Sydney - cool places to go

Sydney has a great festival scene. It is well worth your while to check out what is going on during your stay in one of the free entertainment publications such as Drum Media. This mag lists funky live jazz nights, through to theatre, movies and of course festivals. Some fantastic festivals include ’Tropfest’- the world largest short film festival held on the last Sunday of February annually. It is a fantastic evening in several venues including the popular sit and picnic on the grass of the Domain park. Take some wine, some food and great ready for a laugh.

’The Big Day’ out held annually in January is an international music festival that attracts hundreds of thousands of people. It is a hot, sweaty and heavy day, packed full of music and weird coloured hairdos.’Homebake’ is a smaller version of the ’Big Day Out’, including only Australian bands, and is a great example of the fresh young talent in Sydney.

The Australian is a lively bustling pub in the heart of The Rocks where you can choose from hundreds of Australian as well as imported beers. Try the Beer ’Bees Knees’ for an interesting touch of honey flavour. You can also sample some crazy cuisine from the kitchen like Emu pizza! And no, it doesn’t taste like chicken. Live Aussie music can be found at The Hopetoun - Surry Hills, a funky little bar full of upcoming Australian musicians. Another excellent pub for live music is The Annandale - Parramatta Rd, Annandale.

For larger concerts some excellent venues that regularly host international stars, Enmore Theatre – Enmore Rd, Enmore, The Houten Pavilion - Fox Studios, or the Metro - George St. For last drinks at silly o’clock in the morning head to Barons in Kings Cross. It is a quiet little old terrace house with a fire place up stairs and a cosy dark interior. Also in Kings Cross two streets back from the main strip, the Iguana Bar is open very late with the kitchen open till 3am. They have brilliant desserts you should try for a middle of the night feast rather than the typical Kebab.

For a beer at any time of the day, the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel -Darling Harbour, is open 24hrs a day. The Albury on Oxford St, Paddington for an ’all welcome’ atmosphere and a pretty good drag show.