Chronicling Amsterdam

The second city we visited on our European adventure, was the vibrant, slightly crazy city of Amsterdam, in The Netherlands. 

On our first night out we toured the renowned Red Light District in all its glory, and had a chance to walked across the picturesque cobbled lane ways and canals which the city is built upon. 

The next day we visited a traditional clog and cheese-maker house in the countryside and had a chance to try an array of cheese varieties and fine wine, as well as pick up a couple of clog related souvenirs (we chose the clog inspired slippers). We then signed up for a bicycle tour around the historic town of Edam, and were pleasantly surprised to find that the cheese markets were being held as we cycled through. The cheese was transported by row boats down the river, just as it was done in the 1700s, and was then evaluated and sold. 

We then had free time in the afternoon to explore as we pleased. We intended to explore historical sites such as the Anne Frank House, but in our quest to find the best tasting fries in the world ('Vlaamse Frites'), we got completely lost and couldn't make our way back in time- totally worth it by the way. So we spent the rest of the day shopping and eating, before we went on a cruise through the canals with our tour group.

By pure coincidence, The Netherlands were playing in the semi finals of the FIFA world cup on our last night, so we decked ourselves out in merchandise and painted our faces and headed to a pub and pretended we were locals. When The Netherlands were sadly defeated by Argentina we promptly removed our orange paraphernalia and returned to being tourists.

Next up… Berlin!

♫ ♪ Blame It on Me- George Ezra  ♫ ♪

Chronicling The Grounds of Alexandria

We are constantly saying to one another that we need to go to to the Grounds of Alexandria, and we are happy to say that it has definitely lived up to the hype and reputation it has garnered in the two years since its opening. It was a truly unique dining experience and one that goes far beyond just food. Even arriving mid- morning on a weekday, the establishment was bursting with life and filled with everyone from mums who had dropped their kids off at school to the cool, hipster- types taking advantage of the very instagramable surroundings. One of these being the market stalls that host a range of baked goods such as breads, cakes and tarts (which looked almost too good to eat), and also fresh lemonade, fruit and flowers, such as the mesmerising rainbow coloured roses pictured above.

As we waited for a table, we took the time to explore The Ground's rustic and industrial charm, including the outdoor eating area, which has a separate BBQ shack, the gardens where fresh produce is picked daily and used in the restaurant's dishes, the tractor truck, and one of our personal favourites: the animals, including the pig named Kevin Bacon.

We then had coffee and lunch in the cafe, which proved to be flavoursome, fresh and very filling. We would definitely recommend taking a visit to the Grounds and allowing time to explore all the iconic destination has to offer.

The Grounds of Alexandria

Building 7A, No.2 Huntley St 

Alexandria NSW 2015

http://groundsroasters.com

♪♫ Geronimo- Sheppard ♪♫

Chronicling Circa Espresso

On this gloomy Summer morning, we were quite reluctant about trekking out to our pre-planned morning in Glebe because of Sydney's bipolar weather. So, we opted to stay more local and spend our morning coffee catch-up inside Parramatta's Circa Espresso cafe. This hidden gem in Wentworth Street momentarily transports you to Surry Hills' homely and electric brunch spots with its graffiti-clad walls and industrial interiors. This popular hideaway is definitely one of our top picks for the best coffee in Sydney. 

Chronicling Brisbane

This past weekend, we opted to exchange Sydney's bipolar weather for its sunnier neighbour up north, Brisbane. The getaway started on the 32nd floor of a hotel in the heart of the busy CBD, with views extending from Brissie river to Queen St Mall. This perfect location allowed us to explore what Brisbane's CBD had to offer, including their local restaurants, cafes and stores (minus the biggest Topshop in Australia that unfortunately opened the day after our departure). Within this relatively calm city, our new favourite hiding spot was uncovered in the form of eclectic cafe, Brew, in Burnett Lane. Not only did Brew have the best coffee in town, but their Brew's Brekkie Salad is now our favourite thing to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and all meals in between. In addition to exploring Brisbane's concrete jungle, a lot of time was spent in their trendy inner-city suburbs of Fortitude Valley and Paddington, where we discovered the perfect French patisserie for afternoon tea, at Le Bon Choix. Despite being 920km away from home, Sydney's erratic weather did not escape us, with much of the first 24 hours being spent with the latest issue of Frankie and novel, the Rumour Mill. 

Chronicling Rainy Days

Sydney has been experiencing some pretty miserable weather lately, and it looks like it will continue for the next couple of days. Here are some quotes and imagery that highlight the very few positives that come with rainy days: tea, puddles, bed socks, books, rainbows, tea, the hope that spring/ summer will return... and more tea.

♫ ♪ Another Story- The Head and the Heart ♫ ♪