California Dreaming

A quick 45 minute flight and I swapped out Phoenix for San Diego. One of my best friends just moved there after a two year Masters program in Sydney, Australia. It was my first time in San Diego and I cannot wait to go back and visit.

 

Michelle and I enjoyed kava at a yoga studio in North Park. Have you ever had kava? It's an interesting drink know for it's sedative and anesthetic properties. They came in flavors like chocolate and pineapple coconut and make your mouth a little bit tingling.



The next day we drove to the beach to catch some rays. Another beautiful 80 degree day.

We went to Black's Beach at La Jolla. It was a gorgeous beach, but we didn't realize we had to hike down. Guess we got a sneak work out in.

It was a rocky trip down, but we made it. We then discovered it is a nude gay beach. Whoops.

After the beach, we stopped by a friends house in La Jolla. From her porch you could see La Jolla high school and the ocean (see it in the distance). I can't even imagine going to high school here. Stunning.

We wanted to catch the sunset, so we booked it over to Sunset Cliffs.

We made it just in time to see the sun sink into the Pacific.

Back home, Sarah treated me to an awesome henna tattoo on my foot. She's an artist who co-founded an amazing non-profit called The Mural Dream Team. She's pretty awesome.

The only way to top a day on sunny California beaches? Go to a wine tasting bar of course. We went to Splash in North Park. You get a card loaded with credits, choose the wine you want to taste, and the perfect amount dispenses into your glass. Brilliant.

Sunday morning we decided to visit the Farmers Market for green juice and free samples. We were not disappointed.

 

I wore my hot pink maxi skirt that I picked up in South Beach. It was a big hit. I wish I didn't have to wait months to debut it in Chicago.

We splurged on some Baklava. Yum.

Our last stop on the way to the airport was Little Italy. We stopped in for a quick bite and ended up with a free bottle of Champagne from this awesome group who was having a party (see them behind us). Man, I loved this city.

Annnd, back to the airport. It was a quick trip, but I am definitely a San Diego fan. Planning my next trip soon!

Phoenix Living

After Miami I jumped right back into work mode with a week of meetings in Phoenix. It was my first time and I loved it. After one particularly full day of presentations I was ready for a break. Luckily, my co-worker knew about this great little Mexican restaurant, The Mission.

It's right next to a little church in the the Old Town area of Scottsdale.

We grabbed a table outside (in February!) and ordered up margaritas and fresh guacamole.

We played a little game of 'taste that pepper.' Some were some delicious and some burned!

For dinner we enjoyed little pork shank tacos. Trust me when I say the where unbelievable. I loved every bite.

The Mission was an excellent meal. If you ever find yourself in Phoenix, I highly recommend you make a reservation (you'll need them!).

I also enjoyed my first taste of In-N-Out burger in Phoenix. Holy cow, why is this only on the West Coast? Not fair.

After a good week of work, I headed back to the airport. Next destination: San Diego!

Key Largo and The Bazaar

Sunday was one of my favorite days of our Miami trip. We rented a zipcar and headed to the Keys!! My family and I have spent quite a bit of time scuba diving in Key Largo so it was great to share it with my best friend. One of our favorite post-dive dinner spots was Senor Frijoles, right on the water.

We ordered up some fish tacos and enjoyed the view.

Next up, we went to John Pennekamp State Park. The beach was more like a rocky mess. You should have seen us two fools trying to walk barefoot into the water. We looked crazy.

Next, we headed out on a glass bottom boat for a few hours to see the sea life on Molasses Reef.

After an eventful drive back to Miami (I swear we heard a snake hissing in the car), we enjoyed my favorite meal of the trip at Jose Andres' The Bazaar in the SLS Hotel. The food was mind blowingly good and the decor was like a whimsical library. I cannot say enough good things about this place. Please just go there.

This was a burrata with sweet Japanese peaches. Burrata was definitely a theme for the weekend.

Oh man, the Black Rossejat was my favorite dish of the night. If you ever see this on the menu anywhere, try it.

Brussel sprouts with foam? A little crazy, but crazy good.

The next morning I headed home to Chicago and then on another mini vacation to Phoenix and San Diego! Stay tuned.