If Mother's Day crept up on you like it did us, you're not totally out of luck. Rather, take advantage of the research we've done for you (or um, ourselves) and treat the woman you love to the creme de la creme in Mother's Day gifts. But hurry up while the offers still stand!
Whisk her away to the Central Coast. An affordable, yet luxury resort just on the outskirts of Pismo Beach? Say it ain’t so! Dolphin Beach Resort & Spa, just a mile north in Shell Beach, offers one- or two-bedroom condos ranging from 900 to 2,000 square feet, with all the comforts of home--kitchens fully outfitted with stainless steel appliances, Air Jet tubs, oceanfront balconies, the works. The package, which starts at $475 for double occupancy, includes a one night's stay, breakfast in bed, seasonal flowers, a spa credit and gift bag. Single rates are available if the gift's a solo getaway for mom. If you don't have time to make it down the coast this weekend, the special is good through the end of the month. Call 800-516-0112 to book.
Wine and dine her at Silk's. One of the city's highly-acclaimed restaurants, located in the lavish Mandarin Oriental, has organized a brunch to save you the trouble of slaving away in the kitchen all morning. Offering endless mimosas; gourmet dishes like chilled soba noodle salad, steamed dim sum and cilantro-cured, grilled Atlantic salmon; and a dessert table with an abundance of sweet endings (Kona creme brule, homemade cheesecake squares), a meal at Silk's is the perfect gift for your maternal foodie. The Mother's Day Brunch is $49 for adults, $25 for children. For reservations, call 415-986-2020.
Be one with that other Mother (Nature). Celebrate spring and all its blossoming by fully immersing yourself and your mother dearest in the Great Outdoors. Yosemite's Tenaya Lodge has planned a fun-filled weekend package includes one night's accomodations in a deluxe room, flesh flowers, chocolate-covered strawberries, a bottle of chilled champagne, and an hour-long Spa Eminence Organic Chocolate and Roses Facial. The package begins at $415 for double occupancy. Call 559-692-8916 to book.
Pamper, pamper, pamper. What mom doesn't love a good, firm back massage? Kabuki Springs & Spa, located in Japantown, is one of our favorite facilities in town. Give her a gift certificate for a treatment, or a day pass to the spa ($22 on weekdays, $25 on weekends), which includes access to individual bathing areas with traditional Japanese seated baths and standing Western-style showers, a hot pool, cold plunge, sauna, steam room, and complimentary bath products and body polishing sea salts--or better yet, go along with her for the ride. Other above-and-beyond spas that get our nod of approval include Bliss in the W Hotel, 77 Maiden Lane and Nob Hill Spa in the Huntington Hotel.
Work it, girl. For an economical gift for the active mom, grab your bikes--or rent a couple if you don't have your own handy--and ride along the Pacific coast. The San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department maintains two city-designated bike routes, a 7.5-mile trail that passes through Golden Gate Park and on to Lake Merced, and one that starts in the south, traverses the city and continues over the Golden Gate Bridge. Avenue Cyclery in the Haight (415-387-3155), rents bikes for $8 per hour or $30 per day. Blazing Saddles (415-202-8888), with five locations dotting the Marina and Wharf, rents them for $28 per day, including maps, locks and helmets. If you really want to up the ante, take her on a segway tour instead. The San Francisco Electric Tour Company (415-474-3130) provides daily two-hour tours of the San Francisco waterfront, traveling from Fisherman’s Wharf out to the Marina Green. The cost is $70 a person.
