The 7 Best Things To Do In Sydney This November
With Sydney’s day lengths all northwards of 13.5 hours, November is all about making the most of the long days and warm evenings – the city boasts a celebratory mood just because. We’ve previously written about all the glorious things to do when the sun’s up, so to compliment that we give you a month’s worth of new pubs, dessert bars, parties and open air cinemas to get busy on.
#1 Sweets
Sweet tooths rejoice! The dessert master of 2015 has announced he’ll be opening a dessert bar in inner Sydney. Reynold Poernomo’s mind-blowing dishes took on a life and a cult following of their own from the moment he served up an insane forbidden fruit dish early on in the Masterchef 2015 series that shot him to fame.
Reynold is teaming up with his brothers Ronald and Arnold to create a casual space in the Kensington Street district in Chippendale. Reynold’s signature dishes will be the hero of the menu, but they’ll be joined by a selection of patisserie treats, and a number of savoury dishes. On the beverage front there promises to be delicious coffee as well as custom-created cocktails to match the food menu. A vegetable garden that will service many dishes on the menu will complete the package.
The two-story venue will be a welcomed addition to Chippendale and will sit just near Spice Alley (if you haven’t checked that out, you must). We’ve already started hitting the gym in anticipation. Stay tuned for the venue’s name and confirmed opening date.
#2 Food and drink lovechild moves into the Unicorn
There is nothing not to love about the announcement of the upcoming reincarnation of Oxford Street’s Unicorn Hotel. Three of Sydney’s food and drink heavyweights – Mary’s, Young Henrys and Porteño – have teamed up and are due to deliver Paddington a much needed “pub-pub” this month.
Elviz Abrahanowicz of Porteño fame will be heading up the kitchen, but leave all assumptions at the door because he won’t be pandering to the gastro pub-style that has been the flavour of late. The menu will be a twist on classic pub grub, with steaks and cheese and ham sambos taking pride of place. Of course there will be Mary’s style burgers to wrap your laughing gear around, and we couldn’t be happier.
To wash it all down, there’ll be a selection of exclusively Australian wine, and while Young Henrys will naturally feature heavily on the beer list, there will be a great selection of local brews to join it. To top it all off, this venue sits outside of Sydney’s lock out laws. The lads are creating a space they they’d all like to drink at, so you know that this joint is going to be something to get excited about.
#3 Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinemas come to the Inner West
Open air cinemas have typically been focused around the inner city and Eastern suburbs, however the expansions of the Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema locations in 2015 have been a much-welcomed announcement. In their debut season, the Inner West can enjoy this alfresco seasonal festival as Sydney University’s Cadigal Green will play host to live music and movies from November 19 until December 12. Featuring a great range of new releases, cult classics, and everything in between, you can catch The Martian, Love Actually, Thelma & Louise and the much-anticipated new release Freeheld.
Movies aren’t the only thing on the menu. Food and beverages are available (yes, they’re licensed!), and each Saturday will feature live music and free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for all. Early bird tickets start at $12. Tickets are available now from here.
#4 Giant dwarf packs a punch
If you haven’t discovered Giant Dwarf theatre in Redfern, it’s time to. Tucked behind 199 Cleveland Street, down the side alley, you’ll find a jewel of a venue that has just the right amount of theatre, comedy and smarts to keep everyone entertained. The venue – managed by The Chaser’s Julian Morrow and Nikita Agzarian – welcomes new and established talent to try out a range of shows and events. While the venue is well established (it opened in February last year) the program continues to evolve and excite.
Comedyish is a must see – a $10 night that promises buckets of laughs as comedians come and try out their new gear, with plenty of other shows including Erotic Fan Fiction, Story Club, and more, to keep you entertained. Get there early and enjoy the atmospheric courtyard, complete with a well-stocked bar. For more info and tickets click here. Fun fact: Giant Dwarf is The Chaser’s nickname for Andrew Denton.
#5 Unzip Bowie
While Melbourne may have the Bowie Exhibition, Sydneysiders will get their own taste of Ziggy Stardust through the critically acclaimed show BOWIE – Unzipped.
OK, so Bowie himself won’t be playing, but The Basement will host the legendary Jeff Duff (Australia’s answer to Bowie) to perform his iconic songs. Jeff isn’t just any cover performer – he has the full support of Bowie’s official website BowieNET. Promised songs include Space Oddity, Let’s Dance, China Girl, Ziggy Stardust and Changes to name a few. With a star-studded band, this promises to be a memorable night. Tickets available from here.
#6 Bush getaway
If you think the warm weather should be all about the beach, think again. There’s much to be said for a Springtime jaunt to the mountains. A getaway to Turon Gates has something for everyone and their four-legged-friend. Set among the bush and along a 15 kilometre stretch of a crystal clear riverfront, this Blue Mountains destination is certainly something pretty special. If roughing it is your thing, opt for camping and select your own site from over one kilometre of river frontage.
If you’d like to get away from it all in style, check out their glamping offering. Get cosy in a double lined super tent, complete with queen bed, bathroom and a kitchenette, and be awed by the extras including sun lounges, hammock, BBQ and campfire.
If you’d prefer solid walls, their riverside or mountain cabins have your name on them. Each is two or three bedrooms and offer wide balconies and sensational views to take it all in. In the immediate area you can bushwalk, swim, go mountain biking, bird watch or simply sit back with a vino in one hand and time to while away. Nearby are golf courses, the vineyards of Mudgee, and local markets. A long weekend may not even be long enough. It’s just 2.5 hours from Sydney. For more info click here.
#7 Go neon or go home
Neon is back. In a big way. It has been slowly making a comeback, visible in design stores, cocktail bars and art exhibitions, but the biggest neon celebration is yet to be hosted. Enter: the Young Members’ Neon Lights Party. On November 28 the Young Members of the Art Gallery of NSW will be celebrating the International Year of Light by putting on the biggest neon bash you’ve ever seen. The space will be transformed for one night only into a magical evening embracing all things light.
Shine bright for this event featuring live performances, music, food and drink (all generously included in the ticket price). When the lights are finally turned off, the party won’t be over; there will be free buses running to Grasshopper for the after party. We probably don’t need to tell you that the dress code is all things light, neon and colour. This evening is the annual Young Members fundraising event for the acquisition of contemporary art.
(Lead image: Bondi Openair Cinema)
