Luxury Delights
at Terranea
By Jill Weinlein
S
itting out on my balcony
overlooking the Pacific
Ocean, I heard seals barking
nearby. Along the cliffs
of Palos Verdes a bevy of
marine wildlife reside in the bucolic
setting. Before dinner, I took a stroll
and saw about twenty sea lions
basking in the sun on rocks near the
shore line. Continuing my stroll I was
startled to see the spray of water
coming from the blowholes of two
humpback whales swimming near
land. It was quite a magnificent
sight to see these enormous
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mammals so close to the Terranea
Resort in Palos Verdes.
A staff member told me that there
was a deep channel running next to
the resort. Mother whales like to
swim with their babies close to land
to protect them from sharks and
other predators.
After my close encounter, I went
back to my spacious room for
a quick soak in the bathtub before
getting ready for Terranea’s
Chef’s Table Dinner.
Overlooking the Pacific Ocean
at sunset while sipping a Justin
Sauvignon Blanc wine and nibbling
on truffle tater tots sprinkled with
foie gras at the elegant Terranea
Resort is an excellent way to start
the summer.
I dined with 12 other guests on the
patio of one of Terranea’s luxurious
villas next to the golf course. Sitting
on white chairs at a communal table
on the bluff on the Palos Verdes
Peninsula was an intimate and
interactive dining experience.
During Terranea’s fifth anniversary,
Executive Chef Bernard Ibarra cooks
with other chefs at the resort to
offer guests an elegant culinary
evening and help local charities
in Southern California.
The theme, Spring’s Bounty, began
with a cocktail or glass of Justin
wine from the Paso Robles region to
pair with hors d’oeuvres. Chef David
Tarrin prepared Japanese confit of
chicken Yakitori; pepper-crusted
toro Nicoise with olive tapenade and