Summer beginnings

Almost gently the Sydney summer is taking over the blue skied Spring we have just had. It is 2012 and a man has just beaten the sound barrier whilst sky diving.
The city seems abuzz with people out and about, exercising for summer, sipping coffees in the numerous city cafes' and generally enjoying that feeling of energetic transition towards the most active time of the year. The queues at gelateria Messina are getting longer and longer. Rooftop bars are being chosen over pubs.

Whilst temperatures are still seldom going above 25 degrees, the sun seems more vigorous and determined every day. The Australian sun beats down like it means it. Bondi and all the other beaches are getting busier and posier. The grass is greener and men walk around without wearing suit jackets.
Walking to work in this beautiful atmosphere is amazing, though staying in the office gets harder! Even the CBD seems brighter and less soulless.

I am very much looking forward to this summer. If what they say is true - ie. that la ninha has finally retired for the time being - we should have a scorcher of a time. Like last year we are preparing to receive a number of guests, and now that we have been around for almost two years, we are in place to show them Sydney more confidently. The first on the list are John & Sharon.

Mad Hatters

Last night, as part of Rachel's birthday celebrations, we went to this themed Mad Hatters thing in Waterloo, Sydney. It was held in a warehouse space converted into a pop up restaurant.

The room was cool and eclectically decorated with old TVs, chandeliers, candles, tea cups of all sorts and bits and bobs. This was a pre booked event, so you just turned up and end up sharing two long tables with strangers. Out party consisted of six people. The organiser (the Mad Hatter) worked the room, offering friendly banter, prosecco and wacky canapes, including beetroot candyfloss and parmisan popcorn.

The three course meal (with matching wines) was as wacky, the slowly cooked beef cheek standing out as the best bit.  We spent the evening drinking wine and talking no sense.

All in all it was a lot of fun. It is great to see that Sydney can offer these type of things and events. It made me think of London, of a night in 2010 spent in pop-up restaurant that reproduced a small town street. It also made me think of my last Mad Hatters party, for Laura's hen night in London. Back then I wore bunny ears, this time I was a pilot.