Welcome back to the blog loyal readers. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw that my content looked a little bit different this past weekend as I traded in my usual gardening and baking content for some bits and pieces from our weekend stay in Monterey, CA.
My in-laws celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this weekend and we had a lovely time celebrating love and reminiscing on all of the good times they've had over the years. My sister-in-law is the one who truly put together such a wonderful weekend of activities and we all had an amazing time! We drank wine, played endless games of rummy, and of course watched a few episodes of Miss Rachel with the youngest member of the family.
All in all, it was a holiday weekend well spent and I'm sure my in-laws will remember their 50th anniversary for years to come!
Day 1: Monterey Bay Aquarium + Happy Girl Kitchen Cafe + Henry Miller Library
On day 1, we headed off to the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium to get an up close and personal look at some of the sea life in the area. I have to admit, I'm not a huge aquarium and zoo person but other members of the family hadn't been before and wanted to check it out. While it's not my taste, it's definitely family friendly and chock full of information and interesting exhibits. Afterwards, we took to an adorable little spot called the Happy Girl Kitchen Cafe which offered us plenty of healthy vegan options to carry us through the afternoon.
I got the house-made pop tart with fresh jam and it was honestly the tastiest baked good I've had in awhile. It even convinced me to try making my own version of a pop tart at home it was SO good.
After the aquarium, Cain and I decided to take a quick drive down to Big Sur (our favorite place) while everyone else napped. We have wanted to go to the Henry Miller Library for years, but never made the time. It was so beautiful and eclectic. Fun fact: we almost got married at the Henry Miller Library ;)
Outfit Details: Damson Madder Vest, Banana Republic Sweater (sold out, similar here), Anthropologie Corduroy Pant
For dinner, we had a delicious meal at the Monterey Fish House and it was truly so good. I got the scallops over linguine in cream sauce and it was so good I wanted to go back to get it again before we left.
Day 2: Whale Watching + A Day to Relax
My MIL's dream for the longest time has been to go whale watching and see the whales in the Pacific! Unfortunately, I don't do so well on the water. I get extremely sea sick so I opted out of this activity but I was told that it definitely lived up to the expectations!
Outfit Details: Painted by Lady Ally Sweater, Banana Republic Cargo Pant
Instead, I spent the day relaxing and went to get my toes done at a local salon. The ladies were so nice and I was finally able to make a dent in the book I've been reading for months now, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I sat, I read, I let the chair massager do its thing. Afterwards, I went back to the Happy Girl Cafe and got another sweet treat and my new drink of choice, a golden milk latte with oat milk. Yum!
For dinner this night, my husband and his sister had a cook off to see who could make the best fish! My SIL breaded her sole with panko breadcrumbs, lemon and salt & pepper, while Cain grilled up the most delicious sea bass. Both were delicious and we decided it was a tie!
Day 3: Park Day + Back to Big Sur
This day, everyone was still worn out from the whale watching adventure the day before. So we kept it chill and went to a local park to play with the littlest member of the fam. They loved it! And it was so much fun to watch them climbing on trees, rock climbing, playing with a soccer ball and having fun with other kids.
Outfit Details: Anthropologie Ruched Top, Banana Republic Sweater (sold out, similar here), Anthropologie Corduroy Pant,
Afterwards, we took yet another drive down to Big Sur with the my husband's parents to have a little lunch at Nepenthe. Normally, we would've taken them to the Big Sur Bakery, but they suffered a terrible fire a few weeks ago and won't be open again for awhile.
The drive down was beautiful and we grabbed some coffee and scones as an appetizer before heading up to the restaurant to indulge in french fries and beet salad. It was yummy! But in my opinion, the cafe below Nepenthe has better food and is more worth the money.
The Nepenthe gift shop is also an absolute must. Every time I go I want to buy everything in the store. This time, I left with a new bowl, body wash and a new book. All of which will likely make an appearance in my next Patreon vlog.
Outfit Details: Found Garden Puffer
Day 4: The Journey Home
The final day was spent enjoying a delicious breakfast and a walk down Cannery Row to do a little more shopping.
Outfit details: Damson Madder Top, Velvet by Graham and Spencer Pants
We got breakfast at Wave Street Cafe and it was so much better than I remember it being. I got the chilaquiles with chorizo and buttermilk pancakes and it was so good. Clearly it was delicious since I don't even have photo evidence that this meal took place. I started inhaling it and didn't look back!
I can't say much about the drive home because I fell asleep as soon as we got in the car and didn't wake up until we got home!
It was such a nice trip, packed with so many fun family activities! Here's hoping we all make it to 50 years of marriage!
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