Last day of Vivid Sydney 2011

Lighting the Sails, Sydney Opera House for Vivid Sydney 2011

Three layers, scarf, beanie and gloves tell me it's winter - and the bright lights colouring Circular Quay and The Rocks in Sydney tell me that Vivid Sydney is on show once again.

Ending on Monday 13 June, in its third year Vivid Sydney has quickly become an annual festival that Sydney-siders look forward to, regardless of freezing night time temperatures.

Lighting the Sails, Sydney Opera House by Superbien (France)

Lighting the Sails, Sydney Opera House by Superbien (France)

Lighting the Sails, Sydney Opera House by Superbien (France)

Until Monday night, Sake Restaurant & Bar and The Cut Bar & Grill at The Rocks each have a cocktail special dedicated to this year's Vivid Sydney - just the thing for pre or post light installation viewing.

Fire Dance cocktail at The Cut Bar & Grill, The Rocks, Sydney

The cosy inside of The Cut Bar & Grill is the perfect antidote for a cold night out light watching, and their Vivid Sydney cocktail special is a pleaser.

Featuring Belvedere Citrus, a dash of Aperol, elderflower syrup and maraschino cherry juice muddled with orange, this fiery-hued sweetie goes down a treat with its sweet citrus tones.

Warm marinated Kalamata, Ligurian and Sicilian olives with peppered grissini
from The Cut Bar & Grill

We were also treated to some seriously awesome brown and green olives; marinated in cardamom, coriander seeds and other spices, their warm service improving the already high quality produce. The very thin, very crunchy grissini also added flavour to each bite.

Glow On cocktail from Sake Restaurant & Bar, The Rocks, Sydney

The cocktail special at one-hatted Japanese Sake Restaurant & Bar had a distinctly wintery and German influence. The Glow On cocktail is a twist on gluhwein, or mulled wine, as is popular in some of the colder parts of Europe.

The twist is the use of Kokuto brown sugar umeshu, or plum wine with cinnamon syrup and the Montenegro digestive liquor, warmed and finished off with Kozaemon Honjozo Yamahai sake.

Glow On cocktail

The warm drink is so perfect for winter, it's a wonder we haven't been drinking it for years. Garnished with an orange twist and half a vanilla bean on a pick, we're advised to stir the garnishes to release those flavours.

And when going in for the sip, beware the warmed alcoholic fumes from the sake. That's the first big flavour hit, followed by rich and warming cinnamon and finished off with the smooth taste of vanilla. A gorgeously warming drink which I hope stays on the winter drinks menu at Sake.

Edamame at Sake Restaurant & Bar

Here we were treated to salted edamame; the ultimate Japanese drinking snack. Well, the healthiest one anyway.

And here follows a picture post of what Vivid Sydney 2011 offers. Monday evening is your last chance to check it out.

The Light Wheel by Mark Hammer and Andre Kecskes
(New Zealand and Slovak Republic)

Ember by Joe Snell (Australia)

Cloud and blue sky suited performers

Illuminate by Daniel Mercer and Richard Neville of Many Lights (Australia)

Web of Light by Ben Baxter and Ruth McDermott (Australia)

Argyle Cut by Mark Dyson, 32 Hundred Lighting (Australia)

The Garrison by Kam Dahtt and Steve Furzey for
Sylvania Lighting Australasia (Australia)

Eye See You by Zymrite Hoxjaj (Germany)

Carnivalux by Andrew Daly and Katharine Fife (Australia)

Nothing Like the Sun by Hannah Groff and Jason Glenwright (Australia) 

Skyscraper Illuminati by Iain Reed, 32 Hundred Lighting (Australia)

Re-CYCLE! by CLOUSTON Associates (Australia)

Interactive Paint Projection by Spinifex Group (Australia)

Social Firefly by Jason McDermott, Liam Ryan and Frank Maguire, ARUP (Australia)

Fire Dance by Howard & Sons (Australia)

Fire Dance by Howard & Sons (Australia)

Fire Dance by Howard & Sons (Australia)

SpanThai

Mini Monet Cupcakes

Super size pan of meatballs by Wine Odyssey

Two very large pork gyoza

For more photos, go to my Facebook page album (and don't forget to Like me while you're there). Congrats to the organisers for another great year of Vivid Sydney. And get thee there tomorrow night if you haven't checked it out yet - you won't regret it.

Food, booze and shoes sampled the Vivid Sydney cocktail specials and nibbles courtesy of The Cut Bar & Grill and Sake Restaurant & Bar, with thanks to Lindy Thompson PR.