Santa Cruz and San Francisco Double Post

Dress: Thrift, Sweater, Shoes: Urban Outfitters

I was orginally going to make two separate posts about these days on my California trip, but since I've been doing so many California posts, I really didn't want them to carry on into next week, and as much I've had fun sharing my west coast adventures, I think it's time to move on to business as usual. So, I guess I'll go chronologically here and start with Friday's trip to Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has to be one of my all time favorite places now. It's really just so beautiful there (which is why we made not one, but two trips during the week). Even though it was only about seventy five degrees, we made our way to the beach and did a bit of swimming! Though, by swimming I mean timidly standing in the water, letting freezing waves crash over me, and making high pitched squeaking noises from the cold. As un-fun as that sounds, it was actually a lot of fun! My family really doesn't go to the beach, ever, but I really wanted a relaxing day by the shore, and that's what I got. We also brought some fun games (lacrosse!) and a kite, and it was a lot of fun acting like a kid and just playing around. Also, you'll notice the jumping shots again. I guess it's just that I figured out how to capture them on my camera AND that California made me so happy I just wanted to jump all the time. Santa Cruz also has the best candy store on their boardwalk, so we bought a ton of chocolate and gummies from there to eat, too.

Always jumping!



Now, I'm jumping in a bathing suit!



And now, I'm messing up a jumping shot with Zak and Daphny!









I'm either gazing longingly at a sailboat or a trashcan. The choice is yours



Sea lions! We were able to get super close to them since they were all just lazing on a platform by the dock



So, the second part of this post deals with my last night in California. For dinner, we all headed to the Castro in San Francisco to eat at this wonderful restaurant called 2223. It was seriously one of the best meals I've had, ever (partly because afterwards we went to Fenton's Creamery for dessert. SIDENOTE! Oh my gracious, they have the best ice cream in the world there. I hear they even invented rocky road? We went there THREE TIMES in one week it was so good, and I miss it terribly. End sidenote). As we were getting back in the car, my mom asked if there was anywhere anyone wanted to go before heading back to Oakland (for ice cream). Luckily, I thought to ask if we could go to Sutro Baths once before leaving, and that's just what we did. I had an amazing time at Sutro Baths last summer, and was certain we wouldn't make it there during this trip. It's basically just ruins of an old bath house, but it's beautiful and fun to explore, and frankly I think these photos are some of my absolute favorite from the trip (part of the reason I wanted to end on this excursion).

Possibly my favorite photo from the trip



Dress: Pretty Penny in Oakland, Tights: We Love Colors, Jacket: Thrift















And, thus concludes my California posts. I hope you've enjoyed following along the adventures I had while exploring the Bay. I'm kind of sad to be done with these posts, since looking through all of these pictures was just a bit like reliving it, but hopefully I'll be able to return to the west coast soon enough to make even more memories.

Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Meeting Ellie in Berkeley!

While I was vacationing in California, I got to meet a few of more than one of my favorite bloggers, one of whom is Ellie of Elluminated! I was so happy that I was able to meet up with her on the day before I left for home. Ellie is seriously such a sweet lady. I had such a great time eating yummy food with her (middle eastern food AND ice cream!), talking about our mutual love for Fleet Foxes and David Sedaris (she got to see him read in person!) and of course taking fun blog photos. We also spent some time just strolling around a cute little area of Berkeley, going into a pet store full of adorable kitties and birds (one of whom looked like he had a Beatles hair cut, I swear) and a book store where I got a pin of my beloved Thoreau. Zak won't stop giving me a hard time about the irony of buying a material possession with Thoreau's face on it ("Simplify, simplify!") but I love it anyway, and I hope Thoreau understands. All in all, it was really a lovely day and I'm so happy I got to meet Ellie! Hopefully, whenever I'm back in California, we'll get to hang out together again!

There was a signed Billy Collins poem in the book store, which I obviously freaked out over

Inside the cutest little ice cream shop

Ellie was wearing such a cute outfit. Her top has little bicycles on it!

Oh you know, just being bears. No big deal.

Can you tell yet that I was really into jumping shots in California? We got one, albeit blurry!

Until tomorrow,

Nicole

California: Wine Country

Blouse: H&M, Skirt: Urban Outfitters, Shoes: Rachel Antonoff for Bass

On Tuesday, we headed out to Sonoma in Wine Country to visit a few vineyards. Of course, being only 19, I couldn't actually drink any wine or champagne, but it was fun to see the process of how it's all made and where it comes from. First we went to Kendall-Jackson Winery where we got a sweet little garden tour. We saw teeny grapes growing that would eventually be turned into white wine and a ton of other fruits, vegetables and flowers they had growing as well. There were beautiful huge sunflowers, the best-smelling basil, and tiny little raspberries, just to name a few favorites. They also had a beautiful flower garden that you can see in some of my pictures. Afterwards we had lunch and went on a tour of the Korbell Winery, where they make mostly champagne. After seeing the vineyards at Kendall-Jackson, it was nice to get an inside look at how the final product is actually produced. Our tour guide was less than enthusiastic (which I can't blame him for, as there was this total jerk in our group who kept commenting and asking impossible questions) but I enjoyed walking through the wine cellars and even seeing the "world's largest bottle of champagne." Our tour guide also mentioned that about five minutes up the road from the winery was the red wood forest where they filmed a few scenes from Return of the Jedi! Being a fan of both nature and Star Wars, I convinced the rest of my family to drive up there. It was so worth it. I had never been to a redwood forest before then, and goodness me is it beautiful and awe-inspiring and a million other positive phrases. So, basically, my day in wine country was fairly close to perfect, even though I couldn't drink (not that I even wanted to), though I imagine that's what most people go to wine country to do in the first place.

In the garden at Kendall-Jackson

Cabbage Patch!

Inside the Korbell wine cellars

Star Wars Redwoods!

It's not easy trying to fit a whole redwood tree into one photo, let me tell you.

It totally looks like I'm balancing that light ball on my shoulders. Magic!

Until tomorrow,

Nicole

Meeting Elanor in San Francisco!

One of my favorite moments in California was when I got to meet Elanor of Missing Lovebirds! As soon as I booked my ticket to San Francisco I knew I had to try and meet up with her while I was there, and I was so excited when she agreed to do some vintage shopping with me in Haight-Ashbury. Elanor is one of my favorite bloggers, and let me tell you, she is just as wonderful in person! I had such a fun time browsing racks of sometimes quite silly vintage clothing (like super soft fur coats), talking about blogging, and taking outfit pictures, including a few sweet jumping (and squatting?) shots . I have to say, I really felt like I was talking to and spending time with an old friend. It was so easy to talk with her, and I had such a great time strolling around the Haight. I'm so thankful that blogging has allowed me to meet so many lovely ladies like Elanor who I can now call friends. I can't wait to meet up with her again next time I'm in California, and if she ever visits New York I'll have to repay the favor and show her around! :)

(most of the photos are mine, but some are from Elanor's camera/blog) Skirt, Shoes: Urban Outfitters, Top: Asos, Jacket: Thrift





















Until tomorrow,
Nicole