Things To Do In Sydney Archives - Page 2 of 2

Dinner at Tang Hui Restaurant, Sydney

So they say Duck at Tang Hui is exceptional and it didn’t disappoint, though the instruction of dipping duck’s crispy skin in white sugar as a “traditional Chinese way of eating” was a bit odd. Because, being a Chinese coming from Northern China where this kind of duck cooking originated from, I’ve never seen or heard anyone ate duck skin with white sugar. I know, I know, Chinese food has this reputation of being unhealthy so fat + sugar seemed legit, right?:)

Tang Hui has rather grand interior decoration and dim lights at dinner time. Needless to say the ambience is excellent.

For entrees, we ordered:

One Whole Beijing Duck with pancakes;

Triple-fried Crispy Calamari;

Wok Fried Grade 7+ Wagyu Beef with sun dried tomatoes and Vegetables;

Wok-Fried Pork Belly with Sweet & Sour Sauce & Frensh Fruits;

Smoked Salmon with Baby Rocket.

For Main, we ordered the Prawn curry with French chestnuts and Fried Mantao, highly recommended by the staff. Got to say, the prawn curry itself wasn’t that amazing but loved the fried Manto!

Another main we intended to have was the live mud crab but it wasn’t available so we ordered the Wok-fried prawn cutlets in homemade Sichuan Sauce.

For desert, we wanted to try the ice sugar cherry tomato. At $8 per cherry tomato, most people considered it expensive but Tan Hui is marketed as a high end restaurant so nobody wasn’t expect anything less. It turned out that desert wasn’t available either, so instead, we had Walnut Partfai, which was pleasantly delicious, and the Five-hour Poached Pear which tasted just like fruit out of a can.

I didn’t want to be rude to take photos of each dish as they came, preventing everyone from trying the new dish asap. Luckily most photos of the dishes we had are available from Tang Hui’s facebook page. So unless watermarked, photos of many dishes are Tang Hui’s facebook page. Those photos are so much better lit and presented with flower branches and all.

What can we say about Tang Hui restaurant? The food was reasonably tasty and over priced (if the toilet wasn’t that dirty and smelly, maybe we’d probably let it go). The service was fast and attentive. The 3.4m tall terracotta warrior at the main door is impossible to miss. Overall a great dinning experience indeed.

1 December 2016

Pearls & Black Lace At Kirribili

Style Diary, Things To Do In Sydney

Kirribili is one of my favorite vantage points that offers brilliant views to Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Those photos were taken last month on Boxing day ( 26th December). It was heavily overcast when we first arrived and the rain started rushing down after 20 minutes or so. You can probably see some rain drops in the last photo.

I decided to wear a white top with this black lace skirt to go with a classic black and white theme. This white top is quite unique not only because it’s pleated in different ways but also because it has 2 different kind of straps: one shoulder strap has 2 rows of small pearls. A long strand of pear necklace is then inevitably added to compete the outfit.

Instead of pure black or white shoes, I picked these pair of Manolo Blahnik leather sandals with those hot pink crystal rings on them. Hot pink isn’t at all serious as black and white but given it’s Christmas time, public holiday and all that, a bit of right color seemed appropriate.

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Photos: Candidtown Photography

19 January 2016

Morning Meandering In Manns Point Park

Style Diary, Things To Do In Sydney

Views to the city from Manns Point park

views to the City from Manns Point Sydney

Manns Point is a unique park in Sydney that has 2 levels. I only explored the upper lever the first time and thought it was an hidden narrow park with great view to the city. This time we discovered its stunning lower level and the walking trail connecting the lower and upper lever.

It was early in the morning so again I had messy hair and zero makeup, even my pants were slightly wrinkled but all of that didn’t really matter. How I enjoyed the tranquil water view dotted with yachts, the morning fresh air and the little hike to the top!

While walking to a bench to take a seat, this little furry friend followed me all the way and stayed to play for a few minutes. Dogs sure love cuddles and a good pat!

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Photos: Candidtown Photography

15 January 2016

Walking Along Sea Cliff Bridge

Style + Design, Style Diary, Things To Do In Sydney, Travel

Sydney has so many nice beaches but whenever there’s a chance, we’d drive along the coast for a day trip either to the North or South. For the last couple of years, we’ve driven along the Sea Cliff Bridge increasingly number of times to the south coast where we found our favourite fish and chips shop and the favourite spot on the rock to watch the day go by after a dip in the water. Here’s my mention of the Sea Cliff Bridge around 3 years ago:

View from Sea Cliff Bridge, photo taken in Jan 2013.

To give you a better idea of what the bridge looks like, here’s the view from the above:

Photo found on Internet, from Pinterest.

The driving experience on those cliff hugging roads is always amazing. No wonder it is the most featured location on car ads. If you drive pass this bridge one day, stop for a few minutes and take a walk on the bridge. It’s a treat to walk along the pedestrian path and enjoy the uninterrupted ocean views.

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Photos: Candidtown Photography

Wish top, Witchery shots, Marc Jacobs leather bag, Superga sneaker
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29 December 2015

Long Jetty Sunset

Things To Do In Sydney, Travel

My desire to visit Long Jetty was first developed when I was searching for a location to photograph sunset.

There are so many amazing photos floating around featuring stunning sunset scenes around the longest jetty in Long Jetty, the boat shed and so on. Being a dreamer, I started to romanticize the area and dream about visiting this beautiful part of New South Wales instinctively.

Long Jetty is only 90 minutes’ drive away from Sydney so it is quite easy to get to. Our first attempt to go was about 2 years ago, but for some reason we ended up being somewhere else in Central Coast. We got distracted by another jetty on the way and stayed there for the sunset. The sunlight was amazing that day and I took some really beautiful photos from that trip.

It was only a few weeks ago, we headed to Long Jetty and took some photos there for the first time. It was mid afternoon when we first arrived Long Jetty so we went to The Entrance for Lunch and a little wander before the sunset.

There are 3 jetties in Long Jetty, almost one after another. That’s pretty much it. And that boat shed I fantasized so much for a long time? It was nothing like the picture:) Nevertheless, I don’t regret a bit about our trip to the longest jetty in New South Wales.

Getty ready for sunset

It was a little smelly when you first step on the jetty, but as you progress it gets better and better. The sense of serenity, the warm evening glow could suddenly lift all the burden and move away all the worry you may have. I couldn’t help but beam while walking along the jetty, getting further and further away from the bank. It was truly something special: Long Jetty sunset.

Those are some photos from the trip:

Someone was trying to block my view

After the trip, I found out that Long Jetty’s longest jetty has just turned 100 years old this year. What a happy coincident!

Happy Birthday jetty. I would just come back to you any day and sit at the deep end to watch the day go by.

Guess a dreamer is a forever a dreamer.

2 December 2015

5 Best Jacaranda Spots In NSW, Australia

Style + Design, Style Diary, Things To Do In Sydney, Travel

The whole state of New South Wales is blooming. Because of Jacaranda.

Photo taken on 24 Oct 2015 in the University of Sydney.

During the months of October and November, Sydney and NSW is awash with the purple bloom of jacaranda season, signalling one of the most beautiful times of the year in the state.

There’s something especially romantic about Jacaranda that I can’t fully describe. But in an attempt to fall back in love with Sydney, I decided to go and look for all the beautiful things about Sydney again. My perfect spot for Jacaranda bloom is the University of Sydney. Why Sydney University? Because it’s old and beautiful. Quality older buildings are hard to come by in Sydney due to Australia’s short history, but the University of Sydney Great Hall is truly breath taking. I’ve been living in Sydney for 18 years, it was only last Saturday that I asked J to take a photo of me standing inside the University of Sydney like that. It’s kind of silly, and I felt like a tourist, not a resident of Sydney. But hey, who cares.

Pay tourist

Ok, here comes to that famous Sydney University Quadrangle jacaranda tree after being cloned:

Love love the architecture:

There are many other magnificent jacaranda trees in the University of Sydney, like the two in the first photo on top, next to another fabulous sandstone building inside the campus.

And this one, alongside the pond and palms trees.

You can see blooming Jacaranda trees almost everywhere in Sydney in October; there’s one in our courtyard.

According to destination NSW’s media release, there are 5 best Jacaranda spots in NSW (New South Wales, Australia):

“1. Sydney North Shore: The North Shore suburbs of kirribili, Lavender Bay, Greenwich, Waverton, Hunters Hill, Woolwich, Longueville and Wollstonecraft all display a beautiful selection of jacaranda trees during the season. Make a day of it and pack a picnic to enjoy a feast under the trees

2. Sydney Eastern Suburbs: Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs including Paddington, Woollahra and Double Bay all sport stunning lilac hues during October and November. Oxford Street and Five Ways in Paddington always have a great selection to view.

3. Sydney City: Starting at the Royal Botanic Gardens, a jacaranda walking tour through Circular Quay and The Rocks is a great way to see the trees, while taking in the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, harbour views and historic cobblestone streets of The Rocks.

4. Inner Sydney: The giant jacaranda tree at the University of Sydney is so iconic that growers at the University have cloned it to ensure it lives on. This tree is one of Sydney’s most famous jacarandas and well worth a visit during the season. Neighbouring suburbs of Glebe and Erskineville are also worth exploring for blue hue.

5. Grafton: Located alongside the majestic Clarence River on NSW’s North Coast, the historic town of Grafton is home to the Jacaranda Festival, taking place from 31 October to 7 November 2015. Famous for its 6,500 jacaranda trees, the Festival is one of Australia’s longest running flower festivals and celebrates the town’s magnificent lilac-blossomed trees. Festival events include the coronation of a jacaranda queen, a street parade with themed floats, markets, live performances and fireworks.”

26 October 2015

Mushroom picking in Australia

Things To Do In Sydney, Travel

Mushroom picking in Australia is a great day out with a yummy meal as a bonus.

I’ve heard it so many times over here. All mushrooms, apart from those on the shelf at your local shop are dangerous, poisenous and better left alone. Why risk it, right? Well… Wrong!

Mushrooms are delicious. Picking them in a forest is great fun for the whole family and there is also this pleasure in finding your own food. Brings us back to the time when we were all hunters and gatherers responsible for our own survival instead of having our food nicely presented and plastic wrapped in the local grocery store.

Besides … They look great? And check out the black berries too! Actually, take a good look at them. Those are the only mushrooms I’d recommend picking around Sydney – Saffron Milk Cap or the Pine Mushrooms. They are very distinct in shape and colour and you should have no trouble telling them from the poisonous ones.

Mushroom picking in Australia is slowly gaining popularity among locals. 20 years ago you would not find an English speaking person there; now its pretty common. Mind you, most English you hear would have a heavy Polish, Scandinavian or Arabic accent. It will belong to someone who brought an Australian to the forest for the first time and is trying very hard to reassure them that its safe to eat them. It’s a cultural thing, I guess, but I’m proud of my Australian friends who come along with us every year and try something that is apparently very unusual and generally not recommended over here.

Best times to pick mushrooms in Australia is Autumn; from February till April.

I hear that because of this climate being much milder than European, mushrooms can be found here almost all year round. There are only 2 types mushrooms you should pick in NSW forests.

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Saffron milk cap (lactarius delicosus), commonly known as the pine mushroom or Rydz
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Slippery jack (suillus luteus or boletus luteus)
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Personally I only collect the pine mushrooms. Slippery jacks are great if you have time for canning but that’s too time consuming for me. What we normally do is collect a few, cut them into strips and fry them with butter and some garlic with a bit of salt. That’s IT.. serve hot with a slice of good thick sour dough bread. A bottle or 2 of chilled Sav Blank or beer are optional, but highly recommended.

Don’t forget to bring:

A small sharp knife. We don’t pull mushrooms from the forest floor. Cut them off, leave the roots in the ground.
A basket or a bag. Preferably not a plactic bag as they may not survive the trip home in it.
Good walking shoes, a hat, a poncho for the rain. It’s also great to ward off the leeches. Oh… come on! You’re in a forest! Where is your sense of adventure?
Picnic and cooking gear
Outdoor chairs; table can be useful too.
A gas burner. Frying pan. Butter, salt, bread, wine…
A large garbage bag.

Word of caution about mushroom picking in Australia

While mushroom picking is an age old tradition in many European countries, if you’ve never done it before, exercise extreme caution.
Come with friends who know what they’re doing or at least consult people in the forest before you eat them.
If they find a poisonous mushroom in your haul, throw away the whole lot. Don’t be a hero.
If you have ANY doubt, do not pick it. If you pick it and still in doubt, do not eat it.
Please! When you finish, take your rubbish back.
Ahh… When you use the bathroom the next morning do NOT be alarmed. Its not blood …

This is the one to avoid. Fly agaric mushroom (amanita muscaria). It is the most common poisonous mushroom known to men. Mainly due to their beautiful bright colours and their popularity among fairy tale writers. Well, the forest is full of them. They look magnificent and make great still photography subjects. Still, try not to touch them, and if you do, wash your hands before you handle food. It may not poison you much, but you’re in a forest, miles away from a doctor and a decent bathroom.

Directions:

Oberon, NSW

Berrima ( Dalys Rd, Belanglo NSW 2577, Australia )

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Magical forest

22 March 2014

Vivid Sydney 2013

Events, Things To Do In Sydney, Travel

It was the 5th Vivid Sydney Festival and the first time I actually made it. If you missed it this year and would like to see all the wonderful lights and colors, make sure that you go next year. Just check out Vivid Sydney’s official website for more information. There’s even a Vivid Sydney app you can download to your mobile phone with maps and everything:). Got to love smart phones!

16 July 2013

Darling Harbour At Night

Things To Do In Sydney, Travel

Having lived in this area for nearly 8 years, I hardly walk around Darling Harbour at night any more. This is a mistake because Darling Harbour has become more and more lively and vivid at night. Coming to winter season, I’m even more reluctant to go to Darling Harbour at night, even it’s only 5 minutes away from my doorsteps. You might wonder what finally dragged me out… It’s my camera. Yes, photography is my labor of love.

Vivid Sydney Festival is on from 24 May to 10 June this year. The weather is not particularly warm during this period and it has been raining a lot since the festival started. But this golden opportunity to photograph Sydney in lights should not to be missed.

Here’s the blurb from Vivid Sydney official site: “Darling Harbour is now officially part of the Vivid Sydney event footprint. This year, the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour joins the line-up of major Harbourside attractions to light up during Vivid Sydney. “

Sounds like enough reason to explore Darling Harbour at night? Yes I was convinced. At least it’d be a good opportunity to take a few memorable photos.

It was a fine, sunny day and the night was pleasant to walk around. Darling Harbour was packed, especially at times when the Vivid Aquatique was on. There were rows and rows of people gathering around the harbor and in order to get in the front row to have a better viewpoint, one-hour queue time was necessary. I couldn’t be bothered to wait that long and was really worried about being egged if I set up my tripod in the front row, taking a few people’s spots.

So I just stayed in the crowd, watched the colorful fountains then walked away to find somewhere less crowded and better subjects to shoot.

It turned out, Darling Harbour at night is photogenic itself without vivid Sydney Festival. Here are a few of my favorite photos of Darling Harbour that night:

Luminous Darling island

Magic touch

Darling Harbour at night

2 June 2013

Sydney Harbour Photography At Night

Things To Do In Sydney

We headed north to Blues Point Reserve to have a Sydney Harbour night photography workshop. Blues Point Reserve is located in North Sydney; towards the end of Blues Point Road, McMahon’s Point.

The sky was blue and the sun stretched across it. Sydney was blessed with beautiful weather that day. We arrived at Blues Point Reserve in the afternoon. There was still broad daylight and groups of people were fishing and relaxing around the area, enjoying the perfectly beautiful day. Many who came to the night photography workshop have never tried to take proper night photos before. I think the digital and smart phone cameras are making us very lazy. It’s not very hard press the camera button on fully automatic settings, is it? But wanted to be that person who can take sharp, nice photos at night, capturing the amazing city light manually. In order to do that, we need a good camera, a tripod and steady hands… in this case, a good teacher as well.

J helped everybody set up the tripod and choose the right camera settings for landscape Photography. It was still not dark enough for night photos yet but it didn’t stop me shooting because I had this stunning model right in front of me – The Sydney Harbor.

Slowly, the sun started to go down. Sydney sky changed into different impressive colors and I shot continuously before the sun vanished completely.

As it turned darker and darker, more people with cameras and tripods emerged. Blues Point Reserve Sydney is not just a pretty spot. It is THE for awesome Sydney Harbour photography at night.

It was pitch black. We set longer shutter speed for correct exposure. And here you go: those were my first few, presentable Sydney night shots. Totally not embarrassed to say, I’m quite happy with them!

This is a picture of Luna Park @ Milson’s Point from a distance. Next time, I’ll get closer to shoot the turning wheel:).

Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House at night:

Notes from Sydney Harbour Photography Session:

Using tripod: In order to take sharp, colorful night photos, you need to keep the camera still.
Long shutter speed: As it gets darker, you need to let as much light as you can reach its sensor. Use longer shutter speed to shoot in the low light.
Aperture: If you want sharp landscape photos, use smaller aperture like f11 or f16.

25 March 2013

A Day Out In Centennial Park Sydney Taking Photos

Things To Do In Sydney, Travel

Love Centennial Park Sydney. It is the perfect spot for picnic and possibly the safest place to ride a bicycle in Sydney. When we scheduled to have the Private Photography Workshop in Centennial Park Sydney, I immediately pictured in my mind the lush green grass and me lying on a blanket in the shade. Heaven! Teaching & taking pictures? Oh relax. Never mind the pictures…

It turned out we had a great, productive session. Apart from roughly 20 minutes sitting & going through the photography theory in the park, everyone spent good 2 hours shooting and practicing.

It was a beautiful early autumn day. The sun shone brightly through top of the trees and it was green everywhere. A few people were taking naps in the park already. We picked a nice, comfortable spot to settle for the workshop and everyone started to snap randomly, testing the cameras first. Centennial Park Sydney has 125 years of history. Some of the trees could have been here since 1888! The picture looked like an oil painting.

Within 30 minutes, 3 couples walked pass, having their wedding photos taken in Centennial Park.

A big old bark paper tree formed a beautiful frame for the second couple.

The bride’s beautiful veil and elaborate wedding dress have the waterfalls’ effect from the back.

Centennial Park Sydney is home of all kinds of bird-life, like the elegant black swans around the Duck Pond.

And ducks:

And lots of ibises:

There were also a few families having their kids’ photos taken in Centennial Park that day. I came across this cutie, who has the biggest, most beautiful eyes. She has adorable curls and dressed nicely for the occasion. Of course she wasn’t striking a pose for me at that point. But I couldn’t resist capturing the moment…

For more information about photography workshops head to Photography Courses Sydney website.

21 March 2013

8 Photos From Nantien Temple

Things To Do In Sydney, Travel

“I go to the temple more often than going to the church.” J said quietly in the car on the way to Nantien Temple. He is a Catholic. Visiting Nantien Temple has become our yearly routine.

No, I’m not trying to pretend to be a Buddhist. But you don’t need to be a Buddhist to visit the temple regularly (if once a year can be classified as “regularly”):).

Nantien temple is located in a tranquil, friendly environment, overlooking peaceful mountains. Situated in Berkeley, 10 minutes south of Wollongong and famous beaches, it’s only a bit over 1 hour’s drive from Sydney, a perfect get away place from increasingly busy Sydney.

Featuring two sizable shrines, a beautiful pagoda, rose gardens, museum auditorium and lots of accommodation, Nantien Temple is a wonderful place to visit. There’s a tea house inside the temple where you can get delightful vegetarian dishes and Chinese tea.

The official name is Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien Buddhist temple. It is the biggest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. We normally joke about the term “ biggest … in the southern hemisphere”, because really, there’s not much competition in southern hemisphere:). But Nantien Temple truly lives up to its name – it is fairly grand. Don’t expect an old historical Buddhist temple like the ones you’ve seen in Asia… It’s looking almost brand new. Since the opening in Oct 1995, Nantien temple has become an important cultural center bridging eastern and western culture differences.

Just found a few photos from Nantien temple we took a while ago. It was busy day at the temple. By the way, Nan Tien is a Chinese term, which literately means: Southern Heaven.

First time seeing the big drum in action. Captivating sound & terrific experience.

One and only photo with a Buddhist monk.

An evil eyed lizard in Nantien Temple:

How to get there from Sydney.

By car:

Drive along Princes Highway to Wollongong. Then follow the road sign to Nan Tien Temple. It is situated in Berkeley, south of Wollongong.

By train:

Catch the train from the Sydney Central Station to Wollongong and then take a bus to the Nan Tien Temple.

Contact details:
Berkeley Rd, Berkeley. NSW 2506 Australia
Ph : 61 2 4272 0600

Open times:
Tuesday to Sunday 9 AM – 5 PM (Open Mondays on Public Holiday Only).

13 February 2013

Coastal Walk To Coogee Bay

Things To Do In Sydney

We planned to do the Bondi to Coogee walk last Sunday but walked from Clovelly beach to Coogee Bay area instead. Yes, it was much shorter and sounds like we cheated. But, we had the weather to blame:). It was raining all morning.

Truth be told, I don’t fancy Bondi Beach that much. Sure, it might be Sydney’s most famous beach but it’s also the most crowded. The whole area is just very touristy and over crowded all the time. To find a meter’s parking there will always a mission nearly impossible.

Clovelly’s rocky ridges were my secret hideout place. Years ago, whenever I felt a little stressed, I would drive to Clovelly beach and sit on the rocks, facing the deep blue ocean. The endless open space and the sound of ocean waves crashing have always calmed me down. Coastal walk around this area is also beautiful and therapeutic.

Brave the rain. Coastal walk started from Clovelly beach

We parked at Clovelly car park where there are always plenty of free parking spots. It was not a good day to sit on the rocks.. Not only because the weather was wet, but Sydney had the biggest swells in years also. It was quite dangerous to get close to the edge of the rocks because of the huge waves. But sitting on the rocks was not the plan for the day:). From the car park, we walked across Gordon’s bay. A unique and protected aquatic reserve, Gordon’s Bay is one of Sydney’s most poplar dive spots. Offering Sydney’s only underwater nature trail, the secluded bay is located south of Clovelly beach and north from Coogee beach. A steep staircase led us towards Coogee Bay direction.

It only takes 15 minutes to walk from Clovelly car park to Coogee Bay area. Don’t worry that you might get lost. The walking track was simple to follow. It was an easy, pleasant walk for us. The wet, grey looking weather didn’t dampen people’s spirits to go out and about. There were still quite a few people walking around the Sydney coastal area.

The walk offers brilliant views to Coogee bay and takes you to Coogee beach and parklands.

Cliffs. Views are better than the picture took from my phone camera!

Left: Coogee surf club & rock pool. Right: Coogee beach.

Left: Coogee Wylies Bath

Coogee beach is another popular, busy beach in Sydney with lots of restaurants and cafes around it ( also very hard to find parking). As we made our way to the other side of Coogee beach, a small patch a blue sky appeared. It was almost like a sunny day again so we stopped to buy some ice cream. It turned out they were giving out ice creams for free that day. Don’t you think the ice cream girls in red looked great?

Next time when the weather is nice enough, we’ll cover the entire Bondi to Coogee route.

If we eat out in Coogee Bay area, instead of looking for parking for ages, we’ll just park the car at Clovelly, then walk to and from Coogee.

Sounds like a plan.

8 February 2013

5 Things You Need To Know About Brazilian Buffet In Sydney

Food, Things To Do In Sydney

Brazilian buffet in Sydney has been on my must-eat list for a while. Yes, in case you wonder, I do have a must-eat list.

The perk of living in Darling Harbor area is that there are always lots of places to eat out, including one Brazilian Buffet restaurant. We went to Braza Darling Harbor for Sylwia’s birthday last Sunday, during the Australia Day long weekend.

The restaurant setting is very pleasant and we were sitting at one of the tables outside. It was an otherwise rainy and gloomy looking day but good company, nice food and plenty of alcohol did the trick. Everybody was happy and upbeat. A couple of dishes later, I started to regret having had breakfast that morning.

OK. Let’s do lunch.

If you go… There are a few things you need to know about Brazilian Buffet in Sydney:

1. Those are not colorful salt and pepper shakers.

They are indicators to the waiter so that they know whether or not to continue serving you food.

Green end on top means: I’m hungry. Bring it on!:)

Both ends lying on the table means: I’m almost done, slow down.

Red end on top means: No more for me, thank you.

2. Wait for BBQ meats come to you & order your side dishes.

There’s a menu, which shows you the BBQ selection and side dishes. Large skewers of meats and racks of ribs will come to your table repeatedly but you need to order your own side dishes, as many as you wish. Have all you can eat, for $47. That’s the deal.

3. It’s not all about meat.

There are other dishes like fish of the day wrapped in banana leaves, BBQ peeled prawns, pineapple, chicken hearts on skewers and exotic cheese too. Eating hearts somehow sounded cruel too me but out of curiosity, I tried chicken hearts the first time. They are actually quite tasty (we carnivores are terrible creatures).

4. Occasionally you get the salty batch.

The foods there are generally very tasty, especially at the beginning when you still have a good appetite. But be mindful of the large chunks of salt on the surface of the meat. It can be really salty depends which part you get, unless you love salt.

5. Larger Pure Blond.

Braza has a very impressive bar and there’s a large selection of drinks to choose from. If you are cheap drunk like me, getting drunk after one glass, share your Pure Blond with someone else. Braza serves larger bottles of Pure Blond. They are 700ml bottles not your average 355ml ones.

Top pick of the day:

“What did you like the most after eating for hours?” You might ask. If I ever go again, I’ll have these for sure:

Rocket salad

The mixed citrus, rocket leaves, beetroot and nuts make it a perfectly delicious and healthy dish. Did I say it’s not all about meat?

Pineapple

Those cooked pineapples are delightful. “YES please” was our only reaction every time they came around.

Beef ribs

Very tasty and not tough at all.

I was looking forward to pork ribs. But the waiter cut me a very small piece, which mainly consists of 2 chunks of bones. They never came over for the second round.

Pork neck

The meat is juicy and tender.Tastier than pork leg in my opinion.

Dirty Granny Apple Cider

Refreshing, crisp with just the right amount of sweetness.

So that’s all I can say about my Brazilian buffet experience in Sydney. Now if you excuse me, I’m going out for lunch.

2 February 2013

Happy New Year

Things To Do In Sydney, Travel

Oh Sydney Harbor, I never get tired looking at you. Today, I totally don’t understand my frequent urge to get away from Sydney and travel. Clearly Sydney is home and I can’t complain anything about living in this beautiful city.

We went for a location shoot just before the New Year and Sydney Harbor sparkled like a piece of jewel. This is a perfect view of the Harbor Bridge, the Opera House hiding behind, the Sydney Tower on the right and of course the controversial building next to the bridge sticking out like an eyesore:).

Peace and tranquility before the 2013 NYE celebration

Tonight, Sydney Harbor Bridge will be lit up like crazy. We’ll all get ready to ring in the New Year with splendid NYE fireworks, screaming teenagers and full glasses of Champagne.

May this year bring prosperity, peace and happiness.

31 December 2012