Month: April 2016

Good Beer Week

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In the last decade, the way people view beer as a beverage has become evermore diverse, from a comforting refreshment, to a passionate art form. Created by the combination of hard work by local boutique breweries along with the growth of inquisitive beer drinkers, has seen the upsurge of more local craft beer varieties being stocked in bar fridges or being poured in sideways glasses during local happy hours all over the state.  As a recognition to all things beer, Melbourne Good Beer Week is held throughout some of Melbourne’s finest pubs and bars and celebrates the rich culture and passion that exists amongst the production and (more importantly) consumption of local craft beer found in Victoria and wider Australia. Events range from food and beer pairing sessions, premium beer tastings straight from local breweries, themed parties, along with much more.  Some festival highlights that we have picked include  GABS 2016 – a festival within the festival, the best artesian brewers from around the world gather to showcase a celebration if all things beer and …

ANZAC Day 2016

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ANZAC Day, originally a commemoration of the landing of Australian and New Zealand forces at Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915, has grown to become the most important national day in Australia. In addition to recognising the service and sacrifice of all Australians who have served in war or during peacekeeping operations. Here’s our guide to the ANZAC Day activities: 6am – Dawn Service It is recommended to assemble on the Shrine Forecourt by 4:30am, no requirement to register attendance. Pre-amble address will commence at 5:45am prior to the service at 6am. The Dawn Service concludes at approximately 6:30am, attendees are encouraged to enter the Sanctuary to lay poppies following the conclusion of the service. 8:15am – Official Wreath Laying Service Invited guests assemble at 7:45am in the Sanctuary. 9am – ANZAC Day March Thousands of veterans , their descendants and current serving personnel will march down St Kilda Road, starting at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets, concluding at the Shrine of Remembrance. Unit wreaths will be laid at the Shrine progressively during …

Cycling into the Future – THE TRIP

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Cycle into the future at Australia’s first immersive cycle experience,THE TRIP™.  Les Mills, the company behind some of the most famous exercises classes in the world including BODYPUMP and RPM, will unveil a futuristic, never-before-seen concept cycle studio in Melbourne on Saturday April 30 that will fuse cinema, virtual reality and cycling. The class will use digital projections on cinema size screens and rock concert quality lasers to allow you to ride in a whole new world. “Participants are quickly swept into the experience and begin leaning into turns and ducking under bridges, which adds even more intensity to an already powerful workout.” When: April 30 – May 1 Where: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Visit the LES MILLS website. 

Appleton Trail at Nieuw Amsterdam

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The Appleton Trail is taking over Nieuw Amsterdam this weekend, transforming their downstairs bar  into a palm-filled oasis with DJs and live steel drum players. Expect Jamaican music, lush palms, bespoke Jamaican-inspired food menus and of course Appleton Estate infused signature cocktails. Appleton Estate have been creating authentic Jamaican rums in the Cockpit Country – a unique, lush and fertile terrain at the island’s heart – for over 265 years, exporting the warmth, passion and unique spirit of Jamaica around the world in each handcrafted bottle. So if you want to explore Jamaica through their signature alochol we suggest you get there early. When: 22 April – 23 April Where: Nieuw Amsterdam, 106 -122 Hardware Lane, Melbourne Visit the Nieuw Amsterdam website. Visit the Appleton Estate website. 

Dressmaker Costume Exhibition

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Costumes from the box office hit film, The Dressmaker, will be on display in an exclusive exhibition held at National Trust’s Rippon Lea House and Gardens from April 22, 2016. Take a rare glimpse into how whimsy, glamour and humour are used in the creation of these stunning costumes. Developed by The National Trust Victoria, in in partnership with Marion Boyce and Film Art Media, the exhibition will take you behind the scenes of  the film into the inner world of the costume department with footage of the costumes being created and stories behind the corsetry and art finishing. When: 22 April until 31 July 2016 Where:  Rippon Lea House and Gardens, 192 Hotham St, Elsternwick Visit the Dressmaker Exhibition website.

Break Room – Giveaway

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Melbourne has a new way to destress and it involves smashing a lot of things. Dreamed up by entrepreneur Ed Hunter, The Break Room has just opened in Collingwood, after relocating from Brunswick and it’s already a hit (no pun intended) . The rules are simple. Enter the break room and smash everything into smithereens. You are given a baseball bat, 6 plates, 6 wine glasses, 6 cups and 1 carafe, so get creative. Smash them on the floor Greek wedding style, throw them at the wall or throw them in the air to wack them with the baseball bat. The choice is yours. Breakers must wear long pants and long sleeves, and you’re given protective gear before entering the room. Safety still does come first. You also have the choice of 10 minutes for $50 or 90 minutes for 30 minutes, but of course if you’re really needing to release you’ll be done smashing your goods in 5. As an exclusive for We Know Melbourne readers, we have one double pass to giveaway to the Break Room. …

Academy Kitchen & Bar

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Walking into Academy Kitchen & Bar, we were warmly greeted by the friendly waitresses and informed that we would be seated at one of the best tables in the house. It was a cooler Thursday evening and we were there to try out the new Autumn menu.  We had a choice of either picking our own dishes or leaving it up to the masterful hands of head chef, Will Manning. We of course love surprises so went for the latter. The first dishes to come out were the pumpkin gnocchi with butternut pumpkin sauce, pickled shimeji and crispy onion rings, and the salmon terrine with dill creme fraiche, saffron aioli, caperberries and sorrel.  The pumpkin gnocchi was light and  flavoursome, and coupled with the creamy butternut sauce topped with the crunchy onion rings, it felt like the perfect winter indulgence dish. In tasting the salmon, it was the saffron aioli that stood out for us and had us wanting more. Both considerable sized dishes, we were surprised that these were just part of the ‘snacks …

Comedy Hypnosis! Entranced – MICF Review

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Last week we went to see Isaac Lomman and his hypnosis show, as part of the Comedy Festival. Watching him tap into the minds of some volunteers making them do certain tricks had us entranced.  Isaac said we experience hypnosis every single day of our lives. Was this true? Is this real or fake? Were these volunteers put aside earlier in the show and given scripts? We asked ourselves these questions as we watched the beginning of the show unfold. Isaac was determined to prove that hypnosis is very possible. Guiding us through his process, he put his volunteers in a trance-like state, where they responded quickly to his commands in their own unique ways, each displaying a different way of doing the action. We watched people sleep, laugh uncontrollably, and respond to tasks that involved the audience. Overall the show was very entertaining and funny.  It was refreshing to see a comedy about people “sleeping” and doing things that we would never do ourselves unless under a magic spell. Highly recommended for all ages and …

Ella – A Tribute by Kelsey James

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During her 60 year career, Ella Fitzgerald lived an extraordinary life that has earned her place in music history. The inspiration that shone so brightly through the voice of Ella will find it’s new vessel in Kelsey James, a vocalist whose projects include the Furbelows, her own Quintet and her original project. When: 24 – 25 April 2016 Where: Bennetts Lane Jazz Club Visit the Bennetts Lane Jazz Club website here.     

Markit

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Markit returns to Federation Square on Sunday 8 May 2016  with over 100 Australian independent designers. Drawing an eclectic mix of designers out of their workspaces for the day – ceramicists, jewellers, shoemakers, illustrators and micro fashion studios – Melburnians will be able to pick up limited-edition pieces, one-off gifts and handmade objects of beauty that won’t be found on any high street. The day will be a chance to meet your favourite Australian designers in person and find out more about the design processes behind the wares. For those seeking out original, unexpected design pieces made with the environment and ethics in mind – this is your dream-shopping day all in one place! When: 10am -5pm, Sunday 8 May Where: Federation Square Visit the Markit website here.