'The Human Torch' - by Sydney Interactive Theatre

“I’m way too cute to be a murderer” declares the petite brunette, lounging against the wall of the Royal Albert, a public house built in 1927. The group of detectives eye her suspiciously, sipping their house champagne while listening to Edith indulge in tales of marrying her crooked – now dead – husband for his renowned gambling fortune.

After telling the detectives – aka a group of brave Sydney siders who have ventured into a pop up world of theatre and murder - that the victim’s will had mysteriously been changed just before his murder, we stumble across a “clue” that takes us down the back streets of Surry Hills to our next potential suspect.

Sydney Interactive Theatre describes itself as “part game, part theatre, part tour, part bar crawl”, sending the audience on a mission through the streets of the city. The Human Torch pop up dining experience leads us to notice usually overlooked historical landmarks in Surry Hills as we seek to solve the mystery of the murder of Thomas Ivory. A text on the day provides meeting instructions, and we are greeted by the head detective who briefs us on our mission.

After a blind magistrate at the Children’s Court informs us that “it is illegal to wear pink pants on a Saturday”and a street performer impresses us with magic tricks, we follow the hints dropped by each actor to discover a revelationary twist in the tale (you’ll have to do the tour to find out what it is) – and champagne and tapas awaiting.

A shared dinner at a secret location is our reward for cracking the case, as we bond with the other “detectives” over a race well run.

For more information about Sydney Interactive Theatre and Sydney Pop Up Dining visit:

www.sydneyinteractivetheatre.com.au or http://sydneypopupdining.com.au/interactive-street-theatre or call 1300 663 386.

Lifeafterfive* was a guest of Sydney Interactive Theatre.

Manly Wharf Hotel

There’s nothing like an unexpected spin under Sydney harbour’s glittering lights to remind you to break out of your bubble and explore the abundance on our doorstep (or waterfront). We enter our plush luxury vessel (aka a taxi from Water Taxis Combined) at 6.30pm at the Rose Bay ferry wharf, escorted by a handsome gentleman in uniform.

Our destination of choice is the Manly Wharf Hotel, an exhilaratingly fast boat ride away from the CBD, which has brought on a new chef in honour of its 10th birthday celebrations. Disembarking at the wharf, we discover an outdoor bar full of family groups relaxing at long tables, almost oblivious to their 360 degree ocean views.

A recent refurbishment has created a beachy and relaxed vibe that suits the location, with colourful cushions, blackboard menus and painted surfboards adoring the place. A Jack Johnson-esque musician strums his guitar in the background, we settle for dinner on the comfy indoor seats.

 Examining the surprisingly sophisticated menu, we order a selection of roasted barramundi fillet on spinach gnocchi, herb seared tuna nicoise and a chargrilled lamb fillet salad (and chips – we are in a pub after all!). All were presented beautifully and expertly cooked. The wine selection offered a good cross section of reasonably priced Australian wines, starting at $30 per bottle – a refreshing change when accompanied by a spectacular view.

The friendly staff fit the theme in their nautical t-shirts, and whipped up a couple of cocktails while good-naturedly admitting that they were pretty rarely ordered.

Whether you’re rocking up in thongs after a day at the beach, glammed up for a date night or meeting a mate for a post-work beer, you can be assured of decent food, a chilled out crowd, and an unpretentious haven of waterfront views. Thumbs up to the Manly Wharf Hotel.

Lifeafterfive* was a guest of the Manly Wharf Hotel.

A Taste of Greece with Lyndey Milan

“When in Greece you cook with a Greek heart” declared celebrity chef Lyndey Milan as diners were tantalised with the wafting aromas of Peloponnese cuisine. As jovial chords of live bouzouki music bounce over the twinkling lights of the harbour, it is not a far stretch to imagine ourselves seated in a traditional restaurant on a Mediterranean island.

To celebrate the launch of the Taste of Greece cookbook on the back of her successful SBS series, Lyndey Milan teamed with the George’s Mediterranean Bar & Grill to host a feast drawn from the recipes in the book. Showcasing the highlights of a mother and son food-focused road trip around the Peloponnese, the evening was a heart (and stomach) warming tribute to both the region and Lyndey's late son, Blair.

Lyndey Milan regales diners with tales of the Peloponnese

We begin our culinary journey with a traditional eggplant dip (similar to baba ganoush) and a freshly grilled pita, a tasty portent of the flavoursome delights to come. An exotic collection of mezedes follow, a range of chickpea fritters, BBQ squid filled with fetta and spinach, and zucchini dill and mint fritters.

BBQ Squid with fetta and spinach

Village salad

The main course consists of slow roasted lamb, lemon potatos and village salad. Lyndey introduces each dish with a story, describing how she and Blair stumbled across each. She says that the Hercules Blood cocktail, a concoction of pomegranate seed and tequila, was created by Blair after extensive sampling of cocktails with locals throughout their trip. 

Slow roasted lamb

Matching wines are a carefully chosen selection also hailing from the Peloponnese region, and complement the hearty cuisine. The sweet Kourtakis Muscat of Samos is a memorable finale and dessert is an indulgent cinnamon cheesecake with Samos-soaked muscatels, topping off a mouth watering testament to George’s Executive Chef, Keith Higginson. 

Hercules Blood cocktails

Lyndey reminds us that Greek hospitality is focused on ensuring guests are happy, no matter what it takes. Enjoying a night under the stars with atmospheric music, traditional dishes prepared by a renowned chef and a welcoming host, the mission is well accomplished.  We raise our glasses and toast: Yamas!

Bouzouki player entertains the crowd

Lifeafterfive* was a guest of the event.

Guest Post: Why I’d rather give to Leisure Suit Larry than to charity

Guest post by Prashan Paramanathan

It was the mid-90s and personal computers were starting to find their way into every home. Dial up modems were still screeching and the Y2K bug lay on our doorstep, ready to destroy all that was good. Our family had just got its first PC (with its top-of-the-class 128MB hard drive) and I, the typical 13 year old boy, was just discovering computer games.

Adventure games were the hot genre of the time and alongside Police Quest, Hugo's House of Horrors and Bubble Bobble, stood - I'm a little embarrassed to say - Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of Lounge Lizzards. Larry was a dodgy, balding 40-something lovable-loser type in Las Vegas and you were trying to help him pick up. It was more comical than raunchy.

Larry has lain dormant for well over a decade now, so I was more than a little surprised when he re-emerged a few weeks ago on Kickstarter, a US-based crowd funding site. The creator of the Larry series, Al Lowe, was looking to raise $500k to remake the Larry game, and strangely, well, disturbingly, I felt myself compelled to give to the ‘cause’.

Now, despite working in the non-profit world for over 4 years now, I’m not very good with giving money in general. And so, as I was clicking the donate button for Larry, it suddenly dawned on me what I was doing. Did I really feel more compelled to give to Larry than I did to, say, World Vision?

Disturbingly, the answer to that question felt like a yes.

It made me ask around my friends – did they give to charity and how did they decide whom to give to?

The response I got was oddly contradictory: they wanted to connect, interact and contribute to the non-profit world but also had a healthy dose of distrust, distance and disillusionment with “charities”. I heard a lot of “I don’t really know how they spend their money” and “I don’t know if they’re any good”.

As I pondered this some more, I realised that what I was really hearing was this: “If I’m a young, 20- or 30- something professional, the traditional benevolent ‘charity’-model doesn’t really speak to me”.

So, what should you do if you’re a socially-conscience young professional wanting to connect to the non-profit world?

Here are two really simple things:

• Be trendy, eat social enterprise-style: Social enterprises are essentially businesses run for a social purpose. For some reason, the most common types seem to be food-related. Two of my favourites for the Melbournians are STREAT (coffee/food carts run by homeless youth and Scarf (borrows restaurants to train marginalised young people in hospitality). 
• Find your tribe: There are plenty more people like you out there. In Sydney, they hang out at many places, but three of my favourites are Emerging Leaders for Social Change (ELSC), Think Act Change and Young Social Entrepreneurs. It’s pretty simple, just turn up and see if you like it.

To make it even easier for you, I’m working with a mate (that I met at ELSC) to create Chip In Australia, a site that profiles some of the best Australian non-profits and social enterprises to make it even easier for you to connect to them.  You can check us out here.

STREAT's Stop Homelessness the Delicious Way campaign

And, if it all goes well, who knows, I might even be able to find something better to give to on there than Larry.

During the day, Prashan Paramanathan dons his non-profit consultant outfit but after five he spends his time writing for The Education Report and tinkering at Chip In Australia.

Like Lifeafterfive on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lifeafterfive.

THE BLOCKS

“This is where the journey starts” begins the dapper sommelier, referring to the meticulously scattered design in the vast warehouse. Channelling Willy Wonka on a tour of mind-boggling creations, our enthusiastic guide leads us through the sensory wonderland of scented sculptures and mysterious art at THE BLOCKS. 

Catering to Gen Y’s notoriously short attention span and penchant for the new, pop ups venues continue to address our insatiable quest for novelty, quality and entertainment. From the long-standing Bucket List that still draws a crowd, to Bizarre Bazaar’s laneway markets, each seems to be more innovative then the last. The allure of limited time, perceived exclusivity and reliance on word of mouth combine to create a recipe for success that challenges the long-held dominance of permanent venues. 

Open in Sydney for only three weeks before embarking on a world tour, the collaboration between Penfolds and London’s Studio Toogood is an inspired example of a creative installation. Imploring us to disregard the snobbery associated with wine and follow our intuition, the team has invited Australian artists, perfumers and sculptures to create wine inspired experiences for visitors. 

Starting with a virtual number 1 that is a fragment of light projected onto the wooden floor, we smell a sculpture, enjoy the art works and assess our instinctive reaction to both. Each category of art and smell has been derived from the words usually associated with particular brackets of wine, and are intended to help us disregard preconceived notions of wine. 

Our journey through the senses is educational and fun, stretching our minds laterally to fuse art, wine and food (not too much of a struggle really). Once we’ve picked our favourites, the sommelier reveals the corresponding Penfolds Bin and Luxury wines that sit behind them. We choose 1. Aromatic Whites and 4. Regional Reds, and sit down for a tasting. At $35 for 4 x 75ml glasses, we’ve discovered the grape version of Wonka’s chocolate river paradise, and start to appreciate the subtle differences between the blends. 

Despite the transient nature of the venue, no detail has been overlooked. From Riedel crystal wine glasses to Mud Australia porcelain plates, we sit under canopies of illuminated glass grapes on chairs hand cast from raw aluminium specifically for the event. While Sydney’s last undeveloped historic wharf building will feel empty when THE BLOCKS departs for Melbourne on 4 May, Penfolds and Studio Toogood have further raised the bar (literally) for pop up innovation. 

Lifeafterfive* was a guest of THE BLOCKS and enjoyed a free tasting bracket worth $35.

The Blocks
http://www.theblockslive.com/
16th March-5th April
Pier 2/3 13 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
Wed-Fri 4pm-11pm and Sat-Sun 1pm-11pm

Mini Coupe & Roadster launch @ Bucket List

Bucket List – the hot new pop up bar that’s quintessentially Bondi…a Hamptons-style combination of funky beats, casual cool and breezy outdoor setting...

Eclectic mix of guests in standard Bondi style, from glamarama girls to boys in boardies…

Colourful deck chairs, cheeky Mini Coupes posing like models, jugs of Pimms & Lemonade...

A fitting location for a car that’s more a commitment to playfulness than a mode of transport

For more pics of the event, visit the Lifeafterfive* facebook page.

Bondi Pavilion Bondi Beach
11am-Midnight every day
http://thebucketlistbondi.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thebucketlistbondi

A quest for baklava; Abla's Pastries

Photograph from tasteofbeirut.com

An oozy concoction of pastry, syrup and nuts, a sticky melt in your mouth sensation that evokes delight with each bite. With hazy origins but widespread popularity, everywhere from Turkey, Greece, Lebanon and Israel (to name but a few) claim a variation of the baklava as their own. 

The cosmopolitan melting pot of cultures that make up Sydney allows us privileged access to authentic and quality cuisines from far flung corners of the globe. With a newfound baklava obsession and frustrated with infrequent stumbles towards quality, we head to the unlikely suburb of Dulwich Hill to seek out the baklava whispered (by those in the know) to be Sydney’s best. 

A non-descript suburb of Sydney’s inner west, Dulwich Hill was originally settled by immigrants from Greece and Portugal who have left a legacy of exotic eateries frequented mostly by locals. Arriving at Abla’s Pastry, we enter a cavernous room, a Lebanese Aladdin’s cave where the jewels are candy and the mountains of gold edible and delicious. 

An overwhelming combination of shapes and styles, we order one of each (a bargain at $1 a piece) and act like mischievous kids raiding the pantry by impulsively devouring them on the spot. Highlights include the ‘Birds Nest’, wrapped layers of filo pastry filled with cashews and doused in syrup and the ‘Namora’, a blend of semolina, flour and coconut baked to golden brown and topped with syrup. Despite the volume on display, the delicate flavours and expert composition of each satisfy our craving for a quality sample of the famed international dessert. Whether Abla’s Pastry is the best in Sydney, or merely a representative sample of hidden local treasures, it is worth a journey to the west-side to indulge in the real deal.

Guest Post: We all scream for ice cream at Ben & Jerry's Sundae Sessions

Guest post by Amanda Barbera

I used to think a choc-top at Hoyts was a treat. But now I’ve been spoilt - by Ben, and by Jerry.

The Ben & Jerry’s annual “Sundae Sessions” Big Charity Launch, held on 5 February by the Bondi Pavilion, shook up the ‘Sunday night at the movies’ tradition which, up until now, I knew no better than to love.

Gone are the 40 minutes of commercials and yet-to-be classified previews of movies starting sometime next year. Left behind are the rip-off buckets of popcorn, Malteasers & other confectionary you’ll get venomously ‘shhh-ed’ at just to open. And no longer do you need to glaciate in cinema sub-zero temperatures and worry that the person you’ll sit down next to after a bathroom break is not the date you arrived with at all.

Pre-movie entertainment is a festival in itself, with sunset performances by the Winter People, Hungry Kids of Hungary and The Cat Empire perfect choices to get the audience grooving. The vibe was as playful, carefree and fun as, well, a sunny Bondi Sunday afternoon! Maybe it was the sun coming out and the magical beach backdrop; maybe it was the free games & charity prizes. And it’s a sure bet it was the free scoops of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream handed out all evening long. Like the Strawberry Cheesecake? Try Chocolate Fudge Brownie! Demolished Sweet Cream & Cookies? You’ll love New York Super Fudge Chunk. There’s no better way to test every flavour out there than with a licence to keep coming back for more. If you hadn’t realised what the finest, super premium ice-cream tastes like before, you’ll be screaming for the stuff after. 

When it’s time to sit down and watch the inspiring documentary, ‘Life in a Day’, we grab a beanbag, super warm blanket and cocoon under the stars.

And the best part? There’s a story behind every brand and this one’s driven by a social conscience and dedicated activism towards tackling some big global issues. Working alongside ‘Tunes for Change’ and The Cat Empire, the evening raised $20,000 for Australians for Cambodian Education (ACE) to help educate severely disadvantaged children and break the poverty cycle in Cambodia. The proof really is in the ice-cream. 

Johnny Hammond (Ben & Jerry's), Chloe Hamersley and Rich Coombes (Batlow Cider)

It’s another Ben & Jerry’s reminder that ‘capitalism can cure’, and support for the message couldn’t have been easier tonight – EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

Bondi Openair is running from 29 January to 4 March on the Dolphin Lawn next to the Bondi Pavilion.  Ben & Jerry's are hosting Sundae Sessions with free ice cream each Sunday.  The full film schedule can be accessed here.  

Lifeafterfive* attended as a guest of Ben & Jerry's Australia.

Jurassic Lounge; Enter the Dragon

Cries of Kung Hii Fatt Choi, exchange of red envelopes and exotically gourmet dinners took place across the country last week to celebrate the start of Chinese New Year. The year of the dragon is said to be the luckiest year in the Chinese zodiac, with the dragon a legendary creature full of fire and mystique. Aptly subtitled ‘Enter the Dragon’, the legend is reinforced when we enter the alternate universe of Jurassic Lounge on 31 January 2012. We are greeted by a dinosaur roaming the museum floor, before discovering comedians, artists and museum geeks demonstrating a myriad of entertaining skills.

Leaving the clipped and corporate CBD, we enter a world of emerging art, inspired creativity and edgy music, a world that ignites curiousity and clamours for use of imagination. We stop at the bar for a zesty Aperol Spritz cocktail (complete with slice of orange), wander past two hot lassies belting out Beyonce karaoke to an onlooking tiger skeleton, and discover a magical range of interactive exhibitions usually frequented by school kids and tourists.

A live taxidermy demonstration (not for the fainthearted), a groovy silent disco and real time art demonstrations are just a few of the whacky treasures on display at this year’s Jurassic Lounge.  Read my review of the opening night of Jurassic Lounge on Eat Drink Play.

Jurassic Lounge is open from January 31 to April 3.  Tuesdays, 5.30pm to 9.30pm, Australian Museum, College Street, city, jurassiclounge.com, $15 (includes a drink on arrival and free entry to FBi Social at Kings Cross Hotel).


See more photos on the Lifeafterfive facebook page.