Vacation Recap: Spring 2011

Let's talk numbers.

I was gone for 8 nights. I traveled on 4 different flights - Houston to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Chicago, Chicago to Greenville (SC), and then Greenville to Houston. I read 4 books - The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins and The Search by Nora Roberts. I saw 3 movies in theaters - The Conspirators, Something Borrowed, and Water for Elephants. I participated in 1 half marathon - The OC Half. Wowsers - I was a busy girl!

I don't want to bore you with all the sordid details of my vacation, so I will hit you with the highlights.

I left Houston on Saturday, 4/30, Los Angeles bound. I chose L.A. as the beginning of my adventure because my brother Eddie and sister-in-law April live in Huntington Beach and because I could coincide my visit with The OC Half Marathon.

Eddie picked me up from LAX and took me to Pinky's. He assured me it was an L.A. staple. So, hot dogs we had.

Eddie's on the left and mine on the right.

Next, we happened across the Hollywood Forever cemetery. Not to be all morbid or anything, but we were kind of looking for celebrity graves. We managed to find Estelle Getty and Johnny Ramone and, of course, the lovely peacocks you see pictured below.

After a crazy turn of events which were detailed in my race recap, we ended up arriving a bit late to our dinner reservation at Bandera's. We met up with our friends and coworkers (from New Jersey) Joe and Carie. I somehow never did manage to get pictures with them or of them (bad blogger). Joe and Carie's son and daughter-in-law just so happen to also live out in HB, so they came along to dinner as well so that Eddie and April could meet them.

Saturday was half marathon day. After the race, we met up with the gang at their hotel for breakfast. It just so happens when we finished that Muscle Milk decided to stop right outside their hotel and hand out free bottles, so I had myself a bottle of Muscle Milk Lite - mmmmm....tasty.

Later Eddie and I went to see The Conspirators. I knew nothing about it and found it fascinating. I was so exhausted from the day, however, and couldn't wait to crash and burn that evening.

On Monday, April and I got foot massages. $25 for an hour - awesome!!! Just what a girl needed post half marathon! We also hung out at the beach for a while.

On Tuesday, I had lunch with Eddie and then later April and I took their dog Roxie to the dog beach. so much fun!

I enjoyed my visit and can't wait to go back to sunny beautiful Cali!

Wednesday was a day full of travel. I headed out bright and early for my first flight of the day to Chicago. Unfortunately I ended up delayed once in Chicago for an extra hour above and beyond my layover. =( Ultimately it took me 12 hours to get to Greenville, SC.  Factor that in with a 3 hour time change and I was beat!

My friend Dana had to work a half day on Thursday, so I decided to power walk the hills - yes, my little lamp chops, Greenville is one hillatious city. yikes! I managed 6 miles and I was one sweaty mess! I got cleaned up and once Dana got home, we decided to get pedicures. Next up was our little Cinco de Mayo celebration at Senor Salsa's.

Dana was able to take Friday off. We were lazy bums half the day. yay! Then we went to lunch and saw Something Borrowed.

On Saturday, we had a picnic in the park. It was a beautiful day and downtown Greenville was having a Duckie Derby. It was fun to people watch! Later we went and saw Water for Elephants and then headed back to the house for a cook-out with some of Dana and Michael's friends.

We convinced Dana's parents to come up to Greenville on Sunday. I had not seen them in 3 years (since Dana's wedding). We had lunch with them and it was great to catch up. Before you knew it - my vacation was over and it was time to come back to reality.

My next vacation won't happen until AFTER the summer craziness that is my job.  Hopefully this one will carry me through the rough days ahead.