The joys of living in inner city Sydney

Last Sunday I went to a party in Enmore and got talking to a lady who lives in Surry Hills about 100 yards from where I live. Today she texted me and we went for coffee up on Crown St in Cafe Scilliana - wonderful place for the authentic Italian experience. One of the young waiters swore when he dropped something and I embarrassed him by asking what it was he said. Very friendly staff, easy to talk to them, ask them which footie club they go for - AC Milan, Juve, etc.

It was only supposed to be a half hour coffee but we ended up staying for over four hours, then went for a walk around Surry Hills. I showed Alex the Brett Whiteley Gallery with its two 'matchsticks' outside, one new, one burnt, and then we walked up to McElhone Place which is a very pretty mews type street. I think it was originally housing for the officers in Victoria Barracks.

On the way back we went for a drink in the Trinity Bar, also on Crown St to meet some other friends of mine. Inner city life is not for everyone but for all of us it is - we love having everything on our doorstep. In fact, Seamus said he'd move back to Ireland if he to move out to the Western Subs. I have nothing against the 'burbs but I also knew exactly what he meant. Walking around a city in the evening when it's warm is also very pleasant, particularly when you read about the return of 'Siberian' weather in the UK too!

mary rose

What a lovely post! I think you just confirmed me looking at Newtown kind of area!!!

Is seamus your other half? Where are you from?

mary rose

 

What a lovely post! I think you just confirmed me looking at Newtown kind of area!!!

 

Is seamus your other half? Where are you from?

I'm more than a little embarrassed now because when I first signed up on PIO I combined my Mum's christian names with my brother's birthday. I usually call myself after a Rolling Stones song or a Tottenham Hotspur player. Perhaps I was tipsy and feeling maudlin, I don't know! So, the 25 yo girl about town is actually a 57 yo bloke.

I'm from The New Forest originally although I was born in South Shields and I first came to OZ in 1978 on a working holiday. I went back to England for another holiday in 1996 which extended to 2008 when I came back to Sydney. Whilst I was waiting for the tenants to move out of my unit I stayed in the YHA hostel at Railway Square and Seamus was one of the young guys in my room. He had just arrived on a working holiday himself.

That must have been February 2010 because I lived with my brother in Picnic Point for nine months, then with friends in Lilyfield for four more, two weeks in the Orange Grove Hotel at Lilyfield - not sure if Orange Grove is actually a suburb or a mini 'burb because there's an Orange Grove school too. That's a nice area - in my four months there I got very familiar with Leichhardt - Lilyfield - Rozelle - Balmain. Anyway, I was sitting in the Trinity Bar a few weeks back and Seamus was there and recognized me - I didn't recognize him - 'you're Dave aren't you?' He's done well too, got a good job - his employer helped him get a ?457? visa, lives in Surry Hills too, got a large circle of friends.

Newtown is OK, similar in some ways to Surry Hills but also got a slightly different atmosphere. Some people have told me it's like Camden in London, perhaps because it's got loads of book shops, music shops, a cinema, as well as all the pubs and cafes and restaurants that Surry Hills has too. Darlinghurst/Kings Cross, Paddington, Surry Hills, Redfern, Newtown/Enmore, Glebe, Balmain, Rozelle. They are all similar in a way - East Sydney too,vcome to think of it. If I had moved to any of the others, I'd probably be pushing one of them as the best place in the inner city. I originally looked around Kings Cross, Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay to find a place as I worked at Garden Island then the place I'm in now came up.

Erskineville - aka 'Erko', just remembered that, very close to Newtown, almost got a 'village' feel to it It's got a station too, so if you are thinking of Newtown that's worth looking at, and Chippendale aka 'Chippo'. And Darlington, also sometimes called 'Darlo' just to confuse it with Darlinghurst. If I look our of my window I can see Cleveland St which goes south to City Road, with Redfern on one side, then Chippendale and Darlington. Left at City Road becomes King St, Newtown and right takes you to Broadway & Parramatta Road and Glebe Point Road is left and first right. Cleveland St goes north to Anzac Parade and cuts across Crown St which in turn cuts across Oxford St into East Sydney but where does East Sydney start and Darlinghurst begin? Turn right on Oxford St up to Paddo. It's all walking distance for me. Alex told me that she sometimes walks to Bondi Jn which I've never done before.

That's the end of my 'geography' lesson!

I'd second all that. One of the pleasures of living in a place like Newtown/Enmore is constantly discovering new places and things to do, just from walking around or from word of mouth. Today I learned that there is one of Sydney's most sought after Italian places right on my doortsep, namely the Pastizzi Cafe (523 King Street). I'm not a foodie and being a Yorkshireman I hate parting with my money for anything a bit too fancy -but Pastizzi sounds right up my street - quite basic, but good. It's next on the 'to do' list. The other eating place that comes with a recommendation is the Turkish kebab place opposite the Oporto place just near Newtown station. Not the usual greasy post-pub place, according to my workmate.

I also love that people here are very chatty. Got accosted in my local the Carlise Castle, by a woman who had never seen anyone drinking Stiegl from one of those tall glasses before. Ended up with a long explanation of Austrian and German beers. You don't get that in Strathfield!

I agree, lovely post. I love the idea of inner city living, I'm a city person, love the buzz, but I reckon it's a bit pricey for me. :daydreaming:

Crimson... I am going to be looking at renting 650 aid a 3 bed place... Prob no ring to swing a cat... Or more space but in Hornsby.....I think you would get a buzz when not working walking around local area... Perhaps not a buzz walking around Hornsby!!