Our rescue dog (who has been with us for just under 3 years now) is literally a member of our family and goes with us everywhere - including holidays. In July of last year, we had to take a 4 day trip across the ditch to NZ and so began the exhaustive search for a doggie daycare/boarding place for him that would meet our very high standards. After looking at many different locations and options, we came across Paw Paws and knew we'd finally found the right place and I can say with confidence that the 4-5 dollar per-day premium over other traditional chain-link fence kennels is money well spent. I should add that the location (one block off of Botany Road in Redfern) is also very convenient if on the way to the airport.
Since his stay there last July (09) we now often take advantage of their casual daycare services on a weekly basis as I currently commute down to Sydney from Newcastle for Uni. The staff are all very knowledgeable and extremely friendly and I highly recommend Paw Paws to anyone in search of boarding, grooming and daycare. There is nothing better in Sydney, perhaps even all of Australia?

Are you a miserable grumpy old bastard like me who cringes when having to pay upwards of 3 or 4 dollars for espresso based coffee on the go when the results border somewhere between just drinkable to plain awful?
In fact, I typically get my fix at home by way of our humble little Rancillo Silvia machine paired with a good quality secondhand commercial grinder. To that end, I have been on the lookout for decent beans and though we have lived in Newcastle for over 7 months now, I only recently discovered Suspension. I can say without a doubt that their Kongi Gold blend is the best coffee I have ever put through our machines in the 5+ years I have been pulling espresso at home in Sydney *and* Melbourne.
Consistent delivery, flavour and beautiful crema to boot.
Additionally, the shop itself is the antithesis of your Starbucks, Gloria Jeans, and other 'insert most all of the other franchise chains' here. Mismatched/secondhand furniture, a nice sized courtyard, and a refreshing mix of mums with bubs, hipsters, suits, unemployables, dog lovers, and a staff that seems to know most of the regulars and pull consistently perfect macchiatos.
In summary, just one more reason to love Newcastle.

Fantastic - every coffee consumed here or for takeaway was perfect. I drove out to Maling Room one afternoon to see about getting some whole beans as we crank out our own coffee most mornings. I was knocked off my feet at how friendly Andrew was even though they were fairly busy. He spent a lot of time with me discussing their house blend and a few other blends they were tinkering with. He cupped me several different ones and sent me away with several free whole bean samples to try at home. Needless to say, throughout our year in Melbourne I returned many times for take away coffee, whole beans, and a sticky beak to just see what they were up to. Every second or third visit they'd be trialling a different espresso machine, experimenting with the house blend, etc. Last time I was in they were about to start on-site roasting! Best of luck to Andrew and co there.

We did extensive shopping for our wedding photographer and finally settled on Raoul Tackelburg. He is very laid back, down to earth, and reasonably priced. All that and the photos and album came out just as we'd hoped!

Approximate cost: $2500