Manhattan: A Unique California Beach

There’s a lot of great things about Southern California: the sun, the sand, the surfing. It’s in our cultural heritage, our cultural perception that if it has anything to do with sun, sand, and surf, then it must be California. Most people don’t immediately conjure images of Hawaii or Miami — nope, that instant image plugs right into the So-Cal scene. This usually means Los Angeles. Of course, this probably has less to do with any inherent qualities and more to do with the fact all the cameras happen to be in Los Angeles.

What we perceive is seldom what is true. This drives our cultural perceptions about a great many things. But, sticking with this idea of beach culture and “California vibes” brings us back to LA. Sure, the old movie moguls moved out here because of the perpetually sunny weather. Yes, it was a great idea, but it was also a massive evasion. The moguls moved west to avoid copyright infringement suits back East. So, even in its inception, the movie industry was trying to balance practicality and evasion.

And we can’t forget about a quality that is all too human: laziness. Just because you want to make a movie set in Miami or the Bahamas doesn’t necessarily mean you have the money to fly there and shoot there. Here is how the LA basin comes in handy for make-belief. You take the camera and crew down to Manhattan Beach and pretend it’s the Bahamas or Africa or wherever. I think this get to something inherent in Southern Californian culture: make belief.

It’ a triple P. Pretending, projecting, and preening are all qualities associated with movie culture, otherwise known as Hollywood. So, it follows that LA and a culture of self-aggrandizement should go hand-in-glove. And so, since all the cameras and broadcasters are located in LA, the rest of the country — and the world — have come to think that LA is some kind of center. For what, is still debatable.

If you want to understand the reality of Los Angeles and its outlying suburbs and affiliates cities is to come live here. Yes, that is a harrowing proposition, but if you want to understand a culture, you must be immersed in it. Plan your stay for about two or three years. Any more and you’ll never leave, any less and you’ll think you should have stayed longer. The area has that kind of appeal. It lulls you into thinking you may be discovered just around the corner — even if you’ve never thought about acting in your life. It’s called LA-LA Land for a reason.

If you’re in Los Angeles by accident or design, be sure you take the time to visit Manhattan Beach, CA. Book a room, stay awhile and soak up those crazy vibes.

California Tan Tanning Lotion

There are a range of benefits to California Tan tanning lotion which is why more and more individuals are beginning to give the item a go. There are several brands of tanning lotion available in California and choice can be really difficult. You will find it bewildering which one to pick with all the diverse product names, but it’s up to you at the end of the day.

Most of these suntan lotions are available with tingle factors, bronzers, cooling effect and a combination of all of them. California Tan tanning lotions are promoted in all the media and the campaign has attracted many additional users.

California Tan tanning lotions are meant to be used on a daily basis, because they can help the skin maintain its moisture level in order to produce a healthy glow. They are able to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun even without any additional protective chemicals. So you can use California Tan tanning lotions to advance skin care, for tanning is itself one method for the skin cells to be protected from the sun in that tanning encourages the production of melanin, which aids in the successful and harmless assimilation of ultraviolet radiation.

In fact, California Tan tanning lotions are able to make sure of a natural and ideal tan without the danger of drying out the skin. Tanning lotions are meant to be used outdoors. The principal constituent of the tanning lotion should make sure that the skin is protected against the hazardous rays of the sun while the other constituents hydrate and nurture the skin throughout the tanning period.

Good tanning lotions are also effective moisturizers of the skin and prepare it for revealing to ultraviolet rays. Moreover, California Tan tanning lotion also contains antioxidants which may help in the elimination of wrinkles and fine lines in the skin, so that the skin will appear younger. Ingredients comprise natural items made from plant extracts plus the vitamins A, E, and C. The overall effect of applying California Tan tanning lotions is to produce a radiant, natural look and a fresh, smooth feel to your skin. On the other hand, be aware that recurrent tanning is harsh on some skin types.

It is vital to keep in mind the three chief functions of the California Tan tanning lotion, which are hydration, nutrition, and oxygenation. By nutrition is meant the need to supply vital vitamins to the skin cells, which will sustain its regeneration and oxygenation as well. Hydration refers to the correct moisturization of the skin. Lastly, oxygenation means supplying enough oil for the skin to deal with tanning efficiently. Tanning lotions are safe to use since medical research has been scrupulously conducted on it.

When selecting the California Tan tanning lotion that works best for your skin, it is important to know your skin type. What may work best for your friend may not really be very for good on you. Is your skin oily? Dry? Normal? Or is it a combination of any of them? It is also quite important to picture the result which you want.

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Encinitas - California’s Sleepy Beach Town

Encinitas has a different vibe than any of the beach towns north of San Diego - but what is it that makes it so captivating, so special? Many feel its because Encinitas is still lost in time back in the 1960s when California was a much simpler place with small roadside motels along Highway 101. Encinitas hotels didn’t exist back in the 60s, nor were there any Encinitas Bed and Breakfasts or hotels in Del Mar or the Cardiff Lodge.

Encinitas is home to romantic bed and breakfasts, Stone Steps Beach, The Roxy Restaurant where you can buy a glass of rum and an ice cream cone, cute boutiques, funky old hotels on the historic Pacific Coast Highway, Moonlight beach, the La Paloma theater (still featuring weekly surf movies) and romantic Encinitas bed and breakfasts. Encinitas is so laid back that it is often referred to as “San Diego’s Sleepy Surf Town.”

Students, tourists and surfers jam Karina’s Mexican Restaurant for lunch and dinner. The wide sidewalks along the old historic Pacific Coast Highway through “downtown” Encinitas are lined with outdoor restaurants, a seaside “bazaar” and boutique shops. No other beach town in the San Diego area has such a great selection of restaurants - from Mexican take-out to fine Italian dining. If you come to visit, make a reservation at an Encinitas B&B or Carlsbad Bed and Breakfast and bring your appetite!

Moonlight Beach is one of the top five San Diego beaches and is only a block from downtown Encinitas, an easy walk from the Inn At Moonlight Beach Bed and Breakfast Inn. You won’t find a better beach to work on your tan, go boogie-boarding, enjoy a picnic or play a pick-up game of volleyball. Or, you may like to try your hand at surfing or body surfing, people-watch, work on reading that novel or simply relax. There is lots of parking, clean bathrooms and showers, a great children’s playground and cute little lunch shop.

Ann Dunham is the hostess of the romantic Encinitas B&B (Bed and Breakfast) called the Inn At Moonlight Beach. This lovely boutique inn is far more intimate than a Del Mar B&B or Encinitas hotel. The inn is situated on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Moonlight Beach and is often called the San Diego Beach Bed and Breakfast, said to be more romantic than Del Mar Hotels and more lovely than the Carlsbad Bed and Breakfasts.

The four suites at the Inn At Moonlight Beach are decorated like the rooms you’d find in a French Seaside hotel or inn along the Mediterranean. Each suite has a private bath and refrigerator. What makes Ann’s Encinitas bed & breakfast really special is that she bakes delicious home-made, warm-from-the-oven pastries for breakfasts every morning.

Terry Hunefeld retired as CEO of a San Diego coaching company to follow his love of exploring the ocean to study seabirds and marine animals. Hunefeld and his wife Ann Dunham own the Inn At Moonlight Beach in Encinitas near Del Mar and San Diego. For more information visit: Solana Beach Bed and Breakfasts or Carlsbad Bed and Breakfasts.

Fort Bragg Hotels, Close To Mendocino Are Very Popular

Fort Bragg was once a centre of industry for logging and fishing, but these industries have both deteriorated in recent years and this town now finds itself a centre for tourist trade. Fort Bragg hotels are far more down to earth and therefore cheaper than hotels in Mendocino, as Mendocino is this particular coastline’s commercial centre.

The urban sprawl of Mendocino has seen to it that very little new business is able to start up. So business owners of enterprises such as galleries, restaurants and boutiques have taken their business down the road to Fort Bragg. There is more space available and a good tourist trade.

Because of this tourists and locals are making this town a popular place to visit and in March during the Whale Festival, as well as during the Labor Day Weekend, Fort Brag finds itself a hive buzzing with activity.

There are plenty of hotels and guesthouses in Fort Bragg, where guest will find them-selves more than comfortable. For example the Grey Whale Inn, it is a very short walk to the beach from this beautiful redwood building was originally built as a hospital in 1915.

This Inn is a beautiful red wood building with spacious hallways and large guest rooms. Each room has its own unique features and is furnished accordingly. Trays are available in the breakfast room, if you feel like taking your breakfast back to bed with you, enabling you to really relax and have a good time. It is a short walk from the beach and is a popular place to stay.

The Beachcomber Motel is also another good place to stay. It is situated on the coast, just across the road from MacKerricher State Park. The large outside deck facing the Pacific is where you will want to spend most of your time, so even if you have a budget room this won’t matter much.

where you are able to cook your own food. There is also a barbeque area provided for guests use.reakfast back to bed with you iThis motel has a massive back deck which overlooks the Pacific and just across the road you will find MacKerricher State Park, which has miles of sandy beaches and dunes. If you want to save even more money, you can book a room with a kitchenette where you are able to cook your own food. There is also a barbeque area provided for guests use.

The North Coast Brewing Company is one of the liveliest venues in Fort Bragg. The locals and visitors alike enjoy this popular hot spot. It was voted one of the best 10 breweries in the world in 1998, so is worth a special visit.

Vacation in Nosara Costa Rica - The Unspoiled Gem of Guanacaste

When I want to unwind and unplug at the beach I head for Nosara. The feel of this seaside town is relaxed yet upscale, and has some pleasantly familiar tones for a California native like me that echo holistically oriented communities like Santa Cruz, for example. At the same time, it is uniquely Costa Rican with a Guanacasteco flair.

Nosara is part of the proudly independent Guanacaste Province, that was once part of Nicaragua. The focus on wellness is represented well and genuinely in what the area is best known for: surfing and yoga. You dont need to partake of these, however, to completely enjoy and appreciate your Nosara vacation. Thankfully not too many people know about Nosara yet, and I am hoping that this unspoiled gem can stay low key for a long while to come. The town is 40 miles from the nearest paved road, and boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Costa Rica. What I really appreciate is the strong sense of community and the commitment to keeping Nosaras water and environment healthy and clean. The Nosara Civic Association was established to represent the interests of the people living in the region in a sustainable way. The community is inviting to locals and foreigners alike, and I simply just feel at ease whenever I visit. Pura Vida is alive and well in Nosara!

My family and I especially enjoy the Harmony Hotel on Playa Guiones:

The ambiance, the caring staff, and the sustainable practices pull it all together in an elegant, yet relaxed environment that leaves all of us refreshed and recharged after every visit.

The cuisine is a natural extension of the focus on health and wellness, with many vegetarian options, no red meat, and plenty of organic fruits and vegetables, as well as just-caught-fresh fish and seafood.

The juice bar has many inventive concoctions including both beverages such as Ginger Lassi (Indian yogurt drink), and fun vegetarian appetizers such as coconut-lime ceviche-delicious! Reflecting a harmonious way of living, the kitchen uses organic ingredients whenever possible.

The rooms are natural, roomy and very private with a great indoor/outdoor feel. One of the best kept secrets is the Harmony House. It is a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom beauty and simply elegant.

The open kitchen, dining and sitting area open onto an expansive patio boasting the best views in Nosara. You can check the surf on Guiones below, while floating in the infinity pool. We stayed with family and had an incredible time.

The Harmony staff even offered to shop for our family dinner we insisted on cooking together in the fully equipped kitchen. It is the best of both worlds: a private beach house , fully equipped and with all the amenities of a hotel. Perfect for families up to 6. The natural wood and crisp white linens work well and the amenities include organic products locally made for you to enjoy during your stay.

The pools are easy on the skin, leaving no harsh chemical burn because the treatment is done with salt water instead of chlorine.

The spa is wonderfully appointed with tantalizing services including a chocolate wrap, using organic cacao and coconut oil.

The coffee rub is amazing and invigorating with great anti-oxidant effect.

The spa also uses organic ingredients as much as possible, for example insisting on organic coffee beans only for the coffee rub from a local family producer.

There are yoga classes overlooking a pond with lotus blossoms, a natural juice bar, ping pong table, and great little store with art supplies, books and many other gems.

The very short stroll to the beach will reveal the long, pristine Playa Guiones with surfing, boogie boarding and a private palapa (with attendant) where you may leave your belongings while you frolic in the sea.

There are many local tours and activities to choose from in addition to the very popular surfing, boogie boarding, yoga and spa treatments. These include kayaking the Rio Garza, Rio Montana, or Rio Nosara, ocean kayaking, bird watching, waterfall hike, Ostional Turtle Nesting, canopy tours, horseback riding, estuary boat tours, among others. One of the best natural highlights is the Lagarta Lodge Biological Reserve Tour, which is very near to the Harmony Hotel. The private reserve is 125 acres along the Nosara river mangroves boasting an abundance of plants and animals including herons, waders, seabirds, motmots, monkeys, coatis, armadillos, anteaters, crabs, iguanas and many others. The best time for animal activity is early morning, and after the tour it is a wonderful option to enjoy the breakfast buffet at the Lagarta Lodge with a lovely ocean view.

Some other highlights include the local eatery/bar/bakery called Cafe de Paris. This is a great spot, right in the heart of town, with a wonderfully diverse menu, yummy bakery and extensive beverage selection. You will find unique German and Belgian beer, along with many tropical drinks, and eclectic international wines. The Black Sheep Pub up in the Nosara hills is a fun place with a great view and vibe. Strolling through the surf shops and boutiques in town, you will find an old fashioned ice cream shop with giant waffle cones and a super wide variety of flavors. You will meet locals, North Americans, Europeans, South Americans all in a very enjoyable, easy setting. If you want to unplug and unwind, with a focus on well-being, you will love Nosara, too.