To say that the challenge has been derailed would be to understate it a touch. Sure, I did not commence the week with a beer, chicken wings & Superbowl powered cheat, but equally I did not gym either. A Harbour Bridge walk and charge around Barangaroo parkland did offer a glimmer of hope (15k+ steps for the day), and that glimmer turned to sparkle on Tuesday with a return to F45 for a weights based class in the afternoon. And then the lustre was lost.
My brother knows my rubber arm can be twisted; cue a catch up that was hosted by our friend Billy Barry … a North Sydney health bar (it is not – it is a pub: http://www.billybarrys.com.au/ – actually a surprisingly good pub given it’s fairly uninspiring outside – it’s in the base of an office block); fun memorabilia is everywhere; there are plenty of vantage points to watch sport, outside of Covid, there are pool tables, the drinks are cheap enough and you can get a feed for ten bucks – watch out for the Himalayan chicken curry … it does tend to haunt you). This set something of a low bar – yet for the balance of the week, it was not a low bar I was able to clamber over.
Sure; I F45’d each weekday and even added in a Valentines workout on the Sunday, but to say that I stuck to anything approaching a healthy diet to hammer home the advantage would be something uttered in error. More pub visits, a burger here and burger there; a dressing down from TGW as she pointed out that my challenge was falling off the rails in disastrous fashion.
Well; as they say; you cannot change the past. So starting strong next week. Valentines, incidentally, did take in a set menu at China Doll; just to really empty the coffers; the pork was amazing, TGW not so impressed with the vegetarian substitutions for seafood, which she isn’t so fond of; if you don’t mind an eye-watering bill for lunch, give it a go – it’s really quite nice (https://chinadoll.com.au/). And from there, we thought we’d see what all the fuss was about at James Packer’s not a casino casino and the lobby bar, The Waiting Room (https://www.crownsydney.com.au/indulge/twr), well, I have had drinks at many a hotel lobby bar, and this is probably one of the best – luxurious, attentive staff, reassuringly expensive drinks and food (including a 1911 Moët & Chandon for a casual $22,000 … mmmmmm).