Newport Report

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I don’t care what the haters say. I love LA…… and the entire Cali coastline. Newport was my home base during my latest sojourn to SoCal. Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite things in the area to check out.

For starters, see if you can find a friend who lives on the water and doesn’t have Visiting Friend Fatigue yet. On the ocean side, the California archetype of surfers ride the open waves, while the boardwalk is constant cruiser bike rush hour. You can almost hear the Beach Boys singing.

One the east side of the Balboa Peninsula, small residential islands that you can drive onto by bridge create a canal system that doubles the water frontage in the hood. The extra waterfront doesn’t make for any real estate bargains, but the wave-free aqueducts allow for smooth paddle boarding.

But should you be forced onto the open seas in something slightly larger, don’t walk the plank. The captain’s got the wheel! Sit back and have a drink.There were closer cultural options, but a mile shy of Malibu, the Getty Villa called my name. Even if antiquities aren’t your thing, the architecture and the gardens here will tug at your heartstrings. Perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean in Pacific Palisades, the Getty Family built this museum just below their own ranch house in the 1970’s.Modeled after a first-century Roman country house to house their collection of 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities, the 64 acre complex seems a world away from busy PCH at the end of the driveway. Due to the extreme drought, this was the only pool that had water in it, luckily for the koi. And Bacchus riding that wineskin waterfall.

For some reason, it was the art on P3 that spoke to me most. Dude, where’s my car?Back to Newport and one of my favorite malls ever. And I don’t even like malls. But Fashion Island is an orchestration of outdoor retail beauty. With the ocean misty in the background, those beautiful palm trees are just the beginning — since they border the parking lot. Within the shopping space, dozens of high-end boutiques and restaurants will put your plastic through its paces. Jonathan Adler was my fave. But don’t even think of pulling a fast one here — the mall cop rides a mean Segway.Fashion Island also has the most extravagant koi pond I’ve ever seen. At least fifty fish swishing at high speeds. Must be the penny-free pool.But you can’t wander a mall forever. Further down the coastline, you’ll find Crystal Cove Beach Cottages. Many of them were built for movie sets in the 1920s. Part of the state park’s 3.5 miles of pristine beaches, the seaside colony is run by a non-profit, which rents them out at rates way cheaper than any house rental on the Cali coast would normally cost. From my perch above at Ruby’s Shake Shack (definitely stop in for a milkshake) it looked like Super Family Fun Time, so keep that in mind if you’re hunting for a muy romantico situation.After much geeking out online, I discovered parking fees were in the double digits for Crystal Cove State Park. I chose to hike in Laguna instead, where you can park downtown all day for $3. As a Calgarian who enjoys some of the most expensive city core parking in Canada, I had to get some of that.After entering the trail beside Irvine Bowl, a steep climb awaited.So did flowering prickly pear cactus. Bonita!
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is 7,000 acres of prime real estate, criss-crossed with trails and ocean views.Afterwards, reward yourself with a jaunt through downtown Laguna. The vibe is similar to Carmel, except it doesn’t seem to exclusively attract the Honeymoon And Seniors Set. Amble the blocks across from the beach and you’ll discover oodles of independent boutiques and art galleries.Take that reward up a notch with an al fresco lunch at Zinc Cafe. In sunny California it seems like every salad is spectacular. And every Chardonnay is buttery. Then you’re ready for ice cream and the American dream, at the Laguna beach of MTV fame.

Sights of Sayulita

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Different worlds collide and co-exist in Sayulita. This serene señora comes down from the hills every day to sell her handmade jewelry. I went crazy for her natural pearl necklaces (or bracelets or belts — however you want to wear them). She also made the traditional dress she’s wearing.

Walk to Sayulita

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Enamored as we were with the Love Nest, Mexico is bigger than a single casita. With Sayulita on our minds, we ventured out along the barely contained jungle path through our resort. The village is only a five minute taxi ride, but we wanted to walk there.

Love Nest

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When a resort christens a casita the Love Nest, it raises certain expectations. Will it be worth that sheepish moment at the restaurant when you charge dinner to the room and they ask which villa you’re in? Yes. A thousand times yes.

A steep, switchback trail through Playa Escondida’s jungle-jammed property leads to the secluded bamboo villa. After our 56-stair climb, I was glad we didn’t have to lug our own suitcases. (I was going to say I don’t stay at lodgings without bellboys, but then I remembered gracing an Idaho motel with my fabulous presence less than three weeks ago). The Love Nest’s front door was just a few more steps up on the right, but first I had to see what was beyond Door Number Two, ajar and tantalizing.It turned out to be the door to paradise. From our Lanai, which just seems so much more apropos than veranda or porch, we faced due west. Perfect for sunbathing, sunsets and moonsets. We could see a little of the resort’s beach below, but no other villas. And no one could see us.The Love Nest is more than surface beauty — it has a quirky personality that gives you a constant grin. A circular thatched hut with adobe flair, the lower landing inside has a seating area, a mini-fridge and table for two.Upstairs, the main attraction is the bed, minus the traditional swan towels. It takes up almost the entire room, even though it’s only a double. As a king-sized coma aficionado, I was worried about this, but I slept blissfully. Maybe it’s something in the water…… which was purified, prettified and provided for in abundance. The only mirror only offered a view of my clavicle, but I was too charmed by the bamboo faucet to worry. Besides, it gave me ammo for my vacation m.o. of avoiding my hairbrush.In keeping with the Love Nest theme, the shower is built for two, with a shower head in each corner. If you haven’t noticed yet, bamboo is the only barrier between you and the jungle — no windows.Back up the steps to the bedroom (if you’re not ok with steps, this is not the villa for you) the ocean vista, along with the siren song of the crashing waves, usually lured me back out to the lanai…… where I had the option of a hammock with a view…… or a lovingly landscaped two-person hot tub. The gardeners here make sure to fill in any jungle bald patches with plants. The pink-leafers popped my peepers. Meanwhile, the waterfall behind the tub was lovely, but it conflicted with my ocean audio. Yes, I’m that type of hotel guest. The amazing staff here acted like I wasn’t nuts. However, when you’re in the tub, you don’t really notice all of this…… because this is the direction you’re facing, with Punta Mita out there on the left. You can see that it’s a tough decision every night: where do you sit to take in the sunset?Or do you sample some of the other activities available at the Love Nest?Still, even paradise has its pain. If you leave your shoes outside, give them a shake first before putting them on. Who wants a scorpion sting getting in the way of getting jiggy?We could have watched the sunsets from the beach, but then we’d miss all the colors reflecting in the sand. During a week at the Love Nest, I saw the best sunsets of my life. Think I’m exaggerating? Here’s the video:

Set a bookmark — Blue Besos is in Sayulita all week!

Playa Escondida

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Blue Besos Goes to Sayulita!Playa Escondida is a secluded beach 18 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It’s also the name of the muy romantico boutique resort here, tucked into the lush jungle hillside overlooking the Pacific.If, for some loco reason you didn’t realize it when you made your reservation, when you arrive at the resort’s office (to do that, I recommend booking the hotel’s driver, who will greet you at the airport with a giant Suburban and make sure you have enough cervezas for the 40-minute ride, purchased from the liquor store conveniently located in the PVR parking lot) it hits you: this is not a Four Seasons. Or a Hyatt. Or a Hilton. Or any other hotel brand with a global marketing initiative. And, as a globally recognized woman tends to say… it’s a good thing.This is what a hallway looks here. Overflowing with foliage, Playa Escondida feels like a hipper version of the Swiss Family Robinson’s house, minus the ladders. The very things that make this resort so wonderful also make it tricky to photograph. On the right, you’ll find the entrance to the fine dining restaurant. The steps up to the lounge are hidden on the left. Follow the path to the end… … and you’ll arrive here. Don’t feel compelled to choose the hammock because that lounger looks a little too hard. Someone will be right out with cushions to get it just right, Goldilocks.Even when it’s booked solid, the small number of rooms at the resort limits guest numbers, keeping the beach muy tranquillo. It’s not the best for swimming with these rocks scattered along the shoreline, but if you walk south for, oh, about five minutes, with Monkey Mountain in the distance, you’ll find a long stretch of sand. Perfect for body surfing. Even during major holidays, the beaches south and north of the resort are deserted, probably because there are no other hotels along this stretch of the Nayarit coast.Or you can get there on horseback, via a jungle trail. The hotel has its own horses, so if you book a ride, it’s just you and the gaucho. Speedy is playing it cool, but I look a little bedraggled because we’ve just been cantering up and down the beach having the ride of my dreams, splashing through the waves. Check out Speedy’s one-eared bridle! Her Mexican saddle is totally different than Simon’s Argentine polo saddle, but once I settled into it, it was vaquera time.The owner, who has no other hotels, started with a couple of thatch-roofed casitas ten years ago. Now up to almost 30 rooms and villas, two thirds are either right on the beach, like these ones above, or have an ocean view.After outdoor yoga, offered free every morning on a terrace overlooking the ocean (claro) I finally tried a coffee at the restaurant, also overlooking the ocean, although my photo doesn’t really show it. Being in vacation mode, I have to admit that My Usually Ultra-Excellent Photography Skills were in slacker mode.Every other day I had my coffee at the room, brewing it myself with the maker provided. Can you see why I had vacation brain? Look at this view! Deets on the Love Nest later. (I’m not kidding — that was the name of my room). Meanwhile, I highly recommend David Sedaris’ latest: Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls. His hilarious essays were the perfect length for my reduced mental alacrity. Playa Escondida is one of those rare hotels where the reality is actually much, much more beautiful than the website photos. Which is saying a ton, because their website is great. I was so agog, I almost forgot to blog.

So I’ll leave you with the video that instantly cemented my decision to come here. It’s like no promo I’ve ever seen, and instantly filled me with amor for my as-yet un-met amigos at the resort. Meanwhile, that’s not all! Blue Besos Goes To Sayulita continues all week.

Whitefish: Avant Ski

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If you’re a skier or snowboarder, chances are you also excel at après ski. I myself am a Double Black Diamond après, and have the boozy fireside tales to prove it. On Friday, Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana came to Calgary to introduce a new excuse to party in the name of winter sport: Avant Ski.

Pony Shopping in Palm Springs

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I need another pony.This is Simon, the star on my string of one, at Calgary Polo Club last summer. To play 4-chukker Club League this summer, I need at least two ponies. I’ll have to double them (play them for two chukkers each), which isn’t the best, but it’s within the rules — and at my mellow pace, it’s not too hard on them. Right Simon?Part of my Palm Springs mission, besides enjoying a break from the brutally long Calgary winter, was to come home with another pony. For advice, the first person I turned to was Kyle Fargey. He’s a 3-goaler who runs the polo academy at Calgary Polo Club in the summer and captains a team at Eldorado Polo Club in the winter. Since stick and balling a horse can be totally different than playing one, it’s advisable to try a new one in a game. Even though his ref shirt makes it look pretty serious, Kyle organizes friendly matches all season long. The horse he’s helping me with here is Lobo, one of his school string. I’ve ridden Lobo many times and he’s one of my faves. Just one little problem — he’s not for sale.I love Lobo, Kyle! Why don’t you just sell him to me? It would make this weekend a lot easier.Another problem? My budget. It wasn’t big, but I had a strategy, visiting the second last weekend of the season in Indio, when players would be looking for good homes for their older, slower ponies, to make way for their own new acquisitions. Tucker was the first pony I tried.Great chukker, Tucker! Boy, did we have a good time. This 16-year-old desert pony has played 4-goal most of his life. This year he played 1-goal at Empire Polo Club, which is still pretty darn fast. But he was perfect for me, with an easy-going, adorable disposition.But it’s a big world out there, with a lot of horses to become emotionally attached to. Next was Carlitos. His owner is so fond of him, he wasn’t even officially for sale. Saddled up, his hide bleached out from the sun, Carlitos looked mellow. When I took him out to stick and ball, it was love at first ride. Super-responsive with a comfortable canter… but then the mellow gave way to a need for speed that my riding abilities just couldn’t handle.Still, look how cute he was afterward! I found myself thinking that if I got him off the oats, and he realized he wasn’t playing 8-goal any more, maybe he’d slow down for me. Then I had to get a grip. Pretty pony or not, I can’t go buying a horse I can’t play in a test chukker. Still, thanks for your help, Bree!Over my long weekend in the desert, I tried so many ponies I don’t have pictures of them all. I only remembered to grab a shot of Tango at the last second — after trying him turned into an hour of pro Santos Arriola analyzing my swing. Thanks Santos! Unfortunately, Tango was too much horse for me. I’m not ready yet to stop on a dime and turn like lightning. I need a pony that will help me out when I give him mixed messages and wrong signals! Or at least ignore them.

Check out this video shot by Santos, giving all the right signals, in both Spanish and English.Back to Tucker. I was getting serious about him. Time for another chukker with Kyle’s Coaching League. Wish we had video of us scoring a goal in the first minute! It just added to the love story.I didn’t mind his knock knees — he felt sound in the game.Conveniently, Calgary vet Candace Crosby, was also playing in Coaching League that day and was available to do a vet check. Many polo peeps will tell you they don’t do a vet check on an older horse, because they just won’t pass. But in addition to his asking price, I was looking at an added cost of almost $1000 for the 3-day trip to Calgary and his border papers. I knew I needed someone to be logical. Because I was swooning over Tucker.After checking his teeth, Candace told me he was probably older than 16, although in polo, you almost don’t need a vet to tell you a horse is older than the owner says. It doesn’t mean they’re lying. For some reason in this sport that I can’t figure out, no one seems to know exactly how old their ponies are. However, I’m not ageist — I like older horses. I was told Simon was 24 when I bought him, but others have put him closer to 100.Candace did a thorough flexion test, checked his toed-out conformation and gave me a long list of issues. They didn’t appear to affect his game, but I had a lot to think about.Palm trees and pools make contemplation easier. If I didn’t have to ship Tucker to Canada, I probably would have bought him, but I decided not to go for it. There was another horse I really liked, but I got out-bid. So now, with June practice chukkers starting soon, I’ll be pony shopping in Alberta. Hopefully another steed will come my way and I’ll be in love all over again.

El Paseo Fashion Week 2014

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Every year in mid-March, the Rodeo Drive of the desert, El Paseo, holds a week-long salute to spring fashion. Haute fashion thrives in the heat of the Coachella Valley. But this being the greater Palm Springs area, which has always had a flair for entertainment, there’s more than couture going on under the big white tent. Don’t let the ladies with the white hair fool you.Palm Springs knows how to party! Which Dr. Deb Windham, wearing white, specializes in. The physician and artist is a renowned Coachella Valley personality.So is Karen Barone, half of the husband-and-wife artist duo Karen and Tony. The super cool horse sculpture behind her is one of their creations.As someone who spends a lot of time agonizing over my as-yet unpublished novel, I particularly liked that books were also part of the party. Fabulous Books, with its homage to Tinseltown allure, is a wonderful shop on the main drag in Palm Springs. After everyone got their cocktail on, it was time for the catwalk. The runway was rocking all week, but the Saks Fifth Avenue show, featuring top designers from McCartney to McQueen, is one of the highlights. Below are pics of some of my fave outfits for both women and men.I had one of the best seats in the house, right at the end of the runway.… with a pack of paparazzi behind me. Forgive the blurry action shot.Then it was on to the after-party at the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert. There’s so much art in the desert, the museum needs an outpost just 12 miles away.Don’t tell the impeccably decked-out Francesco Santoro that I’ve been wearing the same outfit all week. The Beverly Hills handbag designer specializes in exotic skins like crocodile, ostrich and python. I tried to keep my threadbare Gucci out of sight.This party even gave a culture-boost to a break for the loo. I took the long way to the restroom so I could check out Red Sweater. Victor Rodriguez uses acrylic on canvas to show his daughter looking at a photo of Christy Turlington.Woman: can you believe how real she looks? Man: [wisely not saying anything].Joan by John Deandrea is beautiful and spooky at the same time.Ain’t no party like an El Paseo Fashion Week party! See you next year!

Blue Besos goes to Palm Springs

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There are loads of deserts in this big ol’ world, but in Calgary, when we say we’re going to the desert, we mean Palm Springs. Or Palm Desert, Indio or any place in between. Although with the massive sprinkler systems here, it seems more oasis than desert. Flying in from the black, white and brown tones of a miserably long winter to the hi-def technicolor of the Coachella Valley, I felt like Dorothy when she realized she wasn’t in Kansas anymore.My first stop was the Eldorado Polo Club. During their season, January through the end of March, you can find a game being played just about any day of the week. Anyone can watch for free.On Sundays, see the match in style under the white tent of the Clubhouse, with table service for food and drinks.Or pull up your vehicle to the side of the field to tailgate.After, head to the other end of the club for a margarita at the Cantina. You never know who you’ll bump into. Chances are good it could be a Canadian, as evidenced by the ice hockey on the TV in the background. Or it could be country singer Pete Martinez, whose latest album was produced by Dave Matthews.Outside the Cantina, while the sun sets over Mount San Jacinto and the second highest mountain range in Southern California, there’s usually a desert dog who’s feeling social.Beyond the action of the games and the parties, there’s a quiet calm at the club. Tack rooms here had green roofs way before they became a LEEDS trend.Peep into a stall hidden by plywood and you might just find a foal like this one, five days old.On the track, grooms drift by, managing up to seven ponies at once.Up next, coverage of El Paseo Fashion Week and my attempt at a shopping spree that had nothing to do with fashion.