Valentine’s Day. Yes, this year the most romantic day of the year falls on a Saturday.
That’s an entire day devoted to you and your special someone. No rushed lunches or post work dinners.
For those of you now freaking out about how to fill a whole freakin day with loved up activities, fear not. Here’s our 12 hour guide to Valentine’s Day.
For the unattached out there, skip straight down to the bottom of this page.
Breakfast in bed
Breakfast in bed? Sure, if you’re game. Stock up on Friday night with ingredients for pancakes – egg, milk, sugar, flour – if you want to channel Nigella Lawson. If you’re not that way inclined, croissants, cronuts and muffins will impress your special someone too.
Champagne brunch
Or you could just sleep in and leave the slaving over the stove to the professionals. The InterContinental Sydney Double Bay’s Champagne Brunch is a great way to cover all bases. A glass of Tattinger champagne, cronuts, donuts, baguettes, muesli, yoghurt, goats cheese, brie, heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella, salmon – all good breakfast fodder. And then there’s the lamb chops, steak tartare… and that’s just the buffet. Each pair of diners gets to choose one share plate – don’t go past the slow cooked lamb.
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
(02) 8388 8388
intercontinental.com/doublebay
> Check out our review of Intercontinental Sydney Double Bay
Other brekkie hot spots to check out:
- Bowery Lane
- Bills Bondi
- Cuckoo Callay
- Coogee Pavilion
Work up an appetite
You’re completely stuffed after breakfast/brunch and that’s not too romantic. Work it off by hiring a tandem bike and cycling around Centennial Park together. Just kidding. “Too fast, too slow, stop pedalling, start pedalling, break!!” You’ll be fighting five minutes in. Not everything has to be done that together! Hire normal bikes, pack a few snacks, go for a pedal and stop off at the rose gardens for a nap on the grass.
Afternoon delights
For that post-exercise, pre-dinner lull, show that special someone you care with a heart shaped cookie from Infinity Bakery: chocolate, hazelnut and coconut, rye and salted chocolate and white chocolate and macadamia. Yum! There’s also heart shaped bread (think pretzel) for those bah hum bugs who don’t do sweets for their sweethearts.
Infinity Bakery
Locations at Paddington, Darlinghurst and Manly
infinitybakery.com.au
You know what they say about oysters. Get your dose of aphrodisiacs at The Morrison, their oysters are among the best in Sydney. Pair a dozen with a set two course meal (main and dessert) and their special Valentine’s Day cocktail and you’ve got yourself a decadent $89 per person date right there.
The Morrison Bar & Oyster Bar
225 Geroge Street, Sydney 2000
(020) 9247 6744
themorrison.com.au
Candlelit Dinner
Are we the only ones that picture that great scene in the Sex and the City when Carrie and Miranda suffer through cupid wings with their wine? Restaurants can go a little OTT when it comes to Valentines Day so make sure you check what the sittings and set menus are for the night.
Go all out with a six course shared menu at Pei Modern. The Four Seasons’ new restaurant by chef Mark Best oozes romance. Mood lighting, dramatic open kitchen, a glass of champagne each, Clyde River rock oysters, tiger prawns, Wagyu steak, and a meringue dessert. Enough said right?!
Pei Modern
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, 199 George Street, Sydney 2000
Bookings to sydney@peimodern.com.au or call 9250 3160
peimodern.com.au
Fairy lights, foliage, fabulous food – The Winery in Surry Hills is the old faithful. Always romantic but especially more so on Valentine’s Day. The newly renovated Champagne Room is offering a flute of Perrier-Jouet each and a tasting plate to share for $50 per person (sittings at 6pm and 6.30pm) for something light. Downstairs, you’ll get a tasting plate to share, choice of main, dessert and the flute of Perrier-Jouet for $75 per person.
> Why We Love Pei Modern
The Winery
285A Crown Street, Surry Hills 2010
Bookings Essential; (02) 8070 2424
thewinerysurryhills.com.au
Cocktail Hour
Night caps at The Apothecary are a must if you’re keen to carry on. Open till late, the hole in the wall bar’s booths are designed for two and are perfect for an intimate beverage or two. Or three. The cocktail flights (3 drinks, lots of theatrics) are just downright fabulous.
The Apothecary
229 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst 2010
eaudevie.com.au
A Night Out Under the Stars
Not into doing the expected? Then how about a Roar and Snore Concert at Taronga Zoo? Nibble on canapés, down some drinks and get up close with some wild life before letting Anthony Callea do the serenading. Indulge in a gourmet hamper by chef Giovanni Pilu and end the night under the starts, camping in a private safari-style tent overlooking Sydney’s stunning harbour.
Twilight at Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman 2088
Gates open at 5.30pm, Show starts from 7pm
twilightattaronga.org.au
Adults Only:
If you’re more interested in shenanigans than romance (or a combo of the two) then you can’t go past the QT Hotel in Sydney’s CBD. Any place where you’re greeted by a red head vixen dressed in a burlesque uniform is guaranteed to be a wild night. Sign yourself up for the Adults Only package: you’ll get an upgrade to a QT King Deluxe, daily breakfast for two at Gowings Bar & Grill, an Agent Provocateur private fitting with sparkling wine and strawberries, a limited edition Agent Provocateur Swarovski embroidered eye mask, QT chocolate lips and an espresso martini kit. We almost forgot, expect to also find an iPod in your room loaded with a sexy playlist for additional mood setting. And finally, let us leave you with these three words: Duo shower heads.
QT Sydney
Cnr George & Market Street, Sydney 2000
(02) 8262 0000
qtsydney.com.au
> Want to know more about QT Sydney? You Got It!
Single?
Don’t hate on Valentine’s Day just because you’re unattached. There’s plenty of fun to be had.
Go On a Date
The Five in Five challenge starts this Valentine’s Day – the idea is you #daretodate by doing five dates in five weeks, raising money along the way for not-for-profit organisations fighting poverty, social disconnection and homelessness. This is about getting back out there and actually dating – come one guys, nobody “dates” very well in Sydney. Register online, get your friends involved, get people to suggest dates, go on dates, raise money and maybe find love along the way.
Five in Five Challenge
fiveinfive.org.au
Buy a Date
No, we’re not talking escorts or mail-order dates. We’re talking a fun night out that’s up for grabs with a hot bartender. Firefly in Neutral Bay are catering to all the single ladies and are raffling off a date with their barman, Henry. And yes, Henry is a Hottie (with a capital ‘H’). You can enter anytime between now and Valentine’s Day, simply dine at Firefly before Feb 14 – entry is free (ok, so you’re not really buying a date. Feel better?). Then head on over to the Firefly on V.Day and find out if you’re the lucky one who gets to go on Henry’s romantic dinner with all the trimmings (cocktail on arrival, bottle of French Champagne, lavish banquet, all the good stuff). It’s not every day a prize like this is on offer so don’t miss out.
Firefly Bar
24 Young Street, Neutral Bay 2089
(02) 9909 0198
fireflybar.com.au
