As you might know, The Lansdowne and its sky-high outdoor area have a storied history. The rooftop spanned a few different iterations while the Mary's team was at the helm. Now, under the guidance of the crew behind the Oxford Art Factory, The Lansdowne has brought back sun-soaked sips two days a week — as of March 2023. Head upstairs on a Friday or Saturday and you'll find a bright-blue oasis high above City Road that's perfect for a weekend catch-up with mates. The open-air bar was given a quick-fire revamp during the summer and now boasts retro beach umbrellas to shade you from the sun's rays, as well as the full suite of food and drinks from the pub downstairs. Sweetening the deal is a new deli menu that The Lansdowne has introduced in conjunction with its new Head Chef Eugene Novikov. The accomplished hospitality veteran takes the reins of the beloved pub's kitchen after previously working at three-hatted Queenstown restaurant Amisfield and Hamilton Island's Qualia. [caption id="attachment_903435" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dougal Gorman[/caption] Sandwiches are the heroes of this new culinary offering, with options including a wagyu meatball sambo, a chicken schnitzel sanga, a classic reuben and a cajun-spiced prawn po boy. Accompanying the sandwich selection, you'll find a Chicago-style hot dog, beef and vegan burgers, chicken wings, wedges and waffle fries. "The Lansdowne was an exciting opportunity to demonstrate how food, music and culture can all come together as the city comes back to life with activity," says Novikov. Rounding out the fresh additions to the venue is the return of its weekly music series, Graveyard Shift. The late-night sessions run free gigs in the downstairs bar every Friday from 10.30pm, serving as the ultimate kick-on spot for Sydneysiders looking to start their weekend right. Top images: Alana Dimou Appears in: The Best Pubs in Sydney
When Princess Mononoke marked its 25th anniversary in 2022, the Studio Ghibli gem returned to cinemas. Because Hayao Miyazaki's movies should never be far from a picture palace, one his most-stunning features is making another big-screen comeback three years later. There's no milestone to celebrate this time, just an exceptional flick from a beloved Japanese animation house just because — as well as the fact that Princess Mononoke is getting both the 4K and IMAX treatment. This is also the first time ever that the 1997 film is being released in IMAX. So, no matter how many times you've seen it before, you haven't seen it like this. The date for your diary: Thursday, August 21, 2025. Language-wise, two versions of the movie are playing in both Australia and New Zealand: the original Japanese version, which is the one that every Ghibli fan should be flocking to, and the English-dubbed version as well. If you're a newcomer to this delight by the one and only Miyazaki — a film that only ranks behind Spirited Away and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind among the director's greats — get ready for a picture that makes a clear ecological statement. The iconic filmmaker has never shied away from doing just that; however, Princess Mononoke might just send his most forceful message about humanity's impact upon the earth. As set in Japan's Muromachi period (from the 14th to 16th centuries), the involving fantasy takes place among humans, animals and gods, all of which have been living in harmony until the movie starts. From there, the film charts the paths of a young prince with a curse and a young woman raised by wolves, as well as the conflict between a modernising town and the forest it's destroying. Every Studio Ghibli film is worth seeing — the animation house hasn't ever made a bad one, even if a few sit below the rest — but Princess Mononoke is a stone-cold classic. The highest-grossing Japanese feature of 1997, it's also the picture that helped bring the company's wonderful flicks to western audiences. If you do catch the English-dubbed version, the voice cast includes Gillian Anderson (The Salt Path), Claire Danes (Full Circle), Billy Crudup (The Morning Show), Minnie Driver (The Assessment), Jada Pinkett Smith (The Equalizer) and Billy Bob Thorton (Landman). Check out the trailer for Princess Mononoke below: Princess Mononoke returns to Australian and New Zealand cinemas from Thursday, August 21, 2025. For more information, head to the Crunchyroll website.
Pizza is not only restaurateur and pizzaiolo Luigi Esposito's life's work — it's also how he's sharing his life story with Sydney. Each of his three Crown Street eateries is a chapter of this autobiography. Opened in 2015, his flagship venue Via Napoli — which heroes the food and culture of Naples, where Esposito was born — was one of the first Italian joints in Sydney to serve authentic Neapolitan pizzas, cooked at 450–500 celsius in a woodfired oven for that distinctive bubbled and charred crust. His second venture, Pizza Fritta 180, which opened on the corner of Crown and Foveaux Streets in 2020 before moving next door to Via Napoli earlier this year, serves the same flash-fried calzones Esposito helped his grandparents sell on the cobbled streets of Napoli when he was eight years old. The most recent addition to his collection of diners is 170 Grammi. With a minimalist, all-white fitout in the Crown Street corner spot formerly occupied by Pizza Fritta, it pays tribute to the heritage of his wife, Sonia, a native of Rome, where Esposito also briefly lived before immigrating to Australia in 2007. After charming the Harbour City with the flavours of Naples, Sonia urged her husband to champion the dishes she grew up with. "I promised her I would open a Roman pizzeria," he explains with a smile, pizza peel in hand, as he stands in 170 Grammi's bustling kitchen during a packed Friday night service. True to his word, the la tonda Romana-style cuisine his wife had been craving is now available to hungry Sydneysiders. And if the white-knuckle pace of the waitstaff and the size of the crowd outside on our visit was anything to go by, it's already a hit. [caption id="attachment_963278" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luigi Esposito by Trent van der Jagt[/caption] What makes a pizza Roman is the thin and crispy base. For each 13-inch pizza, just 170 grams of dough — hence the restaurant's name — is stretched thin, before being tossed and shaped to ensure an even thickness with just enough elasticity to hold its structure. After toppings are added, the pie is baked for a matter of minutes in the hand-built woodfired oven that dominates the restaurant's surprisingly compact kitchen — not at the blistering 500 degrees of its Neapolitan cousins, but at a gentler temperature, around 250-300 degrees. The result is a tell-tale crunch to the crust and a pizza that is less about piling on ingredients and mountains of cheese, and more about the balance of flavours in every bite. While Roman pizza may be a new culinary discovery for many Sydneysiders, pasta dishes from the Italian capital have household cachet. You won't find a single strand of spaghetti on 170 Grammi's menu, but Esposito has found a way to harness the popularity of those pasta faithfuls by translating them into pizza toppings, including the rich and salty cacio e pepe and the ripe tartness of amatriciana. Far from being a gimmick, it's a brilliant sleight of hand, particularly in the the a'carbonara. Uncannily capturing the interplay between the salty edge of pecorino romano and the gamy funk of the cured guanciale, mellowed with generous daubs of free-range egg yolk, it perfectly summons the flavours that set authentic carbonaras apart from the cream, bacon and parmesan pretenders. Another must-try pizza-fication of a Roman classic honours a family recipe passed onto Esposito by his uncle-in-law, Tonino Toscano. Gathering all the elements of the traditional porchetta di ariccia on a pizza, slices of herbed pork and rosemary-kissed potatoes are brought together with a judicious sprinkle of smoked scamorza. However, the dish Esposito feels most quintessentially captures the essence of Rome is not, in fact, a pizza, but an antipasto. Next to familiar crowd-pleasers like calamari fritti, buffalo mozzarella with prosciutto and fresh-fried suppli (Rome's answer to arancini), the trippa alla Romana — tripe (cow stomach lining) braised in white wine and served in a tomato sauce — might not sound all too appealing. "But you must try, you must! Otherwise you cannot really say you have eaten like a Roman," Esposito insists, as he finishes off a serving at the pass with a hearty dusting of pecorino romano. Trust this advice and you won't regret it — the perfectly cooked organs absorb the glossy sauce and fall apart in the mouth, leaving the sweetness of the tomatoes and the subtle tang of the wine to linger pleasantly on the tongue. When in Rome — or Surry Hills — it's also wise to do dessert as the Romans do. One of the various riffs on the cream-filled maritozzi pastries, with flavours ranging from the traditional, such as pistachio and tiramisu, to the irreverent, such as Kinder Bueno, are the ideal sweet finish to the meal. Sweeter still, the bill is unlikely to leave a sour taste. Esposito has crafted an affordable offering with no pizza priced over $26 and no bottles on the small but considered wine list priced over $65. "It's cheaper than a flight to Rome," Esposito jests. It's also cheaper than a lot of dining options in inner Sydney right now, too. Images: Trent van der Jagt
Beyond the paintings and colourful objet d'art on display in the shopfront of Punch Gallery, you'll find a trove of homewares, artworks, accessories and decorative trinkets. Here, you can unearth an unexpected gift or a treat to kit out your own home. If you've got magpie qualities and are easily transfixed by bright and shiny things, you'll lose time browsing the layer upon busily merchandised items handcrafted or produced by artisans from near and far. Image: Arvin Prem Kumar
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, you can't go on an interstate holiday just yet. But, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said it could be back on the cards by July, 2020 — so, it's time to start dreaming. There's no shortage of on-snow accommodation in Australia — from ski lodges to chalets. But a lot of it is designed for function, rather than romance. Finding a cosy cabin of your own, however, where you can snuggle in front of a roaring fire with a glass of wine in your hand, while watching the snow fall all around you isn't easy. But it's not impossible. We've searched far and wide, to scope out five cabins where you can stay right on the snow. Just don't forget to pack your skis — or snowshoes. NUMBANANGA LODGE, SMIGGINS HOLES, NSW Opened in July 2018, this secluded lodge is just minutes (by skis) from Smiggin Holes ski resort and two kilometres from Perisher Valley. Whether you want to ski or snowboard downhill all day or go on a cross-country adventure, you can – from your door. Plus, there are loads of restaurants, bars and pubs nearby, too. Three bedrooms provide room for up to six guests. The only catch is, you'll need to be quick. This is one of the only isolated, free-standing huts on snow in Kosciuszko, so it's pretty popular. Bookings, at $1200 per night in winter, are available via NSW National Parks. How much? From $1200 a night. [caption id="attachment_733860" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lean Timms[/caption] THE EASTERN, THREDBO, NSW For incredible views of Mount Kosciuszko, the highest mountain in Australia, stay at the Cedar Cabin, which makes up one half of The Eastern: a pair of beautifully designed, luxe stays in Thredbo. The open-plan, loft-style space features vaulted ceilings, exposed timber and a piping hot Japanese-inspired onsen — the perfect place to relax after a day spent outdoors. You'll find this haven on the village's western side, around four minutes from restaurants, bars, shops, and Thredbo's diverse, scenic ski runs. How much? From $700 a night. MOONBAH HUT, SNOWY MOUNTAINS, NSW Moonbah Hut is located on private frontage on the Moonbah River, the Snowy Mountains' cleanest, most unspoilt home for trout. Give your fishing muscle a flex from your front doorstep, while keeping an eye out for wildlife – from wombats to deer to brumbies. Or bunker down inside, with a huge, open stone fireplace for company. Previous guests have taken the experience next level and invited personal chefs along for an evening. Moonbah Hut is around 20 minutes' drive west of Jindabyne. How much? From $245 a night. FOREST VIEW BUSH CABINS, CRADLE MOUNTAIN, TAS Smack bang in the middle of Tasmania's Cradle Mountain National Park are two bush cabins surrounded by forest and run by Highlanders Cottages. Hand-built with local Tasmania timber, each offers two bedrooms, den lounges and a log fireplace, plus a private deck and a fully stocked kitchen. Meanwhile, in the bathroom, you'll find a soaking tub and a shower. This is an ideal spot to unwind after wandering around Cradle Mountain's magical, snow-covered forests. How much? From $215 a night. WOMBAT CABIN, MT BAW BAW, VIC Located on the edge of Victoria's Mount Baw Baw Village, the simple, super-cute Wombat Cabin is just a quick shuffle away from both Maltese Cross T-Bar and the Frosti Frog Hollow Toboggan Park — so there's fun to be had for skiers, boarders and tobogganers of all kinds. There are two cosy bedrooms, with room for up to five guests, plus a private deck, where you can surround yourself with snow gums. When you're not adventuring on the slopes, explore Mount Baw Baw's many offerings, including Howling Huskys' husky sled dog tours. How much? From $419 a night. Looking for more? Check out these seven cosy cabins around the country. Top image: Numbananga Lodge
Living under lockdown isn't easy for anyone, as the entirety of Greater Sydney has experienced since the end of June. But for residents of the city's Local Government Areas of concern, even stricter conditions have been in place for the bulk of this ongoing stay-at-home period. Slowly, though, the rules in these hotspot LGAs have been easing this month, including changes to exercise and outdoor recreation limits, and ditching the overnight curfew. And now, from 12.01am Monday, September 20, these LGAs will finally move back under the same restrictions as the rest of the city — except when it comes to authorised workers and the permits they need. At New South Wales' COVID-19 press conference today, Sunday, September 19, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that "in the areas of concern, all the rules will be the same to the rest of Sydney except for authorised workers and permits. So from tomorrow, very pleasingly, all areas of concern will be equalised — so relating to exercise, recreation and outdoor gatherings, everything will be the same across greater Sydney, except for the list of authorised workers and the associated permits." The Premier continued: "as you know, we still have relatively high case numbers in those areas, but this is a wonderful step forward in relation to COVID rules." The news came as NSW announced 1083 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, September 18, and also that the state's vaccination rates have hit 81.9 percent first doses and 51.9 percent second doses based on NSW residents over the age of 16. ❗️Restrictions to ease in LGAs of concern❗️ From 12.01am Monday, 20 September, restrictions in local government areas of concern will start to align with other lockdown areas, as vaccination rates continue to rise in Sydney's West and South-West. pic.twitter.com/2SmW5iOigl — NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 19, 2021 Accordingly, from Monday, September 20, all of Sydney will be under the same rules in almost every circumstance — including people who live in the Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta and Strathfield LGAs, as well as 12 suburbs in the Penrith. This means that people in these areas won't have any limits on how long they can go out for outdoor exercise and recreation. And, folks in these LGAs will be able to gather outdoors in groups of up to five fully vaxxed adults, as long as you're in your LGA or within five kilometres from home. That expanded distance rule will also apply to shopping, exercise and all forms of outdoor recreation, too. And, folks in the soon-to-be former hotspot LGAs will be able to have a single bubble buddy from anywhere in Greater Sydney, rather than just within five kilometres of their home. "The opportunity for us to ease the restrictions in the areas of concern or equalise them in line with the rest of Sydney is due in large part to the high rates of vaccination," said the Premier. "We have seen some of those communities go from rates of around 19 or 20 percent up to nearly 90 percent, and is extremely encouraging," "The health experts also advise that in some of those areas of concern, we have seen a decline, the curve is starting to change," the Premier continued. "But what is always concerning us is that any super spreader event, anyone being too complacent actually can things very quickly." Regarding authorised worker conditions and travel permit requirements, they'll still remain as in LGAs of concern — so if you need to travel outside of your LGA to work, you need to be on the authorised worker list, and get a permit confirming that. As always, Sydneysiders are asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited. If you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, you'll need to get tested immediately and follow NSW Health's self-isolation instructions. In terms of symptoms, you should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any. Sydney's LGAs of concern will move to the same rules as the rest of Greater Sydney, other than the authorised worker and permit requirements, from 12.01am on Monday, September 20. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
A trip to the Blue Mountains usually involves a few walks, sitting by fires in winter and eating and drinking your way around various towns. But, on your next getaway, consider catching a film at Mount Vic Flicks: a whimsical high-altitude answer to art house cinema. This 1930s-style cinema used to house the village hall and has the same convivial vibe. Local couple Kirsten Mulholland and Adam Cousins bought this nostalgic business in 2014 to save it from extinction. Films vary from classics to new releases, the choc tops are homemade and steaming mugs of soup are served throughout winter.
An impressive 300-seat restaurant has arrived in Parramatta Park, offering hearty breakfast and vibrant lunch dishes until 4pm, seven days a week. Misc. comes from a trio of Sydney mainstays — Executive Chef Sebastian Geray, Menu Collaborator Joel Bennetts and Restaurateur Jad Nehmetallah, the last of which you may recognise from Gogglebox. Together they've created an approachable all-day menu inspired by Mediterranean dishes and flavours. Misc. arrives at an exciting time for Parramatta, bringing another top-notch hospitality offering to the bustling suburb that's seen a slew of restaurants open in recent years including the sleek new dining precinct Parramatta Square. Boasting both indoor and al fresco dining and a bright white beachy fit-out, the glossy Western Sydney restaurant is hoping to differentiate itself by offering a one-stop-shop for your morning coffee, your next group lunch booking or an afternoon drink. "Western Sydney has been waiting for a spot to proudly call their own. At Misc., we offer an unmatched dining experience, partly due to our wine cocktail list never seen before in the western suburbs, as well as a beautiful retail section with curated products from local and international providers alike. Whether you desire a picnic in the park or bottomless brunch, Misc. can make it happen," says Nehmetallah. Whether you're here for breakfast or lunch, the team highly recommends that you start with bread. The house-made focaccia is a star of the breakfast menu, ready to be paired with dips like hummus or labneh, or sides like bacon, fritters and mushrooms. On the lunch menu, you'll find plenty of shared starters to pick from, including oysters, mortadella, burrata or wood-fired pita bread. From there you can add in the likes of beef tartare, king prawns, barramundi, zucchini chips and angus sirloin. "The focus is on the food and what it means to different people," Nehmetallah continues. "It's in my blood to bring people together; to create family, fun and full stomachs. Now I'm doing it on a larger scale." Misc. is located at Bynes Avenue, Parramatta Park, Parramatta. It's open 8am–4pm Monday–Sunday.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. FAST AND FURIOUS 9 Fast cars, furious action stars, a love of family and oh-so-many Coronas: across ten movies over 20 years, that's the Fast and Furious franchise. It might've started out as a high-octane spin on Point Break, but this long-running series has kept motoring across nine flicks in its main storyline, and also via a 2019 spinoff. The latter, Hobbs & Shaw, actually casts a shadow over the saga's latest instalment. Because Dwayne Johnson was part of that sidestep, he doesn't show up in Fast and Furious 9. He's missed, regardless of whether you're usually a diehard fan of the wrestler-turned-actor, because he's managed to perfect the F&F tone. Over his decade-long involvement to-date, Johnson always seems amused in his Fast and Furious performances. He's always sweaty, too, but that's another matter. Entering the F&F realm in Fast Five, he instantly oozed the kind of attitude the franchise needs. He knows that by taking the outlandish stunts, eye-catching setpieces and penchant for family with the utmost seriousness, these films border on comedic — and by navigating five flicks with that mood, he's been the saga's playful and entertaining barometer. Without Johnson, Fast and Furious 9 isn't as willing to admit that it's often downright silly. It's nowhere near as fun, either. Hobbs & Shaw wasn't a franchise standout, but Fast and Furious 9 mainly revs in one gear, even in a movie that features a high-speed car chase through Central American jungles, a plane with a magnet that can scoop up fast-driving vehicles and a trip to space in a rocket car. The latest F&F is as ridiculous as ever, and it's the least-eager F&F film to acknowledge that fact. It's also mostly a soap opera. It leans heavily on its favourite theme — yes, family — by not only swapping in a different wrestler-turned-actor as Dominic Toretto's (Vin Diesel, Bloodshot) long-lost sibling, but also by fleshing out the warring brothers' backstory through flashbacks to their tragic past. Fast and Furious 9 starts with an 80s-era Universal logo, because that's the time period it heads to first — to introduce a teen Dom (Vinnie Bennett, Ghost in the Shell), his never-before-mentioned younger brother Jakob (Finn Cole, Dreamland) and their dad Jack (JD Pardo, Mayans MC). It's 1989, the elder Toretto is behind the wheel on the racetrack, and his sons are part of his pit crew. Then tragedy strikes, tearing the Toretto family apart. In the present day, Dom and Jakob (John Cena, Playing with Fire) definitely don't get along. Indeed, when Roman (Tyrese Gibson, The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two), Tej (Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Show Dogs) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel, Four Weddings and a Funeral) drive up to the rural hideout that Dom has been calling home with wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez, Crisis) and toddler son Brian (first-timers Isaac and Immanuel Holtane) since the events of 2017's The Fate of the Furious, he doesn't even want to hear about the latest mission that demands their help. The only thing that changes his mind: realising that Jakob is involved and up to no good. Read our full review. VALERIE TAYLOR: PLAYING WITH SHARKS Steven Spielberg directed Jaws, the 1975 horror film that had everyone wondering if it was safe to go back into the water — and the movie that became Hollywood's first blockbuster, too — but he didn't shoot its underwater shark sequences. That task fell to Australian spearfisher and diver-turned-oceanographer and filmmaker Valerie Taylor and her husband Ron, who did so off the coast of Port Lincoln in South Australia. If it weren't for their efforts, the film mightn't have become the popular culture behemoth it is. When one of the animals the Taylors were filming lashed out at a metal cage that had held a stuntman mere moments before, the pair captured one of the picture's most nerve-rattling scenes by accident, in fact. And, before Peter Benchley's novel of the same name was even published, the duo was sent a copy of the book and asked if it would make a good feature (the answer: yes). Helping to make Jaws the phenomenon it is ranks among Valerie's many achievements, alongside surviving polio as a child, her scuba and spearfishing prowess, breaking boundaries by excelling in male-dominated fields in 60s, and the conservation activism that has drawn much of her focus in her later years. Linked to the latter, and also a feat that many can't manage: her willingness to confront her missteps and then do better. The apprehension that many folks feel when they're about to splash in the ocean? The deep-seated fear and even hatred of sharks, too? That's what Valerie regrets. Thanks to Jaws, being afraid of sharks is as natural to most people as breathing, and Valerie has spent decades wishing otherwise. That's the tale that Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks tells as it steps through her life and career. Taking a standard birth-to-now approach, the documentary has ample time for many of the aforementioned highlights, with Valerie herself either offering her memories via narration or popping up to talk viewers through her exploits. But two things linger above all else in this entertaining, engaging and insightful doco. Firstly, filmmaker Sally Aitken (David Stratton: A Cinematic Life) fills her feature with stunning archival footage that makes for astonishing and affecting viewing (Ron Taylor is credited first among the feature's five cinematographers). Secondly, this powerful film dives into the work that Valerie has spearheaded to try to redress the world's fright-driven perception of sharks. Like last year's David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, 2017's Jane Goodall documentary Jane and underwhelming 2021 Oscar-winner My Octopus Teacher, this is a movie about being profoundly changed by the natural world and all of its splendour. Read our full review. MARTIN EDEN The last time that one of Jack London's books made the leap to cinema screens — just last year, in fact — it wasn't a pleasant viewing experience. Starring Harrison Ford and a CGI dog, The Call of the Wild forced viewers to watch its flesh-and-blood lead pal around with a needlessly anthropomorphised canine, to groan-inducingly cheesy results. Martin Eden is a much different book, so it could never get the same treatment. With his radiant imagery, masterful casting and bold alterations to the source material, writer/director Pietro Marcello (Lost and Beautiful) makes certain that no one will confuse this new London adaption for the last, however. The Italian filmmaker helms a compelling, complicated, ambitious and unforgettable film, and one that makes smart and even sensuous choices with a novel that first hit shelves 112 years ago. The titular character is still a struggling sailor who falls in love with a woman from a far more comfortable background than his. He still strives to overcome his working-class upbringing by teaching himself to become a writer. And, he still finds both success and scuffles springing from his new profession, with the joy of discovering his calling, reading everything he can and putting his fingers to the typewriter himself soon overshadowed by the trappings of fame, a festering disillusionment with the well-to-do and their snobbery, and a belief that ascribing worth by wealth is at the core of society's many problems. As a book, Martin Eden might've initially reached readers back in 1909, but Marcello sees it as a timeless piece of literature. He bakes that perception into his stylistic choices, weaving in details from various different time periods — so viewers can't help but glean that this tale just keeps proving relevant, no matter the year or the state of the world. Working with cinematographers Alessandro Abate (Born in Casal Di Principe) and Francesco Di Giacomo (Stay Still), he helms an overwhelmingly and inescapably gorgeous-looking film, too. When Martin Eden is at its most heated thematically and ideologically, it almost feels disquieting that such blistering ideas are surrounded by such aesthetic splendour, although that juxtaposition is wholly by design. And, in his best flourish, he enlists the magnetic Luca Marinelli (The Old Guard) as his central character. In a performance that won him the Best Actor award at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, Marinelli shoulders the eponymous figure's hopes, dreams and burdens like he's lived them himself. He lends them his soulful stare as well. That expression bores its way off the screen, and eventually sees right through all of the temptations, treats and treasures that come Eden's way. Any movie would blossom in its presence; Martin Eden positively dazzles, all while sinking daggers into the lifetime of tumult weathered by its titular everyman. THE MOLE AGENT At this year's Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences anointed the past year's best documentary, as it usually does — deciding that the standout factual film of the year told a tale about a man and his bond with a sea creature. My Octopus Teacher falls into a busy genre of films about being forever shaped and altered by the earth's natural splendour (see also: Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks), but it isn't the only one of 2021's nominees that demonstrates how unexpected connections can reap rewards, insights and new perspectives. Chilean doco The Mole Agent does the same, albeit in a vastly dissimilar manner. Its focus: an elderly man hired by a private investigator to go undercover in a retirement home. Rómulo Aitken's client suspects that the facility may be blighted by elder abuse, so he needs someone who'll blend in to do his sleuthing. Answering an advertisement for someone aged between 80 and 90, octogenarian and recent widower Sergio Chamy couldn't be more keen for the gig. He doesn't quite have a handle on the technology he'll need to use, despite trying to claim otherwise. Indeed, when he tries to show Rómulo that he can use a smartphone, he takes countless photos while claiming he's snapping none. Still, he's boundlessly eager to distract himself from his grief by taking on a new adventure, making new friends, and even learning a thing or two. For the mostly female residents at El Monte's San Francisco Nursing Home, for Rómulo and for filmmaker Maite Alberdi (The Grown-Ups) alike, Sergio is a dream — even though he's definitely not your usual spy or detective. He doesn't always fulfil his assigned tasks as asked, but he's a delight to spend time with as he endeavours to record what's going on at the home via his hidden camera-equipped glasses and pen. As they explain again and again in candid and lively chats to camera (presumably because they think they're being filmed for a more traditional type of doco), the women he's now sharing a facility with definitely agree that he's a charmer. In fact, Sergio is so charismatic that he fails to simply blend in, observe and report back. He's also a much-needed and -welcomed source of kindness and comfort to the home's residents, many of whom have no other company to turn to, and it's these interactions he largely documents in his dispatches to Rómulo via WhatsApp. Alberdi still charts his overall mission, but his general presence elicits just as much interest. With a crown for king of the home coming his way, and many of his peers fawning of him, there's much to chronicle. In her third film to focus on the elderly (after La Once and short I'm Not from Here) Alberdi sees the change he brings to people who haven't been paid this much attention in years, and also the change the spy gig brings in Sergio — and sharing her affectionate gaze is easy in this thoughtful film. MY ZOE Rare is the film that nods overtly to more than a few of its influences, yet still manages to inhabit its own niche and no one else's. My Zoe is one of those movies. Its first half bears much in common with 2017's exceptional French drama Custody, while its second half takes its cues from the greatest horror novel ever written. That combination works astonishing (and almost disarmingly) well, and nothing here every feels like a mere clone of better material. In the movie's opening section, Berlin-based geneticist Isabelle (Julie Delpy, Wiener-Dog) juggles the struggles of co-parenting with her ex James (Richard Armitage, The Lodge). They both dote on seven-year-old Zoe (Sophia Ally, The Current War), but they also argue incessantly — largely due to James' dour behaviour, cruel demeanour and ludicrous demands. By the time that Isabelle calls him "just an awful human being" in one of their arguments, the audience is already on her side. They settle their custody dispute, but the bickering doesn't subside when Zoe is found unconscious and requires hospitalisation. Eventually, though, Isabelle has another dilemma to navigate, involving a desperate ploy to get back what she's lost, a risk-taking doctor (Daniel Brühl, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) in Moscow and an option his own wife (Gemma Arteton, Summerland) warns against. Directing, writing and starring here — as she's done with Looking for Jimmy, 2 Days in Paris, The Countess, Skylab, 2 Days in New York and Lolo before — Delpy could've made the relationship and tragedy side of My Zoe into a feature of its own, and then done the same with the science fiction-tinged exploration of loss that follows. Blending the two together befits one of her overt sources of inspiration, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, though. For more than 200 years now, the gothic classic has examined how grief leads to drastic reactions, how science can let humans play god in increasingly bold and consequential manners, and how we're hardwired to use the latter to work through the former, as well as our fears of mortality — and My Zoe picks up those threads, interrogates them with today's medical advances in mind, and turns them into quite the haunting piece of cinema. Both sensitivity and realistic emotions linger in both of the movie's halves, and in Isabelle's actions and choices along the way. Delpy directs herself to a fantastic performance, and pairs her efforts with a poised and empathetic perspective throughout. Another savvy move, and one that epitomises how exactingly Delpy has thought through every detail: that, if you aren't paying the utmost attention during the first half, you mightn't even realise that the film takes place in the near-future. A FAMILY Just five letters are needed to turn A Family's title into the name of one of popular culture's most famous clans. The Addams crew aren't the subject of this Australian-produced, Ukraine-shot blend of comedy and drama, but it does delve into the creepy, kooky and mysterious anyway. The feature debut of director Jayden Stevens — who co-wrote the script with his cinematographer Tom Swinburn (Free of Thought) — the absurdist gem spends time with the stern-faced Emerson (first-timer Pavlo Lehenkyi). With none of his family around for unexplained reasons, he pays other Kiev locals to play their parts, staging dinners, Christmas parties and everyday occasions. They eat, chat and do normal family things, all for Emerson's camera. His actors (including Maksym Derbenyov as his brother and Larysa Hraminska as his mother) all need to stick to his script, though, or he'll offer them a surly reprimand. Olga (Liudmyla Zamidra), who has been cast as his sister, struggles the most with her role. She's also the member of this little faux family that Emerson is particularly drawn to. Her own home life with her mother Christina (Tetiana Kosianchuk) is far from rosy, with the pair suffering from her dad's absence, so eventually Olga decides that Emerson's role-play game might work there as well. A Family is a film of patient and precise frames, awkwardly amusing moments, and bitingly accurate insights into the ties that bind — whether of blood or otherwise. It's a movie that recognises the transactional and performative nature of many of life's exchanges, too, and ponders how much is real and fake in both big and seemingly inconsequential instances. To perfect all of the above, Stevens walks in Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Favourite), Aki Kaurismäki (Le Havre, The Other Side of Hope) and even the usually inimitable David Lynch's shoes. His feature is austere, deadpan and surreal all at once, and smart, amusing and savage at the same time as well. Indeed, if a bigger-name filmmaker had made this purposefully and probingly off-kilter picture, it would've likely proven a film festival darling around the globe. A Family did start its big-screen run at a fest, at the Melbourne International Film Festival back in 2019. Now reaching Australian cinemas after a year that's seen everyone either spend more time with or feel more physical distance from their nearest and dearest, it feels doubly potent. Every lingering image shot by Swinburn — and all of the pitch-perfect performances that he captures — speak loudly to the cycle of yearning and disconnection that comes with being alive, and that never stops being put under a microscope. FROM THE VINE Uprooting to Italy on a whim is bound to change your life, and no one needs a movie to tell them that. Plenty of films keep stressing the message, though; if Under the Tuscan Sun and Eat Pray Love didn't get the idea across, 2020's Made in Italy tried to, and now From the Vine does the same. The only new things that this latest sun-dapped European-set jaunt has to add to its concept: talking vines, and reminders that the corporate world cares for no one and small towns can struggle. So, this movie trades in fantasies and the obvious, and does so several times over. It also relies heavily upon rural Italy's obvious scenic sights, thanks to frequently used drone shots of Acerenza, the quaint Potenza spot where the bulk of the movie is set. Lawyer-turned-car manufacturing company CEO Marco Gentile (Joe Pantoliano, Bad Boys for Life) was born and raised locally, but left as a child; however, it's the first place he thinks of heading when he quits his job after a tussle with the board over sustainability. His wife Marina (Wendy Crewson, The Nest) refuses to go with him, and their daughter Laura (Paula Brancati, Workin' Moms) is certain he's having a midlife crisis — but, after making the trip, reacquainting himself with the locals and setting back into his late grandfather's own vineyard, he realises he's found la dolce vita. From the Vine has Marco and Marina chat about La Dolce Vita, the 1960 classic, and about the Audrey Hepburn-starring Roman Holiday, too — in case the themes and messages the film is going for really weren't clear enough. They are, of course; working with a script adapted from Kenneth Canio Cancellara's novel Finding Marco by screenwriter Willem Wennekers (Buckley's Chance), filmmaker Sean Cisterna (Full Out) loves spelling out as much as possible. Not a single character seems to have a thought they don't overtly state, every plot development is telegraphed as far ahead as the movie can manage, and stressing the apparent idyll by shoehorning in yet another scenery shot happens again and again. Then there's those talking vines, as well as scenes where the adult Marco chats with his grandfather's ghost. Apparently viewers wouldn't understand exactly what's tempting Marco to give up his old existence if greenery and the dead didn't chatter. Although in far less challenging and rewarding territory than his past roles in the likes of Memento and The Sopranos, Pantoliano is the best thing about this dully formulaic flick — a result that also fits a template. Christopher Walken was in the same situation just last week with Percy vs Goliath, in fact. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25; and April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29; May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27; and June 3 and June 10. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit, Saint Maud, Godzilla vs Kong, The Painter and the Thief, Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident, The United States vs Billie Holiday, First Cow, Wrath of Man, Locked Down, The Perfect Candidate, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, Ema, A Quiet Place Part II, Cruella, My Name Is Gulpilil, Lapsis and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.
If you're a Marrickville local, you might know Auntie. She has a small shopfront on Illawarra Road and, should you come across it, it's well worth heading inside to say hello. Start with her bánh xèo — because she certainly knows how to make a mean one. The thin and crispy coconut and turmeric crepe — which comes stuffed with onion, bean sprouts and your choice of protein (pork or prawns) — is as authentic as it comes. Then there's the pho. The beloved Vietnamese dish most people pronounce wrong (FYI it's fuh). Of course, there are embellished alternatives, and if you want the good stuff, then the pho dac biet is a must-try. Picture this: a large bowl filled to the brim with house-made wagyu meatballs, thinly sliced black Angus beef, braised brisket, a torched beef short rib and rice noodles swimming in a broth so rich in flavour, you'll be begging for the recipe. This is all best lapped up with a classic cocktail or alcoholic slushie in hand. Or for a more authentic experience, order a Bia Ha Noi lager while you sit back in your Bentwood chair and watch the 'aunties' do their magic from behind the brass-trimmed open kitchen. But that's not the only interesting viewing at Hello Auntie. The narrow, low-lit industrial-style space is decked out with shelves stacked with old-school knick knacks and black and white family memorabilia. There's even a collection of mirrors that line the exposed brick walls, so you can watch the restaurant in full swing. So, whether you're stopping in for a date night, a catch-up with mates or a quick solo lunch, Hello Auntie has everything covered. Top images: Bodhi Liggett.
"Driving." That's one of the words that Justin Hurwitz uses to describe the sound of Babylon, with his score to Damien Chazelle's new Hollywood-set film after La La Land frequently thumping with a propulsive beat. An array of other terms come to mind while hearing the two-time Oscar-winning composer's latest effort kick in throughout the Margot Robbie (Amsterdam)-, Brad Pitt (Bullet Train)- and Diego Calva (Narcos: Mexico)-starring movie, including at party after party, too. It's urgent. It's infectious. It's as spirited as the liveliest of raucous shindigs. From go to whoa, a handful of quieter moments aside, it bustles with big and jazzy lose-yourself-to-dance energy. For the picture that just nabbed him his fourth Golden Globe, Hurwitz is soundtracking the City of Stars' Jazz Age, after all. And, as viewers of his and Chazelle's past features know — Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, Whiplash and La La Land, with their fourth collaboration on First Man being the only exception — this pair doesn't just like but loves jazz. Babylon's score doesn't simply stick with the obvious, however. Exploring an era where giving oneself over to Los Angeles' star factory and its indefatigable shenanigans was all the rage in the movie's view, it takes its inspirations as broadly as Hurwitz can find them, all to help set a pace and vibe for a flick that throws almost anything it can at the screen — from glitz and glamour to copious amounts of drugs and body fluids — to paint its buzzing, pulsating portrait. [caption id="attachment_885697" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex J. Berliner/ABImages[/caption] Babylon follows its three central figures — Robbie's aspiring actor Nellie LaRoy, Pitt's established star Jack Conrad and Calva's industry jack-of-all-trades Manny Torres — as they weather everything that chasing their dreams thrusts their way. Given that the picture commences in 1926, that means traversing the Golden Age's wild highs and big changes alike, with the latter spanning the move from silents to synchronised sound from The Jazz Singer onwards, what that meant for actors now featuring in talkies, and shifting moral and societal standards of the period. Nellie parties herself into her big break, then gets saddled with the realities and contradictions of sudden fame. Even with his years of experience, Jack's ongoing lustre in the limelight is far from secure. And Manny does whatever he needs to to get jobs, turn them into better gigs, and keep climbing his way up. For all three, the successes are glorious, but the costs are significant. There's no reprieve from Tinseltown's relentlessness, or its allure, in Babylon. Hurwitz's earworm of a score is similarly persistent; having it lodged in your head long after watching comes with viewing the film. But what does it take to create that irresistible sound? To give a 1920s- and 1930s-set movie a unique but fitting soundtrack? To hark back a century ago, but interpret it with modern sensibilities? Ahead of Babylon's release Down Under on January 19, we chatted with Hurwitz about making a feature that it feels like he and Chazelle were fated to, his processes, the film's rock 'n' roll and modern dance music influences, and more. [caption id="attachment_885698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brad Pitt, Diego Calva and Director Damien Chazelle on the set of Babylon from Paramount Pictures.[/caption] ON GETTING JAZZY WITH DAMIEN CHAZELLE — AGAIN When you've teamed up with someone on five films, you clearly share a connection — and a wavelength. For Hurwitz and Chazelle, that started two decades back, when they both attended Harvard, met as freshmen and became roommates. And, before they were making movies, they were making music as early members of indie pop band Chester French. Yes, jazz was an influence. Chazelle was a jazz drummer, after all, and Hurwitz a pianist and percussionist. It's no wonder that the genre had an influence on their filmmaking; in fact, it'd be more surprising if it didn't. Still, while Babylon might seem like a dream for the duo, it's a long-in-the-works effort for Chazelle but a relatively new project for Hurwitz. "I didn't know about this film till 2018," he advises. "Damien told me that this was what he was writing. He'd been working on it for a long time, which I actually just learned — I learned a couple of days ago that he'd been thinking about this movie for like 15 years. I had no idea. So I guess it was part of his evolution somehow, from the other jazz movies he made." "For me, I didn't start thinking about this until a few years ago, and didn't start actually working on it till 2019. There's definitely some commonalities with the other things we've made, but I hope it's different — I hope the music sounds like its own thing." ON TURNING CHAZELLE'S SCRIPTS INTO MUSIC How does a composer start conjuring up the sound for a film, especially when it is intricately tied to a specific period of music history? For Hurwitz, it's "the script. I always start with the script". With Babylon, he says, "Damien sent me a script, and we started marking it up and talking about where is there going to be music and where won't there be music." "A lot of the music sequences were very complicated because there were a lot of performances, but also the same pieces of music had to then extend into other parts of the movie. You might have a little bit of a performance, or a little bit of Jovan's [Adepo, as a trumpeter Sidney Palmer] character playing, but then that music spills over into a montage into something else. So we had to think about what could serve the performance, but also what could serve the sequences dramatically." "You really start with asking 'what do we want to feel?' Just looking at the scenes, what do we want to feel? And then I sit down, I start writing music at the piano or using some samples, some virtual instruments, and just trying to create sounds that feel — whether it's an aggressive driving piece, if we really want to feel something that's pounding you in the face, or if we want feel something sweeter. Whatever it might be, I just start trying to noodle around and sketch in the melodies that have whatever mood we're trying to feel." ON DRAWING ON MORE THAN THE OBVIOUS MUSICAL INFLUENCES Jazz Age-set film, Jazz Age-adoring score, right? That might be the easy and obvious equation, but it wasn't Hurwitz's approach to Babylon. In its narrative, its visuals and its atmosphere, Chazelle is always pushing — as are his characters, and is Hollywood back at them. And, as tunes like 'Voodoo Mama', 'Call Me Manny' and 'Damascus Thump' make plain, so is Hurwitz. "I know certainly I was trying to push the music, ironically, a lot more contemporary than anything we've done — even though this movie is 1920s, and it's an earlier time period than anything we've done," he explains. "I was trying to push the music more modern, more aggressive, more inspired by rock 'n' roll and modern dance music. So for me it feel pretty new — like a new flavour." "I was really trying to stay away from music from the era, actually. I didn't want to listen to 1920s music, because we didn't want to have 1920s music in the movie really. So I was taking more inspiration from rock 'n' roll — imagining what it could feel like if you had rock 'n' roll riffs played on brass, played by a jazz band or a horn section. Or things that could easily be on a distorted guitar, but what if you give it to a couple of trumpeters? So that was a thought process." "I was listening to the Rolling Stones and AC/DC, and things like that. And also listening to a lot of electronic dance music, and getting inspired by the dance rhythms and dance hi-hat and driving, 808 kick-drum feels — and sort of risers and drops, and those sort of moments that build anticipation and then explode and get you wanting to mood. I was taking inspiration from modern dance music for that kind of feel." ON THE RANGE OF SOUNDS IN 'BABYLON' Hurwitz didn't just vary his influences when composing Babylon's music (one tune, 'Manny and Nellie's Theme', even sparks La La Land flashbacks). For a film that he describes as having "a lot of other weird stuff", he employed a wide range of instruments and noises. "There's a lot of circus and carnival sounds," he says. "I was recording kazoos and slide whistles, and party horns for some of the tracks." "There's erhu, which is a bowed Chinese instrument. There's a lot of world percussion. There's African percussion, Latin percussion, Asian percussion. There are very eclectic sounds in this movie, to match the very eclectic world of this movie — and of the 20s." "People were really thinking about far-off places of the world, so there was a lot of exoticism, even if it was campy exoticism. Like, you go to theatres [from then] in LA and it's Egyptian style and it's all a little campy — it's obviously not really Egyptian. But people were just interested in it back then, so we tried to bring in certain flavours. That's a very long way of saying that the influences were far and wide." Babylon screens in Australian and New Zealand cinemas from January 19. Read our full review.
The Australian festival scene's worst-kept secret for 2023 has been confirmed: Post Malone is headlining Spilt Milk. When the melancholic hitmaker announced his latest solo tour Down Under, he named venues in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, but also had Canberra, Gold Coast, Ballarat and Perth listed without specific sites. We predicted that those stops would see him play Spilt Milk — and, yes, that theory was right. Music lovers and festival fans in Canberra, Ballarat, Perth and the Gold Coast, Post Malone is on his way. The fest will kick off its 2023 season on Saturday, November 25 at Exhibition Park in the nation's capital, then head to the Gold Coast Sports Precinct on Sunday, November 26. The following weekend, it'll hit up Ballarat's Victoria Park on Saturday, December 2, before wrapping up on Sunday, December 3 at Claremont Showgrounds in Perth. The latter stop marks Spilt Milk's debut in the Western Australian city, and might just see the fest prove even more popular than it usually does. In 2022, that year's three stops all sold out in less than seven days. Post Malone has company on the fest's stages, with Dom Dolla and Latto also leading the bill. So, expect to hear everything from 'Sunflower' and 'I Like You' to 'Rhyme Dust' and 'Big Energy'. Tkay Maidza and Aitch also rank among Spilt Milk's impressive 2023 names, with Chris Lake, Dermot Kennedy, Budjerah, Cub Sport, Lastlings, Partiboi69, Ocean Alley, Peach PRC, Royel Otis also set to hit the stage. [caption id="attachment_851189" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Billy Zammit[/caption] Also, because this fest is also about food, there'll be bites to eat from Chebbo's Burgers, 400 Gradi, Chicken Treat, and the BBQ and Beer Roadshow. Originally only held in Canberra, then expanding to Ballarat, then the Gold Coast and now Perth, the multi-city one-dayer has cemented its spot as a must-attend event for a heap of reasons. In 2023, this just-announced lineup is one of them. [caption id="attachment_851187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] SPILT MILK 2023 DATES: Saturday, November 25 — Exhibition Park, Canberra Sunday, November 26 — Gold Coast Sports Precinct, Gold Coast Saturday, December 2 — Victoria Park, Ballarat Sunday, December 3 — Claremont Showgrounds, Perth SPILT MILK 2023 LINEUP: Post Malone Dom Dolla Aitch Budjerah Chris Lake Cub Sport David Kushner Dermot Kennedy Djanaba Grentperez Jessie Murph Lastlings Latto Levins & Friends (Guilty Pleasures) Lime Cordiale May-A Mincy Ocean Alley Pacific Avenue Partiboi69 Peach Prc Poolclvb Redhook Royel Otis The Buoys The Dreggs Tia Gostelow Tkay Maidza Also in Canberra: Apricot Ink Clique & Brittany Demarco G.A.C.T (Just Tneek, Kinetictheory, Bin Juice, Geo) Sputnik Sweetheart Zach Knows + more to be announced Triple J Unearthed Winner Also on the Gold Coast: Bill Durry Friends Of Friends Logan Peach Fur + more to be announced Triple J Unearthed Winner Also in Ballarat: Ango Ben Gerrans Blue Vedder Sami Srirachi Yorke Triple J Unearthed Winner Also in Perth: Don Darkoe Dulcie Sammythesinner The Vault Djs + more to be announced Spilt Milk will hit Canberra, Ballarat, the Gold Coast and Perth in November and December 2023. Pre-sale tickets go on sale on Tuesday, July 11 and general sales on Thursday, July 15 — at 8am AEST for Canberra tickets, 8am AWST for Perth tickets, 9am AEST for Ballarat tickets and 11am AEST for Gold Coast tickets. Head to the festival website for more info and to register for pre-sales. Top image: Jordan Munns.
"Think about how screwed up we would be if we had survived a plane crash, only to end up eating other." That's Yellowjackets in a nutshell, as Christina Ricci (Wednesday) so perfectly describes in the just-dropped full trailer for the show's third season. In store this time around is more then-and-now glimpses of exactly how a New Jersey high school's girls soccer team remained alive — well, some of them — after being stranded in the wilderness following a plane crash, and also what it took to endure and, of course, what the experience did to them. Yellowjackets wants viewers to be its bloody Valentine this year — and more cannibalism, more haunting secrets, more fights to persist and more hunting are set to fill the series' third go-around, as both the first glimpse and initial trailer in 2024, and now a bigger sneak peek, all illustrate. Again, the action is split between two periods, following its characters both in the immediate aftermath of their traumatic accident and also when the past keeps intruding upon their present after decades have gone by. As viewers discovered when it debuted in 2021 and became one of the best new shows of that year, the instantly intriguing (and excellent) series hops between the 90s and 25 years later. Across two seasons until now, life and friendship have proven complex for Yellowjackets' core quartet of Shauna (The Tattooist of Auschwitz's Melanie Lynskey as an adult, and also No Return's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager), Natalie (I'm a Virgo's Juliette Lewis, plus Heretic's Sophie Thatcher), Taissa (Law & Order's Tawny Cypress, and also Scream VI's Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Misty (Ricci, and also Atlas' Samantha Hanratty). The trailers for season three also put it this way: "once upon a time, a bunch of teenage girls got stranded in the wilderness ... and they went completely nuts." The full setup: back in 1996, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private aircraft, Shauna, Natalie, Taissa, Misty and the rest of their teammates entered Lost territory. The accident saw everyone who walked away stuck in the forest — and those who then made it through that ordeal stuck out there for 19 months, living their worst Alive-meets-Lord of the Flies lives. After swiftly getting picked up for a second season because its first was that ace, Yellowjackets was then renewed for a third season before that second group of episodes even aired. In Australia, viewers can watch via Paramount+. In New Zealand, the series streams via Neon. In season three, the returning cast — which includes Simone Kessell (Muru) as the older Lottie and Lauren Ambrose (Servant) as the older Van, characters played in their younger guises by Australian actors Courtney Eaton (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Liv Hewson (Party Down) — will be joined by Hilary Swank (Ordinary Angels) and Joel McHale (The Bear). And from season two, Elijah Wood (Bookworm) is also back. Check out the full trailer for Yellowjackets season three below: Yellowjackets season three will start streaming from Friday, February 14, 2025 via Paramount+ in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of season one and review of season two, plus our interview with Melanie Lynskey.
Surrounded by towering mountain vistas, Ayrburn is the brand-new must-visit destination in New Zealand's Arrowtown, just 20 minutes from Queenstown. The ambitious precinct already features six venues plus its own vineyard — and it's expanding. Still to come is a flagship fine-diner, a butcher, a bakehouse, luxury housing and a hotel right by a waterfall. The mind behind the project, Chris Meehan of Winton Property Group, hopes the destination can become the top most visited attraction in Queenstown, with the precinct designed to be a year-round hub for holidays. Snow-capped mountains in the winter, mild summers that never tip past 30 degrees, and Arrowtown's famous changing of the leaves in autumn provide the backdrop for a genuinely impressive food and drink program. As you wander through the precinct, the smell of a fire and the sound of a trickling creek are never too far away. This idyllic atmosphere persists across the six distinct venues that are already open at Ayrburn, each of which serves its own purpose. The Menure Room (named after its previous occupation) serves as a hybrid wine bar, pub and cellar door. The menu here provides pieces of advice like "drink some wine, talk some sh*t", with Central Otago vino at the centre of its offerings — particularly Ayrburn's own already award-winning range. You can taste your way through these outstanding drops with the wine flight of your choice, pairing the samples with moreish share plates of gildas, chicken liver parfait on brioche, and caramelised cauliflower croquettes. The Woolshed has more of a focus on homely cooking and sizeable cuts of meat, functioning as a sleek yet approachable bistro for long lunches and celebratory dinners. Must-try menu highlights here include the Southland venison tataki paired with nashi pair, spring onion, togarashi and coriander; and the grilled octopus with a chilli sesame dressing. There's three more venues comprising The Burr Bar, a breezy spot up on the hill serving inventive takes on margaritas and gin sours; The Dairy, where you'll find scoops of black forest or salted caramel ice cream; and The Dell, an outdoor meeting area built to facilitate events and live entertainment. The latest space to open at Ayrburn is the Barrel Room — a moody private bar and diner lined with wine barrels and sporting a lavish fitout complete with a baby grand piano. Shut out from the outside world with low lighting and an expansive dining room, this hidden adult playground will have you whiling away the hours over great food and wine, losing track as time passes by. Yet to arrive is the flagship venue Billy's which will open towards the end of 2024. Set in a huge homestead-style building, the 170-capacity pièce de résistance of the Ayrburn dining precinct has been billed as an experiential dining experience with each room consisting of its own unique theme. Open 12 months of the year, Ayrburn is another reason to spend a ski season hitting the slopes in Queenstown, but it's also a reminder that New Zealand's show-stoppingly stunning South Island should be at the top of your travel hit list all year round, especially for any foodies and all of the wine aficionados out there. You'll find Ayrburn at 1 Ayr Avenue, Arrowtown. Head to the precinct's website for more information on each of its venues.
This article is part of our series on the 17 most unique things to have come out of Japan. Check out the other 16. Japan's prison themed restaurants make Draculas look like a scene from The Sound of Music. One of the freakiest is Tokyo's Alcatraz ER. Yes, it's an eatery that, to all appearances, is actually a prison hospital. Dishes include 'penis on lettuce' (a specially modelled sausage) and 'human intestines' (a really, really long sausage served up with kidney). Then, for cocktails, there's the 'brain buster', complete with fake human head, and the 'play by yourself', which, as the name hints at, comes with a vibrator or two. Make a wrong move and one of the 'nurses' will attempt to inject you with an enormous syringe. Then there's The Lockup, which is all prison, no hospital. Diners are handcuffed by a policewoman from outer space and led to a cell, where the eating happens behind bars. The food is less human and more regular than at Alcatraz ER, but the cocktail list includes the 'human experiment', which arrives as a set of test tubes containing coloured liquids, with a beaker for mixing. Once the meal's over, the lights go out and the scary stuff starts. The team behind The Lockup also runs Arabian Rock, a restaurant housed in a glowing pyramid and inspired by Disney's Aladdin.
Political cartoons capture the social atmosphere of a moment. Contained in a few drawings and perhaps a witty phrase or two is the overwhelming attitude of, if not a nation, at least a faction of it. Looking back at the best political cartoons of 2011 is to contextualize and review the thoughts and fears of Australians over the past year. Each cartoon is a snapshot, revealing the particular events and personalities which influenced the cartoonist. Behind the Lines: The Best Political Cartoons of 2011 allows attendees to review the year's political happenings while celebrating the art of political cartooning as a whole. Gathered from newspapers, journals, and websites, these cartoons allow Australians to contemplate the state of Australian politics as it stood in 2011, and as it stands today. The Riverside opens 9-5 Monday to Friday, 9.30-1 on Saturdays and an hour before performances. Image by Andrew Marlton
There are a lot of things to like about The Dock, and this is the first. I walked in on a Monday night, ordered a Stevie Nicks and was charged $10. I looked at the bartender with an expression of great confusion until he explained it was $10 cocktails Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Hoorah! The Stevie Nicks is a mixture of Amaretto, Carter Premium lager and Coke. I know it sounds odd, but it's surprisingly tasty and nothing else tastes quite like it. This cocktail is also served with the remainder of the beer on the side, so you can top it up if it's too sweet for your liking. After we sat down on the comfortable high tables, we were delivered a bowl of free popcorn. In my opinion, this salty snack should replace gross bar nuts the world over. Next cocktail was the Rusty Nipple, the house cocktail invented by Jed Clarke (formerly the infamous Beer Baron) who runs the joint. It's made up of rum, whiskey, ginger ale and a few other secret ingredients. The result tastes almost like an iced tea with a citrus tang. It goes down very easily - a good choice if you don't like tasting the alcohol in your drink. Next in line, The Bloody Mary, was expertly made with a cornichon, floating pickled onions and just the right amount of spice. If you've downed a few cocktails and decided your self-imposed 10pm curfew needs to be thrown out the window, try one of their shots. With titles like Flamin' Moes (a concoction of absinthe and a some other unnameables which is served burning like the devil's favourite tipple), you know you're in for a good night that you'll only have hazy memories of tomorrow. With Sinatra crooning in the background and super personable bartenders, it's equally the kind of place you could go for a quiet night, sipping on the excellent Carter lager (if you find a great bottled beer for $7 anywhere else I'll buy it for you), and maybe a Whiskey Sour or an Old-Fashioned as a night cap. If they decided to replace the 'vintage' beer posters, this place would be just about the perfect local watering hole to drink good alcohol without paying an arm and a foot. Watch this space, we hear talk of a regular fashion market on Saturdays with $10 cocktails on offer. Images: Katje Ford.
A quick scroll through Instagram is likely to uncover greenery decorating pretty much every home, with potted plants beloved for making apartments and courtyards feel leafy and peaceful, adding extra zen and helping to purify the air around you. Mona Vale's The Pot Warehouse is your one-stop shop on the northern beaches for adding some garden vibes to your home, offering every size imaginable when it comes to pots, indoor and outdoor plants and accessories. The shop is located in a very chic, dark grey warehouse on Harkeith Street, making it super easy to pick up a couple of new plant babies if you find yourself in the centre of town. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
In the list of niche specialisms, the humble button has to be right up there. And if there was a store that had that niche pinned down, it is All Buttons Great and Small. The store has been supplying the public with every type of button you can think (and plenty you can't) since 1989. Along the way, it has amassed a collection of over 13,000 different buttons with an eclectic jumble of colours, styles and materials (shell, wood, glass, crystal, leather and enamel among others) on display in the Newtown store. It also offers button covering for furniture and regularly supplies to the film industry.
Author Lee Child describes Jack Reacher as 6' 5" and 115 kg, with ice-blue eyes, dirty blond hair, and a 50-inch chest. So I know what you're thinking: Tom Cruise was born to play this role, right!? No? Well, it seems fans of the Jack Reacher series agree with you. To them, casting Cruise as their burly hero was akin to having Gilbert Gottfried play Superman, or putting Russell Crowe in a musical. But does size really matter? Because for those who've not read the books, Cruise fits the bill perfectly: a no-nonsense military cop and Iraq war veteran turned modern-day Ronin, moving anonymously from town to town in search of wrongs that need a-right'n. He's cool, he's calculating — he's everything you'd expect from Tom Cruise in an action film. And yet, in defence of the fans, he is utterly irreconcilable with the character from a physical perspective and that does count for something. Movies based on books should reflect those books as best as possible, and in that respect Jack Reacher earns itself a big black mark. But what of the film itself? To begin with, producers could not have chosen a worse week in which to premiere a film featuring a mass public shooting, coming just days after Sandy Hook. Yet even without that horrific real-world backdrop, Jack Reacher's opening scene remains both terrifying and unsettling. It's also probably the most original aspect of an otherwise by-the-numbers thriller, which may explain why director Christopher McQuarrie frequently revisits it. Overall the plot is simple but confused, the writing is largely mundane save for the odd zinger and — despite an impressive cast that includes Rosamund Pike, Robert Duvall, and Werner Herzog — even the acting feels periodically hammy. If you're a fan of his work, it's hard not to like Tom Cruise, but compared to last year's fantastic Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol, not even he can get Jack Reacher to fire on many fronts. So again we ask: does size really matter? Who knows, but a decent script sure as hell does.
There are plenty of ways to pretend that it's the 80s, you live in Hawkins, Indiana and vanquishing a demogorgon is your life's mission. Listening solely to eerie synth tunes, devouring pop culture from the era, playing Dungeons & Dragons — they all fit, and so does binging Stranger Things, of course. But for one morning only, if you happen to be in the vicinity of Bondi Beach, you can go a step further. Always wanted to have an encounter with the Upside Down (well, since 2016, when the hit Netflix series first appeared)? Until 12pm today, Friday, May 27 — aka right now — you can. An IRL Upside Down rift (not to be confused with a Fast and Furious drift) has taken over the famed stretch of sand in front of the skate park, but only for a few hours. Of course, when we say real, we all know that it's a Netflix promotional stunt and not really an opening to a terrifying, monster-filled alternate dimension — but hey, if you've been counting down the years between Stranger Things' third and fourth seasons, you'll be happy to go along with it. Glowing red in its centre — naturally — and filled with branch-like vines that stick out from that luminous void, this rift isn't small. It measures 20 metres by 16 metres in size, in fact. So, again, if you're in the area, you really can't miss it. And if you're a Sydneysider who now wants to take a detour to work, or a mid-morning trip, that's understandable. If you follow the Netflix Australia and New Zealand Twitter account, you might've already made the journey — yesterday, on Thursday, May 26, it teased that something spooky was coming between 7am–12pm today, complete with coordinates (written upside down, of course). That means you may have already seen the scientists patrolling the area in hazmat suits, too, and lifeguards setting up a perimeter. The reason for the Upside Down arriving Down Under: the return of Stranger Things after a three-year gap, with the first seven episodes in the show's fourth and penultimate season hitting Netflix today, at 5pm AEST, as well. Bondi is one of 15 sites in 14 countries getting a taste of the Upside Down — alongside the Empire State Building in New York City, Duomo Square in Milan, Malecon Barranquilla in Colombia, the Gateway of India in Mumbai, Menara Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Al-'Ula National Monument in Saudi Arabia, Cologne Media Park in Germany, XBox Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles, Wawel Castle in Krakow, Medborgarplatsen in Stockholm, the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao; and the Telefónica building and Plaza del Callao in Madrid. London and Tokyo are also on the list. It's been a big few years for pop culture-themed pop-ups in Australia, with the Upside Down following in Borat, Nicole Kidman, Homer Simpson and the creepy Red Light, Green Light doll from Squid Game 's footsteps in Sydney. Homer Simpson's huge head made its way to Queensland, too, while Melbourne scored an Everything Everywhere All At Once-style multidimensional laundromat and a massive Timothée Chalamet mural to promote Dune. Find the Stranger Things Upside Down rift at Bondi Beach until 12pm on Friday, May 27. You can also watch the first seven episodes of Stranger Things season four via Netflix from 5pm AEST on Friday, May 27 — and read our full review. Images: courtesy of Netflix and Aquabumps.
"Did you look at the menu on the way over here?". It's a question that's getting more and more common on a night out these days. While it can easily give aspiring diners a taste of what to expect before the waitstaff stands there expectantly, notepad impatiently at the ready, it won't work at Bar Sumi. Why? Well, there's no menu to read at all. Opened by Maybe Sammy alum Wen Wang in a hidden underground space inside the Regent Place complex, Bar Sumi ditches the menu for something more personal. Dining here means sitting down and speaking to your bartender to give them some inspiration. Reservations get priority over walk-ins and the space seats just over 20 people, to keep things intimate. All the classics are on offer, but the bar dabbles in specialties blended with tea. Not happy with the drinks your bartender landed on? You're well within your rights to ask for something else from someone else. Beyond the cocktails, Bar Sumi has done away with a wine list in favour of sake. But with a team this talented, you're bound to find something that agrees with you.
While functioning as an umbrella for some massive creative industries events — such as Semi-Permanent and Good Design — Vivid Ideas is still hogging plenty of star speakers and events for its own signature program. Here's a handful of our very favourites. Catch (most of) the action at the Vivid Ideas Exchange on level six of the MCA and let the creative trends of the moment collide satisfyingly on the go-kart track of your mind. Australian Interiors: Objects, Furnitures, Textiles mini-conference As your mother might well have told you, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Fourteen professional designers, retailers, bloggers and photographers will get together to talk about what’s lately been happening to Australian interiors. The first session, titled ‘Local Aesthetics on a Global Stage’, focuses on what makes our bars and restaurants unique yet world-class; the second, ‘Show and Tell’, gives you the chance to meet eight leading designers who’ll be delivering high-speed presentations on their work; and the third, ‘Sharing Style’, is all about how to turn your concept into a social media hit. Key players on the program include Russel Koskela, Penelope Seidler and DesignByThem directors Sarah Gibson and Nicholas Karlovasitis. May 24, 10am at Vivid Ideas Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art. Tickets from $55. Inside the Rover Robert Pattinson is speaking at Vivid Ideas. This is not a joke. Although not known predominantly for his intellectual achievements, Pattinson is part of the all-round clever Australian project The Rover. Playing in competition at the Sydney Film Festival, it is the latest film from Animal Kingdom director David Michod and takes place in a dystopian near-future where the world's downtrodden flock to Australia's new gold rush. Stars Pattinson and Guy Pearce, together with Michod and producer Liz Watts, will speak about the film at Sydney Town Hall. It'll be worth tolerating the Twihards to hear this tale. 8 June, 3pm at Sydney Town Hall. Tickets $45 A reserve/$25 B reserve.. Ubisoft Montreal Presents Developing Games: From Indie to Blockbuster - Child of Light and Watch Dogs This event is essentially a means for event partners Ubisoft Montreal to spruik their wares, but hey, it works for us. Jean-Francois Poirier, producer of Child of Light, and Kevin Shortt, lead story designer for Watch Dogs will be speaking about the production process behind these two very different 2014 releases. Watch Dogs is a blockbuster where you play a hacker with some handy parkour skills in an open-world Chicago, while Child of Light is Ubisoft Montreal's experiment with indie game aesthetics. It's your chance to see some preview content, get the behind-the-scenes stories and maybe find out that game hint that will make all the difference. 25 May, 3.30pm at Vivid Ideas Exchange, MCA. Tickets $15. The Internet of Things: From Electric Dreams to Digital Reality mini conference Smart watches, Google glasses and intelligent barbecues — it seems that being a humble, everyday object just isn’t good enough anymore. Where the internet has long been confined to computers and phones, it’s becoming increasingly inescapable. So Vivid Ideas, in conjunction with Optus-Innov8 Seed, has decided we should get on board. In a big way. A bunch of cutting-edge home-grown startups, including MooresCloud, LIFX and Ninja Blocks, will be letting us know what they’ve discovered in the process of coming up with a concept, sourcing the cash to see it through and selling it to the world. The session will then wind up with a series of pitches presented by hopeful newbies. June 4, 1.30pm at Vivid Ideas Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art. Tickets $20/$40. Aria Presents in Conversation: How to Get to Number One Number One. It’s every pop musician’s Holy Grail. But that’s not to say that everyone’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there. Issues like artistic integrity and keeping your clothes on stand in the way sometimes. Every now and again, however, an artist seems to crack the code — to write songs that don’t compromise sincerity and yet still become the hottest new kid on the block. What exactly does it take? Should you be doing anything other than busking and popping your songs on iTunes? ARIA wants you to find out. So, they’ve organised beat-master Flume (2013 triple j Australian Album of the Year and winner of four ARIA Awards), producer Eric J. Dubowsky (Chet Faker, Bluejuice) and industry player Nathan McLay (Future Classic) to spill the beans. May 29, 9pm at Vivid Ideas Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art. Tickets $18. Electrolapse BYOB All that ideating can really take it out of you. Fortunately, on its second weekend, Vivid Ideas throws up this two-day event to engage us visually rather than intellectually. BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer, not booze) is an international event movement where artists congregate with their projectors in tow, filling every wall space with their latest digital imaginings, including feats of 3D projection mapping and interactive interfaces. This local iteration is being put on by the knowledgeable folks from Electrofringe, and they've even roped in original BYOBer Rafael Rozendaal — the New York-based founder and internet artist — for the lineup. Get set to see the cavern of Pier 2/3 in a whole new way. May 31, 5pm and June 1, 4pm at Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay. Tickets $15. Skylar Tibbits: On Shaping Future Manufacturing Do you still feel a shiver of excitement (and fear) whenever someone mentions the words '3D' and 'printing' in proximity? Turns out you’re a whole dimension behind the times. Meet Skylar Tibbits, worldwide head honcho of the 4D printing movement. He spends his time designing what our future’s going to look like: creating products that can put themselves together, respond to stimuli and even repair themselves after an injury. Tibbits is confident that manufacturing and business are going to appear as utterly different beasts as the years pass. He’ll be giving a talk to inspire forward-thinking entrepreneurs, tech nerds, designers, new media addicts and anyone who loves robots. The following day, join him for a masterclass. June 2, Vivid Ideas Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art. Tickets from $22.50. Karen Walker and Mikhael Gherman in Conversation Whether it's casting grande dames in candy-coloured shades or conveying feminine fashion without a single fussy bow, Karen Walker is a designer we pretty much all love to love. And love to pretend is Australian. Actually, she's from New Zealand, and has many an opinion on how that's shaped her creative life. Here she's in conversation with her work and life partner — advertising guru Mikhail Gherman — so it should be a more comfortable, free-flowing on-stage Q&A than most. Come back to the Vivid Ideas Exchange at 9pm weeknights for more intriguing 'In Conversation' pairings. June 6, 9pm at Vivid Ideas Exchange, MCA. Tickets $18. Gadi Amit: On Designing Devices We Love One of the problems of the earliest wearable technologies was that you wouldn’t exactly want to, well, wear them. Clever they might have been, but comfortable and liable to match your outfit? Unlikely. Enter San Francisco-based designer Gadi Amit. As president of NewDealDesign, he’s committed to developing devices that are smart and fashionable. FitBit trackers, the Lytro camera and the Netgear router are all his babies. He’ll be delivering a talk made for designers, developers and creatives interested in knowing more about wearable tech and the concept of the constantly measured and monitored self. You can also catch him at a masterclass on June 5. June 4, 6.30pm at Vivid Ideas Exchange, MCA. Tickets from $22.50. 3D Printing and New Generation Technologies Interactive Workshop If you’ve been fantasising about printing your own pizzas, investing in a self-brushing 3D-printed mouth guard or replacing your oh-so-20th century laser jet with a desktop 3D number, Vivid’s 3D Printing and New Generation Technologies Interactive Workshop is for you. It’s your chance to experience the very latest in creative technologies hands-on. Be prepared to design, scan, click and pop your ideas into multidimensional perfection. May 28, 8.30pm at Vivid Ideas Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art. Tickets $40. By Jasmine Crittenden and Rima Sabina Aouf.
Just like that, it's footy finals time again. It feels like yesterday we were excitedly kicking off the season. Now, the eight finalists are locked in, which means you need to start thinking about your game day plans across the 2025 Toyota AFL finals series. If you're contemplating hosting your own watch party, here are some tips for gathering the crew (without opening a packet of chips and calling it a day). Patricia Nahuelhual/ Getty Images Footy Colours If you're hosting a game day party, you've got to set the tone. Buy napkins and cups in the team's colours, hang streamers, and pull out your favourite AFL beanies and scarves (even if your team's not playing). We're not doing half measures here. By putting effort into the aesthetics, your guests are sure to appreciate your hosting abilities and crown it the "best game day party ever". [caption id="attachment_1019239" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raquel Arocena Torres[/caption] Up The Food Ante Have you ever hosted a last-minute watch party and panic-bought $7 chips from the bottle-o? Us too. Consider this article your formal warning. Don't stress, though. Most of your mates will be there for the game rather than the hors d'oeuvres. Ensure your guests are well fed with a decent meal like homemade tacos, pizzas, or even a good old sausage sizzle. [caption id="attachment_1019273" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Maskot/ Getty Images[/caption] Stock The Bar Cart While most good house guests will BYO booze, ensure you have a wide range of mixers, non-alcoholic beverages, and a backup bottle of wine or carton of beers. No one wants to miss the goal of the match because they took one for the team and ducked into the bottle shop. If you have time, create an at-home bar space to make your guests feel like they're at the local pub (although that is another good watch option if you don't want the clean up). Mood Lighting While some AFL games kick off in the afternoon (including the Grand Final), the festivities can stretch well into the evening. No one wants to feel like they're under the floodlights at their local footy ground while watching the game. Once the sun dips, switch out the overhead glare for warm lamps or fairy lights — something that feels more cosy lounge bar than training oval. It'll keep the mood mellow and give your mates zero reason to call it a night early. [caption id="attachment_1019274" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Getty Images[/caption] Comfy Watching Spots No one wants to ride out four quarters on a wobbly plastic chair that feels one snack plate away from collapse. You don't need a massive lounge room or futon to make this happen. Pull in any spare armchairs from other rooms, throw a few comfy pillows and blankets onto the floor and let your mates sink in. The goal: make it feel less like a waiting room and more like your own private footy lounge. Afterparty Options The night doesn't have to end at the final kick. While some punters may be nursing their footy wounds post-game, others may be ready to head to the dancefloor. Scope out the bars and clubs running post-match parties so you've got somewhere to keep the good times rolling. It's the end of the season after all, and we need to farewell an epic match before doing it all over again in 2026. Still trying to find some grand final tickets? Test your Footy IQ and go in the draw to win tickets to the 2025 Toyota AFL Grand Final here. T&Cs Apply. Lead image: Getty Images
After hosting a series of pop-ups across the city, including one inside Earl's Juke Joint in 2019, Little Lagos has finally moved into permanent digs in the inner west. It's serving up Nigerian dishes on Enmore Road (in the former Wish Bone site), and is set to launch a cocktail menu, by the Earl's crew. "The time at Earl's gave us that confidence that the market was ready for us," Owner Ade Adeniyi told Concrete Playground. "I find Newtown to be one of the most welcoming suburbs in Australia. It's filled with people who are open to other cultures and ideas." And Little Lagos has been welcomed into the neighbourhood with open arms — not just by regulars, who already love the food, but also by neighbouring venues like Jacoby's, Colombo Social, Arepa and, of course, Earl's. Born in Lagos, Adeniyi has lived all over the world — including in Romania, London, Dublin and Dubai — before moving to Australia back in 2016. While he serves Nigerian food now, Adeniyi didn't really start cooking till he'd left the country. "I grew up with a lot of sisters and wasn't really in the kitchen much growing up. I started cooking when I went to Romania for school," says Adeniyi. "The cravings kicked in and I would message my sisters who would walk me through these recipes from home. Then once every week the boys would come over to my house and I would cook for them. Nigerians are very communal people, we don't eat alone, it's always 20 people around the table." Adeniyi aims to bring that same communal-style dining scene to Sydney with Little Lagos. So far, the eatery's most-popular dish is the jollof rice ($20) — it's cooked in a tomato-based sauce with habaneros, capsicum, onions and traditional Nigerian spices. Another go-to is the spicy goat stew ($28), which is thicker than an Indian or Jamaican curry and best eaten with rice or bread. As Adeniyi explains, Nigerian food is varied, with over 250 tribes boasting their own specialties. The same dish can be cooked in a completely different way, depending on which region it's made in. At Little Lagos, you'll get a bit of this eclectic taste, with chefs hailing from all across Nigeria. Adeniyi's dream is to eventually have a massive kitchen that turns out more specialty items from the cuisine. Little Lagos already serves some lesser-known traditional dishes, such as egusi (crushed melon seeds in a spicy stew with beef and tripe, $30) and efo riro (stewed spinach with dried fish, $30). And, for dessert, you'll find chewy doughnut holes (called puff puff, $5) topped with a dusting of icing sugar. On the bar side of things, the drinks list is minimal for now, including wine, Grifter beers and Castel (one of the most popular beers in Africa). But Earl's owner Pasan Wijesena is currently putting together a cocktail list for the venue — so we suggest you keep a keen eye on this space.
One of the great joys of being a Nicolas Cage fan is seeing what the actor adds to his resume next. In the past year alone, for example, he has fought alien ninjas from space, hosted a series about the history of swearing, loaned his voice to The Croods franchise again, starred in the yet-to-be-released first English-language film from equally over-the-top Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono and announced that he'll play Joe Exotic in a new drama series based on the Tiger King star's life. His next project: battling demonic animatronic mascots in an effort to save a possessed amusement park. That's the premise behind Willy's Wonderland, which gets a straight-to-home-entertainment release in the US in February — and will undoubtedly do the same Down Under, although a release date for the latter is yet to be announced. Here, in a plot that sounds very close to the video game series Five Nights at Freddy's, Cage plays a quiet loner who becomes stuck in a small town when his car breaks down. He's short on cash, so he takes a night job cleaning the abandoned Willy's Wonderland. Soon, however, fending off the haunted attractions that roam the site's halls is added to his janitorial duties. The film is likely to go one of two ways: absolutely OTT like its lead, or the kind of movie that you only keep watching because of its star. Either way, as the just-dropped trailer shows, expect plenty of Cage demanding your attention in the way that only he can — and adding yet another weird and wild role to his ever-growing resume. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v27rfaoB2Y Willy's Wonderland releases in the US on Friday, February 12, but doesn't currently have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when further details come to hand.
Parramatta's farmers markets have returned to Centenary Square just in time for your Christmas shopping. The markets have returned boasting all the fresh produce, artisan goods and all the tasty takeaways you could want. Traditionally held on Fridays, the markets are popping up for a five-week trial of new midweek opening hours that will see it operate on Wednesdays from 7.30am–2.30pm. Fruit, veggies, bread, honey, pastries and flowers will be among the goods marketgoers can get their hands on, as well as food from some of Sydney's best food trucks and local takeaway businesses. Think doughy gluten-free desserts from G-Free Doughnuts, saucy pasta selections from On Ya Gnocchi, Gozleme King's spinach and cheese favourites and your caffeine fix from Coconut Coffee. In its current iteration, the markets will run weekly up until Wednesday, December 22, with plans for the new year yet to be announced. "With the festive season here, it's the perfect time to visit," says City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Steven Issa. "There's always a buzz in Centenary Square when the Parramatta Markets are on."
Sydney drinks and dines divinely well and it now has a sparkly new summer spot. The beach boys behind Bondi Hardware have established a balmy bar and restaurant on the lower north shore. The Botanist, sown in the central street of Kirribilli, is the small bar come grazing ground the area desired. Laden with luscious plants, lots of wood and the occasional nautical knick knack, The Botanist feels foliaceous and fanciful. Named after the English botanist who ran a bookshop on the site during the turn of the century, the place oozes Victorian apothecary-style charm; the menu is marked with botany illustrations and water is served in scientific-looking bottles. It pulls a cheery mix of locals and North Sydney workers, but with a breezy vibe you'll find more boat shoes than Blahniks. Forget a plum in the mouth, here you get the whole fruit bowl with a drinks list focusing on herbs, fruit and exotically spiced liquors. Open up The Botanist's elegant green menu and you'll see a charming Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, "What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered." The subsequent cocktails, in the interests of discovering the most virtuous of verdures, feature herb flavours and curious combinations. The Green Grass ($16) has cinnamon-spiced vodka, apple syrup, fresh green apple juice and a little lime and is soul-soothing and festive. Lulu Warriors ($18) has pirate-like spiced rum, amaretto liqueur and pine-lime juice; improbably, it works. The Botanist's food is the kind of casual and slightly eccentric fare suited to sharing over drinks; with hints of British India, the elements are a modern mishmash of the spice trade. The lamb salad is robust and satisfying, with slow roasted spiced lamb shoulder with roasted capsicum, tomato, hummus, minted yoghurt, rocket and marinated fetta ($19). The sliders (4 for $20) are a big hit; these babies running the gourmet gamut from India (butter chicken with cucumber and lime relish) to Lebanon (lamb kofta, tabouli and hummus). The quesadillas, with chorizo, spiced beans, potato and cheese, are hearty and limey with tomato salsa and guacamole ($18). Sprightly and whimsical, The Botanist is abloom with good food, great drinks and a fun, furzy mood.
The Oaks Hotel is a North Shore institution and one of the most famous pubs in Sydney. The mega-barn of a pub also got a huge renovation back in 2019, during which the pokies got the boot, and in came the sleek new cocktail bar, restaurant with in-house butcher, sports bar and boutique bottleshop. The glorious beer garden also got some love, now boasting a large pavilion and terrace where you can get all cosy during the colder months. The regular events programme at The Oaks Hotel is also stacked. Monday nights are all about schnitty deals. Tuesdays are for trivia. Wednesdays are Playstation Nights. Thursdays are when you can get around local craft beer tastings. Fridays and Saturdays see live music take over the sports bar and beer garden. And Sundays are just Sundays. Any day of the week, you'll also be able to order from the long food menu. Expect pub classics like the regularly changing pot pie served with chips and peas or the sausages and mash potatoes that are drenched in thick meaty gravy. Alternatively, you can go for cleaner, elevated dishes. Try the salmon poke bowl, salt and pepper Szechuan squid or some of the five different cuts of steak served with your choice of homemade sauce. There are even separate pizza, mussels and grill sections of the menu. This makes it ideal for big groups. Everyone will find something in their foodie wheelhouse at Sydney's Oaks Hotel. Appears in: The Best Pubs in Sydney
After six years in the hospitality game, the team behind Sydney venue, My Mother's Cousin pizzeria, knew it was time to stretch themselves — just like the dough they work with. "We saw Self Raised as the continuation of our passion for bread and baking. We didn't want anything trendy. We wanted timeless: Good bread. Good doughnuts. Good sandwiches," said Self Raised's co-owner, Sal Senan. The team opened a store in Carlton, and even after a year in the neighbourhood, the long lines of bread-loving customers still weren't easing. "The lines at Carlton got to upwards of 45 minutes on the weekends for over a year. At that point, we knew that we needed to get another venue out to the community to make Self Raised more accessible for everyone." They opened Self Raised Snack Shoppe in Bexley North, a quick-serve kiosk that aimed to ease the crowds of hungry weekend disciples. Yet, the people wanted more. A second Self Raised Snack Shoppe emerged in Merrylands, Western Sydney, late last year. So, what's all the hype about, and what actually goes into Self Raised's delicious baked treats? Signature Items If you're wondering why on earth people spend 45 minutes lining up for a slice of Self Raised, look no further. Sal says that the bakery's Boston Cream Donuts are Self Raised's signature item and have developed an almost cult-like following. "We started making them at our My Mother's Cousin pizzeria, and they would sell out within the hour every night we made them. They are the perfect nostalgic throwback to the original Cream Buns, which have been a lost art for a long time — simple and light but also super decadent." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Self Raised (@selfraisedbread) Another unique go-to for customers (because there are many) is Self Raised's Roman-style pizzas. The bread goes through a 36-hour fermentation using a mixture of Australian and Italian imported flours. "We also use a dry pre-ferment in the dough called Biga, which adds extra flavour and improves texture," says Sal. The co-owner notes that this wasn't a recipe they developed overnight. "It was something that took time to perfect, and we felt like it helped us stand out when it comes to focaccia-style bread specifically." For the toppings, they keep it simple: a classic cheese and a pepperoni with hot honey. "That way," says Sal, "we just let the ingredients and the dough shine." Behind the Scenes of Self Raised Sydney-siders get to enjoy the team's delicious baked goods from their many stores, but what actually goes into running a business like Self Raised? According to Sal, the bakers' days start at around 2–3am, with the sandwich and front-of-house crew getting in at an early 6am for the breakfast rush. While you may assume the team bakes the same amount of produce every morning, each day is different. "Everything has to be fresh, and you can't just make more on the spot," says Sal. "Dough takes time. Fermentation takes time. So you're always trying to get it right without waste and without selling out too early. It's a daily challenge." To know how much to make, the team checks factors including the weather and school holidays, as well as cloud-based point-of-sale and e-commerce platform, Lightspeed. It's designed for retail and hospitality businesses to manage inventory, payments, and customer data across physical and online stores. "We use Lightspeed to track what sells," says Sal. "They keep us organised and provide the data that we need. We can see what's selling, what's slowing down, and where we need to adjust. It takes a lot of guesswork out." As well as Lightspeed, Sal shares that the team also simply learns the rhythm of customers. "Fridays feel different from Mondays. Cold days are different from sunny ones." It's these customers who add Self Raised to their weekly routines, says Sal, that keep the company growing into the Sydney powerhouse it is. "The same order every week. Kids picking doughnuts like it's the biggest decision of their day. That's when you know it's more than just a shop." Image Credit: Supplied
New Christmas, new spate of fresh festive flicks to add to your seasonal viewing: that's now an annual trend in these streaming platform-saturated times. A creative spin on A Christmas Carol, but as a musical starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, is one such newcomer vying for your eyeballs now that the merriest time of the year is upon us. And, dropping on Stan on Thursday, December 1, Australia's own Christmas Ransom is another. Everyone has their Christmas viewing rituals, whether you watch your way through every Home Alone movie each year (yes, even the recent one), pop on It's a Wonderful Life with the family after a big lunch or prefer saying yippee ki-yay to Die Hard. Until recently, however, it's likely that watching Aussie festive films wasn't high on your list, given this country of ours doesn't have all that much seasonal fare to its name. Back in 2020, streaming service Stan aimed to help change that with A Sunburnt Christmas, a festive caper about a criminal, some kids and end-of-year hijinks — aka Australia's answer to Home Alone and Bad Santa, in a way. In 2022, the platform is now adding Christmas Ransom to the list, starring Miranda Tapsell and Matt Okine. As first announced back in September — and as you can now see in the just-dropped trailer — Christmas Ransom stars Okine (The Other Guy) as every kid's second-favourite person during festive season: the owner of a toy store. Things aren't too merry for his character, however, when his shop is held up by thieves on Christmas Eve. And yes, as the name makes plain, he's held for ransom. These kinds of Christmas movies usually involve children, whether or not they turn them into Macaulay Culkin-level stars — so obviously a couple of kids get caught up in the heist. To save the day, they enlist the help of Tapsell (Top End Wedding), who plays a pregnant security officer. Stan notes that this new on-screen Christmas gift is inspired by Home Alone, Die Hard and Elf. If you've ever seen just one sesaonal flick for even just a few minutes, you will have spotted plenty that's predictable about the setup. Alongside Tapsell and Okine, Christmas Ransom stars Ed Oxenbould (Wildlife), Genevieve Lemon (The Tourist), Bridie McKim (Bump), Evan Stanhope (Thor: Love and Thunder), Tahlia Sturzaker (Ascendant) and Chai Hansen (The Newsreader) — and boasts Adele Vuko (Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am) in the director's chair. Add it to your festive viewing alongside this year's other new Aussie Christmas film, if it also surfaces in time: the upcoming movie based on Paul Christmas classic 'How to Make Gravy'. Otherwise, this newcomer will join the likes of A Sunburnt Christmas; Bush Christmas, both the 1947 and 1983 versions; the animated Around the World with Dot; and recent-ish horror movies Red Christmas and Better Watch Out — the latter also featuring Oxenbould. Check out the trailer for Christmas Ransom below: Christmas Ransom will be available to stream via Stan from Thursday, December 1.
A Sydney institution has closed its doors. While Redfern Continental (and its cocktail bar GDR) are no more, we're happy to announce that a new venue has already taken its place, with Golden Gully owners Daniel McBride and Dynn Smulewicz opening a sister venue to their Leichhardt small bar last week. The new venue, like it's predecessor, is split in two. Out the front, you'll find casual restaurant The Sunshine Inn and, out the back in the old GDR space, is a degustation-only dining room dubbed DD's. Gully's Executive Chef Emma Evans (Alibi) is in the kitchen serving up elevated gastropub eats up front and a three-to-five course degustation menu out back — all of which is vegetarian and focused on locally sourced produce. While the front bar is bright and airy with a minimalist fit-out — think white walls with navy accents and natural timber furnishings — the back restaurant is dark and moody. The intimate space hosts two dinner sittings per night (with bookings essential), then turns into a cocktail lounge once the kitchen is done. It's looking to be one of Sydney's best priced degustation menus, too, ranging from a very reasonable $39–59 (for three-to-five courses, respectively). [caption id="attachment_784833" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] Expect more refined fare here that's reminiscent of Gully's set menu. It will change regularly, but some of the dishes you're likely to find on the opening menu include turnip ravioli with strawberry gum, corn-crusted fennel served atop smoked chat potatoes and a decadent Ferrero Rocher pie. Also similar to the one at Gully, the cocktail menu focuses on Aussie spirits and native flavours — but The Sunshine Inn's list will include international booze, too. The 16-strong cocktail list includes The Cure All (a tequila and mezcal take on the penicillin, made with jalapeño and ginger syrup), an amaro spritz (made using Poor Toms' Imbroglio, strawberry gum syrup and prosecco) and the Aussie Amari Sour (all $18), which McBride described as "a grown-up version of an amaretto sour". The wine list takes cues from the Gully as well, focusing almost exclusively on Aussie drops while balancing the natural with the accessible. Local winemakers Eloquesta, La Violetta and Yetti and the Kokonut all represent, and brews from Sydney's Wildflower, Akasha and Grifter are pouring as well. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
When Olivia Wilde first made the leap from starring in front of the camera to helming behind it with Booksmart back in 2019, she took a genre that usually spins easy celluloid dreams — high school-set coming-of-age comedies — and gave it her own twist. For her second feature as a filmmaker, the actor-turned-director is set to actively dismantle a different fantasy. She also indulges in one, at least if you've always wanted to see Harry Styles get steamy on-screen. Fresh from proving the talk of Coachella — and locking in a 2023 Down Under tour, too — the former One Direction member stars with Florence Pugh (Black Widow) in Wilde's Don't Worry Darling, which strands the pair in a 1950s nightmare. Well, for Pugh's Alice, it's anything but peachy; however, Styles' Jack, her husband, is content with the idyllic status quo. Here's the setup: seven decades back, the community of Victory appears picture-perfect. It's home to the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project — such as Jack — and their families, and it's where Don't Worry Darling's central duo are meant to be living blissful lives. They're given two rules to abide to, though: exercising the utmost discretion and committing 100-percent to Victory's vision, even if the town's wives don't actually know what their husbands get up to all day. That's all well and good — and terrific, in fact for most of Victory's residents — but it stops being the case for Alice in the film's just-dropped first full trailer. Despite the pervasive optimism of the era, as well as overt reassurances by company CEO Frank (Chris Pine, All the Old Knives) and his wife Shelley (Gemma Chan, Eternals), Alice is certain that all isn't quite what it seems — or that she can or should trust what the company is so determined to impress upon the town's inhabitants. In Don't Worry Darling's initial sneak peek, Pugh shows the rebellious streak that served her so well in Little Women, plus the utter horror that helped make Midsommar what it is — all within an immaculate-looking movie that's 100-percent a psychological thriller. As for Styles, he's trying to both toe and sell the company line as Jack, but Alice isn't having it. There's a bit of a The Truman Show vibe, too, as Alice refuses to acquiesce. Don't Worry Darling also co-stars Wilde herself, playing another Victory employee's spouse, as well as Nick Kroll (Our Flag Means Death), Sydney Chandler (The Golden Rut), Kate Berlant (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Asif Ali (WandaVision), Douglas Smith (Big Little Lies), Timothy Simons (Station Eleven) and Ari'el Stachel (Zola). And yes, it's clearly one of the big movie must-sees for the rest of the year — and hits cinemas Down Under in early October. Check out the trailer for Don't Worry Darling below: Don't Worry Darling releases in cinemas Down Under on October 6. Top image: © 2022 Warner Bros. Enterainment Inc. All rights reserved.
With the sheer number of popular 90s nights happening at the moment, the recent remake of childhood favourites like The Lion King and Aladdin, and the return of artists such as Usher, Janet Jackson, it was only a natural step for the biggest selling boy band — and the target of all your teenage affection — to make a return, too. Backstreet's back, alright. So, unroll your posters and dust-off that secret diary, and get ready to belt out the lyrics to 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back)', 'As Long As You Love Me' and 'I Want It That Way', when the famous five — AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough and Kevin Richardson — head to Australia in May 2020 for a very nostalgic arena tour. Hitting up stadiums in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, the Backstreet Boys will also be performing songs off their just-released tenth album, DNA. It (surprisingly?) debuted as number one on the charts when it was released and features Grammy-nominated single 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart'. But, we know you'll most likely be there for the 90s and early 00s goodness. You've got nine whole months until they're here, so plenty of time to relearn the moves to 'Everybody' and rewatch many retro music videos. Here's one for you to start with: https://youtu.be/6M6samPEMpM BACKSTREET BOYS DNA WORLD TOUR 2020 DATES Brisbane — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Wednesday, May 20 Sydney — Qudos Bank Arena, Friday, May 22 Melbourne — Rod Laver Arena, Tuesday, May 26 Perth — RAC Arena, Saturday, May 30 Backstreet Boys DNA World Tour pre-sale begins at 3pm on Tuesday, September 17 with general tickets go on sale at midday on Monday, September 23 via Live Nation.
For every roamer and traveller hoping to get off the beaten track this summer, travel website Hooroo has uncovered 40 of Australia's best-kept holiday secrets. In a nationwide search for Australia's favourite 'secret spots', the Qantas Group's new online accommodation site has called out to Australians to submit their most beloved clandestine travel destinations. What came back were hundreds of hidden gems and attractions, from spectacular waterfalls, untouched coastlines and unreal rock formations, to hip milk bars, hearty B&Bs and dozens of tucked-away travel lodges. An expert panel of travel and lifestyle writers and presenters cut the list down to the Top 40 secret destinations and now it's up to the public to decide which of these beautiful and jaw-dropping locations is Australia's favourite hidden holiday treasure. Have your say at the Hooroo Facebook page for a chance to share in over $14,500 in prizes. The Top 5 destinations will become an official Hooroo 'Secret Spot'. Voting closes at 5pm on December 17, 2012 so get in quick to have your say.
2026's Down Under live music calendar already boasts David Byrne, Lorde and G Flip, to name just a few big-name acts hitting the stage. Now, in another of the year's must-see tours, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds have announced a slate of shows in Australia and New Zealand in January and February. The group's Wild God tour is finally making its way to this part of the globe, after dates across UK, Europe and North America in 2024 and 2025. Fans can get excited about a two-and-a-half-hour show focused on the band's 2024 record Wild God, but also spanning their four-decade career. 'Red Right Hand' and 'Into My Arms' have indeed been on the set list so far. Fremantle Park in Perth will host the first Aussie gig on Saturday, January 17, with Cave, Warren Ellis and company then heading to Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Tuesday, January 20. Two shows will take over The Domain Sydney on Friday, January 23–Saturday, January 24, before a single-night stop at Victoria Park in Brisbane on Tuesday, January 27, then three concerts on Friday, January 30–Sunday, February 1 at Alexandra Gardens in Melbourne. In New Zealand, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds are headed to TSB Arena in Wellington over Thursday, February 5–Friday, February 6, in their only NZ gigs — which are taking place in association with the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts. "I can't wait to get to Australia and New Zealand with The Bad Seeds and to bring you our epic Wild God show. It's been a long time coming, and I've missed both Australia and New Zealand very much. It will be a wild and mighty joy," said Cave, announcing the Aussie and NZ leg of the tour. Cave and Ellis last hit the stage Down Under sans the rest of The Bad Seeds on the Aussie run of their Carnage tour in 2022, supporting the 2021 album that shared the tour's name — which actually marked Cave and Ellis' first studio album as a duo. Bandmates across several projects since the 90s — including Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, and Grinderman — Cave and Ellis are Aussie icons, with careers spanning back decades. Together, they also boast more than a few phenomenal film scores to their names as well, including for The Proposition, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Road, West of Memphis, Far From Men, Hell or High Water and Wind River. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Wild God Australia and New Zealand Tour 2026 Saturday, January 17 — Fremantle Park, Perth Tuesday, January 20 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Friday, January 23–Saturday, January 24 — The Domain, Sydney Tuesday, January 27 — Victoria Park, Brisbane Friday, January 30–Sunday, February 1 — Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne Thursday, February 5–Friday, February 6 — TSB Arena, Wellington Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds' Wild God tour hits Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2026. Tickets go on sale at 10am local time in each city on Friday, August 29, 2025 — for more information, head to Nick Cave's website. Images: Megan Cullen.
Boasting space for 300, RAFI is an expansive North Shore venue delivering a sleek after-work and weekend go-to with multiple weather-proof indoor and al fresco areas. The impressive bar and eatery comes from Applejack Hospitality, the hospitality group behind beloved venues like The Butler and Forrester's. Some of RAFI's many different spaces include a semi-al fresco glasshouse coined The Arbor which connects to the large indoor dining room with a geometric island bar, stocked and ready to make a variety of bright cocktails, as well as coffee. There's also a chef's kitchen which will host a variety of intimate dining experiences led by Head Chef Matias Cilloniz, plus a greenery-filled outdoor terrace set in the centre of the North Sydney highrises. Highlights of the fitout include floor-to-ceiling windows and marble mosaics set within the floors. The bar stools are adorned with fabric designed by Walmajarri Aboriginal artist Jimmy Pike, who has taken inspiration from the flora and fauna of outback Australia. "We set out to create a space that was youthful and playful. Drawing inspiration from exuberant colours and patterns, our design reflects Applejack's energy and warmth," lead designer and longtime Applejack collaborator Luchetti Krelle said. Outside, cosy pastel tones are replaced with bright summery elements. The Arbor's terrace features a European-inspired vision of striped fabric banquettes, coloured umbrellas, private outdoor gazebos and plenty of foliage. The food offering showcases local seafood and fresh veggies cooked over the kitchen's charcoal grill. Scallops paired with pickled turnip, ponzu and wasabi ($24), grilled lobster (market price), crispy lamb ribs ($42) and honey- and chilli-infused eggplant ($21) are just a few of the inventive dishes on the menu. "Our food is meant to surprise and nourish with simple dishes creatively combined to be as tasty, nutritious, and sustainable as possible," said Cilloniz, who has arrived in Sydney from Peru to head up RAFI's kitchen. "Our team is focused on delivering an amazing experience starting at sourcing our produce with care to pouring a glass of wine, honouring the produce, the producers, and our team, while our guests enjoy themselves." Whether you're looking for a North Shore catch-up on the terrace, a chef's table banquet or a private function area, there's a spot for you at RAFI. Images: Steven Woodburn
A modern, local riff on the hawker market concept, District 8 is Cabra-Vale Diggers' 600-seat food precinct, promising your tastebuds a trip down the Mekong River, without the flight to Southeast Asia. Here, a diverse lineup of restaurants and food stations delivers authentic flavours from across Vietnam, Thailand, China, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. You can drop in for a classic Malaysian-style seafood laksa, dive into a big bowl of Hanoi-worthy pho, carb-load on some Asian baked goods, or round up the crew for a proper dim sum feast. The $9.99 weekday specials also includes some pretty tasty dishes, including Monday's char siu pork and a barbecue Cantonese duck each Thursdays. Meanwhile, loud and lively Chinese restaurant Horizon is a favourite for its daily yum cha offering, as well as the hefty selection of fresh seafood tempting the dinner crowd each night. To match District 8's real-deal culinary offering, expect a fitout that wholly embraces those Southeast Asian roots throughout, from the wall of authentic maneki neko 'waving cats', to the thousands of red timber squares, hanging Chinese-style from the ceiling. If you're well practised in the art of devouring tasty Asian fare, you'll want to catch District 8's annual pho challenge. If you conquer the super-sized 2.2 kilogram bowl ($35) of meat, aromatic broth, rice noodles, bean sprouts and other additions solo in less than 30 minutes, you'll score a $50 District 8 voucher. Keep an eye on this space for dates.
Whether you're a wine novice or an armchair expert, it's always a joy to expand your beverage-based horizons. Newtown's tiny wine bar and bottle shop Famelia is here to help — offering guests plenty of ways to sample wines from some of Australia's most interesting and inventive producers. The brainchild of Amelia Birch, Famelia is located in an Enmore Road building (the former home of Cittavino) directly across the road from another beloved purveyor of booze, P&V Liquor + Wine Merchants. The list here is kept short and simple, with a rotating list of 12 wines by the glass that changes weekly. Or, if you're looking to share a bottle, you can also browse the full selection from the bottle shop and enjoy it at retail price (plus corkage). Birch and the team are effortlessly approachable, so if you find yourself lost for what to drink, just ask for a recommendation — that's what they're there for. If you're looking beyond wine, Famelia's cocktail list is far from thrown together, with yuzushu and pét-nat spritzes plus mandarin margaritas. And if you're feeling snacky, there are plenty of dips, cheeses and deli meats to taste your way through, weekly desserts and Birch's secret family egg dip. Open Wednesday–Sunday, the bar can host 25 wine lovers inside and an additional eight to ten out on Enmore Road. You can also try before you buy at the bottle shop, with a range of wines open to taste if you're on the hunt for that perfect thing to bring to your dinner party or to pair with tonight's spag bol. Images: Philippa Enid.
There isn't a trace of the unwashed artist, student or dole bludger in Surry Hills anymore. I say this from my vantage point at a table in Rosie Campbell's on a Thursday night (on the corner of Crown and Campbell street, in case you hadn't figured it out). The idea of Rosie's is to bring a bit of Jamaica via New York to 2010, but despite the cute fit-out, what you notice at Rosie's is that the clientele comprises solely of Surry Hills' new white collar residents, the types who aren't complaining too much about the current real estate prices. Instead, they're sipping on cocktails that seriously nudge a lobster, cooling out to good reggae and hip hop, and getting stuck into some excellent jerk chicken, made with the venue's amply used signature jerk sauce. The venue is the latest from Graham Cordery and The Experience Group, who's other Surry Hills venue, The Soda Factory, has become a solid staple with a passionate following that come for more than just the famous Tuesday Dollar Dawgs. Following a rather life-changing trip to Jamaica, Cordery was inspired to bring home what he loved about the country: "the contrasting bright colours [and] the vibrancy that really makes you feel alive". The dishes on offer centre around three main flavour groupings, all of which are executed nicely. Deceptively smooth cocktails, like the Montego Bay Punch (of Pampero white and dark rums, Don Julio Plata tequila, pineapple, papaya, rockmelon, sugarcane and almond, $19), as well as a moorish Bowl of Corn with jerk mayo ($8), highlight the sweet and coconutty. A beautifully bright snapper ceviche ($20) and a mango-studded Island Jerk Salad ($16) are fresh and herbal, while the ribs ($19), sweet potato fries ($8) and that wondrous jerk chicken ($18) fill the gap with plenty of warmth and spice. Holding onto your crowd for dessert on Crown Street will always be a challenge with you-know-who just a few steps down the road, but Rosie's presents a good case for staying in with the offer of a warm caramel rum cake ($14). You might be in Surry Hills, but as the final sip of that rum-spiked punch hits you while you have a spoonful of caramel-soaked cake in your mouth, you could, maybe, just be soaking up the rays someplace warmer.
Dimitri's Pizzeria and its eye-catching red-and-white sign had been a permanent fixture on Crown Street since the 70s; while it moved once (around 20 years ago), it had never left the strip — until this year. In July, the Surry Hills pizza stalwart uprooted its tables (literally) and relocated to Oxford Street, setting up shop in the building previously home to Hunky Dory Social Club. Right now, it's just operating on the ground floor, but it plans to occupy all three levels — meaning the pizzeria will eventually grow six times in size. On the ground floor, it's the pretty much the same old Dimitri's, but bigger and better. Owners Ken Williams and Drew Huston have finally gotten their hands on a woodfired pizza oven and are making the type of pizza they've been wanting to do for "a long time". "It's a massive improvement on the pizza we were serving before," says Williams. And Huston agrees: "We're cooking our ideal pizza right now, I reckon." The woodfired oven can get up to 150 degrees hotter than the restaurant's previous oven (meaning the pizzas only have to spend a third of the time inside) and the pair is also making a new 100-percent sourdough base that is fermented for much longer — a minimum of 48 hours. What does all this mean for you? The dough is lighter, easier to digest and a whole lot tastier (and the pizzas land on your table much quicker). The dough is similar to that of Neapolitan-style pizzas, but Williams is quick to point out that their pizzas are not 'traditional' Neapolitan. And while the dough itself is fairly traditional — despite its use of a blend of Australian organic stone-ground flour — the toppings certainly aren't. Expect to find brussels sprouts, honey (from Williams' mum's beehive), radicchio, rainbow chard and even corn atop the pies. As well as the necessary mozzarella, which is stretched daily in-house. The pair plan to alter the toppings with the seasons, too, making the most of short-season produce like pine mushrooms and truffles. You'll be eating all of this on the old Dimitri's tables — which have been repurposed by Williams' brother Lex, a furniture builder and designer — surrounded by exposed brick walls, art, fairy lights and the restaurant's namesake: a striking red neon Dimitri. With a total capacity of around 150 people, the top two levels will be home to "Dimitri's but in bar form", which means Grifter beer on tap and all-natural wines — including the likes of Das Juice, Gut Oggau and Delinquente — and a short and sharp cocktail list. Williams says to expect "really good quality drinks, a chilled atmosphere and good times". These good times will extend to the third-level open terrace, too, where you'll be able to drink looking out on the street below. And on the rooftop — yes, it keeps going — there'll be a garden, where Williams will be growing herbs and some veggies for super-fresh pizza toppings. Images: Kimberley Low. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Pizza in Sydney for 2023
Whether you're avoiding the wet weather across Australia's east coast, still in lockdown in Auckland or in need of a quiet one before the festive season kicks into gear, a stint of couch time may be on your weekend agenda. And while there's never any shortage of things to watch, here's something that might tempt your eyeballs: extremely cheap Disney+ subscriptions, plus a lineup of new movies and TV shows to go with it. This month marks two years since the Mouse House first leapt into the streaming game, so it's celebrating with $1.99 subscriptions. That's the rate for one month, and it's available until 6.59pm AEDT on Monday, November 15 — as long as you're either a new subscriber or a returning subscriber who doesn't current have an active subscription to the service. Disney+ is also fleshing out its catalogue with a number of new big-name additions, effective today, Friday, November 12. So, from tonight, you can watch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings at home — just two months after it hit cinemas — or get nostalgic and merry with new Home Alone franchise instalment Home Sweet Home Alone. Action-adventure comedy Jungle Cruise is also making the leap to the service as part of regular subscription fees (after simultaneously launching on the big screen and on digital back in July, but for an extra fee for the latter). And, so is new Michael Keaton-starring drama Dopesick, with the TV series exploring prescription drugs, Big Pharma and opioid addiction in America. The Mouse House is also going big on existing fan favourites, thanks to the Frozen-related Olaf Presents, new short The Simpsons in Plusaversary, the first episodes from the second season of The World According to Jeff Goldblum, and Star Wars-centric Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett special. Plus, you can check out two Marvel specials about the making of Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings and Hawkeye's best MCU moments — although Hawkeye, the show, doesn't actually premiere until Wednesday, November 24. And, there's also The Making of Happier than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, which follows on from the platform's Billie Eilish concert experience — as well as the Disney+ debut of the 2007 Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey-starring fantasy rom-com Enchanted. Disney+'s $1.99 subscription deal is available until 6.59pm AEDT on Monday, November 15 for new and eligible returning subscribers. For more information, head to the streaming platform's website.
Taylor Swift's Australian Eras tour month is finally here. Nabbed tickets in the frenzy, but want more than the memories to celebrate? Missed out, but still keen for a souvenir to remember the occasion? Here's your mantra for February: look what you made me buy. Concert tours and merchandise always go hand in hand, but Swift's involves an official merch pop-up, plus days of presales prior to her gigs at the MCG in Melbourne and Accor Stadium in Sydney. And in the case of the one-day-only pop-up, you even need to reserve your place. [caption id="attachment_939192" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paolo Villanueva via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] If you're in the Victorian capital, mark Tuesday, February 13 in your diary, then make a date with Crown Melbourne. From 9am–6pm, you'll be able to pick up everything from t-shirts and hoodies to totes and water bottles. Yes, bracelets are also on the merch list. Only folks with a reservation, which can be made from midday AEDT on Wednesday, February 7, can attend, however. The other must-know pieces of info for the official merch pop-up: reservations are being allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, are free and can cover two people per booking. Once you've got yours, which come in half-hour lots, it's non-transferrable. [caption id="attachment_939193" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] For Sydneysiders, those heading to the Harbour City for their Eras fix or folks in Melbourne who can't hit up Crown on the day in question, merchandise presales will start on the Wednesdays before Swift's gigs in each location. So, the MCG will be up and running from 10am–6pm between Wednesday, February 14–Thursday, February 15, and also during the concert dates from 12pm on Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18. Accor Stadium will do the same in advance from 10am–6pm between Wednesday, February 21–Thursday, February 22, then from 12pm during the show dates from Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26. There's no reservations needed to get merch from the MCG and Accor Stadium. [caption id="attachment_939194" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] When Sydney and Melbourne stops for Swift's career-spanning showcase were announced back June 2023, it sparked a rush for seats. Before general sales even started, the 'We Are Never Getting Back Together', 'Shake It Off' and 'Bad Blood' musician had announced an extra gig in both cities. And, the Victorian Government even declared her Melbourne stint a major event so that anti-scalping legislation would apply to tickets. At all gigs, Swift will have Sabrina Carpenter in support before she breaks out a showcase that steps through her entire career so far, playing tracks from each of her studio albums in a three-hour, 44-song, ten-act spectacular. If you saw Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour as a movie, aka a concert film of her latest shows that hit cinemas Down Under last October, you'll know what you're in for. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Australian Merchandise Locations and Dates 2024: Tuesday, February 13 — Australia official merchandise pop-up, Crown Melbourne, Melbourne Wednesday, February 14–Thursday, February 15 — merchandise presale, MCG, Melbourne Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18 — merchandise presale and show merchandise, MCG, Melbourne Wednesday, February 21–Thursday, February 22 — merchandise presale, Accor Stadium, Sydney Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26 — merchandise presale and show merchandise, Accor Stadium, Sydney Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Australian Dates 2024: Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18 — Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Taylor Swift is bringing The Eras Tour to Australia in February 2024. Head to the tour website for further details. Crown Melbourne's official Australian merchandise pop-up takes place on Tuesday, February 13 from 9am–6pm, with reservations required — and bookings open from 12pm AEDT on Wednesday, February 7. Head to the booking website for more information. Top image: Paolo Villanueva via Wikimedia Commons.
Each winter Vivid draws Sydney out of hibernation with a festival of light installations, talks, workshops and performances. Now in its tenth year, the festival is bigger and brighter than ever. From the illumination of major city landmarks to international acts and challenging ideas, there's a lot to pack into the 23 nights. With the help of our friends at YHA Australia, we've put together a rundown to help you navigate the festival. From what to see and do and to where best to eat and drink. [caption id="attachment_670002" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sydney Harbour YHA rooftop[/caption] STAY With so much to see and do during Vivid, you'll want to be close to the action. Sydney Harbour YHA in The Rocks is the perfect home base; it's just a stone's throw away from the installations in The Rocks and walking distance to Circular Quay and the Botanic Gardens. It's also right in the thick of some of the most historic pubs in Sydney. The building combines modern comfort with the heritage of the area — it's set above archaeological remains of colonial Sydney. Choose from private or dorm rooms and head to the rooftop balcony to treat yourself to one of the best views in Sydney. From this bird's eye vantage point, you'll have an uninterrupted view stretching from the Harbour Bridge to the Sydney Opera House, Customs House and city buildings, all lit up for the festival. Grab a drink and settle in to soak it all up. If you'd prefer to stay a touch further away from the heaving Circular Quay, YHA also has locations in Sydney Central and Railway Square. Here, you'll be in walking distance of Haymarket (and its many dumplings, noodles and 30c cream puffs), Spice Alley and Darling Harbour's stunning light installations. All three YHAs are offering 20-percent-off during Vivid, too. [caption id="attachment_625341" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bodhi Liggett.[/caption] EAT You'll need to keep your energy levels up in order to fit in everything in during the festival. Luckily, there are heaps of great food options around. Start the day with quality coffee and a beautiful, picturesque breakfast at The Grounds of the City. If you're short on time, though, you can grab a cup of joe and a brekkie burger, bowl or muffin from the takeaway window. For lunchtime refuelling, head to La Renaissance Patisserie for house-made pies, baguette sandwiches and pastries. The tree covered courtyard is a sweet little place to retreat from the crowds for a little while. In The Rocks Centre behind Kendall Lane, you'll also find the Fine Food Store serving up sandwiches, salads and winter warmers like soups and stews. When the sun goes down, check out the new Bar Patrón by Rockpool for authentic Mexican eats, margaritas and views of the Vivid lights. Alternatively, head to The Morrison, located between The Rocks and Wynyard, for a mean sirloin steak or the $1 oyster happy hour from 6–7pm each Wednesday. And if you've really got cash to splash and a burning desire for views with some top eats, head to Cafe Sydney. Found above Customs House (which will be covered in a Snugglepot and Cuddlepie light show), this place serves up Australian haute-cuisine with a killer view. The restaurant also has a dedicated vegan menu for those looking for some fine dining that considers their dietaries. For another prime spot with more casual eats, head next door to Gateway — home to Neil Perry's Burger Project, Din Tai Fung, Four Frogs Creperie and Gelato Messina. DRINK The Rocks area is heaving with pubs — in fact, two of them, The Lord Nelson and The Fortune of War, lay claim to being Sydney's oldest. The best way to fit them all in is to head on a pub crawl — starting at The Lord Nelson, making tracks to the potentially haunted Hero of Waterloo, heading up to The Glenmore rooftop for excellent harbour views, passing by The Fortune of War and finishing up at the newly refurbished Orient. If you're after something more sedate and refined, hit Henry Deane, the rooftop bar at Hotel Palisade which boasts incredible views of the harbour and the lights of Vivid. Otherwise, check out Bulletin Place for intricately crafted cocktails, or cosy up at The Doss House, a new underground whisky bar set in an incredible heritage building in The Rocks. [caption id="attachment_624496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Horan.[/caption] SEE The projections onto the Sydney Opera House have been the crowning glory of the Vivid light display since the festival's inception. This year the sails will feature the work of artist Jonathan Zawada, blending everyday objects with the pictures inspired by the Australian environment. Meanwhile, Skylark makes use of the high rises around Circular Quay, featuring a custom-built laser atop the Harbour Bridge projecting onto buildings in a stunning light show every half hour. The Southern Pylon of the bridge will be lit with Bangarra Dance Company's Dark Emu, melding dance and art and paying homage to the agricultural knowledge of Indigenous Australians. [caption id="attachment_623212" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Horan.[/caption] See bacteria writ large at Beautiful and Dangerous in The Rocks. The work takes you under a neon microscope to explore some of the deadliest diseases facing mankind and what's being done to curb them. While you're in the area, look skyward and see A Little Birdie Told Me — a work depicting the threat to many of our native bird species. The festival of light also makes full use of the glorious Botanic Gardens, with installations dotted throughout. Impressions shows a time-lapse of flora captured from the garden throughout the day, displayed across five huge canvases. Check out The Bloom, a giant metallic flower covered in LED pixels. And hanging in a canopy of trees is Hyperweb, a giant web combining light and soundscape. DO With so many artists and thinkers in town, you might want to extend your stay to fit more in. Top of the ticket is Solange, performing at the Sydney Opera House. Her shows are sold out, but festival organisers recommend checking the website daily for last-minute releases. Also in town are Grammy award-winning singer St Vincent and legendary rapper Ice Cube. There are heaps of local acts to check out too, including No Mono, Middle Kids and Stonefield. For one night only Heaps Gay will host a fabulous, not-to-be-missed fancy dress party, Qweens Ball, at Town Hall. Plus for a change of pace, this year's festival also includes a jazz series for the first time. [caption id="attachment_574541" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bodhi Liggett.[/caption] Vivid Ideas will get your mind bubbling about the big issues. There are talks on everything from building a sustainable future and the threat to democracy to the art of creativity and understanding consciousness. For podcast nerds, the Audiocraft Podcast Festival features a line-up of industry heavyweights in a series of talks and workshops. If you're headed to Vivid this year, YHA is offering 20% off stays for Concrete Playground readers during the festival. The offer applies to all rooms (private and multi-share) at Sydney Harbour YHA, Sydney Central YHA and Railway Square YHA. Use the code VIVID to claim the discount when you book online, valid Sunday to Thursday between Sunday, May 27 and Friday, June 15. More info about the offer and other weekend discounts here. Image: Destination NSW.
With the sale of Marrickville's iconic Vic On The Park to hotel powerhouse Merivale, the ardent hipsters of Enmore Road are on the lookout for a traditional, independent boozer to call their local. The "Wazza" is the inner west pub of yesteryear — a simple, reasonably priced menu, sport on the telly and cheap beer alongside a couple of local craft taps. This unpretentious pub might look to be another old man's watering hole, yet the unassuming decor of the main bar gives way to a secluded, shady and spacious outdoor garden courtyard full of hipsters, tradies and families alike. The bamboo-panelled walls of the garden, coupled with multiple umbrellas all centred around the shade thrown from the large tree in the middle of the garden make for a great place to hide from the traffic outside and forget how close you are to the city. A great neighbourhood pub with one of the best kept secret gardens in the area.
Even if you've never been inside The Cauliflower, you've almost certainly seen it. The heritage-listed site has sat on Botany Road since 1862. Here's why you should venture inside: with time comes change. The Cauliflower has had an overhaul in the past few years, stripping away the old-man pub feel and welcoming in the tokens that define a modern establishment. Traditional commercial beers share tap residency with the newer craft beer kids. The wine menu is a good mix of local and imported drops that won't break the bank. The food menu is where things get really interesting with Mexican bites (quesadillas, nachos, tacos), Sichuan-spiced calamari and scotch fillet with chimichurri sitting alongside standard pizzas and parmas. Upstairs has been transformed in to rum bar The Forgotten Cask. As the exclusive Australian distributor of St Lucia Distiller rums, a cocktail at this rooftop oasis, complete with palms and a grass ceiling, will transport you direct to the Caribbean. The food menu keeps the theme going with jerk-spiced chicken wings, barramundi tacos and cauliflower curry. Images: Kitti Gould
When COVID-19 came to town, it forced Sydney restaurants, bars, cafes and pubs to shut up shop for a while. Now that venues are welcoming punters back and life is slowly getting back to normal, we're starting to see how the pandemic has changed our hospitality scene. We lost some Sydney gems, such as Surry Hills institution Il Baretto and live gig and comedy venue Cafe Lounge. Over the bridge, much-loved Neutral Bay wine bar Firefly also closed its doors after 12 years of service — but it's not all bad news. In the same Young Street digs that used to serve up Frosty Fruit-favoured cocktails, plenty of pinot and damn fine bar snacks, you'll find an Israeli pop-up by Firefly owner Daniel Sofo and chef Nissim Elkabetz. While dining numbers are limited to 50 with strict social distancing rules, the transition to a more casual diner makes sense. Pocket Pita opened yesterday, Tuesday, June 2, with a succinct menu of Israeli dishes — all under $25. Expect falafel, shawarma, salad (served in bowls made of laffa), sabich and, of course, pita, plus dips and the former venue's signature za'atar zucchini fries. For dessert, there are two Middle Eastern dessert favourites: knafeh and baklava. You'll also find a range of sodas and spritzes, too, with flavours such as date and mint, pomegranate, sour cherry, and tamarind. The pop-up is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11.30am till 9.30pm for dine-in and takeaway, wth home delivery available from Thursday, June 11. You can't book, so just walk by and see if you can nab a spot or get some takeaway. You can pre-order via Mr Yum. Pocket Pita is now open at 24 Young Street, Neutral Bay . Opening Hours are Tuesday–Sunday 11.30am–9.30pm. Home delivery is launching on June 11.
UK rocker Yungblud has announced he'll bring his Idols world tour to Australia next January, marking his biggest local shows to date. The Doncaster-born singer and songwriter — real name Dominic Harrison — will kick off the tour at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Saturday, January 10, before hitting Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rolling Stone AU/NZ (@rollingstoneaus) The run celebrates Yungblud's fourth studio album, Idols, which dropped in June and went straight to number one in the UK and number four in Australia. Known for his high-energy performances and fiercely loyal fan base, the tour promises the kind of chaotic, cathartic shows that have earned him global acclaim. Speaking to Rolling Stone AU/NZ earlier this year, Yungblud teased "massive plans" for the Australian leg of the tour and hinted that his self-created festival Bludfest — which launched in the UK last year — could eventually make its way Down Under. "I know the Australian festival market has been struggling," he said. "I really want to try my best to implement a new idea with Bludfest because it worked in the UK." Tickets go on sale from Tuesday, October 21, with pre-sales for Telstra Plus members opening Thursday, October 16 and Frontier Members from Monday, October 20. Yungblud's 2026 Australian tour kicks off in Sydney on January 10. Visit Frontier Touring for ticket details and dates.
