The Northern Coast
Drama on the North Coast! An Albatross named Al (original, eh?) usually arrives in late November or early December near the pier at Point Arena Cove and stays for several months. In fact, he's been returning to California for the past 13 years. But this year his return is in doubt because of a broken leg he suffered last year. Why is this a big deal? Because Al is the only albatross anyone has ever seen on the West Coast. Anxious birders and old friends of Al can only peer from the pier and wait.
In the meantime, locals are preparing for the 26th annual Mendocino Whale Festival, which takes place March 1st and 2nd, 2008 (tel. 707/961-6300; www.mendowhale.com). This year a free trolley offers rides to participating merchants and to nearby events like the chowder tasting and whale watching walks. You can also hop aboard a whale watching charter boat from Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg.
If you're into the living-green thing, there is a new eco-friendly lodging in Fort Bragg called the Living Light Inn, 533 East Fir St., Fort Bragg (tel. 877/964-1384; www.livinglightinn.com). Located in a quiet Fort Bragg neighborhood, the inn combines craftsman style architecture with modern amenities designed for the conscious traveler, such as organic bedding, a whole-house water filtration system, and biodegradable and non-allergenic cleaning products.
In Tomales Bay (about an hour's drive north of San Francisco), celebrity designer and restaurateur Pat Kuleto has finally opened the newly revived Nick's Cove & Cottages, 23240 State Highway 1 (tel. 866/63-NICKS; www.nickscove.com), a bevy of luxury waterfront cottages combined with coastal roadhouse cuisine. "Our goal was to create a warm, rustic seaside retreat, retaining all the charm and ambience of a fishing village, but with the full measure of comforts and amenities of a luxury resort," said Kuleto. You'll at least want to stop by the restaurant for a platter of fresh oysters pulled straight from Tomales Bay.
The Far North & Lake Tahoe
If you're a skier, there are lots of new offerings in Tahoe. The Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort (tel. 800/466-6784; www.northstarattahoe.com) is offering free ski and snowboard clinics Sunday through Friday (excluding peak periods) for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders ages 13 and older, as well as a free "Mommy, Daddy and Me" program where instructors give parents tips on teaching their 3 to 4-year-olds how to ski.
At Heavenly (tel. 775/586-7000; www.skiheavenly.com) they've added a new Olympic Express lift with access to new trails that offer different levels of tree skiing, allowing skiers and riders to progress as they gain confidence and experience. Also new this winter is the Heavenly Flyer at Adventure Peak, an elevated zip-line cable ride that takes guests on a 50-mile-an-hour thrill ride from the top of Tamarack Express back to the top of the GondolaÂ?a vertical drop of 525 feet. At 3,100 feet, the Heavenly Flyer will be the longest zip line in the lower 48 U.S. states.
The Squaw Valley USA resort (tel. 800/545-4350; www.squaw.com) is now offering guided moonlit snowshoe tours around upper mountain peaks. The tour will set off from the 8,200-foot High Camp at 5pm on full-moon evenings in December, January, February, and March. Guided by a knowledgeable tour leader and the light of the full moon, snowshoers will trek to upper mountain vistas to take in spectacular views of the snow-covered sierra and Lake Tahoe. A mountaintop dinner at Alexander's Restaurant can be included as an option in the Full Moon Snowshoe Tour package.
The High Sierra
If you haven't been to Mammoth Mountain lately, there has been so much new construction that you probably won't even recognize it. The latest addition is Westin Monache, 100 Canyon Blvd, Mammoth Lakes (tel. 760/934-2526; www.westinmammoth.com), a 230-unit condo-hotel built by Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Intrawest. Located in the Village at Mammoth adjacent to the 15-passenger Village Gondola, The Monache is Mono County's first full-service, upscale resort hotel, featuring a full-service restaurant, 24-hour room service, ski valet, rental shop, pool, hot tubs, fitness center, and underground parking.
Other new additions to Mammoth Mountain include a ski museum featuring the largest private collection of ski memorabilia, fine art, and literature, as well as an open-air ice rink. At the Mammoth Ski Museum (www.mammothskimuseum.org), exhibits include the life and times of Mammoth Mountain founder Dave McCoy, with photos taken by McCoy throughout his development of the ski resort. The Mammoth Lakes Ice Rink (tel. 760/934-2505; www.visitmammoth.com), which is slated to open in December, is 85 feet by 200 feet and is large enough to accommodate a full-sized hockey rink.
The Central Coast
Okay, so I'm a road bike nut, but I still think it's a great idea to take the family on a winter trip to California to watch the AMGEN Tour of California, our version of the Tour de France. From February 17 to the 24, the world's top professional teams will compete over an eight-day, 700-mile race on a route that includes the coastal cities of Solvang, San Lois Obispo, and Santa Barbara, so you can follow the action while seeing the best of California. Even better, during the tour each of the participating cities will host a free race-day festival featuring a health & fitness expo, cancer awareness education, cycling gear, family activities, bike safety, food, entertainment and more. For more information log onto www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
At the magnificent Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey (tel. 831/648-4800; www.mbayaq.org) there's a new permanent exhibition called "Mission to the Deep," where visitors can learn about underwater robots and other high-tech tools used to explore the deep sea by the aquarium's sister institution, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). The new exhibit features high-definition video of deep sea animals, and hands-on displays that let visitors take the controls on simulated "missions" to explore the largest and most mysterious habitat on Earth.
Further south, Santa Barbara is now offering free a podcast tour of the city. Visitors can download "Beyond the Rooftops: Santa Barbara's Red Tile Walking Tour," then take the tour using their video iPods (or you can just watch it on the website). The narrated tour leads visitors on an amble through the oldest part of townÂ?the original Santa Barbara pueblo. The tour includes 17 stops and 22 historic adobes dating from the late 1700s through the 1800s. You can download the podcast at www.santabarbaraca.com/podcasts.
In other news, the ultra-expensive San Ysidro Ranch, 900 San Ysidro Lane, Santa Barbara (tel. 805/565-1700; www.sanysidroranch.com), located south of Santa Barbara, has reopened after an extensive renovation. Entrepreneur and multi-billionaire Ty Warner bought the resort and poured a lot of money into the property, a not-so-humble little hideaway that's hosted celebrities ranging from Audrey Hepburn and Lucille Ball to Groucho Marx and Winston Churchill.
In Solvang, the "Danish Capital of America," there's a new cooking school being offered for tourists on Wednesday evenings at The Chef's Touch café and gourmet shop (tel. 805/686-1040; www.thechefstouch.com). Chef/owner Kurt Alldredge demonstrates cooking and food pairing techniques in The Chef's Touch kitchen. The $65 price includes complimentary wine, food throughout the class, and 10 percent off retail purchases.
The Southern California Desert
The whole Southern California desert area is continuing with its expansion and renovation of resort properties to the tune of more than $1 billion. A new Spotlight 29 Casino (www.spotlight29.com) broke ground for a $100 million 200-room hotel and spa in Indio. In La Quinta, Embassy Suites (www.embassysuites.com) sports a new 146 all-suite hotel which features 120 condominiums. Downtown Palm Springs will soon have a Hard Rock Hotel (www.hardrockhotel.com) with 490 rooms and condo units which will be within walking distance of the Palm Springs Convention Center.
The former Ramada Inn in Palm Springs is now a Holiday Inn and has undergone a $12 million renovation throughout the entire property (1800 E. Palm Canyon Dr.; tel. 760/323-1711; www.holidayinn.com). There are 249 rooms, all non-smoking and 20 suites. Situated centrally, it offers walking access to most of the town's shops and activities. And if you just want to relax, the compound surrounds a 2-acre pool area that becomes the center of daytime action.
Indian Wells Golf Resort (www.indianwellsgolfresort.com) is enhancing its golf facilities along with a new clubhouse with banquet facilities. Not to be outdone, the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort & Spa (www.grandchampions.hyatt.com) in Indian Wells is adding new luxury villas bringing the total number to 51.
The Two Bunch Palms Resort in Desert Hot Springs (www.twobunchpalms.com), noted for its luxury spa facilities, is planning massive expansion to include more than 700 homes, 315 timeshare units and 285 hotel units. Don't plan to move in just yet, it looks like completion will be a few years down the line.
Dining opportunities have also expanded with new eateries throughout the area. Amore, 47474 Washington St. (tel. 760/777-1315; www.amore-dining.com) in La Quinta presents a wide variety of Italian dishes from Clams Oreganata or Fried Calamari to pasta dressed the way you choose.
Sushi fans will want to seek out the Okura Robata Grill & Sushi Bar, 78370 Highway 111, La Quinta (tel. 760/364-5820; www.okurasushi.com) in the Happy Plaza in La Quinta. An extensive sushi & sashimi menu adds Maki Rolls and combination plates for the uninitiated. The full dinner menu features miso soup, prawn salad, carpaccio, tempuras, and entrées of fish and chops.
Also in La Quinta is the Desert Sage, 78-085 Avenida La Fonda (tel. 760/564-8744; www.desertsagerestaurant.net), with starters including venison carpaccio and ahi tuna sashimi plus a large menu of fish (monkfish to lobster) and main dishes such as rack of lamb and Peking Duck.
A new Bing Crosby's Restaurant, 71-743 Highway 111 (www.bingcrosbysrestaurant.com) in Rancho Mirage states it serves "California Country Club Cuisine," meaning items such as steak tartare, Caesar salad, steaks and chops. Top it all off with a crème brulee de quad.
Another singer has opened his own dinner show lounge in Cathedral City. Buddy Greco's Dinner Club, 68805 E. Palm Canyon Dr. (tel. 760/883-5812; www.buddygreco.com) has showtime at 8pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays with dinner seating beginning at 6:30 pm. Cover price is $45 plus dinner and $60 if you are only having drinks. The menu is limited but has a variety of pasta, fish and beef. A bargain Sunday matinee is at 2pm with luncheon seating at noon and offers a price of $60 per person which includes luncheon, beverage and the show.
Elite Land Tours, 555 S. Sunrise Way (tel. 800/514-4866 or 760/318-1200; www.elitelandtours.com) in Palm Springs has a luxurious way to visit the back-country desert area: new all-terrain Hummer H2s make tours of Joshua Tree National Park. The two hour trips for 4 or more cost $69 per person, or a four-hour tour of the San Andreas Fault runs $109 per person for 4 or more.
The Living Desert, 47-900 Portola Ave., Palm Desert (tel. 760/346-5694; www.livingdesert.org), known for its wide array of desert animals, is looking to exhibit some of the smallest desert inhabitants. Butterflies Alive! will feature hundreds of North American butterflies with over 30 different species roaming freely in a spacious screened house where you can wander among the flying creatures. The exhibit runs until April 29 and is open daily 10am to 4:30pm, admission is $2. General admission to the Living Desert is $11.95.
A new nightclub venue in Palm Springs is CopyKatz Showroom and Backstage Bistro, 200 S. Palm Canyon Dr. (tel. 760/864-9293; www.copykatzps.com). With show time at 8pm (9pm on Thursday), this show features impersonators of Michael Jackson, Carol Channing, Cher and Dolly Parton, among others. Admission is $39 weekdays, $49 weekends, and dinner is served one hour before show time.
For its 17th season, the Palm Springs Follies salutes the "Golden Age of Tin Pan Alley." The show features tunes by Porter, Berlin and Gershwin performed by the world-famous line of "Long-Legged Lovelies" whose ages range from 59 to 84-years-young. Headliners during the season will include Kaye Ballard, The Four Aces, Melba Moore and Anna Maria Albergetti. In keeping with the Follies tradition, there will be the variety acts of Babe Pier (Father of Impressions) and the Joanne Wilson's Wonder Dogs. All of the performances will be emceed by Riff Markowitz, who hasn't missed a performance in 16 years. There are nine shows each week at the Plaza Theater, 128 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs (tel. 760/327-0225; www.psfollies.com) with matinees and evening performances, and ticket prices range from $48 to $90.
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