Feel-Good Friday – 18 April: Easter, Easter, Everywhere

Happy long weekend everyone! We hope you’re all kicking back with a hot cross bun or two this weekend, and while we know most of you probably already have plans laid out for the next few days, it’s always worth highlighting the cool stuff going on in our world.

So, check out this week’s Feel-Good Friday, and enjoy!

Easter is Upon Us

This long weekend is brought to us by everyone’s favourite egg-themed holiday, and while we probably could spend the rest of this article talking about all the different places you could go for Easter, honestly, you’ve probably already decided that. So, let’s highlight some things happening this weekend if you need to fill some time with the family, but don’t necessarily want to brave the restaurant scene.

• Move, Groove, Darling Festival (18-20 April): A three-day festival in Darling Harbour, Sydney dedicated to introducing kids (and parents) to dancing, while also featuring festival staples like face painting. It’s a good day out with the kids, if you need them to burn off all that excess chocolate energy.
• The (Very) Big Laugh Out (18 April): A huge day of comedy at Federation Square, Melbourne. Taking place from 1.30pm to 5pm, the VBLO is a great way to have a bit of fun over the weekend. And, yes, it’s free.
• Brisbane’s Biggest Easter Weekend (18-21 April): Head on down to Victoria Park, Brisbane, to take part in a massive easter egg hunt, or jump into some fun kid-friendly activities like basket making and colouring – plus, get your photo taken with the Easter Bunny.
• National Folk Festival (17-21 April): The heart and soul of Aussie folk culture, the National Folk Festival is bringing its focus on folk music back this year to Canberra. Drop in to hear some amazing tunes, eat some delicious food, or take in some culture.

Penfolds’ Transcend Wine Experience is coming to Sydney this May

If you’ve ever wondered what a next-gen wine tasting experience could look like, look no further. Penfolds has been running its ‘Transcend’ wine experiences for a few years now, and it’s returning to Sydney between 2 and 11 May.

While tickets are $150, you’ll gain access to a multi-sensory experience that has travelled the globe. The event blends soundscapes and visual storytelling with Penfolds wine pairings, showing off a number of the brand’s signature drops: the NV Champagne Cuvée Brut, French Winemaking Trial FWT 585, Bin 600 California Cabernet Shiraz, Grange, and more.

Plus, the event will end with a ‘Grange Palate Cleanser’, which will ensure you’re prepared to properly appreciate the brand’s flagship, the Grange.

If you’re a oenophile (that’s someone who loves wine, btw), we’d recommend jumping on the waitlist in the link below to be first in line.

Win a Modified Fender at a Secret Showcase in Melbourne

Quite a few of us are guitarists at Man of Many, and we collectively know that one of the best axe-makers on the planet is Fender. Well, Fender is hosting a secret one-night-only VIP showcase event at a so-far undisclosed location in Melbourne on 8 May, and we want to help you get there.

You’ll need to sign up for a chance to head to the event, but thankfully it’s free. Not only will you have the opportunity to chat with industry guitar techs and listen to live music from Melbourne’s own rock stars Hot Machine – you’ll also have the chance to win a Player II Modified Fender.

If you live in Melbourne and love guitars, I’d get in on the ground floor here.

We’ve Finally seen a (tiny) Colossal Squid in the Deep Sea

While we’ve known that colossal squids exist for a while, and aren’t just the made-up ramblings of old-timey sailors, scientists have actually never seen one in its deep-sea home. Until now.

The Schmidt Ocean Institute, a not-for-profit research group in the United States, captured footage of a juvenile colossal squid at a depth of 600m in the South Atlantic Ocean. While the squid captured on video was only about 30cm long, it’ll grow to be more than 7 metres long and weight half a tonne.

It’s a massive step forward for the study of colossal squids, which are notoriously mysterious and are rarely seen in their own habitat. Rather, most interactions between humans and colossal squid tend to come about by way of deep sea fishing, or washed ashore.

Live adult colossal squid are particularly hard to capture on film as they have incredibly large eyes (about the size of a basket ball) that are very well suited to life in the dark, meaning they see us well before we see them – and can avoid us with ease. Seeing a ‘teenage’ squid is a step in the right direction, but there’s a long way to go before we can catch its mum and dad lurking in the deep.

Still, a win is a win.