This weekly edition is a very special one. From our very very first published story back in 2013 to now, this is our 1000th post! It’s been an remarkable journey to get this far, as well as we’re looking ahead to bringing you the next thousand stories.
In this weekly Edition, we’ve got some appealing Sydney food venues to tell you about, plus what we saw of this year’s Mardi Gras, travel info for your next ski holiday, the release of our friend’s new album as well as the last day of an remarkable art installation.
So without additionally ado, right here comes our 1000th story!
Cheers – Jim & Christina xx
This evening we’re going to dinner with our mate Rohan, as well as we’re back in an old haunt of ours: Paddington. It was in this street where I met Christina as well as likewise where we both met Rohan – all around the exact same time. So this Sydney suburb has genuine history for us.
But before dinner, we all pop into the Light Brigade hotel at the top of Oxford street for a pint. The rooftop right here is a bit of a regional trick as well as boasts unusual views ideal across the city. In one direction, you can see down to Botany, while in the other is the city appropriate as well as even the Harbour Bridge.
Perfect for a sundowner.
We’ve come to The Paddington, which used to be the Elephant as well as Wheelbarrow back in the day. Now, instead of the somewhat ropey Irish pub that it was, this location is a bistro-style pub restaurant with exceptional food, a welcoming vibe as well as truly excellent staff. We’re always pleased with this place.
The food is – by as well as big – a share plate concept. They’ve installed banks of impressive-looking rotisserie grills on the back wall where the kitchen area grills meat to perfection.
We buy eagerly as well as fill the table with burrata, fried cauliflower, roast beef rump cap, rotisserie chicken, fries, tomato salad as well as greens. fit for kings, this meal was precisely what we feel like.
We state farewell to Rohan after dinner as well as head back towards the city. Tonight is the night of Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade as well as party, as well as as we walk down Oxford Street, we discover things still going on.
There’s an extraordinary vibe in the streets of Surry Hills as well as Darlinghurst, as well as we soak it up as we make our way slowly home.
This part of Sydney is commonly lively, particularly on a Saturday night. however on the Mardi Gras weekend, it’s a exceptional location to be.
At the bottom of Oxford street – at the corner of Hyde Park – the crowds condense as people start making their way house or onward to parties. We overhear snatches of conversations you don’t usually hear:
“Look at the line at Mr Crackles!”
“Want to get a bottle of amyl?” “F*ck yeah!”
“I’ve lost my eco-friendly penis.”
It’s a great deal of fun.
This afternoon, we’re on a ferry to the city and as we pass Milsons Point, I get hold of a quick snap of the Ferris wheel at Luna Park.
We’re off to see an art installation Rohan told us about last night. It’s the exhibit’s last day.
This is until by Nick Cave. Not the Aussie musician Nick Cave, however the African American artist from Chicago.
This mesmerising installation – called ‘Kinetic Spinner Forest’ is striking as well as beautiful. The scale is extraordinary with each of these metal shapes hung from lines attached to the ceiling. They turn as well as sparkling the sunlight with a dreamscape-like quality.
It’s not until you look carefully that you notice little motifs of guns in some of the pieces…
As lovely as this installation is, it likewise has a strong political message. It’s a demonstration against gun violence, corruption as well as racism in society. Nick Cave asks the concern “Is there racism in heaven?” as well as this was the concern Nick asked himself as he manifested this artwork.
In the next room, suspended from the ceiling is one more dream-like cloud chandelier crystals. On top of the ‘Crystal Cloudscape‘ is an plan of seemingly eclectic objects. You can climb up the ladders to look down on this collection, as well as it’s then you realise there’s nothing random about the objects up there.
There’s a racial message about a great deal of it – in specific several cast iron ‘lawn jockeys’ that hold significant historic relevance to an age of black as well as white segregation in parts of the USA.
In yet one more space is the ‘Beaded Cliff Wall‘. It’s difficult to get a scale of this installation, bearing in mind the hanging curtain murals are made completely out of beads. This took Nick Cave as well as 12 studio assistants 18 months to create.
Millions of plastic hair pony beads threaded onto string have been woven into a crazy spiderweb cargo netting. The message with this installation is less clear, however the scale itself is impressive.
You can walk in an alleyway between layers of this artwork, which gives it both depth as well as a feeling of interaction you don’t commonly get with art.
Our next stop is to the Petersham Bowls Club – in itself a worthy destination with excellent beer as well as food, as well as an fascinating history of the regional neighborhood battling back to reclaim a club that had been destined for redevelopment.
Today, our good friend Nick has invited us to the launch of a new album for the band he’s in. lost in the Woods have just recently acquired Nick as their pianist, as well as I think he fits ideal in.
The band is truly rather excellent, with a cool indie rock sound as well as some excellent lyrics. You can check out their most current album Campfire Radio on Spotify here.
This lunchtime, Christina as well as I are heading to the much-lauded restaurant Aria by celebrated chef Matt Moran. We’re right here to take pleasure in the magnificent views of Sydney Harbour as well as take pleasure in the superbly crafted food of course. however there’s one more reason we’re here.
We’re satisfying with the great people from Aspen Snowmass and Limelight hotels to talk tourism in Colorado USA. outside of a vague recommendation in Dumb as well as Dumber, I didn’t truly understand much about Aspen other than it’s where truly rich people go to ski.
As it turns out, it’s not only one of the best parts of the Colorado snow fields to ski (which makes it one of the best in the world), it’s likewise a lot more than just a hangout for the super-wealthy.
Over lunch, Christina as well as I discover about the remarkable options for people wanting to experience this lovely part of the world. We’re not huge skiers, however now we’re aiming our travel sites on the slopes – even if it’s for a bit of apres ski or even heading to Aspen in the spring, summer or autumn.
It’s a part of the states that’s as great for all travellers – old, young, couples, families, singles, you name it, as any type of other.
We hope back on a ferry after lunch as well as sail past one of the bigger cruise ships docked at circular Quay. It’s difficult to get scale with these floating monsters, however the little boat coming between us as well as the cruiser helps!
This evening, we’re ecstatic to be checking out yet one more superb restaurant you must try. three Blue Ducks in Rosebury (there are other venues too, like the one at The farm in Byron Bay) is a lovely space. as well as it’s the best venue for tonight’s celebrations.
Ahead of the launch of this year’s Orange F.O.O.D Week (5-14 April), we’re dining with some of the producers as well as guiding lights that make it one of the country’s best as well as longest running food festivals.
I bet you didn’t understand that Orange F.O.O.D Week, which stands for Food Of Orange District, has been running for 28 years! It’s impressive, as well as not just since Orange is a regional town in new South Wales – a 3.5 hour drive from Sydney.
We’ve been to Orange, NSW a number of times – in truth our last trip was to check out the Orange white wine festival late last year. We love it there. The food as well as white wine are amazing, however the locals are likewise so friendly as well as welcoming.
The food starts coming out to the table right here at three Blue Ducks just in time. Talk of Orange as well as the regional create there has made us all hungry.
This roast pumpkin meal is extraordinary – glazed in fermented honey, topped with goat’s cheese cream, chilli oil as well as pangrattato. nearly makes me want to go veggie… almost!
As does this zucchini, pea ad mint salad, however the Trunkey Creek porchetta as well as its crispy crackling turns my head so easily.
While we take pleasure in our dinner, we chat to the people on our table – in particular, Christine Williams, owner of Godolphin. This lovely self-catering country style accommodation just outside Orange town sounds like precisely the sort of location we’d stay in.
Perfectly personal as well as away from everyone, I can’t think of a a lot more charming location to hole up for a weekend. A trip to some wineries, stock up on delicious regional food as well as then clear up in at one of these secluded properties. Perfection.
Desserts come out as well as I’m overjoyed. To me, there’s nothing rather like the erotic wobble of a reliable panna cotta – particularly after a couple of glasses of delicious white wine from Orange.
Dinner tonight has been an exceptional example of what to look ahead to during Orange F.O.O.D Week. We can’t wait – if nothing else as a great excuse to head back to Orange.
Make sure you have your plans for 5-14 April down. check out their web site so you understand what’s happening, as well as get onto Godolphin so you’re in the best location to stay.
This evening, we’ve got an eye on the weather. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if this odd looking storm cloud settled in as well as shed rain on our evening, however it wouldn’t be the best. We have a 5-minute walk from our ferry to dinner reservations in Pyrmont across the bay.
Fingers crossed this freaky storm cloud blows over.
Result! The evening has turned in a appeal as well as we’re able to take pleasure in the views from maybe one of Sydney’s best hidden trick restaurants.
Tonight, we’re in The Ternary, which is part of the Novotel darling Harbour. views out over the harbour as well as into the city from this restaurant’s balcony are truly rather extraordinary. as well as the open plan style of this space is a surprise, as you can’t see it from the street at all.
The Ternary gets its name from the Latin word ‘ternarius’ indicating ‘made up of three’. This restaurant’s three hands – the bar, the grill as well as the wok – proffer a unusual drinks list, a substantial steak as well as seafood menu as well as Oriental theme that weaves flavours throughout the cuisine.
Seating options variety from bar-side as well as routine restaurant pozzies to front row stations at the sides of the open-plan grill kitchen.
Christina as well as I love sitting up where the magic happens. In truth we like these seats to routine ones. They’re in demand though, so make sure you ask when you book. as well as believe me, you’ll want to come here.
We’re dining from the degustation menu tonight, which seems to be the best choice when there’s so much to select from. however the woman next to us has bought the balmain bugs from the grill. I can’t assist sneaking a photo. look at them!
Shortly after this shot, she empties the shells of these delicious crustaceans as well as the stack of delicate yet rich white meat smells incredible. It’s a great task that chef Lukasz Pasniewski as well as chef Gioia have our backs tonight. They both reassure us there’s plenty of food coming our way!
Chef Lukasz is stationed in front of us, which is quite cool. He is rather actually a blur of movement as he runs the kitchen. These truly are the best seats in the house.
After a journey through the menus right here at The Ternary, our dinner peaks at this point: the steak. completely cooked as well as rested, this scotch fillet with a option of three sauces (the red white wine one is the best) is genuinely remarkable.
We’ll be penning a full evaluation of The Ternary in the next few days, so brace yourself for an 8-dish marathon of a dinner. With matching wines of course!
Hope you’ve took pleasure in our 1000th post. It’s been a huge one – over 2000 words, which pleases me.
Cheers – Jim & Christina xx