When was the last time you looked at the horizon, that line where the ocean meets the sky? While standing on the balcony of our room at the beachside Le Merigot Hotel and Spa last month, I realized although I may have seen the horizon recently, it had been a while since I had really looked at it. My husband John and I were primed for a little getaway. Not only had our apartment building been tented for termites the previous weekend, we had both also been extra busy at work. So we took the opportunity to have an in-town vacation-a Saturday night at Le Merigot on Ocean Ave., just south of Pico, with reservations for two spa treatments and dinner at Cezanne Restaurant. The hotel lobby smelled like scented candles, which were lit throughout the space and everywhere sat whimsical animal sculptures. We settled into our room on the sixth floor just in time for a magnificent sunset, the blue sky turning peach, as we watched from our large balcony. The hotel is set back a block from the beach (between Nielsen Way and Ocean) and a large luxury apartment building is set on the beachfront right in front of it. So our view was not wall-to-wall ocean. To the north, we could see the ferris wheel, roller coaster and other amusements on the pier. We listened to the waves and birds, as some seagulls flew right in front of us. It was a soul-resting experience. Afterwards, we headed down to the spa, where I was signed up for a desert heat body wrap. In a room lit with infrared light, I lay on a warm massage table, on what looked like a huge piece of shiny aluminum foil, warmed up with heating pads underneath it. The massage therapist, Beth, gently applied the desert heat mixture on my back, stomach, legs and arms (towels are placed for modesty), which includes copper, magnesium, zinc and calcium mixed with seaweed and Arizona mud. Then I was wrapped up like a burrito in the foil and towels, and given a scalp massage. After about 20 minutes, I was unwrapped and covered with towels. The contrast was cold for a couple of minutes, while Beth toweled the mud mixture off, but I soon warmed up while being massaged with lotion. Beth regularly asked how I was doing, which I found helpful because it can be hard to speak up during a massage or body treatment. She suggested that I not use soap in the shower, as the copper has therapeutic effects and I should let it stay in my skin. Afterwards, my muscles felt warm and relaxed from the massage and heat and I felt reconnected with myself in a positive way. John decided to try something different-cranial sacral massage. He didn’t quite know what to expect but thought it sounded intriguing. Cranial sacral uses gentle pressure to the head to stimulate relaxation, but John was disappointed; he expected more of a massage than just pressure on different parts of the scalp for 50 minutes. Probably, a more traditional treatment is best for spa newcomers. He did enjoy the eucalyptus steam room in the men’s locker room, along with the sauna. (Body treatments average $130, facials average $175, men’s fitness facial is $105.) We changed for dinner at the hotel’s Cezanne restaurant. The cozy restaurant has a Provencal design, with French country floral-patterned tablecloths and huge tufted striped pillow-backed booths, which have a whimsical look out of “Alice in Wonderland.” We started the meal with some healthy appetizers ($8-$12)-John had artichoke stuffed with goat cheese, sun-dried tomato and potato, and I had salmon with pesto wrapped in rice paper covered with a salad of lettuce, jicama and pepper. We indulged when it came time for the main course. I had tender pan-seared duck presented in a semi-circle around a centerpiece of couscous and chanterelles with pinot noir essence. John had a perfectly done medium filet mignon with B?arnaise sauce which came with potatoes and vegetables. Unbeknownst to us, this was a special wine-tasting evening and we were offered samples from the Kendall-Jackson Winery in Napa Valley. The piece de la resistance was creme brulee, served in four tiny sake cups-each with a different flavor-orange, vanilla, pistachio and raspberry-with the top toasted to a crisp. (This month, the wine-tasting dinner, every Friday and Saturday night, will feature Chateau St. Jean and is free with the price of an entree, $23-$35.) After the meal, we fell into our feather-bed mattress. It was comfortable, marred only by an on-and-off rattly humming sound, seemingly coming from the minibar refrigerator. I went into the bathroom, where I remembered there were cotton balls in the toiletry kit, and I used them as ear plugs. It was not until the morning when we walked onto the balcony, that I realized what the best solution was-I should have left the balcony doors open during the night and listened to the sound of the waves. Or, I could have done some reading, Hemingway’s “A Moveable Feast” was by the bedside and in the nightstand drawer were the Bible, the Book of Mormon, The Spirit of Service (a book by the founder of the Marriott hotels) and the Teachings of Buddha. We relaxed in the room, reading the complimentary newspaper until checkout time, and upon leaving the valets gave us Le Merigot water as a parting gift, reflective of the attentive service we received throughout our stay. Rooms vary from $219 to $369 a night, depending on the view, with various special packages available. Contact: 395-9700 or go to www.lemerigotbeachhotel.com The hotel is pet-friendly, offering a pet menu and other treats through its Club Meg pet program. The poolside gym features Cybex equipment, treadmills and step machines, and fitness classes are available for $15.
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