Manly, Which We Rode to Shelly Beach for a Late Breakfast, Followed

Manly, which we rode to Shelly Beach re-creation of the Great Barrier Reef with riding boots and helmets and for a late breakfast, followed by a ride mesmerised all of us. took them for a half-hour trail ride. out to the playground at Queenscliff On our only misty day, we Opened in 2011, the sprawling and then a lazy afternoon playing in discovered that the Powerhouse Darling Quarter playground has the sand at Manly Beach. Museum covers everything from space deservedly won international design No visit to Sydney is complete and transport to design and ecology. awards and entertains both toddlers without a visit to its iconic Opera Thrilled to receive free (temporary!) and teens, with a huge water play House. Designed by Danish architect tattoos at the entrance, the kids darted area, a flying fox, swings, slides, rings, Jørn Utzon in 1957, the UNESCO to The Wiggles exhibit and later had diggers and climbing ropes. After a World Heritage Committee has fun exploring the Zero Gravity Space quick change of clothes for our soaked declared it “one of the indisputable Lab and the Saturn V space rocket lot one early evening, we had dinner masterpieces of human creativity, not engine. at one of the many cafes and wine only in the 20th century but in the Sydney’s abundance of outdoor bars with outdoor seating opposite the history of humankind.” We attended and covered markets offers a playground. the Babies Proms: Olé performance, reliable source of sanity. Flanked by geared for ages two to five years, that designer shops along Oxford Street, Dining delights was part of the annual Kids at the Paddington Market is strategically Distinguished by superb local House programme. Our show featured laid out so I could situate hubby and produce, amazing culinary talent the music of Latin America and had kids in the playground next to the and consistently professional service, the whole audience doing the samba, food stalls while browsing the other the restaurant scene in Sydney is rumba and cha-cha. 250 stalls packed with fashion and sensational. You could easily blow the Besides the animals and shows, accessories, homeware, books and arts budget on memorable meals, so we the kids loved the playground and and crafts. focused on a few restaurants owned by farm animal area at Taronga Zoo. The small but bustling Friday some of our favourite celebrity chefs. Lunch options are limited, but visitors farmers’ market at The Rocks has live Kylie Kwong’s Billy Kwong is a are encouraged to enjoy their own music and an impressive variety of vibey little teahouse in trendy Surrey picnics in one of the many grassy stalls featuring world foods and local Hills. The staff were great with our areas. What makes this the ultimate products. The steps of the Museum of girls, who devoured their dumplings city zoo is its unique location on Contemporary Art around the corner while we lingered over a variety of elevated land along the waterfront, was a great place to enjoy lunch we dishes bursting with divinely balanced so views of the Sydney skyline were bought from the market. Asian flavours. usually within sight as we inspected Pristine Australian beaches The original Bill’s in the animals. are hard to beat and are relatively Darlinghurst, owned by Bill Granger, Opened in 1935, Luna Park felt uncrowded during winter. Still, it felt has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, like it may have peaked circa 1975, but like one big party at the atmospheric with a communal table and perfectly we embraced its kitch and enjoyed the Bondi Beach, and we lost count of executed crowd-pleasers such as corn old-fashioned rides and games. The how many languages we heard as we fritters, burgers and pasta – and kids were also delighted to investigate dodged surfboards. The water was the famous scrambled eggs (cream, the toddler rides behind the Coney indeed cold, but that didn’t stop the anyone?). Island section. kids! Our splurge was Neil Perry’s art The interactive displays at the A unique experience for the kids deco Rockpool Bar & Grill. When superb SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium was in Centennial Park, where the calling to book, the staff noted a engaged our older daughter, and the charming instructors at the Eastside pram-friendly entrance and then mix of sharks and dugongs against the Horse Riding Academy fitted them offered crayons and colouring paper to our girls upon arrival. The insanely yummy mac ’n’ cheese sustained the peace, which allowed us to thoroughly enjoy a spectacular long lunch. Other notables closer to “home” were Hugo’s at Manly Wharf and The Pantry on Manly Beach for outstanding food and views. On our last day, we promised our friends in Freshwater that we would come back soon because there is so much more to see and do in Sydney. And we assured them that we could withstand the elements twice if we return off-season again. January 2014 73.

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