Category: LIFESTYLE

Melbourne drinks: cocktail trees in Northcote at The Distiller

Posted: 22/03/2022

A little bit Instagrammy, a little bit flash; cocktails mightn’t be for everyone, but who can turn away from a tower of them, begging to be enjoyed? The Distiller in Northcote has decided to make it a thing, pumping out cocktails trees in a range of combinations for group weekend shenanigans and celebrations all year ’round. Serving up twelve cocktails at a time, The Distiller Cocktail Trees are the perfect centrepiece and will ensure a photo-worthy moment, whatever the occasion. Here are the options available: Spritz Cocktail Tree Package, $110 For those who love a spritz, The Distiller Spritz Cocktail Tree is for them. Twelve full sized Grainshaker Spritz to share with friends or family. Each spritz is low calorie, low sugar and garnished with dehydrated fruit and botanicals. Including flavours such as Pink Grapefuit, Lime & Soda and Lemon Myrtle, each spritz is one standard drink. Classic Cocktail Tree Package, $165 Celebrating the end of the work week, or just getting together with friends? The Distiller Classic Cocktail Tree Package is twelve full sized Grainshaker classic cocktails that are sure to satisfy everyone, from Espresso Martinis to Cosmopolitans and Passionfruit Martinis. Cocktail Trees are available between 6-9pm on Fridays and 1-9pm on Saturdays. Bookings must be placed at least 2 hours in advance and the tree will be ready for the booked arrival time.

Category: CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: best bars melbourne, cocktails melbourne, Distillery, Distillery cocktail, melbourne bars, Melbourne cocktails guide

WHO ARE YOU? Find out at the NGV with Australian Portraiture

by James Banham

Posted: 18/03/2022

In an exhibition that poses the question “what is portraiture?”, you can now take a journey into the Australian face at the National Gallery of Victoria. From March to August this year, the NGV will feature more than two-hundred works by Australian artists including Patricia Piccinini, Atong Atem, Howard Arkley, Vincent Namatjira and Tracey Moffatt, and featuring sitters including Cate Blanchett, Albert Namatjira, Queen Elizabeth II, Eddie Mabo and David Gulpilil all to explore our inner worlds and outer selves, as well as issues of sociability, intimacy, isolation, celebrity and ordinariness. The whole exhibition is about revealing the rich artistic synergies and contrasts between the two institutions’ collections, this co-curated exhibition considers portraiture in Australia across time and media, as well as the role of the portraiture genre in the development of a sense of Australian national identity. What does that mean for you? To discover it and more, head to the NGV website

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: Australian portrait, Australian Portraiture, WHO ARE YOU Find out at the NGV with Australian Portraiture

What to see at the NGV – 5 excellent exhibitions to not miss

by James Banham

Posted: 16/03/2022

This year, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has a quality spread of art and culture to keep you occupied all autumn-winter long. Comprising the autumn-winter 2022 program, the NGV will kick things off with an homage to Picasso before embarking on the rest. Scroll down for more… The Picasso Century This exhibition opens June 10 at NGV International. The Picasso Century charts the extraordinary career of Pablo Picasso in dialogue with the many artists, poets and intellectuals with whom he intercepted and interacted throughout the 20th century, including Guillaume Apollinaire, Georges Braque, Salvador Dalí, Alberto Giacometti, Françoise Gilot, Valentine Hugo, Marie Laurencin, Dora Maar, André Masson, Henri Matisse, Dorothea Tanning and Gertrude Stein. Get tickets here WHO ARE YOU: Australian Portraiture This exhibition opens on 25 March and will unite collections of the NGV and the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, for the very first time. Featuring more than 200 works by the likes of Patricia Piccinini, Howard Arkley, Vincent Namatjira and more, and depicting sitters such as Cate Blanchett, Queen Elizabeth II and Eddie Mabo, this exhibition will be one of the largest presentations of portraiture ever mounted in Australia. Get tickets here Queer: Stories from the NGV Collection Because equality is key! This exhibition is a celebration of the queer and LGBTIQA+ stories embedded in the NGV Collection – and is one of the most historically expansive exhibitions ever dedicated to this diverse subject opening March 10. Get tickets here Melbourne Design Week 2022 Australia’s leading annual international design event, returns for its sixth edition from 17–27 March 2022, a key highlight this… Read More

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: Best art galleries Melbourne, Gallery Melbourne, melbourne arts, ngv, ngv melbourne, What to see at the NGV 5 excellent exhibitions to not miss

Good cafes in Double Bay, Sydney – Industry Beans is open

by James Banham

Posted: 16/03/2022

This March, Industry Beans – a new cafe in Double Bay, right near Double Bay’s new Woolworth’s Metro – is open! Supplying the community with caffeine either in or out of the supermarket and other locals with the knowledge, the opening marks the beginning of an exciting partnership between Industry Beans and Woolworths Metro. View this post on Instagram A post shared by INDUSTRY BEANS (@industrybeans) With the signature Industry Beans Modbar set up, the outfit will echo the design note held in their existing venues in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. This brand-new Double Bay venue offers premium, fast, consistent takeaway service for espresso and filter coffee. With the Industry Beans signature Modbar set up, the outfit within Woolworths Metro echoes the design notes of their existing venues in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For more and to plan your next weekend visit, head to the Industry Beans website View this post on Instagram A post shared by INDUSTRY BEANS (@industrybeans)

Category: CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: Double Bay cafes, Good cafes Double Bay, Good cafes in Double Bay Sydney Industry Beans is open, Good cafes Sydney, sydney coffee

VIVID Sydney 2022 – what to expect

by James Banham

Updated: 18/03/2022

After the darkness of the past few years, VIVID, the festival of light, is back with a bang this 2022 in Sydney. From Friday 27 May to Saturday 18 June, there’ll be more than 200 events celebrating the essence of Sydney’s soul including its diversity, beauty, resilience, First Nations culture and vibrant creative community. Staged over 23 nights, the festival will deliver mesmerising art displays, 3D light projections, uplifting live music performances and deep-dive discussions from the world’s brightest minds. Plus, in a festival first, the renowned Light Walk will stretch continuously for 8km, linking the Sydney Opera House to Central Station, with more than 200 LED sculptural birds guiding the way as part of the Future Natives installation. Here are some favourites to look forward to: THE VIVID SYDNEY DINNER Great food, talks, music, wine and light collide at the very first Vivid Sydney Dinner – a celebration of all things Sydney. Join host Justine Clarke at Merivale’s Ivy Ballroom, which will be completely transformed into an effervescent feast for the senses on Saturday 4 June, featuring “love letters to Sydney” from renowned artist Ken Done and journalist/author Julia Baird. VIVID LIGHT Visitors will connect with powerful stories of Sydney’s soul after dark, as more than 50 light installations and projection artworks designed to explore and define the city’s character come to life. VIVID IDEAS Vivid Ideas brings together the world’s brightest minds and fearless global storytellers, exploring the forces that shape not only Sydney’s unique society, but all great cities around the world. With more than 85 intriguing talks and workshops on offer, Vivid Ideas… Read More

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tyson Fury masturbates 7 times a day – but should you?

by THE F

Updated: 11/05/2023

World champion boxer Tyson Fury recently announced that “most of [his] success comes down to masturbating seven times a day”. Yep, that’s seven (7) times per day. If that sounds like a lot to you, don’t sweat it. According to male sex toy brand Arcwave, the average man masturbates 4.5 times per week, which is a far cry from Fury’s average. But the two-time world heavyweight champion claims that masturbating helped his hands become stronger, and made him better able to manage his testosterone levels, which prompts a few questions, like: Can masturbation really help with body strength and athletic performance? Should I be masturbating more than I am now? What are the best ways to masturbate? So let’s break it down. First thing’s first: there is little to no evidence that masturbation has any effect on athletic ability. While there is a link between masturbation frequency and testosterone, it’s still unclear in which direction this correlation occurs. It may not necessarily be that frequent masturbation increases testosterone, but that someone with already high levels of testosterone has a higher libido and therefore masturbates more frequently. Explore testosterone support supplements to maintain healthy testosterone levels and support overall well-being. Some athletes report that they don’t masturbate or have sex before a match because they believe that it makes them tired or sluggish. Other athletes report that they do have sex or masturbate before a match because it makes them feel relaxed and refreshed. It is personal for each athlete and I encourage people to experiment with… Read More

Category: LIFESTYLE

Tags: How to masturbate, Men masturbation, Tyson Fury, Tyson Fury masturbates 7 times a day but should you

Pubs in Melbourne: The Orrong Hotel is back

by James Banham

Posted: 16/03/2022

A new look, a new menu; the new Orrong Hotel in Melbourne is open and ready for you. Standing proud on the corner of Orrong Road and High Street in Armadale is the iconic Orrong Hotel, which after three years of closure is back open for business after having been lovingly restored to its former glory by new custodians who have ensured the pub’s old bones remain intact. There’s a full gamut of weeknight specials and local community initiatives, plus a variety of spaces perfect for if you want to catch a game, play some pool, grab a feed or settle in and let life pass by. It’s time to rediscover this iconic neighbourhood corner pub and fall in love with it again. Find out more at the Orrong Hotel website.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: Melbourne pub, Orrong Hotel, Pubs in Melbourne The Orrong Hotel is back

Roller skate in the heart of Sydney: Rollerama Festival

by THE F

Posted: 16/03/2022

Limber up those ankles and get those pirouettes ready – it’s time to go skating in the centre of Sydney. A pop-up roller rink’s coming to Darling Harbour this month as part of the Rollerama Festival from 25 March to 24 April! For all skill levels, Rollerama is for kids, families and thrill-seekers to a range of activities including classes, themed music nights with DJ performances and pro shows at the Derby League demonstrations. Roller rink inspired dishes and drinks will also be available from Pumphouse Sydney Forecourt. BYO skates or rent them there, get more info about the rink at the Rollerama Festival’s website

Category: CITIES, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: Roller skate in the heart of Sydney Rollerama Festival, Rollerama Festival, Sydney Rollerama Festival

Food festivals in Melbourne: East Malvern’s Central Park food and wine festival is back

by James Banham

Updated: 16/03/2022

The 5th annual East Malvern Food & Wine Festival will return to East Malvern’s picturesque Central Park! At long last, after a long pandemic-fuelled break, the festival will boast a vast range of exquisite wineries from all across Victoria, artisan provedores and entertainment on Sunday 27 March 2022, from 11am to 6pm. The festival will feature a vast range of exquisite wines from 12 wineries from the Victorian wines including: Turners Crossing, Innocent Bystander, Red Edge, Tellurian Wines, Linnaea Vineyards, Munari Wines, Heathcote Winery, Olive Hills Estate, Wren Estate, Buller Wines, Buckshot Vineyard and Mount Avoca Wine. And for the more foodie amongst us, there’ll be local Melbourne favourite food trucks, local favourite restaurants and pop-up restaurant stalls like 48h Pizza & Gnocchi Bar, Nepal Dining, The Flying Calamari, Bao Melbourne, Mushiki Dumplings, The Smoke Pit and more. There’s also freshly shucked fresh and wild Signature Oysters matched with Sparkling prosecco served all day long. Our Merchant Coffee Roasters from Mansfield serving up freshly brewed coffee and even puppicinos for our fury friends and delicious desserts from the Pressed Waffle Bar and Luvlee Gourmet’s handcrafted ice creams for all to enjoy. For more info and to sort your itinerary out (tickets are $22.95), head to the festival’s website

Category: CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: East Malvern food wine festival, Food festivals in Melbourne East Malvern's Central Park food and wine festival is back, Food wine festival Melbourne, melbourne food, Melbourne wine

The 23rd Biennale of Sydney, rivus, opens to the public this weekend

by James Banham

Posted: 16/03/2022

Attention all art lovers: The 23rd Biennale of Sydney opens to the public this weekend. Over 330 artworks by over 80 participants and 400 events will be presented across the city from 12 March to 13 June 2022. Rivus means ‘stream’ in Latin, so this year’s theme is centred around new work and commissions responding to water ecology and relationships with the natural world. Audiences will experience large-scale immersive installations, site specific projects and living works by international participants including Kiki Smith,Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, John Gerrard, Jumana Emil Abboud and Ackroyd & Harvey alongsideAustralian participants such as Cave Urban, Badger Bates, Clare Milledge, Julie Gough and D Harding. The list of participants extends beyond the realm of the visual arts and includes bodies of water and their custodians around the world including Australia, Bangladesh and Ecuador. The largest contemporary art event of its kind in Australia, the Biennale of Sydney will be open to the publicfrom 12 March to 13 June 2022 at Art Gallery of New South Wales, Barangaroo including The Cutaway, Circular Quay, Arts and Cultural Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, National Art School in partnership with Artspace and Pier 2/3 at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct. For more, head to the Biennale website

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

ARTS & CULTURE

film movie reel pexels daydream 20432081

Shooshfest: Australia’s first ever silent short film competition

17/04/2024

By James Banham

Australia’s Shooshfest, an inaugural silent short film competition, invites diverse creators to innovate in storytelling sans speech. Promising an immersive experience, it will connect with audiences, honour silent film and catalyse cinematic culture.

4 reasons to get excited for ‘Frontiers: Choreographers of Canada’s at Sadler’s Wells

11/04/2024

By James Banham

This exceptional triple bill showcases the extraordinary talents of three distinguished Canadian choreographers: Crystal Pite, Emma Portner, and James Kudelka, promising an unforgettable journey through the world of contemporary ballet.

New gallery in Sydney: A Secondary Eye opens

05/04/2024

By James Banham

Sydney, Australia is set to welcome a profound addition to its art scene as A Secondary Eye announces the launch of a new gallery space nestled in the arts district of Woollahra. Opening its doors on Friday, 3 May 2024, this new venture promises a fresh perspective on Australian Indigenous and contemporary art. Founded in 2020 by Jesse-Jack De Deyne, a seasoned specialist in the secondary market for Australian Indigenous art, and Boris Cornelissen, formerly of Sotheby’s London and Hong Kong, A Secondary Eye has quickly established itself as a key player in the art world. Their focus on developing the secondary market for art and collectibles in Australia has led to the exhibition and sale of works by prominent artists like Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Sidney Nolan, and Fred Williams, among others. The gallery’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, with several pieces entering the collections of Australia’s most prestigious art institutions. Strategically located in Queen Street, a spot historically linked with the crème de la crème of secondary market art dealers, the new gallery is poised to continue its tradition of excellence. The inaugural exhibition will shine a spotlight on Rover Thomas, a luminary and trailblazer in the Australian art landscape. Known for his significant influence on the East Kimberley school of painting, Thomas’s works are lauded for their modernist abstraction and profound connection to ancestral land and Indigenous life. The exhibition, titled “Rover: Master of the Kimberley”, marks the first solo presentation of Thomas’s work in Sydney in nearly two decades. It will showcase… Read More

Momentous moment in art at National Gallery London

05/04/2024

By James Banham

In 2025, the art world will witness a remarkable event at the National Gallery as “Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300?1350” opens its doors in spring, marking the 200th anniversary of the institution. This exhibition promises an unprecedented reunion of paintings by some of the most celebrated Italian artists of the 14th century, artworks that have been scattered across the globe for centuries. Highlighting this unique collection are masterpieces in gold ground, many originally part of larger compositions, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the innovative spirit of Western painting tradition from this era. The spotlight of the exhibition is the coming together of several panels from the revolutionary double-sided altarpiece, the Maestà, painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna for the cathedral in Siena. Recognized as the first double-sided altarpiece in Western art, this narrative shift in art will be showcased along with other significant pieces from the ensemble. Notably, the National Gallery’s panels from the Maestà will be reunited with works like “Christ and the Woman of Samaria” from the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, and “The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew” from the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Another focal point is the reunion of the Orsini Polyptych by Simone Martini, a folding piece created for private devotion, likely for Cardinal Napoleone Orsini. Dispersed between prestigious institutions – the Louvre in Paris, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, and the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin – the exhibition will bring together all six panels for a rare presentation. Besides these reunifications, the exhibition… Read More

Carlos Acostas Carmen Cristina Lanandez 5

Carmen is coming to Sadler’s Wells in London

04/04/2024

By James Banham

In an event that harmoniously blends tradition with contemporary flair, Sadler’s Wells Theatre unfolds its red carpet for Acosta Danza, as they present the UK premiere of Carlos Acosta’s version of Carmen from the 2nd to the 6th of July, 2024. This adaptation by the dance legend Carlos Acosta gives a new lease of life to Georges Bizet’s opera, stirring the soul nearly two centuries after Prosper Mérimée penned the original story. Carlos Acosta himself steps onto the stage, not just as a creator but as a performer, embodying ‘The Bull’ – a symbol of fate and destiny. This role, specially crafted by Acosta, emerges from his deep-seated desire to encapsulate the essence of the narrative while marking his departure from the Royal Ballet. His rendition of Carmen holds onto the timeless and universal appeal of the tale yet introduces a fresh perspective by minimising the setting to its core elements. Joining forces with Acosta Danza are Principal dancers Laura Rodriguez, Enrique Corrales, and Alejandro Silva, alongside guest stars from the Birmingham Royal Ballet – Yaoqian Shang, Javier Rojas, and Lachlan Monaghan, who will portray Carmen, Don José, and Escamillo, respectively. This cast embodies the spirit of the characters they portray, bringing to life the tragic tale of love, passion, and jealousy. Carmen’s story has always captivated the imagination of many, attracting a variety of choreographers such as Marius Petipa and Roland Petit to its fiery core. The opera’s enchanting melodies like the ‘Toreador Song’ and ‘Habanera’ continue to resonate, underscoring the opera’s enduring popularity… Read More