Cafe Lounge, Surry Hills

I planned ahead and finally got to book a table at Cafe Lounge on a cold autumn night.



I was running late, as per usual, and tried to get a taxi and failed. So I had to walk the length of Goulburn Street to Cafe Lounge. Cafe Lounge is defined as a small bar. If you want a table, I suggest booking early. If you walk in, I suspect you'll be standing around waiting for people to leave their table. It wasn't super busy when I got there. Though as we left at around 9pm more people did seem to be coming in.

It has a very cosy vibe and I loved all the decor.







In terms of food, it was kind of limited. They really only have pizza and then some sides. We ordered two pizzas and we waited quite a while for them to arrive at the table.


Ducks Nuts - $12


Chorizo - $12

Instead of numbers for your table they have little cute toys like these:




We also ordered jugs. All jugs are $25 each. I guess because we had 4 to a jug, the alcoholic effects weren't really felt.


Mon Mon Sangria. There was something about this that tasted a little different to sangria that I've had in the past.


Pimms Garden

I liked that it was so cosy and cute and a little bit hipster. Though, I don't know what that word means anymore! A couple of the bartenders and the clientele are British, if that's your thing. XDD

• Find Cafe Lounge at 277 Goulburn Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.

The Carrington, Surry Hills

I was googling, trying to find somewhere to hold an early birthday/end-of-PLT event and The Carrington was one of the names that turned up in the search. Its menu looked amazing too. My first choice was Cafe Lounge but I didn't inquire early enough for that.

I had pre-drinks already at my old work and was running terribly late and had to take a taxi there. By the way, so difficult to get a taxi on a Friday night, on the street. Also, kind of embarrassing when a full taxi just drives right by you. XD



It was pretty packed. Lots of people standing. I asked the bartender if it's always like this. He says that on the other weekdays it's pretty quiet. Btw, these photos are like later in the night as people had left the place.




And here's what I ordered:


Calamari Slider - $6; Meatball Slider - $6

Both so good. And I love that they're mini in size because you can eat 2 sliders and not just one!


Jalapeno and smoked cheddar croquettes - $14


Pretty sure this is the kingfish pastrami on rye - $4, though feel free to correct me.

It had a pretty good vibe to it. I hope to come back to eat more of their food. The bartenders were super nice. They do take EFTPOS. Though I'm pretty sure they have a minimum before you can use it. I can't remember what amount it was though.

There are other places for functions. One day I'll like to book out The Apartment. Seems like it'd be a fun time.

• Find The Carrington at 563 Bourke Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.

Jamberoo, Kiama, Wollongong

Back in March the family took a trip down south to Jamberoo. We had to reschedule because of horrible weather back in February. So glad we didn't attempt to go in the rain. It was such a good, sunny day on the Saturday we finally went.

This was the first time I've been to Jamberoo. I didn't know that you could rent huts. I thought we would have to find a spare patch of ground to rest our towels on. But we had the amazing Taipan Hut! So big! Much bigger than it needed to be and as the name suggests it was right next to the TAIPAN ride.

But first, the car ride down there. Lots of greenery and COWS. So many. I don't think they're for eating but for milking?




Our hut.



The eponymous Taipan right next to us!




I went on the Taipan 3 times! So good! It's the darkness and the potential of capsizing that makes it amazing. I rode it with my little cousins and I screamed more than they did!

And here's our food for the day. Yep. That is rice you see.



There was also cake since it was my cousin's birthday too!



For reasons that I won't really go into (just some drama) we left Jamberoo and headed to Kiama to see the blowhole. I was expecting to see some actual blowhole action (don't be dirty!) but alas no. Still a beautiful day for sightseeing.









My favourite sign that made me yell at all my family for walking on the rocks.




Then we drove up to Wollongong for some swimming between the flags. I'm not much of a swimmer. I may have mentioned in the past that I haven't owned a swimming costume since high school. But I loved jumping into the waves and getting hit by them. If only I had the courage to go deeper!





I had such a good time but when I got home I found sand in my bag and in my shoes and my pants and my hair. And now I know what Kramer was talking about when he was inventing his perfume "The Beach". A beach smell is good.

It's been pretty warm weather in Sydney. Warm for autumn so maybe a trip to a much closer beach isn't out of the question!

Thursday Night Shopping

Long time, no post. Can't believe it's March already.

My cousin's birthday is soon and she loves My Little Pony. At least I think she does. She does watch it. During lunch I went to Myer and found this toy. Though I think her favourite might be Twilight Sparkle and not Rainbow Dash. Someone at work said, "Oh, isn't 10 a bit too old for toys?" And I was like NO. Children are growing up way too fast. They need to be kids so toys is it! Oh and bubbles to, just because.



I'm off to Jamberoo this weekend for the cousin's birthday. We were supposed to go 2 weeks ago but we had that horrendous, wet, rainy weekend. But the delay gave me time to properly shop for swimming costumes. I am not a beach person. I can barely swim. So I don't have a swimming costume handy. Last time I had to use it I was in high school. And that was many, many years ago.

I had been to Myer at lunch and when I went again after work the sale swimwear section was much neater and the Miss Shop brand of swimwear had been reduced from $7.50 per separate to $5.00. So I bought a bikini top, bottoms and boardshorts for 15 bucks. So yay for sales! Myer had racks and racks of stuff on sale. But I was there on a mission. Mustn't make any unnecessary purchases.


And then I headed off to Kinokuniya to waste some time before my train ride home and looksies! A signed copy of Coraline. I was so going to buy 2 of them and gift one of them to my cousin but I couldn't justify the expense. I have a habit of overbuying and overgifting when I don't have the means to do that. But yay! Signed book!



So yep. Shopping. Maybe "Thursday Night Shopping" posts will be a regular thing? Maybe. XD

Hana Hana

In what used to be French Riviera comes the latest in Japanese fast food. Well, I term it like that. I don't know if that's actually a thing.

When you first enter you see 3 touch screens to order from. Do not order too much on these because there are other side dishes on offer past the touchscreens. This was my mistake. I ordered 2 half-sized meals and then was confronted with all the fried goodness and then sashimi. And how I regretted that I bought 2 half-sized meals. I would have stocked up on sashimi.




Once you're done with your meal you put your own trays away. Upstairs is where you can order dessert. I was already so full but when in Rome ...

And look at the pretty-ness upstairs:




This was some sort of tapioca crepe. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.


On the menu are 2 types of iced coffee: Japanese and Australia (I think???? XD). I chose Japanese. It's the cheaper of the two.




It comes in a very tall glass and then you pour in the syrup and milk, as desired, and it makes very pretty swirly-ness in your drink. Taste wise, really bitter. I'm a coffee drinker but so bitter! Maybe an acquired taste? Maybe I should have added more syrup?

I think it's a pretty good and decent feed for such a good price. I'm a bit undecided on the dessert part because I didn't quite enjoy it. But maybe it deserves another taste test in that respect.

• Find Hana Hana at Shop 4/5 68 Liverpool Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

Earrings

Long time, no blog. I think January was just a big holiday hangover for me. Like, I kept telling myself that it was just the New Year and I had all this time to get all my sh*t together. This is untrue. It is now almost mid-February and yeah ...

BUT I have re-found my blogging mojo, somewhat. It's just a shame that my actual social life is, at the moment, not quite interesting. I'm currently doing my PLT 5 days a week and by the time it's the weekend I'm just UGH about having to do stuff. I don't know how you working people do it all the time. I mustn't have the stamina you guys do. I must work on that.

Anyhoo, this post is about earrings. During my lunch break I was walking around Pitt Street Mall. I had every intention of trying to find somewhere to sit and read a book. But alas, I found myself in Sportsgirl. And I bought earrings that were on sale.

So from $14.95 down to $2.95 for the dangling ones on the left and $0.95 for the skull stud and drop earring on the right. Also, excuse the kinda bad pics. Should have used a different lens. Ah, well.




Funny thing is when I brought them back to the office to show people one of the girls was like "OMG I BOUGHT THAT FOR FULL PRICE LIKE A MONTH AGO!" which is just crazy and made me think I should try to buy more stuff that is on sale unless I really have to have it right then and there. XD