Category: FOOD & DRINK

Where to celebrate International Coffee Day in Melbourne

Updated: 11/05/2022

Melbourne loves coffee and Melburnians can’t get enough. So, if you fit the bill, you’ll freak when you learn that on 1 October, it’s International Coffee Day. Here’s where to celebrate in Melbourne… Palermo 401 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 Dulce de leche tiramisu, $16 La Cumparsita, $19 Celebrate International Coffee Day the Argentinian Way at Palermo, where Melburnians can indulge in their favourite bean in more ways than one. A playful Argentinian twist on a traditional Italian dessert, Palermo’s dulce de leche tiramisu will satisfy all coffee and sweet tooth cravings. Pair this delicious dish with an espresso or milky blend, or go all out with La Cumparsita – the South American espresso martini – a mix of spiced rum, dulce de leche, espresso and Pedro Ximenez, garnished with chocolate. Park Street Dining 815 Nicholson St, Carlton North VIC 3054 In celebration of International Coffee Day on Monday, 1 October, Park St Dining, Melbourne’s inner-north neighbourhood cafe, will prolong the festivities and honour the beverage throughout the month of October. Marking the occasion, the café will showcase two new blends, each with very individual flavour notes, handpicked by head roaster Tristan Gassick. A Kenyan blend that hints at tones of blackcurrant, lemon ice tea and sparkling acidity and a sweet and peachy Ethiopian blend. Each blend will be available to enjoy in store, as a takeaway or as beans to brew at home. Tipico 242 High Street, Windsor 3181 Caffè del Nonno, $14 Available for the first week of October only, Tipico will be offering their newest Italian coffee creation, Caffè del Nonno, literally meaning ‘grandfathers… Read More

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

Tags: best coffee melbourne, coffee, coffee guide, international coffee day, melbourne coffee, melbourne coffee guide

Tokyo-cool Japanese restaurant in Darling Square, Bang Bang will shoot you down

by James Banham

Posted: 23/09/2018

If you dig Japan and Japanese food, then new Tokyo eatery in Darling Square, Bang Bang, will more than do it for you. A little Shinjuku, a little inner-city Tokyo, a little seaside Sydney, Bang Bang is a Robotronic, steely decorated, neon-lit, Yakuza decorated haven of Japanese-cool restaurant on the city fringe of inner Sydney. Hard to find aside from the bullet-sprayed roller doors and hauntingly good Japanese scents wafting out the door, Bang Bang is on Steam Mill Lane underneath the Commonwealth Bank building, offering-up lunch to dinner for the more trendy eaters amongst us. Head chef Kokubo Yuji’s (ex-Nobu Tokyo) casual lunch menu is an array of Japanese favourites including omelettes, udon, curries, signature donburi, and ‘The Bang Bang Tebasaki’: a tower of double-fried chicken wings doused in a peppery soy glaze. They’re doing something new with the cuisine, playing with flavours and different versions of presentation that takes a different, but completely welcome step away from traditional Japanese eating. Think cocktails served in hollowed-out grapefruits, sushi platters presented on fresh slate sheets and a cocktail called the “otakuastic” served in a 1- litre butler pump, perfect for large groups. Bang Bang 14 Steam Mill Lane, Darling Square, Haymarket Opening hours: 11:30am-10:30pm

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

Tags: bang bang, darling square, japanese, japanese restaurants, sydney japanese restaurants

Pinot Palooza is coming back to Melbourne this October

by James Banham

Posted: 19/09/2018

Drool-worthy menu has just dropped for Australia’s biggest pinot noir festival.

Category: CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: pinot, pinot palooza, pinot palooza melbourne, pinot wine, wine

The ivy and Campari are hosting Campari Red Nights in Sydney this September

by James Banham

Posted: 18/09/2018

Campari Red Nights are back in Sydney this September right in the heart of Sydney at the food and drinks hub that is the ivy by Merivale. Starting tonight, for four weeks, Campari Red Nights will turn ivy’s Pool Club into a red Italian Riviera where you’ll enjoy live music, street art, dancers and smash Campari cocktails and drinks like it’s your last night on earth. From 5pm every Friday, Pool Club and Ash Street Cellar will be providing guests with classic Campari-based drinks like the timeless Campari Soda ($10), a Pineapple Americano ($15), the bold Negroni ($15) and the sweet Milano Sbagliato ($15). Check out the Pool Club’s aperitivo and pizza menus if you get peckish. The official launch party is on September 21, from 5pm ’til late. Mon 17th September, 2018 – Fri 12th October, 2018 Ivy Precinct 330 George Street, Sydney

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

Tags: campari, Campari Red, campari red nights, ivy, merivale campari red nights, merivale ivy

Glenfiddich whisky and PS40 have teamed up to create an experimental range designed to impress even the most discerning palate

by THE F

Updated: 18/09/2018

Pleasure and pain. Salt and pepper. Tom and Jerry. Peanut butter and jelly. Some things just go together – such is the case with whisky and soda, leading award-winning Scotch whisky distillery Glenfiddich to collaborate with craft soda factory PS40 to create a range of experimental highballs designed to tantalise your tastebuds. The Glenfiddich Experimental series – consisting of the IPA Experiment, Project XX (pronounced “twenty”), and Winter Storm – provided the backdrop for the collaboration, with Glenfiddich brand ambassador Luke Sanderson working alongside Michael Cheim and Thor Bergquist of PS40 to create two limited edition sodas. The resultant PS Pandan Barley and PS Strawberry Gum Leaf seamlessly blend with the IPA Experiment and Project XX to create a luxurious highball. “PS40 are constantly coming up with new ways to innovate and experiment within their category,” says Luke Sanderson on the decision to collaborate with PS40. “Much like Glenfiddich, they strive to create new and exciting concepts, so they’re the perfect partner for us to highlight our ability to push boundaries.” The Experimental Highball SS18 series will be available across 200 leading Australian bars, including Zeta Bar and The Argyle in Sydney, and Ms Collins and Hightail in Melbourne. Sydneysiders can also get the bespoke sodas on tap at PS40. The first soda, PS Pandan Barley, utilizes the fragrant Asian plant to upgrade the traditional lemon barley soda, making for a dry soda with a rich, nutty Pandan leaf aftertaste. For best results; pair with Glenfiddich IPA Experiment. Designed to be paired with the Glenfiddich… Read More

Category: FOOD & DRINK, MELBOURNE, SYDNEY

Tags: glenfiddich, PS40, the f glenfiddich, whisky

Newtown Good Food Fair is back on in Sydney this October

by James Banham

Posted: 17/09/2018

The 2018 Newtown Good Food Fair is being held on Sunday 14th October. Time to get your Doc’s out. Bigger than ever before, they’re bringing back over 30 food and drink stallholders showcasing the diverse offering in the Newtown precinct. It’s been running for six years now and is fully about the community, allowing it to take over Newtown Square and Eliza Street to celebrate the suburb’s eclectic offering and community spirit. For one day only, you can sample your way through Newtown, relishing on fare by the likes of Queen Chow, Mary’s, Acre, Black Star Pastry and Gelato Messina, washed down with the best booze offerings by Young Henry’s, Solotel and P&V Wine and Liquor Merchants. Live music and an 8,000 strong guest list will ensure an authentic street party vibe. Here are the deets… When: Sunday 14 October 2018 Where: Food stalls – Newtown Square and Eliza Street, beverage stalls – Eliza Street only Time: Start 11.00 am, Finish 4.00 pm Newtown Square / 6.00 pm Eliza Street

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

Tags: best food newtown, best food sydney, food fair sydney, newtown, newtown food, newtown food fair, sydney food, sydney newtown

Salt meat cheese sydney: Italian food gods Salt Meats Cheese has opened in Cronulla

by James Banham

Updated: 19/11/2022

If you love carbs, then prepare to panic – Salt Meats Cheese is opening another restaurant in Sydney. But this time, Cronulla. Think all the pastas, all the cheese wheels, and all of the Italian food goodness that has quickly and conveniently made the family-owned name one of the Sydney canon when it comes to simple deliciousness in the city’s hot spots. The new digs is an 87-seater restaurant serving their signature pizzas, pastas, antipasti, desserts and cocktails. Inside the heritage-listed Commonwealth Bank building on Ocean Grove, the restaurant is a welcome addition to the group’s growing portfolio of six restaurants and cooking classes, with more venues set to open in Sydney and Brisbane in the coming months. Cousins Edoardo Perlo and Stefano De Blasi, who founded Salt Meats Cheese in 2012, four years after moving to Sydney from Northern Italy, are passionate about opening new restaurants in neighbourhoods with a strong sense of community. Cronulla proved the ideal backdrop for their next venture; the coastal town reminiscent of their childhood in Liguria. Complete with big open windows, you’re able to see the large open fire kitchen and a six seater bar, complete with arched cabinets housing the vast array of bottles that make up their uncomplicated and delicious cocktail, spritz and wine menus. Couple that with their famous pizza and pasta menu which combines locally sourced and imported authentic Italian ingredients with a passion for honest homestyle cooking and you’re worted in the southern burbs. The seasonal changing menu will feature a number of Salt Meats Cheese classics, including the Tagliolini… Read More

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

Tags: italian cronulla, italian food, pasta, salt meats cheese cronulla, sydney pasta, The F pasta, the f salt meats cheese

Four chefs will host a four course dinner for kids’ charity

by James Banham

Updated: 18/09/2018

Celebrity chefs, James Metcalfe and Justin North together with Shariq Hassan and Jaci Koludrovic will host an interactive and decadent four course ‘Run For Kids’ charity dinner on Wednesday 19th September at the Sailmaker Restaurant, Hyatt Regency Sydney. And the best bit is, you can go, too. They’re trying to raise over $50,000 with all proceeds donated to Variety Australia to help disadvantaged children have a fair go in life. Complete with an auction on the night, you can win a spa package at Byron at Byron, beautiful 18ct white gold pendant from Diamond Traders, tailored sports and lifestyle packages and a bespoke champagne workshop at Mr Percy’s at Ovolo Hotel in Darling Harbour. Four chefs, four courses, each dish will be beautifully paired with premium local wines, featuring Mollydooker ‘The Boxer’ and Fox Creek Chardonnay: Shariq Hassan – Canapes Justin North – Entree James Metcalfe – Main Jaci Koludrovic – Dessert The ‘Run For Kids’ dinner marks the launch of the chefs’ fundraising efforts for Variety ahead of Justin’s additional challenge to conquer the world-renowned New York Marathon this November. WHAT: Run For Kids Dinner – presented by JRM and Concept Hospitality Four Chefs, Four Courses, for fun! WHEN: Wednesday 19 September, 2018 Arrivals from 6.30pm WHERE: Sailmaker Restaurant, Hyatt Regency Sydney 161 Sussex Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000 WHO: Justin North: Concept Hospitality James Metcalfe: JRM Get tickets here.

Category: CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: celebrity chefs, charity dinner sydney, gala dinner, run for kids

Chargrill Charlie’s has launched a new anti-ageing salad range

by James Banham

Posted: 13/09/2018

Because health is from within.

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

Tags: anti ageing salads, chargrill charlies

Lunch at Frogmore Creek outside Hobart’s the best you’ll do

by James Banham

Updated: 16/11/2022

Frogmore Creek is nice. I’m fact, it’s better-than-nice; it’s an institution in Tasmania and only 20 minutes from town. It’s the privately owned and operated little producer of a veritable tonne of wines and varying wine labels to come out of our fair Southern state since it first came about. The Frogmore Creek name is synonymous a quality drop, but have you been to the winery? Just over the Tasman Bridge from Hobart and out of town by car for about 20 minutes, the winery sits on a little road, overlooking a helluva lot of vines and in the far distance, the largest space program in the country, the Mount Pleasant Radio Observatory. If you’re patient enough, so see the gargantuan satellite dish oscillate throughout the day. But it’s not the Frogmore location, or view that sets them a bottle above the rest, it’s what they do; their ‘bread ‘n’ butter’ as it were; their lifeblood – wine. Lauded as one of Tasmania’s host awarded wine makers, Frogmore is known for its 42 Degrees South, Single Block Series, Winemakers Reserve and Frogmore Creek label, of course, offering a wide and hugely varied set of premium varietals that can be found all over the country. All made, processed and shipped-out on-site they’re a huge operation, but where they really shine – if food’s your thing – is the restaurant at the cellar door. About the Frogmore Creek restaurant and cellar door They do tastings, of course, of the whole range and everyone behind the bar is… Read More

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FEATURES, FOOD & DRINK, HOBART, LIFESTYLE

Tags: best places to eat hobart, frogmore, frogmore creek, frogmore creek winery, frogmore creek winery tasmania, hobart food, hobart restaurant guide, hobart wine, hobart wine guide, tasmania winery

ARTS & CULTURE

breakdance head spin pexels pixabay 159273

Experience break dancing like never before this MAy

24/04/2024

By James Banham

Get ready to experience the ultimate celebration of hip hop culture, innovation, and artistry at Breakin’ Convention 2024. An international festival of Hip Hop dance theatre, it’ll be taking over Sadler’s Wells in Islington this coming May Bank Holiday. Enthusiastically helmed by the visionary UK hip hop maker and Breakin’ Convention Artistic Director Jonzi D, this festival has become a beacon for fans and creators of hip hop from around the globe. The excitement is palpable as we gear up for two days packed with jaw-dropping performances, interactive workshops, and live music that promise to electrify the Sadler’s Wells venues on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 May. With an extraordinary lineup featuring international sensations like Femme Fatale (USA), Sons of Wind (France), and Jinjo crew (South Korea), alongside groundbreaking UK acts such as TRAPLORD, Boy Blue, and When Time Was New, this festival is set to showcase the dynamic and diverse world of hip hop dance theatre. Attendees of all ages can look forward to a vast array of activities including spectacular dance performances, bespoke graffiti workshops, freestyle sessions, and even live DJs sessions that guarantee to keep the energy high and the spirit of hip hop alive throughout the entire building. Not to mention, the festival coincides with the historic moment of breaking becoming an official Olympic sport at the Paris Olympics, adding an extra layer of exhilaration to the festivities. Beyond the performances, Breakin’ Convention 2024 invites audiences to engage directly with the hip hop community through unique events such as the Tiny… Read More

Opera Australia orchestrates a new era with Matthieu Arama as Concertmaster

24/04/2024

By James Banham

In a move that marks a significant milestone in its illustrious history, Opera Australia has announced the appointment of the renowned French violinist Matthieu Arama as the new Concertmaster of the Opera Australia Orchestra (OAO). This announcement follows an exhaustive global search, culminating in Mr. Arama’s selection, a testament to his extraordinary talent and leadership abilities. Set to join the OAO in August of this year, Arama brings with him a wealth of experience as the current Concertmaster of the Opéra National de Bordeaux, coupled with an impressive track record of performances with some of the world’s most distinguished conductors. View this post on Instagram A post shared by matthieu arama (@matthieu_arama) Arama’s role will be pivotal in steering the OAO towards achieving artistic brilliance across its broad annual repertoire, which spans over 250 opera, ballet, musical theatre, and concert performances for Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet. His recent engagements as Guest Concertmaster for Opera Australia on iconic productions such as La Traviata and Swan Lake, alongside The Australian Ballet, and a solo recital featuring opera and ballet excerpts, underscore his extraordinary versatility and musicianship. The enthusiasm within the OAO is palpable, with Acting Concertmaster Huy-Nguen Bui expressing excitement over welcoming Arama to the helm. “The OAO is excited to welcome an exceptional violinist and musician as our new Concertmaster. We look forward to reaching the highest levels of music-making through Mr. Arama’s artistic leadership,” said Bui. This sentiment is echoed by Opera Australia’s CEO Fiona Allan, Artistic Director Jo Davies, The Australian Ballet’s… Read More

Lauren Brincat When Do I Breathe 2024. Performer Jasmin Lancaster. Photographer Zan Wimberley. Courtesy of the artist

Public performance in Randwick Sydney by artist Lauren Brincat

22/04/2024

By James Banham

This week, the Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct will experience an exceptional infusion of art and community spirit through a public performance by the celebrated multidisciplinary artist Lauren Brincat. Scheduled for one-night only, on Wednesday, 24 April 2024, Brincat’s performance marks the launch of the new Laneway Art Program. This initiative, commissioned by the Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct and supported by Transport for NSW’s Safer Cities program, seeks to enhance perceptions of safety for women, girls, and gender diverse people navigating the streets and laneways of the Precinct. Brincat, along with Rochelle Haley, another leading Australian artist, has been entrusted with the mission to improve night-time connectivity and comfort within the precinct through performance-based and site-specific artwork. Both artists have engaged directly with health workers in the area to shape their projects, aiming to make the public spaces more welcoming and to strengthen the sense of community, safety, and inclusiveness across the site. The artwork, titled When do I breathe?, is an ambitious collaboration with sound artist Evelyn Ida Morris, UNSW Choral Director Sonia Maddock, and choreographer Charmene Yap. It invites the public to actively participate in shaping new paths across the precinct, offering a unique experience that encompasses three activation sites within the UNSW Kensington and the hospital precinct. The performance, beginning at 5:00 pm on the UNSW Scientia Lawn, is a reflection on the interconnectedness of local communities, especially those separated by differing work shifts and daily rhythms. Aiming to reclaim public space through collective action, When do I breathe? presents an… Read More

Good news for National Gallery London: Eva Gonzalès piece acquired

22/04/2024

By James Banham

On the occasion of the artist’s 177th birthday on Friday 19th April, the National Gallery has acquired La Psyché (The Full-length Mirror), about 1869-70, by Eva Gonzalès (1849-1883) thanks to three generous legacy gifts from Mrs Martha Doris Bailey, Miss Gillian Cleaver, and Ms Sheila Mary Holmes, and the National Gallery Trust. This is the first acquisition by the Gallery of a work by Gonzalès and the second acquisition of its Bicentenary year. La Psyché has not been seen in public for over seventy years and joins only one other painting by her in a UK public collection, The Donkey Ride, about 1880?2, at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Gonzalès is the 20th female artist represented in the National Gallery Collection, marking a significant addition. The story of Gonzalès’s reputation, during and after her life, reflects some of the reasons why women artists are not well represented in the National Gallery. These include being offered fewer opportunities in life and the lack of interest shown, consciously or not, in works by women artists by collectors of the era and onwards, from whose acquisitions the National Gallery’s own collection was assembled. During her lifetime Gonzalès was an established artist who exhibited multiple times to acclaim at the official Paris Salon. She was the only official pupil of Edouard Manet (1832-83), with whom she studied from 1869. Gonzalès likely painted La Psyché around the same time that Manet was painting his portrait of her, Eva Gonzalès (1870). That work, in the Gallery collection, was the focal point of the recent exhibition, Discover Manet & Eva… Read More

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.