Hipster-land Makes Me Poor

Australia might not have Disneyland, but it sure makes up for the lack with Hipster-land. Instead of suspicious characters in cartoon suits and gaudy plastic baubles, Hipster-land is filled with kooky although exorbitantly priced cafe food and semi-ridiculous decor.

Surry Hills is the Constantinople of Hipster-land. The terrace houses press against the pedestrian path like the anthropomorphic forests that shields princesses. Here, one deals with (arguably) over-priced food and coffee instead of wicked queens and oh boy, just like Snow White's mother, the cafe fare of Surry Hills is a MILF.

Reuben Hill (the general actually pretty hilly, in case you are curious about the pattern in naming), a quirky modern-bibelot cafe tucked into a narrow terrace house, serve up some tempting tidbits.

First we have the decor - all tiles and avant-garde wall art. No such thing as the squishy faux-leather of diners here - I was perched on a barely-there stool along a counter while those at the tables are reclined in minimalist chairs. A general theme among hipster cafes is that they don't cater for the overweight - the cocain-chick/guy look is still somewhat prevalent. Nothing says 'legit hipster cafe' as much as a thin girl dressed in tattered One Teaspoon singlets (which comes at something like $200 a pop) sipping her almond milk cappuccino and munching on her granola and organic yogurt with berry compote.

Then, there is the food: excellent. Food descriptions: verbose. Food names: cute and punny, a tad flirtatious. In fact, the menu at hipster cafes are a work of art in and of themselves. The perfectly spontaneous splattering of coffee at the edges and the loopy ball-point pen doodles are all, I suspect, painstakingly designed on a drawing board.

Here we have the 'NOT Reuben' - Wagyu salt brisket, pickled slaw, manchego & horseradish cream on rye. aka a Reuben sandwich but $AUD18. Tortured wallet aside, it was pleasant and hearty.

Fun fact: they had a tree in their toilet. A full blown tree... 

And so, besides crocodiles and spiders, Sydney also have hipsters, who bring with them fun hipster food and fun hipster decor.

Speaking of 'punny' food names, this burger is called 'dirty bird' - spiced grilled chiicken, tomatillo salsa cheese, pickles, chipotle aioli on brioche. Har har.

More than Just (a pretty face) Deadly Animals

Australia - land down under - the outback. Immediately, you mind's eye is filled with hopping kangaroos and sleepy koalas, spiders the size of heart-attack grill burgers and a rugged blond man tackling crocodiles; all against a background of red, sandy desert, bare except for the presence of a huge indeterminate rock.

Even when made in jest, most non-Australians cannot think of the land of Oz without  the '#dangerousanimals' tag. There is, fortunately, so much more to Australia than poisonous snakes and deadly marsupials. Sydney, for one, is surprisingly safe. But safe doesn't mean boring - the city may sleep have a fiver year old's bed time but there is much to explore. So explore the 'wild side' and take a peek at the cute and fluffy Sydney beneath the deadly exterior of 'Australia'.