sydney | Sugared & Spiced

[Sydney] Park Hyatt Afternoon Tea + Hotel Tour

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Park Hyatt Sydney

Add: 7 Hickson Road, The Rocks, Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia
Tel: +61 2 9256 1234
Website: sydney.park.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels-sydney-park
Visited on: 2012-04

After 11 months of closing and a multimillion-dollar renovation, Park Hyatt reopened in March 2012 – just in time for my visit ;). The exterior remained unchanged, but everything inside has been torn down and rebuilt in a contemporary yet relaxing style. Think natural colors, sandstone walls, raw materials, and wooden sculptures. Location? The tip of Sydney Cove, with the Harbour Bridge on one side, the Opera House in front, and The Rocks on the other – the best in Sydney, hands down. Well then, let’s take a tour!

We first dropped by The Living Room, a residential lounge employing natural fabrics, timber flooring, sunlit-drenched lounges, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and – of course – a view of the glittering harbor.

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2012/08/122015/08/31

[Sydney] Quay

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Quay

Add: Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney 2000
Tel: (61 2) 9251 5600
Hours: [lunch] Tue-Fri 12~2:30pm [dinner] Mon-Sun 6~10pm
Website: www.quay.com.au
Price: [lunch] 125~220 AUD/set [dinner] 165~220 AUD/set
Visited on: 2012-04

I was so mesmerized by the dishes at Quay that at the end of our three-hour lunch, all I wanted was to have the whole thing start over again. Peter Gilmore has the enviable ability to coax the elegance and beauty out of the best ingredients, then orchestrate them on the plate to form a harmonious balance – so ethereal that everything seem held together by not much more than a wish!

The restaurant is set so close to Sydney Opera House that I could almost grab it with my hand. Unfortunately the weather was not shining for us that day, and we could only enjoy the view through heavy curtains of rain. On a sunny day, the pearlescent white of the Opera House against the blue of the sky and ocean would be a most stunning backdrop.

We started with a glass of 2010 Krinklewood Chardonnay from Hunter Valley (17 AUD) and a 2011 Thistle Hill Riesling from Mudgee (18 AUD).

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2012/08/122015/08/31

[Sydney] The Rocks at Dusk

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The Rocks at dusk: enchanting sky, joggers, tourists, live music, lights, and shadows…

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2012/08/122015/08/31

[Sydney] Ariel Books

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Ariel Books

Add: 42 Oxford Street, Paddington NSW, Australia
Tel: (02)9332 4581
Hours: 9am~11pm
Website: www.arielbooks.com.au

Sydney continued to pour on our third day in the city. With all the shops closed after 5pm, what was there to do in this crazy rain? We decided to visit to Ariel, a literature and art bookstore that opens till late.

The interior, warm and inviting like a cozy library.

Love this ‘Ariel Recommends’ shelf. Each staff member chooses a book that they recently enjoyed, then handwrites a review of why they recommend this particular book.

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2012/08/112015/08/31

[Sydney] Museum of Contemporary Art

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Museum of Contemporary Art

Add: 40 George Street Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Tel: (02) 9245 2400
Hours: 9am~5pm (Thu till 9pm)
Website: www.mca.com.au
Price: free

It was still pouring as we walked out of our three-hour lunch at Quay (amazing, by the way), so we slid right in to the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is conveniently located right on Circular Quay. The exhibition turned out to be very interesting, and the cherry on top? Free entrance ;)

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2012/08/112015/08/31

[Sydney] Opera House Tour + Concert

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For those with an appreciation for architecture and music, getting a tour of the Sydney Opera House is a must. I went on the one-hour Essential Tour (29.75~35 AUD), and was so in awe with the history, design, and acoustics of the structure that I immediately bought a concert ticket for the next day so I could experience first-hand what the tour guide was talking about. Best decision ever!

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2012/08/112015/08/31

[Sydney] Harry’s Cafe de Wheels

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Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博! Harry’s Cafe de Wheels Add: Corner Cowper Wharf Roadway & Brougham Road, Woolloomooloo, NSW 2011 Tel: (02) 9357 3074 Hours: 9am~2am Website: www.harryscafedewheels.com.au Price: 3.7~4 AUD/pie I knew Harry’s Cafe de Wheels would probably be a tourist trap, but I went anyway because it’s such an iconic pie cart. How was the food? Well, it…Continue Reading “[Sydney] Harry’s Cafe de Wheels” →

2012/08/112015/08/31

[Sydney] Onde

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Onde

Add: 346 Liverpool Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
Tel: (02) 9331 8749
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 5:30~10:15pm [Sat-Sun] 5:30~11pm
Website: www.onderestaurant.com
Price: [entrees] 17~19 AUD [mains] 20~32 AUD [desserts] 10~12 AUD
Visited on: 2012-04

It was a full house when we arrived at Onde, a small neighborhood bistro that regularly attracts a crowd with its French-influenced cuisine. Nope, they don’t take reservations, so you better come early.

The interior design is simple and sleek with a rather interestingly sculpted wall. It’s a tightly-packed space and not exactly the best spot for quiet dates (expect to rub elbows with diners at adjacent tables), but I actually quite liked the snugness of it all.

Handwritten menu.

We started with Sugar-Cured Salmon with Shaved Beetroot, Chervil and Horseradish (18 AUD).

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2012/08/082015/08/31

[Sydney] A Tavola

sydney

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A Tavola

Add: 348 Victoria Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Sydney, Australia
Tel: (02)9331 7871
Hours: [Sat-Thu] 6pm~late [Fri] 12~3pm, 6pm~late
Website: www.atavola.com.au
Price: [entrees] 12~18 AUD [mains] 22~38 AUD [desserts] 10~12 AUD
Visited on: 2012-04

The lovely warmth oozing out of A Tavola (literally “to the table”)’s open storefront easily attracted my attention when I passed it by in search for another restaurant. After learning from local friends that this small Italian bistro has the reputation of being one of Sydney’s best places to go for authentic pasta, I made a trip back here the very next evening. To the table!

The focal point of this slender room is a marble communal table decorated with homely ornaments like bowls of chillies and a granite mortar and pestle. The lighting is soft, creating an intimate, convivial atmosphere.