Yo home' smell ya later

The trip to Newport left me invigorated and delusionally thinking that we were out of the woods and that Spring was on the way.  Since that turned out not to be the case, I was at least out of the woods for a few days thanks to my trip to California the first week in March.

I've spent the past few months preparing for an event in Bel Air (hence this blog title), at the private club house of a donor's gated community.  There were many difficulties along the way, including finding an adequate Kosher caterer, dealing with getting guests through security, and securing valet parking at the last minute.  However, all of these issues seemed insignificant since I was so focused on enjoying the California sun.

The event went off without a hitch, and although the warm California sun wasn't as warm as I would've liked, I had a great trip and enjoyed many of the requisite items on my trip to-do list:

1) Spend time with my sister - Erin came up to Beverly Hills almost as soon as I got off the plane.  She braved the awful traffic and even took time off work to act as a wonderful hostess and tour guide.

2) See the Pacific - After the event, Erin came to pick me up and we immediately went to Palos Verdes, where we hiked down to the ocean and walked over rocks, complete with tide pools and marine life.  It was absolutely gorgeous and a perfect way to see the ocean.

3) Go to In-N-Out - After working up an appetite at Palos Verdes, we hit the drive thru at In-N-Out, a must whenever visiting California.  But this time, Erin helped me discover something new on their secret menu, a Lemon Up, which is a combination of Lemonade and 7-Up.  The grilled cheese, animal style, also hit the spot.

4) Visit Orange - My sister moved to Orange almost two years ago and I had never visited the adorable downtown, which looked like a Main Street out of the 1950s.  We visited a few of the shops and a few of the bars... there was one where Erin was like a celebrity! (She used to go there a lot to watch hockey and they were glad to see her again.)

5)  See things blooming - Obviously.  I went on a long walk while Erin was at work one morning and ended up at the Fullerton Arboretum.  Everything was so beautiful and green and I felt the Vitamin D coursing through my veins.

6) Go in the hot tub - Although Aunt Maura and Uncle Bill were in Hawaii at the time of my visit, they graciously let me stay in their house while they were gone.  Erin and I didn't let a little rain stop us from enjoying the wonder that is the hot tub.

7) Eat Mexican food - Happy Hour doesn't exist in Massachusetts due to the outdated and archaic blue laws.  Well, Erin and I found Happy Hour in California.  And it was heavenly.

8) Visit with cousins - Erin is lucky to live in close proximity to our cousins, who both reside with their families in Southern California.  She gets to see them, along with their gorgeous children, fairly regularly and I try not to be jealous, but I can't help it.  Luckily, Cousin Michael invited us over for dinner and I got to spend some quality time with his family and enjoy a delicious meal and a fire in the fire pit.

It was a great trip and I thank my amazing sister for being such a fabulous hostess and showing me such a wonderful time!