Ventana 30th Anniversary Contest Winner

Ventana Inn & Spa
Announces 30th Anniversary Contest Winner

BIG SUR, CA, November 3, 2005-As part of its year long 30th Anniversary Celebration, Ventana Inn & Spa called upon people far and wide to remember their most romantic moment at the resort or to imagine how they might make their first-ever visit as memorable as possible and submit it as a short essay. The prize; an all-expense paid New Year's Eve 2005 stay at Ventana. Submissions came in from locations nationwide.

"We were very happy with the entries," says Paul O'Dowd, general manager of Ventana. "With a 30 year history of guest experiences, there were some exceptional stories from people who had wonderful memories of their stay here. From the hundreds of stories submitted we thought Ellen Wimmer's best exemplifies the Ventana experience and why it means so much to so many people."

"When I read about the essay contest, I knew I had to share our story," says Ellen, who had never before entered a contest. She and her husband, Terry, have been visiting Ventana since their first wedding anniversary in 1989 but Ellen first came to Ventana in 1982 with her parents who were visiting California from Connecticut. "I researched places to stay via travel magazines and guides. The minute we got to Ventana I knew we scored big time. It was a perfect first time stay."

Ellen and her husband have returned several times over the years and they recommend it often to friends. "Ventana is the sort of place where once you arrive, you don't want to leave," she says. "Its very calming, miscellaneous stuff falls away, it's like a haven, a retreat."

The Wimmers, who live in Ventura County, California are eagerly anticipating the contest prize, a New Year's stay at Ventana. "We've already started imagining how much fun this is going to be."

Ventana 30th Anniversary Contest - Winning Essay
The Night Of The Shooting Star by Ellen Wimmer
"The stars above Ventana glittered like gems on black velvet. It was a brilliant backdrop for a festive evening -- our first wedding anniversary.

My husband and I dressed with Second Honeymoon elegance, and left our room for a romantic stroll to Ventana's restaurant. The cool November night enveloped us as we wound our way, hand in hand, through our favorite grove of trees.

As we walked across the final open field beneath the restaurant's hill, some unspoken urge made us stop in our tracks. In unison, we looked up at the stellar dome above our heads -- as if we were watching a show in a private planetarium. In that instant, a shooting star arced across the entire swath of sky.

Had other people been listening, they would have heard us catch our collective breath. But the light show was ours alone. It was the kind of magical moment that makes perfect sense at Ventana.

We remained standing still for eternal moments, just staring at the Big Sur sky. We didn't turn to each other and ask: Did you SEE that? We didn't have to.

The magic of that experience lasted throughout that anniversary night, and through many nights that followed. Whenever friends would tell stories of romantic moments, we would recount the splendid serendipity of our first wedding anniversary at Ventana.

Sixteen sweet years have passed, but the memory of that experience has not dimmed. If anything, the image of that starry night is more vivid than ever. We have returned to Ventana many times since then, and we never fail to talk about what a wonderful gift we were given there.

Just recently, we were reminded of this as we watched a remarkable movie called Afterlife. The film's premise was that after death you choose a single memory to carry with you for all eternity - a memory that will capture the essence of your life's joy. When the film ended, my