But Neil, didn't you join this club?

A/D, this doesn't satisfy the legal definition of a club under Commonwealth law. That's my excuse.

PS: maybe the original poster meant to say "chickest", in other words an establishment especially favoured by ladies? (OK, katherine22, it's about time you put paid to all this speculation.)

I stayed at Quay West, we had a wonderful view of the harbor, bridge and Opera House from the 14th floor. I would highly recommend Quay West. We stayed in a 2 bedroom suite that had a kitchen, washer and dryer, living/dining room. It was pricey but worth every penny!

Have a wonderful time.

On our first trip we stayed at "Quay West" in a one bedroom apartment overlooking the harbor and the Opera House on the 23rd floor.everything about the hotel was great and I can only give high marks to the staff. The views aree spectacular!!

On our second trip we booked a one bedroom corporate condo near Circular Quay for two weeks. Unfortunately the tenant before us stayed 8-9 months and left some damage. When I reported this and asked to be released from the balance of the contract - they offered to move us and surprise! they took us to a 3 bedroom penthouse overlooking Darling Harbor!

We've stayed at both harbors now and Circular Quay would still be my favorite but my penthouse at Darling Harbor will always be a good remembrance.

Sydney is probably our favorite city to visit in the world!

My family and I vote for an upper floor at the Quay West-phenomenal views of sunrise, the Opera House and the Bridge. Bring your camera for the night photography from the poolside balcony.

To our "good" friend Neil

Someone who can really put together a great pot of chili deserves the definition of "chic" and "chicest".

But then "is that anything resembling "test results"???


chic ( P ) Pronunciation Key (shk)
adj. chic·er, chic·est
Conforming to the current fashion; stylish: chic clothes; a chic boutique.
Adopting or setting current fashions and styles; sophisticated: chic, well-dressed young executives. See Synonyms at fashionable.

n.
The quality or state of being stylish; fashionableness.
Sophistication in dress and manner; elegance.

My thanks, Ellen. I got up the energy to open my 'Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary' and sure enough, there it is, in black and white. I guess I'd prefer 'more chic' and 'most chic', but anyone who knows me would tell you that chicishness isn't the first word that would spring to mind, so what would I know?

Shiker (Yiddish): drunk.

Well we do need you to keep us on a straight path Neil!!

Is it getting warmer there now - it was a bit on the cool side when we were in Canberra in September - but your city is so beautiful - I could be a bit prejudiced though since I've been working in DC for sooooo long!

I wish you and your family a very happy holiday.

Thanks Ellen, and you too in no doubt chilly DC.

Yes, Canberra has warmed up after the usual scrappy spring, and some decent rainfall has left the city looking very green.

The big news is that the Federal and ACT governments have announced a major redevelopment program designed to bring more life to the city centre and surrounds.

Much of this will be inspired (we're told) by a return to unrealised visions of Canberra's planner, the Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin (with a lot of input from his wife, Marion Mahoney Griffin). For instance, Constitution Avenue will become what he wanted it to be, a busy mix of commercial and residential buildings; and the city centre ("Civic&quot will be linked up with the lakeshore by roofing over the 6-lane road that now separates them.

I get suspicious when I'm told that something will be entirely financed by the private sector, though - there's usually a sting in the tail of such assurances. Hopefully in this case it won't be more bland, cheap buildings - we have enough of that already.

The parklike air of central Canberra is a source of complaints from visitors who'd like to be able to leg it around all the national institutions but find it all just too far. But apparently it wasn't so much Griffin's idea as that of the "garden city" movement whose adherents hijacked his plan.

And still no sign of a much-needed light rail/tram system in this very spread-out and car-dependent city. Nor of a decent East Coast (Brisbane-Melbourne) fast rail system, despite the government's financing of that pretty useless and wasteful track from Darwin to Alice Springs, a masterly piece of pork-barrelling. When it comes to the area where most of the country's population lives, presumably the money has to come from the private sector, which means nothing will happen. As usual. Government by short-sighted accountants (sorry, accountants, that was a low blow).

End of grumble. A great Christmas and New Year to all!

Perhaps our latest charitable endeavor should be to get those lazy tourists some bicycles.

A/D

Bicycles??? What we could really use would be those Segways to get around on. I could have used one walking all around Floriade!!

I would recommend the Double Bay area of Sydney. The hotels the Sir Stamford Plaza (22 Knox Street). Ask for a view of Double Bay on a high level floor.

I enjoyed taking the ferry from Circular Quay to Doublebay for dinner at one of the many restaurants.

That's a nice hotel, Hogtown Jim, but Katherine22 needs to know that Double Bay is a suburb of Sydney from which you can either take a bus, ferry or train (from Edgecliff Station, about 700 hilly metres away)to get to the "main" harbour. It's certainly not walking distance. Count on twenty to thirty minutes of travel time (including walking to the preferred transport)every time you travel to the city proper.

If you do choose Double Bay, you should also do a price comparison by looking at the Golden Sheaf; it has a website at http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/E/V/...7/15/60/1.html. This used to be partricularly good value for money; I don't know how it weighs up against the competition nowadays.

Double Bay is the 'la dolce vita' area of Sydney; everything in the shops costs twice as much as the same article would elsewhere, the sidewalk cafes are teeming with minor celebrities anxious to show their face so that other minor celebrities know they're still alive (and solvent enough to sip coffee in Double Bay!), and people walk three poodles and an Afghan Hound all at once. A walk around the main shopping area can be quite entertaining.

Alan,
I am afraid your information is somewhat out of date - since the inception of the giant, and very up makret, Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction Double Bay has become something of a 'ghost town' by comparison and the double pay term is disappearing as fast as the shops and the major or minor celebrities!!

Great news, Prue! I'll head down to Double Bay without delay, with my three poodles and the Afghan, and be the most major minor celebrity in town!

Next you'll be telling me they've opened an Aldi on South Head Road!

Perhaps we'd better alert the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul Society.

Alan,
Anything is possible!!

prue is right ( is she Prue of Prue and True fame?)...everyone has moved to Bondi Junction ( or Westfield at least). However your advice about prices Alan is still relevant. A friend of mine priced a rocking horse last weekend in Double Bay and it was $325...that same afternoon he bought the exact same thing in Westfield for $69!

so...Double Pay is an understatement - it should perhaps be called Quintuple Pay! (not too catchy, though)