A weekend in Sydney

 

I recently took an extended long weekend to Sydney to catch up with a good friend of mine. A Cronulla local, she has been living in Sydney for three years and was eager to show me a good time and use the opportunity to try new things herself. I have summarised the highlights below.

Barrenjoey Lighthouse Walk

From the airport we headed for Palm Beach. After coffee at The Boathouse we went for a walk up to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse. We chose to take the ‘accessible’ path, I wasn’t keen for the stairs. Well let me tell you, that is not what I would consider an ‘accessible’ path. For anyone who might struggle with steep inclines, maybe reconsider. However, once at the top the views were beautiful. One thing I love seeing is nature claiming old spaces and the vibrant vines growing on the walls of the complex were stunning.

Although a bit further down the road we drove to The Newport for lunch. The Newport has 4.4 stars and 3268 reviews on Google, that was just something I found mind blowing, clearly this place knows what its doing. We ordered the Margherita, and oh boy it did not disappoint. I haven’t had pizza this good since I was in London in 2019. 

A Bridge and Bondi

After lunch we set off for Bondi, this was quite the adventure. For me this was the first time driving over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and before we would get to Bondi, it would be a rounded three. Needless to say, we took a wrong turn and somehow ended up going back over in the opposite direction, “recalculating” “recalculating” we headed back over again and didn’t miss our turn that time.

Meriton Suites Bondi Junction $150 - 1 night – One bedroom twin

Check in was less than ideal. Technology can really be our undoing at times. The machine that configures room key cards decided to stop working, and so, with the long weekend check-in que we stood, mostly patient, for 75 minutes before being escorted to our room without our own key. Other than check-in, the hotel was great. Centrally located, right above Westfield and the bus stop to Bondi. Hotel pool reminded me of Europe, not based of personal experience just a vibe, so could be way off, but I liked it. Would have happily stayed longer and would book there again.

PS. We eventually got our room key.

Ikaria $$

I absolutely loved this place, we were transported to Greece and ate like gods. Not only is the food made with love, the hospitality is worthy of a tip. The staff looked after us well, and helped us choose a well-rounded menu and unique cocktails to accompany. The hummus, oh the hummus. I wish I could have taken home a life time supply.  

Blackwood Cafe $$

A fairly new restaurant, open for Breakfast and lunch as well as dinner Thursday to Saturday. I really liked the tiles in this place, random, yes, however I notice these design things. Breakfast was delicious, I ordered the Miso Avo, and there wasn’t a chance to take a photo because I demolished it.

After breakfast we went for a walk along the Bondi to Bronte coastal track. This particular weekend had dangerous surf warnings, so it was a sight to see the waves crashing over into the Icebergs. As a bonus, there was also a pod of dolphins playing. It was beautiful to see the natural weathered landscapes of the coastal cliffs against the built environment that is Bondi. How nicely they can compliment each other if done right. The walk is not long, however the busy track was cramped at times between prams, runners and selfie takers. Still, worth it. 

Bright Lights Big City

Our favourite place to stay in the city is Potts Point. Its centrally located, has plenty of public transport options, cafes, markets, and unique boutiques (not that I can afford to shop in them). Our first stop after arriving in Potts Point was the Kings Cross Organic Food Market where we quickly stopped for some Portuguese Tarts before catching the train into the city.

I love shopping in the Queen Victoria Building, the bustle of modern life mixed with old world charm. Of course, when I am in Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide I will always seek out Haighs, my favourite chocolate in THE WORLD, and yes, I have been to Switzerland.

Springfield Lodge Potts Point $180 – 1 night – Twin studio

Unfortunately, we had another frustrating check in. We got back to Potts Point at 4pm ready to prep for our evening and our room was not ready. In fact, we waited a further 50 minutes before getting into our room. Luckily the receptionist was accommodating and allowed us to start drinking our wine and cheese in the lobby. The room itself was quite small, the bathroom was difficult to turn around in, but for what we needed it was great.

The Butler $$

Dinner was good, the drinks were better. This is not a restaurant I’d be rushing back too.

Vivid was the next stop on our itinerary. Unfortunately the Opera bar was obscenely busy, we stopped for a quick selfie and kept moving in the opposite direction to the crowds, searching for a nice spot for cocktails. We ended up at Bar Ombre…after many different circles, elevators, stairs, and escalators. A newish rooftop bar, it had a good ambience and although they were booked out they made space for us.  Enjoying a couple of cocktails, we set off to enjoy the evening.

Room 10 $

Great little café hiding in a laneway. Great value for money, and my hearty breakfast was well needed after a big night. Coffee was also great!

Before we left the city, we visited the Australian National Maritime Museum to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit. It was not large, but well worth it. Very moving images, as someone who loves photographing wildlife, it was so great to be able to go. 

Surf Side

We spent the final couple of days relaxing in the Cronulla area and making our own poached eggs. True to the trend of the weekend, we also had some great drinks at Low and Loftys and Conys.

We stopped in at some seaside views, Kamay Botany Bay National Park and Cape Baily. As the surf was a bit wild, the crash of the waves on the cliffs formed a strong mist and we got pretty wet. Luckily, seeing whales breaching in the distance made up for my cold backside. The waves were getting bigger, and we noticed one coming up closer, so we did the mature thing and ran away.

Blink and you miss is, suddenly, four days were over.