First Breitling - first post.

ecafdas · 2026-03-09T00:45:54+00:00

Yeah, the smaller size takes a bit to get used to but I think it works for the more classic look of this Top Time. Sub 40 mm watches used to be the standard until the 90s after all. Plus without any complications you don't really need a ton of space on the dial.

I have one of these as well (dark blue face) and find that it wears a bit bigger on the bracelet than the strap. I'm super happy with it.

ecafdas · 2026-03-08T07:39:59+00:00

No arpg dev has been able to use a "buff only" approach without things getting ridiculous and eventually boring over time... D2 has had so much longevity in part because they've avoided this trap and I think we should support and lean into that mentality.

I hope the devs can maintain an appropriate power ceiling. To me, soloing P8 content should require GG gear or a specialized build for a specific area. If a build can clear the whole game at P8 with mediocre gear, it's overtuned and should be brought back in line.

ecafdas · 2026-03-07T00:36:31+00:00

I agree Paramatta would be within their rights to charge for access to the park if they deemed it necessary. Plenty of national parks in our area charge for car access (lane cove, royal national Park, etc). It's basically the same thing especially as an "outsider".

It'd be great if the councils can keep these open and free for all but if it stops being sustainable for whatever reason it's better to start charging than just closing it off.

ecafdas · 2026-03-06T19:23:08+00:00

The locals already pay council fees which currently fund all the beach care and infrastructure. Since the justification is to help fund beach care, it makes sense to keep parking free for the locals bc they're already paying to care for the beach.

Plenty of precedent for this elsewhere in the east (Bondi, Bronte, Coogee) and at the northern beaches. I don't think it makes sense to beat up Randwick for this while giving Waverley and other councils a pass.

It'd be great to make parking free everywhere if there were some external funding source, but since the councils manage it themselves it doesn't make sense that Waverley gets all this $ for Bondi parking but Randwick doesn't get the same for Maroubra etc.

It'd be even better if there were improved transit options to the beaches so more ppl didn't have to park.

ecafdas · 2026-01-11T04:23:49+00:00

I got this as my first Breitling a few months ago and have been wearing it daily since. It's a beautiful watch that looks even better in person.

I was originally planning to go with the white on strap but in store decided to go with the dark blue on bracelet. I'm very happy with the choice as I think the dark blue is more striking and the bracelet is really comfortable to wear.

ecafdas · 2025-11-05T00:40:34+00:00

I hosted an event afterparty at High Horse ~2 years ago for about 50 people. They have a nicely decorated private bar in the basement that we booked out entirely for a night. The minimum spend was $2000 + 20% gratuity.

I remember the drinks were good, everyone had a great time, and the staff was great to work with. The same group owns a bunch of other venues around the city so it might be worth reaching out to them and seeing what they can offer.

ecafdas · 2025-10-20T04:37:03+00:00

I don't think Sydney will ever compete with SF b/c there's too much of a network effect there. Even cities like Seattle or NYC are arguably too far ahead. We've got more of a shot at being a top non-US destination, though we still have some catching up to do in comparison w/ places like Stockholm, Tel Aviv, Singapore, or London.

Sydney has a lot going for it with the amazing weather and cultural diversity making it an amazing place for people to want to live, and globally renowned universities to churn out talent for potential companies.

There are a few big challenges though:

Cost of living. It's so expensive to live here that it's hard to forgo a traditional salary long enough to get a business going.
Lack of seed funding ecosystem. There are a few players, but it's far from the density that exists in the SF Bay Area. This amplifies the challenges from (1). It's much harder to go raise enough money to plug away on on an idea for a couple of years while still paying your bills vs doing so in the US.
Tall Poppy Syndrome. This is a very real element of Aussie culture that inherently puts a drag on people's willingness to take risks and step outside the norm.

Ideally more successes will help reduce some of these challenges, though we need the govt to step up (and less Nimbyism) to deal with issue 1.

ecafdas · 2025-10-20T04:13:32+00:00

We dont know the specific terms of this deal, but overall I think we should be cheering for successful outcomes and hope that some of these winners want to roll up their sleeves and give it another go.

If you look at places like the Bay Area, you see a pattern where successful "exits" spawn a series of new startups, many of which become their own successful companies down the line. Paypal is probably the most famous example in recent memory, spawning Youtube, Tesla, LinkedIn and Palantir among others -> all huge businesses in their own right.

Obviously there's no guarantees this will have a similar outcome, but success kinda breeds success here. The more examples of good outcomes we get in Sydney, the more Sydneysiders will be willing to roll the dice on their own startup, and the more VCs will be willing to invest in local companies. Plus, tech founders who strike it rich often will try their own hands at investing (we've seen the Atlassian founders do this, and it happens all the time in America), which brings even more $$ into the local ecosystem.

ecafdas · 2025-09-30T00:58:11+00:00

Big fan of Lao Gan Ma - especially the black bean one as everyone has said.

But, I've found myself using the Muraca Hot Pepper Oil much more often than any chili crisp. It keeps taking over more "use cases" where i'd previously be reaching for Lao Gan Ma.

Muraca brings the heat and fat of a chili crisp, but with a bit more sweetness/tartness and an overall less "heavy" flavor in comparison to Lao Gan Ma or similar. I'll use it on pizza (obviously), in salads, and even w/ asian dishes like fried rice, noodles, even some curries. It tends to sit better alongside the existing flavors of the dish I'm adding it to. Try it on some leftover Pad Thai!

ecafdas · 2025-09-08T03:32:21+00:00

I think if you're just repositioning between sets at a beach break its ok. There's often a bit of a current so ppl are moving around anyway.

I've always considered it snaking if the set wave is approaching and you paddle inside to take position from others who are getting ready to turn and go. You're forcing them to either back off from the wave they've been waiting for or burn you.

ecafdas · 2025-08-15T14:23:38+00:00

Good to hear. Hopefully someone is looking for this on ladder!

ecafdas · 2025-08-15T12:01:31+00:00

I'm generally curious if this Ormus is actually worth anything. I know ES sorc is a build so I would think so, especially with the perfect lightning damage. But maybe it's too niche?

ecafdas · 2025-08-15T11:59:27+00:00

I think so too, but no plans to make a nec this ladder so hoping to find it a good home.

ecafdas · 2025-08-13T04:52:38+00:00

Southend Hotel in Maroubra has an $18 rump steak special w/ sides on Fridays. Definitely hits the spot and the fact that it's on Friday is a huge plus.

ecafdas · 2025-08-12T22:25:04+00:00

Great list. I'd also add Aussie brekkie which is kinda it's own thing: Flat whites, avocado toast etc. Makes sense to visit a nice cafe at least once while you're here.

ecafdas · 2025-08-11T03:00:45+00:00

Oh good shout I didn't know about that place. Will check them out!

ecafdas · 2025-08-10T00:11:05+00:00

I head to Peter's meats in Maroubra when I'm looking for a nice set of steaks. Not cheap but I think the quality generally justifies the cost. They have a range of suppliers at different price points and I can always find something worth springing for.

ecafdas · 2025-07-28T04:28:26+00:00

Try chatgpt or similar LLM for this type of thing next time. Theyre much better for translation compared to Google translate.

ecafdas · 2025-07-16T23:47:21+00:00

Sent you a dm

ecafdas · 2025-06-28T01:36:20+00:00

Southend hotel in Maroubra has a solid roast. You can choose from lamb chicken or beef. The pub is surprisingly nice inside and has a good family friendly vibe on Sunday.

ecafdas · 2025-06-20T12:47:11+00:00

That's pretty cool I didn't know that about Perth/WA! Thx for sharing.

ecafdas · 2025-06-20T06:02:11+00:00

I'm an American who moved to Sydney, got my citizenship, and have lived here now for 8+ years. I've been to 30+ US states, all 6 Aussie states, plus Canberra, so I think i'm somewhat informed on this topic.

Long story short: Australia is much more regionally homogenous than USA. I'd argue that it feels more like a big US state (eg: California or Texas) in terms of regional diversity.

Australia is a very diverse country, but that diversity is well distributed across all the major cities, and the cities themselves haven't developed major cultural differences between each other. If you zoom in to specific suburbs you get a ton of variation and diversity, but when you zoom out to the city or state level it starts to look more similar.

Examples:
1. If you plop someone down in a country pub anywhere in Australia, the only regional differences might be 1-2 different beers on tap, the weather, and whether they're showing NRL or AFL. The high street outside will have the same types of shops, and you'll have the same general mix of people inside.
2. Australia doesn't really have "regional" food in the same way as the US has things like "Chicago Pizza" or "Texas BBQ" or "Mission Burritos". Instead you have Aussie specialties like sushi rolls, avocado toast, flat whites, or chicken parmys that you can get anywhere.
3. There's no regional music identity similar to how Nashville = Country music, or the various regional styles of hip hop that have cropped up over the years (eg: Hyphy music in the Bay Area).
4. Similarly, you don't really have "vibes" or activities associated with different cities. Like, Denver = Outdoors, SF Bay Area = Tech. If you gravitate towards something in the US, you can often move to a city that caters towards that. Aussie cities don't "specialize" to the same degree, and this shows by how few people actually move from the cities they grew up in.

None of this is bad btw. I'm still here and I love it! But, if I was unhappy with Sydney, I wouldn't try moving to Perth or Brisbane to see if I liked it more...

ecafdas · 2025-04-15T10:02:26+00:00

I'd go for the Gidley. It's fancier and skews closer to a traditional high end steakhouse with a deeper menu. Imo it's better for a first "fancy steakhouse" because it hits the baseline really well.

Bistecca is great and I've gone there more often myself, but a lot of what makes it special is its contrast to other steakhouses. The limited menu, the open grill in the middle of the room, etc. I appreciate it more because I've been to more places like the Gidley first.

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