Photo Friday: Have I Mentioned Point Lobos, yet?

A friend of mine suggested I put a disclaimer by our vacation photos saying, "by the way, we're home now.", due to the very slow progress I've been making on posting the large amount of photos we love to take making it appear as if we are one very long vacation. We are indeed home, and the photos have barely been touched.

Point Lobos, California, was the start of what was to have been our PCH, Pacific Coast Highway, coastal trip. Unfortunately for the residents living along the Pacific Coast Highway, but fortunately for us, there was a mud slide along the Pacific Coast Highway shutting it down, and we ended up having time to stay in Carmel for dinner with my lovely Aunt and Uncle at Pebble Beach, whose guest home we stayed in once we got to Pismo Beach. Before we met them at Pismo Beach we made a run by Point Lobos. I had seen a friend's photos of Point Lobos and the color of the water blew me away.

I couldn't believe there was a place in California that has that gorgeous, turquoise color. Now, I won't say that I wasn't fretting the whole time that I wasn't able to capture the color on film, but fortunately that was mostly just me fretting because the pictures captured the beauty just as I was hoping.

Point Lobos is located at the very north end of Big Sur, just after Pebble Beach

and 17 mile drive.

In all my years growing up in the Monterey Bay area and driving up Big Sur along the Pacific Coast Highway coast for lunch, I didn't know Point Lobos existed until I had seen my friend's photos, and the minute I saw them I knew we had to go. Point Lobos is situated on just that -- a point out in the ocean. There are about three miles of hiking trails surrounding the point, and plenty of parking spots if you don't have the time to hike. We didn't have time to hike, so I mapped out the different areas for us to park and walk around.

 

 We made sure to make the overlook where plenty of seals lounge in the sun, and where Brando took my favorite recent photo of me.

We started at a hidden bay for divers,

explored tide pools and textured rocks,

 

 and found gorgeous hidden nooks and crannies, coves and beaches galore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't wait to go back and explore more!

Edna Valley Vineyard

For a rundown of the whole trip and links to other activities from our vacation, go here.

Even though we went to Pismo Beach over Napa Valley, I was still determined to find a California vineyard. Much like Napa Valley, Edna Valley vineyards outside Pismo Beach, grows their vineyard in volcanic soil. Edna Valley Vineyard faces Islay Hill, one of the dormant volcanoes, with the other volcanoes located just beyond.

Called San Luis Obispo Wine Country, there are more than twenty vineyards and wineries nestled in the mountains behind Pismo Beach amongst the dormant volcanoes. We didn't make a full day of it - we had gorgeous Montana De Oro to visit, but we did make sure to visit Edna Valley Vineyard, the one place I heard had the most gorgeous scenery, which it did.

My favorite part of the Edna Valley Vineyard winery was the views of Islay Hill through the tasting room window.

With the grassy area overlooking the dormant volcano coming in at a close second.

 

We asked and they do have tours, but we had missed the times and I don't recall exactly what they were. Their demonstration vineyard out front had all different vines of each different kinds of grapes they use.

Each vine was numbered to correlate with an explanation of each grape, how it is grown, where it comes from, and what wine it is used for on the guide you can see in the above photo.

The vines were just budding and I can just imagine how gorgeous they will be in full bloom.

 

 My favorite part of the demonstration vineyard was the mountains in the background.

 This sign graces Edna Valley Vineyard's driveway as you exit.

As we drove on our way to Montana de Oro, the wine country drive was absolutely stunning with vineyards spanning the valley below the mountains.

 

Before reaching Montana de Oro, we made a quick stop at Edna Valley's sister winery in an old schoolhouse on the way for some more gorgeous views. Although, be forewarned I took power lines out of the first photo, so while it looks adorable in the photo, the power lines kinda ruined the serenity, at least from the outside -- fortunately the next two photos were also from this sister winery of Edna's and completely untouched.

 

  

We also stopped by Starbucks in San Luis Obispo for a road trip treat and discovered their new, delicious cake balls. We tried the birthday cake and the coffee one. I'm not a huge fan of birthday cake in general, and usually love coffee, but in this case I definitely loved the birthday cake balls the best. Yum!

 

Granted, much as I love it, I am allergic to wine except for Pinot Noir and ended up falling asleep that night at six with a headache and sleeping til' the next morning at eight with only a short break for a delicious dinner at In N Out at eleven. Though seeing Pismo Beach's gorgeous wine country was totally worth it

Trip Outfits

I always love visiting California, besides family and friends and being my hometown, I get the best outfit inspiration there, and the weather is perfect for any combination of clothing. The sunshine, the casualness, and the free spirit lend themselves to trying new combinations.

In Santa Cruz, it was a little too chilly to wear a straight up miniskirt (I don't care if I'm turning 30, I'm still wearing them :) -- and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one), so I wore leggings under it, a black tank, a black short-sleeve jacket that I adore, the silver sandals I love that M and Li bought me for my birthday a few years back, and tons of jewelry, for lunch at Crow's Nest, going to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and a few beaches. This was the first time I'd worn a ton of bracelet bangles and I'm in LOVE. I threw deconstructed teal earrings together with metal bangles, a pearl bracelet, silver bangles, a rhinestone bracelet, and royal blue bangles. Perfect.

and an obligatory photo of the guest bedroom that will no longer be, but replaced by something even better...

To see Point Lobos in Big Sur, I wore my fav skinny jeans with one of my favorite sexy but casual grey stripe off the shoulder shirts, along with my earrings from our second trip to Hawaii, and my new favorite self-made set of bangles.

For ATV riding in Pismo Beach, it was skinny jeans and a t-shirt, a necklace Shawners made for me out of red and purple paperclips, my favorite black earrings, my new "fill in" heart bracelet as I had forgotten the one Brando got me for our first anniversary at home, and a newsboy hat to keep the hair from going crazy since we had massages scheduled, then a dinner date with my childhood best friend later that evening.

Things to Do In Santa Cruz

Here is a post I did quite awhile back on things to do in Santa Cruz. A girl I met on the beach in Santa Cruz who was visiting with her girlfriends from Portland on this last trip, and Athena, who recently moved to the Monterey Bay Area from Hawaii, motivated me to update the original post with a few new activities, completely unbroken photos and links, and repost it. Some of the photos below are from our last trip and are noted. For a list of the activities we made sure to hit up on this last trip to Santa Cruz go here.

Our personal favorites in Santa Cruz…

Small plates at Soif. You feel like you get a $100 meal for $20. We did this this last trip to Cali and took this picture. That’s just the appetizer though… often, afterwards, we would go get

Chicken quesadillas and a $5 delish margarita at El Palomar Taco Bar (walk through Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company to get there or go through El Palomar next to the bar).

An apple pie apple at Marini’s.

A Root Beer Float at Cafe Limelight.

Breakfast on the sea at Aldo’s for a beautiful setting and good food. Usually we’d bike down there on our bikes to enjoy a Sunday or Saturday morning breakfast.

Incredible breakfast food at Walnut Avenue Cafe. There are so many places to shop and browse if you happen to catch them on a Sunday morning and get a 45 minute wait.

Bunny's Too is practically next door to Walnut Avenue Cafe and my favorite boutique to shop on Pacific Garden Mall for inexpensive but unique items.

Petroglyph Santa Cruz
Petroglyph was our all time favorite family past time this year. You can paint pottery for hours. Once you start you really can’t stop, it’s a strangely relaxing hobby.

Further up Hwy 1, approximately eight miles past Davenport turn left into Greyhound Rock State Park area (that link also contains an interesting list of coastal access points and beaches I can't wait to explore). A gorgeous beach and some fun rocks to climb. If you go at low tide you can get on the actual Greyhound Rock where seals sunbathe.

Unbeknownst to me until several years ago, four minutes up the road from Greyhound Rock is Ano Nuevo State Beach which has the largest mainland colony of elephant seals. Peak time to visit them is December through March, and something I tried desperately to do this last time. However, it fell off the priority list, so take lots of pictures if you go.

The Farm on Soquel across from Cabrillo College in Aptos for lunch with a friend or a picnic at the beach. The Mediterranean Chicken sandwhich is out of this world with fresh mozzarella and herb bread. My hubby loves the tri-tip as well. They’re also a great stop for breakfast on any random morning. The best thickest French Toast and excellent bacon and egg croissant sandwhiches. They also have great Cafe Au Laits.

Pacific Edge Rock Climbing to take the kids. $8 on the boulder for however many hours you want, no repelling training necessary. We were always surprised how long we were there.

Crows Nest UPSTAIRS to spend an in expensive evening watching the sunset. Or sitting inside next to the fire pit on a cool evening or outside they have heaters next to the building that work wonders. Downstairs where this photo is from is fancier, not as good of food and pricier to boot.

Stockton Bridge for a special evening out. Their Peach drink that I wish I could remember the name of is so very yummy.

Another photo from our last trip, Paradise Beach Grille is down the street from Stockton Bridge, and arguably has even more amazing food and the perfect ocean view deck for a warm summer evening.

Peachwoods is my all time favorite for a special occasion. Their artichoke cakes and peach fritters are out of this world. My favorite part is their 4 course dinner, starting with the soup or salad complete with chilled gold forks, the peach sorbet to cleanse your palette, and the peach iced tea. Each of their many clocks does something completely different and fun at the top of the hour.

Riva’s on the wharf for Cardinal Margarita’s, fried zucchini, and Chocolate Hazelnut gelatto. Their other food is decent too if you want to spend an evening on the water.

Pizza My Heart for pizza and salad, they have a $7 pizza, salad, and soda deal that will feed two. Their pizza is so delicious that along with Kianti's they catered our vow renewal celebration with pizzas named for our favorite beaches including one we renewed our vows on, Natural Bridges.

Mr. Toots for coffee in the cool summer mornings spent at the beach in Capitola.

Saturday mornings at the Aptos Farmer’s Market in the Cabrillo College parking lot. They have the most amazing stuff there. My favorites were the Kawasaki (sp?) farm for cucumbers, and there was one on the corner of the very top row next to the exit that I wish I could remember the name of, but they always had the best stuff for the most inexpensive prices. Blood oranges, strawberries, you name it. Felton Farmer’s Market was always a blast as well – they have Hawaiian shaved ice on Tuesday afternoons and roasted corn. Yum!

Ice cream at Polar Bear, now known as Cafe Violette, in Capitola. Perfect after a long bike ride, or after a hot afternoon at the beach. My favorite was Where Have You Bean All My Life? It’s actually coffee with ground up coffee beans.

Pizza and salad at Kianti’s. Their Friday and Saturday night show of Riverdance like dancing from their waiters and music turned up extremely high, then the owner’s nephew flipping pizza dough in the air, behind his back, and alcohol being thrown on the fire. It’s quite a production. And the best part was the kids being entertained with their own roll of pizza dough to play with. Their outdoor seating is perfect for an afternoon of people watching.

Cakes at the Buttery. Their sandwhiches are yummy, too, and their pastries. Further down if you feel like walking is a lingerie shop that I wish I could remember the name of. The owner is extremely friendly and used to own the flower kiosk downtown for years before she sold it and decided to open this in her Seabright neighborhood.

The Santa Cruz County Fair for small town fun. If you’re ever visiting in fall, this is so much fun. My kids still talk about the Sea Lion show they had.

Twin Lakes Church for our souls. Pastor Renee Schlaepfer is so wonderful he’s actually been to the church we go to and love out here and we tell people how much we miss him and then tell them who and they say “Ooooh, now I get it.”

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for good ol’ entertainment and a really fun date. Several times B and I had the chance to escape here for a ride or two, just us, when they wouldn’t close til’ late at night in the middle of the summer. It was like being a kid again. The Giant Dipper always gives me a headache but is a must ride. They have a new twirly ride that I rode and screamed the whole time. The guy across from me was laughing his head off at me and said he didn’t know if I was laughing or dying on there.

I’ve had this post sitting in my drafts forever and figured it was about time to draft it and get it out here for anybody vacationing in Santa Cruz anytime soon. And it’s making me miss there so. very. much.