The intoxicating lust for Michael Buble

Ned : This may sound just a teensy bit insane in the ol' membrane, Homer, but I was wondering if you could show me how to have some fun.
Homer : Well, well, well, so flawless Flanders needs help from stinky-pants Simpson.
Ned : Heh, heh, yeah, I guess I do.
Homer : Welly, welly, welly. Mister Clean wants to hang with dirty Dingus McGee.
Ned : How 'bout it, Homer, will you teach me the secret of your intoxicating lust for life?
Homer : Wellisy, wellisy, wellisy...
Ned : Stop that! Will you help me or not?
Homer : Let's do it.
Ned : So what about all this meat?
Homer : Ah, the missus will clean that up.

So we all ended up going out together, with Zoe taking in the big city lights and following in our footsteps. It was going to be a helluva day, turning into a helluva night. Hell. Gotta love that word. Makes everything sound great. If my memory serves me correctly, we first feasted at a little spur of the moment place I like to call Din Tai Fung, which is sneakily nestled upstairs in World Square. I could give you directions, but I can't be bothered. I'd only just read about it that morning, it was famed for its steamed soup-filled dumplings. Yes, they even have a technique for eating them so you don't burn yourself. I could tell you, but I can't be bothered. Oh, I've used that already haven't I. The meals were interesting, even the decor was all class, with bowls and utensils decorating walls. Brilliant, now there'll be no excuse for not having enough tableware. It was one of the top 10 restaurants in the world as voted by the New York Times. I mean, in the world? That's a bit of a grandiose claim, isn't it? We got there just in time, and by the time we got out, hoards of ravenous customers were waiting for a table. Adios suckas! Should've thought about that before you turned up unannounced.

Anywho, we had hours to kill before the legendary concert that was to be. And what did we do? Yet another inspired idea from me, obviously. Greenbox Plus Karaoke, a place we had stumbled upon, only because I happened to see a sign on a building, whilst looking at something else. What was I actually looking at? Never you mind. Anyway, to be honest, I was slightly disappointed with that little set up. It seemed a bit overpriced, and the mics kept screaming when they were too close to each other. What's that called again? Interference or something. But all in all, it did kill a few hours, and we discovered Zoe had the cutest interpretation of Michael Jackson's Ben. That girl's got hidden talents.

Next on the agenda... the Good Food and Wine Show. There were stalls of upmarket products, and taste testings at practically every stall, even wine tastings. And we all know who loves wine, eh Vay? It's alright, your secret shame is safe with me. Ah, this reminds me of the time we got plastered at that NSW Wine Week Festival, back in '07. They'll never let us do that again, not in a million years. All we did here was go around eating samples and drinking out of our own glasses. And I don't know about the others, but I had my afternoon tea just by doing that. Which reminds me, you owe me that wine glass Vay. I know you have it.

Thank god we didn't have too much, because there was at least 6 hours ahead of us. Where am I up to? Right. Dinner at Musashi was quite simple but elegant. I love places that pay attention to their atmosphere. We sampled sushi, deep fried tasmanian oysters and wagyu beef. Yes, the massaged kind, there's nothing worse than an overworked cow.

All this was just building up our appetites for the real event of the day, none other than Michael Buble's final concert this year at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. God I'm a legend. It just had to be said. We got some seats closer to the stage this time, on the side, with a fair view. Zoe generously got us souvenirs, it feels so good to wear a kiddy size t-shirt. At my age. You should try it some time. The crowd was full of youngies and oldies alike. Michael was his strangely humorous and not-sure-if-he's-joking self. He should've done more of MY favourites and in the style I wanted him to sing in, but I suppose he did well enough. Can't ask for more than that. Women weren't throwing their underwear on stage as I expected, but then, they didn't have that intoxicating lust for Michael Buble did they?

GPO Cheese and Wine Room

"You just wanted an excuse to get drunk again didn't you?" I accuse Vay. The previous night we were umming and ahhing about whether we should go to this bar called GPO Cheese and Wine Room. Yes. No prizes for guessing what that was. Now there's a blatant name if ever there was one. Got to give them credit for originality.

So we did our research, and all signs pointed to the fact that yes, we should get ourselves smashed on a Thursday night in the city. All while doing it in style! Now that's class.

It almost never was, you know, we had only made the booking an hour or so before we wanted to turn up. The girl warned us there'd be a large boisterous group coming in around 6pm, so we opted for 7pm, hoping by then they'd have all buggered off. We read reviews of the place the previous night, the description of soft jazz and prospect of quenching his thirst for wine sold him, whereas I was taken by all those different cheeses and nice atmosphere.

Where is it? Martin place. Are you sure? You haven't been in the city that long, have you? We walk around for a while, trying to find an eatery or some such to go to before having our little drinkfest. We settled upon the upmarket sushi train called Sosumi, in the midst of the grand old GPO building. The place was candle-lit, and glowing with a small number of suits and skirts, milling in small groups. Our coats were taken and hung, now there's a nice touch, right there. The sushi wasn't the best I've had and it was somewhat overpriced, but they were tipped just for their service. And the fact they've got a little water filter at each place setting. How cute is that?

Just around the corner though, we came to a little sandstone room, filled with groups of people. So this is what it's like eh. We were ushered into a small alley behind the main room with the loud groups, and suddenly it felt intimate and exclusive, with the dark tables for two and low mood lighting, even the waiter was clearing one of the tables quietly. "You look positively charming in that light, hun". Yes, I do, don't I. We were presented with a large menu, and left to peruse it. Yes, peruse. You've got to use those terms, see. At the right moment, our waitress for the evening arrived to take our orders. I was quite charmed hearing her say "perfect" at my choices. I'm sure she does that for everyone, but still, I'm sure she actually meant it that time.

Vay went with the "international flight", and was presented with 3 exotic cheeses (a hard, a soft and a blue) matched with a white, red and port wine. Whereas I decided on going a la carte, choosing a soft buttery cheese called Holy Goat "La Luna" goat's milk cheese, house-marinated mixed olives, glace figs, rustic ciabatta bread and a Colvin Estate San Rose wine. No wonder she thought it was perfect. Look at it. God I'm good. The cheese was probably one of the best I've had. I'm going to insist on having that from now on. That's right. Holy Goat.

We sampled each other's offerings, and it was surprising how such a simple concept as serving wine and cheese could work. The hour grew late, and it just felt amazingly comfortable and enjoyable. So much so, that I'd go so far as to recommend anyone to try this experience.