Newport Coast, CA - Pelican Hill

I feel challenged by this thought:  There are 1,440 minutes in each day.  How are you using yours?  This is usually a business related question but for this blog I'm contemplating this from a personal perspective.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp5Eyt7knus 

I started drinking coffee in my late 30's and began by putting milk and sugar in it.  I've kept that mix up over the years, but with "The Wedding" now less than 30 days away I'm amping up the fitness regime, so I decided to try coffee sans sugar.  Turns out it's OK and this will be the new normal, equating to up to (possibly) 300 fewer calories a week without diet or exercise.  I love it.  So, stay with me here as the story unfolds.  Before heading out of town to Pelican Hill I'm celebrating a very Happy Chinese Sheep/Goat Year with friends.  

The Chinese zodiac is a calendar system that originated in the Han dynasty (206 to 220 B.C.). It names each of the years in its 12-year cycle after an animal: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.  My Chinese Zodiac is Pig.  新年快樂 恭喜發財 紅包拿來 is a traditional New Year saying which translated  means something like, Show Me the Money so we passed around bright red envelopes with various forms of currency or currency like items in keeping with the tradition.  In mine was some sugar packets since my friend doesn't use sugar and whenever I go to her house I bring my own.  Although I won't be using sugar in my coffee I expect there will be other uses, but I don't expect to see the benefits of the sugar give up this week as the scrumptious meal will make up for it.

So on to Pelican Hill.  I've been fortunate enough to stay at this magnificent two time Five-Star rated resort located on the coast of Newport Beach in California on multiple occasions, including the first time in 2010 a little over a year after they opened.  This place is so fantastic it's ranked the #1 resort in the U. S. by the readers of Condé Nast magazine.  And, little known fact, this is the only place I've ever participated in a flash mob (true story - to "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey)  and it was a blast.

The resort style is inspired by the work of 16th century Italian architect Andrea Palladio, best known for his homes across the Venetian countryside.  Each guest room has a limestone fireplace, private terrace (mine with an ocean view), wood beam ceiling and a marble bath to name a few features.  This is not your typical business travel.    I got to hear a great speaker/musician at the meeting, really good - http://www.mikerayburn.com/mike-rayburn-videos/

 

In the world of Groundhog Day, this wasn't a bad place to have to repeat a day over and over.