pescadero, a dream town

tucked back in the hills and about 2 miles off the ca-1 is this perfect little town, pescadero. 

we didn't have enough time in pescadero on saturday, nor did we have enough room in our bellies for all of the food we wanted to eat. our first stop upon entering the quiet seaside mountain town was duarte's, recommended by ayl. during our wait to be seated, we shopped at the nearby thrift store whose profits went to a children's fund. i always try and pick up a couple plates at thrift stores in places i'm visiting. we left this one with 2 salad plates, 4 yellow glass dessert plates, a brandy glass, a 3-section camping plate, and a short brown plastic pitcher that took both of us back to our childhoods. 

at duarte's, we ordered a table full of stuff -- cream of artichoke soup (artichoke country!), petrale sole fish sandwich, mexican cole slaw, and halibut chowder. a complimentary basket of fresh, warm, soft, and crusty bread showed up and we dug in. a little yellow bird told me their olallieberry pie was really something and since i wasn't stuffed, i ordered a slice -- warm with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream on top. we shared the slice and i savoured every bite -- it was scrumptious. i might have even licked the plate. 

from there we crossed the street and popped into a couple shops. one of the markets had a huge brick oven and we noticed a pizza being devoured by a little family and wished we weren't full, but promised ourselves we'd be back for a pizza like that to enjoy in the fenced-in backyard of the market. every picnic table was taken; kids were running around; and a small band was playing. swoon. 

next on the list was harley's goat farm. i love goats. and i love farms. this was both! i'd heard of it from several other folks and i didn't let on to jsb how excited i was to finally be visiting. on the way into the farm from the parking area we passed donkey, a beautiful donkey named donkey. heading into the farm house we were directed upstairs to a room where a giant table, worthy of description by j. r. r. tolkien -- long and perfectly not straight, constructed from a tree trunk; tall chairs; flat sterling silver plain plates; goblets; flowering weeds and wildflowers; a beautiful chandelier -- was set. it demanded a certain amount of reverence and i stood in awe of it for some time.  

this space is available for hosting a private dinner or buying a ticket for one of their season meals. i want to do both. sounds like a perfect night. the seasonal meal includes a tour of the farm and 5 courses. swoon.

at the end of the long room was the view of the back gardens and all the baby goats. i don't know the name of all the wildflowers and flowering weeds but the garden was bright and beautiful. the baby goats were active -- trying out their wobbly legs; feeding; taking shade from the sunshine -- and completely adorable.

we popped into the farm shop and tasted some of their different goat cheeses. i didn't leave with any of the creamy goodnesses -- maybe next time. and there will be a next time.

the drive home was gorgeous. in typical brooks fashion (this is why i love being a brooks!) we took the scenic route home including a detour to check out butano state park -- a campsite deep in a hidden grove of redwoods -- spectacular. it's such an impressive countryside -- farmland meeting the seaside and mountains with countless state parks within a stone's throw. it was a day of heaven.

i can't wait to go back.

pictures are mine and jsb's

i've never been to spain.

but i want to go, and when i do, i want to stay in this renovated 18th century farmhouse located in the garrotxa volcanic area natural park. amazing, right? 

images courtesy of airbnb

yosemite: america the beautiful.

it had been a long day. and an even longer week. i was ready for the weekend but i was still many emails and tasks away from relaxing and enjoying that much earned weekend. then my husband called to ask where i was -- i was overdue for being home. and then he asked me what he should pack in a bag for me. he was taking me to yosemite and he was going to pick me up from work on our way out of town. out of romantic spontaneity and boredom, he booked a room at the royal carriage inn in jamestown. i was thrilled! i grabbed a goat hill pizza and a bag of other pilfered goodies from work and rushed out of the office door, happy for a reason to escape.

after a restful and comfortable sleep, and some pizza for breakfast, we made our way through the foggy farmland -- dotted with cows and sheep -- into the park, evidence of the forest fires ejecting from the ground like charred matchsticks. it was a beautiful sight -- sobering.

and then, what seemed like minutes later, there was half dome, shaped like an eagle's head reaching for the sky; and el capitan, a solid, massive wall of granite; and yosemite falls -- water gushing over the cliff edges was a welcome sight and sound after seeing the falls dried up during the summer. i was awestruck, dazzled by their majesty and grandeur. like i am every time i visit this magical place.

  my iphone 5 takes pretty good pictures

we hiked up to a cave beside lower yosemite falls. there wasn't a trail, just rocks to climb over and conquer. i felt a little silly for feeling so adventurous but it was super fun.

bodega bay for a day.

we had a great weekend driving north toward bodega bay. along the way, we found ourselves to be hungry and came across estuary cafe in the tiny, blink-and-you'll-miss-it town of valley ford. the food was delicious and sitting outside in the shade was delightful. after lunch, we continued on our journey toward bodega bay, constantly ooo-ing and awww-ing over the scenery. 

the ocean was especially surf-full on saturday and there were a few brave surfers fighting the current to make the most of the incredible conditions. i never tire of the rocky seashore coastline of northern california. the surf crashing across the short beach and over godzilla-like rock formations in the water takes my breath away.  if i could stand the wind and cold, i could lose myself in a good book for the better part of a day on the beach. 

there's a carousel in paris--

just below the eiffel tower. 
i can't breathe. 

too excited. 

i must go. now. with you. and me. 
i love carousels. they're magical.

hurry!

images courtesy of thisisglamorous.com

take me away to big sur.

my first visit to big sur was 2 years ago. my now-husband, then-boyfriend, swept me away to carmel and big sur for a birthday adventure. i immediately fell in love with the rocky seascape (thanks to the santa lucia mountains), the natural beauty from every view, and the gentle mist resting on my shoulders from the constant and impenetrable fog. we usually spend more time in carmel when we visit. after this guide from refinery29, i think that's about to change. big sur, here we come!

images courtesy of refinery29.com

who wants to join us?

halloween: forget costumes and visit haunted spots instead.

i'm not really one who celebrates halloween. i'll often think up great costumes throughout the year but when the time draws closer, the caring falls to the wayside. instead, i'll stand back, observe, and oooo and ahhh over the costumes of others, or help my husband's daughter collect pieces for her pirate costume, including my very own tall black boots. i like that. that's pretty fun. but what i really crave during this time of year when the nights are longer and the weather is cool with a brisk chill in the evening breeze is visiting spooky sites and going on haunted tours like those listed in daily candy's coast to coast: the country's best haunted places. my imagination gets deliciously tangled in the spooky lore, tales, and myths.

images courtesy of dailycandy

• sleepy hollow: headless horseman ichabod crane and katrina van tassel are buried in this new york cemetery
• laurel hill cemetery: located in philadelphia, this cemetery boasts ornate monuments and tombstones; scary beautiful
• stow lake: according to legend, a mysterious woman in white appears and is desperate for details on her lost baby, who reportedly rolled into the golden gate park waters more than 100 years ago
• eastern state penitentiary: inmates, like al capone, and officers have long reported paranormal activity at this philadelphia defunct prison
• winchester mystery house: after a medium told her to appease angry spirits, rifle company heiress sarah winchester became obsessed with building them a place to live and ended up with a 160-room victorian mansion in san jose, california; legend states that the blue room is where sarah communed with ghosts nightly
• charleston old city jail: once a house for civil war prisoners, pirates and others ne'er-do-wells, the spirits of these and that of ruthless local hotel owner, lavinia fisher--hanged for mass murders--are said to still be alive
• farnam mansion: now a bed and breakfast inn, the owners encourage guests to investigate the unexplained footsteps, shadowy figures, and moving objects in this baroque, italiante-style house in upstate new york
• sutro baths: for those brave enough to visit the site at night, they can light a candle and place it at the end of the tunnel; it's been said someone will come and throw it into the ocean below; the sutro baths burned down in 1966
• pike place market: known to be the most haunted location in the northwest thanks to its empty stalls and inside lower levels the market; on the seattle market ghost tour, you'll make footprints through the city's first mortuary site, an old graveyard, and a former brother; this spot is loaded with history and storytelling tradition
• corn maze: texas corn maze in the dark--need i say more? 
• 13 nights at jiminy: more than 300 years ago, berkshire farmers in the valley of jericho went near mad from disease and supernatural intrusion
• philadephia tour: this town if full of local lore and edgar allan poe was a philadelphian
• green-wood cemetery: imposing gothic gates welcome you to this sprawling 478+ acre burial ground in brooklyn; grandiose tombstones and common graves, this cemetery is home to boss tweed, louis comfort tiffany, a few of the roosevelt clan, other noteworthy new yorkers, and 103 victims of a brooklyn theatre fire
• graceland cemetery:  the tomb of inez clarke who died at age 6 in 1880, as well as others, are marked by life-size statues of the entombed; spirits are said to linger near their memorials in this chicago cemetery

have you visited any of the sites listed? would you? being a local to san francisco, i'm curious about the stowe lake and sutro baths mystery. maybe the hubs and i will check them out this weekend.