SKYE Suites Green Square Credit: SKYE Suites Sydney
SKYE Suites Green Square in Sydney
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If there is anyone in Sydney who knows style, it’s fashionista Lizzie Renkert. As co-founder and director of bohemian-luxe fashion label We Are Kindred, Renkert's signature look is inspired by the natural beauty Harbour City.
“As a born and bred Sydney girl, my home city is by far my favourite place. Although I’ve travelled to some of the most beautiful places in the world throughout my career in the fashion industry, I still feel a wave of pride and excitement when I fly home over the coastline and Sydney Harbour. And to this day, every morning when I drive over the Sydney Harbour Bridge to go to work at our Paddington studio, I feel so much gratitude that I get to call this magnificent city my home. It literally takes my breath away,” Renkert said.
Here, Lizzie shares her pick of Sydney’s shopping spots, places to eat, to grab a drink and stay.
Where to shop in Sydney
“I’ve always loved Sydney’s street-fashion, with its alluring mix of character, sophistication, combined with a casually-cool air that reflects our outdoor lifestyle. It’s well-deserved to see our local fashion labels and designers being celebrated on the world fashion stage. Shoppers from around the world gravitate to Australian designers for our trans-seasonal, relaxed approach to dressing,” said Renkert.
“For the Sydney look, it usually involves pairing designer offerings back with high street finds for that luxe meets casual Sydney-way to dress,” continued Renkert.
While there is a plethora of international designer stores in Sydney’s CBD and Bondi Junction, Lizzie has always been drawn to the more unique, independent Australian designers that give Sydney that special something.
Immerse in Sydney’s fashion scene with Lizzie’s top shopping locales:
- Paddington is home to a healthy crop of local labels. The Intersection between Glenmore Road and Oxford Street is a who’s who of Sydney fashion success stories including Zimmermann, Camilla, Rachel Gilbert, Dion Lee and Baby Anything for accessories. For a mid-retail lunch stop, Jackie’s Café and The Daily Greens serve a fabulous, healthy menu to re-fuel.
- Further down the road on Oxford Street, across the road from Berkelouw Books and Palace Verona art-house cinema, you will find a sweet collection of stores, such as yours truly - We Are Kindred - along with In Bed for all linen homeware supplies and Naomi Watts’ Onda Beauty concept store.
- In the CBD, you can’t go past the gorgeous Strand Arcade home to local Sydney designers Alex Perry, Bassike, Camilla and Marc, Aje and Akira Isogawa.
- Double Bay in the Eastern suburbs is home to many a designer store within a village atmosphere for a leisurely shopping experience. Not to be missed is Bianca Spender’s brand new retail space on Knox Street.
- Mosman village on Sydney’s lower north shore has an array of fashion, interiors and lifestyle stores, as well as many great cafes and leafy parks to stroll. Fox and Dove and Mode Sportif both offer a bountiful collection of Australian designers.
- Bondi and Manly beaches share a coastal collection of eclectic stores, as well as markets each weekend. In Manly, make sure to venture down the side-streets off The Corso, and in Bondi, take a stroll down Hall and Gould Steet’s for cutting-edge designer streetwear.
Lizzie Renkert Credit: Alice Mahran
Portrait of Lizzie Renkert, the co-founder and director of bohemian-luxe fashion label We Are Kindred
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Lizzie Renkert Credit: Alice Mahran
Portrait of Lizzie Renkert, the co-founder and director of bohemian-luxe fashion label We Are Kindred
Shopping, Paddington Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a day of shopping along William St, Paddington.
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Shopping, Paddington Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a day of shopping along William St, Paddington.
Stylish eats
“Sydney dining is up there with the best in the world. There is always an impressive hot-spot to meet friends whether it’s a cosy corner for an elegant meal, a beach-side location for a casually-cool lunch taking in the salty air and views, or a buzzy bar-side bite mid-week after a day at work – our city serves it all.”
Lizzie’s pick of stylish eats:
- Shell House is the hottest new location right in the heart of the CBD at Wynyard, whether it’s for an elegant meal in the dining room, lunch on the sunny terrace or bar-side for a night-cap at their glamorous Skybar with city views.
- Chiswick is a pretty location for a long lunch amidst beautiful gardens in the leafy east-side suburb of Woollahra. Delicious food by Matt Moran, great for a lunch or dinner with family or friends – a dining spot for all occasions.
- After a day’s retail therapy, you can’t beat the dessert menu at Neil Perry’s Margaret restaurant in Double Bay. Think pineapple and coconut mille-feuille and custard filled donuts with strawberry jam!
- Outside of the CBD, Bert’s Bar & Brasserie in the Northern Beaches suburb of Newport or Mimi’s in the southern suburb of Coogee both offer memorable dining experiences by the water, with delicious menus that are a culinary and visual feast.
- You can’t top The Bather’s Pavilion, a Sydney institution on harbourside Balmoral beach - no prettier lunch spot on the water.
Chic drinks
“Sydney has always had its share of incredible bars, though the last few years we’ve come a long way with the rush of sophisticated small bars popping up all across the city. We’re spoilt for choice, whether you’re looking for a darkly-lit bar meets distillery or a pretty-themed space for a couple of cheeky cocktails with the girls.”
Lizzie’s small bar favourites:
- Employee’s Only originated in New York and now we have our very own version in Sydney. Not only do they serve incredible food and cocktails, you can also get a tarot reading in the heritage-listed basement off Barrack Street in the CBD. A sense of fun over a drink with a kick!
- Enjoy French champagne served by the magnum and cocktails inspired by early 20th century Paris at Merivale’s Little Felix in Ash Street in the city. Or Reign at the QVB is another great champagne house for a post-retail glass of bubbles.
- Maybe Sammy in The Rocks is listed as one of the World’s 50 Best Bars, with good reason. The Martini Trolley ensures this classic is served exactly the way you like it by savvy bartenders who mix your selection tableside.
- Close to Carriageworks, be sure to stop by Re at Eveleigh for a drink. Also in the neighbourhood is Kylie Kwong’s Lucky Kwong for an incredible touch of spice with their menu of plump noodles and fragrant Asian-dishes.
Employees Only, Sydney Credit: Mark Namnoun
The speakeasy-style Employees Only on Sydney’s Barrack Street.
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Employees Only, Sydney Credit: Mark Namnoun
The speakeasy-style Employees Only on Sydney’s Barrack Street.
Re Bar, Eveleigh Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying cocktails at Re bar, Sydney.
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Re Bar, Eveleigh Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying cocktails at Re bar, Sydney.
Book a room
“Although I live in Sydney, there is nothing more luxuriant than a staycation. A favourite hotel for a getaway at home is the Intercontinental Double Bay booking a room with a Juliette balcony for its pretty view over Double Bay village and out to the water. Plus their rooftop pool and bar is amazing to take in those views over a cocktail. For a bite to eat, Sake restaurant next door to the hotel serves some of the best Japanese you’ll ever eat.”
Other stylish Sydney stays Lizzie suggests:
- Skye Suites with their spectacular rooms with ample space to stretch out, including plentiful hanging space for an outfit change (or two!) with locations in the CBD, Green Square and Parramatta. Each property has a spectacular swimming pool, worthy of any Insta feed.
- The Old Clare Boutique Hotel as a fabulous place to stay if you’re going to be at Carriageworks during Afterpay Australian Fashion Week attracting a glamorous crowd and only a stone’s throw away from all the fashion action.
- The Albert is a luxurious boutique hotel in the heart of Mosman and a lovely option to enjoy the leafy suburb’s village-feel close to boutiques, the Orpheum Picture Palace and Balmoral Beach.
One perfect Sydney day
“There is so much to do and explore in and around Sydney. A particular favourite is Balmoral Beach which has always been a special place for me - it’s where I spent much of my childhood, and I now love to bring my own kids there for a relaxed day by the beach.”
Lizzie’s tips for the perfect day in Sydney:
- Roam Sydney’s art and cultural institutions is such as the The Museum of Contemporary Art in The Rocks and The Art Gallery of NSW in The Domain.
- Following this, a stroll through The Royal Botanic Garden or a swim at the Andrew Boy Charlton Pool on the shore of Woolloomooloo to top off a great day, feeling rejuvenated and restored in Sydney.
“Sydney is a gem of a city and has everything you could ever want or need. She’s one of the great loves of my life!”
For more information for a chic Sydney escape, head to sydney.com
Share your Feel New Sydney moments on social media with @sydney #FeelNewSydney.
We Are Kindred present their latest collection at Australia’s premier fashion event - Afterpay Australian Fashion Week 2022 from 9-13 May at Carriageworks in Eveleigh.
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a visit the the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.
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Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a visit the the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a walk through Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
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Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a walk through Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
More Inspirational Stories
The Fall Guy Credit: Universal & UPI Media
The Fall Guy in Sydney with a spectacular Glebe Island Silo Stunt
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Action-comedy film The Fall Guy explodes onto Australian screens on 24 April, and along with Hollywood superstars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, Sydney also plays a starring role. But the city isn’t just a backdrop to many of the action-packed scenes in the film, it also offers real-life action experiences to get your heart pumping. Here’s our guide to high-octane experiences in Sydney.
On-the-water adrenaline
Just like Ryan Gosling blasting around Sydney Harbour in a high-speed boat chase, you too can feel the wind in your hair, the sea spray on your face and your heart in your mouth on an Oz Jet Boating experience. These bright red, shark-faced jetboats fish-tail, spin and slide under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, past Dawes Point Park (where we meet Jean Claude the kelpie in the film) and the iconic Sydney Opera House, leaving you breathless and somewhat damp. Turn it down a notch with a two-, three- or five-day course from EastSail, with classes on the calm shores of Rushcutters Bay, or go five-star by hiring your very own superyacht from the fleet at Sydney Harbour Luxe Charters – Ghost II was featured in the film.
Get locked in an escape room
A bolted door, a countdown clock and a series of fiendish puzzles – outsmart the bad guys and challenge your friends in one of Sydney’s best escape rooms. Award-winning The Cipher Room, with locations in Newtown and St Peters, offers immersive, expertly designed rooms. Choose from a film noir-style hotel, a mysterious abandoned toy shop or a dystopian French bunker. Entermission Sydney has virtual-reality rooms, with themes like Alice in Wonderland, a pirate ship or space station. While not strictly an escape room, the one-of-a-kind Hijinx Hotel is a fun escape-like challenge set inside a quirky 15-room hotel.
Hickson Road Reserve, Dawes Point Credit: Destination NSW
Friends walking along Sydney Harbour in the morning.
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Hickson Road Reserve, Dawes Point Credit: Destination NSW
Friends walking along Sydney Harbour in the morning.
Oz Jet Boating, Sydney Harbour Credit: Destination NSW
Experience the incredible speed of the red shark boats as they blast across Sydney harbour at high speed with Oz Jet Boating.
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Oz Jet Boating, Sydney Harbour Credit: Destination NSW
Experience the incredible speed of the red shark boats as they blast across Sydney harbour at high speed with Oz Jet Boating.
Find your need for speed
It’s not an action movie without a car chase, and while you can’t speed through the CBD streets like Ryan Gosling and Jean Claude, you can still challenge your friends to race via go kart at Hyper Karting Moore Park. At the 410-metre indoor track, the electric cars offer plenty of exhilarating straights and corners, with a high-speed function to help you overtake your mates. True petrol heads should make a pitstop at Luddenham Raceway in southwest Sydney, where the go karts are fuelled and the 600m outdoor pro circuit offers 12 high-speed corners and even nighttime drives. Want to do the real thing? Trackschool has half-day passenger or driving experiences in a Porsche 911 Carrera also at the raceway.
Have an adventure up high
A high-stakes, sky-high chopper scene is an action flick essential; recreate the experience (minus the stress) on a flight with Sydney HeliTours. The 20- or 30-minute tours take in jaw-dropping views of harbour icons like the Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo, Bondi Beach and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Or live out your Hollywood star dreams onboard the luxury Sydney Seaplanes. If free-falling from the sky like Ryan Gosling does jumping from a multi-story building is the heart race you crave, get the thrills without the spills at iFly Downunder: fully accessible, all-ages indoor skydiving that will make you feel like a superhero. Or take a day trip to the Blue Mountains for a ride on Scenic World’s 270m-high glass-cased Beyond Skyway for that soaring feeling while safely enclosed in a cable car.
Luddenham Raceway, Luddenham Credit: Destination NSW
Track Day at Luddenham Raceway Motorsport Park, Luddenham.
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Luddenham Raceway, Luddenham Credit: Destination NSW
Track Day at Luddenham Raceway Motorsport Park, Luddenham.
Sydney Seaplanes, Rose Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Couple ready to enjoy a Sydney Seaplanes flight from Rose Bay, Sydney.
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Sydney Seaplanes, Rose Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Couple ready to enjoy a Sydney Seaplanes flight from Rose Bay, Sydney.
Scale walls and cliffs
Action heroes need to be agile and spider-like; flex your skills scaling rock walls at one of Sydney’s top indoor rock-climbing centres. Climb Fit in St Leonards has beginner and high-tech climbs using augmented reality, while Ledge is a smaller centre in Camperdown perfect for beginners, and BlocHaus in Marrickville focuses solely on bouldering. If you prefer to climb surrounded by waterfalls and forests, make the extra leap to the Blue Mountains, and challenge yourself on an abseil or rock-climb under the expert guidance of the Blue Mountains Adventure Company.
Spots to refuel
After all that adventuring, you’re going to need a spot to refuel and cheers to a big day. Make it a meal with a view at Aster Bar on top of the InterContinental Sydney – with uninterrupted views of the harbour. The rooftop bar featured in the film is the Ivy – which is a local favourite for big nights out. Partake in Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt’s love for spicy margaritas at Centro 86, a new underground tequila bar in the CBD, or taste award-winning cocktails at Dean and Nancy on 22. Finish up with a feast at one of the restaurants located around Jones Bay Wharf (you’ll spot this area in the film as Ryan Gosling hides on his boat from the bad guys) or snack in the late-night dining havens in Chinatown: try Japanese izakaya Nakano Darling, xiao long bao from Nanjing Dumpling or Mamak’s legendary roti.
Rest your head
Even heroes need their beauty sleep. Rest up like an A-lister at the Kimpton Margot, a recently opened CBD hotel with Art Deco touches, and featured in the movie (ask Kevin for the fruit plate). Compact yet comfortable, the Little National Hotel is located in the heart of the city near Wynyard (also a major filming locale for The Fall Guy). And for a boutique hotel suitable for everyone from film stars to stunt crew, stay in the Ace Hotel in Surry Hills, with unique in-room features like guitars, record players and locally made custom robes.
Sydney Adventure Tours, Katoomba Credit: Destination NSW
Sydney Adventure Tours offers private tours to the Blue Mountains. With an experienced tour guide, take a bushwalk through nature and experience the rainforests.
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Sydney Adventure Tours, Katoomba Credit: Destination NSW
Sydney Adventure Tours offers private tours to the Blue Mountains. With an experienced tour guide, take a bushwalk through nature and experience the rainforests.
Little National Hotel, Sydney Credit: Little National Hotel
The rooftop lounge at the Little National, in Wynyard in Sydney.
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Little National Hotel, Sydney Credit: Little National Hotel
The rooftop lounge at the Little National, in Wynyard in Sydney.