Carbs for Mardi Gras: Textbook Patisserie does a Golden Gaytime croissant

Updated: 26/02/2019

If you’re in Sydney’s inner south and know Textbook Patisserie, then prepare to have your pre-Gras diet shot to shit: they’re doing gay croissants. Because the art of butter, crispy, bread-like pastries from the pretty, wrought iron-clad streets of gay Paris just simply aren’t gay enough, John Railey is going next level. Multicoloured croissants made by the Callebaut Chocolate hero Railey will adorn the display cabinets of the Botany Road bakery this Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras season, celebrating in a more delicious way, the freedoms we’re so afforded in this wonderful era, city and country as gays and their friends. The pastry is literally rainbow coloured and bursting with coloured Callebaut Chocolate pieces, caramel, chantilly and caramel peptides for an extra little somethin’. Get them from Saturday 2 – Sunday 3 March for $12.50. Find Textbook Patisserie at 274 Botany Road, Alexandria.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FEATURES, FOOD & DRINK, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: Croissant, Gaytime Croissant, Golden Gaytime Croissant, Mardi Gras croissant, Textbook Patisserie Sydney, THE F Croissant, ThE F Mardi Gras, THE F Textbook Patisserie

Mardi Gras drinks: Parade views from the Pullman Hyde Park

by James Banham

Updated: 23/02/2019

There’s nothing quite as gay as Mardi Gras, so if glitter, rainbows, hot bods, banging music and drinks are your thing, then heading to the Pullman Hyde Park in Sydney is where you need to be. From beside the marshalling area of the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras down Oxford Street, the Pullman is serving drinks, food, rainbows and fabulosity like no other venue along the strip. The level 1 full length windows provide prime position to look down upon the parade’s rabble, in all their semi-nude, musically-fuelled, pro-LGBTIQ glory. Aptly named the Rainbow Room, it’s the place to be this 2 March 2019. Found at the top of College Street, just metres from Oxford Street’s official parade starting line, Pullman Hyde Park is serving up tickets for $149 per person that include exclusive entry to the bright and bold Rainbow Room, bottomless beverages from pop-up bars by event sponsors Gayle, Australia’s first equality conscious beer and cider. Top that off with Absolut – don’t miss their Absolut recovery brunch at the Beresford – canapés and fabulous entertainment from drag queen hosts Shebeast & Tora Hymen, with music by DJ Victoria Anthony. Following on after the fabulous pre-parade festivities, guests can make an exit, flashing their wrist bands to be given exclusive access to a College Street viewing area, allowing them to make their way through the glittering explosion that is the Mardi Gras Parade. Get your tickets at the Pullman’s website.

Category: CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

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Battle of the drag queens: The Winery hosts a rumble for mental health

by James Banham

Posted: 22/02/2019

Elizabeth, who? The real Queens of Sydney are about to turn up, do battle and do some good while they’re at it at Surry Hills’ The Winery, who’re putting on a gay royal rumble to donate dollars to the Black Dog Institute, for mental health. It’s all a part of the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Queens Minnie Cooper and Hanna Conda will battle it out to Lady Gaga and Freddie Mercury; Charisma Belle and Sia Tequila duelling Tina Turner, Cher and Dolly Parton on Wednesday and Sia Tequila and Jaquie St Hyde channelling Madonna and Kylie Minogue on Thursday, before the ultimate Battle of the Legends on Friday 1 March. It’s a full line-up that will donate 25% of ticket sales to Black Dog Institute, a research institute that works to reduce the incidence of mental illness and the stigma attached to it. Tickets for The Mardi Gras Tribute Nights are $20 with an Absolut cocktail on arrival and will run from Tuesday 26 February to Friday 1 March from 5pm. Tickets can be purchased from The Winery’s website.

Category: CITIES, DRAG, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: Black Dog Institute, Drag queen battle, gay sydney, mardi gras, sydney gay lesbian mardi gras, the f gay, the winery, Winery Sydney Mardi Gras

Beresford Hotel and Absolut Vodka celebrate Mardi Gras with

by James Banham

Updated: 22/02/2019

Because vodka is happiness and happiness is gay and gay is the Sydney Mardi Gras, the Beresford Hotel and Beresford Sundays are joining the celebrations in an epic way. MORE: See how Mardi Gras is saving the planet Beresford Hotel from 16 February – 4 March will host a series of experiences including Absolut Mardi Gras brunches, trivia nights, a special edition Absolut cocktail, live-stream of the parade on the big screen and Laneway Party. Here’s what’s on. MORE: What’s on at this year’s Mardi Gras after party The First Mardi Gras Inc. Trivia Night When? Wednesday 20 February The First Mardi Gras Inc, Trivia Night is back by popular demand and will again be supporting events for 78ers, a not for profit organised founded by the participants in the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Bonnie Bocamp and Alissar Gazal will entertain the crowd, Young Henrys have generously donated a brewery tour for the winning table, and a raffle will be held with prizes from Sydney Theatre Company, Dendy, Sydney Symphony, Art Gallery of NSW and many more. Get tickets here. Absolut Mardi Gras Brunch and Recovery Brunch When? 24 February, 11-1 and 4 March, 12-3 These special Mardi Gras brunch editions at The Beresford will be hosted by the ever-fabulous Maxi Shields, one of the faces of the original We Are Colourful campaign when it launched in 2018. The brunch package offers a bespoke brunch menu of five delicious mains, alongside a range of Absolut cocktails specially created for the series. Think ‘The Bero Toastie’ with Sonoma sourdough, smoked ham, comté, mustard and preserves, or the poached… Read More

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, FOOD & DRINK, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE

Tags: Absolut vodka, beresford hotel, Beresford Mardi Gras brunch, Beresford Sunday, Beresford Sydney

KING by Shaun Parker for Sydney Mardi Gras: A Review

by James Banham

Updated: 22/02/2019

Being a gay man in 2019 really is a revelation. In 30-or-so years, gay men and women have gone from the ostracised outcasts of abnormality, to something few people bat an eyelid to. But it’s the underlying tone of masculinity and what exactly that is, and the questioning of it, that has been the most rocking of qualities of the homosexual existence since it first came into common parlance in the mid 20th century. Fast forward to today, when we’re looking at KING, a dance production choreographed by Shaun Parker and musically backed by Ivo Dimchev and you have a culmination of the story of males that could only be done in collaboration with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival 2019. KING is a dance production of 10 male dancers and Dimchev himself, a Bulgarian choreographer, visual artist, singer-songwriter that explores Parker’s (choreographer) trademark highly physical choreography in an articulate interrogation of male power, control and group dynamic, expertly exposing the brutality of macho ritual and the human toll of toxic masculinity. In short: KING is the Queen of Mardi Gras in 2019 that is a visually striking, musically intoxicating and artistically rousing performance that makes you three things: proud to be gay, proud to be around gays and proud to be in an age where the concept of masculinity can be picked apart, dissected and danced away as a farce, open to artistic interpretation and playfulness, welcoming of all. And then, of course, there’s the striking vocals of Dimchev who’s obviously a… Read More

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, DANCE, FEATURES, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

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Mardi Gras cabaret at Whirly Bird

by James Banham

Updated: 07/03/2019

There’s no better combination than a gay and their feathers, so when Whirly Bird puts on a show for Mardi Gras, you can imagine how camp an affair it’ll be. Aptly called Fearless (that was the theme of the Sydney gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2019, too), Whirly Bird put on a best burlesque performance with The Birdcage Sydney’s feature one-off show ‘Fearless’. As soon as the lights go down audiences are ushered into the tantalising world of the Lady Birds and their extraordinary fellow artists, such as Rhys Lightning (Mr Boylesque 2008), Diesel Darling, Stephen Williams and Ellicia N Mitch. Expect an eclectic mix of professional show-pines and cabaret tribute icon, with feathers flouncing, sequins dazzling and drinks flowing. They’re turning up the hospitality with the a glass of Mumm Grand Cordon on arrival, a 3 -course banquet and the show spectacular, this is the ultimate dinner and show package to celebrate Mardi Gras 2019. WHAT: The Birdcage Sydney Presents ‘Fearless’ WHEN: Wednesday 27th of February TIMES: 7.30pm, for an 8pm show start.

Category: DRAG, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE

Tags: cabaret, Sydney Cabaret, Sydney LGBTIQ< Sydney Mardi Gras, THE F Cabaret, THE F Whirly Bird, whirly bird, Whirly Bird THE F

Mardi Gras gives planet a shimmery glimmer of hope and goes green

by THE F

Updated: 18/02/2019

There is arguably no more a glittery or gay an event than that of the topless men, drag queens and colourful parade goers at Sydney’s annual Gay and Lesbian Mari Gras. This year though, offers something different. Revellers are trading in their sparkly rainbow stripes for something a little more eco-friendly with event organisers revealing that the major event is going green. Sydney Mardi Gras has not only committed to phasing out glitter (shock), but balloons and single-use plastic water bottles from their major events, too. When talking to The Sydney Morning Herald, Terese Casu, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras chief executive revealed, “we used to bring in about three tonnes of glitter from China.” “That goes in the gutter, it ends up in our oceans, our fish eat it, you find it in crab shells and oysters. We must be responsible and make really urgent changes,” she said. Production manager, Liz Carter, is joining the campaign helping many of the parades iconic floats “go green” by encouraging the use of LEDs, lanterns and fluorescent lights. “You have to think about the environment. Every festival has a carbon footprint and everyone has to think about that,” she said. For those looking for an equally shimmery environmentally friendly option, there are plenty of options available such as BioConfetti or Glitterazzi. See more at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras website.

Category: FEATURES, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE

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Have brunch at the Beresford for Mardi Gras with Absolut

by James Banham

Updated: 18/02/2019

When the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras descends on Sydney, it means three things: more nudity, more drinking, less food, but better quality, at least. That’s why Absolut – who do those fabulous little gay bottles of vodka at this time of year – have again partnered with Sydney’s gay church Sunday session at the Beresford by Merivale, to put on a Mardi Gras brunch for the whole season. With brunch options for everyone (not just LGBTIQ people) on 17 and 24 February and 4 March, there’s enough of an excuse to get out and ‘be scene’, from 11-1 in February and 12-3 in March for the self titled “recovery brunch”. With standard brunch fare like eggs, bacon, hash roestis and such, it’s an all encompassing offering, but it’s the hero Absolut cocktails that really make it. Here’s the menu. Find the Beresford at 364 Bourke Street, Surry Hills.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FEATURES, FOOD & DRINK, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: absolut, beresford, Beresford Sydney, sydney gay lesbian mardi gras, sydney mardi gras, THE F Absolut, THE F Beresford, the f gay, ThE F Mardi Gras

Huge music at Fair Day for Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras 2019

by James Banham

Updated: 18/02/2019

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day is on in Sydney this month and comes complete with a stellar line-up for celebrators of all things gay and their friends. Over 80,000 people are expected to turn out to Victoria Park in Camperdown, showing in force the support for and positive energy around the acceptance, promotion and equality of LGBTIQ people and their family and friends. nd equality of LGBTIQ people and their family and friends. This year, presented in partnership with ANZ, Fair Day 2019 will shine a light on rising LGBTQI music stars that are reshaping the Australian contemporary music landscape and breaking new ground. Hosted by Faustina Agolley, you will discover a heady mix of queer trailblazers including soulful electronic pop duo and Eurovision contenders Electric Fields, genre-defying J Award winner Mojo Juju and breakout electronic tomboy-pop artist HANDSOME. Also taking the stage are Detroit-based alt-pop singer-songwriter Flint Eastwood, fierce R&B storyteller & producer Maribelle and Melbourne-based synth-pop duo The Marion Cranes plus super DJ duo stereogamous spinning tunes between sets. Complete with all the stallholders for all people from all walks of life, Fair Day is a celebration of life, living and sharing joy amongst everyone alike. The mid-morning program on the ANZ Main Stage will start from 10:30am and will feature performances from the NSW Police Band, Swing Out Sydney Dancers and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir. In the early afternoon you will be able to get a taste of some of the extraordinary queer performance, cabaret and… Read More

Category: CITIES, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Category: LGBTIQ