A Day in Goulburn

Firstly, a reminder to enter my latest Giveaway if you haven't already (open to Aussies). It's closing soon :-)

It has been just over 12 months since I was last in Goulburn, and I know this for a fact because I went last year on Canberra Day, and returned on the same day this year. Canberra Day is a Monday public holiday in Canberra, which is not a holiday in NSW - the perfect time to visit op shops across the border. Last year I posted a review of the op shops in Goulburn, and not much has changed this year, except that the Salvos is currently closed due to flood damage :-(

I don't think I actually save any money by going to Goulburn - maybe my car is inefficient, because it takes half a tank of petrol to do the round trip = approximately $30 in petrol. I know someone who commutes to and from Goulburn to work in Canberra every single day, he must spend so much money on fuel!

Goulburn is a very quaint town with lovely old buildings and cute little cafes. The locals are so friendly and I always enjoy chatting with them. It has 5 op shops all within walking distance of each other, and as in any country town, they have very cheap prices.

Here are the day's finds:

 Pyrex mixing bowl ($3), 2 retro glasses ($1 each), Johnsons mug (50c) - I love the design!

 Anise dress ($12.50) - this was from the Smith Family store, which has the best range of fashion items but is also the most expensive op shop in Goulburn.

Handpainted Japanese pot ($1), Pyrex casserole dish ($3), Corningware pot with lid (50c!) and vintage pillow case (50c).

If you're in Goulburn, the Coffee Bean serves fabulous coffee (with beans freshly roasted on site) and the owner is lovely. We had lunch at Lunch Box on Main which serves a delicious Mediterranean lamb burger, huge club sandwiches and great freshly squeezed juices.

I took some snaps of the inside of Trish's Trash and Treasure to share. This is a recycling shop linked to the tip, and everything is dirty and dusty but you can find some great treasures. The prices are a bit hit and miss, but it's definitely the most fun to rifle around in for retro homewares:

Finally, here are some of the beautiful old buildings that can be found around the place:

Linking up with Sophie's Flea Market Finds and Apron Thrift Girl.

Oh Sydney... what have I been missing?

A few weekends ago, I spent a weekend in Sydney. I have never been a huge fan of this city. My favourite Australian city is Melbourne, hands down, for its quirky culture and personality. Next comes Perth, with its sunny weather, laid back vibe and gorgeous beaches.

Upon reflection, I realised that Sydney trips for me have always been work or family related. I have either been stuck in meetings in boring, clinical offices, or engaging in obligatory small talk with distant relatives. I decided to embrace Sydney as a tourist, see it through a tourist's eyes... and when I did this, I realised that it's actually got a lot to offer. I still wouldn't choose to live there, but for a visit, it's rad.

The first thing I noticed was that Sydney shopping malls have some super decadent Christmas decorations. I LOVE decadent:

The huge Swarovski crystal tree in QVB is the bomb

 You can see how even without Xmas decor, QVB is simply stunning

 There are plenty of permanent art fixtures throughout the shopping precinct, one just has to stop and observe (it's all too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this big city... and miss out on the delightful surroundings!)

 I was surprised to find (once I actually opened my eyes) that Sydney CBD has some wonderful architecture! Old buildings juxtaposed with the new...

 Town Hall by night

More QVB eye candy / porn

Things I like about Sydney / Lisa's Guide to Things to do in Sydney:

1/ The city is always buzzing. You can get KFC chips at 3am if you have a craving for them. I did. 

2/ The architecture, artwork and attention to detail in retail displays. Less quirky, more precise than Melbourne. There is some beauty in this.

3/ Kirribili markets, and Kirribili generally with it's cute laid back cafes.

4/ The Coogee to Bondi trail, and having brunch at a yummy cafe along the way. Next year, I plan not to miss Sculptures by the Sea. We have it in Perth and it's fantastic - this year life got in the way and I couldn't get down to Sydney while it was on. There are photos of the sculptures on this blog and I'm kicking myself that I didn't get there.

5/ The Fish Markets, for super fresh fish, crabs and prawns (and on a rainy day, you sort of feel like you're in Asia... gotta try it to understand it)

6/ When the sun is shining, the Harbour looks amazing and much can be forgiven. 

7/ TimeOut magazine, because it's always full of great ideas and photos of places and things I want to try. It's your window to the slightly alternative side of Sydney.

8/ Hidden laneway bars. They're all the buzz because they're hidden, yet you'll find a great guide on Timeout Online. They're a little bit quirky, themed, decorated... some have great cocktails. A slice of Kreuzberg in Berlin IMO, which is a super amazing place to spend time. I have a dedicated post on these coming up.

9/ Chinatown by night (late night). Tacky neon lights, filthy restaurants and big servings with cheap food. The non-Asians in our group got given forks. Fried ice cream was yum. Dead cockroaches in bathroom. It's an experience, right?

10/ Queen Victoria Building. It is stunning, it has nice tiling and decor... and I found something to buy in it. Smiles all around.

More SYDNEY to come, including my shopping purchases, dragonfly sex (yes really!) and quirky hidden lane way bars by night....