Mel and I headed for Paddington market in Sydney a few weeks back, we picked at some of the market food along the way and checked out the stalls but most items we're not really to our style - still worth a look though and a great atmosphere around the food area where two blokes were playing guitars and singing folk type songs!
On the walk back from Paddington to the city we stumbled upon a great (and hidden) outdoor cafe area at the back of Lilifields Cafe on Oxford St. I went for my usual Mocha and Mel (not being a coffee drinker) had a hot chocolate. We seem to have both become mildly addicted to banana bread so had a rather large piece of that to keep us going - banana bread is really just like banana cake with a healthy sounding name and probably even more sugar! Anyway who cares about that, it tastes nice especially with some honey.
The shopping in Paddington is fantastic, and that's coming from someone who generally hates shopping. There is a g-star raw shop as well as American Apparel and many other local and popular well known labels.
It made me think about trying Paddington to live when our current rental in Balmain runs out - who knows but it would be closer to the eastern beaches...
Cheers
Tim
Thursday, 28 August 2008
Friday, 22 August 2008
Mums trip to Sydney
She came and went in 24 hours but we made the most of the time for sure!
Mum arrived late afternoon on Friday 9th Aug, Mel and I picked her up from the airport and drove her to our home in Balmain. We had a pot-luck dinner, a good chat then an early night knowing the next day would be a busy one.
On the Saturday morning we headed for the city on a ferry under the Harbour Bridge, took a walk around the Opera House and Botanical Gardens before jumping on another ferry to Manly for the rest of the day.
That night we decided to go out for a Thai dinner at Blue Ginger in Balmain which was very nice, although I'm finding the chicken in Australia to be rather 'grey' in colour and a bit of a strange texture unless purchased from a butcher.
Sunday was another nice day, although the weather uncharacteristically packed up so our trip over to the eastern beaches to do the Bondi to Coogee walk may not have been the best decision we made. It was also the weekend of the City to Surf race, which Mel assured me went from the city to Manly, of course when we arrived near Bondi only to be diverted along the coast line away from the thousands racing we realised our mistake!
We dropped mum off at the airport around 4pm, had a farewell drink (as you do) said our goodbyes (never fun) and headed our separate ways.
It's so cool that mum can head over from NZ for a weekend at relatively little cost and hassle - def a huge benefit of being back in the southern hemisphere.
Cheers
Tim
P.S. My first blood niece was born at 11am on Thursday 26 June 2008. Ella Grace Kathleen Simmons weighed in at 6 lb 9 and is very cute.
Mum arrived late afternoon on Friday 9th Aug, Mel and I picked her up from the airport and drove her to our home in Balmain. We had a pot-luck dinner, a good chat then an early night knowing the next day would be a busy one.
On the Saturday morning we headed for the city on a ferry under the Harbour Bridge, took a walk around the Opera House and Botanical Gardens before jumping on another ferry to Manly for the rest of the day.
That night we decided to go out for a Thai dinner at Blue Ginger in Balmain which was very nice, although I'm finding the chicken in Australia to be rather 'grey' in colour and a bit of a strange texture unless purchased from a butcher.
Sunday was another nice day, although the weather uncharacteristically packed up so our trip over to the eastern beaches to do the Bondi to Coogee walk may not have been the best decision we made. It was also the weekend of the City to Surf race, which Mel assured me went from the city to Manly, of course when we arrived near Bondi only to be diverted along the coast line away from the thousands racing we realised our mistake!
We dropped mum off at the airport around 4pm, had a farewell drink (as you do) said our goodbyes (never fun) and headed our separate ways.
It's so cool that mum can head over from NZ for a weekend at relatively little cost and hassle - def a huge benefit of being back in the southern hemisphere.
Cheers
Tim
P.S. My first blood niece was born at 11am on Thursday 26 June 2008. Ella Grace Kathleen Simmons weighed in at 6 lb 9 and is very cute.
Thursday, 14 August 2008
Mels 30th at Berowra Waters
It's true, I'm married to a 30 year old women! Mel denies being upset she has left her 20's behind however I remember how it felt a few years back... just.
As we've only been in Sydney for a few months and don't have a big social network yet we had a few quiet drinks in Darling Harbour with some friends the night before Mels birthday then drove up to Berowra Waters 45 mins north of Sydney CBD for a posh dinner on the waters edge on her actual birthday on 07/08/08. I think Mel was a bit worried when I said the weather may affect the evening slightly (it was raining on the day) and that she would need some warm clothes. Mel had visions of camping out for her birthday celebrations - after 10 years you’d think she knows me better than that, or perhaps she does and that’s a worry!
We arrived at the public wharf at Berowra Waters to be greeted by our accommodation host Barbara from Yarragal (a self contained lodge type place) who took us by small boat (the only way to travel to the accommodation) to Yarragal to freshen up before heading out for dinner. Barbara was a typically friendly Aussie taking life easy and not too seriously – I’d recommend her place to anyone and must get on tripadvisor.com to write a positive review of her abode.
Dinner was at Berowra Waters Inn, rated top restaurant in Sydney on the main food review site in Australia eatibility.com. They pick you up (again by small boat) from any accommodation on the river and take you to the restaurant door. Starting with Champagne (you understand if you know Mel) we made our way through 5 courses of divine food - presentation hard to beat and an overall great experience. One piece of advice I felt compelled to give them (Tim give advice when it’s prob not wanted I hear you say!) was that perhaps when the restaurant is quieter during the winter months some quiet background music wouldn’t go a miss went in one ear and out the other of the young waitress.
I wanted Mels 30th to be memorable for her given she is away from home and no doubt missing family and friends at times like these. I think that was achieved and worth every cent. She did get a piece of jewellery for a present as well!
Next post, Mums trip to Sydney last weekend!
Cheers
Tim
As we've only been in Sydney for a few months and don't have a big social network yet we had a few quiet drinks in Darling Harbour with some friends the night before Mels birthday then drove up to Berowra Waters 45 mins north of Sydney CBD for a posh dinner on the waters edge on her actual birthday on 07/08/08. I think Mel was a bit worried when I said the weather may affect the evening slightly (it was raining on the day) and that she would need some warm clothes. Mel had visions of camping out for her birthday celebrations - after 10 years you’d think she knows me better than that, or perhaps she does and that’s a worry!
We arrived at the public wharf at Berowra Waters to be greeted by our accommodation host Barbara from Yarragal (a self contained lodge type place) who took us by small boat (the only way to travel to the accommodation) to Yarragal to freshen up before heading out for dinner. Barbara was a typically friendly Aussie taking life easy and not too seriously – I’d recommend her place to anyone and must get on tripadvisor.com to write a positive review of her abode.
Dinner was at Berowra Waters Inn, rated top restaurant in Sydney on the main food review site in Australia eatibility.com. They pick you up (again by small boat) from any accommodation on the river and take you to the restaurant door. Starting with Champagne (you understand if you know Mel) we made our way through 5 courses of divine food - presentation hard to beat and an overall great experience. One piece of advice I felt compelled to give them (Tim give advice when it’s prob not wanted I hear you say!) was that perhaps when the restaurant is quieter during the winter months some quiet background music wouldn’t go a miss went in one ear and out the other of the young waitress.
I wanted Mels 30th to be memorable for her given she is away from home and no doubt missing family and friends at times like these. I think that was achieved and worth every cent. She did get a piece of jewellery for a present as well!
Next post, Mums trip to Sydney last weekend!
Cheers
Tim
Friday, 1 August 2008
Just on the way to work (early) today...
I decided to follow up the previous post with another immediately, so as not to dwell on it too much!
I feel lucky every weekday morning that my commute to work involves a pleasant walk from Fawcett St to the Balmain East wharf, a 10 minute ferry passing by the office (shame they can't just drop me off - it's the closest Pier you see in the photo), under the harbour bridge, past the opera house and into circular quay.
This morning was particularly beautiful, earlier than usual on a Friday when Mel and I hit the gym for the 7am spin class and just in time to see the sun coming up - stunning red skies!
I'll keep this post short and don't want to show off too much but hey if you've got it flaunt it!
Cheers
Tim
I feel lucky every weekday morning that my commute to work involves a pleasant walk from Fawcett St to the Balmain East wharf, a 10 minute ferry passing by the office (shame they can't just drop me off - it's the closest Pier you see in the photo), under the harbour bridge, past the opera house and into circular quay.
This morning was particularly beautiful, earlier than usual on a Friday when Mel and I hit the gym for the 7am spin class and just in time to see the sun coming up - stunning red skies!
I'll keep this post short and don't want to show off too much but hey if you've got it flaunt it!
Cheers
Tim
Game best forgotten - but the company was good!
I really do want to forget this game of rugby every happened but it's hard to ignore the situation NZ rugby (and it's supporters) are in. Although some may deny it, we have a problem that is not going away quickly!
I'd like to think the worst thing that happened on this cool night in Sydney at the wonderful (but less than central) ANZ stadium was the guys struggling to get the All Black flag as straight as the Aussie one - but this was just the beginning.
It's boring for non-rugby (shame on you) lovers so I'll cut to the chase (and this is just my opinion). We can no longer cope with hemorrhaging our best (young) talent to overseas teams. Where before now we had the depth to cope, with younger players leaving for overseas experiences and more money bench players are having to step up and are just not ready to do so. Worse still the new bench players (taking over from old bench players) are so young and inexperienced they are thrust into an environment they are clearly not ready for.
I won't go on but... I really felt on that winters night in Sydney I saw less real All Black quality players than I've ever seen in an AB side - and I like to think I've seen a few.
Solution - IMHO we need to allow overseas players to return to play test level rugby giving them the option to gain valuable experience from the other hemisphere and bring that back to the local game. I've seen how the northern hemisphere teams are playing over the past 10 years - they are not behind and in fact in front in some aspects of the game.
Oh and one other thing, stop letting the best NZ coaches take their skills to other international teams. Warren Gatland (Wales) and Robbie Deans (Australia) had no choice but leave NZ - it's a disgrace we let them go!
Happier times for All Black rugby not on the immediate horizon but we will pull through it and come out better. For what it's worth I think the AB's will win against Aussie in Auckland tomorrow - that will keep those in-denial kiwis happy at least in the short term!
Cheers
Tim
I'd like to think the worst thing that happened on this cool night in Sydney at the wonderful (but less than central) ANZ stadium was the guys struggling to get the All Black flag as straight as the Aussie one - but this was just the beginning.
It's boring for non-rugby (shame on you) lovers so I'll cut to the chase (and this is just my opinion). We can no longer cope with hemorrhaging our best (young) talent to overseas teams. Where before now we had the depth to cope, with younger players leaving for overseas experiences and more money bench players are having to step up and are just not ready to do so. Worse still the new bench players (taking over from old bench players) are so young and inexperienced they are thrust into an environment they are clearly not ready for.
I won't go on but... I really felt on that winters night in Sydney I saw less real All Black quality players than I've ever seen in an AB side - and I like to think I've seen a few.
Solution - IMHO we need to allow overseas players to return to play test level rugby giving them the option to gain valuable experience from the other hemisphere and bring that back to the local game. I've seen how the northern hemisphere teams are playing over the past 10 years - they are not behind and in fact in front in some aspects of the game.
Oh and one other thing, stop letting the best NZ coaches take their skills to other international teams. Warren Gatland (Wales) and Robbie Deans (Australia) had no choice but leave NZ - it's a disgrace we let them go!
Happier times for All Black rugby not on the immediate horizon but we will pull through it and come out better. For what it's worth I think the AB's will win against Aussie in Auckland tomorrow - that will keep those in-denial kiwis happy at least in the short term!
Cheers
Tim
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