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The best things to do this week
Pay respects to ANZAC veterans and current serving personnel with the rest of Australia
Get ready to get messy – you're going to get covered in colour at this Holi celebration
See works from Victoria's best design students at Melbourne Museum – when they become famous you can say you saw them back when
The Irish-American (or American-Irish?) funnyman has been doing comedy for 21 years, but he's still got plenty to say
The Planetarium opens after hours for adults-only film screenings under the big dome
The magnificent sex clown returns to save the world with love, pleasure and queer feminist performance art
Be part of Big Dance, a worldwide event where thousands of people perform the same choreography in famous locations
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After a cracker of a Saturday night we all know what it’s like to feel a little bit dusty come Sunday morning. When you realise that you’ve got only a few precious hours of weekend freedom left the panic can really start to set in. Luckily the Newmarket Hotel has the perfect antidote. Take the edge off your Sunday mornings with the Newmarket’s Bottomless Martini Brunch Sundays. Their $35 package gives your two hours of delicious drinks down in sunny St Kilda. And despite the name the package includes more than just Martinis. During your two hours you can treat yourself to Espresso Martinis, Bellinis and Mimosas as well as selected beer and wine. Naturally you’re going to want some food to accompany your drinks so the Newmarket has cut its brunch buddies a deal. When you buy the bottomless Martini drinks package you can get any brunch menu item for an additional $15. Nothing pairs with a Mimosa quite like an eggs benny or if you've a sweet tooth get a stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes with ice cream and candied bacon. There's a mean smashed avo on offer too, complete with tomato, chilli and poached eggs. Or wait around for the lunch menu and getting yourself one of the Newmarket’s hearty ‘big fella’ chicken parmas. There are three two-hour brunch sessions each Sunday. If you’re the sort of person who’s already jogged the Tan before 9am book in for the 10am session. For those who like to sleep in there are 11am and noon brunch sessions available as well. Come for the bo
What's better than getting your hands on a fresh copy of Time Out Melbourne? Getting your hands of a fresh copy for free. This year, Time Out is going quarterly in Melbourne and Sydney – and we're celebrating by handing out copies of our new-look autumn issue across both cities for two days. What's more, our new magazine is packed with all the winners of our 2018 Bar Awards, making it your ultimate guide to Melbourne's bar scene (cheers!). Read on and you'll also find a swag of fun Melbourne International Comedy Festival interviews, new restaurant reviews, and all the best events happening in Melbourne from March through to May. So where can you get it? Free copies will be distributed on Thursday and Friday, March 1-2 between 7am and 10am at following locations: Flinders Street Station (Princes Bridge exit on Thursday and Swanston Street exit on Friday) Melbourne Central Station (Swanston Street exit and La Trobe Street exit on Thursday and Swanston Street exit and Elizabeth Street exit on Friday) Flagstaff Station (William Street exit on Thursday and La Trobe Street exit on Friday) Richmond Station (Swan Street exit) Look for the friendly Time Out crew in white T-shirts, and remember: you can only get your free copy from 7am to 10am this Thursday and Friday. We think you'll like our new look. Time Out Melbourne magazine subscriptions Following a decision by our magazine distribution service to cease all subscription services in 2018, subscriptions to Time Out Me
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From world-beating cocktail lounges to down-and-divey saloons, here's everywhere worth drinking in Melbourne
For a breath of fresh air, head out of the city this weekend with our guide to Melbourne’s best day hikes.
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If you know where to look, you can get by in Melbourne for a lot less than you'd think
Melbourne area guides
The heart of the city, home to Chinatown and some of Melbourne's best restaurants and arts institutions.
Exceptional Italian food, gelato and coffee, plus an excellent museum and theatre.
Great vintage stores, and don't miss the famous Art Deco Astor Theatre.
Is Kensington the new North Melbourne? It’s a fair call, seeing as this little pocket of northside suburbia is gaining more restaurants, small-scale breweries and property-hunting 30-somethings by the second. Bordered by North Melbourne and the virtually indistinguishable suburb of Flemington, Kensington has northwest charm in spades: there are wide, tree-lined streets, plenty of public transport (the Craigieburn train line and the 57 tram run right through it) and green spaces aplenty. Whether you’re on the lookout for a cheerful breakfast joint, a new walking track or the best African food outside Footscray, Kenso’s the place. Looking for more fun in the west? Check out our guides to Footscray and Yarraville while you're here.
Inventive bars, geek girl boutiques and envelope-pushing eateries. Plus live music institutions.
Multicultural hub, with dining options from all over the world and a thriving food scene.
The wide streets of a country town and a lovely communal feel. Plenty of good bars.
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This Melburnian corner pub has been pulling beers, sizzling steaks and serving as a community meeting spot for 130 years, and to celebrate the Auburn Hotel is hosting a Sunday shindig. The day will be packed out with entertainment and live music, with both families and furry friends both welcome. Out in the beer garden there will be face painting for the little ones from noon, and at 4pm there will be round of complimentary sparkling so you can charge your glass when toasts are made. There will also be a huge birthday cake, and happy hour drinks from 4pm to 6pm. In the evening, Adam12 will play a live set of acoustic pub classics, while the sparkling wine and beers keep flowing. Not many things in Melbourne have been soldiering on for 13 decades so head down and celebrate the Hawthorn East pub's legacy with a beer and a counter meal.
What's better than a main meal? One with sides. Pay with your American Express card at these leading restaurants, and you'll be rewarded with a complimentary side for your first main meal ordered. Want to know more? Check out our Side with Amex FAQ. For more great offerings, return to the American Express casual dining guide.
Melbourne is Australia's late-night city. The list of venues proudly displaying AM close times is growing, and gone are the days when the only option for a midnight snack were convenience stores or a solitary kebab shop. What's more, midnight in Melbourne doesn't just have to be about clubs and live music venues (although there are tons of those, too!) – there's plenty more to discover, including film, singalongs and mini golf. The best part? Public transport runs 24 hours on Friday and Saturday, so whether you're heading out for an adventure or finishing work after dark, there's no excuse not hit the town and explore the night. Plus when it’s time to head home trains, trams, buses and coaches will take you there.
American funny man Kyle Kinane is back in Melbourne again following his 2016 appearance at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and his 2014 Barry nominated debut. Having most recently appeared in Judd Apatow's excellent Netflix series Love, you may also recognise Kinane's voice from episodes of Bob's Burgers and Drunk History. Kinane will bring his own brand of conversational comedy to the stage at Melbourne Town Hall this April. His new show Dipshittery showcases his ability to weave intricately crafted jokes into laidback tales, so expect an evening of visceral laughs.
Let’s be honest, having a car in the city can sometimes be more hassle than it’s worth. The lack of parking and the traffic is frustrating – so why not opt for fast and easy public transport instead? But ditching your wheels doesn’t mean you’re indentured to a life on the rails. Distracted by the tram – the flashy showboater of the city’s transport network – maybe you’ve forgotten that Melbourne has an extensive bus network? For where trains and tram fear to tread Melbourne’s buses are here to get you there safely. Next time you’re heading out leave the car keys at home and hop on a bus. To plan your public transport journey, find your best route here.
Five-star Melbourne cocktail bar Eau De Vie has joined forces with Star of Bombay (luxury small batch, slow-distilled expression of Bombay Sapphire gin) to debut a swanky new Martini service, the Star of Bombay Martini Trolley. The custom-designed liquid nitrogen-fueled cocktail trolley will pay tribute to the ritual of creating an all-time favourite cocktail, the Martini. Inspired by the lush service experience of the classic cocktail trolley, the Star of Bombay Trolley Service menu will pay respects to the great hotels and bars that created some of the most famed Martinis in the world. Cocktails include the Edwardian, which is a riff on the Savoy Hotel's signature Hanky Panky cocktail from 1903; the Captain Ritz, inspired by the Ritz Sidecar (known as the most expensive cocktail in the world); the Simpson Martini, Eau De Vie’s adaptation of the traditional Dirty Martini from the Connaught in London; and the Magda Martini, inspired by the Dukes Hotel in London. For the Martini aficionados, you can also play by your own rules and create your very own personalised Star of Bombay Martini using bitters, brine and garnishes. You can enjoy a single Martini for $24 or enjoy a sample flight of four Martinis for $50. Reservations are essential for the Star of Bombay Martini Trolley experience. Call 03 8393 9367 or head to their website. Find out more about the Star of Bombay Martini trolley experience at Eau De Vie.
Find yourself day dreaming on a mini getaway? Or perhaps of the perfect dinner date? Then this competition will be right up your alley. Red Spice Road is giving away the ultimate foodie tour this month only. Lucky winners will be transported away for a day of money-can't-buy food and drink experiences. First off, your very own chauffeur will take you to the scenic Yarra Valley wine region. Here you'll get to visit the lauded Mac Forbes winery, where you will go on a private guided walk through his vineyards. You get to indulge in a gourmet lunch backed by beautiful views, all while enjoying bottles of wine from the Woori Yallock vineyard. You will then make tracks to the Four Pillars Gin Distillery where you'll go on a behind-the-scenes tour to find how the craft spirit is made. This will be followed by a private tasting (and you'll also get a take home gift bag!) Your journey will culminate in dinner at Red Spice Road in Melbourne's CBD. You'll get to enjoy a tasting menu with matched wines that showcases the restaurant's Thai, Cambodian, Burmese and Vietnamese influence menu. Sound fun? Find out more about Red Spice Road's ultimate day out competition.
These days everyone from your local PE teacher to your grandma is getting inked. And you can join the tattoo tribe on April 20-22 when the Rites of Passage Tattoo Festival rolls into Melbourne. This year the festival is putting the spotlight on Japanese-style tattoos with Shigenori Iwasaki – commonly regarded as the father of "new school" Japanese tattooing – one of this year's most anticipated artists. Iwasaki won't be the only international artist at the festival with New Zealander Ben Kaye and American Ben Ochoa also on the line-up. More than 300 artists will attend Rites of Passage over the weekend, with guests able to discover new trends, the next big artist and even get an impromptu tatt (or two). While you're waiting to get inked, catch some of the festival entertainment: each day will have live acoustic sets, circus performers, DJs and tattoo competitions all hosted by rock band Chasing Ghosts' lead singer Jimmy Kyle. And for a post-tatt pick-me-up you can grab something tasty from the selection of food trucks that will be keeping punters fed all day. If you're a tattoo artist, swing by the seminars run by the industry's best. Matt Curzon will be running a hands-on seminar on colour and contrast skills, while tattoo machine expert Mark Sender will be showing fellow pros the ins-and-outs of the tools of the trade. Melbourne's Rites of Passage Tattoo Festival is on from Friday April 20 to Sunday April 22.
