Be Heart Healthy This Valentine’s Day

Instead of posting the typical couple, chocolate and overpriced Valentine’s ideas that everyone else would be writing about, we’re encouraging you to try something different. How about taking the day off from work, or if you’re visiting Sydney, quit the standard sightseeing attractions, and get lost! Literally, we want you to take a breather and spend all day falling back in love with your heart. It demands attention, recognition and is craving to be strengthened. So this blog post is all about hiking and walking off the beaten trails. The exercise will do you good, the alternative sights will be loved by your eyes and your body will be blowing adrenaline kisses. Remember to tweet us pictures during your adventure or tag Cremorne Point Manor with @’s through the day.

Sydney is a stunning city and alongside taking the ferry to absorb the city by water, the famous coastlines are also incredible. Here are a few favourites of ours:

The Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk will take you through parks and beaches. The trail is around 6km and follows the city’s eastern suburbs. You can take your time strolling or pick up the pace and maybe complete it in under an hour.

If you’re itching to see more of the Harbour, we’ve got you covered. Take the two step trail from Wooloomooloo (incredible name, right?) to Circular Quay. You’ll venture through Mrs Macquaries Point and the Botanic Garden so remember to check both out during a pit stop. The garden’s over 200 years old so while you’re there continue the walking through the Calyx, with 18,000 plants. Remember to ask about the Sweet Addiction, botanic story of chocolate, exhibition.

For anyone who’s up for a near full day out of hiking, the Garie Beach Coast Track route is going to be your best bet. Its 26km long and you can either trail it yourself or take a Sydney Coast Walk guided tour. Maybe you’ll also consider spend the night there, camping. Star gazing through the night – could the 14^th February be any more romantic than this?

Finally, if you’re more of the adventurous type, how about heading to the Royal National Park? With 30km of beautiful coastline views, you can grab a picnic on the way and enjoy the lagoon and beaches. Locals are known for setting up all-star BBQ’s in this area so don’t be surprised to see loved up parties grilling away.

Cupid’s throwing his exercise arrow your way so make the most of the 14^th with a different heart-healthy objective, or comment which other trails you’ll be heading down.

Watch Stars Under The Stars

Hollywood Forever, California wasn’t the innovator of hosting outdoor movies but it is one of the US West Coast’s most favourite Saturday night summer events. The American drive through scene was most likely the earliest 50’s trend setter for this type of big screen entertainment. But over the years, countries around the planet have followed suit and hosted incredible outdoor movie nights as a fantastic alternative to overpriced cinema tickets.

So if you’re a lover of the outdoors, the big screen and looking to combine this together, then Ryde is where you need to be during March for Cinema in the Park. Only 22 minutes by car, driving north east from Cremorne Point, or 1.40 mins by public transport (make it an evening excursion!) you’ll be at the outdoor cinema extravaganza.

Showing movies through the month, the first kicks off on 17^th March with the Big Friendly Giant. On the 18^th March is Alice Through the Looking Glass, followed by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows and finally Pitch Perfect 2 on 24^th March. Obviously the movies are family friendly so if you’re visiting Sydney and looking to fit in like a native, this is the time to bond with locals that are highly likely to give you insider travel tips to keep your rugrats busy.

Each movie takes place at a different park in the area and even though the website hasn’t confirmed exact start times, it’s logical that you’d arrive (with picnic and blankets in tow) a couple of hours before sundown. It’s quite impossible to view an outdoor movie in blazing sunshine so expect the films to kick off as the sun sets.

Now in its 16^th year, expect to see eight metre screens with stereo sound and subtitles for the hearing impaired. Entry is free (woot!) but bring some cash if you forgot to pack food and drinks as there will be vendors selling a variety of nosh.

Parking is in abundance at each location and there’s no need to pre register as it’s a first ‘best non seat’ first served kind of set up. Just tip up, open up that low chair or oversized blanket, get out the champagne and nibbles and you’re good to go.

When you return back to us at Cremorne Point Manor, you can continue viewing the best silent, forever showing movie – the views of the Sydney Harbour and skyline from our balcony so make sure you have your popcorn at the ready!

We're Taking You To Serbia in February

Darling Harbour will be transformed to Serbia from the 4^th – 5^th February so buckle up, get ready to fly to a new cultural environment and expand your knowledge on how the other half lives…in the largest Serbian festival within the southern hemisphere.

Taking place in Tumbalong Park, the Serbian Orthodox Church and Serbian Orthodox Youth Association have teamed up to educate you on Serbia life. If you’ve never eaten Chevapi, Pljeskavica, Burek or Pita – you’re seriously missing out. How about Krofne or Palacinke? If all these don’t sound familiar, that means you really need to check out the festival and experience Serbian cuisine – native and street food at its best. For reference, Krofne are doughnuts so start learning that critical, culinary word while you wash the food down with the country’s favourite alcoholic (and non alcoholic) drinks such as Pivo (beer). On the beverage topic, did you know that Serbia’s within the wine belt, based on its perfect vineyard climate that claims to go back right to Roman ties. Get familiar with the names tamjanika and smederevka (white wines).

If booze is not the attraction, quench your thirst with Knjaz Milos. The country has an abundance of freshwater and mineral spring waters, again used since the Roman days either for spas or drinking.

Now that you’re full to the brim, jig it off with folkloric dancing and Serbian music. The former is an important part of the country’s culture bringing communities and families together. The latter hails with both urban and rural two-beat dances called kolo. This is a circle dance with literally no above-waist movement and can last for up to 13 minutes. Try it!

When you’re at the event, remember to tweet @SerbianFestival and @CremorneManor with pics so we can RT and hopefully, the festival will reciprocate.

The best two attributes of the festival are that a: it’s only a short ferry ride from Cremorne Point and b: event entry is free. So you can enjoy a budget friendly weekend of entertainment and accommodation, while not melting your credit card staying at our Manor.  Who’s in? 

Start 2017 on the Right Track

Putting your best foot forward this year, we’ve compiled a few walking trails for you to enjoy around Sydney and our stunning Cremorne Point. Make a resolution to walk more, especially during the daytime so you can grab additional Vitamin D from that blazing sunshine and increase your heart rate. Even if it’s walking partially (or fully) to work and back, getting off the bus early and strolling the rest of the journey or simply breaking away at lunchtime and hopping down the street instead of sitting at your desk eating.

Cremorne to Taronga Zoo:

Yes, this is an actual trail that will take you 1.45 minutes and your major organs will appreciate the exercise while your eyes will adore the stunning Harbour views along the way. Starting out at Cremorne Ferry Wharf, you can glide by Robertsons Point lighthouse before you venture into Cremorne Reserve and Mosmans Bay. You’ll follow the trail through Little Sirius Bay (seeing the historic Camp Curlew) and ending at the zoo. The zoo is huge so you’ll have additional walking excursions as you meet the animals….and what better way to end a full day than walk back through the same track (with reverse views!) to Cremorne Point Manor. Here’s the full trail on Wild Walks so you can map it on your phone.

Explore Cremorne Point:

Get ready for three hours of an easy walk, with again sensational Harbour views, from North Sydney. You’ll peddle down history lane while you learn more about the 86 acres of the area. This includes the way back legacy of Scottish watchmaker, James Robertson. He built a house at the tip of the point, known as Robertson’s Point. Over time the land was sold to James Milson, exchanged hands again and finally converted partial land to Cremorne Gardens in 1856. It closed after six years of unsuccessful business development and today, mass areas of the Point feature some of NSW’s most affluent homes, sensational hidden trails and foreshore land. You can read the history here, clicking the ‘Cremorne Point’ pdf.

Get Lost Around Sydney:

AllTrails have a fantastic set of interactive maps, including full pit stops and historic landmarks to gape at, alongside map feature options to download & save. Some of our favourites include the Manly to Spit Bridge Walk which is nearly as easy as the Bondi Beach to Coogee trail. If Taronga Zoo really got your goat, you can take a new trail from the zoo to Chowder Bay or venture down to the Lower North Shore area for an incredibly easy (absolutely flat land) excursion. The site also features interest centric walks such as architecture and history, or if shopping is your absolute destination, downtown’s district has some very easy walking trails while you pop in & out of stores for retail therapy. Once you’ve covered all these light trails, you can click the difficulty level and increase the next series of walks to moderate or hard.

Make sure this year includes more forward stepping instead of jumping into a car or public transport. And if you’re staying at our Manor, ask us about additional off beaten path walks. We know the area like the back of our hand and are more than happy to give you insider, local tips. Step it up in 2017!