This past week has been freezing in the Bay Area. Like, we got snow in some areas cold. Not used to it and not really about it.
My Canadian fiance, of course, jokes that I don’t know what cold is and to this I ask, is it possible that coldness is relative? I’m not used to the frigid weather – where he is experienced in frosty temps – so it must be actually colder for me, right? RIGHT??
Anyway, the (only) good thing about chilly nights (past Christmas when it’s festive, not cold) is soup. Comforting, yummy soup. So, to warm up tonight we made a vegan French onion soup.
Actually, decidedly it was just onion soup since we didn’t add the bread or cheese. We are getting married in almost 3 months after all…… (Shred before the wed)
This soup is good but I’m not going to lie to you, the cheese and bread are the best parts of French onion soup.
With my favorite meal in Chicago as my muse, we paired our soup with a mezze platter of sorts. The hummus, fluffy pita bread, Greek salad, and turkey meatballs really rounded out the meal this time. However, if I make this soup again I will definitely be adding some gooey cheese and carby bread.
All in all this recipe is worth the work. It’s a nice way to end the weekend and warm up. Give it a try!
Onion Soup
Ingredients:
3 large white onions
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or another oil with a high smoke point
Dried thyme*
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
4 cups of vegetable broth
2 cups water
Directions:
Slice 3 onions and add to heated soup pot with 1 tablespoon of oil
Add dried thyme and the other tbsp of oil on top of the onions, stirring occasionally for the next 45 minutes to 1 hour until the onions are caramelized (a nice golden brown color) *note: I didn’t realize my thyme didn’t have a cap with holes on it and accidentally put too much of in the pot. I’m actually unsure how much you should put in but I would guess about one teaspoon…
After after onions are caramelized, add the balsamic vinegar to continue caramelizing for about 15 minutes and to add a greater depth of golden brown to the onions
It’s been a busy few weeks for us because, as the title of this post suggests, WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!
We’ve been searching for about a year, putting in offers here and there, but sadly always got outbid; upwards of $100K! Bay Area real estate, man!!
I’ve heard time and time again that moving in winter is the cheapest time since most people don’t want to move in the cold, or they have kids and don’t want to uproot them in the middle of the school year. Well, based on our experience, I’m saying this is true. We finally had an offer expected in late December!
We were over the moon at the prospect of owning our first home, and even better, in the city and location we’ve been pinning for. A lot of the initial paperwork we had to do was when we were in Canada visiting Mike’s family for the holidays. I’m sure all of the forms would have been relatively stressful even if we were home, but having to deal with it all while traveling was a lot (for Mike! I really didn’t do much when it came to securing the loan, getting home insurance, etc).
We knew there was the possibility of everything falling through but, brimming with excitement, we basically told everyone we were in the stages of buying a house over the holidays. What a blow it would have been if it didn’t work out!
Luckily everything went through (THANK YOU MIKE!) and we closed on January 9th, not even a month after we found out our offer was accepted. Suffice to say with the general madness of the holidays and the added To Dos of buying a house, it’s been hectic. (Hectic in the most exciting way, of course.)
The day we got the keys!
We are officially out of our condo now and mostly unpacked. We’re getting used to living in a place with 2 floors (“damn, I left my cellphone upstairs again“) and having 2 bathrooms (so much storage space!). We’re constantly talking about renovations and all of the things we have to do. We’ve already had to deal with 2 leaking pipes but we’ve also had a lovely evening having a glass of wine with a neighbor. This weekend we hosted our first overnight guests and spent a cozy Saturday curled up by the fire (we have a gas fireplace, win!) and watching YouTube videos (we also have pretty poor WiFi for some reason and have to use Chromecast vs. our regular smart TV in the living room). We went for a bike ride this morning on a nearby trail and will be hitting up the Farmer’s Market next week. Our carpets are shaggier that I would like (can’t wait for that reno!) and the garage needs a rescue mission but I’m delighted that we own a home.
The living room was the first space to be unpacked
To celebrate our first night in the new house, I pulled inspiration from my trip to Spain and made us a meal of potatoes with spicy vegan cheese*, melon and prosciutto, and Spanish cheese. It was easy to prep this ahead, which was important mid-move, and a nice splurge with seemingly hundreds of boxes surrounding us. Of course we also toasted with a nice bottle of champagne and really just basked in our purchase.
All of the unpacking mess behind Mike
We’re looking forward to having our friends over for a house warming / “before” party to showcase the new digs / show what it looks like before we tear up everything and bring our house into the current era. 😉
I’m particularly looking forward to a costume closet and a cozy little library-inspired nook in our bedroom. Stay tuned for Before and After pics. 🙂
*I followed Oh She Glows All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce basically step by step but added paprika to give it some kick. This was the last thing I made in our condo the Friday before we moved, so I can vet that is stores and reheats well.
The week after Portland I flew to Chicago for work. Oh, what a town! The food scene there is like nothing I’ve experienced before. Every.single.thing. I ate was delicious. I probably came home a few lbs heavier but there are no regrets (just mourning for the yummy pasta and pizza and burgers and burrata (so much burrata)).
I touched down Tuesday evening and immediately meet my manager/friend for dinner at the hotel we were both staying at, The Ace Chicago. Inside, we found an equally chic and cozy restaurant called City Mouse, where we split an order of grilled carrots, burrata, fried artichoke, and octopus. 😋
We had a productive working session as a team on Wednesday, complete with another yummy lunch. That evening I got to try RPM Italian, Bill and Giuliana Rancic’s restaurant. This might not be cool to say, but I love celebs. I’m not into reading trashy magazines about them but I do like following my faves on instagram and going to their restaurants when I can!
In theme with Chicago itself, everything I had at RPM was delicious. We started with the Giuliana salad (will have to recreate), and an order of the burrata and fried artichokes. For our main meals, we tried the lobster ravioli and the chicken parmesan. The standout for me was how good and fresh the pasta was that came with the chicken parm. In all honesty though, the whole meal was carb-y, cheesy bliss.
Ok, so aside from all the nom food… it was COLD in Chicago. I know, I know, when I went it wasn’t even as bad as it is going to get BUT this California girl was freezing nonetheless. That night I actually went to bed thinking, well at least it isn’t snowing…
And, of course, guess what I woke up to on Thursday morning… snow.
We spent the day working from City Mouse; with a pretty view, hot tea, and cozy soup and a grain bowl for lunch. Not too shabby!
I worked a half day on Friday and then MIKE ARRIVED! Our first stop was the bean (or Cloud Gate). I don’t know why I’ve always wanted to see this landmark but there is just something appealing to me about that steel shaped giant bean! It was so cool to see it in person. Next time I’m in CHI, I’m making another stop here but in the early morning when it isn’t so crowded.
Also, it was freezing…! So we left after about 5 minutes. Hmm.. maybe a summer trip is in store?
Next up was a drink at Cindy’s in the Chicago Alethic Association Hotel. Cindy’s is a convenient ~5 minute walk from the bean. We didn’t have a reservation (I learned resos are key in CHI) but luckily were able to slip into two seats in the back.
This is another place that seems like it would be cool in the summer, with their rooftop patio and gorgeous views. Although there was a fire pit outside, we opted to stay indoors. The cocktails at Cindy’s were good but the company was better. It was good to see Mike after a few nights away!
Like I mentioned, Chicago is a reservation city! (Which I actually prefer because, based on my experience, they do sit you within five minutes when you have one – unlike California where reservations don’t really mean anything.) It was still early but I knew we had to figure out dinner. Mike did some Googling and found this place called The Deerborn, which was recommended to us (by the big G) because it was “similar to OCK” (our favorite restaurant at home). Let me just say, Google can have ALL OF MY DATA just for this recommendation alone.
I don’t know enough adjectives to rave about this place with due justice.
In classic Ashley and Mike form, we ordered a few things to spilt. Starting with the French onion soup (which we now want to make at home) and the mezze platter, that included dolmades, hummus, tzatziki, babaganoush, and the best flatbread to soak up all the dips in. It was basically my dream … on a platter.
To be sure we were nice and full, next we ordered the mac and cheese and maple fried chicken. I’m salivating just thinking about it. Also, we’ll be saying screw it to the turkey next year for Thanksgiving. We’re making maple fried chicken (and mac n cheese, and an epic mezze platter, and onion soup).
On Saturday we walked to a cafe nearby to caffeinate for the day. My go-to, to-go order is an almond milk cafe au lait and, as to be expected in the magical city of all good food and drinks, wasn’t disappointed once. I’m also a huge almond milk snob and ask to see which one they use before placing my order soooo double points to Chi-town.
Next we decided to bear the rain and hit up the Christmas market. What a mistake! We didn’t even do a full loop before we left and sought shelter in the mall nearby. Ok it was time for pizza. DEEP DISH PIZZA.
The roasted nuts weren’t even worth the rain..
Everyone I asked recommended I go to Lou Malnati’s for the best deep dish in town. We got there around 11:30am and I’m glad we did! It takes about 40 minutes for them to make your pizza (which is expected for deep dish) but when we left, the waiting area was packed.
We ordered a pie with spinach and mushrooms, despite the menu mentioning it isn’t truly deep dish unless there is sausage on it. Which I can say, I wholeheartedly disagree. Our pizza was deep-dish-delicious sans sausage. It was ooey and gooey and buttery crusty. Oh, and the tomatoes on it. Perfection in every bite.
Ok, we’ve made it to the part of the blog post program that I am going to stop talking about how frickin’ good all of the food was and tell you my favorite part of the trip (if you can believe it wasn’t the noshes).
Two words: Paper Machete
Actually, four words for more context: Green Mill Paper Machete
The Paper Machete at Green Mill was recommended to me by a colleague. When I was bummed that Second City tickets were sold out, she told me to go here and to be early!
The show starts at 3pm. We got there at 2:07pm and snagged the last open table by the stage. One beer for Mike. One martini for me; gin please.
The band rehearsed. I complained about how loud it was (I have v sensitive ears) and started to wonder if this was really the best use of out last afternoon in the city…
The showed started and before the first act was over, I knew. I knew it was going to be real good and real raw. I was ready for the ride.
The Paper Machete was a 2 (ish) hour live magazine where performers acted out various current events. The first was a monologue my the First Lady, Melania; so good and so funny and such a relief to know most of the audience was Democratic.
There was also a pianist, a trio of female singers, a few other skits sprinkled in between, and the headlining band (which I still think was a little too loud but it was fine). Mike and I were belly laughing almost the whole time. I also fanned out at the end and asked to take a picture with the girl band (one of the members had already gone home though, boo!).
Buzzed (from both the martini but also creatively from being around such talent) we left hungry and ready for dinner. Remember when I said Chicago is a reservation city? Well, we didn’t have any for dinner that night. Whomp, whomp.
We tried a few places near the hotel but most had a 2 hour wait. A little defeated we walked up the stairs in the SoHo house to the Chicken & Farm Shop. They sat us immediately and I was nothing short of suspect… Why wasn’t there a wait?
I still can’t answer that question because um, this place was reason enough to go back to Chicago. We ordered the collard greens, chicken nuggets, mac n’ cheese, and the best burger I’ve ever had that was infused with bone marrow that should be how all burgers are ever made…!
On our last morning in Chicago, we got ultra touristy and went to the Skydeck. Basically we stood in line for 1.5 hours and paid $50 for 60 seconds in a glass box 110 stories up.
I was a little nervous I would be scared to step out onto the glass floor, but felt so rushed I didn’t have to think about it. We shared the box with another party and we were both trying to cram as many pictures in one minutes as possible. It’s actually pretty chaotic. I wouldn’t do the Skydeck again but it was worth trying something new!
After that, it was a wrap. We hurried back to the hotel to pack, hit up Ballast Point for one last pint, and we were on our way to the airport.
Chicago, you stole my heart (my stomach and my skinny jeans). I can’t wait to see you again.
The best birthdays I’ve had have been the no-fuss kinds; filled with good food, friends, and family. Throw in a weekend away and it’s golden.
I turned 29 last Wednesday and, after celebrating with Mike, a bottle of wine, and stuffed pasta shells, we were on our way to Portland early Thursday morning. Friends from Santa Cruz flew in later that night and friends from Washington drove in on Friday morning.
Since we all wanted to stay together, we opted to stay in an airbnb in Vancouver, WA vs. staying directly in Portland. Our airbnb was pretty baller but with 6 people and all the money we spent on XL Lyfts, I’m not sure I would pick suburbia over downtown again.
After some avo toast at home base, Mike and I headed into the city to enjoy our day together. Our first stop was a gem that my manger recommended called Knot Springs. You. Guys. This place. An oasis in the outskirts.
“Ya. Basic.” (quote of the weekend)
We treated ourselves to a 2 hour “soak,” forgoing any spa treatments or workout classes that are also offered there. We were greeted with plush, trendy patterned towels and a cup of hot custom blended tea. Then we showered (required before getting in) and were given a tour of the tubs. The whole idea is to alternate between warm, hot, and cold water to revitalize your system. (There are a whole bunch of other benefits they list but I forget them!) We spent the next few hours dipping in different temperatures of water, trying our hand at some light yoga in the sauna, and enjoying the industrial views (I know that sounds like a contradiction). Not a bad way to spend a Thursday afternoon!
We stopped for beers and fried pickle spears at Wayfinder after. Mike is picky about his fried pickles and prefers spears to chips. So, whenever we see spears on the menu, you can bet we’re going to get them. Wayfinder had good beer and looked like a cool spot to go to in the summer but it had nothing compared to our next stop, Product Row Cafe.
cheers!
Mike and I love a good food crawl, and initially, that was our plan for the night – small noshes at multiple restaurants – until we sat on the enclosed patio at Produce Row Cafe…
The twinkle lights were dreamy. The wooden tables and wall paneling gave the place a rustic feel. The DJ playing mellow tunes set the right vibe.
…Plus, the cocktails and the company … intoxicating. 😉
We left full of nom food and good spirits.
The next morning we walked to a nearby coffee shop called Brewed Awakenings. I love when I find local spots that use good ingredients like this place did. I ordered a coconut milk cafe au lait and sipped it on our walk back. It was creamy dreamy and had the added bonus of keeping my hands warm while we got our steps in on the walk back. It was a chilly weekend up north!
Caffeinated and dressed in layers, it was time to head into the city for some sours. I love a good sour beer, and they paired perfectly with the baked brie we ordered as a snack.
We stopped at one more place (with legendary artwork in the bathroom, pictured below) for another round before walking to an event called My People’s Market that celebrated a diverse marketplace of multicultural vendors.
those cat pix tho
At the market we sampled wine, tasted ginger cotton candy, and browsed different booths with things from T shirts with political messages to essential oil rocks.
Next we filled up on bread, fresh olive oil, pasta, soup, salad, and all good Italian things at Nostrana.
My girls ❤
On Saturday morning we explored the Japanese Gardens, which was as gorgeous as expected (and also had the biggest leafs I’ve ever seen). Aside from the chilly weather, it was fun to wonder around the gardens together, with plenty of pictures sprinkled throughout the adventure. 🙂
Next up it was time to warm up. …with sake and sushi (staying in theme of the day, obviously). We made our way to Bamboo Sushi and I had some of the best rolls I’ve ever had. The honey miso roll… drooling just thinking about it. Plus, what’s better than miso soup on a cold day?
We ended our day with adult slushies and karaoke at one bar (as you do) and then at dinner at Bye and Bye, a vegan restaurant that I was pretty stoked to go to. I ordered the BBQ platter that came with BBQ tofu, black-eyed peas, and collard greens. The food was good (!) but I think the atmosphere would have been better for lunch as it was pretty dark in there.
Love Mike here lol
One more XL Lyft ride and we were back at the airbnb ready to hit the sheets (hi, weekends with late 20/mid 30 year olds!).
We’ll all be reunited again at mine and Mike’s WEDDING! ……in 6 months… what? time is flying. …should we have adult slushies at the wedding? 🙂
My friend Kiera does my hair and she’s the bessst. I only go about 2x/year to get my hair colored. Every time she blends the perfect blonde for me, but also makes sure it is low maintenance enough not to be back in the salon chair every 6 weeks.
I went a little blonder this time and, although my timing is off (right before fall instead of summer), I’m liking it. 💁
Voting with fam
I think mostly everyone knows the midterm elections are on November 6th. And if you’re like me, your ballot usually remains unopened in the stack to To Dos for far too long. I knew my deadline was quickly approaching to get that baby filled out and mailed back, which is why I jumped on the opportunity to have a little “voting party” with my dad and grandma earlier this week.
I recommend doing this with the obvious disclaimer that things might get a little tense. Politics and family… what a combo! At least I got something checked off my to do list 😉
Our favorite Canadian helping us with the fine print 😉
Bottling wine
Oh, hiiiii.
We had our annual women’s summit this month (talk about inspiration and empowerment) and the day ended with a fun bottling wine activity. You’ll find us all opening our bottles together mid-December; the earliest we can break out the corkscrews . 🙂
New Pixel
Veg-vibes is about to get some upgraded photos BECAUSE I HAVE THE NEW PIXEL. So far, love.
Stay tuned for more pictures.
Canadian Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 2nd Monday of October in Canada, so every year we host Canadian Thanksgiving at our house to get together with friends and enjoy some favorites from the great white north. This year we had dill pickle and all dressed chips, Canadian beer and whiskey, a poutine bar, and nanaimo bars. A day filled of buddies and lots of butter. 🙂
Vice is a Canadian publication that Mike gets monthly magazines from
Poutine fixings
the GREEN CREAM
I got this face cream in my bi-monthly Love Goodly box and it is lovely. It is infused with broccoli, avocado, coconut, olive, aloe & fresh herbs.
I use it every night before I go to bed and it feels luxurious. Also, as the bottle suggests, “a salad for your face? ” All about all of it.
Woah. It has been a busy 2 months. Mike and I have attended 3 friends weddings, I went to Spain in September, exciting things have been happening at work, we’re looking at houses on the weekends, you get it.
I didn’t get a chance to post my Friday Favorites in August, which is kind of annoying because I’ve done it every month this year. Oh, well! Read on to see what I’ve been loving over the past 2 months.
Wedding season!
We were lucky to celebrate 3 beautiful couples getting married this year (coincidentally all within 6 weeks). I love weddings and seeing all of the individual touches that reflect the couple.
Our first wedding was in August on a sunny afternoon in Half Moon Bay. It was a gorgeous garden wedding, followed by the best food in a cute restaurant.
In early September, we headed over the hill to Santa Cruz and to toast Lauren and Ian (who we’ve been to Vegas, Yosemite, and many other places with over the years). Every detail of this wedding was immaculate and beautiful.
Just last weekend we witnessed our friends and neighbors get married at a cathedral in downtown. The celebration continued at a local winery. It was the sweetest venue with bistro lights and a cozy, fall vibe.
All 3 weddings were a blast!
Vegan coffee creamers
I forgot how good Nut pods was until we went camping in early August. I brought this creamer because I knew I liked it and figured it would keep relatively well in the cooler. It’s so creamy dreamy, I can’t get enough.
I’ve also been loving Califia’s Better Half. If you know me, you know I love anything Wiz (…get it? A playon to Wiz Khalifa? Ok, ok, inside joke… 👋 Michelle;)
Flirting with Fall
HELLO FALL! Pumpkin everything (I said it). And cute falling leaf window decals. All about all of it.
My patio lettuce
My mama Llama gifted me a romaine plant for my patio. It’s very convenient when you want to add a pop of green to your meal and don’t have a ton of food in the house. It’s actually the lettuce you see in my cheap & easy BBQ jackfruit post.
It’s also a delicious addition to veg hummus wraps.
I’m hesitant to admit this but I don’t test my recipes multiple times before posting. Mostly because this isn’t my full time job and I don’t have the bandwidth to try and tweak things. But also because my version of cooking isn’t fussy. It’s about using whole ingredients, using what I have on hand, and not wasting food.
When I’m making something that I think will be good, I’ll snap photos during and, if it turns out delicious, I’ll post it. Veg-vibes is far from professional though. Some strangers and some friends have asked if I plan to dedicate more time to my blog to get more of a following. To this, I (mostly) jokingly answer: I just don’t have the time to be famous right now… 🤷♀️
BUT I still love blogging. I like being able to go back and see how I made that one thing that was really good* or sending blog posts to people when they ask for recommendations about a place I’ve been to. Heck, sometimes I’ll scroll through my own blog just because I’m bored. You know, low-key lurking …yourself status.
I find joy in posting recipes I’ve created and travel recaps for friends, family, and the occasional internet passer-by to read but, veg-vibes mostly serves as an artifact for me.
And when it comes to what I create in the kitchen, I’m not about elaborate recipe tests or special trips to the store. My posts are short and simple without a whole lot of prep.
…But of course, there is an exception to that rule: jackfruit.
Y’all. I was intimidated by attempting to make the all-trendy BBQ jackfruit in lieu of pulled pork. Uncharacteristically, I even recipe tested and made it once before actually posting.
I’m happy to report that both times it turned out pretty damn good. And, at $1.99 a can from Trader Joes, jackfruit is a lot cheaper than pork! I highly recommend you give this recipe a try. It’s in line with the veg-vibes’ way and is actually really easy to put together; although more time intensive than most of the meals you’ll find in this corner of the internet.
Feel free to double the recipe and freeze half (defrosting in the refrigerator the night before) for a quick lunch or dinner in the future.
1 can jackfruit (note: it seems like most people on the internet freak out about the jackfruit in brine but that’s the one I used both times and it was fine – just be sure to rinse it!)
5 -6 scallion roots, chopped
A small amount to oil of your choice to saute the scallions in
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Trader Joe’s organic brown sugar one)
Directions:
Drain and rinse your jackfruit
Leave your jackfruit to strain and chop the scallions
Add oil and scallions to a pan over high heat and saute until translucent
Add strained jackfruit and water to pan, reduce heat to medium/low, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
Preheat oven to 350
Once jackfruit has tenderized, use tongs to shred (should resemble pulled pork)
Add BBQ sauce, mix, and transfer mixture to a baking sheet
Bake for 20 minutes
Take out, stir, and enjoy (preferably on a sandwich:)
Earlier this month, I flew out to Malaga, Spain (birthplace to Pablo Picasso) for a work trip. As to be expected, the tapas and wine were plentiful. The town squares were beautiful; complete with marble floors, palm trees, and fountains. There were castles and cathedrals to explore; new trendy stores housed in old historic buildings; sea breezes and siestas.
We arrived on Sunday, after flying from San Francisco to Paris to Malaga. Our hotel was only a block from a canal that runs through the city, which made for easy navigating. After unpacking and showering, we met a few colleagues at El Mesón de Cervantes.
The restaurant was a short 10 minute walk from the hotel and rated well on trip advisor. We started with wine and olives. Something I loved about Malaga was that instead of a bread basket, you get a olive bowl to start your meal when dining out. We also ordered grilled octopus, Iberico ham, mushroom risotto, and salmon.
The company was good, the food delicious, and the wine flowing. Not a bad first night there!
…That was until I got back to my hotel.
We got back around 11pm, which was around 2pm in California. I Facetime’d my mom for a little bit before falling asleep. Sadly, I only stayed asleep for about 4 hours before waking up pretty distraught. I am prone to homesickness and being solo on this trip hit me hard.
Fortunately, I was able to chat with my mom and Mike again, since it was still early at home. Unfortunately, not being able to sleep on my first night was some cruel foreshadowing to how the rest of my week would be.
I finally fell asleep around 6:30am and, with a start time of 9:30am on Monday, felt pretty worn-down during those first meetings! Particularly because I didn’t sleep on the flights to Spain either.
Thankfully I was able to take a quick nap before dinner that night. Siestas were the real deal in Spain. Like the locals, we ate most dinners late and stayed out after for drinks a few nights. Naps in the middle of the day equaled survival.
The restaurant we had dinner at on Monday
On Tuesday our meetings were in a new location, which meant figuring out how to get there early in the morning with little sleep (I seriously could not fall asleep there at a decent hour). We were lucky to have the canal to help navigate the city but unfortunately, there was construction near the co-working space we had booked. A lot of Google Maps action on this trip! Eventually we made it to the location and settled in for a day of meetings.
I tried to squeeze every minute I could out of the schedule to catch some shuteye. This often meant skipping breakfast before meetings in lieu of sleeping in. In between meetings, I had a chance to step outside and grab a coffee from a cafe recommended to me by the co-working space organizer. She raved about the churros and chocolate at this place and although I really wanted to try them, I was feeling rundown. Instead I opted for a banana from a small fruit stand nearby (also stocking up on oranges for vitamin C) because I knew that was what my body really needed.
I was able to head back to the hotel midday and, on the way, grabbed a nourishing hummus bowl for lunch. Eating healthy while running on little-to-no sleep was a top priority for me.
I caught a few Zzz’s before heading out again to explore a castle in the town. As one of my colleagues described it, the castle offered layers and layers of history; a history lasagna, if you will. I was excited to check this bad boy out but sadly, after a steep walk up to the enormous brick building, we discovered the entry fee had to be paid in Euros, and not credit card.
Wah-wah-wah…
Back down the hill it was. (We did get a few pictures at the top though so, still a semi-successful trip.) And time for (more) tapas! My friend Keely and I chatted over beers, olives, ham and melon, Spanish cheese, and spicy potatoes. The food was so good but arguably a lot before heading to a team dinner. 🙂
The outside walls of the castle
Views of the port
On Wednesday (half way through the trip) I succumbed to my lack of sleep and skipped the morning session of meetings. Because of my role, I was lucky to have the flexibility to do this; and gratefully so, because it was the little nudge I needed to make it through the next few days. Ah, what your body and brain can do after 6 hours of sleep…!
I met up with everyone for lunch at a foodcourt in a nearby mall and let me tell you, this food court was not your standard strip-mall nosh-mill. This place was fancy. Who doesn’t love a foodcourt with some swagger?
After lunch, a few of us grabbed espressos. We were handed legit stay-here-and-sip mini shots.
“…Um, excuse me? Can we please get these to go please?”
“No. No take away. Sit, sip, and enjoy.”
Wait, wha? Such a cultural difference. This cafe actually did not have to-go cups. You were meant to stay there and enjoy your coffee, not rush off to your next meeting. Similar to when I was in New Orleans, where things just move slower, I was like, this is annoying. I was also too timid to ask for almond milk anywhere in fear of my California stripes showing… Instead I drank everything black, which I don’t normally do. All this to say, it took some grit to pound my espresso and make it back in time for the next meeting.
Having the luxury of enjoying a coffee without taking it to-go is nice in theory but, in execution, I’m more of a let’s get this java on the road kind of girl.
That evening we went to dinner at Recyclo Bike Cafe, where – like the name suggests – there are a bunch of bikes decorating the walls. I picked this place for 2 reasons; 1. it was a 5 minute walk from our hotel and 2. I wanted to take pictures for Mike, who loves bikes.
I had been eating a lot more meat than I normally do so wanted to stick to something veg for dinner. I opted for the black beans, avocado, and feta tacos. They didn’t come on a standard corn tortillas, but more of a corn bun (pic below), which turned out to be very filling.
After dinner we walked to the port to see the ocean. I was all for getting steps and hopefully tiring myself out. We saw some cool sights; both historic and modern. Our evening ended with a stroll on the beach and then back to the hotel (for another sleepless night… boo!).
Thursday was our last day before leaving on a very early flight on Friday. Not sleeping finally caught up with me and I woke up with a cough and a running nose. Plus, I woke up late which is always freakin’ stressful, let alone when you’re not feeling well.
I got ready in a flash – brushed my teeth and hair, threw something on that resembled an outfit, filled in my eyebrows – and hustled to the meeting location; walked along side the canal, detoured for construction, finally there.
Cough, cough. Tissue for a running nose. Trying not to be disruptive…
Eventually it was time for lunch. I wondered around the allies nearby and came across a cute vegan cafe. I ordered a burger and asked if they had french fries or, “chips?” (mentally wondering, is it only “chips” in the U.K. or here too?). After a fews rounds, and with the help of a nice Italian tourist who translated a bit for me, the cafe owner explained she made herself a batch of sweet potato fries that I could have a few of. She turned one in her finger and told me “just olive oil, salt, and garlic.”
A small part of me thought, this would not fly in America with our restaurant/food laws… That voice was quieted quickly. When in Rome Spain! I was walking back to the office shortly after with the best vegan burger and homemade sweet potato fries (chips?) I’ve had in a long time.
I tried to solider through afternoon meetings but ended up leaving early. I slept for a solid 4 hours back at the hotel and woke up feeling much better. Just in time for our last dinner in Spain.
We walked down to the port again. Olives and beer to start. Fish dish after fish dish followed, tapas style. I was feeling better but not 100% and ended up eating a lot of bread instead of trying to stomach the clams.
I went back to the hotel to pack after. And, instead of trying at another failed attempt of sleeping, decided to just stay up until 5am when it was time to leave for the airport.
We flew home via New York. It was a relatively easy flight, and I was pretty excited for a full night of sleep when I got home. Despite being tired and a little homesick, Spain was a trip of a lifetime for me. Maybe one day I’ll be back!
Mike and I are hiking Half Dome in Yosemite next month. To prepare, we’ve been trying to go on some nice long hikes. Around here, we’ve hiked Quicksilver; which proved to be very difficult on a hot day… We plan to do Windy Hill soon too.
In the future, I really want to do some of the Lost Coast Trial.
New books!
Amazon Prime Day was all about books for me.
I’m trying to carve out more time to read. Who doesn’t love getting lost in a good book? I find when I read fiction, I’m more likely to read quicker. Overall I also like non-fiction but never find them to be page turners.
I’m currently reading Hey Ladies, which is a very lighthearted book about a group of friends and their email exchanges to each other over a year. A lot of the emails are relatable and pretty funny. I’m enjoying the book but it’s more stylistic than really telling a strong story, so I can’t say it’s my favorite. Good for a quick read though!
I am really looking forward to reading Bear Town, which my future mother and sister in law both raved about. The Favorite Sister is in the pile too, our first book in #bookclub. The Perfect Mother looks very intriguing so I’m hoping to get through the other two first and dive into this one ASAP. I also just heard great things about The Nightingale, a hand-me-down from my grandma. So many books, so little time…!
Surfing Sundays
Mike and I have been going down to Santa Cruz on Sunday mornings and it’s been a great way to end the weekend. He surfs and I alternate between reading in a cute cafe or reading on the beach. Bliss.
Cute little flower van outside of the cafe
Engagement gifts!
We registered on Amazon for our engagement party and let me tell you how fun it is to come home to presents waiting for you on your doorstep! We got so many sweet gifts (I already mentioned our wine cooler last month). I’ve been loving using all of our new pieces, which have mostly been for the kitchen.
A full cooking set from my friend sister Kristina
Cooking books! Community was from Mike’s sister in Australia
How nice are these S&P shakers from the future in-laws? Not going to lie, these make me feel very much like an adult! 🙂
Guac, anyone!?
Also a HUGE thank you to my mama llama, who planned our engagement party. It was a dream!
We’re coming off of 2 weeks of family vacation and I wanted to document some highlights.
My grandparents celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary on Saturday, June 30th. Mike and I flew down to San Diego to meet them, my mom, little bro, and stepdad. San Diego was the first place my grandparents lived together as a married couple so it had sentimental value. Mike and I also celebrated our one year anniversary there years ago. I will say San Diego was more crowded than I remember.
This time around, we all stayed in the same Airbnb in downtown. Unfortunately the parking at our Airbnb was terrible. We had the 2 cars my family drove there in and risked a ticket every night by parking in the church lot next door. Our Airbnb was also very cozy for 6 people, plus a baby, but we managed.
After we settled in, we drove to Old Town. My grandma used to work at Wells Fargo so I planned a surprise tour of the Wells Fargo museum for her. Our guide was very informative and fun. After, we had lunch at Bora Bora. My mom and I spilt the cheese enchiladas and they didn’t disappoint!
Exploring Old Town
That night, we went to dinner at Donovan’s Steak House to celebrate my grandparent’s milestone anniversary. Parking in downtown was a nightmare, as to be expected, but everything else was perfect. We basically all ordered steak and I didn’t hear a single complaint. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive, even holding Gio for a bit!
After dinner Mike and I went to the National Comedy Theater. We had been there years ago and knew we wanted to go back the second this trip was planned. It is the funniest improv show. Like, bent-over-belly-laughing funny.
When traveling, some of my favorite things to check out are local improv/comedy clubs, yoga studios, and walking tours. Which, speaking of… on Sunday we made a spur of the moment decision to do a walking tour of Coronado. Mike and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary on the island ~2 years ago and fell in love (you can read about our stay here and here). The walking tour was $20/each for 90 minutes. We saw a bunch of historical houses and ended at The Del. I thought it was well worth it for everything we learned. Plus, we were the only ones on the tour, which is always a nice surprise.
Gio’s first walking tour; catching a ride from SISTER
Canadian cutie outside The Del
We had lunch after at Tavern. I’m surprised this place wasn’t more crowded because it was really good. It’s a big win when your entire group is happy with the menu and their food. The decor here was really cute too. And I’m a sucker for ambiance. My family was ready to head back after but Mike and I stayed to enjoy a drink on the patio together. Then we took the fairy back to San Diego, which I definitely recommend as it is pretty cheap and just fun.
That night my friend from high school came to visit because her son is a huge Andy Z (my stepdad) fan. It was so cute to see him starstruck by Andy. We all just chilled out with some wine and heavy apps. As with most family vacations, we turned in pretty early; tired from a full day of activity.
Patio chillin
On Monday we went to the San Diego Zoo and I was like, #OutOfOffice y’all. What’s better than being on vacation on a Monday? I knew the SD zoo was huge so we had to get an early start. First up? Flamingos!
We had an okay lunch of hummus wraps and pasta salad that, surprisingly, didn’t break the bank. Food at any of these places (theme parks, zoos, etc.) is typically so unhealthy and expensive. I was glad our lunch was decently priced but I really should learn to pack a picnic instead.
The whole fam.
The real highlight of the zoo was when Mike and I were strolling along and a zookeeper came out saying “please move to the left side of the walkway so we can walk our cheetah.”
Wait, what!?
Sure enough, seconds later, there is a cheetah walking a few feet from us (obviously on a leash). The trainer stopped at a bench right in front of us to feed the cheetah. It was one of the coolest things I’ve seen and completely unplanned.
…not the best picture but the Cheetah is behind her dog buddy, who were introduced when the cheetah came to the zoo and are now BFFs (the dog helps the cheetah stay calm and relaxed).
Hi there!
Sadly, we were all had to go home on Tuesday. Before heading to the airport, Mike and I went to a cute cafe we discovered, Lofty Coffee. Best house made chai lattes. I typically don’t order chai unless I know it isn’t made from a powder, so I was happy to see a solid option on the menu.
It is a quick flight home from San Diego. Being that we were on vacation, we headed straight to our pool. That night we went to our neighbors for apps, dinner, and gallons of wine. 😉 It was so nice to catch up over good food and a few drinks. Plus, the girls and I decided to start a book club. (tipsy Prime usage FTW) so we’ll be getting together again soon.
Mike’s parents arrived for a visit on Wednesday, 4th of July. For the past 4 years, we’ve spent the 4th with our friends Gary and April (in Calabasas last year and Mexico the year before!) so I was happy that they could make it too. We grilled chicken at our house for tacos and played a few games. It was a fun, low key 4th of July.
Having taken the week off, we decided to take Mike’s parents to the Barlow for an overnight stay Thursday to Friday. They’ve been to California a number of times and have done almost everything touristy in the area. This was a new adventure so it was extra fun. The Barlow is a sweet little area filled with organic food, wine, breweries, cafes, and our favorite distillery.
We started with a wine flight and cheese plate at MacPhail tasting lounge. It was nice to be outside enjoying the warm weather and catching up between pours. It is a particularly exciting time because we’re in the middle of wedding plan, which I always find fun to talk about.
Next we went over to Pax and spilt a bottle of wine, plus an order of warm olives. Again, such a nice time.
After we went to a brewery for burgers and a few rounds of games. Sadly, I lost both… Specifically Jenga, when I pulled the block that made the tower tumble. Boo!
Faaaaiiiilll
We ended the night with a dip in the hot tub and a discussion of wedding songs. 🙂
Friday started with coffee at Taylor Lane, where they serve organic coffee and creamy almond milk. Win. We took Mike’s parents to Spirit Works Distillery after to show them the barrel room and spilt a tasting flight.
Wanting to beat rush hour in SF, we left shortly after. On the way home we met my dad for a light bite at The Fish Market in San Mateo. The Fish Market has a few locations throughout California but the best one is in San Mateo, without question. It was a nice day so we sat outside on the patio. I was happy my dad got to spend some time with Mike’s parents since they live far away and our families don’t get to see each other often.
The week was fun and family filled. We packed in a lot of activities in a short amount of time. But, to be honest, the rest of Mike’s parents stay was just as jam-packed as the first few days. They were here for 10 days total and we did something almost every night.
On Saturday, we had our lovely engagement party hosted by my mom and fam. It was great to see our closet friends and family come together and get to know each other before our big day next May.
On Sunday we enjoyed a cheese, cracker, and beer night to get through some of the leftovers.
On Monday I went back to work but we still went to a Giants game that night. Which they won. Go Giants!
Tuesday was dinner at home. Mike cooked. The best.
Wednesday we were back at The Fish Market for an official meal there. My dad joining again. 🙂
Thursday we visited the hotel that our room block is at for our wedding. Notably also enjoying a glass of wine on their cute patio and brainstorming after-party ideas.
Friday was their last night here (sad), which called for a fancy dinner at Dry Creek Grill. This was our first time there and we loved it! I can see it becoming a go-to place to dine for us.
Cheers!
Overall it was such a fun 2 weeks with family. I can’t believe how fast time is going. Our wedding is just over 10 months away and I have a feeling it’s going to go by in a flash…!
VEG VIBES 