Hot Spot: Sydney

IVY | SYDNEY
A self-contained island of hedonism, this $120 million megaplex has 18 bars, nine restaurants, a ballroom, and a hotel and day spa, all owned and operated by wunderkind developer Justin Hemmes.

Setting: Two buildings with wide balconies wrap around a central terrace featuring a towering Japanese maple, separated from the outside by a cobbled lane.

Ambience: The beach village vibe rings perfectly with the city's bronzed and beautiful set, and extends from the casual, ground-level outdoor bar with a grass carpet to a rooftop pool complete with DJ platforms and private cabanas.

Food: Mad Cow serves nouveau steakhouse fare, including Wagyu sirloin with chimichurri sauce. Uccello delivers Italian dishes like angel hair pasta with crabmeat, garlic and chili by chef Massimo Bianchi. At Sushi Choo, time-pressed diners can pluck kingfish belly or masago sushi off the white marble dining train.

Drink: Ash St Cellar, a Parisian-style wine bar, has 270- wines categorized by nose, palate and color. At Ivy Lounge, mixologist Mikey Enright has created an inventive cocktail list, with gems such as Opium Den (Hennessy cognac, Cointreau and Pomme Verte, with a green apple and rhubarb fusion). If the grand scale of Ivy doesn't make your head spin, a few of these certainly will.

© 2008