The Weekender: A Quick Walk to Milsons Park

Just a short note from me this post as I want the photos to speak for themselves...My flatmate and I went for a spontaneous walk one afternoon and I decided to bring my camera along to try out my new wide-angle lens. I love the results and I hope you do too. 

I feel so lucky to call this beautiful place home!

The Weekender: Four Mindful Ways to Enjoy Bondi Beach

I've been very interested in the concept of mindful living in the past year and a recent visit to Australia's most popular beach served as yet another little reminder to keep my eyes and my mind opened to what is around me.

When my good friend visited Sydney for the first time last month, I became tour guide and set about creating an itinerary for her. Despite wanting to avoid the tourist cliches, we ended up at Bondi Beach  on a wintery Sunday morning. Even though I would normally be deterred by the expensive metered parking and hordes of tourists, I forgot all about it the second my feet hit the soft powdery sand.

So I thought I would share with you four mindful ways I like to enjoy Australia's most popular beach:

1. Do the Bondi to Coogee Walk

Or opt for the shorter Bondi to Bronte walk.

Almost as well loved as Bondi Beach itself is the coastal walk from Bondi to Bronte to Coogee. Yes, this boardwalk trail guides you along some of Sydney's most famous beaches. The walk can get busy with locals, joggers, tourists and doggies during the weekends but the views will nonetheless be spectacular.

2. Get in the Water

I'm not the strongest swimmer nor am I a surfer, but I love being in the ocean. Being by the water resets my mind and I often leave the beach feeling revitalised and grateful. And it would seem like I'm not the only one!

3. Check out the Graffiti Walls			4. Eat Fish & Chips by the Water
Lined along the walls of Bondi Beach are graffiti artworks  by local artists. If you don't want to get your feet in the sand or water (but you totally should), walk along the paved walkway and admire the constantly changing artworks. Some of them really make you stop and think about our city and the world we live in, whilst others make you quietly giggle.			I love chips. I love water (see above). So why not put them together? Eating fish and chips by the water is one of the most peaceful and satisfying things in the world (as long as you don't have to fight the seagulls). There are some great unassuming fish and chips shops along Campbell Parade (the road that stretches along the beach).

What are some of your favourite local spots for rejuvenating yourself?

The September Round-Up

A round-up of what I got up to this month.

At the start of September, I decided I needed to get off the couch more (metaphorically and literally). I've learnt that I feel more productive and tend to procrastinate less when I have a busier schedule, and I feel a sense of satisfaction every time I look at my iCalendar and diary (can't live without those) and see each day filled up with tasks (colour-coded and categorised of course, because geek). I also decided that I quite like the idea of having adventures (I had always thought of myself as a creature of habit) so I made an effort to go on more outings with friends and explore my own city. I was pleasantly surprised by how inexpensive some of these outings were.

Here are some of the things that I got up to this month:

1. BREAKFAST BUFFET AT GLASS BRASSERIE, HILTON SYDNEY

As a celebration of starting our own little business (which has sadly come to an end), my friends and I decided to indulge in a hotel breakfast buffet one morning. While I can never not love pigging out on bacon, smoke salmon, eggs and hash brown, the buffet at Glass Brasserie left us a little disappointed, with a drink selection of only black coffee and English breakfast tea (otherwise extra costs apply to other hot drink options, such as lattes and cappuccinos). Nonetheless, I loved the inclusion of coconut chia pudding in their breakfast menu, and we got an amazing floor-to-ceiling window view of the Queen Victoria Building, sans traffic noise.

2. BRUNCH AT BOURKE ST BAKERY & EQ VILLAGE MARKETS

Whilst the original plan was to visit the coffee trade show The Coffee Experience (which we did, and it was fine, but unbeknownst to us coffee noobs, it was meant for professional baristas sourcing coffee beans and equipment for their cafes - duh), the highlight of the day was stumbling across the EQ Village Markets at Moore Park. Think fresh food, fresh flowers, organic soap and handmade/homemade everything against a backdrop of live music. We also dropped by the trusty Bourke Street Bakery and loaded up on savoury and sweet pies. To die for.

3. BRUNCH AT HYDE PARK BARRACKS CAFE & THE ART GALLERY OF NSW

On this beautiful Sunday, my friend and I enjoyed a quiet brunch in the courtyard of the Hyde Park Barracks Museum before heading to the Art Gallery to see the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize exhibits. I was surprised that it had taken me so long to come to the Art Gallery - not only was its location not inconvenient to get to, the cost of my ticket was inexpensive and I had a great morning being amazed by the quality of all the artworks (especially the Young Archie competition which put my stick figures to shame).

4. LOBSTER BUNS & WALKING AROUND MILSON'S POINT



After accidentally sleeping in till 12pm (accident, I swear), my friend dragged me out for lunch at Johnny Lobster in Crows Nest, and I am so glad she did. Thoroughly enjoying the great food and the impeccable branding and interiors, the highlight of the meal was Green Juice with apples, gin and cucumber (try first before you judge us for having alcohol for lunch...) We then headed to Milson's Point on a whim for a leisurely walk along the water, which we affectionately named the Santa Monica of Sydney (and continuously reassured by our well-traveled friend that it is nothing like Santa Monica). Sydney, why so pretty for?

Are there any places in Sydney that you would recommend visiting?

7 Brunch Spots in Sydney

1. Trio in Bondi Trio is the place to be if you are looking for fine dining at 9 in the morning. Looking out onto the famous Bondi Beach, this place offers breakfast with a side of fancy and a Middle Eastern twist. If you're indecisive like me, go for their Breakfast Tasting Plate. The real winner of the day though was Trio Breakfast Burrito. Order with a Trio-customised cappuccino and your belly will thank you later. _____________________ 56 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach

2. Lumiere in Surry Hills A spur-of-the-moment Urbanspoon search led us to Lumiere - you can't go wrong with a cafe that serves all-day breakfast. Specials of the day may include mouth-watering baked eggs, but a highly recommended from the regular menu goes to the ricotta hotcakes with mixed berry compote (tick), mascarpone (tick), maple syrup and honeycomb (holy moly, tick). Order with a side (read: bowl) of bacon - do it. __________________ 425 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

3. Stain in Lane Cove Here's something local if you live on the lower North Shore and happen to pass through Mowbray Road. I went with a few friends and the meal was met with mixed reviews. Nonetheless, those mushrooms were as good as they look. Separated from the main road by park areas and with plenty of outdoor seating, it's definitely a nice place to stop by if you need to grab a bite. _____________________ Cnr of Mowbray Road & Felton Ave, Lane Cove North

4. Luxe Bakery in Newtown Brunch at Luxe Bakery not only made for a good Instagram photo, but also gave us a decent meal and pretty smooth coffee. The breakfast/lunch menu is pretty standard but well done, so no complaints there. Like all other boutique cafes in Sydney, there's not much room so make sure you get there nice and early, or order your coffee to-go. _____________________ 195 Missenden Road, Newtown

5. Elbow Room in Chatswood A new sun-lit local favourite has emerged amongst the busy streets of Chatswood - an outlier amongst neighbouring Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese restaurants. Open at 6am, go here for people-watching while munching on a chorizo hot dog (pictured above) or opt for a more traditional breakfast option of bacon, eggs and avocado on toast. _____________________ 6 Spring Street, Chatswood

6. Salvage in Artarmon Ah. This place. I've dedicated a whole blog post to this little cafe (literally) here. If you're looking for quality coffee (they were noticed by Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food Guide Awards last year) and some pretty sick food concepts, make your way down to Artarmon station and grab a nice sunny outdoor seat. _____________________ 5 Wilkes Ave, Artarmon

7. Salvage in Artarmon, encore Yep. This place again. But seriously.

8. Devon in Surry Hills Speaking of sick food concepts, Zacharay Tan's Devon in Surry Hills has got my tick of approval. People-watching by the window sill, chai latte, poached pear, smoked salmon, bagels....please take all my money so I can once again savour breakfast perfection. I can't wait to go back and try Devon by Night! _____________________ 76 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills

Eat: Salvage Specialty Coffee

This morning I went to brunch with a close friend to catch up on all things life. We haven't seen each other in a while, so in the spirit of doing things 'the old way', we decided to have brunch at Salvage. I love the decor at Salvage - it's a small, mostly outdoor, space with wooden tables and school chairs, and vintage-looking cups that made my friend go, "I think they need to buy new cups." They were awarded Two Cups from the SMH Good Cafe Awards earlier this year, and the only business to have been successfully opened in that shop location for as long as I've known! Can't wait to go back and savour the rest of their constantly changing menu.

You can find Salvage Specialty Coffee at 5 Wilkes Ave, Artarmon, Sydney.

On the Menu:

Smashed avo with tomato and seeded sourdough

Cured king salmon and poached egg with pickled fennel on seeded sourdough

Soy chai latte

Cappuccino