Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Vacation
I have a five-day vacation coming soon, and for once we have no obligations to either set of relatives. We could go anywhere.
The initial plan had been to go up north and visit with the folks at my old hospital, see my former employees, suck up some nice redwood- and/or saltwater-scented air, and do some tide-pooling, but I think Jake wants to see something different. I suggested Monterey (California, that is, home of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Asilomar, and some fantastic tide-pools). But as really crappy luck would have it, the Mazda Raceway is hosting some sort of motorcycle race that weekend, and there’s no room in the inn. Asilomar is sold out, as is the HoJo which is more or less across the street.
Asilomar is really neat place to stay, incidentally. It’s a conference center nestled amongst pine trees, deer, sand dunes, and of course TIDE POOLS. None of the rooms have television, but in this age of high speed internet, who needs a television? In my former life as a grad student, we had our annual meetings at Asilomar. Many rooms have wood-burning fireplaces. Nothing as awesome as a pine-scented fire burning in your fireplace. Snap, crackle, pop. And they often have huge bonfires at night in their fire pit.
Damned motorcycle racers!
So we’ve decided upon San Diego instead. Jake loves aquariums, zoos, and museums, and San Diego has plenty of those. We’ll likely hit the aquarium at Scripps, some subset of the various tide pools, and perhaps the San Diego Zoo. Now we just gotta figure out where to stay and where to eat.
D.
The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel is on my wish list of places to take my granddaughters who are 16. Beach, spa, eco-adventures, surfing–they would love it. From the website: Escape to one of the world’s finest luxury resorts – The Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel. Consistently ranked among the world’s premier travel destinations, this alluring Dana Point vacation spot provides the perfect getaway for the discriminating guest. Restore your spirit in the cleansing waters of our brand-new spa. Enjoy innovative seafood cuisine in our ocean-view restaurant. Treat yourself to a romantic Southern California beach vacation in our richly appointed hotel accommodations in a striking oceanfront setting.
At The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel we have built a legacy of extraordinary service. This tradition extends into our social and environmental responsibility programs. The Ladies and Gentlemen of the resort are committed to Environmental Protection for our employees, guests and communities, as well as positively impact the lives of others. By implementing a wide range of environmental solutions– including exhilarating eco-adventures offered in partnership with world-renowned explorer, environmentalist, and educator Jean-Michel Cousteau – we intend to increase our efforts every year to conserve and protect global natural resources. Additionally, we collaborate with local organizations to direct our resources where the most impact will be made through our Community Footprints programs.