Now, as he walks across a polished showroom, he laments what may be the ultimate sign of stress on the West Coast: Sales of spas, as hot tubs are also known in California, are declining here for the first time in years. And retailers fear the steaming hot tub, an icon of the California lifestyle, is becoming a symbol of energy-guzzling excess.

California is the birthplace of the hot tub -- Roy Jacuzzi invented it in Berkeley in 1968 -- and is by far the biggest market for the industry. So the slowdown that began after blackouts struck this year is no small worry for spa dealers.

At a hot tub cleaning company in San Jose, manager Nickie Blades said some apprehensive customers are turning off their spas and canceling monthly service. Others are lowering the temperature, or soaking less often. "They think it's going to cost way too much because of what's going on in the state, so they're looking for ways to cut back," she said.