Category: Wedding Locations

To celebrate my friend Nicole’s 30th birthday in style, we went to Calistoga and spent a night at Indian Springs Resort and Spa. I had been super stressed from all the event planning I had been doing over the summer, so I was really looking forward to a day of relaxation and sun. This was just what the doctor ordered! They have these adorable cottages that were built in the 1940s, and their geyser-fed mineral pool made me feel like I was a part of Old Hollywood.

Recently, KC and I had the pleasure of visiting Carmel Valley Ranch. It’s a fantastic weekend getaway with a wonderful restaurant that offers many creative menu choices. The lobby’s rust-brown and burnt orange hues are warm and inviting. The golf clubhouse has shades of lime green, deep chocolate and white, giving it a crisp, modern feel. The pool area is charming without being too fussy, and the staff is so attentive. I can’t remember how many of them remembered my name, “Mrs. Chin!”. The in-room spa service was terrific, and they even honored my request to have my spa services near the pool. I believe I had Carmel Valley Ranch’s very first by-the-pool massage!

In my humble opinion, some of the best holiday presents don’t require wrapping paper. Experiences—especially those that fall under the category of sinful and relaxing—make thoughtful gifts that never gather dust. Here are a few holiday gift ideas, for you or someone you love:

MyFox LA just came out with their latest Hot List. Readers voted, and we’re pleased to announce that many of the wedding venues and event professionals that made the list are featured on our site, too.

After a few days of long meetings, the ladies of Here Comes The Guide refueled and toasted a job well done with a delectable dinner at Cantinetta Luca, a sister venue of L’Auberge Carmel. The bistro is designed around the concept that Italian dining is a celebration of sharing, simplicity and family—and as a company that considers each other family, we warmed to this notion immediately.

We recently held our annual off-site 3-day planning meeting at Woods Hole—a private home right on Pebble Beach Golf Course—and it’s a wonder we got anything done. Lounging around on comfy couches and chairs, we had the perfect seats from which to ogle the mesmerizing view through a wall of glass: verdant blufftop fairways giving way to a sapphire-blue sea and cloudless sky. You try focusing on a 10-page to-do list with that gorgeous panorama constantly tugging at your peripheral vision!

There’s something cool about hues of sapphire, graphite, taupe, sky, and peridot. Together, this combination is arresting; simple but sophisticated, serene yet relaxed, serious without being overly pretentious. Add to these colors the crisp blue sky and Ferry Building clock tower in the background, and we’re definitely talking a San Francisco kind of wedding.

We’d like to congratulate the Certified By The Guide vendors who were recently voted Winners of San Francisco Chronicle’s Baylist Best 2008 Contest: