Latest news with #Pyrmont
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Hotel Woolstore 1988 Sydney: Stunning hotel with mind-blowing tapas restaurant
As one of the most popular cities in Australia to visit, Sydney guests are really spoiled for choice when it comes to places to dine and stay. Whether you're looking for five-star dining, family-friendly amenities, proximity to beaches, shopping, tourist attractions, night-life, or a specific cuisine – Sydney offers something for everyone. But there's one thing arguably in short supply in the thriving foodie capital, and that's tapas. A recently opened restaurant, set against sandstone walls and centuries old wooden beams, and nestled inside the stunning Hotel Woolstore 1888 in Pyrmont, has set out to change all that. Percy, which opened its doors in December, is a Spanish-inspired wine bar with Executive Chef Eli Lozada and chef Rosy Scatigna behind the grill. Drawing inspiration from Barcelona's lively and infamous tapas bars, Percy is about as close to Spain as you can get, without actually leaving the city. Scatigna, an Italian-born Australian-based chef, even spent time in San Sebastian, tasting the flavours, sipping the wine and soaking in the atmosphere, before landing on her approach to the cosy and charming wine bar, hidden in an unassuming pocket of the city. The laid-back, yet refined space is the perfect for a cosy date on a rainy night, or an intimate catch up with friends. The menu Menu highlights include small plates perfect for sharing, such as grilled octopus with thinly sliced kipfler potatoes, slow-cooked smoked chorizo, with sweet peppers, paprika and butter beans, and deep-fried roasted cauliflower. Larger dishes include succulent striploin, chargrilled pork chops, pan-roasted Blue Mackerel fillet, and of course, Paella. Desserts options on the menu include lemon sorbet, sponge cake served with cheese and white chocolate custard, Spanish custard made with caramelised white chocolate, and a cheese platter served with quince and dried muscat grapes. With wine bottle candlesticks on each table, dark red walls lined with bottles of Spanish wine, and dimmed lighting, the whole vibe inside the 50-seat venue embodies true Spanish style. I was lucky enough to dine at Percy with my sister, a rare night out together without small children, where we tucked into a handful of tapas, gobbled up Paella and shoestring fries, and washed it down with a few signature cocktails each. For a couple of hours, we were kid-free, carefree, and if we squinted our eyes while sipping on our second Spanish martini each, you could almost hear the waves lapping from the beachside promenade in San Sebastian. Stay If you're looking for somewhere to stay in or around Pyrmont – close to The Star, Darling Harbour, Sydney Aquarium, IMAX, Cockle Bay dining, and walking distance to the Sydney International Convention Centre, the Lyric Theatre, the QVB and Pitt st – Hotel Woolstore 1888 needs to be on your radar. As the third Handwritten Collection property in Australia, the hotel's storied history as a century-old Sydney landmark is what sets it apart. The unique Sydney property is part of Accor's global portfolio of 17 boutique hotels within Handwritten Collection, following its purchase by the new owners, Shakespeare Property Group. The restored wool store, originally built in 1888, is the fourth-oldest of the 21 surviving wool stores in Sydney. The four-level sandstone and brick building features industrial interiors such as ironbark beams and exposed brick, with flourishes of pop art throughout. The intention of the hotel's recent transition was to respect the building's rich heritage and historical character, while enhancing it with contemporary touches. With 90 guestrooms, including four suites with panoramic views and penthouse options, each room type has been renamed to honour historical sheep breeds and pastoral culture. In a nod to the hotel's original character, the breakfast menu even features the Sheepherder's breakfast, a hearty meal of baked eggs and potatoes. 'We are confident that our enhancements of Hotel Woolstore 1888 Sydney will position the hotel as a leading destination for discerning travellers. We invite guests to come and experience where history and bespoke service intertwine for an unforgettable stay,' General Manager Roya l'Anson said.
Daily Mail
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The best and worst dressed at the 2025 Logie Awards: Australian stars arrive for TV's night of nights
Aussie stars have braved the soggy Sydney weather to make a sartorial splash on the red carpet ahead of the 65th TV Week Logie Awards - and boy was it worth it. TV's 'night of nights' lit up The Star in Pyrmont on Sunday afternoon, with a glittering guest list of household names strutting their stuff in lace, leather, and more sparkle than a disco ball. And while some absolutely nailed it with slinky silhouettes, bold cuts, and jaw-dropping sequins, others… let's just say their glam squads might be getting a stern debrief tomorrow morning. BEST DRESSED Plenty of guests had eyes on them for all the right reasons, be it in the form of a playful pop of colour, sexy and sultry design or classic look done just right. A guest who was the epitome of the latter was Leila McKinnon. Was it a risk? Yes. Did it pay off? Absolutely. The journalist's slick, beautifully-tailored power suit delivered class and elegance, while the large bow injected a bit of fun without overwhelming her shape - not to mention those perfectly executed curtain bangs. 10/10. Meanwhile, singer Kate Miller-Heidke wowed in a classic off-the-shoulder red gown, cute gold box clutch and a touch of lippy that was colour-matched impeccably. Wearing her hair down with a subtle curl was a great choice. Singer Kate Miller-Heidke wowed in a classic off-the-shoulder red gown, cute gold box clutch and a touch of lippy that was colour-matched impeccably. Angela Cox won us over with her stunning pink frock, too. The colour and cut was so striking on her we've chosen to overlook the slightly over-sized bodice... this time Angela Cox won us over with her stunning pink frock, too. The colour and cut was so striking on her we've chosen to overlook the slightly over-sized bodice... this time. Dr Kate Adams couldn't have picked a better blue for her gown, with the electric shade complementing her striking features to a T. While the very high split and nude heels may divide fashion commentators, the overall look ticks every box. Jessica Redmayne also rocked the perfect shade, with her pale pink frock delivering Disney princess energy in the best way. The actress may have struggled to manoeuvre her way along the carpet but it was worth it. She looked fantastic. Home and Away icon Irene can do no wrong in our eyes, and neither can Lynne McGranger. The recently retired Gold Logie nominee was clearly manifesting a win in her spectacular golden frock and we love everything about it - even the blue hoops. If she doesn't nab the win, at least she can claim gold in the sartorial stakes. Bravo Lynne. On that note, we simply have to shout out our golden girls Carrie Bickmore and Sonia Kruger. Carrie was radiant in her one-shoulder design - the subtle shimmer highlighting her spectacular figure as she sashayed down the carpet. Her hair was immaculate and while the heavy eye makeup was a bold move, it worked beautifully with her minimalist accessories and uber-natural look. Sonia, another Gold Logie nominee in an apt shade, was breathtaking. The TV icon's gown hugged her in all the right places and the silver hardware was just enough to add a little edge, especially given her decision to go jewellery-free (other than a couple of statement rings). What a look. Red carpets are all about experimentation, risk-taking, and having a little fun - but the execution doesn't always... align with the vision. The actress threw any and all caution to the wind with her dress, with the split not only flying past her thigh but continuing all the way up to her upper hip Although the stars certainly kept their looks far more demure this year, some of them went too far in the opposite direction with ill-fitting cuts and gowns that swamped their enviable frames. This was the case for MasterChef alum Poh Ling Yeow, whose beautifully-fitted, bespoke Velani Couture gown was perfection on top and... less so from the hips down. The billowing pickle-green skirt shortened her svelte figure and failed to complement her warm makeup and minimalist hairstyle. Meanwhile The Bachelor's Bella Veralis, who rarely steps a foot wrong with fashion, opted for a ruched gown in an on-trend pecan brown shade. While the frock fit her beautifully, the cups on the bodice looked a little unfinished and the structured neckline was too much for her petite figure and slim shoulders. Actress Chloé Sarah Hayden made a statement in her vampy sequinned design - but the bat-like shoulders, OTT skirt and oddly-shaped neckline appeared poorly fitted and too informal for a black tie event. Sophie Monk was almost there in her goddess-like Cappellazzo gown - but the look was let down with an unflattering, tight bodice that added unnecessary bulk to her waist and appeared deeply uncomfortable to pose in. Poh Ling Yeow's beautifully-fitted bespoke Velani Couture gown was perfection on top and... less so from the hips down. The Bachelor's Bella Veralis, who rarely steps a foot wrong with fashion, opted for a ruched gown in an on-trend pecan brown shade Actress Chloé Sarah Hayden made a statement in her vampy sequinned design - but the bat-like shoulders, OTT skirt and oddly-shaped neckline appeared poorly fitted and too informal for a black tie event. Sophie Monk was almost there in her goddess-like Cappellazzo gown - but the look was let down with an unflattering, tight bodice The gorgeous Juliet Love opted for a slinky velvet number that was let down by the sky-high split; it left her at serious risk of a wardrobe malfunction. Speaking of unnecessary splits, Maria Angelico's dress could have done without one too. The actress' figure-hugging two-piece also washed her out a little and the skirt could have used a spritz of steam beforehand. We'll blame the rain and humidity for that one. However. There are splits... and then there's Emily Weir's gown. The actress threw any and all caution to the wind with her dress, with the split not only flying past her thigh but continuing all the way up to her upper hip. As expected she spent the majority of her time on the carpet attempting to cover up her modesty as her silky, ivory frock took off in the breeze. An example of a risk that didn't pay off. The gorgeous Juliet Love opted for a slinky velvet number that was let down by the sky-high split that left her at serious risk of a wardrobe malfunction Shelley went all out in a navy sequinned design. It was all gown and no Shelley. Edwina, on the other hand, rocked a pretty pale blue power suit and sequinned bra. The idea was fantastic but we would have liked to see something a little more formal and better-tailored for this occasion Actress Sophea Pennington's plunging gown also left her at risk of a wardrobe malfunction, with the flimsy fabric a risky move in the weather conditions. The material choice also failed to show off her enviable curves. Extra points for the pocket though. TV favourites Shelley Craft and Edwina Bartholomew also made questionable decisions with their outfits on Sunday afternoon. Shelley went all out in a navy sequinned design. It was all gown and no Shelley. If the cape was removed it would have been a different story, but a more classic silhouette would have suited the beloved star more. Edwina, on the other hand, rocked a pretty pale blue power suit and sequinned bra. The idea was fantastic but we would have liked to see something a little more formal and better-tailored for this occasion.
Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE All hell breaks loose at Ten over my Survivor scoop: ALI DAHER exposes 'internal chaos' over Jonathan LaPaglia sacking, the 'shocking' work culture - and a leak about the new executive producer
There are plenty of sweaty palms at Channel Ten 's Pyrmont HQ after my exclusive story on Jonathan LaPaglia being sacked as host of . Not only are they furious that I broke the news before the launch of the upcoming season - they'd hoped to quietly drop it to the Daily Telegraph at the end of the year - but now there is 'serious internal panic' over the viewer backlash to the decision.
News.com.au
21-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Sickening': Sydney unit owners face levies of up to $220,000 to replace flammable cladding
Owners in a Sydney apartment building blindsided by eye-watering special levies of up to $220,000 to replace dangerous flammable cladding say they have been 'failed' at all levels and left facing ruinous out-of-pocket costs. Sluggish remediation works, drawn-out legal battles and onerous retrospective changes to building codes have left many owners in a seemingly never-ending limbo. Ferres Wang, 43, purchased her one-bedroom unit in Pyrmont's Harbour Mill Apartments off the plan in 2012 for $580,000. The stunning development, built on the site of the old Edwin Davey & Sons Flour Mill near the Sydney Fish Markets, comprises 136 apartments across two 10-storey towers with a distinctive chequerboard exterior. Ms Wang, a tech entrepreneur, said she was attracted to the location close to Darling Harbour. 'Also the design is quite cool,' she said. The building, completed in 2015, was one of dozens identified as high-risk by the NSW government's cladding taskforce which undertook a survey of local properties in the wake of the 2017 Grenfell fire in London which claimed 72 lives. But five years on from the initial fire safety order from the City of Sydney, and nearly two years after entering a contract with a cladding remediation firm, the multimillion-dollar works have stalled. The builder, Hitech Remedial, has identified additional scope that will more than double its initial contract. On Tuesday, owners will be asked to vote on variations totalling $5.96 million, including additional cladding removal, vertical cavity barriers and replacement balustrades. The initial budget for the works was $7.8 million, $5.4 million of which was Hitech's contract. The works are being funded by a no-interest loan through the NSW government's Project Remediate, with up to $19.5 million available. 'The variations are required to properly undertake the work to remove and replace the ACP cladding, and deal with other issues identified during the repairs, and to comply with a fire order from City of Sydney Council to remove the ACP cladding,' Tuesday's strata meeting notice states. Ms Wang said the huge additional cost has left residents stunned. 'On average, each owner here is now facing a $70,000 to $220,000 levy, and we've been warned that even more variations are coming next year,' said Ms Wang, who will be on the hook for $70,000 for her 60 square metre apartment if the variation is approved. For penthouse owners, the bill will be up to $220,000. 'One is retired, he [told me] this is their entire life savings,' Ms Wang said. It's expected residents will be required to begin paying special levies for the works in the first half of next year. Ms Wang, who runs data and AI start-up DataNoLie, says she will be forced to divert money she would have used to invest in growing her business. 'For me this really is hardship,' she said. 'This is a systemic disaster for apartment owners across NSW. It feels like the entire system — strata, builder, tribunal, regulatory bodies — has failed us. The government's retrospective cladding laws place the full financial burden on owners, with no strong legal or audit mechanisms in place.' Ms Wang filed a case with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) seeking to block Tuesday's vote but her request for an urgent hearing before the meeting was denied. 'I was told this didn't qualify as 'hardship' despite the enormous financial burden and the lack of legal safeguards being followed,' she said. Around 30 per cent of owners live in the building, and Ms Wang said meetings to approve the remediation budgets were only attended by around 30 people. 'More than 100 owners, they don't know, don't care or are Chinese investors overseas,' she said. A spokeswoman for Hitech Remedial declined to comment, saying enquiries should be directed to Project Remediate. The owners corporation has also commenced NSW Supreme Court proceedings against the original developer, Leichhardt-based Ceerose, over the cladding defects. That case is listed for a directions hearing in July. 'We confirm that there are legal proceedings brought by the owners corporation involving Ceerose which are currently in procedural directions stages and include claims related to cladding,' a Ceerose spokesman said. 'The proceedings are being defended by Ceerose.' Similar stories are playing out across the state. As of early 2023, the NSW government had inspected 4182 buildings, with remediation underway or ordered by the relevant authority for 192. The NSW Audit Office found in April 2022 that most high-risk buildings in NSW had likely been identified. A spokesman for the NSW Building Commission said Project Remediate was currently working with around 80 owners corporations to remove combustible cladding through packages of interest-free loans and construction program management services. 'The program also helps owners corporations to resolve underlying conditions that are sometimes revealed when cladding is removed, saving owners from potentially costly repairs in the future,' he said. 'This includes fixing issues with waterproofing or structural components of the building to ensure the new cladding system is safe, weatherproof and structurally sound. Where the underlying issues have been caused by defective work by the building's original builder or developer, NSW legislation allows owners to claim using statutory warranties and other protections available within the statutory periods specified under the legislation.' Strata lawyer Amanda Farmer said since the closure of Project Remediate to new applications, owners had largely been left on their own. 'As far as I'm aware there is no state or federal grant program to help strata buildings cover the cost of replacement,' she said. 'What we're seeing is individual owners are now having to shoulder 100 per cent of these costs coming to them in the way of large special levies at are running into $30,000 a lot, $50,000, up to six figures. It's sickening.' Ms Farmer cautioned against taking the legal route. 'The problem with suing is it takes many years to progress through the court system and you may end up with something of a Pyrrhic victory if the builder and developer have nothing, are straw companies by the end of it,' she said. Other owners have previously sought remedy from builders and developers alleging breaches of statutory warranties under NSW's Home Building Act 1989. In 2020, NSW passed the Design and Building Practitioners Act, which imposed new statutory obligations to ensure designs and building work are compliant with the Building Code of Australia (BCA), with a 10-year duty of care period. 'There may be now in NSW the opportunity to claim under a 10-year warranty period, [but] that's very new and still being tested through the courts,' Ms Farmer said. 'I think buildings should rightly be very careful commencing any litigation now. It can take years to resolve and in the meantime you're sitting in a building with potentially dangerous cladding.' The harsh reality is owners in affected buildings have few options. 'A building has a very strict legal obligation to properly repair its common property, so if it has received advice from an expert fire safety engineer that this is dangerous combustible cladding then the law is very well settled, the owners corporation has to act on that and protect its occupants,' Ms Farmer said. 'It's a really unenviable position for strata owners to be in but from a legal perspective they don't have a choice.' With remediation quotes typically running into multiple millions, many buildings are opting to take out strata loans offered by a handful of boutique lenders. 'It can be a 10 or 20-year loan at interest rates over 9 per cent,' Ms Farmer said. 'In my experience that is usually what most buildings are opting for because they're finding most owners don't have the cash funds. Having a strata loan on the books then impacts the value of everybody's investment. Purchasers looking to buy [will knock the price down].' Ms Farmer said many owners were being forced to simply sell. 'That is sometimes the only option, and as I said it's a really difficult decision because you're going to be taking a hit on your sale price,' she said. 'If you're in a position you have to sell, you have to take what you can get. I'm definitely seeing more of that, not just in the cladding context but all around with our ageing buildings that need a lot of work very fast.' In NSW, former Building Commissioner David Chandler oversaw the most extensive reforms to the state's defect-plagued apartment building sector in response to years of high-profile disasters, like the mass evacuation of residents from Opal Tower in Sydney Olympic Park on Christmas Eve 2018. While the crackdown on dodgy developers was long overdue, concerns have been raised that the onerous requirements under the Design and Building Practitioners Act have sent remediation costs for older buildings soaring. 'The side effect of that very strict legislation is that it also applies to existing buildings, much older buildings that are doing remedial work,' Ms Farmer said. 'Works are now three times, four times more expensive under this new legislation. A leaking balcony that may have cost $50,000 to fix in 2020 is now costing $200,000. That is a big problem, and there's a fair bit of advocacy being done to government at the moment trying to get some relief.'
News.com.au
02-06-2025
- General
- News.com.au
‘Scared of what he might do': Couple finds half-naked stranger in home after holiday
A young couple has been left 'shaken' after they returned home from an overseas holiday to find a stranger had been living in their Sydney apartment and had worn their clothes – some of which were reportedly stained with faeces. Denoora Lyu, a 22-year-old student from the University of Sydney, and her boyfriend William Qu, walked through the door of their inner-city apartment in Pyrmont on February 17 to find Dylan Patrick Yelkovan, 30, standing half-naked in the living room. After seeing the couple, Mr Yelkovan – dressed in blue shorts, a red cap and no shirt – appeared calm and slowly started packing his belongings in a bag, video footage shows. 'I was just setting up the house,' he appeared to tell the couple in the video. 'Yeah, we are living here,' a male voice replied from behind the camera. Mr Yelkovan then calmly walked to another room, where he quickly changed in a hi-vis shirt and pants. When the couple asked him to stay where he was, he put on his shoes and quickly fled out the balcony door. 'I felt really shaken. There was a complete stranger standing in my home, and he wasn't even wearing a shirt. It just didn't seem normal,' Ms Lyu told 7News. 'I kept thinking, what if he had a knife? I was scared of what he might do.' The couple were staying in the apartment temporarily until they could find a new home for the next semester, while their friend, whose name was on the lease, was overseas, 7News reports. The building's manger helped detain Mr Yelkovan, who was arrested and taken into police custody after undergoing an assessment at St Vincent's Hospital. Video footage showed him being led out of a building by two men as police were called. The couple said their belongings had been rampaged through and strewn across the apartment. They claimed the toilet was left unflushed and Mr Yelkovan had worn Mr Qu's clothes, some of which were stained with faeces. 'He unpacked every single box and used everything inside, including the desktop computer, which hadn't even been set up at the time,' Ms Lyu said. 'He pulled out all the spare phones that weren't in use but couldn't access them due to passwords.' Mr Qu's bank card had also been used, with records showing Mr Yelkovan had stayed in the apartment for a week, 7News reports. Mr Qu's money was later refunded by his bank. After the incident, the pair spent a week in a hotel while the apartment was professionally cleaned, leaving them $2,000 out of pocket. Mr Yelkovan was charged with five offences, including one count of break and enter with intent to commit a serious indictable offence and four counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception. Court documents show the 30-year-old pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, to be served as an Intensive Correction Order (ICO) – which saw him avoid prison time. Under the order, Mr Yelkovan is required to abstain from drugs and is prohibited from visiting a Pyrmont apartment. The order expires on December 31.
