Treebones Resort ~ Big Sur, California – What the heck is a yurt?
Well, the original yurt was a portable circular tent-like structure that was built around a wooden lattice-frame and provided shelter for nomadic peoples of Central Asia.
In this case, our Treebones Resort yurt maintained the same wooden lattice-frame but was wrapped with heavy tent material, featured a clear sky-dome to watch the stars, was affixed to a permanent cement foundation, and featured a comfortable bed, table and chairs, a couch, a sink, and even a gas-burning fireplace.
My friends, this is glamorous camping. Or, as some would say, glamping!
Here are a few things that we really enjoyed about our Treebones Resort yurt glamping experience:
The stunning cliff-side setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The feeling of tent camping but the luxury of a comfortable bed, fireplace, and other amenities generally not associated with camping.
Watching the stars at night through the clear dome in our yurt.
Although it was 50º outside during the night, our fireplace kept us nice and cozy.
With no ambient light, the Big Sur nighttime skies were absolutely incredible to witness.
Having two chefs and two different restaurant options was completely unexpected. There was Executive Chef Michael Wood cooking delightful things in the Treebones Wild Coast Restaurant and Sushi Chef Carlos-san was preparing fresh sushi at the outdoor sushi bar. Imagine a sushi bar with unobstructed ocean views! Wowzaaa!
Hearing the barking California sea lions down on the beach.
The glow of the moon at 3:00 a.m. when I got up for the third time to admire the starry skies.
Home-made waffles for breakfast at the Wild Coast Restaurant.
The completely laid-back atmosphere.
The ocean view from our yurt-side deck.
I suppose some might think that having the shower and bathroom a very short walk away from your yurt is a problem. But for us, this was a minuscule inconvenience in comparison to the joy received.
You know, I love luxury travel. But this glamping experience will go down as a favorite experience and another item checked off my bucket-list.
We both are looking forward to another glamping stay in the near future.
We both give the Treebones Resort major sky-high thumbs up!
Disclosure: Our yurt glamping experience was provided by the really cool people at Treebones Resort. Thanks a bunch!
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park ~ Big Sur, California – The Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, along Big Sur’s California coastline, provides an easy, short hike to stunningly beautiful panoramas, rocky cliffs, and even the McWay Falls cascading 80 feet to the beach below.
The park is named after Julia Pfeiffer Burns, a respected resident and rancher in the Big Sur region in the early 20th century, who lived in the area for much of her life until her death in 1928.
Access to the park is located on the east side of Highway One with the hiking trail crossing under the highway to steep Pacific cliffs and long-range panoramic views. The California State Parks use the honor system for its small daily usage fee to cover the cost of bathrooms, picnic areas, and the hiking trail.
Pfeiffer Beach ~ Big Sur, California – Pfeiffer Beach is easily one of the finest and most easily accessible beaches in all of Big Sur. However, because there is poor signage, many people unknowingly drive right by.
Pfeiffer Beach is an excellent place to watch the sunset, stroll along white sandy beaches that are intermixed with unusual purple sand from manganese garnet particles washing down the hillside, and to view the beach’s famous sea stacks.
Pfeiffer Beach is a “day use” beach with a small fee for entry to cover the costs of road maintenance, bathrooms, and parking.
Pfeiffer Beach is 1.1 miles south of Ventana Inn and Spa on Sycamore Canyon Road (west side of the highway). The click-able Google Map above will help you find your way.
Purple sands from manganese garnet particles washing down the hillside.
VRBO ~ Vacation Rental By Owner – Big Sur, California – When traveling, one often overlooked luxury lodging option for baby boomers is a vacation house rental from VRBO.
While amenities and quality of upkeep can vary wildly, with a little homework you just might find the perfect dose of relaxation, privacy, and beauty that you are looking for on your vacation.
Here’s a video interview that we created, from dear friends who routinely use VRBO to find their vacation hideaways, sharing a few tips for a successful search on VRBO.
Below are a few photographs from a recent VRBO vacation cabin rental that sat right on a cliff overlooking Big Sur, California’s dramatic coastline. Although this “cabin” was fairly spartan in its amenities, the cliff-side views were simply breathtaking.
Check out this property’s stunning location.
Our sunset dinner here with friends overlooking the Pacific surf and listening to the barking California sea lions below was absolutely unforgettable.
Phoenix Opera ~ Mozart’s The Magic Flute – Somebody pinch me. I think I might have died and gone to heaven.
It was only a few weeks ago I was telling you about my life-long love of opera, growing up listening to Mario Lanza, of my personal undergraduate degree in classical vocal performance, and how we were making our first visit to a Phoenix opera performance.
Well, last night we were privileged to be hosted to a performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute presented by the Phoenix Opera.
This young opera company was founded four short years ago by former (New York) Metropolitan Opera mezzo Gail Dubinbaum and her husband, conductor John Massaro. The Magic Flute marks their seventh production with the eighth, Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, coming to stage on March 4th, 2011.
The beautifully restored Phoenix Orpheum Theatre is home to Phoenix Opera.
From Phoenix Opera: “The fully restored Orpheum Theatre, the last remaining example of palace theatre architecture in Phoenix, is the home of Phoenix Opera and enhances the opera experience with its “jewel-box” setting and excellent acoustics.”
Carol and I were immediately star-struck as we entered this gloriously restored 1929 Phoenix landmark. The theatre seats just over 1,300 people and gives a far more intimate experience than larger, more modern venues. Plus, the seats are squishy and comfy. Exactly what you want when you are likely to be sitting for well over two hours!
After the orchestra’s introductory overture, there was a clearly noticeable gasp of appreciation when the curtain rose to the visually stunning stage. There were stairs climbing up into a mountain scene with dramatic colorful lights setting each scene’s mood. A great delight!
The Magic Flute was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1791 and is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that includes both singing and spoken dialogue. In this case, the spoken dialog was in English with the vocal performances given in their original German with English subtitles given on a screen above the stage.
The storyline consists of a charming prince (Tamino) who, with the aid of a magic flute and a sidekick bird-man (Papageno), rescues and marries a beautiful princess (Pamina).
American tenor Vale Rideout (Tamino) was a joy to listen to; as were the beautiful and soaring notes of soprano Jennifer Nagy (Pamina). However, it was the booming voice of young American Bass Kevin Burdette (Papageno) who stole the show and received the loudest cheers from a very appreciative audience.
We greatly enjoyed our evening, and this performance would certainly be a wonderful night out for even the most virgin of opera goers. Young children would also find themselves roaring with laughter at bird-man Papageno’s antics.
Phoenix Opera has one more performance of The Magic Flute, a matinée on Sunday, December 5th. Click here to get tickets.
The Roaming Boomers
Treebones Resort ~ Big Sur, California – What the heck is a yurt?
