Summer in Sydney means ... a backyard hose, a secret beach and the smell of trees

What does Sydney mean to you?

As a kid, Sydney was all about the water. I grew up near the harbour, with the bay on one side and the beach on the other. It was – still is – dazzlingly beautiful. Those were the days (no one believes me) when harbourside houses were run down and affordable. I live further west these days. Those dazzling bits feel like a separate city. But there are different treasures here; the food, the diversity, the neighbourliness. Now, I know Sydney as a patchwork.

Earliest memory of summer in Sydney?

Sitting on the sand at Foster beach, eating a red icy pole and watching drips of red liquid pool on the sand.

When the weather gets hot I …

Turn the hose on the kids. There are few things as fun as a backyard hose in summer, especially when combined with a trampoline.

First place you take visitors?

A walk through Potts Point, and a picnic at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair.

Favourite cafe?

Outfield Cafe in Ashfield. It’s set in a mid-century building on the edge of a park. You can sit on a picnic blanket under the trees, sipping your flat white and nibbling on a gourmet toastie, while the kids play cricket at the bottom of the hill.

Secret spot you escape to?

I’m not going to name it because it’s secret. But it involves a beach, only accessible by ferry, not too far away. There are rustic cabins, and no television or shops. There are bushwalks and ballgames and bonfires. Holidays at this secret spot are one of the few times my children can taste the freedom I had as a kid.

The best summer food is ...

Stonefruit. Buying a tray of mangoes from a roadside truck, then slicing the flesh into squares inside the skin and biting into them, letting the juice dribble. I’ve occasionally, secretly wondered whether a ripe, sweet peach is even better than a mango ... but that’s sacrilegious.

I know it’s summer when I smell …

Christmas trees.

My favourite summer song …

Changes every year. Mr Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra is a perennial household favourite.

The worst thing about summer is ...

Mosquitoes. I love the idea of an outdoor dinner at dusk in summer, but the reality is ruined by tiny bloodsucking monsters.

My closest bolthole is …

My local pool, a mid-century, vintage oasis surrounded by sand-coloured concrete that’s never crowded.

Guilty pleasure?

Aperol spritz.

What aspect of life in Sydney would you change and why, and what do you want to always stay the same?

I’d get rid of half of the cars and put the remaining half underground. The traffic seems to get worse and worse, making it harder for most of us to get anywhere near those beaches and bays that are synonymous with summer.

Sydney is the best city in which to celebrate New Year’s Eve. May that never change.

Summer in Sydney is a series where Herald staff reveal the best – and worst – of our city in the hotter months.

A cultural guide to going out and loving your city. Sign up to our Culture Fix newsletter here.