It now looks like this.
All it took was a change of shower screen to let in some light and to create a sense of space. The bath tub is now practically begging to be filled with water and bath oil. Look at how much less shower screen there is to clean each week!
I know you’re dying to know how I Macgyevered my way through the lack of functioning shower for 36 hours problem. I could have bird bathed in the laundry or sprayed myself with Evian but it was Friday night after a long week and I needed a hot shower to unwind more than anything else.
So Mr SSG and I had a Friday night getaway in our own city at the Four Points by Sheraton in Darling Harbour.
Miraculously I packed on the lighter side of usual. Unfortunately, this meant that I forgot my mouthwash. I’ve never been more relieved to find hotel mouthwash in my life.
The hotel also has an excellent 24 hour gym which was very popular this weekend due to all that rain that washed over Sydney.
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| The usual Saturday am line beginning to form out the front of Bourke Street Bakery. |
The gym was popular with me because I needed a good work out (or two) in order to do Mr SSG and my first visit to the original Bourke Street Bakery in Surry Hills justice.
Bourke Street on a Saturday morning is a very happy place to be indeed.
Even if you are working the weekend, it’s hard not to relax a little as you reach the threshold of the tiny bakery / cafe.
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| Bourke Street’s chocolate tart, rhubarb and apple tart and yours truly…. |
It’s standing room only inside the bakery and decisions have to me made quickly at the counter. So it’s just as well there were cakes on display in the front window to help me plan my order.
It was mainly sweet things, breads and quiches available at the time we were there (9am). The pies and rolls tend to make their appearance later in the day.
Most of the seating is outdoors on the sidewalk but there were a few seats inside.
Though these were filled as soon as they were vacated.
Just above the barista’s station is a range of Bourke Street goods – the official cook book of the bakery and sour dough bread crumbs made from the house bread.
Everywhere I looked there were more tempting treats, most around the $4 mark.
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| Macadamia and honey sticky buns. |
My order placed, it was time to pop outside and get a table by the street.
And settle in for an hour or two.
Honestly, it was to tranquil and my fellow brunchers so languid, I could have stayed where I was the whole day. I know I was in hipster central today but there was such a sense of live and let live around me, it mattered not that I was the only person there rocking navy track pants and running shoes.
The coffees were excellent. I started with an apple and rhubarb muffin. It was just the right size and the batter was dense and moist. There were generously large chunks of apple and rhubarb throughout the whole muffin and the dusting of icing sugar was just enough to add a little sweetness to complement the natural flavour of the fruit.
We couldn’t keep away from the pan au chocolate long enough for it to be photographed so here it is with a few bite marks for interest. Buttery light pastry and a rich chocolate filling, just the thing to go with my no added Equal coffee.
The rhubarb and almond tart was housed in a light short crust pastry and in hindsight, I don’t think one was enough. Mr SSG’s favourite was the pan au raisin.
With the rain apparently done for the day, we sat a while longer after finishing our spoils. Just watching the world go by. Which is generally a very interesting and colourful experience in Surry Hills.
I couldn’t leave without some take home bread, a wholemeal sourdough which is going to have a starring role in dinner tonight and possibly breakfast tomorrow if there’s any left over.
It was barely 24 hours away from home but it did feel like a little holiday. How else can I explain my renewed zeal for doing the housework on the first sunny Saturday afternoon we’ve had here in a while?
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
