If your to go to see one thrilling, nail biting, side splitting show this year in Sydney make it…read moreAbsinthe. The whole experience is top notch from beginning through to end. You walk into Hyde Park and begin to witness the Spiegeltent in all its glory. The Spiegeltent is a wooden tent that's glorious from all angles. It includes an outdoor beer garden to get the punters ready for a night of intense creative performances. The inside of the Spiegeltent is aesthetically pleasing and reminds me of a classy French nightclub in the great 1920's ( those good old days). The venue is very intimate with seating for at most 300. This is awesome because it allows close up experience for everyone. The show began with an awesome display of a man balancing some drinks while stacking chair after chair until he reached the top of the tent . As the show went on we got to witness some acrobatic performers balance on each other's heads, throw one another across the stage. The athletic abilities of this men and women left everyone mesmerised. The performance incorporated a lot of adult themes but it was all performed in good nature but the Gazillionaire who reminded me of Beetle Guice on the good stuff. He picked on the audience and had everyone wetting themselves ( well pretty close ). The whole show was tantalising and TITalising at some points (sorry couldn't help add that one in. If your after something completely different this is a definite must see in my opinion. The whole cast knocked it out of the park. Was lucky to meet some of the cast afterwards for a Q&A with some champagne. They are tremendous people who just love what they do and rightfully so. The Gazillionaire was calling me Waldo because I choose to wear a red and white stripped top. Witty to the last. Nothing else to say other then go to see this show for yourself.

Oh. My. God! This show was incredible!! I am not a big fan of shows and musicals but this just blew…read moreme away. How can one show be so funny, so sexy and so impressive? I really didn't know what to expect but I would say that Absinthe is a mix of cabaret, cirque de Soleil and wicked comedy. You absolutely must get yourself to this show and then tell everyone about it. I really don't want to give too much away but if you like crude humour, amazing feats of human strength, sexy performers and all around amazingness then this is for you.

Whether I saw the Sydney Opera House from the inside, by land, or by sea, this civic structure is…read morean iconic as I've ever seen in my travels. My only other frame of reference was our previous visit to the Oslo (Norway) Opera House. Both are waterfront cultural landmarks designed to merge art with public space. I think the comparison is relatively weak, but I did enjoy Oslo's stark and walkable white marble roof designed to resemble a glacier, encouraging public interaction. Yet, its hard to beat Sydney's sculptural sails. We took the inside tour, with one regret being running out of time and not having the opportunity to enjoy a performance here, preferably in either the huge Orchestra or Opera Halls. Heck, I would have settled for one of the plays on the lower level. The biggest highlight though was getting to see the projection on those Sails commemorating the 125th Anniversary of the Australian Navy. Absolutely Stunning!

Iconic as it should be! During my multiple trips to the Sydney Opera House we could not find tour…read moreavailability, but that did not stop us from exploring all we could. Whether you can get a tour or not, the Sydney Opera House is worth seeing! We loved walking it in full to see different views of Sydney and took multiple boats/ferries around the harbor to see the Sydney Opera House as a whole. Rain or shine, it's definitely worth the stop for its breathtaking architecture and views alone!

Beautiful historic theater in Sydney. Located in downtown, it was interesting to see the eclectic…read morearchitecture. The theatre was built in the Gothic Style with French elements in the baroque and empire style. In the 1930s, there was a push to update the area. The Art Deco front obscures the gothic elements on the facade, look over the red and gold to see the stunning stonework.

Ever wanted to pretend you're at an Oscars party?…read more Chuck your glad rags on and step out in style at the State Theatre, the closest thing we've got to a Baz Luhrman film made flesh - a magnificent receptacle, a splendiferous spectacle, a gilt-and-velvet wonderland where every day's a holiday and everyone looks good when mood lit. Part throwback to a bygone age, part modern romance, come for a film, come for a theatre performance, come for a gig, just come as you are. Or were. It can be kind of hard to tell, its' like the imaginarium of Dr Parnassus all up in this place. The mermaid busts and marble stairs, the and chandeliers and candy bars are wondrous and dizzying, they make you want to put your arms out and throw your head back and twirl at an invisible camera in the ceiling. If you see me doing that you'll know why. Take care not to spill your chardonnay.

Great jazz jam and board game night on Monday nights. They have good pizza available and make good…read moremixed drinks. My only complaint was the audience was talking fairly loudly during the performance but the band was fantastic. I'll definitely come back next time I'm in Sydney.

Perhaps I've always wandered by on the wrong nights, but it wasn't until last week that I finally…read morewitnessed one of Venue 505's free-jazz Fridays! At around 21:30 this place was packed and the fantastic band was finishing up their first of many sets to come. The underground location and vibe really sucked me in and makes me feel like I was witnessing some great big secret. The ceilings are high, the walls are covered in murals and there are couches and seats everywhere. While the couches give it a "relaxed feeling," we had a bit of difficulty finding a spot and unfortunately there isn't any area dedicated to dancing. And we're in a music venue. Hmmm ... There's an extensive bar and food menu, and considering that you're also being treated to fantastic free music, it's really, really well priced! A house wine only sets you back $6 and the food mains were around $12. There are also a few share platters and cheese boards, too! During the week that are a ton of free events - such as Swing Tuesday - that I'm super keen to check out! Definitely, definitely one of the best music venues of this kind in Sydney.

The last time I came to see a play at the Wharf Theatre, I came to see the modern adaption of the…read moreBertolt Brecht play, Baal. Baal is an anti hero, everyone loves and admires him despite his self destructive nature and sour attitude toward those around him. David Bowie performed Baal once, I bought a record of the music. It was very slow and his voice was very deep, though looking back, perhaps my record player wasn't working properly. We walk along the corridor of the Wharf Theatre, past the old pictures of those great actors to have graced the stage. The Sydney Theatre Company's hall of fame, interspersed between windows that look out onto the water. The ideal scenery for a night at the theatre, or anywhere else if water's your thing. At the end of the hallway is the foyer. The bar serves beer and wine, but I tuck into the free water located on a table near the balcony door. I run into an old friend and chat to her about various happenings in our lives that are interesting enough to relate to another human being in a social setting. The play is about to begin and we part ways to find our seats. The productions that the Sydney Theatre Company puts on are always of an extraordinarily high quality and this production is no different. The cast are the same as those who put it on in Melbourne and have all travelled up to display their wears. (In more ways than one, as the play is rife with nudity.) There's a question and answer session with the actors once the play is finished. It's very interesting to hear their take on such a dark and provocative piece of theatre.

Three years ago I wouldn't have gone near Sydney Theatre Company. No doubt that it is an…read moreinstitution for theatre in Sydney but it just took itself and theatre so seriously. Then Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton took over as Artistic Directors and changed things up. Suddenly the seasons mixed topical and modern productions with the classics and maybe even a musical thrown in to really stir things up. The 2012 season has just been announced and already I have my eye on 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses' - a "scintillating drama" starring Hugo Weaving. Ticket prices always vary with each production/venue priced differently. My tip is to watch STC on FB or Twitter where occasionally they will sell last minute tickets at approx $30. Otherwise if you're under 30 there are heavily discounted tickets to each production so make sure you mention that at the time you book!

Located in the Chinatown and Thai town area with lots of restaurants and small food places to get…read moredinner beforehand or after a show, sits the Capitol Theatre. Unassuming exterior but with a beautiful ornate interior with old Victorian style decor and Roman style arches and sculptures on top. I went to see the musical, Beauty & The Beast which is an awesome Disney adaptation of the movie. I seen it first about 20 years ago and really enjoyed it then as I did now. It's definitely a show that all ages will enjoy and sing along. The snack bars have your typical goodies and the snacks and drinks are allowed in the theatre seating area. During intermission there was a small side window inside the seating area that opened and sold some snacks and drinks as I purchased a bottle of water. Inside the theatre the temperature was comfortable and acoustics were excellent. The seating seemed a little worn and outdated but did not take away from the experience.

The site of the Capitol Theatre has provided entertainment to the people of Sydney since the early…read more19th century when this piece of land was used by early settlers as a market place for produce and hay, giving this area its name "Haymarket". The building initially functioned as a fruit and vegetable market called "Belmore Markets". The markets were built in 1891 by George McRae, City Architect. The markets relocated in 1912, after which Wirth Bros took over the lease and opened their new Wirth Bros Hippodrome in 1916. The old site was divided up between the Manning Building (1895-1924), facing Pitt Street, and the western half, which was rebuilt as a theatre in 1928. A beautiful old building with grand interiors and host to many famous Australia and international performances, musicals and so on. I have been here many times and really enjoyed it. I love live theatre and have seen some great musicals here as well as other forms of theatre.

I'm so excited to have learned the Sydney comedy scene seems quite strong in Australia, as the past…read moretwo comedy shows I've been to have featured full houses and lots of laughter throughout. This past weekend, I attended my first stand-up show at Happy Endings in Kings Cross, an intimate underground 65-person theater with a stylish lounge up top where attendees can drink and chat before the show starts. I went to a "happy hour" there, an hour-long show that featured three stellar Aussie comics: Sean Woodland, Ray Badran and Chris Radburn. After getting a drink (the bar is cash only) and waiting in the lounge for about 15 minutes after show time, the theater was opened to attendees, who were ushered in party by party and given seats. Everyone had a great view of the stage, and many were near tables, allowing patrons to set their drinks down. I wouldn't say there are many significant distinguishing characteristics between the stand-up comedy styles of Aussies versus Americans, though I have discovered, I tend to "Wooo!" a lot more than Australian audience members. This difference was blatantly pointed out in the warm-ups for a live talk show I attended in Australia, when the audience was told to "cheer and clap like Americans" in order to convey excitement during the show. While I'm used to participating and cheering if a comedian asks a question I can relate to, in Australia, I haven't witnessed that as much. Despite the more subdued audiences in terms of cheering (there is still lots of laughing), the stand-up comedy was relatable in Australia, as Woodland told a killer party story involving Sinéad O'Connor, Badran had engaging weight loss anecdotes, and Radburn hysterically talked about fatherhood. What I did think was interesting was that every single comic mentioned America in their set. After hearing a joke from the door lady about "stupid Americans" directed towards my party before entering, I found the remarks about my home country interesting, as always, here in Australia. From the chill lounge experience up top, to the excitement of the underground show, to the cozy feel of the comedy club combined with the personal ushering to your seat, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and high-quality talent at Happy Endings. My only suggestion for improvement would be to swap the curtain dividing the club from the lounge to a door. As soon as ticket holders for the following show started congregating in the lounge, their laughter and talking could be heard downstairs, which was a bit distracting from the show. Otherwise, I can't wait to head back and see more entertaining Aussie comedy.

I've been to shows here at least four times now over the past few years, and am happy to put it on…read morethe shortlist of things to do on weekends when I'm visiting Sydney. As a Kings Cross location, it's easy to incorporate a visit into a night out. It's a cosy venue with a tiny bar (tended by the nicest bloke) serving only bottled beers, wines, and spirits. It suits the small capacity design of the downstairs showroom where the comedians do their thing. After a turn onstage, or during interval, you'll likely find them back upstairs occupying your favourite couch - so you might as well strike up conversation with them! Up close, casual and personal (but not pick-out-audience-member-to-shame scary) is the main vibe which brings me back again and again.

A world-class studio for sure…read more Google Maps and Waze directed me to the wrong location for dance class, spitting me out at The Rocks, but the location for dance class is in Ultimo. Keep that in mind. Luckily, Uber exists and I was there in 15 minutes. Once you get in, check-in at the front desk, pay if you haven't done so yet, and the friendly staff will tell you which studio your class is located in. The studio is clean, well lit, and has restrooms, changing rooms, and showers. SDC offers a wide variety of classes for all ages and they're priced at the standard. Inside each of the individual studios are cubby spaces tacked on the wall for your personal items. Barres are on three of the walls and a huge mirror is on the fourth one. The individual studios are big and the classes were larger than I had expected. But not to worry, there was enough mirror and floor space for everyone. I loved James Deane's adult beginner hip-hop class. James leads you into a warmup then teaches the choreo step-by-step. Though the class is large, he's very open to questions from anyone, but still goes at a good pace. He also emphasizes having fun, so don't be too intimidated if you don't have experience :) And he films classes every week! Next time I'm in Sydney, I want to take classes from him again (and take even more classes). Absolutely love this studio.

Ok here is the truth about SDC Studios. Whenever I mention this place to people it's usually…read morefollowed by a "wow" or an expression of awe. Then they usually look me up and down to see if I look like a dancer. This is the amount of reverence people have of this place due to the name and reputation. So when people come here for the first time they usually have a sense of apprehension and fear of being looked down by the teachers/other dancers for having two left feet that just want to dance :) Yes, I admit in some classes the feeling is justified as some teachers just weren't meant to teach but are amazing dancers in their own right. But they are in the minority and most of the teachers there are both...great instructors with cool personalities and awesome dancers. I've been dancing for a long time and have taken most of the classes at the studios. The choreography is amazing. Biggest tip is to forget about what people think and dance your heart out. Don't worry as most people will be in the same boat as you and will be too busy looking at themselves in the mirror to care :) Which class to take? Just give it a go. Even though there may be repeats of certain dance styles and levels, every instructor will teach it in their particular way and level and you will have to judge for yourself on whether you like it or not. If you are unsure always go for the beginner or absolute beginner class and start from there. So you want to dance? This is a great place to start. I'm usually there all weekend & on random weeknights, and you can find me either in class or at the reception, so come say hello :)