I think that in order to fully appreciate St Patricks Day you really need to be there because no words can describe what it feels like to be in a sea of green with Irish accents all around you and the pubs filled to a capacity that they rarely see throughout the rest of the year.
And so, I felt that it is best to show you what a day in green looks like in Sydney, rather than sit here and use the word green one more time… Ok just once more – It was a bloody green day ay!
The wonderful thing about living in Australia is that there are so many people from different nationalities living all together, which generally means that they like to put on festivals with lots of different foods and beers.
This time around, sunny Bondi Beach was playing host to the South American Festival. Continue reading
Chinese New Year is celebrated in Australia in full force with many events happening throughout the period, especially in Sydney. Continue reading
On the 26th of January, Aussies all around the globe come together in their thongs, with meat pies in hand, and celebrate the beautiful country that is Australia. Continue reading
So you’ve finally made it to Sydney … Welcome!
The next big step is figuring out how to get from A to B, so this nifty trip planner should become your new best friend:
If you can see this text, your web browser does not support iframes.
This iframe contains the 131500 Trip Planner. If you wish to use the
Trip Planner, please visit the 131500
Transport Info website.
P.S. It doesn’t seem to work on Mac’s but the link is still good so follow it for up to date info on transport in NSW.
Some places are worth talking about. Image: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Are you being talked about? Is your attraction ranking up there with the big boys?
TripAdvisor has created a list of the most talked about Australian attractions based on the number of reviews submitted in 2012. Continue reading
I’m going to admit that I’m not a music person. I mean, obviously I listen to music and I know who’s on the airwaves, but I don’t listen to the lyrics, I don’t go to gigs and music is not ‘my life’.
But there is something about that moment when you hear a musician for the first time and you know that you’ve stumbled upon something really special; in my case it was a busker named Jack Man Friday.
Lyne Park, Rose Bay, Sydney NSW 2029
Catalina is a guilty pleasure of the Eastern Suburbs in Sydney; with spectacular views of the harbour and an atmosphere of quality and richness.
Coming in for Sunday brunch, it feels like Sydney’s elite are sitting back and enjoying each other’s company on a beautiful sunny Sydney day and being in their presence will somehow make you feel, if only for a little bit, part of that group. Continue reading
See the harbour in a new light. Image: Destination NSW
Sydney has been named the top Australian destination for the tenth year in a row.
According to Wotif.com, Sydney topped the list which was based on more than 260,000 bookings made per month by Wotif.com customers in 2012.
Mardi Gras: the one day of the year when everyone can speak their mind without fear of repercussions
The History
On June 28, 1969, riots broke out at the Stonewall Inn, in Greenwich Village of New York City. The spontaneous commotion was retaliation by homosexual visitors of the Inn against the police who were raiding the venue, in search for liquor and drag queens as well as anyone else that they could get their cuffs on. With an attitude of ‘enough in enough’, after witnessing the rough handling of people by the police, those attending became violent. Continue reading
Come face to face with a beautiful creature on your next trip. Image: South West Rocks Dive Centre
After receiving over 500 entries and thousands of votes, Hooroo has announced that Australia’s Top Secret Spot is Waterfall Gully in South Australia. Continue reading
Centennial Parklands in Sydney’s east has developed a fantastic app that will help visitors discover more of the destination than they knew existed. From the ‘What’s On’ tab to the updates on wet weather conditions for those involved in sports on the grounds, this app is sure to come in use to everyone visiting the site. Continue reading
The ocean covers over 70% of our planet, making life beneath the surface diverse, mysterious and most importantly beautiful. Continue reading
1-5 Wheat Rd, Sydney, NSW, 2000
If the heat is getting to you but you prefer to keep you shoes sand free, why not step into the wonderful world of aquariums for a refreshing and beautiful experience. Continue reading
Enjoy some outdoor movies in the final summer days Image: moonlightcinema.com.au
As many flee the cities to enjoy beachside holidays, savvy travellers are taking advantage of city breaks over summer. Continue reading
Bound Round, created to keep the kids entertained and help parents stay sane on that rare and long-awaited for escape.
Part toy box, part educational device (shhh!), this interactive travel guide helps kids get excited and involved in the holiday planning process as they discover the different locations and activities available at their next destination. Continue reading
All you need this Australia Day are thongs, a picnic basket and a view of the ocean. Image: Australiaday.com.au
Happy Australia Day!
Many of you would have started the celebrations today with office parties whilst others are packing their bags for the long weekend getaway. Continue reading
Poolside View Source: Hilton Surfers Paradise
Hilton Surfers Paradise is synonymous with pure luxury and indulgence. Providing both leisure and business guests with rooms suited to their needs, the Hilton Surfers Paradise also offers one of the world’s fastest growing spa brands, eforea, a dining experience at internationally acclaimed celebrity Chef Luke Mangan’s restaurant as well as exclusive facilities for the health conscious and business minded. Continue reading
501 George Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000
Beneath the bustling George Street in Sydney’s CBD there is a quiet Vietnamese ‘tuck shop’ that has round the corner queues, wooden tall chairs and an atmosphere of a South East Asian side street. Continue reading
Located in both Westfield Pitt St Mall food courts as well as other locations
Usually when I come to SpudsnCrepes I get either the French Chicken Crepe or the Chicken and Avocado Spud, but this being a ‘try something new’ blog, I went for the Chilli Con Carne Spud, although minus the red beans. Continue reading
Coles is a major Australian supermarket chain that is located all over the country
As all travellers know, one of the cheapest places to get a good feed is at the good ol’ supermarket, and in Australia it is the same. Going so far as to say that this is cheaper than McDonalds and potentially twice the portion, make sure that you don’t walk past this not-so-secret place if you are in need of some cheap, although greasy, food. Continue reading
Chatime has locations all around Australia. Here is the one that I went to: LG Shop 72/429-481 George St Sydney, NSW, 2000
In Sydney there are quite a few places that offer ‘drinks to go’. These vary from the ice crushes of Boost Juice to the pearl teas of Easyway. Chatime is closest to Easyway as it serves teas and fruit drinks in different flavours with the option of adding extra’s such as pearls and jellies into the drink. Continue reading
Max Mex can be found in various locations around Australia, I had my lunch at Westfield Sydney Central Plaza, 450 George St, Sydney, NSW, 2000
When getting Mexican I usually go for the burrito, but this time, wanting to be different and all, I decided to try the Crispy Tacos.
And so I made my way to Mad Mex and joined the lunchtime queue where I debated a few more times with myself on whether I should go crispy or perhaps try the soft shells. Ultimately I decided to stick to my original plan as I figured that a soft shelled taco would be the same as a burrito, minus the ends being folded over.
2/194 Bondi Rd
Bondi NSW
If you’re feeling like sushi, but want a little bit more than just a row of rolls, then why not try a Japanese Bento Box – a lunchbox of sorts that has everything from meats to salads and rice. Continue reading
Setting the Scene
Imagine sitting at work doing some typing, or maybe washing some dishes in the kitchen, perhaps you were going for a run, before that fateful call comes through – Donnie and Rose have narrowly escaped being caught, as they were pulling off their final $50 million heist, by Tony the mobster and now Donnie is calling on you to help him reunite with his love and some hard-earned cash. Continue reading
24 York Street Sydney, 2000
The Bavarian Bier Café is one of those places that have it all – great atmosphere, fantastic staff, unique beers and schnapps and wonderful food. Walking over to the bar around 6ish on a Friday evening, I thought that the place would have been overrun by suits and ties, but luckily it wasn’t too crowded and my friend was able to get in with his flip flops, making the night out a very casual experience with a delicious menu. Continue reading
Rubber Duck by Florentijn Hofman
Sydney has many icons: the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach to name a few, and now we have one more, although temporary – a giant Rubber Duck. Continue reading
Corner Phillip and Albert Streets, Circular Quay
Crime and punishment have been taboo topics for as long as people have been starving and stealing bread. The Justice & Police Museum is a perfect place to explore Sydney’s hidden past and discover what methods have been used to establish justice and peace. The museum is part of the Historic Houses Trust and is only open on the weekends. Continue reading
The Sydney Room, Westfield Sydney Level 5, Corner Market & Castlereagh St, Sydney, 2000
Charlie & Co. Burgers is a small restaurant that is tucked away in the Westfield Sydney food court that I might have missed if I wasn’t on a hunt for something ‘different’ to have for lunch. Continue reading
Boost Juice can be found in most shopping centre’s in Australia (I think and hope)
Since the year 2000, Boost Juice has been a staple of Australian culture. With several green stores scattered around each suburb, an icy juice can be anything from a filling breakfast to a refreshing sunny Sunday afternoon drink. Clearly I have had my fair share of Boosts so how is today any different? Well, as I got off the train and headed towards the juice bar, my criteria was that I had to get whatever the ‘new’ drink was.
Harbour Room, Westfield Bondi Junction 500 Oxford St, Bondi Junction, 2022
Whenever I walk past a dumpling place, well, I walk past it. Something about dumplings just doesn’t seem very filling to me and I never take a chance on the little meat and pastry delicacies. However New Shanghai has indeed been on my list of places to try for quite some time and I wasn’t overly hungry last night, so this seemed like a pretty good choice.
157 Bondi Road, Bondi, 2026
Having had a late breakfast, and it being a scorcher of a Sydney day, I decided that my lunchtime experience should be that of a dessert.
Walking down Bondi Road, I noticed that there aren’t actually a lot of dessert specialising places. There are offcourse café’s that sell deserts and bakeries that have the odd cup cake, but what really tickled my fancy at 36 degrees Celsius was ice-cream. Continue reading
36 Ebley Street, Bondi Junction, 2022
This might sound a little strange, but their’s something almost natural about going into an organic shop that’s housed in a stripped down place where the ground is still grey and most of the products are displayed in their cartons.
The Tour Starts at Clocktower Square
As I was walking through The Rocks markets, I was drawn to a costumed man ringing a bell and reciting a portion of convict Australian history. The Rocks Walking Tour was about to start and I just couldn’t resist the thrill of stepping outside the growing smell of bratwurst and music from buskers, into a time that was both frightening and exciting. Continue reading
32-48 Denison Street Bondi Junction, 2022
Located just around the corner from the grand Westfield Bondi Junction is the humble Waverley Library. Whilst most would visit it either for pre-examination study (read social centre for uniformed teenagers), or to recapture a sense of their previous lives by borrowing books in their first language, I came here for the culture.
Harbour Room, Westfield Bondi Junction
500 Oxford St, Bondi Junction, 2022
Luxe Bar has one of the prime spots in Westfield Bondi Junction: they are the ones you see before and after catching a movie and thus tempt you with a bottle of this or a plate of that, each and every time. Hearing great stories about their famous burgers, I thought it was time for me to go gourmet and order what sounded like the most delicious (and upperclass) burger that they had: the Truffle Burger.
267 Bondi Road, Bondi, NSW
The House of Chocolates is a small shop towards the end of Bondi Road that sits neatly on a strip of land shared by the cool cats of Bondi – The Flying Squirrel, The Health Emporium, The Stuffed Beaver and a tattoo shop. With it’s pink neon sign alight and an array of chocolate in the window enticing the sugar lovers to come in, this little love nest attracts it’s fair share of kittens too. Continue reading
Although I’ve lived most of my Australian life in Bondi, I have never experienced a New Year’s celebration there, or at least not so close to the actual beach.
Having spent the previous 5 hours roaming from one park to another, with a pit stop at Oporto’s, my friend and I realised that New Year’s was a let down as always and at 20 minutes to midnight, it was time to go home.
195 Bondi Road, Bondi, NSW
Walking down Bondi Road in Sydney, is the same as taking a round-the-world trip: you will find Turkish and Thai, Indian and Israeli, Chinese, a chicken shop and the list goes on. Today I decided to visit Brazil.
149 Bondi Road, Bondi, NSW
Charcoal Charlie’s. I think I’ve been coming back to this place for something like a decade and the only thing to have changed is the brand new addition of a coffee machine.
When I walked in today I received a very warm welcome that, dare I say, is quite unusual for a chicken shop. It wasn’t a ‘hello’ or a ‘what can I get for you’, it a sunny smile that made me feel like a worthy customer, not someone who was interrupting the proceedings of the day.
Cricket's Aunty 