If your recipe for romance includes harbor views, a tasty brunch and live music, then plan to spend your Valentine's Day in Marina del Rey with City Cruises.
The company offers a variety of brunch, lunch and dinner outings aboard its boats, giving you the option of a lazy afternoon in the marina or seeing the sparkling lights of the waterfront at night.
We opted for a brunch cruise on what turned out to be one of those perfect Southern California Saturdays when the rest of the country is probably shivering - and definitely jealous. But hey, we don't make the weather. We just make the best of it!
The sky was clear and sunny. A languid breeze ruffled the American flag on a nearby vessel and served to check the sun's warmth.
The crew greeted us with champagne as we filed onboard with our fellow diners and found our way to our window table in the second-floor dining room. Our server checked in and offered to bring us something else from the bar, but the champagne seemed to best fit the mood.
The ship's horn sounded and we backed away from the dock and into the channel. Not surprisingly, it was a busy day on the water as boaters, kayakers and paddle boarders were out enjoying the balmy weather.
Within a few minutes, it was our turn to visit the extensive buffet. With plate in hand, I carefully considered my options. It opened with a green salad and fresh fruit, along with bowtie pasta salad and lox. Naturally, there were bagels too, as well as croissants. Other breakfast options included scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, roasted potatoes and waffles. Rounding out the end of the buffet was alfredo pasta and a carving station serving generous portions of smoky ham and juicy prime rib. A decadent dessert station was set up near the bar.
As we ate, the boat glided toward the interior of Marina del Rey before turning slowly and heading back the way it came.
Of course, brunch on a yacht would not be complete without yacht rock. A solo guitarist, backed by recorded keyboard tracks, worked his way through an eclectic string of classic hits that included Bob Marley, Lionel Richie, the Bee Gees, Earth Wind and Fire and even some Led Zeppelin.
After brunch, we headed up to the ship's third level, an outdoor deck with couches and lounge chairs that beckon you to, well... lounge. We took in the view beneath sunny skies. High above the water, the deck offers a panorama of the harbor and all the different boats coming and going.
Before long, we reached the mouth of the harbor, which marked the end of the ship's outbound leg. The captain began a slow turn, forcing incoming and outgoing sailboats, power cruisers and fishing charters to yield and navigate around our large black-and-white vessel.
Trying to avoid a sunburn, and also craving something sweet, we headed back inside. The dessert table equaled the buffet with its variety of tasty nibbles. We filled our plates with small bites and sampled them as the ship returned to its slip in the marina.
It seemed impossible that two hours had already floated by, but then again, that's the sign of a good date. You get lost in the moment with someone special and lose track of time. What better way to spend Valentine's Day?
Eric Harnish lives in Castaic, which doesn't have dinner cruises on the lake, but does offer boat-in movies.

Let's Go!
Ahoy, it's Valentine's Day!
City Cruises Marina del Rey
cityexperiences.com