A Fun Staycation in Sydney with Nuffnang

Thanks to Nuffnang, Destination NSW, Qantas and Rydges

I’ve been living in Sydney for over 20 years now and must admit sometimes it’s a little too easy to take this gorgeous city for granted. So what’s the answer? A staycation of course!

My fellow Bloggerati bloggers and the Nuffnang team were coming to Sydney to launch the new Nuffnang Sydney office and I was so looking forward to a weekend of hotel breakfasts, brainstorming and friends.

Where to Stay

I stayed at the Rydges North Sydney which was an adventure in itself. I was going over the bridge! (As a longtime inner-city resident, this is a big deal). The Rydges is located in an area filled with beautiful old houses, spacious parks and it’s quiet and peaceful on weekends. I used to work in North Sydney many moons ago and was surprised how much it has changed!

The rooms were generously sized, with a big and comfy bed.

There was a sweet personal touch of wine, chocolates and Delicious magazine. They sure know the way to my heart!

And I LOVED the breakfast. There was crispy bacon and hash browns, Sonoma muesli, and most importantly, Nutella filled donuts.

 Where to Eat

Burger Project

I was thrilled to discover that Qantas had organised lunch for us at Burger Project. For those unfamiliar with this restaurant, it’s owned by Neil Perry (of Rockpool and Spice Temple fame) and it’s been on my “to eat” list for ages.

Located in World Square, they are famous for their burgers which use beef that is cut, minced and rolled into patties by hand daily.

We started with a classic cheeseburger. You could really taste the difference with regards to the quality of ingredients.

I was already getting full! Then followed a fried chicken burger, a salted caramel milkshake, fries and wings!

Everything was delicious and I waddled out very satisfied.

Spice Temple

I didn’t think we could top lunch, but the lovely people at Qantas booked us at Spice Temple for dinner! I’ve been lucky enough to visit Spice Temple twice already, and the high-end Chinese cuisine is second to none.

I had a bit of a fangirl moment when I met Neil Perry!

An example of a typical blogger meal – we’re always either taking photos or checking our phones ;)

We were served a pant-stretching amount of 10 courses! Highlights included a Zodiac inspired cocktail, fried squid (Hong Kong Typhoon Style, Dongebi style steaming lamb buns with salted chilli and Kung Pao chicken. My mouth was on fire in the best way possible.

Things to Do

The undisputed king of Sydney has to be the harbour and it’s gorgeous views. Despite it being Winter, we were treated to moderate temperatures and bright blue skies.

Have a cocktail at ECQ Bar

We had the Nuffnang launch party at ECQ Bar thanks to Destination NSW and were treated to amazing cocktails, impeccable service and stellar views of the Harbour Bridge.

(Photo Credit: Alexander Kesselaar of alexkess photography)

Go sailing on Sydney Harbour

I had the best time sailing with East Sail thanks to Destination NSW. Seeing the Opera House from the other side, gliding underneath the Harbour Bridge and waving to the patrons at Luna Park is definitely best experienced by boat!

Our skipper George was funny, talented and even let us drive the boat!

The Conference

We were fortunate enough to have our Bloggerati Conference in the Macquarie Room at the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney. I’ve been to many a conference in my life and the small touches like constantly refreshed sparkling and still water bottles and a delicious range of breakfast and lunch options was greatly appreciated.

Oh and I gave a talk at the conference on tech and design!

And that view? Well, you just can’t beat it!

A huge thanks to Nuffnang, my Bloggerati team, Destination NSW, Rydges and Qantas for making this an unforgettable weekend!