#220 The Golden Door

So, this one is a little bit of a cheat. The Golden Door spa takes 40 guests at a time, for a week-long experience costing around $10,000/week. That is....definitely out of my budget. They also make super clear that they do not have day passes and you cannot book one-off services. I'd ruled out crossing this item of The List a long time ago. However, in double checking while preparing for this trip, I noticed they'd opened a Country Store - open to the public. So, yeah, I went to the store and not the spa, but it's my version of The List, so I make the rules and the exceptions.

From their website: 

"Since introducing bio-intensive farming methods to our kitchen garden and groves, we've found ourselves with a bounty beyond our needs. Now we're delighted to share our seasonal, organic, flavorful and nutrient-rich harvests as our way of nurturing community beyond our doors."

I bought an "everything" baguette, some fig salami, a couple of different snacks: mint cookies, sweet potato chips, organic dried pineapple, and some of their newly-introduced spa products. I haven't tried those out, but am excited to. The cashier also threw in some oranges because I mentioned I was at a hotel for a week and he wanted me to have fresh fruit.

#219 Hotel del Coronado

"It is eternal spring on the curved isthmus of Coronado ... this is the home of Hotel Del Coronado (aka the Del, aka the Grand Lady by the Sea), which sits like a Victorian wedding cake on 26 lovely beachfront acres."

I had to travel back to Long Beach for work and decided I'd fly out for the weekend and cross a couple of things off the list. Because I didn't have the chance to cross anything off in 2022, I also decided that this weekend would be a huge splurge where I just went, stayed in the fancy hotel, and didn't look at the prices. 

I got to Hotel Del around 6 o'clock. There was a fancy black-tie gala going on at the hotel in the courtyard that my room overlooked.

  

Once checked in and settled, I headed down to the restaurants to get dinner. They have a pizza place on site, and I was hoping that it wouldn't be too busy. I ordered a Quattro Formaggi (mozzarella, gorgonzola, provolone, grana padano, garlic, chile, mentuccia). The wait wasn't as long as expected and it was really good.

  

They also have a grab and go bakery, coffee shop, etc. and I stocked up on waters and caffeine. 

After dinner, I stopped at Babcock and Story for an after-dinner drink and people watching. It was a little chilly so I got a hot drink - a Maple Toddy: Maker's Mark, maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and cinnamon stick. Honestly, it was just okay, but did its job of warming me up a little bit.

On my way back to the room, I also stopped by the shops and bought some new sunglasses. Somewhere between the airport in Long Beach and the drive to San Diego - I'd lost mine. I met some women who were there on a "girls' trip" from Philadelphia, one who owns a yoga studio in Plymouth Meeting...small world.

Sunday, I woke up and went to cross #220 off the list. When I got back to Hotel Del, I decided to grab lunch. I went back to the pizza place thinking it was so good, and I'd try something else, but ended up getting the same pizza. It was genuinely so delicious. Then, I walked around the beach front a little. More people watching, and then as the sun started going down back to B&S for afternoon old fashioned(s) for the sunset.

Dinner was at Sheerwater. I loved the beachy blue color scheme. I started with the sourdough boule (cultured butter, EVOO, olive tapenade, Himalayan salt). It was so good. That tapenade - I could eat gallons of it. My main was a roasted chicken breast with broccoli rabe, gnocchi, green sauce, queso anejo. It was delicious. The gnocchi was so soft and pillowy. So good!

The couple next to me at dinner was celebrating their 51st anniversary. They'd spent their honeymoon at Hotel Del. He couldn't help, but recall that rooms back then were $45/night and breakfast was $5. 

I planned to go back to Sheerwater Monday morning for their breakfast buffet, but ultimately decided to chill on my balcony instead. It was a really great weekend - much needed. It was great to cross another place off The List.