As someone who doesn't work in the city, being in the CBD on a school weeknight is exciting and novel. While everyone else is commuting out of the city after a day at work, I'm (so I feel) brazenly city bound for dinner and drinks. Or more accurately, drinks and dinner.
So brazen in fact that I stopped off at Priceline on my way to meeting Mr SSG. Primarily to borrow the mirrors near the make up testers to see that my eyeliner hadn't melted in the evening heat and buy some Christmas cards.
However, I found myself strangely drawn to the Britney Spears fragrance collection near the check out.
I left with my cards in a cloud of Fantasy - of the Britney Spears variety. Any misadventures I may have gotten myself into last night, I blame solely on my spritz of Britters.
Mr SSG and I were invited to a shopping evening at Autore on King Street.
With a seemingly bottomless glass of champagne in one hand and a catalogue in the other, I was more than up to the task of exploring 3 floors of South Sea pearls and diamond jewelry. There were numerous sea food based canapes to keep my energy levels up.
If the stairs were too much of a challenge (for whatever reason), there was this handy lift.
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Dress - Review. champagne - Perrier Jouet. |
I tried on a strand of pearls but was whisked away in the nick of time by Mr SSG for our dinner reservation.
At the CBD land of after work escapism better knows as The Ivy. I hoped to blend in with the black and cream decor.
If not the glamorously blonde and tanned crowd.
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Part of the line extending out the main entrance waiting for the lifts to get up to various venues in The Ivy complex. |
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Very cute cover to the drinks list - 'chirp, chirp, slurp, slurp.....'. |
Mr SSG had booked dinner at Uccello, where the head chef is Eugenio Riva. I have to be honest and say that yes, I really like the pool side asepct of the restaurant. Yes, it is a very 'so hip it hurts it's fine to wear sunglasses indoors at 7pm', 'be seen and be heard, change the register of your natural speaking voice on entry' kind of place but it is a pleasant escape from the greyness and noise of the real world at street level down below. All the staff are very friendly and helpful (even if you're not 6 foot tall, very blonde or very tanned). I had a lovely evening, perceived physical inadequacies not withstanding.
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The beginning of the cocktail list. Always a good place to place the Bellini. |
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The Uccello Bellini. |
It was of course, some A-list Sydney Equivalent of PDiddy's best work, The White Party. From where I sat, I could sort of feel the Hamptons. The Sydney party is a digital industry event, from what I can gather from my good friends at google.
This is a view of the poolside bar. I like the cane light fixture and the panelling of the walls.
Inside Uccello, to the left of where I was sitting.
There aren't enough restaurants in Sydney brave enough to have all white dining sets.
I was relieved that even the Sydney Confidential set love good Italian carbs. With olive oil on the side.
Due to our rather large pre dinner canape and champagne snack, Mr SSG and I decided to share an entree.
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San Daniele prosciutto with buffalo mozzarella, pequillo peppers and basil |
I spied a Pope and an Elvis in the sea of white clad digital industry types.
Then, nature called and I needed to descend the stairs to the pool to find the bathrooms in the infamous Cabana area. So infamous that it has its own name plate in the lift.
Which were actually non gender segregated combined shower / changeroom / commode rooms somewhere behind these doors. You have to get past a bank of lockers first.
It was difficult to tell which were vacant or engaged (I am sure there are more 'Ivy appropriate' terms for these) so you did have to try each door in the semicircle around the round sofa and floral arrangement. A kind girl helped me find one. Thanks, hun!
I managed to find my way back to dinner past the sea of happy, golden people (must be why they chose white, it sets off a tan like no other colour).
Mr SSG had a pasta main. The famed angel hair pasta with crab was off this month's menu, unfortunately.
Our waitress advised that this was the next best thing.
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Squid ink tagliolini, sautéed cuttlefish, prawns, broccolini, chilli and garlic |
While I addressed my iron deficiency with some meat.
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Grass fed eye fillet of beef, braised radicchio, mushrooms, gorgonzola butter |
Around us, the sun set on the pool. The lights from surrounding office blocks shone like fire flies over the open air pool area.
My mind turned to dessert.
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Tiramisu with Amedei chocolate |
Dessert was gone in about 60 seconds.
These are some photos from the bench tops at the front of Uccello. The bread and meat slicing areas are open to the dining room.
With a pleasantly full tummy and a bit of love for glamazon Sydney, Mr SSG and I took the lift down to the real world.
But not before getting a glimpse of these pimped up bottles of Moet at The Ivy bottle-o.


Oh The Ivy, one of my haunts back in the Sydney days. Uccello is great and superior for people-watching! Aren't those bathrooms under the pool very odd indeed?!
ReplyDeleteGlad you had an enjoyable night - does that mean an Autore bag didn't come home with you??!!
TheStylishShoeGirl: impossible not to have fun at The Ivy, I've decided.
ReplyDeleteSSG xxx
No 1 - SSG, you look totally glamorous and elegant.
ReplyDeleteNo 2 - Note to shops and restaurants - Stop playing silly games with the toilets. I suggest proper signage, segregation of male and female, and please, no more ridiculous slightly frosted glass doors on the cubicles. We want privacy.
No 3 - I would love one of those pimped up bottles of Moet!
What a fun night! Those meals look amazing and superior people watching. I am now very dearly wishing that Brisbane had a cabana bar!
ReplyDeleteL
SSG
ReplyDeleteDinner looks lovely.
I have the coffee colored satin and jersey Review dress you are wearing. I have worn it a ridiculously large number of times and love it. It's a go anywhere number. It always gets thrown in my case if we are away for business because it is the perfect emergency dress for formal things people expect you to go to but don't tell you about. I wore it to a reception at the British Embassy in Buenos Aires and it was a hit. I think of that night every time I wear it. I love it when dresses have beautiful memories associated with them.
wouldnt mind a bit glass of moet right about now.. it's hot and humid and rainy!! HEEELP
ReplyDeleteShe Wore It Well Blog
oooooo. a great adventure. dinner looked wonderful again. and those bottles of moet, sigh, i want one, so sweet.
ReplyDeletethis is a soothing post, hope you bought lots of pearls. That is so funny re Brit's perfume! Must go and sort of my humidity ravaged 'do x
ReplyDeleteKate: you are lovely! I am glad someone else feels the same about the toilets.
ReplyDeleteLotus: it's a disgrace no such facility exists in Brisbane. Now that I have infiltrated The Ivy, I will try to have words with management regarding an expansion into Brisbane. Watch this space.
AFW: Get out of town!?!? We have the same dress. We love it for the same reasons too! We need to discuss wardrobes more.
She Wore It Well & Melissa: I really should have gone in and bought a bottle. If only for the crown on top and the sake of this blog.
FF: sadly no pearls. Mr SSG was not swayed by the lovely older ladies (in full pearls) advising him to buy a strand for me.
SSG xxx
Ahhh - I am off to Ucello for Lunch next week. I really like the food - the only criticism I have is that it's SO LOUD! That's the nana in me I guess - I actually like to converse and be heard by my dining companion and sometimes that's not possible in such a chi chi location.
ReplyDeleteBoo to the absence of pearls! Personally, though - if I were you, I'd hang out for Kailis... They are much more stylish than Autore or Paspaley!
you have wonderful photos!! and the tagliolini looks so delicious you have me hungry again!
ReplyDeletethank you again for stopping by my blog! i'm loving yours!
cuteandlittle.com
Thanks for stopping by my blog....super sweet of you:) LOVE your photos here....and your blog is awesome as well:)
ReplyDeleteStop by and say Hello:)
NEWS EDITOR for Style Sample Magazine♥
Love your outfit SSG! I find a lot of The Ivy a bit too...much! That too hip it hurts vibe...
ReplyDeleteI know you think you're not cool but reading that I felt cool by association.
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