September

What’s On: REKORDERLIG CIDER BRINGS ‘EFTER SKI’ TO THREDBO

Rekorderlig Cider are excited to announce a brand new winter experience with the 2013 launch of ‘Efter Ski’ at Thredbo Alpine Village during the ski season from 8th June until 8th September 2013.
Aligning themselves with the Thredbo Alpine Hotel, Beautifully Swedish Rekorderlig Cider are putting a Scandinavian spin on Australia’s premium ski slopes to bring you ‘Efter Ski’ – the Swedish term for après-ski. Located in the heart of Thredbo Village, the Alpine Hotel is the ultimate venue to host Rekorderlig Cider’s après-ski inspired activation, creating an enticing, fun and unique ski experience for all.

Rekorderlig’s warm Winter Cider will be served at Thredbo throughout the ski season. The delicious delights of Rekorderlig Winter Cider is created with a blend of fresh apples and infused with tasty vanilla and warm cinnamon spice, the premium imported Cider is perfect to be served heated ‘warm mulled-wine’ style. Guests will also be able to purchase warm cinnamon scrolls to accompany the hot serve cider, a tempting treat to enjoy after a day on the slopes. The Rekorderlig Winter Cider serve is the perfect way to wind down after hitting the slopes and warm up for the rest of the night’s festivities.

Après-ski is as important as the skiing itself and Rekorderlig Cider will provide the finest of these experiences. The Alpine Hotel pool will be a striking central focus during ‘Efter Ski’, heated throughout the week to mimic the Scandinavian natural springs with guests having the rare opportunity to swim, relax and chill out by the remarkable heated pool at the base of the ski slopes.

Thredbo attendees are encouraged to bring their swimmers and board shorts and Rekorderlig will be supplying the towels for consumers to make the most of this one of a kind Winter Hot Pool.

Rekorderlig Cider will also host memorable Beautifully Swedish Hot Pool Parties during the weekends, creating the ultimate winter pool party destination and unique winter party atmosphere.

DJ’s from top Sydney clubs will be on hand playing beats alongside the Alpine Hotel pool, no doubt making these extraordinary Thredbo parties talked about, shared and remembered as the place to be this winter. The Beautifully Swedish Hot Pool Parties will run each Saturday from approximately 2pm – 7pm.

The Beautifully Swedish theme continues throughout the Thredbo Alpine Hotel and board shorts will be given away with the purchase of a warm Rekorderlig Winter Cider during the ‘Efter Ski’ season.

Rekorderlig will also be distributing a flavoured lip balm to skiers and snowboarders on Saturdays, soothing dry lips with the taste of vanilla. Alongside this, Winter Cider bottle shaped hand warmers will also be provided on the chair lifts, tempting all with the idea to finish the day with a Rekorderlig Winter Cider.

Rekorderlig Cider ‘Efter Ski’ will no doubt have you coming back to Thredbo for more. Rekorderlig is available in nine flavours including; traditionally refreshing Apple, Pear, Strawberry-Lime, Wild Berries, premium Apple & Blackcurrant, Mango & Raspberry, Orange-Ginger, new Passionfruit and delicious Winter Cider, all in 500ml glass bottles.

For more information visit http://www.rekorderlig.com and the Rekorderlig Facebook page http://www.Facebook.com/Rekorderlig.Cider

Sydney’s Cheap Eats 101

Feeling the purse strings tightening this month? These cheap and delicious eats will have you sorted till pay day, whilst keeping your social life in tact.

These are some of the best cheap eats you’ll find in Sydney – tried and tested by our very own food reviewer, who’s eaten her way through Sydney (Pac-man style).

We have you covered for every day of the week…

Monday

Forresters: Newly revamped with a fresh new menu that’s drool-worthy. Putting up a delicious and juicy $5 steak all day – comes with mash and gravy, just buy a drink!

336 Riley Street Surry Hills
(02) 9212 3035

The Norfolk: Does killer mini burgers for $4 each. Choose from seven mouth-watering options including Cheese Burger, Feelin O Fish, Chicken Katsu, Pork Belly, El Nino and for the vego’s – the almighty “Mac ‘N’ Cheese.”

305 Cleveland St. Surry Hills
(02) 9699 3177

The Dolphin: Do a pretty damn good Grain fed Rump steak Monday-Wednesday. Comes with your Choice of Fries or Mash, 3 Sauces + Green Salad for only $12

412 Crown Street Surry Hills
(02)9331 4800

The Passage: Serves their tender Angus Sirloin Steak with Red Wine Jus and crisp shoe string fries or only $10.

231 Victoria Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010
(02) 9358 6116

They don’t call it tight-arse Tuesday for nothing…..

The Passage: Have a massive 50% off their food menu. This includes crispy golden Zucchini Flowers stuffed with goats cheese and perfectly drizzled with truffle honey…to die for!

The Norfolk: $3 tacos madness – these are positively delish and come in beef, pork, veg, chicken, fish and duck encased in a soft tortilla, garnished with an array of fresh mex favourites and topped off with their famous chipotle mayo…yum!

Wednesday:

The Passage: Is a winner again with $4 sliders and ciders all day long.

‘The Mighty Duck’ w/ Chinese Style Peking Duck, Shallots, Cucumber and Hoisin Sauce

You can choose from the 3 standard options from the a la carte menu as well as a weekly “slider du jour.” Recent additions have included Veal Saltimbocca w/ Sweet Potato Rosti and Cheesy Polenta.

The ‘Pie Float Slider’: w/ Shepherds Pie & Mushy Peas

You can also choose from Slow-Roasted Goose w/ Chestnut Stuffing, Cassis Onion Marmalade and Horseradish Cream….drool!

Johnny Wong’s Dumpling Bar: $1 Dumpling mania. Choose from 4 tantalising options including pork, prawn gow gee, chicken and water chestnut and vegetarian. Sharing is caring so stock up!

Kinselas Building (next to The Standard and half way up the stairs towards Lo-Fi)
Level 1, 383 Bourke Street, Darlinghurst
(02) 9331 3100

The Carrington: $3 Pintxos – Individual morsels of goodness that are gone in just a couple of bites. These include a potato tortilla stack with jamon and cheese and AMAZING black paella balls. These options change each week so you’ll want to come back and try them all!

563 Bourke Street Surry Hills
(02) 9360 4714

Thursday

Hugo’s: Try its award winning pizza for only $5. The crust is perfectly waif thin with toppings that include all your traditional favourites with a chic twist. Choose from chilli prawn (personal fave), Pork Belly, Ham & Pineapple, Pepperoni and a sensational truffle mushroom one for the vegos.

1/33 Bayswater Road Potts Point
(02) 9332 1227

Don Don: A great little gem in the heart of Oxford St – serving delectable sushi hand rolls from only $2, delicious rice bowls (that come with a side of tasty U-Don soup) as well as all of your favourite Japanese cuisine all week long.

Friday

El Loco: For some fun, post drinking nourishment head to this local haunt – serving up tasty pockets of heaven till the wee hours. Choices include lemongrass beef, spit roasted pork, prawn, chilli marinated tofu, chicken, and (for those who are feeling extra courageous after a few beverages) “The Secret Taco.”

Excelsior Hotel
64 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills
(02) 9211 4945

Chat Thai: All your authentic Thai favourites and cheap as chips! Top picks include Pad Si Ew. and Emerald Duck. They also have an insane selection of Thai deserts that come in all sorts of colours, textures and flavours, including do-nut fingers with Pandan custard dip and Mango sticky rice. Open till 2am for those looking for a late night fix.

They also won the SMH Everyday Eats Overall Champion Award this year! They have a more upmarket offering at Westfield Pitt Street Mall, they also really push for the affordable food angle!

In addition to this branch, they also have a branch on Manly Wharf, so you can even get your Chat Thai fix at the beach! It used to be a take-away bar, but now is a fully fledged restaurant with about 50 seats and should receive its liquor licence in mid-December! Woop!

20 Campbell Street, Haymarket (02) 9211 180

So this is the first of many ‘ Cheap Eats’ posts for Sydney Social 101! If you have any specific suburb requests, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

This post was compiled by Sydney Social 101′s roving food reporter, Sasha Tsibulya.

SOCIAL SPY** LOOPER SCREENING

I went to the screening of Looper a couple of weeks ago and I can’t quite believe that I’m only just writing the review… Let me just start by saying that it was fan-bloody-tastic!! Not just a good movie, in my opinion, a great movie that will go down as a classic for many years to come!

LOOPER is set in the near future and involves a group of hit men called Loopers, who work for a crime syndicate in the further future. Their bosses send targets back in time, and the Looper’s job is to simply shoot them and dispose of the body. The target vanishes from the future and the Looper disposes of a corpse that technically doesn’t exist.

The Loopers work for a number of years, that is until they ‘close their loop’ by shooting their future selves, knowing that they’ve got the next 30 years to enjoy and spend their ‘well-earned’(ahem) gains.

A very clean system, that is unless you let your loop run… Herein lies the plot of the whole movie!

When I first started to think about the concept, I literally could not get my head around it at all! What I would say is that, you should try not to think about it at all. Just watch it and appreciate it for all it’s worth! You will not be disappointed!

The way they alter Gordon Levitt’s face to replicate a young Bruce Willis is amazing!

Looper stars Joseph Gordon Levitt (Inception), Bruce Willis (Red), and Emily Blunt (The Adjustment Bureau). The film’s costars are Paul Dano, Noah Segan, Piper Perabo, and Jeff Daniels. Xu Qing,
Garret Dillahunt and Pierce Gagnon also make appearances.

Looper is directed by Rian Johnson, based on his original screenplay. Ram Bergman and James D. Stern produced the film, with Christopher C. Chen, Eleanor Nett, Dave Pomier, and Lucas Smith serving as co-producers. Director of photography Steve

Yedlin, production designer Ed Verreaux, costume designer Sharen Davis, composer Nathan Johnson, and editor Bob Ducsay led the creative behind-the-scenes team. Jamie Kelman and Kazuhiro Tsuji oversaw the special effects make-up, and casting for Looper was done by Mary Verniu. Executive producers are Julie Goldstein, Douglas E. Hansen, Peter Schlessel, and Dan Mintz.

Tristar Pictures, FilmDistrict, and Endgame Entertainment present a Ram Bergman production in association with DMG Entertainment of Looper. The film is distributed domestically by Tristar Pictures, a subsidiary of Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group, and FilmDistrict.

VENUE REVIEW** Bucket List at Bondi Beach, so much more than a beach-side chippy

On Saturday 29^th September, Sydney Social 101 was invited to sample the culinary delights of the Bucket List on Bondi Beach. The name says it all, perfect location, cool crowd and amazing food – you cannot afford to miss out on experiencing Sydney’s hottest venue this Summer! Whether you’re on holiday or you live here, head on down, we assure you that you won’t be disappointed!

Opening in December 2011 The Bucket List is quickly becoming one of Sydney’s most popular beach front dining destinations.

The Bucket List Bar and Eatery is located at the Bondi Pavilion and has the most amazing restaurant headed by the lovely Chef Tom Walton. The venue was created by owner Andy Ruwald, (Sejuiced) The Bucket List has evolved since its launch in December last year and now offers four different hospitality areas including The Restaurant.

The Restaurant offers a unique dining experience, introducing table service located within the open dining room which is central to the buzz of The Bucket List areas and the eclectic variety of Bondi Beach guest.

The tailored menu is designed by Tom Walton (previously Bistro Moncur) from his love of the Middle East and the Mediterranean cuisine. He has said: “Expect simplicity, seasonal ingredients, creatively paired together on the plate, some classic, some for the more adventurous.” It is so refreshing to speak to someone who is so behind and sure of their talent, as we sat and listened to Tom talk us through each line of the menu, his passion behind the offerings was clear to see!

If you live in Sydney, you’ve probably heard of its reputation for a Sunday Sydney watering hole – I had been before and experienced Sydney’s busiest outdoor beach bar, The Bucket List offers many diverse areas from the Front Deck, the Green Room and front bar, the Blue Room with fireplace and the back bar known as Uncle Barefoot’s that opens onto an outdoor lawn area.

Recently recognised by the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide as one of the 10 Best Bars with Food, The Bucket List’s head chef Tom Walton offers up a selection of the freshest seafood dishes including Seared Bincho Tuna Nicoise, Sydney Rock Oysters and buckets of fresh Queensland Tiger Prawns served with homemade mayo and Iggy’s sourdough.

I have to be honest in the fact that I had only really heard about the Fish and Chips on the menu, when in reality the menu is SO, SO much more than that! I’m on a one woman mission to let people know that the food is out of this world!

To name but a few of the choices on offer, they include: pan roasted King Salmon fillet with beetroot, fennel, radish, labna and soft herbs is a new addition to the Spring menu while favourites such as 14 hour slow roast pork shoulder and tamarind glazed lamb ribs seem set to stay.

Here are some of the delights I had the absolute honour of trying for myself (with my two friends of course, gotta share the love)

Vegetable crudités at Bucket List

Zucchini – grilled & shaved raw with marinated feta, chickpeas, olive & basil @ The Bucket List

Marinated & grilled lamb ribs @ The Bucket List

Grilled free-range half chicken with broad brand, quinoa tabouli, tahini & yoghurt @ The Bucket List

Salted caramel chocolate tartlet with creme fraiche @ The Bucket List – UNREAL – A must!

White chocolate pan a cotta with strawberry sorbet & pistachio cream @ The Bucket List

There are also live music performances on Wednesday evenings for a more chilled vibe!

Situated on the edge of Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach offering uninterrupted views and just a few short steps to the sand, food lovers are well placed here.

Perfect for an intimate mid-week dinner, a weekend drink with friends or for a corporate event The Bucket List is definitely versatile.

Sydney Social 101 was invited as a guest to review Bucket List, all views expressed are my own!

The Bucket List –The Bondi Pavilion, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach.

Ph:02 93654122 . Open for lunch and dinner 7 days.

www.thebucketlistbondi.com

info@thebucketlistbondi.com

VENUE REVIEW** – Balmain’s hottest boutique wine bars, Corner Bar and Cantina Bar

Sydney Social 101 had a great start to the long weekend as we were invited to review two of Balmain’s hottest boutique wine bars, Corner Bar and Cantina Bar.  Now it must be said that I’m a big fan of Balmain, I could see myself living there one day, it really feels like a community and its variety of bars and restaurants seems to be growing by the week!

Sydney Social 101 decided to eat at Corner Bar and then head to Cantina for a post-dinner cocktail – which, maybe wasn’t your traditional style digestive, but did the job non-the-less!

When we arrived at Corner Bar, I was pleasantly surprised by the aesthetics of the bar, low level lighting and candle lit tables were located in a small bar come restaurant, with little vintage features and ornaments. Despite the fact that a mini storm was brewing outside, you would never know once inside the cosy retreat.

Sydney Social 101 was looked after by local Balmain boy, Lindsay Egan, who has had huge success since opening the hot new wine bars on Balmain’s culinary drag, Darling Street, along with the two young Brisbane brothers, Ryan and Daniel Singer of Two Brothers Hospitality.

When we arrived, we promptly ordered an Espresso Martini, following a recommendation by the team at Sally Burleigh PR. You know what, it didn’t disappoint and was a perfect way to start the long weekend and unwind!

Open for breakfast and dinner daily, Corner Bar is nothing short of a premium offering when it comes to delivering good food and wine. From ‘street sambos’, to fajita pizzas, and shared plates, the trio have created a menu inspired by much of their travels around the world. Corner Bar was very unlucky in their timing, as their Pizza oven decided not to work that night. We were not to worry however as there are plenty of other options to choose from!

One seated, we ordered: Scotch Eggs (had to be done, we are British after all), Arancini Balls, a pint of chips and Hot n Spicy Chicken Wings – YUM! A perfect grazing platter that hit the spot!

Scotch Eggs and Arancini Balls

Pint of chips and Hot n Spicy Chicken Wings

To accompany our mean, we also had a bottle of the house white Sauvignon Blanc, which was just delightful! We were also told that exclusive to Corner Bar, Ben Gould from Blind Corner has also created a wonderful biodynamic organic Shiraz. As one of the most dynamic young wine makers in Australia, Ben was recently named one of Gourmet Travellers 10 most exciting new producers. He is at the forefront of the natural wine movement, making wines as naturally as possible with maximum care and minimum chemical intervention.

Drinks Menu – Corner Bar

And with one of the world’s foremost contemporary coffee authorities, Paul Bassett under their belt, it’s obvious Corner Bar is serious about delivering the best of the best to its patrons. That’ll be my next port of call for sure, bunch at Corner Bar – You know what, I can’t actually wait!

Here are some of the other dishes that are available:

Sydney Social 101 was also told that Corner Bar will undergo small tweaks over the next few weeks to play homage to its Bar heritage and build their reputation as one of the inner west’s most exciting dining destinations and intimate drinking venues.

They also have a great reputation for amazing service, and they didn’t disappoint! Whilst it was bordering on hurricane season outside, Lindsay offered to drive us to Cantina Bar, what a lovely touch – and certainly one that didn’t go unappreciated!

Their philosophy for Corner Bar and Cantina Bar is very honest and simple – ‘it’s all about things we like’… I have to say, it’s pretty much what most people would like – good food, great atmosphere and lovely crowd!

Upon arriving at Cantina Bar, I only had one thing on my mind… the Twister Margarita! We promptly sat down and put in our order! We were greeted by Ryan, who was lovely, and very welcoming! Cantina Bar too feels very welcoming and was bustling with people, always a good sign in my eyes!

Passionfruit and vanilla – Twisted Margarita ($16) at Cantina Bar.

The menu at Cantina Bar, overseen by Group Chef, Shelley Manton has been inspired by ingredients carefully sourced from around the globe, with a focus on Latin American flavours. Dishes include Chilean hot dogs, sliders and pulled pork nachos, with all sauces and marinades made fresh daily. Must stop by here for food next time, it looked and smelled AMAZING!

In addition, the drinks list perfectly complements the cuisine with a selection of tequilas, cocktails, wines and beer sourced from around the world. Apparently the cocktail lists are inspired by the boys’ personal travels. Co-owner Ryan Singer has also lent his expertise as the cocktail mixologist, bringing global drinking trends to Sydney’s inner west. The beer lists include boutique selections, supporting small producers from around Australia.

Cantina Bar provided the perfect venue to end the lovely evening, I can safely say that I will be back 100%. Here are some of the dishes to whet your appetite:

Open only for dinner, Tuesday to Sunday, from 5.30pm to midnight, Cantina is bringing life to the ever expanding culinary precinct of Balmain.

Sydney Social 101 was invited as a guest of Sally Burleigh PR and received a complimentary meal and beverages. All view expressed on Sydney Social 101 are our own.

Want a a fabulous, fun-filled Sydney long-weekend? Read on!

Here at Sydney Social 101 we certainly are gearing up for what is set to be a fabulous, fun-filled long weekend!

Tonight we’re off to Cantina and Corner Bar in Balmain as guests to sample the amazing news menus! Full reviews to follow over the weekend – we’ve been told to look out for the Espresso Martini at Corner Bar and a Twisted Margarita at Cantina Bar as they are the way to go apparently! Sounds like a plan!

Tomorrow is just as action filled! At 12:30pm we’re heading off to Bucket List for a reservation to sample the lunch menu for Spring, with perfect panoramic views of Bondi beach, and uber crowd and beers on tap – we can’t imagine that we’ll be disappointed!

Bucket List – Night time exterior

Following on from Bucket List, we’ve been invited to review The Island Bar on Cockatoo Island – which is renowned for its harbour views and yummy cocktails, my biggest highlight however is the water taxi over to the venue – life’s small pleasures hey, ha! Sydneysiders and visitors can enjoy Harbour Bridge views from iconic Cockatoo Island, just a 12 minute ferry-ride from the city, in the comfort of an exclusive custom-designed bar space with great drinks and food, and cocktails served either by the glass or in jugs perfect for sharing on a warm afternoon. If you’re keen to head this weekend, check out the website: http://www.theislandbar.com.au/

To complete an action packed Saturday, Sydney Social is heading back to our Manchester roots and celebrating all things Northern Soul as we head to Hard Rock Cafe as part of the Soul Weekender celebrations. If this is your bag and you want to catch up with like-minded people, check out this link here

On Sunday Sydney Social, along with half of the Eastern Suburbs is descending into Manly to celebrate a Monday off work! First port of call is Manly Wine as they have a chocolate wheel at the venue all weekend – hello please!

We’ll also be swinging by 4Pines, we LOVE their own brews and will be sampling the following in celebration of Oktoberfest Fest – German Pils 5.2% | 42 IBU’s, Märzen 5.2% | 23 IBU’s, Dunkelweizen 4.8% | 17 IBU’s and Doppelbock 7.2% | 21 IBU’s.

Another Manly FAVE is In Situ, the most amazing cocktails, live acoustic performances and chilled out crowd, if you’re heading manly-side – pop this on your hit list, stat!

However if you’re heading this side of the bridge (bt this side I mean East J), there are some great celebrations at Gazebo at Potts Point. They plan to transform the already quirky and beautiful Gazebo into a celebration reminiscent of Gene Wilder’s chocolate factory, complete with chocolate fountain and three-course bubblegum*.Held over the entire October long weekend, this promises to be an amazing event for young and old. There will be a chocolate fountain (YUM!) Fri – Mon, a chocolate installation will be installed staff dressed in purple themed outfits.

There will be a few chocolate inspired beverages – one where the bar staff will use the chocolate fondue. We will also have the chocolate wheel spinning all weekend!

Over in Surry Hills, The Winery will be celebrating all things Surry Hills! For three whole days! Street art! Fashion! Food! Wine! Stay!

All in all, you simply have no excuse to not go out and get involved!

Happy Long Weekend everyone! Have a good en’ and stay safe x

I WISH!

SOCIAL SPY** SHAKE UP ANY LOOK WITH NEW FOAM COLOUR FROM SCHWARZKOPF – LAUNCH EVENT

SHAKE UP ANY LOOK WITH NEW FOAM COLOUR FROM SCHWARZKOPF

- Schwarzkopf Launches Live Shake It Up Colour Foam –

Sydney Social 101 was invited to attend the launch event to celebrate Schwarzkopf’s brand new product at Gastro park in Potts Point.  Schwarzkopf is shaking up the permanent hair colour category, launching a new and exciting range – Schwarzkopf Live Shake It Up Colour Foam – an easy-to-use foam for long lasting, beautiful hair colour.

Sydney Social 101 was joined by the beauty media elite to celebrate the launch over venison, scallops and other wonderful canapés, along with cocktails that were to ‘dye’ for! In addition, Schwarzkopf’s ambassador, Jesinta Campbell was present to talk about the product and chat with attendees!

There was also a fun photo booth, which I’m noticing at a lot of events recently, that enabled my friend and I to play silly behind the curtain – fun!

This innovative new product puts the enjoyment back in to hair colour – simply add the developer lotion, followed by the colour powder to the shaker cup and shake it up! By shaking together 40 times the ingredients instantly combine to create a non-drip foam formula, which can be applied to the hair just like shampoo.  The ‘Shake it up’ theme was consistent throughout the event, with the cocktails and even the dessert!

Schwarzkopf Live Shake It Up Colour Foam is also enriched with strawberry extract, so the colour comes with a fresh fruity fragrance, creating long lasting fabulous colour that smells terrific too.

After colouring, the caring Shine Conditioner is applied, which includes a strengthening complex and leaves the hair soft and silky – for rich colour that’s packed with glossy shine.

Schwarzkopf Live Shake It Up Colour Foam comes in 12 trendy shades, from classic colours such as Dark Toffee Swirl to Cranberry Kick and Blueberry Crush – dazzling colours for the more daring.

SOCIAL SPY** TRUCKSTOP RESTAURANT LAUNCH AT BEACH ROAD IN BONDI

Sydney Social 101 was invited to attend the launch fo Bondi’s newest restaurant offering TruckStop, which has now officially opened its doors to the public. It  is the latest project for the team behind the popular Sydney food truck, Eat Art Truck. The team held a successful launch on Tuesday night where over 150 guests sampled head chef Stuart McGill’s creations including hand-made gyoza, Gaijin sushi on crispy and soft rice, and sipped sake cocktails from the bar on level one of the Beach Road Hotel, now transformed into an edgy, urban dining space.

Led by McGill, the restaurant serves up a fusion of Japanese-American fare, including southern style blackened snapper, hot smoked pork belly with molasses and sansho glaze and grilled prawns with coddled egg, corn bread and pork floss. McGill uses techniques sharpened in the kitchen of Tetsuya’s along with many years working as a chef in Japan. In a creative twist, a dessert of beer and skittles – beer sorbet, frozen skittles and sherbet caps off the fun, casual dining experience. Dishes are recommended to be shared and range between $6 – $22.

Spanner Crab Croquettes

Behind the design of the 100-seat venue is Alex Zabotto-Bentley and the AZBcreative team, with over 20 years experience in creating and designing interiors for lifestyle brands. Zabotto-Bentley is always cautious to align the boutique agency with Australia’s finest brands, and handpicks unique projects to create unforgettable and engaging experiences. AZBcreative is responsible for the recent interior design success of MasterChef Dining Experience, Jack Daniel’s pop up bar, Jack’s Hive in Darlinghurst, as well as the restaurant interiors of Lexington at GPO Melbourne and Pink Salt in Double Bay.

Stuart McGill – Gaijin sushi on crispy and soft rice

The restaurant also features some of the best street artists in Australia, becoming Sydney’s first legal ‘graffiti laneway’. TruckStop is open Wednesday to Sunday. Sydney Social 101 recommends that you check it out!

TruckStop opening hours:

Wednesday to Friday: 6-10pm

Saturday: 12-3pm and 6-10pm

Sunday: 3:30pm-10pm

TruckStop

Beach Road Hotel Bondi, Level 1

71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach

www.truckstopbondi.com

www.facebook.com/truckstopbondi

SOCIAL SPY** Borderlands 2 Launch Party

Last week Sydney Social was lucky to be invited to the launch party of Borderlands 2, the new sequel developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games. The event took place in Good God Small Club, which is a great little bar in Liverpool St in Surry Hills in Sydney’s East. The back room is where the action took place and is often used for bands playing in to the early hours of the morning.

For this particular event, the set up worked quite well, the back wall had four screens playing Borderlands 2, with the option of invitees to play against each other on the Xbox to get a look and feel for the game. I was more than happy with this as it’s my console of choice. To add context and decoration, there were promotional ‘wanted’ posters around the room of the characters from the game. I particularly liked the touch of having the males and female characters on the toilet doors.

Sydney Social 101 enjoying the launch!

As with all promotional launches there were the promo girls walking around but they were equipped with 2 large guns, reminiscent of the game. There were also a nice touch of two midgets dressed up at the crazy axe midgets from the game. I did make sure I got a picture with all four of them!! The DJ played a great set throughout and the drinks kept coming.

I was very pleased when I was handed a goodie bag, mainly because I was surprised to find a free copy of the game. I may, or may not have, ran home quickly after that!!

Game Review

Now I must start out by saying that I was a big fan of the prequel. I loved the graphic style which is so different to today’s more popular shooters such as Call of Duty and Battlefield. Also the fact that there are so many different guns, apparently the first game generated 17.75 million possible guns. Each gun looks different in terms of style, colour, pattern and most importantly stats. Yes after playing for hours you may recognise the look of a weapon but you will never find the same stats twice. This was all part of the fun of the game, when I found myself asking if I should keep this gun or swap it for another. Then it had the extra twists of adding fire, electric, corrosion damage etc.

Now Borderland 2 is much bigger than the first, stating it has “87 Bazillion…Everything”. There are more guns in this game, more grenades, more shields, more class mods etc. It also brings alone four new characters for you to play with and who now have an even more impressive customisation abilities. Each has three branches of stats to build on and make in to your own character. There is Salvador “gunzerker” who can use two guns at once, Axton “commando” who uses a gun turret, Maya “siren” who can suspend enemies in the air and my personal favourite Zero “assassin” who can become invisible.

The graphics have been tweaked a fair bit and it is great that they have kept to the comic book style. My issue with the first game is that the surroundings were mostly barren desert wastelands. This time you also run around green fields and iced mountains, which is where my trial of the game took place.

Multiplayer is where Borderlands 2 really stands out and it is great fun playing through the story with three other people. It is great to see the same character but the differences in the way they have adapted them. The difficulty ramps up in multiplayer so that the game doesn’t get too easy. A word of warning, it is a good idea to make sure you are playing with friends you know. Otherwise you fall for the old trick of spending ages in a boss fight only to have the other player run around and steal all the loot, leaving you with nothing more than an empty gun.

Apparently there is going to be five lots of downloadable content (DLC) available ranging from new classes of characters and expandable story campaigns. I never played the original DLC but if it is anything like the original ones then it’s going to add many more hours of gaming for your money.

Borderlands 2 was released last Thursday with a recommended retail price of PC (RRP: $69.95), XBOX 360 (RRP: $89.95) PS3 (RRP: $89.95), Wii (RRP: $49.95) and PSP (RRP: $29.95) platforms.

Sydney Social gives Borderlands 2 a 9/10.

Syrus Wynne, Sydney Social’s ‘bloke reporter’ attended the event as a gust of Magnum PR.

Check out the venue: www.goodgodgoodgod.com

Games pictures taken from the Boarderlands 2 official site: www.borderlands2.com

** Fashion & Beauty 101 – World Square helps you “Dress to the Nines” this summer

World Square helps you “Dress to the Nines” this summer

World Square has joined fashion forces with Shop til you drop magazine for 30 days of Fashion and Beauty and is helping you go the whole nine yards. During September, World Square has been delivering the hottest spring/summer 2012 trends, fiercest fashion and sexiest styles.

Sydney Social in inviting you to come down and get dressed to the nines by injecting colour from the runway to the fashion pages, in-store, in the square, and on the back of Sydney’s fashion pack.

Justine Cullen, Shop til you drop editor said, “It’s time to get flirty in spring, be with a 50’s style flared skirt or peasant style maxi, and be sure to add floral, paisley and more colour combinations than ever to your style. Keep it short and add a sexy silhouette, mix prints and clash colours. Combine your array of colours with the must have staple for the season – crisp white, whether it be a wide leg pant or ankle jeans for your spring fashion fix.

Fashion insider, DJ, presenter, AKA Sydney’s insider and frequent World Square shopper Rochelle Fox knows fashion with a twist better than anyone. On the street, the red carpet and in the back room of Sydney’s hottest venues, she can testify that Sydneysiders are fashionable and fashion forward.

“Sydney has earned its place on the global fashion map and is constantly assisting the fashion conscious to be on-trend and in the know. World Square has a variety of both fashion forward and eclectic retailers that give the centre a unique and quirky take on fashion. This spring/summer, look out for pastels and prints, keep it clean with whites, and invest in killer statement jewels to create an edgy contrast.”

Float on cloud nine and get involved tomorrow for incredible sales, gifts and entertainment, plus meet the SHOP editorial team and be the first to know what’s hot:

• 27th September – 9am to 9pm sale to get your fashion fix with entertainment in the outdoor square

For more information on the World Square’s Spring/Summer Fashion agenda visit www.worldsquare.com.au.

About World Square Shopping Centre

World Square is the only CBD shopping centre that offers fresh and prepared food, a unique selection of fashion, homewares and lifestyle items and services within over 90 specialty retailers. Once home to the famous Anthony Horden & Sons department store, World Square has transformed the precinct back to a shopping and entertainment destination. Spanning three levels of an entire city block and with 26 new retailer store changes taking place last year including a strong fashion re mix, the centre is well positioned for continued growth as a leading CDB Shopping Centre. With over 25 million customers a year, World Square is a vital part of the Southern CBD community surrounded by residents and a solid vertical customer base. The centre holds four key customer segments: CBD precinct worker, CBD resident/local, non Sydneysiders and Sydneysiders. www.worldsquare.com.au