Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Summer 2011 - (Page 70)

sports Ca l iforni a Be a min g Sitting prettily on a 150-foot bluff, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel enjoys one of Southern California’s best locations. Guests have immediate access to their surroundings through complimentary yoga and Pilates classes on an oceanfront gazebo, excursions with expert naturalists and the constant sighting of marine life jumping out to greet them. Whales ahoy Blue whales are often spotted swimming through Dana Point from May through November as they migrate to tropical waters to mate and give birth. Guests are transported to the Dana Point Harbor, then hop on a boat that takes them out to sea to track the gentle giants. Pal at e Ple a ser s ENO is an oenophile’s best bet in Dana Point, offering flights of wine and a wide array of international cheeses and gourmet chocolates. UnderWat er Wonder s The Forests Under the Sea adventure from the Ambassadors of the Environment program helps families explore and learn about the many marine creatures that live among the region’s kelp, including sea stars, seals and garibaldi, the state fish of California. sPeCtator sPorts Above: From a telescope at the hotel’s outdoor cafe, the author watches the surfers far below, on Salt Creek Beach. Below: A guest takes the plunge with the resort’s Forests Under the Sea adventure. can become addictive. It’s challenging, surprising, beautiful, and most important, never perfect. To surf is to be in a state of perpetual education, every single wave a practice run for the next. Just think of those surfers in “The Endless Summer”: for long, gleaming moments they cruise elegantly across the water, carving in and out like figure skaters — only to crash spectacularly into the surf, pop right back up, gleefully shaking their heads free of water, then head back out for the next one. For my final day, Mac introduced me to the latest surfing craze, stand-up paddleboarding. He says he first became aware of it about nine years ago, when he spied an odd sight on the horizon: a man standing on top of a surfboard using a long-handled paddle to make his way across the water’s surface, like a gondolier. The board used is much longer and wider than a surfboard, and it takes a couple of minutes to get used to the very new sensation of standing on the water, but once you do, it’s a very easy “sport.” I was nervous about falling in — we weren’t wearing wetsuits, and the day started out a touch chilly — but I never did, and when the sun started to feel a little too warm I just let more water pass across the board and cool my feet. We spent a couple of hours paddling around the calm shores of nearby Balboa Island in Newport Beach, which was about as challenging and pleasant as a walk through a park. That morning, before my lesson, I’d woken at dawn and taken the newspaper and a cup of coffee to an Adirondack chair overlooking the sea. The view was shrouded in fog, and I’d expected to be completely alone. But far below, I could make out the small black dots of wetsuited surfers tenaciously seizing a few hours of surf time before the day began. As they mounted the waves and soared toward shore, I watched them, mesmerized, and wondered how long I would remain a mere spectator. 70 w w w. r i t z c a r lt o n . c o m From Top: Luis CorChon; Tom ordway http://WWW.RITZCARLTON.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Summer 2011

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Summer 2011
Table of Contents
Contributors
Editor’s Letter
President’s Letter
Falling in Love with … Hawaii
On the Boulevards
Design
Shopping In New York City
Jewelry
Watches
Wine
Wellness
Sports
Portugal
Moscow
Fashion
Culinary
The Guide
Heritage

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Summer 2011