Surry Hills Festival

On Saturday, 27 September 2010, Surry Hills held it's annual festival, Surry Hills Festival, along Crown Street and a mini market on Marlborough Street and had bands and stalls within Ward Park, Shannon Reserve & SHNC and The Velvet Cave along Bourke Street.

The weather turned it on for Surry Hills on Saturday and was shinning down for everyone to enjoy. After a delicious bunch session with my friend at Reuben Hills we wandered up to Crown Street where the festivities were.

All the cafe's along Crown Street were busy with people having brunches, lunches and coffee and Messina had its usual line down the street as it was ice cream weather. I had initially thought that the roads, especially Crown Street, would be closed off to traffic but it wasn't which was a shame as there was a lot of people walking along the street. It would have been really good if the organisers had arranged for the roads to be closed off and made into foot traffic (feedback to the organisers for next year).

Other than the roads, the festival was a lovely and fun day out for everyone who got involved. The Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre was able to raise funds with volunteers collecting donations and it was fabulous to see the local retailers, artisans, and cafes promoting themselves. There were bands playing throughout the day and night, there was a fun dog competition, a pop-up library, a bicycle powered science party and much, much more.

The festival really catered for everyone from friends, couples to families and it was great to see everyone come out and enjoy themselves and getting to know their local and if not their local, a new area. Surry Hills showcased it's relaxed persona, the artistic vibe it has and the delicious food and drinks it produces.

We pretty much spent most of our day and night just wondering around the streets of Surry Hills checking out all the retail stores and snacking at all the eateries. I can't wait till the next festival or an event to be held at Surry Hills. 

Surry Hills is so central to many neighbouring inner city suburbs and so easy to walk around. If you're around in the area I recommend you spend a day and night exploring the area; I promise that you won't be disappointed. 

Hope you had a fabulous sunny weekend wherever you were.

Jo x

Reuben Hills

The weekend in Sydney has been fabulous; the sun has been out and shinning on everyone and everything. Surry Hills had the Surry Hills Festival on Saturday which I'll write a little more about in a separate post.

Prior to going to spend most of the afternoon and evening enjoying the sights of the Surry Hills Festival, I went to have brunch with a special girlfriend at Reuben Hills  which is located in the back streets of Surry Hills. I've been here a few times and it would have to be one of my little favourite local. The coffee and food here is just amazing and the customer service is pretty good. Oh, and I love their aprons!

I ordered my usual skim piccolo and this time had ordered the "Avocado" with coriander and lime on sourdough toast and they sure aren't short on the avocado! My theory in ordering this "lighter" brunch meal was so that I left room for all the other amazing food I was going to eat at the festival - forward planning is key!

My friend had ordered the "Soft baked eggs" with goats curd, spinach,ranchero and rye. The minute I saw her dish come out, I had food envy. Something that happens quiet often so I suggested that we "share" our meals so that we can both taste a bit of everything. Is that something you do? I know it's something that I do a lot; I just love to share food which means that I get to try a little bit of everything on the menu.

One dish on the menu that keeps bringing me back would have to be the "Doggs breakfast ice cream sandwich with salted caramel", who doesn't love ice cream for brunch? To be honest, ice cream any time of the day is perfect for me. If you haven't tried this dish at Reuben Hills, I totally recommend it and if you need someone to come and help you, just let me know and I'm there. 

If you haven't been to Reuben Hills and looking for somewhere to chill, have great coffee and decent food, I would say this is a place you need to check out. If you have been, let me know what you think of the food and again, if you want someone to come and share the Doggs Breakfast with, I'm right there with you all the way!

I just love brunching and even if I've been out late the night before I somehow manage to wake up to get to brunch; the commitment I have to brunching is serious. What's your favourite place to brunch? Let me know as I'd love to check it out or the next time you go brunching, call me and I'll come and join you.

Hope you had a fabulous sunny weekend. Looking forward to summer!

Jo x

Love is alive

Received one of the most exciting news; a dear beautiful friend of mine recently got engaged to a wonderful man. I remembered the first time she told me that they had started dating and I've been lucky to share their journey in the last couple of years as they grew together as a couple. 

I wanted to dedicate this post to them as a congratulations to their special moment and to wish them the world as they share the next chapter in their lives. I'm so happy for them both and I'm honoured to be travelling along with them as they plan their engagement and wedding in the near future. 

Personally, I'm a little old school when it comes to love and I believe there is love for everyone. I look forward to meeting my Mr. Right and fall in love and it's moments like these, through my friends, that keeps me believing. 

To Amanda and Adam: you're a beautiful couple and I'm so happy for you both. Thank you for keeping it real and reminding me that love is alive and it does exists.

Love you both!

Jo x

Smile! Art & About Sydney

Today was just meant to be a normal Wednesday hump day where I get up in the morning, go to bootcamp and go to work to do my normal day's work. So, what made today's little hump day a little random? Art & About Sydney was what made my hump day a little more random, a little more interesting, a little more fun and seriously put a smile on my face (as well as others who got involved).

For lunch, my friend and I ventured out the office with the intention to go to Freedom Furniture end of lease sale to see what I could get for my home and on the way, we decided to see one of the Art & About Sydney events that is currently set up outside QVB (in front of the statue) - Us by James Dive, The Glue Society. 

What is "Us by James Dive, The Glue Society?" It's a temporary photo studio where people of the street take part in a school class photo with people you've never met before! So, a class photo with randoms (well, I did have my friend, so I did know one person in the whole class). At first I was a little hesitant but once I got in there and we had to line up from shortest to tallest I was ready for my photo.

While standing there listening to the directions and waiting to find out where I should stand, I'm there fixing my hair and trying to make sure that my clothes is straight and my jacket is looking crisp and there is nothing in my teeth when I smile. 

Class of Wednesday 12.25pm 24th September 2014

It took me right back to school when we had to get our class photos done as well as individual photos. I remember the girls would spend so much time in the toilets making sure that their hair was looking good and we'd sneak in make up that we've taken from our sisters or mothers to cover up those pimples and spots. Those were the easy days!

As random as this moment was, it was a really fun moment which I'm really glad to have experienced. It brought together a group of strangers (around 21-25 people) to work together, stand together, and just simply smile together. The most simple act of kindness is a simple smile and yet it can be the most difficult thing of people to do; especially to strangers.

To smile together with a bunch of strangers today at lunch was one of the most amazing things I have done and one that I really enjoyed and want to go and do it again with a different group of strangers. Maybe you could be a stranger in a class photo with me? 

Get out there, enjoy Art & About Sydney and most importantly from this exhibition we need to smile more, we need to smile to strangers because the most smallest and simplest act of kindness can change the mood of someone dramatically. 

If you see me out and about, smile and I'll smile back - this is something I'm going to do more often. 

Jo x

1st Birthday Party

What's not to love about a kids first birthday party? You seriously have to love everything about it; the cake, the theme, the decorations, party pies, sausage rolls, cordial, fairy bread and enough sugar to fill an Olympic pool! Oh, and not to forget, the kids!

On the weekend I attended my friend's second child's first birthday party held at a lovely neighbourhood centre out west of Sydney. The theme was bowties; come dressed with a bowtie around your neck or in your hair and join in on the fun!

It's amazing how adults just love to get dressed up even if they whine about it for days, but once at the party, they love it and walk around showing off their outfit. 

The rainbow cake made by Camielle     Photo Credit: Dreams & Sparkle 2014

My friend, Camielle, has her own blog site, Gen-Y Mum (seriously go check it out); she blogs about being a mum to two beautiful boys, a wife, travel and finance. Although, I would have to say, she is also a great party planner having gone to a few of her events. 

She had planned Kai's first birthday for weeks and had handmade the bowties for the invitations to the rainbow cake! What an awesome mum! This was seriously better than a MacDonald's birthday party we use to have. 

One of the best things she organized for the adults was a food truck! Yes, you read correctly, she organized a food truck that parked out the front for us to have lunch. The truck provided us with sliders, fries, corn and vanilla & salted caramel milkshake. I didn't even know you could hire these out for parties and what an fabulous idea (something to keep up my sleeve next time when I have a party). 

                                                                                   The food truck                          Photo Credit: Dreams & Sparkle 2014

Sliders and Fries

It was a beautiful afternoon watching innocent kids play and have fun and the adults just catching up and having a laugh. I personally can't wait to have children and party plan; just got to meet Mr right! Happy Birthday Kai; thank you for inviting me to celebrate a milestone with you.

In the meantime, go check Gen-Y Mum's blog as she has plenty of great advice and tips for parents and anyone wanting ideas on travel and finance and everything in between. 

Jo x

Oh Mary's

Last night I went to dinner with a stunning and lovely girlfriend at the famous Mary's in Newtown. My friend and I initially met through work and are still working together but our friendship outside has just grown and grown.

We've travelled overseas together to Japan in the middle of their winter! Brrrrrrr, but it was a lot of fun and something that we keep reminiscing about and keep saying that it's a place we want to return too, in the summer though! Tokyo was also where we both "randomly" bumped into Bruno Mars! Although it's a moment we can't prove because he wouldn't take a photo with us, it's a moment that we'll share forever.

Back to Mary's in Newtown....Not sure if you have been there but I have been there a few times and I would have to admit that it's the Mary's Burger that keeps bringing me back. Located at 6 Mary St, Newtown, Mary's looks like a converted church with the original floor boards. 

Walking down the dark street at night, the only way you notice Mary's is the doorman standing at the front guarding and ushering the queue of people in and the "red light". Red lights at the front of what looks like a church doesn't normally go hand in hand but it seriously works in Newtown and is perfect for Mary's!
Once you enter through the doors, you walk into a stunning wood and stone bar with a busy kitchen on your left and walls lined with their drinks and food menu. The place would have to be the first 'church' designed for hipsters! We then make our way up the stairs to the dinning area where they seamlessly manage to get everyone seated and feed semi quick without feeling rushed. Love it!

Between two girls we knew what we wanted the minute we sat down (well, probably from the moment we walked through the doors!), so we promptly order two Mary's burgers (which comes with a side of fries), half a (fried) chicken and mash and gravy. Oh, that gravy!  

We then do what any two girls would normally do while waiting for their feast. We chat and goss about our days and around us, customers come and go; waiters and waitresses are bringing food and drinks and turning the tables quicker then you'd take your underwear off. The music is loud so it's lucky you're sitting close to your friends to hear each other talk. 

Finally, our food and drinks arrive! Time for the feasting to begin. Not sure how many of you do this, even though I'm really looking forward to biting into that burger, instead I start dipping my chips into the potato and gravy (oh the gravy!) - potato on potato! The time comes for the burger to be demolished and it was inhaled! Still a very tasty burger and it would have to be one of the best I've had in Sydney to date; reminds me of the burgers that are made in America - take me back to New York!

Photo Credit: Anonymous 

I can't dismiss the fried chicken, it is very tasty and perfectly crispy, but my heart does belong to the Mary's burger - you win. If you haven't been to Mary's, I strongly encourage you to go, and if you have, invite me along to dinner with you!

Mary's is opening up a take away shop in the CBD which is due to open very soon (Sept/Oct) at 154 Castlereagh Street, Sydney - way too close to work! I will have to double my bootcamp attendance!

Jo x

Bye.....

Today I say bye.... It's not the most easiest thing to say or physically do, especially when you don't want to say it. Some will say maybe it's easier to say "see you later" and that is what I had hope to say but today I don't, today I say bye. 

Seven years ago I was given a second chance at life. I'm not sure why and how I  "cheated" death, but I did and I'm here writing this post. Oh, I just realisd what I  wrote; I'm not writing a goodbye note on my life. Don't worry about that, I love my life and want to continue living it to the fullest. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is a reason for me being here and able to live a fun life; I'm not sure why but I'm here. One thing I have to accept is that when something isn't working out or going to plan in your life then it's probably best to let it go; say bye.  

Saying bye is one of the most difficult things to say and accept and I've been processing this for the last four days now. I tell myself that I'm strong and that I can do it but I have to admit, it is one of the most difficult thing for me to do. It makes me sick thinking about it. 

How do you handle saying bye? How do you accept something you don't really want to accept? How do you process the change that is happening and is also yet to occur? How do you accept that the fight and hope is over? 

So many questions and so many emotions; so many so that I know these may go unanswered. How do you handle this? 

So, I tell myself once again, you're strong, you've fought hard and you've carried hope but you need to continue living your life. Who knows what the future will hold and what will happen next. All you can do is to focus on the present moment and flow with life. 

Today I say bye ..... 

Jo x