I am now 50 years old. Very bizarre is about all I can say about it. I don't feel 50, and I don't think I look 50 yet, but I got about a half dozen birthday phone calls confirming that, yes, I am definitely now 50!
The part I'm struggling to wrap my head around is that even under the very best of circumstances my life is now half over. How can that possibly be when I still have so many things I want to try, and to do, and so many places still to explore?
I really don't know, but I do know that leading up to the big event I told Mike I wanted to spend my birthday weekend in our trailer at one of my very favorite places here in California - Newport Beach. Newport Beach is the place I'd have elected to buy a home in and retire, had money been no object. But it is, of course, so fortunately Crystal Cove Moro Campground opened last July along one of the most absolutely beautiful stretches of ocean in Newport Beach, allowing Mike and I to enjoy the delights of "living" in Newport Beach whenever we wish.
We spent three nights at the campground, and had a great, great time. We enjoyed kayaking in Newport Harbor, fish chowder at The Crab Cookery, a fabulous 10 mile hike in El Moro Canyon, several walks along the beach, breakfast at Pacific Whey Baking Co, a really special birthday dinner at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion in Fashion Island, and several stunning sunsets. Total cost for the weekend was very reasonable, thanks to how inexpensive RV'ing is in general, plus the strategic usage of a Groupon voucher and a Gift Card.
In addition to the overall weekend RV costs below, I've also included information on the RV meals we ate, including recipes, so if you're interested, be sure to scroll all the way down past the photos.
- Crystal Cove Moro Campground no-hookups site: $50 x 3 nights, plus reservation fee: $158
- Gas: $16
- Food: No change from what we'd spend if at home
- Ice: $3.68
- Kayaking: $19.00 for a double kayak/two hour rental (Groupon deal)
- Crab Cooker: $16.16 for two clam chowders, a fish salad, and one loaf of warm sourdough bread
- Ruby's Shake Shack: $5.38 for a yummy chocolate caramel shake
- Roy's Hawaiian Fusion: Free! We used a $125 gift card obtained with credit card points, and brought our own wine (corkage fee was a very modest $15, but the waiter waived it since we invited him to sample the very lovely Walt La Brisa Chardonnay we'd brought to the restaurant)
- Pacific Whey Baking Co: $13.68 for breakfast
- Hiking, beach walks, reading, sunsets, whale watching and nightly campfire: Free!
- TOTAL FOR 3 NIGHT/4 DAY TRIP: $231.90
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| Just one of the many stunning sunsets we enjoyed from our campsite. |
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| Note the nice maroon Bentley parked behind the also-nice Camaro. This is Newport Beach after all! |
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| Our wonderful Crab Cooker lunch. We left only crumbs! |
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| Preparing to launch our kayak into picturesque Newport Harbor. |
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| Newport Beach |
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| This guy was hanging out on the pier waiting for one of the many people fishing to toss him a fish. |
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| A favorite local hangout, known primarily for their fantastic shakes, particularly their Date Shake. |
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| My Birthday dinner at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion in tony Fashion Island. As my second glass of wine apparently went to my head, I kept exclaiming "I really, really like life in Newport Beach!" |
What we prepared in our RV:
Breakfast
-Trader Joe O's Cereal topped with wheat germ, almonds and strawberries
-Cantaloupe
-Trader Joe Steel Cut Oatmeal topped with wheat germ, apple and cinnamon
-Cantaloupe
Lunch
-We either ate out, or ate dinner leftovers
Dinner
-Morningstar veggie burgers with grilled mushrooms, lettuce, onion & tomato
-Grilled potato and onion foil packets (slice both very thin, drizzle with oil, season with garlic powder, salt and pepper, and wrap tightly in foil (I double wrap to prevent burning))
-Watermelon
-Smart Hot Dogs with mustard, onions and relish
-Watermelon
It sounds like you had a wonderful birthday! And yes, you do not look 50! :)!
ReplyDeleteNow to get to work on those 10 pounds that seem to have crept up on me when I wasn't looking!
DeleteHappy 50th! Sounds like the perfect way to spend it.
ReplyDeleteIt was a defensive move - if I was out of town, no one could get the bright idea to throw me an "Over the Hill" surprise party. Much better to enjoy wonderful wine and a romantic dinner with my husband.
DeleteWhat a great way to spend your 50th birthday. One of my son's now lives in Huntington Beach so I am taking notes on where you ate and hiked!
ReplyDeleteHuntington Beach would be my second most favorite spot in O.C., and where I do all of my long mileage training. It's always a party waiting to happen down there!
DeleteTamara,
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect way to spend your 50th birthday! You are like Jack with the magic beans when it comes to making something wonderful out of very little. Happy Birthday! It just keeps getting better.
I was pondering your nice comment about Jack and his magic beans and realized there is really nothing much new about what I'm doing for those who have known me throughout my life . . . I've always maxed out our life fun factor to the degree our pocketbooks and time off allowed. I can see I've gone into overdrive in retirement however, but good golly it sure is fun. :-)
DeleteI should add I just came in from a set of tennis and can report that very slowly, bit by bit by bit, I'm getting better. Very gratifying to see some progress finally being made!
DeleteHappy Birthday and congrats at being retired at 50!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm actually looking to do more of what you love so much in 2013 - meaning more trail races, though probably in the 30K range rather than the 50K range. My daughter, however, is running her first 50K in Nevada next month, the Bootlegger 50K. We're planning to be there to cheer her on.
DeleteHappy birthday! No, you do not look even close to 50!
ReplyDeleteA special thanks for another great RV park link and recipes that will be passed onto Betty.
Please pass along to Betty that this was very non-gourmet cooking trip for me, other than the corn and blueberry salad, which was delicious and fresh (I declined to boil my sweet white corn, and just kept it raw). I was trying to balance the calories eaten in our RV against the three meals I knew we would be eating out. This upcoming weekend in Santa Paula where we'll be joining our camping club for a Halloween bash will be much more creative.
DeleteIf you got the invitation letter from AARP, you're 50 (and you've earned the membership to boot!).
ReplyDeleteI did, and it was my LEAST favorite birthday gift! :-)
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