Being time poor is never ideal, particularly if you're wanting to shop more consciously and support local vendors. If you've only got a small sliver of time each week to stock up on all of your essentials, but don't want to sacrifice on quality, head to Taste Organic in Enmore. Not only does the store have an extensive range of fresh produce, but it also sells other household goods — from bread, meat, eggs and dairy to cleaning products, pet food and cosmetics. It's a one-stop shop — no need to 'top up' your shop from another store necessary. Plus, as its name suggests, it's focused on organic products. All fresh produce is 100-percent certified organic, with as much as possible sourced from Aussie farms. And other items are largely sustainable, recyclable and free from toxic ingredients. Taste Organic has a second store on the north shore in Turramurra. Both offer click and collect and home delivery services to surrounding suburbs, too. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
It's not just you and I that struggle through these hot summer days — particularly this week, during the heatwave — our pups get hot, too. Thankfully, there are a few places you can take them to cool down. And one of them is a new pool exclusively for very good dogs. Located at the southern end of Sydney Park, near City Farm, the dog-only pool is the perfect spot to visit at the end of a (slightly sweaty) summer walk. Sydney Park, which borders St Peters and Erskineville, is one of 44 off-leash parks in the City of Sydney — but it's the only one with a dedicated doggy pool. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsv6Q2zFYmu/ You might even spot Lord Mayor Clover Moore there with her two staffies, Bessie and Buster. If Sydney Park isn't a convenient stop off for you, you could also take your pet to one of Sydney's dog-friendly beaches — which include Sirius Cove in Mosman up north, and Horderns Beach in Bundeena down south — or to one of our favourite dog parks. Then, you can both head for a pint or two at these ten pubs and bars that cater for pups.
If his headline speaker gig at the first-ever SXSW Sydney filled Charlie Brooker with tech nightmare inspiration, viewers are about to reap the benefits: more Black Mirror is on its way. The dystopian anthology series released its sixth season in 2023, and now Netflix has renewed it for another batch of episodes. Imagining how humanity's use of technology can keep going wrong clearly hasn't met its limits yet. Variety reports that Black Mirror will start production on season seven before 2023 is out — but details from there are scarce. The number of instalments, who'll star and which storylines will feature haven't yet been revealed, but Brooker (Cunk on Earth) and fellow executive producers Annabel Jones (also Cunk on Earth) and Jessica Rhoades (Station Eleven) are expected to return. Locking in Black Mirror's next season so soon after its last is a contrast to the show's fate between season five and season six. After the former dropped its three episodes in 2019, fans were left waiting and wondering about more to come. Then, in 2022, word started circulating that the sixth season was in the works. In April 2023, the series' Twitter account posted "what have we missed?" — then the trailers started coming, ahead of season six's arrival in June. The show's most-recent instalments pondered streaming algorithms with Salma Hayek Pinault (Magic Mike's Last Dance) and Annie Murphy (Kevin Can F**k Himself), true crime with Samuel Blenkin (The Witcher: Blood Origin) and Myha'la Herrold (Bodies Bodies Bodies), and an alternative 1969 with Aaron Paul (Westworld), Josh Hartnett (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre) and Kate Mara (Call Jane). Also on its list: a paparazzi tale with Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Clara Rugaard (I Am Mother) and Danny Ramirez (Stars at Noon) — and the first Red Mirror episode, going full horror, with Anjana Vasan (Killing Eve), Paapa Essiedu (Men), Katherine Rose Morley (The Syndicate) and David Shields (Benediction). Season six was teased as "the most unpredictable, unclassifiable and unexpected season yet", which is saying something given everything that Black Mirror has thrown at the screen in past seasons (and in choose-your-own-adventure-style movie Black Mirror: Bandersnatch). And yes, Brooker does keep facing quite the challenge: making something that manages to be even more dispiriting than reality over the past few years. That's increasingly been one of the show's dilemmas — and noting that something IRL feels just like Black Mirror has become one of the cliches of our times — but clearly he has more ideas. There's no trailer yet for Black Mirror's seventh season, of course, but you can check out the trailer for season six below: Black Mirror season seven will stream via Netflix, but doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Read our review of season six, and our interview with Charlie Brooker. Via Variety. Images: Nick Wall / Netflix.
UPDATE: JUNE 28, 2019 — Well, the time has come. Route 66 will close its King Street doors this Saturday, June 29. Pop by and say bye — and make a final purchase — before then. In the summer of 1988, a vintage emporium opened on Crown Street with a retro cowgirl (Miss Completely) painted on the building's side. And it's been there ever since. For 30 years, Route 66 has been a top-notch second-hand clothing destination and neighbourhood gem — and now it's closing its Darlinghurst doors and heading to Newtown. Opening first in Melbourne (the store has since closed), Route 66 is the child of Tina Lowe and Ross Waddington. After a trip through America's heartland, the couple wanted to encourage a lifestyle of "anti-fashion" in Sydney and create a hub for like-minded folk. Now run by Tina and Leroi Waddington (actual human child of Tina and Ross), the shop continues to stock some of Sydney's best quality denim, vintage boots, pomades and rare clothing. "I'm amazed I've been here for this long too," says Lowe. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwQeyHgB41d/ "Is it sad to leave the neighbourhood?" Lowe says, echoing our question. "Of course it is. I know we shouldn't be afraid of change and development and all those things but at the same time they're just homogenising the whole neighbourhood and Sydney. It's hard for people who are trying to do something different to have their own space." The move comes out of pre-emptive necessity due to local council approving a development application to build office blocks and carparks on the Crown Street block. If the build goes ahead, it will also impact the beloved The Record Store below — and most of the block, according to the vinyl haunt's co-owner Stephan Gyory. For now, The Record Store is holding its ground, but if the build goes ahead, it will have to move like its neighbour. "We looked around for a while and [Newtown] seems to be the only place that suits what we're doing," says Tina. "I think it'll be good. I'm excited about the space we found. And it's time for change." Taking over the former retro furniture shop Collectika, which is relocating to Burleigh Heads, Route 66 will make Newtown its new home sometime in June. According to the owners, much will be the same, just a bigger shop and a new postcode. Route 66's Crown Street location is slated to close son Saturday, June 29 and will reopen at 2/82 Enmore Road, Newtown soon after. We'll keep you updated with an exact date.
Crowdfunded restaurants may sound like a dubious proposition, but Sydney's IconPark have shown they can make it work. The company's Darlinghurst restaurant space has twice opened its kitchens to pop-up operations, first in the form of Matt Stone's Stanley Street Merchants, followed American-style BBQ joint Rupert & Ruby. Now IconPark is once again looking for tenants. Only this time, there's no expiration date. As before, the recipient of the IconPark lease will be decided via reality TV-style death match. Applicants run competitive crowdfunding campaigns, giving hungry members of the public the chance to vote with their wallets. After three weeks, whichever concept has the most pledges gets a three-year contract at IconPark's established 78 Stanley Street location, with the opportunity to start cooking straight away. "If applicants raise enough money during the crowdfunding campaign to support their concept, they have the opportunity to walk into a location with an awesome existing trade, without needing to pay for the business," says IconPark co-founder Dean McEvoy. "The license is in place, and all the equipment and fittings are there to start trading the day after they win." Information on how to pitch your unique restaurant idea can be found at the IconPark website. Applications open this week, with the three week crowdfunding blitz set to occur in early 2015. The inaugural season attracted more than 100 applications, so whatever your pitch, make sure it's a good one.
Opinions may be divided on what is truly the best medium of entertainment, but there's no denying the simple pleasure of going to a musical. The feeling of being swept off your feet by a particularly memorable tune, doubled over laughing or drenched in your own tears, its a stagecraft that's captured the love of millions around the world. This year is is no exception for killer musicals, so we partnered with Destination NSW to curate a guide to the biggest musicals coming to stages in Sydney in 2023. Whether you want to laugh, sing or cry, there's a stage show below for you.
They're taking the hobbits to Amazon — and, later this year, fans of Lord of the Rings will be able to see the end result. You should already have Friday, September 2, 2022 marked in your diary, as the premiere date for Amazon Prime Video's new LOTR show was announced last year. But if you've been wondering exactly what you'll be watching, the streaming platform has just provided a few new details. While the series has just been referred to as The Lord of the Rings since it was first announced it back in 2017 — including when it was given the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies, and also when a few other concrete details regarding what it's about were revealed, its full title is officially The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. And if you're wondering why, Amazon has dropped a title release video (yes, we now live in a world where there are trailers for announcing what a show will be called) which includes some of JRR Tolkien's most famous lines. If you're a big LOTR fan — on the page and thanks to the films — you should be familiar with Tolkien's Ring Verse, which outlines who was intended to receive the rings of power. Elven-kings, dwarf-lords, mortal men and the Dark Lord all get a mention, and you can hear the key lines in the video below: "This is a title that we imagine could live on the spine of a book next to JRR Tolkien's other classics. The Rings of Power unites all the major stories of Middle-earth's Second Age: the forging of the rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the epic tale of Númenor, and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men," said showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay, announcing the news. "Until now, audiences have only seen on-screen the story of the One Ring – but before there was one, there were many… and we're excited to share the epic story of them all." In a series that'll make ample use of New Zealand's scenic landscape in its first season — and so greenery abounds, naturally, as the first image from the show illustrates — The Rings of Power will spend time in Middle-earth's Second Age as Payne and McKay explained, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the very first time. According to show's official synopsis, it'll follow "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. The series will also "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness." If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. Naturally, you can expect Sauron to feature in the new show, and to give its main figures some trouble. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth," the official synopsis continues. "From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. In terms of stars, The Rings of Power will feature an unsurprisingly large cast — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the actors traversing Middle-earth are Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud), Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Amazon Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022.
An absolute monster of a lineup and a special treat for anyone who missed out on Laneway tickets, with three of 2013's hottest hip hop acts set to tear the roof off the Enmore. Earl Sweatshirt came into the spotlight as part of the Odd Future crew but missed much of the group's huge first year of tours and releases, and no one knew quite why — was he in prison? At boarding school in Samoa? At a military academy? Whatever it was, Earl has been making up for lost time with his debut album, Doris, both a critical and commercial smash hit, and featuring on countless end-of-year lists. Danny Brown also had a big year with the release of his third album, Old, a throwback album that wears its love for old-school hip hop proudly on its sleeve. Brown's first successes as a musician came from very 'now' styles and sound like trap and electronica, but with this album Brown says he wanted to return to a sample-based, 'classic' sound that borrows most from J Dilla and Wu-Tang. The result somehow sounds both fiercely new and groundbreaking as well as immediately familiar. Run the Jewels is a new name, but the two names behind it are anything but. El-P and Killer Mike joined forces in 2013 after featuring on each other's albums the year before, and they somehow found the perfect balance between Mike's aggressive Southern flow and El-P's tense, hyper delivery. There have been lots of high-profile collaboration albums in hip hop, but it's been a long time since anything was released that is this cohesive and this wholly developed. And as anyone who saw El-P at Laneway this year will know, he's a tireless, frenetic live performer who never lets the intensity drop even for a moment. https://youtube.com/watch?v=anRkutaPS9w
Society has drilled it into our heads that it's unethical to capitalise on the youthful vitality of small, underprivileged children, but Soccket might make you see things differently. A small company called Unchartered Play has developed a soccer ball that doubles as a portable generator, providing both fun and power to those who play with it. The Soccket uses Unchartered Play's patent-pending technology to capture the kinetic energy generated by a game of soccer, storing it in the ball for later use as an off-grid power source. Powering an LED lamp requires 30 minutes of play. The immediate advantages are threefold: Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, one in five people around the globe are without power, and most kids think soccer is fun — particularly kids who have never heard of Angry Birds and who are often denied the opportunity to be kids due to more pressing issues such as survival. It is hoped to bring particular relief to developing countries reliant on kerosene lamps, which can lead to severe health problems and are responsible for huge amounts of carbon dioxide emissions. The ball is currently produced very labour intensively in North America, but Unchartered Play have launched a Kickstarter campaign to take things to the next level. $75,000 will help Unchartered Play (a team of just eight people) bring on board more employees, purchase more tools and equipment, automate parts of the assembly process, and up their output of Soccket Balls from a few hundred to thousands per week. They've almost reached half of their goal with 24 days to go. $1 is the minimum, but pledging $89 or more will get you one standard Soccket Ball and lamp if the campaign is successful. You've then got the option of keeping it for a sweet-as camping gadget or, you know, giving it up to a child in need. Via Inhabitat.com.
Australia's arts calendar is always world-class, but this year it is particularly jam-packed — not just with recurring festivals and events, but lots of things that will hit the city for the first time ever. Us lucky Australians will be the first people in the world to see Patricia Piccinini's Skywhalepapa take to the sky and, down in Melbourne, the works of 20th century French artist Pierre Bonnard reimagined by architect and designer India Mahdavi. Plus, we've got multiple big-name exhibitions and not one, but two new galleries. While more events, installations and and exhibitions will inevitably be announced as the year progresses, these are the ones you should get more excited about right now. THE RETURN OF PATRICIA PICCININI'S OTHERWORLDLY SKYWHALE At 34 metres long, more than twice as big as a regular hot air balloon and ripped straight from Patricia Piccinini's inimitable mind, Skywhale might just be one of Australia's most recognisable recent pieces of art. It's a sight to see, and the largest-scale example of the artist's fascination with the thin line that separates nature and technology — and it's about to meet its match. In 2020, the National Gallery of Australia will unveil Piccinini's new Skywhalepapa, which is designed to form a family with Skywhale. They'll both float through the Canberra skies from April, with the second bulbous sculpture commissioned as part of the gallery's Balnaves Contemporary Series. In total, the pair will take flight from a site near the NGA eight times during the nearly three-month Skywhales: Every Heart Sings exhibition, with the exact launch dates yet to be revealed. Just how big Skywhalepapa will be is also yet to be announced, but given the impressive size of its companion, expect it to be hefty. If you can't make it to Canberra to see the growing Skywhale clan, they will also tour the country for an NGA touring exhibition, with locations and dates to be confirmed at a later date. Skywhales: Every Heart Sings will run Canberra's National Gallery of Australia in April 2020. A BRAND NEW MULTI-SENSORY DIGITAL ART GALLERY If you prefer an art experience that extends beyond looking at works on a wall, prepare to be impressed by Melbourne's new immersive digital art gallery. Set to open sometime in autumn, The Lume will take the form of a $15 million 2000-square-metre gallery, decked out with 150 state-of-the-art projectors. Projections of some of the world's most celebrated works will be splashed across various surfaces, backed by powerful musical soundtracks and complemented by aromas. The project is the brainchild of Melbourne-based Grande Exhibitions, which, for the past 14 years, has hosted immersive exhibitions and gallery experiences in over 130 cities across the world. The company also owns and operates Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci. Known for celebrating art world greats like Vincent van Gogh and da Vinci through modern, multi-sensory technology, Grande Exhibitions will use a similar formula at The Lume. Instead of showcasing original works, the gallery will rely on a curation of music and moving image to create a tapestry of instantly recognisable artworks. The Lume will open in an unconfirmed Melbourne location in autumn 2020. We'll let you know when more details are announced. [caption id="attachment_750699" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Top image: Chiharu Shiota b.1972, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. In Silence (2002/2019). Production support: Alcantara S.p.A. Installation view: Shiota Chiharu: The Soul Trembles, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, 2019. Courtesy: Kenji Taki Gallery, Nagoya/Tokyo. Image courtesy: Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photograph: Sunhi Mang.[/caption] A MAZE OF RED AND BLACK WOOL AT GOMA It's been home to David Lynch's eerie filmscapes, Yayoi Kusama's infinity rooms, a snowman and Patricia Piccinini's forest of flowers. Yes, Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art loves an immersive installation — and it has more in store for 2020. Fancy wandering through a labyrinth of red and black wool? That's on next year's agenda. As part of its just-announced 2020 lineup, GOMA revealed it'll host Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles, a showcase focusing on the Berlin-based Japanese artist and her work over the past quarter-century. In an Australian exclusive, the exhibition comes to Brisbane after recently premiering in Tokyo — and while it won't sit 53 storeys up or come with panoramic views of the city, like it did in Japan, Shiota's string-heavy installations are certain to garner more than a little attention. Fashioned from millions of strands, they resemble weaved, maze-like webs and take up entire rooms. The Soul Trembles is the largest-ever solo exhibition by the artist — and although GOMA hasn't revealed just how much of the Tokyo lineup is coming to Brisbane, art lovers can expect an array of sprawling installations, sculptures and video footage of Shiota's performances, as well as photographs and drawings. Highlighting her fascination with intangible concepts, such as memory, anxiety, dreams and silence, the ticketed display will run from June 27–October 5, 2020. Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles will run at Brisbane's GOMA from June 27–October 5, 2020. THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE'S FIRST MUSEUM OF UNDERWATER ART There are plenty of ways to soak in the Great Barrier Reef's natural underwater delights — and the Museum of Underwater Art is the newest one. The attraction – created by marine sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor — has been a long time in the works, but just recently installed its first two artworks just off the shore at Townsville. The first artwork, Ocean Siren, can be found 30 metres from The Strand jetty — and while it actually towers above the water, it interacts with live water temperature data. Designed to resemble Takoda Johnson, one of the area's Wulgurukaba traditional owners, it receives information from the Davies Reef weather station on the Great Barrier Reef, then changes colour in response to variations as they happen. This one can be visited now Coral Greenhouse, on the other hand, sits 18 metres beneath the ocean's surface on the John Brewer Reef. It's an underwater building filled with coral garden beds and more than 20 sculptures, many resembling local school children — and has been made to both stand up to wave pressures and cyclones, and remain visible to divers and snorkellers. While this one is installed, it won't be open for viewing until April 1, 2020. Four pieces are planned in total — another one at Palm Island is expected to be installed by the end of the year, and another at Magnetic Island will open once funding is sourced. MoUA's first artwork can be seen now just off The Strand jetty at Townsville, and the second one will be able to view from April 2020. [caption id="attachment_759712" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Reihana 'Tai Whetuki - House of Death Redux' (2016) at The Walters Prize, Auckland Art Gallery.[/caption] SYDNEY'S BIANNUAL EXHIBITION THAT TAKES OVER THE CITY FOR 12 WEEKS The centrepiece of the 2018 Biennale of Sydney was Ai Weiwei's 60-metre inflatable boat, a critique and exploration of the global refugee crisis. This year, when the Biennale returns to art galleries across Sydney, the lineup of 100-plus artists will be examining another poignant issue close to the heart of Australia: First Nations sovereignty and intergenerational trauma. Running from Saturday, March 14 until Monday, June 8, the 2020 Biennale is entitled Nirin, which means 'edge' in the language of western NSW's Wiradjuri people. This year's theme is timely, for two reasons: the 2020 blockbuster falls on the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's voyage to Australia — and it will be helmed by a new First Nations artistic director: famed Sydney-born, Melbourne-based interdisciplinary artist Brook Andrew. Andrew has selected an impressive lineup of artists and creatives — many of them First Nations — from around the world to exhibit at the Art Gallery of NSW, Woolloomooloo's Artspace, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Cockatoo Island, MCA and the National Art School for the exhibition's 12 weeks. On the just-announced program, you'll find the Southern Hemisphere premiere of Arthur Jafa's Golden Lion-awarded work The White Album, Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens's immersive work symbolising the disproportionate number of incarcerated Indigenous Australian women and a large-scale political protest piece by Pitjantjatjara artist Kunmanara Mumu Mike Williams (who passed away last year). Cockatoo Island will be home to a wide range of works, too, including Ghanaian-born artist Ibrahim Mahama's sprawling installation of coal sacks; Tony Albert's interactive greenhouse, where you'll be invited to write and plant messages; and Tlingit/Unangax̂ artist Nicholas Galanin's excavation work that'll 'dig up' the land beneath the shadow of Hyde Park's Captain Cook statue. The 22nd Biennale of Sydney runs from March 14–June 8 2020. [caption id="attachment_747305" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Gallery at sketch designed by India Mahdavi, London, 2014, photo by Thomas Humery.[/caption] A WORLD-FIRST EXHIBITION BY PIERRE BONNARD AND INDIA MAHDAVI Heading the National Gallery of Victoria's autumn/winter program this year is a world-premiere exhibition Pierre Bonnard, created in collaboration with famed Parisian museum the Musée d'Orsay. It offers a glimpse into the life and work of acclaimed 20th-century French artist Bonnard through a sprawling collection of pieces on loan from the likes of London's Tate and The Museum of Modern Art in New York, along with other renowned French museums. A close friend of the legendary Henri Matisse, the artist is best known for his stylised decorative works evoking scenes of everyday domestic life. The Melbourne exhibition will see Bonnard's recognisable designs brought to life even further, with the help of famed Iranian-Egyptian-French architect and designer India Mahdavi. Mahdavi — who has designed eye-catching spaces like London's Red Valentino store and the famous all-pink Gallery at sketch — will use her signature colour palettes and love of textures to create an immersive, life-size version of one of Bonnard's domestic scenes. The exhibition will run at NGV International from June 5–October 4, 2020. [caption id="attachment_737971" align="alignnone" width="1920"] White Night Melbourne by Gerard Dubois[/caption] A BRAND NEW MAJOR WINTER ARTS FESTIVAL Melbourne's arts calendar never fails to keep us busy, however, it's always had a bit of a lull in winter before Melbourne International Arts Festival and Melbourne Music Week take over the city in spring. But, this year, that's all set to change. In May last year the Victorian Government announced that it will launch a huge new citywide arts festival in the winter of 2020. It's set to shake up the Melbourne arts calendar as the new festival will merge the aforementioned Melbourne Festival and arts all-nighter White Night and move them into a winter timeslot. While White Night was originally held on a hot February night, in 2019 it was moved to August. Melbourne Fest, which was established in 1986, is usually held in October. Exact timings and details are yet to be revealed, but the new "global" festival — as it's being billed by the Andrews Government — will take over the city for several weeks, much like Melbourne Festival usually does in October. While it will no doubt combine the best bits of the two existing festivals, a new creative team will come on to develop a new program and vision. We're told the the 2020 program will feature a "diverse program of visual and performing arts" coupled with with "large-scale takeovers of precincts" after-dark. The inaugural festival — which is yet to be named — will kick off with a 'transitional' year in the winter of 2020. The new winter festival will hit Melbourne in winter 2020. We'll keep you updated when new details or dates are announced. Top image: Skywhale, 2013, Patricia Piccinini. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Gift of anonymous donor 2019, Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Urban beekeepers in Australia are on the increase, with more and more people besotted by an unusual new love affair with backyard native beekeeping. According to Sydney's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, the new trend has brought an element of nature back to the city, where residents and native bees alike are reaping its benefits. The Asylum Seekers Centre community garden in Surry Hills is currently home to several hundred sugarbag bees. Volunteer Jess Perini says that asylum seekers are “hooked” on the beauty of the tiny bees, which produce roughly one kilo of sugarbag honey – an expensive, nutritious variety – a year. Not only do the creatures add to the splendour and biodiversity of the garden, they have also helped to break down language barriers for asylum seekers. Sydneysiders can expect the backyard beekeeping craze to stay with the instalment of native beehives in several community gardens later this year. In Brisbane, a code of practice for urban beekeeping has already been established. And in Melbourne, an organisation called Rooftop Honey offers people the chance to sponsor their own hives. Australia is home to ten different species of stingless bees which grow to only a few millimetres. Tiny and harmless, they quite literally take the sting out of a mutually beneficial relationship. Backyard beekeepers are able to harvest their own sources of honey, while the bees find sanctuary from the destruction of their habitats from land clearing. Native bees also play an important role in balancing the natural ecosystem by pollinating native plant species and crops. With so many environmental and community benefits, it’s not hard to see why urban beekeeping has generated such a buzz. And it’s not limited to Australia – since a ban on beekeeping in New York was overturned in 2010, the popular pastime has hit the roof on NYC's rooftops.
A stunning new Melbourne arts, cultural and entertainment precinct has beat out stiff competition across the globe to take out the Architecture of the Year prize at the International Design Awards 2017. Bunjil Place, which was designed by acclaimed architectural studio Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt), also scooped up gold awards for two design disciplines: 'institutional' and 'landmarks, symbolic structures, memorials, public'. Opened to the public in October 2017, the $125 million Narre Warren project was imagined as "an inviting central heart for the community that celebrates participation, belonging and pride". Both its name and its impressive design are linked to cultural themes of importance to the traditional owners and inhabitants of the land, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. fjmt Design Director Richard Francis-Jones is understandably stoked with the win, though says he's been just as happy with the design's reception closer to home. "While recognition in the form of international design awards is much valued, more important has been to see the community embrace Bunjil Place as their own," he noted. Those keen to get up close and personal with the award-winning design can experience Bunjil Place during Open House Melbourne Weekend on July 28 and 29. It's set to host a whole range of activities, including film screenings, design talks and guided tours with VIP access behind the scenes. You can find Bunjil Place at 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren.
With the weather getting warmer, the evenings getting lighter and the slightest suggestion of summer in the air, it is definitely time to crawl out from behind duvet and get out on the town. And with The Standard opening this week, you now have your first port of call. The Standard, Sydney's newest multi-purpose performance space, is officially opening its doors to the public this Thursday and warming up the space with the sounds of Bluejuice, Millions, Step-Panther and Splash Mountain DJs. This will be backed up with an impressive roster of shows in the coming weeks, including Custard's first Sydney gig since 1999. Located on level three of Kinselas, one of Sydney's landmark drinking establishments, The Standard will be dedicated to live music, visual art, theatre, comedy and burlesque. In its former life it played host to the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and The Lemonheads, and now it is set to make a comeback and breathe some new life into Sydney's live music scene. Definitely an incentive to get off the couch. To win one of five double passes to The Standard's Official Public Launch this Thursday September 15, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au. Entries close on Wednesday at 5pm.
The least surprising aspect of Tár is also its most essential: Cate Blanchett being as phenomenal as she's ever been, plus more. The Australian Nightmare Alley, Thor: Ragnarok and Carol actor — "our Cate", of course — best be making space next to her Oscars for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine as a result. Well-deserved accolades have been showered her way since this drama about a cancelled conductor premiered at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival (the prestigious event's Best Actress gong was the first of them) and, as the Golden Globes showed, they're not likely to stop till this awards season is over. Blanchett is that stunning in Tár, that much of a powerhouse, that adept at breathing life and complexity into a thorny figure, and that magnetic and mesmerising. Even when she hasn't been at her utmost on rare past occasions or something she's in hasn't been up to her standards — see: Don't Look Up for both — she's a force that a feature gravitates around. Tár is astonishing itself, too, but Blanchett at her finest is the movie's rock, core and reason for being. Blanchett is spectacular in Tár, and she also has to be spectacular in Tár — because Lydia Tár, the maestro she's playing, earns that term to start with in the film's on-screen world. At the feature's kickoff, the passionate and ferocious character is feted by a New Yorker Festival session led by staff writer Adam Gopnik as himself, with her achievements rattled off commandingly to an excited crowd; what a list it is. Inhabiting this part requires nothing less than utter perfection, then, aka what Tár demands herself, her latest assistant Francesca (Noémie Merlant, Jumbo), her wife Sharon (Nina Hoss, Shadowplay) and everyone else in her orbit constantly. Strong, seductive, severe, electrifying and downright exceptional, Blanchett nails it. That Lydia can't always do the same, no matter how hard, painstakingly and calculatingly she's worked to ensure that it appears otherwise, is one of the movie's main concerns. Directing a film for just the third time in 22 years — and the third at all, as well as the first since 2006's Little Children — writer/helmer Todd Field begins Tár with the woman, the myth and the legend. Since the feature's US release, viewers have been known to think that Lydia is an actual person, which has proven instantly memeable, yes, but more importantly is a testament to the detail and potency of the filmmaker's layered script. As Gopnik advises, Tár is a protégé of the one and only (and real) Leonard Bernstein, the first female chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic and an EGOT-winner. She has a book in the works, Tár on Tar, and she's soon to record her dream piece, Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5. She's not fond of having her successes ascribed to battling sexism, but she's proud, confident and authoritative talking about her career, field and leap to the top of classical music. Not mentioned in this early celebration, unsurprisingly: the behaviour that'll come back to stalk Lydia, involving her treatment of mentees and students, and cracking her hard-carved place in an elite realm. With two Academy Award nominations to his name for screenwriting, for both Little Children and his 2001 feature debut In the Bedroom, Field is in his element plotting Tár's intricate and tangled life that just keeps getting more and more knotted — and penning and directing a film that's equally as complicated. Tár is many things and never merely one thing, but it's a psychological character study above all else. As the feature charts its namesake's downfall from the heights that the picture opens with, and unpacks her arrogance and ambition, it unravels Lydia. As it examines her professional dealings and personal bonds, sees transactional connections wherever she goes and shows her scant regard for most folks other than herself (although she'll happily bully a schoolgirl for her young daughter Petra, played by first-timer Mila Bogojevic), the movie chips away at Lydia's carefully established personality and mystique. And, as her standing plummets amid a scandal, and her relationships with it, the film probes and ponders who she truly is anyway — and why. Is Tár a groomer, predator and liar? A talent who took her lust for triumph too far? A celebrity overly enamoured with her own fame and power? Is she a woman fracturing? Someone literally haunted? An egotist using and emotionally bruising, then getting what she deserves? Tár is too crafty — and well-crafted — a drama to quickly or easily tick most of those boxes for its protagonist, and finds much of its depths (and much of its fuel for Blanchett's performance) in provocatively giving all of the above attention. As Lydia belittles Juilliard kids in showy lectures about JS Bach, grinds first violin Sharon down to just one of her offsiders, capitalises upon Francesca's own conducting dreams, weathers a storm with her past favourite Krista (debutant Sylvia Flote) and throws her current approval towards new Russian cellist Olga (acting newcomer Sophie Kauer), Tár is also as precise at building the world that its titular character dwells in, where her genius and thrall draws in everyone, enables her, and lets Lydia herself believe that everything is excused and even worth it if it results in her art. Collaborating with cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister (Pachinko), editor Monika Willi (Happy End), costume designer Bina Daigeler (1899), production designer Marco Bittner Rosser (Only Lovers Left Alive) and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (Joker), Field does indeed fashion Tár immaculately. A film of cool hues, firm lines and rich surfaces — Lydia's suits encapsulate the look perfectly — as well as a gripping, tension-dripping beat, it's a film where every choice seen and heard is revealing about its story, central figure and themes. Tár is also a movie of striking scenes revelling in such tightly constructed surroundings, all with Blanchett at their centre. Every choice she makes with her facial expressions and body language, whether Lydia is regaling fans, instructing pupils, pushing aside loved ones or luring in new points of interest, is a compelling, entrancing masterclass. When Tár picks up the baton, plays the piano, holds court, tries to navigate her own fall and perhaps even orchestrate her own second rise: these moments, whether loud and intense or quiet and contemplative, are hypnotic and loaded, too. But, across a 158-minute duration that never feels that long and shows zero signs of bloat, Field fills his frames with more than just one outstanding player. He could've simply let Blanchett's awards-worthy efforts be Tár's everything alone, and this'd still be captivating, bold and intelligent. Again, there wouldn't be a film this piercing without her, and it rises in tandem with her astounding work. In what's hopefully not his last picture for another decade and a half, however, Field sees what Lydia can't and won't. Casting German acting royalty Hoss and French Portrait of a Lady on Fire standout Merlant, both of whom bring texture, vulnerability and visible signs of pain to their pivotal characters, makes a statement: that no story is one person's only.
While face masks were first mandated in Melbourne back in mid-July, the NSW Government has only ever 'strongly recommended' its citizens to cover up. From midnight tonight, Saturday, January 2, however, that's all changing. In a bid to contain the current COVID-19 outbreak, which now encompasses clusters on the northern beaches, in Croydon and in western Sydney's Berala, the NSW Government is mandating the wearing of masks for some indoor settings across Greater Sydney. Sydneysiders, including those who live in Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains, must don a mask when they are shopping (at supermarkets, shopping centres and other retail stores); on public and shared transport; at indoor entertainment, such as cinemas and theatres; at places of worship; at hair and beauty salons; and using gaming services. They'll also be mandatory for all staff in hospitality venues and casinos. Children under 12 are exempt, but are encouraged to wear one where they can. If you refuse to do so, you'll risk being slapped with a $200 on-the-spot fine. While the public health order commences today, police won't start issuing fines until Monday, January 4. NSW recorded seven locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, with an additional 12 cases in... Posted by NSW Health on Friday, January 1, 2021 Compulsory mask wearing is not the only new restriction announced today for Greater Sydney, either. Gym classes will be reduced to 30 people; places of worship, weddings and funerals will be limited to 100 people, with one person per four square metres; outdoor performances and protests capped at 500; seated, ticketed and enclosed outdoor gatherings reduced to 2000; and nightclubs will not be permitted. These restrictions will come into effect at midnight tonight for all of Greater Sydney, including the southern half of the northern beaches, which has been under stay-at-home orders since Saturday, December 19. While the stay-at-home orders are ending tonight for the southern zone — south of Narrabeen Bridge and the Baha'i Temple — which will then have the same restrictions as the rest of Sydney, they will remain for the northern zone until Saturday, January 9. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
Rockpool Dining Group is headed up to The Hills this month to open its ninth Sydney outpost of The Bavarian. The 350-seat German-style restaurant will open on Monday, May 14 at the Rouse Hill Town Centre and bring its oversized beers, food platters and sports-screening televisions along with it. The beer hall boasts 17 taps — think German mainstays like Löwenbräu, Stiegl and Hofbräu and local brews by Urban Craft Brewing — along with an outdoor beer garden. The fit-out will follow suit of the brand's existing venues and will include stone walls, alpine timber finishes, beer barrel tables and a stein chandelier, plus bar-side dining. Those massive, litre-sized beer steins that The Bavarian is known for serving are accompanied by hearty dishes like crispy pork knuckle with sauerkraut and creamy mash, or crackling pork belly with onion bier jus; plus a range of gourmet sausages, giant pretzels, share platters and loaded schnittys — from American, Mexican and Hawaiian to one that weighs an insanely hefty one-kilogram. Weekday deals include $15 lunch specials, all-you-can-eat meat platters on Mondays and two-for-one cocktails on Thursdays, along with a daily $5 drinks happy hour from 4–7pm. Apart from food and booze, The Bavarian is a go-to for watching sports, with several extra-large screens available throughout the space. Rockpool Dining Group — which was formed when Urban Purveyor Group acquired Neil Perry's Rockpool Group — has signed 15 new leases in the last 90 days, so we'll surely be hearing about more openings in the months to come. The Rouse Hill location not only marks the ninth across Sydney but is one of six additional Bavarians slated to open across the country in the next few months, including another in Castle Hill. So while it isn't necessarily new or breaking new ground, it is a significant opening for the suburb. The Bavarian Rouse Hill will open from 11am on Monday, May 14 at the Rouse Hill Town Centre, corner Windsor Road and White Hart Drive, Rouse Hill. For more info, visit thebavarians.com.
It's never too cold to party. At least, that's what the guys behind Snowtunes say. And for its third year, this Snowy Mountains music festival is coming back even bigger — twice the size actually. With the addition of a second night of festivities, the party people have also added a second stage so punters can enjoy live music at one and dance it out at the other, dedicated to EDM. And with our Snowy Mountains giveaway, you could be right there listening, dancing and partying with the snowy revellers. Who's expected to take to the stage at the festival? Plenty of Aussie-born talent, including L D R U, Gang of Youths, Nina Las Vegas, Mashd N Kutcher and Tigerlily, plus New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Mitch James and French DJ Klingande with some tunes from abroad. Mark your calendars and find some snow gear, because you could win a double pass to both days of Snowtunes on September 1 and 2, plus two nights accommodation in your own studio apartment. Enter your details below. [competition]631762[/competition] Image: Perisher Ski Resl.
Sydney may be a delightful city in which one spends their time, but, let's face it, isn't it nice to get away too? Especially when you don't have to travel too far to get to something as rewarding as this year's High & Dry Festival.Only two hours north of Sydney on Aboriginal land this weekend is Australia's first festival run on 100% renewable energy (combination of solar, wind and bicycle power). Born from a makeshift, spontaneous event over New Year's Eve in 2007 when poor weather cancelled the Peats Ridge Festival, High & Dry returns to its own set of loyal fans and no doubt a whole bunch of new ones. And who wouldn't be a fan of a festival that boasts a focus on creative and performative arts and not just music. There'll be puppets, installations, markets and much, much more. That said, there's music too, with the likes of Entropic, The Barons of Tang and Combat Wombat treading the boards. They are but three of the one hundred acts programmed at this three-day event.There's bound to be an emphasis on sustainable community and intimate summertime magic this year at High & Dry.
Back in 2010, Ryan Gosling starred in a crime drama called All Good Things, playing a real estate heir suspected to be behind his wife's disappearance, as well as other murders. It isn't a highlight on his resume, but you'll see the feature very differently once you've watched six-part HBO docuseries The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst — because Gosling's character is based on Durst, and because filmmaker Andrew Jarecki directed both the movie and the series. True crime isn't a new genre, but The Jinx proved one of its big hitters when it was initially released in 2015. While it was originally airing, Durst was arrested on murder charges, with the criminal proceedings still ongoing to this day. Jarecki's series draws upon more than 20 hours of interviews with Durst, conducted over a number of years, and it'll drop you right into the middle of a twisty case. The minutiae is best experienced by watching, but the show's finale isn't easily forgotten.
Cinema has provided me with the basis of many of everyday fantasies, one of which is calorie-free ice cream. Despite being a largely superficial hollywood chick flick, one thing I found relatable in Roger Kumble's The Sweetest Thing was Christina's (Cameron Diaz) fantasy dream where she eats calorie-free ice cream and gets intimate with Mr Right. Now, bringing fantasy to reality is an American company, Vaportrim, which has invented a dessert-flavoured inhaler, proposing to aid weight-loss. Working with the sense of smell and taste, Vaportrim offers a means to satisfy a sweet tooth by making you feel full, and eat less. Through the process of inhaling smell, taste receptors send messages to your brain which release hormones that tell your body it's full. As Dr. Alan Hirsch of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation puts it, "It’s all a matter of fooling the brain". Sticking to a strict diet regime can be difficult for those who desire to lose weight. With no calories and containing FDA-GRAS ingredients, even the most skeptical can rest assured that the product warrants little harm if inhaled. Coming in fourteen different flavours, including apple pie, milk chocolate and pina colada, Vaportrim sounds almost too good to be true. For those less inclined to follow weight loss gimmicks you might be interested to hear that the patent for Vaportrim is held by a man who owns the Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network, a pay-per-minute porno site. [Via Lost At E Minor]
One of Sydney's oldest pubs, the Hero lets you time travel and sip a cold beer at the same time. Within these sandstone walls, listening to the lilting tones of the Irish bar staff, it doesn't feel difficult to reach out to your own, or someone else's, colonial ancestor. That said, there's more than that to stimulate the imagination. Ask around about the ghost of Anne Kirkman, join in a Saturday night sing-a-long held around the old piano or sneak a look at the tunnel that runs from the hotel's maze of cellars to the harbour, safe as you are from any shanghaiing techniques. If you'd rather live in the present, perhaps you should pay a visit to the restaurant. The Lamb Shanks are hard to beat, with sautéed onion potato mash, green beans, and port wine, garlic and rosemary jus. Otherwise opt for the Bangers and Mash, with roasted onion, sautéed cabbage and red wine jus. Prices are reasonable, considering your proximity to the harbour, and the food is well worth it. Drinks are standard pub fare. Choose from a range of beers on tap, ours was a James Squire ($6.80). Wines are also on offer from $7 a glass. That said, the real attraction here is not the fancy drinks but the atmosphere: kick back with a schooner and soak it up. [nggallery id=101]
Next time you're slurping on some noodles or devouring a stir-fry, don't stop when your bowl is empty. If you're still hungry, set your sights on the utensils in your hand. Yes, chowing down on chopsticks has become a reality — and whatever you think they'll taste like, they won't. Unless you were really hoping they'd have the same flavour as furniture, that is. Unveiled by Japan's Marushige Confectionery, the edible chopsticks are designed to serve two purposes: provide a sustainable alternative to current chopsticks, which are usually made out of bamboo, wood, plastic or steel, and are used in the billions each year around the world; and provide a reminder about the country's agricultural traditions. It's for the latter reason that they're made out of igusa, the soft reeds usually used to make the tatami floor mats that are common around the nation. By turning igusa into chopsticks, then getting folks to munch on them, Marushige hopes people will come to appreciate the substance's cultural significance. At present, the tatami-flavoured chopsticks be made available at two restaurants in Tokyo, but whether they'll spread to become a broader trend is yet to be seen. No one can argue with the fact that it's an ingenious idea — how many pairs of disposable wooden chopsticks have you used and then thrown out recently? More than you probably realise. As for the taste, maybe it's the kind of thing that you just get accustomed to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBOXZBgXqDs Via MUNCHIES.
Usually, when a new Pixar film hits screens — typically cinemas, but occasionally being fast-tracked to streaming as well — it unleashes a whole heap of emotions. Getting viewers to ponder their feelings is a big part of the animation company's formula, after all, and it's been working well for them for a quarter-century. See: everything from Wall-E and Ratatouille to Inside Out and Soul. When the next Pixar flick arrives in June, it'll tap into a very specific sensation that's been bubbling up since early 2020. And, it's one that we're all familiar with. Are you craving a vacation? Do you feel a strong yearning to travel the globe and see somewhere other than your own backyard, city, state or country? Have you been dreaming of beaches far, far away every night for 12 months? Then the fact that Luca is set in the Italian Riviera and follows two teenagers over summer is certain to stoke your wanderlust. If the just-dropped first trailer for the film is anything to go by, first-time feature director Enrico Casarosa (Pixar short La Luna) and his team seem to have crafted a gorgeous-looking movie that'll have you wishing you're on the other side of the globe. Against those striking animated backdrops, two teens eat gelato, devour pasta, ride scooters, explore caves and splash around in the gleaming blue ocean. Oh, and they try to hide the fact that they're actually sea monsters — which becomes obvious whenever they get wet — too. As this tale unfurls, viewers will hear Jacob Tremblay (Room, Good Boys) as the eponymous 13-year-old Luca Paguro, while Jack Dylan Grazer (Shazam!, We Are Who We Are) voices his pal Alberto Scorfano. Also among the cast: debutant Emma Berman, Maya Rudolph (The Good Place), Marco Barricelli (The Book of Daniel) and Jim Gaffigan (Tesla). Check out the trailer for Luca below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i1fgoMyoG8&feature=youtu.be Luca is set to release in Australian cinemas on June 17. Images: © 2020 Disney/Pixar.
His video collection is filled with 80s and 90s educational films. When we chat, he's staring at a Teddy Ruxpin doll. If anyone was destined to make Brigsby Bear, a delightful, insightful comedy about a fictional television show and its number one fan, it's Saturday Night Live star Kyle Mooney. With Mooney in the lead, his childhood pal Kevin Costello with him on co-screenwriting duties, and another of their friends, Dave McCary, in the directors chair, Brigsby Bear feels like it has been ripped not just from Mooney's mind, but from his heart. It's the most earnest and genuine film you could imagine about an adult discovering that his favourite show isn't quite what he thinks — one that isn't afraid to give nostalgia a hearty embrace while wading through dark terrain. It's also a perfect addition to a career that started with web sketches with his friends in comedy troupe Good Neighbour and segued into the most famous late night comedy show there is. Along the way, he's also racked up parts on Parks and Recreation, the US version of Wilfred and Hello Ladies. With Brigbsy Bear currently screening in Australian cinemas, we spoke with Mooney about turning his VHS obsession into a movie, getting the confidence to make the leap to film, and doing so with his best friends. ON FINDING INSPIRATION IN GREEK CINEMA AND 80s VHS TAPES "I don't know how it came to me — if I was just hanging around the house or in some sort of dream state or what, but I became really obsessed with this idea of a guy who watches a TV show that's being produced just for him," explains Mooney. "And I kept on thinking about that concept until eventually the story became not just that, but more about the world he explores after that, and outside of that." "There was a movie that came out a few years ago called Dogtooth. It has some similar qualities, with a family being raised in seclusion, so maybe that played a part. But generally I couldn't tell you where it came from, except from me being that obsessive myself, and watching these shows — I have a big VHS collection of kids shows, and I watch them over and over again." "It's mostly stuff that's made for kids, and mostly stuff from the 80s and 90s. I especially really like stuff that was released straight-to-video, and was produced regionally. And where there's maybe only 200 copies made. Educational films, religious videos, stuff like that. What I really like is when it has a low budget, and low production values, but you can tell that whoever's in charge of this thing is trying to do their best impression of Jim Henson or Walt Disney — and it's totally not working." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgs81IOU0m4 ON MAKING THE LEAP FROM SHORTS, TO SNL, TO HIS FIRST FEATURE FILM "I started working on videos with Dave, our director, in my early 20s — right out of college. And with every video you learn something. And then, after a few of them you start trying new things, and you add people to the crew, or maybe start to put a little more money into the production. So it was kind of a gradual build where the stakes rise a little more each time." "By the time we got SNL — I went there with Dave and with Beck Bennett, who's a cast member who is also in our movie — again, there is a little more pressure at it, but you get used to it. And now you're working with a huge celebrity host each week! And you do that for a few years, and it has been building so that, by the time we were on set last summer shooting the movie, I felt pretty prepared." ON MAKING A MOVIE WITH HIS CHILDHOOD BEST FRIENDS "We had all of these shared experiences. With Dave and I, like, there was this very specific kid who went to middle school with us. And I can just be like, 'Jim said this in science class in 1998', or whatever it is, and we can get a laugh out of it. And there's just a level of trust that's there, I think, when Dave is directing me. He knows what I'm capable of. We have the same sensibilities, pretty much." "So it's easy for me, and I think it relieves a lot of the pressure of working on something and not knowing how it is going to turn out. We're also all in it together — and we fail together and we succeed together. But yeah, certainly like having so much history and sharing a sensibility helped." "And I had enough fun on that set that I felt like, 'if this is all we get out of it, I feel pretty good'. Even if the movie didn't turn out well, I would've just considered it a rad summer where we got to work on something together. When we weren't shooting, we would hang out in our hotel rooms or get beers or sing karaoke. It was truly a wonderful crew and cast, and it's nice that what comes through on screen is true to what the experience was like." ON THE FILM'S EARNESTNESS AND OPTIMISM "We have so much genuine love for the things we were trying to recreate. The Brigsby show that's in the movie — I love children's entertainment, and we never wanted to poke fun. I think we always really wanted to pay tribute to it." "And also, the film's underlying theme of creativity, or storytelling, or finding something that you love — we never felt like we wanted to make fun of that. We just wanted to embrace it. We just really liked the idea of playing everything earnest and honest, and hoped the laughs would come along naturally along the way." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MdrGM27yQ8 Read our Brigbsy Bear review.
Trying to pick the best line from Succession isn't just a difficult task; it's almost impossible. The series is one of the best-written shows on television, and best in general, in no small part thanks to how well it hurls about bickering dialogue. Before the HBO series first graced TV screens back in 2018, you mightn't have realised exactly how entertaining it is to watch people squabbling. Not just everyday characters, either, but the constantly feuding and backstabbing — and ridiculously wealthy and privileged — family of a global media baron. It's not only the arguing and power plays that make this hit compulsively watchable, however, but the witty words flung about, the scathing insults shot back and forth, and the pitch-perfect performances that deliver every verbal blow. Due to the pandemic, Succession hasn't actually been on our screens for a couple of years now. So, since 2019, we've only been able to enjoy its scheming chaos by re-binging its first two seasons. But the acclaimed drama is set to return next month — and, based on both its initial teaser back in July and the just-dropped full trailer, all those Roy family antics and the bitter words they inspire are in full swing once again. Yes, it's time to soak up your latest glimpse of a fictional family that could be Arrested Development's Bluth crew, but much, much more ruthless. And, after the big bombshell that son Kendall (Jeremy Strong, The Trial of the Chicago 7) dropped at the end of season two, the third season has plenty to dig into. Obviously, always-formidable patriarch Logan (Brian Cox, Super Troopers 2) is far from happy, and the rest of his children — Connor (Alan Ruck, Gringo), Shiv (Sarah Snook, Pieces of a Woman) and Roman (Kieran Culkin, Infinity Baby) — are caught in the middle. If you've seen the past two seasons, you'll know that this brood's tenuous and tempestuous relationship has only gotten thornier as we've all watched, and that doesn't ever look set to change. For Succession newcomers, the series follows the Roys as Logan's offspring try to position themselves as next in line to his empire. It's clearly set among the one percent, in lives that most folks will never know — but the idea that depiction doesn't equal endorsement is as rich in Succession and its brand of satire as its always-disagreeing characters. There is something different this time around, however, with Alexander Skarsgård (Godzilla vs Kong) and Adrien Brody (The Grand Budapest Hotel) joining the drama. Created by Peep Show's Jesse Armstrong — someone who knows more than a thing or two about black comedy — this Emmy, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Writers Guild and Directors Guild Award-winner is savagely smart, darkly biting and often laugh-out-loud funny about its chosen milieu. And in the words of cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun, Zola) in this year's earlier sneak peek, yes, that sounds kinda dramatic. As well as dropping the full season three trailer, HBO has also announced that Succession will return mid-October — and Foxtel, which airs the series in Australia, has revealed that the third season will start airing Down Under from Monday, October 18. Check out the full Succession season three trailer below: Succession's third season will start airing on Foxtel and Foxtel On Demand from Monday, October 18. Image: HBO.
Welcome to the future of libraries, where it's about more than just books. Green Square Library has upped the ante and moved beyond the standard collection of pageturners. Within the swish new space, you'll find a high-tech lab, underground reading garden, amphitheatre, music room, cafe and meeting rooms. The building, which is located in Zetland – around three kilometres south of Central Station – is hard to miss, thanks to its six-storey glass tower, which emerges from a tree-dotted plaza. Behind the partially-subterranean architecture is Alexandria-based studio Stewart Hollenstein, whose design topped a 167-strong international competition held back in 2013. While books — and underground gardens in which to read said books — are still the central focus of the library, it also features many spaces dedicated to music. The sprawling music room has a baby grand piano, which can be hired out by Beethoven hopefuls stuck in tiny Sydney apartments, and the open air amphitheatre plays host to public gigs. As well as being an eye-catching piece of art itself, the library also contains two stunning installations. High Water, a series of massive LED screens that interpret local weather patterns in abstract colours, by Indigo Hanlee and Michael Thomas Hill dons the plaza, and Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro's Cloud Nation – a vintage aircraft with wings containing the miniature world of Laputa, from Jonathan Swift's novel Gulliver's Travels – hangs inside the library. Spending the day surrounded by art, with a book in hand, sounds like perfection to us. Green Square Library is now open at 355 Botany Road, Zetland. It's open 10am–7pm, Monday to Wednesday; 10am–6pm, Thursday and Friday; and 10am–4pm, Saturday. Images: Katherine Griffiths.
Fresh flowers. Just-baked cakes. The air just after a storm. Newly brewed coffee. They're all distinctive scents that not only smell nice, but conjure up warm and fuzzy feelings. And if you find that the odour of cracking open a new computer or gadget from a certain popular brand evokes the same kind of reaction, then you're going to want to order a Mac-scented candle. Replicating the smell of a brand new Mac, the hand-poured candles clearly answer an the age-old question: "what do you get the Apple fan who has everything?". They're made from 100% soy wax, cost US$24, and also conjure notes of mint, peach, basil, lavender, mandarin and sage. We have to say, if that's what you're sniffing out when you open your new laptop, you must have super olfactory capabilities. Sure, it sounds like something out of a Seinfeld episode, were the hit sitcom still airing — or a gag one of the many modern-oriented Twitter parody accounts of the show might come up with; however it really isn't a joke. Mac accessories company Twelve South has added the item to their store, alongside their usual lineup of docks, stands, covers, shelves, bass boosters, plug converters and keyboard extenders (you know, the standard computer, tablet and phone gizmos). One US Mac hosting solution outfit put the candles to the test, and decreed that they do indeed emit the apparently much-sought-after "new Mac smell". There must be a fair number of folks looking to fill their home with that particular scent, because the range has already sold out. Don't worry, Mac sniffers: more will be in stock at the end of the month. Via Fast Company.
Don't sweat it. Just don't. That's a great sentiment, but putting it into action isn't always so easy. Humanity has long wanted to care less about all of the things that really don't matter, including since before self-help was a book genre — and since before there were books. Nothing else has quite summed up that concept quite like The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, though, even just in its title. It sits among a seemingly endless array of texts about living your best life and forgetting pointless strife, but Mark Manson's 2016 hit perfectly captured the idea that we should all devote less attention to matters that simply aren't worth it. First came the book. Then came the film version of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. Since Manson's famous tome hit shelves, he's also popped up to chat about it and offer his brutally honest self-help advice — and he's returning Down Under in November 2024 to do exactly that again. Consider heading along to this The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck live tour as the next step in pursuing the ultimate goal: giving less fucks. More than 20-million copies of the book have been sold, so you're probably familiar with Manson's take on living more contented and grounded lives already, but there's something to be said about hearing about it in person. Couldn't be arsed reading the text? Then this is another way to soak in its contents. Of course, Manson's spin isn't about never giving a fuck. Rather, he knows that it's wise to choose where to direct our fucks, what to give a crap about and what genuinely bloody matters. The book's chapter titles are as telling as its overall moniker, boasting names such as 'Don't Try', 'Happiness is a problem', 'You are not special', 'You are wrong about everything (But so am I)', 'The importance of saying no' and 'And then you die'. Also the author of Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope, Manson will be onstage exploring this train of thought on a seven-stop trip around Australia and New Zealand, including in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland. Attendees can expect a deeper dive into the principles stepped through in his book, plus practical tips and stories from real life. This is an event to give a fuck about, clearly. Here's the trailer for the film, too, if you haven't yet seen it: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Live with Mark Manson Dates: Monday, November 4 — Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney Wednesday, November 6 — Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Thursday, November 7 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Saturday, November 9 — Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra Sunday, November 10 — Festival Theatre, Adelaide Monday, November 11 — Perth Concert Hall, Perth Friday, November 15 — Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Live tour hits Australia and New Zealand in November 2024, with ticket presales from 10am local time on Wednesday, July 17 — except in Melbourne, where ticket sales start at 11am local time on Monday, July 22. Head to the tour website for more details.
There are 11,761 beaches in Australia. So it goes without saying that choosing the nation's most epic stretches of sand is no easy feat. Still, we've taken on the challenge. And, having considered the entire coastline, we've teamed up with Jim Beam to come up with ten of the best beaches in Australia so you can book a group holiday — from South Australia's sweeping Coorong Beach, which is one of the longest beaches in the world, to Queensland's Whitehaven Beach, which is famous for its incredible beauty, rather than its length. Remote and not close to major cities, these are not your local favourites — these are the top beaches in Australia. Get your bucket list ready, hit up the group chat (because every beach adventure is best enjoyed together) and start planning your next waterside getaway to at least one of them. Recommended reads: The Best Coastal Spots for Whale Watching Across Australia The Best Islands to Visit in Australia The Best Beaches in Sydney The Best Glamping Sites in Australia [caption id="attachment_694321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] NINETY MILE BEACH, VICTORIA Sometimes, size does matter. That's true in the case of Ninety Mile Beach, which is actually 94 miles — or 151 kilometres — long, making it one of the longest beaches in the world. It runs along the state's northeastern coastline, parallel to the (also epic) Gippsland Lakes. And there are all kinds of adventures on offer. Spend days (and days) wandering along the sand, uninterrupted by rocks or headlands while soaking up the surf and looking out for whales. Visit Ninety Mile's cute seaside towns, like Woodside, Seaspray and Golden Beach. And, if you're a camper who's happy to swap creature comforts for serenity, pitch your tent at Emu Bight, on the shores of Lake Victoria within The Lakes National Park, and use this guide to explore the water. Editors note: Emu Bight is currently closed due to bushfires in the nearby area. Check the government's Emu Bight site for more updated info. [caption id="attachment_743661" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] RED ROCK BEACH, NEW SOUTH WALES Some beaches are epic, not only for themselves, but for what surrounds them. Take Red Rock, 30 minutes' drive north of Coffs Harbour. The Australian beach takes its name from its stunning headland, a 20-metre-high formation of 300-million-year-old jasper, also known as red quartz. Much of the sand is backdropped by national park and keen hikers should conquer the 65-kilometre multi-day Yuraygir Coastal Walk — or at least a section of it. If you find yourself needing human civilisation, visit the tiny coastal community of Corindi, where you can camp or stay in a cabin at Reflections Holiday Park. Take your time exploring the area and Red Rock Beach, one of the best beaches in Australia. [caption id="attachment_743607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] WHITEHAVEN BEACH, QUEENSLAND Whitehaven Beach was famous for its looks even before Instagram existed. Located on Whitsunday Island, this seven-kilometre-long wonder is known for its sand, which, made of silica, is among the whitest, brightest and purest on the planet. To visit, you'll need to climb aboard a tour from Airlie Beach — be it by yacht, powerboat, ferry or seaplane. You'll be sorely tempted to take a dip in the crystal clear waters when visiting Whitehaven Beach, easily one of the best beaches in Australia. And, for extraordinary views of the beach, island and surrounds, get yourself to Tongue Point Lookout. If you'd like to stay overnight, there are several campsites nearby. [caption id="attachment_743612" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] CAPE TRIBULATION BEACH, QUEENSLAND Cape Tribulation in Queensland's Far North is where two Heritage-listed wildernesses — the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest — come together. Cape Tribulation Beach is the first one north of the cape, around two hours' drive north of Port Douglas. Begin your adventures at Kulki with a ten-minute stroll to Cape Tribulation Lookout, which looks north over Cape Tribulation Beach, backdropped by mountains. And to add a second sandy spot to your itinerary, take the one-hour Cape Tribulation to Mason's Store walk, for views of Myall Beach. [caption id="attachment_743652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] South Australian Tourism Commission[/caption] COORONG BEACH, SOUTH AUSTRALIA This breathtaking stretch of sand forms the southwestern border of Coorong National Park, on South Australia's southeast coast. It runs for around 220 kilometres, between Port Elliot in the north and Cape Jaffa in the south — and it's considered the longest beach in Australia. It's also where the Murray River meets the sea, after a 2500-kilometre journey from the Australian Alps. Just behind Coorong Beach are the Coorong Wetlands, where the original Storm Boy (1977) film was shot. Consider a paddling tour along one of the best beaches in Australia, be it a three-hour sunset fling or a multi-day expedition. Keep your eyes peeled for threatened species, including the orange-bellied parrot, freckled duck and southern bell frog. [caption id="attachment_743610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] 75 MILE BEACH, QUEENSLAND Another beach that's legendary for its awesome size is 75 Mile Beach on K'gari. This sandy behemoth forms most of the east coast of the island — which is the world's biggest sand island — and lies just off the coast, around six hours' drive north of Brisbane. The attractions here aren't just endless sea and sky, but also multicoloured and adventurous. Yes, there are sharks in the water and dingos on land, but the main attraction here is the length of the beach. Consequently, one of the most popular ways to travel 75 Mile Beach is by 4WD tour. That said, you can also go exploring on foot and camp or glamp at the dedicated Beach Camp Fraser Island. And be sure to stop off at Nudey Beach, which was named the best beach in Australia for 2018. [caption id="attachment_743683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Charles Hill, Tourism Tasmania[/caption] WINEGLASS BAY, TASMANIA Like Queensland's Whitehaven Beach, Tasmania's Wineglass Bay is known all over the world for its good looks. As you've no doubt guessed, the bay gets its name from its smooth curves, which resemble a wine glass. You'll find one of the beast beaches in Australia on on Tassie's east coast, within Freycinet National Park. To get some perspective, follow the three-kilometre walk to Wineglass Bay Lookout from Wineglass Bay car park. An even more epic adventure is the full-day Hazards Beach to Wineglass Bay Circuit, an 11-kilometre hike that takes in two beaches, wilderness and pretty views. [caption id="attachment_743719" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Western Australia[/caption] CABLE BEACH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Cable Beach, on the edge of Broome, is best known for its camel rides. Every evening, the humped beasts traipse along the shoreline, delivering tourists to some of the most beautiful sunsets in Australia, if not the world. It's hard to think of a better way to experience Cable Beach. But, if that's not your thing, you can hire a bike and cycle along the sand. Alternatively, settle for relaxing on the sand, swimming or sipping cocktails when visiting one of the best beaches in Australia. As well as its white sand, Cable Beach is famous for its rich red ochre cliffs, which create a striking contrast with the blue, blue sky. [caption id="attachment_743663" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Stanley via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] COSSIES BEACH, COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS Add a bit of island hopping to your beachy bucket list chasing with a quick getaway to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. These magical wonderlands of coral are in the middle of the Indian Ocean, a 4.5-hour flight west of Perth — which is pretty far-flung, but they're still considered an Australian territory. There's no shortage of gorgeous beaches, but one of the most magnificent is Cossies, on Direction Island, which beach expert Brad Farmer named Australia's best beach in his book 101 Best Beaches 2017. Keen snorkellers should definitely spend some time at the Rip, a haven of colourful corals, parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, reef sharks and other intriguing underwater creatures. And if you're looking for a place to stay when visiting one of the best beaches in Australia, try nabbing a room at Cocos Seaview. [caption id="attachment_743664" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Linear77 via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] EIGHTY MILE BEACH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA One of the best things about Western Australia's many beaches is that they come with sunsets. And, on Eighty Mile Beach — which sprawls between Port Hedland and Broome — you get 220 kilometres of them. It's also a marine park, so you can count on plenty of sea life, including dugongs, dolphins, sawfish and flatback turtles, that come here to nest. Spend your time looking out for these and other wondrous creatures, or get into some strolling, swimming or fishing. There are spots to camp, too, including Cape Keraudren Coastal Reserve. Like Jim Beam, surfing and other outdoor adventures are all about bringing people together, so get out there this summer and find your tribe in the great outdoors. Top images: Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays, courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.
Warm. Dry. Temperatures above average, and rainfall below usual levels. That's been the trend across 2019 so far, thanks to a record-breaking summer, a hotter-than-standard autumn and a toastier-than-normal winter, so it should come as no surprise that the Bureau of Meteorology expects the pattern to continue for the rest of the year. Releasing its latest climate outlooks — which focus on spring, while also looking ahead to December and January, too — BOM doesn't have great news if you were hoping for an average end to 2019. Well, as average as this traditional warmer period can be. Instead, below average rainfall is forecast around most of the country, as well as above average temps. In other words, if you call mainland Australia home, there's a very good chance that you'll experience spring and summer temperatures that are toastier than the median. Apart from Tasmania and the absolute lower edges of South Australia and Victoria, the whole country is tipped to endure maximums at least 80 percent higher than normal. That includes the entirety of Queensland and New South Wales. While the peak time for particularly hot temperatures will kick in from October onwards, September is also expected to weather an extended warm spell, with the mercury reaching two–to–three degrees above where it usually sits at this time of year in central and eastern Australia. If you're wondering exactly what's in store, then it's worth keeping the usual daily temps across the period in mind — and remembering that they'll be exceeded. In Sydney, that means the mercury will soar above a 20.1-degree maximum in September, a 22.2 top in October, a 23.7 max in November and a 25.2 high in December, while Melbourne can expect temps above 16.8, 19.4, 21.9 and 24.6 in the same months. In Brisbane, the standard tops range between 25.6–29.5, and in Perth it spans 20.3–29.1. Yet again, farmers are in for not-so-great news. The rest of the year is predicted to be drier than average everywhere other than northern Western Australian and western Tasmania. Yes, it's a familiar story. Let's not forget that in 2018, overall, Australia copped its third-warmest year ever. If it isn't part of your end-of-year routine already, we suggest planning plenty of time in the coolest places you can find — beaches, pools, rivers or anywhere with a refreshing swimming spot — this spring and summer. Images: Bureau of Meteorology.
Call it Red Light, Green Light. Call it Statues. Call it Grandmother's Footsteps. Whichever name you prefer, how good are you at playing the game that gets folks a-sneaking, ideally without being caught? Now, how would you fare trying to creep forward while avoiding being spotted when Young-hee is lurking? Squid Game fans, if you visit Luna Park Sydney, you'll be able to find out. Opening timed to Squid Game season two's arrival on Netflix on Boxing Day 2025, Squid Game: The Experience will get everyone playing Red Light, Green Light with Young-hee in Luna Park's big top — and also busting out their marbles skills, then walking over the glass bridge. Get your green tracksuit ready. Front Man is there to dare you to take the Squid Game challenges IRL, which obviously doesn't involve notching up a body count like in the series — and isn't televised like reality competition show Squid Game: The Challenge. Some games are inspired by the Netflix program. Others are brand new. Players can take part individually, or in groups of up to 25. As you work through the challenges, which get harder as you go along, you'll earn points. Another difference from the series: if you get eliminated from a game, you'll still be able to take part in the challenges that follow. And yes, Young-hee has popped up Down Under before, with a 4.5-metre, three-tonne recreation of Squid Game's eerie animatronic figure with laser eyes making its presence known also in Sydney back in 2021. [caption id="attachment_975032" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Netflix[/caption] Updated Friday, May 23, 2025.
Maybe you first saw Britain's Penguin chocolate biscuits in the supermarket during a UK holiday. Perhaps you have a British partner or pal who raves about how delicious they are. Or, like almost all Australians, you could just really love Tim Tams — and, as a result, you're eager to give any biscuit that even remotely resembles them a try. Whichever category you fall into, you can now get your hands on Penguins in all their famed glory, as they've just landed on Aussie shelves for the first time. You'll need to head to Coles to pick up a six-pack, which'll set you back $2.80. If you're currently thinking "hmmmm, but we already have Tim Tams", these chocolate-covered, chocolate cream-filled bikkies actually pre-date them. Penguins have even been dubbed "the original Tim Tam", which might sound almost sacrilegious Down Under — but, although they're longer and crunchier than the Aussie biscuit we all know and love, they first debuted in Britain in 1932, more than three decades before Australians started munching on Tim Tams in 1964. Discovering whether another bikkie really is as great as a Tim Tam is probably all the motivation you need to "p-p-pick up a Penguin!", as its slogan encourages, and give them a try. If you need more, though, Penguins also come with penguin-themed jokes printed on the wrapper (maybe keep them away from your dad). And, back in the 70s, the British treats inspired quite the advertisement — which you can watch here. Six-packs of Penguin biscuits are now available at Coles for $2.80.
Calling all nomads and avid campers: a Japanese company called DCW has designed a mobile pod home that will fit in a mini van and can be assembled on any terrain. The pod allows you to choose your own style of living while still being at one with nature, and can be placed on flat ground, steep hills or even turned into a kit houseboat if you feel like taking to the sea. The manufacturer has said it can be easily built "by two women" in half a day but may take a little longer to pull it down, possibly a whole day. Don't let its size fool you; this mobile house may look extremely tiny but it can sleep up to 3 people when you manoeuvre the sofa bed in the right way. The Mobile House Kit has yet to be given a price tag, but surely if you love the outdoors and want to experience nature in style then it will be worth breaking the budget for.
Water repulsion is all the rage at General Electric right now. New hydrophobic, durable coatings that repel liquid could increase energy efficiency across all kinds of machine-based industries. While this is a great advance for technology, a pleasant offshoot is beauty: cue mesmerising slo-mo video of glittering droplets, artfully scattering and dancing in unison. To develop a superhydrophobic coating, GE's chemists looked to nature's own superhydrophobicity and specifically the "lotus effect" — the way raindrops stay intact and roll off lotus leaves without adhering or soaking in, thanks to nanoscopic hairs on the leaf surface. If you could harness this water-repelling power of the lotus, what would you do with it? GE's wind turbines and other machinery adversely affected by ice and moisture build-up will benefit from the coating, and a path ahead is also clear for self-cleaning and anti-fouling materials. Below, watch as the cute, scruffy Slow Mo Guys wear lab coats and utter sweet nothings with their British accents, all while applying macro-lens scrutiny to liquids bouncing off a superhydrophobic coating. This bouncing (or "splooshing" as the guys eloquently put it) creates tumbling, flower-like formations that expand and retract. Marvel as they mess around with food dye, back-lighting and ferrous liquid. It's not unlike the famous Sony Bravia bouncy ball ad, enhanced by an emotional synth soundtrack and the shape-shifting elasticity of water. Via Gizmodo.
Gelato Messina has whipped up a lot of of tasty specials in its time, and during the pandemic. Indulgent red velvet cookie pies, caramel scrolls with cheesecake gelato, Golden Gaytime-inspired Viennetta, 40 of its greatest gelato hits — they're just some of the OTT dishes that've been on the menu just over the past 18 months or so. Another that's proven particularly popular: Iced VoVo gelato. So, the dessert fiends are bringing back its frosty version of everyone's favourite childhood biscuit, and they're also turning it into a bavarian. What's better than turning an Iced VoVo into gelato? Taking that gelato and turning that into a bavarian, obviously. And, what's even better than that? Making something that can either be eaten frozen as a gelato cake, or defrosted as a mousse cake — or somewhere in-between if you'd like to go all semifreddo. Wondering what exactly an Iced VoVo bavarian entails? It layers coconut and raspberry mousse and raspberry gel over a coconut biscuit base, then tops it with raspberry marshmallow and desiccated coconut. And yes, the end result looks like the bikkies you know and love — but in frosty cake form. If you're keen to get yourself a piece — which'll cost you $38 — they're available to preorder online on Monday, September 20. And, because Messina's specials always prove popular, the brand is now staggering the on-sale times. Accordingly, folks in Queensland and the ACT are able to purchase at 9am, Victorians at 9.30am, and New South Wales customers split across three times depending on the store (with pies from Circular Quay, Surry Hills, Bondi, Randwick and Miranda on sale at 10am; Brighton Le Sands, Tramsheds, Parramatta and Darlinghurst at 10.30am; and Darling Square, Newtown, Rosebery and Penrith at 11am). The catch? You'll need to peel yourself off the couch and head to your local Messina store to pick up your order. The pies will be available for collection between Friday, September 24–Sunday, September 26. Sydneysiders, remember to abide by lockdown restrictions when it comes to picking up your bavarian — with folks in most suburbs required to stick to their Local Government Area, or within five-kilometres from home, and a strict five-kilometre limit in place in LGAs of concern. Melburnians, under new eased lockdown rules that come into effect at 11.59pm on Friday, September 17, you'll be permitted to travel within a ten-kilometre radius to pick up food. Gelato Messina's Iced VoVo bavarians will be available to order from 10am on Monday, September 20, for pick up between Friday, September 24–Sunday, September 26. Head to the Messina website for further details.
Come with us on now, on a journey through time and space, to the world of Behind The Boosh. You may not hear those words spoken aloud when you walk into the exhibition celebrating British comedy troupe The Mighty Boosh, but fans will think them. When you're peering at behind-the-scenes peeks into Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding's hilarious and surreal creation, as snapped by fellow group member Dave Brown, that's the very first thing that should come to mind. A part of all things Boosh since the troupe was first formed in the 90s, Brown played Bollo the Gorilla, Naan bread, Black Frost and Australian zookeeper Joey Moose. He's also taken care of tour posters, DVDs, set graphics and merchandise; compiled and designed The Mighty Book of Boosh; and had a hand in Boosh music and choreography. And, he's been snapping away with his camera — the results of which are gracing this photography showcase. There aren't enough elbow patches in the world for this exhibition, or shoes filled with Baileys. Whether or nor you can find either — or the black hair dye and strong hairspray needed to get Vince Noir-style locks, green Old Gregg-esque body paint or 60s-era suits that look like they've been taken straight from Howard Moon's wardrobe — heading to Sydney's M2 Gallery from Wednesday, August 2–Sunday, August 6 means getting a glimpse into the minds behind The Mighty Boosh's stage shows and radio series, and obviously the three-season TV gem also called The Mighty Boosh. Brown's two decades of images traverse a history that saw The Boosh become a live smash at the Edinburgh and Melbourne Comedy Festivals, then a 00s cult hit on the small screen. These days, Fielding might co-present The Great British Bake Off and do team captain duties on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, while Barratt has been playing a part in The Great, but they'll always been known for The Boosh. Brown is also in Australia with the exhibition, and doing an artist talk to chat through his work — and being part of a troupe, plus their various onstage and on-screen shows, where anything could happen — on Saturday, August 5. In Sydney as well, Brown will hit the decks at Redfern Surf Club's Surfapolooza festival, also on Saturday, August 5. Images: Dave Brown.
This June celebration of all things punani, foo foo and vagina has one message — love your lady parts! Philip Werner's photographic exhibition, 101 Vagina, and the Festival of the Vagina are en route to Redfern so "get your bits out, they're all fine" (if you watch the promo video that should make more sense). The exhibition is from Werner's coffee-table book of the same name, which features black-and-white stills of full-frontal vaginas and accompanying messages from the subjects. The show will be up for three days at 107 Projects in a bid to not only celebrate but redirect the plight of the forgotten vagina. Tied up in all kinds of taboos, mandatory porno airbrushing and a dramatic increase in labiaplasty, it sounds like the old girls could use a breath of fresh air. So feel free to giggle, scream or get naked (but don't say it came from me). 101 Vagina is also the centrepiece for an all-day vajayjay fest on Saturday, June 29. The Festival of the Vagina will unite educators, performers, artists, journalists and the rest of us with the noble goal of taking the shame out of vagina. Did I mention there is also a ukulele band called the Three Sisters Katoomba? Awesome. Check out the full line-up at the 101 Vagina website.
Just six months after opening his first solo venture, Jared Merlino (co-owner of Big Poppa's, Kittyhawk and Lobo Plantation) is already changing this up. Bartolo (FKA Caffe Bartolo) has just reopened with a new name, a new interior and a new menu to boot. As part of the all-day eatery's revamp, the venue now features a 13-seat bar space, which has launched alongside the approval of the bar's PSA licence — allowing punters to drink without having to order any food. When you visit, expect a sleek fit-out with walnut floorboards and high tables, along with a cocktail menu that spans spritzes ($15), classics ($14–20) and signatures ($22). The menu changes with the season and has been created by the group's lauded head bartender, Grazia Di Franco. At the moment, there's a Vermuttino spritz (vermouth, lemon myrtle and soda), the Rain cocktail (tequila, two types of vermouth, verjus and golden beetroot), the Merino Wool (sherry, cognac and vermouth with apple, almond milk and egg whites) and the Fireplace (Rinomato Aperitivo and Americano Bianco with plum, cacao and earl grey), which is served hot. Over at the dining room, Merlino wanted to serve up something that Crown Street didn't already offer. For that, he called in chef Teofilo Nobrega, who spent the past 13 years working at Potts Point's Fratelli Paradiso. When creating the food menu, Nobrega's aim was to create a lineup of dishes that you could happily spend 17 hours — how long the cafe's open for each day — eating. And, indeed, you can. For lunch and dinner, there are grilled lamb rump skewers with rosemary and garlic ($15), locally made burrata with white anchovy ($18), charred octopus with salsa verde and pickled onion ($23) and pan-fried Spanish mackerel with asparagus and celeriac puree, ($26). Pair these with one (or both of) the house-made pastas — at the moment, those include the tagliolini alla sorrentina with buffalo mozzarella ($21) and the duck ragu pappardelle ($31). And don't forget a serve of the veal and pork meatballs in tomato sugo ($15), which is made using a recipe from Merlino's nan. On weekends, head in for the regularly changing brunch specials, with house cocktails available from 8am — including the bloody mary, mandarin and prosecco mimosa, espresso-based Coffee Break and a campari and grapefruit concoction. For eats, enjoy the likes of brekkie meatballs with poached eggs and parmesan, or brioche French toast with apple and rhubarb compote and mascarpone. For weekday breakfast before heading into the office, the espresso bar is open from 7m till 3pm, at which you can grab Gabriel coffee and a pastry from Organic Bread Bar. Images: Kitti Gould Words by Samantha Teague and Marissa Ciampi
Uber might be stepping up its war on New York City’s famous yellow taxis, with the introduction of a pre-paid service last week. But it ain’t faring so well on this side of the Pacific. This morning, the New South Wales Road and Maritime Services (RMS) put the company on notice. Officially. And, as of midnight, September 30, 40 Uber drivers will have their vehicles suspended for three months. It's pretty serious stuff; if police catch any suspended vehicle on the road, they’ll view it as unregistered and uninsured. So, the owner will cop a $637 penalty on the spot and, if the matter goes to court, could be up for as much as $2200. As far as RMS is concerned, Uber is breaking the law. “Taxi and hire car services in New South Wales must be provided by an operator accredited by Roads and Maritime, in a licensed and insured vehicle, which is driven by an authorised driver,” Peter Wells, director of safety and compliance at the RMS, told the ABC. “Thousands of dollars in fines have already been issued to drivers offering illegal ride-sharing activities and compliance actions will continue.” Needless to say, the New South Wales Taxi Council welcomed the announcement. And the New South Wales Government has an independent task force looking into the future of taxis and hire cars. Its findings are set to reach the Government in October, so sit tight. Whether this will affect Uber in the long term remains to be seen. It's definitely not the first time the company has been hauled into an Australian court. Importantly, Uber's also been pretty open about their intention to simply pay the fine — the company has copped whopping fines in multiple countries, including a $1.7 million fine in Queensland in June 2015, and a hefty US$7.3 million in California, just to name a couple. And they simply paid the fine. Uber's likelihood to simply budget for these driver fines in the foreseeable future could prove problematic for the RMS, and the Australian taxi industry. Via ABC.
Plans, pathways, roadmaps, rollouts: no matter which state you live in, Australians have heard these terms more than a few times over the past year and a half. As the country has grappled with COVID-19, our state and federal leaders have unveiled all types of outlines that run through what we can do, what we can't do whenever restrictions are in place, how we're getting vaccinated, where we can travel and how life might someday return to normal. Following the latest National Cabinet meeting between state and territory leaders and Prime Minister Scott Morrison, which was held today, Friday, July 2, the latter has just announced a new plan — 'a National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response', to be precise. It steps through four phases that Australia will now work through to get life back to normal in this pandemic-affected world. Timeframes haven't been noted, so really it's just a list of things that should happen at some point; however, it's a plan nonetheless. Now 16 months since the country first introduced lockdowns and border restrictions due to the pandemic, Australia is currently in the first phase. Here, the aim is to suppress the virus to minimise community transmission, and much of it either sounds familiar or plans to tweak existing arrangements. Lockdowns will be used as a last resort, caps on incoming passenger arrivals will be cut in half to help stop the possible spread of the Delta variant, and the Commonwealth will run more repatriation flights to Howard Springs. Hotel quarantine is set to be reviewed, too, and alternative options — such as home quarantine for returning vaccinated travellers — will be trialled. In this first stage, everyone will be offered their chance to get vaccinated — which, given how slow the rollout has been progressing so far, might explain why no hard dates have been attached to this overall roadmap. Also in the initial phase, the Medicare Vaccination Certificate will be rolled out, Australia will work out how to authenticate digital vaccination status at our international borders and the vaccine booster program will be prepared. Whenever that's all achieved, the nation will move into phase two. That's when restrictions will be eased on folks who've had the jab — including around lockdowns and border controls. It's aimed that, by then, lockdowns will only happen "in extreme circumstances" if needed to prevent increasing hospitalisation rates and deaths. Also in phase two, inbound passenger cabs for unvaccinated returnees will go up, and more vaccinated returning travellers will be allowed to come home. If you're a vaccinated Aussie and you're coming back into the country, there'll be reduced quarantine arrangements. And, this is when the vaccine booster program should be rolled out, too. Up next: a third phase that has absolutely no lockdowns, and frees vaccinated Aussies from all domestic restrictions — and allows them to travel internationally as well. At this point in the plan, there'd be no caps on returning vaccinated travellers at all, and more travel bubbles, like the one floated with Singapore, would open. Also, vaccine boosters would keep being delivered. Finally, phase four sees COVID-19 just treated like other infectious diseases. It'd still be around, but it'd get the same kind of response as the flu. So, there'd be no lockdowns or domestic restrictions ever, vaccinated folks could come and go as they like, and non-vaccinated travellers would just have to get tested before they depart and when they arrive. Again, there are no timeframes attached to any of these phases as yet. That's dependent upon setting vaccination targets for each phase of the plan, based on modelling. And, if Australia's pandemic response so far is any guide, this could all change, take forever or simply not happen — but, if nothing else, it's the stated plan at the time of writing. For further details about the National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response, head to the Prime Minister's website.
Real life has enough drama, as we all well and truly know at the moment. When it comes to getting cosy on your couch, you can be forgiven for wanting to forget the world's troubles — and your own, and this year's — and get caught up in a side-splitting comedy instead. Our tip: pick a top-notch TV series of the rib-tickling kind and stream (or re-stream) your way through it. Some you can knock out fairly quickly, filling your weekend with laughter. Others will take weeks and months, and will constantly brighten up your days in the process. From acerbic delights and absurd wonders to heartwarming gems and instant classics, streaming platform Binge isn't lacking in the comedy department. Because being able to lose yourself in a hilarious TV series is one of life's simple but much-needed pleasures, we've teamed up with the Australian service to highlight five shows that are guaranteed to have you giggling and guffawing — including via a 14-day free trial for new customers.
Sydney's blazing summers aren't just a blessing for beachgoers. If you're fond of cooling down on dry land with a spritz in your hand and the sun's rays on your face, this is your time to shine. Our gorgeous climate, tastebud-tempting cocktails, and that carefree vibe that floats across the harbour as soon as the season hits are certain to bring Sydneysiders together. If you're wondering where to head, we've teamed up with Aperol to pick nine must-visit spots that'll take care of this year's holy trifecta: spritzes, all that glorious sunshine, and ample space for you and your pals.
Bondi welcomes a new drinking, dining, and hang-out spot, just in time for the summer months, as Pavilion Social opens on level one of the Bondi Pavilion. When you need a break from the sand but don't want to go far, head upstairs to Pavilion Social, located right behind Bondi Beach, for ocean views, refreshing drinks, tasty bites and feel-good vibes. For sunny afternoons that turn into long, warm nights, Pavilion Social offers leisurely lunches, sunset drinks, relaxed dinners, live music and more, all with unmatched sweeping views of iconic Bondi Beach. The menu is snacky and straightforward, think bread and dips, freshly shucked oysters, prawns with cocktail sauce, marinated olives and kingfish crudo. Sea salt crisps with mortadella and peppers, or charcuterie with pickles, are the perfect accompaniment to a round of Bondi Breezers with vodka, pineapple, lime, agave and soda. If you're hungry after a big day in the surf, go for a prawn roll with yuzu koskō mayo, or a cheeseburger with sea salt fries. A range of frozen cocktails, such as the Coastline Marg, or the Peachy Frosé with rosé, peach liqueur and grapefruit soda, are sure to be the perfect antidote to a scorching summer's day. Images: Supplied.
Tropical North Queensland is so rich in natural beauty that it's easy to forget that the region also boasts an impressive art scene. Local and international artists flock to the tropics, finding inspiration in the stunning scenery throughout the area. From local theatres and art galleries, to beachside markets and concert venues, there are plenty of ways to get your culture fix while in the tropics.
Although SOPA and PIPA were withdrawn from Congress last month, it seems that online freedom may still face immense danger in the savage war against piracy. Recently we saw the unravelling of a bizzare set of events in the Megaupload saga, which included the shutting down of the website and the FBI's dramatic arrest and indictment of founder, Kim Schmitz. Schmitz and fellow Megaupload employees were arrested on piracy charges, as the website is said to have accounted for a staggering $500 million of losses in unauthorised content. Furthermore, it is said that the website also generated $175 million through advertising and other means. With unprecedented accessibility to media and information online, it seems almost all of us are guilty of some form of piracy, which has become normalised and largely seen as a victimless crime. Stemming from a traditional "us vs. them" attitude against corporations and a genuine love of free things, most of us don't think twice about downloading the latest episodes of Mad Men, or hopping over to Thailand to grab a few dodgy seasons of Sex and the City for the missus. Such an attitude is summarised beautifully in a Facebook response to the anti-piracy advertisements equating downloading media to physical theft: I wouldn't steal a car, but I'd download one if I could. With so much stuff out there it's hard to know what belongs to whom, to what extent we're breaking the law and who we are actually hurting when we download media. Indeed, nothing proves this more than the case of aggressive anti-piracy group BREIN, who were accused of using Melchior Rietveldt's song without permission in an anti-piracy advertisement. Besides being a most humorous and delicious slice of irony, this is also evidence of how contractual agreements for media must now be drafted with greater intricacy and detail to keep up with technology's rapid evolution. The effects of the Megaupload shutdown have scared similar websites into re-examining their services, and FileSonic, Turbobit and FileServe have largely disabled their sharing capabilities. In retaliation to the shutdown, hacktivist group Anonymous set their omnipresent eyes on the high-traffic websites of enemies in high places, and the online presence of CBS, Universal Music and the U.S. Department of Justice was temporarily inaccessible. The group has promised further attacks, and we can't help but be a little nervous as the endless list of targets is examined. A call-to-arms video for a blackout on Facebook on January 28 appeared, but its credibility was called into question and the date passed without disturbance. Thank God we were still able to check-in at our favourite restaurants and lurk our friends' photos in comfort. A relief to say the least. Nevertheless, the mere possibility of somebody taking down Facebook and destroying my treasured memories makes me extremely anxious and a little nauseous. If anything, such attacks have proven how individuals can impact others greatly from the comfort of their own bedrooms and mysterious underground hacker-dungeons. With the music and film industries seeking desperately to guard the gates to their traditional pools of revenue, there looks to be no end to the internet war against piracy. If anything, such battles will become more frequent and dispersed, and fought with greater speed and complexity.
Last year saw a slew of announcements around new streaming platforms, including two dedicated to horror and another to the world of Disney. Now, Australia's ever-growing streaming landscape is being joined by a service spotlighting great storytelling. Landing at the beginning of March, the documentary-focused iWonder launched with more than 500 hours of on-demand content, and hopes to host over 1000 blockbuster and under-the-radar titles by the end of the month. Documentaries already available on the platform cover a huge range of topics, from fast food social experiment Super Size Me, to fly-on-the-wall spectacle Jesus Camp which follows an Evangelist summer camp, and Morgan Neville's Oscar-winning music doco 20 Feet from Stardom. Music doco series Rolling Stones: Stories From the Edge, which covers the last 50 years of music in the US, and timely political flick Alt-Right: Age of Rage are also available on the service. iWonder co-founder James Bridges says a key feature of the service is the curation of the home page, which will reflect current events through articles and relevant documentary recommendations. Subscriptions have been set at $6.99 per month or $69.90 for an annual subscription. New Aussie users will receive the first month free — you can sign up here. The service is available on iOS and Android and can be cast to the small screen via Apple TV and Chromecast. The platform previously launched with 15 million users via the iflix platform in Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East. iWonder debuted in Singapore and New Zealand at the same time as Australia. You can sign up for iWonder via the website. Top image: Alt-Right: Age of Rage.
New York and Sydney may be almost 10,000 miles apart, but when it comes to capturing that iconic American panache so many of us know and love, recently opened Bowery Lane aims to prove distance is relative with the right ingredients. Hidden away under the towering office block at no.1 O'Connell and accessible via a second street-facing entrance, the cafe restaurant combines fashion with farm, taking its inspiration from the once-agricultural-then-high-society suburb of early 1800s Manhattan. The former is evident in the warehouse-style ceilings, gorgeous high booths, exposed bulb lighting above large communal tables and soft black leather banquets juxtaposed with crisp, white tiles and hessian curtains. The latter, as you can imagine, via the menu. With an emphasis on locally sourced produce, cocktails and a comprehensive spirits list to sate its predicted majority banker/lawyer clientele, said menu has already had a little journey of its own. Initially linked to chef Jeff Turnbull (High St Bistro), it received its first write up via Braden White (Rickys, Noosa). However, according to general manager Nick Bayss, ex O Bar and Dining, Richard Duff now heads up the open kitchen, visible via a gangway linking the main restaurant to a hotplate takeaway section for busy business folk on the go. Already packed out come 1pm, the dining room is designed for breakfast, lunch and (by early September) dinner too. Again according to Bayss, the main attractions here are the slow-cooked lamb ($55), barbecue organic chicken ($48) and pork collar ($46) share dishes, which, with a couple of sides, will happily feed three or four people and only set you back about $30 a head. Just two on our visit, however, we decided to pick through the menu, beginning with warm Mt Zero olives ($7), manchego croquettes and chargrilled lamb ribs (both $14). The smoked chilli aioli with the croquettes packed a perfectly balanced fiery punch, while the tender, award-winning Milly Hill meat fell off the bone with the help of some seriously vibrant chimmichurri. One of our accompanying cocktails, sadly, was not as impressive. While the New York Sour ($15) was nice and subtle with a firm Bulleit Rye whiskey presence, the Cosmopolitan City ($16) was too sweet. That being said, there are eight more on the menu we didn't try. Next came the house smoked hickory salmon ($17), served with thinly sliced toasted rye bread, puffed wild rice and bottarga salad (cured fish roe). Fresh, thick and meaty, the salmon comes in three fat chunks and makes an ideal sized entree for the giant pork cotoletta (aka schnitty, $27) that followed with slaw and garlic aioli. If you like your condiments, you'll enjoy the aioli, but hats off to these guys here: this deep-fried cutlet was so juicy all we needed was a squeeze of lemon, plus the apple and pea slaw — genius. Throughout we sipped on the fabulously deep and weighty South Australian Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon ($57 per bottle), one of the 50 or so local and US wines on offer. But to put it simply, whether you're after a long boozy lunch like us, or something smaller, Bowery Lane will impress. If the intention here was to prove Sydney can add its own stamp to the service and selection that makes New York such a world renowned destination: mission accomplished.
The team behind Circular Quay's new multi-level venue Hinchcliff House is set to open an all-day cafe, bakery and bistro called Bondi Promenade in the newly renovated Bondi Pavilion. Tenancy of the Shop Four site within the precinct was awarded to House Made Hospitality's Scott Brown, Justin Newton and Stephen Seckold. Waverley Council announced the list of dining and retail tenants for the soon-to-open precinct earlier this month. Bondi Promenade will serve coffee and freshly-baked goods to beachgoers while offering a casual bistro dining experience featuring charcoal seafood and vegetables, with something available "for everyone and at every price point", according to Brown. Light healthy breakfast options, pizza-style flatbreads and seasonal fruit gelatos designed for a summer's day are all planned for the venue's menu. Other tenants at the building include clothing brand Between the Flags, previous tenant Surfish Cafe and Glory Days Bondi, a sister venue of North Sydney's Glory Days from the owners of Glorietta and Woolpack Hotel. "The Bondi Pavilion is truly an iconic building and we're excited to be opening our doors here with Glory Days, with a design that is both fresh and respectful of this incredible heritage building," Glory Days' Aaron Crinis said. The restoration and conservation of Bondi Pavilion was first announced back in 2015 and is now set to be completed early next year with expansive refurbishments to the building and its existing rooms, plus a new grand entrance and new toilets, showers and change rooms. The full plan for the historic building includes several new cultural facilities alongside the improvements made on the building's facade and facilities, with the beachside spot set to feature a new art gallery, community radio station, pottery studio and a flexible cultural space. [caption id="attachment_810676" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grana at Hinchcliff House[/caption] Bondi Pavilion is located at Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach and is set to reopen early next year. You can stay up-to-date with the building's refurbishment at the Waverley Council's website.
A drug kingpin disappearing into a new life, clashing cousins, voting popes, a veteran actor trying to reclaim her career with the help of a mysterious liquid, Adrien Brody surviving history's horrors again, fierce tennis competitors: films about all of the above have earned Golden Globes in 2025. Stressed-out chefs, stand-up comedy greats, Japanese warriors, Gotham villains, determined detectives: TV shows about them are all also in the same category. And, they each have a heap of company. Held on Monday, January 6 Australian and New Zealand time, this year's Golden Globes ceremony started with host Nikki Glaser cracking gags about everything from Dune: Part Two's running time to Nicole Kidman making awards-nominated work to get away from Keith Urban's strumming and Adam Sandler pronouncing Timothée Chalamet's name. It then threw in excited shouts and enthusiastic speeches aplenty among the winners. Picking up the first award of the night — but not the only award for Emilia Pérez — Zoe Saldaña (Special Ops: Lioness) delivered both alone. Other highlights from the hijinks: Catherine O'Hara (The Wild Robot) and Seth Rogen (Mufasa: The Lion King), co-stars in upcoming streaming series The Studio, making up a whole lot of accolades for fake Canadian projects; The White Lotus favourite Jennifer Coolidge being Jennifer Coolidge; Emilia Pérez songwriter Camille calling the whole shebang "such an American experience"; and Vin Diesel (Fast X) starting his presenting stint with "hey Dwayne". And more standouts among the awards: gorgeous Latvian independent animation Flow taking out its category, in the first time that a movie from the nation has been at the Golden Globes; Kieran Culkin winning the supporting actor Succession battle for A Real Pain over Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice; Shogun's well-deserved swag of gongs; Demi Moore's touching sentiments about believing in your own value; A Different Man winner Sebastian Stan demanding that tough films still get made; and also Feranda Torres emerging victorious for I'm Still Here over Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl), Angelina Jolie (Maria), Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door) and Kate Winslet (Lee). Not every ace nominee could snag a statuette, of course. Not every worthy movie and TV series even made the roster of contenders. They're truths that everyone should remember at every awards ceremony. Still, the rundown of newly minted 2025 Golden Globe winners spans an array of deserving folks and projects — and comes in less than a fortnight before the Oscars joins in, announcing its nominees on Saturday, January 17 Down Under time. Will the Academy Awards follow in these footsteps? And the Emmys later in the year, too? What else received some love? Here's the full list of 2025's Golden Globe winners and nominees (and you can also check out our rundown of victorious films and TV shows to watch right now): 2025 Golden Globe Winners and Nominees Best Motion Picture — Drama The Brutalist — WINNER A Complete Unknown Conclave Dune: Part Two Nickel Boys September 5 Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy Anora Challengers Emilia Pérez — WINNER A Real Pain The Substance Wicked Best Motion Picture — Animated Flow — WINNER Inside Out 2 Memoir of a Snail Moana 2 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot Cinematic and Box Office Achievement Alien: Romulus Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Deadpool & Wolverine Gladiator II Inside Out 2 Twisters Wicked — WINNER The Wild Robot Best Motion Picture — Non-English Language All We Imagine as Light Emilia Pérez — WINNER The Girl with the Needle I'm Still Here The Seed of the Sacred Fig Vermiglio Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl Angelina Jolie, Maria Nicole Kidman, Babygirl Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door Fernanda Torres, I'm Still Here — WINNER Kate Winslet, Lee Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama Adrien Brody, The Brutalist — WINNER Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown Daniel Craig, Queer Colman Domingo, Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes, Conclave Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy Amy Adams, Nightbitch Cynthia Erivo, Wicked Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez Mikey Madison, Anora Demi Moore, The Substance — WINNER Zendaya, Challengers Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain Hugh Grant, Heretic Gabriel Labelle, Saturday Night Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness Glen Powell, Hit Man Sebastian Stan, A Different Man — WINNER Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez Ariana Grande, Wicked Felicity Jones, The Brutalist Margaret Qualley, The Substance Isabella Rossellini, Conclave Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez — WINNER Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture Yura Borisov, Anora Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain — WINNER Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce, The Brutalist Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice Denzel Washington, Gladiator II Best Director — Motion Picture Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez Sean Baker, Anora Edward Berger, Conclave Brady Corbet, The Brutalist — WINNER Coralie Fargeat, The Substance Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light Best Screenplay — Motion Picture Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez Sean Baker, Anora Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain Coralie Fargeat, The Substance Peter Straughan, Conclave — WINNER Best Original Score — Motion Picture Volker Bertelmann, Conclave Daniel Blumberg, The Brutalist Kris Bowers, The Wild Robot Clément Ducol, Camille, Emilia Pérez Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Challengers — WINNER Hans Zimmer, Dune: Part Two Best Original Song — Motion Picture 'Beautiful That Way', Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Zachrisson, The Last Showgirl 'Compress / Repress', Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino, Challengers 'El Mal', Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez — WINNER 'Forbidden Road', Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek, Better Man 'Kiss The Sky', Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi, The Wild Robot 'Mi Camino', Clément Ducol, Camille, Emilia Pérez Best Television Series — Drama The Day of the Jackal The Diplomat Mr & Mrs Smith Shogun — WINNER Slow Horses Squid Game Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy Abbott Elementary The Bear The Gentlemen Hacks — WINNER Nobody Wants This Only Murders in the Building Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Baby Reindeer — WINNER Disclaimer Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story The Penguin Ripley True Detective: Night Country Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series — Drama Kathy Bates, Matlock Emma D'arcy, House of the Dragon Maya Erskine, Mr & Mrs Smith Keira Knightley, Black Doves Keri Russell, The Diplomat Anna Sawai, Shogun — WINNER Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series — Drama Donald Glover, Mr & Mrs Smith Jake Gyllenhaal, Presumed Innocent Gary Oldman, Slow Horses Eddie Redmayne, The Day of the Jackal Hiroyuki Sanada, Shogun — WINNER Billy Bob Thornton, Landman Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri, The Bear Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along Jean Smart, Hacks — WINNER Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Jason Segel, Shrinking Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jeremy Allen White, The Bear — WINNER Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television Cate Blanchett, Disclaimer Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country — WINNER Cristin Milioti, The Penguin Sofía Vergara, Griselda Naomi Watts, Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans Kate Winslet, The Regime Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television Colin Farrell, The Penguin — WINNER Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer Kevin Kline, Disclaimer Cooper Koch, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Ewan McGregor, A Gentleman in Moscow Andrew Scott, Ripley Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear Hannah Einbinder, Hacks Dakota Fanning, Ripley Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer — WINNER Allison Janney, The Diplomat Kali Reis, True Detective: Night Country Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television Tadanobu Asano, Shogun — WINNER Javier Bardem, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Harrison Ford, Shrinking Jack Lowden, Slow Horses Diego Luna, La Máquina Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television Jamie Foxx, Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was Nikki Glaser, Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die Seth Meyers, Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking Adam Sandler, Adam Sandler: Love You Ali Wong, Ali Wong: Single Lady — WINNER Ramy Youssef, Ramy Youssef: More Feelings The 2025 Golden Globes were announced on Monday, January 6, Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
The nine to five can be tough. Sometimes there's just too much to do, and not enough time to do it — and sometimes you just struggle to put a sentence together without any typos. But before heading to the cafe next door for another short black, you might want to consider Silicon Valley's pick-me-up alternative: psychedelics. Yep, acid is the new caffeine. It's called 'microdosing' and apparently it's the new thing for overachieving, overworked Silicon Valley yo pros to partake in when they're having a bit of an off one. It involves taking about a tenth of the 'normal' dose of a psychedelic drug (usually LSD or mushrooms) which has an energising and insightful 'subperceptual' — rather than a tripping — effect on the body. And, according to this Rolling Stone article, it's helping them concentrate, and be more productive and creative at work. The concept itself isn't entirely new. Author of The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide James Fadiman introduced microdosing into the mainstream when speaking at a psychedelic research conference back in 2011. Since then, however, the practice has become more widespread, particularly with twenty-something professionals in the San Francisco area, according to Fadiman. Although the dose of the (illegal) drugs is minute, their effects are still hard to predict. So for now, perhaps stick to your single origin coffee beans and a selection of cat GIFs to get the creative juices flowing. Via Rolling Stone.
