Mini staycation

My father is in town for business, and that means food and fun for me. Last week Sunday we got lunch, dinner on Tuesday night, and Friday kicked off my mini nonvacation-staycation.

I went down to stay at dad's hotel, just south of LAX. We've done this before when he's been here on other trips, but it's been maybe a year since the last. I had to work on Friday morning, and dad was working until evening, so I finally met him down there around 7:00pm...

This adventure begins with two thumbs up.

...and I was greeted by the Wienermobile in the parking lot.

Best part? It wasn't even the first time.  On another one of my hotel visits (last year?), it was parked out front then, too! Dad always stays in the same hotel for work trips, and I guess the Wienermobile also likes to crash there.  So it wasn't, "OH HEY, it's the Wienermobile!" — more like, "OH HEY, it's the Wienermobile again!"

I dropped my stuff upstairs and we went to Chipotle for an easy dinner, then stopped at BevMo for a case of beer.  Believe it or not, it was my first time inside a BevMo.  Now I understand Alexa's statement of, "It's beverages and things that go with beverages." ("Doesn't everything go with beverages?") Pretty cool.  I'll have to check out my local store for festive glassware and interesting drinks/snacks.

The next morning, dad had to work early (yes, on a Saturday), and I got to sleep in. That is a big deal! I've been getting up too early for work, so sleeping in all the way until 9:30am was awesome.  The plan: Beach Day!

I felt like a rockstar as I sat up in bed wearing my bikini, checking my email, and eating cold leftover supreme pizza.  Oh, no big deal, just chilling in a hotel in my bikini while the Wienermobile hangs outside. (Okay, now that sounds lame. But it felt cool!)

I arrived at Manhattan Beach before 11:00am and it was perfect.  First I walked down the little pier, then found a little patch of sand to claim.

Within fifteen minutes of laying out with my iPod on, dad called and said they were done for the day, so he met me there a little later—then went on a Jamba Juice run. Win!  We made a quick run back to the hotel so he could change into more appropriate beachwear (a button-up shirt wasn't exactly right), then drove down to Hermosa Beach this time.

After driving around to find parking, we walked up and down the beach.  We walked a lot...to the point where we walked north enough to be back at Manhattan Beach.  It was a lot nicer than walking that much on streets and boring roads, though!

We walked from B to A and back.  That's 4 miles of walking at the shoreline.

Cute little beach birds walking at the waves. They ran when chased. Silly birds, you can fly!

After making it back to our staring location, we walked by some of the beachfront houses, and DUDE. They are nice!  Some had balconies that opened up right to the bike/walking path...and a few had entire back sides of the house open up to the beach.  Instead of opening a balcony door, they just slid open the wall.  I wish I took photos...but they were watching me from their kitchens.

We drove around Redondo Beach and Palos Verdes before returning to the hotel and grabbing dinner.  I went back to my apartment late that night (had to work Sunday morning).

That weekend was totally necessary.  I forget that I live so close to the beach.  Santa Monica is probably a twenty-minute trip, including a little traffic and parking.  I live in California.  Why was that only my fourth(?) trip to our beaches since I moved here?!  I may go sit in the sand and sun again on my day off this Wednesday.