Bali (part two – Potato Head Beach Club)

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On Monday (#OOO) we woke up early and went straight back to The Shady Shake. Like I mentioned in my last post, this was my favorite place in Bali and I could have eaten here everyday for the rest of the trip.

I started with an iced coconut milk cappuccino. Bliss! Then ordered the tomato and avocado toast topped with poached eggs and a side of gluten free bread.  Mike ordered a drool-worthy smoothie bowl and an iced matcha green tea latte. They were both worth the mega photo binge below. Enjoy. 😉

Gimme dat bowl

We were back at our villa by 9:30am for our scooter rental drop off. Mike was really excited about the idea of renting a scooter to drive us around the island. At first, I just didn’t want to let him down, so hesitantly agreed to the scooter and followed through with getting on the back of the bike with a when in Rome mentality backing me. Mike, of course, was great at driving the scooter and, soon enough, he was zipping around like a local.

We took the scooter to Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak. It was about 30 minutes away but hard to miss. We ended up driving by it a few times before finally locating it. By the time we got there all of the day beds had been taken but no matter. This place was still insanely amazing.

When we walked in, I was like, honey, I’m home! It had all of the elements of a perfect vacation day for me. There was a huge infinite pool overlooking the beach. On one end of the pool was a swim-up bar and the other had a section where the water was ankle high that you could lounge on. It was casual with a hint of luxury. It felt secluded but not snobby. Perfection!

We started the day in the bar with a round of cocktails and then hit the pool.

Eventually we got out for lunch. I ordered nachos and Mike got a crab sandwich. Both were great! (I was surprised at how much Mexican food I ate while in Bali but this California girl is not complaining!)

We walked down to the beach and I haggled for the first time, leaving with these gorgeous sarongs as souvenirs for myself and some friends at home.

We were about ready to leave back to our villa when we were finally called for a daybed. Not being able to resist, we had one last (virgin) drink and didn’t regret leaving a little later for a second. Having a daybed the whole time would have been so convenient. If we’re ever back in Bali, we’ll be sure to get there right at opening to snag one. 🙂

There was a lot of traffic on the way back to the villa, which made for a more stressful ride. But once you’re on the open road, it’s quite peaceful scooting around all of the rice fields. …Although, nothing could prepare us for the best, most beautiful rice field we were about to discover. Stay tuned for our next adventure in Ubud!

** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**

Bali (part one)

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What a dream; those black sand beaches, warm ocean waves, kombucha tea, and seemingly endless organic food. Bali was hot, humid, and lush. A thousand Instagram likes with every post in this paradise. 

We were lucky enough to experience 9 beautiful days here with Mike’s family. After 24 hours of travel from SFO to DPS, and an hour in rush hour traffic (which takes on a whole new meaning in Bali but more on that later), we finally arrived at the villa we were staying. We quickly dumped our suitcases in the living room, drenched our skin in bug spray, and we were out the door to dinner.

The entrance to our villa

The humidity in Bali is no joke. The short walk to restaurant was sticky as my body tried to acclimate to the new climate. But when we arrived at The Lawn, an open beachfront eatery, I fully set into vacation mode. Drinks while waves crash in the distance… ahhh. Relax. Reset.

The next morning we woke up earlier than expected but, jet lag has no rules. We grabbed coffee and then hit up a local yoga studio for a 90 minute class. Rejuvenate.

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“yoga accepts and yoga gives”

After yoga, Mike and I went for lunch at Little Flinders. Mike’s family had been there the day before for lunch and everyone liked it. There were so many cafes and cute restaurants to try, recommendations are key! 

We met everyone back at The Lawn a little later for another round of drinks. This is the only day we had rain while we were in Bali; which was lucky, given we tested our luck traveling there at the end of monsoon season.

After drinks we opted for a casual dinner at a pizza place near where we were staying. The pizza was sooooooo good and became a favorite spot of ours during our stay.

Like I mentioned, there wasn’t a rain drop in sight after that initial downpour and it was hot, hot, hot. The next day we all walked to a local market nearby, where I bought a couple bracelets and a cute dress but it was too warm to stay for long. Instead we opted to go back to the house and get in the pool! Sweet relief.

Dinner that night was at The Shady Shack, by far my favorite place we went to in Bali. It was a quick walk from where we were staying (a huge benefit of our airbnb was the location!) and they had only vegetarian food. Nom.

Check back in soon to read about our day at Potato Head Beach club. 

** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**

Dad’s Luncheonette

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Dad’s Luncheonette is a small eatery off the coast of Half Moon Bay. The kitchen is housed in a train caboose, with some tables and chairs housed in a small wooden fence structure nearby. The menu is limited but everything looks tempting.

When we went, there was a slight chill outside – as to be expected on most days, for most Northern California beach towns – but huddled close together in line, within the fence, the wind was mostly blocked. Mike and I both ordered a beer and the Hamburger Sandwich. (Although there is “melty cheese” on it… which would make it a Cheeseburger Sandwich, right? Right?!) We also spilt an order of the Mac & Cheese with chips.

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Get there early because things sell out quickly
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Mike at Dad’s!

There’s a reason their website mentions the food is meant to be “enjoyed quickly, messily, on [their] patio…” Our sandwiches were absurdly messy and the patio is tiny; so eat quick – with a lot of napkins – and move along for the next group of foodies to enjoy Dad’s!

We went a little rouge and ended up taking our lunch to-go instead. Venturing across the street, we ate at Half Moon Bay State Beach. When the sun was out, it was just hot enough to be considered a nice day. However, even with the occasional cloud coverage, the beach and the view was so pretty, there wasn’t room for complaining!

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California Girls

In between gusts of wind and sips of beer, I quickly devoured my cheese hamburger sandwich. It was messy and juicy and satisfying. The bites of fried egg with the combination of burger, melty cheese, and Dad’s sauce was perfect. The grilled bread complimented the sandwich so well, I didn’t even mind that it was white bread and not wheat or sourdough. (#healthyeaterproblems)

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Too hungry to snap a better picture

And after? the mac & cheese. THE MAC & CHEESE! Creamy, ooey and gooey. Plus, the crunchy house-made potato chips on top? Next. Level. Mike and I both commented that we should’ve got our own instead of sharing one. The ultimate compliment coming from two sharing-loving people like us…

To most this would be considered a splurge meal. But not one that you should feel guilty about. After all, almost everything is organic, homemade, and local; and that counts for something, right? 🙂

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Playing Kubb after lunch (which was harder than it looked with the wind!)

** 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.**

Friday Favorites

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Wild Cherries Coffee Shop

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We were in Truckee last weekend (nearby where we stayed with Mike’s family over the holidays) and I found my new favorite coffee shop; Wild Cherries Coffee House. It’s local. It’s cheap. I think the name is cute. And omg, the food. There was an array of delicious nomz from enchiladas to hummus wraps. We went there for breakfast and I ordered an egg, pepper jack, avo, and tomato sando. They made it fresh so it took a little long but it was worth every minute.

New Moon Natural Foods

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Another Truckee gem! I saw this store back in December and wanted to check it out but didn’t have the chance. Talk about an epic store… They had an extensive beer selection, lots of booch, a variety of different sea vegetables (including kombu, which I’ve been looking for to try in a Magic Mineral Broth), and a whole bunch of natural beauty products; which brings me to…

Clay toothpaste 

I’ve heard about clay toothpaste before and have honestly thought, ew.. every time. But, for some reason, this brand appealed to me while I was browsing New Moon. I bought it and guess what? I love it! I don’t think I can ever go back to tubbed tooth paste. My mouth feels so clean after using the clay version. Like, just-left-the-dentist-clean y’all.

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I got the peppermint kind but they have cinnamon as well, if that’s your preference

Disclaimer: I made everyone who went to Truckee with us try it and I was the only person who liked it… I’ll admit the taste takes some getting used to BUT the after-clean feeling can’t be beat!

Milk Thistle 

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My friend Lydia told me about milk thistle and it’s liver detoxifying powers last year. I pretty much immediately bought a bottle at Whole Foods. I took a few after I popped it open but wasn’t consistent. However, I just started taking them again and … can’t really tell if they are working or not (hah) but I like to believe they are. I like to think that my liver is getting a little boost of love every morning!

FIRST Books 

This happens to me all of the time. I buy a book, read it, love the author, and then realize it is her second book. Certainly not the end of the world but it does mess with my orderly-OCD mind… Anyway, I finally bought 2 (first) books that I have been meaning to for a while now.

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I Like You Just the Way I Am by Jenny Mollen and Carry On, Warrior by  Glennon Doyle Melton

Fresh flowers

For our anniversary, Mike gifted me with a future 3 month supply of fresh flowers. Love!!

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How gorgeous are those colors?! They are so pretty and the colors are perfect for that end of winter/beginning of spring transition.

Up next for us (which I think will be a big fave)? Bali! We’re leaving next Thursday so I’ll be spending the weekend packing my summer dresses and bikinis. Stay tuned for the recap!

** 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.** 

California Quesadillas

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When Mike and I celebrated our anniversary in Coronado earlier this year (you can read more here and here), we had these can insanely delicious California Stone Fired Quesadilla that I’ve been wanting to recreate.

They are lighter than a normal quesadilla because the cheese isn’t in the leading role. The addition of hummus and veggies give this recipe a lot of volume without all of the fat of a fully cheese stuffed quesadilla.

Plus, any dish that takes me back to a vacation-mode is a win in my book!

Note: there aren’t any real measurements for this recipe – just pile on as many ingredients as will fit! Also, get creative and sub things you have on hand 🙂

Cali Quesadillas

Prep time: 10 minutes – Cook time: 15 minutes – Servings: 2

Ingredients:

  • 2 pieces of lavish bread (feel free to make the whole pack and freeze for later!)
  • hummus
  • sliced mushrooms
  • handful of arugula
  • shredded cheese
  • sliced black olives (optional)
  • salsa verde (to dip)

Directions:

  • Spread a thin layer of hummus on lavish bread while a pan is heating up on medium heat
  • Lightly grease pan and place lavish bread on pan, top with ingredients, fold over
  • I find using another pan or pot as some weight works well to melt the cheese quickly without burning the lavish
  • Flip after 3-4 minutes and cook the other side
  • Serve with various dips (and an optional side of chips)

** 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.**

Potato Tacos!

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Who doesn’t love tacos?

Tacos Tuesdays.

Taco trucks.

The way your head tilts to the side when you’re biting into a taco.

It’s all good stuff.

Equally as good are the vegan potato tacos I whipped up the other night. (Sadly I didn’t take pictures of the cooking process but I *promise* the end result was the main attraction anyway. They were so so so good!)

Potato Tacos

Prep time: 15 minutes – Cook time: 15 minutes – Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c onion chopped
  • 1 large potato chopped into cube size pieces
  • 1 Tbs coconut oil
  • 1/2 Tbs garlic powder
  • 1/4 Tbs paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 corn tortillas

(to top with)

  • 1/2 large tomato chopped
  • guacamole or avocado
  • salsa verde
  • cilantro (I didn’t have any on hand but wish I did!)

Directions:

  • Sauté onions in coconut oil until translucent
  • Add potatoes and spices, mixing well
  • Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally
  • Heat tortillas while potatoes are cooking and build yourself a taco bar with your toppings
  • When potatoes are done, add to tortillas and top

**I served our tacos with pinto beans. A great way to spice up canned beans is to simply add a bit of lime juice and cumin – BAM! All of the flavor.

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** 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.**

sweet, sweet, Sebastopol

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Sebastopol is about 50 miles North of San Francisco where art, local wine, and organic food have intersected. It’s trendy and cute and all things I want in a weekend get away, without outrageous prices and ..accesible parking! Do San Franscico city folk even remember such a luxury?

We recently discovered The Barlow and what a gem. What a gem.

Instead of partaking in the Hallmark fueled February 14th madness this year, we postponed and celebrated a week late. Spirit Works Distillery, located in The Barlow, has been on our minds for some time and we finally packed the car, booked a room, and embarked.

When we arrived, bloated rain drops pounded down, killing the cute date night outfit I had packed. No matter though. My shoes and mascara were waterproof and that was enough for me.

After we checked into the Sebastopol Inn, conveniently located just across the street from The Barlow, we started our night at MacPhail Tasting Lounge. Here we spilt a flight of wine, anticipating a boozy night ahead with a tour and tasting scheduled next and then dinner at a place with a seemingly delicious cocktail menu!

After our wine, we walked to Spirit Works. A grain to glass distillery, that uses only organic grains for their alcohol and are a women run establishment. It’s safe to say there were a whole lotta things I liked about the place!

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The tour was fun and interesting. And then the good part… the tastings! Everything we tried was sooo good. We ended up buying a sampler and a bottle of cask strength wheat whiskey.

For dinner we headed to zazu kitchen and farm. Mike and I really like craft cocktails (if you can’t tell already) and local, sustainable food. Zaza was close to an oasis for us. We started with a cheese and meat plate (bad vegan…), picking the lonza, the weirauch st. rose (sheep) cheese, and iscalini cheddar pimento (cow) cheese. YUM!!

We spilt a salad, bacon wrapped dates, a bucket of Korean fried chicken wings, and a poutine-inspired dish. It was way more meat than we usually eat but we enjoyed every bite.

We went back to the hotel after dinner and although it was still raining, we decided to go hot tubbing anyway! The Sebastopol Inn was literally perfect for our stay. Conveniently located, cute, clean, and equipped with a hot tub.

The next morning we sauntered over to Taylor Maid Farms for breakfast and caffeine. All good things to say about my cafe au latte there – so smooth and creamy and perfectly balanced. And if you know this girl, you know a good cup of coffee sets the day right.

We decided to leave early as it was too rainy to really do anything outside but the weekend was a 10/10 with that sweet, cozy, romantic, tipsy, love-drenched kind of vibe.

** 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.**

No Jar Tomato Sauce over Polenta

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There was a period in my life when I considered going gluten free… All of that wheat. Inflaming my organs and intestines.

It must go.

This mindset lasted about a half day.

Turns out, I don’t have celiac.

Anyways, during my short stint in (thinking about) eliminating wheat from my diet, I learned about polenta.

Polenta is cornmeal that you boil. Plain and simple.

 After boiling, you can either serve it like porridge or let it solidify. To solidify it, you just boil it according to the package and place in a glass container, cover, and let sit for about 20 minutes. 

Once solidified, you can bake it, fry it, grill it, flop it, bop it.

Or simply make an easy, nom No Jar tomato sauce to pour over it and dig in.

A quick note that you actually can buy polenta in two forms; already solidified or still in grain form. I’ve cooked with both. I prefer the grain form because I get more bang for my buck. However, the solidified version (packaged in a tube-like shape; pictured below) is nice to have on hand for a super speedy dinner.

Although polenta is versatile and cheap, it’s pretty bland. The real show-stopper here has to be the sauce.

Tomato sauce in a jar is a reasonable option if you want to save on time. And there are some great organic versions out there; if that’s your flavor. However, I find that most jarred tomato sauces are either made with soybean oil or have added sugar in them.

My solution? A super simple, 4-5 ingredient sauce (depending if you like mushrooms or not) that you can make while your polenta is solidifying.

No Jar Tomato Sauce 

Prep time: 10 minutes – Cook time: 25 minutes – Servings: 4 *freezes well*

Ingredients:

  • 4 cloves of garlic – minced
  • 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
  • Full bag of a leafy green (it reduces so don’t be shy – put in the whole bag.)
  • 1 c. mushrooms – sliced
  • 2 Tbs olive oil

Directions:

  • Heat your olive oil and sauté garlic until translucent
  • Add mushrooms and continue sautéing for about 1 minute
  • Add leafy greens and can of fire roasted tomatoes
  • Stir until greens are well incorporated
  • Cover and let simmer for ~20 minutes
  • Note: it might look like you don’t have enough liquid at first but by covering the sauce, the trapped steam will thin it out
  • Spoon onto your favorite Italian carbohydrate (polenta, pasta, etc.) and enjoy! 

** 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.**

quick and easy veggie fried rice

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This recipe is quick because I chopped all of the veg for it earlier in the week. Highly recommend for days you know will be busy.

Pro tip: sesame seed oil is a total game changer. I used to make fried rice without it and it never turned out as good as I wanted it to be.

Sauté your veg in some oil, add rice (again, you can make ahead to save time), and a dash of soy sauce and you have dinner.


Garnish with seaseem seeds and scarf it down. You’ve got things to do. 😉

** 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.**

Coronado (part 2)

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Continued from Coronado (part 1) 

—

After our night of drinking and music, we slept in on Sunday, which feels indulgent even in everyday life! We ventured out to the hotel cafe for coffee, tea, and breakfast. It was already gorgeous out so we sat in the sun, fully enjoying the start of our day.

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While noshing on pastries and sipping caffeine, we decided to kickoff the day poolside. There, we soaked in some vitamin D, which I’ve been feeling extra deprived of this winter; ordered chips and guac; chatted in-between reading (I had the luxury of diving deep into the pages of Yoga Girl); dipped ourselves in the pool; and lounged in the hot tub. Ah, pure bliss. 

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Midway through the day we decided to skip the overpriced hotel food and walk into downtown. We found Miguel’s Cocina and were transported back to Mexico. We sat on the cute patio, drank sangria, and split steak fajitas. The life!

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After our late lunch we browsed a few shops and walked round the hotel property again. That evening we had a private bon fire on the beach with s’mores and wine. The guy who helped us “tend the fire” and refill our s’mores stash was such a sweetheart. I remember thinking, if I have a son, I hope he is as respectful as this kid and immediately after felt so old! ~7 years ago, I probably would’ve been thinking what a cute California suffer boy he was and here I was wanting to compliment his mom on a job well done. Good Lord.

Feeling kind of old aside ;), the bon fire was a fun time to just be silly with Mike. Earlier in the day we saw the famous Sandcastle Man; who builds these elaborate sandcastle on the beach outside of the hotel. We were surprised that he was still there, hours later, while we were having our bonfire. We learned that he’s actually out there for about 14 hours a day protecting his work. Mike and I kept joking that we were just going to go run over and plow through it. Like, how mad would he be? 

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After our bonfire we walked to a nearby pizzeria and got huge slices to-go. We went back down to the beach and ate them by the waves. 

Monday was our actual anniversary and our last day there. We woke up and did yoga on the beach!! It was such a great and rejuvenating way to start the day! Connecting your body to your breathe while hearing and seeing the ocean just can’t be beat. 

Adding to the experience, while flowing, we saw some Navy Seals practicing drills in the ocean and I actually got really patriotic watching them. I was overcome with emotion for these men and women that dedicate their lives to the call of duty and keeping us safe. No matter what your political affiliation there is no denying gratitude for our military.

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After yoga it was time for our massages. As you do on a Monday. 

I basically finished Yoga Girl in the pool at the lounge after and then it was time to hit the town again for lunch. We strolled down Orange Ave, the island’s main street, and found Burger Lounge. We spilt a burger and fries because our dinner reservations weren’t too long after. And then…  happy hour!

I ordered the white wine sangria and Mike got a cocktail. It was warm and nice to sit on the patio. Uggggh, what I would give for warmer weather right now!

After our drinks we walked on the beach and played in the waves. Nothing like a cliche romantic walk on the beach on your anniversary, right!?

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When we got back to our room, we exchanged gifts and opened a bottle of champs in celebration! I got ready while we blasted Lil Dicky (our current obsession) and then it was time for dinner!

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We walked across the street to Brigantine for dinner. The costumer service here was sooo good! They knew it was our anniversary and there was a card waiting on our table for us signed by some of the employees. The manager also came over to wish us a happy anniversary with complimentary glasses of champagne. 

We ordered the crab and shrimp fondue to start and … I honestly don’t remember what else! The appetizer was so good we should have just ordered two and called it a day. 😉

The next morning we woke up early to grab breakfast at Cafe 1134 on Orange Ave to fuel us for our journey home. Our weekend in Coronado was exactly what we needed.  It was so much fun to hang out with Mike and enjoy each other’s company. Next we’re looking forward to Bali in April with Mike’s family!

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** 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.**