My Big Day Out

Hugo's occupies a strategic corner of the Manly ferry wharf in Sydney's northern beaches.

Incoming ferry passengers disembarking from Circular Quay in Sydney CBD pass by its verandahs, lined with dark wooden tables, fresh aromatic pizzas and bay views.  On the evening I was there with mates,

a rather hot sticky Sunday had turned into passing showers after a blow-up of ocean breezes and the coming in of clouds.  Hugo's was chock-a-block, granted that this was a holiday weekend for New Year's and we could see other lines of people outside queuing to catch the boats back to the city centre.  There was no room at the inn, so to speak, and my group had to take dinner at the wood fired pizza outlet across the road.  We had kangaroo, vegetarian and prawn laden pizzas, amongst other flavours, and I also could not help tasting the potato and bacon version meant for youngsters Ash and Cait.

For me, Hugo's was the final stop on a busy adventure out, that started with passing by this uniquely named cafe along Victoria Avenue  in Chatswood, NSW - Hello Happy (image above).   It was a bakery cafe outlet, but the name of the business suggests targeting a market with demographics of teenagers, Japanese and HongKongers.  Chatswood remains one of my fav chillout and shopping destinations in the greater Sydney area - and my easy quick lunch combo there often consists of an  entree of KFC wicked wings, followed by a mains of Malaysian, and topped up by a cool cup of iced smoked tea from ChaTime.

My reliable carriage (above)  takes a well deserved rest in a Baulkham Hills home. I had accompanied a visiting aunt, her daughter and son-in-law to Castle Towers to partake Thai food at the Red Spoon.

As one entered this restaurant located at the piazza of this shopping centre in Sydney's north-west, I felt as if I was on a tropical holiday resort and specifically at its music lounge lobby.  Jazzy and easy listening music was being played.   We had eyed the barramundi listed on the menu, but it was not available that day.  So for mains, we settled for cinnamon roast pork belly (recommended), a lamb shank Massaman curry (a bit sweet for my palate) and banana flower salad graced with grilled prawns.

Our entrees (above) at the Red Spoon - pandan leaf flavoured barbecued chicken (left) and a dish that combined soft shell crab with salads.

I just love the set up (above image) of glass containers that hold the various exotic seeds and nuts, accompanied by snugly packaged choc products from Max Brenner.

I had some time to kill between appointments,so I dropped by the bookshops in Darlinghurst.

I was delighted coming across this wall mural that depicted cheerfulness trying to encourage a boy pre-occupied and self-obsessed with his problems.  Change the boy depicted in the mural to an adult, and I surely have come across various instances of such a scenario playing out on Sydney CBD streets.

Below, the lamb shank Massaman curry from the Red Spoon Thai restaurant.