Big Girls Trip to California: Saturday

We started out our morning in Watsonville with a walk along Manresa Beach. The beach was super dirty and the tide was moving in really quickly but the sky was so clear and waves were huge. A dozen surfers, dolphins, and killer whales were taking advantage of the wild surf and put on a nice show for us so we stuck around to watch for an hour. We couldn’t take ourselves away! In Florida, you’ll get a glimpse of dolphins every morning and evening, but these dolphins were everywhere and jumping completely out of the water. It was amazing. The surfers approached them and they all caught the same waves. Unforgettable experience. The girls couldn’t believe how every few minutes, the 5 foot waves would build up and bring in a huge 8-10 foot swell. They don’t see those on spring break in Florida, either! What a spectacular morning. They couldn’t get over the coarse, dark granite sand, the colorful ice plant, or the kelp everywhere. 

All weekend long, I pointed out the source of the nations food as we drove by fields and fields of the brands they recognize like Driscoll, Taylor Farms, Giant, Christopher Ranch, and Martinelli. I took them through Tortilla Flat, Castroville, Prunedale, and Moss Landing. The girls recognized the cultural diversity in that they were the only white kids everywhere we went, and English was not the primary language being spoken in conversations around them. We passed cemeteries absolutely covered in bright Orange marigolds. We hit lunch in Watsonville and there was a straight up 12 piece mariachi band having lunch. It was amazing. Quincy was dying to get a pic with them but didn’t want to ask, so she got a sneaky photo of one of the guys who was sitting alone.  The were like, “Mom, is this for Dia de los Muertos?”  No girls, it’s just Saturday in Watsonville.  When we stepped out of super taq, there was a Quinceañera happening at the giant Catholic Church across the street!  They soaked in every sight and sound around them and got a little taste of the beauty of the culturally rich atmosphere I was raised in. After our drive, we popped into Gizdich Ranch and ate homemade pies right in the middle of an apple orchard. There were zero bugs and the weather was perfect all weekend.  We just couldn’t get over the non-existence of autumn. Everything was still so green and vibrant.  By the end of the weekends, each of us mentioned how much we missed the oranges and reds and all our trees. 

I found the trees when I drove over the Santa Cruz mountains to Gilroy, that evening. I cannot believe I used to drive over Mt Madonna on Hwy 152 as a teenaged, inexperienced driver. It’s just like the windy roads of Bella Vista, but at high speeds and with a lot of other cars. 

I caught this gorgeous pic to show the girls the giant redwoods. We saw a few when we were up in San Francisco, but I don’t feel like they got to see the grand scale of these majestic trees. In Gilroy, I met up with Annie (grover) Gilbert and went to my High School 20 (well, 21 due to covid) Year Reunion.  Class of 2000, baby!  It was fun and interesting to see old friends and classmates.  Annie of course, and Emily Hepner and her boyfriend Ali, Sarah Claspell and fiancé, Clay, Michael and Gloria Horta, Sheena Torres (fellow chamber choir member and my badminton partner when we dominated in girls doubles), Mike Smith and his lovely wife, Karen, Jeremy Novara, Jenny (Livingston) Main, Don Darling, Dana Guerin, Ui Ka’anapu (my badminton girls singles rival), Leslie (benson) Galvin.  I missed so many who couldn’t make it, and some who didn’t come last minute even though they live like 2 minutes away (I’m looking at you, Laura, Sara, Lucas and Corinne!) but overall it was a memorable experience. 



Look at us! I’ve known these ladies since 2nd grade. It was good catching up. 

Big Girls Trip to California Friday

Friday morning we woke up in beautiful Monterey. I love this peninsula more than almost any place I’ve ever been.  We set out for a long morning walk, stopping all along the Fisherman’s Wharf, then on to Cannery Row, where we ate a lunch of clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl and fish n chips right over the water at the Fish Hopper. The waves crashed beneath us and we watched kayakers, fishermen casting nets from boats, pelicans and adorable sea otters. We found crepes and hoodies on Cannery row, got more in n out, and then hit Point Pinos in pacific grove right at low tide for the most gorgeous sea shell and creature hunt! This was the highlight of our trip for sure! We held crabs, starfish, and sea urchins, and collected treasures that the violent waves had carried in. We saw the lighthouse begin to glow, and stood on a tiny island only accessible during low tide while we watched the sun set magnificently into the Pacific Ocean. Dreamy. 

14 years between these pics in this place! Sadly, rge wharf doesn’t smell like salt water taffy anymore. It smells like weed. Barf. But the rest of our trip smelled like eucalyptus and it was wonderful. 

Tide pools are my most favorite thing! 






















For dinner I took us to Carmel-by-the-sea to a little Italian place Little Napoli’s. I used to come here with friends in high school, and Aaron and I have been here many times as well. Never disappoints! We ate fried artichokes and pizza, and of course found more it’s it’s in a grocery store on the way home 😂. We also tried a knock offs it’s-it made by a local creamery. The ice cream was delicious, but the cookie was too hard/crunchy to enjoy. How does it’s it do it? The cookie is soft and magical!