Sydney's laidback outdoor lifestyle has always drawn tourists from all over the world for a bit of seaside ''R&R'', but thanks to a new influx of bill-topping locals, the Emerald City is now pulling as many culture vultures as beach bums. Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett has returned to her hometown to take over as joint Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company with playwright husband Andrew Upton and plans to launch the theater into a new green age, and the gleaming Sydney Opera House has recently achieved UNESCO World Heritage status. Sydney is no longer a colonial backwater, but a chosen destination to discover some of the world's leading restaurants and signature chefs, innovative young fashion designers and ground-breaking gay performance nightclubs.