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Palacio De Bellas Artes

History

The earliest known structure on the site was the Convent of Santa Isabel, whose church was built in 1680. However, significant Aztec finds, such as a sacrificial altar in the shape of a plumed serpent have been found here. The convent area suffered frequent flooding during the early colonial period and development here grew slowly. In spite of this, the convent remained until it was forcibly closed in the 1860s by the Reform Laws. It was replaced by a textile mill and lower-class housing.

Facade of the Palacio

A section of this housing, on Santa Isabel Alley, was torn down and replaced by the National Theater in the latter 19th century. During the late 19th century and very early 20th, this theatre was the site of most of Mexico City high culture, presenting events such as theatre, operettas, Viennese dance and more. It was then decided to replace this building with a more opulent one for the upcoming Centennial of Mexican Independence celebrations in 1910. The old theatre was demolished in 1901, and the new theatre would be called the Gran Teatro de pera. The work was awarded to Italian architect Adamo Boari, who favored neoclassical and art nouveau styles and who is responsible for the Palacio del Correo which is across the street. Adamo Boari promised in October of 1904 to build grand metallic structure, which at that time only existed in the United States, but not to this size. The first stone of the building was place by Porfirio Daz in 1904. Despite the 1910 deadline, by 1913, the building was hardly begun with only a basic shell. One reason for this is that the project became more complicated than anticipated as the heavy building sank into the soft spongy subsoil. The other reason was the political and economic instability that would lead to the Mexican Revolution. Full hostilities suspended construction of the palace completely and Adamo Boari returned to Italy.

The project would sit unfinished for about twenty years. In 1932, construction resumed under Mexican architect Federico Mariscal. Mariscal completed the interior but updated it from Boari plans to the more modern Art Deco style. The building was completely finished in 1934, and was inaugurated on 29 September of that year. The inaugural work presented in the theatre was “La Verdad Sospechosa” by Juan Ruiz de Alarcn in 1934. In 1946, the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Institute of the Fine Arts) was created as a government agency promote the arts and was initially housed at the Museo Nacional de Artes Plasticas, the Museo del Libro and other places. It is now at the Palacio.

In this theatre, Maria Callas debuted in the opera orma in 1950.

In 2002, the Palace was the scene of the funeral of Mara Flix.

Temporary wall around the building during renovations with artistic graffiti

Since its initial construction, very little has been updated or modified. However, intensive renovation efforts were begun in 2009 for the upcoming 2010 celebrations. Much of the equipment and machinery is original from the early 20th century. Much of the technological equipment is being updated, especially in the theatre which needs computerized lights, sound systems and other improvements. Other work will improve the acoustics. Upgrades to the theatre will allow for multimedia shows which were not available before. The main hall has had no renovation or upgrade work since it opened in 1934. Renovations here will lessen the number of people the hall can accommodate but should make the area more comfortable.

The building

Interior on third floor

The palace has a mixture of a number of architectural styles; however, it is principally Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Art Nouveau dominates the exterior, which was done by Adamo Boari, and the inside is dominated by Art Deco, which was completed by Federico Mariscal. Since construction began in 1904, the theater (which opened in 1934) has sunk some four meters into the soft soil of Mexico City. The main facade, which faces Avenida Jurez, is made of white Italian Carrera marble. In the interior of the portal are sculptures by Italian Leonardo Bistolfi. It consists of armony, surrounded by ain, age, appiness, eace and ove. Another portion of the facade contains cherubs and sculptures representing music and inspiration. On the plaza front of the building, designed by Boari, there are four Pegasus sculptures which were made by Catalan Agust Querol Subirats. These had been in the Zocalo before being brought here. The roof covering the center of the building is made of crystal designed by Hungarian Geza Marotti and depicts the muses with Apollo. One aspect of the Palace which has since disappeared is the ergola, which was located in the Alameda. It was constructed to house pictorial exhibitions for the 1910 celebrations, but it was demolished in 1973.

Image of Chac on a light panel

The interior is also surfaced in Carrera marble. It divides into three sections: the main hall with adjoining smaller exhibition halls, the theatre and the offices of the Insituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. The main hall is covered by the Marotti glass and iron roof. It and the balconies of all three upper floors can be seen from the ground floor below. In areas of the main hall, pre-Hispanic motifs done in Art Deco style, such as serpents heads on window arches and Maya Chac masks on the vertical light panels distinguish this interior from its contemporaries. The smaller exhibition halls are located on the first and second floors. The first floor is decorated with crystal lamps, created by Edgar Brandt and hold murals by Rufino Tamayo. The Adamo Boari and Manuel E. Ponce halls hold music and literature events. And the National and International halls are for exhibitions. The second floor has smaller exhibition halls as well as murals by Jos Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, Jorge Gonzlez Camarena, Roberto Montenegro and Manuel Rodrguez Lozano. The third floor is occupied by the Museum of Architecture. The ironwork was designed in Italy by Alessandro Mazzucotelli and in Mexico by Luis Romero Soto.

At the entrance of the theatre, there are mascarons in bronze with depictions of Tlaloc, and Chac, the Aztec and Mayan deities of water, which along with the rest were designed by Gianette Fiorenzo. On the arch over the stage are representations of various mythological personas such as the Muses with Apollo. This was constructed in Hungary in the workshops of Geza Maroti. However, the most impacting aspect is the stage urtain which is a stained glass foldable panel created out of nearly a million pieces of iridescent pieces of colored glass by Tiffany in New York. This stage curtain is the only one of its type in any opera house in the world and weighs 24 tons. The design of the curtain has the volcanos Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl in the center. Around them is a Mexican landscape and this is surrounded by images of sculptures from Yautepec and Oaxaca. This design was inspired by work done by artist Gerardo Murrillo (Dr. Atl) . The theatre has a capacity of 1,000.

Events

The Palace has been the scene of some of the most notable events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature and has hosted important exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography. It has hosted some of the biggest names from both Mexico and abroad. It has hosted poetry events as well as those related to popular culture.Artist and companies are from all parts of Mexico and abroad. It has been called the athdral of Art in Mexico1] and is considered to be the most important theatre and the most important cultural center in Mexico. It was declared an artistic monument in 1987 by UNESCO. The building is administered by the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes of the federal government. The palace receive on average 10,000 visitors each week.

Two of the best-known groups which regularly perform here are the Ballet Folklrico de Mxico Compania Nacional de Opera de Bellas Artes and the National Symphonic Orchestra.The first performs in the theatre twice a week and is a spectacle of pre and post Hispanic dance of Mexico. A typical program includes Aztec ritual dances, agricultural dances from Jalisco, a fiesta in Veracruz, a wedding celebration — all accompanies by mariachis, marimba players and singers. Regular annual events include the Premio Quorum for Mexican designers in graphic and industrial materials and the Premios Ariel for Mexican films.

Individual events that have been held here are numerous. Some of these include several exhibitions of Frida Kahlo work, and a number of appearances by Luciano Pavarotti. Other appearances have been made by Mexican baritone Jorge Lagunes (2002) and Catalan guitarist Joan Manuel Serrat (2003). Events that have been held here include BCDF Palabras de Ciudad (2002) showing life in popular housing in photographs and video, ordados del Mexico Antiguo (Embroidery of Old Mexico) showing processes, history and design, Rem Koolhaas Premio Pritzker 2000″ conference and xchanging Views: Visions of Latin America which was an exhibit from the collection of Patricia Phelps de Cisneros comprised of 148 works by 72 artists from across Latin America in 2006.

Occasionally, the plaza in front of the Palace is the scene of protests such as those against the Iraq War in 2003 and against bullfighting in 2010.

Murals

Torment of Cuauhtemoc by Siqueiros

The floors between the ground floor and the uppermost floor are dominated by a number of murals painted by most of the famous names of Mexican muralism. On the 2nd floor are two early-1950s works by Rufino Tamayo: Mxico de Hoy (Mexico Today) and Nacimiento de la Nacionalidad (Birth of Nationality), a symbolic depiction of the creation of the mestizo (person of mixed indigenous and Spanish ancestry) identity. At the west end of the 3rd floor is El Hombre En El Cruce de Caminos (Man at the Crossroads), originally commissioned for New York’s Rockefeller Center in 1933. A giant vacuum sucks up the riches of the earth to feed the factories of card-playing, hard-drinking white capitalist thugs , including John D. Rockefeller himself while workers rally behind the red flag of socialism and its standard-bearer, Lenin. The Rockefellers were not happy with the painting and had it painted over and destroyed. Rivera recreated it here in 1934. On the north side of the third floor are David Alfaro Siqueiros’ three-part La Nueva Democraca (New Democracy) and Rivera’s four-part Carnaval de la Vida Mexicana (Carnival of Mexican Life); to the east is Jos Clemente Orozco’s La Katharsis (Catharsis), depicting the conflict between humankind’s ‘social’ and ‘natural’ aspects.

Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes y el Museo Nacional de Arquitectura.

The Museum of the Palacio de Bellas Artes is the organization that takes care of the permanent murals and other artwork in the building as well as arrange temporary exhibits. These exhibits cover a wide range of media and feature Mexican and international artists, focusing on classic and contemporary artists.

The Museum of Architecture occupies the top floor of the building, covered by the glass and iron roof. It contains exhibitions from renowned Mexican architects including models, plans and photographs of major works. This museum also arranges temporary exhibitions of its collections in other facilities. The purpose is to expose the Mexican public to the country rich architectural heritage. Some of the major architects featured at the museum include Jaime Ortiz Monasterio, Carlos Mijares Bracho, Adamo Boari and Luis Barragan. The museum is divided into four sections called rquitectura-contrastes: Jaime Ortiz Monasterio y Carlos Mijares Bracho, orpus Urbanstico de la Ciudad de Mxico, eatro Nacional de Mxico (Plano original) and eatro Nacional de Mxico.25] There are also temporary exhibits on contemporary architecture.

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References

^ a b c Fox, Vicente (2005 September 29). “El Palacio de Bellas Artes ha sido y seguir siendo la Catedral del Arte en Mxico [The Palacio de Bellas Artes has been and will continue to be the Cathedral of Art in Mexico]” (in Spanish). Mexico City: Office of the President of Mexico. http://fox.presidencia.gob.mx/actividades/?contenido=15346. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n “Palacio de Bellas Artes” (in Spanish). Mexico City: Secretary of Tourism of Mexico. 2005 February 7. http://www.e-visitantes.gob.mx/wb2/eMex/eMex_Palacio_de_Bellas_Artes_. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ a b c d e f g h i “Palacio de Bellas Artes”. Lonely Planet Guides. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/mexico-city/sights/376019. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ a b c d e f g h “Cumple 75 aos el Palacio de Bellas Artes [Palacio de Bella Artes 75th birthday]” (in Spanish). Noticias Televisa. Notimex (Mexico City). 208 Septemer 30. http://www2.esmas.com/noticierostelevisa/investigaciones-especiales/097692/cumple-75-anos-palacio-bellas-artes-. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ a b c “Trivia / Historia: El Palacio de Bellas Artes [Triva/History:The Palace of Bellas Artes]” (in Spanish). El Norte (Monterrey, Mexico): p. 2. 2006 September 27. 

^ a b “Avanza remodelacin del Palacio de Bellas Artes [Remodeling of the Palacio de Bellas Artes advances]” (in Spanish). Noticias Televisa (Mexico City). 2009 November 18. http://www2.esmas.com/noticierostelevisa/mexico/df/115778/inicia-remodelacion-del-palacio-bellas-artes. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ a b Snchez, Luis Carlos (2009 August 17). “Ciruga mayor al Palacio de Bellas Artes [Major surgery for the Palacio de Bellas Artes]” (in Spanish). Excelsior (Mexico City). http://www.exonline.com.mx/diario/noticia/comunidad/pulsocapitalino/cirugia_mayor_al_palacio_de_bellas_artes/693690. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ a b c d e “Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes”. Frommers Guides. http://www.frommers.com/destinations/mexicocity/A24287.html. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ a b Garcia, Omar (2003 December 19). “Dan una ‘manita’ a Bellas Artes [Giving a small hand to Bellas Artes]” (in Spanish). Reforma (Mexico City). 

^ “Palacio de Bellas Artes”. Frommers Guides. http://www.frommers.com/destinations/mexicocity/N24750.html. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ Haw, Dora Luz (2003 August 19). “Escenifican ‘Carmen’ ante un mayor publico [Staging Carmen in front of a major audience]” (in Spanish). Reforma (Mexico City): p. 4. 

^ a b Rivas, Angel (2002 May 6). “Enterese [Get involved]” (in Spanish). Reforma (Mexico City): p. 4. 

^ “Tienen fiesta de pelicula [Films have a party]” (in Spanish). El Norte (Monterrey, Mexico): p. 1. 2004 April 1. 

^ “Inauguran exposicion de Frida Kahlo en Bellas Artes; [Frida Kahlo exposition inaugurates at Bellas Artes]” (in Spanish). Noticias Financieras (Miami): p. 1. 2004 August 5. 

^ Malkin, Elisabeth (2007 July 7). “Beyond the Myth, Art Endures”. New York Times (New York). http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/07/arts/design/07frid.html. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ Sanchez, Leticia (1996 December 23). “Pavarotti y mucha opera sonara en Bellas Artes [Pavarotti and much opera will sound off in Bellas Artes]” (in Spanish). Reforma (Mexico City): p. 4. 

^ Cruz, Antimio (2002 October 7). “Se siente Lagunes solido en su trabajo [Lagunes feels solid about his work]” (in Spanish). Reforma (Mexico City): p. 2. 

^ Lopez, Sergio Raul (2003 May 9). “Intima Serrat en Bellas Artes [Serrat give intimate performance at Bellas Artes]” (in Spanish). Reforma (Mexico City): p. 22. 

^ Buzio, Erika P. (2007 March 3). “Dice Koolhaas alto al mercado” (in Spanish). Reforma (Mexico City): p. 8. 

^ “Avant-Garde Latin American Art Drawn from Coleccion Patricia Phelps de Cisneros on View at Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes”. Business Wire (New York): p. 1. 2006 July 26. 

^ Alvarez, Carmen (2003 March 11). “Construyen con arte un cerco a la guerra [Constructing with art a fence against war]” (in Spanish). Reforma (Mexico City): p. 4. 

^ “Protestan frente al Palacio de Bellas Artes contra la tauromaquia [Protests in front of the Palacio de Bellas Artes against bullfighting]” (in Spanish). Excelsior (Mexico City). 2010 February 6. http://www.exonline.com.mx/diario/noticia/comunidad/pulsocapitalino/protestan_frente_al_palacio_de_bellas_artes_contra_la_tauromaquia/856801. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ “Presentacin [Presentation]“. Mexico: Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. http://www.bellasartes.gob.mx/INBA/Template12/index.jsp?secc_cve=21. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ “Presentacin [Presentation]“. Mexico: Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. http://www.bellasartes.gob.mx/INBA/Template12/index.jsp?secc_cve=210. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

^ [h http://www.bellasartes.gob.mx/INBA/Template12/index.jsp?secc_cve=212 "Obras representivas [Representative Works]“]. Mexico: Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. h http://www.bellasartes.gob.mx/INBA/Template12/index.jsp?secc_cve=212. Retrieved 2010 February 18. 

External links

Palacio de Bellas Artes website

v  d  e

Landmarks and historic buildings of Mexico City Centro

Zcalo

and immediate vicinity

Zcalo  Mexico City Cathedral  National Palace  Federal District buildings  Templo Mayor  Old Portal de Mercaderes  Nacional Monte de Piedad

Schools and colleges

Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana  Academia Mexicana de la Historia  Academy of San Carlos  Colegio de San Ignacio de Loyola Vizcanas  Antigua Escuela de Economa  Colegio Nacional  Colegio de Minera

Government buildings

Old Customs Building  Chamber of Deputies  Departamento de Estadistica Nacional  Secretariat of Public Education Main Headquarters  Senate building  Supreme Court building  Palace of the Marqus del Apartado

Religious buildings

Nuestra Seora de Loreto Church  Church of San Francisco  Church of Nuestra Seora de Valvanera  Church of San Bernardo  Ex Temple of Corpus Christi  La Enseanza Church  La Merced Cloister  La Santisima Church  Temple and Ex-convent of Jesus Maria  Church of San Juan de Dios  Parish of la Santa VeraCruz  Parish of San Miguel  Santa Clara church – Library of Congress  Santa Teresa la Antigua  Temple of San Pablo el Nuevo  Church of Santo Domingo  Temple of Saint Augustine  Temple of San Felipe Neri “La Profesa”

Museums

San Ildefonso College  Caricature Museum  Franz Mayer Museum  Museum of the City of Mexico  Interactive Museum of Economics  Museo de Arte Popular  Jos Luis Cuevas Museum  Palace of the Inquisition (Museum of Mexican Medicine)  Mexican Army Museum  Museo Nacional de Arte  Museo de Charrera  Museo de la Estampa  Museo de Estanquillo  Museum Archive of Photography  Museum of Secretara de Hacienda y Crdito Pblico  San Pedro y San Pablo College (Museum of Light)  House of the First Print Shop in the Americas  National Museum of Cultures

Palaces

Palace of Iturbide  Palacio de Bellas Artes  Palacio de Correos de Mexico  Casa de los Azulejos  Palacio de la Autonomia de UNAM  Houses of the Mayorazgo de Guerrero  Palace of the Marqus del Apartado

Historic houses

Tlaxcala House  Saint Augustine House  House of Count de la Torre de Cossio  House of the Marquis of Uluapa  House of the Count de la Torre Coso y la Cortina

Other

Plaza Garibaldi  Antigua Escuela de Jurisprudencia  Chinatown (Barrio Chino)  Tlaxcala House  Garden of the Triple Alliance  Centro Cultural de Espaa (Mexico City)  INAH Building  Abelardo L. Rodriguez Market  La Merced Market  Lirico Theatre  Alameda Park  Plaza Santo Domingo  Teatro Hidalgo  Teatro de la Ciudad  Saint Augustine House  Torre Latinoamericana  Hospital de Jess Nazareno  Tlaxcoaque

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Categories: Palaces in Mexico | Buildings and structures in Mexico City | Opera houses in Mexico | Art Deco buildings | Landmarks in Mexico City | Museums in Mexico City | Art museums and galleries in Mexico | 1934 establishments | History of Mexico City | 20th century in Mexico | Mexican architecture | Mexican art
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Sausalito Different World From San Francisco

The best views of the San Francisco skyline come from a charming little seaside village just across the bay that is perfect for your next getaway to the bay area.

Look up the term “bedroom community” in the dictionary and it must have a picture of Sausalito, the tiny bayside berg that basically is a narrow slice of waterfront hugging lush hillsides covered with spectacular view homes. Way back before the turn of the century, San Franciscans figured out that Sausalito — with its postcard views of the city and nearby Tiburon — was the perfect place to get away from the city, yet still never lose sight of the city.

Of course, until 1937, commuting to Sausalito was not quite so convenient. Ferries were available, but construction of the Golden Gate Bridge was what finally made Sausalito easily accessible. Today that traffic across the Golden Gate goes both ways – folks traveling to the city to work, but tourists and San Franciscans also coming to Sausalito to enjoy a lazy day browsing in the town’s colorful shops.

This town of just 7,500 residents will swell with tourists on any day there is decent weather – which is most of the time – and visitors also arrive by regular ferry service from San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Conversely, Bay area visitors will use the ample parking in Sausalito and take the ferry to visit tourist attractions in San Francisco.

We decided to make a night of it in Sausalito – stay in town long after the day crowds have returned to city and truly soak up the waterfront atmosphere by staying in a luxury hotel perched on one of those Sausalito hillsides. Arriving in town prior to check-in time, the first order of business was to visit the many shops along Bridgeway, the “main street” of Sausalito.

Like other California luxury seaside towns, the gallery is King in Sausalito – there are 13 of them by our count – and trendy clothing stores are not far behind. Some of the shops offer expensive jewelry, while others offer specialty items such as the unusual papers at Pinestreet Papery or the nautical gifts at the Harbor Shop. Thankfully, Sausalito has not turned into a tacky tourist town – most shops are tasteful, and there are only one or two tee-shirt shops.

Many of the shops are located in historic buildings on the west side of Bridgeway while, on the east, shoppers enjoy an ever-changing slide show of waterfront views. The Sausalito Yacht Harbor and other docking areas stretch along as much as two-thirds of the length of the waterfront. We were reminded of some of the towns in the Pacific Northwest where, like Sausalito, some shops and restaurants are built on pilings out in the bay. The visitors on this bright sunny day were all ages and many found comfortable places along the waterfront to just sit and people watch. Out in the bay, a parade of luxury yachts were streaming in and out of the docking areas and, over to the north, there was a constant view of downtown San Francisco. Ferries would arrive and depart every couple of hours.

After a sandwich with a view at the Bridgeway Caf?it was time to check in at our hotel – the Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa, located in the middle of the action down on Bridgeway. This boutique hotel looks a little smaller than it is – the hotel, in fact, has a total of 63 guest rooms and suites, 19 of which have views overlooking Richard’s Bay. The hotel is built along the hillside and features a variety of units ranging from Victorian to contemporary rooms and suites. Stairways, pathways and courtyards connect the units and the unconventional layout keeps you guessing about what walkways and viewpoints you’ll discover around the next corner. Around one of those corners is the spa, which offers various treatments and services.

Our unit was like a mini-suite – probably about 400 square feet not counting a large bathroom area. Everything in the room was updated. A contemporary four-poster king-size bed was the centerpiece and the room included a mini-bar/entertainment area, small hide-a-bed couch, fireplace, an overstuffed chair and a writing desk. In the bath area, we found both a large shower and a oversize bathtub, as well as a spacious dressing area. Our unit had a mini-view of the bay – just enough to see some water at the end of the courtyard, but we’re told the hotel has several units with panoramic views of the bay.

Soon it was time for dinner and it wasn’t hard to find the restaurant that had been recommended to us by several people even before we arrived in town. The Spinnaker is perched on pilings out in Richard’s Bay with a perfect, unobstructed view of the San Francisco skyline. Even from our table – which was a row back from the floor-to-ceiling windows – we could enjoy the skyline’s changing backdrop as late afternoon turned into evening. It’s difficult to remember a time when we have had better service in a restaurant – we enjoyed our prawns and salmon, but the service – and the view – really stood out.

There are several other restaurant choices in Sausalito offering a wide range of cuisine. We didn’t get a chance to sample it but Poggio, the Italian restaurant at the Casa Madrona, was voted one of the 21 best new restaurants in the San Francisco area in 2004.

After dinner it was time for a walk along the waterfront, taking in the evening views and marveling at the number of expensive yachts tied up in the harbor. It was like a boat show – all types of trawlers, sailboats, powerboats and, of course, the houseboats that many people associate with Sausalito. As we neared the entrance to our hotel we noticed that one of the local bars was featuring live music played by a four-member folk group and that, by 8:30 on a Monday night, a crowd was already starting to gather.

After a restful night’s sleep, we enjoyed a relaxing breakfast and another walk along the waterfront – we just couldn’t get enough of those views. Soon it was on to San Francisco and some other Bay area attractions, but one other good place to visit in Sausalito if you have children is the Discovery Museum, near the Golden Gate Bridge. There are fun activities for kids of all ages, and the bridge is so close you can walk over and get a close-up view of the best-known landmark in the San Francisco area.

Each year, art lovers flock to the Labor Day Art Festival held in Sausalito and featuring more than 20,000 pieces of art. Ongoing since 1952, the festival features paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, fiber art, fine glass, woodwork, mixed media and photography. There is entertainment on three stages while visitors also enjoy gourmet food and wine.

Whether it’s a quiet weekend getaway or just a day trip on the ferry, a trip to Sausalito has a way of removing stress and, at the same time, helping you appreciate the natural beauty so prevalent in the Bay area.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: Sausalito is just a few miles north of San Francisco and hugs the shoreline just after you cross of the Golden Gate Bridge.

WHAT: Sausalito is charming, historic and easy to visit. Parking is plentiful and it’s easy to walk the waterfront and enjoy the shops while leaving your car in one place all day. Restaurants, fine shops and galleries abound.

WHEN: Any time of year. During winter, the area gets up to seven inches of rain per month so dress accordingly; summers are mostly warm and dry.

WHY: The waterfront location, and proximity to San Francisco, makes this an ideal getaway experience that lets you get as much – or as little – of the Big City as you want.

HOW: For more information on Sausalito, please go to www.sausalito.org or phone 415-331-7262. For more information on the Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa, please go to www.casamadrona.com or phone 415-332-0502. There are a half-dozen or so lodgings in Sausalito.

About the Author

Cary Ordway is president of Getaway Media Corp, publisher of websites focusing on Washington travel as well as other Pacific Northwest destinations, and California vacations.

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