This is a photograph of a flower/florist stall in Martin Place, Sydney.
Posted on by Gary

Conference weekend in Sydney for RCPA pathology update

Conference weekend

It’s been a good week. Work has been busy and I’ve been eating relatively well. My weight loss seems to have plateaued so I’m thinking I may need to restrict my diet a little more, but this was not the week to do it.

I knew I was going to have a late night on Wednesday because of a work thing and that I’d be eating out. In addition, I was driving to Sydney on Thursday afternoon so dinner would not be a planned affair.

I’ll get back to focus on losing weight next week. Although I have a friend from Darwin in town and we’re going out to dinner on Tuesday night for a steak dinner.

Autumn

Well, the change in the season from Summer to Autumn really snuck up and hit me without realising it until well into the day on Thursday. It hadn’t dawned on me while I was out on Wednesday night that I’d be farewelling another summer. As I get older, I ponder now, how many more summers will there be for me. Summer is certainly a better season than Autumn and an order of magnitude better than Winter.

To be fair, while the air temperature and humidity are my main gripes about the Autumnal weather, there is a beauty to be found, especially in Canberra which has spectacular autumn colours. The deciduous trees are spectacular and the reds, oranges and yellows are so vibrant. Hopefully, I’ll get out more with my camera and share some autumnal colours here.

Sydney weekend

So why am I in Sydney this weekend? I’m here for a conference. It’s the annual scientific meeting for the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. I was asked to speak with medical and science students. My task was to welcome them to the conference and provide a glimpse into my career and share why being a specialist pathologist is so fulfilling. That was pretty easy, I can talk about me for ages 😂

This is a photograph of HMAS Vampire at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney.
HMAS Vampire at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney.
This is a photograph of HMAS Vampire at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney.
HMAS Vampire at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney.

It was nice after my session to have quite a few of the students approach me afterwards asking about how they might progress their careers.
I also got to enjoy the rest of the conference.

I decided to drive because flying is so expensive and it’s only a three to four-hour drive depending on the traffic in Sydney. Because of the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, finding accommodation was difficult and very expensive. It’s like everything has become so much more expensive in Sydney. For example, I paid $55 each day for car parking (plus a $20 booking fee), food was also expensive at the hotel so I sought options elsewhere.

This is a photograph of Plaza Parking car park under the Grace Hotel
Plaza Parking car park under the Grace Hotel

I booked a room at the Grace Hotel. It’s on York Street in the Sydney CBD. The standard room is nice with a comfortable bed (I checked for bed bugs) and a large shower. It has a desk and a chair and free Wi-Fi. The taps are all low flow which makes filling a kettle a little slow. The Wi-Fi while free is throttled. Download for me was around 0.8 Mbps and upload was 0.3 Mbps. Not enough to do much and not enough to connect with work via a remote access VPN. At least, not fast enough for a smooth experience.

This is a photograph of The Grace Hotel sign on York Street

This is a photograph of The lobby of The Grace Hotel
The lobby of The Grace Hotel

International Convention Centre Sydney

The ICC Sydney has been made over and is now a much better centre than the previous version. It’s large and airy and it seems big enough to manage a handful of large international conferences. The pathology update ASM attracts delegates from around the world, and especially from Australasia and south-east Asia plus some from the USA and the UK. The audiovisual technology has all worked well but the acoustics is still not ideal in the sense, there needed to be more roving microphones even in the smaller meeting rooms so that delegates with soft voices could be heard when asking questions.

This is a photograph of the International Convention Centre Sydney with Chinese new year red boats in the foreground on the water.
International Convention Centre Sydney
This is a photograph of Darling Harbour from the International Convention Centre Sydney
Darling Harbour from the International Convention Centre Sydney

Prime Steak Restaurant

On Friday night I decided to go out for dinner. I opened Google Maps and searched for steak because I felt like eating a steak dinner. The first place that came up was Prime Steak Restaurant. I could see it was about 4 minutes walk and in Martin Place near the Westin Hotel.

Prime Steak Restaurant, 1 LGF, Lower Ground Floor, Sydney GPO Building, No., 1 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000, (02) 9229 7777

I wrote a review for Google Maps which you can read. I shot three photographs which I tried to edit a lot because the light levels were really low and there was a lot of grainy noise in the photographs.
The steak and prawns were really nice.

Catching up with friends, one made my day

On Saturday I caught up with some friends at the conference. It is great seeing people who I haven’t seen for a long time. In some cases for more than ten years.

One friend I haven’t seen since 2006 when I was Vice President of the College. We’re friends on Facebook and Instagram so we keep up to date that way, but it was great seeing her in person and catching up.

Another friend used to be a medical laboratory scientist based in Katherine when I was supervising pathologist for the Northern Territory of Australia (1996 to 2007). About five medical laboratory scientists we employed from Queensland for our regional laboratories in Nhulunbuy, Katherine and Tennant Creek all went on to study medicine and this particular friend is now a pathology trainee and a PhD scholar. She also mentioned she’d be interested in working again in the Top End. If that happens, I’ll feel complete. I always hoped one of these dear friends would return to the NT as a pathologist.

The drive back to Canberra

I had one thing on my mind when driving back to Canberra. Should I stop at Bowral and buy a vanilla slice from the Gumnut Patisserie. The thing is I’d only recently had a vanilla slice a few weeks ago at Dobinsons Bakery.

In the end, my desire to drive through so I could buy some meat for dinner won out.

That’s because the other thing on my mind was getting some steak for a sous vide cook. I needed to get back to Canberra with enough time to start cooking at 4 pm for dinner at about 6.30 pm.

What have I eaten this week?

Monday lunch

This is a photograph of Monday lunch. Leftover chicken thigh and mashed sriracha pumpkin.
Monday lunch. Leftover chicken thigh and mashed sriracha pumpkin.

Monday dinner

This is a photograph of Monday dinner. Baked crispy skin salmon with stir-fried sriracha kale slaw with peach and Shepard avocado.
Monday dinner. Baked crispy skin salmon with stir-fried sriracha kale slaw with peach and Shepard avocado.
This is a photograph of Monday dinner. Baked crispy skin salmon with stir-fried sriracha kale slaw with peach and Shepard avocado.
Monday dinner. Baked crispy skin salmon with stir-fried sriracha kale slaw with peach and Shepard avocado.

Tuesday lunch

This is a photograph of Tuesday lunch. Leftover chicken and salmon.
Tuesday lunch. Leftover chicken and salmon.

Tuesday dinner

This is a photograph of Tuesday dinner. No meat! Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, and corn, roasted with cheese, cream, bird’s eye chillies, chilli flakes, sriracha sauce, Vegemite, poppy and sesame seeds.
Tuesday dinner. No meat! Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, and corn, roasted with cheese, cream, bird’s eye chillies, chilli flakes, sriracha sauce, Vegemite, poppy and sesame seeds.
This is a photograph of Tuesday dinner. No meat! Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, and corn, roasted with cheese, cream, bird’s eye chillies, chilli flakes, sriracha sauce, Vegemite, poppy and sesame seeds.
Tuesday dinner. No meat! Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, and corn, roasted with cheese, cream, bird’s eye chillies, chilli flakes, sriracha sauce, Vegemite, poppy and sesame seeds.

Book prize from Zombie Anonymous

This is a photograph of Book prize. The Weller from Zombie Anonymous.
Book prize. The Weller from Zombie Anonymous.

Wednesday lunch

This is a photograph of Wednesday lunch. Leftover chicken thighs with a map of my route to Sydney.
Wednesday lunch. Leftover chicken thighs.

Wednesday dinner

This is a photograph of Wednesday dinner. Monk vegetables from the Asian Noodle House.
Wednesday dinner. Monk vegetables from the Asian Noodle House.

Thursday morning

This is a photograph of two cans of Coke Zero on my window sill
It’s a two can before 8 am sort of morning

Thursday lunch

This is a photograph of Thursday lunch. Leftover chicken thigh.
Thursday lunch. Leftover chicken thigh.

Thursday dinner

This is a low light photograph of Thursday dinner. Margherita pizza from Vapiano Sydney.
Thursday dinner. Margherita pizza from Vapiano Sydney.

Friday breakfast

This is a photograph of Friday breakfast. Hotel food. Salmon, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, Hollandaise sauce and baked beans at The Grace Hotel.
Friday breakfast. Hotel food. Salmon, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, Hollandaise sauce and baked beans.

Friday lunch

This is a photograph of Friday lunch. Conference food. A chicken sandwich and a piece of salmon.
Friday lunch. Conference food.

Friday dinner

This is a photograph of Friday dinner. Rare wagyu scotch fillet steak with blue cheese sauce served with prawns, spinach and a stuffed portobello mushroom at Prime Steak Restaurant.
Friday dinner. Rare wagyu scotch fillet steak with blue cheese sauce served with prawns, spinach and a stuffed portobello mushroom.
This is a photograph of Friday dinner. Rare wagyu scotch fillet steak with blue cheese sauce served with prawns, spinach and a stuffed portobello mushroom at Prime Steak Restaurant.
Friday dinner. Rare wagyu scotch fillet steak with blue cheese sauce served with prawns, spinach and a stuffed portobello mushroom.
This is a photograph of Friday dinner. Rare wagyu scotch fillet steak with blue cheese sauce served with prawns, spinach and a stuffed portobello mushroom at Prime Steak Restaurant.
Friday dinner. Rare wagyu scotch fillet steak with blue cheese sauce served with prawns, spinach and a stuffed portobello mushroom.

Saturday breakfast

This is a photograph of Saturday breakfast. Big breakfast from Nick's on Darling Harbour
Saturday breakfast. Big breakfast from Nick’s on Darling Harbour

Saturday lunch

This is a photograph of Saturday lunch. Slow cooked lamb from the ICC Sydney with a view of Darling Harbour, Sydney
Saturday lunch. Slow cooked lamb from the ICC Sydney with a view of Darling Harbour, Sydney

Saturday dinner

This is a photograph of Saturday dinner. Grace Hotel olive oil poached salmon with mashed potato.
Saturday dinner. Grace Hotel olive oil poached salmon with mashed potato.
This is a photograph of Saturday dinner. Grace Hotel hot chips with my salmon dinner.
Saturday dinner. Grace Hotel hot chips with my salmon dinner.

Sunday breakfast

This is a photograph of Sunday breakfast. Aussie breakfast at Tokio Hotel, Darling Harbour.
Sunday breakfast. Aussie breakfast at Tokio Hotel, Darling Harbour.

Sunday lunch

This is a photograph of Sunday lunch. Ten McDonald's McNuggets and Big Mac special sauce.
Sunday lunch. Ten McDonald’s McNuggets and Big Mac special sauce.

Sunday dinner

Check out the recipe at Yummy Lummy.

This is a photograph of Sunday dinner. Sous vide Vegemite porterhouse steak with celeriac mash.
Sunday dinner. Sous vide Vegemite porterhouse steak with celeriac mash.
This is a photograph of Sunday dinner. Sous vide Vegemite porterhouse steak with celeriac mash.
Sunday dinner. Sous vide Vegemite porterhouse steak with celeriac mash.

Final thoughts

Do you attend conferences? What do you like and dislike about attending conferences?

28 Replies to “Conference weekend in Sydney for RCPA pathology update”

  1. I always end up feeling really hungry after I have seen what you ate for the week.

    1. I know right. But I ate way too much conference food and three big breakfast meals with lots of hash browns and beans. Plus there was pizza and Paris mash and chunky chips. I need to control myself so when I saw the turnoff for Bowral, I stared at the road ahead and focussed.

  3. I love seeing what you eat Gary…I stayed at the Grace many years ago for a conference in the hotel…small but ok for a couple of nights.

    1. Thanks Sue, you’re very kind. It was a good place to stay for a few nights, it’s good to be back in my own bed though.

  4. ‘an order of magnitude better than Winter.’ You about summed up my feelings about summer in Melbourne 😃 Thankfully we have a spate of 30’C-ish days coming up this week and just so happens I have some days off work to enjoy 😀 Sounds like you had a great time speaking at the conference and catching up with friends. As you get older, you really do value catching up no matter how short and where 😊

    Like how you were planning and planned through for Vegemite steak on Sunday night and skipped the vanilla slice. As a fellow Taurean, I give planning the thumbs up 😀😀 And Big Mac sauce again 😀😀😀

    I’ve been to my fair share of conferences over the years, for university, volunteer work and work. Some of them I’ve helped out and one I’ve spoken at. If it’s a conference that you are truly interested in, then it’s always very nice talking to likeminded people in the room 😊

    1. Thanks Mabel, I used to love going to conferences and I’d try to attend a few each year. As I get older, I try to be a little more selective. Sydney is close, so it’s not too bad and it’s a good thing I like driving. I can listen to some podcasts and audiobooks.
      The steak turned out well. I was pretty happy. While the Vegemite was nice, the creamy cheesy celeriac mash was great with the steak.
      I hope you have some fantastic days off and make the most of the free time Mabel 😃 👍

    2. The downside to going to conferences is not everyone can afford to go. There’s the conference fee, accommodation and transportation to factor in. I don’t mind the travel, but I do like sticking to a budget if no one sponsors me.

      It sounds like every meal you cook is a winner for your palate, Gaz 😃 Always look forward to your posts on the weekend. A bonus if I get through all my blog comments and finally can get to yours right after 😃😂

    3. Hehe, I like the conversations we have on weekends too.
      The cost of conferences is ridiculous. Then there are the add on workshops and training sessions.

    4. ‘The cost of conferences is ridiculous.’ You about summed it up. Often it costs about a day’s worth of work or more for one person. You also can’t attend all the sessions.

      So jealous you got to eat at Vapiano. Heard good things about the branch and have been meaning to try it.

    5. The pizza was nice and the place had a real vibe to it. It didn’t take long for the pizza to be cooked either.
      Fortunately, even though it was crowded, a young couple didn’t mind me sharing their bench.

    6. Very nice of the couple happy sharing a bench with you 🙂 It looked really good, and the low light photo added a cozy feel to the place. Margherita is one of my favourite pizzas and can be a hit or miss – either a lot of flavour, or no flavour.

    7. I like the simplicity of the Margherita. The pizza dough was good and the cheese was just right.

    8. Can never go wrong with cheese and glad it was a good pizza that you had. Today I had a nine cheese pizza with roasted cauliflower and walnuts. Incredible.

    10. It was great. Thin crust, perfectly done at Hungry Bear. If you ever have a work trip to Melbourne and are in the CBD, give it a go. Small but left me full 😂

    12. Sadly these days many pizzas by the slice are let down, especially those in the food courts. If we ever catch up, we should do pizza 😀

  5. Your almost fall is stunning! Is the sky really that blue down there?
    I hate eating out when you are in a hotel. One of our weeks north cost mum around 500$ for everything from taxis to food to plane fare to dog boarding and so on. Although, I must admit, that particular hotel had GREAT food!!!!!

    1. The sky is very blue and in Canberra, it’s really blue because it’s 650 metres above sea level and we have no haze.

    4. it is so huge! There is so much I’ve never seen and most likely never will.

    6. I’ve never seen a bear up here. Mmmmm, King Crab. (although, I much prefer shrimp!)

    7. I’ve only ever eaten Alaskan King crab which has been frozen and thawed. It would be nice to try one fresh and dip the lovely white flesh in some fresh aioli.

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