Labor Day Weekend '13: Up the Northern Cali Coast

Webb and are quite familiar with California Highway 1, having lived right near both it's LA and San Fran portions and spending last year's 4th of July vacation meandering down the "PCH" between the 2 cities.  However, neither of us have ventured far north of San Francisco, and Labor Day Weekend was the perfect opportunity to explore this new region.

Our plan was to take the 101 up for a bit, head over the the 1, then back to 101 where it's called the "Redwood Highway", and ending in Eureka (the largest city between San Francisco and Portland).

We left Saturday for Healdsburg, a wine country town in northern Sonoma County. Be-yoo-tee-ful.  Our first stop was Mutt Lynch Winery, which was supposed be this dog-tastic winery but was sort of a dud.  Yummy wine though, and we walked away with a bottle with the cutest label.  Christopher Creek, across the street, saved the day with friendly servers, gorgeous views, and a rousing Country-Style-Bob-Marley. I know, it's weird, but didn't you think bacon and figs would be weird together before you tried it? (if you haven't tried, I recommend you do.  Put on some Rob Marley while you're at it)

At the Healdsburg farmers market

Picnicking in cute downtown Healdsburg (art fair in the background)

Christopher Creek Winery with kids playing in the pool

Beautiful northern Sonoma County

That afternoon was a pretty ride to Ukiah, CA.  We ate at the kitschy Be-Bop Diner next to our motel and hit up a few local spots where Webb beat me twice in darts (but I whooped him in California Speed the next time - more on that later, bahaha)

That little pup in pooped!

I like to think I'm tough...

Be-bop won my heart

The next day had us driving again amongst the gargantuan Redwoods to the little town of Willits for a breakfast stop, then it was on to Mendocino and Fort Bragg.

Mendocino is on the coast and is as cute as can be.  I kept telling Webb that if I decided to hole up and write a novel, this is where I would go.  This town is filled with quaint art galleries, jewelry shops and cafes, all tucked in the rugged coastline.  We arrived as the thick morning fog still covered the town, but when we were heading out the, sky was bright blue.

Pretty chapel, pretty sky

So delish

Can you get more quaint than "jam tasting"?!

Ernie LOVED the beach!

Me and my buddy in the morning fog

We found little caves

Point Cabrillo Light Station

We continued our drive up Highway 1 through Fort Bragg and along the Redwood Highway until we got to Eureka.  We had made a camping reservation just outside of Eureka for our stay Sunday night, and thought the spot was so fun we just stayed there the rest of the evening and saved the city for Monday.

Hours of this. So pretty.

Our campground was a KOA, which isn't REAL camping (we had a pizza delivered to our site...) but was perfect for us since we didn't want to bring a ton of gear on the road trip.  It's definitely aimed at families, but we really love anything outside of the norm and had fun playing basketball, making smores, playing with Ernie at the dog playground, and sharing a pancake breakfast in the morning.

So proud.

Not gonna lie - I'm pretty great at California Speed (taught by the best!)

Enjoying a group bonfire

Eureka is the biggest city between San Francisco and Portland.  It's also home to two beautiful Victorian houses, both of which are prominently featured in Eureka's advertising.  When you arrive to Eureka, you don't exactly expect those to be the only beautiful houses, but you soon discover that Eureka has seen better days.... Still, we enjoyed reading about the history of this coastal seaport town and enjoyed walks through the historic downtown.  The highlight for me was probably going to Lost Coast brewery, the maker of a popular beer and one of my faves, Tangerine Wheat.  Their popular location was a block from Humboldt County's state prison (also not in the brochure).

We spent the rest of Labor Day meandering back down the Redwood Highway, still marveling at the majesty of those trees, and passed a few funny stops such as the "world famous log cabin house" and the Bigfoot Museum. One crazy attraction was worth a stop to us, and it was the Drive Through Tree!  How many times can you say you've driven through a tree?! It was pretty crazy stuff. Word of advice: turn your mirrors in if you ever go.

Now THAT is a tree.

Ready to go!

Our last stop on the trip was in the cute town Santa Rosa, back in Sonoma county.  We had lunch with one of Webb's high school friends and enjoyed some British food which reminded me of my semester in London (oh fish and chips with vinegar, I just adore). It turns out Santa Rosa is the hometown of Charles Schulz.  How great is this statue?  I think the real life Charlie & Snoopy guys are pretty cute too!

In case you're wondering, Ernie is Snoopy and Webb is Charlie ;)

We made it back in time for the comforts of our couch and some DVR's Sunday night TV.  There's no place like home :)

Just Because

Birthdays, anniversaries, new jobs - these all warrant grand celebrations and surprises.  And you know I love a great party.  

With all the reasons to celebrate during the year, you would think the in-between weekends get written off.  Don't get me wrong - I truly appreciate a weekend that has a good ratio of productive:lazy.

But this past weekend, Webb planned a secret day for fun just because.

Isn't that lovely?

I challenge all of you to think of opportunities to make regular days/weekends/moments special, because it's often the spontaneous "just because" moments in life that are the best!

When I came back from my solo trip to New Jersey, Webb asked me if I had any plans on Sunday.  I told him not any that I could think of.  He replied, "Good.  Block out the whole day".  And that was all I knew!

He even went so far as blindfolding me in the car and silencing the GPS.  My mind wandered - where had I mentioned I wanted to visit? I couldn't remember anything specific.  Admittedly being the planner of our relationship, it was weird to be the one without the itinerary in hand.  

When we arrived at our destination, he told me to take off the blindfold.  I still had no idea where we were.

"The racetrack!" Webb told me.

The total randomness of it all is just quintessential Webb.  I don't think the racetrack ever came up in a conversation, it wasn't really romantic, and yet he knew we'd have the best time because for whatever reason, we have a blast doing anything outside of our usual routine.  People watching, cheering on the horses, and dancing to the cover band made for a great Sunday.  I think what made it even more fun was the fact that it was a surprise and totally out of blue.

It was a perfect day.

I'm inspired to plan one of these secret adventure days!  Stay tuned, Webb...

What will you do out of your usual routine?  Celebrate "everyday days" just because.

You may find yourself yearning for a Derby hat while yelling "Go Sassy Brunette!"

"'Cause Down the Shore Everything's Alright"

`cause down the shore everything's all right

You and your baby on a saturday night

nothing matters in this whole wide world

when you're in love with a jersey girl

-Bruce Springsteen "Jersey Girl"

Oh, Bruce! That song just gets me every time.  If you know me, you know I love New Jersey.  The fact that I hadn't been in the summer in 3 years was a true travesty.  You see, home in North Jersey during the fall, winter and spring is also wonderful, but there is something oh-so-special about the Jersey Shore at summer time.  I wrote about it here right after Sandy, and here when Webb and I went to Cape May, so feel free to read about my what the Shore means to me.  

So, to solve such a conundrum, I went ahead and bought a ticket to go home for a long weekend with no agenda at all! I am so glad I did.  It was just what the doctor ordered.

In Summary: Jersey is STRONG! Even though I'm from North Jersey, I have a total love affair with the shore and I was nervous to see what it looked like post-Sandy.  There were definitely some remnants of destruction, and people still need help and donations, but "Restore the Shore" is well underway and the energy is so positive.  My friends and family are all wonderful and now I know I need to do this every summer because let's be honest, there's just nothing like being with those who've known you forever.  

Pics and stories below!

Friday morning, I landed at 6AM and my wonderful dad met me at the airport we started the day with Dunkin Donuts!  They seriously need to expand to California. Then, we had breakfast at our usual spot in Ridgewood in their recently added outdoor section.

Later that day, my Mom, sister and I laid out by Crestwood Lake, this great little lake 5 minutes from my house.  Obvi, I needed a base tan for the Shore.  

That night I got to see my cousins Jon and his wife Shelly and their adorable and sassy daughter Mackenzie.  The restaurant was Bahama Breeze, and let me tell you - this is new the new hot spot in Bergen County. Everyone got really excited when I mentioned that where we were going. My mom planned the whole thing, and even surprised me with my FAVORITE cake (cannoli!) to celebrate my "half-birthday" - hey, I guess when you're only home a couple time a year you've got to find something to eat cake for! I loved it. 

Dinner with some family

After dinner, I met up with my main dude at home Vinnie :)

Saturday morning, my best friend Alyssa and I grabbed bagels (yes!) and hit the road for the 90 minute drive to the adorable town Ocean Grove.  We met our friend Kelly and laid out in the sun, catching up about everything.  After some lunch at the popular Nagle's, we skipped a couple towns over to Belmar where we were going to stay the night.  Coincidentally, I ran into my cousin! What a small world.  We all did happy hour at D'jais, a bar on the beach that my mother remembers going to.  I've been a couple times, but I did NOT remember how, um "Jersey" it is.  Definitely entertaining for my newly-California self :)  Then we all hung out at my cousin's place before dancing the night away at another spot.  It def brought me back to some crazy shore nights of yesteryear :)

Me and some great girls in Ocean Grove

Sad to see Sandy's destruction in some areas 

Partying with the winners of the Jersey Shore cast lookalike contest

Sunday, I said bye to my friends and went to Point Pleasant with my family and our family friends the Freeney's. We did the usual lunch and beach bummin'.  Sadly it was a little overcast, but that didn't stop most of our group from swimming and playing volleyball.  For dinner, I found a SUPER fresh little seafood market so we got a bunch of seafood and pizza.  Perfect.  That night we hit the boardwalk with the kids who seriously attempted to ride every single ride.

Some of the best seafood

I love my Kohr's!

Monday we were down the shore til midday then headed back up. We tried to ride bikes on the boardwalk, but the Point Pleasant bike shops were closed up from Sandy :( That evening I met up with one of my longest friends, Kristen, and we caught up over her delicious Italian food and the newest ep of Breaking Bad.

Tuesday I felt like mini-mom as I shuffled everyone around and grabbed lunch with one of my besties, Vinnie, near his new office at our old stomping ground, Kinchley's! 

My mom, dad and sister drove me to the airport then I was back on my way to Cal-i-forn-I-A.

This Jersey Girl will be back soon!

Summer Catch Up

Wait - it's already AUGUST?!

I get it. Summers are supposed to fly by.  But there's something about needed Uggs, a sweatsuit, and a brave face to walk my dog that's making this summer seem nonexistent.  I love you, SF, but you were not kidding when you warned me about your chilly June & July ways.  

Thankfully, I have been lucky to have gone on many a fun adventure, and despite being the palest I've ever been on August 2nd, I've had a fantastic summer so far.  Two places I frequent often - my workplace and Webb's hometown - both lay out of the San Francisco fog cloud, so I have gotten a few rays.  Even the city itself has it's ups (albeit with a light jacket). I'm looking forward to when it warms up in the fall, but til then I'll just bundle up and keep enjoying my new colorful, cultural city.  

Here are some highlights from my summer thus far!

Puerto Vallarta

 

I previously wrote about the urban adventures in PV, but my favorite was lounging in the sun with an ever-refreshed paloma.  Our resort seamlessly blended from pool to ocean and we took every opportunity to r-e-l-a-x (you know, in between the jet ski, snorkeling, kayaking, dancing, karaokeing…) For reals though: it was a great trip with quite a few romantical moments by sunset with Mariachi.  Everyone- go to Mexico!

Hiking

Point Reyes Coast

Mt. Tam with friends & pups

I LOVE hiking around the Bay Area.  LOVE it, especially up in Marin County.  High up in mountains, it feels like you are above the clouds because the ground below is covered in fog.  Meadows, coastline, forest - I've literally been on hikes here where I've been through all of those terrain in one day.  

Urban Hiking

Golden Gate Park

Public Garden in Corona Heights

One in San Francisco need not even leave the city to get their hike on.  With all the hills and nooks & crannies here, a walking adventure through different neighborhoods is a hike in and of itself.  Webb and I have found our street becomes gnarly elevated the further south you go, and pops down into the Castro valley where secret gardens are there for the discovering.  We're also really close to the enormous Golden Gate Park, which goes all the way to the beach.

Seafood

Amazing food and view in Half Moon Bay

Summer to me means fresh seafood!  San Francisco is known for it's clam chowder (yeah, Boston, you're not the only ones) and oysters, amongst other tasty treats from the sea.  I HIGHLY recommend Sam's Chowder House in Half Moon Bay.  With it's vast outdoor seating area and soft live music, it makes for a great summer afternoon. A few bits of shrimp cocktail and I felt like I was back at my favorite place on earth (aka the Jersey Shore).

SF Theater

A love of theater runs through my blood, and lucky me landed a guy who admits to enjoying a show here and there, so I've been making a more conscious effort to get more into the SF theater scene.  With the holiday crowds far away, and the weather less than stellar, now is actually a great time to see shows in San Francisco.  By joining a few discount mailing lists, I've been able to do it on the cheap too.  We recently caught God of Carnage in an intimate space called the Shelton Theater and really enjoyed it.

Free SF Fun

Indiana Jones at Dolores Park

Matt Costa at the Cultivate festival in Golden Gate

What's even cheaper than discounted? Free.  Oh yeah.  Outdoor movies in the park, free concerts, walking along the beach, and finally getting a library card are a few of the fun free things I've partaken in this summer.

Summer TV

Dexter, Orange is the New Black, The Newsroom, Breaking Bad in a couple weeks… need I say more?!  Webb & Deanna: Self-declared couch potatoes and connoisseur of fine television.

Work trip in Anaheim

Mason, Brittany and I in the happiest place on earth!

Worky work

I was able to see almost 6 months of planning come to fruition at a conference in Anaheim earlier this month.  I organized a lot of events and folks from my company, and it felt great to see everything go so smoothly.  Bonus points?  The conference was right by Disneyland and I got to bring a couple friends to join in on the fun.

Webb's Birthday

Nicely sums up a great couple days - lots of good food & people!

Birthday Baklava :)

Last, but CERTAINLY not least, summer means Webb's birthday!  To celebrate this marvelous individual, a bunch of friends went camping down by the beach a little south of Santa Cruz.  We played games, strummed a guitar, made smores, and ran around the beach.  I've seriously caught the camping bug, and I hope this is the first of many NorCal tented adventures.  On Webb's actual birthday, we ordered Indian and hung out at home (perfect) and a few days before that, we went out to dinner with his great parents and a couple friends.  

So, there's my summer update so far.  Looking forward to what August has in store!

xo

Dee