After the overwhelming, sold- out response to the The School of Life's Sydney pop-up in early 2016, the school has just announced it will open permanently on Monday July 25. The first term of programming will run from Monday, July 25 to Saturday, October 29, with tickets on sale at 10am this Monday, July 4. Founded in London in 2008, TSOL is a cultural endeavour to teach 'emotional intelligence,' offering encouraging ideas for everyday life through workshops, events and seminars. While the school currently operates in various cities around the world — including Amsterdam, Belgrade, Istanbul, Paris, Sao Paolo, Seoul and Tel Aviv — Australia is the first country to open a permanent branch outside of London, starting with The School of Life Melbourne in 2014. If Melbourne's recent classes on the philosophy of disco and a presentation on misinformation are any indication of what Sydneysiders have in store, we're a lucky bunch. While the school's main classroom is located on Castlereagh Street in the CBD, special large-scale events will run at other, sure to be iconic, venues across Sydney. Australians are, not surprisingly, welcoming this second outpost with open arms. The school's original founder, philosopher Alain de Botton, will be touring Australia throughout the opening month as a partnership launch with TSOL Australia. So what Life lessons are we learning? The first term features 23 'how to' classes spanning ideas surrounding love, work, life and death, as well as cultural workshops including 'Photography as Therapy', 'Making Meaning: Spring', 'Storytelling as Therapy', 'Living with a Creative Mind', 'Understanding Mindfulness' and 'Stoic Mindfulness and Meditation'. Special events are also included in the program. We're especially keen on the 'Music and the Mind' and the 'Night of Better Conversation' events. The school's customary philosophy brunches and its much-loved 'Bibliotherapy' services will also run throughout the semester. The School of Life Sydney will be located at Legion House, 161 Castlereagh Street, Sydney; Tickets for the first term of classes and events will go on sale at 10am on Monday, July 4. Keep your eyes on The School of Life's website and sign up for the mailing list for further announcements on major events of the program.
Yes, Pilgrims is a vegetarian cafe but even carnivores should feel compelled to visit this Sydney breakfast spot. Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will be impressed by the generous portions and creative combinations on the menu. In fact, Pilgrims is so popular that it has two homes, one at Cronulla Beach and the other in Milton so you can get your hands on those superb buttermilk pancakes when journeying to the south coast. All morning and afternoon, choose from an expansive but classic selection of brunch fare — everything from the aforementioned pancakes to roasted mushrooms on toast and breakfast burgers. For lunch, vegetarians will be delighted by the sheer range of burgers on offer. Far from the standard veggie patty burger that usually makes an appearance on menus, at Pilgrims there are multiple options to choose from (including tofu, mixed grain and curried lentil), plus a burger special for kids. And if you can't make it during daylight hours, stop by on Fridays and Saturdays when the venue stays open past sundown, serving Mexican food — strictly vegetarian, of course. Whether you're visiting for breakfast, lunch or dinner, bookings are recommended, as tables always fill up fast at Pilgrims in Cronulla. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Sydney
Sydney is best known for its glorious sunny days and big blue skies, but with La Niña hitting hard here on the east coast, we've had to find things to do during the wettest of weeks. Our city is teeming with wet weather-friendly activities, so don't let a bit of drizzle keep you from making the most of Sydney. Here are some ideas to keep you entertained and sufficiently dry before you consider hiding under your doona forever — binge-watching Netflix not included. HOLE UP IN A COSY BAR At the first sign of threatening weather, gather your best group of drinking buddies and head straight for your local watering hole. Nab a cosy corner, order a few rounds and stay put until the skies clear. Quality booze, food and friends are really all you need, but to take your rainy day pub game up a notch, choose somewhere with board games or a fireplace. Our favourites include 1989 Arcade Bar, Charlie Parker's, The Old Fitz and hidden Darlinghurst saloon Shady Pines. Endless hours of rain-less fun are guaranteed. GET CULTURED IN A NICE DRY GALLERY A rainy day is the perfect opportunity to finally catch that exhibition you've been meaning to see. Escape the elements and step into a haven of vibrant and colourful artworks that will surely take your mind off the wild weather. Some of our go-to inner Sydney galleries include China Heights, White Rabbit, aMBUSH, Cooee Art Gallery and Abstract Thoughts above Cafe Freda's. In Sydney's west, you can't go wrong at Casula Powerhouse and Campbelltown Art Gallery. Or, if you want big show-stopping exhibitions, MCA, AGNSW and Australian Museum have you covered. Spend all day browsing the talent and leave with some newfound inspiration to pick up a paintbrush. SNUGGLE INTO A CINEMA SEAT Is there anything better on a rainy day than snuggling up to watch a movie, popcorn in one hand and a glass of wine in the other? The next time it starts to drizzle, swap Netflix for a new release or a retrospective screening of a classic film at one of Sydney's best boutique cinemas. The art deco stylings and warm atmosphere of Golden Age Cinema and Bar make it the perfect place to while away a rainy afternoon, beginning with a cocktail before enjoying an art-house film in the intimate screening room. Govinda's is another option for those wanting a unique movie-going experience, featuring a hearty vegetarian buffet and floor cushions to watch the film from. If the rain falls on a Monday, you'll be able to snag cheap movie tickets at Palace Cinemas; on Tuesdays, head to Dendy or Randwick Ritz. [caption id="attachment_736378" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] CURL UP IN A CAFE One of the best places to be on a rainy day is in a window seat at a cosy cafe, where you can watch the rain from a safe, dry distance. Add a cup of steaming coffee (or a glass of wine), a hearty meal and a good book, and you're all set for a delightful day indoors. With Sydney's cafe scene constantly expanding, there's no shortage of options to choose from, so just start from the top of the list and work your way down. Key requirements include lots of natural lighting, a chilled-out soundtrack and friendly staff. If they're also serving all-day breakfast, you know you've found a winner. And if ramen is their bag, like Rising Sun Workshop, there's nothing better for a drizzly day. HAVE A SPA DAY Treating yourself every now and then is essential for your health, so use the next rainy day as an excuse to sneak off to the spa for a little dose of zen. Relax and rejuvenate with a facial and massage, or even rope your significant other in for a couple's treatment. Sydneysiders are spoilt for choice when it comes to spa experiences, so take your pick from the best. Nothing is more luxurious than spending the day wrapped up in a robe, with cucumbers on eyes to complete the experience, of course. BOOK YOURSELF INTO THE THEATRE There's a certain element of romance to the theatre, which always seems to heighten on a drizzly night. The next time it's forecast to rain, book tickets to a show and you'll see what we mean. Whether you prefer the classics or are a fan of more contemporary productions, there's bound to be a theatre in Sydney with shows suited to your tastes. Our favourites include Belvoir, Sydney Theatre Company, Riverside Theatre, Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, Carriageworks, Performance Space and Griffin Theatre Company, and there's plenty more where that came from. Check out Concrete Playground's events guide for what's on this week. TAKE A CLASS If you've been meaning to pick up a new skill for a while, a dreary day is your chance to make it happen. Finally learn how to cook something other than two-minute noodles at one of Sydney's cooking schools, which include Cornersmith, The Sydney Chocolate School, Salt Meats Cheese and Cucina Italiana. Alternatively, Sydney is home to various art classes that will get your creative juices flowing. Try pottery at Clay Sydney, painting at Waverley Woollahra Art School or photography at The Aperture Club. To revamp your exercise routine, get warm and stretchy at One Hot Yoga or perfect your party dance moves at Sydney Pole. Your rainy day activity may even breed a lifelong hobby. Top image: Cooee Art Gallery, Cassandra Hannagan
Warehouse parties are great. Secret Mexican holiday-inspired, neon-drenched, immersive warehouse experiences are even better. Curated by a group of Mexican visionaries and artists, Day of the Dead 3.1. promises to be one heck of a Burning Man-channeling spectacle you'll want to lock down tickets for — on sale this Saturday, August 15 at 12.30pm. And with the demand already high, this event is expected to sell out within hours, so your crew had better be ready. For hundreds of years, El Dia de los Muertos has been one of the biggest parties in Mexico honouring the dead. The 4000 year-old tradition's history can be traced back to Mexico's indigenous beliefs of the afterlife — that death is only the beginning. Now it's Australia's turn to delve into the underworld, as The Day of the Dead finds its way to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this spring, in secret locations within each city. Expect interactive art installations, light projections, extravagant costumes, murals created by renowned street artists and an exclusive lineup of local and international DJs and musicians — including one big ol' festival favourite headliner. The lineup will be released closer to the day, so stay tuned. Pop-ups by a handpicked bunch of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane's go-to local Mexican eateries, like Playa Takeria, have been selected to create Dia de los Muertos menus. Plus, there'll be Mexican cervezas and tequila/mezcal cocktails to provide you with enough sustenance to dance the night away. With instructions being sent to ticket holders just one week before the event, this is secret warehouse party business at it's best. Each city's locations are more closely guarded than an abuela's special mole sauce ingredient and will only be released one day before the party. Get ready to nab a ticket and start preparing your best Dia de los Muertos outfit. Day of the Dead will visit Sydney on October 24, then Melbourne on October 31 before ending in Brisbane on November 7. Tickets are $75 and go on sale here on Saturday 15 August at 12.30pm and are expected to sell out super fast. Don't stall on this one, it'll be the death of you.
From naturally-occurring wonders to marvels of architecture and design, this great nation of ours has no shortage of photo-friendly locations. Year after year, tourists and locals alike flock to Australia's most famous destinations, looking to capture that picture-perfect shot. Now, with just a few weeks left in the year, Traveller have revealed a list of the most snapped places in Australia. And while none of the locations are particularly surprising, they do serve as a reminder of just how goddamn crazy beautiful this country is. 5. MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND (MCG) A photo posted by artinayar (@artinayar) on Aug 16, 2015 at 1:03am PDT The most iconic sporting ground in Australia, when you consider how many people are regularly packed into the MCG throughout the year, its inclusion on the list makes a lot of sense. That said, we can't help but wonder if it would have appeared even higher if Instagram had waited until after the Boxing Day Test to release their rankings. 4. BONDI BEACH A photo posted by Adam Bull (@bulladam) on Dec 3, 2015 at 3:12pm PST Synonymous with Australian beach culture, Bondi offers Instagrammers the perfect opportunity to casually show off their tans against a backdrop of crystal waters and sandy shores. With an oceanside cinema, food pop-ups and a brand new dining precinct on the way, we don't expect to see Bondi drop off this list anytime soon. 3. SURFERS PARADISE BEACH A photo posted by Sharon Lewin | Australia (@thenomadictraveller) on Dec 1, 2015 at 12:52pm PST Pipping their NSW rivals to the proverbial post, Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast beat out Bondi as Australia's most Instagrammed beach. And with photos like these, it's rather hard to argue. Paradise indeed. 2. DARLING HARBOUR, SYDNEY A photo posted by Nimesh Yadav (@nimeshnimze) on Dec 3, 2015 at 5:37pm PST A bustling harbourside hub smack bang in the centre of Sydney, Darling Harbour has long been one of the city's biggest tourist destinations – and that was before they opened up their giant new urban playground. Just make sure you don't get your eye taken out by an errant selfie-stick. 1. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE A photo posted by Tom Rex Jessett | Australia (@trex.photography) on Dec 1, 2015 at 1:01pm PST What a shocker! To the surprise of absolutely no one, the top spot on the most Instagrammed list goes to the most famous landmark in the country. From the dazzling displays seen during Vivid Sydney to the sobering site of the sails lit up in the colours of the French flag, the Sydney Opera House remains the number one place in Australia that inspires visitors to whip out their camera phones. And frankly, it's hard to imagine that changing any time soon. Via Traveller. Top image: Alan Lam via Flickr
Hundreds of years have passed since many of the masterpieces featured in The Greats at the Art Gallery of NSW were made. Botticelli, Boucher, Raeburn, Gauguin, Degas, Monet. Drummed in by high school textbooks, these names are part of the vocabulary of any good art-goer. But what do they mean today? Can they still surprise us? Looking back on the stiff social decorum of the 12th through 19th centuries, it’s easy to underestimate the power of these paintings. However, many of the artists in this exhibition were true game-changers and provocateurs in their heyday. In fact, they were frequently shunned for their boldness. One of Australia’s favourite painters, Archibald Prize-winner Ben Quilty took time to share his thoughts on getting the most out of these artworks and understanding how they resonate with our contemporary era. “All of the works in the show were radical for their time, really,” says Quilty. “Something we tend to do in Australia is lose context of pieces and what they meant at the time of their production. Context is essential in order to get your head around them and to give them the credit they’re due. These paintings were made hundreds and hundreds of years before a camera was invented.” THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CRAFT One of the striking things about the paintings featured in The Greats is their technical precision. The highly controlled execution of these works is the product of painstaking hours of academic practice rather than a sense of innate genius that blossomed overnight. “Back then, all children left school being able to draw beautifully,” says Quilty. “But drawing wasn’t the true skill. It was how you then contextualised and used drawing to make an image that was radical; an artwork that spoke to the contemporary world and challenged people’s notions.” In many ways, it was the structure and rigour of art education that lifted artists into the annals of history. These masterpieces are the reward reaped by societies who choose to value art. “Absolutely, art was seen to be as important as philosophy, mathematics and Latin,” says Quilty. “And it was the ones who made some sort of symbol or statement or conceptual investigation into their societies that went on to become great artists.” JOHN SINGER SARGENT: BREAKING WITH TRADITION One of the boldest paintings to stir up a sensation toward the end of the nineteenth century was John Singer Sargent’s Lady Agnew of Locknaw (1892), one of the works you shouldn't miss at The Greats. “Looking at that painting, there are works in the Art Gallery of NSW’s collection that were directly inspired by it,” says Quilty. “People tend to think it’s just a funny old thing but it broke with so many traditions of that period.” The subject of the painting, Lady Gertrude Agnew, is depicted in a decadent armchair against a silk tapestry printed with Chinese characters. However, it is her casual posture and piercing gaze that shocked viewers of the time, who condemned the work as indecent. “If you were a young adult when that painting was made, it was totally radical to see a female figure splayed out and laidback rather than very poised,” says Quilty. EL GRECO: PAINTING OR POSTER? Perhaps one of the more ambiguous paintings you will see in The Greats is El Greco’s An Allegory (Fabula) (1580 – 85). A boy, a monkey and a grinning man are huddled around a flame. Unlike other works in the show, this painting is far from the art of religious iconography or the commissioned portraits of aristocrats. Something mysterious is unfolding amid the arresting play of light and shadow. This work is also one of Quilty’s top picks for the exhibition. “This painting strikes me as so contemporary,” says Quilty. “The first time I saw this work, it was like looking at a black and white poster. There is something very graphic about it. It’s very different to the rest of the show and so enigmatic. It’s beautiful and dark and foreboding. I guess this is the painting that makes me want to go to my studio and accelerate my practice.” DIEGO VELAZQUEZ: PERFECT POACHED EGGS The Greats has its share of showstoppers; however Diego Velazquez’s Old Woman Frying Eggs (1618) is all the more impressive knowing the artist was a mere teenager when he painted it. From the metallic shine of kitchen utensils to the gentle mingling of egg and water, the textural precision of this work is truly arresting — making it another of Concrete Playground's artworks you shouldn't miss at the exhibition. “Seeing every piece of that painting — the hands, the fingernails, the shadow of the knife — it’s extraordinarily beautiful," says Quilty. Velazquez would have been mixing his own paint too. The pigment came straight out of the ground and was mixed with oils and binders to create something for us to see more than four hundred years later. It gives me goosebumps. You win, Diego." Above all, this painting highlights the fundamental skills necessary to create a long lasting works of art. "When it comes to painting, you have to be aware of the boring and scientific side of things," says Quilty. "Part of the craft of being an artist is that you have to respect the materials you’re using and their histories. But you know what, if anyone can paint eggs poaching in boiling water like Velazquez can, I’ll do anything for them. It’s an extraordinary feat for an eighteen year old man.” The Greats: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland runs October 24 to February 14. Tickets are $22 adult, $18 concession and available from the Gallery or the website.
The Finders Keepers Markets have become a staple for those who are into design, creativity and supporting local artists. Treat yourself to a stroll around the market — it has over 200 stalls featuring fashion, ceramics, jewellery and food. Returning to The Australian Technology Park for three days for the second time this year, you'll be able to nab some marvellous treats that are difficult to find anywhere else. It's the perfect time to knock out your Christmas shopping in one go. The designer-centric, come-one-come-all mini-festival has managed to bridge the gap between local market and exclusive exhibition, creating a space for independent designers to engage with the wider community. This time around, keep an eye out for beautiful summery swimming costumes from Camp Cove Swimwear, Raw.suds for some men's beauty care (potential Christmas present), and The Salty Merchants for a summer beach umbrella. As usual, there will be a healthy amount of food. Cornersmith will be there serving up gourmet treats, as will Mr. Bao and Nighthawk Diner, and Donut Papi will be on hand for sugar cravings. Finders Keepers will run over three days, on Friday December 9 from 6pm-10pm, on Saturday December 10 from 10am-6pm, and on Sunday December 11 from 10am-5pm. For more information and a full list of designers, visit the Finders Keepers Sydney website. Image: Bridget Bodenham by Bec Taylor.
"What we don't acknowledge becomes the shadow within ourselves," says Western Australian curator Clothilde Bullen. "And that is what has happened in this country. We have to more openly have these conversations, in order to bring these histories into the light." Pieced together from the Artbank treasure trove and complemented with select loans is a new exhibition curated by Bullen, showcasing the work of contemporary Indigenous artists. Darkness on the Edge of Town will explore narratives of marginalisation and the positioning of the Indigenous Australian. It's a timely exhibition that will excavate hidden histories and reflect on continuing injustices. Bullen was drawn to create an exhibition that responded to the ongoing injustices against Indigenous people. "The works are highly political in nature," she says. "When I started this exhibition, I was looking at the Black Lives Matter movement and SOS Black Australia." What is striking about many of the works on display is their dark aesthetics — shades of black and grey ripple through paintings, photographs and sculptures. "A lot of history is very murky — there are parts people choose not to know about it," says Bullen. In revising the white-washed version of Australian history, Bullen's exhibition is all about restoring and elevating black voices. "I would like there to be an understanding that within these spaces, and within Australia, these are important voices that matter," she says. "Our voices are front and centre — they are embedded within the history of this country. Let's not participate in the great forgetting." Darkness on the Edge of Town runs August 18 to November 12 at Artbank Sydney. Bullen took us into the Artbank store for a peek into the exhibiting artists and what to expect from this complex, highly timely exhibition. [caption id="attachment_582492" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Christopher Pease, Balga resin (2008), Artbank collection[/caption] CHRISTOPHER PEASE — BALGA RESIN Looming large over this exhibition is a painting from Wardandi artist Christopher Pease. This heavily textured work was created through a labour intensive process of collecting resin from the balga or grasstree, which is native to Southwest Australia. Pease then melted the resin onto hessian and canvas, creating a dramatic visual effect. "The resin is actually a living thing," says Bullen. "This work changes every time you look at it and in different lights. It has different personalities." From one angle, the sumptuous and bioluminescent painting looks like purple veins pulsing through black paint. Under a different light, it looks like a red lightning strike cracking open the darkness. "The materiality tells a lot of the story," says Bullen. "In terms of the way the resin is bound to the hessian, the work speaks to a connection to country and how that has changed over time." [caption id="attachment_583651" align="alignnone" width="1280"] James Tylor, (Erased Scenes) From an Untouched Landscape #5 (2014), Artbank collection.[/caption] JAMES TYLOR — ERASED SCENES (FROM AN UNTOUCHED LANDSCAPE) #12 James Tylor is quickly becoming one of Australia's most eminent young photographers. In this series, Erased Scenes (From An Untouched Landscape), his moody and mysterious photographs look like documents from a crime scene investigation. Of course, there is a sophisticated political critique that binds these works together. The geometric black shape imposed onto each image omits the presence of Aboriginal people and culture, paralleling their omission from history and society. "The immediate sense you get when you see these works is that something is missing — the country is incomplete. Alternatively, something has been laid over the top," says Bullen. "So there is either a hidden history or something we want to blank out. What goes on in that blackened space? What has been forgotten? As simple as these works look, they are embedded with multiple levels of meaning." [caption id="attachment_583228" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Narrbong (String Bag) (2007), Artbank collection.[/caption] LORRAINE CONNELLY-NORTHEY — NARRBONG (STRING BAG) Lorraine Connelly-Northey's sculptural practice begins with sifting through discarded materials: fencing wire, barbed wire, rusted iron, metal meshing. Salvaged mainly from farming lands, these industrial materials are typically used to demarcate property. In this way, her objects contain a powerful commentary on the territorial impact of colonisation. Connelly-Northey's intricate sculptures are modelled on traditional Aboriginal artefacts. For instance, her reimagined narrbong references the string bag once used to collect water. "We have these traditional objects that we can't necessarily make anymore," says Bullen. "Our culture is dynamic, it's not static. This work is an example of we can utilise whatever we can in order to make something that is going to work for us. This exemplifies the practice of using ideas around traditionalism and manifesting them in completely new and contemporary ways." [caption id="attachment_582495" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ian Abdulla, Night Boxing (1992), Artbank collection.[/caption] IAN ABDULLA — NIGHT BOXING Rooted in a specific historical phenomenon, Ian Abdulla's work traces the culture of tent-boxing in Aboriginal communities. This bareknuckle sport, which was frequently illegal, arose around 1900 and continued until the late 1980s. "In reference to the title of the exhibition, we're talking about fringe dwellers," says Bullen. "These were people who were kept out of town at night and were asked to exist on the edges." While the history of tent-boxing is a complex one, Abdulla draws attention to a self-sufficient practice, which unfolded outside the control of authorities. In this way, it provided an alternative set of fiscal structures beyond the mainstream. "To me, this work makes a nice comment on what you need to do in order to be economically viable," says Bullen. "Tent-boxing was a meaningful cultural tradition for people all over the country." [caption id="attachment_583229" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Clinton Nain, What are you saying? (2007), Artbank collection.[/caption] CLINTON NAIN — WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? In scrutinising the scars of dispossession, Clinton Nain's practice confronts the darkest elements of Australian history. In particular, his painting, What are you saying? is a sombre take on the linguistic assault on Aboriginal languages. "Nain uses materials that are found in missions and reserves," says Bullen. "Then he turns them around to create strong messages about the colonial history of this country. While this work looks quite abstract, it's a critical statement about families being in missions and the stolen generations." Using bitumen and bleach — an uneasy combination — Nain's painting contains a political message that evokes the attempted conquest of white over black. "The medium is quite expressive and matches the content," says Bullen. Darkness on the Edge of Town runs August 18 to November 12 at Artbank Sydney. Images: Kimberley Low.
Amrita Hepi wants you to dance away shame. She told you, us and thousands of keen ears at this year's TEDxYouth last week. A lifelong dancer, a writer, an activist and a Bundjulung/Ngapuhi woman, Hepi is a busy one. From running the Hollaback dance class in Surry Hills and highly popular Beyonce and Rihanna dance classes at Plan B Small Club to hosting Dance Dance Revolution on FBi Radio and curating a performance for Melbourne's Next Wave Festival, TEDx is the next achievement she can add to her impressive resume. We were lucky enough to nab an exclusive interview with Hepi the day before TEDx, 24 hours before she delivered a speech on 'dancing your way through shame' to a Sydney audience and streaming listeners Australia-wide. Think nuggets of wisdom like this on stage: "Even the best dancers and heaviest drinkers have that worry... [of] not wanting to make a total fool of [themselves]... The next time you get an offer to join in, commit to your movements. There's nothing to lose in your movement, you can be as loud and as big as you want... The next level, the Jedi level, is to commit to your action and be able to be generous enough to help others dance with you." Let's get moving. How does it feel to have been asked to speak at TEDxYouth this year? What's your TED Talk about? I feel really privileged and grateful. When they first asked me, there was a list of 50 people to interview, so I was not expecting much! I may call the speech 'How to Dance Better at Parties' — it's about commitment to action and the idea that, if you're a really good social dancer, you're committed to your movement, and if you're exceptional then you can involve others in it too, without shame. Can you tell us more about this concept of 'shame'? It comes with being a woman, and also as a woman of colour. There are these ideas of embarrassment around certain parts of the body and the way people are looking at you. There's especially a long history of shame in the Indigenous community. When I started teaching, I wanted to find a way to navigate that shame — to get rid of it for myself and help others to do the same. The only way to do it is to have the discussion. But shame doesn't only apply to women either. It's more the way people, men and women, assign themselves to gender fields. It's the idea of engendered roles and how we're taught to operate in society. How did we get to that? You don't really have to operate on that level or do that role, and that's part of what I try to teach through my classes. Can you tell us a bit more about your own background as a dancer? I started dancing when I was three and I loved it. I went to dance school from about age nine until I was 18 or 19 when dance, for me, became so shame fueled and uncomfortable. I was worried about being looked at in the right way, at the right time. Women have to disappear or only appear in the right ways. So I stopped dancing for a year. I started teaching classes again to dance through this shame. What sets TEDxYouth apart from TEDx? There's such a difference between the two rooms – people in the main hall are all very professional in their fields and the speeches are looked at as a tool. People watching TEDxYouth are looking up and getting inspired. It's that mentality of "I could do that one day." Movement and body for youth are specifically important and can be really instrumental in spacing language. Language is so important because the language we use goes straight into the mouths of others. I remember watching public speaking and debating when I was in primary and high school and the lasting effect it can have. If one person finds my speech helpful and it changes one person's idea of shame, well the butterfly effect of that is very powerful. It's a small conquest. Amrita wasn't the only one dropping truth bombs at TEDxSydney and TEDxYouth this year. Returning to the Opera House with an all-star lineup of speakers and performers, TEDx saw an overriding theme focused on the importance of communication and the connections you can make through different forms of conversation. For those really looking to connect, TEDx replaced Tinder for the day, supplying event goers with red and rainbow heart shaped stickers to help the singles to mingle. Dr. Jordan Nguyen spoke about the ability to communicate with ourselves and with others more effectively through virtual reality, giving users the ability to literally step into someone else's shoes. Neurogamer Karen Palmer discussed how mind-focusing virtual games can help take control of your life and find courage in your goals and ambitions. Peta Murchinson expressed the power of human connection and kindness, while finance researcher Elise Payzan-Lenestour discussed the recklessness inherent in human nature. Cartoonist Cathy Wilcox spoofed on the same theme in her satirical speech on the "culture of outrage." Masculinity expert Dr. Michael Kimmel urged men to "talk our walk" and to re-communicate the meaning of masculinity to boys. Radical body activist Kelli Jean Drinkwater discussed self-worth, shame, and reclaiming your body and space. Natalie Jeremijenko, donning a tiara, spoke about a physical version of reclaimed space, discussing her projects to create a healthy urban ecosystem and reconnect to the world around us. These include tree offices, butterfly bridges, and an inner city zip line transportation system. Emily Parsons also touched on our environment and gave one of the most powerful speeches of the conference in her discussion on the breathable air of our past and future and its unspoken influence for life on earth. You can watch TEDxSydney and TEDxYouth talks here.
Common wisdom tells us that, if you really want to innovate, you need to think outside the box. But it turns out thinking inside the box can sometimes be just as effective. Case in point: Freight Farms, a shipping container farm company aiming to revolutionise urban agriculture. It's the brainchild of owners Jon Friedman and Brad McNamara, and the result of some out-of-the-figurative-box, inside-the-literal-box thinking. As the name suggests, the American company specialises in sustainable farm systems built inside portable shipping containers. The so-called Leafy Green Machines (LGMs) are outfitted with LED lighting that replicates sunlight, a drip irrigation system that uses just ten gallons of water a day, and sensors that balance temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels. Crops such as lettuce and kale are grown in vertical towers to avoid wasted space and ensure the maximum possible yield. "Freight Farms is just a much more efficient use of land," Friedman told The Huffington Post. "You're talking about growing vertically in a very condensed footprint." Apparently, the farms can yield the equivalent of two acres of conventional farmland. "The cost to get a farm right now is right around $80,000" says McNamara. "But the operating cost is going to be under $20,000 a year. We have farmers who are clearing revenue anywhere from $60,000 a year growing certain crop, all the way to $90,000 and above." And according to the pair, the farms don't require a great deal of expertise or in-depth training to run. "We focused a lot on creating a platform that people can use with only motivation — not requiring advanced degrees or advanced schooling or long training." Anyone up for growing their own kale? Freight Farms Allow You To Grow Food AnywhereThis portable vegetable garden's growing inside a 320-square-foot shipping container that can yield as much as two acres of farmland. Posted by The Huffington Post on Friday, January 8, 2016 Via The Huffington Post.
It's the society wedding of the year, and you're invited. Melbourne socialites Jasper and Jasmine are going to tie the knot at St Kilda's West Beach Bathers Pavilion this May; trotting down the aisle, barking their vows and sniffing each other's butts. Yep, they're pugs. It's a pug wedding. A real life pug wedding. Seems there's a Leslie Knope living in Melbourne. Raising much-needed funds for Pug Rescue and Adoption Victoria Inc. (a volunteer-run, foster care-based animal welfare charity with a focus on pugs), this wedding doesn't have the happiest Disney backstory. Jasmine and Jasper came into the care of Pug Rescue in April 2013, after they were found to be so morbidly obese they could hardly breathe. They were taken from their former home by the rescue team and apparently were turning blue on the car ride, poor little things. But just one year later, Pug Rescue have nursed the pair back to health so they can enjoy a newfound pug life with each other and their new family — together. Take a hike, The Notebook; this is a true love story for the ages. Now, let's get these pugs married already. On Sunday, May 17, Pug Rescue are putting on the works for these pups. Get ready for this; Jasmine will wear an exclusive couture bridal gown designed by renowned Australian designer and Project Runway runner-up Craig Braybrook. A pug in couture. As if you're not locking this in already. Jasper's outfit is yet to be confirmed, but we're predicting mini bowtie at the very least. The whole event will be styled by Christian Wagstaff of Melbourne’s famed Creative Production and the venue will be decked out with flowers by Virginia Chorley of The Bouquets of Ascha Jolie. Tickets to the Wedding of the Year are $60, which we reckon is a straight-up bargain considering all funds raised go to Pug Rescue; helping to fund future pug psychological and physical rehabilitation along with the vet care and specialty surgery. And apparently they're selling fast, so get on it. If you can't make it, make sure you raise a water bowl to Jasper and Jasmine next Sunday; overcoming terrible odds and living a brand new #puglyf together. Jasper and Jasmine's pug wedding ceremony is happening from 1pm on Sunday, May 17, West Beach Bathers Pavilion, 330A Beaconsville Parade, St Kilda. Tickets are $60 per person from jasperandjasmine.com, or 'virtual tickets' are $19.95 — an invitation-only live video stream of the wedding online. Video of the wedding will also be available online for two weeks post-event for virtual ticket holders. Images: Ragamuffin.
When word got out that Guillaume Brahimi was working on a dining room revamp of one of Paddington's best-loved pubs, The Four in Hand, Sydney heard some pretty high-pitched squealing from this keen team. Now, we're making a big ol' B line for the Paddo pub, as The Four in Hand by Guillaume has officially reopened. Teaming up with Mitchell Waugh of Public House Management Group (Collaroy Hotel. The Royal Paddington, Woollahra Hotel), former Guillaume at Bennelong maestro Brahimi is leading the Four in Hand into ultra-fancy, French-inspired pub grub territory. After buying the joint from chef Colin Fassnidge, he's recruited new head chef Darrell Felstead to create a sophisticated, two-tiered gastropub menu — a bar menu in the pub, and a bigger but still apparently casual menu in the dining room. At first glance, the seasonally-changing restaurant menu immediately takes things next-level for the pub. Think snacks like tinned anchovies, butter, watercress and toast, or duck liver parfait, pear chutney and toast. There are starters like roast quail salad with egg, frisee and parmentier potatoes, mains like salt-baked celeriac, carrot risotto and sorrel, and desserts like peach tart with peach ice cream, strawberries, sable, sheep's yoghurt sorbet and peppermint tea jelly. Head sommelier Rodolphe Bertin has put 100 predominantly Australian and French wines on the wine list (22 of those by the glass). Yearning for a little of the old Four in Hand? There's about 100 bottles from the previous cellar that'll be on the menu until they're gone. "The Four in Hand has always been one of my favourite pubs. It was one of the first places I drank a beer when I arrived in Sydney many years ago, and it's one of the best pub dining rooms in the country. It is also down the hill from my restaurant, so it's an area of Sydney I know and love," says Brahimi. "I have worked closely with Darrell to maintain it's spirit but also to showcase some of my favourite casual dishes, the kind of food I like to eat every day." How Brahimi has time for this, we don't know. He already runs Paddington's two-hatted Guillaume restaurant, two restaurants at Crown Resorts, Bistro Guillaume in Melbourne and Perth, and is culinary director of Crown Resorts. The Four in Hand by Guillaume is at 105 Sutherland Street Paddington. Open seven days a week for lunch (12pm – 3pm) and dinner (5.30pm – 9.30pm). Bookings via the website. Images: Nikki To.
Merry Christmas, music lovers! Radiohead have gone and dropped a brand new track in time for the holidays, and we don't mind saying that it's pretty damn spectacular. Turns out that Thom Yorke and his bandmates were commissioned to write the theme song for the recently released James Bond movie, although for some baffling reason the producers didn't end up using it. But the group finished the song anyway, and released it via SoundCloud overnight. So, without further adieu... First impressions? This is definitely how we'd expect a James Bond tune by Radiohead to sound. Which is to say that it won't be for everybody, although personally we like it a hell of a lot more than Sam Smith's eventual effort. The existence of this track, which shares a name with the movie, isn't entirely surprising. Rumours that Radiohead would be composing the Spectre tune circulated on the internet for months prior to the film's release, before it was eventually revealed that Smith had been tapped instead. As it happens, Radiohead were approached, but according to York "it didn't work out." Last year we were asked to write a tune for Bond movie Spectre. Yes we were ........... — Thom Yorke (@thomyorke) December 25, 2015 ... It didn't work out ... but became something of our own which we love very much .... — Thom Yorke (@thomyorke) December 25, 2015 .. As the year closes we thought you might like to hear it. Merry Christmas. May the force be with you ... https://t.co/BXN8MQKJyQ — Thom Yorke (@thomyorke) December 25, 2015 Bit weird that he finished that tweet with a Star Wars reference, isn't it? Unless...wait a minute...could Radiohead be working on a track for Episode VIII? You heard it here first people. Let the rampant speculation begin.
Master of all smooth tunes and poster child of Melbourne's enduring obsession with beards, Chet Faker has just announced a huge national tour for 2015. And we really do mean huge — this local legend is returning from a string of massively successful European and American shows to play Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, Melbourne's Palais and the freakin' Brisbane Convention Centre. His shows are officially pulling the same numbers as the G20. This is no doubt welcome news for those that missed out on his national tour earlier this year. With Hordern Pavilion holding roughly 4,000 more people than the Enmore where he played in June, tickets will be much easier to come by. In Brisbane that difference will be even more pronounced. The Brisbane Convention Centre can host a whopping 8,000 rampant Chet lovers. All this hype comes after a stellar run of critical acclaim for the Melbourne musician. He's been nominated for a spectacular nine ARIA awards this year including Best Male Artist and Best Breakthrough Artist — and he's already won three, including Producer of the Year at the ARIA Artisans. His much-loved debut album Built On Glass is also a hot tip for winner of Australian Album of the Year at the J Awards. However this arena setting is sure to affect the show itself too. Specialising in croony electronic ballads and music that makes you feel all warm and gooey inside, it's hard to see how Chet will translate well to the big stage. How are we supposed to snug up and get a little intimate around the stage where Barack Obama talked just a few months prior? Melbourne, on the other hand, may get treated to a rare glimpse of this intimacy. His show at the Palais — assuming it's still standing by then — will actually be smaller than when he played the Forum earlier in the year. Get ready for some hometown lovin' — after he picks up all of the ARIAs he'll probably be graduating to Rod Laver Arena. Tour dates: Wednesday, February 11 – ANU Bar, Canberra Friday, February 13 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Saturday, February 14 – Convention Centre, Brisbane Friday, February 20 – Chevron Gardens, Perth Festival Saturday, February 21 – Chevron Gardens, Perth Festival Friday, February 27 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne Saturday, February 28 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Tickets go on sale 9am, November 20. To find out more about about Chet Faker and his killer debut album check out our interview from earlier in the year.
Another beloved Australian music festival is sitting 2025 out, with the Listen Out team revealing that the event won't be on the calendar this year. In 2024, when Groovin the Moo announced its dates then cancelled, and Splendour in the Grass sadly did the same, this electronic-meets-hip hop fest still toured the country. Now, though, it's "hitting pause on Listen Out as you know it", organisers announced via social media. "We've always tried to build something special — where the lineup reflects the culture and the energy flows both ways between the artists and you," the statement advises. "The last few years have been tough." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Listen Out (@listenout) Although Listen Out isn't going ahead in 2025 in its usual format, the crew is putting on a series of shindigs badged Listen Out Presents, however. Music lovers can expect "one-off, carefully curated parties in killer locations around Australia all year long" featuring "some of the best artists in the world", the festival team announced. No further details have been revealed so far. Skipping the big fest setup for a smaller affair yet still boasting impressive names was Spilt Milk's approach in 2024 — when it ditched its usual festivals but had Troye Sivan, Glass Animals and G Flip take to the stage Newcastle, Perth and on the Gold Coast. The fellow fest is returning in its full form in 2025, headlined by Kendrick Lamar. That said, Listen Out's cancellation this year in favour of parties comes after both Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass failed to make 2025 comebacks following their year off. [caption id="attachment_957230" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Samm Venn[/caption] In 2024, Listen Out did the rounds for its 11th year with a lineup featuring 21 Savage, Skepta, Tyla and Flo Milli among its hip hop and R&B names, plus John Summit and Sub Focus on the electronic side. The year prior, in 2023, the fest held its most-successful event at the time in terms of ticket sales ever, with the crew behind it hoping to continue that trajectory by turning the fest into a 16-plus event, age-wise, which was a first for 2024. [caption id="attachment_957228" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Warr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_957224" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitch Lowe[/caption] [caption id="attachment_957218" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] [caption id="attachment_957221" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Venn[/caption] Listen Out is not taking place in 2025, with Listen Out Presents parties set to pop up instead — we'll update you when more details are announced, and keep an eye on the festival's social media in the interim.
The times are indeed a-changing in Kings Cross. Alongside the tightening noose of lockout laws, many a Cross venue has been downgraded, shuffled or closed down altogether — most recently (and controversially) Hugo's. But thankfully, one of our ol' favourite spaces has been spared total annihilation and is being repurposed in a pretty excellent way — as a brand new theatre. The Kings Cross Theatre (KXT) is opening on level two of the Kings Cross Hotel, in the bones of the space that once housed beloved live music venue FBi Social (RIP) and The Bandroom (RIP). Just around the corner from The Old Fitz, the KXT theatre has seating for 75-90 and has some big ideas in terms of programming. Suzanne Millar, co-artistic director of the bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company (the team responsible for the reno) says the intention is for the theatre to be afford and accessible (great!) and produce ambitious works (even greater!). It’s a venture not just for the public to enjoy, but also for the artists to love and build up. We’re mentally fist bumping the crap out of it too — a new theatre in Sydney is music to our ears. This is a really excellent way to breathe life into a space that, like so many around it, may have fallen by the wayside if not for some TLC. And the bAKEHOUSE Theatre company are certainly capable of piquing our dramatic interest. They’ve a bundle of productions under their collective belts (including Great Expectations, multicultural smorgasbord Story Lines, Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials and The Ishmael Club) and are rigorously dedicated to diversity in casting and working with independent and innovative storytelling. In essence? We can't wait to see what they cook up — and it brings a tear to the eye to see the old FBi Social space being used for good. Find KXT on Level 2, Kings Cross Hotel, 244 - 248 William Street, Kings Cross. Stay tuned for 2015/2016 programming.
The National Gallery of Victoria is wrapping up this wild year in style, hosting the blockbuster second edition of its much-hyped NGV Triennial. Taking over the gallery from Saturday, December 19, the exhibition looks set to be the biggest art event to hit the city in three years, featuring works from over 100 artists, representing 30 different countries. Among them, you can expect a diverse response to this year's themes of illumination, reflection, conservation and speculation. With a lineup like this — and many months of missed art appreciation to make up for — it's hard to know where to even start. You'll wander through the halls and discover a large-scale, neck-tilting celebration of light and movement; a layered, shimmering sphere of used lenses; and even a giant octopus crafted from hand-felted cigarette butts; and a life-size, mirror-polished stainless steel sculpture based on an 18th-century porcelain figurine. The exhibition is huge, we've offered up a sneak peek here, but, if you'd like to delve deeper, we've also pulled out five must-see artworks over here. Start plotting your art gallery debut now. The NGV Triennial 2020 will be on show at NGV International from Saturday, December 19 until Sunday, April 18, 2021. For more info and to see the full program, visit the NGV website.
In a piece of news we're filing under 'how is this just happening now?', New York City is getting ready to host its first ever Donut Fest. Taking over Verboten, a music venue and bar in the heart of Williamsburg, the festival will see the finest bakers in the city gather for a day of deep-fried, sugar-glazed, sprinkle-coated goodness. It's all set to go down on Saturday January 23... giving you just over two weeks to sort out a plane ticket. Vendors in the lineup include The Doughnut Project, whose far out flavours include pineapple with habenero and salted chocolate with buttered pretzel; Erin McKenna's Bakery, whose doughnuts are egg, dairy and gluten free; and Dun-Well Doughnuts, who boast a range of more than 200 flavours including Peach Cobbler, Raspberry Pistachio and Pina Colada. A number of New York's specialty coffee outfits, including Cafe Grumpy and Brooklyn Coffee Roasters, will also be on hand for dunking purposes. Now that's all very well and good, but technically speaking Melbourne actually beat NYC to the punch with Day of the Donut in June last year. Classic New York... always two steps behind. Each vendor at Donut Fest 2016 will submit their favourite creation to compete for the title of New York's Best Donut. All entry fees will be donated to Food Bank for New York City, an organisation that helps combat food poverty in the five boroughs. Via The Gothamist. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
We're just days out from one of the Mornington Peninsula's most hotly anticipated launches, with the team behind Pt. Leo Estate announcing the cultural and culinary haven will open to the public on Wednesday, October 25. Gracing 134 hectares at the Peninsula's southern tip, the multifaceted family-owned property will boast a 110-seat restaurant, an enormous cellar door and a sprawling sculpture park, pegged to be the most significant of its kind in the country. With panoramic Western Port Bay views as the backdrop, the sculpture park will debut with over 50 large-scale works from both Australian and international artists and is set to evolve and grow over the years. Meanwhile, the semi-circular cellar door and restaurant is the work of acclaimed Melbourne architects Jolson, taking pride of place at the property's highest point and featuring sweeping views across the vineyard, the sculpture park and the Bay. The eatery's menus, created by Culinary Director Phil Wood (ex-Rockpool and Eleven Bridge) will centre around seasonal, regional produce, kicking off with dishes like a beetroot pancake with salmon roe and lemon curd, and a wallaby pie. Meanwhile, a central woodfired oven will work magic with quality local proteins like duck and beef. The restaurant's pitched as a comfy, casual venue, with a second more intimate dining space slated to open towards the end of the year. Pt. Leo Estate will open at 3649 Frankston-Flinders Road, Merricks, from Wednesday, October 25. For more info, visit ptleoestate.com.au. Images: Anson Smart.
Breakups are usually associated with loss (and copious amounts of wine and Meg Ryan). But they can be profitable, too. And we’re not talking about ‘whatever-doesn’t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger’, new age, Facebook-meme kind of profit. We’re talking about cold, hard cash. Well, that’s the idea behind a brand new service called Never Liked It Anyway, anyway. Dubbed ‘eBay for breakups’, it’s a platform that lets you sell everything that reminds you of your ex – without feeling bad, guilty or ashamed about it. The range of products on sale is mind-boggling, maybe even slightly unsettling. There are wedding dresses, engagement rings, mink shawls and even a bracelet with a coin from 35 B.C — all relics of past love ready for new owners. Because, out of sight, out of mind, right? It’s tough to forget your ex when your home is littered with his/her gifts. And, why burn them on a bonfire when you can turn them into your next shopping spree or dinner out or (depending on your ex’s generosity levels) holiday? Rather than just being any old online shopping platform, Never Liked It Anyway sees its job as bringing relief to the broken-hearted. “We started [it] to make moving on easier. It’s a place to shed the stories and the stuff,” founder Bella Acton told The Atlantic. Not only can you buy and sell on the site, you can tell your story, read the site's highly useful blog for tips on moving on, and read other tales of heartbreak. The site isn't just about making cash money out of closing a chapter, it's about looking forward to the next. The nicest bit of the whole site? The 'Break-Up Services' section, where you can procure a a 'Bounce Back Stack' (50 cards of warm fuzzies and advice to help mend your broken heart) or a 'Bounce Back Box' filled to the brim with things meant to 'get you back to fabulous': lip gloss, nail polish and a whole host of treat yourself goodies. Via Refinery29. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Sydney, you just can't get enough chicken. Last month we reported on the transformation of lower north shore eatery Johnny Lobster into Johnny Bird. Now, we bring you further poultry-related tidings: The Gretz has closed and in its place is Wish Bone, an eatery dedicated to fried chicken. This new venture comes courtesy of The Gretz's owners, U.S.-born chef Gregory Llewellyn and Naomi Hart, who wanted to make the change to focus on something singular. It's not any old cooked chook you'll be feasting on, either, but an old favourite — Llewellyn's mighty version, which attracted hungry hordes to Hartsyard, before it revamped and swapped to a veggie-driven menu in January this year. You can expect a tight offering, with fried chicken as centrepiece — available in two, four, six or eight pieces, or inside a hot butter bun. The rest of the menu reads like Llewellyn's greatest hits: poutine, man 'n' cheese, and biscuits and gravy. The space looks a bit different too — the bar has been replaced by a long communal table. The feel will be much more casual, but table service will still be offered. And so will drinks. Booze will come in the form of pre-batched cocktails, frozen margaritas and bourbon-spiked milkshakes. At the moment, Wish Bone is offering dinner from 5pm seven nights a week, and will look to add lunches down the track. Wish Bone is now open daily for dinner at 125 Enmore Road, Enmore. For more info, visit its Facebook page. Images: Alexander Mayes Photographey
One of Australia's most redeeming qualities is its ability to give good afternoon sun. There's something about its familiar glow that almost demands casual drinks — whether it's cracking open a cold beer after a day out, heading to the pub after a long day of work, or deciding on a whim that your backyard is perfect for having friends over. When you have friends this summer, heed our advice and take it to the next level by implementing a killer theme. We've spoken to a few of our favourite chefs, musicians and artists, to get their insights on creating the perfect balmy afternoon. On this adventure we've spoken to Luke Lucas — uber talented, Sydney based typographer, creative director and co-creator of the now defunct Lifelounge magazine (may it rest in peace). Each issue of Lifelounge was themed, so we thought Luke was the perfect person to ask for some tips. Read these, and get creative the next time you have friends over. THEME COMES FIRST, IDEAS COME SECOND The first step in throwing a next-level summer party is choosing the theme. No exceptions. You'll probably have a million ideas, but they'll most likely be unrelated to each other. Having a theme is a great way to bring everything together in a cohesive format. You could be really into the idea of having a pinata in your backyard. Once you've decided that your party is going to be all about food, you can make it into the shape of a burger. "Coming up with the theme was the very first process we went through for each edition of the magazine," says Luke. "I think if you try to retrofit content to suit a theme then it can feel a little contrived or forced so for us the theme had to come first. For the most part curating content or designing within the bounds of a them gives you the ability to connect concepts and ideas that don't naturally go together but when presented within the theme are perfect partners. It can be lot of fun." IF YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, CHANCES ARE OTHERS WON'T EITHER Everything in Lifelounge made it in because it was something Luke liked — not what he thought other people would like. "We were mostly creating the magazine for ourselves," he says. "It was a way of expressing thoughts and ideas about things we were passionate about. There wasn't a great deal of thought put into how appealing it might be to others." When you're thinking of a party theme, make sure it's something you're into. Don't go for a double denim theme just because you know your friends will like it. Pick something your passionated about — that could be a 90s theme. You're much more likely to get people hyped up. "I think if you are passionate about something then the way you present that passion is naturally infectious," Luke says wisely. DON'T COPY YOUR FRIENDS Trying to one-up your mates with a better 90s party than they threw last year isn't going to work. You won't be able to do anything new, and everyone's costumes or activities will most likely be the same as last year. Instead, use last year's raging party for inspiration. If they did 90s, shy away from decades and try for something else – a clothing related double denim theme for example. As Luke says, "there needs to be enough of a point of difference between themes so we can create unique content and design treatments for each edition." WHERE TO GET YOUR INSPIRATION "We're influenced by everything we see, hear, touch and experience. Inspiration can come from any combination of those sources but for me it rarely presents itself if I'm searching too hard for it. Ideas present themselves when my mind is clear or I'm doing some kind of activity that involves little thought — like taking a shower or waiting in between sets in the surf." In the words of Mad Men's Don Draper, "think about it deeply, then forget it. An idea will jump up in your face." Enjoy your summer afternoons with the new low-carb Heineken 3 — we're helping you make the most of them. Images: Luke Lucas.
It's the news Australian film and television fans have been dreading ever since they signed for a geododging service and a Netflix account. The streaming media behemoth might've taken your cash and looked the other way for years — even when they launched here in 2015 — but now that they're operating in 190 countries around the globe, it seems like they're gearing up to stop users accessing overseas libraries. In a post that appeared on the Netflix blog overnight, Vice President of Content Delivery Architecture David Fullagar advised, "Those using proxies and unblockers will only be able to access the service in the country where they currently are." Exactly how they'll shut out everyone using VPNs, proxy servers and smart DNS services hasn't been disclosed, though the statement does mention that "technology continues to evolve and we are evolving with it." So, if your account is almost permanently logged into the US service, your viewing options could be about to take a bit of hit. While Netflix-produced fare like House of Cards, Master of None, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, BoJack Horseman, Jessica Jones, Making a Murderer and A Very Murray Christmas are available everywhere, the American library currently has almost three times the number of titles than its Australian counterpart. Plus, plenty of content varies between the two; local comedy is quite popular on the Aussie version — or Netflix sure hopes it will be, seeing that their library is packed with it — for example. If you're a bit puzzled by this turn of events, particularly given that Netflix only recently trumpeted their plans to make sure everyone who subscribes to the service can access the same content regardless of the country they're in, that's understandable. They haven't really changed their tune — it's safe to assume that they're working towards that goal, which involves complex rights negotiations in each territory, by first locking down any loopholes that currently allow customers to circumvent geographic restrictions. Of course, just what will eventuate in the long- and short-term is anyone's guess, because Netflix has promised to stamp out geododgers before and then promptly done nothing about it. All Aussie customers can really do for now is watch this space — and maybe start thinking about signing up to Stan or Presto. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
FBI special agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder are returning to find that truth after 13 years off the air. The X-Files is officially returning to your screens, with creator Chris Carter, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson locked in for the reunion fans have been waiting for. While it's not a full-blown season — just six episodes are planned — it's news to the ears of X-Philes worldwide. "I think of it as a 13-year commercial break,” Carter told TIME. "The good news is the world has only gotten that much stranger, a perfect time to tell these six stories." Here's hoping we don't pick up where we left off in 2008's cinematic casserole The X-Files: I Want to Believe. No cameos of Billy Connolly playing a convicted paedophile thanks. Let's hope Carter throws back to 1993, when The X-Files first kicked off years of killer dolls, literal substitute teachers from hell, creepy skateboard dudes and Texas Chainsaw-like creepo families. And aliens, o'course. According to TIME, the six episodes will indeed head back to the show's original format — we're talking one show, one mystery, all sexual tension. The X-Files is heading into production this winter, with no release date in sight yet. But we want to believe early 2016. Via TIME. Image: Diyah Perah, 20th Century Fox.
Get your bingo cards ready, movie lovers — the Oscar nominations have arrived! This year's contenders are a motley crew, ranging from action blockbusters to little-seen indie flicks and worthy social dramas. And while there aren't many surprises, there are still plenty of great films on the ballot. Let's dive right in, shall we? Leading the pack with a dozen nominations is the grizzly DiCaprio vehicle The Revenant, although box office favourite Mad Max: Fury Road is hot on its heel with ten. Both scored nods for Best Picture, where they'll compete against current favourite Spotlight as well as The Martian, Room, The Big Short, Brooklyn and Bridge of Spies. The Best Director race, meanwhile, will come down to Alejandro G. Inarritu for The Revenant, George Miller for Mad Max, Tom McCarthy for Spotlight, Adam McKay for The Big Short and Lenny Abrahamson for Room. Were Innaritu to come out on top, it would mark back-to-back directing wins for the Mexican filmmaker, following his gong for Birdman last year. Perennial runner-up Leonardo DiCaprio might finally be in with a chance of taking home Best Actor for his work in The Revenant. He'll be competing in the category against last year's winner Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl, Matt Damon in The Martian, Bryan Cranston in Trumbo and Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs. Australia's Cate Blanchett has been nominated for Best Actress for her role in Carol, along with Brie Larson in Room, Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years and Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn. Worth noting is that, for the second year in a row, no person of colour has been nominated in any of the acting categories. Other notable omissions include the absence of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in all major categories, although the film has been nominated for a number of technical awards including Best Film Editing and Best Special Effects. Quentin Tarantino missed out on a screenwriting nomination for his racially-charged Western The Hateful Eight, though the film is up for Best Cinematography and Best Original Score, and earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Jennifer Jason Leigh. The 88th Academy Awards will take place next month on February 28, and will be hosted by Chris Rock. For the full list of nominations, go here.
The light-filled, open-plan offices of Single Market Events are a hotbed of activity as not one but two art fairs prepare to launch in Sydney next month. Founded by investor Tim Etchells in 1989, Single Market Events produces a host of high-profile food, fashion and art exhibitions in Australia and around the world, including international art fair Sydney Contemporary. Now they're preparing to launch a second art fair in Sydney, aptly titled The Other Art Fair. It’s the latest feather in Etchells’ investment cap, a new art market for emerging and independent artists that will run alongside Sydney Contemporary from September 10-13. Two impressive women, Emilya Colliver and Zoe Paulsen, have been tasked with making it happen. As we sit in a light-filled meeting room, Colliver is quick to point out the differences between The Other Art Fair and Sydney Contemporary. “Basically it’s an artist-led fair, so artists are manning their booth and selling direct to the public,” she says. Another point of difference is that all exhibiting artists are unrepresented (at Sydney Contemporary, it's the galleries doing the representing). “We want to maintain strong relationships with galleries — they play an important role [in selling artists’ works], but in this day and age artists need a new platform to showcase their work and this is what we’re doing. Giving them an opportunity to get a further reach.” Colliver is founder and director of Art Pharmacy, a Sydney-based gallery for emerging artists, and has extensive experience working for galleries, museums and private art collections both here and in London. She also got some insight working as a tour guide for the inaugural Sydney Contemporary in 2013. In fact, Colliver calls Barry Keldoulis, director of Sydney Contemporary, her business mentor. It was he who put her forward for this job. “He said 'you should do it', so it all kind of came about that way,” she says. “I know Zoe through the MCA Young Ambassador Program. We’ve known each other for quite a long time, and I said, ‘Why don’t you come along and help me? Let’s just run it together.’” They’ve been all systems go since February. While they are quick to define The Other Art Fair as an independently run event, Colliver continues, “We definitely wanted to do it at the same time as Sydney Contemporary, because nationally and internationally we’ve got people from all around Australia and overseas coming to Sydney at this time”. The Other Art Fair started in London three years ago as an alternative to commercial art market giants like the London Art Fair. Colliver and Paulsen are recreating the successful London model in Sydney. A curatorial team including artist Mikala Dwyer, collector Dick Quan, MCA curator Meg Robson, public art advisor Virginia Wilson and White Rabbit’s Paris Neilson were tasked with the job of sifting through over 300 applications to choose the 75+ most promising artists for exhibition. Eight to ten thousand people are expected to visit The Other Art Fair over the course of the four days. “What’s great about this is that it appeals to a really broad audience,” says Paulsen. “The fair appeals to first time buyers because the works are so affordable, as well as collectors and gallerists, because these are hand-selected artists.” It's tempting to see it as a chance to scoop the next big thing. So what’s in it for punters? Paulsen explains the benefits of an artist-led fair for collectors. “If you go to Sydney Contemporary you’ll talk to a gallerist who represents the artist and can tell you about the work. But if you go to The Other Art Fair you’ll meet the artist, you’ll talk to them about the artwork — when they did it, how they did it, their emotional state, where their motivations come from or whatnot.” She adds that it’s also an important process for artists to go through. “It gives them an opportunity to learn how to market themselves. They don’t often find themselves in a situation where they have to do that. For some artists it can be really difficult and it’s not necessarily the way that they do it for years to come, but it’s still a good skill to experience. Also I think when the public are actually buying their work, it validates their practice and gives them a reason to keep on going.” And for collectors just starting out? Colliver has three big tips: "Set a budget, choose a medium and buy what you love,” she says. “And don’t buy ‘art’ from IKEA or Freedom Furniture.” The Other Art Fair is on from September 10–13 at Central Park in Chippendale. For more information and to book tickets, visit the Other Art Fair website.
21st Century Fox have taken their sweet time with this one. After 26 years of The Simpsons, the supreme rights owners of the show are teaming up with an a brewery to create an actual, officially-licensed Duff Beer. This news comes as particularly bittersweet to Ausralians, who enjoyed blissful years of novelty drinking with Woolworths' unofficial version of Duff — until it was tragically banned in 2014 for being too appealing to children. We're not the only ones to tried to live the dream, Colombia, Mexico and Germany are just two other starry-eyed Simpsons-loving countries who also created bootlegged Duff. According to the Wall Street Journal, it was this heaving market of fake Duffs and their inevitable lawsuits which pushed Fox to start brewing their own. Basically, if Fox had an official Duff on the market, they'd have a stronger legal foot to stand on and there'd be less of this: But don't get your hopes up too quickly. Outside Universal Orlando's Springfield theme park, the official Duff Beer will only be available in Chile for now (where Fox has been fighting a huge rise of unauthorised versions of the beer). But apparently a worldwide release is being considered, so you could be smashin' Duffs in the near future. Now, let's finally address the elephant in the room — what's Duff going to taste like? Let's be honest, Duff isn't exactly celebrated for being a top quality brew; it's the VB of Springfield. So Fox has been working with British brewmaster Paul Farnsworth to create a recipe to make fans and beer drinkers happy. “It’s a premium lager,” he told WSJ. “It’s got a very good balance of flavor and refreshment to it. It’s fairly deep golden in color. It’s got a hint of fruit to it. It’s got a caramel aromatic to it.” Caramel? We're not sure Moe would stock anything with "a caramel aromatic" but we'll go with for now. Via WSJ.
Convincing people to eat their daily dose of fruit is about to get a whole lot easier. In the single greatest agricultural triumph since Nick Offerman opened that pizza farm back in July, Australian supermarkets will soon be stocking fairy floss flavoured grapes. And who said you can't improve on nature? Officially trademarked as Cotton Candy Grapes, the variety was developed by Californian grape growers Grapery, who created it accidentally while cross-pollinating different breeds. The result is an extra sweet grape that reportedly tastes uncannily like everyone's favourite school fete treat — although Grapery CEO Jim Beagle assured The Huffington Post that they have "basically the same nutritional content as almost any grapes in the grocery store." Cotton candy grapes please never go away.???? I may or may not buy 2 bags at a time whenever I see them at the store.? #tiumeals #tiuteam #fitforfall #charitychallenge @toneitup #cottoncandygrapes A photo posted by Lyndsay (@lyndsayruns) on Sep 14, 2015 at 1:32pm PDT Unsurprisingly, the grapes have proven a major hit in the United States, blowing up on social media and warranting mentions on both The Today Show and Good Morning America. If that wasn't enough, they've also been given the official Ryan Seacreast seal of approval — a sure-fire sign of quality if ever there was one. Cotton candy flavored grapes exist. There is hope http://t.co/qVUXXy3GjJ — Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) August 9, 2013 Australia, meanwhile, will be getting its first taste of these little miracles come February next year, after Grape Co. Australia secured the license from Grapery to grow and sell the variety down under. Of course, the question on everyone's lips is whether or not you can turn them into fairy floss flavoured goon. Because that would be a gamechanger. Cloudy? Worry not, there's candy cotton grape gelato. I mean, cotton. candy. Grape. Cotton candy grape! (one of those silly saturday today, definitely :D ) A photo posted by Rebecca M (@reblondonfridge) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:10am PDT Via Good Food and The Huffington Post. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
We all know that one day the singularity will be upon us and machines will rise up and take the planet. We know that. And yet when a super intelligent cooking robot wanders into our midst we welcome it with open arms — and that's probably because, even in the face of grizzly robot death, food is king. With that in mind, meet June the intelligent oven designed by a feisty gang of ex-Apple developers. June is incredibly advanced. Using image recognition technology, she can identify food types, weigh dishes and adjust cooking time to make sure your food is cooked perfectly (allowing you to have another wine and lose yourself in Game of Thrones without worrying about ruining dinner). She’s equipped with a touch screen with step-by-step instructions, a meal planner and recipe suggestions, a built-in digital scale, and push notifications. She also has (brace yourself) live HD video streaming from within the oven. Yep. We have a feeling that watching this fascinating live stream will become a household activity. And may opened-oven-door cakes never sink in the middle again. And although June looks like a wee microwave, she packs a powerful punch with the ability to preheat to approximately 180 degrees Celsius in four and a half minutes. And she has a NVIDIA Tegra K1 with 2.3 GHz quad-core processor, mostly likely making her more powerful than your laptop. Welp. The future is certainly now and we, for one, welcome our robot overlords. At least they know how we like our steak. Images: June Oven. Reserve your June oven here.
Having run The Newport since March 2016, Merivale decided it was about time to add something new to the sprawling northern beaches venue. And so, in early 2018, it opened Bert's, a brasserie and bar brimming with oysters and lobster. As we've come to expect from Merivale, Bert's hasn't done anything by halves. Getting its inspiration from the 1930s — when hotel dining rooms were grand destinations — the restaurant is an extravaganza of colour and elaborate furnishings, with an open kitchen as its centrepiece. The menu aims to transport you to a fancy European seaside resort. Look out for a dedicated raw bar crowded with oysters, mud crab and brioche fingers, and a larder loaded with charcuterie and salads. Among the decadent mains are lobster (straight from the tank, mind you), a few steaks and delicious king prawns in brown butter and smoked chilli. [caption id="attachment_890315" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Walking in, you won't be able to miss the cellar of several hundred wines. Its contents include a selection of European drops, an array of rose, plenty of Aussie classics and a bunch of left-field bottles from creative labels. Meanwhile, the cocktail team is hard at work mixing new versions of old classics using seasonal produce. Needless to say, Bert's comes with gob-smacking views, of both The Newport's expansive outdoor area and stunning sparkling Pittwater.
Cybershaming and cybersexism, drug addiction and neurology, the 'extreme centre' of politics, climate change and capitalism, robots and unemployment, and sugar. They're all on the programme for the seventh incarnation of the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Coming to the Opera House over September 5–6, this year's event will be bringing us a stack of Damn the Man activists, provocative authors and controversial intellectuals from all over the world — with Canadian No Logo author, social activist, and filmmaker Naomi Klein, freed journalist Peter Greste, and The Men Who Stare at Goats author, journalist and NPR regular Jon Ronson just three of the big guns on the bill. Returning to Sydney, Ronson will flesh out his new book So You've Been Publicly Shamed in a talk on 'Shame Culture', while Klein explains the ideas behind her new book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. Culture. Then, Greste will deliver his first big public talk since being imprisoned in Egypt with two other Al Jazeera English journalists, a talk dubbed 'Journalistic Freedom'. DIETLAND author Sarai Walker will be sticking it to fat shaming in 'Radical Fat Acceptance', while American journalist and Fast Food Nation/Reefer Madness author Eric Schlosser will be unpacking his latest book Command and Control, which digs deep into America's nuclear arsenal secrets. Israeli director, screenwriter and writer Gideon Raff (who created Israeli series Prisoners of War and its US adaptation Homeland) will be talking about the responsibilities of film and television when using 'real life' events in their storylines. British Pakistani writer, journalist, and filmmaker Tariq Ali will present a talk on 'The Twilight of Democracy' (focused on Greece no doubt). The Economist's international section editor Dr Helen Joyce will take you through the publication's controversial right-to-die campaign, and Silicon Valley entrepreneur and Rise of the Robots author Martin Ford will delve into the not-so-distant future in 'Hello Robots', discussing the possibility of a robot economy and subsequent jobless future. And beloved NYC podcast storytellers The Moth will make their first Sydney appearance for FODI onstage. FODI's not just about keynotes and solo speeches, with a panel program set to fire up some furious debate on the Opera House stage. Controversial I Quit Sugar writer Sarah Wilson will chair a healthy eating-focused 'Big Sugar' panel with That Sugar Film creator Damon Gameau and executive manager of the Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) Jane Martin. Alongside her own talk about the hactivist group Anonymous, academic and author Gabriella Coleman will take her online expertise to the 'Cybersexism' panel with powerhouse writer Clementine Ford and Penny Red/Unspeakable Things author Laurie Penny, and Seoul-born, New York-living writer Suki Kim will lead the hard-hitting 'Inside North Korea' panel, with Michael Kirby and Anna Broinowski. And that's just the tip of the iceberg for the 2015 Festival of Dangerous Ideas, for the full program head over here. FODI runs September 5–6 at the Sydney Opera House. FODI multipacks will go on sale Monday, July 20. Single tickets will be available to the general public from Wednesday, July 22 from the website. By Jasmine Crittenden and Shannon Connellan. Images: FODI, Daniel Boud.
A members-only cafe? Really? You've got to be bloody joking. TRIPE. Nope, it's a Thing — London's opened its very first members-only cafe, SL28, a Holloway coffee shop at which you pay a monthly membership fee to hang out. But it's not as ridiculously shut-the-front-door as it sounds, it's actually a pretty great concept for co-working. Pioneered by and located inside the HQ of a British working environment specialist company called Net.Works., SL28 is indeed a members-only cafe. It's £10 (about $14) a month for full membership, with which you're both allowed in the space and able to order unlimited £5 batch brew coffees — they even give you three free cups a month (which kind of makes the membership fee a little less flabbergaster-inducing). There are baked goods from Aux Pains de Papy, as well as soups, sandwiches and teas, which you can take to fixed-desk spaces, couches and armchairs. If you're still scoffing and ready to whip up an angry social media storm, there's a pretty good intention behind the whole members-only schtick. Basically, the crew want to provide a space for freelancers and collaborative workers to be able to stay for hours on end, whittling away at their projects — without getting shamed for lingering too long. Freelancers, you feel this? If you've ever worked purely from your laptop, you've been shooed away from free wifi cafes after a few hours, death stared from the counter, asked to pay for more bevs or get out. So this is a pretty great alternative; it's almost like a hot desk set-up that happens to be a cafe. The best bit? You'll have company, like this genius Hoffice concept. Hooray for friends! Surrounded by co-freelancers, students, laptop-bound creatives and general coffee enthusiasts, SL28 members have the warm fuzzy advantage of having active minds around them — as opposed to your ever-tempting PS4, loudly mowing neighbours and indifferent axolotl. We'd pay cash money for that. Via Sprudge. Images: Net.Works.
This spring, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia will host an extensive retrospective by renowned South African photographer David Goldblatt, as part of the Sydney International Series. Running from October 19 until March 2019, David Goldblatt: Photographs 1948–2018 will dive deep into the life and work of one of recent history's most legendary photographers, covering a career of more than sixty years. Goldblatt is best known for his portrayal of South Africa's tumultuous history, especially surrounding apartheid. As the photographer's first major retrospective in the southern hemisphere, the exhibition will feature Goldblatt's most famous photo series, along with early vintage prints, never-before-seen footage from his personal collection and a new feature-length documentary. As MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE explained, "visitors will discover an extraordinary artist whose documentary eye has not strayed from the complexities of his country of birth, but resonates with other global histories (including Australia's own) through narratives of race and racism, and industry and the land." The Sydney-exclusive exhibition is the first major retrospective of Goldblatt's work in the southern hemisphere. The exhibition was also the Goldblatt's final project before his death earlier this year. Images: David Goldblatt, A plot-holder, his wife and their eldest son at lunch, Wheatlands, Randfontein. September 1962 (3_4907), 1962. Image courtesy the artist and Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg © the artist; David Goldblatt, Shop assistant, Orlando West, 1972. Image courtesy Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg and Cape Town © The David Goldblatt Legacy Trust.
Barangaroo House has been three years in the making — we first wrote about this back in 2014 — and the anticipation around it was sure to injure someone if it continued to grow. Thankfully, Matt Moran's Solotel Group will open the Barangaroo masterpiece opens today, Friday, December 15. The architecture of the three-tiered building has the appearance of stacked bowls; the exterior has been draped in plants, from which garnishes will be sourced. While food throughout the building will be overseen by credential-heavy Cory Campbell — who previously headed Noma and Vue de Monde — each level has its own menu and will offer different drinking and dining experiences. On ground level you'll find the House Bar, the most casual of the venues. Here, you can drop in for a drink or a cheapish meal — nothing will come in at more than $30. At Bea upstairs things get a little bit more expensive. The 180-seat restaurant will have a full menu focused around meat, seafood and native ingredients. Mains here are around the $40 mark. On the top level is the rooftop bar, Smoke. Needless to say, there's going to be a 'smoke' theme which will be evident in both the 50-plus cocktail menu and interior design. Head Sommelier John Paul Wilkinson has created a 400-bin wine list featuring both small and large growers and a huge selection of Champagne. Expect snacks like fried smoked brisket doughnuts, spiced crisp chicken skin skewers and a sea urchin and orange jam toastie. It'll have a capacity of 150 outdoors and 100 indoors and a specially-designed soundscape will allow live music. Barangaroo House is now open seven days a week 11am till midnight at 35 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo. for more info, visit barangaroohouse.com.au. Images: Cole Bennetts.
The crispy, greasy food of the gods and the cornerstone of any self-respecting carnivorous diet, bacon nabbed itself an entire dedicated festival last year at Cuckoo Callay. Now, Sydney's bacon worship is taking over a bigger warehouse-sized venue, with Sydney's best culinary minds at the helm. Brace yourselves, Sydney's biggest ever bacon party is coming. Bacon, Brunch & Bubbles is the creation of Luke Mangan and his team at MOJO. After the success of their SENSASIAN event a few months ago, the team are taking things to the next level with Sydney's biggest bacon party to date. This one-off brunch extravaganza will bring together Sydney's foodie elite: cake queen Katherine Sabbath, pastry commander-in-chief Andy Bowden, the makers of Australia's most 'grammed cake Black Star Pastry, ice cream wizards N2 Gelato, tea artisans Tippity Tea and the guys from Cuckoo Callay, who brought you Sydney's original Bacon Festival. "It's amazing to bring together such a diverse yet talented group from all around Sydney," says Mangan. Prepare to descend (or ascend depending on how you look at it) into a euphoric haze of porky goodness. Feast on dishes like bacon and egg brioches with chorizo jam, bacon empanadas and bacon and egg cupcakes (really). The best part? A pig on a spit, rotating slowly enough for you to become mesmerised (and reason to strongly dissuade your vegetarian friends from even trying to come). Chase it all with smokey bacon Bloody Marys and bacon bellini mimosas. If cocktails aren't your thing, Tippity Tea will have a selection of sparkling teas for you to choose from. For all the bacon in Sydney, it's not technically a warehouse party without some tunes. Sydney DJ Duncan Bell will be perched on top MOJO's industrial fridge and providing the backbeat to your bacon dreams. Bacon, Brunch & Bubbles is happening on Saturday, August 29 at 8 Danks Street, Waterloo. Entry to the event is $5. Food is $10-15 and drinks are $10. Doors open 10.30am. Top images: Cuckoo Callay.
It's been 11 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Heading back to their collection of unconventional venues for another year, Laneway Festival has announced its 2016 lineup. Returning to Singapore, Auckland and the five established Australian Laneway go-to cities, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a killer lineup. Following the previously leaked Hudson Mohawke and Purity Ring headliner announces, Laneway will see one heck of a crew on their unconventional stages. Odd Future's super outfit The Internet will be here, alongside Ninja Tune's bass monarch Thundercat and the return of Grimes (start losing your collective shit). Epic Scottish electronic crew CHVRCHES are headed back to Australia, with a few fellow return trippers — Baltimore dreamboats Beach House, American math rockers Battles are back with their new album, as well as Brooklyn's atmospheric foursome DIIV. Plenty of love for the onstage return of Big Scary after Tom Isanek finished up with #1 Dads, and there's sure to be a big ol' ruckus for Sydney wonderkid Flume back on stage. You'll be hard pressed to find a spot at Las Vegas hypecard Shamir's set, watching young Washington rapper GoldLink or the pretty, pretty Beatles-y Tobias Jesso Jr. Odd Future's Vince Staples is headed here too, following his OFWGKTA bud Tyler the Creator's ban from Australia. With beloved local artists like Hermitude, Violent Soho, The Smith Street Band and DMA's, this year's lineup is more eclectic than a Jenny Kee jumper. Enough talk, here 'tis. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP: Ali Barter* Banoffee Battles Beach House Big Scary Blank Realm** Chvrhces DIIV DMA’s East India Youth FIDLAR Flume GoldLink Grimes Health Hermitude High Tension Hudson Mohawke Japanese Wallpaper Majical Cloudz Methyl Ethel METZ Purity Ring QT Shamir Silicon Slum Sociable** Sophie The Goon Sax*** The Internet The Smith Street Band Thundercat Tobias Jesso Jr. Vince Staples Violent Soho * Exclusive to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne only ** not playing Fremantle *** Exclusive to Brisbane only ST JEROME'S LANEWAY FESTIVAL DATES AND VENUES FOR 2016: Saturday, January 30 — SINGAPORE (THE MEADOW, GARDENS BY THE BAY) Monday, February 1 — AUCKLAND (SILO PARK) Friday, February 5 — ADELAIDE (HARTS MILL, PORT ADELAIDE, 16+) Saturday, February 6 — BRISBANE (BRISBANE SHOWGROUNDS, BOWEN HILLS, 16+) Sunday, February 7 — SYDNEY (SYDNEY COLLEGE OF THE ARTS, ROZELLE) Saturday, February 13 — MELBOURNE (FOOTSCRAY COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE (FCAC) + THE RIVER’S EDGE) Sunday, February 14 — FREMANTLE (ESPLANADE RESERVE AND WEST END) Tickets on sale September 30 at 9am from Laneway Festival. Image: Andy Fraser. Here's one for getting psyched up.
Ring in the Year of the Monkey sipping on whisky cocktails at a custom-built pop-up bar. Presented, appropriately, by Monkey Shoulder whisky in partnership with the City of Sydney, the bar will be open for the entire run of Sydney's Chinese New Year Festival, from February 6-21. To celebrate, we're giving away a sweet Sydney trip, so you can get up to a little monkey business of your own. Valued at $1000, this killer giveaway includes two return flights to Sydney from anywhere in Australia, two nights free accommodation, transport, and entry into the Monkey Shoulder Whisky Bar. Not too shabby, if we do say so ourselves. While in Sydney you can check out the Chinese New Year festivities, including talks, tours, exhibitions, installations, performances and one-off events. Assuming you can drag yourself away from the bar, that is. The Monkey Shoulder Whisky Bar will pop-up in Martin Place from February 6-14, before hightailing it over to World Square from February 15-21. Beverages on offer will include the Monkey's Mojito, the Monkey old-fashioned and a spin on the Pina Colada named Jungle Juice. Visitors to the bar will also receive a fortune cookie, which will hopefully predict good tidings for the year ahead. Thanks to Monkey Shoulder, we have one sweet, sweet trip for two to Sydney from anywhere in Australia up for grabs. The prize includes two return flights to Sydney from anywhere in Australia, two nights free accommodation, transport, and entry into the Monkey Shoulder Whisky Bar (value $1000). To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us with your name and address. Good luck, whiskey fiends. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
In this often hectic world, sometimes you need to unplug in order to recharge. You know — switch that fast-paced city life for a healthy dose of Mother Nature and a few deep breaths of fresh, country air. Luckily, you don't have to venture too far from the big smoke for a taste of off-the-grid living, with secluded eco-friendly cabins and delightfully makeshift rooms to be found all across the state. Switch off, disconnect and enjoy a much needed slice of serenity at one of these five NSW off-grid stays. UNYOKED TINY HOUSES, VARIOUS LOCATIONS Aussie company Unyoked delivers an off-the-grid experience that'll see you disappearing to your own private tiny house in the wilderness, miles from any sign of human interference. The company has four solar-powered sustainable tiny houses in NSW, each set in a secret patch of wilderness on a private property an easy drive from Sydney. Eco-friendly features like composting toilets and zero wi-fi invite you to disconnect from your regular life, though fixtures like cosy beds, hot showers and gas stoves will keep you super comfortable while you do so. WILDERNESS HUT AT WEILHOUSE LIVING, HERNANI If you're a sucker for a bit of rustic charm, then WeilHouse Living's eco-friendly wilderness hut could be the off-grid experience of your dreams. Keep that carbon footprint to a minimum while you get a taste of proper country living, surrounded by magical Aussie bush and farmland. The cheery home-spun space has been crafted from mainly recycled timber, runs on solar power and has been fitted out with a slow-combustion stove and gas cooktop, an outdoor bathroom with shower and toilet, and an old-fashioned ice box instead of a fridge. Spend your days hiking the surrounding national parks and your evenings kicking back playing board games by the fire. BUBBLETENT, CAPERTEE VALLEY Have you ever dreamed of spending the night in a giant transparent bubble, with the twinkling stars in full view above you? Well, now you can, thanks to Bubbletent's Aussie-first inflatable glamping tent, which sits in a remote pocket of a working farm, between Mudgee and Lithgow. Overlooking the Capertee Valley, this hi-tech bubble tent has a zero carbon footprint. But while it's off-grid, it certainly doesn't skimp on comfort, boasting a plush queen-sized bed, cooking facilities and a separate bathroom area complete with compost toilet and a sink with pump water. There's even a telescope for late-night stargazing sessions from the comfort of your bed. Getting a booking might be tricky though — so good luck. JR'S HUT AT KIMO ESTATE, GUNDAGAI This architecturally impressive A-frame hut sits proudly atop a hill boasting 360-degree views of the surrounding Kimo Estate, a 7000-acre working farm near Gundagai. Here, you can soak up morning mist, wandering sheep, the meandering Murrumbidgee River and distant mountain ranges, all without getting out of bed. The hut itself offers modern looks and luxe furnishings, and is entirely off-grid, featuring a solar-powered shower, a fire and a barbecue. Pull up a seat on the sun-drenched front deck and you'll feel both at one with nature and on top of the world. SIERRA ESCAPE, MUDGEE Set amongst the rolling hills of Mudgee, about 260 kilometres northwest of Sydney, the idyllic Sierra Escape will find you getting back to nature in style, offering a luxury glamping experience to take your breath away. The property's opulent off-grid tent set-up features a comfy king-sized bed, a crackling wood fireplace, a camp stove and fridge, and floor-to-ceiling windows making the most of those sweeping views. Throw in a freestanding bath, rain water shower and a proper flushing toilet, and you might just forget why you ever lived in the city in the first place. Top image: WeilHouse Living.
If you're heading to The Rocks on a Friday night this summer, be prepared for that which cannot be prepared for. The Village Bizarre is back. Once a week, from Friday, November 13, The Rocks will transform into a labyrinth of magic, mystery, music and mischief. Turn into a cobblestone laneway and you're likely to meet a bunch of two-storey-tall inflatable men. Beware of stepping into the shadows, for you might encounter wily tricksters in the form of the Sepia Jezabels. Watch out for dancers and theatre performers waiting for you to pass by their shop windows. When you're ready to put your feet up, head to the Vaudevillia Bar for a spot of twisted cabaret, featuring crazy circus performers, physical comedy, an inflatable host and a three-piece band. Meanwhile, Bohemia's picture frame will conceal a secret room and, at Cabaret Sasquatch, you'll step into a dreamy landscape of centuries past. Check out the rest of the enormous program at the Rocks Bizarre website.
It's a problem anyone with a Netflix, Stan or Presto subscription can relate to: scrolling through a lengthy list of titles but still having trouble finding something to watch. It's a problem that gets worse if you're looking for homegrown content; however a new Aussie-focused streaming option is trying to fix that. Meet Ozflix, the first video-on-demand service dedicated to Australian films. It wants to become a one-stop-shop when it comes to local movies, with everything available to audiences on a pay-per-view basis. Packages grouped by themes and directors will also feature. The service is aiming to get things started with a catalogue spanning 250–400 titles, but that's just the beginning of Ozflix's plans. Eventually, it wants to house every Australian movie ever made, including the first works crafted in the 1900s, the newest releases, and everything from Newsfront to Strictly Ballroom, The Castle, Ten Canoes, Wolf Creek and The Dressmaker. Given that cinemagoers have been flocking to Aussie films en masse in 2015, giving the industry its most successful year at the local box office ever thanks to the likes of Mad Max: Fury Road, The Water Diviner and Paper Planes, the timing is right. The high-profile roster of talent who has voiced their support already — actresses Deborah Mailman and Claudia Karvan, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert director Stephan Elliott, and Animal Kingdom producer Liz Watts among them — certainly agree. Now all Australian movie fans need to do is wait until Ozflix launches in 2016. For more information on Ozflix, visit their website.
Flap your wings and fly into Cake Wines' new cellar door in Redfern, where they're celebrating not one, but two of our all-time favourite things in life: fried chicken and wine. Sydney is home to a tonne of top-notch poultry chefs, whose hot 'n' greasy bits of bird would make Colonel Sanders embarrassed. Now they're flocking together at Cake's urban cellar door for Sydney's first-ever fried chicken and wine festival. Set for Sunday, July 24, Birds of Redfern has been curated by the Cake Wines team along with food writer, DJ and podcaster Andrew Levins. The lineup features some of the biggest cluckers in town, including several nicked straight from our list of Sydney fried chicken favourites. These include Hartsyard — home to Southern-style fried chicken with hot sauce, ranch and pickles — and Moon Park, whose Korean-style shrimp-brined fried chicken comes with soy and sweet pickled daikon. Also on the menu are chicken burgers from the gang at the The Lord Gladstone, chicken sangas from recent addition Henry Lee's, and a selection of wings served extra crispy or buffalo-style courtesy of Levins and his podcast co-host Mitch Orr from ACME. Of course, you'll probably want a little liquid refreshment to wash down all that chook. Good thing this is all happening at a wine cellar. Cake will pop the cork on a number of their locally-made wines, including their 2016 Pinot Gris, their NV Adelaide Hills sparkling and their small batch natural Pinot Noir. There'll also be beer available from White Rabbit and Little Creatures.
It's no secret that few things get us as excited as food and booze. But one place in particular is getting us really, really excited: Brix. Now open in Surry Hills, the distillery and bar not only serves booze — it makes it on-site. And it's the first craft distillery dedicated to rum in Sydney's inner city in a long time. Rum? Yes, rum. It used to be distilled at the old Pyrmont CSR factory from the 30s till the 80s, but — apart from a limited release batch of Archie Rose virgin cane spirit — isn't something that's made widely made locally. We're all pretty up to speed and pumped about locally distilled gin, thanks to the likes of (the game-changing and continually impressive) Archie Rose Distillery and Poor Toms, but rum, generally speaking, is yet to infiltrate our collective craft spirit radar. Brix is a working distillery, shop, barrelling room and bar. The three passionate guys behind the whole thing are James Christopher, Damien Barrow and Siddharth Soin, and they're justifiably enthused about seeing their vision — which has been over three years in the making — come to life. The co-founders are old friends (and are also partners in Cammeray's popular local restaurant Public) and together they want to change the people's attitude to rum. Part of their job is to educate the public about the diversity of the spirit, which runs from a clear rum in a mojito to a syrupy spiced rum. The venue features a fully working distillery with an Australian-made 1200-litre still, which is overseen by head distiller Shane Casey (previously at Archie Rose). The team has launched with a core range of rums: Brix White, Gold and Spiced, which are, for now, only available at the Surry Hills distillery. As well as its own haul, Brix has a 'rum wall' with over 150 varieties from around the world, and a selection of Australian wines, local spirits and craft beer also available. A cocktail list, designed by bar manager Doug Laming, includes rum heavy-favourites, such as mojitos, piña coladas and daiquiris, and more inventive creations like the Bitter & Twisted, with grapefruit-infused rum and Antica, and the Pash the Distiller, with rhubarb bitters, tepache and Brix Gold. If you're keen to dive deeper in rum (not literally, we don't recommend jumping into the still) order one of the seven rum flights available at the bar — or hail the rum trolley. Roaming the bar every night on the hour, it gives guests a chance to sample different rums and chat to the in-house 'rum guru'. The grand space, which has been designed by interior design firm Amber Road, includes an intimate mezzanine barrelling room, overlooking the still, and an open kitchen with counter dining and banquette seating fitting 70 people on the ground level. It features lots of greys with copper details and wall art by local street artist Nico Nicoson. Brix isn't a restaurant, but food is still a central part of the distillery and bar. A compact menu, designed by Ivan Sanchez — who previously worked at Bodega and Porteño — features South American-inflected dishes, such as crisp tostadas topped with ceviche and pink grapefruit, pickled tongue with capers, jerk pork belly and a lineup of arepas (stuffed corn flatbreads). As for the name, 'brix' is a measurement of sugar in a liquid and is actually part of the rum making process. "At some point the distiller has to measure the brix of the liquid he's about to throw yeast into," Christopher explains. So what is the rum making process, in short? "Rum is made from sugar cane juice or molasses that is fermented, then yeast is added to produce alcohol. "It's then boiled at a temperature below boiling water, which makes the alcohol evaporate, leaving water behind, the alcohol goes into the column of the still as a gas, which is re-condensed, turning back into the clear liquid," he says. It can then be aged, spiced, mixed and blended at the hand of a distiller, and as Barrow says, "it's science up to a certain point, when it comes out of the still, and then it's an art — that's when the craft element comes in". And if you skimmed over all the sciencey part of that explanation, fear not — things will make a lot more sense at the distillery. AMENDMENT: AUGUST 22, 2018 — This article previously stated that Brix was the first inner city rum distillery to open in 200 years. This wasn't quite right, and we've amended this article to reflect Sydney's boozy history with the sugar cane spirit. Brix Distillers is now open at 352 Bourke Street, Surry Hills. Its regular opening hours at 12pm–midnight Monday–Saturday, and 12pm–10pm Sunday. Images: Dave Wheeler.
Health nuts have long been singing the praises of kombucha, a fermented Chinese tea with a litany of supposed health benefits. But the rest of us may soon be jumping on the bandwagon as well, now that an ambitious home-brewer has gone and made it alcoholic. The founder of Santa Fe’s Honeymoon Brewery, Ayla Bystrom-Williams has apparently found a way to increase the minute amount of alcohol in current kombucha brews (currently around 1 percent) to levels comparable to beer (around 5-6 percent). With patents currently pending, she’s been keeping mum on the exact details of her fermentation process, although she has revealed it was inspired by the openair process used to create Belgian lambics. Really though, what do you care how it’s made? The bottom line is that in the not too distant future you’ll be able to get drunk in a way that’s actually doing you good. Although we should point out that the benefits of drinking kombucha are still very much up in the air, as outlined in this recent article in the Washington Post. Bystrom-Williams is currently engaged in research that she hopes will bring an end to the ongoing debate and vindicate kombucha drinkers once and for all. Still, whether or not the beverage is actually good for you, there’s no denying that it’s been a massive hit. Analysts in the United States recently estimated that the industry could bring in more than half a billion US dollars in 2015, and that was before we heard about the alcoholic variety. Australian producers have tapped into the craze as well, with a number of different outfits competing in the market — one label even opened up their own dedicated Sydney bar. A notice on Honeymoon Brewery’s website currently alludes to an imminent Kickstarter campaign, with an eye to getting the Kombucha beer on shelves towards the end of the year. The bad news is that it looks like it’ll only be available in the United States. Fingers crossed it’s a hit, and that they think about expanding. Via The Guardian. Images: Mgarten Wikimedia Commons, Iris Photos via Flickr, Wild Kombucha.
Since early 2020, A.P. Bakery has built a cult following among Sydneysiders through its renowned bake sales. Initially popping up across Sydney before finding a home on the rooftop of Paramount House Hotel with A.P. House, the team has been winning over locals for 18 months with its bread, pastries, pies and egg rolls. A.P. Town arrived in Newtown as the team's first standalone venue. The bakery and cafe is tucked away behind north King Street on Bucknell Street in a quaint red-brick inner west building filling a once quiet alleyway with lines out the door each day. Open 7am–2.30pm Monday–Saturday and 8am–2:30pm Sundays, the outpost is a hit with inner west residents heading down for their morning coffee, a mid-week baked treat or that weekend breakfast. The response from locals was huge from the get-go, with A.P. Town selling out before midday on its first day of operation. The menu is simple. There are pies filled with chicken curry, smoked brisket or native Warrigal greens. There are a range of cakes, too, with whiskey canale, three milk bombolini and a Basque cheese cake standing out. The menu also features pastries like buttermilk croissants or Aleppo pepper and asiago cheese scrolls; quince, ricotta and almond Danishes; and bread ranging from seeded bagel and baguettes through to smokey eggplant and pork flatbread and fenugreek and sesame loaf. As for the drinks, you'll find delicious coffee, tea and fruit juices. [caption id="attachment_858741" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chimichurri Choripán[/caption] Appears in: The Best Cafes in Sydney
We seriously hope you manage to sneak in a holiday in 2017, because boutique hotel curator Mr & Mrs Smith has compiled the votes from over 25,000 of its luxury-loving users and decided on the world's best accommodation options. These sensational hotels are not only in our most famous cities, but also in areas of remote paradise across the world. In partnership with Mr & Mrs Smith, here are 12 truly incredible, highly individual accommodation options. You'll find treehouses, old relics-turned-hotels and two boutique hotels on Aussie turf (oi, oi, oi!). BEST SMITH HOTEL: HALCYON HOUSE, AUSTRALIA Australia's very own Halcyon House has taken out the top spot in the awards, ushering visitors in with its coastal charm. Luxuriously sited on New South Wales' Cabarita Beach, the hotel opened in 2015 and has already made a name for itself simply by having rooms with stunning decor. Each is decked out in vibrant patterns, often featuring flashes of blue to honour the ocean. Restored vintage bicycles are available to hire, or guests can enjoy a calm afternoon playing croquet, unwinding on candy-striped day beds by the pool, or heading to the hotel's acclaimed restaurant and bar, Paper Daisy, for some "Australian coastal cooking". COOLEST CREATIVE HUB: FOGO ISLAND INN, CANADA Spectacularly perched on a cliff edge (we wouldn't expect anything less from a hotel in Canada), Fogo Island Inn is turning heads. If a wood-fired sauna, rooftop hot tub, art gallery and pastries delivered to your door every morning sounds enticing, then this inn is for you. Managing to pull off grandeur while exercising sustainability, there are rainwater catchment systems and renewable solar and wood-burning energy sources embedded in the inn. The 29 suites are classically and calmingly minimalistic, consisting of white walls, floors and bathrooms that are livened with colourful homewares and furniture made by local designers. BEST DRESSED HOTEL: PALAZZO MARGHERITA, ITALY Dense with soul, grace and opulence, Palazzo Margherita sits in the Italian town of Bernalda, at the arch of Italy's foot. It's fit for a king, and coincidentally restored by film royalty. Director of The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola, sought to refurbish what was a decaying 19th century relic and turn it into a hotel. All nine suites in the palazzo are individually characterised, some with peachy walls and gold framing, others looking onto roof murals reminiscent of Catholic churches. Guests have the option to unwind at the warmly hued family bar, or the cinecitta bar where the walls are lined with glossy photos of Italian celebrities. For explorers, this accommodation could not be more perfectly placed. The Basilicata region is flush with ruins, including those of Metaponto and Policoro, as well as the cave dwellings of Matera. The deserted town of Craco is within reach, too. WORLD'S SEXIEST BEDROOM: KEEMALA, THAILAND You may find it hard to put your phone down and resist the urge to post on Instagram seventeen times a day at Keemala. It's Avatar meets a five-star resort. The pool villas, harnessed in generous, luscious rainforest, may send your followers into an envious spiral. Rooms are encased in woven wood cocoons and beds are gloriously draped with lavish curtains that you can close and shut off from the world. The resort offers an hourly shuttle to Kamala beach, a spa and fitness centre holding yoga and Muay Thai boxing classes, as well as tai chi on the beach. The pool bar whips up innovative cocktails such as a lemongrass-infused Tom Yum cocktail and bittersweet Martinis paired with raw cacao. Intimate dining options can also be arranged, in the resort's plentiful gardens, or on a rocky outcrop. BEST DATE-NIGHT BAR: THE LONDON EDITION, ENGLAND Behind a neoclassical, royal exterior lies the splendour of The London Edition. It's part of the larger group of boutique 'Edition' hotels headed by the Marriott International, which are also opening locations in Abu Dhabi, Reykjavik and Barcelona. At the masterfully designed London Edition though, guests are welcomed by an extravagant lobby made up of ceiling motifs and classic green velour couches, while the rooms mix old and new to create an aesthetically wonderful atmosphere. The rooms are made of entirely timber walls, with refreshingly white bathrooms to contrast. Visitors often flock to the hotel's dining room, Berners Tavern, which is superbly and absolutely packed with 19th Century gilt-framed paintings. Serving high-end comfort food, the tavern is not only popular among guests, but those outside of The London Edition, too. BEST GOURMET GETAWAY: THE OLD CLARE HOTEL, AUSTRALIA The Old Clare occupies the previous headquarters of the old Carlton & United Breweries in Chippendale. It's made up of 62 rooms, which still have their heritage ceilings and panelling. Modern in some places and retro in others, the hotel exudes personality in every crevice. The Old Clare also plays the proud host to two of Sydney's coolest dining institutions — Kensington Street Social, which has a menu that gives a contemporary tip of the to British cuisine, and the refined and brilliantly designed Automata. Both are gloriously sophisticated in their own right. Head to the other end of the hotel (the top) and you'll find a rooftop pool that coolly overlooks Chippendale. MOST SPOILING SPA: AMANEMU, JAPAN You may fall over looking at the entrance pavilion at Amanemu — it's a beautiful, Japanese building enhanced by stunning backdrop of Ago Bay. Fortunately, this spa hotel is built around natural hot springs that are incorporated into treatments and the suites themselves. The rooms are perfectly geometric, drawing on Japanese minimalism to calm patrons even further. Blonde timber is lit by generous rays of sunshine that arrive through the many windows of each room every morning. Step outside and you're treated to an incredible scene of trees and the hotel's spa terrace. If you seek healing and a pure escape, put Amanemu on your list. POOL WITH A VIEW: GRAND HOTEL TREMEZZO, ITALY This place is the epitome of la dolce vita. The Grand Hotel Tremezzo is one of the monstrosities gracing Italy's even grander Lake Como. The exterior of the hotel features what we call 'lakeception' — a pool situated on an actual lake. Behind that you'll find guests rejuvenating on sun lounges shielded by white umbrellas, before trickling back through the hotel, through regal red painted walls and embellished columns. Rooms are furnished with gold, paint-framed mirrors and plush furniture resembling that of Italian royalty. Imaginably, the rooms host ridiculous window views of Lake Como's emerald waters and the mesmerisingly large mountains that protect them. Waterside bars and in-house Italian dining top off the stay — anything more you want to ask for? ABOVE AND BEYOND: AWASI, CHILE Among pristine, untouched Patagonia are 14 luxury cabins unlike anything else out there. The Awasi resort champions its surroundings, fitting into vistas of lakes, snow-tipped mountains and forests as seamlessly as a Patagonian puma hiding in the hills. Each cabin is topped off with a hot tub, where guests can admire their unbelievable surroundings. Visitors are also well attended to, with a private guide assigned to customise their experience. That could involve running away to off-the-beat hiking trails that lead to the best wildlife viewing spots the area has to offer. Seclusion and serenity unite at Awasi to deliver an unforgettable Chilean experience. BEST FAMILY HOTEL: TREEHOTEL, SWEDEN If Tarzan opened a luxury group of treehouses, it would translate to Sweden's Treehotel complex. There's something addictively adventurous about hanging among the trees, even when you're an adult. And before you think you'll be doing it tough, know that the cleverly designed pods that clutch the forest trees are filled with stunning Scandinavian-styled interiors. You'll have to monkey down the trees to cook though. There's a restaurant, bar and shared kitchen area, as well as shared bathrooms with a sauna and whirlpool plunge bath. Alongside that is an open-air hot tub, ziplines and an abundance of forest to look at. Each room is accessible by either a ladder or stairs. HOTTEST HOTEL SOUNDTRACK: FAZENDA NOVA, PORTUGAL Fazenda Nova is the love child of London born Hallie and Tim Robinson, who holidayed in Portugal for three years before opening their own accommodation. The pair renovated a 19th-century farmhouse to create a stunning retreat, surrounded by almond, pomegranate and olive orchards. Fazenda Nova encompasses the exuberance Portugal is renowned for, but the Robinsons have slotted in international influences into the grounds including Balinese teak furniture and Moroccan doors that the pair collected during their travels. The restaurant, A Cozihna, preaches the glory of Portuguese cuisine, which is often shadowed by Spanish cuisine (note — the two are exceedingly different). Menu options rotate daily, but often honour local seafood, and dishes are made from the hotel's own produce. LOCAL HOTEL HERO: 11 HOWARD, NEW YORK The romantic 11 Howard hotel proudly resides in Lower Manhattan. You may recognise the 150-foot mural that graces the side of the building from Instagram, where it is shared endlessly. Made up of minimally beautiful rooms, it's not hard to assume that guests struggle to check out of here. Danish design rules the decor; rooms are made up of light oak floors, blush pinks and soft greys to create a calm ambiance. Le Coucou (the hotel's restaurant) is something out of a fairytale, partly evoked by the forest painted walls that surround diners. It's a NYC hotspot, not that we'd expect anything less from acclaimed chef Daniel Rose, who set up La Bourse et La Vie in Paris. After indulging there, trickle over to the hotel's bar, The Blond. By 9pm, the sensual space transforms into a nightclub. There's a strict guest list from Thursday to Saturday, but as a hotel patron you don't need to fret. You'll get in easily.
No longer just the realms of Monica Trapaga residencies and kiddie-aimed pantomimes, Twilight at Taronga — the after-hours live music series that boasts perhaps the best view of Sydney Harbour as well as lots of adorable animals — has proven they've got some real cred when it comes to hosting outdoor gigs in the past few years. This summer, they're back with a brand new lineup playing spesh live sets every weekend from Friday, January 27 through Saturday, March 11. Considering it includes the likes of Kurt Vile and Tegan and Sara and then Killing Heidi, it's probably their most diverse yet. Picnic-bringing is encouraged, but there'll also be incredibly delicious hampers available onsite — we tasted them, they're extremely generous and genuinely great. There's a bar on-site, and general nosh available from the canteen. Either way, it's actually the one of the best dates in Sydney — lock those tickets down. All proceeds from Twilight at Taronga go back into the zoo's ongoing conservation work with Wildlife Witness to help fight against illegal wildlife trade. PLUS, your ticket includes free entry to the zoo on the same day. That's a big deal. TWILIGHT AT TARONGA 2017 LINEUP Friday 27 January – PETER GARRETT & THE ALTER EGOS and KEV CARMODY Saturday 28 January – JO JO ZEP & THE FALCONS and THE SPORTS Thursday 2 February — THE RUBENS supported by Bec Sandridge Friday 3 February – THE RUBENS supported by Bec Sandridge Saturday 4 February – KILLING HEIDI supported by Abbe May Friday 10 February – KASEY CHAMBERS supported by Thelma Plum Saturday 11 February – BALL PARK MUSIC and THE JUNGLE GIANTS Thursday 16 February – JET with special guests Friday 17 February – george supported by Felix Riebl (Cat Empire) and Jack Carty Saturday 18 February – JAMES MORRISON BIG BAND Sunday 19 Februrary — Jet supported by Bloods Friday 24 February – BJÖRN AGAIN Saturday 25 February – BJÖRN AGAIN Friday 3 March – KURT VILE (US) supported by Mick Turner Saturday 4 March – THE LIVING END 'TWANGIN' AT TWILIGHT' Sunday 5 March — THE LIVING END 'TWANGIN' AT TWILIGHT' Thursday 9 March – TEGAN AND SARA (CAN) with special guests Friday 10 March – TEENAGE FANCLUB (UK) supported by The Goon Sax Saturday 11 March – MARTHA WAINWRIGHT (CAN) supported by Oh Pep! Tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, October 25 at twilightattaronga.org.au.
Inventive Philadelphia-based company La Colombe Coffee Roasters has developed coffee on tap, pulling cold draught lattes from nitro kegs. They're claiming their new device as the world's first tap coffee, although it goes without saying this isn't your regular, purely extracted, traditional espresso. More "naturally sweet milkshake" than actual latte, La Colombe's draught is apparently like cold-press with frothed cold milk, according to Daily Coffee News. Company founder Todd Carmichael is pretty proud of the new taps, which took six months to invent with his rum distillery engineer buddy in his underground Philly coffee lab. Carmichael assures consumers that this is the first time tap coffee has made its way into your mouth. "The draught latte combines the simplest coffee beverage ingredients and creates a revolutionary drink," he said in a media announcement. "It’s the process we use to pull the drink from the keg that creates a textured milk that doesn’t exist anywhere else.” Wielding his iced invention, seems Carmichael has a pretty hardcore plan to destroy Starbucks, and he's not keeping it to tap coffee. The Philly coffee fiend also just announced the launch of La Colombe's low-calorie canned coffees — a product Starbucks has been doing pretty well with in American supermarkets for some horrific, god-forsaken reason. If you're keen to try draught coffee, you'll have to pop over to the US. La Colombe is planning to roll out the taps to its 12 venues in Philly, NYC, Chicago and Washington D.C. in July. Via Daily Coffee News.
Uber is making itself comfortable in the nation's capital, and soon it's going to be legal and everything. In the very same week that the NSW Government announced tough new fines and suspensions for Uber drivers caught using their vehicles as unauthorised taxis, their compadres across the border are giving UberX (the ridesharing service which lets everyday drivers give you lifts in their own Uber-approved cars) the official green light. First fireworks, then pornography, and now this? If it weren't for all the politicians, we'd seriously be considering a move. Under new reforms set to come into place at the end of next month ahead of Uber's entry into the market, UberX drivers who have passed criminal and driver history checks will be legally permitted to offer people lifts using the popular ridesharing app. Reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, the changes will make the ACT the first jurisdiction in the country where Uber drivers can operate without fear of being fined — not that that's been much of a disincentive for people thus far. Further reforms, to be enacted at a later date, will reportedly address issues surrounding UberX driver registration and insurance. Interestingly, the legislation also offers an olive branch to taxi drivers, whose annual licensing fees will be reduced from $20,000 to $10,000, and then $5000, in an attempt to help them compete. UberX drivers will also be prohibited from picking up passengers who hail them on the street. "These reforms champion innovation and help taxi and hire car services remain sustainable and important modes of travel in the Territory," said Labor Chief Minister Andrew Barr in a press release that accompanied the announcement. The taxi industry hasn't exactly welcomed Uber with open arms, but at some point they're going to have to accept that the ridesharing service is here to stay. The NSW review of taxi and ride-sharing operators will unveil their findings to the government next month. Maybe now that the government itself is trying to level the playing field, it'll encourage them to up their game? Hey, it could happen. Until then, NSW UberX drivers, head for the ACT border. Via The Sydney Morning Herald. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
The world was shocked by the devastating news on Monday with a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hitting the border of Turkey and Syria. The disaster caused catastrophic damage and has led to the death of more than 11,000 people. In response, Turkish-born chef and owner of Maydanoz, Somer Sivrioglu, will be hosting an earthquake relief barbecue at his Wynyard venue. This Sunday, February 12, the barbecue will see the Turkish-inspired bar and restaurant transformed into a kebab house — serving up adana, chicken kebab rolls and gozleme accompanied by Efes Pilseners. Plus, there will also be Turkish coffee and delights on offer. Expect a family-friendly vibe with Turkish music playing at the venue for patrons to enjoy. Or, you can take your treats away to Wynyard Park for a picnic. 100 percent of proceeds from the day will be donated to the AFAD and AHBAP relief funds in Turkey to aid victims of the earthquake. You can also contribute to the relief fund with the purchase of a hamper that includes some extra Turkish goodies and a copy of Somer's book. These will be available at Maydanoz as well as its sister restaurant, Anason, in Barangaroo. So get down to Maydanoz this Sunday to enjoy some delicious Turkish cuisine for a good cause.
