Letting Go

[Warning: The below article will discuss issues within the movie "Finding Nemo". Stop reading immediately if you have yet but will be watching it in the future. The below information WILL spoil it for you. This means you DC.]

Ok so I was trashing Hollywood movies just in my last article but then Finding Nemo is not really a movie is it? Also, it is not exactly Hollywood, it's PIXAR. I watched in a documentary before that PIXAR only employs really smart people, like with PhD's and from stellar universities like MIT and the likes. No wonder their productions are always so amazing.

Basically, I LOVE the entire movie, right from the beginning till the end. The scripts, the details they pay to everything, the accuracy of the informations they provide, the quirky characters, the smart dialogue, the beautiful artwork ..every farken bit!!!

The bit that got me thinking the most is the scene where Marlin and Dory were trapped inside the whale, and when the water inside is receding so that it has become "half-full" (as compared to "half-empty"). Anyhow, as the 2 fishes were holding on to their life, Dory said "I think it's time to let go" and the exasperated Marlin retorted "How dya know? How dya know that nothing bad is gonna happen?". To which, the former replied simply "I don't" before letting go.

That was a very powerful scene for me. Powerful words too.

Sometimes, when you find yourself trapped in the inners of the whale, learn to trust yourself or even others around you. Like Dazz, I have always believed that each and every person you meet in your everyday life (even the bus drivers) are there for a reason. Be it good or bad, they are there to change the directions of your life. All it takes is for you to realise this fact and be open and receptive. Let yourself go and let fate take its own course.

As what Dory would have said "Not let anything happen to him? How sad." If you don't take risks and live life to the fullest, it really ain't worth it at all. You get to live only once, so work hard, play hard and do your best in everything that you do.

The Clock still ticks ...
Music: Landy Wen Lan - Lan Se Yu

Last Saturday, the day that Dazz left Sydney for his model ambition tour in South East Asia, my straight uni friends threw me a farewell yumcha brunch. It was kinda nice, another gathering before I leave this place with whom I have a love/hate relationship with. Anyway, it started me thinking about what I love or hate about Sydney, in other words, what I'm gonna miss or not by moving back.

So I compiled a reality check list below:

What I will miss most about Sydney

1. First and foremost, my close friends here.
This includes Murf, Kelf, and Marc. I will especially miss Dazz and DC, both who have been the pillars of my life for the past few months.

2. My freedom:
to stay out as late as I want,
to smoke inside the house,
to wear my clothes or hair anyway I please that week without family/relatives giving me lectures on CONSERVATISM1101
and so on

3. Foreign films
Be it from Dendy's Cinema or from my favourite TV channel SBS, I will sorely miss my usual dose of thought-provoking films (in French, Italian, Spanish, German amongst others), that actually put more thoughts into the story and scripts, than the usual Hollywood fares where probably half the cost of the production goes to the actor/actresses and the rest goes to the special effects. I believe these films have in many cases helped me to realise some areas lacking in my life, such as my tendency to reject happiness like Amelie Pouland. I know that access to such films are harder back home but I will strive to continue as I believe they will help me to grow even more, spiritually.

4. Cheap Protein Powders

5. Free Optus 'yes' time
Ahh yes. I remember many a nights on my mobile phone, talking to other Optus users because the first 20 minutes of any call is always free. I will miss those times, no worries in mind, just chattering away happily.

6. One-off local phone charge
Australia Telstra charges a one-off fee of about 20c for every local call it connects, which means unlimited phone time and internet dial-up time!!!

7. High salary
Even a part-time worker can expect to be paid about $15 an hour, compared to about $5 in Singapore. Sigh. But then again, standard of living here is much higher as well. A fresh graduate can expect salary of about $40K pa compared to about $20-24K in SG.

8. Cheap cars and property
I can basically kiss my dream of "owning my own apartment by 25yo" goodbye. Also, an average car is about 5 times cheaper to purchase in Sydney than in SG. sigh.

9. The Outdoors
Australia being famous for its outdoors is no secret. I will long for the summer days I used to spend basking at the perfect and pristine Bondi Beach, then the rest of the day at a cafe sipping iced mocha in surf shorts and sunnies, while ogling at the young and beautiful. Or the times I was up at the Snowy Mountains, skiing and snowboading the whole day, then coming home to a warm fireplace, hearty dinner and lots of booze. I also remember a time when I was on the ferry from Manly back to Sydney one evening during sunset, the city lights in a distance, reflected as white slivers on the choppy sea with the orange sky as a backdrop. The Opera House framed one side of the Harbour Bridge; I stopped breathing, thinking I was in paradise.

What I will NOT

1. The Weather
One word sums up Sydney's weather: unpredictable. As a harbour city, weather forecast is not its forte. Neither is its stability. It may not get as cold as cities in North America but I have never been very good with temperature below 20 degrees anyway. I especially abhor the wind and the rain, both of which Sydney boasts to have a lot. At least from now on, I won't have to wear a jacket to the clubs anymore. And, dry itchy legs would soon be a thing of the past. Ditto with dry lips so that's savings on moisturisers and lip balms yay.

2. The train/bus/plane fares
Public transport fares in Sydney, nuff said. Also, Sydney is far from anywhere in the world. I'll probably pay twice as much to fly to anywhere.

3. The cost of Fashion
Sydney is NOT one of the fashion capital but I'm sure it's up there amongst the most expensive.

4. The crowd at clubs
Sub-standard! One thing I definitely will not miss are the stale, filthy and grotesque old potatoes, with their sleazy grins and aggressive pick-ups. Don't even get me started on their "just-as-guilty" accomplices, the die-hard Potato Queens.

5. The closing time
All shops are closed latest by six ... sometimes five, even Asian ones. It irritates the sheet out of me.

6. Sydney as a "transition lounge"
At least half, but probably more, of the friends or acquaintances I have met here have either left Sydney or are intending to do so in the near future. And sometimes even the locals too(ie Oscar is leaving to join his bf in the UK). I wonder if this is the price Sydney pays for being such a cosmopolitan city, filled with foreign students, overseas interns or just the plain weekend tourists. I totally agree with what DC has said about this before," It seems like everyone here is a tourist one way or the other...before you know it, they are all gone". This makes it hard for me to establish any sort of connection with this place through its people and till now, I have yet to feel any sense of belonging to it. Sometimes, it seems like Sydney is merely a playground like Disneyland, or a museum, very pretty to look at and fun to be in. But no one really lives here; people work and play here. At the end of the day, everyone returns somewhere else, where it is warm, with a soul and not just a facade. These are merely my thoughts, feel free to rebutt. I am so jaded sigh.

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned
Music: Matchbox 20 - Unwell

Well yeah, the church pun was intended because I am feeling quite irritated by some of the over-zealous Christians in Singapore, with their anti-gay stance and all. Due to the recent "outing" of the Singaporean gays by the "suddenly-liberated" Prime Minister, there has been a huge flurry over the fate of the tiny island. Zuco has written 2 very good articles about how he battled with the anti-gay ideology of the Church and how he finally severed ties with them. They are titled It's Starting and My Gripe.

But I don't feel the need to apologise for sexuality. Not to anyone down here nor up there.

I actually felt more sorry over the fact that it has been over a week since I last updated my journal. However, this lapse of morals (again, pun intended) can be justified by the fact that I have been busy learning Java Scripts that are soo necessary to make this blog fabulous. As you can see, this blog has a slightly more contemporary look and feel to it now, which is how I had envisioned it to be. One of my favourite colour combination too; grey and yellow.

Anyhow, just a few updates about my life so far. Last saturday, I went with Dazz and Oscar to ARQ, where we met up with HM, DC and their group. It was meant to be HM's farewell since he will be leaving on Monday. Over there, we bumped into Vengy and his friends. Finally got introduced to Kelf's friend Terry.

On Monday, had a really fascinating chat/coffee session with Alf. Seriously, that guy acts sooo gay it is a wonder that his sexuality can be so different. Metrosexuals ..pui.

Had another sleepover at DC's place on Tuesday.

Watched "The Real Cancun" on Wednesday with Dazz. Man, that guy called Jeremy in it is soo farken hot. His tan, his chiselled bod and his boyish smile..sigh. The front of our shirts were soaked with drool by the end. And, the parties at Cancun looked pretty impressive..can't wait for Nation03 now.

Met up with Marc on Thursday. At Starbucks, we bumped into Mark and Milan. Urrgghh ..trash !!*shivers* Anyhow, according to our dear Marc, the greatest thing to have landed on the shores of Down Under from the Land of the Yanks, goes by the name of "Krispy Kreme Donuts". Apparently, she and Alf drove all the way to Penrith (1.5 hours from Sydney) and waited in line for more than an hour, before they were given the limited ration of a dozen of these delicacies. Alf gave me an Original Glazed when he picked me up on Monday for our coffees, and I didn't see what the fuss was all about.

They were just the same ole fried dough filled with some sweet stuffs, and then further covered with a layer of icing sugar. If you ask me, I think they overdid their simple carbohydrates.

"Marc would kill for one of those ..." Alf casually informed me. Hmmmm. Apparently, Krispy Kreme's are to-die-for when they are fresh out of the oven. Or so the Americans are purported to be doing, according to Krazy Kravings

"Krispy Kreme is coming to Sydney in September" Marc enthuses over her skim latte.

I stared at her, blinking a few times, trying to make sense of this crazy woman through the steam from my mug of mocha. Right ....

[Quote of the week: "I would just die!! DIE DIE DIE." Jack in Will & Grace (season finale)]

Blog for America

"Proof that blogs are becoming increasingly mainstream, the Blog for America site is actually a campaign site for United States presidential hopeful Howard Dean.

Dean, the governor of the state of Vermont, obviously thinks that being on the internet is a progressive look...

On the content side, Dean gets his interns to write blog posts about life on the campaign trail (all hard work and no cigars, sadly). There is also links to critics of his critics (but not to the original critics) and friendly articles from reporters who insist that it is Dean's message, not the new medium, that is making him popular.

Whatever it is, it seems to be working for him.

In just three months, donations of $US7.5 million ($A11.4 million) came into the campaign, $US4.1 million of it via the website. And other Democrats are reportedly jumping on to the online bandwagon.

Stop by the supposedly unofficial blog at dean2004.blogspot.com for funkier functions, such as live chat." original article

The Four Women, the Four Elements


Your results are based on the four Elements of Astrology: Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Each Element has its own set of characteristics, and each of us displays some combination thereof, usually with a focus on one or two. Samantha, Miranda, Carrie and Charlotte each personify one of the Elements and its basic traits.



You scored 50% Charlotte
A romantic at heart, you chose the answers that demure Charlotte may have chosen. Strongly influenced by the intuitive, profound and sometimes na茂ve Water Signs -- Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces -- you're like a mother, a mystery and a poet all in one. Though on the surface you may seem innocent and all about seeking the good in people, beneath the surface, you hide secret yearnings for intimacy, for attachment and ideal love. You're seeking a knight in shining armor, a soul mate, someone who will complete you and tether you to the earth when you get carried away with your fantasies. You're super-sensitive, soaking up the moods of others; you emote freely, crying at commercials and sappy movies. You also provide a shoulder to cry on and open arms for hugs. Be careful that you're not so wide-eyed and trusting that you get taken in by some cunning wolf in sheep's clothing.


You scored 30% Carrie
Your answers peg you as a Carrie-type, much influenced by the Air Sign qualities associated with Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Like confident Carrie, a sex columnist, you're curious and perceptive, always seeking answers and never satisfied with the superficial. An Air Sign influence can lead to indecision and an avoidance of tough issues, like with Carrie and her on-again, off-again attachment to Mr. Big. Forward-thinking, incredibly intelligent and witty, you just exude quirky charm. You'd be utterly bored by someone who's just a pretty face or hot body -- though you don't mind looking and flirting! You're more turned on by an equally smart and funny mate, someone who challenges your mind and makes you laugh. You love to talk, so you need a good listener who's open to playful and eccentric ideas about love and lovemaking.

You scored 20% Miranda
You chose many of the same answers that Earth Sign-like Miranda, the cynical but pragmatic lawyer, might have chosen. Just like Miranda's had a tough time deciding whether to give in to the affections of Steve the Bartender, you don't give your heart up to just anyone. Miranda shies away from a relationship with Steve because he's 'just' a bartender, not something more conventionally ambitious or stable. Those with powerful Earth Sign qualities -- characteristics associated with Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn -- are cautious in love and seek stability and status over nearly anything else. Earth Signs provide a steady, realistic attitude and they can bring order out of chaos. A little-known Earth Sign fact: Incredibly sensual, you seethe beneath that smart, expensive business suit of yours, yearning for intimacy but hesitant to give up your material needs, your career ambitions or your responsibilities for a passionate moment that might not turn out the way you'd hope.

You scored 0% Samantha
You identify with Samantha's bold and liberated Fire Sign qualities, characteristics associated with the Signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. You're strong, audacious and larger than life -- and you take what you want! Sometimes you can even be thoughtless and selfish, as you get so caught up in craving immediate gratification and excitement that you overlook someone's feelings. Your personal style likely reflects your desires: sleek, low-cut, revealing just a bit more than might be considered acceptable. Watch that you're not coming on too strong, though. You could scare potential suitors off with all your drama. If you seek so much attention, the more basic qualities of the Fire Signs could be burned right out of the picture. Show less skin or cleavage and more of your creativity, your vibrant leadership skills and courageous generosity!

A Simpler Time

Graduation dinner came and went last night. It was held at
, supposedly "the city's hottest and most exciting world class dining experience". With several awards and accolades to its name, it also counts several celebrities in its guest list including Susan Sarandon, Baz Luhrmann and Ian Thorpe.

But that is besides the point.

I would have enjoyed myself in any case, wherever the venue was.

It was the company that mattered to me... In any case, the rodizio de churrasco or Wood Fired Churrasco menu was nothing to rave about and just too pricey to be worth it at all.

Everyone was 'fashionably' late again as usual, I thought in the beginning. And, I was getting bored again, as with the usual straight gathering. The expected queries of my 'partner', the constant barrage of 'so, what have you been up to?' which leads to my predictable reply of 'nothing much. what abt yourself?' as late night scenes of ARQ flashes through my mind.

I am sooooo tired of it all, my awkwardness, my shifty eyes and evasive tone as I surveyed around the room and realise that almost everyone came in couples. Is this the reason why I have been spending all my time with other PLUs? I hate making up stories to conceal my alternative lifestyle, knowing that I am doing it because I am ashamed of the real me. I hate that I feel so alone in a private function room of 22 guests. I hate that nobody knows how much I have changed from the times when everything was simpler.

Everyone thinks or at least believe that I am still the same old me.

So, there I sat grudgingly, beside the same people again, Marc and Alf, the former who is the only person to know abt my sexuality. She is looking stunning with her slicked back hair, in an Audrey-Hephburn inspired dress and gloves. And I was in my usual grey suit again, but still stunning as usual LOL.

C, a girl from HK then presented us with something that she made, projected to the screen in the middle of the room. It was a 20 minutes video montage of all the bits and pieces of memories that we have shared the past 4 years. There were the birthday parties, the graduation photo where we flung our hats into the air, the BBQ's, the drunken sleepovers after exams, the 'drunken' sleepovers during exams, the ski trip, the Port Stephens retreat, the paintball skirmish, the crazy beach bravado trip during winter. It was all there, all 4 years of friendship and bond, immortalised. True, C included cheesy soundtracks like "Graduation Song" (vitamin c) and "That's what friends are for" etc, but my eyes were moist by the end of it actually.

Seeing it all again in real life was abit hard. It again reminds me of a time in the past, when everything was simpler. When sexual orientation was not an issue, when I did not have to supress the real me, when people knew me as I was. But today, constant worries innundate me .. rising unemployment in this economy crisis, choices of freedom from parents, uncertainties of sex and boyfriends, new frontiers to explore and worsening obsession with my body image. How I yearn to be innocent as I used to be, when I knew less but was happier.

But it was not to be. I was clearly depressed by the video but there was no one to confide in. Not them, not then, not there. It was for me to keep it in and not for their ears. So I put on my best smile and casually brushed away the slight tear at the corner of my eyes, with a forced yawn, and it was Mr. Charming once again.

WANDERLAST-INGS

The train was packed today while I was on my 2 hour trip back to Sydney from Penrith (west of NSW). I barely managed to find a seat beside an old lady who looks like she is in her fifties. I could tell she must have been a FOX in her younger days, in fact she still has a figure that most women would kill for. She was quite boring though, fully absorbed in her "Birth of Venus" throughout the entire trip.

It was one of those trains that was neither the rickety old ones that rattles and shooks as it trudges along, but neither was it the new ones that is super shiny and smooth. It's the one with the yucky lime green leather couches, travels noiselessly and reasonably smooth. One of the plus point was that it was an express train to Sydney with limited stops in between.

So there I was in my grey suit, white shirt and Morgan ties and all. It was then that I realised why the carriage is so full... full of backpackers that is. The bench to my right was occupied by this white guy and his enormous red backpack, headphones around and Discman clutched to his crotch, snoozing without a care. To his back, a long haired girl purses her lips as she pens her thoughts into her journal, pausing once in awhile to look outside the window and then lean against her own gigantic luggage. The next 3 rows of seats infront of me are also filled with the same kind of people; headphones, backpacks, dirty boots, dog tired. A quick glance at the air cargo stickers on their bags reveal that they are Americans ... from LA to be exact. I figure they must have just done the Blue Mountains, coming from the station of Katoomba.

A sudden pang of longing filled me as I reminisce my recent backpacking trip through China and Thailand. Out of pure coincidences or otherwise, I had Tracy Chapman playing on my Discman at that moment as well, and I had a sudden feeling of dejavu, where I was transported back to the sleeper bus that took me from Yangshuo to Guangzhou on that late February night. I remembered it was not luxury and thank gawd I decided to bring music along; the thin foam mattress, the snores, the claustrophobic arrangement and the persistent reminders of high way accidents and robberies around this area .. need i continue? I was also convinced that the driver is doing pot the way he handled the wheels. Luckily, the soothing voice of Chapman ensured that I got some eye shut that night.

But I digress. 4 months of comfortable monotonous life has brought me down to earth but the sight of these travellers and the feelings that I know they must be experiencing as they wander around this foreign land; only one other like them would be able to understand. That helplessness as you surrender yourself entirely to destiny, that thrill of danger and not being in control, that luxurious basking in the freedom of being in an alien environment and the satisfaction of knowing that there is somewhere else in this planet that has a warm welcoming bed for you anytime as you trudge along with the huge backpack gripping into your aching shoulders, in your damp socks and 3 weeks unwashed jeans. Cold and hungry, hunting for that place u can rest for the night. And then celebrating that you got through yet another day with other fellow 'comrades' at the watering hole, recounting amazing events and exchanging tips.

My wanderlust is once again awakened. I can already imagine myself rummaging into the storeroom in Singapore for my Wolfskin red backpack, where I had carefully folded away, thinking to myself that it will be a very long time before they are gonna be used again. As our train approaches the Sydney station, we overtake a slower older one and right at that moment, Tracy began to sang "Fast Car". A conductor in full regalia was hanging out from one of the door of that train, one hand clutching onto a ledge, shouting something to someone as his moustache twitches in unison. Over his head, the clouds glowed in pink like a blushing child and several seagulls adorn the otherwise empty skies.

Life is beautiful.

"You got a fast car
I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere

You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so you can fly away
You gotta make a decision
You leave tonight or live and die this way" - Tracy Chapman

What a BIAATCH
Music: Beyonce vs Jay Z - Crazy in Love

Oh my gawd ... Charlie's Angels was damn funny. I couldnt stop laughing through the whole movie .. and Lucy Liu kicks arse BIG TIME. Oh and that surfer dude is so hot .. read somewhere before that he's Spanish and if I'm not wrong, his family name is Rodriguez. HOLA AMIGOS ... yum yum bring on those enchilandas LOL. Don't get the purpose of that weird thin man with the hair fetish though. He appeared like 3 times in the film and I don't see how he fits into the entire script at all.

BUT ... you were supposed to leave your brains at the theatre door before coming in anyway. it was PURE MINDLESS CAMPY ROMP filled with witty sexy lines, perfect coiffs in blonde, brunette and redhead and totally crazy glam dresses, shades and heels. ALL while kicking arses of villians with amazingly choreographed stunts. And that soundtrack by Pink.

REVIEWS (of everything and anything)
Music: Pink - Feel Good Time

Yeah writing out my reviews of some of the places I've been to and things I did in Sydney in the past couple of weeks. This would remind me of why my bank account is thinning so rapidly and I guess such reviews might ensure that I do not the same mistakes again.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS
You might like it (if your weird)
Go when all else fails. NOT BAD
You had better do/buy/eat/watch this! SOON
Oh my gawd! STOP reading and DO IT ALREADY!


1. Vertigo @ COHI BAR (Harbourside)
This cocktail comprising of watermelon juice, blueberries, citrus vodka, frangelico and generous slices of lime is UGLY, physically. BUT it is one of the most yummy drink I've ever had. Casual chic settings plus great view of Darling Harbour, I'm giving it 4 out of 5 trolls. Price: $12 a pop.


2. Sushi Glebe
I hate Japanese eateries run by Koreans. It's not authentic and oh so pathetic. Please stick to what you are best with. Imagine being served Japanese food on a ceramic plate ... yikes



3. Don Don (Oxford St)
Wholesome Japanese food (lotsa starch and carbs), authentic taste and reasonable prices. They also don't charge for their green teas, unlike Ippon Sushi at Chinatown. But tables can be hard to get on weekends.


4. Frank Pizza on Parramatta Road (Camperdown)
Unbelievably cheap prices for authentic Italian wood-fired pizza, gelatos and coffee. Getting there is abit of hassle if you don't have a car though. Note: most of the customers are hippy-bohemians or older Italians. A different side of Sydney to see.


5. Sek Sek @ Chinatown
A Chinese establishment serving Western food such as Fillet Mignon and Oyster Kilpatrick. Food is so-so but quite high in MSG and lard, me reckon. Prices are high compared to the rest of Chinatown though.


6. Blue Star Hair Design @ Kingsford
Cheats.

7. Cube Cafe on George St
This place was formerly known as Alexandria and was re-opened half a year ago. I went to this place with Kel, Tris, DC and Mark, where I had the famous China Gunpowder tea .....except it is not really the real stuff. Horribly posh inside and prices are reasonable but generally very poor services. Furthermore, huge markdown for the false advertising. Another Cheat.


8. SMILE Travel Agency (876 Anzac Parade)
This Indonesian establishment wins hands-down for their extremely cheap tickets. A Sydney-Singapore flight is almost $150 cheaper than Flight Center and is even $100 cheaper than that quoted on SIA website. The staffs are also very efficient and friendly.


9. K Mix on Pitt Street
A relatively new-comer in the Sydney Karaoke scene. I think it is one of the best around for its high-tech computer panel song selection. All their songs are stored in the computer so there is no waiting time in between songs and neither will there be times where you can't get a new song because every other person has ordered it. This also makes song selection easier since you can browse by dialect, country or singer. It is also very cheap; $10 per person for a 2 hour session. It also allows BYO drinks and smoking... nice.


10. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress Official Site


Directed by Dai Sijie, based on his international best seller of the same name. It tells of the story of 2 'bourgeois' city kids being sent to the countryside for re-education during the Cultural Revolution of 1970s. One of the 2 guy, Ma, was the main character in 'Lan Yu'. However, I think the other guy Lao is cuter. The 2 guys, however, ended up re-educating the villagers especially the Little Seamstress, who would listen spellbound as they relate stories from great Western novelists such as Balzac. It is an amazing experience watching this film, lotsa ironies and wit ... imagine the 2 city kids trying to fill tooth with the help of a sewing machine...it's hilarious. At the same time, there is no denying the emotion that this touching film has evoked. I'm giving it 4 trolls.


"The poignant lyricism that runs through the film transforms this story about love and culture into a cinematic poem" HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
"Intensely emotional and beguiling" Edingburgh International Film Festival

11. The Crimes of Padre Amaro Official Site


Showcasing HOT MEXICAN new comer Gael Garcia Bernal (Y Tu Mama Tambien) ..GASP!!!! Father Amaro (Bernal) is a new priest that has been assigned to his parish in a rural town. In the beginning of the film, Amaro is a righteous young man who helps the downtrodden. Then, we slowly see in shock as the Father cave in to the temptations of sex, lies and treachery. It is almost with disbelief that I see how low someone could go. Anyway, the film has become the most successful film in Mexican history and was nominated an Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Riveting and entertaining if u are into scandals and such LOL.


12. Sumalee (324 King St, under Bank Hotel)
This Thai eatery at Newtown is sooooooooo to-die-for. Yes, Sydney may be overrun with Thai food but u have to try this place. Icy-cool concepts such as communal dining, open-air but private settings and self-order can be found in this new restaurant. Patrons are mostly gay Thais with their white bfs, Newtown hippies and also some Thai drags (i think). Most importantly, the food is sooo good that it makes me wish I was in BKK again. My favorites: Crispy BBQed squid with sweet chilli sauce and also their Duck Salad. HEAVENLY. Dont get the satay though. Price is mid to high though, more than 20ish for an entry level dish.


13. Kuleto's (157 King St)
This is where we went after dinner at Sumalee, and I can tell you they are very famous for their cocktails. Pricey but oh-so-sinfully delicious. Try their Toblerone cocktail. Atmosphere is non existential and it was sooo ful that we had to stand to sip our drinks the whole time... HORROR!