For a limited time the Picasso exhibition is showing masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso in Paris right here in Sydney at the Art Gallery of NSW. Over 150 paintings, drawings and sculptures will fill 10 rooms on the ground floor of the gallery. These are ‘Picasso’s Picassos’, personal and revealing works that have shaped his own legacy. The exhibition showcases seven decades of Picasso’s work including his Blue, Rose, expressionist, cubist, neoclassical and surrealists periods.

The exhibition runs until 25th March and if you really want a memorable experience book in for lunch at the cafe/restaurant before or after viewing his works. I ate there recently and must say, like Picasso’s work, the food left me feeling inspired. Great date spot! Also really nice to catch up with a friend or spoil someone with culture and cuisine.

heirloom tomato salad, labneh,pomegranate

beef carpaccio, confit lemon, nasturtium flower, goats cheese foam

butter lettuce, watercress, cherry tomatoes, green olive salad

sardines with manchego crumbs, sorrel, radicchio

chorizo and pistachio stuffed chicken breast, polenta, zucchini ribbons

warm almond cake, honey roasted figs, saffron ice cream

Art Gallery NSW

Restaurant: http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/venues/restaurant/

I got all kinds of strange looks when I told people I was going to celebrate Grandma’s 1st birthday. No, not my Gran, Sydney’s Grandma. A small bar loved and adored by Sydney-siders in the know. A place where people go for some friendly, tiki style cocktail lovin and hot tasty jaffles. Owners James and Warren and their expert team always make you feel right at home and their birthday was exactly the same. Congrats on a great year, can’t wait for birthday number two!

If you haven’t yet discovered Grandma’s Bar head there tonight:

Grandma’s Bar

Basement 275 Clarence St (there’s no sign but look for the guitar shop sign and walk down the stairs, past the rocking chair and knitting needles and straight to the bar)

Open Mon-Thurs 3pm till late, Fri 12pm-1am, Sat 5pm-1am

http://grandmasbarsydney.com.au/

If you want to discover my hidden bars in the CBD take the ‘Hidden Bars Tour’ with Sydney Bar Tours: http://sydneybartours.com.au

Cries of Kung Hii Fatt Choi, exchange of red envelopes and exotically gourmet dinners took place across the country last week to celebrate the start of Chinese New Year.  The year of the dragon is said to be the luckiest year in the Chinese zodiac, with the dragon a legendary creature full of fire and mystique.   Aptly subtitled ‘Enter the Dragon’, the legend is reinforced when we enter the alternate universe of Jurassic Lounge on 31 January 2012.  We are greeted by a life size dinosaur roaming the museum floors, garnering attention and parting the crowd before discovering comedians, artists and museum geeks demonstrating a myriad of entertaining skills.

Leaving the clipped and corporate CBD, we enter a world of emerging art, inspired creativity and edgy music, a world that ignites curiousity and clamours for use of imagination.  We stop at the bar for a zesty Aperol Spritz cocktail (complete with slice of orange), wander past two hot lassies belting out Beyonce karaoke to an onlooking tiger skeleton, and discover a magical range of interactive exhibitions usually frequented by school kids and tourists.

The museum’s special exhibition – Yiwarra Kuju: The Canning Stock Route – is open to the public, and showcases a rich collection of Aboriginal art, stories and history.  We are immersed in the cultural journey before being jolted back to attention by a collection of roaming giant insects.  A Goliath Stick Insect named Marisa (after Mischa Barton’s character in the OC) is the most popular of the crew, inspiring squeals and laughter as she sticks her legs into the groomed hair of those brave enough to play.

We bump into Events Coordinator David Bock looking slightly nervous.  He tells us that opening night is like throwing a party and crossing your fingers that people will both turn up and have fun.  With Clover Moore and other familiar faces dotting the crowd, it seems his first day jitters are unfounded as punters line up eagerly for the chance to shoot toy dinosaurs and create short films with plastic trees.

A live taxidermy demonstration (not for the fainthearted), a groovy silent disco and real time art demonstrations are just a few of the whacky treasures on display at this year’s Jurassic Lounge.  With ‘art, music and new ideas at dusk’, the third season not only looks set to out-do previous iterations in the stimulation stakes, it gives us an excuse to revert to our inner child and check out dinosaurs – post third grade.

About Jurassic Lounge:

January 31 to April 3, Tuesdays, 5.30pm to 9.30pm, Australian Museum, College Street, city, jurassiclounge.com, $15 (includes a drink on arrival and free entry to FBi Social at Kings Cross Hotel)

About the author:

Daniella Alhadeff is a blogger, writer and Gen-Y corporate professional who is passionate about discovering music, edgy fashion and fabulous food – and generally embracing life after five. When many discussions with friends in the corporate world revealed a desire to find meaning in the small things, she launched her lifestyle blog Lifeafterfive* (sydneylifeafterfive.blogspot.com).

Those clever kids at Bourke St Bakery have been causing queus for a few years now and have just opened a neighbourhood style cafe/restaurant in Potts Point called Wilbur’s Place. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 6 days a week they offer a quick, freshly cooked meals available eat in or take away. I’ve become a little obsessed. Right now they’re BYO until they get their liquor license and dishes are very reasonably priced. Check out what I’ve been eating:

Lunch

brisket roll with salad $7

warm salad of porchetta, apple, endive, fennel croutons

open brisket

Dinner

duck liver parfait, pickled cauliflower and toast $12

duck leg, cumquats, beans and eggplant $19

skirt strak with herb butter, anchovies, capers and potato $18

amazing green beans! $5

Next time I got back i’m trying the toasted brioche ice cream sandwich with caramel ($10)!!

*While you’re in the neighbourhood check out LL Wine and Dine 2 doors down for cocktails, dinner or yum cha and live music on Sundays… http://eatdrinkplay.com/eat/restaurants/ll-wine-dine/

Wilbur’s Place

36 Llankelly Place, Kings Cross

02 9332 2999

Closed Monday open Tues-Sat 8am-10pm

http://www.wilbursplace.com

To celebrate the return of Jurassic Lounge at the Australian Museum we’ve teamed up with sponsor Aperol to give one lucky winner the perfect summer prize pack. The Aperol Spritz is Italy’s most widely consumer cocktail and it’s really easy to make.

Aperol Spritz

Step 1: Grab a tumbler glass and follow these simple steps:

Step 2: 3 parts of Prosecco or dry white wine

Step 3: 2 parts Aperol

Step 4: 1 splash of soda

Step 5: Add ice and a slice of orange to the glass. Pour in the Prosecco, then the Aperol before adding a dash of soda and stirring gently.

The Aperol Spritz is all about sharing the company of others so to enter…

Tell us in 25 words or less if you could invite 4 people (dead or alive) round for Aperol Spritz Time who would they be and why?

Most creative wins the following prize pack:

• 2 x Jurassic Lounge tickets ($15 each = $30)
• 1 x bottle of Aperol
• 1x bottle of prosecco
• 1 x bottle of soda water
• 2 x glasses
• 2 x Aperol straws
• 2 x Aperol coasters

Write your answers in the comments section below. Winner will be announced next Wednesday 8th February by 5pm.

Aperol Spritz Facebook

Jurassic Lounge website: http://www.jurassiclounge.com/ (Open every Tuesday 5.30pm-9.30pm Jan 31st-April 3rd 2012)

To celebrate in true Australia Day style the good folks at Hendrick’s have created the ‘Gold Rush Tea’ cocktail. Inspired by the delicious fresh mangoes of Queensland and Australia’s rich gold fields in the 19th century this creation will be featured at the ‘Island Bar’ on Cockatoo Island. For the intrepid mixers who fancy making themselves a a drink or two here’s the recipe:

‘Gold Rush Tea’
Created by Jamie Terrell, Hendricks Gin Ambassador

Ingredients
30ml Hendrick’s Gin
2 one-inch cubes of ripe mango
50ml pre-made Mango Tea
15ml St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

Method
Shake all ingredients together and finely strain. Serve in a teacup or suitable glass drinking vessel with ice. Garnish with a cucumber wheel.

Enjoy!

Warning! The following photo’s will make you salivate and your tummy rumble (perhaps best viewed in the comforts of your own home).

El Phoenician

7 Towns Place, Walsh Bay

(02) 9633 1611

Open 6 days a week (Tues – Sun) for lunch from 11.30am and dinner from 5.30pm.

Belly dancers every Friday and Saturday night.

First it was peanuts, then pretzels and now popcorn. Simple staple foods of a recent breed of Sydney small bars. Tio’s Cerveceria is the latest addition and since owners Alex and Jeremy originate from the Shady Pines family it’s easy to see where they inherit their winning formula.

Nestled on Foster St, just up from Cafeish, Bar H and around the corner from Hotel Hollywood is where you’ll find this tequila haven. Follow the kitsch, fluorescent sign and step into what was once a sterile cooking school. No shiny white tiles in sight, rather a low lit warm bar piled with giant jars of pickles, an exciting range of agave bliss and quirky pictures and ornaments strung along the wall.

The tattoo covered, rockabilly bartenders are a friendly lot, mad about tequila and eager to share their knowledge. Ask for a cocktail menu and they’ll hand you a napkin with two words ‘Menu: Tequila’. Leave it to the barman and he’ll fix you a $10 cocktail including a Tequila Sunrise with orange juice and home-made grenadine. The El Roberto Especiale is a popular choice made of fresh green apple juice, cucumber slices, tequila, lime and three-herb syrup.

If beer is more your thing order cans of Rio Bravas and enjoy cheap Mexican beer for $5. If you’re a straight shooter have the bar staff pour you some of their rare tequila from the top shelf.

As for food, the smell of freshly popped corn fills the air. Handed out in a brown paper bag they’ll keep you busy snacking at the bar. If you’re really lucky you might get to try a pickled quail egg (sounds weird but tastes amazing).

Tio’s formerly translates to uncle and in slang means dude. Like most relatives you can only handle them in small doses so either start or finish your night at this bar. With no substantial food on offer and way too many tequilas to try you could easily overstay your welcome and end up on the polished concrete floor. You’ve been warned.

Follow the signs...

Pickled Quail Eggs

Meet Marlin Brando

Plastic animals = hours of fun

Official menu

Popcorn Please!

Tio’s Cerveceria

Two slices of toasted bread filled with layers of corned beef or pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing is said to be the original combo for the famous Rueben sandwich. Who invented the Rueben? This is up for debate.

Some sources claim Reuben Kulakofsky a Lithuanian-born grocer from Omaha, Nebraka was the inventor. Kulakofsky belonged to a weekly poker group whose members enjoyed making their own sandwiches. One of the players, Charles Schimmel, owner of the Blackstone Hotel in added the Reuben Sandwich to the hotel lunch menu and it gained local fame. Word of this incredible sandwich soon spread across the country.

Others have argued the Reuben’s creator was Arnold Reuben, the German owner of the once-famous Reuben’s Delicatessen in New York. According to an interview with renowned restaurant critic Craig Claiborne it was Arnold who invented the ‘Rueben Special’ in 1914.

This is a popular belief although it has been disputed that Arnold wasn’t the originator, rather his chef Alfred Sheuing. It’s claimed Alfred made it for Reuben’s son Arnold Junior in the 1930s because he ate too many hamburgers. Instead, he got the best damn sandwich of his life.

Over the years there have been many versions of the Reuben sandwich. We even have a café named after the famous creation right here in Sydney. It’s called Reuben Hills. You’ll find it on Albion St, in the heart of the 2010 zip code. This café does two things well, coffee and a Reuben sandwich. The interior is sleek and minimal with polished concrete floors and exposed timber beams. Upstairs they roast their own coffee filling the New York feeling space with beautiful aromas.

The menu is simple with a few meals listed for breakfast and lunch. Don’t ask to make changes to the menu, they probably wont’ oblidge. You also can’t get anything else on the menu take-away except the Rueben and the Baleada, a wheat flour tortilla filled with cheese, egg and meat ($8).

I couldn’t tell you what anything else on the menu is like because every time I go there I can’t go past the Rueben. Is it a traditional Rueben? No. It’s a new version but still damn good, if not better.

For $15 you’ll get a plate with approximately 15 centimeters of toasted bread filled with a wagyu salt Brisket, pickled slaw, melted manchego cheese and horseradish cream. Be nice and you’ll get some fresh radishes on the side. Don’t drink anything while you eat, wait until you finish so you can enjoy the flavours. Then wash it down with a just salted caramel shake or try their crafty coffee.

Hungry? Here’s what to do:

Rueben Hills

61 Albion St Surry Hills

Open 7 days 7am – 4 pm.

http://reubenhills.com.au/

Love killer sandwiches? Check out Malibu Sandwich Bar (for the biggest sandwich in Sydney).

*

Attention cocktail connoisseurs of Sydney, we’re about to discover the best bartender in the world! Back for it’s third year the World Class is a global competition organized by Diageo RESERVE brands. Celebrating cocktail culture and the art of bartending across 40 countries the search is on for the finest bartender in the world.

It all begins with a national competition in each participating country. In Australia, bartenders from each state will compete in two grueling heats.

Round One is inspired by the summer season with three categories: Summer Cocktail, Punch and Gentleman’s Cocktail. Entries must include the finest ingredients and top end spirits including either Ketel One vodka, Tanqueray No. Ten Gin or The Singleton of Glen Ord Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Round Two it’s all about winter with bartenders tasked with creating rich, warming drinks inspired by three categories: Gentleman’s Cocktail, Hot Drink and Dessert Serve. These cocktails need to include either Ron Zacapa 23 rum, Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky or Don Julio Reposado tequila.

Cocktails will be assessed on concept, appearance, experience and taste. After each round the public are invited to experience the best three cocktails created in each category and vote for their favourite. To get involved visit the bartender’s venue, order your drinks and get critiquing. Vote on the World Class Facebook page for the chance to win a $500 bar tab at that venue.

You can also attend the semi final rounds to see the masters of mixology in action.

Summer Round semi final

When: Sunday 22^nd January

Where: Sydney Glass Island (pick up from Campbells Cove: located in the middle of The Rocks (north of the Overseas Passenger Terminal), near Quay Restaurant and the Park Hyatt.Time: 2.45-6pm

Tickets: $65 includes the semi-finalist cocktails, delicious canapés, great tunes and cruising on the harbour. http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=52726

Winter Round semi final- further details to be announced

When: Sunday 20^th May

Where: Melbourne

*Photo courtesy of TimeOut