In preparation, shower, shave, sunscreen, Nasonex and a Benadryl to manage my allergies symptoms from yesterday. I felt great and we were ready to rock and roll. For their part Ashley and Katie were not fighting. (You heard it here first) and they were only 10 minutes late arriving downstairs to meet our guide.
Our guide Ellie, lives in a suburb of Sydney. She has worked on the grounds crew at a golf club here in Australia. She continue to work in entertainment and auditions for jobs here in Sydney. She likes the Veronica’s and has mad parallel parking skills.
Our first stop was a pastry and coffee shop in Surrey Park called Humble. We dropped in to try some traditional Australian pastries
The sisters are striking a pose, while we wait for our treats.
Ellie’s coffee made with style
Australian Finger Bun
Cream Cheese frosting. The bread has cranberries, raisins and currents and there is a huge slab of butter in the middle. ♥️. According to TikTok this has been voted #1 Finger Bun in Australia.
This delicious croissant style pastry was on our list because it was just too good to pass up.
The Lamington. I called it the Lexington or the lemmingson for most of the next 2 hours.
A delicate sponge cake with cream in the center. The cake is coated in a layer of chocolate sauce and then rolled in desiccated coconut. I am not usually a fan of the coconut but this cake was great.
An Australian classic—MEAT PIE.
A light flaky crust delicious savory meat and mushroom inside. A surprise hit with our party.
🎊
The aftermath of our breakfast
The aftermath of our breakfast
The girls and I in front of Humble Bakery.
The only thing that hit harder than the Lamington was the pollen causing my allergies. By the end of breakfast my eyes were red and itching, my nose was running and I was congested. Ellie took pity on me and we found a pharmacy for a smash and grab to help my symptoms.
Sudafed for the congestion, Zyrtec for the antihistamine effect, eye drops and Flonase. After swallowing a large combo of pills I hoped to feel better soon. I did review the signs and symptoms of an antihistamine overdose, just in case.
Renewed and slowly improving we headed to the Sydney fish 🐠 market. Sydney is currently building a new fish 🐠 market but the old one has a lot of charm.
The Sydney Fish Market is a fairly unassuming place.
Sydney Fish Market!!!
Standing at the entrance
Wide angle shot of us in front of the fish market.
Seafood vendor. One of many.
Little indoor bistro for snacks
You can get fresh fruit at the fish market.
Fresh Sydney Rock oysters. Sweet and crisp - all they really needed was a little lemon juice but if you want you could add a drop or two of Tabasco.
Fresh Salmon Nigiri, with a packet of wasabi and ginger.
Fresh prawns. Ellie was nice enough to peel and devein for us. So fresh it almost seemed sad to use cocktail sauce on them.
Scallops and Crab legs cooked on the grill. The scallops are remove from the shell and cooke in the shell with a cheese and rice mixtures. Killer good, super filling.
Scallop before
Scallop after. Loved this preparation.
Ashley and Katie at the fish market preparing for the feast.
Look at us enjoying fresh seafood at the fish market. We are having a great time. My nose is down to a small drip and I currently have no signs of an antihistamine overdose.
Ellie, Ashley and Katie before we dig it.
Our next stop was a deli in NewTown. New Town is a funky grunge type of suburb. Lots of funky little shops if you in the mood. A significant amount of street covers many buildings. We walked around New Town a bit before heading to our next meeting adventure.
These are French balconies seen on many of the older homes. Australia is making a significant effort maintain these historic buildings and features.
Street art from New Town
More street art from New Town
For reference CBD (Central Buisness District) downtown large building nice restaurants arise from the harbor where Sydney started. Paddington posh neighborhood with lots of shopping. Surrey Park more eclectic with nice shops, cool pubs and eating establishments. New Town is funky and a little bit like a grunge concert.
The reason we stopped in New Town was to eat at the Continental. Do not worry this is not a secret assassin meeting place in Sydney.
The Continental does not take itself too seriously.
Upstairs at the Continental.
Downstairs at the Continental
Aperol Spritz done right. I guess the classic way is to have it in this style of glass and an olive is involved. We may have had an expert at our table and it wasn’t Ellie. #yourcollegedollarsatwork
Fresh Sourdough Bread with whipped butter
Charcuterie Madness. Layering the cheese, salamina and a pepper was the bomb 💣. We couldn’t finish it all.
Beef Tartare with crispy ships. Very good.
Team Anseth at the Continental.
Up close at the Continental. I can see now and boy do I look like a hot mess.
Elite level parallel parking. Notice the buckets and some construction guys right there watching Ellie the whole time she was parallel parking.
Our next stop was the Rocks section of town down by the harbor. A cool older section with lots of narrow walkways and stairs.
Heading to our wine tasting.
I find it somewhat ironic that Nurses Walk brings us directly to a wine shop. There is no Straussian meaning here, nope none at all.
The map where the grapes come from Barossa is on the left side hotter, drier and Eden Valley is on the left 6 degrees cooler on average and a lot more rain as well.
Our first tasting was this white wine which I thought was excellent.
The wine and the explanations.
Katie, Ashley and I talking smart and drinking some wine.
This Grenache’s origin story involves some German Lutherans who left Germany to avoid persecution. They end up in Australia and start a dairy farm but the guy doesn’t know much about cows. His family made wine in Germany so he plants grapes and starts making wine. He was also a doctor so pretty sure there is no way the cosmos will let me find this wine anything other than awesome.
The Grenache
Everest is their blended wine and it is already sold out. The shop has a couple of bottles left to use up. It was a fantastic wine.
During our wine tasting we broke down the craziest things Ellie has had to deal with while guiding. She described one couple as a White Lotus couple which is hilarious. Another couple had a wife Ellie took shopping while the husband sat drinking water. I am not sure we are #1 group ever but we are definitely top 10.
Sydney still has there Christmas trees up.
Back at the hotel, I realize that 6 tasters or wine and a truck load of antihistamines do not lead to good decision so…..Kari don’t be surprised if you have to sign for a box of wine from Australia.
Team Anseth regrouped and finished the “Foodie Day” having dinner at Cafe Sydney.
Almost back from the brink. Sydney Harbor bridge behind me. A view from the terrace at Cafe Sydney.
A Bee sting to start the night. No antihistamines required here.
Sydney Rock Oysters
Scallops with lime and elderflower
Roasted octopus
Barramundi with gnocchi
Garlic Naan.
Desert
A tall cold Pilsner
A view of the Sydney Harbor Bridge from Cafe Sydney.
The girls at Cafe Sydney
One more time because they look so glamorous.
Leaving the Customs House.
Sydney says Christmas isn’t over till we say it’s over. Also Ashley “the Scrooge” refused a photo op in front of this tree because Christmas is over. I don’t think Christmas is over as long as kindness lives in your heart.
Seriously, we were all tired and went directly to bed. Tomorrow forecast is a bit dicey so we will see what the day holds.
Tata for now.
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