I mean, seriously . . .

Staying at the Montage Laguna Beach has been pure luxury. I have never been so spoiled in all my life. Travel will never be the same.

Kim has a membership to Exclusive Resorts, so she is the reason we are here. Thank you Kim! Our personal concierge, Erica, made a whole bunch of arrangements for us before we ever even got here. She scheduled our pedicures, massages, facials, and meal reservations. Anytime we needed anything, Kim would just call Erica and she would take care of it. We had food in our little fridge and an assortment of crackers and bread and fruit and veggies waiting for us.

The central sitting room. We hang out here every night and watch movies.

Every day at the pool we do absolutely nothing. Lovely "pool personnel" came to us to take food and drink orders and open, close, and move our umbrellas. We only had to get up to go swim or to the restroom. Everything else was taken care of. And all the guys at the pool were so nice, and handsome, with "perfect teeth."

One time all three of us wanted to be in the shade of the umbrella but it wasn't happening, so one of the guys brought over two additional umbrellas (heavy to move) and made sure we all had shade. Twenty minutes later we were ready for the sun again, so he came back over and put the umbrellas down. We never had to move. We were brought menus, water, drinks, and the food we ordered. We could charge it to the room or pay for it at the time. If we wanted a certain salad but didn't like all the ingredients and wanted different ingredients, it was never a problem.

Poolside!

Lobster salad with baby greens, mango and grapefruit wedges.

Avocado and sun-dried tomatoes were replaced with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.

Enjoyed it with a virgin watermelon-agave margarita.

Every day someone would come to the room and check the mini bar and fridge to make sure we have plenty of what we wanted. Every day housekeeping came and took away dirty dishes, made up the rooms, straightened our stuff in the bathrooms, and even folded our clothes that were thrown about, including pajamas. Then, in the evening, housekeeping would come by for "turn down" service, meaning leaving little rugs next to our bed, with slippers, and chocolates on the nightstand. I couldn't sleep the first night because a pad on the bed was causing the bed to be too hot and me to sweat. I took it off the next night and it was never put back on. Very observant housekeeping.

This is mine and Jody's room.

Right now, and as we have every night, we are sitting around the TV watching a movie or two with the fire going. We've had room service for dinner a couple of times, and they bring a little vase with flowers with our dinner. They set up dinner on our coffee table with napkins and silverware, condiments, and water with lemon. We move the furniture around for good seating and leave it that way. Housekeeping always puts it back where it belongs.

We have a rental car but we would never have to use it if we didn't want to. The Montage has a car service that will pick you up at the resort, take you anyplace in town, and then pick you up again to bring you back. Ramone took me to Spa Josephine for a facial today and Adam picked me up and brought me back. Both guys were so nice and chatty. It was a big black gas guzzler vehicle and it was just me, but that didn't seem to matter.

 

Doesn't everyone have a driver?

 

Today was a pretty normal day for us. Jody got up earlier than Kim and I and went to "reserve" some prime location chairs by the pool. We can reserve them as long as we are there by noon. Jody went to her massage appointment and Kim and I were at the pool by 11:30 a.m.

 

I borrowed a hate from Kim to keep the sun off my face because

I had a facial appointment today.

 

Kim, making plans for the next exclusive resort vacation!

 

Jody got back to the pool just as I was leaving for my facial - at Spa Josephine - and shampoo & blow dry. The facial was great - very calming to my skin. And it was a treat to have somebody wash and blow dry my hair. I have become so spoiled.

 

 

Tonight, for dinner, we went with Erica's recommendation of an Italian restaurant called Alessa. She said it was her favorite. Handmade, homemade pastas and sauces, etc. So, of course, Erica made our reservations and off we went. We got there a little early, so we walked into a cute little shop and saw the funnest little hats. We were having a good time trying on the hats when one of us, maybe Kim's purse, caught one of the displays of clothes and fell down, knocking down a mannequin in the window, which crashed into the window and scared a woman on the street. We were all startled but couldn't help but laugh. We left while the man in the store was still trying to pick everything up. Very funny.

 

Appetizer at Alessa.

NODINI Lightly breaded Mozzarella, flash fried, pomodoro basil sauce

 

Waiting for our food to arrive. Great atmosphere!

 

My meal -

LIMONCELLO Limoncello infused radiatori pasta, scallops, prawns, Pinot Grigio wine sauce.

Very, very good!

 

Homemade salted caramel gelato. Yummy!

 

Another fabulous day at the Montage and in Laguna Beach, California!

Tomorrow? Our last full day at the Montage. Our plans? Nothing other than sit by the pool.

 









Laid back Thursday

We had a slow morning - my favorite - and then decided to go for a drive up the coast a ways. It wasn't nearly as wonderful as we wanted it to be. Too much traffic and not enough ocean. But we had lunch at Duke's in Huntington Beach and stopped at Whole Foods in Newport Beach. Too touristy for me, but it was a nice day for a drive.

Dining at Duke's Huntington Beach

 

 

Before we left Laguna Beach, the girls wanted a coffee for the road, so we stopped at the Koffee Klatch right on Pacific Coast Highway. I stepped into a cute little shop next door. It was the Main Gallery of Hillel Rzepka, the "Heartist." Kim found the Beachside Gallery on our spa day. Love the little hearts and ended up buying a necklace.

 

Really pretty glass hearts, made with different colors.

All handmade here in Laguna Beach.

 

 

Mine is aqua and green and I love it! Aqua is the color of life, the ocean, and compassion. It represents security, loving, and caring. Perfect for a sensitive person like a healer or therapist.
Green is the color of nature, intelligence and balance. It represents growth, change, teaching, and healing. Perfect for a lover of people & nature. Sounds like me!

 

When we got home from our drive I took a long nap while the girls hung around at the adult pool and then took a quick dip in the hot tub. We all were too tired to get dressed and go out so we ordered in again. Such great room service.  Everybody here is so friendly and provide awesome service.

 

Hot tub beauties.







Sunset at the Montage

Last night, as the sun was setting, I decided to take a walk to the north end of the resort. It was a nice, easy walk, very pretty. And well worth it.

Bedside to Poolside

 

Decided to get out of bed about 11:00 a.m.  and by 11:30 I was at the pool, with this as my view. I even saw some whale spouts out in the beautiful blue ocean. It's now 6:25 p.m. and I just came in. What a glorious, perfect vacation day. Didn't even leave the pool to have lunch. I'm afraid I'm getting way too comfortable with this lifestyle.

 

Poolside prawn caesar salad 

Girlfriend Getaway

I think my favorite feeling is laughing with someone and realizing half way through how much I enjoy them and their presence.

My dear friend Kim Moger, whom I've known for almost 30 years, invited myself and our other dear friend Jody Alfiere, whom I've known for a little over 30 years, on a fabulous girlfriend getaway to Southern California, specifically the Montage Laguna Beach. What an incredible treat! It's my spring break so it is perfect to be away from home, the office and the studio.

We left on Easter Sunday - April 5 - and got to Laguna Beach about 3:00 p.m. Weather was gorgeous! Sunny, warm, but not too hot. We drove from the Long Beach airport in a BMW rental - so comfy!!

 

We arrived at the Montage and were immediately greeted by our personal concierge. Well, so this is how the rich and famous live! She took us on a little tour, starting at the deck that overlooks this fabulous view. Heaven! Blue skies, turquoise blue ocean, this huge pool with umbrellas and cabanas and people everywhere. Easter Sunday and Spring Break and warm weather. 



The little building in the center (not really little) houses our room which is just fabulous. Kim has her own huge master bedroom and bath, and Jody and I share another equally perfect room and bathroom. Then there is a common sitting room - "living room" - and a little kitchenette hallway. It's perfect. There are three TVs and a fireplace. We have three sliding doors that lead out to three different patios. We are right next to the pool and hot tub. Perfect!

Kim and Jody relaxing in the sun on one of our three patios.

 

Our three patios. Far left - Jody's and my room; center - living room; far right - Kim's room.

 

We had a "snack" on our patio while settling in, then went to the Lumberyard for dinner. Yummy! Settling in for the evening we watched "Pitch Perfect" and went to bed. Lovely first day of vacation.

 

Monday morning (April 6) we woke up to a beautiful sunny day and wonderful spa pedicures. Kim went first while Jody and I went for a walk down to the beach.

 

Kim, lighting up the room with her smile!

 

The view from the pedicure chairs.

 

Eating chocolates and drinking tea while our tootsies get pampered.

 

Great way to start the day!

The view from the path leading down to the beach.

 

Montage Laguna Beach

 

Hangin' on the beach

 

Aaah! Feel like I'm home!

 

 

After pedicures we headed to the pool area. The first lesson we learned is that if we want chairs facing the ocean we've got to get up early and ask the staff to reserve three chairs for us. But even though we didn't do that today, we got fabulous chairs around the pool, had lunch poolside with the ocean to our left, and Adam, our server/pool boy, was available to move our patio umbrellas around for shade whenever we needed them to be moved. Again, lifestyle of the rich and famous.

 



Chips & salsa, diet Coke, magazines, sunscreen, coverups, books, and girl talk. Awesome!

Kimmie loving the sun!

Oh, and a scrumptious lobster salad, poolside. I still can't get over how cool that was!

Lobster salad and painted toenails.

 

We got so many references about good restaurants in Laguna Beach that we have to make eating decisions each day, especially for dinner. I heard The Rooftop was a great place to see the sunset and everybody that's anybody eats there. What we didn't know was that only appetizers after 2:30 and it could get cold up there in the evening. We went, we froze, we had a couple of appetizers, took some pictures, fought other patrons for the blue blankets, and finally went downstairs to eat dinner. Fun experience.

The Rooftop with a view

Girlfriends forever!

Sunset in wine.

Goodnight!

 

After dinner we came home and warmed up, curled up, and watched another movie. This time - The Kingsman. I suggested it but kind of sorry I did. It was okay, but way too violent for me. We were all so tired from the sun so headed to bed right after the movie.

 

Tuesday April 7 - Sleep-in, lazy morning. We heard it was going to be a rainy day so we scheduled our massage/spa day for today. Well, it was a gorgeous morning! But off to the spa we went. Kim and I headed to Athena Spa and Jody went to the Relaxing Center.

 

I had about three hours of treatments scheduled and could hardly wait. I had a body polish, 90-minute massage, scalp massage, extra time on the feet, and hot stones with the massage. FABULOUS!

 

Kim, waiting on the patio "with a view" for me to get done at the spa.

Kimmie and me!

 

Kim got done before me, Jody was out browsing the cute shops of Laguna Beach, and we all met up for dinner. We had no idea where we were going to eat until we found a parking spot right in front of a cute place called Nicks Laguna Beach. I had the most delicious salmon and kale salad with champagne vinegrette. It was so good!! We sat at the bar and couldn't really converse well, but I was okay with that as my salad was just so darn good.

Kim and Jody at the bar at Nick's. Yummy!

 

Came back to the resort before the rain started and are currently curled up watching Burlesque. Another great day!