Month: July 2015

Festival of Dangerous Ideas

Festival of Dangerous Ideas

Published by

Challenge your way of thinking at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. This pop up festival is presented by the Sydney Opera House in partnership with the Melbourne Writer’s Festival and their line-up of 5 leading thinkers and culture creators includes: Tariq Ali – The Twilight of Democracy Jon Ronson – Shame Culture Naomi Klein – Capitalism & the Climate Marc Lewis – Learning Addiction Eric Schlosser – Nuclear Delusions Tickets go on sale from 12pm, 24 July from Melbourne Writers Festival. Festival: 29 – 30 August 2015 Read more about this event and other events at the Melbourne Writer’s Festival here.

Finders Keepers

The Finders Keepers

Published by

Melbourne’s favourite independent design and art market returns to the Royal Exhibition Building this weekend. Stretching over three days, there’ll be over 220 stalls of local Australian designers, with products ranging from ceramics and prints through to timber furniture and clothing. Along side the art and design stalls, there’ll be live music and mouthwatering food and drinks. Find out more here.

Peruvian Festival

Melbourne Peruvian Festival

Published by

Come along to Wonderland Fun Park and the enjoy the 2015 Melbourne Peruvian Festival, with a hugh selecion of Peruvian cuisine, dancing and live music. Explore traditional culture with live dance shows, quench your thirst with Peru’s famous soft drink, Inka Cola, or delight kids with carnival rides. There’s something for everyone. Wonderland Fun Park, July 18th 2015. Find out more here.

MIFF

Melbourne International Film Festival

Published by

It’s time to start planning! The Melbourne International Film Festival is almost here. Back for it’s 64th year, the festival will run from 30 July until 16 August. Here are our top 5 films that we’re hanging out to see : 1) The Wolfpack (USA): “Six brothers live together in a cramped Manhattan apartment. Rarely permitted by their parents to leave their home, they live vicariously through films in their DVD collection, their seclusion channelled into activities such as recreations of scenes from Reservoir Dogs, The Dark Knight and The Nightmare Before Christmas and the construction of a Batman costume from cereal boxes. Director Crystal Moselle spent five years documenting the life of the Angulo brothers, including their first forays into the outside world, creating a unique coming-of-age documentary. Both a fly-on-the-wall record of a bizarre sociological phenomenon and a fascinating insight into the nature of creativity and control, The Wolfpack is a riveting experience.” 2) The Lobster (UK): “Winner of this year’s Cannes Jury Prize, the new film and English-language debut from the wonderfully idiosyncratic …

Meet Marcus

Meet our Street Art Ambassador, Marcus

Published by

Melbourne is famous for its vibrant street art scene and Marcus Ashford is our hotel’s Street Art Ambassador. Marcus has been interested in popular art from an early age, spending hours drawing and even putting together his own comics. As a teenager, Marcus’s tastes progressed to street art and graffiti. By his early 20’s Marcus was examining the work of renowned street artists such as Banksy the mysterious British street artist with an international following and American designer Shephard Fairey famous for his Giant Andre the Giant “Obey” artworks. Marcus is happy to direct guests to some of his favourite street art locations in Melbourne. He names the two best spots to check out fresh work by local and international artists as Hosier Lane (near Movida) and Crofts Alley.

Bounce

Bounce

Published by

Bounce is an amazing indoor wonderland of trampolines, foam pits and bouncing. It may seem like child’s play jumping on a trampoline for an hour, but this place isn’t for the faint-hearted. Over 100 trampolines line the floors and wall of the warehouse style play center, and there is plenty of padding and foam too, so that you can safely live out your jumping dreams. Bounce Inc. is a place not only for children, but also teenagers, and adults who are young at heart. It’s also for adults who think themselves mature and without that inner child – although believe me, once you’re done with Bounce you will have changed your mind! It’s a wonderful family outing for the school holidays or the weekends, and this one is NOT just for the kids. I arrived with my posse of excited jumpers on a Friday afternoon at the reception of Bounce, where the place was packed with kids and parents alike eating, watching others bounce around or just chatting. We received special socks to jump with …

Circus Oz

Circus Oz

Published by

@ Birrarung Marr, Fed Square Until July 12th Just in time for the school holidays, Melbourne’s perennial favourite circus arrives back in town for a limited season. Fresh from a tour of America and Canada the “But wait there’s more” Tour is now under the big top at Birrarung Marr. Read more here

The Brass Coq

Published by

Hidden away in the legal district of town is the quaint, unassuming, Vietnamese restaurant, The Brass Coq. And when we heard of the name and the team behind it, we couldn’t pass up the invitation to sample their menu. Although smaller in size, the industrial fit out gives it a fresh, bright and warm atmosphere. In fact, the whole place had a bit of a feel of being at a dinner party at a friend’s house, who just happens to be great at Vietnamese food and rolling out the banging hip hop tunes. Set over two floors (restaurant downstairs and a bar upstairs for the weekends), this contemporary Asian eatery serves up traditional Vietnamese dishes with a twist. Not afraid to experiment with the flavours, all the dishes we got to try were fresh, flavoursome and just the right blend of spice.Some of the dishes included the Papaya Salad, Braised Pork Belly Bun, Stir Fried eggplant and for dessert the nutella baos. Highlights of the menu: Nick:  “Not on the menu, but one of the …

Eva & Les Erdi

The Eva and Les Erdi Humanitarian Charitable Foundation Bestows Gift on The Alfred Hospital

Published by

Australian Philanthropists, Eva and the late Dr Les Erdi, have given the breath of life to a major redevelopment of the emergency centre within the iconic Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. Over 60,000 people a year will benefit from what is the largest single donation ever made to the hospital in its over 100 years of operation. The donation is motivated by personal experience – the Alfred has been an integral part of the health and happiness of the Erdi family since they made their way to Melbourne mid 20th century. In a private unveiling ceremony on the 30th of June, 2015 the new title for the emergency ward was officially announced in bright, gleaming silver lettering – The Eva and Les Erdi Emergency and Trauma Centre in front of a small group of supporters. Eva Erdi was greeted with glowing praise as members of Parliament, Directors from Erdigroup (The Erdi’s primary business venture), and board members from the Alfred Hospital spoke of her and her late husbands generous spirits. Special thanks were given for their …

Devi's Foodie Spots

Devi’s Top Foodie Spots

Published by

Devi is one of our hotel’s resident foodies. She can often be seen at the various “so hot right now” restaurants and bars of Melbourne. To help out visitors to Melbourne Devi has kindly provided us with a list of her Top 5 (plus two) eating experiences currently on offer in Melbourne. 1. RicePaprScrs (Liverpool Street). Tucked away in one of Chinatown’s manylaneway’s this is probably the smallest place to creating the biggest buzz in the Melbourne food scene at the moment. Crowded, fast paced and with a slogan of “use your hands” thispan Asian eatery ticks all the boxes. Devi’s tiptry the Balinese Roast Duck or the sticky pork belly and make sure you have a drink at the famous Double Happiness bar next door after your meal. 2. Mamasita (Collins St.). If you died and went to a Mexican heaven then it would be somewhere very similar to Mamasita! Simply divine Mexican dishes taken to the next level and beyond. Devi says you must start your dinner the typical Mexican street food way …