The Time Out Accra blog

Twenty years ago, I moved to Sydney from Mumbai.  Before arriving, most of what I knew of Sydney was derived from the cricket commentary and watching the 2000 Olympics on TV. And, like most first-generation immigrants, my first few years here were spent pining for Mumbai, the city I grew up in, while trying to find my feet in Sydney, the city I chose to live in.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved her sunny disposition and sparkling beauty outright, but everything from the slang to the seasons confused me. Ever so slowly, this sunny, salt-kissed city seeped into my psyche, changing me along the way.  Here’s what I’ve learnt about living in Sydney over the last two decades. Photograph: Supplied | Bunnings Food A Bunnings sausage sizzle on a Saturday makes those home improvement projects 100 per cent more bearable When someone says "bring a plate" to a celebration, they mean food, not your dinnerware. I’m still not entirely on board with this concept If it’s a kid’s birthday, there needs to be a home-baked cake from The Women’s Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book – the choo-choo train, the duck, the swimming pool cake. Iconic. And you must say "hip-hip-hooray!" Photograph: Design by Time Out | Images supplied by Australian Women's Weekly and Donnie Gomez via Wikimedia Commons Sydney’s food scene is a multicultural melting pot. Yes, there’s Indian and Chinese, but there’s also Ethiopian, Ukrainian, Lebanese, Afghani and Nepali fare on offer ANZAC biscuits are never called...

Sydneysiders, your Friday nights just got a whole lot more delicious (again). Put a recurring calendar reminder for every Friday from 5pm and head to Chinatown because the much-loved Chinatown Friday Night Markets are back.  RELATED READ: These are the best Chinese restaurants in Sydney. Now in a new temporary and super-convenient location right next to the Paddy’s Market Light Rail stop, this vibrant, bustling and tasty market features more than 40 stalls serving up authentic Asian street eats and handcrafted goods.  After a pause for major precinct upgrades, the market reopened at the start of September in the pedestrian area around Hay and Harbour Streets. Get there for your fix of all your faves like chargrilled skewers, bubbling hotpots, fluffy bao and the very Instagrammable dragon beard candy. From old favourites to the next gen of food creators – the food-lovers fest celebrates the best of old and new Chinatown in one spot. Photograph: Supplied/Chinatown Night Market And while you’re there, don’t forget to also take a wander down busy Dixon Street with its Asian restaurants and herbal medicine shops before your fun-filled and food-fuelled night ends. RELATED READ: Work your way through our guide to Sydney's best yum cha Chinatown Friday Night Market kicks off from 5pm each week and runs until 10pm – so it's a great option for a post-sesh feed. From catching the light rail to the bus – or hitting the pavement – it's easy to get to. So, do you have plans this...