NY Times Travel WHAT'S DOING In Sydney

By JANE PERLEZ

A love of the sea and the surf never quite leaves the people of
Sydney. But this far into the Southern Hemisphere autumn, only the
hardiest souls are still catching waves on the ocean beaches or
swimming in outdoor pools. Most have stored their boards and swimsuits
and replaced their skimpy beach gear with fall wardrobes of sweaters
and jackets.

With the cooler weather comes a mellower mood. Of course, other
Australians would say that Sydney never loses its brashness, its
certitude that it is the only place on earth. How many times does one
hear a Sydney resident say their resplendent harbor is the "best in
the world"? Or that their Opera House with its white scalloped roof is
superior to any other? Often.

The culture season is well into its stride. The Sydney Theater
Company, which showcases Australian playwrights as well as
contemporary productions from abroad, celebrates its 25th birthday
this year. For the occasion, the state government of New South Wales
financed a new theater for the company on Sydney Harbour. The handsome
wood, steel and glass building opened at Walsh Bay in January to much
fanfare.

Meanwhile, at the Opera House, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra has
acquired a new chief conductor and artistic director, Gianluigi
Gelmetti, an Italian. Sydney seems to have taken to Mr. Gelmetti, as
critics hailed his first performances in his new role with the
symphony.

The city's passion for good food and wine continues unimpeded. This is
the season of new restaurant openings. But even at well-known
establishments, chefs continue to invent combinations in the popular
Australian-Asian cuisine.

Events

If you want the sense of a Sydney beach but don't want to brave the
cool water at this time of year, the Taste of Manly food and wine
festival on June 5 and 6 is an excellent way to experience this famous
seaside resort in the northern suburbs. Food and wine stalls are set
up along the esplanade, which is shaded by tall pine trees.

The cuisine is varied - local, Asian and European - but the wine is
exclusively from Australian vineyards. Camel rides on the beach and
some live musical entertainment lend a festive atmosphere. Dishes run
$5.50 to $7.75 and wine $2.30 to $3 a glass, at $1.33 Australian to
the United States dollar. Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information:
(61-2) 9977-1088; www.manly.nsw.gov.au/foodandwine .

The Rocks is the oldest area of Sydney, a cluster of stone buildings,
art galleries and pubs on the harbor foreshore. During Art on the
Rocks, May 29 to 30, the streets are even livelier as artists are
encouraged to set up their easels on the sidewalks. Visitors can
meander the streets, watch the artists at work,and buy something that
catches their fancy. Information: (61-2) 9240-8788 or www.therocks.com
..

The Sydney Symphony's season runs through November. Programs include
Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto featuring Salvatore Accardo and
Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" on May 19, 21 and 22, and Beethoven's
Seventh Symphony and the Brahms's Double Concerto on May 28. Both are
at the Opera House Concert Hall. Ticket prices start at $33, and are
available from (61-2) 9334-4600 or www.sydneysymphony.com .

The Sydney Theater Company will stage a new play by one of Australia's
foremost satirists, Tony McNamara, May 29 to 19. "The Unlikely
Prospect of Happiness" is about a married man who prides himself on
his family values but who is captivated by a single woman. What will
he do? Performances are at 8 p.m. at the new 850-seat Sydney Theater,
22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay; (61-2) 9250-1700 and
www.sydneytheatre.com.au . Tickets, $49, from (61-2) 9250-1777.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales, a colonial-era building with a
glorious view of the harbor from the Domain, holds an outstanding
collection of Australian art. The best of the gallery's contemporary
Australian prints will be exhibited through June 6 in a show that
includes works by Aboriginal artists. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily,
till 9 p.m. on Wednesday; free. Information: (61-2) 9225-1744 or
www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au .

The Sydney Dance Company, the nation's premier contemporary troupe,
will perform a new work, "Shades of Gray," by its resident
choreographer and founder, Graeme Murphy, based on Oscar Wilde's
character Dorian Gray. Performances are at the Sydney Opera House May
25 to June 12, except on Sunday, at 7:30 p.m., plus 4 p.m. Saturday.
Seats from $26 to $54, from (61-2) 9250-7777 or
www.sydneyoperahouse.com . For information, see
www.sydneydance.com.au.

Sightseeing

For the 30th birthday of the Sydney Opera House, its architect, Joern
Utzon, received the 2003 Pritzker Prize, the most coveted award in
architecture. One of the most instructive ways to see the interior and
to learn its history is to take an hourlong tour. The guides are full
of good humor and inside gossip. Tours depart daily every half hour
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and cost $15.50. Reservations: (61-2) 9250-7250.
Information: www.sydneyoperahouse.com .

The Manly ferry is a practical and scenic way to see Sydney Harbor.
The trip from the Circular Quay (Wharf 3) to Manly is seven nautical
miles and takes 30 minutes; $4 one way. The Manly JetCat (Wharf 2),
during rush hour, reduces the ride to 15 minutes; $5.65 one way. The
route gives a close-up of the Harbor Bridge and passes the opening to
Sydney Harbor between North and South Head. Ferries run every
half-hour starting at 6 a.m. (more often during peak hours). For
timetable and other information: (61-2) 9207-3170 and
www.sydneyferries.info . Tickets are available at the machines or a
booth at Circular Quay; an all-day pass for ferries (not including the
Manly JetCat), buses and trains is $11.65.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, (61-2) 9231-8111, www.rbgsyd.gov.au
adjacent to the Opera House, serve as a green escape from the city
crush and as an excellent crucible for understanding Sydney's early
history. This is the area where the first white settlers established
tents and tried to eke out a living. The flora is a lively mix of
local trees including large, shade-giving Moreton Bay figs. The
Tropical Center, a large glass pyramid hothouse, is open daily 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. for viewing of exotic specimens. An herb garden and palm
grove, established in the 1860's, are also worth visiting. The harbor
waters lap right up onto the gardens' stone fence; the views are
spectacular. Open daily 7 a.m. to sunset; free.

Where to Stay

The Regents Court Hotel, 18 Springfield Avenue, Potts Point, (61-2)
9358-1533, fax (61-2) 9358-1833, www.regentscourt.com.au, is a
handsomely restored apartment building in an inner-city area known for
night life and good restaurants. The 30 rooms are furnished studio
apartments, with kitchenettes, work spaces and stylish 50's-style
furniture. There is a roof garden. Rates: $170 to $198.

The Manly Pacific Sydney is on the esplanade at 55 North Steyne,
Manly; (61-2) 9977-7666, fax (61-2) 9977-7822, www.accorhotels.com.au
.. Its restaurant and two bars are popular, and its 218 rooms are
furnished in basic modern style. Some rooms have spectacular views of
the sea. Rates: $248 to $287.

Budget: The Rendezvous Stafford Hotel at 75 Harrington Street, the
Rocks, (61-2) 9251-6711, fax (61-2) 9251-3458,
www.rendezvoushotels.com , in the heart of the old section, has 61
apartments with small kitchens. Studio apartments for up to three
people do not have views of Sydney Harbor but many of the executive
studio and one-bedroom units do. Rates: $163 to $255, with Continental
breakfast.

Hotel Ibis Darling Harbor, 70 Murray Street, (61-2) 9563-0888, fax
(61-2) 9563-0899, www.accorhotels.com.au, has a good location in a
refurbished neighborhood of Sydney's waterfront. The 256 rooms are
very basic but have good views. Rates: $115; $123 on Saturday.

Luxury: Perhaps the best hotel location in Sydney belongs to the Park
Hyatt, 7 Hickson Road, the Rocks, (61-2) 9241-1234, fax (61-2)
9256-1555, www.sydney.park.hyatt.com . The low-slung modern building
is right on the harbor opposite the Opera House. Most of the 158 rooms
have water views, and all have a light, airy atmosphere, high-speed
Internet and CD players. Rates: $369 to $765, for the premier suite.

For quiet elegance, the Observatory Hotel, 89-113 Kent Street, (61-2)
9256-2222, fax (61-2) 9256-2233, www.observatoryhotel.com.au , offers
luxurious rooms with traditional furniture and thick carpets.
Celebrities who want to stay out of the limelight like this 96-room
hotel. Rooms with water views cost $330 to $485; those with city views
$299 to $361, with breakfast and valet parking.

Where to Eat

The splashy new restaurant Flying Fish, at Pier 21, 19-21 Pirrama
Road, Pyrmont, (61-2) 9518-6677, www.flyingfish.com.au , has received
top notices from the city's food critics. Australian produce - from
the sea, fields and gardens - dominates in dishes like char-grilled
black Angus sirloin with summer mushrooms and South Australian
horseradish ($29). Water views add to the ambience of the modern
interior, which seats 142 diners. Open for lunch and dinner except on
Monday, and Saturday lunchtime. A meal for two with a modest bottle of
wine runs about $155.

Rockpool, at 107 George Street, the Rocks, opposite the Museum of
Contemporary Art, (61-2) 9252-1888, www.rockpool.com , is the
signature restaurant of the culinary star Neil Perry. Seafood is the
thing in the recently renovated sleek dining room for 120. Dishes
include John Dory seared on Indian pastry with a spice and yogurt
sauce ($42). Among the desserts is a raspberry, white peach and almond
"sandwich" ($18). Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday; reservations
recommended. A meal for two with wine is about $200.

For charm and an art and advertising crowd, try Fratelli Paradiso,
12-16 Challis Avenue, Potts Point, (61-2) 9357-1744, a small,
no-reservations restaurant on a pretty tree-lined street. The menu is
posted on the blackboard. There's usually risotto with Parmesan and
salmon with a gratin of zucchini and mascarpone. Dinner for two with
wine is about $80. Open for dinner Monday to Friday, it is also
popular for breakfast from 7 a.m., and for lunch every day.

Otto Ristorante, a busy, noisy bistro, spills on to the wharf at 6
Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo, an area on Sydney Harbor east of the
Domain, (61-2) 9368-7488, www.otto.net.au . The food is modern
Australian with an Italian flare. Sea scallops with minted pea purée
are accompanied by crispy pancetta and apple balsamic vinegar ($26).
Dinner for two with wine, about $150. Open daily for lunch (except
Monday) and dinner.

A beach atmosphere with the sound of surf and interesting food makes
Moorish, 118-120 Ramsgate Avenue, North Bondi, (61-2) 9300-9511,
www.moorishrestaurant.com.au , worth a stop. Among the offerings:
yellowfin tuna with saffron and cinnamon roast tomatoes and crushed
chickpeas; a tapas menu is offered. Dinner for two with wine about
$100. Open daily for lunch and dinner.


JANE PERLEZ is chief of the Jakarta bureau of The Times.
--multiplaza.nl.nu--