We have very quickly abandoned our plans for going to Macau tonight and have decided, instead, to relax and enjoy the beautiful Peninsula Hotel. The need for rest is paramount, particularly for the one who never sleeps on the plane (and that would not be me, who can, unfortunately, sleep in any moving vehicle).
It was a smart move to have the hotel pick us up. I knew that would mean a quiet, calm ride in one of their fleet of 14 Rolls Royce Phantoms, I hoped for speedy progress upon arrival and boy, did that pay off. We were literally met as we walked off the 777, driven to immigration (no line), and escorted to baggage, which appeared within about 60 seconds of our arrival. Once loaded in the car and driven through fairly light rush hour traffic, we were taken immediately to our room and checked in right on the spot. Every hotel should be this efficient. 
Door to door, about an hour after landing, we were in our 21st floor room taking in the beautiful skyline of Hong Kong Island. Welcome news after waking up 24 hours earlier and completing the 17-hour flight from Dallas (yawn).
Known as the “Grande Dame of the Far East,” The Peninsula opened in 1928 and has been meticulously updated. From three iPads, we can control pretty much everything. This room is even equipped with a nail dryer, not to mention more places to charge electronics than I have ever experienced. Nice.
The Lobby.
We stayed in on this first night of our trip, watched the 8 PM laser light show on Victoria Harbour, followed by an enjoyable light dinner and some good jazz in the Lobby restaurant.
Just up after a good nights sleep and ready to get going!
Uber Xmas decor on Balboa Island.
Sandcastle art on Balboa Island.
You can walk along the water around charming Balboa Island, Newport Beach.
Love these artist palette holiday decorations in Laguna Beach (home of the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts)
Sunset and chilly temps from “The Deck” in Laguna Beach.
The Rancho Valencia Resort.
We are having a really nice time in Southern California. It’s been very chilly (I wore four layers to play golf), breezy and dry; a really lovely part of our country. The Rancho Valencia Resort is stunning with lush landscaping and lots of privacy. My favorite residential architectural style has always been Spanish/Mexican, so I feel right at home among the terracotta, colorful tile and beautiful courtyards.
Beach behind the terrific Pacific Coast Grill in Cardiff By The Sea.
We have enjoyed spending time with friends, making new friends, exploring the area and hitting more than our fair share of the area’s wonderful restaurants. I loved the 90 year-old vintage charm of the restaurant in La Jolla’s ocean-front La Valencia Hotel. As far as seafood, our meals at The Fish Market in Solana Beach and The Pacific Coast Grill in Cardiff were top-notch.
I found La Jolla disappointing and preferred the aptly named Rancho Santa Fe with its stables, ranches and rolling hills. We’ve even had hot air balloons firing-up along the winding roads here. As far as coastal towns, I’ll take the quirky beach vibe in Solana Beach any day. A shout out to my friend Andi for directing me to the charming, unique shops on Cedros in Solana Beach. It was a lot of fun. The guys have played a lot of golf, but I only played one round at the Del Mar Country Club – where our foursome was among the five total players on the course for the day – felt like we owned the place.
San Diego Zoo.
We’ve even managed to fit in a visit to the famous San Diego Zoo. One hundred years old this year, they are in the midst of some serious (and behind schedule) renovations. They need the improvements, much of the Zoo is a bit tired and animal areas are smaller than I like to see. It made me realize how great our young ZooMiami has become.
Now, if they can only do something about the traffic . . . .
Golf course at the tranquil Del Mar Country Club.
