secured the future of Australia's oldest and most beautiful harbourside pool for generations to come," Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said. "I spent half my childhood there and it's where I learnt to swim, so I know just how special this place is and how vital Dawny's is to the social fabric of our community." The restored pools were originally flagged to be completed by summer of last year, however a series of issues arose throughout the restoration process. The southern pavilion and boardwalk, for example, were found to have no structural foundations, forcing builders to construct new foundations eight to ten metres underwater. The southern pavilion, kiosk and amenities of the baths were all in need of restoration as well due to flooding worsened by rising sea levels. While the baths remain closed due to Great Sydney's lockdown, the inner west council has plans to celebrate the reopening with an extended winter swimming season and two weeks of free admission once public health orders roll back to allow residents to visit. As part of the winter season, daily health and wellbeing classes will be run at the baths including yoga, pilates and tai chi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jAuN1xpXnY You can read more about the restoration of the Dawn Fraser Baths here.
Fancy cruising around on a glass-walled boat, partying over three levels, and pairing a killer view with a beach club vibe and plenty of beverages? Then you'll want to book a berth on Australia's new floating bar and party venue, Glass Island. Now sailing through Sydney Harbour until April — and then making its way up north for a Brisbane season, too — it's the country's latest excuse to live it up on the water. If the concept sounds familiar, that's because Seadeck has been doing the same thing in both cities for the past couple of years. In fact, Glass Island is actually the brainchild of one of that luxe vessel's creators. This time around, hospitality entrepreneur Scott Robertson has paired up with his frequent design collaborator Alex Zabotto-Bentley, aiming to mastermind "the most iconic hospitality location afloat in Australia". The resulting boat certainly stands out — surrounding out the ship with glass will do that, of course. Those gleaming, glistening panels are found on Glass Island's middle deck. In a space inspired by Miami pool clubs and beach front hotel lobbies, patrons will also find a seven-metre-long bar covered in mint-hued tiles, raw timber flooring, and a heap of lounges and other seating. The windows slide open, too, so you can enjoy the sea — or river — breeze. Upstairs, Zabotto-Bentley nods to Mediterranean beach clubs. Think dark orange, red and white colours, lounges you can sink into, VIP seating and crimson-toned umbrellas. There's one other big highlight up here as well: the 360-degree views. Both the top and middle decks place a big focus on music, with Glass Island playing host to resident DJs across a number of regular events. The first Sunday of each month sees Sneaky Sundays take over, with Sneaky Sound System's parties hitting up the venue. Also set to hit the boat are Yolanda Be Cool, Poolclvb and Colour Castle, as well nights dedicated to soul and retro 80s tunes. For those eager to chill downstairs, it houses a champagne and cocktail lounge — and a range of natural wines that you can only find on that level. Drinks-wise, the 18-strong cocktail list spans both classic and creative concoctions, so you can choose between espresso martinis and two types of negronis, or opt for a Pretty in Peach (with gin, prosecco and white peach) or Rib Tickler (with tequila, absinthe, pineapple, lime and cucumber). Food is also available, spanning flatbread pizzas; sliders with halloumi, wagyu or friend chicken; charcuterie boards and cheese plates; and Moreton Bay bug rolls. Glass Island is floating around Sydney until Sunday, April 5, setting off from King Street, Wharf 6, Darling Harbour, with tickets starting at $30. It'll return again in October — and head to Brisbane in-between, with exact dates yet to be announced. For more information — or to buy tickets to its current season — visit the venue's website. Images: Glass Island.
Last Friday, as you may well have heard, somebody set the Lansdowne Hotel on fire. Most Sydneysiders will be familiar with the Landsdowne. It’s the neon-lit three-storey art deco hotel on the corner of Broadway and City Road, overlooking Victoria Park, which is always open when everything else is closed. It's sleazy, and the clientele are scruffy, and it has been beloved of every University of Sydney student and every local criminal and eccentric for well over a hundred years. And there it was, burning down. If you've driven through Chippendale since Friday, you'll have realised it hasn't, in fact, burnt down. Rather, a fire started on the third floor, forcing the hotel guests to evacuate, closing City Road for most of the morning, and closing the pub until, well, further notice. But the spectre of the end of the Lansdowne upset not just me but also many people I know and many more I’ve never met. In a strange way it burrowed its way into our hearts over the years, and we realised for a few moments that we would feel lost without it. Conversations with friends that night revealed a particular pattern to individual histories of the Lansdowne. While they might have tried to put in a velvet lounge or two and introduce (very decent) band nights over the last couple of years, most of the stories of the Lansdowne I heard began or ended with heady, fuzzy alcohol-soaked staggers through the open doors in the wee hours of the morning. There were stories of arguing with the bartender over the price of beer, of people making out clumsily on the couches, of untidy break-ups, of punch-ups, and of impromptu dancing on tables. It's rarely a destination in and of itself. Rather, it is the beloved pub of last resort, eternally reliable in all its sleazy neon grandeur at the intersection of two busy roads. A little bit of research reveals the Lansdowne has probably always been that way. The current incarnation has been around since 1933, a stalwart of Chippendale well before anybody could even conceive of it being included in a list of Australia’s 'hippest' suburbs. For most of its existence, Chippendale has been a violent, drunken slum, home to criminals, gamblers, and prostitutes, and then, over the years, the equally questionable musicians, students, and communists. The people who lived there were overwhelmingly poor, and the combination of factory poisons, sewerage, and the reek of the brewery in the air made it a generally unpleasant place to live. The Lansdowne, true to the grimness of the neighbourhood, was nearly always sleazy. While the Temperance Unions won a small victory in the early 20th century with the introduction of six o'clock closing times (with the aim of sending men home to their families instead of the warm embrace of a bottle of whisky), it instead marked the beginning of Sydney's much-maligned binge drinking culture. The six o'clock swill saw men flood the Lansdowne to get as much drink into them before closing time as they were physically able. The Lansdowne became a kind of feeding trough between the hours of four and six, where the long bars had a trough at the base for the men to piss in as they stood. Tiled walls were also introduced. Not for any aesthetic appeal; rather, they were easier to hose the vomit off of. Like all inner-Sydney pubs, it was a place where men went to escape, and any woman who did walk into the Lansdowne wasn't somebody likely to be too worried about her reputation. It was somewhere bookmakers and standover men hassled 'sly-groggers', prostitutes, or anybody who looked at them in a 'funny' way. During the 1930s Kate Leigh, of Underbelly fame, had a slew of standover men who would frequent pubs, including the Lansdowne, to buy the booze she would sell on the sly. One of her men, Chow Hayes, finding he had been replaced while he'd been in prison, wandered into the Lansdowne one night to locate the man who'd replaced him. He invited him outside, and he shot him. The Lansdowne continued to be sleazy and rough well past the Razor Gangs, with one of Sydney's most renowned hit men Mr Rent-A-Kill, also a frequent patron. Yet it was also the occasional drinking hole of the Sydney Push, who had amongst their number Germaine Greer, Frank Moorehouse, and Lilian Roxon and were infamously described by Barry Humphries as "a fraternity of middle-class desperates, journalists, drop-out academics, gamblers and poets manques, and their doxies". In the '80s and '90s, the Lansdowne also became one of the first venues bands were likely to play in their early careers, hosting gigs by the likes of You Am I, Peabody, The Go-Betweens, and Died Pretty. When they renovated the Lansdowne a few years ago, they made the downstairs bar airier and brighter and got rid of the cheap meals to replace them with slightly less-cheap meals. Yet for all of that, it maintains the atmosphere of its many years of questionable history. It's probably fair to say that Sydney would in many ways be bereft without places like the Lansdowne, even though they don't necessarily make us look our glittering best. That’s where the attraction lies, and that's why we are very thankful that the Lansdowne did not, in the end, burn down last week.
In the 1970s, recently de-closeted lawyer Paul (Garret Dillahunt) meets drag club singer Rudy (Alan Cumming), and the two hit it off immediately. Their relationship is both complicated and strengthened when Rudy discovers his drug-addict neighbour has a neglected son with Down's syndrome, and takes it upon himself to care for the kid. Before any of them know what's happened, a family unit has instantly formed, and the three must fight prejudices to stay together. Any Day Now has the vague whiff of being based on a true story, and does purport to have been inspired by true events, but press notes refuse to go into any detail about what this true story might have been. It's a important to note this, because tales that claim to be "inspired by true events" receive a cache of good will, as outrageous plot contrivances are forgiven under the assumption that it must have really happened. Without a grasp of what the original true life tale might have been, the series of coincidences in this film are a little harder to swallow. We can accept that life is stranger than fiction, but only when the fiction draws us in with the sort of verisimilitude that shocks us with its authenticity. Some films feel like real life; others simply feel like films. Any Day Now, for all its excellent intentions, feels like a film. Cumming chews up the scenery as the improbably accented Rudy, whose Joan Rivers-esque comebacks to every single utterance thrust in his direction makes him feel like a nightclub routine, as opposed to someone who occasionally performs a nightclub routine. It's a shame, because these unlikely quips undo the solid emotional work Cumming puts in as the prospective adopted father. Rudy's instant connection to Marco would feel too rushed if it wasn't for the frankly superb work by Isaac Leyva, the teenager with Down's syndrome. Marco is quiet and nonresponsive for a long period of the film, suggesting that the drama will come from the more experienced actors having emotions at him. But Leyva is called upon to do some pretty heavy work, selling us on tears of joy in one scene and tears of sadness in another. It's hard to watch him and not feel the overwhelming compulsion to adopt him yourself. Ultimately, Any Day Now suffers from its artifice. Too many things happen too easily, and for us to be convinced by the situation, the film would have been served by reducing the manipulation. As a weepy and capitalised Important Tale, the film is very good and some moments stir up emotion, but it isn't the film it should be, failing to hit the heights it is so earnestly aiming for. https://youtube.com/watch?v=7ghwGOuuNy0
One Australian town is about to get a whole lot brighter, gain a towering new landmark, radiate queer pride and become a must-visit tourist destination. That's what's bound to happen when the lucky spot welcomes the most colourful big thing there is: Tinder's new Big Rainbow. Australia loves its big things. If you're not stopping to gawk at a giant pineapple, lobster, watermelon, sheep, prawn or avocado, have you really taken an Aussie road trip? No, no you haven't. So adding this super-sized wave of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet to your travel itinerary will be an easy no-brainer. Your possible destinations, and the rainbow's potential new homes? The coastal spot of Broome in Western Australia, Victoria's Daylesford, Hay in New South Wales and the Northern Territory's Katherine. They've all been picked from a submissions process that launched during this year's Sydney Mardi Gras — and Tinder now wants you to vote for which place ends up with the rainbow. The public vote is open now until June 30, after The Big Rainbow Project team came up with the shortlist in consultation with community advisors and experts from the LGBTQIA+ community. Beaming with pride is the whole aim of the huge rainbow, of course, which Tinder envisions will stand tall as a massive symbol of equality and unity. If you're wondering where to pick — and you're thinking beyond whatever is the closest drive for you — Broome is the Traditional Land of the Yawuru people, and also home to one of Australia's most remote Mardi Gras celebrations. Daylesford boasts the Chillout Festival, one of the longest-running regional LGBTQIA+ pride events, and is also the Traditional Land of the Dja Dja Wurrung people. NSW's finalist, Hay, is where you'll find the Rainbow on the Plains — the first Mardi Gras of the region — as well as the Traditional Land of the Wiradjuri people. And sat in the Big Rivers region of the NT, Katherine is the Traditional Land of the Jawoyn, Dagoman and Wardaman peoples, and throws an annual pride shindig. Whichever spot gets the nod, there'll be a pot of gold for a heap of organisations that support and uplift LGBTQIA+ folks. Tinder has also pledged to give $100,000 to regional outfits that fit that description, to go towards programs for regional queer communities To cast your vote for where Tinder's Big Rainbow should live, head to the Big Rainbow Project website before Thursday, June 30.
With 1654 stores to its name worldwide, Five Guys' burger joints have become a common sight across America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia — and soon, they'll also be opening in Australia and New Zealand. The cult-favourite chain is making the leap Down Under as part of a master franchise agreement with Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, aka the folks behind The Meat & Wine Co, Hunter & Barrel, 6 Head, Ribs & Burgers, Italian Street Kitchen and Butcher and the Farmer. Sydneysiders can start getting excited first, with Seagrass currently looking for suitable locations in the city's CBD. "Our aim is to identify high-visibility ground-floor sites in high-traffic areas," said the company's Chief Marketing Officer David Ovens in a statement. But burger lovers in other states, and in New Zealand, can also prepare their stomachs, with around 20 stores due to launch in Australia alone — although exactly where and when Five Guys will be popping up is yet to be revealed. What we do know is why Five Guys has amassed quite the reputation — and why, given the number of big-name US burger chains with hefty followings, such as Shake Shack and In-N-Out, it stands out. Its made-to-order burgers skew in the classic rather than oversized, jam-packed direction. They come with two hand-formed patties on toasted buns with your choice of toppings (including pickles, grilled mushrooms and jalapeños), plus bacon cheeseburgers that add two strips of bacon and two slices of Kraft American cheese as well. Five Guys also serves up hotdogs, sandwiches, hand-cut fries (with or without Cajun spices) and vanilla milkshakes. Don't go thinking the latter are boring, though — you can add bacon, bananas, peanut butter, salted caramel and even Oreo pieces to your design-your-own beverage. The chain started back in 1986 in the Washington, DC area and, as anyone with allergies should note, only cooks its fries in peanut oil. Five Guys is currently looking for sites in the Sydney CBD, with stores in other Australian states — and in New Zealand — to follow. No opening dates have been revealed as yet — we'll update you when more information comes to hand.
An undisputed perk of living in a metropolis as multicultural as Sydney is that you can experience the wider world without ever having to leave the confines of the city. If a trip to Latin America is on your bucket list, why not save yourself a 13,000 kilometre plane trip and a significant chunk of cash, and have a local South American adventure instead? We've rounded up a comprehensive guide to Sydney spots where you can experience the flavours, sounds, and vibrancy of Latino culture — from the top Latin American restaurants, cafes, and bars to the best spots to get your salsa on. And, once you've fallen in love with all things Latin America, pick up some Spanish or Portuguese at one of the city's many language centres. That way, you'll be fully prepared when you do finally make it to that side of the globe. Of course, we couldn't cover everything here, but if your favourite Venezuelan spot, Brazilian barbecue house or Peruvian restaurant isn't in here, let us know where your go-to is in the comments below. WHERE TO EAT PORTENO Last year, this Sydney icon shut the doors of its Cleveland Street home to move to 50 Holt Street — they're still open for functions at Cleveland Street. But fans need not despair, the new location is serving up those coveted mouthwatering meats cooked Argentine-style over an open fire pit, an impressive wine list, and pitch-perfect playlists. LA PUERTA This charming family-run Neutral Bay diner combines the best South American flavours with Aussie produce. An evening at La Puerta involves hearty plates made for sharing (we're especially partial to the Pescada Creole), a wine list that showcases the best Chilean and Argentine varietals, and a backdrop of infectious Latino music. TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD Opened in August 2016, this popular restaurant and bar has brought the best Latin American flavours to Paddington, with a seasonal menu that features dishes from Mexico all the way down to Argentina. We're especially partial to the alpaca and mozzarella empanadas and the barbecue lamb shoulder with red chimichurri. Meanwhile, the ample drinks list — featuring more than 40 tequila and mezcal varieties — will please even the pickiest connoisseurs. CHAR & CO We Sydneysiders sure do love us some Brazilian barbecue. In a city full of churrasco spots, the upscale Char & Co is one of Sydney's best. Expect an endless supply of succulent spit-roasted meats, a solid selection of side dishes, and distinctive Brazilian cocktails to wash it all down. Come hungry for this one or don't come at all. CAFE CON LECHE This tiny family-owned Surry Hills cafe will make you feel like you've stepped out of Sydney and straight into Bogotá or Medellín. Boisterous Spanish mingles with Latin music and the shelves are filled with Colombian crafts and produce. Come for the single-origin Colombian coffee, the freshly-baked arepas (corn cakes), and the weird-sounding but totally delicious hot chocolate with cheese. LA PAULA EMPANADAS This unassuming Kensington cafe has been serving up Chilean classics for the past 30 decades. Unsurprisingly, the highlight here are the empanadas. Served either baked or fried, this Chilean staple is the perfect comfort food. La Paula also offers a variety of traditional Chilean sandwiches (our fave is the beef churrasco) and addictive alfajores, dulce de leche stuffed biscuits. WHERE TO DRINK THE LOBO PLANTATION Named after Julian Lobo, 'The Sugar King of Havana', this popular CBD mainstay is a veritable rum heaven. With bottles sourced from across Central America and the Caribbean, rum fans — and everyone else — are guaranteed to find something that appeals. With an interior embellished with old Cuban charm, The Lobo Plantation is the perfect place to while away an evening in the city. BARRIO CELLAR Look for the neon sign promising "Everything with tequila", descend the stairs, and you'll have found some of the best tequila and mezcal cocktails in Sydney. The latest venture from the Barrio Chino team, this Martin Place basement bar is the place to go when you're in the mood for innovative drinks and Mexican street eats. Go on Friday and Saturday nights when a great DJ lineup will have you dancing until the wee hours. JAMTOWN This tiny bar is more than worth the ferry ride over to Manly. The cheery fitout — colourful benches, pink flamingos, hand-drawn signs — is a near-perfect replica of Jamaica's plentiful beach bars and refreshingly unpretentious. Expect a compact list of rum-based cocktails, authentic bar snacks (whatever you do, do not miss the delectable plantain chips), and DJs spinning the decks at the weekend. WHERE TO DANCE LATIN MOTION DANCE STUDIO No rhythm? No problem. The folks over at the Latin Motion dance studio will get you up to speed in no time. Led by World Salsa and Bachata champions, the talented team of instructors promise to have you shaking your hips with confidence after just a few classes. Alternatively, check out Salsa Republic in Surry Hills. ESTABLISHMENT, SALSA TUESDAYS If you still haven't experienced Salsa Tuesdays at Establishment, now's the time — even if you're not a regular at Establishment, give it a go. Get there at 8pm for a free salsa lesson, grab a $12 mojito to loosen you up, and spend the night shaking your stuff all over the dance floor. THE ARGYLE, SALSA WEDNESDAYS Head to The Argyle on Wednesday nights for their free salsa fiesta where everyone, from beginners to seasoned salsa dancers, is welcome. Resident DJ Miro will have you dancing the night away to the latest salsa tunes with a healthy dose of bachata thrown into the mix. WHERE TO LEARN If all the eating and dancing has moved Latin America to the top of your travel bucket list, why not pick up some language skills before you jet off? The Instituto Cervantes offers some of the best Spanish lessons in the city. Beyond the CBD, The University of Sydney's Centre for Continuing Education and Parramatta Community College both have an affordable and comprehensive range of courses. More of a Lusophile? Learn to falar português at UNSW's Institute of Languages or Sydney Language Solutions. WHERE TO GET FULLY IMMERSED No better way for a huge dose of Latin American culture than a festival. In February, two festivals immersed Sydneysiders in Latin American culture. For a little taste of Rio's iconic Carnaval, head to Sydney's first Portuguese-Brazilian festival, Canguru na Folia (Kangaroo revelry), bringing the music, food, and drinks of the Lusophone world to Sydney's inner west. Meanwhile, the annual Latin American festival returns to the Bondi Pavilion each year with food stalls aplenty, live Latin American music, and free dance workshops. This comprehensive guide is a jumping off point for highlighting Sydney's best Latin American experiences. Have a favourite Colombian cafe? A go-to salsa spot? Let us know in the comments, we're all ears. Top image: Tequila Mockingbird.
When Barbie and Oppenheimer both released in cinemas on the same July 2023 day, they didn't take attention away from each other. Instead, Barbenheimer had everyone flocking to picture palaces to see both. Among the just-announced 2024 Golden Globe nominations, a similar phenomenon is occurring. Since these gongs split the bulk of the awards into dramas and musicals/comedies, Barbie and Oppenheimer have both scored a heap of love largely without competing. Greta Gerwig's take on the toy doll topped the list among the number of nods given to this year's contenders, nabbing nine overall. Christopher Nolan's latest was only one behind with eight. The two do face off in a few fields: Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (with Ryan Gosling and Robert Downey Jr nominated), and the brand-new Cinematic and Box Office Achievement accolade that's clearly designed to give a shiny trophy to a blockbuster (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, John Wick: Chapter 4, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Super Mario Bros Movie and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour are also in the running). Now boasting six competitors per category, the Golden Globes will anoint its latest round of winners on Monday, January 8 Australian and New Zealand time, with Killers of the Flower Moon (with seven), Poor Things (also seven) and Past Lives (with five) also joining the movie-loving party. TV earns affection at these awards as well, with Succession garnering nine nominations, followed by The Bear and Only Murders in the Building with five each. Among the other cinema highlights: Celine Song's debut feature doing so well; Greta Gerwig finally being recognised in the Best Director camp after missing out for Lady Bird and Little Women; Lily Gladstone, always; The Boy and the Heron in the Best Animation field; Suzume doing the same; not one, not two, but three Best Song nominations for Barbie, including for earworm 'I'm Just Ken'; Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest notching up nods beyond the Non-English Language category; and Barry Keoghan's Saltburn and Andrew Scott's All of Us Strangers noms. Also stellar: Emma Stone getting attention for two absolutely stunning performances on screens big and small, aka Poor Things and The Curse. From the TV contenders, The Last of Us, Barry, Beef and Fargo all thoroughly deserve their nominations. So do Elle Fanning for The Great, Natasha Lyonne for Poker Face, Rachel Weisz for Dead Ringers and Christina Ricci for Yellowjackets, even if the shows they're each in sadly didn't get enough attention overall. The television fields also completely ignored Reservation Dogs and The Other Two, two of the best shows of the year, both of which wrapped up after their third seasons. Australian actors picked up three nominations, with Margot Robbie receiving the nod for Barbie, Sarah Snook for Succession and Elizabeth Debicki for The Crown. If you're wondering what else is in the running, here's the full list of nominations: GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Anatomy of a Fall Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer Past Lives The Zone of Interest BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Annette Bening, Nyad Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Greta Lee, Past Lives Carey Mulligan, Maestro Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Bradley Cooper, Maestro Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon Colman Domingo, Rustin Barry Keoghan, Saltburn Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Air American Fiction Barbie The Holdovers May December Poor Things BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings Natalie Portman, May December Alma Pöysti, Fallen Leaves Margot Robbie, Barbie Emma Stone, Poor Things BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction Joaquin Phoenix, Beau Is Afraid Matt Damon, Air Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers Timothée Chalamet, Wonka BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED The Boy and the Heron Elemental Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Super Mario Bros Movie Suzume Wish BEST MOTION PICTURE — NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE Anatomy of a Fall Fallen Leaves Io Capitano Past Lives Society of the Snow The Zone of Interest BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Jodie Foster, Nyad Julianne Moore, May December Rosamund Pike, Saltburn BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Charles Melton, May December Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer Ryan Gosling, Barbie Willem Dafoe, Poor Things BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE Bradley Cooper, Maestro Greta Gerwig, Barbie Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer Martin Scorsese, Killers of The Flower Moon Celine Song, Past Lives BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE Anatomy of a Fall Barbie Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer Past Lives Poor Things BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE The Boy and the Heron Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer Poor Things Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Zone of Interest BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE Bruce Springsteen, 'Addicted to Romance', She Came to Me Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa and Caroline Ailin, 'Dance the Night', Barbie Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, 'I'm Just Ken', Barbie Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond and John Spiker, 'Peaches', The Super Mario Bros Movie Lenny Kravitz, 'Road to Freedom', Rustin Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, 'What Was I Made For?', Barbie CINEMATIC AND BOX OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT Barbie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 John Wick: Chapter 4 Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Oppenheimer Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Super Mario Bros. Movie Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA 1923 The Crown The Diplomat The Last of Us The Morning Show Succession BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us Emma Stone, The Curse Helen Mirren, 1923 Imelda Staunton, The Crown Keri Russell, The Diplomat Sarah Snook, Succession BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Brian Cox, Succession Kieran Culkin, Succession Gary Oldman, Slow Horses Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us Jeremy Strong, Succession Dominic West, The Crown BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Ted Lasso Abbott Elementary The Bear Barry Only Murders in the Building Jury Duty BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri, The Bear Elle Fanning, The Great Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Bill Hader, Barry Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Jason Segel, Shrinking Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso Jeremy Allen White, The Bear BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION All the Light We Cannot See Beef Daisy Jones & The Six Fargo Fellow Travellers Lessons in Chemistry BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Ali Wong, Beef Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death Juno Temple, Fargo Rachel Weisz, Dead Ringers Riley Keough, Daisy Jones & the Six BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION David Oyelowo, Lawmen: Bass Reeves Jon Hamm, Fargo Matt Bomer, Fellow Travellers Sam Claflin, Daisy Jones & the Six Steven Yeun, Beef Woody Harrelson, White House Plumbers BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION Abby Elliott, The Bear Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso J. Smith-Cameron, Succession Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION Alan Ruck, Succession Alexander Skarsgård, Succession Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear James Marsden, Jury Duty Matthew Macfadyen, Succession BEST PERFORMANCE IN STANDUP COMEDY ON TELEVISION Ricky Gervais: Armageddon Trevor Noah: Where Was I Chris Rock: Selective Outrage Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer The 2023 Golden Globes will be announced on Monday, January 8, Australian and New Zealand time, streaming on Stan in Australia. For further details, head to the awards' website.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including 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, 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. THE BATMAN When The Batman begins (not to be confused with Batman Begins), it's with the slaying of a powerful Gotham figure. A shocking crime that scandalises the city, it leaves a traumatised boy behind, and couldn't be more influential in the detective-style tale of blood and vengeance that follows. But viewers haven't seen this story before, despite appearances. It isn't the start of pop culture's lonesome billionaire orphan's usual plight, although he's there, all dressed in black, and has an instant affinity for the sorrowful kid. Behold the first standout feat achieved by this excellent latest take on the Dark Knight (not to be confused with The Dark Knight): realising that no one needs to see Bruce Wayne's parents meet their end for what'd feel like the millionth time. The elder Waynes are still dead, and have been for two decades. Bruce (Robert Pattinson, Tenet) still festers with pain over their loss. And the prince of Gotham still turns vigilante by night, cleaning up the lawless streets one no-good punk at a time with only trusty butler Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis, Long Shot) in on his secret. As directed by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes' Matt Reeves, and co-scripted with The Unforgivable's Peter Craig, The Batman clocks something crucial about its namesake and the audiences that watch him, however. The caped crusader's every move stems from his inescapable grief as always, but no one has to witness its origins yet again to glean why he's become the conflicted protector of his anarchic city. Instead, here he's overtly anguished, upset, broken, broiling with hurt and working his way through those feelings in each affray — a suave, smooth and slick one-percenter playboy in his downtime, he isn't — and it's a more absorbing version of the character than seen in many of the past Bat flicks that've fluttered through cinemas. Why so serious? That question is answered quickly. Also, badging Pattinson's turn in the cape and cowl 'emo Batman' is 100-percent accurate. It's meant to be, because violence isn't just about experiencing or inflicting pain, but also about processing the emotions stirred up. Apply the label to The Batman's unrelentingly dark and rainy aesthetic as well and, once again, it suits. Lensed with such an eye for the absence of light by Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser (a Dune Oscar-nominee) that he's painting with the shadowiest of shadows, this is a grimmer Batman than Christopher Nolan's trilogy, moodier than Ben Affleck's stint, and gloomier than the Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney-starring movies (not to mention the upbeat and campy 60s TV series that gave us the Batusi). Like teen shows, the tone of any given Batman entry reflects the surrounding times, and the tenor here is bleak, bruised and battered. Call the prevailing batmosphere cinema's own bat-signal and that's oh-so-fitting, too. Batman is bruised and battered himself in The Batman. He flinches when jumping from skyscrapers in his winged batsuit, grimaces upon impact and sports contusions beneath his mask before that. In spurts of Taxi Driver-style narration — where he could be one of screenwriter Paul Schrader's lonely men wrestling with the world (see also: The Card Counter) — he seethes about his self-appointed task, past and the state of Gotham, exposing his psychological scars as well. That doesn't change when a serial killer who dubs himself The Riddler (Paul Dano, Okja) and must love David Fincher movies (Seven and Zodiac especially) commits The Batman's opening murder, the first in a chain targeting the city's elite. This other angry mask-wearing vigilante is also waging a war on Gotham's corruption, and leaving puzzles to be solved along the way — with Batman assisting police lieutenant Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright, The French Dispatch), and being aided by nightclub waiter-cum-cat burglar Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz, Kimi) in turn. Read our full review. BLIND AMBITION When Dolly Parton sang about pouring herself a cup of ambition in the giddily catchy 80s hit '9 to 5' — the song that accompanied a film of the same name four decades back, now echoes in a stage musical as well and will never, ever get old — she wasn't talking about wine. But Zimbabwean quartet Joseph Dhafana, Tinashe Nyamudoka, Marlvin Gwese and Pardon Taguzu have lived up to those lyrics one glass of top-notch vino at a time, despite not drinking alcohol as Pentecostal Christians. Clearly, these men have quite the story to tell. It starts with fleeing their homeland under Robert Mugabe's rule, and then sees them each make new homes at considerable risk in South Africa, where they all also eventually found themselves working with the grape. In the process, they discovered a knack for an industry they mightn't have ever even dreamed of contemplating entering otherwise — and, in 2017, they took Zimbabwe's first-ever team to the World Wine Blind Tasting Championships in Burgundy, France. In the words of the always-great and ever-quotable Parton again, Joseph, Tinashe, Marlvin and Pardon waited for their ship to come in, and for the tide to turn and all roll their way. '9 to 5' doesn't actually have a single thing to do with Blind Ambition, the film that splashes through the Zimbabwean sommeliers' story, but their against-the-odds journey is equally infectious and uplifting. The Australian-made documentary about the foursome has also been likened to another on-screen underdog tale, this time about Black men seeking glory in a field that isn't typically associated with their country of birth. Blind Ambition isn't the wine version of Cool Runnings for numerous reasons — it hasn't been fictionalised (although it likely will be at some point) and it isn't a comedy, for starters — but the comparison still pithily sums up just how rousing this true story proves. The reality is far more profound than a Disney flick, of course. Making their second wine-focused doco of the past decade, Warwick Ross and Rob Coe — the former the co-director of 2013's Red Obsession, the latter its executive producer, and both sharing helming credits here — decant emotion aplenty from the moving and inspiring Blind Ambition. It flows freely from Joseph, Tinashe, Marlvin and Pardon's plights, which the film begins to drip out individually, harking back to before the quartet had even met, then blends together. Getting across the border was especially harrowing for Joseph, for instance, while ensuring that his new life honours his parents back home is particularly important for Pardon. Overcoming poverty and adversity echoes through their stories, as does the hope that their newfound affinity for wine brings — including via Tinashe's desire to plant vines on his grandfather's land one day. From those histories grows a keen eagerness to turn vino into their futures, and amid those dreams sits the World Wine Blind Tasting Championships. The activity that gives the competition its name is serious business; the first word isn't slang for getting black-out drunk or even just knocking back drinks to the thoroughly sozzled stage of inebriation, but describes how teams sample an array of wines without knowing what's rolling over their palates. Every national squad, all with four people apiece, is given 12 drops. From the six red and six white varieties, they must pick everything they can just by sipping — the grape, country, name, producer and vintage — to earn points. And, they also need to spit out the answers quickly, within two minutes of taking a taste. Yes, it's an event that you need to train for. No, it doesn't involve getting sloshed. Read our full review. MISS MARX Daughter of Karl Marx, a socialist activist in her own right, a translator of Henrik Ibsen's The Wild Duck and Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary, and first seen in Miss Marx giving her father's eulogy in 1883, Eleanor Marx was many things — but she wasn't a fan of punk music. She simply couldn't have been, thanks to the gap between the timing of her life and the genre's arrival, with seven decades separating them. Still, that doesn't stop filmmaker Susanna Nicchiarelli (Nico, 1988) from soundtracking her biopic about the youngest Marx with rollicking punk tracks courtesy of current rockers by Downtown Boys, including a cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Dancing in the Dark'. Such a decision is anachronistic in fact but not in spirit, Miss Marx contends, and it's a savvy observation. In much about her life — her willingness to break free of her father's and society's expectations, her anti-establishment activism, and her rejection of mainstream norms among them — Eleanor fits the tunes. If only Miss Marx moshed into cinemas with more than that smart idea layered over an otherwise by-the-numbers period drama — one that, despite its namesake's progressive quest for women's wrights, better working conditions for the masses and education across both genders, focuses on her ties to men, too. It boasts two particularly marvellous and playful scenes, one involving that punk soundtrack and an opium-fuelled dance by star Romola Garai (Suffragette) for the ages, the other toying with the dynamic between Eleanor and her paramour Edward Aveling (Patrick Kennedy, The Queen's Gambit), but a willingness to break the mould, thrash outside the lines and upset the status quo is rarely part of the movie. Eleanor's existence was defined by her dad since birth, of course. It was then linked to the already-married Edward when she decided to live with him as wife in all but the paperwork. But bringing her tale to the screen with such a focus feels not only much too straightforward, but also reductive. There's method and meaning in this choice, too; writing as well as directing, Nicchiarelli hones in on Eleanor's bonds with the two pivotal men in her life on purpose. The aim: to examine how someone who toiled for such pioneering causes still routinely put herself second to her father and her partner, and to being a caregiver in general. It's a juxtaposition that Eleanor sees herself, and more than once. She's dismissive when her friend, acclaimed South African writer Olive Schreiner (Karina Fernandez, Killing Eve), offers a word of warning about Edward, but both Nicchiarelli's script and Garai's portrayal convey that Eleanor spies the contrast between her rhetoric and her behaviour. Alas, the answer is as simple as it always is, and treated as such: her love for her dad, for the fellow Marxist activist she tried to spend her life with, and for everyone else she lends her time to. Out of them all, only her young nephew Jean (debutant Célestin Ryelandt) seems to understand her, proving accommodating about her need to travel, research, spread the word and follow her work. As Eleanor, Garai gives a deeply committed and thoughtful performance that makes viewers wish that the movie itself matched her, mirroring the same sentiments that Miss Marx's punk soundtrack inspires. She's the spark that keeps the romantic and domestic dramas as alight as they can be, and the politics-heavy sections of the film that explore her ideas and deeds as well — whether Eleanor is opening by farewelling Karl with her words ("he died in harness, his intellect untouched," she shares), arguing with Edward as they perform The Wild Duck or weathering the fallout from her unhappy relationship. In a feature that's always handsomely shot, far less engaging is the subplot involving the relationships surrounding Friedrich Engels (John Gordon Sinclair, Traces), her father's The Communist Manifesto co-author. It helps add extra strokes to the overall portrait of how women and family members around lauded men are treated, but it too is a stock-standard inclusion in a movie that openly pines to be otherwise. RUBY'S CHOICE When The Father tackled dementia, it won Anthony Hopkins an Oscar. When Still Alice had Julianne Moore grapple with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, it earned her an Academy Award, too. Led by Live and Let Die and Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman star Jane Seymour, Ruby's Choice follows in their footsteps thematically; however, it won't nab its lead actor the same shiny trophy. The Australian drama's high-profile star turns in a committed performance as the movie's eponymous figure, whose memory has begun to recede without anyone realising, but it's also a portrayal that ticks every expected box. The feature she's in garners the same description as well; getting a famous face to explore an illness on-screen is a formula that spreads well beyond on-screen depictions of neurodegenerative conditions, of course, but Ruby's Choice sticks to a template that's been trotted out so many times that it'll always be recognisable. Following Ruby and her family as they wade through the consequences of her faltering mental faculties, this is also a film designed to raise attention, with 50 percent of its profits set to be donated to dementia research. Clearly, it champions a worthy and important cause, and also takes the job of conveying the experience of both suffering from dementia and having a loved one afflicted with it as seriously as it can. But unlike The Father and Still Alice, Ruby's Choice peers on rather than plunges in. It presents how dementia looks from the outside rather than diving deep enough to express how it truly feels. It still makes it plain that this is a condition no one wants, and that dealing with it is immensely difficult — and, in its on-screen postscript about donating funds, that more cash for more research is needed — but it's a case of telling far more than showing. The titular Ruby (Seymour, The War with Grandpa) has spent five years living alone since the death of her husband and, attitude-wise, remains fiercely independent — but she also thinks that her deceased partner is just perennially away on a business trip. Her daughter Sharon (Jacqueline McKenzie, Malignant) plays along with the pretence because it is kinder than seeing her mum mourn her dad anew again and again, and also thinks it's harmless. Then Ruby forgets that she's driven her car to the library, starts a fire at home after forgetting she's cooking lamb chops and, after temporarily moving in with Sharon, her husband Doug (Stephen Hunter, The Tourist) and teenage daughter Tash (Coco Jack Gillies, Mad Max: Fury Road), forgets what she's doing several times over when left in charge of feeding pets and other household tasks for a day. Soon, Ruby's family can't deny that she needs help, but doing what's best — caring for her 24/7, contemplating whether finding a nursing facility is the better solution and affording either option — is hardly straightforward. From Never Too Late and June Again to A Stitch in Time and now Ruby's Choice, Australian cinema has turned its attention towards ageing protagonists and the reality that comes with their advancing years with frequency of late. And, excluding the first flick on that list, it has done so with sensitivity. Director Michael Budd (Life of the Party) and screenwriters Paul Mahoney (Mainland Tonight) and Ellen Shanley (a feature first-timer) are compassionate here, but also schematic. Layering on complications — including the arrival of Doug's brother Ken (Brendan Donoghue, June Again) and his teen son Ned (Rory Porter, The Dressmaker), fresh from their own troubles at home; issues with Tash, Ned and bullies at school; and family secrets let slip as Ruby increasingly thinks she's stepped back decades — they too bluntly try to tug harder at heartstrings that are already given a workout. Ruby's Choice still tackles an important subject with empathy, but also with as much force and formula as care. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on November 4, November 11, November 18 and November 25; December 2, December 9, December 16 and December 26; January 1, January 6, January 13, January 20 and January 27; and February 3, February 10, February 17 and February 24. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Eternals, The Many Saints of Newark, Julia, No Time to Die, The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick... Boom!, Zola, Last Night in Soho, Blue Bayou, The Rescue, Titane, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, Dune, Encanto, The Card Counter, The Lost Leonardo, The French Dispatch, Don't Look Up, Dear Evan Hansen, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Lost Daughter, The Scary of Sixty-First, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza, The Matrix Resurrections, The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Worst Person in the World, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, House of Gucci, The King's Man, Red Rocket, Scream, The 355, Gold, King Richard, Limbo, Spencer, Nightmare Alley, Belle, Parallel Mothers, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Belfast, Here Out West, Jackass Forever, Benedetta, Drive My Car, Death on the Nile, C'mon C'mon, Flee, Uncharted, Quo Vadis, Aida?, Cyrano, Hive and Studio 666.
If you're keen to see the winner of the Best Performance Award at last year's Melbourne Fringe, you'd better be prepared to don a bathrobe. This summer, Wiradjuri dancer and choreographer Joel Bray will be holed up in a luxe hotel room at QT Sydney with a small group of strangers he met in the bar downstairs — including you. What starts as a casual conversation begins to gather speed in the form of physical expression. Bray ranges through the intimate space and the room loses its drabness and uniformity. Using the Dreamtime story of the biladurang (platypus) to loosely frame his own unique tale, Bray has been packing out single suites across the country. Funny, dark and steeped in the vulnerability of the personal, by all accounts the surcharges on this room are purely emotional. Biladurang is part of Sydney Festival's dramatic and diverse 2019 program. Check out the full lineup here.
Arriving just in time for the 2026 edition of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the iconic event's official app now offers a suite of innovative safety and connection features. Bringing an improved sense of community wellbeing, access to help and social moments, the update goes live on day one of Mardi Gras — Friday, February 13. There are three main upgrades to note, starting with Safety Circles. Here, users can save up to five trusted contacts and send an instant SMS update with a single tap. Using a selection of pre-configured messages like "Heading there now," or "I'm here," this feature offers a simple way to keep friends, parents and guardians in the know about your whereabouts. Also in the realm of safety, the Mardi Gras app now includes a Strobe feature that lets users quickly enhance visibility or capture attention in low-light or busy areas. For instance, you can turn your phone into a flashing beacon, complete with customisable colours, torch light and scrolling text. This way, users can locate friends, signal for help or stay visible in a crowd. Meanwhile, for those keen to get extra social during this year's festivities, the new app update also includes the Mardi Moments Fan Wall. Here, users are invited to share photos and moments from all the rainbow-soaked events they attend. At the same time, people can like and comment, helping to paint an interactive, visual story of the festival experience. "Safety and inclusion sit at the core of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras," says Mardi Gras Festival CEO Jesse Matheson. "The Festival app builds on this commitment, now enhanced with new features to deliver a safe and positive Festival experience, including Safety Circles, Mardi Moments Fan Wall and Strobe designed for large-scale events." Ready to get involved? This year's festival is as jam-packed as you'd expect, with a host of new and returning events, like the femme-charged Ultra Violet at City Recital Hall and Laugh Out Proud at the Enmore Theatre. There's also the chance to catch the latest LGBTQI+ flicks or close out the whole event with a free party at the Kinselas Hotel, headlined by Keli Holiday. The Mardi Gras App is now available from the App Store or Google Play. Head to the website for more information.
This November, Darlinghurst is slated to become home to a swanky new watering hole: The Waratah. Led by hospitality heavyweights Evan Stroeve (ex-RE, Bulletin Place and Swillhouse), Alex Prichard (current executive chef at Bondi Icebergs) and business partner Cynthia Litster. It marks the debut of the new Sydney hospitality group, Pollen Hospitality, founded by Stroeve and Litster. Located on the corner of Liverpool and Victoria Street, The Waratah will seat 120 and span two storeys. There's also be an openair courtyard to chill during sunny arvos with your mates. Downstairs promises to be your classic warm and cosy local with Aussie wines and beers on tap. Venture upstairs, and you'll find the terrace bar, where staff will be slinging cocktails and a more substantial food and wine offering. Named for the scarlet-hued emblem for New South Wales, the venue has a farm-to-table philosophy that directs the choice of suppliers and produce on the menu. Seasonal, local, native and thoughtfully sourced produce will make up the menu — the majority through NSW Growers and First Nations Providores. On crafting the menu, Prichard — culinary director at The Waratah — says, "The menu is fresh, nourishing and most of all sourced with thought and care." Prichard will remain at Icebergs but has entrusted the top dog position to his protégé, Lewin White (ex-Bondi Icebergs, Bistro Moncur, RE), as the new head chef for the Darlinghurst pub. The menu and pub lists are under wraps for now, but one thing that Prichard shared, which we're sure will bring footfall to the new watering hole, is a fairy bread ice cream sandwich. Yes, please. Also slated to be on the payroll is Andie Bulley — current brand ambassador for Monnet Cognac and an award-winning bartender at her current mise-en-place, Savile Row Bar in Fortitude Valley, Queensland. The Waratah will open in November at 308-310 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst. For more details, follow @thewaratahsydney.
A huge lineup featuring some of the city's best-loved bars, restaurants and hospitality figures are coming together for the return of StickyBeak Festival. The two-day fest has been pulled together by local gin distillers Archie Rose in collaboration with P&V's Mike Bennie, expanding to Carriageworks after a wildly popular inaugural event earlier this year. Back bigger and better, the festival has one-upped that previous event's massive lineup of Sydney favourites, with a who's who of the hospitality scene set to come along to offer food, drinks and insights into their crafts. On the list of vendors: Bloodwood, Baba's Place, Little Lagos, LP's Quality Meat, PS40, Mapo, Ricos Tacos and Bar Planet, just to name a few. From Inner West mainstays to exciting newcomers, each of these hospo crews will be onsite whipping up highlights from their food menu, as well as top-notch cocktails for you to sample. Among all these exciting pop-ups, there will also be a range of workshops and demonstrations. P&V is bringing back its popular Intro to Natural Wine masterclass, while Mem Hemmings of Three Blue Ducks and P&V will be taking a look at the female-led future of Aussie wine with her program Femmes to the Front and the Future of Australian Drinking. Plus, there'll be free talks from Goanna Hut, Vannella Cheese and Grifter Brewing Co. Meanwhile, a vibrant lineup of DJs including local favourites Evie, Deepa, Boogie Monster and Lovebombs will be curating the vibe with their skills on the decks. Early bird tickets are now on sale for $20. [caption id="attachment_738029" align="alignnone" width="1920"] P&V[/caption]
In every generation, there might be a chosen one — vampire slayer, that is — but in the Australian outback, there's now Indigenous bloodhunters. That's the premise behind one of the most promising new local shows of the year, Firebite, which brings undead battles to the South Australian desert with a huge list of top-notch Aussie talent. You know you're watching an Aussie vampire series — or even simply viewing the just-dropped trailer for it — when the words "take that you bloodsucking bastards" are uttered. That's just one of the highlights of Firebite's first sneak peek, though. Also worth getting excited about: the stacked cast, which includes Rob Collins (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) and Shantae Barnes-Cowan (Total Control) as the show's Indigenous Australian vampire killers, plus Callan Mulvey (Shadow in the Cloud) as the king vamp of the last undead colony in SA, and also Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black) as well. Behind the lens, Firebite hails from one of Australia's finest filmmakers — Samson and Delilah, Sweet Country and The Beach director Warwick Thornton, who returns to the small screen after helming and starring in the latter, and also working on the second season of Mystery Road. Fellow Aussie directors Brendan Fletcher (Mad Bastards) and Tony Krawitz (The Tall Man, Dead Europe) are also involved, giving the Firebite three exceptional local helmers in one show. The trailer serves up more than a bit of a Mad Max vibe, but with vampires and Indigenous Aussies fighting back — and how it'll unfurl will be revealed come Thursday, December 16. The show is headed to AMC+, the new streaming bundle that just launched Down Under in November, and will drop new episodes every week. And yes, it's going to be a big few months for watching Australia's parched landscape on the screen, following the Jamie Dornan-starring mystery series The Tourist and the Zac Efron-led thriller flick Gold. But again, because it can't be celebrated enough, this is the only Aussie Indigenous vampire horror-fantasy show you'll be adding to your streaming queue. Check out the Firebite trailer below: Firebite starts streaming via AMC+ on Thursday, December 16. Images: Ian Routledge/AMC+.
As part of the Central Coast's Creative Spaces program, painter, photographer and illustrator Grace Agnes is taking up residence at the Gallery Container in the Village Green, Toukley, to give insight into her artistic process. The Central Coast native, who also sells prints and posters teaching the Fijian language through her Etsy store, will be curating a photographic studio, hosting drop-ins as she creates her beautiful pieces, and also offering a range of interactive experiences from Wednesday, April 1 to Friday, June 28. There are painting classes, music events, exhibitions, mini-markets and much more. A good number of these events are designed specifically with children in mind, so if your little one wants to take part in a flower workshop or learn how to paint their own pet in a family-friendly environment, then Grace Agnes has got you covered. Following successful residencies over the past few months from sculptor David Hough and the Central Coast Creatives Collective, the program is going out on a high for their season finale, with Grace Agnes' multi-disciplinary creations truly offering something for everyone. Grace Agnes will take up residence at the Gallery Container in Toukley from Wednesday, April 1 to Friday, June 28. For more information or to book tickets to an event, visit the website.
What is the effect of this country's colonial history on the present day? Performance artist Sarah-Jane Norman uses the body as a canvas to explore this question in Unsettling Suite, part of Performance Space's Matters of Life and Death series of performance and installation. Of mixed Aboriginal and British heritage herself, Norman has a deeply personal involvement with the subject matter. As the title suggests, Unsettling Suite aims to unsettle, drawing the viewer into an otherworldly house whose rooms are illuminated by unnatural light. Each space presents a different installation tackling the legacy of Australia's race relations, and select dates feature a live performance. Steeped in history and emotion, the artwork promises a tight connection to the guiding theme of the Matters of Life and Death program: our fear of death. Also included in Performance Space's Matters of Life and Death program of Aussie and international works is dance piece Performance Anxiety, macabre foodie event The Last Supper, an Eddie Sharp-curated instalment of NightTime, and the Death Knocks Supper Club of impolite dinner table conversation. Read what the artists had to say in our feature 'Seven Positive Ways to Think About Death at Performance Space'.
Even when you're holidaying in a place that's known for its sun, surf and sand, sometimes you just want to splash around while peering down on the world. The Gold Coast is as famed for its sky-high stays as it is its beaches, so finding a towering hotel to spend a few nights in isn't hard. But if you're looking for somewhere brand new with a rooftop infinity pool boasting views out over Southport, there's only one place to book into. TRYP by Wyndham Southport Gold Coast marks the chain's first-ever outpost in Queensland and only the second Wyndham Hotels & Resorts site in Australia, after it made its Aussie debut in Adelaide. The brand also boasts venues in the US, China, the Philippines, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Brazil and Paraguay, among other spots around the globe, but joins the list of hotel names making the leap Down Under. Come 2025, Australia's first Mondrian will sit at the other end of the Gold Coast, in Burleigh Heads, for instance. St Regis has also locked in its initial Aussie appearance on the Goldie, but in 2027, with Budds Beach its destination At TRYP by Wyndham Southport Gold Coast, guests can turn an apartment in the 4.5-star hotel into their temporary home away from home, staying in of the 225 self-contained one-, two- or three-bedroom spaces. Whichever you pick, you'll have your own fully equipped kitchen, a dining table for meals if you're eating in, plus a king-sized bed. And as for gazing beyond the four walls around you, you'll get either waterway or hinterland views, including from balconies with floor-to-ceiling windows. Open since Wednesday, December 4, 2024 — just in time for summer holidays — the hotel is part of Southport's $3.8-billion Imperial Square development. But there's plenty onsite at TRYP by Wyndham Southport Gold Coast to keep you on the premises, such as an Italian and Mediterranean restaurant serving up dishes, alongside that rooftop swimming spot. Amore Ristorante started welcoming in diners back in mid-November in advance of the broader hotel's launch, and can cater to 100 people. Serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner daily under Executive Chef Robert McWhinnie, the restaurant's menu spans Tweed River oysters and crab mousse-stuffed blossoms for starters, wagyu beef bolognese among the house-made pasta options, plus wild-caught seafood and boneless chicken with lemon cashew cream for something more substantial. For dessert, chocolate cannoli and tiramisu made with Lavazza coffee are two tastebud-tempting choices. To wash all of the above down with, the drinks list features both a range of cocktails and Italian and local wines. While heading up top for a dip is already a drawcard — and you'll see both the ocean and the city as you swim — a luxe day spa is also on the way. So, when you're not taking a splash, you'll be able to hit the steam room or sauna. A fitness centre is onsite, too. When the Imperial Square precinct is finished, it'll be big — so sizeable, in fact, that it'll feature the tallest towers on the Gold Coast. Find TRYP by Wyndham Southport Gold Coast at 59 Meron Street, Southport, Queensland — and head to the chain's website for booking and further details.
Forget those boring corporate teamwork exercises involving straws, raw eggs or paper planes. A far better way to get the team working in harmony is by trapping them in a locked room with an increasingly tense hypothetical scenario and making them problem-solve their way out. Escape rooms have never been more popular and have a strong focus on successful collaboration, so they're basically professional development disguised as fun (which will make the boss happy). Social Escape in Alexandria has four different escape rooms, each with a unique theme and premise, from a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery to a bank heist with a diamond-filled vault.
Exercise should be fun. It is a great way to feel fit and fresh and make new friends along the way. Running on that treadmill can be repetitive though, and by now you are probably zoned out of Zumba. So we're all ears to new workout options and technologies that can rejuvenate our routines. Thankfully, creative trainers all across the world have been hard at work creating the next big thing for you and your friends to throw yourselves into. These weird trends are taking over gyms, parks and post-workout coffee discussions everywhere. Want the endless energy to conquer whatever heights a new workout takes you to? We recommend you get fitted in the latest Boost technology found in the Adidas adistar Boost, available in limited release from our friends at the Athlete's Foot. Bokwa Where: Nationwide Dance-inspired fitness classes show no sign of fatiguing any time soon, and Bokwa is the latest craze stepping out onto the floor. Bokwa is cardio with a culture, fusing conditioning with customary African dance to create a full body workout that will leave you craving more. The best part is you can be as uncoordinated as you like and still join in, with the steps all spelling out basic numbers, letters and words. So basically if you have read this far into the article, you can Bokwa. Virtual Reality Cycling Where: Athlete Lab, Sydney and Best Practice Personal Training, Brisbane Virtual Reality cycling takes cyclists on a virtual vacation from inside their own gym. The class utilises a large projector or screen display to simulate scenery and environments from all across the world to crash through the cycling constraints of the four walls surrounding exercisers. Whether you are peddling the pavement in New York or assailing the Alps, you will find yourself working up a serious sweat whilst dodging cars without the danger. TRX Suspension Training Where: Fitness First centres across Australia or your own home TRX Suspension Training is ready to get you navy-fit anywhere, anytime. All you need are suspension bands and your own body weight to perform a rewarding resistance workout that caters to all levels of fitness and gets you fit for whatever life throws your way. You do not even have to pay for a gym membership as the bands can be put up anywhere from your bedroom to the local park. Bingo! Quidditch Where: Across Australia Yes, you read correctly. Quidditch is taking over the world as Harry Potter fans look to keep the magic going. There is no need to have read or seen any of the books or films to take part though, with all equipment, including your very own broomstick, supplied and rules very easy to pick up. Once you embrace looking silly alongside everyone else, you will probably end up having the best time you have ever had with a broomstick between your legs. So lace up those runners, mount up and seek that snitch. Street Workouts Where: Anywhere outdoors Street workouts provide you with the best opportunity to head outdoors for your exercise this winter. This workout emphasises the utilisation of public facilities and your surrounding environment. You could do activities such as pull-ups on the monkey bars, dips on the park bench and jumping over obstacles, parkour style. Plus, it is all for the price of free. Extreme Obstacle Courses Where: Nationwide Whether you want to be a Tough Mudder or a Spartan Racer or both, there is an extreme obstacle race out there waiting for you to conquer it. These gruelling courses stretch up to 20 kilometres and allow you to test all elements of your endurance as you crawl through mud, swing over pools and climb over walls. Then they zap you with live wires, just to make sure your heart is in it. It is all worth it at the end, though, as you are rewarded with that glorious sense of athletic achievement and personal pride. Backwards Running Where: Outside Backwards running is the process of running backwards. See, it is nice and simple. Aside from being a fun way to imagine the world in reverse, it also is said to be good for your fitness, as it can improve your balance and take the strain off muscles used in that boring forward running. This is a good time to pull on a pair of adistar Boosts, as the extra cushioning in the sole provides support for the heel when running backwards. Check out this clip for some motivation. One to try on a track very clear of obstacles. Cycle Karaoke Where: Currently only the US Cycle Karaoke — or Cyclaoke, as we have taken to calling it — finally provides an opportunity to sing your way into shape. It aims to get you exercising at your optimal heart rate, so if your rendition of Queen's 'Bicycle Race' is proliferated with panting, then you should ease off a little. Then again, if you are belting out 'Eye of the Tiger' with ease then you really need to focus on your pedal power rather than your power ballad. Either way, it is exercise at its embarrassing best. Antigravity Yoga Where: Nationwide Ever wondered what it would feel like working whilst airborne? If so, then antigravity yoga is for you. By settling into a supportive silk hammock you can exercise off the ground and remove a significant amount of stress from your body. Combining elements of yoga, dance and the aerial arts, it will help you form a concrete core as you have fun learning to fly. Man Versus Horse Marathon Where: Wales, United Kingdom If none of these are for you, though, and you want the ultimate challenge, then you should race a horse. The annual Man Versus Horse Marathon covers a 35km cross-country course and is the ultimate test of man versus animal. You can take on the horse all by yourself, or you can take two gym buddies with you and claim team glory. With only three human winners in the 32-year history of the race, your name could go down in history forever. Before you head out on these 10 super-charged new workouts, it helps to have the endless energy harnessed by the new Adidas adistar Boost on your side. They're in limited release at the Athlete's Foot now. How do you boost? These four athletes have a few ideas to rival our own. Vote for your favourite to be in the running for your own pair of Adidas adistar Boost running shoes. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nTH4KKY5_5s https://youtube.com/watch?v=RJYVuVV-yC4 https://youtube.com/watch?v=u3-xitE0fy0 https://youtube.com/watch?v=juY_jxiCJms Top image: Tough Mudder contestants in costume.
Wearing a pair of R.M. Williams says 'I'm ready for anything'. You could be going to the pub, walking into a work meeting or heading out to the farm to milk the cows. Sparkly footwear doesn't quite conjure up the same feelings of practicality. Well, until R.M. Williams released a special run of boots in gold metallic. For the past two years, the Aussie bootmaker has released a limited run of metallic gold boots to much fanfare — the shoes sold out quicker than most of us could transfer all our money into one bank account to pay for them. So we're sure more than a few people will be happy to hear that R.M.s will release a new limited edition metallic boot, this time in silver. This time it's the women's Millicent boot that has received the sparkly treatment. As with each R.M. boot, these have been crafted out of a single piece of leather and feature the same slim shape, elegant stitching and tapered heel cuban heel of the regular Millicent range. Each pair will be made to order, so expect a two-week delivery timeframe. R.M.s are arguably Australia's most iconic shoe. From a modest start in the Adelaide outback servicing the stockmen and women of the heartland, 85 years later, a diverse range of people still wear the boots — from farmers in the outback, to corporate businessmen, to the style set at fashion week. Australian designer Dion Lee has used R.M.s regularly in campaign shoots and runway shows, even creating his own for New York Fashion Week in 2014. Continuing to embrace contemporary styles and adapting to modern fashion without sacrificing their DNA has surely guaranteed the longevity of this historic label. This latest addition to the women's range is only available online. At $545 a pair, they're not exactly cheap — but if you're looking for an investment piece, a pair of R.M.s is the very definition of the phrase. If you ask nicely, maybe someone will chip in for them for Christmas. R.M. Williams' silver Millicent boots are available to order now at rmwilliams.com.au.
In October of 2025, Sydney welcomed its newest boutique hotel in the form of The Olympia, the first Australian opening for 25hour Hotels in the building that was once the West Olympia Theatre and the Grand Pacific Blue Room. Now, it's a modern hotel that brings four standout eateries and 109 guest rooms to the Oxford Street address. The Olympia pays tribute to the site's early days with a commitment to a cinematic theme in its guest rooms, with design choices and room identities harkening to cinematic archetypes of 'Dreamers' and 'Renegades' alongside artwork from local creatives, including artist Kubi Vasak. [caption id="attachment_1069491" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Justin Nicholas[/caption] At the hotel's heart are the four food and drink venues, organised by Culinary Director Mitch Orr, alongside Food and Beverage Director Raj Vanniasinkam, Venue Manager Lillia McCabe, Head Sommelier Eleonore Wulf and Head of Beverage Roean Patawaran. Each of the venues was designed by London's Studio Paskin, while The Monica was created by food and beverage studio Carte Blanche. The headliner of the on-site offering is The Palomar, a London-native restaurant that brings a menu of flavours from Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Levant made with Australian ingredients. There's also The Mulwray, a wine bar dealing in biodynamic and classic wines; rooftop bar The Monica, which pairs share plates and cocktails with a skyline view and a 1960s Hollywood theme; and finally Jacob the Angel, a London-style cafe that serves specialty coffee and pastries by Lune on the ground floor. [caption id="attachment_1069492" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Describing the vision for the hotel's hospitality offering, Mitch Orr said, "For me, it's always about the people: putting together a team who are passionate, collaborative, and driven enough to make every service feel electric. That's what makes hospitality exciting. The talent of the team here is really second to none. Working with Chloe [Sharp] again — she's an incredible chef who really sets the tone in the kitchen — and Luke [Davenport], who brings the depth of his head chef experience and time at The Palomar in London, I'm proud of the team we've pulled together and what we're about to share with Sydney." The rooms range in size from solo traveller-friendly queen-bed rooms with courtyard views, scaling up to king-size beds with views of Oxford Street, private terraces, and eventually suites that range between 29, 44 and 69 square metres of floor space, with suitably chic amenities to match. [caption id="attachment_1069490" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Justin Nicholas[/caption] "Bringing 25hours to Sydney is a very special moment for us. From the beginning, our vision has been to create hotels that are tied to their settings and are rich in character," said Christoph Hoffmann, Founder of 25hours Hotels. "The Olympia is a perfect match for that philosophy: a historic theatre with a colourful past, at the intersection of some of Sydney's most vibrant neighbourhoods." The Olympia can be found at 1 Oxford Street, Paddington. For more information or to make a booking, visit the 25hours Hotels website.
Yes, you read that correctly — Sydney's favourite heritage pub, The Taphouse, is coming back to Flinders Street. Thanks to renowned hospitality group Applejack, Sydneysiders will be able to enjoy the popular watering hole again, as well as its stylish new additions. Applejack's M.O. is to rejuvenate retired local haunts while maintaining the integrity and history of these community institutions, putting its own spin on 'something new and something old'. After resurrecting Surry Hill's famed Forrester's pub back in 2020, the Sydney-based hospo group set its sights on The Taphouse, the ninth venue under Applejack's ownership, now set to reopen the three-level pub on Wednesday, September 13. In the case of The Taphouse, Applejacks has retained its three core driving forces — its taps, tunes and the Chinese menu offering. "Pat, Benny, and I were on the rooftop one sunny arvo and thought how good it would be to put a spin on the food by serving up a delicious Chinese menu to enjoy whilst making your way through the 20 odd taps which will feature Sydney's favourite breweries. It's an all killer no filler approach to beer," said Applejack co-owner, Hamish Watts. The revived venue's fit-out consists of newly added terracotta tones and dark timber, creating an invitingly intimate atmosphere paired alongside the familiar timber paneling and pressed tin ceilings. The rooftop terrace, however, juxtaposes the cosy interiors with its complete revamp — featuring neutral umbrellas for maximum shade, a fully retractable roof and coastal white and blue tones. To top it all off, there's also a brand-new sound system primed for use. Applejack's decision to shine a spotlight on Cantonese cuisine pulled inspiration from the inner-workings of English pubs. "We were inspired by the great English tradition of leasing out pub kitchens and serving a style of food not normally associated with a pub," said Watts. Patrick Friesen (ex-Queen Chow, Stanley Brisbane & Ms.G's) leads The Taphouse's kitchen as Directory of Culinary alongside the newly appointed Head Chef Sam Ng (ex-Ho Lee Fook, Praya and Stanley), hailing from Hong Kong. The Taphouse's menu has been given the Asian-fusion treatment, offering up an array of exciting dishes to complement the taps available. "Derived from our love of Hong Kong, Cantonese food, and Australian Chinese food, you can expect classics featuring local produce with a few local Hong Kong favourites," Friesen said. Expect to see the likes of Jangs egg noodles paired with crisp pork belly and Chinese broccoli and chilli on The Taphouse's menu selection. Plus, classics like a seasonal stir-fry, cruller prawn toast, Shandong crispy skin chicken legs and steamed barramundi accompanied by pickled chilli and black beans to round out the menu highlights. You'll find The Taphouse at 122 Flinders Street in Darlinghurst. It'll be open from Wednesday, September 12, 4–11pm Monday–Wednesday, 4pm–midnight Thursday, 11.30am–1am Friday–Saturday, 11.30am–11pm Sunday.
If you, like us, spent most of last year ordering take out and binge watching Ted Lasso in your undies, there's a good chance your adrenal glands are in need of a proper work out. And, with the warmer weather slowly fading, there's no better time to line up a holiday in the tropics to stretch out your summer. One place that's filled with truly incredible activities for the thrill-seekers among us is Tropical North Queensland. From hiking through World Heritage-listed rainforest to abseiling down flowing waterfalls and camping on tropical islands, there's something for every type of adventure lover in this spectacular natural playground. So, if you're keen for a holiday that's adventure-filled, and want to support operators who are committed to sustainable tourism practices, hit this list of unmissable things to do in the region to ensure your extended summer is a slam dunk. [caption id="attachment_828484" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland.[/caption] ABSEIL DOWN WATERFALLS WITH CAIRNS CANYONING If Cairns Canyoning existed in 1994, we're convinced that TLC would have actually sung: "do go chasing waterfalls". With the help of expert guides, here you'll have the truly thrilling opportunity to abseil down waterfalls, hurl yourself from towering boulders into crystal-clear water and zipline through World Heritage-listed rainforest all in one trip. You can choose between the half-day adventures through Behana Gorge or Crystal Cascades or, if you're feeling a little more hardcore, sign up for the full-day Spillway Canyon trip. [caption id="attachment_829726" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raging Thunder[/caption] GET WET AND WILD ON A WHITE WATER RAFTING TRIP Imagine sitting on the edge of an inflatable raft as you float down a river through a spectacular gorge surrounded by World Heritage-listed rainforest. Sounds pretty incredible, right? Now, picture taking that same boat down steep ravines and raging rapids and you've got the wet and wild adventure that is white water rafting. In Tropical North Queensland, you can choose to conquer a number of courses on the region's world-class rafting rivers. For a full day of adventure filled with thrills and spills on 45 rapids, book a trip on the Tully River with eco-certified rafting company Raging Thunder. Or, if you'd prefer to, quite literally, test the waters on a shorter course, try the half-day trip on The Barron River. [caption id="attachment_829728" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH AT AUSTRALIA'S ONLY BUNGEE JUMP If you consider yourself a bit of an adrenaline junkie, then visiting SkyPark is a must on your trip to Tropical North Queensland. Not only is it the one place in Australia where you can bungee, but you'll get to do so while being cradled by lush tropical rainforest. Located 15 kilometres north of Cairns, here you can leap from the 50-metre bungee that teeters over a stunning natural lagoon. Or, strap into the giant swing to reach speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour in just three seconds with up to two mates side by side. If you're not quite ready to take the bungee plunge, try the 140-metre-high walk-the-plank obstacle instead. Whether you're a seasoned jumper or are ready to take your very first leap, the 16 different styles on the jump menu will accomodate for all levels of thrill seeking and ensure you experience a rush like never before. [caption id="attachment_829729" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] SAIL OVER TREETOPS IN AN OPEN-AIR GONDOLA If you want to get up close and personal with the oldest continually surviving rainforest in the world, make tracks to the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway located 15 minutes north of Cairns. Aboard the cableway, you'll glide over the pristine jungle canopies between Smithfield and Kuranda, soaking in panoramic views of the rainforest and beyond before ending your trip near the banks of the heaving Barron River. You can also opt for the open-air Canopy Glider to sail top-down over the treetops with the expert guidance of a Skyrail Ranger or upgrade to the diamond view to experience a gondola with a glass floor. To maximise your adventure, combine your treetop adventure with the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway to see the sights from a different perspective on your round trip. Plus, if you want to help maintain the tropical rainforest, you can donate to the Skyrail Rainforest Foundation which distributes funds to research and education projects that help protect and conserve this natural wonder. [caption id="attachment_828482" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] PUT YOUR STAND UP PADDLEBOARDING SKILLS TO THE TEST ON THE MOSSMAN RIVER Feel like you're pretty familiar with stand-up paddleboarding by now? Well, if you've managed to tackle the task atop local lakes and seas, it might be time to level up your balancing bravado with a paddleboarding trip on the Mossman River. The team at Wind Swell will take you on a three-hour trip upstream to soak in the sights and sounds of the buzzing tropical rainforest. Along the way, you'll learn about the local habitat, have a chance to try out some paddleboard yoga, taste exotic flavours of local tropical fruit and cool off in the freshwater swimming hole before floating back to base. And, if that's not enough adventure, check out the company's other tours in wing surfing, kite surfing, wakeboarding and more. [caption id="attachment_828487" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GO KAYAKING WITH TURTLES IN PALM COVE Ever wanted to set off kayaking from balmy tropical beaches lined with palm trees? Well, at picturesque Palm Cove, approximately 25 minutes drive north of Cairns, you can. The Kayak Turtle Tour, run by Pacific Water Sports, is an unmissable half-day ocean adventure in Tropical North Queensland. Departing at 7am, you'll kayak across The Coral Sea to nearby Double Island and Haycock Island to spot green and hawksbill turtles basking in the coral reefs below. Then, you'll paddle further afield to sight rays and shovelnosed guitarfish (sometimes called shovelnose sharks) before making your way back to the shore at Palm Cove. [caption id="attachment_828491" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] FLOAT ABOVE THE HILLS IN A HOT AIR BALLOON To experience a truly exceptional adventure, sometimes you have to sacrifice a little sleep to make it happen. And, after returning from a trip with Hot Air Balloon, you'll be more than glad you got out of bed before the sun to see it rise over the magical Atherton Tablelands. Departing from Cairns's northern beaches and Port Douglas, this tour will take you approximately one hour west to Mareeba for your ballooning take off. Once afloat, you'll experience the soft colours of dawn as you glide high over the Atherton Tablelands, soaking in panoramic views of the region. You'll arrive back in Cairns between 9-9.30am, just in time for breakfast at one of the city's excellent cafes. [caption id="attachment_828494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] SEE A SMILE FROM A CROCODILE AT HARTLEY'S CROCODILE ADVENTURES If you've ever wondered what it would be like to have a close encounter with a real-life dinosaur, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures is about as close as you can get. Located between Cairns and Port Douglas at Wangetti, this eco-certified tourism operator has plenty of thrilling crocodile action that'll get your heart racing. For $43, your park pass includes a cruise with crocs at the on-site lagoon, access to the daily wildlife presentations such as crocodile feedings, snake shows and the nail-biting crocodile attack show. Plus, if one dinosaur-like creature isn't enough, you can also check out the cassowary feeding. Or, if you want keep things cuddly, make sure you stop by the koala talk. [caption id="attachment_828495" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GET OFF THE MAINLAND WITH CAMPING AT DUNK ISLAND Camping on a tropical island might seem like it's reserved for films and fantasies. But, in Tropical North Queensland, you can make it your reality at Dunk Island in the Family Islands National Park. Drive two hours south of Cairns to the idyllic coastal town of Mission Beach. Then, take a ten-minute ride across the glittering Coral Sea with Mission Beach Charters to Dunk Island where you can pitch a tent at one of only eight sites on the island. The campground comes with all the essentials — picnic tables, barbecue facilities, hot showers, drinking water and a loo — but, you'll need to take everything else with you. Pack snorkelling gear to catch the marine life in action at Muggy Muggy Beach, a good pair of walking shoes to complete the 11-kilometre Island Circuit hike, and plenty of food to refuel and enjoy on the sands of this tropical paradise. [caption id="attachment_828496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] HIKE THROUGH RAINFOREST TO THE SPECTACULAR NANDROYA FALLS If you consider yourself a bit of a hiking fanatic, taking the 6.6-kilometre trek through the spectacular Wooroonooran National Park to Nandroya Falls is essential while in Tropical North Queensland. Not only will you get to walk through the incredible Wet Tropics World Heritage-listed rainforest, you'll get to wash off under a thriving waterfall, too. Start from the Henrietta Creek campground where you'll venture 700 metres into the rainforest to the start of the circuit fork. Take the right-hand track to take in smaller waterfalls, rock pools and rapid streams before reaching the immense Nandroya Falls. Cool off with a swim and enjoy a picnic lunch by the falls before completing the circuit and heading back to camp. Ready to book your tropical escape? For more information and to discover more about a holiday in Tropical North Queensland, visit the website. Image: Nandroya Falls, Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Life is so busy these days, one can't help but wish some things would just sort themselves out. We have technological advancements and perhaps Google to thank for such laissez-faire attitudes. PumpTire's prototype for a self-inflating tyre appeals to the whinger in us but also proves to be an eco-friendly invention saving time, money and extraneous resources needed to pump a flat bicycle tyre. Components of the PumpTire includes a tyre, a detachable valve and inner tube. It can be used in conjunction with existing rim models and works as the cyclist rides their bike. According to founder of PumpTire Benjamin Krempel, it works "by using the rolling motion of the tyre to draw in air from the atmosphere". A hollow tube attached to the edge of the tire pushes air into the tyre. The tyre is even capable of sensing when the ideal air pressure is reached. PumpTire is currently promoting its invention on Kickstarter to raise funds for further engineering design, testing and purchasing tools and materials. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rMmZnzG9QqI [via PSFK]
Dust off your picnic blanket: Tropfrest is back. Following a six-year hiatus, the world's biggest short-film festival — which launched in 1993 and, at its peak, would pull crowds of up to 100,000 — returns to Centennial Park this February for a free celebration of short-form cinema from Australia and around the globe. While the world has changed quite a bit since the last edition in 2019, Tropfest's core mission remains unchanged: to give filmmakers at any stage of their careers a genuinely global platform. The traditional Tropfest signature item — included in every film to prove it was made specifically for the festival — is also back. This year's prompt is an hourglass, so keep an eye out for the creative ways it appears on screen. New for Tropfest 2026 are two initiatives in partnership with YouTube. The first is a digital development program for emerging filmmakers and creators; the second, launching in February, is a series of talks, workshops and masterclasses spanning everything from screenwriting to working with AI. As well as premiering their work to tens of thousands of cinephiles — both in Centennial Park and via a global YouTube livestream — filmmakers will compete for some serious prizes, including a $50,000 first prize and a share of $100,000 through the new CommBank-Tropfest Emerging Filmmakers Fund. And if you needed any more incentive to snag a spot on the lawn, Tropfest has a long history of spotting talent early. Past alumni include Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, Rebel Wilson, Nash Edgerton and Sam Worthington — so you might just catch Australia's next breakout star before Hollywood does.
About a 25-minute drive out of Nelson Bay is Oakvale Wildlife Park, a farm and park filled with native Australian animals that you can interact with. The park was first established in November 1979 and remains a family owned and operated business to this day. You'll need to reserve a good few hours to explore this 25-acre animal wonderland, which is filled with native species including kangaroos, dingos, koalas, quokkas and Tasmanian devils. There are exotic animals like llamas, highland cows, water buffalo and camels to see, too. If you'd like to get up close and personal with some of them, there are a few wildlife encounter packages available on top of the $29.50 entry fee (family passes available, too). You could have a ring-tailed lemur sit on your shoulder, feed a koala or meerkat or hold a reptile. Various shows and talks occur throughout the day, too, so you can go home having fed some baby farm animals and armed with facts on koala conservation and the cassowary. Images: Destination NSW
If you've been counting down the days to swap those summer staples for more cosy layers, now's the time. This winter, Stockland Merrylands is giving one lucky person a $1000 gift card to reboot their wardrobe. Whether you're after fresh new basics, an outfit for an upcoming event, or beauty essentials for the cooler months, the shopping centre has you covered with fashion and beauty go-tos like Ally, Decjuba, JD Sports, Foot Locker, Priceline, Secrets Shhh, and Blowout Hair Lounge. And if you're shopping between Saturday May 31–June 1 or June 7–8, spend $100 or more on fashion or beauty and you'll receive a bonus $30 gift card*, while stocks last. Just another reason to hit the shops. Enter now to win a $1000 gift card to reboot your winter style here. *Supermarkets excluded. T&Cs apply, check out the details for the $30 gift card here. By Jac Kennedy Image courtesy of Sussan.
With her obliteration and infinity rooms drawing huge crowds around the globe, a range of merchandise brandishing her dot-filled designs on scarves and umbrellas, and even her own busy museum in Tokyo, Yayoi Kusama is one of the most popular artists alive today. That makes a documentary about the art star feel almost inevitable; however for filmmaker Heather Lenz, Kusama: Infinity was nearly two decades in the making. Drawn to Kusama's work as an art student in the 90s, Lenz decided to make a movie about the Japanese artist long before her pumpkins filled Instagram feeds. It wasn't an easy process. As a female filmmaker trying to direct a documentary about a female artist — and, more than that, about a female Asian artist — the path from concept to finished film was filled with knockbacks and setbacks. And that's before even getting Kusama involved. In several ways, the difficulties that Lenz experienced prove apt for a doco about Kusama, who found the world far from welcoming when she started to pursue her dreams. Lenz's struggles are also indicative of a filmmaker who was simply ahead of the times. When Kusama's star began to rise, the writer/director/producer/editor's path became smoother. With Kusama: Infinity now screening in Australian cinemas, we chatted to Lenz about her colourful and informative movie. The first-time feature filmmaker actually initially planned to make a biopic about Kusama — and that's just one of our topics of discussion, alongside the long and complicated process of bringing the documentary to fruition, the allure of Kusama's work and the joys of meeting the artist. BECOMING INTERESTED IN KUSAMA'S WORK BEFORE HER CURRENT FAME "It began in the early 90s — that's when I first saw an image of her work. I was earning degrees in art history and fine art, and for probably every thousand or so male artists we learned about, we learned about perhaps five women artists. And Kusama was definitely not among them at that time. Around 1990, there was an exhibition at the Centre for International Contemporary Art, and that helped start the process of putting Kusama back on the map in America. I saw an image of her work in that catalogue, which at the time was the only catalogue on her art — and I really felt from that exposure that her contribution to the American art world hadn't been properly understood or recognised. I was just really interested in her, and later I decided to go back to school and get a film degree. While I was a student, I started working on a biopic script about her. Then, over time, I decided to put that on hold and work on a documentary — in part because Kusama was still alive and able to tell her story her own words." THE PARALLELS BETWEEN THE FILM'S DIFFICULT PATH AND KUSAMA'S OWN CAREER "In the beginning, it was her artwork and the fact that she had been neglected that attracted me to her. But over time, I began to tune in more and more into her tenacity and everything that she had to overcome in order to finally achieve success — because it was, of course, mirroring the issues that we were facing. When I started the film, I was rather naive about the obstacles and challenges women directors faced. I just thought, 'oh, if you work hard, you can achieve whatever you set your mind to'. But when I started pitching the film to people, I was constantly told that it was a terrible idea, that no one would be interested. And it was men telling me that. I just felt like, well, we don't have the same taste. But there was a point where I had the opportunity to pitch the film to a woman who actually worked for Madonna back when she had a production company. And I thought, 'oh wow, she's really going to love this'. Instead, she questioned the fact that I wanted to make a film about a foreign female, so it never advanced to Madonna to review. At the time, I really wasn't thinking of Kusama as a woman or as Asian. I just thought here's someone who's lived this super compelling, interesting life, who's a brilliant artist, so she would be a great subject for a film. But that's when I started to get the idea that there were pre-conceived ideas about what's going to sell and what isn't. And even within the last few years, I had someone tell me 'you can't put her on the poster because she's Asian and no one will want to see the movie'." DOING MORE THAN JUST CONNECTING THE DOTS "I wanted to shine a light on her and her accomplishments — I wanted her to get more attention. These days, people know about her from social media, so they've seen images of her art, but they really don't know her backstory. I wanted to show the world in which she was raised, which was Matsumoto City. She was growing up in the 30s, and her dreams and ambitions to be an artist at this time, they were just completely out of step with the expectations for her. The idea her family had for her was that she was get married — not only get married, but have an arranged marriage — and become a mother. And to just to have a much more conventional life. She was just really really out of step with that. I think she thought that when she got to America [in the 50s] that the doors would be much more open and things would be much easier, but of course she still had many, many obstacles to overcome. I wanted to show everything she was up against, and to correct her place in history. That remains very very important to me. Recently I screened the film at a college and I had an art history professor, who was a man, tell me that the film was going to change the way he taught this section of art history in the 60s. That was very exciting. Those kinds of things are really meaningful." THE ALLURE OF KUSAMA'S ART "She's made a broad range of work. The work that seems to be featured these days is a lot of the infinity rooms and a lot of the more colourful pieces she's made in recent years. I think people see it as a very optimistic and cheerful work, which is very interesting given the issues she's had with depression and everything. It's almost like she's managed to take her own trauma and transform it into art that functions in a way like an antidepressant for society." WORKING WITH KUSAMA "Kusama actually has a history of cancelling on people, because maybe she's not feeling well or she's just not in the mood or whatever it is. So it was very risky to go all the way to another country, hire a crew and just take on all this expense and just not even know if she would show up. But fortunately she did show up and we really clicked. At the end I told her it was the happiest day of my life, and she said 'mine too'. Then a few months later I was able to go back, and that time I was able to spend a whole month in Japan. I had this very rare opportunity to go through her archives, which were just extraordinary. There were so many amazing photos. There were letters and receipts and calendars — there was just a treasure trove of archival materials for me to explore. It was really amazing." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRqxWNn3iQU Kusama: Infinity is now screening in Australian cinemas. Read our review.
For two years now, Palazzo Salato has been bringing pasta, wine and good times to its high-ceilinged, heritage-listed home in the CBD. And, to mark the anniversary, it's putting on a set menu featuring the dishes you love the most. Executive Chef Alex Major has pored over the restaurant's greatest hits to settle on seven courses. Kicking off the feast is stracciatella with Cantabrian anchovies, followed by a five-strong series of pastas. Try Palazzo Sabato's original scarpinocc with potato, Reggiano and balsamic, before sampling mandilli di seta with caviar, then fagottini of scallop with foie gras. From there, you'll move onto mafaldine with spanner crab and urchin butter, hot on the heels of rigatoni with kid ragu and marjoram. Come dessert, it'll be Pastry Chef Alberto Comai's time to take over, with his pistachio torta della nonna, made according to his grandmother's recipe and served alongside a scoop of vanilla gelato. Also on the cards is a rare chance to try one of Palazzo Salato's magnums, to be served by the glass – be it the Vigneti Vallorani 'Avora' Falerio 2022, Les Ardoisières Vin des Allobroges 'Silice' 2022, or the Arianna Occhipinti 'Il Frappato' 2021. The party is happening for just four days, so book soon if you don't want to miss it.
In Australia, we have one man to thank for introducing us to ricotta — and that's Salvatore Montalto. In 1959, Salvatore moved here from Sicily, bringing with him a lifetime's experience of cheesemaking. In 2015, his son Sam followed in his footsteps by founding Monte Fresco Cheese in Smithfield — an artisan cheese company that produces premium ricotta, feta and halloumi for restaurants, cafes and consumers nationwide. The company has won gold multiple times at the Royal Easter Show. On July 10, Montalto is giving you the chance to find out how he does it. For 90 cheesy minutes, you'll go deep behind the scenes at Monte Fresco. Expect to learn the secrets behind Montalto's cheesemaking techniques, see a live cheesemaking demonstration, and (of course) have cheese tastings galore. Tickets are just $10 and available online. The Monte Fresco Cheese workshop is just one event in the second of Powerhouse Museum's Powerhouse Food: Producers series, which celebrates Western Sydney's diverse food scene — from Arabic grocery stores to market gardens to Fijian chefs. Middle and bottom images: Josh Robenstone
A multi-level dining and party space has arrived on Little Hunter Street, adding to Sydney's current late-night revival. Joining the likes of The Abercrombie, Club 77 and the soon-to-open Pleasure Club on the list of new and revamped venues pushing Sydney's nightlife into the early hours of the morning, Zaffi is a versatile space boasting a 42-seat ground-floor restaurant and a 122-capacity basement bar that's committed to keeping the party rolling until 4am on weekends. "The name 'Zaffi' means 'celebration' in Arabic, so we wanted to create a space where people not only come to celebrate but also where people know you're going to have a good time. For me, those spontaneous nights are the best kind of nights!" says Zaffi owner Chady Khouzame. Khouzame has enlisted the help of ex-Chin Chin and Rockpool chef Graeme Hunt to create a refined Australian-Lebanese menu for the street-level dining room. It's a sharing affair at Zaffi, with plenty of mezze options including dips and veggies paired with mains like Aleppo pepper roast prawns and char-grilled spatchcock. "We want our menu to be big on flavours and sharing, so the food isn't very complicated," Hunt says. "Some light raw dishes to begin with, moving onto your mezze options, then some larger mains that have been designed to share." The two banquets menus are highly affordable, with the $60 option bringing a table-covering feast of saj, hummus, baba ganoush, eggplant fatteh, labneh, haloumi, kofta, cauliflower, spatchcock, pickles and chips — or, for an extra $29 per person, you can basically sample the entire array of eats on offer, with the addition of pan-fried snapper, slow-roasted lamb shoulder, panna cotta and cheesecake. Downstairs in Zaffi's party bunker, you'll find pink velvet-cushioned booths, neon lighting, communal tables and upbeat tunes encouraging late-night revellers to stay well past midnight. "We literally raised the roof to allow people to dance on tabletops," continues Khouzame. The snacks also keep coming, with highlights from upstairs including kofta, dips, chips and grilled honey and za'atar haloumi all available on the after-hours menu. Zaffi is open at 10–14 Little Hunter Street, Sydney, from 5pm–late Tuesday, 12pm–late Wednesday–Thursday, 12pm–4am Friday and 5pm–4am Saturday.
UPDATE, January 28, 2021: Westpac Openair has revealed the rest of its program, covering February 8–23. You'll be able to go retro with Breakfast at Tiffany's, Bridesmaids, Dirty Dancing, Love Actually and Raiders of the Lost Ark; catch a preview of the Denzel Washington-starring thriller The Little Things; or check out current releases such as The Dry, Promising Young Woman and Wonder Woman 1984. Tickets for the new sessions go on sale at 10am AEDT on Thursday, January 28. Get ready to stare at a 350-square-metre screen rising from the harbour as the Westpac Openair Cinema returns to take care of your summer viewing plans with a jam-packed lineup of new, recent and classic movies. Thanks to its spot at Mrs Macquaries Point, Westpac Openair has spectacular panoramic views of the city, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, which is one big part of the attraction, of course. But so is feasting your eyes on the event's hefty program. The cinema kicked off this year on Tuesday, December 15 before taking a two-week break due to Sydney's recent COVID-19 outbreak. With the northern beaches lockdown ending, the openair cinema is now recommencing on Wednesday, January 13 and will run through until Tuesday, February 23 with plenty of films still in store. In the brand new camp, Australian frontier western High Ground and the Eric Bana-starring The Dry are must-sees. You can also check out women's surfing documentary Girls Can't Surf and witness the cathartic power of befriending a magpie in Penguin Bloom. Fancy combining movies and music? New documentary The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart will fill your night with classic disco tunes as it steps through the eponymous band's full career and roster of hits. Retro hits like The Devil Wears Prada, Pulp Fiction and Grease are all copping screenings if you want to relive your favourite flicks on the big screen. Food-wise, you'll be tucking into ready-to-collect gourmet picnic hampers by Kitchen by Mike and its chef Mike McEnearney. Plus, there's a bar serving up wine, beer, cocktails and non-alcoholic options. Tickets are on sale now. Head to the pop-up cinema's website to browse the full program and plan your summer night viewing.
Subscriptions services have taken off over the last few years and for good reason. Whether it's for craft beers and natty wines, house plants or colourful socks, it's like giving yourself a little gift every month. If you're a caffeine enthusiast and you enjoy brewing your own cuppas at home or you're looking to cut down on your trip to the cafe, Thieves Coffee is the subscription service for you — and it's just introduced a new coffee pod option to its range so all home brewers can get involved. Thieves Coffee drops you off a different bag of coffee beans or set of pods from a new roaster each month. You can expect choice selections from small independent coffee companies like Stella or Criteria Coffee, through to larger beloved brands like Rumble and Industry Beans. If you're the kind of coffee drinker who enjoys branching out and trying different makers and flavours in your morning cup o' joe, your subscription will provide you with a regular rotation of top-quality varieties that the Thieves team has hand selected. Originally focusing on beans, Thieves has now added the option to have selections of pods for your pod-based coffee machine dropped to you each month. Plenty of popular and boundary-pushing brewers have expanded to offering compatible coffee pods recently, including local favourites like Stitch and ST. ALi, as well as the sustainability-minded Tripod. With your daily flat white or oat cap hitting upwards of $5 at cafes right now, Thieves is also a penny-pinching alternative. If you go the bean route, you have the option to order between 250 grams of beans each month, all the way up to three kilograms. If you want just one bag delivered each month, that will set you back $25 including shipping Australia-wide, or you can up your delivery to two bags (500g) for $40 or four bags (1kg) for $60. This means each cup of coffee will cost you as little as $1. These beans can be ordered either for espresso machines or for simpler filter or Aeropress coffee — plus you can choose between whole beans or pre-ground coffee depending on if you have your own grinder. As for the pods, subscriptions start from $15 for 10 pods and go up to $255 for 300 pods which can be ordered on a monthly basis or once every two or three months. Head to the Thieves Coffee website to check out all the options and treat yourself to a monthly coffee surprise. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
It's the movement that has swept the streets and filled social media feeds over the weekend: the Women's March. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of people have come together to voice their concerns about the current state of social equality, with the rallies timed to follow the swearing-in of new US President Donald Trump. Thanks to the difference in timezones around the world, Australia helped lead the charge. On the morning of January 21, crowds estimated in the vicinity of 3000 people gathered at the Pool of Reflection in Sydney's Hyde Park. The group was united by the common goal of peacefully protesting the legislation, or lack thereof, that allows the systematic repression of gender equality, as well as policies that halt equality in all its forms from becoming a reality in political and social systems around the world. Armed with placards bearing slogans like "This Pussy Bites Back" and the blunt, very to the point "Save Us From The Greedy Bastards", the atmosphere was electric, buzzing with excitement as women, men, and children took their struggle to the streets. Veteran news guru Tracey Spicer commanded the microphone as the rally's MC, introducing a slew of influential speakers that gave their takes on the social issues of gender, cultural and disability inequality. While the march has been labelled a direct protest to the inauguration of the yellow fairy floss-headed hot dog sausage in a poorly fitting suit that is Trump, Dr. Mindy Freiband, the organiser behind the Women's March On Washington, stressed the broader message. She assured the waiting crowds that "these are not American problems, these are global problems," and rallied the gathered masses behind her by saying "we don't intend to be quiet while they continue." Professor Helen Meekosha took to the mic to deliver a message of constructive positivity, demonstrating how policy and policy-makers need to change in order to create a more progressive society. Dr. Meekosha, probably the most qualified person in the world to talk on these subjects, has spent her career researching race, gender and disability relations. She urged that "we must have constructive alternatives" to the "neo-liberal policy" that takes the forefront in our political landscape. "We need to write policy and legislation that is not punitive," she advised, before going on to call the crowd together. "We need to come together in real time," Dr. Meekosha said. "We must care and look after each other." After author Jane Caro rallied the group with the war-cry of "a woman's place is in the resistance", the throngs marched through Hyde Park, swarming Liverpool Street, heading through the city and eventually amassing in Martin Place in front of the United States Consulate. While there have been reports of minor clashes with the unexplainable breed of Australian Trump supporters (i.e., pot-stirrers), the march and the rally carried a message of solidarity, a hunger for change, and a spirit of peaceful resistance to a patriarchy that systematically inhibits social progression. Elsewhere, millions of people around the globe heard the call and swamped the cities of the world. The turnout at the march in Washington has reportedly eclipsed the meagre few friends that the new US President could drum up to watch his swearing-in.
After spending "many hours kicking the footy or pushing the kids on a swing and wishing [we] could get a good coffee nearby," inner west locals Caleb and Belinda Maynard decided to make their hopes a reality. And the 1950s former baby health clinic in the outfield of Ashfield's Yeo Park was the perfect place to do just that. The duo converted the heritage-listed building into an "extension of people's backyards" where locals could get quality food and coffee in a relaxed parkside setting, and Outfield was born. Since opening in April 2019, the inner west cafe has become a central meeting point for the community. "Bringing that cafe culture to the park means people will linger, connect and socialise...it's a no brainer for anyone with kids of all ages," explains Caleb. "They can cry, play, laze about and drop their ice blocks on the grass." With no limit to outdoor seating, blankets to borrow and lots of friendly rounds of cricket between strangers, locals are making the most of the outdoors at this grassy eatery. [caption id="attachment_751506" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] The menu is, conveniently, a modern take on picnic fare, with a touch of green on every plate. There are hints of native ingredients like lemon myrtle and wattleseed, and a focus on gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Naturally, there are also cricket puns: Eggs Before Wicket translates to eggs on sourdough ($12); Summer Bash is potato hash with a poached egg and spring pea salad with mojo verde ($19); and King of Spin sees cured kingfish paired with pickled radish, herb salad, labneh and a poached egg ($24). There are also open sandwiches ($10–14) served on Nonie's charcoal bread, haloumi breakfast rolls ($14), burgers ($16) and fresh salad bowls ($16–17), as well as giant house-made cookies, brownies and other sweet treats. The team can even arrange catering for you to suit any size picnic party. Coffee is from Stitch, roasted by Nawar Adra and the team at Collective Roasting Solutions, with rotating single origins for filter and black coffee. There's a lineup of house-made sodas and kombuchas, too. [caption id="attachment_751491" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] On days when the weather is bleak, and less than picnic perfect, the cafe has the indoors covered, too. Inspiration for the space was drawn from the mid-century and art deco eras, sunshine pours through the windows and decorative plants and different shades of green reflect the outside environment. You'll also find artworks from Caleb and Belinda's home, including pieces by their 11-year-old budding artist daughter and bird portraits from their good friend and photographer, Leila Jeffreys. Find Outfield in the outfield of Yeo Park, 230 Victoria Street, Ashfield. It's open from Tuesday–Sunday, 7am–3pm. Images: Kimberley Low
Entertaining takes a particular skill. Managing all the moving pieces for an evolving group of people, catering to all tastes and keeping everything running smoothly can be difficult even for hardcore party people. If you get it right, you've pulled together a great evening for your guests. Get it wrong, and it can be messy. You might screw up a key ingredient in dessert, three people might turn up with potato salad or you could forget that one friend who is going veg-o this month. We're not all made for it, and that's okay. What if we told you there's a way to have that winning success and have most of the work done for you? That's where Woodford Reserve comes in. This bourbon has been making waves and memories the world over since 1996. Now it's ready to bring the gold entertaining standard to your home on a mission to revolutionise the at-home cocktail party. We've teamed up with Woodford Reserve to offer one lucky winner the Woodford Reserve Whiskey Wagon, a complete evening of high-end whiskey tasting at home, paid for and stocked by Woodford Reserve. The prize includes a four-hour session for up to 40 people, with two professional bartenders preparing and pouring classic old fashioned cocktails, bourbon and sodas, lighter summery cocktails plus canapés to match, as long as the wagon can be parked on private property, you're eligible to win. Ten lucky runner-ups will receive a bottle of Woodford Reserve and a premium cocktail kit to craft the drink however they like. To enter this luxurious giveaway, all you need to do is fill out the form below before Monday, November 6. [competition]916881[/competition]
For the second year running, Formula 1 cars won't race around Melbourne's Albert Park during the Australian Grand Prix, with the event cancelled once again in 2021. It was scrapped in 2020, too, after it was initially due to take place just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit Australia. This year, the race had already been postponed from March to November, but now it won't be held at all. Announcing the news today, Tuesday, July 6, the Victorian Government advised that the event has fallen victim to the pandemic — and to Australia's slow vaccination program and new caps on international traveller numbers specifically — as has this year's Australian MotoGP on Phillip Island. The Formula 1 race was due to take place on November 21, and the MotoGP on October 24; however, the state was unable to give the sports' governing bodies assurances that both would be permitted to proceed. As a result, the organisers of the two events have chosen to move on with their 2021 seasons without stops in Victoria. Both races are expected to return in 2022, though. "The Victorian Government understands the need for Formula 1 management and MotoGP controller Dorna Sports to confirm their schedules, and the decision not to proceed in 2021 was mutually agreed with those bodies," said the Victorian Government in a statement. https://twitter.com/ausgrandprix/status/1412275229800292353 The big Formula 1 race has hit Melbourne every year since 1996 — every year until last year, that is. At present, it's contracted to return to Albert Park between 2022–25. The MotoGP's history on Phillip Island is very similar, with the event first held there in 1997, and contracted to continue until 2026. Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said that "it's very disappointing that these much-loved events can't proceed but this is the reality of the pandemic — but until we get much higher vaccination rates we cannot return to more normal settings." He continued: "we are getting to work on plans for 2022 immediately and can't wait to welcome the world's best drivers and riders and all motorsport fans back to Albert Park and Phillip Island." Whether Melbourne's other big international sporting event, the 2022 Australian Open, will also be impacted by Australia's sluggish vaccine campaign and our traveller caps — and the fact that anyone heading here from overseas needs to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival — is obviously yet to be seen. The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and Australian MotoGP will no longer go ahead in 2021. For more information about the cancellation, head to the Victorian Government website and the Australian Grand Prix website.
With Spiral: From the Book of Saw, what came first: the decision to call its protagonist Ezekiel, or the casting of Samuel L Jackson as said character's father? Either way, the film's creative team must've felt mighty pleased with themselves; getting the Pulp Fiction actor to utter the name that's been synonymous with his bible-quoting, Quentin Tarantino-penned monologue for more than a quarter-century doesn't happen by accident. What now four-time franchise director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, Saw III and Saw IV) and Jigsaw screenwriters Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger mightn't have realised, though, is just how clumsily this choice comes across. The Saw series has made almost a billion dollars at the worldwide box office, but now it's resorting to winking and nodding to one of its latest stars' past movies. Perhaps Bousman and company didn't notice because almost everything about Spiral feels that forced, awkward, clunky and badly thought-out. Jackson and Chris Rock might gift the long-running franchise a couple of high-profile new faces; however, this ostensible reboot is exactly as derivative as you'd expect of the ninth instalment in a 17-year-old shock- and gore-driven saga. Focusing on a wisecracking, gung-ho, about-to-be-divorced police detective known for exposing his dirty colleagues, Spiral tries to coil the series in a different direction, at least superficially — and pretends to have meaty matters on its mind. Ezekiel 'Zeke' Banks (Rock, The Witches) has been crusading for honesty, integrity, fairness and honour in law enforcement for years. Starting back when his now-retired dad Marcus (Jackson, Death to 2020) was the precinct's chief, he's been vilified by his peers for his efforts. When a killer appears to be targeting rotten cops, too, Zeke is desperate to lead the case. Initially, he just wants to avenge the death of the first victim, one of the only co-workers he called a friend, but he's soon trying to track down a murderer that seems to be following in franchise villain Jigsaw's footsteps. A lone wolf-type not by choice but necessity, Banks also happens to be saddled with a rookie partner (Max Minghella, The Handmaid's Tale) as he attempts to stop the bodies from piling up. Even if Spiral had reached screens in May last year as was initially intended pre-pandemic, it would've arrived in a social, cultural and political climate that has been rightly taking a stand against police brutality. The film doesn't have much to say about the topic, however. Recycling the usual cop movie tropes — corruption is endemic, a select few battle against it, but the bad routinely outmuscles the good — it uses the subject as nothing more than a gimmick. Forget weight, depth, nuance or resonance. Spiral just wants a reason for its killer to keep offing cops within its grimy, dankly lit, often jittery fames, and for Zeke to have almost zero backup. Like the pig's heads used by its new agony-inflicting maniac, the end result is bloody yet empty. It smacks of trying to dress up a well-worn idea in fresh packaging, but then only making a half-hearted attempt that relies upon on another genre's conventions. Indeed, the police procedural format, the cast, the topical themes, the 70s thriller look and the focus on a different murderer are all part of a big bait-and-switch act; they might lure viewers in, but a torture porn flick that's rarely even standard is sadly the only thing that awaits. The deaths, which are largely seen in flashbacks devoid of any tension, are characteristically nasty and gruesome. Covering severed tongues, ripped-off appendages, flayed carcasses and drowning via hot wax, they're designed to get the squeamish to avert their eyes again and again. But testing the audience's threshold for blood, guts, gore and complicated torture devices isn't the same as engaging them. Nor is combining the series' brand of gratuitous one-upmanship and supposed lessons with Seven-esque box deliveries and the kind of by-the-numbers serial killer taunting that wouldn't have even made the first draft of any David Fincher project. Spiral doesn't just do the bare minimum in its purported attempt to tackle problematic cops, but demonstrates the same contentedness to merely tick boxes with the franchise's grisly staples, too. A word to the easily nauseated: the film's panic-inducing traps and macabre dismemberments aren't pleasant, which is wholly in keeping with the template set up by Australians James Wan (Aquaman) and Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man) back in 2004's first movie, but it's hard to be put off by something that's this dully formulaic. Perhaps driven by a dream to wake up on-screen chained to a pipe — with a saw within reach, of course — Rock instigated his own involvement in Spiral. A big fan of the series, and of horror movies in general, he came up with the idea for the feature's detective storyline as well. While he's the best thing about the film, he also often feels as if he's mixing his stand-up routines with his far-superior performance in last year's fourth season of Fargo. Yes, with both Jackson and Rock alike, Spiral just can't stop reminding its viewers that its talents both have better projects to their names. Don't go expecting much of their collaboration here, either, with the picture pairing them up sparingly and leaving the audience wanting more — which is the only instance where that statement proves true throughout the entire movie. When the film abruptly comes to an end, it unsurprisingly sets up its next chapter, but it certainly hasn't earned anyone's continued investment. And, in case you'd missed how little it cares for its police brutality narrative, it chooses to end with an image so cliched that it makes the hackneyed dialogue about playing games and the clues delivered on USB drives seem positively fresh in comparison. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuINvoFAnng
Elektra / Orestes is another offspring of the ‘remade ancients’ that have colonised Australian theatre for the past few years. Director Anne-Louise Sarks wrenches the 'Elektra' story from the grasp of the ancient Greeks, seasons it with colourful 21st-century language and proffers it to Belvoir and friends. Her decision to do so is mostly justified, not least because this story revolves around the fucked-up family unit, which, as everyone knows, is the modern recipe for success (Kardashians, Osbornes, et al). That said, the 'Orestes' side of the story, the fighting and satellite characters could do with more development. Elektra / Orestes launches with cheeky music and an irreverent approach to the Elektra epic (in which mother kills father, so daughter hides brother and plots merciless revenge on mother). Its greatest success is definitely Katherine Tonkin as Elektra. With countless depictions of the tragic, troubled, truth-seeking heroine, it’s lovely to see Tonkin almost literally take a dump on the Elektra-romance we’ve suffered for around 2,400 years. She’s the worst of our times: a layabout, mopey loser. A thirty-something refusing to move out of her mother’s home but determined to make life hell for everyone in it. Revelling in her tragic excess, she is by turns malicious, lamenting, immature and righteous, and in no way endearing to her audience. Rather than divine justice, she oozes bitchface — as her mother says, “You’re loud, completely useless [and have] done nothing for eight years.” When it arrives, the violent climax of the story is not fully convincing. The fight sequence feels a bit clunky and exaggerated. (Perhaps planned so, to reveal the savagery of Orestes [Hunter Page-Lochard], inherited from his long-dead father? Or was Page-Lochard simply struggling to pop the blood pack?) It teeters between farce and realism, so that the night we attended half the audience gasped and the rest cracked up. The production proudly exploits the revolve stage, though it could stand to push into newer territory once this trick has been uncovered. Sarks and co-writer Jada Alberts really nail the core values of Aristotle’s handbook. They transport the conceals and reveals, the reversals and recognition from ancient Greece to our modern laps. Ralph Myers manages to enhance this poetry, even with a sterile set design that resembles a kitchen showroom. He makes you think twice about the high-rise city dream and what might be lurking in your ample storage space. This Elektra / Orestes makes the ancient tale accessible to a contemporary audience. While it's not perfect, and rests a bit too long on the one trick, it is an engaging show about the destruction that ensues when the ‘natural family order’ is disturbed.
Andrew Upton’s Endgame is beautiful Beckett. Inasmuch as it invites us to wallow in the great fear and inertia of existence for 110 minutes, till we’re asking (along with main character Hamm), “Is it not time for my pain killer?” In place of a short synopsis, here’s my spoiler alert: Nothing. Ever. Happens. And therein lies the genius of Theatre of the Absurd’s poster boy, Samuel Beckett. This ‘absurd’ is a curious moniker for Beckett’s works. Yes, he discombobulates theatrical conventions, but he also exposes the inescapable suffering of our world, with stomach-turning realness. Endgame mulls over that incurable condition, life on earth. The question is always, “what’s happening?”, and the answer, “something is taking its course”. In my mind, the true wonder of Endgame is the humour that punctuates the pain. The misery is a given, the moments of light and childish hope are the miracle. Even if revelling in the cyclical despair of the universe isn’t your thing, see Endgame for the sheer display of vocal and physical prowess of the actors. Hugo Weaving as Hamm is immobile from the shoulders down but brings his character to life with wild acrobatics of the voice and face. It is beautiful to hear a master actor tasting language, as if he has forgotten how words are supposed to work, so syllables surprise and fly out unmeasured. He nails the harshness and fragility of Hamm, his constant contradictions and reneging. On the other side of this power dynamic is Tom Budge as the begrudgingly faithful Clov. Here, in his Sydney Theatre Company debut, he is wondrous. The precision of his physicality is mesmerising — the stance he assumes when awaiting orders, how he manages daintiness and dexterity atop huge clown feet. He desperately assembles an OCD routine to combat the chaos of his existence, and it’s enlightening to watch him perform his elaborate procedures with grubby flourish, over and over again. Sarah Peirse and Bruce Spence play Nell and Nagg, Hamm's elderly parents, who are literally thrown in the rubbish now they're no longer of use. Hamm refers to them only to curse the very organs that bred him. “I’ll never understand why I always obey you,” Clov ponders, in just one example of the self-referentiality underpinning Beckett’s script. Endgame pokes fun at the ‘game of theatre’, with its eternal status struggles and fabrications of time and space. At times Weaving assumes the role of the brooding poet, sending up the agony of creative genius. He evaluates his own monologues and frets the passing of time. He sits, in a weathered throne, in a forgotten castle, in the depths of the earth. A tyrant of emptiness; his kingdom an immense void. Nick Schlieper manages to capture the intrigue of this location-less place with his set design. Are we looking at a cross-section of a castle, or a dungeon? Or are we somewhere more metaphysical? Limbo, the space between? The constant drip also precludes the opportunity for complete silence. It's a space of eternal dissatisfaction and unease. It is worth going along just to see these wonderful actors present a theatre-changing text. In every corner of this uneventful endgame is a comment on life and society. Beckett's text is quick, captivating and efficient. And at the 'end' he's having the laugh on us. We're accustomed to momentous things happening in the theatre, but in this world, if you're crying, you're still alive. "I'll leave you," Clov again threatens, and we cry for him to do it, so that something can progress. Leaving us free to buy our painkiller at the bar.
The first major Australian exhibition from Ghanian artist El Anatsui, Five Decades is an ambitious compilation of works inside Carriageworks running Sydney Festival all the way to March. Showcasing more than 30 works from the 1970s to the current day, this highly ambitious exhibition will reflect a broad thematic spectrum of the artist's themes and media, from large-scale installations to works on paper. Beginning from Anatsui's early flair for mixing different aesthetic styles, the exhibition will trace the evolution of his practice. From 1998 onward, the artist became fixated with repurposing materials, such as wood, aluminium printing plates, tin boxes and liquor bottle tops. Also bubbling underneath his work is the rich cultural imagery of West Africa, which is tied to deeper issues around colonisation and post-colonisation. More recently, Anatsui nabbed the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2015, proving himself to be one of the most compelling contemporary artists to watch. From January 7 to March 6, Five Decades offers the opportunity to take in some truly unique art in unique spaces. Image: El Anatsui, Stressed World (2011), found aluminum and copper wire, 4.4 x 6.0m installed dimensions, ©El Anatsui. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.
Sydney is flush with world-class steakhouses. In fact, the Harbour City has a whopping five entries in the top 50 of the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants list for 2023. Liquid & Larder, the team behind two of those five standout meat emporiums, has now brought another beefy brasserie to Sydney's CBD in the form of Alfie's. Alfie's has arrived on Bligh Street from the crew behind Bistecca (number 32 on the best steak restaurants list), The Gidley (number 43) and The Rover. This one-of-a-kind opening boasts a more fast-paced dining experience than its sibling venues — aiming to provide a more approachable and affordable take on the steakhouse with a simplified menu, plus a more casual fitout inspired by graffiti and hip hop culture. "After years of perfecting the slow-dining and elevated experiences at Bistecca, The Gidley and The Rover, we're going off script at Alfie's by offering the same high-quality food and booze but fast-paced and full of action," says Liquor & Larder co-founder and Director James Bradey. There's just one cut of meat on the menu, the 220-gram Riverine sirloin which is available for $38 and is promised to hit your table within 15 minutes of ordering. This means that city workers can treat themselves to a world-class steak on their lunch break. Alfie's is the first Liquor & Larder restaurant to boast its own central butchery and steak-aging facility. This helps ensure the sirloin here — as well as the beef delivered to Bistecca and The Gidley — is all of the highest quality. It also gives diners a chance to peek behind the scenes through the butcher's window before they sit down to eat. Accompanying the steak is a range of sides which can be ordered in half or full portions. Take your pick from fire-roasted baby carrots, roast mushrooms, cucumber salad and Alfie's bubble and squeak slaw. Those looking to just enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail with a dose of people-watching can nab a spot in the walk-in bar looking out onto Bligh Street. Former Bartender of the Year and Group Bars Manager Alex Gondzioulis has designed the cocktail menu with classic and seasonal combinations on offer alongside a martini that the team claims is Sydney's coldest — served at a chilly negative-ten degrees. At the bar, there are a few British-inspired snacks to pair with your cocktail of choice, including a hot chip roast beef butty, thyme scones, cornish pasties and chips topped with chip shop-style curry sauce. There's also a daily happy hour adding to the approachability of the venue, featuring $16 martinis, $14 Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin spritzes, $3 Grifter beers, $10 wines and $17 chip and roast beef sandwiches between 4–6pm, Monday–Saturday. You'll find Alfie's at 4–6 Bligh Street, Sydney. The casual steakhouse is open for lunch (11.30am–2.30pm) and dinner (5–9pm) Monday–Saturday. Images: Dexter Kim.
Have you ever heard how Balmoral Beach is like Sydney's own version of a Greek Island oasis? No? Well, settle in at one of Kazzi Beach Greek's outdoor tables, order a bunch of mezze plates to share and enjoy the fresh harbour breeze — you may just be convinced. Inspired by the Greek island of Kastellorizo, this beachside eatery serves up classic Hellenic-style dishes from brekkie to dinner. We're talking haloumi drizzled with cardamom-infused honey, prawns saganaki, souvlaki wraps and spit-roasted meats. Inside, the restaurant has that classic Mediterranean look and feel — think white walls, tables and chairs with pops of cobalt blue to accessorise. It also offers takeaway if you really want to pretend you're living the Greek Island dream and eat it on the beach.
The Museum of Contemporary Art's monthly ARTBAR has become a firm fixture on Sydney's after-dark cultural calendar. After knocking off work on Friday, head down to Circular Quay for an extra dose of art, a splash of wine and your choice of fun-filled activities — with the added bonus of panoramic views of the harbour from the Sculpture Terrace. Past curators have included the likes of Rosie Deacon, Pip and Pop, Blak Douglas, Haines and Hinterding, and Rebecca Baumann — each building uniquely flavoured late-night events. Wander in on the last Friday night of the month and you can expect a lively conglomeration of art, music, design and performance. It's an excuse to let loose alongside some of Sydney's best artistic talent. You'll want to charge your phones to furiously 'gram the golden at the next #MCAARTBAR for 2016, curated by Sydney-based interdisciplinary artist Kate Scardifield. The theme of the night is 'GOLDEN HOUR', which represents that short moment of time at dawn or dusk when the light is glittering and perfect. And also just lots of gold shiny things. Expect a lineup of pure gold, including performances from Rochelle Haley, artist duo Make or Break, Jingle Jangle DJs and a showcase of Ghanian music in a room decked out by the legends at socially responsible clothing label YEVU. ACME's Mitch Orr will even be there broadcasting his food podcast The Mitchen alongside Sydney chefs Dan Hong (Mr. Wong, Ms. Gs) and Mark Best (Marque). If you'd like to get hands-on you can drop in on a floral illustration workshop being held by artist/florist/Instagram extraordinaire Doctor Cooper and botanical colouring book artist Adriana Picker. You'll also be able to try sonic-brewed coffee (yes, really) from Sydney-based Elixir Specialty Coffee. And if you haven't seen Grayson Perry's My Pretty Little Art Career yet, this is your last chance. For an extra ten bucks you can get admission into the exhibition before it ends on May 1. By Annie Murney and Shannon Connellan.
Orphans investigates the adults who grow from childhood neglect. It's about second chances, emotional damage, human goodness and unexpected shows of strength. Red Line Productions at the Old Fitz give a well-acted production of Lyle Kessler's character-based drama, which follows three highly imperfect, motherless men and their intersecting lives in North Philadelphia. The play begins in the twisted world of two brothers just managing to scrape by: Treat and Phillip. Treat (Andrew Henry) is the world-weary delinquent. He revels in his powers of intimidation and conducts daily torture on his 'simple' little brother, Phillip (Aaron Glenane). Phillip is a severely anxious, agoraphobic, hypochondriac young man, suffering mental and developmental setbacks due to a lack of education, agency and love. Director Anthony Gooley emphasises the different ways that humans can adapt to the hard-knock life. Treat converts his deep sadness into aggression. Henry fills the room with menace with the mere sound of his approaching boots. Meanwhile, Glenane reveals Phillip's hope and compassion to be his overwhelming advantage over 'able' people. Then enters the third 'type' spawned out of adversity, Harold (Danny Adcock), as the 'saviour' figure. He's an intense yet lovable, 60-something Chicago orphan — toughened by the scars of his past but with a lot of love to give. Adcock's accent work is a marvel, and his delivery throughout the play really capitalises on the comedic role. He has a dynamic, diverse and textural face and voice. Gooley's direction very often relocates Treat and Phillip to the vantage point of the audience, so that Harold is talking to all of us. But he's not without his fair share of shady dealings and mystery. One particular moment of brilliance is his sermon on 'moderation', as he throws back his 15th full glass of bourbon in one gulp. Our human tendency for unwitting hypocrisy and naivety about our own flaws is good-humouredly explored in Orphans. The grey dilapidation of the house, the winter's moonlight shining through tarnished glass and the nostalgic collection of songs and hymns effectively conjure an east coast USA to immerse ourselves in, even if we know nothing of orphans freezing to death in the winter. Always suspicious of a North American story (accents and all) transplanted to our Australian stage, I did have my misgivings about the relevance of Orphans, but the acting is so considered and well-delivered that the story really impacts you. It's lovely to share some time in cold 'North Philly' with these men, and it's clear that Adcock, Glenane and Henry work very hard to expand the possibilities of their characters. They find their inner pain and softness, and transmit this to an audience who can't simply judge or dismiss them. Contrary to old Harold's theory in the script, the actors prove you can't know the individual just by "knowing the type".
Nick Coyle is a comedian/actor/writer/director/art-maker/job-title-hogger, and your spiritual servant/sensei in the quest for enlightenment. He promises the fruits of exploring existence, transcendence and the cosmos will be immensely juicy, as part of his hour-long show, Nick Coyle’s Guided Meditation, which returns for one night only on July 13. Coyle will tour his Guided Meditation to the Edinburgh Fringe later this year, but before that, he wants to offer Sydneysiders a chance at “headbutting your self doubt", "assaulting your stress", "disciplining your spirit animal" and "lying down" (Coyle’s own words). BYO yoga mat, if that is a thing you have. Known for his outlandish and irreverent original theatre works, Coyle has been shaking up the Australian indie theatre scene for years. His work has spanned different mediums, from FBI radio waves (Versus) to the Belvoir stage (Blue Wizard).
The National Gallery of Victoria has today revealed its summer centrepiece: a bold new world premiere exhibition pairing the work of Dutch artist M.C. Escher and Japanese design studio Nendo. Much like the NGV's 2016's Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei show, Between Two Worlds celebrates two very different creators, bringing them together in an assembly of immersive art and design. More than 150 of Escher's prints and drawings created between 1916 to 1969 have made their way to Melbourne from the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague for the artist's first ever major exhibition in Australia. Optical illusion is what he's best known for — his intricate pieces use patterns and design to warp space and perception. You'll need to take second, third and fourth looks at pieces like Day and night and Drawing hands. To really mess with your mind, Nendo — led by designer Oki Sato — has created an immersive gallery space that's just as trippy. The studio has taken inspiration from Escher to manipulate geometry and space to warp perception, giving you an imagined sense of what it would be like to enter Escher's mind boggling world. Expect lots of mirrors, shrinking corridors and projections that will mess with your brain (in a good way). The exhibition will officially open tomorrow with the gallery's exclusive black tie NGV Gala. Then it opens to the public on Sunday, December 2 and will run until April 2019 alongside a public program of talks, workshops and the NGV's Friday night parties. Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds will run from December 2 until April 2019 at NGV International. Images: Eugene Hyland and Sean Fennessy.
Broken Hill is arguably New South Wales' ultimate long-distance road-trip, and it's a must-visit at any time. If you did need an extra push, however, the inaugural Mundi Mundi Bash gives you the opportunity to camp for three days in the remote outback while enjoying performances from some of Australia's brightest and best. Paul Kelly is probably the best-known name on the bill, but there are also artists such as Kate Ceberano, country songwriter Caitlyn Shadbolt and perhaps the world's most famous cover band, Bjorn Again — odds are they'll bring the house down. If you've ever wanted to spend a weekend partying away in the red dirt, here's your perfect excuse. For more information, head to the website. Images: Nathan Edwards, Destination NSW
Let's face it: nothing beats Mum's cooking. That is, unless she delivers up fresh, comforting, 'good for you' meals to your door and cleans up afterwards. In which case, give her break. There's an alternative. (And, for the record, you should always be doing the dishes anyway.) Youfoodz is a new healthy food delivery service that, quite simply, delivers yum, nourishing food to your door. Without you having to lift a finger — other than placing the order, of course. The Brisbane startup is all about fostering a healthy lifestyle by creating cleaner alternatives to Aussie favourites, such as their bacon and egg bagel and superseed-crusted fish and sweet potato chips. The 45 meal options are promised to stay fresh seven to nine days in the fridge, and the delivery turn around time is as little as 12 hours. As if healthy, prepared meals delivered fast aren't good enough, Youfoodz also makes sure you won't go broke, with most meals priced at $9.95 each. Cheap and healthy don't generally go hand-in-hand — especially for Sydneysiders who are accustomed to paying $19 for a salad — but healthy, fresh and cheap food for under a tenner? That sounds like a pretty sweet deal. From brekkie to dinner and all the snacks and drinks in-between, Youfoodz have all the bases covered. The menu may use all of the buzzwords — chia seeds and quinoa get a mention — but also means that everyone can get in on the fun. Even if you're dairy or gluten free. They're now spreading their wings beyond Brisbane to deliver to the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as major grocers across Australia. So go ahead and tuck into their new summer menu, which includes meals like the sesame pork summer salad and the pesto and pumpkin chicken salad. Mum would most definitely approve. Concrete Playground readers can get their first Youfoodz meal for free by entering the code YF-FreeMeal at checkout. To order your meal and view the full menu, head to youfoodz.com.
Clever, creative, quirky, capricious and prolific are some of the words I would use to describe Rufus Wainwright, the American-Canadian Singer songwriter, who will be performing with his band at the Sydney Opera House as part of his Australian Tour. His new album, Out of the Game, which was made in collaboration with the famed producer Mark Ronson, is purported to be his most accessible work yet. Nevertheless, that unmistakeable 'Rufus' edge is still there; the delicately-crafted songs laden with rich emotion and a touch of eccentricity always palpable. The last few years have seen Rufus move away from popular music to pursue other creative endeavours, including his opera 'Prima Donna' and his Grammy-nominated rendition of Judy Garland's famous Carnegie Hall concert. I can confirm that the latter was particularly spectacular, after having been treated to an excerpt from the show (in full drag) the last time he performed in concert here in Sydney. He is great showman who paints pictures with music and words to describe the absurdity of life. https://youtube.com/watch?v=mIF6f3tFxBw
