Daily Detours for the Week of June 5

Bill & Toni’s is one of Sydney’s longest-running eateries. Other places come and go, but this classic has stayed in the game since 1965. Its trick is to keep things simple, unpretentious and affordable. Think Italian family-sized portions of pasta, complimentary cordial, down-to-earth waiters and red-and-white gingham table cloths. The restaurant on East Sydney’s Stanley Street — home to Little Italy back in the ’50s and ’60s — started out as a cafe, run by Guglielmo “Bill” Chiappini, before mates Toni and Adolfo added a second floor — and a restaurant — in the 1970s. Take the whole family on a Monday night and dig in without obliterating your bank account.

Image: Kimberly Low.

This year, Vivid’s kaleidoscopic lights extend from Barangaroo for the first time, all the way across the harbour to Taronga Zoo, and up to Chatswood — not to mention the Royal Botanic Garden, MCA and Martin Place will all be a-glow. And as always, the iconic Opera House sails will burst into colour, with this year bringing imaginary creatures by cinematographer, editor, and graphic designer Ash Bolland.

Vivid Music sees a program of over 250 gigs, including Fleet Foxes, French electronic duo AIR, the ethereal Laura Marling and our own Nick Murphy (Chet Faker’s new moniker, ICYMI), and it too has extended, from Carriageworks, over to Cake Wines, and on to Oxford Art Factory for the Women in Electronic Music showcase.

There’s also of course, Vivid Ideas back for the brainiacs among you — and this year it’s scored iconic artist Shepard Fairey as its big-ticket speaker. As well as holding an exclusive talk, he’s also creating a large-scale public mural the CBD (!!) and exhibiting some of his works in an exhibition at Darling Quarter. Check the Vivid Sydney website for more details.

Image: James Horan.

There’s something magical about heading into the Art Gallery of New South Wales after dark. Every Wednesday until 10pm, you can wander the collections without fighting hectic crowds and catch a talk, performance or tour — whatever is happening that night. Each week, a series of talks, tours and workshops accompany the AGNSW’s current exhibitions. At the moment they are John Olsen: The You Beaut Collection, Sydney’s citywide art show The National: New Australian Art, and Australian photographer David Stephenson’s Human Landscapes. The best thing about Art After Hours? Every event is free.

While the battle rages over the impact of lockouts on live music in Sydney, the Metro Theatre continues to churn out gigs. At this stalwart, you’ll catch rock, metal, indie and alternative acts from Australia and overseas. Jeff Buckley played there in 1995, and in 1996 You Am I sold out seven shows in a row. See if you can get some last minute tickets and head to the Metro for a boogie. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, wander over to Chinatown for a feast at Golden Century Seafood Restaurant. Another spot helping to prop up Sydney’s late-night economy, it’s one of the few eateries that serve food until the sun comes up. Go with a bunch of mates, and spend several glorious late night hours scoffing the banquet menu.

Image: @ianieongxx via Instagram.

Come lunch — or straight after work — get away from your sitting habit with a run around the Sydney Opera House and Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. This is, quite possibly, one of the most scenic city running routes on the planet. To conquer the entire thing, start under the Harbour Bridge (on the southern side), pass along Circular Quay, dash across the Opera House forecourt and spring into the Royal Botanic Gardens to follow the foreshore to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. This isn’t a chair, exactly, but a bench carved from sandstone — the handiwork of convicts in 1810, to provide Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s wife, Elizabeth, with an outdoor seat.

Image: @alamogordo333 via Instagram.

Chinese Noodle House has long been dishing out some of Sydney’s best dumplings. Expect to queue, but be well-rewarded for your patience. This steamed and pan-fried goodness comes in mountainous portions and every parcel is handmade. Don’t expect fawning service and beautiful surroundings — the beauty of this Sydney classic lies in its easy, unfussy vibe (and those grapes on the roof). Think straightforward waiters, plastic chairs, very little personal space and no EFTPOS. Chinese tea is free though. Eat until you can eat no more — you’ll still be surprised at how low the bill is.

Image: @lemonpiy via Instagram.

One of the last Art Deco theatres in town, The Ritz has given Sydney locals eight decades of cinematic education. From its early days at the forefront of modern cinema, to its current status as peddler of box office hits and quirky indie flicks alike, it’s impossible to say when The Ritz had its heyday. If you were to ask anyone around town, they’d tell you it’s still having it. Take a detour from your normal Sunday, and go see a film at this heritage-listed building from 1937 — the iconic facade, which has been carefully added to over the intervening years, is a stunning example of the Art Deco architectural style from the 1920s and ’30s.

Image: Kimberly Low.

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