WHAT'S ON

Stuffing yourself sick and then feeling guilty for the rest of the week. Could be the move.

First Monday of the month and we’re back to regular operations people. Yes, the weekend is over (cry), but that doesn’t mean we need to necessarily deprive ourselves from a little mid-week fun, does it? 

My thoughts exactly, why is why I’ve put together a nice little list of some of the best bits and bobs around town this week. Starting off strong we’ve got World Oyster Day on Monday, making for a perfect excuse to pop over to one of the many happy hours around town that won’t send you broke. In fact, it really is an entire week of unreal food. The Capella x Lode Pie collab finishes this week, The Waratah is serving up their $20 Thursday steak and chips special, and Icebergs has you covered for your Tuesday night tiramisu date. 

Appetite whetted? Great. Here are the best things to do in Sydney this week. 

World Oyster Day

If I am to be frank, I typically find the dedication of days to random food items completely outrageous. National Bubblegum Day? That’s not a real thing. What I can wrap my head around, however, is World Oyster Day. Now that’s something legitimately worth celebrating. It’s also coming up on Monday this week, giving you a perfect excuse to suck up some of those revolting little gems. Ugh I just love them! Good news is that we only recently rounded up the cheapest ones in town. Could be onto something there. And by onto something I mean salmonella poisoning. 

• When: Monday 5 August
• Where: Multiple location
• How much: How far can you really take it?
• Check it out here.

Icebergs Lasagna, Vino + Tiramisu 

Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve done it this time. I’ve found the ultimate dinner spot for your graveyard shift date. Icebergs Bar in Bondi has announced their indefinite Tuesday night special of lasagna, vino and tiramisu that’s running for not cheap, but not crazy prices either. They’ll even be decking out the entire restaurant in those cheesy, red chequered tablecloths and serving wine carafes (how very romantic). Perfect place to impress someone you hardly know. 

• When: Every Tuesday 
• Where: Icebergs Bar
• How much: Lasagna from $32
• Check it out here.

OPENING WEEK: Sister Act The Musical

Calling all musical buffs, this one’s for you. Sister Act is officially reaching Australian shores this month, and delivering a show that’s bound to get your habit in a twist. Australian idol star, Casey Donovan, will be appearing as Dolores Van Cartier, alongside Genevieve Lemon as Mother Superior, and Rhonda Burchmore as Sister Mary Lazarus. Tony and 8-time Oscar award winner Alan Menken also did the original soundtrack, so you can expect some seriously good hymns and hallelujahs. 

• When: From Wednesday 7 August
• Where: Capitol Theatre
• How much: From $70
• Check it out here.

The Waratah $20 Steak and Chips

Every instagrammer in town is talking about The Waratah’s $20 steak and chips special. Unlike any review in the history of reviews, they might actually be onto something here. If you’re done with home cooking for the week and in need of an outing, the new-ish institution is slinging some of the best and ‘most elevated’ pub food in town (if that’s a thing).

• When: Every Thursday.
• Where: The Waratah, Darlinghurst
• How much: $20 a feed
• Check it out here.

$12 Paella Lunches @ Quay Quarter Lane 

Calling all Sydney CBD corporates in North Face puffer vests, this one’s for you. Whoever said it was impossible to find a solid and reasonably priced lunch in the city just wasn’t trying hard enough. This month, the Basque-style pintxos bar in Circular Quay is slinging generous takeaway portions of seafood paella for just $12. Now you know.

• When: Every Thursday and Friday, lunchtime
• Where: Deux Frères, Quay Quarter Lanes 
• How much: $12
• Check it out here.

LAST CHANCE FOR: Capella x Lode Pies

Deny all you’d like, but we just KNOW you CBD corpies love an excuse to inject unnecessary luxury into the most basic of things. Cue the Capella x Lode Pie collaboration, where the fine dining restaurant will be serving up what can only be described as the bougiest pie known to mankind. Yes, they’re $39 and absolutely outrageous, but I can’t resist. It’s also closing up shop this week, so get in now or accept defeat in missing out.

• When: Until 9 August
• Where: Capella, CBD
• How much: From $39
• Check it out here.

LIMBO The Return

There’s nothing quite like a fire-breathing, gravity-defying spectacular to warm up the winter evenings. And thankfully, LIMBO The Return has us covered. Combining cabaret, live music, dance and acrobatics all in one, we just know it’s going to be wildly outrageous. Tickets are also pretty reasonable, starting from $55. The show is running for a strictly limited season so consider this your sign.

• When: Until Sunday 18 August
• Where: The Grand Electric, Surry Hills 
• How much: From $59.
• Check it out here.

Seaside Sauna Manly

Call me crazy, but it appears that sauna sessions have officially become the new alternative to drinking, drugs and sex amongst the Sydney Gen Z population. Good for them, I guess. If you lump yourself into this category, might I recommend you pop over to the Cedar and Salt pop-up Finnish sauna in Manly running until Spring? The uber-Scandi set up is situated on Manly’s Quarantine Beach, and has views that are hard to rival. Each sweat session will also only set you back $35, which is pretty reasonable compared to other places around town. 

• When: Sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week until Spring
• Where: Cedar and Salt, Manly Quarantine Beach
• How much: From $35
• Check it out here.