Give me Mohr

I love fish and chips! Perfectly cooked white, flaky fish in batter with big fat chips and vinegar. Best of course, eaten from paper, on some cold and windswept beach, feeding seagulls with the remains, which is what I do with my grandma when I get the chance. They seem to cheer up the spirits no end and even at 98, give her a spring in her step and on the last occasion, seriously asked a, rather surprised, young windsurfer if she could have a go.

They suit the outdoors, the casual and the spontaneous. I can recall great fish and chip moments on climbing weekend trips on the Dorset sea cliffs. Growing up in a seaside town, I had insider knowledge as to the best available, served by over sized, middle aged waitresses with greasy fingers and lots of gold.

Fish and chips are good, cheap honest fayre. Not right for fancy restaurants trussed up in boxes. In London I regularly ate at Geales in Notting Hill. Although it has been done up of late, the wet-fish style white tiled environment was just right. The choice was simple, cod, haddock, or rock in batter with tartar sauce (extra) and mushy peas. Pickled eggs or onions on the side, served from jars behind the counter. If you fancied a tipple with your food you ordered from a separate cash bar. A very 'London' experience, and liked the jellied eel stall on the Roman Road, or the bagel shop in Columbia Road, something that doesn't travel well.

And then we went to Mohr Fish. A very unassuming shop on a corner of Devonshire Street, Sydney, which is tiled with years of fish history. Sitting at the counter or at one of the poseur tables, you could easily think you were back in the East End - aside of course from the clientelle and the slightly more glamorous ingredients than I'm used, but its all relative.

I'm not sure if its a family restaurant, but it 'feels' like it is. On a busy Friday night, the waitress behind the counter took all the orders, answered the phone, served and cleared. Somehow she even managed to haul out waiting patrons from the adjacent pub as their name came up on her list. It was all very entertaining. On our visit, stylish couples mingled with the over-inebriated and a man and his squawking green parrot provided the background music as they waited for a takeaway salad (for the parrot). If you fancy a drink, you can bring your own with no corkage and they will chill it for you as you wait for a table, or you can buy a glass from the pub. Fish and chips served the best way yet, this side of the equator.

Mohr Fish

202 Devonshire Street

Surry Hills 2010

Super stylist

Change is hard and one of the toughest things to find in a new city is a hairdresser who cuts your hair, just how you like it. Over the past year, I've shopped around, trying uber cool salons in Surry Hills, the Eastern Suburbs as well as the Northern Beaches. I've come to the conclusion that British hairdressers here are (mostly) grumpier and I really wish that the Australian beauty industry as a whole could lay off on the hard product sell which is bit annoying and really, if I want a new product, I'll ask for it.

Finally I've found her... the perfect hairdresser. Her name is Rachel and she's at Muse in Crown Street. Rachel cuts my hair like she's creating a piece of sculpture. She gathered very quickly that I'm basically lazy and have rarely handled a hairdryer and she does this amazing grazing thing which makes my hair sit perfectly, despite all its weird kinks and too much sunshine. I've now been a few times and yet again, I've come out all 'flicky' and feeling ten year's younger. Now to do something about the face!

Twig Cafe

I'm a big fan of Petersham Nurseries. It's one of those treat places that you go when you're feeling a bit flat and you're in need of some countryside and cake. Whilst its predominately a garden centre, the choice is a lot better than your average, and it has lots of ethnic wood, funky bulbs and nice welly boots to offer, as well as talks and of course the wonderful food from Skye Gyngell in the restaurant that has to be booked months in advance to get a sniff at a table. I've often dreamed of starting my own food and plant combo, two of my favourite things.

The boys at Garden Life in Surry Hills have done just that. Inspired by Petersham, they have a stylish little shop with a great cafe out the back. Its inside/outside which helps with the weather we're having at the moment and seems always to be buzzing, which is nice. Not many cows though, but I suppose you can't have everything!

GARDEN LIFE

357 CLEVELAND STREET

SURRY HILLS

NSW 2016

TEL 02 8399 0666

Toy shop for foodies

Now that Spring has gone all summery, my food thoughts have moved to light, fluffy things, ideally that I can cook and the children can scoff when they get home from school without too much mess.

I had my eye on a tart, which required a large, frilly edged pan, and so I had chance to go down to Chefs Warehouse again to purchase. I love this store. Its stuffed full of amazing things that you never thought you’d ever need but surely I could just make room for some pastry trays? Or what about the paella tin the size of my living room? Not only does it sell tools, but also carries a small amount of specialist but of course essential ingredients such as pomegranate molasses, and smoked paprika.

Chefs Warehouse, 111-115 Albion Street, Surry Hills 2010 Tel +61 2 9211 4555

Graffiti

There's lots of graffiti close to where we live. I love it. I think its great that people are so bursting with colour and ideas that they want to put it about. I particularly like it when its just a little bit different. Or clever. This one could just as easily be a sign for a business which would make it a cool business. You certainly wouldn't miss it

Grafitti(2)

Here's another local one which made me smile.

B Sharp's Yellow Moon

I have a friend who lives on the other side of the hill. In between us, in what appears to be a rather seedy council estate is the unlikely location for a little neon clad theatre called the Belvoir, and often I've thought of going. Last night, we made it to the downstairs theatre for the preview performance of B Sharp's 'Yellow Moon'. Great venue - an intensely personal experience with only about 20 other people in the room. 4 amazing actors, all hugely talented in their own way, an incredible script and clever direction. Up, down, sad, happy. All in 80 minutes. One of the best things I've seen for a very long time and we're still discussing it this morning. Go and see it if you can!

Next stop - Surry Hills

So with the boat on a mooring, we've moved into the centre of town which is the complete opposite of where we were before. Surry Hills which is an up and come area just south of the CBD with rows of terrace houses, shops and cafes.

We' ve rented a terraced house with the luxury of a roof terrace on one of the main streets. Bizarrely, it feels all very normal. Inner city living again, and car noises and people and very few animals. Its an old area and feels like there is a bit of history in the walls - all bent and crooked in our place anyway. My dear friend Clare sent me a book which was set in the area in the 1930's called 'The Harp in the South' by Ruth Park, which has given me an insight into what came before. I also went to see a great exhibition called 'Skint - making do in the great depression' , which rather frighteningly gives an insight to what it was like back then, with no money and furniture and clothing made from whatever could be found - mostly tea chests from the docks and sacks.