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| Pinch me. Am I really here? Has someone really given me the chance to live and work in Sydney, Australia? It's true, sans Toto (never had a dog in all of my life), I've relocated temporarily to this land that the natives call "Oz". I am a New Yorker. I snarl at cab drivers when they head into tunnel traffic at my expense. The New York Times is the closest thing that I have to religion and it's a regular occurrence to see some sort of media/entertainment or political icon without any make up on at some point during the weekend. Now my toilet boil flushes in the opposite direction and my accent is regarded as sexy instead of biting and not-quite-upper-east-side. I'm the new girl in town and all eyes are on me--a big fish in a small pond? I'll take the bait... I'll do my best to dimensionalize Sydney for those interested, especially for future travelers to Oz or expats...to keep you in-the-Sydney-know, Manhattan style. |
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I had been to Sydney a few times before relocating and during those trips made sure to hit the no brainer hot spots—Paddington, Surry Hills, Bondi Beach… Now as a full-timer, I want to explore the “other” areas and I’ve decided to venture west first—west of central Those who reside in this area proudly display a “Westies” badge—but the term quickly becomes a derogatory one when spoken from the lips of a city Sydneysider. Metropolitan-loving Aussies don’t venture too far into this domain. But take it from this city gal, a few places on the boarder of the inner west have a special charm worth experiencing: Last Saturday I decided to give Balmain a try.
First impressions? A tri-state area suburb with a cute town center where I could take my mom shopping. A few boutiques for me and heaps of places for the 40+ woman. Balmain has too many sequins for my taste (um, Cache in the Short Hills Mall anyone?) to make it a shopping destination, but it’s not a bad way to spend a sunny weekend afternoon if you are looking for a nice ferry ride, good food and a relaxing stroll along main street—in this case, Darling Street. Start off by taking the ferry to Balmain East. Bring those cameras and snap away at the Wear comfortable shoes so you can walk from the Balmain East ferry station up Your first stop should be Joe & Company for super short jean skirts and plastic shoes—perfect to outfit any Paris Hilton wanna be. Stop off at the London Hotel for a drink—hey, it’s Keep walking up You are just scratching the surface of Café-shop-café-shop-café-shop. Balmain is a great place to sip coffee—skip the Starbucks (another cue that you’re in a suburb) and walk a few doors down to Bertoni. Or if you’re up for drink #2, spend some time in the Town Hall Pub. The highlight of the day for me was Il Cortile. It’s like lunching at The Ivy in LA—only cheaper. Take your pick—a table outside in the hedged garden, on a balcony, inside by a fireplace or in a back courtyard next to a fountain. Get the risotto and savor good food with pleasant service. Great value and worth the trip to the west.
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