B&Bs; Can Jump-Start a Weary Relationship

Anyone in a long-term relationship knows that love’s rocky road sometimes feels like a transcontinental highway to hell. You and the beloved are speeding along on cruise control when the going gets a bit rough. First you lurch and sputter, then overheat, and finally come to a shuddering halt.

What now? Well, you can turn to those popular love mechanics of talk radio, afternoon television or the best-seller lists. Or if things break down completely, you can head to a therapist for a major tuneup. But if what your relationship really needs is a romantic jump-start, you might consider heading to a bed and breakfast inn.

With at least seven of them right here in the county, a couple in need of togetherness can find it in less time than it takes to get the oil changed.

“People often go to these places because they are peaceful and there are no distractions,” said Jane Hulse, who wrote today’s Centerpiece story on local B&Bs.; “There are no children and usually no TVs. And they are definitely romantic.”

And though plenty of newlyweds go on their honeymoon, Hulse said bed and breakfast inns attract many people who have been together for a long time and need to get reacquainted.

“I found that a lot of people go to B&Bs; to celebrate their anniversaries,” said Hulse. “It is a good time to rekindle a tired relationship, as well as assess where the relationship is going. And they can talk about the things that need to change.”

But be forewarned: If either the talk or the passion gets too overheated, couples may find themselves wishing they had chosen a somewhat different setting.

“Though most B&Bs; are lovely and romantic, they are not necessarily private,” Hulse said. “Most are old houses converted to inns, so the walls can be rather thin.”

Neither nocturnal sounds nor thin walls will be deterrents for movie buffs attending a 1926 classic on Sunday. “The Night Cry,” a Rin Tin Tin silent film, will be shown as part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area’s “Silents Under the Stars” series. For more on the screening, check out the Reel Life column (Pancho Doll writes about the film) and the Jaunts column (Hulse writes about the musical accompaniment). And remember to take a blanket.