All stories about "Sydney"

There's no point raving about Sydney's harbor, because you've really got to see it to believe it. While those who live here don't take its beauty for granted, many forget to actually leave the foreshore. While taking a ferry over the water is a quick and easy means of claiming to have lived the Sydney Harbour experience, the moment really shouldn't be rushed. The best option is a cruise aboard a slow-moving vessel, replete with quality dining and drinking, so every sight and sound can be properly absorbed. Luckily, there's no shortage of options.

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Everyday on Gridskipper we give you a new map. Some are new, some are fetched from our archive, newly updated. Happy Gridskipping. One of the problems with Sydney is the dearth of late night kitchens. After 10ish you tend to find your options limited to dodgy kebabs, crappy pizza, or whatever travesty the Quickie Mart has warming up in the pie heater. As always, we have tracked down the city's hidden gems, be they Chinese, Italian, something classy, or a decent slice made desirable as the night drags on and your stomach seeks solace in the form of booze-absorbing foodstuffs.

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Yesterday Sydney got the Telegraph City Guide treatment, with a look at nightlife, restaurants, and all the other essentials. The writer, Mark Chippenfield, argues that most Sydney citizens "happen to believe that most good things in life should be accompanied by a water view, a plate of Sydney rock oysters, and a chilled glass of white wine." Hard to argue with that. For our own Sydney coverage, start here. (photo: mugley/flickr)

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So these two machete-armed robbers walk into a bar. But it's not just any bar, it's an Australian bar. And it's not just any Australian bar, it's an Australian bar full of about 50 bikers, holding a meeting. Hilarity of a sort ensued. As one of the club's supervisors said, the robbers "thought they had the upper advantage with their knives and their machetes. They didn't expect to run into a bunch of guys carrying chairs and tables." One of the men was arrested a short distance nearby, and a third man was in a getaway car, but the other suspect, a 16-year-old boy, wasn't so lucky. When he tried to escape, the bikers tied him up with wire and left him for the cops.

Although the robbers did have lousy timing, it appears that their plan was hardly unique: the bar has been held up no fewer than 10 times in the part year, according to CNN. Kids, always keep those club schedules handy. [Boing Boing]

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Friday's the deadline for Australia's Archibald Prize, a contest to determine the best portrait of the year. Though not a favorite, the submission by artist Tim Patch -- a.k.a. "Pricasso" -- has at least generated some buzz (or "excitement" perhaps). That's because Patch paints with his dick. He admits that he also uses his ass to paint backgrounds though, so please, don't typecast him as some kind of novelty act. Man's got range. [SMH]

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I don't mean to sound like a cynical killjoy when it comes to the public apology sounded in Sydney and elsewhere to Australia's indigenous population on behalf of the colonial government. It's a moving and entirely appropriate sentiment. But something about this particular "Sorry!" banner just cracks me. Ooop, wiped out your culture! Our bad. [AFP]

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As only the first of many, many awkward and uncomfortable moments to come regarding the untimely death of Heath Ledger and his role in the upcoming Batman summer blockbuster The Dark Knight, here's a contest/community page related to the movie. Click through, and you're asked to submit photos of yourself and friends dolled up as Ledger's Joker, standing in front of buildings or landmarks representative of your city. Lots of pre-death examples already, such as LAX, the Taj Mahal, Rio de Janeiro, Washington DC, Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, and the Sydney Opera House. Ripe for both abuse and actual homage work. [via]

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Crown Street in Surry Hills is only a five-minute walk from Sydney's Central Station, but it's a world of difference from the city in terms of the variety of dining. At least every second (if not every first) shopfront offers some sort of flavor you couldn't get at its neighboring venue, meaning you could stay for weeks and still not sample everything on offer. There's everything from super chic to complete dive, but the good food far outweighs the bad.

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When it comes to thrill rides in Sydney, we're a bit lackluster in our offering compared to many major cities around the world. While it could be argued that there's no need for such mindless entertainment when we've got such beautiful landscapes and natural attractions to take in, it'd still be nice to offer some short-lived action to rival our big-city counterparts. Here are a few local thrills to check out, from the well known to a few that tenuously resemble rides, simply because Sydney's Wonderland hasn't been an option for some time now.

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Considering we are a nation of sports-obsessed freaks, I thought it would be appropriate to post a list of some of Sydney's most attractive leisure sports centers. Maybe it's stating the obvious, but sports has infiltrated every household in Australia; per capita, we are the best sporting nation on the world, with the highest level of achievement for a country of close to 20 million people. There are plenty of open parks and free leisure centers for anyone to use, waiting only for you, your bat, and your ball to come round for a game or three.

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And by "top" we mean "most popular" of course. Sex sells, and sex practically sells itself around these parts if our stats are to be believed. Even so, drugs aren't to be outdone, and crime, television, and architecture make appearances as well. Let's not forget macaroni and cheese! New York gets most of the attention, which we have no problem with really. Note that our ranking is moderately suspect due to various statistical anomalies from Google Analytics -- for example, that Milan pickpocketing video remains a perennial favorite. Regardless, check out our 20 most popular posts for ye olde 2007.

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Oh how I want to involve myself in the illustrious world of art, to be high cultured and enlightened. 'Art' I have been told is for the masses but since when do the masses have free time to go and look at a penis hanging on the wall. Especially if it costs 10 AUD to see one. Unfortunately Sydney has decades to go until it can consider itself a competitive art city alongside New York, London and Berlin. I'm no art major, but even I can see how behind we are as a city in the art world. Nonetheless, these are some good places to start off with if you want to feel arty and cultured in Sydney

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So, all your friends have deserted you to return home to family and fridges that actually have food in them, while your relatives are just too far away or just too plain horrible to spend the day with. It's Christmas Day in Sydney and you're all alone, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. This could be where your fun begins. Rather than spending the day with people you're obliged to be nice to, meet yourself some new friends or do some exploring that you couldn't do with others in tow. Here is your guide to Christmas Day in Sydney for today's urban orphan.

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We understand. You've been so caught up in drinking cheap wine from plastic cups at office Christmas parties, watching cheesy Christmas TV re-runs as you nurse your cheap wine hangover and trying to plan for the year's most over-rated night out (New Years Eve) that you have completely forgotten to purchase presents for those you love (or at least are obliged to buy gifts for). That's ok. We knew you would do this, and so here is a save-your-arse list of Sydney shopping venues open late (well, late for Sydney anyway) where you can partake in the spirit of yuletide consumerism.

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In continuing with our ever-vigilant coverage of international animal cuteness we bring you this slideshow from the Sydney Zoo featuring shots of the zoo animals receiving their annual Christmas treats. Not only are these pictures incredibly precious, but this shot of a Kodiak bear gorging on a box of fruit pies has to be the most inspired solution for re-gifting fruitcake ever. [Reuters]

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It's a good thing that only around 1000 Mexican nationals live in Sydney, because the Mexican food scene here is largely of the greasy mince and 'too much sour cream is never enough' genre. One of the factors contributing to the dearth of decent Mexican restaurants in Sydney could be the confusion that the average Aussie has between bland old 'Tex Mex' and genuine Mexican cuisine. But perhaps hope is on the horizon, and leading the revolution would have to be the well-loved tacquerias that are part of the Guzman y Gomez franchise. Starting with this sour cream-free institution, here is a collection of Mexican restaurants that you would maybe only slightly cringe to take a Mexican to.

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It's a hard thing to pin down but there is a sense that eating kosher in Sydney is getting easier. It's never something that has been put out in the open, for the obvious reasons that setting up something within the kosher arena demands a lot of detailed attention, time and money. And the sad thing about kosher restaurants is that they really don't last very long due to small demand and lack of support from the Jewish community. Yet there are some tasty treats and meals to be enjoyed at several locations in Sydney, all provided in the following guide.

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Just in case you aren't getting enough of a Sydney fix here, we see via Jaunted that Times Online put out a new comprehensive guide, 100 Ways to Discover Sydney. As one would guess, they list one hundred restaurants, bars, museums, shops and sites, and as expected with any list like this, the result is overwhelming, boring, and marginally useful. That said, about a third of the list, that third being the restaurant recommendations, isn't entirely forgettable. The 31-venue list consists of recs from some of the city's top chefs, and they list everything from their favorite places for a hangover cure, to the best restaurant views, excellent tapas, and high-end, high-price dining.

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Since It's not a major international transport hub, when people fly to Sydney, they usually stay here for at least few days. Unless you're a drug mule who's mistakenly come via Sydney on your way to North America (...or you are en route to NZ, Melbourne or Perth) there's a good chance you'll be here for over 24 hours. For arguments sake, let's pretend you've just landed in Sydney only to find out you've picked up a rare form of Avian Influenza (somehow managing to give quarantine the slip). You've got a snotty nose, a temperature, and 24 hours left to live. What are you going to do? Seek medical treatment for a virus that's probably going to kill you anyway - or battle your way through 24 hours of breathing difficulties, chest pains and lethargy to enjoy your last moments on earth? You might create human-to-human bird flu pandemic, but at least you'll go out with a bang. Flu or no flu, here's how I'd spend my last hours in Sydney.

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You know that feeling of not belonging when you walk into certain clothing stores? That feeling of being looked down upon by the assistants simply because you might have forgotten to brush your hair that morning, or didn't don your designer duds just to go shopping? Sydney's Darlinghurst is rife with such boutiques, where you'll pay through the nose for an exclusive yet wacky outfit which could just as easily be mistaken for an ensemble assembled from the local markets. But if you're into designer labels at all costs, here are a few outlets to hot-foot it to in time to deck yourself out in a top-notch designer Christmas outfit.

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