Terranea Resort

On those days when I've been sitting in traffic on the 405 Freeway for four hours, my mind wanders and I imagine myself poolside, perhaps overlooking the ocean, with palm trees swaying and the scent of coconut oil in the air. When I went to Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes for the first time recently, I realized that this was the place of my dreams. Terranea is located on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and has the kind of breezy, open-air, tropical feel to it that you would expect in Hawaii or South Florida. And the really great news is that if you live in Southern California, you can easily drive there and not have to deal with the craziness of any airports. If you are flying into LAX, it's about an hour's drive away and the scenery is gorgeous! After cruising along the coast for a little while, you will turn in at Terranea's driveway and pull up to a lovely fountain at the entrance.

We were greeted by some starfish just inside the main doors.

There is a spacious deck that runs along the back of the main building, where you can relax on comfy couches and take in the view.

You can see Catalina Island from the back deck!

The view from our room.

Of course, after seeing that, we had to go running downstairs to check out the pool up close. There are actually a few pools and hot tubs scattered around Terranea, and this main pool area also has a wonderful twisty waterslide for the kids!

This is your view facing away from the pool...

If you feel like taking a hike, there is a path from Terranea to Point Vicente (it's about a mile one-way), which is home to an Interpretive Center and Coast Guard Station. There is a lighthouse at the Coast Guard Station that is open on certain Saturdays, and you can actually go inside!

After all of that hiking, you might be ready for a snack, and I found some healthy options at the Spa Cafe. The kale and mango smoothie was delicious!

When it's time for a full meal, Catalina Kitchen has a nice big buffet for weekend brunch. You can relax on this outdoor patio and enjoy the ocean breezes!

Nelson's, which is a short walk from the main building, is a casual restaurant overlooking the water and has a warm fire pit in back.

In the evening, you can check out some live music just off the lobby.

The best thing about Terranea? Uninterrupted time with family! We can't wait for our next visit...and my son is still talking about the slide.

Contact Info:

Terranea Resort
100 Terranea Way
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

310-265-2800

www.Terranea.com

Cast of THE LION KING sings "Circle of Life"...on a plane!

Oh...if only this would happen on my flights! Some passengers on a recent flight got a BIG surprise when the cast of an Australian production of The Lion King burst into song.

My first book is here: FROM THE CORNER OF HOLLYWOOD AND diVINE

After moving to Los Angeles, I fell in love with a design style (and really, a lifestyle) known as Art Deco, which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Southern California is packed with buildings from the Deco era and vintage clothing stores, so I started to seek them out and then tell friends about these unique places I was discovering. I had so many people asking me for more information on places like The Edison (super-cool restaurant/nightclub in a former power plant Downtown) that I decided to team up with my friend Cori Linder and turn my adventures into a guidebook so that everyone can now be the girl (or guy) in-the-know when it comes to planning a fun day/night/weekend/week out!

Introducing...From the Corner of Hollywood and diVine: Your Guide to 30 Old Hollywood-Inspired Spots in Southern California, which will give you the scoop on lots of hidden gems. You'll discover:

Where can you stay that also housed the Munchkins during the filming of The Wizard of Oz. It's also rumored to have a secret tunnel connecting it to the former MGM lot!

 

 The hotel that hosted the very first Academy Awards ceremony. Could it be haunted? People have reported "cold spots" in the room where the ceremony was held!

The theatre (designed to look like an Egyptian tomb) that hosted the very first Hollywood premiere in 1922. Today, you can see a variety of films there, and it might even be a screening that's followed by a Q & A with a famous director and/or star.

 You can buy the book at www.lulu.com! 

P.S. The answers to the above are: Culver Hotel, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (the Blossom Room is pictured), and Egyptian Theatre.

Two Fun Family Movies: THE NUT JOB and THE LITTLE RASCALS SAVE THE DAY

The Nut Job: I'm just a squirrel, trying to get a nut...

My four-year-old son recently fell down and hurt his lip, and after cleaning him up (so much blood everywhere!!!) I knew we needed to do something quickly to cheer him up.

I asked what I could get him, and through the tears he said, "The Nut Job." We were spending the weekend at a hotel, and he knew I had it in my bag. (Thank you, Universal Home Entertainment!)

Tucked into bed with some milk and an ice pack, we settled in. I was excited to see the movie because three of my favorite actors were in it: Will Arnett, Liam Neeson and Maya Rudolph. Their voices were in it, that is; The Nut Job is animated.

Surly the Squirrel (Arnett) gets kicked out of his squirrel pack, which is led by Raccoon (Neeson), and strikes out on his own with his buddy, Buddy (Rob Tinkler). Everyone in the fictional city the film is set in is struggling to find food, so the two friends are overjoyed when they stumble upon a nut shop run by gangsters: "We've found it! The lost city of Nutlantis!"

Surly and Buddy plan to take all the nuts in a big heist, but Andie (Katherine Heigl), from the squirrel pack in the park, finds out what they're up to and wants them to share the nuts with the whole gang. What follows is the stuff of classic caper/heist movies, including double-crossings, power grabs, chase scenes, and romance. There's even a blonde bombshell named Lana!

It was wonderful seeing my son laugh at different jokes and be so into all the action, and I always enjoy a story about unlikely heroes. The Nut Job is a fun, light film that the whole family can be nuts about!




 The Little Rascals Save the Day: Spanky, Alfalfa, and the gang are baaaaaaaacckkk!

What a treat to get to see this movie, since I was obsessed with Spanky and Darla and Petey when I was a kid. It was so much fun to share this with my little guy, who is already a fan of the "tiny kids" (as he calls the Rascals).

The amazing Doris Roberts plays Grandma, who is in danger of losing her bakery. The kids step in to try to help (even Petey the dog gets a chef hat), and hilarity ensues when they try their hand at baking a cake.  Things get more complicated when the town's rich guy and bratty kid try  to buy the bakery and Grandma turns them down.

The Rascals come up with some different ideas to help Grandma, including a pet care business, a "Taxi Kab Servis," and a talent show.

This is a sweet family movie to see, especially if you love rooting for the underdog(s). I like that my son saw a group of kids putting themselves out there to do the right thing and help someone. Plus, it was really cool to see that even after all these years, Alfalfa still has that one patch of hair sticking up (even through a bike helmet!). I asked my son why other kids should watch The Little Rascals Save The Day, and he said, "Because it's really good." And how!