Down Under Diary

The daily diary of a wandering restaurateur Down Under
October 28 - Sydney

Today was a work day for me . . . at least part of it. I conducted a seminar this morning for a group of about 30 local restaurateurs, hoteliers and publicans (bar owners, to you!) You can't ask for a better opening act than Max Hitchins, who did a short piece on Zebra Marketing (How to Stand Out From the Herd) before I took over to share my ideas on operations (There's GOT to Be an Easier Way to Do This!) While there were a few peculiarities of language to step around, I was pleased that the basic message seemed to translate well into Aussie.

To see the photos of the seminar, click here.

What do you do on your last day in Sydney? Shop, of course! We spent the afternoon back around the harbor, wandering through the historic district known as The Rocks. What was once the original settlement (penal colony, actually) is now an interesting area of shops and restaurants. We passed on having lunch by the water and opted instead for a little patisserie tucked away in a tree-shaded courtyard. Very simple. Very civilized.

After beating our feet around the cobblestones for a few hours, we were ready to take a break before dinner, so we took a ferry back to Darling Harbor and walked back to the hotel. The multitude of ferries plying the harbor reminded me of Seattle but the feel of the harbor was very reminiscent of San Francisco. But despite the comparisons, Sydney Harbour is all Aussie.

To see the photos of Sydney, the harbor and The Rocks, click here.

For our final night in Sydney, we had the distinct pleasure of going to dinner with Max and Robe Hitchins. (Actually, it was a pleasure to finally meet and spend some time with her but Max drove her over and we figured it was polite to let him stay! He selected the Teppanyaki Restaurant at the ANA Hotel. (He also selected a very impressive Saddler's Creek Bluegrass Cabernet Sauvignon. Research is hell!) Max has done some work with the hotel and all the F&B folks seemed anxious to show off for us. I love professional courtesy. After dinner, a quick drink at the top of the hotel overlooking the harbor at night, then off for a few quick hours of nap time before a morning flight to Brisbane.

It seems like we just arrived and already we are on to the next adventure. However, I don't think Sydney has seen the last of us!

For photos of the Marvins and the Hitchins, click here.

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