Good Living with Aprilanne

When it comes to great Bay Area getaways it’s all about location - and just 45 minutes from anywhere in the Bay Area  - or a short 20 minute drive from SFO - the Oceano Hotel & Spa in Half Moon Bay is the “perfect coastal getaway.”

One of the great features of this property is it’s central - “hub-like” location which is in walking distance to everything the “Princeton by the Sea” quaint Pillar Point Harbor location offers.   Outdoor activities such as kayaking, whale watching, and Bay Aerial Helicopter tours are all just a short stroll from the hotel (literally).  We checked out the coast line from one of Bay Aerial’s tours and got the inside look at this Half Moon Bay Coastal Village from a very different perspective - the sky - it was absolutely phenomenal!

There is a fun shopping lane adjacent to the hotel, and a plethora of dining options to choose from including the award winning waterfront dining at Sam’s Chowder House where the authentic East Coast Style specialty seafood dishes are as incredible as the oceanfront views!

Built in 2008, this luxury property offers the casual elegance of a high end resort blended with all the comforts of home.  Each room boasts designer coastal decor, a private veranda with full on harbor and ocean views, flat screen television, fireplace, and wet-bar.  I thought the complimentary water bottles in the room’s fridge were also a nice touch.

After just one day at the Oceano I found myself contemplating the idea of staying longer!  I fell in love with the bamboo bed linens and ultra comfy beds, and found sitting by the fireplace at night the perfect way to relax after a day exploring the coast.  The peaceful sound of the fog horn in the distance at night lulled me to sleep - and I slept so well I thought I was actually “home” when I first woke up - a true sign of a restful night’s sleep away from home.

Romantics, outdoor enthusiasts, adventure seekers, and spa lovers will want for nothing when staying at the Oceano Hotel & Spa’s “park your car and walk everywhere” location.  Be sure to check out their numerous getaway packages - which range from golf to whale watching to the Oceano’s new spa offerings - where the facilities are brand spanking new and the service is divine.  And for those of you who can’t bear to be away from your sweetie for even a moment - The Oceano Coastal Spa offers a couples massage room with a deep soaking copper tub for two and double massage tables - clearly they have thought of everything!

This area of Half Moon Bay, CA is also the location the world-famous Maverick’s Surf Competition which is held annually in the winter when giant waves start pounding the surf and the world’s best big wave surfers are invited to compete.  You may find Maverick’s Founder and Maverick’s Surf Shop owner Jeff Clark with his lovely wife Cassandra at Maverick’s Surf Shop when you visit their shop  in town - and should definitely look into renting/buying stand up paddle boards and/or surfboards hand crafted by Clark for a great outdoor adventure and a workout that’s also fun!

Even though hints of fall are in the air - a stay at the Oceano Hotel & Spa in Half Moon Bay, CA will keep that fun, carefree, “endless summer” feeling alive in you - and rejuvenate you - mind - body - and soul.

The Oceano’s professional staff , modern accommodations, and convenient location allow me to confidently recommend a stay with them highly, and I welcome any comments and questions you may have regarding this dynamite CA Destination called “Princeton by the Sea” just north of Half Moon Bay, CA.

Where to eat in Princeton By the Sea, Half Moon Bay, CA:    The Oceano’s “create your own omelet” option on the room service menu is a great choice for breakfast if you want to take in the sights of the harbor and ocean from your private veranda while enjoying a healthy, tasty meal - we ordered the ‘roasted mushroom, spinach, and Harley Farms Goat Cheese omelet” three days in a row (yes - it was that good!).   PLUS - they grow many of the vegetables they serve right on the property for providing you with the freshest ingredients available!  The Mezza Luna Cafe is just next door where you’ll find specialty coffees, homemade pastries, sandwiches, pizza, and gelatos.

For lunch or dinner - check out Sam’s Chowder House’s awarding winning “Lobster Roll,” and/or their Cioppino, for authentic Italian Cuisine on the coast try Mezza Luna Italian Restaurant’s fresh seafood pasta offerings.  Just keep in mind - with accommodations and food offerings this good - you too may find yourself figuring out a way to extend your stay - a definite sign you are indeed enjoying the “good life” this incredible California destination has to offer - ENJOY!  Aprilanne

Catch California Living’s Inside Look at  “Princeton by the Sea” Half Moon Bay, CA Prime Time - Saturdays @ 7 PM on The Bay Area’s TV 50, Comcast 199, Channel 50 on Direct TV and The Dish.

Since I grew up spending my summers on the “Jersey Shore” - Labor Day weekend was especially poignant - as the weather after September quickly declined into a blustery state of winter bliss (to put it kindly).

Here in California, while Labor Day weekend does mark the last official big hurrah of the summer season, it ushers in some of the best weather we Californians can enjoy… and from the great weather we’ve been experiencing  these past few weeks - we have decided to go with an “endless summer” theme for CA Livings Travel Specials coming out this Fall - showing you where to “Stay & Play” in some of the best getaway destinations the Bay Area has to offer - so stay tuned for promos and sneak peeks coming next week!!!

In the meantime - for those of you into “bikini talk” - the following “history of the bikini” account may be of interest - here it goes…

Check out the shoes - one of the exact styles popular today!

“The Bikini celebrates over 61 Years of Fame and recognition this June” - and wading through the numerous articles and pictorials on this fashion item it became evident that since it’s inception there has been a sort of love-hate relationship with the Bikini. In 1946 Louis Reard introduced this scandalous fashion with the tag line: “A Bikini is not a Bikini unless it can be pulled through a wedding ring.” Around the same time Jacques Heim, known for classic sportswear designs introduced the “Atome,” which he dubbed “the smallest bathing suit in the world.”

Shrouded in scandal early on - the “Bikini” was frowned upon by the Vatican and banned on the beaches of Portugal and Italy. Historically, the Bikini is more that 1,700 years old according to mosaics dating from the 300AD at the Villa Romana Del Casale in Sicily, which illustrated women in two piece garments bearing their navels. On the “love” side of this see-saw relationship with the Bikini it took off as a fashion item in the late 1950’s. It has become a symbol of female expression. Movies have been an important part of the bikini’s history — and they continue that role today. Bikini images such as Bardot’s “And God Created Women,” Ursula Andress in “Dr. No,” and Halle Berry who re-created that look 40 years later in another James Bond flick, “Die Another Day” all remain classics in the history of the Bikini.

“In the 1980s, the Bikini suffered a dip in its popularity. Today, however, it is going strong again,” according to the US-based market research company NPD Group reported that sales of two-piece swimsuits nationwide jumped by 80% in two years. Teenagers and young women are said to be the major buyers, but women over 30 make up an increasing share. Some argue that the key to the Bikini’s re-found popularity is the ageing baby boomers who signed up to the fitness-obsessed culture. Kathy Peiss, a professor of women’s history at the University of Massachusetts argues that this baby boomer group is “inculcated with the idea that they won’t ever grow old.” All I have to say to this is: “GO BOOMERS!!!”

For some, however, it is the other end of the market that causes concern, arguing that the bikini, much like the “barbie doll,” has the ability to negatively effect the psyche and physical health of young girls. What might be important here is to keep the focus on the person inside and the development of character and personality in our youth so that wearing a “Bikini” is more a matter of personal choice for the individual, not a symbol of achieving perfection in a “perfection driven world.”

Today we are free to wear what we want to wear, and perhaps that’s the symbolic beauty of the “Bikini” - No matter who you are - what you do or how old you are - - you can wear a “Bikini” - no one can stop you…now that’s freedom.   Enjoy the long holiday weekend! Aprilanne