Sydney, Australia {around your town}

Hi Simply Us readers! My name is Gaby and I blog over at This Little Port. Today I'm excited to share a bit about my adopted town, Sydney.

Where do you live?

I live in inner Sydney, and have done for the past 4 years. I came for a holiday and never left!

How long have you lived in your area?

Not long actually, I've been in my current home for about 4 months. But I've always lived within the same area of Sydney.

Tell me a little bit about your town?

Sydney is big! When I first moved here I thought it would be all laid back and beachy; in reality, it's a large, thriving city. That said, it is spectacularly beautiful and has heaps of beaches. The Opera House and the Harbour Bridge are more amazing in person than you might expect.

What is one thing that you don't think anyone knows about your area?

The area where I live is very gentrified, but until about 50 years ago there was a coal mine not too far away.

What is your favourite thing about where you live?

The ocean. The ocean. The ocean. Amen.

Where do you go for a cheap date?

Um, did I mention the beach? Seriously though, I'd either go to the beach for a sunset swim or pack a picnic and have it in the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Favorite ice cream parlour?

Aussies don't say parlour :) But I'd go to Bar Italia in Leichhardt, where you can also immerse yourself in little Italy.

Favorite hidden restaurant gem?

It's not really hidden, but I love Yulli's in Surry Hills. Stop at Shady Pines for a drink beforehand, and enjoy throwing peanut shells on the floor with abandon.

If you had the entire day to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?

I would take a yoga class at Jivamukti Yoga Sydney and then wander over to Black Star Pastry for a treat. For another kind of treat, I would pop into the Gorman that's just opened in Newtown and peruse their beautiful, Australian clothing. Next I would ride my bicycle over to the Addison Road Markets to stock up on fresh produce, and maybe grab a vegan sausage roll from The Vegetarian Butcher. A Sydney day wouldn't be complete without a trip to the beach, so after dropping off my market goodies I would drive over to Camp Cove for a late afternoon swim followed by a beer at the Watson's Bay Hotel. Writing this makes me itch for summer!

Favorite outdoor activity?

Rock climbing in the Blue Mountains and bush walking (everywhere!).

Are there any festivals or annual activities that you would recommend?

The Sydney Festival is amazing each and every year. Other highlights are: the Newtown Festival, the Night Noodle Market, Vivid Sydney, Laneway and I'm sure I'm forgetting many more!

Thanks so much for having me Katrina! It's been fun to think about my city from an outsider's perspective, even though I am, technically, an outsider myself :)