Year: 2016

Dungog Festival reveals its full film line-up with restored Cult Classic StarStruck, and announces $20,000 Metro Screen scholarship

The Hunter Valley Dungog Festival has announced its full film program two weeks ahead of its launch. The festival will feature a restored screening of Australian 1982 cult classic StarStruck, as well as a series of short film screenings, a short film competition, and announcement about two new Metro Screen Scholarships. Stage and screen designer,…

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Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and Doctor Who stars join Supernova’s Brisbane and Adelaide 2016 line-up

Australia’s home grown comic-con, Supernova Pop Culture Expo, has announced a superstar line-up for Brisbane and Adelaide this year. The 2016 line-up will see exciting guest appearances from stars of our most beloved geeky films and television shows including, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Suicide Squad and Back to The Future. Natalia Tena…

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Square Enix announces new Final Fantasy XIV expansion, StormBlood, and reveals new trailer

Square Enix has announced a new expansion, StormBlood, for the popular online RPG Final Fantasy XIV. The announcement was made during the sold-out player’s event, Las Vegas Fan Festival, where Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida took the stage to present a new trailer and reveal exciting details about the expansion, which is expected to be…

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Video Games Review: F1 2016 (PS4, 2016)

Alright, look. I’m going to level with you right away: I don’t know anything about Formula 1 racing. Why then, you might ask, am I the one reviewing the year’s premiere F1 title? The short answer is because I like throwing myself into games I don’t have a frame of reference for and seeing if they surprise…

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Film Review: Alex Gibney’s Zero Days (USA, 2016) is a terrifying and slick documentary

Imagine a scenario where a computer virus has the ability to affect a country’s power supply. It sounds like the plot of a thrilling, science fiction film. It is frightening to think that this could be the future of cyberwarfare, especially when one considers this in light of the Stuxnet event. Zero Days is a…

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Win a double pass to see CIRCUS 1903 – The Golden Age of Circus

Producers of the biggest-selling magic show The Illusionists have teamed up with the award-winning puppeteers of War Horse to present a thrilling turn-of-the-century circus spectacular, CIRCUS 1903 – The Golden Age of Circus. CIRCUS 1903 stars the largest-ever performing African elephant (and her calf) along with a unique cast of the world’s most amazing and…

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Cocktail Recipe: Viniq-ly Chic

Shimmery purple tinged liqueur Viniq launched in Australia earlier this year, bringing an interesting new product to the shelves, one which is made by fusing premium Vodka and moscato, and fruity notes like peach, citrus, berry, and hints of orange blossom. For Australian cocktail culture, a new liqueur such as this is like a shiny…

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Tella Balls Dessert Bar opens near Fox Studios, plans third cafe in Concord (Sydney)

And to think this growing empire built on sugar and sweets started when one man decided to put a doughnut on top of a milkshake and send it out via Instagram. Aki Daikos, co-owner of the flagship Tella Balls Dessert Bar in Sydney’s Dulwich Hill, who along with business partner Simon Kappatos, has watched his…

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Tramsheds have announced their very first artisan markets (Sydney)

It has now been a few weeks since Tramsheds Harold Park opened to the public, a new and unique European inspired dining hall in the historic Rozelle Tram Depot that has proved to be a massive hit with visitors. The food and dining precinct has quickly become one of the it destinations in Sydney, bolstered…

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Scott Pickett has opened a deli and rotisserie at Queen Victoria Market (Melbourne)

Melbourne’s quintessential Queen Victoria Market has welcomed a deli and rotisserie from Estelle chef Scott Pickett, realising a life long dream for the renowned chef and restaurateur and bringing a high quality offering to the iconic marketplace. Pickett’s Deli & Rotisserie is a European-styled deli which is open for hungry market goers through the week,…

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Carlingford’s Pizza Fresh Co pushes for DIY pizza with a broad range of toppings (Sydney)

Feel like a pizza topped with ribs, brisket and poached egg? Head west to the Sydney suburb of Carlingford and you’ll find Pizza Fresh Co, a brand new pizzeria unafraid to break tradition and think outside of what one would usually see heating up in the oven. The team behind it have approached pizza making…

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Collingwood’s historic Cromwell Manor is now STREAT’s flagship youth-training cafe and bakery (Melbourne)

Three years ago Geoff Harris, a key supporter of STREAT, purchased Collingwood’s beautiful Cromwell Manor for a cool $2.5 million with the aim of restoring the historical property and providing the youth-focused social enterprise with a flagship site. A little over a month ago, the result of steady planning has resulted in Cromwell STREAT, a…

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The Royal Leichhardt restores grand wraparound balcony (Sydney)

Leichhardt institution The Royal has recently added a new dimension to their already sterling presence on Norton Street by restoring the grand heritage-style wraparound balcony that was originally taken down in the mid to late 1920s. The restoration comes ahead of the venue’s 130th birthday celebration later this month and completes a picture which nods…

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Table Talk: Carriageworks to host collaborative dinner with top local chefs (Sydney)

As part of Good Food Month in Sydney this year, Carriageworks will be hosting a special event by the name of Table Talk: Food Is More Than Food. It’s a not-for-profit dinner experience and discussion with four of Sydney’s top chefs controlling the flow of the evening with a collaborative share menu complemented by ideas,…

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World renowned macaron and tea house Ladurée is opening in Chadstone (Melbourne)

Luxury Parisian patisserie Ladurée, a business dating back to 1862, has finally unveiled their first expansion to the streets of Melbourne, bringing Chadstone one of its opulent tearooms. This is the third location for the renowned brand in Australia, following popular venues in Sydney’s Westfield and Woollahra, propping up as part of the huge Melbourne…

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Review: Barzaari – Marrickville (Sydney)

I sometimes wonder what it would have been like walking into a restaurant like Quay or Rockpool for the first time, back when they first opened. Would diners get that instant feeling of longevity, the kind that says to you “yeah, this is something special, this is going to be here for the long run”?…

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Live Review: Phantogram – The Midland, Kansas City (14.10.16)

Last Friday night showed the clear evolution and ambition of one of alt-rock’s most interesting and envelope-pushing bands.  Phantogram is composed of Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel, the two have been making music together since 2009 and their electronic, rock outfit just released their third album appropriately titled Three. As the lights went down on…

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Live Review: Big Scary + Dreller – The Rosemount Hotel, Perth (14.10.16)

Their first headline tour to reach the West Coast since 2013, Big Scary returned to Perth to play at The Rosemount Hotel on Friday night for the release of their latest album Animal. Bringing along Dreller featuring former Papa Vs Pretty frontman Thomas Rawle, it was a night of seriously loose heartfelt vibes with plenty…

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Kevin Baird on Two Door Cinema Club’s new LP Gameshow, current influences & more

On the eve of the release of their highly anticipated third record Gameshow, Kevin Baird of Two Door Cinema Club jumped onto Skype to chat to Aidan Hogg about playing Reading Festival, the band’s influences and how they took a different approach for their new album. There’s been a shift in your sound between [2012 album] Beacon…

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Rockstar updates their logo ahead of possible announcement, internet goes crazy

Could Rockstar be about to announce a sequel to Red Dead Redemption? The Grand Theft Auto developer took their their Twitter account this morning to post the image in the header above, seemingly a teaser for things to come.

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First Impressions: My weekend with PlayStation VR

PlayStation VR has officially landed and it’s off to an excellent start as a great piece of hardware that just goes above and beyond a peripheral. It makes the PlayStation 4 the very gaming system that will set it apart from the rest this holiday season (If you can get your hands on a VR…

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Video Games Review: XCOM 2 (PS4, XBOX ONE, 2016)

After spending the last six months as a PC exclusive, XCOM 2 has finally arrived on consoles. With everything going on in the world of gaming and VR, it has taken some time to finally dig into the game and enjoy it while sharing a few little comparisons to its PC counterpart which was released…

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Vietnamese favourite Great Aunty Three in Surry Hills commences dinner service (Sydney)

Locals around Surry Hills should be jumping all over this one. Popular Vietnamese street food restaurant Great Aunty Three have decided that two years of just being a smart pick for lunch isn’t quite enough, meeting demand and celebrating their 2nd birthday by finally extending opening hours to dinner time. Those heading along can now…

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Win a double pass to the Sydney Craft Beer Week Opening Gala CLOSED

We’re just about ready to give ourselves over to Sydney’s largest annual celebration of craft beer once again. Sydney Craft Beer Week is back, a nine day festival with more than 100 events showcasing everything craft beer across more than 75 different venues. You can expect the likes of axe-throwing competitions, hair of the dog…

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Recipe: Knuspriger Schweinebauch (Crispy Pork Belly)

With Oktoberfest celebrations not letting up anytime soon at either Munich Brauhaus or the many Bavarian Bier Cafes that dot Australia’s east coast it’s kind of called for that we tap into the German powerhouses for a traditional recipe, right? Around 2.5 tonnes of pork belly will be roasted and served with traditional crackling skin…

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Charlie Carrington opens “no rules” restaurant Atlas Dining in South Yarra (Melbourne)

22 year old Melbourne chef Charlie Carrington has taken inspiration from an eight month trip spanning 15 countries for his new – and very first – South Yarra restaurant Atlas Dining, hoping to channel vast influences from the likes of South American, North America, Europe, and Asia. A casual restaurant that constantly evolves with “no…

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Juniperlooza: Melbourne’s riverside gin festival is back

After a successful outing last year, Melbourne’s premiere celebration of all things gin, Juniperlooza will head to Federation Wharf this November for its second time in Australia. Across two days, the weekend riverside festival will bring in a huge range of Australian and internationally crafted gins to champion one of the most loved and adaptable…

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The Morrison is doing a bacon meets seafood menu this month (Sydney)

CBD institution The Morrison are doing something they’ve never done before for duration of this month, tasking top chef Sean Connolly with creating a “PIGFISH” menu. What’s pigfish you ask? It’s the sacred union of seafood and bacon, with Connolly crafting a menu that highlights traditionally trashed ingredients with the aim of encouraging diners to…

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Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones throw in a few more greatest hits to kick off Desert Trip weekend 2

The second weekend of Desert Trip – aka “Oldchella” – has kicked off in India, California, on the site of the iconic Coachella music festival. The first night, as it did last weekend, kicked off with recent Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan and iconic UK group The Rolling Stones. Bob Dylan played a largely unchanged…

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Live Review: The Jezabels + Ali Barter – Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne (14.10.16)

The Jezabels’ third full-length album, Synthia, was released in February this year, delivering more of the powerful synth-pop that the band is revered for. Unfortunately, the supporting tour (planned for earlier this year) had to be cancelled, due to synth player Heather Shannon undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer. Now that everyone’s health is in check,…

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