Sydney – Stilgherrian

04 May 202611 May 2026

Weekly Wrap 831: Look at that lovely Sydney city pub!

It’s nighttime. A typical old Sydney pub dominates the corner of two typical old Sydney city streets. It has four floors. The ground floor yellow-painted brick above deep green tiles. The next two floors up are reddish-brown brick. And up top there’s a brick level inset behind a terrace, with gable windows, Empty beer kegs are stacked by one door. The edge of the verandah is black, and is labelled “Hotel Sweeney’s” alternating with “Guinness”. Window trim and such are painted mid-green.

Near the end of my week of Monday 27 April to Sunday 3 May 2026 I walked past a pub, because I’d just been at one pub and was on my way to see a show. I did get some things done this week, though, including a little client work. Please pat my head.

22 February 202601 March 2026

Weekly Wrap 821: A cocktail for the Fire Horse

On a clean pub table sits a rocks glass, with a second one behind it. Both contain an orange-brown drink and a big fat ice cube. Behind all that is a large open window with a view of a passing tram. And on the right, through the glass door, can be seen the sign â€œCharlie Chanâ€™s Bar.

The week of Monday 16 to Sunday 22 February 2026 took me another week closer to my move back to Sydney. I got lots of little things done in the background, but I don’t have much to show you â€” apart from the links to Interesting Things.

15 February 202615 February 2026

Weekly Wrap 820: A podcast about AI, and big changes loom

The view across Hyde Park, Sydney, from College Street. In the lower third of the image are the tops of various kinds of trees. But the main part of the image is the cityscape of the Sydney CBD, with a jumble of various skyscrapers modern and 20th century, behind the park and on the left of it. All is set against a bright blue sky and a few cirrus clouds.

My week of Monday 9 to Sunday 15 February 2026 saw me settle into a busier phase of life, preparing for my move back to Sydney after 15 years in a kind of exile, as well as the usual podcast production and, as it happens, a new phase of work for a client.

21 September 202525 September 2025

Weekly Wrap 799: Podcast production and the Sydney skyline

Monday 15 to Sunday 21 September 2025 was a big week for podcasts, with one posted and two more recorded. After several weeks of poor health I’m getting back into the flow. My photos have mostly been of birds, however, so for a change of pace I’m going with a cityscape from a few weeks back.

21 June 202303 October 2023

The 9pm Bad Nasi Goreng Makes the Merlion Sad with Snarky Platypus

Photo of a faded booklet page, "Rice cookery is space -age. Now this classic rice dish can be your speciality," and a photo of a Sunbeam electric frypan containing alleged nasa goring as discussed in the podcast. Also, a photo of the booklet cover and a platypus. — Alleged nasi goreng in a Sunbeam frypan, and (inset) the cover of “1966 Rice Recipes from the Rice Marketing Board Cookery Bureau. (Photo: Stilgherrian) Also, a profile pic of Snarky Platypus. (Photo: Supplied)

Stilgherrian is joined by Snarky Platypus, who’s recently returned to the socials after a two-year break, for a long conversation about everything from food to conspiracy theories to stupid names for Sydney suburbs. Quite a lot about food, actually.

24 May 202024 May 2020

Weekly Wrap 521: The true grind of the Quarantimes

In my week of Monday 18 to Sunday 24 May 2020 I shed a tear when I saw how some of our international students are having to be supported by ad hoc community charities. Our governments have failed.