My niece (Bullwinkle925's daughter) treated her mom to two wonderful nights at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, California. I am visiting Bullwinkle from Texas and got to tag along. As you may know, Bullwinkle lost her husband (and my niece her father) in October. We had the most delightful time!
Night 1: After the beautiful drive over the hill to Half Moon Bay, we checked in at about 4:30. We had a room overlooking the 18th green and an ocean view. Awaiting us in the room were wine and Diet Coke (because I don't drink), as well as chocolate-covered strawberries. Soon after we arrived a bellman came to the door and told us we'd been upgraded to the Club Lounge, where we could dine on various items for free. After we oohed and aahed a bit, we took a stroll, then got books and went to the Club Lounge. There we chatted with a nice woman from Florida who was there to survey the property - she's going to be selling it to potential guests/companies/etc. from her home in Florida. We dined on such things as herb-crusted tenderloin, shrimp cocktail, asparagus in lime oil, squash, bread and various fruits and desserts, and Bullwinkle had some wine and I ginger ale. Then we sat by the fireplace and read our books. After a foray into the gift shop, we hit the spa shop and purchased some "ice cream" balls for our baths and had a look around the spa facilities in preparation for our spa day to follow. Then we returned to our room and took baths. I had an incident with mine when I knocked the hand wand into the room and accidentally turned it on, spraying water all over the ceiling and everything else. I could just imagine the ceiling starting to peel off! It was a true Seinfeld moment that could only happen to a klutz like me. Then Bullwinkle went to sleep and I watched TV and read until I too got sleepy.
Day 1: We went to the Club Lounge for breakfast, where we dined on chocolate croissants (well, I did), yogurt and various fruits, as well as coffee. Then we went to the spa to begin our glorious day there. We were issued lockers with plush sage green robes and spa sandals, changed into them and then sat down to await our appointments. I went first for a calming lavender facial, my first facial ever. It felt so wonderful, and my skin felt amazing. A young woman from the Ukraine did it, as well as my manicure and pedicure later, and we talked a lot about our lives. She said her parents liked Bush because they approved of the Iraq occupation - EGAD! She also said she believed the government was behind 9-11. Then Bullwinkle had the same facial while I had my warming stone massage. OH MY GOD. I have somehow reached the age of 45 without ever having a massage, and I will no longer deprive myself. That was 75 minutes of pure bliss - I was practically drooling! The music and lighting in the room were perfect, and my muscles just relaxed completely, something I didn't expect, as I am wound probably as tightly as a person can get. The masseuse told my niece later that I had "great energy - she let me do anything!" I had told her I was tense and I guess she thought I'd fight back or something. Oh, it felt indescribably good. Bullwinkle had hers, and I had a spa pedicure next. She used paraffin, which I'd never had done before and which was hot, but nice. Bullwinkle had an "ice cream" pedicure while I had my spa manicure - she got to have a hot fudge sundae too! Between appointments we sat in a "relaxation area" and read our books while sipping on varieties of tea and delicious orange water. The spa also has a coed mineral bath, hot tub and gym, but we didn't make it to any of those.
Night 2: After the wonderful day of pampering we went to our rooms and were joined by my niece, and we all went to dinner at the Moss Beach Distillery, said to be haunted and which has been featured on "Unsolved Mysteries," I believe. We didn't see any ghosts, however (but we have had two weird incidents of paranormal activity about which I'll post later). When we got back to the Ritz we went to the bar, where Bullwinkle had an Irish coffee and I had hot chocolate. Then we shared some warm soft chocolate cake and ice cream and had coffee. It was a delightful day and evening.
Day 2: We packed our bags, checked out and headed to the Club Lounge for breakfast, then to the gift shop. We each bought several goodies for ourselves and family. Then we drove away and took the "Devil's Slide" to leave Half Moon Bay and reenter reality on the "outside!"
It was SUCH a treat. Bullwinkle is thinking of returning on Larry's birthday in February for another spa treatment. I hope to be able to go again someday. We felt so pampered - what a magical experience!
Here is the view from our room (from my cell phone and not the greatest quality, but you get the idea):
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