It started minute I was greeted by W San Diego Hotel's valet. A beautiful young woman, with a friendly welcoming smile opened my car door and my "W" experience began!

"Hi, welcome to W San Diego, we're so happy that you've arrived!" From minute my foot touched curb in front of this new "style" hotel, I immediately knew something extraordinary was about to occur. The "W" is located in heart of new residential loft district just south of Little Italy on State and B Streets, in downtown San Diego. San Diego has always been my favorite city in world. Now that downtown area is undergoing an exciting renaissance, I couldn't wait to experience this new kind of urban lifestyle.

There wasn't a moment that I wasn't surprised, captivated, and thoroughly enthralled with way "W" captured casual comfort and beach culture that makes San Diego one of most quintessential Southern California cities. This place is like none other in all of its amenities.

As you enter lobby you realize that you've found a place where "high touch" meets "high tech," and you can't wait to see, feel and taste what's next!

The visually stimulating "technowall" over lobby bar is a grouping of ten individual television screens measuring six feet high and five feet wide. The video showed a surfer riding big blue Pacific waves, a vision of perfect symmetry in motion. When I'm at beach I always feel a tremendous sense of awe and wonder at ocean's magnificence. This virtual reality "technowall" instantly, gave me ocean experience I craved.

So without fighting for parking, or being mobbed by tourists, I was getting my beach fix just by entering W San Diego's lobby. The warm and inviting beach colors greeted me like call of a friendly seagull. The plush sofas and extravagant window seats invited me relax and enjoy exhilarating beach sensations The sky blue of chairs and sandy beige stripes accented by golden tones and sunny images made me feel like a perfect Southern California day. I began to believe that "W" stood for Wow!

As I checked-in, I admired dramatic round entryway that led me to reception area. Behind desk was a clear resin wall embedded with floating shells that served as another visual seascape. As I looked up, I was captivated by soaring ceilings and sheer drapes that framed lobby décor. It was a grand mixture of textures and natural fibers that are usually found in luxurious Mexican retreats but a strong influence of American Modernism eclectically integrates colors and lines creating a marriage of substance and style.

There were two rows of eight tall dark wicker chairs that had individual acrylic game tables that included oversized and colorful checkers, chess, and other unique board games. It was festive and sporty. The lobby décor captured everything I love about San Diego and it gave me distinct impression this was one of most sophisticated and sizzling places to be. Like being at beach, where people watching is a spectator sport, lobby of W was a place to relax and enjoy, watch and wait or see what would happen next?

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A Lyrical Paradise

"There's a sleepy town, south of border, if you go there once, you'll be there twice."

These enticing lyrics from Van Halen's "Cabo Wabo" on their "QU812" album piqued my curiosity. Visa commercials gave me drive to seek Cabo quest. With tenth wedding anniversary at hand. it seemed a perfect excuse to search for holy vacation grail (and blow a thousand bucks).

"Land''s end, you'd have to see it, ain't no picture ever say it right."

LAND'S END

Cabo San Lucas, tip of Baja Peninsula, where West Coast trendies seek sand and seclusion. Home of Marlin Alley, where legendary Americans such as Bing Crosby and Duke Wayne first discovered unbelievable angling. (The marlins are said to outnumber people.

Cabo is a mere seven hour journey, from locking door in Las Vegas, to not unlocking door at elegant Hotel Cabo San Lucas.

No keys, no hassles, no worries, just lush landscaping, spectacular beaches and free welcoming Margaritas. After a 45 minute hop to Phoenix and a short layover where we should've overcome temptation to buy jizzy, cheap bottled Margaritas, we arrived at pleasant Cabo International Aeropuerto. (Airport code SJD.

Hotel Cabo San Lucas We weren't aware of Hotel Cabo San Lucas' complimentary transportation from Aeropuerto, thus subjecting ourselves to ninety's version of Montezuma's revenge: "Timeshare Salesmen." The encounter was brief and painless; cervesa was muy frio making 20-minute journey in "cab" more enjoyable. (Ford Econoline vans equipped with a special Mexican air-conditioning package. The AC controls on dash board just move windows up and down.

We were greeted at hotel with Margaritas by congenial Oscar Flores, who then showed us to our luxurious and spectacular ocean view suite. (All rooms at HCSL have ocean views, assured Oscar.

Cabo San Lucas offers parasailing, horseback riding on beach, sunset cruises, day long ATV rides into isolated Indian country that still practices witchcraft.

"We drink Mescal right from bottle. Salt shaker, little lick of lime, Ohhh!"

Searching for CABO WABO Continuing with our 10 year tradition of bad luck and lousy timing, it was time to checkout downtown Cabo. Not us though. Not willing to waste a precious minute waiting for free transportation provided by hotel we hopped a $15 "cab" to town. We hammered Calles looking for peso shopping action. Even devalued black market gringo dinero isn't valuable during Siesta time. (Only stupid gringos go shopping during Siesta.

And plenty of nightlife. The best of times are found at Van Halen's "Cabo Wabo" cantina, where LA bands jam almost every week and Ed, Sammy and rest of Van Halens used to frequently sit in