POPO LATE NIGHT

Potts Point is pulling out the stops and putting on the ritz tonight in the first of it's Shop Late promotional events. 50 businesses are participating in this walk, shop and sip experience, from 5-8pm. Shops are collaborating in food + drink pairings, pouring the bubbles and keen to meet  you...

Why don’t you try…

Shop Late cocktails by Joseph Hyde and Silly Tart Kitchen at A Date with Mabel and Oasis Emporium

Cocktail Classes by Dulcie’s Kings Cross at Hotel Challis and Springfield Lodge

Sustainability art show at eco-friendly laundromat laundrlab

Best dressed dog competition and pop-up dog treat market at Baked by Keiran

Cheese tastings from Pennys Cheese Shop at the Potts Point Bookshop

Becker Minty shop late markets and DJ entertainment

Dining and bar tours and history of the Cross walking tours

Entertainment including 3 performers, a roaming drag-queen and a band by the KX station as visitors flow into Kings Cross and explore the precinct!

Also repeat performance on 26 November + 17 December (make a diary date for all Xmas shopping)

HAPPY HOURS

Welcome to HAPPY HOURS, 15th-31st October, a celebration of all good things in our neighbourhood. This spring, we’ve brought together a ton of special retail promotions, art, live performance, plus food and drink deals.

Our precincts have the best that Sydney has to offer - from coffee to negronis, small bars, world class restaurants, roof top views and plenty of bakeries - no need to bake your own sourdough ever again :) But, as they say in the classics, use it, or lose it! This is the time to show your support for the indie record shop, the local fashion boutique, your favourite barista, or pizzeria, or wine bar. It’s been a tough year and we all need a helping hand.

Why not check out the live theatre performances at ESCAC and BLOOM at Eternity Playhouse as they open their doors once more - the audiences are smaller but the big talent abounds.

We support the efforts of Heart On My Sleeve, the global mental health social movement, and many pubs in the ‘hood are offering $5 Young Henrys beers to raise funds for HOMS during October.

Venues, restaurants and bars are looking a little bit different right now and your shopping experience, or taking in an art exhibition could be a bit less crowded, as we all adjust to the new ‘new’.

All of our participants are COVID compliant, so you may be asked to make a reservation, book in small groups, be aware of reduced venue capacity, keep your distance, or register your name. Rest assured that the safety and well-being of local business, guests and our wider community is always on our mind.

We hope you enjoy this program we’ve put together and encourage you to support local in any way you can

Surry Hills Creative Precinct + Darlinghurst Business Partnership.

ROUGHTOBER

ROUGHTOBER is an annual event, raising funds for those in our community who are doing it tough. This year, due to Covid, it's a virtual event, on Friday 30th October, with people pitching their sleeping bags in backyards, on balconies and even at their workplace! It's not too late to get involved and if you don't want to sleep rough you can support them here - they are about two thirds of the way to their target of $175k! You can also support local businesses like Darlo Bar, Cohab Coffee and Lil Darlin' who are all raising much needed funds for Roughies. And follow Rough Edges on facebook too,  they’re going to be covering it live with interviews of all the rough sleepers and supporters.

HAPPY HOURS

The Business Chambers of Surry Hills and Darlinghurst have joined forces to bring some “happy” into the neighbourhood this October with HAPPY HOURS an event that will feature offerings from the best venues and retailers in the area.

For 2 weeks (15th-31st October) there will be something on offer daily, including food and drink deals, retail activations and art and performance events. The idea is to encourage locals to support local and keep our area thriving. The 80+ businesses already on board stretch as far as Redfern, Woolloomooloo, Potts Point and to the Paddington boundary.

This area has the most culturally creative and exciting offerings in the whole of Sydney - and the aim is to keep it that way.

A recurring theme expressed to the business chambers from local businesses over the past few months is that many have managed to keep afloat because of the support from their regulars, and they are grateful for the patronage, that kept them going day-to-day.

This area has a strong community vibe and the message to our locals is ‘use it or lose it’ lets all work together to give each other all the support we can.

Local artist Jeff McCann has designed the poster artwork for the event which reflects the fun and lively style of postcode 2010

Businesses have come up with a multitude of fun ideas including meal deals, family nights, cocktail specials, charity involvement, drag queens, karaoke, author talks, book launches, gin tastings, wine and food pairings, live music, comedy acts, dog events, jewellery making classes, karma kegs, vinyl specials and movie nights.

With travel limited in Australia right now, there’s no better place to be than Eastside Sydney and we are lucky to have so much on offer right on our doorstep. HAPPY HOURS is a joint initiative between the Darlinghurst Business Partnership and Surry Hills Creative Precinct enabled by a grant from the City of Sydney. It is free for businesses to be involved.

The program will launch on 17 September 2020 at website happyhours.sydney

So get on board - as they say - it takes a village!

register your interest lorraine@eastsidesydney.com

FLYING NUN IS BACK!

Brand X is re-launching Season 5 of its contemporary performance program The Flying Nun, premiering at East Sydney Community Arts Centre from October – December 2020.

Brand X Director James Winter, says: “After months of Sydney’s night-time venues being dormant, we are excited to inject some creative life back into the inner city and present this exciting collection of experimental independent artists in a COVID-safe environment. 

“Brand X offers Sydney and virtual audiences an affordable program of live contemporary performance to reconnect with each other again under the new realities of COVID-19. If isolation has taught us anything, we need places for commune. Cultural connections remind us of our simultaneous fragility and resilience.”

brand x is back with a new live program

The new program is radical, exciting, subversive and surprising - expect the unexpected with performances that explore love, covid isolation, trans-global collaboration, Sydney eccentrics, aTed Talk on acid and Whitney Houston! A celebration of fringe counter-culture, The Flying Nun was created to incubate experimental projects that more conventional performance spaces hesitate to take a risk on and provides a platform for artists to test out new ideas and take them to the next level. 

Established in 2018, The Flying Nun is a biannual showcase of contemporary performance work developed through performing arts residencies offered by Brand X at East Sydney Community Arts Centre. To date, the program has supported 56 emerging and independent ensembles to realise new ideas that push creative boundaries. Originally slated for February – May, but delayed due to COVID-19, Brand X is able to finally present this suite of experimental new works in its intimate COVID-safe* Darlinghurst venue. 

VENUE East Sydney Community Arts Centre, 34 Burton Street Darlinghurst 

TICKETS / LIVE $25 www.brandx.org.au/tickets / ONLINE $10 digital tickets

WASH. DRY. FOLD.

Wash, Dry, Fold.

Three words that form part of the weekly routine when it comes to ensuring we have clean clothes to wear. In an age where more people are looking to be more ‘clean and green’ through fashion, food consumption and waste and more, very few think about the amount of energy it takes to perform the mundane task of doing laundry.

Introducing laundrlab, a modern sustainably-focused laundry provider, offering an efficient and luxurious self-service, bag wash, pick-up and delivery services. Launching its first venue in Potts Point, laundrlab are pioneers of eco-friendly washing with a vision to make laundry more considerate of the planet while being better for people and their textiles.

The brainchild of co-founders Carlos Ojeda and Toby Dankbaar, laundrlab is an environmentally and health-friendly laundry venue providing a contemporary, convenient and comfortable space where every process is mindful of the planet. From sourcing the most sustainable washing machines that use a savvy app to control wash loads and its availability to carefully selecting detergents and accessories that are kind to mother earth - every step and mechanism has been taken into consideration.

Toby & Carlos on their new venture, “For many Australian’s, doing laundry at the local laundromat is a necessity. laundrlab was created to change the perception of cleaning clothes by providing a modern, safe and effective environment to do so whilst educating our customers and beyond on the ways we can be more mindful when doing the weekly wash.”

Filled with natural light, state-of-the-art design and supporting local art, laundrlab’s minimalistic yet eye-catching look blends effortlessly into the area’s aesthetic. laundrlab also offers a sleek and sophisticated co-working space whilst waiting for the wash to be done. Enjoy a coffee or a sparkling water provided by laundrlab while catching up on emails with their complementary WiFi.

laundrlab in potts point

EXERCISE - LETS GET MOVING!

As Lockdown restrictions ease, Sydney fitness centres and dance studios are welcoming people back to their businesses while ensuring they adhere to the remaining social distancing restrictions - no easy task when your business is about getting people up close and personal. Tropical Soul Dance Studio, on Oxford Street, has developed a new syllabus of classes, using Salsa & Bachata styles to teach people how to dance and move their bodies without a partner. After months of isolation, the classes are a welcome relief for participants who are looking forward to getting out of the house, moving their bodies and socialising once again.

photo : julian lock

Josie Cote, the French-Canadian owner of Tropical Soul, says “It’s a very exciting time here at the studio, after teaching online classes for the last 13 weeks, finally we will have students coming back to the studio. Everyone is happy and we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

“It’s challenging for us compared to other dance schools as we are a Latin dance school so we normally teach dance styles that are partnered. It’s usually a great opportunity to meet and dance with lots of new people. But we adapt. Fortunately, we have a really beautiful community of people that support us and want to get their dance shoes on again and have some fun.”

Elyse, a TS Dance student says “We’ve been having our classes online, from the safety of home for a few months now, which I’ve loved but I can’t wait to see my classmates and put my heels on again - even if it’s solo.”

photo: julian lock

Justin Green, Owner of Plus Fitness Darlinghurst is excited to be back too. “We lost a lot of our members who had to return overseas due to COVID but we are starting to get new members from those exiting iso and weight loss is the biggest motivator! We invested in a huge renovation just before lockdown - Extra equipment, more floor space and new flooring - so we are reopening with a brand new look & feel.

“We are also a COVID safe business and all members are very respectful of this - using towels, wiping down stuff and observing social distances and we’ve introduced a contactless barcode scanning system for registering new members.”

Both Tropical Soul and Plus Fitness are offering free classes and reduced weekly fees for new members.

Covid-19 rules for safely joining classes post lockdown: Sanitise hands on arrival Maintain 1.5 meters distance from other people No more than 20 people per class Check temperature on arrival Don’t feel well? Don’t come to class. Bring your sweat towel

SYDNEY PRIDE MONTH

To celebrate Pride Month in Australia Sydney Pride Festival 2020 launches “Love Stream” a month long series of local events you can watch online from this Thursday 4th June until 30th June.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacts being felt around the world, and international events being postponed or cancelled, means the LGBTQIA community has had to rethink the global PRIDE celebrations, with many being moved to online platforms.

photo: ann-marie calilhanna

Glenn Hansen from Sydney’s Stonewall, and LOVE STREAM convenor says that in a time when the LGBTQIA community cannot be together to remember the History and celebrate Sydney Pride the aim is to “integrate our community together online.” Sydney Pride Festival is a grassroots festival and a time to pass on the history and raise awareness and education of our LGBTQI Charities. “This year we will be putting the focus on how we have changed through the COVID Pandemic and emphasise that our online community has now become more important than ever.” says Hansen.

Sydney Pride Festival 2020 will remember the pursuit for acceptance and total equality for all our LGBTQIA brothers and sisters. Sydney Pride can reach out and help those struggling with sexual identity, bullying, drugs or just feeling that life is too hard to stand strong and ask for help. “Connecting together in Solidarity. This is Love Stream Pride!” says Hansen.

Sydney Pride Festival is a not for profit event which supports a wide range of LGBTQIA charities, organisations and businesses. Sydney Pride Festival 2020’s website - www.sydneypride.com - will include a calendar of events along with links for where you can watch them. Events include talks, documentaries, health and fitness classes, education sessions, Love Bingo, life drawing classes, drag shows, by request shows, live streaming from venues, drag queen children’s story time, a short story competition, international guests, lunch time entertainment, Pride Run, movie & TV recommendations.

On 27th June Australia will also take part in Global Pride 2020 - a 24 hour online international celebration of Pride Month. Global Pride 2020 will announce in early June the platform on which the event will be streamed. Follow Global Pride 2020 on Facebook to receive updates.

LINK : sydneypride.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/sydneypridefestival

“This is a time to remember the Stonewall Riots and the beginning of Gay liberation as it’s now known. The Sydney Pride festival is dedicated to those that led the way back in 1969, who fought for equality and human rights and the incredible strength of our friends who marched in the first Sydney Mardi Gras in 1978.”

OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

The Government has announced a staggered re-opening of hospo, with limitations still in place. For those of us who have been in isolation and are craving a bit of waiter interaction - here’s a list of local venues that have reintroduced table service. Only 10 patrons allowed and 1.5 metre social distancing required. Some are walk-ins and some are bookings only.

dont tell aunty thali feast is back

Bad Hombres plant based Mexican - bookings essential

Beppi’s old school charm, fabulous food. dine in, in style with no time restrictions

Brick Lane bottomless feasts return at this Indian diner

Buffalo Dining Club the cheese wheel is back - dinner for 10 Fri/Sat with two seatings

Cafe Giorgio by the fountain. open from midday.  2 course $40 per customer menu and 1 hour 15 mins seating.

Chaco Ramen lunch and dinner/DIY kits and takeaway still available

Chester White Dining already booked out till the end of May!

Dear Sainte Eloise $65 set menu bookings essential Thurs-Saturday

DOC Pizza. pizza, deli, espresso bar. Limited bookings available.

Dont Tell Aunty “inauthentic Indian” open for lunch and dinner - bookings advised

Franca fine French food - private dining table for 10. takeaway will continue

Loluk Bistro French bistro style reopening with set menu

Love, Tilly Devine (set menu $50, bookings essential. or drop in for a drink from 4.30pm

Low 302 brunch, dinner, supper. bookings recommended

Macleay St Bistro local’s favourite bistro. open every day, lunch from 1pm, dinner from 6pm (2 seatings)

Manta Lunch for 10. 3 Course Chefs Lunch with Canapés and 3 hours of premium beverages. $125pp.

Marta Food, wine, bakery, coffee. gelato. Dine in Wed to Saturday

Mark and Vinny’s spaghetti and spritz

Maybe Frank (no bookings, so get in early)

Metisse degustation and cocktails - French style

MV Bistro walk-ins only. takeaway still avaialble

Pizza Autentico take-out, delivery and dine-in. booking recommended

Poly “Petit Poly” - booking recommended

Pizza Fritta 180 full menu available Tuesday to Sunday

Reuben Hills takeaway or dine in 10 at a time

Sang by Mabasa Korean fine dining - takeaway still available up to 7 for dining - make a booking)

Single O - offering “daily flights” coffee tasting and 5 tables for dining inside

Sonora Mexican open from 5pm. 1,5 hrs bookings available. phone ahead!

Tandoori Palace 5pm till late. daily. plus 30% discount on takeaway. walk-ins or bookings available

Wings and Tins groups of 5 or 10 only $65 per person all you can eat and 3 tins

Yulli’s Vegan delights. lunch and dinner. Wednesday to Sunday. Dinner in 3 sittings. get in quick!

Metisse introduce their new cocktail menu

DIY Vivid

Sydney’s first ever isolation illumination event #DIYVivid is the brainchild of Sydney comedian and Vivid festival die-hard fan James Breko who, when this year’s Vivid Festival was Covid-cancelled, instead of getting sad, decided to get Lit!

Breko says, “Even though we are all dealing with the challenges of iso-life, we are still connected, and together we can shine through this tough time.”

The countdown is on to the start of #DIYVivid, with the big switch happening at 7pm on Friday May 22 . Balconies, apartment blocks, streets and suburbs will sparkle as we are encouraged to dust off the festive lights and decorate our homes, bringing the community together and showing the world: the lights are still on down under!

#DIYVivid will run every evening for two weeks from 7pm Friday May 22 until Friday June 5, mirroring the dates of the world-famous festival of light that inspired the event.

James Breko is a Vivid fan who decided to DIY and invite the rest of Sydney to join in!

“The idea of busting out that box of fairy lights or making your own decorations at home, is something everyone can be part of, and the more people who join in, the more we can make the Sydney sparkle.”

It’s easy to be part of #DIYVivid, just join the Facebook event at diyvivid.com.au and then design, decorate and illuminate your home ready for the May 22 launch. As the official Stay At Home rules on social distancing continue to be updated, James Breko has this piece of advice for people joining in the #DIYVivid fun, “The beauty of #DIYVivid is there’s no need to travel to be part of the action. Get your street, your neighbours or your apartment block involved and connect together safely at home.”

● #DIYVivid: 7pm Friday May 22 - Friday June 25

● www.diyvivid.com.au

● #DIYVivid: Instagram

PUTTIN' ON THE FITZ

The Old Fitz in Woolloomooloo bills itself as a “local pub for local people” but this beloved locals’ reputation has spread far and wide. Foodies come for the Nik Hill accolade-loaded, best-of-british, bar-food menu, arts lovers for the live theatre productions, and tourists and locals alike for the money-cant-buy genuine character oozing out of every crevice in this 150 years old establishment.

A gentle renovation just over 12 months ago pleased locals and attracted even more tourists as did the awards and reviews for the best pub grub in town. Trivia nights and Monday Night Dart Club were popular as was the meat tray raffle. Doilies somehow worked, in a non-ironic way.

Covid-19 put a quick stop to all that but we are very pleased to say the pub grub is back (take-away only) and there’s plans afoot for the revival of the meat tray raffle too.

Hill told us there were two good reasons for the food offerings reappearing.

“Firstly we have a staff member in the kitchen who is very valuable to us and has been an integral part of building the food reputation of the Old Fitzroy. He is not eligible for any benefits from the government during this crisis and we are doing what we can to help him cover living expenses,” Hill said.

“Secondly - I was going nuts, we all were. To go from 55 hours a week doing what we do, to being told it’s all over with 12 hours notice is a shock to the system and daily routine. There's only so much banana bread you wanna make at home. Trust me!”

Hill is also keen to “keep the spirit of what we have built in the past 12-14 months alive and as we have such a valuable and loyal community of locals who have been coming to the Old Fitz for decades it's about them as much as anyone else.”

The new food, beer and wine menu changes every Wednesday, when you can pre-order up until Friday midnight and pick up your order on Saturday 3-5pm. Walk-up options for all the bakery items are available on the day as well. Some food is offered hot and some will need re-heating so with a bit of planning your weekend food is sorted, easily till Sunday night.

Hill explains that “the menu will be an accessible version of what we were looking to serve during this period anyway. As winter is prime time for the Fitz we want that hearty comfort food to still be available for takeaway”.

Expect pies a plenty, the ever popular chip butty and some bakery items including an Ortiz anchovy and onion Danish, oat buns with piccalilli and cheddar, stout honey custard tart, sausage roll by the inch and the return of the much requested pork pie tart with queens mustard.

As restrictions change weekly The Old Fitz will continue this offering for the foreseeable future and reopen to full capacity when they consider it is safe and worthwhile to do so. Until then, says Hill, “we’re hoping to see our favourite punters at the bakery counter!”

So that’s the food sorted - all you need now is a dart board, a chihuahua, and couple of crotchet hooks for the home-made doily setting you’ll be rustling up this winter.

NIkHillOldFitz on Instagram

TheOldFitzroy on Instagram

The Old Fitz menu

COHAB COFFEE

Happy International Nurses Day! It’s a day we celebrate the nurses in our midst and wow, could we appreciate their work any more than right now, at this point in history?! Actually 2020 is the WHO designated Year of the Nurse, so lets celebrate them all year long - who knows where we would be without them. If you're trying to think of a nice way to say THANKS check out this initiative from local cafe COHAB……

Cohab Coffee on Oxford St, Darlinghurst opened their doors at the end of February and just two weeks later the pandemic was called and the lockdown began. A once bustling Oxford St was deserted and owner Christine Lani-McAllister was wondering how she would keep her business afloat in the foreseeable future.

pay-it-forward for a healthcare worker

A Zoom chat with mates was the catalyst for a new idea - Says Christine “I am literally a stone’s throw from St Vincent’s Hospital and my friends suggested they buy some coffees from me, to give to the nurses there. It was a way to keep my business turning over and say a thank you to the nurses who are such a part of our local community” she said. Now she has also has set up a “pay-it-forward” system (via Instagram and Facebook) where anyone can buy coffee online and donate to healthcare workers. You can also buy soup or a sandwich for locals who access the service Rough Edges.

“Its primarily for people who have recently lost their job, are struggling or can’t access any government assistance,” she says. As of today, when we spoke, more than 1000 coffees, 50 soups and 40 sandwiches had been distributed by Cohab Coffee and Christine says everyone “is really grateful, appreciative and touched by knowing how generous and supportive the community is.”

Cohab Coffee also delivers to locals in Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Potts Point and Kings Cross. Just $20 each week brings a flat white to you door, daily - delivered in an insulated flask.

“There was a moment weeks ago where I thought I’d have to close my doors. Instead, I’m able to be part of this circle of generosity and Paying it Forward. It’s this story of community and contribution that I’ll never forget when I look back at Covid-19 times,” Christine said.

COFFEE TIME

If you’re working from home or still doing the daily commute, and you need to coffee to kick start the day you’re not alone! Eastside has the best coffee lineup in town, our baristas second to none and our cafes catering to all your needs, whether its an espresso shot, a skinny-soy-latte to go, or a cappuccino to savour…..Get it here!

We did a quick check of some our our local favourites and very pleased to say that almost all are still in the coffee game. (sad to see Orwells plan on closing this week). So if you’re looking for a new coffee stop or just need an excuse to get out in this glorious Sydney sunshine (coffee is a necessity right?) check out these local destinations….

Surry Hills : Paramount Coffee Project, Royale Specialty, Reuben Hills, Lucky Pickle, Orto Trading Co.

Potts Point : Joseph Hyde Silly Tart Kitchen Holm Cafe PrimaryCoffee Coffee Tea Me RoomTen

Darlo : Quatro Passi, BloodHound Espresso, Swiss Bakerz, Fragrance Coffee A Brewers Tale

A Brewers Tale in Darlinghurst

DO SOME MORE GOOD

After nominating our FIVE local ‘do-gooders’ here’s another THREE legends to add to that list. And remember folks, helping others is an instant high - good for both sides of the transaction :)

shop local, support local, love local!

JAZSUSHI, a Surry Hills live jazz sushi restaurant* is helping out-of-work musicians by offering 30 FREE MEALS every Thursday (starting April 30th). And no, you don't have to be a professional, nor do you have to be a jazz musician.

According to JAZSUSHI “From concert performers to bedroom beat-makers, from guitar shredders to tambourine shakers, all musicians are welcome to come and pick up a feed. Just let us know that you're a musician when you arrive, and it’s on us! “

So spread the word and tag a musician you know that might be doing it rough and lets hope that one day soon we can all gather around together again and enjoy the gift of live music. *(note: the musos are live, the fish is not)

Hamilton Kings from Potts Point local Pan-Asian HONKAS has set-up a home delivery service called LOVE LOCAL. The idea was to keep his out-of-work staff in a job, but it’s grown to be much bigger than that, with other local restaurants and cafes using the service and taking advantage of the low, low prices he is offering compared to other delivery services, who are whacking cafes and restaurants with massive commissions. Next month, plans are to expand into Surry Hills. Read more about Love Local here.

Darlo Darlings is the brainchild of Darlinghurst local Mike Galvin, who is doing so much to connect community in the 2010 postcode. ‘The Darlings’, as they are affectionately called, have set up a kerbside, community ‘Darlo Pantry’.

Says Mike “we launched Darlo Pantry to help people who need immediate food supplies. The Darlo Pantry will be a pantry for everyone who needs someone to lift the burden of their situation. Social distancing has made it difficult for the community to get food to people who need it, and can’t afford it. We’re hoping this helps in a small way. Thank you to everyone who has generously dropped off food to date.”

All non-perishable goods and toiletries are welcome. The pantry is stocked, and depleted, regularly - so give if you can, and take if you need.

The pantry is located outside Mark the Florist, by St John’s on Victoria St.

FIRST, DO SOME GOOD...

In crisis times, when everything is out of control, slightly crazy and just a little bit scary, it helps to help others. And according to local Psychotherapist Shane Warren “When we take our time to help others, in times of crisis or even during more standard times, we naturally get a buzz”.

“There are lots of reasons for this - it gives us a moment of relief from our own struggles, which often helps us put our situation into real time perspective, and we also get a little chemical high. Giving to others and, in particular when they thank us, our brain releases oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine - it’s nature’s combination of happy drugs going crazy wild in our brain” 

Got it! - doing a positive thing equates to a natural high, which is a win-win any way you look at it.

Here then, our top 5 Eastside Do-Gooders - help them out if you can.

Simon Says Juice has chosen a very juicy way to say “thanks” to the staff at nearby St Vincent’s Hospital, with their ‘pay it forward’ packs. Grab something for yourself too with pick up and delivery options available on a wide range of juices, including the Daily Iso Survival Cleanse - your liver will thank you later.

Popular Surry Hills Pan-Asian eatery Chin Chin is offering 50% off the bill for healthcare and frontline workers. The menu changes around but is still pretty comprehensive with versions of their delish curries, stir fry and roasts available. Make sure you phone in the order and take your work ID along when you pick up your food.

Around the corner, fried chicken / sneaker store, butter is offering customers the opportunity to BUTTER IT FORWARD - Buy a $20 ‘pay it forward’ gift voucher and butter will match it, enabling two meals (like a delicious soothing ramen bowl) to be available for a person in need.

Nutie Donuts sell doughnuts and cakes and meal packs and gluten free delights and even build-your-own burger kits. The ever changing menu is a wonderful collision of healthy and decadent meals and treats and to quote the team “no, we don't count calories” (seriously who is even counting calories right now?). Nutie also offers a pay-it-forward option with meal packs (at cost price to you) going out to someone in need. Delivering pretty much all over town too!

Those legends at Casoni are offering 49% off your individual bill if you are a local teacher, hospitality worker, a nurse or doctor from St Vincent’s Hospital, local GP or staff, work in a local clinic or are a volunteer, or aged care worker. (yep basically if you’re on the front line, they got you guys covered). The Italian style takeaway-packs and cook-at-home boxes are all made from scratch with the freshest ingredients. Oh and make sure to get the lasagne if it’s on the menu - you wont be disappointed.

For the elderly, non-mobile, and disabled within the community - they have a daily delivery service from 4pm to Paddo, Darlinghurst, Potts Point and Surry Hills.

DO YOU KNOW ANY OTHER LOCAL “DO-GOODERS”?

Please let us know via our instagram account here

LOVE LOCAL

Did you know that UBER Eats and Deliveroo take such a massive hit in commission from restaurants that sometimes its just not worth the effort to use them? 

When Potts Point restauranteur Hamilton Kings saw the COVID-19 disaster looming he pulled out an idea he’d had in the bottom drawer. Prior to Covid-19  “I had been wanting to offer delivery at Honkas, but couldn’t justify the commissions of UberEats and Deliveroo. The pandemic really focused me on the LOVE LOCAL concept,” says Kings, owner of Honkas Bar and Eats in Potts Point and Pizza Autentico in Surry Hills.

But it wasn't only his business he had in mind. Kings had two priorities : 

1. create an affordable delivery service that would employ his (soon-to-be) out of work wait staff 

2. offer that same delivery service to other local food and beverage businesses

Local restaurants and cafes find some commission crippling for business

The Love Local model is simple and is underpinned by community. Local restaurants, delivering locally. It’s designed to be a fairer and cheaper way for restaurants to access consumers in their localised area. An online ordering system, Love Local it also does all the deliveries for restaurant. (Kings’ waitstaff have been supplied electric bikes). 

LOVE LOCAL delivers in the 2010 + 2011 postcode area

Love Local delivers over lunchtime and dinner, six days a week. Operating Tuesday through Sunday, and delivering between 10am – 2pm and 5pm – 9pm. 

“Our main competitors are charging a commission of 35% + gst (38.5%), which is just not feasible. In fact, that would make or break restaurants and cafes right now. We decided it was best to do our own service, charging just 12% (includes gst) whilst helping other restaurants in the area,” says Kings.

All ordering is done online www.lovelocal.com.au and there currently is an app in the process of being built. The catchment area includes Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay, Darlinghurst, Rushcutters Bay,  Woolloomooloo, and will soon be expanding to Surry Hills and Redfern.

“When I realised I needed to pivot my business, I looked at many options and creating my own delivery platform seemed to be the best option for maintaining my business, and retaining my staff. Being able to help other businesses now is great. Overall it’s a win win!”

KIngs plans to roll out Love Local and keep it going after the shut-down is over

What’s even better, is this will work post Covid-19 as Hamilton has plans to build out across Sydney over the next couple of years. So if you have an urge for take out head to LoveLocal and check out the LOCAL restaurants and cafes involved …… Honkas, Fratelli Paradiso, Malabar, Et Al, Melos, Casoni, Melted Monster, Bang Tang, Piccolo, Rose Royale, Penny’s Cheese with more being added every week.

EVERYDAY, WE'RE PIVOTING

Pivot, Pivot, Pivot!

In these strange and uncertain times businesses are looking at any way to keep the doors open: so fine dining offers takeaway, bars are now bottle shops and cafes turn into grocery stores.

Small business is at the heart of Eastside Sydney with our local restaurants, cafes, small bars and retailers adding to the creative diversity of our neighbourhoods. They're struggling and we are here to support them in any way we can.  

The challenge it seems, is to keep the doors open, keep your staff in employment, and keep your brand alive, to make sure your business survives this most challenging of times!

We’ re heartened to see support for the most vulnerable in our community and new ideas - in fact some GREAT ideas -  popping up. Check in on the blog - we aim to keep you updated on the latest in Potts Point, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Kings Cross and Woolloomooloo.

If you can, try a new takeaway, coffee spot, or grocery store. Shop online for fashion. Keep it local. And, if you are struggling, please reach out. Above all - stay safe peeps.

Story ideas : lorraine@eastsidesydney.com

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE...AT STONEWALL

Filmed at Sydney’s iconic Stonewall Hotel on Oxford Street, Live From Stonewall is packed with glittering variety, comedy and musical performances from Sydney drag icon Minnie Cooper and co-host Steven Milne. Audiences are treated to a weekly pumping soundtrack from superstar guest DJs and exclusive chats with celebrities, comedians, musicians and some of our community heroes. Things will get cheeky with our sexy barman Ivan, but they will also be keeping it clean and sanitised thanks to Pam Demic, the Masked Cleaner!

The Live from Stonewall show aims to keep the queer community and our allies connected and supported during this unprecedented time with help and advice. Discussions centre around the LGBTIQA+ community at large and take a light-hearted look at the news and current affairs, play the latest music videos from Artists around the world, and review the best queer films for viewers to stream in partnership with Queer Screen and SBS On Demand, as well as chatting on air with viewers and giving away some amazing prizes! 

Series Producer Yasmin Kara says “It's a joy to be making fun engaging content at a time like this, I'm impressed with how everyone has rallied and we can't wait to make this in the safest of environments”.

Broadcasting as a donations-per-view event, Live from Stonewall is a ground-breaking series allowing audiences to interact with live entertainment whilst in lockdown, offering community support, with 10% of proceeds each week being donated to a chosen charity. The rest is distributed between production overheads and paying the freelance crew wages, who will be working for free each week in lieu of a split from the online viewing donations. It allows freelancers affected by job losses due to COVID-19 to keep working. The production has been designed to run to the highest safety standards and with social distancing rules applied to all talent and crew on set, in a private location completely closed to the public. 

Executive Producer Mike Worsley explains: “We wanted to make this series because we felt it was necessary to bring the queer community together whilst in isolation as venues have been asked to closed and many people feel cut off. 

“What better way than putting on a raucous, fun, uplifting comedy show full of variety and content that everyone can watch and interact with from their homes? One that will lift spirits and support those in the community who are on their own at this unprecedented time. By supporting our show, we can support and keep entertaining you. Just because we’re all stuck indoors doesn’t mean the party has to stop!” 

The show launched on Saturday 28th March at 8pm and runs for 10 weeks.

Guests including Charlotte Crosby, Tanya Hennessy, Justin Hill, Tim & Rod (The Amazing Race), Rhonda Burchmore, Hans and Robert Reid have already joined us on our socially-distanced stage or live from their living rooms! More special guests to come this series include Nikki Osbourne, Angie Kent, Greta Lee Jackson, Mitch Tambo, Anthony Callea, Melissa Tkautz, Jake Gablonski, Silvie Paladino and more! Guest DJs including DJ Sveta, Domenic De Sousa, Beth Yen, Ray Isaac, Dan Murphy and James Alexandr.

STONEWALL.LIVE

GOLDEN MILE GALLERY

Sydney’s early Gay Mardi Gras sprang out of a period of great social and political ferment in the late 70s/early 80s that saw the emergence of a strong gay activism and culture. As gay and lesbian people marched and demonstrated for their rights, recognition and respect, many of the very same people were forging a new wave of culture that reflected their lives, dreams and passions.

Art exhibitions such as David McDiarmid’s Secret Love at the Hogarth Galleries in 1976, the Exhibition of Work by Homosexual and Lesbian Artists at the Watters Gallery in 1978, Willy Young’s (later William Yang) exhibition Sydneyphiles at the Australian Centre for Photography in 1977, were among the first identifiably gay exhibitions to be held in commercial galleries. In 1978, the Paris Theatre at the bottom of Oxford Street screened Images of Gays, the first major Australian gay film festival. Radical performers such as Sylvia and the Synthetics, Cabaret Conspiracy, Sideshow Theatre Company, the Gay Theatre Company and the burgeoning drag culture in the bars, demonstrated that ‘the love that dare not speak its name’ had finally found its voice.

Once Mardi Gras began to emerge, parade workshops led by Peter Tully transformed the original street march into an international cultural phenomenon.

And the rest, as they say, is history - and herstory!

This rich cultural history centred on Oxford Street will be celebrated by 'The Golden Mile Gallery', transforming the shop windows of some of the businesses on the strip into an outdoor exhibition accompanied by retail activations and a program of cabarets, gigs and flash mob performances.

So come along and join in history being made and remembered, as Oxford Street again resumes its place as one of the great gay streets and precincts in the world.

The Golden Mile Gallery Friday 23rd - Sunday 1 March

AL FRESCO LONG LUNCH

Imagine a glorious long lunch with extra-long tables dressed in native flora, smack bang in the middle of Ward Park featuring some of the best restaurants in Surry Hills. Picnic blankets and umbrellas scattered under the trees of Devonshire Street, with roving performers to inspire and entertain on a fun afternoon with family & friends.

“There’s a magical thing that happens when you sit down at a table and eat with people,” says Maree Sheehan, one of the organisers and the founder of dining walk business The Sydney Connection.

“There’s always a great community vibe which happens, and that’s what we are planning with Al Fresco.” Including reasonable priced dishes for all tastes including: carnivore, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free this is a food event that is not to be missed.

A licensed bar with Brix Distillery rum cocktails, Four Pillars G&T’s, Yulli’s Brewery craft beers and Brown Brothers wine available. The event takes place during Delicious magazine’s inaugural Delicious Month Out. Meet your local restaurant operators and most importantly meet the locals.

This is a chance for you to tuck into the finest food and wine with your neighbours and the colourful characters of the Hills! Diners will be able to purchase their food via Square with a diverse menu of food available at various price points. “March is beautiful in Surry Hills and we’re looking forward to making it a big community success.”

Al Fresco is supported by the City of Sydney. Sunday 15th March 12 - 6pm Ward Park