CATCH THE APOLLO BAY SEAFOOD FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND 16-18 FEBRUARY

Apollo Bay – Victoria The Apollo Bay Seafood Festival has changed hands for 2018, now expanding to 3 days with a bigger focus on local, sustainable seafood. There’s some great talent lined up, including Frank Camorra (Movida), Jerry Mai (Annam and Pho Nom), as well as some great music acts, including Jade Imagine, Dan Kelly, … Read more

QV MELBOURNE’S OUTDOOR CINEMA ON TILL 31st MARCH

QV Melbourne Outdoor Cinema Extends Summer with their Feb-March Flick Fest program

Have you ever noticed that summer gets better towards the end? QV Melbourne is extending the warmth with a new season of their outdoor deckchair cinema from 1 February- 31 March.

The Indian summer season, dubbed Flick Fest, is a new program of themed film screenings, with a curated selection of everything from cult classics to recent hits. Special pre-film events will include live performances, guest appearances, pop-up bars, bring-your-dog charity screenings, ‘A Dog’s Valentine’ and more.

Tickets are on sale now via qvcinema.com.au

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Kicking off the program is a week celebrating strong female characters from 1-4 February, with iconic films featuring fearless female leads, launching with the most epic tribute to the girl’s road trip: Thelma and Louise. The launch week will include live entertainment and free themed drinks from a pop up bar.

Home to the city’s beloved bring-your-dog charity screenings, QV Cinema’s famed doggie dress up nights return on 9 and 10 February with pampered pooches encouraged to attend with their owners. QV will offer free pet photography over the two nights, inviting Melburnians to bring their pets along styled in their most creative costumes to watch Red Dog 2 and the loveable A Dog’s Purpose. Proceeds from ticket sales for both nights go to The Lost Dogs’ Home.

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“We made the choice to mix up the programming this year, with a bit of an Indian summer slant. Melbourne is just so vibrant in March, with so many festivals on, that it’s a great time to be out and about in the city – catching a movie after a comedy or fashion show and enjoying something to eat or drink under the stars,” says QV Melbourne’s General Manager Lisa Fleming.

On Friday 9 February, it’s ‘A Dog’s Valentine’. QV Cinema and The Lost Dogs’ Home are inviting Melburnians to meet their most loyal Valentine – an adopted pup to provide with a forever home, and just in time for Valentine’s Day! Cinema goers will meet a range of adoption dogs at 7:30pm, when a matchmaker from The Lost Dogs’ Home will provide expert matchmaking tips. For example, Labrador-cross Rosco loves long walks on the beach and prefers driftwood to balls. He’s suited to someone with an active lifestyle and lots of energy. Other dogs who come with their owners are invited to arrive with fur fluffed, dressed in their date-night best. All pups will parade down the red carpet to sniff out their favourite Valentine.

“It’s a fun spin on Valentine’s Day – because who is going to stick with you through thick and thin? An adopted dog will give you a lifetime of love and companionship. At The Lost Dogs’ Home, we have many wonderful dogs waiting for their happily-ever-after. We are very thankful for QV Melbourne’s support in shining a light on shelter dogs to help them find homes,” says Ben Pocock, General Manager of Shelter & Outreach Services, The Lost Dogs’ Home.

From 22 – 25 February, QV Cinema offers the chance to see previous Oscar favourites La La Land and Arrival, 2018 Oscar nominee Get Out, plus multi Australian AACTA Award Winner Lion, on the big screen before the Academy Awards on 4 March.

As Fashion Week descends on Melbourne, QV invites you to get your fashion fix at the cinema with a series of stylish films screening from 1 – 4 March. From 8 – 11 March, QV is throwing it back with a week of cult 80s classics and will host a cocktail bar, with a different 80’s themed cocktail available each night.

Bring the kids along to Animation Week from 15 – 18 March and sing-a-long to your favourite musicals from 22 – 25 March, with free popcorn for cinema guests each night.

Melbourne’s only silent cinema is located right in the heart of the city on the Astroturf lawn in QV Square. The intimate open-air deckchair cinema remains one of the city’s most affordable outdoor cinemas. Tickets at $12* (plus $1 booking fee) include deckchair seating and high quality headphones for every audience member.

Sessions begin at 8:30pm Thursday to Sunday nights from 1 February to 31 March 2018, with special event screenings commencing at 7:30pm.

Film lovers can wander down Artemis or Red Cape Lane to the open-air courtyard for intimate screenings of QV Outdoor Cinema’s eclectic variety of films. Grab a burger from Grill’d, a Movenpick ice cream or a dark hot chocolate from Max Brenner and lounge back in an intimate 80-seat deckchair cinema nestled in the heart of the ‘city within the city’.

Worlds apart from other retail precincts in Melbourne, QV represents the quintessential Melbourne lifestyle. Intimate laneways in the urban precinct give visitors the freedom to wander and discover the eclectic mix of shops, cafes and restaurants at their own pace. Located on the corner of Lonsdale and Swanston Streets, QV has something for everyone with boutiques, enlightening entertainment and cosmopolitan bars and restaurants.

What: QV Melbourne’s Outdoor Cinema Flick Fest season

When:

7:30pm for event screenings

8:30pm for regular screenings

Thursdays – Sundays

1 February – 31 March 2018

No screenings during White Night Melbourne.

Check qvcinema.com.au for full program info.

Where: QV Square (level 2), QV Melbourne, corner Lonsdale and Swanston Streets, Melbourne

Tickets: All regular sessions cost $12*, or $14* (*plus $1 booking fee) for doggie dress up charity screenings. Bookings and full program available via qvcinema.com.au.

                        

QV Outdoor Cinema Program

February – March 2018

Bookings required

www.qv.com.au

**Information & Images Courtesy of QV Melbourne/Fuller PR – Keshia Hutchens

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Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

Ph: 0408 798814

theaustraliatimes.com/news

literallyconnie@gmail.com

connie.lambeth@theaustraliatimes.com.au

 

instagram.com/tatgourmetmag

READ ON FOR QV OUTDOOR CINEMA PROGRAM & CURATOR GUS BERGER…

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SMOKIN’ HOT RECIPE TO TRY THIS AUSTRALIA DAY LONG WEEKEND

The Perfect Recipe for Your Long Weekend! There’s no tradition quite like a backyard barbie on the family Weber-Q, especially on the nations most celebrated day – Australia Day! Why not try something a bit different this year; add some international flavours to honour our beautiful and multicultural country. Direct from the rich southern flavours … Read more

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MELBOURNE’S ONLY CLUB APEROL

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HAWTHORN’S LIDO ON THE ROOF RETURNS

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Here Comes the Sun: Southgate Restaurants Showcase Summer Delights

Melbourne’s Southgate Restaurants Warming up with a Season of Foodie Feasts & Events

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With Summer around the corner there’s a feast of  foodie events with new seasonal produce, riverside alfresco dining, a festive dessert workshop and end of year celebrations at Southgate Melbourne  

Summer means longer days and warmer nights with a refreshing cocktail and seasonal share plate in hand, taking in scenic city views along the banks of the Yarra River. To make it all the more enticing, Southgate Melbourne’s slew of riverside restaurants and bars has a range of events and specials from November-January.

Alfresco dining is back in a big way with the newly refurbished and expanded riverside diner BearBrass primed to welcome the warmer months. With 350 breakfasts turning over every hour each weekend, the venue is preparing for their busiest time of year. The new look venue features an open bar where you can watch the chefs preparing your food while the bartender mixes your favourite cocktail. BearBrass venue manager Michael Singleton says “Our new bright burnt orange colour scheme has brought a vibrant, fresh feel to the venue.”

Dessert bar Damon Bradley is set to host their first summer pastry workshop for sweet treat lovers on Saturday 2 December. Masterchefs-in-the-making will have the chance to work alongside the Damon Bradley pastry chefs and learn to plate up like a pro just in time for Christmas. You’ll also get to sample some of their new season desserts bursting with summery flavours, like the Devonshire crepe filled with the award-winning Damon Bradley lemon curd topped with fresh berries.

Melbourne’s multi award winning Italian restaurant and gelateria Tutto Bene, took out yet another award this year, winning Best Italian Restaurant in Victoria at the 2017 Restaurant & Catering Savour Awards. Head Chef Nathan Scarfo looks for vibrancy in the colour of his produce and counts asparagus, snap peas and zucchini flowers to be among his favourites for the warmer months.

“Our new dishes all have a focus on using the whole ingredient. We are focusing on traditional Italian cooking – simple, no wastage, with every ingredient having multiple uses,” says Nathan. One of his summer menu highlights is the Fiori di Zucchini: fried zucchini flowers, roast pumpkin, peppitos and mustard fruits, best enjoyed on the Tutto Bene Terrazza with a crisp glass of Chardonnay.

Following its recent expansion over two levels and the launch of the more casual PS Bar + Kitchen, the new Pure South Dining continues to make the most out of the best produce of the season with Executive Chef David Hall highlighting pears, asparagus, broad beans and broad bean leaves as his ingredients of choice.

“We keep our dishes simple and allow the amazing spring and summer produce to be the hero. Our house cured line-caught Kingfish with dashi, meyer lemon, wakame and quail egg is proving to be very popular and a great simple dish heading into the warmer months,” says David.

Family favourite La Camera Southgate has one of the best Aperitivo Hour deals in Southbank, accompanied by sweeping balcony views over the Yarra River. Sip on a complimentary Italian cocktail (choose from Negroni, Sbagliato, Aperol Spritz and more) with any antipasti plate.

ENA Greek Street Food puts an authentic Greek spin on the most important meal of the day with the launch of their new breakfast menu. Think Spanakopita, Tyropita (layered buttery filo with cheesy egg) and Strapatsada (Greek style scrambled eggs with tomato and fetta) and for the sweet tooths, Bougatsa (semolina custard filled pastry).

One of Southgate’s favourite watering holes, Waterslide Bar, has reinvented the spritz with their signature “Tinder Date” cocktail, the perfect accompaniment for flirtations on their leafy riverside balcony. The refreshing drink combines delectable French Loire Valley Cremant Sparkling with fresh berries and yuzu.

Southgate’s stable of riverside restaurants will come alive throughout the festive season with Christmas lunches hosted by iconic Irish pub P.J.O’Brien’s and German Bier Bar Grill Hophaus. The silly season continues with an array of New Year’s Eve celebrations including Waterslide Bar, ENA Greek Street Food, BearBrass, P.J.O’Brien’s and Hophaus, each boasting some of the best firework-viewing vantage points.

 

Southgate is home to fifteen diverse restaurants, bars and eateries, with cuisines ranging from German to Tasmanian to modern European. A range of boutique retailers including vintage fashion, books and stationery can also be found within the precinct.

 

www.southgatemelbourne.com.au

**Information & Images Courtesy of Southgate Restaurants/Fuller PR

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Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

E: literallyconnie@gmail.com

E: connie.lambeth@theaustraliatimes.com.au

W: editorcsl.com

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tatgourmetmag/

READ ON FOR THE FULL PROGRAM OF FOODIE FEASTS & EVENTS RIGHT THROUGH TO NEW YEAR’S

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NAKED DRINKING HITS AUSTRALIA!

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