Vivid Sydney

This weekend we explored 'Vivid Sydney' - essentially a city-wide light and sound show. I had seen the temporary installations being set up for the last few weeks and thought it all looked a bit plain but it really does look impressive at night (it's pitch black by about 5.30pm at the moment). As well as all the smaller exhibits, projectors are set up to light up Sydney's landmarks and buildings. I'm told something similar happened in Liverpool (UK) recently and I've been to the Le Mans (France) 'nuit des chimères' in the past, but Sydney's contrast of old(ish) and new buildings, as well as the added interactive elements, means the Aussie's have taken a city light show to a new level.

Here are a few of the highlights from Friday and Saturday nights...

Medley of #vividsydney pictures #lights #buddy #Sydney #Australia #friday #sopretty #bigkids #operahouse #cbd #music #spacefolding

A photo posted by Toreja Curic (@torejacuric) on May 29, 2015 at 4:55am PDT

Martin Place is host to several pop ups for street food and a Rocks Brewing Co bar. I'll be testing out some shawarma this week but for now just reviewing the alcohol. (Shocker). Toreja and I both had the 'Swinging Bridge' sauvignon blanc in the bar - it was only $8 a (plastic) glass... I don't think London Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland sold any drinks, alcoholic or not, for £4 so Sydney is already winning. I'd give it a 6.5/10; it was nice but I can't help feeling that the $15 sauv they had run out of would be better. Maybe I just want what I can't have.

Drinking our wine at #vividsydney #Australia #Sydney #saturday #lights #amyinsydney #cbd #music #ivy #palings

A photo posted by Toreja Curic (@torejacuric) on May 30, 2015 at 9:03am PDT

This one looked like a weird wood and pretty light thing - but it was actually responsive to touch (you should be able to hear the sounds too - like a super modern, upright piano... kind of).

@torejacuric making music at #vividsydney2015 #vividsydney #Sydney #amyinsydney

A video posted by @amy_340 on May 29, 2015 at 4:36am PDT

You have to wear headphones for this one, called 'Space Folding' to get the full effect. "Space Folding is a towering cylinder that morphs into multi-coloured patterns of light and sound in response to real-time flight data from Sydney airspace":

#vividsydney #vividsydney2015 #amyinsydney

A photo posted by @amy_340 on May 29, 2015 at 4:42am PDT

Super cool.

So if you're in Sydney this week, get yourself down there and see how you'd look on the weird camera that kind of feels like someone wants to landscape their garden in the shape of your face or something. Clearly I can't remember the actual, fun-aside point of this one. But why wouldn't you want to see that?

Another #vividsydney installation. Ames and me having too much fun! #Sydney #Australia #vividsydney2015 #lights #amyinsydney

A photo posted by Toreja Curic (@torejacuric) on May 30, 2015 at 5:33am PDT

#amyinsydney

Mary's - the best burger in town

It's been the topic of much conversation since I arrived in Sydney - where on earth can we go to get a decent burger? In London we were spoiled for choice for dirty burgers, gourmet burgers, burgers with 'gravy', burgers stacked a foot tall... And we made the most of that. (Current debate is 'which is better, Shake Shack or Five Guys?', 'Definitely Shake Shack', 'I'd need to see them next to each other', 'Are we counting the fries too?')

Anyway - great news! Mary's is our new found favourite thing... We ate there on Thursday and loved it so much we ate there on Friday too! 

It looks like a poshed up hole in the wall kiosk, so there is nowhere to sit and eat, but when a burger is so tasty, you kind of just inhale it in a few seconds anyway right? 

I went for 'Mary's burger' and I have to say, it's very similar to the Shake Shack burger, with a 'special sauce'. It's really delicious and getting served by hipsters made me feel like I was visiting a pop-up in Shoreditch! 

If you're in Sydney and need a burger to soak up the booze, don't waste time with 'Maccas' or the place that is actually Burger King but has a different name here... Get yourself down to Mary's on Castlereagh street, it's only ten bucks too!

Also - they gave me free fries. Just sayin.

Here's Toreja loving her Mary's burger:

See that gaze? That's true burger love. 

CBD nights out

Turns out that being jet lagged is a pretty good advantage when you go out two nights in a row... post-midnight is when I'm the most awake!

Much like central London, Friday night in Sydney's CBD is popular for after work drinks with colleagues. As I currently have no colleagues, I went to meet my Sydney counterparts (including housemate Toreja) from my ex-company for dinner and drinks.

We went to Redoak on Clarence Street for dinner, which offers a a fairly simple (and meaty) but decent menu. I ordered the Brewers Beef; the cut of the day was blade steak - it cost $25 (around £13) and was a good 7/10! It came with chips (hot chips?!), a really tasty jus and simple side salad.

Redoak is popular with beer drinkers and is 'Australia's most awarded brewery' - the food menu even offers suggested beers to partner with each meal. I was drinking wine (pictured below and very nice!) but I asked for some reviews from one of the guys testing out the beer and he gave the following, sort of helpful, words:

• Beer - delicious
• Stout - dark, malty, brooding... touch of sweetness that goes down smooth
• Rye bock - rich, malty, roast and complex

How a drink can be brooding I'm yet to find out. Here's the wine, Ross Hill Shed no. 8, Sauvignon Blanc 2013:

And proof that we enjoyed the wine (+ a photobombing colleague)...

After lots of food/beer/wine we went on The Cuban Place on York Street - there was salsa dancing upstairs but we opted for the more chilled basement bar. There is a good selection of cocktails and the bar staff really look the part. It's a cool atmosphere but the best bit for me was the music... lots of 60s, 70s and 80s pop rock, but not the cheesy, naff kind, the good kind ;).

Last stop was Palings on ivy's level one, open late on weekdays. I've been here for Thai at lunch time too and can highly recommend the food! I really like it here, the whole centre of the building is open, so it's quite different from the sweaty underground clubs I'm used to. The music was decent and there's plenty of space for dancing. This is important. 

Saturday... I spent most of the day trying to work off my booze legs before we went out again, this time to Casino at The Star hotel. There is a whole floor dedicated to different themed bars (including Rock Lily, where a live band plays), a club, restaurants and, obviously, the casino itself. This makes it very easy to go from bar to bar via a blackjack table. If I had any idea whatsoever how to gamble I'm sure I would have. But I don't. So I didn't. I did become engrossed in a particularly boring game of poker towards the end of the night, but I'm putting that down to lack of energy. At 4.30am we got food at Fat Noodle, still inside Casino. They serve until 5.00am and serve Asian fusion food by the baccarat tables. I ordered the Hainan chicken but would recommend the wok tossed beef sirloin, which two of my party had (while I had food envy). Meals are around $20.

No photos of the yummy food, but here's a fun one from a photo booth in Rock Lily:

#amyinsydney

Arriving in Sydney

It's done! Left my job, friends, family and loved (if slightly cramped) home in Clapham, London and moved to the other side of the world. Sydney, to be exact.

Being limited to one suitcase (which still came out of the baggage claims carousel with a 'heavy' warning label attached to it, despite my clothes cull) and one cabin case means I'm here with barely any toiletries, not enough clothes and a severe lack of shoes. Luckily, I have moved in with my good friend and (I've since discovered from looking through the bathroom cupboard) beauty addict Toreja - so the toiletry issue is fine. The rest can be sorted with a few trips to the Topshop in CBD or a heavy session on ASOS.

Many Brits will also be pleased to know (I know I was) that Yorkshire Tea bags can be purchased from Coles supermarket. This was an important discovery last night, I can imagine how Captain Cook felt now.

First day living in #Sydney and I've got my priorities in order! #YorkshireTea #tea

A photo posted by @amy_340 on May 14, 2015 at 4:11am PDT

So that's sort of the point of this blog - I'm going to try and showcase all the great stuff about Sydney, including places to visit, eat and drink, while also comparing everyday stuff with back home in the UK, such as teabags, shopping and beauty products.

And, just so you know who's talking to you, here is me with my crazy new housemate...

#amyinsydney