All posts tagged: lifestyle

Win a Triple Slide Pass to Slide the City!

Grab your swimsuits and your best pals! Slide the City™ is returning to Melbourne this summer, bringing with them 300 Meters of aquatic fun! Starting in 2013, Slide the City™ began by producing slide events in just three cities in America its first year. This year, Slide the City™ is on track to produce more than 150 events in 15 countries including 10 in Australia, and one right here in Melbourne.Transforming Lansdowne Street (East Melbourne) into one giant water block party, sliders will be slipping their way down a 3oom giant slide which spans three city blocks. There’ll also be live music, food, drinks and giveaways on the day to make this one giant summer party to remember. Don’t forget the floaties! When: 10 January, 2016 Visit the website here.  Want to win 2 triple slide passes to Slide the City™ ? In 25 words or less, tell us your favourite thing to do in Melbourne over summer?   Terms & conditions here. Competition closes 5 January, 2015.    

Miss Universal – Chunky Move

The We Know Melbourne team are long term fans of contemporary dance company, Chunky Move and were excited to attend their latest show, Miss Universal last week. Upon entering the studios, we were told it was an open space and we were free to move between rooms, bars and couches. Unsure what to expect, we first entered the room where there were two tiny sculptures in the middle in amongst the rest of the audience. We had a brief introduction from one of the members of the Chunky Move board and also the artistic director, Anouk. We were told that the performance was going to a blend of theatre and gallery installations. Proceeding to the other room, we could see the chairs but they were up against the wall so once again, we weren’t sure whether we’d be standing up the whole performance or whether the show would span across the two rooms. Soon we spotted the dancers (the only way we could tell was that they were barefoot) as they moved through the standing …

Mind games at the Escape Room

Escapism: super fun, definitely a challenge  Working across the road from Strike Bowling at QV Melbourne, we’re often in there for a beer and a bowl to celebrate the usual occasions like birthdays, a new employee starting, people leaving and so on, but we’ve always looked curiously at the red doors dotted throughout – and wondered was behind them as we sipped our drinks. This Christmas instead of killing off our brain cells with an afternoon of beers and bad-for-your-health junk food, we decided to put them to the test in one of Strike’s three, challenging ‘Escapism’ rooms. Strike describe these red-doored conundrums as ‘one room. one team. 50 minutes. a bit of thinking and a lot of fun.’ Having chosen their ‘difficulty nine’ level Casino Heist room we definitely did a lot more than just a ‘bit’ of thinking, that’s for sure. Being under the constant pressure to solve riddles to get through each door in a series of rooms does interesting things to a team and brings the ‘leader,’ ‘follower’ and ‘problem solver’ …

Rhythm of Africa

Rhythm of Africa

Go on a wild African safari as Rhythm of Africa returns to Werribee Open Range Zoo this Summer. Enjoy live music, African inspired food, dancing, drumming, kids’ activities plus so much more. There’ll be free drumming workshops led by Shabba Eshun and enjoy special kids’ activities in the African Village. Rhythm of Africa is an all-weather event and entry is included in the general zoo admission price. Children under 16 receive free entry to Werribee Open Range Zoo on weekends, school holidays and public holidays. When: From 4:30pm every Saturday evening,  9 January- 27 February 2016 Where: Werribee Open Range Zoo Visit the website here. 

Go down swinging at Affair Play

A Melbourne-based company comprised of young, tenacious theatre-makers, Freshly Ground Theatre hits the stage this December with it’s latest premiere season; Affair Play. Running from the 9th to the 19th at the Mechanics Institute in Brunswick, audiences can expect a fast-paced, sharp, contemporary nod to the much- loved bedroom farce. Ahead of the opening, We Know Melbourne had the opportunity to interview director Sam Floyd.   Where did you draw your inspiration from for the subject matter in Affair Play? I’m turned on by a premise that brims with immediate conflict. That throws up a potent philosophical debate, boiled down into a cracking yarn. My imagination runs away with punchlines. The more I got to know the characters, the more I cared about them, the more the debate gained depth. For me the inspiration is the idea itself, and yields the more you unpack it. One writes from experience, I believe it’s impossible not to. But I don’t write what I’d consider autobiographically. I take an observation and apply exorbitant imagination. Then craft is in …

Tropfest makes a comeback

Feel the love as the world’s largest short film festival, Tropfest makes a Valentine’s Day comeback. Short film fans around Australia were heartbroken when earlier this year it was announced that the iconic event was cancelled, but thanks to the generous sponsor CGU Insurance, the Festival has received a lifeline and will be back on Sunday 14 February 2016 in Centennial Parklands, Sydney (with fingers crossed a live screening in Melbourne).  Twenty-one years on, Tropfest Australia attracted a live national audience of around 150,000 people on a single night and today more than 1.6 million people have attended a Tropfest event over it’s lifetime.  “As a free, outdoor event, Tropfest makes short film accessible to all. There’s nothing else quite like it and I think that’s what people love.. Tropfest is a great festival, providing unique platforms for talented filmmakers through its events and initiatives, and we are excited to be able to help them get back on their feet,” Mr Bessell said. “Tropfest is about fostering the growth of the Australian film industry, and these …

Marriage of Figaro

The We Know Melbourne Concierge team was lucky enough to attend the opening night of Opera Australia’s new production of the Marriage of Figaro. The Melbourne season follows a very well received stint at the Sydney opera house so we were expecting big things and we weren’t disappointed! British director Sir David McVicar has chosen to set the operatic action in the 1640’s rather than the more standard French Revolution era. This makes for interesting viewing as the period is similar to when Mozart originally wrote the music in 1786. In the same year Lorenzo De Ponte wrote the Italian libretto (don’t worry there are ‘subtitles’ above the stage)! Of course the music is stunning and you will hear many tunes that you recognize, but what really took our breath away were the amazing stages for the different acts. The sets were huge and very atmospheric, particularly those featuring moonlit outdoors scenes. Our favourite performers were mainly the female characters. Taryn Fiebig shines in her signature role as the feisty Susanna and she provides many …

Polish Festival

For one day, Federation Square will be transformed into a European style historic town square for the Polish Festival. The festival celebrates Polish hospitality as well as their hearty food and ‘romantic traditions.’ Sounds like one not to be missed. When: Sunday, 15 November, 10am – 5pm Where: Federation Square Visit the website here.  Want to find out more about what’s happening in Melbourne? Sign up to the We Know Melbourne mailing list here to stay in the loop.

Celebrate Day of the Dead in true Mexican Style

Forget Halloween, Day of the Dead is where the real festivities are at. This year, Espolòn is taking the opportunity to bring Day of the Dead to life in Melbourne. Celebrate the traditional Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos, or as it is more well known, Day of the Dead with various Espolòn  venues around Melbourne coming alive with DJ’s and live bands setting the soundtracks to the parties, bespoke Espolòn cocktails serving up their offerings on a fresh take on the tequila experience, with a Mexican-inspired menu to match. There’ll be  Dia de los Muertos sugar skull  face painting, photo booths and live art installations all to bring to bring to life the story of Espolòn and Day of the Dead.style and Celebrate Day of the Dead in true Mexican style with Espolòn TEQUILA. And in case you haven’t heard of  Espolòn TEQUILA before, the tequila at its core, is a powerful tribute to Mexican culture.Crafted with 100% Weber Blue Agave in Los Altos, the Highlands region of Jalisco, the award-winning tequilas are the pride …

What’s On in November

November is a big month in Melbourne. Spring Carnival is in full swing, Good Food Month brings over 200 culinary events to the table and we’re edging just that tiny bit closer to summer. Here’s our pick of events you can’t miss this month. Good Food Month, November A month long celebration of the tastiest and most flavoursome foods from Melbourne’s hottest chefs!  From fine-dining, to one-off dinners and hawker night markets, Good Food Month is sure to put a dent in that pre-summer diet! Melbourne Cup Day, November 3 Celebrate the race that stops a nation, and this year Melbourne even gets a day off to fully enjoy the show! Stop by The Swanston Hotel for their Breakfast and Bubbles, with unlimited sparkling wine for $30 (part proceeds go to Mission Australia). Melbourne Design Market, November 5 Design lovers, this market is for you! Held in the Federation Square Carpark, and now in it’s 10th year, this has market has set off a flood of design markets around Australia. Start your Christmas shopping early! Taste …