I’m not much for pink and red and hearts and froo froo ticky tacky romance, and I’ve never been a fan of Valentine’s Day. I’m of the love every day philosophy. There’s so much pressure that you have to do something to proclaim your love on Valentine’s day, and the idea that if you do something grand enough it will make up for other inadequacies.
But, there should be love every day. It’s the small gestures of kindness that truly add up. I’m a practical girl, looking for a competent companion to share the happiness and love in each day. I’m also a skeptic and a cynic when it comes to love, yet I keep on searching for it. As I read in one astrology book I think I have the Gemini curse of continually searching for my other half that will complement me and make my life complete. However, I know that in order to be truly happy, I need to be completely comfortable with just being me.
I’ll close with an inspirational love story for all the single ladies-
A couple of summers ago I was talking to a woman at the Atlantic (the best place to get a cosmo on the island) about traveling. She had recently been to Turkey and went on a tour to an underground cave city of women. Through a translator she asked them how they find husbands in the caves. And one woman responded, “He will find me.” So, it has become my mantra. “He will find me.” My mantra and my advice for every single woman I meet who is fretting about finding a man, try not to worry about finding a soul mate, because he will find you.
Wishing the world peace, love, and happiness each and every day!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Turning point
I’m a little sad, it’s time to turn the car around and head back east.
I have a feeling I’ll be back to California though. I’ve enjoyed the warm sun and beautiful coastline. I thought I’d have a chance to do some surfing, my wetsuit is in the car, but it didn’t happen this time. So, I’ll just have to come back!
I have a feeling I’ll be back to California though. I’ve enjoyed the warm sun and beautiful coastline. I thought I’d have a chance to do some surfing, my wetsuit is in the car, but it didn’t happen this time. So, I’ll just have to come back!
Return to Orange
Orange was never a destination on my original itinerary, but when I met Jon and Brenna in New Orleans it was added to the list and I’ve stopped here twice! I’ve enjoyed hanging out with them and getting a little local flavor, good food and good times.
On Friday Brenna and I did our own Orange hop including The Filling Station for breakfast, The Perfect Circle Cupcakery for a treat, and then The Bruery where Brenna works for a few tasting flights of delicious craft beers. After the Bruery it was off to Goodwill for a little shopping and The Moose Museum, filled with moose memorabilia by a guy who’s never seen a moose…odd. In the evening we had sopes on the porch and then it was off to The Fling, a bar around the corner where we met a Playboy bunny from the 1960s, her two daughters, and grandson dancing the night away to Eddie Day, the Wizard of Rock and Roll.
Saturday morning Jon and I went for breakfast and I started my day with some amazing huevos rancheros and a banana coconut smoothie. Jon took me down to see The Wedge, Balboa, Laguna, and through the canyon where I learned that cyn = canyon. I had been thinking it was pronounced ‘sin’ and I know idea why it was on a lot of the street signs I’d passed. We made it out in the evening to see Alejandro’s Awesome Surf Band and did a little dancing.
On Friday Brenna and I did our own Orange hop including The Filling Station for breakfast, The Perfect Circle Cupcakery for a treat, and then The Bruery where Brenna works for a few tasting flights of delicious craft beers. After the Bruery it was off to Goodwill for a little shopping and The Moose Museum, filled with moose memorabilia by a guy who’s never seen a moose…odd. In the evening we had sopes on the porch and then it was off to The Fling, a bar around the corner where we met a Playboy bunny from the 1960s, her two daughters, and grandson dancing the night away to Eddie Day, the Wizard of Rock and Roll.
Saturday morning Jon and I went for breakfast and I started my day with some amazing huevos rancheros and a banana coconut smoothie. Jon took me down to see The Wedge, Balboa, Laguna, and through the canyon where I learned that cyn = canyon. I had been thinking it was pronounced ‘sin’ and I know idea why it was on a lot of the street signs I’d passed. We made it out in the evening to see Alejandro’s Awesome Surf Band and did a little dancing.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
El Capitan
I was shooting for Gaviota State Park, but they were closed for camping. So I ended up at El Capitan just down the road, what a great place. I set up my tent so that when I unzipped the door I looked out to the ocean.
I met Vic the Canadian and Dodd from Long Beach at the next campsite. Vic has been traveling for a couple of weeks. Dodd came into the campground a few nights before. It was after dark and he saw Vic with his head lamp on and asked him if the site was near the water. He said yes, but then Vic had an idea and started running after Dodd’s truck in the dark with his headlamp on. He asked him if he wanted to split the campsite, and there they were sharing laughs for the past couple of days.
I joined them by the campfire for the evening. Vic was ready to share everything since I was going to eat peanut butter and crackers for dinner. He gave me whole grain bread with coconut oil and hummus and cheese and carrots and beer, awesome! Way better than peanut butter and crackers.
I met Vic the Canadian and Dodd from Long Beach at the next campsite. Vic has been traveling for a couple of weeks. Dodd came into the campground a few nights before. It was after dark and he saw Vic with his head lamp on and asked him if the site was near the water. He said yes, but then Vic had an idea and started running after Dodd’s truck in the dark with his headlamp on. He asked him if he wanted to split the campsite, and there they were sharing laughs for the past couple of days.
I joined them by the campfire for the evening. Vic was ready to share everything since I was going to eat peanut butter and crackers for dinner. He gave me whole grain bread with coconut oil and hummus and cheese and carrots and beer, awesome! Way better than peanut butter and crackers.
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| The view from my tent |
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| Oil rig on the horizon |
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| Dolphins swimming by in the morning |
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| Name that bird |
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| Natural tar ball - they wash up all the time, native americans used them to seal their boats, I got one stuck to my foot |
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| I taught Vic and Dodd yoga on the beach |
Point Piedras Blancas
I saw a large seal or sea lion (I couldn’t tell from the distance) arching its body out on a point as I drove down the coast. I thought, wow that’s really cool I should stop at the next vista point to see if I can get a closer look. Well, as I rounded the corner and pulled into the parking lot this is what I found. Holy Elephant Seals! Wow – nature really is amazing and every now and then even I need a reminder. This stop was definitely the surprise of the day. I had no idea I’d see Elephant Seals in the height of their breeding season. Thanks for the surprise mother nature!
For more elephant seal info check out Friends of the Elephant Seal
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| He finds the girl he wants, and then bites her neck, |
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| Aww, they're spooning |
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| After a minute or two it's over. |
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| An unfortunate pup that didn't make it becomes gull food. |
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| Squirrel near parking lot |
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| Males sparring |
Limekiln State Park
I left San Francisco and started driving south. I first stopped at the giant artichoke restaurant for lunch and ate some more delicious California artichokes. Then I started down highway 1, it was incredible. There was ocean for 180 degrees of my view and the mountains went right into the sea.
I’ve been camping for years, but this was my first night camping alone. I was a little nervous but confident that I would be fine. I found a beach front campsite at Limekiln State Park (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=577) and set up camp. I got slightly frustrated setting up the tent. Trish loaned her two person tent to me since it would take up less room than my four person tent. But, back in late December when I loaded up my car I hadn’t had the chance to check it out and set it up beforehand. I know that’s not the best preparation, but it was getting late and I needed to get on the road so I just put it in the car. I didn’t know the layout of the tent and the elastic was cracked and stretched out in the poles. I made it work though and it only took about forty-five minutes. I borrowed a hammer from the camp host to set the stakes, since using the caveman rock method wasn’t working. I enjoyed the sunset over the water and then climbed into my tent once it was dark.
In the morning I went for a short hike in the redwoods to see the old lime kilns and the waterfall. I hadn’t planned on hiking up a stream, but I went for it. I took my sneakers off and waded in. It was totally worth it, the waterfall was beautiful tucked away upstream.
I’ve been camping for years, but this was my first night camping alone. I was a little nervous but confident that I would be fine. I found a beach front campsite at Limekiln State Park (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=577) and set up camp. I got slightly frustrated setting up the tent. Trish loaned her two person tent to me since it would take up less room than my four person tent. But, back in late December when I loaded up my car I hadn’t had the chance to check it out and set it up beforehand. I know that’s not the best preparation, but it was getting late and I needed to get on the road so I just put it in the car. I didn’t know the layout of the tent and the elastic was cracked and stretched out in the poles. I made it work though and it only took about forty-five minutes. I borrowed a hammer from the camp host to set the stakes, since using the caveman rock method wasn’t working. I enjoyed the sunset over the water and then climbed into my tent once it was dark.
In the morning I went for a short hike in the redwoods to see the old lime kilns and the waterfall. I hadn’t planned on hiking up a stream, but I went for it. I took my sneakers off and waded in. It was totally worth it, the waterfall was beautiful tucked away upstream.
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| Banana slug! |
Friday, February 11, 2011
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
I had my first bout of road rage driving to San Francisco down a beautiful scenic highway that would never end. There were motorcycles whizzing by me and hundreds of bicyclers enjoying the beautiful afternoon that I had to swerve around. I’m all for biking, but on that road they really need their own lane. And, the only gas station/restaurant on the road had a couple hundred Harleys parked in front on it, I held it. I finally made it off that treacherous road to meet my friend Sarah’s sister Karen and her boyfriend Doug at Fort Funston. We made our way to their friend’s superbowl party. There was a lot of great food, but the most unique were these cakes in a jar from bake-it-banana, super creative and yummy. I stayed with Karen for the night, she was a super gracious host, it must run in the family.
The next day I ventured out on the MUNI to the SOMA to go to the SFMOMA. San Fran loves their acronyms. I met my friend Eli from the Vineyard for lunch, and afterwards I spent the afternoon exploring the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). There was Modern Art of Wine exhibit with poofers to smell wine samples and an array of decorative decanters. They also had an interesting exhibit of voyeurism in photography since 1870. There were surveillance, paparazzi, lynching, and electrocution photos. http://www.sfmoma.org/pages/exhib_events
In the evening I made my way to the Mission on the MUNI. Having dinner with Eli, his brother Marlin, and their new roommate Benzie was like a winter potluck on the Vineyard. Marlin was busy chopping onions, turnips, and celery for a lentil stew. And there was sautéed bok choy and garlic bread on the side. I really enjoyed hanging out in the kitchen while everything was cooking. I was pleasantly surprised by the tidy apartment and yummy dinner. I don’t know what I was expecting, but having had two male roommates over the summer I guess I was thinking it might be a fridge full of meat and beer. With their recycling, composting, and cloth napkins it was island style and definitely made me miss the rock a little bit.
The next day I ventured out on the MUNI to the SOMA to go to the SFMOMA. San Fran loves their acronyms. I met my friend Eli from the Vineyard for lunch, and afterwards I spent the afternoon exploring the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). There was Modern Art of Wine exhibit with poofers to smell wine samples and an array of decorative decanters. They also had an interesting exhibit of voyeurism in photography since 1870. There were surveillance, paparazzi, lynching, and electrocution photos. http://www.sfmoma.org/pages/exhib_events
In the evening I made my way to the Mission on the MUNI. Having dinner with Eli, his brother Marlin, and their new roommate Benzie was like a winter potluck on the Vineyard. Marlin was busy chopping onions, turnips, and celery for a lentil stew. And there was sautéed bok choy and garlic bread on the side. I really enjoyed hanging out in the kitchen while everything was cooking. I was pleasantly surprised by the tidy apartment and yummy dinner. I don’t know what I was expecting, but having had two male roommates over the summer I guess I was thinking it might be a fridge full of meat and beer. With their recycling, composting, and cloth napkins it was island style and definitely made me miss the rock a little bit.
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| Fort Funston (aka Fort Tungsten or Sunston as I thought I had heard on the phone.) |
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| Wine poofers |
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| This looked like a giant photograph on the wall, but it's amazing a woven textile. |
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