After another fun-filled weekend, we’re turning our sights to the bold and beautiful colours of PRIDE. This weekend, the city of Sydney will be painted rainbow in honour of the 2022 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which might just be the biggest party of the year. To get you in the mood to dress up, get loose and enjoy the very gayest the Harbour City has to offer, we’ve cultivated some Feel-Good Friday vibes. Ease on into the weekend in style.
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Feel-Good Friday: February 11 – A Sex-Toy Scavenger Hunt
Feel-Good Friday: 4 February – Top of the Froths
Feel-Good Friday: January 27 – Cheers, Beers and Aussies of the Year
Sydney Becomes the Home of Horizon Forbidden West
As one of the most anticipated games in recent memory, Horizon Forbidden West is amassing some serious global buzz, but it is here in Australia that things are really booming. In a surprise announcement, PlayStation confirmed that Sydney was helping to lead the global launch for the massive new title, and the announcement was hard to miss. To mark the move, PlayStation unveiled a 7m long Clawstrider statue on Bennelong Lawn in the Royal Botanic Garden, with passersby also having the chance to win a replica of Aloy’s spear seen in Horizon Forbidden West. The massive structure towered over the iconic landscape, painting a picture of the new game’s triumphant design. Sydney is one of 15 cities around the world taking part in the launch with other locations including New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo and Dubai. You can read our full review below.
Image: Cointreau
Cointreau Wants to Deliver Free Margs to Your Office
How good is this? Cointreau has announced the launch of its dedicated Margarita Kombi, a proverbial party bar on wheels. The iconic brand, famous for elevating the classic margarita is now taking applications from workplaces in Sydney, with a select few to score complimentary Margaritas every Friday for a ‘Friday Office Margs’ celebration across the month of March. Trust us, you’ll want to get involved with this one.
The retro VW Kombi takes Margarita-making very seriously. On the menu, you’ll find the Original Margarita, a Spicy Margarita with Jalapenos and a fruity, frozen Passionfruit Margarita made for a summer twist on an old classic. Best of all, the pop-up bar on wheels will also offer guacamole and tortilla chips on the house in case you’re feeling a little snacky.
“After what has been an incredibly challenging couple of years for everyone, we wanted to welcome back workers to the office with a treat from Cointreau,” MT Jones, Spirits Platform head of marketing said. “The Cointreau Margarita Kombi has been a long time in the making and we are so excited for those to experience it and to be able to give something back to our consumers.”
For those in the know, the real hero of the margarita is Cointreau, a triple sec liqueur produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d’Anjou, France. For over 70 years, the recipe has remained a stalwart of the mixologist’s handbook, with Cointreau delivering a one-two punch for the perfect spicy hit. It’s time you got in on the act. To nominate your office for ‘Friday Office Margs’, email your nomination to: [email protected] or for more information head to the Cointreau Website.
Image: Aperol
Casa Aperol by Maybe Sammy at Empire Lounge
Whether you’re easing the pain of the night prior or starting the week in style, there’s nothing like a summer Sunday session by the ocean. So to chase the sun, Maybe Sammy, Aperol and the Empire Lounge have joined forces to launch Casa Aperol by Maybe Sammy. Open every Sunday until April 24th, Sydneysiders can head to one of the harbour’s premier waterfront venues to relax and immerse themselves in an Aperol Oasis.
Stefano Catino from Maybe Sammy’s Bar in Sydney said: “At Maybe Sammy, we enjoy a full-flavoured approach to life. Our passion is for drinks, music, and people who like to take it easy from time to time. There is no better way to welcome summer and the new year than the launch of Casa Aperol by Maybe Sammy and celebrate Australians’ favourite orange drink with their favourite bartenders in pink.”
Feeding your Sunday appetite, iconic Sydney chef Faheem Noor will serve decadent delights to compliment your mixologist-designed Aperol cocktails. Also, if you want to enhance the idyllic setting, hop on Sydney Seaplanes to experience the breathtaking views from the sky for a special rate of $180 per person. Not only that, a lucky draw will take place each Sunday for groups of 2 friends to win a seaplane worth $360. Check out the details below and get amongst the chilled Euro vibes.
NBA 2K22 Teams Up with Indigenous Artist for Charity
2K Australia has announced a special collaboration with Indigenous artist Allan McKenzie to design a one-of-a-kind NBA 2K22 inspired shoe for charity. The Gamilaroi and Wiradjuri man customised a pair of adidas Harden Stepback 2.0 basketball shoes, before nominating Indigenous charity Red Dust to host an auction. According to 2K, all the proceeds from the sale will help to enrich lives, improve health and strengthen the future of Indigenous youth and families.
“I’m honoured that 2K asked me to collaborate on one of their most popular games, which drove most of the inspiration behind the design of the shoe along with the game of basketball,” said McKenzie. “It’s amazing to be able to have my designs auctioned off to a cause close to my heart, that ties in so well with NBA 2K22.”
Despite only being formally established in 2006, Red Dust has been working with remote Indigenous communities for 25 years. This project with 2K marks the organistion’s first partnership with a global video game publisher. The auction will be live on Red Dust’s eBay page at 12pm AEDT on 21 February 2022 and will run until 12pm AEDT on 2 March 2022.
“As we commence delivery of Red Dust’s Healthy Living Program in remote communities this year we’re excited to partner with Allan and 2K for this unique initiative,” said Scott Stirling, Red Dust CEO. “Basketball is deeply embedded in Red Dust’s history. Our founder, John Van Groningen, was closely connected with the NBL and our first visits to remote communities involved NBL star players as volunteers. Their efforts inspired hundreds of athletes to follow suit across 25 years, engaging in inspirational two way exchanges with thousands of young Aboriginal kids in remote communities.”
Image: Semi Permanent
Semi Permanent Returns To Sydney
Creativity and design festival Semi Permanent is heading back to its hometown this May 25th-27th 2022, two decades since it originally launched. Landing in Sydney at the arts precinct Carriageworks as part of Vivid Sydney 2022, Semi Permanent is set to unload its biggest program to date, with a host of enhanced visitor experience of workshops, panel discussions, performances and installations. Among them, an experiential 48-hour takeover of Paramount House Hotel held in collaboration with over 30 local and international artists will help this year’s festival to showcase the best works from across the region.
“Twenty years ago, we had this sense that as things increasingly moved online that the value of shared in-person experiences would become even greater, and though we’ve really embraced digital events, these past few years of separation have again made us yearn to be together in a room — listening, learning, sharing ideas,” says Murray Bell, the founder and executive creative director of Semi Permanent. “For our 20th anniversary, it feels right to be returning to our home of Sydney and to have a program that reflects the breadth, scope and excitement of the creative and design industries today.”
This year, the lineup includes visual data journalist Mona Chalabi, musician and artist Ta-ku, architect Paul Cournet, The Betoota Advocate — satirical news publication, documentary filmmaker Damon Gameau and many more. Semi Permanent Sydney will be held at Carriageworks from 25th-27th May 2022. Tickets, including for the first time single- and half-day tickets, are now on sale via the link below.
Image: Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Holds First-Ever Charity Auction
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars held its first fundraising auction in aid of its current House Charity through private members’ club, Whispers this week. Participants placed bids online for new artwork created by self-taught contemporary British artist, Laurence M White, which was originally commissioned for the grand opening event of the iconic car manufacturer’s brand new London premises in Mayfair. The acrylic on canvas painting showcases a dynamic front view of the marque’s superluxury Cullinan SUV. Best of all, a cheque for £10,000 – the winning bid – was subsequently presented to Chestnut Tree House, which provides specialist palliative care and support for around 300 children aged 0-19 with life-shortening conditions and their families at its hospice in Arundel, not far from the home of Rolls-Royce.
Image: TOD’S
TOD’S Re-Generation Backs Creative Talent Once Again
TOD’S Academy, the development program created by revered luxury Italian shoemaker TOD’S, has teamed up with Istituto Marangoni and its young designers to support a future of sustainable creativity. The new collaboration saw 20 young designers from the Milan and Florence-based studios, who excel in the advanced training in art, fashion and design, developed a series of projects that reinterpret TOD’S codes in a green and environmentally friendly way. As part of the program, the students were granted access to a series of internationally renowned mentors to help guide their creative journey, becoming more familiar with TOD’S and the skills of its craftsmen. This collaboration subsequently follows the previous cooperation with Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, the Academy’s first success story. The project was unveiled on February 4 across TOD’s channels.
Image: Goodtel
Telco Goodtel Raises $50,000 for Charity
Telcos are always known for being great, but Goodtel has a special model that sees 50% of profits go to charity. Carbon neutral, Australian owned and B Corp certified, the Sydney based start-up has just reached its first social impact milestone, with donations to charity partners now exceeding AUD$50,000. Since 2019, Goodtel has put charitable endeavours on the menu, helping to increase exposure to some much-needed causes, from the
Indigenous Literary Foundation to OzHarvest to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
“The telco industry is a multi-billion dollar business with a huge platform and opportunity to do good. We had been running telcos for over 20 years and knew it was time to create one that was solely about doing good and making a better world for our kids and future generations,” Damien Gould, Co-Founder and Manager Director of Goodtel said. “To hit $50,000 in donations to our charity partners, all from people and businesses making a simple choice to switch telco providers, really demonstrates that Australians want to make a difference by choosing where they spend their money. This is just the beginning and we can’t wait to increase the positive impact we can have with every person and business that joins us.”
You’ll also like:
Feel-Good Friday: February 11 – A Sex-Toy Scavenger Hunt
Feel-Good Friday: 4 February – Top of the Froths
Feel-Good Friday: January 27 – Cheers, Beers and Aussies of the Year
