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Your summer survival guide: from Christmas feasting to the best ways to unwind
It’s hard to remember a summer more laden with expectation than this one. So many of us are looking forward to our first “normal” summer in more than three years - when we can travel wherever we want, eat at all our favourite restaurants and cafes, and enjoy a cultural calendar that is packed with events and festivals.
It’s always one of the favourite times of year for the Life team at The Sydney Morning Herald - not only because holidays beckon for some of us too, but also because our content becomes so festive and fun, with lots of practical information to help you make the most of the season. The Good Food team has been busy cooking up all the Christmas recipes, cooking tips and hacks you’ll need, while the Culture writers have been looking back at what we all watched and read this year for the annual “best of” lists that you can use as your summer inspiration.
Have a great summer and we hope you enjoy all these stories.
Nagi Maehashi’s six-layer Christmas pavlova vanilla cake.Credit: Nagi Maehashi
Let’s eat, drink and be merry …
The best tool for planning your Christmas menu is Good Food’s Christmas hub, where our clever editors have gathered all the new and timeless recipes you’ll need to create the ultimate feast, as well as tips and tricks so you don’t spend too much time in the kitchen.
RecipeTin Eats’ hugely popular Nagi Maehashi has created a barbecue-themed menu that is perfect for enjoying outdoors. There’s also a menu from Good Weekend’s recipe columnists Julia Busuttil Nishimura, Karen Martini and Danielle Alvarez that ticks all the boxes of seafood, fresh berries and seriously crunchy roast potatoes.
The Good Food team has recommended gifts for food lovers, many of which are made here in NSW, taste-tested Christmas canapes - and looked at the reinvention of panettone by some leading Sydney bakeries.
Spend the lazy post-Christmas days enjoying some of Sydney’s best new rooftop bars, or the many restaurants and cafes that received awards or hats - or the new rating of critic’s choice “hearts” - in the recent Good Food Guide awards. The Good Food Guide magazine, featuring reviews of more than 300 restaurants, is Sydney’s most authoritive dining-out guide, and is available at newsagents, supermarkets or at The Store.
Milk Beach at VaucluseCredit: Destination NSW
Then head off for holidays …
Whether your plans involve flying or driving, it’s worth doing some preparation to avoid the stress of airline cancellations or traffic jams. The Traveller’s team’s survival guide gives all the tips you need to have a hassle-free holiday.
Roadtrips can require some extra planning, so follow Ben Groundwater’s 20 rules to ensure you have a safe as well as a memorable time (fans of sausage rolls will respect rule number 8). Try to ensure your driving holiday takes in some of Australia’s beautiful beaches - even better, a beach that’s blissfully uncrowded. Ben has uncovered 18 of Australia’s best hidden beaches, with examples in NSW, Victoria and elsewhere around the country. And if you are a novice camper, here are all the tips you need to have a pitch-perfect time.
And chill-out with a book or some screen time …
Wondering what to read this summer? Our literary experts have lots of suggestions.Credit: Nine
Nothing says summer more than losing an afternoon in a good book at the beach or by the pool. There are more book recommendations from our experts than there are days of January sunshine, from Literary Editor Jason Steger’s top 12 books for December, to Good Weekend’s Christmas reading guide, Sunday Life’s best beach reads, plus from Spectrum, leading authors sharing their favourite books of 2023.
If you prefer screens to pages, then check out our list of the best TV shows to stream in December and top cinema releases which includes some Boxing Day blockbusters. We’ve also identified the most anticipated films of summer (or have a listen to Culture News Editor Osman Faruqi and comedian Gen Fricker discussing it on our culture podcast The Drop).
Sydney is bursting with things to see and do, from the recently opened Sydney Modern wing of the Art Gallery of NSW (take a video tour with SMH art critic John McDonald), to events, exhibitions, festivals and more. Start with this list of 10 things to do this summer, and for even more ideas read our comprehensive guide to what’s on in December. Look out for the next monthly critic’s lists being published in early January.
Get moving with our suggestion of running apps.Credit: iStock
And finally, make your life even better in 2023
Switching off after the intensity of the past few years will be a challenge for many of us, even more so if you’re also juggling the demands of school holidays. Read Samantha Selinger-Morris’ guide to protecting your boundaries so you can enjoy your time off work, and Sarah Berry on how “segmenting” tasks can help you avoid burnout.
Lauren Ironmonger has some advice for making a career change in 2023. You can also form some good habits that will carry you from the holidays back into real life, such as working on getting a better night’s sleep. Or if, like most people, your New Year’s resolutions involve a commitment to more regular exercise, try these running apps to work off any Christmas indulgence.
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