Arriving just in time for the 2026 edition of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the iconic event's official app now offers a suite of innovative safety and connection features. Bringing an improved sense of community wellbeing, access to help and social moments, the update goes live on day one of Mardi Gras — Friday, February 13. There are three main upgrades to note, starting with Safety Circles. Here, users can save up to five trusted contacts and send an instant SMS update with a single tap. Using a selection of pre-configured messages like "Heading there now," or "I'm here," this feature offers a simple way to keep friends, parents and guardians in the know about your whereabouts. Also in the realm of safety, the Mardi Gras app now includes a Strobe feature that lets users quickly enhance visibility or capture attention in low-light or busy areas. For instance, you can turn your phone into a flashing beacon, complete with customisable colours, torch light and scrolling text. This way, users can locate friends, signal for help or stay visible in a crowd. Meanwhile, for those keen to get extra social during this year's festivities, the new app update also includes the Mardi Moments Fan Wall. Here, users are invited to share photos and moments from all the rainbow-soaked events they attend. At the same time, people can like and comment, helping to paint an interactive, visual story of the festival experience. "Safety and inclusion sit at the core of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras," says Mardi Gras Festival CEO Jesse Matheson. "The Festival app builds on this commitment, now enhanced with new features to deliver a safe and positive Festival experience, including Safety Circles, Mardi Moments Fan Wall and Strobe designed for large-scale events." Ready to get involved? This year's festival is as jam-packed as you'd expect, with a host of new and returning events, like the femme-charged Ultra Violet at City Recital Hall and Laugh Out Proud at the Enmore Theatre. There's also the chance to catch the latest LGBTQI+ flicks or close out the whole event with a free party at the Kinselas Hotel, headlined by Keli Holiday. The Mardi Gras App is now available from the App Store or Google Play. Head to the website for more information.
Roman Polanski's story is an extraordinary one. His life has been marked by tragedies, victories, and traumas of filmic proportions, from his survival of Nazi occupation in his native Poland to the cult murder of his pregnant movie star wife Sharon Tate and his Oscar win for The Pianist in 2003. Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir is an extended conversation between the auteur and his longtime friend Andrew Braunsberg, who produced several Polanski films. The interview took place while Polanski was under house arrest in Switzerland in 2010, following his second trial for drugging and raping a thirteen-year-old girl in 1977. The production itself is pretty undergraduate — shoddy sound, unimaginative camerawork, and cheap iMovie-style effects. It turns out the director, Laurent Bouzereau, makes his living producing 'making of' documentaries for movies like Jaws and Back to the Future, and he's clearly riding on Polanski's incredible story. Polanski, who trained as an actor, is a gifted storyteller and his earlier hardships in the Krakow ghetto during World War II are truly amazing. His retelling is cut with footage from The Pianist to show how his formative experiences manifested in his movies, and this is where the film is strongest. But the biggest problem, and one which I can't overlook, is the treatment of Polanski's 1977 crime. The word 'rape' is never mentioned. Instead, the filmmakers focus on corruption in the justice system and offer an argument that goes along the lines of 'well, hasn't Roman been punished enough already?' It's a blatantly dishonest approach considering the enormity of the crime and Polanski's guilty plea. That Braunsberg, the key interviewer, is a close confidant and associate of Polanski's means that there is no veil of anything close to objectivity or distance, which is especially troubling given the film's already creepy mandate of setting the record straight, of advocating for a convicted rapist. There's no doubt Polanski is a major artist, and his fans will probably get a lot out of his recollections of his childhood and early career, but don't expect any keen insights or rigorous attention to the ethics of documentary-making. Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir is a personal exercise in public atonement. Quite frankly, I left the cinema feeling infected.
Game of Thrones might be coming to an end, but HBO isn't done with secrets, scheming, lies, bickering, battles and betrayal just yet. After all things Westeros wraps up later this month, the network is returning to Monterey, California — with Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz and Meryl Streep. Put any one of those actors on screen and viewers will follow. Stick them all in the same TV program, and it's set to become one of the biggest shows of the year. Yes, Big Little Lies is back for a second season, and it's added three-time Oscar winner Streep to its latest dose of murky mysteries, tested friendships and life-altering events. And more lies, obviously. If you missed the huge Emmy and Golden Globe-winning first series back in 2017, it follows a group of women whose children all go to the same school. Oh, and who all got caught up in a murder tale, naturally. Based on the book by Australian author Liane Moriarty, it originally aired as a one-season once-off, but its enormous popularity (and a hefty swag of awards) has helped bring the drama back for another series. While an initial teaser dropped in April, HBO has just released the first proper look at the new season. Unsurprisingly, the drama has been ratcheted up a few levels, with the arrival of Streep's new character hardly helping matters. Witherspoon, Kidman, Dern, Woodley and Kravitz were all among the cast the initial time around, but Streep joins the fold as Mary Louise, the visiting mother-in-law to Kidman's Celeste. And, like everyone else, she doesn't quite expect she'll hear the truth when she starts asking questions about the previous season's developments. Also hopping on board is director Andrea Arnold, of Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights and American Honey fame, who is helming all seven episodes in the season season. She takes over from C.R.A.Z.Y., Dallas Buyers Club and Wild filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée, who did the same for the first season. Check out the new full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCWevZV945M Big Little Lies airs on Foxtel Showcase weekly from Monday, June 10. Image: Jennifer Clasen/HBO.
Mornings, we know them well. Roll out of bed, sleepily shuffle to the kitchen and get that elixir of life into us as fast as possible. Yep, we're talking about coffee. No matter how many cups you get through, each coffee comes with an impact on our environment, from disposable takeaway cups right down to single-use coffee pods. By now you've probably invested in a reusable cup, but what about your at-home caffeine routine? If you're lucky enough to own a super-handy Nespresso machine, there's one simple switch you can make and that's to use Tripod Coffee pods. A sustainable alternative to the George Clooney-fronted pod giant, Tripod Coffee was born from two Aussie cricketers — Steve Cazzulino and Ed Cowan — plus their mate Dave Siegel, and the trio's insatiable love of coffee. When the boys couldn't find the local, eco-friendly answer to the convenience of pod coffee, they decided it was about time someone changed that. "On a rainy day we thought, why don't we have a crack and take on the big boys?" Cowan told Concrete Playground. "We could fill the capsules with coffee that we really enjoy drinking". The result: compostable pods filled with cafe-quality coffee that neatly fit into a Nespresso machine. [caption id="attachment_781754" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ed Cowan and Dave Siegel. Photography: Kitti Gould[/caption] It's a well-known fact us Aussies love our coffee, so making the switch to Tripod will help reduce the amount of aluminium and plastic going to landfill, which can take up to 500 years to break down. Plus, you won't have to dig deep into your pockets as Cazzulino, Cowan and Siegel believe "Australians shouldn't have to pay more for sustainability," with Tripod capsules priced similarly to Nespresso, costing $7.50–8.50 for packs of ten. So, first things first: the coffee. Tripod sources the best beans around, which are then roasted, ground and packed right here in Australia. You'll find a lot of Central and South American coffees used by Tripod and that's because "the coffees from those areas really suit the [capsule] extraction process," Cowan told CP. Currently, there are seven varieties to choose from, from a light roast to extra dark, single origin, decaf and a blend wholly made from organic and fair trade beans. Because you shouldn't have to choose between a delicious cup of joe and the earth. So how does it work? Tripod's 100-percent certified compostable pods, made from plant-based bio-polymers and sealed with a paper lid, are designed to be broken down in as little as 90 days. You can't exactly throw them into your garden, but you can chuck them into your green-lid wheelie bin if your council accepts food scraps as organic waste, which you can handily check here. If your council doesn't, no worries, Tripod's already one step ahead of you. Closing the loop on the usual issues associated with coffee capsules, the company's Pod-to-Plant program collects your pods for composting with the help of a third party. Just simply add a reply-paid Pod-to-Plant return kit ($10) to your next Tripod Coffee order and you'll get everything you need — and you'll score $10 off your next order, too. If you're into details, the composting process creates two byproducts: nutrient-rich, organic fertiliser and methane. The fertiliser is used by local farmers, growers and horticulturalists, whereas the methane is converted into green electricity. To top it off, Tripod donates one percent of its profits towards restoring the Daintree Rainforest. [caption id="attachment_781507" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @iamdanok[/caption] "We're in the business of eliminating waste and helping people live more sustainable lives. That's the lens for every decision we make — from carbon neutral shipping to the materials on promotional stickers," says Siegel. So, why not go green with your caffeine routine? You don't need to travel far to get your hands on these super-sustainable pods either, because Tripod delivers right around Australia, with free shipping for all orders over $75, or, for smaller orders, at a flat rate of $9.50. If you're in New Zealand, it's a flat rate of $20. Tripod Coffee is combating climate change with one compostable coffee pod at a time. To make your caffeine fix more sustainable, make the switch by ordering yourself a pack or signing up to one of Tripod's subscription services. Lead image: @Bridgetfeyfit
Sunsets are at their finest in the summertime. They come later in the day, the air is warmer, and the vibes are nothing short of divine. Pair that with a bit of music, and you're set. That's the basis of Sydney Observatory's Sunset Variations — the annual outdoor concert series that sets up local artists for intimate three-hour sets in golden hour. Every Friday evening from January 30 to February 27, 2026, guests are invited to arrive at sunset and settle onto a spot on the Observatory lawn, where you can enjoy Mediterranean-inspired food from Aplenty and drinks by Lo-Fi Wines while that week's performance soundtracks the change from day to night. The music series, organised by Powerhouse Museum, returns for its second year with an opening performance of Afrofuturist jazz and R&B by Ethiopian Australian artist Nū. The following week, visitors can return to the lawn for layered percussive and synth works from e fishpool, then in week three come the cinematic compositions of electronics and vocals from the Aarti Jadu Ensemble. On February 20, Luritja singer-songwriter and artist Keanu Nelson will perform an ode to his home of Papunya – a remote community northwest of Alice Springs. Then, closing the series is underground Sydney DJ Josh Panakera-Molony with Setwun: Celestial Bodies, a soulful showcase that blends jazz, dance and groove with the help of collaborators GLO, POOKIE, INQ., Meklit, Yasmina Sadiki and Hugh B. Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah says "At the highest natural point in the city, Sydney Observatory opens onto an unmatched view of golden hour over Sydney Harbour. The dynamic lineup of bold, experimental artists performing each week will transform the site for a month unmissable sunsets." Sunset Variations will run weekly on Friday's from January 30 to February 27. Tickets are $10. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website.
Lightning Ridge might be best known for its enduring opal mining history, but the community's collection of bizarre museums is definitely a close second. Astronomers Monument is a kooky landmark dedicated to scientists like Copernicus. Others not to miss are the Bottle House Museum, Amigo's Castle, Beer Can House and the Kangaroo Hill Complex. Image: John, Flickr
A coastal mainstay has returned to the northern beaches just as the region exits its weeks-long lockdown and the city is (finally) blessed with summer weather. Freshwater's almost century-old pub Harbord Hotel (fka Harbord Beach Hotel) was bought by real estate investors Glenn Piper and Lachlan Cottee earlier this year — and it's now swung open its doors, offering a surfy atmosphere, sun-filled spots to eat and drink and a soon-to-open restaurant and cocktail bar. Occupying the new-look ground floor is a sprawling main bar, summery terrace and Balsa, a seafood restaurant and bar that is set to open in the coming weeks, which will serve up a menu starring foraged coastal herbs and sustainably sourced produce with salt, wood and smoke at the forefront. The drinks menu will follow a similar theme with margaritas rimmed with smoked chilli salt, volcanic coastal wines and crisp Australian beers on the docket. A dedicated list of non-alcoholic drops will also be on offer. At the main bar, patrons will find a menu crafted by head chef (and Freshwater local) Adam Rust (ex-12 Micron) that delivers coastal twists on the classic pub feed. From your classic steak and chips done right to the green bowl with broccolini, avocado, kale, quinoa, green goddess dressing and woodfired salmon, the menu celebrates the close relationship between the pub and the surf. Located just steps from the beach, the venue plays into its suburb's claim as the official birthplace of surfing in Australia. The sport was popularised in Freshwater back in 1915 by Duke Kahanamoku, a native Hawaiian who famously carved a surfboard from Aussie timber and hypnotised crowds at the beach. Designed by architects Alexander & Co, the fit-out include's a mural by Sydney artist Ash Holmes and a new "sun-bleached" exterior. The refurb has also unveiled sections of the pub that have been covered for decades including a heritage staircase and arches. And patrons are encouraged to rock up straight from the ocean, with spots to leave surfboards while you wine and dine. Live music will be a major focus here, too, with a full calendar of free events showcasing local northern beaches talent booked in throughout the summer. Down the track, the team will also open a cafe and boutique accommodation in the space. Find Harbord Hotel at 29 Moore Road, Freshwater from 7am–12am daily.
Truffle season is an indulgent time where you treat yourself to the finer things and reach peak foodie sophistication as you hunt for restaurants and menus featuring that coveted culinary black gold. This winter, BLACK Bar & Grill is embracing this luxuriousness with a one-night-only truffle feast — and we've got two tickets to the dinner to give away. The dinner will take place on Thursday, July 5, with the six-course experience prepared and hosted by Executive Chef Dany Karam, along with co-host truffle farmer Henry Terry, who was most recently spotted on My Kitchen Rules. Starting at 7pm, you'll have your fill of original dishes like scallop and truffle sandwiches, truffle poached marron and roasted pineapple and truffle ice cream that are all sure to thrill those truffle-loving tastebuds of yours. With each plate, Chef Karam hopes to showcase seasonal produce and flavours along with the truffles. "We've used rich, winter flavours and local, cool climate wines with a savoury finish to complement the truffles." You can anticipate a glorious meal along with wine selections from the house sommelier, including two glasses of Krug Champagne to set off your lavish night. While BLACK offers a special menu featuring an a la carte three-course meal and sommelier pairings options until August 5, this one-time feast will be the culmination of all your truffle-covered dreams this season. You're in for a night of well-crafted and curated fare sure to put you in a truffle trance until next winter. The BLACK Bar & Grill truffle dinner will take place on Thursday, July 5 and tickets cost $290. Enter to win tickets for you and a date. See below. [competition]674957[/competition]
Unleash your inner lumberjack (or viking) with an axe-throwing session at Throw Axe. Over two hours, you'll get a tour and tutorial of this martial skill — perfect your stance and aim with a few rounds of practice, then battle it out in a full-on tournament. Just grab a posse of six or more and you'll be throwin' in no time. You could don your civilian gear or dress up for the occasion — animal hides or a horned helmet could unleash the warrior within. Stick with a single axe throw or challenge yourself to hit the target with a double. It's part workout, but mostly fun. Plus, you don't need to be a pro-thrower or even particularly strong. Afterwards, beeline for the chillout zone that's stocked up with refreshments — and you can BYO snacks. If you've got a real appetite for destruction, head to Smash Stuff afterwards. It's here you can, well, smash stuff in the Rage Room. After all of that, you'll have surely let off all of your steam.
History has been made! Following Australia's 1–0 defeat of Denmark, the 2022 Socceroos are the most successful FIFA World Cup team to ever come out of this country, advancing to the Round of 16 for just the second time ever with two wins in the group stage. Next up: Argentina. This momentous match will be going down at 6am AEDT on Sunday, December 4. To mark the occasion, the New South Wales Government will be lighting the Sydney Opera House's sails green and gold from 8pm Saturday till dawn Sunday, making all public transport free from 4am–midday on Sunday and setting up an official live site to watch the match. While this early-morning viewing time means you may opt to stay in and watch the match from the comfort of your couch, there are a range of spots around Sydney that you can head to if you want to catch a screening of the must-win showdown side-by-side with your fellow countrypeople. To help you plan your Sunday morning, we've compiled a list of all the spots around Sydney that have currently confirmed they will be showing the game. [caption id="attachment_739368" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Tong via Flickr[/caption] OFFICIAL LIVE SITES The NSW Government's official live site will be at set up at Darling Harbour's Tumbalong Park. A sizeable screen ready to accommodate large crowds will grace the venue, showing the game for free, and neighbouring Darling Harbour retailers have been encouraged to open their doors early in order to keep the football fans well-fed and well-caffeinated. In southwest Sydney, there will be a couple of viewing zones. The City of Canterbury Bankstown has earmarked Earlwood to host a showing of the match. Socceroos fans in Sydney's southwest can head down to Beaman Park from 5.30am, where there will be a viewing party with a barbecue breakfast. And, Liverpool City Council has arranged for the match to be broadcast live from Macquarie Mall, opening from 5am. If you're in the Inner West, you're also in luck. Following a successful live site in Summer Hill for the Australia vs. Tunisia game, the Inner West Council will again be activating an official viewing zone. This time, the game will be shown at Enmore Park. [caption id="attachment_880855" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] PUBS AND CLUBS While plenty of pubs and clubs had events for the Australia–Tunisia game due to its 9pm start time, 6am is less conducive to your local opening up. Despite this, there are a few that have already announced viewing parties. Following a shoutout from Australian coach Graham Arnold himself, The Sackville Hotel has renamed itself The Sacky-Roo for the remainder of the Socceroos' campaign and will be showing the match on Sunday. Elsewhere, The Star Casino's 24/7 Sports Bar will live up to its name and have the game playing live (as well as the Netherlands vs USA game beforehand), and Bankstown Sports will be hosting viewing parties of the Messi–Leckie showdown across the multi-level mega-venue. There are sure to be more venues announcing special opening hours to facilitate the game, so keep an eye on your favourite spot's social feeds. [caption id="attachment_622123" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberly Low[/caption] CINEMAS If you want a unique viewing experience of the World Cup, head to The Ritz Cinema in Randwick. The lush east-Sydney theatre isn't one to shy away from unique screenings, especially sporting-related ones. It's previously hosted showings of the NRL and AFL Grand Finals, State of Origin and previous World Cup matches. Come Sunday morning, you can get comfy in a cinema chair and watch the clash. Tickets are $10. AT HOME If you haven't been tuning into this year's FIFA World Cup, but this run of success from our national team has now piqued your interest, the simplest way to tune in is from home. SBS is the official broadcaster of all games here in Australia. The network is showing all games of the tournament live and free, both on its free-to-air TV channel and on SBS On Demand. And if you sleep in, you can always catch up on the replay on the latter afterwards. Australia take on Argentina at 6am AEDT on Sunday, December 4. For more information about the 2022 FIFA World Cup, head the tournament's website. Top image: Doozeydouche via Wikimedia Commons.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it both, in a way? Next time you see something hovering in the sky in southeast Queensland, the answer to that last question could be yes. Not content with simply serving up fried chook on land as it's done for decades, KFC has taken to the skies to pilot a new delivery method — ferrying its finger-lickin'-good chicken pieces, burgers, nuggets and fries around select suburbs via drone in an Australian-first for the chain. If you've always wanted your lunch or dinner to swoop in from above, to feel like you're living in the future or to take the whole pandemic-era contactless purchasing setup literally to another level, you'll need to live in the SEQ suburbs of Kingston, Logan Central, Slacks Creek, Underwood and Woodridge to get your flying KFC fix. And, you'll also have to download the Wing delivery app, too, with the fast-food chain teaming up with the on-demand drone delivery service on its new way to get chicken direct to your door. Where your chicken is going, it doesn't need roads. And no, it isn't yet April 1, so this is genuinely happening. KFC has also set up a dark kitchen just to cater to drone orders — which it's calling a 'cloud kitchen', but obviously still sits on the ground — and says that some deliveries might arrive within minutes. Here's how it works: once you place your order, the drone will fly to the KFC kitchen to pick it up, and will then head back up to flying altitude to get to its delivery destination. With packages of up to 1.5-kilograms, it can travel more than 110-kilometres per hour. When it arrives at your house, it'll slow down, bring itself to a delivery height of about seven metres above the ground, and lower your food on a tether — which'll automatically release. You don't need to unclip anything, and the drone doesn't need to land, either. Wing advises that on-demand drone deliveries have proven quite popular in Logan over the past year, with more than 100,000 deliveries made in 2021, if you're wondering why it was chosen for this trial. If you're a Brisbanite who doesn't live in any of the pilot suburbs but resides nearby, KFC and Wing are also gradually planning to expand the delivery radius to neighbouring spots sometime in the future — but exactly where and when hasn't been revealed. For fried chicken lovers elsewhere, cross your fingers that your next zinger or three-piece feed will be taking to the air sometime in the future. To order KFC via drone if you live in Kingston, Logan Central, Slacks Creek, Underwood and Woodridge, download the Wing delivery app.
After hoards of beachgoers flouting mass-gathering rules forced the closure of Bondi Beach a month ago, the popular Sydney spot is preparing to reopen — with some restrictions. Unlike Randwick City Council's Clovelly, Coogee and Maroubra beaches, which reopened earlier this week for exercise purposes, Waverley Council's beaches will only open for the public to access the water for ocean swimming, surfing, paddle boarding and kayaking. From Tuesday, April 28, Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama will be open from 7am to 5pm on weekdays, but will remain closed on weekends. Fences will remain in place around the three beaches, with specific 'Swim & Go' and 'Surf & Go' entry and exit points, which will be managed by Council Rangers. While Bondi and Bronte will be open for surfing and swimming, Tamarama and Mackenzies Bay will be surfing only. Lifeguards will patrol all beaches during the opening times. In a statement released today, Mayor of Waverley Paula Masselos said that while the ocean is reopening, "land-based activities" remain off-limits. "Waverley's beaches remain closed to all land-based activities including social gatherings, sunbaking, walking and jogging," Masselos said. As the government's two-person gathering rule is still in place, you can only go swimming or surfing with a maximum of one friend or the members of your household. Disobeying this restriction — and leaving your house for a non-essential reason — could still see you cop a $1000 on-the-spot fine. If Sydneysiders don't follow the council's rules, Masselos said the beaches could close again. "If residents do not adhere to the conditions of these measures or follow the instructions of our Rangers or Lifeguards, then the Council will have no choice but to remove all access to the water," she said in the statement. Elsewhere in Sydney, Manly, Shelly, North Steyne, Queenscliff and Dee Why beaches are currently closed until at least Tuesday, April 28, but other northern beaches spots are open for exercise only with some lifeguard patrolling — check here for the most recent updates. Sutherland Shire beaches, which temporary closed over the Easter long weekend, are also open for exercise. All of the city's rock, ocean and regular pools are still closed. Bondi and Bronte Beach will open for swimming and surfing only during 7am–5pm on weekdays from Tuesday, April 28. You can find out more over at the Waverley Council website.
As if your boyfriend needed another reason to stay glued to sport. The Allphones Arena and Lingerie Football League, LLC (LFL) have announced a partnership that will bring the 'explosively popular' lingerie football sports league to Australia. Dubbed the “fastest-growing sports league in the US” by BusinessWeek, the sport is played just like it reads. All-female teams don their scanty bra-and-panties sets and get rough out on the football field. It’s no wonder the LFL touts itself as “True Fantasy Football”. The game is played as a modified version of American NFL football, and began as an alternative half-time show for the NFL Superbowl. In 2009, the LFL was created and drew sell-out (surprisingly male-dominated) audiences and millions of primetime TV viewers. The 2012 LFL All-Star Game will be held in Brisbane at the Entertainment Centre on June 2 and at Allphones Arena in Sydney on June 9, and will feature 32 of the best women across the league as the Western and Eastern Conference teams clash. The two cities have been pointed to as potential homes for franchises in 2013. Is the world's single most sexist sport doomed for failure in Australia?
Before Damages, Bridesmaids, Bad Neighbours, Bad Neighbours 2 and Platonic, Rose Byrne made her acting debut in the 90s, with Echo Point, Wildside, the OG Heartbreak High and Two Hands among her earliest credits. Physical sends the Australian star a decade further back, and the results have kept proving an insightful and astute gem across three seasons. On paper, the concept was always ace: Byrne, the 80s, aerobics, consumerism, capitalism, body image, mental health, women striving to break through in male-dominated times, and unpacking agency and control. On-screen, Physical instantly strutted into must-watch territory, staying there in 2022's second season and, as streaming since Wednesday, August 2 via Apple TV+, now in 2023's third and final batch of episodes. Created by Annie Weisman after the writer and producer previously pondered domesticity in Desperate Housewives and Suburgatory, Physical bends and flexes with Byrne (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem) as Sheila Rubin. The series' protagonist was a stay-at-home San Diego mother when the first episode dropped in 2021. Not long afterwards, Sheila became an aerobics entrepreneur. Physical's voyage from premiere to swansong has focused on the how, why, costs and consequences of that path — with clear eyes as much as flung-around limbs. Like On Becoming a God in Central Florida and GLOW before it, it isn't an exercise in nostalgia. Although this show looks the part, and gloriously, all thanks to meticulous production design, costume design and cinematography, it also peers backwards unflinchingly. Slipping into a leotard, then getting the blood pumping, isn't merely a quest for fitness for the show's central figure. The late, great Olivia Newton-John mightn't have sung "let's work through our troubles while working up a sweat" (unsurprisingly; it isn't catchy at all), but that's always been the thrust in a series that revels in dark comedy yet shimmers with empathy. Among those tussles: Sheila's opinion of herself, including of her body; her complicated relationship with food; and the self-critical voice in her head, which Physical literalises. Her marriage to Danny (Rory Scovel, Babylon), who talks the progressive talk yet is still happy with her largely on housewife duties, has also had a significant impact on her self-esteem. That's Sheila's status quo at the outset. From there, Physical has kept striding through her ups and downs with humour as well as ambition — covering the self-loathing, the lack of fulfilment, the catharsis that aerobics brings and the professional route that it sets her on. In the show's ten-episode third and final season, its central figure is doing well but wants more, such as national exposure and fame. Sheila has also learned to be kinder to herself, at least as herself, even while juggling being newly single, Danny grappling with their split, sharing custody of their daughter Maya (Grace Kelly Quigley, Killing Time), making the leap to TV and going all-in on the burgeoning wellness industry. But when Hollywood actor Kelly Kilmartin (Zooey Deschanel, Dreamin' Wild) encroaches into her territory, the new scolding tone in Sheila's brain has her voice. Never afraid of complex moves, Physical makes a bold choice in getting Kelly talking inside Sheila's mind. Seasons one and two devoted much of their story to the show's protagonist attempting to conquer her inner reprimands — but season three isn't backpedalling. Rather, it demonstrates that battling with your sense of self is a constant and evolving mission. It shows how easy it is to fall back into old ways of thinking, too, particularly when you're making big and stressful leaps. The fact that change is hard work has long been among Physical's recurring themes, applying whether Sheila is endeavouring to accept herself or reaching towards external goals. Kelly taking up residence in her head also continues the series' exploration of perception, helping to note that how we see the world and the objective reality are rarely the same thing. Physical has always boasted a stellar cast that can flip between laughs and drama as swiftly as the show does, which is often, with Deschanel no exception as a newcomer in this last run. As Kelly, she does triple duty — there's Kelly the person that Sheila somewhat befriends, Kelly in TV personality mode, and Kelly as the manifestation of Sheila's worries and doubts — and welcomely breaks out of her usual quirky, cutesy comfort zone. Five years after New Girl ended, this is Deschanel's best role since. Of course, while Dierdre Friel (Second Act) is a scene-stealer as Sheila's friend and business partner Greta, too, Byrne is never less than a dream. Getting an excellent performance out of Physical's lead is hardly new, as her resume from the 90s onwards attests. Across its 30 episodes — including in season three — the series has earned one Byrne's best portrayals yet, showing off both her comic and dramatic chops, because it keeps stretching and testing its characters. There's nothing routine about anyone in the show's frames, or what comes their way, be it Sheila, Greta, Kelly, Danny, mall owner John Breem (Paul Sparks, The Accidental Wolf), season two's rival instructor Vinnie Green (Murray Bartlett, The Last of Us), or Bunny (Della Saba, Bosch) and Tyler (Lou Taylor Pucci, American Horror Story), aka the reasons that Sheila discovered her exercising calling to begin with. Physical might beam with 80s lighting, colours and outfits, but it refuses to patch over its on-screen figures' flaws, giving its actors — Byrne especially — both meaty and weighty arcs to work through. Embracing imperfect journeys and life's imperfections in general, Physical packs an emotional punch. Its final season faces its own struggle as well, however: the rush to wrap up its tale. That this is the show's last go-around was announced before season three started arriving. Still, the hurried storytelling pace is inescapable; several new plot strands could've filled out whole seasons alone, rather than been crammed into one. That said, like an aerobics convert filling their schedule with class after class, wanting to continue returning to Physical's world has long come easily — this streaming highlight burns with that much energy and potency. Check out the trailer for Physical season three below: Physical is available to stream via Apple TV+.
When Dexter wrapped up its blood-splattered run back in 2013, it left plenty of fans wanting more. By now, the fact that almost every beloved TV show arises from the dead at some point is hardly new news — see also: Gossip Girl, Saved By the Bell, Twin Peaks and the upcoming Sex and the City small-screen sequel series, just to name a few — but resurrecting television's mild-mannered forensics expert by day, serial killer by night feels particularly fitting. So, get ready to watch your way through Dexter: New Blood, which sees Michael C Hall (Shadowplay) return as Dexter Morgan. The series wouldn't be worth it without him, obviously. He leads a ten-episode limited series that's due to hit the US on Sunday, November 7 and then arrive Down Under via new streaming platform Paramount+, although exactly when it'll start streaming locally hasn't yet been revealed. Hall isn't the only familiar face making a comeback, either, with Jennifer Carpenter (Dragged Across Concrete) set to return as Dexter's sister Debra. If you're wondering how that works because you remember how the original series ended, the just-dropped full sneak peek for the Dexter revival gives a few more details. John Lithgow (Perry Mason) is also coming back as the Trinity Killer — presumably in flashbacks, given the character's fate the first time around. As both the show's first teaser trailer and this new glimpse demonstrate, eight years have passed when Dexter: New Blood kicks off, just as they have for audiences. Accordingly, the series finds its namesake living a quiet life in the small town of Iron Lake, New York, and trying to forgo his murderous urges. He's going by the name Jim Lindsay, which nods to author Jeff Lindsay, who penned the series of novels the show was initially based on — and he seems happy in his new life. But then Dexter's new hometown is rocked by unexpected events, and his old ways start calling again. As fans saw over and over in Dexter's original eight-season run, resisting picking up a knife isn't all that easy for the program's protagonist. Both trailers feature plenty of blades, all within its namesake's vicinity. And if you're wondering what else to expect, the cast also includes Julia Jones (The Mandalorian), Alano Miller (Sylvie's Love), Johnny Sequoyah (Believe), Jack Alcott (The Good Lord Bird) and Clancy Brown (Promising Young Woman). And, this new trailer comes with a big surprise at the end as well. Check out the latest Dexter: New Blood trailer below: Dexter: New Blood is set to stream in Australia via Paramount+. The new series will start airing in the US from Sunday, November 7; however, an exact streaming date Down Under hasn't been announced as yet — we'll update you when it is.
Head Chef over at The Lady Hampshire and formerly a member of the Baba's Place team, Brendan King is already carving out his mark as one of Sydney's most exciting young chefs at the age of 25. Now, he's just opened the nostalgic neighbourhood diner Derrel's in Camperdown. Derrel's has arrived on Parramatta Road from King in partnership with PUBLIC Hospitality (The Empire, Oxford House, Maybe Sammy) right next door to The Lady Hampshire. King's former colleagues at Baba's Place Creative have also lent a helping hand in nailing that lived-in suburban energy. A bright pink countertop, an office panel ceiling, menus printed on the back of Woman's Weekly covers from the 80s, Bend It Like Beckham playing proudly on the 2000s-era TV and an abundance of secondhand furniture all transport you back to a trip to your grandparents or your best friend's house for dinner after school. "Working in Sydney, the only opportunities I've had to cook the food from my upbringing is in staff meals," says King. "This is my first chance to represent the food I love and eat all the time and offer it up for everyone to experience." Inspired by his grandfather Derrel's passion for Indian home cooking, King has created an inviting casual eatery and takeaway spot designed to provide affordable feeds to Inner West residents and complement The Hampshire's offerings. "My nana never cooked growing up — it was always grandpa in the kitchen. And while we hope people are a little confused at the start, it's a menu influenced by growing up as an Anglo-Indian in Sydney — whatever that means." The menu is kept simple. There are a few snacks and share plates like samosa chaat and tandoori wings, a trio of kathi rolls that pile tandoori chicken or hara bhara onto flaky paratha flatbread, and a selection of curries paired with rice, roti, lime, onion and chutney. You can also order hot chips with curry sauce or kachumber salad on the side — and round out your meal with a sweet treat like paratha with Nutella (a favourite of King's grandpa). The restaurant is BYO, so feel free to grab a few beers from Camperdown Cellars across the road or bring a bottle of your favourite natty wine to pair with your tandoori chicken plate. Better yet, Derrel's is open late. Paddington has Indian Home Diner offering late-night revellers with curry-filled wraps, and now Derrel's is here to provide anyone out in Camperdown with a kathi roll up until 2am. "It'll complement The Lady Hampshire," continues King. "As gigs finish, late-night hospo workers clock off for the night and people spill onto Parramatta Road, we're hoping Derrel's is a pitstop." Darrel's is the latest in a series of revamps and openings on Parramatta Road. The busy main drag has always screamed potential but never lived up to it — known more for closed shopfronts than must-try venues over the last decade. But, with these new PUBLIC venues joining Parra Road mainstays like Crow Bar, Deus Cafe and Frank's Pizza, the future of the thoroughfare is looking brighter. Derrel's is open 5–12am Wednesday–Thursday and Sunday, and 5pm–2am Friday–Saturday at 89 Parramatta Road, Camperdown. Follow the restaurant on Instagram to stay up to date with everything happening. Images: Michael Naumoff
In the historic fishing town of Patonga, located along the Hawkesbury River and Broken Bay, you'll find the recently renovated Boathouse Hotel. The Boathouse Group's eighth venue, it now offers all-day dining, seaside views and a large outdoor deck overlooking the water It's the first Central Coast venue for the Boathouse Group, which originated in Palm Beach back in 2008. The stunning new interior is similar to the group's other beachside venues and resembles the inside of a luxury yacht, while the large outdoor deck offers prime seating for the warmer months. The menu spans breakfast through dinner with a focus on quality produce and fresh fare. For brekkie, there are healthy options like the granola ($17), bircher muesli ($17) and green bowl (avocado, kale, broccoli, seed loaf and cashews, topped with a poached egg — $21), along with more decadent eats like the croissant french toast ($21) and sausage sangas with manchego, caramelised onions and chilli ($16). For lunch and dinner, classic pub grub, including parmas ($24), pork ribs ($39) and burgers ($26), sit alongside more refined fare — think snapper ceviche with cucumber and sesame ($23) or yellowfin tuna pasta with capers and herbs ($31). A takeaway shop turns out finger food like fish and chips, too. The classic cocktail list continues the beachside vibes, with a frozen watermelon margarita, cucumber cooler and pomegranate mojito all making the list at $18 a piece. Other drink specialties include a rare magnum offering and 17-strong beer list. Non-alcoholic options range from cold press juices and smoothies to tonics and kombucha. As of January, the hotel's accommodation will also reopen and include one-to-three bedroom guest rooms, each with waterfront balcony views. Located a 90-minute drive from Sydney, or 30-minute ferry trip from Palm Beach, it's the perfect spot to build a weekend getaway around. If you do, here are a few more Central Coast spots to check out while you're there.
Thanks to airport reads and movies based on them, everyone has heard of The Da Vinci Code. Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus is the true stunner, though. The 12-volume set is filled with the artist and inventor's drawings and writings, detailing his thoughts and featuring his sketches on a wide array of topics. It dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries. It's priceless. Original pages from it are also on their way to Australia. From Saturday, March 16, Australia's first permanent digital-only art gallery The Lume will exhibit Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius, the Melbourne venue's major 2024 exhibition. In its immersive fashion — because creating walkthrough art experiences is its approach — the site is paying tribute to the Italian Renaissance master. Most of the showcase will involve towering versions of artworks such as the Mona Lisa on the walls, plus pieces from his contemporaries as well; however, Codex Atlanticus will be a big feature, too. This is the first time that sheets from Codex Atlanticus will be on display in Australia. Since 1637, it has called Milan's Biblioteca Ambrosiana home. It's thanks to a relationship between the latter and Grande Experiences, which is behind The Lume and also Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci, that some of its pages can head this way. The Codex Atlanticus features entries from da Vinci from between 1478–1519, dating up to the year of his death. In his handwriting — in Italian, of course — and as sketched by his fingers, everything from flying machines and architecture to engineering and hydraulic systems are covered. [caption id="attachment_943630" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Biblioteca Ambrosiana[/caption] "These pages from the Codex Atlanticus represent not just a collection of sketches and writings but a gateway into the brilliance of Leonardo da Vinci's mind," said The Lume founder Bruce Peterson. "Their arrival in Australia is profound, allowing visitors to explore Leonardo in a once-in-a-generation opportunity." Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius is clearly more than the world's most-famous enigmatic smile beaming down, then. The gallery is calling it its "most ambitious, immersive and breathtaking yet", which is quite the claim for a collection that follows a van Gogh celebration, a focus on Monet and his peers and the First Nations-centric Connection. The Last Supper will also enjoy the spotlight in a big way, while the Mona Lisa will link in with the segment of the exhibition that's all about French optical engineer Pascal Cotte, who invented a multispectral camera and has peeled back the artwork's layers using his research. Accordingly, get excited about Mona Lisa Revealed, which will include an exact 360-degree replica — the only one in the world — as created thanks to Cotte's 240,000,000-pixel multispectral camera. Also among Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius' highlights: 50 of da Vinci's "machine inventions", which will be on loan from the Museo Leonardo da Vinci in Rome. This part of the exhibition will hero recreations made in Italy from the artist and inventor's sketches, and also using the materials and techniques he would've at the time. The exhibition will step through da Vinci's life, as well, including journeying through Florence's streets, Venice's canals and Milan — as brought to attendees via sight, sound, scent, touch and taste. That said, Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius isn't solely about its namesake's well-known works, with the 3000-square-metre multi-sensory gallery also exploring his inspirations and those creating their own masterpieces at the same time. Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling and works by Caravaggio will feature, for instance. In Queensland, at HOTA, Home of the Arts, Grande Experiences's Italian Renaissance Alive will also take a broader look at the period — but anyone wanting a glimpse of Codex Atlanticus will need to head to Melbourne. Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius opens at The Lume, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 5 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne, from Saturday, March 16, 2024 — head to the venue's website for tickets and further information.
If you woke up this morning and got yourself a hankering for one of the best TV shows ever made, here's some good news: a big-screen prequel to The Sopranos is on its way. Fourteen years after HBO's hit mobster drama cut to black, creator David Chase has penned The Many Saints of Newark, which jumps back to Tony Soprano's formative years in the 60s and 70s. And, because family was always a huge part of the influential drama, the film's central role is played by Michael Gandolfini (The Deuce, Cherry) — son of the late, great James Gandolfini. The Many Saints of Newark hops into Soprano's story when he's a teen in the titular New Jersey city — a place under the sway of the DiMeo crime family, struggling with race relations and about to be caught up in the race riots of 1967. Young Anthony plans to go to college, but he also has a strong relationship with his uncle Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola, The Art of Self-Defense). Fans of The Sopranos will recognise the name, with Dickie the father of series regular Christopher Moltisanti. As the just-dropped first trailer for The Many Saints of Newark shows, Anthony's connection to his uncle will have a huge impact on his life — and on his path to becoming the ziti-loving, panic attack-suffering, hot-tempered mob boss that The Sopranos followed for six seasons between 1999–2007. Leaving a significant imprint on the film: the casting of the younger Gandolfini. Even from just this initial sneak peek, it's impossible to imagine this movie being made without him stepping into his dad's shoes. Whether director Alan Taylor, a veteran of The Sopranos, gives Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing' a whirl in the feature is yet to be seen. It doesn't pop up in the trailer, though. Of course, when the film releases in cinemas in September, The Sopranos aficionados can definitely look forward to spending time with a few familiar characters other than Young Anthony — including Corey Stoll (The Report) as Uncle Junior, Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) as Anthony's mother Livia, and Billy Magnussen (Made for Love) and John Magaro (First Cow) as his future righthand men Paulie Walnuts and Silvio Dante. Leslie Odom Jr (One Night in Miami) and Jon Bernthal (Those Who Wish Me Dead) also co-star, while seeing Ray Liotta (Marriage Story) jump back into the gangster genre immediately conjures up memories of Goodfellas — the Martin Scorsese classic that also charted the rise of a young man within the mob. Check out the trailer below: The Many Saints of Newark releases in Australian cinemas on September 23.
Freya and Elias Berkhout’s relatively new sibling collaboration is off to a good start. They won the recent Sydney Festival Soundtrack Competition, which saw their tune 'Picnic!' played as the 2013 Festival’s theme song, and they’re now about to release their debut EP, See In Walk. Freya might be known to some indie music lovers for her work as one-half of experimental pop duo kyü, which appeared at Homebake 2009 and won the Hopetoun Incentive. However, Gnome’s sound takes on a new dimension altogether. She and her brother combine a range of influences and interests, and their work fuses classical and world music with electronica. Live, they float deftly executed harmonies over loops, creating dynamics through percussion breaks and rhythmic changes. Freya has described it as “loosely a combination of Brian Eno, The Knife and Sufjan Stevens”.
Usually when Cirque du Soleil hits cities around the world, it has audiences rolling up to its big top to see stunning acrobatic feats. But with the Montreal-based circus company's latest show, which also marks a pioneering display for the organisation, viewers will be hitting up arenas instead — because CRYSTAL takes place on ice. Cirque du Soleil's first-ever ice show, CRYSTAL still features all the trapeze, juggling, aerial acrobatics and more that fans have seen and loved across the company's past 41 productions — seven traditional circus acts, in fact, including banquine and hand balancing — but then adds a frosty surface rather than its usual stage setup. And, it includes figure skating and extreme skating into the spectacle as well, two disciplines that've never been featured in a Cirque du Soleil production before now. Even better: CRYSTAL will make its debut Down Under in 2023, kicking off in — when else? — winter. The show will start unleashing its frosty wonders in New Zealand, starting in Christchurch and then heading to Auckland, before making its way to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth in Australia. This'll mark Cirque du Soleil's first visit since KURIOS: Cabinet of Curiosities in 2019 and 2020, although that production's run was interrupted by the pandemic. Also part of CRYSTAL, and another Cirque du Soleil first: remastered pop songs, including Beyoncé's 'Halo', U2's 'Beautiful Day', Nina Simone's 'Sinnerman' and Sia's 'Chandelier', in the company's only touring show so far to use such tracks. CRYSTAL has been doing the rounds worldwide since 2017, with more than 1.8-million people in 115 cities in 12 countries checking it out over the past five years. The all-ages show takes its name from the production's protagonist, who acts as the audience's guide as she follows her destiny to become herself. CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S CRYSTAL — AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR 2023: Friday, June 16–Sunday, June 18 — Christchurch Arena Tuesday, July 4–Sunday, July 9 — Spark Arena, Auckland Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre Thursday, August 3–Sunday, August 6 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Thursday, August 17–Sunday, August 20 — John Cain Arena, Melbourne Thursday, August 31–Sunday, September 3 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre Friday, September 15—Sunday, September 17 — RAC Arena, Perth Cirque du Soleil's Crystal will tour New Zealand in June–July 2023, and Australia in July–September 2023. For more information, or to buy tickets from 12pm on Wednesday, November 16 — with various presales beforehand — head to the show's website. Images: Matt Baker / Olivier Brajon.
Who says the weekend is the only time to do activities other than sitting at a desk? Not us. Don't underestimate the twilight hours of your weekdays — there's so much happening each night of the week so you should have no trouble making plans that aren't emailing clients outside of work hours. From gallery nights to boozy craft sessions to night markets, you can go out straight from work every night of the week if you so wish. So why not engage with something tangible, and see what your city has to offer after dark? In partnership with Hahn, we've compiled a list for when you've got restless feet and a soul hungry for some culture. [caption id="attachment_663766" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Art Gallery of NSW.[/caption] SNEAK INTO AN ART GALLERY AT NIGHT No longer do you need to contend with the Saturday morning crowds at your local art gallery, as more are staying open for longer hours and — in news particularly good for you — at night. After-dark sessions at galleries like the NGV in Melbourne or the MCA in Sydney are increasingly popular and have a different vibe to your headache-inducing Saturday morning experiences. There's a bar-like buzz, more like-minded people, little to no children running around, and often DJs and beers on offer. So why wouldn't you get your art fix at night? Saturday morning gallery drinking does tend to be frowned upon, after all. Where? In Melbourne, Buxton Contemporary is open late on Thursdays and often has free opening parties for exhibitions, and the NGV has a constant stream of special events on in the evenings, such as its Friday Nights series. Sydney side, both the Art Gallery of NSW and the MCA are open until 10pm and 9pm (respectively) on Wednesdays, with the latter holding its ARTBAR event on the last Friday night of each month. In Queensland, GOMA stays open late on Fridays when there's a big exhibition on, and the Institute of Modern Art holds a party on the first Thursday of every month. [caption id="attachment_610655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Triffid.[/caption] SEE SOME FREE LIVE MUSIC If you're already headed somewhere for a pub feed, consider sticking around and letting some live music warm the cockles of your heart, too; 'Wonderwall' covers are few and far between now, and you can rest assured you'll probably find someone on the mic with some actual talent. There's a bounty of venues that provide free live music in all the major cities, and the only tricky bit is picking which one you want to give a crack. Getting a nice folky soundtrack to your parma and pint has never been so easy and you'll find yourself even praising the ukulele player because you're feeling so cosy and cultured. Where? To get you started, try The Yarra Hotel in Abbotsford in Melbourne, Different Drummer in Sydney's Glebe or The Triffid in Newstead, Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_653238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud.[/caption] MAKE YOUR OWN MEAL AT A NIGHT MARKET Why have one thing for dinner when you can have five things instead? Albeit generally smaller bites, the best bit about night markets is that you can roll your way around having a very intense snacktime and, before you know it, all your little bites transform into one big meal and you're full. Nothing says 'culture' like a bellyful of hot sugary doughnut washed down with a few beers. Where? Hawker 88 Night Market at Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, Sydney's Chinatown Night Markets, and the Boundary Street Night Market in Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_571310" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Cork and Chroma.[/caption] BYO BEERS TO A PAINTING CLASS If you thought art was not for the likes of you to create, think again. Some of our best work comes out when we've had a drink or two, so consider combining both and giving a BYO painting session a go. An art class is long a very fruitful passage to creating mini masterpieces, and one where you can bring your own bottles of plonk to inspire greatness out of your paintbrush is very civilised indeed. But don't worry — there are instructions and an artist will take you through the actual painting class so it isn't all left up to your novice hands. You just have to organise what you'll be drinking. Where? Cork & Chroma has studios in Collingwood in Melbourne, Surry Hills in Sydney and South Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_529488" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The Astor by Charlie Kinross Photography.[/caption] WATCH A CLASSIC FILM Heading out after work to watch the latest blockbuster like Crazy Rich Asians is all well and good (because it's a cracker), but sometimes you want to put aside the Hollywood hits for something more subtle. At those times, try watching a classic film at one of the many cinemas that show them on the reg. Melbourne's Astor Theatre and Sydney's Golden Age are both famous for hosting throwback sessions of classic films and often marathons, too. Use those few precious hours after work to invest in your cultural movie capital by making yourself watch Ben-Hur — because when else are you going to do it? Reality TV be damned — these will make for much better chat around the coffee machine at work the next day. Where? The Astor Theatre in Melbourne, Golden Age Cinema and Bar in Sydney, or Metro Arts in Brisbane. Start planning your mid-week itinerary so you can fit some culture — and a Hahn or two — in before the weekend. Top image: MCA Artbar by Leslie Liu.
They're doing more than just jamming: actors Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch and James Norton, plus writer/director Reinaldo Marcus Green, that is. Teaming up for Bob Marley: One Love, the first major biopic about its namesake — and a film driven by Marley's family, with wife Rita producing with children Ziggy and Cedella, plus their sibling Stephen the music supervisor — this quartet knows that their task is formidable and important. Anyone wondering whether the feature's focal point, a Jamaican icon and the initial person that anyone instantly thinks of when reggae is mentioned, could be loved is pondering a pointless question. Ben-Adir, who stars as Bob fresh from playing one of Barbie's Kens — and steps into another real-life figure's shoes again after giving One Night in Miami its Malcolm X and TV's The Comey Rule its Barack Obama — is among Marley's fans. He has company on the movie; of course, everyone should be. "He was an artist first, and one of the great, great songwriters. I don't know if there's anyone who can write songs [like him]. Like, he's top five, but my number one," he tells Concrete Playground. So for him, his job "was always about trying to understand him as an artist, and as a father, as a man," Ben-Adir explains. "Here's a musician who dedicated his life to writing songs that we now all get to enjoy. Understanding what that meant, to play the guitar and to write that many songs, that many albums, in that ten-year period, it was just incredible." Bob Marley: One Love arrives after documentaries have already had the sun shining on Marley's impact and legacy. A birth-to-death filmic biography isn't its aim or approach, then. The man, the music, the message: that's the movie's trinity as it hones in Bob in the late 70s, specifically around the making and touring of his 1977 album Exodus. The record was named the best album of the 20th century by TIME magazine; however, it's not just its contents but the political context in Jamaica that brought it to fruition that speaks volumes about the man behind it. "That was a period of time of musical genius, musical creation. Bob created Exodus, which was one of the greatest albums of the 20th century — and after the assassination attempt on his life in 1976, [and the] political turmoil in Jamaica, it was just such a rich period of time," says Green. The filmmaker both directs and co-writes, in his first feature since fellow biopic King Richard. "And also, he had made several albums that we can pull from. The backbone of the story is the music. So it felt such like a rich period of time in Bob's life, before he obviously gets sick — it just felt like a really prime time in his life that that captured the essence of who the man was," Green continues. [caption id="attachment_940714" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Antony Jones/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures[/caption] This isn't just a story of one person, either. Turning in the picture's other powerful main performance, Captain Marvel, No Time to Die and The Woman King's Lynch is Rita to Ben-Adir's Bob. It's as much her tale as well. "Frankly, if her voice wasn't as present as it is in the movie, if she wasn't as dynamic a character as she is in the movie, I wouldn't have taken the role," Lynch advises Concrete Playground. "Because I knew from afar before I had the role who she is, what she represents, how respected she is in Jamaica, in Ghana, in different countries over the world — that if it wasn't going to be that, then I don't have any business lending my voice to that." As for Happy Valley, Nowhere Special and Little Women star Norton, another veteran of playing real-life figures after Mr Jones and Rogue Agent, he brings influential record producer and Island Records founder Chris Blackwell to the screen. "It is daunting," he advises. "Especially if they're alive, because you know they're going to watch it — well, they might watch it one day — and there's only one person who's going to give you the full appraisal of your work: it's the person who you just played." With Bob Marley: One Love releasing in cinemas Down Under on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, we also chatted with Ben-Adir, Green, Lynch and Norton about the importance of finding the right person to play Bob, plus making a Bob Marley movie with his family so heavily involved — as well as why a Bob Marley biopic hasn't reached screens before and learning about the singer while working on the film. On Finding the Right Actor to Play Bob Marley — and Being That Actor Reinaldo: "We looked at thousands of tapes from everywhere, everywhere we could find. It's just hard. It's Bob Marley. You're looking for a needle in the haystack — and we're talking really good actors — that it just was really hard to find it. So when I saw Kingsley's tape, it was the first time that I thought it was possible. He had a look. He had an enigma. He had a vulnerability. He had a charisma. And his tape, it was pulling me closer to him. I was leaning in in a way that I hadn't leaned into any of the other tapes, and so I knew that there was a baseline. Obviously I wanted to meet him immediately. I didn't know Kingsley or Kingsley's work — or I didn't remember 'oh, that was the guy that played that'. And so it was interesting to find it and say 'oh, okay, he was a chameleon in those movies, he was able to disappear'. And there was something quite special about that. There was obviously a level of intelligence that I was looking for, somebody that was going to put in the work and be able to make an interpretation of Bob, rather than mimic Bob. So the tape gave me so much excitement that it was possible to even attempt to make a movie about Bob, and from that moment we went on the journey of discovering who the man was." Kingsley: "When the audition came through, I was told that as soon as you get the tape to us, the family will see it within 24 hours. So that's a good motivation to get your shit together and prepare something meaningful or worth sharing. That's what I always do when there's a big audition or interesting audition or something that feels substantial, you just take three to four days — you just need a bit of time to wrap your head around, in this case, Bob. I spent some time really watching him and watching him in concert and listening to some of his interviews. And yeah, I guess when I got the call saying that Ziggy had approved and wanted me to fly over and meet him, it was a pretty special feeling. I didn't have the job, but I was going over to meet Bob's child, which is really surreal." On Making a Movie About Bob Marley with the Help of Bob Marley's Family Kingsley: "Ziggy remembers a lot about him. He was in Zimbabwe with his dad. He was in Jamaica. What was so amazing was that the process of building the character was with Bob's friends and family. So I read all the books, but after a while you just go 'don't need those, I can just call people who knew Bob — I can just call people who were there in London with Bob, I can call people who are on stage with him'. It's really incredible, looking back. It was work, there was a lot to find out and there was a lot of work to do, but I loved working with Ziggy. All throughout the prep, we would message and talk, and then he was there with us every day on set, which was just game-changing. Neville Garrick [Bob Marley's art director] and Ziggy were with us every day from the beginning. And I mean, there wasn't a morning where Ziggy wasn't on set first. He was always there. Any questions? Anytime. And so my process was really our process — it was really a communal thing." Lashana: "You read everything. You read her book — thank god she wrote one. You watch everything. And then you hope that it makes sense. And it did, to a certain extent, until I called for some time with her. Then after I met her, I thought I could just throw away all the information, to be honest. It's really helpful to have facts, but it's more the types of beings that Mrs Marley and that Bob are and were at the time for everybody, is so intricate and so beautiful, that it requires a tapping in of their level of spirituality in order for me to even portray any of her. There needs to be a spiritual connection there. So I ensured that the energy was right, and whenever I didn't feel like I was approaching her well, I had to just take a beat with myself and remember who she is and what she deserves. And thankfully, this production knew that we had the children's support and guidance throughout the shoot. That helped us really get to those sweet spots in the movie." Reinaldo: "It was quite special obviously to meet Ziggy for the first time, and to understand why they were making this movie — and why me, and just try to try to get an understanding of that. Ziggy had seen a short film of mine called Stone Cars. It wasn't even the King Richard Oscar [attention] — he was talking about my short film, which I shot in South Africa, and I thought that was really interesting because I shot that film with no money, with no lights, all natural light. And it was raw, and I think that's what he was after. He was after something raw. He was after something pure. And once I knew that, I knew that he wanted to make something quite special. So that was just a connection. It was an immediate connection, somebody's valuing your short film work as a filmmaker. Since then I had learned a lot, so I was like 'okay, I can take what I learned from my short films and bring that to that'. I can bring that kind of energy. I can bring a City of God energy to this film in a way that maybe we hadn't seen on the screen, or I was hoping that that what we were trying to achieve was something different — not necessarily a musical biopic; a movie like City of God or Black Orpheus, something that felt organic and pure and raw. We were aligned right away when it came to that, to the visuals in the film, and what I wanted to look and feel like. I'm very grateful to him for that, and that was the start to a three-year-long journey." On the Process of Stepping Into Such Influential Figures' Shoes Kingsley: "What was really exciting about it originally, he's an icon and a hero and everyone knows Bob, and there's a huge pressure around that and the family are involved, but really when I started working, it was about understanding the musician — and understanding the meaning of his songs, and understanding what it was that Bob was trying to do. And my mind was just blown. I'd spend a few days on an album, then I'd move on to another one, then I'd get stuck on a song, then I'd be on that song for four weeks. And Cedella, Bob's daughter, sent me some files that only the family have. There were a number of interviews that are not available on YouTube or anywhere. I was listening to them and transcribing them all the way through, even when we were shooting. It was just amazing to get to listen to Bob talk over a 12-year-period so extensively about his religious beliefs, about writing, about life, about everything." Lashana: "I wanted to make sure that she was authentically portrayed, and that she was given the light and the flowers that she deserves — and that her spirit and her energy was in the film. So it was important for me to be able to rest firm in that at the beginning, and then be able to impart, I guess, the wisdom and the information that I gained from meeting her into the script and onto set. I think that the most-daunting thing at the very beginning was the fact that I have a responsibility to Jamaica. I represent Jamaica to the fullest. I'm of Jamaican heritage. My parents were born there. And also this is one of the queens of our country. So I knew that the responsibility was going to be big and that this had to be right. Once I saw how weighty that responsibility was, I just threw it away and decided to just focus on Mrs Marley, because she's who has the voice here and she's who people are going to remember — whether they're learning more about her because they know her already, or they don't know her and they're learning her for the first time. I wanted her portrayal to be balanced." James: "Chris Blackwell was a legend in his own right. In terms of music producers through the ages, there's no one really like him. As people have said, he's more one to introduce reggae to the world than anyone. And if you look at his roster of talent that he's represented and careers that he's launched, his taste is immaculate and he's clearly brilliant at his job. Also, the way that he kind of cross-pollinated, the way that he brought Junior Marvin into The Wailers because he knew the sound it would bring, which is nodded to in the movie — the guy's a genius. I think most music producers would say that there's only been one Chris Blackwell and there only will be one. So it was a responsibility to get him right. It was a pleasure and a privilege to learn about him. It was a privilege to meet him in Jamaica when we premiered the film, and I got to shake his hand — and I think he was approving of my portrayal. He didn't seem too upset, which is which is a relief." On Why a Bob Marley Biopic Hasn't Reached Screens Before Reinaldo: "I think time. Time wasn't right. I know they tried to make it for 30 years. Neville Garrick, who was our consulting producer on the film, told me I think he had tried to make it for 25 years. I had heard names like Oliver Stone and Scorsese, and many, many directors at some point, because everybody loves Bob. I just think time wasn't on their side. Time was on my side. It was the family's time. I think it was hopefully finding the right filmmaker. I think there's a time for everything and for whatever reason, this was our time. And we had to run with it. And also part of it was discovering who was going to play Bob. I think for so long it was trying to find who could carry the weight, who could carry that burden in in a lot of ways. Fortunately for us, it was Kingsley." On Learning More About Bob Marley by Making the Film James: "I was a fan, but like a lot of people, my life as a fan was limited to legend. I think probably when I was a teenager I was given or I brought that compilation, and I gorged on it. It became really, genuinely an important part of my teenage years and my 20s. He provided an apt soundtrack to those periods: the upbeat, celebratory moments; the crashes; the lower, more-pensive moments with 'Redemption Song' or whatever it might be. So I listened to his music and I didn't really know much about the context. And this is why I think this film for me and for hopefully the audience is going to be so important, because you realise that his message is so much bigger than his music. As there's a line in the film, the message and the music can't be separated. But it's been a real journey, a real revelation to me, to understand more about the man and where that message came from — and the fact that it came from struggle. Reinaldo: "I was definitely a fan. Grew up with the music in my household. My dad named me Reinaldo Marcus Green after Marcus Garvey [the Jamaican political activist], who Bob had studied, and so there were all these kismet signs that I was somehow supposed to be the person that helped bring this story to life. And I resisted it like I resist everything. 'Why me? It's too much. It's too hard. This is crazy. This is Bob Marley!'. But it was something about Bob in particular. He's a superhero. He's really unlike any other musician. He's like Peter Parker — he's a common man who then puts on a cape at night and rescues us with his music. It's a fantasy, and it's amazing when you see somebody that has that ability to transform our lives with his music. I mean, it's very rare to get that. You see the face, you see the image on the T-shirts and it's like 'who is that? Who is that man?'. I think we always we always feel that. He's a revolutionary, his spirit, what he was singing for. So going on that discovery was amazing. I only knew the tunes, right? Very rarely do you dissect lyrics. And that was the quest for me in this film, was really trying to understand where the music was coming from. I wasn't so well-versed in Jamaican politics, what was happening at that time, what was really going on — and Jamaica's rich history, and colonialism, and what was happening in politics. And so it was a great way for me to rediscover that period of time and do it through his music. I was hoping that we can weave the film in a way that the music comes out in a very organic way in the film that feels part of the fabric of how we made the movie; it's the DNA, it's the backbone, but it's not a musical." Bob Marley: One Love releases in cinemas Down Under on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. Read our review.
Catching a movie at one of Sydney's favourite outdoor cinema spots is a summertime tradition, combining new and recent big-screen flicks with spectacular panoramic views of the city, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. And, while many events have had to cancel or postpone their plans this year — spanning gigs, festivals and even outdoor art exhibitions — Westpac Openair Cinema has announced that it'll definitely be returning when the warmest season of the year officially kicks in. Every movie that graces the cinema's big screen has to hold its own against the stunning sights glittering away behind it, of course — and although Openair hasn't yet revealed what it'll be screening this time around, it has unveiled its 2020–21 dates. It'll kick off on Tuesday, December 15 and run through until Wednesday, February 24, all at Mrs Macquaries Point as usual. If you've noticed that Openair's season spans a few weeks longer than normal this year, that's because of the capacity restrictions required to remain COVID-19-safe. Only 900 movie-goers will be permitted to attend each night, and to feast their eyes on the on the 350-square-metre screen rising from the harbour. Just what other changes will be in store to adapt to the current pandemic are also yet to be revealed, including what it means for the event's usual food and booze spread. Especially given these adjustments, tickets are likely to go quick when they go on sale. Across the summer of 2018–19, more than 40,000 tickets sold within the first two days of pre-sale — so put it in your diary ASAP. Westpac Openair 2020 runs from Tuesday, December 15–Wednesday, February 24. Further details about the lineup, and COVID-19 restrictions, are still set to be announced — we'll update you when more information is revealed. Image: Fiora Sacco
Earlier this year, the onsite restaurant at Brisbane's Ovolo The Valley announced a considerable change, with Tel Aviv-inspired eatery Za Za Ta Bar and Kitchen switching to an entirely vegetarian menu. But it isn't the only venue at the chain that's making the shift — with the hotel group's full suite of bars and restaurants at its Australian and Hong Kong sites all adopting a completely plant-based range for the next 12 months. Ovolo is calling the move its 'year of the veg', and it came into effect from Thursday, October 1. As well as Za Za Ta, the change also covers Mister Percy at Sydney's Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour, plus Monster Kitchen and Bar at Ovolo Nishi in Canberra. And, Ovolo Woolloomooloo's Alibi Bar and Kitchen, too, although it already served up a wholly plant-based menu before this announcement. In Brisbane, diners can keep tucking veggie-heavy Middle Eastern fare, such as hummus made with braised chickpeas and a 63-degree egg; shish barak, aka Lebanese-style pumpkin dumplings; and cauliflower shawarma with smoked labneh and quince. For Sydneysiders, Mister Percy is now dishing up a vegetarian Italian menu, including pastas, pizzas and antipasti. Dig into a bowl of pappardelle and wild mushroom ragout, for example, or opt for a potato, mozzarella, taleggio, rosemary and truffle paste pizza. And, in Canberra, Monster Kitchen and Bar has a new executive chef as well. Paul Wilson's revamped menu will feature fermented and pickled foods quite heavily, and the restaurant will also start its own kitchen garden to grow its own produce. For more information about Ovolo Hotels, its restaurants and their plant-based menus for the next 12 months, visit the chain's website.
Gone are the days of heading to a game and the only food option is a Four'n Twenty pie. Stadium food has been on the rise for a little while now, but it really took a leap to a whole new level last year when the SCG and the new Allianz Stadium enlisted the help of Merivale to revamp their dining options — and following suit is another set of sports grounds. Sydney's largest sports and concert venue, Accor Stadium, and Parramatta's flash new ground, CommBank Stadium, are both giving their food offerings a major makeover with the help of the family-owned hospitality business Gema Group. The team-up will see a heap of local and international favourites join the culinary roster across the two stadiums. Five Guys, El Jannah, Al Aseel, Ribs & Burgers, Roll'd, The Meal and Wine Co, Sushi Hub and Oakberry will all be available across the two stadiums alongside refreshed offerings of classic stadium food like pies, hot chips, hot dogs, nachos, pizza, souvlaki and burgers. The addition of El Jannah's famous charcoal chicken to Western Sydney's two major stadiums feels like a match made in heaven — while the addition of Five Guys to the offerings is particularly notable, with this being the first time the US burger chain will be located in a stadium anywhere in the world. "This is a great announcement that will not only highlight the flavours of Western Sydney, it will create jobs and support many small to medium family-owned businesses, like the legendary El Jannah," says NSW Minister for Sport and Small Business Steve Kamper. Even Nobu is getting in on the action, with the famously fancy sushi and sashimi outpost popping up at major Accor Stadium events in collaboration with the Crown Sydney. And a trio of acclaimed chefs — Manu Feildel, Anna Polyviou and Miguel Maestre — are all jumping on board to put their own spin on stadium eats as part of the Event Chef Series that will pop up during major events. "We will be giving fans the ultimate choice of cuisine — reflecting the diverse communities who attend our events and Sydney's richness of culture," says Venues NSW CEO Kerrie Mather. Head to the Venues NSW website for more information on the partnership between Venues NSW and Gema Group.
The Star Casino's food offerings are varied and plentiful. If you've ever wandered through the lower level of the casino you would have stumbled upon restaurants from the likes of Chase Kojima, Luke Nguyen and Martino Pulito, with the casino housing everything from hearty American barbecue to inventive sashimi. In order to keep the ship at these restaurants running and ensure you can eat well at home, The Star's food offerings have been wrapped up into a series of neat takeaway and delivery meals available during Sydney's lockdown. Seven of the restaurants have launched at-home menus, each accompanied by dedicated Spotify playlists to create the same ambiance of the restaurant at home and bottled cocktails available at $15 for 100 millilitres or $60 for 500 millilitres. Sokyo has three options on offer. The $140 set menu serves two and includes a seven-course offering taken from its menu. The seven dishes include kingfish ceviche and salmon with ponzu, lamb chops with fried cauliflower and yuzu vinegar, wagyu steak and the restaurant's signature miso-glazed toothfish. The $200 finish at home kit features an expanded version of the set menu that you partially cook yourself with guidance from Chase Kojima. And, the $65 Sokyo Sushi Box features sixteen pieces of seafood sushi ranging from tuna to kingfish belly. Black Bar and Grill are similarly serving up a $120 set menu for two featuring beef jerky and brioche, burrata with salted baked beetroot, buttery king prawns and a wagyu rump served with a heap of sides, and its cook-it-yourself counterpart with guidance from Executive Chef Dany Karam. Set menus and finish at home meals from Fat Noodle, Bar Tikram, Cucina Porto, Flying Fish, and a burger and salad menu from 24/7 Sports Bar are all on offer, with set menus ranging from $70-140. You can view all the offerings sorted by their restaurants at The Star's website. [caption id="attachment_825287" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Black Bar and Grill's king prawns[/caption]
We've passed the winter solstice and the temptation to hibernate is growing ever stronger — so, you probably need a little something extra to tempt you off the couch. Handily, online reservation platform The Fork has a winning idea up its sleeve: it's offering a huge six weeks of dining specials nationwide. Kicking off on Monday, July 1, The Fork Festival will see over 250 top restaurants across the country offering sit-down meals for half the usual price. Yep, 50 percent off your total food bill, folks — think of it as the proverbial carrot luring you out of the house. To snag a half-price meal, you just need to make a reservation through The Fork website or app at one of the participating eateries for any service (breakfast, lunch or dinner) during the six weeks. [caption id="attachment_574140" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Comuna Cantina[/caption] There are some great venues coming to the party, too. In Sydney, you'll find discounted eats at the likes of Pilu at Freshwater, Queen Chow Manly, Potts Point wine bar Monopole, Din Tai Fung (Chatswood, Central Park, Miranda), waterside spot Berowra Waters Inn, Fratelli Fresh (Alexandria and Crows Nest) and Surry Hills' Caffe Bartolo. Melbourne spots include Prahran's Casa NOM, Burma Lane in the CBD, South Yarra's Abacus and Pretty Boy Italian Steakhouse. Brisbane folk can score discounts at the likes of Comuna Cantina, River Quay Fish and The French Bistrot, and Perth diners should put Angove Kitchen & Espresso Bar, Prince Lane and Street Eats Eatery on their radar. You might want to revisit an old favourite or you could get a little adventurous and road-test somewhere new. Either way, there's ample time to squeeze in a fair few discount feasts before the festival wraps up on August 11. The Fork Festival runs from July 1–August 11. The full list of participating restaurants will be released on the website on June 30. Top image: Caffe Bartolo by Kitti Gould; Casa Nom by Griffin Simm.
Set a few streets back from Manly's iconic Corso, Bo Hinzack's new joint is providing beach dwellers and visitors alike a new destination to get their caffeine fix. Don't let the name and the mission fool you, though, as Hinzack, along with kitchen-smith Alex Rispoli, have crafted an intricate and intriguing menu for the shop, taking on bold flavours and maintaining a health-conscious approach. Entering the shop is like stepping into a rich bachelor's pad in San Francisco in the '60s. The walls are roughly graded concrete with curved iron bars adorning the high roof. The furniture is simple, with all the steel-topped tables appearing to have been lifted from a school cafeteria, and the mismatched chairs coming along with them. It's a cosy vibe where nothing's pretentious, and everything about the shop welcomes you in for a relaxing cup of joe and a tasty meal. The menu appears limiting at a first glance, given that there aren't really any familiar faces on there, excluding staples like granola. Everything is a little new, a little different, and it can be a little intimidating. But, once perused carefully, the dishes become objects of intrigue clamouring to be tasted, in particular the pikelets. They come served with coconut and carrot, drizzled in a beautiful honeycomb and walnut syrup. Carrot, you say? Yes, carrot. The savoury twist in the otherwise sweet dish adds a whole new element, and it works. Alternatively, ask for a slice of each type of bruschetta with extra prosciutto. Hinzack's been brewing up black gold for 13 years now, and Showbox is his second foray into coffee shop ownership. After selling on his debut, the Penny Royal in Mosman, Hinzack is aiming to capture that chilled out feel that we all crave while throwing back long blacks with gay abandon. The first step to this is providing coffee made with love and integrity, which is something he absolutely nails at Showbox. The waitstaff (traditionally tattooed and clad in white tees) are more than happy to serve as guides through the coffee options, whether it be towards Reuben Hills filter roast or Mecca's single origin espresso, and the product is sensational. The milk is stretched to perfection, the extraction is rich with a full crema, and it's all bought together with a practiced hand to produce a premium product. It's surprising how often we take good coffee for granted, but Bo's brew is one that reminds us that it's takes time, effort and a generous portion of passion. With the stripped-back digs, topnotch menu and the most chilled of vibes, Showbox brings its A game to Manly for a real keeper of a cafe.
Escape to The Millhouse Cottage at Athol Gardens, a private homestead nestled in the heart of Blayney's picturesque farming land. This enchanting and heritage-listed accommodation promises to charm you and your guests with its rustic romantic setting. Originally built in 1865 as a mill, The Millhouse is the most intact of the four mills built in the region. This award-winning cottage is rich in character, built with mellow clay-fired bricks that were made on the property. The two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom cottage sleeps four guests and is surrounded by a stunning six-acre garden. Take in the natural beauty of the garden with its fountains, statues, and tree-lined walks. The garden is over 140 years old and offers a multitude of worthy settings for photographs. The homestead adds a lovely backdrop to this idyllic scene. Inside, The Millhouse boasts a country-style kitchen. Prepare a delicious meal on the Belling double oven or gather around the barbecue. Relax on the terrace or challenge your guests to a game of croquet or pétanque on the lawn. Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and retreat to The Millhouse Cottage at Athol Gardens for a private and peaceful getaway in the heart of Blayney's farming land.
While the battle rages over the impact of lockouts on live music in Sydney, the Metro Theatre continues to churn out gigs. At this stalwart, you'll catch rock, metal, indie and alternative acts from Australia and overseas. Jeff Buckley played there in 1995, and in 1996 You Am I sold out seven shows in a row. See if you can get some last minute tickets and head to the Metro for a boogie. Once you've worked up an appetite, wander over to Chinatown for a feast at Golden Century Seafood Restaurant. Another spot helping to prop up Sydney's late-night economy, it's one of the few eateries that serve food until the sun comes up. Go with a bunch of mates, and spend several glorious late night hours scoffing the banquet menu. Image: @ianieongxx via Instagram.
Game of Thrones fans might be waiting at least another year before the hit HBO show returns for its eighth and final season, but here's something that should help fill the void: an actual GoT-themed hotel, made almost entirely from ice and snow. Lapland Hotels SnowVillage is an annual pop-up hotel that opens in Kittilä, Finland each December, crafted by professional ice sculptors using around 20 million kilos of snow and 350,000 kilos of natural ice. Covering about 20,000 square metres, it's impressive at the best of times, though as Condé Nast Traveler reports, the owners have this year teamed up with HBO Nordic to give the hotel an extra memorable twist. A wintery homage to Game of Thrones, SnowVillage's latest iteration features its own 'Hall of Faces', a dragon-shaped ice slide, an Ice Mountain-guarded Ice Throne and ten impressive hotel suites with their own unique sculptures carved into the walls. In stark contrast to our current Aussie summer temperatures, the hotel's interiors only reach about minus-five degrees celsius, though you'll get a cosy sleeping bag to help see you comfortably through the night. Of course, if you're not quite sold on the idea of such a chilly sleepover, SnowVillage also has plenty to tempt day-trippers. You can chow down on a feed of local delicacies (reindeer included) in the ice restaurant, warm up with some themed drinks at onsite drinking spot Ice Bar, take in some scenery on a husky safari, or unleash some creativity of your own at one of the ice sculpture workshops. If you're heading to Finland in the next few months, entry to the SnowVillage costs €15 ($23 AUD), with rooms starting at €165 ($253 AUD). It's open daily until April 8, 2018. Via Condé Nast Traveler.
Sydney is not short on options when it comes to getting a good chicken feed. But while most eateries focus on one style – the buttermilk fried variety is overwhelmingly the most popular – new Pyrmont establishment Whirly Bird isn't putting all its eggs in one basket. Anthony Prior (formerly of The Keystone Group, which went into receivership last year) is upping the ante with an extensive menu all about the bird at his new venture. Alongside the obligatory buttermilk fried chicken (paired with either chilli and honey caramel or house-made smoky BBQ sauce), Whirly Bird is also doing rotisserie spit roast birds (available in quarter, half or whole), a shredded chicken banh mi and even a chicken salad bowl. Vegetarians and vegans are not forgotten with salt and pepper silken tofu and a vegan power bowl available. Sharing is encouraged, with plenty of starters and sides to peck at. Think duck fat roasted carrots, celery-battered jalapeno poppers and kimchi slaw. No matter what you prefer to pair with your poultry, the bar menu has you covered with an array of beers, wine and spirits. The cocktail menu designed by The Rook's former bartenders Rollo Anderson and Liam Doherty-Penzer is definitely worth a look, with plenty of options to complement your food choice. With a musical motif ranging from fresh apertifs ('Intro'), headier options ('Chorus') and indulgent digestifs ('Outro'), it is clear the team are aiming to add some elegance to the chicken game. With a generous capacity of 150, the team at Whirly Bird are obviously banking on this vast menu pleasing big crowds. So if you're craving some of the dirty bird in a setting that's not so casual, Pyrmont's latest could be one to try. Whirly Bird is now open at 84 Union Street, Pyrmont. For more information visit www.whirlybirdsydney.com.au.
Step into a land where hip hop is always playing and bros just want to be bros. Simple and cosy on Elizabeth Street, Basket Brothers is one CBD spot where you can drop in for a chill brunch or find relief from a furious hangover. Operators Jono Forsythe (Mad Pizza e Bar) and Deepak Singh (formerly of Kantine) are no restaurant rookies, and they aren't looking to be the next trend with their new project. Instead, they have come together to create a safe haven for food that can withstand the test of time. They're a great team; Deepak handles the kitchen and turns out some serious plates, while Jono jovially chats with patrons and newcomers. With its windowed corner location, BB attracts all types — from lonesome writers to daters to groups of brunching bros. The name of the game here is comfort food. The grilled ham and cheese ($9) is one of their nostalgia-driven dishes taken to the next level. A quattro formaggi, the creamy béchamel lovingly oozes from the sandwich while the housemade pickles give the dish a tangy crunch. The ham is thinly sliced and the sourdough perfectly crusted. The bacon and egg roll ($10), an Aussie staple, is made a standout with streaky bacon and a complex homemade barbecue sauce. The same sauce is used on their smoked brisket hash ($18), a CP favourite on the menu. The 12-hour slow cooked brisket melts in your mouth, and the barbecue sauce is smoky and cumin-scented. Served with a wild rocket aioli, the fresh herb balances the heavy dish and we wish there was an entire bucket of it. This is all topped with a jalapeño salsa, which isn't overpowering but adds a gentle kick to get your morning started. And when it comes to lunch, well, who doesn't love a double patty cheeseburger? The Brother Burger ($13-$17) is well cooked and decadent. And while there is great variety in the BB menu, there is still an obvious sense of coherence; the sign of a truly talented chef. The coffee is nothing to snark at either. Using Allpress Espresso, their single origin changes weekly. And if you're taking your finicky, health nut of a friend, there is still the 'light stuff' on the menu, including mango and guava bircher muesli and organic house granola ($10 each). But come on, live a little. Basket Brothers is looking to open for dinner soon, but for now, catch them for lunch, brunch or breakfast seven days a week.
It's one of the disappointments of opera in Sydney that once there, you can no longer see the Sydney Opera House. That all changes for one month of the year, when Handa Opera on the Harbour sets up at Mrs Macquarie's Point for a floating outdoor opera with an eye-popping view of Sydney's natural and artificial bounties, including the Opera House and Harbour Bridge beyond. The program of three operas — first La Traviata, then Carmen and now Madama Butterfly — has proved monumentally successful. At a time when opera is struggling to attract audiences, Opera on the Harbour not only sells tickets but lures in thousands of opera newbies. You don't need to understand opera to understand what makes the occasion great. Each of the three shows have been excellent, but Madama Butterfly is the best yet. Modern Spanish opera interpreters La Fura del Baus have put their own spin on things, not necessarily striving to be bigger and better than what's gone before but simply striving to be different. The set is in many ways more subtle. The 'spectacle' here is in metres of billowing red silk, in city lights shining through a mini forest of real bamboo and in glowing inflatable orbs — the sun and moon — orbiting the water stage. It's beautiful, inventive and stylish, and it complements the surroundings more than ever before. The spectacle is also in the act of construction; in the extended interval, you can either leave your seat for a glass of sparkling and Japanese snacks on the waterside promenade, or you can stay where you are and watch as an entire house is built on the green by cranes for act two. So: ambitious. Madama Butterfly is, as seems to be the way in opera, a story of tragic love where the woman has to die at the end. It's a relatively simple and short three acts. The relationship between Japanese teenager Madama Butterfly, or Ciocio-san (Hiromi Omura), and her American sweetheart, BF Pinkerton (Georgy Vasiliev), is one defined by colonialism and exploitation (here, it's modernised quite gracefully and recalls a mail-order bride-esque scenario). For Pinkerton, Butterfly is an exotic diversion but not a 'forever' wife. For Butterfly, Pinkerton is her idol, and she waits three faithful years for his return to Nagasaki, even when it's obvious to everyone else that he's abandoned her. He doesn't know that he has a son; she doesn't know that he has a new wife. She is so patriotic for her new country she wears Daisy Dukes and an American flag singlet. Tragic indeed. Although the orchestra is locked away beneath the stage, there is still ample room to appreciate the music of Puccini's Madama Butterfly. Though it doesn't contain the familiar 'hits' of something like Carmen, it's an interesting and character-filled score inflected by Japanese folk melodies, and it is sung with great feeling and resonance by the leads. Opera on the Harbour is not a cheap night out, but at least you can be assured that even the 'cheap seats' (C reserve is $99, D reserve $79) afford a good, unobstructed view. The event has so far only guaranteed funding for these first three years. Odds are, it'll find more, but if it doesn't, you'll be extra-kicking yourself that you missed out this time. Image by James Morgan. https://youtube.com/watch?v=xqVhf90t_5g
When it comes to watching some of the most entertaining movies ever committed to celluloid, Dendy Newtown is taking Grease's advice — by giving viewers more. From Thursday, October 29–Wednesday, December 2, the venue is dedicating a heap of sessions to big-screen musicals. Yes, we expect that you'll hear some singing from the audience while you're watching. Called The Show Must Go On, this retrospective season will work its way through a huge 23 films, all screening multiple times on different dates. Basically, it's serving up a mini-history of the genre — including classics such as Singin' in the Rain and The Sound of Music, cult favourites like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and more recent fare such as Mamma Mia! and Rocketman. While the Moulin Rouge! stage show is hopefully still coming to Australia in the near future, if COVID-19 doesn't get in the way of its plans, you can catch the Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman-starring movie on the big screen first. Also on the lineup: Grease (obviously), Little Shop of Horrors, My Fair Lady, Annie, New York, New York, Fiddler on the Roof, Hello, Dolly!, Calamity Jane, Meet Me in St Louis and Oliver! (if you haven't noticed, musicals like exclamation marks), plus 42nd Street, West Side Story, All That Jazz, A Chorus Line, Chicago, La Vie En Rose and Once). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTm5DWgL-MU
Bringing a hearty serve of la dolce vita to Barangaroo, Gina is a breezy, sun-washed diner inspired by the classic coastal trattorias of the Amalfi Coast. Brought to life by Wondrous Entertainment (Izgara, Malika Bakehouse), the 170-seat venue brings an approachable produce-led menu, aperitivo hours and handmade pasta to a prime harbourfront location. Interiors by Tom Mark Henry strike a balance between laidback Mediterranean charm and contemporary polish — think rattan pendants, golden terrazzo, walnut timber, glossy amber tiles and plenty of natural light. The venue features a mix of indoor and outdoor seating, including a semi-private space inside for intimate get-togethers and one of Barangaroo's largest terraces, complete with heating and cover for year-round al fresco dining. In the kitchen, Group Executive Chef Michael Chang (ex-Maydanoz) and Sicilian native Giuseppe Pappalardo (ex-Molto Italian, Canberra) are plating up refined takes on classic Italian fare. It's a crowd-pleasing selection that's just as suited to a lingering, grazing sundowner as it is to a hearty lunch or dinner. Start with a spread of creative antipasti like a punchy crostini topped with tonnato, cherry tomato and fresh tuna; golden, generously sized arancini with a gentle gorgonzola and pea mix; and an umami-laden calamari lifted with soppressata and XO, before moving to a daily-rotating selection of five house-made pastas — highlights might include hand-rolled leek and ricotta-filled caramelle in brown butter, Moreton Bay Bug pappardelle with chilli oil and cherry tomato and a grass-fed lamb ragu, rosemary and parmesan casarecce. There's also a curated edit of cold cuts sliced to order, as well as a grill section that includes a trio of steaks served with house-made mustard, with prices starting at $35. Cocktails also lean into the coastal vibe. Veteran bartender Grant Collins (Gin Lane, Zephyr) oversees a tight menu that riffs off the Italian canon — the sgroppino is backed by house-made lemon sorbet, the house negroni is given extra depth with a pink peppercorn and dill-infused gin and the Sole Spritz is a summer-ready combo of Aperol, coconut, passionfruit, lime, lemon prosecco and mint. Meanwhile, a 200-strong wine list features top Australian producers and an international selection of old- and new-world picks, spanning everything from easygoing whites to full-bodied reds and rare cellar finds. Images: Steven Woodburn.
Anything can be festive with the right theming, and that includes doughnuts. Accordingly, it should come as zero surprise that Krispy Kreme will soon release a line of Christmas goods, aka doughnuts iced in red, green and white. What you might not be expecting, however, is the new range of doughnut-inspired Christmas biscuits for dogs that it has just dropped first. You know the thinking behind this new canine snack: anything humans can eat, dogs think they can munch on as well. Of course, as every responsible pet parent knows, that isn't the case. But this festive season, that's where Krispy Kreme's latest limited-edition range of 'doggie doughnuts' comes in. The company has dipped their paws in this territory before, back in 2021. This time, the round dog bikkies are all about the jolliest part of the year. Even better: they're decked out exactly as the Christmas range of doughnuts for humans will be when they arrive, so you and your pupper can go all matchy matchy with your snacks. Krispy Kreme's new dog treats sure do look like the real thing anyway, and once again hail from a collaboration with Coolum-based pet treats business Huds and Toke. They come in four packs for $10.95, with each biscuit featuring different decorating — so there's a Christmas tree-inspired bikkie, one that's meant to look like a Christmas pudding, another that's inspired by Santa's belly (including a blet) and a white, sprinkle-topped number simply dubbed 'festive ring'. The biscuits aren't made from doughnuts or chocolate, of course; instead, they use a hard-baked cookie base that uses peanut butter, carob and other canine-friendly ingredients. The bikkies are also meant to be good for chewing and for teeth cleaning — so they'll get your four-legged friend's tail wagging and help take care of their dental health. And yes, a big caveat: they are just for pets. So, just like how Fido or Rover can't have your doughnut, you can't have their version either. Find them now at Krispy Kreme stores around the country, including via drive-thru and click-and-collect. Krispy Kreme's Christmas doggie doughnuts are now available from the chain's stores — including via drive-thru and click-and-collect for a limited time.
Peering into the display cases at Sterling, the contemporary jewellery store in private gallery Gaffa, it's hard to believe manager Amy Robson and co-manager Nina Baker when they say that contemporary jewellery isn't necessarily about the materials used. The doubt isn't there because they don't know their stuff – a quick chat with Baker and Robson reveals an impressive depth of knowledge that can only stem from their involvement with and passion for contemporary jewellery – but because of the vast array of materials being used in such creative ways around the room: Majella Beck replaces gemstones on brooches with swirly-patterned bouncy balls; Liesl Hazelton braids and fashions electrical wires into colourful rings; Vanessa Williams's twisted strips of elegantly-coloured titanium form angular earrings and bracelets. As Baker clarifies, "Contemporary jewellery should be described as artists working in the medium of jewellery: it's the ideas and stories behind the processes which are important; it's not just making a beautiful product to be bought and sold." The beauty of the jewellery in Gaffa goes far beyond the aesthetic, with each piece showcasing the brilliance of the jeweller behind it. Take, for example, the brooches in Mark Vaarwerk's Crayon Series, with silver textures that protrude from vividly-coloured forms. "They're silver, with crayon wax melted in," explains Baker. "He gets the beady texture from making a mould out of shrunken-down Styrofoam cups." This latter technique, among others, is the signature of a remarkable jeweller. Melting down domestic plastics such as shampoo bottles and Styrofoam cups, Vaarwek makes a mould, which is then shrunken down to emphasise its unique texture by bringing down to a domestic scale a process normally only possible on an industrial scale. It's innovation like this which demonstrates great control over the materials Vaarwerk works with. A willingness to experiment beyond a material's perceived limits is integral to the world of contemporary jewellery. The work of Kristy-Lee Agresta uses Laminex, a plastic normally reserved for the surfaces of bench tops. Instead of using its surface, however, Agresta uses the edge of Laminex to create layers conveying line and colour. Her work is instantly recognisable by the exactness of the lines and the machine-like precision of its smooth edges and surfaces. "Of course, these are all handmade," Baker says, on this last trait; each piece in Agresta's collection is put together layer by layer. Initially from Griffith, Agresta was selected for an emerging artist residency at Square Peg Studios in Newtown and moved to Sydney to take it up. Once there, she was able to meet more people in the jewellery community and develop a range of contemporary jewellery that was ready to go into shops. Agresta's work has received awards and has also been featured in travelling exhibitions and, while hard work and innovation were necessary for this recognition, so too was becoming a part of Sydney's contemporary jewellery community. Becoming a part of the jewellery community is a process made easy by the communal studios offered by Square Peg and Gaffa. Communities start off practically, with artists looking for such studios to share expensive jeweller's tools and large pieces of equipment, the purchasing and storage of which normally aren't viable on their own. "But they're not on their own," Baker corrects. "They're in this healthy, encouraging, creative bubble, and that's great. They can pick the minds of those around them and get feedback on their own work. They can travel together to conferences and exhibitions and meet a lot of people. Studios like this play a huge role in creating and strengthening the jewellery community at large – locally, nationally, and internationally." While Square Peg Studios specialises in providing artists with a space in which they can refine technique and art, Gaffa is something of a peculiar beast. Housed in the three-storey CBD building is a retail arcade, a jewellery and object store, a cafe, an art gallery, and artist studios. Having all of these things, however, works to the advantage of its resident jewellers, with exposure to the different types of people that enter the building. Overall, Gaffa helps artists develop professionally."I graduated from university with zilch: no tools, no office, and no business structure," says Baker, herself a resident jeweller at Gaffa. "I applied for a space at Gaffa, and, all of a sudden, if a client wanted me to make a ring for them, they could drop by my studio in this big building on Clarence Street and have a coffee. It gave me this air of professionalism that artists often find difficult to access." For Helen Mok, a recent graduate of the Sydney College of the Arts, becoming a part of the Gaffa community has been invaluable. Mok, an intern at Gaffa, has recently had an exhibition, Experiment, in Gaffa's Failspace, and will be a feature artist in Sterling's Curio Collector's Cabinet, dedicated to showcasing artists and their practice. Currently on display in Sterling is Mok's handcrafted Secret Garden range. The detailing is extraordinary, as if she'd cast real flowers and twigs in silver and shrunk them into wearable pieces, although this wasn't the process at all. "I drew inspiration from nature," Mok says. "But I was inspired by the imagination of childhood as well, so I carved these [imaginary plants] out of wax. They're make-believe." Carving moulds from wax is an ancient technique, and it's exactly this craftsmanship which customers of Gaffa and clients of its artists seek in contemporary jewellery. "People who come through here think outside the box," explains Baker. "They don't want a piece that you can buy from Prouds or Tiffany & Co. They want something that they can care about – they want a piece connected to the history of an ancient craft, connected to the artist who made it; they want a piece that they can wear and start a conversation with, not just because it's attention-grabbing, but because it says something as well." So, if ever you notice an interesting bit of contemporary jewellery, whether pinned to someone's lapel or sitting in a glass display, don't be afraid to ask about the story behind it. As Baker says, "Once you start to talk about it, so much more is revealed." Gaffa is located at 281 Clarence Street, Sydney, and on 30 June will be hosting Creative Lane, an art and craft festival celebrating local artists and their handmade goods. All images from Gaffa.
The Lodge Bar is an intimate cocktail and wine bar on Darling Street, Balmain that has been welcoming patrons for more than a decade. Its wine list constantly evolves but promises stunning drops from Aussie producers alongside Italian, French and Spanish vino. If you're more of a cocktail connoisseur, the bartenders can serve up all the classics, as well as The Lodge Bar signatures like an applewood-smoked Manhattan (made with bourbon, red vermouth and angostura bitters housed in an applewood-smoked dome) and tropical-leaning Caribbean Fizz (made with Bacardi, Licor 43, Cointreau, pineapple, passionfruit, lemon and a touch of sugar). The Lodge Bar's food menu is brimming with sharing plates from cheeseboards to churros. Feeling like something a little indulgent? How about the sardine rillettes with cream cheese, onion and chilli paste? What about NY-style waffle fries sprinkled with spicy paprika salt and served with burger sauce? Or chunky pork and fennel meatballs with sugo and crusty sourdough bread? Make it an event with two shots of frozen Belvedere vodka. Open from Wednesdays to Saturdays, The Lodge is host to a happy hour on each of those days, with deals on cocktails, wine and beer.
For most, thinking about surrealism means imagining melted clocks, sky-high elephants, cloud-filled eyes and giant apples. Thanks to Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, they're some of the art movement's most-enduring images. While Australia is no stranger to exhibitions about the former, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is currently hosting the nation's first-ever retrospective dedicated to the latter, complete with some of the Belgian artist's best-known pieces. Magritte opened on Saturday, October 26, 2024 as part of the 2024–25 Sydney International Art Series, and runs until Sunday, February 9, 2025 as a Harbour City exclusive. If you're keen to peruse this stunning collection of the surrealist's work, you'll need to see it in the New South Wales capital. More than 100 pieces feature, with 80-plus of them paintings — and if you need proof of why he's considered one of the most-influential figures in 20th-century surrealism, it's all over AGNSW's walls. Stare at The False Mirror at Magritte, for instance, and you'll see an instantly recognisable masterwork that's as dreamy as art gets — all while the masterpiece of a painting from 1929 peers right back. One of Magritte's most-famous creations, it features a massive eye looking at the viewer, while also filled with a cloudy blue sky. It's an unforgettable work, and it's one of the stars of AGNSW's exhibition. Another striking painting that can be gazed upon currently in Sydney: Golconda, Magritte's 1953 work that brings two other pieces of popular culture to mind. Just try not to think about Mary Poppins and The Weather Girls' song 'It's Raining Men' while you feast your eyes on the sight of bowler hat-wearing men streaming down from the heavens. Then there's 1952's The Listening Room (La Chambre d'Écoute), which shows an oversized apple, its green flesh filling an entire room. Fruit might be a regular still-life subject, but there's nothing standard about Magritte's use of apples throughout his art. Like bowler hats, they're among his favourite motifs. Archival materials, photographs and films also feature, in a showcase that's filled with the expected highlights — 1928's The Lovers, 1933's The Human Condition, 1947's The Liberator, 1951's The Kiss and 1954's The Dominion of Light among them — but also probes deeper than the works that everyone immediately knows by sight. Visitors embark on a chronological journey through Magritte's career, starting with his avant-garde early efforts in the 20s, then covering four decades from there. "Many years in the making and drawing upon our unsurpassed international network of collaborative partners, Magritte considers the towering artist's innovative contributions to the broader surrealism movement, while also highlighting the uniqueness and individuality of his artistic vision," explained Art Gallery of New South Wales Director Dr Michael Brand, when Magritte opened in October. "Fundamental to this exhibition is our anticipation to share not only the well-known paintings you would expect to see in a Magritte retrospective but also to shine a light on some surprising aspects of his artistic output, particularly from the period when the artist, working from occupied Belgium during and immediately after the Second World War, created some of the most intriguing and subversive paintings of his career," Brand continued. "Magritte was ahead of his time. He saw himself as a 'painter of ideas' and his legacy extends far beyond the world of art. Today we find his work echoed in diverse creative fields, from fiction and philosophy to cinema and advertising. We can imagine his delight at the ways in which his images continue to circulate and take on new meanings in the 21st century," added Nicholas Chambers, the exhibition's curator as well as Art Gallery of New South Wales' Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary International Art. [caption id="attachment_959955" align="alignnone" width="1920"] René Magritte 'Golconda (Golconde)' 1953, oil on canvas, 80 x 100.3 cm, The Menil Collection, Houston, V 414 © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo: Paul Hester.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_959956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] René Magritte 'The listening room (La chambre d'écoute)' 1952, oil on canvas, 45.2 x 55.2 cm, The Menil Collection, Houston, gift of Fariha Friedrich, 1991-53 DJ © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo: Adam Baker.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_959954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] René Magritte 'The false mirror (Le faux miroir)' 1929, oil on canvas, 54 x 80.9 cm, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 133.1936 © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo © The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala, Florence 2024.[/caption] Magritte is on display at Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery Road, Sydney, until Sunday, February 9, 2025. Head to the gallery website for tickets and further details. Installation images: installation of the Magritte exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 26 October 2024 – 9 February 2025, artworks © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Mim Stirling.
It was the decade that gave us Magic Eye pictures, the Macarena, Pokemon and Tamagotchi, too. We're talking, of course, about the 90s. The decade might've come to an end exactly 20 years ago now, but it's easy to get nostalgic about — especially in a hectic year where we're all thinking about how simple life once was. The easiest way to indulge that nostalgia? You can pop on a flannelette shirt or some Hypercolour if you like, or you can head back in time via your viewing choices. Press play on one of the big hits of the decade, and you'll be transported back to a period when a group of mates sat on an orange coffee shop couch, and when the Dude also abided. To help plan out your ultimate retro watch list, we've teamed up with streaming service Binge to highlight five beloved TV shows and movies that'll take you back to the 90s faster than a DeLorean — including via a 14-day free trial for new customers.
New year, new chance to learn new skills. For most of us, that's how every January starts — but once February, March and April roll around, it's easy to let that plan fall by the wayside. Enter a new collaboration between Carriageworks Farmers Market and Cornersmith, which will load you up with new know-how. And, you'll expand your sustainable repertoire in the kitchen, too. The Sustainable Kitchen Workshops series will take place every Saturday morning at 9am from February 6–April 17 and, because Cornersmith is leading the charge, there's a big focus on preserving, pickling and fermenting. Always wanted to know how to pickle plums? Fancy making your own bottled tomatoes? Desperate to create and perfect your own signature hot sauce? Head along and you'll learn everything you need to. Other sessions hone in on mushrooms, garlic and kosher pickles, plus waste-free shopping and cooking, turning scraps into kimchi and making an an old-fashioned vinegar drink out of preserved seasonal fruit. You'll pay $75 for each 90-minute class — which is a small price to learn a new skill that you'll use for life — and they're being held in Carriageworks' cafe space. Top image: Nikki To.
One-stop shopping. Other than 'Christmas cocktails', these might be the best words anyone can come across during festive season. Here's one way to make that glorious phrase even better: one-stop shopping that covers every different type of friend you have. Because everyone likes making the merriest time of year as stress-free as possible — yes, even gathering gifts for the gang — we've teamed up with the MCA Store at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia to create a one-stop shopping list for all your mates. The pal who doesn't even remember it's Christmas? Yep, they're covered. The friend who won't stop telling you about everything they've cooked this year? Them too. Art lovers of all tastes and interests? Sorted. And, if you get in quick, you can score a 15-percent discount during the MCA Store's holiday shopping weekend happening in-store and online between Friday, November 26–Sunday, November 28 (and online only on Monday, November 28, too). [caption id="attachment_834238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] More than Memory, MCA Store, 2021. Photograph: Anna Kučera.[/caption] YOUR FRIEND WHO NEVER REMEMBERS ANYTHING: MORE THAN MEMORY ($34.95) Whether it's coming from your mum or a self-help book, the best advice for improving one's memory is simply to use it — and often. So, for that friend who is happily defined by their forgetfulness (happily for them, at least), this ten-in-one games kit is an ace way to give their grey matter a nudge. More Than Memory features 72 cards all decked out with 36 vibrant Shirley Purdie artworks stemming from Goowoolem Gijam – Gija plants (2013–16). And, as the name makes plain, your pal won't just be shuffling them around, placing them on the table and playing the obvious game. This pack also comes with instructions on how to play Counting Cards, Create a Story, Describe & Draw and Finding Colours, as well as Guessing Games, Identifying Plants, Quick Draw and Sequence Master. FOR YOUR FRIEND WITH A CAMPERVAN: WELCOME TO COUNTRY: A TRAVEL GUIDE TO INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA ($39.99) If your friend is planning to get motoring in their very own campervan this summer, then they're probably intending to hit up more than just the usual tourist spots. You don't commit to living the van holiday life if you're just going to head to the same old beaches. Professor Marcia Langton's Welcome to Country won't just send your pal off the beaten track. The award-winning travel guide will also help them pair their trips with knowledge about whose Country they're on as they travel. The respected elder has penned a thoughtful exploration of Indigenous culture, and compiled a handy state-by-state (and territory) rundown of First Nations tourism experiences. Galleries, festivals, tours, performances — they'll all be on your mates' holiday list now. [caption id="attachment_834245" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dolly Parton brooch, MCA Store, 2021. Photograph: Anna Kučera.[/caption] FOR YOUR MATE WHO IS DOLLY PARTON-OBSESSED: DOLLY BROOCH ($29) Next time your bestie tumbles out of bed, stumbles to the kitchen and pours themselves a cup of ambition — on their way to working nine to five, naturally — help them do it while wearing a Dolly Parton brooch. Handmade on the south coast by Emma Lee, this bamboo piece features the Nashville icon's shimmering likeness, so the whole world will know just how much your pal adores Parton. There's never a bad time to literally wear your love of Dolly on your person. Plus, if your friend happens to be named Jolene, you obviously have to buy them this. Do it and they'll always love you. [caption id="attachment_834233" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hightide Hourglasses, MCA Store, 2021. Photograph: Anna Kučera.[/caption] FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO IS ALWAYS LATE: HIGHTIDE HOURGLASSES ($19.95–49.95) Everyone has one: the pal whose relationship with time resembles something out of a sci-fi movie. You can't buy them a time-travelling car or phone booth, of course, but you can gift them a Hightide hourglass. These glass pieces make a stunning addition to any shelf or coffee table. And, as well as coming in different hues to match most decorating schemes, they also span four sizes, with the small version filled with three minutes worth of sand, the medium covering five minutes, the large hitting 15 minutes and the extra-large whiling away half an hour. With this gift, they'll have no excuse to rock up late to Friends-mas dinner next year. [caption id="attachment_834236" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Printworks Sweden[/caption] FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO LOVES THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT: CHESS SET ($49.95) This time last year, we all binge-watched The Queen's Gambit, found a drama about chess far more thrilling than we initially expected and also wondered if we were secretly chess grandmasters ourselves. One of your friends went further than that, though, didn't they? Got a mate who organised a boozy chess party or kept talking about their moves during your lockdown zoom calls? This one's for them. Buying them a chess set might sound like the most straightforward option there is, but if you pick a stylish board, you're getting them a gift that's both practical and elegant. Printworks Sweden's blue-and-white solid-wood set ticks those boxes. So, you now have chess games by the pool in your future since your friend will need someone to play with, obviously. [caption id="attachment_834246" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tjanpi Desert Weavers, Learn to Weave Kit, MCA Store, 2021. Photograph: Anna Kučera.[/caption] FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO ALWAYS NEEDS TO KEEP THEIR HANDS BUSY: LEARN-TO-WEAVE KIT ($49.95) You know that mate who organises every group hang? Who mastered ten new skills during lockdown? Who just can't sit idly by, and always has to be doing something? We'd bet they'd love to learn to weave. This is the kind of gift that really does keep giving, because you're helping your pal discover a new talent and giving them a pastime they can practice for life. And yes, it does mean that you're likely to be given handmade baskets as presents in return next Christmas. The Tjanpi Desert Weavers kit will teach your friend to weave just like the artists from the First Nations-owned social enterprise, and comes with everything they need to embrace their new hobby. That includes raffia — both in a natural hue, and in different colours — and an industrial sailmakers needle. They'll even get access to a weaving tutorial video to get them started, too. [caption id="attachment_834247" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wah-Wah X Kaylene Whiskey, image courtesy Iwantja Arts. Photograph: Simon Eeles.[/caption] FOR YOUR FASHIONABLE FRIEND WHO THINKS COMFORT IS KEY: WAH-WAH X KAYLENE WHISKEY JUMPER ($260) When is a jumper more than a jumper? When it's also a piece of art. And, when it comes to this striking number, it's also a celebration of an Indigenous artist — that'd be Kaylene Whiskey of Iwantja Arts, which is located in the remote Indulkana Community on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands of South Australia — and her eye-catching images of strong women and pop icons. Fashion enterprise Wah-Wah has taken Whiskey's designs, emblazoned them across Aussie merino wool and turned the whole thing into a limited-edition piece. Sure, summer isn't traditionally the season for woollies, but with the expected cooler summer that's about to hit, this piece might come in handy sooner than expected. [caption id="attachment_834672" align="alignnone" width="1920"] School of Life, I'm a Mess Apron, MCA Store, 2021, photograph: Anna Kučera[/caption] FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO IS ALWAYS TRYING EXPERIMENTAL RECIPES: I'M A MESS APRON ($49.95) Cooking is messy. Life is messy. They're two truths that aren't ever going to change. And, that friend who is so into cooking that they're always turning their dishes into experiments — even more so during the past two lockdown-heavy years — definitely knows it already. So, consider this a leaning-in kind of gift. The School of Life's 'I'm a Mess' apron is the perfect present for someone who is well aware of how chaotic their days — and their kitchen habits — can be, and wouldn't have it any other way. Sure, cooking up a storm is messy, but you don't always have to literally wear the splattered evidence on your clothes. [caption id="attachment_834234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MoMA Geo Pattern Domino Set, MCA Store, 2021. Photograph: Anna Kučera.[/caption] FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO IS A KID AT HEART: MOMA DOMINO SET ($79.95) As the whole world realised over the past two years, you never really grow out of playing with board games. That covers new and old games alike — especially when a set of dominoes happens to look good enough to frame. Certain to keep your young-at-heart friend occupied for hours (dominoes is a great game to play over drinks), these blocks hail from New York's Museum of Modern Art, so they were always going to be stylish. Made from sustainably grown rubberwood and housed in their own red box, they're covered in geometric compositions that take their cues from cubist art, high-contrast colour pairings and abstract modernism. [caption id="attachment_834232" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Doug Aitken: New Era exhibition catalogue, MCA Store, 2021. Photograph: Daniel Boud.[/caption] FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO IS INTO VIDEO ART: DOUG AITKEN: NEW ERA CATALOGUE ($70) Get the right person the right gift, and you won't just show your friend that you care — you'll demonstrate that you really know them. That's what makes the Doug Aitken: New Era catalogue such a winner for lovers of video art. You know your pal has already scoped out the MCA's exhibition, or they're planning to. So it's a no-brainer that they'll probably pour over this collection of interviews and image plates for years to come. Edited by exhibition curator Rachel Kent, the catalogue dives into Aitken's creative thinking, helping your mate appreciate and understand the celebrated American artist's work inside-out. It also looks impressive on a coffee table, if your friend is a fan of turning their reading materials into conversation pieces. [caption id="attachment_834248" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MCA Members. Featured: Noa Eshkol, installation view, 20th Biennale of Sydney, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2016. Image courtesy and © the Noa Eshkol Foundation for Movement Notation, Holon. Photograph: Jacquie Manning.[/caption] FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO HAS EVERYTHING: MCA MEMBERSHIP ($50–160) Things are great. We all love things. We all have plenty of them, though. And, many of us have ordered a heap more things over the past two years so adding more stuff to your mate's pile may be not be appreciated. Now that life is returning to normality, we're all craving experiences. And, there's nothing quite like spending time in an art museum, peering intently at the lively pieces on the walls and communing solely with artistic creations. With an MCA membership, your pal can experience art all year round. Plus, this gift supports the MCA, so you're giving it a nice little pressie as well. To give your mates any of the above items for Christmas, or find other creative gifts, visit the MCA Store in-person at the MCA, Tallawoladah, Gadigal Country, 140 George Street, The Rocks — or shop online at store.mca.com.au (just be sure sure to check out shipping dates). Top image: MCA Store, 2020. Photograph: Daniel Boud.
In April, we farewelled Merivale's American-themed Manly eatery Papi Chulo — and now the hospitality group's second Queen Chow has taken its place. Papi Chulo shut up shop back in April, and the East Esplanade space has since undergone a small refurbishment. Group tables are now topped with lazy susans, tanks filled with live seafood greet guests at the door, and deep greens and dark timbers echo the hues of Queen Chow's sister restaurant in Newtown. With the restaurant also bringing over its signature barbecue roast duck and honey-glazed char siu pork platters, what has remained from the site's former guise is the stunning view out across the sparkling Sydney Harbour. In the kitchen, executive chef Patrick Friesen and dumpling master Eric Koh use Australian ingredients to recreate dishes served up at neighbourhood Chinese restaurants. Oysters — served from an impressive zinc-clad oyster bar — come topped with finger lime, Australian pipis are wok-fried with XO, and Moreton Bay bugs are doused in butter and black pepper. You'll also find Chinese-Australian staples such as sticky honey prawns, Mongolian lamb and deep-fried ice cream. Koh's famed dumplings are expectedly a highlight of the menu, with a lineup of steamed or fried scallop and prawn siu mai, pork xiao long bao, prawn har gau and more. Alongside the food menu, Merivale's group sommelier Frank Moreau has pulled together another impressive wine list, with over 200 wines from across Australia and the world. Queen Chow's reopening is part of Manly Wharf's $9 million dollar makeover, and the restaurant will soon by joined by Rockpool Dining Group's Fratelli Fresh and Sake Restaurants — which are set to open later this year on the Wharf's second storey.
Update: December 11, 2018 — Summer can get expensive. You're splashing out on presents for friends and fam, and the number of parties going on has increased tenfold. So, we're big fans of happy hours during this season — especially when they go for three hours. Bistro Rex has just launched l'aperitif, which run from 3.30–6.30pm every day at the Potts Point restaurant and features $5 wines (white, red and rosé), $5 Young Henrys natural lagers, $10 cocktails — including negronis and a spritzy chamomile number — and a range of $10 snacks. Bistro Rex, the latest French dining room to hit Potts Point, is hard to fault. More than that, it offers a casual alternative to some of Sydney's more theatrical restaurants: an unpretentious space serving timeless French food on simple white plates. The eatery doesn't feel a need to distract diners with design, but the space is still impressive. You're dining in Macleay Street's former Commonwealth Bank building, so there are large pillars between the tables, marble accents, and wood-framed mirrors high on the walls. It's all pretty luxurious — especially with the Chesterfield booths in the corner — but there's more than enough casual seating to balance it out, with rows of wooden tables and a few spots to dine at the bar. Because you're in a French restaurant, order the chicken liver parfait ($21). It's not particularly rich here; instead it's light, creamy, and served with sweet and sour jelly. The scallops with cashew and curry leaf ($26) are silky and complemented by the sweetness of leek on the plate. Chefs Jo Ward and Michelle Powell obviously know what they're doing with seafood, because the market fish of the day (on our visit, it's snapper) is perfect, flaking easily when the cutlery hits and swimming in just the right amount of sauce. The steak frites with Café de Paris ($39) is served spot-on medium-rare and drenched in butter — it's a classic combination, and why would you alter it? Main meals are on the heavier side, so order the Nashi pear salad with celery, chicory and hazelnuts ($16) to lighten things up a bit, and match your dish to a glass off the predominantly French wine list (the front page can be ordered by the glass, carafe or bottle). On the pass there's a single truffle in a glass dome — ask for it to be shaved over anything and everything. . None of the four options on the dessert menu are particularly eye-catching on paper, but all are delicious once they arrive — and are an unexpected highlight of the meal. Skip the cheese course and order the hazelnut parfait with dacquoise banana cream ($14); it's served with a chocolate biscuit shard and topped with banana cream, which balances the sweet and slightly savoury. The apple tarte Tatin ($14) arrives warm, sweet and sticky – there's a refreshing quenelle of choc-mint ice cream on the side. If you're not a dessert person, try the old-fashioned that's been lightly stirred with cold-brew coffee ($14). You could take your parents, friends, love interest or colleagues to Bistro Rex. Come for lunch on the weekend. Come for dinner on a Tuesday. Bring everyone. Order dessert.
Even when you're holidaying in a place that's known for its sun, surf and sand, sometimes you just want to splash around while peering down on the world. The Gold Coast is as famed for its sky-high stays as it is its beaches, so finding a towering hotel to spend a few nights in isn't hard. But if you're looking for somewhere brand new with a rooftop infinity pool boasting views out over Southport, there's only one place to book into. TRYP by Wyndham Southport Gold Coast marks the chain's first-ever outpost in Queensland and only the second Wyndham Hotels & Resorts site in Australia, after it made its Aussie debut in Adelaide. The brand also boasts venues in the US, China, the Philippines, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Brazil and Paraguay, among other spots around the globe, but joins the list of hotel names making the leap Down Under. Come 2025, Australia's first Mondrian will sit at the other end of the Gold Coast, in Burleigh Heads, for instance. St Regis has also locked in its initial Aussie appearance on the Goldie, but in 2027, with Budds Beach its destination At TRYP by Wyndham Southport Gold Coast, guests can turn an apartment in the 4.5-star hotel into their temporary home away from home, staying in of the 225 self-contained one-, two- or three-bedroom spaces. Whichever you pick, you'll have your own fully equipped kitchen, a dining table for meals if you're eating in, plus a king-sized bed. And as for gazing beyond the four walls around you, you'll get either waterway or hinterland views, including from balconies with floor-to-ceiling windows. Open since Wednesday, December 4, 2024 — just in time for summer holidays — the hotel is part of Southport's $3.8-billion Imperial Square development. But there's plenty onsite at TRYP by Wyndham Southport Gold Coast to keep you on the premises, such as an Italian and Mediterranean restaurant serving up dishes, alongside that rooftop swimming spot. Amore Ristorante started welcoming in diners back in mid-November in advance of the broader hotel's launch, and can cater to 100 people. Serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner daily under Executive Chef Robert McWhinnie, the restaurant's menu spans Tweed River oysters and crab mousse-stuffed blossoms for starters, wagyu beef bolognese among the house-made pasta options, plus wild-caught seafood and boneless chicken with lemon cashew cream for something more substantial. For dessert, chocolate cannoli and tiramisu made with Lavazza coffee are two tastebud-tempting choices. To wash all of the above down with, the drinks list features both a range of cocktails and Italian and local wines. While heading up top for a dip is already a drawcard — and you'll see both the ocean and the city as you swim — a luxe day spa is also on the way. So, when you're not taking a splash, you'll be able to hit the steam room or sauna. A fitness centre is onsite, too. When the Imperial Square precinct is finished, it'll be big — so sizeable, in fact, that it'll feature the tallest towers on the Gold Coast. Find TRYP by Wyndham Southport Gold Coast at 59 Meron Street, Southport, Queensland — and head to the chain's website for booking and further details.
First opened in 1999, Brass Monkey has made a name for itself as the venue to catch live music in Cronulla. Over its more than two decades of operation, it has played host to live music acts from all over the world. Although the genre selection tends to favour jazz, it is not unlikely to find musicians turning out blues, roots, funk, pop, indie and world music on the stage, too. The old-world charm of this venue will transport you back to another era, with its mood lighting, velvet stage curtains, red leather booth seating and wood-panelled bar. If you've got an event to plan and a long guest list, the team at Brass Monkey can look after up to 140 people with tailored packages available to suit. And, they even offer the entire venue as an exclusive hire. Although music venues aren't typically known for their food offerings, the menu here is solid, taking its cues from Mediterranean home-style cooking.
A fish and chipper that nails the brief — fresh, tender fish; hot, golden chips — is something to cherish. Although, they can be difficult to pick out of a lineup. From experience, there are a few tell-tale signs to watch out for: queues (obviously), a family-run vibe and a vibrant lineup of salads on display. Proving this formula correct is Johnston Street's Fat Fish. Keep it simple and lunch on a seafood basket ($14.90) filled with fish cocktails, rings of calamari, chips and more; or, get creative and pick and choose from your standard F&C offering (seafood sticks, Chiko rolls, pineapple fritters) and the more elevated (Greek-style barbecued octopus, garlic prawn skewers, beer-battered New Zealand mussels). Image: Unsplash, Yulia Karnavushanka
