the Bondi bubble

Bondi bubble
noun: beach-side suburb that people find hard to escape, especially at weekends during summer.

morning laps : image by aquabumps

I admit it, I’ve been sucked in. It’s true, since I moved to Bondi in August last year I’ve found my weekends have been increasingly spent very close to home. Before the move I lived in Surry Hills, and for 18 months I could never understand why Bondites just wouldn’t leave the beach of a weekend. Sydney is teaming with hot venues, cool small bars, delicious restaurants and events that are not in Bondi. But somehow this charming little beach suburb has got me. I’ve fallen. Hook, line and sinker. I’m now immersed in the bubble. So, why fight it? I’ve embraced it! And, in no particular order, here’s a few of my love-to-dos in Bondi…

Grab a coffee at Skinny Dip. There’s a real buzz about the place and I love how they grate real chocolate on top of my cappuccino. Yum.

Green’s serves the best bacon and egg sandwiches in Bondi. Fact. They always make my bacon crispy, the eggs are just runny enough, and they add this spicey tomato relish that’s to die for. The perfect hangover soakeruper, too!

Further down Glenayr Ave I like a sit-down brekkie at Jed’s Food Store, if I can get a table. Love the Haitian Toast.

Each Tuesday night throughout summer Lululemon has been holding free yoga sessions on the grass next to North Bondi Surf Club. We’ve been taught by some of the best yogis in Sydney and it’s been awesome. I’ve loved sharing the yoga love. It’s the last class next week… Hope they come back next summer.

Mustn’t forget Yoga By The Sea at Icebergs for breathtaking views and crashing waves (sometimes crashing right over you). I love the Saturday and Sunday morning classes. Jumping into the ocean right after = magic.

Hmmm Bondi boozing… There’s a mix of small bars, brash, Aussie hotels, backpacker holes and glitzy venues. This past year we’ve said a sad goodbye to the inimitable Bungabar and its happy hour jugs of margarita. (Let’s hope that with the developers moving into Hall St the local vibe isn’t killed too much.) We’ve said hello to The Shop (cute, small bar with friendly staff) , Speakeasy (great wines and truly more-ish tapas-style dishes) and an updated uber-cool Bondi FM. To be honest though, I’m pretty happy sipping a beer in the North Bondi RSL or the Beach Road beer garden of a Sunday! Give me un-glam surroundings and un-cool people anyday.

The photography at Aquabumps Gallery is awesome. Uge is out every morning at Bondi and other beaches shooting countless amazing images of the ocean, the beach, the surf, surfers, locals… This one is my favourite shot:

lone swimmer : image by aquabumps

I like to pop in and see the images close up and blown up at the gallery. He does a daily mail out, which is like a ray of sunshine in my inbox each day, too.

And then, of course, there’s the beach itself. Living by the sea is amazing. Aside from sunbathing (which I do tend to do quite a lot through summer. Top spot: among the rocks at the south side) I am a sucker for a refreshing after-work swim, an early morning run, or just sitting on the sand and watching the waves crashing and the surfers do their thing. Ah Bondi.