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The San Francisco Chronicle
Sunday, March 11, 2007 Life on the edge in Bodega Bay My family and I found a wonderful winter getaway close to home but far enough away to feel like we had entered another world. At the Bay's Edge literally sits on the water at the edge of scenic Bodega Bay. We enjoyed feeding the seagulls, listening to the seals and watching the pelicans dive for their dinner. At low tide, we could see the clams shooting water out of the mud. It was magnificent. We stayed in a two-bedroom vacation rental with wall-to-wall views of the bay. The rental was furnished with everything that made it as comfortable as our own home, including a full kitchen (complete with crab pots so we could cook our own seafood), wood stove, WiFi, binoculars, games, candles and a huge California-king-sized bed. The kids loved all of the games, and we had a great time just enjoying the ever-changing bay view. Our two-bedroom, one-bath rental was available for $375 for two nights. At the Bay's Edge also offer a one-bedroom, one-bath for $350 for two nights.
Sunday, May 22, 2005 At home on edge of Bodega Bay On a recent trip to Bodega Bay, my family and I stayed in a private, two- bedroom vacation rental called At the Bay's Edge. We enjoyed our own private hideaway right on the water with a panoramic view of Bodega Bay. We also appreciated the fully equipped kitchen, cozy linens and complete entertainment center with DVD/satellite TV and games. Bodega Bay has many pleasures to offer — scenic coastline and beaches, various art galleries, and a wide array of restaurants from local fish & chips to gourmet dining. Yet I think we mostly enjoyed watching the harbor come to life right outside our picture window. The kids still talk about visits from "Charlie" the friendly seagull, seals frolicking in the water and counting the fishing boats going in and out of the marina. Our two-bedroom rental was $365 for two nights. At the Bay's Edge also has a one-bedroom, one-bath unit available with a private deck, $340 for two nights.
COASTAL COOLERS When the temperature edges into the triple-digits, I start dreaming of water. Of waking up with a wraparound view of blue sky and endless ocean. Of feeding sea gulls in my bathrobe — and feeding a fire after the fog has rolled in. This year, I found out I don't need to win the lottery to make my dream a reality. We chose Bodega Bay because it is so close — a little more than two hours from our Elk Grove driveway. For us, the Bodega Bay apartment ("At The Bay's Edge") offered just the right blend of privacy and convenience. Tucked out of site below Highway 1, it was quiet and private, yet within a half-hour's drive of a wide range of activities. Depending on their energy level and interests, visitors to Bodega Bay can fish, kayak, surf, golf, shop the galleries in Duncans Mills and Occidental or take off with a camera to capture the spectacular coastal scenery. Since our goal was relaxation, we indulged ourselves at the Osmosis Spa in the tiny crossroads town of Freestone. First, we de-toxed in a warm "bath" of cedar and Douglas fir mulch mixed with 600 Japanese enzymes that left us looking "breaded." After showering and slipping robes, we were led down a path to a private pagoda for a blissful 75-minute massage on the wooded banks of a stream. Other days, we traced the coastline up to the mouth of the Russian River. When the fog rolled in, we followed the river inland to the lush redwood forests and rolling vineyards of the Russian River valley. It's worth an afternoon to follow the Russian River Wine Road. A free map (available at www.wineroad.com) helps with navigating back-road tributaries and locating the more than 70 wineries in the Russian River, Alexander and Dry Creek wine-growing areas. Fresh-picked fruits and vegetables, available from roadside stands, can form the basis of a gourmet picnic. Eating a leisurely lunch on the grounds of a winery that resembles an Italian villa or a French chateau makes one feel magically transported to Tuscany or the south of France.
...Our apartment At The Bay's Edge was tastefully furnished and stunningly situated right on Bodega Bay, with glorious water views and a private deck. It had a wood-burning stove and a kitchen replete with spices and a full array of pans and utensils. What more could we want? My favorite moment came the day before we left, when the storm finally subsided. We had bought some live crab and made a simple Crab Louie, accompanied by several more finds: some mellow Sea Breeze, a California brie from Larry Peter's Spring Hill Jersey Cheese, in Petaluma; an earthy pain au levain from the Brick Maiden Bakery in Point Reyes; and a soft chardonnay from the Sebastopol Vineyards at Dutton Ranch. As we ate outside on our private deck, an exotic array of birds - pelicans, herons, egrets, surf scooters, murres, and more - gamboled in the water. In the cheering winter light, the bay shown silvery blue as a fishing boat named "Provider" passed by. We sat and supped, warmed by the sun and marveling at the region's bounty.
Hidden below Highway 1 where it winds through the sleepy fishing village of Bodega Bay, At The Bay’s Edge is a welcome refuge from the traffic, the heat, the suburbs—whatever is currently driving you crazy about everyday life. Here, you’ll breathe in the sublimely uncomplicated rhythm of life on the water. Resistance is futile. You’ll have to slow down. Okay, my husband was still fielding calls from work an hour after we settled into our one-bedroom apartment. But the hypnotic blue water—winking at us from wall-to-wall living room windows—gradually worked its magic. Pretty soon, we were feeding seagulls from our private deck as fishing boats chugged past with the final catch of the day. By the time the burnt-orange horizon melted into the candlelight-glow in our living room, we were drowsing on the sofa. We were finally lulled to sleep by the continuous croon of the harbor horn. For four days, we read. We napped. We watched egrets and pelicans fishing at low tide, morning coffee in hand. We developed short-term amnesia about frantic “to-do’s.” Weathered and barn-like, At The Bay’s Edge houses two units, each with its own private entrance. Both are decorated with the understated style of a beach bungalow and will pamper you with creature comforts—including plenty of plushy bath towels, scented candles and plump pillows, a shampoo-and-soap dispenser in the shower and bedside lamps you turn on and off with the lightest brush of your fingertips. Our one-bedroom unit made a snug cocoon for two people who wanted to relax and reconnect. The queen-sized bed is luxuriously outfitted with a brocade comforter and lots of pillows. The sunny-yellow bathroom has a greenhouse window. If you need more room, the two-bedroom unit can comfortably accommodate two couples or a small family. One bedroom has a king-sized bed, the other a queen, and the bathroom is nice and roomy. Of course, there are all the modern conveniences—including satellite TV/VCR/DVD and a CD player (ours was ingeniously stowed under a kitchen cabinet). Both units also have wood burning stoves to keep you warm when the fog or a winter storm roll in off the ocean. Although there wasn’t a barbecue grill on the deck, we were impressed with our first attempt to prepare fresh salmon—bought from the fish market at Lucas Wharf restaurant (707-875-3522) and basted with their own scrumptious herb butter—using the countertop George Foreman grill. What most impressed us about At The Bay’s Edge, however, were the many personal touches that made us feel like we were staying at a friend’s place:
At The Bay’s Edge is one of the few rental properties I know of where the property manager lives on-site. Don’t expect room service—but do plan on being well looked after and feeling very much at home!
FOLLOW THE READER: Waterside Hideaway in Bodega Bay On our recent beat-the-heat trip to Bodega Bay, my husband and I stayed in a cozy, one-bedroom apartment right on the water called At the Bay's Edge. For about the same price as a room at a bed and breakfast ($340 for two nights), we had our own private hideaway with a fully equipped kitchen, living room with wall-to-wall bay view, wood stove and private deck. There were lots of little touches — pillows and candles everywhere, a pair of binoculars for bird-watching — that made us feel like we were staying in a friend's vacation home. We were minutes from the beautiful necklace of Sonoma State beaches to the north and the charming towns of Occidental and Duncans Mills to the east. At The Bay's Edge also has a two-bedroom, one-bath unit that rents for $365 for two nights. |
 email: mj@thebaysedge.com - 707 875 9038 |
