10.13.23 Coast to Coast

On September 1, I was in California.

On September 30, I was in DC.

On both coasts, the weather was beautiful - a wonderful respite from the heat we had in Austin all summer - which was not unlike living on the face of the sun.  

In fact, the weather in Austin has been particularly unkind this year.  Not only has the heat killed everything green and made it too hot to do anything outdoors, in between trips there was a hail storm that caused thousands in damage to one of our cars, and totaled the other. 

The windshield in my car has been replaced - there is no ETA from Honda on the body parts.

We bought my husband a new Volkswagen - which he is very happy about - but car shopping is among my least favorite activities ever.

Now you understand why there was no September blog post. 

Photo credit:
Monterey Bay Aquarium

California

After two failed attempts at a good visit with our daughter - the first back in December, when she got stranded in the winter storm and contracted Covid, then in March when she came to Austin, and I ended up having emergency gallbladder surgery - we had an absolutely delightful week on the central California coast.

We started our week at the Monterey Bay Aquarium - which is amazing.  It was all wonderful, but my favorites were the otters, including one named Rosa, who fostered more than a dozen orphaned pups until she "retired".  Now, she spends her days swimming and basking in the sun, and she's adorable.  

We hiked in Point Lobos and Big Sur, visited Cannery Row and Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, and walked and shopped through Carmel.

Of course, I had to bring home souvenirs - jewelry and tea towels.

In Monterey, at the aquarium (in their wonderful shop), I found bright, striped surfite earrings and a tea towel with otters.

On the day we spent shopping in Carmel, I walked into Pat Areias' beautiful gallery and immediately spotted the necklace - it was actually two shorter ones - but she graciously customized it for me by putting them together to create a stunning (and adjustable) chain.  

I have put all of these to good use since we returned home - the necklace received numerous complements when I wore it to see Ballet Austin's Hamlet the weekend after we returned. 

McLean Chicks Rock!

DC

Technically, I didn't spend much time in DC - I flew in and out of National Airport - but I had a fabulous whirlwind weekend with my girlfriends in Northern Virginia.

The impetus for the trip was the 20th anniversary of my friend Hillary's pop up boutique - Chick's Picks - which I have been going to since she held it in her home.

If you have followed this blog or my Instagram for any length of time, you will recognize the women is this photo from my posts about high school memories and my trips to St. Thomas USVI and Charlottesville.

You also know I love to post my jewelry jumbles...and they are always displayed in a wonderful tray that I purchased at my first Chick's Picks. This particular jumble contains the pieces I took with me over the weekend.

Ironically, even though it was ostensibly a shopping trip - the only thing I bought was lunch! No souvenirs necessary - it was a much needed, soul restoring, 48 hours with my lifelong friends - which is both memorable and priceless, all on its own.

Happily, I'll be seeing many of them again soon on our annual girls' trip - this time to Siesta Key, FL - which I imagine will be worthy of its own blog post in a few weeks.

Until next time.