Mr & Mrs Smith

A Tavola (+61 2 9331 7871) sports sleek communal tables and a tasty Italian menu at 348 Victoria Street, a short walk from Medusa. For Modern Australian fare, in an intimate space with pared down, stylish design, wander to nearby Onde (+61 2 9331 8749), at 346 Liverpool Street, which does mouth-watering fish dishes and great desserts. Or try Almond Bar (+61 2 9380 5318) in the evenings, at 379 Liverpool Street, for Middle Eastern dips and mezza, including chargrilled chicken skewers and vegetarian dolmades.

The quirky-retro Darlo Bar (+61 2 9331 3672), on the corner of Liverpool and Darlinghurst roads, draws a cool crowd, with a relaxed upstairs sitting area with movie nights out on the patio. Trademark/Piano (+61 2 9357 5522), on the first floor above the Kings Cross Coke sign,  is currently a hot DJ bar with piano singers on the side. Or try Hugo's Lounge (+61 2 9357 4411), nearby at level one, 33 Bayswater Road, a cocktail and fancy pizza lounge.

Chef Bill Grainger's legendary cafe Bills (+61 2 9360 9631: www.bills.com.au), at 433 Liverpool Street, is a five-minute walk away for breakfast heaven. Don't miss his famous scrambled eggs, or go for broke with delicious ricotta pancake corn fritters drizzled in maple syrup. Eca Bar (+61 2 9332 1433), at 128 Darlinghurst Road, is great for a classic breakfast, with homemade muffins one of the stars of the show, alongside Bircher muesli and banana bread. Or for lighter French-style sandwiches, snacks and coffee, sit by the breezy windows at Le Petit Creme (+61 2 9361 4738), 118 Darlinghurst Road. Bar Coluzzi (+61 2 9380 5420), at 322 Victoria Street, is another sociable breakfasting hub nearby, with low seats spilling out onto the pavement.

For the best sound system in the area, hit ARQ (+61 2 9380 8700), at 16 Flinders Street, which attracts a mixed straight/gay crowd if you like your dance music. Oxford Street has a rep for gay clubs, while Kings Cross caters more to straighter punters.

For some upscale retail therapy, cruise nearby Paddington's fashion boutiques on key drag Oxford Street, including chic local names Sass & Bide (+61 2 9360 3900), for cool denim, at 4/132, men's style store Calibre (+61 2 9380 5993) at 416, Robbie Ingham (+61 2 9332 2124) for unisex treats at 424-428, and Colette Dinnigan (+61 2 9360 6691) for pretty, delicate dresses nearby at 39 William Street.

Dinosaur Designs (+61 2 9361 3776), at 339 Oxford Street, does vibrant  jewellery and home accessories in moody hues. Don't miss Paddington Market on Oxford Street at the Paddington school grounds on Saturdays for younger designers' wares. For vintage clothes, wander Crown Street in the Surry Hills quarter.

When you're shopped out, there are some lovely local parks nearby like The Domain, the adjoining Royal Botanic Gardens or big, beautiful Centennial Park, where you can hire bikes, horseride, rollerblade or just picnic. Harbourside park Rushcutters Bay and the wharfside restaurants of Woolloomooloo, are also close by and worth a visit. For a villagey feel, head for Potts Point, which boasts lots of good cafes and places to eat.

January New Year's Eve is always a fun time to celebrate in party-hard Sydney.  February Tropfest, the acclaimed amateur short film festival, hits town every February, spawned originally from Darlinghurst's Tropicana Cafe. It's now a buzzy live event held in the Domain at the Botanical Gardens (www.tropfest.com.au). February/March The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, held annually in late February or the first weekend of March, draws a mixed crowd with its famous gay pride parade along Oxford Street and spin-off parties and club events, running over three weeks (www.mardigras.org.au). October Sleazeball, a Mardi Gras costumed ball spin-off, is another reason to get your glad rags to Sydney.