Saturday, August 9, 2008

Not your average trip to The Office

There is something to be said for genuine R&R.

Pacifica pool, Sunset Beach in the background

My family vacations were always packed with activities. I often wanted a vacation from the vacation by the end!

This trip was different. Two words best describe it: pool and food.

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Every morning we went to the gym to workout together, then purchased a simple breakfast to enjoy later by the pool: yogurt and some fruit from the deli onsite at Sunset Beach.

Our daily breakfast- yogurt and a banana

NH enjoying this yogurt at the Sky Pool, the most spectacular and unusual at our resort.

Ray's Yogurt 2

Perched at the very top of the cliff overlooking the rest of the resort, it took some effort to get to but was worth the trip. The infinity pool drops down to another section here, but we were still on the edge. I don't like heights but as long as I stay away from the edge I'm ok.

Sky Pool on Monday morning

We wandered from place to place every day. We returned to the main pool at Sunset Beach twice; the swim-up bar had great choices for lunch and the sounds of the ocean behind us were soothing.

First Morning- the Main Pool

On our last morning we took the shuttle next door to the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Holistic Resort and Spa. This smaller hotel focuses on health and rejuvenation. This was our favorite pool by far, so quiet and beautiful. There are no children allowed at this resort, making it quieter and more tranquil.

Pacifica Pool, Our Favorite

NH loved the sound of the fountains and the clear blue tiles.

Pool and Aerobar at Pacifica

I had delicious lunches all week, including ceviche, guacamole, and Thai shrimp salad. The Pacifica was my favorite hands-down. I had the Cabo Pacifica Salad, with greens, cherry tomatoes, corn, jicama, feta cheese and a pumpkin vinaigrette.

Cabo Pacifica Salad at the Pool bar

NH craved pizza and he got his wish: a margarita pizza with thick chunks of pineapple and ham. Una margarita con pina y jamon. :-)

Hawaiian Pizza

Very happy after lunch

At the Pacifica Pool

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We received two separate recommendations to come here: The Office.

View of The Office from our table

Our neighbor on the plane and some companions in the airport car said we had to check it out. Apparently the name comes from a cheeky surfer who hung an "Office" sign by his table; patrons mistook it for the name of the establishment and it stuck. Most of the tables are on the beach itself, and the view from ours was amazing.

View from The Office on Medano Beach

Normally we are not cocktail drinkers, but this is vacation! Besides afternoon happy hour we enjoyed cocktails in town. One of our favorites was a Miami Vice: half strawberry margarita and half pina colada. Pina coladas are very high-calorie, so I liked enjoying a half portion.

Sarah enjoying a Miami Vice (strawberry margarita and pina colada)

NH loves his pina coladas, so he doesn't hold back! It must be his favorite drink, he ordered it often.

Ray enjoying a pina colada

We shared a vegetable quesadilla and black bean nachos for dinner- delicious! (I'm sorry no pictures). And a mariachi serenade as we ate. They graciously obliged NH's request for "romantico!"

Mariachi band tableside

We decided to return the following night! It was later and even more beautiful by night.

The Office on Tuesday night

We spent the evening with a couple we met our first day, visiting from San Diego. They were wonderful vacation companions, and took this great picture of NH and I. I plan to use it for our Christmas cards this year.

Sarah and Ray at The Office

An appetizer of salsa and guacamole with chips. We ate the best guacamole I've ever had on this trip.

Chips and Salsa with Guacamole

Dinner was delicious yet again: Baja-style grilled shrimp, salsa, black beans. NH's entree included a grilled banana, something new that he really liked. Our waiter brought him a second one on the house. How nice!

Ray enjoying a grilled banana

The Office is a short walk down the beach from the Pueblo Bonito Rose, another sister hotel where we could pick up our shuttle home. Fireworks overhead made it even more special.

Fireworks

After dinner we stopped at Sunset Beach's Cigar Bar, where NH enjoyed a cigar and I the view.

Better shot from Cigar Bar

This is VERY high up! All these tall perches, and I'm really scared of heights. I must have taken a vacation from my fear too.

~:::~

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting all the photos and the recap!! I really felt relaxed and like I was on vacation just looking at them :)

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Vacations that are actually relaxing are always the best :0) What an amazing time you had!!