It was so nice to get away for a few days without the kids and even nicer to see them when we got back...funny how that works! Brad has been auditing breweries for the past few months being gone about 10 weeks in the past 2 1/2 months...ugh! He ended his stint with L.A. and Fairfield, so I decided to join him and do a little vacationing between cities. We rented a convertible and drove up the Pacific Coast Highway, it was really nice! Some highlights of our trip and things I learned along the way:
- The weather was awesome...75 degrees for highs and NO humidity. Much nicer than the 98 degree, cut the humidity with a knife weather that hit us like a brick wall when we walked out of MCI (please take note that it is even more humid in the lovely STL!)
- I am seriously in love with California and will do my best to pursue the possibility of moving :-)
- I love convertibles...didn't really think that I cared for them too much but is now on my "wish list"!
- Venice Beach was quite a unique experience...I can now say that I have officially been offered several things for which I may need medial marijuana...these shops which make up about 10% of the boardwalk retail...crazy!
- The homeless in said Venice Beach come up with some pretty interesting ways to ask for money one sign read, "Mom and dad eaten by pigeons, need money for a BB gun." Another which read, "Need money for cold beer and bag of pot" - at least that person was honest!
- Santa Barbara is so beautiful and I would highly recommend Brophy Brothers for clam chowder - yummy!
- Driving up the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible with Mario Andretti behind the wheel was not something I would like to do again anytime in the near future. Funny how normally you take guardrails for granted! However, was an absolutely gorgeous drive!
- San Francisco, although quite chilly (55 degrees at 2pm) was really an awesome city. The mesh work of electric bus cables was pretty cool.
- Driving 40 minutes off the highway over treacherous mountain passes to see the Redwoods with said Mario Andretti, is enough to make anyone carsick.
- Finding out when arriving at the Redwoods national park that it was a 5-mile hike up the mountain to see them, not cool...they should really put that in the brochure!
- I can really never get enough of seaside seafood!
- Getting reacquainted with Ghirardelli chocolate in Ghiradelli square was nice...their sundae's were especially good!
- The shopping was incredible although I couldn't quite get Brad to approve my purchase of a $2,500 Burberry purse...come on it was on sale and at an outlet mall, that's cheap ;-)
- Outlet malls that have the following store titles: Gucci, Michael Kors, Burberry, and Cole Haan...retail heaven!
- Hearing my 2-year-old cry on the phone that he, "just wants his Mommy" is enough to make Mommy cry :-(
- Getting some much needed time away with my husband is priceless!
