A Romantic Spot » sunset

Capische? – A Breathtaking Maui Sunset

Wailin Liao — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:30:11 +0000

I suppose it has to fit into the prototype of everyone to be “romantic” for people to come for honeymoon – cheesy artificial spots where entrepreneurs charges astronomical prices for something which mainlanders (Americans from non-isles) did not thought of they can make money of.

This impression was almost set in stone in my head when I heard from the zip-line instructors about how the sugar cane field is operating – they first cleared the field of rainforest, then plant sugar cane trees – THEN burnt them down for easy harvest of the cane. What else can human do to make it even more industrial? Can people be impressed by nature itself without thinking of conquering it?

May be the view at Capische? will make a difference – when you have someone telling you what you are looking at (other then it is a beautiful sunset on the ocean right between the palm trees): a crater created during the explosion that could almost destroy the island but instead making it even more gorgeous to visit due to the coral formation; a sea port built by sweat and blood of local and foreigner searching for a better life – there are more than just fresh caught seafood, yummy cocktail, and down to earth homemade pasta.

Artificial, it can be (it is an artificial establishment after all) – the elevated view, the trees, the open space – but if you add the elements of what inspiration the view can provide, together with the friendly service and fabulous food, it is an excellent romantic spot – majestic yet mysterious, heart-warming and awe-inspiring, this is a good place to dine, and perhaps, a true romantic spot between you and you company, and the nature.

Contact:
Capische?, 555 Kaukahi Road, Wailea, Maui, HI
+1 (808) 879-2224

View from Capische?

(Image from Flickr)

View from Capische?

(Image from Flickr)

Oceanic Cafe – A Picture Perfect Evening

Joey Rosario — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:28:05 +0000

In a typical hot and muggy Jakarta weather, a cool evening breeze at Oceanic Cafe is an ideal place to wind down the evening away. Located in Pantai Mutiara, Oceanic Cafe offers a soothing and relaxing environment for couple who wants to indulge in a quiet and peaceful moment away from the crazy Jakarta life with an unobstructive waterfront view of the ocean and the iconic Regatta Residential.

The cafe has 3 sections, the inside dining area by the stage, the swimming pool area and the wooden pier. The inside dining area is pretty empty most of the time. The pool area is decorated with plants that go around the pool. It is less windy because of the high wall that separates it from the pier. The wooden pier is more windy because of its proximity to the ocean. The view from the pier during sunset is breathtaking.

The menu is simple yet extensive, offering local delicacies and western cuisines alike. While the food is nothing to rave about, the relaxing atmosphere and the amazing view keep me coming back for more.

Contact:
Oceanic Cafe, Pantai Mutiara Sports Club, Jakarta, Indonesia
+62 (021) 6696722 or +62 (021) 6697146

The view from Oceanic Cafe

The Evening Sky

Oceanic Cafe Wooden Pier

The Night Sky

Cafe Jet Ski & Regatta Residential

The Pier at Oceanic Cafe

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)

Segarra – Beach and the City

Joey Rosario — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:24:32 +0000

Segarra is the Jakarta version of Ku De Ta. Its alluring beach-front location and the breathtaking view of sunset make this establishment a popular choice to spend an evening. The highlight is the mini-cabana sitting area they setup on the beach. Its unconventional seating allows you to be close to each other, and its direct view to the ocean will make the moment you won’t soon forget.

Food are reasonably priced; comparable to other established restaurants in the area. As are most places in Jakarta, Segarra might not be the place to be on the weekend if you want to spend a nice quiet evening. Weekend crowds come in bunches and are normally loud.

Contact:
Segarra, Pantai Carnaval – Ancol Bay City, Jalan Lodan Timur No. 7, Jakarta
+62 (021) 920377

The mini-cabanas on the beach

(image from Multiply)

The deck seating area

(image from Multiply)

Sunset at Segarra Jakarta

(image from Multiply)

Another sunset shot at Segarra Jakarta

(image from Multiply)

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

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

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

Sky Dining – Dangling On A Cable Car

Joey Rosario — Sun, 04 May 2008 10:44:08 +0000

On a recent trip to Singapore, I had the opportunity to dine at Jewel Box’s Sky Dining. It was my first official date with my current girlfriend. And it’s unlike something I have experienced before; dining while dangling 100 feet up in the air in a cable car. If height ain’t your thing, this might not be the time to experiment. The dining is only available for dinner; starting at around 6 pm. I had a reservation for 6.30 pm. I figure we’ll catch the sunset.

The day started out pretty bad weather-wise. It rained all day and I was a bit nervous about not being able to enjoy the scenery. Luckily the weather cleared up about half hour before our dinner. The dinner starting point is at Mount Faber. The cable car itself isn’t that big. It probably seats 4 adults comfortably. A table was placed in between the seat. We took opposite seat from each other. The staff had about 2 minutes to prepare the table, seat us, and bring our appetizer before sending us on our way. The appetizer part finished pretty quickly. We saw the sunset on the horizon and it was beautiful. It took about half an hour riding in the cable car to get back to our starting point.

When we got there, the staff cleared up the appetizer before bringing in our main course. I had beef tenderloin and my girlfriend had salmon. We were served wine for the main course. We had to rush to finish the food. Half an hour isn’t a lot of time when you try to eat and get to know the other person at the same time. The dessert was last. And we had a choice between tea or coffee. I made a mistake by ordering another cake. It was too much food the last half hour especially after 2 rounds of food. I wouldn’t recommend ordering a cake unless there were 4 people at dinner.

At the conclusion of the dining experience, we were given a chance to purchase picture which was taken in the beginning. I would give the whole dining experience a 3 1/2 stars. It was nice and romantic in the beginning but after going 3 rounds (6 times) of seeing the same thing, it was a bit tiresome in the end. I would say this, it is probably more suitable for couple who has been going steady for a while or married couple than it is for couple on a first date or couple who are trying to get acquainted. At least for the former, they can just skip the whole experience and just made out. It is not cheap however at about S$ 100 a person. I would at least try it once (which I did) just for the experience.

Prior Reservation is required and menu has to be selected at the time of reservation.

Contact:
Mount Faber Sky Dining, Mount Faber, Singapore
+65 6377 9688

Sky Dining Singapore

Sky Dining Dinner

Dinner & Wine