The last California post for a long time

Ahhh, it saddens me that this will be the last time I write about California. There are so many other places to see in the world and yet I would be content just going back to visit this state. It's so beautiful. And, I saved the best for last: Monterey and Big Sur. Some of the prettiest country I have ever seen. If you have not gone, go!

We arrived in Monterey on Saturday and headed straight to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I recommend going on a non-weekend day. It was CROWDED with lots and lots of strollers. But so worth the admission price. I took a ton of pictures . Under the sea creature are amazing and so colorful.

And that's just the inside. The outside is just as nice to look at. Here is the observation deck that overlooks the bay where you can see kelp gardens and kayaks.

And this is where I could kick myself. It was late in the afternoon when we got to the hotel so we decided to rent bikes and get the lay of the land. And dummy me didn't bring my camera! I missed some really good shots. The weather was gorgeous, the marine layer had burned off and the sun was shining bright. We rode through town, down to Lovers Point, and then headed toward the tide pools. I'm still mad at myself for not bringing the camera because the tide pools were amazing! Markus ventured into the very chilly water to explore what was under the sea, while I opted to lay on the rocks and soak up the sun.

The next day we drove down the coast and headed towards Big Sur. And I realized quickly that my fear of bridges is actually a fear of heights. The road down is very windy with a minimal line of sight and so close to the sea. But the views are so breathtaking that I (almost) didn't notice.

It was early and the marine layer was still around so the views looked something like this as we left Monterey.

But the fog started to burn off the further south we headed and the sun began to peak out

And eventually you could see everything. So beautiful and peaceful. We would pull off every few miles and just stand in awe of the landscape. I think this is what they mean when they refer to God's Country.

Big Sur is very rustic. A great place to go camping and get in touch with nature. There are several parks in the area. We chose Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park for hiking. They have redwoods and I hugged one. Does that make me a tree hugger? The hike up was a little tricky but the view from the top was worth it. So was the waterfall we passed.

We also went to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park because I had read the views are amazing. They are. Most of the park is closed due to the 2008 wildfires but a small trial that leads to the waters edge is still open. You walk through this:

And on the other side is this:

There are signs posted everywhere warning not to go down to the beach. Many people have attempted and have needed rescuing. Probably worth it once you get down there. The land was once private property and the owners left it to California and requested the house be torn down and named after a local resident, JPB. Can you imagine LIVING on land that looks like this?

On the way back to Monterey we drove 17-mile drive and got a glimpse at the Pebble Beach golf club. We also got to see the Lone Cyprus Tree. Pretty cool looking.

I'll miss you California, hope to see you again soon!

California: Wine Country

It's been over a month since our last trip to California so I think I better try to wrap things up! Where does the time go???

Soooo...I left my heart in San Francisco and we headed north to wine country. We stayed in Sonoma at a really cute hotel that was walking distance from the city square. The hotel felt like a private residence with cottages tucked away behind gardens. Our room wasn't quite ready for us when we arrived but no worries! Their was a winery we walked to that had tastings. We each had a glass of white wine and then headed to the pool at our hotel to cool us off from the 90! degree heat (which is what we left back in Richmond).

That night we went to The Carneros Inn in Napa for dinner at Farm (pictured below). This place was amazing and if we could have swung the $800+ rooms per night, we would have stayed. But I was happy with drinks in the open air lounge and dinner under the stars. Dinner was our wedding gift from Chris and Alexa. Thanks guys, it was phenomenal! And, we liked this place so much that we stopped for donuts at the Boon Fly Cafe on our way out of town. And, I liked the donuts so much that I ate half a dozen in one sitting!
The next day we had a driver pick us up and we headed an hour north to the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. A friend of ours in the restaurant business had arranged a private tour at one of her vendors wineries, Ridge. It was really cool to see how and where they make the wines as well as get a history of the vineyard. However, they poured us more than the normal tasting so when we left 1 1/2 hours later I was pretty tipsy!

Several people had suggested picking up lunch at the Dry Creek General Store so we headed there next. It looks like your average country store until you walk in and are met by gourmet cheeses, sandwiches, and products. They even have live bait and tackle, if you are so inclined! I was more interested in the grub.
Our driver knew of a winery close by that had great grounds for a picnic so we took our food to go and headed to Lambert Bridge Winery. Which as the names suggest, is located over a one lane bridge. Think Bridges of Madison County. As soon as we crossed the bridge we felt like we had gone back in time. Here is the building where they do the tastings, complete with it's own sleeping Saint Bernard (unfortunately not pictured).

The grounds were beautiful and the perfect place to have a picnic. I'm not smiling because I have food in my braces, not because I'm not having a good time.

I took these pictures at what we dubbed the Mafia Vineyard, because our driver told us they owned casinos in Las Vegas and had ties to the mafia. The wine wasn't that great but the views were spectacular.

Up next, we head down the coast and visit Monterrey and Big Sur. Some of the prettiest views I have ever seen.

I Left My Heart In San Francisco

We decided to take a trip to Northern California for my birthday this year. I was excited to get out of town with my sweetie and see more of the state I love. Our first stop was San Francisco. We arrived late on a Tuesday night and stayed through Thursday afternoon. Just enough time to fall in love with the city by the bay. Thank goodness we tacked on an extra day in SF at the end of our trip because I was not ready to say goodbye just yet.

The following day was my 30th birthday and by far one of the best I have had. We woke up early (me very early b/c I was still on East Coast time) and went downstairs for breakfast. I'm not a huge breakfast person but, oh my god was this something. Definitely the way to start your birthday. Markus had the buffet which looked pretty amazing but I couldn't pass up the lemon meyer and ricotta pancakes with crème fraîche. To die for. I would have taken a picture but I had already licked my plate and people were starting to stare.

The next several hours we spent wandering the streets of San Francisco. Falling more and more in love with each turn we took. The vistas were amazing. Everywhere you turn their is a view of the bay, rows and rows of beautiful houses, and hidden stairs. We loved the stairs because they usually led to somewhere even more fantastic than where you were just standing.

We stopped by the Ferry Building for lunch, another must do in San Francisco. It's a very cool sustainable indoor market with local shops and restaurants. We did a little shopping/sight seeing and then decided on Hog Island Oyster Co. for lunch. Most of the restaurants overlook the Bay and the Bay Bridge, another reason this place is so cool.

That night we had dinner reservations at Yabbies but the night was young so we headed to Top of the Mark for a champagne toast while watching the sun set. It has 360 degree view of the city, but about 5 minutes after we got there the fog rolled in. We couldn't see the building in front of us, much less the sun setting. But it was still cool, another must do in SF.

After dinner we decided to check out the Tonga Room, which is located in the basement lower level of our hotel. It was...interesting. A few people had told me they had gone so we thought why not? Every birthday girl deserves a birthday drink. Markus and I paid the $5/per person cover, got leid, and took our seats at a tiki covered table. Next to a swimming pool, with a floating stage, that had a "rainmaker" and a 40 something cover band. Uh huh, like I said, interesting.

The next day we were leaving San Francisco and heading to wine country but there were still a few things we needed to see (hello, the Golden Gate Bridge!). So on the way out of town we drove by the Painted Ladies, through Golden Gate Park, and down to see that bridge. I was in awe and couldn't believe I was standing next to the Golden Gate. Stunning! I wish we had had more time, and who knows, I might have even gotten the courage to walk across it. Maybe next time!

Directly across from San Francisco (over the bridge) are the quaint little towns of Sausolito and Tiburon. Who knew they aren't just a cookie and a Hyundai! And, If I didn't know better I would have thought we were somewhere in southern Europe. Colorful houses are nestled in the hills and beautiful boats sit in the crystal blue water of the bay. Markus and I joked that this would be where we would keep our sailboat if we lived in San Francisco. You know, when we weren't jet setting the world.

A trip to California wouldn't be complete without visiting our favorite residents. Markus' best friend Chris and his girlfriend, Alexa have helped us immensely with the planning of both of our trips out west, and it just so happens Alexa lives in SF. So our last night in town we met her for a drink at The Thirsty Pig and then tried out A16 for dinner. A recommendation of Chris', who was in LA that weekend. He was missed but I'm glad he shared his girlfriend with us because we had a great time out with a local.

I know I say this about a lot of places we visit in the U.S. but San Francisco is hands down my favorite city. But, don't tell New York that!

A Whale's Vagina

We headed south for the 2nd part of our Californian vacation, stopping in Laguna Beach for a quick peek around the now infamous town before heading to San Diego. Laguna Beach was just as pretty as Malibu, except it had more of a sleepy beach town feel to me. There were lots of art galleries and canyons on the drive in, making it seem like there was more to do than just hang out on the beach. We popped in to some shops while making our way to the public beach access. I couldn't resist seeing if the townies were like the reality tv show. They live up to the stereotype. I went into a boutique where there were 3 teenage girls (working) lying on chaise lounges discussing how they were "over" being outside. Tough life. Who would want to be inside with views like this?

This picture was from a little lookout and the banister had this on it:

And leading to the beach I saw the most adorable front door. I could live here.

Next we headed down the PCH to San Diego. Fantastic views and no traffic, it made for a great drive. We drove through La Jolla and Mission Beach but decided to travel further south to the island of Coronado. Markus' dad had recommended checking out the historical hotel located on the island. The Hotel Del Coronado, or The Del, was built in 1888 and has had many famous visitors throughout the years, including a ghost! Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe was even filmed there. It was a beautiful hotel and had plenty to do without ever leaving the premise. We definitely enjoyed our stay and would love to go back one day. I especially enjoyed lounging pool side took advantage of the on-site ice cream shop! Here is a picture of the hotel from the beach and me with my bug glasses. Markus laughs everytime he looks at me with those on. I live to entertain him.

The last night we were in San Diego we ventured off the island and headed to the Gas Lamp district, which is located downtown. Markus did some research and found a very trendy hotel with a roof top bar overlooking the Padres baseball stadium and all of downtown San Diego. Luckily for us the Padres were playing away and we were able to get a seat and watch the sunset.

Anyone who knows me knows I am not a big fan of long and/or tall bridges. The bridge in the background of this picture takes you to Coronado Island and it's loooong. I drove over it without getting a panic attack, huge accomplishment. Maybe it was the view that distracted me? You can see Coronado in the background of the picture below. One side of the island is residential and the opposite side is owned by the Navy. We could see all kinds of planes and helicopters landing, some Markus didn't even know the names of. Pretty cool to see while lying on the beach!

Our last day in California was spent driving back to Los Angeles and sight seeing. First stop was Pink's Hot Dogs for lunch. They call themselves "the hot dog to the stars" and have been featured on The Food Network. They have all kinds of toppings, making it a very interesting hot dog, but still a hot dog! After lunch we drove by the "LA Ink" tattoo studio. For those of you who don't know, its a TLC reality show about tattoo artist, Kat Von D. Markus has a small crush on her, which I think has now escalated since coming so close to her presense. We parked across the street to get a better view and while stalking looking for directions we noticed a film crew coming out the door. You would have thought Kat walked up to the car and invited Markus inside. He got so excited knowing that she was probably there. He would have sat in the parking lot the rest of the day if I had let him. But I didn't. We had more sites to see before our red eye that night. Next time we are in LA Markus can combine his two loves by getting a tattoo of the Finnish flag on his pylly.

*Markus read this & asked where the picture of Kat's studio was. Here ya go, babe.

Our last stop was the Getty Museum. Located high above LA, it offers breathtaking views of the city as well as the Pacific Ocean. We didn't make it into the actaul museum, except to use the bathroom. I was too impressed with the architecture and gardens. A tram takes you from the parking gargae to the museum and the first thing you see if this, minus Markus, he was only there last Wedensday.

White stone is everywhere and it creates a very zen-like vibe. There are also manicured lawns and gardens, offering great stopping points along the way. Here are some of the many pictures I took. I couldn't get enough!

If you can't tell from my professional quality photos, it was well worth the trek up. I would put this at the top of my list of destinations to visit. And if I ever visit again I will be sure to check out the inside. I hear Vincent van Gogh's Irises is on display.

We both really enjoyed the trip and I'm looking forward to seeing more of the state. I even think I could move there if I could convince Markus. Maybe one day.

California Dreamin' Part 1

Markus and I just got back from a vacation to California. It was wonderful. He has a ton of friends from New Jersey who now live in Southern California so we decided to visit Los Angeles and San Diego. Chris, who was Markus' Best Man, lives in Santa Monica where we stayed and acted as our tour guide. He was awesome! We saw so many things that we wouldn't have found on our own and got to hang out with him and his girlfriend, Alexa, in the process. They were both at the wedding but I was so busy I hardly got to spend time with them. It was great getting to know Alexa and spend more time with Chris. Here is Alexa and I in front of Chris' apartment:

The first day in LA we walked around Santa Monica while waiting for Chris to get off work. Being my first time on the West Coast, I was amazed at the landscape. I have never seen ocean next to mountains. The water was so dark set against the white sand, mountains and cloudless blue sky. This was my first glimpse from our hotel:

And here is my first touch of the Pacific Ocean:

Ice cold! We went shopping along Third Street Promenade and I got a really cool pair of jeans that you will probably see in every picture after this. Here is Markus carrying the bag. It looks like he went shopping in the ocean. That night we picked Alexa up from the airport (she lives in San Francisco) and headed to Hollywood for dinner at Mario Batali's Mozza where I saw my first famous person, Seth Rogen. But the highlight of the evening was the food. It was the best pizza I have ever had. Thanks, Chris and Alexa!

The next morning Markus and I ventured out on our own and ended up in Larchmont Village for breakfast and site seeing. This is where my 2nd star crossing occurred, Ross The Intern walked right past us. For those of you who don't know who he is click here.

After breakfast we met Chris and Alexa and headed up the coast to Malibu where we saw breathtaking views from the PCH. One of the nicest drives I've taken with the exception of the 2 hours it took to get back to LA. We stopped at Malibu Seafood on the way and had lunch. It was the cutest place, set just off the main road with picnic tables overlooking the Pacific.
Then we headed further up the coast to a beach off of the main road. This is when I realized I was meant to live in Southern California. Imagine waking up everyday to this everyday!Malibu was everything I expected and more. I still can't get over the ocean/mountain/sun/sand combo. It makes it worth the traffic and smog that comes with living in the city if you are within driving distance of this:Oh, and there are wildflowers everywhere you look! All of the flowers that I have tried growing in my yard that don't get enough sunshine grow in abundance in Southern California. It was like someone from the heavens opened their hand and sprinkled seeds in every direction. It made me very happy!
And for people who want more than just wildflowers but don't have the yard? They have community gardens! What a lovely idea. So every once and awhile you would be driving through a neighborhood and see one of these:

How clever of those Californians!

The next day we did some more investigating of Santa Monica and stumbled on some great coffee shops and a Farmers' Market. I forgot my camera that day and was bummed because the market was so cute! It had all kinds of organic produce, live music, and really good people watching! Since we couldn't take anything back with us we got some cherries and raisins to snack on. They were delicious! Afterwards Chris and Alexa took us to brunch for Dim Sum. It was yum yum! I don't have any pictures but imagine every kind of dumpling you could every want and then some. We were pretty full after lunch so we decided to lounge by the pool for the rest of the afternoon. We even ran into another one of Markus' high school friends, Vinnie, hanging by the pool. Some of you might remember him as Adam Banks from the movie The Mighty Ducks. I guess I can count that as my 3rd star sighting!

Sunday night we headed to Long Beach for pickled eggs, hot dogs, and a mini Madison High School reunion. I even got to see my friend, Devyn, who used to live in Richmond and now lives in LA.

Thanks, Devyn for coming out!

Anyone who knows Markus and his group of friends knows that there is a strong bond of friendship and also a lot of silliness that goes on between them. It amazes me how close they have stayed throughout the years and I hope their friendships continue because I really enjoy this group and their significant others. And I say this in the most loving way possible but most of the time they revert back to High School when they get together. Not a side many people get to see of Markus. As seen here:and here:
Nipples and tongues aside, the place we went to was pretty cool. It's what you would call a dive bar and they serve hot dogs, beer, and their specialty, pickled eggs. Imagine a hard boiled egg that has been pickled. They were delicious, I had 4! I also had "The Special", a hot dog on rye bread with cheese and pickle. If you're ever in Long Beach, check out Joe Jost's. Thanks Dan and Casey for the invite!

Part II of our trip coming soon.

Sarah