California Chronicles


A few weeks back we took a adventurous {I stress the word: adventurous} road trip to sunny California. I am just now getting around to writing up a post because we went on another family vacation shortly after.

I know, hate me, I lived the life of leisure for a few weeks. Now reality hits and hubby has put a halt on spending--What? No Anthropologie shopping spree?

Sigh...

{That's ok, I am good at making something from nothing}

Now we are home, getting geared up to go back to school  - yikes - only one more week of vacation left! 

Time flies when you are having fun, no?

So for your viewing pleasure a few photo highlights from my trip: 

Agate Beach...

  Me searching for agate.


Tall Redwood trees.



After a night sleeping in the car {first for us} because we I failed to book a hotel in Sonoma, we ended up riding bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge to kill time before we headed to our amazing hotel.


Chinatown, San Francisco





The BEST panini sandwiches...



Driving the car down Lombard Street...


Cable car rides...


The Big Sur, one of the most gorgeous coastlines in the world. My husband stopped the car every 5 minutes to take photos.



Elephant seals at San Simeon.


Beverly Hill, Wiltshire Hotel {where we are pretty sure we saw Paris Hilton in the bathroom!}


The girls and I shopping at Coach, my husband starting snapping photos and that drew several onlookers to see if there was a celebrity in the store - ha, it was only us!


Hollywood at night {interesting place when the sun goes down}

El Capitan, the most exciting part was...


Seeing Lady Gaga perform live at an impromptu concert behind the El Capitan!
She sounds amazing live!

And eating at In-N-Out Burgers on the Sunset Strip at 11:30 PM. That place was jam packed.


Universal Studios as the sun sets.


Santa Monica Beach.



It was such a fabulous trip, one we won't forget {especially the sleeping in the car part}.

Next week I will show you photos from two fabulous hotels with stayed at.
My husband wondered why there are random photos of lamps, walls and furniture amongst our travel photos - where has he been for the last 18 months, doesn't he know I write a blog?

Silly guy. But I love that silly guy, today is our 20th wedding anniversary!

I got married,
ehem,
a bit young, at 20ish.

Happy Anniversary to my better half! 

He puts up with random thrift store finds and spray paint projects in the garage.
My half finished rooms around the house.
Piles of fabric and samples laying around.
Paint samples taped to the wall.

Thanks for
 for putting with me for the past 20 years.

Love you.

**edited Aug 25.  I should note that is was my guy that took most of the photos - he has a good eye!

XO Barbara

21 comments

  1. Happy Anniversary! (we just had our 20th a few months ago)

    The photos from your trip look amazing! But sleeping in your car...that IS adventurous!

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  2. Happy Anniversary Barbara! 20 years - wow! It looks like you did have some great adventures in California. I can not believe you had to sleep in the car! How did that go over? Oh well, you guys will be laughing about that for years.

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful holiday, except for the sleeping in the car part, LOL! However, that is the part that everyone will remember so it's all good.
    Happy 20th Anniversary!

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  4. Great pictures...wonderful looking holiday!....& Happy Anniversary!

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  5. Looks & sounds like a great trip, except for maybe the sleeping in the car part! Love the shot of Chinatown with all the red lanterns.

    Happy Anniversary Barbara!

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  6. Barbara! You hit all of the best places on the cali coast! Congrats on 20 years! That is an amazing amount of time!

    Tiffany {Living Savvy}

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  7. Happy Anniversary! Wow, congrats on the 20 years! Its been 5 for us next month and I can't believe where time flies. That looks like an amazing trip and some even more amazing memories. Have a great day with your hubby!

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  8. Happy Anniversary! We did the same California trip last year. I am hoping to get back again soon!

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  9. Happy Anniversary!
    Looks like you had a wonderful trip.
    Fabulous pictures can't wait to see some more, especially the lamps!:-)
    shelly xo

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  10. I loved your post - happy anniversary!!!

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  11. Happy anniversary! Looks like you hit all the necessary points in California.

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  12. Happy Anniversary! Sounds like the perfect vacation to me. Thanks for sharing your trip with us!

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  13. Happy anniversary!
    Your photos are amazing...like postcards.

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  14. Oh Barbara! All five of you slept in the car!! That must have been quite a night! We slept in the back of our XTerra (on purpose, kind of) in a Sonoma campground and all the people in their tents were looking at us a little weird. lol. Good times!

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  15. What a great holiday and happy anniversary! I wish you and your hubby many more happy years together.

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  16. Happy Anniversary to you love birds! We married young too (22) and celebrated 21 years this year.
    Your trip looks amazing! I've always wanted to go to SanFran (we went to LA/Hollywood/Santa Monica on our honeymoon way back when).
    We've napped in the car a few times on long roadtrips but never an entire overnighter! That's what memories are made of! xo

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  17. Happy anniversary girlfriend!!! Hubby picked a very lovely wife! (:

    So fun to see pictures from your trip. Brings back great memories. I bought my first home in the US in SF! Fun city! I met my husband and later Frida was born there. After that we ended up in LA, where Elsa was born. And now Seattle, where William was born. Don't dare to move to any more cities! (:

    Hugs to you,

    Mon

    P.S Thank you post coming next week.

    http://www.splendidwillow.com

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  18. Looks like an amazing trip! We have yet to vacation in sunny California, but it is definitely on the list! Happy Anniversary!! I enjoyed reading your blog- I am your newest follower! :)

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  19. I'm so glad you had a good time, it certainly appears that way. And happy anniversary to you. Gosh, 20 years is nothing to sneeze at!

    I'm going to be thinking of In and Out Burger all night long.
    Camille

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  20. Looks like a fabulous trip! Love all the pics. San Francisco is one of my fave cities.

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  21. WOW! California is so beautiful, isnt it?! Can't wait to go on a trip like that with my kids...You're right, your hubby is a great photographer...some of the promenade photos just have the right amount of bustling people to make it seem like a magazine photo or advertisement for travel!
    Happy anniversary
    xoxo

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