hiking the tule elk reserve

this hike is by far one of my favorite in the bay area for so many reasons: it's long enough to feel like a really great workout, the views are so rewarding, the ELK munching on grass right alongside you, and the gorgeous spring flowers we were lucky enough to see in full bloom. the point reyes seashore is such a special place and every time we spend a weekend up here i leave feeling so happy. 

here's how to hike the pierce point ranch trail:

• be prepared: the drive is about an hour and 30 minutes from sf – we stopped at dynamo donuts in the marina right before hopping on the golden gate bridge. 
• the hike is a moderate level @ around 10 miles, and takes about 4.5 hours round trip
• show up early [by or before 10am] to beat the crowds
• pack a lunch! we made veggie wraps, but you can also grab cowgirl creamery [they don't open until 10]
• wear a hat and reapply your sunscreen! we were covered in SP5 50 and somehow still got burnt
• if you have time, stop for oysters on your way home [even though it's not exactly "on the way"]
• to avoid GGbridge traffic you can also stop in mill valley on your way home for beers at our favorite, MVBW and dinner at sol food

TRY IT TUESDAY: LEO'S OYSTER BAR

try it tuesday was a tradition started years ago with my dear friend [and ex roommate] callie – we would go to new restaurants ever tuesday and it was such a great way to get acquainted with our new city. keeping up the tradition has been hard, but honestly with so many new spots popping up all over this city i really want to make an effort to bring this little mid-week date night back. 

leo's oyster bar was the perfect place to start. i've missed clark's, our go-to oyster spot in austin so much since we moved and while this doesn't have the epic patio aspect – a lot of the menu items and atmosphere felt similar. we ordered: assorted cocktails, washington oysters, salmon and tuna toasts, hamachi and the lobster roll. i'd recommend going with a group so you can try everything. happy tuesday!

all photos via ashley's blog 

the best oysters and fish tacos at the marshall store

hog island has always been my go-to oyster spot up in beautiful tomales – however, recently we've started stopping at the marshall store , about 2 minutes down the road, and i'm in love with all of their different oyster options {um, chorizo butter}. while their vibe is a bit different than hog island, i love how they serve additional items like fish tacos and clam chowder. it's hard for me to ever choose one or the other, so we'll likely just have to start visiting both when we visit this area :)

hog island oyster co.

i recently came across spotted and immediately lost 2+ hours of productivity on a rainy evening by scouring through pages and pages of her photos. she's been everywhere i love in sf, and then some, and documents it all so beautifully. it made me really miss that city. i'd like to start sharing some of leslie's photos here to reminisce on bits of my favorite bay area gems, starting with hog island oyster farm in tomales. some of my favorite times @ hog island can be found here and here

** all images via

spottedsf