‘Like tracksuit pants': The jeans Bella Heathcote can't live without
Any go-to jewellery? I wear my mum's jewellery: an emerald ring that my father gave her when I was born, some chunky gold hoops and a bangle with a triangle ruby inlay.
Can you remember a favourite outfit you wore as a child? A fluoro pink-and-green striped top and skirt set that I would still wear now if it fit me.
What was your first fashion moment? The Dark Shadows premiere in 2012 was pretty huge. I went from having my friend dress me and looking a bit of a mess on the red carpet to wearing Chanel.
And your worst fashion mistake? About 10 years ago, I went to an event in LA wearing very heavy make-up, like I was in drag. And I paid someone to do it. As I was walking out the door, my partner said, 'You know you could wipe it off.' Not helpful.
What's on your wish list? I'm looking for the perfect metallic bumbag. I've also got my eye on a Gucci backpack with a snake on it.
Is there something you'd never wear? Really high heels.
What shoes do you wear most often? I wear my Birkenstock 'Arizona' slides so much I've worn out the tread.
Is there a current trend you like? I'm loving the '90s-style suits and blazers.
What do you sleep in? Pyjamas from Suku or Deiji Studios.
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Who's your favourite fashion icon? A friend told me I dress like [actor] Walton Goggins. I'll happily have him as my style icon.
What do you wear on a typical working day? To the set, I'll wear men's Levi's – as they're basically tracksuit pants that I can easily rip off – with a button-down shirt – as you can get your make-up done without having to then pull it over your head – and my Dr Martens loafers.
What's your favourite off-duty, casual Sunday look? A Hawaiian shirt and a pair of old jeans that I cut off at the knee – I'm appreciating the long denim short.
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The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Court drama back with engaging cold case
Binge's captivating anthology court drama is back for a third season, and this time there's a cold case. As was the case with the second season, the only carry-over character appears to be lawyer Brett Colby (Sam Neill), and we've got a fresh batch of jurors as well. This case sees an acquaintance of Colby's, Alan Chaplin (William Zappa) charged with the murder of a woman who had been writing a book about a double murder of teenage girls from the 1970s, who had come to believe Chaplin was their killer. The author, Amanda de Frey (Eryn-Jean Norvill), at first believed her own father - a convicted serial killer - was responsible for the girls' deaths, but eventually came to accuse Chaplin in the days before her murder. As such, we're treated to not only the mystery of Amanda's death, but also the earlier crime, with flashbacks to both to reel us in. Like season two, Cape Rock Killer is set in Western Australia, with the trial this time being heard in a Perth court, rather than a small rural town. The best part of this series' first season was the fact that the jurors were front and centre, and their stories were the biggest focus. That dropped away a little in the second season with more time spent on Colby and fellow lawyer Meredith Nelson-Moore. This season has kicked off with very little time spent on the jurors. We barely learn anything about them in the season opener, so we can hope that that changes in the episodes to come. Other new cast members this season include Ewen Leslie (Top of the Lake: China Girl), Phoenix Raei (Apple Cider Vinegar), Sarah Peirse (Offspring) and Danielle Cormack (Wentworth). Jason Momoa's passion project has made it to the small screen. Chief of War chronicles the story of warring Hawaiian kingdoms in the late 18th century. Momoa is not only the star and producer, but also co-creator and co-writer of the series, which was filmed across the ditch in New Zealand and features a bevy of Kiwi talent. Somewhat reminiscent of celebrated drama Shogun with its beautiful cinematography, lush production value and authentic-looking costuming, Chief of War follows Momoa's Ka'iana, a warrior chief from Maui who has left his homeland to live a quieter life in Kaua'i. But he is called back by his king, Kahekili (a fearsome Temuera Morrison), who says the young king of O'ahu is going to attack and must be stopped. The series progresses to tell the story of the famous unification of Hawai'i under king Kamehameha (played by Native Hawaiian Kaina Makua in his acting debut). It is sprawling, features predominantly Hawaiian language (a huge step toward adding authenticity to the project), and has stunning music from maestro Hans Zimmer, working alongside Hawaiian artists. The Night Agent's Luciane Buchanan and prolific Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis also star in the series, which drops episodes weekly after an initial offering of two episodes. The baffling case of four teenage girls murdered in Austin, Texas in 1991 is detailed in this four-episode true crime docuseries on HBO Max. The Yogurt Shop Murders utilises plenty of archive footage mixed in with interviews with family members of the victims, investigators and even a filmmaker who attempted to make a documentary in 2009 before becoming overwhelmed with the size of the story. The devastating case saw four young girls - two of whom were sisters - who were all part of the Future Farmers of America organisation brutally shot in the back of a popular eatery called I Can't Believe It's Yogurt, before the establishment was set on fire. The docuseries is from the acclaimed A24 studio. You can put this straight at the top of the list of things that really didn't need to be made. A strong contender for worst film of the year (though Tom Hardy's Havoc on Netflix will take some serious beating), War of the Worlds on Prime Video is the adaptation absolutely nobody asked for. Taking the classic story of aliens arriving and throwing the world into chaos, this film from director Rich Lee (primarily a music video director) sees Ice Cube playing a domestic terrorism analyst with the Department of Homeland Security, who is constantly surveilling everyone in his life, including his pregnant daughter, her partner and his son. Somehow he's the one who has to save the world from these invading aliens, and all from his desk, because this whole film is told with the 'screenlife' technique seen in Searching and Missing, where all the action takes place on a computer screen. The entire film is flaw after flaw, starting with Ice Cube's woeful miscasting (he's great in the right roles, but this is definitely the wrong role), the illogical speed at which things happen (we watch something happen in real time and then a fully written news story or complete broadcast report of the incident is available the next second), the ridiculous convenience of story points, and ending with the terrible dialogue and effects. Anyone who can make it through the runtime deserves a medal. Miley Cyrus brings her new visual album to the small screen with Something Beautiful on Disney+. You'll also find Marvel's animated series Eyes of Wakanda, set in fan favourite Black Panther's African home country, on the streamer. Over on Stan is the second season of video game adaptation Twisted Metal, with Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz, and another Kevin Costner documentary project, Yellowstone to Yosemite, which covers the journey US president Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir took during 1903. Meanwhile on Netflix you can scratch your sitcom itch with Leanne, a multicamera comedy from Leanne Morgan which also stars Kristen Johnston and Ryan Stiles, and film My Oxford Year, a romantic drama following American academic Anna (new Netflix golden girl Sofia Carson) during her year at the ancient college, and her romance with the charming Jamie Davenport (Corey Mylchreest of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story). Binge's captivating anthology court drama is back for a third season, and this time there's a cold case. As was the case with the second season, the only carry-over character appears to be lawyer Brett Colby (Sam Neill), and we've got a fresh batch of jurors as well. This case sees an acquaintance of Colby's, Alan Chaplin (William Zappa) charged with the murder of a woman who had been writing a book about a double murder of teenage girls from the 1970s, who had come to believe Chaplin was their killer. The author, Amanda de Frey (Eryn-Jean Norvill), at first believed her own father - a convicted serial killer - was responsible for the girls' deaths, but eventually came to accuse Chaplin in the days before her murder. As such, we're treated to not only the mystery of Amanda's death, but also the earlier crime, with flashbacks to both to reel us in. Like season two, Cape Rock Killer is set in Western Australia, with the trial this time being heard in a Perth court, rather than a small rural town. The best part of this series' first season was the fact that the jurors were front and centre, and their stories were the biggest focus. That dropped away a little in the second season with more time spent on Colby and fellow lawyer Meredith Nelson-Moore. This season has kicked off with very little time spent on the jurors. We barely learn anything about them in the season opener, so we can hope that that changes in the episodes to come. Other new cast members this season include Ewen Leslie (Top of the Lake: China Girl), Phoenix Raei (Apple Cider Vinegar), Sarah Peirse (Offspring) and Danielle Cormack (Wentworth). Jason Momoa's passion project has made it to the small screen. Chief of War chronicles the story of warring Hawaiian kingdoms in the late 18th century. Momoa is not only the star and producer, but also co-creator and co-writer of the series, which was filmed across the ditch in New Zealand and features a bevy of Kiwi talent. Somewhat reminiscent of celebrated drama Shogun with its beautiful cinematography, lush production value and authentic-looking costuming, Chief of War follows Momoa's Ka'iana, a warrior chief from Maui who has left his homeland to live a quieter life in Kaua'i. But he is called back by his king, Kahekili (a fearsome Temuera Morrison), who says the young king of O'ahu is going to attack and must be stopped. The series progresses to tell the story of the famous unification of Hawai'i under king Kamehameha (played by Native Hawaiian Kaina Makua in his acting debut). It is sprawling, features predominantly Hawaiian language (a huge step toward adding authenticity to the project), and has stunning music from maestro Hans Zimmer, working alongside Hawaiian artists. The Night Agent's Luciane Buchanan and prolific Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis also star in the series, which drops episodes weekly after an initial offering of two episodes. The baffling case of four teenage girls murdered in Austin, Texas in 1991 is detailed in this four-episode true crime docuseries on HBO Max. The Yogurt Shop Murders utilises plenty of archive footage mixed in with interviews with family members of the victims, investigators and even a filmmaker who attempted to make a documentary in 2009 before becoming overwhelmed with the size of the story. The devastating case saw four young girls - two of whom were sisters - who were all part of the Future Farmers of America organisation brutally shot in the back of a popular eatery called I Can't Believe It's Yogurt, before the establishment was set on fire. The docuseries is from the acclaimed A24 studio. You can put this straight at the top of the list of things that really didn't need to be made. A strong contender for worst film of the year (though Tom Hardy's Havoc on Netflix will take some serious beating), War of the Worlds on Prime Video is the adaptation absolutely nobody asked for. Taking the classic story of aliens arriving and throwing the world into chaos, this film from director Rich Lee (primarily a music video director) sees Ice Cube playing a domestic terrorism analyst with the Department of Homeland Security, who is constantly surveilling everyone in his life, including his pregnant daughter, her partner and his son. Somehow he's the one who has to save the world from these invading aliens, and all from his desk, because this whole film is told with the 'screenlife' technique seen in Searching and Missing, where all the action takes place on a computer screen. The entire film is flaw after flaw, starting with Ice Cube's woeful miscasting (he's great in the right roles, but this is definitely the wrong role), the illogical speed at which things happen (we watch something happen in real time and then a fully written news story or complete broadcast report of the incident is available the next second), the ridiculous convenience of story points, and ending with the terrible dialogue and effects. Anyone who can make it through the runtime deserves a medal. Miley Cyrus brings her new visual album to the small screen with Something Beautiful on Disney+. You'll also find Marvel's animated series Eyes of Wakanda, set in fan favourite Black Panther's African home country, on the streamer. Over on Stan is the second season of video game adaptation Twisted Metal, with Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz, and another Kevin Costner documentary project, Yellowstone to Yosemite, which covers the journey US president Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir took during 1903. Meanwhile on Netflix you can scratch your sitcom itch with Leanne, a multicamera comedy from Leanne Morgan which also stars Kristen Johnston and Ryan Stiles, and film My Oxford Year, a romantic drama following American academic Anna (new Netflix golden girl Sofia Carson) during her year at the ancient college, and her romance with the charming Jamie Davenport (Corey Mylchreest of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story). Binge's captivating anthology court drama is back for a third season, and this time there's a cold case. As was the case with the second season, the only carry-over character appears to be lawyer Brett Colby (Sam Neill), and we've got a fresh batch of jurors as well. This case sees an acquaintance of Colby's, Alan Chaplin (William Zappa) charged with the murder of a woman who had been writing a book about a double murder of teenage girls from the 1970s, who had come to believe Chaplin was their killer. The author, Amanda de Frey (Eryn-Jean Norvill), at first believed her own father - a convicted serial killer - was responsible for the girls' deaths, but eventually came to accuse Chaplin in the days before her murder. As such, we're treated to not only the mystery of Amanda's death, but also the earlier crime, with flashbacks to both to reel us in. Like season two, Cape Rock Killer is set in Western Australia, with the trial this time being heard in a Perth court, rather than a small rural town. The best part of this series' first season was the fact that the jurors were front and centre, and their stories were the biggest focus. That dropped away a little in the second season with more time spent on Colby and fellow lawyer Meredith Nelson-Moore. This season has kicked off with very little time spent on the jurors. We barely learn anything about them in the season opener, so we can hope that that changes in the episodes to come. Other new cast members this season include Ewen Leslie (Top of the Lake: China Girl), Phoenix Raei (Apple Cider Vinegar), Sarah Peirse (Offspring) and Danielle Cormack (Wentworth). Jason Momoa's passion project has made it to the small screen. Chief of War chronicles the story of warring Hawaiian kingdoms in the late 18th century. Momoa is not only the star and producer, but also co-creator and co-writer of the series, which was filmed across the ditch in New Zealand and features a bevy of Kiwi talent. Somewhat reminiscent of celebrated drama Shogun with its beautiful cinematography, lush production value and authentic-looking costuming, Chief of War follows Momoa's Ka'iana, a warrior chief from Maui who has left his homeland to live a quieter life in Kaua'i. But he is called back by his king, Kahekili (a fearsome Temuera Morrison), who says the young king of O'ahu is going to attack and must be stopped. The series progresses to tell the story of the famous unification of Hawai'i under king Kamehameha (played by Native Hawaiian Kaina Makua in his acting debut). It is sprawling, features predominantly Hawaiian language (a huge step toward adding authenticity to the project), and has stunning music from maestro Hans Zimmer, working alongside Hawaiian artists. The Night Agent's Luciane Buchanan and prolific Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis also star in the series, which drops episodes weekly after an initial offering of two episodes. The baffling case of four teenage girls murdered in Austin, Texas in 1991 is detailed in this four-episode true crime docuseries on HBO Max. The Yogurt Shop Murders utilises plenty of archive footage mixed in with interviews with family members of the victims, investigators and even a filmmaker who attempted to make a documentary in 2009 before becoming overwhelmed with the size of the story. The devastating case saw four young girls - two of whom were sisters - who were all part of the Future Farmers of America organisation brutally shot in the back of a popular eatery called I Can't Believe It's Yogurt, before the establishment was set on fire. The docuseries is from the acclaimed A24 studio. You can put this straight at the top of the list of things that really didn't need to be made. A strong contender for worst film of the year (though Tom Hardy's Havoc on Netflix will take some serious beating), War of the Worlds on Prime Video is the adaptation absolutely nobody asked for. Taking the classic story of aliens arriving and throwing the world into chaos, this film from director Rich Lee (primarily a music video director) sees Ice Cube playing a domestic terrorism analyst with the Department of Homeland Security, who is constantly surveilling everyone in his life, including his pregnant daughter, her partner and his son. Somehow he's the one who has to save the world from these invading aliens, and all from his desk, because this whole film is told with the 'screenlife' technique seen in Searching and Missing, where all the action takes place on a computer screen. The entire film is flaw after flaw, starting with Ice Cube's woeful miscasting (he's great in the right roles, but this is definitely the wrong role), the illogical speed at which things happen (we watch something happen in real time and then a fully written news story or complete broadcast report of the incident is available the next second), the ridiculous convenience of story points, and ending with the terrible dialogue and effects. Anyone who can make it through the runtime deserves a medal. Miley Cyrus brings her new visual album to the small screen with Something Beautiful on Disney+. You'll also find Marvel's animated series Eyes of Wakanda, set in fan favourite Black Panther's African home country, on the streamer. Over on Stan is the second season of video game adaptation Twisted Metal, with Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz, and another Kevin Costner documentary project, Yellowstone to Yosemite, which covers the journey US president Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir took during 1903. Meanwhile on Netflix you can scratch your sitcom itch with Leanne, a multicamera comedy from Leanne Morgan which also stars Kristen Johnston and Ryan Stiles, and film My Oxford Year, a romantic drama following American academic Anna (new Netflix golden girl Sofia Carson) during her year at the ancient college, and her romance with the charming Jamie Davenport (Corey Mylchreest of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story). Binge's captivating anthology court drama is back for a third season, and this time there's a cold case. As was the case with the second season, the only carry-over character appears to be lawyer Brett Colby (Sam Neill), and we've got a fresh batch of jurors as well. This case sees an acquaintance of Colby's, Alan Chaplin (William Zappa) charged with the murder of a woman who had been writing a book about a double murder of teenage girls from the 1970s, who had come to believe Chaplin was their killer. The author, Amanda de Frey (Eryn-Jean Norvill), at first believed her own father - a convicted serial killer - was responsible for the girls' deaths, but eventually came to accuse Chaplin in the days before her murder. As such, we're treated to not only the mystery of Amanda's death, but also the earlier crime, with flashbacks to both to reel us in. Like season two, Cape Rock Killer is set in Western Australia, with the trial this time being heard in a Perth court, rather than a small rural town. The best part of this series' first season was the fact that the jurors were front and centre, and their stories were the biggest focus. That dropped away a little in the second season with more time spent on Colby and fellow lawyer Meredith Nelson-Moore. This season has kicked off with very little time spent on the jurors. We barely learn anything about them in the season opener, so we can hope that that changes in the episodes to come. Other new cast members this season include Ewen Leslie (Top of the Lake: China Girl), Phoenix Raei (Apple Cider Vinegar), Sarah Peirse (Offspring) and Danielle Cormack (Wentworth). Jason Momoa's passion project has made it to the small screen. Chief of War chronicles the story of warring Hawaiian kingdoms in the late 18th century. Momoa is not only the star and producer, but also co-creator and co-writer of the series, which was filmed across the ditch in New Zealand and features a bevy of Kiwi talent. Somewhat reminiscent of celebrated drama Shogun with its beautiful cinematography, lush production value and authentic-looking costuming, Chief of War follows Momoa's Ka'iana, a warrior chief from Maui who has left his homeland to live a quieter life in Kaua'i. But he is called back by his king, Kahekili (a fearsome Temuera Morrison), who says the young king of O'ahu is going to attack and must be stopped. The series progresses to tell the story of the famous unification of Hawai'i under king Kamehameha (played by Native Hawaiian Kaina Makua in his acting debut). It is sprawling, features predominantly Hawaiian language (a huge step toward adding authenticity to the project), and has stunning music from maestro Hans Zimmer, working alongside Hawaiian artists. The Night Agent's Luciane Buchanan and prolific Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis also star in the series, which drops episodes weekly after an initial offering of two episodes. The baffling case of four teenage girls murdered in Austin, Texas in 1991 is detailed in this four-episode true crime docuseries on HBO Max. The Yogurt Shop Murders utilises plenty of archive footage mixed in with interviews with family members of the victims, investigators and even a filmmaker who attempted to make a documentary in 2009 before becoming overwhelmed with the size of the story. The devastating case saw four young girls - two of whom were sisters - who were all part of the Future Farmers of America organisation brutally shot in the back of a popular eatery called I Can't Believe It's Yogurt, before the establishment was set on fire. The docuseries is from the acclaimed A24 studio. You can put this straight at the top of the list of things that really didn't need to be made. A strong contender for worst film of the year (though Tom Hardy's Havoc on Netflix will take some serious beating), War of the Worlds on Prime Video is the adaptation absolutely nobody asked for. Taking the classic story of aliens arriving and throwing the world into chaos, this film from director Rich Lee (primarily a music video director) sees Ice Cube playing a domestic terrorism analyst with the Department of Homeland Security, who is constantly surveilling everyone in his life, including his pregnant daughter, her partner and his son. Somehow he's the one who has to save the world from these invading aliens, and all from his desk, because this whole film is told with the 'screenlife' technique seen in Searching and Missing, where all the action takes place on a computer screen. The entire film is flaw after flaw, starting with Ice Cube's woeful miscasting (he's great in the right roles, but this is definitely the wrong role), the illogical speed at which things happen (we watch something happen in real time and then a fully written news story or complete broadcast report of the incident is available the next second), the ridiculous convenience of story points, and ending with the terrible dialogue and effects. Anyone who can make it through the runtime deserves a medal. Miley Cyrus brings her new visual album to the small screen with Something Beautiful on Disney+. You'll also find Marvel's animated series Eyes of Wakanda, set in fan favourite Black Panther's African home country, on the streamer. Over on Stan is the second season of video game adaptation Twisted Metal, with Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz, and another Kevin Costner documentary project, Yellowstone to Yosemite, which covers the journey US president Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir took during 1903. Meanwhile on Netflix you can scratch your sitcom itch with Leanne, a multicamera comedy from Leanne Morgan which also stars Kristen Johnston and Ryan Stiles, and film My Oxford Year, a romantic drama following American academic Anna (new Netflix golden girl Sofia Carson) during her year at the ancient college, and her romance with the charming Jamie Davenport (Corey Mylchreest of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story).
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Sky News AU
'No tolerance': American pro surfer and shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton hits out at dog owners and issues stark warning after seven-year-old son Wesley attacked
Bethany Hamilton has divided the internet after taking aim at irresponsible dog owners following a terrifying dog attack on her seven-year-old son, Wesley. The American pro surfer and author, 35, took to social media on Monday to detail the incident and share images of her son's injuries, prompting a wave of discussion about aggressive dogs in public spaces. Hamilton, who lost her left arm in a shark attack at age 13 while surfing in Kauai, is no stranger to traumatic encounters with animals. Despite the 2003 incident- during which a 14-foot tiger shark struck while she was out at Tunnels Beach- she was back on a board within a month. Her remarkable story was later brought to the big screen in the 2011 hit film Soul Surfer. Now a mother of four, Hamilton said her perspective on dangerous animals, particularly dogs, has shifted since becoming a parent. "A couple of weeks ago, my son got bit by a dog," she wrote on Instagram Stories, alongside a close-up image of the bite. "I'm feeling very disappointed in dogs and dog owners. I feel like the amount of unruly dogs nowadays is higher than ever." In a follow-up post, Hamilton said she reported the dog and called for greater accountability: "I think society at large should have no tolerance for unruly dogs." She later shared a photo of her two-year-old daughter Alaya at the beach with a blunt caption: "More thoughts on dogs. Beware of dogs. They kill more humans than any other animal in America." Hamilton then invited her 2.6 million followers to share their own views- and the flood of responses prompted her to post a video explaining the full story. "What happened with Wesley was we were on a little date, we got a kombucha, and then we were going into this shop," she said from her home in the Hawaiian arpegio. "And then we came out and we were in chill mode, super slow... And this dog was laying underneath a table. "He was leashed. And then he just lunged up and bit Wesley as we were walking by." She admitted her son had been "on the closer side to the dog" and the attack was "really off her radar", even though she's generally more alert around dogs when with her children. "To be clear, I actually like dogs, I'm more of a dog person than a cat person, and I've had a lot of dogs growing up," she said, admitting she owned one of the more "aggressive breeds". Reflecting on her past experience, Hamilton said she now believes she was "really blind" to how dangerous her dogs were. "Seeing a lot of comments and messages, a lot of people kinda want to just blame the dog owner, which probably has a lot to do with a lot of the bad dogs out there- that these owners aren't being responsible enough for surrounding their dogs, or they're not facing the reality of their dog being more aggressive or older and getting to that age of more aggression," she said. "So my two cents is, a lot comes back to the dog owner." She added that anyone taking their dog out in public should "for sure" leash them and consider a muzzle if needed. "I think the normalisation of so many dogs in public, and everywhere being dog-friendly is dangerous," she said. "And the big thing that I got in the messages too was the amount of people who have nice dogs who have their dogs getting attacked by dogs that are not nice. "It's a big issue. Like the fact that dogs kill more people than any other animal- it should be talked about, we should be aware." While Hamilton didn't cite a source for that claim, she clarified that she's not trying to instil fear in her children. She said she's encouraged Wesley to play with dogs since the attack, but admitted the situation could have been far worse if it had involved Alaya. "While I wish it was me, I'm glad it wasn't my two-year-old," she said. "It would have been super bad because of her small size and the malleability of her flesh." Hamilton did not confirm the breed of dog involved in the incident.
The Age
5 days ago
- The Age
‘Always order the lasagne': The inner-west 20-seater locals can't get enough of
A serious snack section leads the menu at Sippenham in Sydenham, which was built on a passion for music, food and community. Previous SlideNext Slide Italian$$$$ A few years ago, in the midst of lockdown, two best mates moved in together and began marking their days with a kaleidoscope of home-cooked food. Friends since high school, chef Nick 'Poodle' Giannopoulos and then-retail bank employee Stephen Mandis were most excited about Friday night's menu. That night, from a tiny, less than fancy oven in their flat, Giannopoulos would serve fat golden focaccia, a pond of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to sweep it through, and a lusty beef shin lasagne with vodka sauce, its surface thick with parmigiano. Nearly five years later, that lasagne, using marrow-in beef shin and pasta sheets handmade by Giannopoulos, is pulling diners from across the city to their 20-seater restaurant, Sippenham, in Sydenham. It's part of a story that began with Mandis becoming fascinated by Giannopoulos' life as a chef. 'I'd wait for him to come home and tell me how his day and the restaurant was,' he says. 'Eventually, it grew this charm, this idea that – as best mates – we could open up our own place together. And here we are, a couple [of] years later.' Since opening in April, Sippenham has been regularly booked out. The restaurant, built with passion for music, food and community, bubbles with a singular camaraderie led by Mandis on the floor, welcoming and checking on diners. It also feels surprisingly luxurious. Perhaps this is because outside, Unwins Bridge Road, the nearby train bridge and Railway Road merge traffic, gritty air and overhead planes. It's a Sydenham kind of magic along with the giant fig tree festooned with fairy lights, the Bonds outlet and a karate school. Inside Sippenham, also inspired by the two friends' love of East London, the emerald-green cushioned chairs, banquette seating, dark green walls and glowing lamps bring an easy-going sophistication. I'm dining alone and that feels entirely comfortable here. The menu starts with a serious snack section, led by the 'Uncle Luke's' fish sanger, its crustless white bread as soft as a doona. There are ribbons of iceberg lettuce, a lovely crumbed swordfish fillet and nicely strong taramasalata. Named after Mandis' long-time fishing friend, you can spot Luke holding prize catches in framed photos on Sippenham's dark green walls. Always order the lasagne – a salubriously layered marvel marked by generous pieces of beef and made from a recipe handed down from Giannopoulos' grandmother. Meanwhile, the malloreddus features chubby curls of pasta served with fleshy king prawns, roast cherry tomatoes, shellfish bisque and chives. Giannopoulos also has a way with meatballs – three lovely herby, orbs as big as the cricket ball held by Shane Warne in another framed photo – and served with melting parmigiano and a rich glug of Napoletana sauce. Wipe the plate clean with salt-flecked focaccia, made in a commercial oven Giannopoulos oversees in the open kitchen. There is a tiramisu being ordered left, right and centre, but I carry a torch for Giannopoulos' brownie-like chocolate cake with its fat wiggle of cremeux evaporating like magic on the tongue. Sippenham is also strong on wine, its ever-changing list curated by importer Lo-Fi Wines, and tonight I drink the lovely Casina Val Liberata's Chiara, a rosé from Monferrato in Italy. To find his feet before the pair opened Sippenham, Mandis spent two years working with Giannopoulos and his parents at their North Ryde restaurant, Fourno, until it closed in 2024 after 20 years. Now they want to leave their own hospitality legacy with Sippenham. 'I'm in this to make people happy,' Mandis says. 'We want to pay tribute to our ancestors, our family and the suburbs and streets that raised us. Every plate is made with love.' Afterwards, a diesel locomotive crossing the railway bridge fills the air with grey smoke. The character and food of Sippenham glows on amid it. Three more 'mates places' to try Cricca Founded by long-time friends Alessio Nogarotto and Giles Gabutina, this small but wondrous spot on Windsor's main shopping strip matches wood-fired bread with burrata laced with mandarin and leek, and ricotta beetroot ravioli, under chandeliers and candlelight. 1/135 George Street, Windsor, Ciro's Pizza Halfway to Wollongong in the seaside village of Thirroul, four mates – Michael Zubrecky, Joel Mucci, Liam Forsythe and Marko Bozic – oversee magnificent wood-fired Neapolitan style pizza, fab mains (try the smoked beef sausage with fava beans and potato) and a bevy of natural wines. 1 Raymond Road, Thirroul, Wharf St Kitchen In 2023, mates Dave Moran and Josh McPhee, founders of Dulwich Hill's The General, took over Marrickville Gold Club's kitchen. A menu featuring beef brisket lasagne, hand-rolled potato gnocchi and southern-fried popcorn chicken is still impressing locals. Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can't pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.
