Travels – Page 6 – VEG VIBES

Highlight Reel – Canada Edition

Published on October 4, 2016April 10, 2021 by ashley@vegvibesLeave a comment

Mike and I just got back from a great week visiting friends and family in the Toronto area. Instead of breaking down each day, moment by moment, I thought I would try something different and showcase the highlights of our stay instead!

Friday, 9/23/16:

We took the redeye to Toronto from SFO and I was able to sleep a lot longer than I thought I would! When I woke up and looked at the map/ETA, we only had 1/2 hour left until landing. Score!

Saturday, 9/24/16:

After breakfast with Mike’s parents, we napped for a bit. Then we headed to a beer and cheese tasting at a local garden store that was closing down for winter. Seems random but it was a lot of fun. We sampled some delicious cheeses and the store had really cute things to look at. They also had a photo booth that, of course, we participated in.

For dinner, we went to The Keg with family friends, Carole, Nikki, and Maria – a favorite tradition of mine! The food and company are always great but I didn’t snap any pictures… Next time.

Sunday, 9/25/16:

We spent the day reliving Mike’s childhood at Canada’s Wonderland. The park wasn’t too crowded so we spent most of the day on rides instead of in line. Big win.

After we got home, Mike and I walked to a nearby eatery called Turtle Jacks. I ordered the Greek salad and tomato soup. This wasn’t really a highlight of the day but since this blog is partially about eating healthy, I thought I would include it (plus, I remembered to take a picture…..).

img_20160925_220339 — Soup on a cold evening, so comforting.

Monday, 9/26/16:

We headed into the city for a Jays game with our good friends Melissa and Davin. The Blue Jays didn’t win 😦 but it was a good game nonetheless. And it is always so good to see Melissa and Davin.

img_20160926_190020 — Classic elevator pic

img_20160926_212805 — ~~Selfie~~ Us-ie at the game

img_20160926_203910 — Mike actually watching the game…

Tuesday, 9/27/16:

We stayed in the city and ventured to Toronto Island. There was a small farm on the island and we saw cows, pigs, chickens, peacocks, alpacas, donkeys, ponies, goats, and a few other animals. A part of me hates how much I love to see animals up close because I want them to be free and livin’ large in the wild but they were all soooo cute, I couldn’t get enough.

img_20160927_135318 — A miniature donkey in da house!

img_20160927_121810 — More soup for lunch 🙂

We also met Mike’s good friend Alex in Kensington Market, a cool little area of the city that reminded me of Haight and Ashbury (with less smoke shops and tattoo parlors).

img_20160927_163053 — Kensington Market “carden”

Wednesday, 9/28/16:

Mike and I went to Oakville in the morning to rock climb and then met with Melissa and Davin again at Kerr Street Cafe. I have been wanting to try this cafe since I read about it on Oh She Glows and it didn’t disappoint. Like Angela, I ordered the Buddha Bowl. Noms.

On Wednesday evening, my good friend Jeff and his finance came over to Mike’s parents for dinner. Jeff and I met in college and he nows lives in Canada with his bride to be. It was really good to see him since we live so far away now and don’t get to hang out nearly as much as we used to. (Ahhh.. the crazy stories we have to tell.)

Any time spent with good company, good food, and wine is a highlight in my book.

Thursday, 9/29/16:

Mike and I spent the day in Niagara near the falls. We had a really good day together, walking around and exploring in the drizzle. We had a room there at the Sheraton (where I also stayed in New York) with a Falls view. It was a perfect cozy day spent with my man.

img_20160929_110832 — Started the day with Tim Hortons!

Friday, 9/30/16:

Mike’s parents met us at Niagara Falls and we did the Hornblower Niagara Cruise, to see the massive waterfalls all up close and personal. It feels like you are right at the base when you are out there, which is two parts amazing, one part terrifying.

Saturday, 10/01/16:

On our last day we went into the city again and ate lunch at one of our favorite brew pubs, Mill Street Brewery. After lunch we did a sake tasting and walked around downtown for a bit, ending the day with a beer at Steam Whistle Brewery. A lot of drinking but also a lot of walking!

We left to come home on Sunday morning and we’re already looking forward to Mike’s family visiting in December!

This week we are prepping for Canadian Thanksgiving celebration this Sunday – check in next week for a recap. 🙂

Stay tuned and eat your greens!

** 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 **

Tahoe Birthday Festivities!

Published on September 7, 2016April 10, 2021 by ashley@vegvibes1 Comment

This year we celebrated Mike’s birthday at one of our favorite places, Squaw Valley in North lake Tahoe. It was a long weekend and on Saturday morning, after fueling up at our favorite local bagel shop, we set out on the 4 hour drive to Tahoe. We arrived around 12pm; just in time for lunch! Since check in at the resort wasn’t until 4pm, we decided to eat and then spend time on the lake kayaking.

We stopped at Tahoe Brewing Co. for lunch and split a flight of beer, chicken wings, and a hummus + avocado wrap. Typically I aim for one carb meal, one protein meal, and one combo meal (carb and protein meal) in a day. For me, this is the most effective way to maintain a healthy body weight while not feeling overloaded with restrictions. Of course, I’m also sure to load up on veggies whenever possible! Our wings and veg wrap was the perfect combo meal and kept me full for hours.

Unfortunately the lake was too choppy for us to kayak after lunch, so we opted for drinks poolside at the resort before our room was ready.

We had dinner at the property pub and then back to our room for gifts, scotch, and games! Mike’s actual birthday was on Sunday but I couldn’t contain myself and made him open his presents early. 😉

On Sunday we rode our bikes to Olympic Village, where we did a little repeat afternoon from a few years ago and took a gondola up, up, up to the top of a mountain where there is a pool and hot tub (!). All day was like, hot tub, pool, drink, snack, rinse, repeat. 🙂

For dinner I took Mike to Six Peaks, one of our favorite fancy places to dine! Everyone is so friendly there and the food is ah-mazing; it’s hard not to have a great time. We started with a charcuterie board and then each ordered a filet mignon and shared side of truffle mashed potatoes and asparagus. They brought Mike dessert for his birthday that (we think) was banana pudding in a cookie-crust bowl with bananas, whip cream, and chocolate shavings on top. I don’t think we would have ordered it if we saw it on the menu but, like everything at Six Peaks, it was heaven.

14237515_10154215672684230_8168939815696864323_n — Our view of the pools at dinner

On Monday, Mike woke up early for a swim. I met him a bit later for tea and hot tubing! We spent a lazy morning alternating between the pool and hot tub. SO MUCH POOL TIME THIS WEEKEND.

Since we weren’t able to kayak on Saturday, we tried again before we left and luckily the water wasn’t as choppy! We spent a hour on beautiful lake Tahoe, kayaking together and taking it all in. One of my favorite things about mine and Mike’s relationship is how much we do together. He urges me to explore the world through activity (bike rides, hikes, kayaking, etc.), while accompanying me on my never-ending quest of healthy eating and compassionate living. I don’t think I could have picked a better partner!

After working up an appetite on the lake, we broke into our cheese, cracker, and prosciutto leftovers from dinner the night before. Then, still hungry and needing more food, we went to Rocker@Squaw and noshed on (more) wings and a veggie plater with hummus and Green Goddess dressing. NomNOM.

After lunch we stopped for a coffee and one last splurge at Dorinda’s Chocolates – best sea salt caramels in all the land!

As usual, our time at squaw did not disappoint! Now the countdown is on for when we return in December with Mike’s family. 🙂

Stay tuned and eat your greens!

** 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 **

Yosemite 2016

Published on August 18, 2016April 10, 2021 by ashley@vegvibes3 Comments

We spent the weekend camping in Yosemite and I’m already jonesing to go back. Aside from a quick drive through with my grandparents when I was younger, this was my first time spending the night in the majestic national forrest.

Every year our friend Ben (who we went to Tahoe with in February) plans a trip with a bunch of friends; meals are divided between everyone, wine and different beers to sample are shared, there are campfires and singing, a talent show, and even a custom made T shirt for that particular trip.

On our first night there was a meteor shower, so around 12am and we headed down the river’s edge and got cozy under the stars. I saw the brightest, biggest shooting star within the first 10 minutes we were there. It was spectacular (!) but the rest of the stargazing fell short in comparison… After 45 minutes or so (and no more huge shooting star sightings) we headed back to camp and called it a night. …or so we thought.

Both Mike and I had trouble sleeping the first night. Finally – at one point when we were both awake at the same time – we decided to go back out to the beach for some more meteor searching. The best time was supposed to be around 4am so we thought we would have better luck on our second round.

Instead of making it down to the sand again, we ended up folding our towels into makeshift pillows and laying on the bridge connecting the camp grounds to the beach. This was both very romantic and terrifying at the same time. My mind kept alternating between us sharing a rom com-esce moment – sweetly laying hand in hand on a bridge underneath the stars – and a horror movie with a predator bear on a killing rampage & two star gazing lovers making for a tasty appetizer. Yikes!

When I wasn’t movie-montaging my life, I was concentrating on the sky. It ended up actually being later than we thought (around 5am – the things you don’t know when your phone isn’t attached to you!) so we didn’t see too many shooting stars but, nonetheless, there is just something about being surrounded by nature, isn’t there??

IMG_20160814_121246 — Our stargazing bridge

We went back to camp and were able to sleep for a few hours, waking up around 9:30am for a slow and delicious morning. I happily learned that there was coffee for sale at the general store nearby. We were staying at Housekeeping, which is almost glamping (oh hey!) with the showers, laundry facilities, a store and, most importantly, fresh brewed coffee on the premises. Mike and I took a stroll down to the store and filled up on caffeine while breakfast was being made. When we got back we had eggs, bacon, waffles, and fruit to fuel us for the day.

After breakfast we all went for a hike to lower Yosemite falls and let me just say, highlight of the trip! To get to the falls you “hike” – but really rock climb – up about a mile or so. The climb up itself was a lot of fun (especially since I’ve recently got back into rock climbing and felt like a little ninja up there, demonstrating all of my bouldering abilities) but nothing prepared me for the gorgeous scene that was waiting at the top.

Picture a rocky nook hidden in a waterfall’s stream with big boulders lazily laying all around and water pooling, making the area a swimming hole. A little rock oasis, tucked away. When the waterfall is at full power and – well, water is falling – this place is unreachable. But this past weekend the water was more trinkling than falling (a watertrinkle!) and we took full advantage.

Word to the wise, use a Go Pro, be sure to constantly wipe the thing down so water spots don’t ruin your pix! At least half of our pictures are blurry because we forgot to…

After a few hours in the water, we hiked back down to our camp site; just in time for lunch! Ben’s dad and stepmom had an amazing spread of homemade chicken pesto salad, assorted breads, hummus, chips, Mary’s Gone Crackers (my fav!), fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and cantaloupe. Yummmmmmy!

Next we went back down to the river, armed with rum and floaties.

We left the beach after an hour or so and went back to the campsite. It mine and Mike’s turn to cook for everyone. We made a salad and fajitas, which turned out to be great for vegetarians and meat eaters!

After dinner we were transported back to college and played a few rounds of beer pong. I learned that I’m still terrible at the game and Mike quickly replaced me as a partner… We ended the night with a few rounds of a new board game Mike has been playing (with a title that isn’t very PC).

The next morning we went to brunch at The Majestic Yosemite Hotel. I didn’t even know this existed and, to be honest, it was a little off-putting to see such a grand hotel in the middle of a national forrest… Don’t get me wrong, brunch was good but I couldn’t help but think do we really need couches, a flat screen TV, and a fireplace in Yosemite!?

Fun fact: I did learn the Obama’s recently stayed there by eavesdropping on a another table’s conversation with a waiter. I think I was literally craning my neck to hear more.

After brunch and packing everything up and said goodbye. Having taken our bikes but not having a chance to ride them, Mike and I decided to bike to the hike from the day before (rhymes!). It was as amazing the second time around as it was the first and a great way to end a fun weekend!

Can’t wait to get back there next year!

** 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 **

A little Danish town down south

Published on July 20, 2016April 10, 2021 by ashley@vegvibes1 Comment

We had a double whammy of weekends away this month from Mexico to a mini family vacation just north of Santa Barbara. A few weekends ago, Mike and I met my grandparents, my mom and my stepdad down in Solvang, CA.

Mike and I arrived at the airbnb we were staying at shortly after my grandparents had. We took a quick tour of the house and were pleasantly surprised with the digs.

When I booked our accommodations a few months ago when I had read reviews about chickens living on the property and the fresh eggs that were supplied from them. I couldn’t wait to try organic, free range (backyard?) eggs AND meet the chickens who produced them.

Sure enough, there were about 2 dozen fresh eggs waiting for us in the refrigerator; plus, organic milk, almond creamer, bagels, cream cheese, orange juice, and organic coffee. 10/10 would recommend.

Since my mom and Andy were still a few hours away and the four of us were hungry, we decided to check out the Firestone Walker Brewery. Mike and I love trying news beers and this place did not disappoint! I ordered the Easy Jack IPA (yum, yum IPAs!) and Mike got a seasonal sour. For food, my grandma and I spilt the ribs with mashed potatoes and veggies and a small plate of mac n’ cheese. Mike ordered the flank steak and my grandpa got a burger with fries. The meal was decadent and delicious.

After dinner we stopped at a local store for a sweet treat. Armed with 3 different cookies, we headed back to the house and waited for my mom and Andy. My grandpa and Mike are both engineers and get along well. It is always nice for me to sit around with my family and Mike and simply just chat. Some of my best adult memories so far are having my grandparents over for the weekend and spending lazy mornings around my kitchen table, drinking coffee (for me and my grandpa) and tea (for Mike and my grandma) while talking politics (luckily we all generally agree with each other!).

Shortly after my mom and Andy arrived we all went to bed, full from cookies and conversation.

Between cups of coffee and getting ready on Saturday, my grandma and I went outside to meet the chickens on the property. Then it was time for FRESH eggs, y’all (one complete with a little feather still left on the shell).

After breakfast, we drove into downtown Solvang. It was already HOT so we were glad to get there early and score pretty good parking. Solvang is a cute little Danish town that – in Mike’s words – resembles the ride It’s a Small World at Disneyland. We popped into a nature museum (random) to start the day. The things you do to beat the heat, ok!

After the museum, my mom was hungry but – having had a later breakfast – Mike and I were no where near ready for lunch. So, instead, while everyone got a bite to eat, we went exploring. A few streets away we found Copenhagen Sausage Garden and spilt a grapefruit beer and a few sweets while sitting outside on the patio. This beer tasted more like juice than a brew and was perfect for a before-noon drink. Also have I mentioned it was hot out?

We met back with my family to go on a trolly tour of Solvang next. Interesting tidbit was the history we learned behind the saying it’s “raining cats and dogs.” Which came from roofs being made of grass and when it rained, outdoor pets will climb to the top of these roofs and start digging and digging to get inside where it is dry. If they were successful in digging, it would be “raining cats and dogs.” Bam!

After the tour, Mike and I were ready for lunch. We went back to the sausage garden and spilt a grilled pølse (a red sausage that I def had to google) and the charcuterie board. So much meat for this veg loving girl!

Next, my grandma, mom, and I hit up a few thrift stores, which is one of the most environmentally friendly things you can do(!), while the guys went to check out a motorcycle museum. We were all pretty tired after so went back to the house for some quick power naps before dinner.

We were celebrating my grandpa’s birthday so dinner was at an Italian restaurant nearby our airbnb called Trattoria Grappolo. We sat outside and enjoyed one of those perfect evenings when the breeze finally kicks in and you get a bit of a reprieve after a scorcher of a day.

The rest of our night was mellow back at the house, turning in again for another early bedtime.

On Sunday morning, Beverly (our airbnb host), taught us all about the chickens on the property. We were able to feed and massage them too. (Who knew chickens love a good back rub?) After our lesson, we packed up and headed to OstrichLand.

OstrichLand has both ostriches and emus. You are given a bowl of food to feed the birds, that is glued to a metal dustpan so you can extend your through the fence. The ostriches are way more aggressive when eating than I thought so I stuck to feeding the smaller emus. We were only here for about 20 minutes but I recommend going. It’s cheap and cool to see those massive birds up close.

Next we went to Anderson’s Spilt Pea for lunch. Mike and I weren’t hungry this early again so we sat and enjoyed the company instead. (Though I did snag a bowl of Anderson’s famous spilt pea soup!) After lunch it was time to say goodbye and get on the road. 😦

Since Mike and I hadn’t eaten lunch we decided to stop at the other Firestone Walker Brewing Co location in Paso Robles (different location, more north). I ordered the Pivo (and liked it so much we bought a 6 pack to take home) and we spilt a chicken burger and the mac n cheese (again).

The weekend was a huge success with a great place to stay, some of my favorite company, and really good noshes. What else could a girl ask for?

Stay tuned and eat your greens!

** 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 **

Viva Mexico!

Published on July 7, 2016January 28, 2021 by ashley@vegvibes3 Comments

For the past 3 years Mike and I have celebrated 4th of July with our friends Gary and April, who moved away from us to Los Angeles. 😭

This year, we flew past LA and headed a little more south to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico!

The only bummer about our trip was that I still had to wear bandages on my chin from having stitches removed last week. Before we left I was feeling pretty sorry for myself because I was going on vacation with these ugly, blood soaked bandages on my face (that I couldn’t get wet!) but I mostly got over it before we left and just accepted it.

Mike and I left from SFO early Saturday morning and arrived in Mexico late that afternoon, with the flight being just under 4 hours. Right when we stepped outside of the airport, the humidity hit me (and I slightly regretted not taking the free margarita that was offered as we made our way through customs). Luckily the car wasn’t too far and there were ice cold Coronas waiting for us to slurp down as we drove around the bay to Punta Mita; the luxurious property that we stayed at for the weekend. …Now feels like a good time to mention this is not how Mike and I typically vacation! Gary had an great hookup from a friend and we would have never stayed somewhere so amazing without it.

IMG_20160702_152953 — Coronas in a cooler for our drive to Punta Minta

Tester picture to see how bad my bandages looked… they were hidden the rest of the trip

I loved the ~45 minute drive to the property. Everything in Puerta Vallarta was colorful and beautiful. Most of the buildings had art painted on the walls and, as we moved our way out of the city, the land was green and endless. Plus there is just something exciting about being somewhere completely new.

The anticipation of a great vacation set in when we drove through the gates at Punta Mita. Holy gorgeous! The house we were staying at was a beautiful 3 bedroom place that included our own private infinite pool in the backyard, a hot tub on the upstairs patio, an outdoors shower connected to mine and Mike’s room, and a golf cart for us to get around in. YES PLEASE SIGN ME UP!

IMG_20160702_164655 — Getting ready to explore

After we toured the house and unpacked, we headed to the small downtown area for dinner. We went to a restaurant called Sí Señor, which was located right on the beach. We appropriately started the night with a round of margaritas and toasted to our vacation with good friends in a beautiful place!

For dinner I ordered the verde chicken enchiladas that came with a side of refried beans. I also tried the grilled octopus Gary ordered as an appetizer. We ended the meal with tiny scoops of guava sorbet that was as delicious as it was refreshing.

IMG_20160702_182920 — Dinner with a view on our first night

IMG_20160702_182637 — Guava sobert in a cute turtle bowl as dessert

After dinner we headed back to the house and spent the rest of the night in the backyard pool, drinking beers and catching up. Overall it was a relaxing first few hours in Mexico, just the way I like my vacations.

The next day we slept in and had a lazy breakfast at the house. Around 11am we took the golf cart to one of the beach clubs on the property. I was amazed by how luxurious this place was! There was a huge infinite pool with lounge chairs sprawled along the edges. And just down a few more steps there were more lounge chairs on the sand, right along the shore. Since we were one of the first groups to arrive, we scored plush chairs with mattresses on them and two umbrellas to keep us shaded throughout the day.

We alternated between dipping ourselves in the pool and our toes in the waves (or, my toes at least… Mike, Gary, and April were able to go in and get their faces wet). We ordered drinks and drank tons of bottled water. We applied layer after layer of sunscreen and still managed to get burnt. We ate chips and guacamole poolside and then, later, burgers and onion rings and seafood and salad at the beach club restaurant. We were there for the majority of the day; soaking in the sun, the booze, the atmosphere, and each other’s company.

Around 5pm we headed back to the house and went straight into our backyard pool again! A little while later, April made cheese quesadillas for dinner. Then, armed with micheladas, we went back outside to stargaze and watch a thunderstorm

IMG_20160703_172648 — Strategically placed Modelo…..

13581926_10157062395105414_264031958713104915_o — Bliss…

IMG_20160704_175152 — Can you spot the chicken?

On Monday, our final full day in Mexico, we decided to go explore Sayulita, a town about 30 minutes from Punta Minta. Sayulita is a fun, cute beach town and I am so happy we went! The only downside was that we didn’t realize most places only accepted cash, something we didn’t have much of on us. Luckily we found a restaurant that accepted card, where we ate lunch and had a few beers.

After lunch we spent the cash we had on popsicles and walked around town. I wish we stayed longer but it was so hot and humid, we left shortly after lunch.

After a quick power nap at the house, we headed back to the town nearby for our dinner reservations at Rosa Restaurante Mexicano. Again, we started our meal with a round of margaritas. We munched on chips and the best salsa made fresh right at our table while we waiting for our food. I ordered roasted shrimp with veggies and sweet potato mash. For dessert we ordered churros and ice cream. Normally a loud and rowdy bunch, we joked that the four of us had never been as quiet as we were licking up every last drop of dessert.

On our way back to the house we decided to take a detour through the golf course. The sun was just setting and it was gorgeous out. Zipping through the grass – and coming up with excuses in case we got caught on the course – was probably one of my favorite memories from this vacation. Particularly because our adventure landed us at a nice restaurant where we decided to stay for a few rounds of drinks.

April and I both ordered the Gin Gin Martini (twice) which was a refreshing blend of ginger and cucumber. We enjoyed our drinks with our toes dipped in the pool. There was also a few fireworks for the 4th of July, that Gary and Mike went and watched while the girls enjoyed catching up more.

We ended the evening splashing around in our backyard pool again. Suffice to say, we fully utilized that pool having spent every night in it. Few things beat a personal pool with a view of the beach!

The next morning, after packing all of our stuff, Mike and I took the golf cart to check out a pier that was nearby the restaurant where we had drinks the night before. We saw giant pelicans at the end of the pier, a ton of little fish that they were likely snacking on, and – on our way back – an iguana on the side of the road.

Our car picked us up around 1pm to take us to the airport and, having only had a banana and coffee for breakfast, I was starving. Getting through security was a breeze and we were having our last meal in Mexico shortly after arriving at the airport. In an effort to eat some veggies, I ordered 2 slices of vegetarian pizza (definitely not a typical last meal in Mexico). A few hours later we boarded our flight and were on our way back to San Francisco.

Until next time, Mexico!

The Happiest Place on Earth

Published on April 20, 2016April 10, 2021 by ashley@vegvibes3 Comments

Mike and I recently headed to southern California for a long weekend visiting friends and exploring Disneyland! We left around 2pm on Wednesday and drove to Chatsworth, where our friends Gary and April moved a few years ago. It was so good to see them again, even if it was only for one night. We were able to see their new house, have a few beers, and entertain ourselves with the face swap feature on snapchat… literally so scary.

On Thursday morning we woke up early to beat the infamous LA traffic and get to Disneyland on time. I snagged a cup of coffee before we left Gary and April’s but we didn’t get a chance to eat breakfast. Instead of overpaying for food in the park, we stopped a few miles before our hotel and got breakfast croissants at a little one-off coffee shop.

We stayed at the Carousel Beach Inn right across from the park entrance. The hotel wasn’t anything special but it was about a 10 minute walk to Disneyland. The lack of amenities (no WiFi or breakfast!) was doable given the great location. Besides, when you’re at Disneyland, you’re really only in the hotel to sleep and, believe me, sleep comes hard and fast after 12+ hours of walking.

Mike and I got the 2 day park hopper tickets and started our adventure in Disneyland. Growing up, I went to Disneyland often with my mom, grandma, and grandpa but we only went to California Adventure once; so Disneyland is really the beating heart for my childhood memories and nostalgia.

IMG_20160414_133856 — The main entrance!

IMG_20160414_133901 — The photographer wanted us to “stare into each other’s eyes” and I was barely able to keep it together…

IMG_20160414_133904 — Secretly giggling at the awkwardness

I was pretty stoked to be starting the day in the happiest place on earth. (If only it wasn’t so crowded…) We walked to Space Mountain first to grab a fast pass and were completely overwhelmed with how insane Tomorrowland was. Star Wars has taken over. We made an agreement to spend as little time as possible there.

IMG_20160414_094625 — Waiting for our first ride!

Luckily the rest of the park wasn’t as crowded. We were able to ride Pirate’s, The Haunted House, the Matterhorn, and a few others before going back to use our fast pass on Space Mountain. Space Mountain was my favorite ride when I was little and it didn’t disappoint now being 26 years old!

After riding rides all morning, we were ready for lunch. We made our way to Harbour Galley and shared a shrimp salad, a lobster roll and a giant iced tea. Theme park food is often unhealthy and caloric but I’m always starving! A salad would not hold me over (plus, most of the time, the salads aren’t actually even that healthy…) so I love that Mike is willing to split things with me! This way we are able to at least get some vegetables but also splurge a bit. Win-win.

Next we went to explore California Adventure and I was pleasantly surprised with how enjoyable it was! I thought I was going to want to stay in Disneyland the whole trip (possibly clinging a little too hard to some childhood memories!) but it was well worth it to pay the money and go back and forth between the two parks.

Added bonus: California Adventure has wine and beer. Cheers!

For dinner we went to Downtown Disney and sat outdoors at a place called UVA Bar. We split an order of the calamari to start. I ordered the mushroom flat bread pizza and Mike order the lamb burger with spicy Greek fries. The food was so good but we needed to eat quickly in order to ride the Tower of Terror one more time before closing.

IMG_20160414_211018 — Leaving CA Adventure (hair a mess after a long day)

After a day of a lot of walking, riding, screaming, eating, drinking, and plain ol’ Disney magic, it was time to go back to the hotel and sleep.

On Friday we were at the park before opening, deciding to start the day in California Adventure to capitalize on the Starbucks there. Armed with my iced coffee and spinach and feta egg white wrap (a go-to breakfast for me when I’m traveling), I was ready for another round of Tower of Terror.

We are in the front row on the left. I look like I’m going to puke and Mike is playing a prank.

We went to Cars Land after and rode Radiator Springs Racers, which was definitely my favorite ride in California Adventure.

After a few other rides we grabbed a beer and sat down for a while. Mike had his step tracker on his phone and it calculated we had walked ~29,000 steps on Thursday and ~36,000 by the end of Friday.

Another round for us!

By chance, while we were there, the Food & Wine festival was going on so we were able to try some really good beers and small plates. We snacked on chicken and 4 cheese mac n’ cheese and some fried artichokes while people watching.

After our light snacks, we went back to Disneyland (a lot of park hopping comes with the park hopper tickets!) for more rides and lunch. Having eaten (mostly) vegetarian throughout the day, I was ready for some meat during lunch! (Weekatarianism isn’t really a thing on vacations…) We stopped at Bengal Barbecue for chicken and bacon wrapped asparagus skewers and split a jalapeno stuffed pretzel.

Towards the end of the day, we had our fast passes lined up perfectly and spent a fun 2 hours running through the parks to make all of our rides on time.

After our last ride on our fast pass binge, we went to downtown Disney again for dinner. This time opting for a little fancier eatery and dining at House of Jazz. I ordered the Gulf Shrimp Pan Roast, which came with (more) artichoke hearts, andouille sausage, tomato veloute and Cajun rice. SO GOOD! I love New Orleans inspired food.

And of course we couldn’t resist the Beignets for dessert!

After dinner we went back to Disneyland to finish out the evening. We rode Big Thunder Mountain (one of my favorites!) one last time before the park closed and we went back to the hotel for another deep, deep sleep.

On Saturday we woke up early and drove to Orange County to visit some very good friends of mine. I met my friend Sam in college, who was living with her aunt Robin and uncle Tony. Robin was expecting her first baby and I was looking for a job! Having experience with kids, I started watching Robin and Tony’s son (and a few years later, their daughter) every week for over 2 years.

I spent basically every day with Sam and her family and love them like they are my own. Sadly in 2009 they all moved down to southern California and now I don’t see them nearly as much as I would like to.

Sam had a precious, pretty, perfect little baby girl in March and I finally got to meet her sweet little self. It was so good to end our weekend with such close friends.

IMG_20160416_191037 — Beautiful like her mama!

Overall, we had a great vacation – a perfect couple of days spent away before I start my new job next week!

Stay tuned and eat your greens.

** 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 **

Just start.

Published on March 31, 2016April 10, 2021 by ashley@vegvibes1 Comment

Typically the last week in the month is a bit of a free for all when it comes to “good habits.” Meaning, I tend to put off working out… pour myself a second glass of wine… eat another slice of pizza… because there’s next month to start over!

I am the queen of fresh starts and clean slates. Usually- and I’m not exaggerating here – if I don’t start something on the first of the month, there is a good chance I’ll put it off for another 29 – 30 days.

I have a friend who did a 30 Day Yoga Challenge (which I’ve done a few of myself) and she just randomly started on like the 8th or something. When she told me this, my mind just couldn’t comprehend. I could never start something so abruptly. I need a “fitting” timeline (like starting on the first of the month!). Structure. An end goal.

I remember actually asking her, “how can you just start something like that so randomly?”

This friend is a lot more laid back than I am. I’m sure she is often entertained (and exhausted) by my complex – sometimes complicated – way of thinking about things. She stared back at me. “What do you mean? You just start!”

You.just.start.

Say, wha?

I’m not 100% behind these words yet but I am getting better at not letting the need for “fresh starts” to take such superiority.

Even if it is against my nature. At the beginning of each month I sit down with my planner and write down my fitness, writing, and personal goals. Surface level, I would say this is a good habit. It keeps me focused for the month but doesn’t result in boredom because I am constantly changing things up.

The trouble begins when life gets in the way. Which, of course, it is bound to do. For example, this week I had planned to do the classic cardio and strengthen training combination everyday.

And then I remembered I had a work dinner on Monday night.

And I was invited to a work event Tuesday afternoon/evening.

Two out of five of my workouts were already failures. Typically, at this point, I would have given up and resolved to start up again next week (or, next month).

But, I’m starting to recognize that consistency is best; not having a “perfect” month. So on Wednesday after work, I laced up my shoes, grabbed the trash (trying to save time and a trip down the stairs by taking it out on my way for a run), and headed out the door.

And then… AND THEN I dropped my keys with the trash in the dumpster.

Luckily my neighbor was home and helped me fish them out but by the time we got them, Mike was home and we had to go pick up my car from getting some routine maintenance before the dealership closed.

12919732_10156689077450414_9072525151070267373_n — Dumpster diving

Three days in a row of life getting in the way of my perfectly planned workouts…

When we got home, I was getting hungry but I knew I had to do something. I headed outside again with the intention of running/walking 2 miles but by the time I was done with my 1st mile, I was ready to go in and start dinner. I figured 1 mile was better than nothing and decided to “make it up” on Thursday (today) and Friday. If I just did a 1/2 mile more each day, I would still come close to hitting my goal.

Today I set out for my 2.5 miles and was hit by an allergy attack after my first mile! I tried to continue but I was sneezing and snotting everywhere (not cute).

Another day of sub par exercise.

But the important part here is tomorrow is another day to do better.

Just start. Just go. Just do it. (#Nike)

Stay tuned and eat your greens.

** 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 **

DOWN UNDER PART V

Published on March 5, 2016January 18, 2021 by ashley@vegvibesLeave a comment

Read about our first few days in Australia here, here, here, and here.

Day 15, 01/05/15 – Port Douglas

Our vacation was coming to an end and it was time for a road trip. After breakfast at a cafe nearby the hostel, we rented 2 cars and started the drive to Port Douglas, our last destination. About 45 minutes away from our rental, we were rerouted due to an accident. This meant we had to turn around and do a 2 hour loop to get to the house instead.

We were tired and hungry but – to put things in perspective -safe! So, the detour really wasn’t such a big deal. It was getting late though and we wanted to find a place to eat. We stopped at a small cafe off the road in the hopes of getting dinner. Unfortunately they were closing up. Fortunately they said we could still order tea and french fries. So there we were, eating an unconventional dinner WHEN WE SAW THIS HUGE MASSIVE SPIDER AND OMG.

Day 16, 01/06/15

This was one of our lazier days during the trip. We ended up arriving around 11pm the night before so everyone slept in. This was my favorite place we stayed during our trip. Similarly to the other places we stayed in, the house had 3 bedrooms, a full kitchen, a living room, and a huge patio, but, unlike anywhere else, this place had a pool!

11154716_10155409481895414_7772461816565742313_o — Brunching

After everyone was up, we made brunch and had a few coffees and Bailey’s. The rest of the day consisted of some shopping for souvenirs, swimming, lounging, and reading.

For dinner we found a place on the downtown strip and had really good pizza and beer. A perfect, relaxing day!

10890539_717355295045223_1225887155_n — So burnt though…

Day 17, 01/07/15 – Great Barrier Reef

It was time to snorkel at the famous Great Barrier Reef! Remember how I’ve mentioned I’m not the biggest fan of the ocean? Well…. on the boat ride out there, Mike and his parents decided they wanted to try scuba diving. (Wendy was pregnant and Andy wasn’t feeling well so they couldn’t go.)

“Hey, Ashley, do you want to go scuba diving too?” They asked.

“Uh, sure.” I agreed, slightly hesitant but not all too worried.

How bad could it actually be? I thought as we sat through our Scuba Diving Lesson.

Ummmmmm, turns out tears were involved and I ended up bailing before I passed even one of the three tests you have to do before going down.

Snorkeling was next though, and I was an old pro at that.

10553966_10155409482270414_5627078186931961086_o — Mike fully submerged snorkeling (I wasn’t brave enough)

11025974_10155409482575414_4250647177440162485_o — Snorkel selfie

10623532_10155409483150414_6660734257603978211_o (1) — GBR coral

11082244_10155409483485414_6837288333878219829_o

The coral was beautiful at the Great Barrier Reef (of course it was!) but the water was a little choppy and hard to swim in. Snorkeling here is a once in a lifetime opportunity though and I am so thankful I was able to do it (even if I thought the coral at the Whitsundays was better………. shhhh).

When we got back from snorkeling it was raining hard in Port Douglas. Perfect for nighttime swimming!

Day 18, 01/08/15

This was our last day in Australia before me, Mike, Barb, and Dan flew back to North America. We pretty much just swam, read, and packed this day before our final dinner. We specifically went to a place that served crocodile but disappointingly they were sold out. We still ate there and reminisced about our trip, drinking wine and beer before saying goodbye.

After dinner we got gelato and went back to the house to pack the rest of our things. Our flight wasn’t until 1am which gave us the full day and most of the night to soak up the last of Australia.

This trip was a once (maybe twice, since Wendy and Andy still live there!) in a lifetime adventure. I am so happy I was able to go and explore the land down under with my boyfriend and his family.

Capture — The only picture of all 6 of us!

BONUS FEATURES!

Day 19, 01/08/15 (again) – Hawaii

We technically left Australia on the 9th since our flight was at 1am and since we were flying back to the Northern hemisphere, we got to re-live the 8th. In Hawaii! Not too shabby…

10903289_599733983493994_491045418_n — The view from our hotel

Mike and I were able to book a 2 night, 1 day layover in Honolulu and it was a great end to a great vacation! We arrived around 7pm, went to the hotel to drop off our stuff, and then looked for a place to eat dinner.

When Mike and I first started dating, I went to visit some family on the big island. I had also just turned 21 and became obsessed with Mai Tais. I would order a Mai Tai everywhere Mike and I went in the beginning our our relationship and we now joke that I was an expensive date because they aren’t cheap drinks! I was excited to experience a Hawaiian Mai Tai with honey and, because of it, probably ordered a few too many rounds! The rest of the night was a blur of island music, live dancing, and a tipsy walk back to the hotel.

Day 20, 01/09/15

The next morning around 4am I woke up feeling terrible. I wish it was only a hang over that could have been cured with a greasy breakfast and a ton of water but… instead… it was… the… MAN FLU!

Andy had been sick the last couple days of our trip in Australia with the “man flu” and I’m positive I got it too. To make it worse, we were on the 20th floor or something in our hotel and I remember feeling the whole building swaying in the morning winds. So nauseating!

I eventually drifted back to sleep and then woke up again feeling slightly better. The hotel were we stayed in offered free breakfast and gave you a To Go lunchbox so you could eat breakfast on the beach. I loved this idea and we happily enjoyed our tea and pastries with a side of sea breeze that morning.

After breakfast we walked around a bit and then went for a swim in the ocean; staying in the shallow waters and loving each others company. Wading water with Mike in that tiny, walled off part of the Pacific Ocean is one of my favorite memories. We spent the afternoon talking and splashing and it was so lovely.

Having worked up our appetites we ordered giant salads and iced teas from a little beach front hut. I was feeling mostly better by this point (probably all of that vitamin D) so it was time for happy hour! Mai Tais round two. We ended up back at our hotel, sitting outdoors at the bar, enjoying the last few hours of daylight.

For dinner we really wanted to go somewhere authentic but that’s hard to find when you’re staying in the most touristy area in Honolulu. We walked the strip for a while and finally settled in at a rooftop Cal Mex restaurant. By this time my (wo)man flu was on it’s way back with a vengeance. I remember ordering a jalapeno margarita, thinking the spice (and tequila, maybe?) would help me feel better. What a mistake! After 2 sips, I realized I was $12 out and still feeling terrible.

Sadly, my sick-self cut our last night short. We went back to the room, Mike poured a drink, I made tea, and we watched TV.

10903622_635048599956015_1138177258_n — Last dinner in HI

Day 21, 01/10/15

Our official LAST day of vacation. I woke up still not feeling great but what can’t the beach cure, right? Mike swam in the closed off section from the day before while I sat on the beach, toes in the sand, tea nearby, talking on the phone with my mom and then my grandma and then my grandpa and probably my dad too. I had only emailed and texted my family while I was out of the country so it was nice to hear their voices and fill them in on all of the adventures!

10891537_10155073457565414_4975584493454369744_n — A cup of tea and the beach. I’ll take it. Any day.

After Mike got out of the water, we ate breakfast on the beach again and then went back to the hotel to pack. We took a shuttle to the airport, had lunch and a Kona Brewing Company beer, and were on our way home again. Three weeks later, with a ton of stories, a lot of pictures, and probably a few more wrinkles (from both the laughing and the sunburns).

You can check out a video of our trip here

UNDER UNDER PART IV

Published on March 4, 2016January 18, 2021 by ashley@vegvibesLeave a comment

Read about our first few days in Australia here, here, and here.

Day 12, 01/02/15 – Airlie Beach

After experiencing Melbourne, we flew north to Airlie Beach. Here we stayed at the Magnums hostel and I was impressed yet again. This hostel had a little bit more of a party vibe than the one in Apollo Beach but still surprisingly great. It was on the main strip of a down town and had a bar + pool tables on the property. It felt a bit like you were camping out in the jungle because of all the tress surrounding the rooms.

For dinner, Wendy found this amazing place called Fish D’Vine that was both a restaurant and a rum bar. Suffice to say, we found our spot for the evening. After chowing down on fresh fish we headed to another part of the restaurant to sample different rums. It is a joke between my dad and Mike that I (the girl) never gets to drink the “man’s drink” (whatever they are drinking). I told Barb about this cruel game and she was sure to include me in the boys sampling of every rum which was (pricey for Mike haha) appreciated!

After we were well and buzzed (except Wendy, mom-to-be!), we went back to the hostel where Mike and Andy played pool for a bit.

10955451_10155409476730414_3363571319717763121_o — Ashley and the boyz

11052467_10155409477265414_5229218706624585105_o — Mike joking around, me clearly entertained…

Day 13, 01/03/15

We woke up early this day to go on an overnight sailing adventure. Remember how I mentioned I have a fear of the ocean? Yeah, I was feeling pretty anxious about being on a sailboat for 1.5 days.

The weather was pretty raining the first day we were out there but despite all the clouds, Mike and I got epically sun burnt. Like the worst sunburn of my life. There were also these wretched little things called March flies that only hatch like 2 weeks of the year, and of course they were there when we were sailing; biting all of us. But there also breathtaking scenery and some good laughs too!

11148534_10155409477260414_4193344412667110891_o — Really contemplating this whole sailing thing… (just prior to this I got a text from my dad telling me about the time he threw up fruity pebbles all over the deck from sailing as a kid. I was sure I was going to puke at some point.)

The captain and skipper of our sailboat were entertaining and well versed in weathering the waters from years of sailing. On the first day out at sea, they dropped us off at Whitehaven beach to explore and relax for 2 hours. This beach was INSANE! Like, the most gorgeous, picturesque beach I have ever been to. Like, if I was rich, I would fly (and then sail, I presume) everyone I loved here for my wedding.

I couldn’t believe how pretty it was except that, while we were there, it was raining – which obliviously put a damper on the experience. So, if you can imagine all of us sitting on this immaculate beach, in our sting suits (which are wet suits but made of lighter material to protect you from deadly jellyfish #nbd), trying to take cover from the rain in a few bushes way up shore, eating Tim Tams and drinking beer. Pretty comical! Eventually we decided to go for a walk up and down the beach instead of just sitting and stewing in our own gorgeous misery.

In a weird way, I was glad I was so sun burnt and tired that first night because I fell asleep fast and hard.

11103189_10155409477470414_1079588290749379189_o — Mike swatting at the March flies

11021359_10155409477705414_5716546741364865123_o — IS THIS REAL!?!?!?!?

10688399_10155409481560414_5853159279888664723_o — Below deck #mate

Day 14, 01/04/15

We woke up the next day to much better weather and had breakfast on the deck with a disappointing side of annoying March flies. Not the best way to start the day… Luckily, we did some amazing snorkeling shortly after in bathtub warm-water. MmmMmm..

Our first snorkeling stop was the best. It was in this (safe-feeling) little cove with gorgeous coral and so.many.fish. I had never been snorkeling before but I really enjoyed the experience. And I only saw myself getting attacked by a shark (or an alligator as the skipper so nicely informed me that alligators are actually more dangerous than sharks) a handful of times.

The second place we went wasn’t as good but still had some pretty nice coral to look at. After snorkeling we had a tea break back on the boat and then did some REAL sailing. (The first day we mostly traveled by motor because the winds weren’t strong enough to sail.)

Actual sailing was a lot of fun …just sitting on the side of the boat – letting the men do all of the work – and enjoying the sensation of your toes dipping ever so slightly into the water when the boat leaned on it’s side enough.

11148486_10155409480210414_406363836810755357_o — Obliviously a natural

10918966_1402084510085689_9072414603211841152_o — Our skipper in his “bed” (he really did sleep in there!)

11046379_10155409480990414_5318264710832378883_o — Casually sailing and taking it allll in, especially Dan the party man

When we got back to land (I wanted to kiss it!), we headed to the hostel to shower and get ready for dinner. We went to a place where there was $15 meal + drink deal (a steal in Australia, ok!?) but weren’t all too impressed with the food. I specifically remember I ordered nachos and they were terrible.

After eating, the boys left us to play a few arcade game while we stayed at the table and chatted until a bachelor party came and basically fell in love with Barb. Wendy and I were chopped liver.

#haveyoumetBarb

To be continued…

DOWN UNDER PART III

Published on March 3, 2016January 12, 2021 by ashley@vegvibesLeave a comment

Read about our first few days in Australia here and here.

Day 9, 12/30/14 – Apollo Bay

It was nearing the end of the year and time for us to explore a new part of Australia. We drove along the Great Ocean Road to our next destination, a small beach town called Apollo Bay.

Australia – even though it is a whole other country on the other side of the world – reminded me a lot of home in California. Which can be nice for a homesick lady like myself! The Great Ocean Road was as beautiful as the Pacific Coast Highway back home. I remember feeling like I wasn’t away from home at all on that drive. Could that mean I appreciated the Great Ocean Road less? Possibly. But I don’t think that’s a negative thing. It just means I’ve experienced great beauty and great beaches in my life. And who doesn’t want that?

11149775_10155409475020414_2545394878383643281_o — Great Ocean Road

11103242_10155409475105414_6256846874680956763_o — #photobomb

We stopped in Lorne for lunch to eat beachside and it was pure bliss. A glass of champs, the warmth of the sun, the scenery, the company. It was all good.

After lunch we set out on a quest to spot koala bears. Wendy and Andy knew of a place where they just hang out in trees and you can see them up close and personal, in their natural habitat. There were a lot of koala bears to see and, naturally, even more people trying to snap pictures of them. We were probably there for 15 minutes when we decided it was time to continue on to Apollo Bay.

10387003_10155409475235414_118529351187617190_o — A *wild* koala bear taking a midday nap

In Apollo Bay we stayed in a hostel. This was my first time staying in a hostel and, no lies, when we were planning the trip, I thought nooooooo, I want a hotel but it was a lot cheaper than a hotel (obviously). When we got to the Apollo Bay Eco YHA we were all pleasantly surprised with how great the hostel was. Each couple stayed in their own room that had a queen size bed, some hooks to hang your towels and what not on, a small desk, and a patio overlooking the downtown area. Not too shabby for a hostel, I’d say! There were shared bathrooms – that is never preferred – but wasn’t bad at all. YHA also had a huge kitchen, large common rooms, a TV room, and a giant deck. Luckily we were able to snag a common room every night we were there to hang out in.

Mike and I stole away for a date at this cute little tapas place across the street, where we ordered a bunch on small plates and sangria.

Day 10, 12/31/14

One of my biggest fears is the ocean and up until this point I didn’t have to worry about it too much. Don’t get me wrong, I love the beach and enjoy swimming, as long as it’s in a pool or a lake – a “controlled” body of water! The ocean’s massiveness freaks me out so I was hesitant to try stand up paddle boarding in the ocean on new year’s eve.

Actually, hesitant is an understatement. I was downright scared to do it but, here’s the thing about traveling with a family that isn’t your own (or at least for me), you can only complain or say “no” so many times… SUP in the ocean it was!

10896309_1399562123671261_213504420819972860_o — Catching a wave! …almost

11026138_10155409475300414_5634495942360594922_o — Practicing in the bay

Thankfully we started in a little bay and then made our way out to the ocean. I caught one wave (with some major assistance of the instructor) and every time I feel off the board I desperately scrambled back onto it as quick as I could, seeing an image in my head of a giant shark’s mouth coming right for me, but, aside from a few minor panic attacks, it was fun and I’m glad I did it.

10872953_1399993236961483_2781963454007574841_o — Beach bums reading

After our lesson was over, we just hung out on the beach for a while and soaked up the sun. Then we went back to YHA to get ready for a fancy new year’s eve dinner. Here we tried kangaroo (which was sugar glazed so, sweet and a little chewy) among other good food. After dinner, we settled into a common room for games and to celebrate the new year on the deck with champagne and fireworks.

10900250_1399992316961575_1601919146766782815_o — Kangaroo!

Day 11, 01/01/15

New Year’s Day! I don’t remember making any specific new years resolutions last year (unlike this year), probably because we were still traveling and I knew it would be a feeble attempt to work out and drink less.

Our stay in Apollo Bay had come to an end and we were heading back to Melbourne to pack for the last leg of our journey. On the way back we stopped to see the 12 Apostles, which are quite amazing to see in person!

Then it was on the road again to get back, roadside makeshift picnic included.

10896295_1400227750271365_601251002158362878_o — Two of the Twelve Apostles

To be continued…

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