Monday, February 28, 2011

Babymoon ~ Phase 1

We are home, and trying to get back to the real world -- and eastern standard time -- after having a fabulous and relaxing time on the west coast.

I don't know where to start. I almost felt like I was on the bachelorette -- minus all the girls vying for my man. Our vacation was jam packed with beauty, glorious weather, unique experiences, luxurious food, relaxation.... oh, and a little stomach bug too.

We were treated to blue, sunny skies in California and a nice little rental car upgrade. Southern manners go a long way!



The first day was spent exploring the gorgeous coastal towns -- La Jolla, Del Mar, Laguna Beach, and our first destination of Newport Beach. These little towns were so cool, and it was such a treat to be able to pull over, grab a coffee, and pop into a little antique shop or boutique. We spent most of the week driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, and we logged over 900 miles on our rental car.







Bob was selecting some special rocks to bring home to the kids. They are easy to please!

Our accommodations were just perfect. We stayed in a bungalow at the Pelican Hill resort in Newport Coast. It was fantastic. Complete with a cozy fireplace, huge soaker tub, and gorgeous views of the ocean, it was our personal hideaway.




(the view from our porch)

We decided to keep the TV and computers off, and spend the time just reconnecting. Bob and I are truly best friends and really have lots of fun together, especially when work and home stress are removed.

Saturday night was our "celebration dinner" at an amazing five-star restaurant called Studio at the Montage hotel. We got glammed up and settled in for a 6-course Tasting Menu while overlooking the Pacific.

It began with the bread and 2 selections of butter (goat's or cow's milk butter). We were served the most amazing homemade brioche rolls I have ever eaten. I told our waiter that they almost made me cry!

Each course featured 2 preparations and included caviar, crab salads, foie gras, lobster pastas, coute de bouf and black truffle potatoes, and the dessert finale. The food was delicious and like nothing I had ever tasted before. I don't plan to add any of these recipes to my weekly meal plans, but it was a fun experience nonetheless.

The pastry chef made this extra dessert to help us celebrate!



We were still getting adjusted to the 3-hour time difference, so I woke up pretty early the next morning. And I wasn't feeling too good.

I'll spare you all the details, but let's just say I spent that day hugging the potty. At first, I was afraid it was food poisoning. Oh, the irony. But we soon realized that the stomach flu had invaded our vacation. On the bright side, I was able to totally relax and recover without all of the motherhood responsibilities. That was a blessing. On the down side, I had no appetite for several days. Total bummer!

On Tuesday, we began phase 2 of our babymoon and headed for Beverly Hills!





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3 comments:

Tina Michelle said...

That looks amazingly fun!

Clare said...

oh that stinks that you got sick!!! but the coast, drive, and hotel look amazing!

3 Peanuts said...

This trip sounds absolutely amazing...minus the sick part. So glad y'all got to do all this:)