Hubble 3D: twinkle, twinkle massive star

Tuesday 24 August 2010, 4:57 PM
By The Team | Posted in Events

Hubble 3D gives you a glimpse into the unknowable, taking you billions of light years into space – through the lense of the largest space telescope known to humankind.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s measured tones guide us through the Hubble’s journey into space: from its creation (10,000 people spent more than 10 years designing and building the Hubble) to its bumpy start in 1990 (a faulty optical system was the culprit).

Three years, and a pair of giant contact lenses later, the Hubble was finally operational – bringing crystal-clear vision of an intangible world.

Hubble 3D takes us into the opalescent-like nebula of Orion’s Belt, a nursery for stars and planets with their own infant solar systems. It’s a world where the sun rises and sets every 90 minutes. The film’s 3D effect comes into its own here, as you are immersed in enormous canyons of gaseous clouds and hundreds of millions of stars seem to spring out of the screen, almost within hands’ reach.

As we swing back to Planet Earth, we join a group of seven astronauts as they prepare for a challenging mission to service the Hubble – kinda like changing spark plugs but with oven mitts in zero gravity.

The rest of the film documents the laborious rehearsals, checking and reviewing that dominates mere mortals’ adventures into space. The final, incredible blast-off into space is a 3D wonder.

Space junkies will love this film’s insights into how NASA’s operations, but those like me, who prefer to dream without being grounded by reality, may yearn for more of those glorious, 3D fly-through images.

Would-be astronauts can view Hubble 3D at IMAX Carlton until 12 October. Tickets are $17.50 adult, $14 concession, $12.50 child, $50 family (two adults and two children).

Hot Spots: meet The Treasury’s Emma Grace

Tuesday 10 August 2010, 12:00 AM
By The Team | Posted in Events

Waste not, want not – and still look a bajillion dollars in your recycled bling. Emma Grace runs The Treasury, an eco-friendly jewellery workshop where you can make shiny new appendages using your dated doo-dads.

Hot Spots caught up with Emma and found out how upcycling works (it doesn’t involve riding up hills), what happens at a Treasury workshop – and plenty more.  

Emma Grace, what inspired you to begin The Treasury?

For a while now I’ve been aware of the tension between two of my greatest passions: fashion and the environment. The Treasury resolves this tension by bringing the two together. Encouraging people to repair or make new jewellery out of ‘loot’ from home draws together the skills and creativity of my jewellery practice and my passion for sustainability.

What should people bring along to class?

Treasury workshops focus on fashion jewellery, so bring along old broken jewels, out-of-fashion pieces in need of a refresh, found objects that lend themselves to wearable art and any ‘upcycleable’ materials (such as metal) that may be handy.

You can also bring ideas or images of things you want to create. And don’t forget that all-important plate of food to share – shared food makes this a true community event!

What kind of jewels can we fix our loot into?

People are always really surprised at what they can fix and how creative they get with their designs. We get all the basic repair jobs (gluing brooch backs on, replacing catches etc) out of the way early, then focus the main part of the session on being creative with our materials.

I’ve had students make necklaces out of porcelain knick-knacks, brooches out of soft furnishings and rings out of doll’s accessories. Not to mention the endless possibilities of re-making necklaces just by adding (or taking away) an element or two.

Where are your favourite places to plot world domination in the city?

The recent influx of rooftop bars in the city delights my feline penchant for height and sun, but the idea for The Treasury was actually conceived at the HiFi Bar – there must be something about sticky carpet, claustrophobia and stimulation of the auditory senses that puts me in the right frame of mind for plotting world domination.

What do you love about Melbourne?

I love the love! The passion that we Melburnians have for our city and the constant flow of ideas and projects being dreamed up and realised is forever inspiring me.

Which other Melbourne-based creative projects do you admire and enjoy?

Bus Projects, Craft Victoria, The Clothing Exchange, Thread Den, Eco Innovators… the list is endless!

What do you have planned for The Treasury in the coming months?

Apart from world domination…? We’re planning a series of guest artists and designers to star at The Treasury classes and are planning to take the show on the road over summer – stay tuned!!

LINK:

The Treasury

Winter cocktail brews

Monday 7 June 2010, 9:32 AM
By The Team | Posted in People and Places

We wanted to get the lowdown on winter cocktails and who better to ask than Sebastian Reaburn, owner of 1806, Bartender of the Year (2008), winner of Best Cocktail list in the world, and one of the first people on the scene to include the art of molecular mixology in his drinks.

With winter upon us, we’ve moved from BBQs and salads to soups and lamb shanks. Do cocktails also change with the season? What sort of ingredients and spirits do you use more of in the colder months?

Yes they change a lot. People are looking for warming drinks so we start to sell less gin and vodka and more whisky, rum and cognac. And at 1806, many, many, flaming blazers, for which we’ve become a bit of a Melbourne winter destination.

Many people are familiar with Ferran Adria’s molecular gastronomy through his use of culinary foams; can you explain what ‘molecular mixology’ is?

The concept is essentially the same as that of gastronomy. We have a lot less toys and machinery behind the bar, but we do try and play with forms, texture, and expectations. We are running a cocktail special at the moment that serves four cocktails at once, using powders that react once you add alcohol to them. We are also well known for our molecular-style Margarita Custard.

While Australian beer consumption is at its lowest for 60 years, we have noticed the steady rise of wine sales and a more sophisticated cocktail scene. What do you think are the reasons for this trend and how do you see this developing in the future?

Drinking in Melbourne is changing. People are out looking for a great drink, not great volume. There is a movement away from consuming loads of cheap rubbish, and towards sipping a few premium offerings. This is true in cocktails, as much as with beer and wine.

I think that it is fair to say that Melbourne’s drinking population know that drinking to excess is unhealthy, anti-social, and likely to end up on the front page of a tabloid paper. So people are choosing better booze, but less of it.

Many people are little intimidated about making their own cocktails. Can you tell us a little bit about your ‘Make your own cocktail’ course?

We can teach anyone to make great cocktails. Just like with cooking, there are rules and techniques to learn. With our Saturday courses for the general cocktail drinker, we focus on three things:

1. Building blocks of cocktails where we taste a whole range of spirits and demonstrate how to flavour match.
2. Essential skills of the bartender - shaking, stirring, measuring, and pouring.
3. How to balance a cocktail and create your own recipes.

Everyone who does our course has to create their own cocktails from their favourite spirits and liqueurs – with no recipe. And everyone succeeds.

What is your favourite winter tipple?

As the cold moves in, the Blazer has got to be right up there. There is a variation we make that uses dark rum, black chocolate, chocolate liqueur and fire. We pour it burning from hand to hand and create what has to be the ultimate adult hot chocolate. It’s called the Black Blazer, and on a cold night, it is unbeatable.