The Veranda, Casa del Mar

In terms of location…Casa Del Mar = ‘House of the Ocean’… Need I say more?…For me, this is the closest it gets to a tropical resort getaway without having to shell out some major clammage to travel across the map. Yes, I know we’ve been favoring the hotels lately, but take it from me, between the rooms, the pools, and all the other hotel accommodations, if you can’t have a good time, dig a hole and jump in. Eventually we’ll get around to a post dedicated to that, but until then, let’s hear what the girls in the field have to say.

The Veranda Lounge at Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica is everything you would expect a beachside hotel to be, and more. Located on the lobby level of the hotel, you are given a quick break from reality and you forget about everything outside those walls. A spacious spread of chairs and tables, high ceilings, 20 foot high windows, and the ocean as your backdrop is simply amazing. After adding in the delicious cocktails, you’ll never want to leave.

After making your way through the lobby, you’ll enter a antique fashioned lounge ripped straight out of James Cameron’s Titanic. The leather couches, dark tones, and fireplace, make you wanna break out the scotch, puff a cigar, and congratulate yourself on being Masters of the Universe. But since the dudes that do that are sitting in the bottom of the Atlantic, lets move on to something more fun.

Walking through this seating area, you’ll come upon the bar, Yes…”the fun”. The lighting suddenly changes, and the sun shining through the windows is glowing. Perfect spot to catch a game and have a few drinks.

Finally, after strolling past the bar, you’ll walk into The Veranda. People mingling over hors d’oeuvres and cocktails scattered throughout this spacious room. The whicker furniture adds to the upscale beachy feel of the lounge, and of course, the ocean right outside the large windows makes you want to sit and never move. With views of the white tides of Santa Monica beach, the palm trees, people biking on the boardwalk, and the pier in the distance…it’s pure bliss.

IMG_1502 copy — The Veranda, Casa Del Mar

One of the tasty cocktails that’s a must-try is the ‘Red Passion Margarita‘. Our resident margarita drinker knows her margaritas like the back of her hand, and this one was delish! The “swangy” (sweet + tangy) fruit punch taste is not overpowered by the taste of the tequila, which makes it very refreshing and easy to drink.

Consisting of Patron Reposado, Grand Marnier, pomegranate, passion fruit, and a lime…it’s the perfect refreshing drink after a long day at the beach.

Another cocktail that we tasted was the ‘Ravenous Pineapple‘. As opposed to the Red Passion Margarita, this cocktail was strong on the tequila side. This cocktail consisted of Sauza Gold, pineapple, and mint lime. With a piece of pineapple at the bottom of the drink, make sure to stir it around to really get that pineapple taste.