What to do
This year the RSPCA Million Paws Walk turns 30. Whether you're a seasoned participant or a first timer, bring your dog to Patrick White Lawns, Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes on Sunday, May 26 for a family friendly walk to help raise funds for animals in need. Registration opens at 9am and the walk will kick off at 11am. After the walk, stick around to enjoy food, music, retail stalls, prizes and more. Tickets: adult $25; child $15; concession $15; family $60. More information and registrations: www.millionpawswalk.com.au/act
What to see
Our footy teams will take on fierce rivals at Canberra Stadium this weekend. The ACT Brumbies will host the Melbourne Rebels in round 14 of the Super Rugby Pacific competition on Friday, May 24 at 7.35pm (gates open at 6pm). The Canberra Raiders will then take on the Sydney Roosters in round 12 of the NRL on Saturday, May 25 at 3pm (gates open at 10.45am). See: giostadiumcanberra.com.au
What to drink
The Taste Festival Canberra 2024 is on at Casino Canberra from Friday, May 24 to Sunday, May 26 so get your taste buds ready to savour wines, craft spirits and gourmet food. You'll also have the chance to engage with the winemakers and distillers - among them Genista Wines and Gibson Wines - who are the experts behind your favourite brands. With a range of ticket options, you can tailor your experience to suit your preferences. And remember to drink responsibly. See: eventbrite.com.au
What to eat
Contentious Character is largely about the wine, but the dining venue isn't bad either - despite the name it's quite a friendly place. It's part of Fyshwick's development as a place that's about more than just adult entertainment and industry. The restaurant is open seven days and serves breakfast from 7am to 11am with an a-la-carte menu from 11am until closing and tapas from 3pm to 6.30pm. On the menu you might find tapas such as gin beetroot-cured salmon with pickled cucumber, avocado purée and horseradish crème frache, and mains like lamb backstrap with ajo blanco, pomegranate, sumac and rocket. Contentious Cafe is in Building 4, 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick. See: contentiouscharacter.com.au
What to watch
With all the talk about ChatGPT and other forms of AI taking over functions that used to be human-controlled, you'd think people would heed the warnings of science fiction, which is full of cautionary tales. Atlas, available from Friday, May 24 on Netflix, is another story about humans and artificial intelligence. Atlas Shepherd (Jennifer Lopez) is a brilliant but misanthropic government data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence. She is sent to a distant world on a quest to defeat the renegade robot warrior Harlan (Simi Liu) who was created to advance humanity and is now threatening to destroy it after failing in a previous attempt. When plans go awry, her only hope of saving the future of humanity from AI is to trust it. No pressure.
