How to Make A Business Getaway Pleasurable

A fair warning:  This blog is about indulging in earthly goods and if you are hungry and/or thirsty, you should first feed those desires and then come back for some photo-journalistic account of our last weekend.  And this is only a small part of why I am thankful in my life.  Being able to do what I love to do while I am making a living and grow spiritually with my family! Happy Thanksgiving everyone (who celebrates it)!

Jen and I left the baby with the capable, trustworthy and much appreciated hands of grandma last week and drove to Ojai for a little getaway.  We needed this time, not only to unwind and leave the daily grind behind, but also to be with each other and to plan for our family's future.

We are going through a wonderful time of changes where our businesses are evolving in the direction as we  define it.  As things may get a bit overwhelming at times, it may be easy to lose one's focus and steer off course.  While a strongly grounded relationship could keep the parties involved in check, it is definitely worth to step out of the frame in order to get a better view of the big picture and this is exactly what we did.

Of course, leaving town without the baby also calls for some time of relaxation and rejuvenation.  This was a wonderful couple of days of work and pleasure combined in a lovely trip.

We had a long, luxurious and comfortable brunch at The Oak Grill of Ojai Valley Inn.  It's been probably close to 20 years since I've had a Kir Royale... It just seemed appropriate.....

 .....right before the steak and eggs.....

.....that was followed by a Bloody Mary.....

.....which I shared with a humming bird.  No, no, I didn't.  But that humming bird definitely had brunch with us.

If you think it was all play, think again... Both Jen and I were adamant about getting things done!

I don't always play golf, but when I do, I prefer to enjoy a nice beverage and look at the empty field.

As the Oak Grill closed the kitchen at 12pm, we left there around 1pm and strolled down to Jimmy's Pub.  Jen opted for the Rosemary Gimlet and I chose the Watermelon-Basel Margarita while we pigged out on deliciously evil homemade chips.

Before the night's big dinner, we decided to chill at our hotel room looking at the Channel Island Harbor and Mother Nature threw in a great sunset for romance.

Before dinner, we had a delicious wine tasting at Herzog winery.

And we ended up our day-long feast at the terrifiic Tierra Sur restaurant.   Receiver of one of the highest Zagat ratings in Southern California, Tierra Sur is a divinely delightful fine-dining heaven.

We were fantastically fed, while quenching our thirst with exquisite beverages and to top it all, we were absolutely productive drawing a well thought plan for the next few years.  Now, if you excuse me, I need to join my wife executing them!

Thank you and cheers!