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TAPPED

OUT After 27 years Lesley Dimmick is forced to close down the Tap Gallery

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city hub 30 july 2015

Hung out to dry by the City By ALEXANDER LEWIS A key stepping stone for burgeoning artists has been shut down after 27 years of service. The iconic Tap Gallery in Darlinghust was kicked out by its new landlord due to a fire safety order imposed upon the building by the City of Sydney last year. Founder Lesley Dimmick said the non-profit gallery had received no help from the council at all, despite numerous pleas. “We have to throw all the paintings that we’ve stored here into a dumper bin, all art that has a value, we have to throw everything out because we have nowhere to go,” Ms Dimmick said. “I was just so surprised and shocked that with all the stuff that’s been in the paper about council helping artists, that they have not come and helped a non-profit organisation run 100 per cent by volunteers, which runs work for the dole programmes and internship programmes.” Ms Dimmick, who received an Order of Australia medal this year for services to the visual arts, requested assistance from the council in the form of a short term lease. “A temporary office space in the Darlinghurst area would be the most suitable solution in one of the many City of Sydney properties that align Oxford Street that to all appearances are vacant,” she wrote in an email to all City of Sydney councillors. “It would allow Tap Inc the necessary time to continue to negotiate with real estate agents and council to obtain a suitable venue,” A City of Sydney spokesperson told City Hub that there were only limited buildings available with the necessary regulatory approvals to host theatre and arts facilities. “So far, no properties the City owns have suited Tap Gallery’s needs,” they said. But Ms Dimmick said the council should have come to their aid a long time ago. “It’s all to do with us being in the wrong place at the wrong time, which is right across the road from two properties the council owns. One is a theatre, and one is

Leslie Dimmick: “I’m not going to give up, but my career as a manager of a community art centre has been destroyed, mainly at the hands of several departments of the City of Sydney.” Photo: Chris Peken

going to be a community art centre,” she said. “I believe it was political, and I don’t even believe it was unsafe upstairs. We’ve spent over $10,000 complying with their fire order despite the fact that in my opinion it was the landlord’s job, not ours.” The fire safety order was served upon the building’s previous owner last September. The order included the construction of a smoke management system on the gallery’s second floor, which at the time was being used as a theatre. Tap ceased operating upstairs because it could not afford the rent without revenue from performances, but

Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide. Copies are also distributed to serviced apartments, hotels, convenience stores and newsagents throughout the city. Distribution enquiries call 9212 5677. Published by Altmedia Pty Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, City Hub takes no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions. ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Manager: Chris Peken Group Editors: Lydia Watson-Moore, Alexander Lewis, Christopher Harris Contributors: Wendy Bacon, Cassandra Morgan, Ryan Quinn Arts Editors: Jamie Apps, Alannah Maher Dining Editor: Jackie McMillan Advertising Managers: Robert Tuitama, Mark Barnes Cover Photo: Chris Peken – Lesley Dimmick Email: question@alternativemediagroup.com Advertising: sales@alternativemediagroup.com Contact: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Ph: 9212 5677 Fax: 9212 5633 Web: altmedia.net.au

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it agreed to pay for improved signage, exit doors and fire stair treads in compliance with the rest of the order. “The landlord was supposed to do the rest. Of course the landlord didn’t want to do it because there was an auction sign on the building,” Ms Dimmick said. “The fact is we’ve closed our theatre down. We’ve stopped operating performances.” She said that when the building changed hands and Tap Gallery was negotiating the extension of its tender three weeks ago, a council firewarden foiled it. “I argued that there was no fire order downstairs, but this new employee claimed that the fire order existed

downstairs too, which scared off the new owner from letting us stay.” The City of Sydney spokesperson told City Hub that while the cessation of the building’s use as a theatre had remedied some requirements of the order, it still stood. “That is the biggest tragedy of all, and council has not, despite them having empty premises, agreed to help us.” Tap Gallery Vice President Steve McLaren said the closure of the gallery would leave a huge hole in the community as it was a unique stepping stone for local artists. “Thousands of people have come through here. Some have gone on to bigger and better things,” Mr McLaren said. “To emulate what we have here – the parties and the underground Sydney art scene – is just so difficult, especially in this day and age.” Machinist Jonathan Hardy said the grassroots gallery was an important safety net for part time artists like himself. While his last two Archibald entries were rejected by both the main exhibition and salon refuse, he hung and sold the works at Tap Gallery. “It’s just a real awesome lifeline really,” Mr Hardy said. “There’s no one else at the back of the NSW Art Gallery giving the rejects of the rejects a chance to show.” “They’re providing a real important cultural service.” Addressing the crowded gallery during the opening of Tap’s final exhibition last Saturday night, Ms Dimmick was adamant she would resurrect the institution. “We will be relocating. It will be operating under the same philosophy except we will have a bar licence,” she said. “We’re going to run a bar come art gallery come performance space, just like we are now, but it’ll be a little smaller because we can’t afford a big space anymore.” Tap Gallery must vacate the building by Sunday, August 2.

Tree Day emphasises the ‘absolute disaster’ to come By LYDIA WATSON-MOORE Residents have rallied together on National Tree Day to protest the planned removal of more than 400 trees in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. On Sunday June 26, more than 150 concerned locals walked the route of the proposed Sydney South East light rail, which will require the removal of many significant trees, through Randwick. The event was coordinated by the lobby group Keeping Randwick’s Trees, who have been campaigning for environmental protection in the construction. The group’s founder, Rickie-Lee McLaurin Smith, said it was “great” that so many residents also shared concerns about the tree removal. “It’s heartbreaking to see how many trees may be removed, so we’re trying to raise awareness,” she said. Ms McLaurin Smith said the group was committed to building “people power”, and wanted the government to note their anger. “We want to contact the people in power, because it matters what the community thinks,” she said. Ms McLaurin Smith said while she acknowledged that Sydney needs better public transport, she believed it could be done in a smarter way. “I’m not an engineer or a transport planner, but they can do it without removing the trees. It’s about environmentally sustainable design,” she said. However, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has previously declared a commitment to minimising environmental degradation in the project.

Locals in High Cross Park after the Tree Walk. Source: Lydia Watson-Moore

“The project has been designed to mitigate impacts to large trees, where possible,” read a TfNSW statement. “Where the loss of trees is unavoidable, TfNSW has committed to planting replacement trees for every significant tree lost within the local area.” However, the 150 strong crowd at the Randwick tree day event were not convinced of TfNSW’s environmental ‘commitment’. One resident, Simon Bartlett, labelled the

light rail as an “absolute disaster”, and said it was devastating to see so many “magnificent” large trees facing the chopping block. He said that the track should instead cut through unused space at the Randwick racecourse, which would have saved the trees on Wansey Road. “Why not rationalise some of the space of the racecourse?” he said. Mr Bartlett said he was also disappointed that the cycle track next to the racecourse would be removed. “God knows where we’re going to cycle now,” he said. Mr Bartlett’s comments underscore a tense time for cyclists across the city, as demolition of the CBD’s College Street cycleway began on the same day, June 26. The coordinators from Keeping Randwick Tree’s tied orange ribbons around the trees that face removal along Centennial Park, Wansey Road, High Street and inside High Cross Park. Among the crowd were Randwick Greens councillors Lindsay Shurey and Murray Matson. Councillor Matson told City Hub that he was confident that council were close to a deal with the state government to move the light rail stop out of High Cross Park. “We need to save the trees in this park. I’m positive we’re close to an adjustment, but until we see agreement, we won’t let up,” he said. Clr Matson said that the community needed to get “more aggressive” about the removal of the trees along the racecourse. “It’s time to ask serious questions of our local MP’s” he said. city hub 30 july 2015

Imperial clings to life as Spice stops the music

The Imperial Hotel. Photo: Lauren O’Connor

Law student Anthony Metcalfe, who frequented The Imperial, similarly blamed the “nanny state of NSW” for the venue’s woes. “With a crack down on alcohol consumption, it is only natural that drug use amongst patrons will inevitably increase,” the 21-year-old told City Hub. “Although it is outside of the lockout zones, clubs, pubs and bars are almost expected to follow suit.” “If they expect to have a future as a venue, they need to close it for a few weeks to work on a new management strategy.” Record store owner Stephan Gyory is a member of the nascent Stop The Music group, which has begun campaigning against the lockouts. “As a 41-year-old man, I can’t go out and have a neat whiskey in a glass after midnight in my own city, which is ridiculous,” Mr Gyory said.

“We’ve got a really hastily enacted social policy that’s imposing the costs on one subsection of the community and one part of the economy,” he said. “No one really wants to go back to the freefor-all that was on the streets in The Cross, and no one wants to get punched to death, but surely there is a way of having a late night economy that is safe and thriving.” Mr Gyory said a cultural change was required to curb alcohol related violence rather than “lazy policies that look like they’re dealing with the problem”. “We have a masculinity problem in this country. If our definition of masculinity is to punch on and to be a thug and to sexually harass women, then we need a male sexual revolution – not some laws that curtails everybody’s civil liberties. But we’re not having that conversation.”

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BY ALEXANDER LEWIS Erskineville’s Imperial Hotel will remain closed for up to four weeks in the wake of two forced closures and the departure of its weekly dance dungeon Spice Cellar. The notorious nightclub was forced to shut for 72 hours last Friday for the second time in little over a month by the Office of Liquor, Racing and Gaming due to the detection of “ongoing drug dealing and illicit drug use” at the venue over the past fortnight. The hotel’s owner, Shadd Danesi, took the helm on Monday, with reports that staff had been laid off. “Whilst the hotel is allowed to reopen tonight, Shadd has elected to keep it closed for two to four weeks to establish a business plan to move forward and return the old girl to her former glory,” read a post by the hotel’s Facebook page on Monday. But Spice Cellar, which rents the basement in the hotel, could no longer handle the heat, announcing in a statement on Saturday that it would cease operating indefinitely. “The current climate for late night entertainment in Sydney has been put under extreme duress. The misconception and lack of understanding towards late night culture, combined with the introduction of 1:30 am lockout laws has seen many venues close over the past year, putting a grave future in place for Sydney’s late-night entertainment industry,” the statement read. “The overarching agenda by conservative groups for Sydney is to remove late-night culture rather than acknowledge it as a core part of the cultural fabric that enriches a city.” “Whilst we appreciate that the NSW Government is trying to reduce alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour, introducing lockout laws does not solve the problem.”

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city hub 30 july 2015

Council News

Why WestConnex consultations are toxic

MAYOR‘S MESSAGE SES open day Thank you to our Waverley-Woollahra SES for inviting me along to their very exciting open day on Sunday 19 July. I joined Woollahra Mayor Toni Zeltzer, Hon David Elliott Minister for Emergency Services and NSW SES Commissioner Adam Dent in opening the new facilities. The SES has now settled into their new home – under Syd Einfield Drive in Bondi Junction. I wish SES Local Controller Kim Edwards and her team all the best in their new home and I once again thank them for their unselfish dedication in helping our community during times of need.

Free parking after 7pm on Queen Elizabeth Drive We are making our parking system more fair and consistent. You may have noticed some positive changes to parking, including free parking after 7pm on Queen Elizabeth Drive and Park Drive North Car Parks. You can find more information about

The photo that cost Wendy Bacon her consultation time. Source: Wendy Bacon

our changes to parking on our website waverley.nsw.gov.au/residents/parking.

OPINION: WENDY BACON If you hold a community consultation session well away from the site of a massive development, on an early Winter’s evening in a registered club, it’s bound to affect the turn out. But if that’s what you want, the setting is perfect. My first memories of community involvement in planning go back to the early 1970s when the residents of Woolloomooloo stood around a huge board to create a miniature ‘people’s plan’ of how they would like their neighbourhood to develop. At the time, the ’Loo had just been saved from wholesale demolition by a union ‘Green Ban’ and a decision by the Whitlam Labor government to save low income housing in the inner city. The events were part of movements that led to the NSW Land and Environment Act being passed in 1979. Since then, there have been many a set back for communities wanting a say in shaping their environment. The WestConnex Delivery Authority (WDA) boast that they conduct “extensive consultation with the community”. But while millions of public funds have been spent on communications advice, the decision making around the Westconnex motorway represent a new low in community consultations. After months of waiting and before any business case or environmental impact statements were published, the design and detailed route were recently revealed for the M4 extension tunnel. Some residents in Homebush, Croydon, Concord, Haberfield and Ashfield received the bad news that their houses could be acquired or perhaps even worse, they would be left near tunnel exits, ventilation stacks or congested roads that will take the overflow from those who choose not to pay the costly tunnel tolls. The only information line that residents were given is the 1300 660 248, which is the general NSW government service. You won’t be put through to WDA at all unless you explain the details of your request. Some people have been left hanging on the phone for 20 minutes while one resident found that the government phone line put her through to a communications consultant working for private contractor Leightons who recently won the billion dollar contract for this section of the Westconnex. WDA scheduled three ‘information’ sessions over a week of which the first was at Wests Ashfield Leagues Club. In a media release, WestConnex CEO Dennis Cliche promised that “detailed questions” would be answered. “This is an important opportunity for people to find out more information about the M4 East and what it will mean for their community,” the release quoting him as saying. As I headed to the first community session

Sally Betts, Mayor of Waverley

Events

August/September 2015 Books, movies and more: Seniors discussion group Thursday 27 August, 10am Waverley Library Did you find the latest bestseller simply amazing or think the new blockbuster a bore? Share your opinions and ideas in this friendly and lively group over some light refreshments. No bookings required, for more information call 9386 7777.

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city hub 30 july 2015

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in the Wests Ashfield Leagues Club, I was not feeling optimistic about finding answers to my many questions, but I certainly didn’t expect to be escorted from the Club at the end of the session. The first thing you saw as you headed in the door was a sea of poker machines and a large security guard. Being a registered club, you had to sign in as a temporary member. I had no photo ID but eventually my senior citizen’s card was accepted so I was allowed to enter. Upstairs, there were more staff taking personal details. Inside, residents moved between information stations staffed by WDA and Roads and Maritime Services communications, engineers and air quality staff. Most of the questions at Ashfield were about air quality. Groups tended to gather around better informed residents who as veterans of such sessions had thought out questions in advance. One of those residents was Save Ashfield Park member Kerry Barlow who is concerned about air quality issues. An earlier version of the WestConnex tunnel was going to emerge at Ashfield Park but the park has now been saved. The motorway has moved to the other side of Parramatta Rd taking houses from within the Haberfield conservation area. The suburb will be overshadowed by tunnel ‘portals’, a large ventilation stack and traffic pouring along the old Parramatta Road. Later, Ms Barlow told me that streets around her home were not notified about the information sessions. “We only knew from contact with residents whose houses are being acquired,” she said. When she asked questions about the availability of air quality monitoring, she was told that she must wait for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be released later in the year. She first asked for the data a year ago. On my way out, I thought I would take a photo of some poker machines to make a point on twitter about what I saw as an inappropriate venue. Wouldn’t a school or church hall closer to the site have been more accessible for residents with children, busy workers, disabled residents or those without cars? A manager saw me take the photo and demanded I give him my phone. I refused and that’s how I came to be promptly marched from the club. I was back outside with local WestConnex Action Group campaigners and Save Ashfield park mob who were having no trouble collecting signatures for their petition that there should be a halt to the Westconnex motorway until a full business case, EIS and the findings of a parliamentary inquiry are released to the public. The trouble with the Westconnex version of community consultation is that it leaves residents angrier not feeling better informed.

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city hub 30 july 2015

Residents won’t be forced without a fight

Erskineville buses to nowhere By CHRISTOPHER HARRIS Erskineville residents are bracing for another hit to public transport in the area, following the revelation that peak bus services from the area will no longer reach the CBD. The decision announced by NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance will mean the 308 peak service from Marrickville Metro to the City will terminate at Redfern station. The move comes as part of the timetabled CBD light rail construction which will effectively shut down George Street until completion. From October 4, passengers will have to disembark the bus and join another if they wish to travel into the CBD during the peak morning period. The bus route, which services the inner west, is one of six bus routes that have been earmarked to stop short of entering the CBD. Transport Minister Andrew Constance said most of the 1000 buses that enter the city during the AM peak hour will continue to do so, but the early termination of the 308 bus was one among 5 routes which will have their final stop moved outside the CBD to reduce congestion. “This isn’t going to be easy for everyone, and some commuters will have to interchange for the first time,” Mr Constance said. A statement released by the minister said the discontinuance of services and changes will reduce bus congestion in the core of the CBD, because there

would be 60 fewer buses on York Street and over 60 fewer on Druitt Street. The statement said that in order to “reduce unnecessary bus movements and duplicated services, some other routes with low patronage will also be discontinued...[and that] customers will still have other alternate routes to choose from”. Community group Friends of Erskineville posted on their Facebook page lamenting the changes, following proposed government plans to cut train services on the Bankstown line, which stops in Erskineville and St Peters. President of the group Darren Jenkins said he was very unhappy because the bus route changes occurred without consultation, especially as the suburb faced 1600 proposed new dwellings in the nearby Ashmore estate. “Even though the council has predicted the population will double, that massive population increase is going to happen sooner rather than later, we need better services, not cuts to trains, no cuts to buses,” he said. “I think that we are very eager to drive consultation process, to drive an information campaign about what’s happening to the Bankstown line, and to the 308 bus service and the kind of other services that are needed, with the development of the Ashmore estate.” “We want to bring together as many voices, to insist and demand consultation and answers from the government.”

Newtown ‘eyesore’ put on hold By LYDIA WATSON-MOORE Newtown residents gained a modest victory last week after a controversial seven-storey development was stalled, pending amendment. However, the local Alice St residents weren’t celebrating just yet, as they feared the developer may only make slight, bare adjustments. As previously reported by City Hub, elusive developer Al Maha is currently constructing a five storey ‘eyesore’ in the residential street and had recently shocked residents with a push for an additional two storeys. Marrickville Council rejected the DA, and so the developer took the plan to the Land and Environment Court, where it could have been passed without council approval. On July 21, a conciliation conference was held at the site with the developer’s lawyers, council’s lawyers, the court commissioner and the residents. As a result of voiced residential concerns, the commissioner ordered that the application be amended to address the raised issues. Resident Emma Rafferty attended the conference and said that residents were pleased that the commissioner had noticed their anger. “It was a victory of sorts in the sense that our concerns were obviously heard, but we’re not popping champagne just yet, because we don’t know what shape the amendments will take, and whether they will actually eliminate our concerns,” she said. The decision, known as a section 34 process, requires the developer to submit an amendment to Marrickville Council, who have the power to approve or deny. However, Ms Rafferty said that the process is classified as confidential and that council are not obliged to consult the community on the proposed amendments, which concerns the residents. “One of the people in our residents group is drafting a letter to council requesting that there is some community consultation about the DA and asking council to petition against any further development,” she said. Ms Rafferty told City Hub that the residents were concerned that the developer will only make minor adjustments, and that council will simply accept them. “We’re just worried that the modifications are not going to address all the concerns, so we’re just trying to make sure that council don’t get worn down,” she said. “We want to be in on that next stage.” Ms Rafferty said the amendments were due to council in early August. 8

city hub 30 july 2015

By RYAN QUINN A rally of united councillors and residents crowded the NSW Parliament House footpath on the opening day of the Fit for the Future parliamentary inquiry. More than 20 people chanted and protested against forced amalgamations on Monday morning, July 28, led by the Save Our Councils Coalition (SOCC). The rally brought together concerned protestors from Mosman to Holyroyd councils on the commencement of the first of five public hearings on NSW Local Government reform. Save our Strathfield Co-Chair Nella Gaughan chanted as the group cheered loudly. “[Local Government Minister, Paul Toole], you declared to your constituents in Bathurst that you would not force amalgamation. Today I’m saying to you: keep your promise,” she said. Rally members wore ‘We Love Our Local Communities’ t-shirts, held up several placards and chanted ‘no amalgamation.’ Many of the protestors were concerned residents who expressed anger at the thought of reduced councillor contact. Mosman resident Jane Floyd said that amalgamation would “break down” the community. “I know who my councillors are, they live up the road from me, if I’ve got a hassle I know where I can find them,” she said. According to NSW Greens MP and inquiry committee member David Shoebridge there would be one councillor to every 20-25,000 residents after amalgamation. “Their so called ‘Fit for the Future’ is really a plan to take the democracy out of local government, to convert the local councils which have strong connections with their local people…and turn them into just another professional layer of politicians,” he said to the rally. The Macquarie Room of NSW Parliament was attended by about 50 people for the inquiry. The first day included the examination of serveral witnesses, including NSW Office of Local Government Chief

David Shoebridge amongst the protestors outside NSW Parliament House. Source: Ryan Quinn

Executive, Marcia Doheny. Mr Shoebridge and Labour Local Government Spokesperson Peter Primrose led the questions among crossexaminers. “Will there be forced amalgamation?” Mr Primrose asked Ms Doheny. She answered “These questions go to issues of cabinet confidentiality which I can’t answer”, causing laughter and discussion among the audience. Co-Convenor of Save Hunters Hill Municipality Coalition, Phil Jenkyn, has suggested regional cooperation of councils instead of amalgamation. “That’s independent councils cooperating on efficiencies and on regional issues,” Mr Jenkyn said. He said that if the state government “wants to take communities with them into the future, then it should listen to what the communities say.” Earlier this month, 144 proposals were submitted by councils to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for assessment. Only four of which willing to voluntarily amalgamate. The next public inquiry is set for August 10.

Trevor Davies remembered on Abercrombie St By CHRISTOPHER HARRIS It’s been four years since Chippendale character Trevor Davies died but time hasn’t silenced the friendly and passionate voice friends and locals remember. Friends and locals gathered on Saturday July 25 at Charles Kernan Reserve on Abercrombie St in Darlington. Present was City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore who officially opened a seat inscribed with a poem by Dorothy McRae-McMahon in honour of Davies. The Lord Mayor described Davies as a “local character” of Redfern and Darlinghurst. “[He] was active in the Uniting Church, and in Labor politics, and in community groups like RedWatch, and he was involved in the South Sydney Herald” Clr Moore said. “Trevor, as a great community activist, and a committed democrat, would be appalled by the state government’s latest efforts to take control of the City of Sydney through amalgamation with Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and Botany – none of whom want the amalgamation either.” Davies was known among Darlington locals for his loquacious tendencies, engaging those around him in political discussions that were always rooted in a sense of social justice and his own Labor values. It was on this basis it was decided that a seat on the footpath frequented by locals would be an apt memorial for a man who loved to talk with passers by. Reverend Andrew Collis of the South Sydney Uniting Church knew him for many years and said it was a love of his

Friends and locals gather in Abercrombie St to celebrate local Trevor Davies. Source: Christopher Harris

community and a good headline that he remembers most fondly of Davies. “He loved his community, and he would have loved to have seen us all together here on a sunny afternoon,” he said. “He would be naming all the other people he thought more deserving of it, and he would be quick to point out the good work others are doing.” Rev Collis, who now edits the South Sydney Herald, said it was a daunting prospect putting the paper together after his death. “We weren’t a hundred per cent sure we could do it without him, he was irreplaceable, but then we were really proud that when we put our heads together we had the power and the passion, and we knew how to do it, just by the way that he

modelled the job.” President of RedWatch Geoff Turnbull met Davies in the 1970s through the Uniting Church. “Trevor would sit down in the coffee shops and he would talk to anybody that walked past, and it didn’t matter what their political position was. Interestingly one of the apologies was from Duncan Gay who is the Minister for Roads on the coalition side.” “Trevor and him would have robust discussions about a range of things.” Norrie May-Wellby worked with Davies as a cartoonist for the paper and said everything Davies did had a political element. “He would have really liked it when Clover did the political thing at the end her speech and spoke about the issue of amalgamating councils,” May-Wellby said. “Some people would disagree, oh no it’s not about that, he always liked to make things political and meaningful, and if you could give an important message as part of something, that’s something Trevor would approve of.” Trevor Davies’ brother Ivor said that his brother would have been laughing if he was there. “The best thing would be that Clover acknowledged Trevor because they were, at times, head to head.” “He was a great fan of hers sometimes, and then other times she’d do something he didn’t agree with. But he’d just like the fact all the people were here.” City of Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor Robyn Kemmis sent her apologies for being unable to attend.

Scott says Clover should do more to tackle housing affordability By CHRISTOPHER HARRIS City of Sydney Councillor Linda Scott has urged the city’s Lord Mayor to work harder on housing affordability, pushing for support of a negative gearing review. Labor Councillor Scott backed a federal review of negative gearing at the national Labor conference on July 24-26, and wants the city’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s support. Clr Scott said that Clr Moore and other councillors have shirked responsibility for the unaffordability of housing, and that someone needed to take action to keep the area affordable for teachers, academics and service staff. “As part of the largest political movement in Australia, I work to take issues that matter in the City of Sydney to the national agenda to achieve change,” Clr Scott said. “Unlike the 11 years under Lord Mayor Clover Moore, I don’t believe that writing letters, with no action, will meet the needs of our Sydney communities on national issues.” But Clr Moore told City Hub that the city had delivered 858 new affordable housing dwellings with an additional 629 dwelling in the pipeline. “The City of Sydney has exhausted every option we have available under current legislation to encourage affordable housing. We need state and federal governments to act- unfortunately Labor and Liberal governments at the state and federal level have utterly failed to address the issue,” Clr Moore said. “Where allowed by the NSW

Never Stand Still

Labor Councillor Linda Scott is backing a review of negative gearing. Source: Linda Scott

government, we’ve introduced Affordable Housing Levies, we have amended planning controls and negotiated Voluntary Planning Agreements, we have transferred our land to community housing providers, and invested in affordable housing projects.” However Clr Scott said she has put several proposals for affordable housing to council including developing council assets for affordable housing, working more with housing providers, as well as making the city competitive for affordable housing project by working with developers. Clr Scott said the Lord Mayor should support a review of negative gearing, which she said could reduce the rate of increasing

house prices. “I do call on her to support my actions, to secure a review of negative gearing,” Clr Scott told City Hub. According to ABS data from 2011, 60.7 per cent of dwellings in the City of Sydney local government area was rented, one of the highest proportion of rented properties in Australia. Clr Scott refutes the notion that the removal of negative gearing would effectively shrink supply in the rental market and increase rent prices. “That has been shown to be false, there has been lots of good analysis, when Paul Keating removed negative gearing, it was revealed in some cities that it was those local factors driving rents rather than negative gearing.” However, Professor of Economics at the University of Sydney Jamie Alcock said the changes implemented briefly under former treasurer Paul Keating should not be used as an argument about negative gearing. “A very short period of time tells you nothing about a long term equilibrium effect,” Professor Alcock said. “Housing is very sluggish to supply and demand shocks.” Professor Alcock said that removing negative gearing could in the long term actually reduce housing supply in the rental market. “All else being equal, and negative gearing is the only thing changing, you would assume there is reduced incentive, and of course the market is going to respond, and reduce capital flow and reduce supply of property in the long term.”

Green with envy: City boosts its eco credentials By CASSANDRA MORGAN Surry Hill’s unique Reader’s Digest Building will become ‘greener’ with the City of Sydney’s help, but some argue the City should not take the credit. The Surry Hills building was approved for an Environmental Upgrade Agreement (EUA), which involves a loan through City of Sydney for environmentally efficient improvements. The building, owned by company Intrasia Oxley (DRE) Pty Ltd, will witness a $1.2 million upgrade, said to decrease base energy usage by around sixty per cent. However, City of Sydney Liberal Councillor Edward Mandla said he believes the building was already on track to environmental sustainability, without the council’s help. “The City of Sydney has utterly failed in its green initiatives,” he said. He said that many businesses were looking to go ‘greener’, without the help of “bumbling bureaucrats”. “What we know is that buildings have been voluntarily becoming ‘greener’ for years… not once did someone say ‘I did it because council told me how or why’.” Council’s statistics favour Clr Mandla’s comments, with only six EUAs signed in Sydney so far. However, a council spokesperson told City Hub that several building owners are currently investigating the agreement as a possible option. Executive director of Intrasia Oxley, Braith Williams, said the developments will “increase the building’s energy efficiency, reduce its carbon footprint and provide long term savings for both the tenants and owners”. The City of Sydney promotes EUAs as an option for owners to improve properties with borrowed funds, with the assurance that they can pay back the finance. “They are better than traditional debt or cash as it is the energy savings themselves that are used to pay back the finance used to upgrade the building’s energy systems,” said a council spokesperson. Mr Williams said that the application process for Intrasia Oxley took 14 months, and this could be the reason that so few Sydney businesses are pursuing the agreement.

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city hub 30 july 2015

Photo: Marrickville Council

FEATURE

PERFECT MATCH we help, as well as something positive,” said Che Bishop, CEO of the Asylum Seekers Centre. The centre has been around for twenty years but only recently moved to Newtown. They are known for the great work they do for asylum seekers and helping to introduce them to the community. Among their services they have provided emergency housing, food, health care and English language classes for fifteen hundred clients to date. Bishop states they were looking for an artwork that would be positive as well as one that would not offend; as the centre services all cultures, religions and races. The council found these qualities and more in the work of Andrew B-W. This artist is also known as Jumboist, and with one look at his Instagram the positivity and colour jumps out at you. “I guess I would consider myself a glass-half-full guy,” said Andrew. He combines the abstract with the beautiful and is creating a new and unique artwork for the Asylum seeker Centre. Starting out studying fine art in school, he soon transitioned to larger and larger canvases. “I have always been interested in the subconscious and what is represents,” he said. Within the collaboration with the Asylum Seekers Centre he also wanted the artwork to show a safe place for those who seek their services, as many have come from a place of great instability. Mayor Gardiner also thinks it is a great idea. “These people have been through a lot,” he said. He hopes the introduction of the artwork brings something to brighten their day. Bishop, who has been watching Andrew B-W complete the artwork over several days, is impressed by what she has seen. Both Bishop and the artist hope that as the building is near the train line, it will also give commuters something beautiful to look at as they

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go by. The public is welcome to come and have a look at the artwork at the Asylum Seekers Centre on Saturday at a morning tea where light refreshments will also be served. This year’s Perfect Match has one extra special art piece, with the council’s collaboration with Sydney Water. The Petersham Water Tower is celebrating fifty years and the council will be lighting up the tower with artistic light work by Esem Projects for the weekend. You can also take a bus tour to see all the artwork.Perfect Match is a true community event, where this weekend adults and children can view all the artwork and get to know the businesses in the community. Gardiner was happily surprised by the turnout last year and expects it will be even greater this year. By decreasing tagging and graffiti, creating gorgeous walls for local businesses and promoting artists, Perfect Match has found a genuine community event that benefits everybody.

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BY Lauren Bell Community spirit is alive and well in Marrickville. This large Sydney suburb has found a way to not only enhance businesses, but to curb crime as well - and surprisingly, it is all done through the celebration of art. Perfect Match, an initiative started last year by the council, matches local businesses with artists to create elaborate wall art. Painted directly on the external buildings of the businesses, the artworks are creating something inviting for the community and curbing tagging and graffiti in the process. Mark Gardiner, Mayor of Marrickville says Perfect Match is about the community and “creating something truly beautiful through art”. The initiative started in 2014 with 14 local businesses signing up. This year the number has grown to 21, with participants including the JETS footy club and the opening of the Victoria and Hobbs Café. Artists are chosen through personal applications to the council. The decrease in graffiti has also helped to make this initiative incredibly successful. Graffiti and ‘tagging’ (spraying your signature phrase on buildings, etc.) is a common problem for all cities, and Marrickville was no exception. “A white wall is very inviting,” said Gardiner. “…And we know from experience that harsh consequences don’t stop the graffiti.” With the introduction of Perfect Match, graffiti and tagging has decreased in the area. Gardiner believies that there is a respect from the vandals to the artists and the work they have created. The Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown had experienced tagging on their building previously, and decided to be one of the many to sign up to have their blank walls turned into artworks this year. “We want something inviting for the people

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JUMBOIST ARTWORK UNVEILING Sat Aug 1, 11am-12pm. Asylum Seekers Centre, 43 Bedford St, Newtown. See more of Andrew B-W’s work here: instagram.com/jumboist/. CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF THE PETERSHAM WATER TOWER Fri Jul 31, 5.30pm-7.30pm. Water tower car park, corner Regent Street and New Canterbury Road, Petersham. For information on these events and much more go to: marrickville.nsw.gov.au/perfectmatch

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EAT & DRINK

Lucio Pizzeria Venture into Tomorrowland – otherwise known as Zetland (or ‘Zetciti’ as a clever business in the futuristic East Village shopping centre has dubbed it). Swallow down a portent dose of the future, where worker drones live in looming grey and taupe towers in fully self-contained dormitory suburbs; places where you can purchase an Audi as easily as you can order a name brand Lucio pizza. Grappling with the location over a Birra Ichnusa

$ - mains less than $15

$$ - mains between $15-$22

NEWTOWN & ENVIRONS Knuckles Sandwich Bar It’s the inkblot test – whether you think of a knock to the face, or a succulent hock of pork.This sandwich bar lies amongst factories in the industrial fashion precinct of Alexandria.Their Veal Schnitzel Ciabatta Roll ($12) made fresh to order with lemon aioli, rocket and Parmesan demonstrates it’s seriously the only decent place to get a sanga on McEvoy Street. However don’t neglect the burgers! The popular Cheeseburger ($10) has a golden sesame milk bun that reminds me of the old school milk bars. Speaking of which, you must order a side of Hand Cut Chips ($3.50) and the Belgian Chocolate Milkshake ($6.50) to wash it down.

By Jackie McMillan ($8), I volunteer: it’s like Shanghai without the chaos. “Hence Singapore,” our neighbours at the cheek-to-jowl tables, helpfully supply. By contrast, the artisan pizzas you’ll eat here are imperfectly perfect – complete with bubbling, chewy crusts festooned with just the right amount of char.This is fully certified (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana) Neapolitan wood-fired pizza with minimal toppings, like Speck ($21) boasting mozzarella, Fontina and speck.All the better for showing off those flavoursome bases! Going light on the toppings enables you to appreciate the simplicity of what’s there, like paperthin prosciutto strewn over rocket and cherry tomatoes, topped with freshly shaved Parmesan on the Filetto ($21).The prosciutto is sliced using a gleaming red Berkel meat slicer, which is also employed in the production of Il Grand Tagliere ($36.50) a heaving antipasto board won by super-fresh buffalo mozzarella (though the creamy burrata also rates a mention). Shop 34, East Village, 2-4 Defries Avenue, Zetland (02) 9697 3028 luciopizzeria.com.au Pizza, Italian $$

$$$ - mains between $22-$30

88 McEvoy Street, Alexandria (0403) 821 117 knucklessandwichbar.com.au Café – $-$$

ROCKS & CBD Basement 33 Amidst the hustle and bustle of Goulburn Street’s Haymarket end, is a new hidden bar gem, worthy of any nightlife veteran’s attention. I pull up a bar stool, and order a martini, after raising a respectful eyebrow to the ingenious cocktail list.The drinks certainly are on point, including Mel-Ki ($17) boasting melon liqueur, Grand Marnier and fresh kiwi.The interior of this nouveau nightspot is a mix of trendy tiling and sleek modern finishing; slightly too cool to be called flashy, but certainly shiny.

$$$$ - mains over $30

Owner Nathanial Bourke hints to me that live music is close on the horizon. I’m starting to get a Frankie’s Pizza vibe. Oh yeah… they also serve pizza. Basement Level, 27-33 Goulburn Street, Haymarket (02) 8970 5813 basement33.com Bar, Cocktails $$ Fix St James The gentleman at the next table is wooing his date with stories of ICAC. The table beyond finishing rushed plates of Coorong Skirt Steak Tagliata ($34) are barristers working on a three-week case, by pulling another all-nighter. Hearing ‘allnighter’ makes me want wine, and to that end, this spot delivers.The 250-strong wine list carries everything from a refined 2013 Eldridge Estate Chardonnay ($99) to whole-bunch fermented ‘amber’ wines

Busshari Busshari staff are particularly proud of their Soft Shell Crab Karaage ($18) making it into the Daily Telegraph’s list of the top hundred Sydney dishes last year. For good reason, too, it’s dry and intensely savoury. It’s perfect against Kubota Manju ($33/180ml); dubbed ‘10,000 Ostentatiousness’ it’s the star of their impressive sake list. Ease your way in with the daily Sake Tasting Set ($15/3) that’ll have you discussing the merits of junmai,

like the 2014 Punch ‘Saffron’ Chardonnay ($63).Team it with unaugmented Wapengo Lake Oysters ($4/each), an unexpectedly delicious 18-Hour Minute Steak ($19) teamed with hazelnuts, a carrot ribbon and pumpkin puree, or standout Roast Veal Sweetbreads ($18) with fennel and liquorice. 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney (02) 9232 2767 fixstjames.com.au Modern Australian, Bar,Wine $$$$ Alpha Restaurant This stately restaurant simultaneously summons monumental history and lazy days by the seashore. Chic apronclad staff exude effortless cool.They’re confident in the menu, and they should be - parts of it, like the Scallop Moussaka ($27), have stood the test of time. Seared scallops lie between eggplant rounds,

junmai ginjo and junmai daiginjo like a sake connoisseur. While hot dishes like Saikyoyaki ($20) - a blackened piece of miso-marinated toothfish that flakes into buttery white curls when tapped with a chopstick - are great, Chef Nobuyuki Ito’s heart lies in sashimi. His Chef’s Selection Sashimi Plate ($38) is a stunner, not only for freshness, but also for the edible garnishes, and knife work.Take a progressive tasting journey along the platter, punctuating fatty pink toro (tuna belly) with different types of seaweed and culminating in glistening cuttlefish topped with sea urchin roe. Dashi vinaigrette jelly topped Oysters ($3/each) and the signature striped Kingfish Carpaccio ($21) may contribute to a somewhat hefty bill, but are definitely good eating. End your meal with (seasonal) Sea Urchin Nigiri Sushi ($9/2 pieces) followed by a bowl of Roasted Green Tea Ice Cream ($7) garnished with warabi mochi. 119 Macleay Street, Potts Point (02) 9357 4555 busshari.com.au Japanese $$$$

glued together with a smear of standout Taramosalata ($12) (also available in dip form with addictive, house-made pita bread). Other classics, like Spanakopita ($20), result in an airy, golden-topped spinach pie, dissected tableside by the universally handsome wait staff. Make Head Chef Peter Conistis’ Greek Spiced Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder ($38/$58) the centrepiece of your meal – roast potatoes don’t get much better. 238 Castlereagh Street, Sydney (02) 9098 1111 alpharestaurant.com.au Greek $$$ DARLO, KINGS X & SURRY HILLS Mum’s Table “Pho is a beef noodle broth,” says Mylisa Nguyen emphatically, “there’s nothing

vegetarian in Vietnamese food.” Mylisa’s steely determination to stay culturally accurate pays off in wonderfully balanced Pho Tai Nam ($14) with rare beef and sliced beef brisket.This business is “all in the family” from the modern, spacious restaurant design featuring Vietnamese hats (Nón Lá) hanging from the ceiling, to Mum and Dad playing starring roles.The Banh mi (Vietnamese baguettes) are great, particularly Dad’s favourite: Banh Mi Heo Quay ($9.50) with pork belly and ginger sauce.You’ll also find perennial favourites like Pork Stuffed Chicken Wings ($10.80/2), Sugarcane Prawn Mousse ($10.80/4) and Crispy Pancake ($16.50) with roast pork and prawns. 457-459 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills (02) 8021 2701 mumstablesh.com Vietnamese $$

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EAT DRINK EAT &&DRINK By Jackie McMillan

Bloody Mary’s By Ryan Kennedy Garnished with a slider, hot wing, and prawn, The Bloody Hell ($25) is without a doubt the most ridiculous cocktail I’ve ever seen. A chilli-infused Bloody Mary, it is but one of ten variations of the classic at the appropriately named Bloody Mary’s, made with in-house blended tomato juice, and with a spice wall for heat customisation. Perhaps

The Devonshire Affable Restaurant Manager Craig McCall tells me to think of this spot as my “neighbourhood fine diner”. And, after scraping the last skerrick of Devonshire Crème Brulee ($16) with scone ice cream and decadent cherry jam from the dainty teacup, I muse he’s right. Owner/head chef Jeremy Bentley creates dishes that are highly worked without being challenging. Moist Smoked Pork Belly ($25) squares are accompanied by pig’s tail, boiled in stock and soy, then crumbed and fried, balanced by pickled cabbage. Golden-crumbed blocks of pressed lamb shoulder add texture to Slow Cooked Lamb Rump ($37) with eggplant caviar. Shave down prices by booking a 6pm sitting for their two-course Pre-Theatre

Husband and wife team, Leigh and Amanda McDivitt, turn their talents to weekend high tea, nestled inside the rich red womb of their Balmain fine diner. And, despite him being the chef, this time I’m declaring the match in favour of his talented and vivacious Missus.Well, with the possible exception of Leigh’s clever vongole popcorn served on squid ink and tapioca crisps. It’s just one of the top shelf options sure to please your male dining companion on these please-all High Tea ($50/head) platters. And yes, I feel confident recommending you bring your bloke for a more casual, everyday version of an

INNER WEST Charlotte Café Balmain’s awash with visitors from all corners of the city, keen to explore the cosmopolitan selection of trendy cafés. Precisely why Charlotte Café in neighbouring Birchgrove, provides pleasant respite from the hustle and bustle. It’s a place where locals meet for coffee (of which Campos fans will approve), with outdoor dog bowls provided for four-legged friends.The Charlotte Special ($18.50) is a decadent, Norwegian take on eggs Benedict, featuring homemade Hollandaise and fish roe. Crunchy Corn Fritters 12

city hub 30 july 2015

a hangover cure in and of itself, you could do a lot worse than pairing it, and a few friends, with a Mixed Platter ($48), designed for three people, it offers the full catalogue of all the Sunday morning, life-saving, deep fried things you could want: buffalo wings, chilli prawns, onion rings, jalapeno poppers. Something less outrageous but equally delicious comes in the form of a Scotch Fillet ($25), perfectly cooked with an array of earthy mushrooms, and a Caesar Salad ($20) that hits the delicate balance between rich and fresh. But as much as this place is hangover appropriate, you could go a long way toward starting one here. An Espresso Martini ($19) with crumbled M&Ms on top is perfection (seriously, a game-changer), while the KANDI-KAYNE ($18) a dangerously all-caps sugar hit of vodka, lychee, raspberry and lemonade. I’m almost looking forward to my next hangover… 332 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst (02) 9360 5568 bloodymaryssydney.com.au Bar, Bar Food, Cocktails $$$

Menu ($49/head). 204 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills (02) 9698 9427 thedevonshire.com.au Modern Australian $$$$ Mama’s Buoi “Vietnamese food is spicy, but we are in Australia, with European/British taste,” Assistant Manager Guillaume Henry says, explaining the structural decision at Mama’s Buoi to make the dishes widely appealing. And clearly it’s worked: in the Surry Hills quick-bite-after-work market, this joint is killing it. Crunchy Hanoi Shrimp Cakes ($12) make excellent drinking snacks against cocktails like the aromatic passionfruit A.K. Sour ($16). Juicy soft shell crab with green papaya and pomelo salad, makes Mama’s Boy’s Buoi ($20) another winner.Team grilled options like Marinated Pork Spare Ribs

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($22) with the surprisingly delicious slow cooked Coconut Tamarind Curry ($16). This still-expanding chain is fresh and stylish, and clearly speaks to the people. 116 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills (02) 9281 9993 mamasbuoi.com.au Vietnamese $$-$$$ EASTERN SUBURBS & BEACHES

Char and Co Char and Co’s Brazilian all you can eat meat-feast is different.Their churrasco is intimate, and while the meat still comes out on swords, you feel like it’s been freshly cooked just for you. At $55 for an unlimited service of twenty Brazilian cuts, including garlic lamb, chorizo, chicken wings, prawns and chicken hearts, it’s the best way to experience

event that’s usually the domain of frocks and high heels.While chef has banished the ubiquitous crusts-off cucumber sandwiches in favour of savoury items like compressed confit chicken wings, you can re-add the cucumber with Cool As ($18), a daytimefriendly tequila, Cointreau and chilli concoction. On the ground floor of your slightly risqué platter, Amanda entices you with hot cinnamon doughnuts filled with Seville orange and Cointreau crème patisserie.The boozy long lunch theme continues into Sailor Jerry’s and apricot marshmallows, which may result in sticky fingers. The shining star of the platter is a verrine of sherbet-like lemon and yuzu parfait – perfect against an equally airy Raspberry Sorbet Bellini ($17). 233 Darling Street Balmain (02) 9555 8750 one6eight.info High Tea, Cocktails $$$

($14.50) with baby spinach and grilled haloumi is offset nicely with a cucumber and yoghurt topping. Avocado and Tomatoes on Toast ($10) with pesto, pleased my vegan dining-mate, and we’re told it’s a best seller. 127 Rowntree Street, Birchgrove (0403) 924 168 facebook.com/ CharlotteCafeBirchgrove Café $-$$ Forest Lodge Hotel Festooned with fairy lights, vintage photos, and boasting craft beers on tap, the Forest Lodge Hotel— or Flodge as I once lovingly knew it—has come a long way from stale beer and aromatic football socks.Where there were once VB

jugs, rusted-on locals, and footy on the TV, there’s now Craft Beer Tasting Paddles ($15) featuring hoppy Murray’s Stone Kicker Ale ($7) and smoke’n’barley flavoured Draughty Kilt Scotch Ale ($9). And I’ve got to admit—things have changed for the better – especially with perfectly cooked Kangaroo Fillet ($26) with earthy beetroot, walnut and goats cheese salad, and the famous madrasstyle Fish Curry ($20), mild and elegant, with a slab of crispskinned salmon. 117 Arundel Street, Forest Lodge (02) 9660 1872 forestlodgehotel.com.au Pub Bistro $$-$$$

Nomad By DJ Hookie With the exposed wooden beams and ventilation ducts that snake throughout the ceiling of this beautifully ambient Surry Hills mess hall, I find myself wondering whether or not I’ve ended up on the set of the next Justin Timberlake music video, rather than in Sydney’s culinary institution, Nomad.These reflections are quickly quashed over a glass of 2008 Bella Ridge Estate

owner/chef Bruno Da Motta’s fine fare. For a true expedition, partake in extras like delicate Salted Cod Fritters ($16) with fish crackling (as good as it sounds) and Deep Fried Jalapeños ($10).Throw in a Caipirinha ($17) and some dulce de leche in Peanut and Honey Parfait ($15) with peanut brittle and fried plantain. 15 Knox Street, Double Bay (02) 9328 5542 charandco.com.au Brazilian $$ Drake Eatery Just opened and already booked out, the light wood furnishings and grainy yellow floor here scream beach, while the dark wood highlights and floor-to-ceiling windows exude casual cool—it’s perfect for Bondi. Chef Ian Oakes named this beachside venture after his favourite protein, and as you’d expect, his Roast

Grenache Shiraz Mouvedre ($18).When dining opposite a vegetarian, it’s important to choose a restaurant that not only cooks the ‘good stuff’ well, but can also make the rabbit food enticing to any carnivore. And with dishes such as Nomad Jersey Milk Haloumi Heirloom Tomato, Oregano ($29) or the Okra, Spicy Cypriot, Black Salt ($9), this spot certainly fulfils the brief.The standout for me (and probably for everyone) is the Woodfired Eggplant, Pomegranate,Tahini,Yoghurt ($16). Next, it’s important to make the vegetarian jealous, and consider revising their dietary lifestyle, by ordering dishes such as BBQ Wagyu Skirt, Charred Mushroom, Pedro Ximenez ($39).The reputation Nomad has earned is certainly well deserved.The crowd is not as pompous or pretentious as those frequenting other places it could be compared to.The wait-staff don’t fawn over you like serfs at a medieval banquet, and express a genuine excitement about their dishes. Go eat there. 16 Foster Street, Surry Hills (02) 9280 3395 nomadwine.com.au Modern Australian,Wine $$$$

Thirlmere Duck ($29) is perfectly cooked. My Swedish dining partner exclaims:“My Scandinavian palate is singing!” after one taste of the Tea-Smoked Ocean Trout ($18), the earthy baseline of celeriac ‘slaw and delicate trout punctuated by apple matchsticks and liquorice cream. Faith in the staff is rewarded with nut and honeycomb-encrusted White Chocolate and Honeycomb Parfait ($14), and Ricotta Doughnuts ($12) dessert recommendations. Corner of Curlewis and Gould Streets, Bondi Beach (02) 9130 3218 drakeeatery. com.au Modern Australian $$$ GREATER SYDNEY Lan Yuan Genius glossy wasabi mayonnaise in Lan

FOOD NEWS

By Jackie McMillan

With speakeasy-style bars upping the craft cocktail ante, it’s likely your home-based concoctions have been lagging behind. Mine certainly were before I fast-tracked my home bartending skills using a swathe of clever products from Only Bitters.The brainchild of Sophia Dimitropoulos and her husband JD, this online store offers “a vast range of bitters, tonic syrups, artisan syrups, shrubs and bitter liqueurs... over 650 products, and growing!” They’re snapped up by “cocktail enthusiasts, amateurs and professionals alike”, starting with “the staple bitters – Angostura, Regan’s and Peychaud’s” and moving through to specialised bitters - “chocolate, cardamom, rhubarb, and even truffle.” Now if you haven’t got into shrubs yet, you need to! Sophia tells me these drinking vinegars are “made with fruits, vegetables or spices soaked in vinegar and cooked or blended with sugar.” You can use them as adult cordials, or with soda in a long cocktail. And if you’re sick of hunting down FeverTree tonics, consider the Only Bitters range of thirty-odd tonic syrups. Jack Rudy Cocktail Co Small Batch Tonic Syrup [$19.95/503ml] made my home-based gin and tonic better than most bars using a simple splash of soda. Sophia and JD gave me their top picks

to start your home bar: “try Regan’s Orange Bitters (a great all around bitters), Liber & Co Spiced Tonic Syrup (for a killer G&T), Pickett’s Ginger Beer Syrup (Dark and Stormy), El Guapo Orgeat syrup (tiki drinks), and Shrub & Co Apple shrub (a delicious mixer for alcoholic or non-alcoholic cocktails).” www.onlybitters.com

bar fly

By Amie Barbeler

The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room If you’d have asked me 24 hours ago how I felt about oysters, I would have probably made a comment about them being glorified sea boogers, but a preview evening at The Morrison’s Oyster Festival forced me out of my ignorant shell and made me see these flawless little pearlers in a new light. It probably helped that my first oyster came perched atop a cocktail – a Malted Mollusc Cocktail ($20) to be exact. It’s a smoky, spicy whisky balanced with fresh lemon juice, tempered with honey and garnished

Yuan Angus Beef ($26) makes it an easy favourite in Top Ryde’s new bamboo garden. Seek haven in Taoism or Buddhism - Tsing Tao ($8) or Lucky Buddha ($8). Peering through Chinese bamboo at the giant outdoor TV screen feels very Hong Kong.The chefs are also from the former British colony, meaning they’re great at making Southern Chinese dishes for those who don’t tolerate heat, like gentle Live Pippies in XO ($30/500g). For those that do, there’s Szechuan Chicken ($22). Lan Yuan Fried Rice ($18/small) proves worth the spend, with tender scallops, king prawns and crab roe; and the Egg Yolk Tofu ($20) here is addictive. Shop 4005, Level 1,Top Ryde Shopping Centre, Devlin Street, Ryde (02) 9808 1030 lanyuan.com.au Chinese $$$

with a salty oyster. While my date and I sipped our drinks and slurped our oysters, we were educated on the best ways to shuck oysters, and given the chance to taste oysters from Merimbula, Lemon Tree Passage and Coffin Bay. The Morrison’s Oyster Festival will run from 1st – 31st August 2015 and features their famous $1 oyster happy hour, oyster and whisky masterclasses and more. 225 George Street, Sydney (02) 9247 6744 themorrison.com.au

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Riverside Theatres Present: Shellshocked

Don Carlos Some performances are worth the wait. Returning to Sydney after 15 years,Verdi’s Don Carlos promises to be a lavish and grand production. Set at the height of the Spanish Inquisition, the opera tells the dramatic story of the Crown Prince of Spain (Don Carlos) who finds out that the girl he is betrothed to, Elisabeth de Valois, has been sought out to be the bride of his father, Philip II. “(People) should expect the grand opera at its best! Lots of drama, exciting singing, exquisite music and fantastic staging and costumes with a cast of 200 on stage performing just for you,” says Milijana Nikolic, who plays the role of Princess Eboli. First performed in 1867 as a five-act grand opera, this modern version by Opera Australia is anchored by revival director Roger Press who is leading an

international cast of Diego Torre, Latonia Moore, Milijana Nikolic, Ferruccio Furlanetto and José Carbó. The opera deals with the themes of surveillance, betrayal and distrust. Diego Torre, who plays the leading role of Don Carlos, feels that these themes define this particular opera.“I think they’re very close to the reality... those themes are well justified in the story,” says Diego. Describing the production simply as “balance”, Diego feels the beauty of this production lies in its “intense music and a first quality cast“. Grand scale, immense sound, breathtaking music and massive cast provide the foundation for this Elijah Moshinsky production. (JR) Until August 15. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Tickets & info: opera.org.au or 9318 8200

Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres premieres a new show with a twist on the ANZAC story: Shellshocked. An unusual love story of an Australian teenager and his tortoise friend, Herman, the oldest living survivor of the Gallipoli campaign. The play is based on a news clipping director Wayne Harrison passed on to playwright Justin Fleming, who dramatised it to tell the story of fourteen-year-old Tom, his father Jack, and feisty grandmother June, who journey to the other side of the world in search of answers and Herman’s true origin. Shellshocked includes some amazing visual effects and traditional Turkish shadow puppets used to portray the Turkish perspective. Director Wayne Harrison has also had to work with one

rather capricious star. “Getting the tortoise on stage has been a bit of a challenge!” explained Harrison. “We plugged in to the animatronic talents of NIDA and they’ve come up with a working tortoise for us that has to make three key appearances in the piece. I’ve not really directed an animatronic tortoise before, but it’s very effective and affecting when the tortoise makes its appearance.” Shellshocked is definitely not to be missed. (JH) July 30 – August 8. Riverside Theatres, corner of Church and Market Streets, Parramatta. $49-$23. Tickets & info: www.riversideparramatta.com.au

Dear World When the first production of Dear World played New York in 1969 the reception was lukewarm.With songs by Jerry Herman, who at that stage was at the very top of his craft, it perhaps suffered by comparison with his other contemporary works, Mame and Hello Dolly. Based on The Madwoman of Chaillot, it’s a stark contrast with the heroine living in a Paris sewer. Apparently, Herman never intended the piece to be a commercial success, claiming “there are times when you should just do something you love and believe in.” Today it has something of a cult following amongst Broadway aficionados and Neglected Musical brings it to the Hayes Theatre for two performances only. Producer Michelle Guthrie is a big fan of the musical, as well as the rapid-fire process that brings it to the stage. “It is strictly script in hand with one days rehearsal, and Genevieve Lemon only two performances,” said Guthrie. Having assembled some remarkable talent including Simon Burke, Genevieve Lemon and Amanda Bishop, it’s a very special audience experience. “It’s fun to be part of,” says Guthrie. “You feel like you’re on the ride with the cast”. Pitched as the ensemble piece that Herman had originally intended, the sparse accordion accompaniment evokes the streets of Paris. Michelle described: “The music is amazing, the script is gorgeous and it is very, very funny.” (GW) August 3, 2pm and 8pm. Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point. $40. Tickets & info: hayestheatre.com.au or 80657337

a&e

13 STAGE 16 SCENE 17 SCREEN 18 Sounds

Arts Editors: Jamie Apps - Alannah Maher For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter at @AltMediaSydney

Contributors: Brendan Modini, Carmen Cita, Craig Coventry, Greg Webster, Hannah Chapman, Jacob Harrison, James Harkness, Lauren Bell, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Matthew Bernard, Mel Somerville, Michael Muir, Olgar Azar, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Sinead McLaughlin, Siri Williams, Athina Mallis, Leigh Livingstone, Joseph Rana.

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What is the matter with Mary Jane?

Credit: Jodie Hutchinson

This August, the Seymour Centre presents the revival of What is the matter with Mary Jane? An empowering play about disordered eating. Originally performed a decade ago, it tells the story of a woman struggling with anorexia, bulimia and the need to over-exercise from the age of 16 through to 28. Created by Sancia Robinson and Wendy Harmer, this four night run is directed by Robinson. The deeply personal story is close to Sancia Robinson’s heart. After suffering for twelve years with eating disorders, she fells privileged to share her journey with others. The wonderful Gabrielle Savrone portrays the young woman in this play, covering Robinson’s years of struggle. The play is wonderfully written and is a tool to educate young women and men about anorexia and bulimia. Robinson states that the main message of the play is for sufferers to realise that help is out there. Whether they speak to their doctor or the Butterfly Foundation, realise that they are not alone. Due to adult content, minimum age for the audience is 16. (LB) August 4 - 8,Wed- Fri 10:30am and 7pm, Sat-2pm and 7pm. Reginald Theatre, corner of City Road & Cleveland Street, Chippendale. $20-$25. Tickets & info: www.seymourcentre.com

The Snow Queen

Photo: Greg Piper

Do you find yourself suffering from spasms of intellectual drain when coming across adaptations of classics that refuse to break free from the set stereotypes of ‘happily-ever-after’ and the ‘miss-goody-two-shoesprincess’ that has been typecast to death? Well, there’s good news.The Lane Cove Theatre Company is bringing to stage The Snow Queen, a classic tale of good vs evil by Hans Christian Andersen. For worshipers of Elsa and sufferers of Disney’s Frozen-mania, here’s a chance at redemption. “There’s love and sacrifice, there’s the battle between good and evil - but the thing is... this isn’t the simple fairytale,” tells Oliver Clisdell, who plays the character of Kai. Oliver, who is “excited for the experience for future shows”, hits the nail on the head.“It’s all about a girl who has to use all of her strength to save her brother, which I think is very important for children to learn instead of the stereotype of being a princess or a saviour,” explained Oliver. For Director Trent Gardiner, this production is a fresh and authentic take on the 1884 original story that inspired Frozen. “The quote ‘cold can freeze your heart but love can set you free’ is the central spine that underpins this story,” says Trent. “(It is) an energetic re-telling of Andersen’s traditional fairy-tale with modern references, enchanting popular music (Billy Joel, Dolly Parton, Madonna, Europe),” says Trent. There is a new children’s musical in town, and it is here to enchant. (JR) Until August 8. St Aidan’s Hall, 1 Christina Street, Longueville. $15-$25.Tickets: www.trybooking.com/HWLJ THEATRE & PERFORMANCE

THE ODD COUPLE Neil Simon came up with a stroke of comedy genius when he put the fastidious and slightly neurotic Felix Unger into the same apartment as the perennial slob, Oscar Madison.The Odd Couple comes to King Street Theatre in its classic incarnation. Audiences can expect to step off King Street, walk up some dimly lit stairs and directly into Oscar Madison’s New York apartment. Calib James, who plays Felix, says: “It really is old-fashioned, clean-hearted comedy – very well-written and very, 14

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very funny”. (GW) Until August 1 (Tues - Sat). King

Street Theatre, Level 1/644 King Street, Newtown. $30-35. Tickets: 0423 082 015.

THE CHERRY ORCHARD Set in Russia in the year 1904 – a time when there was massive social change and the middle class was just developing – this is a period piece with the appropriate costumes, yet the themes are still relatable today.We fall in love with the wrong people, we make incorrect choices, and sometimes we just like to stick our heads in the sand. These are the same issues people were facing in 1904. (MS)

Until August 1. The Depot Theatre, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville. $20-$29.Tickets & info: info@thedepottheatre.com or 0428032838 FRENCH BAROQUE This show combines great performances and spectacular music. Using an all-French music program, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra joins with the contemporary circus performers of Circa. Accompanied by French soprano Claire Lefilliatre, these powerhouse acts will take you on a beautiful and uplifting journey.Whilst widely popular in Europe, it is a rarity of this orchestral music and soprano

performance to be seen in Sydney. Circa’s acrobatic contribution pushes French Baroque to an even greater level. (LB) Until August 2. City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney. $32-$166. Tickets & info: brandenburg.com.au DETROIT This play frankly presents the financial blow-out of it’s namesake American city and features two couples, both in strife, who meet for a backyard barbeque that implodes over the successive 10 days. Claire Lovering who plays Sharon, the freshout-of-rehab neighbour, says the play is a black comedy exploring two very

different couples living in suburban America. “At its heart, this is a story about people and relationships, and how people find themselves not where they thought they would be,” explains Lovering. “It’s relatable to everyone.” (OA) Until August 16. Darlinghurst Theatre Company, 30 Burton St, Darlinghurst. $30-$45. Tickets & info: www.darlinghursttheatre.com or 8356 9987 RISQUÉ REVUE Slide Lounge is an Oxford Street institution famous for going the extra mile. Risqué Revue, their winter show, is a neo-burlesque

performance that showcases the glamour of European clubs. Featuring dancers, aerial performances, pole work and song, it tells a story of burlesque performers wrestling for control of their fictional Parisian club from the male owner.Think aerial antics, a wild can-can and champagne bubble baths served with French cuisine. (HC) Every Wednesday throughout Winter. Slide Lounge, 41 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. From $89 (3 course dinner & show). Double Date Deal: $365 (table of 4). Tickets & info: slide.com.au/shows/ risquerevue

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T H E NA K E D C ITY

LET THE FIGHT BACK BEGIN! By Coffin Ed, Jay Katz and Miss Death

some wretched scammer in Nigeria. Australia Post would be deluged with millions of letters and forced to reappraise their shocking decision to cut the delivery of such to two or three days a week. Citizens used to complain about the outrageous waiting times when queuing on the phone for Government services and the like. Now even that pain and suffering is being diverted online, as institutions and companies refer you to online chat to resolve your enquiries – with an equally exasperating wait to be served. Then of course there are those dot.com opportunists, like Uber and Airbnb, furiously exploiting the internet to take on our cabbies and fleabag hotels, all in the name of saving a few precious dollars (for the punter) and making squillions for the global operators. And who knows where this rampant opportunism will eventually lead? We can even envisage a day when the traditional funeral will be played out, entirely online. Once your body is removed and obliterated in an anonymous pulveriser you are replaced by a cosmetically enhanced avatar (bye bye embalmers!).Your extended family gather around their smart TVs as the elaborate service takes place, complete with a hundred-piece cyber choir and a mausoleum that would do a Greek shipping magnate proud. For just a small encrypted payment, you get to send an enormous wreath of flowers and can even add additional mourners to the ceremony, with just the click of a mouse. Over our dead bodies!

There was a telling Leunig cartoon in a recent edition of The Age. A woman walking her dog was bailed up at the front of the local recreational area with a sign outside the locked gate: “THE PARK IS NOW CLOSED AND HAS GONE ONLINE www.park.com”. A sign of the times indeed, and just another victory for the virtual world as we become more and more distanced from reality. This week we learned that the beloved ABC Shops would be gradually closing their doors, right across the country. Kiddies who once embraced the latest manifestation of Peppa Pig or Bananas in Pyjamas, live in the shop, would now have to conjure the same tactile experience in the cold, detached world of cyber space. It’s the latest in a long list of radical changes in which the online world, fuelled by shameless dot.com opportunists, is eroding our traditional culture. Well f*** ‘em, we say! We’re fighting back and we welcome anybody who feels the same as we do to join our combative ranks. There’s a conspiracy out there to force you to abandon your good old fashioned Luddite ways and opt for all that the rotten online world has to offer. Do we really want to see the welcome face of the Aussie postie, running the gauntlet of snapping digs and bumpy pavements, all but disappear from our streets – just because we are no longer sending letters. Whatever happened to Christmas cards for example? Remember the days when you proudly displayed twenty or more of them, spread across your mantelpiece or slotted into the dusty venetians? These days you are more than likely to receive a virtual greeting, the ultimate cheapskate gesture and one that needs to be deleted immediately. What we need is an “Aussies Post A Letter Day”, whereby every citizen in the land is encouraged to go out, buy a bloody stamp and send a letter, whether it’s a love letter to your dearest or a “no thank you” to

My Trip to Mars

Artist Adam Norton transforms the UTS Gallery into a replica of the surface of Mars for his exhibition My Trip to Mars. Norton’s exhibition explores the effects of technology on the human condition. My Trip to Mars is all about experiencing what life would be like on Mars, without actually having to get onto a spacecraft. There will be objects and souvenirs scattered around the set to light up viewers imagination, to transform them from simple onlookers to space explorers. It will include recent sculpture, installation and video works including Space Yurt, a habitation unit for a solo space explorer and The Mars Project, a video work made with Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery. Norton has made work focusing on space travel, virtual welfare and nuclear weapons. His previous exhibits include Conquest of Space: Science Fiction and Contemporary Art and Hope of Wrecks. My Trip to Mars is presented as part of National Science Week and Sydney Science Festival. (AMal) Until 28 August. UTS Gallery. Level 4, 702 Harris St, Ultimo. Free Entry. Info: art.uts.edu.au/index.php/exhibitions/ my-trip-to-mars/

exhibitions LOCALS ONLY: CALIFORNIAN SKATEBOARDING 1975-78 The image of tanned bodies, sun splashed blonde hair and a ‘devil may care’ attitude is synonymous with California skaters of the 1970’s (namely the notorious Z-boys and Dogtown skateboarders). But who captured and popularised this image? Hugh Holland. Holland’s 16

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Film still from Adam Norton’s ‘The Mars Project’.

famous photographs are on display for the first time in Australia. Often imitated but never equalled, his work gives the viewer the opportunity to experience what’s its like to be there at the beginning of a movement. (BM) Until August 1. Blender Gallery, 16 Elizabeth Street, Paddington 2021. (Closed Sundays and Mondays.) Info: www.blendergallery.com 24 Frames The Carriageworks

has been transformed into an immersive multimedia and dance experience, featuring 24 different works by 24 different artists. Commissioned as part of a partnership between the Australian Council Of The Arts and Carriageworks, this exhibition is set to be one of the most ambitious and extensive presentations of dance on screen in Australia, occupying a space that is 6000 metres squared. The curators of the show placed

CARLA HANANIAH: Mapping the Insurmountable Carla Hananiah’s latest work, Mapping the Insurmountable, is all about the love between a person and the land. Inspired by a trip to the South Island of New Zealand, she said it is a continuum of her romantic and painterly response to the land: “The mountains looming as gentle giants, the feeling of being towered over...I felt like being in their presence spoke to me.” Hananiah explained her obsession with rivers and how each piece is more work from her visual diary than anything else: “I became quite obsessed with wanting to paint them from every angle – each facet tells a different story.The mountains and my experience of them became an internal soul journal of sorts.” One of the reason she paints natural settings is to ‘soak in nature’ and focus more on the bigger picture in life:“Beholding beauty puts everything into perspective for me. I think that by painting what takes me away from my small everyday worries and focusing on the grand, the beautiful – there is a new truth to be found.” She hopes when someone has her work in their house they can look at it, feel calm and realise it’s all going to be okay. (AMal) Until August 8. Arthouse Gallery, 66 McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay. Free Entry. Info: arthousegallery.com.au

very few limitations upon the artists, the only guidelines being that the works had to have a film element and also incorporate a dance element. Due to this philosophy the variety of works is astonishing, ranging from projections in various sizes and formats to works that incorporate the structural heritage elements of the venue itself into the art. (JA) Jun 18 – Aug 2, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Everleigh, FREE,

info: carriageworks.com.au INSPIRATION BY DESIGN: WORD AND IMAGE For the first time in Sydney, audiences are able to see one of Pablo Picasso’s art books, fashion sketches by Dior and Beatrix Potter’s original illustrations. This exhibition from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum is now at the State Library. This international collection celebrates over 150 years worth of the world’s finest and most talented

artists, illustrators and designers. Over 100 designs, illustrations and images will be on display. The State Library has taken this opportunity to also showcase Australian Design. Illustrations of the original Blinky Bill by Dorothy Wall are featured, as well as a Jørn Utzon’s original sketch of the Sydney Opera House. (JC) Until September 27. State Library of NSW, Macquarie St, Sydney. Free. Information: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/

Ant-Man

The Gallows

Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd). Image courtesy of Marvel.

Marvel’s latest release, Ant-Man, follows burglar-in-need-ofredemption Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). He chooses to help Dr Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) stop a former colleague from misusing Pym’s technology.To do this he must become Ant-Man and pull off his biggest heist yet. To give Ant-Man proper credit it has to be measured on its own merit, as it could be argued that a pint-sized superhero was never going to measure up to a Marvel big-hitter like The Avengers. But Paul Rudd is a Hollywood heavyweight, someone who can just as easily bring in the big bucks as cement an indie-flick into cult classic status, and he’s certainly worked his magic on Ant-Man. Despite a narrative that feels flimsy and rushed (with character arcs that are non-existent in some cases) Ant-Man is an entertaining, funny film.The cast, including Evangeline Lilly as Pym’s strong-minded daughter, are likeable and believable in their roles and it is the ensemble and action that makes this work so well. With attitude to rival Tony Stark, wry humour to match Guardians of the Galaxy and hand-to-hand action sequences to take on Captain America - Ant-Man ticks all the right boxes (including the obligatory and transformative shirt-off shot) to take an unlikely character from zero to hero. With the sheer magnitude of the Marvel Universe’s threephase film slate, over the next four years (at least) Ant-Man could easily have slipped through the cracks in the pavement. Instead, this film is a successful vehicle to introduce the character and progress the central Marvel films. And with the information that Ant-Man will be involved in the next Captain America film, he is ensured a larger presence despite his small stature. (LL) WWW

From the same production company that had cinemas screaming in fear with Paranormal Activity and Insidious comes the latest found footage style fright fest: The Gallows.This relation, however, is as close as this film gets to having audiences running in fear. The Gallows takes four archetypal high school kids, each armed with either a video camera or their mobile phone, locks them in their creepy school theatre and lets the horror ensue. Sadly, in the opening act where we are supposed to build a connection with the characters, the only emotion I felt was annoyance and frankly couldn’t wait to see each person slowly picked off. The found footage genre has to be very careful with the particular shots they use, so as not come across as over contrived. Unfortunately it seems little thought was put into occasional moments, with some shots feeling awkward and unnatural. With all of these factors in mind, it’s easy to see why The Gallows resorts to overused horror tropes and loud ‘jump scares’ rather than building real terror or suspense. (JA) W1/2

Review: Mr Holmes In a film about Sherlock Holmes starring renowned badass Ian McKellan, you might expect a lot of whip-smart sleuthing and detective dialogue. Well, while there is a little, Mr Holmes is a lot more complex than that. Holmes is now in his 90s, his once-brilliant mind wavering, trying to remember the details of his last case. The case that was to stop his career has been portrayed wrongly by Watson, and it causes Holmes no end

SELF/LESS Conceptually, this is a film that had the potential to explore some deep-seeded philosophical concepts. Sadly however, these ideas are quickly dashed as the film descends into generic shoot-em-up thriller fair.The film centres around Damian Hale (Ben Kingsley and Ryan Reynolds), a rich New York real estate magnate suffering from a terminal cancer. He is introduced to the concept of ‘shedding’, which promises to transfer his mind into the body of a young,‘laboratory grown’ vessel.The only catch being he must not have any contact with people from his past - and take a red pill everyday to prevent hallucinations, migraines and death. (JA) WW 13 MINUTES This WWII drama is the incredible true story of George Elser, a German who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Highly suspenseful and heartfelt at times, this skilfully edited film intertwines flashbacks revealing the events in Elser’s life which led to his desperate mission to eliminate Hitler. Hitler is seen only in the

opening scenes, but his evil prevalence is evident through graphic and disturbing scenes of torture and executions which he ordered.This film is highly-crafted and spoken in German, which effectively heightens it’s credibility. (MMo) WWWW MAGIC MIKE XXL The sequel to 2012’s Magic Mike slides half-naked into theatres and does what it says on the muscle-flexing tin. Funny, entertaining and mostly gratuitous scenes are strung together with a barely-there plot about ‘getting back to the grind’, as Mike (Channing Tatum) and the remaining ‘Kings of Tampa’ take a boys road trip for one last hurrah at a stripper convention. Overall Magic Mike XXL is unapologetically cheesy and unabashedly entertaining, if only for the dance routines... and the stripping… which is basically the whole film. Squeal on, queens. (LL) WW RUBEN GUTHRIE “Let’s get smashed” is the opening dialogue aptly summing up this Australian

comedy/drama about alcohol abuse. Ruben Guthrie (Patrick Brammall) is an advertising guru who loves to party and over-indulge on alcohol. His fiancée gives him an ultimatum – stop drinking within 12 months, or else they’re finished. Can he refrain from participating in one of Australian’s favourite pass times? Highlighting the difficulties in writing comedy, this film would have been more engaging solely as a drama. Most comical dialogue backfired, simply evoking a sense of awkwardness. (MMo) WWW TED 2 Ted (Seth MacFarlane) and his thunder buddy John (Mark Wahlberg) are back in the sequel to MacFarlane’s 2012 comedy about a foul-mouthed teddy bear who came to life. In the first film it was John who needed to grow up, now the narrative is all about Ted. Since the predecessor was a comedy that successfully walked the line between clever and crass, the same could be expected for the sequel. Unfortunately Ted 2 falls more on the crass side and feels like a half-

of distress. From his retirement home by the sea, he must try and piece it all together while his memory decays. The distinction between really remembering and creating a memory based on some details is an interesting one. Senility and the ravages of age are also compelling themes for a film about a man who seems to know everything. McKellan plays both the doddering old man and hyper intelligent detective to perfection. (HC) WWW1/2

hearted attempt to milk the concept – MacFarlane is more successful when he breaks the mould. (LL) WWW AMY This intimate and fascinating documentary by Asif Kapadia (Senna,The Sheep Theif) using Winehouse’s most poignant lyrics as the spine of the narrative, accompanied by never before seen footage.There is no creative editing or opportunistic re-appropriation of media footage to perpetuate the public perception of her, Amy is as honest, straightforward and complex as the ‘gobby’ girl herself. It is technically difficult to turn a disparate collection of shots and raw video into a flowing, accurate piece of cinema - but Kapadia has created a deeply honest and moving portrayal in Winehouse’s own words (or more aptly, lyrics). (LL) WWWW JURASSIC WORLD It’s been 22 years since the first Jurassic Park left audiences enamoured with the concept of a dinosaur theme park, and that sense of wonderment has

been successfully reinvigorated in this third sequel. It’s a testament to director Colin Trevorrow who has stepped up to take the reins of his first major blockbuster and knocked it out of the (jurassic) park. Leads Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard do a solid job of being co-heroes. Romantic interest takes a backseat to the training relationship Pratt’s toughguy Owen has with his team of raptors.While there are some weak points — two-dimensional supporting characters and a shoehorned sub-plot — none of that will matter in one of the most anticipated sequels ever made. (LL) WWWW SLM MOVIE CLUB SERIES: AUSTRALIAN FILMMAKERS Local filmmakers are being acknowledged in the Sydney Living Museum’s latest Movie Club Series, documentary screenings are followed by Q&A sessions with the filmmakers. The final film in the series of showings,Tender (Aug 30), from filmmaker Lynette Wallworth, is compassionate and inspirational, and

revolves around a community centre in Port Kembla which is in the process of removing funerals from the business structure and placing it in the hands of the community.(MMo) Museum of Sydney, Cnr Phillip & Bridge Streets, $12-$15. Bookings & Information: sydneylivingmuseums.com.au INSIDE OUT Pixar is famous for making animations that comment on the human condition and Inside Out is another triumph.This laugh-outloud comedy about Riley (Kaitlyn Dias), who is guided by the emotions that live in the control centre of her mind, is funny for both adults and children. Featuring comedic star voices such as Amy Poehler as Joy, Bill Hader as Fear, Lewis Black as Anger, Mindy Kaling as Disgust and Phyllis Smith as Sadness.As with all Pixar animations, the formula is simple — there’s laughter, fun, nostalgia and a good dose of tugging at the heartstrings, with an honest message to tie it all together — but this is by no means a formulaic offering. (LL) WWWW city hub 30 July 2015

Sydney Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE By Jamie Apps Ella Thompson: This energetic and powerful vocalist is finally spreading her wings and unleashing everything she has with her first solo album. Having previously worked collaboratively with others where she received widespread acclaim this record has been eagerly anticipated ever since. Thu, Jul 30, Newtown Social Club Open Frame Room40: Celebrating their 15th birthday, iconic music label Room40 known for their cutting edge experimental music are hosting a special two day event with a specially curated lineup of acts. Over the two days there will be both Australian and world premieres of audio visual works by artists such as Makino Takeshi, Jim O’Rourke, Austin Buckett,William Basinski and label founder Lawrence English. Thu & Fri, Jul 30-31, Carriageworks Australian World Orchestra: Returning with a stunning punch the AWO welcomes a special tandem of the charismatic conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Sir Simon Rattle and world renowned mezzo-soprano Magdalene Kozena. This special concert will see 95 performers, 45 international musicians along with 50 of Australia’s best, coming together.This will truly be a sight and experience to behold. Fri, Jul 31, Sydney Opera House

Legs Electric

Mark Seymour And The Undertow: Celebrating their phenomenal 30 year career the band is set to perform a one off show spanning over two hours and covering all of their milestone records and fan favourites. Known for his powerful live performances over three decades, this will be the only chance for fans to catch Mark in an intimate seated theatre show atmosphere. Sat, Aug 1, Factory Theatre

By jamie apps More often than not all-girl musical groups fall neatly into the pop genre, but Perth band Legs Electric buck that trend, instead bringing back the energy and electricity of 70s and early 80s rock and roll. The band came together in 2012 through their common passion for artists such as Pink Floyd,TheWho and The Rolling Stones - all of which are bands that Legs Electric drummer Kylie Soans remembers fondly listening to growing up, thanks to her father. It was this early influence, in particular the “crazy, mental” style of Keith Moon that drove Kylie to undertake four years training as a jazz drummer.“After that I didn’t feel there was anything else I could be taught on the jazz side, so I went to play in a bunch of rock bands, everyone I played with was about 20 years older than me because I was a little bit over my level as a 12 year old,” Kylie explained. After some time performing in different bands with her sister and fellow Legs Electric member Abby, the girls decided it was time to spread their wings and unleash their own creative abilities.Thus came the formation of Legs Electric with flatmate Laura McCormack and finally the addition of lead singer Ama Quinsee.“I found Ama singing AC/DC in a rock and roll pub in Perth when she jumped on stage with a cover band, and [I] went up to her afterwards to tell her she was a great singer and needed to join our band. She was quite busy in other bands at the time, so it took six to nine months of stalking before I got her to come in and listen to our first single

Kendall National Violin Competition: One of the most important competitions for young musicians in the Asia Pacific heads into the crucial stages this weekend, with Sydney playing host the the semi-finals. Performing in the competition are four violinists from Melbourne, three from Sydney and one from the ACT, so head on down and support the local artists. Sun, Aug 2, Sydney Conservatorium of Music Ella Fence: Following the astonishing success of her debut EP Wanderlust, Ella will return to Sydney as part of the launch tour before jetting off to the UK in September, so take the opportunity to see her now. Ella has a beautifully hypnotising voice blurring the lines of folk and alternative country with a modern flair. Sun, Aug 2,The Soda Factory

Eddie Boyd and The Phatapillars -

A Lover And A Fool EP

A pleasant voice and a guitar that plays lightly just underneath start off this EP from Eddie Boyd and the Phatapillars. It plays along a little, lulling the listener into a state of calm, then it builds. Swelling without straining, the voice and the music roll in harmonious waves.This album begins sweet and smooth like a steadily warming sunbeam spilling through the kitchen window.Then it draws a sad smile across the face of the listener, with glazed over eyes and ears enveloped in the cozy sounds of the band. (SP) WWWW

Illicit Love, and she was sold instantly,” said Kylie laughingly. The girls have seen their popularity soar and even secured coveted support slots alongside the likes of Ace Frehley, Uriah Heep,The Baby Animals and The Superjesus. All of this success without ever touring NSW, which they will be conquering this week. Kylie’s energy and excitement levels beamed through when speaking about the upcoming tour:“We’re so excited, it’s going to be awesome. We’ve played Melbourne a few times but never been to New South Wales and Sydney, so we’re stoked to finally come over.” The first show at the Sly Fox will be a “great night of maximum rock and roll” before stripping things back for a rare acoustic show at The Beaded Tit. Kylie assures fans though that “every show is going to be as rock and roll as you can get, we don’t muck around on stage.” Jul 30, Sly Fox.Aug 2,The BeadedTit. More Information: facebook. com/legselectric

Northlane - Node

Returning after a tumultuous period (following the departure of former vocalist Adrian Fitipaldes) that saw the future of the band in doubt, Northlane have reinvented themselves with Node and new vocalist Marcus Bridge. Rather than attempting to produce a sloppy imitation of their former selves, Northlane have instead chosen to clean up their sound and pursue more melodic post-hardcore vibes. Far from becoming radio friendly purveyors of pop-punk/metal, the band have simply taken a few steps back to best incorporate and accentuate Marcus’ skills.This has been done extremely well and should potentially open the band up to a much wider audience. (JA) WWW1/2

FREEWILLASTROLOGY by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “I am very much in love with no one in particular,” says actor Ezra Miller. His statement would make sense coming out of your mouth right about now. So would this one: “I am very much in love with almost everyone I encounter.” Or this one: “I am very much in love with the wind and moon and hills and rain and rivers.” Is this going to be a problem? How will you deal with your overwhelming urge to overflow? Will you break people’s hearts and provoke uproars everywhere you go, or will you rouse delight and bestow blessings? As long as you take yourself lightly, I foresee delight and blessings.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In her io9.com article on untranslatable words, Esther Inglis-Arkell defines the Chinese term *wei-wu-wei* as “conscious non-action . . . a deliberate, and principled, decision to do nothing whatsoever, and to do it for a particular reason.” In my astrological opinion, the coming days would be a favorable time to explore and experiment with this approach. I think you will reap wondrous benefits if you slow down and rest in the embrace of a pregnant pause. The mysteries of silence and emptiness will be rich resources.

C 18

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “I always liked sidecity hub 30 July 2015

paths, little dark back-alleys behind the main road -- there one finds adventures and surprises, and precious metal in the dirt.” The character named Dmitri Karamazov makes that statement in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel The Brothers Karamazov. And now I’m thinking that you might like to claim his attitude as your own. Just for a while, you understand. Not forever. The magic of the side paths and back-alleys may last for no more than a few weeks, and then gradually fade. But in the meantime, the experiences you uncover there could be fun and educational. I do have one question for you, though: What do you think Dmitri meant by “precious metal in the dirt”? Money? Gold? Jewelry? Was he speaking metaphorically? I’m sure you’ll find out. CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason,” says comedian Jerry Seinfeld. His implication is that rejecting traditional strategies and conventional wisdom doesn’t always lead to success. As a professional rebel myself, I find it painful to agree even a little bit with that idea. But I do think it’s applicable to your life right now. For the foreseeable future, compulsive nonconformity is likely to yield mediocrity. Putting too much emphasis on being unique rather than on being right might distract you from the truth. My advice: Stick to the road more traveled.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I expect you to be in a state of constant birth for the next three weeks. Awakening and activation will come naturally. Your drive to blossom and create may be irresistible, bordering on unruly. Does that sound overwhelming? I don’t think it will be a problem as long as you cultivate a mood of amazed amusement about it. (P.S. This upsurge is a healthy response to the dissolution that preceded it.)

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Expiration dates loom. Fond adieus and last laughs and final hurrahs are on tap. Unfinished business is begging you to give it your smartest attention while there’s still time to finish it with elegance and grace. So here’s my advice for you, my on-the-verge friend: Don’t save any of your tricks, ingenuity, or enthusiasm for later. This is the later you’ve been saving them for. You are more ready than you realize to try what has always seemed improbable or inconceivable before now. Here’s my promise: If you handle these endings with righteous decisiveness, you will ensure bright beginnings in the weeks after your birthday.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A company called Evil Supply sells a satirical poster that contains the following quote: “Be the villain you were born to be. Stop waiting for someone to come along and corrupt you. Succumb to the

darkness yourself.” The text in the advertisement for this product adds, “Follow your nightmares . . . Plot your own nefarious path.” Although this counsel is slightly funny to me, I’m too moral and upright to recommend it to you -- even now, when I think there would be value in you being less nice and polite and agreeable than you usually are. So I’ll tinker with Evil Supply’s message to create more suitable advice: “For the greater good, follow your naughty bliss. Be a leader with a wild imagination. Nudge everyone out of their numbing routines. Sow benevolent mischief that energizes your team.” SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Every time you resist acting on your anger and instead restore yourself to calm, it gets easier,” writes psychologist Laura Markham in Psychology Today. In fact, neurologists claim that by using your willpower in this way, “you’re actually rewiring your brain.” And so the more you practice, the less likely it is that you will be addled by rage in the future. I see the coming weeks as an especially favorable time for you to do this work, Scorpio. Keeping a part of your anger alive is good, of course -- sometimes you need its energy to motivate constructive change. But you would benefit from culling the excess.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Much of the action in

the world’s novels takes place inside buildings, according to author Robert Bringhurst. But characters in older Russian literature are an exception, he says. They are always out in the forests, traveling and rambling. In accordance with astrological omens, I suggest that you draw inspiration from the Russians’ example in the coming days. As often and as long as you can, put yourself in locations where the sky is overhead. Nature is the preferred setting, but even urban spots are good. Your luck, wisdom, and courage are likely to increase in direct proportion to how much time you spend outdoors. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Has a beloved teacher disappointed you? Are there inspirational figures about whom you feel conflicted because they don’t live up to all of your high standards? Have you become alienated from a person who gave you a blessing but later expressed a flaw you find hard to overlook? Now would be an excellent time to seek healing for rifts like these. Outright forgiveness is one option. You could also work on deepening your appreciation for how complicated and paradoxical everyone is. One more suggestion: Meditate on how your longing for what’s perfect might be an enemy of your ability to benefit from what’s merely good.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): French and Italian readers may have no problem with this

horoscope. But Americans, Canadians, Brits, and Aussies might be offended, even grossed out. Why? Because my analysis of the astrological omens compels me to conclude that “moist” is a central theme for you right now. And research has shown that many speakers of the English language find the sound of the word “moist” equivalent to hearing fingernails scratching a chalkboard. If you are one of those people, I apologize. But the fact is, you will go astray unless you stay metaphorically moist. You need to cultivate an attitude that is damp but not sodden; dewy but not soggy; sensitive and responsive and lyrical, but not overwrought or weepy or histrionic. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Which signs of the zodiac are the most expert sleepers? Who best appreciates the healing power of slumber and feels the least shame about taking naps? Which of the twelve astrological tribes are most inclined to study the art of snoozing and use their knowledge to get the highest quality renewal from their time in bed? My usual answer to these questions would be Taurus and Cancer, but I’m hoping you Pisceans will vie for the top spot in the coming weeks. It’s a very favorable time for you to increase your mastery of this supreme form of self-care.

THE BEST MASSAGE PLACE FOR THE FIRST TIME CUSTOMER AND THE FIRST TIME LADY!

It’s Famous, It’s Here and It’s Great !

Kings Court Massage Kings Court Massage: The only place to have twenty two massage rooms and eleven hot tubs, spas, and bubble baths. Wall to wall beautiful ladies, pool tables and luxurious leather lounges. Have a coffee and enjoy the friendly atmosphere. Approachable managers help you choose a lady for your massage. There is a fair queueing system and no hidden charges. Call in at 261 Broadway, Sydney NSW 2007 - Phone 02 9660 0666 - Its an $8.00 Taxi Ride from the CBD - Visit our web site at www.kingscourt.com.au - OPEN 10 am to 1 am and 24 hrs on Weekends. 20% off 9 am to 12 noon & FREE ENTRY before 9 pm each day. Parking available in the Broadway Shopping Centre near our discreet rear entrance at 18 Grose St Glebe. www.kingscourt.com.au

Hi, this is Big John the owner of Kings Court Massage. I was recently sitting on a mixed table at a wedding. The other people were accountants and doctors and their wives. I was not comfortable when asked about my occupation but the groom, a long time friend, came over and dropped me right in it so I proceeded to explain about the sex industry and how Kings Court Massage is difference. I explained that it was a place where sensible polite men can enjoy the company of young women who are happy to provide a naked massage with a thrill at the end. I went on to explain that in essence the masseuse says, “I am happy to give you a naked massage with a thrill at the end but I have to be the one in control at all times. There are some limitations as to where you can touch me and we can have a drink while sitting in the spa and then it is an adult massage to the happy ending.” I then sat back and winced, but I was surprised to find that they enthusiastically wanted to know more and the general opinion developed that I was doing a good job in providing an alternative kind of service to that of other places and it was a good thing that there was no potential harm to those involved; harmless fun! We often explain Kings Court Massage as being the kindergarten of the sex industry because our ladies only provide an adult massage with a “happy ending,” so the ladies are not the same as you will find in other places. It is easily the largest place in Australia and since 1990 has occupied a four story building on Parramatta Road Glebe where there are 22 massage rooms and 11 different spas and bubble baths. In the early days when it was illegal it would have been described as a massage parlour or bathhouse, however it really has never been a full service place. The experiences that our customers have must be very satisfying as we have lots of regular clients. A great massage with a guaranteed ending is considered by many to be better than full service anyway. The people on the wedding table, were surprised when I explained that many ot the massage ladies who start at about 22 to 24 years of age have only had two or three boyfriends. We like our shy new ladies to have not worked in other places before they come to us. They will also do not have the experience to deal with massaging other ladies in a sexual way so we are not able to accommodate couples. Ladies are usually from 18 to 25 and most customers are usually from 25 to 40 years of age. We do not describe the ladies as “girls” as this implies underage, however they are pretty young things from Australia, NZ, the

Americas and Europe with some also from Japan and East Asia. Most are fluent with English and love chatting in the spas. They are quite shy when meeting clients in the lounge area and guard their private lives in that we are unable to have their photos on our web site. Sometimes we refer to the ladies as “girl-nextdoor” types. Most ladies work for three to eighteen months and then disappear back into the community and turn up years later with husbands and kids. Customers meet the ladies in a large lounge area that has pool tables and leather lounges and a friendly atmosphere. It is like an old-fashioned explorers club. Some younger men have said they are not that comfortable as it seems like a place where their fathers would have gone to. There are no waiting rooms hidden away where bad clients can sneak through unnoticed. Most clients like to be helped to make a choice by our friendly managers who will not coerce the ladies to do extras. Clients are allowed to ask for extras but not allowed to get upset when the answer is NO! We don’t even do body slides. Potential customers are invited to view the Internet site at www.kingscourt.com.au and we recommend they note “IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME” on the home page and read the “Ten Tips” guidelines on how to become a happy customer. Everyone knows someone who should know about Kings Court. You may know some girl who needs a harmless job to help with her circumstances or some guy who needs to start out on the right track in the right place with respect for women.

VACANCIES We are currently looking for new ladies who would like to be a little bit naughty. It is a safe place for them to not have to do SEX and everyone knows someone who could handle a bit of a discrete financial boost. Problem is that if a male friend introduces her he may not be able to become her customer as our ladies are easilly embarassed. Big John is very professional and does not ask for favours from the girls either. When they come to see us for an interview we get one of the regular ladies to show them around so they can ask them is it all for real. While at the interview they learn how much they can make and also see what the other girls wear. I hope the above gives you an idea about the way Kings Court Massage is run and about some of our ethics. The best new thing we have at the moment is all the really funny stuff on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/KingsBigJohn

Regards

Big John

city hub 30 July 2015