FOOD & DRINK

Discover the home of Australian whisky at Starward’s new distillery and bar precinct

16/04/2024

After winning 24 Double Gold medals in 2 years, Starward goes even bigger with its recent unveiling of a brand-new distillery tour and bar experience.

Adelaide Hills wineries worth a visit

12/04/2024

By James Banham

Renowned for its cool climate, this picturesque locale offers an ideal terroir for producing some of the most exquisite wines known to connoisseurs and casual enthusiasts alike.

A unique fusion of whiskey and art in Sydney

12/04/2024

By James Banham

The ‘Glenfiddich x Jordan Gogos Pop-Up Bar’, is an initiative set to enchant Sydneysiders from 17th April to 8th May, 2024.

Ruben’s Deli does good food in Melbourne’s Armadale

12/04/2024

By James Banham

What really sets this Melbourne gem apart isn’t just its delectable sandwiches; it’s the incredible catering service spearheaded by owner Amanda Ruben, that’s capturing the hearts of food lovers across the city.

Sweet Greek Delights in Melbourne

12/04/2024

By James Banham

Sweet Greek is offering the same beloved seasonal dishes with a fresh new look that promises to elevate your dining experience to new heights.

Tag: mifgs

Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in 2024

by James Banham

Updated: 18/03/2024

I’m just touching base as the world-renowned Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show opens its doors next Wednesday, March 20th. With a jam-packed five-day program from Wednesday, March 20th until Sunday, March 24th, there’ll be something for every flower-lover and plant connoisseur. Key favourites such as the Show Gardens Competition and High Tea sessions return alongside exciting new activities including the inaugural Twilight Tapas to accompany Friday night’s ever-popular Gardens by Twilight. Dozens of breathtaking horticultural designs will ignite visitors’ senses over the program, accented by enchanting works from the country’s (and world’s) best garden and floral experts.Hailing from Sweden, newcomers to the Show Garden competition, Annika Zetterman and Kajsa Bjorne, will bring their international flair alongside returning global veteran designers Peter Donegan from Ireland and Koji Ninomiya from Japan. Closer to home, in collaboration with the Wurundjeri Council, attendees are invited into the Indigenous Show Garden for an immersive experience that reflects the rich connection between the land and its custodians.Please find media release linked HERE and event imagery from the incredible 2023 show linked HERE.EVENT DETAILS Location: Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton GardensTickets: On sale now from melbflowershow.com.auDates & Times:Wednesday 20th March: 9:00am – 5:00pmThursday 21st March: 9:00am – 5:00pmFriday 22nd March (Gardens by Twilight): 9:00am – 9:00pmSaturday 23rd March: 9:00am – 5:00pmSunday 24th March: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Category: LIFESTYLE, CITIES, MELBOURNE

Tags: melbourne flower garden show, melbourne flower show, melbourne garden show, mifgs

Melbourne Flower and Garden show is back

by THE F

Posted: 16/02/2024

Calling all plant enthusiasts and flower admirers! Following record-breaking attendance last year, the highly anticipated Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, proudly presented by Scotts, returns to the world-heritage-listed Carlton Gardens and Royal Exhibition Building this autumn. From Wednesday 20th until Sunday 24th of March, the five-day extravaganza promises a host of new and enchanting horticultural experiences for all. From breathtaking floral exhibitions and enlightening talks by industry experts, to new food and entertainment zones and family-friendly workshops, the southern hemisphere’s largest horticultural event will transform one of Victoria’s most iconic gardens into a botanical paradise. Uniquely set amongst a city backdrop, visitors will be dazzled by a reinvigorated program including internationally acclaimed landscape designers headlining the crowd-favourite Show Garden competition. Hailing from Sweden, newcomers Annika Zetterman and Kajsa Bjorne will bring their global flair alongside Ireland’s Peter Donegan and Japan’s Koji Ninomiya, returning for a shot at Gold. Closer to home, the first Indigenous Show Garden, in collaboration with the Wurundjeri Council, will offer an immersive visitor experience that reflects the rich connection between the land and its custodians. In another Show first, and in partnership with the City of Melbourne, visitors will have the chance to experience Urban Forest – an entertainment precinct located in the Royal Exhibition Building forecourt from 11am until the early evening each day. Festivalgoers and passers-by will be able to explore the sprawling space at no cost, with twice daily workshops and the added enjoyment of DJs and food trucks. Other new program highlights include magnificent aerial floral… Read More

Category: LIFESTYLE, CITIES, MELBOURNE

Tags: flower show melbourne, melbourne flower garden show, mifgs

Experience the beauty of nature at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

by James Banham

Posted: 11/04/2023

Gardening enthusiasts, nature lovers, and families, mark your calendars for the annual Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show! This five-day event is set to take place from March 29 to April 2, 2023, at the prestigious Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, where visitors can indulge in breathtaking garden displays, attend educational talks, workshops and tastings, and engage in exciting family activities. The 2023 program features an extraordinary lineup of Show Garden displays by some of the world’s best landscape designers, including Charlie Albone and Dublin’s Peter Donegan. The event also offers a range of backyard inspiration for urban dwellers, such as the 5m x 5m Boutique Gardens, student-led Achievable Gardens, and Hanging Basket Competition. If you’re feeling creative, explore the all-new Brush & Bubbles workshops where you can unleash your inner Monet. For those with a passion for floristry and fashion, there is a dedicated wedding showcase and even floral fashions by RMIT students to check out. Don’t miss out on the botanical-inspired High Tea or the sprawling Flower Market within the Royal Exhibition Building. Adding to the allure, Gardens by Twilight will transform the Carlton Gardens, featuring Melbourne’s finest musicians, gourmet bites, and wines to create a sparkling paradise. Visitors can also access educational talks from industry elites on the Main Stage and marvel at stunning works from Australian artists at the vibrant Arts & Sculpture Precinct. Inside the reimagined Scotts Osmocote Indoor Plant Zone, find inspiration for enhancing indoor environments. Hands-on workshops and tastings are offered by The Diggers Club, providing visitors… Read More

Category: CITIES, MELBOURNE

Tags: melbourne flower show, melbourne international flower and garden show, mifgs

Melbourne blooms at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

by Kate Iselin

Updated: 16/04/2019

No longer solely the domain of daggy dads and nannas obsessed with tending to their prized roses, the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show returned for another year to show all of us city-dwelling green thumbs exactly what we can accomplish with our indoor plants and backyard veggie plots. While gardening has always been a popular hobby, it seems to have really taken off over the past few years, with more and more younger people discovering their inner green thumb. Maybe it’s because we’re not having children, or maybe it’s because we’re stuck in tiny apartments with no room for pets: but whatever the reason is, we’re taking to gardening with a passion. If you’re someone obsessed with indoor plants then it’s highly likely you came back from the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show with armfuls of everything from succulents to syngoniums; and if plants of the outdoor variety are more your style, you would’ve been more than happy with the selection on offer from The Diggers Club. Famed for offering all sorts of weird and wonderful heirloom fruits and vegetables, The Diggers Club displayed exactly what you can accomplish with a little bit of elbow grease in the garden: rainbow-coloured corn, alien-looking broccoli, and even a mountain of gourds could be found at their stall. For those sworn black thumbs who have tried, and failed, to keep their pet plants alive, there was still much to see and take in. The Great Hall of Flowers exhibited bouquets from some of Melbourne’s best florists,… Read More

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY, LIFESTYLE

Tags: Flower Garden Show, melbourne flower garden show, melbourne flower show, melbourne garden show, melbourne international flower and garden show, mifgs, MIFGS Show, THE F Melbourne Flower Garden show, THE F MIFGS

ARTS & CULTURE

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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

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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