What’s hip this April

Where to shop

HERE’S how to get the grandkids off their screens and help you relive the magic of childhoods spent on the lounge room floor ‘building stuff’. The latest Lego Certified Stores in Southeast Queensland has opened on the ground floor of Sunshine Plaza, Maroochydore, joining others at Dreamworld and Robina on the Gold Coast, and Chermside. The new 216sqm LEGO Store features a custom-built mosaic with a popular Sunshine Coast vista, as well as large brick-built 3D model, in addition to the latest sets, exclusive and hard-to-find products. The interactive play tables offer brick fans of all ages the opportunity to connect, create and explore. It might be just the diversion you need while others in the family browse the boutiques or do the grocery shopping.

Where to visit

IF YOU feel in the mood for a road trip and immersing yourself in farm life for the day, the Big Rosella Field Days are back on May 2 and 3. The weekend-long homage to the humble rosella is hosted by Petersen’s Farm: a fruit and vegetables grower in the rural township of Woolooga in the Gympie region. The event celebrates the annual harvest of tangy, crimson-coloured rosellas (also known as wild hibiscus), with the Petersen family among Australia’s largest commercial producers of the crop. Now in its second decade, the event blends food, farming, creativity and community in a relaxed country setting. This year’s program includes lively cook-offs between local personalities and chefs, rosella races, live music, farm tours and expanded farmers markets. For more, visit petersensfarm.com.au

What to book

IF YOU are guilty of being a Friends fan – right from the beginning when the series first aired in 1994, during the 10 seasons when it was catapulted to one of the most popular sitcoms in TV history, or over the decades of reruns since – you won’t want to miss this. Original X Productions, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and Fever, are bringing The Friends Experience immersive attraction to Uptown Queen Street Mall this month. Fans will be brought one step closer to their favourite characters as they take a look at the making of the show, replica costumes and props, and recreate the most memorable moments from the globally loved show. Featuring a variety of nostalgia-packed, interactive recreated sets including Monica’s kitchen and the fountain, The Friends Experience provides the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane. The show’s famed coffee house Central Perk will be fully recreated – complete with the legendary orange sofa. Visit brisbane.friendstheexperience.com

Back in the day

The Apollo 13 spacecraft was launched on April 11, 1970, from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center and was to be the third planned Moon landing after the successful missions of Apollo 11 and Apollo 12. But 56 hours into the flight, disaster struck: an oxygen tank exploded in the service module. Tom Hanks (Apollo 13 commander James A. Lovell), Bill Paxton (Astronaut Fred Haise), Kevin Bacon (Astronaut Jack Swigert), Gary Sinise (Astronaut Ken Mattingly) and Ed Harris (Flight Director Gene Kranz) portray the behind-the-scenes drama (much of which played out in real time on TV sets around the world) in the 1995 film directed by Ron Howard. While ‘13’ is unlucky for some, Apollo 13’s mission is considered a ‘successful failure’.

What to listen to (and read)

MEL Robbins is a New York Times No.1 bestselling author and award-winning podcast host. With 40 million followers worldwide, she is a trusted expert in personal growth. You still may not recognise the name, but she might be just the person you are looking for. Her Let Them Theory, for example, will forever change the way you think about relationships, control and personal power. If you want to advance your career, motivate others to change, take creative risks, find deeper connections, build better habits, start a new chapter or create more happiness in your life, saying “let them” could be the start of something big. Visit melrobbins.com