Coogee perfect

We're just back from a 5 night stay in Coogee - a perfect time of the year to enjoy clear blue skies, sunny mild days - and everyone with a happy smile on their faces. No one looked too worried about world events (and the price of fuel) in the parts of Sydney we were in over the past week.

We were in Camperdown on Wednesday - enjoying a fabulous lunch at Camperdown Commons after my (routine) check with a specialist at the RPA hospital.

The rustic style outdoor restaurant had a view to the healthy looking Camperdown Pocket City Farm and the old Bonds factory beyond (still with its Chesty Bond poster boy on the turret even though Bonds left the site 40 years ago)..Parramatta Road has a few gems in this same area .....

I loved the look of this weatherbeaten old place at 85 Parramatta Road:  "Publisher - Textiles and Papers" ......

Unfortunately it was closed today but a peek through the window showed me I have to come back one day!

Back in Coogee that night we had the fun of observing the "Coogee Nights" phenomenon .... a free event on Coogee Bay Road (closed to traffic) with outdoor dining, games, free live music and performances. It was HUGE - with thousands of happy people mingling, eating, playing, watching movies and dancing!

All was quiet the next morning and Coogee was at its most Autumn perfect. We missed what must have been a small army of workers who cleaned up and put away Coogee Bay Road after the night's festivities - bless them!

We had never seen "The Honeycomb" as calm as this ........

Two days later the surf was a lot wilder and the Honeycomb was back to its usual self.

This is a very familiar part of Coogee for us - we must have spent HOURS in Barzura over the years (and lots of dollars too no doubt). This end of Coogee had all the excitement of the Harry and Meghan visit on Friday, which went very well apparently according to the people who'd paid a lot of money to attend the event!

Bohaus on Coogee Bay Road is our nearest cafe. Its obviously doing very well as the owner was there this morning with his very fine car parked outside.

We had some shopping to do in Surry Hills on Saturday which gave us an excuse to wander some of its very picturesque streets. Reservoir Street was our favourite on this walk.

Look at this renovated wonder (number 65) - now Elf & Taco (Mexican restaurant) ......... and on our side of the street was the lovely old Royal Albert Hotel, definitely worth a visit on another day.

And cuteness overload on these tiny terraces on Reservoir Street.

Those two women were singing beautifully in duet outside Pasta Emilia (as you do).

Saturday night we hung out with our neighbours at our fave Royal Hotel along with lots of stylish people (on the way home from the races at Randwick).

And most of Sunday we caught up with Rob's niece and the fam - with Coogee putting on another perfect day for their absolute enjoyment, a nice way to end off their week and our stay in Coogee.

Meanwhile back in Canberra it's been the peak season for show jumping, pony club and Nationals events. A professional photographer took these shots of Abi riding Sammy recently in the "Nationals". They have to go on the blog record because they capture something completely wonderful about this pair in action!

We got back to Canberra yesterday afternoon and headed out soon after to Freshford with Abi so she could ride Sammy and we could help her with the stable muck out and food prep. It was another beautiful Canberra Autumn evening with all the horses - and hundreds of kangaroos grazing under a setting sun - just beautiful.