When I moved to San Diego, I immediately fell in love with the area for its beauty and all that there is to see and do. From gorgeous beaches to majestic mountains, the area has it all. With so many pockets of awesome areas throughout San Diego County, you can be here for years and still have so much to see... I know that was the case for me! Even after living there for over 7 years, I feel like I left without exploring every area. Even so, I know that one thing is for sure: I took full advantage of living in San Diego and was constantly having fun. I wanted to be able to leave one day saying that I lived it up in beautiful California, whether that meant exploring the beaches, eating my way through the city, taking road trips through the state up the coast, or trekking through as ... [Read More]
California travel index
5 Awesome Wineries to Visit in Paso Robles, California
“Paso Robles is the wild west of California wine.” A couple of weekends ago, my hubby and I went on a long weekend getaway up to Paso Robles to relax, drink some wine, eat some good food, hike a bit, and enjoy central California wine country. I find that it's hard for people who haven't spent a lot of time around California to understand how massive it is. I remember when I moved up to the San Jose area from San Diego (and later, vice versa), family members of mine thought it would be a short drive away and were shocked when I told them it was almost a 10-hour drive! But that's one of the many things that I think is so cool about California. We've gone on countless road trips while never even leaving the state. For a Jersey girl, that was a pretty wild phenomena that took ... [Read More]
San Diego Spotlight on Choice Superfood Bar & Juicery
"Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people." - Elizabeth Berry I had a blog series going awhile back that I call San Diego Spotlight, where I highlight a local eatery. I'm big on dining at local places, and the idea with the series is to spread the love about local spots that I adore. It kind of fell off last year, but I want to revive the series & bring it back today! Every month or two I'll resume sharing the details about an awesome place to visit in the San Diego area - mostly in North County because that's where I live, but I'll also be sure to share a few more southern spots too. Today I want to introduce you to Choice Superfood Bar & Juicery. With locations in the Carlsbad, Solana Beach, and Del Sur ... [Read More]
My 7 Favorite Hikes in San Diego County
Since I moved to California 7 1/2 years ago (cannot believe it's been that long!), I've become an avid hiker. Hitting the trails offers a workout, stress relief, time in nature, and exercise for my dog all at once. I've realized that hiking is also a spiritual experience for me. It leaves me feeling centered, grateful, and connected to the earth. I believe in the interconnectedness of everything in life, and hiking seems to always remind me of that. It's also a lovely chance to practice mindfulness. I can only describe it as losing myself for a few hours to really find myself. Hiking just with my trail buddy, my pup, also gives me time and space to clear my head. There's always so much going on - lots of noise, distractions, and busyness - but on the trails, everything sort ... [Read More]
Weekend Getaway to Idyllwild: Where to Stay, Play & Explore
Last weekend, my husband and I decided to seize the holiday weekend and take a quick road trip together. We both have been super busy and have travel coming up, so we welcomed the thought of getting to spend time together in a relaxing setting. Having done so many road trips around California, I started looking for a place we'd never been to before. I wound up finding a place we had never even heard of called Idyllwild. Located a few hours from busy San Diego life, Idyllwild is a little town nestled in the mountains with a population of under 4,000 people. It sounded like the perfect getaway spot! Where to Stay. After doing some research, I booked us a suite at The Grand Idyllwild Lodge. Described as the boutique luxury lodge, the hotel has a modern but woodsy kind of feel to ... [Read More]
How to Spend a Weekend in Santa Barbara
"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." - Jawaharial Nehru One of my favorite things about California is how there are endless road trip options within the state itself. Two weekends ago, my husband and I went on our first road trip of 2017. For this little getaway, we traveled up to the charming central California coast city of Santa Barbara. Situated next to the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez mountains + wine country, Santa Barbara is a popular tourist destination - and for good reason! Even though we've been to Santa Barbara before in passing through on bigger road trips, this was our first time where Santa Barbara was our end destination. I love planning ... [Read More]