Month: September 2016

Meet Jonathan Holloway – Melbourne Festival Artistic Director

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Clear your calendars, the Melbourne Festival returns to town this October and it brings a jam-packed program to the table. Under the new artistic direction of Jonathan Holloway, the festival will celebrate our thriving arts and culture scene, taking over a number of Melbourne venues and institutions. We caught up with Jonathan, ahead of the event to discuss his direction for the festival and his personal highlights. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background? My first “professional” experience of the arts was going with my dad to see classical concerts that he was reviewing.  I enjoyed the concerts – although staying still and silent was pretty tough – but my favourite bit was afterwards, going with him to the newspaper office and watching him write the review.  When I was a bit older I’d stay and watch a man called Bernard lay out the letters, then the presses would roll.  That was when I realised that so much happens before and after a performance, and I was hooked.  I sang in …

Interview with Ben Portet – Dominique Portet Winery

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Ben Portet was always destined to be a winemaker. Growing up in the vineyards of his father, Dominique Portet, their long family tradition of winemaking dates all the way back to 1720 in Cognac France. Completing four vintages while still at university, Ben has lived and worked all over the world before returning to Melbourne to head up the winemaking team at Dominique Portet Winery in Coldstream, continuing on the family legacy for years to come.  As a 10th generation winemaker, how have you seen the wine industry change over time?   Well I guess the easiest analogy is that we work within a fashion industry so styles and regions come in and out of trend. Recently in Australia we have seen wines being produced that are made to drink now, they can be easy to drink at a young age and most importantly are fun to drink. Classics are always in style so that will never change but I  still see no match to opening an old bottle that you have aged yourself over many …

Chevalier at ACMI Cinemas

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One of the most distinctive voices in the Greek New Wave, Athina Rachel Tsangari (Attenberg) brings her latest film Chevalier to ACMI Cinemas from 6 October. Taking out Best Film at the 2015 London FIlm Festival, Tsangari’s newest work is set on a luxury yacht in the Aegean Sea where six men – all friends – embark on a competition to be crowned the ‘Best at Everything’.  Receiving kudos for her work in contemporary Greek cinema, Tsangari collaborated closely with director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) to produce the films Dogtooth and Alps. The two filmmakers also share common creative ground with screenwriter Efthimis Filippou (The Lobster), who transforms the straightforward premise of Chevalier into a highly amusing tale of morality, class and masculinity. We have three double passes to give away to the the special ACMI screening on Thursday 6 October at 6:10pm. Visit our Facebook page to enter.  Where: Federation Square, Flinders St Visit the ACMI website here.   

Punchbowl Canteen

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Burrowed in the industrial streets of Port Melbourne, is the vibrant and colourful Punchbowl Canteen. Opened in what was the old Salfords Lords Club, the cafe has transformed the old warehouse space into a striking space full of pops of colour. Covering the back wall of the cafe is a giant 10 foot mural by acclaimed Australian illustrator and designer, Leah Bartholomew bringing an overall warmth to the open area. The food is all about rustic, wholesome flavours, with a focus on keeping it simple but doing it well. Head Chef, Elizabeth Milroy’s twist on traditional dishes adds to the unique vibe of the whole cafe. Previously working at St Ali and Fitzrovia, upon dining on the food her unique touches are evident through dishes such as the Korean Fried Chicken Burger with Kim chi slaw and fries, Pumpkin Doughnuts cinnamon sugar with whipped yoghurt and freeze dried mandarin, and the Fish Cake Scotch Egg radish, pear, chard and shaved beetroot salad, curry mayo. The coffee comes from Fitzroy roasters, Industry Beans and on the menu are the …

Barossa Butcher’s Cellar

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No it’s not a murder mystery or serial crime thriller you’ll spend months trying to solve – a Barossa Butcher’s Cellar is coming to Left Bank on Melbourne’s Southbank for one month only, and it will be a serious crime to miss out! Starting September 26, Left Bank will transform the north-west corner of its iconic venue into a 1940s themed Barossa Butchery, bringing to life a long history of red wine and red meat for St Hallett. The concept is a celebration of the winery’s history as one of the Barossa’s first butcheries, established over 50 years before the iconic winery was founded. Left Bank Melbourne will provide the perfect atmosphere for St Hallett’s celebratory Butcher’s Cellar, with Executive Chef Stan Delimitrou producing a list of creations that will pair with St Hallett Shiraz. “Every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday we will be serving a different Butcher’s Cellar inspired menu,” Stan said. “We tasted through all of the St Hallett wines and crafted a menu to perfectly match them.” “It’s a varied menu with everything …

Pinot Palooza

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A touring Pinot Noir festival, Pinot Palooza is all your pinot dreams come true. Now in it’s fifth year, the festival will bring some of the best pinots from Australia & New Zealand to Melbourne.  Throughout the day, wine drinkers can soak up the music, taste some delicious food from free range rotisserie, Bird on a Wire and cast their vote in the People’s Choice. Tickets cost $60 and include unlimited wine tasting  or if you want to go all out, we recommend the VIP option ($95)  where you can access the festival early access from 11am, plus Burgundy Bar tasting of 3 wines, time with the Sommeliers who will personally curate your experience at the Burgundy Bar and a food voucher. When: 1pm -6pm, October 15, 2016 Where: Town Square Pavilion, Royal Melbourne Showgrounds Visit the Pinot Palooza website here.   

Australian Movie & Comic Expo

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The Australian Movie and Comic Expo is Melbourne’s ultimate entertainment event. Running every October since 2007 (formerly Armageddon Expo), the new name brings a new direction featuring a heavy influence from movies and comics. With everything we are known for and more including celebrity guests, autographs, photo ops, discussion panels, costumes, over 10,000 sqm of collectable dealers, gaming, sci-fi and fantasy, multimedia, family events and interactive displays. Guests this year include Seth Gilliam (The Walking Dead, Teen Wolf), Daniel Davis (The Nanny) Larry Hama (Marvel, DC) plus more. When: October 15 -16 Where: Melbourne Showgrounds Visit the website here. 

Kinky Boots

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Cyndi Lauper’s huge-hearted hit is coming to Melbourne! Based on the movie starring Joel Edgerton and inspired by a true story, KINKY BOOTS is about a young man’s struggle to save the family business and the unexpected people he meets along the way. With Tony and Grammy winning songs by pop icon CYNDI LAUPER, book by Broadway royalty HARVEY FIERSTEIN (La Cage aux Folles) and direction and choreography by Tony-Award Winner JERRY MITCHELL (Legally Blonde, Hairspray), KINKY BOOTS is a celebration of love, friendship and the power of believing in yourself. Don’t miss the musical that has captured the hearts of Broadway and the West End, at Her Majesty’s Theatre from October. When: 12 October – 27 November Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre Visit the Kinky Boots website.  We want you to enjoy this fantastic time of year and there’s no better way to revel in the summer action than a mini staycation in Melbourne. Stay at the  Ibis Melbourne, Little Bourke Street this summer and enjoy free breakfast. Book online for this exclusive deal.* *Book before 15th February 2017 for stays until 31 March 2017.

Banksy Comes to Melbourne

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The world’s most famous street artist, Banksy is bringing his works to the streets of Melbourne. This October, Melbourne will be able to view a retrospective of more than 80 of his best works, curated by the artist’s former manager, Steve Lazarides. Inspired by the streets of London, this exhibition will take visitors on an artistic adventure, exploring the mind of Banksy and his satirical street art. The exhibition will open in The Paddock in Federation Square and will also feature some of Melbourne’s best food trucks, courtesy of Welcome to Thornbury, along with a bar and live DJs in ‘The Railyard’. As the street art capital of Melbourne, we couldn’t think of a more fitting place for the exhibition. When: 7 October  2016 ~ 22 January 2017 Where: The Paddock, Federation Square Visit the website here.