Valentine’s Day in Bodega Bay!

Want to go somewhere romantic? Head to the ocean! Before we moved to Bodega Bay, our favorite getaways were always at the coast. My husband and I celebrated many Valentine’s Days in Mendocino, Monterey, and of course, here in Bodega Bay. We love the spectacular views, fresh salt air, the boom of crashing waves, abundant wildlife, walks on the beach, snuggling by a roaring fire, what more could you ask for?

Here are some of our favorite places to go and things to do in Bodega Bay. Whether you’re a big spender or on a budget, you can plan a wonderful Valentine’s Day for you and your sweetheart.

Pack a picnic and head for the beach! You can get great sandwiches at Valley Ford Market or here in Bodega Bay at Pelican Plaza Grocery & Deli. Or build a fire and barbeque hot dogs in designated fire rings right on Doran Beach!

Other favorite beaches include Bodega Head (it's whale watching season!), Salmon Creek Beach and Portuguese Beach further up the coast.

Come for lunch and fly kites in the afternoon breeze, or plan a dinner and watch the sunset, which is between 5:30-5:45 p.m. this time of year.

Want to take your picnic indoors? Gourmet Au Bay is a wonderful wine bar right on the water with spectacular views from their deck. They encourage visitors to bring their own picnics to enjoy along with one of their hundreds of wines for sale on the premises. Their deck is heated this time of year and they offer blankets for snuggling. I also LOVE their gift shop! You can read previous posts about them here.

Do you prefer a fine dining experience? Check out the Bluewater Bistro’s Valentine’s Day Dinner on February 14, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Fixed price three-course meal, $35 per person. The menu looks fabulous!


Foodies especially love Terrapin Creek Café. They’ve received numerous rave reviews and have been called one of the best restaurants in Sonoma County. They don't have anything special planned for Valentine's Day but everything on their menu is outstanding.



Want to make a weekend of it? The Inn at the Tides in Bodega Bay has packages that include dinner and breakfast in their restaurant. They also have "Stay & Play" golf packages for The Links at Bodega Harbour. We’ve had family members stay here and the rooms are lovely! My brother-in-law had a beautifully appointed room with a view and a fireplace. The Inn also has a pool, whirlpool and sauna.

For an even more luxurious experience, check out the Bodega Bay Lodge & Spa. We received a generous gift certificate to this Four-Diamond lodge from our daughter a few years ago and had a blast! Their guest rooms and suites feature ocean views and fireplaces. They have a pool, whirlpool, sauna, full service spa and comlimentary wine hour. We had relaxing massages down by the pool and a first class dinner in their Duck Club restaurant. The Press Democrat said, “The Duck Club Restaurant is one of the most romantic dining spots in Sonoma County....the atmosphere makes every visit special... it is the perfect venue for a romantic, ocean-view meal. Excellent ingredients, many from nearby farms and fisheries, enhance the experience.”

Less expensive but very nice accommodations are available at the Bodega Harbor Inn. We’ve had family members stay here too and they loved it. The rooms are all different, many in their own little cottage or cabin. The rooms were clean, freshly painted, and nicely decorated. And some of their rooms are pet-friendly, yay!

If you’d like to bring the entire family, consider renting a vacation home out here. There are several websites offering gorgeous homes including Bodega Bay & Beyond. Some houses are so large that two or three families often share one for the weekend. There’s plenty for everyone to do, like kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, beachcombing, shopping, dining, wine-tasting, golf, and whale-watching. You can find out more at the Bodega Bay Visitors Center website.

Come have a Happy Valentine’s Day here in Bodega Bay!

Photo: The Links Golf Course, Bodega Bay

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Chowder Day in Bodega Bay!

Yay, it's time once again for Chowder Day in Bodega Bay! The 7th annual day of scrumptious tastings will be held Saturday, February 6, 2010, 11am to 3pm.

Last year seven local restaurants served up free samples of their best chowder recipes and more than 500 participants voted on their favorites. It's a fun, delicious, warm thing to do on a chilly winter day at the coast. We went with a group of friends last year and had a blast. You can read more about it here.

To participate, go to the Bodega Bay Visitors Center at 850 Highway One between 11am to 3pm to pick up your pass and map to the generous restaurants serving the clam chowder and other tasty samplings. This year, a $5.00 donation is suggested to help fund the annual Independence Day Fireworks Over the Bay.

See you there!

Bodega Bay Coast Guard Rocks in Pacific Waves

Here's a cool video showing crew members of Coast Guard Station Bodega Bay training in the surf near Dillon Beach, just south of Bodega Bay.

Be careful, watching it can make you feel queasy! The Coast Guard crew aboard Motor Lifeboat 47257 was training in the Pacific Ocean during high surf on Jan. 13, 2010. Bodega Bay is one of 20 designated surf stations, whose crews specialize in conducting search and rescue missions in heavy weather and seas.

We've been getting slammed here on the coast with rain, gusty winds and high seas. Recent swells off of Bodega Bay were 23 feet and winds were 25 mph and gusting to 30 mph. Very exciting!

The video looks most dramatic if you view it in full screen.



U.S. Coast Guard video by Station Bodega Bay.

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Crab Feeds in Bodega Bay

Crab season is well underway and we have three fabulous crab feeds coming up in Bodega Bay!

Sunday, January 17, 2010, 2:00 p.m.
Bodega Bay Grange Annual Crab Cioppino Feed
Bodega Bay Grange
1370 Bodega Ave., Bodega Bay, CA
707-875-9414
Price: $40

From their website: "Held the 3rd Sunday of January, loyal flocks from all corners of the State descend on this seaside hamlet, made famous in the Hitchcock thriller The Birds. They pay $40 each for the enjoyment of this tradition that has carried on since 1953. Last year, the Grange served up 670 dinners in little more than six hours. The proceeds fund the Grange’s scholarship program and other operations."



Sunday, January 24, 2010, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Bluewater Bistro Crab Feed
The Links at Bodega Harbour
21301 Heron Drive, Bodega Bay, CA
707-875-3513
Price: $33

The Bluewater Bistro has a gorgeous view and is the perfect place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner here in Bodega Bay. From their website: They "offer a perfect combination of seaside and wine country cuisine for both golfers and non-golfers alike; serving only the freshest ingredients possible, from Sonoma County beef, to fresh fish right off the boat."

I love this place and their Crab Feed menu looks delicious!
• Fresh Local Warm Crab • Caesar Salad • Penne Pasta with Marinara
• Sautéed Green Beans with Almonds • Double Layer Chocolate Cake

Bluewater BistroBluewaterBistro

Friday, January 29, 2010, 5:00-9:00 p.m.
Friday, February 5, 2010, 5:00-9:00 p.m.
The Tides Wharf Restaurant 18th Annual Crab Feeds
The Tides
800 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay, CA
707-875-3652
Price: $39.95

From their website: "Made famous in the early 1960’s as the backdrop for scenes of Alfred Hitchcock’s film classic, The Birds, The Tides remains a popular destination for locals and travelers from around the world."

Menu:
• Chilled Dungeness Crab • Clam Chowder
• Pasta • Green Salad • French Bread
• Melted Butter • Cocktail Sauce



Locals and visitors alike love these annual crabs feeds and really get into them. Our neighbors kindly invited us to join the festivities at their pre-crab-feed-party but warned us they'll only serve light snacks. They said, "After all, we have some serious eating to do!" This photo from the Grange's website shows everyone having a blast last year.


Have fun and don't forget your bibs.

Storms Bring High Surf to Bodega Bay

Photo credit: Patrick Carney Photography. Salmon Creek Beach, looking north up the coast.

The recent storms have brought some high surf to the Sonoma Coast this week. Even Doran Beach, which is usually calm, has giant, dramatic waves right now. When they break, you can feel the boom in your chest. At high tide this morning, the beach was almost completely covered with white, frothy water.

Although it's beautiful, sunny and mild right now, we're expecting more rain and wind this weekend. Oh boy! As you can imagine, stormy weather is a huge draw for tourists who come to witness the spectacular surf at the coast.

The Press Democrat ran a great story by Bob Norberg in today's paper headlined, "Surf is high and more storms on the way."

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Baby Lambs Near Bodega Bay

One of the many beautiful things about living in Bodega Bay is the gorgeous drive to get here. And right now, there are hundreds of new lambs in the pastures along the way. I've been driving past the adorable babies for a few weeks and I think they've already doubled in size.



I recently drove out to take some photos. When I climbed out of the car, the first thing I noticed was the sound. There was a chorus of bleating coming from flocks scattered throughout the meadows that line Valley Ford Road. Baa, maa, BAAH, bleah, beeee, baaaa. I had no idea they were so vocal.





They didn't seem to mind my presence and went about their business, which mostly consisted of grazing, then settling down for a rest. The lambs were more active, prancing around in the morning sunshine and dewy grass.



A few times, I witnessed lambs charging urgently through the fields, making a beeline toward their mothers so they could nurse. The mothers cooperated for only a minute or two then stepped over them and walked away, leaving the youngsters to trot along bleating behind them. I guess it's part of the weaning process? The poor little lambs were so intense and carried on as though they were starving, but when it was clear mom wasn't buying it, they reluctantly went for the grass instead.





Once in a while a ewe would acquiesce and give the kid a break for several minutes.


I don't know much about raising livestock and I wondered why so many babies were born in December. I found out that sheep farmers breed the ewes toward the end of summer so the lambs are born in December and February when the grass is more plentiful. I guess our relatively moderate winter temperatures aren't a problem here on the coast.







Some people think sheep are dumb but their IQ is actually just below pigs and about the same as cows. Some sheep have shown problem-solving abilities. A flock in England allegedly found a way to get over cattle grids by rolling on their backs! Sheep also have a remarkable memory for faces and form friendships. They can also differentiate emotional states through facial characteristics, so be sure to smile when you see them. :-)



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Happy New Year from Bodega Bay!

It's been a beautiful holiday season here in Bodega Bay. For the most part, the weather has been warm and sunny with little wind. I recently took some photos of the Christmas lights around town but many turned out too blurry to post. The following are still pretty soft but I thought Bodega Bay fans might enjoy seeing some of the local shots.


The Tides went all out again with thousands of lights streaming through rows of trees on both sides of Hwy. 1. The shot above is looking towards the Inn and their Bay View Restaurant on the upper side of the highway. The image below is looking toward their large Tides restaurant complex on the lower side. The shots don't do it justice, their display is really spectacular.



Diekmann's Bay Store, 1275 Highway 1.


The Boat House restaurant, 1445 Hwy. 1. Some say they make the best fish & chips in town.


Second Wind kite and candy shop, 1805 Hwy. 1. My daughter loves the handmade chocolates they carry.


Blurry shot of the Bodega Bay RV Park, 2001 Hwy. 1. I'm sorry the photo is so soft. Their Christmas lights were a cheerful sight on the dark outskirts of town.


This one gets my vote for best-decorated home in Bodega Bay.

I was disappointed that I couldn't find a single boat with Christmas lights in either of the marinas. I know I've seen them lit up in previous years. Maybe they took them down early?

I noticed in today's Press Democrat, they recommended a trip to Bodega Bay as a New Year's Eve suggestion: A low-budget New Year's Eve could start with a drive to Spud Point Marina in Bodega Bay for clam chowder and fresh crab. Walk onto the dock among fishermen and boats to experience the salty air and saltier talk that is tradition for some.

Spud Point Crab Co. sells chowder and cooked crab that you may eat there on picnic tables or take home. Live crab can be had elsewhere, like on the fishing boat Robert Croll.

Carol Anello, co-owner of Spud Point Crab, said her doors open at 9 a.m. and close around 3 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Over the holidays, people have swarmed the place to take in food and atmosphere, she said. “It's a real experience in the morning when the fishermen are out drinking their coffee with their dogs and shooting the bull,” said Anello, whose son and husband are often among them. “Sometimes it gets heated.”

She said the crab isn't as big as previous years but it's just as tasty. Plan on spending no more than about $10 per crab. “We cook them right here and serve clam chowder while you're waiting,” she said.

To read the entire article, click here.