Lauren Katulka: Lauren is a happily married freelance writer living on the New South Wales Central Coast, about an hour from Sydney. When she's not enjoying the big smoke's restaurants or live music venues she loves to experiment with new recipes, watch indie films, and cuddle her Devon Rex cat Gizmo.

Eat Yum Cha, Greek Style, at Cronulla’s Opah Restaurant

Most of us associate Yum Cha with Asian dining, but Gary Macris is turning the concept on its head. Gary offers Yum Cha, Greek style, at his Cronulla eatery Opah. Tzatziki, dolmades, chicken souvlaki, spit roast lamb, and spinach and fetta triangles are just some of the authentic Greek treats you can expect on the yum cha menu. You can try as many of them as you like for only $30. Opah also offers an a la carte menu, with moussaka, yemista, lamb souvlaki, and Gary’s Big Fat BBQ Meat Platter. Only...

July 20th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Delicious Breakfasts at Darling Harbour – Plate and Toro

I spent last weekend in the heart of the city soaking up the atmosphere at the annual Good Food and Wine Show. My husband and I have made this festival a yearly tradition; for the last four or five years we’ve rented a room in the city so we could make an early start at the Convention Centre. But before the show, it’s best to indulge in a big breakfast. It helps those early-morning wines go down without too much damage after all! Thankfully in Darling Harbour we’re spoiled for choice, so we...

July 19th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Sydney Photo Friday: Luminary Street Parade in Parramatta

I must admit, the Luminary celebrations in Parramatta passed me by. Thank goodness for fun photos like this to clue me in! This shot was taken at the opening night parade, which saw illuminated figures like this possum making their way down Church and George Streets. Luminary was a five-night event which kicked off the city’s ParraMac festival, which remember the contributions of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. A possum float at the Luminary Festival Image source: Richard Taylor @ Flickr

July 16th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Poolside Dining at Sydney’s Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton Pool

It might be too chilly to take a dip these days, but it’s still worth visiting the Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton Pool at Woolloomooloo Bay. You see, this popular swimming spot is also home to one of Sydney’s coolest cafés. Andrew 'Boy' Charlton Pool The Poolside Café is actually suspended over the pool. With floor-to-ceiling glass windows, diners can easily take advantage of this spectacular view. An outlook like this deserves some top-notch food, and the café delivers. The decadent breakfast...

July 15th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Bowling Gets Modern Makeover at Sydney’s Kingpin

If you thought bowling was just for kids, think again. Kingpin Bowling Lounge at Darling Harbour is great fun for adults and families. Kingpin offers 20 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, gorgeous harbour views, and the latest music. Once you’re done bowling, you can also play interactive games or a round of pool. Kingpin also offers more than the traditional bowling fare of hot dogs, meat pies, and chips. How do lamb and rosemary pies, prawn spring rolls, and pork dumplings sound? You can wash the...

July 14th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Good Food, Good Wine, What Could Be Better Than Sydney Gourmet Show?

I’m starting to get pretty excited about my favourite time of year, the Sydney Good Food and Wine Show. This is my Christmas in July, a chance to indulge in some of the country’s best wines and nosh. New this year is the Lindt Chocolate Masterclass, a chocoholic’s dream where Swiss born chocolatier Thomas Schnetzler schools you on the history of the treat and teaches you to appreciate it in a whole new way. The class encourages you to experience chocolate with all your senses, but taste sounds...

July 13th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Get On the Water for Less with Sydney Boatshare

We’ve all heard of timeshare accommodation, but now Sydney Boatshare is bringing the concept to the water. This is a great way to live like a millionaire at a fraction of the cost. Now with 10% shares for the popular Riviera M400 Sports Cruiser costing around $25, 000 per annum for three years, it’s still not cheap. But if you can spare the cash, there are plenty of benefits. All the tedious stuff like cleaning and maintaining the boat are taken care of. You don’t even have to put fuel in it!...

July 12th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Authentic Indian Dining in Sydney at Darbar

Forget another stodgy meal at your local Indian takeaway joint. Darbar in inner city Glebe offers a fine dining experience with authentic Indian cuisine at affordable prices. The bustling eatery uses recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation to create spicy Tandoori chicken, mild lamb kormas, and delicious desserts. The only thing that tends to worry me with Indian is the heat. But Darbar have this covered, with their menu indicating which dishes are mild, medium, and hot....

July 10th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Sydney Photo Friday: Green Oasis at Elizabeth Bay

After travelling to locations around the world, one thing I really appreciate about Sydney is its green-ness. It might sound funny to say, but unless you’ve been to the concrete jungles around the world, you start to take that connection to nature for granted. Places like this green grassy area in Elizabeth Bay give us place to spread out and connect with our world. Those gorgeous harbour views over the horizon don’t make it too hard either! Image source: Sydney Media

July 9th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Tourists Save Cash with See Sydney & Beyond Attractions Pass

If you’re visiting Sydney, chances are you’ll want to see a few of the sights. After a couple of days though, those entry fees can start to add up, leaving your wallet a lot emptier than you’d imagined. But you can avoid this sort of shock with the See Sydney & Beyond Attractions Pass. This cool little card gives you entry to over 40 attractions in Sydney, including the Aquarium, Luna Park, Taronga Zoo, The Art Gallery of NSW, the Opera House and more. You’ll also get a bunch of other...

July 8th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

7 For All Mankind Opens First Australian Pop-Up Store in Sydney

It’s the seventh day of the seventh month, so it seems the perfect time for 7 For All Mankind to open the doors of their first Australian pop-up store. The ConTEMPORARY Retail Studio at 184-186 Oxford Street, Paddington will take up residence until next March. The bi-level space promises to showcase the Los Angeles’ label’s men’s and women’s wear and accessories alongside works from local artists who will use, of course, one of seven mediums. Amongst the fashion items...

July 7th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Vini’s Little Sister Berta Serves Sophisticated Italian Dishes in Sydney

Chef Andrew Cibej of Vini is expanding his food empire with the opening of his new restaurant Berta. The chic eatery serves up rich comforting Italian food with a decidedly modern twist. My mouth is watering thinking of the baked scallops topped with sugna, a mix of breadcrumbs, capers, and crunchy crumbs of rendered pork. Speaking of pork, if you’re a fan of the beast don’t go past the suckling pig roasted with aniseedy fennel. And a glass of Italian vino is the perfect tipple to wash the meal...

July 6th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

School Holiday Dining Made Easy – Top 10 Child-Friendly Sydney Restaurants

This weekend marks the start of the school holidays, and you know what that means. That’s right: you can say goodbye to time to yourself and hello to a full, noisy household. It even becomes difficult to enjoy that mid-morning coffee break, or lunch with the girls. It may be difficult, but it’s certainly not impossible to enjoy a great meal with the kids. Just check our handy top 10 list of kid-friendly Sydney eateries! Little Dynamo’s (corner of George & Allen Streets, Waterloo –...

July 3rd, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Sydney Photo Friday: Joggers at the Sydney Botanic Gardens

I must say, I’ve never been what you’d call, well … sporty. I’d see joggers running and wonder why they would be exerting such energy, and it seemed no one was chasing them. But I suppose I can sort of understand the joggers who run around Sydney’s Botanic Gardens. Clearly a harbour view like this is better than anything you’d ever see from a treadmill. I’d argue that you can take in the view a little better when you slow down to really look at it, but if you want to get trim, taut,...

July 2nd, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Authentic Greek Dining, With Plate Smashing, at Sydney’s Aesop’s Restaurant

One of the things that makes Sydney so wonderful is its cultural diversity. Folks of all nationalities flock to Darling Harbour to cheer on their World Cup teams, and there always seems to be a multicultural festival or another giving us a reason to celebrate. And of course, every night you can try authentic ethnic cuisine at hundreds of cool restaurants. One of my favourites is Aesop’s, a bona fide plate-smashing Greek restaurant in the city centre. The Greek flag All food is authentically Greek...

June 30th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Sssh! Sydney’s Secret Hotels on Sale

I don’t really care where I stay when I’m on holidays so long as it satisfies two criteria. I want to stay somewhere nice, and I want it to be affordable. Thankfully Last Minute offers great accommodation at a fraction of the regular price. What’s the catch? Well, you won’t actually know where you’ll stay until you’ve made your booking. Of course, not everything is a mystery. You’ll know how many stars the hotel receives and what luxuries come with your booking. These might include...

June 29th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Tour Sydney with a Real Drag Queen Diva

We all know guided tours are one of the best ways to see a new city, or to gain a greater insight into a familiar area. However, too often they’re hosted by a boring guide and filled with dull tourists. If you’re looking for a tour with a little more colour, then Tours by Diva is for you. Sydney drag icon Portia Turbo provides “commentary with attitude” on this fabulously fun tour. All the old standards are there: you’ll see the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and other city icons....

June 28th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Sydney Photo Friday: Anzac Bridge at Sunset

We can see the Anzac Bridge in silhouette in this photo, but the fiery red Sydney sunset is the real star of the show. I love the way that the deep gray clouds add a more drama to the already feisty sky. And we all know why sunsets are better than sunrises right? That’s it; you don’t have to forgo your sleep in to enjoy one! Sunset at Anzac Bridge Image source: Sydney Media

June 25th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Sydney’s Finest Food at Tetsuya’s Restaurant

Tetsuya’s Restaurant is regularly named one of the best in the world, so it’s safe to say that it probably offers the finest meal you’ll taste in Sydney. Of course, this sort of quality doesn’t come cheaply. But if you’ve got a few hundred dollars to spare, a night out at Tetsuya’s is worth your while. Tetsuya's signature dish, confit ocean trout Tetsuya’s is the brainchild of Tetsuya Wakuda. He left his native Japan at the age of 22, lured to Australia by his love of koalas. He...

June 24th, 2010 | Sydney | Read More

Winter Flowers in Bloom at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens

If you’re looking for respite from the hustle and bustle of Sydney’s CBD, you’ll find it at the Royal Botanic Gardens, the largest public garden in Sydney. The Royal Botanic Gardens are a little piece of paradise in the middle of the city. They’re located between the harbour and the central business district, and are a haven for people looking to enjoy life at a slower pace. Roses in the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens The gardens span 30 hectares and are home to more than one million plants....

June 23rd, 2010 | Sydney | Read More