The Cetusaurus at Irish Beach is an unusual house, an architectural marvel on the Mendocino Coast. It's 140 miles from the San Francisco Bay Area. There's a wonderful, sandy, private beach that runs for about two miles. It's a 15-18 minute walk to the sand, or a 3 minute drive, using a magnetic gate card to gp past a gated barrier. The house looks past a 15 acre meadow to the sea. There are ocean views from everywhere in the house - you can see and hear the water from laying in bed in the master bedroom. There's a fireplace in the master bedroom and also a TV-DVD-VHS for movie showing (but no TV reception) with a collection of 250 well chosen movies (I chose them). There's a Jacuzzied tub for two in the master bathroom. There's a fireplace in the living room, and a futon couch that, if needed, opens into a comforable full size bed. There is a bunk bed in the Den/Office with a lower full size bed and an upper single. There's a half bath off the living room, so if two couples do go up, they don't have to share a bathroom at night. The Den/Office is two steps up, off the living room, but open to it. As a writer's and artists' retreat, it's been the starting point - and midway jump start - for two published novels and three published non-fiction works, and a book of photographs. There are two fold out mats that accomodate another two sleepers, and since the house is tiled throughout and has radiant heat (hot water under the floor tile), sleeping close to the floor on the mats is very comfortable. There's a chair and ottoman for reading that also opens into a single futon bed. There's a stero that plays CD's and tapes and a smattering of each. The house is set up so that you can just walk in and occupy. There's dishware, cookware and I supply the linens. Some people prefer to bring their own, but you'll find the bed made up with fresh sheets and fresh towels available. I ask that you keep the house clean, leave it clean, make the bed with fresh sheets, and wash and dry and put away the linens and dishes you've used. There is laundry and dishwasher soap there. There's a patio in the front with great ocean views and some patio furniture. There's another patio in the back, completely private from the street. The front patio is also fairly private because the street is remote enough and there are seldom other people around. There are no houses on either side, in back or directly in front. The nearest house is about 300 or 350 feet away. But the real miracle is the house itself. It's a series of curves. The ceiling, in cross-section, is a softened bell shape; the centerline, if there really were one, would be like a long slow backwards 'S'; and the exterior shape is curved too. It has an amazingly compelling and satisfying feel to it. It seems to resonate with people, and they feel at home, as though it were their house at the sea, not a stranger's place. There's a large well stocked supermarket in Manchester, five miles south of the house. An ten miles south, in Point Arena, there are two very good restaurants and a movie theatre and a sinfully good bakery. One of the restaurants is the Arena Cove Bar and Grill. Good food, moderately priced and overlooking the harbor. Wonderful at sunset. The other restaurant, Pangaia, which I've frequently described as an incipient Chez Panisse, is very inventive, very good, very highly reviewed; a little pricey.