RomanceSydney.com.au has moved!

You can now find us at www.romancesydney.com.au!

Click here to see our fancy new site

The Carrington – Blue Mountains

Possibly one of the most picturesque hotels on Katoomba Street, The Carrington is a popular mountain retreat in the heart of Katoomba. It first opened in 1882 as The Great Western, and today it still holds much of its historic beauty while still catering to all modern needs (as it was restored in 1998).

The Carrington Hotel - Courtesy visitnsw.com

It is perfect located for a romantic weekend away, only two hours drive from the centre of Sydney. It is also surrounded by beautiful cafes and restaurants, perfect for a late, lazy breakfast or a romantic dinner.

There is also plenty to do in the Blue Mountains, with sightseeing topping the list. There are many amazing, natural landforms, such as the Three Sisters at Echo Point. Guided bushwalks abound, or you can try at the steepest train in the world at the Scenic Railway.

If, however, you prefer to stay close to the hotel I would absolutely recommend the Yindi Day Spa. Admittedly, before I departed on my journey to Yindi, I was skeptical and maybe even a little anxious, but let me assure you, it is amazing! They have an extensive range of couples packages for you and your loved one. I can honestly think of no better way to relax, and spend a quiet weekend.

Couple Room at Yindi Day Spa

Visit The Carrington website (www.thecarrington.com.au) for more details. Prices start from $119 per night, well worth it if you ask me! Couples Packages at Yindi Day Spa (www.yindi.com.au) start from $160, but I would recommend getting something like the “Couples Chocolate Fantasy”. Also don’t forget to look at the “Romantic Interlude” package, which includes and extensive spa treatment for two and  overnight accommodation in a Premier View Room!

Valentine’s Day!!!

It is upon us…

This is a day many of us dread. It is the one day our romanticism is tested to the very core. Its not a birthday, where presents can be bought and given without much fanfare, it is not Christmas, where procedures are well-known to all.

Valentine’s Day is a unique day, in that YOU – MUST – TRY! It requires the booking of restaurants, the buying of presents (often not suggested), and just generally a whole day of being nice.

Advice I can dish out for this day is minimal. Browse our site, see if you can find any ideas, even leave a comment and I’ll get back to you ASAP. If you are really struggling, however, I can suggest playing it safe; buy some flowers/chocolate, book a nice restaurant and just be nice!

Vaucluse – If you can’t live there…

Vaucluse is known mainly for its plethora of hugely expensive houses, yummy mummys and expensive cars. However, it is also home to many a secluded spot, perfect for a cheap romantic day out. There are plenty hidden beaches and parks, all with fantastic views of the city and great swimming spots in clear, blue water.

Nielsen Park - Photo by Barbara Ann Wiebel (www.holeinthedonut.com)

Above is an image of Nielsen Park, a very large park in the heart of Vaucluse, with great views over the water towards the city, and over to the North Shore. Within Nielsen Park there are many small beaches (like above) and plenty of shady picnic spots. There is also a kiosk for a relaxing lunch or dinner. Its definitely worth exploring, so take a picnic and your swimmers and hang round for most of the day!

Milk Beach

Along the western coastline of Vaucluse are a number of beaches (such as Milk Beach, above). To access any of these beaches, take the Hermitage Foreshore Walk from Bayview Hill Lane. This leads all the way up to Nielsen Park, and will take you past some of the most well-hidden, yet beautiful beaches Sydney has to offer.A great way to access everything along the Vaucluse shoreline is by kayak, which can be hired from Rose Bay (next to the Rose Bay RSL). Its worth taking a kayak and going by water as it gives you a fantastic view, and it lets you access areas that you wouldn’t be able to access by foot.

Shark Beach, Nielsen Park

Ripples Cafe – Milsons Point

No doubt a cafe that would be in the running for the best view in Sydney…

Ripples Cafe sits right on the water, next to Luna Park in Milsons Point. The positioning is perfect for a great view of the harbour and the city on a couple of hundred metres away. The great thing about Ripples is, contrary to what you might think after seeing the view and some of the food, it is not HUGELY expensive. Granted, its not a cheap restaurant, but it certainly isn’t overpriced with mains in the mid-$20′s.

I LOVE this cafe, for the food but mainly for the atmosphere. It really makes you appreciate the city that we live in, and works for breakfast, lunch or dinner. To have a look at their menu pop on the Ripples website.

Why not make a whole day out of it? Access is so damn easy by ferry (the wharf is literally 10m from the restaurant), and Ripples is located right next to Luna Park, so you could always pop by there afterwards for a ride on the ferris wheel or even just go for a stroll around Kirribilli or Lavender Bay.

Pandora – The Gift That Keeps On… Taking?

For the fashion unaware, a Pandora is a bracelet seen on the wrist of many a young lady. It is not any bracelet however, it is a bracelet of unprecedented style and cost. What, might you ask, is the benefit of this then?

Above, is an image of a Pandora. Essentially, it is a plain silver bracelet, a quarter of a centremetre thick. Once this has been purchased (for $30 – $40), one then proceeds to buy “charms” (which price from $27) to attach to the bracelet. Admittedly, this does seem quite pricey, and it is, but its like paying off a mortgage, there is never ONE big investment.

So the plan of attack is, you buy the bracelet with maybe one charm (maybe save that for a certain celebration e.g. anniversary, birthday etc.) and from then on, you have an easy, simple present idea for years to come, charms for a Pandora. They come in many styles, so you can buy a charm for a certain zodiac, or for different themes like buying a house, having a child, Christmas etc.

They can be purchased from most jewelers, or you can visit the Pandora website to find your closest retailer.

Movies Under The Stars

Summer in Sydney these past few years has brought with it the birth of “openair” cinemas. It is a place to go when the sunsets, to see everything from a new-release box office hit, to a contemporary cult film. However, these past few years many of the cinemas (especially Bondi’s OpenAir Cinema) is opening up to dining, DJ sets, live entertainment, and even new movie premieres.

St George Openair Cinema at Mrs. Macquarie's Chair

For me, this is a no-brainer when it comes to romantic activities in Sydney. Head somewhere nice for dinner, then amble on over to the cinema, maybe with some nice dessert to snack on. Any movie would be fine to watch, as the atmosphere could be soft and lighthearted, or both yourself and your partner could get lost in some deep, meandering thriller.

There are cinemas in Bondi (Bondi Openair), Centennial Park in Paddignton (Nissan Moonlight Cinema), and Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair in the city (St George Openair).

Visit the websites for pricing, movies showing at the moment, location and general ticketing information. And remember, be sure to get in early as tickets sell out extremely quickly, especially to the more popular movies.

Don’t Panic! We’ve Arrived!

We’re here. Thanks to us, thinking about your precious partner can now be minimised greatly, leaving time for other partners (you can now lower your input, but double your output!), loitering, and browsing weblogs at work.

Romance For Dummies is here to provide the average, less-than-romantic person the opportunity to become Fabio in the eyes of others, as it is not how one views ones self, but how others view you.

We will provide you with romantic picnic spots, fantastic dinner destinations,  unbeatable gift ideas, weekends away, exclusive specials offers, video content from both men and women regarding romance, everything you would ever need pertaining to romance in and around Sydney.

Your input is not only appreciated, but needed! The words “Web 2.0″ and “interactivity” get thrown around so often it is plainly obvious that without YOU providing feedback and suggestions in the forum and the comments section this website will fail, I will slowly lose faith in life itself, turn to drink, my wife will take the kids and I WILL die…

On that note, please visit often, and since you are here early, help build this site!

Romance for Dummies

Welcome to the Romance for Dummies website.

Here you will find all the information you will ever need to become the most romantic person on the block!