There is something super disappointing about planning a well-deserved and needed trip somewhere only to have it canceled/postponed due to weather; weather we don't usually get in California. Of course, because I am a planner (lists and extensive research about places I want to go and see are more common than not), the storms decided to ruin that. Now, that seems silly to most people in the US and probably the rest of the world, however, California has been in a drought for years and this last weekend experienced record rainfall in a 24-hour period and mild hurricane force winds. So....road trip canceled.
Doing nothing instead was not an option. I had prepared for a weekend away. I NEEDED at least a night away for quiet and relaxation, to just recharge. I had an extra day to do something fun on this long weekend. So, I booked a room at the fancy Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa and looked for something to do in Orange County before staying the night there.
Recently I had come across the fact that the Orange County Museum of Art was in Newport Beach. I had always assumed it was in Santa Ana with some of the other museums in Orange County. Upon further research, I found that OCMA also had a current pop culture exhibit featuring some pieces from Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. I was sold. I also realized that Fridays are free at OCMA. Which...is probably a good thing.
The Orange County Museum of Art is located just next to—or behind—Fashion Island in Newport Beach. It's not exactly easy to find. I drove past it once and because of the streets there, had to circle around the block and come back to turn in the proper driveway. The main entrance is not clearly marked. I saw more than one person try to go through the first double doors past the driveway entrance and be pointed in the right direction (which, for them, ended up being a walk in the rain with no umbrella). These doors DO look like they are the main entrance and if not for seeing those people make that mistake, I would have tried to enter there myself.
The museum is very small. When you enter, there are two small exhibit rooms to the left and the main exhibit halls are on the right. Being that these are modern art and pop culture exhibits, I had some idea of what I was in for. Even though I was an art history major, and I can appreciate all kinds of art, some of it just makes me go "Huh? Why?" These were the rooms on the left. I quickly made my way to the main exhibit after walking through those rooms. I found these pieces a lot more fascinating, with funky furniture, posters and paintings with a comic book feel, and the ever-famous Warhol prints. There are a few of his serigraph pieces (the cow wallpaper and one from the Mao series), and some of his Campbell's soup art. It was amazing to see these in person as they have been so widely publicized and reproduced over the years. To see originals was quite stunning. However, one of my favorite pieces at the museum had to be a Superman comic book from 1941 that was on display because of the art and artist on the cover but excited me because it was the original full book inside that plexiglass case.
I made it through the whole museum in about 45 min, and I went through the main exhibit twice. If you enjoy seeing pop culture art in an intimate setting, I suggest going. Go on a Friday when the admission is free and there are extended hours and put a small donation in the donation box. Admission is $10 on other days and, in my opinion, isn't really worth it unless you love modern art.
After leaving the museum for a quick jaunt to Fashion Island for lunch and shopping in the rain and wind gusts, I decided to just head up to my hotel. The short yet scenic drive up Pacific Coast Highway was interesting with the streets beginning to flood. Luckily this 4-star hotel has a covered valet area that leads straight to the main lobby and check-in.
The hotel is beautiful, with a grand foyer and a feel of elegance dripping off of the chandeliers. With the rain and the wind the way they were, I didn't get to explore the grounds as much as I would have liked. Every person on the staff that I came in contact with, from the front desk check-in to the room service on the phone, were all incredibly nice and helpful. They even had complimentary umbrellas for use when you had to cross a courtyard outside. I had access to the Hyatt Regency Club which was nice for an afternoon tea and snack as well as morning coffee that tasted incredible. They have an automatic espresso machine that unfortunately only has regular whole milk. There were waters, sodas, tea, coffee, and afternoon snacks of nuts, fruit, and cookies. In the morning they had a full continental breakfast. I chose to order room service as they had some great Gluten Free options including a pastry trio basket which you can never find at hotels. The staff was also very knowledgeable about gluten and food allergens in general. This put my mind at ease.
The food was great, the people were great, and the private balcony made for a nice breakfast outside when there was a break in the rain. My view was great, but having a 3rd-floor ocean front room with growing palm trees below, lent itself to a view that is beginning to be compromised. Poor planning on the landscaper's part. My only other complaint besides the growing palm trees beginning to block the view was... the very comfortable bed had no blanket, only a down comforter. Which, to some is fantastic. To me, a broiling oven. I woke up multiple times drenched in sweat and the only thing I could do was turn down the A/C as far as it would go to offset the heat in the bed. I should have called down for a regular blanket, but it was the middle of the night and I had taken a sleeping pill. So, either bring a blanket or call down for one before you retire for the evening!
All in all, the quiet, ocean view room with the large tub that actually allowed me to cover both my boobs and knees in water at the same time (a woman's bucket list dream) was worth it. Expensive, but worth it. I was able to relax in a quiet space and recharge. I highly recommend the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach. Next time I hope to be there in better weather and be able to visit their fantastic spa facilities. Maybe I will have to take a trip back up there just to go to the spa.
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