Songkran or the Thai New Year, 14 April 2013

Glutinous rice flour dough with a sweet inside, all put in cupcake holders.

Chic Malaysian inspired chicken satay skewers full of yummy marinade cooked on an Aussie grill.

The ingredients used in the making of papaya salad som tum - fine texture, crunchy bite and a chilli kick!

Two woks going - bubbling for deep fried stuff

Traditional Thai musical instruments laid out on a red carpet before the festivities began.

Cantonese sausage cuts, fish cake slices and thin rice noodles are assembled before they are thrown on to a hot wok and stir fried just before serving customers the hot and tasty char koay teow from Penang Island.

Lemon grass, curry leaves, paw paw and ginger plants - take home stuff for your garden.

Pre-freezed satay skewers taken out to thaw before grilling - and the other half of the equation is how one makes the peanut infused sauce.

A delicate stage in making fresh dessert, replete with banana leaf wrappers.

The trappings and colours of a Buddhist festive day held in bushland in Leumeah, south-west of Sydney city centre and over 45km north of Wollongong.

The importance of fresh and aromatic vegetables, herbs and sprouts cannot be underestimated in Thailand, Indo-China and Burma.

Cool and sweet desserts wait for unpacking and serving on a Sunday that hit 32 degrees Celsius in the Campbelltown Shire.

Still going strong, crunchy and bubbly, four hours into the fete.

I just loved the sight of cherry tomatoes placed carefully next to limes and shredded yam bean.

I did not try the Karma tea, but fresh coconut flesh strips are always welcome on a rather summery hot afternoon anywhere, whether in Australia or Thailand.  Also hence the practice of social and informal water throwing through use of  water guns or buckets, all in jest and fun, for the festival which occurs in the southern hemisphere autumn but originates during a confronting dry season in Thailand.

All fresh and ready at 9am!

The roti parata, of south Indian origin, but ubiquitous throughout  South-east Asia and popular breakfast or supper choice of backpackers and students.

Surry Hills - Sydney, NSW

Surry Hills lies over sloping topography just outside the Chinatown, Paddington and Redfern districts of the southern side of Sydney CBD.  Just as young Aussies first have overseas stints in Bali or Phuket, Surry Hills is one of those lifestyle hubs that attract  twenty somethings from outside the city when they need to relocate because of a job, love, music or commuting necessity.

The suburb offers heritage and old terrace constructions, innovative concept cafes and restaurants, plus the accessibility to a night lifestyle.

There is, as usual, a price for all this - higher rents, not suburban building conditions, lack of street parking and a Big Smoke atmosphere.  The other side of the coin can balance out any perceived disadvantages for the resident - lanes with character, some greenery away from the George Street profile, choice of transport, like-minded networks and proximity of big city events and venues.

Designer and retro clothing, fabrics, furniture and collectibles definitely add to the tone from the retail outlets. At the same time, this chic and why not perspective echo in the wardrobe of its residents.

There are markets on the first Saturday of each month on the Shannon Reserve.  Pets are more than welcome and pooches feature prominently in the Surry Hills Festival held at Prince Alfred Park on the last weekend of each October.

There is  a melange of various cultures, food and lifestyles as echoing the relative liberty of the Australian demographic, legislative and social landscape.  If Sydney is seen as cosmopolitan and varied by the world, then Surry Hills is a good representation of this image and reality.

The cycling sub culture is strong as well as the recycling mindset.  Surry Hill denizens may not exude the blonde surfer look one anticipates at nearby Bondi, but they do go out and head for the sun and water on summery days.  The importance of the pub gathering is accentuated when people live in smaller spaces and that means the penchant to go out for good, emerging and radical gigs.

Would outsiders view Surry Hills as having a component of transients - professional, artistic or migrant - as opposed to the core group that truly call the precinct home? The place is steeped in history, that bordered by Elizabeth, , Cleveland, South Dowling, Chalmers and Oxford Streets.

Foveaux Street is named in honour of Joseph, who received a land grant and who named the place after Surrey in the UK.  Originally an essentially working class suburb focusing on the rag trade, Surry Hills would witness the gentrification of its residents before changes to the current population mix.

A fascinating feature of the Surry Hills area for many years was the presence and operation of the steam trams until 1961.  Most of the architecture today still remains Victorian.  The number of well established churches is also above average for a Sydney suburb.

Eating experiences of note can be found at Four Ate Five ( recommended are the juices, pulled pork sandwiches and coffee);  Spice I Am ( basil and garlic deep fried fish, papaya salads and the pad thai stir fry noodles are must trys); the Cricketers Arms Hotel ( offering a mix of informal Mexican and modern Aussie fare); and the Black Penny along Bourke Street (for cocktails).

Everyone else seems to running towards Porteno, Madam Nhu's, Marque, Longrain and Tio's.  A gem may be discovered at the Bangbang for an interpretation of UK food at reasonable prices, a cosy atmosphere and something like lightly crumbed fish fillet doused with aioli on sourdough, or the Wagyu beef burger.

Window shoppers may want to spend time in Somedays for Swedish design clothes, the Spring Court for shoes, the Zoo Emporium, Holy Kitsch!, Pop Shop, Paper2 and Music Film Books.

Is Surry Hills an oasis in the modern dry landscape of the Big Smoke of Sydney?  It houses the Australian headquarters of Readers Digest Publications and has a scattering of business offices, but it also offers couples and families a semblance of true suburban routine and feel.  We walked around the park and surprisingly found young families. So Surry Hills is not just occupied by the perceived stereotypes of DINKS, SINKS and single party goer types.  Trees are allowed to grow old. It may serve as the prototype of a model suburb which has charisma and character despite being so near to central city opportunities and challenges.

Rum Fire Cafe and Bar, Moore Park - Sydney CBD

What attracted me first to Rumfire is the extent of its baguettes.  Okay, instead of turkish, naan wraps or bread rolls, fresh ingredients, reliable combinations and yummy dressing all are used to provide a different kind of bite. The menu can be seen as eclectic - Mediterranean, modern Australian, fusion trendy and yet all served with a home feel.   You can just have coffee, or choose a spread - it is all dependent on whom you are with, where you are going next and where you have just come from.

It is casual, it is relaxing in the subdued surroundings and yet we can watch passer-bys and the goings-on on the curved pedestrian lane outside.   The place loads itself up as breakfast, brunch, teatime and dinner venues.  It can be modern, it can be retro, it can be your suburban cafe.  The  reality however is  that no one actually resides in this hub.  Visitors have dropped by in Moore Park for a reason - and dining can be secondary, or why not the main purpose?  Whatever the circumstance, Rumfire offers a refuge - for a date, for a night out, for a family outing or for an occasion to catch up with mates.