recipe for renovation

Check out my new cart I found for just $10!  It had a little rust on top, so I sanded it down and painted it orange.  I also found an adorable apron, which I decided to use as a curtain.  I stuck a favorite recipe in the pocket.  :)

On the subject of the kitchen, we have decided to finally make some changes.  We replaced all the hardware on the cabinets and we ordered new countertops.  I can't tell you how happy I will be to see the nasty green and creme tile go away.  Now I just need to pull down the Willy Wonka wallpaper and figure out what colors we want to paint the cabinets and walls.

We're a little nervous about home renovations as no project (great or small) has gone smoothly with this house.  The countertop specialist told us that if the cabinets were off by more than 1/8" they would not install the countertops.  I think we can all agree that NOTHING is level in an older home.  This should be an adventure, to say the least.

Taken on the pier in Santa Cruz.  I haven't lost my love for "where I stand" pictures, I promise.  :)

home sweet home

Although we had a wonderful time in California, I think it's safe to say that we're both very thankful to be home safe and sound.  I picked Seth up from the Charlotte airport last night and we both went to bed as soon as we got home!  Tomorrow I'll begin wading through the house work, yard work, and work work that needs to be done.

almost home again

Two peas in a pod, my poor husband has followed in my footsteps and is stuck in Washington Dulles today, though at least not due to his own error.  His flight leaving SF was delayed by 3 hours, meaning that pretty much everyone on his flight missed their connecting flights.  He will be spending the day at Dulles and coming back to Charlotte this evening, if all goes as planned.  Praying for safe and smooth travels!

home again

After missing my connecting flight and spending the night in the Washington Dulles airport, I am pleased to report that I am finally home.  For those of you who don't know, we were privileged to take a short vacation to San Francisco this past week before Seth had to attend his meeting in Pleasanton, CA. We had such a wonderful trip and made so many special memories along the way. The following is a photo journal of our travels. It's in reverse-order, so if you want to follow along day by day, you'll want to start with the post dated "April 12th" and scroll up.

one last romp in golden gate

On our final day of vacation, we decided to head back into San Francisco one last time.  We had a yummy lunch at the Beach Chalet, a restaurant with stunning views of Ocean Beach (though not nearly as impressive as Nepenthe in Big Sur). 

While we were in the parking lot, a local asked us if we had ever been up to Seal Rocks.  He told us about a trail just up the street that afforded great views of Seal Rocks, the Sutro baths (which now lay in ruins near Seal Rocks), and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Below is a view of Ocean Beach from Sutro Heights Park.  The castle-like structure is the ruins of his home and gardens on the bluff overlooking the ocean.

While we were so near to Golden Gate Park, I wanted a re-do of some pictures I took a few days earlier when it was overcast.  We revisited Queen Wilhelmina's Gardens and Dutch Windmill. 

We also visited the Murray Windmill, which seemed to be undergoing some transition in terms of landscaping (read: it was bland and boring compared to the Dutch windmill).

I will miss this place!

hostel #3

Hostel #3: Montara Point Lighthouse Hostel (~25 mi. south of San Francisco on Hwy 1)

This hostel was such a sweet way to end our nomadic journey.  We arrived just in time to catch the sunset over the ocean.  The next morning, we awoke to the sights and sounds of the CA coast and saw just how beautiful this hostel really is!

If I had views like this from my kitchen, I'd never complain about doing the dishes again!

Check out the gorgeous ocean views from our room:

big sur

On Saturday, we rented a car and decided to drive about an hour and a half south to Big Sur.  The views were absolutely breathtaking (as were the steep and narrow roads, at times).

 

We stopped off at Nepenthe for lunch.  The views cannot be matched!  If you look closely, there's a bird in the tree on the right side of the photo below.  He/she was one of several fowl predators that swooped in periodically to steal food. 

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park: Where the Redwoods meet the ocean!

A short hike to Pfeiffer Falls:

Our favorite scenic detour: McWay Falls.  Despite signs warning that death was imminent and that the ecosystem was fragile, two guys managed to make their way to the base of this natural wonder.  I'm so grateful I snapped my pictures before they did their shirtless victory dance on the shore.

pigeon point lighthouse

As we made our way back up Hwy 1, we stopped off at Pigeon Point Lighthouse for some photos.  This lighthouse is also a hostel, but they were booked solid for this week.

They had some of the largest succulents I have ever seen.  I asked Seth to put his hand next to it for perspective!

hostel #2

Hostel #2:  Santa Cruz

This hostel was set up like cottages.  The kitchen, laundry, and entertainment facilities were in the center, flanked by individual, two-bedroom cottages.  It was beautifully landscaped, the rooms were very clean and tidy, and the hostel itself was extremely convenient to both the beach and the downtown.

the beach

To put into perspective how cold this water is, please see the City of Santa Cruz Weather and Ocean Report photo below...

A cluster of sea lions hang out near the pier.

View of the Boardwalk from the pier.

the boardwalk in santa cruz

We enjoyed walking around the historic Boardwalk at Santa Cruz.

We rode the Skygliders (above) and the historic 1920s wooden roller coaster, the Giant Dipper (below).

View of the beach from the Skygliders:  

  

This giant indoor mini-golf course was once the public pool when the Boardwalk was in its heyday.