What happens when a glam harbourside hotel, that just happens to have the best views in town, transforms it’s bar into a yoga studio? Something pretty darn special.
Worlds are colliding in the best possible way this Summer because Pullman Quay Grand in Circular Quay is now hosting Zen Sessions. Three times a week, the team from Cronulla’s Hya Yoga will lead their yoga practice from the hotel’s luxe hotspot Hacienda, and we’re already lining up for the Flow.
Swapping tables and low lying couches for mats and blocks seems like the perfect way to ease into the Summer silly season (or at least prepare our livers for Christmas party season) and with its wooden parquetry and floor to ceiling windows, Hacienda seems almost purpose built to be a yoga studio. Don’t worry, they won’t be ditching their day job. Hacienda will transform into a yoga studio three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 7am until 8am, but the rest of the time it’s business as usual. When sessions can’t be held in Hacienda other areas of the hotel, such as the pool deck, will be used and still offer that same unbeatable Harbour backdrop.
We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek of Zen Sessions with a quick introductory session – our hot tip is to arrive early for one of the spots up front. You’ll feel the sea breeze in your hair and have a stellar view of the Harbour Bridge as the city starts to come to life.
Zen Sessions
61 Macquarie St, Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour
Mon: 7 – 8am – Flow yoga (open to all abilities)
Weds: 7 – 8am – Slow flow yoga
Fri: 7 – 8am – Flow yoga (open to all abilities)
$30 per class, with discounts when purchasing a 10-visit pass
Bookings essential http://zensessions.simplybook.me/v2/
Killer cocktails, Insta-perfect rooftop pool, impeccable design, a guest list rumoured to have featured both millionaires and royalty. Race course. We bet you weren’t expecting that one.
Forget waking up to chirping birdies or the sea breeze. At The William Inglis, you wake up, pull back the drapes and watch the early morning warmups out on the race track. The mist is still burning off when jockeys take their horses out onto the track. It’s a sight to behold, and a lucky few get to see it without having to wake up at the crack of dawn. Ask for a room looking out over the racetrack – if you’re splurging, the corner Executive King Suites have the best views of the track. If you’re more motivated by nostalgia, or in need of a little bit of luck for the day, each of the 144 rooms and suites is named after different champion race horses that have been sold by the Inglis family so you can request the one that has extra special meaning for you.
When did your last cocktail come served in a hip flask? The novelty factor is off the charts when it comes to the Old Fashioned at Wild Sage. The bar tenders have had a fair bit of fun with this classic drink, putting it very much back in fashion. Your hip flask arrives in its own wooden box, alongside a very well dressed glass, garnished with caramelised orange slices and cut ice. The idea is you poor the drink out into the glass at your leisure, but hey if you want to give the hip flask a go, no one will stop you. Now, sometimes a novelty cocktail can be a flash in the pan, but this baby hits the spot.
The simple things in life are sometimes the hardest, such as thinking of nothing or going more than an hour without talking to your smart assistant Siri, Google or Alexa.
Cacio e pepe, is a umami delight. The pasta is tossed at the table so the creamy, emulsified sauce coats each strand of Abruzzo ‘Verrigini’ spaghetti lifted by a kick of roasted black pepper spice. It sounds easy; spaghetti, water, black pepper and pecorino, but the technique is feared by many chefs, yet here its done to perfection.
