“Memories Made at the Beach Last a Lifetime”
So after much thought of “should I”…. the answer has become “I should”. So here it is; my first blog!
As an event coordinator (or maybe it is just who I am), I find that I am always critiquing things; venues and locations especially. I feel like I am on a forever search for that next great venue.
I recently stumbled upon a venue in Marina Del Rey that has my attention:
The Jamaica Bay Inn
4175 Admiralty Way
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 823-5333
People pass this hotel every day but don’t give it a second glance as it comes across as “just another boutique hotel” with not too much to offer. Let’s face it, the front of the hotel really doesn’t make a huge impression as you mainly see a parking lot. But once you walk inside and through the lobby and out onto the patio of their beachside restaurant that overlooks Mothers Beach (4101 Admiralty Way), you will find a very lovely and peaceful space to just kick your feet up and enjoy the sunshine with yummy food, great service and an array of refreshing beverages.
The one thing that really ‘had me’ was Jamaica Bay Inn’s great happy hour menu (3:30-7:00 pm daily). Yes, I now have become one of those individuals that have a hard time paying for full priced food when you can enjoy an amazing happy hour for half the cost.
Anyway, while I was sitting on their patio, enjoying my happy hour Mothers Beach Mai-Tai (Light Rum, Coconut Rum, Pineapple, Orange, Grenadine & Float of Dark Rum), Truffle Parmesan Fries, Grilled Baby Lamb Chops, Tempura Fish Tacos, Grilled Asparagus with Prosciutto, Fresh Mozzarella & Fig Balsamic), I realized what a great location this hotel would be for a small wedding or special event. Clients are always asking me about “beach weddings”, but unless you are ready to pull permits and contend with massive crowds and looksee’s (as all beaches are public property), on–the-sand beach weddings in Los Angeles just aren’t that easy. Trust me, “been there, done that”.
For a Santa Monica beach wedding that I produced many years ago, I ultimately
hired 4 off duty police officers to make sure beach goers didn’t decide to join the wedding ceremony festivities and flop themselves down in a chair to watch (in their bathing suits), because again, as a beach is a public space, the public can do whatever they want. But because Jamaica Bay Inn sits right on Mothers Beach, a relatively quiet beach with not too much going on, it lends itself to be that perfect beach location. But please know you aren’t going to get those rolling beach waves in the background. Mothers Beach is called that for a reason… it is a great beach to bring your kids because it doesn’t have the rolling waves that kids can get swept up in. Moms can relax a bit.
But my vision was screaming… ceremony at sunset time, on the sand and at the water’s edge (all the kids are long gone by this time), cocktail hour on the sand or lawn area adjacent to the ceremony, and reception on Jamaica Bay’s outdoor beachside patio that overlooks the water. Doesn’t get any better than this!
I will probably be kicking myself about spilling the beans on this little gem of a place, but I had to share the wealth! Enjoy!
