Pearl of the South Bay
BY BARBARA DALY
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Sheets of satiny blue billow toward creamy shores; pelicans spiral dive, piercing the placid expanse; porpoises glide through glistening liquid; surfers ride translucent waves. Ever-changing and awe-inspiring, this is Manhattan Beach, California. A world away, yet minutes from Los Angeles International Airport. Amidst spectacular ocean views, there is something for every type of vacationer in this beach community.
With its 40 acres of pristine sand, Manhattan Beach is the place to go to relax, to be active, to enjoy life. This upscale beach community has an inviting neighborhood feel. In fact, one resident depicts his city this way: “People who choose to live here do so because they want life to be about more than work. They’ve found the balance between work and play.”
Whether your ideal vacation is sunning at the beach, kayaking, surfing, paddle-boarding, beach volleyball, inline skating, biking, shopping or spa treatments, Manhattan Beach has it all, and everything is within walking distance. Delightful pubs, restaurants, boutiques, eclectic and classic shops, fine jewelers, cafes, coffee houses and bakeries line the streets.
To partake in the Manhattan Beach lifestyle, stay in one of the few condos or homes for rent on The Strand, a 2-mile walking/bike path fronting multi-million-dollar homes along the beach. The condo at 1140 The Strand is arguably the best location, with absolutely incredible views of the ocean, beaches and pier. The Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab and Aquarium at the end of the pier adds a nice visual element to the ever-changing landscape framed by the condo’s picture window. From this second-story perch you can watch the day’s activities unfurl, from the early morning surf club, to pick-up volleyball games, to dolphins frolicking in the sea, and sunrises and sunsets that money just cannot buy.
1140 The Strand
www.1140thestrand.com
For true luxury Manhattan Beach style, Shade is the ultimate boutique hotel. Christopher Lowell designed the interior with a Zen-like attitude. The rooms are beautifully serene. Plush goose down duvets and a pillow library invite delicious slumber. But first, turn down the lights and ignite the cyclone fireplace from a control panel near the bed: Instant romance!
Sliding shoji screens surround your own private hydrotherapy tub, while chromatherapy lighting enhances the mood with an array of colors.
The Zinc Lounge is anything but tranquil. Shade’s ultra modern hangout for those who want to see and be seen features SubZero martinis and beautiful people.
Shade Hotel
(310) 546-4995
www.shadehotel.com
With dozens of restaurants in this chic neighborhood, the options seem limitless. Mucho Ultima Mexicana is a vibrant, upscale Mexican restaurant with an amber-backlit bar displaying two hundred different kinds of tequila. Mucho’s margaritas pack a powerful punch! And the fire-roasted corn on the cob is beyond decadent.
Mucho Ultima Mexicana
(310) 374-4422
Manhattan Beach is the home of beach volleyball, and during the annual AVP tournament (usually held in August) thousands of fans descend on this surfside city to cheer on the nation’s pros. It’s the Super Bowl of beach volleyball, and this community swarms with partiers and athletes. So depending on what kind of adventure you’re looking for, make sure you check the date of the AVP.
With its 40 acres of pristine sand, Manhattan Beach is the place to go to relax, to be active, to enjoy life. This upscale beach community has an inviting neighborhood feel. In fact, one resident depicts his city this way: “People who choose to live here do so because they want life to be about more than work. They’ve found the balance between work and play.”
Whether your ideal vacation is sunning at the beach, kayaking, surfing, paddle-boarding, beach volleyball, inline skating, biking, shopping or spa treatments, Manhattan Beach has it all, and everything is within walking distance. Delightful pubs, restaurants, boutiques, eclectic and classic shops, fine jewelers, cafes, coffee houses and bakeries line the streets.
To partake in the Manhattan Beach lifestyle, stay in one of the few condos or homes for rent on The Strand, a 2-mile walking/bike path fronting multi-million-dollar homes along the beach. The condo at 1140 The Strand is arguably the best location, with absolutely incredible views of the ocean, beaches and pier. The Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab and Aquarium at the end of the pier adds a nice visual element to the ever-changing landscape framed by the condo’s picture window. From this second-story perch you can watch the day’s activities unfurl, from the early morning surf club, to pick-up volleyball games, to dolphins frolicking in the sea, and sunrises and sunsets that money just cannot buy.
1140 The Strand
www.1140thestrand.com
For true luxury Manhattan Beach style, Shade is the ultimate boutique hotel. Christopher Lowell designed the interior with a Zen-like attitude. The rooms are beautifully serene. Plush goose down duvets and a pillow library invite delicious slumber. But first, turn down the lights and ignite the cyclone fireplace from a control panel near the bed: Instant romance!
Sliding shoji screens surround your own private hydrotherapy tub, while chromatherapy lighting enhances the mood with an array of colors.
The Zinc Lounge is anything but tranquil. Shade’s ultra modern hangout for those who want to see and be seen features SubZero martinis and beautiful people.
Shade Hotel
(310) 546-4995
www.shadehotel.com
With dozens of restaurants in this chic neighborhood, the options seem limitless. Mucho Ultima Mexicana is a vibrant, upscale Mexican restaurant with an amber-backlit bar displaying two hundred different kinds of tequila. Mucho’s margaritas pack a powerful punch! And the fire-roasted corn on the cob is beyond decadent.
Mucho Ultima Mexicana
(310) 374-4422
Manhattan Beach is the home of beach volleyball, and during the annual AVP tournament (usually held in August) thousands of fans descend on this surfside city to cheer on the nation’s pros. It’s the Super Bowl of beach volleyball, and this community swarms with partiers and athletes. So depending on what kind of adventure you’re looking for, make sure you check the date of the AVP.