One of the major sources of constraint among Call of Duty Warzone players has always been the severely unbalanced meta of the game. But with the upcoming release of Warzone 2, fans hope that the developers will bring a balanced meta to the game where every weapon category will have a proper purpose.
The main problem with the current meta of Call of Duty Warzone is the disparity between time-to-kill (TTK) and the lack of effectiveness of certain categories of weapons.
The mainstream meta of Warzone is more partial towards assault rifles and sub-machine guns (SMGs). Why would a player equip a sniper when a long-range AR does the job better, or why would they choose a shotgun when an SMG kills faster at close range?
The game’s current meta is such that the entire category of snipers and shotguns have become ineffective in players’ eyes.
Reddit fans want the meta of Call of Duty Warzone 2 to have a bit more variety
The mainstream meta of Call of Duty Warzone heavily favors ARs as the primary long-range weapon and SMGs as the preferred close-range gun. The low recoil meta allows players to wreck their opponents at long range with just assault rifles.
As such, this category has mostly replaced snipers as the go-to long-range weapon among the operators.
Similar cases can also be observed in close-range engagements where SMGs outperform the shotguns even when the distance is as close as 5-7 meters. Due to these reasons, a severe drop in the pick rate of snipers and shotguns among players has been observed in the Call of Duty Warzone.
The disparity between the performances of certain categories of weapons has been a source of frustration among the players. They hope the meta will be much more balanced and diverse in the upcoming Warzone 2.
Redditor, u/Juken- feels that Call of Duty Warzone has been an excellent experimental board for the developers. They have collected a lot of data on how to nerf or buff the weapons. The Redditor hopes the developers will use this data to deliver more viable mets in Warzone 2.
Reddit user u/Youssef-Elsayed has posted an excellent way to nerf the extreme long-range potential of the ARs and improve the viability of the snipers. He stated that if a second damage drop-off is added to assault rifles at extreme ranges, players must use snipers to engage enemies at that range.
Redditor u/caksut1905 feels streamers mainly determine the meta with a much broader audience. The user thinks that the developers should also emphasize the feedback from the casual players in Warzone 2, who will make up the majority of the playerbase of the game.
Another user has provided a viable way to balance the shotguns so that they can also have a place in the mainstream meta of the game rather than being a niche weapon. He feels that shotguns should have a viable TTK up to 10 meters to perform well in that super-close range. This will improve the weapon’s usability for players willing to take the risk of engaging enemies at such a close range.
Another player feels that if the balancing of weapons is separated for multiplayer and battle royale mode, then the developers will have a much easier time balancing the weapon according to the playstyle and environment of the game.
As of right now, the meta of Call of Duty Warzone is a mess. Since Warzone 2 is being developed from the ground up as a proper battle royale rather than a separate game mode, players hope they will enjoy a balanced and diverse meta in the upcoming title.
Heading to WA Museum Boola Bardip on a gloomy Saturday afternoon to escape the rain has resulted in one Perth family scoring a unique prize.
Olivia Pizzale-Bryce, Jack Mcauliffe, and baby Pia had the shock of their lives when they went to the museum only to be greeted by the waiting media and Housing Minister John Carey as they became the one-millionth visitors.
The family has visited the museum five times and said they were heading there to see the Dinosaurs of Patagonia exhibition as it’s little Pia’s favorite.
“It’s really nice, we love coming here… it’s a place we can come for her, which is really nice,” mum Olivia said.
“We both support creative industries and museums and the gallery,” dad Jack added.
Opening its doors less than two years ago, Boola Bardip hit the major milestone two months ahead of where the government had predicted it would.
“I think we have a world-class museum, we should be mighty proud of it… There’s no doubt that this is a world-class museum that attracts people locally, and internationally…I think we can be deeply proud, ” Mr Carey said.
“And, I love the fact that it [the winner] is someone who has actually come back five times, and I think this is the beauty of the WA museum is that people love it so much, they keep coming back.”
The young family has been gifted a cocktail function for 20 of their nearest and dearest, including after-hours access, a VIP invitation to the launch of the Wonderland exhibition and the Season 2023 launch later this year, as well as a lifetime membership and a WA Museum prize pack valued at $500.
The achievements come as the museum has been keeping an eye on how its international visitor numbers following the border opening.
Despite the free admission set to end in October, the Minister said he believes the public will continue to go to the museum.
“We already did extend the free system due to COVID … So it was always the plan, that there would be fees introduced.”
The Minister added that children under the age of 16 will continue to get in for free.
In regards to if he supports a Perth Indigenous Cultural Centre, Mr Carey said he is open to the idea, but the facility would need to be steered by Aboriginal people.
Small is proving to be big business in the restaurant industry, with a boom in private dining prompting restaurants of all shapes and sizes to add spaces with quirky touches like a BYO record policy or free karaoke.
Intimate groups of 25 to 30 people are contacting Simon Blacher’s casual southside restaurants Tokyo Tina and Moonhouse for everything from end-of-financial year bashes to 21st birthdays.
“I know moving forward, any restaurant that we open will definitely have a private dining option associated with it,” says Blacher.
Armadale wine bar Auterra says the biggest demand for its new 12-seat private dining space is from groups of friends simply catching up.
Melburnians are cottoning on to the benefits of private dining rooms, flocking to them for dinner party vibes that feel more COVID-safe and don’t come with any of the hard parts of hosting.
They’re an attractive prospect right now for restaurants, too. The exclusive rooms, which typically offer set menus and beverage packages, are easier for venues to staff and usually attract consumers who are in the mood to spend.
Tokyo Tina co-owner Simon Blacher says private dining rooms will be part of any new restaurant his Commune Group opens in future. Photo: Eddie Jim
In the last 12 months, Blacher’s Commune Group has added two private dining areas to its portfolio of venues.
One of these is an offshoot of popular Windsor restaurant Tokyo Tina. Called Tokyo Private, it has its own entrance on Chapel Street and is built for fun, with a karaoke machine included in the price.
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Blacher says when it opened last October it had five to eight bookings per week, and sometimes up to 10. While that’s plateaued slightly over winter, it’s still doing an average of three functions a week, “which is still fantastic”.
Private rooms may once have been associated with exclusive or pricey restaurants but some operators, including Commune Group, are showing they can come in all shapes and sizes, with quirky touches to boot.
In Thornbury, a neighborhood trattoria Umberto added a private room last year that comes with a TV for movie nights, a card table, a record player and a buzzer for service. The venue asks you to be a member to book the room, but at $330 a year, that’s not as exclusive as it sounds.
“The membership growth has exceeded our expectations,” says co-owner Carla Barbieri. “We’re approaching capacity and anticipate taking applications for a waiting list.”
Fitzroy restaurant Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca has three different dining spaces upstairs for private events, or you can book out the whole venue. Photo: Bonnie Savage
Blacher has also been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm for both Tokyo Private and an exclusive space upstairs at his latest venue Moonhouse in Balaclava.
He acknowledges that COVID caution may be a contributing factor in people booking events away from the main dining room. Some diners have more peace of mind if everyone in their group has done a RAT before dinner, for example.
But overall Blacher thinks it’s a festive spirit and desire for smaller celebrations that’s driving demand.
Armadale wine bar Auterra added a 12-seat private dining space in May and has seen it used for birthdays as well as more casual catch-ups among friends. Photo: Supplied
“Sitting down with a select group of friends rather than everyone you’ve ever met is a trend we’re seeing [for celebrations],” he says.
In these days of timed bookings, getting a table together for a whole night of uninterrupted fun is also another factor in the popularity of private dining.
Auterra’s general manager Gareth Burnett says since the Armadale wine bar opened its upstairs private dining room in May, the most common bookings are for birthdays or intimate catch-ups among friends.
Society’s most exclusive private dining space, the Green Room, comes with a show kitchen, separate entrance and private chef, making it a magnet for celebrities and athletes looking to celebrate. Photo: Supplied
But, with spring in sight, he says festive season inquiries are coming thick and fast.
The latest and greatest private dining rooms in Melbourne
Umberto
Celebrating your big moments your way is the idea behind the Rosarno Room, located upstairs and hidden behind a peep hole at this modest neighborhood trattoria. Pop your own vinyl on the record player, stream your favorite film via Apple TV or get the card table out. There’s even a buzzer for service. “It’s like the idea of a clubhouse but not like the old, stuffy ones we may picture in our minds,” says co-owner Carla Barbieri. The catch is that you must be a member to partake, a privilege that costs $330 a year. But can you really put a price on street credit?
Umberto Espresso Bar’s members-only room, the Rosarno Room, can be used for private dinners, card nights, watching Netflix and more. Photo: Hi Sylvia
917 High Street, Thornbury, 03 9484 8654, umberto.com.au
Auterra
It’s not called a secret hideaway for nothing. From the fireplace and sheer drapes right down to the glass cabinets filled with crockery, this 12-person space feels like sitting down to lunch at home with your nearest and dearest. The best part is you’re not doing the cooking. Soaring ceilings, an inlaid brass tabletop and a gilt mirror add a luxe touch, as do the private bathroom and kitchen. But mismatched chairs and napkins in bright colors inject some fun. Brown donuts and soft-serve with whiskey caramel continue the high-low theme.
1160 High Street, Armadale, 03 8529 2660, auterrawinebar.com.au
Tokyo Tina offers private dining with a side of karaoke. Photo: Parker Blain
Tokyo Private
Groups of between 14 and 28 can book out this understated space next door to Tokyo Tina – and it’s all yours for as long as your heart desires. The no-timed-bookings policy is a rarity these days, while the karaoke system is a kitschy (and free!) touch. Food is a likeable mix of mod-Australian meets Japanese: think katsu prawn buns or umeboshi-glazed duck, washed down with Kirin Ichiban lager and whiskey highballs. You can also play your own music via Spotify and kids are welcome.
By far the ritziest option on this list (and perhaps in Melbourne), Society’s Green Room comes with a private entrance and its own kitchen, chef and sommelier, so you truly will be getting something no one else in the restaurant has. Tucked upstairs and decked out with meters of timber, stone and glass, the 20-seat room has hosted athletes, celebrities and anyone else who loves the VIP treatment. With a price tag starting at $4500, file this one under special occasion.
Sweeping art deco curves define this iconic Balaclava building, recently reborn as a contemporary Cantonese restaurant. That’s particularly true upstairs where private events take place across a cocktail bar and dining room. A crescent-shaped booth for eight people in the bar is perhaps the best seat in the house, tucked into a nook of the building with views of Carlisle Street in either direction. In the neighboring room, a long table for 30 can play host to feasts of wontons, beef with black bean and luxe items like mud crab. A separate entrance and bathrooms add to the exclusive feel.
Creating sumptuous spaces is the ninja skill of Rocco’s owners, who also operate Poodle further along Gertrude Street. Private dining here might look like an intimate 20-person table in one half of the upstairs ballroom with checkerboard floors. Larger events can spread over the entire room and adjoining Vince’s Bar, giving you access to an outdoor terrace and your own bar star. Two fireplaces, timber joinery, mosaic tiles and fun spins on Italian dishes spell out good times galore.
Melbourne socialite and charity worker Lillian Frank dies aged 92
The Melbourne identity passed away on Friday night at the age of 92
Her daughter Jackie posted a moving tribute to her mother on Facebook
Lillian Frank was raised in Burma but fled during WWII after Japan invaded
She eventually settled in Melbourne and forged a path as a hair stylist
By Michael Pickering For Daily Mail Australia
Published: | Updated:
A giant of Melbourne’s social scene, Lillian Frank, has died aged 92.
Ms Frank was known for her hairdressing salon in Toorak, her tireless charity work and her love of a party.
Her daughter, magazine publisher Jackie, announced Ms Frank had passed on Friday night.
‘Last night we lost the heart and soul of our family,’ Jackie said.
‘She lived life to the max, without any regrets and was forever grateful.’
A giant of Melbourne’s social scene, Lillian Frank, has died aged 92. Ms Frank was known for her hairdressing salon in Toorak, her charity work and her love of a party
Lillian Frank pictured with Australian actor Heath Ledger at Derby Day, Melbourne, in 2001
Lillian Frank’s daughter Jackie shared a moving tribute to her mother on Facebook, announcing her passing on Friday at the age of 92
Ms Frank was raised in the Burmese capital of Rangoon before her family fled the invasion of the country by Japan.
After spending the war in a refugee camp in Calcutta, she and her family then went to London.
During the 1950s she came to Melbourne to visit her sister and stayed, forging a path as a prominent member of Melbourne society.
Ms Frank in 1985 during a fundraising event in Melbourne. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her service to the community in 1991
Ms Frank with her husband, restaurateur Richard Frank, who she married in 1956 had two daughters with – Jackie and Michelle
She married restaurateur Richard Frank in 1956 and they had two daughters, Jackie and Michelle.
One of the first hairdressers in Australia to be trained at Elizabeth Arden, Ms Frank set up her own hairdressing salon in the 1960s, becoming famous as the hair stylist for Jean Shrimpton when the model infamously wore a mini skirt at the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
On June 11, 1977, Ms Frank was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her involvement with charities, including the Royal Children’s Hospital and Odyssey House in Melbourne.
In 1991 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her service to the community.
JACKIE FRANK’S FULL TRIBUTE TO HER MOTHER LILLIAN
Last night we lost the heart and soul of our family.
She lived life to the max, without any regrets and was forever grateful.
She saw things through rose colored glasses. No matter what adversity she had to face, and there were many, she saw the good in everyone and everything.
Not many of you will know she was born in Burma, in 1930, fled to India during the war before being sent to her Aunt in the UK finally to make Australia her home.
Jackie Frank (right) pictured with her mother Lillian from her Facebook tribute to her mother, who has passed away aged 92
Forever trying to make a difference in the world. She used her de ella flamboyant personality and social standing for good, raising millions and millions for charity.
She had a very public life and I was often asked what’s it like growing up with Lillian Frank as your mum? My answer, to us she was mum, to my children nani and the most spectacular selfless human being in the world with the biggest heart.
We ❤️ you but a piece of our hearts will be broken forever.
Furious homeowner plasters ‘selfish’ driver’s Vauxhall Corsa with ‘idiotic parking’ notes after ‘stupid’ motorist ‘blocks in a bulging skip that was due to be collected’
An raging homeowner has called out a driver’s ‘selfish idiotic parking’
Notes claimed car, parked in Liverpool, blocked a skip from being collected
Skip owner said rebooking the collection time would cost hundreds of pounds
At least 13 angry notes typed on A4 paper were duct-taped onto the vehicle
But social media users were divided over whether the action was right or wrong
By Eirian Jane Prosser For Mailonline
Published: | Updated:
A raging homeowner has claimed a driver blocked their ‘bulging skip’ from being collected, branding them ‘selfish’ after it cost them hundreds of pounds to book a recollection.
The black Vauxhall Corsa is thought to have parked in an awkward position preventing the skip from being picked up from a residential street in Dovecot, Liverpool.
The furious skip owner went on to plaster the car with the same angry message that warned against ‘selfish idiotic parking’.
More than 13 sheets of A4 paper with the message printed on were stuck on the car’s windscreen and windows with duct tape.
But after the incident was revealed on Twitter, users on social media were divided over whether the action was right or wrong.
The black Vauxhall Corsa, parked in Dovecot, Liverpool, was plastered with angry A4 notes calling out the ‘selfish, idiotic parking’. The car is thought to have parked awkwardly blocking a skip collection which the homeowner said cost hundreds of pounds to rebook.
The angry note read: ‘Selfish idiotic parking! Parking right next to a bulging skip that’s due to be collected today has cost me a lot of time and money.
‘At 0803hrs this morning you parked in front of my property blocking an obviously bulging skip that was due to be collected today.
‘I have spent hours knocking on every house and asking in the shop about the owner.
‘It is now 1400hrs and it’s still blocking the skip; I will now have to pay extra charges because of your selfish stupidity.’
The angry note said: ‘Parking right next to a bulging skip that’s due to be collected today has cost me a lot of time and money.’ At the bottom the skip owner warned the driver to never park in front of his home again.
People on social media, however, have been left divided over who is in the right and who is in the wrong.
One person wrote: ‘It’s not illegal to park in front of somebody’s property.’
Another added: ‘People who think they own the road outside their house are hilarious in fairness.’
People on social media have been divided over whether the skip owner is in the right or the wrong.
Some people pointed out that the duct tape stuck on the car window and windscreen could cause damage.
One said: ‘If that tape peeled the clear coat off my car I’d be f*****g ranging.’
Another added: ‘I’d be knocking on his property informing him he needs to remove that tape … defo grounds for criminal damage if it f***s with the paint.’
Others pointed out the posters taped to the car’s window and windscreen could cause damage to its coat.
Others showed sympathy for the homeowner, agreeing that the driver should have parked in a more considerate way.
One woman said: ‘They have a point to be fair, if it is a driveway, if they’re an on-call health professional someone could be in a lot of trouble by the time they get there.’
Another man added: ‘How about don’t be ap***k and park in front of someone’s drive?’
Others felt sorry for the skip owner and said the driver was in the wrong for parking in awkward position. The homeowner said booking the skip recollection cost hundreds of pounds.
Selina Flowers on Facebook said: ‘People really need to be more aware when parking their car, park where you wish as long as its legal but being aware of your surroundings is common courtesy.
‘Now they have a bill for paint work.’
Kevin Foster added: ‘Why not give the car owner the bill from the skip company for the so-called extra money it has cost the homeowner.
‘Normally it’s a pay on the collection of the skip, if the wagon can’t pick it up then it’s not the homeowners fault it’s the car owner for blocking it.’
Some called on the car owner to pay the bill for recollection of the ‘bulging skip’ while others said people need to be more aware of where they are parking.
Some found the situation laughable.
One woman said: ‘Nothing could make me this embarrassingly angry.’
Another man added: ‘Should’ve just put it in the skip, probably where all Corsas belong to be fair.
‘I’m mildly disappointed he didn’t run out of toner in the printer and then subsequently printed off more to tell the person they now owe them for the toner and fuel to go to the shop and buy it.’
An Adelaide father who tried to gas himself and his young daughter has been jailed for more than 14 years for the attempted murder of the girl.
Shaun Mate and his three-year-old daughter were found unconscious in July 2020 in what a judge described as a vindictive act of domestic violence.
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In the days leading up to the crime, he had bought two gas tanks, putting his plan into place after an argument with his then-wife.
Sentencing Mate in the Supreme Court on Friday, Justice Geraldine Davison said the impact of the 45-year-old’s offending was significant and widespread.
“Sadly, in many marriage breakdowns, when feelings are running high and the parties are feeling aggrieved and vindictive, the notion of depriving their partner of one of the greatest joys of their life can seem to be a way of wreaking revenge,” she said .
“There is a significant element of vindictiveness, planning and preparation in your offending.”
Shaun Mate was sentenced to more than 14 years behind bars over the attempted murder of his daughter. Credit: 7NEWS
On the night of the offending, Mate had made a photo montage of the couple, which he played on the television and said to his wife, “this is what you’re going to miss out on”.
Davison said he later became angry and his ex-wife began to feel unsafe and called the police.
Police arrived and the couple agreed he would stay in a room downstairs.
The judge said the girl’s mother woke up during the night to find her daughter missing from her bed and when she tried to open the door to her husband’s room he told her to “go away, we’re having a little sleep now”.
At that point, the mother heard both her daughter groan and the sound of gas and called police again.
While Mate had barricaded himself in, officers eventually gained entry where they found the girl unconscious and suffering from hypoxia.
Mate barricaded himself in the bathroom and tried to gas himself and his daughter to death. Credit: 7NEWS
Davison said while the offending was both planned and premeditated she accepted a psychologist’s finding that he was suffering from a major depressive disorder at the time.
However, she said regarded his crime as at the higher end of the scale.
“The victim was a vulnerable three-year-old child. Your planning indicates that it was premeditated offending,” the judge said.
“It was the most significant abuse of trust placed on a parent.
“Your intention was to take your child’s life as an act of vindictiveness against your wife thus depriving her of that child.
“Your plan failed by the good fortune of your wife waking and acting as swiftly as she did, along with the first responders.”
The judge accepted a psychologist’s finding that he was suffering from a major depressive disorder at the time, but said it was the ‘most significant abuse of trust’. Credit: 7NEWS
Mate’s daughter, now almost five years old, is said to have no memory of the event.
Her mother told 7NEWS that recovering from the ordeal has been “very tough”, but her little girl was “doing as best we can”.
“No one wins out of this, this is not a great scenario for anyone,” she said outside court.
Mate showed no emotion in sentencing, while his father put his head in his hands and cried.
Davison jailed the man for 14 years and three months, reduced from 15 years because of his guilty plea.
-With 7 NEWS
If you need help in a crisis, calllife lineon 13 11 14.
For further information about depression contact beyond blue on 1300224636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.
Jeff Bezos and girlfriend Lauren Sanchez dined in style at Rihanna’s favorite Los Angeles restaurant where a steak will set you back $50.
The Amazon founder, 58, who is worth more than $167 billion, donned a white shirt and gray trousers as ex-news anchor Sanchez, 52, sparkled in a flowery dress.
Her beige leather Gianvito Rossi heels cost a cool $680.
The pair held hands as they left Santa Monica’s Giorgio Baldi late last night.
A starter at the celebrated Italian restaurant, which opened in 1990, costs up to $40, while pastas are $25.
Rihanna has been spotted at the site dozens of times over the past decade – and has reportedly been a fan since she was just 18.
Sanchez and Bezos held hands as they left Santa Monica’s Giorgio Baldi late last night
Sanchez opted for a striking flowery dress with lace frills and a pair of cool aviator sunglasses
The latest Bezos and Sanchez spotting comes days after the pair returned from London
The Barbadian singer, 34, used to show up every Sunday just after 5pm, the New York Times reported.
Although staff at the restaurant often tell customers not to ask for pictures, Rihanna is happy to pose for snaps with elated members of the public, diners say.
The latest Bezos and Sanchez spotting comes days after the pair returned from a visit to London, where they ate at Soho’s Ham Yard Hotel.
Lauren looked youthful in a plunging olive green crop top, which she paired with nautical-style high-waisted white shorts.
She carried a pink crocodile Hermes Birkin bag that is worth around $105,000.
Long-term boyfriend Jeff looked casual in light-wash jeans, a navy polo T-shirt and matching padded vest, which he wore with sunglasses and a baseball cap.
The loved-up pair put on a very affectionate display as they left the hotel hand-in-hand, with Lauren happily grinning for the cameras as they made their way into a waiting car.
Swanky Italian eatery Giorgio Baldi is a regular haunt of Rihanna’s and the Kardashians
Bezos restaurant hopped around London as part of a lavish trip with girlfriend Lauren
Last week Bezos and Sanchez were pictured at swanky Asian restaurant Nobu in Malibu
During their romantic London getaway, the couple enjoyed a private tour of Buckingham Palace as well as a slew of extravagant meals at the city’s best eateries.
It’s unclear when exactly the businessman first started dating Sanchez, but it’s thought they got together while he was still married to ex-wife Mackenzie Scott.
Their alleged affair was exposed by the National Enquirer in January 2019.
Soon later, the businessman split from his wife of over 25 years and the mother of his four children Scott.
Sanchez was also married when her relationship to Bezos was outed, and it was her husband – co-CEO of Hollywood powerhouse agency WME, Patrick Whitesell, 56 – who reportedly introduced the two lovers in the first place.
Bezos took Sanchez out to dine with family members at the Wolesley in London last week
Bezos and Scott, 51, finalized their divorce in April 2019, the same month that Sanchez and Whitesell ended their marriage.
Bezos and Sanchez made their first public appearance together in May of that year, before jetting off to St Barts for a romantic getaway.
They made their red carpet debut as a couple in January 2020.
Bezos was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but grew up in Houston, Texas, and then Miami, Florida. I graduated from Princeton University in 1986.
He launched Amazon in 1994, which began as an online book store. He first became a billionaire in 1998, and has since increased his fortune by 12,425 per cent.
Just a few weeks after emigrating to Australia from Northern England in 2015, Dean met Madison and the rest was history.
The couple, Dean an offshore pipe fitter and Madison a primary school teacher, got engaged while holidaying in Bali in 2018 and finally said ‘I do’ on December 20, 2021 after pandemic-related delays.
Although special family members from the UK couldn’t make the ceremony, a special video of well-wishes from Australian icon Shannon Noll put a smile on everyone’s face at the reception.
In a true sign of the times, the couple decided on the hashtag #bishoptakestheking for the occasion, which made all of their chess-loving attendees chuckle.
Madison’s father survived a severe cardiac arrest just days before his daughter’s big day, but in a heartwarming miracle, he was able to walk her down the aisle alongside her mother, making for an emotional father-daughter dance afterwards.
Dean Bishop and Madison Grace King after their marriage. Credit: folktales
when and where
The couple tied the knot at Rifle Range North in Kings Park, overlooking the sublime Perth city skyline.
Dean Bishop and Madison Grace King hand in hand on their wedding day. Credit: folktales
Dress
Madison’s intricate dress was from North Fremantle bridal store Grace Loves Lace, along with her veil.
Madison in her gorgeous dress. Credit: folktales
honeymoon
The pair did not go on a honeymoon but are planning a special trip to England to see Dean’s family.
Dean and Madison with their bridal party. Credit: folktales
It was a cheeky bid to grab a slice of the action in the home of pizza.
But US chain Domino’s has admitted failure in its attempt to conquer Italy and has said a hasty arrivederci.
After spending seven years trying to persuade Romans and Neapolitans that popular American pizza toppings – such as pineapple – were not a sacrilege, it has closed all its 29 Italian stores.
Domino’s, which has more than 1,100 UK outlets, arrived in Italy in 2015 hoping to cash in on the home delivery market.
The firm said it aimed to open 880 stores and would use ‘purely Italian’ traditional ingredients such as prosciutto, gorgonzola, grana padano and mozzarella.
But Italy’s notoriously perfectionist diners proved hard to please.
They turned their noses up when Domino’s offered US-inspired varieties such as the cheeseburger topping, the pepperoni passion and, worst of all, the pineapple-strewn Hawaiian.
The coronavirus pandemic also saw potential customers flock to local, often cheaper, restaurants for home-grown options.
Domino’s main market in Italy, according to the firm’s detractors, was just “drunk American tourists”.
The US fast food giant shut its stores across Italy after local franchise holder ePizza went bankrupt.
ePizza, which had debts of nearly £9million, has blamed the COVID pandemic lockdowns and a significant rise in the level of competition, particularly from more traditional Italian outlets, for the decision to shut its restaurants.
The firm said: “We attribute the issue to the significantly increased level of competition in the food delivery market with both organized chains and “mom and pop” restaurants delivering food.”
It was a cheeky bid to grab a slice of the action in the home of pizza. But US chain Domino’s has admitted failure in its attempt to conquer Italy and has said a hasty arrivederci. Credit: YALCIN SONAT/yalcinsonat – stock.adobe.com
Italian newspaper Il Messaggero offered a more withering assessment of Domino’s attempts to win over the country.
“Italians don’t like pineapple pizza”, it said, claiming Domino’s menu “would turn up the nose of traditional pizza lovers, while intriguing xenophiles”.
In Italy, pizza is such a way of life that the original, traditional Neapolitian has protected status and strict requirements, while the art of dough twirling in Naples has even achieved Unesco world heritage recognition.
One online commentator said bringing the US chain to Italy was like “trying to sell snow in the North Pole”.
Another wrote: “May we all have the insane confidence of the Domino’s executive who pitched opening in Italy.”
But some American takeaway giants remain unperturbed by the pizza chain’s fate.
Starbucks has opened 16 stores across Italy in the hope of tempting coffee traditionalists away from the country’s much-loved espresso bars.
