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Sydney fashion & lifestyle: Urban Walkabout - your guide to Sydney fashion, design, food and lifestyle

Let's Talkabout

Yan Martinez of Sur Bourke Espresso Bar

Who: Yan Martinez
Where: Sur Bourke Espresso Bar, 266 Bourke St, Darlinghurst. T: 8084 9376
Must have: Either the Croque Monsieur or the Salade au Chevre Chaud

What inspired you to open Sur Bourke Espresso?
Growing up in a big extended family in France, I didn't have a choice but to have a passion for food and entertaining people! Coming to Australia 11 years ago, made me realise we had some of the best coffee in the world here. Sur Bourke enabled me to bring the best of both; my Frenchness and the Sydney experience I have had since arriving in Sydney.


What's the food and drink philosophy of the venue?
Uncomplicated, fresh and a little bit French. I believe it is often the simple things that are the best. Whenever I had friends over for dinner, they told me I had a knack for making something delicious using the simplest ingredients. This is what I wanted to recreate at Sur Bourke; ensuring I only used quality ingredients. Naturally, there were some French staples, such as Brioches, Croissants with homemade jam, Croque Monsieur and our Salade au Chevre Chaud that I couldn't miss, but this is Darlinghurst and I had to also ensure a cross section of healthy but delicious options.

How does Sydney compare with Europe in terms of cafe culture?
Coffee wise, I have to admit that Sydney light years ahead of France if you want something other than an espresso or a long black. We're spoilt for choice with our selection of roasters here and coffee drinkers have selective palates, and the coffee can make or break a business. 

Where did you last encounter a good food and drink experience (outside of Sur Bourke)?
What I love about Sydney is its international and varied food scene. Last night I had an amazing Phô in Marrickville, the night before I was introduced to and really had a great experience at Bootleg in Potts Point whilst a few weeks back I celebrated a birthday with friends at one of Sydney's top restaurants, Marque. 


What is a must have at Sur Bourke Espresso?
I would had to flip a coin between our Croque Monsieur which everyone loves and the Salade au Chevre Chaud which is my personal favourite! Come with a friend, order one of each and share!


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More Talk:

Darryl Ferguson of Pitt Street Diner

Darryl Ferguson of Pitt Street Diner

Who: Darryl Ferguson
Where: Pitt Street Diner, 96 Pitt St, Redfern. T: 8668 5936
Must have: Eggs Benedict with house-smoked trout and a Bloody Mary



Raymond Scott of Workshopped

Raymond Scott of Workshopped

Exhibiting products like the Chopula (chopping spatula), vegan scarves and modular concrete candelabras, Workshopped has gained a covetable reputation over the last decade as a mentor for Australian design excellence devoted to form and function.



Sarah & Brooke of Follow

Sarah & Brooke of Follow

Who:Sarah & Brooke
What: Follow, 380 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills T: 8068 2813
Must See: Me & Oli blouses, Puddin' Head tea towels & Sian Thomas ceramic colanders



Fabrício Campos of Boteco

Fabrício Campos of Boteco

Who: Fabrício Campos 
Where: Boteco, 421 Cleveland St, Surry Hills. T: 9318 2993

Must try: Ceviche accompanied by a Pisco Sour



Giorgio de Maria of 121BC

Giorgio de Maria of 121BC

Who: Giorgio De Maria, co-owner, 121BC
Where: 121BC, 4/50 Holt St (via Gladstone St). T: 9699 1582
Must Taste: Giorgio's oldest wine, Gattinara 1961, nebbiolo from North of Piemonte



Paloma Rose Garcia, Salon Partner of Oscar Oscar Salons

Paloma Rose Garcia, Salon Partner of Oscar Oscar Salons

We chat with Paloma Rose Garcia, Salon Partner of Oscar Oscar Salons about learned technique, inspiration through fashion and the rewarding nature of mentoring.



Julian Serna of The Fern (REDFERN)

Julian Serna of The Fern (REDFERN)

Who: Julian Serna
Where: The Fern, 4 Pitt St, Redfern
Must taste: Eggs Rancheros



Jenny Newton of Jenny Newton Furniture and Interior Design (REDFERN)

Jenny Newton of Jenny Newton Furniture and Interior Design (REDFERN)

Jenny Newton is a well-heeled innovator. Her fervor for considered spaces, natural materials and sustainable futures informs her modern excursions in furniture and interiors.



Linda Gregoriou of Pure & General (POTTS POINT)

Linda Gregoriou of Pure & General (POTTS POINT)

Linda Gregoriou, an urban designer and geographer by profession, spent 12 months combing the globe for objects that evoke an emotive response. Pure and General in Potts Point is the result.



Virginia Bruce of The r.e.a.l store

Virginia Bruce of The r.e.a.l store

Ordinary products with extraordinary messages find life at The r.e.a.l store. We chat with owner Virginia Bruce about her business mantra and providing social, ethical and sustainable lifestyle products and designs.



Chris The of Black Star Pastry

Chris The of Black Star Pastry

Newtown’s pastry pocket Black Star recently turned two. Owner Christopher The runs us through their well-oiled operation with his mentality of letting the magic happen.



Sophie Toohey of Mr Rose

Sophie Toohey of Mr Rose

Mr Rose is a destination for women who crave individual style. Australian tailored femme shirting in luxurious European textiles plus Bespoke by Sasha, accessories couturier, specialising in silk flower headpieces, brooches and chokers. We chat with creative director and founder, Sophie Toohey about the thrill of detail and women with style.



Sophie from Doug Up on Bourke

Sophie from Doug Up on Bourke

Doug Up on Bourke's mesmeric collection of Australian industrial and antique objects dates from 1800 to 1950. Daughter-in-chief Sophie lets us in on Cecil the business mascot, how the storage site for her father’s private collection became a 24/7 family run operation.



Cesar Cueva of Metalab

Cesar Cueva of Metalab

Showcasing strikingly unusual and thought-provoking jewellery and objects, Metalab is a beautiful gallery space dedicated to exhibiting local and international talent. Their on-site workshop also runs jewellery classes throughout the year. Cesar Cueva is both jewellery maker and owner.



Robert Forster of F!NK + Co.

Robert Forster of F!NK + Co.

Robert Foster’s fresh yet wonky object designs are 100% functional. Director and designer of F!NK + Co. since 1993, his locally crafted products are produced in small numbers. As a mentor to emerging artists and revolutionary of aesthetics and affordability across Australian product design, Robert’s journey began in response to Canberra’s design void in 1993.



Stefanie Bassett of Newspaper Taxi

Stefanie Bassett of Newspaper Taxi

Newspaper Taxi is an enchanting boutique on Australia Street in Newtown. Stefanie Bassett established this visceral ride through eras, styles and skills by hunting, gathering and collaging a global edit of stationery, homewares, framed prints and handmade treasures. She takes us through her passion and the charming community spirit of Newtown.



Julie Paterson of clothfabric

Julie Paterson of clothfabric

Designer Julie Paterson owns and runs an independent fabric company clothfabric. Screen-printed by hand with water based non-toxic inks and dyes on organic fabrics, cloth’s low impact approach to materials and manufacturing has pioneered the sustainable relationship between art and retail over the last 15 years.



Bianca Spender, Fashion Designer

Bianca Spender, Fashion Designer

Bianca Spender does Australian high couture in her own hand-felt way. Her international experience and enviable mentorship from her mother Carla Zampatti have clarified her love of draping fabrics to beautify the real shapes of women. In drawing stimulus from art and females with independent spirits, she is a contemporary mind empowering women with deluxe clothes and is one to watch.



Ken Wallis of Seasonal Concepts

Ken Wallis of Seasonal Concepts

Easily the most curious window on Redfern Street, Seasonal Concepts owner Ken Wallis, and parrot Rudy, champion beautiful flowers and interior objects, steeped in history, for purchase or hire. Ken talks us through his fascination with sheds, where he finds those unique objects and a day in the life of a florist and purveyor of oldwares.



Richard Unsworth of Garden Life & The James Street Community Garden

Richard Unsworth of Garden Life & The James Street Community Garden

Richard Unsworth is a man of details. He is owner of outdoor design and plant shop, Garden Life and active member of The James Street Community Garden Group a little project we can’t wait to see in bloom.



Tanya Stevanovic of Pretty Dog

Tanya Stevanovic of Pretty Dog

The femme behind Pretty Dog, Tanya Stevanovic has been shaping Sydney’s fashion set from her Newtown sartorial emporium. She talks us through 7am starts and what’s keeping her running.



Ross Longmuir of planet (SURRY HILLS)

Ross Longmuir of planet (SURRY HILLS)

planet is a universe of possibility and a stable of sustainable Australian design in Surry Hills. Launching the careers of leading ceramicists, as well as housing owner Ross Longmuir’s bespoke Australian hardwood furniture designs, what started small has become an impressive mountain. The showroom’s emphasis on the unusual and the sustainable is selected from a diverse and dynamic range of makers, “planet’s objective is to make the world a more beautiful place.”



Peter Campbell (glass artist)

Peter Campbell (glass artist)

Peter Campbell is one half of collaborative enterprise Glassplay, as well as the Creative Director of CampbellBarnett. We chat with Peter about the mystical capacity of glass, architecture and channeling creativity.



Dean Carey of Actors Centre Australia

Dean Carey of Actors Centre Australia

A Surry Hills mainstay for almost 25 years, Actors Centre Australia nurtures local performing talent with a range of classes and workshops. ACA's Founder and Creative Director Dean Carey talks to us about learning, teaching and theatre as a transformational tool.



Margaret Rockliff of Paper 2

Margaret Rockliff of Paper 2

Paper 2 is a wonderland for letter writers, artists, gift givers and those with a taste for stationary and design. Owner Margaret Rockliff talks us through supporting inspiring local design and ideas people, dress up dolls and the benefits of hand-writing a thank you note in our fast-paced world of iPhones and the Internet.



Angela Heracleous of The Sardine Room

Angela Heracleous of The Sardine Room

The Sardine Room’s kitchen energy, intimate setting and valiant owner, Angela Heracleous gives it an authentic dining intimacy often only found in European backstreets. Said to be the place where flamboyance meets fish, Angela talks us through what sharing a meal is all about.



Andew Cibej of Berta & vini

Andew Cibej of Berta & vini

Chef and owner of eathouses vini and Berta, Andrew Cibej knows dim lights, limited seating and attention to service are just a few ingredients of a contemporary dining experience. His restaurant’s short home cooked menus, imported wines, focus on shared eating and primitive warehouse aesthetics are defining a new luxury at modest prices in Sydney’s restaurant scene.



Pocket Bar's Optimism Act

Pocket Bar's Optimism Act

Pocket Bar is a pioneer in the art of business with their Optimism Act. Although famed for their crepes, cocktail menu and to-the-wall nocturnal atmosphere, what you might not know is that as business owners, Karl and Christophe are also into putting a smile on your face in times of need.



Chef Alejandro Saravia from A Taste of Peru

Chef Alejandro Saravia from A Taste of Peru

Chef Saravia currently offers A Taste of Peru, a 7 course degustation dinner showcasing a modern take on Peruvian cuisine at The Lincoln in Kings Cross ($115pp).
Dinner dates: This Wednesday July 28th and Thursday July 29th 2010.
For bookings call Coral at 0413624840 or email coral@peruvianconcept.com



Jason Moss of Jason Moss Jewellery (DARLINGHURST)

Jason Moss of Jason Moss Jewellery (DARLINGHURST)

This week we talk to Jason Moss, designer of bespoke and limited edition jewellery for men and women. His dealings in precious metals and jewels address our lust for timeless design.



Hannah of Hannah McNicol (PADDINGTON)

Hannah of Hannah McNicol (PADDINGTON)

Epitomising what good Australian design can be, Hannah McNicol entwines our need for luxurious, free, lifestyle wear. She talks us through adornment, the power of femininity and Sydney's best kept secrets.



Sasha & Russell (KOSKELA)

Sasha & Russell (KOSKELA)

Under the Australian made Koskela umbrella lives homewares with stories which extend onwards from the shelf and into your home. Owners Sasha Titchkosky and Russell Koskela talk us through craft as art, local production and their incredible Yuta Badayala project.



Sharyn Storrier Lyneham of EDIT (SURRY HILLS)

Sharyn Storrier Lyneham of EDIT (SURRY HILLS)

Former Editor of Vogue Living, Sharyn Storrier Lyneham's eye for all things covetable has moved off the page and into her interiors showroom, EDIT on Albion Street. EDIT is a manor of modernity fused with eclectic history and combines reclaimed treasures with a range of fabrics designed in-house. Sharon talked us through business, the art of decoration and an inspirational hydrangea bush in the South of France.



Leanne Carter-Taylor from quintessential duckeggBLUE (BALMAIN)

Leanne Carter-Taylor from quintessential duckeggBLUE (BALMAIN)

quintessential duckeggBLUE sources unique antique and industrial items from around the world. Owner Leanne Carter-Taylor inspires us with her story of nurtured passion and the search for timeless design pieces.



Anna Low of Potts Point Bookshop (POTTS POINT)

Anna Low of Potts Point Bookshop (POTTS POINT)

Potts Point Bookshop is a petite pocket full of precious books in which its owner Anna Low has found her dream realized. Anna spoke to us about getting lost in books and conducting an independent business.



Ian Hemphill of Herbie's Spices (ROZELLE)

Ian Hemphill of Herbie's Spices (ROZELLE)

Spicing up our lives since 1997, Ian & Liz Hemphill are the owners of Rozelle cooking institution, Herbie’s Spices. We had a chat about life as modern day spice merchants.



Melinda Tually of I Ran The Wrong Way (SURRY HILLS)

Melinda Tually of I Ran The Wrong Way (SURRY HILLS)

Armed with a firm commitment to ethical and sustainable design, Melinda Tually of I Ran The Wrong Way talks with us about her 'good finds' business and consuming with a conscience.



The 'Miss' behind Miss Chu<br> (WOOLLOOMOOLOO)

The 'Miss' behind Miss Chu
(WOOLLOOMOOLOO)

Nahji Chu is the woman behind our favourite street-side Vietnamese lunch spot in Woolloomooloo. She took a breather under the shade of a banana tree to tell us about business, coconut milk shakes and dedication.



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