Trip Report: Newport Beach, California

The Pacific ocean in January is always a good idea.

So, The KoB had a work trip scheduled to Newport Beach for January and since I couldn't beaches bare sun the thought seventy degree weather of him going by himself did I mention sun, I tagged along.

Tennessee has been especially overcast for the past couple of months and the older I get, the more it bothers me to not see sunlight for 15 days in a row or whatever, so sunny california seemed like the perfect fit! After The KoB wrapped up his work on Thursday afternoon, it was officially a mini-vacation!!!! 

The view from our hotel room. 

Even commercial buildings are beautiful in the California sun.

Honestly, we didn't do anything SUPER exciting. We slept in, we laid around the hotel room and watched cable television, we did drive up and down the Pacific Coast Highway on Friday and Saturday and we stuck our toes in the ocean.

He's thinking: When I was here by myself two months ago,

it sure was a lot more peaceful and quiet.

YOU'RE WELCOME, BEAST.

We did do some running. The KoB has like a 4 year streak or something to keep alive, so, you KNOW there was running. The first night we were there we started running around 7pm and I'm blaming the fact that my body thought it was 9pm and had been up since 4:45am, for my EPIC FALL. I fell REALLY hard and not only that... I landed in a huge puddle from a sprinkler. CALIFORNIA, I'M NOT SURE YOU ARE AWARE BUT YOU ARE IN A FUCKING DROUGHT. STOP SPRINKLING YOUR GODDAMN LAWNS WITH GROUND WATER THAT YOU HAD TO DRILL OUT OF A FUCKING ROCK (I'm an expert, because I saw something on 60 minutes about it. Obvi).

So, great, I'm in California with 70+ degree weather in the forecast, shorts and dresses packed, and my knees look like I've been Tonya Hardinged. I persevered. With the help of many vodka tonics in our hotel bar.

We also ran around the Newport Bay Trail Loop.

Which was beautiful. But, man, it pointed out just how freaking Type A I am. I was REALLY stressed the entire time, because there was a dedicated bike lane. But, no bikes ever rode in the bike lane, but it seemed like all the runners were running in the bike lane and I JUST NEEDED SOME DIRECTION PEOPLE. WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO BE? Normally, I scoff at signs telling me what to do (I mean, I do what it says, but I scoff and grumble about it), but I guess at my core, I'm really just afraid of breaking rules that I need RULES. Despite that, it was beautiful and just so nice to run in the hot sun. I loved it.

After the run we headed to a restaurant that I had been planning to go to since I found out about the trip: Native Foods Cafe.

My Reuben sandwich

(so good that I couldnt even take the time to take a proper photo).

I texted my mom the above photo with the caption: "My first Reuben in like 4 years and it was delicious and now I'm moving to California, love you, bye."

BUT, I'm happy to report that I also reined myself in on this trip. I did eat some unhealthy things... fries, veggie burgers, the above reuben, some ice cream. BUT, I also had a salad as a meal TWICE and once as a sub for fries. Which, when I'm on a trip is something that I NEVER do. So, clearly, I am very committed to this Year of Vain Amy thing.

All my photos look like this:

Sand, Sun, Blue Skies, and Ocean.

It was the perfect January getaway. Thanks to The KoB who let me tag along!!!