We stayed at the Shangri-La hotel in the Rocks, overlooking the Sydney Harbor. For those of you who have traveled in Asia, you are undoubtedly familiar with this chain of hotels, and as many an American will argue, luxury Asian hotels are hard to beat. The Shangri-La in Sydney is worth a visit even if not as a hotel guest. The Blu Bar on the 36th floor of the hotel has dazzling views of the Harbor and overpriced fancy cocktails (worth it). Get there early, though, the prime seats here fill up fast. If you are feeling super-touristy like we were, you can enjoy seasonal mixology treats, such as a blinking rum cocktail in honor of the Vivid festival, taking place during our visit.
Night one. We begin at Pony, a fun, New Australian cuisine restaurant with awesome lighting and a good balcony. The food is fresh, creative, and reminiscent of many new, trendy American restaurants. There is no shortage of wine here, and hats off to the Pony management for stemware selection, but oenophiles beware: the Aussies do not import much, so be prepared to get educated on Shiraz and save your Chianti wine teeth for another time.
Next stop is the Argyle, a fun, funky bar with creative cocktails and loud music. Down an alley and through a dimly lit patio, we arrive through the doors of this enormous space. Cocktails abound, RG and I opt for pitchers of a fruity, sticky concoction that goes down all too quickly. The mixologists are knowledgeable and very precise (read: measured pours). We were not exactly sure what we were drinking, but the big beats and cool cocktails were good lubrication for a night out on George Street.
Venturing down George Street in The Rocks, we stumble upon The Establishment, one of many restaurants/bars of Australia's Merivale Group. Walking into The Establishment can be intimidating given the large men in neon vests standing outside bouncing and warnings of a (nonexistent) dress code, but on the inside they are sweet and will take your picture if you are polite. Inside: high ceilings, gigantic chandeliers, a goes-on-forever marble bar, and stiff gin and tonics. The Establishment is elegant, full of beautiful people and decent behavior (our dive bar experiences were not worth reporting in Australia...they lack the charm of establishments in small New England towns), and a great way to set the tone for the rest of George Street.
Finally, The Ivy. Another Merivale Group venue, the Ivy is hands down the best bar I have been to in my entire life, and I am not being dramatic since it was recently voted as the Best Bar in Australia by Australian Travelers Readers Choice (and Austrlia is quite possibly up there as the best country I have been to). Walking into the patio area, RG and I stopped at a long, canopied bar for a cocktail. Everyone is more beautiful here and having more fun than anywhere else. We stash our jackets underneath the stage and join these lovely Australians for an American top 40 dance party, and it is here we discover that Australians are in fact enormous fans of America and we quickly make friends with everyone around us (at this point we were in a very friendly mood). Despite it being fall in Australia, it is still warm enough to enjoy the Ivy patio at night and dance under the stars. Suddenly, the sky opens up and it starts pouring rain down onto the crowd, which instead of causing people to seek shelter, only excites the group even more, and adrenaline keeps us dancing through the storm. After the excitement is all over, we retreat to the wicker chairs and lounge until it is time to leave. Direct quote: RG: "I felt like a movie star tonight." Not too many places can make you feel that way! Three months later, we still longingly mention it on a weekly basis, since Thursday nights anywhere in the world have yet to compare.
Day trip: Manly Beach. Manly is a quick ride across the harbor and a great way to see the incredible Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge with good photo ops. We headed to Manly in the morning and went straight to the ocean, where the water was warm enough to swim in, even in late fall for Australia. We then stumbled upon Hemingway's - a beachfront bar with a elaborate cocktail menu reminiscent of the famous author's interesting life and era
, as well as a wide selection of microbrew beers from around Australia. It is not the best place in Manly Beach to go for food, but Hemingway wasn't known for his taste in food, now was he. It was a perfect place to grab a casual lunch and sit by the beach - and is a bit off the beaten path from the other seafood restaurants on the Boardwalk.
While you're waiting for the return ferry and find yourself wanting to stay and watch a sunset or grab one last pint, the Bavarian Bier Cafe located right on Manly Wharf has a wonderfully authentic beer selection, friendly staff, and Hofbrauhaus-size beers. One of these can certainly maintain you on the (cold) ride back to the Quay!
Heading out in an attempt to top the night before, we begin with cocktails at Bar 360 in the Sydney Tower. Overpriced, yes. Touristy, yes. Weak menu, yes. But, with your overpriced glass of wine, you will receive with Bar 360's compliments breathtaking views of Sydney in this rotating bar and restaurant. RG and I were obliged to go and take a mental snapshot (and some real photos - although they are difficult with the thick glass) of looking down on Sydney from the top of one of its higher buildings.
Back to George Street into the Ivy complex to Uccello, an upscale Italian restaurant. NOTE: making reservations at restaurants in the Rocks, whether you are dining casually at Pony or headed to Quay, is strongly encouraged, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Keeping up with our baller night from Thursday, the host at Uccello did not make us wait (despite a full house) more than a minute before a table was brought out, set, and us seated a la Goodfellas. We were immediately brought champagne, and both my ricotta gnocchi and veal medallions were delicious. Chef Eugenio Riva does not disappoint with ingredients or presentation, and paired with fantastic front of the house service, both RG and I were very impressed. After dinner, we retreat to the Pool Club in the back of the restaurant, finally deciding to perch ourselves on a small cement square in the middle of the pool which gives us a 360 degree view of the our sleek surroundings and interesting crowd. The pool bar has a clean, chill atmosphere, and is a great place for an after dinner drink and a quick lounging session before returning down to George Street for the evening. Our seats:
For a more casual and less expensive Italian experience, I recommend Appetito. We ate there the last night of our trip to Sydney and is authentically Italian (note: there is a strong Italian population in Sydney) and much less flashy than an Uccello. It's small, it's loud, but it's classically good.
Our last day in Sydney required a bit of restraint due to our daunting travel the next day, so we stayed in the harbor and relaxed. Super touristy, sitting in an eatery at the base of the Opera House after a walk around is lovely and full of options, and if lucky, you can catch a sunset behind the Harbour Bridge on a nice day. Walking along this stretch of the Harbour is perfect if you're uncertain of your food mood, or want something quick. You may even run into some Aboriginal didgeridoo players and other interesting friends down here in the heart of Sydney tourism. Nonetheless, the Opera House is by far the pride of the City despite its dramatic story to the dismay of many Australians, and breathtakingly beautiful from both near and far.
There are outdoor markets on the weekends in the Rocks, which have everything from jewelry to apparel, to prints to childrens' toys. While I was busy getting taken advantage of by a New Zealander with unique fabrics, RG found a great side street where you can grab a pint of beer and some quick street food - a staple for shopping and decent enough food on the go. In the heart of the market you can also find Lowebrau Keller, a sit down bier garden with enormous pints for those of you who have had your fill or, in many a gentleman's case, have grown sick of shopping and waiting.
We said goodbye to Sydney with one last sunset and a nightcap at Hart's Pub - next to the Shangri-La. Hart's Pub consists of small bars within a large building - a two story establishment with some of the best craft beers I have had. The atmosphere is casual and energetic, and RG and I had to resist the urge to follow some Australian friends we made to a nearby karaoke bar (a would-be important entry on this trip and a comparison point to other karaoke establishments my reader will consistently find throughout this blog) - but alas, 24 hours of flights loomed so closely in front of us, we sadly declined. Hart's Pub is comfortable and perfect for the beer lover - complete with quotes from famous beer drinkers of the past, including RG's favorite, seen in the photo below.
Bottom line: this trip upped the ante on future travel. Thank you to the Australian people for your energetic city and supremely positive outlook on life - it made for an unforgettable experience and great memories! And hats off to the concierge at the Shangri-La. We owe you one.
And the best part? We're going back next year.
Cheers!
