Around Marrickville

It's a universally acknowledged truth that a heady swig of gin makes for a jolly good time. The wonders of this diverse and delicious liquor are known to many of us, but when it comes to finding out where the very best joints in Sydneytown to swill ’em actually are, we can often come up lost. That is, however, until now.  Enter: Gin Journey – the sauced-up baby of British-born Leon Dalloway, Gin Journey founder and all-around lord of all things liquor, who has been charming fans of the devil’s drop with his educational bar crawls from London to Sydney since 2013.  Gin Journey is Dalloway’s original invention, with this tried and tested explorative experience taking you on a guided tour of Sydney’s boutique distilleries and hidden gin bars, including Young Henrys, Ester Spirits and Unexpected Guest Distillery. A gin flight is included at each stop, along with an artisan gin cocktail to smooth its way.  Throughout the tasting tour, Dalloway will share fun facts about the popular tipple's fascinating history, from its checkered days as ‘mother’s ruin’ to its present-day ascendancy and the botanical bonanza of contemporary Aussie gins. Expect good chat, delicious (and extremely high quality) gin moments, and to leave at the end of the day feeling more than pleasantly buzzed.  Margarita Journey is the latest addition to Sydney’s boozy block, following the exact same base model as its gin-heavy sister, but with an obvious tequila-esque twist. In three hours, you’ll tick off hot...

Hate supermarket shopping? You’ll love browsing these aisles of The Grocery Store – an exhibition of inedible goods instead. This fake supermarket is packed with very real food-themed art and it’s the most fun grocery run you’ll ever do. Get to Marrickville's Voluptuary Ceramics studio for this immersive, retro-kitsch exhibition. More than 20 Australian artists have reimagined everyday supermarket staples into covetable artworks through ceramics, sculpture, photography, painting, print and textiles. Nothing is edible; everything is collectible.  Wander the aisles to find ceramic milk cartons, oil-painted mangoes, pasta clocks, glittering fish combs and even asparagus wall hooks. It’s surreal, it's tongue-in-cheek, it's the mundane made magnificent. New works are being added throughout the run, so no two visits are quite the same. The exhibition runs daily until March 15 and entry is free. Find out more here.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:  Want more? These are the best art galleries in Sydney to visit Make a day of it with these fun things to do in Marrickville  Grab a bite later at any of the Marrickville restaurants on this list

Whether you're a local or just love to stop by, Marrickville is a melting pot of things to see and do (and eat). With its Greek and Vietnamese influences, live music venues and breweries, there’s no denying the friendly inner west suburb is one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world.  With an influx of families and foodies moving in, here’s your chance to meet the neighbours (or seriously consider joining them) as The Yard Party takes over Marrickville Timberyards on March 22 with a fun-filled community celebration.  From 10am to 2pm, you can head on down for delicious local food vendors, lively entertainment and fun for the whole fam – that includes your furry friends too. Entry is free but if you register you might just snag one of the 1,000 free food vouchers up for grabs. There’ll be plenty of other freebies on the day including scoops from Messina Gelato.  The Yard Party is also your chance to get a first look at the redevelopment of the Timberyards, which are currently undergoing construction to build a new housing and community hub with 115 affordable housing units in the heart of Marrickville.  Head down to The Yard Party from 10am to 2pm on March 22 and be sure to sign up for your chance to score a free food voucher here.