| Why just read about the rich and famous when you | | | | consistent stream of getaway travelers, most hailing |
| can vacation with them? A stay in a Newport Beach | | | | from California and arriving by car ' although John |
| luxury waterfront hotel will give you an up-close look | | | | Wayne Airport is only a 15-minute drive from the |
| at how the other half lives -- or maybe we should | | | | resort. The temperate coastal weather and the |
| say the other 10 percent. | | | | property's waterfront location are big draws. |
| The Balboa Bay Club will be glad to share its | | | | In fact, Newport Beach is a pretty good draw all on |
| front-row view of the good life now that this | | | | its own. Take a drive and you'll see that modern, |
| legendary club of the Newport Coast elite has | | | | wide palm tree-lined thoroughfares take visitors |
| opened half its units to the general public. Before | | | | through some of the priciest real estate in the |
| 2003, the resort's prime Newport Beach real estate | | | | country, the gorgeous blue Pacific Ocean almost |
| was only available to members of the club. Now | | | | always visible with just the slightest elevation. |
| there are 150 rooms and 10 suites available to | | | | World-class shopping and fine restaurants are in |
| anyone yearning for some weekend affluence. | | | | nearly every part of the city ' and, we might |
| Staying at the club a night or two would be a | | | | mention, the club's restaurant, the First Cabin, is no |
| sure-fire way to impress the significant other, or to | | | | slouch either. Famous galleries, exquisite home |
| completely escape from job stress, but still keep | | | | furnishing stores and many fascinating shops are |
| costs within reason. We consider resorts like the | | | | awaiting your exploration in nearby Corona del Mar. |
| Balboa Bay Club "special-occasion" getaways ' places | | | | Or visit Fashion Island, one of two Orange County |
| we go to celebrate, not just to get away. With small | | | | super retail complexes that just seem too grandiose |
| houses on nearby Balboa Island going for $4 million | | | | to be called shopping centers (the other being South |
| and 100-foot mega-yachts parked in slips right out in | | | | Coast Plaza in nearby Costa Mesa). Name a store |
| front of your bay-view suite, the Balboa Bay Club | | | | found on New York's Fifth Avenue, and you'll |
| takes you many steps beyond the average getaway. | | | | probably find a version of it at Fashion Island. |
| The first clue you're not in Kansas anymore is when | | | | For the outdoor enthusiast, it's just a five-minute |
| you cruise the circular driveway to the lobby area. | | | | drive from the club to Upper Newport Ecological |
| Behind that line of dark-colored, late-modeled SUVs | | | | Reserve, a 752-acre coastal wetland that is home to |
| there's a gleaming new two-seat sports car you don't | | | | 200 rare and endangered bird species. Visitors enjoy |
| quite recognize because, in all likelihood, it's not the | | | | walking tours through the area. |
| kind of car available at your local auto mall. Then it's | | | | On our visits to Newport Beach, we have enjoyed |
| not one or two valets, but a platoon of at least six | | | | shopping on Balboa Island, which has a tiny, but busy |
| fair-haired young gentlemen running to and fro to | | | | Main Street ' actually it's called Marine Avenue ' which |
| make certain that no one waits long for their vehicle. | | | | is just a few short blocks with about 70 shops and |
| And the service just keeps on coming. From the | | | | restaurants to explore. This little example of Small |
| smiling young woman at check-in to the cordial | | | | Town Americana offers a wide selection of shops in |
| bellhops to the extraordinarily punctual room service | | | | all price ranges as well as several boutiques and |
| attendants ' who managed to bring us cookies and | | | | galleries. |
| milk while the cookies were still warm ' the service at | | | | The downtown shopping area is just part of the |
| the Balboa Bay Club, during our stay, was | | | | attraction on Balboa Island, an island small enough |
| consistently top-rate. | | | | that you can walk entirely around its perimeter in less |
| And then there are the rooms. Once we opened the | | | | than two miles. It's fun to observe life on an island |
| door to our bay-view suite, we could fully appreciate | | | | that remains exclusive because it is so expensive. |
| the club's location and attention to detail. The sliding | | | | There is no denying that the ever-present sunshine |
| glass doors opened to a maritime show that | | | | and the harbor views create a quiet respite from |
| continued from dawn to dusk. From small Duffy | | | | bustling city life and clogged freeways. The colorful |
| boats to super-yachts, from kayaks to college | | | | villas and vacation-style homes on the island are quite |
| rowing teams, the sights and sounds of Balboa Bay | | | | lavish for their size. |
| are mesmerizing. You'll be tempted to spend many an | | | | Walk out onto your deck at the Balboa Bay Club and |
| hour on the one of your two private decks that are | | | | you'll likely see many electrically powered Duffy boats |
| perfect for viewing all of the water activities. | | | | -- which you can even rent for your own cruise on |
| The rooms are over-size and our one-bedroom suite | | | | the bay. Duffy boats are made locally and are |
| actually had two of these large rooms with two | | | | specifically designed to take a group of people out |
| bathrooms, one so spacious it had three dressing | | | | on the water in total comfort and luxury for simple |
| areas, a walk-in closet, a two-person Jacuzzi-style tub | | | | harbor cruising. The 21-foot boat we rented could |
| and a separate shower room. The bathrooms were | | | | accommodate 10 adults with plush bench seats on |
| Italian marble, the counter-tops granite and the | | | | each side of the boat with table tops available in the |
| overall design was reminiscent of those bathroom | | | | middle for drinks or snacks. The boat was entirely |
| areas you see in home d?r magazines ' you know, | | | | shaded and had plenty of open areas on the sides to |
| the ones you wonder if you will ever really be able to | | | | enjoy the view. It was easy to operate and requires |
| afford. | | | | little or no boating experience. |
| Large-screen TV, high-speed internet, games, they're | | | | Our Duffy boat wasn't exactly like the 100-foot |
| all there. And, when it came time to turn in for the | | | | mega-yachts tied up in from of our suite at the |
| night, our luxuriously appointed king-size bed was | | | | Balboa Club -- but let's just say it was a tad bit easier |
| form-fitting and among the most comfortable we've | | | | on fuel. |
| ever slept on. Oh those 10 percent do live well. | | | | AT A GLANCE |
| The Balboa Bay Club actually was created in 1948, | | | | WHERE: The Balboa Bay Club is in Newport Beach, |
| back when there were far fewer people living in | | | | which is located in Orange County, south of Los |
| Newport Beach and the area was a popular getaway | | | | Angeles. It is easily reached on the 405 freeway. |
| for Hollywood elites. There are about 2,800 members | | | | WHAT: A playground for the wealthy, but still within |
| of the club, which includes a couple thousand or so | | | | reason for the average middle-income family if you |
| living on the property and the others just dropping | | | | go for just a weekend. |
| by to use the spa, Olympic-style pool and other | | | | WHEN: Year-round, with blue-sky weather virtually |
| recreational facilities. Past and present members of | | | | any time of the year. |
| the club include such familiar names as John Wayne, | | | | WHY: "Weather and water" as one club executive |
| Humphrey Bogart, Robert Wagner, John Travolta, | | | | explained. The weather's perfect most of the time, |
| Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Carey. | | | | and the club is the only waterfront resort in Newport |
| The first few years of the "public" Balboa Bay Club | | | | Beach. |
| have gone well and the resort has attracted a | | | | |