shady pines saloon

i had been advised to visit the saloon upon visitingsydneyby a few friends. when i was walking down the street, i actually walked past the entry, guarded by a lone security guard. unsure what to expect, i went down the stairs and i was transferred to another dimension. this was a world of its own, it felt like something out of westworld. dimly lit, lots of seating options and whiskey almost by the barrel, i loved it. the band was playing some country classics and were absolutely pumping the harmonica. so nice to hear something completely different to music we are subjected to on commercial radio. if you only have one drink here you must have the fresh apple and spiced rum. juiced literally as you rode its so tasty and fresh. i wish i could visit here more often.

a little shady it is, with its half grunge, half cowboy décor it is probably not your typical fist date location but that is what’s so great about it. it is a great watering hole, hidden from the busy city, perfect to get cosy over a few drinks. you could go all in and order bourbon, chill with a beer or be a little spontaneous and order a cocktail, whichever drink you decide, it will aid the conversation flow. warning, your biggest obstacle here will be finding the bar– the entrance is a non-descript alley door with no signage, good luck.   shady pine saloon shop 4, 356 crown street, darlinghurst,sydneynsw web: shadypinessaloon.com hit the sweet spot: chanoma,sydneycbd the way to someone’s heart varies person to person, the way to my heart for instance is cheese but more often than not, the way to someone’s heart is sweets. this authentic japanese café in regent place is known for its japanese matcha green tea but sticking to the sweet notes, they serve up generous matcha-based parfaits that are great for sharing . you can’t go wrong with the standard parfait matcha comprising of sweet green tea ice-cream with taro balls, pocky sticks and fruit. read our full post on chanoma. chanoma 1/501 george street,sydneynsw phone: (02) 9767 5465 web: chanoma.com.au for the people watchers: the bucket list, bondi beach the perfect venue for a sun-filled afternoon date where you watch the world go by, literally! it is the best spot  for people watching and to share a jug of pimms! the only downside is that it gets very busy over the weekends in the afternoon, so i would recommend making sure you know what your date looks like before venturing inside, otherwise that could be quite awkward.  the other plus to going here is that there are so many people you can always excuse yourself for the ‘bathroom’ and take a detour all the way home. the bucket list the bondi pavilion, queen elizabeth drive, bondi beach,sydneynsw phone: (02) 9365 4122

no words can really describe. this place is a ton of fun. service was great, slick and theatrical with very little waiting time. cocktails were fantastic - mine came with a little ice block. music was eclectic mix of country, bluegrass, american classics. the vibe was amazing, despite being hip it's not at all arrogant. i will be signing it's praises for a long time to come. sadly i don't live insydneyor i would be back all the time. the taxidermy animals were creepy but fun.

blondie and i both ordered vodka apple juice and agreed it was one of the best we’ve had. this is because it was freshly squeezed right there in front of us. it would have been even better if they had vanilla vodka (love that combo…yum!). i don’t know any other bar insydneythat squeezes fresh juice (maybe i just haven’t noticed before). it made me feel healthy despite the heavy pouring of vodka mixed with it.

the epitome of the small bar scene in sydney, shady pines saloon will surprise and delight you. it manages to have an exclusive feel, without the usualsydneypretentiousness.

this is a great place to have a drink with friends, the bar staff very friendly and knowledgeable - the feeling is straight out mid west america with very cool country music. buffalo heads on walls, chantilly chandeliers. the crowd is young, relaxed and very sydney. for a bar that is on the large size it has a very intimate mood. we have been to some great bars, but this will have to be one of the coolest to date. shop 4 256 crown st darlinghurstsydneyyou will have to hunt to find the door to this bar.