A Weekend in Redondo Beach: Day 1

By Michael Jenkins on August 11th, 2010

Back in June I was invited by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau to spend a weekend touring Redondo Beach. My mission: to get an inside look at some of the attractions and settings that make Redondo Beach an A-list destination for locals and visitors from everywhere. In particular, I’d be checking out the hotels, restaurants, and shops around the Redondo Beach Harbor.

Redondo Beach King Harbor sign near Pacific Coast Highway.

I started the first day – Thursday – by checking into the Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club. In this modern-yet-classically-styled hotel, ocean side rooms are so close to the water that the Pacific Ocean is just yards away! Sweeping views from the balconies include Palos Verdes and Catalina Island off in the distance.

Driving up to the Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club.

While I was checking out the room, I was greeted by some of the Portofino’s neighbors: several barking sea lions lounging in the harbor below my balcony! They sun themselves on old docks during the day and sleep there at night. As a gesture to light sleepers, the hotel provides earplugs to drown out the barking!

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Sea lions lounge in the harbor behind the Portofino Hotel.

Heading out from the Portofino, I traveled south down Pacific Coast Highway to the location for the first night’s festivities: Ortega 120, a “modern Mexican restaurant” with roots in the flavors and cooking styles of traditional Mexican cuisine.

At Ortega, I met with several other writers that were participating in the tour. In addition to tasting some amazing Mexican cuisine, we also learned about tequila in a mini session of Ortega’s signature Tequila University. In this class – which is an actual college course – students learn about the complexities of tequila along with lessons in the history, manufacturing, and mixing of the spirit. Of course, tasting is part of the lesson too!

For dessert, an anejo tequila paired with chipotle seasoned chocolate.

Sampling blanco tequilas at a mini-session of Tequila University.

The final exam – dessert – included tastes of aged tequila and chocolate along with authentic churros served with a sinfully decadent chocolate dipping sauce.