The SandBar

So if you ever happen to be in Newport Beach, CA, (as I found myself two weeks ago following an intense work-related mission directly involving a man named Rolls Royce) then good luck to you, my friends. There ain't NOTHIN' to do there. It's no wonder that my cousin Laura was sent there for a symposium by a certain, anonymous California university system. Those symposium planners knew that she would not be distracted from her symposi-studies by things like good food, interesting people, or nightlife. They figured a large portion of her per diem and that of her work-homies would go unspent due to restaurants all closing around the time her sessions ended each day. What they had not counted on: THE PROFESSA'!!!

That's right. I swooped in on said symposium and really shook things up (also described as "followed my cousin and her friend around in wonder while they took full advantage of the Newport Hyatt's amenities.")

The hotspot of the Hyatt Newport (and the entire Newport area, as far as I can tell)? The Sandbar. Telling you that this bar is touted as a hotspot is as good a way as any to pinpoint the essence of Newport. I met up with the blood-relative and her friend for some pre-bike-ride champagne (I try to never engage in cardiovascular activity without an elevated Blood Alcohol Content), and on a whim we ordered the hummus plate. Mmm, whimsy tastes like tahini. Had I known our delightful server would conjure up such a satisfying mini-meal, I would've ordered another two glasses of bubbly. I should've ordered another two anyway, but Christine (pal of cousin) was really in a hurry to get bikin'. I don't know why; I suspect some sort of allergy to champagne and/or an allergy to not-biking.

But back to the hummmmmus. There was a little vegetable tapenade, and some exquisitely scalene pita pieces (geometry! aesthetics!), and it was the only food I had all day, and thusly, the only thing that prevented me from getting a BUI.

Then came the bike ride. The Newport Hyatt lets you rent beach cruisers for a small fee (At least, I assume it was small... But, on a related note, per + diem is my new fave word combo). And I gotta give it to the little blonde with the weird allergies, what a genius idea. The road was pretty flat, the scenery was pretty scenic, the wheels were pretty rotatey. I don't know, my descriptive skills are really better suited to cuisine and waitstaff. That's what the photos are for! Evidence!

Thesis Statement: I believe that the cardiovascular benefits of an hour-long bike ride are made no less valid when followed by two hours of competitive szechuan binge-eating at PF Chang's.