A Romantic Spot » Sightseeing

The Gap – Watsons Bay Ocean Cliff

Joey Rosario — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 01:48:01 +0000

The Gap is a spectacular cliff overlooking the ocean at Watsons Bay in the eastern suburb of Sydney; on the tip of the entrance to the Sydney Harbor. You can catch a ferry from Circular Quay in downtown Sydney.

There is a coastal trail alongside the cliff that provides one of the best view of the ocean. There are guard rails on the side for added protection. You can walk along the trail towards the Signal Station and the Macquarie lighthouse while listening to the sound of the Tasman Sea waves come crashing down.

At the cliff top on the north-end, you will see the breathtaking view of downtown Sydney across the harbor while catching the pounding waves on Tasman sea below. This place is also popular spot to catch the New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Sunset over Sydney from Watsons Bay

(image from Flickr)

The Gap

(image from Panoramio)

South end view of the Gap

(image from Panoramio)

Bare Island – The Mission Impossible

Joey Rosario — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:21:18 +0000

Bare Island is located in South-Eastern Sydney in the suburb of La Perouse. I was at this place about 10 years ago, my one and only visit there. The surrounding area is very quiet and the view is amazing.

It is connected to the main land through a narrow wooden bridge. You are probably familiar with the bridge. I gasped when I saw Tom Cruise rode the bike across the bridge in Mission Impossible II.

The water around the island is very popular with scuba divers. It’s one of the best spot to scuba diving in the city. On a late afternoon you will find plenty of locals fishing along the bridge. You can walk around on the island and enjoy the ocean breeze or you can sit on the grassy area to enjoy the scenery.

Sunset at La Perouse, Sydney

(image from Flickr)

Sunrise at La Perouse, Sydney

(image from Flickr)

Bare Island

Kerry Park – Breathless in Seattle

Joey Rosario — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:59:51 +0000

You’ve seen the picture-perfect Seattle skyline on the postcards or in the magazines. Have you ever wondered where all those pictures are taken from? If I would venture a guess, it has got to be the beautiful Kerry Park in the Queen Anne neighborhood.

The view from the park is breathtaking. Not only you get a front-row seat to the view of downtown Seattle; you also get a view of Mount Rainier and Elliott Bay. On a nice beautiful day (read: not raining), you can even pack your bag for a nice afternoon picnic. The park is small and it’s pretty popular with both tourists and locals alike so crowd is something you might want to consider (late evening on a weeknight (day) might be a good time to visit to avoid the big crowd.)

So go ahead, pick the day, pack that picnic basket and bring your loved one to the park.

View of Seattle downtown from Kerry Park

Sunset at Kerry Park

Sunrise at Kerry Park

(image from flickr)

Crissy Field – Sunset by the Bridge

Joey Rosario — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:20:11 +0000

Located near the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, Crissy Field provides one of the best eye-level view of the bay. On a nice sunny day, you will see plenty of activities here. Family picnic, barbeque, kite-flying, kite surfing, etc. It’s one of the nicest place in the city to enjoy the weather and the water.

At the end of Crissy Field, there is a building called Warming Hut, that serves as a cafe and a bookstore. Near Warming Hut is a pier where you can enjoy the view of the sunset across the Golden Gate Bridge or you can just sit on the beach. It gets windy in the evening so you might want to wear an extra layer to catch the beautiful sunset.

The evening view

View from Crissy Field

The view of Golden Gate Bridge

Marin Headlands – Golden Gate & The City

Joey Rosario — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:27:12 +0000

San Francisco is one the most romantic city in the world. The list will not be complete without the inclusion of its most famous landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge. There are multiple places where you can enjoy the view of the Golden Gate Bridge but none is better than the view from the top of the hill on the north-west side of the bridge. This area is known as Marin Headlands.

Getting to the top of the hill is a bit tricky. You will have to first drive through the bridge and exit off the highway towards Sausalito right after the vista. Once you exit, take a first left and go underneath the Golden Gate Bridge and follow the road along the highway up the hill on Conzelman Road. Drive up all the way along the hill and right before it becomes a one-way road, park your car and enjoy the view of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco backdrop.

It feels so peaceful from up there. If you want to create an ambiance, consider visiting in the late afternoon on a weekday. Bring extra layer as the weather can be a bit chilly in the late afternoon. I’ve seen couple sitting on the bench sharing a bottle of wine. It’s definitely a view and a moment not to be missed.

Looking towards San Francisco

View of San Francisco on a clear day

Ku De Ta – A Beachfront Paradise

Lenny Rosario — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:55:17 +0000

I have heard about this place long before I have even set my foot in Bali. This beach-front establishment is an international bistro featuring modern architecture decor and an outside lounge with a view to killed for.

The best time to go is in the evening. The romantic lighting around the lounge area set the tone for the night while you catch the breathtaking view of the sunset. It is on the expensive side of Bali but visitors from the big cities will feel right at home in term of over-priced food and service.

We ordered a few drinks and some finger foods. The price is not terribly expensive although I am sure some locals will beg to differ. If there is one spot in Bali you want to splash your cash in for a night of romantic dining and perhaps a dj music, Ku De Ta is hard to beat. If money is tight, just order the drinks and find a deck seat outside to catch the sunset.

Contact:
Ku De Ta, Jalan Laksamana No. 9, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
+62 (0361) 736969

Pool reflection in the evening

The deck area during the day

Outdoor seating area

Evening Sunset

Map

Russian Hill – Garden of Eden

Joey Rosario — Sat, 24 May 2008 22:42:09 +0000

This little garden on top of Russian Hill is my secret hideout. The garden sits on top of Russian Hill, stretches half way through Jones and Taylor at the very top to Taylor at the bottom. It’s accessible from Taylor through the steps that leads you to the walk across the garden. It’s accessible through car from Jones although I wouldn’t recommend driving a car there because Russian Hill is notorious for parking; and during weekdays you can only park for 2 hours before the Parking Nazi come around and give you a ticket.

On a nice day, it is a perfect picnic spot in the city; offering the view of the bay to the north and Telegraph Hill to the east. It can be a bit windy but on a nice San Francisco day, you should be able to enjoy the weather as much as the view itself. This could be a good spot to catch the fireworks. However, it’s always windy on both 4th of July or New Year’s Eve, so extra layer of clothes is highly recommended.

Secret Garden

View towards North Beach

Treasure Island – City View by the Bay

Joey Rosario — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:14:21 +0000

* Image by Clint Wirtanen (image from Flickr)

Treasure Island is located in the San Francisco Bay, between San Francisco and Oakland. It was built prior to the World War II as an extension to the Yerba Buena Island. Initially planned for and used as an airport during the war, Treasure Island became a Naval Base for the US Navy during the war.

There is only one way to get to the island. Its only access is through the Bay Bridge. When you make an exit (left exit) on the bridge, follow the sign towards Treasure Island. Then make a U-turn before entering the gate, and park your car on the side of the street. You can either get out of the car to enjoy the fresh bay breeze or stay inside the car to create the magic moment with your loved one.

What you will see is an un-obstructed front-row seat to one of the most amazing view San Francisco has to offer. On a clear day, you will catch plenty of activities in the bay with the city skyline backdrop. Night time view is just as amazing. The lights from the financial district buildings light up the night sky.

It’s also a perfect spot to catch the 4th of July and the New Year’s Eve fireworks, although it’s always foggy during the 4th of July or rainy-windy on the New Year’s Eve.

San Francisco City Skyline

View from Treasure Island

View in the evening

The View – San Francisco Panorama

Joey Rosario — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:43:17 +0000

The View is a lounge at the 39th story atop the Marriott Hotel in the SOMA (South of Market) district of San Francisco. The View offers a panoramic view of San Francisco. The place has two big rooms; a full bar and a view of the City Hall and Twin Peaks on one, and a piano for the live jazz/blues music and a view of the Bay Bridge on the other. Both rooms have big jukebox-shaped floor-to-ceiling windows that cover the entire room.

There are two elevators at the lobby so be sure to catch the high-rise elevator to the top floor. The place can be very loud at times with the live band but the deem atmosphere makes this place a must visit for couple. It offers cocktails and light snacks. Drinks are decent and pricey but you don’t come here for the drinks. Any tables by the window is a nice. It’s dark and romantic.

There is one spot that I think is the best in house. It’s in the room where the piano is. If you walk towards the elevator/bathroom, it’s on the far end before you make a turn toward the elevator. It’s tucked in a partially hidden triangular corner. Believe me, you will not want to leave if you get that spot especially if you are out on a date.

Contact:
The View, San Francisco Marriott, 55 Fourth St, San Francisco, CA 94103
+1 (415) 896-1600

View towards the bay

City view

Pantai Mutiara – Magical Sunset

Joey Rosario — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:58:42 +0000

It’s a little difficult to find a romantic outdoor spot in Jakarta for no other reason than the poor air quality. It’s hard to be romantic when you are putting yourself in harm way by breathing the polluted air. There are places though which have lower pollution, some better than the other and this one in particular is my favorite.

Pantai Mutiara is a luxury residential area in North Jakarta. It is located about half a mile away from Mega Mall. Its close proximity to the water and away from the busy roads improve the air quality tremendously. To get to Pantai Putiara, you have to enter a gate guarded by security. Once you get pass that, pass the small bridge and keep going straight. You will end up on a small boulevard (a street with a median) that goes for about a mile. I normally drive toward the end of the street and park my car.

The breeze is a good counter measure for the high Jakarta humidity. You can sit on the rock or you can walk on the pavement along the boulevard. Plenty of local residents, mostly senior, take advantage of the good air quality by exercising and walking along the pavement. You will see joggers and animal lovers. It’s a good place to meet new people. There are cafes and restaurant in the area as well with an incredible waterfront view or the canals. I normally arrive a little early; park my car, roll down the window and read a book. And when sunset comes around, I want myself a romantic evening walk with my loved one.

Evening Sunset

Sunset at Pantai Mutiara

Map