SUNSET on the GREAT POND a good excuse to shirk work
Take 28 seconds to see the reason I haven’t posted in over 30 days.
What have you been up to this summer?
MANKA’S LODGE – Inverness, Ca
Three nights is ideal if you can swing it.
The first 24 hours of your stay at Manka’s, you’re too busy being blown away by the food, the accommodations, the views, and the blaring hush of the Tomales Bay region.
The second night you’re so steeped in relaxation that every fiber of your being starts to unfurl.
If you can somehow spare a third night, well, that’s just a rare decadence in this wound up and wired world of ours.
Manka’s Lodge is nestled in a truly alternate universe one hour north of San Francisco. Inverness is a sensual tapestry of muted greens and greys, serene bay views, rolling hills, wildlife and the occasional charming cottage.
If you’re in the mood, there’s plenty to do here – kayak excursions, hikes, cheese tasting, farm tours, beach to explore. And the handful of top-drawer restaurants nearby such as Nick’s Cove and Saltwater Oyster Depot can provide a prime culinary experience.
But really, if you want the truth, there’s no excessively convincing need to leave Manka’s. A piping fresh breakfast basket is included each morning of your stay. And you can order chef-owner Margaret Grade’s exquisite in-room dinner service, where reading the menu is almost as pleasing as eating the meal. Your provisioning is complete with a strategic stop at the local Cowgirl Creamery to stock up on cheese and biscuits to pair with the wine you tucked into your overnight bag.
Each of the various accommodations at Manka’s has its own personality and amenities: fireplace, soaking tub, outdoor shower, iPod, comfy beds. 
If you book the Boatman’s quarters, be prepared to plant yourself permanently at the cozy window seat and contemplate blades of wild grass, wisps of fog, and ripples on the bay.
Everything about Manka’s nudges you to slow down and drink in the mellow (and maybe some Skywalker Pinot along with it). Book it now and start working on your excuse for missing Monday morning’s meeting.
What is your favorite weekend retreat?
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE – two hotels in the heart of paris
Montalembert Terrace
The dilemma: You’re planning a getaway to the city of light, but the Hotel Costes is eternally booked and Le Crillon is dazzling but slightly stuffy. The solution: two Left Bank hotels that are the antidote to the standard too-la-la Parisian luxury fare.
Tucked into two corners of the celebrated St Germain quarter, the Hotel Bel Ami and the Hotel Montalembert are within walking distance of such essential points of interest as the literary cafes of the Latin Quarter, the galleries and designer shops near Boulevard St Germain, and the Louvre and Musee D’Orsay.
You may hear a lot of English spoken in the lobbies, but it is because these boutique gems are popular with Americans that they boast friendly staffs and – pas possible! – such elusive amenities as 24-hour room service.
Bel Ami Bar
With its minimalist design and relaxed attitude, the Hotel Bel Ami is a study in modern luxury. The interactive lobby rolls out the welcome mat with comfy couches, shelves of well-loved books, two slick computer workstations and an adjacent espresso bar.
Bel Ami Room
Downstairs in the breakfast room Cafe, guests can join a sunny congregation of hip, young cosmopolites and enjoy a sumptuous, decidedly un-continental breakfast buffet. Rooms are generous by Parisian standards, decorated in soothing, saturated colors. All part of the Bel Ami’s implicit invitation to take off your shoes and stay awhile.
Montalembert Lobby
Montalembert Restaurant
The Hotel Montalembert has long been the darling of interior designers and fashion editors. Recently refurbished mostly mod, it happily retains many details revealing its rich history as a retreat for writers and artists. Take a ride up in the original 1926 iron Rococo-style elevator, but send your luggage up with the bellman, because it’s built for two! Most guest rooms are equally cozy and utterly charming. And the rich, cocoa-colored marble bathrooms are oases of design perfection.
The Montalembert’s new Bar and Grill, with a fresh and healthy take on gourmet fusion, is a destination restaurant scene for locals and visitors alike – with a private salon for those who want to see without being seen.
