Things to do in Sydney in May

While the ritual of ducking down to the pub for a freshly pulled pint and a parmy has been sorely missed by many, those who call the Public House Petersham their local have a little more cause to miss it. There’s a reason why this place draws in people from across town and took out the gong for Best Pub in the 2020 Time Out Bar Awards.  Fortunately, you can now bring a little bit of that Public House magic home (or perhaps to the park) with you – and no, we’re not talking about Gizmo, the resident pub cat. The PHP is opening its doors and firing up the pizza oven for takeaways, so from Wednesday, May 27, you can grab a wood-fired pizza and beer in their own jars and growlers. The pub is being converted into an interactive bottle shop space, where guests can peruse the ‘aisles’ to experience natural wine samples and a range of local craft beers with particular focus on supporting local breweries in the Marrickville area.    Photograph: Supplied/Solotel   PHP’s own nano-brewery, Small Batch Brewery, is still furiously fermenting in the car park thanks to the crafty connoisseurs from Batch Brewing Company, maintaining the reputation as a destination for craft beer fanatics with experimental new flavours. On the food side, in addition to gourmet pizzas – with highlights including the mushroom, eggplant, charred cabbage pizza and the pepperoni, tomato, red onion and mozzarella – on Sundays they’re chucking a coal-roasted lamb from the spit, or serving up a succulent porchetta fo

With audiences unable to gather in movie theatres for the foreseeable future, the Sydney South African Film Festival is going digital for 2020. The little festival that could isn't going to let Australian audiences miss out on a far-reaching program that draws on South Africa's diversity and its complex political and economical realities. The digital take on the festival is screening nationwide from May 16-26, with four feature films, four documentaries and one short accompanied by question and answer sessions and interviews with the directors. Uplifting documentary Beyond Moving, opens the festival. A Billy Elliot story with a South African twist, the film shares the story of Siphe November, a gifted ballet dancer discovered as a boy in the townships. Also in the documentary category is Buddha in Africa, which offers a revealing look at China’s influence in Africa today as it captures a Malawian teenager’s upbringing in a Buddhist orphanage.  Amongst the features, Oscar-nominated Director Angus Gibson’s Back of The Moon centres on Sophiatown, a black ghetto at the centre of Johannesburg, which was the first target for removal by the Apartheid government in the 1950’s. In The Last Victims, another film inspired by the country’s conflict-ridden history, a former member of South Africa’s infamous death squad seeks to atone for his past when he helps one survivor search for the bodies of a missing anti-apartheid cell. Head to ssaff.org.au to see the full program. Tickets for sin

While restaurants have been closed or operating at reduced capacity, we punters have had the benefit of buying surplus produce from their suppliers. We’ve been able to get our hands on oysters destined for some the city’s best kitchens, or buy our weekly groceries through our favourite restaurants. And now Haverick Meats – which supplies the likes of Bert’s, Chophouse and Mr. Wong – is delivering restaurant-quality meat directly to your door. Canny homecooks have long been buying from the wholesaler’s retail outlet in Banksmeadow. But in keeping with the times, Haverick hasn’t just pivoted to home delivery, it has teamed up with some of the top chefs it supplies to create precooked meal packs, dubbed the Haverick Meats Chef Series. Here’s how it works: A new meal pack is introduced each week, and will continue to be available online for four weeks. Each pack contains four generous servings of a chef-designed meal that requires minimal finishing before serving. This week you can choose between Luke Mangan’s (Glass Brasserie, Luke’s Kitchen) slow-cooked beef cheeks with winter vegetables, persian fetta and orange couscous for $74, and Mitch Orr’s (CicciaBella) veal osso bucco ragu with fresh handmade pasta and shaved parmesan for $45. In the next few weeks look out for packs from Sean Connolly (The Morrison Bar & Oyster Room), Mark Jensen (Red Lantern), Andy Allen (Three Blue Ducks) and Clayton Wells (Automata).  Meat and three veg never looked so good. The Haverick Meats Chef

Remember when we could just jump in the car and hit the road in search of a great day out? Well good news: from June 1, you'll be able to visit every corner of New South Wales again. So it begs the question: once travel restrictions end, where should you visit first? We suggest you follow your traveller's instinct and get away for a day to one of our best day trips from the city – featuring quaint villages, seaside hangouts and mountain escapes. Around a two-hour drive or a scenic train ride away, you'll find yourself rambling through eucalyptus gums, gazing out over gorgeous ocean cliffs, or watching the world go by in a sleepy village. These places have two things in common: they're close enough to get you there and back within a day, and they're well worth the effort. While you're on an adventure, check out the power of nature at these waterfalls and blowholes in NSW. Sticking closer to home? Check out all the lovely parks that colour the city with greenery, or make a swanky Sydney dining experience affordable with these cheap hacks for fancy places.

Remember the familiar trill of the neighbourhood ice-cream truck? Sydney's latest boozy delivery service is just like that, only its offerings have matured along with your tastes. Beginning on Wednesday, May 13, look out for a truck cruising down the streets of Sydney – from the Eastern Suburbs to the Northern Beaches – fitted out with a giant cocktail mixer, ready to pour out drinks from your favourite Sydney bars.  Whiskey brand, Monkey Shoulder, is partnering up with a different Sydney bar each week to pour out some delicious drinks whipped up in the back of a specially kitted-out cocktail truck. First up? Luxe, old-world bar, The Roosevelt, which artfully marries a '50s vibe with futuristic, liquid nitrogen-chilled drinks. The Roosevelt will be delivering cocktails like the Espresso Monkey – a whiskey twist on the classic Espresso Martini – and The Boulevardier #3, which blends whiskey and Campari with vermouth, for a Negroni with attitude. You've got until May 17 to order your creation – and with a code found on the venue's website, you'll get your first for free.  The following week, from May 20 to 24, Monkey Shoulder will join forces with Paddington's finest sticky-floored establishment, The Unicorn, to deliver cocktails to those in surrounding areas. Between May 27 to 31, the Northern Beaches will get a taste of the action, with Donny's Bar delivering to those in Manly, Fairlight and Queenscliff. Finally, the cocktail heavyweights at Maybe Sammy will round off the c

One of the positive side effects of spending all this time at home is that you’ve probably upped your game in the kitchen. If you want to take it to the next level, here’s a chance to learn from Matt Moran himself. The head honcho behind Aria, Chiswick and North Bondi Fish has today launched Cooking at Home with Matt Moran, a virtual cooking class series featuring two menus every week. Pour yourself a drink and log on each Friday at 6pm to make dinner alongside the celebrity chef as he guides you through step-by-step instructions, and answers burning questions from viewers like whether it’s okay to use that expired oyster sauce or not.  The recipes are selected from Moran’s cookbooks and are suitable for cooks of all levels, not just those who have mastered a sourdough starter. Every week the chef will unveil two new menus, each consisting of a main and two sides and making use of what’s in season. This Friday, May 22, Moran will be whipping up barbecued flank steak with chilli and coriander relish, roasted baby corn, dill and pine nuts, plus burrata with beanettes and mint; as well as chicken schnitzel with a butter lettuce, goat’s cheese, pea and preserved lemon salad, and tomato salad with pickled onion and basil dressing.  You can purchase the cooking classes for $20 per week and buy your own ingredients, or get everything you need delivered by Harris Farm for $200 (including ingredients, delivery and access to the cooking class; optional wine pairings cost extra). The li

While many of us have been using lockdown to learn TikTok dances and bake sourdough, it's thought Shakespeare used plague-induced time-outs in the 15th-century to work up King Lear, Macbeth and maybe Anthony and Cleopatra too. No pressure, hey? Well, we might not all match up to the Bard, but Griffin Theatre Company sure as hell thinks we can have a go and get a little creative in the process. Launching the cute #WorldsAStageChallenge, Griffin has cried havoc and let loose the dogs of drama. The idea’s simple: set yourself up on whatever stage comes to hand – be that your Romeo and Juliet-style balcony, atop your dining table, amidst the weeds of your unruly backyard or in the salubrious surrounds of your lime-scaled shower – and perform a snappy lil' bit from your fave play. And sorry, Shakes, but you get bonus points for keeping it Australian. Whether your audience is your so-tired-of-you partner, your confused fur baby, or bemused besties on Houseparty, it doesn’t really matter. Sing it to the mirror if you must. All you have to do is have a little fun with theatre that gets your spirits high or dives you into the emosh zone. Then, share the video on whatever social platform floats your boat tagging it with the hashtag #WorldsAStageChallenge The Griffin crew wholeheartedly believe that now, more than ever, we need to make some noise and celebrate the power of great theatre together. And if you can tip a bit in to help them get back to their stage while you cut loose on you

Prior to lockdown, Butcher’s Brew was presenting eight or more gigs a week, across seven nights and a weekly Saturday afternoon blues session. When they were forced to close the doors of their pint-sized bar and live music venue in a former Dulwich Hill butcher shop in March, they also had no choice but to cancel a nightly lineup of gigs that had been booked through to the end of June. After the investment of a lot of time, labour, resources and capital from the venue, Butcher’s Brew’s livestreamed gig series is keeping musicians and audiences connected.  “Musicians are just so happy to be playing again,” said owner Caroline Buckingham, who runs Butcher’s Brew with her son Frankie. “Practising by yourself and maintaining your chops at home is one thing, but re-establishing that connection and interplay with other musicians is really what it's all about.”  “We present a diverse range of music across multiple genres. I book bands that I like and I have very wide tastes,” said Buckingham. “I love jazz, blues, funk, reggae as well as good quality indie, R'n'B, rock and pop. Good music is good music. We've had quite a few big-name jazz heavy-hitters from the US and UK play here, as well as emerging local artists in the early stages of their careers.” Every week you can check out a diverse line-up of virtual gigs, streamed live from the stage, with a recommended price of $9.99 per ticket (you can choose to donate more). You’ll be emailed a one-click streaming link about an hour bef

While the world narrows and borders remain closed, a good novel can scratch that familiar itch to escape. But books can be much more than escape, too – they can be morally instructive, inspiring, and healing in times of anxiety and grief. If you'd like a literary remedy for your ailments – even if it's the universal ailment of existing in a time of physical distancing – then cosy Bondi bookstore Gertrude and Alice has employed a professional to cater to your needs. Lucy Pearson of book blog, The Literary Edit, will be hosting online consultations in which she will consider your biblio-needs in the strange times we're living in. What will be your cure? A stirring memoir? A Russian classic for dark-humoured life lessons? A travelogue for wandering far and wide, while home?  When you book in for a bibliotherapy session, Lucy Pearson will analyse your reading needs and tastes via an online consultation or through a questionnaire, and send you two hand-selected books in the mail according to her divinations – as well as one of Gertrude and Alice’s sweet treats. You can try your hand at this unconventional mode of healing – and get two books – for $60. Lucy hosts the Bondi Literary Salon – a monthly ticketed event at Gertrude and Alice – and writes about everything from literary-themed travel to book reviews on her blog, so rest assured she's got the literary know-how for the job.  Jane Turner, founder of Gertrude and Alice, says that since lockdown came into effect in Sydney, the

Lockdown has encouraged Sydneysiders to becomes a lot more self-sufficient – we're now making our own sourdough bread, bao buns and even Iced VoVos. Now, in the ever expanding list of things you never thought you'd be experimenting with at home, comes the Burwood Hotel's latest offering: DIY bubble tea-making kits, in six different alcoholic flavours. The Inner West favourite has been slinging alcoholic bubble tea for some time, but now the Burwood Hotel has branched out to offer DIY kits of six different bubble tea cocktails, for $50. You can take your pick from the Long Island Boba Tea with five different liquors and boba, or its raspberry flavoured equivalent. Otherwise, the tequila-based Aloe Vera Boba Margarita is refreshing, as is the Tropical Boba cocktail. For more of a kick, the Espresso Boba Milk Tea combines vodka, Baileys liqueur and Kahlua with a smattering of black tapioca pearls. Each kit comes packed with all the ingredients you'll need to fashion four serves of boozy bubble tea at home, including popping or tapioca boba, cups, lids and straws. You can get free delivery within the Sydney metro until May 19, by popping in the code FREESHIP when you order online. Otherwise, just pick up your kit direct from the pub at 121 Burwood Rd, Burwood, seven days a week, noon-late.  Keen for more DIY? Check out these pottery kits you can stuck into from home.   // (function(t,e,s,n){var o,a,c;t.SMCX=t.SMCX||[],e.getElementById(n)||(o=e.getElementsByTagName(s),a=o[o.lengt

Driving and cocktails shouldn't usually go hand in hand – but there's an exception to be made for Chippendale bar Gin Lane's new drive-through service selling bottled cocktails – for you to drink in the safety of your own home, of course. Gin Lane, master creators of elaborate, gin-based cocktails, have launched a new range of bottled cocktails which you can pick up from their inner-city store between Wednesday and Saturday from 2 - 8.30pm. There are lavender and Mediterranean-inspired G&Ts – the latter features Spanish gin, tonic, thyme, lavender, rosemary, and olive – as well as classics like Espresso Martinis and Negronis – all twizzled and shaken to perfection by renowned mixologist Grant Collins. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gin Lane Sydney (@ginlanesydney) on May 1, 2020 at 7:29pm PDT Drive by Kensington Street to pick up your preferred beverage. Just give the master mixers at least fifteen minutes notice on weekdays (and half an hour on weekends) by sending them a text at 0415 122 113 to order, or an email to hello@ginlanesydney.com. You can also score free delivery if you live within six kilometres of the lane.Hungry? You can now get DIY bao bun kits and yum cha delivered to your door.  Create your own user feedback survey 

What has been your great lockdown upskilling feat? Have you cultivated the perfect sourdough? Rekindled a love for crafting? Mastered the splits? Or have you channelled your energy into holding it together? You shouldn’t feel pressured to be productive during “uncertain times”, but a hobby doesn't hurt either. Have you considered the great art of photography, for instance? Whether you’re looking to nail the perfect pet portrait, whimsy up your landscape shots, level up your Insta game, flex your skills with creative challenges, or just learn how to take your bloody camera off auto-mode, Canon Australia has you covered with a newly launched suite of personalised online tutorials. You can book in with one of Canon’s skilled photography ambassadors for a private, one-hour digital session that is tailored to your needs, interests and skill-level (beginner, enthusiast or expert). In addition to photography fundamentals, you can learn how to edit your images like a pro, and how to master skills like manual exposure and fine art printing. The workshops start at $103.46, you can check them out and make a booking at canon.com.au/collective.  View this post on Instagram Each week @canonaustralia will be sharing images of the simple and precious moments that matter to you during isolation. The small parts of life that make a lasting impression. So, what moments matter to you right now? Share them and tag #momentsmatter #canonaustralia for a chance to be featured. Images by

Hold your (sea)horses, Sydney's Sea Life Aquarium is opening its doors for a private dining experience unlike any other. The aquarium is allowing ten diners in at a time to eat alongside sharks, sea cucumbers, sawfish, and even a dugong called Pig, while restrictions on dining continue around the state. Yes, you've got Big Poppa's giving out free Negronis and Bulletin Place curating a bespoke cocktail list for you and your mates – but where else will you have strange and unusual sea life swimming past you as you tuck in to your entrée? Usually, the aquarium’s private dining experience allows for several groups to eat together in various areas of the aquarium at once, but now, you'll have the whole space to yourself. Dinner includes three set courses, exclusive access to wander around the aquarium to your heart's content – and two hours of free-flowing drinks. Book online here – and get in quick, because there's only one seating per night. With a $2000 minimum spend, it's not your everyday affair – but it could just be the perfect post-iso blowout you could use right now.  In the meantime, you can tune in to the Aquarium's weekly livestreams to meet its residents online. Also, remember that time they let these dogs in to see the fish and our hearts basically exploded? 

When you've finished butchering your sourdough and fashioning indistinguishable crochet scarves, here's another home activity to try your hand at: DIY deep-fried ice cream. Its saving grace? You might actually be successful at it. Duo Duo, a handmade ice cream store based in Strathfield, is delivering one-step make-at-home ice cream kits to your door, for just $9. A crispy, warm layer hides a cool, creamy interior in any of three flavours – you can choose from cookies and cream, pandan coconut, or vanilla bean. Each kit comes with one serving of handmade ice cream, cocooned in a layer of sponge cake and panko breadcrumbs, so all you need to do is deep-fry your ice cream ball for 45 seconds at 200 degrees – and voilá. There you have it – deep-fried ice cream at home.If you'd rather your ice cream naked – liberated of any clothing, panko or otherwise – you can order ice cream tubs for delivery, or pick them up from the Duo Duo dessert truck, which is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from 6.30pm, parked at 606 Liverpool Road, Strathfield. FYI, the Earl Grey milk tea and Thai milk tea flavours are worth the wait.  Looking for more treats to try your hand at? This Sydney pub is slinging DIY alcoholic bubble tea kits. 

If ever there were a time for these car-donnay slinging, true-blue suburban lasses to re-enter the zeitgeist, right about now would be nice. A Melbourne-based artist and designer, Chloe Pisani, has created a new colouring and activity book featuring the inimitable Kath, Kim, and of course, their trusty sidekicks – and it's available for download online for just $8. For that price, you'll still have cash left over for some footy franks. So what kind of activities will you be able to engage in alongside your favourite hornbags? The kit features two paper dolls, a maze, four colouring pages, and even a word-find. If you're able to pay more, there's an option to donate. Check out more of Chloe's work on her Instagram account – aside from pop culture-relevant colouring books, she also makes jewellery, stickers, enamel pins and funky t-shirts.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chloe Pisani (@cactvs_au) on Apr 17, 2020 at 1:34am PDT Get on it, you foxy morons. Also, Dulwich Hill's 'Sausage Queen' is now selling tinnies of her famous craft beer.   // (function(t,e,s,n){var o,a,c;t.SMCX=t.SMCX||[],e.getElementById(n)||(o=e.getElementsByTagName(s),a=o[o.length-1],c=e.createElement(s),c.type="text/javascript",c.async=!0,c.id=n,c.src=["https:"===location.protocol?"https://":"http://","widget.surveymonkey.com/collect/website/js/tRaiETqnLgj758hTBazgd0uta6f37HVR_2F5DAnLDIgD4eiR3lWCKxeSGbAycuo_2F_2BA.js"].join(""),a.parentNode.insertBefore(c,a))})(window,d

With the restrictions on Sydney’s restaurants and pubs beginning to ease, our longing to sink our teeth into some of our favourite dishes has been ignited in a whole new way. From juicy buckets of Belles Hot Chicken, a John Dory fillet at Saint Peter, or even Bourke Street Bakery’s good old-fashioned pork and fennel sausage roll, Sydney artist Anna Vu has got us drooling.  She may currently be overseas, but Vu (former art director at Gourmet Traveller magazine) is daydreaming of all her favourite dishes and eateries from back home too. Her series 'Good Food Crap Drawing' has captured hearts and filled social media feeds for some time now.  View this post on Instagram And finally: The hand-picked mud crab Basque style, migas from @thenewportsyd @jordanwtoft @chefsamkane A post shared by goodfoodcrapdrawing (@goodfoodcrapdrawing) on May 28, 2018 at 4:18pm PDT In our current times, her nostalgia-inducing, charmingly wobbly illustrations of restaurant dishes are hitting the spot in a whole new way. You can purchase prints of her work so you can admire your own texta-soaked, vibrantly coloured tribute to a delicious dish at home.  “I've been living in Berlin for the past two years, but always feel that Sydney is still home,” said Vu. “These restaurants were places I used to frequent, places I used to work in, places that my friends still work in. They are homes away from our homes and I want them to still be there when I get back. So of course I want to help them.

When internationally renowned art photographer Spencer Tunick assembled 5,500 brave bare-all souls and snapped them on the Opera House steps during the 2010 Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, the beautiful result made headlines the world over. He returned to Australian shores in 2018 to snap a bunch more nude volunteers on a Melbourne car park roof during Provocaré Festival. Although the New Yorker's keen eye has turned to Australia once more, sadly restrictions on international travel mean he can't come here in person. But we are the first country invited to take part in his new digital platform version, Stay Apart Together. Using a chat room as his canvas, he's looking for 100 participants from our great southern land to hop online, get naked and pose for him.  To take part, you need to be 18+ and can then register interest by emailing a photo (nude optional) to StayApartTogetherAustralia@gmail.com. If called up, you’ll be asked to join a video conference with up to 100 other folks, with Tunick directing participants' poses then screen-shotting the results.  “As photographers and artists working with groups of people, we need to learn how to adapt and not be stifled by limitations during these trying times,” Tunick says. “New ways of connectivity will evolve, creating innovative human connectivity with social distancing in mind. The desire to make art communally still burns hot.”   All body shapes and backgrounds are welcome, with Stay Apart Together his first work directed c

Anyone with even a passing knowledge of queer communities will know how impossible it is to prevent their rainbows from shining. No matter what rot the world chooses to throw at them, gurrrrl, they ain't giving up. So when the current lockdown scenario sideswiped UNSW Galleries' Friendship as a Way of Life exhibition, there was no way this curation of fabulousness was sashaying away.  While the physical opening has been pushed back until November, Forms of Being Together repurposes this celebration of queer kinship – platonic, romantic, sexual and otherwise – online. You can check it out on galleries' Instagram and website. Galleries director José Da Silva says: “During this period of uncertainty, artists help us gain greater appreciation and awareness of support structures and human interaction – of meeting, touching and finding mutual understanding. This project offers insight from 20 LGBTQI+ artists and communities on the creation of alternative networks of support and kinship through creative and resourceful means.” Opened by Mother Inferior of the Sisters of the Order of Perpetual Indulgence Sydney, she performed ‘Exorcism for Healing the World’ online. Casting out demons including, “lack of government support for the arts community,” Mother also welcomed in blessed spirits to fill the space the demons vacated, like inspiration for artists in lockdown, and a wish for subsidised art supplies. New content will be posted weekly until such time as Friendship as a Way of Life

We haven't yet grown tired of trying to make things at home that should absolutely be left to the professionals. In that vein, we present to you: do-it-yourself bao bun and yum cha kits from the good folk at Tsuru, a pop-up food truck which graced many a Sydney street and festival in the pre-lockdown days.  Yudi Loefti, founder of Tsuru, is allowing you to recreate the famous fluffy buns to enjoy at home – with your choice of chicken teriyaki, tofu teriyaki with shiitake, spicy pork belly, or black pepper beef to fill your buns with ($50). Each kit has ten (!) buns, so you could feed your neighbours (and their neighbours) too. If you'd prefer to get creative with the fillings, you can grab just the ten fluffy buns (for a bargain at $10), and whip up your own invention. If you'd like to focus on the eating more than the cooking, Tsuru also has a range of yum cha you can order online, featuring all your faves like prawn har gao, barbecue pork buns, and chicken shu mai – grab a selection of all of them for $60, or check out the full range for delivery online.  Plus, order before May 15 and you'll get free delivery to the Inner East and Inner West – just pop in codes EAST20 and INWEST20 respectively.  Also, did you know that Mr Wong's and other Merivale favourites are now offering home delivery?  // (function(t,e,s,n){var o,a,c;t.SMCX=t.SMCX||[],e.getElementById(n)||(o=e.getElementsByTagName(s),a=o[o.length-1],c=e.createElement(s),c.type="text/javascript",c.async=!0,c.id=n,c.s

Want to see some sweeping, mountainous vistas without leaving the emotional and physical comfort of your thermal blanket? Rangers from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services have hit the ground in their hiking boots to capture over 1,350 kilometres of imagery from our state's most stunning walking tracks – so you can still discover new, unseen natural beauty and rugged coastal and forest landscapes while staying indoors.  Using the Google Trekker – a mounted backpack camera – NSW National Parks has captured footage so you can scale Mount Kosciuszko or get lost in NSW's winding cave networks from home. We, for one, will be using it to plan the first hikes we'll be taking off on once we're able to tramp around the great outdoors. Jervis Bay National Park has a range of walks – like the White Sands and Scribbly Gum tracks – which are perfect for watching the sunlight hit the coastal forest track across sandy beaches and sparkling blue ocean of NSW's south coast. Otherwise, the 'Walls of China', found in Mungo National Park give you a taste of the outback, with their extraterrestrial, moon-like dunes made of sand and clay. It's a natural landmark rich in more than 40,000 years of Indigenous history. If you want a moodier outdoor adventure, explore the wilds of the Kosciuszko National Park, with 360 degree footage of the Jillabenan and Yarrangobilly caves and their delicate, intricate rock formations. Oh, and make sure to get a look at the summit's view when you're there – w

Nothing will ever compare to the feel-good feeling that comes with meandering through the stalls of a weekend farmers market. They’ll be back someday, without a doubt, but at least we can still get our hands on premium produce in the meantime. In fact, never before have we had access to restaurant-quality goods on such an extensive scale – we can now buy oysters that were destined to be served by Sydney’s best chefs, score boxes of fruits and vegetables from some of the finest restaurants in the country and, thanks to the good folk at the Tramsheds Growers Markets, we can still purchase products from our favourite stallholders. The weekly Sunday market has temporarily moved online and has made the best of the best from its growers and makers available at the click of a button. Yes, that means Madeleines, meringues and canelés from Sacrebleu; doughnuts from Sergio’s Kitchen; all things macadamia from Brother Mountain; handcrafted miso from Enokido; olives galore from the Olive Bar and small-batch granola from MG Food Co. Breakfast boxes from Brickfields are also available (complete with Pepe Saya butter), as are the recently launched smoked sausages from LP’s Quality Meats. If you’re after fresh produce, boxes of organic fruits and vegetables are on offer from Prickle Hill. Small boxes start at $60 while large ones go for $90, and the contents depend on what comes from the farm each week. For an additional $30 or $35, respectively, you have the option to upgrade to a growers b

Why do we still love seeing films in cinemas? The immersion of a theatre, the hushed reverence before the film starts, and of course, being able to load up on hot, buttered popcorn and scarfing all of it before the trailers have finished. Low-lit, indie Surry Hills cinema Golden Age is delivering at least part of that experience to your door, with the launch of its new candy bar and bottle shop service, Bottle Rocket. Grab hot peanuts or one of four types of housemade popcorn: you can get it plain and buttered, garnished with rosemary and parmesan, sprinkled with spices, or jumbled in with hot wasabi peas ($7). The cinema also has a range of kitsch candy bar goodies, including Gelato Messina choctops, Pocky sticks and themed lolly bags like the "Calorie Fest" inspired by Clueless and the "Under the Sea" bag as inspired by Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic.  Oh, and the drinks selection is even better. The bar at Golden Age has established itself as a stand-alone drinking hole, not just a spot for pre-movie aperitif, and its range of at-home cocktails do this reputation justice. Grab a bottle with two serves of White Gold Negroni with Malfy Gin Rosa and Lillet Blanc for $30; or try out the Team Zizzou Highball for $22 with Campari, limoncello and Capi blood orange soda. Otherwise, take your pick of the wine offerings, from rieslings to local pet nats. Plus, if you order online during the month of May, you're receive three months' access to online movie database, DocPlay, for fre

One of the country’s most prestigious live theatre companies has joined the mass pivot to online streaming with the launch of OA | TV: Opera Australia on Demand. The free, on-demand streaming service will release exclusive content every week, drawing from the company’s extensive back catalogue of live performance recordings. That includes the world’s most comprehensive video collection of performances by celebrated Australian soprano Dame Joan Sutherland, recognised as one of the most remarkable female opera singers of the 20th century.  Launched overnight, you can now head over to tv.opera.org.au to watch Sutherland in one of her most celebrated performances, as Hannah Glawari in the 1988 production of Franz Lehar’s The Merry Widow, performed at the Sydney Opera House. Opera Australia has also released the full-length production of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour’s inaugural 2012 season of La Traviata, which was due to be revived this year before restrictions on public gatherings were deployed. “Understandably it’s been devastating for everyone at the company not being able to perform and we know our fans are missing us as much as we’re missing being on stage,” said Opera Australia’s artistic director, Lyndon Terracini. “We’ve actually been wanting to launch OA | TV for some time, and now we have the right digital platform and the time to develop it, so we can share not only our rich history with our fans, but also it’s an opportunity for them to meet some of our incredibly ta

Bastille Day might be a while away yet, but there's no bad time to feast on gooey, melted French cheese in a wheel. That's why the organisers of the Bastille Festival, a French festival held annually in July in Sydney's Rocks district, have announced the launch of their 'Revolution Boxes' – and it's come just in time for Sydney's snap of chilly weather. While the Festival itself has been postponed until October 2020, the francophiles among you can still get your Frenchy fix with boxes of wine, cheese and other goodies delivered to your door. Vive la révolution indeed, especially if it's this cheesy.  Now, the crucial question: which box will you choose? Kits contain allthe ingredients you need to make fondue or raclette – or simply treat yourself to a selection of wine and cheeses from the full range online. The fondue Savoyarde (a type of fondue from the foothills of the Alps) box ($105) contains everything you need to ensure you have cheese dreams that night: three cheeses portioned and weighed, a bottle of white wine from Savoie, another for cooking (!), baguettes for dipping and a bottle of kirsch to pour straight in to your gooey pot of fondue. And don't worry – a step-by-step recipe and tasting notes will ensure you don't put a foot wrong throughout your French escapades. S'il vous plaît, et merci.  If fondue isn't quite your flavour of melting French cheese, the raclette box ($95) contains everything you'll need to cook up a rustic feast in your home: 500 grams of racl

Almost overnight, a 92-year-old Country Women’s Association veteran, Muriel Halsted, has become an internet sensation, after a cookery tutorial on her easy-peasy, four-ingredient scone recipe was viewed almost 5 million times (to date). Filmed for the ABC in the kitchen of her family home – which fittingly just happens to be in the rural NSW town of Scone in the Upper Hunter Shire – Halsted reveals the simple secrets of her scones, which would usually be available at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. The CWA typically sells up to 50,000 of the baked treats at the popular annual event, which has been cancelled for 2020. Halstead has been an enthusiastic member of the Country Women’s Association for more than 70 years, and while she’s long since lost count of the number of scones she has made for various CWA events over the years, she estimates that on average, she would have made about 160 litres of custard every year when her seven children were growing up. Muriel’s fool-proof scone recipe Ingredients:Five cups of self-raising flour300ml of lemonade300ml of cold full-fat creamFull cream milk to brush Method: Preheat an oven to 220 degrees. Sift the flour three times, then add a pinch of salt. In a bowl, make a depression in the flour, then slowly fold in the cream. Once combined, add lemonade and fold in until fully absorbed. Turn dough out onto a floured board, pat down to an even thickness. Cut dough into lengths, then divide into equal square portions. Brush with milk and lay

Check out video tutorials that cover topics from crafting the classic cocktail and setting up your home bar to the fundamentals of American barbecue and professional cooking hacks.

Step aside, sourdough starters and top-secret Arnott’s biscuit recipes, there’s a new home cooking hobby entering our physically distanced kitchens. Have you been missing the zing of wasabi and the taste of proper sushi? Zushi has taken its home delivery service to the next level with Zushi Sushi Making Kits. With restaurants in Surry Hills and Barangaroo which have long kept the salarymen and women of Sydney’s central business districts rolling in maki, nigiri and izakaya, Zushi has now pivoted its offerings to keep our taste buds tantalised with much more than your average California roll. The kits come with everything you need for a fine sushi feast, from cheat sheets and rolling mats to nori sheets, perfectly cooked sushi rice, and fillings ranging from fresh salmon, to cooked tuna and prawns. Top off your concoctions with soy, honey mayo, ginger and wasabi. You can choose from an adult kit that feeds two ($45), a kids kit for two ($30), or a family pack to feed four ($70).  Want to turn your feast into a party? Zushi is also delivering home cocktail kits so you can shake and stir up your own chilli margaritas or lychee blossom mojitos (from $14).  Head to zushi.com.au to place your orders directly, with free delivery covering much of the East, CBD and Inner West. That’s just how they roll.  Looking to make more restaurant quality feeds at home? Yes, DIY Korean barbecue and fried chicken can now be delivered to you. // (function(t,e,s,n){var o,a,c;t.SMCX=t.SMCX||[],e.get

See that lemon sitting on the countertop, the afternoon light striking its skin just so? That's a still-life waiting to happen – if you've got the photography skills for it. The Australian Centre for Photography (ACP) is the latest to pivot to offering online classes while we're all indoors for the time being.  The ACP is running an introductory course on the basics of digital photography ($179), as well as venturing further into the specifics of the art with courses on the basics of design lighting at home for people and objects ($249) and an introduction to Adobe Lightroom ($349). The courses will encourage you to harness the world around you – as physically limited as it may be for now – to create striking, principled photos. What's more? The Centre has wrangled some big names in the photography world to teach you a thing or two. Rachel Knepfer, the former director of photography at Rolling Stone magazine, is running a series of classes tailored specifically for our current climate. In 'Instagram projects in the time of Covid-19' ($659), she offers one-on-one mentorship to those seeking guidance and inspiration for photography tailored to Insta. Kepfner will teach you practical skills with reference to successful artists already operating and flourishing on the platform, while exploring intersecting ideas of ethics, integrity, and collaboration through the medium.  Think of the courses as as investment into your post-lockdown self – your future adventures are going to loo

None of us are travelling to New York anytime soon, but you can still get yourself a true taste of the Big Apple with Brooklyn Boy Bagels' new carpark set-up – designed for you to grab your doughy morsel and continue on your way with minimal contact with people.  Michael Shafran is no stranger to innovation. Since 2013, he's been impressing his loyal Sydney clientele with dense, golden bagels made in the proper New York style – boiled, of course. Now, Shafran's institution is rolling with the times and setting up a drive-through in front of its Marrickville warehouse, so you can drop in, grab a box of bagels (as well as some lox and schmear), and cruise on back home.  Brooklyn Boy's got all the bagels you could want: plain, blueberry, sesame, poppy seed and, just as you'd find in a bodega in the boroughs, an everything bagel scattered with poppy, sesame and caraway seeds. And what's a bagel without a lashing of cream cheese? Probably, well, dry. But fear not because you can take your pick of schmear to spread on top: there's plain, jalapeño, lox and garlic and chive to choose from.  If you can't pick just a couple of bagels, for the Bagel Survival Kit, loaded with eight bagels and two spreads for $42.95. For a family of bagel fiends, or just the ravenously hungry, go for the Self-Islolation Nosh Fest, with 24 (!) bagels and five different spreads.  Brooklyn Boy Bagels is open for drive-through from Tuesday - Sunday, from 7am until noon. Grab 'em hot.  Still feeling peck

If you've been tearing through books with lockdown fervour, then we have just the thing for you. The City of Sydney are virtually holding our hands through iso by offering us a whole stack of new reading material, all available online, for free. You can access thousands of e-books from their digital library – all you need is a library card. 

Have you become one of those people who has turned to mindful, old-timey hobbies with all the extra time you’ve found yourself with? Have you become that person who started baking your own deceptively complicated loaves of sourdough bread, sharing photos of misshapen rounds of rustic looking bread across your social media and bragging about it? No? Well, do you want to be that person? You can now buy a baking kit with a sourdough starter lovingly fermented by the Sydney Opera House’s executive head chef, Kasper Christensen (former private chef to the Danish royal family). But even better than the prospect of biting into your own fresh homemade loaf, or the Instagram credentials, is that every purchase is raising money to help save a young life.  Kasper and his wife Anna started Bread for Life to raise life-saving funds for Filip, their friend’s two-year-old son who has been diagnosed with brain and spinal cord cancer. Since its inception two weeks ago, Bread for Life has raised over $7000 in Australia and sold over 300 sourdough starter kits. They’ve even posted kits internationally, as far as the USA, UK, Greece, Singapore, Egypt, Holland and Poland. But more money is urgently needed for Filip’s treatment.  View this post on Instagram Hi everyone, Whilst we’re all stuck at home 🏡 why not pick up a few new skills and join in together while supporting a great cause. I’ll be sharing my super potent sourdough 🍞🍞 starter across the world 🌍 this with recipe, lots

It’s almost impossible to re-create the magic of a restaurant at home – especially a smoky, sizzling Korean barbecue joint, buzzing with big groups ordering monstrous platters of meat and endless litres of soju. But, in times like these, we should be doing our very best to try, and thanks to two of Sydney’s most popular Korean eateries, we now can. 

If an entire keg of Espresso Martini was a little too ambitious for you, you can still whet your appetite for buzzy booze with the Lord Gladstone's on-tap Espresso Martinis, which are now available for takeaway. At just $5 for 100ml of the good stuff, it'd be rude not to.  The Lord Gladstone – it's the Gladdy, who are we kidding? – have also got a takeaway on-tap beers and a menu made to travel, including favourites like the Glad burger ($18), mac and cheese ($10), and a good old schnitty ($21). They're also participating in the #fortheloveofyourlocal campaign – if you buy a pint for later now, Carlton and United Breweries will shout you another for free, both of which will be redeemable when doors open again. View this post on Instagram Wanna drink expresso martini on tap at home? Come through with whatever you wanna take it home in. $5 per 100ml. Fkn yum. A post shared by #tgl #thegoodlord (@chippolord) on Apr 27, 2020 at 7:25pm PDT " /> For now, the Gladdy is open for takeaway from 12–3pm and 5–8pm Monday – Sunday. To order, pick up the phone and call (02) 9310 1483. Pay on pickup.  More of a vino-fiend? Check out this natural wine subscription service hand-picked by two sommeliers.  // (function(t,e,s,n){var o,a,c;t.SMCX=t.SMCX||[],e.getElementById(n)||(o=e.getElementsByTagName(s),a=o[o.length-1],c=e.createElement(s),c.type="text/javascript",c.async=!0,c.id=n,c.src=["https:"===location.protocol?"https://":"http://","widget.surveymonkey.com/c

The ultra feminine, vintage inspired surrounds of Sky Sirens Academy of Burlesque, Pole Dance & Aerial Artistry in Surry Hills is a place where people across Sydney have converged to learn new skills and reclaim their own sensuality: whether that's hoisting yourself up a pole to a backdrop of leopard print wallpaper, or peeling off a satin glove surrounded by flamingos, feathers and encouragement. While the studio has temporarily closed its doors, it has released a suite of online classes to get you grooving, grinding and feeling the fantasy at home. Available to total beginners as well as dancers who are more practiced in burlesque and sexy movement arts, these classes are delivered as packs of four videos with instructions. You can choose to learn tricks on a chair with the Bend & Lap class, get Down & Dirty with floorwork, unleash your inner flapper and learn the Charleston with Deco Darlings, up your flexibility with the Sexy Flexy workout, or polish up your freestyle showgirl moves with Flow & Sparkle. All are taught by the studio's industry professional instructors. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sky Sirens (@skysirens) on Apr 2, 2020 at 4:14pm PDT All online classes are available to purchase individually (from $40) or as part of a package ($75-$180) from Sky Sirens’ online shop, where you’ll also find a treasure trove of showgirl trimmings, from pasties and lingerie to knee pads and stacked Pleaser heels.  For an added level of accessibili

Three weeks ago, as thousands of people across NSW faced sudden unemployment and an uncertain future, TAFE NSW announced that 21 online courses would be made free to access so people could upskill and glow-up their CV while in iso. Training was offered across a range of useful vocational topics including administrative skills, medical industries, and advanced management techniques. The uptake of these fee-free courses far surpassed the state government’s expectations, with more than 85,000 people signing up.  Given this overwhelming response, TAFE NSW is now releasing 13 more free courses, which anyone across the state will be able to access online from April 30. These will focus largely on digital skills, from cybersecurity and maintenance of simple websites to creative imaging training, basic coding, and social media management.  The courses on offer have been picked based on the kinds of vital skills expected to be in high demand once Australians are allowed to return to work. The state has already begun preparing for a return to some level of normality this week, as the daily tally of new cases continues to flatten and thinking about the process of reinvigorating the economy begins. NSW residents will be allowed to visit each other in their homes from May 1, schools will begin a phased reopening and retailers will be allowed to reopen while offering enhanced sanitation measures to customers. In the 24-hour period between April 29 - 30, more than 7,700 people in NSW were t

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who puzzle and those who are confused about why the other kind so cheerfully volunteer to undertake mundane, unpaid labour.  If you fall firmly into the first category and you're sniffing around for a new puzzling fix, then we've got a treat for you. The State Library of New South Wales has launched a series of virtual jigsaw puzzles inspired by its collections. Gazing out over Sydney Harbour might seem like a distant memory, but you can bring it back by taking on the puzzle version of Arthur Streeton's panoramic view of the harbour and our city's skyline in all its glory. Streeton's painting was "startlingly innovative" for Sydney's art scene in the 1890s – with rapid brush strokes and its inspired use of colour, the full painting (and jigsaw puzzle) centres the Royal Botanic Garden, with Cremorne Point to its left and the familiar curve of Circular Quay to the right.  Otherwise, check out this painting of the sweetly named Fairy Bower, a little inlet along Manly's shore between South Steyne and Shelly Beach. Alan Grieve, the artist, lived on the Northern Beaches, and his oeuvre is an ode to the beauty of his neighbouring beaches and the Australian landscape more generally.     Fairy Bower, Manly, 1956 / Alan Grieve. Courtesy of the State Library of NSW Photograph: Supplied                         There are a lot more to choose from, too, from 'Picnic at Mrs Macquaries Chair', by an unknown artist, to Wendy Sharpe's dep

In all likelihood, nothing will ever top a freshly poured schooner of legendary, naturally conditioned Coopers pale ale, but seeing as though that isn’t exactly an option right now, making your own is probably your best bet. And besides, there’s never been a better time to pick up a new skill.  Believe it or not, Coopers – yes, Coopers – began producing DIY beer kits in the 1970s. Today, the largest Australian-owned brewery is the world’s best-selling brand of DIY beer extracts, and exports to more than 25 countries. There are two options to choose from here: an 8.5-litre craft kit ($69) or a 23-litre brew kit ($119), both of which have all the equipment you need, as well as ingredients for your first batch, which are all made onsite in South Australia. You can produce a variety of styles, from a crisp lager to a hoppy IPA or chocolatey stout, and the process takes about two weeks in total. If you need any help at any point, Coopers has a team of experienced hands ready to answer your questions by phone, email or via their Facebook page. When you crunch the numbers, a 375ml stubby comes out to just 45 cents, so even if it doesn’t turn out to be the beer of a lifetime, at least it won’t be an especially expensive undertaking. Then again, maybe you’ll strike gold, and you can finally embark on that career change you’ve been dreaming of.  Coopers DIY beer kits are available at diybeer.com, as well Dan Murphy’s and Big W stores. Prefer to have beer made for you? Sign up to one of

The names behind some of Sydney's most popular bars – including Button Bar and Stitch Bar and Terrigal's Pocket Bar, – have opened up an online store selling canned versions of your favourite 5pm beverages, ready for delivery to your doorstep. They've got a range of 330ml and 500ml of cocktails to whet the most even the most unusual of appetites.

Has all the extra time you’ve spent stuck at home given you a creative kick? From bedroom pop stars to meme masters and oil painters, the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (CPAC) wants to share the people’s iso-art and give homebound creatives the chance to win $500.  The competition is open to artwork of any medium, from comedy to cake-decorating, and submissions are welcome regardless of whether they are recorded from your bed with a dodgy smartphone or using state of the art equipment in a home studio. Before you get all fired up, you should know that this talent contest – aptly named Generator: I Hope I Win $500 – is only open to people who live, work or study in the Liverpool Local Government Area. Your new and original creative project must also have been made since March 1, 2020.  The competition is open to submissions across six categories, and each is eligible for the cash prize. Categories include: My Mood; Isolation Landscape – My View to the Outside; Funny – Make Us LOL; What I’m Grateful For; My Colleagues at Home – Furry or Otherwise; and Visual Narrative – A story in 10 images or less. Entries are open now, and all finalists will have their work shown on CPAC and Liverpool Council’s digital platforms. The winner of each category will win $500, with second and third prizes of $300 and $100 respectively. Head to the website to submit your entry, or if you have questions email reception@casulapowerhouse.com.  Check out more cool digital experiences and exhibitions wit

Think of the world’s most famous operas and, chances are, you’ll come up with a list that’s a bit of a boys’ club. Tosca, Madama Butterfly and La Bohème: Giacomo Puccini. Carmen: Georges Bizet. La Traviata and Aida: Giuseppe Verdi. The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Sydney Chamber Opera (SCO) and Carriageworks have teamed up to redress that blokey bias with the world premiere of not one but four new one-act operas by Australian female composers. Breaking Glass will present these works exploring women’s rights as a free-to-stream event on Carriageworks’ Facebook page this Saturday, April 25 at 7.30pm. Sydney-based composer and performer Josephine Macken, co-founder of Spiral Ensemble and the Lost+Sound collective, will present The Tent, a dread-filled piece inspired by Margaret Atwood’s razor-sharp dystopias. Peggy Polias’ Commute riffs of Homer’s Iliad but drawing on the everyday anxiety of a woman walking home at night. Georgia Scott, a composer, orchestrator and arranger, channels Sylvia Plath’s poetry and the battle for recognition in Her Dark Marauder. Drummer, percussionist, composer and sound artist Bree van Reyk’s The Invisible Bird translates the fight for emancipation into the plight of a rare breed of Australian parrot struggling for survival. Presented in partnership with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Composing Women Program, SCO Artistic Associate Danielle Maas and Clemence Williams co-direct. “When I first started seriously t

There's a certain intimacy in the livestreamed gig format that you can't quite attain in huge, sweaty concert halls surrounded by hundreds of people who each truly believe they're the band's biggest fan. In partnership with local legends Life Without Andy, Boost Mobile is hosting new Live at 5 weekly sessions, where you can watch your favourites from the comfort of your own bedroom – often while they're in the comfort of theirs. That's free livestreamed gigs each Thursday, at knock-off o'clock, on the dot.  The concept is hyper-local: Boost has rallied a different, local Aussie artist or band each week to livestream a set. Kicking things off on Thursday, April 16, is Aussie rapper Allday, who'll be followed on to the virtual stage on Thursday, April 23, by indie pop darlings, Cubsport.  Live at 5 is all part of Boost's #stay campaign, which encourages young Australians to stay entertained, stay positive and importantly – stay home. Tune in at 5pm on Boost's Instagram channel, where you can also see who else will be gracing our phone screens in the coming weeks.  And you know what? We'll happily stay home if the gigs are this much fun.  Fancy a drink with that? Tasmania's MONA is now delivering extremely potent, unholy cocktails to your door.

Need a push to get your creative juices flowing? All this new-found extra time at home is the perfect excuse to put those hands to work getting quaran-crafty.  Not sure where to start? What if you could have all the supplies you need to get crafting delivered to you, along with some craft beers? The crafty types from Art Somewhere dreamed up this ingenious crossover service and they're now delivering it to you via a fortnightly subscription box. These aren’t your run of the mill craft kits, oh no. Art Somewhere has teamed up with some of Sydney’s best local artists to help you level up your handmade, with kits including embroidery, calligraphy and polymer clay. There’s even some tips on how to turn those empty tinnies into upcycled artworks.  Art Somewhere is a creative hangout run by not-for-profit creative space 107 Projects. By purchasing a subscription, you can help make sure the good folk at 107 can continue their work supporting local artists and providing community-focussed programs. The boxes start at $30, with the option to add a six-pack of Mountain Goat beer, and they get cheaper as you add more (you can buy a bundle of two, four or six fortnightly deliveries). The delivery zone covers a bunch of Sydney suburbs, or you can pick up from 107 Projects in Redfern or Joynton Avenue. Sign up on their website to get creating at home. Looking for more creative activities? You can fashion your own zero waste tote bag with this at-home kit, and check out the best online cl

Struggling to come up with some too cool for home-schooling ideas? Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) has your back. The major Sydney gallery has unveiled Your MCA, a brand new digital platform serving up arty experiences, and next week it will unleash a slew of kids activities based on the First Nations-led Biennale of Sydney NIRIN program. Led enthusiastically by MCA’s kids and families coordinator Pip, and MCA artist-educator Merindah, fresh content will drop every morn at 9am. First up on Monday, the theme is Gurray, which means “transformation”. Pip and Merindah will share how to make a special marsupial-like pouch to hold Ngawal-Guyungan (powerful ideas), inspired by artists Huma Bhabha, Misheck Masamvu and Tony Albert, in collaboration with Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network. Tuesday draws on the idea Bila, meaning river, with Pip and Merindah asking kids to draw something that connects them to a special place they love, channelling artists Noŋgirriŋa Marawili, Aziz Hazara, Eric Bridgeman and Haus Yurival. Wednesday’s theme is Bagaray-Bang, meaning healing. Drawing from the work of artists Pedro Wonaeamirri and Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri, kids will learn to bring their memories to life by creating sculptures. On Thursday, Pip and Merindah will turn to Muriguwal Giiland, meaning different stories. Inspired by artists Mayunkiki and Kulimoe’anga Stone Maka, they’ll challenge kids to interview a friend online about an important experience, then create a line dr

As we while away the time at home under physical distancing rules, unleashing on a creative project or pouring a glass of pino are vices many of us are turning to for passing the time. But, especially if you haven’t picked up a paint brush since a high school art class, a blank canvas sitting before you can be a bit of an overwhelming prospect. Thankfully, local ‘sip and paint’ studios are now offering at-home options so you can have an instructor on hand to guide your creative spark (it’s just up to you to keep your wine glass topped up).  The family-run Bondi Paint Club has been forced to delay the opening of its bricks and mortar studio, however its new suite of Zoom art classes is bringing the beachy vibes further afield while providing work for local artists. Sip and paint classes are $20 a session and typically run from 7pm during the week, with some Sunday afternoon sessions at 2pm. Choose from everything from rudie nudies to David Bowie, pink cockatoos to some very Bondi landscapes. Kids sessions are $13. You can rent easels and aprons from the Art Store from $5, and purchase supplies like the Paint Club Pack ($60) which has all you need to get painting, or keep it enivro-friendly with the Green Pack ($35) with compostable paint pots and a recycled cardboard palette. Cork & Canvas is offering budding artists on-demand painting classes for $25 that will guide you through the creation of your own work of art, from idyllic landscapes to kids classes perfect for the Easte

In ordinary times, there's plenty to love about the single life – but staying at home puts a decisive pin in quite a lot of it. Sure, you can still get down at the club in iso, but some of the sparkle of a big night fades when you're still in your pyjamas and brushing off cookie crumbs from the night before. If you find yourself gently stroking your freshly-baked sourdough loaf and leaning into its, sort of, well, human-like warmth – you might want to get in on this.  Introducing the Soirée at Home: a virtual blind date event that you can participate in from the couch. Get Swanned, a British and Irish dating app, is putting on the event, but the virtual event is for any and all. They're teaming up with Soirée Events, the party planners best known for their roaming dinner parties where singles move from house to house for each dinner course. The best part of this virtual date? You get to bring a friend along for the ride. No more signalling across the bar about how your date's going – just mute yourselves and gossip away. Plus, it's totally free.  So how does it work? First, find a friend and email getinvolved@sydneysoiree.com with your names, ages, nationalities, professions and social media profiles. Expert matchmakers will work their magic and match up you and your friend with another pair of friends. You'll be given some ice-breaker questions to answer (not lame ones, don't worry) and then get sent an invitation with a date and time for your Zoom date. When the night comes

The Australian Museum's new virtual project is basically the educational equivalent of hiding vegetables in your kids' spaghetti – they'll learn a whole lot without even realising how it happened. Sydney's leading natural history museum has flung open its virtual doors with new portal, Inside Out, bringing a raft of online exhibitions and projects to your budding scientists, geologists and explorers.   If the thought of finding enough livestreams to fill the days of the upcoming school holidays fills you with mild dread, the Australian Museum might have you covered. For learning with a dose of fun, children can explore the Museum's range of 3D models made through photogrammetry: a process which involves taking hundreds of photos of an object which are then 'solved' into one three-dimensional picture. Its specificity allows the natural textures and light of objects to come through. You can explore priceless Egyptian mummy collections, deep sea angler fish and the first mammal declared to have gone extinct because of climate change. Families can also watch birds-eye footage of treacherous explorations and keep abreast of the latest in scientific research, events and podcasts. The Curated for the Curious collection has been designed in part with teachers and home-schooling in mind, with information and fact sheets for those wanting to check up on how much knowledge their tutees have retained: they cover everything from your kids' favourite creepy-crawlies, fossils, unusual bug

Rolling with our stay-at-home times, the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (CPAC) is tapping the incredible knowledge and creative inspiration of its in-house crew and the creatives they support to go digital. Over the coming weeks, the CPAC website will host a bunch of ingenious online exhibitions, workshops and fun special event to keep you entertained, engaged and even creative. Resident Bellbird head chef Frederico Rekowski will whip up some inspiring and achievable easy cooking classes to keep your taste buds entertained, including how to make comfort food fave gnocchi. "I love cooking, but I do it all day every day, so when I come home I don’t like to spend a lot of time making myself dinner," he tells us. "Over the last few years I’ve been developing recipes that take no more than 15 minutes to prepare and cook, and these will feature heavily in the show." As well as revealing how to get between three and four meals four of one roast chook, one of his first classes will be how to make ricotta gnocchi. "It’s a favourite at Bellbird, but it’s also super easy and quick to make because you don’t have the fuss of having to cook potatoes, it’s just ricotta and flour." He says in-house gardener Lauren Booth will share her tips for growing your kitchen garden, whether that’s in a backyard, courtyard or on your balcony. "She’s still growing things from seeds right now, but with the restaurant closed we’ve been donating the produce to local community kitchens who make meals for the

Parlez-vous Français? Would you like to? The Alliance Française, which has been teaching French to beginners and les specialistes for 120 years, has made the transition online.  There are courses available for teenagers, kids and adults, as well as private tuition and group classes. Classes are taught through a combination of video conferencing and e-learning materials, as well as an app and email subscription to practise.  French HSC students can access these online materials to help them swot up for their exams, while those who want to travel to Paris once this time is over will be able to learn the conversational French they'll need to make the most of their time overseas.  Already a Francophone? Alliance Française members can access the Culturethèque, which is an online collection of French books, magazines, films and newspapers. There are also fun French immersion activities like murder mystery boxes and games, which can be played online with other Alliance members. Keen to get started? Head over to the Alliance Française's website and en avant! Ready for more learning? Fender will give you three months of guitar lessons for free. Serge Gainsbourg, anyone?

Guten Tag! If your German knowledge ends there, then you'll be glad to know that the world famous cultural association, the Goethe-Institut, is moving all of its German language courses online in response to the Covid-19 crisis which has shuttered its in-person tuition.  Picking up German now is a good idea, if only so you don't end up like JFK, whose shoddy German pronunciation spawned the urban legend that he declared he was a "proud doughnut" to a worldwide audience in Berlin. Turns out 'Berliner' has multiple meanings. If you'd rather avoid ambiguity, sign up for classes online.    For fluency in a flash, the Institut's intensive courses begin next week. It's a great opportunity to use your iso-period to learn the native tongue of the likes of Mozart, Freud and Heidi Klum. If you're in it for the long run, the Institut's traditional 10-week courses start from mid-April. Check out the full list of course dates here.  The Institut's small group format allows you to learn the language according to your schedule. Check in during your lunch break, or once you feel your brain melting from too much Netflix streaming. There are virtual group sessions too, so you get the interaction so vital to really immersing in a language. Once you've mastered the basics, you can access the Institut's Onleihe digital library with more than 35,000 German language texts and videos free to download. If you're not quite ready to commit to finessing your German skills for the long haul, you can tr

It's never too early to brush up on the moves you'll be whipping out once we're doing with physical distancing. You can officially learn from the experts, now that the Sydney Dance Company is running a virtual dance studio.  The classes are designed for everybody, from beginner to experienced dancers – and you can pick your poison, from ballet to jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, pilates and body conditioning – all for $28 a week. Just head online, purchase a pass or a membership and you're ready to get dancing around your living room.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sydney Dance Company (@sydneydanceco) on Mar 26, 2020 at 11:37pm PDT   They're even keeping it fun with themes – dress ups encouraged.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sydney Dance Company (@sydneydanceco) on Apr 2, 2020 at 3:47pm PDT   If you'd prefer your dance classes bite-sized, David McAllister from the world-renowned Australian Ballet Company is teaching you moves on Instagram, too – from an enviable grand plié to perfecting your port de bras.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Australian Ballet (@ausballet) on Mar 31, 2020 at 11:42pm PDT Still not satisfied? We've got a bunch more online workouts you can do without leaving your living room. 

While we’re all stuck in, the nation’s most famous house is throwing their doors wide open, in spirit, at least, with a little help from Missy Higgins. The Sydney Opera House will launch an inspiring digital arts season dubbed From our House to Yours. it will include livestreamed performances, podcasts, behind-the-scenes footage and long-form reads to feed your imagination while we wait this out. Even better, it’s totally free. From Our House to Yours kicks off with Higgins' uncut performance live from the Opera House forecourt, recorded on Valentine's Day last year. Opera House CEO Louise Herron says it was a gift Sydney's most famous landmark had to give. "While we cannot welcome audiences to live performances in our venues, we are committed to offering the best in arts, culture and entertainment, as we have since opening in 1973. The difference is that, while the doors are closed, we will be doing it online.” Although it launches on April Fool’s Day at 6pm, this is no joke. The timings and content will vary, with the schedule announced each Tuesday for the week from Wednesday. This week also includes an All About Women 2020 talk with writer and artist Chanel Miller, highlights of First Nations dance competition Dance Rites 2019, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s Ninth. There’s also a writers’ room chinwag with Rosehaven’s Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor, Please Like Me’s Josh Thomas, and Rick and Morty’s Dan Harmon. You can grab a taster today by wa

With all the changes that come with isolation life, the weekly ritual of popping down to the local farmers market to stock up on fresh produce and warm loaves of freshly baked bread is something we’re lamenting the absence of.  Thank goodness for The Market Drop, a new platform that has digitised the experience of shopping at one of Sydney’s weekend markets. The website brings together a bunch of local stallholders into one place, so you can fill your virtual trolley with goodies from all your market favourites and eagerly await delivery on Saturday or Sunday.  The platform is the brainchild of the team behind Cheese on Wheels, who have run six market stalls across Sydney for the past eight years. With many markets closing indefinitely under physical distancing regulations, Aurore Ghigo and the Cheese on Wheels team jumped into action to create a solution to keep fellow stallholders in business and give shoppers the choice to continue supporting their trusted fruit and veggie growers, bakers and foodie businesses.  The platform has already partnered with a handful of popular local markets including Carriageworks Farmers Market, The Beaches Market, Millers Point Market and Northside Produce Market.  You can shop by vendor and load up with delicious goods like croissants and sourdough breads from Brickfields bakery, salmon from Peyton Blu Royale Seafood, and dairy from Marrook Farm.  Place your order by 10pm on Wednesday for Saturday deliveries, and by 10pm Thursday for Sunday

Have you ever wondered about the ancient art of kinstugi? It's a Japanese artisanal technique, where you can mend broken pottery with a gold-dusted lacquer, symbolising the process of repair as part of the object itself. If that sounds like the kind of wholesome activity you need in your life, you can now try it yourself with the folks at ClassBento, an online platform for creative, active and food-focussed workshops and classes taught by local expert makers. What's more, they've now launched livestreamed workshops, complete with a box of crafty goodies delivered to your door (and you'll pay zilch for delivery).  ClassBento has a plethora of classes you can choose from; make a quarantine coffee scrub, scent some soy candles, dabble in Turkish mosaic, and, if you're feeling like getting into the festive spirit, learn how to felt an Easter bunny (not a chocolate one). You can join the classes online, or you can even book a private workshop, if you're craving some some one-on-one attention.  It's the perfect antidote to isolation apathy: fun, communal, and a chance to allow your hands to weave some artisanal magic in your own home.  Wondering what else to do with all your Time In? Check out our top isolation recommendations for what to eat, drink and do. 

Everyone's favourite '80s aerobics style-mavens are back – and they've gone digital. Retrosweat's high-energy dance workout is the perfect, feel-good way to get you moving in these physically distanced days. Set to boppy vintage tunes, the queens at Retrosweat have launched a new VHS Workout Club where you can stream their classes online. Get out your fluorescent leotards and pouf up that hair, because it's time to sweat.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by R E T R O S W E A T ™ (@retrosweat) on Apr 1, 2020 at 12:52am PDT They're hosting a complimentary class on Saturday, April 4, at 11am. The theme is 'Synthwave Sweat’, and they've got a stellar lineup of retro wave artists – and they'll even include a Spotify playlist link so you can listen to their favourite artists after class. Expect the usual outrageous costumes, huge hair and a heart-pumping workout.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by R E T R O S W E A T ™ (@retrosweat) on Mar 31, 2020 at 3:43pm PDT Here's our rolling list of the best online workouts you can do at home. 

Just last year award-winning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Bangarra Dance Theatre was celebrating an exhilarating 30 years thrilling Australian audiences with 30 Years of Sixty Five Thousand. But with stages shut down nationwide, the company's latest work, Sandsong, celebrating the majesty of the Kimberleys, is floating in limbo. But that doesn’t mean you have to go without the brilliance of Bangarra in your life. The company will join forces with the Sydney Opera House to present masterpiece Bennelong as part of the harbour icon’s From Our House to Yours digital program. The multiple Helpmann Award-winning show, first staged in 2017, will stream online at 8pm AEST on Wednesday, April 15. Eora elder Woollarawarre Bennelong – a sometime captive/’friend’ of governor Arthur Phillip – once lived in a brick hut on the very spot where the Opera House sails now dazzle.  Bangarra artistic director Stephen Page says of Bennelong's Australian dance language, “The company celebrates the continuation of life and culture through the power, artistry and passion of the country's most outstanding dancers. With its immersive soundscapes and exquisite design, it will leave you in awe of Australia’s history and its power to repeat." He added that, as a resident company of Sydney Opera House, they wanted to keep the spirit of Bangarra’s stories continuing on its digital platform. “Dance is one of the most universal languages we share as humans, so by continuing these stories through danc

We might have to physically distance from each other right now, but at least we can hold on tight to another great joy of life – happy hour.   A bunch of renowned names in the Australian bar scene are helping you enjoy delicious drinks on your Friday night, even if you won't be making it out to your favourite post-work bar this evening. Whiskey connoisseur Henry Hammersla of Unico Zelo will be serving up some funky cocktail recipes every night from via livestream on their Facebook page at 5.30pm. Digital happy hour? We're in. He'll be sharing recipes and having a good ol' chat about isolation, cocktails, and any other questions you want to throw his way every evening at the same time.  Grant Collins, founder of Gin Lane, will be hosting virtual cocktail-making classes via Instagram and Facebook over the coming weeks, kicking off on Friday March 20 at 3.30pm. Join in to learn some new creative skills, and ease into your alone time this weekend.  Looking for more entertainment while you're home? Check out our list of the most scrumptious food movies.

Bringing a world of incredible international artists to Sydney's major galleries and totally transforming Cockatoo Island, the 22nd Biennale of Sydney has been forced to adapt to the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic. From Tuesday March 24, all associated exhibitions, including at the MCA and the Art Gallery of NSW, will shut up shop until further notice. It's a sad situation for a game-changing year that saw Wiradjuri man Brook Andrew become the Biennale's first Indigenous Australian artistic director this year. Under the banner "Nirin", a Wiradjuri word meaning "edge", the showcase of 700+ artworks by 101 artists put First Nations creatives from all over the globe front and centre. The good news is: all is not lost. Running with our altered reality, the Biennale will switch to digital, bringing inspirational art to an even wider audience across the globe. Working hand-in-hand with partner Google, Nirin will switch to the Google Arts & Culture platform, creating a virtual Biennale of podcasts, Q&As, curated tours and artist takeovers. "At times like these, it is more important than ever that we find ways to connect, to help each other, listen, collaborate and heal," a spokesperson for the Biennale said. "We will allow our artists to lead the way in responding to the urgent social, political, and environmental issues we are facing today." Craving more? Here's how to find more art online in Sydney.