We spent our last day of our road trip in Carmel, walking around and wishing the vacation wasn’t ending. On our walk (and inevitably on our way to a tasting room) we passed this darling little park and popped it to snap some photos of this bohemian Windsor Store top that I can’t get enough of.
Those who know me well know that I am not a great car-rider. After about two hours I get fidgety and and uncomfortable, so a “road trip” is not an appealing idea to me. Christian and I knew we wanted to visit my brother and his family this year while they were living in San Francisco and I initially thought we would fly in and split our time between San Fran and Napa.
Christian had other ideas.
He wanted to take his Wrangler on a road trip up the Coast. I had heard how beautiful the drive was and my parents had actually just made the drive last summer, so I agreed to go along with Christian’s plan.
The drive far exceeded my expectations. We spent a day in Los Olivos and Solvang (shared here), drove through Big Sur and stopped to see the Julia Pfeiffer Burns waterfall and Hearst Castle and stayed in Monterey. We then spent several days in San Francisco before hitting Carmel on our way home for an evening. Below you’ll find some photos from our drive. To pull over on the side of the road to this beauty…wow. Christian and I pulled over on PCH on the way to San Francisco and climbed on a rock to whale watch – unbelievable! I fall more in love with this beautiful state everyday.
So bummed the famous Neptune Pool (featured here in Lady Gaga’s G.U.Y music video) was temporarily drained for repair. Of course it was still gorgeous – can you imagine attending a pool party here?
I’m already brainstorming for our next vacation…Hawaii! Neither of us have ever been and I can’t think of a better reason to visit.
Thank you so much for reading and for sharing all your tips and recommendations via instagram along the way!! XO –
Los Olivos is quickly becoming one of my favorite destinations in California. This charming little town of tasting rooms reminds me so much of my college town of Oxford, Mississippi, but with California weather, palm trees and lots of wine…I mean, what’s not to love?
We stayed at Hotel Corque in Solvang and absolutely loved our stay. We visited Saarloos + Sons (absolutely adore), Epiphany Cellars, Carharrt Winery and Stolpman tasting rooms and each had their own charm. We had reservations at Sides Hardware and Shoes and it did not disappoint. Funny enough, I discovered this guide to Santa Ynez and was pleased to see we hit many of the recommended spots! Next time we go to Los Olivos, I definitely plan to use this guide as a reference to see more of the area.
Do you have any favorite tasting rooms or spots in this area? Truly, I can’t wait to go back – it was one of my favorite days on our entire trip! Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts and recommendations – I always adore your comments! XO –
It doesn’t get more darling than this little crop top ensemble from eShakti. As soon as I received it I knew I had to pack it for our road trip, and it turned out to be the perfect little outfit for our day in Monterey.
I’m telling y’all, I wish I had it in red too! The cotton poplin is so comfortable and this piece is sure to get compliments. Plus, the skirt hits high enough that it hides that In-N-Out food baby that I definitely don’t have…
crop top & skirt – eShakti (c/o) | heels – Prabal Gurung for Target, similar here | bag – Mimic Design (c/o) | bracelet – Bip & Bop (c/o) | watch – Swatch | necklace – Etsy | sunnies – Ray Ban
Who else is addicted to these darling crop tops!? Thanks so much for reading! XO –
One of Christian’s favorite things to do on a Saturday off is to go to our little neighborhood donut shop and pick out his weekend donuts. So a little while back I surprised my sweets-loving significant other with a donut pan thinking we (more like I) could learn to make donuts together. Fun idea, right!?
This pan sat in our cabinet for almost a year before I took the time to find a recipe and try out some baked donuts for myself. No excuses. Sidenote: I like how people use that saying “no excuses” for exercise and I use it for donut recipes. That really says a lot about me. #CarbsForever
This recipe was so darling and I knew I had to use it for my first whirl with my donut pan. Sprinkles!! What’s not to love?
This recipe made nine donuts and I stored them in an airtight container. They stayed fresh for three days and lasted no longer. Success! Have you made homemade donuts before? I’d love to hear what you thought. Thanks so much for reading – XO
– overlooking the Pacific Ocean in one of my favorite road trip combos – this Windsor Store maxi and Target hat –
– spending a beautiful day in Monterey –
We began our road trip up the coast (you might see my #cblroadtrip hashtag on instagram) on Sunday and will return home this Sunday. I’ve never been a road trip kind of person, but this trip has been a little different than road trips in the past. Christian and I have been blown away with the beauty of God’s creation. To pull over on the side of the Pacific Coast Highway and whale watch…wow.
It’s been a blast hanging out with my brother and his family and only makes me more excited about their move to LA this summer. I am a little sad however about returning from vacation life. I like drinking wine and watching the waves crash along the coast everyday, don’t make me return to a life behind a desk!!!
What are your plans this weekend!? Thanks so much for reading and for all your helpful suggestions along the way! XO –
Some of y’all may have seen on instagram that Christian and I spent Easter Sunday in Temecula Valley Wine Country this year. We went to our church for the early morning service and had brunch in Laguna Hills before joining new friends for a trip to Temecula to visit some wineries.
I’ve never been to Temecula and had no idea how gorgeous it was! Just a little over an hour and we had left the beach for the beautiful vineyards and hills. I am officially in love with this little town and have told Christian we should go back for my birthday weekend this summer. We hit some of the larger wineries in the area since some of the smaller gems were closed for the holiday. Callaway, Miramonte and Ponte did not disappoint and had we had some more time, I would have loved to hit Leoness and Wilson Creek. Until next time!
Thank you so much for your suggestions and recommendations on instagram and in the comments on CBL. Truly y’all help us out so much in navigating this enormous and fabulous state!! Have any of you stayed in Temecula before? South Coast and Ponte have been recommended but I’d love to hear what y’all think!
Thanks so much for reading and I hope y’all had a lovely Easter weekend. XO –
I’ve had my eye on this Judith March pom pom dress for months – I loved how fun and festive it is while still casual enough for sandals. You can see more L.Mae maxis I love here. This dress would pair perfectly with margaritas on Cinco de Mayo, right? Preferably the coconut margaritas at our neighborhood Mexican joint. On that note, this recipe is sounding extra delicious.
I want to let all of you in Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi know that my heart goes out to all of you with the aftermath of these tornadoes. I hope none of you were affected and that you and your families are safe. My thoughts and prayers go to all of you.
Thank you so much for checking in and reading – XO
I recently had a conversation with my mom and I told her what the three best things that have happened to me in the past three years were. It really got me thinking about the important moments that have really shaped the past few years of my life.
I share a good bit of my personal life on CBL and y’all might find my three moments predictable, but I still wanted to share in hopes you would share some moments that have shaped your life recently. Getting to know those of you who regularly check into this site is such a treat for me and I truly love hearing more about each of you. With that said, my top three life-changing moments of the past three years have been:
1) Marrying my college sweetheart and best friend. We’ve been together for seven years now and it’s been so amazing to watch God work in our marriage and challenge us while bringing us closer as a team. It’s been an eye-opening experience moving across the country from all of our friends and most of our family (my brother and his family are in San Francisco…but they move to LA in a month!). We truly have to rely on each other for everything.I’ve loved every minute of being his wife.You can see more of our wedding here and here.
2) Having too many margaritas with my girlfriend and rescuing Lula LaShonda from the parking lot. Y’all know how much I love this cat. I’ve never had an indoor cat and am actually allergic, but Lula has been such a blessing to me. She is so affectionate and loyal. Now that she has only three legs (more on that here), she has even more of a special place in my heart if that’s even possible! Thank you those who have continued to ask about her. Her wound has healed well and now we’re just working on growing the hair back so she can be 100% back to her fabulous self!
Our next oncology appointment is May 5th where we will x-ray her lungs again to make sure the cancer from her tumor didn’t spread. Since she was rescued from the Cinco de Mayo Mexican restaurant parking lot, I think this is good luck! Any prayers for a cancer-free Lu would be appreciated!
3) Starting my marriage in California with the person who brings out my most adventurous self. Christian is the dreamer and I am the realist. However Christian is so easily content (read: low-maintenance) and laid back that he is often ok with dreaming about the possibilities rather than going out and making them happen. I’m not as adventurous as he is, but I have always been comfortable putting myself out there (evidence here of my 18-year-old self in a swimsuit on NBC when I competed in Miss Teen USA…you couldn’t pay me to do that today – I heart coverups) and I have encouraged him to follow through with his dreams.
Together we’ve become this little team, working proactively as one to make our dreams and adventures happen. It’s been essential in our ability to live in California and embrace all of the changes that have occurred in our lives in the past year.Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had a lot of fun but we’ve also had our fair share of challenges. I have a 10-month old nephew we’ve still yet to meet and that kills me, but thankfully my sister is so supportive and it only makes me miss her and her family more!
What are the three best things that have happened in your life in the past three years? I want to hear! Thanks so much for reading and for all of your kind words and support. I truly love this little blog’s community and humbly thank y’all for your advice, wisdom and inspiration. XO –
– my first surf and turf burrito, hello addiction –
– holy lemons! –
– farmers market Sundays with Bailey – and her best cobra impression –
– beautiful succulents – I’m obsessed –
– dangerously delicious coconut m&m’s –
We had such a fun and full week that I was snapping pictures left and night (Kathleen the paparazzi, that’s nothing new). It was a little cooler this week and Christian had a surprisingly light workload, so we spent a lot of time outside which is always his favorite – eating outside, biking, farmers markets, riding around with the top down and keeping all the apartment windows open. This is nothing for California locals who are used to these privileges, but we aren’t used to this kind of weather so we are obsessed!
We spent last weekend in San Diego – thank you to those who helped us decide in this post! It’s such a beautiful city and next time I need to do a little more planning beforehand to make sure we make the most of it.
This weekend we are heading to Temecula for some wine tastings with friends. After our fun anniversary weekend in Santa Barbara, we decided we should definitely take advantage of the wineries within reach, so I can’t think of a better way to wrap up Easter Sunday after church than a toast in wine country with new friends.
What are your weekend plans? Do you have any favorite spots in Temecula? Thank you so much for reading and for your input – y’all have no idea how helpful your feedback and comments really are! XO –
This Blush and Bashful Boutique maxi dress is my latest spring obsession. I am usually not one to wear orange (confession: it’s my least favorite color), but something about the adorable appliqué on the bodice of this maxi changed my mind.
All I needed to add was a chunky necklace. I wore this turquoise necklace on one of my first dates with Christian in college and it’s been his favorite ever since. He says something about it every time I wear it – I think it just brings back sweet memories! Memories of when I was sweet and charming, pretending I was laid back enough to enjoy drinking Keystone Light (inaccurate) because I was still trying to woo him. Now it’s more like dance parties in the kitchen (preferably to this song and this song), Chrisley Knows Best on the DVR and a three-legged cat lady obsession – but I’m still fun, right?
maxi – Blush and Bashful Boutique (c/o) | turquoise necklace – White House | Black Market (old), similar here and here | heels – Zara | clutch – Rumor Boutique (c/o) | cuff – Shop Prima Donna (c/o) | gold bangle – Bip & Bop | chainlink pastel bracelet – INPink (c/o) | cross my heart ring – INPink (c/o) | sunnies – Forever21, similar here | lipstick – Urban Decay Anarchy
Do you have an outfit or piece of jewelry that brings back fun memories? I’d love to hear!
In other news – Shopbop is having a fab sale today – 25% off site-wide (with some brand exclusions). Below are some items I have had my eye on – I think today might be the day to pull the trigger.
I wanted to bake something sweet for Christian when I got home from Chicago and I knew there had to be a skillet brownie recipe out there. I found this one and since I already had the simple ingredients in my kitchen, I whipped it up for a decadent dessert. So rich and delicious, these might be my favorite brownies I’ve ever made!
Y’all give it a try and let me know what you think. I’m definitely going back for seconds. Thanks for reading! XO
