Spent Labor Day weekend with family in Gualala, about 6 miles up the road from Sea Ranch Chapel…read more Saw the TV coverage of the chapel restoration efforts awhile ago. Always meant to go check it out. Didn't realize it was just off the main road. Very easy to get to. Mostly hidden behind berms, we only got brief glimpse of it driving north on hwy 1. A quiet, tranquil place that feels magical. The atmosphere is a blend of serene and whimsical that works. None of that heavy, oppressive feeling one can get from traditional churches with rigid structures and dark interiors. Almost every surface has swooping curves. The warm wood is cozy and the interior is flooded with light from the stained glass. The light playing on the stone floor completes the magical feeling. The closest place that evoked a little bit of a similar feeling was S----e C------e. But even that was more to glorify the king and organized religion. Sea Ranch Chapel is smaller and more humble. It feels more natural and welcoming. It feels less about celebrating 1 man-made religion over another, and more about being 1 with nature. Trying not to sound pompous but words are inadequate to describe the feeling of this place. Especially in the chaotic madness in the world today, this is a great place to just breathe and recharge. Wish this place wasn't so far away. Would like to shed a little of the modern world's cynicism and feel hope that society isn't totally and willfully self-destructing, if only for a few minutes.

Beautiful Chapel! We stopped by here back in 6+ years ago while visiting the sea ranch area as it…read morestood out from the road and we wanted to check it out hence we stumbled across it - and it was worth it! The chapel is on-denominational and super peaceful, can be used for mindfulness, mediation, or anything. The designed did a great job combining nature with the materials to built it, it's beautiful and lets in the natural light

Meredith and I were married at Whispertree in May of 2023 - and we can't say enough about how much…read morewe loved it. The staff were all so attentive, mature, and generous with their time, attention and expertise. The lodging for us and our guests was beautifully appointed, comfortable, and felt like such an integrated part of the experience. Loved our night under the sail-cloth tent and dancing in the barn! Even a year later, we still hear from friends and family who were there with us about how special the land was as part of our celebration. And the thing I personally loved the most was that, since we chose to have most of our guests stay on-site for two and, for some, three nights, there was a such a spaciousness for everyone to slow down, really connect, and truly get to know each other. Can't recommend it enough! Michael and Meredith. FYI - if you're looking into this property and wanting more reviews on other sites, you might also look for "Bell Valley Retreat," which was it's former name prior to 2024.

I was part of a program and it ended in a retreat at Whispertree. So we stayed here for 3 or 4 days…read morein September 2024 for the retreat. There were between 30 and 40 of us here. I stayed in the house (can't recall the name now). Most of the group stayed at the camps. The bed was reasonably comfortable. They do have a beautiful kitchen. We catered our food. We only used the kitchen to boil water for tea. It was the bee season and our food was feeding the bees nicely. It was a moment to appreciate the co-existence in the nature. There was a hot tub on site. I didn't have time to enjoy it but I had some happy friends at night. There was an outdoor shower area and it looked quite nice. The bathrooms here are rustic yet modern? If that makes sense. The campus here is incredibly beautiful. The trees treated us nicely. There were many good memories left here and we were lucky to secure the facility for our retreat. Our program was pretty packed. I wished I had more time to explore the campus. It was beautiful here.

Phenomenal! The house is magnificent…read more stunning grounds. Friendly staff... take the tour you won't regret it!

This was an amazing tour! Full of historical details and so much information about the restoration…read moreof the estate. We were very impressed.

I love weddings, but the actual wedding ceremony is often not very memorable. Mary made our wedding…read moreceremony meaningful and engaging for everyone. For me, the ceremony went beyond my expectations and became my favorite part of the whole day. Both friends and family confirmed that it was an amazing ceremony, and many said that Mary was the best officiator they'd ever seen. Simply put, Mary is a natural leader who engages people and ensures they feel a part of the ceremony itself. She creates an experience that is very spiritual, without being religious (although Mary may be able to cater to that, too, if that's what you'd like). And, for us, engaging with Mary was a delight. Prior to the wedding, we talked via phone and met in person twice. She came with lots of ideas on how to structure the ceremony itself, and then let us pick and choose from her ideas and add our own. It made for a low-pressure process at a time when we didn't need any more pressure.

From the owner: I have been officiating at weddings as an ordained minister since 1986, and what a pleasure it is!…read more I am especially sensitive to couples marrying for the second time. The meaning of the ceremony is important to them for different reasons than when they married the first time. They have a better idea of what a marriage is all about and the depth of the commitment they're making. It's the details that make each wedding special and uniquely personal. Helping you choose the elements that make your ceremony a perfect reflection of you as a couple is one of my specialties. Putting you and your wedding party at ease is another. If you are looking for an exceptional wedding officiant for your Wine Country wedding in Sonoma or Napa counties, or dreaming of a destination wedding, look no further. Let's create a wedding that is a perfect reflection of the two of you, just as you are.

fast and friendly!!!…read more reasonable prices. outside service so no worries about covid

I always prefer coming to Frank for fingerprinting and notary services. Recently, I came to get…read moreeight notarized signatures. I arrived about 3:10 and by 350 we were done. I didn't realize so much time had passed and that's because he's so pleasant to converse with. As we were getting the notaries completed, I had to call an attorney to get a little bit of information. He was so patient and helpful. I love that it's such a comfortable setting on his patio. I highly recommend Frank for any of these type services that you need.

Ok so I read all these reviews before reaching out to Ken and was skeptical how a photographer…read morecould have 5s across the board. But now I get it - Ken is the most talented photographer I've worked with and that too with such a pleasant attitude. My fiancé and I wanted engagement photos in city hall and palace of fine arts and throughout the whole shoot we did little to no work! Ken had every pose, location and idea in mind and was also experienced with couples wearing Indian outfits. He made the process so easy and fun for us. His passion shines through in his work and the photos turned out absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much Ken - can we give you 6 stars?

My partner and I got engaged at the end of February. I had a simple proposal plan of taking her…read moreout to San Francisco's iconic Pier 7, where I would drop down on one knee and try to fool her into thinking that a lifetime with me really wouldn't be that bad. Fortunately, the delightful Duende duo of Ken and Brady were on hand to beautifully capture every single moment (not to mention from every single angle) for eternity. This alone would've been worth five stars. But what really puts Ken and Brady over the top is their professionalism and desire to go above and beyond! I had first contacted Brady back in December to discuss this surprise proposal idea. We soon met in person, signed off on a contract, and then planned out every single detail of how they would hide, where I would drop to one knee, which direction I should face, what exact time the sun would be setting, what to do in the event of an emergency (like an idiot tourist suddenly blocking line of sight), etc. Leading up to the big proposal, I was understandably a trainwreck of nerves, but absolutely none of this was due to worrying about the photographers possibly dropping the ball. But then mother nature decided to make things interesting. Even during the driest winter that we've had over the last godzillion years, it decides to dump rain on my parade. Thankfully, Ken and Brady had me prepared ahead of time with an oversized translucent umbrella, and were both willing to brave the wrath of our one-day typhoon season in order to get the perfect shot. By sheer serendipity, the rain decided to stop just before we made our way onto the pier. By even sheerer serendipity, a schmuck like me got the most amazing person to say yes. As we were walking back towards Embarcadero as an engaged couple, Ken had a brilliant idea of posing us in front of some active F-Market trolleys. The results truly speak for themselves. Finally, one little insider secret for you Yelping lovebirds. I had originally contacted a few different wedding photographers in hopes of shooting my proposal. Ken and Brady weren't just the photographers whose portfolio I most admired, but they were also the cheapest! So go and book them for your event before they come to their senses and jack up their prices. Keep in mind however that I am calling first dibs on DuendePhoto once we finalize our wedding date.

We absolutely loved Wendy Chhabra, "The Freckled Photographer". She was outstanding! Not only did…read moreshe capture the most stunning and candid moments throughout the day, but she made us feel completely at ease in front of the camera. Her ability to blend into the background while still capturing every key moment was incredible. She had an eye for those perfect shots--especially during our photoshoot by the infinity pool, where the colors of our outfits popped so beautifully. We first found her through the magazine, Real Weddings and loved her photography, but we truly fell in love with her after speaking with her. She has such a calm and gentle presence, yet was clearly excited about our wedding. Wendy worked with our limited budget, took breathtaking photos, and even submitted us to that magazine! Beyond her talent, we feel like we've gained a personal friend. We couldn't have asked for a better person to document such a special day!

In my previous life I was a professional wedding photographer. So when I recommend another…read morephotographer, they really have to meet my highly strict criteria. They must be able to look for the light, have a sharp focus, and beautifully frame the subject. They must direct the people so that the photo is realistic, natural, and free flowing. It's been 2 years since Wendy took my wedding photos and I can still appreciate her love for the art. She was polite, prompt, and kept all her dates of when my photos would be completed by. Thank you Wendy for capturing one of my most important days of my life, you are truly gifted.

Walking around Mendocino, we saw St Anthony's church and had to stop by. We enjoy seeing other…read morechurches far from home, how they are different yet share the same core features. Inside it was quiet and peaceful, a respite from the Mendocino busyness, and a nice quiet moment ensued. This church is beautiful inside - gorgeous wooden pews, more modern stained glass, and a seascape mural you will probably not find in any other Catholic Church! The church dates from 1852 and is the oldest parish in Mendocino County.

I had recently moved to Willits and was excited there was a Catholic Church there to attend. I went…read morefor a couple of months, but couldn't gather the gumption to go back. If there is a community there, I couldn't find it. They have no ministries, no liturgical ministry, the same person does the readings every Sunday. The music ministry (which I tried to join, having extensive professional experience as a paid musician in the Honolulu Diocese). The person in charge would not play the music as written and seemed to resent any attempt from me to advise. No after church coffee. I'm pretty good with people who have a thick dialect, you run into that a lot if you live in California. But try as I might I could not understand the priests Indian accent. Sometimes a hearing device will help, but they don't appear to have one. No signage, anyway. I don't know how the largely Hispanic population deals with it. After mass, everyone runs off quickly, which is probably due to this being a largely working class parish. So there is never an opportunity to chat. I am deeply disappointed with my inability to become part of this Parish.