We had an unexpected few days in Sydney recently thanks to the war in Iran. It stopped my sister being able to fly out from Dublin so we took the flights she and her son had planned to use and stayed in the holiday apartment where she had intended to spend time with my parents. It was not the easiest of reasons to go on holiday and we had less than a week's notice but it was delightful to be in Sydney with family.
I have a few posts to share about Sydney (as you will see at the end of this post) but decided to start with the Harbour which is always magnificent to see. No matter how many times I visit Sydney, I still have a moment of breathless awe each time I see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. This time we dined at the very busy Opera Bar on the edge of the Harbour. Great food with a view.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge, fondly known as the Coathanger, is iconic and easily recognisable. Yet it is so huge when you see it in real life. What an amazing achievement in the 1930s when it was built. On my first visit my mum told us that they are always painting the bridge because by the time they finish they have to start again. (See this article on Painting the Sydney Harbour Bridge). When I was at high school, if one of my friends thought I was being fanciful, she would say "yeah, and there's a bridge in Sydney I can sell to you",
Less pleasing is the cruise ships that dock in Sydney Harbour. They are ridiculously huge and block the views of the bridge from Circular Quay and of the Harbour from the Rocks. While I was there with my dad on our first evening, we were happy to see this ship leave. The next day when we got there another huge cruise ship had already docked.
As an aside, this photo is taken from the Circular Quay train platform nearest the Harbour where you get a great view.
We all had places we wanted to go in Sydney on this trip, some as a group and sometimes we split up. My mum was keen to go to the iconic Opera Bar and who could resist the lure of a meal on the edge of the Harbour by the Opera House. It is walk-ins only - no bookings. Sounds easy when you see how big it is in the above photo but my mum said she has been before and not been able to find a seat.
I went ahead to find a seat. The day had been 29 C and at 5pm it was still warm so I was looking for seating in the shade of the umbrellas. It was already busy . I walked and walked and finally reached the end of the shaded seats without finding a free table. It was only once I doubled back that I spotted a table where we could sit. The above photo was taken after out meal when it was even busier with more people in the seats not in the shade..
While you could order from a QR code, we were pleased with our friendly table service and started with drinks. The non-alcoholic offerings were impressive. I had a glass of NV Zero Hour Non-Alc Prosecco <0.5% ($11). It was nice though not quite as bubbly as I had hoped. Everyone else had the mocktails. They were $17 each and very pleasingly refreshing.
My mum had the "Sydneysider Spritz": Sammy Piquant Jetsetter, Verjus, Lemon Myrtle, Fizz,
My dad had "Tropic Project": Sammy Piquant South Pacific, Pineapple, Lime, Almond, Coconut, Mint
Sylvia had the "Nah-garita": Sammy Piquant Oaxacan, Lime, Agave
The menu was very inclusive with something to suit everyone. Snacks with lots of finger food and a sharing platter to start followed by substantial salads, burgers, pizzas, mains and sides. While there was lots of seafood and meat, there were options for the vegan among us and gluten free diets were also catered for.
We had already had a really big brunch so we were happy to
eat lightly for the rest of the day. My dad had the spring rolls, my mum had a raw tuna special with a lemony tahini sauce and they shared calamari.
I ordered the Golden Cauliflower
with hummus, pickled chilli, mint, parsley, dill, sunflower romesco
& lemon ($25). It was just what I needed; lots of veg with lots of
great flavours. I also had a piece or two of Sylvia's excellent vegan
Margherita pizza ($28).
It was such a lovely place to eat that this is a place where you have to share with the crowds. I loved the view of the Harbour Bridget from our seats between the umbrellas. When we left to stroll along the promenade, we had a great view of the Harbour looking back towards Circular Quay and the skyscrapers of the city centre of Sydney.
We walked past the Opera House. It is so often depicted like the crest of a cockatoo, but up close when seen from all angles, it can look quite different. I love this view up the steps that reminds us that there is activity going on inside the iconic sails. The darkened windows loom above us like the gaze of an authoritarian government in a sci fi movie, but if we would have ventured inside we would have seen the crowds in a whole range of outfits flocking to see the Madame Butterfly opera.
We took a look in a souvenir shop but this is such a major tourist precinct that the shops are as expensive as the rents. Sylvia disappeared briefly when she was checking out the vegan options in one of the ice cream shops. She was very pleased to have a mango and raspberry sorbet.
It was very pleasant to be out with so many others enjoying the balmy evening at the water's edge. But the sun was setting behind the Museum of Contemporary Art, on the opposite side of the Harbour by the Rocks,. We had been on our feet a lot during the day so we were happy to go back to our holiday apartment close to Circular Quay and rest.
As we walked back by Circular Quay I enjoyed reading some of the plaques on the Sydney Writers Walk. It is surprising to see Mark Twain included. He visited Australia in 1895 and wrote of it: "Australian history is almost always picturesque, indeed it is so
curious and strange, that it is itself the chiefest novelty the country
has to offer. It does not read like history but like the most beautiful
lies. And all of a fresh sort, not mouldy old stale ones. It is full of
surprises, and adventures and incongruities, and incredibilities, but
they are all true, they all happened."
However the 60 writers given plaques by the Harbour are mostly Australia like Clive James who wrote: "n Sydney Harbour ... the yachts will be racing on the crushed diamond
water under a sky the texture of powdered sapphires. It would be
churlish not to concede that the same abundance of natural blessings
which gave us the energy to leave has every right to call us back." Not all are about Sydney Harbour but they give a wonderful overview of the canon of Australian literature. If you aren't lucky enough to travel to Sydney Harbour, you can peruse the quotations on the Sydney Writers Walk wikipedia page.
Of course Sydney Harbor is also immortalised in art. I leave you with a lovely piece of street art by the Bridge Stairs which playfully paints a picture of the north of the Harbour on the west side of Bridge with Luna Park. It is a reminder that Sydney Harbour is so much bigger than the small but very scenic part that the tourists flock to by Circular Quay. I am familiar with this small body of water but there is so much more I wish I had time to explore in Sydney Harbour.
More Green Gourmet Giraffe posts about our March 2026 trip to Sydney:
We recently had a few days holiday in Sydney. I enjoyed seeing some of the street art as we made our way around. Sydney does not have the same reputation for street art as Melbourne but it has some great artworks.
The Rocks (above): this mural is on a wall of the Bridge Stairs off Cumberland Street. It looks upon a synthetic sports field of the KGV Recreation Centre. The whimsical artwork of the balloon ride is a passing the Bridge Stairs is fun.
City Centre:
Birds adorn an Australia Post box near QVB.
Marrickville:
Alice in Wonderland and the Cheshire Cat on the corners of Victoria Street and Sydneham Road.
Is that a bird mask or a mystical figure looking at the Tiffany lamp? On Sydnenham Road.
Sydney University:
A blue and white Aboriginal artwork in a circle outside a university building near
Glebe:
"40 years of caring: Glebe Commemorates Elsie Woman's Refuge"
"The rainbow of hope for all seeking refuge" as part of the commemoration of the Elsie Woman's Refuge. It includes an acknowledgement of the Indigenous Gadigal people.
I was touched by this little girl playing with the butterflies and flowers at the end of the rainbow.
A friendly face painted in the land behind Glebe Youth Service, 84 Glebe Point Road.
Artwork of ancient buildings, a wise man and a cherub on the wall of Badde Manors, an iconic vego restaurant at 1/37 Glebe Point Road. I am not sure if it is still open - online I could find celebration of it reopening in 2023 but it was closed when we passed.
Surry Hills
Adam Goodes mural celebrating Indigenous Sydney Swans AFL football player who quit being a professional sportsperson after experiencing more racism than any human should have to endure.
Bourke Street Bakery. I had to search online to check I didn't miss this mural of the baker on the side of the building last time I visited in 2018. Apparently it was painted in 2021. Pretty amazing!
Mosaic of people at a fairground early last century.
Odd looking yellow guy with spiky yellow hair like the sun that makes me wonder if it is meant to echo the Indigenous flag with the face as the sun!
This painting reads "Perso forever". It seems a tribute to a street artist who has died. I assume that is why the image is of a man with angel wings and a spray can in each hand.
Baby Yoda in a bin? Happy he is not. I think that the text says "King Person always blowin up the spot ... forever with our hearts."
Spooky but cute spirits with hoods and glowing eyes. Painted on a gate.
Lots of colourful flowers painted around the doorway of the coop.co building.
Sydney Central Station
Along the wall of the Central Station facing Surry Hills is a series of illustrations of the history of the station. Above is a photo of two business men reading their newspapers in a train carriage.
A picture of the cafeteria with a server in apron and cap and a crowded row of customers with meals along the other side of the counter.
Most fascinating was the series of pictures of the construction workers. Above are men looking casually dressed in the early decades of the Twentieth Century.
This picture from 1975-1990 shows the workers may in overalls with a few hard hats and just one fluro vest.
This picture from 2000-2005 shows everyone in fluro workwear and most in hard hats. It is so interesting how street art becomes part of the history and also tells the history of a city.
More posts about our March 2026 trip to Sydney (coming soon):
QVB, Duke of Clarence, Uchilounge (City centre)
Miss Sina, Oh My Days, Sappho Books (Glebe and Marrickville)
Bills, Bourke St Bakery, Shift Eatery (Surry Hills), the Rocks, Airports
Sydney University, Camperdown
Opera Bar and Sydney Harbour
More holiday street art posts on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
February was hot and busy (though not as busy as March which is already getting away from me before I can reflect on last month). I joined a protest against the visit of the Israeli President. We had vegan adventures for Sylvia's birthday and ate lots of good meals at cafes. See more about my month: In My Kitchen: February 2026 post.
The final evening of February rang in the craziness of March with the USA bombing Iran and my sister turned back homewards midway on the first leg of her flight from Dublin to Melbourne via the Middle East. There is lots more I could write about this but that will have to wait until my March post.
Above is a delicious Summer salad I had at Wild Timor Cafe in Coburg. It had apple, lettuce, goats cheese,
tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, a pretty swirl of vinaigrette and something crunchy (nuts?). I didn't take notes. Just the thing for a hot summer day.
Hareruya Pantry, Carlton
I had this miso brownie at Hareruya pantry (15 - 17 Lincoln Square South) while on a lunchtime walk. It is opposite Lincoln Square, a lovely green urban park. I have not been there for ages and was enchanted by the kids play area with rope ladders and a little wooden house on a pole. There are lots of shady trees so when I met a friend I used to work with, we met here on a warm day and were pleased to get out of sunshine.
Tylers Milk Bar, Preston
I have raved about Tylers Milkbar (656 Plenty Road) so many times; they always impress. We love it. Sylvia and I had a great lunch there. I had the Caesar salad of "Crispy cos lettuce, chickpeas, roasted carrots, green peas, croutons, crispy bacon bits, capers, dill, chives & creamy tahini dressing finished with a cheesy seed crumble". I had the tofu bacon option to make it vegetarian. Sylvia had "The F*#%ing amazing toastie" with a chickpea omelette. More about this toastie further down. We were both very satisfied.
Pan Pan Theatre's Casando, North Carlton
This photo of a gorgeous sunset was taken on my ride home on a thankfully cool evening after
immersing myself in Pan Pan Theatre's performance of Casando by Samuel
Becket. (An fantastic birthday present - thanks Chris.) We met in the Wild Geese pub on the Southern end of Sydney Road, Brunswick and then crossed into Princes Park in North Carlton where we donned black hooded cloaks and noise cancelling headphones with a recording of Irish actors reading the play. We walked in single file around the park with our heads down (mostly) and steady footsteps that made rhythmic crunch on the gravel. I would have loved to have been an onlooker. Nevertheless it was fun to be part of the spectacle and occasionally look up to see reactions of passers-by.
I felt like a
monk taking part in an ecclesiastical assembly as we paced among the trees in
silence and meditation. With our earphones hidden under our hoods, it looked silent but actually we were listening to Irish voices, intoning a script in which
the mundane becomes portentous, and the occasional bursts of discordant music. One bloke in a ute, driving past us
on Royal Parade, yelled out "what the hell?" and who could blame him in
these apocalyptic times!
Protest against visit of the Israeli president, Flinders Street Station, CBD
On a Monday night I rode to the city after work to join the protest against the visit of the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, who was invited by our government despite him being found by the UN to be responsible for inciting genocide. I finally had the fire in my belly and the circumstances where I could get to a pro-Palestine protest. I wish it had been earlier but was glad finally to demonstrate my anger and concern! I was met by a sea of Palestinian flags, political placards and thousands of people gathering in one of the busiest intersections in Melbourne (Naarm).
As it was I stayed for an hour of speeches and then went home rather than continue with the March. The speeches were varying in quality. (When Lidia Thorpe spoke about the links with the Australian Indigenous experiences, I was amused to overhear someone say that they didn't know that Israel was oppressing Aboriginal people.) When I got home and saw that the mainstream media only focused on the Sydney protests where the state governments recent legislation allowed the police to created conditions for unnecessary clashes and violence. I was so angry I contacted our local radio station the next day but it is so frustrating trying to comment on a complex issue in the short space allocated.
Most moving and insightful at the Melbourne protest was the speech by Mai Saif who starts by saying "I was asked what would you say to Herzog if he was right in front of you ... I just looked at the
reporter and said what do you say to a person who cannot see you as a
human being." She told of her memories in Palestine as a 6 year old having a soldier point a gun at her head, of being tear gassed when coming home from school, of her grandfather released from prison being beaten and broken but refusing to be silenced. You can see more of her speech and more footage of the protests as well as insightful and compassionate commentary on The Shot's episode on 15 February 2025: Cohesion, Division and State Violence – with guests Crystal Andrews and Antoun
Issa.
Ballards, Thornbury
We shared an amazing 9 dish dinner at Ballards vegan restaurant (915 High Street). I loved that the courses were lots of vegetables, nut and seed sauces and whimsical touches with no mock meat. Having a non- alcoholic sangria was also a treat. This was such a great special meal that Sylvia organised for my birthday. You can read more about our dinner in my Ballards blog post.
Tylers Milkbar, Preston II
I had a pleasant lunch at the wonderful Tylers Milkbar (656 Plenty Road) with my friend Jo in the courtyard. She had a vegan version of the Top of the Morning burger. I had the "The F*#%ing amazing toastie (Vegan option, GF option): Spring onion omelette, Six Eyed Scorpion crispy chilli oil, more spring onion and double tasty cheese with a side of our roasted sesame sauce for a dipping good time". I had a vegan version so I could have the spring onion chickpea pancake which was so so good. Sylvia earlier in the month had had hers with tofu bacon and asked for minimal chilli oil. I forgot to ask for either of these and loved the chickpea omelette that I didn't mind but I did scrape most of the chilli oil off my sandwich and found that it was a nice spiciness for me. It was fun to have Jo's company for most of the bike ride home.
Croix Croissant, Flemington
Sylvia and I had a visit to Croix Croissant bakery (185 Mt. Alexander Rd) soon after Valentine's day. She was delighted that they still had their seasonal specials available and ordered the vegan Pink rose brulee danish and the soy Pink latte with a sweet berry flavour. She loved them. I had a (not vegan) Banoffee cruffin which was lovely but my personal preference would have been more caramel and less custard. Then because we got there so late, we were given a freebie vegan Passionfruit coconut cruffin topped with the cutest vanilla cream with a centre of passionfruit and coconut jam. Again Sylvia enjoyed it more than me as I am not really into vanilla cream but the pastry was amazing.
Damona factory, Williamstown North
One of Sylvia's heart's desires on her birthday was to visit the Damona factory (40 Chelmsford St) to buy offcuts of their fantastic vegan cheese. We rang first to see if they had offcuts before leaving home that morning. They were very friendly and we got samples of mozzarella, American cheese, pecorino, feta and brie. It is Sylvia's favourite vegan cheese and we are so happy it is made here in Melbourne.
Adventures in the western suburbs of Melbourne
The above birthday trip to Damona was just the start of Sylvia's birthday adventure in the west of Melbourne. We are not out that way often so we made the most of it by shopping at the wonderful Helping Hands op shop (85-89 Hampshire Road, Sunshine), purchasing Dubai chocolate pistachio paste at iPantry (99-101 Proximity Drive Sunshine West) and finding more bargains at Savers (33 Albert Street, Footscray). See my In My Kitchen: February 2026 post for more about these and also Sylvia's birthday presents.
Along the way, I found out the hard way that if you don't take the correct lane on the West Gate freeway to skirt around the new tunnel you have to go the long way over the bridge and back to turn off to Williamstown. I also enjoyed seeing some beautiful street art and have shared these among other photos in my post on Street Art in Melbourne: North Melb and West of Melbourne. We also had a fantastic lunch at One for the Crow in Maidstaone which as you can see above had some wonderful crow wall art. You can read below more about our scrumptious meal.
One for the Crow - burger
Sylvia was already a big fan of One for the Crow (9 Commercial Street, Maidstone). She could not wait to try more after enjoying the Big Brekkie at this vegan cafe previously. On this visit she ordered the "Nashville Hot 'Honey' Burger: Crumbed enoki mushroom drizzled with a hot 'honey' glaze, served with cabbage slaw, pickles and a side of chips, $24". She declared it one of her best ever burgers.
We also ordered one of their vegan fried eggs on the side because although Sylvia had had it previously I was curious. I had intended to order it on the Hummus and Avocado (Beetroot hommus, sliced avocado topped with almond feta, smokey soy and sesame roasted pepitas, lightly pickled cucumber with fresh herbs on toasted sourdough. Perhaps fortunately it was unavailable because am not sure I could eat a whole one of these eggs. The yolk is a carrot and sweet potato mixture and the white is seasoned tofu. It was gooey in a way that I find icky in regular eggs and was too eggy for me. Sylvia enjoyed it though she found it less flavoured than regular eggs. But it was fascinating that it looked so real and like regular fried eggs, it makes a meal look so much fancier! We just had it on the side on a plate and even then it looked amazing.
One for the Crow - Reuben
Instead of the Hummus and Avo, I had the Reuben Toasted Sandwich: "Pastrami spiced tempeh, cheese, pickled cabbage, almond feta, dill pickles and kimchi mayo on sourdough toast, $21". I am so sorry my photo does not do justice to this amazing sandwich. It is the best Reuben I have ever had and I just loved the spiced tempeh and the vegan cheesiness with the tart pickled veg.
One for the Crow - waffle
Our lunch was so good and it was a birthday celebration so we splurged on the "Creme Brulee Waffle: served with cashew custard, honeycomb, strawberries, roasted almonds and ice cream, $20". I was glad we were sharing as we were pretty full by now. But it was a wonderful waffle. The combination of nuts, honeycomb, ice cream and berries was superb and the waffle was hot and crisp as it should be.
It was a great experience. For our drinks, Sylvia had the Biscoff milkshake with a shot of coffee and loved it. I was happy to have a kombucha. The staff were friendly and happy to help. We were both very full as we left but very happy to have eaten such good food.
Red Sparrow Pizza, Fitzroy
Sylvia is fond of a week of birthday celebrations so a few days later we went to Red Sparrow Pizza (60 Rose Street). It claims to be Melbourne's first and only vegan pizzeria. We are lucky it is only a few suburbs away. Sylvia had eaten there before and raved about it. She started with the Garlic Parmesan Not Wings which she enjoyed but asked me if chicken is always so stringy, having never eaten the stuff herself. On her last visit, she loved the Cheeseburger pizza (Tomato Base, Mozzarella, Crumbled Burger, Red Onion, Pickles, Burger Sauce and Sesame Seeds, $30) so she ordered it again. I chose the Verde pizza (Pesto Base, Mozzarella, Artichoke, Spinach, Broccolini, and Toasted Pepitas, $28 with optional goats style cashew cheese). It was the prettiest pizza with edible flower garnishes and tasted good but I preferred the Cheeseburger.
Red Sparrow Pizza II
We also ordered mocktails: a berry and a matcha. Mine was a bit tart but Sylvia's was really delightful and she loved having a vegan foam on top.
Of course we ordered too much and took some pizza home in their cute Red Sparrow box (with the lost in sauce illustration) that our cat now enjoys sitting on.
Wild Timor Cafe, Coburg II
On another warm day, I returned to the Summer Salad at Wild Timor Cafe (282 Sydney Rd). It had apple, lettuce, goats cheese,
tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, vinaigrette, dukkah and pomegranate arils. While I loved it this time, especially all the crunch from the dukkah, I was less keen on the dukkah's spices. I preferred the previous version of the salad that you can see at the top of the post. I had a chat to the staff who said I could try it without the dukkah next time.
In the News:
The media have continued to be focused on Epstein and Israel, with some the Winter Olympics offering some light relief. In Australia there was a lot to be said about pro-Palestine protests (see more above), immigration and the Liberal and National parties joining up once more to be the Liberal National coalition. Our Prime Minster put his foot in his mouth when he called Grace Tame 'difficult' and our Treasurer is looking at reforming Capital Gains Tax. Some interesting reading below:
Notable deaths were Jon Kadulka, the sharp-witted Tasmanian political cartoonist, and James Van Der Beek who is remembered fondly from Dawsons Creek and his good humoured sending himself up in later years.
Watching and listening (highly recommended):
Stranger Things, series 5: the final series of this coming of age, sci-fi, horror Netflix series. Great characters, fascinating plot, amazing scenery, disturbing villains, 1980s nostalgia and memorable lines like "well butter my butt and call me a biscuit" from Murray. My favourite character has to be Joyce because Winona Ryder makes me nostalgic for my days as a twentysomething.
Tales from outer suburbia: an animated tv series based on Shaun Tan's otherworldly graphic novel, shown on ABC iview.
Emily Kate Genatowski: My year living with a robot: Fascinating Ted talk podcast about considering on the day to day and policy challenges we will face with AI-powered robots in our lives rather than panicked statements on robots taking all our jobs and destroying our world.
A short history of the innovations that have shaped human progress: a Conversations podcast with Andrew Leigh about his book on the history of innovations and how they change people's lives in both good and damaging ways (eg the printing press, the industrial revolution and AI) and how when a society is stable they are more likely to emerge.
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