Fun within REACH

This weekend, REACH 2019 will take place in Anaheim, California and I can’t wait to attend. With any trip, I tend to put together an itinerary prior to my arrival since I know time is limited and opportunities are endless!

First on my list is the learning, of course. I’ve already shared my top picks for the sessions I plan to attend for water. My “not a rookie” colleague, Matt Besch, provided a powerful electric line up – yep, pun intended.  For those customers in the gas industry, the must attend sessions are coming soon.

By attending any of the sessions at REACH, our recommendations or not, you will go back to the office armed with tips, tricks, and exciting new opportunities to get the most value out of your investment. Your boss is sure to be impressed, hopefully leading to that promotion you’ve been after – it’s all within REACH!

You’ll have a few hours of free-time too, so I have a few suggestions of fun things to do in the O.C.

Everyone knows about the main attractions – sporting events, beaches, and of course, Disneyland®.   But, I’m here to give you the scoop on some hidden gems.

Of course, if you do want some Disney tips, grab me at the conference. I’m known to be somewhat of a Disney fanatic and a Star Wars nut, so I won’t steer you wrong while planning a visit to the park or Galaxy’s Edge!

For some fun things to do in any city, a good work-out is always a priority as I don’t eat as healthy when traveling.  My go-to travel work-out is usually running.

It gets me outside to see the sights and I don’t have to worry about a hotel with a gym. To motivate me and provide some fun to the workout, I like to sign up for a local race. Who doesn’t want a medal in return for their blood, sweat, and tears…lots of tears? I didn’t say I loved running!  In Tustin, a city close to the conference, the Dino Dash  is happening on Sunday November 2nd. The race proceeds are used to help local public schools, which is a cause I can get behind. I am also kind of old, so the race seems right up my alley. The online registration is closed, but they are letting people register on race day.

Now keep in mind, this does conflict with the Watermark beach clean-up or golf event we have planned on Sunday.

What do you think of when you think Southern California?  Sun, beaches, and Pete Mitchell, right? Ok, I might be a maverick, but Top Gun is my all-time favorite movie. I’ve seen it 282 times – probably will be 283 by the time REACH rolls around. I feel the need, the need for speed and there is no better way to get that lovin’ feeling than to visit The Flightdeck simulation center. I think it’s time to buzz a tower.  

Top Gun was filmed mostly in San Diego but Orange County is home to many other movie scenes: “Catch Me If You Can”– the Santa Ana courthouse, “Rain Man”– the Santa Ana train station, “Poltergeist” – University of California, Irvine are some top choices if you want to do a little movie tour. 

My favorite is a real hidden gem is free.  It’s called the California Scenario. Not sure if it’s a museum or garden – to me it’s kind of both. It’s comprised of 6 main areas: Forest Walk, Land Use, Desert Land, Water Source, Water Use, and Energy Fountain. It is the perfect place for the REACH audience for sure. It’s a stunning and relaxing spot to visit.

Politics aside, a must-visit spot in Anaheim is visiting the white house. Yep, the white house.  The Anaheim White House is an Italian steakhouse. It’s definitely a high-end restaurant, but the food is phenomenal and the venue beautiful.   I love that the restaurant runs a program which provides meals to children in need every single day.

There are so many great things to do in Anaheim, but the true opportunity is in networking with your peers from around the world at REACH. In this industry, we are in the unique position of being consumers of the resources we distribute.  It’s not just about how the technology can impact the bottom line for you as employees of your utility, it’s also about how it can work to create improvements for the community where we live.