Heavenly Heights at Henry Deane, Hotel Palisade
With my boyfriend travelling a lot for work, we like to make the most of our time together and indulge when we can. So I was incredibly lucky this week to be surprised with a stay at the luxurious Hotel Palisade upon his return from a 2 week trip away. Located on the Rocks at Millers Point, rooms feature views of the Harbour Bridge and city skyline with English themed decor adding to the charm and character of this Old Sydney Town retreat.
Staying on level 2 in the North-West facing George Power suite, our room featured a separate lounge, bathroom and mini bar including espresso coffee machine and plenty of naughty snacks (which we later tucked into following a few drinks!). Exquisite interiors such as a retro Marshall radio, an old English phone and artwork by local Australian artists made us feel right at home as we kicked back and relaxed after a long day at work.
Later we made our way to the rooftop bar for dinner and drinks at the highly rated Henry Deane restaurant. Having had a browse on their Instagram page, I couldn’t wait to checkout this trendy spot and what it had to offer. Aside from breathtaking views over the heart of Sydney, the bar boasts a menu of tempting cocktails and wines alongside sharing dishes from oysters and seafood, to steak and cheese. We opted for the crispy rosemary potatoes with roasted yeast mayonnaise accompanied by the grilled lamb cutlets. Perfectly paired with a few glasses of Tabali Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, the potatoes were crispy yet fluffy and the cutlets tender and tasty.
With a glass of wine in hand and the glistening lights of Sydney reflecting over the harbour, I could definitely get used to these heavenly heights to wind down after work every night!
Being an acai bowl addict, I strolled down the road to Surry Hills where Bare Naked Bowls has opened another cafe. Serving every kind of acai bowl with toppings galore and health drink blend you can imagine, this place is my idea of heaven. Arriving in the late afternoon on a Saturday, I managed to grab a little table overlooking the bustling neighbourhood corner of Surry Hills.
After much consideration over the delectable choice of blends and toppings on offer I chose the Hippie Bowl, a blend of organic acai berry, banana, blueberry, organic hemp protein and macadamia milk with a topping of handmade nut granola, banana, goji berry, strawberries, blueberries, organic hemp seeds and natural peanut butter drizzle. I asked to swap the hemp seeds for coconut chips to complete what I believed to be the perfect combo; creamy sweet acai paired with crunchy granola, chewy gojis and morish peanut butter.
Coming in at $16 per bowl, it was worth the price given the generous portion size and immaculate Instagramable presentation alongside friendly service. I can’t wait to return to try another one of the inticing bowl combos at their other stores in both Manly and Bronte; here’s to those hot summer days munching on a cooling bowl of delicious acai by the beach.
We chose to settle ourselves amongst the greenery of Centennial Parklands nestled in the shade away from the 33 degree heat – always be weary of that powerful Aussie sun! Once all of our friends arrived it was time to lay out the spread of delicious food we had prepared. The original plan was to BBQ, however following a trip to the grocery store we opted for a ready cooked rotisserie chicken which we could serve straight up alongside the mezze of goodies. Everyone was so generous and contributed to the feast which included deli meats, cheeses, pickles, chutneys, dips, crackers, fresh bread, salads and fruits to finish.
Dani Aneka 