Rare Society Friday Date Night

I'm back today with a quick

Friday Date Night Post.

I wanted some fun drama for our evening out 

at a brand new restaurant in San Clemente.

So I went for a printed maxi

but made it less fancy with a cotton blouse and straw bag.

I was going for some 

Down to Earth Glamour

some glam meets beachy.

A white platform sandal brought a modern edge

to the ball skirt I've had for years.

I find a fashion forward shoe the quickest way to update

my beloved pieces.

I spend a lot of time curating my wardrobe

with pieces I continue to love

and 

still making my outfits fresh and personal.

Our Friday Date Night destination

was a new kid in town

Rare Society

which just opened a fifth location in beautiful San Clemente.

Part of the Trust Restaurant Group of San Diego

it's helmed by the infamous Chef Brad Wise !

Rare Society's

 concept is set to be reminiscent of old school Vegas Steakhouses.

The dramatic bar certainly represents their intended concept!

A huge departure from anything else in the beach town.

As an aesthete a restaurants 'feel'

always comes before food and drink to me

and 

Rare Society

checks all the boxes and more!

It feels like a destination!

 

Jeff and I always prefer to sit at the bar versus a table.

We enjoy the interaction.

The service was top notch

which really says a lot for a restaurant so newly opened!

An outdoor patio that feel sophisticated beachy

while taking advantage of our SoCal weather.

The entire restaurant design fits perfectly in San Clemente's aesthetic 

while bringing it a bit of glamour!

The service, cocktails and food amazing!

I highly recommend and can't wait to return!

If you decide to visit be sure to make reservations!

Or if you just want to be at the bar

get there before the 5:00 opening.

The bar is small and if you miss the first bar seating

the wait is long!

Jeff and I got their 10 minutes early and we were so glad we did!

It made for a most lovely 

Friday Date Night

at

San Clemente's

Rare Society!

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life

San Clemente Beachcomber Inn

Two months into lockdown has me dreaming of travel.

So I thought I would share our last hotel stay.

It was in March for my birthday

in what feels ever so long ago.

It was right before everything shut down.

We decided at the last moment

to stay at a little motel on the water in

San Clemente California
The Beachcomber Inn

We had talked for years about the possibility of staying 

at the modest little motel.

It didn't have the sophisticated appearance

that so many of our hotel choices usually do.

But it's charming location

with not only a spectacular view

but it's grassy knoll location

had us finally looking past it's modest exterior.

And once we walked over to our room

after checking in at the window

boy were we 

ever so glad we decided to give

The Beachcomber Inn
 a chance.

The room interior was as modest as I was expecting.

Although I was happily surprised to see a fully functioning kitchen

and 

even more importantly a full sized coffee maker!

The room interior soon faded away

as the full wall of window

gave way to this 

magnificent unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean!

Jeff and I have stayed at plenty of high end destinations

but  not one of them could beat this view!

We settled in and unpacked our 

Road Trip Bar

and 

headed out to the highlight of our stay.

These two inviting blue chairs

set out 

on our very own private  porch!

Cocktail Hour at it's finest!

180 degree ocean views!

And the fact that the motel sits up on a bluff

means that the views are even more spectacular.

The view off our little porch!

The view to the right

rolling green grass and shaded huts.

The property also has several barbeques for guests to use.

Another aspect of staying at the 

Beachcomber Inn

I was really looking forward to

was the ability to walk to dinner 

at one of our 

San Clemente restaurants 

which is on the pier.

It was a sunny, but chilly day

so a sweater and straw hat was the pieces of choice.

I wore the sweater over my white maxi dress

(which I styled 4 different ways in this post
HERE
this maxi dress makes a great traveling piece!)

Putting the seater over the dress basically turns it into a white skirt!

A flat slide and my backpack

made it an easy beachy walking outfit.

Bold accessories made the outfit 

Glammed up enough for me

for a casual dinner out!

the pier is literally just down the hill from the 

little motel.

A  beautiful and picturesque stroll.

Jeff and I often eat at 

Fisherman's Restaurant 

on the San Clemente.

It's one of the best spots in Southern Orange County 

for sunset cocktails.

I wrote more about it
HERE
As well as my top ten South Orange County
Sunset Cocktail spots
HERE

Casual seating on the bar side  of
Fisherman's Restaurant

is open seating

so it's worth getting there early for an outside seat

right on the water!

Sunset over the pier is an incredible 

light show

with Mother Nature showing off her magnificence!

It was just a short stroll back to the sweet motel.

We got back to our room

in time to see the very end of a spectacular sunset!

Then we grabbed our cocktails

to sit out by their large fire pit.

We met the most interesting people.

We found out how lucky we were to get a room 

at the last minute

because the 

Beachcomber Inn 

is known to be almost always full.

We heard from several people from out of state

that they had been coming to the motel

for years with family.

After such a wonderful day

the motel room looked much more poetic and charming.

We woke up the next day to a gray coastal  drizzle 

which made for a different kind of beach beauty.

Having a coffee maker in the little kitchen

meant we could wake up and make coffee

before we got dressed 

'to go get coffee'.

Coffee First thing 

is such a travel requirement for me!

My coffee run choice for the drizzly morning.

Cutest takeout coffee just a short walk away

and 

back to our favorite porch chairs

to savor the view!

Jeff and I were so glad we finally gave the sweet

Beachcomber Inn a chance.

I can't wait to go back!!

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life

Sunset Cocktails ... The Fishermans Bar

I am back today with another installment in my

Sunset Cocktail Series

(You can find the list to the others in the series at the end of this post)

Living nearish the  beaches of Southern California

one of my favorite things always

 is going for cocktails

to take in the sunset over the ocean.

You would think with so much coastline here in South Orange County

there would be a plethora of ocean front choices

but the reality oceanfront views take some searching out.

The Fishermans Bar 

in San Clemente

provides a wonderful ocean view experience.

The bar is actually built on the front end of the 

San Clemente Pier

so your ocean view experience is a full one. 

Seating at the
Fishermans Bar

is first come, first serve

even for the outside patio which has the most stellar views.

The Fishermans Bar 
features a daily cocktail hour

at moderate prices.

Which sounds all good

but it actually means in the summer months

getting a table outside can be more like the luck of the draw

and 

that's after you find parking.

But there is also the Fishermans Restaurant on the opposite side of the pier
that has more of a Fine Dining experience
where you can confirm reservations.

Finding parking in San Clemente during prime summer hours can be tricky.

But we have found if we come prepared to walk a good distance

(think up to a mile)

parking can be successful.

And summer strolls through the waterfront streets

can actually be pretty wonderful and add to the beach life experience.

Even getting a seat at the bar  inside can provide views

as the sky puts on it's show over the water.

Many people think that once the sun dips down into the water

the sunset is over

but for me

that's just when the dramatic lighting begins.

Sometimes in the summer months

there can be another whole hour of magic to come!

The main draw for the Fishermans Bar for me is definitely  what's happening outside

with the painterly skies and ocean.

The interior is old school oceanfront
and 

wine selection are just the basics
but they do have a full bar
and

the clam chowder can  almost be worth the drive.

Just making the Fishermans Bar  in San Clemente
a destination stop will get you outside at the beach

in time for a glorious beach walk.

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life

Part 1 - Laguna Beach Hotel ~ HERE

Part 2 - The Studio at the Montage ~ Here

Part 3 - Splashes at the Surf and Sand Hotel ~ HERE

Part 4 - The Deck Laguna Beach ~ HERE

Part 5 - The Beachcomber Laguna Beach ~ HERE

Part 6 - China Cove Picnic ~ HERE

Part 7 - Monarch Beach Resort ~ HERE

Part 8 - Beach Picnics ~ HERE

Part 9 - The Del Coronado ~ HERE