Yardhouse is Sydney's New Hotspot

Yardhouse Bar and Brasserie opened last week in Haymarket and should be a hit with Sydney’s urban business crowd and theatre-goers attending the neighbouring Capitol Theatre.

Formerly Paddy McGuire’s pub, a major refurbishment undertaken by the Metro Hospitality Group has created a stylish and contemporary venue while still paying homage to the heritage of the area — particularly the former Palace Hotel which once occupied part of the site.

Metro Hospitality Group chief operating officer George Bedwani said the Yardhouse’s name was inspired by the popular beer-drinking vessel of the 1800s, the yard glass. The front bar off George St has been renamed the Palace Bar and will continue to appeal to the traditional patrons of the area who enjoy a drink after work.

“Yardhouse Bar and Brasserie is an exciting new venue in Sydney’s entertainment precinct,” Bedwani said.

“We wanted to ensure the venue retained links to its important heritage while also expanding its offering to appeal to a broader clientele.”

Chef Daniel Collins, previously head chef at the Russell Hotel, has created a menu that includes light meals to tempt pre-theatre patrons as well as hearty fare for its business clientele.

While the pre-theatre menu includes dishes like spiced calamari with Szechuan pepper salt, chilli, coriander and citrus aioli or beef and James Squire Porter pot pie, the full menu has a selection of four steaks (including a 300g Wagyu rump), four types of skewers with different international heritages, and six mains including slow-braised pork belly, Queensland spanner crab linguine and crisp skin salmon with tomato, white bean and fennel.

At the Palace Bar, choose from more than 60 craft beers, while an all-day bar menu is available.

A downstairs area in the venue has been created specifically for live music. Reggae bands will be featured on Monday evenings while rock bands are expected to prove a popular option for patrons on Friday and Saturday evenings.

All areas can be hired for private functions, providing an opportunity for corporate event managers to combine an evening at the theatre with pre-theatre dinner and drinks in a designated area, or a post-show nightcap.

Food is served in the bar from 11am until late every day while the brasserie is open for lunch from noon-3pm, Monday to Friday, and for dinner from 6pm. On weekends, the brasserie menu is available all day until late.

INFO: www.yardhouse.com.au or (02) 9212 2111 for Reservations and Enquiries

REPOSTED FROM: The Star Observer (http://www.starobserver.com.au/life-style/food-life-style/2011/10/11/sydneys-new-yardhouse-is-a-palace/63657)

Vengaboys 2012 Australian Tour

That's right party people the Vengabus is coming to Sydney in January 2012

It’s time to dust off that tatty old party pass because the Vengabus is due at any minute. And God forbid you miss it. 90s European chart toppers, the Vengaboys, are heading to Australia this summer with a brand new album, rather gloriously entitled ‘Rocket To Your Uranus’.

The new album marks a sparkling return to form for the party-centric foursome. Back after a brief hiatus with their tongues firmly in cheek and doing what they do best.

The Vengaboys are probably best remembered for a string of Euro- flavoured party anthems originally released back in the mid-1990s, most notably ‘Boom Boom Boom’ and ‘We’re Going To Ibiza’. They not only dominated the pop charts but permeated dance floors across the globe, from weddings to nightclubs and pretty much any social/embarrassing occasion you can think of.

The group are set to cause similar destruction this year, following up their album with a tasty XXX remix of ‘Parada de Tettas’ and a recent sell out show in Eindhoven. Fans of the Vengaboys can watch the fun unfold simply by taking a look at their rather entertaining twitter feed. The joys of the digital age.

Wed 11 Jan The Hi-Fi QLD
Thu 12 Jan The Corner Hotel VIC
Fri 13 Jan Selina's - Coogee Bay Hotel NSW
Sun 15 Jan Coolangatta Hotel QLD

Janet Jackson - Up Close & Personal

Last week it was announced that Janet Jackson would be coming to Australia to perform her current Number Ones World Tour in October and November 2011. Instead of performing this concert at Acer Arena or the Sydney Entertainment Centre, Janet Jackson has decided to do the concerts in Australia in a more personal atmosphere.

The tour which is now named in Australia as "Number Ones: Up Close & Personal" is a more fitting title being that she has chosen the Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall.

Tickets for the show go on sale on Wednesday 3rd August 2011. The list of concert dates are as follows for Australia;

DATE LOCATION

TUE 18 OCT	PERTH	BURSWOOD THEATRE
SAT 22 OCT	ADELAIDE	FESTIVAL CENTRE
WED 26 OCT	MELBOURNE	ARTS CENTRE, STATE THEATRE
THU 27 OCT	MELBOURNE	ARTS CENTRE, STATE THEATRE
WED 2 NOV	GOLD COAST	CONVENTION CENTRE
SAT 5 NOV	SYDNEY	OPERA HOUSE, CONCERT HALL
SUN 6 NOV	SYDNEY	OPERA HOUSE, CONCERT HALL

Gaga a Go-Go in Gay Old Night on the Town

IT HAS taken a couple of Sydney drag queens to bring out the ''real woman'' in Lady Gaga. On Tuesday night, it was up to Courtney Act, aka Shane Jenek, and fellow drag artiste, Heaven Lee (aka Perry Meek) to introduce the pop star to Sydney's pink mile, Oxford Street.

Doubling as hand maidens for the reigning Queen of Pop, the bewigged duo accompanied Gaga at her two impromptu shows at gay clubs, Nevermind and Arq, navigating the hordes of fans desperate to catch a glimpse of their idol at the frantically organised last-minute shows.

''She really is the most genuine, down to earth and engaging person you could hope to come across,'' a slightly hoarse-voiced Jenek told PS yesterday morning.

Jenek had accompanied Gaga during her mini concerts at both clubs, spending the wee hours of Tuesday morning at the downstairs bar at Arq, on Flinders Street, which had been roped off for Gaga, her dancers and entourage, which comprised a ragtag gaggle of drag queens, muscle men and fruitcakes.

Gaga managed to indulge in Sydney's nocturnal delights away from the prying lenses of the paparazzi and, by all accounts, was enjoying herself immensely.

Jenek met Gaga last year when he, as Courtney Act, did a special birthday performance for the pop star during her stop in Canberra.
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Wearing 15cm heels, Jenek serenaded Gaga with the Rocky Horror hit Sweet Transsexual before giving her a lap dance. Gaga's father, Joe Germanotta, who had flown in for the party, was also rather taken with the routine, offering Act his hand so ''she'' could climb on to the table.

''I would have forgiven her for forgetting my name, but I was totally blown away. She remembered me like I was one of her best friends. She is an awesome woman … a very real woman,'' Jenek gushed.

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