pie ranch barn dance, pescadero

the barn dance at pie ranch is something we've been wanting to experience for way too long – so when we found out they were hosting one last weekend, it was time to finally just make it happen. this last minute decision left us high and dry with where we would sleep that night [and we knew driving 1.5 hrs home afterwards would not be fun]. typically we camp or snag one of the spots i mentioned in this post, but alas these were long since sold out. after some pretty hilarious brainstorming, we agreed on renting a pick-up F250 from getaround {which is actually awesome} and camping in the truck bed. for dinner we picnicked with wine and the infamous artichoke bread followed by sandwiches and sparkles. 

the rest of the night was spent dancing [to the calls by this guy] and laughing uncontrollably. afterwards we shared an entire pie, enjoyed the crazy moon, rolled out our sleeping bags and slept to the sound of the waves. the next day was spent having coffee @ downtown local and breakfast before a beach day at grey whale cove. these random little weekends are one of the many reasons i really love living here. 
 

memorial day weekend: camping in humboldt

we successfully made our second annual memorial day camping trip happen! 

saturday morning we drove north and stopped in hopland for lunch at the extremely cute blue bird cafe. the rest of the day was spent getting acquainted with the swimming holes, sipping rosé creekside, sorting out our fishing pole situation, busting out frescobol and setting up camp at standish hickey [which was a little too jam packed this year]. later that evening we climbed the fence for a perfect sunset spot before dinner at the peg house [across the street] and s'mores + shower thoughts by the fire. 

day two we moved even more north for a very private day of swimming, drinking jac's sangria, fishing [not to be confused with catching], stick baseball, jumping and exploring near our next campsite: richardson grove [i loved this spot]. we cooked chilli for dinner and watched the stars & satellites from the parking lot. en route home on monday we stopped in anderson valley for lunch at the boonville general store and a quick look at the boonville hotel – which i can't wait to come back to! our final stop was bar bocce to catch the warriors win before making our way over the golden gate. i hope this tradition stays alive for a long time. photos from last year can be seen here. 

the perfect roadtrip: from san francisco to los angeles

Last week we drove down south to visit family in Long Beach and friends in LA. The flight is so easy, but something about driving sounded less stressful and more fun. I highly recommend this drive to anyone – and you can make it as long or as short as you want [the full drive is about 6-7 hours if you do it in one day]. We did it in two days, but stretching out over 4 or 5 would be perfect if you have the time.

Here's our idea of the perfect road trip:

San Francisco >> Pescadero [1 hour]

• Sleep @ Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Costanoa or Wildtender Ranch
• Stop for bloody mary's and the "half and half" soup at Duarte's Tavern [this is a must]
• Grab coffee at Downtown Local
• Check out Norm's Market for their famous Artichoke bread
• Need dessert? Pie Ranch is a must see!

Pescadero >>  Big Sur [2 hours, 45 minutes]

• If you have time, pop into Santa Cruz to wander around, some great tips can be found here
• A few fun stops in Carmel might be: La Bicyclette, Casanova and Mission Ranch

Eat & Drink:

• Big Sur Bakery is an absolute must for any and all meals. We've been for breakfast, lunch and dinner and all are simply perfect. 
• Glen Oak's Roadhouse: drinks and bites
• Nepenthe: perched cliffside this spot offers delicious food and insanely breathtaking views

Lodging:

• Camping: Andrew Molera, Fernwood, Ventana [pictured below], Naciemento Raod, Kirk Creek
• Glamping: Big Sur Getaway airstreams or Treebones yurts [must plan far in advance]
• Hotels: Deetjen's, Post Ranch Inn, Ventana, Glen Oaks

Explore:

• Henry Miller Library: often offering live music most nights in a cozy intimate setting
• Esalen institute: snag one of their coveted public passes that offers middle of the night nude hotsprings
• Hike: there are so many wonderful hikes that can be found here
   

Big Sur >> Cayucos & SLO [2 hours, 45 minutes]

• Stop to see the elephant seals – there are hundreds... thousands! of resting massive elephant seals on this beach in San Simeon. 
• Get lunch in Cayucos at the Smokehouse – the best smoked fish tacos i've ever had!
• If you need some energy, stop for Scout Coffee in San Louis Obispo
   

Cayucos >> Santa Barbara [2 hours]

• Wine in Los Olivos: we stopped at demetria estate and it was absolutely gorgeous with delicious wine
• The Farmstead: for exploring, cold brew and fresh fruits & veggies
• Happy Hour on the patio at The Outpost and dinner at Arigato 
• Cocktails at The Good Lion
• A good night's rest at The Goodland or El Capitan [our plan was to camp but it was actually extremely windy and we decided to pass on that!]
   

Santa Barbara >> LA [final leg! 2 hours]

Whew! So much goodness packed into such a quick few days. I will be sharing photos/stories from our time in LA in my next post. Happy Thursday!

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how to: hike the patagonia w trek

In December 2014 we hiked the Patagonia W trek in Torres del Paine National Park and it was such a unique and gorgeous experience – when we arrived I immediately knew we'd be back. Since then i've had quite a few friends ask for tips on the logistics for this confusing travel experience, which is what inspired this post. For more photos from our trip check out the blog posts and video, and here's how to make this trip happen:

BEFORE YOU LEAVE: 

• Visa: nothing is needed before you leave, however you may have to purchase a visa at the airport 
• Cash: have plenty on hand before you leave [they do not accept Argentinean pesos in Chile so you'll need to have both] there are no ATMs and cash is crucial
• Seasons: the park is open all year round, however the best season to visit is from October to April – Spring and Summer. We were there in late December. You'll have more sunny days with less rain and more than 16 hours of natural light [the sun went down at 10pm!] 
• Bus Tickets: buy in advance wherever possible. If you're not able to, be at the bus station when they open
• Book lodging in advance [by up to 6 months]: while the campgrounds are much easier to reserve, the refugios do book up quickly 

HOW TO GET THERE:

• Fly to Buenos Aires 
• Fly to  El Calafate [3 hour from BA]
  • visit the perito moreno glacier, i wished we had time to do the walking tour which takes an entire day 
• Bus from El Calafate to Puerto Natales [5 hours]
  • Purchase your tickets ahead of time here
• Bus to Torres Del Paine National Park [3+ hours]
  • Buy a round trip at the bus station in Puerto Natales ticket so that you will have a way to get home after your trek 

WHERE TO SLEEP:
The w trek offers both camping and refugios [small dorm like cabins] – depending on your preference.  They will provide your food and drinks if you choose "full room and board"

• El Calafate: La Cantera Boutique Hotel
• Puerto Natales: We are Patagonia [if you're on a budget] The Singular [if you're splurging]
• W Treak Night 1: El Chileno refugio is tucked alongside a flowing river and is one of the coziest spots on the trek, sleeping is hostel style with a bunk bed in a room of 8+ 
• W Treak Night 2: Cabanas los cuernos (they offer private cabins and have a hot tub!) or  dome frances, a bit further down the trail and is where we stayed (great food and gets you a head start for the next day)
• W Treak Night 3: Refugio paine grande one of the bigger refugios with a full bar and private rooms 
• W Treak Night 4: Vertice grey shelter gets you right up to the glacier grey, and has an epic front deck
   

WHAT TO PACK: 
We were there in summer and the weather changed almost every hour– you need to be prepared for everything. 

• Beanie, scarf and bandana and sunglasses 
• Leggings (x2)
• Hiking boots [a mid rise option]
• A comfortable pack: i've had this one for years and love the way it rests on my hips
• Evening pants 
• Shell jacket
• Layers! I brought a vest, a fleece and flannel
• Good sunscreen
• Good socks
• Waterproof pack over
• Warm waterproof jacket [I love this kids jacket, it fit me with a size XL. Kyle wore this and loved it.]
• Durable pants for if the weather turns
• Comfortable shoes for when you are not hiking [i brought these and these]

winter camping in big sur, ca

WINTER CAMPING IN BIG SUR:

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big sur! it's ridiculously beautiful. one of my goals for the new year is to take better advantage of the bay area, which is exactly what inspired this spontaneous little camping trip to a couple weeks back. i continue to forget how lucky i am to live so close to adventures like these. after making veggie chili from my new favorite vegetarian blogger: cookieandkate, we hit the road. we made the obvious stop in pescadero for artichoke bread from norm's market and coffee @ downtown local.

THE REST OF OUR WEEKEND CONSISTED OF:

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stopping for berries and honey and too many more times for photos, arrival drinks at nepenthe [this place is insane], setting up our tent in the dark, sleeping in all of our clothes, big sur bakery [x2], hiking the [tough] molera loop along the coast, making massive fires, drinking so much of the left over rose from our wedding, and of course stopping for bloody marys on the way home @ our favorite, duartes tavern. two nights flew by and i'm already trying to figure out when we can get back to this magical place. happy monday! 

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R E A D: T H E  P E R F E C T  R O A D  T R I P  F R O M  S F  T O  L O S  A N G E L E S

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Y O U  M I G H T  A L S O  E N J O Y:

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