Read about the rest of our trip here, here, and here.
After our overnight trip to Ubud, we were back to mornings of smoothie bowls and luxuriously having no set plans to fill the day. Mike decided one morning to give surfing lessons a try. While he set off with his board and a personal instructor, I sat on the beach with the intention to dive into a book. Instead I chatted the whole time with a mom whose daughter was also taking a surfing lesson. I learned through our conversation that her daughter competed in the Rio Olympics as a swimmer for Australia!
After Mike’s lesson we decided we could go for a massage (keeping with tradition from New Years Day when we were all in Santa Rosa) and I am shocked we didn’t do this every day we were there, given how affordable it was. We paid about $15 for a hour massage!!
The rest of the day pretty much consisted of pool time, eating, and more pool time. The luxury of a day not planned, I’m telling you!
On our last full day in Bali, we wanted to fill it with all of our favorites. We woke up early and set out for first breakfast. And then, a little while later we sauntered back to the villa for second breakfast. We dipped in and out of the pool, chasing our plunges with Bin Tangs.
Lunch was at Taco Casa for more of their strawberry sangria and nachos! An indulgent mid-day nap rounded out the afternoon.
Mike’s sister and company flew back to Australia that night but not before a last round at The Lawn. We went back for a drink, some apps, and a dip in their pool (how genius is it to have a pool at the restaurant?). Then we took our last family walk on the beach back to the villa.
Silliness at The Lawn
A few hours later, everyone was packed and ready to go home. With all of the company we had that week – not to mention, the giant house we were staying in that was now quiet – it felt pretty lonely for just Mike and I to be left there.
We quickly reapplied bug spray and headed back to The Lawn for dinner (The Lawn isn’t paying me for this post, I swear hah). We ordered cocktails but probably should have skipped them because we were both already so tired. It was approaching 9pm, which was around our Bali bedtime. lol
We woke up the next morning and – you guessed it! – had smoothie bowls on the beach! We walked around the main strip before it got unbearably hot and then headed back for a last round of Bin Tangs and a plunge in the pool.
Our transport picked us up and an hour later and we were ready to embark on the 18 hour journey back home. Until next time!
Airport adventures…
Our Hello Kitty themed airplane 😂
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
Mike and I spent the night in Ubud midway through our stay in Bali. Ubud is where the Love happened in Eat, Pray, Love and where the movie was filmed. It is about 50 miles from Canggu – where our villa was located – but word on the street was that traffic getting there would be terrible. So we wanted to leave early; which wasn’t a problem since we were waking up around 7am every morning.
After a quick banana bread and smoothie bowl breakfast, we were en route. As it turned out, it was the full moon ceremony that day – which meant NO traffic – and we were to Ubud in exactly an hour.
The scooter ride there was fun! I had relaxed into being on the back of the bike and was able to enjoy the scenery more. It was also a nice relief from the heat because of the breeze.
In Udud we stayed at the Organic Farm Villa at the Moksha. Check in wasn’t until 3pm or 4pm and we arrived around 11am. Yikes. I thought we would just do the standard tourist thing and leave our stuff at the front desk while going out to explore the city. However we were pleasantly surprised when we found out our room would be ready in half hour.
While we were waiting by the pool, someone brought us out some sort of basil drink that we dubbed it the Basil Refresher. Who doesn’t love a free welcome drink, right??
These blessings are everywhere in Bali and we saw one being placed while we were waiting for our room
Once we were unpacked, we hit the streets of Ubud. We quickly realized Ubud is where the shopping is at. There were so many stores with so many cute things! It was actually a little overwhelming…
Shopping aside, our first stop was for lunch at an open and expansive restaurant. I was a bit dubious about how empty it was… which, maybe for good reason as the food was just okay. We probably should have explored a little more before picking one of the first places we saw.
Lunch with a view 😉
After lunch we continued down Jl. Monkey Forest, the main street in Ubud. The sidewalk had some major wear and tear so you had to pay attention to where you were walking or you could fall into one of the holes.
As we walked, we popped into a cafe for gelato. We stocked up on more bottled water and sunscreen at a connivence store. We browsed stores and bargained when we bought anything. Eventually the allure of a cafe mister drew us in for mojitos and a side of French fries.
Sweaty babes!
After a lot of walking, we opted to go chill by the pool instead of visiting the Tegalalang Rice Terrace, like we originally planned. While we were swimming, we started to regret the decision so made a last minute plan to visit the rice fields before early the next morning.
We woke up before the sun and took our scooter to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace. The ride there was cool and traffic free. We read online that the field opened at 7am and that it is a nice place to have a coffee.
We arrived at 7am sharp, planning to have a giant coffee, but none of the cafes were open. Later I learned this is classic Bali style… “Opening times” are only advisements, not requirements. Oh, well.
You can see Tegalalang from the road but nothing prepares you for the true beauty until you get down the cafe steps. Our time spent walking through the rice field was was probably my single favorite hour in Bali. It was so gorgeous, it almost doesn’t seem real. I felt like we were transported to this lush, green oasis. The delicate blades of rice were about knee high and still had dew on them. Mike and I giddily walked down into the belly of the terrace and then up to the other side, in awe the whole time.
The scenery was breathtaking and a romantic place to be with your love. Especially because – aside from a man in a speedo, chopping away at some of the blades (assuming he lived or worked there) and a man jogging up and down the fields (talk about a scenic run!) – we were happily the only visitors there!!
Putting off going to the rice terrance until the morning turned out to be the best decision because it wasn’t scorching hot yet. There isn’t really shade and you’ll want to walk around. I definitely recommend hitting this gem up in the early hours!
We made it back in time for a quick but indulgent breakfast on our patio.
Next on the agenda was our cooking class at Casa Luna. My former dance teacher, Sarah (founder of Bali Body Pilates), recommended taking a cooking class here and I jumped at the opportunity. We went on Wednesday so the menu included:
Balinese chicken satay
Beans in coconut milk
Lawar
Corn fritters
Gado-Gado
Fragrant yellow rice
The class was great; it was interactive and informative. Our instructor was friendly, funny, and knowledgable (pretty much everything you want in a teacher!).We kicked things off with a refreshing homemade hibiscus iced tea, made in house with nothing but hibiscus flowers and lime. Yummy!
The cooking class lasted the majority of the day but we made a point to quickly stop by Monkey Forest (self explanatory!) before leaving. We were probably the worst visitors though, deciding that the monkeys were actually frightening. You could buy bananas to give to them – which we did – but they get aggressive when they see you with one. Instead of letting them crawl up us, Mike and I developed a tactic of just chucking the banana away from us (mine usually paired with a squeal, let’s be real). Anything to keep the monkeys away! 🙈
We scooted home after and luckily, again, arrived back in about one hour. It was nice to get away for a mini adventure but I was happy to see Mike’s family again. We joined them for happy hour on the beach and, over Mai Tais and bottles of Bintang, told them about our Ubud adventures!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
On Monday (#OOO) we woke up early and went straight back to The Shady Shake. Like I mentioned in my last post, this was my favorite place in Bali and I could have eaten here everyday for the rest of the trip.
I started with an iced coconut milk cappuccino. Bliss! Then ordered the tomato and avocado toast topped with poached eggs and a side of gluten free bread. Mike ordered a drool-worthy smoothie bowl and an iced matcha green tea latte. They were both worth the mega photo binge below. Enjoy. 😉
Gimme dat bowl
We were back at our villa by 9:30am for our scooter rental drop off. Mike was really excited about the idea of renting a scooter to drive us around the island. At first, I just didn’t want to let him down, so hesitantly agreed to the scooter and followed through with getting on the back of the bike with a when in Rome mentality backing me. Mike, of course, was great at driving the scooter and, soon enough, he was zipping around like a local.
We took the scooter to Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak. It was about 30 minutes away but hard to miss. We ended up driving by it a few times before finally locating it. By the time we got there all of the day beds had been taken but no matter. This place was still insanely amazing.
When we walked in, I was like, honey, I’m home! It had all of the elements of a perfect vacation day for me. There was a huge infinite pool overlooking the beach. On one end of the pool was a swim-up bar and the other had a section where the water was ankle high that you could lounge on. It was casual with a hint of luxury. It felt secluded but not snobby. Perfection!
We started the day in the bar with a round of cocktails and then hit the pool.
Eventually we got out for lunch. I ordered nachos and Mike got a crab sandwich. Both were great! (I was surprised at how much Mexican food I ate while in Bali but this California girl is not complaining!)
We walked down to the beach and I haggled for the first time, leaving with these gorgeous sarongs as souvenirs for myself and some friends at home.
We were about ready to leave back to our villa when we were finally called for a daybed. Not being able to resist, we had one last (virgin) drink and didn’t regret leaving a little later for a second. Having a daybed the whole time would have been so convenient. If we’re ever back in Bali, we’ll be sure to get there right at opening to snag one. 🙂
There was a lot of traffic on the way back to the villa, which made for a more stressful ride. But once you’re on the open road, it’s quite peaceful scooting around all of the rice fields. …Although, nothing could prepare us for the best, most beautiful rice field we were about to discover. Stay tuned for our next adventure in Ubud!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
What a dream; those black sand beaches, warm ocean waves, kombucha tea, and seemingly endless organic food. Bali was hot, humid, and lush. A thousand Instagram likes with every post in this paradise.
We were lucky enough to experience 9 beautiful days here with Mike’s family. After 24 hours of travel from SFO to DPS, and an hour in rush hour traffic (which takes on a whole new meaning in Bali but more on that later), we finally arrived at the villa we were staying. We quickly dumped our suitcases in the living room, drenched our skin in bug spray, and we were out the door to dinner.
The entrance to our villa
The humidity in Bali is no joke. The short walk to restaurant was sticky as my body tried to acclimate to the new climate. But when we arrived at The Lawn, an open beachfront eatery, I fully set into vacation mode. Drinks while waves crash in the distance… ahhh. Relax. Reset.
The next morning we woke up earlier than expected but, jet lag has no rules. We grabbed coffee and then hit up a local yoga studio for a 90 minute class. Rejuvenate.
Post yoga pic
“yoga accepts and yoga gives”
After yoga, Mike and I went for lunch at Little Flinders. Mike’s family had been there the day before for lunch and everyone liked it. There were so many cafes and cute restaurants to try, recommendations are key!
We met everyone back at The Lawn a little later for another round of drinks. This is the only day we had rain while we were in Bali; which was lucky, given we tested our luck traveling there at the end of monsoon season.
After drinks we opted for a casual dinner at a pizza place near where we were staying. The pizza was sooooooo good and became a favorite spot of ours during our stay.
Like I mentioned, there wasn’t a rain drop in sight after that initial downpour and it was hot, hot, hot. The next day we all walked to a local market nearby, where I bought a couple bracelets and a cute dress but it was too warm to stay for long. Instead we opted to go back to the house and get in the pool! Sweet relief.
Dinner that night was at The Shady Shack, by far my favorite place we went to in Bali. It was a quick walk from where we were staying (a huge benefit of our airbnb was the location!) and they had only vegetarian food. Nom.
Check back in soon to read about our day at Potato Head Beach club.
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
After our night of drinking and music, we slept in on Sunday, which feels indulgent even in everyday life! We ventured out to the hotel cafe for coffee, tea, and breakfast. It was already gorgeous out so we sat in the sun, fully enjoying the start of our day.
While noshing on pastries and sipping caffeine, we decided to kickoff the day poolside. There, we soaked in some vitamin D, which I’ve been feeling extra deprived of this winter; ordered chips and guac; chatted in-between reading (I had the luxury of diving deep into the pages of Yoga Girl); dipped ourselves in the pool; and lounged in the hot tub. Ah, pure bliss.
Midway through the day we decided to skip the overpriced hotel food and walk into downtown. We found Miguel’s Cocina and were transported back to Mexico. We sat on the cute patio, drank sangria, and split steak fajitas. The life!
After our late lunch we browsed a few shops and walked round the hotel property again. That evening we had a private bon fire on the beach with s’mores and wine. The guy who helped us “tend the fire” and refill our s’mores stash was such a sweetheart. I remember thinking, if I have a son, I hope he is as respectful as this kid and immediately after felt so old! ~7 years ago, I probably would’ve been thinking what a cute California suffer boy he was and here I was wanting to compliment his mom on a job well done. Good Lord.
Feeling kind of old aside ;), the bon fire was a fun time to just be silly with Mike. Earlier in the day we saw the famous Sandcastle Man; who builds these elaborate sandcastle on the beach outside of the hotel. We were surprised that he was still there, hours later, while we were having our bonfire. We learned that he’s actually out there for about 14 hours a day protecting his work. Mike and I kept joking that we were just going to go run over and plow through it. Like, how mad would he be?
After our bonfire we walked to a nearby pizzeria and got huge slices to-go. We went back down to the beach and ate them by the waves.
Monday was our actual anniversary and our last day there. We woke up and did yoga on the beach!! It was such a great and rejuvenating way to start the day! Connecting your body to your breathe while hearing and seeing the ocean just can’t be beat.
Adding to the experience, while flowing, we saw some Navy Seals practicing drills in the ocean and I actually got really patriotic watching them. I was overcome with emotion for these men and women that dedicate their lives to the call of duty and keeping us safe. No matter what your political affiliation there is no denying gratitude for our military.
After yoga it was time for our massages. As you do on a Monday.
I basically finished Yoga Girl in the pool at the lounge after and then it was time to hit the town again for lunch. We strolled down Orange Ave, the island’s main street, and found Burger Lounge. We spilt a burger and fries because our dinner reservations weren’t too long after. And then… happy hour!
I ordered the white wine sangria and Mike got a cocktail. It was warm and nice to sit on the patio. Uggggh, what I would give for warmer weather right now!
After our drinks we walked on the beach and played in the waves. Nothing like a cliche romantic walk on the beach on your anniversary, right!?
When we got back to our room, we exchanged gifts and opened a bottle of champs in celebration! I got ready while we blasted Lil Dicky (our current obsession) and then it was time for dinner!
We walked across the street to Brigantine for dinner. The costumer service here was sooo good! They knew it was our anniversary and there was a card waiting on our table for us signed by some of the employees. The manager also came over to wish us a happy anniversary with complimentary glasses of champagne.
We ordered the crab and shrimp fondue to start and … I honestly don’t remember what else! The appetizer was so good we should have just ordered two and called it a day. 😉
The next morning we woke up early to grab breakfast at Cafe 1134 on Orange Ave to fuel us for our journey home. Our weekend in Coronado was exactly what we needed. It was so much fun to hang out with Mike and enjoy each other’s company. Next we’re looking forward to Bali in April with Mike’s family!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
When Mike and I were looking for a place to celebrate our 6 year anniversary we wanted it to be meaningful and were okay splurging a bit.
To check the meaningful box, we decided to head back down to San Diego, where we ventured 5 years ago to toast one whole year together. But this time we wanted a bit of an upgrade from the DoubleTree in Little Italy. Cue Hotel Del Coronado.
Coronado is on a Peninsula in San Diego. It somehow has both small-town vibes, while still feeling luxurious.
We arrived on Saturday and stayed at the historical Hotel Del Coronado. I was so excited to set foot at this historic landmark and the 70+ weather was a welcome change to the cold Bay Area chill we’ve been experiencing.
Let me tell you right now. The Del does not disappoint. It is absolutely stunning. I think I mentioned how pretty it was there at least 5x a day.
View of The Del from la playa
Hotel del Corando is over 125 years old with a history as glamorous as its architecture. Maybe most famously, it was the location of Some Like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe. It is also claimed to be haunted by the ghost of Kate Morgan, a young woman who checked into the hotel and committed suicide. Her room, now 3327, is the most requested room at the hotel.
At check-in, we were asked if we wanted to upgrade to an ocean view room for $56 more a night but, having been burned before on paying for rooms with a view (word to the wise: not worth it at the Hyatt is San Francisco or for the falls view in Niagara), we declined.
What a mistake! Our room’s view was of the parking lot. Every time we walked on the ocean side of the hotel, we regretted not paying extra for the view. How nice would it have been to drinks champs out on the patio while watching the waves crash in the distance!?
PSA: parking is insanely expensive!
Our missed view opportunity was really the only regret of our stay though so, I’m not complaining. Right after we put our bags in our room, we rented bikes to cruise around the island; shedding our coats for that warm Southern California sunshine.
Our first stop was lunch at Lobster West. I was excited about this place – lobster rolls! – but kind of disappointed. The food was good and tasted fresh but I expected a very different ambiance. I imagined a more authentic beach shake vibe but it felt very corporate. It was also pricey for the portions. No matter though. We were still enjoying lobster rolls on vacation!
Matching glasses and brews at lunch 😉
After lunch we biked to the other side of the island on a path that took us through a golf course and then near the water. It was such a pretty and fun ride! And it was early enough that the sun was still shining bright, keeping us warm. We stopped at Coronado Brewery and spilt a flight before biking back to our hotel.
We stayed on the hotel grounds during our first night. After a hot tub sesh, we went to Babcock & Story for dinner, drinks, and live music. We ordered the calamari and California quesadillas for dinner.
While we were eating, Gonzo Gonzalez started playing and we were glued to our seats for the rest of the night. Mike arguably scored us the best table in the place so it was hard to leave. We each had 2 cocktails and then spilt 2 beers (each time saying, “let’s just spilt one more beer and then go…”).
We literally stayed at this bar all night because of the music! Gonzo was SO good. The whole restaurant was mesmerized. It’s cliche but the music literally brought us all together for the night. Barely anyone was talking but we were there jamming together.
The view from the hot tub before dinner
At the end of the night I ran into Gonzo on the way to the bathroom. I couldn’t help but stop him and tell him how great he was! I yelled at him, “you’re feeding my soul!!” He thanked me and gave me a hug, all the while probably thinking man, I’m just trying to pee! Hah. We went to bed with a buzz and good music in our heads. What’s a better way to start a vacation??
To be continued… 🙂
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
I was born and raised in the Bay Area and surprisedly had yet to do a tour of the former federal prison. Mike on the other hand has been there at least 5 times with all of his visiting friends and family from Toronto. But he was a trooper and made the trip again so myself, his sister, and her husband could check it out.
After a short ferry ride, we were on the island and ready to start the self-guided tour. Being on Alcatraz was a tad creepy, really interesting, and …surreal. I kept thinking to myself how weird it was that I was standing where former convicted felons were. Overall it is worth it to do once (especially being a local!) but I wasn’t a big fan of the self-guided part and wished we had an actual tour guide to show us around.
(Of course the I mostly took pictures of the food related stuff there…)
Ah, that SF skyline…
After the tour, we met Mike’s parents and little Ella at Pier 39. As to be expected, it started cooling off significantly as the sun went down. We found a place called Fog City were we popped in for a quick happy hour before we continued up North to Santa Rosa for our final Airbnb stay of this vacation.
Once we arrived and unpacked, we headed to Belly for dinner. I ordered the truffle mac n cheese with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. It was good but I was starving and the portion was small… oh, well! More room for wine. 😉
The next day was New Year’s Eve and we kicked it off with a late morning coffee at My Friend Joe and bagels at Sonoma Valley Bagel. The best Cafè au lait and bagel sammy I’ve had in a while!
Look at that rooftop garden!
We had a late lunch at Amy’s Drive Thru and everything was SO GOOD. I order a veggie burger wrapped in lettuce and the chili fries. Love Amy’s emphasis on organic, healthy food!
Bliss!
Not the best picture but you get the idea..
Ella and Uncle Mikey coloring
We kept it casual for NYE and stayed in with a variety of apps, drinks, and games. Cheers to 2017!
The next morning, we went for massages and have declared it a new family tradition! Such a good way to start the year.
After our massages we did a bit of shopping and then headed to The Russian River Brewing Company for lunch. We had this massive 16 beer taster before deciding on our beers and pizza. I ordered the Dribble Belt because it was deliciously hoppy but later found out that it was disappointedly only 4.5%. Weak. Although I was already a little tipsy from all of the samples so it was probably for the best.
That evening was an early night for us all (we might have still been recovering from NYE).
On Monday we woke up and packed up in preparation of heading back to San Jose. For breakfast we hit up Grateful Bagel where Mike and I spilt two bagel sandwiches and of course loaded up on coffee.
Full and caffeinated, we were ready to tackle the drive home. It was nice to be back home and start adjusting back to a schedule. Mike’s family stayed in town for the rest of the week and, although we both had to go back to work, we had the chance to take them to a few of our favorite local eateries in the evenings.
Now we are into the new year and trying to detox from all of the indulgences!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
What a wonderful time of year!! Mike’s family is in town for the holidays and we spent the past week in Tahoe. On Monday we all drove up to South Lake Tahoe and opted to stay in Airbnbs since we’re a big group of 6 adults and 1 toddler. Having access to an entire house and all of the comforts of home can’t be beat on a family vacation.
Our first Airbnb was nice and spacious! After we unpacked, a few of us went to the store to stock up on supplies. What a money saver to have a kitchen to prepare meals in when traveling! After a day of traveling, we decided on an easy dinner of spinach and cheese ravioli with green beans.
We spent 3 days in South Lake before heading North Lake, despite what I always say: South Lake is for friends, North Lake is for family!
During our wild stay in South Lake, we ate at MacDuff’s (the same pub we went to in February when we went to Tahoe with friends). I love this place, particularly in the winter because it is so cozy. And what’s more comforting than a huge portion of corned beef and cabbage (my go-to order) in cold weather?
Baby Ella ready to leave MacDuff’s!
On one of the full days we were there, we walked down to the beach to get some steps in. While we were beach front, we stumbled upon a restaurant called Jimmy’s. Here we warmed up with spiked minty cocoa and hot toddies. It was snowing a little bit but not enough to stop us from sitting outside around the fire pit. Talk about a movie moment; snow, a fire pit, and boozy winter beverages. I’ll take it!
It’s snowwwing
Drying socks fireside
On our last night in South Lake we went to see an improv show at Harvey’s. Felicia Michaels and Gene Pompa were performing. They were both funny but I remember the show being better a few years ago when Mike and I went with different comedians performing.
On our way up to North Lake, we stopped at Free Bird Cafe to fuel up on coffee. I just happened to come across this place when I Google mapped “coffee” and I’m so glad I did. It is a little hole in the wall type place with good coffee and healthy snacks. Definitely recommended!
About half way through our drive, we stopped at Emerald Bay and went on a snowy hike. I was happy to get some exercise in after many glasses of wine and indulgences. I didn’t snap many pictures this vacation but, if you haven’t been, Emerald Bay is worth a visit. It’s gorgeous!
That view!
That night we got a severe storm warning and I was like, hold the phone, we need to stock up on water and all of the things. now. Which might have been a little assuming to the group of Canadians I was traveling with, all who are much more familiar with snowy weather than my California bones. Armed with water (and wine) to weather the storm, we spent a lazy night in playing games.
The next day, despite the snowy weather, we headed to mine and Mike’s home away from home, The Resort at Squaw Creek (you can read about our other Squaw adventures here, here, and here) for lunch at Sandy’s Pub.
Fresh snow in North Lake
While we were there, Mike and his brother-in-law hit the slopes snowboarding and, from what I heard, the conditions were perfect. We all meet them for lunch in the Village at Rocker@Squaw. Nachos ang wings all around!
On Christmas we spent the morning opening stockings and eating breakfast. A few years ago we were in Australia on Christmas (read about it here), which had a similar vibe to this year’s Christmas festivities. The day was casual (it’s hard to lug presents for everyone when traveling to different countries) and cheerful!
After stockings, we packed up and headed to Reno for Christmas dinner with my grandparents, mom and stepdad. It was great having so much family altogether. 🙂
This weekend we are off to Sonoma for New Years. Stay tuned!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
I’m happy to report visiting our friends Morgan and Joe in the Fall seems to becoming an annual tradition.(You can read about our trip in 2015 here.) Earlier this month we took the short flight to Seattle and we will be back up there again next October for their wedding!
After Morgan picked us up from the airport, we went straight to their new house for a tour. It is still weird that my friends own homes. It feels like just yesterday we were all plotting where to party at whoever’s house was parent-free for the weekend…!
After the tour and dropping off our suitcases, we walked across the street to their neighbor’s house for a houuuseee party. When we got there everyone was in the middle of a game called Werewolf and I have to admit I was taken back to my college days… when you walk into a party and think to yourself, shit I only know like 2 people here… quick, gimme a drink.
Of course this party had better food and wine 😉 and I quickly got to know everyone there; the vodka shots Morgan and I took helping ease any social anxiety flashbacks.
Saturday morning was rough and I regretted said vodka shots. I downed a ton of water, a banana, and a coffee with hazelnut milk (yum!) after I finally made it out of bed around 11am (to be fair though, we stayed up until about 2am the night before). Morgan and I also did a detox yoga flow which helped.
Space Needle sighting
Then it was off to Paseoooooo, our most favorite place to eat in the PNW, for Cuban sammies. After we all inhaled our lunch, we stopped for (more) coffee and then drove about 45 minutes to a cool lookout with pretty waterfalls.
View from above
View from below
For dinner we went to this awesome place near Morgan and Joe’s house called Anderson School. It is an old school that has been converted into a hotel with a few restaurants and bars on the property as well. We ate at the North Shore Lagoon which was the old gym. It sits above a salt water pool that I really wanted to go swimming in!
We started with a round of drinks and an order of the cajun tarter tots. Mike and I spilt a salad and coconut shrimp for dinner. The atmosphere here was so cool and I love the idea of converting old properties into something new, while keeping the original structures (i.e.: the classrooms where all converted into hotel rooms, the principal’s office is a bar, etc).
Principal’s Office turned bar
Cheeeeeeers!
#swag
After dinner, Mike and Joe were just tipsy enough to endure watching Beyonce’s Lemonade when Morgan and I put it on back at their house. It was actually pretty funny hearing their commentary on the visual album. We stayed up late again, not getting to sleep until around 1AM. I swear, whenever I’m in Seattle, I’m somehow able to party like I’m still 21…
The next morning we went for brunch at Purple Cafe. I loved this place when we went last year and it didn’t disappoint again. Mike and I spilt avocado toast (all time favorite!) and the eggs Benedict. After brunch, we trekked through the rain for a last beer in Washington. You can’t get more Seattle than drinking craft brews on a rainy day, amirite?
The weekend was a lot of fun exploring the PNW with some of our closet friends and we can’t wait to be back next October for the wedding!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
Mike’s hobby is triathlons (cue the jokes about not running even if you were paid, let alone swimming and biking before…!) and through the sport he met Gary & April. After training together – the 3 of them scouting out different local trails and swimming pools – I finally got to meet them at a bar for drinks one night shortly after.
This was about four years ago. Since then, Gary and April have moved down to Southern California (waaaahhh!) but we still see each other as often as possible. We love to plan trips around triathlons (I spectate, they swim/bike/run) and either camp, share an airbnb, or – if we’re feeling really cheap – a hotel room with 2 beds and hopefully a hot tub. We’ve been all around California as a goofy foursome, hitting up different tris in Napa, SLO, and Tahoe.
This past weekend, along with Mike and Gary participating in a tri, we also celebrated my birthday in Morro Bay, exactly 3 hours in between us in the central coast. Morro Bay is your quintessential little beach town, with it’s salty air and ocean sound effects adding ambiance to the creaky, semi-worn down restaurants and shops lining the roads.
Upon arriving on Friday night, we went to the store to stock up on beer and breakfast noms for the next morning. I’m a big fan of IPAs and found a tangerine one that was nomnom. It was a perfect combination of citrus and hoppy; and a solid 6% – beer under 5% is a waste of time and calories! After a few beers and catching up a little bit, we all went to bed.
The next morning we drank coffee (tea for Mike!) and made a decadent breakfast. I’ve mentioned on the blog a few times that a splash of 1/2&1/2 in my morning coffee would be one of the hardest things to give up if I were ever to be a vegan. I’m surprised that this theory has been actually debunked… I now prefer almond milk in my coffee over cow’s milk. Now, if only cheese wasn’t part of the reason I live so delicious…
Morning view of the Morro Bay Rock from our airbnbThe digs
For breakfast we have waffles, eggs, bacon, and strawberries. Fuel for a fun day is downtown San Luis Obispo. There was a Dia De Los Muertos estival in that we explored before eating at Luna Red. A few years ago we went to the same place for breakfast after a camping trip nearby and all four of us still remembered how good it was. We had to go back! Like last time, it didn’t disappoint. We left filled up on cocktails and tacos.
I’ve got almond milk clouds in my coffee…
Me & April #a2
When we got back to our airbnb, Gary and April took a nap. Trying to resist napping myself, Mike and I started an episode of The West Wing but the allure of sleep beat out Aaron Sorkin’s witty banter and I quickly fell asleep.
For dinner we went Rose’s Bar and Grill and sat out by the water. Morro Bay is famous for this massive rock and we had a great view! April and I each ordered a glass of white wine, a house salad, and the lobster mac n’ cheese. Hooray for girlfriends to spilt dinners with! (Even though, to be fair, Mike does spilt things with me most of the time.)
As we were walking out, we spotted a small arcade room with air hockey. We stopped for a few rounds before heading back to the house where we finished the night off with a game of Love Letters, a house favorite.
Dinner and a view!Mike holding my purse (thanks Life in Leggings for the recommendation!) while I played air hockeyGames and vino
The next morning, Gary and Mike woke up early to set up for the triathlon they were participating in! April and I spelt in and took our time getting down to the start. Added bonus: it was daylight savings (daylight saving?) and no one was complaining about the extra hour off sleep.
After we watched both Mike and Gary make it back from the swim, April and I headed to The Coffee Pot for some much needed BLACK MAGIC and breakfast. Here we spilt (again, I know) a breakfast croissant and home fries. Then it was back to the finish line to see our men come in from the run.
Mike peeling off his wetsuit after the swim (the only picture I got, ek)
“Now a silly one….”
Sweaty and tired, we went back to the house for the guys to shower and then packed up the cars, cleaned up the house, and were right back downtown ready to eat again!
Then it was time to head home and say goodbye 😦 but not without seeing a little otter family in the bay first!
Until next time, Morro Bay!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
VEG VIBES 