Those guys at Smirnoff are taking a leaf out of Absolute's book (hey, it's true!) by commissioning celebrated Australian artists to curate their own designs. An extension of the 'Start Pure' Campaign, following the creative process of artists from blank canvas to finished work, Smirnoff have got DS favourite Beastman and Nanami Cowdroy to design a bottle. There will be a third bottle designed, by you. Head to the Smirnoff Pure Gallery in March to get your piece of alcoholic history. WHEN: Friday 2nd until Thursday 8th March, 10am – 5pm daily WHERE: Smirnoff Pure Gallery, 374 Crown St, Surry Hills HOW MUCH: Freeeeeeeeee

Playground Weekender returns for 3-days of mahem and music this March. Pack your tents, get out of the city and head up the coast for one serious party. Featuring international artists, the cream of local talent, and numerous quirky asides spread over four joyful days. There will be six stages of music, an outdoor cinema, cabaret acts, cocktail bar, a healing riverside area, yoga, international food and market stalls, Australia’s largest fancy dress party, Club Tropicana swimming pool area. You will have the time of your life. And don't forget to dress up on the Saturday! Line up: Chic Feat Nile Rogers Fat Freddys Drop Boy and Bear Roots Manuva Unkle Sounds Modeselektor Live Manchester Orchestra Black Lips Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffiti Bonobo Live Neon Indian Lanie Lane Greg Wilson Damian Lazarus Canyons Hudson Mohawke Lee Burridge Art Department Rustie Danny Daze Toucan Millions Nantes Elizabeth Rose + more   WHAT Playground Weekender HOW MUCH 3 Day ticket - $239 WHERE Wisemans Ferry, NSW 2775 WHEN March 2 - 5

Bruno's feels just like home - if home were a retro, multi-level, 1900s-French-style fit out, complete with its own Manhatten-esque rooftop. If this is home, we’re never leaving. The much-loved Hunky Dory Social Club has opened its stunning doors downstairs to make way for Bruno’s Restaurant with Chef Daniele Trimarchi of Fratelli Paradiso and Icebergs fame headlining in the kitchen. Evenings kick off with a communal-dining setup, complete with crocheted tablecloths (made by someone’s mother), dim lighting, Elvis tunes in the background, a ceiling partially covered in cowhide and old-school Jesus photos adorning the walls. If The Godfather himself decides to drop in for a few slices of 24-month cured San Daniele prosciutto, no one would blink an eye. The homage to the Old Country is strong here, particularly through the menu, as Trimarchi draws on his Italian heritage. Ingredients are fresh, flavorsome and familiar to lovers of the Mediterranean. The menu features an array of classics, like the refreshing Insalata Caprese and some creative combinations like the Insalata di Lenticchia of blue lentils, goat’s cheese, baby beetroot, tomato and fresh herbs. Homemade wood-fired bread complements the spicy cured pork paté with goat’s cheese. A spread of traditional and experimental wood-fired pizzas stand out from the menu and are available throughout the venue until midnight. The cuisine feels authentic, surrounded by Hunky Dory’s signature raw-edged interior. Upstairs we opt for cocktails like the Tomy’s Margarita and a Honey Daiquiri, savoured as the last rays of sunlight disappear from the open roof terrace. With the opening of Bruno’s Restaurant, Hunky Dory Social Club has it all, cementing its place in the small-bar scene with kick-arse bars, swinging tunes and now a divine culinary scene to boot. It makes for an all-round rockin’ good time in our books. Bruno’s – Downstairs at Hunky Dory Social Club 215 Oxford St, Darlinghurst www.hdsc.virb.com Bookings: (02) 9331 0442 Fri-Sat: Noon till late Sun, Tues-Thurs: 6pm till late   Sheree Joseph www.twitter.com/flyfromadream  

We welcome the Organic Bread Bar to Paddington with open arms. Not only because we love their organic coffee and delicious bread made fresh in the on-site bakery, but because of the chilled out charm of the owners and the set up that sees the early morning coffee crowd sipping lattes in the live bakery, while the bakers get to it. Organic Bread Bar prides itself on using traditional ingredients that are  baked in 50 year old German machines imported from the owners home town in Stuttgart, Germany. They also have some amazing treats such as scons, pain au chocolat and rustic bacon & egg roles. WHAT: Organic Bread Bar WHERE: 356 South Dowling St, Paddington WHEN: 7am - 4pm, Monday - Sunday

Nick Campbell is a Sydney based eyewear collector turned designer. His limited début range takes inspiration from the eyewear of the 50s and 60s, aiming to forge new ground for classic aesthetics by combining bold shapes and striking acetates to create wearable and comfortable frames. These unisex sunnies are completely paparazzi proof, it wont be long until the rich and famous of the world are strutting around in their Campbells. All Nick Campbell products are hand made to the highest standards of quality. BUY! WHAT Nick Campbell Eyewear HOW MUCH $260 WHERE  Online and at Selected Stockists

A young kid from Idaho with alot of feelings to share, Youth Lagoon is the one-man creation of Trevor Powers (of no relation to Kenny Powers). Trance-educing, garage-born emo pop with an orchestral overtone, Youth Lagoon visits Sydney for the first time on 16th Feb at Oxford Arts Factory. We've got a double pass to the show to giveaway, just email subculture@dailysydney.com with a sad picture attached. Best interpretation of the theme gets the tickets. WHAT: Youth Lagoon (US) and Oliver Tank WHERE: Oxford Arts Factory, Oxford St, Darlinghurst WHEN: Feb 16th HOW MUCH: Tickets $36.90 and selling quick-stix One of the more tear-jerking clips of 2011 below:

The wholesome ravers behind Future Sound of Yoga are holding a weekend-long yoga retreat for the nocturnally minded. Held at Mangrove Mountain, the Phoenix Weekend is in it's second year and promises spiritual enlightenment, meditation, self-discovery and rave. You can camp, sleep in a dormitory or enjoy twin room cabin accommodation, munch on organic food and attend all workshops as part of their all-inclusive ticket. From the organisers: The lineup includes leading international artists Mark Whitwell, Katy Appleton, Gwyn Williams, Daphne Tse; renowned Australia-based yoga teachers Simon Borg-Olivier, John Ogilvie, Kriyavidya Saraswati and Anna Phillips; inspirational speaker Heather Swan; and finally the The Future Sound of Yoga, who will up the tempo on Saturday night with an evening of yoga, dance and cutting edge electronica, where fans of festival dress up will be able to let loose with an anything-goes fancy dress theme. WHAT: The Phoenix Weekend WHERE: Mangrove Mountain (1.5 hours out of Sydney) WHEN: Friday 3rd Feb - Sunday 5th Feb 2012 HOW MUCH: Final release from $365 

  I was trying to explain the concept of the food truck to a bunch of English people the other day, and they looked a little disgusted. "What... The food is actually cooked in a truck? On the side of the road?" They seemed to liken it to the convenience of a Portaloo, rather than the American institution of fresh, fast, mobile food.  They weren't impressed. What you really need to know about the impending food-truck frenzy that is about to park itself on our street corners, is that yes, the concept of the food truck is all about snack-venience, but this isn't your average hot dog stand at the cricket. This is a restaurant, on wheels. There is as much passion invested in the eats they are producing, as the emphasis they place on the freedom of happening to run their business out of a truck. This is street food, something Sydney only previously understood as a late-night donor kebab, eaten gutter-side. Over the next week or so, we'll be bringing you images and interviews with a group of people behind the 10 food trucks that will soon be rolling out a personal take on Sydney street food. This week, we've had a chat to Ellyn Tse, head chef at Tsuru Food Truck. We're pumped to hear you will be satisfying our hunger for something different in the Sydney food scene, what's your background?  Hi! We're really excited too. I grew up in a family of restaurateurs, my family owns and runs various establishments in Indonesia and have been doing so for more than 40 years. In Australia, I have been running my own catering entity for close to 7 years. I am actively volunteering my time cooking for a not-for-profit organization called 'Eat. Drink. Give.' whose primary objective is Food Without Prejudice. We raise funds through catering for functions and events, and we give back by providing complimentary dining experiences to the disadvantaged sector in our community.  Our past works include providing catering for Haymarket Chamber of Commerce, 4A Contemporary Asian Art Gallery, & Harris Community Centre in Ultimo. Tsuru Food Truck will also be collaborating with Eat. Drink. Give. in its operation. There will be nominated 'Eat. Drink. Give. days' where a percentage of proceeds will go towards funding Food Without Prejudice project. When and where should we be expecting you to park yourselves in Sydney? We should launch in just under 2 months. Trading hours and locations-wise, we are still waiting for City of Sydney for their confirmation. Hopefully, we'll hear from them soon enough! What will you be serving? We'll be serving up pan-Asian menu, ranging from steamed pillowy Chinese buns folded over various fillings, Onigiri (Japanese rice balls), and yummy things on sticks. Our signature dish is 'the PIG' - a piece of luscious pork belly that has been roasted, then slow-braised overnight in old family recipe, and sandwiched in between our very own house-made steamed buns. What's your price point? From $3 to $30 for combo Why do you think Sydney needs a food truck culture? Food truck culture allows good-quality food to be easily accessible, and to go to where people gather. It is a great added option to late-night dining, festivals/outdoor activities, and creates a unique and iconic feature to the streets of Sydney. Best of all, the myriad of food of Sydney food trucks translates the vibrant multiculturalism of Sydney. SOUNDS GOOD TO US! Stay tuned for updates on the Tsuru Food truck, and follow their progress on their facebook and  twitter pages. Sophie McComas www.twitter.com/sophmccomas

Set to launch in late February 2012, The Dollar Shop is a designer retail experience with a slight twist - everything on sale is under $20. The Dollar Shop is a pop up space with a six month rolling lease agreement, one of many creative enterprises selected by the City of Sydney to breath a new life into the vom-stained pavings of lower Oxford St. The store curators are seeking designers, artists and other creatives to submit a wide variety of work to be sold in-store, including but not limited to clothing, jewelry, bags, stationery, self-publishing, photography, posters, instruments, kitchenware and craft. There's talk of workshops to be held at the space too - so if you don't have anything to sell now, pop in and work it out ya dummy. No more shall you be buying stained summer dresses for $80 from a bearded twenty-something musician at the Surry Hills Markets, or regretting that $10.50 you paid for plastic-fantastic piece of kitchenwares from Paddy's. WHAT: The Dollar Shop WHERE: 58 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, Sydney WHEN: Opening late Feb 2012 - submit your goods for sale now! Email: submit@dollarshopsydney.com.au http://www.dollarshopsydney.com.au/    

So you've gone to all that trouble securing a lunch date at The Armchair Collective, The Boat House at Palm Beach's non-identical twin located a few beaches south in Mona Vale, only to discover that no, your date won't sit and chat. While you wait for your beef burger with house-made pickles, Swiss cheese and mustard aioli, or your char grilled Balmain bug salad with coriander and lime dressing, they're off fawning over homewares. Mint-green covered armchairs and burnt-orange striped lamp shades to be exact. There are blown-glass vases, beachy cushions and tea sets by the dozen. Vintage bar stools sit by serving platters and beside baskets of blankets and woven rugs, it'll be a wonder if they make it back to your table in time for lunch at all. However we have a hunch that they will, because if they get too swept up in the whirlwind of glossy-magazine standard domesticity, they might miss out on a hearty Ploughman's Lunch of shaved leg ham, stuffed zucchini flowers, heirloom tomatoes, aged cheddar and shaved fennel salad. Or the milkshakes that come thick and syrupy in giant glass milk bottles. You'll both stay seated for a bucket of thick, fluffy, hand-cut chips with harissa mayonnaise, and a glass of wine, because you're out of the city and no one cares a damn. Breakfast shows its face in the form of thick-cut miche toast spread with labne, leg ham, a poached egg and cherry tomatoes that burst at the slightest nudge of a fork. A bowl of fruit salad with figs and berries comes with a side of drippy honeycomb and the coffee is spot on. This is Mona Vale, and there is white sand and a cool sea waiting only a quick dash away. Armchairs and burgers? We could get used to this. The Armchair Collective 9a Darley St East, Mona Vale www.thearmchair.com.au (02) 9999 2871 Open: Mon-Fri 10am - 6pm Sat-Sun 10.30am - 4,30pm Sophie McComas www.twitter.com/sophmccomas

One of the most important, controversial and evergreen artists of the past 20 years, New Order got us all tickled when announced as headliners for this year's Future Music Festival. We've pretty much popped a hernia over this just announced Hordern Pavillion Sideshow. Messieurs Sumner, Gilbert and Morris (but not Hook - he'll be out here playing his own Best of Joy Division shows in April) will be at the Hordern on the 7th of March playing a set list that hopefully looks like this recent show in London. Just a year ago this band reckoned they'd never tour again, so better get in there this time, champ! WHAT: New Order - Future Music Festival Sideshows WHEN: Wednesday 7th March, Hordern Pavilion HOW MUCH: Tickets on sale Monday 23rd of January from Ticketek They're also playing on the massive Future Music Festival lineup - check that here. 25/01: WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO THE SYDNEY SHOW!  With thanks to our chums at Future Entertainment Hit up @DailySydney on Twitter and shoot us a YouTube/Streaming link to your favourite New Order jam. Could be anything old, new, a live version a remix of New Order... whatever floats your boat the most, send us a link and we'll pluck a winner at random    

Serial joy-mongers Pains of Being Pure At Heart from New York City take to Laneway Festival in 2012. Here's some dumb questions they were kind enough to answer:   I need to dump my girlfriend, what's the best way to go about it? (Editor's note: I don't really, she's great) Kip: It seems like your personal life is starting to affect your work.   Describe the ideal location to listen to your new record/any shoegaze music: Kip: Our record and "iconic shoegaze" are two very different things. But for the latter, some sort of footwear retailer would allow you to gaze to your heart's content!   Name your favourite break-up song from 1985: Kip: "Careless Whisper" by Wham! Where do The Pains of Being Pure at Heart feel they 'belong'? Kip: Top of The Pops! But we'd likely need to cover "Careless Whisper" to get there, and I'm not sure if we can masterfully lip sync that epic saxophone solo.   Complete this: Love is shaped like... Kip: George Lewis Jr.'s hair (Twin Shadow)   'Belong' by The Pains of Being Pure At Heart is out now The Pains of Being Pure At Heart play at St Jerome’s Laneway Festival in Sydney on Sunday the 5th of Feb alongside M83, SBTRKT, Active Child and many more    Friday 20th of Jan: Wanna win a double pass to Laneway in Sydney? Just Tweet this EXACTLY to us @DailySydney... "Hey @DailySydney, gimme them @LanewayFest tickets, I really want to see (insert twitter of artist you want to see the most at Laneway here!)" We'll pick a winner at random tonight! Good luck! x